Let it Be

The Beatles were one of my all-time favorite groups.  It is amazing to realize that they were only together, as a group, for about 10 years, breaking up the group in 1970.  They were well-known in the United States for only about six of those years.  Here we are over forty years later, and their music remains popular.

Of their many songs, among my favorites was “Let it Be.”  I liked it even more after I learned the meaning behind the song.

The song was written by Sir Paul McCartney.  The inspiration for the song came from a dream he had.  Paul’s mother had died of cancer when he was only 14 years old.  Ten or so years later, he had a dream.  In it, he was feeling very anxious and paranoid, and his mother came to him, “speaking words of wisdom,” telling him to “let it be.”  He considered it a very sweet dream, and it brought him great peace.  From this Sir Paul was inspired to write the song, “Let it Be.”

Paul has stated that, at the time he wrote it, he realized that Christians would think the “Mother Mary” in the song was a biblical reference.  In fact, however, his mother’s name was Mary.

George Harrison and John Lennon, of course, have passed away.  To my knowledge Ringo Starr is still with us, but I haven’t seen him in several years.  Sir Paul is the only one of The Beatles appearing on television with some regularity, and he still performs concerts. 

There was “The King,” Elvis Presley and then The Beatles who were magnificent performers and super stars, loved in many countries.  I believe that they alone are still selling many records about two generations later.

To learn more about Julie Klein and her Xpress Healthcare business, visit http://julie.joinxpress.com/xhc1

I never watched very many sports, except for baseball when my Dad was alive.  I enjoyed going to Dodger games with him.  My husband and I have gone to three Diamondbacks games in the 17 years we have lived in Arizona.  We live more than 200 miles from where they play.

My husband isn’t a huge sports fan either, although he will occasionally watch football, golf or tennis.  He doesn’t follow any teams.

I am, however, an avid Olympics fan.  I don’t enjoy watching every sport – wrestling and skeet shooting, for instance, I find totally boring.  However, unless I am working, during every waking hour, I am glued to the television watching the Olympics.  My husband finds me amusing to watch, because I jump up and down, cheering and yelling at the TV.  It is so exciting to me.

So, I was thinking about why – non-sports fan that I am – I love watching and following the Olympics.  After really giving it some thought, I came up with two reasons.

One.  When watching the Olympics, we are watching young men and women who have spent many years of their lives training, dedicating their lives to their sport.  We are watching some of the best athletes in the world, and some who are not so great, but even they have worked for years to qualify for the Olympics.  Some are incredible athletes who have excelled at their sport, and at the Olympics, their performance doesn’t live up to the abilities.  I feel so sorry for them to have come all this way only to disappoint themselves.

All this they have done as amateurs.  They will not be paid money for all the work they have done.  (I realize, of course, that most are supported by sponsors, their families, etc.) They have done it for their country and the glory of the sport.  Some of the top stars will be paid for endorsing products, television appearances and such, but they did not get involved or practice for years on end for that reason.  Instead, it is the result of their achieving greatness and performance at the Olympics.

The second thing that I believe attracts me to the Olympics is my patriotism for my country, the United States of America.  I am so proud of the U.S. Olympic Teams.  I watch them perform, what often seems to me, impossible feats and I scream and yell and cheer MY team on!  When one of our team members wins a race by 100^th of a second, I am thrilled!  When they lose by 100^th of a second, I am saddened.

Once I realized this, it made perfect sense to me.  For those of you who are sports fans, this is my perspective, my opinion, the way I see it…

Many professional athletes earn multi-millions of dollars.  Professional athletes also worked very hard to get to the professional ranks.  However, their goal was to make their sport a career.  I am certain they love their sports too.  However, their goals and reasons for performing well are different.

So, I will continue watching the Olympics this year and every four years thereafter as these young Olympians continue to demonstrate to the children and adults watching them the meaning of dedication, determination and patriotism.

To read about Julie Klein and her home-based business, visit http://julie.joinxpress.com/business.html

Honk, Honk!

