Last night, I was delighted to be invited to attend The Picture of a Poem, an exhibition out on at Dimbola lodge, which is part of my Wightbuzz network. What a treat we had in store. We met two very talented young men who presented their poetry and photography.
I would like to introduce you to Sam Scadgell & Harrison Wavell
It was an absolute delight to be part of this preview evening.
How Healthy Is Your Indoor Environment?
Did you know that indoor air quality can be up to 100 times worse for you than
the air we breathe outside?
Indoor pollutants such as mould, pet dander and pollen combine with
chemicals in everyday products, making our homes a pretty toxic place to be.
As we spend at least 50% of our time indoors (more in winter), we are actually
at risk of developing allergies, asthma and worse.
Indoor air pollution is easy to manage once you understand where it comes
from. In many cases, pollutants and toxic chemicals such as polyurethane and
formaldehyde are in the items you bring into your home, such as furnishings,
paints and wall coverings. Curtains, carpets, mattresses and other absorbent
fabrics can trap airborne chemical “nasties”, as well as being a breeding
ground for dust mites and other harmful allergens.
Indoor pollutants known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) are all
around us. They’re not listed as ingredients, but they’re in most household
products, such as cleaning agents, solvents, plastic, even cosmetics. When
they vaporise, they combine with other compounds to form ozone, which
really is not good stuff to breathe.
Remember; if there are chemicals and VOC’s in a product, they can escape
and they won’t be good for you if they do.
The simplest way to keep indoor air healthy is through good ventilation. By
regularly opening your windows (even in the winter), you’ll replace polluted air
with cleaner outdoor air. This also minimises the mould and stops harmful
allergenic spores being released into the air or recycled via air conditioning
units.
Water-based glues, adhesives and finishes will contain lower VOC levels,
while “green” cleaning products help reduce toxins, as citrus and pine-based
solvents react with ozone to create formaldehyde. Alternatively, vinegar or
baking soda mixed with warm water makes an excellent all purpose cleaner.
Keep pesticides out of your garden, as they’re easy to walk in on your shoes
and clothing and always keep filters and vents clean, as pollutants can cycle
through air ducts, central heating and cooling mechanisms.
Some Interesting Facts
5,100: the number of petrochemicals available for home use which have
never been tested for exposure to human health and the environment.
63: the number of synthetic chemical products found in the average home,
translating to roughly 45 litres of harmful chemicals per household.
100: the number of times higher that indoor air pollution levels can be above
outdoor air pollution levels.
10 million: the number of dust mites that may inhabit a standard size double
mattress.
1000: the number of dust particles which settle on a square centimetre each
hour.
2.3 billion: the weight in kilos of chemicals that the cleaning industry uses
each day.
Staggering…….
Take a look through the cleaning products in the Wikaniko shop to find out
how
you can make your home a healthier place to be!
Are you ready to stand out in your business this year? Want the strategies to do so? Check
out this new book by Karen Williams from Self Discovery Coaching which launches on Amazon
today. Order the book on Amazon before midnight tonight, and get 4 great bonuses. http://howtostandout.co.uk/amazon-offer
I bought this book at Karen’s Star Biz conference in November. I met Karen in 2011 at the launch of her first book and have been very impressed. She has had a great influence on me and I am certainly going to stand out in my business this year. I am starting my own book on Saturday (on what would have been my Dad’s 91st birthday – and the book will be dedicated to him) and I am just planning a conference in the Autumn. Life has been a very difficult journey but with people like Karen influencing me, I have arrived at an awesome time in my life and now is my time to shine and to help many others shine with me.
How do you plan to stand out in your business?
I was recently given an Amazon voucher and decided to get a couple of books to help my business. After much deliberation, I chose The Go-Giver and the Go Giver Sells More by Bob Burg and John David Mann. What an excellent read. They are Global bestsellers and I quote from the cover
“Most people just laugh when they hear the secret to success is giving…Then again, most people are nowhere near as successful as they wish they were.”
