laws to success – Be That Girl Now

Time to Shoelerize with this Awesome Giveaway!

Last year at the Women’s Show in Toronto, I was introduced to something that changed my accessorizing life…Shoelery! Just as the name suggests, Shoelery IS jewelery for my shoes!

There were so many amazing pieces of jewelry for my shoes that I had a hard time choosing, so I ended up filling up a box full of these beauties!

The thing I love most about shoelery is that you can change your look simply by adding a different piece of shoelery! My favorite pieces so far have been the boot jewelry and the zip on fur. Shoelery can add sparkle, pizzazz and excitement to your favorite, most comfortable pairs of shoes. Another bonus is the price…These gorgeous pieces are affordable priced, so you can use your budget to buy good shoes, and then stock up on Shoelery to make it look like you have millions of pairs…sneaky and awesome!

Your husband will think you’ve really gone off the deep end with shoe buying, but you can reassure him that you are actually saving money and buying less shoes! (Whatever it takes, ladies!).

I travel a lot, and I have to look great all the time, especially when I am on TV! Trying to pack millions of pairs of shoes just doesn’t work, especially with the new weight and bag restrictions at the airport. Having Shoelery can make it feel like you have 8 pairs of shoes with you when you only really packed 2. Freedom of choice ladies, even when you travel!

Tina’s Vote for Shoelery[rating=5]

Enter to WIN your copy of Be That Girl PLUS a $40 or $100 Giftcard from Shoelery!
See below for entry details.

To Enter the Giveaway:
1. “Like” Be That Girl on Facebook.
2. “Like” Shoelery on Facebook.
3. Leave a comment telling us how many pairs of shoes you need to “Shoelerize“!
Contest runs from March 27 to April 18, 2013!

Can’t wait to start SHOELERIZING? Here is an Exclusive Offer from Be That Girl…Happy Shopping!

10% off SHOELERY by Erica Giuliani – jewelery for your shoes!
Shoelerybyeg.com
Enter offer code BETHATGIRL2013 at checkout to receive
discount.

Can Anyone Cook Dinner? I put Sandi Richard’s New Cookbook to the Test.

I have been using Sandi Richard’s line of Meal Planning Cookbooks for over 10 years now. I am a raving fan! I buy every one of her books because they have taught me how to meal plan, her meals are easy, delicious, and healthy and even my husband can follow the recipes!

Her newest cookbook is entitled Anyone Can Cook Dinner
I decided to put Sandi’s book title promise to the test in my own home with my 8 year old daughter Trinity.

We used Sandi’s printable grocery list to purchase all of the items for our week of dinners. It is so nice to know that you have everything on hand for 5 healthy meals!

I let Trinity choose what she wanted to make out of the 5 meals.

I will admit, I was nervous. Was my daughter ready to cook? When is the right time to start showing your kids how to cook? It was time to see what she could do.

Trinity’s dinner choice…Tuna Tetrazzini with Corn & Peas.

Trinity read over the recipe. First thing Sandi tells you to do is take out all of the tools you will need, which are nicely detailed under the equipment list. Trinity did as she was instructed and pulled everything out.

Next, Trinity gathered up all of the ingredients as instructed and laid them out on the counter.

She followed the easy step by step instructions to prepare one of her first real meals by herself.

I was in the kitchen the entire time just for support and to answer any questions. I was pleasantly surprised!

Trinity excelled at cooking! She was so excited to embark on this cooking adventure, and I could tell how proud she was of herself. Just that fact that I was turning over the kitchen to her made her smile!

While the dinner was in the oven, Trinity set the table and even prepared a menu for our family to show what we were having.

It was amazing to watch my little girl succeed in the kitchen. As parents, I think we forget that it is our job to teach our kids how to be INDEPENDENT of us. An essential skill that we all need is cooking! It is amazing to see what skills children can learn in the kitchen…math, preparedness, cleanliness, healthiness…the list goes on!

It is time for us to stop doing everything ourselves, and let our children LEARN!

Sandi Richard has done it again! She is not only helping families get back to eating together, she is helping families learn to cook together! Give yourself permission to ask for help in the kitchen and you’ll create an amazing change in your family dynamics. Life is all about teamwork. Start introducing your children to the kitchen and cooking as early as you can. There is always something you can get your children doing…pulling out equipment, ingredients, washing and cutting vegetables, or just watching you and chatting with you about each others day.

