Sweet N Social

Month: September 2015

  • Thank You

    Thank You

    The most enjoyable time of my day is when I get the chance to sit outside with my dogs, enjoy my morning coffee and watch the sun come up over the horizon.  I sit outside on the deck listening to the birds chirp and the cars drive by. DSCF5996 I look for the butterflies to flutter around in the yard.  I really get excited when I see the beautiful Monarch butterflies.

    Now that the weather is getting cooler, the morning breeze is a little bit crisper. It causes little goose pimples on my arms and legs to rise. The sunlight is getting brighter. I sip on my coffee and take in a deep breath.  I see the dew on the grass.  This is when I realize that I am right where I need to be. I say “thank you God!”

  • Just do you, Boo!

    Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself.  ~Cicero

    I wrote this post with this very thought in my mind:

    If I had a chance to sit and talk with the young Tonia, what I would I tell her?

    1. Never give up on your dreams
    2. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
    3. Not everyone will agree with your decisions, and that’s ok

    Never give up on your dreams.  What I didn’t realize growing up was that everyone has their own purpose in life.  We have our own unique gifts and talents, passions and visions. Not everyone’s picture of success is going to be the same.  I had a dream of being a teacher when I was younger.  I thought the only way to fulfill that dream was to go to school, get a degree and then work for a school.  What I know now is that there are all sorts of “teachers” in the world.  You are only limited by your imagination.

    Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.  I give this friendly advice to my youngest daughter all of the time.  I realized that by making mistakes we learn and grow.  Some mistakes are going to be a little more costly than others but for the most part, you can always get back up and keep moving.  I have made some doozeys in my life but looking back now, I know they have helped to shape and mold me into the person I am today.  I reflect on the past but I try not to stay there long.  I look for the lesson and let it go.

    Not everyone will agree with your decisions, and that’s ok. This was one of the hardest lessons I had to learn.  I was truly a people pleaser for the longest time.  I was afraid of hurting someone else’s feeling but I was hurting mine in the long run.  I was getting angry at folks but I didn’t realize I was more upset with myself.  I didn’t quite honestly like myself. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I started paying attention to the way I talked to myself.  If I said out loud some of the thought s I expressed in my head to someone else, I definitely wouldn’t have any friends at all.  My self-talk was so downgrading.  Once I became aware of the self-sabotage, I made a conscious effort to change.  It wasn’t easy but it has been life changing. I know now, people will come and go, some will like what you do and some won’t but as long as you are true to you, everything will work out just fine.

    The last thing I would tell her is this…  Just do you, Boo!

    Quote Resource: http://www.quotegarden.com/advice.html

  • Raise the Standards

    Raise the Standards

    We did not change as we grew older; we just became more clearly ourselves. – Lynn Hall

    I just came back from an eleven day trip that took me to Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco.  I spent some much needed time with family in San Francisco.  I had a chance to step back from my work and see where I was headed. I was getting frustrated not at my clients but with myself.

    Each week I try to share a lesson learned. This week I learned the power of clarity.  When I stated my business a few years ago, I really had no clue in the direction I wanted to take.  I had this great notion that I wanted to be of service and basically that’s all I really understood.  I started managing social media sites for clients that needed help building their audience.  I did not have any set price or service plan in mind.  I worked hard on building a relationship with my clients and I can honestly say that it worked for me in the beginning.

    I would say it took about a year for a frustration to set in.  I felt like the clients were taking advantage of my kindness, but I would never address this concern.  It wasn’t until recently that I realized it wasn’t my clients that were taking advantage of me, it was that I didn’t value myself to raise the standard.

    Lessons Learned:

    1. Be clear about what you will or will not do.

    People are not mind readers. They will not give you more of anything unless you ask.  In the same token, it’s their right whether they choose to continue to work with you or not.   It’s nothing personal, it’s just business.

    1. It’s ok to say no.

    Sometimes people will respect you more for being honest in what you won’t do instead of saying yes and botching it up.  If you know in your heart you don’t want to take on a particular project, just say so.  You have the right to say no in the beginning.

    1. You can change your mind.

    It’s ok to change your mind. It truly means you are growing.  There is nothing that says you can’t change your mind. Figure out what works and change what’s not. Don’t beat yourself up!

    Not everyone will like the change, but the empowerment you will gain is priceless.

    Quote source: http://www.quotegarden.com/change.htm

  • Look for the Lesson

    Look for the Lesson

    “The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter.” ― Paulo Coelho

    This week has been very exciting. I flew to Dallas last Tuesday and then flew out to Los Angeles on Wednesday.  I had made plans to attend a red carpet event that I had been scheduled for months.  When I had a few little unexpected hiccups in my travel plans, I got so frustrated with things; I almost decided not to attend the event.

    My trip began in Dallas.  The hotel I made reservations with stated they had a free airport shuttle but the day I was scheduled to arrive, the hotel informed me that the shuttle driver would not be able to pick me up.  He recommended the shared ride services. I was pissed because that was the reason I choose that hotel. I didn’t want to get a rental car for a simple overnight stay. Now that I had the additional transportation cost my travel budget had to be readjusted.

    When I arrived in LA I was able to get my rental car without any issues. I drove to my hotel and when I checked in, they asked for additional money. I had prepaid for the room but they wanted money for incidentals.  I didn’t have the money. The hotel clerk suggested that I request a refund through the booking service and that they would agree to the cancellation. I was able to cancel my reservation and the hotel agreed to the cancellation without a cancellation fee.  The only remaining problem I had about $30 to my name until the refund was placed back into my bank account. I reached out to an associate to see if I could crash at her place for the night, but she was out of town.  I was technically homeless at this time. Panic started to settle in. I reached out to my uncle who lived in San Jose and started thinking; I could drive up to stay with him and skip the event all together. I had a Toyota Prius and unlimited mileage.  My uncle told me to hold on while he came up with an idea. I decided to drive to the beach to clear my head.

    I stayed out at the beach for about an hour and a half.  It was now roughly 6 pm. My uncle texted back and told me he made hotel arrangements at a hotel and all I had to do was check in. They would be waiting on me.

    It wasn’t until the following morning when I woke up that I realized that everything had worked out for my good.  I was staying at the hotel I originally wanted to stay at before I even flew out here. The room was paid for and money was in my bank account.

    As in most situations I always try to look for the lesson to be learned. In this event I learned:

    1. Trust in the Universe.
    2. Don’t worry. Take each moment as they come.
    3. Trials come to make you stronger and wiser

    Quote Source: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/trials-of-life