Yet, even in our 40s, 50s, and even 60s, we can pick these bad boys…and then stick to them like glue.

I blame chemistry. Yup. That’s what attracts us, and reels us in. We tend to take it very seriously. So seriously that it often trumps all other data. It’s like once you decide he’s hot and possibly The One, all contrary evidence is invisible or seems irrelevant.

Look: if you want to just have sex, go for the hot men. But if you want to be adored, challenged, trusted, loved, and humored…learn how to think past that superficiality to find the real good guys. Sure…you want to be attracted to him. But  to make the good choices you have to find out what’s past their looks and get past the idea that you have to feel all giddy when you meet him.

I dug up a post from last year to help you with this. Happy reading. Let me know what you think.

Have You Passed Up Your Hot Man?

I know we all love George Clooney – who doesn’t? But what other celebrity men float your boat? I sometimes ask that question when I start helping a new fabulous woman learn how to better enjoy her dating experience. I ask because it helps me understand her “type.” (At least the type she thinks she wants when we first begin coaching.)

So I asked Stephanie that question. Her answer: Kevin James and John Stewart. She loves these guys and thinks they’re hot!

Fast forward a couple weeks and we’re working on helping her be open to new types of men; at least giving them a chance. She tends to judge quite quickly when she meets someone new. (Do you?) That tells me it’s mostly a judgment on physical attributes. You may call it chemistry, I call it looks.

So then it occurs to me: Kevin James and John Stewart are the answer! Let’s face it; those guys couldn’t even shine George’s shoes in the looks department.

So I ask: If Kevin James approached you in the grocery store and tried to strike up a conversation, would you be open and encouraging or would you stay focused on picking your apples?

We all know the answer: Wow! Look at those luscious apples!!

It would go something like this: he speaks a few words to you – he’s obviously trying to connect; you decide “you’re not attracted” to him; you continue to bag your apples; he shrugs and away he goes. (Feeling crappy by the way, thank you very much.) You’ve just lost the chance of a lifetime girlfriend. The man you’ve been dreaming of is gone forever.

I’m quite sure that things like humor, integrity, and intelligence are in the list of character traits you’re looking for in a mate. (If you haven’t created or updated your list lately, I highly recommend it.) Now seriously…you’re going to know in a span of a few minutes if a man has those traits…how?

I get that attraction is very important. But it can and does grow as you get to know people. It’s just a fact. So next time you’ve got that man in front of you (or his picture) and you’ve decided you’re not attracted…can you puleeeeze just stop and reconsider?

Stay open, be kind and compassionate…and get a glimpse of his personality and character. Be a grown-up. If you do, maybe you’ll just meet your Kevin James.

A couple p.s.’s:

1. I didn’t have much interest in my husband’s appearance when I saw him on match.com. (Sorry honey.) And he said his fave pastime was sailing. I puke on boats. I only met him because he lived in my neighborhood  and it was easy. I assure you he’s the most gorgeous man alive. And that Dramamine works.

2. Check out my previous post about being quick to judge.  It’ll help you. I know it.

3. Here’s a good article about how women judge humor in men. It does trump looks if you give it a chance. http://www.askmen.com/dating/heidi_250/297_the-funny-factor.html

Tell us about your business.

Smoke Signal Marketing assists solo-entrepreneurs build an income generating website by using the latest online marketing techniques.

My service includes: opt-in pages, sales pages, article writing, press release statements, and e-mail campaigns.

I work best with solo professionals who are in need of great copywritten material for their tele-seminar, webinar, product launch, or press release.

Please tell us what being a business owner means to you and why you became an entrepreneur in the first place?

I am in business for myself because I do not like the idea of working for another person so they can afford a “high quality” lifestyle while I work for minimum wage.

I am also a stay at home mom and need the freedom to be available for my family for sick days, doctor visits, teacher conferences, and the rearing of my children.

Plus, it’s a challenge to generate income for my family – I like it.

What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why?

First, my partner has been the greatest influence in pursing my own business.  He needed help writing some his websites and suggested that I help him do so.  I was then introduced to sales pages and copywriting.  I instantly fell in love because writing sales pages allows me to write in a conversational tone (which comes easy for me).  I’ve been writing since 2007 and follow great internet marketers like Armand Morin, Jim Edwards, Frank Kern, and Ali Brown.

What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment to date?

There are several things that come to mind.

