Super Fun & Creative Way To Be Greatful :)

"Gratitude Is The Best Attitude"

 Are you running into serendipities? Signs? Awe moments? If not pay attention to your surroundings. I love to be out in nature and lead a balanced life and when this happens I tend run into animals, signs, amazing moments. Today I seen a hummingbird on some purple flowers and had to say awe! How cuuute! It flew by the time my phone was about to snap a selfie ha!

Yesterday and today noticed lots of signs very good ones so I'm thinking were going to have a great week full of them if you have haven't experienced them maybe you should head out in nature and notice the stillness, the wind, the sun, the rays, flowers, animals and be Greatful for the simple things we often take for granted and not pay much attention to! :)

At the beginning of 2016 read somewhere in social media about a really cool project you can do to feel more greatful. Not only is it creatively fun but trains your mind to feel greatful and focus within rather than what we lack or comparisons. I do it daily in the mornings and intend to have it filled by the end of the year. I've included in this vlog the jar which I decorated and as you can tell it's filling up! Yay! :)

Laura has many things to be greatful for especially after recovering from very bad stomach pains I had recently endured that landed me in the ER. Not a happy camper! I'm good now though thank GOD! :)  Life is precious and last time I take it for granted! And so I'm greatful for starting over, turning a new leaf and getting my body back in shape.

Creating this gratitude jar really helps! :) You can buy any clear jar as the reason for it being clear is to notice the gratitude papers inside crumpled or folded. At the end of the year you can read each one and see how you lead a greatful year and many reasons to be greatful for :) It's super easy, super simple and super duper fun! :)

It doesn't matter how you apply gratitude whether a journal, a blog, social media or a jar like this one! What matters is your putting it out  and being grateful for the small things is sexy! 

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

Take a look at the video I did for a little more info on the jar and how fun it can be!

What Does God Say You Are & Why It Matters... :)

There is a quote I read in my devotionals today that said...

“Be more concerned with what God thinks about you than what people think about you”

 And when I read it I knew I was going to have one of those days! Your valued to God as a Princess or Prince. Was up early drinking my coffee as usual. Cinnamon dark coffee + cinnamon creamer. (Yummy!)

And as I read about a story of a person mentioning one hour is only 4% of a day I was interested in knowing more about it. It’s a story of a woman putting more effort into prayer time by applying 4% of her time when she heard someone talk about this subject. She was determined to try it! Kinda reminds me of my recent 21 day blog challenge I was so determined to complete! Done! 

Rather than trying to fit prayer into her schedule she decided to “fix” a prayer time, and then “fit” the rest of her day around it. Her kids were old enough to travel to school alone and by 8:30 a.m. each morning her house was quiet as a mouse.  A hush fell over her home. She knew this was her best prayer time. To guard antee she was uninterrupted, she made it knows to the ladies in her group that except emergencies, she would be greatful if people didn’t call her until after 9:00 a.m. in the morning.

To her surprise no one was offended instead they responded very positively. Several other women began to follow her example by setting aside the same hour to pray every day.

When we seek God’s plan first, all our plans with other people will have a way of falling into place. 

And so I ask when we have standards and confidence in ourselves by setting priorities as to what we have time for and what we don’t…. people will respect us for it and therefore we will be successful knowing it was a win/win.

This devotional helped me to understand my day even further. I wasn’t expecting to have a breakthrough day but I did! Some reality checks were hard to swallow however it was for the good. It’s difficult  to notice anything bad turning good but you must be able to discern this as that is when you become wise and follow your “gut” and not what others think or believe you should do.

My day started out productive and started by setting priorities. I may not have kids but sometimes it just feels that way. Being the oldest child comes with responsibilities even after your 21 however little by little step by step I’m releasing old responsibilities that I shouldn’t have. Some may think it’s selfish but in reality it’s not. It’s selfish not to self-care yourself.

So I had a family meeting and I’m laying down the cards on the table.  I will do this and that and release this and that. It felt pretty good saying it as it was soo unexpected of others to hear. What made me say this? Well, there comes a time when you have to put yourself first and leave responsibilities to others. I have to remind myself I’m not “Cammy” You know the cartoon character of streetfighter! (video games) Yak!

And so after headed to the ER because I needed to get checked what was up with my Gut! It’s been acting up for the past 3 days and the pain persists and won’t go away. It just totally screwed me up. I was this different person. A person lacking energy, yawning a lot, gaining weight. I looked in the mirror and said “What is going on Laura?” This is not you! See we all have intuition to discern when we are at our best and when we are not and I sure haven’t been feeling great. And so I kick rocks! (literately)

I had several tests run on me such as a pregnancy test (really?)  they insisted and according to the triage nurse. What revealed was the culprit of my laziness, weight gain and pain was found in an ultra sound. It hurted as she rubbed my stomach with gel and a computer handle joystick and said Crap! looking at the computer myself and watch her take notes.