Unlock the kitchen and let your children and your husbands in! Make it easy for them to prepare dinner by having everything on hand to prepare a meal, along with an easy to follow, no fail recipe. Plan meals as a family, and dinner will be a lot more fun. Reduce your stress by knowing what you are having for dinner tomorrow, and prepare for tomorrow’s dinner before you go to bed. It is not hard, especially when you use one of Sandi’s cookbooks. I truly believe ANYONE CAN COOK DINNER, if they are given the proper tools.

Thanks Sandi. Getting back to basics is easier than I thought it would be. With 3 daughters, I’m hoping to be sipping my wine while I watch my dinner being prepared. They cook, they clean! Win-win!

Do books just know how to find their perfect reader?

Top 8 Reasons to Stay Home with your Family on Valentine’s Day…

Success Laws: Be careful what you wish for?

On January 10, 2013, I was reminded once again NOT to be careful what I wish for! Here is my crazy “little” story.

Our family has 2 vehicles, the “mom wagon” (The Mini Van), and the “fun car” (The Mini). While I was packing for the first part of my Canada book tour, I realized that my husband Ryan would need to keep the van to run the kids around, and I would have to take the Mini on my tour. Taking the Mini to Edmonton was no issue…I was by myself and I only had one book signing to deliver books to. My tour to Western Canada, on the other hand, involved driving from Calgary to various cities in British Columbia, including Kelowna, Vancouver and Victoria. The BC trip would involve myself, my faithful book partner and cousin, Julie, and for a few days, my incredible niece, Brooke. Three high maintenance girls with luggage, twelve boxes of books and eight days of intense road tripping through the Rocky Mountains in winter was not going to work in the Mini. I started freaking out, and wondering what I would do. I discussed my options with my Business Manager, and she cleverly suggested that I try to switch vehicles with one of my family members. I knew I had a bit of time to think about my options (a week!), but I knew I was not satisfied with taking the Mini to BC. I put my “issue” out to the Universe and decided not to worry any longer. Plus, I had my Edmonton trip to worry about first!

While I packed the Mini for my Edmonton trip, I was surprised at how much room there was. I was also surprised at how much luggage one girl could need for two days! My trip to Edmonton was incredible…two tv appearances and two book signings, and then it was time to head home. When I left Edmonton, the weather was beautiful and the roads were clear, but I knew I was headed back home to a blizzard in Calgary. While I drove out of Edmonton, I consciously put my “Invisible Shield” on, cranked the tunes and started singing my heart out. Almost halfway through my drive, I heard a huge **SMASH**, and then heard the sound of wind coming into the car. While trying not to swerve all over the highway, I looked around the car. All of the windows were in tact, so I looked up. There was a huge hole in the roof where the sunroof had once been…and I was alive! The retractable mesh screen on the sunroof saved my life. I was AMAZED that I had survived.

I did not stop the car. I called Ryan (handsfree), and he told me to pull over as soon as possible. Luckily for me, Red Deer was just 10 minutes away. I pulled over and opted for a gas station with bright lights. I got out of the car, looked at the broken glass all over the car and in the sunroof, and I had no idea what to do.

I was about to get back in my car and cry when two guys in a big black truck stopped in front of me and asked if I needed help. At that point, I didn’t know what I needed!

My “Knights in Shining Black Truck”, Chris and Justin, reversed in beside me and assessed the situation. It was freezing outside that night (-15 degrees C). Chris went to work pulling out chunks of glass from the top of the car, while Justin went to ask inside for tape so they could seal the hole. These boys were troopers! There was no tape at the gas station we were at, so they drove to a different gas station, purchased a roll of strong tape and came back to me. They proceeded to tape a black garbage bag down to the top of the Mini. Poor Chris had cut himself on the glass and was bleeding, but that did not stop him from sealing that hole!

We proceeded to exchange contact information. They gave me their business cards, and I gave them each a signed copy of my book. As if what they had done for me was not enough, they said “hey, we’re heading back to Calgary too. Why don’t you follow us?”. So I did.