  

Some of you may have heard this before, but it is worth reading again periodically.  Over the years, I have read or heard it numerous times, and am uplifted and encouraged by it every time.

Depending upon where you live, you may have seen geese flying overhead, flying south for the winter.  They always fly in a “V” formation.  Scientists have researched this and learned why they do this.

They have discovered that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird right behind it.  When they fly in the “V” formation, the entire flock adds over 70% greater flying range than if each bird flew by itself.

When the lead goose gets tired and slows down, it then eases itself to the back of the flock, taking advantage of the uplift of the other birds.  At the same time, another goose replaces the tired one in the lead position.

If one goose falls out of formation, it realizes quickly that the drag and resistance of flying alone is exhausting.  So, it quickly returns to the formation.

The geese in the back of the flock honk almost continuously to encourage those in front to keep up their speed.  When one goose becomes ill or is wounded and falls out of the formation, two other geese will fall out of formation as well and follow it down to help and protect it.  The two geese stay with the ailing goose until it is once again able to fly or until it dies.  Then they take off on their own or join another formation to catch up with their original flock.

The behavior of the Geese can teach us valuable lessons.  No matter how great your talent, it is multiplied when we work closely with others and use their talents as well. 

We must be willing to help others grow and achieve in order to reach our own goals.  When we share a common purpose, a vision, we can reach those goals more efficiently and faster than if we were working alone.  As your team grows, their success will give you a boost and help you to accomplish even more.

Working as a unit, lifting and encouraging one another helps each individual as well as the team.  Like the geese, when we share the load, utilizing the skills and abilities of each team member, everyone benefits.

In order to reach your goals, would you prefer to be a lone wolf or one of the many geese in a flock?

To learn more about Julie Klein, visit:  http://ibourl.net/JoinXpressHealthcare

Mentoring vs Corp/Website Training

I am a Mentor and Team Leader.  I am not in business to build an enormous team of people I do not know and who do not know me. 

I was with other companies prior to joining my current business.  With them, I might just as well have had no sponsor, because I had virtually no contact with them. When I called my sponsor in my previous company, I would get a “rah-rah” speech.  I NEVER received any training whatsoever, and surprise, I was not successful.

There may be many people out there in the industry who simply want to grow a huge team and earn money.  That is fine for them.  I am not one of those people.  Don’t get me wrong… I have one of the largest teams in my company, but I do not have thousands of team members.  I do not WANT thousands of team members.  Sure, I’d have an amazing income if I did, but I would not enjoy my work nearly as much as I do now.

New team members, in particular, usually want support, not just answers to questions.  They want to know that there is someone willing to help them build their business.  I love mentoring my team members.  I like that they call, Skype and email me to ask for help, and I am happy to provide it.  I have come to know many of my team members well, and a few have become close friends. 

There are companies whose “back office” websites are the place where their representatives acquire all their training.  Some also offer corporate webinars or calls.  My company has an amazing, comprehensive high-tech back office.  Most of our Affiliates could learn everything they want to know about the business using our back office. 

However, I do not want my team members spending weeks in the back office learning everything they need to know before they begin actually working their business.  I suggest that my team members explore their back office so they will know where to find everything whenever they need it, and then get out there and start growing a business!

I frequently get calls from team members asking me, “Where can I find …?”  I could tell them that it is in their back office, and let them spend 20-30 minutes trying to locate what they are seeking… OR, I can tell them where to find it in 30 seconds and let them spend that 20-30 minutes working instead.

I have been told I spend too much time mentoring my team members, that I should just direct them to their back office since everything they need to know is there.  While it is true that I could do that, I have a pretty successful, active, working team, BECAUSE I spend “too much time” with my team members.  My team members are people to me, not numbers.  No, I’ll never have a team of 10,000, and that is just fine with me.

To learn more about Julie Klein and her team, visit http://ibourl.net/JoinXpressHealthcare

Are You Lacking Motivation?

