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Creating A Morning Routine

I’m in the process of trying to create a better morning routine for myself. I realize that the one I have really isn’t working for me. And, I’ll admit thoughts of just skipping the whole thing has crossed my mind more than once.

I mean what’s with the morning routine fad, right? Just get up and do what you gotta do. Except, I started the whole “create a morning routine”, because that wasn’t really working for me either. But, what is it that makes a morning routine so great, I mean what’s the point? [Read more…] about Creating A Morning Routine

New Mindset New Results

by Pam 4 Comments

People who’ve only meet me in the last eight or nine years, would never have recognized me if they had met me just a year or two earlier. I had a totally different mindset then. I was the girl who hid in the shadows. The one who was never in the photos of get togethers with family and friends. . . unless I was caught completely off guard, and even then . . .

I Used To Be Invisible

Not just shy, not just lacking self-esteem, not simply missing any level of confidence. Invisible. Unseen, unheard. Because I didn’t believe I deserved to take up space in the world.

Contrast that to how I show up in the world today. I show up authentically myself knowing I have an important message to share with the world in the way only I can. Today I show up attracting the folks I was meant to serve in a business I love. Today, I’m here confident, loving, heard, visible.

So what changed? In a word me. Specifically my mindset. The stories I told myself about me changed, and that changed everything. I realized that the thoughts I had, the actions I took and the self-talk I spoke to myself on a daily basis, created what actually showed up in my world.

I Felt Empowered

It meant I had the power to create the life I wanted to live and the world I wanted to live in. All I had to do was be willing to take my power back . . . and, of course, figure out how the heck you do that. Because knowing that you want to do something, that you should do something, that you need to do that thing is just the beginning.

You still have to make the journey. You have to take the actions that move the needle in the direction you want to go. And that is all about mindset. It’s about working to shape your mindset daily with new thoughts and better conversations with yourself. Because a new mindset always equals a new result.

If you’re struggling with mindset issues around visibility, self-esteem or confidence issues you’re welcome to grab this special guide I put together just for folks like us. It shares 5 tips to help you increase your visiblity.

Are You Really Being Productive, Or Just Busy?

by Pam 2 Comments

There are a times when I am so busy, it feels like the work might never end. And yet, at the end of the day when I look back to say, what have I accomplished . . . it doesn’t seem like very much got done. Or maybe nothing at all, at least, nothing that I set out to do, things that I said were important for me to get done that day. I hadn’t really been productive, just busy.

Thankfully, that happens way less often these days.

But, it turns out, I’m not alone in that. In fact surveys have shown that even fortune 500 level company CEOs sometimes suffer from this same syndrome. It’s called Reactive Time Management Syndrome.

I bet you’ve experienced it too.

What Is Reactive Time Management

It looks something like this . . .

You get up and you have your day planned out, all the important things you want to get done. But, before you get started you stop to check your email. An important client has a question that needs an answer asap. So, you stop what you had planned to just shoot off a quick email to answer. While you’re typing your response a Facebook alert pops up, it’s someone asking to join your group. So as soon as you finish your email, you hop on over them to admit them, but they have some questions about the group, so you have a “quick” discussion with them. After all you don’t want to be rude, and they could become a client.

No sooner than you finish with them your phone starts ringing non-stop. You answer every time. Suddenly, you look up and it’s three o’clock in the afternoon. You’re left with your “to do” list untouched and the day almost gone.

Sound familar? [Read more…] about Are You Really Being Productive, Or Just Busy?

What’s The Best Advice You’ve Ever Received?

by Pam 4 Comments

We all get and give advice about running our businesses all the time. But not all advice is good advice. And, some advice stands head and shoulders above the rest. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about running your business?

I really wanted to know so I asked a few of my friends and colleagues. Here’s what they had to say.

Priyanka Lalwani Says:

I come from a culture of people pleasing, over – sharing and obeying. Doing whatever you love to do often requires permission from your loved ones especially if you are not financially independent. And they think they can determine whether it is worth it for you to proceed in that direction not you. The advice that I am referring to and the one which changed my life, also instilled a lot of belief in myself and propelled my career as a Bollywood Music Producer.

And the advice was to avoid asking for permission to be an artist from everyone around me. While trying to figure out why I wanted to be an artist, I learnt that just like the world needs doctors and engineers, it needs artists. It needs me! How cool is that to hear as an artist?

