In the Life of an Introvert …

If you are an introvert, this post is for you. If you are also a personal trainer, this post is definitely for you.

Unfortunately, I did  not grow up with the understanding that I am an introvert.  I spent all of my life feeling “quirky” and “separate” (my fellow introverts probably understand what I mean by “separate”).  One day, last year, a friend sent me a funny comic titled “Guide to Understanding the Introverted.”  My mind was blown!

You see, I’ve since discovered that I am a INFJ personality type (I took the personality test 3 different times, on different days).  INFJ’s are the rarest personality type, making up only 1% of the population.  My Mom is also an INFJ!  So, I’m pretty sure my DNA cannot be changed, nor would I want it to be.  Being an introvert is strangely awesome (now that I know!).

It is like getting a front row seat to your favorite movie, watching the world, in a human sized hamster ball.

However, introversion is not so awesome, when interaction requires an immediate response, “breaching the bubble,” for long periods of time.  Introverts are thoughtful. “We’re not quick thinkers, but rather deep(er) thinkers” (Klass, 2015).

Some great humanitarians were INFJ personality types: Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela (I don’t know how anyone knows this but they are listed here).

Being an introvert is certainly interesting.  I am proud of the depth of my personality.  I have and “an inborn sense of idealism and morality.” I have a “yearning for authenticity and sincerity.”  I “seek people who share my passions, interests, and ideologies … people with whom I can explore philosophies and subjects that I believe are truly meaningful.” I am “insightful and have a particular knack for seeing beyond others’ facades, interpreting intent and compatibility quickly and easily, and weeding out those who don’t share the depth of my idealism.”  To an INFJ, like myself, “the world is a place full of inequity,” in which my mind is always reeling to create balance and harmony.

If you’re like me, it’s easy to feel exhausted, and a much needed retreat to your introvert bubble is necessary, on daily basis. 

Believe it or not, there was a proposal to include introversion in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5).  Rest assured, it was rejected. Laurie Helgoe, Ph.D., stated:

“In the case of a normal but distressed introvert, it may be more appropriate to diagnose a society that exhibits anxiety reactions when someone wants to be alone. Restoring normality is also the role of psychiatry.”

Knowledge is power, my fellow introverts. 

I spent many years working as a personal trainer because I LOVE fitness.  But, what I did not realize is that I love fitness in my bubble!  It is much more difficult to share it, face to face.

Everyone says, “take your passion and use it for good.”  Yes!  But, that does not mean it has to be face to face.  I THRIVE working from home on my lap top.  My best, most efficient, laser-focused work has always been done at home – I feel like a machine!

I still love fitness and I can coach online, which gives me the opportunity to reflect as deep as I need to, before I respond.

To create an environment where you can thrive professionally, you first have to know what conditions to put yourself in 😉

If you have not already done so, you can take the personality test here.

Guide to Understanding the Introverted

Good luck, fellow introverts!  Pass this along to every introvert you know, or anyone you suspect might be an introvert. There is a fascinating world of introversion waiting for you!

❤

Mel B.

 

 

 

 

Where was God yesterday?

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

After the tragic events that occurred in Boston today (4/15/13), I am reminded of the love that surrounds us. It is evident in the way we seek each other; to know our loved ones are safe and to comfort each other. It is certainly evident in the men and women who show their courage to rescue the injured, risking their own safety.

Those who curse God for this happening, do not understand the Power He has given us all -our free will. God does not condone these acts.  He tells us how to act, yet there are some who don’t listen. We are free and there is a cost for our freedom.

It seems all too familiar, the deliberate destruction and harm inflicted by our fellow human beings, but who are they really? What do they have in common? They are all lost souls belonging to humanity, lacking a moral code or compass.

How do we promote this moral code? Rather than curse God, or become angry and bitter, we need to teach this moral code deliberately, especially to our children and even to the lost and forgotten.

God is waiting for us all to choose Him with our own free will.

“When evil men plot, good men  must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love.”

Commit yourself to the glories of love.

