Home Made Gift

Today is a special day in my history because it brings memorable moments of the birth of my first child.   For most of you reading this, today may not be so special to you, it’s just another day.  But for those of you who have children, it’s a special moment with each birthday.

This is the thing and what is truly remarkable.  You see,  my son turns 25 today and I remember his birth as if it were yesterday.  I remember the experience of childbirth, the experience of the sleepless nights and the change it brought to my life.  But that part of the journey is special to me and one that I will cherish in private moments with my son as we reminisce for years to come.

The purpose of this blog post is to celebrate my son’s birthday.  In celebration,  I realize that I am also 25 years older now.   As I look back, I am amazed  at how  much has changed in 25 years.  When I think about all the technological changes, how much things costs now, and people in our lives who come and go,  I got curious.  So I began to research moments in history to find out what was going on in 1986.   According to thepeoplehistory.com, this is what was happening in 1986:

Our President of the United States was President Regan.

Smoking is banned on all public transport including trains, planes, busses and coaches.

Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrates after launch, killing all on board.

Cost of Living 1986

• Yearly Inflation was 1.91%
• Year end close Dow Jones Average was 1895
• Interest Rates were 7.50%
• Average cost of a new home was $89,430.00
• Average household income was $22,400.00
• Average monthly rentals were $385.00
• Average price for a new car was $9,255.00
• A gallon of gas was 89 cents.
• A postage stamp costs 22 cents.

Favorite Films

• Top Gun
• Crocodile Dundee
• Platoon
• The Karate Kid, Part II
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
• Aliens
• Ruthless People
• The Color of Money
• The Money Pit

Favorite Musicians

• Billy Joel
• Robert Palmer
• Lionel Richie
• Van Halen
• The Police
• Debbie Harry
• Simply Red
• Whitney Houston with ” the greatest love of all “
• The Pretenders
• Genesis
• The Bangles with ” Walk Like and Egyption “
• Chris de Burgh
• Madonna with ” Papa Don’t Preach “
• Prince
• Culture Club
• Bruce Springsteen
• Pet Shop Boys

Favorite TV Shows

• Magnum, P.I.
• Dynasty
• Falcon Crest
• Hill Street Blues
• Cagney and Lacey
• Cheers
• Fame
• Family Ties
• Remington Steele
• The A-Team
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (UK)
• Highway to Heaven
• Murder, She Wrote
• The Bill (UK)
• The Cosby Show
• EastEnders
• Growing Pains
• Neighbours
• Only Fools and Horses (UK)
• The Twilight Zone

Technology

According to computerhope.com, these Technology events took place in 1986:

• Gigabyte is founded
• Apple introduces the Mac Plus. The computer contained one megabyte of R.A.M. and new keyboard that contained cursors and numeric keypad and sold for $2,600.
• Compaq introduces the first 386-based PC compatible computer.
• Microsoft is listed on the New York Stock Exchange selling shares to the public at $21 each, making Bill Gates one of the worlds youngest billionaires.
• More than 30 million computers are in use in the United States.
• The domain ibm.com comes online March 19, 1986.
• IBM PCD announces it’s first laptop computer, the PC Convertible, weighing 12 pounds.
• IBM unveils the PC Convertible, the first laptop computer.

While I am wishing my son a Happy 25th Birthday, I am also reminded that time goes by quickly and here we are in 2011 with so many changes since 1986.  I wonder what the next 25 years will bring?

What were you doing in 1986? I would love to hear your stories and your memories  in the comments section below.

Until next time, have a great day,

Cindy

PDphoto.org

Are you a solopreneur?  Do you find that working from home creates isolation and loneliness?  Before I started working from home, I was used to working in large corporations around my peers and coworkers.  It was nice to know that I had someone to go to lunch with or share my thoughts and ideas on a big project.

When I started working from home, it was an adjustment.  I noticed that I spent way to much time in front of the computer.  Days and weeks went by when I didn’t go out of the house, absorbed in my reading, training and  implementation.   Since my children were grown and on their own and I didn’t have a husband or a roommate to talk with, it started to get lonely and the isolation set in.

When I discovered these 10 ways to connect with the outside world, my loneliness and isolation disappeared.

