Ok, so it’s not like I talk real estate all the time anyway – but today, there is really none of it.  Right this second I am short on time but long in appreciation.  I am going to share with you some of my current, favorite, non-industry blogs. I am not mentioning Chris, Liz, or Kirsten – they already know I love them!

1. Essential Keystokes - Char is the cool techno-mom I strive to be
2. Success from the Nest – funny, smart, great cartoons!
3. Managing with Aloha - Rosa Say incorporates Hawaiian values into the business world
4. Hello, my Name is Blog - Scott the name tag guy is relavent and fun to ready.
5. Dawud Miracle - webdesigner for the business owner (and he seems to be a smart guy, too)
6. Mitten Musings – talk about transparency!  I love reading this girl.
7. A Deaf Mom Shares her World – Karen is a great read, an incredible story.
8. Carpe Factum – one of the smartest business blogs out there. Total outside thinker and it works!

I always include a quote in my weekly newsletter.  In fact, the rest of the newsletter revolves around it in some way.  The quote I used this week has been eating at my brain (and starving) all day.

A good hockey player plays where the puck is.  A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.

Love that…and I think I know what to do with it…the question now becomes, “How?” – or better, “How do you know?”

Then you add a a Kris Berg post about knowledge that makes you think deep and a Doug Trudeau post that makes your head pop off – I took an Advil.

The real estate market is changing, that is true. But it has always experienced change. The point is to follow, learn, understand, and pass that information knowledge on to the client.

Or so I thought. Then I read a post about client service NOT being the main thing – marketing is… “it doesn’t matter if you are the best if people don’t know you are” thing.

So, let’s talk for a while. In real estate, in business – heck, in life – how do you know where the puck is going to be? Where is the pulse?

Right now, I still believe the puck is with the service to the client.  This encompasses all the Web 2.0, internet marketing, economic understanding, face to face contacts, and good, old fashioned elbow grease to accomplish the best for the individual who has signed their name to do business with you.

I will spout my own wares for just one second…bare with me.

Back in April, I found this lovely little site called Letterpop.  They are great for offering templates to manage your own newsletter mailings.  Turn Around Tuesday was born and it is some of the most fun I have had.  I am lucky it has been so well recieved – I would have written it even if nobody was reading it – wouldn’t that be silly.

Imagine my excitement when I got an email this morning from Coastal Georgia Photographer, Glenda Carter announcing her own newsletter!  Not only does she beautify our inboxes with a gorgeous picture, but she also gives great hints for taking our own – AtholK should love that!

So, pop on over to see her.  Leave her a comment.  Better yet, leave your email so she can add you to her list. You will be glad you did!

I don’t – ever.  There is either a real person across the table or it’s me and my laptop – either way lunch is productive.  That sometimes presents some difficulties, but, hey, it’s great most of the time.

Like yesterday, for instance.  I had the pleasure of sharing a table with Dale Price.  It was our first “real” meeting.

Dale is a Loan Officer from HomeFirst Mortgage.  Last week I received an email from her that clearly defined her dedication to the client services aspect of the real estate industry.  Sounded a lot like my philosophy, so I asked her if she was interested in producing some material to consider for the blog.  She was, and she invited me to lunch.

It was lots of fun having a great meal and getting to know somebody new.  You’d be surprised how often people you don’t know, but would like to, will not turn down an invitation to eat.  Great connections, possible friendships, and likely self improvement is often the main course.

Do you know how often I hear, “What time did you _______?” 
Insert into the blank

• send that email
• write a blog post
• comment on a website
• anything that has a timestamp. 

Bunches.  Most people don’t notice the 3:30AM ish time - but when they do, they have questions.

Yes, I am typically up by 3 or 4 in the morning.  But I am typically asleep by 11PM.  I learned quite some time ago that I am super productive during the early morning hours.  I don’t require a whole lot of sleep.  If I sleep too much, my brain and body gets lazy. 

The thing that interested me the most is that I wouldn’t get the same questions if I stayed up until 1 or 2 and was up at 6 or 7.

This difference in perception made me wonder – how many people lose out on big gains because they are stuck doing it the way they have always done it, or the way it “ought” to be done?

We often think we are not as productive, happy, energetic, accomplished as we could be because of outside influences – market, weather, circumstance.  But, what if it’s not any of those things.  What if it’s you?

• Sounds crazy to get up at 3 – you might be missing your peak time. 
• Can’t imagine sleeping later and staying up till after midnight – that could be where your stride is.
• Do you need to start a little earlier and stay a little later so you have extra time a lunch to relax – or even sleep?
• Maybe when you take a shower, eat breakfast, or any part of routine is out of whack.
• Do you read enough?
• Do you listen enough?
• Do you sleep enough?
• Do you eat enough?

