Nov
Have you ever heard the saying “success is an inside job?”
I never thought much of it until I found that out for myself.
See, I went into business with the firm belief that as long as I marketed more, networked more, had more conversations, launched more programs… then I would be set. The money would flow in like water, right?
Well, not quite. It turns out, we all come into this entrepreneurship thing with our own “stuff.” Maybe it’s the (incorrect) story your parents told you about money and success. Maybe it’s self-doubt and insecurity that’s rooted in childhood. Maybe it’s long-standing (and most likely FALSE) ideas about your own abilities and skills.
Whatever it is, it affects us in our businesses whether we are conscious of it or not.
On my own entrepreneurial journey, I’ve learned a lot about what trips us up when we’re looking to reach that elusive “next level.”
I’ve been in that self-sabotaging place (more than once) and I’ve since come to learn that your MINDSET plays an enormous role in your success as an entrepreneur–heck, as a human being.
It’s the primary reason why some people are highly successful–and others, try as they might–are not.
Once I finally learned this, everything changed.
This was SUCH a hot topic at my recent 3-day live workshop… and based on that feedback, I KNEW I had to bring this information to my community at large.
If this sounds like exactly what YOU need at this time, you’ll want to listen in to this one-time, live complimentary call with me:
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“3 Essential Shifts to Handle Your Fears, Own Your Expertise and Finally Get Out of Your Own Way (So You Can Get Out There Big)”
with Relationship Marketing Mentor Christine Gallagher
Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 7pm Eastern
Learn more and secure your spot now
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During this upcoming free training call, I’m so excited to teach you:
–Why if you don’t have the right mindset, you’re not going to take action on the marketing (EVEN if you know what to do!)
–Why your self image dictates more than you know about how much you make
–The 3 things that need to be “in alignment” if you finally want to reach your goals
–How your hidden beliefs about money may be keeping you underpaid, overworked and actually REPELLING money away from you–and how to turn it ALL around (I learned this the hard way)
–The exact exercises I use in my own business that keep my mindset on track and in turn, my bank account growing… and much more.
Please don’t miss this very special free call. Just visit this page to secure your spot and join us.
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Aug
We’re more than half way through the year…and instead of lamenting those New Year’s Resolutions you made that haven’t quite been put into place yet, it’s actually a fantastic time to really crank up the marketing in your business.
Without it, after all, you wouldn’t exactly HAVE a business in the first place, right? 
As I always say, the business game has changed..it’s a Googling World! And if you are one of the many biz owners out there who is still struggling to get clients and unsure of how to reap the benefits of social media and online marketing, have I got a resource for you…
I’m excited to invite you to my upcoming no-charge 3-part livestream training series called “Ditch the Stuck! The Truth About What’s Keeping You From Standing Out as a Leader in Your Field, Serving More People and Enjoying the Successful and Fulfilling Business You’ve Always Craved.”
On this complimentary live training series which begins August 14th, I’m going to over-deliver…with lots of juicy content on how to boost your biz with online marketing and social media so you can really finish out the year strong…and get “un-stuck” and on your way to enjoying the income and the lifestyle you desire and deserve.
In this series, I’ll be sharing brand new information and cutting edge marketing strategies that will cut your learning curve and finally turn things around for you. It’s going to be FRESH, updated content on what’s working NOW to grow your business-without all of the hype. (I’m tired of that, aren’t you?)
See, I went from scared and struggling to a go-to leader in the area of online and social media marketing for solopreneurs–FAST–and I did it almost 100% ONLY online. If it sounds like you could learn something from me, you’ll want to click on the video image below to get all the details and to register.
These high-content live trainings are a sneak peek at what you’ll be learning at my Get Out There–LIVE! Workshop coming up on November 12-14, 2012…and I can’t wait to teach you so much, including:
* 3 critical success principles to incorporate in your business if you want to ensure that your income keeps multiplying
* Why “traditional” marketing no longer works and how to shift to the new modern model that rewards you with a lot more income AND expands your influence
* The 5 keys to leveraging the web and social media to be seen as an expert, grow your list exponentially and rise above all the noise online
* How to end the stressful “feast and famine” cycle in your business once and for all
…and so much more.
