The One Flaw in Women

Women have strengths that amaze men.

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what
makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their
family and friends.

Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Share this with a friend and family members
to remind them just how amazing they are.

Remember that everyday you are a Winning Woman!

It's Winning Woman Wednesday Lady Tweeps

It's #WinningWomanWednesday!

Every Wednesday I will be recommending Winning Woman who are worth adding to your contacts for their expertise, contributions, insight, and make Winning Woman a statement they live. Are you on this list?

Twitter WinningWoman Recommendations;(in no particular order)
@jansimpson ( making a difference politically)
@rockingjude (strong leader, see site)
@mariaschriver
@kathyireland (congrats on new book!)
@tkells
@colormered
@rightwingchick
@policygal
@shellykramer
@tracygardner
@lynnmosher
@marybeth66
@Divacat60
@consultpro05
@barefoot_exec (congrats on vid!)
@alphawomen
@stylishexec
@coachdeb (congrats on book!)
@jpamerica (great radio show!)
@jillme
@juliarosien(congrats on new site)
@eliving
@cathywebsavvypr
@louise_philp
@inspiremetoday

If you are not listed, we have next Wednesday coming, and every Wednesday after that. Please note that we need to tweet and get to know you so that I may recommend you and help you grow your community.
If you have not yet, please join/follow this blog for updates and new articles.

Have a great WinningWomanWednesday ladies!
http://www.winningwoman.blogspot.com

Winning the Time & Stress Battle; with a little help from a Friend

Time it's the most precious commodity we have, yet we never seem to have enough. A ledger balance sheet which divided with two columns that on one side says TIME, the other side says STRESS, and we find our balance sheet is out-of-balance almost daily.

STRESS = Shifting To Extreme Super Strength

I say extreme, because it seems that we just adjust to the tension and stress by shifting into this hyper-mode to get everything done; which can wreak havoc to our minds and body.

Stress has invaded and become a prevalent part of our lives. Time seems to just slip out of our hands,almost like someone has taken the steering wheel from us and we have lost control.

When stress attacks, it snowballs and we become a slave to it. Because it consumes our thoughts, we panic and try to play catch-up only to find ourselves exhausted from the perpetual list of things that still have to get done. Our efforts seem to yield little more than a headache, more worry, and more stress. We can become depressed and feel defeated that we just can't seem to gain control over it all.
ha
Regardless of how much we meditate, push things aside for quiet time, re-organize our schedules, do yoga, exercise, have finances in order...stress still hits us square between the eyes. The mind like a magnet absorbs everything that can trigger a stress response and sticks to us.

If you are not sure about whether stress lives in your life, take a look at this list of the top 10 stress triggers/events in women's lives;
Marriage
Pregnancy
Marital separation
Divorce
Death of spouse
Death of close family member
Personal injury or illness
Loss of job due to termination
Marital reconciliation or retirement
Change in financial state

It is by no means definitive, and are the most common that most of us are aware of and/or have happened in our lives at one time or another.

I believe that balancing home and career is one of the most difficult challenges women face today. In order to avoid falling into the "SuperWoman" syndrome,(which can plunge us deep into the stress territory), there needs to be a paradigm shift in the way we approach and handle things in life.

If you have worked outside the home, you know that there are rules and timetables set in place for you to accomplish your work. Similarly, these types of rules can be applied to our life and home. Managing time and routines in a succinct and orderly manner requires thought and planning, but when finished, you have gained control over the stress monster. A deep breath and sigh of relief comes over you knowing that this area is not pressing against you uncomfortably like a tight waistband.

One of the main keys to accomplish this is having yourself duplicated so you can do all these things and not run out of energy, yet still achieve your goals.
Duplicate myself - how?

As a Winning Woman, you want to be effective and efficient in all areas of your life. Get some help, a Virtual Assistant; having a VA is like having a personal Valet, Concierge, Administrator for your life. If you are a business executive, you have an Executive Administrator or Executive Assistant. You know and understand the value of this service. If you run a home, and a home-based business, this service will help you to be most effective with what you are trying to accomplish - growing your business and maintaining a well-functioning household.

Wondering how to get started and if you can afford it? I have listed several VA professionals around the country, so you should be able to find one close to you. Discuss your needs your need and see if she can be of help to you. She can get you organized and set things into motion until you decide to take it over yourself. Quite frankly, after a while, you won't want to give her up, she is like another you but far enough away to not be distracted and stays on target to accomplish the list of things you need to get done.

Save time, be efficient, be effective and concentrate on what you do best. You will be amazed at all you can accomplish.

Winning the Money Battle - Pt 2 Stop Shopping

Hi Again,

Here's the next part of Winning the Money Battle - Stop Shopping!

