Barking at the Moon Review

Carol Owens — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 16:05:06 +0000

My entire life I’ve lived with dogs. In fact, I can’t remember a time there wasn’t one breed or another romping around the countryside with me. They are wonderful companions, good at comforting, providing laughter and helping you learn to deal in many situations. People with dogs believe our canine friends make us healthier, happier, and better humans. That means, we’re often closer to our dog than any other being. And if you’re like me, working alone from home every day, you may find yourself talking to your dog, confessing all sorts of off-the-wall things. My dogs have comforted me through all the sad and scary feelings: filling the void of loss, helping me face fear, calming me through stress. But they also fill me with joy, keep me active and soothe my soul when I’m restless. During the day, my 3 rambunctious but sometimes lazy furbaby Huskys keep me company. Mya with her bossy attitude lets me know when she wants something. Bella with her sweet, puppy spirit giving me nudges for playtime. And my sweet old man, JJ, who follows me from room to room, is always at my feet as I work away. The Review Today I get to share my review of Tracy Beckerman’s new book, Barking at the Moon, a tale (filled with tails) of Tracy’s first family dog, Riley. Tracy Beckerman has an incredible sense of humor. And when you get your copy of her new book, Barking at the Moon, you’ll see exactly what I mean. Her tales will have you laughing to the very end. *Disclaimer: a copy of this book was provided to me to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own. I’m an affiliate for some companies, like Amazon. As a result, I may or may not receive compensation from them. This book is perfect for anyone with kids and dogs who want a light-hearted look at raising a dog from puppy through life with kids. And for the month of January 2022, you can get the Kindle version for $2.99. Tracy’s wit and way with dialog make you feel like you are right there in the situation with Riley and his crazy dog adventures. In other words, you may find yourself laughing until you cry as you read this book. Get the book, Barking at the Moon, to boost your spirits, bring a little light to this crazy time and enjoy just living for fun. Enjoy this excerpt from the book: I shook my head. Riley was not a fan of the lampshade cone,so I asked Dr. Benson if there were any other options. “Well, they ave these things that look like a life preserver to go around his neck,” she said. “Or you can try giving him a pair of boxer shorts to go around his bottom.” I snorted. “What if he’s more of a briefs guy than a boxer shorts dog?”“Whatever works,” she said. “I just think your underwear probably won’t give him enough coverage.” “Well, it doesn’t give me enough coverage, either,” I said. When we got home, I went into Josh’s room and took a pair of his boxer shorts from his underwear drawer. Josh and Riley were about the same size, so I thought Josh’s would be a better fit than a pair of Joel’s boxer shorts. I wrestled them onto the dog and then pulled his tail through the peehole. Then I burst out laughing. “Oh Riley, you’re a good sport,” I said to him as he stood there in pair of green boxer shorts with soccer balls on them and a fading sense of dignity.The boxer shorts were not a particularly good look for a retriever . . . nor, I imagined, for any dog for that matter. But I suppose, as far as dog couture goes, it was not as bad as some of the outfits other people dressed their dogs in: the puppy puffer jackets, he canine capelets, and the doggie dancewear. I knew what it was like to be a slave to fashion and suffer through trendslike super low jeans and stirrup pants, but at least those were choices I made, unfortunate as they were. I don’t think any dog in his right mind would ask to wear a doggie motorcycle jacket and goggles, no matter how cool he might look on the back of a Harley. It’s a safe bet that these dogs are probably the ones that eventually aul their owners.The funny thing is, not only did Riley not mind the boxers, he actually seemed to like them. After I put them on him, I noticed he had a little extra bounce in his step and a swagger in his strut. The dog clearly dug his shorts. When Josh got home from school, however, he was not quite asthrilled that his boxers were being worn by the family pet. “What’s the problem?” I asked him when I saw him brooding. “I promise I’ll wash them before I give them back to you.” “I’m not wearing those after the dog wore them,” he said. “You didn’t hear him complain about wearing your used boxers, did you?” I said. He frowned. “Yeah. Okay. Whatever. But I don’t want him wearing them in public.” “Why?” He thought for a minute. “Well, if he goes out in just boxers, he might get cited for indecent exposure.” I laughed. “Why would he get stopped for wearing boxers when most of the time he doesn’t wear anything at all?” “Yeah, well, how would you like it if he wore your underwear?” “He can’t wear my underwear.” “Why not?” “I don’t think he would be comfortable in a thong.” He made a face. “Ew, Mom. TMI.” “Look, I’m sorry Riley has to wear your boxers, but the vet said it was necessary and you are the only one in the house with boxer shorts that are the right size.” Upon hearing his name, Riley came bounding over, his tail wagging vigorously out the hole in the shorts. Josh couldn’t help but laugh. “Fine, he can wear my shorts,” he said. “But could you do me one favor?” “What’s that?” I asked. “Could you cut my name tag off them?” Final Thoughts I sat down to read this book and found myself laughing, nodding my head at the situations Tracy found herself in with Riley. I could relate to the awful smell of Riley rolling in dead carcasses. Or the puke on the only good rug in the house. Did you enjoy this review? Go ahead and give me your thoughts in the comments below. Or join me on my Social Media pages. I’d love to connect with fellow dog lovers. P.S. Get your copy of Barking at the Moon right now on Kindle while it’s just $2.99

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Visiting with the Creators: Interview with Author Bernadette G

Carol Owens — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 20:47:44 +0000

As aspiring authors, artists and creators, we love to see the behind-the-scenes of others who have stepped up and out with their creations. Today I had a chance to visit with a good friend and mentor about the writing and publishing journey of her newly released book. Bernadette Gold sat down virtually with me to talk about her wins, her frustrations and the publishing route she chose for her book, “The Crooked Path to a Charmed Life”. The book is available on Amazon, at Barnes and Noble, and through most bookstores. Visit with the Creator: Bernadette Gold Transcript [00:00:02.960] – Carol Good Morning. [00:00:03.870] – Bernadette Good Morning. [00:00:04.680] – Carol How’s everyone doing? How are you doing today? I want to welcome everyone to Visits with the Creator, a series of my blog today we’re going to be discussing fighting demons, embracing Angels, battling depression and so much more from a woman’s path on her spiritual awakening. I’d like to welcome my friend and mentor, author Bernadette Gold. Bernadette is a clairvoyant medium. She is a no-nonsense spiritual teacher. She’s a master healer, a consciousness leader, and she facilitates rapid breakthroughs in consciousness, creating quantum leaps in health, happiness, and income for all of her clients. [00:00:49.070] – Carol She just recently released her memoir, “The Crooked Passed to a Charmed Life, the Clairvoyant Mediums Journey to Embracing her Spiritual Gifts” Welcome, Bernadette. I’m excited to have you here. [00:01:02.460] – Bernadette Thank you. I’m excited to be here. [00:01:05.060] – Carol I know this book was several years in the writing and many years in the making. Can you tell us a little bit what it’s about? [00:01:13.060] – Bernadette So it’s my true life story of being a clairvoyant, but the struggles I had to go through, the abuse I had to overcome from being raised in a Catholic Christian household and then childhood abuse. And then my daughter was molested at three and I had to grow up and I had to heal myself. And in that process, I stepped onto my path spiritually. So it’s all about that and the different things I had to learn about like protection of my own energies, murder investigations and mediumship work and finally just embracing my gifts and my power and then putting it out in the world and then helping others. [00:02:05.010] – Bernadette Yeah. [00:02:05.820] – Carol Okay. Sounds like it’s very interesting. I’ve read it once already and started it again and very interested in it. [00:02:14.650] – Bernadette Thank you. [00:02:16.670] – Carol How are you hoping it will change people’s lives? Is there anything in particular you think it should do? [00:02:24.190] – Bernadette Well, because I’ve had such varied experiences. Not easy. And there’s a lot of issues in there. I’m an American, Asian Pacific Islander, and those issues are just now finally in the public eye, and I’ve experienced racism and I’ve experienced, I mean, to the point where it ruined my marriage, you know is one of the breaking points of my first marriage and love of my life. There’s my attempts at suicide and rape and abortion. All the major women issues are covered in this book on top of the spiritual aspect. [00:03:05.890] – Bernadette So my hope is that whoever picks it up and whoever reads it can resonate with the story, at least some part of it. And it’s really interesting because very few times do we get to peek into a clairvoyant’s life and how that affects it’s. Very honest to tell a story that I didn’t want out there for sure. But it is what it is. And my hope is that people will be encouraged. But like if she can get through her life, I can get through mind powerfully, right? [00:03:42.140] – Carol How hard was it to write those stories? [00:03:45.380] – Bernadette Well, you know, it took years. It took years, years and years of not wanting to do it and spirit poking me and saying it’s got to go out there. It’s got to get out there. It will help people. And I’m like fine. I’d write a little bit, and it just took a long time. It was very hard. But the harder part was interesting, recording the audio book without getting emotional and telling my story in a way where it didn’t retraumatize anything. Thankfully, I’ve done enough work on myself that it was okay. [00:04:22.830] – Bernadette But I didn’t expect it to be so emotional. And I was narrating. And I did start to get really stressed out because you see images when you’re reading, you go back to that thing when you’re reading your own work. [00:04:36.840] – Carol And how did you deal with that? [00:04:39.780] – Bernadette I took a break right after any time, it was a really hard story. I took a break. It was surprising to me that the cancer story was even harder for me to tell just in my Journal entry. Yeah, because I was reading it, and I went back to remembering how lonely I felt. [00:05:00.000] – Bernadette When I was battling the cancer and how I was laying on my bed one day and I was writing in my Journal and I included verbatim what I journaled that day and I was heartbroken because my daughter wasn’t visiting me. She was afraid to see me in that condition. None of us were really sure I was going to make it. And I was lonely. I was lonely and it came across in the writing and I was like, oh, my God, I remember so much of this and so I had to take a break. [00:05:32.390] – Bernadette again. [00:05:33.050] – Bernadette Lots of breaks when you’re recording. [00:05:35.450] – Carol Yeah. Okay. Can you share something that wasn’t in the book that you want people to know? Or it’s pretty much everything in there that you didn’t. [00:05:49.570] – Bernadette So what’s not in the book is a lot of the details of the abuse I endured. You know, I didn’t really, because people can get easily triggered into their own traumas. I really kind of glossed over. I guess you could say the details of the physical abuse I endured from my mother, some of the emotional and mental abuse that I went through from relationship and my daughter’s abuse. I did not get into the details of what happened because I just don’t think it’s necessary to tell a story and get that graphic right. [00:06:29.360] – Bernadette I didn’t want to trigger anyone, because the point of the book is to show people like, you can get through this stuff. I’ve been through so many more things than most people ever endure. I just didn’t think it was necessary. Do people really need to know the finer details? Like the fact that my mother was really into beating us with hangers? [00:06:50.240] – Bernadette No [00:06:53.730] – Carol they can fill in the blanks there. [00:06:55.540] – Bernadette Yeah. And the point is for them to be able to resonate to the story, see themselves in that and see that they too, can heal. [00:07:03.760] – Carol Right. Okay. What was a highlight of writing the story? [00:07:10.900] – Bernadette One of the really fun things I found, because it’s taken me seven years to complete this project. Oh, my God. When I went, I know it took forever, but one of the highlights for me was when I was in the recording studio and I was reading it. And even when I was doing multiple edits on this thing been so many times and every time I edit, something else gets lost. So I just gave up. And there’s a couple of errors in the book that I’m well aware of. [00:07:42.820] – Bernadette Just a few, but still, like, every time I go through and edit, it seems like something else screws up. So I just went, alright, nothing is perfect. Just let it go. The highlight for me, I was in editing and reading out loud my story. I literally got to spend time with my inner child and I got to spend time with my kids. When I was telling Brindi, she takes up a good part of the first half of the book because she was so responsible for my growth. [00:08:16.300] – Bernadette I was telling her I was like, I’ve been hanging out with five year old Brindi. It’s been really fun. Yeah, for weeks, I got to spend time with Brindi in that story. [00:08:27.520] – Bernadette It’s weird. [00:08:28.920] – Bernadette That’s not something that I would have thought that would have happened, but it did. And it was really cool. And then I’d have to call her at the end of every recording and be like, hey, are you okay? Like, it was happening again. [00:08:43.340] – Carol That’s good. That’s good. Sorry. I lost my train of thought. How did you deal with the emotional impact on you and others from the book? [00:09:02.440] – Bernadette There’s not a huge amount of impact for me now, but I will tell you when I was recording, it was exhausting. I didn’t expect it for 2 hours a day. I was like, oh, that’s nothing. I talk all day long, right? This should be nothing. And then you go into the studio and you’re in this box. The soundproof box where all you hear is your body sounds and your own voice and you’re in the story, and you’re having to really narrate it in an animated way. And it’s like, you leave and you’re like, I feel like that just happened again, and you go home. [00:09:40.820] – Bernadette And, like, every day that I was at the studio, I thought, okay, I’m going to go home and work and get stuff done. I had to sleep because I was so emotionally drained from the retelling of my own story, and I only recorded 2 hours a day. Like, what? Yeah. But now I’m fine [00:10:01.660] – Carol that’s good. Yeah. Okay. [00:10:07.380] – Carol Let’s talk a little bit about these Angels and demons that are in the book. Can you give us a little hint about what we’re going to read about? [00:10:16.730] – Bernadette Yeah. And actually, I just put up a video on Facebook and on YouTube of an audio sample when I was clearing someone who had their own demons. But in my life, I’ve been surrounded by Angels. I’ve been able to see them and hear them and talk to them. It wasn’t always a gift. In fact, the first part of my life, I felt very much like a curse because I got in trouble for that stuff. But the demonic party, I mean, I did murder investigation, and there was some bad stuff that showed up and had them attack me a few times. [00:10:54.090] – Bernadette And my daughter, you know, like my oldest daughter, Brindi, she had to endure a lot. [00:11:04.360] – Bernadette How to deal with you spiritual warfare. And we were talking about this yesterday, like she was picked up when she was a year old. We were living in a very haunted house, and we were living in a very evil town, and there was a lot of dark magic stuff going on. And she was picked up by this thing, this massive demon that was living in our root seller, that’s in the book. And she was thrown across the room onto the wood burning stove, and her hands hit and they turned bright red. [00:11:35.460] – Bernadette Well, it was the first time I realized I could heal, and I only had to do it because it was necessary. Her hands were blistering. And...

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Why a Worry Journal is Helpful Right Now

Carol Owens — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 12:09:00 +0000

The world is quickly changing. We are stressed, worried and concerned about our health, our lifestyle, our economy, our family and ourselves. It would be easy to fall into a state of constant worry. That's why it's more important than ever to take control of your worry. Using a worry journal helps do this.

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Should You Outline Your Book?: Why and How To Do It

Carol Owens — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 18:18:00 +0000

It’s the classic feeling of dread from when you were in middle school. You were assigned this big essay that had to be researched, formatted, complete with an outline and a summary. I remember my English teacher drilling it into our heads that we have to create an outline before we can write our essay. At the time, it probably helped me get organized for the report. But do you need to create an outline before you write your book? There are many ways to write a book. You can wing it. You can sit down at your computer and just start writing. Many people take that approach. In the world of fiction writing they’re called “pantsters” because they write by the seat of their pants. The other type of writer is called plotters. These writers essentially plan their book before they write it. Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, there are many benefits to outlining and planning your book before you write it. Or maybe you’re like me. I fall somewhere in the middle. I do a basic outline that shows the chapter headings and maybe one or two points I want to include. Then I just write what comes for the chapter. The Benefits of Outlining There are some reasons beyond simple writing personality style to outline your book. They are profound and abundant. In fact, they are compelling enough to consider changing how you write. * You write faster if you’re workign form an outline. Not necessarily type faster, but you’ll have better flow. The outline helps you write your actual book much faster. In fact, don’t be surprised if you finish your book in just a few weeks or a month. * Fewer revisions. The outline helps you stay on topic. You won’t have to spend time on multiple revisions. When you work from your outline and your book plan, you’ll simply have to edit for spelling, clarity, and grammar. You won’t have to re-work or re-organize your book, because that’s already been done. * It’s easier. Sometimes it’s easier to make sure that you cover all of the topics you want to cover when you have an outline. You can make sure that your book is well thought out and is positioned to help your prospects solve their goals and you to sell more books. How to Outline You probably already know how to outline, at least the basics. I mean, we all had to learn it in 5th grade, right? However, when it comes to writing books there are a few different approaches or considerations. One solid approach that can really help you create a stellar book is to create an outline based on a chapter topic, the headlines for each chapter, and the subhead lines. For example, if your book topic is about Intermittent Fasting. Your outline might go something like this: Intermittent Fasting Reboots Your Immune System Introduction Intermittent Fasting Explained Type of fasting 3 day 16 hour 5:2 plan Why it works Who it’s for Topic:Benefits Benefits of Intermittent Fasting Benefit 1: Weight loss how extra weight affects immune system reason 2 Benefit 2: Better sleep loss of sleep causes immune problem reason 2 Benefit 3: Lowers chronic disease symptoms Steps to take Step 1: Decide on time you’ll eat Step 2: Choose the foods/ meals Step 3: Risks/problems 5 risks of intermittent fasting health long term use risk #3 risk #4 risk #5 Problems you encounter and how to address them not eating enough/ eating too much drinking too little Example example plan #1 example plan #2 example plan #3 Recipes morning noon evening Now with this option or any other type of outline you can get as detailed as you like. Maybe you want to include the recipe names in the outline or write out the details of the risks. It’s your outline so make it work for you. Another option is to outline with the same topic, headlines and subheadings but to format them as questions. For example, if your topic is “Intermittent fasting to build your immune system,” then your question would be “What are the benefits of intermittent fasting?” “How do I fast intermittently?” “What are the risks of intermittent fasting?” and so on. As you can see, answering the questions then becomes quick and easy. Using this question outline method, you can write a chapter a day. You can even dictate your book, hire someone to clean it up, and have a full book in just a few weeks. Writing a book can take time. In fact, some people take years to write their book. However, the more books you write, the more you sell, and the more money you’ll make. It makes sense to make the book writing process as efficient and effective as possible, and outlining your book can make the writing go easier. P.S. Get started planning your book now! Sign up to get this handy 9 page workbook to guide you along the way to creating the perfect topic of the book you have inside you. Sign up with the form below to join!

