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<p>March is all about celebrating women—both the remarkable women before us who dared to challenge the status quo and the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/trailblazing-women/">unapologetically fierce women</a> of today. You don’t have to look far to see the trailblazers, rule breakers and game changers who aren’t afraid to use their voice to shape the world around them for the better. Maybe you’re one of them.</p>



<p>From pioneers in civil rights to musicians, entrepreneurs and activists, here are 10 fearless woman quotes from the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/celebrating-women-in-business/">most daring and accomplished women</a> to inspire you to be unstoppable this Women’s History Month and beyond.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-shirley-chisholm-on-not-waiting-for-an-invitation">1. Shirley Chisholm on not waiting for an invitation</h2>



<p><em>"If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair."</em></p>



<p>The first Black woman elected to the United States Congress (1968), Chisholm made history again in 1972 when she became the first Black woman of a major political party to run for a presidential nomination.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-malala-yousafzai-on-using-your-voice">2. Malala Yousafzai on using your voice</h2>



<p><em>“I raise up my voice—not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. … We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.”</em></p>



<p>Yousafzai is an advocate for girls’ education and was shot by the Taliban at age 15 for her activism. <a href="https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/malala-yousafzai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yousafzai is the world's youngest&nbsp;Nobel Prize laureate</a> and continues her human rights work through the Malala Fund.</p>







<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-katharine-graham-on-standing-in-your-power">3. Katharine Graham on standing in your power</h2>



<p><em>"The thing women must do to rise to power is to redefine their femininity. Once, power was considered a masculine attribute. In fact, power has no sex."</em></p>



<p>Graham led&nbsp;<em>The Washington Post</em>&nbsp;through the Vietnam era, the publishing of the Pentagon Papers and Watergate. She became the first woman CEO of a <em>Fortune</em> 500 company in 1972.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-audre-lorde-on-the-importance-of-self-care">4. Audre Lorde on the importance of self-care</h2>



<p><em>“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”</em></p>



<p>A prominent member of the women’s and LGBTQ rights movements, Lorde used her words to address injustices in America and was appointed New York’s Poet Laureate in 1991.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-reese-witherspoon-on-listening-to-your-gut">5. Reese Witherspoon on listening to your gut</h2>



<p><em>“If you’re one of those people who has that little voice in the back of her mind saying, ‘Maybe I could do [fill in the blank],’ don’t tell it to be quiet. Give it a little room to grow, and try to find an environment it can grow in.”&nbsp;</em></p>



<p>In 2016,&nbsp; after finding a lack of stories about complex, interesting women, Witherspoon founded <a href="https://hello-sunshine.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hello Sunshine</a>, a media company working to change the narrative for women through storytelling.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-carly-simon-on-finding-value-in-your-scars">6. Carly Simon on finding value in your scars</h2>



<p><em>“A really strong woman accepts the war she went through and is ennobled by her scars.”</em></p>



<p>Singer-songwriter Simon is a two-time Grammy winner (from 14 nominations) and was inducted into the&nbsp;Grammy Hall of Fame&nbsp;for her unapologetic hit, “You’re So Vain.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-oprah-winfrey-on-self-worth">7. Oprah Winfrey on self-worth</h2>



<p><em>“When you undervalue what you do, the world will undervalue who you are.”</em></p>



<p>Though Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi, she became a trailblazer in the TV industry. Winfrey was the first woman to produce and star in her own talk show, and she’s inspired millions and earned more than 20 awards during the 25 seasons of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-ruth-bader-ginsburg-on-opening-doors-for-those-behind-you">8. Ruth Bader Ginsburg on opening doors for those behind you</h2>



<p><em>“Whatever you choose to do, leave tracks. That means don’t do it just for yourself. You will want to leave the world a little better for your having lived.”</em></p>



<p>In the ’60s, Bader Ginsburg struggled finding a job despite graduating top of her class and was paid less than her male colleagues <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/11/us/kagan-says-her-path-to-supreme-court-was-made-smoother-by-ginsburg.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">because</a>, as she was told, “your husband has a very good job.” However, she went on to become the second female justice of the United States Supreme Court in 1993.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-9-dolly-parton-on-leadership">9. Dolly Parton on leadership</h2>



<p><em>“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are an excellent leader.”</em></p>



<p>Singer-songwriter Parton has won 11&nbsp;Grammys (out of 50 nominations) including the Lifetime Achievement Award. She owns several businesses (including theme park Dollywood) and founded the Dollywood Foundation, which brings education and poverty relief to&nbsp;East Tennessee,&nbsp;where she grew up.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-maya-angelou-on-rising-through-adversity-nbsp">10. Maya Angelou on rising through adversity&nbsp;</h2>



<p><em>“You may shoot me with your words, / you may cut me with your eyes, / you may kill me with your hatefulness, / but still, like air, I’ll rise.”&nbsp;</em></p>



<p>Angelou was a world-famous author and activist who received dozens of awards, more than 50 honorary degrees and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, the country’s highest civilian honor.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Photo by</em> <em>Maridav/Shutterstock.com</em></p>

Looking for a little inspiration this Women’s History Month? Check out our roundup of these 10 fearless woman quotes.

Looking for a little inspiration this Women’s History Month? Check out our roundup of these 10 fearless woman quotes. | SUCCESS

10 Quotes from Fearless Woman to Inspire You This Women’s History Month

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10 Fearless Woman Quotes to Inspire You to Achieve Your Dreams | SUCCESS

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Megan Nicole O’Neal is a writer with a passion for storytelling, traveling and whenever possible, mixing the two. The UCLA alum lives in Southern California; more specifically coffee shops with equally strong wifi and dark roasts. Connect with Megan on social at @megan_n_oneal or her website mnoneal.com.

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Bozoma Saint John smiling and wearing a bright green dress

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Elevate your lifestyle for success and happiness

<p>Whoever said you’re not supposed to be happy every day should talk to Bozoma Saint John.</p>



<p>“Clearly, I have ambition. I want big things in my life,” says Saint John, a Hall of Fame marketer with a resume that spans executive roles at Netflix, Apple Music and Uber. Dressed fabulously in an off-the-shoulder top and bold earrings for this interview, she cracks jokes and seems uninhibitedly energetic. “But I also want to be satisfied in this moment,” she continues. “I don’t believe in the gratification that will come in 10 years, or 12 years or 20 years. I want the joy I’m supposed to experience in this life right now, and I’m completely unapologetic about that.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-bozoma-saint-john-seizes-the-day">How Bozoma Saint John seizes the day</h2>



<p>This <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/887329/seize-the-day" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seize-the-day attitude</a> was hard-won, born out of a series of heartbreaking losses—a college boyfriend from suicide, a child born prematurely to preeclampsia and a husband to cancer, which Saint John recounts in <a href="https://amzn.to/44XV3gA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Urgent Life: My Story of Love, Loss, and Survival</em></a>, released in February. The memoir explores what these experiences taught her about <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/benefits-of-being-vulnerable/">the importance of vulnerability</a>, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/be-true-to-your-life-guiding-principles/">being true to yourself</a> and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/we-all-have-the-same-24-hours-heres-how-to-make-the-most-of-them/">making the most</a> of the time you’re given.</p>



<p>The “urgent life,” Saint John explains, is about tossing aside the clutter and remaining focused in the ongoing search <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/start-with-the-foundation-the-7-building-blocks-of-a-fulfilling-life/">for both satisfaction</a> and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/you-can-choose-happiness/">happiness in life</a>, regardless of the trauma and loss we may face. “Happiness is not frivolous to me,” Saint John states. “If I’m not happy, then it’s not worth it. People say things like, ‘You can’t be happy all the time.’ Why? Who said that? Who told you that you’re not allowed to be happy all the time? I am going to chase it.”</p>



<p>In college, Saint John’s plan was to go to medical school, but she discovered it wasn’t where her passion lay. She stumbled upon marketing, where she found that she could use her innate ability to relate to others through pop culture—a skill she’d honed from moving to new cities and countries throughout her childhood.</p>



<p>“I think there are some very lucky and probably very smart people who chose their path, in school or what have you, and then keep doing that for the rest of their lives,” Saint John laughs. “The majority of us don’t do that. You kind of find your way, sometimes, by experimentation, failure. All of these things are actually what make you into who you are. That’s certainly been the case for me.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-find-your-freedom-and-achieve-success">Find your freedom and achieve success</h2>



<p>Early in her career, Saint John was intently focused on winning. Success back then looked like the corner office. Today, she sees things differently. “Right now, success to me looks like freedom,” Saint John says. “Freedom to be where I want to be, when I want to be there. And to leave when I don’t. That’s success to me.”</p>



<p>It’s a beautiful concept. But how can the rest of us—aspiring leaders, purpose-driven individuals, entrepreneurs hoping to grow—reach that level of freedom?</p>



<p>Saint John recommends the following.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-understand-your-priorities">1. Understand Your Priorities.</h3>



<p>First, closely examine how you spend your time. What do you dream of doing, and are you taking steps to get there? Or is your energy going toward what others want for you instead?</p>



<p>“We have the responsibility,” Saint John says, to better understand what it is we want for our own lives, and then be able to articulate that honestly.</p>



<p>It can be a difficult thing to admit, particularly when you find yourself walking in the exact opposite direction of the path you’d like to be on. It takes courage to acknowledge, even to yourself, that you want something you don’t currently have—or that you want out of something you may have committed weeks, months, even years to. But Saint John urges: Don’t let yourself get distracted from the point.</p>



<p>“My advice is that you are urgently intent on that goal, and that you’re taking the steps to get there by any means necessary. And don’t apologize for being fiercely loyal to that idea,” Saint John says. “If you understand yourself and understand what it is you want, you’ll be much happier. Even if you fail, you’ll be happier.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. Trust Your Intuition.</h3>



<p>Saint John treats her intuition like a muscle: If you don’t exercise it, and often, she says, that voice becomes too weak and atrophies. Over the years, she’s strengthened her intuition so much she says it nearly shouts at her when she’s presented with a new business opportunity or on a first date.</p>



<p>Part of her journey <a href="https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-strengthen-your-intuition-muscle-5186284" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to build her intuition</a> was to practice actually listening to it and following its direction. “[Now,] I trust myself because I’ve practiced it,” Saint John says. “If you can build that trust with yourself, which… is the most important relationship that you can have, your intuition will come to you, and it will be true.”</p>



<p>For anyone who doesn’t listen closely to theirs, she suggests making a list of your pros and cons, without asking for anyone else’s opinion. “It’s a good way to start to value your own opinion,” she explains.</p>



<p>Read your list quietly to yourself and reflect on it. How do you really feel? (Be honest!) Did you start to favor one side, or find ways to make a con a pro?</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. Put Yourself First.</h3>



<p>Throughout her career, Saint John has been vocal about not waiting on anyone else’s timeline and has demonstrated that she’s willing to trust her own decisions despite the sometimes loud opinions of those around her.</p>



<p>She spent about one year as the first chief brand officer at Uber before accepting a position as chief marketing officer at Endeavor, a global leader in entertainment, in 2018. “It was such an uphill battle,” she says of her time at Uber. “The way that the company was structured wouldn’t allow me to have the help that I needed in order to do the job. I knew… I could have all the brilliance in the world, but I probably wouldn’t be able to accomplish the goals that I wanted to.... I didn’t want to burn myself out at a place where I didn’t know if I would ever really achieve the things I wanted. And so, in order to save myself, I left.”</p>



<p>She makes it sound easy. But Saint John recognized fairly quickly that the job at Uber was not designed for her to succeed and, therefore, was not right for her.</p>



<p>“It’s been such a lie, [taught to us] by society, by our parents, by teachers, by so many people, that humility looks like serving everyone else in the world but yourself,” Saint John says. “[That] does not earn you a good life. Your good life is earned <a href="https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-focus-on-yourself" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">because you were true</a> to the things that you wanted to do. You are being honest with how you want to be in the world.”&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>This article originally appeared in the September/October 2023 </em><a href="https://store.success.com/by-media/success-magazine-sept-oct-2023-kris-carr.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>issue of </em>SUCCESS<em> magazine</em></a><em>. Photo courtesy of Bozoma Saint John.&nbsp;</em></p>

After executive roles at Netflix and Uber, Bozoma Saint John is pursuing the life she wants and sharing 3 tips to help you do the same.

After executive roles at Netflix and Uber, Bozoma Saint John is pursuing the life she wants and sharing 3 tips to help you do the same. | SUCCESS

Executive Leader Bozoma Saint John Shares 3 Tips to Live Unapologetically Right Now

Bozoma Saint John Shares 3 Tips to Start Living Unapologetically | SUCCESS

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a look at gender equality in the workplace

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<p>In the 1960s, a group of the first American female astronaut trainees, later dubbed <a href="https://www.space.com/mercury-13.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Mercury 13</a>, went through extensive tests designed by William Randolph Lovelace ll, M.D. Lovelace was running the privately-funded, unofficial project, which he called the “Woman in Space Program,” according to <a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2019/10/mercury13/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Library of Congress</a>, around the same time he was testing the Mercury 7 astronauts. Though the women were equally qualified and outperformed the men on several levels, they were ultimately excluded from joining the NASA space program, and the “Woman in Space Program” was canceled.</p>



<p>Nearly 60 years later, on Oct. 18, 2019, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Christina Koch <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2019/10/18/nasa-astronauts-wrap-up-historic-all-woman-spacewalk/">completed the 221st spacewalk</a> in support of the International Space Station’s maintenance and assembly, and marked the <a href="https://www.space.com/first-all-woman-spacewalk-nasa-success.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">first all-female spacewalk</a> in history.</p>



<p>In 1917, Jeannette Rankin <a href="https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/R/RANKIN,-Jeannette-(R000055)/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">became the first woman elected</a> to the U.S. Congress, representing her state of Montana. During her time as the sole woman in Congress—and even after—she pushed for legislation to protect children, women and worker’s rights, and introduced a bill that later became the 19th amendment, which secured women the right to vote nationwide in 1920.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Now, over 100 years later, more women have been elected to Congress than ever before. <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2023/01/03/118th-congress-has-a-record-number-of-women/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to Pew Research Center</a>, “Counting both the House of Representatives and the Senate, women account for 153 of 540 voting and nonvoting members of Congress.” This includes <a href="https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sarah-mcbride" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sarah McBride</a>, who is the first openly transgender senator. The U.S. even elected its first female Vice President, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/vice-president-harris/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kamala Harris</a>, who is also the first Black and South Asian American person to serve as Vice President of the U.S.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recent-notable-achievements-by-and-for-women">Recent notable achievements by and for women</h2>



<p>As we embark on Women’s History Month 2023, it’s easy to feel inspired by <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-women-are-rising-in-business/">how far women have come</a>, getting us a little bit closer to gender equality. Headlines celebrating the accomplishments of women’s firsts have filled our newsfeeds more than ever before. Despite the pandemic—though workplaces are still notably dominated by men—<a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/fact-sheet-the-state-of-women-in-the-labor-market-in-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the number of female employees</a> in the workplace has “surpassed prepandemic levels” as of September 2022, according to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/10/07/september-jobs-thousand-more-women-working/8206465001/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a USA Today report</a>, making <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-ways-high-achieving-women-can-break-through-the-glass-ceiling/">the glass ceiling</a> feel… destructible.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-women-in-sports-nbsp">Women in sports&nbsp;</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>In 2016, Brehanna Daniels became the <a href="https://www.today.com/news/brehanna-daniels-nascar-s-1st-black-woman-pit-crew-member-t209565" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">first Black woman member</a> of the pit crew in NASCAR.</li>



<li>Simone Biles <a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/a29415480/simone-biles-breaks-record-world-gymnastics-championships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earned her spot in history</a> as the first gymnast to win 25 championship medals in 2019 and now has two moves named after her.</li>



<li>ESPN, in response to the rise in Women’s National Basketball Association viewership, <a href="https://frontofficesports.com/espn-doubles-down-on-wnba-coverage-adding-13-more-games-during-bubble-season/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">featured 13 additional games</a> in the 2020 season for a total of 37 broadcasts.&nbsp;</li>



<li>In December 2020, after head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected from a game, San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon became “the first woman to act as head coach during an NBA regular-season game,” <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30627408/spurs-becky-hammon-becomes-first-woman-nba-regular-season-history-act-head-coach" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to ESPN</a>.</li>



<li><a href="https://www.today.com/parents/sarah-thomas-1st-female-referee-super-bowl-inspires-fans-t208306" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sarah Thomas became</a> the first full-time female official for the NFL in 2015 and the first woman to referee the Super Bowl in 2021.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-achievements-by-women-in-stem-nbsp">Achievements by women in STEM&nbsp;</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Scientists Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2020, which was “the first time a science Nobel has been awarded to two women,” <a href="https://www.glamour.com/story/the-nobel-prize-in-chemistry-just-went-to-two-women-for-the-first-time-in-history" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to <em>Glamour</em></a>. Charpentier and Doudna received the Nobel for their work on the technology of genome editing.</li>



<li><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nicole-aunapu-mann-first-native-american-woman-space-station-nasa-astronaut/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nicole Aunapu Mann</a> and <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/katya-echazarreta-first-mexican-born-american-to-fly-to-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Katya Echazarreta</a> both made history in 2022 as the first Native American woman and the first Mexican-born American woman, respectively, to travel to space.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-women-in-business-nbsp">Women in business&nbsp;</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>In 2020, Jane Fraser <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/09/citicorp-wall-street-bank-female-ceo-gender-diversity-jane-fraser" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">was appointed as CEO</a> of Citigroup, marking the first time a major Wall Street Bank was led by a woman.</li>



<li>As of 2022, the U.S. has a record number of women-led <em>Fortune</em> 500 companies, with “74 female CEOs employed at America's 500 highest-grossing companies, up from 41 in June of 2021 and only 7 in 2002,” according to <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/ceos-fortune-500-companies-female" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the World Economic Forum</a>.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-achievements-by-and-for-women-in-politics-nbsp">Achievements by and for women in politics&nbsp;</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/11/25/938893768/scotland-becomes-first-country-to-make-period-products-free" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scotland passed a bill</a> in November 2020 that made period products free for all women.&nbsp;</li>



<li>A 2020 study for <a href="https://hbr.org/2020/12/research-women-are-better-leaders-during-a-crisis?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+harvardbusiness+%28HBR.org%29" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard Business Review</a> showed that women leaders “were rated more positively on 13 of the 19 competencies in our assessment that comprise overall leadership effectiveness. Men were rated more positively on one competency—technical/professional expertise—but the difference was not statistically significant.”</li>



<li>The appointment of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2022 has made her the “first Black woman to serve on the nation's highest court,” <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ketanji-brown-jackson-supreme-court-senate-confirmation-first-black-woman/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to CBS News</a>.</li>



<li>In February 2023, Spain “approved legislation expanding abortion and transgender rights for teenagers, while making Spain the first country in Europe that will entitle workers to paid menstrual leave,” <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/02/16/1157480905/spain-menstrual-leave-teen-abortion-trans-laws" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to NPR</a>.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-yet-gender-equality-in-pay-doesn-t-exist">And yet, gender equality in pay doesn't exist</h2>



