Self-Improvement Saturday! The Rubber Duck Principle: Quack Your Way to Happy by Jeanne Bice, a book review

The Rubber Duck Principle: Quack Your Way to Happy by Jeanne Bice is another good personal development and entrepreneurship sort of book.  The format is light and happy... like a scrap book of good thoughts and encouragement.  At least, that's how it felt to me.

I was surprised to find myself almost sobbing at times as I read the beginning of this encouraging book.  Seriously!  Jeanne Bice says it like it is and what she has to say, though some of it is said in other places, is said in such a way as to be deeply touching to me.  This is another book that I have added to my children's entrepreneurship reading list.

My eldest daughter has already finished reading it.  She did not complete the exercises as yet, but probably will have by the time this posts.  She likes that it's written as if the author is speaking to the reader.  She likes the way it's designed and she enjoyed all the positive sayings throughout it.

If you've read The Rubber Duck Principle: Quack Your Way to Happy, tell me in the comments what your favorite thing about the principle is without stating or rephrasing the principle (which would give it away and enable others to comment even if they haven't read it!).  Also, tell me whether you enjoyed the book and explain why or why not!

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi, a book review

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi continues to follow Aria and Perry as they attempt to make their way through various difficulties so that they can be together. Aria ends up doing a lot of traveling and Perry practically battles to earn his right to lead the Tides, his tribe. Although many changes happen over the course of the story, Aria and Perry's feelings for each other remain a constant.

I like the premise of this series and found this second of the trilogy interesting and enjoyable. As with the first novel in the trilogy, my girls will have to wait until they are older teens to read this because of the mature subjects handled within it.

Have you read Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi? What did you think of it?

Self-Improvement Saturday! Loyalty is Love, How to Keep Your Clients Close for Life by Beverly A. Koen, a book review

Loyalty is Love, How to Keep Your Clients Close for Life by Beverly A. Koen, though specifically written for those in the house building business, has innumerable helpful and useful points for anyone in business.  The premise of the book is that customer service means customer retention, which then means repeat business.  This is definitely the goal for anyone with a product to sell!

I highly recommend this book.  It was relatively easy to read.  It did take me a while, since I had two other books working at the same time.  I have added this book to my children's require reading for their "class" which I call entrepreneurship.  None have begun reading it yet, so I'm not sure how well-received it will be by them, but I will make sure they learn what I found the most important bits and they will likely point out valuable lessons as well.

My Lilla Rose business efforts, being what they are, I have begun planning training for the ladies in my team.  The first book I would like them to read is 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.  I will review it also, in this series of business and personal development related reviews.  So far, I am planning for Loyalty is Love to follow 7 Habits.  It really is that good!  And since hair jewelry definitely means there's plenty for customers to come back for, I think it will readily provide insights to the ladies on my team (ANYONE who wants to keep their customers coming back!)!

Have you read Loyalty is Love, How to Keep Your Clients for Life by Beverly A. Koen?  What did you think of it?

Self-Improvement Saturday! The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, a book reviewed

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey is a tremendous opportunity to grow in understanding of how to better negotiate life positively. I was challenged to shift my paradigm when I first read it and as I understand from someone whose read it a few times, this holds true with each reading! Not many books can do that!

One area that I seem still to need a great deal of work in is focused on is Habit 3… principles of personal management… particularly the Time Management Matrix. It's a four square way of considering activities and their nature. On the left, there are urgent activities and on the right are not urgent activities. The top boxes are Important things and the bottom 2 are not important things. The first square called quadrant one, which is the top left (both urgent and important) includes things like crisis, pressing problems, and deadline-driven projects. The top right, which is called quadrant two, (not urgent and important) includes: prevention, relationship building, planning, and more. The bottom left, which is called quadrant three, (not important and urgent) include: interruptions, some mail, some meetings, popular activities, and more. The bottom right,, which is called quadrant four (not urgent and not important) includes: trivia, busy work, time wasters, some mail, and more.

“Effective people stay out of quadrants three and four because, urgent or not,

they aren't important. They also shrink quadrant one down to size by spending

more time in quadrant two.

“Quadrant two is the heart of effective personal management. It deals with

things that are not urgent, but are important….” (p. 153)

Habit 4 is the other that impacted me in a deep and also good way. I believe I already felt to live this way, but it seemed I had more tools to do it after reading The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Think win/win is truly the greatest way to think and be in both intra and interpersonal relating! There's no reason, in most daily interactions, that anyone need lose!! What a wonderful world this will be when all know, understand, and live out the truth of win/win being the very best way to relate!

Have you read The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey? What did you think of it?

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, a book review

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi is the story of how Aria is expelled from the protective shelter that has been her home for her whole life and what happens to her after she's expelled. It is also equally Perry's story. He is among those who have always lived outside the protective shelter. The first time we meet him is when he intervenes to protect Aria.

In this possible future, earth now has a layer of magnetic storm above the clouds. These storms wreak havoc when they touch down to earth, which they do regularly. Perry is sure the storms are increasing and his tribe needs to move. Although he thinks he should be their leader, his brother is.

This is an interesting and enjoyable read. I do recommend it for older teens. My 12 year and younger daughters will have to wait until they are older because there are some mature subjects brought up in the story.

Have you read Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi? What did you think of it?

Sever by Laura DeStefano, a book review

Sever by Laura DeStefano is the final book in the Chemical Gardens trilogy. In this book Rhine and Rowan are reunited and Rhine finds that her life since her kidnapping and her brother have been much more connected than she could have ever realized.