Brian Tracy, author of The Psychology of Achievement, writes, “These five principles will help you achieve your goals and fulfil your dreams!”
and Seth Godin, author of The Dip says “Most people don’t have the guts to buy this book, never mind the will to follow through and actually use it. But you did. And, I’m certai that you’ll be glad you did.”
I am certainly I did and I am now lending them to the members of my Wightbuzz network. I know they will make a BIG difference.
I hate paperwork – It is my achilles heel or should I say it was!! That is until I discovered Liz McIntyre.
I am so glad that I followed my own top tip for networking. If I hadn’t given Liz McIntyre that business card that day many months ago, she would not now be taking on my paperwork! She would not now be helping me move my network group, Wightbuzz to a new level. Paperwork – sorted!!
I just love chocolate and now I am lucky enough to stock it in my eco-friendly online supermarket. Wikaniko is part of my portfolio of businesses and supplies over 900 products that are eco- friendly. Healthy, raw chocolate. Would you like a supermarket of your own where you too can sell chocolate? Wikaniko is a home based business that suits so any different people. I have a growing team and would love to help more people grow their own businesses.
If you want to know more or buy some lovely chocolate , then click http://lynblackledge.wikaniko.com/fru/pg/39835/pid/8a5581ce-e2c1-4cf5-a771-a879c50a6048/default.aspx and why not pop over to my facebook page and “like” the page. The chocolate is scrummy. I can vouch for that.
When I was younger, I used to be fiery but I have mellowed over the years. Why on earth increase my blood pressure unecessarily over other people’s misdemeanours?
I have been running my own businesses since I was 27. I have worked extremely hard over the years – firstly running a very successful nursery school (for 21 years!) then running successful book businesses. Sadly, during that time I have encountered many who have tried to bring me down. At times, life has been extremely challenging but I learnt to pick myself up, dust myself down and start all over again and again and again. Also during that time I have helped many others to do the same, benefiting from my life’s experiences. Why on earth are people so unkind?
(taken from http://topcreativeproducts.com/we-cant-choose-what-happens/)
I find now that by keeping my cool and remaining very calm is the best way to deal with things. Last year, whilst on a ferry home to the Isle of Wight, I opened the back of my van to put my bag in. I was very careful to make sure the door was no where near the car behind. Along came Mrs Grumpy from the car behind – shouting at me and telling me I was about to smash her headlight. I pointed out that I using my knee as a door stop. I went on to as follows!
“I’m so sorry you have had a bad day. I have had a lovely day. I hope your day gets better. ” It rather took the wind out of her sails. 
I soooooooo wish I had a jar of the chocolate smiles. I would have given her one as she clearly didn’t have one of her own.
Keeping my cool has proved so successful in many different challenges. Whilst those who are challenging me push their stress levels up, keeping my cool keeps mine down.
I know the challenges will never go away but how I handle them makes such a difference.
How do you handle difficult situations and do you have any examples?
Source: topcreativeproducts.com via Lyn on Pinterest
Day 2 of the 30 day blog challenge.
I have entered a 30 day blog challenge (posting a blog post everyday for a month) as well as a 30 day video challenge (again posting video clips every day and being accountable.) What a great opportunity to get the business moving in 2013. I have been inspired by many entrepreneurs and also by many books and so what better than combining both in a video, as the video challenge was to talk about a book that had inspired. Not only did the book inspire me, Allison Marlowe, of AllisonMarlowe.Com and of Winning Women has also been a source of inspiration to me. When she set the challenge to win a copy of Peaks and Valleys by Best selling author Spencer Johnson
So folks, what books have inspired you?
Welcome to my ecofriendly world.
