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Category: Personal Growth

Why the Need for Self-Care

Posted on by M Miller

Why Self Care is Important

     The need for self-care is important because it helps us withstand the pressures we encounter on a daily basis.  If we are not rendering care to ourselves, we are not able to manage our lives and businesses in the best possible way.  In essence at the heart of self-care is you and quite simply you deserve self-care.

What is Self-Care

  What is self-care you might ask.? It is simply taking the time to make sure you are taking care of yourself in the best possible way.  It is taking the time to nurture yourself- mind, body and spirit.  You are ministering to the whole body.  Some may think that exercise alone is self-care but that is part of it.  That takes care of some of the physical components of self-care. 

Stress is all around us and it can take a mental toll on us.  It is important to take the time to find healthy ways to manage stress.  For me that is where prayer comes in. It is a way to direct your thoughts and energy to a more peaceful and calming place. 

There are also many soothing music and background noises that can serve to assist in ushering in calm from the stresses of the day.  I recently attended a yoga class and found some useful breathing techniques. I enjoyed them so much that I have begun to use some of them throughout the day.

The Personal Benefits of Self-Care

     The personal benefit of self-care is that you become more in tune with your body.  You are able to be more fully present in your daily activities.  Your productivity increases because you have more energy, and this hopefully should impact your concentration.  This is great for those of us who operate our business because creativity is at the heart of focusing and growing our brand. The Value of a Positive Attitude

Setting up a Self-Care Routine

    Like most routines it begins with the first step.  Think about what you currently are doing to render selfcare and then plan out the steps necessarily go about making selfcare a priority.  Then set a realistic goal and how you plan to go about engaging in self-care on a regular basis.  

     Take the time to revisit how well you are doing with managing your selfcare goals.  

Don’t make it too heavy, try and keep it fun and reward yourself with special treats and pats on the back just as you would a friend.

      The importance of self-care is to in my opinion is to be good to yourself.  Many times, we can be better to others than we are to ourselves.  This should not be the case. Make sure the love and care you extend to others you extend to yourself.  This is self-care and self-love in action which is at the heart of selfcare.  It is love of self.  This is not to be confused with being selfish or self-centered but a healthy respect and honor for yourself.  

     As you renew your commitment to self care, indulge in what you enjoy that adds happiness and relaxation to your life.  Connect with family and friends that make you feel special and valued and hopefully emerge with the added benefits of what real self-care can bring to your life.  Until next week my readers continue…. Living your Dreams out Loud 

How to Reset your Wellness Plan

Posted on by M Miller

     As the warmer weather approaches, we begin to see more people out and about. They begin to walk or jog more.  The bicycles come out and we become more mindful of our weight.  It may have you wondering how to reset your wellness plan.

     It is time to do a wellness check in.  Our mental and physical health is important because if we are not well everything else stops.

     Resetting our wellness plan is a great way of checking in on our health habits.  If you are anything like me, you have placed it as a priority but somewhere along the way it begins to get lost in the busyness of our lives.  If that sounds like you then this blog post was written just for you!

Reset your Wellness Plan and Regain Control

     If you have set some health goals and expectations but somewhere along the way your plan fell apart.  Gather your plan and restart.  If you are able to see where you got off track.  That would be a great starting point and then simply map out what you need to do to regain control. Are You Managing Your Time

When you feel that you are in control that gives you the power to push forward.

     Once you have regained control, it is important to begin from where you are.  Set some daily and weekly goals for regaining control.  Below are some useful tips to assist you with how to regain control of your wellness plan.

  1. Recommit to monitoring your food intake
  2. Work into your schedule time for exercise
  3. Invest in some form of fitness tracking tools such as (smart watches or Fitbits) they are great tools for recording your movements
  4. Limit eating out if you can (you are not able to control the ingredients)
  5. Remember to take your vitamins and drink your water
  6. Do not underestimate the importance of sleep

     The above steps can serve as a great foundation to build your healthy lifestyle plan from.  It is important in wellness to try and stay as consistent as possible.  I have found that those who go hard real fast, fall off real fast.  With that being said, by setting a plan that works for you and your schedule you are more likely to enjoy your wellness journey and stay committed to it.