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3 Expert Tips to Brainstorm the Theme of Your Next Book

Carol Owens — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 15:20:48 +0000

Now that you are home more, it’s the perfect time to write your book. You’ve been saying for a long time you wanted to but never had the time. Maybe you don’t know where to start. Sometimes it’s just a matter of not knowing what the overall theme of your book will be. I’m going to show you three expert tips to help you use brainstorming techniques to find the theme of your next book. I’ve been there. I have ideas for books written down on sticky notes, in notebooks, on my computer hard drive, and in my head. One of the reasons they don’t get written, is I haven’t used any brainstorming techniques to find a good theme for each of them. What is a Theme The theme is different from the plot in a novel. The story theme is the overall concept or philosophy you as the author want to communicate. the theme is not just for fiction novels, however. The theme is your overall message you want your readers to get out of your story. It shows how you feel about a certain topic such as love or self-confidence. As horror writer Dean Koontz said… “Theme is a statement, or series of related observations, about some aspect of the human condition, interpreted from the unique viewpoint of the author.” The difference between theme and subject matter might seem confusing at first. The subject matter is more tangible, like… a killing in a crime novel the romance of two characters a specific event in your life The theme is what the novel is about, the intangible feeling, thoughts, emotions or psyche that you found or achieved. It’s things like… remorse the will to live faith You may not truly understand what you are trying to say about your topic until you finish your first draft. Or you might know the message you want to share with everyone before you put that first word on the page. Either way, the theme will reveal itself. All fiction, memoirs, business, self-help and other non-fiction books all need a theme to keep the story focused. That’s why it’s important to remember this about your theme: Try not to encompass your entire life experience from birth or childhood or every piece of knowledge you have about a particular subject in your story. Brainstorming Themes Now that you what a theme is, how do you come up with one? If you’ve written anything, you might already be using outlines to plan out your writing. But will that work for coming up with a theme? Maybe. One of the best ways I’ve found is to brainstorm. There are many different brainstorming techniques you can use. Here are 3 expert tips to help you brainstorm: Brainstorming Technique #1. Ask Yourself What do you have to say about life? You want to write because you have something to say about life or human nature or politics or family or…. Above all, you want to express your take on the world and hope others see the world as you do. So ask yourself things like… What’s a question you’re always asking others about or wondering about? What kind of change do you want to see in the world and why? Maybe you want to see more kindness to others or for the earth to be restored, for example? Think about the issues you’re passionate about. Or that get you riled up? For instance, political actions, animal abuse, child abuse, education, alcoholism, lying? What virtues are undervalued or which ones do you personally adhere t Are there vices you dislike in others? What habits do you find annoying or do you have that you find annoys others? Use these to help you narrow down your theme. Brainstorming Technique #2. General Ideas General themes are found in almost every type of writing. When I was writing my first non-fiction book, I had a general idea I wanted to help people to find acceptance of their circumstances and to make the best of their situation. Maybe one of these general themes will help you brainstorm yours: Forgiving yourself or others, such as through prayer, spirituality or asking forgiveness. Responsibility such as standing up for a cause or accepting your own destiny Love of others, self or romantic Survival and the willingness to live Overcoming fear, conquering a fear or finding courage Find your faith in God, yourself, the world, in others Selflessness such as heroism, overcoming greed, altruism Finding acceptance of yourself, your circumstances or the reality of something Learning to trust in the unknown, others or yourself Accepting blame, having remorse or seeking atonement Brainstorming Technique #3. Your Character Changes Think about how you or your character changes throughout your story. Now relate this to the message you desire your readers to get. Who is your character at the beginning of the story? Are they fearful, lack confidence, lying? What’s holding them back? Outdated beliefs? Flaws? Situation? How do they overcome these by the end of the story? What did/does your character gain or lose in the end? Who has the character become after the experience in your story? Look at the overall theme that comes through. Do This Next Whether you’re writing your first book or your next book, it’s important to have an idea of what your theme is. Think about what you want your reader to feel. How do you want to inspire them or motivate them? That’s your theme. Now grab that pen and paper and start using these brainstorming techniques to the theme of your next book. What is your best tip for brainstorming the theme of your book? Tell me in the comments and let’s explore more ways to brainstorm. P.S. Every writer gets stumped on occasion on what they want to write about or finding their theme. Let me help you discover yours. Book a call and let’s discover your theme! Click to Book A Call

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5 Ways to Use Journals to Help Soothe Your Worries and Sleep Better

Carol Owens — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 17:03:00 +0000

In the last post we talked about why a worry journal is helpful. You know what a worry journal is and the benefits it can deliver, now it’s time to learn the best ways to use them for better sleep. There are a lot of different ways you can use a journal to help soothe your worries and get a better night’s sleep. Here, we’re going to look at 5 effective ways to use your journal to combat those worries. 1. Write down your worries a few hours before bed Whether you write in a worry journal in the morning or at night, you’re still going to experience some benefits. However, if you’re looking to sleep better, experts suggest using your journal around three hours before you get into bed. I usually take a few minutes after the evening meal is finished to journal about my day and what is worrying me. This allows you plenty of time to not only list your worries, but to analyze them. This is a crucial step in eliminating the worry in order to get to sleep. The trouble with writing down your worries as you get into bed, is it can take a while to process them. You might not feel instantly better. Instead, you’ll need to delve into the worry and figure out ways to tackle them head on. After a few hours, the brain will be much more relaxed. 2. Don’t go too in-depth While it is important to analyze your worries, it’s also important to ensure you don’t go too in depth with them.. Spend just a few minutes writing about each worry you have. If you go too in-depth, you risk becoming overwhelmed with it all. I typically use a simple bullet list of what the worry is and then a couple of sentences on how it makes me feel. Then I add why i’m actually worried about it Stick to the main points: why you have the worry how it makes you feel what it is that you’re actually worried about Once you have these basics written down, it’s easier to start challenging and reducing them. 3. List your fears and concerns Listing your fears and concerns and try to organize them into chronological order. Focus on the worries that are affecting you right now in the present. A lot of the fears and concerns we have are focused on the future. So, what concerns do you have right now that need to be taken care of? Once you have list, go over each fear and concern and explore what you think is going to occur next. Then, write down what you fear is going to happen after that. This gives you an idea of where your fear stems from and whether your fear over what’s coming next is justifiable. 4. Avoid making judgements One thing you may struggle with when you’re writing about your fears, is judging yourself harshly for them. Once you’ve identified these fears and worries may not be as pressing as you thought, it’s easy to feel weak for allowing yourself to become stressed out over them. Similarly, look at your worry journal as a safe place to vent your worries and concerns. You may subconsciously try to avoid writing down your full emotions and fears. This causes you to basically censor yourself, and you won’t get the full benefits out of the journal. 5. Identify ways to view your worries differently Finally, one of the main things that’s going to help you reduce the worry and get a better night’s sleep, is identifying different ways to view them. For each fear or worry you’ve written down, try and identify at least one way you could view the situation differently. For example, if you’re worried about failing an exam, try and switch your thinking to what if you pass. Think about the positive things that will happen. It’s so easy for us to focus on the worst-case scenario, but what about focusing on the best scenario which is equally as likely to happen? These are just 5 ways you can use your journal to reduce worry and get a better night’s sleep. By understanding how to use the journal most effectively, it’s going to significantly reduce the fears you have. When do you journal about your worries? Do you have a favorite journal you use? Need help getting started? Comment below and let’s talk.

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How to Have Courage To Embrace Major Life Changes

Carol Owens — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 22:39:33 +0000

Have you ever been faced with a life-changing event and felt totally lost on what you should do? You become paralyzed with fear, leaving you stuck in inaction. You don’t know if you can find the courage to go on. Life seems to have lost its color, it’s shine, it’s music. You fear the changes instead of learning how to embrace change with positive steps. Life hands us events that can totally change the course of our lives, for the better or for worse. It’s your choice of how it does. Marriage. Birth of a child. Loss of a loved one. Disease. Overwhelming debt. Move to a new home. Divorce. Empty Nest. Disability. I’ve been there. Many times. Marriage, the birth of a child (x3), loss of loved ones, moving, disability, empty nest, loss of freedom, overwhelming depression, empty nest again. ICK!!! It’s enough to make me want to crawl back under the covers just thinking about it. Several years ago, my life was going along normally, raising kids, working and anticipating the birth of our first grandchild. The pregnancy was normal and everything looked good for an early November birth. I got a call around 11 pm in the middle of October. My daughter-in-law’s water broke and they were headed to the hospital. Delivery went well and the next day, baby and mom were doing well. So far, everything was going well. Two days after birth, however, the baby began experiencing seizures. After many tests, and months of not finding any answers to what was causing the seizures we got the news baby had a rare genetic disorder and wasn’t expected to live to see his first birthday. We were devastated. We went through many phases during the initial unknowns on through the final diagnosis. Denial. Anger. Fear. And finally Acceptance. Many days, weeks were spent crying, raging at God and the medical system. . . why this child? why us? Instead of falling into a state of victimization, we put into place a way to embrace change that was forced upon us with positive steps. We pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps and jumped in to care and learn everything we could to give this sweet innocent a life of love and ease. He did live to be a year but passed away 3 months after his 1st birthday. This kind of life-changing event, even if he hadn’t passed away, requires a strong sense of faith, spirituality and inner strength. Now, I’m not telling you this story for sympathy. Instead when faced with this almost overwhelming devastation, we were able to continue on. Don’t get me wrong – our lives were changed. But instead of falling into a well of depression and anger for the rest of our lives we learned to channel those feelings into useful ways. One of the ways I cope is spending quiet time walking nature with my dogs and music or uplifting talks. Taking just a few minutes each day for myself helped me refresh and release some of the stress I was feeling. Here’s a good book that guides you in dealing with stress. The Trick? There really isn’t any trick to getting over the paralyzing fear of life-changing moments. Sorry. Every individual must learn to cope and move on in their own way. It helps to learn the stages of coping though (and I do have some tips to help you.) When the news first came, the family gathered together to pray and support each other. That is my number one tip. Prayer and support from others. Not all events are devastating. Maybe you’ve just become an empty nester and don’t know what you’re going to do with yourself. It’s left you depressed. lonely and hurt. Maybe you feel like you aren’t needed anymore. After all, you’ve spent you’re entire adult life caring and raising these little people, putting many of your own dreams on hold. And even though you’ve known this day was coming the minute you gave birth, it’s still something that is a life-changer. Life changes need courage and guts to transition from being lost to embracing a change of any kind. Here are my tips for grabbing onto courage to embrace changes: Fall apart. Yeah, I’m giving you permission to fall apart. But for just a day or four. Go ahead and become a big blob of blubbering goo. Empty a box or two of Kleenex with your seemingly endless emotional tears. How will you let your emotions out? Acknowledge the event. It happened. Things aren’t going to go back to the way they were or the outcome isn’t likely to change. Tell yourself it’s okay. When my mother had a severe stroke and needed full-time care, I knew my life would never be the same. Not only did I lose my mother as I knew her but my own lifestyle had drastically changed when I began caring for her. I had to tell myself things would be okay, that I would learn that this was a blessing to have this time with her. What do you need to do to say this is okay? Get mad then let it go. Throw a tantrum. Yell and scream. Run around your house tossing your fist. Whatever you need to do to release the anger. Then let it go. I know it’s not easy. Take little steps. Begin by looking at a positive that might come out of this change. For example, the diagnosis and eventual death of our grandbaby was devastating. On the positive side, we had a year of the most beautiful moments from a very precious child that we cherish in our memories. What good will you find in this life-changing event? Take care of yourself. One of the worst things you can do is to forget to take care of yourself. Sure, you feel unwanted without the kids to care for (or whatever your life change is). But that doesn’t mean you have to go days without showering, take up binge eating Doritos and Twinkies, or never put your own needs first. Instead take time every day, even if it’s just 5 minutes, to do something for yourself. Put your lotion on mindfully. Meditate or take five minutes to just breathe deeply. Turn on an oil diffuser (this is the one that I love) with your favorite essential oils and sit quietly when your emotions feel like they are out of control. Another good self-care action to do daily is to journal. This 30 Days to Happiness Journal and Challenge takes you through the steps to becoming happier. What can you do for you today? Seek support/talk to others who have gone through similar events. You’re not alone. Humankind has been around for years so it’s a good bet that someone else has gone or is going through the same thing you are. There are groups both offline and online who gather to share and support each other during a major event in their life. Seek them out. If you’d rather have one-on-one support, seek out a therapist, guidance counselor or a trusted religious leader. Contact me and we’ll talk. I’m a great listener ;). Who can you talk to today? Do your research/find out your options. You have options when something is thrown at you. Yes, you do. If that empty nest feels like it’s always going to be too quiet, look at ways to fill that space. Join clubs, take up new hobbies, get out of the house more. By filling your time and space, the stillness will no longer be glaring and you’ll begin to start feeling more like yourself. Seek out books to that help you grow into the change. Loving What Is by Byron Katie is one of my favorites. What options are you taking? Persist on being positive. Don’t you dare fall into a state of negative depression. I won’t allow it!! (stomping my foot). There are too many things to be happy about. The universe has given us so much beauty and love. Give gratitude for the good things in your life. Think positive thoughts. Instead of thinking how lonely you are, look at how you now have time to be alone with a great book. How can you be positive today? Make small changes to adjust. Don’t try to embrace the changes all at once. It takes time to adjust to any kind of change. Empty nesters are faced with an often daunting emptiness that seems to have creeped up on them suddenly. This type of life change event is one that can be adjusted to in small increments. For example, if the house seems too quiet, play your favorite music or get a pet you can play and talk to. Slowly adjust to having more free time to do the things you want to do. If you’ve been it with a devasting life event, take as much time as you can to slowly come to terms with the news before making any long term decisions. What adjustments can you make today? Reimagine your life. Not sure how the event will change for the better? Think about how you’d like your life to be after this event. Do you want to spend your time volunteering, traveling or being a part of a club? Is the idea of starting a new hobby or even a new career something you’ve always wanted to do? Now might be the perfect time to pursue it. What does your life look like? Talk to the Lord/Spirit/Angels/Guides/Universe. Whatever higher power you believe in, spend time daily talking to them. During the devastating days following any major life change event in my life, I spent hours talking to God and my Angels. I still talk to them on days that are tough. Not sure how this can help? If you truly open your heart and truthfully talk about how you feel and what you want, you will find a sense of peace. I’ve found that my favorite time to talk to my higher power is when I’m walking in nature with my dogs. Will you talk to a higher power today? Get on with living. Unless you are physically on your deathbead, GET ON WITH LIVING. I spent too many years depressed after the loss of my father, just going through the motions of daily life. I missed out on so many opportunities, family fun and laughter. If you did the reimagining step, you already know what you want your life to look like. Smile, laugh, find joy in the little things. Go for that hike, join the club, try out for the theater. Whatever it is you want, DO IT. What steps can you take to get on with living? Life is a series of changes. From the moment we are born we live it. The way we react to it and live with it is what really matters. You can either take it and wallow in pity and depression or you can embrace it and make it the best it can possibly be. I’m for the latter. How about you? I’d love to hear about your life changes. Connect with me here, on my Facebook page or join my Facebook group. live life with passion…..

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Put Down the Gadgets For a Real Conversation

Carol Owens — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 21:07:10 +0000

Today I want to talk about the importance of being present when you are attempting to have better conversations with everyone. You see it everywhere. Everyone you encounter is engrossed in their phone. Your boyfriend, co-workers, even the little girl on the playground is engrossed in their gadgets. With the ease of connecting through social media, real conversations (those that are done face-to-face) are becoming rare. It’s difficult to carry on a conversation when only one of you is actually paying attention to the other, talking and sharing without any response. Carrying on a conversation with a tiny box and expecting an answer instead of talking face-to-face with someone is like talking to yourself How many times have you, as a parent, asked your child something while they were “busy” playing on their phone/tablet? What response did you get? If you were lucky you might have gotten an “okay”, or a “yeah mom’. But most likely if they even hear you, you get a grunt. I get this all the time with my grandkids. Most of the time it’s simply a grunt. I want to build loving open relationships with them, but it’s difficult when the conversation is one way. How can you carry on a conversation when all you hear is a grunt? Is that a ‘yes’ grunt, a ‘no’ grunt, a ‘maybe’ grunt? Who knows! How do you take a relationship deeper or rekindle a stagnant one when the other person barely hears what you’re saying? They are too busy with their phone apps or texting or messaging or whatever. And it’s the same for those of us who work primarily through our computers and online Our attention span is divided between the gadget in our hand buzzing a notification and the person we are trying to connect with online or in person. And as far as a coach or entrepreneur, sure our gadgets and social media keep us in front of our customer’s eyes. And that’s important. But what are we giving up when we don’t actually see their emotions, feel their feelings, or notice the tenseness in their bodies? It’s hard to connect to others when you aren’t seeing them. That’s why face-to-face via zoom, skype or some other visual app, is a great way to conduct meetings. If possible, meet clients in person or network at live events where you cna have a conversation without having to hide behind a screen. So when you get a chance to meet someone in person, it’s a blessing. Take advantage of all your senses while having a conversation with them. Show your emotions, nod when listening, use your eyes to see what they are feeling while they are talking. Want to know how to build relationships through your copy? Sign up for my Awakened Copy Workbook! Break out of this habit of having to always have your phone in your hand habit Be the one to strike up a conversation with that stranger, your family, and your friends. Ask them to put theirs away while you talk and have real conversations. Then be present for each other. Listen intently, ask questions and get involved in what is being said. You never know what having a face-to-face-without-the-gadgets conversation will do for your well-being and your relationship or who you might become friends with. Are you ready to have better conversations? Set aside time each day to have at least one good conversation with someone. How do you plan to have better conversations with everyone you encounter? Live Your Dreams! P.S. Want to know how having better conversations can build your business? Connect with me on social media and let’s discuss it! Click the social icon that works best for you! Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter

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Weaving Your Story Within Your Copy Inspires Others

Carol Owens — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 00:16:20 +0000

Weaving Your Story Within Your Copy Inspires Others It was one of those weeks when no matter what I did it didn’t work. I was trying to put together an important article. It should have been easy. After all, it was a subject I knew very well. But I had some personal things going on that were pulling my attention away. I was worried, scared and anxious. Every time I sat down to write, I would sit there, trembling, staring at a blank page. That cursor just kept blinking Blinking Blinking Mocking me. Tormenting me. As if to say, “Ha! Who do you think you are to try to teach others about this? You aren’t smart enough. You can’t even take care of the problem you’re having right now.” I was frustrated, ready to give up. How could something that comes so naturally to me, be so hard? I just wanted to clear my mind and find a way to put my thoughts down on the page. I tried meditating. I tried grounding. I went for a walk. My Awakened Moment Finally, I sat at the base of a big, knurly old oak tree, closed my eyes and asked God/Source for answers. As I relaxed, I began to feel a deep sense of quiet. I heard the squirrels chattering, scolding each other. I heard a hawk’s lonely cry for its mate. I watched the rabbits scurrying in the fallen leaves and a mama deer and her fawn slowly moving along the path ahead of me. I became still, my mind quieted and the answers to my problems became clear. And with a clear mind, the theme of the article came to me. I started writing what I was feeling and how my story had unfolded. The theme of the article wasn’t related to what I was feeling, but I poured them out onto the screen anyway. As I wrote and let my story emerge, I began to see how it was related. I finished the article and sent it to the editor. It turned out to be one of the best-received pieces I’d written. Since that frustrating day, I’ve learned that telling my story and not being afraid to show what I was feeling, in my words and the way I told my story, has made more of an impact on others than if I’d written a bland facts or simple how-to post. Weave Your Story One of the things I believe that is important, more important than the statistics, is the authentic feel of the words your clients or potential clients are reading. They don’t want another post, page, article or video telling them they have to buy this because it is the best blah, blah, blah. You don’t want to just tell your story though. It needs to be done in a way that speaks to the emotions of the reader. Telling your story in a personal way is one of the best ways to build relationships and help others. Using your emotional story in your marketing awakens your copy to really speak to your followers. Feelings and storytelling are what give your writing depth. Don’t be afraid to use describing words, personal anecdotes and your feelings to fill the story with truth. You want your customers to actually feel like they are there, that they’re the ones experiencing the event. Part of creating web copy that awakens the needs of your clients is being relatable. You have to not only tell who you are but you have to show them you know how they are feeling, what they are going through and how you’ve come through it. Draw them into your circle by opening up about yourself. You don’t have to tell all the details about your life. But you do want to talk about the bits and pieces that keep them coming back to learn more of your story. Use the parts that help your prospects see you’ve been in their shoes. Weave your story into your copy. Wow them with your emotions. Grab them with your truth. And build relationships with your authenticity. Want someone to look at your copy to help you see where you can add more story and emotion? Book a 25- minute consult today! Schedule Appointment Live Your Dreams!