1. If you are a die-hard shopaholic who cannot seem to stay away from the stores, let's start with groceries - you can order your groceries on-line through PeaPod, or use Schwans and they will deliver to your door. This can keep your grocery bills from getting out of hand.
Let's face it, most of us are really bad girls when we go to the market.We get this and ooh, got to have that, till we realize at the checkout that we have totally blown our budget. Embarrassed by our lack of discipline, we buy it all, then later figure out where to borrow from so we can make ends meet till next paycheck.
ha
2. Cut up the cards, yes, those credit cards, and the numbers for online shopping networks that you hide in drawers way in the back, or in your wallet under photos of your kids that you swear you will use ONLY in an emergency - forget it! It won't happen, you know you're going to whip out that plastic the minute your radar smells a sale. You just can't help yourself, it's what you need and save so much money right now because it's on sale, keep telling yourself that and you will NEVER get out of the hole. I hope you are laughing about now. :)

Let's face it, you lived without till now, you can live without it - period.
BTW, the savings you think you are getting are being eaten up by the % interest% you are paying on that card!!!

3. Open an Roth IRA and deposit any money you have laying around, get in the habit of doing that even if it is $5.00 - why? Because the more often you start depositing into the IRA, and see it grow, the more you will find ways to keep adding to it. It becomes a mission, a purpose, a goal.
First it could be to have $100, then $500, then $1000 and so on.

4.. Talk to your banker about re-financing your house or car or any loans at lower rates, without penalties or paying a penny out of your pocket to do this. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. You won't know what you can get, if you don't ask.

5.. Sell Stuff - let's face it - if you haven't worn it, used it, or given it away within 6 months, it is taking up space and losing money for you the longer it sits there. Craig's List, Ebay, Half.com, or have a girl-friends garage sale where several of you get your stuff together and have a big sale. If you need deductions, find the local shelter, or Woman's Shelter and donate everything to them.

By now, you have probably come up with a few ideas of your own, hopefully the above mentioned ideas will give you the start you need to get going.

I know you will win the money battle - because you are worth it, it feels good to be in control of your money and you are a Winning Woman!

Let me know how you are doing!

Winning the Money Battle - Evaluate Pt 1

Is this a good Investment?

When you sit down and look at your income and at your bills, does it look like you are working to just to put money into others' pockets?

Considering that over 50% of the women in the US do work at some point during their lives, and many times while single, or building a family, the question should be asked; 'Is going to work a good investment?'
ha
I decided to break down this question and evaluate this investment we make toward the great economic account we pour our time and money and lives into. Let's take a look at what going to work and the (ROI) Return on investment might look like.

First, let's look at what we need just to get started - Business Wardrobe, additional groceries for brown bagging it, hitting the gas pumps every other day, not to mention wear and tear on the car parts, and the tires, the time it takes to drive to work, and home again at the end of the day, and throw in daycare and we wonder; is all this worth it? What do we gain? What does it really cost?
With this economy many think break even is as good as it can get. Or, perhaps, you are doing a little better and able to put a little extra aside for your rainy day, that's excellent and gives you a sense of control. But what if you are in the position of falling behind every month and never seeing a cent in your pocket? What do you then? How do you change this pattern? Sure there are oodles of books and matrix program, budget programs available, but are you really going to take the time to sit down in front of your computer and put together an Excel sheet or something similar?

What is the easiest way for YOU to get a handle on your monthly budget?

Let's look at the most simple and basic method that will not overwhelm the most math-challenged person.

Take a lined piece of paper and do the following -

1. Get all your bills that are paid on a monthly basis and write down who they are, next to each one the due date, then the amount due.

2. Check these companies to find out if they offer a budget plan - that is the same amount paid every month - you might find you can save some money. Also, check if you can save by paying online and not have paper bills sent to you, again, you may be able to save money here too.

3. Look at your bank online to see if they offer an special savings on auto, home, or other insurance - I save an extra $20.00 on my car insurance just by signing up through my bank.

4. If you have tuition or school loans, these are also negotiable - sometimes scholarships are awarded, or you can adjust the monthly payment if you are able to volunteer once a month for the school.

5. Next, take those monthly expenses for things like; tithing or giving, groceries, dry-cleaning, medicines, diapers, coffee runs, going out to eat, alcohol, cigarettes, and other miscellaneous that you have occur on a monthly basis. Are there any bubbling up to the surface that you see where you can cut back or cut out? Usually the hardest ones to give up are the ones we are addicted to; coffee, lattes, cigarettes, alcohol, sodas, going out to eat, and these are the ones that if you stopped buying for even one month you would see a savings depending on your habit of course, but a savings that can go straight into the bank.

Determine to discipline yourself and just do it. After one month, if you like what you see, then try it again next month, and little by little you will begin to see those dollars adding up in your savings account.
Finally, look at your income vs. expenses after you have made these changes. Do you start to see improvement in your finances? Is your investment starting to look like it can yield a return?
It's all up to you and what you want - so go after it and win your battle over money!
You can do it - You are a Winning Woman!