An Awakening

There comes a time when we all have those eye-opening moments in life where we question the decisions we made in the past and grieve over the impact that they have made on our present day. We think of what we could be doing differently. We are disturbed at what our negative actions may have done to others...So many thoughts, so little time!

I realize that I am at a place in my life that some would call perimenopause -- the change before THE CHANGE. Every now and then, what seems good and looks good on Monday is not good and never was good by Friday. Gray hair is annoying to me. A bloated belly makes me cringe. Older men that once looked handsome to me just look old. Lines are beginning to show up on my face that weren't there a couple of years ago. Strange feelings, odd pains, and maybe a little voice that whispers, "Take a vitamin, seek out an herbal remedy, and when did you last exercise?" has now shown up. Whether it's hormones, stress, or the sun just not shining as bright from one day to the next, who knows? But the great thing about mid-life changes, you aren't that naive, fearful immature "think you know everything" brat that you once were in your twenties -- can I get an Amen!? Oh, I see them the twenty-something or early thirty-something who knows everything. Whether she is single, childless, godless, or irritable, she doesn't want to hear what anyone has to say! Although there are those who have yet to grow out of that mentality ( forties, fifties, and sixties) I am not talking about them today.

In midlife (thirty-something,) for some, there is now room in between your ears to really listen to what your elders have to say and appreciate their nuggets of wisdom rather than sigh and roll your eyes. Chances are you will be back to doing that in your forties while pushing them into a nursing home (LOL!) During your early mid-life season, there is usually a little more money in your pocket to do something meaningful with your life other than buy material items that tear, break or go out of style and crap that will only end it up in the toilet! (Someone out there reading this can relate!)

So I welcome thirty-something each year that I get closer and closer to forty-something. Who knows what I will be doing next? As the brain matures hopefully one will get a little bit more wiser!

Be blessed!

Nicholl

Dangerous Thinking

To expound upon my point of "thinking can be dangerous especially when it affects the lives of others" from the last blog post, on a broader scale I have to talk about our government.

Now usually I will shy away from talking about those in leadership, there is a scripture in the Bible (Romans 13) that keeps most believers' mouths under control. But I have to step outside the religious dogma and just say, "I am not a mind-controlled slave" and neither should you be. What do I mean? I mean the kind of person who will not do the following: question anything, challenge authority on lies, take a stand (go along just to get along,) and fight distractions or fleshly temptations that are designed to get him or her to not think. The mind controlled slave says things like, "Your crazy, I don't believe it. Stop reading so much. Don't you have something better to do besides think. I don't worry about anything. I never thought of that." It's one thing to be a slave to your job (you need to pay bills,) but it's quite another thing to allow your master to enslave your mind too!

I watch the television commercials, see the banner ads, go to the mailbox and see advertisements everywhere telling me, "Buy my product!" Even when you attend church, there is someone asking you for money. So I started paying more attention to what my government has been asking of me lately, "Serve me!" is the message I see. There is an old agenda being repackaged again and again wanting all of us to do more for government (the elite foreigners.)

President Obama's change message during his presidential campaign was nothing more than a celebrity endorsement for New World Order products. We were being set up for what is to come: volunteering for government testing, spying, fighting, recruiting, investing and more! Your time will not be your own before long. As for your money, it was never yours because by the time your thought process was manipulated by the media or bullied by self-serving groups, you gave it away to pay for yet another over-hyped and overpriced good!

Now I am all for helping out my government (I was indoctrinated many years ago with the patriotic gospel thanks to my deceased aunt's affiliations and the many guys in my family that served in the U.S. military,) but what's in it for me? I mean what will our government give my family and I besides everything we didn't ask for? We want money to buy and maintain a quality house that comes with a backyard within walking distance from a town in a nice school district. We need the financing to go into business for ourselves. We want what those who went before us got -- an American dream! We have been Americans for centuries, yet what do we get, a form to fill out at the welfare office when no one is hiring. It doesn't matter that my families blood, sweat and tears, just like yours, help build this nation! But yet, I am accused of being prejudice when someone who can barely speak English gets special privileges.

The wind of change has been blowing for some time now whistling, "Order out of chaos!" But is that what our government really wants? I mean from my vantage point I see what the old school folks have been telling me for years, "The rich is only getting richer!" A voice in the back of my mind screams, "Fight the power!" How can you fight something without the numbers or the money? That kind of thinking I know falls into the elitists' trap. They want you to feel powerless. Day and night they write legislation that is so long no man could read it all especially in a span of a few hours before voting on it. They push for their causes deceptively or in plain site while most of the dumbed-down populace laughs at a movie while seated on their comfy sofa eating popcorn.

