Helpful Tips for the Blog Girl: Search Engine Optimization

♥ Find It. Every page of your website has an address, or URL. When possible, keep the address short and clean–without equal signs, punctuation characters or underscores–and use detailed keywords that are relevant to the page. So example.com/buy-blue0hats-on-sale is better than example.com/cgi-bin/gen.pl?id=4&view=blue_hats_are_on_sale

♥ Flatten it. All pages need to link to one another–but you want to keep things as “flat” as possible, meaning that each page can be accessed with only one or two mouse clicks.


♥ Name it. You might overlook the title bar atop each browser window, but search engines don’t. Give each page a concise, unique, keyword-driven title. If you sell knit beanies, don’t title your page “Keep your head warm.”


♥ Explain It. In the description field, enter a few sentences about the content of that page. Think of it as the text in a catalog. What makes your blue beanies special? Are they alpaca wool?


♥ Map it. Your customers would really love to have a map to all the boxes in your store, called an XML site map. Don’t know XML from an X-Box? No worries. There are plenty of software programs (code.google.com/p/sitemap-generators/wiki/SitemapGenerators) that can do the job.


♥ Tag it. You’d be confused if this article didn’t have a headline, right? Without an h1 heading tag on each page of your website search engine crawlers have trouble understanding the content, too.


-Erin Weinger, Entrepreneur Magazine

Entry Updated by LA Girl Secrets Blog Agency. Contact: info@lagirlsecrets.com

*LA Girl Secrets Blog Agency*

Is your blog working for you or are you working for it?

If you have a blog and you'd like it to look more snazzy we can help.

If you have no idea how to set up, run and grow your blog we can help with every step.

LA Girls Agency can free you up and whip your blog into shape.

Contact us at info@lagirlsecrets.com

* A Simple Business Plan *

Your fledgling business doesn't need a complex strategy document, just some basics! The first and foremost rule for crafting a strategic plan for your business is not be so afraid of the process that it stalls your progress. Here are some guidelines for developing a straightforward and effective plan.

SCALE IT DOWN

Unless you have an idea for knocking out Google, you probably don't need a 100 page plan. Most early-stage companies need a strategic outline about 10 to 15 pages. “Start by making your plan just big enough to manage your business,” Berry says. “The heart of a plan is strategy, not a long, complicated text.”

COVER THE BASICS

Bigger isn't better- it's confusing. You can always add components to your plan as your business grows. Review your capitalization requirements and capital resources. Clearly identify your market and provide a basic market analysis. List your assumptions and establish benchmarks. Outline basic financials, including sales forecasts and an expense budget.

TAP ONLINE RESOURCES

The Small Business Administration site (sba.gov) has guidelines and templates for creating a plan. Berry's site (bplans.com) features more than 500 industry specific plans so you can find your sector and start writing. SCORE (score.org) is a good resource for growing companies that need to expand their plans. Right-Brain Business Plan (rightbrainbusinessplan.com) helps creative companies brainstorm the left side of their business.

HAVE A FALLBACK POSITION

“If everything goes according to your plan, that's great,” says Thom Ruhe, director of entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation. “But 99 percent of entrepreneurs need a contingency plan. Put in a line that says, 'If we don't have X dollars in sales by this date and we haven't obtained profitability, we will...' Do what? Double down? Change market tactics?”

ASK FOR HELP

Before putting your plan to potential investors, seek the counsel of trusted friends, business owners and other entrenpreneurs. Have them review your business plan, and listen to their suggestions. You typically get one shot with an investor, and vetting your plan is a good way to fill in holes and anticipate questions.