1. Social Media became my new roommate – I set up my Facebook and Twitter account and started to connect with other solopreneurs and I instantly made new friends.  It was fun to converse and engage in conversation.  The best part was when I met some of my new friends in person after connecting with them online.
2. Collaboration – When you can connect with other solopreneurs you get to form great relationships that can lead to joint venture opportunities or promotions
3. Join a local networking group or Meetup Group – In most areas, there are networking groups and Meetup groups that you can join.  If there isn’t one in your local area, you can start your own at Meetup.com.
4. Go to a local library – Once a month I take my writing tablet, pens, pencils and trek on over the our local library.   Sometimes I go to the business section or the newspaper and magazine section and look up business information that I can use for sharing and training my clients.  It’s a great way to remove yourself from your computer screen, get out of the house, meet new people and still work.  It’s taking a break from Google and getting out into the real world of real people and real live books, newspapers and magazines.   And while you are there, why not check out a new book or one from your wish list?
5. Take your computer to a coffee shop or anywhere with WiFi – I bet you have a Starbucks or another favorite coffee shop in your neighborhood.  Getting out and having a change of scene can give you a boost of energy, a new outlook and can begin to get your creative juices flowing again.  And, you may meet other solopreneurs if you strike up a conversation.
6. Have lunch with a friend – If you work alone all day, why not make time on your calendar to call a friend and make a lunch date.  Just getting out of the house for an hour or two and get you energized when you go back home.  The nice thing about being a solopreneur is taking a 2 hour lunch break or longer, if you so desire.
7. Attend Live Events – Have you considered signing up for a live event from someone you have trained with or have learned from?  Or have you considered having your own live event.  This is a great way to meet all your new online friends from social media.
8. Connect with others on Skype – With Skype you have an opportunity to have video conferences, group calls, screen sharing, instant messaging and more.  This is a great way to collaborate, network and share.
9. Go for a walk – Of course in the winter, it’s a bit harder to do.  If it’s a nice day,  getting outside and walking for an hour can make a world of difference in your energy leve, not to mention the benefits of getting some vitamin D from the sunshine.   You could take your ipod and listen to music or a downloaded recording of your favorite training.  If it’s raining or the weather prevents you from going outside, why not remove yourself from your office and do some stretching and other forms of exercise.   So you don’t feel all alone, you can listen to expert trainers at this awesome FREE website called Sparkpeople.
10. Take time for YOU – Pamper yourself.  Read a good book, call a friend and don’t talk about business, watch your favorite movie, work on a hobby or just take a break from work.

When you learn to balance your work life and your personal life while working from home, your solopreneur loneliness will fade and you will meet lots of new friends along the way.

What do you do to overcome the loneliness in your home business?   I would love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Until next time,

Here’s to your success,

Cindy

Your Marketing Solutions Coach

morguefile.com

Have you considered a coaching career? Do you know what coaching is?   One of the best decisions I made in 2010 was taking a coaching course.   I knew I was looking for a new career path and coaching not only helped me with my decision to become a coach myself but it also helped me in my personal and professional life.  It was through Coaching Cognition that I got my coaching career started and I highly recommend their training for you as well.

There are several great reasons why you should consider a coaching careeer.  Below, I will list some important reasons to help you determine if coaching would be a good fit for you.

• Are you a good listener?  Can you sit back, take a deep breath and not give opinions or tell someone what you think they should do?
• With the internet becoming a viral place to hang out and with so many ways to connect such as Skype, Facebook, teleseminars and other platforms, you can build a coaching business globally.  When I took my coaching course, I had peer coaches from Australia and Germany and it was awesome.
• With the economy in turmoil and people all stressed out with so many issues, a coach can help their client stay focused and make goals to help them reach their visions and dreams.  There are coaches for business, lifestyle coaches, marketing coaches, divorce coaches, and the list goes on and on.
• The role of the coach is to take the client from where they currently are to where they want to go in their lives.
• A coaching career can help you gain your skills and give you access to a coaching accredidation that will look great on your resume and to your potential clients.

If you have considered a coaching career and need more information, Lisa Holcomb, with Coaching Cognition,  is holding a special webinar on Wednesday, January 26th at 6:30 PM. to explain the benefits of a coaching career.   To sign up, click here.

Until next time….

Here’s to your success,

Cindy

Your Marketing Solutions Coach

findicons.com

In 2010, my main focus for my new business was to continue to learn so I could continue to grow.  Like taking a college class, I was committed to my online trainings to gain lots of knowledge.   Sometimes I was guilty of taking to many classes and trainings and getting overwhelmed to a point of not implementing.  You might say I became a professional learner.

