Utilizing the right productivity tools, you can streamline your workflow, enhance your organization, and achieve a better work-life balance. As a Time Management Coach deeply invested in optimizing both my personal and professional life, I’ve discovered a few tools that have become invaluable assets in my daily routine, as well as many of my clients.

Here are some of my favorite productivity tools that help me stay on top of my game:

OneLeaf: Nurturing Wellness and Mindfulness

OneLeaf is a revolutionary mindfulness and meditation app that seamlessly integrates into your daily routine. It offers a range of guided meditation sessions, breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices designed to reduce stress, increase focus, and promote overall well-being. Whether you’re a seasoned meditator or just starting out on your mindfulness journey, OneLeaf provides personalized recommendations tailored to your preferences.

Why I love it: OneLeaf has transformed my approach to stress management, boosting confidence and self-care. It’s super easy to naviagte and has a diverse range of self-hynposnis programs so you can become your BEST self. Their personalized experiences were also carefully crafted by their Scientific Board from NYU and Stanford. Self-hypnosis is a focused and absorbed state of attention, where you become more receptive to new ideas. You actually go into a natural hypnotic state every single day.

Try out the app here and let me know what you think!

Sunsama: Harmonizing Personal and Professional Tasks

If you are on my email list or follow me on social media, you’ve seen me rave about Sunsama. It is my absolute favorite TASK MANAGMENT tool. I can’ even remember what my life was like before it. Sunsama is a powerful task management tool that combines your calendar, to-do list, email, and project management system into one cohesive platform. It helps you prioritize tasks, schedule your day effectively, and stay focused on what matters most. With integrations with popular productivity apps like ClickUp, Notion, Monday, Trello, Asana, and Todoist, Sunsama seamlessly centralizes all your tasks and deadlines in one place so you can’t forget anything in your work or personal life!

Why I love it: I created a YouTube video explaining why I love it so much. Sunsama has been a game-changer for me in terms of organizing my daily tasks. By syncing my tasks, project management tools, and calendar events in one place, I can easily see what needs to be done and allocate my time accordingly without burning out. The ability to prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency ensures that I stay productive and on track throughout the day.

Try out the tool here for 30 days and let me know what you think!

Motion: AI Executive Assistant: Streamlining Business Operations

Motion is an AI-powered executive assistant that automates various business tasks, such as scheduling meetings, managing emails, and generating reports. It integrates with popular productivity tools like Google Workspace and Slack, enhancing efficiency and productivity in your life and business. Many of my clients enjoy this app because how how it uses AI to suggest enhancements to your day and keep you organized and prepared.

Why I Love It: As a business owner, time is my most valuable asset, and Motion helps you reclaim it. It automates repetitive tasks, and allows you to focus on high-value activities that drive growth and innovation. Its natural language processing capabilities make interacting with the assistant feel like communicating with a real person, saving you both time and cognitive space.

Try out the tool here and let me know what you think!

Teachable: Empowering Learning and Skill Development

Description: Teachable is an online platform that empowers creators to build and monetize their own online courses. Whether you’re an expert in business, cooking, photography, marketing, or any other field, Teachable provides all the tools you need to create, market, and sell your digital content to a globally.

Why I Love It: Teachable is so simple to setup and they have the best customer service. I had someone from their team walk through the entire process to set up my online course curriculum that I use within my Overwhelmed To Organized Coaching Program. Teachable has allowed me to share my knowledge and expertise with others in a impactful and profitable way. You can also communicate with clients, track client progress, incorporate quizzes yo make sure clients are retaining information, and use it to sell digital downloads.

Try out the platform here and let me know what you think!

Honeybook: Simplifying Business Operations and Client Management

Description: Honeybook is a comprehensive business management platform designed specifically for creative entrepreneurs and small business owners. From client management and project tracking to invoicing and payment processing, Honeybook streamlines every aspect of running a successful business, allowing you to focus on what you do best.

Why I Love It: Honeybook is a lifesaver when it comes to managing business operations. Its automated workflows and customizable templates save you countless hours on administrative tasks, while its seamless payment processing features ensure that you get paid on time for your work.

Try out the tool here and let me know what you think!  Use code “thefireinside” for 50% off.

Investing in the right productivity tools can make a world of difference in managing both your personal and professional life. Whether it’s enhancing your wellness routine, optimizing your workflow, or streamlining your business operations, the tools mentioned above have the potential to transform the way you work and live. Give them a try and experience the difference for yourself!

The post Productivity Tools for Personal and Professional Management appeared first on The Fire Inside.

No matter how great anyone is paid, they can benefit from extra income. There are various activities that we do on a regular basis that can be monetized. My first side hustle began in 2017, I started my blog called The Fire Inside. I started this blog as an outlet, due to how difficult I found it to adjust to life after I graduated college. 

Even though I thought I was working in my dream career in advertising, I longed to have a personal creative outlet where I could share my personal growth journey, travel adventures, as well as wellness and lifestyle tips. My blog eventually became a great way to make additional income.