I don't know about you, but I am starting to feel like we are indeed moving toward the end of some comfortable once good ole' day times of the red, white and blue into something dark and sinister designed to wipe the middle class and the impoverished good and bad off this planet in record time! Some groups and individuals are simply fed up with business as usual. For them, they are tired of parasites -- people who eat off of others hard work. I can agree with that point to a certain extent. But what I can't go along with is the tampering of one's belief system in a God who has brought so many peace in both their personal and professional lives. Maybe this is really why the elite is working so hard to get their agendas fulfilled, they are tired of God and everything related to him.

Each day many rich, evil elderly men and women are dying. Why would they care about you or me? I think they know that hell waits for them (they have seen the visions, had the dreams) so why not recruit some people to go down with them?

Nicholl McGuire
Truth Revealed...

I Was Just Thinking...

Thinking is dangerous when it means that it will affect others' lives. Case in point, this summer I created a timeline of all sorts of activities to keep my four active and at times very temperamental boys occupied. Of course, some of those activities would slightly inconvenience the man of the house like sometimes he will have to be at home with two of the boys and he will have to make his and their meals. To his silent response with a slight negative disposition, all I could say was, "We will all need to step up to the plate!"

You see, when you are a creative mind, like I am, day after day of television watching is a "No can do!" especially when you have children who are growing mentally, physically and spiritually everyday! As I write, I think of the actress, Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex in the City 2, explaining to her husband (Big) in the movie about how she didn't want them to become an old boring couple who was always at home watching television. Well, that's the way I feel especially with children! Our family isn't always on the go, but we aren't always in the same room with television blaring irritating one another either!

There is a time for all things. So I try to keep all things balance -- a little of this and a little of that. No activity is meant to be forever. No movie is meant to be watched a zillion times. No food is meant to be cooked every week. No park visit is everyday! I personally believe when you start making something routine, a tradition, or an everyday occurrence (unless of course it is a paid job,) you fall out of love with it!

Maybe that's why relationships don't last, there is no balance between togetherness and freedom to allow for people to just be. Oh well, maybe that's why children don't get along with parents, because it's always the same ole' same ole' "How was your day?"


Nicholl McGuire

Help For Your Mom Blog - A Beginners Guide

I thought this article would be helpful to my readers who have a parenting blog or just beginning one. I have one (http://whenmotherscry.blogspot.com) I have used most of these tips in the past and they do work, but do remember it's a slow process!

So you are either starting your Mom Blog or you have been blogging for a couple months now. At this point you are wanting to know how to become a much larger blogger than you are so that you can make a living or even some extra change in your pocket to support your habit. There are quite a few resources out there but you want to take baby steps first, eventually you will become better at what you are doing and reaching newer and better heights with your blog.

First things first is you want to buy your own domain name. While this may only confuse you and you don't want to spend the money on what you may only consider as a hobby now, it is truly worth it. It allows you to brand your blog and even turn it into a site rather than a customized journal running off another persons juice. Just remember when this is all confusing what is yours should be yours.

Next thing is to consider going over to your own web hosting service. This goes right along with buying your own domain and giving you full control over what is yours. If you do end up making the splash into a self hosting blog, consider using WordPress as your blogging platform. I use it myself and it gives me full control over my site and what I want on my site not limited to it's content. WordPress even offers plugins to optimize search engine optimization, ad revenue and more.

The next think you want to look into, social networking and social bookmarking sites. Both of these will prove to be invaluable when promoting your blog, branding your blog, creating back links and more. Some of the most popular and user friendly of these are: Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Reddit, Stumbleupon and Delicious. These you can also incorporate into blogs posts giving your readers an easy way to share your content.

Up next is to comment on other blogs you find by search through blog search sites. This is a great way to build up your networking and make friends along the way. There are sites too that are Mom Blog Communities that you can join to build friendships, network and increase awareness of your own site. There are also directories focused on niches such as Mom Blogs that you can submit your rss feed and website to.

Now that you have begun the simple steps of increasing traffic and awareness to your site, you can begin researching how to increase the revenue from your site and become the blogger you want to be.

Brittany Hudson-Greer can be found blogging at her own mom blog - The Greer 5 http://thegreerfive.com. Where she discusses everything from kid friendly products to controversial topics.

Networking Events

I don't mind the invites to various events, but if you are seriously trying to recruit people wouldn't you provide the transportation at least to the first event?

I get invites from mothers, business people, relatives, and strangers on the street to go to all sorts events from flea markets to church gatherings. Its all well and good, but you would think after the person quickly interviews you and finds out you have four children, no babysitter, and one vehicle (that unfortunately can't hold everyone) that they would at least say, "I will take you, no problem!" You see, I am usually not sold on invites from strangers immediately anyway, because I am simply cautious of most people. I have found that there is always an agenda behind an agenda with some of these network recruiters (including some churchgoers) which usually involves giving someone money, service or both.