It was only an hour and a half to home. The roads were still clear when we left Red Deer, but within a half an hour we ran into a blizzard. It was dark, and the snow was coming down so hard it was like a whiteout! I stuck right close to my new friends, and trusted them to get me home. As I drove behind them, I felt protected, safe and happy. I could not stop smiling the whole way home, even though my fingers were gripping the steering wheel and the wind was howling loudly into my car. Once we hit Calgary, I took my
turnoff and I watched my “Knights” go riding off down the Deerfoot. The plastic bag stayed on the whole way home.

The Mini is in the sho 015 p awaiting a new sunroof from Germany so I ended up getting a rental Mini Van through my insurance company to take on my trip to British Columbia…so big, so comfortable, and so safe! Just what I wanted.
I contacted my “Knights” to thank them for not only keeping me warm on the way home, but also for ensuring that I made it home on those crazy Alberta roads. Surprisingly, one of them responded to me by saying “I am a believer in Karma, and greater forces in the Universe…was beginning to lose a little faith in the universe lately but meeting you let me know that I should never have doubted anything!”

The “morals” of my story…

I don’t know what smashed my sunroof, and I will probably never know. Sometimes, the little details don’t matter.
Ask, and you shall receive.
Things do not always happen the way you think they will, and that is OK!
The Universe is ALWAYS watching out for those who ask for, and are grateful, for help.
Be thankful to be alive!
“Situations” ARE “Opportunities” when you think positively.
Don’t be careful what you wish for. Just keep your wishes awesome.
You never know when you will meet amazing people who have something for you.
THERE ARE NO COINCIDENCES.

Enjoy your life, smile more, have more fun, relax, laugh, don’t worry, and hug each other. These are the things that really matter. Namaste!

Tina O’Connor

President & CEO

Be That Books Inc.

Publishing the Best Books for Self Help.

• www.bethatgirlnow.com

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Practice Win-Win when dealing with your kids.

Practice Win-Win when dealing with your kids.

Moms are always telling their children what to do and how to do it. Mothers know best! In a perfect world, our children would just listen intently to every word of wisdom that we give them, and they would follow every direction we gave them. If they listened to us, we could prevent their heartaches and headaches.

We tell our children what to do, and what not to do, because we, as adults have had more experiences, and we have learned what happens when we do, or do not do, certain things. We, as adults, understand what consequences are. Yet we would like to shelter our own children from experiencing consequences. Why should they have to go through what we went through? We can prevent it! We can shelter them, shield them and protect them by telling them what they should do.

As much as we would like to keep our children in a bubble of perfectness, we as Mom’s need to start thinking about helping our children progress and learn independence through other means.

Our job as parents is to help our children learn to be independent of us…how to thrive on their own (not really what we moms had in mind… won’t they always need us?). By focusing on making their choices for them (telling them what to do), we end up protecting them. This soothes our motherly souls, but can cause tension between parents and children and is not a great long term solution.

Children need to learn the value of a consequence. “If I do this, then this will happen”. Instead of focusing on telling your kids what to do, focus on helping them learn about results.

Let’s look at an example. It is a freezing cold day, and you need to get your 5 year old to kindergarten on time, and you are already running a bit behind schedule already. Your 5 year old is amazing, sweet, and stubborn, and refuses to put their jacket on. You spend 5 minutes explaining to your child how cold it is outside and that they will surely freeze to death if they do not put their jacket on. Your child spends that 5 minutes screaming “no” to you. In the end, you wrestle your child into that jacket and there are a lot of tears and the stress level is high. But you have won! Your sweet angel has that jacket on, and you know that they are protected and warm. Your child is sobbing and upset that you would not listen to them! But you know what is best for them…your child needs to listen to you.

Let’s look at another way of handling this. Instead of arguing with your child, allow them to experience a consequence. You have told your child once calmly that it is very cold outside and that they need to put their jacket on (be sure you make eye contact with them, get down to their level to ensure that they really hear you…their brains process things quickly and they may have a hard time focusing). When they refuse to put their jacket on, simply say “okay, that is your decision not to put your jacket on”. Then proceed to leave as usual. It won’t take long until they complain about how cold they are. In this situation, you will have brought their jacket with you, and when they complain about the cold, you will put it on them, and say something like “thank goodness for nice, warm jackets! Next time, let’s try putting your jacket on before you get too cold.”