Along with sharing a TON of great information, I am going to make some very special offers during this series–I’ll even be doing on-the-spot live marketing makeovers too! (But only for those on live, so you’ll definitely want to be there!)
You’ll want to check this out NOW before you forget. Here’s the link again: The Unstuck Series
I hope you’ll take advantage of this incredible learning opportunity! 
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Aug
Is an Alaska cruise on your family vacation wish list? It’s a great destination for nature-lovers eager to venture off the beaten path. I just got back from visiting Alaska by land and sea on a 2-week complimentary media trip sponsored by Princess Cruises. I spent the first week exploring Fairbanks and Denali National Park in the state’s interior. The second week I boarded the Diamond Princess for the Voyage of the Glaciers sailing through Glacier Bay , with stops in Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan.
That gave me plenty of time to report on my experiences and compile my best Alaska travel tips. When planning a family cruise to Alaska, these are the important things to keep in mind.
•Make sure your children are old enough. I think kids should be at least 8 or 9 to truly enjoy this trip without getting bored and antsy. Alaska is all about the scenery and wildlife sightings: It takes time and patience to wait for a glacier to calve or a whale to spout! And many of the outdoorsy, adventurous shore excursions (like kayaking, ziplining and flightseeing) have age and/or height restrictions. Plus, land tours often involve long bus and train rides.
Pick a family-friendly cruise line. Make sure there are kids’ clubs and activities for every age range. Many senior citizens do Alaska cruises, so you want to make sure the ship doesn’t skew too old. Look for entertainment options that go beyond bingo, wine tastings, and art auctions. The Diamond Princess had separate adult and family pools, outdoor Dive In movies on the deck, youth and teen centers, late night kid-sitting, and Anytime Dining options for families who didn’t want to be hemmed into rigidly scheduled seatings. The ship also had an onboard naturalist who helped us spot orcas, humpbacks, otters, sea lions and more. And on our day in Glacier Bay, National Park rangers climbed aboard to give commentary on the wildlife. They mingled with passengers, too and I saw them helping many kids spot whales in the distance.
Invite the extended family. On my sailing, there were many multigenerational groups celebrating anniversaries, milestone birthdays and other special occasions. I even met one family of 14, travelling with 4 generations, including a 96-year-old great grandma! Alaska is a great destination for extended families because it offers the perfect combination of sightseeing, adventure and R & R, in a climate that’s not sweltering hot. You get to explore a vast frontier that not many get to see. And, if you pick a ship that has activities for all ages, everyone can do their own thing by day and come together for meals and evening events.
Save a few extra days for exploring Denali National Park.
If you can swing the expense, I highly recommend adding on time (before or after your cruise) to visit this amazing park. It’s home to Mt. McKinley (locals just call it Denali) and tons of wildlife (we saw eagles, caribou, grizzly bears, and Dall sheep.) It’s in the interior part of the state, so your ship won’t be going there, but you can see it by combining an optional land tour with your 7-day cruise. We did a week in the Denali area, but Princess’ Cruisetours offer anywhere from 3-8 nights on land in their wilderness lodges. It’s a splurge, no doubt, but how often do you get to Alaska?
Select excursions carefully. Most are pricey and can blow your budget fast. Pick those that span the ages and are unique to Alaska (like dog mushing, Klondike bike tours or glacier hikes and flight seeing. There are so many excursions to pick from it can be a little overwhelming. I suggest you review all the options and edit them down into a more manageable list of possibilities before presenting them to your kids. If you’re traveling with a large group and some activities are too “adventurous” for certain family members, consider splitting up. While I was there, one faction of that 14-member extended family group went horseback riding while others did the less strenuous float boat excursion.
Pack layers. Before you leave on your trip, remember that the summer temperature in Alaska is really variable. When I was there, it got as high as 80° and as low as 49°. Bring light layers that are easy to peel off and can be combined for lots of different looks. I lived in leggings, hiking tees (made of a wicking material), fleeces, tunic dresses and hiking boots, and always had my waterproof hooded rain jacket on hand for any unexpected showers. I brought a hat and gloves too, that could easily be stuffed in a pocket on hikes and other excursions. I didn’t lug a bulky coat, but I did find a lightweight reversible fleece-lined parka in Alaska for $39! They’re sold everywhere! It really came in handy on those nights I blogged outside from the land of the midnight sun! (Believe it or not, the picture below was taken at 10 p.m.)