I think what frustrates me the most about these "recruiters" is that they are more concerned about "the numbers," "the money" and whatever else they are trying to push than the person. How many of these recruiters have asked me, "How are you doing?" or "Let's go out to lunch!" You can't blame people for the following like: finding every excuse in the world not to attend your event, ignoring your phone calls or turning their head when they see you. Your first impression made the difference to them. As far as they are concerned, they may have seen a nice person at first who genuinely liked he or she only to find out that you were more concerned about this person attending your event than getting to know them. (Didn't Jesus share who he was first rather than worry over people following him?) The person may have sincerely thought about going to your event only to find out you fail to return calls or return them way too late, don't give them enough time to get ready for your spontaneous invites, realize you don't have adequate transportation to get yourself to the event much less help them get there, you make promises you don't keep and the worse yet, you are running your mouth about the person without knowing anything about them! Stereotypes hold very little truth once you get to know someone!

Since I have received numerous let-downs from well-meaning recruiters -- I mean people, I think I have made the conscientious decision to create my own event complete with me, myself and I, as for meeting in person, well that's why we have Twitter now don't we?

New Book for Father's Day by Nicholl McGuire

You may have stopped at the greeting card aisle of a drug store seeking a card for your dad for his birthday, father's day or some other holiday and ended up settling on one that really didn't express how you really feel about him or opting out of buying him a card. It just doesn't seem right that every year a holiday comes up celebrating your father and/or the father of your children (some of you reading this have those too,) you just don't want to do anything. "Why bother?" You say. "It's not like he cares or would change his evil ways!" That's exactly why I wrote this book, because I want adult children as well as teens to express how they sincerely feel about their fathers while he is still young enough to do something about it and while you are still able to express your hurts.

I have personally witnessed the sons and daughters of fathers who waited too late to find their peace concerning their childhood issues and vice versa. It's so sad! Then later in life, they are passing on their regrets to their own unsuspecting family. Some grief-stricken sons and daughters end up acting like the very men they resent! In some twisted way their minds think that they are close to their fathers by acting like them in negative ways! We can all choose to stop the negative cycle of abuse by acknowledging our own pain, making right wrongs we have bestowed on our children (no matter how bad -- please do forgive yourself!) and most of all sitting down with the man who hurt you and asking him questions. Whatever way you choose to find the peace you seek so that you can move on, know that someone out here understands! Please do get my book by clicking the widget below and I pray it will help bridge the gap in your relationship with your father (or the father of your children with is own) this Father's Day and many more to come!

Nicholl

What I Need Fr...

By Nicholl McGuire

Book Preview

Know When to Write, Know When Not to

The Internet makes it extremely easy to write just about anything our little hearts desire, so with that you may write good, bad, or evil.

I was thinking about my purpose, my role in this life. I realize the length of my days aren't very long. The average human being lives well into their late 70s that's if he or she eats right, exercise, have good genes, live in a great community, etc. but compare that to the hundreds of years people lived in the Holy Bible, and that's not very long. Anyway with knowing the reality of my short existence on planet earth, I understand the significance of what action and inaction with a gift (also known as a calling, destiny or purpose) can and can't do. It can backfire and hurt if one should let it. Resulting in an individual abandoning his or her gift forever. It can elevate if a person cultivates his or her gifting. It can motivate one into other things if the individual tweaks his or her calling.

I have been a writer since I was nine years old, penning my first poems and jotting down notes in my diaries over the years (which I am not all that proud of, but I digress.) With knowing what my role is as a writer, just like a minister of a church preaching, I must be careful to write the words just as they were meant to be whether they are meant to encourage, persuade, convict, love, etc. I haven't always wrote my best and at times I was confused myself by something I wrote, but I thank God for his mercy and the opportunity for him to come into my own life to make a difference, so that I could help others as well.

Although Twitter, Blogger, MySpace, Facebook, Black Planet and many other social networking and blog tools are quite nice, they can also be very deadly. I don't suggest anyone write anything anywhere on the Internet including comment sections when they are in a bad mood, hormonal, confused, forgot to take their medication, had a few too many drinks, or even on a spiritual high after coming from church. The reason is we are held accountable especially as believers for everything we say (or don't say - that's another subject.)

There are times that a woman shouldn't speak just like a man shouldn't including on the Internet. Not everything that is in our hearts and minds should be told. We are so quick to type off a message not realizing the person on the other side of the world is indeed a being with feelings.

Sometimes there are some profound things that we read and write and the power we later experience is beyond words. There are those that may not receive our words well and may become easily angered. Does that mean we are to quit writing? No. The way I see it sometimes you win some and sometimes you lose some. I just pray for those who go on and on about what they don't like about what I wrote and why I am not worthy of saying this or that. I don't work for people, I work for my God who is also a God to many others as well. True believers are all on one accord. We know what the other means even if it isn't articulated in the best way. I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ who are out there fighting the good fight with their words!

We must be mindful of the God we serve and know when the time is right to write, just like when we sit before men and women in-person. We must avoid the following temptations: write about subjects that we know nothing about (no matter how many hits we can get,) lie, steal others' material, or say something without knowing all the facts. We can usually determine when something is not good to write about when we are in a ball of confusion ourselves about the matter.

