Author's Purpose |

June 3, 2011

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How Can You Write Dynamic Web Content for Your Home Business?

How can you write dynamic web content for your home business?

How Can You Write Dynamic Web Content for Your Home Business?That question never occurred to Rose and John when they decided to  set up a website to sell hybrid e-bike conversion kits.

After all, Rose was a good writer. And John knew everything there was to know about converting a regular bicycle into a hybrid with motorization.

It looked like a match made in heaven!

And it might turn out to be the perfect solution if John were let go from his job, a distinct possibility with all the downsizing going on. Sure, the company would offer him a severance package – he’d see them offer that to other engineers – but the severance money would run out, and he would need a new source of income.

And at his age, the job market didn’t look promising.

So he and Rose got busy creating a site. Someone advised them to set up a blog instead of a static site so that visitors to the site could leave comments and ask questions John could answer.

John found a bike conversion kit manufacturer with an affiliate program and signed up to make commissions on sales. With some help from their grandson, he and Rose put up a sales page and a Paypal button.

John wrote the posts, and Rose edited them. They used a free theme that allowed them to put photos up, and posted twice a week.

It didn’t take long to see that their dynamic web content was not doing the job. They weren’t impatient, mind you – they had heard that it takes time, so the fact that there weren’t any sales the first month didn’t bother them.

The second month went by, and still no sales. No comments or questions, even.

By the end of the fourth month, with his continuing employment prospects at his company looking ever bleaker, John grew concerned. They were going to have to do something to attract more people to the site and to make sure that a significant percentage of those who did visit it saw the value in buying the kits.

Now when John sat down to write, he felt conflicted. He knew he didn’t know how to create effective web copy, and Rose didn’t know enough about the Internet to help.

What could they do that would make a difference?

Rose and John talked it over, and Rose agreed to enroll in an Internet marketing course.

Here are some of the things she learned that ended up making a big difference for them. They can make a difference for you, too:

  • Your web publishing content has to catch the attention of both your target market and the search engines.
  • Of these, the primary audience is the real live person who has a perceived NEED, a PROBLEM you can solve.
  • Your first challenge is to figure out what problems or needs your product or service can resolve.
  • The next step is to attract visitors to your site by putting yourself so firmly in their shoes that you know what words they will type into the search engines to find your solution to their problem.
  • Next, you must write dynamic web content that gets them to stay on your site long enough to know that you understand their need, that you have the solution, and that you will treat them right.

John had been writing blog posts about the joy of biking and how to convert a bike to a hybrid. He was thinking like a biking enthusiast.

As a result of what Rose was learning at school, he and Rose began thinking instead from the point of view of a person who had a problem a bicycle conversion kit could solve

Why would anyone want such a kit? That was the question, Rose’s teacher said. There were a variety of possibilities.

John’s problem had been back pain that kept him from riding his bike. Someone else might just be looking for exercise that was not too tasking. Or to avoid traffic jams on trips to the market. Or to save money on gas.

These were approaches to reaching his market that he would never have thought of had he not started thinking like his prospective customers.

Okay, so that’s how you get the people. Now, what about the search engines?

  • Find words or phrases (keywords) that your audience frequently types in and for which competition from other sites is relatively low.
  • Fortunately, there are tools you can use to help you with this. WordTracker is one. Market Samurai is another. Both are well respected. Expect a bit of a learning curve with whichever one you choose. (These are paid tools, but they’re not overly expensive. You can use Google for free, but it tends to be considerably less accurate.)

Once he started addressing the problems people had, using the keywords they would type into the search engines to find their solutions, John was happy to see the number of visitors to his site increase considerably. He began giving them reasons to come back, and sales happened. Like magic!

By the way, John still has his job. And he and Rose are feeling a lot easier about the future, no matter what happens there.

For You: Are you writing content for your web site, articles, or a book?

Enter your email address in the yellow box at the top of the sidebar on this page and I will send you a free gift to help you create a simple ebook to support your business.

And click here: Write the Lead Out for seven professional secrets that will lighten up your writing and keep your reader’s eyes glued to your page from start to finish.

Hint: This little ebook is especially valuable if you’ve already written your copy. As Samuel Clemens often said, “There is no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting!”

NOTE: In over 25 years of helping people with their books, my clients have voiced the same issues time and again. Many of my blog posts are composites of their stories to assist you in the realization of YOUR dream of writing your way to prosperity!

Chiwah Carol Slater, MA
Ambassador of Author’s Purpose
Founder, Write Your Way to Prosperity
Founder, Word Weaver 4 U
WriteYourWaytoProsperity.com
WordWeaver4U.com


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How Can You Write Dynamic Web Content for Your Home Business?

Author's Purpose |

June 2, 2011

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Do These Inspirational Sayings from Oprah Winfrey Ring True for You?

Driving down the road on his way to town, Quentin was looking forward to spending a few hours relaxing before his afternoon appointment. His sights were set on breakfast in his favorite cafe while he took his time reading the newspaper.

See How Those Inspirational Sayings from Oprah Winfrey Ring True?

It started to rain, and he switched on the windshield wipers.

Turning a corner, he caught sight of a human form, a woman walking tall in the rain. He was surprised to note that she had not umbrella. He turned to look at her as he passed, and she waved at him.

Intrigued, he turned the car around and came back to where she stood. “Like a ride?” he called out, motioning for her to get into the car.

She laughed and opened the door. “I’m all wet, don’t think you want me in your car,” she said. She looked like she might be in her early sixties, standing there with her hair dripping and her clothing sodden.

Quentin reached into the back seat for a blanket he spread over the seat. “Here, get in,” he invited. “What are you doing out there in the rain, and with no umbrella?”

“Didn’t expect rain when I set out walking,” she said. “Thanks for the ride.”

“You’re welcome.” He pulled away from the curb. “Where are you headed?”

