Okay, it's that time again!
In celebration of the New Year, fresh goals and a new perspective, I am offering a seriously discounted coaching special for the entire month of January. Yes, this is an even better deal than my birthday special.
For any NEW client who schedules a FREE introductory coaching session from January 1st through 31st, you will lock in a special price of just $20.09 per hour for every session scheduled in the entire year of 2009. That's right! You save over $100 off of my normal coaching fees but you'd better act fast as introductory coaching sessions are already being filled!
To schedule your free introductory coaching session simply email me or call (773) 368-3575.
MAKE 2009 YOUR YEAR TO PROSPER & SHINE!!!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
New Year's Resolutions
It's that time again. Time to review the past year's accomplishments, trials, challenges and transitions. Time to see what worked and what didn't work. Time to evaluate goals and realign one's self with "the plan".
2008 has been an interesting year for me. I started it off with the hopes of making 2008 my year to be great and in many ways it has been. I landed several media interviews including my first television spot courtesy of Anthony Ponce and NBC5, I watched myself appear in a small cameo in the Dark Knight in the scene just after Bruce Wayne threw his lamborghini in front of a police convoy, I helped three times as many people as I did last year and in the process doubled my income.
On that same token, 2008 has also been filled with several major challenges and disappointments. The year began on a severely injured ankle of which my doctors gave me little hope for recuperation, my daughter's mood disorder progressed alarmingly and for all my mediation skills my unruly neighbors have made it impossible to cohabitate in peace. Needless to say, many of my goals have gone uncompleted and at times even I have found myself overcome with a feeling of despair and hopelessness.
Despite these issues and drastic deviations from my plan, I am happy to say that I am coming out this year ahead of the game. I wanted to increase my writing, which although not as much as I would have liked, I have done so. I intended to gain more coaching clients and speaking engagements which I did. I cleared my life of negative people and in the process found love.
That is what it is all about. Setting goals, creating a plan and then holding on to that plan with your passion and purpose in check. Life will happen but it is how you choose to react and "pro-act" that really makes the difference. You can either let those unexpected difficulties creep in, hinder you and leave you immobilized or you can stand up, overcome and keep moving. I could sit here and rattle off the number of things that I have not accomplished although I had every intention to or I could focus on what I did do, where that leaves me right now and plan for how to move forward.
The new year is a natural time to reflect and start afresh. Doing so requires clearing the clutter from your life, whether that clutter is things, negative people or your own fears and stagnating self-talk. It starts with a personal choice followed by immediate action. Choose it, state it and then do it. Accept that things may not always go according to plan and know that you may need to alter your actions in the interim but the point is to keep on working toward that prize.
I am preparing for the new year with a personal evaluation that includes celebrating my successes, being thankful for every blessing and forgiving myself for my shortcomings and failures. I will be posting my new list of goals for 2009 in the next week or so and of course I will be looking to you, my faithful readers, for support and help in holding me accountable.
To your dynamic success and happy living!
Niquenya
2008 has been an interesting year for me. I started it off with the hopes of making 2008 my year to be great and in many ways it has been. I landed several media interviews including my first television spot courtesy of Anthony Ponce and NBC5, I watched myself appear in a small cameo in the Dark Knight in the scene just after Bruce Wayne threw his lamborghini in front of a police convoy, I helped three times as many people as I did last year and in the process doubled my income.
On that same token, 2008 has also been filled with several major challenges and disappointments. The year began on a severely injured ankle of which my doctors gave me little hope for recuperation, my daughter's mood disorder progressed alarmingly and for all my mediation skills my unruly neighbors have made it impossible to cohabitate in peace. Needless to say, many of my goals have gone uncompleted and at times even I have found myself overcome with a feeling of despair and hopelessness.
Despite these issues and drastic deviations from my plan, I am happy to say that I am coming out this year ahead of the game. I wanted to increase my writing, which although not as much as I would have liked, I have done so. I intended to gain more coaching clients and speaking engagements which I did. I cleared my life of negative people and in the process found love.
That is what it is all about. Setting goals, creating a plan and then holding on to that plan with your passion and purpose in check. Life will happen but it is how you choose to react and "pro-act" that really makes the difference. You can either let those unexpected difficulties creep in, hinder you and leave you immobilized or you can stand up, overcome and keep moving. I could sit here and rattle off the number of things that I have not accomplished although I had every intention to or I could focus on what I did do, where that leaves me right now and plan for how to move forward.
The new year is a natural time to reflect and start afresh. Doing so requires clearing the clutter from your life, whether that clutter is things, negative people or your own fears and stagnating self-talk. It starts with a personal choice followed by immediate action. Choose it, state it and then do it. Accept that things may not always go according to plan and know that you may need to alter your actions in the interim but the point is to keep on working toward that prize.
I am preparing for the new year with a personal evaluation that includes celebrating my successes, being thankful for every blessing and forgiving myself for my shortcomings and failures. I will be posting my new list of goals for 2009 in the next week or so and of course I will be looking to you, my faithful readers, for support and help in holding me accountable.
To your dynamic success and happy living!
Niquenya
Friday, September 5, 2008
Networking Events Are Awesome!
As you probably already know, I am huge on filling my circle of influence with beautiful, positive, interesting and intelligent like-minded people with whom I can share resources, collaborate and play. To this end, I attend a whole bunch of networking events around the city. If you have been following my tweets, then you know that Wednesday night I attended what I think was one of the best networking events ever, a comment that was shamelessly retweeted by the event's founder.
NetParty held its Chicago launch at the Sound Bar on Wednesday night. There were well over 1000 R.S.V.P.'s for the event. As a matter-of-fact, when I arrived just 30 minutes into the event, there was actually a line from the alley entrance of the Sound Bar off Franklin that wrapped around to the Ontario side. NetParty is the brain child of Jeff Strank, a reformed attorney and technogeek wannabe, and is currently operating in 15 U.S. states as well as in Argentina. NetParty's business and social networking events cater to young professionals (in their 20's and 30's)and are held after-hours at some of the hottest social venues including nightclubs, lounges and mansions. NetParty describes the first two hours of each event as an "extended cocktail hour" in which there are passed hors d'oeuvres, drink specials and soft music making casual conversations easy. As the night wears on, and attendees have consumed quite a bit of alcohol, the atmosphere changes to a lighter social scene to include more musical entertainment and dancing.
First off, the Sound Bar is a great venue.
It boasts 9 uniquely colored bars, multiple VIP lounges, comfortably plush sofas and a huge dance floor, all fitting easily into its two stories located within a 20,000 square foot space. The lighting was perfect and so was the music that put some of us thirty-somethings in a reminiscing mindset; a great conversation piece. NetParty promised free PAMA-tinis and $3 Miller Lites, offers that were well taken advantage of. The crab rangoon, mini fried rolls and other hors d'oeuvres were delectable. A fellow networker complimented me with a Cosmo that was beyond description. A+ to NetParty for choosing such an awesome location.
I was utterly thrilled by the diversity of the attendees. There were young professionals of every ethnicity well-represented throughout the event, a point that seems to be an issue at many of the past networking events I have attended. There was also a broad range of professions which NetParty did an amazing job of providing everyone with color-coded name tags according to their industry category. Categories included business, sales and healthcare among others; making it relatively easy to find professionals with shared interests. Additionally, NetParty did an awesome job of managing the R.S.V.P.'s which made that long line to get in not as cumbersome as I initially thought it would be upon arriving. The NetParty hosts were also friendly, gracious and quite helpful.
I made a lot of valuable contacts as I am sure everyone did who was lucky enough to learn of this event. One connection in particular was, as he described it, "worth the whole event". That was the comment made by network marketer and author, Jordan L. Adler after our extremely impassioned conversation about creating multiple income streams, internet marketing and Jordan's new book, Beach Money. Jason and I hit it off so well that he will be forwarding me a copy of the book for my review and possible inclusion in an upcoming Building Bridges radio show.
While Jordan, his entourage and I were talking, a NetParty professional photographer snapped our picture.
An interesting tidbit for other event planners is that NetParty has teamed up with SmugMug which allows event-goers to view the pictures that were taken and purchase prints online. That is a great additional income-generator and it adds value to the site experience of your visitors. Merchandise such as t-shirts can also be purchased featuring the prints. SmugMug is a great company for picture-sharing with friends and families as well. Anyone from your everyday picture-taker to the photography professional can use the site to generate quality prints. The picture of Jordan and I is shown just here to the right. Once I have had the opportunity to review his book, you will definitely hear about it here.