1.       Helping my partner generate an online income that helps to support our family

2.       The courage to start my own company especially when I didn’t have the greatest confidence in my ability to write

3.       Working with The Fearless PR Coach – Carey Powell and helping her to accomplish her vision by writing her websites

4.       Learning how to use Dreamweaver to create sites.  It was a huge learning curve, but the greatest challenge.

What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our readers?

Give yourself permission to succeed.  Before I put myself “out there,” I was completely hung up on the thought of “what if I’m not good enough?”

When I was told that I had to give myself permission . . . I totally took that to heart and ran with it.  That’s not to say that I don’t have “bad” days or doubt in my ability, but I know that I’m on the right path because my passion for writing is my purpose – I wake up happy and ready to work.  I’m giving myself permission to succeed.

What has been the most effective marketing initiatives or programs you have used to promote your business?

To date, the best marketing method I’ve used is writing articles and writing a free report for those interested in my services.  Not only do I want to garner new customers, but I also want to share easy-to-use copywriting tips for any person writing their own copy.
 
What one thing have you learned as a small business owner that has served you well over the years?

Prioritize and organize.  Not everything needs your immediate attention and organization is key to getting everything done.

Are there any resources or tools you’d like to share with other small business owners that have helped you run your business?

www.the30minutepublicist.com

yahoo groups

What do you do for fun/relaxation?

I spend time with my family and read!

What is Number One Business Goal you plan to accomplish over the next year?

Growth. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

It doesn’t take brains nor braun to own your own company.  I honestly believe it takes desire, passion and purpose to succeed.  Any person can be the cause of something and it takes courage to see it through to the end.

Each, in their own right seem to gobble up every inch of computing brain space as you mull over advantages, consequences, causes, and reactions of others. Our level of anxiety over the mind numbing details might eventually increase to such an extent that other areas of our life run out of control. It gets to the point where nothing in business and in life is getting done. You are no longer productive!

When I allow myself to drift into single minded focus, my husband will look at me with an incredulous expression on his face and announce “You are just not seeing the big picture!”

You see, I was taught that the devil is in the details and consequently the big picture will take care of itself if I address every single little nuance – such as correcting a spelling error in a love letter sent to me by my fiancé’. I think that was the first clue to my husband Rick that our marriage would take on interesting elements. 

When You Become So Focused On One Particular Thing – You Miss Other Opportunities in Business and in Life

A classic caution in driving is to avoid highway hypnosis where the driver’s eyes are so locked onto the road ahead that they don’t see what is developing around them. This is a ripe condition for accidents to happen. Well, we are doing the same thing when considering the changes we want to make in our personal life, careers or businesses.

When we do strategic planning, all of the elements related to our business need to be evaluated through a non judgmental process. Awareness of our surroundings can actually help us prioritize and focus on “what is” and “what needs to be” in our business decisions.

To achieve productive focus, try following the tips below before you make any short or long -term decisions.

5 Ways to Look at the Big Picture and Improve Overall Productivity While Reducing Stess and Anxiety…

1.  Figure out what  your present economic environment looks like? Has there been a downturn or growth in your area of expertise? What have other businesses like yours experienced and does that mirror what is happening to you? Once you have an accurate depiction of how your business arena is developing, you can begin to address areas to update, change or enhance.

2.  Evaluate how your business is impacted by turnover? Is your time taken up in orienting new hires or actively working to maintain key employees in terms of running your business? Is your staff working at optimum levels and enjoying the work they do? If you are a single entrepreneur, are your physical and mental resources charged up and in good working condition? Often our personal energy overrides the physical or mental exhaustion we may feel and you may not even be aware your engine is slowing down. Take a personal inventory and do what you must in order to retain your vitality.

3.  Take a solid look at your current financial situation. What amount of funds or business do you need to survive through an economic downturn and how much do you need in order to thrive? What resources do you have available to you to shore up your financial portfolio? Once these questions are answered, it will give you the foundation you need to establish business decisions.

4.  Realistically evaluate your product or service offering and determine if the marketplace still wants it. Even though you feel the public needs what you have, a fickle public will purchase what it wants and may leave you behind. Consider taking active steps to interview other entrepreneurs and professionals as well as current and past clients for real-time information. Decisions made in a vacuum are never a good thing.

5.  Assess what steps you need to take to catch up to the technology changes occurring in social networking, online meetings, and communication tools. Even though technology continues to evolve daily, you can utilize resources that meet your needs currently and through the next couple of years. Understand how your customers and clients relate to you and act accordingly.