May God bless all of you who tweet, blog, comment, survey, and/or review!

Nicholl McGuire

Personal Attraction, does it exist?

I thought this article was worth noting on my site since I couldn't say it better myself, tell me if you agree.

Do you find yourself banging your head against the situations that keep going on and on? Are you caught up in a revolving door going around and around? When you take a good look at where you are in life, do you think you should be doing something else?

Not to long ago, I stopped and reviewed my goals. But there are some days when I feel very frustrated. I feel like I am spinning my wheels in the mud. You might be thinking that I am a dreamer... or at least crazy. Well? I'm crazy enough to pursue my dreams. I definitely have BIG dreams.

I feel blessed! Because I have challenge each and everyday to be conquered, I face everyday with excitement and passion.

I'm doing what I truly love. I love interact with people. Life is wonderful just because of the fact I'm alive, compared to the horrors we see out there. I am successfully pressing on to greater things. But I have had my share of frustration along the way.

Well, unlike many who are too busy trying to make a living instead of projecting a life, I took the time to examine what I might be doing wrong.

Let me tell you something: To busy doesn't mean you are successful, just because you're busy doesn't mean prosperity. In fact, if you are to busy, probably you don't have time to make real money at all!!!

So I discovered myself doing my things in the opposite way what I really desired. And that may be your problem, too. Let me explain.

Let say you are the owner of a big field, and you sow an olive seed, but you're thinking to reap grapes. But it seems as though that is exactly what we are trying to do when it comes to aligning the seeds in our minds versus the harvest we want as a result.

You have to see it done on the unseen field first, than you'll have on your hands right on time. Seeds of doubt and fear planted in our minds can reap their own sort of crop. If you wake up doubting whether you will make it or not, it doesn't matter how much you have done for the day, you will not make much progress. You must believe!

We can't afford to let people dump their frustrations and other negative opinions in our heads. Don't you dare let them do that to yourself, get over it!

Fear is like a weed. Once there, will grow and fight against the good in you. Don't let it suffocate you. You must saturate your mind with good until you have your goal turned reality. God never lets us down. We let ourselves down. Does that make sense to you?

Growing in online home business
isn't something that just happens to the lucky or to the people who are very talented. It happens to the person that sees the opportunity and goes for it.

Project yourself five years from now. Where would you want to be in life? If you like the reading and have a deep desire to change or improve your entire life for good. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to invite you to join us on this journey of success. We have a Step-by-Step blue print done just for you.

Surround yourself with positive and successful people.

I wish you the best SUCCESS!

Silvio Marques

So I'm Hearing A Song in My Head...

With this month being National Poetry Month, it seems that the creative spirit seems to be on a bit of a high for me. I wrote two songs this month and now I am just sitting on them. That's right letting them marinate like a steak.

One song I hear a rocker in my head singing it and the other an R&B singer. I thought about submitting them to songwriting contests, but I am undecided. Has this ever happened to you? What did you do?

Newbie Affiliate Marketers: Listen Up!

For years I have been making pennies, dimes, nickels, and dollars through various ventures on the Internet. There are many things that have changed over the years especially with affiliate marketing. It seems the more someone says, "How it easy it is to make money..." The harder it becomes online. Posting your affiliate links everywhere just isn't like it use to be!

Restrictions on Craigslist

You can't use the short bit.ly, the tiny or the short urls without a warning coming up.

Anything and everything being called, "Spam!"

If you post your url on Twitter, it just might be alerted as "Spam" to the site that hosts your url especially if you have it on an automatic scheduler. It's best just to cloak your link and limit how many times it shows up throughout the day.

Classified ads

There was a time that you could list your products and affiliate links galore, but now there are limits, restrictions, rules and regulations! Some sites charge additional fees to include your url with your ad or some have simply done away with business opportunity sections.

Yahoo Answers

Put your affiliate link on this site like some of those outdated videos suggest and your account will be suspended.

Feel free to comment on changes you noticed as well.

I Like MyLikes

This week I was introduced to yet another company looking for people to help them promote their businesses. I guess it pays to look at your direct messages sometimes. The guy told me about MyLikes, a site that allows you to post links to everything you like on the Internet. Well that got my attention since I frequent many sites seeking answers to questions, research for articles, compare prices on products and more. I thought some of you who would like to keep all the things you like on one website as well as make your likes available to others would appreciate it! MyLikes

Writers and Photographers are Always Needed!

One day while surfing the net I stumbled upon a great site that helps anyone who is seeking someone to write, edit, desktop publish, take photos, or record for their upcoming projects. To be more specific, wedding planners.