You may be new to the home-business world, or you may have been working from home from years.  Either way, in order to build and maintain a successful home business, you must stay motivated.   Virtually every business – both brick and mortar and home businesses – have “down” times where growth slows down or income takes a dip.   If you aren’t completely committed to your business and motivated to succeed, it will be very difficult to ride out the tough times.

There are a few ways to remain motivated – and even excited – about your work at home business.

Daily Agenda.  A daily, weekly and even monthly “to-do” list of tasks can be a powerful tool that can help you accomplish what needs to be done in a timely manner.  These lists are different from goals.  They should contain individual job functions, prioritized so you will complete the most important first.  I one or two of your tasks are ones you particularly dislike doing, if possible, list them first.  Once you have completed those that you dread, you won’t have to think about them the rest of the day enabling you to focus more on those tasks that you don’t mind doing or actually enjoy. 

Your list can consist of phone calls to prospects or team members, placing online or offline ads, participating in forums, even writing your daily or weekly blog.  You may place organizing your desk on your weekly list or following up with old prospects on your monthly list. 

When you are able to check off or cross off completed items on your list, it can provide you with a sense of accomplishment, motivating you to move on to the next item.

Expand Your Marketing Methods.  Don’t settle.  Because you are generating leads from the various methods of marketing you have been using, don’t think that is all you can or should do.   There are hundreds – even thousands - of top marketers who write books, offer webinars or simply share their knowledge and experience with others in the industry.   It is a good idea to learn what you can from those who are very successful in Internet marketing.  I have seen people who are constantly studying from “the experts,” and I personally believe you can overdo it.  Be sure you are not studying more than you area actually applying what you have learned.

Be sure to track the results of your various marketing techniques.  You do not want to continue using those that bring no return.

Networking.  Another way to maintain motivation and excitement about your business, during good times and bad, is by networking with others in your industry or related fields.   You can exchange advice and encouragement about how to promote and operate your business.

Because working at home isolates you from the public, at-home workers can become lonely at times.  By connecting with people who also work from home both on and offline, you will find an outlet for those lonely times.  There are myriad ways online to find like-minded business and personal connections.  However, some people forget about face-to-face networking.  Nearly every city has business networking groups, Chambers of Commerce, Women-in-Business groups, etc.  Search online to find them in your neighborhood, and attend their functions to meet others and share local business ideas.

Any time you feel you are losing the excitement you had for your business, doubting your abilities or feeling less motivated, review these ideas to see whether one or more of them can give you the boost you need to get back on track.

To learn more about Julie Klein and her home-based business, visit http://ibourl.net/JoinXpressHealthcare

Got a Toothache?

In a recent blog post, Dr. Allan Melnick stated that the state of dental care and maintenance in the United States is alarming!  These are a few of the chilling statistics he quoted:

1.      16 million low-income kids did not see a dentist last year

2.      25 percent of seniors (65 and up) have lost all their teeth

3.      130 million Americans lack dental insurance

4.      55% of Americans (2 and up) didn’t see a dentist in the last year

5.      830,000 hospital ER visits in 2009 were linked to preventable dental conditions – a 16% increase in three years

6.      27% fewer people enrolled in dental school in 2003 than in 1980.

7.      Insurance is expected to cover only about 48 percent of all dental expenditures by 2013, predicts the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Eight percent ($10 billion) of all dental expenditures will be covered by government aid. The other 44 percent will be out-of-pocket expenses.

The poor economy and unemployment have dragged on now for nearly a decade.  We closely watch how we spend what little money we have. Sadly, too many Americans consider dental care a luxury rather than a necessity. 

I had an uncle who died from infections that began in his teeth, because he was afraid of dentists.  So, in addition to the financial burden of dental visits, many of us are fearful and avoid dentists altogether.

Dental work is expensive.  A standard teeth cleaning costs, on average, $127, although depending upon where you live, it can be $75 to $200.  Teeth cleaning often includes dental X-rays and a dental exam.  The cost of that routine dental visit, therefore, may cost up to $300.  If we happen to need a full-mouth deep cleaning, the cost will increase to $500 or more.  This is only for cleaning, exam and x-rays for just one family member.

