Joan Reeves: Success Tools

Showing posts with label Success Tools. Show all posts

Monday Magic Free App - Organize Holidays

Take a deep breath. You're going to need it because Thanksgiving is only 38 days away.

I always think of the time from Thanksgiving Day to New Year's Day as a sprint, not a marathon—it's a 36-day race to get past the first day of the New Year so life can get back to its normal pace.

Don't panic. There's a way to get organized so you can handle all the demands. That's what today's free app is all about.

Any.do is free for iPhones and Android.

Of course, there are 2 tiers to this app: free and subscription. You can read the difference between the two on their website.

Any.do can take the stress out of the upcoming holidays by helping you put all tasks in one place: shopping, decorating, sending cards, wrapping gifts, etc. As a task management app, you can integrate your calendar, to-do lists, and daily planners.

You can also collaborate with others directly in the app to help plan family gatherings or coordinate holiday events. Advanced features include color tags to mark high-priority tasks and a built-in AI assistant to help you organize your lists efficiently. Here's an overview of what's free.

FREE PLAN

* Tasks and Lists: Unlimited personal tasks and to-do lists.

* Calendar & Daily Planner: Built-in daily planner view and calendar sync.

* Reminders: Basic one-time reminders.

* Syncing: Real-time syncing across your mobile, desktop, and web devices.

* Grocery Lists: Shared or personal grocery list creation.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If that sounds like the kind of help you need, visit Any.do and get started.

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How To Verify Amazon Communication

It's usually easy to tell if you have a package from Amazon, isn't it?

But it's not so easy to know if an email or text is actually from Amazon when you see it pop up in your Inbox or on your phone.

Recently, I received an email from Amazon (verified) detailing what to do if you receive some kind of communication that seems to be from Amazon, but something about it makes you suspicious.

You probably got the same email, but in case you didn't, or you deleted it because you thought it was spam, I'm repeating their 3-steps procedure to verify an email, text, or phone call as legitimate.

Since scams using Amazon's name are on the rise, these are the 3 easy ways Amazon set up for you to verify if a communication is actually from Amazon.

1. Log in on the Amazon shopping app or on Amazon.com and type your question into the Alexa for Shopping chat. Example: "Did Amazon email me?" or "Did Amazon call me?" or "Did Amazon text me?"

2. Visit the Identify a Scam page and submit any message for verification.

3. Submit your question or forward the specific email to verify@amazon.com for verification.

If Amazon sent the communication, you'll know in a short amount of time.

Remember, never engage with any suspicious message in any way before verifying it.

In the case of Amazon, a report to Amazon internal teams will automatically be submitted and your account will be monitored for suspicious activity.

Visit amazon.com/scams to learn more ways to verify messages, access resources for scam prevention, and understand Amazon's efforts to protect customers from fraudulent activities.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

It's better to be cautious and slow than speedy and impulsive.

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Monday Magic - Free Screenshot Tool You'll Love

I've been away from the office for about a week. That was totally unplanned so I have a lot of catching up to do.

Let's start with a Screenshot Utility that you're going to love because it's so much better than the one that comes with Windows which most of you use.

GREENSHOT

This lightweight screenshot software is free and offers a bunch of advantages over the basic version in Windows.

Quickly create screenshots of a selected area of the screen, a window, or the fullscreen.
Capture complete (scrolling) web pages from Internet Explorer.
Annotate, highlight, or obscure parts of the screenshot.
Export the screenshot in various ways: save to file, send to printer, copy to clipboard, attach to e-mail, send ti Office programs or upload to photo sites like Flickr or Picasa, and others.
Greenshot is easy to understand and configure.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

To learn more and see this app in action click Greenshot to visit the website which is also the download page if you want to get the latest release.

Saturday Share Recipe - Savory Brunch Muffins

Today, I'm offering you an easy muffin that can be as simple or as deliciously complex as you want to make it given your time and the ingredients on hand.

What kind of ingredients? Something saved from a previous meal like ham which is a main ingredient and corn which may be leftover from a previous meal or straight out of a corn or a bag of frozen corn.

You can also add diced tomato, finely minced parsley, etc. Whatever you have on hand works great.

You can also use something previously prepped and stored like diced bell pepper and onion. When I need peppers and onion for a recipe, I always diced up more than needed and store the rest in a glass jar with a rubber seal in the fridge.

The veggies are optional so don't add them if you just want the ham and cheese flavor. Here is the recipe that you can alter given your time and ingredients. Makes 12 hearty muffins.