I definitely suggest that you check out NetParty's future events. The launch party was free to those who R.S.V.P.'ed but the standard entry fee is only $20.
NetParty held its Chicago launch at the Sound Bar on Wednesday night. There were well over 1000 R.S.V.P.'s for the event. As a matter-of-fact, when I arrived just 30 minutes into the event, there was actually a line from the alley entrance of the Sound Bar off Franklin that wrapped around to the Ontario side. NetParty is the brain child of Jeff Strank, a reformed attorney and technogeek wannabe, and is currently operating in 15 U.S. states as well as in Argentina. NetParty's business and social networking events cater to young professionals (in their 20's and 30's)and are held after-hours at some of the hottest social venues including nightclubs, lounges and mansions. NetParty describes the first two hours of each event as an "extended cocktail hour" in which there are passed hors d'oeuvres, drink specials and soft music making casual conversations easy. As the night wears on, and attendees have consumed quite a bit of alcohol, the atmosphere changes to a lighter social scene to include more musical entertainment and dancing.
First off, the Sound Bar is a great venue.
It boasts 9 uniquely colored bars, multiple VIP lounges, comfortably plush sofas and a huge dance floor, all fitting easily into its two stories located within a 20,000 square foot space. The lighting was perfect and so was the music that put some of us thirty-somethings in a reminiscing mindset; a great conversation piece. NetParty promised free PAMA-tinis and $3 Miller Lites, offers that were well taken advantage of. The crab rangoon, mini fried rolls and other hors d'oeuvres were delectable. A fellow networker complimented me with a Cosmo that was beyond description. A+ to NetParty for choosing such an awesome location.I was utterly thrilled by the diversity of the attendees. There were young professionals of every ethnicity well-represented throughout the event, a point that seems to be an issue at many of the past networking events I have attended. There was also a broad range of professions which NetParty did an amazing job of providing everyone with color-coded name tags according to their industry category. Categories included business, sales and healthcare among others; making it relatively easy to find professionals with shared interests. Additionally, NetParty did an awesome job of managing the R.S.V.P.'s which made that long line to get in not as cumbersome as I initially thought it would be upon arriving. The NetParty hosts were also friendly, gracious and quite helpful.
I made a lot of valuable contacts as I am sure everyone did who was lucky enough to learn of this event. One connection in particular was, as he described it, "worth the whole event". That was the comment made by network marketer and author, Jordan L. Adler after our extremely impassioned conversation about creating multiple income streams, internet marketing and Jordan's new book, Beach Money. Jason and I hit it off so well that he will be forwarding me a copy of the book for my review and possible inclusion in an upcoming Building Bridges radio show.
While Jordan, his entourage and I were talking, a NetParty professional photographer snapped our picture.
An interesting tidbit for other event planners is that NetParty has teamed up with SmugMug which allows event-goers to view the pictures that were taken and purchase prints online. That is a great additional income-generator and it adds value to the site experience of your visitors. Merchandise such as t-shirts can also be purchased featuring the prints. SmugMug is a great company for picture-sharing with friends and families as well. Anyone from your everyday picture-taker to the photography professional can use the site to generate quality prints. The picture of Jordan and I is shown just here to the right. Once I have had the opportunity to review his book, you will definitely hear about it here.I definitely suggest that you check out NetParty's future events. The launch party was free to those who R.S.V.P.'ed but the standard entry fee is only $20.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Happy Labor Day & Content Contests
Well I must say that I sure do have a lot of crazy contacts within my circle of influence. Everyone seems to have gone content bananas and are insistent upon dragging me through the grind with them. Okay, so maybe I'm not being dragged but this sure is the nice swift kick in the butt I needed to get myself going.
A few weeks ago my blogging buddy, Ivo, decided to get me hooked on Squidoo. It was actually a Twitter friend, Marguerite (affectionately known as momsherbs among us twits), who did it to me but Ivo generated this thing called the 60-Day-Squidoo Challenge that has really gotten my goat. Squidoo is basically a free site that allows users to build single pages about their passions. The cool thing about Squidoo is that it allows you to either share in the advertising revenue from display ads on your pages or you can opt to have your share donated to charity. In any case, I have gotten hooked and have already posted 6 pages, also known as lenses. I would have done more than that by now but I have been focusing much of my attentions to my website redesign project. I will definitely catch up after this week.
Then along comes Carrie Lauth with her 30 Day, 30 Article Challenge. I have to blame another of my Twitter friends, LaTara Ham-Ying, for this one. I might have to stop reading her updates as she is always posting something for me to get hoodwinked into. Last week it was the Green Smoothie Challenge. Argghhh! Didn't opt to do that one though, as I was already on my own brand of green smoothie cleanse but, had I not been, I sure would have leaped at this.
In any case, Carrie's blog is challenging participants to write 30 articles per month. That can seem like a lot of writing but given that I need content for Squidoo, eHow, this blog and my newly designed website, this should be right up my alley. Besides, article marketing is a great traffic generator. I distribute my articles to free submission sites which then get picked up by other publishers throughout the world wide web. The benefit to this is that my contact and affiliate links go right along with my expertise demonstrated in the quality content of the article. I have had several intro coaching requests from my articles and even a few reporters seeking interviews for my local papers.
So the bottom line is that I am up for both challenges. It is a positive thing to keep me held accountable to my promises to maintain quality content everywhere I post on the web. Feel free to click the links within this blog post to join the challenges as you see fit. Leave me a comment if you do decide to join me in creating great content so we can support one another.
Happy Labor Day!!!!
A few weeks ago my blogging buddy, Ivo, decided to get me hooked on Squidoo. It was actually a Twitter friend, Marguerite (affectionately known as momsherbs among us twits), who did it to me but Ivo generated this thing called the 60-Day-Squidoo Challenge that has really gotten my goat. Squidoo is basically a free site that allows users to build single pages about their passions. The cool thing about Squidoo is that it allows you to either share in the advertising revenue from display ads on your pages or you can opt to have your share donated to charity. In any case, I have gotten hooked and have already posted 6 pages, also known as lenses. I would have done more than that by now but I have been focusing much of my attentions to my website redesign project. I will definitely catch up after this week.
Then along comes Carrie Lauth with her 30 Day, 30 Article Challenge. I have to blame another of my Twitter friends, LaTara Ham-Ying, for this one. I might have to stop reading her updates as she is always posting something for me to get hoodwinked into. Last week it was the Green Smoothie Challenge. Argghhh! Didn't opt to do that one though, as I was already on my own brand of green smoothie cleanse but, had I not been, I sure would have leaped at this.
In any case, Carrie's blog is challenging participants to write 30 articles per month. That can seem like a lot of writing but given that I need content for Squidoo, eHow, this blog and my newly designed website, this should be right up my alley. Besides, article marketing is a great traffic generator. I distribute my articles to free submission sites which then get picked up by other publishers throughout the world wide web. The benefit to this is that my contact and affiliate links go right along with my expertise demonstrated in the quality content of the article. I have had several intro coaching requests from my articles and even a few reporters seeking interviews for my local papers.
So the bottom line is that I am up for both challenges. It is a positive thing to keep me held accountable to my promises to maintain quality content everywhere I post on the web. Feel free to click the links within this blog post to join the challenges as you see fit. Leave me a comment if you do decide to join me in creating great content so we can support one another.
Happy Labor Day!!!!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Updating My Website
After almost three years of looking at the same gloomy website, I have decided to give it a face lift. I have some ideas about how to arrange the data and some new pages that I would love to create but I haven't quite meshed out whether or not I want to change the color scheme. I am thinking that its current green, blue and black font on grey background is starting to look depressing.
I originally picked those colors because I thought the "coolness" of them would bring calm, peace and serenity to the pages. I am at a much different point in my life and in my business now. I think I want to make the color scheme much more vibrant to emphasize my love of life and desire to live it to its fullest. My favorite color is purple so maybe something in the red, orange, pink and purple family. I'll have to hunt around in FrontPage to see if there is something that I like. I have to also consider that my business cards follow that same color scheme but they don't look so drab. Maybe FrontPage has a theme using the same colors but looks more crisp.
I plan to upload the new site within two weeks. It may be even sooner depending on my workload. I am really excited to be finally redesigning it. I am hoping that the new site will make it much easier for potential clients to access the information they seek and provide more insight into my expertise. Something else new is that I will have a direct link from one of the navigation tabs directly to this blog. Previously, my "Blog" link actually went to my articles so this is a nice change.
