Lip-Sticking

Feeling Lonely This Weekend? 5 Quick Tips for Fun

By Laura Smith, Chief Groovy Chick, The Breakup Lounge

Ahhh, yes, the good ol' weekend is upon us. Do you remember the days when you couldn't WAIT for Friday afternoon? The rush of the anticipated weekend plans kept you going all week? Then...you find yourself un-coupled and sometimes, when you're coping with divorce or a breakup, weekends take on a new meaning.

I remember those dark days well.  My excitement was replaced by anxiety. Sooooooo...how was I going to fill my time? I mean big, huge CHUNKS of time ~ not just an extra minute or two here and there.

The planless weekend seemed like it would swallow me up. Either that, or I'd emerge Monday morning with tear-swollen eyes and remnants of Ben & Jerry's in the corners of my mouth. The weekends became my enemy.

It really wasn't so bad if I had my daughter. She kept me pretty busy and we'd go here and there and have fun. But the weekends without her...oh, dear. If you understand where I'm coming from, I've got a few tips that will help you get through the dreaded weekend. Soon enough, I was actually enjoying myself just a wee bit. Then more and more and more until finally...I RELISHED every moment alone! That's right. Just me, myself and I having a great time! Woo Hoo!

Try these out if this weekend feels like this to you:

1. Make a serious plan of action. Not kidding. DECIDE what you're going to do with your weekend. Take the power back. Make a little list with each half hour of the weekend and figure out how you're going to spend it. Maybe you've got some plans. Maybe you NEED some plans. If you already know what you're going to do, it takes the edge off. P.S. Make sure you've got some fun in there!

2. Do something alone that you've always wanted to do. I went to an art gallery opening once. Yeah, I'll admit...it was a tad awkward but guess what? I had fun anyway. I felt good being out and about and I was proud of myself for doing it alone.

3. Head to the nearest book store or coffee shop. So what if the Friday night crew at my local Borders knew me by first name? I liked being there and immersing myself in a book or two took my mind off other "things." Sometimes, we don't need to really engage other people ~ but just being in their presence helps our own energy to soar.

4. If you want to feel bad, then feel bad. However ~ and I've said this before ~ this is a "timed" activity. Give it all you got for 10 minutes and then move on to being happier and sassier, Sweet Stuff!

5. If you need overstimulation, go for it. When I was feeling lonely, if I kept my house really quiet...I began noticing just how quiet it was. No child. No husband. No laughter. Ugh!! So silence really bothered me for a while. I'm not a huge fan of TV (unless it's shameful reality TV like The Bachelor or Keeping Up With the Kardashians) but boy, I had it on all the time ~ just for background noise. I'd read a book and watch TV and do my nails while checking email ~ you get the picture. It's okay to be in this space for a while.

6. Bonus tip!! Remember the quote: This too shall pass. Let that sink in. It's hopeful and it's true. Time passes. Heartbreak eases. You find joy again.

All right, Sassy Pants, now get out there and get your weekend on!

Shine On!

Resume Not Required

Guest post by Hannah Morgan, the Career Sherpa

If you had a job and wanted to meet with someone, would they ask for your resume? Probably not. So why are people asking you for your resume? Is it because you confessed in your request for a meeting that you were job hunting? Is that really necessary? Really? If you are networking and people are asking you for your resume, let me suggest you are doing it all wrong!

Why Networking With a Resume A Bad Idea?

Any time you present your resume to someone, it sends the message “Hire Me! I am looking for a job.” Your state of employment (or unemployment) is a distraction from the main purpose of the meeting. You want the conversation to center around gaining information and idea-sharing. When you introduce the fact that you are job searching, the conversation often switches to pity, resume critique, or worse, they feel like they can’t help you because their company isn’t hiring, thereby cutting he conversation short. What you really want from them is information. You want the people you meet with to trust you and like you, and ultimately, refer you to new contacts to gain more insight. This is the true purpose for networking.

Sales Strategies for 2013....Getting Prospects to Act

By Guest Blogger Donna DeClemente, Donna's Promo Talk

Today I will be heading out to attend another luncheon event put on by Women TIES. You may have read some of my previous posts about this organization. TIES stands for "Together Inspiring Entrepreneurial Success" and the organization's leader, Tracy Higginbothom, strongly believes in the power of women supporting each other in their businesses.

Tracy started out as an event planner in her business and launched Women TIES back in 2005 which has now grown to reach many women in upstate and western New York. I was honored almost three years ago to be the speaker at her first Rochester Chapter event and was invited back to speak again this past October. Here's the post I wrote about my topic which was How to use Facebook to Build Your Brand and Grow Sales.

The event today is sold-out! Tracy had to cut-off the registrations at 70 since that's the total the restaurant can fit in the room we have.This now makes the 4th Women TIES event this year that has sold out in various cities throughout upstate New York. It appears that 2013 is going to be the year business women and entrepreneurs are ready to achieve great success! Today's event is perfect timing for mid-February. We're already over a month into this year and we all could use a good reminder that without sales, you don't have a business!

We all have business prospects from contacts made in 2012 and new ones we already made in 2013. The key to sales success in the New Year lies in getting these prospects to act and purchase our products or services. Vicki James will be our speaker today  who will explain how the "Marketing Hourglass" can help us move prospects through a series of Know, Like and Trust phases at their own pace to bring us more sales success. Vicki is going to demonstrate how to create our own "Marketing Hourglass" by no longer pushing prospects but instead allowing them to make the journey on their own terms and ultimately, removing the need to sell.

