Standing Out In A Crowd

No matter what your niche is, no matter what you are creating, selling, or writing, you’re going to find that there are others out there who might be doing the same thing. You might start comparing yourself to others in your field which is fine, just don’t get stressed out over it. You might question yourself sometimes and if you lose an account, no matter how small, you might start questioning what you could have done differently.

It always seems easier to find the cons and figure it has to be something you did wrong. Even though you should take each negative as a learning experience and use that experience to get back up, wipe yourself off, and work harder next time. (It is definitely OK to take some time to relax, eat a pint of ice cream or homemade brownies and catch up on your favorite TV show!) Life would be kind of boring if everything always went the way we wished it did. Not only would we never learn from anything new, we wouldn’t be able to grow or improve.

There will be many dark days as an entrepreneur no matter your field. But, there will be many successes too! A lot of your success will depend on how you fail and how you come back up from it. This is one of my most favorite uplifting quotes:

Everyone is an entrepreneur. The only skills you need to be an entrepreneur: an ability to fail, an ability to have ideas, to sell those ideas, to execute on those ideas, and to be persistent so even as you fail you learn and move onto the next adventure. James Altucher

If blogging is your thing, you probably get exhausted from seeing so many similar posts out there by other, more popular, or bigger bloggers. It’s bound to happen. There are over 150 million bloggers out there and we’re going to end up posting a lot of the same posts. So, how do you stand out? Maybe you have a sparkling personality and your readers love to interact with your posts because you always reply and engage. Maybe they look to you as an expert and ask questions. Or maybe you’re a great storyteller. Either way, we’re all different and finding the differences can sometimes help you grow your business. Finding motivational stories from others who have been there, like, Chrissy Weems, is a good way to keep the positivity flowing! This doesn’t just apply to bloggers either.

There are so many meal subscription boxes out there these days. But, you have the best idea ever and you just know that you can become successful because you already studied everything there is to know about meal delivery subscriptions. “What does the customer want?”, “What are the others not doing that I can add to my service?” But, a lot of your friends say, “Oh, there are so many of these businesses out there, how will you ever succeed?” Well, you could pitch your idea on Shark Tank! Or you could devise a plan, stay confident, and just jump right in!

It’s all about doing something you are good at. Doing something you absolutely love doing. You probably noticed a business that really stood out in the front of a crowded market and you probably thought, “WOW! I really love the way this place does this!” It could be something small. Like, maybe they add humor, maybe add a character or a really witty advertisement. Anything that will make people remember you and what you do will help create future success! One of my favorite stories out there is about Chrissy Weems and how she was able to find success. There are many more stories out there that will help boost your attitude and your mindset! You might read about them online, in newspapers, or meet them at conferences. Whichever way you do it, keeping a journal of uplifting quotes and ideas is a great way to help when you’re stuck in a rut.

Valentines Gift Ideas: Lip Monthly

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Gift Ideas For Your Man

Buying gifts for your boyfriend or hubby can be a tough task—especially if he’s the type of guy who always says he doesn’t need anything. If you’re on the hunt for gift ideas for your man, we’ve got the perfect ideas for him no matter the occasion. Whether he’s a beer lover or a sports fanatic, you’ll surprise him with the best gift he’s ever received.


A Subscription He Will Love
Give your guy a gift that keeps on giving with a subscription tailored to his hobbies or likes. If he’s a fella who loves dressing well, take a look at the Trunk Club, a service that will send him a box of designer duds and accessories each month. If he’s more of a comic book lover, sign him up for a subscription to the Comic Block, which delivers a package containing three comics, a t-shirt, and a collectible item. Whatever his hobbies are, you’ll find a subscription box he’ll love at MySubscriptionAddiction.com.


For the Vaper
If your guy enjoys vaping, get him some NJOY vape kits. They offer a variety of price points and packages, so you can make sure he gets the tastes and devices he likes best. There’s awesome flavors like vanilla bean and peach tea that will satisfy his sweet tooth and the smokeless devices will keep your home smelling fresh.


For Your Chef
If your fella is a master of the kitchen, give him practical items that will help him whip up his favorite creations, but put a personalized spin on them. You can get a cutting board with his initials carved into it, a personalized cookbook filled with all his best recipes and creations, or a lazy Susan with the family name emblazoned on the front—the more practical for his specific kitchen needs, the better.


If He’s a Beer Connoisseur
If your guy loves trying new craft beers, you’ve got some options for a gift he will love. Book a tour at a local brewery he loves, or plan a big trip to his favorite brewer so he can see exactly how his favorite beverage gets made. If you’re not looking to splurge, check out an awesome brew your own beer kit. He’ll immediately get to experimenting in the kitchen, and you’ll love seeing the pride on his face when he completes his first batch. Whether you buy him an IPA kit or a pale ale package, he’s going to love the thought behind it and receive a practical gift he won’t be able to wait to use.


