tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40245024963402765932024-03-14T12:48:21.457+11:00Living Your BalanceExperimental Living and LearningMirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-88636348804458735072013-05-24T09:43:00.002+10:002014-09-18T22:43:32.106+10:00New BeginningsIt's been awhile since I've had the time or inclination to come here and review this blog. Having had so many ups and downs over the last 3yrs it hasn't been an easy crawl back to the headspace I had been in when I first started this blog.<br />
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I'm still 100% sure if I'm ready now to re-open my life to my own scrutiny but I have also felt a need to come back here as part of my transition from what I feel is my past life.<br />
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As I stated, I'm not 100% back to the old me. I'm not even sure that's possible considering the changes I've been through and the new additions I've had to my family, and the ones I've sadly lost. Yet it's still my purpose is to find and help others who may be unsure they are ready to meet their life passion but are sure they aren't yet in the place they want to be.<br />
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So today I have restarted my journey and will take a bit of time to sort through my goals and expectations of myself, my blog and my happiness.<br />
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I look forward to re-connecting to my previous readers, and connecting with new personalities.<br />
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As always<br />
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I wish you a life filled with passion<br />
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<br />Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-35659926105463442852012-10-31T22:43:00.000+11:002012-10-31T22:43:11.004+11:00Where have I been?Its been over 2 years since I last touched my blog and I am feeling rather upset with myself.<br />
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After reading through my previous posts I cried, got angry, then got over it.<br />
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So where have I been? This question is one that Ive been asking myself for the last year or more.<br />
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Over the last 2 years my life couldn't have changed more!! I am now a mother of 4, I lost my mother over a year ago and moved states, twice. Im in a new relationship and we now have a 4month old little boy. My children from my previous relationship live with their dad and I am thinking of movings states, again?<br />
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I started this blog to write about the good, the bad and the ugly in my life and so I needed to write my update in the shortest possible way, because I refuse to dwell any more on what didn't happen and work more on what I want to have happen in my life now.<br />
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In short, I am starting my life over again. I just wanted to ensure that I got back to this blog when I had some idea as to where my life was heading.<br />
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I felt for the last 2 years that Ive let life take over rather than taking ownership for my life. This has led to many a new twist and turn for me, new experiences and a repeat of others. However, I do not regret anything I have done, or not done. I have a beautiful 4 month old little boy who ensure my days with joy and happiness.<br />
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With that all said, stay tuned, I am getting back on that horse and ensuring I have the reins firmly in my grip.<br />
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May your life be filled with passion in everything you do...<br />
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<br />Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-88595322345546561702010-06-19T19:26:00.000+10:002010-06-19T19:26:15.346+10:00Affomrations Challenge - Day 19 of 30More than halfway through my <a href="http://livingyourbalance.blogspot.com/2010/05/afformations-experiment.html">Afformations challenge</a> and there have been even more developments which is stunning me really.<br />
Its been a “go-go-go” kind of month with my Afformation manifestations. So let me see if I can get everything into a coherent format of some sort.<br />
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Let me first list some of my Afformations here, mainly the ones that I have seen some progress with. They may look a little different from my originals, I'm still in the process of tweaking them.<br />
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<i>Why am I making over $5000 a month in my online business?<br />
Why is my family so balanced?<br />
Why am I so focused?</i><br />
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Here's the biggest manifestation this post.<br />
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I was asked by to promote a new service for an off line company by the name of <a href="http://www.esnfp.com.au/whatwedo.html">ESN Financial Planners</a>. This offer was completely out of the blue, and, it happened the day after I wrote up my Day 7 of my Afformations challenge. How unreal is that huh. What this meant was, I received a way to truly start earning that $5000 a month, with the potential of taking it to another level.<br />
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Now, before you all get over excited, let me just revisit Noah St Johns principle steps for using Afformations.<br />
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<b>1 – Decide on what you want</b><br />
Yep, did that, big tick for me<br />
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<b>2 – Form your goal into a question that assumes that what you want is already yours.</b><br />
Yep, done that too, another big tick<br />
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<b>3 – Give yourself to the Question</b><br />
Yep, because Afformations are in the form of a question, I have been able to use them without feeling like I'm lying to myself. So another tick for this one.<br />
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<b>4 – Take new actions</b><br />
Errrr, if I could relay the sound of one of those buzzers that buzz you when you get a wrong answer, that is what you would be hearing now.<br />
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Big fat cross for this so far. The point of this offer was to promote a Debt Reduction Service to my friends and family face to face and in return, I would earn a commission on anyone who signed up with them. <br />
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I know the guys at ESN really well and they look after my business needs and also manage my superannuation. What they had shown me was a great way for people who were barely able to pay their interest payments on their debts, to get that interest rate down, and work on putting more towards the debt itself.<br />
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So did my Afformations fail me? NO! The reason <a href="http://www.esnfp.com.au/whatwedo.html">ESN Financial Planners</a> are not getting any referrals from me is because I haven't taken any <i>new</i> actions. Rather than ring around to the family and friends which is what would have been the most direct way to go, I decided instead to post a on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=204934072173&topic=14712#%21/board.php?uid=204934072173">Face Book Groups page </a>about Financial Balance. This was in line with what I am working towards with regards to Living My Balance, and, it meant I could cover a range of Financial avenues.<br />
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Actually, I guess this could be a <i>new</i> action right? Not the most common way to do it, but still a new way to go about it.<br />
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I guess time will tell. The focus is on educating people about how important it is to build a better Financial Balance in their lives, so that they are able to lessen the stress in their lives, thus brining them more peace of mind and more overall balance in their life.<br />
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I will keep you updated through the rest of the month. If you want to read up on the Financial Balance Posts I have put up all ready, feel free to take a look here.<br />
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Let me go over some of the other manifestations I have had and also witnessed up till now.<br />
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My new course has all the tools, knowledge and support that I had originally been looking for so I feel big things coming in my immediate future.<br />
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I've decided that working while the entire family is home should only be done in small doses. Its far to distracting to be tapping on the computer when everyone's watching TV, apparently. Its also not easy to concentrate through the choir of “mum, mum, mum” that goes on in my house every day. Taking time off work is also a new action for me, and I highly recommend I do it more often. This fits into the family balance Afformation as well as the focus Afformation because it means that I am focusing solely on my family and not wasting time at the computer accomplishing nothing all day because I'm to distracted.<br />
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I still hold the same peacefulness I had when I first started my <a href="http://livingyourbalance.blogspot.com/2010/05/afformations-experiment.html">Afformations</a> experiment This bonus side affect is fantastic when I hit a stressful period in my life. I come out of one of my mad dashes much quicker and with less judgement on myself. <br />
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I have also recruited a new challenger who in her first day of being introduced to Afformations has had some major moments of change and understanding. I am so grateful that I have been able to witness the manifestations she has already had and have asked her to keep a diary of her experience so I am able to share this with everyone.<br />
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One occurrence that has come from this is that I have had the humble pleasure of seeing comments left on my posts by the founding father of Afformations Mr Noah St John and I am really grateful that he has taken the time to come here and leave me some words of encouragement. I'm truly blessed by these unexpected visits.<br />
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Well, that's all from me for today and I am looking forward to the rest of the month because I have a feeling that this is going to be a month of major changes and major accomplishments.<br />
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Again, if you would like to learn more about <a href="http://successproductreviews.blogspot.com/">Noah St John</a>, his products and my views on the ones I have used, please feel free to visit my other blog <a href="http://successproductreviews.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br />
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I leave you with this Afformation<br />
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“Why are we constantly blessed with joyful experiences in our lives?”<br />
