Today I’m thinking easy ways to make extra money.  Getting a part-time job, working for someone else is one option.

But I gotta tell ‘ya, it’s not the best option.  Especially not in this economy, right?  We’re all a little worried about money — even if we don’t need any.  I know I am.

The truth is I’m doing just fine financially.  And I’m very appreciative of that.  One of the reasons is that I’m self-employed.  In these days I believe that is the key to stability and financial security.

Learn to do something that you can make money at.  One of the things I learned to do a long time ago was sell stuff on eBay. Learning to sell on eBay was one of the smartest things I’ve ever done.

At the time, I was simply desperate. My ex announced he was going to rid our basement, once and for all, of the “junk” down there. He decided to do this one Saturday by taking it all to the dump. I wanted to make a little cash by selling stuff at a garage sale. Back then we even trading aluminum cans in for cash! But it was the dead of winter in Wisconsin. I persuaded him to hold off for a bit and I sold most of those “antiques” ::LOL:: on eBay.

When I had to learn (in desperation) to become an eBay seller, it took some time. If you’re interested, you can go to eBay where you’ll find an overwhelming amount of information about selling and seller’s tools.

You can also get some great free information at the eBay Success Program. They’ll send a free series of videos on eBay marketing that are really worth your time!

Make a list of all the things that you intend to accomplish tomorrow, today. Then, stick to the list. Referring to your list is a big help when you’re feeling an urge to do something that’s really not that important. If something comes up – put it on the list. And when you’ve finished a task, cross it off. I love crossing things off!

As long as we’re talking about lists, here’s another tip. Write down your best estimate of how long a task will take. When I’m feeling squeezed on all sides, it’s a huge relief to see that writing a memo or preparing for a meeting will really only take 15 to 30 minutes.

Go to bed 15-30 minutes earlier than usual. Before you go to sleep, think about the GOOD things that happened today. Then, spend a very few seconds thinking about the good things that you have planned for tomorrow. (I know it’s tempting, but don’t start stressing about tomorrow at this point.)

Wear comfy clothes. Give yourself one work-day a week (or more) where you only wear comfy shoes and clothes that you feel good in. You know the ones – the pants or skirt you can go out to lunch and eat a cheeseburger in without being uncomfortable afterwards.

Finally, grab your headphones and listen to music that makes you say “ahhhh”. I recommend any of the plethora of “new age” music selections. Not only can they soothe your soul, they’re very useful in drowning out unwanted interruptions, both at work and at home.

You know the feeling. You’re at the end of your rope. You want to choke
somebody … or scream … or punch their lights out. But you can’t. Not at work
or at the store or your in-laws’ house. So you blow it off. Maybe smile and
excuse yourself. But inside you are seething.

Here are some tips to help you let off the steam.

1. Remove yourself from the situation. Breathe. Really acknowledge your
anger and how it feels within your body. Don’t run away away
from it. Congratulate yourself on taking steps to deal with your anger.

2. Allow yourself to be angry. Give yourself permission to feel what you feel
and don’t criticize yourself. Your experience is valuable.

3. Realize that anger is not your enemy (and neither is the person or
event you’re angry about). Talk to yourself about your anger
and listen to your internal voice about why it’s there.

4. Respect yourself by letting your anger surface in a safe place.
Punch a pillow, go for a run, yell. Do whatever you need to do
(within reason) to let off the pressure. Once you feel
more centered, remind yourself that you are not your anger.

5. Reach beyond your anger to determine its source. Did you feel threatened
by something? Allow a space for some quiet reflection and listen to your
own internal wisdom. Be gentle with yourself and realize that you’re not
trying to solve anything here, you’re just looking for the true cause of
the angry feeling. Once you determine it, you can decide what to do, if
anything. Often, just realizing the true cause is liberating.

When I was maybe 9 or so, I remember complaining (whining) to my mother “no one likes me.” My mother tried various ways to reassure me that this was not true. I persisted. Finally, in exasperation she said, “Well then make them like you.”

And while I hadn’t a clue how to do that, at least it shut me up. This was the beginning of my personal development journey. Thanks, Mom. Here are a few tricks I’ve learned along the way that will stand anyone in good stead if they are truly interested in being accepted by others.