     The nice part about warmer weather is that it gets us out more.  It becomes easier to get that morning or evening walk in.  You can even enlist a friend to commit to walking at least 3-4 times a week with.  While we are talking about walking, keeping that water bottle nearby and drinking your water on a regular basis is also a great way to add to your wellness routine.

The Importance of Avoiding Stress as you Reset your Wellness Plan

     The role that stress plays in your wellness routine is very important.  When we are stressed, we tend to not pay attention to our fitness and well-being. Our healthy habits fall off.  Stress can lead to overeating and weight gain.  Avoiding stress if you can is very important.  If you cannot avoid stress due to your current environment and lifestyle, try different ways to manage your stress so that you are able to stay committed to your wellness plan.

Remember to Rest

     While all of the above-mentioned information is important, we cannot underestimate the need for and the importance of getting your proper rest.  Try and commit to getting at least seven hours of sleep each night.  When you are well rested, you are more productive.  The likelihood of you staying committed to the success of your wellness plan is increased.  

Making it fun

     The success of any plan hinges on enjoyment.  This includes your wellness journey.  Take advantage of the fruits and vegetables that are available this time of year.  Revamp your weekly recipes to include more vegetables and plan out as much as you can, what you are going to eat for the week.  If you plan to do well, you will.  Reset your wellness plan and try your best to stay committed. Enjoy your wellness journey and the fruits of your labor.  Until next week my readers continue to ……

Live your dreams out loud

When Life Comes at you Hard

Posted on by M Miller

     This week I am going to discuss the topic when life comes at you hard.  There is a very successful influencer married couple that blew up the internet last week, when it was discovered that one of the marriage partners (allegedly) had an affair.  Everyone and anyone who had an opinion went live to speculate, instigate and voice their opinion. It made me think about how great being in the public can be when things are going well.  People are able to see the progress and cheer you on. When things take a turn, those same people can quickly turn on you.

Social Media

     Relationships are very personal and with the internet and social media a lot is played out for the world to see.  We often can forget that these are real people with real lives. No one is perfect. It is hard enough to face a challenge in private. When it is public, it is even harder. I would imagine it becomes an even greater challenge.  Having said that, the higher you climb and the more you become someone that others look up to, you have to understand that you have an impact on those who hold you in high esteem.  You can cause others to stumble. They may even believe that there is no hope for them if you couldn’t do it.  

Oversharing

     I would like to add my personal opinion, some things are not meant to share with everybody or to make a joke of.  Meaning if you don’t set boundaries for what you will air on social media or what you will not participate in just for likes and shares. The door then becomes open to some very public and embarrassing moments.

Coping

     When life comes at you hard and you are finding it hard to cope, the best thing that you can do for yourself, and your family is to take some time for yourself and heal from the trauma. Try not to listen to the voices and advice of those who may mean well but are not in your situation.  Also, it is important not to make quick decisions that you may regret later.  When you are emotional you may not be thinking clearly.

     Please note that these are suggestions.  I am not a professional counselor and so with anything if you feel that you need to seek assistance by all means find a qualified professional that is able to provide what is needed during this time. 

Next Steps

     It is important to know that when life comes at you hard, you can and will get to the other side of the problem.  If you can surround yourself with positive people. Stay in prayer and rely on the word of God as your source of strength. Use the time to contemplate your next step. You may not be able to change the situation but you can control how you choose to navigate the situation. Navigating Transitions with Ease

     When life comes at you hard and it will, remember that you can get through this with the help of family and friends.  If you are alone, seek assistance.  Take all the time that is needed to process and navigate your way through. 

