Dear Roaring Woman Reader,

I have decided that there will be no New Year's resolution for me this year or any time in the near future.  We have heard a lot recently about the detrimental effects of making resolutions and then losing interest or not keeping them.  (sometimes I think that making the resolutions on January 1st is the result of the guilt we feel from over indulging over the holidays! )

(Get ready for the New Year with the Anti- Resolution Workshop - more info here!)

Instead over the last few months I have decided that I am ready to "Live Big".  To me that means doing everything that I do with 'all I've got', all the time.  I have been taking more time off - getting more done when I do work, eating better all the time (not just when there is no junk food in the house) and putting my all into every workout.  It's not about achievement - it is about loving myself enough to do my best - because it feels great! 

This kind of thinking for me has not happened over night.  Every week I have focused on one small change - and that has made it much easier to manage, but my personal and business life has changed incrementally.  So I have planned this year to pass some of the things I have learned on to you in a short section I will call "Weekly Wisdom".  Take it or leave it - each of these weekly tips have made a big difference in my life.  We only get one chance at today - so go ahead - "carpe diem"!

Weekly Wisdom

Asking for help is one of the most important skills you will use as a business owner.

We don't always realize that firstly we need help and secondly many of us feel it is a weakness to show others we need help.  But as a business owner your first responsibility to your family, community and employees (and yourself) is to earn a profit. And face it, we weren't born with all the business acumen we may need to do this.

Making your business profitable gives you the leverage to create opportunities for your family, your community and your employees - and let's not forget rewarding yourself.

Asking for help is a skill and sometimes involves risk. 

Good advice and help doesn't come free. And as my mentor once reminded me - you always get what you pay for. (Pay peanuts and you get elephants!)  Paying nothing or bartering for good advice often gets you mediocre or bad advice.  It is risky to put enough belief in yourself to pay for advice or information when you don't have any guarantees. 

But think of it this way.  A struggling business drains us physically, financially and mentally.  Didn't you start your business so that you could make positive changes?

If you value yourself, your family and your business then you need to be sure your business is profitable.

Most powerful and valuable resource

According to several surveys and studies - coaching will bring you the most bang for your buck when it comes to making your business profitable.  In fact if you have received coaching your chances of becoming profitable are raised by 50%.

Do not be afraid to ask for help!

This winter season we will be offering several "Coffee with a Coach" sessions to introduce you to an affordable coaching concept we have called "ROAR Boards".  Coffee with a coach is free for members and a small charge for non members - so be sure to come out and learn more about how you can access the help you need at an affordable price. Read more here

Enjoy your New Year's celebrations this week - I send a toast to each and every one of you - TO YOUR SUCCESS!

Read our Roaring Women Vision and Mission Statement here

“The person determined to achieve maximum success learns the principle that progress is made one step at a time. A house is built one brick at a time. Football games are won a play at a time. A department store grows bigger one customer at a time. Every big accomplishment is a series of little accomplishments.” - David Joseph Schwartz

I love playing the game ‘Monopoly™’. I also love playing ‘Scrabble™’. In fact there just is nothing quite like the rush you can get from making just the right move at the right time!

Even if the ‘game’ is make believe and there are no tangible successes achieved (other than the adrenaline rush and the surge of serotonin) there is nothing quite as satisfying to me as getting Park Place and Boardwalk and putting up houses and then hotels!

And I can savour for months that eight letter word that used up all my tiles and gave me a fifty point bonus – especially if I hit the triple word score at the same time!
However, in order to win the game, regardless of the minor successes or plays, there are rules that must be followed. If you get the “go to jail” card, you cannot sneak that hidden card from the deck that lets you out for free. Someone will catch you – and it is just not right. (hmmm, no one I know has ever tried to cheat - have they?)

Read more here

As the year draws to a close, I am reflecting on the events of this past year with a sigh of relief (that we all made it through!) and a sense of peace knowing that whatever was released or resolved this year, helped to elevate us into new ways of seeing our world.

Now I'm wondering about the New Year and looking forward to a brand new start! I wanted to see what the Angels' had to say about the next step in my life so I did a card reading. The cards that came out not only apply to me but I feel apply to all of us ready for the next new chapter in our lives. Here is what the Angels' advised:

FOCUS:
Focus on what you want, NOT what you don't want. This is very important for manifesting only good things in your life. So start focusing on your intentions for the New Year and make sure to stay positive in your intentions.

MEDITATE:
If you are having trouble "focusing" on what you want or staying positive, meditate at least 10 minutes every day (best time to do this is when you wake up in the morning). Be still in your mind and body and just ask in your mind or out loud what it is you want for the New Year. Wait and listen patiently for answers that will come through thoughts or feelings.

MUSIC:
Listen to relaxation music often to elevate your mood instantly. Play it in the background of your life and you will feel uplifted. The more relaxed you are, the more you will hear, feel and see the divine guidance all around you!

PLAY:
This is a time to bring back the innocence of childhood to gain answers to our adult world. The Angels ask you to add more play time in your everyday life to gain ideas and inspirations for your next step. You are more able to be in the present moment when you play. So add this to your daily life to help you gain clarity and motivation.

The Angels’ want everyone to know that although there is still work to do in 2010, we must not forget to take care of ourselves and have more fun! The Angels want us to spend some time now to rejuvenate ourselves before we begin a new year and a new life!
Thank you Angels' for your wise and much needed guidance!
Love & Light,

Rosanna Sardella, RCH, CHt.
Registered Clinical Hypnotherapist/Clairvoyant
EMERGE Centre for Inner Healing
www.emergeforhealing.com

I recently watched a documentary on the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and the construction that has taken place in and around Vancouver.

As opposed as I am to spending billions of dollars on pomp and ceremony at the cost of cutting funding to seniors residences and other social programs, (and yes, this has indeed happened) I was pleased to see some of the positive results that have taken place in Vancouver.

First and foremost is the sustainability of much of the construction that has taken place. Housing at Whistler Blackhome will be disassembled after the games and reassembled in other parts of the province, to provide affordable housing. All the buildings that were constructed in fact have long term plans for supporting the community in function.

Read more here

January Meetings

Barrie Chapter Educate Dinner Meeting - Jan 05, 2010

Burlington/Hamilton - Starting Over - Jan 06, 2010

Brampton Roaring Women Educate Business Luncheon
Jan 06, 2010

Calgary Roaring Women Meeting - Jan 12, 2010

Mississauga Educate Luncheon Meeting - Jan 13, 2010

Vancouver Roaring Women Luncheon Meeting - Jan 14, 2010

EDMONTON Roaring Women Business Dinner Meeting - Jan 20, 2010

Kootenay Region Inaugural Roaring Women Business Meeting - Jan 21, 2010

VICTORIA: Goal-Setting Adventure 2010 - Jan 25, 2010

Claudette Guimond - Curves

Laurie Finnigan
Fast Track Capital(Investor Relations Consultant )

Shirley Routledge
Sunlife Financial(Long Term Care Insurance Specialist)

Deborah Boland
905 466-4406(Owner)

Trish Petersen
Leap Into Life Inc.(Owner)