Here’s a tip that will save you time from continually checking this site…and all your other favorite blogs. You’ll be able to go to one place to read your blogs’ updates, eliminating the need to wander from site to site to see if they’ve updated. It’s called SUBSCRIBING. Here’s a simple guide for explaining what it means to subscribe to a blog, how to do it, and most importantly, why it makes your life simpler.

What is RSS?

RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication.” It’s a little piece of technology that allows you to receive up-to-date information from sites in one spot, where you can then read them on your own time. Many times, a blog’s RSS is simply called a “feed.”

RSS subscription

Think of it as you would subscribing to a magazine or newspaper.

What’s an RSS Reader?

An RSS reader is a place you go to read your feeds. One very popular, free, ‘easy-to-use’ one is Google Reader. If you don’t have a Gmail account, you’ll need one. Set one up: Gmail account in minutes. It’s easy to subscribe. You’ll see little buttons that say ‘RSS’ (or sometimes ‘XML’ or ‘ATOM’), and you can click on those to take you through the steps. The common, universal symbol is an orange box with three white diagonal stripes. Sometimes you’ll also see a little button with a subscription count, and clicking on that will let you subscribe as well. Smart browsers, like Firefox, also make it easy to subscribe. To the right of a site’s URL, you’ll see an orange or blue icon if it has a feed. Here’s what this blog URL looks like in Firefox: Click on that, and you’ll be able to subscribe. You’ll want to make sure your preferred RSS Reader is defaulted in your browser. Go to your ‘preferences,’ and choose Google Reader, Bloglines, or whatever as your default choice.

Why should I bother subscribing?

It’s simpler. And you won’t miss out on anything!

Subscribing makes your life simpler because:

1. It saves you time. Instead of you going to all the sites you enjoy, they come to you. And they only come to you when they have something new to share. 2. It saves you mental energy. You don’t have to remember the sites you want to read – they’re all waiting for you in your reader.

What Do I Do Now?

1. Sign up for an account with an RSS reader ( I suggest Google Reader).
2. Subscribe to the blog, Click here: http://graceweis.com/feed
3. Ask questions or share your thoughts in the comment section of this post.

 

Sometimes its the little things we can do that can have a big impact.  For instance adding a gravatar is a simple thing to do and yet it can go a long way to helping you brand yourself. For those of you not familiar with a gravatar-it is the little picture you see next to the comments normally found on blogs. It is so important for people to put a face with a name, so people will trust you more and you can build brand with them.

1. Set Up Your FREE Gravatar account.
2. Make sure to use the SAME email address you used for your Gravatar account when you leave comments on blogs. This will auto-magically connect your Gravatar image with your comment!

Congratulations! You’ve just increased your social media marketing image by 1000%.

So now whenever you post a comment on a Wordpress blog, such as this, your gravatar image will appear next to your comment. When anyone likes the look of your gravatar , they can click on that image and go straight to your site!

 

Its time someone sets the record straight about who are the largest polluters and destroyers of our planet. The main stream media would have us believe it is the emissions from our automobiles or airplanes... but as usual they would be incorrect. Actually its  the meat industry. There is a United Nations report that has identified the world’s rapidly growing herds of cattle as the greatest threat to our waterways, climate, forests and wildlife. And the methods used by the factory farming industry for meat production are largely blamed for a host of other environmental crimes, from acid rain to the introduction of alien species, from producing deserts to creating dead zones in the oceans, from poisoning rivers and drinking water to destroying coral reefs. It turns out that producing half a pound of hamburger for someone's lunch a patty of meat the size of two decks of cards releases as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere as driving a 3,000-pound car nearly 10 miles. Now I am not saying that everyone needs to become a vegetarian to make a difference. Not at all. In fact, if you just gave up meat one or 2 days a week and purchased organic free range beef with the money you saved-you can make a huge positive impact on the environment not to mention your health and the welfare of animals. So ask yourself .....how hard is it to make a conscious effort to make a difference? Check out what you can help to accomplish:

Save the rainforest.

It’s estimated that 55 square feet of tropical forest containing 165 pounds of living plants and animals are destroyed to produce one patty made from Central American Beef Each day, 140,000 acres of tropical forest are demolished, 8 acres every few seconds, and 50 to 150 different species become extinct. At the current rate of devastation, the rainforests of the world will be completely leveled in another fifty years.

Refresh the air.

Animal agriculture is the leading source of methane and nitrous oxide emissions, which—combined with carbon dioxide—causes the vast majority of global warming.

Keep water clean.

