When you look around at others in your field, do you see competition or a network of like minded people?  When you see someone else's posts who is a little farther on their journey, do you feel a pang of jealousy or do you see them as a lighthouse?  Do you ever wish you could just have a real, authentic conversation with other entrepreneurs, where everyone let down their guard and were willing to work through the areas they were struggling with?! {Seriously, pause for a second and answer those questions!}

This month we will be working rising together to create 10K months! How do you do that?  By investing time in creating a network that supports you, challenges you, and serves as a place to both give and receive referrals.  Business doesn't have to be a lonely place, I promise. How do I know this, because I am currently surrounded by an amazing network of fellow entrepreneurs who do just that for me.  

So what does it take to create a strong network? Making space in your schedule to form authentic relationships; admitting what areas of your business you are struggling with; being open to sharing what works for you, especially if it can help them succeed as well; and a strong understanding that there are enough clients that everyone has the ability to make money. 

In theory, those steps sounds simple but everyone I talk to struggles with at least one element of that process.  Be honest with yourself about what aspect is hard for you.  If it is authentic relationships, set aside time each day to connect with those you look up to on a people level first.  If you struggle to be honest about what areas of your business you are struggling with, challenge yourself to connect with someone you have a great friendship with and simply state: "I am really struggling with [work/life balance, finding new people to work with, keeping my finances in order, insert what you are struggling with!].  You might be surprised at the conversation that follows!  If you are struggling to share what works for you with others, ask yourself why!  Is it because you are seeing them as competition?  If you have a hard time recognizing there are more than enough clients for everyone, you need to take time to evaluate your money mindset.  Are you operating from a place of lack, instead of abundance?  

We will dive more into all of these aspects of creating a network throughout the month, but I want you to begin to see the invaluable resource a network provides.  In addition to seeing the benefits of a network in my own life, over the past month, I have had the privilege of interacting with an amazing group of women in my Six Figure Society.  I have watched them open up to one another, support one another, refer one another, and hold one another accountable.  I think if you talk to them, they will say they have found a safe place where they feel supported, challenged and encouraged.  The result: their businesses are growing at a rapid pace!  

So spend some time today and reach out to friends, colleagues, mentors, or anyone else that will help you to feel supported and encouraged.  I promise you won't regret it. 

We talk a lot about rewriting our money story and choosing a new belief system, but what does that actually look like? I want to share a few tips with you on how to do it the right way.

In reality, most of our money beliefs are not actually ours to begin with, they are a mix of beliefs that have been instilled in us from our grandparents, parents and families.  Add in what we receive from social conditioning (social media, our co-workers, our friends, etc.) and it can be difficult to discern what it is we really believe for ourselves.

So, when you choose to rewrite your story you need to create a regression timeline.  Take time and look at your life year by year, beginning with your earliest memories from childhood to identify common money stories that might exist in your life.  For example, maybe your father lost his job when you were 7 and that had a great impact on your family.  Now when you look at how you handle money, you are extremely frugal even when you don't need to be because you do not want to find yourself in the same position as your parents.  Take a careful look at all of the patterns of behavior that may be repeating cycles in your life because you haven’t changed your perspective on the past. 

Now that you have identified your money stories, look for what was amazing in those stories. For example, reframe your thought pattern to: even though my dad lost his job and we were eating rice & beans, I was spending every afternoon in the park.

Find the goodness in your story, see how the things that happened made you more resourceful or more caring.  Reframe the story into a new and better story that made you the amazing human being that you are today.  

I have my own story on reframing my past; when my family had to leave everything behind in Brazil to come to the to the US. Not only did they have to leave their possessions, they also left behind their community and who they were. So instead of saying my parents had to leave everything behind and they had nothing, I say “my parents invested all that they had to make room for more.” 

Make sure you do not skip over this examination of the past as the first step in rewriting your money story.  Why? Because you can't move forward without this deep understanding of where your beliefs came from.

Now, as you start to plan for the future you get to choose a new money system and belief.  The key will be actually acting on that belief, because remember your life doesn’t change by inspiration and motivation, it changes by the actions that you take.  The thing is, that even though you are taking on this new money mindset, it doesn't mean that all of your money struggles will disappear, but now you will make a change in the way you respond to them.