It took me a few minutes to let that advice sink deep into my gut. And once that happened, it was magic! This advice helped me to know what lifestyle I was hoping to live in my next decade as an artist. Once I learnt that, this advice helped me plant the first seeds for my business.

My desires are also worthy. I didn’t need to wait and seek permission from anyone. The idea that I could offer something of value as an artist and be paid for it was a huge AHA moment for me.

The beginnings were really tough but I worked hard. This advice and the self – belief which came with it, propelled my music career in Bollywood films which are now available on Amazon Prime to watch. The deep dive search for my ‘why’, helped me realize that artists are really valuable in today’s ecosystem as we have this superpower of closely observing and expressing our observations with the world, most of the times without any sugar-coating. Do you know how tough that is to do especially for some analytical minds? I came across thousands of geeky people in the Silicon Valley after that who have so much trouble understanding what’s going on in their monkey mind and saw them get transformed through my consultations about their creative path forward.

Personally, this advice really helps me each day to really take chances for myself in small steps. It helps me be courageous and fearless.

Priyanka is a Bollywood Music Producer, Marketer & Influencer in San Francisco. She bagged an Akademia Award (Best Song) and a radio interview on 1550AM for her debut song,’Na Jaane’. As a coach, Priyanka has taught music lessons, artist development and marketing to artists and non – creative people in person and online. And as a music composer, she recently wrapped up composing music for a Short Film called “The Strange Guest” which can be watched on Amazon Prime. Learn more about Priyanka on her website or follow her on Instagram.

When my friend and Mentor Kelly McCausey said she was in as a contributor to this article, I couldn’t wait to see what the best advice she ever received was.

Kelly McCausey Says:

Way back in 2003 I launched the first ever internet radio show for work at home moms. The following year, podcasting was born and I was the only WAHM podcast on earth. I loved being the only one – but that wouldn’t stand for long. In fact, the most well known WAHM expert on earth started a podcast within the next year and I fell apart emotionally. I thought, this is it. I’m toast. She’s going to blow me out of the water and I’ll be last year’s news.

My friend Alice Seba gave me the best advice. Don’t pay so much attention to what your competitors are doing. They’ll always be there and they’ll never be you.

I shook myself out of my tantrum and returned my focus to MY thing. Best advice and best choice ever because in actuality, her podcast never caused mine a bit of concern or loss of audience.

Kelly McCausey is a business and mindset coach serving up great content and opportunities to connect at Love People + Make Money.

Sadie Smiley Says:

The best advice she ever received was “Keep your hand in multiple pots” – meaning don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

I learned early on to have multiple streams of income. When everyone is freaking out about their income tanking, mine only goes down a bit because I have several sources. While this was originally out of necessity – I would’ve gone broke had my income source been solitary – now I do it because having multiple income streams has helped me increase my $$ at an extraordinary rate!

Sadie is a serial blogger. Visit Sadie’s site where she hosts her best tips for making money online. She’s passionate about writing loves to travel and explore new places with her husband and teenagers by her side!

Each of these amazing women received powerful advice for running their business and used it to help them get where they wanted to go. Whether it was a shift in perspective that helped them value themselves and their journey more, or something more practical and down to earth, it helped them get to where they are today.

We each need something different on our journey to success. For me, as a recovering attorney, in a profession where everything is overly complicated; my best advice came from Kelly McCausey herself.

The Best Advice I Received:

I spent years saying I was going to build an online course and start an online business. But, it always seemed like a crazy hard endeavor. There was so many moving parts and things to learn. And, of course, true to my profession, I could always be counted on to make it harder.

Then Kelly asked the right question . . . “But, what if it were easy?” Meaning what would this look like if you just made it easy on yourself, kept it simple, instead of super complicated.

Now, I’m well on my way to creating the online business I’ve dreamed of for so long. And, I ask myself at every road block, how could this be easy.

Maybe some of the advice on this page could help your business too!

Pam Hamilton, is a mindset and visibility coach helping small business owners and solopreneuers manage their mindset so they can build a business they love. Grab my free guide for 5 tips on increasing your visibility this week.

