The Transformative Power of Stories for Children

February 17, 2010

heartAnnie: This is a beautiful story sent to me by Mike Blackstone a friend, colleague and blog reader of mine.  He told some stories to his children with truly magical results.  This really invites us to realize the transformative power of story.  Thanks for sharing Mike.  It really opened my heart.

Mike: A month ago I was invited to a lecture that was to take place last Sunday afternoon.  I had completely forgotten about this lecture until it popped back into my mind 25 minutes before it was to begin. Interestingly, I had spent some quality time with my two little boys that morning, had all my “chores” done, so I told my wife Maureen I was going.

When I got to the lecture, I found out the speaker was an “ageless wisdom” guy which I don’t know much about. His theme was “Unfolding the Soul’s Purpose,” and among many things, he talked a little about reincarnation and astrology. I enjoyed it.

When I got home, I did a little research on the internet about him and about some of his subjects. I came across one little tidbit in an online astrology chart about focusing on “raising one’s children well,” and that struck a little heart chord.  Hmm, could be a bit of a life purpose in there?

A couple of hours later I had this impulse and decided to tell my 6 year-old a story, and base it on the concept that we had lived other lives together. I completely improvised it. Here is the gist:

native_american_We were young brothers (Native Americans) in the 1800s. Out on an exploratory adventure, we were attacked by a mountain lion. It took all of our wits (mostly his) to both come out of it alive. Later we were attacked by a she-bear when we accidentally stumbled upon her cubs. Again our wits, mostly his, saved the day.

Several times during the story he said, with his head cocked to one side and his eyes narrowed, “Dad, you’re making this up, aren’t you?” Of course I denied it saying that that’s what I “remember.” But each time he asked me to keep telling the story.

About an hour later, my 9 year-old, Elliot, comes into my office and asks, very intently, “What did you tell Euan?” I said, “Why are you asking?” He replied, “Well, Euan said you TOLD him something!” “Do you want me to tell you something, too?” “Yes.” So I told Elliot a story, completely improvised, that went like this.fist

We were neighbor kids in the tenements of New York City in the late 1920s—best buddies who lived about a block apart. One day we were hanging out in the neighborhood, but I was about a block away around the corner with a couple of the guys. I heard loud voices and we came around the corner to see what was going on.

“I saw you (Elliot) surrounded by four rough guys from another neighborhood, and one started threatening you that they were going to beat you up. That kid turned, looked at his buddies to smile, and as he turned his head back, your fist lashed out, caught him square in the nose and knocked him clean onto his back.

There was blood everywhere. The other three were about to set on you but saw me and the other guys, grabbed their fallen comrade and beat a hasty retreat. They never came back.”

When I was done, Elliot floored me by saying, “Thanks, Dad, for telling me that story. And you know the part I liked the best? I didn’t need you to save me.”

I was dumbfounded in some wonderful way. The next morning, as I was taking them to school, Elliot said, “Thanks again for telling me that story, Dad, I really liked it.” And I wondered again what that was all about. He had never thanked me before for telling a story.

A few nights later I was tucking the boys in bed, I told Euan another story where we were both bridge builders, but he was a bridge designer.  Right at that moment he nodded his head deeply in some sort of  agreement, and he saved my life on a bridge-building site during an earthquake. Remember, he was the skeptic.

This time HE thanked me for telling him that story.

When he nodded his head it was pretty funny because he’s lately been into wearing a blindfold to bed—the kind you get on an airplane. So, I’m right by his face, softly telling him the story, he’s wearing his blindfold, and he starts to nod in agreement when I get to the “bridge designer” part.  It melted my heart.

loveThere have been a few more stories since, and, with how much they seem to love them, there WILL be many more.

I am still digesting all this, but I find it amazing. A couple of clues I’m looking at—Euan (6yrs) loves to build things and is a Lego maniac. Elliot (9 yrs) loves everything about the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and is determined to make his living as a pro wrestler.

Annie: Don’t you love this story?  Sweet, simple ways to make a difference in the minds of children.  Thanks Mike for sharing the transformative power of story.

Yours in always sharing the stories that matter,

Annie

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Corey’s Story Journey: Hanging a Picture Frame Around Your Life

January 22, 2010

lostWhen I started working with Annie Hart and Katie Gutierrez Painter on my book, I really had no idea where it was headed, or how it would all come together. In fact, like so many of my own clients, I often felt lost throughout this process.