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Use The Power Of Vision Boards To Grow Your Holistic Business Part 1

Carol Owens — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 18:47:02 +0000

The Power of Vision Boards A picture is worth a thousand words – unknown As a psychic or creative, you probably already have a good grasp on visuals. You know how powerful an image is, whether it’s physical or seen through your mind. I’m both a creative and an empath, so visuals are a part of my everyday life. For example, my youngest granddaughter asked me to make a skirt for her Barbie/Elsa Frozen doll the other day while I was taking care of her over the holidays. I could have gotten out my sewing machine, found a pattern, cut out the fabric and stitched up a skirt. But she wanted it right now, as kids often do. So instead, I visualized how I wanted the finished skirt to look in my mind. Then I grabbed some fabric I had on hand, cut out the basic shape, stitched up a seam in the back, added a snap, a ribbon belt and a simple piece of lace for a train. Was it professional with finished seams and fit? No. Was she happy? Yes. The point of the story isn’t that I can sew or create something out of little. The point is that I used a visual of what I wanted before I began. This is exactly what a mood or vision board can do for your business. What is a vision board? Vision boards are a simple but powerful way to visualize what you want to manifest from your dreams. Many highly successful people, including Oprah Winfrey, have used vision boards for generations. Jack Canfield, the New York Times Bestselling Author of the “Chicken Soup For The Soul” book series has said that “Creating a vision board is probably one of the most valuable visualization tools available to you.” Vision boards are a way to see and plan out what you want your life to be like, the things you want to do, places you want to go and the items you want in your life. A vision board is simply a tool you can use to help you clarify and maintain focus on a specific life or business goal. It can be an online collection of images or an actual physical piece with images. The board allows you to display images that represent what you want to do or have or are working toward. Think of the vision board as your pattern or recipe for getting to your end goal. They can be created in a variety of ways including apps and digital images, poster board with cut-out pictures, drawings or phrases or created with online graphics programs like Canva or through Pinterest boards. Some examples of what to include on your vision board: images of places you want to travel pictures of your dream home or car your business goals such as images of your income goals, your products, or images of your ideal client inspirational quotes thoughts, feelings, emotions anything that you really love and want to achieve You can create a vision board for your business or career goals, for personal goals, getting healthy or whatever you are dreaming of achieving. By creating a visual statement of your goals with pictures and images you are strengthening your resolve and motivating your emotions. Your mind responds strongly to visual stimulation. And according to the law of attraction, your emotions are the vibrational energy that activates your desires. Why a Vision Board is Important to Successful Goals Why do you need a vision board? How important is it for reaching your goals in life, business, and career? The famous author of the popular personal development book, “Think and Grow Rich”, Napoleon Hill said, “Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true.” He believes our “thoughts are things” meaning it is important to pay attention to your desires and seriously pay attention to them. Whatever you focus on, whether it’s the good or the bad things, it is what you produce more of. Whatever occupies your mind determines the decisions you make every minute of the day. For example, if you focus on succeeding and achieving every goal you set for yourself, you are more likely to achieve it. On the other hand, if you focus on thoughts of how difficult the work is, how others are luckier than you, or the “nothing ever works out for me” thoughts, then you’ll be less likely to achieve your goals. That’s where a vision board is important. It is a visual, concrete representation of your thoughts, desires, and goals for a life you love. They are a tool that can motivate and inspire you to take daily action toward your biggest and most important goals. A vision board helps you focus on the direction of your dreams and keeps you motivated to follow through. Putting together your vision board forces you to sit and really think about what you want your life to be like. Documenting your wants in a visual way forces you to go beyond just thinking about your goals to actually focusing on them. A vision board will help you get unstuck when you get in a rut or everyday life routines get in the way of your dreams. It can help you see what you should be focusing on. They are an effective way to get creative with your time when you’re in a funk or the robotic routines of your life aren’t taking you in the direction you want to go. A vision board is your daily visual reminder of your dreams and aspirations. Visualization is a powerful and effective mind trick that you can do to manifest your desire. When you see your vision board every day, you stay on track even when there are setbacks. The practice of creating a visual of everything you want has a psychological effect. It makes everything in your head seem more manageable. You can see your dream life and how you can achieve it. Seeing your goals in a visual image every day gives you a psychological boost. It removes the procrastination and encourages you to keep moving toward your goals. Creating and using vision boards to reach your goals and desires is an important part of the process of succeeding. Placing on where you see it every day inspires and motivates you to stay on the path towards a life you are fulfilled with. The Benefits of Vision Boards As you’ve already seen, vision boards are an important part of succeeding in your goals and dreams. But there are several other benefits to using vision boards as a life goal planner. Here are five benefits of using vision boards: Vison boards increase your chance of succeeding by forcing you to get clear and concise on your goals and wants. Unlike writing vague goals on a sheet of paper, a vision board consists of images that forces you to be clear and concise about what you want. So instead of saying you want a better life, you instead find images of exactly what a better life for you looks like. Vision boards speak to your emotions. Seeing your board helps you passionately see your goals. It can help you course-correct when you take a wrong turn. When you are passionate about your goals and can see where you are headed, you are more likely to take inspired action. They keep you focused, productive and motivated by creating an emotional connection. If done right, a vision board can motivate you. Instead of just images of what you desire, including the emotions connected to the vision can motivate you. Include the emotions, sounds, sights and smells associated with certain parts of your vision. Vision boards are a fun way to showcase your deepest desires. No one else has to see your vision board so have fun with it. It doesn’t have to be organized, beautiful or perfectly organized. Put your images on the board in any random way that feels good to you. There are no rules. It just has to be an inspiration to you. Vision boards help you believe the dream you desire is real and possible. Making what you dream in your mind clearer and more visual makes it feel more attainable since you start to believe you can make it happen. A vision board done right transforms your inner belief system into one that is self-motivated, confident and positive. The benefits of creating and using vision boards in your life far outweigh the time it takes to create them. They are a constant reminder of what you really desire your life to be like and a motivation to take action to achieve your goals. In the second part of this series I’m going to cover how to create your vision board, so bookmark this page and get ready to create the vision of your dream business! Do you use vision boards? What is your favorite way to create them? I’d love to hear how they have helped you or if they not, why you think they didn’t. Leave a comment below. P.S. Ready to get started creating a vision board for your brand? Sign up for the free 5-day brand vision board challenge here.

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Use These Pinterest Marketing Tips to Grow Your Services Business

Carol Owens — Sat, 15 Jun 2019 15:52:18 +0000

I Love Pinterest! I’ve been using Pinterest to save images of things I want to use, to do, or try or make for almost as long as they’ve been online. I can spend hours looking at other people’s pins. I always get great ideas for my creative design side. And I always find a new recipe to try. Recently, I’ve been using the site as in my business. This post shows you my best Pinterest Marketing Tips that you to implement in your services business. It’s a great place to share and store ideas you want to have for later, too. I’ve just started really utilizing Pinterest as a way to build traffic to my business, though. Not Just for Fun As I was browsing the other day, I wondered, why am I not using this great site for my business? Besides this blog you’re reading (my writing business site) I have a lifestyle blog (don’t mind the mess, the site’s in the middle of a rebranding;-)) It is the perfect type of niche to use Pinterest for. It’s good for other types of businesses as well, though. Did you know that 40% of Pinterest users have a household income over $100k? And over 250 million people use Pinterest every month. That’s a huge audience with spending power waiting to be seen by your business! Pinterest is perfect for showcasing any of your products or services you offer. Here’s an example of my Pinterest business page. (go ahead and follow me, I’d love to have you aboard!) I have to say pinning things of interest to my readers is really fun and it helps them out as well. They find solutions for what’s for dinner or how to make bread dough that isn’t tough. They can find resources for great cookware or tips for eating healthy. Use Pinterest For Any Type of Business It’s obvious if you have a physical or digital product based business that Pinterest is a good fit for your marketing. But, how can you use Pinterest if you’re in say, a writing or other services business? These Pinterest marketing tips show you how I’ve been using it. Pinterest Marketing Tips One way is to share your blog posts on Pinterest. You can do this by sharing an image from the post back to your website. Another way is to share helpful tips and resources your clients can use. Create a board titled something like “Writing Tips for Non-writers” or “Resources for Real Estate Agents”. You can share interesting photos your readers might use as blog starters or spur a creative writing idea for them. Share a short blurb about your next book with an image of your cover on Pinterest to get pinners excited to read the book. Similarly, you can create tip sheets from your niche specific business. Let’s say you’re a VA specializing in Social Media Management. Why not create a short tip sheet on the best times to post on social media or the best types of posts? How Pinterest Can Benefit Your Business Build Relationships. Like all social media channels, you build relationships with other pinners and people who follow your boards. These people are already excited about what you are sharing. That’s the time to connect with them. Comment on their pins that you find interesting or follow them if they are a good fit for your business. Links. There are different places you can use to link back to your posts, products or services page. For instance, when someone clicks on a pin and enlarges it, the website button displays a link to the address from where the image was pinned from. Visitors who click on this link are sent to your website. Place a logo or watermark of your URL on the image you pin to send people to your site. Promoted Pins. Promoted or boost Pins are paid for. They aren’t expensive and continue to last long after the ad is finished running. Your pin keeps all the repins and rankings forever. Rich Pins: Rich pins pull in the title of your blog post and other details from your website in bold font. They let you more detailed content on your pin, specific to the type of pin it is. There are four types of Rich Pins: Product Rich Pins Any retailer online needs product pins to make your customers shopping easier on Pinterest. include real-time pricing, availability and where to buy the product. Article Rich Pins show your headline, the author and description of the story so pinners can save stories that matter to them. App Rich Pins have an install button for people to download your app without leaving Pinterest. Recipe Rich Pins let you show the ingredients for a recipe, cooking times and serving sizes. Pins will be repinned over and over for months after you’ve pinned it. Unlike Facebook where your content is short lived and often not seen, the content on Pinterest appears fresh even if the pin was pinned a year ago. This gives you a constant new stream of people exposed and searching for your stuff. How to Use Pinterest for Your Business First thing you’ll need to do is create a business profile. If you’ve already set up a personal profile, it’s easy to convert over to a business profile. Next, you’ll want to make your website so that it has pinnable images. This is done with the Pinterest “save” button. Add it to your website. Pinterest has a detailed guide you can follow. Or there are a variety of social plugins for your website that you can use. Above all, consistent pinning to your boards is necessary. It helps you build a large number of pins that will get repinned often. In my opinion, you need to pin anywhere from 10 to 30 pins a day, which includes ones that link back to your website. Use high-quality images. Make Pinteresting images. These are long optimized images. The optimal size is 735 px X 1102 px or longer and wider if you want to stand out. Learn how to make images suitable for Pinterest. It’s not hard, really. One of my favorite tools is Picmonkey where you can create the perfect size images. Graphic design templates sized just right for social. Get Pinterest-perfect designs with PicMonkey. Another design tool that I use a lot for Pinterest images is Canva. I use Canva.com for both Pinterest images and when I’m designing my Printables and Planners. Look at Trending topics and Keywords for what pinners are looking at. Finally, if you need help creating the perfect pin, I can help you. Contact me to see how. In the end, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a writer, a VA or a coach, it just makes sense to use Pinterest as another form of marketing your services. I’d love to hear how you’re utilizing these Pinterest marketing tips in your marketing strategy. Leave a comment below and let’s talk about it! Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest!

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Outlining Your Book Is Easy with a Template

Carol Owens — Thu, 24 May 2018 21:54:13 +0000

Why Outlining Your Book Is Easy with a Template You’re ready to start sharing your story with the world. You just know that the words you share will help others. But the thought of writing that book is overwhelming. I know, I’ve had the same thoughts. I still get overwhelmed when I first start to write my books. I’ve learned though, that taking it one step at a time and having some general templates can help make the process easier. Hi-ya fellow author! If this is your first time here, let me introduce myself. I’m an author of both self-published and published work. I help soul based women turn their healing story into a book that makes an impact and changes their lives. In today’s post I wanted to share my thoughts on why you should use a template to help you outline your novel. There are a million ways to outline your book and everyone does it differently. I wanted to share one technique that might work for you. Why You Need an Outline First though, why do you need an outline. Can’t you just start writing? Well you could. But what often happens is you get somewhere in the middle of your book and realize the chapter you are working on needs to go closer to the beginning. Or you get off track and the end of your book doesn’t have anything to do with the topic. Plus an outline helps in know what your book is about. If someone asks you, you can quickly summarize it because you’ve already created the basis of the story. Using outline helps in other ways as well. 1. Avoid Writer’s block. You can simply look at your outline and you’ll know what you need to write about. 2. You’ll be motivated. Your outline keeps you focused on your end goal and reminds you that you can complete the book if you follow through the outline. Using a Template I’m one of those writers who would rather just create the main chapter headings instead of filling out a real outline. I don’t recommend this, especially for your first or second book. I know that filling out the outline gives a better flow of what you want to say. And it helps eliminate some of the editing later on. I hated starting from scratch each time . That’s why I created a template that I can use. It already has the format I need. This approach makes it pretty easy to write a book quickly because all you have to do is fill in the sections, and follow them as you’re writing your book. Here is an example of an outline for a book about training puppies. Here’s a basic outline: 1.) Introduction: a. How to raise puppies that are well behaved b. No chewed up shoes or furniture c. Well-behaved dog with less stress d. My dog story e. How this book will help you 2.) How to teach my puppy to only chew on toys a. How I did it b. which chew toys are best c. misbehavior and disciplining d. rewarding 3.) What to do when my dog misbehaves, how to discipline them a. This is what I did b. Crate vs no crating c. Treats, voice commands 4.) Teaching my puppy to listen to commands a. This is what I did b. Whistles, tools or other devices c. Show them who is the leader d. Voice or hand signals 5.) Conclusion a. Summary of what I talked about b. This is the next thing to do in training your puppy c. Call to action – Get this product for easier puppy training The sample outline only has five chapters. You’re book will probably have more. Simply add more questions and solutions for each chapter. Here is a template you can download to use as a guide. Live your passion, Carol Owens xxx I’d love to hear how you used the template. Comment below with your ideas on how it worked. Connect with me on Facebook

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How Self Doubt Is Keeping You From Being Seen

Carol Owens — Fri, 11 May 2018 19:12:27 +0000

You know you have a story to share with the world. You’ve even started playing around with the idea of writing a book. you know it will have a great impact on others. But self-doubt is holding you back from putting it out there. The Dreaded SELF-DOUBT I hear ya. Self-doubt rears its ugly head often when we least expect it. This is something I have struggled with many times. I often didn’t believe it when I was told my writing was good. I still have times when I hesitate to publish my work. What if no one reads it or worse yet, they read it and hate it? What if it offends someone? Who am I to speak these words, offer my thoughts, share my experiences? But I’m learning if I want to be the recognized published author I dream of I have to get past the self-doubt . I wanted to share my thoughts on how self-doubt can keep you from being a published author and ways to, maybe not completely overcome it, but to push it aside so you aren’t paralyzed with fear. Self Doubt Stems from a Lack of Belief in Your Abilities If you don’t believe in yourself, who will? Successful authors have all experienced moments of self doubt, but published authors also have an amazing ability to move past the lack of confidence and force themselves to go on. That ability comes from experience and knowledge that even failure provides an advantage of knowing that you tried. Writers can sometimes find themselves in a perpetual state of self doubt. Picking the right words is one of you’re biggest fears. Maybe you worry no one will like your book. Even when you know you have talent, there is the worry that you’re writing isn’t good enough for writing and you’re a great big fraud. Overcoming Self-Doubt You can overcome self-doubt by writing anyway, every day. And putting it out there for the world to read it. It doesn’t have to be your book at first. Post a bit of your writing on social media, in a blog post or through an email. Stand up to self-doubt whenever you catch yourself worrying. no matter how hard, keep pushing through it. Talk to yourself in positive ways. Instead of saying “No one will read what I have to say” say something like “This is the best work I’ve done so far. Lots of people are enjoying my words!”. The more you do this, every day hopefully, the less self-doubt will appear. It may not disappear completely, but at least you’ll know how to beat it back down. Self-Doubt to Confident Author Once you’ve beaten the writer self-doubt, you’ll have the confidence to self-publish that book. Look at it this way. Isn’t it a bit unfair to keep your knowledge, your experiences, your motivation, whatever you’re sharing, to yourself instead of helping those who need what you know? Live Your Passion, Feed Your Soul, Love Life Carol Owens xxx P.S. You can easily self-publish your book, once you have you’re book written . Get this free guide on how to self-publish. P.P.S. Need help with that? Sign up for a Book Discovery call

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5 Things Every Author Website Should Have

Carol Owens — Tue, 23 May 2017 18:01:00 +0000

Even before your book is published, as an author you need to have a website. It is where your readers, publishers, editors and other media will go to find out more about you and what you’re up to. There are a few pages that every author website should have. They’ll help your readers navigate your website. Also, some pages are required for other reasons, such as web regulations or search engine optimization. Take a look at some of your favorite bestselling authors’ websites. Take note of what they include, how they are set up and how the author interacts with their readers. For example here is David Baldacci’s website. It’s well-designed and includes the main elements needed for a good site. Here are a few of the pages that every author website should have. An About Me Page People want to know who you are, the person behind the book. They want to know where you’re from, how long you’ve been writing, past accomplishments (and failures). They want to know what motivates you to write. They want to know your story. Put this in an about me page and make it easy to find. Include a few of your author photos. It should be a bit longer than the blurb on the back of the book cover you normally use. James Patterson’s website is a good example of a fleshed out about page. Contact/ Mailing List Signup Page A contact page is a way for media specialist to contact you. This goes on a page within your website while a mailing list signup form is usually placed in the sidebare or at the bottom of a blog post. You definitely want to have a signup form for your newsletter. Newsletters are a powerful tool for marketing your books. This is the opt-in found on my website: Social Media Give your readers a number of different ways to follow you. Provide buttons that allow people to follow you on Twitter, on your Facebook page, Goodreads, Pinterest, your Amazon author page and even on Google+. The buttons need to be easy to find, like the ones on Nora Roberts website. Events An events page can list your upcoming book signings, appearances you are making, new release dates and other events you are participating that your readers would love to know about, such as charity events. If you do speaking engagements you want to have them on this page. Here’s the events page from Debbie Macomber’s website. Your Books The best option is to have a page for each of your books. It should tell your readers what the book is about, without giving away the story. This is will be where you sell to your reader. Include where they can purchase your book as well. You need one page that lists all your books, short stories, and any other pieces of writing with links to the pages on your website where they can read more about each one. David Baldacci’s website has a page listing all his books. When you click on the title it takes you to a that books page with a complete description. Every author needs a website. It is necessary for building relationships with your readers, the media and the publishing field. Make sure yours includes at least these five elements. Do you have an author site yet? I’d love to see it. Do you need help determining what you should include on your website? Book a session with me. We’ll talk and go over your website and I’ll make recommendations for you. Click the book now button below. Click here Comment below with a link to it or connect with me on my Facebook page. Carol

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Book Prompts for the Gardening Niche

Carol Owens — Thu, 04 May 2017 21:47:54 +0000

Coming up with ideas for a book can sometimes feel like someone turned off your creative thoughts. You just can’t seem to think of what to write about. I’ve put together a short list here of ideas for your next book in the gardening niche. But you’re not limited to gardening only. These can crossover into the healthy living niche, stress niche, lose weight niche and saving money niches as well. Use your imagination! some of the topics can be combined to make an even deeper niche. Getting healthy in the garden. (this is a great crossover idea) Talk about how you can get in shape by gardening using different types of tools or just your hands. Give benefits of fresh vegetables to your body Garden grows money. Talk about how you can save money by growing your own vegetables. What to plant when. Create a print book through CREATESPACE that lets your readers keep track of what they plant, when they planted it, it’s production rate and any other information like pest control or fertilizing Which gardening tools do you need. Talk about the types of tools necessary and the ones that are convenient but not essential. Give tips on caring for the tools and how to store them. Survival gardening. Talk about what you should plant and why, how to preserve it and why you should garden for survival Homestead gardening. Wildflower and native plants: Gardening for your area Creative Garden structures. Give ideas or plans on using repurposed items as garden structures. For example, how to use an old iron gate for plant support. Great ways to grow…. (strawberries, melons, etc). Show your readers different ways to grow a certain vegetable. You can focus on small space gardening or on plants that trail and vine and need some type of control. Gardening for health. Talk about growing herbs and other plants that can be used for health needs. You can focus on specific health need such as arthritis or on herbs for general well being. Preserve it. Talk about ways to dry, freeze, can and store specific plants. Don’t limit it to vegetables. Herbs and flowers can be dried as well. Selling your garden produce. Talk about ways to set up a produce stand, sell at a farmers market, or a roadside stand. Discuss costs, pricing, displaying, and customer service. Beat those weeds and other unwanted grass. Weeds and grass are the bane to many gardeners. Talk about natural and consumer products that kill weeds. Grow a summer’s worth of food with Container Gardening. Talk about the perfect plants to use in your containers, the different types of containers, the best soil mix, lighting conditions and watering. Landscaping in the garden. Talk about ground covers and how they can be used in your landscape, in and around the garden as pest and weed control. Theme gardening. Give details and ideas for creating a specific theme in your garden. Maybe you like bohemian style, so you’d give ideas on how to incorporate bright colors, macramé and fabric into your garden landscape. Stress free gardening. Talk about how gardening can help relieve stress and help you relax. Indoor gardening. Talk about the types of plants you can grow indoors including ones that don’t require a lot of maintenance. Give ideas on decorating with plants.

