Happiness Through Self-Discovery

A SWOT analysis is a common method for gauging the stand of a brand or business.  It stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.  Occasionally, I enjoy doing this for myself as a personal exercise.

As we go through life, new experiences will often shape the way we see the world.  When we learn, we become better versions of ourselves.  It's vital to look inward at times, so that we can reassess ourselves.  What is important to us now?  What used to work for us, but no longer serves our greatest good?  Self-analysis can help us to not only become better people,  but to make better use of the skills and knowledge that we've acquired.

Discover what's new in your inner life.  Try new things, gain new abilities and new loves.  You may have hidden talents or skills that you've previously not discovered.  We are all treasures, so don't be afraid to dig in and find something new!

Small Business Advantage: Try New Services to Save Time & Make Money!

This article is dedicated to all of those entrepreneurs out there who are reading my blog.  I know it can be difficult out there!  But although there are bumps on the road to our ultimate prosperity, there are also shortcuts that you can take -- valuable ones.

As a businessperson myself, I can understand the importance of minimizing time spent on business research, so that I can maximize my time actually "digging in the dirt" and making profits come in.

When I say minimizing my research time, I'm not talking about cutting corners.  I still want to know as much as I can about my chosen field, as well as the competition.  But there are easier ways to do this than to sit down and spend hours scouting out other businesses.  Google helps, of course, but the internet is a much different place than it used to be when I started working in online retail in 1999!  As an eBay power seller during eBay's humble beginnings, ensuring that I offered my customers the best price was a time consuming affair; lots of hunting around for the best information made it quite an undertaking!

Fast forward to 2015.  New technological innovations have enabled sellers to have this data at their fingertips, with minimal research.  The website, JustListAway.com offers a service to sellers that ranks their products on eBay or Amazon.  This saves sellers so much time and energy!  JustListAway.com does the sourcing for the sellers, so that retailers can spend less time doing research -- and more time meeting the needs of their customers.  With this service, online retailers have the power to facilitate more sales and generate more revenue in less time.

The internet has certainly come a long way in the past 20 years. It's an exciting time to be a small online business, and it's also reassuring to know that services like these exist to help us succeed!

Winning Recipes With the Pro-Cooks Contest!

I just love contests!  But the only thing I really love more than winning a contest is cooking for family.  Nothing is more satisfying than seeing someone take a big tasty bite out of some new recipe that I've recently tried -- and loved!

enter here!

Now that I've amassed quite a good recipe collection, one thing that I love is sharing recipes and cooking tips with other people.  I love looking up recipes online, trying them out at home, and even sharing recipes with my friends.  Recipe exchanges and free recipe websites are bookmarked by me on a daily basis!

When I found out about Pro-Cooks.com and their monthly recipe contest, I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical at first.  After all, could I really win a contest from submitting a recipe?  But it's true -- regular people just like me and you are winners of this recipe contest.  What's more, not only do they celebrated over at Pro-Cooks.com, they actually win a cash prize from submitting their recipes!

The entry fee is low, and the folks over there are super friendly.  So, if you're a great cook and you're looking to make some extra money online by winning contests, give it a shot.  And whether your recipe is gluten free, vegetarian, or some other special type of recipe -- it's eligible as long as it's delicious!  Next month's winner just might be you!

Spotlight on Feng Shui Jewelry by Explosion Luck

Photo courtesy of ExplosionLuck.com

 Feng Shui is an ancient practice that can help you attract love, prosperity, and happiness into your life. Most people in the Western world consider it to be a form of spiritual interior decorating.  But, actually, it is much more than that.  Did you know that Feng Shui isn't just for your home? There are many personal items that you can use in order to practice great Feng Shui for yourself as a person.

Feng Shui jewelry is popular within Feng Shui circles. In fact, Feng Shui art provider, Explosion Luck, reports that jewelry such as Buddha thangka pendant necklaces, and other Tibetan thangka jewelry is not just great to attract positive forces around you; they're actually much more!  These beautiful, wearable works of art are also a super hot fashion statement right now, as well! Explosion Luck offers beautiful and spiritually uplifting Feng Shui jewelry and Tibetan Thangka pendant necklaces for sale -- these are true works of art that are also wearable and fashionable.

Photo courtesy of ExplosionLuck.com

While pieces like this gorgeous Vairochana pendant are hot fashion statements, they also carry spiritual and metaphysical meaning as well.  Try some levity in your life with this stunning multicolor necklace -- or go for a more monochromatic style with this orange laughing Buddha necklace.  Pieces like these, and more at Explosion Luck, are the perfect mix of spiritual and artistic.  Show your love of Feng Shui with the world through these amazing statement pieces!  They are also wonderful focal points for meditation that you can take with you anywhere -- right around your neck whenever you're ready for them.

For more information on how you can make the most love, prosperity, and good fortune happen in your life though the vibrations of these gorgeous jewelry pieces, have a look at Explosion Luck's "Best Holiday Gift Guide" for 2015-2016 Feng Shui art gifts at this link.

Spotlight on Kiko of Beverly Hills

It has been said that true beauty comes from within.  If that's really the case, I've always wondered why people seem to be so preoccupied with the way that they look?  

The real truth is this:  when we feel comfortable and happy in our own skin, our inner beauty will shimmer outward to the surface.  We have the power to change the world's perception of us, simply by changing our own perceptions of ourselves.

What's one of the first things people advise their friends to do after a breakup, the loss of a job, or some other personal tragedy?  "Change your hairstyle.  It'll do you some good." 

While this may seem like a small thing… the truth is that civilizations throughout world history have placed importance on not just what's on the top of our heads, but how we wear it.  Even today, having the right hair makes all the difference in our own levels of confidence.  A "bad hair day" can elicit the deepest of sympathies, even from strangers.  A "good hair day" can make us feel as if we've got the world at our fingertips!  It's true -- confidence equals beauty.  

My friend, Kiko of Beverly Hills California, is a shining example of this concept.  He has been part of the salon industry for over 25 years.  A lot has changed in that time: styles have changed, trends have come and gone.  Yet, there is always one thing that these elements always have in common:  they inspire confidence and happiness in those who wear them.  And Kiko loves to use his considerable talents to impart that confidence in all who seek him.

Kiko has dedicated his life to helping others of all ages, genders, and lifestyles to look and feel more lovely.  After decades of hard work and research, he has developed an amazing line of products to share with the world!  His texturizing hair wax is sure to not only make your "crowning glory" look and feel fabulous, but it also contains healthy ingredients which can actually improve the state of your hair.  His texturizing hair wax contains a virtual medicine cabinet of vitamins (A, B, and E) to provide nourishment to the hair, as well as Indian gooseberry, a long-known holistic treatment for strengthening and preventing daily damage to hair.  Proteins and amino acids in Kiko's "Leeya" formula keep your hair strong, shiny, and ready for anything -- whether you're walking a fashion runway, or just want to look fabulous while running your daily errands.

I truly admire Kiko, both for his passion for creating workable, livable art that his clients can enjoy in themselves every day -- as well as for his visions of a more beautiful future.

To learn more about Kiko and his Leeya line of hair beautifying products, visit his website or You can also enjoy more of Kiko's creations at his amazing YouTube channel -- and his inspiring Instagram profile, as well!