A Good Night Begins with Momentum and Keeping the Ball in Motion

Have you ever been to a football game or another sporting activity where the fans toss a beach ball around to see how far it can make it around the stadium? Did you ever wonder what would happen if no one participated? No - maybe 'cause with all the excitement, people cannot help but be a part of it; perhaps you were one of them. They feel the energy and want to feel the excitement of being part of something bigger than themselves.

Each time you take a step toward or a hit at your beach ball or goal. You are creating motion and with motion comes momentum. Share your goals with others so they can be a part of creating and moving your goal from motion to achievement. Take daily actions to keep the ball in motion. What happens when you stop moving the beach ball around? You need to start all over again and need to regain the momentum every time you stop and start. Your daily actions have greater impact than just doing something once in a while. Maybe you need to hug your kids one more time each day or pay attention to your finances and spending patterns each day so you can create an awareness and an intention to keep your goal or beach ball in motion.

When you focus on your goals every day, before you know it, you will have achieved them due to the daily actions and choices. Where your energy goes, momentum will follow. It takes time to get the beach ball around the stadium but with consistent effort it makes its way around. Hear the crowd roar - you did it! You reached your goal! You will have a reason to celebrate because it is going to be a GOOD NIGHT!

I Beg Your Pardon...You Wanted a Rose Garden?

Every year I nurture a rose garden near my deck. I laugh because I use to think roses smelled like the air fresheners that you put in the bathroom near your toilet bowl, so your bathroom smelled like a porcelain bowl of roses. Now times have changed....I do not buy rose air fresheners. Instead, I have the real thing..aahhh much better. White roses are my favorite!

My parents' song as a couple has always been I Beg Your Pardon I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Lynn Anderson. My father plants and nurtures a rose garden for my mother as a reminder of this song so I guess that's why I now do the same. What's so special about a rose? Not only is it a symbol of love (good times) but if you note there are also thorns (bad times or failures) on roses. No matter what thorns (mistakes/failures) you encounter along the way, you are sure to receive abundance and beauty as you nurture the rose garden of your life with consistency and care. Rose love moisture and sunlight. The energy brings forth beautiful blooms of flowering results. It is how you get through those times, that makes your stronger, more resilient, and more courageous than you have ever thought.



If you are feeling like something in your life is not going as it should for you right now, nurture it with love and energy. You have the resources available to you to move through it and you do not need to do it alone. Ask for the help you need to get a project done. Soon enough you will be smelling real roses from the garden in which you sow. Stop and smell your roses of success!

Are You Tweeting Better?

Every day I learn new things that can also make another person's life better. I know for some people social media can be a bit awkward and maybe even downright confusing. Hence, books like "Twitter for Dummies" and "Twitter Marketing: An Hour a Day" were born. Where there is a need or "pain", there is invention and innovation. I have been playing around a bit with Twitter the past couple weeks and experimenting with some things that I have learned about - maybe you would like to increase your Twitter following. Here's some tips on how:

1. Profile Photo - Ensure you post a clear photo of yourself, preferably a close up. People tend to follow faces more than they do logos. Faces are more personable unless you are media or big brand names like Pepsi or Coca-Cola.
2. Biography - Provide a short description of yourself, what are your unique qualities? Why would people want to follow you? What can they relate to? Read some profile bios for ideas.
3. Follow People with Similar Interests - You can connect with people who are like-minded and also see who is following them. You may also want to connect with some of their followers too.
4. Retweet - When watching the tweets on different pages you may notice RT, RT means that someone has retweeted someone else's message.
5. Keep It Short & Sweet - Tweets have a content maximum of 140 characters. Leave at least 20-30 characters free so that people can reply or retweet your message.
6. Be a Value Tweeter - Tweet about topics relevant to your subject area or expertise. Provide shortened links (bit.ly or tiny.url) to valuable information such as articles, tips, tools, or techniques.
7. Use # hashtags - Hashtags are like a filing system or a categorization of topics. For example, #quote can be used at the end of a quote. After you post the quote, you can go to your tweet and click on #quote to see who else is posting quotes. You may want to retweet or follow tweeters  that resonate with you.
8. #FollowFriday or #FF - On Fridays, fellow tweeters suggest people that others should follow. Great content - great followers.
9. Unfollow Inactive Users - Tweeter Karma is a tool in which you can unfollow inactive users so you can follow people who are active on Twitter. There is an acceptable ratio of followers and following so you are better to have active users on your list.
10. Track Your Progress - Twitter Counter is another useful tools for predicting your Twitter growth but it also allows you to discover what tweeters value from you and others. What are the hot topics of conversation?