Two-thirds of the beef cattle raised in the U.S. are fattened up using hormones like steroids, testosterone and progesterone which runs off to water supplies. The EPA reports that chicken, hog, and cattle excrement have polluted 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and contaminated groundwater in 17 states.³⁵

Save water.

It takes 600 gallons of water to produce one hamburger patty. Just one. The United Nations warned more than 2.7 billion people will face severe shortages of fresh water by 2025 if the world keeps consuming water at today's rates.

Feed more people.

If Americans ate 10% less meat, the quantity of the grain used to feed cattle could be redirected to save one billion people from starvation

Reduce Energy Consumption.

To start, 8,000 calories of fossil-fuel energy are used in the agricultural production of one 400-calorie burger"Hamburgers are the Hummers of food"  , say scientists.

Be Humane.

Many livestock and dairy cattle are raised in extremely cruel and inhumane conditions. With less demand for meat, we would not have a need for "factory" farming. Even the most minimum humane standards proposed are thwarted by the powerful food conglomerates.

Avoid drugs.

In addition to hormones and antibiotics, conventional meat producers routinely process their products using chemical additives and preservatives like phosphates and sodium nitrites. That makes them pinker, but not necessarily healtheir. Sodium nitrites studies have found a link between high processed-meat consumption and colon cancer, possibly attributable to prservatives like sodium nitrite.

Live longer.

Speaking of health, eating a lot of meat can increase the likelihood of heart attacks, cancers and high blood pressure. IN CONCLUSION, its become increasingly apparent that the only real vote we have these days is how we spend our dollars. But I still don't think people REALLY understand how absolutely POWERFUL our everyday consumer choices are in our ability to change things. And how lasting change usually starts small...with one person's decision.. to make one small change.. We can't bury our heads in the sand anymore.. pretending that our personal choices don't matter very much in the scheme of things because.. make no mistake...THEY MATTER!

 

The other day I came across this AMAZING  prayer about what it means to be an entrepreneur. I liked it so much I printed and framed it so I can read it everyday! I am not sure who penned the article so I cannot  give them credit but here it is: ought into measurable advancement of my goals. As I awaken with the gift of yet another day and prepare for the tasks at hand, I offer up this most ardent prayer: I pray for continued clarity of purpose so that I may hold my vision steady and keep my focus on the needs and success of others, which in turn shall bring me my success. I pray for the wisdom to expect abundance in my life, that it surrounds me and is available for the taking and to be shameless and unapologetic upon its receipt, for I deserve abundance. I pray for a cheerful countenance, be it clear or cloudy skies and that I may radiate and infect others with my positive attitude. I pray for the trust of others that they may recognize my sincerity and true intentions so that we may move forward together. I pray for the strength to fend off adversity and use my desire and determination as both weapon and shield. I pray for the courage to carry forth my convictions during the battle of business and to resist temptation to a quicker monetary result when such temptation compromises these things for which I stand. I pray that I may be used as a lightning rod to collect the amazing ideas already present in the universe and when blessed with such inspiration, that I may be able to apply my talents and abilities to turn the power of th I pray to retain my childhood wonder so that I can recognize and revel in the small miracles of each day that others may miss. I pray for an infinite supply of self-confidence for it alone fortifies faith, strengthens my resolve and conquers the largest enemy I will ever face - fear. I pray for a compassionate spirit and the patience to offer those who seek my advice and my help, my full and undivided attention. I pray for good health and a feeling of well being, and the continued desire to improve those areas of my physical life I may be neglecting in the name of my spiritual and entrepreneurial advancement. I pray that today is a day of excellence and at its conclusion I can acknowledge and be grateful for the forward motion I have made and the growth I have experienced. I pray most of all for the understanding and support of those closest to my heart, my family, that they will equate what may seem like endless hours of apparent pre-occupation with affairs of business to what is at the very core of my being, that which drives me, for once I achieve what I have set out in its fullest, I will become that more complete being I strive to be. It is for these things that I pray, for I am an entrepreneur.