My Side Hustle Journey

A year later, I started my second side hustle as an influencer. I discovered that I could get paid on social media to promote things I was already sharing with my friends, so I started working with brands to earn money for my posts. That same year I also started an Amazon FBA product business. I worked with an overseas supplier and developed my Finesse Fitness water bottles. I started this business purely because I wanted another set of income to pay off my student loans. 

As my brand continued to grow online, I then started hosting networking events where I could make some extra money and provide immense value to the speakers and audience. This experience made me realize how much I loved coaching people on how to improve their lives. Eventually I decided to hire a business coach in early 2020. She helped me quit my job and develop my current full-time business as a Time Management Coach in just 5 months.

On September 1st, 2020, my life took some huge turns. I went from having a side hustle to being a full-time Time Management Coach. I officially retired from my corporate advertising job and have been running my business full-time, The Fire Inside, for the last 3 years. I know side hustling may get a bad connotation sometimes like they aren’t real businesses but I’ll always be pro side-hustling because it’s how I began my entrepreneurship journey. I look at side-hustling as the way to build a business part-time as you figure out what lane you want to continue in. I mean look at how many side-hustles I just told you about. I don’t think I would have landed on my successful full-time business without exploring different options.

In this post, I’m sharing 50 side businesses where you can make additional income. My only ask of you is that if you find one of these businesses interesting, you try it right away. Don’t overthink it or let fear cripple you, just start.

1. Freelancer 

This is when you are an independent contractor who provides services for other people. This can include writing, editing, video editing, copywriting, social media management, photography, styling, art design, website building, bookkeeping, etc. As a blogger, I have freelanced my writing on other platforms for a fee. As a marketer, I’ve also helped people with marketing materials as a side hustle that leverages my skills from my day job. Think about what skills you can charge people for and start doing it. We ALL have skills we can charge for. Look at industry standards to discover how to set your price and play around with different packages until you find the one offer that sells the best. Here’s a couple of websites to find projects on:

• Fiverr 
• Upwork 
• Taskrabbit 
• Thumbtack 
• Guru 
• Remote

2. Blogger

Make money writing about something you love. Most bloggers make money through the following methods:

•  Affiliate Programs like Amazon Affiliates, Likeittoknowit, Shopstyle, etc.
• Partnering with brands
• Running ads on their site through platforms like Google AdSense, Mediavine, SheMedia, etc.

3. Start a YouTube channel

Now YouTube can be a long-term play for most people but it doesn’t mean you can’t monetize it. YouTube is a great place to market your services and showcase your lifestyle. If you remain consistent at it and committed to learning how to best use the platform and growing your channel, you will see results over time. Similar to a blog, you can monetize it through Google AdSense, selling your own products or services, and partnering with brands.  If you prefer audio only, consider starting a podcast instead. 

4. Content Creator/Influencer/UGC Creator

Get paid to promote products and services you already love. You can join influencer networks such as Aspire IQ, Activate, Clever, Collectively Inc, Hashtag Paid, Mavrck, Soapbox Influence, Social Native, , etc. or or partner directly with brands by pitching the companies you’re interested in working with. If you already have a following, consider offering a paid membership for exclusive content through Pateron as a side hustle.

5. Professional Caregiver 

If you have free time at night, on the weekends and especially during the day and you love kids, I recommend looking into professional babysitting kids or pets. Websites where you can find jobs:

• Sitter City 
• Rover 

6. Teach English or Tutor People Online:

• VIPKID 
• Chegg Tutors

7. Rent your space on Airbnb or VRBO

8. Complete Online Surveys on sites like:

• Swagbucks
• Inbox Dollars
• Survey Junkie 
• Surveys2Cash

9. Virtual Assistant 

Offer your services to online businesses. You can also look for gigs on sites such as:

• 24/7 Virtual Assistant
• Fancy Hands
• Paragon Planners
• TimeETC
• Vicky Virtual
• Fiverr 
• Upwork

10. Sell your old things on:

• Ebay.com
• Poshmark.com  (I’ve made hundreds of dollars on Poshmark)
• LetGo.com 
• Mercari

11. Open up an online product store on eBay, Amazon, Shopify, Etsy or TikTok Shop

Think about what you’re passionate about selling. What would someone love to buy from you? 

12. Uber/Lyft

If you have a car, you should look into driving for Uber or Lyft in your down time. You can make a couple hundred dollars in just a day. 

13. Deliver food to people on sites like: Shipt, Postmates, GrubHub, Seamless, DoorDash, UberEats or Instacart

14. Amazon Flex

If you have a car, you can deliver packages for Amazon in your down time.

15. Call center representative on Arise or Working Solutions

16. Sell your designs on Amazon, Zazzle, or Teespring

You can just create the design and start drop shipping it on t-shirts, mugs or whatever else you like. 

17. Amazon FBA

Start selling products directly through Fulfillment by Amazon. They’ll pack, ship, and provide customer service for your products. This is how I sold my Finesse Fitness Water Bottles. Found the bottle on Alibaba then shipped them to an Amazon Fulfillment center. 

