Dream ~ Act ~ Plan ~ Believe

My house is in major need of a spring cleaning.  But so is my technological world.  I’ve got files in places I wouldn’t think to look.  I’ve got eMail that needs tossed out, and a website with broken theme.

Plus I’ve got blogs that I no longer need, or even want.  Some of them related to a business I am no longer working, and some just need a major consolidation.

I’ve spent this weekend cleaning files off my hard drive, deleting email, and taking inventory of what I have online, and creating one website to take the place of several small ones.

I’ve also started to create my bookmarks online, at Online Bookmarks.    That way if my computer crashes I don’t lose everything.

What tips do you have to keep your electronic house organized?  I’d love to hear them.

~ Leisa

 Email This Post
 Print This Post

Posted on January 25th, 2009 by Leisa
Filed under: Act, Clutter Control, Organization Tips, Zone Your Home
Be The First To Comment »

Roslyn Reynolds is the author of an upcoming book titled, Solo: Getting It All Together When You Suddenly Find Yourself Alone.”   Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing her on the topic of finding healing after loss.

The more I talked with her the more I realized that the steps she used to heal after the loss of her husband, and the steps she now teaches to others would help with any type of loss. I could see how the steps could have helped me recover from rape more quickly.

It would help those who suddenly find themselves empty nesters who found themselves getting lonely.  So we decided then to put a focus on healing from any type of loss.

We recorded the interview.  If you’d like to listen visit the Rich Women Sisterhood podcast page.

By the way, this would be of benefit to anyone who is knows someone close to them who is experiencing loss so you can learn steps to help them recover.

 Email This Post
 Print This Post

Posted on January 16th, 2009 by Leisa
Filed under: Being Victorious, Recovery, Symbolic Healing, Trauma
Be The First To Comment »

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” ~ Alvin Toffler

I’ve always been passionate about education.  Not so much formal education, (although I like that too, but the education that can be gained through methods such as books, mentorship, and seminars.  As a teenager I became committed to continual education, and I have read hundreds of self-improvement books as a result.  Much of what I’ve shared on this blog in the past has been from things I’ve learned from books, and from my mentors.

As a child and teenager I devoured novel after novel.  I read epics such as War and Peace and loved it.  But now I find myself reading almost exclusively self improvment books, and books I can learn from.  (Not that you can’t learn something from a good classic).

However, lately I’ve turned to online-video just as much as I have books and I am so enjoying it.  I’ve enrolled in iLearningGlobal - an online learning portal where I can learn from some very brilliant minds.  I learn principles of success from the likes of Brian Tracy, Harv Ecker, Bob Proctor, Dan Clark, Garrett Gunderson, Mark Victor Hansen and so many more success minded educators.

I know can learn from these teachers of success without even leaving my home, and without paying thousands of dollars to attend a seminar.  One thing I love is the fact that the videos are designed to be watched quickly - all of them are roughly six to 10 minutes.  So it’s easy to make time for at least one video a day.  I do have one problem however -once I watch one I want to keep watching them.

I take notes on each video I watch.  I also write down several questions that I want to reflect upon as a result of the video.  Since this is something I do every day anyway I am planning on sharing some of my notes here. 

Now I can’t give away the entire video, because that wouldn’t be right to give away completely what people pay for.  But I can share the questions I ask myself, a quote or two, and concepts I’ve learned.  So please join me in my quest to Learn, Unlearn, and Relearn on my journey through life.  I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I do.

 Email This Post
 Print This Post

Posted on December 9th, 2008 by Leisa
Filed under: Act, Lifelong Learning, iLearningGlobal
Be The First To Comment »

Since it’s Halloween I thought I’d share a true scary tale.  What I am about to share with you is a true story.

One evening my friend and I were watching the Miss America pageant on TV while we were babysitting my siblings. We were probably twelve at the time.

Our television was in the basement.  The basement had just one set of stairs that we could use an escape route if needed. At the top of the stairs was an entrance that led to the kitchen, and a door that led to the garage.

That door always frightened us kids because it had a glass window.  When it was dark in the garage we were sure someone could be out there watching us.  Yet, we couldn’t see him because he hid behind a shield of darkness while we were bathed in light.

About half way through the pageant I heard the door leading from the garage, slowly open.  My friend and I glanced at each other with looks that said, “Did you just hear that?” Then my little brother said, “Leisa, someone’s up stairs.”

We froze and listened as we heard foot steps walk through the kitchen, to the living room, and then down the hall to the bedrooms. We heard the dresser drawers sliding open and closed as the intruder went through them.

Here we were, five kids, all alone in a house with a frightening stranger!

We contemplated creeping up the stairs, and out through the garage. But what if the intruder wasn’t alone?  We thought about hiding under the stairs and waiting until my parents came home.

Ultimately decided to call for help. Luckily there was a phone in my dad’s basement office. Now this was before they had the 911 system so we weren’t sure exactly who to call. We didn’t know the phone number for the police, and weren’t thinking straight enough to call my friends dad (a now obvious choice).  I remembered my neighbors phone number because the last few numbers were all the same so we decided we would call them.

We quietly crept into my dads office where we huddled around the phone.  I picked up the receiver and what I heard on the other end caused me to go as white as a ghost and get even weaker in the knees.  I could hear the person upstairs - breathing.  He had picked up the phone and now knew that he was not alone. We prayed that he would think it was my father that had picked-up the phone and that he wouldn’t discover that it was just a bunch of kids at home.

I hung up, but then quickly realized that it was even more important than ever to make that phone call.  So I picked up the receiver. This time all I heard was a dial tone.  I dialed my neighbors phone number. After what seemed like an eternity they answered. We told them the situation and waited for them to arrive.

A few minutes later we heard a knock at the front door.  We were terrified to go answer it because we didn’t know if the intruder was still up stairs.  But that was our only path to safety.  So I grabbed a metal hole punch, the rest of the kids grabbed my dad’s antique bottles that were lining the shelf and we slowly crept up the stairs, and opened the front door.

Our neighbors called the police who came and found no one.  I’m sure that they thought we were a bunch of scared kids whose imagination got away with us.  But we weren’t. We were a bunch of kids who were scared because we had just found ourselves hostage in our own home.

 Email This Post
 Print This Post

Posted on October 31st, 2008 by Leisa
Filed under: My Story
1 Comment »

I’ve come across many wonderful blogs through Entrecard that I have absolutely loved, but Daisy, The Curly Cat’s blog that is guaranteed to brighten not only my day, but the entire families.  It’s one that the entire family can enjoy.Daisy the Curly Cat that first welcomed my youngest daughter to the blogging world when she began writing on our homeschool science blog (which we will begin updating now that school is back in session).  Daisy made blogging fun for such a little girl.  Not only did McKayla looked forward to the Daisy’s comments she also enjoys reading Daisy’s blog.

Here are a few of our favorite posts from Daisy’s blog. This one really made McKayla and the whole family laugh, and this one about tape worms.

The posts are creative and I many of them have to be very time consuming for Daisy’s mommy, particularly the Sunday comics. It amazes me how creative she gets with the weekly Photo Hunter’s theme, such as this one about the dark.

Her blog is obviously well loved as every post has numerous comments. The design is clean and well laid out making it easy to read. Plus they do a lotto give back to the local community by featuring cats that need a home.  Overall Daisy’s blog is well done!

So Thank You Daisy for brightening our day and for making blogging so fun.

P.S. Blog about one of your favorite Entrecard Bloggers for your chance to win Entrecard credits. See the details here.

 Email This Post
 Print This Post

Posted on October 14th, 2008 by Leisa
Filed under: Contests, Entrecard, Featured Blogs
3 Comments »