True Confession Of A Rat Race Escapee

Two days ago I celebrated my birthday and as usual it was a time of deep inner searching  and reflection for me.  I thought about my journey to the person I am today.  Emotionally.  Spiritually.  Physically.  And financially.  Am I living up to my true potential?  

In 2006 when I graduated from university my goal was to eventually step away from the 9-5 and support myself by owning and operating my own business. It was something I wanted sooooo bad! It was a goal then, but now I can say I am DOING it.  I officially began working from home 7 years ago and never looked back. It was hard, really hard but I had to get off the hamster wheel. I felt so stifled, it truly felt like a  "rat race"

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I made up my mind that I would grind and research and do whatever was lawful to see results!  Along the way I've had epic fails and countless booohooo sessions.  Sometimes I struggled really hard to pay the bills but with the support of my husband, we got through it.  Fast forward 3 years and I found myself separated and alone.  Suddenly I was at rock bottom wondering, now what am I gonna do?  Thankfully I was able to lean heavily on my faith in God which provided guidance and an endless supply of emotional strength. I was also blessed to have support from family and friends and then a little later, God totally restored my marriage.

Out of The Nest

 

Well, every baby bird must leave the nest eventually so 3 years ago year I took a leap of faith.  I moved to a new State, and decided to just do everything in my power to succeed.  I decided go hard with Ebay in addition to my Graphic Design business.  I also set up Etsy accounts as well and created new products.  As time passed my hard work started paying off!  I spent countless hours researching home based jobs, lost money with some of them but learned a lot along the way as well so it was the most beneficial experience as a business person so far.  I regret nothing. 

As I write this, there have been changes yet again in my life. I now reside in my native country. The Bahamas. 

While my location has changed I am grateful that my outlook on life is still the same.  Same Drive. Same Faith. Same Passion to go and get it for myself!

 I am not a millionaire by any standard or affiliate guru or any of those things. I am just someone who learned to support myself from home so I can live the life that feeds my spirit.  Someone who believes any dream or goal can be achieved if one is willing to work at it and above all be honest and diligent. Money can be made and lost in a second but character is the building block of lasting success. 

And so my friends, to your success and mine!

Cherio!

5 Good Reasons To Shop On Ebay

Am not going to lie, it took me a while to really give Ebay a shot.  Having done so though, I am thrilled to say the least.  I never imagined that I could reach power seller and top rated status in less than 3 months.  But I did.  Yay me!  I am no guru yet but I am having fun learning and figuring it out.

Here are some of the reasons that drew me to Ebay.

1.  Bargains!

Hello! There are bargains to be had by all.  From negotiating a lower price directly from the seller to finding that perfect deal, it is all possible on Ebay.  And here is my favorite part, the bargains never stop.  They are 24/7.  Gotta love that.  

2.  Vast Product Selection

One of the things I absolutely love about Ebay is the vast selection of goods that they offer.  You can literally find anything there.  And I do mean Anything.  I have bought books, records, computers, designer handbags, vintage jewelry, collectibles, stuff for my dog and so much more......and I still haven't scratched the surface of the merchandise they offer.  My favorite items to buy on Ebay is vintage jewelry and Art.  I find that there are lots of people selling Estate pieces and one of a kind items that I have never seen any where else.  At unbelievable bargain prices I have never seen.  Ever.  I love that!

Here are a few things I purchased this week.  I collect Cameos so this made me really happy. 

3.  Easy Check Out

No long lines to stand on or tedious filling out online credit card forms.  Ebay connects with Pay Pal so you can check out in seconds.  No worries about being jacked on the net as Pay Pal is one of the safest ways to send and receive money without providing your personal information.  I personally enjoy having that peace of mind.  So far my experience has been all kinds of wonderful.  (Knock on wood.)

4.  Fun!

I know this may sound strange but I have a blast bidding on stuff.  It really feels good to snatch something up in the last few seconds from 10 other hungry bidders.  Kinda like blocking a shot in basketball.  (In my best Matumbo voice) No No No, Not today!  Ha ha ha ha............

5.  Positive Feedback

Since Ebay sellers and shoppers buy from people they trust, positive feedback is like gold on your  Ebay profile.   The more you have, the more confidence people have in you.  Good business etiquette goes a long way.  It is very simple. Ship in one or two days if you are a seller and pay for items promptly if you are a buyer.  Before you know it, you will have great reviews which  =  cha ching!  

And there you have it.  Hope I inspired you to give Ebay a try, trust me, it is well worth it.  I would love to hear from you on this so leave me some Ebay stories or comments.  Have a good one lovelies!

Cherio!

An Unconventional Love Story

When I said yes to my husband's marriage proposal, I did not have any grandiose ideas about having a big wedding or even a reception. There was only one thing I had to have, and that was a nice ring. A wedding ring to me is sacred and it represents the everlasting love between a husband and wife. Hopefully. But in addition to that, my wedding ring is what I will wear everyday "till death do us part"...... so I wanted one that I really really liked. Well because I am such a nit picker, I mean selective shopper, I ended up designing the rings myself and having them custom made.  Our jeweler did a wonderful job and I fell head over heels in love with my ring at first sight.

Then the worst thing happened two years later...I lost my ring!

I had been hiding this little dark secret from my husband for three months.  I just couldn't bear to tell him I had lost it, after all it had cost him a small fortune.  To make matters worse, I knew exactly where I had lost it and there was no hope of ever retrieving it.  You see, I had lost it in the ocean. Way out in the sea where Jaws and his crew hang out......probably.  It was only a matter of time before my husband figured out the real reason why I had not been wearing my ring and I was beside myself......and out of valid excuses.