Two Extras!

1. Remember once it is out there, it is out there! ONLY tweet what you would say face to face.
2. Learn the rules.

There is so many other tips and tricks to the skill of navigating social media. Create a conversation, sign up for newsletters, and connect with others. Follow me on Twitter @debrakasowski

Quitting Is Not An Option Honey!

Achieving your goals and realizing your ultimate potential are the greatest gifts of personal fulfillment. When challenges arise, many people quit their pursuits because they appear too difficult. Challenges are meant to define us. You may have heard the saying that some people quit, not realizing that they are only minutes away from achieving success. If you knew the exact moment that your success would arrive, would you work as hard to achieve it? Would you put forth the same effort, determination, and commitment or would it become an expectation?  Some people may work with anticipation and others may kick back waiting for success to come to them. The ones who work diligently with persistent effort will prevail. There may be times of frustration when you may question yourself, "At what point, do I quit pursuing what I want?" The answer is easy. Quitting is never an option.

What does quitting achieve? Quitting is a self-defeating act unless you are quitting something that is unhealthy like smoking, gambling, or another form of addiction. Making changes achieves more. Quitting is to stop whereas change creates momentum. Do not see changing your journey as quitting but as a decision to do something different that helps you maximize your potential and live your life with passion and zest.

How will you know when it is time to change? When you are clear on what it is you to want to achieve, you will have a burning desire to continue until you achieve what you set out to get. When you have lost your passion and desire to go after your dream or goal, it is time to reflect and decide if what you are doing is serving you or even helping you live to your full potential.

Changing your direction with clarity and conviction will change the course of your life. You will start to see a path lit for you. When obstacles occur, they do so to challenge your desires. Quitting does not serve you or others but changing your direction to one of passion and fulfillment will. People will want to share in your passion and help you achieve your goals. Quitting is not an option nor is it a solution.

"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."

 - Conrad Hilton

Great Idea Maybe I Should Check in with My Friends First or Not?

Have you ever noticed that when you need a reminder or a kick in the pants, it shows up? Literally, I was reminded to keep focussed on my goal and to not be distracted by shiny objects or distractors. What I mean by distractors is unsolicited advice. Colleen Francis, President and Founder of Engage Selling Solutions spoke at our Canadian Association of Professional Speakers - Edmonton Chapter meeting recently and shared excellent advice for all. I couldn't wait to write about what I learned.

Colleen Francis & Debra Kasowski

No matter what your goal or dream is, you need to continue to take steps toward it; even when you are unsure if everything will work out. How will you ever know if you never try? People will always have their own take on whatever it is your dream or goal may be. Remember it is their interpretation from their own experiences and not yours. Colleen stressed that advice should only be considered from "people you respect and who have been there." People who have been there can share their successes, mistakes, and their take aways with you so you can learn from them.  As for the others she said, "Don't listen, if you want to do it, DO IT!"

So you have a great idea...how many people do you have to check in with before you take steps toward it. Several people check in with family and friends only to be dismayed with their lack of understanding, support, or enthusiasm. Who it really should matter to, is you. Here are some of the steps that Colleen suggested when trying out new ideas:

1. IMPLEMENTATION Create your plan of action and implement it to the best of your ability. 
2. TEST Test your ideas and make adjustments where necessary.
3. EVALUATE RESULTS Did your ideas work? Maybe you need to make more adjustments by adding something or taking something away or perhaps you have to try something completely different.

I am sure you have tons of ideas waiting to be implemented but you may be hesitating to act on them for the fear of failing or being rejected. How do you know you will fail? Maybe your success comes when you think you know you will fail and you are WRONG! You could just hit the jackpot!

Now that would be something to celebrate, go out and try your ideas. Keep focussed on your end game.

Who Are You Counting On?