~Ivy Hughes

*A Better Way of Working*

Monitor Your Mood During The Day.
There are four basic ways we can feel over the course of the day, The Performance Zone, is the best place to be when you’re working toward a specific goal. When you’re not in this zone, you can’t perform at your best. If you spend too much time in the Performance Zone, you’ll eventually end up in the Survival Zone. In order to avoid this state – toxic to you and to others – you must intentionally move back and forth between the Performance Zone and the Recovery Zone throughout the day, especially when you feel your energy flagging.
Practice Realistic Optimism
The evidence is clear that persistent, negative emotions take a toll on our health, the quality of our relationships, and even our effectiveness on work. When you find yourself feeling like a victim, challenge yourself to tell the most hopeful, empowering story you possible can about the facts. The capacity to envision more positive outcomes has been associated with great persistence, creativity, flexibility and higher performance. Another way to interrupt the cycle of negativity is the stop yourself when you feel it happening, and take a few minutes to write down – preferably in a journal you keep – at least a half-dozen examples of things that are going right in your life, and for which you feel appreciative.

Save $100 at Entreprenette Just For Being an LA Secret Girl!

Sign up for Entrprenette's the program for only $99 per month (normally priced at $199). Also listen to a recorded session for free! http://entreprenette.com/ Sarah Shaw is an information "junkie" and the ultimate go-to girl for everything -- from which stores are the best to approach first, to how to calculate your margins, to best manufacturer. Translating ideas into action is her strength, and she lends her wisdom willingly to those who have brilliant ideas and want to turn them into gold! In 1998 Sarah launched a uniquely fashioned pinked felt bag, and wore it everywhere she went. Soon, people were clamoring for them, and her handbag business Sarah Shaw was born. Within a year Sarah Shaw Handbags could be found on the pages of Instyle, Oprah, People, Lucky and Marie Claire magazines and in Anthropogie stores nationwide. Over the next five year the business grew quickly selling to over 1200 boutiques and major dept stores nation wide. Harnessing her expertise and extensive knowledge base, Ms. Shaw created her fifth business called Entreprenette. After completing an assessment packet, Sarah will formulate a personalized strategy plan to move your business to the next level. With her rolodex in hand, she will connect you to resources and teach you all the secrets one needs to know to have a finished tangible product in your hands, in stores and on the shelves making you a return on your investment. For more special deals go to: Lagirlsecrets.com

* Make the Most of Working from Home *

Ensure a successful home office with right tools—and the right mindset. Working from home can increase your flexibility and enhance your quality of life, but you will be truly successful at home only if you equip yourself with the right tools.
Set Your Schedule.
If you’re a morning person and like getting up at the crack of dawn, more power to you. If you’re a late starter, and working into the early evening is more your thing, have at it. The point is, just like you would at a regular office, you need to have set hours of operation at home. They can vary, and they will, but for clients to take you seriously, you need to be available at a set time every day.
Tackle the Toughest Tasks First.
Set realistic goals daily and then do what it takes to achieve them. It’s not always going to be the easiest or the most fun thing, but you have to accomplish all aspects of your business to enjoy the success you crave. A good idea is to prioritize, and then do what you dread first thing in the day, while your mind is still fresh.
Use Technology.
It’s important to have plenty of storage so that you can easily locate and maintain clients first. You’ll need a reliable computer, and high speed Internet is almost a necessity to stay connected to the outside world.
Reduce Distractions.
One of the biggest hurdles home-based business owners face is avoiding those ever-present distractions. This is where it is crucial to consider your office location and your desk setup. Choose a clutter-free location that not a high traffic area. A well-lit spare room away from a bed or the kitchen is ideal.

* BECOME AN EXPERT BLOGGER OVERNIGHT! *

With age comes wisdom…but, not when we’re talking about blogging.
It doesn’t take years to become an expert blogger. You can conquer all obstacles and become a professional as early as…tomorrow! Yes, I said tomorrow. To become a blogging expert, all you need to do is:

* Define Your Niche – Mental blocks will be unheard of. Never will you tire for what you’re passionate about. Mental juices will flow. The articles will ring true—with an honest voice. The reader will devour your post.

* Carefully Proof-Read - Checking for the usual punctuation and grammar is a given. Beginners can ask someone to look over their article. Swapping articles—having a critique partner is an excellent idea.