So, I have gallstones! 3 small ones that are still. Not moving anywhere they are just sitting there however they can grow in size and move around if I don’t care for my body and therefore a change of LIFESTYLE is expected of me. The thought of becoming vegan came to mind as that is when I was at my healthiest and my gut was regular, my skin was glowing, hair was shiny and felt energized.

The fact of knowing you have rocks in your tummy is just so wrong in many ways and not healthy. I’ve known lots of people that have had these rocks removed successfully. In and out they are out of the hospital however one sad case I also know of a surgery going totally wrong! My cousin’s wife died and had a painful journey in the hospital due to being botched to remove the rocks. I don’t even want to think of it as thoughts are things and remaining positive about my outcome when I get surgery however need to do my diligence and not go based on their advice. Apparently I should go to a county hospital and get in line to see when surgeon is available. There is a waiting list as they only do surgeries to people with big insurance companies well known that will qualify them to use their hospital.  This is why it's soo important to have really good insurance! 

I've decided not to follow that advice and research a more experienced hospital with non med students performing surgeries even though it's not a big deal of a surgery but anything can go wrong and I'm not putting my body in the hands on non-experienced MD's. 

For some reason though I was not feeling too comfortable after I met several nurses and I wouldn’t want to stay overnight. One had an opinion about my birth date and would I of been born an earlier day in March I probably would have been treated very different and this is a catholic hospital? Should I feel lucky I was a late march baby? The energy that day was soo off... thank God no surgery was performed I probably wouldn't be writing this blog! Whew!! I don’t know but that’s the day I was born the day God breathed in me and blessed me with talents. It was just soo unexpected to hear comments like Whew! Good thing you’re a late one! One thing came to mind…. Weirdoooos! 

And this is why I write this blog because it’s not what people see you as when it comes who you are due to your birth date. I can go more further on this subject as it goes really deep but I won’t. You can’t be opinionated on someone’s birth date just because. Everyone is different and not all the same based on birthdays. 

So, I end this blog with the thought of listening to what God says about YOU not what others say because if you knew what God says you would be smiling like I am :) See, I know I am a child of God and he sees me as his precious princess just as any father would feel for his kid. When kids get hurt, in pain the father rescues the kid well the same goes to our heavenly father. 

 Cheers to MILES stones! :)

Omg! The Best 21 Day Challenge Ever!

Today marks my final hours of the 21 day blog challenge I challenged myself and I must say I’m so Greatful that it ends tonight! I didn’t think it was going to be this difficult but it has and it’s okay because nothing easy is learned. The reason I say it’s been difficult is because writing 1 blog per day (Monday-Sunday) can be a challenge!

We all lead busy lives, have families, chores, duties, run errands, workout, work a side job whatever it is that you do… you are always doing something and to know you have to spare an extra 1-2 hours to blog without distractions can be a doozy! I seriously have soo much respect for women who have kids (single-moms) as they have to care for their kids and work their business.

As someone who doesn’t have kids I said Oh I got this! My schedule is free however lots of things got in the way and glad I was able to travel to the woods to pet sit my sister’s kitty because I needed that downtime to get creative out in nature and get caught up in blogging. I was able to blog however the kitty “honey” was very attentive and needy and wanted time spent with her…. It’s kinda odd because cats are not this attached. Ha!

So, I’m on my last blog… Blog #21 and pretty challenged! But, hey the fact that I’m writing it means I said I would do it and I did! Prior to this challenge I would procrastinate! If we are speaking in all honesty here to speak the truth is... not sugar coating anything... Something always got in the way and would get distracted easily but now things are soo different. Yay! Si Se Puede! (Yes You CAN!)

What this challenge has taught me is that it becomes the norm when you blog a lot throughout the week, so yes friends 21 day challenges do work! I have come accustomed to write, write, write and that is all I know now. That’s a great thing. I just needed that breakthrough and I’ve found it. It’s by applying ACTION! And just doing it anyway. The fact that it was a challenge is what made me just do it!

And now my question to you is…. Do you struggle with procrastination? It’s been said that diligence is the mother to success! I suggest you do a 21 day challenge on any part of your life that you are struggling with. Is it to release anything? Then take baby steps one day at a time for 21 days. As you get into day 13 you will start noticing your on a roll and the rest gets easier however know at the end you will probably get tempted to quit and that is when you have to push harder like what I’ve done now.

So that’s it Peeps! Hope you all have enjoyed my blogs and look forward to more blogs as I have decided to write 3-4 blogs a week! (I’m shooting for 3 blogs but 4 is my number this year so I might do 4!) ha! :)

To Your SUCCESS!

What Do Stars Do To Be Happy... :)

Wikipedia defines "Celebrities"  as fame and public attention in the media, usually applied to a person, group of people (celebrity couple, family, etc.), or, occasionally, to animals. 

Celebrity status is often associated with wealth (commonly referred to as fame and fortune) and fame can often provide opportunities to make money.

Successful careers in sports and entertainment are commonly associated with celebrity status; political leaders often become celebrities. People may also become celebrities due to media attention for their lifestyle, wealth, or controversial actions, or for their connection to a famous person.

