It’s simple! And it costs you nothing except a little of your time to enter.

All you have to do is post a VIDEO TESTIMONIAL (on Youtube) saying how you have used my products and how it has helped you.

The only rule is you must state the name of the report, information, book, program, audio, video, whatever, in the testimonial and refer to where you found it – and the website name you need to type in the description box is:

http://www.TerriLevineRecommends.com

This is where I now keep all my products and this is where you will find any products you’ve purchased in the past that may have been on a different site back then.

Then send the testimonial video URL to me at t@coachinstitute.com so I can go check it out.

If it is good, you will win a Flip Video Camera.

How easy is that!

T

This is advance notice.

The advance warning is about something you should DEFINITELY do, if you possibly can.

In this economy intelligent people are crying out for proven ideas on how to build their business and make a lot of profits.

So many people are asking for my help that I am opening up 3 hour blocks of time inviting the right people to my home in the Philadelphia PA area to help them in their business.

If you, too, like the idea learning my business and marketing on and off line ideas, you’ll be interested in this invitation.

You are invited to come to my home and work with me while we have some sandwiches and beverages for a full 3 hours, hands on, where I help you with your business success.  I won’t offer you additional services, won’t follow up with you, won’t coach you and will teach you hands on how to make your business more profitable.

I have several days coming up quickly to help you directly.

Yes: it is short notice – but I hope you are in a hurry to succeed. I am certainly in a hurry to help you do so!

Let’s face it, in times like these it doesn’t pay to sit around thinking about doing something. The sooner you act, the sooner you’ll see results, and I’m here to help you do so.

So, please RSVP straight away.

Respond to t@coachinstitute.com if you want to reserve a date.

The investment for 3 hours of my time to build your business is only $3,000 – but I only have a couple of dates open.

So, let’s see if we can find a date and if so, and only if so, will I request your credit card.

No payment plans.

This is only for serious folks who know my phone time for 3 hours is more than what I am asking for live lunches with me!

I really hope to see you at my home shortly,

T

Go to:  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Sell-Without-Selling/Terri-Levine/e/9781600374647/?itm=1&USRI=sell%2Bwithout%2Bselling

Some people work overtime because they have to, and some because they want to, and some people avoid it at all costs.  Putting in extra time can help you and be a smart career move – if done wisely!  The secret is balance and getting recognized for your extra efforts.

Depending on who you ask, you will get varying answers to the question of whether working overtime is worth it or not.  The general consensus of opinion is negative, with research finding that working overtime has been linked to anxiety and depression. Yet clearly, not everyone who works overtime suffers either of these conditions… so what gives?

In pretty much every country in the world, workers are busy working overtime, whether it is staying at work longer, taking work home with them during the week and on weekends or even taking it on holidays with them.  When you work overtime, you are missing out on precious time you could be spending with family and friends or doing activities that make your life fulfilling and enjoyable and that contribute to your physical and mental health and wellbeing. Working overtime can also provide valuable extra income or flexible hours when you can take time off during the day when you need to, that is, provided you have a mutually satisfying agreement with your employer to enable that.

A business will most likely never ask you to stop doing overtime if they don’t have an agreement with you in place to compensate you, because the extra productivity they are getting at your expense costs them nothing!  The extra productivity helps them move towards their goals more quickly – they’re not about to complain.

The problem is what are you getting out of doing all that extra overtime?  What goals of your own are being worked towards or achieved, such as a promotion… payrise… bonus… etc.

Doing overtime is not a problem if it is something you rarely need to do and when you do it, you are compensated in some way.  It becomes a problem when you are doing it regularly for no more reward and your own goals are not being achieved.

Some people are required to work extra hours as part of a productivity agreement, but with this there is known  and mutually agreed compensation, however, what about those people who are doing overtime because they are overloaded with work and this is the only way they can keep on top of things? When this occurs constantly and there is no easing up, this will lead to anxiety and poor  health.  For your physical and emotional well-being, you need “time out” to relax and recharge your batteries. If you don’t, you will suffer burn out.  Not only is this detrimental to the individual, it will wreak havoc with their productivity at work.  In the long run, requiring an employee to continuously work overtime will backfire.

Some people are natural work horses and thrive on working extra hours in their career, regardless of whether the extra time is acknowledged and compensated for or not.  These are people who are also climbing a ladder of sorts, hoping for promotion, salary increases, time off, etc. or maybe they have other vested interests – either they are a part owner or shareholder.  Most other people are not programmed that way and need a more even work/life balance.  Even when compensated, too much overtime requirement is enough to lead to stress and loss of job satisfaction and productivity.