I like that Rhine and her brother are reunited and find it interesting that he has willingly participated in things Rhine would not. The end with all its unlikely revelations is really interesting. This book is definitely the most interesting of the three to me. Again, though, my girls will have to wait until they are much older to read it as it deals with many mature subjects.

Have you read Sever by Laura DeStefano? What did you think of it?

Self-Improvement Saturday! Go Pro: Seven Steps to Becoming a Network Marketing Professional by Eric Worre, a book review

Go Pro: 7 Steps to Becoming a NetworkMarketing Professional by Eric Worre is an awesome book! I felt a greater respect for my Lilla Rose and Young Living Businesses than before I read it, for sure. Why? Because I've felt frowned upon by others… and have definitely experienced friends and family not taking my efforts seriously. They seem not to believe my network marketing business is for real for whatever reason they believe it's not a big deal.

A business, to be for real, need not cost thousands and tremendous debt to begin and run! That is what used to be the only reality, but no longer! I am tremendously grateful that debt and thousands are no longer necessary!

This book helped me change my paradigm about network marketing. I definitely consider myself a Network Marketing Professional now. I certainly put in enough hours working my business to be taken seriously by anyone if they knew my invested hours… and so, at the very least, I must give myself the respect of taking myself (with all my unknown-to-others-efforts) seriously! What a gift to know I and my business are worthy of that (which I came to as a result of reading this book)!!

In addition to what I've gained by reading it, subjects covered in this book include, but are not limited to: prospecting, inviting prospects to understand products and opportunity, follow-up, training new distributors, and promoting events. I haven't listed everything Worre teaches and explains in this book, by a long shot! And I do highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to train their brain to think in new ways about their own network marketing business.

As for me, I love Lilla Rose and Young Living! They provide complimentary beautification tools and I'm grateful I found them when I did!

Have you read Go Pro: 7 Steps to Becoming a Network Marketing Professional by Eric Worre? What did you think of it?

my thoughts: on comfort zones

Comfort is such a sweet and wonderful word! I enjoy comfort, especially when it is accompanied by peace. I enjoy air conditioning because it is a sort of comfort. I enjoy a great many things simply because of their #comfort# factor.

As enticing and enjoyable as comfort is, by its very nature, it means things are pretty much the same as they have been. That's how things become comfortable… we are used to them.

When we keep doing what we've always done, we'll pretty much keep getting what we've always got. For the most part, this is comfortable.

Comfortable doesn't always equal good, even though it usually does mean easy. Easy isn't always (probably not even usually) good.

I have experienced a great deal of discomfort recently. Most of this, generally described and felt as a negative, has come as a result of making efforts to activate and run my Lilla Rose business. One particular event, though, was something I did because I'd been feeling like I should and since it seems I'm in a season of going outside my comfort zone, might as well add one more thing to the list of ways I'm stretching!

It's not easy. Nor is it enjoyable in the moment! Yet, as I consider what I've accomplished, I feel really good about it! Most of it would not have been possible if I'd simply continued doing what was easy for me.

So, here's to biting the bullet and stepping outside of my comfort zone some more!

Have you done anything that has required you to leave your comfort zone, lately? I'd love to hear about it!

Fever by Laura DeStefano, a book review

Fever by Laura DeStefano continues Rhine's story begun in Wither. She has left the questionable safety of the mansion with Gabriel and immediately they find themselves in a scarlet district. Her experience there is interesting. The rest of the story follows her efforts to find her twin brother, Rowan. I think the way she finds him by the end of this part of the story is really interesting and definitely a cliff hanger.

Again, this book deals with lots of mature subjects, so my girls won't read it until they are significantly older. I did like it. Perhaps even more than the first of this trilogy.

Have you read Fever by Laura DeStefano? What did you think of it?

Self-Improvement Saturday! The 10x Rule by Grant Cardone, a book review

The 10x Rule by Grant Cardone was a tough read for me in a few ways.  First, I have allowed fear to stop me in my tracks innumerable times.  This has impacted my family in numerous detrimental ways... perhaps the most upsetting to me currently is the fact that I have stopped my children's forward movement with their business because I'm afraid.  And when I consider the fear in an objective manner, it's ridiculous.  Yet, I continue to allow it to stop progression.  This is unacceptable!  So, it's been tough for me to realize this lack in myself.  Sometimes... perhaps all the time, really... it's super important for us to realize somehow what we're doing wrong.  If we cannot see the problem, we certainly cannot fix the problem!!!

What else... So, the actual action part of the rule is also tough for me.  I mean, golly... I have six children.  Surely that explains why I don't get some things done... right?  Nope!  Not if I'm taking correct responsibility for my choices.  This is according to Cardone.  And, in my opinion, correct thinking.  My excuses will move nothing forward and benefit no one!  Least of all me and my precious family!!

The thought part is also tough for me.  I've been struggling with this for years in one form or another.  Now, I just have to lay it out....  I've described my goals to myself.  My longest-term ones are, I think, appropriately gigantic.  And when I approach accomplishing them, I will add more that are out of the realm of possibility (or so I may think now).  That way I will keep to the 10x Rule!  hahaha

My problem with this book is the inappropriate (read: foul) language used a few times.  This is disappointing to me!  Before my children read it, a sharpie will mark through those pointless marrings of an otherwise very good personal development and business improvement sort of book.  I am adding this one to my children's growing stack of books for their entrepreneurship class, for sure.  I think anyone who recognizes the family/generational curse of *a belief of lack* should definitely add this to their personally required reading.  And, if you don't, it probably won't hurt to add it to yours anyway!

Have you read The 10x Rule by Grant Cardone?  What did you think?