The author is unknown, but these thoughts work for everyone around the world. Hold on to friends and family tightly.
Thoughts to Ponder
Take time to think something positive each and every day.
We welcome your company if you would like to visit.
At the end of the day, a good way to “un-wine.”
Top photo by Rebe Pascual on Unsplash
Getting It Done in 2021–Part One
This past week, we had our annual summit with our company which was focused on sales training and inspiration. There were several testimonies along with inspirational speeches by very successful representatives in our industry.
I was blessed to be able to close the meeting with the theme of our summit—Getting it Done in 2021.
In my years in the business world, I have learned that successful people are not more gifted. They simply work hard and they succeed on purpose. Successful people accomplish more in a couple of hours then the rest of people get done all day. Great work habits and success go hand-in-hand.
It doesn’t matter what field you are in, the key is to make a commitment to have success in all phases of your life. So how do you “Get it Done in 2021?”
1) Schedule your success.
Start out by getting a daily planner to plan out your days. When people tell me they want to have success, one of the first questions I have for them is “What is your morning routine like?” Successful people wake up early and they have a positive morning routine. It’s important to be organized, plan out your day and make a commitment to not waste time. Time is your capital, it’s important that you invest it wisely. Every second counts.
2) Stay focused.
On your success journey, it’s paramount that you stay focused. There are so many distractions out there, and it’s time to eliminate all the things that are hindering your success. Focus on the task at hand.
With RMS, we have an amazing opportunity. Don’t get distracted by other offers that sound intriguing. I’ve seen way too many people talk about all the wonderful business opportunities they have but they never focus on any of them.
Success takes 100% commitment. Commit to your opportunity and don’t look back.
3) Be productive-not busy.
There is a huge difference between being productive and busy. So many people are too busy and getting nothing done. You will find these type of people are extremely stressed out and don’t have much of a plan.
Successful people not only get it done, they get the right things done. Write out all your priorities, make a plan and go for it. Productive people are rarely stressed out because they know what they need to do to accomplish their goals. They know what they want, have a clear plan, and they take action.
It’s a new year, a new beginning! This is a perfect time to work on yourself; self-improvement. Work on these three subjects this week. Next week, we will have the second part of “Getting it Done in 2021.”
Have a super productive week and let’s get it done!
RICH NORTON
Regional Sales Manager RMS
Let’s Get Some Humor in Our Lives
Yep, sounds about like every man we know.
Let’s just move right along to 2022 to be sure.
If you wear them for 10 days, all the diet companies will be calling you to find out your secret.
Take care of yourself and body while you can. Time marches on.
Top photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash
How to Get Your Home Ready for Buyers
When you’re selling your home, you’re likely looking for the highest price from potential buyers. But achieving that goal isn’t always as simple as it might seem.
Getting top dollar for a property often requires a bit of work on your part — not to mention some significant preparation.
Are you thinking of selling your home this year? Here’s how you could improve your chances of getting higher offers from buyers:
Make smart repairs and renovations. You should repair any obvious or dangerous issues in the home. But choose wisely for aesthetic renovations. Remodeling Magazine has some good recommendations for the projects that provide the best returns.
Know your market and timing. If there are a ton of properties on the market (and not enough buyers), then you’re probably not getting the offers you want. Instead, try to time your sale when local demand is high, inventory is low and bidding wars are the norm. We’ll work on your home sale plan together.
Stage your home and invest in high-quality photos and videos. This is another aspect that requires teamwork. Staging your home can increase the dollar value by up to 20%, according to a survey from the National Association of Realtors. It also makes your property look better in listing photos and home tours — which play a pivotal role in today’s homebuying decisions.
Be willing to negotiate and make counteroffers. You don’t have to accept the first offer that comes in. You can play hardball in the right market, making counteroffers and negotiating until all parties are happy.
Get in touch today to start planning your home’s sale.
Nicole Kasten
Licensed Broker Associate
COLFAX REALTY GROUP
www.nicolekasten-miamiliving.com
55 Merrick Way
Suite 202A
Coral Gables, FL 33134 USA
Growing Older
I don’t know who wrote this, but it was so inspiring I thought NSAEN readers would like to share. Words of wisdom come often, usually we pass them up. Please read and be inspired by this. We can all learn from experiences.
Hi Handsome!
The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.
I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.
She said, ‘Hi handsome. My name is Rose.. I’m eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?’
I laughed and enthusiastically responded, ‘Of course you may!’ and she gave me a giant squeeze..
‘Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?’ I asked.
She jokingly replied, ‘I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids…’
‘No seriously,’ I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.
‘I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!’ she told me.
After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.
We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this ‘time machine’ as she shared her wisdom and experience with me..
Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.
At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I’ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.
Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, ‘I’m sorry I’m so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I’ll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.’
As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, ‘We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.
