Tag: injury

My ideal week.

Here are a few things that would be a part of my ideal week.

  1. I would not feel ill or be in any sort of pain.
  2. I would have zero responsibilities to think about.
  3. I would spend it with the people I want to be around.
  4. I wouldn’t have to show up at a job, but my income wouldn’t suffer.
  5. I would spend it at a place that is pleasant and relaxing.
  6. I would be free to do whatever I want all week.
  7. I would feel like all is right with those I care about.
  8. My mind would be at ease from all worries and concerns.
  9. I felt with certainty that those I love actually love me.
  10. I would not realize that I only had one week of bliss.

Top 10 things every seller should consider.

Sellers often get a bad rap. Lately, I’ve been asking myself why that is. We all have to buy things, but sometimes we don’t like it when people try to sell to us, and practically no one likes advertising. I put together a few touch points that I think might improve a seller’s long-term success.

TOP 10 THINGS EVERY SELLER SHOULD CONSIDER
  1. Pick a safe product. Take steps to verify that the product is safe for the intended use. You don’t want to get sued when someone’s hair falls out after using the shampoo you sold them. Also, read the product reviews, and pay special attention to those who rated it badly.
  2. Pick a product you would actually buy. If you wouldn’t even buy the product, it’s going to be hard to sell it to someone else. You haven’t even made your own mind up about it, and you are trying to make their mind up about it. It’s going to be a hard sell.
  3. Determine who your customers are. If you don’t know who you are selling to, you won’t be able to pick the best products to sell to them. Some customers might stumble upon you, but targeted advertising might come into the picture at some point. It’s helpful to know where to send the ads.
  4. Understand your customer’s needs. You are not going to sell me a brassiere. I’d never be able to fill it out properly and I’m not sure I’m qualified to pick the best one out for someone else. If you have a customer base, think in terms of what they actually need.
  5. Don’t be the pushy salesperson type. It does sometimes work, but customers walk away with a bad feeling afterwards, and probably won’t be coming back. You will be that person they avoid eye contact with and unfollow because they get tired of being hit up. Take no for an answer.
  6. Conduct market research. If you are going to sell books for example, recognize that you are going up against Barnes & Noble and Amazon. This will be a hard sell unless you have something that they don’t offer already. Finding a niche market will probably improve your chances of success.
  7. Don’t forget the customer after the sale. If you really believe in the product, consider offering a full refund for dissatisfied customers. It’s really expected these days. Also, some products may need some form of customer service after the sale.
  8. Strengthen customer relationships. Do as much as possible to strengthen the tie that customers have with your business. If you treat your customers right, they are more likely to make future purchases, and your business will be spread through word of mouth.
  9. Take care of your reputation. No one wants to buy from a shady dealer. Keep your own reputation clean and make sure your business has a good public image. Seek to maintain good PR and quickly fix any customer problems that become publicized. Become someone they trust.
  10. Don’t involve your personal politics in your business. It does get you noticed in the news sometimes, but frankly it looks bad and drives some customers away. They might even boycott you. Your business is about the products and services you sell, not who you vote for in the election.

Possible discussion ideas.

  1. Do you know a pushy salesman?
  2. Have you bought any products you totally regret?
  3. Have you ever owned a shop or business?
  4. What products or services do you believe in?
  5. Have you ever been injured by a bad product?
  6. Ever feel like you are buying from an unscrupulous person?
  7. What type of products and services work best for bloggers?
  8. Do you think businesses should get involved in politics?

Thanks for being here! Let’s hear what you have to say in the comments! Subscribe if haven’t already, and please like and share!

Strategies I use to maintain health and well-being.

I’ve touched upon this one before in another post. I will repost the list here to bring it up to the top. I haven’t changed much since the last time I posted it.

  • I take vitamins and outer supplements. I’ve been taking vitamins since I was a kid.
  • I do things that improve my mental health, like reading, audiobooks, music, and blogging.
  • I try to go to bed at a decent hour. It’s definitely a challenge. I’m a natural night owl.
  • I focus on the growth mindset. Here’s a great book on it: Mindset – The New Psychology of Success
  • I do a lot of walking, both at work and when I get off work.
  • I try to avoid stressful situations and people, when possible.
  • I take naps. It doesn’t sound healthy, but it really makes me more energized.
  • Food quality is important to me, and I buy organic or non-GMO foods.
  • I don’t consume a large number of calories most days.
  • I avoid processed sugar and I don’t drink soft drinks.
  • I don’t smoke or use other tobacco products.
  • I try to unplug from work and forget about it.
  • I try to avoid foods that are high in salt, preservatives, and additives.
  • I go see a doctor when I am facing some sort of illness.
  • I tend to follow a ketogenic diet most days.
  • I eat foods that contain probiotics every day.
  • I avoid dangerous people, places, and things.
  • I try to focus on positive thoughts and read positive things.
  • I forgive myself for my failures and don’t expect perfection.
  • I shower and practice good hygiene every day.
  • I realize that the worst-case scenario rarely happens, so don’t worry.
  • When things do go wrong, I realize it’s just a new life direction.
  • I take it easy and nurse myself back to health when I’m injured.
  • I don’t drink unfiltered tap water ever, unless I have nothing else.
  • I don’t drink alcohol, just kidding. 🙂
  • I have faith in a higher power, and I pray every night.