SAVORY BRUNCH MUFFINS

Ingredients

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped cooked ham
2 tablespoons corn
2 tablespoons finely diced onion
2 tablespoons finely diced bell pepper, any color
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions

1. If not using cupcake papers, prepare a muffin tin using baking spray.

2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. ( 220°C.)

3. In a large bowl, combine the milk and mayo and blend well.

4. Blend in the flour and baking soda.

5. Add the ham and cheese and any veggies you're using.

6. Spoon into the muffin pan or papers and bake 16 to 18 minutes until the muffins are done when tested with a toothpick.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

These are great for brunch or for a breakfast on the run.

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September - Be Courteous

Do you often find yourself exclaiming over the rudeness of others? I'll confess that I do. In a typical day when I find myself out and about, too often I run into someone who is so rude that it makes my jaw drop.

Since September is National Courtesy Month, let's talk about rudeness which seems to be a national problem.

MODERN TIMES—PRIMITIVE REACTIONS

How many times have you been in a public place and people are dropping F-bombs all over the place regardless of the presence of children?

Then there are those people in a restaurant with their cell phones in their hands or even worse, yakking away into their phones.

Why can't they put their phones away and pay attention to the person with whom they're dining?

What about the people in cars who blow their horns and tailgate you or whip around in front of you and try to brake check you because they think you're driving too slow or because you did something in traffic they didn't like?

Whatever happened to patience and courtesy?

Since courtesy begins in the home, it makes me wonder what people are learning at home to help them deal with the world. Was it how to be reasonable and polite or how to show your Mr. Digit Hand Puppet when irritated?

TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Instead of acting like the worst people on a TV reality show, learn how to be a reasonable polite member of society.

If you've got a short fuse, work on yourself and your emotions. Figure out why you seemingly have so much repressed anger. That will definitely improve your health and probably the relationships in your life.

Learn patience. Being impatient when driving can kill you and other people too. Put some calming music on when you drive. Ask yourself if the 10 seconds you might save by driving like a maniac is worth the danger you expose yourself and others to.

Find a way to defuse the stress you feel in dealing with others. Count to ten. Smile—that may make the person dishing out rudeness to stop and think. Learn to practice restraint.

Since children learn courtesy from their parents, become the parent who says "please" and "thank you" and who learns to manage your own emotions so you can teach your children how to do it too.

The world has a problem with people who can't behave on airplanes, in public places, or with those in authority.

What happens to those people? They may end up ostracized or, even worse, under arrest.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Try something different this month. Avoid reacting in negative ways. Be polite. You may find that politness defuses situations and can be met with politness from others.

DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND ME - REWARDS PART 3 OF 3

Welcome back to DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND ME, my 3-part series about how I jumped into digital publishing and ebooks in 2011—what I did wrong, what I learned, and what I've received as a result of writing and publishing ebooks.

Today, I offer Part 3 of 3, in which I regale you with more tales of my self-publishing adventure.

If you missed Part 1 of 3, Mistakes and Advice, click here to read it.

To read Part 2 of 3, Advice and Insights, just click here.

Today, I complete the series with Part 3 of 3, REWARDS—For Me and Maybe For You.

WHAT DIGITAL PUBLISHING DID FOR ME

Becoming a self-publishing indie author offered tremendous benefits. Before self-publishing, I was a category author which meant I had no power at all. A cut above me were midlist authors. They too had no power. Self-publishing meant I could chart my own course, and here's what happened.

1. I rediscovered the fun of writing because I could write anything I wanted. I was no longe writing according to what publishing houses said they wanted.

I was no longer waiting and waiting and waiting for an agent or editor/editorial committee to rule on a submission. I could plan, write, and publish a book, and I was limited only by my own effort.

Writing what I wanted to write without regard to genre, plot, theme, or anything was freeing because I no longer had to wait and wonder if what I submitted was still wanted. Publishers could change guidelines while an author was busy writing the requested manuscript.

2. I found an audience that loved my books. I believed in my writing and knew there had to be readers who would like what I wrote. I was right. Self-publishing allowed me to reach readers.

3. I had editors contacting me instead of the other way around. I had a very lucrative foreign rights sale because the editor read my first ebook and wanted it and others to publish abroad. Within minutes of making a call to a literary agency, I had a top agent to negotiate the contract.

4. I became a New York Times bestseller because I was part of a self-published anthology that hit their bestseller list in 2 places. (That was before they stopped allowing ebooks on the list.) I also hit the USA Today bestseller list 3 different times.

