Debra Kasowski

Listen to the Power of Your Spoken Word

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This past month, I spent a great deal of time reflecting on my business growth and reviewing where I came from. I was listening to a Louise L. Hay’s audiobook, The Power of the Spoken Word. Hay talked about how powerful the words we use are and how they can affect the outcomes we get. She stated that the Universe or God loves us so much that we are granted what we ask for and speak of. Her example was how we look at ourselves and speak to ourselves in the morning when we get up. Think about what you say to yourself when you look into the mirror. The words we chose affect the outcome of our day. Louise L. Hay also mentions that if you say: “I hate my job.” while you are looking for another one, you will soon not be happy when you start the new job as you will continue to attract what you think.

 Your thoughts are powerful and your words are powerful. Her words triggered something inside of me. I remember and sometimes I will admit I catch myself saying, “Boy, that was dumb.” Hay states we should show compassion and empathy for ourselves as well as others. We were only functioning with what we know to be true at the time.

Oprah Winfrey often speaks the words of Maya Angelou, “When we know better, we do better.”

It is important not to beat yourself up. Would you berate your best friend for not succeeding on the first try? As long as you are living, strive to learn , improve, and grow. Speak kindly to yourself and about others. It is said that what you put out into the world comes back to you. Quit gossiping or people will be gossiping about you. If you want more patience and understanding, you need to be patient and understanding. I you want more clients to come into your life, do not spend your time wallowing in self pity saying, “I have no clients, I will never get any clients.” As what you state is what you will tend to bring about. Do you want more clients? Speak about and plan how you will serve your clients. How will you help them? See the small but subtle changes in the words used – much more empowering wouldn’t you say? The energy changes when you spin phrases into more positive and powerful statements. Speak with confidence in knowing who you are and what you wish to achieve.

Now go out into the world and make today matter!

Give Yourself a 30 Day Action Challenge

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For the past 30 days or I should say 31 as July has 31 days, I have challenged myself to blog for 31 days as part of the 30 Day Ultimate Blog Challenge hosted by Michele Scism and Michelle Shaeffer.  I have not only honed a skill but also gained much more. Thirty-one days is about perseverance, creativity, and innovation. Yes, the blood, sweat, and tears of being in business. Entrepreneurs are in it for the long haul.

Do you want to know what I learned during my 31 day process?

You can do many things for a short period of time if you really focus on what you want to achieve. Break down your 30 days into 30 action steps.

You know more than you think you do. Try it and you will find out.

Being part of a group or knowing that you have been challenge leads to personal accountability. I enjoy following through if I take up a challenge. It is like crossing the finish line at a race. The excitement builds.

Learn about other people in the process.

Gain new knowledge.

Ignite new ideas for writing or your business.

New opportunities of collaboration and joint ventures may transpire.

Increased traffic to your website.

Sharing valuable information with the world.

Change lives!

You can create a 30 day challenge for yourself too!

What do you want to do? Lose 10 lbs. Increase your Twitter or Facebook following. Send out 30 Thank You cards. Print out a blank calendar template. There are many available online. Plan out your days of activity. It may take 30-60 minutes of your day to make the plan and 10-60 minutes to implement it each day. Your incremental efforts will add up and your results will come with your continued effort.

Challenges – keep us alive! Create a new action plan every month and watch your life and business soar to a whole new level.

Thank you to Michele and Michelle for creating such an amazing opportunity and all my fellow bloggers out there for making a difference in the lives of others.

What Every Small Business Owner Can Learn from The Olympics

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As a small business owner, you already know life is about endurance and sacrifice. If you are just starting out, it may be a harsh reality. The first few years you may be all things to all people. After building a strong foundation, you can begin to delegate some of the tasks that you do but in the meantime, you must go the distance. I love watching the Olympics as it inspires me to watch all the efforts of an athlete’s training come together. All the training compounded over time leads to the moment where it all comes together.

When I first got into business, no one told me about the long hours I would spend or about the hard work involved in making my dreams come true. Nonetheless, it was all worth it! Striving toward reaching my personal best is the ultimate achievement.

What can you as the small business owner learn from the Olympic athlete?

