We decided to take a last-minute, end of the summer family trip and where did we head? Las Vegas, of course. Yes, while it may not spring to mind as a wholesome family bonding spot, no matter where you travel with your kids, it can be a chance to bring you all closer together (literally in our case via the road trip).
And here’s what happens in Vegas: we talked, we laughed, we went to a show every night, we swam in huge pools and wandered through immense hotels.
And now, we’re back. Gearing up for school to start. Reconnected to technology, responsibility, and work. I’m glad that what happened in Vegas – for our family – will stay, not in Vegas, but in our memories for a lifetime.
Posts Tagged ‘Kaira Rouda’
Real You: This is what happens in Vegas
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Real You: The entrepreneurial spirit
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 It’s the decade of the entrepreneur! It’s true. Today’s U.S. economy is fueled by 29.6 million small businesses, led by people just like you, people who are entrepreneurs who made their dreams into reality. Truth is, the only way to begin the journey of entrepreneurship is to start. And start today.
Each one of us is in a unique position to approach our work in a fresh new way. One that’s real and authentic to each of us as individuals. What compelled me to write my book, Real You Incorporated and to create the 8-step Real You Process, is the last few years as I’ve watched people not satisfied doing things the same way. I’ve spent the last 20 years of my life as a leader in business, as the vice president of several companies, and always, as an entrepreneur. When I created my most recent company, Real Living, 8 years ago, it was just an idea. That for me wasn’t different. What was different was the chance to begin working with 4,000 entrepreneurs. Our real estate agents. That is the spark that led to my book. And to the step-by-step approach I’ll walk you through to get you started.
No matter your background, everyone can become an entrepreneur as long as you believe in yourself and what you do. That’s why it’s time to be real. It’s time to put the real you in your business – to define your own personal brand and bring it to the world as a unique competitive advantage. You no longer need to try to fit in. The key to being successful in your work today is in being your SELF.
If you’re working for someone else, and worried – especially given today’s economic realities – to jump into creating the business of your dreams, that’s ok! Start slowly. You can begin to make your dreams come true while you’re working at your 9 to 5. One of my favorite stories is a woman accountant who dreamed of becoming a voice-over artist. At one of my speeches she came up to me worried she’d never make her dreams come true. I asked her what stopped her from pursuing voice over work on the weekends or after work. The answer? Nothing. So she went for it and today is fulfilling her dreams.
Here’s the point: whether you’re starting your career or have years of experience, your work life – from here on out – needs to be built on your own personal uniqueness. Your brand. And your brand is both business and personal. And guess what? It’s uniquely yours. Once it is defined you can leverage it as your unique competitive advantage.
It’s time to become a member of the Entrepreneur Decade, either by starting your own business or by growing your already entrepreneurial pursuits to a new level. You can do it. The first step is realizing it all starts with you. It’s time to seize your decade and make your dreams come true.
Real You: The power of your voice
Friday, July 23rd, 2010
One of my favorite people, voice coach Arthur Joseph, has worked with an amazing line-up of celebrities, sports stars and ordinary folks in addition to his work with singers. His message, quite simply, is your voice is the window to your heart and soul. In his world, your voice is your Real You. The ability to speak clearly, to be heard, to voice your opinion is essential today, probably more than ever. Because even with technology and instant communication, when you have a chance to face one person or a room full of people, it’s your voice, your words and their power that will either make them hear you or not.
And there is nothing like voice to convey emotion. (I’m saying that and I’m a writer!) Case in point: just spoke with my 15 year old on the telephone. He’s at camp in Maine. We’ve been writing, secretly texting, but still the moment I heard his voice meant the world to me.
Do you use your voice to its full power? Are you saying what you mean, meaning what you say and standing in your power. When you have a chance to communicate directly – person to person – are you doing so powerfully? Think about it. It matters.
Real You: What’s shaking?
Friday, July 9th, 2010 Yes, I was. During the 5.4 magnitude earthquake – the first such experience of my life. Just me, and the dog, and a house rolling like we’d just set sail on rough seas. And yes, it was quick, but it didn’t seem like it.
My mild earthquake experience jolted me into realizing – again – that we don’t know what’s coming, but we can do our best to be prepared for it. Myself, I froze instead of heading to a reinforced doorway. (Very disappointing.) Next time, I hope to do better. The quake also made me realize – again – that even though it is summer, and it could be easy to not work as hard or not write this blog or not pursue my dream, I need to keep moving forward.
Don’t let the season lull or dull your passion. Be ready to move, take action, go for what you want! Be you. Be real. Enjoy! And get going!