“Nowhere in particular. I just like to walk. Don’t get to most days, I take care of three little boys while their mama cleans houses. But today’s her day off, and she got her pay, so they’re all having a holiday at the ice cream store. So today’s my day to walk. But then it started raining.”

She took a little notebook out of her bag. “I like to read these inspirational sayings from Oprah Winfrey while I walk,” she said. “Can I read you one? There’s one here that fits my mood today.”

“Sure, I’m all ears.”

She thumbed through her notebook looking for the page she had in mind. “Here it is: ‘Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.’ Yep, that’s how I found you. I was prepared, out here walking in the rain, for something good to happen, and then you come along. You were my opportunity. I didn’t have to do anything to get you to stop, just be out walking in the rain.”

“With a big smile on your face.”

“Of course! You wouldn’t have picked my up if I hadn’t smiled and waved, would you?”

He thought about that. “No, probably not. It was just so incongruous, this woman drenched to the skin, smiling and waving as I whizzed by. I had to stop.”

“See? Preparation, meeting opportunity.”

“Well, I was headed out to breakfast. Can I buy you breakfast?”

“Oh, yes!” she exclaimed. “And that brings me to another one of these inspirational sayings from Oprah Winfrey. This is my lucky day. Get this: ‘My idea of heaven is a great big baked potato and someone to share it with.’ So, what do you think of that?”

He laughed. “Do you have a big baked potato in your purse that you’re going to share with me?”

“No, but you’re going to buy me breakfast, and I’m going to keep a little of it and share it with my little boys and their mama this afternoon. Who knows, maybe I will order a baked potato.”

Quentin drove on, and in the course of her conversation she explained that she had been homeless since her husband had lost his job in 2008 and they had lost their home and run through all their savings. Then her husband had caught pneumonia and died, and she’d been left alone.

“How can you smile, after all that?” Quentin asked, incredulous.

“They say if it don’t kill you, life makes you stronger,” she declared with a decided nod of her head. “It killed James, but it’s made me stronger.” She reached for her notebook.

“Another one of those inspirational sayings from Oprah Winfrey?” Quentin asked.

“Yep. Oprah said, ‘Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.’ Lord knows, I have had struggle. And it has made me strong.”

“But where do you sleep?”

“Where we can. In a shelter sometimes, especially with the boys. They make it a little easier for their mama to get in, and usually I can tag along. But sometimes there is no shelter.”

“Isn’t it tough on you, being out on the street? And what about the little boys? Don’t they need a home?”

“Sure they need a home,” she said. “But those boys are growing up strong. Their mama works hard, gives them everything she can, but they’re having to learn to fend for themselves, too. You watch. One of these days they will be driving a big car like this, and taking good care of her. They will find their way, I know they will.”

They pulled up to the cafe where Quentin had planned to have breakfast, and went in to eat. After their meal he drove her uptown to meet the boys and their mother, and as she got out of the car he felt inspired and reached into his wallet for a hundred dollar bill.

“Thank you,” she said, tucking it into her bag. “See what Oprah said, about preparation meeting opportunity? You are a good young man. You listen to your heart.”

She got out, and he drove off.

When he got home that evening Quentin spied something on the floor of the car, in front of the passenger seat. Reaching down to pick it up, he realized it was the little notebook that belonged to the lady he’d picked up this morning. She must have dropped it there by accident.

He opened the notebook, filled with sayings from Oprah Winfrey, and read the one staring him in the face: “Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.”

He chuckled. That was exactly what he had done. He had followed his instincts and met an elder who had brought sunshine into his day.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own lives that we don’t notice opportunities to give even a generous glance to another person.

A simple act of kindness can go a long way to brightening your own day as it brightens the day of the person you were being kind to. Why not take a moment today to do something nice for someone, especially someone you don’t even know?

It brings sunshine into my day to offer you a little gift. If you will fill in your email address in the yellow box at the top of the sidebar, I will happily send you a free gift to help you get in touch with the story within you that’s crying to get out and into a book.

And here’s another gift to take your inspiration even further: The 21-Day “I AM a Gift to the World” Challenge, compliments of Chief Robert TallTree and Terri Lynn TallTree. The Challenge is non-religious, heart opening, absolutely free, and guaranteed to light up your life and make the world a better place.

NOTE: In over 25 years of helping people with their books, my clients have voiced the same issues time and again. Many of my blog posts are composites of their stories to assist you in the realization of YOUR dream of writing your way to prosperity!

Chiwah Carol Slater, MA
Ambassador of Author’s Purpose
Founder, Write Your Way to Prosperity
Founder, Word Weaver 4 U
WriteYourWaytoProsperity.com
WordWeaver4U.com

 

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Do These Inspirational Sayings from Oprah Winfrey Ring True for You?

Author's Purpose |

June 2, 2011

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Do These Inspirational Sayings from Oprah Winfrey Ring True for You?

Driving down the road on his way to town, Quentin was looking forward to spending a few hours relaxing before his afternoon appointment. His sights were set on breakfast in his favorite cafe while he took his time reading the newspaper.

See How Those Inspirational Sayings from Oprah Winfrey Ring True?

It started to rain, and he switched on the windshield wipers.

Turning a corner, he caught sight of a human form, a woman walking tall in the rain. He was surprised to note that she had not umbrella. He turned to look at her as he passed, and she waved at him.

Intrigued, he turned the car around and came back to where she stood. “Like a ride?” he called out, motioning for her to get into the car.

She laughed and opened the door. “I’m all wet, don’t think you want me in your car,” she said. She looked like she might be in her early sixties, standing there with her hair dripping and her clothing sodden.

Quentin reached into the back seat for a blanket he spread over the seat. “Here, get in,” he invited. “What are you doing out there in the rain, and with no umbrella?”

“Didn’t expect rain when I set out walking,” she said. “Thanks for the ride.”

“You’re welcome.” He pulled away from the curb. “Where are you headed?”

