Life is an amazing teacher; Are we listening? A Personal confession

October 28, 2021

 

Life is a Teacher, Are you listening and taking notes?

Bad things happen …

Life is also about the things you don't like


Why does bad things happen to not so good people? Sometimes I know the answer to this question, but whatever may the answer; there is only truth I take with me.

I take the truth that life is a constant teacher. It forces us to stop and reflect.

One such reflection was something on the notion of my view of body. I rest in the believe of the sacredness of the body. Our body is not merely a vehicle but also a home we rest in. 

Consumeristic side of culture 

Wisdom is waiting to be heard


The consumeristic side of culture may turn it into some kind of idol for worship. Let me confess I have fallen for this wrong idea.

While looking back at my Google photos I realised that I have been living with a poor notion of myself.

Having children had given me a Dad bod but not accepting myself was not a motivation but an excuse to feel bad.

People playing God

Sometimes we may be carving our own misery rather God actively doing so.

Yes, I have started paying attention to my body and working on keeping it healthy. But this experience has thought me to take care of myself by a healthy Self acceptance.

Why is this so important Chris? I would answer that by saying that the way we see ourselves and accept ourselves may be the way we see others.

In Conclusion

Do Bad things have only side to it? Are they only filled with pain and emptiness?

Bad things can teach us how to stop and pay attention to things we thought were under your control.

They challenge you and keep you alert. Don't let them overwhelm you.

Breathe, Stop and Learn... Life is a teacher and it teaches you.

Thank you for your time and stopping by! If you have questions you want me answer you can frame your question as mail and send it across.

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Here's, How to Let go of pain in Life when you feel stuck? Chris Educator's Short guide to help you feel Free and Better

October 17, 2021
Short Guide: Letting go of pain when you feel stuck in a Situation

Hey! I missed you guys this week. My son was down with high fever. Thank goodness he is better now.

This week has been crazy, life can get you stuck sometimes. It was an opportunity to use what I preach and write about. 

I practiced a lot of stuff (Self help related, of course). I got back to researching theology and philosophy. I can spend hours studying these topics (Whilst spending time baby sitting etc.)

At some point of time we all feel let down by life or ourselves and it may not even be these things it could be a terrible situation that gets us stuck. 

For me it was my child' s health for others it may be a relationship or something else. How do we deal with these situations?

(Maybe)You can pray these away, but I will share with some powerful ideas I found out.

Here are some points I tried:

Accepting the present situation

Could this situation be an opportunity?


Accepting a situation comes when we are present and aware of what is going on. We don't need to decide the outcome mentally. It can be stressful and we may not make the best of the moment we find ourselves in.

You have options

You choose and don't let the situation dictate your choice


Do you think you are cornered or you have hit a wall? That can be a difficult situation. I have been there, I can share with you how I dealt with the problem.

I try looking at the situation objectively. Taking a note of the possible outcomes. Speaking with a friend or counsellor has personally helped.

Journaling the journey

Journaling is awesome...Write your own story!


I journal using my mobile phone. I have my phone with me all the time. Why not use it to write a note or two. It has really been useful. 

When I want to review or check how I felt at a particular situation I just browse through my notes on phone. It is that simple. If you are concerned about privacy just use an app locker.

Meditate or pray your tensions away

Lol... Ignore the Brand Mantra part


I am not trying to evangelize or anything. I think it is practical and it works. Personally, I just tune my thoughts out and close my eyes, I just lose myself in the moment, just focusing on my breath. 

It is s a relaxing experience. It refreshes me and feel energized. I pray too, it connects me with my higher purpose and puts things into perspective. 

Conclusion 

I believe life happens to all of us and we all face situations that can cripple us. 

But being there for others and yourself is important. Self care is also important to you and it can help others. 

I would like to leave you with this quote from my Twitter Feed.

I wish you an awesome week ahead and the very best. Do consider subscribe to our Newsletter... See you guys in the next blog post.

