Monday, July 15, 2013

Take Action!

Over the past few days I have read post after post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram filled with anger, sadness, frustration and despair surrounding the Trayvon Martin case and the Zimmerman verdict. The posts that resonated with me the most were the ones that encouraged or challenged us to take action. So I gave it some thought..."What immediate action could I take?" I realized that there is certainly a need for motivation, inspiration and encouragement during this sad time, so as a result, I have made both of my motivational eBooks "Monday Morning Motivation" and "Momentum" free. Please download them (by clicking on the titles), read them and share them with someone who you know that needs a lift. 
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Complaining is easy and it often leads to very little if any change or results. This week I encourage you to identify a way that you can take action that will make a difference, no matter how large or small.

Monday, June 3, 2013

MOMENTUM

One of the main areas in our lives that we often need inspiration is in the area of finances. For that reason, please allow me to introduce my NEW Book...



MOMENTUM
Daily Meditations From the Minds of Millionaires
Synopsis
Financial literacy is not a subject that we learn in school. If financial wisdom is not inherited from or taught by financially free family members or mentors, many often miss out on this very important skill. Even the most talented, creative or academically gifted individuals with multiple college degrees or in professional positions can be completely clueless when it comes to managing money.

The author of this book found herself in this very situation which led her on a personal quest for financial freedom that began with studying those who had achieved it, and resulted in the launch of a career as a successful real estate investor.

Instead of reading the thousands of books that are out there on how to become wealthy, why not read just one? One that synthesizes some of the most inspirational quotes, thoughts and points from several of those books and brilliant minds in one, small, manageable message per day, every day, for one month.

Science says that it takes one month to form a habit so let this book guide you on a momentous journey toward wealth, prosperity, financial literacy and ultimately, financial freedom. Let the MOMENTUM begin!
CLICK HERE to Download  and Join me on the journey to Financial Freedom!

Most Sincerely,

Monica Marie Jones, MSW
Author and Motivator
www.monicamariejones.com
www.literaryloft.com

Monday, May 20, 2013

Don't Let Your Sentences Become Your Sentences

How does it feel to be locked up? Something that you have been saying has you confined in a cell. Which
of your words are holding you back?

Perhaps you say things like "I'll never find a better job." "He or she is the best I can ever get." "I'm too fat." "This just the way it has always been."

Forming these thoughts are the crime. Speaking the words are your sentencing. Everything that follows is you doing time. You are the criminal, the judge and the jury, and now you are living a reality that you have created with your words. This all unfolded clearly for me when I was in my integrity class last week and I heard my friend Michelle say, "Your sentences will become your sentences." What type of time do you want to serve while you are here on this Earth? Do you want to punish yourself with hard time? Or will you speak words that create a life that you love?

This week I encourage you to examine your sentences. What do you want for your life? Are the sentences that you say in alignment with that?

You have the choice between prison or prosperity. Jail or joy. Lock down or love. Confinement or courage. What will you choose?

Freedom lies within your words.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Reside in Right Now

Where are you right now? Literally, you are probably sitting at a desk, looking at your computer or
phone, in your home, office or a coffee shop. Even though that is where your physical body is, is the rest of you there too?

You are probably watching the clock in anticipation of your next break, lunch or the end of the work day. You may be thinking about what happened yesterday, last month or ten years ago. You might be worrying about a bill that is due, an upcoming event, or dreading something that you’ve been putting off and you’re not looking forward to doing. One thing that I can almost guarantee that very few of you are doing right now is being present.

We are often everywhere but here. The top three places that we tend to live are inside of our head, in the past or in the future.Unfortunately, spending the majority of our time in these places leads to discomfort and a lack of enjoyment which makes us miss out on the true experience and adventure that is life. I read the following quote the other day…

“When I am anxious it is because I am living in the future.When I am depressed it is because I am living in the past.” ~ Author Unknown

I know firsthand what anxiety and depression feels like and they are NOT fun feelings. So this week I encourage you to move out of those places and take residence in the present. Look around you. Take in what is there right now. If you are outside, look at the sky, the trees and the beautiful spring colors. Take a deep restorative breath. Have an actual conversation with the people around you instead of the people on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram and in your phone.

We often look to the future for our happiness and blame the past for our lack of it, but the secret is that true joy is only found in the right now.  Move in to this moment and finally find what you’ve been searching for.  Move out of the future and the past so that you can reside in right now.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Your TODAY List


For most of my life I’ve operated from a daily To-Do list.This is generally a long list of tasks that I’m not
particularly excited about doing, but I know that these things must get done and I have to write them down to make sure that I don’t forget them.


I rarely get through the entire list in a day and the chores often carry over for days, weeks or even months depending on how unenthusiastic I am about the item to be accomplished. So the other day I thought, wouldn’t it be exciting to put things on the list that were fun and crazy. This led me to thinking about how we are really only promised this moment. We really only have today for sure. What if we lived as if each day was our last? How different would that To-Do list look?