As you and I know there is always something that needs to be done when planning a wedding. I created a blog that helps the do-it-yourself type. I thought it is worth mentioning on this blog since I know some of you are like me, go-getters, always looking for extra cash! I included a site that connects the creative person with the project. So check it out and let me know what you think. Wedding Planning Projects

A Source for Publishing Your Book

There are many places that will publish books these days, including this one I found. I thought those of you who are interested in going with a company that has all the bells and whistles and have a little money to invest in your project will appreciate this one. Click on the following link:

Strong Women Just Aren't Popular with Insecure Men

When you are a woman who stands for what she believes in and will not back down because someone has told you, "You shouldn't say that...watch your tone...you can scare a man a way acting like that" you are deemed a b*tch and if you raise your voice with tears in your eyes then you are called a crazy b*tch! Welcome to my world!

I write impactful articles and at times I don't come across as one who is "nice, sweet, and a beautiful person." When a person is agonizing over an issue, but aren't ready to let go and let God, they don't like a person such as me. They look for flaws in everything from my writing to my personality in order to shut what I am saying down! They will even go so far as threaten my life! The Internet world is comprised of many hypersensitive, stubborn, miserable people who want advice but when it isn't wrapped with a nice bow all the time, they reject the gift!

When you are a strong woman whether on or offline, and I am not talking about a sista with an attitude, but a woman who has boundaries and sees people for who they really are even when they don't want to share much about themselves, you are considered a threat! People don't like to be exposed and many are not transparent on or off the Internet! They work real hard to get you to believe in their lies from sales people to world renown ministers! They study you to find your weaknesses and when they realize they can't penetrate your emotions to get you to do what they want, then they don't like you! They will say you are "a trouble-maker," "crazy," "off your rocker" and other similar statements.

A man who doesn't like women especially hates a strong woman! An insecure man hates a strong woman. He is often worried that she will step out on him, because he isn't living up to the words that are coming out of his mouth. A macho man hates a strong woman because he doesn't want to risk being hen-pecked. There are many weak men who desire strong women as if they will complete them when they won't. If anything these type of men learn that strong women require them to work in many aspects of their lives, both personal and professional, and if he isn't the type that wants to make a change, he is off looking for a weak woman.

So if you are a strong woman reading this wondering why you just can't seem to keep a man consider the kind of men who are attracted to you. If you are a woman having troubling swaying the people at your workplace to do something you know is good for the company, consider this, you may have a long history of standing up for what's right and people may be growing weary with going along with your ideas no matter how great they are. Some people will not support you just because they are tired of you being right so often! Even a strong woman's own children can be a problem to her especially if they are just not convinced that their mother knows best!

So with all that said, I encourage both the strong women and men out there to not allow others to keep you from speaking truth, but at the same time be prayerful! Continue to read the wise words of the Bible if you are a believer and God bless!

Sometimes We Forget to Set Goals

I will be the first to admit that every project I get involved in I don't always set goals especially if it isn't long-term. I came across this great article, I thought I would share:

How to Set Your Goals - Step by Step

By Kristen Burgess

You know that goal setting is very important. It helps you stay focused, keeps your productive, and you feel great when you achieve your goals. But if you've never set goals, or if you've set a lot of goals and haven't achieved them, setting goals can seem really overwhelming.
It should not be hard to set goals. It does require thought and effort, but it's not hard. You may need to set aside several hours or even a whole day to think about things and start solidifying some goals.
Start when you have some time to think. It's good to begin by thinking about where you are in your life. This isn't really the time to think about your regrets and mistakes - or where you could have been if you hadn't made those mistakes. This is the time to think just about where you are now. It's a time to "take stock of the situation."
Now that you've considered your situation, think about how you'd like to change that. Where would you like to be in your life next year? How about five years from now? What about ten years from now? Just brainstorm some things you'd like to have. What kind of money do you want to be making? What kind of job do you want? Would you like to travel somewhere in that time? What is your home or family like?
Just write several of your goals down now. It's good to include some short term ones and some long term ones. You can include concrete goals like "I want to live in a four bedroom home in my favorite neighborhood." You may also want to include some like "I am a happy person" which are not quite so concrete.
Now pick out a few goals that you really want to focus on. If you're unsure about things you can just start with a few. Do pick some that are more short term along with a long term one or two.
It's time to plan out your goals. Look at your goal and "work backwards." Think about what will need to happen for you to achieve that goal. I recommend you think about three months, or ninety days in the future. Where do you need to be, three months from now, to be on-target for that goal?
What knowledge will you need to have? What steps will you need to have taken? Write these things down under your goal. Now think about what it will take to get to that point? Make a list of actionable steps. "Actionable" means it's something you can actually do that will get you one step closer to your goal.
It's OK if these steps are "easy" in the beginning. They may involve simple research. For instance, if you want to own a four bedroom home within the next two years, you may start your goal planning by listing "research how mortgages work" as an action step.
This "information gathering stage" is often a first step for goals, and it's a good thing to start with. It gives you a pretty easy way to cross something off your list as "accomplished" and know that you're making real progress.
There will be steps beyond research, however. You may know what they are right away. Sometimes you'll need to do your research and knowledge gathering before you know what you need to do next. That's OK too. Just come back to your goal sheet when you've finished your research.
Reviewing your goals every four weeks or so is a good idea. Breaking them into 4-week chunks of action steps makes it easy to accomplish your steps and stick with your goal. It also allows you to modify your plan as you work through it and learn things you didn't know about before.
Sit down and think about your goals, then develop your action steps. These steps will be the plan that takes you from where you are now to where you'd like to be - one leap forward at a time.

