Personal Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Kathleen Deggelman

Building on Gratitude for 2017

December 22, 2016/4 Comments/in Business, Entrepreneurship, Personal, Success, Training /by Kathleen Deggelman

It’s the most wonderful time of year where gratitude is on display for all to see. Why is gratitude such a GREAT thing? Gratitude above anything else puts all of us in a state of grace to feel good about what we already have in our life. The holiday season if we choose, gives us the opportunity to express gratitude in so many ways. Gratitude can be magical at this time of year. Maybe that is a big part of what makes this time of year what it is and without it we can feel lonely or lost. We all have things to be grateful for – even when we have to look for them or dig for them. At this time of year, we put ourselves in a bigger state of grace when we give gifts of appreciation and love to our family and friends, when we make more donations to people who need our help and when we take extra time to write special notes in holiday cards, just to name a couple.

Unfortunately, sometimes showing gratitude ends after Auld Lang Syne. Imagine if more of us decided to keep practicing gratitude and sharing optimism for the entire year? What kind of effect could that have, not just on others, but on yourself? The impact it has on your own well-being can be overwhelming. I know this from experience. Some of the positive effects that showing gratitude on a regular basis can have on our being include:

Increased feelings of optimism, joy and happiness. We are happiest when we are grateful!
Strengthened immune system. We are healthier when we are grateful!
Lower feeling of loneliness. We feel more connected when we are grateful!
We sleep better with less anxiety. Even our Z’s are better when we are grateful!

By practicing gratitude and thankfulness daily, even weekly, it can help better our perspective. We will attract more of what it is we want! I practice gratitude almost every day. If I think I don’t have time to write in my gratitude journal, then while I am walking or driving I will list out 10 things I am grateful for. When I go to sleep at night, I fall asleep thinking about the good things that happened that day that I am grateful for. Which means I fall asleep smiling.

Improve Your Optimism

If you are looking to improve your level of optimism and increase your overall well-being, try a few of these exercises:

Sit down and write a letter to someone (not necessarily someone you know) and thank them for something they have done. This can make quite the impact on their lives and can increase their level of happiness, and yours. Even if you don’t send it (which I hope you will), it will increase the level of grace you feel inside.
Reach out to 3 of the people you love and tell them how much you value them and what they mean to you. Too many people forget to do this and it can do wonders for the relationships you have with them, especially at this time of year. You never know how someone is really feeling until you peel back the layers and be with them.
At the end of each week, find a quiet spot and reflect on the prior week. Write down five things that happened during the week that you’re grateful for. This little exercise can increase your optimism and your happiness right away!

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

John F. Kennedy

Ways to Build Gratitude

Make a list of everything you are grateful for. Write till you exhaust the ideas that come to you.
Every morning, when you wake up, have a sentence that you say out loud. Mine is “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Keep a gratitude journal and write 10 things you love in your life every time you can.
Disrupt a stressful moment with a smile and remember what is good that is happening.
Balance out your complaints with positive thoughts. Rein the negativity back in.

I recently heard a word that I had never heard before: brutiful. The combination of life is brutal and life is beautiful. Life is truly both things and when we embrace both there is a peace within us that happens. We are living in uncertain times and now, more than ever, it’s important to be optimistic for a joyful and positive 2017.

I wish you all the happiest last days of 2016 and from my family to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and the Happiest of New Years!

P.S. I hope you found my article useful on building gratitude for 2017. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How Being Grateful Leads to Success.

How Blending a Family is like Building a Network Marketing Business

December 12, 2016/1 Comment/in Business, Network Marketing, Personal, Training /by Kathleen Deggelman

In today’s world, many of us find ourselves blending families together. In fact, approximately 1 out of every 3 Americans are either a step-parent, a step-child or belong to some form of a blended family meaning over 100 million people.

In network marketing, there are over 100 million people worldwide involved so there must be some overlap between the two. If you’re involved in this cross section then this blog post is for you! It’s also for anyone who wants to build a bigger business and still have fun interacting with their families and teams.

Blending families, or building your team, is not always easy but it can be one of the best things that you’ve ever done. I know it was for me! So, I was thinking about how many of the personality traits that are needed to blend a family are similar, and handy, for building our business and I thought I would share these.

First, there’s patience. Patience with your extended new family and with your new distributors. Our daughter asked me recently how I stay so calm. I’ve been through a lot in my life and have learned that the little things, and most things, are just not big enough or worth stressing or fighting over. I’ve also learned to think before speaking and that sometimes not saying anything is best. Then there are those occasions that call for a simple count to ten and exhale. 1, 2, 3, 4,…

Meet people where they are. This doesn’t necessarily mean physically but meet them where they are in their life and lessons. This can happen in two ways:

Don’t set an agenda for who people should be or where they need to be. See them for where they are right now.
Don’t sacrifice or adapt yourself in order to accommodate others.