“Nowhere in particular. I just like to walk. Don’t get to most days, I take care of three little boys while their mama cleans houses. But today’s her day off, and she got her pay, so they’re all having a holiday at the ice cream store. So today’s my day to walk. But then it started raining.”

She took a little notebook out of her bag. “I like to read these inspirational sayings from Oprah Winfrey while I walk,” she said. “Can I read you one? There’s one here that fits my mood today.”

“Sure, I’m all ears.”

She thumbed through her notebook looking for the page she had in mind. “Here it is: ‘Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.’ Yep, that’s how I found you. I was prepared, out here walking in the rain, for something good to happen, and then you come along. You were my opportunity. I didn’t have to do anything to get you to stop, just be out walking in the rain.”

“With a big smile on your face.”

“Of course! You wouldn’t have picked my up if I hadn’t smiled and waved, would you?”

He thought about that. “No, probably not. It was just so incongruous, this woman drenched to the skin, smiling and waving as I whizzed by. I had to stop.”

“See? Preparation, meeting opportunity.”

“Well, I was headed out to breakfast. Can I buy you breakfast?”

“Oh, yes!” she exclaimed. “And that brings me to another one of these inspirational sayings from Oprah Winfrey. This is my lucky day. Get this: ‘My idea of heaven is a great big baked potato and someone to share it with.’ So, what do you think of that?”

He laughed. “Do you have a big baked potato in your purse that you’re going to share with me?”

“No, but you’re going to buy me breakfast, and I’m going to keep a little of it and share it with my little boys and their mama this afternoon. Who knows, maybe I will order a baked potato.”

Quentin drove on, and in the course of her conversation she explained that she had been homeless since her husband had lost his job in 2008 and they had lost their home and run through all their savings. Then her husband had caught pneumonia and died, and she’d been left alone.

“How can you smile, after all that?” Quentin asked, incredulous.

“They say if it don’t kill you, life makes you stronger,” she declared with a decided nod of her head. “It killed James, but it’s made me stronger.” She reached for her notebook.

“Another one of those inspirational sayings from Oprah Winfrey?” Quentin asked.

“Yep. Oprah said, ‘Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.’ Lord knows, I have had struggle. And it has made me strong.”

“But where do you sleep?”

“Where we can. In a shelter sometimes, especially with the boys. They make it a little easier for their mama to get in, and usually I can tag along. But sometimes there is no shelter.”

“Isn’t it tough on you, being out on the street? And what about the little boys? Don’t they need a home?”

“Sure they need a home,” she said. “But those boys are growing up strong. Their mama works hard, gives them everything she can, but they’re having to learn to fend for themselves, too. You watch. One of these days they will be driving a big car like this, and taking good care of her. They will find their way, I know they will.”

They pulled up to the cafe where Quentin had planned to have breakfast, and went in to eat. After their meal he drove her uptown to meet the boys and their mother, and as she got out of the car he felt inspired and reached into his wallet for a hundred dollar bill.

“Thank you,” she said, tucking it into her bag. “See what Oprah said, about preparation meeting opportunity? You are a good young man. You listen to your heart.”

She got out, and he drove off.

When he got home that evening Quentin spied something on the floor of the car, in front of the passenger seat. Reaching down to pick it up, he realized it was the little notebook that belonged to the lady he’d picked up this morning. She must have dropped it there by accident.

He opened the notebook, filled with sayings from Oprah Winfrey, and read the one staring him in the face: “Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.”

He chuckled. That was exactly what he had done. He had followed his instincts and met an elder who had brought sunshine into his day.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own lives that we don’t notice opportunities to give even a generous glance to another person.

A simple act of kindness can go a long way to brightening your own day as it brightens the day of the person you were being kind to. Why not take a moment today to do something nice for someone, especially someone you don’t even know?

It brings sunshine into my day to offer you a little gift. If you will fill in your email address in the yellow box at the top of the sidebar, I will happily send you a free gift to help you get in touch with the story within you that’s crying to get out and into a book.

And here’s another gift to take your inspiration even further: The 21-Day “I AM a Gift to the World” Challenge, compliments of Chief Robert TallTree and Terri Lynn TallTree. The Challenge is non-religious, heart opening, absolutely free, and guaranteed to light up your life and make the world a better place.

NOTE: In over 25 years of helping people with their books, my clients have voiced the same issues time and again. Many of my blog posts are composites of their stories to assist you in the realization of YOUR dream of writing your way to prosperity!

Chiwah Carol Slater, MA
Ambassador of Author’s Purpose
Founder, Write Your Way to Prosperity
Founder, Word Weaver 4 U
WriteYourWaytoProsperity.com
WordWeaver4U.com

 

 

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Originally posted here:
Do These Inspirational Sayings from Oprah Winfrey Ring True for You?

Author's Purpose |

May 30, 2011

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Can Changing Your Mind Serve You Better Than Stress Relief Products?

Can Changing Your Mind Serve You Better Than Stress Relief Products?

Can Changing Your Mind Serve You Better Than Stress Relief Products? Geri was having a rotten day. She was way too caught up in her mind to see a way out of her misery.

An investment she’d had high hopes for had taken a rough tumble this week. She’d been so sure it was a safe bet, especially with the steady growth it had been showing. After the beating she’d sustained in the market crash last year, she couldn’t afford a new loss.

This was the investment she was pinning her retirement hopes on.

She was approaching retirement age, and things weren’t looking good. Her music school kept her busy and provided for her living expenses, but it wasn’t likely to provide much in the way of residuals after she closed the doors.

As if that weren’t enough of a worry, her younger sister had called this morning looking for a loan. This was no time for her to be lending money, she’d had to explain. NO? That wasn’t the answer her sister wanted to hear, and the phone call had ended on a sour note.

NOW WHAT?

Geri’s mind flashed her a mental picture of an older version of herself, living in her car without any family to comfort her! Well, she would have her violin. She winced at the thought of standing on a street corner, playing for tips.