* Content Must Give - Producing valuable content will attract new readers and have viewers coming back for more.

Now you’re ready to attract a LARGE NUMBER OF READERS, but the competition is fierce. Tons of blogs are out in the Internet.

FACT: “The Internet is a vast wasteland of thoughts and ideas. According to Technorati, someone creates a new blog every 1.4 seconds. If blogging was a crime, and in some cases it very much should be, it would be the number one source of criminal activity in the land.” -Adam Brown, FreeLanceSwitch Site.

A lot of these blogs are filled with valuable content….so how does a blogger stand out from the rest? Before pushing the submit button, to have your post published, ask yourself these questions:

1.) Who are my readers? My words and expressions are going to be different depending on my audience. A title for a majority ‘male’ audience will likely be different than if targeted for a ‘female’ audience.

2.) Am I writing for my viewers or am I hung-up on the Search Engine stats? Check the title— Every now and then I’ll write an eye catching title rather than words only termed with key phrases.

3.)What is the main purpose for my blog? I must be honest with myself, and clear to my audience. I create the title and article to reflect my purpose. Whether I’ve decided my posts are for interaction, to help or inspire others, build friendships, or sell products, I have to keep my promise by staying on task and resolving the questions before the end of each article.

You can *conquer all obstacles* and become an expert blogger, but you have to follow some guidelines that have proven successful when publishing posts. There are many blogs that supply tips and techniques to assist bloggers to become stronger. Research and read what has worked for other experts. Toss that fear out the window, write the posts, and then check the stats…you never know…a new vocabulary and style of writing may be a better way to go…and the answer as to how YOU CAN BECOME AN EXPERT BLOGGER OVERNIGHT.

-JoAnne Vandermeulan

STOP THE STRAIN!

Logging lots of computer time? Check the position of your monitor. The top of the screen should fall below eye level. Because your eyes naturally gaze downward, that’s the best way to keep them relaxed (which will prevent eye strain and headaches), says Hope Ricciotti, MD, coauthor of The Real Life Body Book. Studies show that positioning the screen this way may also boost productivity and performance. Turn the page for more tips and easy exercise to stay pain-free.

* How to Monetize Your Passion Online *

Developing your personal brand is key to monetizing your passion online. Whether you're delivering your content by video, podcast or blog, it's the authentic you, the one thing guaranteed to differentiate you from everybody else, including those who share your niche or business model. The thing that most people don't realize is that, in today's world, your business and your personal brand need to be one and the same, whether you're selling organic fish food or financial advice, or just your opinion.

Monetizing a personal brand is not a new concept. A lot of the most successful entertainment figures in the world are personal brand geniuses, like Oprah, Howard Stern and Emeril. They built their empires out of being who they are and never backing down from it. But the major benefits of personal branding are not limited to the A-list celebrities. In fact, personal branding is what gives everyone an unprecedented shot at joining their ranks.

For example, think about what some people might consider second-tier celebrities, like Ashton Kutcher or Kerry Rhodes. Kutcher was already famous from his stints on television, not to mention his marriage to Demi Moore, but there is no doubt that his brand has blown up since he started leveraging social networking tools. Rhodes, the New York Jets football player [now with the Arizona Cardinals], has been using Twitter with incredible success to make his brand bigger. D- to C-level entertainment figures like Wil Wheaton, Brooke Burke, Levar Burton and Fred Durst are building great opportunities that will likely propel them from B- to A-level status. How do I know? Because I can see how many people are following on their Twitter accounts.

Now usually, I advise people to ignore the quantity of people following them and focus instead on the quality of their interactions with those followers- it's a lot more indicative of how well their brand is doing. Many decision makers, however, still aren't aware of this important detail, and therefore the preceding celebrities will benefit from those nice numbers we're seeing. Where the eyeballs go, opportunity follows.

