2014 Goal Setting Helpfuls!

Hey Peeps,

So I wanted to bring your attention to two things that may be helpful to you for setting your goals for 2014.

The first thing is an article by James Clear The Difference Between Goals and Systems

The second thing is a workbook that I purchased from Leonie Dawson. She has one available for life and one available for your business. I purchased both. I haven't gone through both workbooks yet but from what I've seen in the business workbook it helps you get organized, ask important questions, get focused and intentional! Here is the link to the workbooks!

I hope these two resources are helpful to you in some way.....

Until Next Time...
Stay Blessed...Stay Tuned!

My Year In Review 2013 (And 2012)

Image credit: maxkabakov / 123RF Stock Photo

Hey Peeps,

So I wanted to take the time to reflect on my last two years to see what went right and what went wrong. This will give me an idea of what I want and need to focus on in 2014 which I will do another post about my plans for 2014.

I'm sure I've stated this before, the last two years have been extremely challenging for me. Let's take a look at 2012.

What went right in 2012:

• I got out of a toxic relationship....best decision ever!
• I saved more money in that one year (by moving into a much cheaper apartment) than I had saved in all the years since moving to NY (in 2003)
• I flew for first time SOLO....I realized that I hate airports and I know that I will need to have a private jet ha! I can never get comfortable on planes.
• I was able to go home to ATL to visit my family
• I finally went to the Taste of Chicago! I'd been wanting to go there for two years.
  
• I finally went to Vegas! That was amazing...definitely need another trip there!
  
• I spent New Year's Eve with some of my great friends from Astoria!
  
• I had a fun summer for the most part going to day parties, meeting new friends, etc.
• I published my two books on Amazon (under a pen name which I have since unpublished)! The beginning of my career!

What went wrong in 2012:

• I left my apartment after living alone for 5 years and ended up in a much smaller cramped basement apartment that I ended up hating. I cried a lot missing my apartment in Astoria.
• I didn't save my target savings goal
• My book didn't sell millions so it created a lot of self doubt (I wanted an instant rise to stardom I suppose LOL)
• I got extra unwanted roommates in the apartment that I was renting and they made my stay miserable as hell
• I started my emotional roller-coaster feeling that I had completely lost myself.

Now let's look at 2013...

What went right in 2013:

• I moved from that basement apartment into an apartment that was more spacious and with a close friend of mine (it's in Brooklyn and I still miss Astoria....badly ha! I think I always will miss living there; its the best place to live in NY in my opinion.)
• I published two new books!
  
  
  
  
• I'm actually building a career and making money from it while I'm learning! ha!
• I went on my first cruise!! Amazing experience! Will definitely have to do it again....every year if possible!
  
• I cut my hair and love my new style....it totally fits my personality and I can always change it up! Loving it!
  
• I got a new laptop specifically for writing! (Don't sleep on QVC...I just learned about them this year and took advantage ha!)
• My ex finally stopped contacting me...geez!
• And...I met a guy that I really like hehehehe.....

Okay...what went wrong in 2013:

• I didn't stick to my publication plans for this year. I only published 2 books and my goal was 12. I wanted to publish something new once a month (minimum). But I was battling extreme self doubt after my first two books flopped and so it took me a few months to get my writing mojo back. I slowed down but I didn't quit!!!
• I encountered some major financial responsibilities that were both expected and unexpected which pretty much depleted the savings that I'd accumulated in 2012 and kept me from saving more this year.
• I haven't gotten back to doing some of the things that I did back in 2011 that kept me spiritually nourished and emotionally and mentally healthy.
• Still on an emotional roller-coaster......

What have I learned from these last two years?

I've learned that we all go through seasons and not every season is about us. My intention for moving out of my apartment and go back to having roommates was to save money so that I can travel more and eventually move from NY. Well it seems as if this season wasn't about me after all. But I believe everything happens for a reason. If I had not moved out of my apartment, I wouldn't have been in a financial position to help those that really needed me. Yes, it puts my goals and dream on hold a bit and yes, it has made me upset because the sole reason for me moving was not accomplished. But I have to remind myself that God trusts me to be in this position for a reason and the things that I'm going through, have gone through, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and financially are not in vain.

I've learned that the one thing that God is trying to work with me on is PATIENCE. This is my test which will eventually turn into my testimony. I'm grateful for these experiences. I'm learning what I don't like, what I don't want, what I'm willing to tolerate, how I prefer to be treated, how I prefer to live, what type of lifestyle I prefer to have, what career I want and what I need to improve on.