18. Get cash back for shopping online through sites like Rakuten or Ibotta

19. Written transcriber on sites like Transcribe, GoTranscript or Speakwrite

20. Online juror by signing up on JuryTalk, JuryTest or OnlineVerdict

21. Sell your photography online on Shutterstock, iStockphoto or Getty Images

You don’t need to be a professional photographer, you can sell beautiful shots you took on your iPhone as a side-hustle.

22. Sell your notes for college if you’re in school on Study Soup, Studentvip, or One Class

23. Become a consultant or coach on sites like Coach.me, or start your own consulting or coaching company (Like I did!)

You can literally coach anything. From different types of life coaches to business coaches, fina niche and start marketing your services, your ideal clients are out there.

24. Narrate people’s books into audiobooks on sites like ACX

25. Test websites for others on Usertesting

26. Pick up bartending or catering jobs on Shiftgig

27. Create a digital course on something you’re skillful in and host it on your own site or on sites like:

• Teachable (this is the platform I use for all my courses)
• BitDegree
• Udemy
• Skillshare
• Kajabi
• Thinkific

28. Amazon Mechanical Turk Worker

These workers solve a range of data processing, analysis, and content moderation challenges. Learn more here.

29. Be a tour guide in your city through Show Around

30. Teach anything you are skillful in online through Take Lessons

31. Advertise brands on your car through Carvertise

32. Help people move into their new home on sites like Dolly or Unpakt

33. If you can mount a TV, paint a house or do other household things, look into Amazon Home Services

This is a new and simple way to buy and schedule professional services such as furniture assembly, house cleaning, and plumbing. 

34. Do research for courthouses on sites like IT-Boss Research, JBS Court Research Services or Sunlark

35. Recycle your used smartphones and electronics on Gazelle for cash

36. Manage social media for small businesses

Many small businesses need a social media manager and simply don’t have the time nor the expertise to be posting on social media platforms. Contact local businesses through Instagram or via email, and offer your services for a contracted monthly fee.

37. Answer questions on JustAnswer

This website will pay you for answering questions. If you have skills such as experience in law, medicine, or information technology, you could get paid to help others understand certain topics.

38. Write an e-book

Write it on something you’re knowledgeable on, or write short stories, poetry, how-to guides etc.  Or you can also hire someone to ghost write an e-book for you through a freelance website. Then sell it online on Amazon’s publishing platforms such as CreateSpace and KD. Or you can sell it on Gumroad, WooCommerce, or Shopify.

39. Personal chef

If you’re an amazing chef, you can become a personal chef for people by marketing your services on sites like HireAChef.

40. Get paid to mystery shop on sites such as BestMark, Second to none or Secret Shopper.

If you’ve never heard of mystery shopping, these are people who buy in secret in a physical store or online, and then document their experiences with the retailer.

41. If you’re a master cleaner, you can make extra money cleaning other people’s homes on sites like HouseKeeper or Handy

42. Participate in marketing focus groups on sites like Focus Group or Field Work

Marketing companies are always holding focus groups to study the consumer’s response to products, services and advertisements across a variety of mediums.

43. Get paid to help people get fit

You can train people and get them in shape through personal training. Or get certified in yoga, SoulCycle, or another form of exercise and teach classes. You can also develop workout routines or meal plans for people and market it online.

44. Teach driving lessons to students

If you’re a good driver, you can get licensed as a driving instructor. Then you can provide private lessons through advertising your services both online and offline, or search for part-time driving instructor jobs on Indeed.

45. Sell food/desserts 

If you can cook, start selling your products to people by starting a home-based catering company. Or maybe start a meal prep service for your local area.

46. Affiliate marketer

Get paid a commission for referring customers to companies where they make purchases. For example, I’m an affiliate for my favorite task management tool called Sunsama and my favorite latte brand Clevr (Use code SADEJ15 for 15% off)

47. Start a notary business

48. Sell products at local markets and festivals

49. Offer beauty services

People love to look good, especially for content. Thus, if you’re skilled at doing hair, make-up, lashes, waxing, even styling outfits. Consider offering these services to people. 

50. Create a new business idea that the world hasn’t seen yet

Every business was once someone’s idea. No matter what business/side hustle you decide to start, remember to leverage your talent. skills, and interests because we all have some that we can monetize and positively impact thousands with.

If you desire balance between your work and personal life, so you can pursue and grow your business, lets set up time to connect here.

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The post 50 Side Hustle Ideas To Grow Your Income In 2023 appeared first on The Fire Inside.

Personal development doesn’t happen overnight, it requires lifelong adjustments within your thought processes and actions but once you commit to making these alterations, you’ll experience increased positivity and motivation.

The majority of successful people have created a vision of aspirations they wish to achieve; they’re highly motivated individuals who are exceptionally driven to reach their goals. We previously highlighted a list of amazing speakers in our article ‘Motivational Speakers I Couldn’t Imagine My Life Without’, whose advice has been essential for personal growth. For those who share the same ambitions, we have some tips towards personal development from others who have strived for and achieved success.