Then I started to implement.  All the training continued to take me on a learning path for growth.  I like to think I am tech savy but when I wanted to learn all there was to learn about online marketing, and all the tools that came with it, I was surprised how much I had to learn.

Here is what I learned from the knowledge that I gained and now I want to share it with you.

• I learned that I am a visual learner because I got more out of my trainings from those who actually showed me step by step and click by click, how to set up a new internet tool, using a visual like a powerpoint, video or screen capture.  I set up two WordPress blogs, Twitter, Facebook and much more.
• I learned to listen when I took a coaching course with Coaching Cognition.  Unlike counseling or consulting, coaching is a platform where listening is the key to being a great coach.   It’s the coaches role to observe and ask questions while the client is held responsible and accountable for their progress.
• I learned that other baby boomers were searching for the same new tools that  I was learning how to use.  This prompted me to launch this blog called Bloomin’ Boomers, helping those who are looking for marketing solutions to their offline ideas.
• I learned the power of social media.  In 2010 I attended 4 live events and all the people I met in person, I met first through the power of social media.  I will never forget the experience of my first live event in January 2010,  in Portland Oregon.  I had already signed up for Coaching Cognition (who is launching a new website), prior to the event, and when I got to the event, I remember the thrill of going up to people and knowing them through their online photos.   It was an amazing experience.
• A year later I am still learning and growing but my journey has helped me launch a new business and a new life.

Do you continue to learn and grow? If so, what can you share here in the comments section below?  What did you learn?

Until next time,

Here’s to your success

Cindy

Your Solutions Coach

In yesterday’s blog post titled , “Emails and Messages are Popping up Everywhere“, I talked about all the different places to go for finding emails and messages .  This can be a real time managment issue.

In today’s blog post I want to show you yow you can claim your Facebook Email Address to help you organize all your emails in one place, making it easier to stay organized and have all emails and messages in one place.

Why would you want to have a Facebook email address?

(According to Facebook’s Help Center, here are some reasons.)

1. First of all, it’s free.  And who doesn’t like Free?
2. It’s easy to set up.
3. This feature integrates with messages, chats and texts, making it easier to check all at once.
4. All you messages can now go into one main message center.
5. Facebook has made it easy for you to send your traditional emails over to Facebook as well.  For example, if you have yahoo, gmail, hotmail or other external email accounts, you can now move them to Facebook.
6. When you send external emails from Facebook,  they are formatted to use your name and profile photo.
7. When you choose a Facebook email address, it’s easier for your friends and family who are not on Facebook to connect with you.
8. Facebook emails will never change, or so they say.

How to set up your Facebook Email account:

To set up a free @facebook.com address, go to your Messages view and click the “Claim your Facebook email” link.

Your email address will match your public username, for example:

Profile: facebook.com/username
Email: username@facebook.com

If you don’t have a username yet, you can choose one when you create your email address.

Once you set up your email address, people can email you using any traditional email system (e.g., Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail), and the emails will be delivered to your Facebook Messages.

When you send messages to external email addresses, the emails will be formatted to look like Facebook messages, including your name, your profile picture and your message.

So my question to you is this.  What do you think about this new platform and will you use it?

Please leave comments below and let us know your thoughts.

Until next time,

Here’s to your success,

Cindy

P.S. Make sure you visit me on Facebook and click the “Like” button.

findicons.com

Do you have emails and messages popping up everywhere?   With social media and the internet becoming the place to “hang out” there are many places to find emails and messages.

If you are a business owner, this can be a huge time management issue and can take away from implementation if you don’t manage your emails  and messages wisely.  So, if you have lots of email addresses, you will also find messages from other sources as well.

Let’s take a look at what I am talking about.