I began to research what celebrities do to stay happy as they are like all of us only difference is they have more chi-ching! And this is what I found and you will see your not any different. We are all people and next time you see one... don't be star-struck (note to self) ha! 

• 1) THEY FOLLOW THEIR PASSION - it takes nerve to do what you love! They’ve done just that and show what can happen when you commit to a dream the rest of the world thinks your crazy. They don't quit or let others get in the way of their goals
• 2) THEY DEFINE THEIR OWN SIGNATURE STYLE - forget the trend du jouivez. Enduring icons develop their own unique style and identity. Think of your all time idol. Chances are she can claim a signature look or defining fashion statement.
• 3) THEY TAKE RISKS- Whatever its playing an unexpected role, experimenting with a new hairstyle or speaking up about controversial issues, trendsetters have the courage to put themselves out there
• 4) THEY ARE GREATFUL - The benefits of cultivating gratitude are endless.  Being thankful opens doors, enhances self-esteem and improves emotional mental and physical states.
• 5) THEY FIND INSPIRATION IN OTHERS-Why go it alone? Mentors offer guidance and support professionally and personally. Models are admired because they recognize the importance of asking for help.
• 6) THEY KEEP IT POSITIVE - They are optomistic, root for themselves, live in the present and understand the importance of self-care, our most admired stars approach their goals holistically from all angles and find balance in work, family and play (One star comes to mind: Gwyneth Paltrow)

These are pretty good traits we can also follow as our self-care matters and should be a priority in our lives. When we inspire others, take risks, define our own style, keep it positive and most importantly follow our passions we can be unstoppable! 

Have a great one! 

XO

Don't Be Fooled By Horses, They Lack Confidence Too... Read How...

Many times we don’t always have Confidence in our abilities to our work, project, assignment, mission etc…. and so I think what separate confidence v’s insecurities? I’ve been on both sides and I can attest that as we speak I am in confident mode. When you are passionate about what your doing you are confident. When you have a purpose you are confident. You know where you are moving towards... Just like horses...

Horses are very similar like humans. They pout and smile just like us. They also need to be trained and coached to built up their confidence. They were not born with it it's trained. They have a social life and have a rich communication with their eyes, their movement, their mouth and so on... And so I wondered how do they appear with great stamina and energy to do their work which is run races...

Well... 

It brings me to the analogy of the"GPS" If you are driving without a GPS trying to find an address what happens?  Imagine yourself being in a different city and not able to find your way. You will feel lost, insecured, nervous… Geez! I speak for myself as I had recently was on a mini vacay in the woods of Big Bear County. I was pet sitting for “honey” my sister and brother in law’s kitty (meow meow) and completely got lost trying to find my way back home.

Even if I had GPS I would not be able to find it. The streets were very dark and with lots of swirls and wide turns. But prayer worked and lots of affirmations telling myself “You got this!” Had to train my brain to and keep repeating myself Your there, your there your there and then lower the music in the car ha! Why do we do that? Why do we lower the music when we are lost or trying to find an address? (Million Dollar Question?)

As soon as I reached the cabin I knew I found the place and was able to breathe and thank God for guiding me into safety. I even had to call my sister but somehow knew she was not able to help me and I was right, she couldn’t help me so it was just me, God and dark roads to nowhere!

I started to feel confident as soon as I was reaching  home. Just got in time to feed the kitty and rest assured that even if you feel lost you will find your way around as long as you don’t give up. You have to keep going and don’t stop! It's usually towards the end that people give up when it comes to their aspirations, goals, ideas.... 

My question to you is “What Do You Have Total Confidence In? Everyone has talents some might be creative, artistic, some may sing, act, some may do missions, charity work, philanthropy work… You don’t have to be born with that talent you can discover it while doing something else. Some are born to speak, influence, lead while others are comfortable following, getting taught and growing

To find something your confident in you have to believe in it first! What are you passionate about? Find that! The skills will come after because you will be so in love with it by achieving results that you will completely forget about the skills or money. It will come believe me! It always does when you love what you do! What fires you up? Find that!

And so I end this blog with one of my all time favorite quotes:

Have A Great One! 

Are Vacays Needed?

This past weekend I went on vacation to pet sit my sister’s and brother in-law’s cat named “Honey” She is adorable and loving. Hence the name “Honey” and I am her buzz! :-)

As I spent my time there I was able to find balance and look within, meditate, pray, eat balanced meals, hike in nature and enjoy the rain. Not only did I really enjoy my time alone but on sunday got to spend it with my sis and brother in law in church service and the message was pretty inspiring. Many have different beliefs and this blog is not to change anyone’s beliefs but to share thoughts I got inspired by.

Lots of times we find excuses as to why we can’t do something or get caught up why our plans are not perfect.... and if they're not we are not moving... 

And sunday’s message was simply that we can’t wait or find an excuse as to why we can’t do something we have talents for. For example needing proof of education, a bachelor degree, special education, special training, years of experience etc…

It really spoke to my heart because I used to think if I have more education then I can land a better job, a better career when in fact today it doesn’t matter as much as before. In the book of Corinthians (Chapter 3) it asks us Do we pat ourselves on the back, insisting on our credentials, asserting our authority? We don’t need letters of endorsement, either to you or from you. You yourselves are all the endorsements you need.

Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. God himself wrote it not with ink but with God’s living spirit, not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives and we publish it. We couldn’t be more sure of ourselves than YOU, written by God are our letter of recommendation. We wouldn’t think of writing this kind of letter about ourselves Only God can write such a letter.

His letter authorizes us to help carry out this new plan of action. The plan wasn’t written out with ink on paper, with pages and pages of legal footnotes, killing your spirit. His life on our lives.

An excerpt was given of “Paul” in the bible and he was teaching to the people and other’s also wanted to teach and had credentials and were presenting them yet when Paul was asked what about his credentials he stated he didn’t need to show any credentials as God’s endorsement was enough. He didn’t think highly of himself, he was confident in his abilities, experience and talents God breathed into him. No paper proof was needed.

And so I ask had any idea, career goal, plan stopped you from pursuing it because the competition seems pretty thick? Because you may feel lacking experience? Or better yet comparisons robbing you of your joy or confidence? Think again….

As a (student for life) I love to learn and open to opportunities when they are presented to me. Before I thought I’d have to have formal education to land a great job! I found out the hard way I didn’t need it but I can say it’s an addition to what I’ve learned and can use it with my coaching practice. I completed a 6 month coaching/leadership class and although it didn’t land me the job I wanted and more education was required on top of that and college education I wonder would I be kicking myself for listening. Would I be happy at that job with all the education needed? Probably not. Not fond of 9-5 job and it would have been foolish to accept the offer after all the education. When I found out Enterpreneurs were coaching online in social media where all the eyeballs are at and with no credentials whatsoever however they’ve mastered social media that’s when a lightbulb appeared!

See, we don’t need further education. You can learn as you go! Make mistakes, dust yourself and get back up. You adapt as you go. If someone wants to see my certificate I would be more than happy to upload it but there is no need to do it. God is sufficient in my life and the only credential needed not a piece of paper that states I’m worthy to teach or coach.

Reason why I was fired up about this subject was because I was asked from (my motivators) to prove credentials for my teaching which I never did because as a Catalyst I know better. This is what inspired me about this subject. Had I known this earlier on I would of responded correctly but God has timing for everything and now I know.

So when it comes down to it titles are pretty impressive but ultimately it's the results behind the title. If your just starting out its understandable not to be a one hit wonder (it will take consistency & time) but if you've held a title for years & no results it's time to get real!

Lift the Veil Friends :)

An Exclusive Tip For You! :)

What happens when you hear the words "Power Position?"  Do you automatically think Leadership? In charge? Independent? As John C. Maxwell writes

"Leaders have the ability to help people see the light. Leaders have hope and in order to Lead you must be open not closed" (Quote) 

When you think of an open door do you automatically assume "Open For Business?"  Well you should and I will tell you why...

I learned from Kate Northrup (Enterpreneur, Author, Speaker) about the concept of leaving your door open when it comes to opportunities. Décor matters. Cute décor matters however powerful décor is game changing! I will explain a little further in hope it  can help anyone with limiting opportunities or feeling stuck. 

Question? How is your desk aligned? Is it facing the wall? Is it facing a stereo? Is it facing a window? Do you have your back towards the door? All of this matters and this is the secret sauce many don't know and wonder why they can't attract opportunities. If your good with your business, job, career, hobby ect… then by all means this is not a blog for you to read (just being real)

However…

If you feel stuck and would like to attract opportunities you are in control of then continue reading my friends :) See, when I started to apply "Your Power Position" in my career things started happening… I began to attract plenty of opportunities only dilemma was choosing the right opportunity (That is something that can't be taught but acted upon you only)

So, how does this work you might say? Well first of all it starts with creating plenty of space and by that I mean opening your front door from your office and facing looking out. Sit with your back against the wall. When you do this, you are in your power position to make decisions, to be in control, ect… and who doesn’t want that?

Here is a throwback video that I created months ago (pay no mind to shameless plug!) :) The point of this video is to share how I've created my office decor. It is very different now I have new dark cherry wood furniture and flower plants and frames but still have my red carpet which I love! :) 

Anyhow, there it is! That is the secret sauce to being more open to opportunities, relationships, friendships... We can never have that many friends right? 

XO! 

Have Your Heard? Nature Is Your Best Bet To Rejuvenate!

Gotta love nature! :)  Whose with me? The trees, the animals, the greenery, the plants, flowers, the lakes, the friendly people. That's what's buzzing! This week I've been cat sitting for my sister and brother in law which they took a mini-vacay and when asked if I would like to pet sit I was all over it! See my sister lives out in nature not the normal city life or non-cabin like homes and knew already I needed this vacay to spend time in nature and ponder about life.