As you grab your things for the day and take one last look in the mirror, do you say to yourself - "I love my life" or do you say "I never signed up for this life; someone give me another one." The person in the mirror is you. You are responsible for your actions and you are accountable for your results. Do you catch yourself complaining, blaming others, or making excuses for your current situation? You may not even realize that you do it. Make yourself aware of how often you do this by keeping track of all the times you do it so you can change it.

You have helped create the situation you are in today. You may not be able to control the weather or the stock market but you can control what actions you take to change your current situation. Have you ever tried to change someone else? Were you successful? Probably not. The reason is because you cannot change the action of others. You can only control and change your own actions. Own your power! When you complain, blame others, and make excuses for the results of your current situation, you are moving farther away from your desired results. You are giving away your power to do anything about the situation.

You release your power when you make statements like:

·          "It's not my job."

·         "I cannot do anything about it."

·         "I don't have time."

·         "I didn't know"

You have the power to make a change by being accountable.

Change your statements to "I can" or "I will." Make time for what matters to you. Own your power and create the life you desire. The next time you look in the mirror say, "I can count on you! I love my life!"

Discovering Your Brand

I recently attended my colleague's launch party of her new directory of activities you could do with your family in Alberta. What a great success it was! As I was thumbing through the directory, I saw some pictures of Alberta's landmarks even one from my hometown of Mundare, Alberta - The "Sausage Capital".

That's Right! The Stawnichy's Meat Processing Plant is well known for its sausage and other Ukrainian foods. The sausage is the brand. Even though you may think this statue is kind of quirky - it gets people's attention and they know about it. There are many other small towns that have made their mark on the road map - Glendon, Alberta has a perogy on a fork, Andrew, AB a Mallard Duck, and Vegreville has the world's largest Easter Egg - The Psyanka. You can bet -you want to catch that Easter Bunny. Even the Queen came here!

Really when it comes down to it, it is about their brand. When someone mentions Mundare, people think of sausage. Your personal brand is important too. When people talk about you or your business, what do they think of or say. You want them to remember you. 

What do you want them to say or think about you or your business?

What do you want them to know and remember about you?

How do you make people feel? 

Are you the solution to a problem 

or an expert on a certain topic?

What makes you unique?

You want to be known and remembered for your personal brand. Do your marketing materials reflect your brand?

Everything you touch, turns to your brand!

Excuse Me Rango...Are You Ready to Take the Lead?

Every exciting story has a hero or a heroine that conquers some sort of conflict which leads to an important self-discovery. This past weekend, my family and I went out for a family movie night with popcorn, pop, and friends. It is something we have not done in a long time and it was long overdue. We went to see the movie "Rango" featuring Johnny Depp as the lead character. In a traditional Johnny Depp style, he played a smooth swaggering gentleman or I should say lizard who questions his purpose in life. "Who am I?" is a question stated through the movie. He practices taking on several roles and personas until he finds the best one.

You can be so many things! The world truly is your stage. You have so many dreams, goals, and stories to share with the world. Yet deep down, sometimes there's a part of you that may say, "What do I know?" or "Can I truly do that?" Absolutely you can. Whether you realize it or not, you are the heroine or the hero that people look up to in your story. Your purpose is a piece of the puzzle in so many other people lives as well as your own. Children, spouses, friends, and colleagues depend on you to carry out your role of being you. You may not always understand or believe in your significance to others but you need to know you are significant. You are a hero or heroine. If you try to walk out of your story, the story ends. Ultimately, the story becomes a tragedy because so many people are waiting for you to take the stage and live the life you were meant to live and play a part in their story.

One of the greatest lessons and reminders the movie "Rango" gave me was: You cannot walk out on your story and no one else can change the plot of your story. What would you like your story to be like? Write down your storyline. Ask yourself the following questions:

· What type of lifestyle would I like to live?
· Who are the other characters I would like to have in my life?
· What defining characteristics do I have that allow me to play the lead?
· What is my purpose?
· How can I discover it?
· How can I share it?
· What is the message that I wish to remembered for?

As the actor or actress, "act as if you already are" in the role and soon enough you will realize that you are. Walk the walk. Talk the talk. Don't walk away from the door of opportunity for that is where your story begins. Are you ready to take the lead on stage? The people are waiting.

Get Out There Gals!

The fear of public speaking can paralyze some people, however, your message is important.