Oprah Winfrey – Talk Show Host, TV Producer, Actor & Author

Hugely successful, Oprah Winfrey is very well known for her philanthropic nature having donated millions of dollars to educational causes and beyond. This extends into offering guidance towards a successful future as Insider recounts, in a speech Winfrey delivered to Smith College a few years ago. Winfrey stresses the importance of finding and embracing your uniqueness and actively using your gifts. Alongside focusing on self-discovery, she tells us how crucial prioritizing self-care is on our personal development journeys advising that putting yourself last leaves you with limited motivation and energy left to pursue your goals.

Bret Lockett – Former NFL Player and Founder of High Stakes Training

With a background spanning many industries, a leading business consultant, Bret Lockett has a focus on helping individuals become top performers in life and in business. One of Lockett’s most personal and useful pieces of advice he received and took note of was how to spend the first and last two hours of each day. He states that we need to disconnect and focus solely on ourselves, using our first waking hours to align our goals and channel positivity into our day and the last two preparing for the next day.

Shanthi Flynn – Keynote Speaker

Shanthi Flynn, keynote speaker and co-founder of the ZIS Professional Women’s Network have an impressive resume, boasting many executive corporate positions and a plethora of admirable accolades across her career. Now, as a strategic business consultant managing her own businesses, Flynn extends key career lessons and recently offered advice on how to progress. Most notably, Flynn emphasizes how you need to assess the potential in every opportunity, regardless of how unlikely it appears, and take advantage of every opportunistic moment that may direct you on different courses.

Sir Richard Branson – Entrepreneur

One of the most well-known businessmen and entrepreneurs, Richard Branson has built an impressive empire, despite leaving school at 16 and a few early business mishaps. It’s difficult to believe his roadmap to success and looking into the struggles Branson has encountered Entrepreneur discusses what Branson learned from his failures. One thing he teaches those striving for success is not to be derailed by setbacks. Instead, he encourages people to continue the fight and to remain optimistic and focused on their goals.

There’s a lot we can learn from the successes of others and drawing from their own personal experiences, we can steer ourselves down the most positive paths.

The post 4 Personal Development Tips From Successful Individuals appeared first on The Fire Inside.

Porto is a massive coastal city with plenty of room for outdoor activities. You can go camping in the wilderness, just like we described earlier, but you can also go surfing, boating, hiking, and birdwatching. Porto redefines the great outdoors and gives people a wider selection of things to do. Okay, maybe a traditional camping trip isn’t your thing. Porto still has a wealth of outdoor activities to experience.

Today, we’re going to show you some of our favorite outdoor and camping activities near Porto. We say “near” because we’ll be exiting the city for at least a few of these activities. Suffice it to say that we’ll be traveling a lot. Pack your essential items, then use a Porto luggage storage service to store your extra items.

Photo by Serge Le Strat on Unsplash

Chapel of Souls

Chapel of Souls kind of sounds like a location in a fantasy story, doesn’t it? It sounds more like a Lord of the Rings venue than a church, in our opinion. Turns out, the Chapel of Souls is located in Porto, Portugal. All of those blue and white squares that you see on this building? Those are Azulejos Tiles.

The Chapel of Souls is completely decorated in ornate Azulejos art. You usually have to head indoors to admire paintings of this caliber. However, admiring the Azulejos Tiles at the Chapel of Souls is an outdoor activity.

Campsite Orbitur Rio Alto

There are a lot of great places to set up camp in a city as big as Porto. Most of these places are large parks that are quite popular with the locals. Campsite Orbitur Rio Alto is exactly the sort of venue that we’re talking about.

This campsite has tons of room for outdoor activities. It also offers extremely affordable rates for campers who want to stay in a room. Amenities like on-site restaurants and an outdoor swimming pool make Campsite Orbitur Rio Alto all the more special.

Photo by Shaun Donnelly on Unsplash

Douro River

Some time ago, Porto earned the “City of Bridges” moniker. It’s no secret that several large bridges are sprinkled all throughout the city. Can anyone guess which body of water most of those bridges cross over? If you answered the Douro River, you’re 100% correct!

This massive river is more than 550 miles long. That’s plenty of room to go boating, rafting, rowing, or kayaking. Just make sure to mind your map; the Douro River stretches all the way from Porto to Central Spain!

Jardins do Palácio de Cristal

Our minds always feel so much more clear after we go for a nature walk. Be it a long trek or a short trip, something about nature walks really revitalizes us. The Jardins do Palácio de Cristal is one of our favorite places to go for nature walks in Porto.

The Gardens of the Crystal Palace, as they’re called in English, feature hedge-mazes, flower art, sculptures, and plenty of room for most kinds of outdoor activities. It’s not uncommon to find folks birdwatching here. A garden this magnificent is bound to attract all kinds of birds.

Matosinhos Beach

Matosinhos Beach is probably one of our favorite places to go when we just want to cool off. The sea lapping at your feet. The wind whipping through your hair. There’s nothing like a trip to this beach on a hot summer day.

Matosinhos Beach presents visitors with a wealth of outdoor activities if they’re willing to get creative. You can set up a volleyball game here, or you can just bask in the sun. You can light a bonfire at night, or you can go surfing during the day. The possibilities seem endless at Matosinhos Beach. It really just comes down to personal preference.