Everyone can relate to living with an unhappy person, right? What would it be like to acknowledge that knowing and protect the happiness within you? Even if it’s only a tiny spark of happiness, imagine how it would grow if you nurtured it rather than tried to nurture someone else’s? Kinda like the air bag on an airplane?
When we are whole and complete (our natural infinite state of love and happiness), we’ll inspire (give breath) those around us and most certainly save a few lives indirectly, if not directly.
Great post by Bryan Reeves. So true!!

This Wild Waking Journey

The best gift you can give anyone is your own happiness. Surely by now you’ve discovered how exhausting it can be trying to make someone else happy. The best gift life ever gave me was a girlfriend I really wanted to be with who couldn’t be happy with me no matter what I tried to make her so. I bent myself this way and that to be who I didn’t want to be, said yes when dying to say no, and then said no when my chest ached to say yes. The result? Two unhappy people instead of just one. If I had been responsible enough to take care of my own happiness first, at least there would have been one satisfied person in our relationship.

A happy you is simply good for the planet.

The ripple effects of your own authentic happiness leaking out into the universe are infinitely…

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Robert Kiyosaki: FREE seminar (worth your time?)

Yes!!

Despite the obvious sales pitch you know is coming, you absolutely want to attend this free financial education seminar (if for nothing else) for any financial nuggets of information that you can gather!

As the leader of Single Moms for Financial Freedom, I feel it is my duty to inform myself of all the good, bad and the ugly out there, as it relates to money. A few hours before the seminar, I caught myself hemming and hawing about whether I should go or not.  I wondered how much I could really learn at a *free* seminar.

It’s not necessarily what I learned that I find valuable, it’s the ACTION of going to learn that inspires me because no one is going to take control of my finances besides me. I am the head of my household and presumably you are too.  “No one, certainly not the government, is going to do it for you” and “there is no fairness when it comes to money. You’re either a winner or a loser.”

Get in the game!

“Making money in America is a game.” Do you want to step up and play or sit on the sidelines as second or third string or maybe not on the bench at all?

If you want to get in the game, you NEED “multiple streams of income.” The problem with a J.O.B. is that it only provides ONE stream of income and when your employment ends (termination, sickness, injury, resignation), so does your cash flow.

In the Rich Dad Poor Dad (RDPD) seminar, they talked a lot about the lack-thereof financial education in school and how humanity is paying the price for that, which is indicated by the alarming of number of elderly people forced back into the workforce.  Is that the kind of life you want for your elderly parent, yourself or even your children? Man, I wish I had someone to teach me about money when I was little, but it’s never too late!

If you’re interested in Real Estate investing, then this seminar is DEFINITELY for you.  The “pitch” is a 3 day (all-day) financial workshop covering foreclosures, REO’s (Real Estate Owned), commercial R.E., vacant land, multi-unit buildings, asset protection, money sources and exit strategies.

The RDPD Trainer Melvin Rich talked about “how to buy bank owned homes” and “contract assignments.” Of course, he didn’t tell us how to do it, but that’s the hook and it’s a pretty enticing one too! Unfortunately, I know nothing about Real Estate, but I know enough to capitalize on opportunity and seize every learning opportunity I get!  The investment for the weekend is minimal at $199 for the weekend and I am fairly confident that I’ll learn a financial golden nugget or two or three even if I never end up investing in real estate.

If you want to be rich, study rich people. If you want to gain money consciousness, hang around with people who have money consciousness.  The last thing you want to do is let your broke friends tell you it’s not worth going or it’s not worth learning something new!  It’ll likely take a 100,000 pieces of sand for you to break through to financial freedom, but every piece of knowledge is a few pieces of sand, maybe more depending on how you apply it.

Stay inspired. Stay curious!

Melanie

My mission: “to help single moms maneuver the unique emotional and mental blocks that every single mom must inevitably face, to achieve financial freedom and create wealth in all areas of their life.” 

Join me on Facebook!

“Moments of Love”

Have you ever created something that you were really proud of and then subconsciously (or consciously) judgment and fear made you stuff it away somewhere out of sight? Yep, I did!

