Hearing the words “book club” typically sends people running the opposite direction. The assumptions about book clubs are often that they’re time-consuming and “work”. I know this, because I too felt they were not “for me”, I didn’t have the time, and/or that I couldn’t keep up due to other obligations.

As a converted believer, I would like to share a few reasons and benefits to joining a book club.

Before listing the benefits of a book club, I want to address one of the biggest misconceptions, “I won’t be able keep up”. This very well may be true but should not be a deterrent.

Why? Because this is not school or a classroom. You aren’t being graded on how many books you read. Your raise isn’t based on if you fished when the group finished. Your insurance rates won’t go up because you didn’t have more than a sentence to say about how you felt about the January book.

Book clubs are for YOUR enjoyment, exploration, and development.
Nothing more. Nothing less.

Benefits of Joining a Book Club

1. Stimulation – Reading is exercise for the mind. You don’t have to read a math text-book for the exercise to take place. Just the act of reading on a regular basis is enough.

2. Expression – Book clubs aren’t just about reading but are a platform to share thoughts/ideas and be exposed to different views. Use the opportunity to explore new concepts.

3. Exploration – Hopefully, when you join a group, you’ll be exposed to books and ideas you may not have explored on your own. The group should challenge each other (in a non-threatening way) to take steps outside their comfort zone.

4. Vocabulary – Reading is the number one method to growing your vocabulary. I find infinite value in this benefit.  It does not mean you’ll use your new vocabulary on a regular basis but what harm is there in expanding your knowledge?

5. Socializing – Book clubs are a great way to meet new people. Perhaps that isn’t high on your list, but sometimes, it’s who you know, not what you know.

6. Community – Tied in with number 5, this benefit is important to everyone’s mental and emotional health. Having a community, regardless of the common connection, is important. Friendships and partners often come out of clubs.

There are so many more great reasons to join a book club, these are just a few my favorite benefits. If you’d like to further explore the idea, I’d love for you to join my new book club, The Motivation and Inspiration Online Book Club.

We’ll be reading books that will help develop and foster self-growth. It’s completely free to join and we’ll “meet” online via Facebook groups.

The Motivation and Inspiration Online Book Club

What is your favorite benefit of book clubs or what keeps you from joining one?

To your success,

The post 6 Benefits of Joining a Book Club appeared first on Monyelle Mingo.

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So, if you have found yourself going round in circles time and time again just trying to improve things in your life, but find yourself getting nowhere fast, then I’m pleased to tell you that it is now easily within your reach to change things during 2013.

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Here’s just a small sample of the 100s of gifts that are available for you to download instantly:

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Now that you know about this potentially life changing giveaway, are you going to make the most of the opportunity, or are you going to sit back and let 2013 be a repeat of 2012?

Hope to see you there Self Improvement Gifts

To your success,

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I hate the word “resolution”. I think it sets people up for failure before they even start. I also disagree with waiting for the new year to set new goals. But… that’s not what this post is about.

Here are three tips on how you can stay on track with achieving your new goals. January is almost gone. Next thing we know, it’ll be time for Spring Break!

1. Limit the number of goals you’re working on.

You’re excited about the positive new changes coming into your life. The endorphins and adrenaline are high. As soon as you begin working on your goals, you very quickly begin to feel like the tasks are too big. There’s too much work to be done. You take a day break, that turns into a week, then a month.  Next thing you know, it’s December and you didn’t accomplish your goals, let alone really start them.

The easiest way to avoid this trap is to limit how many goals you’re working on. You do not have to start everything at once. This is also why I do not recommend waiting until January 1st to start your new goals. Some people are great with change, better with multiple changes, and fabulous with monumental changes. But unfortunately, most of us are not. We need to work on one or two things at a time and also while our drive to make changes is high.

After you’ve decided which goal or two you’re going to work on, the next step is to break them into bit size pieces. Don’t just dive right in.

2. Set incremental goals.

Really think about what the end product of your goal looks and feels like. Then work backwards. Break down each step. How you’d get there, the changes that need to be made, the questions that have to be asked. Then group those into achievable steps. With each step, set a small reward for yourself to encourage you along the way.

3. Enlist support.

There’s no support like the love you give yourself. It’s needed more than you probably realize, but more often than not, we don’t support and love ourselves. This is why we should share are goals with loved ones or those in similar situations.  Support can come from family, friends, significant others, coworkers, trainers, teachers, and/or coaches.

Your support group is just as it’s called, for support. They encourage you when you’re successful or lacking in accomplishments. Use them as an accountability partner or just to vent your frustrations. How ever you decide to utilize your support partner(s) be sure to discuss with them what you need from the beginning.  During this process of change you do not need to add communication issues to your ‘to-do’ list.