5. I sold video game rights to 3 of my ebooks.

6. I had audio book editions of some of my ebooks published.

WHAT DIGITAL PUBLISHING CAN DO FOR YOU

1. Give you another avenue other than traditional publishing to find an audience. With a traditional publisher, you must have the right product to attract an editor and an agent. You don't have to limit yourself to one of the other.

2. Shortcut the time required to get your books before readers by becoming a self-publisher. In fact, if you become a big success as a self-publisher, you may find it easier to get with a trad publisher if that's what you want and the deal is good.

3. Become financially stable by being a self-publisher. There are many self-publishers making a very comfortable living from their ebooks. Some self-publishers have their books being turned into Netflix series and movies.

4. Give you a platform where you make all the decisions. You get to choose the cover art, the blurb, the price, etc. As someon

5. Give you a real-world experience in writing and publishing—a superb training ground in what it takes to write, publish, and deal with every aspect with which authors must handle.

You'll learn all about the writing, the technical aspects of publishing, marketing, promoting, living with good and bad reviews, dealing with the reading public, and so many other things authors must do. It can prepare you for the long assault on traditional New York publishing if you decide to do that.

Everything I've said is from real world experience. I hope it helps and inspires you if you have the writing itch.

Becoming a selling author may be difficult, but it's easier than when I started many years ago. If it's what you want, go for it.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I wish you the same joy and rewards digital publishing has given me. Like I always say, "Nothing ventured; nothing gained."

DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND ME - ADVICE AND INSIGHTS PART 2 OF 3

Welcome back to DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND ME, my 3 part series about how I jumped into digital publishing and ebooks in 2011.

I reveal what I did wrong, what I learned, and what I've received as a result of writing and publishing ebooks.

Today, I offer Part 2 of 3: Advice and Insights gained from my self-publishing adventure.

If you missed Part 1: Mistakes and Advice, you can CLICK HERE to read it.

Part 3 of 3: Rewards for Me and Maybe for You will publish Sunday, September 13, 2026.

ADVICE ON SELF-PUBLISHING, Continued

Let's pick up my List of 10 Tips with Number 6.

6. Write everything you will need to upload your manuscript prior to doing it. Don't try to wing it. Give a great deal of thought to: Categories, Keywords, Product Description, Author Profile, Pricing, etc.

Save all your upload data in a file separate from your manuscript file so you can copy/paste where needed if you plan to publish on platforms other than Kindle.

The same basic information may need some modifications as required by the other platforms, but you've already created the bulk of it.

7. Always use the Preview function to check what you uploaded. Take your time. Only click "publish" when everything has been checked.

8. As soon as your upload has gone "live," buy a copy and go through it. On an ereader, you'll immediately see if something is wrong. If you find errors, take action immediately to correct the problem.

9. Make sure you have your marketing and promotion plan in place before you publish a book. Write it out and plug it into your calendar so you know what to do and when to do it.

10. Accept that sometimes things just don't go as planned and some books don't succeed. If you made mistakes, do what you can to correct them.

If your book doesn't find an audience, do what you can to improve the situation, but don't spend all your time trying to keep it on life support. Write the next book.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

That's enough for today. Come back Friday, September 11, 2026, to read Part 3 of 3, Rewards for Me and Maybe for You, the unbelievable part of my journey—what happened for me and what digital publishing may do for you.

DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND ME - MISTAKES & ADVICE Part 1 of 3

This year marked the 15th anniversary of my jumping into digital publishing.

I wanted to commemorate this milestone by telling you how I made that bold move, the mistakes I made, the things I learned, and what digital publishing has done for me.

The first title I slapped on this blog post once I'd writte it was Digital Publishing and Me—What I've learned in 15 Years of Writing and Publishing Ebooks.

Like the post itself, the title was way too long so I shrunk the title and broke the post into 3 parts.

Today, you're reading Part 1 of 3: Mistakes and Advice. I have a lot of both I guess.

Part 2 of 3: More Advice and Insights publishes Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

Part 3 of 3: Rewards For Me and Maybe For You publishes Sunday, September 13, 2026.

BACKSTORY

Recently, I came across a post I wrote for another author's website back in June 2011. I had published one of my backlist books on Amazon KDP in late March which is why she asked me to be a guest on her blog.

My post for her explained why I did something that was considered extremely radical—repubishing a backlist book as an ebook.

Champs-Élysées Books, shows 1 of my books

Today, I decided to reprint part of my 2011 post here because it may change the opinion of readers who still think ebooks are not real books.

