It seems that many are turning to the Internet for a way to make some extra money.  After all, any extra money is better than no extra money, right?  However, folks are going about it all wrong and then find themselves stuck.  Are you one of those individuals?

Not too long ago I had someone ask me how I do it all.  Mainly, how do I keep up with all I do online.  My simple answer was organization but more simple than that was my desire to do it all.  Sure, it’s an added incentive to earn money, but first and foremost, I enjoy it.  I have consulted with many that are merely doing what they are doing for the money.  That may be suffice for a time but in the long run, they will find themselves, burnt out and unhappy.  When you are unhappy, your business suffers, your family and those around you suffer and ultimately depression begins to take place.  It’s a downward spiral that truly doesn’t need to happen.  Unfortunately, I see it every day and those individuals seem hopeless, until the one question is asked.

The question that is asked is ~ What makes you happy?  Some will say making money, makes them happy.  Others will say seeing their family taken care of makes them happy.  Others will say, that helping others, make them happy.  Do you have the answer to that simple question?  Determining the answer will help you get unstuck.

Recently I spoke to an online friend and determined that she was engaged in a business she had developed only for the money.  In fact she mentioned that she was doing what she did on a daily basis for the money and that alone.  She was not happy and actually did not enjoy the daily tasks but needed the money.  Does this sound familiar?  Wouldn’t it be easier to find what you enjoy doing and turning that into something that can make you money?  Perhaps it’s teaching or perhaps you are a whiz at developing graphics, writing, or making a craft; whatever you are are good at can be easily turned into a lucrative business.

Too often we neglect what we are good at or what may come easy to us and forget that others may have a difficult time with those same tasks.  Sitting down and determining your talents, your gifts, your assets will help you in developing a business that will not only help you earn extra money but you will truly enjoy doing.

Are you stuck?  Sit down and write out everything you are good at.  Don’t neglect what you may think is obviously simple to you.  You may find that you will be unstuck rather quickly and earning an income at what you truly enjoy.

Many individuals are looking for other avenues to create an income.  With the economy on a down slide many more are turning to entrepreneurship for income generation.   What many are coming across is the lack of focus.  Some are fooled into believing that they will make money overnight.  Once you take off the blinders you will better appreciate the road that is ahead of you.  You can definitely be successful when you are able to answer a simple question.

Well, the question I’m referring to may be easy to some but for others may be a struggle.  But once answered will help you on your quest to becoming an entrepreneur.  What question?  The question of what do you provide.  Do you have a service or a product?  This is not as easy as it sounds.  For some, it may consist of a combination of both a service and product but will still focus on one main idea.

If you have a service, then you can proceed to develop packages that involve your services.  Within these packages you can include products that correlate to your services.  For instance, if you are a virtual assistant.  Your answer to the above question is ‘service’.  You provide a service to help business folks manage their time more efficiently.  However, you can also incorporate products within your company that may help those that may not need your services right away or perhaps share information on what your services entail.  Make sense?

If you provide a product then you can focus your energy on promoting your product or products.  If you sell candles for instance, you can incorporate packages, or baskets or even a candle of the month idea.  But your main focus will revolve around the main product you are selling or featuring.

When you are able to answer the question of ‘what do you provide’ or do you have a ‘product’ or ‘service’ then your path will become an easier one.  Does this mean that you will be making money right away?  Possibly, but remember it will take work on your part.  Nothing comes easy to those who do not implement their time and effort to succeed.  I hope this has shed some light and if you have questions, please share them below.  Your success is important to me.

Ever have one of those busy weekends? No? Well, can I just say you are missing out on fun times!

Our weekend started with a bang and didn’t stop until late last night.  We had dress-rehearsal for the anticipated dance recital that two of my children were a part of.  We had the pleasure of having a very mature 16 year-old teen from our church volunteer her gift of dance with a group of over 20 little girls and 5 boys.  This group of little girls ranged from ages 4 to 11 and they were adorable.

Their hard work that consisted of twice a week for 6 weeks was a pleasure to witness.  And the patience that this particular 16 year-old shared was truly amazing!  Can you imagine having over 20 little girls of all ages concentrate not only on the choreography but not hurt themselves in the process?  It was amazing to say the least.