Well, the very next day my mom and brother came for a visit and I got this sudden urge to go to the beach and collect shells.  I love beach combing so why not?  My brother on the other hand could care less and refused to go with me. For some strange reason though, my mother and I relentlessly begged him to go with us until he got sick of us and gave in.  (To this day I find this quite strange since it is out of character on both sides.)  When we got to the beach the tide was low, so low you could walk out about a quarter of a mile on the sand banks which my brother did by himself.  Mom and I stayed closer to shore picking up beach goodies, there was so much beautiful shells to choose from that day.

getty images

 All of a sudden, my brother who was out so far he looked relatively smaller, starting yelling.  My mother and I rushed to see what was wrong.  He seemed quite excited, he was waving frantically at us and jumping around. When we got within earshot of him, he was grinning ear to ear.  "I found something he said."  What is it?, I asked eager to see.  He slowly opened his hand and there nestled in his palm was my ring.  The one I had lost three months ago in the ocean.  My mom recognized it instantly and asked me "Wan, isn't that your ring?"  All I could do was gulp.

Turns out my ring somehow serendipitously reappeared out of the abyss after three months in strong sea currents and miles of shifting sand. My brother finding it equates to finding a needle in a hay stack. He said he saw a small beam of light emanating from the sand out of the corner of his eye.  Those were his exact words. Trust me, I am still in awe of this, I mean what?!!!  That beach is huge, plus the ring was buried under 15-25 feet of ocean for months.  What are the chances....and my brother had almost stayed at home too. All the planets had to be aligned just right for this to have happened, and they had. To this day, I just call it what it was. A miracle. My husband and I love each other so very much and our rings are a symbol of that love.  Maybe that is why it found it's way back to me.  Back to us. ...well that is what I believe anyway.

Since this incident, I wish I could tell you I never lost it again but I did lose it once after that nine years later.  And you know what, it found me again under very strange/unlikely circumstances. Call me crazy but in my sixteen years of marriage, because of the times I lost my ring, it is even more precious to me.  It is so true that you never realize the value of something until you lose it.....even if only temporarily.  I realize now that it is not the cost of the ring that matters so much to me but the cause of the ring.  It's all about love. And so lovelies, today on Valentine's day I wish you love.

Cherio!

8 Tips To Spend Your Time Wisely

Have you ever been busy doing a whole lotta nothing?  Wait, let me clarify.  Are you face booking, internet surfing or watching the NY, New Jersey, Atlanta or Orange County housewives marathon when you have other more important things to do?  Well, read on, this one's for you!

Ahem!, and me too.

Though normally I am a stickler for time and getting things done, alas, I have found my kryptonite.   "Platinum Hits" on Bravo (and a few others that I am most embarrassed to mention.)  I also love TCM movies, HGTV and the food network channel......a lot.

 Now, there's nothing wrong at all with watching TV or having a little R&R but this should come after work.  After, all the necessary things are done.

With this in mind, I set out to organize my schedule so I can accomplish more out of my day.......without having to stay up until 2:00 am every night getting it all done. Here are the guide lines I will be following to make sure I stay on track. Notice there are only eight principles, any more than that and my eyes start to glaze over.  Well here goes!

1.  Make A To Do List And Stick To It
Write down what you hope to accomplish for the day and stick to it!  Make sure that you put the list where you can see it throughout the day and cross off each task as you complete it.  I normally put mine on stickies and stick them on my computer where I spend most of the work day, but you can use your ipad or any other medium that is comfortable for you.  Just do it!  It really is an invaluable tool.

2.  Take Control Of Long, Unexpected Phone Calls 
You shouldn't be having a three hour long conversation in the middle of running your home business or doing something else that requires your undivided attention.  Politely tell the person that you will return the call later and do so at a more appropriate time for you.

3. Plan Ahead 
Always  plan your day the night before,  If you have projects with deadlines, do not wait until the last minute to get moving!  Instead, block out time on your calendar well before the project is due.  Devote that time to that project only.  Starting early without "last minute" anxiety/pressure will allow you to concentrate entirely on doing an excellent job.

4.  Prioritize
Do the most difficult and urgent task first. There is always the temptation to do the easy jobs first, however if you are constantly thinking of the dreaded task that you have to do, it hangs over you like a dark cloud.  Think how motivated you'll feel when the task is finished and out of the way.

5.  Get Adequate Rest
The greatest factor affecting concentration is rest.  If you are not well rested your mind will be scattered and lethargic.  Avoid this by making sure you get sufficient sleep which is 7-8 hors for the average person.  Set a regular bed time for yourself and establish an evening routine that helps you to wind down before turning in.  This way you will be able to fall asleep easier and sleep soundly.

6.  Take Care Of Your Health
Maximize your ability to concentrate by eating light and healthy meals.  You'll find that you need far less food than you think.  If you run out of energy, keep some healthy snacks on hand to give yourself a quick boost.  In addition to this, exercise regularly so that you are in peak condition.  This could be as simple as walking your dog every day.  A healthy body makes you look good and feel good.......and who wouldn't want that?

7.  Be honest with yourself 
Ask yourself- "Is what I'm doing now getting me to where I want to get to?"  If the answer is "no," change what you're doing.

8.  Make Time For Fun And Relaxation
Make time every day no matter how small to relax.  This gives the mind and body time to be rejuvenated.  Taking time to do something you enjoy makes you calmer, happier and more fulfilled.  Whether it's crafts, reading, gardening, a day at the beach with your family, or a night out on the town with your friends,  enjoy your life.  Have fun!!!

So there you have it, a very simple but powerful plan to kick things into high gear!  I am energized and ready to go, hope you are too! 

Cherio!