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Understanding yourself: A Quick and Practical guide to Self Introspection for building a Personal Brand

October 04, 2021

 

Self Introspection key as a tool to build Authenticity in a Personal Brand


Let me start with a Prediction, Most of you have a Facebook Account. I love Facebook and I am a fan of it.

The Best thing about it is you are connected or can connect with people who are your friends but due to a busy life or a different location you cannot connect.

Connections and Networks can be really powerful. Ask a successful Network Marketer or Business person the power and value of a Network.

People make a living of it (literally). You can leverage your Network to build a Successful business or brand.

My view of Brand or Business is not that of a person that uses his/her/zir network to suck the life of it. But rather to be a useful and reliable part of it (without being a doormat).

I believe building a Brand is like that, it is making a Promise and letting people know you can deliver on it.

Please check my Previous post on Personal Brand, where I share 6 Steps to Building a Powerful Personal Brand.

Lets look at Step 1, You are building a Personal Brand. You will have to start with you and an image or an idea of you.

A lot of us will accept that we mask our emotions at times and it is good.

But while building a brand you need to understand yourself so that you can showcase the 'Real You' you want people to understand and engage with.

The one who makes the promise to deliver a Service or Product that adds value to People.

So how does one Introspect? Do we have to prepare some kind of Questionnaire?

There are whole list of Questions. Let me break it down for you.

Experts recommend to use the following strategy while trying get a better picture of yourself.

Busting Some Myths about Personal Branding

Craft your own Brand Mantra


# Everyone is not your audience

This is one of the mistakes people make. I think we kind of assume everyone would find your content important or interesting.

It is like a movie or a song that you love and everyone else is like, 'Nah! that is crepes'.

Find your audience by focusing on niches that can be monetized.

Everyone does not like philosophy or self help, Some people do so why not focus on them.

# You don't need to meet everyone's standard

It is good to be on par with others, but sometimes we need to be clear about what we are into.

We must understand our purpose for a project or activity.  We must follow appropriate standards for the task at hand. Standards should also be implemented in a context or in  situation.

If you niche demands blog posts, see if you are following the right practices needed for a successful blog post.

# Modelling Successful influencers guarantees success

I think this is quite a fallacious thought to think that we can blindly model some Successful people and its surely going to work for everyone. 

Being successful is not following a recipe, Of Course there are established practices and techniques that do help people.

But I think these are more like guides or starting points rather than Laws of Success that cannot be broken.

# You have nothing to offer

I think this is an excuse we tell ourselves. Things or situations can be difficult to get around, but that should not stop you from achieving our goals.

Challenges make a journey more interesting. So you can focus on your positives and create a product or service that helps people.

May be you need to change the audience or the people you are selling to (some cases).

# Personal branding is one-upmanship

I think Personal Brands is about showcasing your Uniqueness and how you standout from your competition.

I don't think it is about putting people or brands down, competition doesn't need to be nasty.

Introspection and its Relation to PB

Change your world !


Where do we start is sometimes the question we all ask. Should we just blindly post pictures on Instagram or just write blogs or may be even a Book?

I don't think so, I think it is much more than that. What if all your efforts don't bear fruit? Should you just scrap it and leave it behind?

I think your purpose and goal will be a good guide to answer these questions besides an expert or consultant.

Introspection is key to authenticity, Authenticity adds value to your Personal brand.

Faking it till you make it does not mean being another person or portraying a false persona. I believe it is about portraying your potential to people. More like a symbol of what you could potentially become.

Introspection for building Authenticity

Introspection is preparing your mind for showcasing You


Introspection is key to understanding Authenticity.

We need to be clear about Who we are  and what we are offering people.

Story telling is key but authenticity builds a Strong Brand that promises Trust and Reliance to its audience.

Now before you check my other posts on Personal Branding, Let me leave you with a key to Introspection.

I would say take sometime out of your busy schedule and reflect on your dream. Try understand how it connects with your passion and how you can monetize it.

You could perform a SWOT analysis to help you understand yourself. You can see how your goals reflect you.

I would journal your thoughts and ideas regularly. On the weekends just skim through your own writings and evaluate them.