Here is a picture of my Purple Angel and Little Demon:

After a wonderful recital, we concluded with a Fabulous dinner made by Dr. Daddy then an all night game of UNO.  Have you ever played UNO? That is an addicting game and one the entire family can play.  With a competitive family like mine, you can imagine how crazy our games were.

So as you can imagine, we had a very full and busy weekend but a very blessed one too!  How was your weekend? Did you make time for your family and most importantly YOU?

This past weekend I attended for the very first time – BlogHer.  Many may ask what exactly is BlogHer and I will try to explain in as little words as possible.  But if you know me, you will know that is difficult to do, so here goes.  BlogHer is a conference for women who are not only ‘bloggers’ (but some would argue are ‘business women’ and ‘professional writers’ ) to come together and empower one another.  It has grown into one of the largest conferences that attracts women and some men from all spectrum’s of the blogosphere.

Along with bloggers, writers, business women are companies that are trying to entice us with their wares in hopes that we would write or share information about them to our loyal readers.  The area that this particular conference was held was New York City, need I say more.  Yes, it was crowded, and noisy but something about it was also enticing and amazing.

One of the things I loved most about this conference was the community of women.  I am a huge people watcher and mainly because I don’t like crowds so I like to stay in the background.  It’s amazing the interactions you notice when you are simply observing.  You will notice those that are ‘well-known’  have several women come running to them, and you will also notice the ones that are completely clueless to this arena.  Also seen are those that think they recognize you and those that are just plain loud and fun.  It was an amazing people-watching weekend for me, as you can imagine.

I’ve always been told that when you go to conferences, you must have an agenda.  This agenda may include the sessions that you may want to attend as well as a list of people that you want to meet or reconnect with.  Let me tell you, this conference is like none I have ever attended.  The amount of activity that was occurring was overwhelming, not to mention the events, parties and get-togethers that were simultaneously occurring. So needless to say my so-called agenda was thrown out the window, and I simply let my intuition lead me.

It was very inspiring to watch the women who had overcome illnesses and devastation and were still able to smile and enjoy the company of the many women attending.  BlogHer was definitely an experience that if you are able, should try to attend at least once.  Sure there are those that are simply interested in the FREE stuff, but there were many that were there to learn and meet other women that either inspired them or gave them some hope that what they were attempting to do was not as far fetched as some may have led them to believe.

So, my recap of this event consists of meeting some wonderful ladies that I certainly had on my list to meet and those I met by chance and very happy that I did.  It also consisted of meeting some wonderful company representatives, dancing to awesome Latino music and enjoying great food that can only be found in New York City.  A special thanks to all that took the time to reach out to me and those I recognized from afar.  This was a major accomplishment for me, since I am one that honestly does not do well in crowds.  I am getting better and have actually considered attending the following conference scheduled to be held in San Diego next year.

Thanks also to my special friends, you know who you are, who made my experience in New York City a lovely and memorable one, even the crazy cab driver who decided to stop in a ‘not so safe’ looking part of town to then later tell me that he thought we wouldn’t make it to the airport because his tires were not safe.  Thankfully, I made it to the airport, without suffering an anxiety attack and am home safely with my husband and children.  I am more, experienced, more inspired and truly blessed for the friendships I solidified and the new ones I made at BlogHer 2010.

So, yes…I will be attending BlogHer 2010 this year!  Not sure yet, if I’m excited or if I’m just feeling the anxiety of it all, but nonetheless the jitters are there!

I love attending conferences where I can not only learn but most importantly connect with folks that I chat with online or have done business with or I have been wanting to meet.  This one will definitely be one of those!

First off, I will be attending with my Latina friends from Latism and together will be hosting the Social Fiesta.  This is one of the large parties that the conference has and yes, I am part of this one!  Okay…if you know me, you will know that I don’t really like crowds.  I know!! Can you imagine me, in a room full of 300 women dancing to Latin music.  You know where you’ll find me?  Either under a table, in a corner or merely with the ‘deer caught in the headlights’ look.

