Another Update

Hey everyone!

I spoke to my doctor this morning and I finally have a date for surgery – May 7th.  I will be so glad to put this behind me and move on!  I am looking forward to being well and feeling healthy!

My total recovery time will be four months, but I am hoping I will be able to be up and around a little sooner.  My body will let me know how much I can do, and I will just have to take it one day at a time.  So, you may not hear from me again for a while.  I have much to do to get ready for my trip back East, where the surgery will take place, and I know I won’t be running any races too soon after the surgery is done. 

I spoke to a lady who had the same surgery by the same doctor 6 weeks ago, and she told me that she has had to take it very slow and only now, six weeks later, is the swelling in her abdomen going down and she is able to be on her feet a little more and get around better.  This is going to be a long haul!

I will update you again as soon as I can after my surgery. 

Until then be well,

Kim Hillman

 

 

Update

Hello everyone.

It’s been a while and I want to give you an update  so you’ll know that I’m still around and haven’t fallen off the planet!

I haven’t had surgery yet, nor has it been scheduled.  The waiting has been very difficult as my condition has continued to worsen.  I’m anxious to put the surgery behind me and heal so that I can start living my life again, but right now I’m not sure how soon that will be. 

To make a long story short and not bore you with all the minutia, things are being held up by some rather sticky red tape between my insurance company and my doctor.  But, as always, I’m using this experience to learn and grow, and while the lessons I’m learning have been tough ones, I believe they will serve to strengthen me in the future.

I’ve learned that you can never be fully prepared for things that happen to you.  All you can do it try to roll with the punches and take things one day at a time.

I’ve learned that the people you think you can count on to be there for you, to help you, and to come through for you – the ones who say they love you – may be nowhere to be found when you find yourself in real trouble.

But, the people who you least expect to support you might just surprise you!

And I’ve learned that you’ve got to stand on your own two feet, be courageous and fight your battles head on – even when no one is fighting by your side.  The only real advocate you’ve got is yourself.  A few may offer some help, but they’ll never get into the thick of things.  The only person who will ever really go to bat for you is you.  But, if you make the first move, sometimes others will fall in behind you and give you a little support.

I’ll let you know when I finally have a date set for surgery.  I’m really hoping for April at this point, but the way things are going it might be later.

Take care of yourselves and do keep writing! 

I’ll post another update when I have some more news – hopefully good news!

Kim Hillman

 

 

No More Posts For A Little While – Here’s Why

Hello to each of you, my dear readers.

I know things have been a little quiet here on the blog lately and I want you to know why. 

Recently I received some rather bad news from my doctor.  I have a progressive illness that requires major surgery.  The good news is that it’s not fatal, and once the surgery is performed I should be fine.  However, there are few surgeons who are skilled at this particular procedure, and so I must travel back east in order to have the surgery performed.

Because of this, my life is now a flurry of planning and preparations, consultations and tests, and it has become increasingly difficult for me to focus on the blog.

Therefore, I am going to take a leave of absence from this blog until I have fully recovered from the surgery.  I expect to be able to post here again in a few months – probably February or March.

Please know that I am not abandoning you, and I appreciate each of you very much.  I have some big plans for what I hope this blog will become, and I look forward to returning to it with renewed energy and a fresh perspective.

Until then, I wish you all a very joyful holiday season and all the best in 2012.

To your riches!

Kim Hillman

 

Secrets Of True Riches – How To Harness The Power Of Change To Create Opportunities

Change happens to all of us.  Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not so good.  But, whether we like it or not, it happens.  The question is, how do you handle it?

Some Changes Happen, Others We Create

Changes are unavoidable in both business and in life.  Some changes we create ourselves – such as when we decide to quit a job in search of something better.  Other changes are forced upon us without our prior knowledge or consent – such as when we are laid off or fired from a job.  And although each of these scenarios is markedly different from an emotional aspect, neither one is going to be an easy adjustment.

So, how do you ride the winds of change?  In the first scenario, you might think you would be happy as you leave your old job and find a better one.  But, is the grass really always greener?  And in the second scenario, you might think you would be unhappy.  But, what if you found a much better paying job as a result?

Change = Opportunity

All changes are opportunities – even the seemingly negative ones.  Without change we would have no way to advance or to grow beyond what we presently have and know.

Some people try to avoid change.  They will stay with the same low-paying job, living in their own self- made status quo, not completely miserable, but not really happy.  It’s a ho-hum existence, until one day, like it or not, something happens to change it.  Unfortunately, these people don’t see change as an opportunity and they end up wrestling with the changes that happen to them rather than harnessing them so they can benefit from them.

Changes will happen to you whether you create them or not.  The trick is to embrace change rather than trying to avoid it.  When something unexpected happens, you need to keep your cool and deal with it rather than trying to hide from it and avoid it.