I published a small journal called “Moments of Love” before Christmas 2012 and I just pulled it out to write in it last week!  I literally stuffed it behind my son’s bookshelf.  I created the journal to be a “movement” to remember, share and give more love. I proclaimed that I would write in this little journal every time I experienced a moment of love.  But that wasn’t happening and I haven’t even promoted the journal to give other people the chance to do the same!

I’d think of it every now and then, but It wasn’t until my ex-husband criticized me about it again for the umpteenth time that I pulled it out and said to myself “you know what, I have to give this a chance and see what it does.”

I’ve been filling it out every day, sometimes multiple times a day and it’s doing exactly what I hoped it would do!  How easily we forget our moments of greatness or just funny memories that make us smile. I encourage you to start this habit.  If not with my journal, create one yourself.  As I write this, I am smiling thinking about some of the funny things I noted that my son said this week.

You can preview the first 12 pages of “Moments of Love” by clicking on the preview link on this page here and you can view my author spotlight  page here.

Stay inspired. Stay curious!

Lots of love,

Melanie

My mission: “to help single moms maneuver the unique emotional and mental blocks that every single mom must inevitably face, to achieve financial freedom and create wealth in all areas of their life.” 

Join me on Facebook!

The Burning Boat

Today I witnessed Divine brilliance. My 6 year old son displayed “Godly sorrow,” which is something that I only learned about 7 days ago.

Last Monday, I attended the Greenroom in Ann Arbor.  The Greenroom is a “new, unconventional, creative movement geared at using all forms of the arts to communicate the message of God’s uncontainable love for the world.”  I’ve only attended Church maybe 5x in my lifetime until I was introduced to the Greenroom on January 7, 2013.  Finally! A God-like place that makes my heart feel super light.

Since I’ve only been to Church a handful of times, I have little to no religious training or understanding, but naturally I’ve developed a deep love and appreciation for our creator, who I believe to be God.

As I was sitting at the Greenroom last Monday night [in a barn with miss-matched chairs arranged in a semi-circle with lights just over a small floor-stage], the Pastor Scott Crownover gave the floor over to a guest of the Greenroom who has been attending since they opened.  He began to talk about the difference of Godly sorrow vs Worldly sorrow and I didn’t quite understand until it hit me that I feel “worldly sorrow” for my fears of inadequacy.

I thought to myself “WOW!” I am sorrowful for what I am not. I am sorrowful for why I’m not better than I am; sorrowful for being stuck at times … but when I feel “Godly sorrow” I feel sorry to God that I don’t fully appreciate the creation that I am. When I feel sorrowful to God, I can say “Dear God, please forgive me. I am your heavenly creation. I am more than enough in your name.”

The difference in the way my heart feels tells me that Godly sorrow is healing, worldly sorrow is not.

Today, my 6 year old son was really upset that he couldn’t find a lego guy (from the set he got yesterday for his birthday).  Knowing that it couldn’t be far, I told him to keep his eyes open, it must be around here somewhere. He became frustrated and said “I’m a loser, I’m not a lego genius” which is very unlike him to speak badly about himself.  Right in that instant, I said look behind you.  A big smile came across his face, but I called him over to me and said “please apologize for saying such mean words yourself.” He did and he appreciated my suggestion.  A few minutes later, to my amazement, he apologized to God!

I said “that was nice, what made you do that.” He said ” I apologized to God because he is in my heart and he created me.  It was one of the most beautiful and profound moments because he also has zero religious teaching, but he knows enough to know that God (our creator) loves us and to love ourselves is to love God and to love God is to love ourselves.

The morale of the story is that we are a creation of God, just as beautiful and perfect as Nature. To speak badly of ourselves is worldly sorrow, which only furthers our dysfunction and pain. Only Godly sorrow can redeem us worthy and adequate.  So, if you’re struggling with judgment and fear, are you expressing worldly sorrow or are you willing to express Godly sorrow?

Worldly sorrow is a burning boat.  Godly sorrow reinforces the potential and wholesomeness that we already are, whether we acknowledge it or not.  We’ll likely never feel “perfect,” we’ll likely always have fear but we do have a place in our hearts to come back to, to feel wholesome.

Stay curious. Stay inspired!

Melanie

My mission: “to help single moms maneuver the unique emotional and mental blocks that every single mom must inevitably face, to achieve financial freedom and create wealth in all areas of their life.” 