So how do you do that? You have to actively act on your new belief system - you have to believe that when you’re paying bills that you’re just making room for more money to come in. You have to prioritize being generous and allowing yourself to buy the things you want and need.  You have to normalize investing in your business.   

Make sure you also look for the wealth in other areas of your life as well, see the abundance that doesn’t come from money, but from the world around you. Celebrate that you can sleep late and wake up without an alarm clock, celebrate the crafts that you make, celebrate the conversations you have with friends and family.  See all aspects of your life as abundant.

Now, here is something I get asked all the time -- if I am content and celebrating my abundance, am I able to still crave more? The answer is YES! You can live in a state of contentment and gratitude and still have desires for bigger and better things.  Why? Because who benefits from your playing small? Who benefits from you downplaying your gifts? Who benefits from your lack mindset? The answer is: No One, except your comfort zone! 

Now lets look at it from the other perspective.  Who benefits when you are ready to really step into your marketplace and show up with your skills and talents?  Who benefits when you are ready to have success? When you are ready to live a life that is full of abundance? Everybody Wins! What you might not immediately see is that there is a ripple effect -- your children are watching, you get to invest in your community and the causes you care for.  

So now is the time to show up for yourself, to step into your new money mindset, to believe in the difference you can make and to put you and your business first.

 January is halfway over - how is that even possible?! I know what you are thinking, now it is too late for me to pick my word of the year, create my vision board or set my intentions.  I am here to tell you that you are wrong -- it is never too late! 

I do want to challenge you to be thoughtful when selecting your word though, there is more to it than just picking something that will inspire you. It is important to select a word that will push you to action. Why?! Action translates to results, and the actions you take are going to change your life. 

​Ok, lets start with some concrete examples - my word for 2020 was “disrupt.”  By the way, feel free to blame me for all the disruption that took place in 2020.  In truth, my concept for choosing disrupt was that I wanted to disrupt the way people thought about success, I wanted to disrupt the way people thought about themselves and the way they saw their business. I really wanted to disrupt the way people overcomplicate things and disrupt that pattern of thinking.  There was a solid connection between the word I selected and the actions that I would take in relation to it.  This means that if I was ever faced with a situation where I wasn't sure what was the right decision for me, I could ask myself "will this help me to disrupt?"

This year I selected a combination of words for my word of the year - intentional balance.  As I created my vision board and thought through how I wanted to focus my time and energy this year, I want to make sure that I am being intentional with my time, with my business, with my family, with my financial decisions.  I also want to maintain levels of balance, ensuring that I am devoting time to all of the various parts of my life.  Again, because my word(s) are associated with an action, when I face difficult times or am in the process of trying to make decisions I can ask myself whether I am being intentional and if it maintains balance in my life.

Let’s go through one final example using the word “growth.” Growth is a great example of an action word. When you find yourself in that obstacle, you can come back to your word and ask yourself: will tackling this issue create growth?

So I challenge you - sit down and start to think about your word for the year.  What changes do you want to make to your life and your business and how can your word drive you to action. How will your word help you when times get tough and obstacles arise, because it isn't a matter of if but when! Do not choose a word that will only be inspiring - I want you to be able to default to your word so that you can change your pattern of behavior and your word can really have an effect on your life. 

Be mindful when choosing your word, it’s going to be your moto for the year, it’s going to be what you fall back on in the midst of your obstacle so really put some thought into it.  If you are struggling to wrap your head around any of these concepts, feel free to reach out to me.  Remember, it is never too late to take action, create results and change your life.

Times are super hard these days.

And lots of entrepreneurs are feeling from all sides. 

Not getting the assistance we need during crises and the backlash for those of us who decide to do business anyways. 

The thing is that no one is forcing anyone to purchase and I don't see how those who are still prospering during the crises are being selfish and the ones who are still making money in this situation are the ones who will seek this economy through. 

They are still employing their house cleaners, virtual assistants, contractors, and many times getting groceries not only for themselves but for their neighbors who are in need at times like this. 

No one is mad at target for being open. 

Actually - I am VERY grateful for them to stay open! 

So if you were made to feel guilty for keep business going as usual don't let other people's lack mindset affect your abundance mindset. 