<p>A list like that, well, it should make our predecessors proud. However, even with these significant achievements and strides toward gender equality and inclusivity for women across industries, our work is far from over. Data released by <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2023/03/01/gender-pay-gap-facts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pew Research Center</a> in March 2023 shows women still earn, on average, just 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, “results [which] are similar to where the pay gap stood in 2002, when women earned 80% as much as men.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>One of the most publicized examples is the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the players’ fight for equal pay. “The U.S. women's team has been far more successful on the international stage than the men's team,” <a href="https://www.espn.com/sports/soccer/story/_/id/27175927/us-women-soccer-equal-pay-fight-latest-next" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to ESPN</a>. In 2019, the women won their fourth World Cup, whereas the men’s team not only didn’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup, their “best finish came in 1930, when the team placed third.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Despite outperforming their male counterparts, <a href="https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/nwsl-announces-new-2020-compensation-guidelines" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the minimum league salary</a> for a player in the NWSL was just $20,000 in 2020, as compared with $70,250, “the minimum yearly salary for the first 24 players on each [Major League Soccer (MLS)] roster,” according to <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/uswnt-player-salaries-usa-women-soccer-pay-vs-men-world-cup/qzuufgsku4cf1f1eu9p8uou5y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Sporting News</a>. The minimum for other MLS players, “who must be 24 or younger,” was $56,250.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, in 2022, a lawsuit filed by the NWSL against the U.S. Soccer Federation reached a settlement. Alongside $22 million in back pay, “The federation will also put $2 million into a fund for USWNT players' post-career goals and charitable efforts, with each player able to apply for up to $50,000. The federation has also promised to provide an equal rate of pay between the men's and women's national senior teams in all friendlies and tournaments, including the World Cup,” <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/02/22/1082272202/women-soccer-contracts-equal-pay-settlement-uswnt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to NPR</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-true-gender-equality-has-stalled">True gender equality has stalled</h2>



<p>According to the World Economic Forum’s “<a href="https://www.weforum.org/reports/gender-gap-2020-report-100-years-pay-equality/digest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Gender Gap Report 2020</a>,” the U.S.’ trajectory toward women’s equality has stalled, and based on the current pace, North America is about 151 years away from achieving gender parity. <a href="https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to the same report</a>, The U.S. ranks 53 out of 153 countries in regards to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/tori-dunlap-founder-of-her-first-100k/">the gender gap</a>, though <a href="https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">that number rose</a> to 27 out of 146 in 2022. It’s a hard pill to swallow considering the numerous milestones women in America have surpassed in just the past several years, and there is data to help explain why.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Studies by Oriane Georgeac and Aneeta Rattan, published in <a href="https://hbr.org/2019/03/research-when-people-see-more-women-at-the-top-theyre-less-concerned-about-gender-inequality-elsewhere" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard Business Review</a>, found that “seeing progress for <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-can-men-do-to-support-women-in-leadership-positions/">women’s representation in top leadership</a> (either spontaneously or after reading an article) leads both women and men to think that women have greater access to equal opportunities. This overgeneralization of progress, in turn, makes people less worried about <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/sophia-bush-and-nia-batts/">the persisting inequalities</a> that women face daily, across a variety of domains at work and beyond.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-but-many-still-believe-gender-equality-will-be-achieved">But many still believe gender equality will be achieved</h3>



<p>The good news? In Spring 2020, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/08/13/key-takeaways-on-americans-views-on-gender-equality-a-century-after-u-s-women-gained-the-right-to-vote/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pew Research Center</a> surveyed 3,143 U.S. adults, and found that “a majority (57%) of adults say the U.S. hasn’t gone far enough when it comes to giving women equal rights with men.” The better news? A majority of those who say the country still has work to do believe <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-men-can-help-women-battle-gender-inequality/">equality will be achieved</a> in the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Pushing a boulder up a mountain will always feel heavier the closer you get to the top. As we climb, let us continue to engage others to help us shoulder the load. Let us continue to reshape how society regards women, and let us celebrate our achievements every step of the way. Because whether you’re a first in your own field, or simply <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-ask-for-more-money-and-get-it/">negotiating your salary</a> for the first time, remember that even baby steps will take you in the right direction.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>This article was published in March 2021 and has been updated. Photo by Southworks/Shutterstock</em></p>



<p></p>

According to a 2020 report, true gender equality is 150 years away—despite recent milestones. Here's a look at where inequality persists.

According to a 2020 report, true gender equality is 150 years away—despite recent milestones. Here's a look at where inequality persists. | SUCCESS

True Gender Equality Is Still 151 Years Away—Despite Recent Milestones

True Gender Equality is Still 151 Years Away | SUCCESS

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/gender-equality.jpg

entrepreneurs Jamie Kern Lima, Payal Kadakia, and Mark Cuban

<p><em>SUCCESS</em> magazine turns 126 years old this year. As one of the longest-running business magazines in the U.S., it has become synonymous with stories highlighting innovation and honing a business mindset. And the magazine is making that even more official with its new <a href="https://entrepreneurs.success.com/#:~:text=The%20Emerging%20Entrepreneur%20awards%20recognize,and%20contributions%20to%20the%20world.">Emerging Entrepreneurs awards</a>, which will shine a light on the next wave of entrepreneurs and recognize the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/top-10-up-and-coming-entrepreneurs-in-2023/">achievements of up-and-comers</a>.</p>



<p>“We wanted to design an award that would recognize the hard work and ambition of those entrepreneurs who are dedicated to the long game,” says Cecilia Meis, the former editor-in-chief of SUCCESS Enterprises. “These are business owners who typically fall under the radar in the awards circuit, but that doesn’t make their contributions to the world any less worthy.”</p>



<p><em>SUCCESS</em> has a long history of celebrating entrepreneurs. The magazine has profiled inspiring entrepreneurs from an array of backgrounds, whether that’s the Sharks from <em>Shark Tank</em> weighing in on how they spot winning businesses or “gangsta gardener” Ron Finley <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/ron-finley-the-self-proclaimed-gangsta-gardener-found-purpose-fighting-food-poverty-in-south-la/">sharing how he uses gardening</a> to teach the value in caring for your community.</p>



<h2 id="h-5-lessons-we-ve-learned-from-entrepreneurs">5 lessons we’ve learned from entrepreneurs</h2>



<p>Each of these stories from the pages of <em>SUCCESS</em> has redefined the road to success—and helped inspire the creation of these awards. As we celebrate the first-ever Emerging Entrepreneurs awards, here are a few of the entrepreneurial lessons we’ve published over the years.</p>



<h3 id="h-1-success-can-look-different-than-you-expected">1. Success can look different than you expected.</h3>



<p>Take Jamie Kern Lima, who left behind her dream of daytime TV to create a makeup line for people with skin conditions after her rosacea began affecting her live interviews as a news anchor.</p>



<p>“In our society, we’re taught so often to never quit and never give up. And I think that’s good advice if you know you’re on the path you’re supposed to be on,” Kern Lima <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-jamie-kern-lima-became-unstoppable/">told <em>SUCCESS</em> in 2021</a>. “But I also think it’s just as important to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/quitting-isnt-the-enemy-weve-been-told-it-is-heres-how-to-know-when-the-time-is-right/">know when to let go</a> of a dream as it is to know when to go after one.”</p>



<p>Together with her husband, Kern Lima launched her company, IT Cosmetics, in 2008 out of their apartment living room in Studio City, California. It was acquired by L’Oréal in 2016 for $1.2 billion dollars and ultimately landed her on <em>Forbes’</em> <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jamie-kern-lima/?sh=6fec922a66c1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Richest Self-Made Women list</a>.</p>



<h3 id="h-2-success-might-feel-intuitive">2. Success might feel intuitive.</h3>



<p>Payal Kadakia, founder of revolutionary fitness platform <a href="https://classpass.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ClassPass</a>, originally began her career at management consulting firm Bain &amp; Company before she founded her own Indian dance company, <a href="https://www.sadancecompany.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sa Dance Company</a>, as a passion project on the side. But she felt in her gut she wasn’t on the right path.</p>



<p>“I was living two identities,” Kadakia <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-payal-kadakia-disrupted-the-fitness-industry/">told <em>SUCCESS</em> in 2020</a>. “I had this job that I went to that I wasn’t excited about. Then at night I was this dancer, entrepreneur, creative person. It felt like I was two different people.”</p>



<p>One night, she spent hours after work navigating different websites trying to find a dance class at the right time, and the idea for ClassPass came to her: one membership that could provide access to an array of fitness studios and gyms so people could easily find ways to improve their health through classes that played to their unique interests. Thankfully for the rest of us, Kadakia decided to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/mel-robbins-how-your-instincts-can-help-you-achieve-your-goals/">follow her intuition</a> and took the leap into entrepreneurship.</p>



<p>“Wanting ClassPass to succeed came from a visceral mission I had as opposed to, ‘Oh, my dad wants me to have this job,’ which is a very different reason to show up,” she said. ClassPass is now <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/yolarobert1/2020/01/08/classpass-becomes-the-first-new-unicorn-of-the-decade/?sh=143901465a46" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">worth over $1 billion</a>.</p>



<h3 id="h-3-success-should-break-the-mold">3. Success should break the mold.</h3>



<p>In 2020, <em>SUCCESS</em> <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/forget-2020-mark-cubans-secrets-to-focusing-on-the-future/">sat down with Mark Cuban</a>, self-made billionaire entrepreneur, investor, Shark and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and asked him what kind of advice he would give to someone considering starting a business.</p>



<p>Cuban immediately answered, “Don’t try to copy what’s been done. Try to find new ways to do things.”</p>



<p>Cuban suggested that hopeful entrepreneurs ask themselves, “What new ways of doing business do you think we should be doing to change the way things are done? Is there something you see that others can’t? How can you change the game?”</p>



<p>He told <em>SUCCESS</em> that, “in 20 years, he expects there will be dozens of what he calls ‘world-class, game-changing companies’ that were formed in the aftermath of 2020.”</p>



<p>Perhaps some of <em>SUCCESS’</em> newest Emerging Entrepreneurs are just that.</p>



<h3 id="h-4-success-can-sprout-from-failure">4. Success can sprout from failure.</h3>



<p>Kendra Scott had a passion for fashion and design as a child, and she ultimately followed this deep love to found two companies: The Hat Box, which closed in 1998, and her later venture in jewelry in 2002, which catapulted her career.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.kendrascott.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kendra Scott</a> is now a billion-dollar business with more than <a href="https://www.inc.com/profile/kendra-scott" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a hundred retail locations</a> across the U.S. Scott credits much of the brand’s success to her great team and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/your-business-failed-whats-next/">the lessons she learned</a> after her first company closed prematurely.</p>



<p>“Experience is something that you can’t teach,” Scott <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/meet-kendra-scott-homemade-millionaire/">told <em>SUCCESS</em> in 2016</a>. “That feeling of how are you going to make payroll? How are you going to pay your rent?… Those are things you can never learn in a book. That knot in your stomach that wakes you up in the middle of the night is something that, unless you’ve lived it, you don’t understand how to navigate through… I think having that basis… has made me be so thoughtful and so careful about how we’ve grown and what we’ve done.”</p>



<p>Scott said she is grateful for her failure and the way it gives you a determination that you can get through even your worst fear—because you already have.</p>



<h3 id="h-5-success-can-be-planned-to-a-degree">5. Success can be planned (to a degree).</h3>



<p>Although starting a business is undoubtedly challenging, Sara Blakely, founder of <a href="https://spanx.com/pages/about-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spanx</a>, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/shaping-sara-blakely-meet-the-billionaire-founder-of-spanx/">talked to <em>SUCCESS</em></a> in late 2015 about how she prepared herself to be a successful entrepreneur before she even knew what the business would be.</p>



<p>Under an <em>offense is the best defense</em> sort of strategy, Blakely focused on preparation that went far beyond visualizing success—she took inventory of her strengths and weaknesses and wrote down a detailed end goal. This way, her true north was always top of mind.</p>



<p>“So I said, <em>OK, I want to invent or create a product that I can sell that’s my own and not somebody else’s, and I want it to be something I can sell to millions of people. And I want it to be something that makes people feel good. </em>I wrote that specifically in my journal,” Blakely said. “And I just kept looking for when it was going to show up in my life. I was on high alert. The day I cut the feet out of my pantyhose, I immediately started pursuing it. I didn’t know if that idea was going to ultimately be ‘the one,’ but I was immediately in motion after that happened.”</p>



<h2 id="h-celebrating-emerging-entrepreneurs">Celebrating Emerging Entrepreneurs&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The judging panel evaluated entrepreneurs based on a set of criteria and selected 25 honorees to receive the award.</p>



<p>“We were really looking for those up-and-comer business owners who displayed a deep passion for the work they’re doing to grow their companies and make an impact,” judge Billy Goldberg said.</p>



<p>The diverse group of final honorees for the Emerging Entrepreneurs awards span genders, ethnicities and industries ranging from creative and marketing to media and tech.</p>



<p>“These individuals have poured heart and soul into their businesses and have worked tirelessly to leave a tangible impact for generations,” judge Pamela Zapata said. “We were struck by their innovation and determination and are excited for the rest of the world to come to know their stories.”</p>



<p>With the first Emerging Entrepreneurs awards completed, Meis confirms you can expect to see more in years to come.</p>



<p>“The receptivity of our judges and the industry around honoring rising stars has been encouraging,” Meis says. “These smaller or lesser-known businesses are scrappy, innovative and an important part of the future of work, and <em>SUCCESS</em> will continue to shine a light on their achievements.”&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>The nomination period for Emerging Entrepreneurs closed Dec. 31, 2022, after this issue went to press. To see the award honorees, visit </em><a href="https://entrepreneurs.success.com/"><em>entrepreneurs.success.com</em></a><em>.</em></p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>This article originally appeared in the March/April 2023 </em><a href="https://store.success.com/by-media/success-magazine-mar-apr-2023-lewis-howes.html"><em>issue of </em>SUCCESS<em> magazine</em></a><em>. Photos by ©Christopher Patey/Jamie Kern Lima, ©ImagineChina Limited/Alamy Stock Photo, ©Jonathan Zizzo and ©Ben Baker/Redux.</em></p>

We've featured a lot successful entrepreneurs over the years. Now we're shining a light on new talent with the Emerging Entrepreneur awards.

We've featured a lot successful entrepreneurs over the years. Now we're shining a light on new talent with the Emerging Entrepreneur awards. | SUCCESS

Celebrating New Talent: Emerging Entrepreneurs Shines a Light on Up-and-Coming Entrepreneurs

Emerging Entrepreneurs Awards Honors New Talent | SUCCESS

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woman thinking about new year new you resolutions

Personal Development

Personal Development Archives

Personal Development | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

<p>It’s almost Dec. 31. Do you <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/12-techniques-for-setting-effective-resolutions/">have your resolutions ready</a>?</p>



<p>The question is about as hard to dodge as the “So, are you dating anyone?” questions you hear at nearly every family function. As the new year approaches, we as a society tend to do a lot of reflecting on how the last 365 days unfolded. Did we <a href="https://www.forbes.com/health/body/expert-fitness-advice/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stay in shape</a> like we planned? Were we able to impress our bosses enough to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-get-promoted-4-steps-to-prepare-for-the-next-step-in-your-career/">secure that next promotion</a>? Did we find someone to love, or <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/too-busy-for-relationships/">properly appreciate those we have</a>?</p>



<h2 id="h-i-don-t-subscribe-to-new-year-new-you">I Don't Subscribe to 'New Year, New You'</h2>



<p>Although the holidays are a time of joy and gratitude, we often fill the last days of the year with forward thinking, our faces to the horizon, looking for ways to make the following year even better. Phrases like “clean slate” and “starting over” saturate our newsfeeds, along with articles filled with a laundry list of life hacks for self-improvement. And although I love the hopeful eye with which many gaze, I have to admit that I have a problem with the “new year, new you” mentality.</p>



<p>I understand it’s meant to inspire, reframing the stroke of midnight as the gift of a fresh start. If we fell short of who we wanted to be this year, we can always try again next year. New year, new you!</p>



<p>But is that really what we want?</p>



<p>We say “new you” so casually that it’s easy to miss the deeper meaning. Oxford defines new as this: “not existing before; recently made, invented, introduced, etc.” New Year, new you literally means beginning the year as a completely new person. I don’t know what you think, but to me that sounds a little off. If I were to start the year completely unaffected by my past, who would I be? And what in the world would possess me to toss all of those memories into the trash?</p>



<h2>Instead of Thinking 'New Year, New You'</h2>



<h3>Embrace Your Inner Warrior</h3>



<p>It seems we only want to start the year anew when we feel the last was, well, less than satisfactory. But that is exactly the moment we should be digging in! When in your life have you noticed yourself grow stronger? It’s not when things are sailing smoothly. In life, it’s during the hard times that we expand our strength and courage. It’s an “Oh shit!” response during the freefall, and a simple lesson in physics—take a deep breath and make yourself as big as possible to slow your speed in an effort to avoid crashing into the ground. Beginning the new year as a new you would be abandoning the possibility of your moment of glory. As someone who has free fallen many times and fought hard to reach where and who I am today, I’d rather like to bring that warrior into the new year with me<strong><em>.</em></strong></p>



<p>Over the years, that warrior has <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-overcome-self-doubt-and-become-the-hero-of-your-story/">crushed self-doubt</a>, juggled multiple jobs, experienced injustice, lost loved ones, survived heartbreak and skin cancer… Sure, she made (plenty of) mistakes and didn’t always drink more water or meet her other expectations, but that’s no reason to erase it all just to start fresh. The victories and the mistakes I’ve made have brought me to where I am today, and for that I am grateful.</p>



<h3>Celebrate How Far You've Come</h3>



<p><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/365-ways-to-improve-yourself/">The desire to improve</a> is admirable and should certainly be encouraged. But we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves as to demand we start over if, come Jan. 1, we haven’t managed to figure out our lives. Some of my favorite memories came from things that were spontaneous and unplanned! And it would be a shame to discredit how far you’ve truly come. Life is hard. Perhaps you didn’t lose those 10 pounds or find a new job. Regardless, the year was not a wash because of a couple failed resolutions. You tried, and that counts for a lot more than you’d think. Gaining character and resilience is something to celebrate, not bury, at the start of a new year. I, for one, am not willing to hide my battle wounds for the sake of newness and perfection.</p>



<h3>Never Give Up on Yourself </h3>



<p>I stumbled across a quote somewhere that stated this idea simply: Life is like a canvas and every day is a new brush stroke. It would be nearly impossible to make a masterpiece if you were continually starting over. The “new year, new you” philosophy discredits the beauty of your journey, of taking failure <a href="https://www.betterup.com/blog/what-is-failure" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">and running with it</a>. Maybe you accidentally dropped your paintbrush and smeared a black streak across the entire painting, and now your plan to paint a Thomas Cole version of the Alaskan winter is out of the question. That doesn’t mean you can’t still paint something sensational. And the best part is, when you do, that painting will be a true original and entirely your own.</p>



<p>So as the new year begins, be bold. Be brave. Don’t ditch what might look like a mess of a canvas for the ideal of perfection in a blank slate. Because we make real and lasting progress slowly and with grit, not simply when the date on the calendar says so. "New year, new you" sounds appealing, but there is something to be said for refusing to give up on yourself. For looking in the mirror and being determined to make something beautiful out of what you see, no matter the state at which you stand.</p>



<p>The important thing is to have patience and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/a-helping-hand-how-high-fives-with-your-reflection-can-teach-you-self-compassion/">treat yourself with compassion</a>. And remember that you, as you are now, are more than deserving of another year, a new year, to build and grow upon. You don’t need to start anew, you simply need the courage to start as you.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>This article was published in January 2017 and has been updated. Photo by Mila Supinskaya Glashchenko/Shutterstock</em></p>

One woman’s persuasive argument about why the “new year, new you” mindset is problematic—and what to focus on instead.