Join me on Facebook!

BREAKING THROUGH

Do yourself a favor and watch this!!

Inspired Living Mobile App

Watch as Tony Robbins reminds us that our next “Breakthrough” is just a thought away..

Believe for Great things with the Inspired Living App

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The Single Mom Hustle

You are somewhere on the spectrum of “single mom in poverty” to “single mom in luxury.” If you’re “single mom in luxury,” you’ve either “made it” (yay!) or somehow you’ve escaped the of hardship and sacrifice most of us face as single moms.

This post is for all the single moms out there still “hustlin’.”

Maybe you want to be a single mom but you have no idea how to get out of a bad relationship and financially you’re scared to death to go out on your own. I hear you.  Rest assured, this post is for you too.  My intention is to help single moms ignite your curiosity for what else is possible in your life.

In this blog post, I’m going to share highlights from my interview with single mom Kathy Kaufman, now a 6 figure income earner, who once lived in her friend’s attic, despite her educational achievements. Kathy references “Conversations with God” by Neil Donald Walsch, “Cash Flow Quadrant” by Robert Kiyosaki, “Lower Your Taxes Big Time” by Sandy Botkin, “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” by T. Harv Eker.”

Kathy is a 64 year old single mom who’s story may or may not resonate completely, but she left me a few golden nuggets that I’d like to share. Kathy is currently a successful Unfranchise Owner in Shop.com.  After dumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into her education for high-paying positions, she was “downsized from every job she had.” She explained that at one point she was making $200,000 and she still ended up living in her friend’s attic.  Lesson: there is no financial security in trading time for dollars; no matter how much you are earning, as soon as your employment ends, so does your cash flow.  This makes residual, willable income the #1 reason to start a network marketing business. Meaning: you earn money in your sleep and your income will continue, if God forbid you die.

Kathy tells me that the #2 reason single moms should consider working for themselves is the Tax Benefits. While making $200,000, she said $80,000 was wiped of the top in taxes.  Now, if you’re like me, you’re thinking “I would die for $120,000!” For those of us who have ever had to live off Goldfish and peanut butter (not together! lol) to make sure our kids ate first, we could make $120,000 go a long way, right?  But, she does have a point.  When you’re self-employed, you are taxed on the money AFTER your expenses.  For example, if you earn 100K and you can expense 50K, you’re only taxed on 50K, instead of 100K. Pretty cool deal.

#3 (if not #1) is being available for your kids when they need you.  As a single mom, we often have to work harder and longer to make the money we need to pay our bills and this means someone else is raising our children.  Working from home and for yourself allows you the freedom to teach and play with your kids.

So, how do we make this leap from “trading time for dollars” to income that is “residual” and “willable?”  

1. Identify what you are passionate about. What problems of the world do you want to help solve? Me personally, I want to help single moms achieve financial freedom!

2. Start crafting your “why” on paper. Why is time and money freedom important to you?

3. Learn, learn, learn as much as you can!

4. CONNECT with people you admire and who live a lifestyle that you admire – what do they do?

5. Wanting money to show up in your life is not enough!  Money follows, it does not lead you.  Where are you headed that lots of money can follow you?

6. Watch for the Universe to provide all the opportunities and people you need to get you one step closer to your “why” – pay attention! Opportunities are happening right  now!

If you would like to learn more about the Unfranchise opportunity with Shop.com, please reach out. If for no other reason, even if you don’t want to discover the Unfranchise opportunity, at least learn how to save money on the things you are already buying! Watch this video here to learn how.  Click “Connect with Melanie” above to help you get set up.

I’m “headed” to the front of the pack to lead single moms to financial freedom.  That means I’ll get banged up along the way testing what works and what doesn’t work, but it’s what makes me “leap with nowhere to go,” so that’s where I’m headed!

My mission: “to help single moms maneuver the unique emotional and mental blocks that every single mom must inevitably face, to achieve financial freedom and create wealth in all areas of their life.” 

Join me on Facebook!

Nu Skin Opportunity Review

Game time, baby! Let’s get started. I told you that I would be leading the way exploring legitimate income-generating opportunities, so here we go!