Who Am I? Writer and Mother Nicholl McGuire Introduces Herself & Online Business
Sometimes readers want to know a little more about the person behind the scenes who is writing the material that they read. I am taking this opportunity to share a little bit about me and what I do. Enjoy! http://nichollmcguire.blogspot.com
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Nicholl McGuire's Contributor Profile - Associated Content

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Bit by the Acting Bug - Again!

Every now and then there is this little bug that bites me. Once his venom flows through my blood I have a sudden desire to want to act. Okay so I exaggerate a tad, but the truth is that around this time of year I get in the mood to act. Knowing full well I hate the fear that grows in my belly every time I do it and the many eyeballs that look at me when I do it, yet I still desire it anyway.

Its been almost eight years now since I have stood before a live audience. These days I perform behind the scenes. I read copy for websites, record my poetry online, and stage performances using my children around the house. I guess these things will suffice for now. However, I picture myself in the future doing something around the community like this older woman I met once. We performed in a play together. She was such an inspiration and I fed off her energy. She took acting seriously and when I asked her why she did it, she said, "It gets me out the house. It makes me feel young and despite what my husband and children say about it, I enjoy doing it and I am going to keep on doing it!"

We make a lot of sacrifices in this life for others especially when you are a parent, so when the opportunity comes to do something for you, just do it!

I'll be acting again one day, I can feel it...

Nicholl McGuire

http://www.youtube.com/nmenterprise7

One Day at a Time: Laboring to Love Myself

The road in learning to love myself has not been an easy or short one. It has been difficult and long. I finally realized after 30 plus years on this planet that I had no concept of what love is and how do I incorporate it into my daily life. I had heard people tell me and those around them that they loved them. I had even told others that I loved them. But I came to understand that the warm feeling I had inside was like a lightswitch it cut on and off. How did I get beyond the temporal feelings and lean toward something more permanent? I would not find the answer to this question until I looked within and stopped focusing on man or woman’s definition of what love is.

In order to begin my journey toward loving self first, others and God, I had to understand what love was not. Love was not abusive, it didn’t tease, wasn’t manipulative or controlling. It didn’t walk around having an attitude and criticizing people. It wasn’t loud and obnoxious either. Love was kind, considerate, compassionate, giving, affectionate, and uplifted people. It wasn’t out to make war with everyone although some people accused love of doing that. Those who didn’t understand love nor ever received it were the people who were at war with love.

Did you ever find yourself suspecting someone of wanting something more just because they did something nice for you? Did you ever feel obligated to do something for someone just to get them off your back? Did you try to find fault with them? Did you debate with them just so that you could get out of doing something for them? I ask these questions, because people who don’t know genuine love will be suspicious of it. They will talk about it to others and hope they can rally up some support that says, “Down with love, up with knowledge.” The “I told-you-so” types want to be right that love wasn’t really love after all, “You see why I don’t put my heart out there…I like him but I don’t love him…I don’t feel the need to tell people I love them…” This kind of thinking is why many relationships fail, why many children grow up abusing their partners and their own children, it’s why people refuse to get along and so on.

If there is anything I want you to come away with today is watch for loving moments, loving statements and the opportunity to show others love. The sweet voice in your mind that says, “I should do this for Jane and John Doe…” shouldn’t be shut down. It should not be suffocated with comments like, “But what has John done for me lately and well you know how Jane can be!” The thought came to your mind for a reason, you might as well act on it and what is the worse that could possibly happen? Someone may reject the gift and if so, you can always take it back, no longer perform the service, or take your business elsewhere. You should never allow rejection to keep you from performing.

Nicholl McGuire excerpt from an upcoming podcast regarding my book, "Laboring to Love Myself" Amazon.com

My Own Woman

There comes a point in life where like a child learning how to walk, you start out being helped by others in learning how to make decisions, but then eventually you learn how to think for yourself. No longer do you succumb to what other people say, think, or feel about you. You are your own woman or man now, and if society doesn't like it well then they can...

I awoke one morning to this reality of being my own woman. I reflected back to childhood memories both good and bad. I primarily pondered on those who have influenced my life, in particular the United States government, from the public education I received to the public food stamps I once carried, it all seemed good at least on the surface, but remember what I wrote earlier, "I awoke one morning..."

Having been indoctrinated very young by an organization (I prefer not to name because they do more good than harm for young minds,) they taught me to love God, country and family, I didn't know about soft mind control tactics at the time. I didn't know they were being used on me and others who chose to join government-run organizations including churches (forget what you heard about separation of church and state.) Rather, I thought I was born into a nation that allowed us to exercise our God-given abilities not to control them for their benefit. However, the reality was society, not God, had a plan for my life, if I didn't know how to have a relationship with my Creator for myself.