Are you considering a cruise to Alaska? Share your questions and I’ll be happy to answer. If you’ve already been on one, we’d love to hear about your experiences and what strategies worked for you!
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Jul
Ketchikan was our 3rd port of call on my media trip through Alaska, hosted by Princess Cruises.
Ketchikan is known as Alaska’s “First City” because it’s the first major community you encounter when traveling south to north through the state. Since we were journeying from north to south, Ketchikan was the last port we visited before sailing on to Vancouver, where we’d disembark the ship.
Ketchikan’s first residents were the Tlingit (pronounced kling-it) people, who were drawn here by the abundance of salmon. The city’s name is said to come from the Tlingit word “Kitschk-Hin,” meaning thundering wings of an eagle. You’ll see many eagles, in the sky, in the trees, and depicted in totem poles throughout the city. Ketchikan has the largest collection of totem poles in the world, and the best place to learn about them is at Totem Bight State Park, Saxman Native Village, and Potlach Totem Park.
Ketchikan is also known for its salmon. Five different species of wild Pacific salmon are found in the surrounding waters. Want to know what they are? Make a fist. No really. Make a fist. In Alaska, there’s a hand game to help you identify the 5 kinds, and everyone you meet will tell you about it. So I’m going to teach it to you now, so when you go to Alaska you’ll be one step ahead! So….Make a fist, and hold it up. Now, open your fingers and start with your thumb. The first kind of salmon is Chum, which rhymes with thumb. Next is your pointer or index finger, which could (OK, this one’s a bit of a stretch) poke your eye out…for Sockeye. The third is your middle finger, the tallest one, symbolizing King Salmon. Next comes your ring finger, and you might slip a band of silver on it…so that should remind you of Silver Salmon. And last is your pinkie, for Pink Salmon. Now, don’t you feel better knowing that?
When walking around Ketchikan, you can stroll over to the salmon ladder on Park Avenue and see the fish swimming upstream to their spawning grounds. But bring a rain poncho! Ketchikan is located in a rain forest and it is pretty wet. It was pouring the day we were there, but luckily most of the stores have awnings that overhang the streets so you can keep fairly dry as you walk along. There are lots of fun shops.
Our favorite was KetchiCandies!
Fortified with fudge, and protected by our waterproof jackets, we were ready for our next adventure: Snorkeling! Believe it or not, you can snorkel in Alaska! The water was nippy (about 60°), and it was still raining when we waded in, but it didn’t matter. You gear up in a thick, skintight wet suit, with a hood, gloves and booties, which kept us quite warm and comfortable. (The trickiest part was getting it zipped! And then wearing it on the bus as we shuttled the ½-mile from the dive shop to the shore!) But once in the water, you’re not really thinking about the temperature. You’re following the guides as they lead you through the inlet, pausing every few minutes to show you stuff they’ve scooped off the ocean floor. We got to hold all kinds of marine life–crabs, sea stars of various sizes (one was huge and shaped like a sunflower) and thorny sea urchins (so glad we were wearing gloves). We floated over kelp beds, which looked like oversized, swirling flowers in an enchanted underwater garden. Our guides at Mountain Point Snorkeling Adventure (Kristi, Tad, Kurt and Billy) were super enthusiastic and helpful, giving everyone individual attention. (Kristi knew my mask needed adjusting before I even had a chance to tell her.) Since my digital camera isn’t waterproof, I have no underwater pictures to show you. But my travel buddy, Christine, did kindly agree to pose in her wetsuit!
And you can check out the Mountain Point Snorkeling Adventure website for more photos and videos. Also stay tuned for more stories from me on this one-of-a-kind adventure in some of my magazine outlets.
After the snorkeling, we did one more quick walk through Ketchikan, before setting sail for Vancouver. I spotted some forget-me-nots, Alaska’s state flower, along the side of the road. And it reminded me of how many people I’d talked to during my trip who told me they came to Alaska for a visit but wound up staying long-term. There’s something about Alaska that just grabs you and won’t let go. I had to leave, but I will never ever forget my visit to the land of the midnight sun.