One woman’s persuasive argument about why the “new year, new you” mindset is problematic—and what to focus on instead. | SUCCESS

The Problem With the ‘New Year, New You’ Mindset

The Problem With the ‘New Year, New You’ Mindset | SUCCESS

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<p><a href="https://www.nextinsurance.com/blog/next-small-business-guide-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Since the start</a> of the pandemic, women—and particularly Black women—have <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2021/11/women-entrepreneurs-drive-online-microbusiness-gro.html?page=all" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">started more small businesses</a> than men overall. Women-owned businesses are beginning to catch up to male-owned businesses, and as of 2019, make up <a href="https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/organization/observances/national-womens-small-business-month" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">42% of all companies</a> in America. In fact, according to the 2019 <a href="https://ventureneer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Final-2019-state-of-women-owned-businesses-report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">State of Women-Owned Businesses Report</a>, there are nearly 13 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. and those companies employ 9.4 million people!</p>



<p>However, despite the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/true-gender-equality-is-still-151-years-away-despite-recent-milestones/">recent gains women have made</a>, we still have quite a ways to go. Women founders tend to experience more hurdles when starting a business, particularly when it comes to securing <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/sophia-bush-and-nia-batts/">investors or a business loan</a>, which causes women-owned businesses to start out smaller and grow slower. And though research shows women are <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/11/08/whats-behind-the-growing-gap-between-men-and-women-in-college-completion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more likely than men</a> to attain a four-year college degree, <a href="https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/pages/women-and-barriers-to-leadership.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">women in leadership roles</a> are few and far between in the workforce. <a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/13995/female-ceos-in-fortune-500-companies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">As of March 2022</a>, there are only 74 female CEOs employed at America's 500 highest-grossing companies, though this is up from just seven in 2002.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To help women-owned businesses continue to gain traction, here are seven ways you can support them in your own life:</p>



<h2 id="h-1-buy-from-women-owned-businesses">1. Buy from women-owned businesses</h2>



<p>Put your money where your heart is. According to the annual Biz2Credit <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/03/08/2398968/0/en/Revenues-Profits-of-Companies-Owned-by-Women-Decreased-During-2021-Biz2Credit-Women-Owned-Business-Study.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Women-Owned Business Study</a>, in 2021, women-owned business profits decreased from 2020, averaging $88,995, which is $47,152 less than the average for male-owned businesses ($136,147).&nbsp;The most direct way to support women-owned businesses is to prioritize purchasing from these companies over some of their well-known, male-owned competition—and especially from entrepreneurs who are women of color. Find your favorite national and local women-owned businesses and frequent them often!</p>



<h2>2. Follow and share about women-owned businesses on social</h2>



<p>Word of mouth has more power than you’d think. Share about the products or services offered by women-owned businesses that you like, using hashtags like #WomenOwnedBusiness or #BuyWomenOwned to expand your post or story’s reach. Also be sure to follow those businesses on social media and engage with their posts to help boost their presence in the social algorithms. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/6-tips-for-rapid-social-media-growth-in-2022/">Having a larger following</a> also helps provide more credibility to those great small, yet growing brands trying to gain their footing in a competitive landscape.</p>



<h2>3. Intentionally contract with women-owned business vendors</h2>



<p>If you own a business, make it a goal in 2023 to intentionally support more women-owned businesses through the vendors you work with. If you need suggestions, companies like <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/packed-with-purpose-changing-the-game-in-corporate-gifts/">Packed With Purpose</a> are great <a href="https://packedwithpurpose.gifts/corporate-gifts/?mm_campaign=28C8109D37C7F49B2878B107DB3A2AF1&amp;keyword=packed%20with%20purpose&amp;matchtype=e&amp;sncid=13&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=sitelink&amp;utm_term=packed%20with%20purpose&amp;utm_campaign=1+Name&amp;utm_source=adwords&amp;utm_medium=ppc&amp;hsa_acc=9925426250&amp;hsa_cam=10456517431&amp;hsa_grp=103309537626&amp;hsa_ad=446133516658&amp;hsa_src=g&amp;hsa_tgt=kwd-371015108829&amp;hsa_kw=packed%20with%20purpose&amp;hsa_mt=e&amp;hsa_net=adwords&amp;hsa_ver=3&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwm8WZBhBUEiwA178UnOhcqmZpZBl_K_rVNO3Fni86GpyabJ_Sa9RkH3mujTCiuVc8vZ7YNxoCCNgQAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">options for corporate gifting</a>. Packed With Purpose was founded by Peace Corp volunteer Leeatt Rothschild and supports other women-owned businesses through its purpose-driven corporate gift boxes for all holidays and occasions.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>4. Mentor women</h2>



<p>It’s no secret, women in business face different challenges than their male counterparts. Successful women founders <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-mindset-secrets-of-5-successful-female-entrepreneurs/">have a unique perspective</a> that could help support aspiring women entrepreneurs as they venture into business themselves. If you have hard-earned wisdom to share, please do so! And if not, you can support women mentorship nonprofit organizations. You can also look into if your workplace offers mentorship programs for women—speak with your HR team, and if there isn’t one in place, suggest starting one in your office.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>5. Donate to organizations that support women in the workforce</h2>



<p>While there are several nonprofit organizations dedicated to assisting women in business, here are a couple you might consider:</p>



<ul><li><a href="https://www.suwn.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Step Up</a> provides mentorship for young girls to support their personal and professional growth—you can donate your money or time by signing up to be a mentor yourself.&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://womensventurefund.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Women’s Venture Fund</a> helps women build successful businesses in urban communities, and even offers one-on-one sessions with an advisor. The organization is currently seeking volunteers with at least eight years of expertise in accounting, marketing, supply chain management <a href="https://womensventurefund.org/volunteer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">and other areas</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.astia.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astia</a> is a global organization that aims to level the investment playing field by investing in high-growth companies with women leaders. It also provides an entrepreneur mentor program and access to expert advisors for feedback on business plans and more.</li></ul>



<h2>6. Invest in women-owned businesses</h2>



<p>Women-led startups received only 2.3% of VC funding in 2020, <a href="https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/global-vc-funding-to-female-founders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to data from Crunchbase</a>—despite the fact that women founded startups <a href="https://www.bcg.com/publications/2018/why-women-owned-startups-are-better-bet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ultimately perform better</a>. Women-owned startups generate approximately “10% more in cumulative revenue over a five-year period.” If you’re in the position to invest in companies, diversify your portfolio by seeking out women-owned businesses.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>7. Review women-owned businesses online&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In our digital age, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/fighting-above-your-companys-weight-class/">small businesses are competing</a> with large corporations with equally large marketing spends. Another free way to support women-owned businesses is to write authentic reviews on sites like Yelp, Google and even Facebook to help boost their SEO searchability. Sometimes consumers are wary to purchase from a small business they’re unfamiliar with, and a detailed review of your experience might help them feel comfortable making the purchase.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Photo by G-Stock Studio/Shutterstock<br></em><br></p>

To help women-owned businesses continue to gain traction, here are seven ways you can support them in your own life.

To help women-owned businesses continue to gain traction, here are seven ways you can support them in your own life. | SUCCESS

7 Ways to Support Women-Owned Businesses

7 Ways to Support Women-Owned Businesses | SUCCESS

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Money

Money Archives

Achieve financial success and freedom

<p>Anthony O’Neal never thought he’d be making seven figures as a personal finance expert. “Ten years ago, no one really believed you could be a millionaire off of the internet by itself,” says O’Neal, author of three best-selling books on eliminating debt.</p>



<p>At 19, O’Neal was $35,000 in debt and a college dropout. Fast-forward 19 years, and he’s since helped more than 250,000 people on their path toward a debt-free life with his best-selling book <a href="https://amzn.to/3feyNdq" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Debt-Free Degree</em></a>. He also hosts his own podcast, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1DnGlzL7NBkDxGrlfCjCKf?si=24adbdde5cba412e&amp;nd=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Table with Anthony ONeal</em></a>, with more than 100 episodes focused on helping listeners shift their mindset, create a clear vision for their future and make their vision a reality.</p>



<p>“In the past, building wealth meant: Get your foot in the door at a big company, invest a lot of money into stocks, and you’ll get $1 million over 20 to 30 years,” O’Neal says. “Now, I see the future of generating wealth evolving to this remote work space, where people are making $1 million in one week because they’re serving others and utilizing the internet.”</p>



<p>O’Neal smiles as he shares his hot take on how the rules around building wealth have changed, while I pick my jaw off the floor. He makes reaching seven figures sound simple. Attainable, even. Admittedly, as a millennial in the landscape of high inflation, stagnant wages and an unstable stock market, it’s a welcome notion.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Anthony-ONeal-Headshot-682x1024.jpg" alt="Anthony O'Neal Headshot" class="wp-image-67272"/></figure>



<p>Looking around my home office, I can see it’s true that today’s working landscape appears vastly different from the cubical view of years past. I can’t remember my old morning routine. The last time I sat in gridlocked Los Angeles traffic on my commute is a faint memory I’m not sad to lose. And I’m not the only one. After Airbnb announced in April 2022 that its employees could choose to work wherever they’re most productive, the company reported a staggering 800,000 visits to its careers page within a week of the new policy. Data from <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/02/16/covid-19-pandemic-continues-to-reshape-work-in-america/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pew Research Center</a> shows that nearly 6 in 10 U.S. workers whose jobs can mainly be done from home are working remotely all or most of the time by choice.</p>



<p>As virtual work becomes more mainstream, O’Neal has noticed a shift in which industries are raking in better ROI. “Influencers, digital nomads and technology are three main areas I’m seeing that are building more wealth within today’s generation,” he says.</p>



<p>Working remotely offers better work-life balance, saving people hours typically spent commuting to—or getting ready for—work, which, O’Neal explains, many are choosing to dedicate toward wealth-building initiatives. These digitally-savvy professionals are budgeting out their time to efficiently <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/12-easy-ways-to-make-extra-money/">add more income opportunities</a> and leaning on three specific tools to maximize their financial security.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tool-1-the-side-hustle">Tool #1: The side hustle</h2>



<p>According to a <a href="https://zapier.com/blog/side-hustle-report-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2022 Zapier report</a>, 40% of Americans currently <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-side-hustle-handbook/">have a side hustle</a>, and more than one in three Americans plan to or have started a side hustle in 2022. These side hustles earn respondents an average $12,689 per year.</p>



<p>You can freelance on the side using skills from your 9-to-5, or you can <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-launch-and-maintain-a-successful-e-commerce-business/">start a small e-commerce business</a> capitalizing on your candle-making hobby. Whatever your calling, O’Neal emphasizes the importance of doing so without putting yourself in debt and offers some side hustle ideas with zero startup costs:</p>



<ul>
<li><strong>Become a mystery shopper:</strong> Yes, you can get paid to go shopping. Companies will ask you to visit their store and report back on your experience, with the pay averaging $24 per hour <a href="https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Mystery-Shopper-Salary-per-Week" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to ZipRecruiter</a>.</li>



<li><strong>Share your expertise as an online tutor:</strong> Companies such as <a href="https://www.tutor.com/apply/tutoring-faq" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tutor.com</a> are looking for tutors in high-demand subjects including calculus, chemistry, nursing, essay writing and more.</li>



<li><strong>Tap into the rental market:</strong> If you have a spare bedroom, consider renting it. Or if you work from home, rent out your car for the day. With the shortage of rental cars, companies such as <a href="https://turo.com/us/en/list-your-car?utm_campaign=gs:br:exact:wd:brand+14497529174&amp;utm_term=gs:br:exact:wd:brand-gen+kwd-304657809577+543133670849+126742830197&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_adgroup=126742830197&amp;utm_creative=543133670849&amp;utm_keyword=turo%20car%20rental&amp;utm_loc_physical_ms=9061203&amp;utm_loc_interest_ms=&amp;utm_feeditemid=&amp;utm_adposition=&amp;utm_targetid=kwd-304657809577&amp;utm_matchtype=e&amp;utm_glcid=CjwKCAjwiJqWBhBdEiwAtESPaAMEmuzRlQad0KsmiFRyjOQsw9M7Knttpqdvzz1cMXCdZmS_7JGMnxoCWTcQAvD_BwE&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwiJqWBhBdEiwAtESPaAMEmuzRlQad0KsmiFRyjOQsw9M7Knttpqdvzz1cMXCdZmS_7JGMnxoCWTcQAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Turo</a>, a peer-to-peer car rental company, let you list your vehicle for rent by the day, with some cars generating $100 a day.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tool #2: Social media</h2>



<p>Many view social media as a frivolous way to spend time, but don’t sleep on its wealth-building potential. The influencer marketing industry grew from $1.7 billion in 2016 to $13.8 billion in 2021, and it’s <a href="https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">projected to expand</a> to a staggering $16.4 billion by the end of 2022.</p>



<p>“When it comes to growing wealth, I see a lot of people moving away from the traditional brick-and-mortar route and flocking to digital platforms, and asking simply, ‘What can I do to just create and build a tribe?’” O’Neal observes.</p>



<p>Despite being a best-selling author, the bulk of O’Neal’s income actually comes from his YouTube channel and speaking engagements. He explains, “If you have that blue checkmark, or if you’ve got 1 million followers, big-name advertisers like Coca-Cola are coming to you because you have a bought-in audience. [My books] just don’t touch this type of income.”</p>



<p><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/6-tips-for-rapid-social-media-growth-in-2022/">Cultivating a social following</a> is not for the faint of heart. However, there are endless online courses available, both free and paid, that can teach you how to start your own YouTube channel, podcast or blog. The social landscape is constantly evolving—so start educating yourself now with the knowledge you’ll need to successfully cultivate your own corner of the internet. Especially with exciting opportunities such as the metaverse on the horizon, there is still plenty of room to make a name for yourself.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tool #3: Branding</h2>



<p>As the world grows more digitally-focused, your online presence can make or break your income opportunities. “Essentially,” O’Neal contends, “branding is the new resume.”</p>



<p>To create and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-build-a-personal-brand-9-tips-for-making-a-mark-that-lasts/">maintain your professional brand identity</a>, dedicate some quality time to clearly determine: What do you stand for? What’s your brand vision? Your target audience? Get granular, down to the tiny details such as your brand’s aesthetic and tone of voice. The key is to be consistent. In a metaverse full of people, it’s easy to lose sight of your mission. Just like budgeting, write down your brand identity and stick to the plan.</p>



<p>As our conversation comes to a close, one piece of insight O’Neal shared still echoes in my head: “Wealthy people value their money, but they value their time more. Because, ultimately, they understand you can’t buy back time.” Although side hustles and influencing may be great tools to help you thrive financially, don’t forget to make time to live your life. Money is not the only component of wealth. Sit down and map out what your hours look like. Then determine if the way you’re spending your days is propelling you toward your goals, financially and personally. Don’t be afraid to adjust accordingly.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>This article originally appeared in the <a href="https://store.success.com/by-media/success-magazine-nov-dec-2022-sophia-bush-and-nia-batts.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">November/December 2022</a> issue of </em>SUCCESS<em> magazine. Photos courtesy Anthony O'Neal</em> </p>

Personal finance expert Anthony O'Neal shares his tips for remote workers to maximize their financial security in the future of work.

Digitally-savvy professionals are budgeting out their time to efficiently add more income opportunities and leaning on three specific tools to maximize their financial security. | SUCCESS

Personal Finance Expert Anthony O'Neal Shares 3 Tools for Remote Workers to Maximize their Financial Security

Personal Finance Expert Anthony O&#8217;Neal Shares 3 Tools for Remote Workers to Maximize their Financial Security

Maximizing Financial Security: 3 Tools for Remote Workers

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/how-to-build-wealth-in-the-future-of-work.jpg

<p>Although National Donut Day may be a very close second, International Women’s Day holds a special place in my heart. It’s a rare 24 hours when women are praised <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/4-ways-women-can-embrace-their-inner-ambition/">for their ambition</a> and determination, and are empowered to reach even further in the coming year. Sadly, this praise is not as commonplace as it should be in the 21st century. Women around the world are banned from going to school, paid less for their work, period-shamed and generally considered less capable, all because of one chromosomal difference.</p>



<p>This utterly baffles me.</p>



<p>I remember the first time I experienced this diminishing of women firsthand. I’d just briefed a conference room of men on a marketing initiative I’d spearheaded that had exceeded our goals. After I was done, as if my ambition needed to be placated, the VP of the company patted me on the head as he gestured for me to take a seat. I was in my early 20s at the time, fresh out of college and hungry to affect change in the world. I stared in disbelief as everyone in the room smiled, refusing to acknowledge the power play I’d involuntarily been thrust into. <em>Is the “real world” just a man’s world after all?</em></p>



<p>It may sound naïve of me to admit, but it wasn’t until then that I understood the insinuated and often unspoken <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/true-gender-equality-is-still-151-years-away-despite-recent-milestones/">gravity of<strong> </strong>gender inequality</a>. As many of us falsely believed about racism in America, I thought these issues had long since passed. Like remnants of a nightmare that linger, but only through the last drop of your morning coffee. I grew up in the age of the Spice Girls (“girl power!”) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer—it never occurred to me that I, a woman, could not achieve as much as or more than, say, one of my brothers, if I really wanted to. Over the years, I’ve realized this way of thinking wasn’t developed by accident. There are several people responsible for my<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-construct-an-empowering-reality/"> </a>empowered mindset and they might not be the people you’d expect.</p>



<p>Now, I’m the first to admit my upbringing is intertwined with privileges not all women are afforded. First, I was born in the United States, which tends to value girls’ education, and I had very engaged teachers who cared deeply about their students, even in the midst of a lower-income neighborhood in Los Angeles. My parents also worked their tails off to not only keep our family afloat, but thriving enough to move us to the suburbs of San Diego and their public schools that often produce Harvard graduates. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned of the many sleepless nights my parents laid worried, unsure of how they’d afford groceries and the mortgage in my early childhood. I think that is the biggest gift of all. In my mind, one of the most empowering things you can do for someone is to give them the space to be themselves without limitations. I developed courage as a young child, if not for the sole reason that besides the occasional stalky spider, I really had nothing to be afraid of.</p>



<p>Until perhaps age 10, whenever someone asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I’d stand a little taller, both feet firmly rooted in the ground, and declare, “I’m going to be the first female president.” Seeing my dad’s grin from the corner of my eye was always my favorite part of this question. My parents, bless them, raised a young girl with loud opinions <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/rachel-hollis-made-for-more/">and big dreams</a>, and celebrated her rather than redirect her down “more ladylike” paths. I wore boxers around the house because my older brother Josh wore boxers and I thought he was the coolest. I played baseball with the boys because Josh was a pitcher and my dad was his coach and I didn’t want to feel left out. But I also wore tutus in ballet class, could spend an entire afternoon with my Barbies and once dragged my mom to an NSYNC concert (which I still don’t think she’s forgiven me for).</p>