Others would tell me how to talk, walk, what to say, what to think, etc. Of course it was all for my own good, now wasn't it? Is there ever a time limit when we outgrow soft mind control? Apparently there wasn't for me or for you, because even after you have graduated from highschool, college, and/or trade school, there are organizations that are government controlled as well waiting on you. Whether it is the mega church not too far from your home, the local chapter run by a national group, a business, the children youth center, even the community childcare facility, someone or a group is influencing you and your family in a way to do something for them and whatever that something is it has a dollar figure behind it! Military recruits study your son, entertainment groups study your daughter and civic groups study you. If you do well and stand out above everyone else, someone will want to learn more of you. That someone will be your handler one day if you aren't too careful.

So I have a new way of thinking similar to those older people who come to a place in their life where they say, "I don't care." They take that deep breath and they enjoy their lives and then they die. I personally am tired of holding my breath in and waiting for others to tell me what to do, I realize its time to be my own woman!

Whether your "handlers" were your parents, your friends, civic groups and other associations, someone influenced you to become the person who stares back at you in the mirror. Be it right, be it wrong you are manufactured in some way by someone else to work for them. I had a serious wake up call upon my life after 911. I had never thought for a single minute that our government had anything to do with the catastrophes that occurred that day, but I was wrong!

The images on the millions of television screens on 911 were so horrific. I learned later those closed eyes of mine who had been glued to the television, had went to bed that afternoon and didn't wake up until that evening with two little ones playing alone. I had experienced what some would call a "trauma based mind control" like so many others. I saw the unedited version of the tragedy live. People were literally throwing their bodies from the windows of the Twin Tower buildings. By the time some of you got off of work to see the events that evening, they had edited those disturbing images out of the reporting.

Whether we choose to admit or not, we have all been open to mind control at some time or another in our lives. If you have been trained in anything whether how to fight in a war or how to perform tasks for a boss in a professional atmosphere, someone has programmed you on what to do each and every day. With routine, you eventually know what to say, how to say it, where to put something, what to do, etc. This is why sometimes it is very hard for some to teach an outsider, because they are so controlled by their atmosphere they see no other way of doing things. Then when the new- comer shows up with a new way of doing things that could help the company, he or she is greeted with a frown.

There are two certain types of men I have been around all my life, the ones who have been in the military and the ones who have been in prison. Both types of men have come out of these government-run organizations with no support, no deprogramming, and no understanding of how their actions have negatively impacted others. Trained to kill, a man who doesn't know how to turn off that personality is a terror. He uses the same mind control tactics he was given on his family. He has to control every situation. He treats everything like he is on a mission and if you fail him, there is a price to pay. He knows how to use his voice to get what he wants (or at least tries to get what he wants.) He stands a certain way to demand attention. He fights in such a way to send a message to one's mind that will be etched forever. He has to maintain an atmosphere that is conducive to his programming. Instead of doing push ups or running laps like he did when he failed his instructor, you are threatened, possibly beaten, strangled, something is taken from you, or he simply walks away from you and all ties associated with you.

The man who has been trained to follow orders in jail comes out into the world looking for someone or something to make him feel whole again. Usually when his needs aren't met, he returns to his old way of life even worse then when he left. Without family, church, or other kinds of positive support, he is nothing more than a walking time bomb too just like the brainwashed former military official. At some point he is going to explode on someone or something. Unfortunately, I didn't witness many good men who were great to be around having come from either background. If anything, they were problems to either their own family, friends, community, or society at large. The military got a few good men, but once those men came out, what happened? In my personal experience I have yet to encounter men who came out with minds completely intact especially if they fought in a war and/or been exposed to certain drugs designed "to aid them" while on duty. Something always seems to be mentally amiss.

So here I am wide awake one morning reflecting on my life and specifically thinking about having been influenced by government entities from public school to jobs. I even recalled a time when I had thought about joining the Army or Marines. I had been influenced very young to take pride in my country and as a young woman at 17 years, I was willing to do just that until my dad told me otherwise.

When I awoke that morning I was sad, then angry, then sad again because I knew my reality, my truth, yet those around me were still in the dark. And as I learned from my own experience, you can't be of any help to someone when you are living in the dark.

Nicholl McGuire
http://www.associatedcontent.com/nichollmcguire

So What About Your Books?

You know those books you are probably thinking about writing or the ones you have already written but haven't done anything with recently? Well, I have a couple of those too and these days my time is very limited as well as patience and motivation. I'm just not much of a politician doing alot of handshaking, especially with little ones, household chores, an Internet business, books, and more! However, it doesn't keep me from finding alternative ways to promote my books. So I came across this article. I thought maybe someone, just like me, might need a helping hand too with getting those books and/or business promoted. Enjoy!