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I wish for you a life filled with passionMirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-64649449199885167632010-06-07T10:58:00.001+10:002010-06-12T12:00:22.411+10:00Afformations Experiment - Day 7 of 30<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzsFmg8_DS0qtLL4RO9KuRDCYL65pnSNYGNbed_bHKUQYw56tJB7NkSez5eX4yxGbS0ZHSrESmLYqYqS8UoJnmYBBNAnfu2La9iox4iY90J6UPkmDz4klpFsKVfYZ4Mps0D5wimMUvVw/s1600/afformationsbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzsFmg8_DS0qtLL4RO9KuRDCYL65pnSNYGNbed_bHKUQYw56tJB7NkSez5eX4yxGbS0ZHSrESmLYqYqS8UoJnmYBBNAnfu2La9iox4iY90J6UPkmDz4klpFsKVfYZ4Mps0D5wimMUvVw/s200/afformationsbook.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>Well, its been a week since I started this Afformations Challenge, so I thought I had better ho to an update.<br />
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Here's what I think has been the biggest change in my life since using <a href="http://www.noahtools.com/cmd.php?af=1189822&p=4">Afformations</a> instead of my Affirmations.<br />
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Peacefulness<br />
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That's right folks, with Affirmations there was sometimes a sense of urgency and anxiety, I would have to constantly remind myself to focus and it could be a frustrating process.<br />
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However, since using the Afformation “Why am I so focused?” I have been nothing but focused! From the first day I used this Afformation I have been able to stay on task much easier and with less urgency.<br />
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This is the most significant change because it has impacted on every area of my life. The peacefulness I have gained has helped me to get some clarity and helped me to be more patient with not only myself but also with everyone in my life.<br />
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One of my other main Afformations is “Why am I making over $5000 a month constantly in my Affiliate Marketing Business?”<br />
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No, I'm not here to report that I have made my first $5000 already. In step 4 of Noah St Johns steps for using Afformations, he stipulates that we need to take different actions. So I cancelled out of some of the courses I was taking and literally the same day I received an email about a course that I feel is going to help me achieve this goal. Once I put into action the steps on this course, I have no doubt in my mind that I will be making $5000 plus a month within the next 3 months.<br />
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Another important <a href="http://www.noahtools.com/cmd.php?af=1189822&p=4">Afformation</a> for me is “why is my life and my family so balanced?” This is the most precious part of my life and balance and harmony means so much to me. This part of our lives has made a significant change as well. What I am finding is that we are not suddenly getting on better, but we are now being challenged to grow more often. We are however, able to meet these challenges with less frustration and more understanding.<br />
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Perfection is not the goal here, balance and harmony are and there are more opportunities for us to instil this into our lives.<br />
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So those are the major changes in my life over a week. Wow, a week and already there is significant change. I truly am looking forward to the rest of the 30days, and beyond.<br />
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I will leave you with this Afformation today.<br />
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“why do we always receive what we ask for?”<br />
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To learn more about Afformations or the Inventor of the Afformation Mr Noah St John, take a look at my other <a href="http://successproductreviews.blogspot.com/">blog site</a> where I review fully some of the products I am using. <br />
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I wish you a life of passion.Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-10310022715685430222010-05-30T16:21:00.002+10:002010-06-19T18:19:33.274+10:00Afformations Experiment<b><a href="http://www.noahtools.com/cmd.php?af=1189822&p=4">Afformations Experiment</a></b><br />
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Those of you who have read my blogs will know that I did an Affirmations challenge for 30days.<br />
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It was successful in many ways and I was able to understand the inner workings of Affirmations <br />
from my own research and experience.<br />
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Since that little experiment I have come across a man by the name of Noah St John who is the man behind Afformations.<br />
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Let me explain what Afformations are firstly and then I will delve into the experiment I am going to start as of the 1st of July.<br />
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Afformations along the same lines as Affirmations in as much as the repetition part. How they differ is truly easier than one may think.<br />
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Affirmations can be hard to come up with because you have to ensure that your beliefs hold true to what you are repeating. The old example of repeating “I am rich I am rich I am rich” and hearing your mind tell you that your lying to yourself is one way gauge that this statement is not something you can believe.<br />
<a href="http://www.noahtools.com/cmd.php?af=1189822&p=4"><br />
Afformations</a> work with the way the mind itself is programmed. Afformations are a form of affirmations but used in a question form. Not just any question, but through questions that force us to go into the most basic natural instinct that we have, finding solutions.<br />
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Solutions are what our mind does naturally, its not based on having the right beliefs or values, its all a matter of working with what already works.<br />
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So, with that said, lets delve a little into what the inventor and creator of the Afformation says with regards to using Afformations in our daily lives and the steps that will help us get the most of them.<br />
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In his book <a href="http://www.noahtools.com/cmd.php?af=1189822&p=4">“The Great Little Book of Affirmations”</a> Noah St John discusses the 4 crucial steps to take in order for us to heighten the outcomes of our Afformations.<br />
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<b>Step 1 – Decide on what you want</b><br />
This is the first step for anything. In order for you to succeed at something you have to be clear on where you are heading. Lack of direction is one of the biggest cause of frustration in our lives.<br />
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<b>Step 2 – Form your goal into a question that assumes that what you want is already yours.</b><br />
This is the main difference in Affirmations and Afformations. Its all about ensure you are asking the right questions. You work this part by emotion. When you feel the joy and fulfilment of what you want already, you get go of the anxiety attached to wanting it. Anxiety and fear of not getting what you want is the biggest block to getting it.<br />
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<b>Step 3 – Give Yourself To the Question</b><br />
The point of these questions is not to find the answers. I know that sounds a little weird, but How To questions are not what we are looking for. Its about changing your mindset not about answering the question.<br />
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Your giving your mind permission to believe that there is a way.<br />
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<b>Step 4 – Take New Actions Based On Your New Assumptions About Life</b><br />
If something hasn't worked before, try something new. If you have been doing certain things a certain way and they haven't been working for you yet and you haven't been able to get what you want, then try a different action plan.<br />
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So now to the experiment Part.<br />
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From June the 1st 2010 I am going to be using Afformations instead of my usual Affirmations.<br />
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Each morning I am going to focus on my Afformation and put my labels around the house. Its the same process that I used for my Affirmations the only change will be the form that they are taking.<br />
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Here is a list of some of the Afformations I am going to use.<br />
<i><br />
“Why am I able to make $5000 consistently every month”<br />
“Why does healthy food taste better than unhealthy food”<br />
“Why are my relationships so joyful, loving and accepting”<br />
“Why do I enjoy housework so much”</i><br />
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I will come back to this blog every couple of days and update how this is working for me in my every day life. Ill also give some tips that I pick up along the way.<br />
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This all fits in with my Law of Attraction 100day reality challenge and I cant wait to get started.<br />
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Ill also be back on normal internet speed which means that it wont take me a week to upload or download everything I need.<br />
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Till then<br />
May your life be filled with passion!Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-72548725999880810452010-05-17T10:44:00.002+10:002010-05-17T10:44:50.231+10:00Free Gift - Limiting BeliefsHi all<br />
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I wanted to pass on some of the articles I have written in PDF format that you can download and save to your computer.<br />
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This free pdf is based on the articles I wrote on Limiting Beliefs.<br />
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Feel free to download <a href="http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B5dfWhe6NQLnYTM1NGU4MGUtM2UxMC00MDg4LTk5ZmUtYWVmMWQzMDUwYTli&hl=en">here</a>.Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-77954098772195025222010-05-07T15:53:00.003+10:002010-05-13T14:03:24.910+10:00Smart Passive Income Blog Review<b>A personal review of "The Smart Passive Income" Blog Site</b><br />
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Becoming an online entrepreneur has been a series of hits and misses, mainly misses really income wise. Yet, information wise I have had some great hits.<br />
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One such information gem I found earlier on in my research faze is a fantastic blogs site that has really helped me to grasp the basics and also move forward in this maze that is online business.<br />
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I wanted to share this Blog site with you because it has been a great source of information and inspiration for me as a very very new, wet behind the ears, online business entrepreneur.<br />
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Pat Flynn from <a herf=”www.smartpassiveincome.com”>Smart Passive Income Blog</a> has built up a following of over 6000 on his blog site and with over 1600 fans on his Face Book Page, you could mistake him for one of those gurus who forces you to pay just to read what he has to say.<br />