<p>Looking back, the fact that I was 22 before I experienced outright sexism in relation to my ambition is a miracle I am immensely grateful for. Of course, my parents deserve most of the credit for treating me the same as they did my brothers. However, your home life is only a small portion of your day, and there were so many others who helped me feel like I could be myself without judgment. The T-ball coach who ran me through the same drills at practice as the boys. My teachers who didn’t bat an eye when I’d wear head-to-toe pink one day and a baggy hand-me-down Ninja Turtle tee the next. The neighborhood kids who didn’t tell me girls can’t play street hockey. My first boyfriend who didn’t feel the need to compliment me for eating more than a salad. My Professional Association of Diving Instructors scuba instructor who let me borrow some of his gear rather than pay extra, knowing that things like ankle weights or a smaller tank would make it easier for me to learn to dive amongst a class of men who didn’t need any such gear modifications. My brothers who didn’t ask, “Is it that time of the month?” anytime I was angry.</p>



<p>These seem inconsequential on their own. But stringed along the timeline of my life, they matter. Because each action validated me and showed me <em>I</em> matter, unrelated to my gender.</p>



<p>Empowering women comes in many shapes and forms, and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-men-can-help-women-battle-gender-inequality/">should be a collective effort</a>. Imagine how different that afternoon in the conference room would have been if one of my co-workers had called out their superior on his sexist behavior. Or if companies like Dick’s Sporting Goods would offer more than pink color variations for products like boxing gloves that are typically seen as “masculine.” Just because you paint something pink and put it on a shelf doesn’t mean you’ve invited women to the table. It’s the equivalent of ESPN only airing Raiders games all season; you may enjoy football, but that’s only tailoring to a small fraction of fans. (PSA, not all women like pink.)</p>



<p>A large part of empowering women to thrive is creating a safe space for them to step out of the roles “femininity” prescribes us. Men and women alike have bought into the idea that women should be passive and agreeable, which causes many to shy away from being direct about their thoughts and feelings for fear of being less “likable.” It’s the first step in the shrinking process; women biting their tongues and being asked to smile while doing so. Yet who does this serve? Society should encourage women to be <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/finding-your-voice-advocating-and-negotiating-for-yourself-as-a-woman-in-the-workplace/">more than people-pleasers</a>. And by society, that includes women, too. I’ve been told while on an entirely female staff that my constructive feedback for those I supervise was “too harsh.” I should have, apparently, sandwiched critiques between positive statements—which feels like an oxymoron and hinders someone from growing if you ask me. Women are strong as hell, and if we start to treat one another this way, I have a feeling we’ll rise to the occasion.</p>



<p>According to the U.S. Department of Education, more women are graduating from college than men, <a href="https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/CTEE_Report_Spring_2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to data collected</a> by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, enrollment dropped by 14.4% for men and 6% for women in spring 2021. Additionally, though the numbers are small (for now), women are making their way to the C-suite, Congress and more. So the next time you see a young girl playing T-ball, or an aspiring <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/toni-harris-is-first-female-skill-position-player-to-sign-loi-0ap3000001019418" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">female NFL player</a>, firefighter or mechanic, be one of her insignificant moments that matter. Tell her yes, she can. Empowered women spark empowering ideas and lift up others, both male and female, in the process. And those are the kind of humans we need.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>This article was published in March 2019 and has been updated. Photo by @safwansarimin/Twenty20</em></p>

Empowerment should be a collective effort, because empowered women spark empowering ideas and lift up others, both male and female, in the process.

Empowering women comes in many shapes and forms and should be a collective effort. | SUCCESS

The Many Faces of Empowerment

The Many Faces of Empowerment | SUCCESS

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Many-Faces-of-Empowerment.jpg

A Millennial’s Guide to Finances: 5 Things to Start Before You Turn 30

<p>Somehow as we age,<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/why-is-adulting-so-hard/"> </a>#adulting is just supposed to be intuitive. However, important skills like when and how to manage your finances don’t come naturally to many. <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/deloitte-2022-genz-millennial-survey.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to a 2022&nbsp; survey</a> by<a href="https://www.wealthsimple.com/"> </a>Deloitte, 36% of millennials and 29% of Gen Z cited “cost of living” as their greatest concern.</p>



<p>So get comfortable and pour a generous glass of your beverage of choice; it’s time to talk money. I promise this will not be another article that berates your affinity for avocado toast (pro tip, if you prepare it at home it’s half the price!) or underestimates the amount of student debt you’ve been forced to shoulder. I connected with more than 40 certified public accountants, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER<sup>TM</sup> (CFP®), and executives of investment and insurance agencies to whittle this list down to the five most realistic and financially savvy things every young adult should be doing by the time they turn 30.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>1. Track your budget.</strong></h2>



<p>Do you know where your money is going? List out your purchases in an Excel spreadsheet at the end of each month and place each transaction into a bucket. Be more descriptive than simply “transportation” because a Lyft to the bar on Friday night should not be marked as a vital expense. Get detailed and introspective to evaluate which purchases are legitimate needs vs. nonessentials. You can’t expect to improve your spending habits if you don’t first know where your <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/10-money-habits-that-are-leaving-you-broke/">money is running off to</a>.</p>



<p>Anna Keisler, a former associate financial planner with<a href="https://www.sgfinancial.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> SG Financial Advisors, LLC</a>, recommends automating your cash flow tracking with<a href="https://www.mint.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Mint</a>, a free app that allows you to view almost all of your bank and investment accounts in one place, as well as any loans you may have. If you need additional capabilities, she suggests you try<a href="https://www.youneedabudget.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> You Need a Budget (YNAB</a>), but note that this requires a monthly fee. Once you have a healthy idea of your spending and savings habits, the real fun begins.</p>



<p>Lesley Tenaglia, a mortgage agent at both Ultimate Mortgage and Finance Solutions Inc. and Fuse Mortgage Inc., advises you to write a list of financial and lifestyle goals. That’s right—manifest your finances like you would for that front row parking spot. Separate your goals into five, 10 and even 20-year plans based on your <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-create-a-budget/">determined spending and saving habits</a>. “Ensure your goals and budget are reasonable and attainable,” Tenaglia warns. “Set yourself up for success. Remember that life is also about experience, so make sure your budget and goals allow for you to enjoy your journey.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-establish-a-safety-net"><strong>2. Establish a safety net.</strong></h2>



<p>The job market may be on the rise, but as any new grad or millennial will tell you, finding a new job is harder than putting together the monkey jigsaw on <em>Legends of the Hidden Temple.</em> Nearly every financial advisor I spoke with urged millennials to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/want-financial-security-prepare-for-the-worst/">create an emergency fund</a>. However, I appreciated the realistic timeline Amy Kemp, financial advisor at Paragon Financial Services, gave for how long it would likely take someone to get back on their feet in the current economic climate.</p>



<p>“A healthy guideline is to have between six and 12 months worth of expenses set aside,” Kemp says. “This money should be kept in a savings or money market account where you can have quick and easy access to it.” Saving this much doesn’t happen overnight, so be patient and watch out for savings accounts at big banks like Bank of America and Wells Fargo that have little to no interest rates—if you leave a year’s worth of emergency funds sitting here, your savings account will stagnate. Kemp explains, “Interest rates have slowly crept higher, so you can now find money market accounts where your money can earn as much as 2% per year.” Don’t settle with the account you opened when you were 15 just because it’s convenient.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-give-yourself-credit"><strong>3. Give yourself credit.</strong></h2>



<p>Welcome to adulthood, where your credit score is (hopefully) lit. Drew Parker, creator of The Complete Retirement Planner, encourages young adults to check their credit score each year, aiming for that sweet spot of 720+, where you will receive the best loan, mortgage and credit card rates. Things that build your credit score include having multiple lines of credit, paying off all bills in full and on time, and spending approximately 30% or less of your credit limit each month.<a href="https://www.creditkarma.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Credit Karma</a> is a great free resource to track the progress of your credit score.</p>



<p>If you’re trying to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-money-mistakes-that-could-be-ruining-your-credit/">boost your credit score</a>, be cautious—opening up more credit cards to strengthen your score isn’t always in your best interest. David Dick, CFP® and partner at<a href="https://financialplaninc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Financial Plan Inc</a>., recommends you pass on the barrage of credit card offers that flood your mailbox. “Rule of thumb,” Dick explains, “if it comes to you without your request, then it’s not a good thing for you. Do your research and pick a credit card that works for your situation and not what the credit card marketing materials say is ‘best’ for you.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-enroll-in-a-401-k-plan-like-yesterday"><strong>4. Enroll in a 401(k) plan, like, yesterday.</strong></h2>



<p>Overwhelmingly, the most common response among finance experts was to take advantage of your employer’s 401(k)—especially if they offer any sort of matching funds. You’ll want to invest at least the percentage of your paycheck your employer will match to cash in on the “free money.” However, be sure to look into which investment funds your employer’s 401(k) offers. Many corporations partner with investment firms and that means your 401(k) will likely come with seemingly small expense ratios. (In layman’s terms, this is a percentage of fund assets used for administrative, management and other expenses.) A 1.2% expense ratio may seem inconsequential when you’re young and have low investments, but compounded over 30 years, that’s a lot of money you’re missing out on. Look for your options with the lowest expense ratios within your employer’s 401(k).</p>



<p>Retired professor Timothy G. Wiedman, D.B.A., says millennials should also seriously consider <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-is-a-roth-ira/">opening a Roth IRA</a>. “Since (under current tax rules) money invested in a Roth IRA can be withdrawn tax-free in retirement, this is an excellent use of [your] money,” he says. In terms of where to invest, Wiedman recommends putting your money into a Vanguard Fund like VOO, which just so happens to have an expense ratio of .04%. You can open your own Roth IRA through companies like TD Ameritrade and invest the maximum amount each year, which is currently $6,000.</p>



<p>Additionally, always remember to transfer your previous employer’s 401(k) to your IRA and don’t let your hard work go to waste.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-find-a-passionate-side-hustle"><strong>5. Find a passionate side hustle.</strong></h2>



<p>Brad Ruttenberg, CFP® and co-creator of The Money Twins, doesn’t want you to settle on your primary source of income. “<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-simple-steps-to-start-your-side-hustle/">Start a side hustle</a> or even find another part time job you find fun,” Ruttenberg says. A side hustle gives you two things: First, you’re diversifying your income, which has obvious financial benefits. But it also gives you an outlet that you will need when life becomes busier. Plus, who knows, your passion project might evolve into something big.</p>



<p>Ultimately, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-make-finances-part-of-your-self-care-routine/">managing your finances</a> is a process, but it can be learned. Business coach and author Amanda Abella puts it simply: “I used to think money and math were the same thing, and they’re not. Having control over your finances is more psychology than it is math.” As you start saving, setting and reaching your financial goals, have an open mind and be patient. And just remember, living on earth may be expensive, but it includes an annual free trip around the sun!</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>This article was published in November 2018 and has been updated. Photo by </em><em>@verakharlamovaphotography</em><em>/Twenty20</em></p>

These are the most realistic and financially savvy things every young adult should be doing.

Do you know where your money is going? | SUCCESS

Financial Success at 30: Millennial's Guide to 5 Vital Steps

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How to Build a Foundation of Self-Love with Celebrity Makeup Artist Mally Roncal

<p>“Oh my God, you’re gorgeous!” Mally Roncal exclaims as our Zoom interview begins. Her excitement is infectious, and I confess I put makeup on just for her. You can’t meet a celebrity makeup artist and beauty-brand entrepreneur without applying a little mascara. Except, as I would soon learn, you can.</p>



<p>It’s no secret society has inflexible standards for what it deems “beautiful.” Women should be skinny, yet curvy. Men should be strong and never vulnerable. And to be anything outside of those lines is othered, and less than. Coupled with 24/7 access to filtered highlight reels on social media, the urge to compare yourself to others can be all but consuming. It’s something Roncal sees often.</p>



<p>“You don’t know how many times someone has sat down in my chair, celebrity or not, and all of a sudden every insecurity comes out,” she says. “They’re pointing out blemishes and wrinkles, things I never would have noticed.”</p>



<p>It’s an important reminder: A majority of the time, the things we’re focused on aren’t necessarily what the world sees. More pointedly, <em>I’m not looking at your zit because I’m worried about mine. </em>Perhaps your body’s changed in recent years. Perhaps you’re not yet friends with the new lines underneath your eyes. Most likely, you’re the only one giving it a second (or hundredth) thought. Yet imagine how differently it would feel to walk through your day simply proud of the legs that carry you.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">* * *</p>



<p>Roncal’s career as a makeup artist began unconventionally and with a lot of hustle after she jumped tracks from her original path in dermatology. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do [right away],” Roncal admits. “But I knew I was always drawn to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-ways-to-start-connecting-with-people/">connecting with people</a>, loving people, and making them feel good on the inside and the outside.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/MALLY-RONCAL_8-1024x682.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-65024"/></figure>



<p>There’s a beautiful familiarity in the way Roncal speaks with you, and I can tell instantly why A-list celebrities trust her with their looks. Even her Zoom presence leaves you with the same kind of peace experienced after a vacation with no cell service. It’s because Roncal takes the time to see you, and it’s the most generous of gifts.</p>



<p>Roncal has worked with some of the most recognizable celebrities of our generation, including Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and more. She founded her own company, Mally Beauty, in 2005 and wrote a book titled <em><a href="https://amzn.to/39EYWQ0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Love, Lashes and Lipstick: My Secrets for a Gorgeous, Happy Life</a></em> in 2014. She’s navigated her career differently than most, bypassing the apprenticeships and courageously trusting her gut—she embodies how you don’t have to follow what the world tells you is the road to success. “You can get to where you want to go by just following your heart and listening to what your inner whisper tells you,” she says.</p>



<p>I ask her how she deciphers whether something is intuition directing her, and she laughs, “Oh you’re going there!” Roncal describes it as a feeling deep in your stomach that doesn’t leave you. An invisible dripping faucet, if you will. But you have to pay attention; it’s called an inner whisper for a reason.</p>



<p>“I wonder how many times we block [our intuition] and don’t even know it,” she says. “It’s about being open and allowing yourself to feel opportunities <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/change-is-growth-3-tips-for-embracing-new-opportunities/">while also being prepared</a>.”</p>



<p>Roncal has dedicated her life to helping people feel like the best version of themselves by mirroring their outward appearance with their inner beauty. But, of course, feeling like our best on the inside can be rare and fleeting. What then?</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">* * *</p>



<p>The best people in Roncal’s life are what she calls unicorns—those who unabashedly break the mold. It’s a privilege to see people live with their hearts open. Who tilt their head back and laugh from their soul. That’s beauty.</p>



<p>When you’re feeling distant from that version of yourself, she has some recommendations to help shift your focus.</p>



<p>Keep a little arsenal of tools in your back pocket. And no, I’m not talking about makeup brushes, though that certainly is an option. As Roncal says: “<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/unlocking-the-power-of-self-awareness/">You need the self-awareness</a> to notice, ‘Ah yes, I don’t feel like my best today. Maybe my heart’s a little sad today. What am I going to do to help me out of it?’”</p>



<p>In Roncal’s pocket: gratitude, a practice she learned as a child while observing her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer and lived 17 years longer than the doctors had believed possible.</p>



<p>“When I have bad days, I look around and say, ‘I have this moment.’ Things might seem s- - - -y right now—and you know what, they are—but you’ve got to find your strength and say, ‘I’m here and I can find a way to get out of this feeling.’” Roncal adds, “I think it’s also key to have something to believe in—for me, that’s God; for my friend, it’s the universe. Whatever it is, you just don’t do it alone. Because that’s a lonely place to be.”</p>



<p>Other items in Roncal’s pocket: a cup of coffee at 3 p.m., a hug from her daughters, preparing a special snack or treat she loves. She stresses they are all small ways to intentionally build <a href="https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/2022-plans-goals-small-joys-daily-routine-happiness-productivity.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">simple pleasures into her day</a>.</p>



<p>I start nodding in agreement so much I get dizzy. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s the importance of finding joy in the little things. Maybe even the common things. The flowers on your afternoon walk. The way your next-door neighbor decorates their front door to celebrate whichever holiday occurs that month. When someone goes out of their way to yield so you can make an unprotected left turn in Los Angeles. There is so much noise surrounding us, and often we are moving at such lightning speeds, those little moments can be hard to notice. But that doesn’t make them less important. It just makes us too busy.</p>



<p>“Having that wonder and being able to stay curious as we get older, I think that’s really important and something that keeps us young,” Roncal says. “And if we don’t, that’s when we die on the inside.”</p>



<p>Most of all, Roncal urges everyone to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/patience-is-a-superpower/">extend themselves a little grace</a>. If your goal is to get back in shape, start with a walk and do what you can today. If you don’t meet your goal, try again tomorrow. It’s OK to go slow. In the end, patience is just another way to show yourself love.</p>



<p>When someone sits in her chair, Roncal’s goal is to leave people feeling better than she found them. And I can certainly say, even over Zoom, she’s done that for me.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>This article originally appeared in the July/August 2022 Issue of </em>SUCCESS<em> magazine. Photos courtesy of Mally Roncal.</em></p>

Mally Roncal takes the time to see you, and it’s the most generous of gifts.