Keep selling, keep shining and let's carry this economy on! 

Today when picking up the kiddos from school one of their sweet teachers mentioned how busy I must be since we are friends in FB! I was so happy telling her what a dream come true it is!

Many years ago as a working mom I dreamt of days, where I could pick up my kids from school. Most of all I dreamt of being able to snuggle on sick days. 
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I had to go back to work when my kiddos were 7 weeks old. I worked full time and went to college at night. I didn’t graduate til Julia was 6 months old!

Those were hard times. College work and processing payroll while nursing 🤱 my babies. It was mountains and mountains of paper and it felt like the work would never be done - and I would never be there for sick days.

Julia was only 3 years old in this picture. She had a 103 fever and I had to bring her to the office with me so I could finish my work. She laid down on chairs against the wall on a bunch of napkins we had put down. I used a package of diapers as a little pillow for her.

I can’t even begin to describe the amount of guilt, overwhelm and how stuck I felt. Many years later looking at this picture still makes me cry. 😭
Tomorrow might be a snow day. It might not. We won’t know til 5am. But it no longer matters because I’m here.

I’m here for sick days. For imaginary sick days (or mental health days). I’m here for drop offs, pick ups, field trips and everything in between.

Because I invested in myself my kids have a better quality of life!

Because I took risks they now can be home when they are not feeling well.

Because I expanded my horizons - my life looks very very different today!
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And for that I’m beyond grateful!
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So make an investment in yourself, take risks, and expand your horizons.
Do it for you!
Do it for them!
Do it to pave the way!
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Your self worth does not equal your net worth.

And your journey to self love might have to make a quick stop at self respect before your self love destination.

My journey started at a young age when adults would look at me with petty. I remember not words but their looks of feeling sorry for me. I remember feeling sorry for myself too at times, like when my school uniforms where too dirty or when I didn’t have money for books.

Being young and poor I made the assumption that they looked at me that way because I didn’t have much. So I made the decision then that if I had more I would be more. I subconsciously decided that my net worth would equal my self worth.

So I worked really hard to get that net worth going for me. I started juggling school and work at 13. I was 17 working in an administrative position in a federal bank and at 19 as an administrator of a multi million dollar business.

I had the apartment. The brand new car.The “power” position at work. Was going to college at night. Felt at the top of the world. But inside I was a disaster. My prince charming turned out to be a frog and was also financially and emotionally abusive. He often made a point to tell me that sacrificing sleep to go to college was a mistake because as an immigrant I wouldn’t sum to anything other than to stay home and have babies and that amazing position I had was pure luck.

I was so busy having it all that I forgot to be something. I completely lost track of who I was. My aspirations and my own identity. I was too busy proving to the world that I could have it all and woke up alone and lonely.

It was Christmas Day when I gave myself the gift of self respect by walking out of that marriage with just the clothes I had on. By respecting myself enough to walk away I gained one of the biggest life lessons til that point.

My net worth had nothing to do with my self worth.

Without much of a support system I slept in my car. I promised myself then that I would never be that broke or broken again.

My life looks very different now!
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And now I get to fulfill my promise of helping other entrepreneurs have more but most importantly BE more!

There are big talks about loving what you do and walking in alignment with your vision but what lot's of mentors forget to mention is that when you are absolutely crazy about your business you create subconsciously an unspoken currency; JOY!

There is nothing worse than doing business with someone who isn't loving what they do. And I get it - you are not going to love every single part of your business but you can work out outsource those things so that you are doing less and less of the stuff you don't love as you grow.

Lots of it has to do with stepping into that CEO mindset and out of the get it done mode. There is a big difference in working ON your business and IN your business.

Is easier to walk in alignment with your big vision when you are loving every minute of it. Lots of people self-sabotage when they start not liking parts of their business by overthinking their growth or assuming that expansion is the only way to make more money and end up frustrated and short-changed.

When you are chasing clients or customers you are also out of alignment. Don't get me wrong - you need an audience to sell to - without people purchasing what you have to offer there is not much of a business - but this does not have to feel like a constant battle and if it does then you are operating from a place of scarcity and not abundance.

Operating from an abundance mindset comes with flow, easiness and fun. All of those are joyful feelings. And when you are enjoying what you are doing you are also much more productive! You get things crossed off your list seamlessly!