An earlier generation built their brands on television and movie screens, radio, magazines and newspapers, and the new one will do the same online at much lower cost, with no need for a gatekeeper's approval. Get into position, because the big killing is just around the corner. The field may be different, but the game is the same.
By Gary Vaynerchuck

CL

Are You Afraid of Success?

Don’t Fall Victim to the ‘Curse of Permanent Potential’

No one wants to fail. Fear of failure is common, even immobilizing people, hindering them from pursuing or achieving their goals. But for some, success is an even greater source of fear, also resulting in inaction.

“The fear of success is an expression of inadequacy in believing we don’t deserve to achieve, combined with emotions of guilt when we do better than expected,” says Denis Waitley, speaker, author and productivity coach.

When you don’t really believe in the validity of your dreams and you aren’t prepared for achievement, you will fall short again and again, says Waitley, who has coached astronauts, CEOs and Olympic athletes. “I call this the curse of permanent potential.”

While a fear of failure is more internal, fear of success is external, says performance coach of Joseph McClendon. “What does society say about people who are successful? We have been taught they are selfish, evil, bad or wrong.”

Gilda Carle, an educational leadership expert and counselor, suggests people become more aware of their “deserve level.”

“Who you are today and how successful you are is based directly upon what you think you deserve,” she says. “What you think you deserve manifests itself.”

Experts say overcoming fears, either of success or failure, involves taking deliberate action. Rather than taking a huge, scary leap toward your goals, Waitley suggests taking small, incremental steps. Each small accomplishment will bolster your confidence, giving you the oomph to tackle the next hurdle.

In Balance

Career Path

Three Steps To… Get Over Your Fear Of Public Speaking

I am the last person to deny how agonizing the fear of public speaking can be. But I’ve learned, personally and through my work with many coaching clients, that the more we let go of our need to conquer the fear, the more it eases naturally. To heal the roots of why we’re afraid, it’s best to work on three levels.

By Janet Esposito

1. Body we must slow the body down at the moment the fight-or-flight reaction wants to speed us up. This means we need to deliberately move more slowly, speak more slowly, and respond more slowly. Deepen your breath, letting go of tension with each exhalation. You may want to associate the breathwork with counting, calming phrases like “let go,” or visual imagery, such as a wave gently rolling in and out. Say to yourself, “I know these feelings are unpleasant, but it’s OK. I know they won’t hurt me; they’re simply uncomfortable.”
2. Mind Research shows that people who relate to a stressful event as a challenge release epinephrines and norepinephrines. These hormones lead to a more empowered and even euphoric feeling. Don’t brace yourself for calamity; focus your attention on what you want to create. When you catch yourself feeling anxious, reach for a better-feeling thought (e.g., “If I lose my composure, I can regain it”). If you find this difficult at first, keep inching your way over, being slightly less negative an more positive.
3. Spirit When we’re driven by our ambitions, we’re more strongly identified with our ego than with our heart. Imagine leading with your heart. Look at individual people in your audience and feel compassion. Think about the burdens many of them are carrying in their lives. Consider the anxiety and fear that we all share as part of being human. Focus on your true purpose in speaking and performing, and remind yourself this is not about you; it’s about the information, inspiration, or enjoyment you can provide for others.

Building a Success Mindset Early

Five Tips to Last a Lifetime

1. Seek out a Mentor. Choose someone you admire who has the attitude, character and life you desire, and model your behavior after that person.
2. Hone Your Skills. Determine the most important skill necessary to be successful at your chosen endeavor and study it voraciously.
3. Know Your Product. And master it. Know everything there is to know about your chosen product or marketplace. Become the identified expert in your field.
4. Discover Personal Development. Feed your mind and spirit with positive, abundant, limitless thinking, ideas and content.
5. Associate with Success. Network, meet with and befriend other like-minded, ambitious and success-oriented people.

Taking Stock Count Your Blessings

Start your days happy with mental gratitude list. As you wake up, make a list of all the people and things you are thankful for- it could be a conversation you had with someone, the sunshine on your face, the way your dog greets you or the health of your children.

