I still remember the first time I decided to start my own online business. My goodness! I really had no idea where to begin. I felt like a fresh college graduate on my first day of work. But I knew that there were a lot of opportunities online, and that I wanted to start my own business.

There were so many acronyms and terms used in online businesses that I couldn’t understand. It was actually quite overwhelming, but I just decided to stick with it since I had nothing to lose anyway. Even then, I knew that it was important for me to learn ways to overcome adversity and to find new ways to generate income.

So, even if I was struggling, I persevered. I did my homework. I visited instructional sites, I joined forums, and I even searched the Internet for online business articles that I could read! It took me some time to learn the tricks of the trade. I was not the most technologically aware lady, but what I lacked in natural ability, I made up for with determination.

These days, articles regarding the topic can be found all over the internet. There are even more resources now than there were before! Just a few days ago there was an article I read at Internet Marketing TNT written by Make Money Online entitled, “Online Business Ideas – 3 Ways To Finally Make A Full-Time Online Income In Part-Time Hours.”

In that article, I learned that:

• It is better to sell someone something over and over again, rather than always finding new clients to sell to. The ideal situation is to find clients who would pay you every month. Consistent income, even if it’s just for a small amount, is better than inconsistent large incomes.
• There is a big difference between generating small income from lots of sources and generating big income from few sources, and there are different approaches for each.
• A person looking to make money online should not start from scratch. There are many people who have built online businesses and are just looking for people to sell it to or help them build it up even further.

The article was very inspiring because it constantly reminded me that there are many opportunities out there for everyone. It’s comforting to think that even in these times there are ways to find profitable work. So, don’t be discouraged. The information you need to reach new heights in your career may be right under your nose. You just have to type the right keywords.

I know you are having doubts right now. I had my doubts before too. You are probably asking yourself, “Can I really make a profit online with the little online knowledge I have?” Fortunately, there are articles online that show us how this can be done!

A few days ago I found an article also from Internet Marketing TNT which talks about a key aspect in making a profit online. The title of the article was “The perfect online business model?” In that article, Ryan Lee talks about how building a good business model can boost your online profits!

According to Ryan, running a membership site is one of the best business models to make money online because:

• Membership sites have minimal startup costs, no inventory, no employees, and have a steady income.
• Membership sites are less of a risk than other online business models.
• Membership sites can provide multiple streams of income that could include backend offers, affiliate reviews, seminars and many more!

I know that many of you are as intimidated and overwhelmed as I was when I started out. Don’t be afraid. Just do your best and I know that you can be successful too. Trust me. It’s not as hard as it looks. If I can start from scratch and grow to understand these crazy, techie systems, so can you! It’s not rocket science. All it takes is a little faith in your own abilities. Take that leap of faith and start your own online business now.

Adaire

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Congrats to Candy King for getting her new Automated Cash Sites up and running! http://www.mujeresamigas.com/bill-phillips/

Congrats to Katrina Briggs for getting her new Automated Cash Sites up and running! http://www.cardinalkeys.com/jack-canfield/

One of the earliest tips I have received about proper money management was not to put all my savings in the bank. When I was younger, I didn’t listen to this advice because it went against what I thought was the right way of handling money, which was to save, and save, and save some more. Back then, all I knew was that if I didn’t go shopping as often as I wanted to and saved my money instead, I’d be rich one day!

However, I learned later that this was not a very good approach if my goal was to one day become financially free. I found out how inflation rates could sometimes reduce the value of my money faster than the interest rates can increase its amount. If I wanted financial freedom, I had to find a way to make my money grow. As soon as I learned about this fact, I decided that my money should go into business.

However, starting a business is not a simple task. There are many things to consider and a single mistake can cost you most, if not all, your hard-earned savings. You really have to plan carefully before you begin such an endeavor. Thankfully, a lot of information online can make starting a small business easier than it has ever been!

