Time to Dream Bigger!

On Friday, my kids were off school and we were driving in the car when Frogurt said, "You know what I would wish for if I had 3 wishes? I'd wish for the biggest Lego set ever, (some special Pokemon card) and $1000!"
 
It is interesting how our perspective of what is possible changes. If I had 3 wishes, I'd be wishing for a lot more than $1000. But for a 7-year old boy, that's a big dream. As our experiences expand, so should our dreams.
 
I am a big promoter of dreaming big. There is a great commercial on right now for one of the lotteries that says that we wake up every morning not remembering our dreams - maybe it's because we just aren't dreaming big enough.
 
So what is your biggest dream? If there were no obstacles to stop you, what would you do? Where would you be? Who would you be with?
 
I think that as moms, especially, we learn how to "settle", to put our dreams on hold. I don't think this needs to be the case, however. I think that in pursuing our dreams, we become stronger - as women, as wives and as mothers. We set an example for our families of what it means to pursue something - and achieve it!
 
When we look longingly at what other people are doing and think "if only" or "someday" or even "must be nice....". we are short-changing ourselves. It takes no more effort to think about big dreams than it does to think about small dreams.
 
The pursuit is where the effort comes in. But, like all things, by moving in small steps each day, we get closer to achieving it. I have had the pleasure of achieving so many of my dreams. Have I reached all of them? No. Some I missed and some I am still working towards (we always need something to be working towards). But even when I have missed, I have grown as a person and stretched myself so that the next time, I am closer and it is, perhaps, a bit easier to begin.
 
What is your dream? Make it a big one! Make it worthy of your effort and your longing! You deserve to achieve it and you can make it happen. Start with one small step today to move you in the right direction. Tomorrow you will be just that much closer.

The Pain of Discipline or the Pain of Regret?

According to Jim Rohn, a master speaker and author, there are 2 major pains in life: the pain of discipline and the pain of regret.
 
There have been many days where it is well past 9:00 in the evening by the time I get around to exercising. There was a time when by that hour of the day, I would just crash on the couch and say "Maybe tomorrow."
 
There are many mornings when the alarm goes off at 6AM and my bed feels so warm and cozy that the last thing I want to do is get up and read. 
 
There are times when the phone seems to weigh a ton and I am feeling tired or down or just plain lazy and it takes effort to pick it up anyways and make the calls I need to.
 
That is the pain of discipline. I have found over the years that the momentary pain of doing what I don't want to do far outweighs the pain of regret. Choosing to let myself off the hook in that moment ultimately leads to feelings of "I should have done this. I wish I'd just done that..."
 
Once you get through the initial pain of discipline, there is great joy that comes. As much as there are mornings that I would rather sleep for another hour, I know that when I get up and spend that time preparing for my day, it pays off in so many ways. As much as I'd rather just plop down on the couch and not exercise because I'm too tired, I know that pushing through that gives me more energy in the long run. And as much as I'd rather sit there watching Oprah everyday eating bonbons, I know that the effort put into picking up the phone will move me towards my goals and give me long-term fulfillment.
 
It is a decision that we can each make today. Right now. Don't worry about what you didn't accomplish yesterday. Don't worry about the regrets of the past. Move forward. Commit to the actions needed to get you where you want to be. Realize that ultimately the pain of discipline brings with it long-lasting happiness and fulfillment. The pain of regret just brings more regret.

Look at the day ahead of you and think of one thing that you will commit to doing - one thing that you will be disciplined about no matter what. You will find that by accomplishing that one task, you will gain inner strength to do it again and more!

Dream

"So many of our dreams seem impossible, then seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable."
--Christopher Reeve

 
I don't know about you, but when I first had my babies, my life seemed to take a back seat. Everything I did was about them and for them. I was lucky if I managed to get in a shower. 
 
I have learned over the years, however, the importance of dreaming. No matter where you are at, I want to remind you to dream. When we dream, we look forward. We inspire ourselves. We continually realize our greatness. Yes, you are great! Everyone of us has something brilliant inside of us just waiting to get out.
 
But sometimes it seems easier just to let it go. Sometimes that voice inside tells us that those dreams are meant for someone else. Someone with more time, more talent, more drive and determination. Well, my friend, that is hogwash!
 
You are unique and wonderful and meant for greatness! You can pursue your dream. You can find that spark inside you and let it grow into a roaring flame!
 
It all starts with the little things. Start with a plan. Give that dream wings by figuring out what needs to happen to make it a reality. Break it down. Seek help and support. 
 
Most importantly, believe. Believe that you can achieve it and that you are worth it. Know that you are deserving and smart and resourceful.
 
Remember, that in this moment, all you have is this moment. Don't worry about yesterday - it's gone. Don't fret about tomorrow - you're not there yet. Focus on right now. What can you do in this moment to move you towards your dream? What can you do right now to help develop a plan? 
 