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Get Content For The New Year Special Deal

Carol Owens — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 16:20:43 +0000

Get Content For The New Year I’m running a New Year’s Special on content creation. I haven’t taken on new ghostwriting clients for a while and wanted to offer a special on my rates that runs through January 13, 2017. This gives you the opportunity to get fresh content at a discounted rate. Content is the backbone of most online marketing. It’s needed for: Blog posts Social media posts Webinar handouts Emails EBooks and Reports And a lot more you do online. Maybe the problem is you don’t have time to do it all yourself with everything you have going on. Maybe you want to let someone else do the writing while you focus on growing your business. Or maybe you’re just not a writer. That’s where I come in. I create content for you and you take all the credit for it. In other words, let me do the work. I’m a writer. I’ve been writing online for over 15 years, a ghostwriter for over 10 years and a published author for over 5 years. I know a little bit about writing. I know how to make your topic flow. My normal rate is $25 per 450 word page. During this special offer rates have been cut to $15 page 5 – 450 word pages $75 9 – 450 word pages $135 12 – 450 word pages $180 25 – 450 word per page eBook $350 Special Monthly Content: Need content on a regular basis? I’m opening up a five spots in my recurring billing plan. This plan allows you to get 20 pieces of content each month. You’ll be billed monthly at $300. It can be on the same topic each month or different. You can have all blog posts, all articles or social media posts, or a report. Click the Buy Button Now to get your spot! After your purchase go to this Content order form to fill out the order form. Need more content per month? Contact me to discuss your options! This is a limited time and a limited number of clients offer. Get your spot before they are filled!

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Start Your Day Off on the Right Foot Even If You’re Not A Morning Person

Carol Owens — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 17:05:30 +0000

I’ll admit it. Mornings are my favorite time of the day. I get up before everyone else, grab a cup of hot tea, watch the sun rise and make my plans for the day. This simple routine every day helps me get my day off to a good start. Not everyone gets out of bed in the morning easily and in a good mood, though. Some can bounce out of bed eagerly anticipating the day, willing to talk to anyone who will listen. Others groggily stagger out of bed reluctantly. And it’s best not to speak to them for a while or they’ll bite your head off Do either of these describe you? Or do you fall somewhere in between? Which would you rather be? Typically, the person who bounds out of bed wide awake is the person who gets more done in the morning and is happier to do it. This isn’t always true. Some get just as much work done; it just takes them longer to get to it. If you’re not happy with your morning habits and want to change, it can be done but it has to be a concerted effort on your part. Many people don’t want to change. They’ve been that way for years and it works for them. On the other hand, who wants to be an old grouch in the morning making yourself and everyone else miserable? You can become an early happy riser and make it a habit you will embrace. First, admit your current method of waking up in the morning isn’t working and you want to change. Be willing to try a different method and realize it may not be the first different method you try that will transform you into a new you. Technique is important. Prepare yourself for bed with the same routine if possible. With children and spouses this is sometimes difficult. Start with a healthy diet. Stay away from heavy fatty foods and sugars before bedtime. Eat dinner early. Of course, no caffeine or other stimulant before bedtime. Try the early healthy dinner a few nights and make a note as to how you feel the next morning. Is it working? If not, don’t give up. You just need to add more and different methods to your morning madness. Exercise daily. The better shape your body is in the better it will sleep and the better you’ll feel each morning. Morning exercise is usually more helpful than just before bedtime. Nighttime exercise can get the blood flowing too much for you to fall right to sleep. Do something pleasant before going to bed to put you in a good mood. Read a good book for a few minutes. Don’t get so caught up in it that you can’t put it down. Don’t balance your check book or pay bills before going to bed. Money worries are one of the main causes of sleeplessness. Anticipate the morning routine. Don’t give yourself something boring to look forward to. Make time for at least some morning exercise even if it’s just stretching. Perhaps, sit outside and greet the sunrise with a morning devotional. Count your blessings and plan your day. New morning habits were not accomplished in a day. Be patient and willing to experiment. Soon you’ll like yourself better in the morning and so will your family. Starting your day on the right foot, with a happy mindset, a plan for the day and healthy habits, helps you reach your goals and find more success. What’s your morning routine? Do you wake up happy and ready to go or are you more a grumpy gus? I’d love to hear more about your mornings. Leave a comment below or join my Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/myawakenedspirit/, or connect with me at Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/carolowensvabusiness/ Be sure to sign up for email updates as well for helpful updates, resources and connections to help you become your best self. Get your free Relaxing Designs Mandala Coloring Book Enter your name and email addy below. Name: Email:

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How’s your Mindset?

Carol Owens — Tue, 09 Feb 2016 19:24:01 +0000

How’s your mindset? Do you try to be positive or are you more of a negative Nelly? All my life I’ve always tried to have a positive outlook. Even when situations in my life looked it’s worst, I’d push through until I came out on the positive side of it. This mindset has helped get me through numerous losses of loved ones and jobs and disappointments in people and situations. Until recently though. In the past few years, I’ve battled depression, lack of self-confidence, fear of losing everything, the loss of direction and finally, forgetting who I am in my soul. After years of being the caregiver for everyone else I forgot to take care of me. Now that I no longer am in that role, I’m finally able to do the things I’ve always wanted to do. Trouble is, I don’t know what that is anymore. At one time I thought I wanted to be an artist, then it was to be a blogger and then it was to be a famous baker then a best selling author and then .. and then… You see, I wasn’t taking the time to connect with my soul. I was allowing outside forces (financial as well as people) to dictate what I should be doing. I’ve been reading a lot of books, connecting with some very good life coaches and spending time out in nature that’s been helping me reconnect with my true self. I’ve also taken charge of my self-care by eating healthy. Another activity that’s helping me is changing my mindset back to the positive one I’ve always had. I’ve started using affirmations and meditation more and more. Whenever I catch myself getting depressed or having negative thoughts, I give myself a mental scolding and change those thoughts to positive ones. Here are a some of the affirmations I tell myself are: I am strong I am confident I am brave I am beautiful I am creative I am an artist I am moving forward Today is a new day. I am blessed. I am grateful for all that I have at this moment I am becoming who I dream I am I am evolving As I said earlier, one of the things I’m incorporating in my life is to be more vigilant in taking care of myself. I have just opened up a new 5-day email workshop on simple ways to you can begin taking care of yourself. During this workshop we will work on five areas of your life: your health, your mindset, body, stress management, and personal growth. Interested? Join me now to get a grip on your self care. Stay connected with me Join my Facebook page here and join my Facebook group here where you are free to share what’s going on in your life and no one will judge you. Live. Life. Happy. Carol 🙂

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Moving on When You Don’t Know Where You’re Headed

Carol Owens — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 23:07:23 +0000

Do you know where you’re headed? Are you ready to move on after a set back? It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. It’s not that I don’t have anything to say. To the contrary. . . . my mind is filled with thoughts daily of what I want to share, what I need to share that could help someone else. I’m at a point in my life where everything is taking a toll on my time and I’m questioning my beliefs. Some of you may know my story. I’ve been the full time caregiver for my disabled mom who recently passed away, I’m over 50 and suffering from menopause (Uck), a full time writer, and have a multi-generational household with little kids that fill my days with a lot of chaos. As I said, I recently lost my mom to a second stroke. The first one, 10 years ago, left her partially paralyzed and wheelchair bound. That’s when I devoted my time to taking care of her needs. I put my dreams and plans on hold. Now that she’s gone, I’m left with a void. “What am I supposed to do now if I’m not needed to care for her?” How do I move on when I don’t even know where I am headed? I’ve been doing some real soul searching, spending many hours alone with my feelings and thoughts. I know that she wouldn’t want me to give up my business, continuing to write and share my message with others. And I realized that now that I have my freedom, I can do the things I want and need to do to make my business a success. Here are the steps I’m taking to move on. Getting in touch with who I am and who I want to be. This includes meditation, spending time walking in nature and sitting under a tree with my notebook,and writing in my journal. Talking to my God Daily. Or the Universe . Or my Angels. Any entity that I think might be listening. Letting go of my old beliefs that no longer serve me. I’m coming to realize that I can nurture others without giving away all of myself. I don’t have to do everything for every one all the time. I’m learning that in order for my son and his family to grow and move on, I need to let them do things for themselves. (This is a biggie for me, since I’ve spent the majority of my life taking care of everyone else). Setting goals and making plans. For the past ten years I’ve put aside all my goals and dreams. Many of them no longer serve me so I’ve been making new goals of what I really want and the plans for achieving them. for instance, now that I’m able, I am making plans to travel to places I’ve only read about. Taking action. Along with setting those goals I’m taking action. Not only does it help me fill my days, taking action, even small steps, every day on my goals gives me a sense of accomplishment. Each day I spend time reassessing and reorganizing. I am downsizing. My son and his family are making plans to move into their own place soon. That means I’ll have a lot of room that I won’t need. Will I be moving to a smaller home? I don’t know yet. I do know that I getting rid of things that no longer serve me or mean anything to me, like the stacks of magazines I’ve saved as a swipe files or the knick-knacks collecting dust. These are the steps I’m taking right now. They may change as I grow and discover where I’m headed. But I do know that being in touch spiritually with my higher self will always steer me in the right direction. Tell me what do you do when you are at a loss or a crossroads in your life? Is there a particular routine you follow? Want to follow along on my self-discovery journey? Connect with me on my Facebook page or my Facebook group, My Awakened Spirit.

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ATTENTION! Get Hundreds of FREE Personal Growth and Business Building Products, Services & Memberships Absolutely FREE!

Carol Owens — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 15:32:50 +0000

Have I got some exciting news for you today! You can now get instant access to 100s of downloadable self-help gifts at NO COST to you. Yep, you heard me right…for FREE! All you have to do is go here: empoweredlivinggifts.com If you’ve found yourself going round in circles time and time again just trying to improve things in your life, but end up getting nowhere fast, then I’m pleased to tell you that it is now easily within your reach to shift your world and change your life. Empowered Living Gifts Giveaway hosted by Carolyn Hansen and Kathy Dobson will be open for a VERY LIMITED TIME… just a few weeks in fact! So if you are serious about finishing the remainder of 2015 on the “wings of change,” you need to jump on-board the 22nd of October when the doors swing open to members. Remember, doors close for good a few weeks later…so don’t delay! Here’s a small sample of the 100s of gifts that are available for you to download instantly once signed up: * See How 5 Minutes on Your Cell Can Change Your Life – Albert Corey * Build Wealth and Increase Your Well-Being Now – Bonnie Gortler * The Rise of YOU! – Steve Stutz * 3 Free Full Mind Sync Downloads – Geoff Wilkins * How To Get Over Yourself to Become Yourself – Angel Fullerton * Emerging Lightworkers Spiritual First Aid Kit – Melodie Hawkins * 9 Solfeggio Frequency Meditations – Sean May * Wellness Master Plan – Lisa Meisels * Secret Wealth Meditation Audio – Tim Pond * Tune In and Turn On Your Empowered Self E-course – Elaine Lockard (You’ll even find one of my products: Relaxing Designs Mandala Coloring book!) And Much Much More! You still have time to make 2015 one of your best years ever, so don’t hesitate. It’s time to focus on YOU and tackle EVERYTHING that is holding YOU back from moving forward in life…it’s time to discover your sense of inner peace and be empowered rather than empowering others. All your answers can be found here: empoweredlivinggifts.com And while the gifts are all 100% FREE – I want to bring to your attention the OPTIONAL offer that you see immediately after sign- up… Rarely is something this huge offered with the potential to reach so many, so I strongly suggest you consider making it your own. But remember – it is totally optional and doesn’t affect the free gifts I am giving you. It’s there for you to seize if you truly want to effect lasting change and leverage all the free gifts you are about to receive – so the choice is totally up to you! This 1st Annual Empowered Living Gifts Giveaway event boasts one of the largest collections of EMPOWERING self-help, personal growth and spiritual advancement gifts you will find on the Internet TODAY! So, before you go I just have one question for you… Now that you know about this potentially life changing giveaway, are you ready to make the most of this opportunity, or are you going to sit back and let it slip away? The choice is yours, but I know what I’m going to do and that is FIGHT BACK and live life the way I want to…EMPOWERED….Are you with me? See you on the inside 🙂 Success and Happiness, Carol 🙂 P.S. This offer won’t last long. Be sure to get your free gifts today! empoweredlivinggifts.com

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Do You Love Yourself? 8 Reasons Loving Yourself Gets You What You Want

Carol Owens — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 16:20:35 +0000

Do you believe in the power of self love? Do you love yourself? Do you even LIKE yourself? A few years ago, I went through a period of self-hate. I had lost my job and I couldn’t find another one, my dad and a grandchild both passed away, and I fell into depression. I gained a lot of weight and on top of that I had an allergic reaction to a facial cream that ended up leaving scars on my face. I was making the same financial and personal mistakes over and over. I was disgusted with myself. Needless to say, it was a time when I didn’t really like myself. I didn’t have confidence in myself and my skills. I’ve asked myself over and over again if I love myself for the past 6 months. I was at a point in my life where I knew in my heart things had to change or I would never get what I wanted out of my life. With help and a lot of positive self talk, I am finally learning to love myself. I tell you this story not for pity but to help you understand the power of self love and positive affirmations. Positive affirmations lead to a healthier body and can help heal emotional wounds as well. I tell you this story not for pity but to help you understand the power of self-love and positive affirmations. Positive affirmations lead to a healthier body, mindset and can help heal emotional wounds as well. [bctt tweet=”Love is Powerful. Loving yourself is the first step in loving life. Love can heal everything.”] So, you’re probably saying, “That’s great for you, but I don’t know how to begin to love myself”. I’m going to tell you that you do. You have everything you need right now to begin changing that self-hate, doubt and fear into one of total self-love. It begins with daily POSITIVE self-talk using affirmations. Affirmations are positive, detailed statements that help you to overcome those self-sabotaging, negative thoughts. Use them to help you visualize, and believe in, what you’re telling yourself, helping you to make positive changes to your life. Affirmations are often used in business and goal setting, but they can be used in any situation where you’d like to see a positive change take place. For example when you want to: Control any negative feelings like frustration, anger, or impatience. Improve your self-esteem and confidence. Finish things you’ve started. Improve your productivity. Learn from past mistakes. Let me give you some examples of personal affirmations you can use in place of negative thoughts. “I have plenty of creativity for this project” instead of “I can’t do this project because I’m not creative enough”. “I can do this!” instead of “I can’t do this because….” “My opinion is respected and valued by others” instead of “No one wants to know what I think. I’m not smart enough”. ”I am successful” instead of “I’m not good enough”. “I learn from my mistakes” instead of “I’ll just make the same mistake again”. “I am beautiful inside and out” instead of “I am ugly” or “I’m fat” or “I am a bad person”. “I love myself for who I am right now” instead of “I hate myself”. “I’m grateful for my life I have right now” instead of “I don’t like anything about my life”. “I am excellent at what I do” instead of “I have no talent”. “I am happy” instead of “I’m mad” or “I have nothing to be happy about”. Believe in Yourself. It’s impossible to love yourself without actually believing in yourself. Believing in yourself can be difficult at times, especially when nothing is going the right way. [bctt tweet=”Once you begin loving yourself you begin getting the things you want I life.”] Here are my top 8 reasons why loving yourself gets you what you want: You are the only one who can make yourself happy. No one else can make you happy if you don’t want to be happy. Accepting yourself for who you are lets you grow and see the bigger picture. You are the result of all your experiences, thoughts, and your DNA. You are unique. Accepting yourself means you will only want what is best for yourself. If you always find fault in yourself, you get stuck in small-mindedness. You’ll never be happy. Expand your thinking and love who you are. Being proud of yourself and the value you offer the world builds your confidence. Invest in yourself to learn and grow. When you don’t think you deserve anything wonderful, you don’t allow yourself to have it. If you keep relying on the same old information or doing the same things the same old way, you’ll continue to make the same mistakes. Loving yourself helps you love what you are doing and what is right for you. You are happy and beaming with joy when you love yourself. This joy comes out in what you do. Taking care of yourself is a form of loving yourself. You’re an asset to others when you feel good. You’re more fun to be around. You inspire others and are enthusiastic about life. When you take care of yourself you are able to be more helpful to others. Once you love yourself and put yourself first, others will want to follow you. You’re leading by example. You’re fulfilled, overflowing with happiness and helpful, but not expecting something in return. Loving yourself helps you enjoy life and want to explore it. You learn more, you become better at stretching yourself and getting more ideas you act on. When you love yourself, you chase your own dreams not someone else’s. You don’t depend on other people’s opinions for approval. When you put yourself first you become more independent with inner confidence and a sense of peace. You follow your own path, creating your own happiness. I’m still a work in progress but every day I work on finding ways to love myself. Positive affirmations and taking the time to take care of me are both top priorities in my day now. How about you? Do you love yourself? Are you using self-care and positive self-talk? I’d love it if you’d try these tips. Then come back here and tell me the results. Love and Happiness, Carol

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What Would Awesome YOU Do? Let’s Create an Awesome World.

Carol Owens — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 16:29:33 +0000

This is the question Nicole Dean, a super nice inspirational marketer is asking all over the internet. She’s on a mission to change the world one small awesome act at a time. She wants to help YOU awesomize your Business, Life and Make the World a Better Place beginning April 1st, 2015. What would your life be like if you did one small awesome thing everyday for 3o days? How much better would you feel, look, and act? How much better would your business be? And how much better would the world be for one simple act of awesome to help someone else in the world? I joined. I’m having a great time finding little ways to do awesome everyday. Simple things like eating fresh vegies for a snack instead of the usual crackers or going for a walk. In my business I’m finding awesome things to change my business, like going for small goals I can reach in a week or less or adding more value to my products. For the world, I’ve already started cleaning clutter, donating to local women’s shelters and the Humane society (they always need old blankets, newspapers, bedding material and toys). These simple awesome acts will hopefully, have an awesome impact on someone else. I asked Nicole to take a few minutes out of her super busy life to fill us in on what this awesomization nation. I have been a fan/follower of Nicole for almost as long as I’ve been online (since 2002). She’s an awesome person herself, always with a kind word or act for others. Now she’s asking YOU to become awesome for yourself. Are you ready to be a part of the 30 Days of Awesomization plan? Me: What inspired you to create this event? Nicole: I have battled depression and anxiety for most of my life. In January, I was feeling especially down and puny until I decided to start a re-awesomization plan and kick my own butt into gear. I committed to do what I could while having zero energy and zero motivation. I promised to make a few small changes and I took action on those changes every day. In just days, I noticed that DOING Awesome made me FEEL Awesome – moreso than anything else that I’d tried, even though I was only doing tiny things. That was all it took for me. I decided that I wanted to help others to take the pressure off themselves, and instead just focus on being more aware and awake every day to the possibilities of making small choices to do awesome when possible. ME: Thanks, Nicole. What will someone get out of joining in? Nicole: The goal is to have everyone that joins do 3 EXTRA AWESOME things per day for the month of April. The areas that I want to focus on for this month of Awesomization are our businesses, our lives, and making the world a better place. All members of the “Awesomization Nation” get access to a hopping Facebook group, where everyone involved is sharing their awesomeness on a daily basis. PLUS, I’m creating a daily dose of awesome to inspire you with ideas for awesomizing your business, your life, and the world in tiny little steps so that it doesn’t have to feel so hard! For instance, in the area of Business Awesomization some ideas would include: 1. Record a quick video for your business with your smart phone. You don’t have to post it, but do record it and watch it. If you love it, post it. If not, you can try again another day. No pressure. Give yourself grace to just see what it looks like. And remember, perfection is impossible to achieve. So, look at it through kind eyes and see what you want to change OR if you just want to put it out there because the message will help others. Your call. 2. Got a book in you? If so, today, just plan it out. Write out the outline and post a copy on your office wall. We can tackle the writing of the book in baby steps. Do this one thing and you’ll be closer to being a published author. What about Awesomizing your Life? This is easy. 1. Go on a 15 minute walk, just because. It’s cheaper than therapy and will help boost your mood AND get you more steps in today for exercise. 2. Write a note to a family member or send a birthday card today. See? It’s easy. The great thing is that the group of amazing people is there to motivate and inspire you during the process. Me: Thanks, Nicole. I can already see ways I can awesomize my life, business and the world around me! What impact do you hope this event will have on those who participate and in general? Nicole: The crazy thing, Carol, is that we haven’t even started officially yet and the impact in the group is already beyond what I’d imagined. Seriously, people are connecting to do business things together (like this post), they’re inspiring each other, and the bar is being raised across the board. I’m completely astonished and grateful that I get to be part of it, myself. Thank you Nicole for being such an awesome inspiration to all of us. If you’re readyt to be a part of the 30 Days of Awesomization, click on over to the website. The cost to join is very small right now (only $15 until the end of March). I’d love to see you in the group.

