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Everyday we hear about gas prices soaring, food and clothing going up 6-10% and I know many of us wonder how we will continue to stretch our dollars.  Well, I am happy to announce a special event!

How to Shop for Free

Coupon Class for DARE To Be Phenomenal Members

with

Kathy Spencer

Author of the book

How to Shop for Free:  Shopping Secrets for Smart Women Who Love to Get Something for Nothing

Learn How to find the best savings and combine them with store promotions, coupons, rewards programs, and store credit to get almost everything on your shopping list for free!

Tickets are $25.00 and include light refreshments!

Book sales  will also be available before and after the event. The cost of the books are $14.99 and a book signing will take place after the class.

**All Sales Final

When:

Tuesday, April 5^th at Connie Doto Realty Group

119 Pleasant St, Methuen, MA

Visit the site below to register!  Only 20 seats are available so don’t wait too long to register for this event!

http://www.meetup.com/Dare-To-Be-Phenomenal-North-of-Boston-Chapter-Meetup/events/16767468/

Good Tuesday to all you hard working women entrepreneurs.  I am looking for your best tip on how you successful keep yourself organized when you’re running your business from home.

We all have our own way of doing things and I know I love my system but I’d be willing to bet all you creative women out there have some pretty amazing rituals or habits that keep your business running smoothly!

So go ahead and post your best tip here!  I’ll be posting the results tomorrow.

We all make resolutions and most people make them in two distinct areas.  The first in health and the second financially.  Did you make financial resolutions this year?  If you did keep reading to find out the best strategy so you can stick to and reach your financial goals in 2011.

1.  Less IS More

I read a blog post last week and under financial goals this is what was written:

1. Significantly increase our giving to needs in our community and around the world. This is an ongoing goal, so we’re keeping it uncrossed off from the list.

2. Pay cash for a replacement washer and dryer for our very used set.

3. Pay cash for a replacement for van

4. Pay cash for a couch for our basement family room.

5. Pay cash for bunk beds for the girls.

6. Fully fund our IRAs.

7. Bump up our retirement savings to 10% of our income.

8. Fund our children’s educational savings.

9. Double our Emergency Fund Savings (Instead of having around six month’s worth of expenses set aside, we’re planning to set aside a year’s worth of expenses.)

10.  Save at least 40% towards our Commercial Real Estate Investing Goal

I was overwhelmed and exhausted just reading this list.  I bet you are too!

Here’s what I suggest:   Have two goals and work diligently on meeting them.  Once you have you can add another goal to the mix.  This way you’re not so overwhelmed that you ditch  your goals. all together.

2.  Get Real

We all have goals and that’s great.  But without a plan the goal is doomed to failure.

Let’s say for a moment you want to get out of debt this year.  Great!  Congratulations, it’s a great goal to have.

Your first action is to determine just how much debt you actually have.  Get out a piece of paper and write down all your credit cards, how much interest they have and the outstanding balance.  Add it up.

Ok, gulp that’s how much debt you have.  How do you plan on paying if off?

You must come up with a strategy if you plan on being successful.  I teach my clients a simple but very effective way to pay down debt.  It worked for me and I know it will work for you too.

Whether you use my plan or develop one of your own.  Start planning to ensure you meet your financial goals in 2011.

3.  Get Accountable

It is much easier to be accountable to someone else when trying to reach your goals.  So, find a friend, coach or family member who can hold your feet to the fire as you try to reach financial security in 2011.  This way ever time you reach for your wallet to buy something you don’t need, they can remind you what your working towards!

Remember, financial freedom and security IS attainable.  You can do it!

Those who know me well know that I don’t buy a lot of Christmas gifts. Instead, I prefer to have friends and family to my home and to spend an evening laughing, sharing, and honoring the people that mean the most to me. Gift giving is wonderful and I certainly love to receive, but the gifts from the heart are the ones that matter the most to me. Here is my favorite list of gifts that you can give this Christmas that won’t cost a dime but will certainly fill your soul!