Miradouro da Vitória

One of the great things about Porto is that it has natural beauty and man-made beauty. What do we mean by that? Well, the city is full of all kinds of beautiful architecture. Think skyscrapers, houses, and especially bridges. These structures are just a joy to look at. From the right angle, that is.

That’s where Miradouro da Vitória comes in. This streetside viewing center is one of the best places to go to simply admire Porto’s beauty. You can see plenty of famous Porto landmarks from here and you can snap some amazing photos.

Parque Natural do Douro Internacional

We’ve already spent some time fawning over the Douro River, but we’re not quite done yet. It’s only fitting that a river this amazing has a national park. Or an international park, as is the case with Parque Natural do Douro Internacional.

This splendid nature reserve is simply a beauty to behold. It’s also one of the biggest hiking spots in Porto. Winding roads and stunning scenery await at the Parque Natural do Douro Internacional. This place just has a way of bringing out the adventurer in all of us.

Parque das Virtudes

Porto might have a lot of parks, but none of them are exactly alike. Our previous entry was a national park that’s located far away from the center of the city. Parque das Virtudes, on the other hand, is located near the heart of Porto and Douro River.

This park is a favorite picnic spot for many of Porto’s citizens and visitors. It’s also a layered garden that would make the Babylonians blush. Okay, so that reference might not resonate with everyone. But the views and the scenery that you’ll find at Parque das Virtudes certainly will.

The post The Best Guide to Outdoor Activities Near Porto appeared first on The Fire Inside.

There are so many hair vitamins on the market that it makes it difficult to choose which one to try. Most of the ones I’ve seen are solely full of biotin, which is a B vitamin that is associated with growing hair and nails. What I liked about the Edge Naturale Hair Vitamins is that they were full of other daily important vitamins, not just biotin. These vitamins are plant-based, cruelty-free, include a formula with 28 vitamins, minerals, and herbs, and enhanced with Biotin and Selenium.

Who doesn’t desire healthy consistent hair growth? Especially if you’re someone who wears hair extensions often like me, you’re going to love these vitamins. I’ve been self-conscious of my edges since I was little. I remember avoiding styles that show that part of my hair because I didn’t have sleek, thick baby hairs. Now that I’m older, I’m experimenting a lot more with hairstyles and natural products. So far, I noticed that my hair is thicker, stronger, and has grown a lot. I went natural for the second time in June 2019 and it’s only 2 years later, and my hair has grown much more than it did the first time I went natural. Look at the growth in just 8 months’ time below!

August 2020

April 2021

I highly recommend Edge Naturale Hair Vitamins. All-natural ingredients, hair growth and it’s a black-owned business. What else could a girl ask for!! I just finished my last bottle and I’m ready to buy my next one!

The post Edge Naturale Hair Vitamins Review appeared first on The Fire Inside.

For many Americans, financial freedom is still a pipe dream. But that doesn’t have to be the case if you make smart decisions early on. To help you out, we’ve listed five steps to take to attain your financial goals.

Create a budget

Whether you’re living off a six-figure salary or squirreling away a portion of each paycheck, having a budget is invaluable. For one, it gives you a clear view of your cash flow, allowing you to trim unnecessary expenses. Additionally, The Balance notes that budgeting shouldn’t feel restrictive, as it simply a means of prioritizing your needs over your wants.

You can start with a simple plan, like the 50-30-20 framework, which divides your income into three parts: 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings. As you get the hang of tracking your expenses, group them into different categories like food, entertainment, and utilities, to monitor where you’re overspending.

Invest early

Aside from finding a higher-paying job, investing is also another great way to generate revenue. Placing your money in assets like index funds and stocks can yield high returns, provided you’re willing to wait. Before you start though, consult a financial advisor or do your own research to determine which financial product suits your needs. Because of the risk involved, a long holding period is recommended for these types of investments. Given this, you should start investing early to give your assets time to mature.

Build an emergency fund

You can never be too prepared for a crisis. Such events can set you back on your path towards financial freedom. But having an emergency fund is one answer to this. Luckily, there are a number of convenient ways to build one.

A good rule of thumb is to save at least three to six months’ worth of your monthly expenses. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends setting up automatic payments to allocate to your emergency fund. Some companies also offer employer-based contributions, where your paycheck can be split between two or more accounts. Overall, an emergency fund is key to any financial plan, and vital in securing your future.

Have a good credit score

A credit score gauges an individual’s capacity to pay back their loans consistently. It’s used as a risk indicator in transactions and may affect where you can live and work, and how much money you can borrow from lenders. However, a low credit score can pose a problem, especially if you plan to take out a business loan to further your financial status.

As such, it’s important to always keep your credit score healthy. Petal Card points out that the best way to do this is by paying your dues on time. To that end, you can try scheduling automatic payments from your bank account, or use free budgeting apps to alert you. If you already have debt, consider taking out a debt consolidation plan to pay off your obligations on more favorable terms.

Work with a coach

It’s difficult to stay focused when you’re doing things alone. Sometimes, you need a little outside intervention to succeed, and this is where a coach can be helpful. As we’ve mentioned in our post on the Top Benefits of Working with a Coach, finding a mentor will help you map out a road to success. Aside from holding you accountable, they also identify your strengths, bring out your potential, and challenge you to push past your limits. This encouragement can be just what you need to attain financial freedom.

