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This year has really picked up and taken off with a bang for me. Not that work was ever particularly quiet, but since the Christmas/January school holidays ended, I’ve been busy, busy, busy, working 7 days/week (again)… and loving it. However being so busy with work - and still only having 24 hours in each day - has meant that I’ve had to get tougher in some areas, specifically emails. Some of you may remember me recently asking for tips to handle my literally 100s of emails every day. Well, part of my management plan is to only reply to emails (unless urgent) once a day. I began doing this each morning, but then found that it would take up the best part of my morning, and my most creative writing time. So now I tend to only reply to emails in the late afternoon, unless I feel it really warrants an earlier reply.

I must admit, this has made a big difference. I also used to reply to every email, more as a courtesy for the invitations, ‘thought you might like this’ information, etc. Well, I still usually do that, however there are some that I don’t acknowledge. I’m not 100% comfortable with this yet - I feel rude not responding - however I have to say it’s saving a lot of precious time.

I guess this is going to be an on-going process, but for everyone else out there who’s drowning in emails… there is a way to tread water!

The Rules:
1.Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2.Pick your month of birth.
3.Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
4.Highlight the traits that apply to you and if you would like write some wit or not.
5.Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6.Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

Okay, here goes. I’m a July baby so here are the July traits:

Fun to be with - I hope so

Secretive - sometimes, although I’d say more cautious and wary.

Difficult to fathom and to be understood - uh-huh.

Quiet unless excited or tensed - some would say quiet even when excited or tensed!

Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation - yes and yes.

Easily consoled - yep… hugs and choccies work every time.

Honest - sometimes too honest I think.

Concerned about people’s feelings - very much so, perhaps too much at times.

Tactful - yep.

Friendly. Approachable - I hope so.

Emotional temperamental and unpredictable - hmmm, yep, I guess I can be. But hugs and choccies will fix that

Moody and easily hurt - that’s me again.

Witty and sparkly - I try, particularly after a couple of wines

Not revengeful - absolutely. I believe in Karma.

Forgiving but never forgets - oh yeah!

Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things - generally, but sometimes I enjoy a bit of nonsensical and unnecessary things, especially to lighten the mood.

Guides others physically and mentally - again, I try.

Sensitive and forms impressions carefully - very much.

Why does July have more traits than most of the other signs…?

Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy - All of these.

Wary and sharp - yep (see secretive above).

Judges people through observations - ummm, I try not to judge people at all.

Hardworking. No difficulties in studying - definitely both of these.

Loves to be alone - right again.

Always broods about the past and the old friends - well, I wouldn’t say always.

Likes to be quiet - shhhhh!

Homely person - absolutely. I love my home. Friends are always welcome here.

Waits for friends. Never looks for friends - Yeah, I guess so. I tend to find friends naturally so I never need to go in search of them.

Not aggressive unless provoked - yep, and even then it takes an awful lot of provoking. 

Prone to having stomach and dieting problems - oh yes. I’m one who literally ‘worries myself sick’ often.

Loves to be loved - doesn’t everyone?

Easily hurt but takes long to recover - right again.

Here are the summaries for each month:

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas.Difficult to fathom.Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Now I have to tag 12 people… here goes:

Nicole at The Modern Goddess

Ingrid at Heart Harmony

Kelly at Nuvo Maternity

Beverley at WritePowerfulResumes

Lisa at Moments in Chocolate

Anke at Herbology

Amanda at Birds of a Feather

Well, that’s only 7 but I can’t think of anyone else to add who hasn’t already been tagged!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and New Year. Mine was pretty full on, with Christmas Eve day spent on the Gold Coast with my Dad & Step-Mum, then back to Brisbane that night for Christmas Eve with family (our European celebrations) until the early hours of the morning.

Then Christmas Day we were up early to have some time together before my son went to his Dad’s for the day while I stayed home baking Pavlova and Rum Balls.At 3.00pm I set off to collect my son and head to my sister’s home for Christmas dinner and more Christmas festivities - another late night.