I can say this week has been transformational when it comes to mindset, eating healthy, pampering myself, being by myself, healing from my beloved bird "Einstein" that recently passed away but "Honey" the kitty cat (meow) has been very loving and attentive to me which lots of the heartbreak I received when my birdy passed away was replaced with pet sitting.

And so as I had the house cabin to myself and became sort of a hermit but not really because I was still connected with social media and had lots to think about where my life is headed. These are changing times and times of new beginnings. Times when you need to make your own choices, decide what you want out of life and how your going to make it happen.

This week I learned how to cook new dishes and experimented cooking white rice and quinoa together in a rice cooker. I eat rice (maybe not much) however I only have eaten quinoa twice and it's really good. And so I cooked rice and it came out delicious! Cooked also chicken, bow tie pasta with alfredo fettucinni pasta sauce also delicious and a side salad. I was pretty proud of myself as I don't take this much time cooking and savoring the food.

Here is a picture of my rice (white rice + quinoa) it's soo easy and soo healthy :)

White Rice + Quinoa

What I really love about nature and the outdoors is the weather and breathing the fresh pine trees surrounding where I'm staying. It's soo beautiful and for the past day it's been raining so it's even more beautiful. Heard tomorrow will rain as well I can just imagine what it's like to see the snow.

Here is a picture I took overlooking nature in the morning drinking coffee

Balcony Overlooking The Pine Trees

Soo much green! 

And so as you can imagine I've been having a peaceful, relaxing retreat by myself. Pondering on life, meditating, being in stillness and overlooking the stars at night in the balcony. What's amazing is that even though it seems country like as soon as you go downhill your back in the city! It's reasonable to live out here and mostly retired folks live here or Enterpreneurs. There is scarcity of jobs out here due to the area unless you work from home and who would not want to work from home living out here. 

I decided to get real estate out here in the near future. It's great to retreat yourself out in nature and just relax. Can I live here forever or retire here? Not really. I'm very much a city girl love the action, the people, the cars but it's nice to once in a while get away. So my takeaway of this getaway from home has been to spend more quality time taking care of self. Loving myself by eating healthier, pampering, hiking, getting lost! Yes, I also got lost in the woods not knowing how to get back home as it is very confusing but prayer and affirmations work! Had to keep telling myself I got this! Until I finally found myself back home. It was pretty funny and I laugh now but then it wasn't that funny :)

So, you can pretty much say I feel rejuvenated! Ready to tackle the world one blog at a time. I'm on a 21 day blog challenge that ends on April 17th exactly on that date and tomorrow will do my best to write 3 more blogs to be up to date of having written 12 blogs! Yes I Can! Anywhooo I digress from the topic and ready to get my beauty sleep as I am wearing a mud mask on and it's cracking a bit which means I need to wash off my face pronto! Yes beauty costs and we need to be up to date not only from the inside but outside as well :)

Goodnight :) 

How To Make Leadership The Ferrari Of The Film Industry

If you can make a controversial film yet bring change you have succeeded.

There are  many great films that have sparked change in people's lives and have provided a different  type of perspective. One example was the film "Precious" based on the movie "Push" by Sapphire. This film ignited a controversy a year after the release. At that time New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg had a strong reaction watching "Precious" as it centered in the fizzy soft drinks we all have grown to love!

The Mayor wanted to push a limit size of soft drink in NYC due to seeing the film. The plan was to stop selling the sugar rush drinks no more than half a liter in cinemas, restaurants, sports stadiums. In 2012 The NYC Health board accepted the limit yet due to objections and appeals and not acting quick it was dismissed before it could pass law.  This is just a prime example of what can happen when great films are made and it inspires authorities, people in Leadership to step up and take action! 

This blog is not about Hollywood or film it's just an example as to what can happen when great Leadership is in place. The changes one can make around the world, the influence, the transformations... When I think of great Leadership I see people in power taking action for the greater good. It's not stepping on others to achieve what you desire but in being a servant to others, it's knowing the great need and inspiring others to be at their best. One of my favorite quotes:

"If you can inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more you are a Leader"

 We don't need more leaders. But Great Leaders not only in Government (Politics) but in Business. Reputation is everything. How are you perceived. This is why when political figures are candidates for presidency the first thing that is revealed is their dirty laundry, it gets exposed from what they've done, where they've been and what impact have they've done in society. But, then again you had Bill Clinton and although he had an affair with Monica Lewinsky and declared he never had an affair with that woman people didn't care they just wanted him to make things happen in the white house and I'm not talking about secret affairs :) 

So what defines Great Leadership? It's simply inspiring others to become better but you must Lead first. See when I worked at the west coast ports and we were assigned jobs to lead it didn't mean waiting on others. We had to take action or else someone would get hurt or die. It was that serious. Most of these jobs were called ,"signaling" Lots of people hated these type of jobs because you were always on alert and your eyes were not only a crane operator but all others working with you in the team. I already knew when taking those type of jobs I needed a redbull, strong coffee or sweets. Why? I needed to be on alert. 