Over the last eight months the three of us got together weekly and Annie pulled out my most poignant business, creative, and personal stories so that Katie could document them. But remaining objective was something I have not been able to do well. My view of my life is infinite, it has no edges, and yet, we have to put a frame around my stories to build the book. We have to give the stories context.

A short lesson on context. One thing I have learned through working with so many books is that readers, as they read, are constantly pulling information, ideas and lessons from what they are reading and are subconsciously filing them in their brain as they travel down the page. If an author fails to provide their reader with enough context, files quickly get backed up and create clutter as the brain slows down and tries to determine how to categorize them. For most readers, a single uncategorizable file can knock the reading experience off course. I call this a roadblock.roadblock

The brain starts directing extra focus towards determining how to unclog the road block. But information, like cars, is still being added to the equation. So now attention is being split between trying to unclog the road block and trying to direct new traffic to where it needs to go. One little road block can lead to a pile-up if an author is not careful. And a pile-up is a quick indication to a reader to drive in the other direction—away from what they’re reading!

Throughout the process of telling my stories, I have been waiting for the context to become apparent. I’m a strong believer in not forcing it, and so I have been patient. Then yesterday it happened. Annie and Katie and I were coming to the end of the storytelling portion of our work together and over the last couple weeks we had begun pulling out the themes we saw running through my life.

frameSimultaneously, I’ve been dealing with some very difficult company setbacks and trying to untangle some rough terrain. To be candid, I felt recently like I was watching my company fall down around me. From an authentic conversation around my life and the business, my picture frame popped out and into view. What a joyous moment to arrive at, and we did it together.

This weekend I plan on taking my first stab at the introduction to the book, and next week, Katie and I will begin to assemble my stories based on our new context. Phase 1 is over. Now we breath and enter phase 2.

From Annie: Corey has been a delight and a joy to work with over these months.  Together we dove deep into the stories of his life and I am so happy that he’s able to go to phase 2 now.  What a beautiful journey!

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Taking Your Business Global - Tips From Women Who’ve Done It (including me)

December 29, 2009

global-network-web-image02Recently I was featured in a wonderful article by the National Association of Women Business Owners on taking your business international.

Going global was a dream of my for a long time but I could never create the access that I wanted to, until I starting to blogging and using social media.

Within six months, no kidding, I had attained an international presence.  I was making contacts in Spain, Italy, England, France, Australia, New Zealand and my biggest blog following was in Sweden.  How cool is that?  From this I’ve started to develop client relationships and new work opportunities.  And who said that social media was only for children!

Here is the article, hope you enjoy it:

Taking your small business global is no easy feat. It requires lots of research, loans, connections and patience. Here are some tips from fellow women business owners who have already expanded their businesses overseas that will make your transition easier.

head-shotWhen it comes to taking your business global, there are three main things you must have: a support system, knowledge about yourself and networking skills. According to Annie Hart, personal coach, consultant and owner of “Stories Change the World,” taking your business overseas is tricky, but feasible. “Breaking technology barriers was probably the most difficult part,” says Annie of taking her business global.

She began by using social media as a way to communicate with potential clients and make connections. Through this, she was able to expand her business to Europe and gain clients from Sweden, France and England.

As a personal coach and consultant, Annie feels that when expanding your business globally, you need to simply be yourself. “People try too hard,” she says. “Hone in on who you are in a simple and natural way.” This will help you brand yourself and make real connections with potential clients.

As for Penny Barr, M.D. and CEO of Barr Management Consultancy, she recommends conducting an in-depth study of the market and targeting who your competitors are. This will lend valuable insight as to whom you will be working with and against. By knowing the strengths of your competitors, you are better able to reformat your business so that you stand out among the others.

Barr also recommends The Ease of Doing Business Reports by The World Bank. In this report, economies are ranked on their ease of doing business, from 1 to 183, with 1 being the easiest. A high ranking on the ease of doing business index means the regulatory environment is conducive to the operation of business.

The main thing that both Annie and Penny agree upon is the importance of having a support system and networks of colleagues who will offer advice to help you through your global expansion. Penny says, “the most important lesson that I’ve learned was to ensure that I had a well-experienced, knowledgeable contact in that market for advice when needed.”

From Annie: They are a wonderful organization and if you are a women business owner you might think of joining.  And if you’d like to help getting over the social media hump, feel free to contact me!

