20 Tips for a Positive New Year

1. Stay positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible, or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.
2. Take a morning walk of gratitude. I call it a “Thank You Walk.” It will create a fertile mind ready for success.
3. Make your first meal the biggest and your last meal the smallest. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed-out charge card.
4. Zoom Focus. Each day when you wake up in the morning, ask: “What are the three most important things I need to do today to help me create the success I desire?” Then tune out all the distractions and focus on these actions.
5. Talk to yourself instead of listening to yourself. Instead of listening to your complaints, fears and doubts, talk to yourself and feed your mind with the words and encouragement you need to keep moving forward.
6. Remember that adversity is not a dead end but a detour to a better outcome.
7. Don’t chase dollars or success. Decide to make a difference and build meaningful relationships, and success will find you.
8. Get more sleep. You can’t replace sleep with a double latte.
9. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in your purpose, people and the positive present moment.
10. Mentor someone, and be mentored by someone.
11. Live with the three Es: energy, enthusiasm, empathy.
12. Remember there’s no such thing as an overnight success. There’s no substitute for hard work.
13. Believe that everything happens for a reason, and expect good things to come from challenging experiences.
14. Implement the No Complaining Rule. Remember that if you are complaining, you’re not leading.
15. Read more books than you did in 2013.
16. Don’t seek happiness. Instead, decide to live with passion and purpose, and happiness will find you.
17. Focus on “Get to” versus “Have to.” Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift, not an obligation.
18. Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements:  I am thankful for __________. Today, I accomplished ____________.
19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural antidepressants.
20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life, so make the most of it and enjoy it. 

Tonight's Show: From Money Madness to Money Management

Money is both a tangible and emotional issue. On tonight's show, we address both sides of the financial coin.
Harris Glasser has a lifetime of experience starting successful businesses and helping others, personally and professionally manage their money. He distilled his financial advice and wrote the book, It's My Money & I Want It! In the book, he advises readers on how to keep more of their money, boost their saving, pay off debt and handle creditors. Wherever you are in your financial journey Harris Glasser can help!
If you are familiar with The Secret, then you are familiar with James Goi Jr.'s approach to attracting more money into your life. Your thoughts and emotions play a clear role in attracting more money into your wallet and your bank account. Specifically, we'll talk about maintaining an abundant and prosperous mindset, when your reality is anything but!

Your Success

There are two things you should know about your success.

1. You've had success before.
2. You'll have success again.

We tend to downplay what has gone right in our lives while we focus in excruciating detail over what has gone wrong, what hasn't happened or what we could have done differently. The fact remains that we have done some things right and those things should be acknowledge. You graduated from high school, some cities have a 50% drop-out rate, so that is an accomplishment. If you graduated from college, that is another accomplishment. You've gotten and kept a job. You've married. You've raised great kids.

You might have won trophies or prizes. Maybe you have a reputation for being the best at something. There are things you do well and that you take pride in. These are successes. The key is not just to acknowledge them but investigate them in detail to discover how you made those successes happen. What did you do, think or say that made them possible.

How did you motivate yourself to study? What are you thinking when you get ready for work, or when you are at work handling a crisis? Looking back over your successes what characteristics and behaviors did you exhibit? Were you more focused or disciplined? Did you delay gratification? What sacrifices did you make?

Since you have ad success before, there is every possibility that you will have it again. If you want success in a specific area: weight loss, financial management, smoking cessation, etc., then look at what you did to achieve your past successes and apply those same characteristics.

You can be successful in your way on your terms. Use what you have at your disposal and you will get what you want.

Tonight's Show: Career Goals and MLK Day

Giving You More in the 1-4 continues with life coach and business woman JJ DiGeronimo and a focus on career goals. Maybe you are looking for a job. It could be that you have a job and want a promotion. It's entirely possible that you just want to be more effective in your current job. JJ will discuss all of those things as well as making networking really work ... it's more than just handing out business cards!

Merisa Davis, author of Bill Cosby is Right is the guest for the second half hour. Over the past few years, Cosby has taken some hits from those in the African-American community for some comments he directed towards the black community. Many did not appreciate his 'tough love'. So on MLK Jr. Day, Merisa and I will discuss ho Cosby's comments and the negative reaction. I'll also be asking if Dr. King's dream is in danger of becoming a nightmare.

You can use this link to listen live and join in the conversation, tonight, Monday, January 20 or you can use it to listen to the recorded show.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/getittogethergirl/2014/01/21/career-goals-and-living-the-dream

The Simplest Solution

The other day, I came into work early and went to print something from the printer. I got an error message. Immediately I flew into action. I checked the properties. I made sure I was selecting the right printer. I uninstalled and reinstalled. I went over to the printer several times and no papers had printed out. What the heck was the problem?

Well, after about 20 minutes, I walked over to the printer and actually looked at it (instead of just walking past it). Someone had turned it off. All I had to do was flip the power switch. There was no glitch computer problem. The IT department hadn’t disabled my ability to print. Someone had simply turned off the printer.

Sometimes the most obvious answer is the most obvious answer, the one that is staring us in the face. I remember talking to a woman about my weight loss efforts. I had tried Weight Watchers and it had worked, but, ever the yo-yo I had gained the weight back. Since then I had tried Atkins, South Beach and several other diets to no avail. Then this woman, a stranger whom I had struck up a conversation with on a walking trail said, “Well, if Weight Watchers worked for you before why not just go back to Weight Watchers?” Ding! Ding! Ding! I didn’t need a pill or a new diet plan, I needed to go back to what worked.