I am also making room for my Building Bridges radio show which I plan to make bigger and better now that I have some great guests lined up for September. You can expect great things to happen on the show. Additionally, I am finally getting back to working on my CAN-TV show of the same name which should air by December. The show schedule, guest bios and archives of past shows will all be available on this new tab of my site.
Once I have uploaded the new site, I will definitely let you know. As always, your feedback will be very important to me at that time.
I originally picked those colors because I thought the "coolness" of them would bring calm, peace and serenity to the pages. I am at a much different point in my life and in my business now. I think I want to make the color scheme much more vibrant to emphasize my love of life and desire to live it to its fullest. My favorite color is purple so maybe something in the red, orange, pink and purple family. I'll have to hunt around in FrontPage to see if there is something that I like. I have to also consider that my business cards follow that same color scheme but they don't look so drab. Maybe FrontPage has a theme using the same colors but looks more crisp.
I plan to upload the new site within two weeks. It may be even sooner depending on my workload. I am really excited to be finally redesigning it. I am hoping that the new site will make it much easier for potential clients to access the information they seek and provide more insight into my expertise. Something else new is that I will have a direct link from one of the navigation tabs directly to this blog. Previously, my "Blog" link actually went to my articles so this is a nice change.
I am also making room for my Building Bridges radio show which I plan to make bigger and better now that I have some great guests lined up for September. You can expect great things to happen on the show. Additionally, I am finally getting back to working on my CAN-TV show of the same name which should air by December. The show schedule, guest bios and archives of past shows will all be available on this new tab of my site.
Once I have uploaded the new site, I will definitely let you know. As always, your feedback will be very important to me at that time.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Wow! A Money-Making Tool to Add to Your Blog!
I was hunting around the web today (I won't call it procrastination since it was actually productive) and came across a really neat tool. The funny thing is that I was looking for a personal finance type widget that would offer money-saving tips to add to a new blog I'm working on. Instead, I find this great widget that you can place on your blog or website to collect tips from people!
Why do I find this exciting? Well first of all, I get a lot of requests from people asking about creating partnerships to my primary site at http://www.niquenyafulbright.com. I am very wary of those because often their sites are not relevant to my own and the content is usually really poor. Linking back to these sites would be to my own detriment as search engine spiders really don't like that type of thing. Secondly, these partnership requests are always from someone requesting a spot on my home page. That is a huge no-no to have your home page littered with unsightly ads. This new tool allows me to fix both of these problems and get paid!
ScratchBack allows you to place a widget anywhere on your website or blog that can accept monetary tips from your site's visitors. Your visitors "tip" you for providing them with useful, quality content and, in return, they get to place a text or image ad in your "topspot." You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, hence the name, ScratchBack.
The topspot is just a nifty name for a position in a links list. What happens is that every time a visitor tips you ($5 minimum), they then get to place their ad in the top link in your ScratchBack widget. When a new visitor makes a tip, their ad pushes the last tipper's ad further down the list. This happens with each new tipper until the original tipper's ad eventually is removed. You can have from 5 to 20 spots and designate any price $5 and up for each. For instance you might limit topspots to 5 on your home page and charge $100 each but decrease the price and increase the number of spots on pages further into your site. You could also choose another time increment from 1 to 30 days for ad display rather than have the ads automatically roll off. You can create as many ScracthBack widgets as you like but you can't use more than one on the same page or else it won't work.
Now here's the even cooler part! There are absolutely no refunds. Your visitor is simply "tipping" you for the great information you are already providing on your blog or website. This is a much better concept than those goofy "donate" buttons on everyone's blogs that have somehow always seemed misleading to me. Furthermore, if someone places an ad that I don't like, I have complete and total control as well as the right to remove it. Since there are no refunds, no harm done. I still get paid via PayPal. That means no worrying about Adult content or really bogus and shady ads that my readers wouldn't be interested in. Of course the developers of ScratchBack have to get something in return for their ingenious creation so they take a very slight commission (at the time of this blog posting the payout to publishers is 90%).
I am giving this tool a try starting today. You can see my ScratchBack widget on the top left of this blog. I am only charging the minimum of $5 for my topspots here so if you want to reward me for informing you about this tool, by all means tip me and advertise yourself as well. As an added incentive, if you are a great affiliate marketer and have affiliate links that would be of interest to my readers you can further monetize your efforts. There is even a directory of ScratchBack users that you can use to locate sites that cater to your target audience. I would love to hear about any other ideas you might have in using this great tool so leave me a comment.
Why do I find this exciting? Well first of all, I get a lot of requests from people asking about creating partnerships to my primary site at http://www.niquenyafulbright.com. I am very wary of those because often their sites are not relevant to my own and the content is usually really poor. Linking back to these sites would be to my own detriment as search engine spiders really don't like that type of thing. Secondly, these partnership requests are always from someone requesting a spot on my home page. That is a huge no-no to have your home page littered with unsightly ads. This new tool allows me to fix both of these problems and get paid!
ScratchBack allows you to place a widget anywhere on your website or blog that can accept monetary tips from your site's visitors. Your visitors "tip" you for providing them with useful, quality content and, in return, they get to place a text or image ad in your "topspot." You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, hence the name, ScratchBack.
The topspot is just a nifty name for a position in a links list. What happens is that every time a visitor tips you ($5 minimum), they then get to place their ad in the top link in your ScratchBack widget. When a new visitor makes a tip, their ad pushes the last tipper's ad further down the list. This happens with each new tipper until the original tipper's ad eventually is removed. You can have from 5 to 20 spots and designate any price $5 and up for each. For instance you might limit topspots to 5 on your home page and charge $100 each but decrease the price and increase the number of spots on pages further into your site. You could also choose another time increment from 1 to 30 days for ad display rather than have the ads automatically roll off. You can create as many ScracthBack widgets as you like but you can't use more than one on the same page or else it won't work.
Now here's the even cooler part! There are absolutely no refunds. Your visitor is simply "tipping" you for the great information you are already providing on your blog or website. This is a much better concept than those goofy "donate" buttons on everyone's blogs that have somehow always seemed misleading to me. Furthermore, if someone places an ad that I don't like, I have complete and total control as well as the right to remove it. Since there are no refunds, no harm done. I still get paid via PayPal. That means no worrying about Adult content or really bogus and shady ads that my readers wouldn't be interested in. Of course the developers of ScratchBack have to get something in return for their ingenious creation so they take a very slight commission (at the time of this blog posting the payout to publishers is 90%).
I am giving this tool a try starting today. You can see my ScratchBack widget on the top left of this blog. I am only charging the minimum of $5 for my topspots here so if you want to reward me for informing you about this tool, by all means tip me and advertise yourself as well. As an added incentive, if you are a great affiliate marketer and have affiliate links that would be of interest to my readers you can further monetize your efforts. There is even a directory of ScratchBack users that you can use to locate sites that cater to your target audience. I would love to hear about any other ideas you might have in using this great tool so leave me a comment.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
A Neat Goal Setting Tool
I was searching the web looking for additional time management tools that might come in handy and came across GoalMaker. This is a great piece of software that downloads right to your pc. It walks you through creating a database that you use to set up SMART goals including deadlines, constraints and resources needed to complete the goal. You can then track your progress. What's more, the software can work in conjunction with MS Access and Outlook making a streamlined system of accountability. Using this in conjunction with RescueTime can be a great benefit.
As an even added bonus, you can download a free trial right now. For coaches who can really use this tool to add value to their client's sessions, you can upgrade to the "Consulting" edition which will allow you to duplicate the databases and either include this goal-setting tool as part of your standard coaching practice or add it as an upsell. Click the banner below for additional information.
Flash Searchable By Search Engines!
Since I have been going to the gym every day, I have finally found a way to get all of my trade magazine reading done. I now read them while sweating away on the cross-trainer elliptical machine and recumbent bike. It's amazing how productive this has been. I am already on my third trade mag this week.
In any case, today I ran across an article in eWeek called "Uncovering Dynamic Web Content" written by Darryl K. Taft. The article discusses how Adobe, Google and Yahoo have teamed up to make Flash SWF format easier to find online. This is a huge relief for SWF users as, historically, it has been a cumbersome task to code in a workaround that would be more search engine friendly in order to have their site's most relevant content spidered and indexed. As a matter-of-fact, in my own article, "7 Tips to Save Money on Quality Web Design", tip number 7 strongly cautions against using Flash technologies for this very reason, aside from it also being rather expensive.
The article goes on to say that existing users of Flash SWF format will not have to do anything extra to get the technology indexed. As Adobe, Google and Yahoo add these capabilities, your Flash files will get their turn in line. That being said, I think it will be important to continue to maintain periodic search engine submission as a safeguard.