Mally Roncal takes the time to see you, and it’s the most generous of gifts. | SUCCESS

Building Self-Love: Insights from Makeup Artist Mally Roncal

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/MALLY-RONCAL_7.jpeg

<p>Sunbathing while tending to his garden, house music playing lightly in the background while the leaves dance to the beat. His definition of success? He pauses and answers questions thoughtfully, giving off the same ease as a musician playing his biggest hit. “Waking up in the morning with nothing hurting too bad.” Has Ron Finley mastered the art of just being?</p>



<p>He calls himself a professional breather. “No, but what do you do for a living?” people often ask him. It’s a question all-too familiar to the frequent networker, or online dater. “I tell them I breathe for a living to make people pause so it can sink in,” Finley says. “<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-separate-your-work-from-your-identity/">Your job is not your life</a>.”</p>



<p>Known now as the Gangsta Gardener after his <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerrilla_gardener_in_south_central_la?language=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2013 TED Talk</a> on urban gardening went viral, Ron Finley is a man on a mission that’s not for the faint of heart: to make people “give a f---.” In the age of social media and confirmation bubbles, getting people to care about something new or contrary to their existing beliefs often boils down to asking people to rewire the way they think. And so, at 8 a.m., while passersby dutifully commute to their cubicles, Finley heads to his garden and asks an inconspicuously complex question: “Why not slow down and live your joy?” And what makes that so hard to actually put into practice is precisely what Finley wants you to think about.</p>



<p>Finley’s questioning of the status quo began early. As a young boy with dyslexia, school was challenging because he thought, and often colored, outside the lines. Yet as others like Richard Branson and Steve Jobs exemplify, academic performance inside a classroom doesn’t always reflect someone’s true potential.</p>



<p>“As a kid you think something is wrong with you, but I’m glad I’m dyslexic because it made me not think the way they teach us to think,” he says. “There are all these rules. You’re supposed to follow them and wait in line, even though that other window is open. And my mind just wouldn’t get to that, because I solve things differently.”</p>



<p>As a teenager, Finley’s clothes never fit right, and he could not unsee how fashion specifically was not available in shapes and sizes inclusive of people of color. So he decided to sew outside of the lines, too. He set out on a path to become a master tailor, initially designing clothes for himself and friends, which eventually evolved to him founding his own line of high-end clothing called Dropdead Collexion in 1982.</p>



<p>“I wanted my clothes to fit so well they’d levitate,” Finley says.</p>



<p>In just four years, Finley’s collection was selling in boutiques and some of the largest retail giants across the country, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. His work also gained enough notoriety to attract a large clientele for custom-designed pieces often seen on A-list celebrities and professional athletes alike. In spite of corporate America’s blind spot, Finley proved offering authentic representation and caring about clothing that fits diverse bodies is good business.</p>



<p>“But then 2007 and 2008 happened,” says Finley, referencing the Great Recession. “Stores just stopped calling. I didn’t get my dream of being a master tailor, which is sad, but I had a good run.”</p>



<p>What came next for Finley some might call a leap, but his transition from fashion to gardening felt like the next natural expression of his affinity for problem-solving.</p>



<p>He likens gardening to a revolutionary act. It’s freedom from depending on a store, a delivery app, a broken food system. However, in a similar fashion to clothing being made without people of color in mind, gardening is a freedom many in low-income neighborhoods don’t have access to—particularly South Los Angeles where Finley grew up and still resides. Because to garden you first need land, and South L.A. instead has an abundance of fast food chains and dialysis centers. In fact, <a href="https://suprmarkt.la/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Food-Desert-to-Food-Oasis.-Promoting-Grocery-Store-Development-in-South-Los-Angeles.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one 2010 report</a> showed South L.A. had just 60 grocery stores serving 1.3 million people, and it doesn’t look like those numbers have improved significantly in the past decade. South Los Angeles is what you call a food desert, where the closest fresh apple can be miles (and in L.A. traffic, hours) away.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/finley_03-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63925"/></figure>



<p>Nevertheless, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-solve-problems-effectively-and-ethically/">where others saw insurmountable problems</a>, Finley envisioned solutions using an underutilized resource everyone has access to: city sidewalks. In 2010, Finley dug outside of the lines, too, and planted the first of now many parkway gardens in the small plot of dirt between the sidewalk and the street. The city was quick to slap him with a citation for planting food on “city property,” which escalated to a warrant for Finley’s arrest. Unfazed, he pushed for change and rallied enough signatures to pressure the city council. Nearly two years after his first parkway garden, Los Angeles updated the law in 2011 to allow Angelenos to plant food in their parkways.</p>



<p>Shortly thereafter, Finley founded the <a href="https://ronfinley.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ron Finley Project</a>, a not-for-profit that empowers people across the globe to grow their own food and take back their power. Finley doesn’t pay himself a penny from what the Ron Finley Project raises and pours those resources back into the work and his community instead. The Project helps people plant their own gardens, though as Finley likes to clarify, “gardening is just the trees among the forest. It’s about more than just food.” When pressed to define his mission, Finley explained he wants to change the culture and help shift perspectives, particularly around what success looks like.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/finley_04-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63928"/></figure>



<p>“Society sells us this idea that success is something you can own. So people believe owning things like a house or a car give you value,” Finley says. “But imagine if someone told you at an early age: ‘You are the single most important thing on this f---ing planet. There’s nothing more valuable than you, nothing more expensive than you, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/youve-been-conditioned-into-low-self-esteem-heres-how-to-get-it-back/">nothing more worthy than you</a>, nothing more beautiful than you. That you are part of this planet and part of nature.’ Imagine if we got those lessons, how different this planet would be right now.”</p>



<p>Finley is not a fashion designer. He’s not a gardener. He’s a humanitarian. And gardening is just the “gateway drug” toward making some of those cultural shifts. Because ultimately what growing a plant does is show you how to care for something beyond your job, your troubles, and quite simply, care about something other than yourself.</p>



<p>Take the humble tomato. For $6.99 you can purchase a 12-ounce pack of cherry tomatoes—which pair perfectly with hummus—and that’s the end. Yet as Finley points out, one seed inside one single tomato can grow to become an entire tomato plant, which produces more tomatoes with more seeds capable of becoming more tomato plants. A single tomato has nearly infinite potential you wouldn’t necessarily notice if you didn’t slow down and try to grow it yourself.</p>



<p>It’s this new way of valuing food by its future potential that helps spark a new mindset in people. This is what the Ron Finley Project specializes in. The Project hosts a variety of workshops for children like planting and gardening, as well as pottery, weaving, composting, canning, cooking and more; and like an expertly tossed salad, each workshop is designed with specific elements that teach our youngest generation the often unseen value in things we discard.</p>



<p>“You can take the end cuts of celery and grow new life from it. [For composting,] even dead leaves have energy in them. If that doesn’t change your perspective, something’s wrong with you,” he says with a laugh.</p>



<p>Finley hopes with each workshop the children learn a deeper lesson on how to be more humane. A sign on an old church pew hangs in Finley’s garden, outlining the pseudo mantra he lives by: “Operate from happy.” It’s a message he’s raised his sons on.</p>



<p>“Why be miserable chasing s---? <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-find-freedom-from-toxic-hustle-culture/">People spend their lives hustling</a> and grinding, for what? To die? We don’t know how long we’re here,” he explains. “I’m trying to get people to stop, take a deep breath, and look around and be thankful for right now. We’re not trained to appreciate the present because there’s always the next thing. Nobody told us being happy could be part of success.”</p>



<p>Yet after years of a global pandemic, it feels as though the winds are carrying new perspectives from coast to coast. From marches for racial equality to the Great Resignation, all signs point to the fact that people across the world have indeed slowed down long enough to take stock of their lives and are more mindfully determining what kind of ingredients they want to cook with moving forward. Finley smiles: “They’re waking up.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/finley_02-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-63927" width="768" height="512"/></figure>



<p>For those hungry for change in their own communities, Finley shares some advice: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/6-steps-to-create-a-culture-shift-that-sticks/">Be patient, keep at it</a> and remember things are not going to transform overnight. If history is any barometer, progress ebbs and flows, and requires steady and unwavering effort. But the great thing about cultural changes: Everyone can push the movement forward from a different lane. You don’t need to garden, though it’s certainly a tasty way to affect change. You can think differently, choose to move in kindness, and find something—big or small—in your own community you can improve upon. It all matters.</p>



<p>“Grow your own life,” Finley ultimately says. “Design the life you want to live and not the one that’s been designed for you. Don’t let society measure what success looks like for you.”&nbsp;</p>



<p style="font-size:12px"><em>This article originally appeared in the May/June 2022 Issue of </em>SUCCESS<em> magazine. Photos by&nbsp;Lucy Hewett and Leroy Hamilton.</em></p>

His transition from fashion to gardening felt like the next natural expression of his affinity for problem-solving.

His transition from fashion to gardening felt like the next natural expression of his affinity for problem-solving. | SUCCESS

Ron Finley, the Self-Proclaimed Gangsta Gardener, Found Purpose Fighting Food Poverty in South LA

Gangsta Gardener's Purpose: Ron Finley Fighting Food Poverty

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Why Supporting Small Businesses This Holiday Season Is More Urgent Than Ever

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Success | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

<p>Last year we watched small businesses feed the needy, host socially distant dance parties and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/small-businesses-spreading-hope-in-times-of-covid-19/">power-wash playgrounds</a>, all while their doors were closed. And although for some 2021 may finally feel like business as usual, the truth is many (if not most) small businesses still need our help.&nbsp;</p>



<p>According to a September 2021 <a href="https://portal.census.gov/pulse/data/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Small Business Pulse Survey</a> (SBPS) by the U.S. Census, 67.5% of small businesses surveyed reported the pandemic had a large or moderately negative effect on their business. The current report is part of a series of surveys designed to measure how the pandemic is affecting the nation’s small businesses, and the results are sobering. Nearly 40% of small businesses believe it will be more than six months before their business will return to its normal level of operations; however, 10% said they do not believe their business will ever return to what it once was.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Although some of these businesses may be small or unfamiliar, it doesn’t negate their importance in our societies. In fact, quite the opposite. Data from GoDaddy’s <a href="https://www.godaddy.com/ventureforward/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Venture&nbsp;Forward&nbsp;Initiative</a>, a multi-year research effort to quantify the impact microbusinesses have on the U.S. economy,&nbsp;show how small businesses are critical to economic growth and resiliency. Simply adding one microbusiness per 100 people in a community raises the average household income by $485 and can reduce the unemployment rate by .05 percentage points in a county. Essentially, regularly shopping small is like giving your whole city a stimulus check.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In 2020, U.S. consumers spent <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Business/black-friday-hits-record-report/story?id=74435965" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$6.3 million per minute</a> shopping online on Black Friday, but nearly <a href="https://financesonline.com/black-friday-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one-fourth of those sales went to Amazon alone</a>. Imagine the impact we could have focusing those shopping efforts on small businesses. So, although this holiday season’s Black Friday deals may be tempting, consider shopping smaller than the S&amp;P 500 and put money back into local economies by supporting small businesses.&nbsp;</p>



<p>If you don’t know where to look, seek out marketplaces that cater to small businesses like Etsy, Uncommon Goods or a new marketplace called <a href="https://spouse-ly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spouse-ly</a>, which sells&nbsp;a wide variety of handmade products and services&nbsp;created by military and first-responder families. Founded in February 2020 by Monica Fullerton, who herself is a military spouse, Spouse-ly is based in Las Vegas and supports more than 300 vendors (aka families) selling items ranging from apparel to home decor, gifts, arts and crafts, jewelry and more.</p>



<p>You can also search the hashtag #localbusiness on social media to find locally owned and operated shops near you, use Google or read on for some suggestions of small businesses, all with fewer than 40 employees, that offer some amazing products shipped nationwide.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Orangewood-Guitars-1024x682.jpg" alt="Orangewood Guitars" class="wp-image-62357"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Courtesy of Orangewood Guitars</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-orangewood-guitars">Orangewood Guitars</h2>



<p><strong>Number of employees: </strong>20<br><strong>Based in:</strong> Los Angeles</p>



<p>An <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-launch-and-maintain-a-successful-e-commerce-business/">e-commerce brand</a> that ships instruments directly to your door, Orangewood Guitars was founded in 2018 by two brothers, Eddie and Sooj Park, based on their childhood love of the guitar after immigrating to the U.S.. Orangewood sells over 40 different acoustics, like its best-selling guitar, <a href="https://orangewoodguitars.com/collections/fall-sale/products/oliver-jr-mahogany" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Oliver Jr.</a> ($225)—a slightly smaller sized guitar great for novice players looking for a new hobby and frequent travelers alike. Each Orangewood guitar is designed by a team of musicians and balances modern elegance with the classic acoustic experience. Plus, Orangewood created its <a href="https://orangewoodguitars.com/pages/thegivingguitar?gclid=Cj0KCQjwwNWKBhDAARIsAJ8HkhfyZV4IFlWAnrtiY2uL7zS0txivuPl_tkih0wSNq5yIUqjLd3ZsmR0aAo5SEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giving Guitar Program</a> in partnership with the Give A Note Foundation, so every guitar sold helps put instruments into children’s hands for music education and therapy programs.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/The-Challah-Box-850x1024.jpg" alt="The Challah Box" class="wp-image-62358"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo courtesy of The Challah Box</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-challah-box">The Challah Box</h2>



<p><strong>Number of employees: </strong>2<br><strong>Based in: </strong>New York</p>



<p>Perfect for those who enjoyed the sourdough craze of 2020, <a href="https://thechallahbox.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Challah Box</a> is a subscription box providing everything you need to make delicious braided challah bread. Each box ($45) contains five pre-measured, labeled ingredients, and simple-to-follow instructions for even the most unseasoned bakers. The Challah Box was founded by Ilana&nbsp;Ramer Bass and Ariel Markowitz during the pandemic as an ode and celebration of togetherness. After months of distancing, The Challah Box is a wonderful reminder of the joy in breaking bread with one another and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/all-you-have-is-this-moment-how-will-you-choose-to-spend-it/">celebrating life</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Penh-Lenh-1024x1024.jpg" alt="Penh Lenh" class="wp-image-62379" width="840" height="840"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo courtesy of Penh Lenh</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-penh-lenh">Penh Lenh&nbsp;</h2>



<p><strong>Number of employees:</strong> Less than 20<br><strong>Based in:</strong> Phnom&nbsp;Penh, Cambodia</p>



<p><a href="https://www.penhlenh.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penh Lenh</a>, meaning “whole,”&nbsp;is a Cambodian-based jewelry brand on a mission to empower women worldwide.&nbsp;Each piece of jewelry is handcrafted by its female artisans who are building new lives for themselves and their families—and 100% of the Penh Lenh’s net sales are reinvested into the brand’s social mission to provide fair and dignified employment, skill training and educational opportunities for its artisans.&nbsp;Penh Lenh jewelry is ethically sourced, responsibly made and crafted using conflict free, 14k gold-filled material along with semi-precious gemstones, as seen in its best-selling pieces, the <a href="https://www.penhlenh.com/necklaces/dainty-choker-gold" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dainty Gemstone Chokers</a> ($58-$69) and <a href="https://www.penhlenh.com/bracelets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bracelets</a> ($48+).&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/mumi-1024x682.jpg" alt="mumi" class="wp-image-62355"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo courtesy of mumi</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mumi">mumi</h2>



<p><strong>Number of employees: </strong>10<br><strong>Based in: </strong>Miami</p>



<p>After being constantly frustrated by not finding the right products for their&nbsp;organizational needs, two Latina moms, Gabriela Mekler and Maribel Moreno, decided to create their own line of simple yet practical organizational products to keep their homes (and lives) tidy. And thus in 2014, <a href="https://www.mumidesign.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mumi</a> was formed. The brand provides items to stay organized at home, school, the office or when traveling, including its cornerstone <a href="https://www.mumidesign.com/collections/travel-1/products/packing-cubes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">packing cubes</a> ($49.90) to optimize your luggage space, and <a href="https://www.mumidesign.com/collections/home/products/divider-cube-large" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">divider cubes</a> ($19 - $23) to organize drawers of clothes and accessories—and 100% guaranteed to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/joy-at-work/">spark joy</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/nuzzie-1024x682.jpg" alt="nuzzie" class="wp-image-62356"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo courtesy of Nuzzie</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nuzzie">Nuzzie&nbsp;</h2>



<p><strong>Number of employees:</strong> 5<br><strong>Based in:</strong> Boston</p>



<p>If the past 18-plus months have felt <em>unprecedented</em>, perhaps <a href="https://shopnuzzie.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nuzzie</a>, maker of unique and stylish weighted blankets to help people get their best night’s sleep, is the ideal small business for you. Weighted blankets are specially designed to gently hug your body to help alleviate anxiety and improve sleep quality. Nuzzie’s <a href="https://shopnuzzie.com/products/knit?currency=USD&amp;variant=knitmistygrey154872" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weighted blankets</a> ($225+) do all of this and more—Nuzzie’s blankets are weaved with an open knit design, which makes them&nbsp;breathable, thermoregulating, and great for naturally hot sleepers, too. The brand also prioritizes giving back to both Mother Earth and also people in need—each blanket is made with&nbsp;100% reusable and recycled materials, and for every blanket sold,&nbsp;Nuzzie&nbsp;donates a blanket to&nbsp;charity.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/motsi-1024x682.jpg" alt="MOTSI" class="wp-image-62354"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo courtesy of MOTSI</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-motsi">MOTSI</h2>



<p><strong>Number of employees: </strong>4<br><strong>Based in: </strong>Seattle</p>



<p>Founded in 2019 by&nbsp;Courtney&nbsp;LeMarco, Black entrepreneur and entertainment industry veteran,&nbsp;<a href="https://motsicouture.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MOTSI&nbsp;</a>is a lifestyle brand offering sustainable swimwear, skin care and cosmetics designed to celebrate underrepresented forms of beauty.&nbsp;MOTSI’s vegan and eco-friendly skincare line uses high-quality ingredients that are free from sulfates, parabens, carcinogens, gluten and just about every other thing you wouldn’t want in your body. The line puts self-care at the forefront; and like its <a href="https://motsicouture.com/collections/skin-care-collection/products/detoxifying-charcoal-mask" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Detoxifying Charcoal Mask</a> ($45) or <a href="https://motsicouture.com/collections/skin-care-collection/products/cold-brea-beard-olil" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cold Brew Beard Oil</a> ($48), each product is mindfully developed and designed to bring out your all-natural beauty.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Richer-or-Poorer-682x1024.jpg" alt="Richer Poorer" class="wp-image-62382" width="683" height="1025"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo courtesy of Richer Poorer</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-richer-poorer"><strong>Richer Poorer</strong></h2>



<p><strong>Number of employees:</strong> 35<br><strong>Based in:</strong> Orange County, California</p>



<p>A clothing brand that makes its wearers feel comfortable and confident, <a href="https://richer-poorer.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Richer Poorer</a> is full of your closet staples, like classic tees, tops, loungewear, dresses and more. Founded in 2010 by two friends, Iva Pawling and Tim Morse, the company now offers anywhere from 75-100 different styles using only the softest fabrics, including its best-sellers <a href="https://richer-poorer.com/collections/mens-best-sellers/products/mens-weighted-tee?variant=32947095044192" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Men’s Weighted Tee</a> ($44) and <a href="https://richer-poorer.com/collections/dresses/products/womens-cloud-weave-button-up-dress?variant=39333387698272" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Women's Cloud Weave Button Up Dress</a> ($88). Richer Poorer is committed to sustainability, provides carbon neutral shipping and is part of the 1% For The Planet alliance, donating 1% of its total annual sales to environmental organizations worldwide.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Lasso-1024x1024.jpg" alt="Lasso" class="wp-image-62359"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo courtesy of Lasso</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lasso"><strong>Lasso</strong></h2>



<p><strong>Number of employees:</strong> 20<br><strong>Based in:</strong> Los Angeles</p>



<p>Ideal for the everyday athlete, <a href="https://www.lassogear.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lasso</a> offers compression socks that help you move confidently, recover safely and ultimately feel like the best version of yourself. Lasso uses a patented SmartSupport compression technology weaved in a special pattern to mimic KT-Tape support around the arch, heel, and ankle to help with conditions like shin splints, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains and more. Lasso’s bestseller, men’s and women’s <a href="https://www.lassogear.com/collections/all-lasso-compression-socks/products/mens-athletic-compression-socks-white-crew" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crew socks</a> ($30) come in various sizes and colors like classic black and white or tie-dye. Each pair is moisture-wicking with graduated 15-25mmHg compression&nbsp;to promote circulation and faster recovery times, so you can keep moving toward your goals.</p>



<p style="font-size:12px"><em>Photo by @maximova.ta/Twenty20</em></p>

Small businesses are critical to economic growth and resiliency. Simply adding one microbusiness per 100 people in a community raises the average household income by $485 and can reduce the unemployment rate by .05 percentage points in a county.

Small businesses are critical to economic growth and resiliency. Simply adding one microbusiness per 100 people in a community raises the average household income by $485 and can reduce the unemployment rate by .05 percentage points in a county. | SUCCESS

Urgency of Supporting Small Businesses This Holiday Season

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Why-Supporting-Small-Businesses-This-Holiday-Season-Is-More-Urgent-Than-Ever.jpg

Beyond Performative Rainbows: How Businesses Can Support the LGBTQ+ Community for (and with) Pride

Data shows that in 2021, LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face discrimination. Here’s how corporate America can help.

