Sparkle and Grow

Let's talk about "toxic positivity." The definition, according to ChatGPT, is (in part): the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations.  In this episode, I share my recently personal struggles with this very thing. Everyday we are inundated with creators and influencers telling us to just keep going and stay positive. Keep a good attitude to raise our vibration. But what happens when you consume so much of that content that it feels like a let down when your goals are materializing instantly? This episode is labeled as explicit because I drop a few "f" bombs. But let's get real and talk about this. Has this had an effect in your life? If so, what have you done or have you handled it? Let's chat!  

In this episode, I drop a HUGE announcement and talk about what it looks like to move forward after learning some hard lessons (last episode). I also talk about what I plan to cover in future episodes. Spoiler alert I launched a new podcast, dedicated to starting, building, and running a business! Check it out: the Wonderfully Simple Business Podcast. As always, feel free to reach out to me at sparkleew@yahoo.com! I love getting feedback. I make this podcast for all of you! 

I'm back!! In this episode, I recount all of the craziness that's been going on in life. Yes, I say the "f" word, so I'm marking it as explicit. Basically, I've been through a lot in the last year and I know so many of you can relate! Let's learn together. Let's do some introspection and grow and learn from mistakes made.

Just a quick Q&A Session from all of the questions I keep getting in my emails and DM's. I also offer a bit of advice and give a few book and podcast recommendations. If you haven't already, ready Ruth Soukup's book "Do It Scared," where she outlines how fear presents itself in our lives and strategies to overcome it. I highly recommend this to almost everyone because a common thing I hear is "I'm scared." We've all been there, so I get it! But moving forward IS possible and you owe it to yourself to get through it! I genuinely appreciate all of the questions and do my best to answer as timely as possible. I am going to offer 1-on-1 coaching, so if you're interested, please let me know!! Also, if you are interested in receiving my templates for the agreement I use, the quotes/estimates, my pricing packages, etc, please let me know! Again, my emails are: sparkleew@yahoo.com wonderfullysimple@yahoo.com  Find me on Facebook, LinkedIn, almost everywhere! 

AHHHHH! I'm so excited to share this episode with you all! This is where we put the rubber to the road. This is where you actually make this business WORK. I talk about how to market your business, what to post, how to network, and I answer a few common questions that I get asked frequently. This episode connects the other 2 together to give you the full blueprint I used to start my business and be successful.  I am planning to offer my templates to those needing them for $5.99 per set. Each set will have several different documents/posts/graphics in them. I have not made them live yet, but will announce when I do. As usual, please PLEASE reach out with any questions! I am happy to help as much as I reasonably am able. I am giving thought to a membership community-let me know your thoughts on this!!! sparkleew@yahoo.com or wonderfullysimple@yahoo.com Find me on Facebook using my name or business name or on LinkedIn! Good luck to ALL of you! Go out and make it happen! Want to learn even more? Check out my new podcast dedicated to helping you build a business, the Wonderfully Simple Business Podcast. Here's a link to my FREE guide to get started, too: stan.store/sparkleew

In this episode, I recap the essentials from Episode 1 and start by adding more information about the list of services. I also talk about the fee structure I use and how I set it up to make the most sense for my target audience. I cannot stress this enough: everything you do should be influenced by your target audience! At the end, I touch very briefly on getting my business setup with the state (which I talked about in the first episode) and opening at least one bank account to keep your business finances separate from your personal finances.  If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out! You can email me at sparkleew@yahoo.com or wonderfullysimple@yahoo.com Please put "podcast" or something similar in the subject line so I can respond to you and know that it's not spam or junk.  I will offer the same disclaimer as last time. This is not legal advice. Also, I am not a CPA or an accountant in any form, so please consult with professionals in those areas.  The next episode will answer some questions I am getting and will also discuss advertising, marketing, and networking. Thanks so much for listening! Find me on LinkedIn: Erika Wonders Melvin Find me on Facebook: Erika Wonders Melvin or Wonderfully Simple HR Consulting Want to learn even more? Check out my brand new podcast dedicated to helping you build a business, the Wonderfully Simple Business Podcast! Here's a link to my FREE guide about getting started, too: stan.store/sparkleew