By meeting people where they stand, and being authentic, it will pave the way for honest conversations and true connections.

Celebrate people’s strengths and downplay their weaknesses. Children need to know that you understand and like them. It doesn’t do any good if you’re always asking them to clean their rooms or empty the dishwasher. You have to focus on what is working and what is positive too. I can’t stand feeling like a nag and nobody likes to be on the receiving end of that either. This is the same for your teams. Focus on what people are doing well and look for those wins. A simple “good job” or “nice work” or “we appreciate you” can go a long way.

Consistency. Be consistent with your actions when you’re either talking to your teenager about cleaning up the family room or speaking with prospects about the products or opportunity: consistency is key. When things are inconsistent, people can find situations difficult to predict and have a sense of lack of control. When you’re consistent in your behavior with people, this will create trust with them.

Last, but certainly not least, if you care about a person, let them know how much. Whether it’s your kids, your mom, your prospects, or your team. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much it is you care and now during the holidays is a perfect time to take a little extra time to let people know they matter to you. I wish you all the best during the holiday month!

P.S. I hope you found my article useful on how blending a family is like building a network marketing business. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How to Stay Focused During the Holidays.

Give Thanks with a Gratitude List

November 23, 2016/1 Comment/in Business, Giving, Health & Nutrition, Personal /by Kathleen Deggelman

As I sit here on my couch in San Francisco and begin to write this very blog, I am grateful the sun is shining outside. And with the American Thanksgiving holiday just upon us (depending on when you read this), it’s the perfect time for all of us to take some time and think about all the things that we are thankful for in our lives. To help me, I’ve decided to make a “Gratitude List” and I suggest you to do the same. It only takes a few moments and you will love how you feel after you make the list!

Gratitude. A feeling of appreciation or thanks.

Take a moment after reading this blog and jot down your own list. Showing lots of gratitude will bring forth more of what you want. It is a proven universal principle. I know this works! I keep a gratitude journal handy and make notes on a regular basis. You will get more of what you want if you are thankful for what you have. This is talked about in the bible, new age thinking and even in science too. This may not come naturally to you and that’s okay. It just means you need it more. 🙂 We all have much to be thankful for, even if you are going through a tough time. Good happens all around us – not always easy to see, but when we look it is there! Happy Thanksgiving all! (Even if you aren’t celebrating tomorrow with turkey – I wish you lots to be grateful for.)

To help you, here are my 10 reasons why I’m giving thanks:

I am thankful for my health. Incredibly grateful for this!
I am thankful for my husband, Mark, for being such a sweet and positive and always smiling man! And to our three amazing children.
I am thankful for my beautiful, large extended family. 20 of us are gathering tomorrow!
I am thankful for all the great people I’ve met all around the world and all the adventures that have come during my travels.
I am thankful for the experiences of spending the majority of my time in two beautiful countries – the USA and Canada.
I am thankful for books as they are my adventures without a plane and my knowledge without a classroom.
I am thankful for the success in my Jeunesse business, and having the opportunity to help others reach success and to better their lives.
I am thankful for doing work that I love and being able to share that work with some terrific people.
I am thankful for the opportunities that I have been given and the ones I have been able to give to others.
Lastly, and most importantly, I am thankful for my parents and grandparents. I have been very blessed!

Please take time this holiday season for all the loved ones in your life. I love the quote: “life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” And I am dancing! Now off to go bake 4 pumpkin pies! Have a great rest of the week and I will talk with you soon.

P.S. I hope you find my post useful on giving thanks with a gratitude list. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How Being Grateful Leads to Success.

What To Do When Your Warm Market Ignores You

September 12, 2016/0 Comments/in Business, Personal /by Kathleen Deggelman

Anybody have this issue? There’s a chance that your warm market may have stopped responding to your e-mails and, possibly your calls. This may make the building of your team seem difficult. I have heard that the life you lead before network marketing is a critical factor in how quickly you succeed in network marketing.

Some people enter into network marketing with a vast network already established. They’ve built rapport with a lot of people, have been leaders in their communities and are very connected from a social standpoint. For these people, recruiting can be easier. Now some of us may even know the scenario where one person will stand up at a meeting and claim “I used this script to recruit 50 people right off the bat!” leading people to be in awe of this feat. How did this person do it? What did they say? I better write up a script!