Data shows that in 2021, LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face discrimination. Here’s how corporate America can help. | SUCCESS

Authentic Support: Businesses and LGBTQ+ Pride Connection

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/How-Businesses-Can-Support-the-LGBTQ-Community-for-and-with-Pride.jpg

Zoom Etiquette 101: 8 Tips to Put Your Best Face Forward During Virtual Meetings

<p>2020 required professionals across all industries to change the way they handle business. After a year of working from home, for many businesses it has proven to be as if not more successful than working in an office. So much so that more than 20 <em>Fortune</em> 500 companies like Google, Spotify and Zillow have declared they will adopt <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinstoller/2021/01/31/never-want-to-go-back-to-the-office-heres-where-you-should-work/?sh=3043cdc06712" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">remote or hybrid work models indefinitely</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>And although that is great news for many, working remotely requires unique skill sets some of us haven’t quite perfected. Increasingly, understanding how to leave a great impression when meeting over video is an important skill to have in your back pocket in order to advance your career moving forward. To boost your chances of success, whether it's a new business meeting, job interview, or an important client-facing call, four experts share their tips on what will set you apart from the rest during virtual meetings.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-dress-for-success">1. Dress for success.&nbsp;</h2>



<p>When planning what to wear in a video meeting, think about lighting and specifically how your clothes will interact with light. Gloria Cospito, New York City <a href="http://www.gloriacospito.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wardrobe stylist</a> and image consultant has a general rule of thumb: Light colors reflect light and dark colors absorb it.</p>



<p>“Jewel tones and light shades are best to wear on video calls/meetings, whereas black is the worst shade to wear on video calls because a black top will absorb light—this means when wearing black, less light is reflecting&nbsp;onto your face, which could give you a sallow appearance by exaggerating&nbsp;undereye circles and shadows.”</p>



<p>Beyond color tones, Cospito emphasized the importance of avoiding clothing with micro-patterns. “Camera sensors have a hard time picking up little details, especially the not-so-great camera on your laptop. As a result, tiny patterns look inconsistent or will create an odd wavy pattern on camera. It's best to wear items in solid colors or mid-sized patterns that&nbsp;your camera can pick up more easily.”</p>



<p>The best silhouette for both men and women is a shirt with a collar because it naturally frames the face. Cospito added, “Opt for more tailored tops rather than an oversized top for video calls. Oversized, blousy silhouettes look great in-person, but on camera, your shape is lost in the fabric.”</p>



<p>And don’t forget to accessorize. Because the camera only catches you waist-up, Cospito recommends adding anything visible that can bring a touch of personality to your outfit. You can try earrings, a necklace, a headband or hair accessory, a tie, pocket square, watch, rings, etc. However, avoid anything that could create a sound issue, like wrist bangles that could clink against each other while you're trying to talk.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-find-your-power-pose">2. Find your power pose.</h2>



<p>Some studies have shown standing in a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2018/04/03/power-posing-is-back-amy-cuddy-successfully-refutes-criticism/?sh=764eecd43b8e" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">power pose</a> can make you actually feel more powerful and confident. However, if imitating Wonder Woman isn’t your cup of tea, there are other techniques you can try to boost your confidence before your next big virtual meeting.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Rasha Goel, an <a href="https://www.rashagoel.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Emmy-nominated TV Host</a> and media coach, has spent her fair share of time behind a camera, speaking live to thousands of viewers. For those who feel nervous before an important call, she recommended a breathing technique to calm your nerves. Begin by inhaling to a count of five through the nose, then exhale through the nose to a count of five, and repeat this three times.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“The key is to focus on the breath and nothing else. You can do this five to 10 minutes before their meeting starts while sitting in front of your computer, with the video turned off,” said Goel. “When the mind is relaxed, it can perform any activity without being nervous.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>You can also try watching or listening to something that relaxes you, like an energy-boosting song or a funny video. Whichever you choose, be sure to hop into your power pose or listen to your pump-up song with enough time to give yourself the mental space to prepare for your meeting.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Vicki Salemi, a Monster career expert, suggested people give themselves at least five minutes to refocus their frame of mind, double-check in the mirror that they look polished, take a sip of coffee or water, and then get settled into the space they’ll have their meeting with a few minutes before the call starts to keep the mind calm and ready to impress.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-don-t-underestimate-eye-contact">3. Don’t underestimate eye contact.</h2>



<p>First, make sure you have proper lighting shining on your face, that way when you look directly into the camera your eyes are easily seen. This helps display confidence and establishes a connection with those on the other end of the screen.</p>



<p>Goel explained, “I have sometimes seen people look away from the camera while they are speaking, which can be distracting for people on the other side of the screen. Speak to everyone as if they are there with you in person, the eye contact shows that you are connected.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-mind-your-body-language">4. Mind your body language.</h2>



<p>One of the main differences between in-person versus virtual meetings is the ability to read someone’s body language beyond the head, neck and shoulders. As a result, Salemi explained that body language becomes even more important when you're speaking over video.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Be genuine and authentic in your emotions and realize body language is minimized due to the screen, so your facial expressions are important,” Salemi says. “Instead of being robotic, it's OK to look concerned, inquisitive, surprised and more. Lean in a little bit, sit up straight, and more consciously use your body language to connect with others on the call.”</p>



<p>Jessica Storry, a digital designer and creative entrepreneur, SNACK Brand co-founder, has been working remotely full time since 2010. After more than a decade of virtual meetings, she’s found that the most important rule when in a video meeting is being focused and present.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It is tempting to work on other things, especially with the amount of work we have nowadays. But others can sense when you are distracted, and on video it is clear who is really watching and listening.” Storry says with a laugh, “You may think you are winning at multitasking, but I promise, you’re not.”&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-up-the-energy">5. Up the energy.</h2>



<p>Because communication is happening through a computer screen, you want to avoid appearing like just another talking head. Actively listen when others are speaking, nod along as points are made, and be aware of your resting Zoom face.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Goel recommended being energetic and lively. “Try not to be stiff and sit in one position. Feel free to use your hands as you would in person, and don’t forget to smile.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Because people won’t be able to pick up on all of your body language and visual cues as they would in-person, when in doubt, default to a slightly higher energy level than you might normally interact with over camera to break through the static.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-treat-virtual-meetings-seriously">6. Treat virtual meetings seriously.&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Several experts expressed they see many people video meetings—and even job interviews—who treat things too casually. Remember that just because you’re working from your kitchen table, does not mean you’re “at home.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Recruiters shared stories with Salemi about candidates checking texts or eating a snack during their job interviews, which is a big turnoff.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Treat every virtual meeting like you would an official dream job interview, when you're on top of your game,” Salemi says. “Arrive on time, interact and actively engage with others, and cut out all distractions.”</p>



<p>Overall, Salemi said the people who stand out during virtual meetings are those who are prepared. They have questions researched ahead of time, engage with people on the call, and come across as more confident, prepared, focused and energetic than others.</p>



<p>Along the same vein of treating video calls like in-person meetings, Cospito advised, “Don't wear something in a video call you wouldn't wear to meet a colleague, client or contact face to face. Keep your wardrobe more elevated than casual, and wear pants.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Even the best of us, including <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASrM50ODLA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one <em>Good Morning America</em> reporter</a>, have made this unfortunate work-from-home mistake, so just take our word for it. Dress for success. Do your homework ahead of time, and speak up. You can make a great impression by asking questions and engaging with others.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-stage-your-background">7. Stage your background.</h2>



<p>You want the people you’re speaking with to focus on you, and not what’s going on behind you. Make sure the environment around you is clean and organized, and be mindful of the background noise.&nbsp;Situate yourself&nbsp;where other family members will not walk by, and away from the kitchen and/or a child's bedroom, which tend to be noisier areas of the home.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, one of the most important things Goel emphasized for online meetings is the framing. “The ideal framing for your shot is chest up, with your face filling the frame and slight room above the head. The head should not be cut off, and there shouldn’t be too much space between the top of the head and the frame.”</p>



<p>Understandably when working in a crowded home or apartment, it may be hard to find a space you’re comfortable in, but being in a space that feels welcoming to you will come across on video. Salemi advised if Zoom fatigue is setting in, to perhaps try adding something new to spruce up your workspace and pop on camera, like fresh flowers for spring.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-build-genuine-connections">8. Build genuine connections.</h2>



<p>Storry explained one of the best ways to connect with people via virtual meetings is by helping others feel comfortable.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Many of us never thought we’d be holding meetings from our kitchen tables, bedrooms or couches, with kids crying, dogs barking and doorbells ringing. Helping people feel at ease in an awkward situation is very important and helps others feel like we are all truly in this together.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Storry’s team is located across multiple states, countries, and time zones. She attributes their success to the way they aren’t afraid to communicate, ask a lot of questions and pull strength from each other’s differing skill sets and perspectives. Which includes taking the time to get to know one another outside of the “office.”</p>



<p>“Talking through work challenges and celebrating team accomplishments is important, but it wasn’t until we began connecting through our personal lives that we truly became in sync,” Storry says. “At first, we lingered on video calls to catch up on <em>real life</em>, and now we have weekly ‘update’ meetings to chat about weekend plans, new hobbies or the latest Netflix shows. We all care about each other, which shows in our work. Would I love to have everyone in a room someday? Absolutely.&nbsp;But through video calls and because of how we view each other personally and professionally, I feel like we already have.”</p>



<p>Photo by </p>

2020 required professionals across all industries to change the way they handle business. After a year of working from home, for many businesses it has

2020 required professionals across all industries to change the way they handle business. After a year of working from home, for many businesses it has | SUCCESS

Virtual Meeting Etiquette: 8 Tips for Zoom Success

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Zoom-Etiquette-101-8-Tips-to-Put-Your-Best-Face-Forward-During-Virtual-Meetings.jpg

<p>I want to take you on an exercise. Close your eyes and think back to 2019. If you can; if not, just try envisioning January when life was less… chaotic. What types of things brought you joy? Really feel it. Are you smiling yet? I bet Charmin toilet paper didn’t make an appearance.</p>



<p>Now that we’re in 2019, what worried you? Think about your most outrageous fear—maybe a “what if” that felt so farfetched it made your children laugh. Wasn’t murder hornets, was it?</p>



<p>2020 has stretched the line between the actual and the unimaginable so thin it’s as if our planet somehow rolled down Alice’s rabbit hole. And before you try to change my mind, tell me that first Zoom call with your parents didn’t feel eerily reminiscent of the Mad Hatter’s tea party. (“You’re on mute, ma! We can’t hear you, you’re on MUTE!”)</p>



<p>Our lives look considerably different than eight months ago, in the most unpredictable of ways, which has caused many to introspectively reevaluate their preconceived beliefs—myself included. Because if you don’t keep your eyes on something steady, each pendulum swing is bound to flip your entire world around. From my kitchen table turned office, I asked myself big questions.</p>



<p><em>What in my life is a luxury vs. what is actually a priority?</em><br><em>Who in my life adds to vs. drains my energy?</em><br><em>What do I want my life to look like after this metamorphosis, and what’s preventing me from getting there?</em></p>



<p>I spent a good deal of time mulling over that last one. <em>What is preventing me from getting there?</em> Besides some purely logistical speedbumps, fears continued to bubble up with additional probing. Fear of the amount of work getting “there” will take, fear of putting in that work and still not succeeding, fear of wasting my time…</p>



<p>This may be controversial and clash with the slew of self-help books on the subject, but having these fears isn’t inherently bad. Quite the contrary. Living fearlessly is a hoax to anyone who lives passionately. Like the way gentle nudges of intuition often lead you to your path of best resistance, I find fears an equally important teacher. That is, if you’re willing to ask with the curiosity of a pestering toddler, <em>but</em> <em>why?</em></p>



<p>Once diluted down to the utmost why, each fear becomes a looking glass offering a glimpse at what we care deeply about—which, in an age when we “like” seemingly everything, is crucial to differentiate. You can <em>do</em> something with that knowledge. The key is learning to take the information a fear provides, not the advice.</p>



<p>For instance, if you’ve found yourself job hunting, stumbled upon an opening in your field at your dream employer and thought some variation of, “I shouldn’t apply, I’m not good enough,” ask why you demand perfection of yourself and use that information to hack your confidence; but don’t you dare follow that fear’s advice. (Apply to your dream job!) Because why should you? Think about how many of your 2019 fears became obsolete overnight. Last year I would have told you I’m afraid of riding bikes, and this month I voluntarily cycled around my neighborhood because now that fear feels so small. As it turns out, some fears have a shelf life.</p>



<p>If 2020 has taught me anything, it’s to dream bigger. Because even my biggest fears didn’t come close to matching *this* (gestures broadly). Which admittedly sounds a little bleak, but I don’t think I’m alone in the feeling. The dramatic contrast of 2020 to years prior brings me flashbacks of a lesson in high school physics. Newton’s infamous third law of motion states that with every action there is an equal opposite reaction, and I have to believe this applies to more than the unseen forces of science. If all that is 2020 has been made possible, its equal opposite can be, too. It all hinges on your reaction.</p>



<p>Push back! Through every fear that tries to force your hand. You are the gatekeeper after all.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p><strong><em>Read next: </em></strong><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/why-you-should-look-your-fears-in-the-eye-and-smile/"><strong>Why You Should Look Your Fears in the Eye and Smile</strong></a></p></blockquote>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Photo by <em>@lelia_milaya</em>/Twenty20.com</em></p>

What do you want your life to look like after this year? What to do if your fears are preventing you from getting there.

What do you want your life to look like after this year? What to do if your fears are preventing you from getting there. | SUCCESS

What 2020 Has Taught Me About Fear

What 2020 Has Taught Me About Fear | SUCCESS

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13 Ways You Can Tap Into Your Everyday Influence for Good

<p>Influence feels like such a convoluted word these days. Mostly because it’s become elitist and equated to a blue check mark on social media. Which does the world a huge disservice. Because influence really is just about impact. (<em>How can I help create change?</em>) No one ever said of what size.</p>



<p>And so, I find many underestimate their own power. People assume to have influence you need fancy titles, followers or a cause you’re prepared to carry a torch for, when in reality, you only need a voice and the willingness to use it. You (yes, even you) can influence small yet still significant changes. Think about the last time someone made your day—didn’t that matter?</p>



<p>Our lives are made up of moments, strung together like beads on a necklace. Some beads are clouded, a deep blue, while the next can be bright, or clear and open to the promise of tomorrow. And I’ve noticed on my own string, my favorite colors have been painted in the moments I dared to make even a tiny impact.</p>



<p>Last fall, over the course of eight days I summited Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain. Everything about the experience changed me, but nothing more so than my overwhelming respect and admiration of the superhuman porters and guides of <a href="https://www.turtlefur.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monkey Adventures</a> who’ve dedicated their lives to helping others climb the unforgiving mountain. So when recreational clothing company <a href="https://www.turtlefur.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Turtle Fur</a> asked if they could share some of the pictures I took wearing their gear on Kili, I felt compelled to ask when passing along my photos if they would consider sending beanies to the porters who made my summit possible—I wouldn’t have been able to capture those photos without their guidance, and because Tanzanian wages are much lower than western prices, it’s very difficult for porters to purchase new gear; many instead rely on secondhand items donated by trekkers.</p>



<p>Now, to be clear on the audacity of this ask, I am nothing remotely close to a social influencer and it is extremely expensive to ship items to Tanzania. It was to my pleasant and grateful surprise, Turtle Fur said yes. After months of back-and-forth WhatsApp conversations with my guide, Charles, all 22 porters and guides received new beanies and neck warmers in May of 2020. Charles said it was the first time anyone mailed them a gift, and it’s been my brightest bead of quarantine. (Side note: Many porters and guides are struggling due to the halt in tourism caused by the pandemic. If you’d like to offer support, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://kiliporters.org/" target="_blank">click here</a>.)</p>



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<p>I understand this is quite the specific example, which might be difficult to replicate in your own life, so I’ve added some other ideas below; but I hope it helps you see how you can influence your own spheres for the better. No flash, no big fuss. Just the earnest desire to spread a little good. And if, like me, you’re known to fall prey to impostor syndrome on occasion, remember the worst that can happen is someone says no, which leaves you no further than where you started—from there you can always try again.</p>



<p>Here are 13 ideas to tap into your everyday influence for good:</p>



<ol type="1"><li>Suggest a minority-owned business for your next (post-COVID) company-catered lunch or event.</li><li>Create a mentorship program for young women in your field, and encourage open and honest dialog around topics like what’s a good salary to negotiate for at each level of their career.</li><li>If your office doesn’t have a recycling program in place, start one!</li><li>Ask your landlord if they’d add a ramp to make your building wheelchair accessible.</li><li>To my fellow writers, seek out sources who may not often get the chance to share their story or point of view. Or better yet, write a story focused solely on an issue because it’s important and not because it will get the most “likes.”</li><li>Whether at your current workplace or during the interview process for a new role, ask HR if the company tracks diversity and inclusivity statistics and if they can share those statistics with you. While many companies voiced their support for increased diversity in recent months, you can help keep them accountable and moving toward those goals by simply checking in and voicing it’s important to you.</li><li>When traveling to underserved communities or countries that cater heavily to tourists, do your research and only book with companies that provide fair wages and ethical working conditions. Don’t be <em>that</em> person petting sedated tigers or riding elephants in metal saddles.</li><li>The next time your company wants to make branded swag, advocate they select sustainable items, like organic cotton T-shirts, bamboo pens/pencils, etc.</li><li>Digital marketers, add captions to the bottom of all videos on your/clients’ websites or social channels so the hearing-impaired can also enjoy your content.</li><li>Send letters to your favorite retailers asking they join the <a href="https://www.15percentpledge.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">15% Pledge</a>, and/or only shop at retail stores that do.</li><li>Food and beverage professionals, partner with organizations that will collect extra food you aren’t able to sell at the end of the day and provide it to families or individuals in need to prevent unnecessary waste.</li><li>Donate your new or gently used cocktail attire (dresses, ties, blazers, suits, etc.) to local organizations that provide free clothing to underprivileged youth so they can attend their prom. Tell your office, and leave notes in your apartment complex that you’re collecting items—you’d be surprised by how many people have at least a couple items to spare.</li><li><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-exponential-impact-of-random-acts-of-kindness/">Randomly help a stranger</a>.</li></ol>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p><strong><em>Read next:</em></strong> <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/women-of-influence-untold-stories-by-10-dynamic-women/"><strong>Women of Influence: Untold Stories by 10 Dynamic Women</strong></a></p></blockquote>



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<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Photo by @titovailona/Twenty20.com</em></p>

People assume to have influence you need fancy titles, followers or a cause you’re prepared to carry a torch for, when in reality, you only need a voice and the willingness to use it.