Most of us women don't like to "sell". We may be passionate about the business that we are in, but when it comes to sales, that's were the majority of us really need help. Learning about new sales strategies should be an excellent investment of our time today. Vicki's own company is called Stand-Out-Results focuses on mentoring small to medium size business with their marketing and sales strategies.

The event is co-sponsored by Joleene Speaks which is run by Joleene DesRosiers Moody. Joleene is known as the "Unstuck" Consultant - helping women entrepreneurs strengthen their selling power to make money enthusiastically and fearlessly. I heard Joleene speak last September at the Women TIES Annual Retreat and she was highly motivating. So I am looking forward to seeing her and hearing her speak again.

My hope is that 2013 will be a great business year for myself and all my friends and colleagues and readers, not just women. We all use a different mix of marketing and sales tactics to achieve our success. Having the support of others, whether it's a collective group of women, such as Women TIES, or our own individual mentors and advisers, it helps us to become stronger together than we are as one. As Tracy always signs-off..."In Entrepreneurial Spirit".

Tune Out, Turn Off, Ramp Up Productivity

Guest post by Blog Manager Robbi Hess

In today’s ever-connected world, there are times when you simply need to step away and plan for quiet time. How can you turn off distractions? Step away from the office? Maybe even take time away from the family for a few hours? Can you turn off the television, radio, not play any audio books for a few hours? If possible, you need to do so. Your mind needs down time in order to function at its optimal levels.

If you find you have your best ideas when you’re doing a mindless task such as cooking dinner, showering, or even sitting in a traffic jam, it’s because your mind has had the opportunity to tune out.

It's Not Personal, It's Just Business... Really, Mitt?

In place of Friday Musings, I bring you a well written guest post from Mary Hunt of In Women We Trust. 

How often have you heard that phrase in defense of some questionable act of  business, “It’s not personal, it’s just business.”  What the What?!? Everything is personal when you have to live with the decisions business makes — we have to fight the wars, breathe the air, drink the water, eat the food, wear the clothes, live in the homes, and smoke the cigarettes…

Business will say, “you have a choice,” but do we have a choice when business pushes the drugs, doesn’t label them correctly, or in the case of the cigarettes plans for you to be addicted making the choice to opt out personally painful.

It’s a profound commentary on our business society and leadership when the dollar is more important that our humanity.

Friday Musings - Women on Women

by Yvonne DiVita, Visit me on Facebook

Women on women refers to women talking about women. Not... what you might have thought. Well, if you're of that other gender (male) it's what you might have thought. Notice I said, "Might"... trying not to stereotype. 

Women are often our own worst enemies. We criticize each other too much (honestly, were some women really complaining about Gabby's hair - after she won a GOLD MEDAL!); we're catty; we operate in the green zone of jealousy too much; and we gossip too much. Who do you think all those supermarket tabloids are for - they aren't displayed for men. And, I'm pretty sure 99% of their customers are women. I made that up. But, I bet it's true.

Artify your event - Stand Out From the Crowd

by Yvonne DiVita

Yes, you can stand out in a crowd - in a creative and fun way... by artifying your event!

I talk art a good bit on this blog. I'm an artivist, as evidenced over at Art as Action where I do what I can to help support them, and as such, I live to help promote creativity and innovation. There isn't a lot of that around these days. We're drowning in mediocrity in the U.S.

Community: This is it

by Yvonne DiVita - Like us on Facebook

As seen on Facebook. Thank you Maria's Farm Country Kitchen. Especially like, "Help a lost dog." And, "Fix it, even if you didn't break it."

Also have to share a great post from her blog, titled, "Can a woman have it all?" Thoughtful. (love that she calls herself a MOM in the evenings: Mean Old Mom. LOL - we need more of that!)

America's Got Talent - Lots of It

by Yvonne DiVita

Who isn't waiting for America's Got Talent to return? I know I am. I'm not thrilled that Howard Stern in replacing Piers as a judge, but I'll reserve my comments on that for after I see a few shows. 

In meantime, there was one talented group of folks from last season that rocked everyone's socks off - iLuminate - and I admit they were among MY favorite groups, also. 

Lenovo Social Media was fortunate enough to interview the founder of iLuminate, Miral Kotb, and share it with us at Lip-sticking. Remember, Kotb is a cancer survivor (those who watch the show remember that, I'm sure) and she's so talented in so many ways, she gives renewed energy to everyone around her. I'm delighted to share this interview - I hope it helps other women see the power they have in themselves... power that is waiting to be tapped, as Kotb tapped into hers.

One of the fantastic things about iLuminate is their dance focus - regular readers will know that I'm a big supporter of a dance/performing group right here in Denver/Boulder called Art as Action. So, dance is near and dear to my heart (also because... I can't dance - sorry, I'm no dancer and never will be one).

Here's the interview - enjoy!

The Woman Who Made Furs Fabulous

Article by Chloe Spencer 

While I was doing research for my Huffington Post article I was writing on the fur industry and why you should buy faux fur, I came across a site called Fabulous-Furs. But the furs on this site were faux, and looked just as real as their counterparts.

I was amazed…I looked through the collections of full-length white mink coats, coyote vests, and fox shawls, which all looked so real, except that they were only a few hundred dollars each instead of tens of thousands of dollars each! All beautifully made with high quality fabrics, and the best part, never harmed an animal in the process.

In fact, animals were helped in the process. Fabulous-Furs donates to hundreds of non-profits for animal rights every year. It is also the finest faux fur clothing company in the World, with celebrity customers, TV appearances and products sold at Saks Fifth Avenue. You're probably thinking, wow that is fabulous! All thanks to a woman named Donna Salyers, who put the fabulous into furs.