In any case, today I ran across an article in eWeek called "Uncovering Dynamic Web Content" written by Darryl K. Taft. The article discusses how Adobe, Google and Yahoo have teamed up to make Flash SWF format easier to find online. This is a huge relief for SWF users as, historically, it has been a cumbersome task to code in a workaround that would be more search engine friendly in order to have their site's most relevant content spidered and indexed. As a matter-of-fact, in my own article, "7 Tips to Save Money on Quality Web Design", tip number 7 strongly cautions against using Flash technologies for this very reason, aside from it also being rather expensive.
The article goes on to say that existing users of Flash SWF format will not have to do anything extra to get the technology indexed. As Adobe, Google and Yahoo add these capabilities, your Flash files will get their turn in line. That being said, I think it will be important to continue to maintain periodic search engine submission as a safeguard.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Birthday Follow-Up
So I know you are dying to know what I did for my birthday, right?
Well, I did go ahead and use some of those great coupons on my bday. I visited Baskin Robbins for a free icecream, went to Noodles & Company for a free entree and a few other locations. It was great! I took my daughter and her boyfriend with me. It was a lot of fun.
That Friday I went out to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, The Indian Cafe, located on Bryn Mawr. It's a fairly new establishment. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Combo which was delightful. I absolutely loooovvveee naan. This flatbread is so delicious and a great compliment to the chicken and rice. I capped off the celebrations with a birthday networking event hosted by Chicago Black Professionals Meet-up group. It was held at Nacional 27 which is a great cerviche bar and salsa club. The mojitos were to die for and the music was top notch.
All in all, I must say that I had a wonderful time and can't wait to do it all over again next year. Now that I belong to so many birthday e-clubs, I should be able to plan well in advance so I can take advantage of more freebies. This was a great way to save money and still have lots of fun. If you don't take away anything else from my weekly ramblings, please know that fun does not have to break the bank. You can enjoy yourself in anything as long as you have the right mindset and positive people to accompany you.
Remember, my birthday coaching special is still running until August 22nd. Hourly coaching is just $31 until then to celebrate my 31 years of life. You must send an email to me with "Happy Birthday" in the subject line in order to take advantage of this offer.
Until next time!
Well, I did go ahead and use some of those great coupons on my bday. I visited Baskin Robbins for a free icecream, went to Noodles & Company for a free entree and a few other locations. It was great! I took my daughter and her boyfriend with me. It was a lot of fun.
That Friday I went out to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, The Indian Cafe, located on Bryn Mawr. It's a fairly new establishment. I ordered the Chicken Tikka Combo which was delightful. I absolutely loooovvveee naan. This flatbread is so delicious and a great compliment to the chicken and rice. I capped off the celebrations with a birthday networking event hosted by Chicago Black Professionals Meet-up group. It was held at Nacional 27 which is a great cerviche bar and salsa club. The mojitos were to die for and the music was top notch.
All in all, I must say that I had a wonderful time and can't wait to do it all over again next year. Now that I belong to so many birthday e-clubs, I should be able to plan well in advance so I can take advantage of more freebies. This was a great way to save money and still have lots of fun. If you don't take away anything else from my weekly ramblings, please know that fun does not have to break the bank. You can enjoy yourself in anything as long as you have the right mindset and positive people to accompany you.
Remember, my birthday coaching special is still running until August 22nd. Hourly coaching is just $31 until then to celebrate my 31 years of life. You must send an email to me with "Happy Birthday" in the subject line in order to take advantage of this offer.
Until next time!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
It's My Birthday! Feeling Blessed & Generous!
What a beautiful summer day to turn 31 in Chicago!
So my birthday has finally arrived and I am ready to celebrate. I have decided to spend the day taking it easy, relaxing and getting in some me-time. I have already had my morning workout which was exhilirating and now it's time for lunch. I am armed with a whole stack of birthday freebie coupons so I'm ready. This evening I plan to attend my church's prayer and bible study services. I don't always get to go since Wednesday nights tend to be a popular time for networking events.
Friends will be taking me out tomorrow and Friday. Friday evening may be spent at the Improv Comedy Club in Woodfield Mall. I love comedy shows! All-in-all, I think this is promising to be a wonderful week.
In honor of my 31st birthday I have decided to extend a special offer: From now until August 22nd, my hourly coaching fee will be just $31 for new clients. You can find more details by visiting http://www.niquenyafulbright.com/blog.
Now I'm off to grab some lunch!
Monday, July 21, 2008
My Birthday's Coming!
Okay, so my birthday is two days away and I have absolutely no idea what I want to do for it. I would love to celebrate by actually going out for a change but since it's been so long since I've been anywhere but lunch, dinner or a networking event, I have absolutely no idea where to go. I also don't really like big parties or the club scene. Furthermore, my prospects look kind of slim in terms of a date as well. I could just wait until the weekend and celebrate then but I still would like to do something for my actual birthday. What is there to do on a Wednesday in the middle of the week?
One thing I thought of doing was signing up for a bunch of different restaurants so I can get on their birthday email list. That's a great way to save money but enjoy a special treat on my special day. I could have lunch at Noodles and Company or grab a free ice cream at Ben & Jerry's or better yet, why not just do both? Then there's other freebies that I could use for dinner. That still doesn't help with who I will spend it with though.
Most of my friends work "real" jobs and don't have the free time like I do on weekdays. I know I can count on the girls for fun on the weekend but what I really want to do is have a nice, intimate movie date. It has been ages since I've seen anything that hadn't arrived in my mailbox via Netflix. There are three movies at the top of my list: The Dark Knight (mainly because I might be in it), Iron Man (so in love with Terrance Howard), and Hancock (I just love superheroes in general). I really want to see these on the big screen rather than wait for them to come out on DVD.
Maybe what I'll do is just take myself to the movies. Afterall, this is 2008 and I am an independent woman. I have given a solo movie date as homework to some of my coaching clients so why not? So, it's settled then. Unless a better alternative comes along I am taking myself out for lunch, dinner and the movies. I'll let you know how it went.
One thing I thought of doing was signing up for a bunch of different restaurants so I can get on their birthday email list. That's a great way to save money but enjoy a special treat on my special day. I could have lunch at Noodles and Company or grab a free ice cream at Ben & Jerry's or better yet, why not just do both? Then there's other freebies that I could use for dinner. That still doesn't help with who I will spend it with though.
Most of my friends work "real" jobs and don't have the free time like I do on weekdays. I know I can count on the girls for fun on the weekend but what I really want to do is have a nice, intimate movie date. It has been ages since I've seen anything that hadn't arrived in my mailbox via Netflix. There are three movies at the top of my list: The Dark Knight (mainly because I might be in it), Iron Man (so in love with Terrance Howard), and Hancock (I just love superheroes in general). I really want to see these on the big screen rather than wait for them to come out on DVD.
Maybe what I'll do is just take myself to the movies. Afterall, this is 2008 and I am an independent woman. I have given a solo movie date as homework to some of my coaching clients so why not? So, it's settled then. Unless a better alternative comes along I am taking myself out for lunch, dinner and the movies. I'll let you know how it went.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Weird Week! But...I'm Surviving.
Things have been really helter-skelter this week. It seems almost as if everything that could go wrong did go wrong but I haven't let it get to me. There is always light at the end of my tunnel.
First, my cell phone was stolen. I tried to use Sprint Family Locator service to find it and it kept coming up as being on the beach. The satellite is only accurate within a .8 mile radius so I eventually gave up looking and let the police finish filing the report. Then when I arrived at the Sprint store to report the theft, of course the customer service rep informs me that somehow my insurance was dropped off my account when I upgraded to their new Simply Everything plan a few months ago. This added another 20 minutes to my service time while I awaited the insurance to be added back onto the account. I was then provided with a business card to call the claims department to request a new phone be shipped to me. I'm still waiting for the new phone.
As I am without a cell phone, I could only service my clients via my home phone or online using instant messenging through Skype or Yahoo. This invited further frustration as Comcast service is always being interrupted for one reason or another. Today it was due to the thunderstorms assaulting Chicago skies. Futhermore, my home phone service is provided by Vonage which means it has to travel over the cable connection. Arrggghhh!!! It took over an hour for me to connect with my 3:15PM appointment today. Thankfully, I was able to put on a happy face and, like a good life coach, set my agenda and issues aside to be fully present for my client. Needless to say, she loved me and I just increased my conversion rate from intro session to paying client.