Just a few days ago there was an article I read at Small Business CEO written by Greg Crabtree entitled, “The Winning Game Plan for Your Home-Based Business.” Greg successfully articulated many of the points I wanted to share to you myself. He reminds us that in order to be successful in our business endeavors, we should:

• Define what success looks like. We all have different standards of success. My definition of success is for a business to at least be able to become a primary source of income. It depends on you what type of success you want to achieve.
• Choose a simple organization structure. A small home-based business doesn’t need a fancy business system. Make your business a simple one so that it’s easier to maintain.
• Count the cost of our business. In order to keep track of our progress, we must check if we’re losing or gaining resources by understanding the four forces of cash flow.

These simple adjustments in your home-based business can be the difference between success and failure. For the most part, it’s fear and not a lack of information that prevents people from starting their own business. It’s okay to be afraid. I experience a lot of fear too, but I also know that I’ll regret not trying more than I will regret failure. As long as you have the passion to succeed and the faith to persevere, you will find success in life.

BUT before you get carried away and start a business today, I think I should give you a practical tip that can help you start a stable and successful business career: Don’t spend your savings with abandon.

Some people make the mistake of being too brave. When starting a business, we also have to start with caution and prudence. An article also from Small Business CEO gave some very practical advice about starting a business. It was called, “The Secrets of Starting Business Successfully.” In that article, Julia Tang reminds us not to get too fancy when starting a business. Here are some of the reminders she gave:

• Be careful with our money. We should not splurge on superficial improvements to our business. In fact, according to Julia, “a good rule of thumb is that anything that does not make money for you or protect your investment, should not be purchased at this time.”
• Select simple names for our business endeavors. A hair salon with a fancy, ambiguous name such as “Cut it Out” may miss out on potential clients who are in a hurry. People who just want basic service are more likely to visit stores with clear signs like “Joe’s Barber Shop.”
• Be humble. Julia says, “Just as a doctor is a specialist in his field, and you go to him for medical problems, your banker is a specialist in his field and you should go to him for your money problems.” In business we have to learn to respect the expertise of the people we work with. Just because you’re the boss does not mean that you should act like a know-it-all.

These are just a few samples of the many wonderful insights and ideas in Julia’s article. One of the more memorable ones was when she explained the effects of using full names in the title of our business. For example, calling my business Adaire Mercer’s Styling Salon has the advantage of making credit somewhat easier to acquire for me, but it also has the disadvantage of making my business seem like a small, local business. Amazing!

There are literally hundreds of articles full of useful tips online and elsewhere that can truly help you start your own profitable business. Quite honestly, starting a business is one of the most exciting, challenging, and fulfilling things you can do in a single lifetime. There are risks involved, but these are risks worth taking. Have faith in yourself and in your abilities. Good luck!

Adaire

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Congrats to Kate Sanders for getting her new Automated Cash Sites up and running! http://www.thehappinesstoolshed.com/jack-canfield/

Congrats to Jerry Sherwood for getting his new Automated Cash Sites up and running! http://www.discovergreatlife.com/jack-canfield/

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Congrats to Clarice Garcia for getting her new Automated Cash Sites up and running! http://www.wealthnwisdom.com/bill-phillips/

I’ve heard some rather unfortunate news lately – a few of my favorite couples have decided to call it quits and break off their relationships. Don’t worry, I’m most certainly not talking about Ric and Liz. They’re one of the happiest couples I know of, and I don’t think anything can break them apart.

Over the years, I’ve had my fair share of rocky relationships, and so have my friends. The hardest thing to do in any relationship is to actually make the decision to break it off. Sometimes you just want to hold on to an unstable relationship and try to work things out, but sometimes that just prolongs your agony. So when should you decide to take that big step and call off the relationship altogether?