Hello, all! Thank you so much for being here and for listening. This is a somewhat content-heavy episode so be prepared to take notes or save it for later listening. In this episode, I tell you all a bit about me and my background in HR. I then go on to discuss the very first steps anyone must take to start their own consulting business. Please note: this is not legal advice nor is it meant to be an exact "to-do." My goal here is simply to provide enough information on how I, myself, got started so that you are inspired to pursue your dreams, too. This is only part 1 of a few (not sure how many yet), so if I don't cover what you're needing to hear and learn yet, hang in there! I'll likely get to it in the upcoming episodes. I feel it's important to take the appropriate steps, though. The first thing you'll want to do is decide on the type of business you want to have and run. The feedback I have received has been from those wanting to start their own HR consulting businesses so I tend to lean towards that model. You can start nearly any consulting/education business, though. Once you decide on the "what," you need to decide on your target audience; that is, who will be your customer. What types of businesses are you looking to gain as clients? Maybe you want local small businesses, like I do, or you want to market to large corporations. Whatever you're looking for, be sure you know this information as it will inform everything else you do! Once you know the type of business you want and your target audience, you're going to find a business name. Take your time with this! As I say, you want your name to tell a story. Your name should convey what it is you do before ever giving additional info about your business. Don't rush this part. Research your ideas, ask fellow business owners for their opinions, etc. I wrap up by talking about creating a Facebook business page. I discuss why to use Facebook and what information to provide. Again, these are the essential first steps to getting started from the ground up. So, if you are looking for more, keep tuning in! I'm going to cover pricing, advertising, and more in the upcoming episodes. I also mention that I will ultimately be offering paid content. This is for those of you who want to dive deeper into the consulting world. I am providing more than enough free information for anyone to start, but the paid content will be more 1-on-1 and I will be able to answer specific questions rather than just general.  Until next time! Want to learn even more? Check out my brand new podcast dedicated to helping you build a business: the Wonderfully Simple Business Podcast. Here's a link to a free guide on getting started, too: stan.store/sparkleew 

In part 2, I introduce Dr. John Gottman and his Four Horsemen, which are predictors of relationship demise (gottman.com). I also go in-depth with some personal experiences and relate them to these.  I talk about past trauma and why it is so necessary to heal our wounds. I also relate to Gottman's theory and break things down a bit further.  What do you think? Share your thoughts in the Facebook group or email me! sparkleew@yahoo.com  

As promised, here is part 1 of the Love episode! Trigger warning: I mention polyamory and "throuples" and non-heteronormative relationships This episode covers Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love (simplypsychology.org) as well as Gary Chapman's 5 Love Languages (5lovelanguages.com). It's a little messy, but I explain the triangle and the points Sternberg makes. There are many types of love extending beyond romantic love. This is research from 1986 so it's nothing new. But many people have never heard of this. Looking at the triangle, we can make several deductions about how we experience love with other people.  Chapman's research focuses more on romantic love. Though it was based on heteronormative relationships, this can be applied to any romantic relationship dynamic.  What are your thoughts? Head over to the Facebook to discuss or send me an email sparkleew@yahoo.com. 

In this episode, I share exactly why I was motivated to start my business and how I got started with no money at all. I share the exact things I did to get it up and going. It is my sincere hope that you find so much inspiration in my story that you are able to pursue YOUR dreams and passions, too. Remember, you are already worthy and deserving. Do as Jen Sincero says and "feed fear a suck-it sandwich" and go out and make it happen!!!