By evening she had worked herself into a state of mental anguish and physical pain. Stiff neck, headache, achy body. When even a warm bath didn’t soothe her pain, she reached into the medicine cabinet for one of the stress relief products she kept there. Empty bottle. No!

Okay, she’d use a heating pad on her upper back and neck.

Like Geri, we all have rough spots in our lives. Many a baby boomer is feeling the anguish of financial loss right now, of facing a retirement with uncertain prospects. Stress relief products, a heating pad and light exercise can all help relieve the pain.

But is there a way to keep from throwing yourself into distress in the first place?

  • The best thing you can do when worries about your financial situation (or anything else, for that matter) begin to take over your reality is switch your frame of mind. Perspective is everything. I recommend physical activity to change your focus. Moving your body will free you up to shift your mindset.
  • Once you’ve managed to dislodge your mind from its stuckness, feed it positive messages. Start telling it what you want it to hear – messages about living the life you choose to design for yourself. Imagine yourself living in the locale of your dreams, surrounded by wonderful friends, doing what brings you joy.
  • Get into it! Feel what it’s like. BE THERE NOW, in your mind. See it, hear the sounds you would hear, feel the good feelings. Smell the air! Taste the sweetness.
  • Write it out, in present tense: I AM enjoying living (however you want to live). Hang it on your wall. Read it out loud whenever you feel down, so your mind will hear those words in the voice it’s most likely to believe – your voice.

Will you be telling yourself a lie? No. This is an AS-IF. I call it pre-tending. It’s what kids do. Let yourself be a kid for a while. It’s what athletes do that sharpens their game. It what champion chess players do. It’s what successful business strategists do.

YOU can do it, too.

The key is to GET EMOTIONAL about it. Feel the greatness! Sing it out! Love it. You’ll feel a lot better than if you’d reached for those stress relief products.

The best part is, pre-tending the reality of your choice will program your mind to draw opportunities to you that will allow you to improve your situation!

Thanks to the influence of new thought celebrities like Marianne Williamson, Oprah Winfrey and Wayne Dyer, there are more people every day who can grasp the truth of what I’m saying here.

Putting it into action is another matter. It’s easy, and fun, but few people have the self-discipline to go inside and DO THE PRE-TENDING that will change their internal programming.

In the words of Marianne Williamson, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

For a smooth and easy entry into the experience of how pre-tending can change your life, I recommend The 21-Day “I AM a Gift to the World” Challenge, compliments of Chief Robert and Terri Lynn TallTree. This delightful package will introduce you to the potential you carry within you and how you can ignite it to live all aspects of your life on purpose.

If you have enjoyed this post and would like to read more like it, you will want to subscribe to the rss feed near the top of the sidebar to the right of this post.

NOTE: In over 25 years of helping people with their books, my clients have voiced the same issues time and again. Many of my blog posts are composites of their stories to assist you in the realization of YOUR dream of writing your way to prosperity!

Chiwah Carol Slater, MA
Ambassador of Author’s Purpose
Founder, Write Your Way to Prosperity
Founder, Word Weaver 4 U
WriteYourWaytoProsperity.com
WordWeaver4U.com

 

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See the original post:
Can Changing Your Mind Serve You Better Than Stress Relief Products?

Author's Purpose |

May 26, 2011

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Can Short Inspirational Poems Bring Magic Into Your Life?

Can short inspirational poems bring magic into your life?

Can Short Inspirational Poems Bring Magic Into Your Life?You bet they can.  How about this one from Samuel Taylor Coleridge?

What If You Slept?

What if you slept… And what if… In your sleep… You dreamed…

And what if… In your dream… You went to Heaven,

And there plucked a strange and beautiful flower…

And what if… When you awoke… You had the flower in your hand…

Ah, what then?


Thank you, Mr. Coleridge, for this wonderful example of how short inspirational poems can opens the door to more magic in our lives.

I’ve had magical experiences in my life, and I know you’ve had them in yours.

Sometimes we don’t even remember them. They tended to happen more often when we were younger, when we didn’t know about the impossible.

But the more we allow the magic in, even as adults, the more we can have of those inspirational moments in our adult life as well.

Let me tell you about something that happened to me in San Diego County, California. I was out hiking one day. As I walked along a mountain trail I looked down, and there I saw a bluebird feather. I bent down to pick it up, and continued on up the trail to the top of the hill with the feather in my hand. I kept turning it over in the sunlight, admiring it. It was so beautiful!

I arrived at last at the top of the hill, where I found a big flat rock at the edge of a little pool of water. It was a warm day, and I was tired. I lay down on the rock, stretched out with the sun shining full on me, laid that little bluebird feather down next to my hand, and dozed off.

When I awoke and reached out for the bluebird feather, it wasn’t there. However, in its place were TWO bluebird feathers, hooked together!

This couldn’t be. It was impossible.

And yet, I know it happened. I still have those two bluebird feathers! I saved them as a memento of that experience. Sometimes, if we have a memento of a magical experience we will actually allow ourselves to know that it was REAL.

In the absence of tangible evidence, the brain tends to dismiss these magical occurrences. There’s no drawer for them in the file cabinet of Western reality. I might have told a friend about it, and shared a good laugh. “Oh, that couldn’t have happened, it’s not possible,” we would say. Pow! Dismissed.

But that little bit of magic really happened. I still have the evidence.

Would you like to experience more magic in YOUR life? What if you were to stop filtering the incredible, unbelievable experiences out of your conscious awareness?

One way to make that more likely would be to deliberately tune into short inspirational poems on a regular basis. In the morning, in the afternoon, whenever you need a lift.

The filtering happens because we were fed a story about what is and is not real, and, being impressionable, we bought that story. The great thing is that today, quantum physics is making it obvious (to all who are ready to see) that reality is not “out there” at all, but “in here”!!