Everything is constantly and consistently working together for my good.

Stay Tuned to find out what I plan to do in 2014 to position myself for greater success and prosperity!

Stay Blessed!

Why Are You Grateful?

I received the message below in my inbox from Daily Gratitude and it reminded me that I have not been consistent with keeping a gratitude journal. I did it for a few days and then I stopped....but for 2014 I will make it an everyday practice. But not just listing what I'm grateful for each day, I will also include why I'm grateful for those things, as suggested below.

I just wanted to share that with you......2014 is indeed one of the best years of my life.....STAY TUNED!! :-)






"When I started counting my 
         blessings, my whole life 
         turned around."
                 Willie Nelson


In yesterday's message we learned that to bring
about the life we want, we need to think happy,
positive thoughts.

We also learned that the way we can figure out if
we're thinking positive thoughts is by paying
attention to how we feel.

So now, if we do that and realize that we're
actually thinking negatively most of the time, 
how do we change it?

I'm glad you asked! The answer comes to us
from famous singer and songwriter Willie 
Nelson, who has experienced the good and the
not-so-good of life.

His recommendation is doing a daily gratitude
list. Write down what you're grateful for, and 
why. The "why" is very important because it 
focuses you on the good that is coming to you
from that person, place or thing that you're
grateful for.

And don't just write, slow down and think about
your gratitudes and how your life is better as a
result of them.

This will start the process of training your mind 
to think of good, positive things. And if you 
make it a regular practice, you'll get better and
better at thinking positive thoughts.

Willie says it turned his whole life around. What
might it do for you?

All the best,

Wes


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issue every weekday.
http://dailygratitude.com

Want to Win A Kindle Fire? Join this Giveaway!

Hey Peeps!

So I'm participating in another #Giveaway! Yay!

This is a Mega Giveaway with some of my New Adult Author Friends.

You have a chance to win a Kindle Fire, some awesome sway and a $10 Amazon Gift Card!!!

So enter below for a chance to win!!

Good Luck!!




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HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

ENJOY YOUR DAY!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

STAY BLESSED....STAY TUNED

New Home for Author Yolanda Allen!

Hey Peeps Happy Christmas Eve!

Just wanted to let you know what I spent my weekend doing...learning how to use Wordpress! ha!

I spent HOURS Saturday night buying a web hosting plan, redirecting nameservers, finding a suitable theme (for free ha!) and setting up the new home for all things related to my writing career. I've wanted to do this for awhile now after reading so much advice from other online entrepreneurs about the importance of having your own self hosted website. 

So my plan was to switch both my personal blog and my author site over to Wordpress.org.....ummmm after the learning curve that I had to go through...and probably will continue to go through as I build onto that site..I'm going to keep my personal blog (Yogi's Playground) hosted on Blogger. This site is the one that I update the most because it's about my whole life not just my career. But in case something happens to any public platform then it will be good to be able to reach my readers on my own self hosted site.

So check out the new home of Author Yolanda Allen at www.authoryolandaallen.com

Stay Blessed...Stay Tuned!

I'M IN LOVE!!!!!

With my mascara!

Just wanted to drop a quick note for all my lovelies that like to wear mascara. A good liner and mascara is sometimes all the makeup you need to get your face a little pop!

I went to my local dollar store the other day and found L'oreal's Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black. I was interested in the mascara because of the wand. I like that you can use it from every angle. BUT lordy mercy....when I put this mascara on...my lashes were bananas!

It really does get every lash and it's really intense. I love this mascara! I don't know how much it normally retails for, I got it for $3.99...this will be a staple in my makeup collection.

Try it out! Let me know what you think!

Until next time...
Stay Blessed...Stay Tuned

Sweet Romance Christmas Giveaway - Amazon Gift Cards and MANY Books

Click on each book to read about it on Amazon or to buy it in case you don't win the giveaway. Nah, you'll win! Just scroll below to enter the giveaway now! Good luck! :-)

Clarissa Carlyle - Just Like Heaven

Alesha Cary - Redwood Cove - the Series (4 Books)

Kathrine Emrick - Love Letter of the Law

Pamela Kelley - Six Months in Montana

Sarah Collins - Salvation

Beate Boeker - Stormy Times

Shawn Inmon - Both Sides Now

Yolanda Allen - One Man's Trash Another Man's Treasure

Lucy Naylor Kubash - An Uncommon Prince and Other Short Stories

Opal Mellon - His Only Hope

Kate Benzin - Diving Into Love

Dianne Ascroft - Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves


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