People assume to have influence you need fancy titles, followers or a cause you’re prepared to carry a torch for, when in reality, you only need a voice and the willingness to use it. | SUCCESS

13 Ways You Can Tap Into Your Everyday Influence for Good | SUCCESS

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8 Podcast Episodes to Help Us Keep Learning and Progressing Toward Racial Equality

<p>The world looks quite different today than it did one year ago—heck, even one month ago. We’ve long passed the banana bread stage of quarantine. Today, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/true-gender-equality-is-still-151-years-away-despite-recent-milestones/">issues surrounding equality</a> and racial justice are top of mind, and although the conversations may be new or uncomfortable to some, I’m glad we are discussing these topics out loud. Because we cannot fix what we don’t understand, and we certainly can’t change the things we ignore.</p>



<p>If 2020 has taught me anything, it is that change is swift and constant. Together we can impact positive changes if we’re willing to listen, learn and put in the work. Hearing from diverse perspectives helps broaden the lens you view the world with. It helps us understand how our impact may be in opposition with our original intentions, and ultimately how we can love and support our neighbors of color in the way they need.</p>



<p>Here is a collection of eight podcast episodes to help you continue to listen, learn and grow, no matter what stage of the journey you’re on.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-tony-robbins-a-historic-conversation-for-healing-and-unity">1. Tony Robbins: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gld7tg_A7eQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A Historic Conversation for Healing and Unity</a></h3>



<p>In this 3-plus-hour podcast, Tony Robbins hosts an unfiltered conversation with 10 unique leaders—including global human rights leader Martin Luther King III; Sybrina Fulton, activist, author and Trayvon Martin’s mother; Doc Rivers, head coach for the Los Angeles Clippers; and many others—who share their experiences of what it is to be Black in America today. They lend their voices and exemplify how we can come together during this pivotal moment to collectively tap into love, compassion and connection to one another to build lasting progress.</p>



<p>If you’re looking to do more active listening to better understand <em>this moment</em>, this is a great place to start.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-npr-s-code-switch-why-now-white-people">2. NPR’s Code Switch: <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/06/16/878963732/why-now-white-people" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why Now, White People?</a></h3>



<p>Founded in 2016 and hosted by journalists of color, <em>Code Switch</em> has a backlog of hundreds of episodes which talk through race and its impacts on society that are all worth your attention. However, one of its most recent episodes in response to the increased white activism following George Floyd’s killing is poignantly timely, as hosts Gene Demby and Shereen Marisol Merajion ask their white audiences, why now? Many in the Black community fear, and rightfully so, the momentum of this moment could fade due to performative allyship—this episode calls for its white listeners to check if they are ready to continue to rally for racial justice in the long-haul.</p>



<p>If your Instagram feed has less #BlackLivesMatter and that concerns you, this is for you.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-the-entire-1619-series">3. The entire <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/1619-project" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1619 series</a></h3>



<p>A five-part series by the <em>New York Times</em>, <em>1619</em> launched in August of 2019 on the 400th anniversary of the beginning of slavery in America. Each episode features Black authors, essayists and/or scholars, and unflinchingly details how the following 250 years of slavery still impacts our country (and world) today. The series is an eye-opening reminder of how many of us were not taught the true history of our country in grade school.</p>



<p>If you don’t feel equipped on how to respond to people who say, “but slavery was so long ago,” this series will help you speak confidently.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-oprah-s-supersoul-conversations-with-lady-gaga-your-life-in-focus">4. Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations with Lady Gaga: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/oprah-and-lady-gaga-your-life-in-focus/id1264843400?i=1000461934318" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Your Life in Focus</a></h3>



<p>Part of Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus Tour, in this episode Oprah sits with Lady Gaga for a 55-minute live and incredibly honest discussion about mental health. Lady Gaga opens up about her past traumas, the importance in taking “little bites of bravery,” the role radical acceptance and kindness play in healing, and her goal to globally break the stigma surrounding asking for and accepting help for mental illness.</p>



<p>If you feel overwhelmed by the current state of the world, take a breath and give it a listen.</p>



<p><strong>You can also listen to an earlier interview that aired in late 2019, titled “Healing Through Kindness,” which touches on similar topics.</strong></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-red-table-talk-unpacking-white-privilege-and-prejudice">5. Red Table Talk: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=322049678665001" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unpacking White Privilege and Prejudice</a></h3>



<p>Although technically not a podcast, this 25-minute table talk is a must-see for any woman looking to support the cause of equality for ALL women. In each <em><a href="https://redtabletalk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red Table Talk</a></em> episode, Jada Pinkett Smith, her daughter Willow and mother Gammy hold candid conversations on difficult social and cultural issues—and this powerful episode from early 2019 is no exception. With their three guests of diverse backgrounds, Rachel Cargle, Amy Newman and Justina Machado, the women discuss white privilege, how it affects the relationships between white women and women of color, and how white women can better support their sisters of color, because as Audrey Lorde once said, no woman is free until all women are free.</p>



<p>If you identify as a feminist, this is required.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-unlocking-us-with-bren-brown-bren-with-ibram-x-kendi-on-how-to-be-an-antiracist">6. Unlocking Us with Brené Brown: <a href="https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-ibram-x-kendi-on-how-to-be-an-antiracist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brené with Ibram X. Kendi</a> on How to Be an Antiracist</h3>



<p>Brené Brown, courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy research professor at the University of Houston, sits down with Ibram X. Kendi, <em>New York Times</em> best-selling author of <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3gDjebW" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How to Be an Antiracist</a></em> and the Director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, to highlight what it means to be actively anti-racist. Their hour-long conversation shines a light on how white America has normalized Black suffering, the consequences of a collective mindset that never questioned the policies that continue to cause injustices toward the Black community, and what we can do about it now.</p>



<p>If you’re ready to be more than just “not racist,” this will speak to you.</p>



<p><strong>Bonus points if you listen to another episode focused on why <a href="https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-ibram-x-kendi-on-how-to-be-an-antiracist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shame is not a viable social justice tool</a>.</strong></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-ologies-agnotology-ignorance-with-dr-robert-proctor">7. <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/agnotology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ologies: Agnotology (IGNORANCE)</a> with Dr. Robert Proctor</h3>



<p><em>Ologies </em>features expert insight from leaders across diverse and often quirky studies (or “ologies” if you will), and in this 68-minute episode Allie Ward virtually discusses with Stanford professor Dr. Robert Proctor, who co-edited the book <em>Agnotology: The Making &amp; Unmaking of Ignorance</em>, why now seems to be the “Golden Age of Ignorance.” The episode touches on everything from the true evils of tobacco marketing; to racial injustice; how to navigate difficult conversations; and why it's critical to dismantle the systems of willful ignorance, starting with our communities, and at times ourselves.</p>



<p>If you want to get a deeper look at why some people say things like, “all lives matter,” this may help answer your questions.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-while-black-at-the-house-radical-imagination">8. <a href="https://whileblackpodcast.podbean.com/e/at-the-house-radical-imagination/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">While Black</a>: At the House - Radical Imagination</h3>



<p><em>While Black</em> describes itself with pinpoint accuracy: “A Podcast on Black Excellence with two seriously opinionated hosts bringing you the real and the sometimes raw on anything happening while black.” In this 50-minute episode, Art and Vince ask listeners to imagine what the world would look like if slavery never existed. Or if racism was cured. It’s a thought-provoking episode that breaks down the ways slavery still touches the present; how far the movement for Black equality has come; and why we should continue to use our radical imaginations and believe no matter how radical your dream feels now, “whatever you ask for is coming.” &nbsp;</p>



<p>If you’re trying to manifest a better and more equal future, this will inspire you.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Photo by Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com</em></p>

Together we can impact positive changes if we’re willing to listen, learn and put in the work.

Together we can impact positive changes if we’re willing to listen, learn and put in the work. | SUCCESS

Podcast Progress: 8 Episodes for Racial Equality

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<p>As we enter the third month of this novel coronavirus pandemic threatening the safety and livelihood of millions of Americans, if nothing else I think we can agree it is a lot to take in. In just six weeks, coronavirus-related layoffs erased more than <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-unemployment-likely-higher-than-jobless-claims-show-coronavirus-jobs-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">30 million jobs</a>, which equates to roughly all jobs created in the past decade. Small businesses account for <a href="https://advocacy.sba.gov/2019/04/24/small-businesses-drive-job-growth-in-united-states-they-account-for-1-8-million-net-new-jobs-latest-data-show/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">47% of American jobs</a>, and according to a <a href="https://hbr.org/2020/04/a-way-forward-for-small-businesses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">new survey</a> conducted by Harvard Business Review, 45% of the 5,800 small businesses surveyed reported they were temporarily closed, and employment by these businesses had declined by 40% since the end of January. Still, many advise we likely won’t know the true affects of this virus for months to come.</p>



<p>In the spring, Teodor Panterov, president of <a href="https://www.centralparktours.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Central Park Tours</a>, typically sees up to 50 customers roll through his shop daily in search for bicycles to rent and ride through New York City’s famous Central Park. However, as New York became the epicenter of COVID-19 cases, tourism, and in turn Panterov’s business, came to a screeching halt. In March, he found himself with a store full of bikes, yet devoid of customers. What do you get when you put someone between a pandemic and a business full of underutilized resources? Silver linings, birthed by a unique combination of empathy and ingenuity. </p>



<p>Central Park Tours now provides
its bicycles to anyone working in food delivery, free of charge. It runs the
free service on the honor code; any delivery person can visit the store and
trade their ID for a bike, to be returned at the end of their shift. Around a
dozen delivery people utilize Central Park Tours’ bikes daily, and Panterov is
working to establish a partnership with large delivery service apps like
DoorDash and Grubhub so their employees can find extra support during these
times. </p>



<p>“There are so many people out of
work, food delivery is one of the few essential functions left,” Paterov says.
“Having a bike is a huge advantage because you can deliver meals quicker and
collect more tips per shift. It might not be much, but we wanted to help people,
and we will keep looking for other ways to be supportive.” </p>



<p>In Mooresville, North Carolina, <a href="https://www.bakersoftwash.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Baker SoftWash</a>—a pressure washing and roof cleaning company—is exercising its essential classification as a sanitizing service to better its community. </p>



<p>“Spring is usually our busiest time,
however we’ve seen a downturn in business,” says Shawn Baker, owner of Baker
SoftWash. “While we have downtime, we want to give back to our community in
whatever way we can, and that means providing a clean environment and making
our neighborhoods a better place for when we can all open back up.”</p>



<p>The five employees of Baker
SoftWash have cleaned and sanitized 12 public playgrounds, with a pending list
of at least 20 additional playgrounds or schools spanning the city. Baker
reports other softwash companies around the world are adopting this idea, and
his company will continue to clean playgrounds even after the shelter in place
order is lifted.</p>



<p>As more Americans find themselves un or underemployed, some companies turned to boosting public morale in comical and creative ways. Within the first week of a stay at home order, one West Los Angeles based café, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.goodpeoplecoffeeco.com/" target="_blank">Good People Coffee</a>, began shipping a complimentary roll of toilet paper with each order. The team went on to paint Candy Land-reminiscent 6-foot tiles surrounding and throughout the store, displaying safe social distancing for patrons picking up to-go orders in a way that feels comforting rather than dystopian. A refreshing change to how most establishments feel these days. Paired with the tongue-in-cheek social distancing logos, the vibe of the café reflects the values it promotes year-round as it partners with independent coffee growers in underprivileged countries around the world—it’s a small world, let’s get through it together. </p>



<p>“Our world feels so different, and that chips away at the emotions,” says Chuck Herrera, creative director &amp; co-owner&nbsp;of Good People Coffee. “We immediately focused on educating our staff and customers on the new procedures we are navigating during COVID-19. But we did it our way, using colors and humor; not taking light the fact that this is a global pandemic, but to remind us social distancing is only temporary. We are all going through this, and we’re doing it together.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Good-People-Coffee-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-50948"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">COURTESY OF <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michaelacedeno/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="MICHAEL CEDENO (opens in a new tab)">MICHAEL CEDENO</a></figcaption></figure>



<p>Small business creativity doesn’t stop there. As puzzles quickly climbed the ranks as the hottest ticket around (perhaps second only to toilet paper), one new puzzle company, JIGGY, saw demand for its puzzles spike by 200% in a matter of weeks. As a woman-owned business, JIGGY partners with emerging female artists who create the graphics for each of its unique puzzles; artists who COVID-19 has left struggling to make ends meet as galleries closed their doors. Tapping into the popularity of puzzling to support as many artists as possible, JIGGY founder Kaylin Marcotte launched “<a href="https://jiggypuzzles.com/collections/originals" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">JIGGY Originals</a>” on May 6, a virtual auction of hand-painted puzzles to raise money for artists that will run for the month of May. </p>



<p>“We have been sprinting to keep up with puzzle demand over the past couple of months, while we were simultaneously hearing from artists struggling as commissions dried up,” Marcotte says. “To fill this gap, we created JIGGY Originals where we’ve invited artists and some celebrities to draw their own original designs on blank white puzzles, which we will auction off, splitting the proceeds between the artists and the COVID Artist Relief fund to support the industry as a whole.”</p>


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</p><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_3D_BsjVE2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A post shared by JIGGY (@jiggypuzzles)</a> on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2020-05-06T20:47:07+00:00">May 6, 2020 at 1:47pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>Artists of all shapes and sizes are doing what they can to spread positivity in their own way. Boutique craft supply company and studio <a href="https://theneonteaparty.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">The Neon Tea Party</a> is selling Quarantine Friendship Bracelet Kits and donating a portion of proceeds to Free Arts NYC, which provides free creativity counseling to 2,000 homeless children across 14 shelters in New York City. When nearly all of DJ Rob Ferre’s 50 spring events were canceled or postponed, rather than stream DJ sets from home, Ferre found a way to “break through the virtual wall” and connect with his Salt Lake City community through what he’s calling <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prnYEFlRd2M" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Doorstep DJ Socially Distanced Dance Parties</a>. Families remain safely spaced apart on their own porches as Ferre rolls through neighborhoods with upbeat music sounding as a reminder for the healing powers of a spontaneous dance break. In the last month, Ferre hosted 15 dance parties with more on the horizon. </p>



<p>Despite a pandemic-sized threat to
their bottom line, small businesses are banding together to support consumers
and even competitors in need—a display of solidarity and leadership our society
desperately needs. </p>



<p>“Our business depends on all of these other businesses and&nbsp;the people within them,” says Brittany Merrill-Yeng, co-founder of <a href="https://www.skrewballwhiskey.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Skrewball Whiskey</a>, maker of the nation’s first peanut butter whiskey. “Skrewball does not make business decisions based on our bottom line. Instead, we believe that if you help people when they need you, in time, you will receive it back tenfold. And, better yet, the world will be a better place for our kids.”</p>



<p>In response to the pandemic, Skrewball launched its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/skrewballwhiskey/posts/2705790416320715" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Skrew COVID-19</a> campaign to raise awareness and grassroots funding for bar and restaurant industry workers suddenly out of work. To date, Skrewball has donated $250,000 to USBG's Bartender's Emergency Assistance Program and an additional $200K split amongst the Children of Restaurant Employees (C.O.R.E.) and the California Restaurant Association's Restaurant Cares Program. The team of 10 also personally handed out $50,000 worth of care packages to San Diegan families in need, and diverted production to create hand sanitizer donated locally and nationally to police chiefs, fire houses and dozens of hospitals to ensure our nations frontliners were stocked with the necessary supplies. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Skrewball-Whiskey-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-50949"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">COURTESY OF SKREWBALL WHISKEY</figcaption></figure>



<p>Countless other small craft breweries and distilleries strayed from “their lane” to step up in big ways. Yet perhaps none have been busier than the sewing machines of garment workers. One boutique clothing manufacturer in Los Angeles, <a href="https://suayla.com/pages/suay-community-mask-coalition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Suay Sew Shop</a>, converted its entire operations to sewing face masks—and not just a normal face covering. The shop performed its own tests and created a pattern utilizing fabrics that specifically filter up to 95% of particles they could test for. In April, Suay sewed, shipped and distributed more than 27,000 free masks nationally to health care providers, essential workers, the immunocompromised, homeless and more, relying solely on community kindness through a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/mask-response-at-suay" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">GoFundMe</a> to pay for supplies and wages of the 30-person staff. Suay is now selling <a href="https://suayla.com/collections/masks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">new masks</a> with a portion of proceeds going toward feeding LA garment workers affected by COVID-19. &nbsp;</p>



<p>These are but a fraction of small businesses
meeting this moment in spite of obstacles. Small business owners across the
nation are absorbing the financial brunt of this virus, and in the face of “unprecedented
uncertainty,” they’ve actively chosen to lead with compassion and inspire hope,
even from a distance. These businesses are the backbone of our country and
remind us of what America stands for—we the people acting as “we” instead of
“me.” And they deserve our attention. Large corporations can serve communities
globally, but don’t overlook who’s washing your playgrounds. </p>



<p>So shop small, and not just on Saturdays. Prioritize the local cafés, farmers markets, independent book and toy stores in your city; and if you don’t know where to start, consider adding web browser extensions like <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.mytrestle.com/" target="_blank">Trestle</a> that help you shop by your individual values, from small businesses to sustainability. Quarantine isn’t going to last forever, but if we’re not intentional, the choices we make right now might. </p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
<p><strong><em>Read next:</em> <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-come-together-during-a-pandemic/">How to Come Together Without Being Together During This Pandemic</a></strong></p>
</blockquote>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Photo by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michaelacedeno/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Michael Cedeno (opens in a new tab)">Michael Cedeno</a></em></p>

Small business owners across the nation are absorbing the financial brunt of this virus, and in the face of ‘unprecedented uncertainty,’ they’ve actively chosen to lead with compassion and inspire hope, even from a distance.