What do you do to maintain health and well-being? Let me know in the comments, and please like, subscribe, and share!

Security and adventure.

What am I seeking, security or adventure? To me, security and adventure are on a spectrum. You can’t just have one or the other. Some people believe they are secure in their homes, with the doors locked, and then a burglar proves them wrong, or war breaks out in their country, or a natural disaster leaves their home in ruin. Other people push it in the other direction by taking extreme risks that make most of us question their sanity. Why do you need to top out this car’s speedometer? Is a wheelie on a motorcycle really a good idea? Can you afford to bet the mortgage payment on a poker hand? Thrill seekers probably have interesting stories, but a lot more bones broken.

I believe the world we live in is not exactly solid, especially when we look at future events. There is literally an infinite number of things that could happen in the next moment. Every one of these things exists as a statistical possibility, but only one of them will come true for me or you. Some events are pretty likely to happen, but others have a very low chance of occurring. For instance, an elephant will probably not materialize in my bedroom right now, but I still believe there is an infinitesimally small chance that it will. I basically don’t believe anything is impossible, but a lot of things are extremely unlikely.

With the statistical model of the universe in mind, I try to play the odds in my favor. For example, I knew the odds of making a great salary would be low with no education, so I acquired advanced degrees. It doesn’t guarantee something good will happen, but I’m guaranteed to fail if I’m ill prepared when the time comes around. There’s actually an interesting little book I read about maximizing your chances of having Good Luck. I recommend you give it a read. I also play the stats on the other end. I won’t do something that has a very high chance of failure or death. This is why I don’t jump out of airplanes. I simply don’t see a good reason to engage in the type of thrill seeking that will end in a painful death. In these ways, it is clear that I’m seeking a high degree of security.

On the other hand, I do crave adventure, but what is adventure? I could easily write a book entitled Adventures in Blogging! It sort of has been an adventure for me honestly, but it might not be as exhilarating as ramping a motorbike or hang gliding over an expansive canyon. It’s still a kind of adventure, because adventure is about experiencing something you never really dreamed of doing, isn’t it? Remember when you were young? Wasn’t everything an adventure? I could spend hours climbing trees, chasing butterflies in the garden, playing hide and seek, and the list goes on and on. It was all new to me, and every day was an adventure! Sure, anything you do can be dangerous, but I believe risk can be minimized if you play the stats just a little in your favor, and life was really made for adventure!

To answer the question, I think most people want a plate full of security, with just a little adventure sprinkled on top for seasoning. That’s about the way I want it, but I could use a little more seasoning right now. I haven’t had a vacation in quite a long time actually. Maybe it’s time for me to start planning an adventure right now!

Note: Someone already beat me to writing Adventures in Blogging, but it doesn’t sound as adventurous as I had in mind. Maybe one day I will write a better one. That would definitely be an adventure.

Agree or disagree? Are you a thrill seeker? Did you have an adventurous childhood? What sort of adventure would you like to go on today? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, follow, and share!

I was once run over by a car.

I have never had a surgery of any kind, and honestly, I hope I never do have one. There have been a few scares here and there. I’ve had a broken collarbone, and once had to have a staple put in a wound on my elbow because I fell down on it while running to get out of the rain. It left a big gash and the nurse at work thought I should go to the hospital. I generally try to be very proactive with healthcare to prevent having to visit the hospital. I really don’t like going to the doctor or hospital.

One close call I had was when I was run over by a car. Yea, you read that right. I was walking home alone one night and as I crossed the street someone in a white Honda Accord decided to turn without looking. I was new to city life at the time, and I believed when the traffic signal said walk, you could do so safely. I learned the hard way that turning traffic can still nail you if they aren’t looking for pedestrians.

I just instinctively knew my leg bones would shatter to pieces on impact.

What I remember from this accident was that I saw him coming toward me, not super-fast, but fast enough that I could tell he wasn’t going to stop, and too fast for me to get completely out of his way. My mind worked very quickly and came up with a plan to roll over his hood. I was trying to avoid busting both of my shin bones on his fender. I just instinctively knew my leg bones would shatter to pieces on impact.