Perspective is a wonderful thing. We may not like what we see (like an expanding waist line in the mirror.) But once we understand what is really happening, we can then take the necessary steps to fix it or build upon the successes that are already in place.

Focus on the big picture while enjoying the nuances of the individual elements that make up the image and environment. You will improve your overall productivity and at the same time reduce your stress and anxiety.

I think I hear my husband cheering. Sweet.

Karel Murray (http://www.Karel.com) is a Certified Speaking Professional, author of “Hitting Our Stride: Women, Work and What Matters” and business trainer who helps women entrepreneurs and executives balance their work/personal lives AND improve their overall productivity. Now, you can listen to her exciting, free interviews that will help you maintain and sustain a healthy business and a healthy lifestyle at http://www.JustForAMomentPodcast.com

If you can relate to any of those situations, chances are you need to do a better job managing your money. With the economy still uncertain, it’s a wise move for anyone to be a little more financially savvy. The Illinois CPA Society suggests these ten ways to manage Your Money Better:

1. Detemine What You’re Worth.  The first step to getting your finances in order is finding out exactly what you’re worth to help you make the right decisions. List what you own – money in bank accounts and retirement plans, the value of stocks, bonds, investments and life insurance, the equity on your home and other property such as cars or objects of value, and then determine what you owe – outstanding mortgage balance, auto and student loans, and credit card debts. The difference, positive or negative, is your net worth.

2. Let a Budget be Your Guide.  Smart people make a budget at the start of each year. Show income from paychecks, retirement accounts and investments. Be honest and realistic about your food, housing and other expenses. Use Quicken or other software to input your budget and monitor it as the year goes on. As your situation changes (new job or between jobs), adjust your budget. It’s a great reality check for managing your money and keeping your financial house in order.

3. Set Goals. Working towards something you really want – a home, a car or simply paying off all your credit card bills or student loans – can provide motivation to put more time and energy into money management.

4. Keep records in order. Being a good record keeper helps to make tasks like doing your income taxes or completing a loan form easier, and saves you time and money in an emergency. Know where to easily find all important documents including birth certificates, property deeds, insurance policies and wills. Let a trusted family member or friend know their location. 

5. Get smart and ask questions. Compare terms on credit cards, check what your bank is charging in ATM and service fees, and watch for shipping and handling fees on purchases. If you don’t understand a term on a bill, lease, bank statement, loan form or sales agreement – ask questions.  Most importantly, ask for help when you need it.

6. Control your spending.  Review bills and bank and credit card statements and save receipts. Use them to understand your spending habits. Find ways to cut back on some expenses – cable TV, phone services, entertainment, vacations, gifts and eating out – so you have more money to cover necessities and add to your savings. Be a savvier shopper; you can spend less if you use coupons, watch for sales and look for the best price, especially on big ticket items and even on non-tangibles like insurance.

7. Know the score when it comes to your credit. Check your credit reports for FREE annually. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com or www.quizzle.com and monitor what the report shows. Make corrections as needed. And don’t forget to always follow the basic rules for handling credit well – pay your balance in full whenever possible, use your cards with caution, carefully read all information sent to you by your credit card company and always check credit card statements for accuracy.

8. Save. It’s not easy to find money to put aside, but save something even if it means cutting back on some expenses. Put a small amount away directly from your paycheck into a savings account each month to serve as your “rainy day” or emergency fund.  Increase that amount whenever possible. 

9. Plan for Retirement. Understand all the retirement options available to you – 401(k) or other plans available through your employer or action you can take on your own like contributing to an IRA. Make sure to at least contribute the maximum amount that an employer will match; for example, if there is a match for up to 3% of pay deferred, defer at least that amount. Don’t miss any opportunity to save for your retirement; start saving as soon as you can and as much as you can.

10. Change your mind set about money. Don’t take your money for granted. Since transactions are electronic, you don’t get a check in your hand anymore or even realize how much you’ve put on that credit card. Money is real; it doesn’t take care of itself and requires your full and constant attention. 

About the Illinois CPA Society
The Illinois CPA Society, founded in 1903, is the fifth largest state CPA Society in the nation, with more than 24,000 members. It is the premier professional organization that represents CPAs in Illinois. During its over 100 years of existence, the Society has advanced the highest ethical and financial standards of the profession, and has been a leader in educating the public on financial issues.