Honestly, it didn’t matter what the script said. Those 50 people weren’t recruited by this “magic script”, it was the existing relationship and respect that those people had for them. All the work was done BEFORE network marketing. All the people in that room that listened to them, could have followed this script and it could have even been not that good; however, it worked because of the prior experience they had with this person. This is a key concept to understand. It is the relationship they already had with the presenter that made them say yes. Or at least say yes, more quickly.

When I recruit someone with influence, I tell them that the most important thing is the relationships they have, not the exact script they need to say. They need to get in front of a group of potential recruits and . say “This is what I’m doing. It may OR may not work for you. Take a look and if you are open to learning more, great. If not, that’s fine, too.” When they do that, they get sign ups. This verbage helps people get past their biggest fear, which is just talking to people. When it looks like it is going faster for someone, sometimes it’s about the respect and relationships they had before becoming a network marketer. And remember, they have to get out in front of people too.

Now, if you’ve been a part of 30 different network marketing companies, chances are you’ve made your pitch to just about every person you know. The problem is that they are immune to your message. They are a bit tired. You could approach them and say “Give me $20, I’ll give you $40” and they’ll say “no, it’s okay. I’m good.” Now you could reply back with “You don’t understand. You give me a single twenty dollar bill, I’ll give you back TWO twenty bills.” And your tired prospect will be “No, I’m good It’s all good.”

Here is my suggestion: Go back to the ones that have become immune to your message and approach it from this angle “Hey, I know network marketing may not be for you. You have no interest in it;I get it. However, you may love the product. Would you be willing to be one of the 10 customer testimonials that I need?” This approach really works!

The way you’re going to get that person to build your business or become a customer, is by getting them to see your presentation. Chances are, you aren’t going to get them to see your presentation by using money as an incentive. They’re already immune to that. You’ll need to approach them a little differently. By already declaring that they may not be a good fit for network marketing, but that they’ll like the product, you’re approaching them a way that may surprise them. This is a fresh angle on it. This will get them engaged by asking “what is the product?” Now, you have an opening to show your presentation or video. Send them a link to a website or video, ask them to check it out and if they’re interested or want more information, you would be happy to show them.

Everyone likes to buy cool products. I know I do. We all buy lots of cool products. Some of us even buy from different network marketing companies. The hesitation is adding new streams of income. It is much easier to get a person interested in a product than to promote an opportunity. If you’re going to your warm market once again and talking too much about money. They’ve stopped listening. Try telling them about the product and ask them to be a customer for you. That is all you are asking. Friends and Family can be the hardest market we approach for our business. You want to ask them if “you can count on them to be a customer.” That’s it. Don’t worry if your friends and family are difficult prospects. Most of them are. Always ask for a referral too – something like ” I get this isn’t for you, but do you know someone that would be open to learning more about how to make some extra money/about how to share these products?”

Some of you are reading this and thinking “Wait. Customers are nice but I still need recruits to build my business”. Yes, that’s true. For those thinking that, here’s what’s going to happen. When the opportunity presents itself, you get them in front of your presentation. Some of them, not all, will say “This seems pretty awesome. Could I do this as a business?” And you get to say, “Sure, that is definitely possible.” That opening wouldn’t have been possible if you didn’t get that chance for them to see your presentation and that probably wouldn’t have been possible if you had started off the conversation about money. If your warm market is not responding to you, maybe this approach will help! You do have to read people and make quick decisions if this person should hear about the product first or the opportunity first. When you are just getting started, it is easier for most of us to lead with the products. You do want to learn to present the opportunity too. You need both tools in your toolbox. And bring out the right one for the right person.

Remember, make this about them. Not you. If you come from a place of genuinely wanting to help someone, they will feel that. If you come from a place of wanting to help yourself, they will feel that too. I hope this gives you an idea of how to handle some of the most difficult prospects you will talk to – your family and closest friends. Don’t worry too much about it. You are on track if you are finding that to be the case. I could tell you stories!

If you think this blog could be useful to some of your peers, then please don’t hesitate to share it with them.

P.S. I hope my tips on connecting with your warm market are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on 8 Ways to Grow your Prospect List.

How to Be a Leader

July 9, 2016/2 Comments/in Business, Personal, Success /by Kathleen Deggelman

Are you struggling to be a leader? Do you wish you were a better leader? Do you sometimes find it difficult to inspire and motivate your team? Most of us are not born natural leaders. However, there are some simple things we can do to truly inspire those around us to achieve phenomenal things.

Each of us has the capacity to become a leader and a great one at that. The first step is to be brave enough to connect with each other. When we do that we begin to build a team that can be devoted to each other.