Also, I just realized that I am completely out of printer ink. I am not sure how that happened since I am always at Sam's Club purchasing in bulk. It must have been my overzealous printing of Toastmaster's fliers a couple of weeks ago. That reminds me...I have a meeting in the morning and I haven't printed the agenda. I had better make some member calls to find out who plans to present a workbook speech tomorrow.
On another note, I am hosting the first event for Chitown Buppies. It is going to be an after-hours potluck networking social. I have already received good response from interested parties so prayerfully the event will be a great success. I have also been invited to present to a group of "upscale" women business owners at the Chicago Park Hyatt in September. I found it interesting that the event planner used the word "upscale" in the description but I guess I'll soon find out what that is supposed to mean.
So that's my week in not quite a nutshell. Maybe more of a watermelon rind.
First, my cell phone was stolen. I tried to use Sprint Family Locator service to find it and it kept coming up as being on the beach. The satellite is only accurate within a .8 mile radius so I eventually gave up looking and let the police finish filing the report. Then when I arrived at the Sprint store to report the theft, of course the customer service rep informs me that somehow my insurance was dropped off my account when I upgraded to their new Simply Everything plan a few months ago. This added another 20 minutes to my service time while I awaited the insurance to be added back onto the account. I was then provided with a business card to call the claims department to request a new phone be shipped to me. I'm still waiting for the new phone.
As I am without a cell phone, I could only service my clients via my home phone or online using instant messenging through Skype or Yahoo. This invited further frustration as Comcast service is always being interrupted for one reason or another. Today it was due to the thunderstorms assaulting Chicago skies. Futhermore, my home phone service is provided by Vonage which means it has to travel over the cable connection. Arrggghhh!!! It took over an hour for me to connect with my 3:15PM appointment today. Thankfully, I was able to put on a happy face and, like a good life coach, set my agenda and issues aside to be fully present for my client. Needless to say, she loved me and I just increased my conversion rate from intro session to paying client.
Also, I just realized that I am completely out of printer ink. I am not sure how that happened since I am always at Sam's Club purchasing in bulk. It must have been my overzealous printing of Toastmaster's fliers a couple of weeks ago. That reminds me...I have a meeting in the morning and I haven't printed the agenda. I had better make some member calls to find out who plans to present a workbook speech tomorrow.
On another note, I am hosting the first event for Chitown Buppies. It is going to be an after-hours potluck networking social. I have already received good response from interested parties so prayerfully the event will be a great success. I have also been invited to present to a group of "upscale" women business owners at the Chicago Park Hyatt in September. I found it interesting that the event planner used the word "upscale" in the description but I guess I'll soon find out what that is supposed to mean.
So that's my week in not quite a nutshell. Maybe more of a watermelon rind.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Am I Lazy?
After much brow-beating followed by a good swift kick in the butt, I am finally back to posting to my blogs. It's really quite shameful that I, a certified life coach, could be such a great example of procrastination at its finest. Everday I talk about "the plan" and what I "should" do and yet things just haven't been getting done. At times like this, I know it is my cue to do some deep soul-searching to reassess what truly is important. What is the big picture and what am I doing to achieve it? Are there roadblocks standing in my way or am I just being lazy?
I work hard so it can't be that I am lazy. I am always involved in some activity or another. But I think herein lies the problem: too much focus on pointless activity and not a lot of movement in the intended direction. This means that it is really time to make a fundamental shift to get my butt into gear. Over half of 2008, my year to be great, is gone and I can not truly say that I am effectively working toward my goals. I haven't touched my manuscript, I haven't been updating my blogs, I haven't been consistently airing a radio show and I haven't been hosting too many events. Basically I am doing a whole lot of stopping and starting which realistically isn't getting me anywhere. So what's the solution; regroup and regain focus of the big picture.
So what is the big picture? My true goal is to be financially comfortable (notice I didn't say "stable") and to consistently support at least 10 people per month. So I know the "what" but it lacks a "why". If you know anything about me by now then you know that I am big on purpose. Purpose is crucial to direction and motivation. Your "what", or in my case, activity, doesn't matter if you have no purpose, or direction. So why is it important that I support 10 people each month? 10 is a great number that offers me great flexibility. It means that I can support 10 individuals or a group of 10 people. I can coach, mediate or consult on a one-on-one basis or put on a big event that helps many. In any case, 10 people, based on my known fees, will definitely assist in my first goal which is that of being financially comfortable. 10 will pay the bills and allow me something to work into savings. 10 also does not take up so much of my time that I become overwhelmed or forget to relax and play.
So I covered "what" and "why" leaving the next step as "how". I know that most of my clients come from the internet. People type in "chicago life coach" into Google or AOL or Yahoo and, lo and behold, there I am in the number one spot. I worked really hard to get there and now it's up to me to keep myself there so I can continue to be found by those who desire my services. That number 1 spot is all abot quality content and relative links. I didn't pay some overrated SEO specialist hundreds of thousands to put me there. I did it for free. The key is simply to find sites with related quality content and to request reciprocal links. That means that I only trade links with sites about business, coaching, management, personal and professional development or any of my other "keywords". You will never find my info on a site about dog grooming as that topic has no correlation with my own. Secondly, I have to write good quality content that includes my links. My articles and blogs play an important part in keeping my links fresh on the spiderbots' lists of sites to crawl. Those crawlers absolutely love new content so if I want to keep my number one spot, I have to give it to them.
The last step in this process is to establish the "when". Sounds simple enough but I haven't been doing it. The answer to when seems to always be tomorrow or something like it; i.e. later. That just doesn't cut it. New Rule: When is always NOW. The established time will be everyday after my workout (around 11:30 AM CST); however, if throughout the day something crosses my mind that will move me closer to my goals then I will drop everything and add it to my planner right then and there.
Now I have a plan. I will be looking to my readers to help me stay accountable to this plan. If you stop by and don't see a new post at least once per week then by all means send me an email or post a comment. I treasure your constructive feedback.
Finally, since I never like to leave a post on the negative side, I have been doing a good job of getting one thing accomplished: my workout. I have been going to the gym pretty much five times per week. I have already lost a few pounds and inches and even put on a little muscle mass. I will post pics after I feel there is a significant visible difference. Big victory for me!
I work hard so it can't be that I am lazy. I am always involved in some activity or another. But I think herein lies the problem: too much focus on pointless activity and not a lot of movement in the intended direction. This means that it is really time to make a fundamental shift to get my butt into gear. Over half of 2008, my year to be great, is gone and I can not truly say that I am effectively working toward my goals. I haven't touched my manuscript, I haven't been updating my blogs, I haven't been consistently airing a radio show and I haven't been hosting too many events. Basically I am doing a whole lot of stopping and starting which realistically isn't getting me anywhere. So what's the solution; regroup and regain focus of the big picture.
So what is the big picture? My true goal is to be financially comfortable (notice I didn't say "stable") and to consistently support at least 10 people per month. So I know the "what" but it lacks a "why". If you know anything about me by now then you know that I am big on purpose. Purpose is crucial to direction and motivation. Your "what", or in my case, activity, doesn't matter if you have no purpose, or direction. So why is it important that I support 10 people each month? 10 is a great number that offers me great flexibility. It means that I can support 10 individuals or a group of 10 people. I can coach, mediate or consult on a one-on-one basis or put on a big event that helps many. In any case, 10 people, based on my known fees, will definitely assist in my first goal which is that of being financially comfortable. 10 will pay the bills and allow me something to work into savings. 10 also does not take up so much of my time that I become overwhelmed or forget to relax and play.
So I covered "what" and "why" leaving the next step as "how". I know that most of my clients come from the internet. People type in "chicago life coach" into Google or AOL or Yahoo and, lo and behold, there I am in the number one spot. I worked really hard to get there and now it's up to me to keep myself there so I can continue to be found by those who desire my services. That number 1 spot is all abot quality content and relative links. I didn't pay some overrated SEO specialist hundreds of thousands to put me there. I did it for free. The key is simply to find sites with related quality content and to request reciprocal links. That means that I only trade links with sites about business, coaching, management, personal and professional development or any of my other "keywords". You will never find my info on a site about dog grooming as that topic has no correlation with my own. Secondly, I have to write good quality content that includes my links. My articles and blogs play an important part in keeping my links fresh on the spiderbots' lists of sites to crawl. Those crawlers absolutely love new content so if I want to keep my number one spot, I have to give it to them.
