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It has been a while since we have talked about adding Plugins to your blog.  So I wanted to share with you the 16 Plugins that you should add ASAP.  If you have not seen the How to Start a Blog Series make sure you read these 3 posts first:

How to Start a Blog (Part 1)
How to Start a Blog (Part 2)
How to Start a Blog (Part 3)

For those of you that have already seen the How to Start a Blog Series here are two videos (only 5 minutes each) explaining which Plugins you want to add and why Continue reading →

If you aren’t using Google Reader to help you keep up with the blogs you are following then you need to watch this video!

Google Reader saves me so much time, especially when it comes to keeping up with my Tribe.  It is very simple to set up and  to add new blogs at any time.  It will make keeping up with your favorite blogs so much easier!

If you have any questions let me know.

If you haven’t already make sure you subscribe to my blog and add it to your Google Reader!

I found something fun today that I wanted to share with you. I know, the last thing we need is another distraction on the internet, but I couldn’t resist.

What do you think of my virtual fish tank? They do say that watching fish can help reduce stress.

If you would like to build your own fish tank, or find other cool gadgets, check out http://abowman.com/google-modules/ .

Actually I just went back and found another one I wanted to share:

If you click on the screen you can drop food.

Hope you enjoy as much as I did.

This is Part 3 of the How to Start a Blog Series.  If you missed the first two parts you can find them here:  Part 1 and Part 2.

In the last post we started to navigate in our Wordpress Dashboard and we installed a new theme on our blog.  Now we are ready to start adding some content.

7.  Adding Widgets
Adding Widgets is really important.  Widgets are what you find in the Sidebar of your Blog.  Some widgets add functionality for navigating through your blog.  Some widgets help to highlight people who are visiting your blog or leaving comments.  Spend some time looking through the widgets that are available with your theme.

You will find the Widgets in the Appearance section of the menu in your Dashboard.

I have recorded two short videos to show you how to find and add the widgets.  In these videos you will also see how to add two important widgets that will not come with Continue reading →

This is Part 2 of the How to Start a Blog series.  If you missed Part 1 click here.  We left off on Part 1 with setting up a Hosting account.

3.  Changing your Nameservers
After you set up your hosting account you will need to change the Nameservers on your domain.  You will want to find the Domain Manager after you log in to the account you set up where you purchased your domain.  (If you purchased your domain from the same company that you purchased your hosting from you won’t need to do this.)

So where do you find your Nameservers?  You should have received an email from your hosting company that gives you your nameservers.  If you can’t find that email, they should also be listed in your Cpanel.

This sounds much more complicated than it is, but if you are feeling overwhelmed, call your hosting company and they will be able to help you.

4.  Installing Wordpress
The next step is Installing Wordpress.ORG to your website.  I believe that most of the Hosting Companies have done a lot to simplify the process of installing Wordpress.  Many even have a one click install option.

I have come across some blogs where people from a more technical background recommend that you don’t use these easy installers, but I am not one of the techie bloggers.  When I started my blog I was told to use the Fantastico program in the Cpanel of my HostGator account, and that is what I did.

I won’t pretend to understand the difference, but if you are feeling brave and would like to try the more advanced method of installing Wordpress my friend Kimberly Castleberry has some video tutorials that may help you.  Click here for that video.

To install Wordpress the easy way you want to log in to your Cpanel (Control Panel).  To do this go to www.(yourdomain).com/cpanel.

Scroll down in your Cpanel until you find the Software/Services section and double click on Fantastico De Luxe.

You will see the section for Blog along the left.  You want to select the Wordpress option.  Then you will see an option on the right for New Installation.  You will then need to set up your Wordpress Account including your Username and Password.

Make note of  the username and password that you create.  You will need them to log in to the Dashboard of your new Blog.  This is something that you will be using a lot for as long as you continue to work on you blog.

5.   Using your Wordpress Dashboard
The next thing you want to do is log in to your Wordpress Dashboard.  To get to your Dashboard you want to go to www.(yourdomain).com/wp-admin.  I have recorded a short video to show you how to Navigate through your dashboard.