  • Keep yourself hydrated at all times. Dehydration creates a foggy mind. You need to be on top of your game to know your skills and talents.
  • Ensure you eat breakfast in the morning. It helps provide your body with the fuel and energy it needs to function.
  • Nourish your body with a healthy diet. Limit your sugar, fat, and alcohol intake.
  • Exercise matters. Get active in your favorite sport or sports. Walk, run,swim, or jog for at least 30-60 minutes daily. You may even add in some weight training. You need to keep your body strong and healthy.
  • Focus and concentrate on your end result even when practicing.
  • Aim for your personal best. Challenge yourself to always give your best in whatever you do.
  • Practice, practice, and more practice. If you are going to good at something, you need to do it over and over until you master it  in your mind and body. Learn about how you can improve. Hire a coach or mentor to help guide you.
  • Rest and relax. You need to take breaks to rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit.
  • Celebrate your accomplishments. Acknowledge and record your wins or what went well each day. Look how far you have come.

The Olympic athlete’s day often starts very early in the morning before many people are up and about. Training and preparing. These athletes are disciplined and know what it means to persevere. They know what it takes to be a winner. You also know what it takes to be a winner in your industry.  Truly – what does it take?

What do you need to map out or plan to get there? What action steps must you take? What will your end result look like?

How to Take Your Networking to the Next Level

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You may have heard hundreds of elevator pitches and you may have a shoebox full of business cards but what good are they when you do not want or need their business. If you want to take your networking to the next level you need to start thinking differently.

Here are 3 tips to help you take your networking to the next level:

  1. Be Intentional – Develop a plan before you attend your networking event. Plan to meet at least 2-3 people you would like to connect and follow up with. Reacquaint yourself with a couple of people you have met in the past. Networking is about connecting, caring, and conversing.
  2. Make It About Them – Mix and mingle introducing yourself to others.Learn as much as you can in your limited time together. Find out what is important to them, what are some of their hobbies, do they have a family or a pet, and what they do for a living. Get to know them as a person first. Business cards come secondary.
  3. Follow-Up – Follow up with the people you intended to meet or who you spoke to about planning to get together within 24-48 hours of meeting. By doing this, people are more likely to remember meeting you. Try connecting with people every 30, 60, and 90 days if possible. You may send an email, an article of interest, or make a phone call letting them know what you are up to. You may not need their business and they  may not need yours but you both have contact who might need your businesses. Think about some of the other people in your network, who do they need to know. Be a connector!

When you are intentional and focus on others, follow up is easy. The awkwardness does not feel cold; it is like picking up the phone and talking to an old friend. I recently reconnected with a person I met at a networking event several years ago while on my family vacation. It was great getting to hear about what she was up to and watching the passion she had about her business. We could have talked for hours; I love it!

Who can you follow up with today? What are others doing to make a difference in the world? You may even connect with people on Facebook or Twitter getting to know the people who you are following and who may be following you.

 

How Changing Your Perspective Can Promote Action

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We have all cast judgments at one time or another but if you shift your perspective, you can see people in a whole different light. Try shifting your perspective when observing or working with others by noting the following, they:

  • have a mother
  • are one their own journey and quest to a destination of choice
  • have hopes and dreams like you
  • might be lacking a few lessons to sharpen their skills
  • may have had their heartbroken or never heard the words “I love you”
  • have fears and self-limiting beliefs just like you but may not have the coping skills
  • want their children to have they best they can offer
  • might be working two jobs to make ends meet
  • be better served if you view them with compassion.

When you view people with compassion, you can gain a better perspective of where they are coming from. Stepping into someone else’s world you can learn what drives them to continue doing what they are doing and what holds them back from achieving their deepest desires.

“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care… about them!” Zig Ziglar

By changing your perspective, you can now build an action plan to serve people better by:

  • offering solutions and opportunities
  • being someone people can relate to
  • being understanding of a person’s situation
  • helping people overcome their fears especially when it comes to buying your products and services.
  • making a difference by being their to listen.

Your compassion and kindness is what matters. People want to know that care about who they are and what they want. People first! Selling is not about being salesy it is about taking time to learn about others. What do you want to learn?