The Gift of Listening – When you engage in the task of listening… truly listening, you are connecting with that other person in a way that lets them know how much they matter to you. While you sit there intently listening – not daydreaming, planning or interrupting – you are connecting at a deep place where two souls join together for the betterment of each other. As the listener, you gain something too: the deep fulfillment of lending yourself to another in friendship and love.

The Gift of Laughter – “Laughter is the best medicine” is how the quote is known and I couldn’t agree more. Nothing makes me feel better than to share a good laugh with a friend. It lifts my spirits and the other person’s too. Share a joke, funny story, or a cartoon and share the gift of laughter with others.

The Gift of Kindness – I realized the other day that it is just as easy to be kind to someone as it is to be nasty…almost easier because one leaves you feeling good about yourself while the other leaves you feeling empty. Be kind to others by sharing simple gestures of yourself. This could be opening a door for someone, being a good driver on the roadways, sharing a kind word or a simple smile. Watch how these gestures of kindness fill you up and help you be a better person.

The Gift of Affection – Nothing feels better than a hug! I love to give hugs and I love to get them, too. And, I love to pair it with a kiss on the cheek! Maybe it’s the Italian in me, I’m not quite sure. But what I am sure about is how much those little gestures of affection let me express to my family and friends how much they mean to me.

The Gift of Service – I believe that we are on this earth to be of service to others. Giving of your time and talents to the benefit of someone else is the most wonderful gift you can ever give. Service comes in many forms but can include giving blood to help save a life, feeding the hungry, volunteering for a local charity, or helping an elderly neighbor with household chores. The list is endless. But one thing is certain – helping others fills the heart and soul in ways that nothing else can.

The Gift of Solitude – Sometimes we need to be alone. Maybe we need time to sort through a problem or time to re-energize ourselves. Others need this time as well. This Christmas, learn to respect other people’s need and give the gift of solitude by leaving them the time they need for self reflection and privacy.

The Gift of Courage – This gift allows you to be courageous, to speak your truth always and to stand in your power as a person. Give this gift to yourself. Be honest with yourself about what you want and don’t want in your life. Take good care of yourself…this is not about being selfish. It’s about taking time to care for you!

The Gift of Appreciation – Mother Theresa said, “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” Take a moment to think about your family and friends. Make a list of all the things that you appreciate about them. Keep this list in a safe place, maybe in your journal or with your will. Just imagine what this gift of appreciation will mean to people after you’ve gone. Your last words to them will be a heartfelt treasure they will never forget. You will show clearly how you recognized, admired and valued their unique qualities. You will acknowledge with gratitude what they meant to you. This gift of appreciation will be the memory of your heart and will live on. This Christmas, don’t delay in giving the Gift of Appreciation. Share your feelings this holiday with the ones you love.

May this Christmas Season fill your home with Joy, your heart with Love, and your life with Peace.

MPG isn’t an acronym for miles per gallon.  No, not this time.

It stands for My Phenomenal Goals!

My Phenomenal Goals are displayed in my office where I can see them, reflect on them and check them off in celebratory fashion when I’ve reached them.

The end of the year is fast approaching and now is the time to start thinking about what your 2011 goals are going to be.

Here’s some tips to help formulate your best goals for 2011:

1.  Sit down and revisit the goals you had for 2010. Review the questions below.  Your answers will help you create your goals for 2011.

• What goals did I reach in 2010?
• What stood in the way of me reaching any of my goals?
• What do I need to put in place this year to make sure I reach my goals in 2011?

2.  Sit down and formulate your goals for 2011. Haven’t developed any?  Well get cracking on that task.  Think about these questions to get you started:

• What’s working in my business?
• What’s not?
• What action(s) would take me closer to my commitments in the next 90 days?
• What opportunities exist right now?
• What new strategy(ies) could I implement so I can reach these goals?

3.  Determine if your goals are realistic given where you are currently and your action steps. For example, consider how you plan on bringing in revenue for the year, what program, services, or products are you launching in 2011 and what marketing strategies are you planning on implementing in the year?

3.  Next revise your goals or the plan to achieve them or maybe both so that they are in total alignment with your vision…oh, and make sure they are doable. I like to tell my clients that when developing goals you need to feel the friction between too hard and too easy…that place in between.  When you find it, that is where your goal should be.

