Annena Aikins

"Every Transition Begins With An Ending"

To successfully move through life and appreciate all that it has to offer requires the ability to adapt and change.  We must change when people move in and out of our lives, with the environment, technology and culture because nothing stays the same. 

Unless you want to become a relic, trapped in a past long gone, you must be open to grow.

From daybreak to sunset, we wear many hats that require us to transition from one role to the next. 

In a life span our roles change as well, we go from dependent child to independent adult to an adult with dependents and we end by depending on our dependents.

“The longest day comes to an end” and with it, so does the “good ole days,” when life was sweet, so sweet that we could not let go of it. 

Your time at the top of the corporate ladder will be limited and one day you will have to come down from the top. 

Friday nights at the club will be replaced by play-dates and bedtime stories.

The comfort of owning the only bookstore in town for thirty years will be replaced by fear when the big box store moves down the street. 

Depression will replace self-confidence in the mind of the former superstar athlete who just got cut and replaced by a newer, faster model.

Unable to let go of how things used to be, we cling to them in our hearts and minds.  We dream about it those days, we listen to old songs that carry the memory of good times in between beats and lyrics.   

We protest the “new” and try to convince others to stand vigil with us to keep the times of the past alive.

In the book, Transitions:  Making Sense of Life’s Changes, William Bridges says:

“Every transition begins with an ending.  We have to let go of the old thing before we can pick up the new one–not just outwardly, but inwardly, where we keep our connections to people and places that act as definitions of who we are.”

Our unyielding desire to hold onto to yesterday prevents us from moving toward the gifts that the future holds. 

The world does not have to be as small as you have made it.  Imagine the new possibilities and the opportunity to experience new people and places if you give life a chance.  

New challenges await you, new mountains to climb and new seas to sail if you can just let go.

  

What does your Personal Brand Say About You?

Even if you have not put thought into "branding" yourself, or have not taken the time to dig deep inside yourself to unearth your unique gifts, talents and skills, you have a personal brand.

Your brand is not only made up of your promise of value, but also your image, your style, your environment and the way you communicate.

Saying who you are is only one part of sending a "brand message," you have to live it. 

Authenticity is critical to your personal brand, so if you are saying one thing but living in a different way, then people will take notice. 

If you are trying to land new clients for your business or impress a recruiter for a job opening, how you "package" youself will play a role in whether doors open to you or not.

In Personal Brand:  what is yours? - Roberta McCulloch-Dews, explains how image plays a role in everyone's personal brand and how we have one whether we are conscious of it or not.

Learn to Solve Problems by Changing The Way You Think

As with most habits, we are programmed to think about things in a certain way.  We approach and try to solve problems by using the same methods.  We rationalize based on habits, environment and training. 

It is easy to get extremely comfortable with the way you do things.  Without knowing it, we become cemented in believing that our answer is the only right and logical answer to a problem.  When our solution does not work, we get frustrated or give up. 

The next time you come against a problem that you cannot easily solve and before you walk away frustrated, try to look at the problem from a different perspective.   Flip the problem upside down, or better yet, you stand on your head, and look at the situation from a different angle, you may just find your solution.

--------

A few years ago, I was considering buying a bigger house with more closet space to solve my storage problem.  My clothes, shoes and accessories would not fit inside my closet without being crammed in. 

I consulted a professional organizer, bought tubs and bins but nothing worked.  One day, while killing myself, rearranging my closet, trying to find a way to make room for my clothes, I heard a voice whisper, “you do not need a bigger house with a larger closet, you need less stuff.” 

It never occurred to me that I had too much stuff.  However after taking a good look at all my clothes, shoes, coats, jackets and purses, I was shocked to see that I was hording things that I did not need and did not wear. 

I decided to clean out my closet and give away anything that I did not use.  I thought I could be a blessing to someone who needed clothes and shoes, instead of them taking up space in my closet.

If it was not for the voice (who I like to believe was God), I would have never changed my perspective.  I had one way of looking at things and frustrated myself on trying to fix the problem. 

Since, that episode I clean out my closet regularly, which has become a freeing experience.  By giving away things I do not need, I have room for the things that I use; help people in the process and now have fewer items to maintain.

I was listening to a man complain about his chosen profession.  He said he loved what he did and could not imagine himself doing anything else.  However, his business caused him grief because he could not make any “real” money.  He was having a difficult time maintaining his lifestyle with the money that he was earning.  He was frustrated because he tried every way in the book to make his business successful.  

Perhaps he is looking at the situation from the wrong perspective.  His problem might not be about the sum of money he earns but may have to do with lifestyle.

--------

I was complaining to my husband (he would say I was fussing) about something that he said, that I did not like. 

His response to me was, “change the way you think, so you won’t care about what I say and it won’t bother you.”

So, I said, “you are absolutely right, from now on, I will change how I think and I can careless about ANYTHING you have to say!”

