No Vacancy for Negativity

Negative people are often present in most of our lives, and it can be difficult not to let them get us down. Unfortunately, negative people feed off of one another, so if you are a negative thinker, you will likely attract other people who think and act this way as well.

I have been guilty of allowing negative people into my life, not because I am always a negative thinker, but because I have demonstrated a lack of emotional strength. I do tend to be a sponge and I soak up the negative energy that emits from these people and it can tend to affect my professional and personal life. Fortunately, I am learning to extract individuals who live in a bubble of negative energy from my life; people who demonstrate jealousy, anger, callousness or self righteousness.

If you have anyone in your life who displays the above mentioned qualities, I urge you to distance yourself now. One thing I am learning is that it is important not to let other people take you down.

A negative person can bring you down emotionally and will eventually bring you down both personally and professionally as well. If you are opening your own business, it is important to surround yourself with individuals who are positive about your ventures and who will support your decisions.

Of course, it is not always easy to dispel yourself from negative people. Sometimes these individuals are coworkers, bosses, family members and even acquaintances who you unfortunately cannot remove from your life.

Your success remains in your hands and so it is important to know how to deal with the negative people in your life. When negative people try and bring your positive energy down, here are some tips for remaining optimistic:

Emotionally remove yourself

Realize you are not the cause of another person’s negativity. The way a person perceives something is not your responsibility and really has more to do with their own insecurities. Picture yourself holding an umbrella when you are around a negative person and imagine that any pessimistic comments are like rain drops. Allow these ‘rain drops’ to hit the umbrella and miss you altogether.

Change your Perception                                       

This may seem tough but try and find qualities within this person or people that are positive. Everyone has bad days and everyone has qualities that are attractive.  You know the old quote “kill them with kindness”? Try and show this person your kindness and you may see a switch of behaviour. Sometimes a simple smile can make someone’s bad day turn into a good day.

Be Yourself

If you are defensive around negative people, or try hard not to be affected by their negative energy (believe me, I am guilty of this one!), you will likely be pulled down. Why is this? Because if you are not open to the emotions that you are feeling when you are around them; if you remain true to yourself, negative people will have less reason to set their sights on you when they are seeking someone to pull down with them.

By believing in yourself and recognizing that no one has the power to pull you down but yourself, becoming and remaining a positive person will soon be second nature. Remember that success is in your hands only!

A Change in Direction

I have been fortunate enough to see VIP Assistant Solutions  grow over the past few months and have enjoyed providing service to my clients. It really has been one of those “wow I finally know what to do with my life” experiences. As things evolve with my business however, I do notice a trend in the type of services I am providing; the type of services that continue to be in demand. What I am trying to say is that, while VIP Assistant Solutions will still exist, I have decided to launch another business. This business will provide the very services that make up the bread and butter of VIP Assistant Solutions – writing!

The majority of my work involves copywriting and so I have decided to focus my direction in this area. I don’t expect the website to be officially up and running until mid July, however I wanted to let you all know where you can expect to catch me once it is:)

In case you are wondering, the new business name is CP Style. For all you non writers out there, CP style is a style of writing (like AP style) and stands for Canadian Press. I found it very fitting considering the initials of my own name, Caroline Pigott.

As I mentioned, this new direction will not mean the end of VIP Assistant Solutions. I will still be available to provide administrative service, however I will be inviting you all to visit my new site and blog once it is up and running.

So how does one decide to change business direction? Below are six tips to determining whether or not you should change your business focus too:

Listen to Yourself

I almost wrote “listen to your clients” in the title, but it became clear to me that your clients are going to want what you are good at and what you are passionate about. Believe it or not, when we enjoy doing something, it shows! So take a step back for a minute and determine if what you are currently doing is making you happy. If, for example, you own a clothing store however find yourself selling more shoes over clothing maybe it’s time to open a shoe store!

Know that What you are Feeling is OK

It is quite common for entrepreneurs to start off in one direction and then change their focus to something else. Not many of us get it right the first time and things in life usually take a bit of trial and error. If you feel you should change directions, listen to that little voice and go for it! Remember my last post on intuition.

Take Note

Look around you and determine what interests you. Remember those brainstorming charts we used to do in school? The chart with the idea in the center and the additional ideas around it? Well some of us still do them:) And this is what I want you to do now. Think up all possibilities and directions for your business. Focus on the idea that sticks out to you and energizes you.

Educate Yourself

Read up on possible directions you could take your business. Do your research and take a course. Knowing more about a type of business will help you make a sound decision.

Volunteer

You read that correctly! Volunteer your precious time with someone who is already running the type of business you are thinking about running. If you are thinking about changing your business from dog walking to graphic design it is better to learn in the trenches than to get there and realize it is much harder than it looks.

Ask for Valued Opinions

Before I decided to change the direction of my business, I asked my husband and a few close friends what they thought. Their reactions were “isn’t that what you are already doing?” and “That’s what you are passionate about. Go for it!” It was almost a “duh” moment. And it felt like they were just waiting for me to do it before I even knew I was going to. Outside support is extremely important for any business owner and gathering valued feedback and opinion from your close family and friends will help you make the right decision for yourself and the future of your business.

Listen to your Gut and See Results!