You must take the RIGHT action in the RIGHT way at the RIGHT time while keeping a clear and positive mindset about what you want to achieve.  This combination will catapult you forward to your goals and nothing else!

Want to make sure that you are formulating the RIGHT goals, at the RIGHT time, in the RIGHT order?  Call me at 978-794-4991 or email me at maureen@daretobephenomenal.com for a strategy session to see if I can help you formulate the right plan!  It’s a simple, easy and cost effective way to make sure you are on the right track!

Each and every day I am lucky enough to impart extraordinary information to help my clients move from frustrating five figure income into six and even high six figures.  Most of what I share with my clients is about the money mindset shifts one needs to make in order to be a successful entrepreneur.

Mindset in combination with using my keen intuition and facing my fears are the foundation for the success me and my clients have had in our businesses.

Now, just to be clear, mindset is more than just reading some fancy, squishy feeling affirmations every day.  Your mindset is those deep rooted beliefs that you hold near and dear to you and would take an atomic bomb for you to let go of.  These beliefs help you through all of your challenges both business and personal.  Ultimately, your mindset helps you to make the decisions that change your life.

So here’s a list of mindset secrets to help you succeed in business and become that high six figure entrepreneur!

• Face your fears; never let fear influence your decision making ability
• Use challenges to spark your creativity and solve problems
• Never tolerate excuses from others or from yourself
• Believe “Where there’s a will there’s a way”
• Understand there’s real power in asking for help
• Knows that obstacles are a reason to strengthen your commitment to your bigger why
• Graciously welcomes new learning opportunities from teachers, mentors and coaches
• Know you can do, be and have anything you want
• Never, ever play the victim
• Holds firm to boundaries and stand solid in your personal power
• Knows that “NOW” is the right time
• Understands that fear and doubt are not truth
• Let’s go to grow
• Appreciates the growing and learning process and see the results in the transformation of your business
• Practices the attitude of gratitude
• Invest in the best mentoring and coaching

Print out this list and put it on your cork board or wall and reflect on the mindset secrets every day.

I hear it all the time…”I want to charge more for my services.” When I ask, “What’s stopping you,” I usually get a look of panic and hear words that are filled with fear and doubt. Hearing their “money words” is an important first step when I work with a client.

Why? Because, it tells me a great deal about their money habits and beliefs.

I recently spoke with a woman who was interested in joining my mastermind program. She was letting fear and cost stand in the way of her stepping up to the plate. Instead of investing in the program, she decided it was better to play it safe and small. She made statements like, “I can’t afford it,” “I don’t have the money” and even “I don’t know if it will be of benefit to me.” These are words that are rooted in fear and lack, and will have a direct impact on your ability to raise your own fees and up your prices.

So what kinds of words will let you stand in your power around money? Talking about money in ways that are rooted in abundance and power like, “I value myself enough to spend money on this program that will greatly benefit my business” or “I would love to spend that kind of money on (fill in the blank)” or even “Things that cost more have a higher value.” Do you feel the difference in these statements?

When you use words that are powerful you automatically shift your belief about YOU and what’s possible in your business and life. You’re creating a shift deep within yourself that values quality, which recognizes that good things DO cost more and are worth it.

Next time you hear yourself using language that is rooted in lack, I want you to stop and instead use your power — words that can help you make the shift from lack to abundance.

I had an awesome call with my Money, Marketing and Mindset Mastermind clients today.   What came through crystal clear is how focused they are on WHO they serve.

When they came to the coaching program they were really scattered and unfocused working with anyone who would part with money so they could keep their business going.

In only a few short months, they have all gotten crystal clear on who their ideal clients are, how they solve a problem for those clients and the value behind what they do.

It’s awesome to see this unfolding as their business grows.

This could be you!   Contact me today, if you want to learn how you can turn your business around before the end of the year!

When you drive down the street and see a home that is a great deal nicer than yours, what is your reaction? Do you feel jealous, envious, or resentful?   Do you think the people in the house are “lucky” or “rich a—holes?”

Does this sound familiar?  Are you spewing anger and resentment towards people who are better off than you?