First up: Network Marketing with Nu Skin.  I got my butt on a train and went all the way to Chicago 4 hours away to learn about this one! The president Scott Schwerdt (28 years with the company) was there speaking and I got to speak with him directly afterwards.

Company Name: Nu Skin

Products: Anti-aging based on the science of gene expression

Years in Business: 29 years

Accreditation:

• Publicly traded company on the NYSE
• Voted Top 5 Mid Cap Company by Forbes Magazine
• Voted Top 100 Most Trustworthy companies by Forbes Magazine
• Dunn and Bradstreet 5A1 Rating
• A+ rating on BBB

BIGGEST TAKE-AWAY: 90% money back guarantee for ONE YEAR. This seems unheard of!

INVESTMENT:  No investment required, but you’ve got to be a “product of a product” (a user of the product) to be able to share your testimony – everyone appreciates a walking, visible testimony. I purchased the LifePak Nano for $122 which I’ll be blogging about my experience (and I’ll be looking to see an increase in antioxidant protection levels after 30 days!)

SUMMARY:

Here is what I know; they have 75 full-time Ph.D scientists working for them. You can see Dr. Chang (Chief Scientific Officer) on the discovery channel here. You can also see Dr. Oz talking about what he calls the “ultimate nutritional lie detector test” otherwise known as Nu Skin’s Biophotonic Scanner with patented technology (this is how I will know if the LifePak  supplements are increasing my antioxidant levels in 30 days).

I was fortunate enough to speak with the president  of Nu Skin, Scott Schwerdt, I asked him: “how is sustainability protected and how do these people maintain their Nu Skin business as a WILLABLE asset even after they die?  The answer is consumption BECAUSE the products “do what they are intended to do, people keep buying even if they aren’t distributors involved in the business.” Baby boomers make up 450 million consumers right now LOOKING for an anti-aging solution.  Scott is a 50-something, tall, handsome, glowing man clearly a “product of the product” and he says “every morning he wakes up thinking about aging and so does every other baby boomer” and then some!

I was also able to connect with a top income earner Dan Conlon (highest you can go in the company). He and his wife Michelle started in the business 25 years ago.  Dan explained to me that when you have products that do what they are supposed to do, people buy because it meets an expectation.  If they bought and only got half their expectation, they’d be off to the next “thing.” There is no begging or harassing or even “making sure” your customers are staying on the product. He referenced Apple and said “Apple doesn’t call all of their consumers in a panic asking if they’re going to buy the next product.” NO! Apple sold 2 million iPhone 5 units during its first launch day.  Why? Because Apple is Apple and we (the people) are confident in their ability to innovate.  There is trust that if Apple puts out a product, it’ll be better than the last. That is what Nu Skin has to offer – INNOVATION and superior product solutions.

Speaking of INNOVATION, there are amazing things coming down the pipe including “GAMMA” which is the FIRST weight management product scientifically designed based on gene expression.  It’s coming out in October 2013.  Imagine being able to REVERSE the obesity epidemic in our country which will dramatically improve healthcare?  Nu Skin has a solution based on the science of gene expression. Dr Oz says: “about 80 percent of your genetic material is made up not of genes but of gene switches (which we are just beginning to understand). These switches cause changes in the way a gene works; this is called gene expression.

“GAMMA” is formulated based on gene expression. My understanding is that this is a unprecedented revolution in weight management solutions.  I won’t tell you want I’m going to do because it really doesn’t matter. I’m simply giving you an opportunity to make a choice, if you want to.

So, here’s the deal, I am not trying to convince you of this.  This is not a get-rich-quick scheme so you can’t just “show up” and expect to make money. There is some emotional skin in the game here.  If you’re reading this far, thank you! But not everyone will.  People are going to reject you, people are going to tell you it’s not going to work; it’s impossible, people are always going to be skeptical (of both products as well as financial opportunities), but at the end of the day, you’ll either be curious to learn more or you won’t. It’s that simple.

