How to Create a Winning Life in Three Easy Steps.

I’m sharing #LISTERINE in my life as part of a LISTERINE® sponsored series for Socialstars™

Have you ever had that feeling that you wanted something bigger and better for your life but you just weren’t sure how to get started or what steps you needed to take get there? Stepping up to the plate and claiming your place in the world can be both a scary yet completely gratifying move.  I know this because I did just that in November of 2013 when I listened to that still small voice pushing me to rebrand my beloved beauty only site “Cosmetically Challenged” to the all inclusive site that you know and love of “Being Melody”. I saw my future, I knew that I had the potential to really do something bigger and better yet I was stuck in a place of  self-doubt. 

Encourage Yourself that You can Win.

Often times we get so caught up in what everyone else is doing or how great Social Media makes their lives appear to be that you forget just how awesome you are yourself. To start winning at life one of the first things you have to do is stop comparing your life to the lives of other people out there. You have to stop seeking encouragement in the form of a retweet or a heart on a picture. As humans, it’s natural for us to seek out encouragement, especially if we’re diving into something new.  We want our choices to be reinforced with a pat on the back or simple “good job” from the people we hold near and dear to our hearts, but let’s face it not everyone is going to be here for you and the goals you’ve set out to achieve. This is why it’s so important to encourage yourself.  Look in the mirror and tell yourself just how great you are. Did you figure out that coding problem all by yourself last week? Did you reach a sales goal or has your picture taking improved thus leading to more sponsored campaigns? If so, then you should be patting yourself on the back and not waiting for someone else to do it for you. When you’re confident in yourself it leads to other people being confident in you also.

 Teach Yourself How to Win.

I love science, I love all the little nuances that come with parasites and viruses so that’s why I’ve my geared education towards being a scientist. If you would have told me that I would own my own business and be an entrepreneur I would’ve laughed, but here I am in the last year of my PhD no longer interested in doing research anymore. I’m more interested in taking Being Melody and Broke on Purpose to the next level. Without any formal training in business or web design, I had two options, I could either hire out the things that I wanted to do thus creating another expense and risk things not being exactly how I wanted them or I could teach myself. I chose to teach myself. You don’t have to enroll in school to earn another degree. There are tons of books, videos, and E-courses online that will teach you the things you want to know for free or at a small cost. The best part about teaching yourself is that you can do it on your own time.  One of my goals is to begin public speaking, I’m familiar with public speaking in the sense of presenting my research data, but I wanted to learn about how to really captivate an audience so I purchased the book “Talk Like Ted”. I wanted to learn more about being a leader and a respected boss so I purchased “Lean In”. Write out a list of all the things you’d like to achieve and then look for ways you can teach yourself how to do these things.

Create a Winning Mantra

Success comes to those who decide to succeed. Launching Being Melody came about because I decided to step out on faith and follow the vision that I’d been shown. “Write The Vision” which is a verse from the bible (Habakkuk 2:2) became and still is one of my winning mantras. Every time I was feeling doubtful or insecure I would repeat this phrase to myself. Not only did it inspire me to keep going, but it also gave me the confidence to attempt new things and reach out into unchartered territories. Another one of my mantra’s is “You can’t keep asking for increase while doing things that cause you decrease.” meaning stop talking about how you want things to move forward in areas of your life if you’re only going to continue to do things that propel you backward. Having a mantra is like having your own personal cheering section. Create your own or choose one that motivates and inspires you to keep going when things aren’t going the way you originally planned or when you’re faced with adversity.

By providing myself with encouragement, knowledge and a winning mantra I’ve prepared myself to go out and show the world exactly what I’m capable of. I’m creating a life where I’m in competition with no one and I’m always a winner. When you choose to succeed you have this clear sense of self where no one can stop you. It’s kind of like the feeling I get when I pop in a Listerine Breath Strip. When you know your breath is fresh then you’re confident and secure. The confidence you get from using Listerine can have you doing some pretty fearless things, like approaching a brand you admire and pitching your services, or asking another business owner out for coffee so you can get to know them better and maybe even gain them as a mentor.  I always carry Listerine with me anywhere I go. You never know when who you’ll meet. If you’re in the area be sure to stop by NYC’s Union Square on April 14 from 8am-2pm where the Listerine team will be setting up stages where you can win prizes and earn some free goodies. This is the perfect chance to talk it up with strangers and share your business!