I have a friend who has displayed this type of bitterness in the past.  Oh, she has proclaimed more than once to me that she desperately wants to change her financial situation.  But how on earth can she improve her circumstances and create wealth when she clearly despises the very people she is attempting to become?

Many years ago I started a cleaning business.  My company cleaned some of the biggest homes in the area.  I am talking multi million dollar homes in some of THE best neighborhoods.  When I would pull up to these homes I was always excited to see what the house would look like inside.  I enjoyed walking through those homes and complimenting the owners.

I understood that most, if not all of these owners worked very hard for what they had.  Nobody handed them this terrific home in the most upscale of communities.  In fact, most of them where business owners who worked round the clock for many, many years before enjoying the success they had today.

They were my hero’s.  If they could achieve this success, I knew I could too.  I never did and still don’t feel one iota of jealousy, hatred, envy or resentment towards them.

But this doesn’t mean those feeling don’t creep up in other situations from time to time.  Sometimes I find myself making disparaging remarks to people who drive nicer cars than me.  I’m pretty sure it has more to do with their driving abilities (or lack thereof) than the car they are driving.  I realize my human tendency and stop the negativity immediately.

You see, you don’t have to be perfect in your thinking or behavior to achieve greater financial success, but you do need to be able to recognize it and change directions when it surfaces.

Here’s my request to you: If you are committed to achieving financial freedom, then the next time you hear yourself saying disparaging remarks to those with bigger bank accounts immediately stop yourself and release the negative energy.  Now think of more supportive thoughts and behaviors that will spur on your financial growth and increased awareness.

Remember, your thoughts are neither good nor bad.  But they can make or break your efforts in achieving financial independence.  Replace the negative dis-empowering thoughts with positive empowering ones that support your desire to achieve greater wealth and you will be making the strides necessary to turn your financial destiny around.

On Sunday I had the pleasure of speaking at the Ladies Who Launch and 85 Broads first joint Power Networking Brunch.  My talk entitled “I’d Rather Be On Top” highlighted the mindset shifts and strategies that one must make in order to have a successful business and life.

At the end of the meeting several of the women came up to me and asked what else they needed to do to be successful.  I told them the truth…it takes alot of hard work, dedication, great systems and again, I reminded them it all lies in their ability to adopt the proper mindset of success.

I had the distinct impression that they were looking for some magic pill that would make growing their business easier.  The reality is ladies that there is no magic pill, but there are  a couple of things that you need to put in place to create a thriving business.

1.  Develop a Team That Serves You

You can’t do it alone and quite frankly why would you want to.  Being able to delegate those activities that can bog me down in the minutia isn’t going to help me build a lucrative business.

Having a team that supports my vision of the company and does what I need done, how and when I need it, has been key in my being able to build a successful businesses.  Start out with one person maybe for 5-10 hours a month and build up from there.  Use your new found time to market your business and watch it grow!

2.  Stop Believing You Can Do It Without the Proper Mentoring and Training

Now some of you  may think that this bullet is self-serving, but the truth of the matter is that I have a couple of mentors and coaches that I rely on to provide me with the training and coaching that I need to continue to grow my business.

I tried it on my own.  It didn’t work very well for me and I bet it’s not working very well for you either.

Being a business women and having no other sounding board can sometimes take you down a path of self destruction.  Why?  Because it’s hard to do things in a vacuum  all on your lonesome.

I rely on my coaches to keep me focused and accountable and I use them as a way to test out my thinking when developing new programs and services.

Do yourself a favor and find a coach that you can work with successfully.  Your businesses will see the results of your investment.

3.  Develop The Systems To Support Your Growth

Often times the  business begins to grow and wham, we’re hit with the realization we aren’t prepared for it.

If every time you launch a new product or develop a new service you have to start from scratch then you don’t have the system in place you need to leverage your time.

Do yourself a favor and  document the system now as your business is still developing so that when it happens you’ll be ready for it.

Remember, growing a successful business won’t happen by popping “a magic pill.” It takes work.  But having a team that supports you, coaches and mentors to focus and teach you, and the systems to grow with your business will help put you on the road to a successful and profitable business.