Quantum physics shows us that reality materializes when expectation meets potential. In other words, we create our reality by what we imagine to be possible. Not just you and I, though we are part of it, but the collective consciousness of all humanity, taken together.

And so… I invite you to allow more magic into your life. To that end, I offer you two free gifts:

The first free gift will help you open to the magic of getting your heart story out and into a book you can share with others. To receive this gift, either put your email address in the yellow box at the top of the right sidebar or click on the orange chicklet under it to subscribe in a reader.

The second free gift is The 21-Day “I AM a Gift to the World” Challenge, compliments of my friends Robert and Terry TallTree. The 21-day challenge will give you a wonderful experience of opening to the deeper aspects of who you are and to what is possible in your life.  To receive this gift, go to writeyourwaytoprosperity.com/21challenge.

Quantum physics tells us that a change in the spin pattern of an electron in one place on the earth is always accompanied by an equal change in the spin pattern of a paired electron in a faraway location.

I choose to let that mean that by opening to more magic in our lives, we are helping all humanity to open to greater magic.

And that has to be a good thing, don’t you think?

Chiwah Carol Slater, MA
Ambassador of Author’s Purpose
Founder, Write Your Way to Prosperity
Founder, Word Weaver 4 U
WriteYourWaytoProsperity.com
WordWeaver4U.com

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Can Short Inspirational Poems Bring Magic Into Your Life?

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May 25, 2011

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Are You Living Up To Your Definition of Prosperity?

Is your definition of prosperity making you happy?

Are You Living Up To Your Definition of Prosperity?That’s the question Quentin was mulling over as he drove down the freeway on his way to his client’s home.

Actually, the question had been lurking in the back of his mind for days. What had triggered it? Ah yes, his friend Tom’s comment about personal responsibility a few days earlier.

“What are you investing in?” Tom had asked.

“Diversified portfolio,” Quentin had responded, hedging.

“Yeah, me too. But I’m bothered by this all-consuming fear of putting my money where my heart is. As far as I’m concerned, that IS the definition of prosperity. I’ll know I’m truly prosperous when I feel free to invest in stocks that do good for the planet. As it is, I’m just a puppet on a string, doing whatever the market – and my broker – dictate.”

Now, in the privacy of his own car, Quentin let the question float back into the forefront of his mind. Hmmm… putting your money where your heart is. Was he doing that? Not really. His tendency to go for safety meant that his investments were always pretty conservative.

Just like Dad, he mused. Real estate and fine art. A few years ago he had added an annuity. Not bad so far. At 23% a year, he wasn’t complaining. Plus, there were his oil futures and the biotech stocks. No-brainers, those. But what would he invest in if he followed his heart?

Sure, he loved the art, and he’d grown up in that market. Still, there was that nagging emptiness he felt in his gut, that tug to do something more… relevant.

Some kind of eco-green thing, perhaps? Or charter schools working to make a positive difference in the educational system? Or… who knew? He had heard of some guy making loans to help third-world women start their own businesses. Maybe there were investment opportunities of that sort available.

Tom’s remark had certainly taken him out of his comfort zone about investing. What if those alternative investments turned out to be risky? Had they been around long enough to stand the test of time? He wouldn’t want to be throwing his money down the tubes.

No, I’m better off sticking with the tried and true. Why rock the boat?

But the thought of putting his money where his heart was had taken root in his mind and would not leave him alone. Maybe Tom was right. Maybe feeling free to do that was the real definition of prosperity. It bothered him to think of himself as limited by what he finally had to admit was the one emotion that had always gotten the best of him: FEAR. Fear of losing everything he’d worked so hard to establish, everything his father had worked his whole life for.

Oh, it wasn’t a palpable fear. No, it wasn’t a fear he normally felt at all. But it was there, bubbling below the surface. He could feel it now, now that the challenge had been laid out.

In the weeks that followed, Quentin toyed with the idea of changing his investment strategy. He talked with a couple of other friends about it, and even mentioned it to his agent. “Stay the course,” they urged him. “No sense in sticking your neck out.”

Am I a man, or a mouse? he asked himself. A bit of a mouse, he had to admit.

That wouldn’t do. He would not have fear running his life.

***

As far as I know, Quentin is still caught on the horns of this dilemma. Which way to go? With his head, or with his heart? What would YOU advise?

Here are some things to consider:

  • It is important to make balanced decisions. If you and/or your forebears have worked hard to amass the capital for your investments, it would not be wise to jeopardize it.
  • The eco-investment market is expanding rapidly, offering a broad range of possibilities for investments that can make a difference in the future of the world.
  • If you choose your investments with care to assure reliability over the long term, rather than jumping on the latest green bandwagon, you can probably do quite well.
  • More and more companies are finding ways to make a profit boosting third-world economies and investing in causes like educational reform. Again, look before you leap to be sure that you will be contributing to the solution and not seeding new problems. (There is a wealth of information on the Internet as to the pros and cons of this sort of investment.)

If you are vacillating as to whether to follow your head or your heart with respect to the future of your investment strategy (or anything else, for that matter), it is important to realize that although the above bulleted points are valid and vital considerations, the key question underlying your dilemma (and Quentin’s) has to do with whether you are living up to your definition of prosperity.

Your fear of putting your money where your heart is could be a sign that you need to examine some underlying beliefs.

Ask yourself: Do you trust yourself enough to look beyond your broker’s recommendations and make the kinds of investments that feed your soul? What is the worst thing that could happen? How likely is that? Where do you place your trust, in you or someone else? Or in Something Greater?

Questions like these speak to core beliefs concerning what is most important in life. Most of us never get around to examining the conditioning we accepted growing up to make truly emancipated decisions regarding the central issues in our lives.

Whether your  dilemma involves the fear of making a wrong decision in investing, in relationship, in your health, in caring for your parents, or anything else, you have an opportunity at each and every moment to check in with your inner knowing.