Those were the days that stay with me and humble me because I don't have it like that anymore however doesn't mean my Leadership skills are void. Running a business takes Leadership Action! We impact people's lives. We can lead them astray or lead them in the right path. So which path are you leading? What changes can you make just as the film industry that makes a person in power change as well or get inspired? 

Just some questions to think about as I end this blog because it really does matter how you lead today. 

To Leadership! 

Make Your Opportunities A Reality

Merriam-Webster defines the word: "OPPORTUNITY" as a good chance for advancement or progress. 

When  I hear of opportunities to me it just means an opportune time to make something a reality however it doesn't always pan out that way. Truth is you need to align yourself with people who want to see you succeed!  We often hear lots of opportunities... yet you need to do your diligence and research or you can be a risk-taker and not be afraid of the circumstance but make that leap!

I've ventured in several opportunities and from my previous blog posts I'm here to say I have not been a millionaire just yet. It does take determination, perseverance and integrity. Don’t be a one hit-wonder otherwise other will want to be one as well. We are here to set examples of who we are. It's our responsibility to let others know truth is this is what is required:

1. Investment needed
2. Social Media tools / guidance / branding 
3. Hours applied
4. Skills set
5. Mentorship needed

Upon taking a leadership/coaching class I was clueless as to what I just signed up for!  I am a life- long learner (student for life) and a risk-taker and have leaped into several businesses and don't regret not one of them. They've all taught me something it's called Growth. When I encountered the opportunity that would change my life it didn't come in a gift with a big giant red bow. It came disguised as an obstacle.

And so I think are we able to discern an opportunity when it's concealed as an obstacle?

Many times we go for the easy route and decline opportunities that seem hard. The way I see opportunities is that no matter where you go, what you do there will be challenges you will need to encounter. What's easy is sleazy. (As I've heard Leaders quote this awesome quote!)

I had just left my 1st networking marketing company as many changes were happening with the company and felt it was in my best interest to do something else. I also was not passionate about the service and had to be real. Being that I am a volunteer for The City Of San Pedro and was volunteering at the local mental health center a couple of hours was recommended to work for the city.

Upon recommendation from Doctors at the clinic was asked If I'd be interested in taking credits for a course in which I can use the education to apply for the city job. I needed a job and therefore it wouldn't hurt to get some education.  I received lots of breakthroughs not only was I learning about myself but also learning about the brain, depression, anxiety and mindsets. The class was taught by Harvard PHD's and was fascinated in learning more. To say the least I learned what I needed to learn and mastered the logic that I once heard a Successful Leader say "When a woman has mastered logic, men and done".

See in order to influence women, it's not through logic, it's through the heart. In order to influence men it's through logic. And when women have mastered the logic, more women can take over leaderboard room meetings, speaking venues and make hard choices. Our emotions can lead us astray and can be very deceiving. You decide! 

Everytime we use see a male receiving lots of attention  from the opposite sex it's because they use their heart. And males who are philosophical, who teach, who are worldly-known (think attorneys, engineers, professors,  architects) use their brain. I'd like to think of myself as both but can be a little more logical as I question everything. My curiosity get me everytime! 

In order to find a solution... Key is asking a question. Your brain will answer.

I didn't plan to become a Life Coach. It was not in my radar. As a matter of fact upon graduation I couldn't even get in the door to get hired at the clinic. I can still volunteer but not have a city job as additional education was required. Another year of clinical school besides a college degree. I was not too excited of having a job as I had just left a business working from home in which I had control of. I was making the decisions not a boss.

So, because I didn't get the job a light bulb appeared and decided to take it online because that is where all the eyeballs are at and to be an Enterpreneur you must find the need and fill it. Many people suffer from depression and often take medicine and although I am not a PHD I do believe it's all about mindset. Mindset is just a "SET-MIND" 

This is how I birth my career as a Life Coach unexpectedly. Through a connection that lead to nowhere after I graduated however it was a blessing in disguise. See we don't know where God will lead us. We may see it as an obstacle however what it has taught me was the necessary skills needed to dive in the infested water of sharks. Forewarn is forearmed. Am I able to use it for business? Definitely.  Do I need to use it? No. My services are not for intimidation purposes. It's simply to help people overcome their addictions, problems, mindsets ect….

As I end this blog think of opportunities as blessings in disguise.  Are some risky? Yes. Are you guarantee to succeed? Of course not. Can you succeed? Of course. Life is a risk itself but will it matter 10 years from now? No unless you become a wealthy person then it will be inspiring however if you didn't succeed your still a bad-ass as you don't think like everyone else. Your different.

To know more about my coaching services go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2LZJXXB and fill out questionnaire. Will contact you and we will go from there. 

Have a great day! :)

The Secret Sauce Behind VisionBoards, Learn What It Is! :)

Visionboards have been around for many years and many people haven't heard of them. In this blog I will write about what are visionboards, dreamboards or what many call treasure maps. When I first heard of them it was on the Oprah show however prior to hearing it on her show I had already created my own version but I didn't call it visionboard I named them "collages" I once heard celebrities (Kim Kardashian and Kanye West) would create their own boards and pin fashion clothing and got the idea from there to create mine. I would pin anything I liked or wanted to come true but didn't take it serious I just wanted my bedroom to look cute with fashion collages. 

