Today I decided that I will write ... Write about myself, About what I do, About what I would like to have done, and about what I never end up doing ... Simply, About me, because I am so ... And today I feel like writing ...
16 September 2021
5 Steps for Writing Your Affirmation Statement
9 September 2021
5 Steps for Making Affirmations Work for You
2 September 2021
4 Simple Steps for Making Positive Affirmations Work for You
26 August 2021
3 Mistakes to Avoid In Your Daily Affirmation Practice
19 August 2021
Useful Tips for Writing Positive Affirmations
The beliefs that we hold are just patterns that we’ve learned and developed over the years. There are a number of things throughout our lives that play a role in shaping our beliefs. Some of these might be supporting and nurturing, while others might be roadblocks on our paths to achieving happiness. Positive affirmations are a great way to change the barriers into supportive and encouraging truths. You can use positive affirmations to keep you moving forward. Here are four useful tips for writing positive affirmations that work.
Write Down Your Ideas
You need to take the time to determine what areas of your life you want to improve. Write down your ideas on how you would like your life to look and areas that you want to improve. After you've written down your thoughts, take a look at each of them and write down a few positive statements that reflect your vision for your future life.
Use the Present Tense
When you write down your affirmations, you want to be sure to write them in the present tense. Write them down as though you are experiencing everything you desire right now. You want to avoid using words like, “within the next two months. . .” because every time you use this affirmation you are saying to yourself and the universe that you are still two months away from achieving your goal. After you use this affirmation for one month, you will still be saying, “within two months,” which tells the universe and your mind that you haven’t gotten any closer to achieving your goals.
Focus on What You Want
You need to write your affirmations in a way that forces them to focus on what you want in life, rather than what you are trying to eliminate or avoid in your life. For example, rather than writing “I’m not addicted to alcohol,” a better option would be to write something like, “I am completely free from alcohol.” If you aren't sure about how to write an affirmation in the positive, then you can imagine that you've already accomplished whatever it is that you want to achieve and describe yourself in that positive light.
Writing positive affirmations is both an empowering and exciting experience. Learn how to enjoy the process and try not to get caught up in the details of what you’re writing. Have fun with the process and try to relax.
Written by Yola Bastos
12 August 2021
How to Make Your Fitness Goals a Reality
Many of us would like to be thinner, more toned or more physically fit. Almost all of us feel that we could look better if we fitted into our clothes a little better and many feel that this would also give them a boost in confidence and general self-esteem.
The problem is making that happen. Because if you’re like the vast majority of people, then you’ve probably tried different diet programs and training regimes in the past without much success. What can you do to ensure that this is a different story? That this time things go to plan? Here are some pointers that can help you craft the body you’re looking for…
- Slow and Steady
The longest journey starts with a single step and the biggest biceps start with a single curl. The big issue that a lot of people have when it comes to setting their fitness goals, is that they make them far too ambitious. If you’re starting a diet that involves eating absolutely no carbs, or if you’re starting a training regime that involves working out for an hour and a half 5 times per week, then you’re going to struggle to adapt your lifestyle. Instead, use the ‘MED’ or ‘Minimum Effective Dose’ and then make sure that you don’t work harder than necessary in the gym.
- Set Yourself Up for Success
So that means taking up one of those easier workouts right? The ones that cram a short HIIT workout in after your work hours for example?
Maybe you’re tempted by the various different diet programs that claim they include meals that only take 10 minutes to prepare.
Be wary! While many of these programs sound quick, what they fail to mention is:
- The time it takes to get to the gym
- The extra washing that you have to do after training at home
- The time it takes to shower after the workout
- The time it takes to get back home
- How tired you’ll be following your workouts and how this is going to impact your subsequent productivity
Likewise, those diet plans forget:
- The time/money involves in acquiring all those exotic ingredients
- The prep time: chopping those onions, pre-heating the oven etc.
- The time it takes to wash up afterwards
- The fact that sometimes ingredients won’t be available, or you’ll have guests round
The point is: even the easiest routine is going to include hidden elements that end up taking up more time and stress. So your job is to try and edit the guidelines to fit your lifestyle and your routine specifically.
That might mean, for example, that you’re going to work out from home instead of at the gym. That way you can train in your underwear, meaning no more washing and meaning you’ll get less sweaty. It means you don’t have to travel too.
Likewise, think about recipes that will be genuinely easy to make and the tools and appliances that can help make them even easier still. Smoothies are more work than they sound because of the washing up – so try a NutriBullet!
Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ).