It may also convince authors who believe digital publishing isn't worth the effort that they're missing a great opportunity to advance their careers—not that we who digitally publish need any more competition!

Here's the excerpt from 2011 with my "today" comments in brackets.

EXCERPT, EBOOKS: SMART, NOT DUMB (2011)

When I announced to a group of authors that I intended to publish my backlist and even some original fiction as ebooks, many wondered why I would do that. It was easy to see they questioned the wisdom of my intention.

There's a polarity when it comes to writers and indie publishing, and there are two primary schools of thought: the best thing since sliced bread or that sucks.

These opposite opinions are pervasive in the world. [The low opinion of ebooks is still held by many well-known authors as do some readers.]

BOLDLY GO WHERE SOME WRITERS ARE GOING

I'm a firm believer in "nothing ventured; nothing gained." When markets are drying up, left and right, it's nice to see something opening up that can directly benefit writers, and that's digital self-publishing.

By benefit, I don't just mean making some bucks. I also mean finding an audience for your work.

I've stated before that: "I've given up on New York publishing, BUT they gave up on me first." And, I'm not the only published author who couldn't fit the square peg of their writing into New York's round hole. (No pun intended but feel free to laugh.)

I'm a writer. I want to be read. Many authors are finding readers by becoming indie authors and publishing our own work. If you want to try the indie author route, learn all you can about the process. That's why I'm here today.

I want to give you some advice, based on my personal experience as well as that of some friends, in the hope that you may avoid some of our dumb mistakes.

When I published Just One Look, a previously published book that became my first ebook on Kindle and sold thousands of copies every day for a solid month, I made every mistake possible so I'm particularly qualified to talk about how NOT to be dumb.

[Why did that happen? Because there wasn't much "how-to" information out there in 2011.]

I've got 10 Tips for you that I first wrote in that 2011 blog post. You'll find the first 5 Tips in this post. The others will be in Part 2.

2011 ADVICE THAT'S STILL VALID - 10 TIPS

1. Learn how to properly format your file for an ebook that looks professional. [Now there are options for the type of file you can upload besides DOCX, MS Word like Atticus, available at a relatively low-cost for a one-time fee, that can create a beautifully formated ebook or print book.

[When I started, I had to learn how to transform a Word file into an HTML file and how to insert a black and white cover image into that file. It was a time-consuming process.

There was no Kindle Unlimited then so an author was smart to publish her ebook in as many places as possible. That meant learning how to format for Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple, Smashwords, and a half dozen other publishers who have since closed their doors.]

2. A great cover was important then and now. For authors who can't afford a graphic artist, there's a new tool, BookBrush, that can produce great looking covers, and the learning curve is easy.

3. Make sure you have the legal right for anything you publish. If you plan to publish a book that was previously published elsewhere, you should have a legal reversion of rights letter.

If you're using images from the internet, you must have a license to use each image so always read the User License on image websites so you know what you can and cannot do with the image you purchase or get for free.

4. Make sure your manuascript is bullet-proof before you upload it. That means getting a good proofreader and/or editor. That also means not doing anything that might get you sued, for instance, using the names of real people who may take exception to your actions.

Some think that as long as you don't say anything negative, it's okay to use the name of a real person. That's not true. I personallly know an author who was sued by the person she mentioned in her book. What she wrote was simply Mrs. So and So, the owner of Name of Business. That got her sued.

5. Be patient and take your time so you don't make dumb mistakes like uploading the wrong manuscript file. Yes, that's obvious, but I did that the very first time and didn't realize it until I started getting bad reviews. I didn't understand what they complained about in my book until I looked at it on my Kindle.

Wow. I still can't believe I did that. I can only chalk it up to being exhausted and bleary-eyed by the time I got around to uploading the file and clicked on the wrong file.

Always make sure you have your wits about you. Don't try to set up a book if you're tired, frazzled, or rushed. Haste really can make waste.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I hope you're finding this information educational or at least entertaining.

Join me on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, for Part 2 of 3: More Advice and Insights learned from my adventures in self-publishing.

Saturday Share Recipe - Punch Bowl Cake

Believe it or not, we're just 2 1/2 months away from Thanksgiving. From then through New Year's Day, it's going to be a marathon of cleaning and cooking and getting ready for holiday guests.

I take the easy way out and start planning now—gifts, who's arriving and when, who's sleeping where, what kind of meals do I need to prepare, etc.

Meal planning is easy when done in advance. I make out menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner because if I know what to cook, shopping for ingredients is much easier.