Real You: A summer to celebrate
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 With all the celebrations you’re planning for the July 4th weekend and more, don’t forget to celebrate all you’ve accomplished so far this year. Take a moment – you deserve it – and realize all you’ve done. And, if you’re feeling stuck, or rudderless, take this time to figure out why. This book can help!
Summer gives us a break in routine. A reason to go outside more, to smile, to share. But if you’re not taking advantage of all that summer offers – if you’re overscheduled, overwhelmed – figure out why and change it now!
Summer is here. It’s time to celebrate. And it’s a great time to be sure the Real You enjoys every moment!
Real You: Passion Poppers
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010You recognize passion when you see it, don’t you? It’s that sparkle in a person’s eye, the spring in her step. Passionate people exude pure, real energy. Confidence and a sense of empowerment. Everything they say is infused with enthusiasm.
We all recognize it – and hopefully – we all want passion in our lives. Unfortunately, the road to finding and remaining true to your passions is littered with the realities of life. Disappointments and setbacks abound, no matter your age, no matter whether there is a recession or not. (Although, it’s especially true today.)
Disappointment is a fact of life. These events hurt our hearts and dampen our fire. Did you know Lucille Ball was kicked out of acting school and told she had no talent? True. But she didn’t let that hurt keep her down, or dampen her passion for acting.
So if your passion has taken a beating lately, brush it off. Stand tall. Get a little sparkle in your eye. Don’t let the passion poppers – whether they are snarks or events outside of your control – make you give up. You are better than that. You are much more.
You are a passionate entrepreneur taking your personal brand into the world as a unique competitive business. Remember, it’s not who you think you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.
Don’t let anyone or anything tell you differently! For more on passion, and putting it into action, see Chapter 2 of Real You Incorporated.
Real You: Live like you’re dying
Monday, March 22nd, 2010This morning, near where I live, two women were struck by cars as they walked along the road to their bus stop. One woman died of her injuries. Just like that.
My teenage daughter pulled out of the driveway last week and suddenly found herself crashed into a tree (nobody was hurt, just the car and the tree). Just like that.
A moment can change everything. Moments do change everything.
Live today to the fullest, soak up the sun when it shines and be thankful for your blessings. It’s hard, with all you do. I know. Living in the moment, thankfully for today, sometimes seems a luxury. But, it’s our choice to be happy, to treasure moments.
Now, look around you and smile.
Real You: Amazon lists, oh my!
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 Here’s the thing: once your write and publish a book these days, for some length of time, if you’re like me, you become fixated by Amazon.com. Yikes – what number is my book today? Today, at this moment, I’m #9 in women’s studies, #18 in marketing and 68 in women in business. But, by the time you look, it will have changed.
That’s the constant today, right? Change. Might as well embrace it and try not to get fixated on things you can’t control! Yes, I’m working on learning that lesson every day!
Real You: It’s tough out there, but stay true to you
Thursday, February 4th, 2010I just watched the Personal Branding segment on The Today Show and while I respect anybody who goes on national television and helps motivate folks to articulate their personal brands, I did worry about his message.
On the segment, an author and branding expert seemed to encouraged people to figure out a gimmick – wearing black, like he does – or changing yourself to help people remember you. I’m all for the five senses of branding, but to make yourself memorable, it must start with the real you. Have you taken the time to reflect? When’s the last time you wrote your story?
For many of us today, personal branding is falling by the wayside as we scramble for another job, another consulting gig or the like. Personal branding isn’t about gimmicks. Personal branding is understanding and articulating your unique personal brand and then conveying it as your unique competitive advantage.
It all starts with you. I’ve created an 8-step process, accompanied by The Real You Chart. It works. It can work for you, too. You need to decide today is the day to invest the time in the real you. When you do, you won’t need gimmicks. All you’ll need is the Real You.
For more, check out my book: Real You Incorporated
Kindle Lovers… This is for you!
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009Amazon’s Kindle allows you to download and read thousands of books, newspapers, magazines and now blogs. This is great news for people like me, who read multiple blogs daily.
There are tons of blogs listed in categories ranging from arts and entertainment
to business and investing to travel, lifestyle, culture and more.
And as of today, the Real You Incorporated blog is also available on Kindle blogs!
Other blogs available for download include: The New York Times- Latest News, Huffington Post, The Onion, Seth’s Blog (Seth Godin) and Vanity Fair’s VF Daily Blog, among others.
Blogs downloaded via Kindle blogs provide you with full text content and images and are updated wirelessly throughout the day. To learn more, visit Amazon.com and download your Real You Incorporated Kindle blog!