3 August 2021
How to Use Fear Setting to Overcome Anything Holding You Back
Most of us have plans and goals that far exceed our realities and it can be a painful feeling to know that you’re selling yourself short. Despite this though, many of us are too afraid or too unsure to take the necessary next steps. It never feels like the ‘right time’ (newsflash: it is never the right time), it never seems like the ‘responsible’ thing to do and we always feel like we’re inviting failure.
In short, we are held back by fear. So the question is: how can you overcome those fears?
The answer might just be something called ‘fear setting’. Read on and we’ll look at what this means and how it could help you.
- The Concept
The general idea behind fear setting is that you’re going to more clearly define what your fears are and thus start coming up with more effective ways to overcome them.
For many of us, our fears are very much abstract and general, rather than being concrete and specific. But when you take the time to identify the true nature of those fears, they can often end up losing their power over you.
For example, let’s say that you want to start your own business. You might have the vague but undefined fears that:
- Your business will fail and people will think less of you
- Your partner will think what you’re doing is foolish and judge you
- You’d have to leave your job and you might not be able to get a job back if things don’t work out
- You’d make yourself unemployable by creating a gap on your CV
- You’d have to take out a big loan, which would result in unending crippling debt
These all seem like legitimate fears. But now you’re going to actually write those fears down and thereby make yourself fully aware of what they are. Once you’ve done this, you can then start to go through them one by one and address how realistic each fear is, what you would do if it actually came true and how you could prevent it from happening.
For example:
- Your business will fail and people will think less of you
- Most people would, in fact, be much more likely to think more of you for having tried something exciting
- You don’t have to tell anyone
- Who cares?
- Your partner will think what you’re doing is foolish and judge you
- Ask them
- They will probably think what you’re doing is inspiring and they should support you
- Especially if you can show them how you’re going to make it work
- You’d have to leave your job and you might not be able to get a job back if things don’t work out
- You could run your business in the evenings or weekends and thus keep your job
- You could go part-time and run your business at the same time
- You could take a sabbatical to try launching your business
- You’d make yourself unemployable by creating a gap on your CV
- Most companies will overlook that, in fact, it will likely show gumption and savvy
- Your old job will likely take you back
- Worst case scenario, you take a lower-paid job
- You’d have to take out a big loan, which would result in unending crippling debt
- Or you could get a PayPal loan
- Or a loan from the bank of Muma and Dad
- Or help from a business partner
- Or funding through Kickstarter
The fear set shows us that the only thing to fear is fear itself!
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/yolatvbastos
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, was incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ).
27 July 2021
Increasing Engagement With Facebook Part 2
Ways To Increase Your Facebook Engagement Part 2
This is the second article about increasing your engagement levels on Facebook to receive more free traffic. By following the advice below, you will increase your chances of receiving more comments, likes and shares which will help to generate more free traffic.
1. Create Shorter Posts
Long posts are not a good thing on Facebook. Most users will scroll through their news feeds until they find something that piques their interest. If they see a very long and wordy post then they are likely to skip past this very quickly.
You also need to take into account that the user is very likely to be using a mobile device. Reading a long post on a phone is not a good experience so you will lose people if you do this.
It is possible for you to attract the attention of your audience with just a single sentence. The idea is that you want to tell them something interesting and then give them the option to read the full story on your website.
Why not just ask your audience a question? People naturally respond to questions. Or post an image with an intriguing caption on it that will make users curious. You can quote some interesting statistics and persuade the user to click through to the article on your website for the full story. Just keep your posts short.
2. Ask a Question
It is easier to get more engagement if you ask your audience a question. When you ask the right question users will feel compelled to answer. Make it as easy as possible for people to respond to your questions. Create a numbered list and ask your audience to respond by just typing in the appropriate number.
When people are using Facebook they don’t want to work hard. Don’t ask questions and expect your audience to provide a very detailed answer as most of them won’t. For example, you could ask them what subject they would like you to post about next and then give them numbered choices.
Use these questions to increase your engagement:
- Why do you like…?
- How do you…?
- What is your favourite…?
- Do you agree that…?
- Do you need help with…?
Just think that all Facebook users are very lazy (this may not be true but when you make something easy for users you will get a better response). Put some thought into your questions so that you get the information that you need.
3. Use Facebook Stories
Few marketers use Facebook Stories. This is probably because it takes more time and effort to create them. But the good thing about stories is that they appear at the top of user news feeds just like they do on Instagram. This is really good exposure.
Facebook users like stories. When you post some good stories you will warm up your audience to want to see more of your content. Some of them will look at previous posts on your Facebook Page that they hadn’t read before.
There are a number of examples where Facebook users have shown more interest in a business after reading their stories. They are powerful so work out how you can create good stories and add them as often as you can.