In the second example, both Mom and child are less frustrated. Of course, Mom is still worried about her child, but she would never allow her child to be in a situation that was unsafe. Mom knew that this would be a good learning experience for her child. The child now knows that if they go outside without a jacket, they will be very cold, therefore they need to put their jacket on before.

Your child may also learn over time that what you are telling them is actually true. (“My mom did say that it was going to be freezing cold without my jacket, and it was. Perhaps I should listen to my mom next time!”). No one wants to be told what to do. It can be hard to rationalize with a 2 year old (or a 5 year old, or a 13 year old, or a 40 year old!)

Everyone learns more deeply when they have an opportunity to experience it themselves.

Reduce your own stress, and theirs, by breaking down the walls of protection. Let them make choices, and allow them to deal with the consequences of those choices and actions, and you will immediately create a more positive and respectful relationship.

You are an amazing Mom! Be sure to reward yourself today… Buy yourself some flowers, or give yourself 20 minutes of free time for a bath, shower, or to read a good book. You deserve to feel like a queen for 20 minutes every day. Go GIRL!

Tina O’Connor, BsC Psych.
President & CEO
www.bethatgirlnow.com
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8 Laws to Success from Be That Girl!

8 Amazing ways to Kick Start your Success.

Be more successful and GET MORE out of your life with these simple, tried and true techniques that will actually help you get better results! I use these strategies every day to continuously create the life of my dreams. Do as I do, and you’ll start feeling more amazing about your life today!

Get a Life Coach. My Coach helped me discover how to love myself more and how to talk better to myself. This is a must for anyone, especially the people who do not think they need it. I used to ‘Be That Person’, and I am much happier with the person I have evolved into because of the life coaching process. I always recommend Tools to Life…it’s FREE and totally life changing!
Write it down…period. Write everything with your own hand using pen (pencil) and paper. Write down your dreams, your goals, your successes, your to-do lists, your grocery lists, your thoughts and your feelings. Kick start your success with writing!
How are you defining yourself? You are the person you are today because you are defining yourself that way. You are beautiful, sexy, successful, calm and amazing because you tell yourself that you are these things. Don’t be modest…you are incredible and you should feel great about that! You have full control over who you are. Know with everything in your body that you can RE-define yourself into whoever you want to be right now, and you will do it. See That Girl and then Be That Girl!
Prioritize! What makes you successful…how will you know when you have succeeded? What do you truly want? You can have it all, but you have to know what all is! When you have absolute clarity about what you want, you will be able to prioritize everything around that. It will become easier to make choices about how you spend your time and your resources when you are focused. NB: Your priorities and wants will change all the time. Be sure you are checking in with yourself every 6 months to ensure that your priorities are in line with what you want. Be selfish. This is YOUR life.
Be Organized! Clear your mind and allow for an influx of positivity by cleansing your external surroundings. Keep your spaces tidy and organized, and you will feel at ease when you approach new tasks. Plan to organize for 15 minutes. Set a timer and be done when it goes off. Think about leaving every space in the “ready” position. It is so easy to prepare a healthy, meal when the kitchen is clean and you have planned your supper. Bedrooms are more relaxing and inviting when they are neat and the bed is made, and tidy offices will always be more efficient. Break your attachment to things. Simplify as much as possible. Ensure that everything has a place and it will make it easier to put things away, even for children. If you do not have a place for something, you must either get rid of something else, or get rid of that item. Be ruthless with yourself. Your mind will thank you.
Just do it! And do it NOW! Thinking about doing something is always much more intense than just actually doing it. So, don’t think too much…just do! Consider skydiving, for example. Just the thought of jumping out of an airplane can elicit a panic attack in some people. But let’s just say that one day you wake up on an airplane after being drugged by a super villain and your only escape is out the open door and you happen to have a parachute attached on your back… suddenly skydiving becomes an opportunity, and you might just do it! Consider every opportunity that comes your way, and when it seems right, jump! Get out of your comfort zone and you will grow!
Do as others have done before you. Look at other people who are already doing exactly what you want to do and model them. Filter the advice you take. Soak up advice from people who have done it before, and be wary of advice given by others who have not.
ASK for what you want. Have complete faith that the Universe will bring you what you have asked for. Meditate on what you want for 5 minutes every morning. See it, do it!

One of my favorite rock band quotes is from a Trooper song; “If you don’t like what you got, why don’t you change it? If your world is all screwed up, rearrange it!”

