August Among Friends

I just finished this month's Among Friends e-newsletter. If you're local to Succasunna, I hope you'll stop by the library Saturday and dish books with us.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Among-Friends.html?soid=1104907686970&aid=6NxK1jkxdlI

Upromise Guest Shopping for Kim

I just found a cool new site to help save for my nephew's college expenses! When you shop through their portal or dine in registered local restaurants a portion of the bill is added to your account. You can use the money for any member of your family's college expenses.

Upromise Guest Shopping for Kim

Book Club

Tonight is my book club meeting. I had been waffling about whether to attend because I didn’t have the book. Then this morning the library email notification system sent me the e-book link to this month’s selection “The Happiness Project”. Now I just have to power thru the book and I’ll be all set for tonight’s book club.

But of course nothing is that simple in my life. I replaced my original Sony e-reader (which I donated to my library) with my lovely nookColor. Since my switch I haven’t been able to download library books to my computer and my nook. Luckily a few weeks ago I attended Book Expo America (BEA) and a wonderful Overdrive rep clued me into the solution to my problem. I had to remove Adobe completely from my computer, reboot & reload. That way Adobe would forget about my Sony e-reader and embrace my nook. Well that was a few weeks ago and like all good procrastinators; I did nothing with the knowledge until this morning that is. In order to read the book club selection, I had to fix Adobe 1^st. So an hour + several reboots later  “The Happiness Project” was on my nook. Now to read it before tonight’s meeting…

Oh if you're wondering why I'm posting this when I should be reading, check Chapter 3 and the dictionary for procrastination. 

Aha-Ha Moment

A conversation with a Lisa, a fellow book club member created a mini aha ha moment yesterday. This month my book club is reading “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin. Disclosure: I haven’t read it yet as I’m still waiting for my copy from the library. The book has led many people to alter their lives for the better. Another one of our book club members wants the club to do a happiness project together. Since I haven’t read the book yet, Lisa gave me a quick rundown starting with the challenge to change 5 things in your life a month. My stomach started to clench with the stress of a) coming up with 5 things b) the upheaval in my life to change 5 things in a month and c) oh God I’ll have to come up with ANOTHER 5 things for the next month. With these thoughts swirling around in my head, I zoned out on the recap of the rest of the book. Then I tuned back in to hear Lisa admit how changing 5 things was beyond her at this point.

Wait a minute, what? This is a very organized and together lady we’re talking about. I’ve lost count at the number of self-help books and organizational blogs I read, while my life and house remain a mess. This is not a knock on any of the authors I’ve read, this is all about me. Why is it when I go in with such good intentions about implementing all the fabulous ideas, nothing happens. Oh a pile of stuff might be cleaned up or I create my affirmations list, then… I get overwhelmed and nada. Oh wait this was about her response not mine. Without guilt my friend said since 5 changes were to overwhelming, she decided to pick one thing to change a month to create more happiness in her life. Hmm, pick ONE thing to change in my life and do it for a month. Well yeah, that I should be able to manage. (As soon as I decide what that change should be). The aha-ha for me is I can take a piece from a self-help book or blog and just do that piece. AND thats OK! I don’t have to implement the entire process, just incorporate the part that really resonates with me. 

May ~ Among Friends

Thank you for your generous donations to this Spring's Book Sale! Your donations from your bookshelves allow us to offer the wide assortment of thousands of books each sale.

The semi-annual book sales generate the largest portion of the funds the Friends use to support the library. Since we 2002, we have raised over $76,ooo through the book sales. The funds we've raised have gone toward the audio & DVD collections and supporting your favorite programs like the Adult Summer Reading and more.

We want to add a special shout out to Blue Diamond Disposal for donating a dumpster for the sale. Thank you!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Among-Friends.html?soid=1104907686970&aid=XEhbrImAp1E

Steps to Home Business Success - Gathering Information

All around the country, people who want more control over their lives are starting home businesses. People are living the new American dream of owning a business, but avoiding the high overhead and start-up costs of a commercial location. If the idea of working from home is appealing, but you don't know where to begin, here is a step-by-step guide to getting started.

Step #1:  Gather information on home based businesses
Step #2:  Determine how much time you can spend on the business
Step #3:  Determine where the money will come from
Step #4:  Decide on the type of business
Step #5:  Organize the house & yourself and go 

Gather Information

Start with yourself; make a list of things you like to do, your work and volunteer experience, and items you own that can be used in a business. Search the web or visit the library for inspiration.  Look over this line-up, and using ideas from it, list possible businesses to start. Eliminate any business that isn't appealing or doesn't fill a need people have. A great book to help you with this task is Loral Langemeier's Put More Money Into Your Pocket: Turn What You Know Into Dough.

Check back for info on the remaining steps. 

Affirmations Fill Our Minds with Positive Messages

Affirmations develop a mindset that is necessary to make a person's life better. Affirmations direct our mind, thus our actions, to those things that add abundance in our lives. But it takes more than just hearing, reading or writing affirmations to make a difference in a person's life. To make real change takes action.

Step 1: Create a specific targeted set of affirmations. For example an affirmation stating “I have achieved financial freedom” immediately raises the question why; drilling down on the why will lead to a resonating affirmation. An affirmation that truly resonates with you will inspire action. For me it is “I am living in a blissful state of financial abundance”.

Step 2: Make your affirmations apart of your daily life. Repetition is the key to bringing your affirmation to life. Meditate every morning on your affirmations. Chant them while you’re in the shower. Hang them in key places around your home, like the bathroom mirror or fridge. Create a Vision Board. Find whatever works for you. The object is to make your affirmations a part of your conscious & subconscious life.

Step 3: Put your affirmation into action. Once your affirmations are a part of your life, you will begin to get promptings. A prompting is a thought that encourages action.  When you act on a prompting you are taking steps to make your affirmations a reality. I recently was prompted to contact an old friend. The result was two-fold, reconnecting a relationship I missed and a project that is bringing me closer to a blissful state of financial abundance.

Create you affirmations and then act on your promptings. See what wonders occur.