Also, I like to make easy entrees and desserts. One of the easiest and really delicious desserts is Punch Bowl Cake because it's easy to make, easy to change the flavor profile by switching the pudding and fruit to other types, easy to serve—with a spoon instead of having to slice it—and it's really tasty. If you think about it, Punchbowl Cake is merely a trifle.

Make pudding often? Buy in quantity.

PUNCH BOWL CAKE

Ingredients

1 boxed yellow cake mix

2 packages of vanilla pudding mix (instant or the kind you cook) I use the large so I have plenty of pudding for the layers. Any leftovers, the kids eat.

16 ounces whipped cream

1 can crushed pineapple, drained

4 sliced bananas

Chopped pecans, fresh or toasted. (Toasted with a caramel glazing is really good.)

1 can cherry or strawberry pie filling (To my surprise, it's much cheaper at Amazon.)

Directions

1. Bake the yellow cake according to the box direcctions. Let it cool completely. Either cut it into cubes or tear it into bite-sized pieces.

At Amazon

2. Prepare the vanilla pudding according to the boxes' instructions. If using instant pudding, let it set up. If using the kind you cook—which I think has a better flavor—make it and let it cool to room temperature.

3. In another bowl, lightly mix the crushed pineapple, sliced bananas, and the pie filling.

4. In a punch bowl or a large clear bowl—so you can see the layers—begin to build the cake.

5. Layer 1 is the cake pieces placed at the bottom.

6. Layer 2 is the vanilla pudding spooned and smoothed over the cake pieces.

7. Layer 3 is the fruit mixture.

8. Layer 4 is the whipped cream.

9. Repeat the layers, finishing with whipped cream as the last layer. Garnish with the chopped pecans.

10. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 to 8 hours or overnight so flavors meld together.

OPTIONS TO MIX AND MATCH

Pudding mix can be vanilla, lemon, pistachio, or chocolate.

Nuts can be pecans, walnuts, macadamia, or pistachios. You can also use chocolate chips if using chocolate pie filling.

Fruit can be bananas, peaches, nectarines, stewed apples, dark sweet cherries.

Pie filling can be cherry, peach, strawberry, apple, or blueberry.

Whipped cream can be Cool Whip, but I personally don't like the taste of Cool Whip.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you like trifles, you'll love this dessert that serves a crowd which makes it perfect for parties and big dinnerss.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Monday Magic _AI Tech Advice

Hold on to your hats. I'm about to recommend what seems to be an AI YouTube Channel for this week's source to remember.

I know, I know. I've complained a lot about Artificial Intelligence taking over the world. I still don't like the intrusion of AI on every app I use.

I really hate the fact that people are using AI to generate ebooks and clog up all the publishing pipelines.

I also hate that people are using AI to generate YouTube videos that purport to be doctors offering medical advice, financial experts offering investment advice, etc. ad nauseum.

TECH AUTHORITY ZONE

The YouTube video channel I'm blogging about today which offers offers step by step advice on how to clean up problems on your computer may actually have a Human behind it. I checked the channel's videos back to the beginning, and the man who narrated those videos seems to have English as a second language. Perhaps, he chose to use an AI voice for narration in order to attract more viewers.

In any event, I've used several videos from the channel to aid in my effort to keep Windows from slowing down my computer processing. Videos like Here's Why Chrome Slows Down Your PC, Windows 11 Lag Problem Solved, Microsoft Secretly Resets Your Settings, Why Your Windows PC Is Slow, Windows Eating Your Memory, and many more.

The channel offers advice on smart phones, computers, Windows, Android, etc. The thing I like most is that the instructions are clear, concise, and they work as promised.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're not a tekkie and have problems with your computer or cell phone, give the channel a try. It may have the answer to your problems.

Sign up for my free NL that offers exclusive content and news about book bargains and new releases. I promise your email will never be shared. SIGN UP TODAY. and receive your copy of I LOVE READING in your Inbox next week.

Thursday3Some - Fiction Popularity

Today I thought I'd share 3 statistics about the books readers are buying.

Everyone has a favorite genre of fiction. Within your chosen genre, you probably have a specific type of story you want to read.

That can be called a sub-genre. You might call it plot or theme or premise.

In the Mystery genre, common sub-genres are cozy, police procedural, suspense, and thriller.

In the Romance genre, common sub-genres are sweet, spicy, romantic suspense, historical, etc.