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You would assume wrong my dear Watson. The fact is, all of Pats information is given freely. He doesn't promote products on his blog site and he doesn't force feed his brand till you cant see straight.<br />
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His newsletters are filled with little titbits that are creative and informative and the biggest reason I have followed him continuously for almost 6 months is because he writes from the heart.<br />
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That's right, he puts his heart and soul into his blog posts and he endeavours to comment back as much as humanly possible considering the amount of responses he receives from each and every one of his blog posts.<br />
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The other thing that I feel truly sets him apart from many others is that he is very very transparent about his online income. This guy gives monthly reports of how much he has made month by month, along with the different avenues he makes his income and includes some of his stat's. The best part of his Monthly Reports by far are the things he's been up to each month. You get to see the impact some of his actions have on the following months income and its truly inspiring.<br />
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He is very candid, supportive and humble. He isn't making millions, and he is the first to tell you this in his bio<br />
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I have read every blog he has written and will continue to do so for as long as he writes them. I felt like I was there when his son was born recently and adore the pictures that Pat provides of his wonderful family.<br />
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He is a man on a mission, helping so many and asking for nothing in return. His love for his family is at the forefront of who he is and why he does what he does.<br />
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I would recommend his blog to anyone who is new to Online Blogging, anyone who is looking for some inspiring words and humours posts as well as a dose of humble pie.<br />
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I look forward to watching Pats career grow and I am grateful to have him in my online life as a mentor to follow in his footsteps and to keep a humble and grateful attitude towards life.<br />
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If you haven't checked him out yet, and I suggest you do, here is the link to his site www.smartpassiveincome.comMirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-55627802026006065512010-05-03T17:34:00.001+10:002010-05-03T17:34:15.251+10:00Closing Circles - Getting Rid of Energy SuckersHave you ever thought of those little jobs that you have put off over and over again, some of which come and bite you on the butt?<br />
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I like to call these little items in my "to hard basket" energy suckers. Why, well, in reality because we think about them, even from time to time, we are actually putting our energy to them yet doing nothing about them.<br />
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It could be anything from getting the car looked at because it keeps making a funny noise, to getting a new umbrella<br />
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So how can these events turn around and bite us on the butt? Well, if I don't do something about the car it will probably get worse, and if I don't get a new umbrella I'm liable to end up getting caught out in the rain.<br />
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These are minor examples, however, I sure you have come across these things where you later say to yourself, dangit, I knew I should have done that ages ago.<br />
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I have many, many of these little energy suckers hanging around in my head that when trigged cause me to worry or feel anxiety. Such wasted energy when you don't do something to <br />
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So I have a note book that I carry around with me. You never know what could trigger one of these episodes, and each time something comes up I write it down and put it on my to-do list for the next day and I make it a priority.<br />
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Overall I have around 6 energy suckers that I have listed, some easy and no problem, some a little harder and more time consuming. However, I am making a concious effort to really take some steps towards getting these off my to-do list.<br />
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Here's a list of some of the things I need to get done:<br />
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Get rid of the clutter in our house - I should have done this a couple of months ago but put it off. Now I have to do it because in 2 weeks I will have my sister and her husband moving in for a few months. This is definitely one of those ones that has turned around and bit me on the butt.<br />
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Get my credit report - I've done this a couple of times, and on a couple of occasions I have found a issue where I had a mark against my name yet it shouldn't have been there. This of course hindered my credit report but I was able to clear it up after one phone call and had the mark removed. This issue had been there for 2yrs. The initial reason I got a report was because I was refused a credit card.<br />
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Go to the dentist - You all know how expensive going to the dentist is. Consultations alone are an arm and a leg. Yet, I left this way to long and now I am going to be in for some major pain both physically and in my back, front and side pockets.<br />
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So those are just a couple of examples that I have been able to start making progress on. I have a dental appointment this week. I have my brother in law coming around to check my car and give me a guesstimate about what's wrong and how much it will cost (he's a qualified mechanic). This will give me an idea of how much I will need to put away for the work and how long it may take me.<br />
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I am awaiting my credit report to come in the mail this week. <br />
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Knowing that all these things are in the process of being sorted out seems to lift some weight off my shoulders and means that there are 3 less things I have to worry about. YAY lol.<br />
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I suggest that you take a notebook around with you and every time you hear yourself say the words "I really should" or "I need to" then put it in your note book and get it done. Especially if it could end badly if you don't.Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-86517113022244419932010-04-15T20:35:00.004+10:002010-04-19T08:49:31.240+10:00Lady of Leisure - 6 months laterWow, I cant believe its been over 6 months since the last time I set foot in my job.<br />
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This journey has been a challenge and a reward all at the same time. I love my life, I love the way I get to live it now and I have loved every minute of it since I joined the ranks of the unemployed.<br />
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I have made a lot of progress in all areas of my life, striving for that balance that I set for myself and my family 61/2 months ago.<br />
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I've dropped my kids off at school every morning and picked them up every afternoon. I've spent more time with my 4yr old at home coming up with creative ways to keep his little mind and his little hands busy.<br />
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I've been able to live my life rather than make a living around it.<br />
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Personal growth has come in all shapes and sizes for me. From dealing with my negative way of speaking at home to dealing with information overload in my home business.<br />
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I've identified and overcome a number of limiting beliefs that have hindered me in my life. I've written a lot of articles and showed that I can consistently focus in one area successfully.<br />
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I've made many new friends and had many enlightening and inspiring teachers, mentors and services manifested into my life. I have felt what it is like to be truly blessed and I am grateful for every moment of every day that I am able to be here.<br />
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I've had some really big challenges with my oldest son and finding ways to communicate with him better is one of my biggest goals. I've tried a number of avenues, some have worked, for a certain amount of time, and some haven't.<br />
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We made some break through s with regards to finding middle ground where he can be more independent and I can still have some peace of mind. We even worked on a plan for him to start working online himself doing his own thing.<br />
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Both my oldest son and my daughter are wanting to start up their own online ventures next year, for different reasons this year is not a good time for them to start, yet I am excited at the prospect of being able to teach them and work with them on a common goal.<br />
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So with all the deep and meaningful s done, here's my Online Portfolio Update:<br />
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<b>Art</b><br />
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Started sketching again, on and off, mainly while waiting for the kids after school in the school parking lot. Its a little peace from my day to day.<br />
<b><br />
Competitions</b><br />
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Well, I haven't been in it to win it. So no complaints there about it not being something that works. However, I am definitely going to get back into it at least 3 days a week.<br />
<b><br />
Online Business Portfolio</b><br />
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Still learning so much about the opportunities available online. There are so many and there is so much information that I have hit info overload a number of times along the way. This has cost me a lot of time and energy, not to mention the frustration.<br />
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However, at this point in time I am working in the Affiliate Marketing area and have managed to launch 1 product campaign which revolves around picking a product, finding the best words to use and writing about it.<br />
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I am yet to see anything come from this, but considering that its only the first full week I have high hopes for some sort of return on my efforts. Enough at least to pay off some bills lol.<br />
<b><br />
Articles</b><br />
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The articles I have on Bukisa are getting steady clicks, yet with almost 200 views of my 8 articles I have only accumulated 65cents.<br />
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I am learning new ways to promote my articles and the products associated with them and if anything, I am certainly learning a lot about the online business world and all its quirks and perks.<br />