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Set Acheivable Goals with this 4 Step Strategy

Carol Owens — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 22:41:10 +0000

4 Step Goal Setting Strategy We’re almost three months into the year. How are you doing with your goals? Are you still on track? Or are you like me, getting sidetracked and having to revisit them again. I set a goal at the beginning of the year to eat less processed foods and go for a walk every day. The first part of January I stuck to the goal. The things happened. The weahter got extremely cold and snowy, so I didn’t take my walk every day. Then the grandkids were here and of course, they wanted cookies and ice cream, mac & cheese and well, I couldn’t let them eat alone, now could I? Needless to say, my goal of eathing less processed food flew out the door. Today I want to talk about a good goal setting strategy to help you reach you your goals. Everyone has specific goals they want to reach. Maybe it’t weight loss or finances in your personal life, or a specific area of business growth. Regardless of what milestones you want to achieve, you won’t get there if all you have is the end result in mind. Setting goals is just one part of the equation. Knowing how to get there is the piece of the puzzle that so many people leave out. This leads us to flounder, procrastinate and veer off course until one day we realize we’re completely off course with a lot of wasted time and effort. There are four easy steps you can take to ensure your goals are met. It’s a process that allows you to map out where you want to be and take steps to get there with ease. Step 1 – Know Your End Result In order to know what steps you need to take, you have to know how you’d like your journey to end. This is your outcome or end result. You have to be able to concretely define what you want that result to be. This is the bottom line of everything that you’re attempting to do. Many people aim for something without ever knowing what they want the end result to be. The problem with not knowing your end goal is that you won’t realize it once you’ve reached it – if you even reach it at all. Let’s say that you take up running for the exercise. Your end result could be to lose weight or get in better shape. Now let’s say that you set a more specific goal to take up running because you want to run in a marathon that’s happening in the future. Your end result changed from a generic goal of losing weight and getting in better shape to the end result of competing in the marathon, which has a specific length and is on a specific timetable. Only you will be able to determine your end goal. It might be to finish college, grow your business by $50,000 in the coming year, lose 25 pounds, and so on. Have a large, verifiable goal to reach. Knowing the end result is imperative for whatever it is that you want in life. You need to know this to be able to work your process. This might mean that you figure out different end results for different areas of your life. It’s okay to have one for the personal side of your life for relationships and things like that while having another one for your professional goals. Don’t just say, “I want to be happier.” What would make you happier, specifically? Visualize that end goal that you want. For now, don’t worry about timing. You’ll be working on that as you develop your specific goal setting strategy. Step 2 – Craft Mini Goals Goals are something that can be used to improve your life. By having goals, you can check to see if you’re on track for how you want your life to turn out. Goals are helpful tools that can keep you headed in the right direction when you need to make a decision that involves changing some aspect of your life. Encouragement is a by-product of having goals. Whenever you have a setback, goals can encourage you to keep going. By seeing how far you’ve already come, you realize that you’ve already made some strides forward. Most success-minded people will focus on short-term goals over long-term goals because these are easier to make come true. Living in a results-oriented world causes people to lean toward short-term goals more often. Dreamers who do very little action taking often focus on long-term goals, forgetting that they need a specific path to get them there. They stay paralyzed, feeling the long-term goal is too far out of reach. Having short-term goals means that these are things that you do in the present or in the very near future – such as within a week or a month. An example of a short-term goal might be setting up an email autoresponder system within the next 14 days so that you’re ready to build a list. A long-term goal is usually something that you can’t reach as fast as a short term goal. A long-term goal is one that you plan to reach within a few months or a year or longer after making it. Long-term goals will be realized over time as each of your shorter milestones are achieved. For instance, your long-term goal might be to have a list of 100,000 subscribers. So your short-term goals might be: * Set up an email autoresponder system within 14 days * Create a 10-day follow-up series for the autoresponders within 30 days * Achieve a list of my first 1,000 subscribers using social media within 6 weeks * Grow my list to 2,000 subscribers within 2 months using a giveaway event …and so on. Each time you’re able to look at your list and cross off an item that you achieved, it helps you build momentum toward reaching your ultimate goal. Whatever your goals are, you shouldn’t let them just sit there as nothing more than an internal dream that you have. You need them around visually so that they can help remind you of what you desire out of life. You need to be able to see whatever it is that your goals are so that you’re reminded to take action. You can create a vision board with pictures that will help keep you motivated. Or you can write them down in a notebook and list the reasons why you want that goal. Studies have shown that goals that are visualized or written down are reached more often than goals that are not. It spurs you forward into doing all of the small steps needed to send you up the ladder of success. Reaching any goal will require you understanding what it is that you already possess that can help you meet that goal. It also takes you understanding what you lack in reaching that goal so that you can level up your skills to achieve it. If you wanted to run a marathon and you were in fairly good shape, you would understand that your physical condition was something you already had. But if you were out of shape, you would understand that you couldn’t run a marathon until you got into shape. You would understand that you lacked the physical conditioning. Defining that would help you set mini goals of getting fit, so that would then feed into your larger goal of the marathon accomplishment. You can dig down and create mini goals for as many sub-levels as you want, too. For example, physical conditioning is a mini goal to competing in the marathon. But what are some mini goals for the physical conditioning? * Being able to go the distance of the marathon in a day * Being able to run instead of walk the entire time * Being able to achieve a 15-minute mile Creating mini goals helps you focus all of your energy on the bigger goal. Focusing on the bigger goal can make you feel overwhelmed and cause you to talk yourself out of trying. Making mini goals takes the overall goal and reduces it in size so that it’s manageable and doable. You won’t allow yourself to have excuses as to why it can’t be achieved. Each mini goal that you set needs to be specific, too. This means that you divide these up into tasks. You would need to use a calendar in order to set a date for reaching each task that falls under your mini goal heading. You then break down the date by the time that you have to work on the goal. When you have goals that have a conclusion date, it helps you stay on track to reach the bigger picture. Goals, even mini goals with a conclusion date of “whenever” rarely get finished. You need to know when you should start that mini goal and when it needs to be completed. Give each task under the goal a deadline. For example, a mini goal of walking a 15 minute mile within 15 weeks might require you (if you’re starting from a 30 minute mile) to shave one minute off your time each week. That’s a doable mini goal, and the timeline is specific enough for you to have clarity in reaching it. Everything that you do under a mini goal should be something that matters. The more specific it is, the better it will be keeping you on track. Mini goals need to be created in such a way that you’ll be able to see progress. If your goal is to start your own business, then one of your mini goals might be to write a business plan. Next, you would write down when you need that plan finished by. Another mini goal could be having a mentor look over the plan and give you tips on how to further polish it up. Each step that you take should have a purpose that propels you toward the end result of your bigger goal. If you can remove the mini goal without it impacting the overall goal, then odds are high that the mini goal may not be needed. You need to have an order of importance in place before setting mini goals. After listing the mini goal, write down what you gain from reaching that goal. Write down what you have to do to make it happen. List the deadline that it needs to happen by. Make notes under the mini goal that tell you what you must learn to reach that goal. Is there a class you need to take? A book you have to read or a seminar you must attend? All of those should be listed under the mini goal. Make sure that you understand if completing the mini goal can be done alone or if you’re going to need someone else’s help with it. You should list all of the possible roadblocks that could happen during the course of trying to reach each mini goal. After you list the roadblocks, write down all of the ways around them. What this does is help you be prepared for whenever a setback crops up. They will – and it’s always best to have your offensive strategy in place before you need it. Step 3 – Brainstorm Action Steps Before you can take any action, you want to brainstorm ways to achieve your goals and mini goals. You want options, not a single path that you think will work. It allows you to think outside the box. Some people refer to brainstorming as creatively solving a problem before it happens or while it’s ongoing. Without brainstorming, most people come up with between two and four ways that they can reach their goals. When you start brainstorming from a research perspective, you often find better ways to do things, shortcuts and money savers. Don’t be afraid...

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How to Use Images that Stir Reaction in Your Writing

Carol Owens — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 21:42:43 +0000

For years we’ve heard that content is king. And while this is true, the different kinds of content you interact with on the web can make a difference in whether your story is seen or read. Telling your story with words is great, especially if you’re a writer, but can be boring. Tell your story with images. It grabs attention and stirs a reaction. Many people are visual. They need to see an image to understand what you are trying to teach them, tell them or get your point across. Lean how to take an image and grab your readers attention. Influencing your readers by stirring some sort of reaction or emotion in your writing is an important aspect in your content marketing strategy. You want to get your readers to feel deeply, either positively or negatively. They will be more likely to share your content, remember you and return to your blog and more likely to buy from you. Of course, you want to evoke emotion with words as well. But to get people to really see what you’re saying learn how to use images within your content. Here’s some ideas on how to use images to stir emotions: Use Images and Colors to Create Significance Bright colors and vibrant images grab your reader’s attention. Choose colors that create feelings of happiness, trust or excitement. Use relevant images. Don’t use clichéd images, though. Or overused stock images. If you’re writing about office supplies, select an image of a organized office instead of a simple stapler. Basic color psychology can help you get a better understanding of how color affects our mood. A course I took in college on the basics of color theory taught me how different shades of yellow can make us feel happy and optimistic, for example. Images that have blues and greens inspire feelings of tranquility and calmness. On the other hand, images with oranges and reds inspire them to take action. Your image should show your readers an emotion. A child crying. A sunrise. Street dancers. A dog baring its teeth. The mountains, ocean or waterfalls. Search for images that evoke fear vulnerability compassion, laughter frustration fascination comfort curiosity Choose images that are eye-catching or clever. For example, if you are selling a book on weight loss, an eye-catching image of a before and after shot is relevant. Look for images that entertain your readers. These could be graphics or infographics you have created or cartoons or simply a clever image. The best kinds of images to use in your visual marketing are images with a story and images that demonstrate. A story appeal image is best for the top of your page since it gives a strong sense of curiosity to your viewer. He sees it and wants to know what is going on in the image. So he reads the copy that follows it to find out. Using images in your visual marketing is a natural way of showing as well as telling. You should be doing this using entertaining, clever, eye-catching images that are placed in the right area of your website or marketing product. You can easily edit your images to get what you want by cropping or combining images. I use PicMonkey to quickly change the look of images. Do you use images that tell a story? Share your favorite photo links andwhat they mean to you.

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The Secret to Creating Powerful Shareable Images

Carol Owens — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 20:48:41 +0000

Creating images that get shared across the social media channels can be a challenge. I’ve seen many of mine just die while others get shared. What’s the secret? Last time I shared 5 Easy Ways to Turn Your Basic Image into a Unique Image. That’s just one way to create shareable images. Check out this infographic for help creating powerful images. Ready To Make Your Content Look Awesome? Kelly McCausey of Image Monthly gives you advice, tools and resources for creating shareable images every month. Check it out! Do your images get shared? What’s your favorite way to make them stand out. All the best,

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Are You a Courageous Action Taker?

Carol Owens — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 01:15:29 +0000

Are you courageous action taker?

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Happiness Can be Found in How You Act

Carol Owens — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 20:44:03 +0000

Sometimes being happy is a struggle. We have work demands, family demands and even demands we put one ourselves. March 17th to the 23rd is Act Happy Week. Find things throughout the week that will make you happy. And if you can’t at least find a way to act happy. Maybe that means Dancing or Singing Spending time with a loved one who makes you happy. Watch a funny movie Hug your pet Laugh at your own jokes. There are millions of ways to be happy that don’t include “stuff”. Let’s be Happy Today! Afterall, just a few years ago, you wouldn’t have had the opportunities to be your own creative boss that you have now. What makes you happy? Please share in the comments below.

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How to Watermark Images Using Free Tools

Carol Owens — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 22:25:29 +0000

You already know how important images are in marketing on the internet. Pinterest. Facebook. Twitter. Your Blog. Emails. Once you have a great image you want to share it’s a good idea to brand it with your URL or brand. The best way to do this is with a watermark that is subtle yet stands out enough to be seen. I wanted to find out how to do this myself – to see how easy it could be done with online tools. Now to be fair, I do have expereince in creating graphics. But I wanted to use tools that were easy enough for a non-techy, non-artist beginner to use. Here’s what I found and how to do your own watermark. I decided to use PicMonkey. You could also use BeFunky or Pixlr Both of these are full featured editors and might be a bit more difficult for the beginner. I’m going to create an image of my watermark that can be saved to my computer. This way I have it available to watermark images easily. Step 1 Open PicMonkey Open Picmonkey and Select “Open a Collage” from the home page. Click the paint tray image to change how the background image looks. Click on the transparent background option. Choose save andn save to your computer. Step 2 Return to PicMonkey’s main screen. Upload the transparent image (background) you just created. Click on the text tool. Add your desired text. Change the color to white or gray and fade to about 65%. Choose the size you want the text to be now so that it will be uniform on all your images. Step 3 Add desired shapes. Change the color to white or gray and fade to 65%. Step 4 Crop image close to actual watermark content. Drag corners to to desired size. Click apply to crop. Step 5 Save watermark. Save the watermark image to your computer. Step 6 Add the watermark to your photos! Upload a photo to PicMonkey and edit if desired. Click on “overlays” and then choose “your own” fromt the top of the choices. Choose your image from where you saved it, move it to the desired spot on the picture and save the whole thing. And here’s the finished image. That’s it. You now have a simple watermark to use on all your images. Carol P.S. Notice the watemark text? Stay tuned to my all new Content Images Club coming soon. In the club you will have the chance to purchase different types of content images or memes…. coming soon….. Have you tried making your own watermarks? Did you have any success?

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4 Tips To Help You Create a Visually Appealing Blog

Carol Owens — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 21:39:59 +0000

Should you use a professional (or at least professional-looking) website or blog design? More than ever, visual design is more important than ever on the internet. Think of sites like Pinterest and Facebook, where images are shared more often than text. That’s why it’s important to have a good blog design that includes images and a good layout to quickly capture your audience’s attention. A professional website design makes a great first impression to your visitor. Your website represents who you are and what you’re offering. They want to know: Is your site credible and trustworthy? Does it look like a professional designed it (even if they didn’t)? Is it easy to navigate? Does your site make them feel welcome and know they are in the right place? When designing your website ask yourself these questions. Design might not be the most important factor but it does play an important part of the first impression a visitor gets. Four Tips for creating a great website design: Using colors correctly. You need to use the right colors for your audience. You want to draw attention to certain elements using color. Not everything should jump out at your visitor. Also you should avoid using lot of different colors on your website. Instead, pick two to four colors for the main website and your marketing materials. Avoid using animations, gadgets and other media when not necessary. Flash animations might look cool but do they really work with your brand? Avoid background music or animated backgrounds as well. Media and animations should support your content. The layout. The layout should have clear navigation. The page elements should be organized instead of randomly placed all over your site. Use lots of white space by avoiding clutter. It’s hard to read a page that is crammed with elements, widgets, ads, images and text. Your eyes don’t know where to land. If your site is too busy, your visitor will most likely click away. Fonts. Your typography needs to be legible. Carefully select font styles, font colors and font sizes that are easy for anyone to read. Most people scan pages. Using bullet lists, section headers and short paragraphs make scanning easier. Make sure your information flows well from left to right and top to bottom. Use a white or light colored background with dark colored or black text. Your Blog design is the first impression others have of your business. Make the layout, images, fonts and colors all easy to read and free of clutter. What tips do you have for a well designed Blog?

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How to Write Quality Blog Content Quickly and Consistently

Carol Owens — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 22:01:00 +0000

Every blog relies on content, whether it’s video, written or some other form. Finding the time and inspiration though, can be difficult. If you want to run a successful blog, however, you have to be able to write quality content quickly and consistently is vital. There’s a direct correlation between the amount of content you write and the number of visitors you get. Great bloggers are able to write quality content more or less on cue. Others, like me, find it difficult to fill my blog with constant content. This is something I am trying to change, though. I have started adding tools and micro tasking to my work day. We’ll talk more about micro tasking in another post, but it’s basically breaking down your big project into small, workable tasks that can be done quickly, say in an hour or less. So how do you develop this skill? ==> Keep a Running List of Potential Topics On your computer, or on a notepad somewhere, there should be a list of running potential topics you can write about. Whenever you have an idea for a potential post, write it down on this list. Then whenever it’s time to write content, you can just sit down in front of your computer and start writing. There’ll be no writer’s block that stems from a lack of topics. I have recently started using Evernote to keep a running list of topics. I can use it on any device whether I’m at my desk or out and about. When an idea strikes, I simply open the app and put the idea on my list. ==> Begin by Writing Out Your Sub-Points Once you have your topic, begin your writing by writing out the main points. Brainstorm all the different things you could or want to talk about and quickly jot them down. I necessary, create a mindmap to help you focus on what you want to say. This will help you structure your thoughts, so you can jump from topic to topic with flow. Trying to write from top to bottom without an outline is very difficult. Remember those days in high school English when you had to create an outline before you began writing? Well, this is the same concept only you’re not working for good grades you’re working for money. Now I know not everyone loves to write or finds it difficult to do this step, but if you put in the extra few minutes to create an outline, your writing will flow a lot easier. ==> Write Quickly, Without Editing Once your outline is done, write. And write fast.Don’t do anything else; just write. Don’t edit. Don’t worry too much about spelling errors or grammar. Write in your natural, conversational voice. The goal here is to tap into your natural flow of conversation. Try not to filter yourself. Between writer’s block and being “in flow,” there’s very little middle ground. You’re either writing quickly, or you’re not writing at all. In other words, don’t try to write slowly, or you’ll probably come to a halt. Instead, just speed through your first draft, then come back and edit later. I’ve found it helps to put on some music. I turn off phones, social media and all other distractions as well. ==> Use Outside Inspiration If you ever get stuck for tips or sub-points, go get some inspiration. Use Google to find out what kinds of tips other people are giving in your industry. Search for titles similar to the one you’re using. Take a look at what people are talking about on the social media sites. What creative ideas have others shared? DO NOT COPY THEIR WORK. Use it only for inspiration, making sure you put your own twist to whatever ideas you use. ==> Most of All, Find Something You’re Passionate About Most of all, make sure you’re writing about something you’re passionate about. Is it possible to write quality content quickly about something you don’t care about? Yes. But it’s much more difficult, much less enjoyable and you just won’t have the same amount of passion and excitement coming through. These tips will help you get your writing speed up. All else being equal, a blog that publishes five times a week is going to get a lot more traffic than a blog that publishes once. Not just five times the amount of traffic either – it’s exponential. Putting out content regularly is simply a requirement to a successful blog. What tips do you have for writing content quickly and consistently? Share in the comments.