6. Changing the Theme on your Blog
The theme that you start with is pretty plain and boring.  You definitely want to change it to make your blog more unique and eye catching.  Changing themes is really simple.  Don’t stress to much about finding the PERFECT theme.  You can always change it later.  You just want to find something that you like to get you started while you begin to add content and build up your following.

Here is another short video to show you where to find themes and how to change them.

We will talk about adding Posts and Customizing your blog with Widgets and Plugins in the next post.  In the mean time here is another post that will help you to see the big picture of how to be successful with blogging and some action tips that you can start taking now even before you have your blog completely set up.

If you are ready for more go to How to Start a Blog (Part 3)!

I just finished watching the final Olympic Hockey game between Team USA and Team Canada.  It is so hard to see the US players look so disappointed when they performed so well.

I have been thinking a lot over the last two weeks about what it means to be an Olympic Athlete.   What does it take to become good enough to compete in the Olympics?  For most it means that from a very young age you pursue your sport with such dedication that you give up the distractions that most kids enjoy.  I can’t decide if I think that is a good thing or a bad thing.

On one hand I think it is great that they have found that one thing that they can do very well, that they love enough to dedicate four years practicing countless hours every day to become the best that they can be.  After all, isn’t that exactly what we are trying to do with blogging?  Finding that one thing that we do very well, that we love enough to sacrifice doing what most people do until we reach a certain level of success.

I think it is great that these young athletes are supported to follow their passions and their dreams.  I am impressed by the mindset they must have developed to compete at such a high level and to handle the pressure of the entire world watching.

On the other hand, I worry about what happens when their Olympic career is over.   Most of these athletes retire from their sports at what most of us consider to be a very young age.  So here you have young people, with most of their lives left, who find themselves in the position where they can no longer do that one thing that they love.  The one thing that they have focused nearly every waking moment on for probably as long as they can remember.  Will they ever be able to find something else that they enjoy as much?

So I am not sure if I would want my son to be an Olympic Athlete.  I can remember my parents telling me in school that I should join as many different clubs/sports as possible.  That I wanted to be WELL ROUNDED.  I can see the benefit of being well rounded.  In being well rounded though, are we preventing ourselves from discovering our true passion?  Should we not pursue that one thing whole-heartedly to avoid having a hard time adjusting to life when that thing is gone?

This is probably one of those times that my parents have unintentionally passed on a limiting belief.

It makes me grateful that we are not in an Industry where there is only one winner.  You don’t have to come in first to feel successful and hold your head up high.  You also don’t have to start at a young age.  Anyone can start at any stage in their life and still reach any goal they set.  Which also means that there is no time limit on how long you can continue to enjoy doing what you love.

There is a lot that we can learn from the tenacity, determination, and focus of the Olympic Athletes, but I know that I would not want to trade places with them.  I am completely happy exactly where I am, with my family every day!

I would love to hear your thoughts on the Olympics!  What did you take away from the last two weeks?

As you may already know, my son Carter is 3 years old.  He has recently discovered the Disney Movie Toy Story. I’m not quite sure why he likes it as much as he does, but he watches it at least 5 times a day.  As soon as it is over he asks us to push play and start it again.

I forgot what a great movie it is.

I love the part when Buzz Lightyear is first introduced in Andy’s room and he is convinced that he is a real Space Ranger with the ability to fly.  Woody (the cowboy) asks him to prove it.

Buzz puts his arms out, says “To Infinity and Beyond” and leaps of the bed.  He bounces head first off of a ball and then lands on his feet on a car sitting at the top of a loop de loop track.  He rides the car up the loop, back down and is finally thrown up in the air where he is caught by an airplane that is suspended from the ceiling by a string.  He spins around faster and faster on the airplane until he is thrown from the airplane and lands back on the bed as all of the other toys applaud (except for Woody).

Woody tells Buzz that he wasn’t flying, he was falling with STYLE.

It isn’t until later in the movie that Buzz realizes that he is just a toy, and that he can’t fly after all.  He is so depressed and completely loses his will to live.   He doesn’t even attempt to escape from Andy’s evil next door neighbor (I think his name is Sid) who has taped him to a rocket.