Sometimes the things we have been through places us in the best position to help someone else down the road, who is facing a similar situation.  If you are going through a situation now, it is my hope that you will emerge from the situation stronger, wiser and more resilient than ever, ready to continue …

Living your dreams out Loud 

Fundamentals of Budgeting 101

Posted on by M Miller

     We have actually reached the first quarter of the year (whew that flew by).  Hopefully everyone’s year is off to a good start.  It is always a good idea to do a financial check in.  This check in serves to make sure that you are sticking to your budget.  If you don’t have one, then you have come to the right place.  The focus of this blog post is to outline some basic budgeting essentials.  

     The first thing you will need to do is decide what method you will use to organize and track your finances.  This can be a workbook, an excel spreadsheet or even a simple notebook.  There are many choices available.  Choose whatever method works for you and is easy to stay committed to.  

Entrepreneurs

     For those who are Entrepreneurs you will need to make sure to separate business from personal expenses.  If you are not really good with spreadsheets, then you may want to invest in software such as QuickBooks. Taking this extra step would allow you to run your business more efficiently and not have to scramble at the end of the year to get everything together for tax purposes.  

      Once you have chosen your tracking tool you then need to set up a realistic budget.  This budget should take into account your total expenses and income.  It is always very important to save.  I can not overestimate the importance of allowing for saving in your budget.  All too many times people reward themselves by spending more and this overindulgence leads to that dreaded word,  Yes you guessed it DEBT.  We are not trying to do that.  The less you owe the freer you are to enjoy your life.

     We now have our tracking system in place.  We’ve accounted for our expenses and income and also set aside an amount for savings.  This is a great start for those who are new to budgeting.  This process can also be used for Entrepreneurs.  Again, make sure to keep personal funds separate from business funds.  If you have not already done so, you should have a business bank account to deposit and release funds from.  The more organized you are the better it is when it comes to staying on track with your budget. 

Money Management

     We will revisit the topic of money management throughout the year to see how well you are doing with your budget.  Just like the goal setting How to Set Personal Goals How to Make Business Goals that we did earlier this year, it is not perfect.  There will be times that you have splurged too much or forget to account for an entry in your tracking tool.  Move forward anyway and keep working the system that you put in place.

     The goal of any budget is not to punish you but to discipline you to be more successful at managing your money.  We all know people who have great jobs but have nothing to show for it because they spend, spend…and spend.  We also know people who know how to make a dollar stretch and live on less.  This is not a coincidence.  It takes practice, determination and discipline.

Recap

      So, check in on your finances.  See if you are sticking to your budget.  If yes, great.  If not, then what is stopping you from making some changes.  If you are new to budgeting, welcome and get ready.  Once you are able to see your plan come together and the role that managing your finances plays in enjoying your life and also eliminating stress you will understand that effective money management is essential to a well-balanced life. 

      The fundamentals of budgeting in your personal and business serve as your gateway to greater success and enjoyment in your life.  Until next week my readers……Continue to live your dreams out loud

The Value of a Positive Attitude

Posted on by M Miller

The Experience

     This weekend my family and I went out to a restaurant to spend some quality time together. It was a spur of the moment decision. Something we wound not normally do at that specific time of day because it was a very busy time for families dining. We decided to go with it anyway. After waiting quite a while to be seated, we then had to wait quite a while for the waiter to come to our table to take our order.  I couldn’t help but feel that maybe this was not quite a good decision to come to this restaurant.  The waiting was a bit much.

  When the waitress finally came to our table, she greeted us in the most friendly way and apologized for the wait due to the restaurant being busy.  The rest of the dining experience was still quite slow but the food and the particular waitress made all the difference.  Before leaving the restaurant, I had to let the waitress know that her kindness was very much appreciated.

Reflecting on the Experience

     On the way home, I was talking to my husband about our restaurant experience.  Usually when the restaurants are crowded and the waiters are busy, the energy and attitude is passed on to the customers.  We would then feel rushed and underserved and the whole dining experience would not be a good one, even if the food was good.  The negative energy from the environment would spoil the overall experience.