Share an appreciation dinner. Gather with friends or family for dinner and have each person share what they appreciate most about others at the table.

Pick up the phone. Is there someone in your life you have been meaning to call, but life keeps getting in the way? Pick up the phone and reconnect. Feeling connected reduces stress and improves your mood.

Share your memories. Personalize your family holiday cards by enclosing a copy of an all-but-forgotten photo. Or scan old family photos and create an e-scrapbook as a gift. Create a new heirloom by copying one of Grandma’s handwritten recipes and framing it for your loved one’s kitchens.

Review the past, create a plan for the future, live in the present. No matter your successes or failures, think about what worked and what didn’t, and don’t forget to slow down and cherish the moment.

Share-Innovate-Collaborate-VIRTUALLY

Social Networks are about experiences. Consumers now want an open environment that allows them to contribute and feel included in the marketplace. Here are five amazing tips for the social media marketer.

1. Every brand can be and should be “social” – Conversations about your brand and products are happening everywhere. You need to be part of the conversation!

2. Just get started – It doesn’t take a big budget to get started in social media marketing. In fact, much of social media marketing is human capital. Start by listening. Set up Google Alerts to look for conversations about your brand or product. Use TweetDeck and set up a brand search to monitor what is going on about your brand or product in the Twitterverse. Then participate in the conversation; just remember to be authentic, honest and transparent and you will be fine. If you take the first steps to engage in the conversation you will learn more about how your brand or product fits into the social media space and it will help guide any future programs.

3. Integrated marketing vs. social media – There is a difference between an integrated marketing campaign that includes viral components or online/offline coordination and a social media program. A marketing campaign has a short life; it is singular in desired action and is usually focused on demand generation. A social media program is a commitment to engage and communicate with consumers where the consumer wants to communicate.

4. Find your brand’s own path – What works for one brand in social media does not mean it is right for another. Remaining true to your brand promise is the best way to approach social media. Utilize your brand promise as a guiding principle across all your social media efforts. Reflect it in the content that you create, the tone that you use, and the programs that you develop.

5. Have a crisis management plan –In a world of 24×7 communications, the brands that can respond quickly to a crisis will be the brands that weather the storm. A good crisis management plan must begin with active monitoring. Judgment will need to be exercised to distinguish a customer service issue from a true crisis management situation. Once a crisis has been detected, the brand will need to respond in a matter of hours not days. A brand that is already active in social media will also carry more credibility and rally more supporters to come to the brand’s defense.

-Paula Drum

CL

* PINPOINT YOUR PASSIONS *

In a nutshell, here’s what we know: People who are passionate about what they do reach financial comfort and wealth more often than those who are not. Asking yourself these questions can help you figure out your passion.
1. If money were not an issue, what would you be doing with your life?

2. When you go to the magazine racks or the library, what do you like to read about? Alternately, what do you find yourself searching for on the Internet?

3. Think about the last few times you said to yourself: “I’d like to do that sometime.” What was “that”?

4. What do other people say you do particularly well?

5. Think back to how you felt when you were 10 or 12, and try to remember how it felt to be really excited about the possibility of doing something. What could you do today that might make you feel the same way?

6. What do you secretly dream about doing?

7. What are the things you like about what you are doing right now? (They can be small, but you have to name several of them.)

8. What do you think you do particularly well? (these things do not have to be work-related)

9. How do you feel you contribute or could contribute to society?

10. What do you want your children or friends to say about you when you’re gone?


by Jean Chatzky

CL

Turning Your Knowledge into POWER

1
Character counts
Mel Robbins says your leadership ability is determined by how you act when no one is watching. Who are you when you don't have an audience? Write down three behaviors that are less than your best. Identify what you will do to change these behaviors today.

2
Get Messy
If Patrick Lencioni had his way, business teams would spend more messy time together, just wrestling with problems. Identify your top business problem and gather up your team for some unstructured, solution brainstorming. Work solo? Gather up your mentors and do the same.