 This article is excerpted from the Winter 2010 Issue of WE Magazine for women. You can read more articles for women here: http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagWinterSpring2010.pdf

She suggests you:

1. Tell people who you are

2. Record Client testimonials

3. Record your ebook
4. Deliver Teleseminars
5. Do Q & A in audio

For details about exactly what to do with each of these strategies be sure to watch the video!

For more information about Irene Houston visit: http://www.onlinetechnologymadeeasy.com/

WE Magazine for Women is THE Magazine for Busy Women on the Move.  Being featured on our Cover is an excellent opportunity to Showcase your products and services. On average, our site attracts more than 1,500 unique visitors A DAY!   The mission of the Family Business Cover Story Competition is to showcase women around the world who are able to work together in business with their children, their spouses and/or other members of their family.  These women make it work. Whether they are the owners/ bosses or employees the women inspire their families, their companies and their communities.

When you enter the Women who work with their families, “Family Business Cover Story Competition,” you have the unique opportunity to share YOUR story with women around the globe as well as your own back yard.  WE Magazine for Women is a digital download magazine with a strong online presence in the form of our online magazine style website and blog.

There are several ways to gain recognition when you enter the Family Business Cover Story Competition.  First place winner will receive a two page spread in the Spring/Summer Issue of WE magazine as well as be the FEATURED story on the cover (complete with photo – supplied by entrant) and prominently displayed on the website.  2nd place will receive a 1 page spread in the magazine and their photo on the BACK Cover and on the website.  In addition 20 stories will be featured prominently in a special section in the Spring/Summer Issue as well as on the WE Magazine website. Deadline for submission is April 2nd, 2010. All complete entries will be posted to the WE magazine Website after the launch of Digital Spring Edition.

Entry in the Family Business Cover Story Competition is a great way to gain more media exposure for your company and brand.  In addition to being featured in the magazine and on the site, ALL qualified entrants will be mentioned in a story by the publisher, be featured individually on the WE Magazinefor Women WEBSITE as well as on a our media page with a link back to the entrant’s website, blog or other online presence.

Each entry will be judged by a panel of women who currently contribute content to WE Magazine for women, namely our editorial team and contributing editors. 
To enter, follow the Family Business Cover Story Competition Rules and submit all content with entry fee no later than April 7th, 2010.  All complete entries will be considered. Incomplete entries will be discarded and entry fees will be forfeited.

The Family Business Cover Story Competition  is in it’s second year. We are excited about the potential of sharing the stories of Women who work with their families. You may note that the first year we called it the Mother/Daughter Competition and this year have included other family members. We had a lot of requests from mothers as well as public relations representatives to include “family members” in the mix. You asked. We listened.

You can see the Rules and Entry Form here: http://wemagazineforwomen.com/the-buzz-about-we-magazine/we-magazine-for-women-cover-story-competition/

Looking forward to reading your entries!

Heidi & Team

Don’t waste anymore time. The people who will become successfully employed are those who understand they must reinvent themselves and learn new skills to compete in today’s job market.  When I moved away from Indecision, USA, I understood and accepted that I had to transfer my skills, talent and passion to a new career. Those skills took years to hone and were the impetus behind my success as a female executive in construction management. Instead of seeking another corporate job, I decided to use my skills and talent to help others talk their way to the top of their respective fields. I reinvented and repackaged myself as a motivational speaker, career coach and supplier diversity consultant. These six steps will help you move away from Indecision, USA.

Six Steps to Reinvention

1.)     Understanding and Acceptance

You have to understand there is a new job market and accept the irrevocable fact that America is not returning to the abundance of highly paid manufacturing jobs of the past. Do not take on the role of victim or live in indecision for six months as I did.  The majority of people entering or leaving the workforce today will not be getting a gold watch for twenty-five years of service. You must accept this and move forward. Research growth industries and the types of jobs they will create. Printout the skills, education and talent needed for these expanding fields and ask yourself how your skills, talent and years of experience measure up.  Bottom line:  What is the need and how can you meet it?  I could not have predicted my reinvention would meet such a critical need.