5 Vision Board Uses That Can Change Your Life And Business For The Better

by Pam 2 Comments

You’re probably familiar with the idea of using a vision board as a tool to stay inspired to keep moving toward your dreams and goals. But did you know you can use a vision in other ways too?

One way of course, is for your business. As business owners that’s usually the first thing we think of it for. With a vision board you’re able to keep track of why and how you do what you do, and how you feel about doing it. It’s a tool to keep you inspired and motivated to continue moving toward your goals.

But, it can also help you stay in touch with your “Why.” You started your business for a reason—that’s your big why. But somewhere along the way, many of us lose sight of this goal. A business planning vision board can help you stay on track.

Unlike a regular business plan, you’ll keep images, quotes and words that represent your ideal business. Show things like where you’ll work at. Is it a beach? Is in a city, in a tall building, or a home office? What are you doing for work? Are you speaking in front of a large crowd, achieving bestseller status with your latest book, managing a big team, running a membership site, or in a big fancy office? What’s your thing? And finally, show how much money you’re making in your ideal business.

Client Attracting

Closely related to your business board, a client attraction board focuses on identifying the ideal client for your business. Every business as one, but this seemingly simple thing can be incredibly difficult to define. A vision board will help you clarify yours.

Is your client male or female? Young or old? Successful or not? Does he or she have kids or a home or a business? Is she confident or timid? Athletic or overweight? What are you helping them do? What are the results you help them achieve?

Create a collection of images that represent your ideal client and refer to it each time you are tempted, (we all are sometimes), to sign a client who is less than ideal.

Life Goals

Where do you want to be in five, ten, or twenty years? That’s not just a question from a bad job interview, it’s a critical consideration for anyone who wants to live a life of purpose and meaning, and a vision board is the perfect tool for staying motivated and on track to reach those goals.

This vision board—like all of them—is in a constant state of change. As your life goals change and grow, so will your vision board. Maybe you no longer want to live in London or Paris. That’s ok. Replace the city of lights with a relaxing mountaintop retreat, or an exoctic Carribean island if that’s your thing.
But do keep your life goals vision board updated and refer to it each time you have to make a major decision. It will help clarify the direction you need to take to achieve your life’s dreams.

Vacation Planning

Heading off on an epic vacation with the family? Don’t leave your journey to chance. Capture all your “must see” destinations on a vision board so you don’t miss anything.

Even better, invite your kids and spouse to join you, and create a fun planning tool the entire family can use. The kids will be excited about your trip, and you’ll be sure everyone gets to see and do everything they hoped for. By planning ahead, you’ll ensure everyone has the epic vacation of their dreams.

And, when you get the whole family aboard and excited about the trip, everyone will also be more willing to do whatever is necessary to make that trip happen.

Home Buying

Pinterest has built an entire business around what amounts to a digital vision board—much of it devoted to home décor. If you’re in the market for a new home, or simply remodeling the one you have, then a vision board is a great way to organize your plans.

Cut out photos of the style of home you love, color combos to try, landscaping ideas, and anything else that strikes your fancy. Keeping your home-buying or remodeling vision board close at hand will save you time in your search by reminding you exactly what you’re looking for.

It can also help contractors and others helping you with your remodeling work understand exactly what you’re going for. And, that could save you lots of time, money and frustration.

Using a vision board for the five areas listed above will help you stay motivated and on track to meet and maybe even exceed your goals. And that can certainly change your life and business for the better. It can help you create an amazing life; the life your dreams are made of.

Want to learn more about how to create your own vision board? Grab my Free Quick Guide To Vision Board Creation

Worrying Hits Pause On Purpose

by Pam Leave a Comment

I just checked out this great blog post and video from my friend Kelly McCausey. I am a big believer in taking control of your own happiness and mindset. Part of that means keeping a positive attitude and not letting worry and other negative emotions derail me. So, I was really jazzed when I saw this post about not letting worry knock you off track from your goals and life purpose.

In the article Kelly says:

“Worry is what humans do and sometimes it serves us well, keeping us mindful of what’s important, sparking action and solving problems.

On the other hand, constant worry does not serve us well at all. It keeps us wrapped up in fear, focused on the worst that could happen.

Indulging in worry too often and too long is a good way to hit the pause button on fulfilling your purpose in life.”

Check out the full article and video at: Worry Hits Pause On Purpose