• First you might have one of two personal email accounts.  Before you start your day with implementation, you spend time answering your emails from your sister or another family  member,  intending to only take 5 or 10 minutes.  But while you are there,  you decide to “hang out”  for a bit and check out other emails that are not high priority.   Before you know it, 30 minutes to an hour have gone by but still no implementation.
• Then it’s time to check your business emails.  You go there, check your emails,  respond  to those emails  that are high priority.   But while you are there,  you decide to “hang out” and see what all the other emails are about, even though they are not priority.  Before you know it, you have spent 30 minutes or more and  still no implementation.
• Now you go over to Facebook and you look up your messages in your message center at the top of your Facebook photo.  You reply to them but while you are there,  you decide to check out the news feed or most recent posts and begin to spend time checking out what’s going on to just “hang out”.  Before you  know it,  30 minutes or more have gone by and still no implementation
• After Facebook, you go over to your Twitter account and check to see if you have messages there.   While you are there, you decide to hang out for awhile and check the status of your followers and those who you follow.   Before you know it, you have spent another 30 minutes or more at Twitter “hanging out” and  still no implementation.
• Then there is Skype – You decide to open up Skype to check your messages.  While you are there,  you decide to “hang out” and send messages to your contact list.  Low and behold, your instant messaging with them, chatting about nothing in particular,  just to say hello or to see how they are doing,  and before you know it, 30 minutes or more have gone by and still no implementation.
• Don’t forget all of your forums, your Ning groups, your LinkedIn and other Social Media sites that you have joined and before you know it another 30 minutes or more have gone by and still no implementation.

Does this sound like you?  As you can see, your emails can be a distraction if they are popping up all over the place, unless you have a good time management system in place.  Time Management is the key and will be my next blog post on this topic.

How do you manage all of your email accounts and your time management so that you are implementing each day?

Please leave your comment below and let us know your tips and tricks.

Until next time,

Happy emailing,

Cindy

P.S. Come hang out with us on Facebook.

In today’s local newspaper,  I came across this article from Sue Stock, a staff writer for the News and Observer.   What struck me, while reading the article, was how much I could relate to it even though I am not working for someone else at the moment.

When Sue tells her story about how much she struggled financially after college and how much debt she went into, it struck a cord with me.   I related to her story because I lived her story from  my job layoffs and the financial struggles that came with it.   Her article “Tracking Your Finances” was very helpful and made me realize how any generation can get into financial troubles at times in their lives.  As a Solutions Coach myself, I liked how Sue took her challenges and turned them into solutions.

Not only did Sue share her story, she took her own experiences and turned them into a business for herself, now helping others get their finances in order.  Sue shares some excel sheets as well that you can download and use as a resource for you own financial tracking.  And, if you follow her blog, you will see how she shares coupon and money saving resources.

• To get access to her article, click here.

• To get access to her Excel Sheets, click “Savings Tracker” on her blog.

Sue also shared a Bonus for Teachers – I  shared the link on my Facebook wall this morning and would like to share it here with you as well to pass along to teachers you may know.  With the stuggles we have all faced with the current economic challenges, money is tight.  Teachers are having to spend their own hard earned money for their classrooms.  If you are a teacher or know someone who is,  I hope this list of teacher discounts will help.

1. To get access to the list, click here.

I hope sharing these resources will help you in your business.  Let me know what you think of Sue’s article and what your thoughts are.  If you have other resources, please feel free to share them in the comments section below.

Until later, have a wonderful day,

Cindy

Your Solutions Coach

Since it’s Football season and everyone is revved up for the superbowl, I thought it appropriate to use a football term in my blog title.

The word “Half-time”  means, it’s my halfway mark with the Ultimate Blog Challenge that Michelle Shaeffer and Michele Scism have organized and I now have 16 more posts to complete, well sort of.

The purpose of the challenge is to blog everyday for the entire month of January, meaning 31 days.  During the month so far, I am a few blog posts behind but am dedicated and devoted to this challenge.

During the month so far there have been some amazing lessons learned that I want to share with you.

• Lesson 1 - I am meeting so many wonderful bloggers through this challenge and we have now connected on Facebook as new friends, I have been directed to new Facebook business pages and have learned about the other bloggers while reading their blogs.
• Lesson 2 – My Alexa ranking is going down this month and that is very exciting.  When I first started my blog last year, it was ranked over 3 million.  Now, in just a short amount of time, my ranking is below 550,000.   With still alot of work to do to continue to bring it down further, I am on the road to lower rankings as I continue to blog.
• Lesson 3 – I have learned to reply to my comments that are coming to my blog.  It is amazing how many people reach out and comment, allowing me to meet more people, interact with them and build more relationships.
• Lesson 4 - It’s all about networking, sharing your stories and your expertise and making it happen.  I learned that consistency and being ME can bring others into my life through my blog.
• Lesson 5 – I’m proving to myself that being accountable while working in a group can be a great way to stay motivated.  It’s like a mastermind group learning from one another as all of us in this challenge encourage, comment and connect to one another.
• Lesson 6 – I have learned so much about the 2 wonderful hostesses of the blog challenge, Michelle Shaeffer and Michele Scism – I am sure they would love it if you step over to their blogs and say hello.