Create Your Opportunities

Not only should you embrace the unexpected changes, you should also endeavor to create positive changes for yourself and your business on a regular basis.  This will open new doors for you that otherwise would not have been possible.  in effect, it allows you to create opportunities.

Those who embrace the changes that come their way AND endeavor to create new ones are the ones who succeed.  They are the Walt Disneys, The Oprahs, The Donald Trumps.  Walt Disney saw a place for family fun and a way to make money where others only saw a swamp.  Oprah was a poor, little, unwanted black girl who was told she would be a maid for the white folks when she grew up.  Donald Trump grew a multimillion dollar business from the ground up, lost it all, and then did it again – even better.  Each of these people created change for themselves against the odds.

What if Walt, Oprah and Donald had not opted to create the changes they did?  Can you see Walt saying, “Yes, you’re right.  It’s a crazy idea.  What was I thinking?”  Can you imagine Oprah as an unknown, a house maid?  Can you picture Donald folding up for good, living an average lifestyle?  Not likely.  And if they hadn’t created the changes they did, how many other lives would be affected besides their own?  Millions!

As an author, you also have the power to affect others.  Your booklet isn’t just about you – what you want to say and the money you make from it.  Your booklet also has the power to change lives.  So, make your best decision.  Embrace change.  Create change.  That’s the first secret of true riches.

To your riches!

Kim Hillman

PS:  Are you ready to create a change by writing your first booklet?  Click here.

PPS:  Remember, it only takes ONE idea to start the riches flowing to you!  Subscribe to this blog now.  Click here!

Scary Mistakes That Sabbotage Success – Monthly Review

In case you missed a post from October, here is the monthly rundown:

1)  The One Thing That Can Bring You Down Fast

2)  Are Your Expectations Too Low?

3)  Is Stupidity Standing In Your Way?

4)  Have You Looked Into Your Future?

5)  Ten Bad Habits That Will Hold You Back

This month our theme will be The Best Kept Secrets Of True Riches.  Think you know the secrets?  Stay tuned and find out!

To your riches!

Kim Hillman

PS:  Are you ready to write that first booklet?  Would you like to avoid some costly mistakes?  Click here.

PPS:  Remember, it only takes ONE idea to start the riches flowing to you!  Subscribe to this blog now.  Click here.

Scary Mistakes That Sabbotage Success – Ten Bad Habbits That Will Hold You Back

Brian Tracy, a motivational coach for entrepreneurs, said, “If what you are doing is not moving you toward your goals, then it’s moving you away from your goals.”  As authors and business owners, we often think of the big things when it comes to reaching our goals.  But, it’s really the little things that matter most because it’s the little things – like your habits – that lead to big things.

Here are 10 bad habits that you MUST change in order to be a successful booklet author.  But, when you change these habits, you’ll find they not only create business success for you, but success in your every day life too!

1)  Getting up in the morning without a plan for your day.  It’s easy to let time slip through your fingers if you don’t have your day planned.  So many little things come up that only take a minute, and before you know it you’ve run out of minutes and it’s time for bed!  Plan your day the night before.  Make a list of everything you need to accomplish, and if you want to get really detailed you can write down the time at which you will perform each task.  That way when your head hits the pillow at night, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment!

2)  Not treating your writing and your projects like a business.  Sometimes it’s difficult to connect the dots and see what you do as a real business – but that’s exactly what it is.  You’re writing booklets for money, and that means you’ve got a business.  Start looking at all of the little projects you do – from making calls to potential quantity buyers to writing your next booklet to mailing booklets to your readers – as part of a larger whole.  Each project adds up to create a business.

3)  Tardiness.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re meeting someone face to face, calling them on the phone, or sending an email -  Promptness should be a priority.  Being late for a face to face meeting is about the worst thing you can do.  It tells the other person that you don’t respect them or their time.  But, calling past the time your call was expected, or sending an email the day after you promised to send it is almost as bad.  In today’s high tech world, everything is wanted and expected right now.  If you need time to prepare an email or to prepare information for a phone call, let the other person know that and tell them when they can expect to hear from you.  Then, make sure you contact them at the appropriate time, even if gathering the information is taking longer than you expected.

4)  Inappropriate style of dress.  This one should be a no-brainer, but so many people mess it up.  When you meet with anyone who might offer you money for your booklets or other products or services, it is extremely important that you dress like a professional.  It doesn’t have to be a three piece suit, but it should be something nice and something modest.  Remember, you’re an author, and authors are viewed as professionals, and even as celebrities.  Jeans are a no-no.  Shorts, short skirts and immodest apparel are also no-no’s.  You can dress semi-casual, but your style of dress should present you as a successful professional who cares about what you do.