Has there ever been a situation in your life that you look back on and think ‘if only I listened to my gut’?

As many of us learn (and unfortunately learn the hard way), that gut feeling; that wrenching feeling in the pit of our stomach telling us if something is right or wrong, should never be ignored. As Albert Einstein once said “The only real valuable thing is your intuition.”

I have felt this sensation many times and looking back on some of the choices I have made; relationships, jobs and even some friendships, I now wish I listened to my gut! Well luckily every wrong choice has resulted in a lesson learned and I am working on developing a keen sense of intuition.

Truthfully, this “sixth sense” certainly doesn’t happen over night! It is a little intimidating to rely on instinct rather than on logical thinking, but you may want to consider it. Ok at least consider using your mind and body the next time you have to make a decision. It just may turn your life around!

As I mentioned, there are countless times I wish I had listened to my intuition. Here’s an example; I took a job last year after working for a large Insurance company for a while. I was just looking for a change and the chance to put my education in Communications to use.

This new job was entry level but on paper seemed to promise opportunity for me to move up and work in an industry I believed in. Looking back, I should have declined the offer. I remember feeling physically ill as I spoke to my new boss. I just knew this person wouldn’t be easy to work for and something inside of me was not only telling me, but screaming that the position wouldn’t be right for me. Well, I brushed it off as just nerves and talked myself into accepting .Sure enough, within the first month I was absolutely miserable.

Yes this job did lead me to where I am today, but I like to think I would have ended up where I am today regardless. And I might have saved some of self dignity in the process!

How do you feel about what you’re doing with your life? Perhaps there is a nagging tug inside of you telling you something isn’t right? Or maybe you feel on top of the world; knowing everything you are doing in your life is spot on. If so, that is truly amazing and I commend you.

For the rest of us, here are some steps I have found helpful to take in order to use that “gut” feeling to your full advantage:

Take out the Mind Garbage

Our minds are so full of ‘garbage’ these days; it’s hard to find the clearing within the mess! Many of our lives are so busy that’s it hard to hear that intuitive voice. Take time out of your busy schedule to shut off that blackberry, turn off the laptop and take a quiet break. When you relax, you tend to make more sound decisions.

Listen to your Body

As I mentioned, when I accepted that job offer, I felt sick to my stomach. If you feel physically ill about a decision, or have a big lump in your throat, it’s important to listen to your body! On the other hand, also look for clues that something is right. If something is right for you, you might feel relaxed, calm and energized.

Pay Attention to Your Dreams

No I’m not saying your dreams are ‘magical’ and will hold the answer to your life decisions. However, your dreams often do reflect how you are really feeling on any given day.

Are you dreaming of being naked in front of a crowd? Perhaps you are feeling vulnerable. Or maybe you are running in your dream. Are you running away from something in your life perhaps?

Pay attention to your subconscious to help you understand what is really going on in your busy everyday life.

Exercise Your Way to a Clear Head

Have you ever felt the urge to punch a pillow when you’re feeling frustrated? Well, while punching a pillow isn’t a bad thing, why not try running or lifting weights? Exercise has been proven to relieve stress and will aid in clearing your mind. A clear mind will allow intuitive thoughts to be heard.

Write it down

Practice using your gut feeling to make decisions and write down how you felt at the time and what the outcome was. Look back on your journal to see how often you were right about something. Your confidence will grow as you learn how to use your gut feelings to your advantage.

There’s More to the Written Word

As a content writer for various business websites, I am consistently researching what is current in the world of Search Engine Optimization; what type of content will step-up a particular site’s visibility? What keywords will attract the right traffic for the business and increase the chances of turning web traffic into clients?

I am also consistently adapting myself to the business I am writing for in order to create accurate and well-written content. Freelance web content writers and copywriters truly must have the ability to act as chamaeleons; placing ourselves in the shoes of our clients in order to develop the message they are wishing to communicate.

As VIP Assistant Solutions develops, it is becoming apparent that the bread and butter of my business lies in web content writing services, and this causes me to recognize that web writing has certainly changed since I first entered the PR and Communications field in 2003! Well-written content and the implementation of proper keywords is only a fraction of what web content writing involves. Yes it is absolutely fundamental that a business website is well written and speaks to the right audience. However, the steps to take to create the proper content for a particular business involves so much more.

I have compiled a list of steps I take to ensure my clients’ websites are attracting the right traffic, speaking to the right audience, and motivating potential clients to act.

Industry Analysis

When I begin working with a new client, I not only ask my client about his/her industry but I also research competition and industry news.

Business Target Audience

It is extremely important to be clear on who the business target audience is. Without a target audience, content will just be fluff and will only confuse the reader. Whose attention is the business hoping to grab?

Keyword Research

After I have researched my client’s industry and developed an understanding of who my client is hoping to target, I conduct a keyword research assessment. In other words, what words are people most likely to enter into Google in order to bring them to this business and/or its competition?

Proofread Proofread Proofread!

I can’t stress enough how important well-written content is. Grammar and spelling mistakes can be a huge detriment to a business’ success.

Analyze

It is important to analyze how the website is doing. Google Analytics is an amazing (and free!) tool that provides you with valuable information required to help you learn how your website is doing and where the traffic is coming from. Google Analytics helps to determine what is working and what needs to be changed.