Those who are not particularly interested in their work in the first place are very likely to suffer anxiety and stresses when required to spend longer hours doing the very thing they dislike.  On the other hand, those who love what they do and maybe don’t even consider what they do “work”, are happy to put in the extra time with no ill effects.  Either way, it is only right that the benefits be mutual.

So, if a company wants to reach its goals quicker by getting more productivity out of its workforce and they are not prepared to put on extra staff and expect their existing staff to work overtime, what needs to be done? Compensating employees for extra productivity is a whole other article and it stands to reason that businesses must negotiate with their staff.  On an individual level, however, if an employee is suffering anxiety and stress having to do overtime, what do they need to do? 

A serious problem exists if employees are going into work early, working through breaks and staying back late on a regular basis because it is expected of them to do what it takes to get the job done. If this is rewarded and doesn’t happen every week and the employee is able to enjoy a healthy work/life balance for the majority of the time then there is no problem.  However, if this occurs regularly and the extra overtime isn’t putting a dent in your to-do list and you are not being recognized or rewarded, it’s time to speak up and review your situation. If you don’t, you are working for nothing.

When we start to arrive earlier, work through breaks, and stay back late, we often create a rod for our own back, especially if we say nothing.  You will be taken for granted and the company will think you are quite okay with what you are doing and may not even be aware you are working such long hours.  If you have created this habit for yourself, it is up to you to break it otherwise the extra time you are putting in will be expected from the company as opposed to being appreciated (and rewarded!)  Speak to your managers, explain you have created an unhealthy work/life balance for yourself and will be reverting to normal working hours in future, while making it clear they can still rely on you to meet deadlines and you will be there and put in the extra time when it is really needed – but not just as an everyday “habit”.

A common problem is getting management to notice that you are working overtime. After all, how can you expect any recognition and reward for doing overtime that only you know about? You can’t very well keep telling them how many long hours you are working without them wondering if you are cracking up!  You let them know subtly.  For example, if you hand over a report, when your manager says thanks, or if he makes a comment about how you made the deadline, just smile and casually say you stayed back to ensure its completion.  Another subtle way to announce the hours you are working is to send emails to your bosses from your work email while you are there working late.  This will prove what time you were at work because of the date/time of the email.  Likewise, respond to emails from your managers during these extra hours of overtime because again, it provides evidence by the date/time of your email.

If your overtime is a problem that needs your workload to be addressed by management, or you want to negotiate for a promotion or a payrise (or even an assistant to help you!), you will need more than subtle evidence to support your claims. If you are not required to use a timesheet, create your own record.  Keep note of the extra hours you work each day/week, and what you did during those hours – what you achieved. Companies will not be prepared to compensate you if you are just doing overtime to look impressive – they want to know you are really being productive for their benefit. You should not be doing daily overtime just to cover unimportant detail – overtime is for important and/or urgent activity. Keeping a record is also useful when review time comes around.

Now, if you are working overtime that is necessary and you are not being compensated for those extra hours, you must speak up – but do it in a non-aggressive, non-threatening manner.  Don’t barge into your boss’s office demanding extra pay “or else!”  With your overtime record in your hands, negotiate. If you are an unfortunate employee whose company refuses to reward you for the extra time and they give you the message if you don’t like it, leave… you have the option of looking for a new job of course, but also of just not working overtime in future.  You cannot be sacked for working the hours you are paid to work, and while some agreements actually do cover the requirement for some overtime when needed, the emphasis here is on “some overtime when needed” – not overtime every day for no extra compensation.  If productivity suffers and your workload begins to get behind, you have evidence that something is wrong and that you brought it to their attention. It is up to the company to negotiate with you if you are willing to work a certain number of extra hours to keep up, or whether the workload needs to be redistributed more evenly.

When you are seen to be working 50 hours a week instead of the 40 hours you may be hired to do, it doesn’t stand out to management who become used to seeing you do that and they may even think you’re happy with that because you’ve not spoken up.  You also run the risk of having management think you are not competent or capable of achieving what they may consider a reasonable workload in the hours they pay you to achieve it.  Instead of looking productive, they may see you as a time waster who has to work later because you’re not smart enough! When you do overtime on a regular basis, even when it probably isn’t really necessary, you diminish the effect of working overtime in terms of company recognition.