5)  Procrastination.  This is one of the worst habits because it will literally stop you dead in your tracks.  When you get an idea or you know you need to get something done – take action!  Even if that action is to decide not to tackle that new project right now, you can always make a note of it and come back to it later.  Don’t leave anything hanging.  Deal with what needs dealing with.

6)  Not keeping track of what you spend.  You should always keep track of what it costs you to do business.  If you don’t know the costs, you can’t be sure you’re making a profit.  Many entrepreneurs think that because their business is small or just starting out, they don’t need to worry about costs because they’re not spending large sums of money.  But, this creates a very bad habit that will keep your business from growing.  You need to know how much things cost, and you need to keep track of what you spend.

7)  Not getting the best deal.  When you need to buy something or pay for a service, you should spend as little for it as possible.  The more you save, the more you keep in your own pocket.  Businesses have gone bankrupt from spending too much.  It’s worth your time to do a little research to find the best prices.

8)  Focusing on the negative.  Chances are you’re not a pessimist, because if you were you wouldn’t be an entrepreneur.  But, sometimes we all get a little negative when things aren’t going the way we had hoped, and some of us have more of a problem with this than others.  If you have a tendency to see the downside of things you need to change this FAST!  Start looking for the positive and you’ll find that things improve.

9)  Thinking you have to do it all yourself.  This is a real problem for us entrepreneurs.  We think we are the only ones who can do what we do, so we never ask for or hire any help.  In the beginning stages of your business, you may not be able to hire help and you may not need to.  But, one day it will become necessary in order for your business to grow.  At that point, you must let go of some of the things you have been doing and allow another person to take over the job(s).  They may not do it the same way you did, but often you’ll find they can do it better.  And you’ll have more time freed up to work on the things that really matter in your business rather than all the little day to day tasks.

10)  Not taking care of yourself.  You are the top person in your business, and you may be the only person running your business.  If you become sick or injured, there is nobody to run your business until you are better.  Make sure you are eating healthy food, getting some exercise, and getting enough rest.  Allow yourself some downtime at the end of your work day, and take a break once in a while.  Keep your body and your mind refreshed and you’ll be able to accomplish more each day!

Can you think of some other habits that sabbotage success?  I would love to read your comments!

To your riches!

Kim Hillman

PS:  Don’t procrastinate any longer!  If you’re ready to write that first booklet and you want to get started on the right foot, click here!

PPS:  One idea can change your life!  One idea can start the riches flowing to you!  This blog is full of ideas and new ones are added every week.  Subscribe now!  Click here.

Scary Mistakes That Sabotage Your Success – Have You Looked Into Your Future?

When you begin your booklet adventure there are so many twists and turns it can take.  You might think that you have absolutely no control over what happens, that things just occur, opportunities present themselves or they don’t.  But, although there will always be a few surprises down the road, you have more control than you think you do.

Take A Look Into Your Future

Anyone who starts a business should have a solid vision of what they hope to achieve in that business and how they would like the business to grow in the next few years.  Practicality is a good thing, but it should never keep you so focused on the present that you can’t imagine something better down the road.  Your vision is what will create your plan, and your plan is what will create your future.

Your vision is what keeps you on track, and keeps you from being tossed about by the winds of change.  When something unexpected comes up, you’ll be better prepared to deal with it because you have a sense of where you’re going and what you want to accomplish.

Plant Some Seeds Today

Every successful person on the planet had a vision for what they wanted to accomplish and where they wanted to be at a particular point in the future.  Each one worked hard toward achieving that vision before they saw it become a reality.

The present is constantly changing.  The present doesn’t last.  It is constantly evolving and bringing us into the future.  The present becomes the future.  This gives you control, because what you do or don’t do today will affect tomorrow.  You can plant seeds today that will sprout tomorrow, and at some point those sprouts will bloom.

Don’t make the mistake of getting too caught up in the present.  Think ahead.  If you don’t have a vision of what you want in the future, create one.  It will keep you on track when the winds of change try to blow you in a direction you don’t want to go.  It will give you enthusiasm and drive when you need it most.  And best of all, it will create a tomorrow for you that is better than today.

To your riches!

Kim Hillman

PS:  Ready to write that first booklet?  It’s time to plant some seeds!  You will shortly be presented with a decision.  What you decide will help to shape your future.  To make your decision, Click here!

PPS:  Here is another seed you can plant.  It only takes ONE idea to start the riches flowing to you.  This blog is full of ideas, and new ones are added each week.  Now it’s time for you to decide whether you will plant a seed that can help your future bloom into something beautiful, or whether you will continue on as you have been.  To plant that seed, which is to subscribe to this blog, click here now!