Written by Yola Bastos
20 July 2021
Increasing Engagement With Facebook Part 1
Ways To Increase Your Facebook Engagement Part 1
By increasing your engagement with your Facebook posts you will drive more free traffic to your website. In the first of a two-part series, we will show you some good ways to raise your engagement levels with your Facebook audience.
1. Get your Posting Times right
If you post your Facebook content at the wrong times then you will severely limit your exposure. You need to know when your audience are the most active and post at these days and times.
If you have posted some content on Facebook before you can use Facebook Insights to see which posts had the most views and engagement (likes, shares, comments). Make a not of the day and time that you made these posts.
There has been a lot of research on the best Facebook posting times and this is continuously changing. Rather than provide days and times that may be out of date here, it is better if you search for “best Facebook posting times” on Google or another search engine and look at the most up to date research on this.
2. Create Posts that your Audience wants
OK, this is obvious, but are you actually doing this? Most Facebook marketers tend to post the things that they think will be of the most interest to their audience and a lot of the time this doesn’t work well.
Don’t think that you only have to post content related to your niche. Even if you are in a niche where you can post a lot of relevant content then it is good to mix it up sometimes. For example, you can publish a post that coincides with a world event such as “Earth Day” and tell people what you are doing to support this.
The rule of thumb that you need to follow is this – the needs of your audience are more important than your needs. Think about what information would be really useful to your audiences, such as some interesting facts or statistics.
Another thing you can think about is how you can entertain your audience. What could you post that will make them laugh? Facebook users like to be entertained so find something amusing and post this. If you can relate this to your niche then that is even better.
3. Respond to any Comments fast
If someone leaves a comment on one of your posts then you need to respond to them as quickly as possible. There is an expectation on Facebook that any comment needs a response in a few hours.
Thank your audience for leaving comments. If you are asked a question in the comments then provide a full answer. When other users see that you are responding professionally to comments they will be more inclined to leave them as well.
4. Add a Compelling Call to Action
Make sure that you add a compelling call to action (CTA) to your posts. If you want a user to do something (such as visit a related page on your website) then you need to tell them. I(f you do not add a good CTA then you will not get as much traffic as you could.
Written by Yola Bastos
15 July 2021
Get Free Traffic From Facebook Groups
How To Get Free Traffic From Facebook Groups
Facebook Groups are an excellent way for you to generate some free traffic. You just have to know what to do and what not to do No matter what niche you are in it is likely that there will be a number of Facebook groups related to it. By participating in these groups you can also grow your own audience.
- Identify the right Groups
To find groups that are related to your niche all you have to do is to use the search facility on Facebook. First, think about the keywords that best describe your niche. So if you are in the weight loss niche you might come up with:
- Weight loss
- Burn fat
- Diets
- Nutrition
- Exercise
- Diet programs
You can go sub-niche as well if that suits you. Examples of this could be “weight loss for women”, “weight loss for men over 50” and “losing belly fat”. Do your homework here and come up with as many keywords as you can.
- Find Active Groups
You do not want to join a group that is “dead” as this will be a waste of your time. So look for active groups that have a lot of members. Sometimes you will need to apply to join a group to see what is really going on.
When the search results come back try and identify 5 to 10 good groups and apply to join them all. The best groups are closed and you want to avoid open groups as these tend to receive a lot of spam. Once you are a member have a good look around the group to see how active it is.
Be sure to read the rules of the group before you spend any time in them. Most groups will allow links to external websites in posts but there are some that won’t.
- Provide Value in the beginning
Don’t just dive in with promotional messages when you first join a group. Members are going to think that you are a spammer and you will be kicked out fast. A good post to start with is one introducing yourself. Tell people who you are and what you stand for. You can tell them about your Facebook Page and your website in this post.
It is very likely that a lot of existing group members will respond to your intro post and welcome you to the group. Be sure to thank them for all of their comments. Interaction is really important.
- Check for Promo Days
Quite a number of groups on Facebook have “promo days”. These are special days where you can openly promote your business and your offers to other group members. If you have joined several groups then we recommend that you make a note of these promo days in a calendar or spreadsheet so that you can take advantage of them.
- Repurpose your existing Content
You need to make posts on other days as well as it will not be appreciated if you are just active on promo days. So you can use content that you have already published on your website that adds value to the group.
Making posts of value will increase your credibility and influence within the group. You want other members to see you as an authority in the niche. They will then check out your Facebook Page and your website to find out more about you.