If you actually need dental work done, a root canal for instance, it likely will cost $800 - $1500.  Or, if you need a crown, you’ll spend $700 and $1500.  In today’s economy, many people simply cannot afford the expense even if we know it is unwise to avoid it.

Some people purchase dental insurance, paying $12 to $50 per month (or more) premium per person.   Even if you have dental insurance, there are many limitations.  Most policies limit the policy holders to $1000 coverage per year.  So even if you have insurance, you may end up paying a great deal out of pocket.

In addition to the monetary limitations, dental insurance doesn’t necessarily cover all services.  Orthodontic and cosmetic dentistry very often are not covered by insurance.

Fortunately, there are alternatives to going without dental care and dental insurance.  Discount Dental Plans, like Xpress Healthcare, save their members 15% to 50% on their dental costs.  Xpress Healthcare uses the Aetna Dental Access network of providers, with over 90,000 dentists nationwide. There are no limitations on the amount you can save, the number of visits, age or pre-existing conditions. Everyone is accepted!

Here’s the best part… Xpress Healthcare’s Premium plan is $19.95 per month per FAMILY!  And, this plan also includes discounts on prescriptions, vision, hearing, medical supplies and vitamins. 

You could possibly save hundreds of dollars for your family’s dental care while paying less than $20 a month! 

So, what are you waiting for?  Sign up for your Xpress Dental Plan at http://ibourl.net/DiscountHealthAndDental, and then go schedule your dental appointment!

You Are the TOPS!

It has been over a decade, 12 years to be exact, since I was what some would call a zaftig woman.  “Somehow” the weight had crept up on me before I realized that I was definitely “chunky.”  I made the discovery after seeing myself in a photo on a cruise with the Captain.  I was all dressed up, hair fixed, makeup on, and I looked terrible!

What to do?  I started researching my area for weight loss groups. I knew I couldn’t do it alone.   I mean no disrespect to anyone who sells weight-loss products, but I believe the only really healthy way to lose weight is by eating less and exercising.  There are even exercises for people who cannot stand!  

I found a group called TOPS, Take off Pounds Sensibly.  It is the oldest weight loss group in the world, yep, older that Weight Watchers.  The cool part is it is a non-profit support group.  They don’t require you to follow any particular diet.  They have speakers each week that do presentations about health-related subjects, and everyone supports everyone else.  Members weigh in once a week.  It is amazing, but it costs only $70 a year (some chapters a little less, some a bit more).  I have seen several TOPS members lose 85 to 100 pounds by following a healthy diet and attending meetings for support.

After my very TOPS first meeting, I began losing weight.  Since TOPS members can choose whatever diet they like, I chose using the “exchange” system, weighing and measuring my food.  It wasn’t easy.  It took me several months, but I finally reached the goal weight established by my doctor.  Over the years, as I got older, my physician raised my goal weight just a bit, and I have maintained that weight for over 11 years.

Then, along came health issues.  I was referred to a Cardiologist and am under his care.  During my last visit, he told me he wants me to lose another 10 to 15 pounds to put less stress on my heart. 

I am now 12 years older than when I first joined TOPS.  For the past three months, I have been struggling with trying to lose that weight.  My metabolism is slower now; I am no longer able to do the vigorous exercises I did when I was younger.  The only exercise I am allowed to do is walking, and I can only manage ½ hour at a time with my health problems.

I can tell you all these reasons why I have not lost any weight, but I realize that they are excuses.  Although I eat reasonable amounts of food, mostly healthy food, I have not gotten back into the weighing and measuring all my food that worked so well for me years ago.  I haven’t been able to “psyche” myself into doing what I know I need to do.  Even knowing that it isn’t good for my heart hasn’t given me the “kick in the rear” that I need.

So, I am putting this in writing, hoping that seeing it and letting “the world” know that I need to lose some weight might, just might give me the incentive to start losing today!

http://julie.joinxpress.com