You are in control of where you are today, and where you will be tomorrow, so take the reins and make a change right now! I cannot wait to hear about your success, so keep in touch!

Tina O’Connor, BsC Psych.

www.bethatgirlnow.com

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Success Law: Give, and you shall Receive!

Tonight we went out for supper to one of our favorite restaurants. Tuesdays happen to be “Kids Eat Free”, so it was the perfect night to take a night off from cooking dinner at home.

To really enhance this family night out, the restaurant hires a balloon animal maker to entertain the children. Our children waited patiently for “Twisting Tex” to make it to our table. Payton chose a giraffe,and then Kayley chose a mermaid. “Twisting Tex” designed two beautiful masterpieces for the girls. Trinity was anxiously awaiting her turn, when “Twisting Tex” said he had to go to another table who had been waiting and was ready to leave. Trinity looked heartbroken. We explained to her that we still had to eat our dinner, so we would be there for a while and had lots of time, while the other people were on their way out and had been waiting. As promised, “Twisting Tex” did return to our table. He only had time to do a “surprise” for Trinity, and she ended up with a beautiful dolphin. We were his last table. While our girls played with their balloons, I watched the sad eyes of the balloon-less children following “Twisting Tex” as he walked out the door at the end of his shift.

We finished our supper, and suddenly Trinity said “I think this is going to make me feel so good!” She had spotted a young girl who was sitting with her parents, and who was obviously enamored with the balloon animals our girls had gotten. Trinity walked right over and gave that little girl her balloon dolphin. She came back to the table with a huge grin on her face and said “that made me feel so good!”

Make it a priority in your life to be helpful, and giving, to others. What goes around comes around, so when you help others, you are securing future help and gifts for yourself. So be selfish and help others around you starting today! Namaste.

Success Law: Find your path.

Discover your true passions in life, and then chase them with an intense focus. Find your path, and follow it!

Once you are following your path, you will encounter forks…choices will need to be made on which route to take. Always use your intuition to make the right choice. Your heart and soul know which path to take, so listen to them. Your path will change over time. Paths can suddenly change direction, and if you do not maintain your path, overgrowth may make it difficult to continue on. Obstacles, like trees or boulders, may block your path entirely.

When you find yourself stuck on your path for whatever reason, there is always something you can do to keep moving forward. First, enjoy a small rest and a picnic. Recharge yourself and focus your energy by slowing down, breathing, and allowing your mind to give you the answers you are seeking. Do not stay here for too long!

In your journey through life, change is the only constant. There is energy flowing all around you, and you have control over how that energy is focused in your life. When you feel stuck, change something! You have the power. You create your own paths in life. Keep yours clear by putting in effort consistently, and be prepared to do whatever it takes to keep moving forward. You may be required to build bridges, climb mountains, jump in lakes, or take leaps off of your path in search of better ones. Just do something.

Find your path, follow it, and be prepared to do anything to keep moving. Namaste.

Success Law: Don’t Just Think…Do!

To get where you want to go, you have got to take action!

You need to keep your dreams and your end goals in mind and focus on them, but you will not get there unless you take some action! You can’t just think…you need to do!

In University, I focused on Neuroscience, and I got a lot of exposure to rats and surgical gloves! I remember the day that my professor demonstrated a rat perfusion, basically clearing the rats brain with saline and then putting the furry little guy in the rat guillotine and saying “off with his head!”. The brain was then removed and frozen in preparation for slicing. Honestly, I was just in shock watching this…it literally freaked me out!

Oddly enough, I still jumped at the chance to work in a neuroscience lab, which required me to do rat perfusions every day. The first time I performed the operation, it was not the same as watching it, or thinking about it. I was just focused on performing all of the actions properly, and collecting the research data, which would be found within the amazing brain I was preparing. Not as scary as I thought at all!

Thinking and doing are very different. You can scare the pants off yourself with your own thoughts, and your own imagination about how things might go. So, don’t think too much. Assess opportunities logically and then start taking action. Just do it!

You can “prepare” for things to happen, but they will not actually happen unless you “do” things. So take the next step.

Do something that you’ve been scared to do today! It will be less scary than you thought…trust me! Your dreams are calling, and it’s time to start answering. Have a superb week.