 

If you are marketing any type of products or services on the internet and you are not making an effort to create a targeted customer list...., then you are truly MISSING THE BOAT  on what can be another HUGE source of income. When your  email subscribers independently sign up for your email list, they generally have a direct interest in the subject matter you are offering. That makes it more likely that those subscribers will CONVERT TO BUYERS! Those improved conversions and response rates are a direct result of the fact that opt-in email lists allow you to reach a highly targeted market or reader base, including readers with an interest in YOUR the niche or industry. And the best part is that you can add an opt in box directly to you facebook account, placing it smack in front of everyone you know.... and everyone your are ever going to meet on facebook....and its absolutely FREE! HMMM....so let me see....Another source of residual income...higher conversion rates.... and its FREE!? SIGN ME UP! :)

 

Tags: Internet marketing

I don't know how to put this to you gently....but we  ARE  ALL GOING TO DIE!  Maybe there is no gentle way of putting it. But it's True.. Have you thought about that lately?  Well..every now and then you should. We need to stop living our lives like there is always going to be a tomorrow. We need to STOP taking the free ride when it comes to our own lives. So what do I mean by free ride?  I mean living your life on AUTOPILOT.....living your life without purpose or direction...  allowing the TV guide or the weather channel be the primary factors that dictate the direction of your life. I see so many individuals with absolutely no sense of purpose, no real life plan of attack, no sense of urgency, a sort of lethargic existence. It is VERY sad Because I KNOW  that we all pretty much want the same things in life....financial security, more money, more love...a nice house, respect from our peers, to travel more etc. So why do so many people fail to take the necessary action to create the lives they KNOW they want? Has life beaten it out of them? Does fear and negativity have a strangle hold on their lives? Whatever the reason, the fact remains that clock is still ticking... and we are still only getting ONE SHOT at life. There is no practice  run. To really get a new perspective on how short life really is ..... here's an exercise that I use to help knock the complacency out of me. Figure out how many years you would have left if you were to live to the age of 77, now substitute years remaining for the number of  Summers left to enjoy...or the number of Christmases left to spend with family and friends. Or you can try this exercise which will help make time seem more tangible. Get a jar full marbles, with one marble representing every month remaining of your life if you were to live to age 77.  Now place an empty jar next to it. Start placing one marble in it from the full jar to represent every month that passes. Scary isn't it.....? So if you are not jumping out of bed each day with a smile on your face and a real sense of purpose and excitement, then it's time to take stock in your life....you are going to need to start putting some skin into the game of life. And if you do not have a purpose. Make your purpose about finding your purpose. Once you define your goals and find your purpose, you will start to discover your latent potential. You will be able to tap into your inner self where all the answers already are. As a result you will never work another hard day in your life. Even if you spend 50 hours a week following your heart and living a life of passion, it won't ever feel like hard work. It can get challenging but it will always, always, ALWAYS be worth it! And that my friend, is how life was meant to be lived. With passion, courage and love. Making a difference in this world. Making each day count. The world desperately needs people who are living fully, with authenticity and passion. The world NEEDS you. The world is waiting for you to come ALIVE. So what are YOU waiting for.....?

 

Tags: personal development

Did you realize that the home based business failure rate is about 97%? I knew it was high but I didn't know it was THAT high. Geez..looking at those SAD STATISTICS -who in their right mind would ever want to get started?? But when I looked into the numbers a little more closely, I found that they were a bit.... shall we say.....SKEWED. Don't get me wrong, the failure rate is still VERY high and anyone who is thinking of getting into the home based business arena NEEDS to be aware of what they are up against. Check out my video as I explain the mystery behind these sad statistics and what you can do to avoid being apart of them. :)

 

So much of the time we are worried what others think us. And we can let this worry act as a road block in the way of our dreams. We will base our decisions on the opinions, desires and judgements of others. I remember in my early entreprenurial days when every time I had a great idea for a new business, I would get so excited that I would immediately seek out the advice of other people.  I would ask them that fatal question "well ... what do you think"?" And then I got it...  with both barrels..., that blast of negativity as they would proceed to tell me all the reasons why my ideas  wouldn't work and why I shouldn't even try. Unfortunately for me, I was a slow learner back then so I continued to rehearse that same scenario a few more times before I finally caught on. Eventually I figured out that if having others believe in me was a requirement for me achieving success then I would never accomplish anything. I needed to start believing in myself. So quit worrying about what other people think and follow your heart.  Start basing your decisions on your opinions goals and desires. I remember when I first heard about Dr. Daniel Amen's 18/40/60 rule. It really made such a profound difference in the way I think. It goes like this: "When you are 18 , you worry about what everyone thinks about you. When you are 40, you don't give a darn what  others think about you. When you are 60, you realize nobody's been thinking about you at all". Surprise! Most of the time no one is thinking about you at all. They are too busy worrying about themselves and their own lives, and if they are thinking about you at all, they are wondering what you are thinking about them! So don't waste another second worrying about what others think of you or your ideas. Your time is better spent thinking about how YOU can achieve YOUR goals.