All of the sub-genres are broken down by an aspect of the story or plot. In Romance, some of the most popular are small town, second chance, marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, and dozens more. With Romance, this is one of the reasons it's the most popular genre in the world. Yes, that's right. In the entire world. (Stats come from Alex Newton's K-lytics reports. If you're an author or want to be one, I strongly urge you to research your favorite genre with Alex's reports.

3 FACTS ABOUT THE MOST POPULAR FICTION GENRE

1. the most popular genre on Amazon Kindle is romance with sales of the category increasing every year over the previous year.

2. More than half of the Top-400 most sold Kindle books are romance titles. That's why you often see new dedicated categories within the Romance Fiction category.

3. The majority of authors of these Romance novels are self-published.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you want to do a bit of research on your own,, plug in the search string "romance books" on Google. You'll find a lot of information that may amaze you.

Monday Magic - Free Sceenshot App

If you're frustrated with the Screenshot offered by Microsoft, upgrade to the free app Greenshot, reliable open-source screen capture tool.

The Greenshot app is safe, but only if you download it from the official source. This is true of all apps I review on SlingWords. Download from the true source so you avoid bloatware, adware, or malware.

NOTE: Older versions of Greenshot did have security flaws, but those have been patched in recent updates which is another reason to download only from the Greenshot website.

WHAT GREENSHOT OFFERS

Although a light-weight screenshot software tool for Windows, it offers some grreat features:

Create screenshots of a selected region, window or fullscreen
Capture complete (scrolling) web pages from Internet Explorer
Annotate, highlight or even make part of the screenshot unclear
Export the screenshot: save to file, send to printer, copy to clipboard, attach to email, send to Office programs, upload to photo sites like Flickr or Picasa, etc.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

So many benefits make Greenshot an excellent tool. Try it today. I think you'll like it.

6 Steps to Fake It Till You Make It

We live in the NOW, but we want something different TOMORROW, but YESTERDAY often holds us back.

Does that describe you?

Do you want more out of life? Do you want to be MORE...whatever that may mean?

Some people struggle to even believe they can make their dreams come true. They can't see themselves as any more than what they are today.

Those are the people that need to heed the advice often spouted in humor: "Fake it till you make it." They don't know that really means to imagine that person who does something amazing and to act like that person.

One must create a greater vision of self before it will ever become reality. The easiest way to do that is by acting like that person you want to be. To fake it until it's true in reality. "But," you ask. "How do I fake something like that?"

What follows is my advice to someone who wants to be a writer. Simply change the "writing" to whatever you want out of your life.

7 Steps to Help You Fake It Until You Make It

Step 1: Create Self-Talk That Expresses the You in the Future

Do things like look in the mirror as you're getting ready for the day and say, "I would like to thank the Readers who made this possible by buying so many books that I was catapulted onto the New York Times bestsellers list."

Or, "I'd like to thank the movie's producers for this Academy award because they took my book and adapted it for this movie." Or, whatever addresses your particular big dream.

Step Two: Dress for the Success you want.

It's no lie that when you work from a home office, you tend to dress comfortably or as in many cases, like a slob.

Instead, try dressing comfortably as well as attractively. You may be surprised that you'll accomplish more if you look a little more professional.

Step Three: Act AS IF you have already achieved your dream.

How would you act if you were already living that life you dream about? Would you be more optimistic? More at peace with everything and everyone? Would you be calmer and less stressed? Act that way when you become frustrated or annoyed. Be that you, not the past you who's easily upset.

Step Four: Speak AS IF you are the future you.

Avoid speaking negativity. Always speak with optimism about your work, your dream, your daily routine. Have a conversation with someone about the work you're doing toward that big dream. Envision completing the work and the rewards that will come your way.

Step Five: Act By Doing 1 Tiny Task Every Day

Many people can't get going on their dreams or can't continue working toward it because they set an unrealistic task for themselves each day.

Let's get real. Instead of saying, "I'm going to write 1,000 words every day," say, "I'm going to write for 10 minutes each day." That's it. Ten minutes is easy.

Anyone can do it. It's set to be easy because getting started is the hardest action to take every day. Once you've overcome the inertia and started, you'll keep going.

Step Six: Review

When the day is done, review the day. What did you do? What did you say to yourself? What did you say to others?

How did you feel after interacting with someone in which you acted like "future you?"

How did you feel after doing your Tiny Task? Did you go past that Tiny Task?

Most important of all, did you make progress? Do you feel empowered to do the same tomorrow?

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Use these 6 Steps whenever you need them. Keep a vision of your future self always in your mind. Go forth and conquer!

BLOG PAGES

Monday Magic Free App - Organize Holidays

How To Verify Amazon Communication

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