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Carol Owens — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 14:53:01 +0000

This time of the year I like to reflect back on the past year. This has been one of those years that has brought many emotions. We welcomed a new Grandbaby in August, but lost our beloved Alaskan Malamute to a rare kidney disease that same month. My business has, like many others, been a roller coaster of profit and loss. I’m still on a journey to find my true calling. I enjoy writing for my clients but need (want) to have a steadier income without spending all my time filling others needs. I have some big plans for both this, my writing site, and my new cooking site, www.comfortfoodmama.com. I have plans to start creating tutorials, templates, graphics and coaching programs to add to both sites. My hope is that these will help you to grow in your business and personal lives. Speaking of personal lives, I am on the journey of becoming more true to who I am. My religious beliefs, meditation and self improvement will all become more apparent in my work. This time of year many get caught up in the hustle and bustle to create the perfect holiday or give the perfect gift. As I have grown older and more attuned to my beliefs, Christmas and the season, have taken on a much deeper meaning. My wish is for you to become true to your authentic self through out the coming year. I would love for you to follow along on my journey to create an authentic life.

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Visual Marketing Should Be a Part of Your Creative Marketing Plan

Carol Owens — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 19:35:43 +0000

Visual Marketing Should Be a Part of Your Creative Marketing Plan When it comes to marketing, using both visual and written content is often the key to getting the sale. When a customer has the choice between a blog post or sales letter with written content and one with both written and visual images, the customer leans more toward the one that shows as well as tells. As this infograpic from MDG Advertising shows, images are the up and coming stars on the Internet. Using image optimization as part of your business’ marketing plan can be the step you need to reach unlimited potential sales. Infographic by MDG Advertising

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Are you Ready to Start Creating Big Income?

Carol Owens — Sat, 09 Nov 2013 14:48:39 +0000

Are you ready to take your creative business or idea to the next level? Moving into the world of entrepreneurship is scary. It moves us out of our comfort zones, requires risk and means we are responsible for the growth of the business. For the past 10 years, I’ve been running my own virtual assistant/ghostwriting business. In the beginning I was terrified. Who would hire me? Was I good enough? Who do I think I am to compete with all the other talented people online? But the more I pushed myself, jumped in when I was terrified, the more my business grew. Today I want to share an article by one of my mentors, Ali Brown. Ali Brown is the voice for women’s entrepreneurial success. As founder and CEO of Ali International LLC, she has created a dynamic enterprise that is devoted to empowering women entrepreneurs around the world, and currently has over 65,000 members in her online and offline programs. *********************************************** “Creating BIG Incomes Requires Taking BIG Actions” by Ali Brown From kitchen table startups to multimillionaire mom-preneurs, more women are taking control of their lives and shaping their own destinies today than ever before. And the statistics are showing it… We ladies are launching startups at nearly three times the national average rate in the U.S. And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that leads to the fact that MORE than half the new small business jobs expected to be created by 2018 will be from women-owned firms. It makes complete sense that entrepreneurship is so attractive to women right now. The traditional work model has never been a good fit for women, especially for those raising families, so for us, being able to custom-design a business that fits the lifestyle we want is the ultimate dream. But, being an entrepreneur requires one KEY quality: the willingness to take risks. And this is where I see many promising entrepreneurs and new business owners struggle. You see, when I mentor a client, they always start out saying they are finally ready to play big and build a wildly profitable business. Then, we get to the place where they are required to take risks. Opportunity x lands right in their lap. And what often happens is — while they find x exciting — they get uncomfortable and start to shrink back. “I can’t spend that kind of money on x,” they say. Or, “I’m not ready for x yet.” Or “x is too big for little old me! Why don’t we start with y or z first?” Or, “x sound great, but let’s save it for next year.” When we are born, we first crawl, then walk. In school, we go to grade one, grade two, grade three, and so forth. In college, we become freshmen, sophomores, juniors then seniors. In the working world, we start out as assistants and then we move up to managerial roles. The problem is, this “grade school” way of thinking stays with us for life. And those of us who muster up the nerve to start a business don’t realize that when it comes to accumulating huge profits, this ladder-type thinking will defeat you. It feels safer, but in the end, it will get you nowhere. What you need to do instead is leap. Leap over previous boundaries. Leap over your competition. Leap over everything! Big gains come from leaping — not ladder climbing. This will take some adjustment to your thinking. To help my clients start thinking bigger, I recommend they read autobiographies and biographies of big-thinking entrepreneurs like my friend Sir Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Madonna, and Bill Gates. One of my favorite stories is in Richard’s humorous autobiography, Losing My Virginity, in which he shares how he started Virgin Airlines. He sold seats without knowing how he was going to get a plane. If that doesn’t inspire you, what will? You’ll find that when these people came across big opportunities, they were in line with their mission, and they didn’t shy away. They jumped in all the way — even when the resources they needed to do so weren’t apparent yet. Did you get that last part? They said yes even when they weren’t sure how they’d do it, where they’d get the money, or who could help them. And they found — sure enough as you will too — that when a big opportunity presents itself and you step up and say “yes”, and if you truly believe in your heart that this goal is yours, suddenly the universe seems to rearrange itself to help you. And here’s the good news… You typically don’t have to go looking for these opportunities. They are usually right in front of you, or will soon drop in your lap. Once you declare you are ready, your awareness is heightened, a shift occurs, and you will suddenly see the path to all that you and your business can be. So, are you ready to be an entrepreneur? If your heart is right now is shouting, “Yes!” make note now of the opportunities that are right in front of you. For example: Do you know of a big new client you could land if you really pursued them? Are you aware of an accomplished mentor whom you could hire or whose program you could join? Do you need to dramatically raise your rates? Do you want to create a new income stream to increase your cash flow? Are you aware of a powerful event you could attend that could help fast-forward your success? Listen up… make the call, register for the spot, place the ad, invest in training, book the trip, list out potential income streams—whatever that step is—and make that big move. All your rewards are waiting… if you’re ready to make the leap! QUESTION: What BOLD action step have you been putting off that could help you move forward in your life or business? Could you take that step this week? Please share in the comment section below! “Entrepreneur mentor Ali Brown teaches women around the world how to start and grow a profitable business that make a positive impact. Get her FREE CD “Top 10 Success Secrets for Entrepreneurial Women” at www.AliBrown.com“ ******************************** I hope you enjoyed Ali’s candid thoughts on moving forward. I know I did. So are you ready to take the next step? Is it just to get started in your business? Or do you need to find a big client or raise your rates? Leave your thoughts below, I’d love to hear what your struggles and successes are.

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Mindset, Your Clan and Growth

Carol Owens — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 18:11:02 +0000

Today started like many other days for me. I start my day early, first getting hubby off to his day job and then spending an hour to myself reading, catching up on social media and exercise.Most day are fairly routine. I simply get the pieces of my life and the pieces of the others in my life to fit together into a routine of sorts. Then it’s time to help my disabled mother get ready for the day. Normally I can get her ready without too much problem. Today, however, she was in one of her moods where she complained about everything. Now you have to understand, she is a chronic complainer about little things anyway, but some days it’s worse than others. Normally, I just let it roll off my shoulders since I don’t want to dragged down to her level. Today however the complaints were bigger and about more than one member of our family. I’ve always been a fairly optimistic and positive person. Even with all the losses (my dad, hubby’s parents, two grandchildren, a beloved dog just this past summer), and the many times our lifestyle has been beaten down, I’ve managed to stay upbeat and have kind words for others. You can imagine how living with some one who is negative about everything can take a toll on you. (Luckily I have a very loving, very upbeat hubby and kids to lean on at times.) Part of moving on to where you want to be in life is to associate with those who you want to be like. This is my dilemma: How do you move away from the negative, chronic complainers, the ones who can’t see the sun for the shade or those who just simply refuse to be anything better, especially if you are the one responsible for caring for them? I can’t very well throw my mom out in the street, can I? No. Anyway, I try to keep the negative vibes to one end of the house 😉 I remind myself to be grateful in some way every day for the good things in my life. I’ve found this negative, ungrateful mindset is true in many people “trying” to make a living online, especially those embroiled in the make money online / internet marketing niche. Is there some reason you can’t be happy and kind I’ve been reading a lot about mindset lately. This post by Craig Ballantyne, the editor of Early to Rise. I believe the way to move on is to be grateful. It’s a wonderful feeling to express gratitude, to know that my BIG self is overcoming my little limitations and beating down my inner demons, to know that my attitude and relationships in life won’t be an example of “like father, like son”. I’ll never let bitterness and jealousy destroy me like they did my father. I’m still far from perfect, and that’s why I always consider myself ETR’s most dedicated reader, because I need the wisdom from the daily essays more than anyone else. And each day, inspired by the mentors we publish and their great ideas, I am getting better. Craig Ballantyne I am a strong believer in being polite, in sharing kindness and gratitude with others no matter who they are or how they look. I believe you should always expect that in return as well. This means that even in the world of internet marketing their is always someone or something to be grateful for. For example, I am grateful for my many mentors online including Lynn Terry of Clicknewz, Nicole Dean of NicontheNet and Alice Seba of Contentix. As well as Craig Ballantyne of ETR, Paul Evans of Nicheology and Carrie Wilkerson of the Barefoot Executive, Zig Ziglar and Tony Robbins. I read and listen to each of them everyday.These are just a few of the many I try to learn from. I aspire to be like them in my own way, soon. I am grateful to my many clients who I have poured more time writing for than myself 😉 I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to work from home and actually make a living doing it. My Creative Solutions Virtual Assistance service is thriving thanks to many others. I am a strong believer in who you associate with is how you become. That’s one of the reasons I spend my rtime online following those who are upbeat, grateful, kind, and moving toward what they want in life. They don’t hang out with the chronic whiners, the I-would-but-I-can’t becausers, the complainers and the victims self-sabotagers. Most of all I am growing my mindset to one of gratitude, kindness and positivity. What’s your thoughts? Do you believe your environment and those you associate with affect the way you live and your attitude? Grow your Success Mindset, Carol O.

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Does Your Social Media Strategy Leave You in a Time Warp?

Carol Owens — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 19:49:49 +0000

Does Your Social Media Strategy Leave You in a Time Warp? Lately, I’ve been spinning my wheels trying to get everything on my to-do lists done. Those lists include my business needs such as blogging, clients and accounting as well as personal and family obligations. My newest endeavor, ComfortFoodMama.com, has been taking up a lot of that time. I’ve been trying to create an effective social media strategy that won’t leave me feeling like I’ve spent the day in a time warp. I’ve Found The Solution! This is Lynn Terry of ClickNewz. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her, you’re in for a treat. I’ve been following Lynn online for several years. In fact, she is one of the first women I committed to following when I first came online full-time. She is an amazing person. She has been working for herself online for the past 16 years, the last 10 years as a fulltime blogger and super affiliate. I was thrilled when she released her newest product, “Social Marketing Results.” In this product, Lynn not only shares how you can get social marketing results in as little as 15 to 30 minutes a day without spending a dime, she over-delivers on tips she herself personally uses in her social media marketing strategy. Since starting a new personal niche site, I was terrified I would be spending hours online in the social media platforms promoting my site. I’ve been in the service based business for several years and I mostly stayed away from social media, except when I have something important to share, as my clients know. I was afraid of spending way too time uselessly on those sites. You know, that act of getting lost in the space and losing time reading other people’s posts and tweets and pins and . . . . Well, you get the point. After going through Lynn’s product, however, she’s pointed out how just a short amount of time each day can drastically change your business. Social Marketing Results solves the problem. She teaches you quick and easy steps you can do each day. If you’ve ever been a member of Lynn’s elite forum group and attended her brainstorming sessions, you already know she over-delivers on her tips and examples. The main product, a 2.5 hour video, takes you through her process using examples from her own sites. By the time the video was over I had a notebook full of ideas. Of course, the PDF that comes with it is filled with everything she talks about in the video. I often buy information products about business and self-improvement. This is by far, the best business purchase I’ve made in several years. As Lynn herself will tell you, don’t buy a product until you are ready for it. Let me tell you, you are ready for Social Marketing Results now if you want to grow in today’s fast changing relationship marketing scheme. If you want to be a LEADER and the GO-TO source for your niche and position yourself to QUICKLY boost traffic and income This is the one investment you MUST MAKE! Included in the product training are checklists and guides to get you going step-by-step. One of the features I like is her support group on Facebook. You’ll be invited to join this private brainstorming group where Lynn is available to answer your questions, give you live examples and guidance through the entire social marketing process. I recommend this product for this support alone. It’s Invaluable! Lynn has the experience and knowledge to actually know what she is talking about. And unlike many other so-called gurus, she actually cares about your success as one of her followers. She is available to you after you buy her product. Her training is always filled with practical, timely advice and her support is too. You’ll want to grab Social Marketing Results quickly before the price goes up on Oct. 1st when the live training part of the product begins. The six LIVE training sessions are each on a specific social marketing topic. They begin on October 1st and the replays will be available after that. With the replays you can watch as many times as you want to pick up nuggets of gold information you may have missed the first time. I know I listen to her training sessions at least two or three times and always pick up something new each time. If you’re like me and feel like you enter a time warp each time you land in social media land, I strongly urge you to get this product. The strategies Lynn presents in Social Marketing Results may just be the one thing that helps thrust your business to the next level. I know I am implementing her strategies in my business and already seeing results. Don’t forget, if you want to get this great product at a discount get it now. The price goes up October 1st. What is your experience with social media? Do you have a specific action you do? How do you keep it organized and time-worthy? Please share below in the comments. Be happy. Be successful. Carol * Disclosure: This post contains my referral links to SocialMarketingResults. I may earn commission referring merchants. My main goal for this post is to provide good information and to help you in your business. If it’s useful to you, I appreciate you using my referral links. Thanks. Go ahead and share this post. It’s my first step in the social marketing results strategy.

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Continuing on Journey to Authenticity

Carol Owens — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 20:47:25 +0000

My last post about my journey to creating a more authentic started when I began following Vera Raposo and Lynn Terry’s cross blog conversation. I’ve been doing some soul searching and brain storming with my mastermind group on the direction I want to take. I love my ghost writing clients, but as many of you know, it’s easy to get burned out when you aren’t expressing your self on the topics you enjoy. writing about internet marketing or financial investments is fine sometimes, but I love writing about family, food and every thing to do with home keeping. Narrowed the Niche I can do this with my family and home plr site but I want to add more affiliate marketing to my income stream. So the plr site stays but I am stretching my reach out to the cooking world. Look out Food World! Here I come! I’ve set up my site, ComfortFoodMama.com on WordPress using a free theme. I’m not too concerned about my logo or tagline just yet. It will be added soon. Added my About page. I went into the settings on my Theme and changed a few things like the permalink structure and the ping list. I set up may mailing list in Aweber. I’ve been using them since I started using a mailing list. Created my opt-in form and set up my list as a blog broadcast. The blog broadcast option lets me send out my latest posts to my list automatically, whenever I add a new post. Next I set up may Social Media channels. Ideally, I would have used comfort food mama on all the channels but some were already taken, like on Twitter. I like to have separate social media accounts for specific businesses to keep them separated from my personal accounts. Twitter-done. Google+ – done, YouTube channel -done, Pinterest- done , Facebook page-done, Udemy-done. Next I did my first blog post. Now I need to work on my free gift for subscribing. Stay tuned as I continue to grow my affiliate niche site. Maybe we can learn some great new ways to find authenticity together. Love this Quote: Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. Rumi Be happy. Be successful. Carol

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Where Do I Go From Here? The Journey to Authenticity.

Carol Owens — Sun, 04 Aug 2013 22:00:41 +0000

Where Do I Go From Here? The Journey to Authenticity. Following up on my last blog post, as I follow Lynn Terry and Vera Raposo niche selection journey I have some questions, thoughts and fears I’m struggling with. First, I have been online since 2007. I’ve tried many different ways to make money online. I’ve done ebay, created and sold handmade crafts and gift baskets, did the writing/service thing (still do this), made some money with Squidoo (this was one of my favorite ways until recently with Squidoo’s many changes. I may go back to it later), create/sell plr, wrote a book to sell on Kindle, had several affiliate niche sites that are on the back burner. Creating multiple streams of income: I know I need to have several streams of income so I don’t want give up everything I am already doing…just cut back on working hours for dollars part and begin creating more passive models. This includes not only my own plr and information products but affiliate products as well. Pondering…. Pondering… As I ponder the direction I want to take the rest of my life to go, I will most likely move away from the Internet marketing field. I am ready to take the journey to find a genuine, authentic life and all the adventures along the way. Many of us, especially those of us who have raised a family and are older, have lost who we are. Our dreams may have been put away when we put the needs of others ahead of our own. Like many others, I am starting to figure out who I am again. I am still my sons’ mom and my hubby’s spouse, and my mom’s daughter and caregiver. But I am also a writer who is passionate about animal and environmental issues. Who would fight for the welfare of any child. Who loves family and friend get-togethers. Who has deep feelings and strong opinions. I am the good listener, the problem solver. So the question is: How do you jump into a niche when you aren’t sure the direction you want to go? Of all the things I enjoy the most, helping and teaching others is the most fun. I love teaching my grandkids to cook or showing someone how to do some task online. No matter what is going on in my life, food is always a big part of it. I know I want to travel, to experience the food, cultures and lifestyles all over the world. Are you living an authentic life? Do you feel like you’re making a difference in the lives of others?

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Confused about Niche Selection

Carol Owens — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 20:34:42 +0000

I’ve been following Lynn Terry of Clicknewz and Vera Raposo of Your Creative Biz on Vera’s journey in choosing an affiliate niche that fits her passions. I have to tell you, Lynn asks some very good questions of Vera that has really hit home with me as well. This reply from Lynn is one that really gets you to thinking: “If you were given 10 hours a week and a bottomless bank account to start a new hobby, with the condition that a television crew would follow you for those 10 hours every week, which hobby would you pick?” I enjoy the blog here and love teaching others about my online journey, but I am at a point where I need to take my blog in a more passionate direction. Just not sure what that direction is just yet, though. I am ready to jump in full time with affiliate marketing so that I can relax and enjoy more of the things I want to do. My Many Hats I’ve worn many hats in my adult life, both online and offline. Secretary, graphic designer, craft business owner,affiliate marketer, eBay product sales, Writer, author, ghostwriter, mom, wife, small farmer and many others. In fact, as many of you know, I have been a caregiver for my mom for many years now, as well as a stay at home mom for many of the years of my kids’ lives (even when being a stay at home mom was uncool… in the 80’s and 90’s). Even though I love my mom, caregiving and nursing are not my passion. I just happen to be one of those people who is always taking care of others. But as my mom gets older and is needing more care and will probably have to go into a nursing care facility, I find myself at a loss. I am ready to re-direct my life, to make an impact on the world. As with Vera, I do enjoy what I am doing now, but don’t feel fulfilled, that I am not inspiring and helping others, that what I am doing is not my life’s passion. I enjoy writing for others and ghostwriting, but is it truly something I want to do the rest of my life? I get burned out on writing for clients. I yearn for a passive income that lets me enjoy my life along with my work. Affiliate marketing is something I have dabbled in but not really pushed hard in. I have Squidoo lenses, Amazon affiliate sites and do promote some affiliate things here on this blog that I have used. I know I can change lives with my writing and I do enjoy that when I have a chance to write from the heart, but what niche do I do it from? How do you know what your passions are, when you have spent the last 30 odd years just getting by and doing for others? 🙂 Here are some of my loves (passions?) and wants: I am in my early 50’s and am just getting into healthy eating and changing my life to a healthy one. I am rabid reader. I love to travel especially in the mountains, camping and hiking, fishing in mountain streams. I love dogs (even though I recently lost my beautiful Genni, an Alaskan Malamute 🙁 ). I’m passionate about all animals having a healthy, loving home to be in. As my hubby says, if we could adopt them all we would. I enjoy teaching others and helping them grow. I love to explore ways to make money, save money and get out of debt. I enjoy learning about the cultures, history and foods of other places. I enjoy cooking, decorating and crafts but maybe not as a full time lifestyle, I do have a decorating affiliate blog, but is it what I am truly passionate about. Probably not, since I don’t post regularly. Life Experience or New Experience? I have had a lot of life experiences that I could probably explore as an affiliate, but would they be profitable? Who knows if others want to know about the loss of my grand children to a rare genetic disorder or the daily toll of being a caregiver or how to deal with the loss of a pet that was more like your child? I grew up in the Midwest, on a small farm, in a large family with very little money. We lived off the land raising beef cattle and chickens, made most of our own clothes, grew a garden and canned the foods for winter. These are all great article or book topics but do I have a passion to share these with others every day, for many years? Is there even anyone who is interested in any of them? I have thought about doing the comfort food niche or the sewing niche but these are things I do but aren’t necessarily passionate about. What I would do if money and time were not a problem: Learn to scuba dive in the ocean and rock climb the mountain cliffs. Explore caves and mountain caverns. See the Northern lights. Read every new mystery and sci-fi book that was released. Ride a motorcycle across the country. Take my family on friends on an extended vacation around the world. Fly a small airplane. Ride in a helicopter. So I am off to the woods to do a little soul searching and talking to God for direction. Sorry for the rambling thoughts. Sometimes you just have to put yourself out in public, no matter how private a person you are, to get to the bottom of your problems. Are you following your passions in the niche you have chosen? Is it something that you enjoy doing even when the money isn’t there? Share your thoughts below.