Value Your Time: 8 Ways to Get on Track

 

With online social networking, webinars, blogging, ezine articles to write, digging, stumbling, tweeting, getting delicious, track-backing, showing link love, tagging viral videos, podcasting by being an acrobat, getting LinkedIn, following your Yahoo Group, filming the next boob on the tube, answering e-mails, texting,  skyping it up, ryzing to the top, face down, ninging, pinging, claiming your blog overture, running ad sense, searching for keywords in a cloud, googling  and following the analytics, banner building, and do not forget to leave a comment in this web 2.0 world how can anyone get anything done?

The exhaustive list of tasks does not include life outside the web, like face to face networking, strategic planning, giving presentations, lunch dates or talking business over a cup of Starbucks, etc.  We also cannot forget to spend time with our beloved families and friends.

With all the necessary things that we must do daily, how do we manage our time?  What is the secret of staying on top of all the “must do’s” without losing any brain cells?

The key is valuing your time.  Make every hour, minute and second of each day of your life count.  Protect your time by doing what is important to you:   

1. Stay focused on the bigger picture.  Review your goals, mission and vision often. Schedule your time daily, doing things that bring you closer to your vision.  Learn how to say no to requests that will take you off track. 

2. Make time for the most important things in your life.  Create balance by making a list of the seven most important things to you (family, career, business, spiritual life, health, etc.).   Next, schedule consistent time for those things and protect it.  If 6pm every night is your scheduled playtime with your three year-old son, then keep your commitment.  Do not let him down, he is the priority, the work will be there tomorrow but he will not always be three.  

3. Select your activities carefully.  Before diving into every task on the “must do” list to make your blog, business or career successful, do your research and get involved with one or two groups.  It is better to spend your valuable time building relationships and making a name for yourself.  You will have a better chance of making an impact with a more concentrated effort, than attempting to manage time in several groups where you are a nameless, faceless number among many.  Besides, it will help you maintain your sanity.

4. Set priorities.  Do your most important tasks first, while you are fresh and clear-headed.  Start each day by completing activities, like client projects, that generate most of your income.  Do not become a slave to the phone or e-mail.  Set up specific times daily where you will do your follow up.  Put your “office hours” or return call/ e-mail policy on your website and on your voice mail greeting, so people will have a general ideal of when and how you will respond to their requests.

5. Get the hard stuff out of the way.  When facing a project that you rather not deal with, do not procrastinate.  Tackle it and get it over with.  Whether you realize it or not, putting it off adds to your stress level, because it is always in the back of your mind. 

6. Everything has a place.  It is easier to work when things are in order.  Your time is precious and spending it looking for something that you misplaced on your desk or scrolling through a thousand e-mails are big time wasters.  Take an hour of your time one evening to get organized.  Then practice putting things back in their proper places after you use them, until it becomes a habit.  

7. Break projects into smaller pieces.  You accomplish more when doing things regularly and consistently.  If you have a big project to do, break it into smaller pieces and schedule time to complete each task over a few days or a few weeks.   This method will allow you to see progress without working overtime.

8. Work hard, play hard, then rest.  Our bodies need rest and our minds need time to focus on nothing.  Schedule regular time for fun, so you can distress and refresh between ninging and pinging.  

Analyzing A Great Bio: Kris Kuksi

On Wednesday I stumbled on the work of the artist, Kris Kuksi.  I was looking through Digg and saw his artwork, which I dug!  I am not a fan of horror images, but his work was both amazingly odd and profound.  His art, obviously an expression of how he views past and present societies, is both grotesque and beautiful.

After looking through pictures on his site admiring his work, I read his bio.  As a bio writer, I am always in search of well written bios.  I believe that people can inspire others by telling their stories.

Kris’ bio was short, only two paragraphs, but powerful and well written.  It contains essential elements to writing an effective bio:

1.  It reads like a story.  The bio provides just enough background information that reveals his perception of the world and how his artistry evolved.  These elements are important because it connects his point of view to his unusual expression of art. 

2. His message is clear.  “He feels that in the world today much of mankind is oftentimes frivolous and fragile, being driven primarily by greed and materialism. He hopes that his art exposes the fallacies of Man, unveiling a new level of awareness to the viewer.”

3. It provokes action.  Although his work can stand on its own, by reading his bio, you become curious and want to learn more about him.  After reading it, I immediately searched for where I could go find his work and possibly buy it.  This emotional response is what you should want your readers to have after reading your bio, especially if you are a business professional. 

4. It includes facts that build credibility.  The conclusion of his bio sites prominent places where his work has been shown, awards that he has received and names of celebrities who have bought some of his pieces. 

Kris Kuksi’s story is similar to many others who have grown up in this country over the last thirty plus years.  His story was inspirational as it truthfully explains how he used a negative upbringing to build a magnificent career, which makes it a well done bio. 