When you want management to see you as leadership material, going the extra mile when needed, will help you achieve that.  You don’t want “Oh, that’s Jack working late… it’s okay, he’s always here at that time.” You want “Oh, wow… look at Jack working late tonight. Isn’t he a reliable guy!”  It’s not fair, but that is often how it can pan out – when you do it every day, it becomes the norm… and ignored.

So in a nutshell, keep a record, let it be known subtly, and speak up and negotiate… because you deserve it.

Want to win a free iPad?

Are you interested in having more income?

Review my book Sell Without Selling on your blog, personal or company web site on June 29th or June 30th and provide this link for people to get it at http://tinyurl.com/28ykazd and get one entry into the iPad contest.
Do You YouTube?
If so, you can get two more entries by simply doing a YouTube video review of the book and posting it June 29th or June 30th along with this link for people to get it at:  http://tinyurl.com/28ykazd.

Odds of Winning? 1 in 1000!
I am limiting this contest to 1000 unique entries, however, each unique entrant can have up to 5 entries based on the number of activities they complete .

 You MUST send the URL where your online, live review can be seen to admin@terrilevine.com upon which your name will be entered into the draw.

Good luck!

1. Build a mailing list of customers and potential customers. Do you ask for contact information on your website when people sign up for a newsletter or free product? Do you ask for contact info from people who contact you for information? Do you ask for contact info from people who attend your seminars or teleclasses? Do you encourage referrals from existing clients?

You don’t have to manage your list yourself, manually, although that is possible via email programs and online forums such as Yahoo Groups (free). You can use online services such as http://www.1shoppingcart.com and http://www.shoppingcartforcoaches.com, and http://www.constantcontact.com – all services that help you manage your client databases and also provide other services.

It is cheaper, easier and quicker to sell to an existing database of interested customers than have to continually seek out new customers.

2. Establish a newsletter – this can be an online ezine or a paper newsletter mailed. Of course, the online ezine is much cheaper to employ. A newsletter provides valuable information for your existing and potential clients, and establishes you as the expert. It also makes it easier to sell your valuable products and services. You can send a newsletter from your own email program until your database grows and as with any other database, you can find free as well as paid for services. You can send a newsletter via Yahoo Groups, www.1shoppingcart.com, www.topica.com, www.constantcontact.com and various other professional newsletter service providers.

3. Promote yourself! A press release that promotes you, your service or product is worth its weight in paid advertising, whether it be on line, in print, on radio or TV. It gives you and your product instant credibility, and with that comes new customers willing to trust you and give you a try. You can use a paid service, such as www.prweb.com or you can list your press releases on various free sites yourself. Another way to promote yourself is by writing articles, which can be distributed on many free sites providing another source of credibility. Make sure you also upload some of your articles on www.ideamarketers.com which will enable others to use your articles in their own newsletters – you won’t get paid, but you will get a load of free publicity!

4. Another way to earn extra income is to hold seminars and teleclasses. Record them so you can sell the recording. If you have valuable information, people will pay for it. You don’t have to use expensive paid for services – services such as www.nocostconference.com will provide you with a teleclass number and record it for free. You can take registrations manually but it is easier to use a service such as http://www.shoppingcart.com which will handle payments, etc. (Yes, this is the same service that handles your database, your newsletter, autoresponders, etc.)

5. Make sure your website is user friendly and access to your products and services and ways to pay are user friendly. Promote your products and the direct URL to your shopping page to your newsletter, in press releases, articles and social networks.

6. Leverage your time and resources – find ways to make one thing go further. An e-book can become several articles and press releases, special reports and bonus giveaway docs, and a seminar or teleclass, for example.

7. Upgrade your skills and widen your service/product base. The more you have to offer, the more clients you can attract. Maybe you can partner up with somebody who offers complimentary services and products and offer each other’s lists your services. That way you don’t have to know everything, but being able to offer the extra services is attractive to customers and a win-win for you.

8. Do joint ventures – for the same reason as above. Joint ventures are designed to be a win-win for both partners. Which businesses could you do a joint venture with?

9. Can you automate some of your regular tasks thus saving you time and money? Are you doing something manually or paying somebody to do something manually that can be done in half the time by a new program?

10. If you are a coach or consultant, consider offering group coaching programs whereby you coach several clients at the same time in a group format rather than individually. You will still earn the same money, but you will save a lot of time which will enable you to explore other money making ventures. If you are in some other line of business, what can you do in your business that will enable you to achieve the same in less time while enjoying the same or higher income?

The Humpty Dumpty Syndrome: Putting Yourself Together After the Great Fall?