How are you progressing with your 2013 goals? I’d love to hear about them. Please leave a comment below and share this post.

To your success,

The post Remain on Track With Your New Year Goals [Resolutions] appeared first on Monyelle Mingo.

"Stay in your lane" -- We've heard the phrase, often when someone is upset about another being nosy, but have you actually thought about what it literally means? Or how it could really help you achieve your objectives and goals?

What does it mean?

There's no official definition for this phrase. This is my interpretation. "Stay in your lane" has become a popular phrase that is typically used when someone is angry or frustrated. They use it to say that someone else should mind their own business.  Take away the negative energy, it means to focus on what oneself is doing or tending to.

How is this relevant to my business?

Entrepreneurs often get caught up in increasing their bottom line, especially those who are trading time for money. There are so many people offering to teach them how to increase their sales while freeing up more time. This is great, but at what cost? If you're losing sight of your mission and most importantly, the skills that made you desirable in the first place, what is the point of having more free time?

There is no valuable reason for your clients to invest in you.

How do I utilize the phrase?

Do what you do best, not what someone/everyone else is doing. If you're a weak carbon copy of every other business in your niche, why should anyone become your client?

You have to focus on your strengths. What makes you unique. It may be something very apparent, it may be something very small that needs to be emphasized.

If you're starting a new business or working on your marketing strategy, always keep your unique strengths in mind. Along with your mission, they should be the backbone to your business message and marketing.

While making shifts to grow your business be sure you always question if the changes are actually beneficial to your target market, not just  your wallet.

Over time, you will see that you will become the go-to person because of your unique strengths not because you have a similar coaching group as Jane Doe (although, that too could happen).

Have a story about how you learned what are your unique strengths? I'd love to hear them. Please leave a comment below and share this post.

To your success,

The post Stay In Your Lane appeared first on Monyelle Mingo.

Halfway thru January already! Where did the time go? Seems like we just dropped the ball to welcome 2012. I’m a little behind, I caught that icky flu going around, but here is a list of my top 5 posts of 2012.

I share them with you once more in hopes that they give you ideas and assistance if needed.

In no particular order, my top 5 posts of 2012 were:

Why Aren’t You Following the 80/20 Rule?

Are Reward Programs Valuable?

Why You Need a Branded URL

You Have to Learn to Ask for Help

How to Identify Activities That Get Results

I’m looking forward to offering new programing to assist with your marketing needs in 2013. Please contact me via email or thru social media if you ever have any questions.

To your success in 2013,

The post Top 5 Posts of 2012 appeared first on Monyelle Mingo.

This week’s post is written by Janis Spindel – CEO, Janis Spindel Serious Matchmaking, Inc..

With six couples shy of 1,000 marriages, Janis has been extremely successful in the world of matchmaking for years. Specializing in pairing up upscale clientele who are well-educated, sophisticated, attractive professionals, this self-proclaimed Cupid in a Chanel suit is no-nonsense when it comes to the business of “getting people married.” Be sure to connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Janis writes….

Did you just get out of a long relationship and have a painful/messy break-up? If the answer is yes, you need to start dating again! This is even more necessary if you have been single for 8 months and you still consider yourself to be in the realm of “just getting out of a long relationship.” But, NEWS FLASH, you did not just get out of a relationship, you have been out of a relationship for months, which is way too long to be out of the company of handsome men. So, it is time for you to get up, go out, and pick up some hot guys!

It might be easier to be alone and hang out with your cute little puppy, but the whirlwind world of dating will be a well-invested adventure once you find the man of your dreams. I know most people don’t like dating, but it is something that you need to do! Finding the love of your life isn’t easy; you need to work for it. He won’t just come walking through your door. With that being said, you cannot dive into work and spend all of your time alone watching sad movies and eating pints of ice cream.

If you are someone who feels it is easier to be alone and you have dove face first into your occupation, than I guarantee that you are not giving off the proper body language that will attract a man. To give off positive body language, you need to have confidence and love yourself and if you have “just” gotten out of a long and messy relationship/break-up, than I bet you don’t feel too good about yourself. But for someone to fall in love with you, you need to love yourself!

Loving yourself is not as hard as it sounds. You just need to think back to a time where you were genuinely happy and had no qualms about how you looked or felt. Once you can remember that time, do the things that you were doing at that specific point in time and I promise you will start to love yourself and feel good again.

Just remember for a man to love you, you need to love yourself. Finding the perfect partner is a process; a process that starts with you. Once you exude confidence and take that first leap of faith, I promise the process will get easier and you will find him.

Janis recently started a website called www.2lovetoday.com, where personal matchmaking meets online dating. Janis is the only matchmaker to have this type of personalized online service. For more information on Janis and her services, check out her website, www.janisspindelmatchmaker.com.

To your success,

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