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How To Create Community Using Social Media

December 3, 2009

creating-communityAlright I’m the first to admit that I thought Twitter was the most ridiculous thing in the world and completely irrelevant for my business.  I remember saying to my colleagues, “Don’t even tell me about it!”  I wrote it off as one of those Hollywood fads that was made for those who enjoy silly snippets of conversation.

But much to my complete surprise, social media forums like Twitter and Facebook have become a central pillar of my business communications.  Who knew!

breakfastWhat I love about Twitter and Facebook is that we can now have conversations with just about anyone in the world, about anything.  Personally I don’t write those posts that tell people what I’m having for breakfast or the fact that my dog just went out and “did potty.”  But those aren’t things that I talk about anyway, so why would I post them on Twitter!

Many people get put off by these kinds of conversations but what I say to you is if you don’t enjoy those kinds of conversations, then find ones that you do enjoy.  Seek out what is relevant and interesting to you and then start to connect.  Now how do you do that?

Well if you’re like me I get overwhelmed easily by too much data and there is no way that I want to be reading 9 million status updates a day.  So I just trust that wherever I land is where I’m meant to connect, or I search out certain types of people and start to follow them.  But my personal secret to fulfillment in social media is that I make all of my connections very personal, or at least as much as I can.

personal-connectionsI’m not an anonymous type person, so why should I want thousands of people following me that I don’t care about?  I wouldn’t.  As much as I can, I try to connect with people individually because that alone makes me feel like I’m building community.

Personal, individual contact is the key to feeling like you’re part of something.  We all want to feel connected and we need to be part of the bigger human family, so I make that my personal goal rather than just racking up the numbers.

And I’ve had great success at this.  I have a wonderful following both on Twitter and Facebook but more than that, I have built connections with interesting people from all over the world.

I’ve spoken on the phone to several that I met on Twitter and in a few weeks I will be hosting a special Radio Show with two wonderful storytelling colleagues from Barcelona, Spain whom I met on Twitter.  Who would have ever thought!

tweeting-in-the-rainSo can you have fun and fulfillment on social media?  The answer is yes. No it’s never as good as in person contact and obviously I don’t want to be dating this way or having all of my social life online, but hey, the bigger the global family the better.

Try it today and see if you aren’t Tweeting a Happy Tune sooner than you thought and if you need any tips, feel free to contact me!

Yours in building community connections,

Annie

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“Cut The Crap” Goes Live on the Radio

November 18, 2009

thomasToday I had a wonderful virtual coffee with my new friend and colleague Thomas Magnum on his Virtual Coffee radio show.  Boy was that fun!

Thomas is an inspiring and educated speaker and trainer who has a real knack for putting people at ease and creating connections.  He was fascinated by the many levels of depth that storytelling provides for creating impact in your life, your message and business.

We had a great virtual coffee together, Thomas in sunny California and me in Philly-delphia.  We both relate in the area of knowing that relationships are a most important factor in all transactions of life.

If you’d like to enjoy the show as I did, listen below and I hope you will get to know Thomas.  He has certainly has a lot to share.

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If You Need To Kick Some A_s, You Need the Right Shoes

November 15, 2009

shoesHere’s the deal that no one ever told you, well no one ever told me anyway - if you need to kick some ass in this world, you need the right shoes.

Years ago I was doing some consulting work for a small family trucking business. Boy that was tough! It was a predominantly male environment and as you can imagine, my more female style of doing business didn’t really fit in.  I a fish out of water! But I am feisty, fiery and oh did I mention hard headed? So I persisted.

One day I was running a meeting for the major players in the business which consisted of about eight men and two women. We were having a meeting, which I was supposedly leading, when all of a sudden a shouting match erupted between the CEO and his head salesman.

walrussLike two bull walruses, they stood up and started tusking each other full force with their words. They were shouting and screaming and I thought, “Oh my god, what am I supposed to do about this?” I had never encountered this before in my work.

One thing you should know behind the scenes is that before this fight had broken out, I had taken off my shoes under the table. I am 4 ft, 11 inches small and in order to look more like an adult than a child when I sit in a chair, I usually take off my shoes and sit with my feet up. Most of the time no one knows about this. It’s my own personal secret to success. But this day being shoeless was not to my advantage.