Here are my notes for this episode, taken mostly from Napoleon Hill's "Outwitting the Devil: the Secrets to Freedom and Success." Go get a copy STAT! It's so good. Also, at the end, find my reference in regards to the American School System. Drifting-as defined by Napoleon Hill -occurs when one stops thinking for themselves and they begin to simply "go with the flow"                 -they have no destination in mind, no goal, or ultimate idea of what their purpose might be or how to pursue it                 -equates to laziness                 -hereditary, passed down from parents -the devil uses poverty as a means of control and a way to start drifting from a very young age -starts in the schools*…                                 -if one grows up in poverty, they are likely to continue the cycle… "I have always understood that money was the root of all evil, that the poor and the meek would inherit heaven, while the wealthy would pass into [the devil's] hands."                 "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." 1Timothy 6:10 Money itself is not evil and does not lead to evil. It's how it's viewed and used. Money is simply a resource, like water or air or electricity Habits are powerful! Developing "good" habits defeats drifting *ed.gov Horace Mann-1830-Common Schools; John D. Rockefeller-1903-"modern" school system setup

Here is the outline for the show: The "will" and the "way"-Mel Robbins                 When the will and way are present, your brain will work behind the scenes to help you. ·         Why we set goals o   Have something to look forward to o   Give us a roadmap to follow ·         What makes a good goal o   Make is specific and measurable o   SMART ·         How to begin achieving goals o   Write it down! o   Starting to work toward the goal o   Breaking it down into manageable chunks ·         Reflecting on your goals o   Look at them daily, weekly, monthly §  Write them everywhere! Post-It notes, etc o   Track your progress!

Happy New Year, all! In this episode I share where I have been for the last few months and talk about 2023. Many lessons were learned last year and I discuss a few of those. I also give an update on what to expect moving forward.  As usual, I LOVE hearing from you all! Connect and feel free to ask questions, provide suggestions for future episodes, bring up new ideas, and even consider being on an episode! sparkleew@yahoo.com, "Podcast" in the subject line so I don't miss your message. @SparkleEW on Instagram, use the QR code to join the Facebook group!

In this episode, I share my thoughts on the book "Outwitting the Devil," by Napoleon Hill. Hill begins his journey by being in a state of discomfort, feeling stuck in his daily life, despite having enjoyed many lucrative careers. He tells us that good-paying jobs don't always bring a sense of fulfillment-which I found to be very true. I discuss the various themes and topics he addresses in this book and how they relate to modern life. I highly recommend anyone and everyone to get this book. This is one I will be re-reading many times over and hope you feel compelled to do the same.

Throughout our lives, we all experience several transitions. In this episode, I share about my personal transition into a new phase of life. We're selling our home and developing new plans for the future. Do you find yourself in a transition period or a period of change? How are you preparing? What are you doing during this time? Let's connect! Join the Facebook group or message me. I love having open discussions with everyone. 

Season 2 is here! And we're getting right into things that are hindering our growth and how we're going to overcome these things. This season is all about taking what we know and putting it into practice to move us into living our best lives, despite what is going on in the world around us. In this episode, I talk about the new climate of work and how it's changed over the years. The pandemic created a strange environment and we are seeing 2 things happening: either everyone is hiring and struggling to keep help or no one is actually hiring and job seekers of skilled positions are facing a job drought. It's a strange dicotomy and navigating this new world of work is difficult.  What are your thoughts? Do you have any experience with job hunting since the pandemic? Send me a message or join the Facebook group to chat about it!

Today's episode discusses how perfectionism keeps us stuck and prevents us from moving forward in life. It is far better to progress than to strive for perfection, which is truly unattainable in the first place! Our ideas of perfection vary from person to person. What I view as being perfect someone else may view very differently. And so often I have found times when I have been fixated on a particular thing, worrying about what others would think, only to that have thing either overlooked entirely or dismissed. Rather than striving for perfection, let's focus on progressing into the next phase.

Does positivity mean good? Does negativity mean bad? Not in the science world. Positive and negative are just charges. Think about a magnet. The positive end attracts the negative end. Does that mean good attracts bad? Not at all! So what is the difference and how does this impace manifesting and the vibration we're putting out into the universe? Take a listen for my take on the subject.

After missing May, I'm checking in with everyone to ask how you all are doing and share some updates of my own. Life has been hectic for everyone so I like to be sure my audience is hanging in there. What all are you doing to stay sane? Are we all still working on our goals? What can I do to support you? Let me know! Join the Facebook community, email me, find me on Instagram. I'm here to help and grow together. sparkleew@yahoo.com or find me on Instagram @sparkleew 

This episode is all about sharing a little bit of what I have learned over the years regarding perception from others. My hope is that everyone can take something away from this.