Written by Yola Bastos
6 July 2021
Generate Free Traffic With Your Own Facebook Group
Get Free Traffic From Facebook Groups
Having your own Facebook Group is a great way to generate free traffic. You are in control when you have your own group and it is a great way to increase your authority and influence group members. But you need to set up your group in the right way and keep your members happy.
- Go for a Closed Group
There are three options for your group when you open it which are:
- Open
- Closed
- Secret
An open group means that anyone can join without applying to become a member. This sounds great but unfortunately, open groups are more likely to be targeted by spammers so we do not recommend this.
With a closed group, a Facebook user has to make a request to you as the group owner to become a member. This is much better as you are in control of who joins. Closed groups are also searchable.
A secret group cannot be found using a Facebook search. We do not recommend that you go for this arrangement.
- Setting Up your Group
Give your group a name based on your best keyword. Remember that you want users to find your group using search so this is the best strategy. If your niche is weight loss then you could call your group “The Weight Loss Winners Group” or something like this.
You can add tags to your group to help identify it in a search so be sure to use other related keywords here. Next, you want to add a striking cover photo for your group. This needs to be a related image with a strong message such as “Learn how to lose weight and keep it off”.
We recommend that you include a photo of yourself as well. It is important that other members know, like and trust you as that is the way that you will exert the most influence over them.
Write a good group description that highlights the benefits to members. If someone is checking out your group to see if they should join they will see the description. So make this the best it can be so that you accrue the maximum amount of members.
- Your Pinned Post
A “pinned post” will remain at the top of the group all of the time. When new members join it will be the first thing that they see. Make sure that you welcome all of your members in this post. Tell members that the best content about the niche will be in this group.
We recommend that you add a native video in your pinned post as well. This video will be you talking about the advantages of joining the group and what it will do for them. Don’t be shy – get in front of the camera and sell your group!
- Group Content
You want to actively encourage members to post in the group. Take the lead and post some valuable content yourself. A group that has all of the content posted by the owner looks strange so do everything you can to encourage member participation.
Create posts that answer the questions that your members have. This will help establish you as a true expert and increase your influence. Provide part answers in group posts and provide links to your website where they will find the full answers.
Written by Yola Bastos
30 June 2021
Creating Shareable Content For Facebook
How To Create Content That Users Will Share On Facebook
You want to get as many shares for your content as possible to generate free traffic from Facebook. It is also a great way to extend your reach as people will share your content with their friends.
Follow the advice below and you will maximize your chances of your content being shared. Assuming that most Facebook users have around 200 friends, then even a low response of 1% will work wonders for your traffic. Remember that these people have friends as well.
- Use Emotion in your Posts
There will always be a lot of competition in a Facebook users news feed so you want tour post to stand out. A compelling title is essential, as is using emotion in the post so that you fire up the user which will encourage them to share it with their friends.
You can use a number of emotional triggers in your posts such as:
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Outrage
- Humour
The more that you can stir the emotions, the more likely it is that your post will get shared.
- Make your Call to Action Strong
You need to make it really clear what you want the user to do in your post. Don’t assume that they will know what to do because they won’t. If you want users to share your post then make this clear to them. Ask them to think about the friends that they have who would benefit from reading the post.
- Good Images get more Shares
Facebook is a visual platform so add images to your posts. Don’t just use stock photos as a lot of other marketers do. Striking images that have good captions are the best for sharing. You can easily add a caption to your image by using a free online graphics service such as Canva.com.
Using related images is important. Let’s say that your post is about motivation – you could use an image of a person winning a race for example and add a caption such as “You can win your race too”.
- Posts that feature other People
When you create posts that include others you will increase the likelihood of them being shared. A good example of this is an interview with an expert in your niche. You can create a small sample of the interview for the Facebook post and then link to your website for the full interview.
Make it your business to know who the people are in your niche that your audience really respects. Find them and follow them and make a contribution to their page by adding a useful comment. Invite them to participate in an interview with you. Most people will accept your invitation.
Another good “people” orientated post is the “roundup”. This is where a number of niche influencers have contributed to an article on your website. You can mention their names in your Facebook post and then provide a link to your article.
- Freebies and Giveaways
If you create a post where you are giving away something valuable for free then this should get shared a lot. People love to get good stuff for free and they will also enjoy telling their friends about it.
The Connection Between Self-Care and Financial Empowerment for Women
Women are often faced with numerous challenges when it comes to achieving financial empowerment. However, one important aspect that is often...
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Women are often faced with numerous challenges when it comes to achieving financial empowerment. However, one important aspect that is often...
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O ano está a correr e Eu tranqüila a ver o natal a chegar ;-) Tenho tido Tudo e nada, tenho perdido e achado, tenho dormido e acordado .......