 

Self limiting beliefs and negativity are our biggest obstacles when it comes to reaching the success that we are all capable of obtaining. They are the killer of dreams and the destroyers of happiness. But where did they come? And an even better question is how do we get rid of them? Self limiting beliefs and negativity are both learned habits which we acquire while growing up. If we are criticized when we are growing up then we learn to criticize ourselves in the same way when we are adults. Think about it. When we were babies we were not self-conscious, negative or fearful about anything. We would cry, wet ourselves or burp and not care a bit of what other people thought of us. The good thing about learned habits is that we have the capability to unlearn them or at the very least replace them with positive habits. The best way to do this is by going on a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) diet. In essence is a like brainwashing yourself with positive thoughts. I want to share with you my PMA diet which I follow everyday which has had a profound effect on my self-esteem, success and overall happiness. Monitor Your Thoughts First you need to know what it is you are telling yourself on a daily basis. The best way to identify your negative mind chatter is by your emotions. If your are feeling angry, overwhelmed or sad, you should observe what your thoughts are telling you. Then either substitute the negative thought for a positive one or simply banish the thought altogether by placing your concentration on the task at hand. Use Affirmations Daily Use positive affirmations everyday. The most effective technique I found was recording my own affirmations to my cell phone while playing soft meditation music in the background. I think your own voice is so much more powerful & believable to your subconscious mind. And because I have my cell phone with me at all times, it so much more convenient for me to listen anytime, any place. Read Self Development Books Daily Make it a priority to read a minimum of 20-30 minutes everyday. I find that reading first thing in the morning works best for me. It actually gets me fired up to start my day! Some of my favorites are “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield and “Maximum Achievement” by Brian Tracy. Listen to Motivational Audios Daily Make sure you have a few motivational audios in your car so you can listen when you are driving to and from work. Audios are one of my favorites because they have the power to instantly empower me and they allow me to be a bit lazy. Some of my favorites are Les brown, Brian Tracy and Anthony Robbins. Turn off the Tube Limit your exposure to television especially the news. Watching negative television can sabotage your positive mindset. If you are truly serious about success then we both know that there a lot better things we can be doing with our time. I don’t watch television at all anymore and I don’t miss it one bit. On the weekends I try to only watch movies which I think are positive. Exercise and Nutrition If you are not already, make it a point to start exercising & following a nutritional diet. Getting fit & feeling healthy can skyrocket your self esteem through roof! Self love is the most important factor when breaking the chains of self-limitation. For me there can be no better way to show self love than by striving for optimum health.

 

If there was one thing you need to add to your marketing arsenal right now, its article writing. Not only is it FREE but its there forever until you take it down. I wish I had been writing more content online way back when I first started on the internet. You know paid marketing strategies like Pay-Per-Click Advertising are great, but the problem is you have to PAY for them and if you stop paying the leads stop coming. But... how would you like to put out an "advertisement" ONCE and get traffic from that ONE "advertisement" for years to come? THAT is the incredible power and leverage of CONTENT MARKETING or "article marketing". You see when you create an article, a blog post, a squidoo lens, or any other piece of content online, including videos and forum posts...... that little piece of content STAYS online FOREVER! THIS IS EXTREMELY POWERFUL! This content can potentially bring you traffic on an ongoing basis for years and years to come. Its like having your own piece of real estate on the internet. And there's no limit to how much real estate you can create. Think about this... If you create 10 articles and submit these articles to just the 6  top article directories you would have 60 little pieces of content out on the internet. Each one of them with a link back to your main website. Its like 60 little fishing hooks out in the water ready to catch a bite! Now lets say each of these articles, on average brings you just 5 visitors per month. That would be 30 visitors to your website each and every month. Doesn't sound like very much does it? But wait.. because this is sort of like building residual income, but with traffic. Now imagine this...You actually get serious... and you decide that you will create just 1 article each day.  1 article each day...at the end of 90 days, you would have 90 articles. Incredible what a little CONSISTENCY can do, no? So you have 90 articles and you submit them to those 6 article directories. You now have 540 little fishing hooks out on the internet each one with your website link. Now assuming we get a measly 5 visits from each article,each month (and this is a very low number) this simple strategy of creating content would bring you....2700 VISITORS to your website EACH and EVERY MONTH!! If you're website converts around 20% from visits to leads, which ours do, that would create roughly 540 FREE LEADS for your business EVERY MONTH!! All absolutely FREE!! Not sure if I can make it any clearer for you. Imagine if you kept this up for a whole year?! Now get to work