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<b>Living Your Balance</b><br />
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My own product progression, which is to write an e book, is starting to come together. I have set out the draft outline for the chapters and have started building my website to incorporate these ideas into it.<br />
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I've even learnt how to do basic html coding so that it doesn't look like such an armature site, lol, but I still have so much to learn before its ready.<br />
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I'm also working on putting together an e book about how to get started online in affiliate marketing with little or no money. My budget is now at zero for tools and resources, however, I have found so much free information available that this is no longer a worry for me.<br />
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I've cancelled some of my paid subscriptions, firstly because I can't afford them at the moment, secondly because I haven't even been into them over the last couple of months. No use paying for something I don't use. The information and services themselves were not the problem, however the direction I have choosen to move into has left them on hold.<br />
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I've signed up to affiliate programs (if you are unsure what this means and are interested in finding out please feel free to email me, otherwise I wont bore you with details). Most of these programs are applicable for Australia. Being in Australia can sometimes mean that one is not eligible for certain programs so I am getting use to reading terms and conditions for everything I have signed up for.<br />
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My twitter account has gone from 143 followers to almost 300, which by the way I am unsure of why this is good as yet, but I know it will be at some point.<br />
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<i>So this is where I am as of the 15th April 2010. The journey continues and I look forward to building up to my Ideal Family Life Balance and sharing with you the steps in our journey.<br />
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Feel free to take a look at my websites and articles, I would love your feed back on them.</i><br />
<b><i>- I wish you a life filled with passion</b></i><br />
<p></p><p></p><br />
<iframesrc="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=livingyourbal-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0814473342&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align:left;padding-top:5px;width:131px;height:245px;padding-right:10px;"align="left" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=livingyourbal-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0071441786&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align:left;padding-top:5px;width:131px;height:245px;padding-right:10px;"align="left" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=livingyourbal-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1569754535&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align:left;padding-top:5px;width:131px;height:245px;padding-right:10px;"align="left" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-25077955349311068942010-03-15T13:45:00.000+11:002010-03-15T13:45:56.986+11:0030 Day Affirmations Challenge - Done and Dusted<strong>So after 30days I can say a number of things about my experience.</strong><br />
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<br />
1 - Consistency is key. I learnt this because I was not consistent through the last week or so of this challenge and manifestations were few and far between.<br />
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2 - What you focus on you receive. This has been true of the areas of my life I have focused on the most. Many a new link, person, course, ebook or quote was found at the right time which helped me me forward in my quest of online passive income generation<br />
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3 - I am going to start this challenge again on April 1st. This will give me some time to relay prepare and schedule all the things I want to focus on.<br />
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There have been manifestations coming in abundance and I am truly grateful to the universe for all her gifts.<br />
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I hope some of you will be up for the next challenge, or maybe join me on my Season 4 of my <a href="http://www.cocreatingourreality.com/">100 day Reality challenge</a> where I will be blogging my way through another 100days of manifestations. <br />
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Here's a new quote:<br />
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<em>Dreams can often become challenging, but challenges are what we live for. -- Travis White</em>Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-47986875441460387412010-03-14T00:39:00.000+11:002010-03-14T00:39:03.408+11:00New Kids on the Entrepreneur BlockSince I lost my job back in October 2009 I have been working on building an online business portfolio to ensure that I was able to stay a stay at home mum. <br />
I have found that there are many avenues that one can go down to earn an income online and I have started to really invest a lot of time and effort into a couple of projects.<br />
<br />
However, at this time I am still very much in the learning phase of the business and have not yet generated anything over $1 to date.<br />
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This has meant that things are a little tight at home to say the least. Its been hard to see the affect this has on our kids. I find it a daily battle with my 12 yr old daughter to try to get her to understand that we can't just go and buy her every single thing she thinks she needs on the spot.<br />
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My 14 yr old son is a little more understanding, however the fact that we are unable to get him started in some after school activities is a detriment to his growing requirements. <br />
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My kids have been following my progress and asking questions about what I do. We keep a very positive attitude about our future financially and they understand that its going to take some time.<br />
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Recently my son has been showing a lot more interest than I thought was possible and has asked if he would be able to do what I do so that he wouldn't have to go out and find a job when he finished school. I told him there was no reason he couldn't start now and so after some discussion we are going to sit down and plan out some ways that he may be able to use the internet to generate an income for himself.<br />
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As we go through the different stages I have his permission to blog through our progress and share with you all the ups and downs we come across.<br />
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Its a journey that I hope will not only be fruitful for him but will also bring us closer together. Working as a team for the common good of our family.<br />
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I hope to also work with my daughter to get her started as well, however we think it may be better to let her work through her first year of high school without the added pressure of having to meet deadlines online as well.<br />
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So with this all said, we look forward to sharing with your our ideas, our journey and our successes as we move into a new path of balance and harmony within our home and family.<br />
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If you have any questions, feedback or tips as to what you think may work as we go through this please feel free to share them with us by adding a comment or emailing me directly.<br />
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We wish you a life filled with passion.<br />
<br />
<em>When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses. ~ Joyce Brothers</em><br />
<br />
Regards<br />
<br />
MirikaMirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-31043591824781639062010-03-09T13:20:00.001+11:002010-03-11T00:44:10.564+11:0030 articles in 30 days Challenge - Day 17Well I am just over the half way mark and feeling really proud of myself so far.<br />
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<br />
There's no doubt about it, its hard work, not just writing the articles but the research, the typing, the spell checking, lol.<br />
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I've had some crazy stuff going on at home, but that's normal for us, however the one consistent has been writing my articles.<br />
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At this point I am working on two articles a day. The one that is going to posted that day and the one for the next day.<br />
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I'm actually going to blog the process I go through to write up my articles and use it more for my blogs as well.<br />
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Working on two of them a day relieves the pressure I sometimes feel if I have a moment of writers block, which I have had a couple of times in this challenge.<br />
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I'm doing a bit of research on making my articles more SEO friendly and my focus is coming back. Panic tends to send me on an information load up frenzy so the more ahead I am the easier I am finding this challenge.<br />
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Until I can get to blogging my articles, I may put up links to them in my links part of my blog. I really want to expand them more in my blogs, I have sometimes has 3 or 4 pages of information for my articles and had to shorten them to a page and half at the most so the rest of the info can be shared here.<br />
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I really am enjoying this process, as with my affirmation challenge and my 100 day reality challenge which I am going to be blogging about very soon. <br />
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I'm also looking for possible guest posters for a number of the areas I am writing about, however, I want to get my blog site into some sort of order first, lol. <br />
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Nice and short blog today, that will change I assure you hehe.<br />
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Quote for today:<br />
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“We must look for the opportunity in every difficulty instead of being paralysed at the thought of the difficulty in every opportunity.” - UnknownMirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-41212124823714227632010-03-05T00:41:00.003+11:002010-03-15T13:26:26.296+11:0030 articles in 30 days challengeWell, along with my affirmations challenge and my 100 day reality challenge I have also taken on a 30 articles in 30 days challenge.<br />
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I am a busy busy girl lol. Of course, I didn't prepare myself for this challenge so I am finding myself in the midst of all sorts of challenges. <br />
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I am focusing on scheduling a little more consistantly to ensure I meet my article deadline each day and my blog deadline each week.<br />