What’s my point? It’s simple, when faced with a problem, don’t overlook the simplistic answer because it’s too simplistic. It might be exactly what you need.

Tonight's Show: Get Hooked Up, Get Fit

Last week, I launched January's Giving You More in 1-4 series. We talked about setting achievable goals and we did a great session with John Satin and Chris Pattay on Relationship Resolutions for couples. Now, you couldn't think that I'd leave the singles out, especially considering that I'm one of them!

Bruce Starr, the LUV Coach will kick off the show with Relationship Resolutions for those of us single and ready to mingle! He's going to help us break some old habits and replace them with new dating habits. We'll talk about Internet dating, face-to-face dating, first date etiquette and just generally have some fun.

Personal Trainer John Henry Creel will be the focus of the second half hour. He's kicking off his Fight Fat Challenge and he'll have the details about that. Whether your health and wellness goals involve improving your fitness, making healthier choices or losing weight, John is the guy for you!

It's all happening live Monday, January 6 at 8:00 p.m. (EST). Of course, you can always listen to the recorded show afterwards.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/getittogethergirl/2014/01/07/giving-you-more-in-2014--resolutions-that-work

New Year. New Me. It Ain't Easy!

When the going gets tough, what exactly do the tough do? As a compulsive spender, the normal answer, shopping doesn’t work. As a person who’s trying to lose weight, neither does eating. Lashing out doesn’t work, crying might feel good for a minute but then what?

I have a very nasty habit of speaking negativity over my life. Could all of my “I’ll never have a man!” and “No one will ever marry me!” rants have something to do with my still being single? (If you ask my Dad the answer is yes!) Could it be that my thoughts of lack, brokeness and the focus on what I don’t have could be keeping me dangling in financial limbo?

I thought about that as we came into the New Year and I was determined to be more positive. Then, several days into the New Year, it happened. And it all started with an email from Paypal saying that they had charged me for something I wasn’t expecting. That one charge was about to wreak havoc in my struggling checkbook!

I was frustrated. I was truly trying to do better, yet something always came up.  “Why? Why? Why!!!”

But wait a minute; this is supposed to be a new me for the New Year.

I called the bank and told them to set it up so they did not pay anything I couldn’t cover. When I got to work, I canceled the Paypal service. These actions didn’t improve my finances but they did make me feel better. I was being proactive and taking charge. It felt good.

It felt so good that I decided that next I needed to be grateful. I had the gas I needed to get to my job. I was unemployed for nine months before I started, so a job was something to be grateful for. I had food in my house and my bills were paid - another thing to be grateful for.

In fact, when I got home, I numbered down a full page (28 lines) in my journal and came up with 28 things to be grateful for that very day. I felt really good by the time I fell asleep.

It’s not even a daily battle for me to stay positive. I literally have to take it minute-by-minute. Yet, if I ended up feeling like a felt at the end of a long bad day then it is worth it.

Tonight's Show: Giving You More in 2014

You know I'm excited!

1. This is my first show of the year
2. I'm going from a one guest to two guest format starting tonight
3. I love New Years and this is my first show in my January Goals/Resolutions series

I'm going to start by discussing productive goal setting with Yay Me University founder and author Tiphanie VanDerLugt! We're going to talk about goal-setting methods that work. If you've wanted to know why you haven't reached your goals or why you have the same goals year after year after year, be sure to listen. Also, if you want to know how to develop a complete and holistic plan for achieving your goals, you'd better listen. I'll also be revealing all five steps of y Golden Goals Method. You won't want to miss it.

In the second half hour, I'll be talking to Jon Satin and Chris Pattay, the Possibility Coaches and founders of The Relationship Reboot Workshop. If you are married or in a relationship and have a relationship goal for the two of you, then Jon and Chris can help. Listen for advice on how to improve your communication, your level of intimacy or just make your relationship better overall.

This is going to be an exciting month for Get It Together Girl Radio. We'll also be addressing your fitness goals, your financial goals and your career goals. Also, I haven't forgotten about relationship goals for the singles ... but that's next week!

It's a New Year Woo-Hoo!

Of the holidays that collectively make up The Holidays, the one I like the most is New Years. I know that is strange; but it isn't Thanksgiving or Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa). I love the idea of a new year. It's a new start and a new beginning.

Although, with every year, the number of people who make resolutions decreases, I like the idea - except I don't call them resolutions I call them goals. Resolutions, to me, are wishful thinking - and it is no wonder that most people don't achieve them. For me, a goal comes with a plan. A goal implies work and that is exactly what it will take to achieve it.

My five-step process is called, the Golden Goals Method.

1. Mine the Past - Look at your recent past (good and bad) for the lessons it has to teach you.
2. Flash to the Future - What would your life look like a year ago if everything went according to plan.
3. Stop Shoulding! - Get rid of any goals you have because someone else things you should have them.
4. Plan to Succeed - For each goal, have a team to help you and a Plan B to get you back on track.
5. Get Real - Recognize that success takes time and it takes work. If it were easy and could be done overnight you would have done it by now!

The Golden Goals Method is available as a downloadable program for just $25. It takes less than an hour to create three goals and the plans you need to achieve them. It's fun, it's got great music and you will have goals you actually want to work to achieve.

http://www.shop.getittogethergirlmedia.com 

Happy New Year!