It worked, but the impact was still very solid on my knee and shoulder. I successfully rolled over the hood and landed on my feet, still in a kind of shock. I did have enough sense about me to reach down and grab my sunglasses off the pavement. They had fallen off my shirt. I had them because it was still daylight when I first walked downtown. I saw they were not broken, then dashed over to the sidewalk to avoid other potential collisions. It was like 2 am and the streets were pretty dead though.

It’s funny that people would let you die rather than face jailtime, isn’t it?

The worst part about it was they drove off as though nothing had happened. It was a hit and run. I mean, they didn’t even stop or slow down. I also didn’t think to get the license plate either. To me, it seemed pretty cold to run someone over and just keep driving. Being that late at night, I reckoned they were probably drunk as hell though, and that would have been serious jailtime. It’s funny that people would let you die rather than face jailtime, isn’t it?

I just started laughing! I once read that a lot of comedy is just when something deadly happens but doesn’t manage to kill you.

When I got to the sidewalk, I noticed that my knee and arm were a bit sore, but nothing felt broken. I remember shaking it off and rotating my arm to make sure I had full range of motion, and then, and I don’t know why, I just started laughing! I once read that a lot of comedy is just when something deadly happens but doesn’t manage to kill you. I probably looked pretty funny rolling over that car like a stunt man. I might be a star right now if someone had been there to post on YouTube.

The next day wasn’t so funny. After the shock had worn off, I had quite a good bruise on my shoulder and knee. The impact on my shoulder was so massive that it had crushed and killed the skin around the bone. It gradually began to look like an abrasion as dead cells were slowly replaced with new ones. My knee was similar, but not as bad. I think my jeans offered a bit more protection.

On occasions like this, I sometimes wonder if I’m actually a real person or a hero in a comic book.

I also saw the same problem with the shirt I was wearing, which I still have. It was a black polyester golf shirt, just like this one PGA TOUR Men’s Airflux Solid Mesh Short Sleeve Golf Polo Shirt. I like these shirts because they remain fairly cool to wear in the hot summer and the fabric wicks away moisture. Unfortunately, the fibers on this shirt were totally crushed at the spot where the impact occurred. It also looks like the fabric become slightly melted by the intense friction. That’s probably to be expected, since this shirt isn’t designed to endure car collusions. On occasions like this, I seriously wonder if I’m a real person or a character in a comic book.

It was an interesting experience, but I’m glad it hasn’t repeated itself. I am much more careful now and watch for turning traffic. I also try to wear brighter colors, but black is really one of my favorite colors, and it wasn’t night when I first ventured out. I guess I’m just really lucky that my guardian angels don’t go to bed early.

Have you ever had a close call like this? Do you find epic fail videos entertaining? Tell me about your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to like and subscribe!

My self-care strategies.

Here are a few things I do to practice self-care. It’s not an exhaustive list, and I could probably do more.

  • I take vitamins and outer supplements. I’ve been taking vitamins since I was a kid.
  • I do things that improve my mental health, like reading, audio books, music, and blogging.
  • I try to go to bed at a decent hour. It’s definitely a challenge. I’m a natural night owl.
  • I focus on the growth mindset. Here’s a great book on it: Mindset – The New Psychology of Success
  • I do a lot of walking, both at work and when I get off work.
  • I try to avoid stressful situations and people, when possible.
  • I take naps. It doesn’t sound healthy, but it really makes me more energized.
  • Food quality is important to me, and I buy organic or non-GMO foods.
  • I don’t consume a large number of calories most days.
  • I avoid processed sugar and I don’t drink soft drinks.
  • I don’t smoke or use other tobacco products.
  • I try to unplug from work and forget about it.
  • I try to avoid foods that are high in salt, preservatives, and additives.
  • I go see a doctor when I am facing some sort of illness.
  • I tend to follow a ketogenic diet most days.
  • I eat foods that contain probiotics every day.
  • I avoid dangerous people, places, and things.
  • I try to focus on positive thoughts and read positive things.
  • I forgive myself for my failures and don’t expect perfection.
  • I shower and practice good hygiene every day.
  • I realize that the worst-case scenario rarely happens, so don’t worry.
  • When things do go wrong, I realize it’s just a new life direction.
  • I take it easy and nurse myself back to health when I’m injured.
  • I don’t drink unfiltered tap water ever, unless I have nothing else.
  • I don’t drink alcohol, just kidding. 🙂
  • I have faith in a higher power, and I pray every night.

I’m always open to new suggestions! What do you do for self-care? Don’t forget to like and subscribe!