There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don’t even know it!
There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.
If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.
Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.
The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets..’
She concluded her speech by courageously singing ‘The Rose.’
She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year’s end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those months ago.
One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.
Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it’s never too late to be all you can possibly be.
When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they’ll really enjoy it!
These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.
REMEMBER,GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living by what we get. We make a Life by what we give.
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
‘Good friends are like stars….. ……You don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.’
Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash
The Wisdom of the Desert by Thomas Merton
The Desert Fathers and Mothers were fourth and fifth century men and women of the Near East who abandoned life in the cities and embraced prayerful solitude in the wilderness regions of Egypt, Palestine and elsewhere. Perhaps the most famous example is Saint Anthony of Egypt. But lesser known figures—Abbot Moses, Evagrius Ponticus, Mary of Egypt and many others—are equally important. Depending on one’s point of view, such people are generally regarded as either holy or fanatical. I opt for the former and recommend as my defense a book that was published in 1960: The Wisdom of the Desert by Thomas Merton.
Merton himself was an interesting man. He was a twentieth century Roman Catholic monk whose writings became very popular even among nonreligious readers. His numerous books cover a wide range of topics, including Eastern religions (for which Merton felt a strong affinity). But The Wisdom of the Desert may have been his personal favorite. It consists mainly of the sayings of the Desert Fathers, but Merton includes an illuminating introduction that puts the sayings into historical context. He deemphasizes the miracles and the dramatic battles with demons that were attributed to these saints, focusing instead on the humble wisdom which they attained. Here are three examples:
‘An elder said: Do not judge a fornicator if you are chaste, for if you do, you too are violating the law as much as he is. For He who said thou shalt not fornicate also said thou shalt not judge.’
‘Abbot Pastor said: Get away from any man who always argues every time he talks.’
‘A certain Philosopher asked St. Anthony: Father, how can you be so happy when you are deprived of the consolation of books? Anthony replied: My book, O philosopher, is the nature of created things, and any time I want to read the words of God, the book is before me.’
Thomas Merton is not suggesting that his modern readers imitate in literal fashion the deeds of these Christian hermits of old. But he does suggest that we carefully ponder, and perhaps practice, the wisdom that they taught and lived. This strikes me as particularly relevant today during the present Coronavirus pandemic. A measure of isolation has lately been required of each of us. The Wisdom of the Desert might help us attain a graceful balance between solitude and charity, between fearless independence and a compassionate concern for others.
Are You Ready to Make a Healthy, Fresh Start?
It’s that time of year again and everyone will begin to make their New Year’s resolutions. The gyms will be full for the month of January and unfortunately by February, they are back to their normal flow of people.
As we begin the new year, I’d like to encourage all of you to make a FULL commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. As you know, I talk a lot about success and what it takes to become successful. I also have found out the importance of being able to enjoy the success journey. What good is it to have success but not be healthy enough to be able to enjoy your life?
If you’re ready to begin to not only have success financially but also to have success physically, spiritually, relationally and emotionally, let’s make a full commitment without looking back. The time goes by fast. It is time to eliminate procrastination and just decide to do it. Let’s begin today by breaking out a piece of paper and pen and write these steps out.
1) Develop an attitude of gratitude.
Being thankful is good for your health. Counting your blessings not only reduces depression and stress, it also lowers blood pressure and it slows down the effects of aging.
Let’s begin right now. Write down five things that you are truly grateful for. Make this a practice in your daily life. By doing this, you will find that you will smile more and have a greater outlook on life.
2) Commit to getting in better shape.
You don’t have to become a world-class athlete or compete in a marathon. However, making exercise part of your daily routine will be an absolute blessing for you. You will feel better and you will feel much better about yourself.
Begin small and work your way up each day. You can start by taking a walk in your neighborhood. The most important part is to develop a routine and make that part of the day. For me, I found morning to be the best time to exercise. Take 30 minutes each day and stick to it. There will be many days that you don’t feel like it, do it anyway. You’ll be thankful you did.
3) Commit to getting quality sleep.
Many people see all that I do and often ask when I sleep? The reality is that I sleep very good. For me, seven hours of sleep is what I need.
It’s hard to feel your best when you are exhausted. Sleep is important to our overall health. Getting quality sleep helps you keep extra weight off and it also reduces risk from diseases. Getting the proper sleep will also help you think more clearly.
4) Commit to strengthening your relationships.
Studies show that people who have satisfying relationships with family, friends, and their community are happier. They also have fewer health problems; they live longer and they also live better.
Make a commitment to have better relationships with all people. This all begins with you—look for the good in people. Treat others with love, respect, and encouragement. Be the type of person that others look forward to seeing.
5) Choose to bless others.
Whether you realize it or not, you are truly blessed. I believe that we are blessed to be a blessing to others. The happiest people on earth are the ones that give the most. The givers in life are the ones who are the most fulfilled.