When the fight broke out I was furious. I thought to myself, “How dare these two idiots interrupt my meeting!” Who do they think they are?  One of them was the owner of the company, but I didn’t care.  I was pissed.

shut-upBefore my logical brain could give me advice, I jumped up and screamed at the top of my lungs, “Shuuuutt Up!” There was dead silence in the room and then everyone turned to look at me. The CEO and the salesman stopped fighting for a minute, then the meeting went on. But less than five minutes later, the fighting broke out again.

Now I was beyond fury, I was in the kick-butt zone. I jumped up out of my seat  and ran towards the two fighting men. I put my tiny frame body right in front of Mr. CEO and faced off with Mr. Salesman and shouted at the top of my lungs, “If you don’t stop fighting right now, I’m leaving.”

The only problem was that if I left, I would be walking out without my shoes.  I had left them under the table!  Thank god they stopped fighting and I was able to go back to my seat and continue the meeting. Later someone in the group that had noticed that I was shoeless said to me, “Were you really going to leave without your shoes?”  Yes I was gonna walk out, but boy would my feet have been cold!

So here’s the learning particularly for women - If you’re out there working in the world and times get tough….when you know you need to cut the crap and kick some you know what….then you really need to have the right shoes.

kick-ass-shoesLater several of the men sidled up to me on their own and said, “Wow, you’re  tough.”  I knew that was my sign that as a small but feisty woman, I had proved my metal.  But next time I need to break up a fight, I’m going to be prepared.  I’m going to wear a nice spike heel, just in case.  If you need to kick some “you-know-what” in this world, you definitely need the right pair of shoes!

Let me know what you think about these.  :>)

I’m Annie Hart and I tell stories that change the world and I tell them raw and real because that’s not only what the world needs, but what the world is ready to hear.

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Outstanding People Stories: Meet Chuck Hester

November 9, 2009

In the world of online marketing and networking what I don’t need is one more sales pitch - the all-too-common, “Hey, I have a great offer for you” greeting that many people on the social networks use makes me want to recycle my lunch.

That’s why I was delighted when I read the refreshing new book by Chuck Hester.  In all 54 pages of his tiny treasure, he never once tried to sell me anything!  He didn’t even try to sell me the book because I found out about it through my reliable mentor Bea Fields.

smiling-chuckSo friends, I’d like you to meet wonderful human being Chuck Hester.  Chuck is changing the dynamics in online social networking with his pay it forward approach to connecting.

Chuck’s book, “Linking In To Pay It Forward” with the byline, “this is not your Daddy’s business book,” shares Chuck’s unique approach to creating a social network by asking the simple question, “How can I be of service to you?”

bookIt’s a small enjoyable book that I read in an evening.  But what is most outstanding about the book is not so much what Chuck says, but his philosophy to life and business.  Believe it or not folks, Chuck actually believes in sharing with people in the online business world, not to get, but to give.

I’m not just talking about that kind of ‘let me pretend to give you something so I can really get something from you’ mentality.  You know the one I’m talking about?

That’s not Chuck.  No.  When I read his book I could feel that he is genuine.  I was so happy to find this philosophy that I reached out and emailed Chuck the very next morning.  He says in the back of his book to please contact him and after reading his book, so I did.

Chuck wrote me right back with a lovely note and we struck up the beginning of a genuine connection.  I love that!

Chuck is definitely making a difference in the world with his philosophy.   He applies the concept of paying it forward, which means to do good things for others without expecting anything in return.  As a master networker, he uses this in the world of social networking and he’s had amazing results.

In a world where it seems that everyone is out to get something, Chucks pay it forward philosophy stands out in the crowd.  I believe that this is the wave of the future and it can’t be faked.  You’ve got to truly mean it and I believe Chuck does.

chuck-networkingChuck and his wife Stephanie have hosted Linkedin Live Raleigh, a networking event that regularly attracts more than 350 professionals and helps others to pay it forward in person.  It’s obvious that people really want and need the power of genuine human connection.

He has a wonderful blog, the Pay It Forward Chronicles where he shares his stories of paying it forward.  Chuck has generated a network of 9,500 contacts on LinkedIn alone and whenever he goes to a new city, he often meets one of his LinkedIn contacts in person.  He helps us to see that it truly is a small and connected world.

Chuck thank you for the difference you are making in the world of social media.  You bring back the heart and humanness which we all need.