In his Healthy Wealthy nWise article Bonding or Bondage? How Does Your Relationship Stack Up, Dr. Noel Nelson cites a specific scenario that he uses as an example of “bondage” being mistaken for “bonding”. He talks about couples forcing themselves to do something that they’re not interested in simply because the other is. Of course, doing things together is one of the main ways that couples bond, but as Dr. Noel says: “It’s natural and wonderful to want to stay close, but there’s a world of difference between being close emotionally and mentally, versus being joined at the hip in your every activity. Forcing yourselves to do things together that one or the other doesn’t enjoy isn’t bonding, it’s bondage.”

Though Dr. Noel does make a good point there, I don’t think that this is the only aspect of relationship “bondage” that may give you enough cause to break-up. In truth, the kind of bondage described by Dr. Noel can easily be fixed through enough communication and an honest appreciation for the joy that your partner’s interest stirs within him or her. The kind of “bondage” that I feel is dangerous and merits a break-up has to do with tying yourself down to a relationship even though it’s hopeless no matter how much you’ve done to fix it.

In another Healthy Wealthy nWise article called Why Do Relationships End? Pitfalls and Deception, Janina Judek describes two relationship problems that may turn out worse for you unless you manage to break out of it when you need to.

Lack of interest

One of the reasons for break-ups that Janina describes is the opposite of what Dr. Noel described – not spending time together. While forcing yourself to do things with your significant other even if you’re not interested at all is bad, not spending time together is also a bad sign. Sometimes we start off relationships with a bang – you can’t get enough of one another, and the many hours you spend together never seem to be enough.

But after that initial thrill wears off, you may find yourselves in a bit of a standstill. When you notice you don’t seem to be spending time together the way you used to, you can try to take the initiative and organize a date or a vacation – anything exciting and new to both of you. If you still have that spark between you, this should be enough to ease your way back into really spending more time together as a couple. Talking also does wonders – knowing what it is that’s making your partner a bit frigid will help you set the relationship back on track. But if things don’t seem to be picking up at all after you’ve done these things and you find your partner simply doesn’t seem to want to be with you anymore, then it’s best that you just end the relationship right then and there. After all, why should you stay in a relationship when your partner isn’t even interested in you anymore?

Broken trust

For me, breaking your partner’s trust is one of the worst things you can do in a relationship, second only to physical/verbal abuse and harassment. When you enter a serious relationship, you both make the conscious decision to commit to each other and trust one another. Breaking that trust, especially through infidelity, is a serious offense. Like Janina says, “there are no easy solutions” for this kind of situation. It depends on what the one partner did to break the other’s trust, and how often it’s happened. Sometimes the transgressions can be forgiven over time, but if your partner keeps on breaking your trust repeatedly, then it would be best for you to break the relationship off. Relationships are supposed to be built on love and trust, and you really shouldn’t feel beholden to someone who deprives you of both.

Freeing yourself from bondage

As Janina says at the end of her article, the “ultimate” question that you need to ask is: “Is this relationship worth it?” There may be many reasons for you to keep trying to repair a problematic relationship. You’d probably be doing it for love, for the sake of the happy times you’ve shared, for the children…but if nothing happens after all your efforts, then perhaps it’s time for you to move on instead of allowing yourself to remain tied down. Relationships should be making couples feel loved and happy. If you find that you’re constantly unhappy with a relationship or feel like your heart’s being shattered into a million pieces by your partner’s actions, then you really have learn to let him or her go.

Adaire

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We spend five days a week sitting in our offices, glued in front of our computers, and unmindful of the hours that pass. We scarf down takeaway Chinese or club sandwiches (my favorite!) on days when we have pressing deadlines. Before we know it, it’s already close to six pm. We get up, do what is probably the only real stretch we ever do in a day, rub our lower backs and head home.

We get home, have dinner by our lonesome or with loved ones, and if it’s still too early to retire, we flop down on our comfy chair and watch TV.

Now pause right there and think of the last ten hours of your day. Were you kind to your spine?