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How to Create Content That Tends to Go Viral

Carol Owens — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 08:07:00 +0000

Content is the backbone of the internet. As bloggers, we sit at our computers, often for hours, pecking away to create content we hope will be shared by others. We happily hit that post button and then we wait.. and wait some more. We know we are creating content that is good, but why isn’t it being shared by others? If you’re trying to get your content to “spark” and go viral, it really helps to get a strong understanding of what kind of content tends to go viral. Of course, nobody can predict what will go viral, nor can they make something go viral 100% of the time. But by understanding what kind of content tends to go viral, you stand a much better chance of creating something viral yourself. Here are a few of the main elements that tend to go viral. It’s Human It’s rare that a factual, statistical or economical video goes viral. Instead, it’s usually the most human videos that go viral. Viral content is about being real. Give it a human element. Talk about real people: The singing homeless man on the street. The baby laughing at something senseless. An incredible display of guitar prowess. Strong Emotional Content Insert as many emotions as you can in your content to arouse your audience. Take a look at videos and written content around the web that makes you feel something. Do you see the emotions and experience the joy or pain the writer has put into their content? This is what makes it shareable. Video That Provide Unique Information Another type of content that does really well are videos that are informational. The key here is that the videos really have to provide content that can’t be found anywhere else. Informational videos work in many different industries, but the most important thing is that there’s something truly unique to them. Content That Appeals to Specific Groups of People Appeal to a specific group of people with strong emotional or informational content. For example, political videos that are either informational or emotional can go viral just by being passed among a party’s members. These are some of the elements that go into determining whether or not content goes viral. It all comes down to creating content that appeals to the emotions of your readers. If your readers love it, they share it. So put a little of your personality into each piece you create, make it as amazing and emotionally charged as you can and people will share it. Need help creating content? Contact me for help.

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How to Use Hootsuite to Boost Your Productivity in Less Time

Carol Owens — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 21:13:17 +0000

How to Use Hootsuite to Boost Your Productivity in Less Time No matter what some might think, we all have the same 24 hours in a day. It just happens that some people are way more productive than others. Or maybe they have learned to take advantage of the myriad of tools available that make things easier. Using the tools available online can help you become way more productive in a lot less time. One of my favorite tools is a social media management program called HootSuite. HootSuite is a social media management program designed to help you efficiently and quickly track your conversations and measure the results. HootSuite integrates with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ pages, Foursquare, WordPress, Mixi and has an App Directory that lets you add more tools and networks like Tumblr. YouTube, Flikr,Mail Chimp, Constant Contact and more. Twitter HootSuite gives you all the tools you need to grow and engage with your audience on Twitter. You can schedule and send Tweets, listen to streams, and monitor Direct messages, mentions, Favorited tweets and much more. Facebook HootSuite has an advanced Facebook function that will simplify your social media time. Quickly and easily post updates, add images, monitor your feeds and much more. Google+ Pages The Google + pages integration lets you use Hootsuites business focused functions to manage accounts and publish targeted messages to your circles. You can share and comment on posts, search for updates and public posts and view comments. LinkedIn HootSuite’s LinkedIn management system allows you to connect with clients, broadcast any news and monitor any conversations in your industry. You can post directly to your company page, groups or profiles. Foursquare HootSuite allows you to manage your Foursquare account by combining social marketing, gaming and way-finding. Socialites can “check in” to alert their friends, share tips. WordPress Use HootSuite’s Wordpress management system to quickly and easily schedule and cross-post content into multiple WordPress accounts. You can reblog noteworthy posts and create a stream of other blogs you’re following. HootSuite allows you to increase your productivity without wasting time by allowing you to create: Message drafts Preschedule messages Bulk upload of CSV files Geo tracking in Facebook Hootsuite allows you to monitor and listen to Twitter lists by : Creating search streams Search by hashtags or by @mentions Filter feeds by location, Klout, keyword or language Create search streams HootSuite’s built in Ow.ly Shortener allows you to shorten links, share files and track visits and click-throughs. And with HootSuite’s mobile apps, you can manage your social media from anywhere. HootSuite offers different levels of use. The fr.e.e plan allows you to manage up to 5 social profiles. The Pro plan allows up to 50 social profiles with advance message scheduling and unlimited apps. The Enterprise plan offers unlimited social profiles, 5 or more team members and advanced security. Here are 3 more reasons to use HootSuite. 1. HootSuite lets you quickly organize the Twitter users you follow into categorized groups so you can quickly locate people of interest. For example you can have different categories for family and friends, business contacts, news or entertainment. 2. HootSuite is very easy to set-up and start using right away. The dashboard is user friendly and can be customized to your social media sites. 3. You can keep track of statistics. This feature lets you can see which of your tweets are getting the most clicks. You can check by region, by clicks or by time that can easily be exported into PDF or CSV file. Click here to get started using HootSuite today! What tools do you use to help with productivity and time management? Share your favorites in the comments below. I use CommentLuv to link to your blog. Sign up to receive updates Name: Email: We respect your email privacy

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Finding Your Voice as a Content Marketer

Carol Owens — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 01:07:00 +0000

All the successful content marketers tell you that finding your voice as a content marketer will change how others respond to your content. When you read content by someone who’s found their voice, there’s a really distinct tone to it. You can tell they’re extremely passionate, really self-expressed and know what they’re talking about. People are moved by those who speak with their real voice. Think about the last time you attended a speech and were moved by the speaker. Yet what most people don’t realize is that almost everyone who’s found their voice had to put in a lot of work to find that voice. It doesn’t usually come naturally. So what’s the trick? How do you find your voice as a content marketer? Start with What You’re Passionate About It’s pretty simple really. If you love internet marketing, get into the internet marketing field. If you love crocheting, get into the crocheting field. Ask yourself: What’s a topic that you could talk about for hours and hours on end?The topic you talk to everyone about, even those who have heard it from you before? What’s a topic that you’d talk about and obsess about even if you weren’t getting paid? You might already be doing it like a hobby that you spend all your free time on or how you raise the best kids. What’s something that really lights you up in life and gets you excited? Maybe it’s something as simple as your son playing baseball or the fun you have decorating each year for Halloween. While not every passion can be turned into a career, you’d be surprised at how many people do manage to turn their passions into money, even in very obscure fields. Think about the reality shows on TV. Duck Dynasty turned their inventions of duck calls into a career or American Pickers who travel around and buy other peoples junk. Start with what you’re really passionate about. It’ll come through in your voice. Be as Self-Expressed as Possible Write without censoring yourself. Don’t worry about grammatical correctness or political correctness. Your not writing for your college professor. This is something I’m still working on. If you’re speaking from your real voice, you’re probably going to turn some people off. However, you’ll also attract the kinds of people you should want to be attracting. People who have strong voices are polarizing – Some people like them, others might hate them. But that’s how you build real followings. People pleasers seldom build a strong following. One thing to do when you’re writing any kind of content, is to write as if you are talking to a friend. Your words will sound more natural in a casual yet self-expressed and passionate manner. Care about the Impression You Want to Make Can you spot the difference between someone who’s written something and they really care if you succeed, as opposed to someone who’s just writing the content to fill the page? Most likely, you can tell that the first one has a completely different feel to it. You can almost feel the passion pouring out onto the page. We’re naturally drawn to those who really want to help us. When you’re writing content, ask yourself: Who are you trying to help with this content? How would you like their life to change as a result of you writing this content for them? If you really want to help people, pour you passion into your words. People will sense you are really trying to help them. It comes through in your writing and your voice. It creates loyalty, a true follower. Your writing voice isn’t “one thing” that people can point to and say, “Hey it’s good” or “Oh,that’s bad”. It’s more of the overall vibe of your content. It’s how everything you say is put out there and presented. A great voice will create a sense of community, loyalty and following, while a weak voice will turn people away from your content. I am still working hard at finding my voice. Have you found your content marketing voice yet? Are you passionate about your content or are you just putting it out there? Leave a comment below on how you found your voice.

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How Do You Choose or Find Your Niche?

Carol Owens — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 20:18:53 +0000

It’s Business Bits Day! Brief Tidbits to help you grow online. How do you choose your niche? As a new marketer, or someone who’s been online for a while and is still not making money, finding a profitable niche seems like rocket science. Most online marketers tell you do keyword research with one of the keyword tools like Google free keyword, Market Samari or Semrush. I have found in all the years I’ve been online, my most successful niches are the ones I am passionate about. This seems to be what helps us stay interested enough to follow through even when we get the itch to move on to that shiny new object. Check out this post by John Romaine of Bring the Donuts for more in depth thoughts on this.

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Are You Missing Passive Income Opportunities Right Under Your Nose?

Carol Owens — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 06:06:00 +0000

Creating your own products is one of the best ways to create passive income. Memberships are another form. Every form of information you create has the option to become passive income in some form. Even your blog posts can become a form of passive income if you promote affiliate products (which you should be doing). When it comes to passive income opportunities, you should already have your plan in place. (If not, why?). When you’re a new online marketer, you probably have chose to go with the inexpensive option for your product – a digital eBook. So here’s your plan (maybe)……. You decide to pay Clickbank’s $50 one-time publisher’s fee, and place your product there. You’ve discovered that Clickbank provides your affiliate program management, as well as your payment processor, so you won’t have to manage either of these things. Of course, there are many other places to sell your digital eBook. We’ll explore those in another post. And you’ve learned how to legally and effectively cloak your hoplink. Let’s run over your checklist…….. Domain name has been chosen. Product written. Minisite is done. Sales Page is up and ready to go. Affiliate banner ads and code have been created. You’ve even paid for a professionally designed header and graphics. And you’ve already started to publicize your new eBook on Twitter, Facebook and other social networks and forums. In fact, you’re all set, and ready to go! Hooray!! Or Are You? There is one more question you need to ask yourself: Have I made the most of every opportunity to squeeze more passive income out of my subject? Until you’ve considered every available option, you’re leaving money behind that could be pouring into your bank account! Here are some more options to consider: You could easily do an upsell at check-out point by offering your eBook as a physical product. There are companies like Kunaki that will produce your CD or DVD on an “as-ordered” basis, shipped directly to the customer. Your base cost, at time of writing, is $1.75 per CD! Another option is to turn that digital ebook into a Amazon Kindle version. This is really easy to do using Amazon’s ePub format. Of course your pricing will be different on Kindle’s marketplace. I did this with my Stress relief book. It’s not a lot of extra (yet) but it’s another source available online. Create passive income from that same eBook by turning it into a recorded webinar that can be sold over and over. Are you leaving money on the table? How do you use content for passive income? Let’s talk in the comments below.

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Healthy Eating and Celebrations: Just for Fun

Carol Owens — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 01:52:42 +0000

It’s Independence day here in the United States. I thought we’d leave business behind for a day of fun (facts). \ I’m taking the day off to enjoy BBQ, Fun and Family. Hope you enjoy this fun infographic about eating healthy on Independence Day. Eating healthy on Independence Day infographic How do you spend your Holiday? Share your thoughts below.

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9 Simple Ideas For Keeping Kids Busy While You Work

Carol Owens — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:56:32 +0000

9 Simple Ideas For Keeping Kids Busy While You Work When you work at home, you sometimes have to work with kids underfoot. Right now, with summer vacation in full swing for most kids, you might have not only little ones scrambling around, but the school age kids as well. Here are some ideas to keep them busy: Of course, how you keep them busy will depend on the ages of the kids: * Ask them to create a play in secret that they can perform for you when done. Give them access to old clothes, paints, poster board and old cardboard boxes so they can create their dress-up characters. * Have them sit beside you with a computer and toy phone and “play” work. Young kids will feel like they are a part of your daily work routine since they can see what you are doing too. * Have special toys that they only get to play with while you’re working. Give one at a time, not all at once. Keep them hidden away in a closet until you need them. These could be special games that they can play together, simple craft activities or maybe even Lego building sets. * For your older kids, have them write out ideas of activities they can do without your help on scraps of paper and put them in a jar to pull out when needed. For your younger ones, you can help them write out their ideas. Then make a game of pulling out one. * Set up a craft station near you. Keep paints, markers, paper, crayons, ribbon, glue and any other craft supplies your kids will enjoy using to create special art for you. Use your imagination. Old cardboard egg cartons, yogurt cups that have been washed and paper towel tubes all make great imagination starters for budding artists. * Have special coloring books or activity books or books hand only for this time. Keep these in your desk just for when you are working. * Give them “homework” to do. Your preschooler can practice their letters and numbers, while older kids can help with some of your work tasks, like filing papers. * Ask them to wrap their toys up as presents and hold a birthday party for their favorite stuffed animal. * Have an older neighborhood child come over and play with them. Offer to pay them in some form. Make sure they understand you will be working and they need to entertain the younger ones. (Implement this strategy when the corona virus scare is past) *Bonus Tip: Keep a stash of videos for those extremely hot or rainy days. And have their favorite books and games loaded onto your Amazon Kindle too. Working at home with kids can be rewarding but it can be a challenge as well. Take a proactive stance and be ready with ideas to keep them busy. That way you can still be productive and they can have fun too. How do you keep your kids entertained while you work? Leave a comment below. Sign up to receive updates Name: Email: We respect your email privacy

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Seven Tips To Write A Book That Sells

Carol Owens — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:57:08 +0000

It seems everyone wants to write a book or their next book. Me included.Wanting to write a book is just the first piece of the publishing puzzle. It’s one thing to write it and it’s an entirely different thing to write an ebook or book that sells well and is wanted by consumers. Guaranteeing the success of any book is something even the biggest publishers haven’t been able to do. Many things can affect the way a buyer prefers to purchase at any given time. Everything from trends to world events have an effect. I have found through many hours of study and research though, there are some ways you can leverage sales in your favor. Here’s seven tips to help you. Know who your readers are. I’m not just talking about the basics of gender. Dig deep. Are they married, single or divorced? What’s their age range? Where do they live and what do they do for a living? What types of books or blogs do they read? Where do they shop and do for entertainment? Be a specific as possible. If you have to, visualize your reader. For example, my reader visualization for a craft book might be like this: She is a woman in her twenties to thirties, married with kids. She loves creating things she can share with others. She lives in small to medium size cities, with access to local hobby and crafting stores, reads blogs by other artists and crafts persons and spends money learning new crafts. Knowing who your reader is important since it helps you incorporate those aspects into your book. (Not to mention unearthing potential marketing opportunities from publications and stores.) Know the market for your book. What’s the market trend like for your book? Is there a trend out there you’re positioning yourself toward? Are you reading publications related to this topic/trend? What “holes” could your your book fill? Is this market/topic a green topic, meaning it will be around forever? What are the trends related to your book, topic or audience? For example, let’s say you’re a fiction writer looking to publish chick lit. Go to any bookstore and you can’t help but spot the cutsie, pink, cartoonish covers. Many thought this trend was dying out, but it has recently seen another surge. Similar books. Look around at the other books that’s been published on your topic. Look at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Clickbank (ebooks), and other online retailers. Are there at least ten in your category that you’ve read? You should read at least that many so you can learn everything you can about what’s out there and how well it is accepted in the market. When I published Release, Refresh and Renew To Relieve Stress, I knew there were many stress reduction books already on the market. So don’t be afraid of competition. Becoming and staying current. You have to stay current with what is going on in your industry. Lopk for some hot buttons. What are people searching for? What’s the trend of what’s on the horizon for this topic or audience? One way to find out about your topic is to survey your target audience. There are many places that run free surveys, Survey Monkey is one of them. Follow the media. What’s in news? Stay up on what the media is buzzing about–what they’re paying attention to and what they’re writing about. Go deeper than the front page of your paper to see what’s filling the pages. Look at local and national papers if possible. Is there something that seems to be getting more buzz even if it’s on page six? Talk, teach, listen. Teaching a class and speaking to those in your niche is probably one of the best ways I’ve found to be in touch with my audience. And it’s probably one of the most underused methods. Teaching a course, whether in person or online provides you with valuable information form your audience. They ask questions you may not have thought of. I recently taught a class locally on how to create scented candles. One of the questions I received was how to make the scent last. I wouldn’t have thought to put that into a book (if I was writing one on candle making) since it’s something I take for granted when creating my candles! Timing is everything. Do you know when you plan to release your book? Will it be around a holiday or anniversary? Or is it something that needs to be out quickly since it relates to what is happening now? Could you take advantage of any upcoming event and/or holiday for your book launch? Writing a book is just the first step in the publishing process. Getting sales is the end goal. With these seven tips you can definitely tip the marketing scale closer in your favor. Have you published a book? Or an eBook? What tips would you share with someone getting started in the world of books? Leave a comment below.

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Simple Changes in Dealing With Stress Means Big Relief

Carol Owens — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:37:55 +0000

Go ahead and share this post! Simple Changes in Dealing With Stress Means Big Relief Author: Carol Owens Haven’t posted in for a while. As you can probably guess by the blog title, I’ve been dealing with a bit of excess stress these past few weeks. Don’t want to bore you with details. Let’s just say being a caregiver to a demanding person can get overwhelming. Dealing with stress can be a problem if you let it . Or it can be simple. Being a stay at home mom, a work from home parent or even a caregiver can make you feel like stress is taking over. Learning a few simple techniques you can use when you feel stress is too overwhelming can help defuse the moment. Exercise does wonders for reviving a stressed body. Get moving to work out those tense muscles and lift your mood. When we exercise our body releases Endorphines that release tension and lift our spirits. And while your exercising, you get the added benefit of you time to meditate. Walk. Run with the dog. Take the kids to the park and play tag with them. Thoroughly clean and vacuum the house. Find something physical you really enjoy and try to do it at least three times a week. Get dirty by planting a garden. The peaceful surroundings of gardening offer a chance to get physical soothing your emotions. I have been gardening some this week. And it does help calm me. Weed, plant new seeds, digging plants to give and share with friends, and raking all require active moving. And the birds can serenade you, the dog can chase squirrels and the kids and play in the grass. Breathe deep for one minute when things seem out of control. Close your eyes, roll your shoulders and take several deep breaths. Rest your hands on your stomach, slowly count to four and inhale through your nose, feeling your stomach rise. Hold for a count of two. Slowly count to four while you exhale through your mouth. To control how fast you exhale, pretend you are going to whistle. Your stomach will fall. Repeat five to 10 times. Stretchlike a Cat. Did you ever see a cat stretch. They awaken, yawn and stretch out with long legs and bodies. Stretch your body with a big yawn and lift your arms way over your head for a great stretch. This is especially great when you’ve been sitting at the computer for too long. Take a short walk. Can’t get away? How about a short trip around the house. Try not to make lists of what needs to be done, how messy the kids left the room or what hasn’t gotten done yet. Clear your mind and listen to your inner self relax. Talk to yourself. Hum a favorite song. Count your blessings. Dance to some lively music. It relaxes the muscles while having the added benefit of loosening your muscles. Can’t dance? Just move your body. No one is judging so let go of your inhibitions and boogie. Why not get the kids to involved too. Do a silly dance together. Not only will you feel better, your kids are going to enjoy seeing you being silly. Play. Do something silly. Play with your daughter’s dolls or your son’s monster toys. Make mud pies. Or a Snowman. Jump rope. Play with a Nerf ball or a wind-up toy. Keep small silly toys at your desk to relieve a tense day. Most of us have to deal with stress on a daily basis. But how you learn to relieve that stress with in few simple ways can help you live a productive life. Read. Read a good book for pleasure. Read to your kids or grandkids. Find a book with a humorous plot or a book with inspirational thoughts. Find a cozy quiet spot and lose yourself in the story. What is your favorite way to find relief when you feel the stress monster taking over? Go ahead and leave a comment below.