Every organization functions on three levels. What we do, how we do it and why we do it. Most people can explain the what and the how they do something. That is good but not enough. Many of us have trouble explaining the WHY we do something. Once you figure out what motivates you to pursue your goals, you will be put on a much stronger trajectory than ever before. Only then will you be able to truly accomplish your goals and inspire others to do the same. True leaders know that their job is to inspire. The word inspiration comes from in spirit, to go within. When we are speaking from a place of knowing what we really want and what we really believe in that is when a person becomes compelling and can lead others.

Tips on How to Be a Leader

I realized early on in my network marketing career that people who were in it only for the money didn’t make it very far. Sure money is one motivator, but what else is it that really drives people? I wanted to travel, have freedom and spend more time with my family. I wanted more time to do the things I love, like gardening, entertaining and baking too. My desire for the lifestyle that I wanted was a huge driver in my success to achieve Diamond.

One way to be a leader to your network marketing team is to really express what motivates you to do what you do. Be passionate and be authentic. People will respect those qualities. It will inspire them to dig down and figure out what matters most to them. Give them the gift of inspiration. It is in the act of you being genuine and vulnerable by sharing what really matters to you that gives people the motivation to do the same. We inspire people by the actions we take. Or not.

Leadership is not just about being in charge. It is about taking care of those you are responsible for. You need to go to work for the people on your team, and when you put them first that is when they will be inspired by you. It is our example of how we work, how we operate, how we live our lives that move other people to do more of the same in their own lives. It is amazing what can happen when we make our teammates feel valued and valuable. People often ask me how do they attract leaders into their business. It starts with us. First you have to BECOME the leader you want to attract. Like attracts like. If you want that professional networker to come into your busines, you have to become what you want to bring to your business.

Become that leader. You can do it. Like I said before, it isn’t always something that comes naturally. It didn’t for me, but I kept working on my leadership skills and now have a global and thriving business. I am very grateful for the leadership lessons I got along the way and hope I have inspired you to step up your leadership game! I can promise you it is worth it.

P.S. I hope you enjoyed my post on how to be a leader! If you liked this, I think you will love my blog post on How to Successfully Work With a Long Distance Team.

5 Pin Worthy Home Offices

May 28, 2016/2 Comments/in Business, In the Spotlight, Personal, Success /by Kathleen Deggelman

The weather is heating up and summer is almost here! When it’s nice out and the beach is calling it makes it harder to work from home. To hunker down and get the work done before we run off to the beach, the cafe, outdoors…Concentration levels start to weaken and all you want to do is put your toes in the sand. Setting up the ultimate dream office definitely helps to motivate you as you build your network marketing business from home. It is very easy to go into “Summer Mode” and not work your business very hard or very consistently. I can tell you one thing: those of us that plant the seeds in the summer will reap a greater harvest in the fall. Don’t fall into the “everyone is away” trap. They aren’t but if they are, they are in a lot of ways more likely to have time to be open and listen to what you have to say. Back to the home offices: here are 5 pin worthy home offices I love!

1. The artist retreat.

I love this home office because it inspires creativity. It’s always good to take breaks throughout the day when working at your computer. Any artists out there? Why not paint or draw for 15 minutes? The new adult coloring books seem to be taking the world by storm. I know some people that love them and some that can’t stand them. The idea though is to take a break and do something that feeds your creative soul.

Image: Ikea

2. The center of attention.

Working from home has a lot of great perks and one if them is that I get to spend more time with my family. I wouldn’t suggest putting your main desk in a communal area, but it is nice to be able to sit and work in the same room with your family. Good one to watch though – when the kids start saying things like “you are always working”, then best to put work away and just be present with them. Who doesn’t watch The Voice with their laptop going at the same time?

Image: Crate and Barrel

3. The ultimate view.

I travel a lot and I love when I get lucky and get a great balcony with a view. I love the idea of outdoor home offices. Constant fresh air and great lighting. I am working on this one for our San Francisco home! Just need to get a heat lamp too. Fresh air breaks are good just remember to focus and be consistent.

Image: Flexjoy

Home offices for the dream board!

4. The space saver.

If you are just starting your network marketing business, you may want to start out with a desk that doesn’t take up too much space. I love this folding desk. Very economical for space and money. And it doesn’t require an entire room. Just be sure you explain to the lovelies you live with that when you are working, you are working. Our kids don’t understand how I can be on the phone so much….

5. The shed office.

Need your own personal hideaway? I love this idea! Get away from all the distractions of the house with a cool shed office. We actually looked at real estate this week on Vancouver Island and one of the features of the house I loved was a boat house. It had great office written all over it. Alas, it is too big of a project for us right now but love the idea of an office outside of the house but real close to it. Good way to separate home and work too.