If that strikes you as a funny question, I’d like to point out right away that it was asked in all seriousness. You see, I just finished reading a Healthy Wealthy nWise article by Jon Bjarnason called “Proper Sitting Positions and Your Spine”. It got me thinking and agreeing that we ought to be always aware of our postures at work lest we suffer the consequences to our spine.

Busy office workers who sit in unhealthy poses and don’t take time to stretch every now and then are putting their spine and ligaments at risk for joint injuries. When your ligaments are damaged, your muscles won’t work properly and you will become weak and tired. According to Bjarnason, “Sitting properly helps keep the ligaments strong, reduces muscle fatigue, the muscles use less energy and do not get tired as easily.”

He then shares five helpful tips on how to sit correctly to minimize back pain and spine injury:

“It is very important to take a break at least every hour.” No matter how busy you are, you need to set aside a minute or two to stand and stretch. If you really can’t stand up – like if you’re in the middle of a marathon meeting with the top bosses – then, at the very least, shift your position in your seat.

My friend Kate has a funny way of incorporating little workouts and stretches in the office. When she wants to “wake up” her circulation, she heads to the corporate pantry, grabs a couple of unopened bottles of juice and does squats and arm raises, using them as light weights. She assures me that she does this when no one is around, and wouldn’t mind at all if someone saw her. “I might inspire them to do the same thing, and then we’ll have to stock up on more juice bottles!” she laughed.

“Always make sure that your knees are lower than your hips.” Don’t let the back of your knees touch the seat.

“You should always keep both feet firmly on the floor.” If you happen to be petite and your feet don’t touch the floor at all when you’re seated, get a footrest.

“Never cross your legs while you are sitting.” Ladies, I know this makes us look attractive but it’s not good for our posture. Instead, keep your ankles in front of your knees.

“Having a chair with an adjustable backrest is crucial.” Adjust it to support that arch in the lower back. Bjarnason recommends asking your employer to provide you with one. If this is not possible, you will need to purchase it yourself.

If you’re already feeling the small effects of bad posture over the years, it’s time to visit your friendly local chiropractor. He or she can provide you more tips on how to maintain good posture and change bad habits.

Now what if you’re a business traveler who is always on the go? You may not be stuck at your desk the whole day but you’re also prone to health issues. In fact, in Suzy Buglewicz’s Healthy Wealthy nWise article, “5 Secrets of Healthy Road Warriors”, it is pointed out that business travelers have higher obesity rates than those who don’t travel as often. Chalk it up to all that heavy airplane food, hotel and diner meals, business cocktails, and sampling the local cuisine of the state or country you’re visiting.

So how do you combat weight gain on your next business trip? Follow these five tips that Buglewicz shares in her article.

“Choose meals wisely”. At a hotel buffet, keep in mind that no one is forcing you to sample everything. Pick the healthiest fare you see and choose more vegetables than meat. That doesn’t mean you can pile on the dressing though!

“Fit in fitness time.” Bugelwicz says that a sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk of dying from cancer and heart disease by more than 30%. Compensate for all those hours sitting in a plane and in meetings by using the exercise facilities in your hotel gym. If the hotel doesn’t have one, jog around the city. Don’t forget to pack your exercise gear.

“Sleep like you’re at home.” Lack of sleep will prevent you from being alert and productive. At night, forget about your paperwork and tuck yourself in early. Switch off all lights and electronic devices. Resist the urge to answer that one last business email. It can wait the next day.

“Keep germs at arms length.” Airplane bathrooms, drinking fountains, and ATM buttons have the highest concentration of germs. Wash your hands frequently and carry a hand sanitizer with you always.

“Take charge of your health care.” Pack your insurance card, vitamins and medicines in the event you catch a cold, get a tummy ache, or suffer an allergy from exotic foods.

Keep fit and healthy wherever your job takes you. When you feel the urge to sneak in a little exercise during the day, go for it and grab those juice bottles!

Adaire

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