Take small steps. You can drive all the way across the country at night only seeing 200 meters ahead of you with your headlights. You don't need to see the end destination. Only the next step. Take that next step and each time you do, your dream will be closer and will become inevitably yours!

Leaving on a Jet Plane - How I Earn Incentive Trips

This morning I got to colour in another piece of my Costa Rica trip tracker (actually this is something I get to do on a regular basis). As of this morning, I am at 85%. That's pretty exciting for me as my goal this year is to earn Double President's Club (that means doing twice the requirements and earning an extra trip for 2).
 
As most of you know, I have been with DT for 7 years and Costa Rica will be our 6th incentive trip. I cannot stress enough how incredible these trips are. We are put up in the most incredible resorts and treated amazingly! If you want to get your husband/significant other on board, earn a trip!
 
There are a couple of keys to my success in this area. I want all of you who are reading this to realize that you can earn this trip. We have seen people join in the fall and go on to earn the trip in just a few short months. Anything is possible - which leads me to the first key to sucess:
 
1. Believe - this might sound like an oversimplification but there is a reason it is first on the list. If you look at the pictures and the emails that come out and just wish and dream and hope, you are selling yourself short. You need to believe that you can achieve it. You need to realize that you are just as deserving as anyone else to earn that trip.
 
2. Be consistent - When people ask me how I earn the trip every year, this is one of the things I always mention. I don't do anything magical; I just go to work every day. I am consistent in my efforts. 
 
3. Make it a goal - Do you have it written down? Are you tracking it? Do you know what the requirements are? If you answered "no" to any of these, I encourage you to take action. Know where you are at and where you need to be. 
 
4. Break it down - I like to equate everything into parties. Figure out what your party average is and then break it down. How many people will you sponsor each month? You can only do so much on your own but if you have 4 or 5 team members who are out doing the same thing, all of a sudden, that goal is much more attainable.
 
5.Believe again - Now that you have decided to put in the effort, written down your goal and figured out (in parties) how you're going to make it happen, take a deep breath and realize that you can do it! Make it real for yourself. When you look at the pictures, see yourself there. Hear the ocean and the music. Smell the sea air and the wonderful food. Feel the sand in your toes and the breeze in your hair. I don't know about you, but just simply typing that put a smile on my face!


 

Are You Ready for Fall?

September is here - I can hardly believe it! We are moving into our busiest season of the year. Thought I would share some tips that I have found to be helpful over the years in staying organized and making the most of this time of year.

1. Be ready for business. Have you got your fall catalogs and new fall products? Are your catalogs stamped? I like to take an evening or 2 at the beginning of the season and get ready. I get all my paperwork ready (stamped, etc) and make up my hostess packages.

2. Set some goals. One of the goals I set every fall is how many parties I want to do between now and Christmas. I make up that many hostess packages and have them in a pile. It is a great visual to watch that pile get smaller. On the flip-side, if it is staying the same, I know I need to pick up the phone!

3. Sponsor! Sponsor! Sponsor! Now is the time to talk to people about joining your team so that they too can make the most of fall.

4. Mark your calendar. Pull out your calendar and mark all of your family and personal commitments. Mark local training events and conference calls. Then circle your available party dates. Focus on booking those dates. One of the benefits of direct sales is that we get to set our own hours. Knowing when you're available will help you feel more organized and avoid double-booking yourself.

5. Meal-plan. I am a huge advocate for meal planning. There is nothing worse than going to the fridge at 5:00 to start making supper, only to discover you don't have everything you need - AND you have a party that night so time is of the utmost! By planning your meals at the beginning of the week & making one trip to the store to ensure you have everything you need, you will save yourself so much stress. Bonus idea - cook double. If you are making lasagna, make 2 and throw one in the freezer for a busy night.

6. Close your parties.This is a great way to stay organized and it is also a courtesy for our hostesses and her guests. I strongly suggest not leaving a party open more than 24 hours. Whenever possible, I close the night of the show. Let your hostess know this ahead of time so that if she wants to collect orders, she can do it before. If there are people that can't make it last minute, they can check out the website and get their orders in by the next day (keep in mind most guests are deciding that evening so giving someone a whole day is plenty of time). When shows are left open too long, guests who took the time to make it to the show are now waiting longer for their orders.

7. Work when you're working. This might sound a bit redundant but as multi-taskers, it is very easy for us to be doing several things at once at any given moment. If you are making phone calls, turn your email off. If you are reading to your kids, don't answer the phone. When you are not working, don't think about work. This is a common thing that happens - we feel like we are always working because we are always thinking about work. Learn to be in the moment and make the most of that time.

8. Take care of yourself. When we get busy, we tend to move ourselves down the priority list. It is important to look after you so that you will have the energy to look after your family. Be sure to get some exercise and proper rest. Eat well (the meal planning helps with this too!) and take time for you.