I came across the word resilience the other day … and it made me think … of a sponge, of Spongebob, of my children, of my business. I do not know why this word made me think so much … but … here is what my thinking came up to:

Problems in business life are as usual as they are in private life. Some problems are bigger, others solved in just a few moments. Still, it seems that some people have the talent to handle any problem in a better was than others. Their first reaction is calm, their emotions stay stable. What is the reason that lies behind these two main reaction types? What is it that influences a person to deal with a problem in a composed manner versus others who react with frustration and stress?

Well, the fast answer here is – as you would guess by now -  “resilience”. Resilience can change and actually changes and influences the way you react to different situations.

The origin of this word is in the old Latin language where the word “resilire” can be found. The meaning of this word is “spring back to the origin, be imperishable, be resistant”. You can best compare it with a sponge which changes its form once you squeeze, where it changes its resistance for some instances, but then immediately turns back to its original format.

And here we go with the three steps for you and how you can become more resilient:

1. Understanding – how do we understand and actually perceive a problem. The more you know about yourself and about your environment, the better you are prepared for handling problems. The more you study the behaviors and patterns of all main stakeholders in your business environment, the better you will be prepared to envisage any actions and reactions they might expose you to. The smaller the surprise factor in it, the bigger your resilience, the better your first acceptance of an issue or problem.
2. Feasibility – once you understand the problem and the nature of it, the people involved, we have better tools and a vaster tablet of choices while searching for a solution. You can decide from pure emotion or you can use the different options available in most of the issues we have to deal with in business or even in private life. If your resilience is big enough, than it will be an easy task applying the worst case scenario. “What is the worst that can happen?” This simple statement requires and excellent knowledge of your environment and a strong and resilient you, but can guarantee for the best possible outcome!
3. Importance – how much importance are you giving to a problem. Can you distinguish between problems and issues; do you have a clear map of difficult tasks versus real problems that require your clear intervention? How much do you allow a problem to emotionally move you? How resilient are you to “make the movement of a sponge”? The more you learn about human nature and the better you understand your inner self and your environment, the better you will be able to handle and solve any issue or problem.

Have a great day!

To your success,

Your Kasia G.

WRITING: WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN…

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, ‘ This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received. ‘

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.

The angel then said to me, ‘ This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them. ‘ I noticed again how busy it was there.. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing ‘nothing. ‘ This is the Acknowledgment Section, ‘ my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed ‘ How is it that there is no work going on here? ‘ I asked.

‘So sad, ‘ the angel sighed. ‘ After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments. ‘

‘How does one acknowledge God ‘ s blessings? ‘ I asked…

‘Simple, ‘ the angel answered. Just say, ‘ Thank you, Lord. ‘

‘What blessings should they acknowledge? ‘ I asked.

‘If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world ‘ s wealthy. ‘

‘And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.. ‘

‘If you woke up this morning with more health than illness … You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day ‘

‘If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation … You are ahead of 700 million people in the world. ‘

‘If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world. ‘

‘If your parents are still alive and still married ..you are very rare.’

‘If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you ‘ re unique to all those in doubt and despair….. ‘

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you care to, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are .

(Anonymous)

If you have read this far, and are thankful for all that you have been blessed with.

Thank You for being with me and signing in, not on pure business only, but on mindset adn spirit as well. To me it is key, and so it is to you if you are here reading this.

To your success

Your Kasia G.

Below is a very simple road to happiness written by an unknown author many, many years ago. The years have flown, the centuries have turned, times have change and technology has transformed the world, yet the road to real happiness remains unchanged.

Spend some time this week reflecting on where you are on the road to happiness and areas you might want to improve as you read …

The Road to Happiness:

Keep skid-chains on your tongue; always say less than you think. Cultivate a low, persuasive voice. How you say it often counts far more than what you say.

Make promises sparingly and keep them faithfully, no matter what it costs you.

Never let an opportunity pass to say a kind and encouraging thing to or about somebody. Praise good work done, regardless of who did it. If criticism is merited, criticize helpfully and never spitefully.

Be interested in others: interested in their pursuits, their welfare, their homes, and families. Make merry with those who rejoice and mourn with those who weep. Let everyone you meet, however humble, feel that you regard them as a person of importance.