At the end of the day, everyone dreams of achieving their financial goals, whether that means buying a new house, or living debt-free. And while there is no single path to realizing them, following these tips can help set you on the right track.

The post 5 Easy Steps to Attain Financial Freedom appeared first on The Fire Inside.

Other causes of stress include being under a lot of pressure, facing big changes, worrying about something, uncertainty, and a lack of control. We all deal with stressful moments. While there are some things that are out of your control, there are many things that are within your control, one of them being how your time is spent and how you react to your life’s circumstances. Time management doesn’t allow you to manage time itself. No one can do that, unfortunately. We all have the same 24 hours a day. However, time management is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities. Here are seven ways you can implement better time management habits to reduce your stress and overwhelm.

1. Set SMART goals

If you aren’t setting yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly, or even daily goals, please START. Goals give us purpose and something to achieve. If your goals are large and vague you will continue a cycle of burnout. Lack of clarity is one of the number one reasons people don’t achieve their goals and instead procrastinate. Your goals need to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Hence the acronym, S.M.A.R.T. You have to break down large tasks into bite-sized achievable ones. Carve out time in your schedule to plan out your goals and spend the time to make them crystal clear. This will 10x your effectiveness.

Not sure where to start? Write your large goal at the top of a sheet of paper then write down all the little steps needed to hit that goal. Next place a deadline for each. Then place that sheet of paper somewhere where you will review it daily then get to work.

2. Prioritize your tasks

This is the number one way to become productive and feel a high sense of achievement. When you complete the tasks that mean the most to you, you’re way more inclined to feel better about what you accomplish daily. If you struggle with prioritization, ask yourself “what is the most important task I need to complete today in order to progress towards my goals?” From there, take action on your top priorities. People who accomplish three top priorities instead of 15 busy tasks are more satisfied with their lives.

3. Plan your day

Many people use their calendars to keep track of meetings. Think about it, when you have meetings on the calendar you get things done right so why not put other important life tasks on your calendar. I’m a strong believer in time blocking your schedule. If you’re not familiar with time blocking it’s when you plan out time frames for every activity you need to accomplish and you put it on your calendar. For instance, my gym time, meals, time with loved ones, and all work tasks are scheduled on my calendar. That way I ensure that I’m showing up in all aspects of my life. If you are struggling to juggle all the different aspects of your life need help with setting up an effective schedule, book a free strategy session with me. My coaching program might be a perfect solution for you.

4. Stop allowing others to distract you

I know how hard it is to not give in to all the digital and in-person distractions. When you are interrupted take a moment to identify whether what’s distracting you is more important than the task you’re aiming to focus on. If it isn’t, stop the distraction and get back to your focused work. After you’ve completed your task, reward yourself with a break where you can do something fun. The best ways to avoid distractions are to turn off your notifications on all your devices (yes even email), keep a notepad next to you for random thoughts that may come across your mind, and communicate to your loved ones that you need uninterrupted time.

5. Take small action when you feel like procrastinating

The number one way to stop procrastinating is to take a small action. Don’t think about the entire staircase, take one step in the process. Starting difficult tasks makes many of us feel anxious. Not feeling up to it is not an excuse to not do the tasks needed to reach our goals and dreams. You’re not always going to feel like doing something all the time. Behind your greatest moments is hard work, not excuses. Stop expecting massive results when you haven’t put in the work required to achieve such results. It’s the hard truth but it’s vital to develop the discipline required to be your best self. Protecting your peace is important but so stepping out of your comfort zone and getting things done.

6. Create the best environment for your productivity

I find it difficult to concentrate when I’m around a lot of people who are having side conversations or who are noisy. Determine the environment you excel best in. I work best in a well-lit fairly quiet environment. The most I’ll have in the background is music or a motivational video, depending on the task.

7. Set time limits

Try timing yourself. Set a deadline for your task, set a timer on your phone, then start. Make it feel like a game, see if you can beat the clock. In order to get where we dream to be, we have to do our best to overcome procrastination. It’s a daily, intentional process. You can train yourself to become comfortable being uncomfortable. A timer will create a sense of urgency. If it doesn’t work the first time, adjust the timer to a time period that works best for you.

**Bonus tip** Consider hiring a Time Management Coach like myself. Some people have never heard of this type of coach. As a Time Management Coach, I help full-time professionals who want to spend more time developing their side businesses, full-time entrepreneurs, and freelancers who feel overwhelmed and all over the place become organized, productive, and achieve their goals in a timely manner.

The post 7 Time Management Habits That Will Reduce Your Stress appeared first on The Fire Inside.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying it takes money to make money. Often the short-term investment seems scary and unachievable but the long-term gain is well worth it. Personally, I invested thousands in books, programs, coaches, courses, and college. I believe that the best investment you can make is in yourself.