The last step in this process is to establish the "when". Sounds simple enough but I haven't been doing it. The answer to when seems to always be tomorrow or something like it; i.e. later. That just doesn't cut it. New Rule: When is always NOW. The established time will be everyday after my workout (around 11:30 AM CST); however, if throughout the day something crosses my mind that will move me closer to my goals then I will drop everything and add it to my planner right then and there.
Now I have a plan. I will be looking to my readers to help me stay accountable to this plan. If you stop by and don't see a new post at least once per week then by all means send me an email or post a comment. I treasure your constructive feedback.
Finally, since I never like to leave a post on the negative side, I have been doing a good job of getting one thing accomplished: my workout. I have been going to the gym pretty much five times per week. I have already lost a few pounds and inches and even put on a little muscle mass. I will post pics after I feel there is a significant visible difference. Big victory for me!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Blessed & Highly Favored in the Lord
I have just completed my daily Bible reading and am soooooooooooooo excited! Today's reading was Part 3 in a series about having a vision. Vision and dreams are things that I talk a lot about in my coaching practice, my Blog Talk Radio show and almost every publication or workshop presentation that I write.
Today's reading was so inspirational to me because it was a confirmation and reaffirmation of everything that I have been doing personally as well as those things that I coach others. The reading pointed me to Ephesians 3:20 which reads
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all
that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us."
This verse is absolutely BRILLIANT!!!!!
God can do anything. His loving kindness, goodness and mercy allows us to accomplish feats that go far beyond our wildest imagination. The human mind is great. People are able to envision amazing things and use our skills and creativity to bring those things into fruition. We do not do this alone. We do it because of God's love and the power, His power, that works in us. If we can think it, it can be done. Someone imagined visiting the moon and, lo and behold, it was accomplished. Someone else thought that people all around the world should be able to talk to one another and conduct business; then along came cellular phones and the internet. Yes, the human mind is great but God's ability is even greater!
The word says "exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think." Let's meditate on this for a moment. Think about what each of these words mean. Exceedingly is defined as "to an extreme or unusual degree." Abundantly means "plentiful" or "rich". Above is defined as "beyond the level or reach of". Power is "ability" or "strength". God is saying that He can unusually provide far beyond the level of riches that our minds can so commonly reach through the ability that we already possess within ourselves. That is AWESOME!!!!!
So my word to you today is to keep dreaming, keep creating vision and keep speaking those things you want and desire as though they already are. Nothing is impossible but remember even dreams take work so put your personal power to good use. You can do anything through Christ Jesus who strengthens you!
To your dynamic success and happy living!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Upcoming BlogTalk Radio Shows
Good afternoon,
I have been hosting a radio show on BlogTalk Radio titled "Building Bridges" for the past year or so. You can listen to the last show by clicking on the player located on the left side of this page just under the "About Me" section. Unfortunately I have been somewhat inconsistent in maintaining a regular schedule. I think that this is due in part to the days and times the show aired. To address this issue and the changing needs of my business, I have decided to move the show from Tuesdays at 1:30 PM CST to Fridays at 3:30 PM CST. I am hoping that this change will allow me to be more consistent in delivering quality content to my loyal listeners as well as allow those who desire to listen in live but could not do so previsouly because of the time.
The Building Bridges Show airs over the net at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/buildingbridges. Upcoming show dates and times are as follows:
[168374]Get Funded - Fund Development for Non-Profits
This is a much anticipated show that has been postponed several times in the past due to my desire to bring the most updated information regarding this important subject. Learn how to raise money for your non-profit organization and to develop a successful fundraising campaign.
capital, event, fund deveolpment, funding, fundrasising, money, nonprofit, not-for-profit, NPO
FinanceEveryone
3/28/2008 3:30 PM 30 Minutes
[168379]Opportunity's Knocking; Answer the Door!
Are you one of those people who limits themselves to familiarity with only those things within the 4 corners of their home? Are you resistant to change and fear taking risks? Successful people know that they are where they are because they stepped outside of their comfort zone. If you want to get anywhere in life it is time for you to learn how.
4/4/2008 3:30 PM 30 Minutes
[168382]5 Time Management Tips: When 24 Hours is NOT Enough
Learn how to juggle the number of responsibilities, obligations and personal needs you are faced with completing every day. Manage your time more effectively to give yourself back some "me" time.
4/11/2008 3:30 PM 30 Minutes
[168383]What is Coaching Anyway?
People always ask me what life coaching is all about. In this show I will explain what coaching really means and how this unique process can help you to move your life in a more positive direction. Learn why companies such as AllState Insurance provide coaching as a company benefit to their executive employees.
4/18/2008 3:30 PM 30 Minutes
I welcome the opportunity for suggestions of show topics that fall into any of my areas of expertise. Feel free to drop me a line with your comments, questions or ideas.
To your dynamic success and happy living!
I have been hosting a radio show on BlogTalk Radio titled "Building Bridges" for the past year or so. You can listen to the last show by clicking on the player located on the left side of this page just under the "About Me" section. Unfortunately I have been somewhat inconsistent in maintaining a regular schedule. I think that this is due in part to the days and times the show aired. To address this issue and the changing needs of my business, I have decided to move the show from Tuesdays at 1:30 PM CST to Fridays at 3:30 PM CST. I am hoping that this change will allow me to be more consistent in delivering quality content to my loyal listeners as well as allow those who desire to listen in live but could not do so previsouly because of the time.
The Building Bridges Show airs over the net at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/buildingbridges. Upcoming show dates and times are as follows:
[168374]Get Funded - Fund Development for Non-Profits
This is a much anticipated show that has been postponed several times in the past due to my desire to bring the most updated information regarding this important subject. Learn how to raise money for your non-profit organization and to develop a successful fundraising campaign.
capital, event, fund deveolpment, funding, fundrasising, money, nonprofit, not-for-profit, NPO
FinanceEveryone
3/28/2008 3:30 PM 30 Minutes
[168379]Opportunity's Knocking; Answer the Door!
Are you one of those people who limits themselves to familiarity with only those things within the 4 corners of their home? Are you resistant to change and fear taking risks? Successful people know that they are where they are because they stepped outside of their comfort zone. If you want to get anywhere in life it is time for you to learn how.
4/4/2008 3:30 PM 30 Minutes
[168382]5 Time Management Tips: When 24 Hours is NOT Enough
Learn how to juggle the number of responsibilities, obligations and personal needs you are faced with completing every day. Manage your time more effectively to give yourself back some "me" time.
4/11/2008 3:30 PM 30 Minutes
[168383]What is Coaching Anyway?
People always ask me what life coaching is all about. In this show I will explain what coaching really means and how this unique process can help you to move your life in a more positive direction. Learn why companies such as AllState Insurance provide coaching as a company benefit to their executive employees.
4/18/2008 3:30 PM 30 Minutes
I welcome the opportunity for suggestions of show topics that fall into any of my areas of expertise. Feel free to drop me a line with your comments, questions or ideas.
To your dynamic success and happy living!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Baptized & Other Good News!
Guess what I did? Oh like you didn't know from the title of this post. That's right, I got baptized! Yes, I finally found a church home with Faith Tabernacle. I was very excited about this because it is right in line with my plans to make 2008 my year to be great. So many exciting things are happening all at once that it is so difficult to get around to including them in my blog. I am working hard to update my loyal readers on all that is going on with me and my business as well as to continue to offer some great new tips, tools and advice on how to succeed in business, love and life. Please bear with me!
I have been on a volunteering tirade for some time now due in part because of the lack of color in most of these activities. I am saddened, no, disheartened by the disinterest among African-Americans in volunteering. Like Oprah said on the Big Give - PAY IT FORWARD! Here here.
In other news, my Toastmasters club is well under way but of course I would love to boost the attendance of guests. Feel free to come on down to get the wonderful support TM clubs offer their members. Visit http://successseekers.freetoasthost.ws for more information on club meeting times, days and location. I do sincerely hope to see you there.
Tomorrow is my official induction into the Rotary One club. WHOOHOO!!! I have been fuddling around with my membership for well over a year so it's about time. Thank you to David Durham for being so patient and supportive. I am sure that being a Rotarian will be a wonderful investment of my time and I am looking forward to throwing my expertise toward their many volunteer projects.
Something new is going on with my strategic planning project and board involvement with New Life Coach Inc. We have restructured the entire coach training and volunteer program. Find out more by emailing me at niquenya@newlifecoachinc.org. You won't want to miss out on these exciting new changes.
Let's see, what else, what else, what else....? Oh, yes! I have started back to co-hosting Networking For Professionals (NFP) events again. The next one is actually this Thursday, March 20th at 6PM. The location has changed to Tizi Melloul's. More space and easier access by public transportation which means more attendees and greater opportunities for networking. For more info on that visit http://www.networkingforprofessionals.com.