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I am also working on a course that I hope to be able to launch in a couple of months. Again, busy busy girl lol.<br />
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Now with regards to my newest challenge. I am now on day 12 and have written and posted all 12 articles to my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Living-Your-Balance/204934072173?v=app_2373072738&ref=nf">facebook page</a>.<br />
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It realy has been a matter of trial and error with this one. Firstly, all my articles are going to be based around the "Living Your Balance" concept. I had a list of 50 topics that I was going to use for blogging and figured it would be a good list to use for my articles, so thats where all the article ideas are coming from.<br />
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The reason I have posted them to my <a href="http://facebook%20page./">facebook page</a> is to get some feedback on them before I posted them on the article sites I am using, mainly Bukisa and <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/liveyourbalance">Squidoo</a>. There have been a few extra benefits that I have found that are coming from this. I have grown my "Living Your Balance" face book page from 3 followers to 51 followers in a matter of 12days. This has been mainly due to a certain person who had sent invites out to everyone on her list to come follow my page. Another benefit I am finding is that I am able to get alot more exposure to other users as well. By joining and promoting my articles I have also gained a number of followers.<br />
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I am also learning how to edit pretty quickly, and I am re-visiting alot of personal developement topics that are realy making a difference in my life.<br />
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I also wanted to blog through this experience, for myself to review the ups and downs and the things I have learnt and I am hoping this will also help anyone who is thinking of writing articles as a means of making a bit of cash.<br />
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As with everything I am doing, its all about experimentation. I realy am working all the angles to see what results I can achieve and I think that 30days is a good time frame. Keeping them as challenges is good for me because I love a challenge and I always try to find some creative ways to overcome them.<br />
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Once I have completed the 30 articles I am going to go through them on the article sites and start to re-write and re-work them using key words and those sorts of things to ensure they are set up for maximum exposure and maximum content. However, I still have no idea how to do this lol.<br />
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Some of the articles I am not completely happy with, but if I sat on them till they were perfect I would probably get out one a week so this is also helping me get past my perfection beliefs.<br />
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My next few blogs will be coming in fast due to the fact that I have a number of updates to add and wanted to seperate them as best I could.<br />
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I want to also introduce you to a great guy I have met through twitter who is a web designer and currently has a ebook about setting up your own website, something I am lining up to purchase in the near future and I will blog through my journey with that when I have a chance to actualy put some time into my sites.<br />
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So much to do and I am def finding my focus swaying. Overload of information at the moment so I will be chunking down to get the most out of my time.<br />
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If you want to take a look at a couple of the articles I have published on Bukisa, ive left two links in my Weblinks to the left of this post. Feel free to take a look and let me know what you think.<br />
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I love quotes, so I am going to add a quote to all my blog posts from here on in and will eventualy add them to my previous ones as well as soon as I get a chance.<br />
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So today I leave you with this quote:<br />
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“Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.” - General George S. Patton quotes<br />
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I wish for you a life lived with passionMirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-28983075446330598682010-02-18T00:42:00.000+11:002010-02-18T00:42:08.657+11:00Affirmation Challenge - Day 5Its been a pretty busy week due to having to do so much clean out for the inspection tomorrow.<br />
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It was realy good to get rid of all that clutter!!<br />
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So its day 5 of my affirmations challenge and I have been struggling to concentrate what with cleaning all the time and trying to make notes of all the ideas ive had along the way. However, the abundance of information is still forthcoming.<br />
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I have managed to keep up with my diary and journal affirmations and my night time ones. But the focus hasn't been as good as it had been. However I have full control over the situation again as of tomorrow after the inspection, it means I will also be working within a non-cluttered home and it means that cleaning will take less time now.<br />
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So the abundance still flows in certain areas of my life, and when im back on track i have no doubt that it will all start to flow much easier and quicker. I got a realy great email about a new marketing course, but it was pay by credit card only, so I had to skip it. My acct is looking a little worse for wear due to the kids school stuff and the bills that have started to come in that are no longer in credit.<br />
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Im holding strong to the feelings that I had when the bills were coming in with credited amounts due to my focus on ensuring that I was putting money on them constantly. Yet with the increased outgoings for school book, stationary and uniforms I am behind on almost everything. These are the times I find it hard to keep the failth, yet, these are the exact times when the flow of money come to me.<br />
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So I know how much I need to ensure we are back in credit with our utilities and to pay off the kids school fees, as well a how much is needed for a number of other areas. I know it will flow to me and I am truely grateful!!<br />
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Im tired, but I feel very proud that my family pulled together as a little team to ensure our inspection should be fine. I am also so very very grateful to my partner who has gone above and beyond his usual efforts in cleaning both the inside and outside of our home.<br />
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I still have some work to try and get through tonight, I am going to dig realy deep to ensure my to do list is complete before I go to bed.<br />
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This blog is one of my escential to dos today and now it is DONE :)Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-26671321966650424672010-02-15T21:13:00.000+11:002010-02-15T21:13:20.061+11:0030 day Affirmation Challenge - Intro and Day 3 postWell, I actually started this affirmations challenge about 3days ago but have only just had the time to sit down and write it up while eating a lunch of curry and rice, mmmm yummy. <br />
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So I'm writing some review articles on <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/lawofattractiontoolsreview">Squidoo</a> about Law of Attraction tools. I've only published one but was moving on to affirmations when I thought this is probably the area of LOA that I am the most inconsistent.<br />
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With that in mind, I thought about the 100day Reality challenge I am doing and thought well why not do a mini challenge using affirmations.<br />
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Here's a run down on how I have incorporated affirmations into my daily life.<br />
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I wrote a personal affirmation to take though the entire 30days. Its pretty broad but I will explain how I specify it a little later.<br />
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My affirmation:<br />
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<em>I hereby command my subconscious mind to consistently focus on abundance in my life.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>I attract abundance into my life easily and constantly. Abundance of loving relationships & happiness, energy & good health, money & relevant knowledge.</em><br />
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</em><br />
<em>I am truly grateful for the abundance the universe provides on a daily basis.</em><br />
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What I've done with this affirmation is print it out and put it around my house in places that I am bound to see it daily. There's one at my computer desk, one in the bedroom, one in the kitchen.<br />
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I've also printed out a wallet size version for the photo part of my wallet to carry with me when I am out.<br />
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Each morning I write down the affirmation in my Diary and at night I write it into my journal. I repeat it 5 times at least once a day to myself out loud. <br />
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At night before I go to sleep I repeat it 5 times slowly in my head and visualise what each line of the affirmation means to me and I bring in as much emotion as I can with it.<br />
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Now, down to the good stuff, what have I managed to manifest over the past 3days since starting this challenge.<br />
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1 – I have come up with a great idea that will help people discover and specify what a balanced life looks like for them.<br />
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2 – I have been introduced to some people and sites that are really giving me inspiration and information for my “life balance” journey.<br />
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3 – We received a letter from our real estate agent to say that they are coming for the normal inspection. This has been a lot of physical work that has required the help of all family members.<br />
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4 – Appreciation from my partner for what I am doing for our family. He has been very loving and his words of appreciation are very well received lol.<br />
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5 – Communication between me and my family about my online business ideas. Its been hard to actually explain it to them, however, I felt I really needed them to see where this is going for all of us and what benefits they will receive once mummy is up and running and is helping so many other people.<br />