I don’t want to tell you the whole movie, in case you haven’t seen it yet, so I will just skip to the part where Woody and Buzz are able to light the rocket while Buzz is still taped to it.  They use the rocket to try to catch Andy’s moving van.   Just before the rocket explodes Buzz opens his wings, cutting the tape and he and Woody begin to glide safely down towards the moving van.  Instead of gliding easily into the back of the moving van with the rest of the toys, Buzz glides over the van.  Woody asks Buzz why he missed the van.   Just before they fall into the sunroof of the car that Andy is riding in Buzz tells him they weren’t aiming for the van.

So why am I talking about Toy Story?

Partly because when it comes down to it, I am a Mom, and when I’m not working I am playing with toys and watching kid movies.  Aside from that though, I love the lessons that this movies teaches and how those lessons relate to our journey toward success.

I think that Buzz demonstrates that you don’t have to be able to fly to be exceptional.

You can still accomplish great things when you fall with STYLE.   Some people might consider falling to be FAILING, but there is nothing wrong with failing.  Failing is inevitable on the journey to success.  You have to fail in order to learn what you need to change or improve.  Failure is a temporary thing as long as you keep trying.

The other great lesson from Toy Story that I feel relates to success is that you can’t allow yourself to stop aiming for your ultimate goal.  It would have been much easier (and safer) for Buzz to glide into the  back of the moving van and join all of the other toys, but Buzz wasn’t willing to settle for that.  Just like we shouldn’t be willing to settle for joining the majority of the people we know who are taking the easy and safe road to life.  To reach our ultimate goals, and live the lives that will truly make us happy, we need to keep aiming for what we really want.

So what does this mean for you?

It means don’t be afraid to fail.  Don’t be afraid to try to do something that you have never done before.  All you need to do is start taking steps towards your goals.  After you start taking those steps, don’t be tempted to take the easy way out.  Keep going until you reach your ultimate goal.

It will be worth it when you get there!

I stumbled across a video this weekend that really pulled me in.  It was a documentary about people who had been laid off called Lemonade.  There were interviews with several people from the Advertising industry who recounted the events of their layoffs and how they felt as it happened.  I was very inspired by the people in the video.  They used their experiences and their new found freedom to discover what they really wanted to do in their lives.

I can definitely relate with the stories that they told.  I was laid off a little over 3 years ago when I was 7 months pregnant with my son.  Before I was laid off I was struggling with what I would do when my son was born.  I had always known that I didn’t want to put my children in daycare, but I was having a heard time giving up my IT salary that I had worked so hard to earn.

I can’t really say that I was surprised to be one of the 15 people who were part of the layoff that day.  I was the newest and least experienced person in my department, and if I am totally honest, my heart had not been in the job after finding out that I was pregnant.

I had never been fired before, and it is hard to realize that your company no longer values you as an employee.

Walking out of the building at about 9:30 AM I had no clue what to do or where to go.  It was very eye opening to realize how much of my identity had been determined by my occupation.  I had worked for the same company for 7 years and I was 29 at the time.

For the most part I was ecstatic to be free from my job.  I saw it as my perfect opportunity to find something that would allow me to be a full time parent like I had always dreamed.   I was excited to be able to enjoy the end of my pregnancy without having to drag myself into work every day whether I felt like it or not.

I spent the next few months developing an Inventory Management database for my Dad and his Industrial Fan business.  That eventually led to me taking over for my sister when she left for a “real” job after graduating with an Accounting degree.  It worked out perfectly.  I was able to bring my son to work with me, while helping my Dad in his business.

If you have recently been laid off, I would highly recommend watching the video.  Take some time to really think about what you want to do with your life.  Try to allow yourself to think about what you would want to do if money weren’t an issue.  It doesn’t need to be something that you think will make you rich.  Sometimes having the opportunity to do something you love everyday is more important that what you can afford to buy.

You never know what opportunities will present themselves when you are doing what you love.

If you identify what you are truly passionate about and you would like help starting a blog about it, give me a call 410-984-3076 or send me an email melissa@melissawrightjourney.com.  I would love to help you get started!

Do you ever wonder why most people will quit Network Marketing businesses in the first 3 months? Why is it that only the top 3% make 97% of the income earned by each company? Is it because only the SPECIAL or NATURALLY TALENTED people are able to succeed in this industry?  If you are just getting started with a Network Marketing business or are considering starting one, It is crucial that you understand the answers to these questions.