I hope you will join Chuck and I on my Radio Show next Friday, November 20th at 12:30 pm EST at www.blogtalkradio.com/inspiringchangethroughstory.

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Tackling Technology: Tips From A Former Technophobe

October 28, 2009

success-photo1From Annie:
This week I wrote an article for my local paper in which I shared the story of my business success using blogging and social media.  Wow, I would never have predicted that I would be a person to to overcome my fears of technology and go so far.  But thanks to Bea Fields and her wonderful blogging course, I am more than happy to share this story.

bea-fields_1636From Bea Fields:
Less than 10 months ago, Annie Hart dug her heels in and told her friend Jeff Simpkins …”No way will I ever want to blog…I can’t do that.”

She then caved into peer pressure from Jeff (Jeff is a super salesman!) and signed up for the Become a Blogging Maniac program.

Not only has she become a a blogging maniac, she is now actually speaking to and teaching others in her local community about blogging and the use of technology as tools to reach a wider audience.  And, she is being sought out by others for her storytelling expertise and is in the early stages of writing a book…wow…what a transformation!

So, Annie is now being sought out by the media for her story on being a former technophobe who is now a techno-wonder kid!  Here you go…an article in the Chestnut Hill Local in Philadelphia, PA by the title of Tackling Technology:  Tips from A Former Technophobe by Annie Hart.  Congrats Annie!

If Annie can do this, so can you!

From Annie: My success was so surprising and unexpected and I feel committed to helping others overcome their fears of technology as well.  I plan to write several more articles for my local paper and even launch an initiative to help my community work together for our collective business success.  I hope my story inspires you to know what’s possible in your business.  Feel free to contact me.

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Lead the Way With Story: Creating Trust & Credibility

October 25, 2009

60848-55Storytelling, definition by Annie Hart
An effective and congruent communication that embodies your commitment, your beliefs, your values and your vision.

This is part of a series on the use of storytelling in leadership.  Leaders need to inspire and motivate others.  They need to help people get along, collaborate and go where they haven’t been before.  Nothing does this more effectively than the power of story.

Although the word story means many things to me, for the purposes of leadership, I’m going to give it the above definition, so that it will show you exactly how you create connection through story.  To illustrate this effectively, I need to tell you a story.

Several years ago I was giving a presentation to a small family business that was not my typical client.  One of the owners was a private client of mine who really benefited from my work and she wanted me to do some consulting for them.  But I was pretty sure that the rest of the company wouldn’t see me as a natural fit and might not want to hire me.

So what did I do?  The first step to building a connection is to get inside someone else’s story to find out how they think, believe and act.  To do this I asked myself the question, What goes on inside of their world? This is how you discover the daily problems, frustrations and mindsets of whomever you want to communicate with.minds

The key to this is to do it from the mindset of sharing and the intention to build connection.  When you begin by relating to our common human problems, then we start on the same page.

In business the number one priority is often the famous ‘bottom line’.  But the key to a sustainable business is actually not the bottom line at all.  People are the most important commodity of any successful venture.

As a leader, relationships should be of prime importance.  If not then everything else will go downhill.  The bottom line of is not and can never be number one,.  Taking care of people comes first.

So by the time I went to give my presentation, I had already put myself in the mindset of the people that I was speaking to.  I walked into a group of people that looked harried, distracted and uninterested, but I was prepared for this.  So I started by telling them their own story.

I introduced myself briefly and then told them that I would be right back, and I walked out of the room.  I returned minutes later, rushing in with a briefcase spilling papers and frantically talking on a cell phone.

speechlessI began my presentation all over again, but this time I was speaking at breakneck speed.  “Hi I’m Annie Hart and I’m here to….” But imagine this with words flying at 500 miles an hour!

When I looked up they were speechless.  Maybe dumbfounded is a better word.  I paused and looked at them carefully.  I asked, “What was that like for you?’

“That’s exactly like our daily lives!” they said. They couldn’t believe that I got them.  I said, “How did it feel to experience me that way?”  They unanimously said, “It was awful, very stressful and anxiety producing.” Exactly. Exactly like their daily lives.

This dramatic enactment of their everyday way of being, opened up a discussion of trust and openness, whereas just moments before they had considered me a complete stranger.  So how did they accept me so quickly?

I used the power of story, THEIR STORY, to speak their language.