(2)     Reinvention and Repackaging

I realized that because I had hit the glass ceiling and my skills and talent were no longer being fully utilized, I had become complacent and extremely bored on that dream job but was afraid to let go of the familiar. Like an unhappily married wife I hung around in misery way too long, blaming my partner for my unhappiness instead of myself. The funny thing is once I let go of what I use to have and got my ego out of the way, I started to get enormously excited about all the choices I had in front of me.  I jotted down all the things that others said I did best and a pattern began to emerge. I motivated and inspired others, I was a great public speaker/presenter and I was a vehicle for important information. The challenge was how to utilize my day-to-day skills from my old job and repackage them into a new career.  I decided to start my own consulting firm to teach laid off workers and college graduates how to conduct successful job interviews, business presentations and public speaking assignments. Tony Robbins, Magic Johnson and Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google all appeared on Larry King Live. Their message you don’t have a choice you have to reinvent yourself. Call it, Three Men and a Lady; we’re all saying the same thing.

(3)     Everyone Has a Story – Learn to Sell Yours

I reinvented my career but I carried the authentic story of my life, the story that made me successful in construction management into my new life.  That story gave me validity, credibility, notoriety and confidence to try something new. I had to communicate my history of giving successful presentations, forming strategic partnerships and creating contract opportunities for hundreds of businesses, in a format that would attract new clients.  My products are sold in bookstores and on Amazon.com. Recently, my storytelling was the impetus behind winning the Fit for Fall Contest with O, The Oprah Magazine.  Learn to tell your unique story and all sorts of doors will open up.  Notice my emphasis on confidence. In the book, “All Things Are Possible Through Prayer” Charles Allen states: “A man who has lost his nerve is a pitiful creature. He shrinks from every task and he turns away from every opportunity.  But when he believes in himself, he develops power and strength he did not know he had.” 

(4)     Don’t Wait for Opportunity

To hear the words “you’re hired” in this job market you must have a strategic plan-of-action that includes research, networking and becoming an expert in the brand called you. Based on your skills, talent and passion what industries and employers do you want to work and what quantifiable value do you offer?  Look at all companies large and small, for profit and non-profit, federal, state and city agencies and the many fine educational institutions in this country and abroad.  

When you target industries, you automatically position yourself above your competition because you have matched your skills, talent and passion to growing industries and companies. Go after those companies, knock on their doors, and send a proposal and video to each showing how you can improve their business. Don’t wait for opportunity to come knocking because you’ll be waiting a long time.

(5)     You’ve got to move it, move it

The jobs in your town may have moved overseas, or the industries may have slowed down or shutdown; you may have to move it, move it. Don’t let fear paralyze you from exploring all your options. Depending on where you live in the country, some manufacturing and skilled labor jobs are not coming back. You will probably have to get retrained in something else or relocate. If you are able to move don’t be afraid to relocate but before you do, research the area and the opportunities. Your research should include: career opportunities, housing, schools, cost of living and houses of worship so that you can reduce the number of surprises once you move. Will your spouse be able to find work? Do your need to sell or rent your home? You may have to move across town, across country or across the world to explore career opportunities. Internationally renowned bestselling author Dr. Wayne Dyer says “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”  So think of your journey as an adventure instead of something you dread.  Don’t be afraid to explore and live a big, bold, beautiful life. 

Depending on your age, your grandparents or great-grandparents probably left their homeland to find work in America. I’m sure they were nervous and filled with trepidation, but they still moved it, moved it. At least research and investigate relocation; let it be an option you explore. During bad economic times such as the Great Depression people moved, people made tremendous sacrifice and they made tough choices.

(6)     Face-to Face Networking

Nothing beats face-to-face networking because you are able to tell your story with enthusiasm and passion.  Attend networking events on a regular basis because familiarity makes buying from, recommending or hiring you much easier. Focus your networking on events where your colleagues, clients, and potential customers gather. In these hard economic times don’t waste time or money attending events that don’t meet your target demographic. Show up with your elevator pitch prepared and practiced so you can talk about your value proposition in a way that benefits the end user. 
Use social networking sites very carefully as employers and clients search these sites for your name. In recent months, individuals who posted certain language and pictures on social sites have been fired. One woman even lost her disability insurance so use both privacy settings and good judgment in equal measure.

Dickie Sykes is a former construction executive and CEO of DGS Consulting LLC. She reinvented her career and relocated her business from New York City to Atlanta, Georgia. For more information on DGS Consulting, contact Dickie@dgsconsultingllc.com or visit the company’s website www.dgsconsultingllc.com. They can be reached by phone at 404 567-5790.