     Many times we carry our attitude with us and it can and will affect the outcome of whatever we are trying to do.  In the example I used above about the restaurant, this one worker was able to keep her energy positive in spite of the extremely busy work environment she was in. She did not let that affect her work attitude or performance and in the end she was generously tipped (lol) and represented the company in a very positive way. This showed that being positive has many advantages. It was a win-win.

The Advantages of a Positive Attitude

      The personal advantage of a positive attitude is that by being able to control your attitude when things around you may not be the best, you are able to maintain control over yourself rather than the situation controlling you.  That is amazing and not very easy to do!

     Professionally if you work with someone who has a positive attitude, it is easier to go the extra mile and lend that support because their very energy is the fuel that pushes their staff to aim higher to do their best.

     The opposite is also true, if you are around a very negative attitude, whether it be a company or direct report, that negative energy will stifle your creativity and your ability to want to do or be your best. Eventually you will soon find yourself looking for the exit door.

A Positive Attitude in Business

     For those of us who are Entrepreneurs, we must focus on the positive.  It is what will continue to allow us to thrive and grow.  We can not afford to be negative because our brand depends on it.  Everything we see becomes a useful example.  Even a family outing to a restaurant becomes an example that can be applied to your business.  

     This week as you go about your daily activities, I challenge you to look at your attitude in the situations you encounter.  Ask yourself if it is in need of adjusting, am I being positive or am I giving off a very negative vibe.  If the answer is not a good one, don’t be hard on yourself. Just look for ways you can adjust your attitude no matter how slight, it can and will make a difference not just to you but to those around you. So until next time my readers continue to ……Live your dreams out loud 

Are You Managing Your Time

Posted on by M Miller

     Every now and then it is a good idea to do a time check, to see how well you are managing your time or is your time managing you (lol).  In the past few months we have set personal goals and business goals. As we roll out our plans, the need to manage our time becomes very important.

Why Time management is Important

     Time management is important because it keeps us on top of our game.  When you are at your best you function better and you are more productive.  We all know those people who wait until the last minute to do everything.  It is almost hit or miss that they get things done and if it is done it is not their best work

     Whether you are trying to meet your personal goals or manage your business the need to manage your time is priceless.  There are some useful tools that I have that help me and that is trying to stay organized.  This can be done by using planners or to do lists. These tools are useful use to assist in planning out your daily and weekly activities. 

     It is also a good idea to make balance a way of life.  This basically means do not overschedule your activities.  Saying no can and is a good thing when it comes to keeping balance in your schedule.  When you lose control of your time, you have failed to effectively manage your time.

     I would also like to add that for those of us that are parents this is especially important. When you are signing up your children for activities remember that practice and or games are then added to your schedule.  See if you are able to share some tasks or in some cases delegate certain tasks where and when you can.

Self Care

     Although some would disagree, I believe that making sure you have time for self care is very important and that needs to be part of your time management schedule.  If you can not think of the last time that you scheduled something for just yourself that was just about you, then you are not managing your time properly.  (ouch)

Redeeming the Time

     While we can not make up for lost time because once it is gone it is gone.  We can learn better ways to correct those habits.  We all have 24 hours in a day. How we navigate that time is up to us.  Start with your morning routine and find ways to ease into your day that sets you up for success,  

Small Changes Can Make a Difference

     There are ways you can manage your time more effectively that will spill over into other areas of your day.  One example would be to wake up a little earlier and allow yourself some time before heading out the door.  I tend to function better in the morning because it is quieter and I can have my morning cup of coffee, pray and organize my daily activities before everyone is awake and the day takes off.

    Another way you can better manage your time is to prioritize what you are putting on your schedule, is it necessary, can it be put off or delegated to someone else.  The more you look at your schedule you will know where you are spending your time and how you can better serve yourself and your business by adjusting when and how much time should be allotted for what you need to do.