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That's it so far, but by far only the start of some amazing manifestations. I have more focus at the moment and the momentum of my mind and actions is truly making this a fun and interesting journey.<br />
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Why did I choose to do this for 30days? Well, statistics prove that habits take 30days to take hold in the subconscious mind, so after 30days it wont be so much a challenge but a part of my everyday life.<br />
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Now, for those of you who are not familiar with Affirmations here's a link to a great <a href="http://www.wingsfortheheart.com/Free_Affirmations_Ebook.pdf">e book</a> that I found was simple and brief. Its in PDF format so you can either read it online or save it and print it out later.<br />
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I would really others to join me on this challenge. It would be a great way to create a group consciousness focused on each others affirmation as well as our own. If you would like to take this journey with me, please just let me know in the comments section what your affirmation is, or, if you need help to put together an affirmation I am more than happy to work with you to see what we can come up with.<br />
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I will blog here developments or new ideas I have come across with regards to this challenge. I have already found some great new information that I am going to utilise halfway through my 30days.<br />
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Please stay in touch and leave me a comment if you feel so inclined to do so :)<br />
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I wish for you a life of passion! (ha, this can be looked at as a affirmation hehe :)<br />
MirikaMirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-41800744392436363902010-02-10T19:00:00.000+11:002010-02-10T19:00:46.064+11:00Lady of Leisure - almost 4month updateWell, its been a very interesting 4mths since becoming unemployed and I have to admit that I have grown so much since then.<br />
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I have learnt that most things online have a science to them when it comes to making money. I've learnt that there are allot of people out there who are willing to help and that the "I scratch your back and you scratch mine" is NOT a bad thing if used for the right reasons.<br />
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I've had kids home with me over the holidays and I am so very glad they are now back at school. I haven't done allot of work but that is all about to change. One thing I have learnt is that I am going to be prepared next holidays.<br />
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In my personal life, there are still challenges coming up every day. Communication has been lacking which has caused some rift in relationships with the kids but with focus, patients and a more positive attitude I know that we will get there.<br />
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In regards to my online portfolio, here is where everything is currently.<br />
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<strong>E bay</strong><br />
This has been completely taken off my project list. I decided that its more an active income stream than a passive one and right now I want to spend more time building on a passive income.<br />
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<strong>ABN registration</strong><br />
I gave up doing this all myself. I have incorporated the services of a couple of great guys who run their own financial planning service and are looking after the business side of things. They are also helping me set and achieve my business goals, oh, and they are really really nice guys. They also deal with super so if your looking for financial advise, super roll overs and lost super, feel free to pop them an email at sheridan@esnfp.com.au<br />
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<strong>Art</strong><br />
This is defiantly something that I am yet to restart. I hope to have more time to dedicate to this now the kids are at school.<br />
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<strong>Competitions</strong><br />
I have been really lazy with these. Its on my schedule as of next week though, as they say, "you've got to be in it to win it".<br />
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<strong>Online Business Portfolio</strong><br />
This has been a really big learning experience. One which I may not have been handling in the best way. I seemed to be all over the place especially during the holidays.<br />
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The problem is that there is so much out there that one can get easily distracted into other avenues. At the moment I have this blog, my 2 websites and 2 article sites. I am currently doing a online business mastery course which is helping me to understand more about online marketing. Its really a great course for beginners. If you are interested take a look here <a href="http://www.internetbusinessmastery.com/cmd.php?af=1104900">Internet Business Mastery Academy</a><br />
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I have to do a disclaimer here, sites that I list are not only sites I use but are also sites where I will receive a commission if anyone buys through my links :)<br />
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I have also signed up to a number of forums which are proving to be a great way to meet new people.<br />
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My twitter has grown from 3 followers to 143 over the last 3 months and I am smiling at that.<br />
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I haven't taken on any new projects as yet and I think that the above is going to be my major focus for the next 3mths at least.<br />
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Well, that's about all I have right now. If you have any feedback, comments or anything that you'd like to add, please don't hesitate to use the comment box below, that's what its there for lol <br />
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I wish you all a life full of passion and purpose<br />
Regards<br />
MirikaMirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-59310459327667439042010-01-24T22:14:00.006+11:002010-03-26T12:38:28.092+11:00Lifestye Design - Create Your Lifes Blueprint<a href=”http://www.inspiringmums.com.au” target=”_blank”><img src=”Inspiring_Mums_WebTile_150×150-01″ width=”150″ height=”150″ border=”0″ alt=”Inspiring Mums” /></a> <br />
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Builders normally use blueprints to create a building, so why not use one to create your life? <br />
Before you build a house, you normally have a fairly good idea of what you want it to look like. When you walk into a builders office, you sit down and say “I want to build a house, this is how big I want it to be, this is how many rooms and the list of wants goes on.<br />
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The point I am trying to make here is this. You wouldn't walk into a builders office without knowing what specifics you want to have in your ideal home, so why is it, we don't get this specific with designing our ideal lifestyle.<br />
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Lifestyle design is one of the new buzz words in personal development as much as social media is the buzz word in marketing. The concept has been largely attributed to the #1 New York Times best seller The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris.<br />
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Lifestyle Design is essentially designing your lifestyle around what you want to be doing, then building a life to match it.<br />
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The 4hr work week conveys that when you become more productive at what you have to do to earn a crust and, you can do it in a shorter amount of time, you essentially free up time to do and experience the things you want.<br />
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The key is to get specific about the way you want to live your life, don't limit yourself to what you think you can do in your current financial or career situation. Dream big as they say. The best way to start is to think of something your passionate about. Around the world wine tour maybe, surfing the waves on the beaches of the world. How about just being able to take your kids on a 2mth holiday to a new country and absorbing its culture. The world is your oyster, go find your pearl!<br />
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If for some reason you aren't able to come up with any ideas, here is a couple of questions you may want to ask yourself.<br />
<br />
-If you had $500 million dollars in the bank<br />
<br />
1)What would your day to day life be like, what things would you do, see, try. Who would you spend more time with and what kind of experiences would you have.<br />
<br />
2)What would make you passionate about getting out of bed every day. What fun and exciting things would you have to look forward too each morning.<br />
<br />
My Lifestyle design is focused on my family. Being able to be home with my kids full time and work from home. Taking a family holiday every year to New Zealand to immerse ourselves in our culture. Being able to work from anywhere in the world at the times I choose and on things that I am passionate about.<br />
<br />
Id like to suggest that you grab a copy of “The 4hr work week” by Tim Ferris as he goes into full details of how to map out your Lifestyle design and his website is full of great information http://www.thefourhourworkweek.com<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=livingyourbal-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0032MRFCO&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
<br />
If you already own the original version, Tim has a new version of his book The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Four additions from the original book are:<br />
<br />
*Case Studies and tips<br />
*Details of how Tim started and launched his business<br />
*Updated tools to help you with each of the steps<br />
*Where the first book is mainly based on strategies for an individual, this version has<br />
more for families and partners than the previous version.<br />
<br />
I would really love to hear some of your own ideas for your ideal Life Blueprint. Please, feel free to share them in the comments section below. Any and all feedback is welcome.Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-80685249626825528332010-01-10T16:58:00.007+11:002010-02-06T18:14:03.381+11:00The wheels on the bus go round and round - Or do TheyThe wheels on the bus - Do yours go round and round?<br />
<br />
Have you ever heard that song "The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round an round". Its a song that my kids grew up singing, use to drive me nuts sometimes but when you made up your own words it could be a lot of fun.<br />
<br />
So here is my question, in life, do the wheels on your bus go round and round, or do they feel like you have a flatly?<br />
<br />
To put it plainly, what I'm talking about is your life wheel. If you haven't heard of a life wheel, its a tool one can use to gauge where ones life is currently and where one would wish it would be.<br />
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Before we rate where we are we need to figure out where we want to be.<br />