For me, it would become a Today List and it would include adventurous activities such as taking a spontaneous road trip and having dinner in another state or country (Canada is right across the bridge from us here in Detroit), or visiting one of the amazing places right here in my city that I often take for granted, like the Motown Museum because it is so close that I figure I can just go any time…Perhaps making a call to say “I love you” to a Grandparent or someone who you rarely reach out to but you hold dear to your heart.

This week, I encourage you to spice up your regular list and make it a Today List, living each day to the max as if it is your last.

Enjoy!

Monday, April 29, 2013

Monday Morning Motivation - "Spring into Action!"

Last weekend I had the amazing opportunity to be a speaker at the “Living By Design” Spring Social that
was hosted by a really positive organization called EBG (Empowering Brilliant Generations). The theme and title of my speech was “Spring in to Action” so this morning I want to share that message with you…

I started off my presentation with a brand new copy of my book, “Monday Morning Motivation” in my hand. I then said, “This is free and it has some money in it. Come and get it.”  Only two people made a move. I gave it to the young lady who made it to me first and I asked her to open it up and tell us what was inside. She shared that there was a crisp $20 bill inside as well as an inscription that read, “When you believe you most certainly receive. ;)”  I then gauged the audience to see who thought that I was just joking, or that it was a trick, or that there really wasn’t any money in the book. Several people raised their hands.

How often do we miss opportunities because we do not believe?

How often do we miss opportunities because we fail to spring into action?

A year and a half ago I got into real estate investing because a friend told me that houses were selling in Detroit for $500. He didn’t have to tell me twice. As I saved money and prepared to make my investments I studied real estate, attended events and talked with people about my plan.Several people said that all of the houses would be crap. Many people did not believe. Others believed but did not take action. A little over a year later, I acquired eight properties with sixteen units among them, fixed several of them up and placed six tenants. Of course there were challenges, but I was able to realize a long term dream and goal that I had by simply believing and then springing into action.

At the end 2007 I sprang into action when I left my full time job. Just recently I learned that that period of time was probably the worst time ever to walk away from a job…

“The hemorrhaging of American jobs accelerated at a record pace at the end of 2008, bringing the year’s total job loses to 2.6 million or the highest level in more than six decades.” –CNNMoney.com New York

How dare I walk away from a job at a time when so many people who wanted their jobs were losing them?

I did that because I believe that sometimes you just have to commit and THEN figure the rest out. The action of commitment in itself often opens up many doors and opportunities that would not exist without first making that decision.  If we try to figure things out first, we will find a million excuses and reasons to get out of making that decision or taking that step toward our dreams and goals. This is why I encourage you to make the commitment first, and then allow things to fall into place.

In order to spring into action, I suggest a certain process.Let’s think about the season of Spring. Rain, gardens, plants, and flowers and new beginnings are often associated with this season. So let’s apply this to our life when it comes to the preparation for springing into action…

Picture a big lot or field of vacant land. It is more than likely over grown with weeds. People have dumped  trash and debris there. It is really not the ideal space for planting initially. Therefore the first step is to…

Clear the field
What do you need to clear out of your life before you can move forward? Is it a habit, a belief, a person, job, or a fear? Is there someone you need to forgive…yourself perhaps?
Next we must…

Plant the Seeds
What type of seeds do you need to plant in the field that is your life? Do you need to save, invest, write a book, apply for a job, or audition for something?
Finally we must…

Tend to the Field
If you clear the field and plant the seeds but don’t tend to it, what will happen? Eventually people, or bugs and rodents will eat your fruit, walk all over your flowers, throw in junk and trash…or weeds will grow and take over.
Taking into account what you cleared out and what you planted, what will you need to do to maintain and tend to your field?

During each of the phases of preparation for springing into action I had the people in the audience think about it, write it down and discuss it with a partner. After this I did something with them that I am going to do with you right now…

I have a request that may seem a little unreasonable, BUT in order to get something different, sometimes you have to take away all of the reasons why you can’t, won’t or don’t do things.

Now that you have this working plan, take the next 5 minutes to actually “Spring into Action.” RIGHT NOW I want you to call, email or text someone that you’ve wanted to do business with, someone you need to forgive,someone that you need to ask forgiveness of. If it is someone that has passed away, write them a letter. Take and action RIGHT NOW and be BOLD with it! Ready…Set…GO!

For those of you who actually did it, I want you to post a comment below and share what you did and what happened…

When you spring into action you will find more joy,prosperity and freedom than you can imagine.

Don’t let the action stop here. As you go throughout the rest of your day, week, month and year let the momentum lead you. The past and the future do not really exist because the past is gone and the future may never come…so all that you truly have is this moment…life is right now…and right now…and right now…

SPRING INTO ACTION!

Monday, January 28, 2013

Monday Morning Motivation: Recommit To Your Resolutions

Monday Morning Motivation: Recommit To Your Resolutions: As January comes to an end we often begin to lose the focus that we had on the goals that we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year...

Monday Morning Motivation: What Is Your Emotional Account Balance?

Monday Morning Motivation: What Is Your Emotional Account Balance?: The other day I was listening to the audio book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey and he spoke of a concept...