I am sure faced with that challenge I could find somewhere to put it. I mean really…couldn’t you?? This quote makes me think about this weekend when I went to Macy’s and found a pair of jeans that looked incredible on me. Yet they were $150.00 and although I wanted them badly, I couldn’t justify spending that much even if they did make me look fantastic.

However, I do want everything and why not? Shouldn’t I have all that I want? I believe that I should as should everyone. I have posted a lot on here about feeling like I have all these different paths to follow and how it has been difficult to figure out who to be and when. My dream is to be a writer (that makes money writing) and build myself as my brand through writing, speaking, and Chiczofrenic. So to focus on that direction I am taking a 3 month sabbatical from my business of business and focusing solely on selling Stilettos & Scoundrels and promoting Chiczofrenic. I can’t tell you how exciting it is and how I am a bit fearful. What if it doesn’t work? But it will. I know I can do it.

Here are my goals for the next 3 months which the defining end date is my birthday June 7th, 2010. I want to start small and focus on the month of April. By the end of April I want to have the following:

1. 100 people following my blog
2. sell 500 Stilettos & Scoundrels books
3. have 500 members on Chiczofrenic

Each week I will post and update on this blog to stay accountable and keep everyone informed. I am thrilled for finally following this direction and I look forward to reaching all my goals and having your support each step of the way.

Cheers-
Laina

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Happy Monday everyone. Multiple Sclerosis awareness week is upon us. If you aren’t clear as to what MS really is then you can help the cause by taking a few minutes and learning. Basically, it is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. Here are a few more facts:

1. Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects woman more than men.

2. MS is caused by damage to the myelin sheath, the protective covering that surrounds nerve cells. When this nerve covering is damaged, nerve impulses are slowed down or stopped.

3. MS is a progressive disease, meaning the nerve damage (neurodegeneration) gets worse over time.

4. The nerve damage is caused by inflammation. Inflammation occurs when the body’s own immune cells attack the nervous system.

5. Researchers are not sure what triggers the inflammation. The most common theories point to a virus or genetic defect, or a combination of both.

6. MS is more likely to occur in northern Europe, the northern United States, southern Australia, and New Zealand than in other areas. Geographic studies indicate there may be an environmental factor involved.

This week I will continue to share some small nuggets about MS and encourage you to learn and support the cause.

Go ORANGE!

I’m not talking about the table I am currently sitting at in Dunkin Donuts (and not to veer off topic but YUM their coffee is good) but rather being caught somewhere between thinking and feeling and not sure which direction I want to go more. Why is being a grown up so complicated?

All that confusion aside I was able to get a lot done today and feel good. Didn’t get to the almost 1000 emails I have in my inbox but all in all a good day. I will be starting a nationwide blog tour at the end of March with Nikki Leigh, author and blog tour promoter extrordiarre. Check out her books and marketing skills at Nikki Leigh.

Off to write at least 500 more words!
Peace-
Laina

Psssst – if you are following this blog and just randomly stumbled across it please rss feed it. I have a goal to build my follower base. If I meet it I can treat myself to a new pair of shoes. Please help me:)

I’m referring to the take care of yourself statement I made yesterday. I mean I started my day out to you all saying how that was something you had to first and foremost and yet after about 5 minutes I threw that out the window and started doing for someone else. I supposed I could go on about how altruistic that is and I am such a good person. But the fact is that I’m not. Usually I think “what’s in it for me” and the fact that at this moment in time it would be a big fat ZERO has me pondering.

While I’m thinking about that dilemma I do want to share with you my moderately successful start with book sales. I have been selling a lot out of the back of my car which is kind of fun and a few over the internet. I thought the Kindle would be selling a little more but I prefer actual books so maybe other folks do too?

Are you struggling with what you are doing versus what you want to do? I would love to hear about it.
Laina

PS don’t forget MS awareness week starts next week!

I love March because I feel it is the home stretch to spring. Though I am a bit sad because today my baby girl turned 4 and she is so quickly growing up. How does that happen?
I spent time this weekend thinking about purpose. Purpose in what I am doing and why I am doing it. I know that in many areas of my life I tend to gravitate toward the nearest shiny object and while that has always worked for me for the most part, it’s also kept me so busy with a million balls in the air that I feel with more purpose I can have a little more breathing room to enjoy more down time.
Part of being able to have purpose, and therefore focus on what is really important, is to not lose sight of yourself Ensure you are being fulfilled and not making your purpose about someone else. I think that sometimes can be hard. We have people in our life we want to take care of and want to do things for and it is so easy to do that at the expense of who you are and what you want. But that’s not good for you or the other person. There needs to be that balance.
So here’s to purpose and focus and taking care of you!
Cheers-
Laina

As defined by Webster’s
1. To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort.
2. To cooperate treasonably, as with an enemy occupation force in one’s country.