Take a look at the way you run your day.  Is it all that it could be?  Have you tried making it more effective in the past but could never seem to quite make it work?  Think outside of the guided path – what little changes could make a big difference in your productivity?

I read a great post today from Tony Gallegos. It was about one of my favorite topics – the Importance of having a great Attitude.

In 2004, I was in the Navy stationed aboard the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67). We deployed for the Gulf in June. I left behind my husband, my children, my life.  The  ship spent the majority of its time in the Persian Gulf providing air support for the troops on the ground.

I will take this moment to digress and thank, from the bottom of my heart, all the servicemen and women and their families for their awesome service.

Every person who has ever been deployed has their stories about phone calls to home where spouses are worn thin, important dates are missed, holidays apart, and three year olds asking if you are ever coming home. In a situation such as this, as you can well imagine, it is easy to hate everything about life.

Nobody can live like that – much less be productive and perform the mission at hand.  This is what I learned.

You can either sit here and be angry and gain nothing positive from the situation, or you can sit here and take pride in your work, learn from the experience, and become a better person – either way, you’re still sitting here.

Different times call for different forms of resolve where our attitude is concerned. When the market is good, business is booming, we’re spending tons of time with our family, and there’s left over after the bills are paid, a good attitude is easy. When the chips are down, the hustle is harder, and stress is the diet of the day, it ain’t as easy – but this is time when it is most important.

Your reality – the place in space that you occupy- is molded and created almost completely by your attitude towards it. Try these.

• Business is slow – perfect time to work on the marketing plan that is going to generate more business.
• Money is tight – perfect time to review your budget and plan expenses.
• Not enough clients to fill a work day – perfect time to take some of those continuing education courses that make you better qualified to serve them when the list fills up.

Like Tony, I am not advising you to put on “rose colored precious moments glasses and ignore the realities.” I’m just saying that a perceived negative reality doesn’t stand a chance against a healthy positive attitude.

***Maps courtesy of www.theodora.com/maps used with permission***

As a Realtor® in Coastal Georgia, you get to know the bug guys real good. Rarely will a buyer close without a termite clearance letter. At least, not when a good agent and a mortgage broker are involved. Barry Teubert and the guys over at Northwest Exterminating are some of the best I know.  Garry Adams came by our office in Richmond Hill a few weeks ago. I was impressed at his ability to make the “Bugs and Buyers” class interesting.

But today, The Mouse is talking about more than getting rid of bugs – he is talking about getting rid of cancer -
Leukemia & Lymphoma to be exact.

On October 5th in Forsyth Park in downtown Savannah, the Georgia Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will be “Lighting up the Night” in an effort to raise fund to help combat and cure these diseases.

You can help them out at Barbara’s page.
Learn more about the Society and the Georgia Chapter.
You can even register to get involved yourself.

If I told you how the universe came together to inspire this topic, you wouldn’t believe me.  However, it is a popular thought that the things you think the most about typically come to pass.

Lately, a lot of discussion has gone on about values, goals, and the future you.  I spoke with Katana this morning about goals.  I listened to Chris’ radio show about making sure your goals lined up with your values.  Liz wrote a great post about the future you and inspired another great post by Vernon that combined the idea of “what you learnt” with “future me.”

My “aha” moment…memes are everywhere – the posts that tell what you don’t know about me.  It has been my meme experience that these things are typically past events.  I like this “future me” idea better.

I introduce to you, the “Opi.” Comes from the Greek word “opiso.”  Now, I am no Greek scholar so I maybe way off…but I searched for “future you” in a greek dictionary, this word popped up and I liked it, so I used it.  It refers to the hereafter. The Opi is to be written of the future you in the present tense.

My Opi.  After many wildly successful years in Real Estate, I have left my brokerage to my partner to manage on her own.  It was the only way to accommodate the bookings for the next book tour and speaking schedule.  Not to mention the trip my husband and I have planned with the children to Europe.

The Bryan County School board has accepted my decision not to continue on.  Those were wonderful years and I will miss playing such an active role, but there are other parents with bright and shining ideas for their children who also deserve the opportunity to provide a positive impact on the education of their children.  I wish them the best.

I am so very grateful for my friends.  They have accompanied me on this journey from the beginning.  They gave me support, resources, and encouragement.  They were loyal through raising healthy children, my pursuit of an advanced degree, and building a thriving business.  I only hope that now I can do for others what they have done for me.

So now, my husband and I are off.  We are out looking for opportunities to help and to improve.  If you need us, call us.  We promise to do what we can.  At the very least, we’ll try to point you in the right direction.

And there it is – the first “opi”

I tag
Liz Strauss
Vernon Lun
Jay Thompson
AtholK
Dolores
Chris Cree
Sellsius
Stacey Macioszek
Kenlie
Christoph Schweiger