Be cheerful. Keep the corners of your mouth turned up. Hide your pains, worries, and disappointments under a pleasant smile. Laugh at good stories and learn to tell them.

Preserve an open mind on all debatable questions. Discuss, but don’t argue. It is the mark of a superior mind to disagree and yet be friendly.

Let your virtues, if you have any, speak for themselves, and refuse to talk of another’s vices. Discourage gossip. Make it a point to say nothing to another unless it is something good.

Be careful of other’s feelings. Wit at the other fellow’s expense is rarely worth the effort and may hurt where least expected.

Pay no attention to ill-natured remarks about you. Simply live so that nobody will believe them.

Don’t be too anxious about getting your just dues. Do you work, be patient, keep your disposition sweet, forget self, and you will be respected and rewarded!

(Anonymous)

Have an extraordinary weekend!

To your success

Your Kasia G.

it is friday, most of us have a long week behind; success stories and draw backs, tears and laughter; it all makes part of our daily and busy lives.

So I have decided to just share a few quotations with you, for the different parts of our days, to motivate and inspire you.

Quote of the Day
“The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” (Aristotle)

Art Quote of the Day
“Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun.” (Pablo Picasso)

Funny Quote of the Day
“Be able to go shopping for a bathing suit and not become depressed afterward. “ (Marilyn vos Savan)

Love Quote of the Day
“Laughter is the brush that sweeps away the cobwebs of your heart.” (Mort Walker)

Nature Quote of the Day
“Waters are distilled out of Herbs, Flowers, Fruits, and Roots.” (Nicholas Culpeper)

And mow my wish for you is the one for a relaxing weekend, with fun and sun, with time to take a deep breath and enjoy what you have.

To your success

Your Kasia G.

“You can do anything if you put your mind to it, but you can’t do everything” (Mark Forster)

This is such a true statement, linking together many elements we have addressed over the past months here in the various blog posts: mindset and marketing tools, focus and determination.

The moment you have your goal clearly set and visualized in your mind, then the road appears in front of you and you just need to follow it, step by step, cautious to adjust direction, flexible to allow for expansion and growth.

Your 6 main steps towards your personal success story therefore are:

1. brainstorm towards success WITHOUT any judgement;
2. order the outcome by topics;
3. matrix it with your goals for success;
4. visualize the whole picture;
5. prioritize and
6. act!

It does not matter that you do not know the full way yet. As long as you always keep your final goal clear and up front in mind, nothing will harm your way. Allow it to come step by step and follow – just as another famous quote teaches us all “when the pupil is theady, the teacher arrives”. Your way path will roll out in front of you in exactly this manner.Just walk open-minded towards it!

To your success

Your Kasia G.

Last week we have discovered the four seasons and how they fit together with the main characteristics of our personalities: some of us are life artists and act like spring, always thrilled by new things, always taking many new blossoms to discover.

Others of us are like winter time, rather calm and very family and friend oriented, very helpful and mission fulfilling.

Most of us have one main season that we reflect in our characters, some elements of the three other seasons for sure come out on different occasions as well.

Today I want to help those of you who are not yet sure about which season reflects the best. A short multiple choice test which should guide you towards your season or simply confirm what you already guess it is.

Take a few minutes and enjoy:

1. My dream holiday is

a. adventure and rafting in Costa Rica;   *

b. beach holiday with my family;   ~

c. no holidays; no time, need to work;   #

d. a perfectly organized city travel   +

2. What describes best your working style?

a. I am keen on each little detail;   +

b. very creative and trying to have some fun as well;   *

c. trying to achieve as much as possible in one day;   #

d. first I help my colleagues, then make my job.   ~

3. In my free time I

a. love being with my family;   ~

b. do training and regular sports;   #

c. enjoy parties and clubbings;   *

d. do some gardening.   +

4. Problems

a. I do not like discussing with others in order to keep harmony;   ~

b. I discuss immediately so they are solved. I don’t like if others have a different opinion though;   +

c. which problems? *

d. I solve immediately as I have no time for them. #

5. What do you eat mainly?

a. controlling strictly calories and nutrition values;   +

b. I enjoy big menus and tasty dishes;   *

c. home made cooking;   ~

d. Snacks and junk food.   #

6. A colleague asks you do his/her job. How do you react?

a. angry: do it yourself;   #

b. I am angry but do not dare saying no;   ~

c. with a smile I pass it on the another colleague;   *

d. with high self discipline I try to accomplish my colleague’s job as perfect as possible.   +

