Counting Your Blessings to Bring Happiness

If you have the winter blah’s or are just feeling a bit down or depressed, here’s a very simple way to boost your spirits and put you on the road to happiness. Research studies have shown that one of the best ways to give a boost to your happiness meter is to remind yourself of those things in your life that are good and positive. Here’s what you can do:

1. Write It Down. Spend a few minutes each day to think of a blessing in your life, or a moment during the day where something positive happened or someone said something to you that made you feel good, or something that made you laugh. Write it down either in your journal or on a slip of paper. If you use slips of paper to write your blessings on, put these into a “blessing bowl” or jar in a prominent place in your home. Another way to keep your blessings close to you is to slip your list into your wallet or purse.

2. Share Your Blessings. To get the most out of your blessings and maximum boost to your spirits, you should share your blessings with other. Don’t be afraid to tell someone about something that has made you happy or of a new blessing in your life. This is a great activity for a family around the dinner table or during family night. Sharing your blessings can open up the topics for discussion and also provides opportunities for families or friends to help one another.

By writing down those things in your life that have blessed you or made you happy you will reinforce the positive in your life. It is no secret that you will benefit even more by sharing these things with your family and friends. Spend some time today thinking of what your life has been blessed with and share it with someone! You’ll be amazed at how much better you will feel.

About The Author: Michele loves reading, learning and sharing with others tips and information that helps us live life to the fullest and with the most happiness possible. She writes books, reports and articles for readers of all ages.

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved

Stress-Buster Getaways

Research has shown that taking a short trip, or getaway, has the same effect on reducing stress and relaxing us as the long trips. The Stanford University psychiatrist noted that our minds are generally more relaxed the FIRST couple of days of a trip as compared to the last few days.

So, if you are feeling tired and in need of a getaway, here are a few planning tips:

1. Close to home. Stay close to home – don’t spend the entire time away in transit to and from your destination. For example: if you live in Dallas, don’t go to Miami Beach. Find somewhere that is in close proximity for this “mini” getaway. Think about where you have always wanted to, places you have not visited yet or places where you know you can get away to and relax and have fun.

2. Check the season and weather. Not all of us can getaway only to warm and sunny locations, and you may need to take a break now instead of waiting for good weather to come about. If you like the beach, but it is off season, just plan and pack accordingly. Instead of basking in the sun’s rays you can stroll through the antique shops or bookstores, layer on the warm clothes and take a walk along the shore, or get a table inside your favorite seafood restaurant instead of outside on the patio.

3. Pamper yourself. A getaway is a time to pamper yourself. Treat yourself to a top-of-the-line hotel. Explore the city or local area, visit the spa, and indulge yourself in those activities that you normally do not take the time for. Order room service, read a good book, get tickets to the local theatre or playhouse … getting the picture?

After treating yourself to a relaxing and fun getaway, you will come home refreshed and with a new perspective on life. To keep the getaway fresh in your mind and to remind yourself of the fun you had, bring back a small reminder or souvenir that you can place in your home (i.e., on the refrigerator, window sill of the kitchen, bathroom counter, bulletin board). When you look at this souvenir you can take a “mini-vacation” to that spot. Remember how relaxed you felt and how much fun you had. These short breaks will help you keep your perspective until the next getaway!

Planning the next getaway can be fun too! Take turns with your spouse, partner or traveling companion picking the next destination. This gives everyone something to look forward to and ensures that you will take care of your needs and keep the stress levels manageable.

About The Author: Michele loves reading, learning and sharing with others tips and information that helps us live life to the fullest and with the most happiness possible. She writes books, reports and articles for readers of all ages.

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.

What Makes a Person Happy

Research studies have shown that happier-than-average people have a lot of the same traits and characteristics in common. Here a five top traits of happy people:

1. Social Butterfly. Happy people tend to go out of their way to be with other people and to spend time with family and friends. When they are sad or anxious, they will seek out others for solace and comfort.

2. Keeping Fit. Happy people keep their moods elevated, and more active, by keeping fit and healthy. You do not have to be a marathon runner or body-builder to receive the benefits from exercise.

3. Never in a Rut. New experiences will keep you from getting in a rut and becoming depressed, restless or unhappy. Try no things, explore new places, meet new people, sample new foods and try new activities. Never let yourself get into a rut.

4. Put on Those Rose-Colored Glasses. Depressed people tend to view themselves and their lives fairly accurately. The happier-than-average person tends to see themselves and their circumstances as better than they really are!

5. Maintain Your Perspective. Unhappy and depressed people tend to blow, even the little things, out of proportion. They see every little setback as something that will affect them, and others, for the rest of their lives. But, happy people tend to tackle and work through everyday problems and tend to not view a problem as the end of the world.

About the Author: Michele loves reading, learning and sharing with others tips and information that helps us live life to the fullest and with the most happiness possible. She writes books, reports and articles for readers of all ages.

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.

A Crystal Ball for Your Web Business

Are you considering launching an eCommerce website? If you are, you may want to take your crystal ball down from the shelf to shed some light on whether or not your business will fare well online. In reality, there is no magic to eCommerce at all, it is all about preparing, thinking and implementing your ideas and products using sound business techniques. Here are just a couple of questions to ask yourself before you get started:

Will you be selling a product that can be delivered economically and conveniently from the Internet? If you are unsure or answered “no” you should go back and do some more research until you can safely answer “yes” to this question. For example: if you are selling custom-made glass products that require expensive packaging and shipping costs, make sure you can still make a profit from your sales, after expenses, before starting up.