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Step 1 - Sit down and go through the below list and write down what each of the following would look like ideally.<br />
<br />
Health and Well being<br />
<br />
Wealth and Finances<br />
<br />
Relationships<br />
<br />
Life Style<br />
<br />
Personal Growth<br />
<br />
Careers<br />
<br />
Environment<br />
<br />
Spirituality<br />
<br />
Heres and example of a couple of these.<br />
<br />
Wealth and Finances<br />
100k per year 70% of this income to come through passive income and 30% is active income<br />
<br />
Environment<br />
Organised home environment<br />
<br />
4 bedroom home with a pool<br />
Supportive friends and family<br />
<br />
Life Style<br />
Holidays to New Zealand 3 times a year<br />
Holidays around Australia 2 times a year<br />
Living debt free and own our home outright<br />
Travelling around the world working with groups of indigenous people to help society become more self sufficient.<br />
<br />
These are a few examples of how I see the ideal outcomes for some of the areas of my life. The point here is to draw up your ideal Life Design.<br />
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Step 2<br />
Draw up a life wheel as per the Image below<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9FnFO2HEN7jgDPHf2tz-s_24AJy_yfAFAzk_xAF6XGpzXaa9NxUuFMRgWamfJBTF8QHxWUsWm4mbn9zQ2zgISX9ABzgs0miNYrdQ5sPS0_O1D99DXGc0a4V3ga6jXihfLTw3CSG-1Rc/s1600-h/Wheel+of+life.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9FnFO2HEN7jgDPHf2tz-s_24AJy_yfAFAzk_xAF6XGpzXaa9NxUuFMRgWamfJBTF8QHxWUsWm4mbn9zQ2zgISX9ABzgs0miNYrdQ5sPS0_O1D99DXGc0a4V3ga6jXihfLTw3CSG-1Rc/s400/Wheel+of+life.gif" /></a></div>Step 3<br />
Now its just a matter of rating where your are currently in these different areas of your life.<br />
<br />
So on a scale of zero to 10, 10 being your ideal, where would you rate each part of your life. Draw a dot at the point you feel you are currently at, then connect all the dots and see if your wheel is fit to travel further than the nearest petrol station.<br />
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If, like mine, your wheel is a little off balance, then its time to decide if you are willing, and able to take the time to work on these parts of your life.<br />
<br />
Now 10 should not be your perfect life, however, it should be your own ideal perception. How You, and only You feel you would be happier<br />
<br />
Once you have gauged where you are currently in each area, you have a place to start. Work out which area of your life would most like to work on and put together an action plan.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In my next post I want to go into a way I hope to make my New Years Resolutions stick. Ive found a great site that realy gives you simple easy to follow steps which I have tweeked a bit to suite me.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you have any questions or suggestions, comments or ideas please feel free to comment.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">May your life be full of passion</div>MirikaMirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-49407136212367338412010-01-07T13:57:00.000+11:002010-01-07T13:57:58.529+11:00Lady of Leisure - My first online earnings, YAYThis will be just a realy quick post.<br />
<br />
Due to the fact that I haven't realy got myself set up fully yet I was very very VERY surprised to see that I had actualy had some sucess in the earnings from this blog site. Bet youll never guess how much, lol. 26cents, thats right folks, I am officialy making money online.<br />
<br />
I guess some might think this is not alot, and also coupled with the fact that I still dont know how it works, it is very motivating for me after the festive season. Its spurred me on more to get motivated. If I can make 26cents from not doing alot, if I put in the time and effort its going to pay off!<br />
<br />
I am so very grateful that this has come at this time, its a blessing and a mind blowing thought that from my thoughts, ideas and work, I am going to be able to accomplish everything I have set out to do.<br />
<br />
And guess what, if I can do it, so can anyone else!!<br />
<br />
I wish you all a life of true passion<br />
Kindest and deepest regards<br />
MirikaMirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-63259613964900162172009-12-24T00:40:00.000+11:002009-12-24T00:40:20.891+11:00How I Organise My Balanced Life - Part 2 - How I do housework in 15minsOk, that looks too good to be true, however, what I mean by this blog is that in 15min slots I get more housework done than I would normaly.<br />
<br />
The reason, for me is, I get distracted easily. Therefore, if I decide to dedicate a day to doing my house work, you can gaurantee that I will have jobs half finished all over the house, lol.<br />
<br />
So working in 15min time slots at different times durring the day I can get so much more done and it gets done completely. Im not talking about re-arranging an entire room in 15min, but if you decided that you want to do that, you can do it in 15min slots.<br />
<br />
Heres how I do it.<br />
<br />
<strong>1 - Make a monthly chores list</strong><br />
<br />
You can include big jobs, the every day jobs, jobs you have been meaning to get to but havent<br />
<br />
<strong>2 - Mak a weekly chart</strong><br />
<br />
I have a spreadsheet that I use. On the left hand side I list each room and under each room I list the specific jobs. I itemize every job seperately. Eg: Kitchen, Dishes, Counter tops, Vacume floor, Mop floor<br />
<br />
Along the top of the spreadsheet I list the dates from Monday to Sunday (yes, i list sunday, you dont have too, its just my preference).<br />
<br />
Now there are jobs that need to be done every day such as dishes, washing etc, these I place a star next too so that I ensure I remember them daily.<br />
<br />
<strong>3 - When you do the job is up to you</strong><br />
<br />
What I tend to do here is just do something, anything durring times when I feel like it.<br />
<br />
For instance, when I go for a smoke I will normaly pick a job and do it either do it before or after I go out for my smoke.<br />
<br />
Other times, toilet breaks, meal breaks, even add breaks. Considering I am at my computer alot these days, its always a good idea for me to take a break every hour atleast. This could mean that I get the water ready for the dishes and wipe the benches down while I wait for the sink to fill, then I get the dishes washed and off I go back to my desk. I may then take another break at some point, and run out and hang out or bring in the washing.<br />
<br />
Most time these jobs dont take 15min so its a personal choice if you do more than one job durring that time or you could just leave it at that one job.<br />
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Once a job is finished I go back to my spreadsheet and log the time I completed the job. Daily jobs will have 7 times listed. <br />
<br />
Its realy rewarding at the end of the week to be able to see on my spreadsheet what I have accomplished. Then come the weekend I normaly have minimal house work and just have to worry about the little daily jobs.<br />
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I was actualy hoping to have a screen shot of my cleaning spreadsheet, however, as with my mind map I have still not worked out how to get it onto here. When I do though, it will be up on this blog for everyone to see, lol.<br />
<br />
If you have any tips or tricks you use when it comes to house work, please share them with us all in the comments section. Any feedback or questions are welcome, or feel free to email me directly for any reason.<br />
<br />
As we come up to christmas, you can imagine how full my chores list is, however, I havent been working much so I have had all the time in the world to do more house work. :)Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-50291323496930786132009-12-13T00:52:00.000+11:002009-12-13T00:52:58.503+11:00How I Organise My Balanced Life - Part 1 - Mind MappingIve decided to write a series on Organisation and what tools I use to help keep me on track to My Balanced Life.<br />
<br />
In this first blog of the series I want to go over something that I blogged about in one of my other blogs called "Mind Mapping Experiment". In that blog I wrote that I was using a peice of paper to make my Mind Maps, since then I have found an online programme that is FREE www.mindomo.com<br />
<br />
I currently have 3 maps going<br />
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1 - My Lifestyle Design Map<br />
This map in short is my long term goals map<br />
<br />
2 - My Weekly Intensive Schedule<br />
This is the map I use to plan my day to day project work, its my "to do list".<br />
<br />
3 - My Ideas Map<br />
This is where I stick all my ideas, inspiring or otherwise. At the end of each week I go through this map and log the ideas into either my Lifestyle Design Map or my Weekly Intensive Schedule, or both depending on the idea.<br />
<br />
Today though, I want to share with you the 2nd map, my Weekly Intensive Schedule just to give you an idea of how I use this map as an organisation tool.<br />
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For the first 2 weeks of using it, I was scheduling up to 7 different tasks for the day and I can now say that for me its too scattered. Jumping from one project to another durring the day can sometimes mean that I have to stop something that I am doing to ensure that I meet my schedule.<br />
<br />
Therefore I have re-evaluated my schedule and will now be focusing fully on one project per day. I will still keep my normal daily chores locked in, but the majority of my concentration will be focused in the one area rather than scattered between 4 or 5 different tasks.<br />
<br />
This will also help to organise my thoughts. It will keep me on track and I wont feel guilty for not finishing every task on the list.<br />
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I dont slot tasks into certain times of the day, instead I allocate an amount of time to tasks so that I can work around my family. As long as I am working on the one topic I am hoping it will give me more momentom.<br />
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Unfortunately at this time I have no idea how to screen shot my mind map but as soon as I do I will be sure to add it to this post.<br />
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So, all in all I feel that the mind map is going to be a great asset to my life its just going to be a matter of the best way to use it.<br />
<br />
If anyone uses another type of automated programme please feel free to share it in the comments section. I would also luv to hear about the reasons why you use a particular system or site.Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-20662635586496880812009-12-02T20:47:00.002+11:002009-12-02T20:48:19.625+11:00Lady of Leisures 10 Ideas for a less stressful ChristmasIf you are having family and friends around for Christmas then why not try a couple of the below ideas.<br />
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1 – The good old Kris Kringle for the adults, and put a limit on the amount you spend on each child.<br />
<br />
2 – It can be hard buying for teenagers who's tastes change all the time, suggest the family give money to the older children, and get the parents to set up a bank account. This will ensure they can't spend it all at once. They can also go shopping for themselves during the boxing day sales.<br />
<br />
3 – Put together a gift basket. <br />
<br />
We received one last year from a family member, it had a number of items and a poem that went with it, it was the most heartfelt pressie I have every received!!<br />