If only you knew how.

If making heart-informed decisions sounds like something you would like to know how to do, I commend you to the teachings of Terri and Robert TallTree.

Known to their friends as ‘The Trees’, Terri and Robert call on a wealth of information they have been sharing with groups and individuals around the world for over twenty years… their investment in making the difference only they can make on this planet.

There is a difference only you can make. But to make that difference, you must know yourself well enough to stop vacillating when things look a little unsure. It’s all about living on purpose.

To make the difference you came here to make, you first must make the decision to BE that difference. It’s not hard. In fact, once you know how, it’s the simplest thing you’ve ever done.

And you can get started today, for free. It won’t even take much of your time.

Click the link on the line below for

The 21-Day “I AM a Gift to the World” Challenge .

Or you can copy and paste this address into your browser:

http://writeyourwaytoprosperity.com/21challenge .

 

NOTE: In over 25 years of helping people with their books, my clients have voiced the same issues time and again. Many of my blog posts are composites of their stories to assist you in the realization of YOUR dream of writing your way to prosperity!

Chiwah Carol Slater, MA
Ambassador of Author’s Purpose
Founder, Write Your Way to Prosperity
Founder, Word Weaver 4 U
WriteYourWaytoProsperity.com
WordWeaver4U.com

 

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Are You Living Up To Your Definition of Prosperity?

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May 20, 2011

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Short Inspirational Poems: Food for Thought?


Short Inspirational Poems: Food for Thought?It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.

I want to know what you ache for,

And if you dare to dream of meeting

Your heart’s longing.

– from The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Short inspirational poems like this one can really make you think. You have probably seen this one before.

Really, the only reason it’s short is that I decided to excerpt just the first verse.

I love this verse because it throws down the gauntlet. How willing are you to dream of meeting your heart’s longing? Is it something you gave up in childhood? Do you even remember what you dreamt of then?

If you have a moment you can spare, you might give that some thought. What were you going to be when you grew up? Have you fulfilled that dream? If not, there may still be a part of you, deep inside, that longs for it.

Talking to that part of yourself may bring tears to your eyes. That’s a good thing. If it doesn’t, it could be that you have truly outgrown that dream. OR, it could be that you’ve allowed it to be buried under the pile of musts and can’ts and shoulds that have become the fabric of a life that hasn’t yet expressed its potential.

The realization that you have not yet fulfilled your dream can bring up feelings of regret. If it does, I invite you to reframe your experience to allow for expansion. Let it be cause for rejoicing instead. For now, from the vantage point of your adult self, you can choose to stand in the truth of that dream, cross that bridge, and build it.

Or not.

Either way, let it be a conscious choice.

You may have short inspirational poems you love, poems that inspire you to turn mountains into molehills. Poems that make you think big, that give you the confidence to step out into the full light of day as your true self, camouflaging nothing.

If you have a poem like that, I invite you to share it in the comments box below. Scroll way down until you come to it, and type in your poem or quote or thought to give someone else a lift. That way, you both benefit.

If you enjoy the short inspirational poems you find here on this site and hunger for deeper inspiration in every aspect of your life, check out  The 21-Day “I AM a Gift to the World” Challenge.

There you will be led on a brilliant journey into the hidden treasures of your soul. The Challenge is FREE, a gift straight from the hearts of Chief Robert Talltree and Terri TallTree.

Chiwah Carol Slater, M.A.
Ambassador of Author’s Purpose
Founder, Write Your Way to Prosperity
WriteYourWaytoProsperity.com
Founder, Word Weaver 4 U
WordWeaver4U.com


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Short Inspirational Poems: Food for Thought?

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May 18, 2011

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Looking for New Ways to Manifest Money?

Looking for new ways to manifest money?

Looking for New Ways to Manifest Money?With her husband in danger of losing his job, Rose is anxious. She and her husband are scrambling for new ways to bring in income.

Looking around her community and online, she sees a number of opportunities worth looking into:

• A friend has invited her to a weekend currency trading seminar.

• Her husband has suggested they get involved with a network marketing company.

• She could check out part-time teaching openings at local universities.

• And… there’s a casino in town with a tantalizing array of winning opportunities….

Rose realizes that that last option would be foolhardy.

The currency trading course looked interesting, so they attended an introductory seminar. The presenter’s system seems simple, and workable enough that it might be something they could do.

The down side to that would be that they would need to do “paper trading” for at least six months before they’d be ready to trade real money. So that wouldn’t be a quick fix. Nor would it be certain to manifest a profit.

The network marketing idea doesn’t appeal to her at all. They have tried that before, without much success. Neither of them gravitates naturally to selling. They don’t have the advantage of having a list to introduce a new product line to, and she is certainly not keen on approaching their friends with nutritional or other products.

The remaining option, teaching part-time at a local college, is something she is already qualified to do. But going back to teaching would mean trading hours for dollars at a much lower rate than she could earn in her own counseling practice!

In short, NONE of the presenting options seems really right to her. But she and her husband both know they need a Plan B. They have expenses. A home. Two kids in high school and looking forward to college. Car payments. Various insurances. All the expenses common to families today.

If you find yourself needing to manifest more money than you’re making now, I’m sure you can relate to Rose’s anxiety. How do you decide which way to go? Here are some tips to consider:

1. Stick with what is close to your heart. If you opt instead for something that does not bring you joy, you’ll be headed for burnout. Even if it brings you quick money, you will find yourself feeling like a fish out of water. For Rose, any of the above options would take her time and attention away from the counseling she loves, and she would suffer.

2. Consider ways to set yourself up to do more of what you find fulfilling. What do you love doing that you could do more of?

Rose could attract more clients to her counseling practice by introducing a program to reward her existing clients for referring others to her. Or she could offer them some benefit for giving her an online testimonial on a site like Yelp.com. Or she could attract more clients by writing articles and disseminating them online through ezine directories.