Image: Flexjoy

I hope these fun home offices inspire you to create your own dream space. Having your own personal work sanctuary will really help when you are antsy to get out side and play. I redecorated my home office a couple of months ago. Painted the desk a cool blue gray, got a comfy chair just for conference calls and webinars, some new art work and voila – love this space even more. Even a little something can lift your spirits in your home office. Just remember…work hard, then play hard. Enjoy the upcoming days of sun and vacation and it is always a great time to share what you do and love.

P.S. I hope my tips on working from home are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How to Stay Persistent and Reach Your Goals.

Is Your Kindness Your Weakness?

April 26, 2016/1 Comment/in Business, In the Spotlight, Personal, Success /by Kathleen Deggelman

Recently, I have had a few teammates ask me about this. Is it possible you can be too nice or too kind when it comes to the business world? Some people may think that kindness is actually a weakness in the business world. It is true that kindness may cause some people to enter a less than positive business relationship and to be too trusting, which can cause them to be taken advantage of. I have certainly experienced this a time or two! However, if being kind, optimistic and warm-hearted is just who you are, then be ALL of that! In the right context, these traits can be excellent superpowers. Want to know if your kindness is hurting your business? Check out what I have learned along the way.

Kindness is definitely not a weakness! And you cannot pretend to be something that you are not. That will not give you strength or make you successful. Don’t suppress any part of who you are (well, let’s say don’t suppress any “positive” parts of who you are….) I see the future of our network marketing business as being more connected to humanity than less so. In such a business scenario, kindness and enthusiasm is definitely not considered a weakness. You just have to put yourself in the right environment that will give you a chance to thrive. Embrace your kindness and enthusiasm because they are both incredible strengths!

Of course, it is important to learn to set boundaries. No one enjoys being treated like a doormat. There is a difference between being kind and letting others walk all over you. Some people just give so much that others take advantage of them. In that case, then kindness IS a weakness. However, it is possible to be generous with your time and resources while also setting healthy boundaries. I know I had to learn how to do this. The bigger your team gets and the higher up you go, the bigger the need to set those boundaries for you, your health and your work/life balance. Another thing we need to learn is that there is a big difference between giving to give and giving to get. When we aren’t attached to the outcomes and give generously, better things happen for us than when we have that underlying criteria going on where it is really more about what we are going to get back. This is usually followed by an attitude of resentment –where we think something like this: “I don’t know. I always give and get nothing in return. I guess I just expect too much of people.”

If you give too much and don’t set boundaries, you may end up feeling like you are a victim and being taken advantage of. On the other hand, people who give to give, do so because they just want to. They want to help others and offer their resources, time, heart and love with little expectation of getting anything in return. That may sound like an ideal but we can strive for it right? What if you tried to do something purely out of the desire to connect with another human being? Celebrate your kindness and generosity but if you don’t want your kindness to get you into trouble, then you will want to practice being deeply generous with your time and resources while ALSO learning to set boundaries and sometimes say no. It really helped me to ONLY say yes to the things that I was really happy to do. Don’t say yes because you want something in return, even gratitude. Say yes because you actually want to help and express love and caring for another human being. The more of this you can do, the happier you will be and like attracts like. You will be blessed for those acts of kindness!

One last note on this: once you say yes to something, don’t feel upon when it comes time to do it. You said yes. If you focus on what you can give rather than what you can get, you will be happier and more successful. Just remember, you can’t do this as a manipulation – you really have to give from a genuine place.

So embrace your kindness! Cheers to your success!

P.S. I hope my tips on kindness in the business world are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How to Deal With Negative People! You also may enjoy this additional training about Success Secrets From Top Team Builders from Ray Higdon.

7 Steps to Help Deal With Life When It Throws You a Curveball

April 17, 2016/0 Comments/in Business, Personal, Success, Uncategorized /by Kathleen Deggelman

Has life thrown you a curveball? Have you had one today? Yesterday. They happen all the time don’t they? It is just life and they happen to everyone. One minute you may be going through the motions, meeting with team members or hanging out with friends when – whammo – something happens that ruins your day. I don’t mean a devastating, life changing event, but those small misfortunes that ruin your mood and waste your time. I just spent the last day and a half doing paperwork for taxes, accounting, invoices… My least favorite chore to do. And sometimes piecing the financial puzzle together is daunting. I hung in there though and made some progress!

What may come your way may be a minor problem, (especially when you think about the big things that could go wrong) but it still wastes your time and may make you mad or anxious. Here are seven steps to help deal with life when it throws you a curveball:

1. First of all, take time to acknowledge that whatever happened is no fun. Don’t be afraid to say, “This sucks!” You can even throw a temper tantrum! Work out all that negative energy: flail your arms and jump up and down (although if you are in public, I would advise finding a quiet and private place to do this!).