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The Liebster Award Blog Entry

Carol Owens — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:56:16 +0000

I was recently nominated for the Liebster Award Blog by Kathy Robinson . A big thanks goes out to her. I have decided to accept the challenge and will pass it on to others. Origins of the Liebster Blog Award (at least as much information as I could gather on it): According to the research found on Google and Bing, the Liebster Blog Award is an award given to smaller, up and coming bloggers by other bloggers who admire you and/or your blog. From what I can tell, it originated in Germany as an award that fellow bloggers feel you deserve recognition for your hard blogging work. Although the original numbers are different, the nominee was to have less than 300 followers. I don’t know if this is still true. It looks as though you can nominate any blogger you admire. The rules are: These are the simple rules attached to this award: 1. If you are nominated for the award and accept it, then you have won! 2. Link back to the person who presented the award to you. (Thank you, Kathy) 3. Nominate 11 blogs who you feel deserve the award. 4. Let the nominees know by leaving a comment on their blog. The challenge asks me to answer 11 questions that Kathy has sent me and to give you 11 random things about myself in return. Actually, that is scarier than answering her questions…. The 11 questions Kathy Robinson asked: What is your favourite song and why? (Sorry, I know this is two questions but I’m only allowed 11.) 🙂 Favorite song is a tough won. I have many I like, but I guess Rocky Mountain High by John Denver. It fills me with the beauty of nature we live with in our world and why we should be taking care of mother earth. Have you ever traveled overseas? Not yet but hope to in the near future! How long have you been working online and why did you start?I began working online in 2005 after being laid off work tow years in a row. What is your favourite movie and why? That s a tough one. I like many different genres so it would depend on my mood. Star Wars (original 1978), Disney’s Cinderella, Gone with the Wind…just a few. Who would you most love to meet and why? Rachael Ray because she has a can do attitude about her life. What is your biggest goal? To become a top selling author in my niche. Do you scrunch or fold? (Napkins etc) Fold most of the time. Do you have any pets? I have an Alaskan Malamute 100 pound dog, 2 cats, four fish, and ten chickens. Who has influenced you the most online?Lynn Terry of Clicknewz and Tiffany Dow Are you left handed or right handed? Right handed. Who was your greatest influence as a child? My dad. He was a hard working, family man who loved to work the land. He loved his kids and always had an open door for all our friends as well. My 11 random things: 1. I am the 6th child of 9 kids. 2. I am an avid reader, often reading two or three books a week. And my library office is overflowing with many different genres of books including business, mystery, self-help, sci-fi and paranormal. 3. I am self-taught on most software. I am a techie, love digging into the software and learning how to use it. 4. I won an award when I was ten years old for decorating an Easter egg. It was dressed in fabric like a Pioneer woman, complete with petticoats and bonnet. 5. One of my pet peeves is parents not paying attention to their children when they are in public. Letting them run wild in stores is not safe. 6. I learned to drive a standard (stick) shift car at thirty and learned how to swim at forty. Now I spend as much time as possible swimming. 7. I write poetry. I began around the age of 13 and have had several poems published in anthologies. 8. I used to be painfully shy, but not as bad anymore. 9. My favorite foods are strawberries and chili– though not together. 10. I am an avid environmentalist. I believe we should take care of our land, the animals and the environment if we want anything to be left for our grandchildren to enjoy. The animals cannot be replaced, the mountains rebuilt or the air we breathe be reconstructed without machines. 11. I am a history buff. I love learning the history of any place I visit. I nominate the following bloggers for the Liebster Award: 1.Victoria– http://www.mydailycuppa.com/ 2. Melissa –http://melissamaygrove.blogspot.com 3. Debi J. –http://debij.com/blog/ 4. Vera – http://yourcreativebiz.com/ 5. Steven- http://stevenstuart.com/ 6. Cynthia-http://thenewinternetmarketer.com/ 7. Tamsin- http://www.inspirationalresults.com/ 8. Iris- http://www.getfitandwell.com/ 9.Isobel- http://becomeyourvision.com/ 10. Shan- http://selfhelptipshq.com/ 11.Michelle- http://www.thecricketlady.com/ My 11 questions for you if you choose to accept the award are; 1. What delights you most about your life right now? 2. Who or what influenced you to choose the career you have now? 3. Where did you grow up and how far is it from where you live now? 4. What was your favorite thing to do as a child? 5. What do you like about being a grown up? 6.. What pets do you have or had? 7. What do you like to do as a hobby? 8. Do you like to write letters or do you prefer quick text messages? 9. What is your favorite dessert? 10. Does your family read your blog, why or why not? 11. What one or two words best describes you? Carol O.

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The Top 5 Self-Publishing Blogs and Freelance Writers I Follow

Carol Owens — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:41:24 +0000

Self-publishing and kindle publishing is a very hot topic.Like many others it is something I am very interested in doing. But, dang, there is a lot of information that needs to be learned to get to a published book. One way to learn about the self-publishing industry to follow those who are already doing it. Another way to become successful in the published book world is to write well. Reading authors and writers work can help you You gain insights on what sentence structure is, the voice of the writer and how the words all come together to create a super published piece. There are a ton of writers, publishers and bloggers who have published a book (or two or three). Finding one peeks your interest or is compatible with your ethics simply means doing a little research and digging. Here is my list of favorite self-publishing blogs and Freelance writers I enjoy following. 1. The Creative Penn Joanna Penn is an author who shares her lessons on her writing journey. Thoughts on writing, publishing and book marketing 2. The Savvy Book Marketer Dana Lynn Smith has 17 years of publishing experience which she uses to help authors learn how to sell more books with her informative how-to guides and training. 3. DuoLit Toni and Shannon are two ladies helping passionate indie authors publish their work. 4. Your Writer Platform Kimberly Grabas provides the resources, tools and inspiration needed to build your writer platform. 5. Make a Living Writing Carol Tice offers great freelance writing tips. This is just a small sampling of the great writers and published authors. Who some of your favorite writers and authors online? I use CommentLuv to link to your blog. Sign up to receive updates Name: Email: We respect your email privacy

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Pinterest: The Ultimate Marketing Tool

Carol Owens — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 21:22:53 +0000

Are you using Pinterest in your marketing? I discovered Pinterest first as a way to keep photos for home improvement and crafting ideas I wanted to try. I could save photos of ideas and patterns found online. Now with Pinterest for Business accounts, Pinterest is a great marketing tool for your creative business too, though. Did you know you can share images of your products with links back to your sales page? You can use it for informal market research. Simply post images of your in development products to get a feel for the response. You can find out how your customers like the packaging, the color or even the name of a product. Holding contests, showing lists and providing tutorials are ways of thinking outside the box of the typical marketing strategies. These all work well on Pinterest for big brands and small business alike. Use humor, the “wow-factor” and your personality to get your pins shared. Brands like Better Homes and Gardens, Michaels craft stores, Whole Foods and many others are jumping on board to share on Pinterest. I plan on using it more in my marketing. How about you? Do you use Pinterest in your Business marketing? If so, how? I use CommentLuv to link to your blog. Sign up to receive updates Name: Email: We respect your email privacy

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Inside Writer’s Block

Carol Owens — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:22:33 +0000

Standing tall in the middle of an unnamed city looms a tower block full of writers. To look at it from the outside, it looks like any ordinary urban living space, but inside and on every floor, somebody is writing something. That’s why it is called Writers’ Block or Bloggers’ Block. So let’s open the doors, step into the lift and be prepared to visit every writer or blogger imaginable from copywriters and comic strip writers to novelists and playwrights and see what masterpieces they are at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of writing. A is for Advertising Our first stop is to visit our advertising copywriter. He, as you would probably imagine, has a stack of cereal boxes, tins of soft drinks and other products strewn around the flat; all for inspiration of course. According to advertising principles, you have to get a feel for the product that you are trying to write advertising copy for and what better way to get to know it than by eating or drinking it. That is exactly what a cereal copywriter does as they prepare to come up with a new advertising campaign for the latest breakfast cereal or another new product. B is for Bermuda Triangle Our resident Science Fiction blogger resides on this floor and you can usually tell when they are busy at work because all the lights in the corridor flicker on and off just like something in a science fiction film. We cannot show you inside her room as it is all top secret and if we did show you anyway, we would have to kill you and we certainly don’t want to do that. C is for Catharsis Quickly stepping onto the next floor you will no doubt hear the frantic tapping of keys as our next creative writer is in full flow writing the ending to his novel. It is indeed true what they say about endings being the most important and powerful part of a story as this what the main character finally learns at the end of their emotional journey. It is often cited as being one of the most difficult things to write. Listen, the tapping sound of the writer’s keyboard has stopped and the crying has started all over again. If we remember correctly, this is ending number 58! D is for Dynamic Duo Notice the two tone colour of the corridor here. That’s a clear sign of a super hero and his alter ego. This floor is where you will find our comic strip writer. Master of speech bubbles, exclamations and good old fashioned verbal insults. The art of a comic book writer is in the ability to create believable characters with a dark side who people can sympathise with. But looking at the two colours here, we are not entirely convinced that the creator of this yet to be named hero is on the same page as himself. Unfortunately the other floors are restricted access at the moment, but that is more to do with the writers being precious about their ideas. So the poet doesn’t want anybody to know that they are writing a poem about cats, the speech writer doesn’t want anybody, especially the groom to know the punch lines of his wedding speech and the travel writer doesn’t want anybody to know the name of the island which has the best beach in the world. Keeping these things a secret means that the content when read for the first time creates an impressionable feeling upon the reader. There are perks to being the caretakers of Writers’ Block. You have keys to all the rooms! Ian Phillips is a writer who understands that there are many different styles and types of writing to help you promote your business. The most popular one at the moment is guest blogging as this creates engaging and informative material for your business to attract potential customers.

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You Have To Find Balance in Your Life To Grow

Carol Owens — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:38:29 +0000

You Have To Find Balance in Your Life To Grow Finding your own personal balance in life is important if you’re starting a business, raising kids and dealing with every day stuff. If you don’t find this balance your life can feel out of control and overwhelming. I know in my daily life, I am often overwhelmed with the needs of everyone around me. Between caring for my aging mother, caring for my granddaughter and being there for my hubby, it sometimes seems I don’t have a free moment to just take a breath. That’s when I have to say, wait a minute and take a step away from everything. You need to be clear about what it is that you need for yourself and to satisfy your personal needs. One thing you can do to find and maintain balance in your life is to “clean your house” by taking care of the things that are unfinished. You can do this both literally and figuratively. This means wrapping up those loose ends that you’ve been avoiding for whatever reason. These unfinished tasks can be as straightforward as physically cleaning your house to finishing that report that you’ve been avoiding writing for weeks. You need to know that your purpose for balancing your life and cleaning your house is to clear your mind and give you the room to concentrate on what’s important in your life. Make sure that you have some personal time so that you can regroup and find focus. Make a list of the things that you enjoy doing and do at least one or two of them every week. Be aware of your appearance. Take the time to dress so that you “feel good”. When you take care of your appearance, and combine it with good body language and voice skills, you feel better about yourself. Be self-aware. Self-awareness is a continuous process of renewal that you should make a habit in your life. This concept is based on the seventh habit of Stephen Covey’s book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”. One of the techniques to use for reaching your goals should be the constant renewal of your physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and mental areas of your life. This helps you achieve the balance you need to be successful in both your personal and professional life. I take time every morning to speak to God, meditate and walk for thirty minutes. I find time to visit friends and family weekly and read to enrich my life. Taking care of the physical balance in your life is important in maintaining all aspects of balance in your life. The three physical areas that you need to focus on: (1) endurance, (2) flexibility, and (3) strength. Maintain a healthy diet. Get plenty of sleep. Exercise daily. Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. To find mental balance in your life: (1) keep a daily diary of your thoughts and feelings, (2) read material that is educational and enlightening, and (3) limit the amount of media that you allow to reach you, such as television. So take the time to find the balance in your life. What is your favorite way to balance your daily demands? Share it below. I use CommentLuv to link to your blog. Sign up to receive updates Name: Email: We respect your email privacy

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Use One of These Six Business Name Styles In Choosing a Name

Carol Owens — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:31:41 +0000

Use One of These Six Business Name Styles In Choosing a Name As you begin your online creative business, you want your business name to resonate with your target audience. You want something catchy and memorable that helps establish your brand. It can be stressful trying to come up with the perfect business name for some of us. It’s something I struggle with for my ghostwriting business. So instead of narrowing it down I simply use my own name 😉 But since my goal is to make my name synonymous with my (future) published books, the name works. There are lots of ways of naming your business. Let’s just look at a few styles to consider when you are ready to decide on the right name for your business. Be Unique. A memorable business name is different and unique. It might include made up words, special meaning words or ones that are rarely used. Beware though, that these types of names can be difficult to spell or pronounce. Example: Xerox or Pfizer. Obvious Opt for a name that clearly says what your business is about. You eliminate confusion about the company. One challenge though, is the possibility that other companies will have similar names. Example: Kraft Foods or Newsweek Name-Based This style uses the first name, the surname or some form of the name as part or all of the business name. It can be a real name or a fictitious name. One challenge could be the issue of what happens if the company is sold. Example: Johnson & Johnson or Jenny Craig Mainstream This is common everyday words turned into your business name. Potential problem is the likelihood that your business might be ignored. Example: Staples or Target Trendy Business names that use a trendy word are popular, especially in technological companies or businesses that are in the pulse of what is new. Challenges might be the relying on the trend that could potentially change quickly. Example: Google or Verizon Initials This business style uses the initials from the official name to brand it. One drawback is there could be more than one company with the same initials. Example: UPS or IBM Choosing your business name is important– and can be exciting— when starting your business. Remember, however, your business name will play a minor role on how successful your business is. Build your business on a well-developed foundation instead of around a name. The process of choosing your name is different for everyone. How did you come up with your business name? Share Your Story in the comments below. I use CommentLuv to link to your blog. Sign up to receive updates Name: Email: We respect your email privacy

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From Niche To Business

Carol Owens — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 01:31:33 +0000

How do you find a special niche that will set you apart? It seems everyone is writing a book in their niche so how do you find a niche that fits you and what you want to right? There are many ways to do this. In this post, my special guest author digs deeper into this. In an ever expanding, technologically available world it seems like just about everybody has their own niche. Whether it is hosting their own blog about their latest drunk cooking adventures or categorising the many different wild things their pet has been doing, everyone has something. Beyond that, everyone has something to sell which accompanies their brand. But how do you find that special something that sets you apart? Even the Most Mundane Can Sparkle For starters don’t go breaking your neck trying to get it all figured out at once. Unless you have a detailed and structured goal in mind, finding your niche just isn’t going to be something easily done overnight. It’s best to find a few things that you enjoy and then begin to take them seriously. If you like photography perhaps your first step is to dust off that camera and begin taking photos. If you find yourself always spending time doing one thing in particular that might just be the direction you’ve been looking for. Even if you are a stay-at-home parent and find yourself constantly doing tasks that you feel are mundane you must remind yourself that there are others out there doing the exact same things. In fact no matter how far out there you think you are, the odds that you aren’t alone are pretty much guaranteed. That general premises right there is one of the best places to start. Remember you are not alone and that means that your audience is just waiting. So Doing Laundry is Your Thing Alright, you do laundry like all the time. But what are the things that go through your mind while you are busily sorting lights from darks? Do you imagine yourself somewhere else? Do you busily think about long lost dreams? The point of the matter is that even these simple daily tasks (that most everybody does) can be an easy window of opportunity for you to showcase your uniqueness. Suddenly journaling while the laundry is in the dryer becomes your thing. You share it on a blog and you Instagram accompanying photographs. Next thing you know people find your writing amusing. Before you know it you could be designing your own journals for others to use as they are waiting on their laundry. Then you develop a line of magnets with some of your most charming quotes so that people can put them on their washing machines. The possibilities are endless. But it all starts from the same place and that place is you. Staying true to you is always a sure bet. You’re niche isn’t about creating something brand new that nobody has ever heard of. Your niche is actually taking something that everybody is familiar with and showing it to them in a new way. This is why it is best to stick to something you know and do regularly. Building on Your Foundation After figuring out and honing in on what you want to showcase, you can begin putting paper to pencil and figuring out what steps you want to take next. If you have a product you want to sell you are going to want to explore areas of distribution such as, eBay or Etsy. Use these sites to see if other people are making similar things and to see if they are successful. When you have a certain product to sell this step can begin to get extremely daunting when you think you have something completely original and then you find out that somebody else has been doing it for years. While you could look at this as a downfall and throw your entire project aside, it is best to pursue it as more of an opportunity for research and development. How does your good compare? In what ways can you improve? Remember to pay yourself a few compliments at this stage too. A little boost in the self-confidence area is usually required at this stage. Announce Your Presence There are a few quintessential elements to helping you succeed once you have got a bit of direction on where you want to take your niche. For starters you need to have some sort of blog. You can either do the writing yourself or perhaps split the work with a copywriter that has the general well-being of your success in mind. Regardless, you are going to need to continually connect to your audience. If you are only updating your website once a month the chances of losing followers is easy. In a world where there is constantly updated information in just about every resource available, your ability to stay at the forefront of your audience’s needs is monument to your success. Even if you are just posting something a few times a week make sure that you or the copywriter is offering a reason to bring back your reader. Not only does this help maintain your place in your given niche it also strengthens the bond that you are establishing with your audience. Not Just a Potential Customer While it’s true that every reader you reach is a potential customer you should never view them as such. Always remember that the reader on the other end is an intelligent, thoughtful person that has their own fully equipped set of radars to detect when you are simply trying to sell yourself. If your product is worthwhile a person is going to want to buy it because it helps contribute to their life in one way or another (even if it is purely for entertainment). If you remember some of these key points it can be easy to make the transition from niche to business. Chris Hoole is a writer who believes that hiring a copywriter is one way to move your business from a niche to a business and increase interest in that business. ****************************************************************** Need help narrowing down your niche? Contact me to get one-on-one help. What sources do you use for finding compelling content fodder? Leave your thoughts below. Sign up to receive updates Name: Email: We respect your email privacy

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22 Ideas For Finding Inspiration For Creating Compelling Content (Infographic)

Carol Owens — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:17:05 +0000

Coming up with compelling content for your blog on a regular basis can be like pulling a donkey backwards. It just can ‘t be done easily. I came across this great infographic from Brian Clark of the copyblogger.com site. I hope you find ways here to add new life to your content. Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger. What sources do you use for finding compelling content fodder? Leave your thoughts below. Sign up to receive updates Name: Email: We respect your email privacy

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