How many times have you heard someone say, “Losing my job was the best thing that ever happened to me!”  Does hearing this sentiment make you scratch your head in puzzlement?  How could something so negative be so positive?  What’s the person’s secret?

Few of us begin our careers with the intent of doing something else.  After all, we’ve invested quite a bit in getting to where we are.  Much like Humpty Dumpty, we proudly sit atop our wall of achievements and accomplishments giving little thought to doing anything else.  However, with today’s winds of change, it’s pretty likely that sometime in our working lives we will find ourselves tumbling from our safe perch. For most of us the great fall occurs when:

• Our job is eliminated through downsizing.
• Our company is acquired or merges with another company and the new situation no longer appeals to us.
• Our job stays the same but we just can’t get excited about it anymore.

So, after the great fall what are the secrets to putting yourself back together again – better than ever?      

Secret 1: Accept that you must let go of things from the past.  By its very definition, change begins with an ending.  Acknowledge the loss and your feelings associated with it.  Realize that it is perfectly normal to feel sadness and some confusion or chaos.  Seek support from friends, family members, a therapist or a personal coach.  Work through these feelings.  Don’t deny or ignore them.

Secret 2: Take a close look at your previous endeavors.  Consider each of your past jobs a “test drive”.  What are the lessons that can be learned?  What aspects did you enjoy?  What things did you tolerate?  What made your blood boil?  What energized you?  What were you most proud of accomplishing? Do you see any common threads appearing?

Secret 3: Get to know yourself really well.  It’s the best investment you can make in your future.  Identify your skills.  Listen to your desires.  Write a list of your needs and wants.  Look at the labels you’ve given yourself.  Embrace your values and special gifts.  Celebrate your passions.  Liberate yourself from the beliefs you drag around like a ball and chain.  While it may sound simple, this step can be quite daunting.  As the familiar saying goes, “It’s difficult to see the picture when you’re inside the frame.”  You can jumpstart this discovery process by partnering with someone who is objective, honest and dedicated to your success – such as a personal coach or a career counselor.  Working with a partner dramatically expands your perspective and keeps you anchored as you explore uncharted waters.

Secret 4: Create a destination with soul.  Just as change begins with an ending, change ends with a new beginning.  Set your sights on a place where your head lines up with your heart.  A place built upon the solid foundation of your values, special skills and unique gifts.  Use your magic wand and paint the perfect setting for your future.  What features from your previous “test drives” do you want to include?  How can you best honor your values and share your gifts?  Where do you want to be in five years?  How do you want to be spending your time?  What does your home look like?  Who is in your life?  How do you feel? Give yourself permission to write down your dreams.  Don’t skimp on the details.  They are often the keys to unlocking joy.

Secret 5: Enjoy the journey.  Now that you know who you really are and where you want to go, the next step is getting there.  To make sure your trip is effortless, do some strategic planning before you start out.  When’s the best time to begin?  Does it make sense to break the journey down into small pieces?  What obstacles do you anticipate encountering?  What’s your plan for navigating around these obstacles?  What type of resources do you need?  What’s a realistic and energizing timeline?  How will you gauge your progress?  As you head down the road, remember to look around.  You don’t want to be so focused on your plan that you miss out on wonderful and unexpected opportunities along the way.

Energy.  Passion.  Happiness.  Balance.  Peace.  Joy.    All the King’s horses and all of the King’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again… but why wait for them now that you know the secrets?  To hell with the King’s horses and with all of his men, today is a great time to live the life of your dreams!

We focus so much of our lives on finding success in our careers and finances, establishing material wealth, building our businesses, caring for our families, etc. that we often overlook the most important person in our existence – our self – and the most basic tenet for a truly successful life – achieving true happiness.

 Something as simple as happiness should come naturally to us, like breathing, but thanks to the stresses and challenges in life, many people have become confused.  They’ll be happy “when”… They put conditions on being happy that makes it difficult to achieve in the here and now. Some people have forgotten how to be happy! 

 If this sounds like you, here are some helpful tips to bring joy back into your life…

 We are all connected, yet we are each unique and have special gifts and talents. We are ALL ‘okay’!  We also tend to label everything as right or wrong, good or bad, etc.  Shift to the belief that no one is right or wrong, good or bad … they just are and accept that. Doing so will ‘free’ you!

 Release concern about others judging you!  What is right for you does not have to be right for another. It is easier to be yourself when you stop coming from a place of wondering who or what is judging you!

 Don’t try to change or improve others to meet your standards or to believe what you believe. You are not responsible for others in this way – again, free yourself!