Do you have a desire to market to customers outside of your own geographical location and can produce a product that has a broad appeal? This was important for me when I started my eCommerce site. Although I live in a major metropolitan area, there are not many cities or towns outside of our local region. A website business has opened up global opportunities for my products.

Are there significant economic advantages involved with taking your business online? This is a key factor to whether your business will succeed or flounder. But, if you ponder questions #1 and #2 very carefully, question #3 should be smooth sailing.

Can you economically draw customers to your website? If there is any potential for your website business to require a lot of cash flow, it is with marketing. But, by careful planning and research you can find affordable hosting domains or marketing packages to reach out to the entire global markets. Or, you can do like I did and start on a shoestring (with less than $500 spent in the first year) and be willing to start a bit slower, do a little more leg work on your own, and yet still succeed as a viable online business. Make sure, however, that you are not directly competing with large companies such as Amazon.com, Priceline.com or the like as you would need a seven- or eight-digit marketing budget to compete on their level.

There is still a lot of room in eCommerce for businesses that are based on targeted niche markets built on shrewd, but solid business plans. Take the time to do some careful planning before you launch your web business to ensure that you will achieve all your goals and dreams!

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

About The Author

Michele Webb is living proof that an "ordinary" person can successfully launch multiple website businesses with little or no training.

Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.

Classified Ads That Get Results

Classified ads do not have the big market appeal that a full color display ad has, but but they are still one of the most economical ways to get your business into the public eye. And, because classifieds do not demand expensive eye-catching designs or ingenious wording that you often see in direct-mail campaigns, they are a perfect marketing avenue for even new entrepreneurs. Here are some tips to help you write ads that will make the difference between mediocre ads to ads that get great results.

Keep It Short

Ads that are short and precise have better results. Use white space to make your classified ad stand out from the rest of the listings. Look at the local classifieds and you will see that this works especially well for newspapers. With a little care you can apply the same concept to online ads.

Place just a few words in each line with: 1) the first line listing a benefit the reader will receive; 2) the second line containing the name of your company; 3) the third line your address or email. This results in a striking, centered ad surrounded by white space.

If you are placing an online classified ad and do not have the capability to insert line breaks or center the text, then you will need to keep the text short and use key words to attract the reader to your ad.

Establish a Goal

The goal of placing your ad should only be to get the customer to click through to your site for more information. If your listing does not elicit that response, then you should rework it until it does.

Action Words

Use action words that will prompt a response from the reader. For example, words such as: amazing, attractive, confidential, etc., are all words that compel the reader to do something. There are a many resources available, one that I found to be particularly useful is Words That Sell, by Richard Bayan.

Unique Appeal

You want to make your product or service appear unique to all other products or services on the market (if any). Spend a few minutes to identify what is unique about your product or service or solicit feedback from friends or family about what would appeal to them should they need a product or service such as yours. Use this uniqueness to appeal to the market in the ad.

No Selling!

Whatever you do, do not try to sell your reader on your ad. What you DO want to do is evoke a response using action words. The ad is meant to entice them and evoke an action from them to return to your site and then prompt a sale(s) of your product(s).

Spark Interest and Curiosity

Using a combination of the title and the text or body of the ad you want to spark an interest or curiosity in your ad or product. Use the title to grab the interest and attention of the reader and the ad, or text body, to spark curiosity. You want to generate enough curiosity to have them act in response to your ad.

Avoid Saturated Ads and Products

If your product is already over-marketed on the Internet or your ad is one that is “canned” or pre-prepared you are less likely to achieve good results. Develop your ad so that it is unique, draws the attention of the reader and then guides them to your site or product that is also unique and fresh.

This does not mean that you should not sell information products, for example, which are in overabundance on the Internet market. Instead, think of one type of e-book or information product you can develop that will stand out from the others and meet some need that has prompted the reader to start searching.

Avoid Hype

Nothing is appealing about an advertiser that resorts to hype, threats, or false innuendo about their product. Avoid hype or false representation at all costs. I cannot emphasize this enough. Internet users have grown up and have become savvy, intelligent buyers and are not interested in purchasing products that are hyped. Just state the real facts and use some sound business principles and marketing methods to get the job done well.

Be Organized

Do not underestimate the power behind having a schedule for posting your ads. Post the same ads every 5-7 days. No more. No less. This will keep your ads in front of the readers and you will avoid being black-listed for spamming.

Spamming is an incredible annoyance that is truly deterring good customers from Internet buying. Simply do not send SPAM!

Let’s Wrap This Up

These simple and easy-to-use tips can make the difference between ads that deliver mediocre results or those that deliver eye-boggling, heart-pounding results. You will need to develop your own style for writing your ads and then practice, practice, practice. Few of us were born with the ability to write a “super” ad right away. Most of us have had to practice, watch for results and then tweak the ad to get the results we have wanted. Do not be discouraged if you find yourself in this group too, you’ll be a part of a much bigger group of entrepreneurs. What is important is that you learn from each ad and campaign that you send out. If you can infuse these simple steps into your advertising campaigns you will be well on your way to posting classified ads that get results!

AUTHOR BIO

Michele Webb is living proof that an “ordinary” person can be a successful Netpreneur who successfully launched a classified advertising website in a highly specialized niche market.

REPRINTS AND PERMISSIONS

Reprints are available upon request at no charge. You have permission to reprint or use this article in your website or newsletters as long as the article is not modified in any way and is printed in entirety including the author's bio and links. We will happily provide a text or HTML version upon request.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2004-2005. All Rights Reserved