2. Next, take a few deep breaths and count backwards. You will feel your blood pressure jumping. Then take a few more. You can also visualize, meditate or listen to calming music. Try to do something quickly to rest your body’s reaction to the stressful situation.

3. Then, ask yourself: Will this event kill you or anyone you love? Will it bankrupt you or forever change your life? No? Then it is just not that big a deal. You may be annoyed, but you will be fine. My family has experienced some terrible tragedies. Life altering events. Sometimes when I get upset about something, I remind myself – really, no one is in the hospital? You can do this! If you still feel anxious or upset, sit down and make a list of all the good things that happened in the last week or so. Then you will see that whatever happened is really just a minor issue.

Curveball 101

4. Don’t waste time sitting there and obsessing about it. To get your mind off things, go on a walk, get together with friends, read a book or watch your favorite television show. Just go out and do something that you enjoy! Obsessing does no good, so every time you catch yourself thinking about it, just redirect your mind. As time goes by, you will laugh about it! Hard to imagine at the moment but it is true. Sometimes I ask myself the question, is this going to matter a month from now? How about a year from now? It is almost always – No, it won’t matter.

5. Always remember to think about it in terms of the big picture. Will this problem matter in the long run? I doubt it. It may take more time out of your day, but in a few months time, you probably won’t even remember what happened. Therefore, there is no point wasting time worrying about it now. When it comes down to it, you just have to let it go. Take time to relax and get a good night’s sleep and start fresh tomorrow. Sometimes I ask myself the question, is this going to matter a month from now? How about a year from now? It is almost always – No, it won’t matter.

6. Be sure to take care of something else that needs to be accomplished. Even if it is minor, as long as you take care of it you won’t feel that the day was a total waste. It will also help you get your mind off it. Exercise is key for me. As long as I exercise, I feel a sense of accomplishment for the rest of the day. Do something on that list that will take your mind off the annoying thing and get that feeling of “I did something today” back.

7. Finally, think about what you can do to change the problem. Then do it! Stop wasting time worrying about what happened and simply move on. As the saying goes, there is no point crying over spilt milk. As long as you do all these steps and deal with the issues, you will be fine. If anything, the more you have to deal with curveballs, the stronger you will be. I read a great article the other day about changing the way we look at stress. Instead of thinking it is hurting us, shift to thinking that some stress actually energizes us, inspires us, even excites us. So stress can actually be a really good thing. The article was written by a Doctor that had researched that just by thinking that stress was more positive, she noticed that peoples internal processes started working better. It is all in our mind. Pretty cool! The truth is, there is so much power in experience and after you handle a few of these with efficiency and maturity, they won’t bother you so much in the future. You will be saying – I’ve got this!

Next time life throws you that curveball, take a deep breath, chill and read these 7 tips. Cheers!

P.S. I hope my tips on dealing with life when it throws you a curveball are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on 5 Tips For Actually Working From Home!

Network Marketing Tip: Create a Vision Board!

April 12, 2016/3 Comments/in Business, Personal, Success, Wealth Building /by Kathleen Deggelman

Are you confused about what to do next in your personal life or business? A vision board is a great way to plan your future. A vision board can be an extremely powerful tool to manifest the goals you desire. You wouldn’t even believe some of the things that have come true that started out as an image on my vision board! A vision board is made up of a variety of images, words and ideas. But it is much more than that! It also contains what excites and inspires you and sets out a blueprint for what you most desire in your future. In this post, I am going to dive deep into the power of the vision board and how it can help you become successful in business and life! I remember the first vision board (I call them dream boards too!) I created years ago, I thought the exercise was fun but wasn’t sure I really believed or understood them. I absolutely love my dream boards now and have created travel size versions so I can always take them with me. Sitting with a cup of tea and reviewing my dream boards have become part of my almost daily ritual. They quickly take me to my happy place!

The vision board’s power comes from the act of intentionally creating something to be a visual representation of everything you want to have or do in your life. If you hang the vision board on your wall or next to your computer or on your bathroom mirror, it will become a daily reminder to help you achieve your goals. By surrounding yourself with images of who you want to be, who you want to be with, what your house looks like, what your business is made up of and where you want to travel with – essentially, what you want your best life to look like. You will find that by reviewing the dream boards regularly that your energy will change about your business goals and your lifestyle dreams. Suddenly, you will find it easier to focus on those goals and truly achieve what you desire. The tactile process of creating your vision board – choosing images, cutting them out and gluing them on the board will cause your brain to work in a totally new way and spark your creativity.