When you start really loving your business you will become a magnet for what you are selling! And you know that your client acquisition doesn't end with a sale - it only ends when you create true fans!

Are you ready to love your business again? Let's get on a call and see if my millionaire in the making program is for you! ​

This is going to be a different kind of encouragement that I usually do. 

My message is mostly you can have it all - just not all at the same time (when it comes to money) but as of late I am seeing more and more clients who are living life way below their highest calling because they are trying to be all things to everyone. 

As women we are nurturing in nature which can lead to us being lost in our roles as wife, mother, sister, friend, daughter, entrepreneur....and what is the name of the role for ourselves??? ME!!! Being us feels inadequate even selfish. We make time for everyone but when we finally have time for ourselves we don't even know what to do with it. 

Many women who are also high achievers go through what is called as cross generation coalition which happens when there is role reversal in our lives. Basically when we try to mother our parents, grandparents or even perform at a higher capacity than the pay scale that we were originally hired for without the reward and once we wake up gasping for air we feel as it though it has become the expectation from us. 

The truth of the matter is that this expectation was created by you. You have not taught people how to treat you. Most importantly you have NOT shown them how to treat you which is just a matter of time before you start to feel resentful, lonely, sad, trapped, broke and even sick. 

The only way to really change this situation is to stop trying to be superwoman. Being superwoman is not the way to level up. Vulnerability is the only way to reach your next level. Being vulnerable with those around you and having those tough conversations that this is not what you want out of life and stepping into those roles is capping out your emotional and physical bandwidth. Then give it time for everyone to get accustomed to the new version of you and the new version of themselves too! 

Stop, say NO (NO is a complete sentence), let go, and get vulnerable! 

And if I can help you trade in your cape for self fulfillment - just reach out! 

Watch the FB live I did on this here! 

When we think of success, wealth and stability it all ties to money but it goes way beyond dollars and cents - wealth is who we become. 

You can probably think of people who are just "lucky" no matter what and those who are very "unlucky" no matter how hard they try. The lucky or unlucky part has become part of their personality and its almost like they wouldn't be who they are if it wasn't for all of the luck or unlucky they attract. 

When I completed my 100 hours of coaching for my certification I felt so proud. I was the first one in my class to complete the program (they don't let us graduate until we complete the test with 100% accuracy) so that was a big deal - but the icing on the cake is who I became. I became a person that coaches everyone around me when the opportunity arises and there are plenty of times that I get in trouble (my husband calls me out on this all the time ). 

Recently I was part of marketing research and I love helping other women so I don't mind answering all of their marketing questions, but I did unintentionally add a twist to it. I started coaching the researcher and the next day I work up to this message: 
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So coaching is not what I do, coaching is who I have become (sorry hubs)! 

On your own path to health and wealth who do you want to be? Do you want to be someone known for their generosity and grace? Do you want to be the one known as the trailblazer? Do you want to be someone that has left a legacy way beyond your own lifetime?

I know I do! I want to be able to change people's lives - not only through coaching but also through giving! 

It all starts with a decision! Just one decision that needs to be repeated day in and day out! You are one decision away from a completely different life! 

Everyone wants to be a high achiever! All of us want to get ahead in life but there is a piece of it that is only known to those who have walked those lonely roads. Along the way to high achieving status friends and family no longer "get" us the way they used to - after all its not them - its US! Then we feel like snobs for even thinking that way! 

That loneliness is so deep that we cry in the bathtub while sipping on our liquid companion. This was suppose to make us happy! This should be a good thing! Yet the last thing we feel is happy. We feel anxious, guilty, and even taken advantage of but happy is not in the emotional repertoire. 

The price of being miles ahead of everyone we know is enormous. Then when you finally "make it" you become their ATM machine, you start resenting them and even worse resenting your prosperity. It was easier before - you were happier before and you weren't so lonely before.

The downside is that once you expand you can no longer fit into that old mold. You have become a new and better version of yourself and the person you became attracted more opportunities, resources and money to you! 

Be your best friend, be your best partner, stop compromising and start loving yourself unconditionally - it will just be a matter of time for the world to catch up and start loving you that way too! And all that extra money will just be a nice bonus!