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Try the op-shops, they always have knicknacs that are ideal for gift baskets.<br />
<br />
If your buying for a couple, what about a romantic gift basket, or even a naughty one lol<br />
<br />
4 – Ensure you shop with a list otherwise the pretty lights around a sale price may suck you in then you wonder who the present is going to go to. Also, ensure you know how much you are going to spend on each persons gift and try to only take enough to cover it. This means you will really be on the look out for something special.<br />
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5 – Get everyone to bring a plate to the Christmas gathering, sort out who brings what. You will find you waste less this way, and the hosts of the lunch or dinner are not stressing about their budget.<br />
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6 – Make sure you put money away for the next month so that you aren't wipping out your bank accounts in one day<br />
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7 – If you are an arty kind of person, why not paint or draw something special<br />
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8 – Try to stick to cash payments where possible, don't get so far in debt that its going to take you a year to pay off one days worth of spending<br />
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9 – Give something to someone you don't know.<br />
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Im sure you have all seen the trees outside Kmart etc where you give a gift for a child who may otherwise not receive anything for Christmas. Put a little something under the tree. It only has to cost you a few dollars but it could mean the world to someone else.<br />
<br />
10 – Give the gift of love!! Nothing says I love you like you do!Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-47224652315764240802009-11-22T21:32:00.000+11:002009-11-22T21:32:36.175+11:00Lady Of Lesuire - 3rd week updateWell, the past 3weeks have been very different from my 9-5.<br />
<br />
There have been some ups and downs so far. A lot of my focus has been forced into areas that I may have otherwise not wanted to go or maybe it was from pure arrogance that there wasn't anything wrong. However, the family challenges that have come forth have ensured a response in regards to the main factor of living a balanced life, COMMUNICATION.<br />
<br />
My family is the reason I am doing this so I am evaluating my actions and reactions at home and adjusting them to ensure I am not the cause of any more issues. We are taking our home lives one day at a time at the moment, feeling our way through.<br />
<br />
Since my last post there have been some changes. So where am I currently. <br />
<b>Websites</b><br />
The website date has been moved up to Jan. Im looking to source a web designer who may be willing give of their time and expertise to my site for FREE (Yes I said FREE) in return for some delayed gratification when I am able to pay them.<br />
<br />
<b>Ebay</b><br />
This project is on hold. The time and effort needed to do this does not equal the amount of profit that would come from it.<br />
<br />
<b>ABN Registration</b><br />
This is one of the frustrating parts so far. Ive decided to just ask around online for anyone who has started their online business here in Aus and what legal stuff they had to do.<br />
<br />
<b>Art</b> <br />
Due to all of the above I have neglected my artistic pursuits. Ive only put in a couple of hours over the last 3weeks to my artwork which I hope to increase due to the significant calmness drawing gives me.<br />
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<b>Competitions</b><br />
Dedicated 1hr per night. Its a small every day habit now and a lot of fun when you have to give a 25words or less entry. You really have to use your imagination.<br />
<br />
<b>surveys</b>. I tried this for a week and found it cost me a lot of time, not only filling in the surveys but the amount of spam you get. No doubt there are people making good money off this, but I doubt they are doing it randomly. I suggest if this is an avenue you wish to go down, try to find forums where you can ensure you start out the best way possible and where they have a SCAM section. I found a few, one who rang saying because i filled out a survey I won a holiday but they needed credit card details. Uhhh, NO! So my advise, be carefull!!<br />
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<b>Online Business Portfolio</b> <br />
This has been the most interesting part of the last 3 weeks and one I want to dedicate an entire blog to. What I will say here is that I have been able to cut back on a lot of research due to 2 great sites. http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/ this site was set up by a guy named Pat Flyn. This guy puts it all out there. What hes doing/done and how much hes making each month. If your curious about how he did or even how you could do it please visit his site. Hes very down to earth, shares his life both business and personal and has answered all the questions I have emailed to him. He takes you month by month through his journey to his passion, his family and is very transparent about it. He is a big inspiration for me.<br />
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Ill stop here because I want to do justice to the work Pat is doing and the other resources I am currently using.<br />
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Please, if you have any questions don't hesitate to leave me a comment or send me through an email.<br />
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Live your life with passion!!Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-4439969695676969872009-11-13T09:25:00.000+11:002009-11-13T09:25:03.037+11:00Mind Mapping experimentWell with so much to do and so much information out there I obviously needed a way to gauge and list what steps I needed to take and when. This is something that I know I have not been consistent with however, because of the "Why" I am doing this, I feel that I may be more successful this time around.<br />
<br />
So one of the tools I am going to be using is the Mind Map. Its like a brainstorming illustration. You put your goal or your project in the middle and all the steps that need to be taken branch off from this. <br />
<br />
When I first tried this out, a couple of days ago, I thought it was fantastic. I used it to list the steps I needed to take to work on my Affiliates business. I brain stormed all the things I thought I would need to do and it was a real help to see it all set up like that, much more interesting on the eye then the normal To Do List for me. However, I then decided to do one for all the other things I had planned and in one day I had 5 Mind Maps. Ok, for me, this is overload, lol, I looked at all that paper and went, OMG how on earth is this all going to get done!<br />
<br />
I then thought about maybe putting them all onto one mind map, but of course an A4 piece of paper is not big enough for that many smaller maps. I have therefore decided to get a large sheet of paper and will transfer it all onto to that and put it somewhere that little hands and pens wont be able to reach it yet where I could see it. <br />
<br />
I know there are computer programs out there that you can use to make these mind maps, I run linux on my comp, not by choice however that's just how it is, and any app I have tried to download has fallen by the wayside. So paper it is for me. Although, I suggest that if you can use one of these apps, then try it and let me know how it goes.<br />
<br />
So for the next two weeks I am going to use my big mind map as a tool to set my "To do" schedule. At the end of the first week I will blog how its progressing for me, and at the end of the second week I will blog any tips or tricks I have managed to find during the process. I will also upload the map when I have completed it, a goal that I have set for the weekend.<br />
<br />
I have more blogs for the day, I made a choice to use Friday as my assessment day. I have logged my journey thus far in my new role at home as a "Lady of Leisure" and will sum up each week here in my blog.<br />
<br />
My first blog shows a lot of what I have had in mind and I will relate how each, if any, are progressing Friday nights.<br />
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It is now 9.30am and I am already behind on my schedule so I will move from this to my next planned task and see how many of today's, and yesterdays goals I can achieve.Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024502496340276593.post-44392622698762865902009-11-09T00:16:00.000+11:002009-11-09T00:16:20.515+11:00Blogging - A new learnngWell, when I first decided to blog I thought it would be a good idea to blog online, then atleast im saving on paper and I it wont get lost, drawn on or thrown out by mistake.<br />
<br />
I wrote my first blog with no ideas in mind except to keep it as a to do list, random thoughts and a place to let off some steam. <br />
<br />
However, I am quickly learning that there is alot more to blogging. Blogging can actualy generate an income if done right. This is the line of my current research and experience will prove which works for me and which does not.<br />
<br />
Ive signed up to an associates programe, which is another work for affliates, and I am still trying to work out how it works. Go figure, jump in and dont research and you are soon stuck with something you have no idea how to run. However, in saying this I am determind to find out how I can make it work for me.<br />
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I also signed up to a competitions website for a year, should have my subscription details through by end of next week. I will blog any winnings we have and how I am finding the experience.<br />
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Also, my blogging is going to start taking a different line. Im looking at writing about balance and harmony and how its working for me, but I am also going to use these experiences as a source for an ebook. I am still looking at other ways to generate an income online that are more service related instead of product based but if I have to do both then so be it. At this point in time I am realy ready to do whatever it takes to get to my course next year. Like my job, its a means to an end, however, this time I am more aware that the choices I make about where my money is going will impact the future of my business and therefore I am going into everything questioning if my actions are moving me towards my goal or taking me further away.<br />
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A spending spree on books for personal enjoyment would be taking money away from my goal, I can always borrow them from someone. I just googled book swaps online and there are some in Australia that im going to look at, how cool is that.<br />
<br />
Well, due to the hot weather this week I have planned to clean up a very cluttered corner of my lounge in the morning and doing something fun with my 3yr old. Then we will go do our shopping, clean up the bbq so that we can have that for dinner tomorrow rather than having to cook inside. With this many jobs on the go tomorrow, I may actualy take my son to daycare instead.<br />
<br />
I want to also put together a survey online to ask people what their ideal of a balanced life is for them. So keep an eye out on Face Book, any feedback on this would be much appreciated.Mirika Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751700978985259061noreply@blogger.com0