A vision board can be used for many things. It can be used to help you design what you want your business to look like. The vision board can be used to visualize the person you want to become to run a successful business. In summary, the vision board can be used to plan out your dream life. Are you interested in creating your own vision board now? Here is a step-by-step process to create a powerful vision board to support your dream business:

1. Define: First you have to decide if you want to create a vision board for every aspect of your life (business goals, brand goals, personal goals, travel goals, dream house, etc.) or just one aspect. Next, think about what you want to create. Do not be afraid to think about details. What would every aspect of your dream life look like? What would you wear? Where would you live? What would your office look like? Where would you work from?

2. Choose a base: Once you know what you truly want, you can start gathering the images together to create your vision board. First, gather up the base. I recommend using poster board, a cork board (if you use push pins you can continue to add, subtract and rearrange components or journals/sketchbooks. If you want to create a virtual board, you can use Pinterest.

3. Collect images: Once you have chosen your base, you can start collecting images. The best way to start is to gather together some of your favorite magazines and start cutting out anything and everything that appeals to you. Don’t censor yourself or spend too much time questioning your desires. Just choose everything that appeals to you! You can also tear out pages of typography with words, quotes or phrases that speak to you. Do not be afraid to go beyond tangible items – search for images that represent more abstract goals like creativity, freedom and flow. You can also go beyond pictures and add jewelry, napkins, cards and anything else that strike your fancy.

4. Curate: Once you have gathered together images and words, it is time to put them together on your vision board to make a cohesive vision. Start out by choosing those images, words or items that speak to you very clearly and eliminate what no longer seems to fit. Often times, we feel pressure to want certain things – a large home, a fancy come, a substantial income. The vision board is great because it helps us determine what we actually want, deep down. When choosing words, pull out those terms that describe the way you want to be in your business and your life.

5. Display: Once you have finished creating your vision board, make space so that you can easily see it. Part of the power of the vision board comes from viewing them regularly, both consciously and subconsciously. I keep my portable travel vision boards tucked inside my journal and before I start my spiritual practice, I spend a few minutes going over my dream boards. Truly takes me to a happy and creative place right away! I am not kidding when I say I LOVE my vision boards!

6. Review: Be sure to look at your vision board regularly. Pay attention to what emotions come up for you. Is there anything that makes you feel some resistance? Are you afraid of any of the images that you chose? Is there anything there that feels like it is something you “should be doing” rather than what you truly desire? What do those feelings tell you about yourself, your life and your business? You can always edit or make a new one. This is not something that is done once. I have done many vision boards now over the last 12 years. I am looking forward to updating my business dream board in a week or so during my annual favorite week of the year trip to Mendocino.

To recap: Review and update your vision boards frequently. Constantly stay on the lookout for new images, better words, new inspiration, and more tangible representations of what you want. Although they may be just one aspect of your planning for your business and life, they can be a very important part of it energetically and creatively. The more specific and emotionally moving the board is for you, the more of an impact it will have on your life and your business! I keep my past vision boards too because it is so fun to look back and see all the wonderful things that have come into my life that started as something I cut out from a magazine and then it took on a life of its own on one of my vision boards. Someday I will share with you the pictures of the kids and the man I wanted to meet. I had these great pictures on my vision boards for several years before I met Mark and the kids and guess what? It all came true! This is such a fun and creative process and it gives you a wonderful chance to truly put the law of attraction to work for you!

Have fun with this! I would love to see your vision boards and your comments below.

P.S. I hope my tips on creating a vision board are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How to Stay Persistent and Reach Your Goals.

The Ten Daily Disciplines that Lead to Network Marketing Success

April 1, 2016/1 Comment/in Business, Personal /by Kathleen Deggelman

Guess what: There is NO shortcut to success. However, there are some ways to make life a little easier along the way. There are certain daily disciplines I follow everyday that have been a huge accelerator to my success. Now I am sharing them with you! Want to become a network marketing rock star? Then work to follow these ten daily disciplines and not only your business will be better, but your life will be better!

10 Daily Disciplines to Improve Your Life and Business

Say/read affirmations and express gratitude daily. I express my gratitude daily in a journal, which I write in when I get up in the morning, but there are many great ways to do this. I just had a friend of mine tell me that she says her affirmations in the shower. Great way to multi-task! Although it may seem otherwise at times, we always many things to be grateful for. Even if I have had a frustrating day, I can always find something positive that happened. Focusing on affirmations and gratitude can help you realize all the things you have in your life, as well as your potential. What I know for sure, is when we are grateful for what is here now, we will be able to receive more. This activity will create feelings of contentment, help you live a happier life and make your thoughts more positive, which is great, because, positive thoughts are what lead to success. It is only from a positive place that you can focus on bringing your dreams into reality. If you focus on lack, you will get more lack. If you focus on moving forward and success, you will get more of that too!