Some of you have asked what I am reading today. HA! This is always an impossible question to answer because I tend to multi-task my reading. :) I am in the middle of 5 books. Of course A New Earth is on the list and I have been trying to follow along with Oprah's 10-week webinar event with Eckhart Tolle without much success. Unfortunately I keep getting booted out. The rebroadcast doesn't seem to work all that well either. On another note, I don't get all of the complaints about the book being difficult reading. It reads much like poetry and Tolle does a very good job of relating concepts to everyday life experiences. It must be the "I" taking over again (inside joke for all of the New Earthers).
I am also reading Jesus Life Coach, Teach Yourself NLP, This Is How We Do It and Odd Thomas. Finally, I am in the process of reviewing Mastering the Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success. I will post a formal review as soon as I am finished reading it. Thank goodness for that speed reading course I took with Kinetic Advanced Learning!
I think that's it for now. With my new outlook and current transformation, I will be making some changes to my website at http://www.niquenyafulbright.com as well as to my Blog Talk Radio show. I will post those updates as soon as they occur.
Until next time, to your dynamic success and happy living!
Niquenya
I have been on a volunteering tirade for some time now due in part because of the lack of color in most of these activities. I am saddened, no, disheartened by the disinterest among African-Americans in volunteering. Like Oprah said on the Big Give - PAY IT FORWARD! Here here.
In other news, my Toastmasters club is well under way but of course I would love to boost the attendance of guests. Feel free to come on down to get the wonderful support TM clubs offer their members. Visit http://successseekers.freetoasthost.ws for more information on club meeting times, days and location. I do sincerely hope to see you there.
Tomorrow is my official induction into the Rotary One club. WHOOHOO!!! I have been fuddling around with my membership for well over a year so it's about time. Thank you to David Durham for being so patient and supportive. I am sure that being a Rotarian will be a wonderful investment of my time and I am looking forward to throwing my expertise toward their many volunteer projects.
Something new is going on with my strategic planning project and board involvement with New Life Coach Inc. We have restructured the entire coach training and volunteer program. Find out more by emailing me at niquenya@newlifecoachinc.org. You won't want to miss out on these exciting new changes.
Let's see, what else, what else, what else....? Oh, yes! I have started back to co-hosting Networking For Professionals (NFP) events again. The next one is actually this Thursday, March 20th at 6PM. The location has changed to Tizi Melloul's. More space and easier access by public transportation which means more attendees and greater opportunities for networking. For more info on that visit http://www.networkingforprofessionals.com.
Some of you have asked what I am reading today. HA! This is always an impossible question to answer because I tend to multi-task my reading. :) I am in the middle of 5 books. Of course A New Earth is on the list and I have been trying to follow along with Oprah's 10-week webinar event with Eckhart Tolle without much success. Unfortunately I keep getting booted out. The rebroadcast doesn't seem to work all that well either. On another note, I don't get all of the complaints about the book being difficult reading. It reads much like poetry and Tolle does a very good job of relating concepts to everyday life experiences. It must be the "I" taking over again (inside joke for all of the New Earthers).
I am also reading Jesus Life Coach, Teach Yourself NLP, This Is How We Do It and Odd Thomas. Finally, I am in the process of reviewing Mastering the Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success. I will post a formal review as soon as I am finished reading it. Thank goodness for that speed reading course I took with Kinetic Advanced Learning!
I think that's it for now. With my new outlook and current transformation, I will be making some changes to my website at http://www.niquenyafulbright.com as well as to my Blog Talk Radio show. I will post those updates as soon as they occur.
Until next time, to your dynamic success and happy living!
Niquenya
Sunday, January 20, 2008
New Toastmasters Club Formation & More
Hello friends,
Well, after 6 agonizing weeks of limping around in a walking cast I have finally had the thing taken off yesterday. WHOOPEE! Unfortunately, my ankle is still a bit painful and hideous looking. The orthopedic specialist told me that my x-rays are quite unusual. This is most likely due to a pretty bad break on the same ankle when I was 11 years old. He also said that it looks like a small fragment of bone is missing from the back of my ankle. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I continue to recover from my slip and fall. I also pray that each of you stay safe on the ice.
Guess what? I have finally done it! After a whole year of toying around with the idea and various meetings with potential venues and my partner in success, I have finally founded a new Toastmasters Club. I had been very frustrated with the lack of a club within my immediate area. Those clubs that were near me were either at least a twenty minute drive or located on some hard to access side street. The new Toastmasters Club, in line with my "success" theme for 2008, is called the Success Seekers Club.
The kickoff meeting will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2008 from 10AM to 12PM in the 2nd floor Community Room of the Housing Resource Center located at 4429 N Clifton Avenue, Chicago, IL 60640. This is in the Uptown neighborhood just off of Montrose and Broadway, behind Truman College and Aldi's parking lots. Guest attendance is FREE and open to the general public ages 18 and over. Toastmasters International is a wonderful 501(c)3 organization that develops leadership, presentation, communication and public speaking skills. Members have the opportunity to be trained on how to be more effective communicators through various group and independent activities including presenting structured speeches to the club.
Effective communication and presentation skills are a great asset for anyone who wants to make a powerful impact in both their business and personal lives. Practice makes perfect! Come on out and join us for our kickoff meeting. Attend as a guest as often as you like but guests don't get the opportunity to practice public speaking in front of the group. Find out more about all of the benefits paid membership has to offer by attending a meeting or send your inquiries to TMCLUBSuccessSeekers@gmail.com. Subsequequent meetings will be held every 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 10AM to 12PM. Watch for further updates as we receive our club charter and attain a website.
I look forward to meeting you at the Success Seekers Club of Toastmasters International!
To your success and happy living!
Well, after 6 agonizing weeks of limping around in a walking cast I have finally had the thing taken off yesterday. WHOOPEE! Unfortunately, my ankle is still a bit painful and hideous looking. The orthopedic specialist told me that my x-rays are quite unusual. This is most likely due to a pretty bad break on the same ankle when I was 11 years old. He also said that it looks like a small fragment of bone is missing from the back of my ankle. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I continue to recover from my slip and fall. I also pray that each of you stay safe on the ice.
Guess what? I have finally done it! After a whole year of toying around with the idea and various meetings with potential venues and my partner in success, I have finally founded a new Toastmasters Club. I had been very frustrated with the lack of a club within my immediate area. Those clubs that were near me were either at least a twenty minute drive or located on some hard to access side street. The new Toastmasters Club, in line with my "success" theme for 2008, is called the Success Seekers Club.
The kickoff meeting will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2008 from 10AM to 12PM in the 2nd floor Community Room of the Housing Resource Center located at 4429 N Clifton Avenue, Chicago, IL 60640. This is in the Uptown neighborhood just off of Montrose and Broadway, behind Truman College and Aldi's parking lots. Guest attendance is FREE and open to the general public ages 18 and over. Toastmasters International is a wonderful 501(c)3 organization that develops leadership, presentation, communication and public speaking skills. Members have the opportunity to be trained on how to be more effective communicators through various group and independent activities including presenting structured speeches to the club.
Effective communication and presentation skills are a great asset for anyone who wants to make a powerful impact in both their business and personal lives. Practice makes perfect! Come on out and join us for our kickoff meeting. Attend as a guest as often as you like but guests don't get the opportunity to practice public speaking in front of the group. Find out more about all of the benefits paid membership has to offer by attending a meeting or send your inquiries to TMCLUBSuccessSeekers@gmail.com. Subsequequent meetings will be held every 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 10AM to 12PM. Watch for further updates as we receive our club charter and attain a website.
I look forward to meeting you at the Success Seekers Club of Toastmasters International!
To your success and happy living!
Monday, January 14, 2008
FREE Life-Changing Teleseminar + $2654 in BONUSES
Happy New Year,
"A good goal is like a strenuous exercise -- it makes you stretch." ~Mary Kay Ash "Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he isreaching out and striving for his goals." ~Aristotle
I only have one question for you....
Will you make 2008 your Best year yet?
"People with goals succeed because they know where they're going." ~Earl Nightingale
"Our self image and our habits tend to go together.
Change one and you will automatically change the other."
~Dr. Maxwell Maltz
Sign Up Here!
Now that the New Year is here it is time to think about resolutions. Have you made any resolutions yet?To lose weight? Make more money? Have better relationships? Get a better job? So, how are you doing on them? Hmmm...... Why do you think that is? I know the answer.