Here’s where I started

I wasn’t always this way. I used to be terrified of spending large amounts of money on anything. I was thinking small and taking advice from people who have not achieved what I want. When I started listening to content from top business owners and wealthy people, I noticed a theme. They all invested in mentors, coaches, and courses that helped them develop the skills they needed to build their success. That’s when it clicked for me. I knew I wanted to have millions in my bank account but I was nervous about investing a couple of thousands in programs that would help me build my business quicker. That just didn’t make sense.  So I worked on my money mindset and invested in myself.

Where I Am Today

I’ve officially been a full-time Time Management Coach for 5 months!! I’ve been secretly longing to go full-time as an entrepreneur for so long, it feels surreal every day. In the past 5 months, I’ve gone through a lot of emotional ups and downs. But overall the freedom to do what I enjoy and help people transform their lives daily is the best feeling in the world. Going after your dreams can be difficult, so I wanted to share some insight into my journey for anyone interested in leaping. Here are the top 5 reasons I highly recommend investing in a coach.

1.  You receive a roadmap to your end goal

I know firsthand how difficult it is to make progress towards your goal when you have no idea where to even start. Before I invested in my business coach, I was working a full-time job in advertising, hosting networking events, creating content for brands, and running my blog. All while navigating my wellness journey, self-care, friendships, and my relationship. It was a lot to juggle. One day I was crying because I was just overwhelmed, unhappy, and exhausted and I thought to myself, it’s time to pivot.

The next day I decided I needed to fast track my journey so I could go full-time as an entrepreneur years before I planned. That lead me to hire my business coach. She helped me figure out what I was amazing at and how I could launch a service that would surpass my corporate income. I was so doubtful and skeptical at first but in 2 months she helped me see the clear roadmap I needed to start a successful company. That experience was invaluable.

2. Accountability 

When we have someone accountable for our success, we are 95% more likely to actually achieve our goals. We all need community. Having supportive people around you doing similar things is the best! There’s nothing like receiving expert advice from someone who has been in your shoes. Having someone to talk about your goals with who will objectively provide insight and advice. A coach is someone who brings out the most in you and reminds you of your progress and end goal. They encourage you exactly when you need it.

3. They challenge you

A good coach sees your potential and challenges you in the right way. They push you past your limiting beliefs and hold you to what you say you seek to achieve. They will push you past your comfort zone and encourage you to show up daily. As business owners especially we tend to get in our heads and overthink often. A coach will help you navigate all your doubts and give you that extra motivation you require. There really is no idea that can be broken down to figure out how to achieve it. A coach can help you through that process. As a Time Management Coach, this is exactly what I do for clients.

4. Your income will increase

Depending on the type of coach you hire they will help you improve in some aspect of your life which will spill over to other areas of your life. When you’re leveling up, you’re much more likely to start attracting more people who want to buy from you. A business-related coach for instance will help you figure out how to price your products or services. A mindset coach will help you build up the confidence to believe in your abilities. A time management coach (like myself) will help you create systems to 10x what you accomplish so you can attract and manage the sales you deserve.

5. A coach will help you harness your ideas

Having a coach is like having a best friend who knows the ins and outs of your industry. They will help you organize all your thoughts, ideas, and goals. Additionally, they will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. They will reassure you on the what, how, and the reason why your ideas can come true. Your creativity will transform and you will notice yourself becoming your highest self.

Interested in business coaching?

If you’re interested in launching a business with no capital this year and building a network to promote and sell your offer, check out my business coaches program Validate Your Business Blueprint. She will walk you through how to start your business and land your first paid client in just a few weeks. She is currently accepting a limited amount of new clients until February 12, 2021. Book some time on her calendar to see if this program would work for you here.  Let her know I sent you!

The post Top 5 Benefits Of Working With A Coach appeared first on The Fire Inside.

The truth is we have no control over the future but we do have control of our present and our mindset. Everyone struggles with following through on their goals. There are ups and downs with all our lives. Things rarely go as planned and often we have to learn to adjust quickly to curveballs. Learning to cope with anxiety and stress can be accomplished even in life’s most challenging moments. I’m going to share 5 Ways To Deal With Uncertainty below.

1. Acknowledge your feelings

Don’t suppress them. I posted a graphic that resonated with many people a couple of weeks ago and it explained that suppressing your emotions is not a badge of honor. You DO NOT need to be strong all of the time. It’s okay to cry, feel weak and take a break when needed. Take time to process how you’re really feeling. Ask yourself what triggered this emotion and how can you heal. Acknowledge that uncertainty is a normal part of life.

I speak with clients all the time who are hard on themselves because they don’t see immediate results. They ignore all the other elements going on in their lives and expect to perform at 100% no matter what they’re dealing with. You are not a robot. The results always come but often not in the time frame we want. It’s better to focus on the process & to practice self-compassion instead.

2. Prioritize your self-care

Self-care isn’t just bubble baths and facials; it’s doing the much-needed inner work. It’s having difficult conversations, setting appropriate boundaries, and standing up for yourself. Ditch the habit of putting yourself last and start prioritizing your wellness. Just like when we’re on an airplane, we have to put our oxygen mask on first before we can help anyone else.