I will continue to post on my blog for the rest of the month.  On January 31st, stay tuned for my final lesson learned.

Until next time, have a wonderful day.

P.S.  Don’t forget to leave a comment below.  Tell me what lessons you have learned this year so far.

Cindy

Your Solutions Coach

Findicons.com

Are you a baby boomer with a dream of becoming a boomerpreneur?  Do you have a passion that you want to turn into a business?  If so, there is one question you should ask yourself first.  “What is my niche?”

In my 55 Strategies with an Action Guide, I suggest that my clients spend time really digging deeper before they jumpstart a business by narrowing down their niche.  If you are looking for that solution, I have just the person who can  help you.

My friend and colleague, Cindy Schulson, is a niche expert and was a person I worked with closely when I got started in my business.  Cindy worked with me closely to help me understand how broad my niche was in the beginning.  She worked with me to help me realize that my gift was helping baby boomers who were seeking a new chapter in their lives to take their offline ideas into an offline presence for profit.

Last year I had the honor of interviewing Cindy.   Since that time, she has created a coaching course and has added more products that I am proud to have been part of.

Cindy has a 2 products that I highly recommend  to help you brainstorm and write down your thoughts and ideas.   One is free report and the other is a report that you can purchase for a nominal fee.

So, if you are serious about starting your own business take the steps below and get started.  It’s still very early in the new year to set your goals into motion.

Below are my Recommended Steps for you to take.

1. Request Cindy’s FREE Report
2. Request Cindy’s Low Cost Report – When you scroll down the sales page, you will see a testimonial from yours truly.
3. Request my 55 Strategies and Action Guide AND click the “Like” button

I hope these resources can help you get started in your new journey to become a boomerpreneur.   Let me know what you think of these recommendations.

Until next time, have a nice day and remember to say hello below by leaving a comment.

Cindy

Your Solutions Coach

It’s  my mission this year for my blog to gain more visibility.  In doing so, I added 4 cool WordPress tools to my blog to give me more exposure.

Now, I want to share them with you to encourage you to do the same, if you haven’t already.

While I don’t claim to be an expert in WordPress or on blogging, I do know that sharing social media tools and blogging on a regular basis can enhance your chances for blogging success.  So let’s get started.

This WordPress plugin is called the TweetMeme Retweet Button for bloggers to encourage their readers to retweet the content to share it with others.  After you install it and activate it, you will need to set it up but it is very easy.

To use the plugin on someone’s blog,  go to the green “retweet” button, click it and you should get a pop up window allowing you to tweet it to your followers.

Why don’t you try it.  On the right of this blog post, look to the right of your screen and you will see the plugin icon.  Also, if you are on Twitter already, I would love for you to follow me at @cindymurphy. When you do, say hello and I will follow you back too.

This WordPress plugin is called the Simple Facebook Share Button. You can choose from 5 button types and you have the choice of placing it on the top, bottom or both of your posts or pages.

To use the plugin on someone’s blog, you do the same thing you do on Tweetmeme except this time, when you click “share” your Facebook profile will appear allowing you space to make comments before sharing it on your wall.

So go ahead and try it by clicking on the button here on my blog.   See if it works and let me know what you think.

This WordPress plugin sits at the bottom of a blog and allows you to place many of your social media tools right on the bar.

This plugin requires that you register at Wibiya.com and then add all your favorite options, set them up and then add them to your list.  After that, you need to install the Wibiya plug and activate the settings.

If you take a look at the bottom of my blog, you will see what it looks like when it is activated.   Feel free see what happens when you place your mouse above the icons.  You have access to the sites that I chose on my Wibiya tool.

Networked Blogs is a Facebook application so you do need a Facebook account.

You need to add the application to your FB, in my case, I added it to both of my FB fan pages at Cindy Murphy and Storieslast so I could import my blog to both pages.   After you add the application, then you can edit it.

After you edit it, you can get an embedded code to add it to your blog.  If you scroll down this page and look on the right side of my blog, you will see my networked blogs widget.  When you look on the bottom, you will see a button that says “Follow This Blog”  Feel free to click the button and follow me so you can see how it works.

I hope you enjoyed this post.  Feel free to share it with others by using the tools I have here on my blog post.

Let me know what you think and if you have other WordPress tools that may help.

Until next time, have a wonderful day,

Cindy

Your Soluti0ns Coach