 Are you unhappy at work, in a relationship, with your appearance, etc?  What’s stopping you from changing this?  People become stuck because of fear… fear of failing, fear of ridicule, fear of the unknown … Identify your fears and work to overcome them. 

 What ‘steps’ can you start taking today that will result in how you want things to be?  Small steps will still get you to that ‘destination’, but you’ll never get there if you don’t  make a start! 

 Get rid of negative self-beliefs… I’m not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough.  If your life depended on finding good things within yourself, you’d find them… start looking!

 We fret over everything as if we’re supposed to be perfect in everything we do. We put ourselves down at the slightest imperfection.  Well, everybody makes mistakes – learn from them, let them go, and move on!

 Know your values! We have our own sense of integrity and we are happiest when our goals and achievements match our principles. As we move towards the habits that align with our integrity, we feel good about ourselves.

 Know, specifically, what makes you feel happiness, otherwise, how do you expect to bring this into your life if you don’t know what it is? 

 Self-improvement!  When we develop ourselves, we eliminate many disbeliefs about ourselves; we stop putting ourselves down; we see possibilities; we feel peaceful, optimistic and joyous; and we have more fun.

 When was the last time you  laughed at yourself, or at anything?  Can’t find your sense of humor?  Seek out funny movies, funny books, or read the jokes pages on the web.  Start with a chuckle and work your way up!

 “Lighten up” is a popular phrase for good reason.  We have a tendency to take ourselves, our work, and our relationships too seriously. Some things are serious, but for the rest, keep it in perspective! 

 Think back to being a child, running around the playground, laughing, catching fireflies, and rolling in the snow. Remember how you felt, how you were silly and didn’t care if anybody looked at you?  What would it take to recreate those feelings today? 

 As we become adults we forget what it’s like to play games -  we’re too concerned about how other people will perceive us. What are you afraid of?  Has it occurred to you that others may think, “Gosh, I wish I wasn’t so hung-up so I could do that too!”?

  Do something completely out of character and childish this week. Go buy a silly toy. One of my clients plays with Mr. Potato Head! Find a way of making a heavy situation become light by asking yourself, “How would I respond to this if I were a child?” 

 Give other people permission to laugh. Put a clown’s nose on in the car and wave to other people as you drive around. Think of all the ways that you can play games and have fun, and do that with other people you come in contact with everyday.

 Identify your Stress triggers!  Our fast-paced lives, job pressures, the environment, etc. all lead to an excess of stressors for us. Manage your stress with Meditation, hobbies, exercise, yoga, nature walks, friends, etc.

 Don’t say “I’ll be happy if…” or “I’ll be happy when…”.  You only have “now” – you cannot live in the future until it becomes your present – your ‘now’.  You have no choice – it’s be happy “now” or never! 

Finally, don’t put conditions on your happiness! Happiness is a state of mind, regardless of our situation.  Happiness is a choice we make.  Choose to be happy today!

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), also called complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), is a chronic, painful, and progressive neurological condition that affects the skin, muscles, joints, and bones. The syndrome usually develops in an injured limb, such as a broken leg, or following surgery. However, many cases of RSD involve only a minor injury, such as a sprain. And in some cases, no precipitating event can be identified.

The most common symptoms overall are burning and electrical sensations, described to be like “shooting pain.” The patient may also experience muscle spasms, local swelling, abnormally increased sweating, changes in skin temperature and color, softening and thinning of bones, joint tenderness or stiffness, restricted or painful movement.

I suffer from RSD from an injury I received a few years ago and hate to think of the pain that a child suffers from each day with this disease.

Imagine pain so severe the breeze of someone walking by causing excruciating pain so intense it’s as if someone just lit you on fire, the vibration of a vacuum cleaner shooting through you like knives, or muscle spasms so strong your body shakes uncontrollably. Imagine not being able to roll yourself over or sit up without help, not being able to swallow, waking up blind, or trying not to breathe because it causes too much pain. Being stuck in bed, feeling so isolated and alone, while life passes by and everyone you once knew moving with it, leaving you behind. This is the life Tabitha has been living for the past 11 years. Click here to read more about this beautiful young girl who suffers from RSD.

I’m asking for your assistance to raise funds to help Tabitha, and other children with RSD, get the medical care they need. Please visit here to make your donation now and please share this site with others.

All funds raised by The Terri Levine Foundation for Children with RSD will go directly to helping these children.

Together we can make a difference. Thank you!

Terri