3
Model Behavior
Isabella Rossellini embraces the learning process. What are five creative way you could enhance your knowledge in your area of specialty? (Tips: Try a new mentor, find a new speaker or search for the latest book.)

4
Practice makes Talent
If you want to boost your talent, Daniel Coyle says you need deep practice. Select one skill and break it down into baby steps. Then write your plan for perfecting them one by one.

5
Priority Time
John C. Maxwell says you can't manage your time, but you can manage yourself. Does how you spend your time match up with your business priorities? If not, decide on three things to stop doing and three things to start doing that will get you focused on your top business goals/

6
Rock it out
Create a standout brand by letting it represent who you are. People approach star chef Guy Fieri and say, "Oh my gosh, you're just like you are on TV." His brand matches the messenger. Does yours? What are three things you can do to better match your behavior to your brand?

7
Expose yourself
Well, expose your business, anyway. Vizio CEO William Wang gets his message out through different methods so various people are exposed to it. Make a list of all the different media you can target, and work through your list.

8
Be the Hedgehog
Do one thing, and do it well. Jim Collins calls this the hedgehog concept. The fox keeps coming up with new ideas to eat the hedgehog, but the hedgehog defeats him by doing his one trick -- rolling into a thorny ball. What's your one thing? Now, what's your plan for doing it even better?

9
Big Doors Swing on Little Hinges
W. Clement Stone says you are what your habits make you, but you can choose to change. Write down two habits you should keep doing and two habits you need to eliminate then get started.

10
Give it Heart and Soul
Mary J. Blige says if you want better for yourself, you won't stop looking at yourself, even when it's painful. Are you reflecting on who you really are? Is there a way you need to change? Capture your answers and thoughts in a journal -- often a first step to lasting change.

Success Magazine

A Brilliant Marketing Idea

As every dedicated watcher of Mad Men knows, advertising is built on the genius of ideas. Inspiration can strike from any corner (and in every flashback). Even the greatest ideas are fleeting.

But every now and then, an idea comes along that changes the game for good. Yes, the campaign generates huge, instantaneous buzz and moves plenty of product – but it also stands the test of time, infiltrating the culture in subtle ways for decades to come.

“It doesn’t happen often,” says Bruce Vanden Bergh, advertising professor at Michigan State University, “because it takes a combination of the right people with the right skills, the right climate and luck.”

And sometimes, it takes nothing less than a breakthrough.

Selling diamonds during the Great Depression, charging more for a spirit no one can identify blindfolded, pitching a tiny car during the era of chrome and fins – all of the these campaigns made Entreprenuer’s list of 10 brilliant marketing ideas. The list spans more than 70 years – from pre-TV to the YouTube era. Just don’t get upset when you learn how you’ve been manipulated. It’s the nature of the business.

In the words of Don Draper, Mad Men’s tortured lead, “What you call love was invented by guys like me,” he says. “To sell nylons.”

‘A Diamond Is Forever’ Campaign

BACKSTORY: Diamond prices were sinking fast in 1938, so De Beers mining company enlisted ad agency N.W. Ayer & Son to help reverse the trend. A year later, it launched the “diamond is forever” campaign and brazenly promoted the idea that every marriage required the gift of bling. And plenty of it: It also invented the “two months’ salary” spending rule.

BREAKTHROUGH: A slogan that transcends the campaign. “It created sentimental meaning for the product that resonated with people,” says Michael Cody, communications professor at the University of Southern California, adding that the phrase is so entrenched that some people don’t know its commercial origins.

LEGACY: Tapping emotions. Think Nike’s “Just Do It” and Mastercard’s “Priceless.”


By: Jennifer Wang Source: Entreprenuer/February 2010

Connect Faster With Web Friends

These eight freebies will streamline interfaces, help you share photos, and use social networks more effectively. (Go to find.pcworld.com/69466 for the downloads in this section.)