Now what’s very odd, is that I can speak to a large group of people, but can’t seem to feel comfortable in a crowd.  Many times I will sit up front, so I can pretend there is no one behind me or I will sit in the back of the room so I can plan my escape.  Needless to say, I am forcing myself into this environment and am honestly looking forward to it.  Of course, I’m not in NYC yet, so we’ll see if I survive.

So, in case you are not aware, BlogHer is a very large conference that caters to women that not only blog but also have developed a business online from their blogging.  Many different companies attend in hopes to gain some knowledge at what makes us blogging women tick.  I’m sure there’s more to it that I am leaving out, so please be sure to visit their website for more information.

I have not started packing yet either, but I am one that actually develops a list and packs the night before.  It may drive some organizers crazy, but that’s how I’m wired.  If you are attending BlogHer 2o10 in NYC, please be sure to find me.  I a big hugger, so don’t be shocked if I grab you, that’s just the way I am

I will keep you updated with my anxiety levels and the many folks I plan to meet for the first time, interview and those friends I will meet again to re-connect.  For those that want to meet me or reconnect, you’ll probably find me roaming the Expo Hall, or hiding in the Geek Room…but I’ll be around, will you find me?

This is all for now…watch for the updates…

Do you ever hear this: ‘so that’s what you look like’ or ‘do I need to make an appointment with you?’ or ‘perhaps I should send you an email’  If you have, those are sure signs that something is going wrong. But, it’s also a good sign.  How so? Because at least there is some form of communication occurring.  What would be worse is the non-verbal treatment.

Communication is essential in any relationship.  How else will you know what the other person is feeling or thinking? No matter how well you think you know the other person, you can not possibly read their mind, so don’t bother trying.  Verbal communication is best, but yes, in this world of high-technology an email or text will work just as well.

So, if you’ve heard those phrases mentioned above or even if you haven’t.  Perhaps you have noticed a mood change or some alienation occurring, chances are – there is something definitely wrong.  To keep this from happening it is imperative to spend time with your significant other.  It can be as simple as going out for a walk, if it’s not thundering or snowing or 100% humidity.  In any case, as long as you make an effort to spend some quality time with this person, you will avoid any further issues.

Consider a date night or date lunch or simply a date.  Shopping or eating doesn’t necessarily have to be involved to call it a ‘date’.  Strolling in the mall and ‘window shopping’ is always fun.  Or perhaps you are the ‘fitness type’ and would rather exercise together, that will work just as well.

The point is that you MUST make time for each other.  Please don’t ever use the excuse that we have children or worse yet, that we don’t have time.  If you have children, have friends, or a family member watch them for an hour or two or even just 30 minutes.  Too often I have seen relationships go sour, because they used their children as ‘scape goats’.  Develop that friendship again.  Spend quality time together.  Your children, if you have any, will notice and that is also important.

So, what will you do to spend time with your significant other?  Surprise them with a picnic in the back yard, or meet up for coffee at near by cafe, whatever you decide, please do it today!

If you have been listening to my radio show, you will know that I have been featuring the book called The Go-Giver, written by Bob Burg and John David Mann.  This is an incredible book and if you haven’t read it, I highly suggest you put it on your reading list.

On my show called Family Talk, I have had several guests share how this little book has impacted not only their business but their life as a whole.  It was funny to read this book because while I was reading it I kept nudging my husband and sharing the different laws.  My husband was trying to watch a game or movie at the time and literally muted it while I discussed the book with him.  What was funny was that all the laws explained within the story were laws we had been applying in our Chiropractic office from the beginning and have continued for 20 years!

When we first started our Chiropractic office, our peers thought we were crazy because we gave so much more than expected and basically treated all our patients like family.  All our patients know our children’s names as well as their birthdays and some were even in attendance at some of the births {yes we had home births for 3 out of the 5}.  Treating each of our patients and providing true value is what we are known for in our community and we take great pride in that fact.

So, while reading the Go-Giver the first law that was presented was the Law of Value, and it truly hit close to home.  You see, the law says that your true worth is determined by how much you give in value than you take in payment.  This holds true to not only your business but your life as whole.  In order to gain respect of others you must be willing to give much more than you receive.  But most importantly give because you truly want to give not because you are expecting something in return.  Believe it or not you will ultimately receive great things in return especially when you don’t expect it.

For example, when I was in the hospital for 4 weeks with my last pregnancy, many of our patients or how I like to call them, ‘family members’ were there to help our family.  We had 4 young children at home that were scared because their Mommy was in the hospital and their Daddy was working in the office alone.  Many of our ‘family’ came to the rescue, taking turns answering phones as well as helping with the children.  We never asked for this help, yet it was given because of the value we had provided and continue to provide.

The law of value is something that must be present in your business but also in your entire life.  Something that we must naturally exhibit for not only our clients, patients, and our co-workers but for our family to witness.  The greatest gift is the one our children witness daily.  The law of value — how are you sharing it in your life?  Share your thoughts and if you’ve read this fabulous book I’d love to read how it has impacted your life.

PS. Be sure to listen to Family Talk Radio Show for more amazing stories and check out the archives too:)

Do you have a bucket list? Perhaps a list of items you’d like to accomplish one day?  I am here to tell you that you should not give up on your dreams.  Better yet don’t just dream, take action and do something about those items on your list.

Below I share my news; not to brag but to tell you with hard work and determination your dreams will come true too!

Yes, I wrote it…breaking the routine. Don’t get me wrong, I believe routines are great and we all have routines.

Your routine may be going to bed at a certain time each night, brushing your teeth a certain way, grocery shopping at the same store and perhaps cutting your hair the same way for years.

Do you find yourself following the same routine in your marriage or family life? Routines can be detrimental as well.

It’s important to keep things interesting and fresh in any relationship and that includes your marriage and family.

Try doing simple things like leaving notes in your husband’s pocket or surprising him with a special meal or a lunch date. How about making a special treat for your children as a surprise or all going out for ice-cream.

Do the unexpected today and give your routines a rest..you will be surprised with the outcome.

Today I get to mark something off of my bucket list!  Yes, today I received the proof to my very first book!!! Woot!!!

It has not been an easy road and for those that tell you that you can write an entire book in 3 days or perhaps a weekend, are not being entirely truthful.

This book was 3 years in the making and actually is made up of all my years of parenting.  I’ve been a parent for 19 years with no end in sight, so you can just imagine, me trying to create a book in a weekend. {Not happening}

With that said, I must tell you it has been the most amazing experience!  If it weren’t for my publisher, Kristen Eckstein, I don’t believe I would have completed this project. {No she did not ask me to write or mention her name}

Never in my wildest dreams, did I every imagine that I would see my thoughts, experiences, memories and lessons put together for someone else to read.

Many have asked, why I wrote it.  My children asked me why I wrote this book.  The main reason I wrote this book was because it was not around when I first had a child.

No, it is not a manual but it does contain lessons that I learned in raising our children, along with lessons in faith, relationships and so much more.  Watching children of today interact with their family and parents, brings tears to my eyes.  Unfortunately, they are not tears of joy.  I am truly saddened by the display of disrespect that is seen on a daily basis.  The worse part of it all is that the parents are doing the best they can, or so they think.  Many times, they are crying for help in their own way, and are simply disregarded.

It is my hope that the lessons I have placed in this book will help new moms, veteran moms, grandparents, dads, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and anyone else that may be involved in a family relationship.  If I can reach out to one family and make a difference, then my entire reason for writing this book will have been fulfilled.

So, the title of this book is: Dr. Mommy’s Life Lessons and I am so honored to have the opportunity to share stories with you.  Some are funny, some are sad, some were necessary and some I learned from and continue to apply to my life today.

Today, marks the day I became a published author.  What a surreal feeling!  I am honored and truly blessed and hope that you will get a copy for yourself or for someone that you care for.  They will be available in all major bookstores as well as a site that is in the process of completion.  On my site you will be able to obtain an autographed copy, yay, how exciting

I will keep you posted as to when they will be available to you online, or your favorite bookstore.  I am told it takes a few weeks before they are registered in all the systems.

Thanks for allowing me to share my news with you today.