I am just approaching my third birthday as a distributor with Wikaniko. Back in 2009, I decided to start taking small green steps to help save the planet. What better way than joining an ethical business that is set up as a cooperative. Trevor and Karen Blake work tirelessly to grow Wikaniko I have an online ecofriendly supermarket which contains over 900 items from raw chocolate and a range of health and nutrition items to bamboo items, from cleaning products to garden products, pet products to mineral makeup and much more. I am so lucky as I don’t have to stock the supermarket or employ staff. This is all part of my membership. Members merely pay £79 to become a distributor and then for a monthly fee of £3.50 we have access to a super online shop that stocks more than 900 items to lead to a greener world. Not only that prices in my supermarket often beat the big national supermarkets! Many people still seem to think going green means paying more. We also have offers to help the family budget. As I write – the following offer is current but you will have to be quick as this offer finishes on December 16th so check it out quickly.
CHRISTMAS SPECIALS
Don’t forget to take advantage of the Christmas Special Offers this week. These particular offers are only available until midnight on Sunday 16th December, so grab them whilst you can:
*Buy the bespoke Cremoil, get a FREE Lavender Essential Oil to put in it.
* Buy 2 Aloe Vera gels, get the third FREE. (This offer is worth almost £10!)
*Lip balms – buy 2, get a random flavour FREE
*Buy 1 brown flaxseed, get 1 brown flaxseed FREE
*Buy any 6 packs of dog treats and get a FREE roll of dog waste bags
all of these can be found in my supermarket
I have a team of distributors on the Isle of Wight . We are all working from home and have many ways of promoting our businesses from catalogue drops to stalls at fetes and fairs, buying for ourselves to selling to family and friends. Just recently, the business has gone global and we are able to recruit across the globe I would love to help many more people take those green steps to a better world. I would like to help lots of therapists promote their own brand products for a minimal fee. There is so much to benefit to connecting with Wikaniko. I also have a facebook page and I can be found on twitter at @lynsgreenbiz
I would love to help you either as a customer of distributor. Lets work together for a greener world.
Recently I was delighted to be named as a winner in the grandmother section of the MumsClub top 100 mums. As a result I am privileged to be part of the Top 100 mums Facebook group where we exchange knowledge and ideas. I am very much enjoying getting to know all these lovely ladies and hearing about their achievements.
I am known as rather a night owl and recently, having fallen asleep on the sofa during the evening, I woke at about 4 am. I couldn’t resist just checking the computer. I was very inspired by the following you tube clip posted by fellow winner, Karen Mercer.
Imagine my surprise when I reposted on my Wightbuzz members wall and immediately, member Julie Jones Evans was reposting on her wall. Suddenly, Julie and I were having a very buzzy conversation and 10 days later we hosted our first Shock cash mob.We managed to engage much media interest for which we are very grateful. We were interviewed on Vectis Radio, Isle of Wight radio, BBCradio Solent and we have been tweeted and face booked by them. On the Wight, formerly Ventnor Blog, and the County Press have also covered our story. Julie and I are both local independent traders and passionate about flying the shop local flag. The Isle of Wight has particular problems. Like most areas, redundancy has hit hard but unlike other areas, we are surrounded by the most expensive stretch of water in the world to cross. Many have used their entrepreneurial spirit to set up their own businesses. I support many of these via Wightbuzz, my own affordable networking group which has just celebrated its second birthday.
Our first Shock cash mob was a great success. We targeted Trade Winds in Scarrots Lane, Newport and Ian and Sheila Ferguson have reported that they had their best day of the year.
We used social media and word of mouth to invite people to meet us in Newport at a well known spot and to bring £5 they were willing to spend in a local independent trader. Only Julie and I knew the destination.
It was a short walk to Trade Winds. It was so successful that we are planning the next one on Sunday 9th December and our Shock Cash Mob group is growing in numbers.
Many of my Wightbuzz members attended as well as other shoppers. We met in a well known spot in Newport and got into the spirit
The event was a great success. Ventnor Blog and the County Press hailed it a success.
We hope to see lots of people joining us to shop local on Sunday 9th December