Look for ways and opportunities to be a blessing, they are everywhere. There are groups, organizations, churches, and families who are in need. Remember that it doesn’t always have to be about money, you can be a blessing just by spending time with people. Make a decision to make other people’s day brighter.
6) Choose to keep learning.
No matter what age we reach, it’s important to keep growing. In life, either we are growing or we are shrinking. Make a decision to keep learning.
Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn a foreign language or learn how to play a musical instrument. Now is the time to make that choice. You are never too old to learn.
For those of you in the business world or in the field of selling, make a commitment to be the very best at it. This involves constant education.
This year, make a commitment to make this the best year of your life. We all have busy lives and it’s easy to put things off, but now it’s time to commit to being healthy in all phases of our life.
Have a healthy and prosperous week!
RICH NORTON
Regional Sales Manager RMS
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Tourism Tidbits if You Have a Business
I find this article quite helpful. It was written by Peter Tarlow who writes often with helpful thoughts. Read, learn and enjoy.
Looking Back at The Year that Wasn’t!
Wishing everyone health and happiness in 2021
May 2021 Be A Better Year
Most people in the tourism industry are more than willing to say adieu to the year 2020. The twenty-first century’s third decade began with extremely high hopes. A mere year ago, no one could have predicted that by March of 2020 the tourism industry would be in shambles. In February 2020 Covid-19 struck, and the tourism industry went into a tailspin going from unprecedented highs to its greatest lows. From February until the end of the year, every aspect of travel and tourism has suffered.
Many hotels and restaurants are now bankrupt, others are still alive, albeit on economic life-support. The airline industry, which serves much more than the leisure traveler, faces continuous layoffs and potential bankruptcies. There is greater demand for national and international regulations due to the industry’s loss of credibility. Airline industry employees, and those who work in its satellite industries such as airport terminals, now live with perpetual uncertainty.
The same can be said for major attractions and museums. Some museums have found themselves in such dire straits that they have had to auction off part of their priceless collections. At the start of 2021, the travel and tourism industry finds itself in a state of severe economic contraction.
From major tourism centers to small towns, the travel and tourism industry is only now beginning to awaken to the many new challenges it will have to overcome if it is to survive. With the current end, or hiatuses of the global economy, tourism leaders are having to rethink their assumptions and world views. In January of 2020 tourism leaders believed that during this new decade no industry, nation, or economy would be an island unto itself. International tourism was on the rise and many locales, such as Barcelona, Spain; Venice, Italy; or the United States National Park System faced what only a year ago was called “over-tourism”. In the months of February and March (2020), the world of tourism changed, and the fear of over-tourism became the fight for tourism survival. How the travel and tourism industry adapts to these new economic and environment shifts will impact the world’s economy for decades to come.
In this new and unstable world no one can be sure that what is predicted is what will come to be. Experts’ analysis have continuously been wrong. Should the new vaccines prove to be effective and reliable, then 2020 might be nothing more than an anomaly in the history of the growth of tourism. No one, however, can be certain these new vaccines will prove to be as successful as hoped or that if we defeat Covid-19, then a new pandemic might arise on the horizon.
-Do not run from a problem, recognize it and start to seek solutions.
After 2020 there are very few tourism communities or businesses that are not suffering. The year 2021 will require creative changes and solutions. Marketing without real change is nothing more than placing a bandage on an open wound. Tourism professionals will have to face reality, begin to prioritize problems, and seek solutions one at a time. Be dignified and honest with both employees and customers. The worst thing to do is to lose credibility.
-Think of your tourism industry as an integrated whole rather than as a series of independent components.
Additional travel costs mean that visitors will be seeking ways to economize. Visitors do not see each part of their tourism experience (hotel, transportation, food, attractions) as separate experiences but rather as a unified one. The tourism industry needs to do the same. Each of tourism’s components needs to work with the other sectors of the industry to find ways to increase the quality of the tourism experience despite higher prices. If visitors do not see the total experience as worthwhile, then all of the tourism industry’s components will suffer.
-Remember that your local community has also suffered due to a downturn in tourism revenues.
Tourism does not only directly impact those who work in the industry, but the secondary and tertiary effects are felt throughout the community. In major cities it is estimated that a dollar (peso, euro) spent on a tourism product has a multiplier effect of at least 7. Although the effect is less in smaller communities, any community with a tourism industry is feeling the slowdown’s impact both economically and socially. By taking the lead, tourism professionals can demonstrate that they are part of the community and that they care about the total community’s well-being.
– Think local!
Consider expanding your market by finding more visitors closer to home. This solution will help not only the local hotel industry, but also permit retailers to weather the storm by adding to the community’s economy as tourism revenues from outside of the local region begin to fall. Buying and featuring local products adds a unique quality to the travel experience. In areas where there are geographic limitations, such as many island destinations, develop creative pricing, along with creative airport hospitality.