Balance

      I will end by saying that finding a healthy balance between what needs to get done and what can be done is tricky.  If there is no balance you will find that your life is out of control and that leads to stress. Effectively managing “Your” time is a win not only personally but professionally as well.  Until next week my readers continue…..Living your Dreams out Loud

All About Love

Posted on by M Miller
LOVE

     Well my readers, It is that time of year …..It is all about love.  The week ahead is set aside to celebrate and honor love and those we are connected to that we love.  

     The word love is used in so many ways to describe things and people we equate with love.  We sometimes overuse the word. 

Love Defined

     While there are many definitions of love. They all tend to be quite narrow or pull from one particular origin.  The best definition of love I have ever heard is from the bible.  It is quoted in many places and portions of it are used in many dictionaries.  The definition that I am referencing can be found in 1 Corinthians 13, it reads, “ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”

     This definition seems to sum up what love is and what love isn’t.  It serves as a reference check for ways to keep ourselves from offending and taking for granted those we love.  In many ways this can be how relationships start but when the offenses start happening love can fade or become non-existent.

Ways to Rekindle Love

     There are ways that you can rekindle the love in your relationship.  First try to be mindful of the other person’s feelings.  Try putting yourself in their place and try to imagine how you would feel. Then try and remember some of the things that were special in the early days of coming together and try to duplicate some of those things.  Remember you can never go back but you can go forward creating new and special memories.

Loving Yourself

     In all this talk about love, we sometimes neglect the first person that we should love and that is ourselves.  We need to focus on always trying to be the best version of ourselves in good times and in bad.  You may say that is not easy, you don’t know what I have been through in the name of love and yes you are right I don’t,   but I can tell you we all have a story some that are worse than others.  

Challenge

     I want to challenge you this Valentine’s Day to love yourself a little more.  If you are in a relationship make sure you show some extra love don;t take for granted that person.  If you are single, show yourself that extra love. Reaffirm that you are happy with who you are until that special person comes into your life.  Buy yourself something special  candy, roses and even take yourself to dinner.  This may sound strange but if you are not comfortable with your own company, how can you expect someone else to be,

 Love Memories

     I would also like to say that there are many of us, myself included, that have lost family members and loved ones and are not able to spend time with them.  If you have photos or special items take them out, laugh at the memories and may that bring you joy.

Love is Action

     Love is a noun, it is an action word.  Live each and every day full of Love and it will pour out wherever you go.  If you meet people who are negative and mean spirited, that energy pours out as well and it can leave you feeling drained and negative. It is important to walk in love.  Live a life that brings you joy and keeps you happy, when you do this you are truly,  Living your Dreams Out Loud…….Until next week my readers may you have a very special Valentine’s Day

Keeping the End in Mind

Posted on by M Miller

     Hopefully, you have enjoyed the month of January blog posts.  They have been designed to provide you with information and steps to assist in positioning you and your business for success as we begin this new year.

Revisit and Reestablish Goals

     In my opinion, the need to revisit and reestablish personal and business goals is important to having a successful year.When used correctly it serves as the navigation system for your life and business.  Use everything we have worked on for the past few weeks and tie them neatly together.

     If you need to refer to any of the steps please refer to my recent (January) blog posts.  During the course of the year we will revisit goals and determine next steps but for now get ready for the harvest!!

     You might say that was all great but now what.  Now the real work begins. 

The work of putting your plans (goals) into action. How do I do that, you may ask. You do that by organizing yourself daily and weekly.  If you need a daily to do list or set calendar reminders, please do so.  Try and use whatever methods that work best for you to keep you and your business on track.

     The benefit of setting goals is that you are in control.  The drawback is that you are in control. Which means that your dedication to achieving great results are largely based on your actions or inactions.  

     So that is why this blog is titled, Begin with the End in Mind.  It is that focus of seeing the end that will keep you going when you don’t see results.  When things don’t seem to be turning around as quickly as you like.  Keeping the end in mind provides the needed motivation to keep you anchored to your goals and determined to push through to try your best to meet them.  