When we don’t care for our bodies and minds, we are not able to react well to situations. I know this is nothing new for many of you. But despite you being aware of the facts, you haven’t constantly changed. Take an action to better your health. Set a consistent bedtime, plan your meals ahead of time, drink water, and move your body!

3. Separate reality from fantasy

Your mind will play tricks on you. Your brain doesn’t know the difference between fact and fiction. Thus, what you think about on the regular, becomes your reality. When I first started going to therapy for my anxiety, my therapist would literally ask me what are the facts to support whatever I was talking about. I used to hate that question because she was always right. More often than not, what I was complaining about was all speculation and assumptions created in my head. It happens to the best of us. Whenever I feel myself spiraling, I ask myself, what are the facts of this situation? Try this tip, it’s life-changing.

4. Be present

Take it day by day. Don’t worry about tomorrow or get bogged up with what happened yesterday, be in the moment. Easier said than done. However, for me, training myself to meditate daily has helped me to be more present. I swear by the Calm app but find what works for you and practice being still and present. Learning to be more present will help you to deal with uncertainty and the fear of what will happen in the future. Turn off your phone notifications, turn off the TV and be still. Breath and take some time to reflect and visualize what you desire in your life.

5. Look for the silver lining

There’s always something to be grateful for. There’s a lesson to learn from everything. Everything that happens to you happens for a divine reason. While it may feel helpful to prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario, that attitude will only hold you back in life. You can reach your desired destination in life quicker when you focus more on all the abundance you have.

Our negativity bias can also set us up for failure. When we expect the worst, we often feel too afraid or close-minded to seize opportunities or respond to challenges with creativity and grit. When you change your outlook on negativity, you will experience less stress. If something that happens to you won’t affect your life 5 years from now, don’t spend more than 5 minutes upset about it. Maintain your inner peace.

Are you seeking support to better manage your anxiety and deal with uncertainty better?

As a coach myself, I wholeheartedly believe in seeking expert help from people in areas of your life that you’d like to improve. That’s why I want to tell you about The Reset Your Anxious Mind in 90 Days program. Until February 8^th, you can enroll to work with my friend Georgie Collinson. Georgie is an overcoming anxiety wizard; I mean just check out the valuable content she shares on IG.

Georgie is an anxiety mindset coach, naturopath & nutritionist with an approach for managing high-functioning anxiety that factors in everything, from the thoughts you think, to the health of your gut, the food you eat, your hormones, and lifestyle.

This is for you if:

• Nothing else has worked
• You are determined to find the solution for you
• You’re open to learning about anxiety from a new perspective
• You are willing to work with your anxiety, not against it
• You want to heal your gut, be more present, and feel a sense of alignment
• Anxiety is impacting your relationships
• You suspect your hormones might be involved
• You need the motivation to stick to see it through
• You’re really hard on yourself
• You want to improve your diet without feeling like you’re “on a diet”
• You’re sick of trying to do it all on your own
• You just want to feel calm, peaceful, and free
• It’s time to put yourself first
• You feel like you can’t trust life
• Anxiety is stopping you from living the life of your dreams

What’s in it for you:

• Weekly inspirational training videos
• Weekly motivation to stay on track
• One hour LIVE coaching sessions with Georgie
• Access to the private Facebook group
• Meditations, reprogramming audio tracks, exercises, and more

Learn more about the The Reset Your Anxious Mind in 90 Days program
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The post 5 Ways To Deal With Uncertainty appeared first on The Fire Inside.

How do I grow my edges back?!

Consistent hair care is the most important thing if you want to grow your edges back. That means fixing harmful hair habits and keeping your scalp as healthy and hydrated it can be. The owner of Edge Naturale, Shantel Summers created Edge Naturale to not just help encourage your natural hair growth, but also help you moisturize and condition even the driest hair and scalp.

Like any other woman looking for hair products, I was skeptical at first about whether or not the product would work. I took a leap of faith and started using it. In a couple of weeks, I actually noticed hair growth! Check out my before and after pics from its past summer here. I still use this product to moisture my scalp. It’s become a staple in my regime. It has a fresh minty scent and it is super lightweight. I put it on in the morning and night.

Product Ingredients

This treatment is formulated with a natural blend that has been praised for reviving thinning edges, bald spots, beards, and even eyebrows! The ingredients are made and tested in America, cruelty-free, vegan & gluten-free. It’s constructed of natural oils, peppermint, and coconut milk.

Product Review

This product ships quickly and is easy to order. They also have a sale going on for Black History Month, use code “BLM” for 20% off. The 2 oz. container is more than enough to last for a while. A little product goes a long way. All you have to do is make sure to clean your hairline of oils before you apply the product. I use warm water to cleanse my edges or area of application. Then I apply the product to my hair with my fingertips and massage it in. You will feel a tingling sensation, this is the product stimulating your hair follicles. Do this twice daily for best results.

I would recommend this product to anyone who is trying to regrow damaged areas of their hair naturally. If you have any questions about Edge Naturale, feel free to comment them below! Remember all hair grows and with the right moisturizing products, you can maintain healthy hair growth.

The post Restore Your Edges Naturally And Quickly With Edge Naturale appeared first on The Fire Inside.