Tired of Facebook’s cluttered interface and Twitter’s boring one? Sign up with Brizzly to give both services a simple, classy makeover. You can still tweet and retweet, write on walls, and do all the other core Facebook/Twitter stuff. www.brizzly.com

Everyone loves sharing photos on Facebook, but downloading shots from a friend’s album is a hassle. Facebook Photo Album Downloader, aka FacePad, is a Firefox add-on that let’s you grab entire albums (including event and group albums).

Want to make shopping online a group sport? Add a book-marklet for the beta service FriendShopper to your browser. When you see something on the Web that interests you, click the bookmarklet and save the page, share it with a friend, or do both. www.friendshopper.com

The ultrastylish Microsoft Silverlight 4 Beta Client for Facebook delivers not only usual Facebook elements but also a cool animated photo grid and a better photo-uploading tool. It’s currently a “developer preview,” so expect a few bugs.

Outlook lets you link photos to contacts. And most Facebook users have profile photos on their accounts. How shall the twain meet? Use OutSnyc, which copies photos of your Facebook friends onto matching contacts in Outlook.

Photograbber runs independently of your browser, and downloads photos tagged with your name or with the names of your friends. It’s great for rounding up snapshots that land in other people’s albums without your knowledge.

The browser-based beta Splitweet lets you tweet to one or more accounts simultaneously: read, reply to, and share updates from users you follow; and track mentions of any "brand” names you want (your company’s name, a competitor’s name, a product lind, and so on). www.splitweet.com

Don’t want to run a full-blown Twitter client (like Tweet-Deck)? The outlook add-on Twinbox brings tweets to your inbox and has a toolbar for updating your status, retweeting, sending direct messages, and performing other tasks.

Creating Daily Intentions

Change your life by setting small goals every morning.

I want to…lose 20 pounds…quit smoking…make my household green…stop stressing about things. If you’re like most people, you probably have similar aspirations-but what are you doing to make them a reality? If the same personal objectives seem to regularly appear on your list of life resolutions, don’t be too harsh with yourself. Long-term goals can be overwhelming, and without constant reminders, it’s easy to let old habits and modes of thought keep you from making progress.

Perhaps that’s why more people are discovering the power of declaring their intentions daily. The approach works on a micro level: You wake up and decide which small aspect of your life you’d like to work on that day. Instead of aiming to lose 20 pounds in one year, you might make this vow: “Today I intend to take a 30-minute walk and make healthier food choices.” Rather than trying to revamp your stressed-out personality overnight, you might say to yourself: “Today I intend to think before I react. If something causes me anxiety, I will take a walk to calm down, and then I will respond.”

To provide people with a forum to state these daily intentions, Mallika Chopra, an author of parenting books and the daughter of spiritual guide Deepak Chopar, founded intent.com. Chopra notes that posts on her site range from the practical to the lofty-from “Today I want to engage my daughter in story time to communicate my love of readings” to “I plan to find more peace and joy with my husband by making time at the end of the day for a glass of wine and some fun conversation.” After writing in, users often receive support from other site visitors, who cheer them on by sharing related thoughts and personal anecdotes.

Chopra, who beings her morning by posting a resolution, remembers a period in her life when everything-work, her marriage, the developing personalities of her children-seemed in a negative flux. “I posted my intent to ‘Stay centered in the midst of all this drama,’” she relates. “During the day, whenever I started to stress out, I would recall this intent, and it would anchor me.”

The strategy is gaining speed, and with good reason. The simple act of regularly declaring hopes for yourself can bring about real results, according to Emanuel Maidenberg, M.D., an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA. “By stating your intention to do something on a daily basis it is less likely to escape your mind,” he explains.

Announcing your ambitions online is one way to anchor them, but you can also write them in a journal, announce them to your family and friends, or perhaps just speak them aloud to God. The point, says Maidenberg, is to remind yourself of a personal goal every day. “By staying positive and open your prime yourself for change,” he says. “if you expect something positive to happen, it is more likely to do so.” Want to give it a try? Here’s a five-step plan to begin.