This article is excerpted from the Winter 2010 Issue of WE Magazine for women. You can read more articles for women here: http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagWinterSpring2010.pdf

Millions and millions of people visit YouTube® every month. Some of the most popular videos on YouTube have more views than Oprah’s show. If you are not promoting your business on YouTube ® yet, what are you waiting for?

I am about to reveal some of the coolest techniques to promote a video on YouTube®. We’ve used them with clients from all over the world and most of them have seen thousands of new visitors as a result of these powerful tactics.

Here they are:

Copy the Top Performers. Look for the three videos with more views in your category and get ideas from them. Copy their video title, tags and description. Don’t copy anything verbatim, change things up a little.

Create Your Own Channel. Create a channel and customize to feature your best videos. This alone will drastically boost your views.
Use the Bulletin Board. This is a great feature that lets you start a conversation around your own videos. But don’t limit yourself to your own bulletin boards; use others’ too.

Add Friends. People often forget that YouTube® is a social network. Add friends to your list and engage with them.
Use Video Responses. Search for popular videos related to yours and post your video as a response to them. Leverage the views that other videos get.
 Create Something Worth Spreading the Word About. If your video is boring, all these tactics won’t do much for you. The videos that work best on YouTube are either hilarious, controversial, unique, or very useful.

Complete Your Profile. YouTube® allows you to fill out a profile; do it. And by all means include a link to your website here.
Link the Videos to Your Profile. You can link your videos to any page within YouTube®. Set it up so when people click on your video they go to your profile. And from your profile they can click on the link to your website.

Create Playlists. Create a playlist of related videos. Include a lot of popular ones on a certain topic and, of course, your own video.

Join Some Groups and Start Your Own. Join some groups and post both text and video comments. You can also start your own group.

Encourage Viewers to Subscribe. End each video asking viewers to subscribe. Many people don’t know they can subscribe or they will forget unless you remind them.

These are some of the techniques that we have used for our best clients. Most of them got more than 500,000 views in less than one year. How would you like to get your business in front of half a million potential new clients?

Zeke Camusio is a serial entrepreneur. His sixth endeavor, The Outsourcing Company, is an Internet marketing agency with offices in Aspen, Colo. and New York. Zeke writes an entrepreneurship and Internet marketing blog called Let’s Do It! Check it out at www.TheOutsourcingCompany.com/blog. (used with permission)

This article and others can be seen and read in the Winter/Spring Edition of WE Magazine for Women

“Women marry men hoping they will change. Men marry women hoping they will not. So each is inevitably disappointed.”

Al was so damn smart! Not only was he the king of quantum physics, he got right to the heart of one of the most troubling challenges in male/female relations.

Okay…let’s break this down:

Women marry men hoping they will change. Admit it: we women have a propensity to choose men “even though.” Even though we don’t have much in common…even though he insists on going out with the boys more often than I want him to…even though he doesn’t always keep his word…even though, even though, even though.

So you date him, commit to a relationship, and maybe marry him. And you figure that if he cares about you, he’ll change.

But he doesn’t. You complain, sulk, and nag; to no avail. You think he’s disrespecting you. You think he doesn’t love you.

But I’m here to tell you: he’s just being who he is. You want a man of character, don’t you? There are fundamental beliefs and behaviors that make a man. And there are things you can not, and should not, try to change about him.

It’s one thing to get him to change what he wears (although I’ve yet to get Larry out of 501s into boot cuts); it’s another thing to expect him to suddenly turn into a guy who compliments you all the time. He may just not be that guy. And you knew that when you picked him.

It’s like the discount pants you buy as-is. You can hem them a little, but you can’t fix the big whole in the pocket without making a huge mess of it.

When you love a man, love him as-is. Decide what your deal breakers are, and make sure they aren’t on your list of Even Thoughs. And the non-deal breakers? Try…just try…to let those be.

Men marry women hoping they will not [change]. This is a common complaint from men about the women they are with. And it’s true, ladies. Often, once we set our eyes on a guy, we do what we can to snag him. The smartest, loveliest, most fabulous woman will twist herself into a pretzel trying to be the woman a hot man wants.

But you can’t do that forever. It’s exhausting and it means you have to live a life you don’t want. If you really don’t like watching sports, there’s going to be a time you start asking him to turn off the TV. If you prefer to sleep in, you’re going to start saying no to morning sex. If you hate the way he talks about your family, you’re going to start acting resentful.

To your man, it seems the woman he fell in love with is changing before his eyes. You’re not changing really; you’re just finally being your true self.