My very first visionboard came out of a cardboard from a plasma television I had purchased at best buy electronics.  To me it didn't matter what it looked like as I was going to decorate it and nobody would know what type of cardboard it was. It came out pretty cool! I liked it! :)  And so as time went by my creativity expanded and became more colorful. At that time nothing happened. Meaning everything I pinned didn't come to pass however when I created my 2nd visionboard that is when the magic happened! I manifested my business. Was clueless as to what to do with my career path and knew something needed to change but didn't know what. So I just pasted my dream career and all of the sudden the opportunity arrived and it was everything I had pinned in my visionboard that is when I became a believer! 

An interesting thing happened to me while out hiking at the Donald Trump Golf course something I always do every weekend especially on sundays. I love overlooking the sunsets, sunrises, coast and the mansions. I love anything beautiful and the bigger the better! :)  So, I seen this white architectural house on the corner with giant palm trees. You couldn't miss it... it was just staring at you back and for some reason I was fascinated by that house! I can imagine the high ceilings, the floors, the pool it was funny and wondered who owns the house? I took a video of the house and the ocean and what I do when I'm out hiking enjoying nature but never uploaded it into facebook I just saved it in my phone. 

As soon as I came home I relaxed and chilled and was watching netflix. Turns out the movie "The Secret" was on the list of movies to watch as I love documentary films. I said I wonder what is all the buzz about and  the book  since I've never seen it decided to watch it. Well, as I watched it I found it very educational and it was linked to manifesting your desires, wishes etc.. When I heard an Enterpreneur talking about manifesting his house with a visionboard and not just any house it was EXACTLY the same spanking house I seen at Trump's Golf Course that I fell in love with! Some say it's an OCD house as it's constructed with such perfection with glass windows and lines all boxed in. I don't have OCD I just read it somewhere which I found funny! Those houses gravitate lawyers, judges, artists... 

Couldn't help but to say to myself "What in the world is happening!" That same house he manifested in the movie The Secret is the same house on my video! Is it a coincidence? Ya think?! I don't know and ever will know.... but found it darn funny! I mean what are the odds? Was I also manifesting it without knowing it? Who knows? 

 And so I ask why do some visionboards work and why do others don't? What is the deliooo? 

Well, as I started learning more about visionboards and why some say they pretty much manifested everything on their visionboards… I asked why is it that some manifest and others don't such as myself at that time. I began to do my research as I continued to create my visionboards. I was going to crack the secret code! While googling came across Christine Kane a coach, speaker, CEO and author which teaches about visionboards and this is when I cracked the code!

She explained when creating a visionboard you have to put LOVE into it and feel good. Don't expect to get great results if you are not feeling your best and at the same time creating one. And as I learned I started to apply her skills she taught and applied my own. I once heard Tony Robbins say you have to raise your energy levels high enough (that is when you are positive) low energy is not good. And so now that I create my visionboards I drink wine, eat chocolate, jello or something sweet and fullfilling.

"That raises my energy high!"  (sugar rush) :)

So the secret sauce to manifesting is the heart. 

When you operate from your heart you manifest things because it's built on emotion not intellect. Can you imagine using you brain to try to manifest? It will ask a million questions before moving forward and when you overthink you get stuck and can't move forward. So friends use your heart.

Take a look at video below in which I did it with love to teach how you can create your own visionboard from home. Many buy color construction boards (you can get them at the art store, target, walmart or dollar tree store) you can use a glass frame, or any canva that your no longer using or simply a regular box cover.

Some tips: When your visionboard is ready to be hung, look at it everyday when you wake up and imagine obtaining those things. How does it feel to have them? Can you visualize them? And how do you feel? Are you happy? excited? The more you visualize it and speak out loud affirmations of obtaining them they will happen. You have to believe! But, not only believe but put ACTION into it! Without action nothing will happen.

Here is an example of a lady I connected with in Facebook in which she had her very own visionboard rolled up hidden in the closet and as she seen this video she got inspired to create a new visionboard. She is in real estate and when I seen it I couldn't believe how creative she got! I was inspired by her work and this is why I continue to do what I do as I love to inspire others and get inspired by their own results. 

Real Estate Vision Board / Lifestyle 

Check out video below! This video has been shared with teams in businesses and have received great response and results. The creativity on the visionboards were to the roof! Love to see that! Comment or Share with others if it benefits you or others :) 

The Science Behind The Past And Why It Matters Today

I once heard Steve Jobs quote about connecting the dots in his commencement speech to Stanford University students and never heard this concept. He mentioned only by looking at your past you can connect the dots forward. I so agree with this because until you clear up the past, review it, ponder, meditate or pray is when you understand it was all meant for your good. 

My past has been like a rollercoaster. I've had my share of ups and downs and I don't regret those times as it's made me who I am now. I am a strong sexy female. Sometimes we have to experience it so we appreciate the present and I'm very greatful believe me! Because I'm a risk-taker I've taken many risks in life and all I can do is look back and say had I not took a risk I'd probably be living a boring life and not experience it! 