7. You go to a party. Which dress do you choose?

a. “sexy”, being the main point of attention is my goal; *

b. small black dress, always suits well; +

c. my usual dress which I use for these rare occasions since many years; ~

d. take the best I have to demonstrate my success.  #

8. You win the lottery. What do you do with the money?

a. I save it for the education of my children;   ~

b. I plan a trip around the world;   *

c. I invest in real estate;   +

d. I buy myself into my company as a partner.   #

9. You have a free afternoon. What do you do?

a. I meet friends to go to the park;   *

b. I finally have some time to do some work at home;   +

c. I go with the kids to the playground;   ~

d. I network at the golf club. #

10. This fits me best:

a. carpe diem – live the day; *

b. first the work, then the leisure;   #

c. organization is key to success;   +

d. giving is better than taking.   ~

Now go ahead and count the symbols; check which symbol you have marked most. This is the symbol which best reflects your personality.

~ You are a FRIEND and winter is the main season your personality is reflecting;

+ You are a PERFECTIONIST and your season is autumn;

# You are a WORKAHOLIC and your personality reflects summer;

* You are a LIFE ARTIST and your season is spring.

Hope you enjoyed!

To your success

Your Kasia G.

ready for the final spurt to discover which type of person you are? Is your personality more a winter time type or a sparkling spring time character?

Let us first discover the last, the spring which we call the “Life Artist”. The life artist is full of energy, see opportunities and possibilities all over; is attracted by everything; curious to discover all things and all people that he or she encounters. The life artist is difficult to hold back and is always keen to start new adventures, never gets enough of them.

It is like spring, flowers blossom all over, people come out of their houses, the world seems to start moving faster after long winter months.

The life artist just needs to learn to let go at a certain point. As spring allows blossoms to become flowers and fruits and change into summer, the life artist needs to understand that too many things at the same time not necessarily are for his or her best. Actually, usually they get stressed by overwhelming themselves with too many new adventures and taking on new ones without having accomplished or finalized the previous ones.

If you are a life artist people often will admire you for your strength and energy; some will envy you for it. It is wonderful walking through life in such a motivated manner. Just be careful not to stress yourself with too many projects as you risk to feel bad and also to become and seem superficial. Use some meditation techniques and take even just a few minutes a day to calm down and reflect a bit.

Give it a thought and I will be back next week with a short multiple choice test to help you identifying which season reflects your personality and how to make best use of the natural seasons’ power behind it! For sure, we all have parts of all four types reflected in our personalities. It is also quite common to have a business/work life personality which is quite different from the personality type that comes out in private time. Still, one main type is the power behind all our doing and action. Get to know yourself better, listen to your inner self, discover yourself and use the power of the seasons for additional energy to drive your days!

To your success

Your Kasia G.

here I am back for you with some more insight about the four seasons and how we can profit positively in our lives from this natural source of energy.

Did you already think about which type of person you are? Do you feel your personality reflected in winter time or in autumn? In spring or in summer?

Remember, we were saying that winter is the time of reflection and nest building; spring is the energy burst itself; summer is lightness and fast flow; autumn is joy towards achievement and rest.

You have read about the “workaholic” in the past post. Today let us take a closer look at “the friend” and at “the perfectionist”.

Being a “friend” you always feel the urge to help and you do not feel well nor able to relax until you have not helped all people in your “radar”. This is a very positive attitude and helping others is always a very gratifying job. Still, there is a huge BUT to it: you need not forget about yourself!

Learn saying NO. It is like the sun that warms us (not only) in summer … but sometimes says NO and then we find some clouds on the sky … “oh no”, many people might think. We need the sun, to warm the water to grow the plants, to get a sun tan, whatever it is … But just think about it: too much sun means dry flowers and burned skin … and it is the same with you: the more you give the more people expect. The more you give the less they will say “thank you”  and will forget soon how to appreciate all your help; it will become “normal” to them.

Helping is wonderful and very gratifying, as already mentioned above. Just start testing the incremental gratitude that one simple NO can bring to you; how much time for you to relax a single NO may mean, give it just a though, how much energy a single NO can keep within you!