There is nothing from your past that determines whether you will be successful or not.

For the most part this is good new.  ANYONE, regardless of their background or any skills they may have (or not have) when they get started, is capable of becoming one of the top earners in any company.  Does that mean that everyone will be successful?  Absolutely Not!

The biggest reason that I see that causes people to fail is most people are not able to stay focused on one thing long enough to make it work.  Network Marketers are notorious for constantly looking for that next big thing, or that next big launch to join before the big wave.  If you stay in a company long enough you will begin to see people who seem to be pumped up about the company and a few weeks later they are sending you emails about this new company that will bring you in some fast money.

If your goal is to become one of the top 3% in your company, do yourself a favor and stay away from all of the distractions out there.  If you have already chosen the right company and you are truly passionate about what that company has to offer, then everything else out there will only keep you from reaching your goals.

This is something that you need to be aware of when you choose a mentor in your business.  This may be the person who introduced you into your business or someone else that you look up to.  Make sure you choose a mentor that is totally committed to your company.  Make sure it is not someone who always seems to have one ear on the ground trying to find the next quick buck.  There are some people in the industry who seem to make some money by jumping from one company to the next, bringing their “team” with them.  What you need to realize is that this is not a system you will likely be able to duplicate.  Unless you have your own “team” of people willing to follow you, you will never make the same kind of money.  It will be hard to build up a following when you continue to jump from opportunity to opportunity.

It will not be easy, but it will be well worth it in the end!

What you need to do to reach your goals:

1.   Find a company that you LOVE (where you are doing something you would like to do even if you never got paid for it).

2.   Commit to that company, for as long as it takes, NO MATTER WHAT!

3.   Ignore all of the other companies, opportunities, and launches.

4.   Work on acquiring the skills that you need to be successful (communication, marketing, leadership, etc…)

5.   Immerse yourself in Personal Development every day.

6.   Make sure that everything you do will get you closer to your end goal.

“This one step – choosing a goal and staying to it – changes everything.” – Scott Reed

If you need help improving your marketing skills sign up for my FREE Social Media course.  I would be happy to help you in any way I can!

To your success!

I decided today to add a new Category to my blog to highlight some of the important people who have helped to guide me on my wonderful journey.  I think it is very fitting to start with one of the great leaders who has helped me to get started with this blog and in the world of Social Media.

I recently attended a course called Tribe Mastermind Intensive 1.0.  Sometimes my fellow tribe mates and I refer to the course as T.M.I., which is generally the acronym for Too Much Information. My problem before this course was Too Much Information… Too much information, from too many sources, and I didn’t know where to start or who to listen to.  It didn’t take me long to realize that this course was the best solution for that problem, and I owe it to our wonderful Tribe leaders. Nick Logan, Ken Pickard, Jon Alfredsson, Michael Feil, Kary Rogney, and Eric Goldstein.  If you want to hear more about my experience,  read my post about the power of Tribe Syndication.  http://melissawrightjourney.com/the-power-of-tribe-syndication/

Today I want to introduce you to Kary Rogney.  Kary started the course of teaching us all how to get our blogs started even if we didn’t even have a domain name yet.  Kary has a great way of simplifying the process and making even the technical stuff seem much less daunting.

Kary started his blog in August 2009 and has had tremendous success on his blog in his first 6 months.  The reason that Kary has had so much success is because he offers tons of valuable content on his blog and because he truly understands the concept of Tribe Syndication and finding a group of like minded people who all work to make the entire Tribe successful.

Check out what Kary posted on his blog today.  This is the perfect testament to the great content that Kary provides and the great insight that he has gained as a leader.  Kary’s post is titled The Attitudes and Actions of Successful Entrepreneurs. In this post Kary gives a list of 11 Attitudes that one must have to be successful as an entrepreneur and the actions that are most supportive of those attitudes.

If you are serious about learning about Social Media and are ready to be guided to getting yourself established on the Internet as quickly and cost effectively as possible make sure you sign up for my 8 Day Bootcamp on the right.