Lack of willpower? Lack of follow through? Lack of knowledge and skills? Nope! Lack of a SYSTEM and lack of ACCOUNTABILITY have been your downfall. So, what can you do?You can lose weight. You can escape debt. You can make 2008 your best year yet!
I can help you. Here at The Positive Website we have a tool that will help you achieve all of your dreams this year! Please take the initiative to sign up for my FREE tele-seminar:
“How to Make 2008 Your Best Year Yet!” on January 17th 2008. Be a part of this LIFE CHANGING experience! Spaces will be EXTREMELY limited so PLEASE sign up right away! You need to take immediate action and sign up to reserve your spot! Those who attend this FREE tele-seminar will:
Learn to set reachable goals
Learn to set "stretch" goals
Learn to monitor and measure your progress towards achieving these goals.
Achieve Your Greatest Dreams!
And the best news is- You will get it for FREE!
Get Free Bonus Materials Valued at over $2,654 just for looking!
But wait!
It gets even better!
Just for going to the site you will get a slew of Amazing and Valuable FREE Bonuses worth over $2,654!
That’s right; you will get all of these bonuses just for visiting the site! See for yourself!
So what are you waiting for?
Sign Up Here!
Are you ready to finally keep your New Year's resolutions?
Is 2008 the year you make it all come true?
The year you set goals and actually keep them?
The year you become the best you can be?
Is 2008 going to be the best year of your life?
Please accept this invitation to join me in this amazing FREE tele-training.
Please take the initiative to Sign Up for my FREE tele-seminar January 17th 2008. Be a part of this LIFE CHANGING experience! Sign Up Here!
Live Victoriously,
Joshua Stein
Founder- www.thepositivewebsite.com
Make 2008 Your Best Year Yet! Join me in this Free Training
P.S- Please invite all of your friends and family to join us as well!
Have you signed up for Your Free Daily Inspiration Service at www.thepositivewebsite.com?
"A good goal is like a strenuous exercise -- it makes you stretch." ~Mary Kay Ash "Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he isreaching out and striving for his goals." ~Aristotle
I only have one question for you....
Will you make 2008 your Best year yet?
"People with goals succeed because they know where they're going." ~Earl Nightingale
"Our self image and our habits tend to go together.
Change one and you will automatically change the other."
~Dr. Maxwell Maltz
Sign Up Here!
Now that the New Year is here it is time to think about resolutions. Have you made any resolutions yet?To lose weight? Make more money? Have better relationships? Get a better job? So, how are you doing on them? Hmmm...... Why do you think that is? I know the answer.
Lack of willpower? Lack of follow through? Lack of knowledge and skills? Nope! Lack of a SYSTEM and lack of ACCOUNTABILITY have been your downfall. So, what can you do?You can lose weight. You can escape debt. You can make 2008 your best year yet!
I can help you. Here at The Positive Website we have a tool that will help you achieve all of your dreams this year! Please take the initiative to sign up for my FREE tele-seminar:
“How to Make 2008 Your Best Year Yet!” on January 17th 2008. Be a part of this LIFE CHANGING experience! Spaces will be EXTREMELY limited so PLEASE sign up right away! You need to take immediate action and sign up to reserve your spot! Those who attend this FREE tele-seminar will:
Learn to set reachable goals
Learn to set "stretch" goals
Learn to monitor and measure your progress towards achieving these goals.
Achieve Your Greatest Dreams!
And the best news is- You will get it for FREE!
Get Free Bonus Materials Valued at over $2,654 just for looking!
But wait!
It gets even better!
Just for going to the site you will get a slew of Amazing and Valuable FREE Bonuses worth over $2,654!
That’s right; you will get all of these bonuses just for visiting the site! See for yourself!
So what are you waiting for?
Sign Up Here!
Are you ready to finally keep your New Year's resolutions?
Is 2008 the year you make it all come true?
The year you set goals and actually keep them?
The year you become the best you can be?
Is 2008 going to be the best year of your life?
Please accept this invitation to join me in this amazing FREE tele-training.
Please take the initiative to Sign Up for my FREE tele-seminar January 17th 2008. Be a part of this LIFE CHANGING experience! Sign Up Here!
Live Victoriously,
Joshua Stein
Founder- www.thepositivewebsite.com
Make 2008 Your Best Year Yet! Join me in this Free Training
P.S- Please invite all of your friends and family to join us as well!
Have you signed up for Your Free Daily Inspiration Service at www.thepositivewebsite.com?
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Happy New Year!
I have been absent for the entire month of December in preparation to get some things cranking in the New Year. I want to make 2008 my year to be great and encourage you to do the same. It is time to stop putting my dreams, hopes and aspirations on the backburner. It is time to move mountains and grasp hold of want I want to do. The time to work is NOW!
So here's an update:
December brought a lot of changes for me. I will try to inform you of as much as I can here. First, I completed training with New Life Coach Inc. and am now certified as a Christian Life Coach. And guess what? The coaching certification and training did not cost me thousands of dollars. New Life Coach Inc. is a wonderful non-profit organization that offers free coaching to low income individuals. The organization is based in Chicago and run by a wonderful Christian woman named Bridget Burns. Bridget welcomed me as a volunteer coach and walked with me in my journey to complete my certification. I feel highly blessed by her presence in my life. After excelling in my training and making such a positive impression on Bridget, I was appointed as Director of Services for the organization. I am very excited about this new journey.
Secondly, I am currently in negotiations and collaborations with another great company run by Allan Goldin, former president of the Evelyn Wood speedreading company. Allan now has his own company called Kinetic Advanced Learning. I have always been an advocate of life long learning. We are looking to take personal and professional development to a whole new level.
Other wonderful things that happened in December, well I broke my ankle. I know you are probably wondering how that can be wonderful. Laws of attraction. Apparently I needed to sit down so I am looking at this injury as an opportunity for me to catch up on some things that I have been neglecting. I am spending more time with my children and getting some writing done. This brings me to the next great thing... I published another eBook. This one is a 50-page practical guide to time and project management. It is not just for business folks either. It is for anyone who has a goal and needs to accomplish it. This is especially important at this time of year - the beginning - when everyone is attempting to make a fresh start. In fact, I have developed a whole success system for the New Year. It includes the time management eBook as well as a one-year membership to the Success Seekers Mastermind group and special one-on-one coaching sessions for you and a family member or friend. You can find more information at http://www.niquenyafulbright.com/successsystem.htm.
My New Year's promises to myself:
To be more diligent in taking care of me
To continue my journey for knowledge
To grow in my spiritual walk with God
To find a church home
To give fully in my relationships
Stay powerfully blessed and keep thinking your dreams out loud.
So here's an update:
December brought a lot of changes for me. I will try to inform you of as much as I can here. First, I completed training with New Life Coach Inc. and am now certified as a Christian Life Coach. And guess what? The coaching certification and training did not cost me thousands of dollars. New Life Coach Inc. is a wonderful non-profit organization that offers free coaching to low income individuals. The organization is based in Chicago and run by a wonderful Christian woman named Bridget Burns. Bridget welcomed me as a volunteer coach and walked with me in my journey to complete my certification. I feel highly blessed by her presence in my life. After excelling in my training and making such a positive impression on Bridget, I was appointed as Director of Services for the organization. I am very excited about this new journey.
Secondly, I am currently in negotiations and collaborations with another great company run by Allan Goldin, former president of the Evelyn Wood speedreading company. Allan now has his own company called Kinetic Advanced Learning. I have always been an advocate of life long learning. We are looking to take personal and professional development to a whole new level.
Other wonderful things that happened in December, well I broke my ankle. I know you are probably wondering how that can be wonderful. Laws of attraction. Apparently I needed to sit down so I am looking at this injury as an opportunity for me to catch up on some things that I have been neglecting. I am spending more time with my children and getting some writing done. This brings me to the next great thing... I published another eBook. This one is a 50-page practical guide to time and project management. It is not just for business folks either. It is for anyone who has a goal and needs to accomplish it. This is especially important at this time of year - the beginning - when everyone is attempting to make a fresh start. In fact, I have developed a whole success system for the New Year. It includes the time management eBook as well as a one-year membership to the Success Seekers Mastermind group and special one-on-one coaching sessions for you and a family member or friend. You can find more information at http://www.niquenyafulbright.com/successsystem.htm.
My New Year's promises to myself:
To be more diligent in taking care of me
To continue my journey for knowledge
To grow in my spiritual walk with God
To find a church home
To give fully in my relationships
Stay powerfully blessed and keep thinking your dreams out loud.
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