1. Look Inward

Start each day with a quiet time-whether that’s meditating, having coffee or tea alone in your garden, or going for a walk among the trees. Reflect on what changes would make you happy, what new approaches you’d like to try, and what small aim would ultimately lead to bigger transformations in your life.

2. Set a Specific Goal

Be as precise as possible about how and when you will try out your new behavior. If, for example, your intention is to treat your husband with a more love and kindness, choose a specific time-such as when you greet each other in the morning, when he comes home from work, or during your along time after dinner-to let him know how much you appreciate him.

3. Visualize the Change

Create a picture in your mind’s eye of the desired result, suggests Lynns McTaggart, author of The Intention Experiment, a book that focuses on the power of intentions to change live. “Imagine the change already existing in your present situation,” she advises. “As you do so, imagine the scene with as much sensory detail as you can-including the look, smell, and feel of it.”

4. Seek Support

Share your intention with others by writing it on the kitchen blackboard, posting it on Facebook, sending it via email, Tweeting it, or stating it on a site such as intent.com. “Social support is extremely important,” says Maidenberg. “If you have 50 people telling you they believe you can succeed, this will have a positive impact on your behavior. You could call it a form of peer pressure. Positive encouragement works.”

5. Create a Reminder

Can’t remember to state your intentions every day? Tie it to another daily act, such as brushing your teeth. “Make it an extension of some other habit,” Maidenberg says. “That’s the best way to effect any behavioral change.”

By Alison Singh Gee
Source: Spa Magazine May/June 2010

Planning the Vacay for Maximum Pleasure

We all count on taking a break from work and routine to maintain our mental health, but when Gutch researchers tried to measure vacations' impact on happiness, they found that the most reliable pleasure they offer occurs before you've even left home. A study of 1530 adults showed that those who took vacations during the study period reported increased happiness for about eight weeks prior to a trip, probably because of the fun of planning and the anticipation of relaxation. But upon returning from their travels, only vacationers who described their trip as "very relaxing" had any post-vacay high, and it lasted for just two weeks. People whose trips were just "relaxing," "neutral" or "stressful" garnered no happiness boost upon their return. Study author Jeroen Nawijn, a professor of Tourism Research at Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, says that based on this research it might make sense to use your vacation budget to take multiple short trips throughout the year, rather than a single long one.

Rejuvenate your spirit!

Contact The Blog Girls LA Agency @ LA Girl Secrets (310)204-2409

Now Is The Time To Reinvent Yourself

Self-Improvement: These six helpers assist you in reshaping your Life with the power of the Internet.

BudgetSketch – Budgeting – Helps you track where your hard-earned money will go – before you spend it.

www.budgetsketch.com

DailyBurn – Diet, Exercise, and Weight – Offers motivating charts and graphs for tracking your fitness regimen's progress.

www.dailyburn.com

Habitforge – Changing Habits – Provides three weeks of daily reminders and progress tracking to help you achieve your goals.

www.habitforge.com

Learn10 – Language Skills – Presents ten new foreign-language vocabulary words a day. Currently covers about 20 languages.

www.learn10.com

RunKeeper Free – Jogging – Uses your iPhone's GPS feature to track your runs on a map, and then uploads results to its Website.

www.find.pcworld.com/69490

YouTube EDU – Education – Hosts videos of lectures drom the likes of Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Yale.

www.find.pcworld.com/69489

This information is from The Magazine Success.

When one resides full time in a creative world it is more than a challenge to say what one thing inspires you the most. Blog it forward...Contact The Blog Girls LA Agency at LA Girl Secrets (310.204.2409)

The Avenue to Market You

If you want to start a blog or establish a fan page but find the process daunting, LA Girls Secrets will 

make it happen for you. The LA Blog Girls Agency offers different packages on a case by case basis. We 

are sure that one of these packages will fill your social media girl personality, and or company.