-Be appreciative!
All too often tourism businesses act as if they are doing the customers a favor. This is the time to develop creative ways to show appreciation. For example, locales may want to develop “welcome passports” to be used at restaurants and hotels where visitors are provided with a free “extra” as a way of showing appreciation. Showing appreciation is especially important in an era where long-haul travel may decline. Tourism businesses will become dependent on local, short-haul, and regional travel if they are to survive during the initial recover phases. Follow-up letters may also be sent in which the local tourism industry thanks people for visiting. The letters can even be e-letters and used as a way to encourage visitors to return for another visit.
-Do not over-survey!
Many frequent travelers are over-surveyed and see right through surveys that are designed to avoid negative feedback. Surveys have become so common in tourism that they have become not only meaningless but a new annoyance. The best surveys are oral where the tourism business not only listens but acts.
-Get to know your product again!
Tourism professionals need to rethink what they are selling! Ask yourself: Are we selling experiences, leisure, rest, or history? Are we selling basic transportation or the travel experience? How does our business fit into the total travel experience in this post-Covid-19 world? Do our past marketing efforts reflect current realities?
-In the post-Covid-19 world of tourism, freebies will be more important than ever.
Even when people are feeling good about their economic situation travelers still love to receive something for nothing, even if they have to pay for it! In these challenging times, a welcome drink or cookie, a small gift or souvenir can turn a simple experience into a memorable one. Combine basic costs into the cost of an admission ticket or a free night’s stay. If hospitality is based on the idea of being taken care of and pampered then charging for extras may be a poor strategy. Avoid extra surcharges. In the new world of travel, personal service is essential.
-The last impression is often the lasting impression, so consider being creative when people leave a destination.
For example, hotels can give a restaurant coupon to departing guests, passport controls can hand out a come-back soon brochure or gas stations can offer a free cup of coffee for the road. The cost of the item is a lot less important than the memory and positive word of-mouth advertising that it will create.
Smart Hacks to Clean and Organize Your Bathroom
Having a beautiful bathroom is a priority among many people: 45 percent of homeowners report that they use their bathrooms to have a shower or bath to relax. To create a sanctuary, 29 percent use neutral tones to further their space’s spa-like feel, while keeping it clean and clutter-free is a must for 34 percent of homeowners in order to have their ideal bathroom environment. If you regularly use your bath to have some much-needed quality time for yourself, it’s important to keep it in good condition through regular de-cluttering and cleaning. Here are a few smart hacks to clean and organize your bathroom.
Use natural ingredients to clean tiles and grout lines
Before decorating your bathroom, the first thing you have to do is give it a thorough clean to get rid of deep-seated dirt and bacteria. However, don’t clean your bathroom with commercially available cleaning supplies, as most of these contain harsh chemicals such as ammonia, sodium hydroxide, or hydrochloric acid, which can have a negative effect on your health. Studies have shown that exposure to these chemicals may trigger headaches, allergic reactions, and respiratory illnesses, among other conditions. Instead, use natural ingredients to clean, such as baking soda, or a mixture of water and vinegar to clear your bathroom of dirt, grime and mold. Scrub tiles using a soft scrubbing brush, and pay attention to grout lines by cleaning them with an old toothbrush and a paste made of baking soda and water.
Install racks on the wall to hold your toiletries
A cluttered bathroom counter can make your bathroom feel disorganized, and it can even cause you to feel stressed. To maintain a sense of order and create a restful bathroom, pare down your toiletries to the essentials, and get rid of anything that’s beyond its expiry date. Next, make room on your counter by installing spice racks on the wall to hold your toiletries. Sort your toiletries by category so that one rack can hold skincare items, while another can contain your haircare products and other personal hygiene products. Choose racks that complement your bathroom’s color scheme for a cohesive look.
Create additional storage inside your cabinet
Maximize your cabinets by installing a slim magazine holder on the back of a cabinet door. Place hair styling appliances here, such as a hairdryer, hair straightener, or curling iron so they’re neatly hidden away. You can also use this trick to create storage for your cleaning sponges and tools.
Add some Zen to your bathroom
After cleaning and decluttering, it’s time to add some final touches to turn your bathroom into a sanctuary. Decant liquid soaps into pretty containers and then group like items together, such as perfumes, and display them on a nice wooden tray. Next, place a small plant on your counter, such as a potted lavender or peace lily, to add a touch of nature to your bathroom. Finally, use an oil diffuser to scent your bathroom and hang some new white towels on the towel rod to refresh your space.
Your bathroom can be the perfect place to relax after a long day of work. Try these tips to clean and organize it to create a tranquil oasis in your home.
Photo by Cameron Smith on Unsplash
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