 

3 Ways to Find Motivation In Your Work

1. Incorporate your passion into your work.  I love writing and enjoy building my business around my passion.  At night, I keep a journal and a notepad next to my bed because I dream about my work and want to capture ideals when they are fresh.  Most mornings I wake up eager to get my day started because loving my work is a source of motivation. 

If you are working in a capacity that has nothing to do with your passion, then there are ways to connect the two and bring more enjoyment to your work.  For example, you may own a deli and your passion is world travel.  Unfortunately, you cannot travel as much as you like because your business is still small enough where your regular presence is necessary.  So, the way you connect your passion for world travel and your deli is by bringing the world inside your deli.  Subscribe to travel magazines, place a world map on the wall, hang posters of your favorite places, have specials based on themes inspired by your favorite places, etc. 

2. Place your goals somewhere you can see them daily.  As entrepreneurs, it is necessary to do things that we rather not do.  Admittedly, I was a late comer to blogging and social networking, but because I have goals that I am trying to achieve, I pushed away my discomfort and now I am participating regularly.  

When you find it hard to stay focused and practice discipline, then read your goals out loud to remind yourself of why you are doing it.  Sometimes, I gentle reminder is all we need to keep moving towards our dreams.

3. Share.  We draw inspiration from each other.  Join a community of professionals in your industry where you can find support, motivation and share ideals with one another.  Just by talking to others who understand your challenges can give you the push you need. 

 

Honoring Mom - The Real Success Story

As Mother's Day is quickly approaching, I just wanted to honor all the hardworking mothers.  I have always known that I have one of the greatest mothers on the planet, but it was not until I became a mother that I really understood her.

I now understand why she would not let me ride the city bus alone when I was 11 and why she would not let me accept candy and gifts from people she did not know.

I know how it feels to bring life into this world and to constantly be on guard protecting your children from danger, like a mother lioness ready to pounce.

I have had the sleepless nights, holding and rocking my son because he was sick and could not keep his food down. 

I have felt the joy of watching from the sidelines as my son ran down the soccer field and made his first goal.

To all the mothers who sacrifice, love hard and believe in their children when no one else does - Happy Mother's Day.  I honor you. 

To my mother, all that is good in me comes from you, you are simply the best!

Love,
Annena

How to write an interesting bio

How can I write a more interesting bio?

Is your bio a little boring?  Having trouble with deciding what to write?  Need a little inspiration to help you write a better bio? 

Try using a theme to differentiate yourself from your competitors, stand out and promote your personal brand.  It is also a great way to drive your message and provide your audience with some inspiration.   

A theme is a unifying ideal or recurrent element that you can pull from a movie, fictional character, a song or a hobby.  Find a theme that represents your unique, authentic self and promotes your brand. 

Comparing your work to a themed character can help the audience better conceptualize your potential role in their lives.   In his bio, Ed O’Brien, makes one reference about James Bond in the opening paragraph, “Like James Bond, he can remain a calm figure when “exotic things happen to and around him.””  

That one statement and the keywords and phrases that are sprinkled through the body of the bio draws a parallel between Ed and James Bond who has a reputation for taking on insurmountable challenges but always comes out the victor against all odds. 

After reading Ed’s bio you can easily conclude that he is the best at what he does, and he actually sounds like the James Bond of Human Resources. 

If you do not relate to a fictional character then use a hobby or a sport, like skydiving or football as inspiration to write.  The key is to use the hobby metaphorically to describe your skills and character.

However, when you write your bio, use plain English and do not get carried away by being too verbose.
  

Five Common Bio Writing Mistakes

It is important that your bio is interesting while properly highlighting your career.  People will scan it trying to pick up on key words and elements of interest.  If you want your bio to stand out then avoid making these common mistakes:

1. Writing an autobiography – People are busy and bore easily.  It is not necessary to give a chronology of your entire life.  Leave out information about where you were born, where you went to high school, etc.  Write about your career. 

2. Being too wordy – if you make it too difficult to read, you will lose your reader.  Instead, when you write, use plain English, try to describe yourself in short, concise sentences.

3. Writing a resume in paragraph form – though it may be hard, keep your climb up the career ladder to your resume.  Listing every job and educational accomplishment is too much information.  Only cite things that are relevant to your personal brand.  Leave your reader wanting to learn more about you instead of being sick of you. 

4. Using a one-size fits all template – your bio will look like the other millions of people who have their bios floating around.  There is no one size fits all formula to describe your professional career; your path is your own, just as your story should not sound like everyone else’s.  Use your bio as an opportunity to promote your personal brand.

5. Writing to appeal to everyone – remember who is important when you write your bio.  Stick to themes that are relevant and interesting to that group.  Focus on your target audience when writing your bio.  Make sure that your message for your target audience is clear.
 

For more on bio writing

How to Write an Interesting Bio

Use Your Bio to Connect With Your Target Audience  

Does One Bio Fits All?