In the long run, faking this stuff to catch your man makes you both miserable. Certainlywhen you’re dating you want to put your best foot forward. But that doesn’t mean to be deceiving in any way. As you get to know each other, check yourself: are you being the real you with this man? If you are, and he sticks with you, you’ve found a man you can build a great relationship with.

So, avoid the inevitable disappointment. If you’re looking for a lifetime mate and you want to live happily ever after, know what you want, pick that guy, and just proudly hang with who you are.

When it’s said that way it sounds easy, doesn’t it? Let me know how it goes.

This is one of my favorite quotes. It succinctly expresses what I believe is the essence of setting and achieving goals. And if you are like most people you started out the year with a big list of goals you wanted to accomplish and just like the quote above, you are trying to “follow where they lead.” Did you know that statistically speaking of those goals set at the beginning of the year (aka resolutions) 97% are never fulfilled?  That is staggering! I mean why set ourselves up for failure? Perhaps it’s because they are not really our “highest aspirations.” We don’t “believe in them,” and so we don’t put 100% into accomplishing them.

To top it off, it’s already March!  I mean where did the first two months of the year go?  Since January 1st, of this year I have been going full-throttle.  Trying to finish things. Finishing a book, finishing a website, finishing client projects. You name it. If it’s on my to-do list, I to-did it! Or at least attempted to do so. 

How about you? What’s on your to-do list that you have yet to cross off? And what’s holding you back from doing so?  Victoria Holtz said, “Your role in achieving your goal must be giving your all. Involve yourself whole: with your heart, your mind and your soul.”

This issue of WE magazine which we have affectionately dubbed the “Winter Spring Issue (don’t worry there is still going to be a Spring Issue, but it may be the Spring/Summer Issue) is filled with great advice to get you in gear to achieve your goals.

You can begin with Esther Kane’s article about Beating Winter Depression.  I have seen Winter Depressing linger into early Spring for some people. 

And the Article on Goal Setting ~ Why New Years Resolutions are a Waste of Time is enlightening and freeing.

In fact, this issue is filled with hope, positive thinking and inspiration.  Be sure to read the article called “Don’t wait for the Economy to Turn Around.” It will really help you get on the right track in business and your life. 

And if you really want to achieve greatness, “Take Time to Take Back Your Time” will inspire you to do just that.

In addition to the how-to articles and strategic thinking mentioned above, this issue has inspiring articles about people beginning with our Cover Story of Mercedes, a woman who gives wholeheartedly to her passion of serving others. And the place we visit this year is Cuba.  You will learn a thing or two that make you want to visit one day.  And things, do we have things. One of my favorite channels is our Global Channel. In this issue Laurel Delaney shares her 10 Predictions that will Shape Our Global Business in 2010. A must read!

Be sure to peruse our Tech Tips section. There are ten resources you simply must check out for your business and for fun.  One of my favorites is ChaCha (www.chacha.com). You can ask ChaCha anything and get an answer!  Go ahead, ask away.

And finally be sure to click on the Family Business Cover Story Competition link.  WE magazine is looking for our next cover story. If you are in a family run business, you could be our next cover girl!  Read all about it here: http://bit.ly/WECover

Remember all our regular channels including our newest Product Reviews. WE magazine is always looking for new and innovative products, tried and true solutions and every day things that women want and need.  And WE magazine loves to highlight women doing great things in our community in our WOMEN Channel at http://WEMagazineforwomen.com/women. You could be one of them!
 
Andrew Carnegie said it best, “If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.”  My team and I hope reading WE magazine is on the top of your list of goals this month.  To access this month’s issue of  WE Magazine, visit: http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagWinterSpring2010.pdf

Special thanks to all our new contributors for submitting great content, to our editorial team for sending in articles, posting to the WE Magazine site and for finding exceptional articles written by others. You are what make WE a success. And to Joanne Estes and Kaitlyn Estes from Chicks in Red Heels, (www.chicksinredheals.com) a very special thank you for allowing us to use their photo on the back cover. Joanne and Kaitlyn were among our finalists in the Mother/Daughter Cover Story Competition in the Spring of 2009.

Thank you for reading WE Magazine for Women. And of course WE thank you for sharing it with your family, friends and colleagues.

To check out the current issue of  WE Magazine, visit: http://wemagazineforwomen.com/WEMagWinterSpring2010.pdf

To your success… and then some,

Heidi

Heidi Richards Mooney, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief