How to be Productive When You Have the Flu.

Nice!  I have been looking forward to this super-valuable-when-you-work-in-retail three day weekend for weeks!  The plan was to clean up the house, rest, color my hair, rest, watch movies, do some writing, rest, rest and put up the Christmas decorations, then rest.

Things didn't go exactly as planned.  As soon as I walked in the door, on my last day of work, I felt myself get hit in the head with a splitting headache.  And it all went down hill from there.  Weak, achy, snotty, sneezy, hot, cold, ears hurting, coughing.  Ugh.  How am I going to get anything done like this?

Here's how!!!  I just told everyone they would have to fend for themselves for the weekend.  I'm very lucky, because everyone is ok with that!  I planted myself in front of my computer, in my warmest pajamas, which, 2 days later I am still wearing.  I know....gross.  But I'm sick.  Give me a break.  

And I started to work on the 365 Brilliant Days Planner.  And I worked, and worked, and wrote and wrote.  I had a mild, NyQuil induced coma, and then worked some more.

There was about an hour when I felt like I had a bit of energy so I quickly put up the Christmas Tree for the girls to decorate.  It's pretty awesome, even with no decorations, because it has pine cones and random other leaves on it.  Anyway, BIG mistake.  As soon as it was up, I had to lay down for an hour or so.  Sent my poor husband to the store for miscellaneous bottles of cold and flu medication.  And apples.  Gotta have those.  

So.  If you've made it this far in my little pity party, you may be asking where, exactly is the productivity in all of this?  

Well here it comes:  Drum roll, please............365 Brilliant Days is done!  And has been sent off for final editing!!  If all goes well, it will be available to purchase on Amazon in about a week!  Maybe sooner!!

I am sick as a dog, and super excited all at the same time.  So I'm giddy and achy.  Cheering and whining.  Dancing - in my head - and snotty-nosed.  High fiveing and passing out.  It's an interesting dichotomy of feelings.  But the bottom line is, I'm proud as shit!!  

It's amazing what you can accomplish when you are laser focused.  And once you begin using  your own 365 planner, you will be able to laser focus yourself on what you want to accomplish, as well.  Hopefully, without the mini- coma!

I am so proud of this planner because I know it's going to empower you to get done what is most important to you!!!

Stay tuned for the launch!  It's coming soon!!

Passionately and slightly NyQuil buzzed,

Donna

Oh!!!!!

P.S.  What an amazing Holiday gift this planner is going to be!!  How awesome you will be, giving the gift of time, organization, and clarity!!!  You rock star, you!

And now.....ZZZZZZzzzzzzz.............. back to my coma.

A Little Monday Funday! HELP!!!

Before I move on to the SUPER-FUN goal setting for YOU.....  Let me share something with you.

The following is my second first draft of the wording on the back of my book:

"365 Brilliant Days."

I would love for you to read it an comment on what you think of it.  And please be honest.  I am looking for some constructive feedback on what this should look like.  I hope everyone will leave a comment for me!

Subtitle:  Creating a brilliant life.  One day at a time.

Here's the wording:

Allow me to introduce you to your most passionate, organized self!

If you are ready to claim your power and celebrate your brilliance, you are in the right place!  Within the pages of the newly designed 365 Brilliant Days planner, I will give you everything you need to create and manage all of the fabulous areas of your life.  From Personal to Business to Family to Dreams and Goals, you now have the PERFECT place to express yourself, journal, record, and beautifully create you newly fabulous and BRILLIANT life!

Go get yourself a pretty pen!  This book has been designed just for you!  Congratulations on making a BEAUTIFUL DECISION!

With Passion and Brilliant Love,

Donna

That PESKY Goal setting....ugh...Finance.

First let me say I am no financial genius.  Just ask my husband...no don't.

I'm not going to preach or suggest that I know any more than you do about finance.  What I will tell you is that setting financial goals is very important.  Duh.  You know that.

Finance is a very personal issue.  We tend to get in a bit of debt when we're young, don't we?  For whatever reason, some crazy-ass bank sent me a credit card when I was only 18.  It was pretty much down hill from there for me.  For a while anyway.  Now, I am an honest person so I'll admit that I carry a bit of credit card debt.  It's so easy to get what you want that way!!  I am working on it!

It's super important that you pay attention to this and not let it get too far away from you.  Here's why: 

 Imagine that you have one card that is maxed out.  Then you need something else so you open an instant account at a department store.  Next thing you know, that one is maxed out.  Then another.  Then another.  The next thing you know, you can only afford to pay the minimum payments on all of those maxed out cards.  The interest rate will really hurt.  You'll pay and pay and pay and those bills will seem to never go away.  If this is you, then you have dug yourself under.  And it is going to take some hard work to get out.

So how can you avoid this nightmare?  Set yourself a few fabulous, exciting, sparkly goals, my diva!

Goal one:  If you do have a balance on a card, get that bitch paid off!  You are going to have to find something to do with yourself other than shopping.  How about cleaning your place?  Reading?  Babysitting?  How about spending a few months with family.  Or maybe with a friend who wants to eliminate some debt herself!  A buddy system!  How about learning something?  There are a million things you can learn just by getting on the Internet.  There are a million movies you can watch on Netflix!  Get a good book.  Start a journal to write down how all of this feels!

I know, I know.  None of these ideas are as much fun as spending the day at Nordstrom Rack or Neimans Last Call.  But once you set the goal of getting out of debt, you absolutely MUST find something to do other than spending.  Believe me, it's worth it.

This short term pain for long term gain will be the best thing you ever did for yourself.   For several reasons:

1.  You can say you did it!  And take pride in that!
2.  You'll have the freedom of using your money to enjoy a great quality of life, rather than making painful payments to some nasty bank!
3.  You will have learned your lesson!
4.  You won't have the worry of what will happen if you have an emergency and no money to take care of it.
5.  The biggest thing you'll get out of this process is this:  You will learn to be alone.  You'll learn to find ways to amuse yourself.  You'll learn what you love and what you don't.  You will be empowered by knowing that you accomplished this on your own.

So about those goals...

1.  Savings account.  Get 6 months salary in the bank as your emergency fund.
2.  What do you want/need?  Do you want to buy a house? A sexy condo?  Save up a down payment!
3.  Do you want to take a fabulous vacation?  Bora Bora?  Maui?  Paris?  Go get the brochures!  Put them by your bed or in your kitchen, or somewhere you'll see them every day.  Keep them nearby so when you are tempted to throw your hard earned money away on some red soled shoes, or a sparkly ring, you can remind yourself of what you're giving up by making that purchase.

It's truly all about priorities.  What is really important to you?  If you're smart - and sister, we both know you are - what you want, need and dream about is the S-word.  SECURITY.   Yes, you may find Mr. Right, and he may have just inherited billions of dollars, and he may want to worship the ground you walk on....but really, how often does that happen?  Christian "50 Shades" Grey is FICTION.

We all need to be able to provide for ourselves.  Even if you do find Mr. Superwealth,  you need to know that you can do it yourself.  There is nothing better for our self-esteem than knowing that WE call the shots, and WE get to choose.  If something changes in your life and you have to make it on your own, you can do it!

YOU have the power to get in control of everything financial in your life.  Once that happens, you get to make smart, healthy choices.  Not desperate ones.  Not needy ones.

Get a grip on your life and your finances and BECOME THE POWERFUL, IN-CONTROL, CONFIDENT, BRILLIANT WOMAN YOU WERE BORN TO BE.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

And more.....