I believe this is a good starting point to be Authentic. Sometimes we  need sometime to just disconnect and connect with ourselves.

Concluding Thoughts

I believe Branding and Marketing is not about building a fake image or putting up a façade. I think it is more about serving people by being yourself.

When I speak about being yourself I believe it is about doing in a productive and smart manner.

I hope these thoughts and ideas are productive to you in understanding or building a Personal brand.

See you in the next post, Thank you for your time. Please do join the discussion on our Facebook Page!

Reference:

https://plantae.org/self-reflection-personal-branding/

https://medium.com/digital-reflections/be-the-brand-personal-branding-101-ab0f80576a00

https://cocoandcowe.com/2018/02/13/personal-branding/

https://influencermarketinghub.com/what-is-personal-branding/

https://www.capitalonecareers.com/how-to-create-your-personal-brand-divi-cdev

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/self-awareness-personal-branding-slava-noor/


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You're Not Alone – A Guide to Outsourcing

October 02, 2021

Source: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1526948128573-703ee1aeb6fa


 Outsourcing is the practice of handing control over certain processes to someone who is outside the company. According to a report from research firm Clutch, around 80% of small businesses plan to outsource in 2021. Outsourcing is becoming more popular because it not only allows many companies to save time and money but also gives them a chance to work with industry experts. It enables them to focus on the parts of the business they love, and leave other parts to more capable professionals.


Business owners who outsource work understand that trying to do everything themselves can only slow down the growth of their business. Based on the principles from The Effective Executive, however, to be truly effective as a person includes knowing how to manage your time, setting your priorities, and understanding where and how to mobilize strength. According to author Peter Drucker, becoming a more effective person hinges on our ability to “get the right things done.” And one of the best things a business owner can do at an individual level is to delegate tasks. Going things alone can be damaging to your brand.

To prioritize what we need to do, we have to tap into outsourcing — both in the business and personal space. This means hiring someone to manage day-to-day tasks like taxes, marketing, or even chores, so we can make the most out of the 24 hours we’re given each day.


Why Should You Outsource?


Time is the only thing we cannot buy, but outsourcing specific tasks comes pretty close. In her book called Time Smart, Harvard professor Ashley Whillans makes the case that valuing time over money can automatically improve your quality of life and make you happier. Based on her research, people who prioritize time are happier because they feel more in control of their lives. Although it may seem like a waste of money to hire someone to do your laundry or clean your house, outsourcing these chores can make you as happy as you'd be if you got an $18,000 raise. By letting someone else do the tasks you don't prioritize, you can have more time for meals, active leisure, vacation, or socialization. You also have more time to reinvest in your brand. Moreover, you are also less overwhelmed and stressed in the long run.

How Do You Outsource?

When thinking about which tasks you should outsource, focus on the time-consuming and repetitive stuff you don’t enjoy. It helps to ask whether or not someone can do a better job than you on certain tasks as well. At a personal level, these tasks can include laundry, grocery shopping, gardening, and cleaning. When it comes to building your brand, you could also find someone to run errands for you, like lining up at the post office, answering phone calls, or booking appointments.

Once you’ve narrowed it down, hire a service provider like you would an office employee. You want to hear feedback on their previous performance and check on past experiences as well. Be sure to define and communicate your expectations. Let them know what you want them to accomplish, and if you’re following a tight schedule.


Best Practices for Outsourcing


As a general rule of thumb with outsourcing, you get what you pay for. This means you shouldn’t choose a service provider who has a cheap hourly rate but cannot assure quality. Ideally, you should hire someone who can achieve good results. If it’s your first time to engage their services, start with small tasks so you can see how strong their skills are. Outsourcing experts even recommend having a trial run so you can gauge their competence.

In our blog post on ‘5 Things to Do When Things Get Difficult’, we discussed how each of us has strengths and weaknesses — so the desire to be perfect will only bog you or your outsourced talent down. By acknowledging you need a helping hand sometimes, you can make your life much easier and more manageable.





Article was specially written for www.chriseducator.com by Annie Conner


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