3. Monitor your joy level daily. Check in with yourself: “How am I feeling?” And then relate that to what you’re doing. Look for ways to do more of what brings you joy and less of what doesn’t.

4. When you’re doing what you love, your enthusiasm sparks others who need what you offer. You make a difference in their lives, and knowing that satisfies your soul and keeps you going with vigor.

Following the path of your heart is the only way to guarantee your success over the long term. Prosperity is yours from the get-go, because you are in the flow. And when you’re in the flow, the Universe opens its arms to you and brings you new ways to manifest money.

Automagically.

And you will be motivated to stay the course.

Now, because you are committed enough to your own success to have read nearly to the end of this post, I want to offer you two gifts that will move you forward in perfecting your ability to manifest from your core passion.

First, one of the most inspiring gifts I can offer you is The 21-Day “I AM a Gift to the World” Challenge, created by Robert and Terri TallTree.

Join The 21-Day “I AM a Gift to the World” Challenge. This FREE life-changing course will open up new possibilities for manifesting more money in your life!

The “Trees” are masters of creating prosperity in their own lives, and have for years been sharing their wisdom on the subject in live seminars and informational products. Their wisdom, grounded in Native American tradition, has touched me deeply.

Whenever I lose track of my vision, I know I can rely on them to remind me that financial security comes naturally when I focus on serving others in a way that brings joy to my heart.

Second, I want to offer you my personal FREE gift of tools you can use to broaden your client base and bring in more money. Establishing yourself as a trusted authority in your field will bring you the clients and the income you need. The best way to do that is with a book. You have one in you, and the tools in this free gift will help you get it out.

Two ways to get my gift to you: Either go up to the top of the sidebar on the right-hand side of this page and pop in or click the link directly under that to subscribe in a reader.

NOTE: In over 25 years of helping people with their books, my clients have voiced the same issues time and again. Many of my blog posts are composites of their stories to assist you in the realization of YOUR dream of writing your way to prosperity!

Chiwah Carol Slater, MA
Ambassador of Author’s Purpose
Founder, Write Your Way to Prosperity
Founder, Word Weaver 4 U
WriteYourWaytoProsperity.com
WordWeaver4U.com




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Looking for New Ways to Manifest Money?

Relationship Advice |

May 2, 2011

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What 5 Creative Writing Tips Can Save You When You’re Stuck?

Oscar Wilde once said of writer’s block, “I don’t believe in it… Plumbers don’t get plumber’s block, and doctors don’t get doctor’s block; why should writers be the only profession that gives a special name to the difficulty of working, and then expects sympathy for it?”

What 5 Creative Writing Tips Can Save You When You're Stuck?But he also said this, in the space where you see the three dots: “All writing is difficult. The most you can hope for is a day when it goes reasonably easily.”

Whether he was right about plumbers or not, I imagine doctors do sometimes find themselves stumped as to how to help a patient. I suspect the reason we don’t hear about it much is that they don’t really want us to know that.

Whether you choose to sympathize with writers or not, it goes (almost) without saying that writing is a creative endeavor, and many a writer experiences lapses in creativity. (By the way, my artist friends tell me it’s the same with artists.)

And when you come to one of those dead spots in your creative path, it can be helpful to have some good creative writing tips on hand.

Quentin was having this difficulty. He wanted to include conceptual art, anime and graffiti-style art in his book on fine art investment strategies, but they weren’t his personal cup of tea and he was feeling uninspired as to how to proceed with the discussion.

After a couple of hours of writing and rewriting, he pushed his chair back from the desk with a sigh. The words just weren’t coming.

A trip to the kitchen for a sandwich and a lemonade left him feeling a little better. Maybe he could hammer something out before the afternoon was over?

An hour and a half later, he threw up his hands in despair. He had three pages of gobbledygook he hadn’t been able to turn into anything he would want to put out to the public.

He read them over again. Not awful, but dull. He’d have to do better than this.

If this has ever happened to you, I’m sure you can relate. And if it hasn’t, well … you probably haven’t been writing long.

Here are some creative writing tips to help you over these bumps in the road:

1. Recognize that you are not alone; every writer experiences lapses of creative genius.

2. Let it go for a while, and write about something that does inspire you. Chances are your muse will whisper in your ear when you least expect it, and you’ll find that difficult piece writing itself. (Well, almost. You’ll still have to touch your fingers to the keys.)

3. Ask an expert what interests him or her about the topic that’s stumping you. Experts love to be asked for their opinions! Pick up the phone and call one; many routinely answer their own phones.

4. If you can’t find an expert, play with writing a dialogue between you and yourself. Ask yourself the difficult questions, and let yourself write the answers back to you. You may be surprised what you come up with.

5. Another great thing that works well for finding inspiration is committing to perform some service you believe in. If you make your life partly about serving others in some way that has nothing to do with writing, things will happen that will tickle your creative juices out of you.

What we call “writer’s block” can actually serve a good purpose. Sometimes you need to give your ideas time to percolate up to the surface. And sometimes, you discover that what you were trying to write about might be better left out of your book.

The more you write, the easier it gets. Publishing a community magazine helped me a lot in learning to be creative on demand; I was also the primary writer, and failure to meet a printing deadline cost me a lot of money. Ouch! I only let that happen once over the course of four years.

If you’ve been writing for a while, you have found your own ways to combat writer’s block. Please leave a helpful comment for others at the end of this blog post!

Life itself is a daily opportunity to marvel. Consider how amazing it is that you exist at all! That there is a world to live in, and other living souls to communicate with! If life itself isn’t inspiring, what is?

Remember, YOU are a gift to the world. You have a unique perspective to offer on anything you choose to write about, and insights that no one else has.

If you doubt this, I invite you to take part in The 21-Day “I AM a Gift to the World” Challenge with Robert and Terri TallTree. Your perception will be altered forever, I guarantee it … and in a good way. And it’s FREE. (But that’s not the best part.)