Be Realistic

     Does that mean that you are guaranteed to succeed because you have set very clear personal and business goals. Absolutely not, there are always roadblocks you will encounter.  People and things will let you down.  Heck you will let yourself down but be encouraged that you have set a firm foundation for yourself and your business that you believe is in your best interest to personally and professionally lead you in the direction that you wish to go.  

     Also remember that nothing is a hard fast rule.  You set the pace and the tone.  If the goals you have set for yourself and your business seems to not be working after you have given it some time, know that you can adjust them.  Change is a necessary part of life.  So adjust when necessary. Celebrate the small victories along the way and remember to not compare your progress or journey to anyone else.  I can not over emphasize this final point. We seem to live in a time where everyone is competing with each other in an unhealthy way.  Cheer yourself on along the way and seek assistance when needed. Try and avoid the naysayers and the negativity and check in periodically on your progress.  

     It has been my great pleasure to share this information at the start of the new year with my readers and may your personal and professional goal setting journey lead you and your business to your most successful year ever.  

     Until next week my readers……Continue

Living Your Dreams out Loud

How to Set Personal Goals

Posted on by M Miller

     In my last blog post, we outlined steps that are needed to be able to set personal goals. We did this through brainstorming and organizing our thoughts.  Traditional goals involve making a list of things that seem more like just a wish list.  We will not do that, instead we will focus on what is manageable and attainable. We want to keep it realistic. We all know people who kick off the New Year with these crazy goals that they already know are just too much and then set themselves up for failure. That is not what we are doing. 

Organizing Your List

     While we are organizing our list, it can include something from last year that you have yet to complete.  Simply carry it over as a new year personal goal.  Try to keep this list short and realistic.  This week we are only focusing on personal goals because if you are not your best, anything you have set up outside of personal goals will simply not be successful. We are starting with the most important thing “You”.

     If you are having a hard time with coming up with some personal goals. Try thinking about some things that are directly tied to (you) as a person. A few good examples are having more quality personal time and taking better care of yourself.  These examples are simple.  They are realistic and they are attainable. 

Keeping it Short and Sweet

     If you keep your personal goals list short and sweet, you will be happier with the results. If we use the example that was just given, take better care of yourself. You can map out a plan to do just that by increasing or adding exercise to your weekly routine, healthier meal planning and drinking more water.  These steps are all something you have control over, and it doesn’t add a lot of pressure to you. It can be managed and adjusted to suit your personal lifestyle, 

     Hopefully, you are now getting the idea that successfully and carefully choosing your personal goals will lead to better success and that is what the intended outcome should be.

     Next week the focus will be on setting Business and Career goals.  For this week just work on completing your personal goals which should also include ways/steps that you can take in order to achieve those goals.   Again, I would recommend keeping your personal goals list as short as possible.

Two to three goals in my opinion are perfect for a great start to the New Year. You will see that you can add to the list, if need be, as the year progresses and adjust as you see fit but for the benefit of being successful and having a strong start, I would begin with the most important.

Setting Priorities

     Again, remember to keep your personal goals list short and sweet.  They should be realistic and attainable and if you need to use the examples in this blog feel free to add this to your personal list. Remember your personal goals are about you and there is no better time than a New Year to refocus and make yourself a priority.  It sets the tone for the year ahead and your ability to drive the focus of the New Year towards meeting those personal goals.

     This is a side note but one worth adding as we are entering a new year and setting our personal goals.  This week a well known athlete Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills Safety suffered a heart attack on the field.  It was an accident. We were all devastated when we heard and saw what happened but through much prayer and an excellent team of medical staff on and off the field, we all witnessed a miracle!  This is what hope looks like and it makes you know that anything is possible!!!    

     So as you plan your personal goals know that anything is possible ….. until next week my readers 

….Continue to live your dreams out loud