Now that you have all this information, here are the 5 things you have to consider when looking at ANY business opportunity:

• Trends in the market place – Is Anti-Aging a trend in the market place? Heck yeah it is! A $1 Trillion Trend!
• Products and science –75 full-time Ph.D scientists and CSO highlighted on the Discovery channel. I’d say they have that covered.
• Company stability – 29 years of success underneath them!
• Compensation – Until you decide if you want this to be a full-time job, who cares what the compensation is!!? It’s residual income in your sleep for giving people the solution to look younger, lose weight, increase antioxidant protection against disease and infection, improve their sex life and allow unimaginable abilities to experience life in a whole new way (freedom from health concerns and wrinkles or … marathons, adventure, travel, vibrancy, etc.).
• Timing – is the timing right for you? Do you have the passion for it NOW?  Are you ready to work for yourself? Do you have 5-10 hours per week to get started?

There you have it; my first income-generating opportunity review!  If you want to know more, I WILL find the answers, just ask!  Please feel free to call me: 781-316-7999 (cell) or email: mel.braswell@gmail.com.

Stay Curious. Stay Inspired!

Melanie

Creating a vibrant financial future for single moms

Thank you for visiting my blog. I am truly honored to share this with you.

“Single Moms for Financial Freedom“ was an idea that hit me like a freight train. It is an educational and inspirational platform for single moms, inspired by my own trials and tribulations as a single mom from: dealing and communicating with my ex-husband, managing my energy (thoughts, beliefs and behaviors), making important decisions for my son’s best interest, juggling time with little money, praying for more money, praying for love, ease and joy and discovering how courageous and capable I really am.

As a single mom myself, I learned quickly the importance and significance of community. Women, in particular, are community builders, but unfortunately we live in a world often times forced to fend for ourselves.  It was only by sub-conscious-accident that I found myself living in a beautiful big house (that I otherwise could never afford) with 4 other adults and my son.  We have built a “community” at home and it has been one of the most heart-warming experiences of my life, for my son too.   As social beings, we were not meant to isolate ourselves from others, but that’s what we do.

I hope this community will blossom  and help single moms all over the world! I also hope it will directly impact our children in a positive way.   When I think of my role as a mom, I am humbled by my responsibility and honored that I have been chosen to love and inspire (give breath) my son.  This is certainly no modest assignment.

I want moms, particularly (you) single moms, to comprehend how significant you are. I want you to know that your presence and love in your child’s life is far more valuable than any “thing” or “object” and I want you to recognize that your love is absolutely free within you.

Regardless of what your bank account says, regardless of what your ex says about you and regardless of what you say about you, you are whole and complete. Whatever illusions you are buying into are not real no matter how real they feel.

What is this community going to look like and why should you “like” this page?

My pledge to you:

• I will commit to positing inspirational, educational and/or informative content each and every day.
• I will be available for questions and support without expecting anything but your love and energy in return.
• I will share my lessons learned.
• I will actively seek information to help myself and you.
• I will be honest and authentic and always support you without judgment, only love.
• I will create a space on Facebook where you can be authentic , but I will not allow you to self-loath and have pity on yourself.
• I will build you up and water your effort to grow.
• I will share the best practices, processes and insights about  how to have a beautiful relationship with money.
• I will test the waters first and report back on money-making opportunities and I will always honor the call in your heart telling you if it’s for you or not.
• I fully accept this role.

How can you support this mission?

• Please look for ways to build people up, including (and especially) you.
• Please learn, embrace, enjoy and share whenever you can.
• Please keep an open mind and heart.
• Please KNOW that you are a magnificent child of God.
• Please share your vision, not your story.
• Please share all of this love with your children.  They see the world through our eyes. 

If you read this and your heart feels super light, head over to our page and introduce yourself and don’t forget to click the little “like” button so you stay included on future posts!

“We are a community of courageous, heart-centered single moms who strive to create stability, joy and love in our lives, most importantly in our children’s lives.  We are seekers of growth, opportunity, inspiration and peace.  We rise above the uncertainty, fear and doubt that often comes with being a single mom, by taking massive action and maintaining focus on our vision.  We take a deep breath, hold our children close to our hearts and gracefully climb this mountain, together.”

See you inside!

With much love and great appreciation,

Melanie Braswell