Small business owners across the nation are absorbing the financial brunt of this virus, and in the face of ‘unprecedented uncertainty,’ they’ve actively chosen to lead with compassion and inspire hope, even from a distance. | SUCCESS

The Inspirational Ways Small Businesses Are Spreading Hope in Times of COVID-19

Spreading Hope: Inspirational Small Businesses Amid COVID-19

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Good-People-Coffee.jpg

woman reading a self-improvement book at the beach during the summer

<p>As you’ve likely noticed from the bathing suit ads and travel-focused commercials, summer is upon us. While many of us daydream about the carefree summer breaks of our youth, summer as an adult doesn’t have to be a complete wash. For starters, we have more daylight hours to play with. Plus, a “summer bod” is not the only way <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/365-ways-to-improve-yourself/">to improve yourself this season</a>. When you’re relaxing at the beach or pool, consider reading self-improvement books to add extra value to your downtime.</p>



<p>At the pleasant risk of sounding a lot like Oprah, I can’t imagine the person I would have become <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/from-the-archives-the-power-of-reading/">if I didn’t have books</a> in my life. Reading stories has transported me into the shoes of many others who are often wiser, kinder, smarter and funnier than me. I’ve found when you have the chance to test run upgraded shoes, it has a curious way of inspiring you to rise to the occasion.</p>



<p>When it comes to personal development, there’s no better season to dive in than the present. To supplement your staycations and highly recommended poolside lounging, below is a collection of self-improvement books to help you put your best foot, or sandal, forward:</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-self-improvement-books-that-help-improve-habits">6 self-improvement books that help improve habits</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-stop-doing-that-sh-t-end-self-sabotage-and-demand-your-life-back">1. <a href="https://amzn.to/3GEd6xB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Stop Doing That Sh*t: End Self-Sabotage and Demand Your Life Back</em></a> </h3>



<p><em>By Gary John Bishop</em></p>



<p>You may think you don’t self-sabotage. But Bishop breaks down how even the smallest “I’ll go to the gym… <em>tomorrow” </em>affects your success in the long run. This is a short, intense jolt to your way of thinking that tells it straight. After all, our futures don’t have time for sugarcoating. Bishop helps readers get in touch with their individual psychological machinery to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/john-addison-4-ways-to-say-no-to-negativity/">nip negative thoughts</a> and behaviors in the bud and build new thinking patterns that allow readers to find success in the areas previously inaccessible due to all the s--t in the way.</p>



<p><strong>Favorite quote: </strong>“Inspiration, motivation, passion and whatever else you are looking for in your life is on you. That has been the case in the past, it is the case in the present and it will be the case in the future.”</p>



<p><strong>This book is akin to: </strong>Your no-bulls--t older brother having a heart-to-heart with you over a scotch at midnight. You’ll laugh, you may cry, but at the end of the night, you’ll be better for it.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-the-art-of-self-improvement-ten-timeless-truths">2. <a href="https://amzn.to/3Rm3PPD" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Art of Self-Improvement: Ten Timeless Truths</em></a></h3>



<p><em>By Anna Katharina Schaffner, Ph.D.</em></p>



<p>Contrary to what you may believe, self-improvement is not a recent concept—far from it. In fact, author Anna Schaffner finds that the practice extends back centuries. But the use of those practices isn’t what she’s here to discuss. <em>The Art of Self-Improvement</em> is not a typical self-improvement book, full of actionable practices and personal anecdotes. Instead, the book explores 10 enduring methods and ideas of self-improvement, from “know thyself” to “simplify” to “mentalize.” Schaffner discusses how these practices have differed and evolved within cultures and over centuries, why they have lasted even into present day and what these methods of self-improvement reveal about our goals, fears and overall nature.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Favorite quote: </strong>“It is from these enduring ideas about how we can improve ourselves that we have most to learn. For new is not always better. Sometimes, we forget what we already know. History holds many answers to our most pressing contemporary challenges.”</p>



<p><strong>This book is for: </strong>Anyone interested in a scholarly discussion of the history behind the current personal development industry, and what past and current practices reveal about the people and cultures who utilized them.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-the-perfectionist-s-guide-to-losing-control-a-path-to-peace-and-power">3. <a href="https://amzn.to/41gO1m1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power</em></a></h3>



<p><em>By Katherine Morgan Schafler, LMHC</em></p>



<p>You might believe perfectionism, in any form, is harmful to your well-being and work performance. And plenty of articles would agree with you. But perhaps perfectionism isn’t all bad—in fact, it may even be helpful, according to author and psychotherapist Katherine Schafler. In this self-improvement book, Schafler discusses the five types of perfectionism and how we can make them benefit instead of hinder us—to turn it to purpose instead of trying to rid ourselves of an ingrained facet of our being. Topics include a deeper dive into perfectionism, replacing self-punishment with self-compassion and building habits for long-term growth.</p>



<p><strong>Favorite quote: </strong>“Everyone is punitive with themselves at times, but perfectionists take punishment to a whole other level. Perfectionists are the Olympians of punishment. Perfectionists have perfected punishment. Perfectionists go to law school.”</p>



<p><strong>How to use this book: </strong>To change existing habits to your benefit, instead of trying to get rid of an already-cemented trait.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-the-mountain-is-you-transforming-self-sabotage-into-self-mastery">4. <a href="https://amzn.to/3v5LRta" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery</em></a></h3>



<p><em>By Brianna Wiest</em></p>



<p>Be honest. How much of what is holding you back in life is due to external forces, and how much is due to you sabotaging your own success and potential? Wiest compares the challenge of overcoming our internal adversaries to climbing a mountain. It's difficult and perhaps even seemingly impossible, but achievable with dedication and the right mindset. From behaviors that indicate self-sabotage to building emotional intelligence to uncovering and releasing the past, <em>The Mountain Is You</em> shares how we can master ourselves and, in doing so, get out of our own way.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Favorite quote: </strong>“Self-sabotage is what happens when we refuse to consciously meet our innermost needs, often because we do not believe we are capable of handling them.”</p>



<p><strong>This book is not for: </strong>Anyone who isn’t willing to believe they are getting in their own way, or who isn’t willing to put in the work to climb their personal mountains.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-tiny-habits-the-small-changes-that-change-everything">5. <a href="https://amzn.to/46PG7Ba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything</em></a></h3>



<p><em>By BJ Fogg, Ph.D.</em></p>



<p>So you’re looking to change your habits, but you’re not sure how to do so—or how to get started. Fogg, founder and director of Stanford University’s Behavior Design Lab, is here to help. Based on two decades of research and Fogg’s experience coaching thousands of people, he created and tested his “Tiny Habits method” before sharing it with the world via this self-improvement book. With chapters including “ability—easy does it,” “emotions create habits” and “untangling bad habits: a systematic solution,” Fogg guides readers through a step-by-step process for designing and cementing our new positive habits.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Favorite quote: </strong>“In order to design successful habits and change your behaviors you should do three things.&nbsp;</p>



<ul>
<li>Stop judging yourself.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Take your aspirations and break them down into tiny behaviors.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Embrace mistakes as discoveries and use them to move forward.”</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>This book is about: </strong>Making a small start to achieve a big change.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-the-high-5-habit-take-control-of-your-life-with-one-simple-habit">6. <a href="https://amzn.to/3GItZr7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The High 5 Habit: Take Control of Your Life with One Simple Habit</em></a></h3>



<p><em>By Mel Robbins</em></p>



<p>How often do you have faith in or support others, while giving nothing to yourself? How often do you actually take the time to encourage yourself instead of doubting yourself or putting yourself down? Perhaps it’s time to try something new. Take the time to high-five yourself and build your self-confidence instead of breaking it down. In this bestselling book, Robbins shares a plethora of information, including the science-backed benefits of high-fives, the “why” behind our negativity and how it can affect our lives and training our minds toward positivity. Alongside personal anecdotes and the stories of people who have been positively impacted by <em>The High 5 Habit, </em>Robbins teaches readers how to overcome self-doubt, build self-confidence and start putting ourselves first.</p>



<p><strong>Favorite quote: </strong>“Your mind is designed to help you achieve your dreams. Your job is to believe it is possible and encourage yourself to keep walking toward it. No matter what, keep believing and give up your timeline for when and how it unfolds.”</p>



<p><strong>To do: </strong>Try giving yourself a high-five in the mirror today, then keep doing it every day.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-self-improvement-books-that-help-with-relationships">4 self-improvement books that help with relationships</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-wholehearted-slow-down-help-out-wake-up">1. <a href="https://amzn.to/41jBT3v" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Wholehearted: Slow Down, Help Out, Wake Up</em></a> </h3>



<p><em>By Koshin Paley Ellison</em></p>



<p>With a refreshing and surprisingly relatable style considering Ellison is in fact a monk (monks, they’re just like us!), this book teaches you how to expand outward. Ellison uses a blend of the 16 teachings of Buddhism and his personal life experiences to help readers learn to break down the walls we build around ourselves that distance us from connecting with others (and ourselves), and wake up to the world around us to truly live wholehearted.</p>



<p><strong>Favorite quote: </strong>“People are afraid of looking at and being with each other. They’re afraid of—and paradoxically long for—honest, loving and ordinary conversation.”</p>



<p><strong>This book feels like:</strong> A warm cup of hot cocoa, with extra marshmallows, and a fire crackling in the background.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-work-wife">2. <a href="https://amzn.to/47V15zT" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Work Wife</em></a> </h3>



<p><em>By Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur</em></p>



<p>The pages of this self-improvement book are practically brimming with girl power. Cerulo and Mazur speak with work wives who’ve created thriving businesses and careers across myriad fields and demonstrate how empowered female friendships can run the business world. The book dives into a range of topics critical to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/this-is-my-key-to-a-successful-partnership/">building a successful partnership</a>, “such as being co-bosses, tackling disagreements, dealing with money and accommodating motherhood,” according to the book description. Plus, it leaves readers with a roadmap to fruitful work-wife relationships in business.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Favorite quote: </strong>“The unfortunate fact of the matter is that as women we have a rougher go of it in the workplace—whether on a Hollywood set or in a cubicle—and, for all of the camaraderie and mind-melding benefits, being part of a pair also serves as a defense mechanism. Being able to turn to someone and say ‘Am I crazy?’ is a boon because women are made to question their own sanity all the time.”</p>



<p><strong>Best time to read this book: </strong>With a bottle of Merlot and your best gal pals on FaceTime.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-tuesdays-with-morrie-an-old-man-a-young-man-and-life-s-greatest-lesson">3. <a href="https://amzn.to/47V0nm7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Tuesdays With Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson</em></a> </h3>



<p><em>By Mitch Albom</em></p>



<p>A memoir, this novel chronicles a series of weekly visits Albom made to his former sociology professor Morrie Schwartz, as Schwartz gradually loses his life to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Their bond is beautifully honest and reminds readers how human connection is at the core of a fulfilled life. In his final weeks, Morrie unloads some hard-won nuggets of wisdom on what happiness is and how to ensure your life is a life worth living.</p>



<p><strong>Favorite quote: </strong>“It’s very simple. As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at 22, you’d always be as ignorant as you were at 22. Aging is not just decay, you know. It’s growth. It’s more than the negative that you’re going to die, it’s also the positive that you <em>understand</em> you’re going to die, and that you live a better life because of it.”</p>



<p><strong>Some friendly advice:</strong> If you’re a crier, have tissues nearby.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-the-light-we-carry-overcoming-in-uncertain-times">4. <a href="https://amzn.to/41gOjcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times</em></a></h3>



<p><em>By Michelle Obama</em></p>



<p>Part personal anecdotes and part self-help book, <em>The Light We Carry </em>encourages readers to find our strengths and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/facing-100-fears-with-michelle-poler/">overcome our fears</a>, form lasting relationships, cultivate positivity and make a difference in our own lives and the lives of others. Embedded with discussions about issues tied to “race, gender and visibility,” Obama ties personal stories and struggles into actionable practices including “am I seen?,” “partnering well” and “the armor we wear.”</p>



<p><strong>Favorite quote: </strong>“I believe that each of us carries a bit of inner brightness, something entirely unique and individual, a flame that's worth protecting. When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it. When we learn to foster what's unique in the people around us, we become better able to build compassionate communities and make meaningful change.”</p>



<p><strong>The takeaway: </strong>Cultivate your own internal light, then use it to inspire, benefit and brighten the lights of others.</p>



<p>What are some of your favorite self-improvement books?</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>This article was updated July 2023. Photo by&nbsp;Ahmet Misirligul/Shutterstock</em></p>

These top 10 self-improvement books will inspire your personal development. Which ones are you adding to your summer reading list?

These top 10 self-improvement books will inspire your personal development. Which ones are you adding to your summer reading list? | SUCCESS

10 Self-Improvement Books to Devour This Summer

10 Self-Improvement Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List | SUCCESS

https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/self-improvement-books.jpg

When I was about 16, I started <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/4-things-i-learned-from-keeping-weekly-lists/">writing a list</a>—a “Things I’ve Learned Lately” list. (Creative, I know.) I’d add to it every month, or every few months once I discovered firsthand <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/why-is-adulting-so-hard/">how “busy” adulting is</a>. I don’t know why I started writing these <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/21-things-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-was-21/">life lessons</a>; I think it had something to do with a saying I’d heard once. To paraphrase because I hardly remember what I made for dinner last night, let alone the exact wording from something said in passing 15+ years ago, I believe the saying went something along the lines of: <em>You’ll keep being given the same problems in life until you finally learn the lesson</em>. So, being an honor roll student and believer that writing things down commits information to memory the fastest, I started taking notes. And now, as I sit in my favorite café rereading these entries as I approach the start of my 30s, boy am I glad I did.
<blockquote><strong><em>Related: </em><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/15-quotes-filled-with-inspiring-life-lessons/">15 Quotes Filled With Inspiring Life Lessons</a></strong></blockquote>
Some lessons are empowering, others sad or funny, or things I learned the hard way (like, “Don’t text while walking down stairs,” or, “Chocolate croissants are a luxury, not a necessity”). Some are repeat entries—I am the first to admit I’m a work in progress—and some were amended years later after what I thought was a lesson about me failing miserably turned into something completely different. And maybe some of them you’ll relate to.

<em>Disclaimer: This is not the full inclusive list of things learned in my lifetime. </em>
<h2><strong>1. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-apology-tour/">How to apologize.</a></strong></h2>
There’s a difference between saying sorry and being sorry. If you stop thinking of apologizing as admitting you’re wrong, and instead view it as remorse for hurting another person, that’s how you can apologize and mean it.
<h2><strong>2. People don’t notice or care when you don’t wear mascara.</strong></h2>
You don’t have to look perfect every day. You’re the only one who expects that of yourself, so chill.
<h2><strong>3. Be specific.</strong></h2>
Don’t ask for less than what you want, or you will receive less than what you want. Be specific.
<h2><strong>4. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/4-steps-to-make-self-care-part-of-your-routine/">Self-care</a> is not a waste of time.</strong></h2>
Staying in on a Friday to have a glass of wine and read a book is OK. Or dancing the night away instead is OK, too. However you need to “do you,” just do it. Make the time for the things that lift you up, so you can help lift others in return.
<h2><strong>5. Don’t hoard good intentions to yourself.</strong></h2>
Even if people might not deserve your kindness, give it anyway. It doesn’t have to be a rare commodity. If you throw kindness out into the world, it’ll make its way back to you.
<h2><strong>6. </strong><strong>A comprehensive list of things that will make you feel like an absolute <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-brainy-books-to-read-if-you-want-to-be-a-badass/">badass</a>:</strong></h2>
white water rafting, bungee jumping, completing a half marathon, skydiving, telling your truth… There is a theme here, and it’s facing a fear head on.
<h2><strong>7. Sometimes a haircut is more than just a haircut.</strong></h2>
Ladies, you know what I mean. Sometimes you just need a little help seeing yourself in a new light.
<h2><strong>8. How to accept the apology you never receive.</strong></h2>
Not everyone has learned lesson #1, yet. They will eventually, so until then, just pretend their apology was lost in the mail and move on.
<h2><strong>9. </strong><strong>If you see the crazy eyes, RUN.</strong></h2>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBZvx76O_30" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The crazy eyes</a> are not just rumors. They are real and should not be ignored. Best to avoid said man or woman, as there is no known cure.
<h2><strong>10. The healing powers of a spontaneous dance break.</strong></h2>
Stress is immune to dancing. Let the rhythm take control.
<h2><strong>11. Invest in people, not things.</strong></h2>
Shoes get worn out. Clothes fade. iPhones break. People and the memories you create will fill you up much longer than any material item. Make your investments wisely.
<h2><strong>12. Schedule time for your creative outlets.</strong></h2>
Whenever you’re working on something, be it painting or writing or making music or woodworking, and you forget to check the time or your text messages—make more time for THAT.
<h2><strong>13. Never accept a drink from a stranger, even if he looks “normal.”</strong></h2>
Yeah, #MeToo.
<h2><strong>14. It’s OK to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-happened-when-i-tried-to-cut-the-negative-people-out-of-my-life/">“break up” with friends</a> that aren’t growing with you.</strong></h2>
Some friendships are seasonal. It doesn’t make you a bad person or a bad friend if your seasons no longer align.
<h2><strong>15. You don’t need a special occasion to do something special.</strong></h2>
Drink that fancy bottle of wine on a Tuesday if you want. Saving things for “later” can turn into “never” a lot faster than you’d think. The present is special enough.
<h2><strong>16. Always, always wear sunscreen.</strong></h2>
Broad spectrum. Minimum SPF 30. And don’t forget to apply it to your neck. Skin cancer is no joke.
<h2><strong>17. It’s a fine line between being determined and being stubborn.</strong></h2>
Determination is admirable, like J.K.Rowling living on welfare yet determined to bring Harry Potter to life. Whereas stubbornness is resistance to change. If sticking the course hurts you, that’s being stubborn. It’s hard and won’t always feel graceful, but you have to learn to let it go.
<h2><strong>18. Coffee, running and <em>Gilmore Girls</em> will get you through even the worst day.</strong></h2>
<em>This too shall pass.</em> But in the meantime, find the things, however odd, that will help it pass a little easier.
<h2><strong>19. Reality is in the eye of the beholder.</strong></h2>
Two people can be at the exact same event and see completely different things. Be aware of your lens and try to look at life through others’.
<h2><strong>20. Write down your goals.</strong></h2>
Funny story. In 2016, I wrote “publish something significant” as one of my goals for the year. Not one month later, I was introduced to an editor at SUCCESS who loved a story I’d pitched to an ex-colleague who thought it would be a better fit for SUCCESS. Writing down your goals solidifies your commitment. Use pen.
<h2><strong>21. When in doubt, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/6-life-lessons-from-mom-that-have-inspired-and-guided-me/">call your mom</a>—she just </strong></h2>
How many cups of water to make rice pilaf? What’s my tax bracket? What grade was I in when I got my braces off? SHE JUST KNOWS.
<h2><strong>22. Baby steps will still get you to where you’re going.</strong></h2>
It may take you longer to get there, but movement is what’s important. Don’t be ashamed to go slow.
<h2><strong>23. Despite <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/why-social-media-is-ruining-your-self-esteem-and-how-to-stop-it/">social media</a>’s best efforts, no one is actually keeping score of how “cool” you are.</strong></h2>
Live in the moment and not the story.
<h2><strong>24. When you have that deep nagging feeling like you should say something, say it.</strong></h2>
Whether you call that your intuition, or God, or your conscience, LISTEN TO IT. It knows more than you do.
<h2><strong>25. Life’s hiccups are less like speed bumps and more like bowling bumpers.</strong></h2>
When things don’t work out, it sucks, but that’s only because you set the wrong expectations. Bad things thrown into your path won’t slow you down if you let them guide you in a new direction.
<h2><strong>26. You don’t need closure to move on.</strong></h2>
You just need to decide you’re ready.
<h2><strong>27. It’s wonderfully liberating to have a hotel room ALL TO YOURSELF.</strong></h2>
As a woman, when telling someone you plan to travel solo, you get one of two reactions: confused (<em>why</em> would you want to do that?) or terrified (but, <em>stranger danger!</em>). It’s not as scary as people make it out to be. Don’t miss out on an awesome experience just because you’re the only one with PTO.
<h2><strong>28. Ask for support when you need it.</strong></h2>
People are busy, and no one can read your mind. If you need something, just ask. You’re not a burden to the people in your life who matter.
<h2><strong>29. Irony makes life interesting.</strong></h2>
Don’t take things so seriously. If you can’t stop and laugh at yourself, or a predicament, you’re going to be stuck on a very long ride around the sun.
<h2><strong>30. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-ways-to-exercise-your-gratitude-muscle/">Gratitude</a> is the AllSpark.</strong></h2>
Being grateful is the source of happiness. Though sometimes what you have isn’t exactly what you wanted, there’s still something to be thankful for. Search for the silver lining, even if you have to pull out a microscope to spot it.

May your lessons be learned swiftly, and only once!
<blockquote><strong><em>Related: </em><a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/30-things-to-do-before-youre-30/">30 Things to Do Before You’re 30</a></strong></blockquote>

When I was about 16, I started writing a list—a “Things I’ve Learned Lately” list. (Creative, I know.) I’d add to it every month, or every few months once

When I was about 16, I started writing a list—a “Things I’ve Learned Lately” list. (Creative, I know.) I’d add to it every month, or every few months once | SUCCESS

30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30

30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30 | SUCCESS

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