The key to rapport and building connection is to think about others.  Ask yourself, what do they need?  What are they going through?  What are their daily lives like?

It’s not how can I get them to do what I want?  It’s how can I understand who they are? This is one of the key skills a leader can have.

Each of you in your own way is  a leader.  Start today to think how you can get inside the story of others, so that people will want to follow you where ever you go.

And if you’re wondering if I got hired?  The answer is yes, and continued to tell stories and build rapport for an entire year.  Storytelling is a key to building trust and credibility through creating connection.

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We Blog, Therefore We Are - Our Top 4 1/2 Reasons to Blog

October 23, 2009

useless-stamplickThis is a joint blog post by elizabeth cassidy & Annie Hart, Blogging Maniacs who share the power of story through blogging:

Once upon a time, people wrote letters, peeled a stamp off their tongues and recited a silent prayer, hoping that their words would make it across the world or town.   While man wrote on cave walls and woman doused her love letters in cheap perfume, it was inevitable that one day all this would pass away.

In its wake arose a way to communicate in a nanosecond, with your friends, family and the world at large.  I don’t know if you got the announcement, but your computer gave birth to a weblog in 1998.  They call it a blog for short.  It’s a family name.

Now for those of you (and you know who you are), who think blogging is for everyone else - think again.  It used to be that Facebook was for 20-somethings, but now their parents and grandparents are taking over.  There is power in our numbers and words.

Below are some of the reasons why you should be blogging.  Read them now.

tea-bar-laughing-head-shotReason Number One: (from Annie) First of all, we Ole’ Folks need to get hip.  We want to be part of the wave of the future, not left back in the dust with the dinosaurs right?  It’s embarrassing to think that Tweeting is just what birds do.  If you’re over forty or fifty in my case and you’re freaked out by blogging, then I suggest you read a book, take a course or call me or elizabeth.  We’ll convince you that you can do it.   God knows if we can do it, you can do it.

elizabeth-cassidyReason Number Two: (from elizabeth) We all have thoughts and opinions on what is going on in our lives, our neighbor’s lives and the world at large.  So let us know how global warming, mixing plaids with strips or how the political scene is shaping up or destroying your world.  Pick a subject that keeps you up at night and blog about it.  When you write with passion, the world will beat a path to your door.

Ok they may knock at first, but people will come back for more when you tell us what you think, why you think it and how you plan on enlightening us in the future.  Not a heavy thinker and have been known to crack a joke or two at the wrong time - like science class or in the middle of performing an emergency appendectomy? Then write a blog that will make people laugh and let your readers stumble upon it, follow or share it, tweet it with everyone they know. Just write your blog as if the world depended on your voice getting out there.  And some days, you never know, it just might.

leisure-suitReason Number Three: (from Annie) Blogging is one of the hip tools of today.  Ok, so I know the word hip is dating me, but honestly it’s really cool to be a blogger.  You can look smart and savvy right from the comfort of your own home.  But while you’re at it, (for women) get rid of those platform shoes that are in your closet and (for men) get rid of that leisure suit that you are never going to wear.  If you’re going to blog, you at least need to look decent.

Reason Number Four: (from elizabeth) You are blogging up a storm and you are getting a following without starting a cult. It feels great to have people clinging to your every word and your mother is thrilled to see how many people are leaving comments. But you just keep blogging and you forget to respond to the people who take the time to praise or scorn you. You remind us of those guys who promised to call but never did.

After a while, you just start to fade from their collective memories and you are blogging to yourself. Do take the time to respond to those who take the time to let you know that you impacted their lives. Start a conversation and give people a platform to be heard.  More than likely someone will say something brilliant and viola’ – you got yourself a new blog.

smiley-face-usb_2Reason Number Four 1/2: (from both of us) It’s fun.  Honest.  Once you get over the hump, you’ll actually enjoy it.  We promise.

Thanks to my friend elizabeth for her fun and humor.

elizabeth cassidy is a certified life and career coach for women who are looking to reach and surpass their dreams.  She is the founder of Branching Out Life Coaching and the Co-Creator/Founder of Coaches on the Edge - a blog that mixes wit and wisdom with life coaching.  Along with her blogging partner, Laurie Lawson, they are national bloggers for Skirt! and their blogs have been featured on USA Today.com, Daylife.com, Treehugger,com and the India Times.  You can enjoy elizabeth’s own thought provoking and amusing blog here.


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