The Sports Fanatic
If you can’t tear the remote away from his tight grip on any day there’s a game on, and you know the names of his favorite players better than the names of his family members, there’s a chance you’ve got a sports fanatic on your hands. This is good in terms of finding the perfect present! If he doesn’t already have it, get the jersey of his favorite player—buy one for yourself if you can handle the cost. If you’d like to splurge a little more, get him tickets to a sporting event you know he’ll love and wear said jerseys into the stadium. You’ll definitely get points for being the coolest girlfriend or wife ever.


A Surprise Trip
You can really knock his socks off this year by taking him on a surprise trip he won’t see coming. Whether it’s a flight to his hometown, or a drive to a city two hours away, the surprise element will be the thing that really blows his mind. Have his bags packed for him when he gets home from work, make sure the kids are safely at grandma’s house or with a trusted babysitter for the weekend, and hop in the car for a trip in which you pull out all the stops.


Treat Him to an Experience
Instead of getting something material, buy him an experience you know he’s always wanted to try. Whether it’s a lesson with a golfing pro, a ride in a NASCAR racer, or a skydiving adventure, he’s sure to be impressed and forever remember the day.
If you’re on the hunt for the best gift for your guy, whether it’s for Christmas, his birthday, or your anniversary, these gift ideas are sure to please. Make it personal and heartfelt for a package he’ll never expect, but will always cherish.

What is Really Important in Life?

I was talking with my 7 year old, Genevive, about what black Friday is and why we celebrate Thanksgiving and what we're thankful for, etc etc...
I'm grateful that as far as I can tell, we're doing our job right, raising our kids. lol.
She asked why it is more important for people to shop then spend time with their families and be thankful for their friends and families and health and why would anybody think it's ok to shop and make other people work? (she came up with that by herself..)
So, I told her about the 2 women in California who have been outside of a Best Buy since November 4th, waiting for a tv that usually sells for $499, to be $199. She did the math on that and asked how much work they missed in the 19 days, soon to be 24 days, and what they would have gotten paid.
Then she asked how they are eating and so we looked it up and read a story about them, complete with photos of these 2 "women" all snuggled up with lots of snacks. (It appears to be fast food items)
Then Genevive went nuts and asked what I think they are spending each day on food. So we averaged $15 per person per day lol and I'm more then certain it's much more then that, so, then we figured they spent or will spend, $360 each, during the 24 days on food. (I'd double that to be honest.)
and they're each allowed 1 tv set at Best Buy, where they will save $300 each.
Besides the $ spent to save $, Genevive asked who is taking care of their houses, work, bills, kids, grandkids, (we don't know about their personal lives but wth) and also, where do they take showers and pee???
Genevive decided that she thinks people are disgusting (we did discuss that not everybody is this way.) but lol she said, "So, basically, what we have here, is a world full of idiots who will sit and wait for weeks to spend money to save money to spend even more money on a tv, which is part of their problem. I do like tv but I am not 1 of these stupid people who sits with my mouth open, moving my head from side to side, without blinking, to stare at a stupid screen!" LOL then we chatted about that for a minute or so and she went on to say, "I can't stand this place. Why doesn't somebody do something about these stupid people, well, they aren't even people! They are like, stupid robot zombies who only move when they want to eat gross food or shop! Mom, somebody has to stop this. OMG it's like they lost their brains and they don't even care about anything but food and shopping!"
 I know most kids know, if not all. I mean, talk to a kid once. It's fascinating. We really can learn a lot from them and in all actuality, I'm a firm believer that people are the cause of every problem in this world and not 1 thing will change until they change.
and in the meantime, while we wait for billions of jerks to change their sickening ways, we should elect a kid for president.
 Another thing I always have to laugh at, is how we all look in a kid's eyes. lol think about it...
How pathetic that this is what they see, day to day and they are looking at us, thinking we are crazy for acting so disturbing or we are crazy for not doing what we can to stop it. 
Now, don't get me wrong. I do like shopping. Well, I wouldn't say, "I like it." I mean, we have to do it. We have to buy the essentials needed to live and yes, I do splurge sometimes. Usually for beauty products, books, snacks, crafts, CD's and I also love collectible items from my favorite movies, authors, bands and YES! I am in love with subscription boxes!! But, this does not affect my family or my daily life or well being. 
I shop online, a lot! I can however, distinguish when it is appropriate to shop and when it is not. So, I am certainly not saying anything about a shopper. Even those who shop a lot and still have the sense to think, "Enough is enough!". 
There is a time and place for everything and in my opinion, the time for shopping just isn't during family time.