If I am to understand this definition correctly it basically means to work together. If you’re enemies then it means working together for opposite outcomes. What it doesn’t mean, in any form, is to give the other person your ideas and let them choose which ones they like. Or does it? Wouldn’t that be considered a dictatorship? Am I missing something here? Please, please tell me if I have got this all wrong.

I won’t deny that I can be difficult but surely I don’t have this meaning wrong.

Anyways on to brighter things. Have a great day all!!!!
Laina

Have you ever done something thinking you were being unselfish and doing the “right” thing only to have it end up being 10 times worse and to realize that you weren’t being perceived as ever doing the right thing in the first place? How does that happen?? Bad judgment or just poor communication of expectations? Whatever I guess. I’m not going to worry about it. It just strikes me as funny because of trying so hard for nothing.

Moving on…tomorrow is the first release party for Stilettos & Scoundrels at the Rainmakers Main Event. I have another one scheduled for March 10th at N. Rue in Broad Ripple and am working on several others (including the DSW at Clay Terrace). Exciting stuff. Now I’m trying to balance the selling with finishing the business book and writing the next Presley Thurman book. Never enough time in the day. How do you all balance everything without getting burnt out?

Don’t forget that MS Awareness week starts March 8th and we are building pre-awareness now! Purchasing my book prior to march 8th will send 20% of proceeds to the MS Society.
Have a great Monday!
Laina

For those of us who wish they still had their mom (or dad) to talk to.

Dear Mom,
Besides the fact I was so scatterbrained yesterday that I started 2 blog posts and didn’t finish or publish either one I have a dilemma and I need your help. I’m in an argument with my very best friend in the whole world, and my world is now upside down. How did this happen you may ask? Well you may think I am a bit hot-headed, stubborn, sensitive, and temporarily lost the filter of reason on what was coming out of my mouth. You have mentioned that on occasion but I don’t see it. If I were to admit that could be what happened then I would say I took one small statement from my BF and allowed it to hurt me without seeking to better understand where he was coming from and FLIPPED OUT! In the process not only creating a huge chasm between us but ruining something I really wanted in the first place. But I jumped to conclusions too quickly. So now I don’t have my BF nor do I have this very thing I coveted that he was handing me. So who won this argument? Not me, not him, not anyone.
Where am I supposed to go from here? If you’re a normal person you talk like rationale adults and work it out. Now I’m not saying I’m not normal (no smart comment from you mom), but you know I have an unhealthy share of self-preservation at all costs. You know hunt do not be the hunted. So when I get in these predicaments I have no idea where to go but to take a stand as wrong as it may be and feel incapable to stop the train wreck. Then I feel guilty and I vacillate between what I know is right and what I feel I should do to protect myself. It makes me look very wishy-washy. You ask how that’s worked for me so far. Ummm….not so well.
So I ask again where do I go from here? I need my BF and more importantly I want my BF.
I wish you were really here to help me.
Miss you.
Love, Laina

I am thrilled it’s Monday. Even if it’s snowy here in Indiana, I am pumped. I feel like I have a purpose. So yes my purpose is a little scattered but I am here and focused all the same.

Now my one challenge today is finishing the edits for the business book which I completely slacked on this past weekend. I just couldn’t get in the groove and there are a lot of things that I don’t like about it so I really don’t want to spend time on it. Does that make sense? But I have to just suck it up and figure it out.

Only 3 weeks until the start of Multiple Sclerosis awareness week. Aren’t sure what MS is? Check out this link.

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Today has been great. Well except I didn’t get as much work done as I should have today but the night is young. I am writing this post from Lindsay Manfredi’s new Mac book and I really am loving this keyboard. It’s backlit and just feels nice. The computer is thin and light. I may become a convert to Apple.

Anyways, today I was supposed to finish the edits to my business book but I have so much on my mind. Have a job offer on the table that to be honest is not something I would normally consider as it’s being someones assistant. However, this is a unique situation and I not only think I could really help this business grow but it’s a very productive place for me to work. It will be a switch, as I am using to having an assistant not being one, and I really don’t like being told what to do. But all that aside…..I’m really considering it. In a crazy way I could call it an investment in my future or conversely a huge waste of my time and effort.

The person I would be working for knows how lucky he would be to have a PhD. and all around fabulous chick like me. One main drawback is I always say don’t work for friends and we are friends. I would hate for something to ruin that.

What to do…what to do.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!!!!

Laina