Read more about my Alaskan adventures.
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Jul
I’ve been traveling through Alaska on a media trip hosted by Princess Cruises, and reporting along the way. Our second port of call for the Diamond Princess was Juneau, where I got up close and personal with whales, sea lions, bald eagles, and more glaciers.
Alaska ‘s Whales & Mendenhall Glacier Trail
When cruising through Alaska, Juneau is the place you want to go whale watching. There are many types of excursions to choose from, some are all whale watch, others add in a salmon bake or history walk. I picked the Alaska Whales and Mendenhall Glacier Trail tour because it combined a cool wildlife cruise with a hike to a glacier.
We learned that there’s an interesting relationship between whales and glaciers. When a glacier advances, it plows through mountains and forest, obliterating all in its path. After the glacier recedes, it takes many years for the land to recover. Gradually, lakes, streams and rivers fill in the big gorges. These bodies of water are filled with silt from the glacier. Microorganisms begin to grow in the silt, and when the silt gets swept out to sea, another tiny animal called krill feasts on the microorganisms. And guess what mammals like to eat krill? Humpback whales! We learned all this from Julie, our knowlegeable guide, who was born in Alaska and comes from a family who makes their living fishing. She accompanied us on the whale watch and the hike.
The adventure began as Captain Gary steered our small boat out of the harbor onto the open waters in search of whale feeding grounds.
An eagle stood guard.
We saw harbor seals sunning themselves on a small island.
And Stellar sea lions.
They look adorable, but they can be aggressive.
And we saw lots and lots of whales. And I finally got a tail shot!
After 2 hours on the water, we returned to land to begin our hike. Another guide named David joined us, so we could split up into 2 small groups of 6 each for a nature hike along a glacial trail.
David guided us along a quiet path.
This boulder was dislodged from the mountain when the glacier moved through. Now it’s getting covered in moss, as the forest regrows.
The glacier also left a big crater in the land. Water filled it in and now it’s a small lake.
Our first peek at Mendenhall Glacier through the trees.
It’s pretty awesome up close!
On the way back to the trail head we scanned the streams to see if the salmon have arrived yet. They are just arriving to spawn, though we didn’t see any. And when the salmon arrive, bears will follow.
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Jul
I’ve gotten to try many modes of transportation on my media trip through Alaska, hosted by Princess Cruises. So far I’ve ridden on riverboats, trains, and horses. Yesterday I added helicopters and dog sleds to my list.
The Dogsledding and Glacier Flightseeing Tour is one of Princess’ most popular excursions in Skagway, and it’s easy to see why!
First you helicopter over mountains and ice fields. It’s just white as far as the eye can see.
Soon, the sled dog camp comes into view.
We landed on the glacier.
Time to meet our team.
I got to drive! Did someone say mush?
These Alaskan huskies love their job!
We had an exhilarating ride across the ice, with our team confidently leading the way!
Afterwards, we got doggie kisses, and even got to cuddle some of the puppies.
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Jul
I’ve been cruising through Alaska on a media trip hosted by Princess Cruises, and reporting along the way. Yesterday we reached our first port, Skagway, where we hiked, floated and dog mushed.
Skagway is an adorable old Gold Rush town. Many of the buildings date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. As you walk the very well- preserved streets, it’s easy to imagine life in the mining days.
Skagway’s Chilkoot Trail
When choosing our excursions for Skagway, I wanted to find a really challenging hike. I picked the Chilkoot Trail Hike and Raft. Miners once climbed this trail–33 miles in total–over steep and treacherous elevations to reach their mining sites way up north. They traveled in thin leather shoes, with heavy packs on their backs. We got to wear modern-day Gortex and sturdy hiking boots, as we attempted just the first two miles of the route along the Taiya River.
Our guide, Kate, led the way.
We traipsed through the woods and up steep rock steps.
After we crested the trail, we looped back down to the river, where our raft awaited.
And we had a most relaxing float back to the trailhead, passing eagles’ nests and beaver dams as Kate did all the paddling. I’m pretty sure miners never had life this good.
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