Continually review your goals. As I am writing in my journal to express gratitude, I also take time to review my goals. By setting goals, you give your life direction. It gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It also helps you organize your time and your resources so that you can make the most out of your life. By continually reviewing your goals, you can measure and take pride as you achieve them. It will also help you to see forward progress in what might have previously seemed a long and pointless grind. Did you know that you have a MUCH GREATER chance of realizing your goals JUST because you wrote them down? It is amazing when I review past goals how great it is to see the accomplishments. Write them down and review regularly! It works, trust me.

Read or listen to a personal development book or podcast for 15 minutes a day. I listen to different personal development books on my walk each morning. It helps me to feel motivated to start the day and have confidence in myself. Some of my favorite personal development books are: “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardey, “Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want” by Brian Tracey and “Everyone Communicates, Few Connect” by John Maxwell.

Be sure to walk/ and or exercise daily. I could devote an entire blog post to the benefits of exercise. In addition to keeping you fit and healthy, making exercise part of your daily schedule will give you more energy and keep you happier. I make sure to take a 30-minute walk several times per week (I am making team calls while I walk. Sometimes I have to mute myself because of the sound of the gravel.) I also love yoga and lifting weights. This is a new found love as last year I worked too much and sat at the computer way too much. My physical fitness paid a price so a huge priority for me this year is to take better care of myself and move everyday. It feels great!

Be sure to prospect to new people daily. Take time to call or send a text to 2-10 new prospects/Facebook connects. You talking to new people is the ONLY way you will expand your business. It will be easier if you schedule time and simply do it. Just be sure not to allow yourself to be distracted by “false work” while reaching out to clients. Also don’t just send generic emails or generic Facebook messages – take the time to send purposeful and personal messages by thinking about them and what is the message you want to convey.

Make follow up calls and schedule one-on-one appointments. That is even more important than the initial email or call. To have success in your business, you must have a clear follow up system for all leads from every source. Put each lead into the system and methodically follow up with it. Make sure you provide value on every interaction to keep your relationship in momentum. Do things like sharing ideas and insight and continuing to educate your clients. Have fun with follow up calls. The more you follow up, the more you will stand out as someone that has it going on. Set up a recurring event or a recurring toodledo activity that once a month you call this person and when you call them, with a smile on your face say “You ready for your call with me? You ready to get started with me. I know you are going to want to say yes sooner or later…” People will appreciate the humor and the confidence and especially the follow up. So very few people put themselves to hear no again after the first time. The marketing gurus tell us most of us say no 5 times before we say yes. The fortune is in the follow up!

Attend weekly team training and meetings. Meetings are a great way to keep both yourself and your team members on track and to boost your morale. They also provide a great venue to build relationships and share success stories with each other, including the tips outlined in this blog! Events fill you up! The most important person you sign up every day is YOU and events always re-inspire you.

Also remember to network have fun! Host a home party or attend a home party to meet new people and build relationships. Remember to smile and have fun and give yourself permission to learn! No matter what happens, just roll with it and make friends! Everyone at the party is a potential client or team member. You know way more than they do. Don’t sweat what you don’t know. Best way to do this is to jump in and get the first one behind you. You may not want to do a home party every night of the week but could you commit to one or two nights a week? Even in the online world we live in, home parties are still the BEST way to get a specific area going.

Daily Disciplines for Success

Be sure to post positive and inspirational messages on social Media. Follow an 80:20 rule: 80% personal or inspiring and 20% business. It is important to remember that your posts do not always have to be about network marketing or your business. What are you interested in? What do you love? I love baking and traveling so I include pictures about that. Remember though, while social media can amplify your message and grow your business, it is also about listening and building relationships. Be sure to regularly engage with people on social media – you never know who you will meet. Whether we meet online or face to face, we still have to relate to people and make connections.

Promote the next event using the phone, texts, email and social media. I think Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have the most to offer when it comes to getting the word out and connecting with prospective attendees. Use social media to curate the content around the event by including blog posts, pictures, infographics, conversations and videos to build traffic and engage your audience. It is completely true that the more people you bring to an event the more your business grows and faster too! We are in the tools and events driven business – if you aren’t taking advantage of the leverage events provide you and your teams, you will miss out!

Hope these daily disciplines help. Time to go for my walk and to yoga class. 🙂 Want to share this list with your team? Click here to access the handy checklist I created. Now start with the first one and work your way down 😉 All the best to you!

P.S. I hope my tips on daily disciplines are of value to you. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How to Stay Persistent and Reach Your Goals.