No chance of a sleep in on Boxing Day - we were off into SouthBank Parklands to meet with my Aunt and Uncle, visiting from Cairns, along with a cousin and her family, Mum and one of my sisters. We thought it would be crowded over there but thankfully the Christmas sales and torrential rain kept most people away. Not us though… we managed to find semi-shelter under some trees and enjoyed soggy, fresh garlic prawns and scallop mornay (my cousin caught them up in Cairns and sent them down here with his Dad, my Uncle). We were grateful when SouthBank’s famous Plough Inn pub opened at noon so we could go and take over… I mean, sit quietly in a corner, out of the rain 

Then on the 27th, we rested! Who would have thought partying and celebrating Christmas could be so exhausting?! Oh, and food… I don’t think I need to eat anything for another couple of weeks yet!

Here’s to 2008 - I wish you a year full of health, wealth, love and happiness

This book is now complete and we would like to give you a copy for free… our gift to you. Plus, you’re welcome to give this away to your friends, family, clients, associates… anyone else who you think would like it.

For a host of ideas on niche marketing, time management, work/family balance, marketing and loads more, download your free copy of What I Wish I Knew Before I Started My Business.

Happy reading!

I’d love to hear your comments so if you have a spare 2 minutes, pop over to Small Business Diva and check it out.

I saw it as a challenge and ended up staying up way past my bedtime last night.

See if you can resist… http://www.bass10.com/flash-games/puzzle-games/bloxorz-puzzle-game/

And if anyone can get past level  27, please let me know. That’s where I’m stuck! Apparently there are 33 levels all together.

I receive anywhere between 100 and 200 emails every weekday, around 70 each day of a weekend. I’m finding myself spending around 3-4 hours each day just replying to emails and then keeping them filed so I don’t start losing them. These are mostly business related and while some are from forums I’m a member of and may not need replying to, many of them are from clients/prospective clients and associates, and they do need a reply, preferably a.s.a.p.

NB: My business is mostly run ‘virtually’ - i.e. online. Therefore it’s convenient for most of my clients to deal with me through emails. Those overseas, particularly in the US, find it essential as I’m usually asleep while they’re working.

Thankfully I’m a very organised person and have been managing somewhat, but I’m still finding it difficult to keep up. I have tried phoning some people back to save emailing, but then I get tied up on the phone for half the day (especially with those who love a chat).

If there’s anyone out there who has overcome this challenge - or at least found a way to ease the pressure - I’d love to hear your suggestions. Please?

May you be blessed with an amazingly abundant day today!

May the clouds break and the heavens pour down upon you more joy, more love, more laughter and more money than you could have ever dreamed of.

May the sun shine its golden light of prosperity through every cell of your extraordinary body.

May you be cleansed today of any resistence or feelings of unworthiness that you may still be holding on to.

May your false illusions of doubt, fear and scarcity gently fall away like soft white feathers on a gentle breeze. 

May you be willing, simply willing, to allow the Universe to shower you with miracles today.

May the Angels wrap you in their shining wings of opulence.

May the fairies deliver you to their pot of gold at the end of a majestic rainbow.

May your eyes shine with the glorious truth of who you really are and may that truth uplift others in your presence to their own inner knowing.

May your ears hear the sound of perfection ringing in your soul.

May you taste the deliciousness of every precious bite of life as your day unfolds moment by moment with amazing grace, heartfelt love and a bounty of magnificent money.

As this day ends, may you slumber wrapped in an exquisite blanket of enduring peace and profound gratitude.

And may the last words you speak today be Thank You!

Veronica M. Hay (c) 2004

This is one day I really look forward to each month. I get together with several other business women, most of whom work at home… by themselves (not including the kids). We were talking this morning about the importance of networking and getting out socialising with other business people and just how valuable this time is. Whether we’re comparing achievements, challenges or news, it’s something we probably took for granted in our previous careers - working in an office full of people - and something we often don’t realise we’re missing until we go looking for it. Does that make sense?

Anyway, if you’re in the Brisbane area, come along and join us. If not, look around for similar groups in your area. Sometimes it can be difficult to get away when you’ve got so much work waiting to be done, but more often than not, you’ll be more productive for having taken that time out.