NOTE: In over 25 years of helping people with their books, my clients have voiced the same issues time and again. Many of my blog posts are composites of their stories to assist you in the realization of YOUR dream of writing and publishing your own book(s).

Chiwah Carol Slater, MA
Founder, Write Your Way to Prosperity
Founder, Word Weaver 4 U
WriteYourWaytoProsperity.com
WordWeaver4U.com

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What 5 Creative Writing Tips Can Save You When You’re Stuck?

Relationship Advice |

April 30, 2011

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What is Your Definition of Prosperity?

Before she got wise and self-published her book, Geri fell into doubting she would ever be a published author.

What is Your Definition of Prosperity?With no word from her agent for months on end, her prospects looked slim and dim.

Why were none of the publishers her agent had called “likely prospects” showing any interest?

True, she wasn’t a “big name.” And her agent had told her that few publishers these days were anxious to step out on a limb.

Still… not even one?

As the months wore on, her spirits sagged. She fell into a funk.

All that time she’d invested in creating her system for teaching music … all the days and nights of writing and rewriting, of harassing her friends until they read what she’d written and gave her feedback … all the money she’d invested in an editor – FOR WHAT?

This was the system that was supposed to manifest her definition of prosperity!

Was her system for teaching music too far off the beaten track for a conventional publisher to take her seriously?

But her system worked! She was producing competent pianists and guitarists faster using her novel approach than she ever had teaching in the traditional paradigm.

And not only were they competent – thanks to the creative exploration her system encouraged, her students played with a flair that set them apart as a group from youngsters trained using less imaginative methodologies.

She had gone to great pains to make that clear in the Introduction to the book, and she had made sure to put it into the query letters and synopsis her agent had sent out.

So why weren’t there any publishing companies beating a path to her door?

Maybe she should have pursued more big names in the music teaching industry, gotten more prestigious testimonials. Aah, hindsight.

Maybe it was her lack of formal credentials? If she had a Ph.D. in musicology from Juilliard, would that make a difference?

Well, forget that. She was just Geri Gallant, with an M.A. from a small college nobody much knew or cared about.

But she did know music. And she knew teaching. She had proven it. So why didn’t anyone seem to care?

At first, when friends had asked about her new agent, she had responded with easy confidence. These days, she could barely manage more than a shrug and a “Please, don’t ask.”

After a while, they stopped inquiring.

And then …

Today, she received an announcement in the mail that knocked ALL the wind out of her sails.

“Announcing … A New Book … A Revolution in Music Teaching!”

Geri’s eyes wandered to the author’s name. A rival teacher, one she knew and didn’t care for.

She had been so sure her book would transform the music teaching industry!

And now?

Now, she wondered.

Her book might never see the light of day.

She might spend the rest of her life running a small, unknown music school in the middle of nowhere.

She might lose her business, go under in this economic downturn. What would she do then? Get a job at Walmart? Play the guitar on street corners with her little tin can out for tips?

Some days, Geri’s thoughts made her so miserable she wondered how she would make it through the day.

Yes, she had her students, her wonderful students! Some bright and gay by nature, others more internal, less expressive. Some came because they had a natural gift, while others were doing their best to live up to parental aspirations.

While she was teaching, she was fine. But once she closed the doors and headed out to her car, the sadness lurking in her heart would rise to leave its bitter taste in the back of her throat.

Another dashed dream, just like all her other dreams … .

Alone at home, she sought solace at the keyboard of her Steinway. A fire would be nice, if she had the energy to go bring wood in. Instead, she turned on the central heating.

More often than not, her music came out sounding like a dirge. She sometimes imagined she was playing at a funeral – her own, of course. What would people be saying about her? Oh, poor Geri, you know how she wasted her life … .

Why hadn’t she thought to marry? Beyond her music teaching system, what did she have? Who would care if she disappeared some evening on a desolate walk in the woods behind her home?

Why hadn’t she thought to have a REAL baby, one that wouldn’t need an agent and a publisher?

Too caught up in her music, that’s why. Too caught up in this ridiculous dream of something that was never going to happen.

Her life was never going to amount to anything.

Obsession creeps in on horny talons, an ugly beast with bulging eyes and gnashing teeth.

Consider: If you were Geri, what would you do to avoid being dragged into the depths of depression at the sight of your dreams being dashed on the rocks?

Here are some tidbits Geri could benefit from. Perhaps you too will find them helpful:

1. Take a close look at your definition of PROSPERITY!

:roll: “Begin to recognize prosperity everywhere, and rejoice in it.” – Louise Hay, publisher and author, You Can Heal Your Life and other books

:roll: ”Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.” – Dr. Wayne Dyer

2. Be careful what you give power to!

roll: “What am I doing on a level of consciousness where this is real?” – Thaddeus Golas, author, The Lazy Man’s Guide to Enlightenment

:roll: “This too shall pass.” – Wikipedia says this saying seems to have arisen in the poetry of medieval Persia

3. And move on!

:roll: “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” – Albert Einstein

:roll: “Get a life!” – William Shatner, among others

Some of us have a nearly insatiable appetite for self-torture. Seductive as a lover, it spirals us downward toward a hell of our own creation. Insidious, it never announces itself out loud, and with no ears to hear we may not even notice its presence.

It’s not that I am unsympathetic. I know the pain of perceived failure quite well. But it doesn’t do us any good, and it’s always a lie. You are a miracle in the unfurling. The Universe never gives up on you.

NOTE: In over 25 years of helping people with their books, my clients have voiced the same issues time and again. Many of my blog posts are composites of their stories to assist you in the realization of YOUR dream of writing and publishing your own book(s).

Chiwah Carol Slater, MA
Founder, Write Your Way to Prosperity
Founder, Word Weaver 4 U
WriteYourWaytoProsperity.com
WordWeaver4U.com


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What is Your Definition of Prosperity?