How to Build Your Author Platform to Enhance Your Book Promotion

By Dana Lynn Smith

As a book author, you've probably seen the term author platform used a lot, but you may be wondering: what is a platform and how do I get one?

Your author platform determines your reach in the market and it's a valuable tool in your book promotion activities. If you're hoping to land a book deal with a traditional commercial publisher, a strong author platform is critical. When publishers evaluate book proposals, they want an idea of how well known you are and how successful you will be at promoting your book once it's published.

The best time to start building your author platform is before you write your book or book proposal, because it takes time to build your platform. But regardless of where you are in your publishing journey, you can continue to strengthen your author platform.

I've seen lots of definitions for author platform, but it basically boils down to three things:

o Brand
o Reputation
o Connections

Branding

Branding helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace and makes you memorable. One of the most important parts of your brand is your author tagline - a concise and catchy description of what you do. Here are some examples of author taglines:

o The Publicity Hound
o The Love Doctor
o The Productivity Pro
o The Risque Romance Writer
o Author of thrilling mysteries
o Author of the Detective McGee series
o Writer of educational children's books

Use your tagline after your name in your promotional materials and signature, like a title. For example, I refer to myself as Dana Lynn Smith, The Savvy Book Marketer.

Your author photo is another important branding tool. Be sure to get a professional looking photo and use it everywhere, to build recognition of you. Professional doesn't necessarily mean a studio portrait - think about how the background, pose and clothing in your author photo can be a reflection of your brand and the type of books you write. Wherever your photo appears, list both your name and tagline as a caption beneath the photo.

Author branding can also include your logo, book covers, the color scheme you use, your distinctive style of writing or speaking, and your academic qualifications. All of these elements together constitute a recognizable brand that makes you makes you memorable and builds credibility as part of your author platform.

Take a look at your own branding and think about what you can do to strengthen it.

Reputation

The reputation component of your author platform is a measure of how well known you are, what you are known for, and how credible you are. Consider these factors in your book promotion:

o Do you have a degree, special training or extensive experience in the topic that you're writing about and/or in the craft of writing?
o Do you have (or can you obtain) a professional certification in your area of expertise?
o What awards or other recognition have you received?
o What kind of media experience do you have?
o How many people do you reach each month through speaking or interviews?
o How many people read your blog?
o How many articles have you written and posted or published in the past month?
o How well known are you and how much name recognition do you have?
o What leadership positions do you hold?
o Why should people listen to you or read your books?

Nonfiction authors can gain a reputation as an expert in their topic through such activities as writing books and articles, speaking and teaching, appearing on talk shows, being quoted in other people's articles, and writing the foreword for other books.

Fiction authors may become known for their writing style and their expertise in writing in a specific genre (such as children's, sci-fi, romance, or mystery) or for their niche within a particular genre (vampire stories, romantic adventure).

Your reputation and author platform can be enhanced by winning awards, receiving excellent book reviews, and getting testimonials and endorsements from celebrities and experts in your field.

What can you do to boost your author reputation and expert status and increase the number of people you reach in your book promotion activities? How can you highlight your credentials in your marketing materials?

Connections

When promoting a book, it's not just what you know, it's who you know!

To sell books in today's marketplace, you need to be connected. Here are some examples of the type of connections that are valuable to authors book promotion:

Contact Database - Clients, prospects, colleagues, friends, and family.

Opt-in Mailing List - People who have given you permission to contact them.

Influencers - Celebrities, well-known people in your field, book reviewers, media, and bloggers.

Online Networks - Connections on Facebook, Twitter and other online networks, groups and forums.

Blog Readers - People who read your blog or subscribe to the blog's feed.

Professional Associations - Fellow association members and leaders. Serving in a leadership position enhances your visibility within the organization.

Other Groups - Alumni associations, civic and service organizations, hobby clubs, etc.

What can you do to increase your connections and leverage the connections that you have? How can you partner with others to extend your reach in your book promotion?

Dana Lynn Smith is a book promotion coach and author of several book promotion guides, including The Savvy Book Marketer's Guide to Successful Social Marketing. For more tips, follow @BookMarketer on Twitter, visit Dana's book promotion blog and get a free copy of the Top Book Marketing Tips ebook when you sign up for her complimentary book promotion newsletter. After reading this article, I thought about what I do already online and who I already know. These days my audience is primarily online so whenever I am conversing with people via the Internet, I always include my latest project and invite them to my web page. For example, my latest project involves a family history/personal experience book about the relatives on my dad's side of the family, so whenever I communicate via the web, I let those who I know will be impacted about it. I also post updates on my personal web page linked to my email when I think about it. When I am offline, I mention it to anyone I am talking to via phone and I follow up with snail mail. Although there is alot of talk about the Internet, I am very much a traditionalist and still enjoy snail mail, fliers, classified ads, and other offline activities to market. - Nicholl McGuire