Ever since I can remember I've always tried something new to learn in choosing my ultimate career. While attending school I've always worked it was just something that I needed to do to make extra money. My most memorable experience was working as a telemarketer for "ERA" Real Estate in which my boss was the CEO. He was looking for someone without experience to sell homes. When I heard real estate it was like Oh, wow how prestigious! When I got hired on the spot I thought I was going to an office and it was the total opposite. I was going to his home. He was a christian family man very nice to me and so I worked out of his garage that was built into a cute office. 

He gave me MLS listings and a fat book like a bible. I said What in the world?! My job was to call every number and cold call to get leads. I had no idea what I was doing but I had a script and then tweeked it to my liking. I needed to be myself and sound like myself even back then. I needed to understand what I was doing and why. I always prepared myself for everything. So I learned by experience. Lo and behold I sold 2 homes. My job entailed of getting the leads and giving the information to my boss, then would set up appointment to meet up at his office. He did the rest which was showing the house and if it sold, it sold and I got paid! Chi-Ching! $$$ 

This is how I learned cold calling. Tele-marketing is not such a prestigious job but what kept me going was the money. When I would see the money coming in I was getting addicted however knew I couldn't do this forever. I needed to get back to school and was only doing it part-time. My boss said I would be a good real estate agent and mentioned if I was interested I could let him know and he'd help me get the license. Because back then others opinions mattered and was told real estate salespeople lie and trick people and they didn't see me in that business I didn't pursue it. 

I then held other corporate jobs in logistics and transportation and had some great times and other times they were not so great. I was not fullfilled. The last company I was in merged with another company when I lived in Arizona and although through a connection I was offered a new position in Scottsdale, AZ in same industry I declined. Decided to return to Cali and the beaches. Was missing my family and friends and that is when I heard of hiring of Longshoremen's at the port of Los Angeles/Long beach through a lottery pool.

I applied because my father said I should do it. I was not too excited about it but said heck I need to get back to work. 10 years of hard work! Hustle! One thing I realized was money can be addicting and I was in bondage. I worked weekends, holidays, rain or shine and whenever there was work. Missed birthday parties, weddings, celebrations all to make money. It was crazy now that I think about it. What is the point of making money if your not enjoying it as you are working 24/7 around the clock?

Best experienced I received was here at the ports. Learned how to lead, be a leader, work safe and be alert. The responsibility was huge and if someone died at work it would be due to unsafe practices or because someone didn't watch their back. It was very united just as are all unions. My strength was challenged at this job and will power sometimes I'd surprise myself but lots of prayer worked. I was very close to God as without him working out there would be foolish.

Decided to end working there after giving it lots of thought I didn't want to be a slave to the money and needed to work at a safer environment where it's fun. Where I'm learning, traveling and that is when I returned back to Network Marketing. It was hard to leave the job as a longshoreman very hard! I was addicted to making that money even at the expense of my freedom! I know sounds ridiculous..! So what happened next changed my life for the better.... Got into a car accident!

After my car accident I couldn't go back to work and said well, I guess God decided for me then.... I continued my network marketing business at home since I had no car and it didn't pan out as I thought as the the business was centered in having home parties and without a vehicle there is not much you can do! Did my best what I can however the rest left it to God. I've learned many valuable experiences in Network Marketing with personal development even though money not soo much. 

Since I'm a volunteer for The City Of San Pedro a door opened to learn how to have leadership skills in order to work for  a city job within the area of mental and health. Studied for 6 months and got certified by teachers from Harvard. It was an incredible experience and learned soo much. That is when I found out I needed additional education besides my college and credits from this school. Lots of requirements and that is when I said well, at least I learned how to coach and took it online. Lightbulb turned on and said eyeballs are on social media and many need help in how to overcome obstables, mindsets, etc.... 

And now I'm here as a certified life coach, blogger and getting eyeballs to my work by hollywood by simply putting myself out there and learning from  famous Sally Hogshead CEO of How To Fascinate she teaches how to brand and market online and offline. Copywriter for Mini Cooper, Godiva Chocolates, Coca-Cola, Harry Winston Jagermeister ect.... and speaker for many other companies. Just purchased her book "Fascinate" new edition 2016 coming out mid April. 

Truly obsessed with marketing and branding.  As a catalyst this is what gives me passion. And so I ask myself must I of went through all of this to get here? Yes. See in life we have many choices and must do our diligence however if we are blind and not sure where we are heading this can happen but I had no regrets. I do what I want and can take my business anywhere in the world. I blog as I travel and that is pretty sweet! :) 

I don't know what the future holds and the more I think of it the more anxious I can get so I'm not even going to think about it. I'm just moving forward by connecting the dots and greatful I am in this position to call the shots. I decide whether it's good or not. Whether I need more education or skills. Life is interesting i tell ya! :) 

So appreciate the detours because you are where you are suppose to be! :)

XO!