Be interested in people. Listen to what they have to say. Astonishingly, you can have a conversation with someone and say almost nothing, just listen carefully, and that person will tell others how very smart and perceptive you are.

Be friendly. Say hello first. Do your best to remember a person’s name. That last bit seems trivial, but in fact, it’s huge. Think about it. Aren’t you flattered (and perhaps surprised) when someone remembers your name?

Become Donald Trump rich. People may not like you, but they’ll pretend they do while you’re around.

The teacher will appear. How many times have you heard that? It’s almost mantric (mantra + mega-metric) in proportion.

My friends and I say it all the time. Often in response to one of those Universal life “lessons” (read a not-so-good thing) or when a happy synchronistic experience comes about.

Today this hit me at a higher level.

Experiences that enhance our lives and move us further along our path are absolutely everywhere. The question is, how are we looking at life? Is it possible that everything that’s happening is for my own good? The spilled coffee? The forgotten notebook? The noisy neighbor?

Does the Universe really have me in its laser focus?

I’m going out on a limb here and stating emphatically that it does. YOU are the center of the Universe … Yes, YOU.

Today, as you go about your busy life, try accepting whatever the Universe offers you in a spirit of appreciation for the experience. Turn it over, look in the crevices, give it a poke and see what comes out.

No, I’m not talking about the hit song from Faith Hill. Although I could ramble on about how amazing her voice is. That’s a topic for another day.

Nope, here I’m encouraging you to take 5 big, long gulps of fresh — or even not-so-fresh — air. Diaphragmatic breathing is the technical term, I’m told. Whatever.

Just breathe in through your nose. Fill your lungs from the bottom up. Let it out through your mouth. If you’re not accustomed to this kind of breathing, you may be tired after the first few breaths. That’s OK. Shoot for five full in and out breaths.

Stuck in traffic? Breathe.
Waiting in line at the grocery? Breathe.
You come home to dog poop on the carpet? Breathe — just not too close to the poop!

Have you ever experienced unwanted thoughts recycling in your head over and over on an infinite loop? You want them to stop !!!!! but you can’t figure out how?

Picture something in your head. Simply supplant the unwanted thought with a picture of something you like. Flowers work well for me. I’ve even gone so far as to “assign” different flowers to supplant different unwanted thoughts.

For example let’s say you’re having recurring worrisome thoughts about high gas prices. And let’s say these thoughts are not leading to inspiration about actions you can take to conserve energy or reduce your overall cost for gas.

When the unwanted thought arises, simply envision your favorite flower – an iris perhaps. Or a white daisy. Look at the flower, see its petals, its center. Maybe it’s waving in the breeze. Maybe there are a dozen in a vase. I promise you that, after a while, that flower or whatever you choose as your picture, will offer to pop in your head every time you start to worry about the price of gas.

There was a time when I could not visualize. Talk about frustration! I just couldn’t see pictures in my head. Luckily, I found help in the form of Dr. Lee Pulos. If you’re like me and just can’t do it, or if you want to be better at visualizing, I highly recommend Dr. Pulos’ classic program, The Power of Visualization. This audio program literally changed my life. I can still remember the first time, over ten years ago, I actually “saw” yellow helium balloons in my mind’s eye. What a rush!

]]> http://www.newearthwoman.com/visualization/feed/ 1 http://www.newearthwoman.com/inspiration/ http://www.newearthwoman.com/inspiration/#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:49:33 +0000 Patti http://www.newearthwoman.com/?p=6

Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth” provided inspiration for my blog name. His book, “The Power of Now” had a lovely influence on me. Oprah has certainly been a blessing for Tolle, in terms of his financial success.

I have to wonder, though, how he’s handling the other success – worldwide name recognition. My guess is that he is experiencing a lot of ego-related issues coming up for him. Many opportunities to address what he may have thought he conquered long ago.

I find that to be true with me as well. Just when you think you’ve rid yourself of some habit of thought or action that no longer serves you, you’re provided with Universal lessons that point to the places you missed!