“The Perfectionist”: huge discipline, focus and determination guide you. Well, no doubt that you are a “perfectionist”. Autumn eventually reflects best what the perfectionist looks like. Tearing off old clothes, getting ready for a new start, a next step, whenever it is needed. Obligations and work come in before joy and fun. You never miss out on a date, on a birthday or a meeting.

The perfectionist could be a vivid and walking “Outlook Calendar”. Sports and family are those who lose out most on this as your wish and thrive for perfection is so big that you hardly allow yourself any time out; time to have fun and to reflect; time to be creative and have fun. Easiness and a bright spirit can give you this ultimate energy boost to make you a smiling perfectionist and allow yourself to not only function perfectly but to live … I know this is a difficult process; I have been through it, but it works

Last but not least, the next post, the third one of this short series here on fighting burn-out and enjoying life, will be about the “Life Artist”. So make sure you check back soon and get inspired by nature for a better life!

Have a fantastic day

Your Kasia G.

isn’t it great?! March 1st, spring is coming soon, days get longer, first flowers spread out. This is energy, positive energy that nature uses getting out after all the long and cold winter months – in the northern hemisphere right now.

Look at this natural energy. Isn’t it contagious on your mind and spirit? It for sure is on mine!

Psychologists all around the world ring the alarm bells that there are more and more people affected by burn-out. The good news is that in most cases we can fight it with our own tools; tools that nature has given us and inspires us through the seasons on how to using them:

• Winter is the time of reflection and nest building;
• Spring is the energy burst itself;
• Summer is lightness and fast flow;
• Autumn is joy towards achievement and rest.

How does this reflect in our personalities? How can you make best use of it?

Well, first of all you need to better understand what type of person you are – as a complete burn-out situation for your neighbor might mean excitement and power for you.

So let us analyze this first. Let us divide all humans into 4 main types:

• The Workaholic
• The Friend
• The Perfectionist
• The “Life Artist”

The Workaholic needs work to feel stimulated and mostly will search also extreme activities as mountain biking and extreme sports in his or her free time. Trying to enjoy all achievements, be it the perfect job completion or the highest mountain you reach. Listen to your inner self. Give yourself more time to enjoy and share this joy with others. Inspire them and get additional energy from their feedback and admiration. This is the best to fight burn-out for the workaholic. And some very quiet hours, at least once a quarter – even if you need to force yourself to do so. Mark them like an appointment in your calendar; read a book, go to the SPA, sit on your sofa and watch TV. Allow yourself to NOT functioning at 150% for 365 days a year!

Well, that’s it for today, more about the other three types of people in the blog posts coming later this week. Watch out for them!

here I am back for you with some more details on Social Networking:

Social Networking is not only a great possibility for checking up with old friends and mates, it is also a very powerful tool to find groups of interest. All systems have groups of interest you can sign up to. There you will find people from all over the world that share one same interest. This interest might be singing, painting or online business. It might be cooking, gardening as well as sharing experiences of proud parents. Whatever your interests are, you can be pretty sure to find a team or group in any of the social networking sites. And this is exactly where we come back to the traffic driving aspect of the Social Networks.

Consider the power of a tool that gives you the possibility of having access to a huge group from all over the world interested in let us say golfing. Saying huge group I mean huge group as many of them have over 5.000, even up to 45.000 people (that is I guess the biggest one that I have discovered) subscribed to them! On the other side let us assume that you have a golf course that you are promoting, for instance on “How to increase your score by 10 each time you play”.

Can you already see and feel the power of this? You will just need to look for one of those groups, make friend requests to them (which is quite time consuming but very effective) and then you will not have to do anything else than write about golfing on your social networking site, inform people about and on your blog about all your golfing knowledge and they will come by themselves to get more from you. This will be exactly the moment when they will enter your “traditional” sales cycle, enter your opt-in site (very often known as Magnetizer page) and so on.

In general, it is recommended by renowned Internet Marketers to have a friends list of about 2000 people. I know that this sounds a real lot, and it is. Just consider two important aspects to it:

1)      You will grow your list over time – let us say 6 months to have about 2000 is a challenge but a feasible goal.

2)      These 2000 people will bring automatically new traffic to your site, your friends list will grow steadily.

Questions, recommendations, feedback or other – I always love hearing from you adn receiving your comments!

To your success,

Your Kasia G.