Coach Cassandra Rae

I was at a networking event last week when another Solopreneur Blogger asked me how to add social bookmarking tools to each post.  I had to admit that I didn’t know how to do it, but that I wanted to add it to my site too.  Well, I just spent like the last 15 minutes researching and setting it up!  Of course, I promised my colleague that I would blog about it,  so…

Here are step-by-step instructions for how I automatically add social bookmarking links to every post I publish using Wordpress.org:

1. Download the Socialable Plugin {I download it directly to my desktop for easy retrieval}
2. Go to the zip folder and “Extract all files” {remember where they are on your machine}
3. Open your FTP {I use FireFTP which you can download for free here}
4. Add the unzipped Socialable folder (this includes all files) to your wp-content/plugins folder
5. Go to the Plugins page in Wordpress admin
6. Find the Socialable plugin and “Activate”

To pick the social bookmarks you’d like to display:

1. From your admin page, go to Settings/Socialable
2. Click on the ones you’d like to add or subtract
3. Drag and drop to change the order
4. Click “Save Settings”

Voila!  Go to your latest blog post to see the plugin in action.

This is one of the easiest plugins I’ve used and the set-up instructions built into it are straight forward.  Have fun and feel free to use them right now to share this article!

Popularity: 21% [?]

Isn’t it crazy how confusing and frightening conflict at work can be? Maybe that’s because there is a lot at stake: your reputation, future assignments, and maybe even your job itself. Plus, if you are the main income provider at home, then you might even feel like your personal life is on the line too. Now that’s a lot.

Which is why I am thrilled to invite you to this FREE teleclass:

7 Simple Ways to Reconnect Teleclass
led by Coach Cassandra Rae
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
11:30am – 1:00pm Pacific Standard Time
Cost: FREE {long distance charges may apply}

In this 90 minute teleclass I share my personal process for how I resolve conflicts and use them to deepen my relationships – personal and professional alike. It’s the perfect tool to use in a work situation where you can be afraid of taking things too personal, but then they feel personal. You don’t want to be labeled a problem, yet you want to speak up for yourself while making things better. Yeah, this class will address all of that! So dedicate a lunch hour to yourself and join us where you will:

• Learn how to use disagreements as a way to deepen your connection
• Receive a worksheet that you can use any time you’d like to gain clarity and confidence to move forward in resolving conflict with anyone (including parts of yourself)
• Connect with like-hearted people who champion the same goal

This 90 minute teleclass is perfect for men and women who are:

• ready to invest in themselves and their relationships
• willing to receive support and encouragement
• open to learning new perspectives and skills

Registration Required
To register simply enter your name and email address below. Once you click on “Register” you will receive an email to verify your intent to participate. After you click through the link in the verification message, you will receive a confirmation email with the class materials and call-in details. If you do not receive the confirmation email within 24 hours of registration, then please email me at Cassandra@SimplyFearless.com or call me at 408.206.1662. I look forward to connecting with you!

Popularity: 12% [?]

1. From my FB home page, I clicked on “notes” in the “Applications” box on the right hand side of the screen. {note: I had to click “more” in order to see “notes”}
2. On the right hand sidebar, there is a section titled “Notes Settings” and there is an option to “Import a blog”. Click it.
3. Read the text, then enter the RSS feed in the Web URL box {this is NOT your blog URL. It is the RSS or feed URL – click here to learn about RSS}
4. Check the box to give FB permission
5. Click “Start Importing”
6. You will see a preview of what it will look like – check it out and make sure you like it.
7. Click “Confirm Import”
8. You should see “Your notes have been imported.” on the top of the next page.

Popularity: 20% [?]

I *LOVE* this video! It quite literally brings tears to my eyes every time I watch. It’s so worth the 16 minutes. My sister Nancy sent it to me and said it reminded her of me. Aw :~)

Popularity: 9% [?]

My gift to myself today was to scrub the tub. I know, weird gift, eh? Allow me to explain…

Yesterday I hosted the most amazing spa party. Yes, there was stuff for sale. But, the best part was the relaxation exercises, guided visualization, and “spa moment” tips to lead a “spa lifestyle”. Shannon is the Spa Queen in my book because she has an abundance of low or no cost ideas about how to create spa moments each and every day without taking any extra time. She took examples of thing we already do – like showering – and taught us how to turn it into a daily spa experience.

So how did this lead me to scrub the tub? Well, during the party I decided to switch bathrooms so that I could use the guest bathroom, which has no windows and more privacy than the bathroom I used to share with the Hubs. The tub hasn’t been used since my nephew moved out almost a month ago, so it needed a good Mom scrub before I could jump in naked and expect to get clean!

After the tub was almost-Mom-clean (this one will take a few scrubs to get back up to Mom-par), I lit a few candles, turned off the lights, and stepped into my warm spa moment shower. It was so relaxing and invigorating simultaneously. When I was all done with my shower and applying about 10 different lotions and potions I blew out the candles and walked a few steps to my home office and got to work. What an *AMAZING* way to begin my day. Thank you so much, Shannon, for teaching me how to turn my shower into a spa moment!

And I would also like to thank Karen, Christine, Rebecca, Flor, Paula, and Minh for offering such heart-felt words of acknowledgment and support. I’m not going to give away all of Shannon’s spa party secrets, but let’s just say that I was totally brought to tears – in a loving way – during the very first spa treatment we did. What a fabulous party!

I’m telling you, Shannon needs to found her own company throwing spa parties not to sell spa products, but to take us through the guided visualization, to teach us how to create a spa lifestyle, and to help bring women together all in a spa atmosphere in our home! I would totally pay $25 to attend my own party to receive what I received from the party. Seriously. Shannon is that good!

Popularity: 13% [?]

I attended a femalepreneur.com teleclass led by Jan Marie Dore and featuring Sandra de Freitas who is the tech coach for coaches.  One of the things she shared with us is a termed called “above the fold”.  Basically, it refers to all of the content you would see in a newspaper on the front page before opening it up.  She encouraged bloggers to have their opt-in box or monthly featured item above the fold, which in the blog-o-sphere means:

• Put your entire opt-in box at the top of the page
• Make sure that viewers do not have to scroll to enter their info

Damn.  That’s good advice.

I now have some redesigning to do.  But, I have to admit.  It’s worth it.

I must add:

• Make your opt-in box worth-while with rockin’ content
• Be up front about what people are receiving including how often you will be emailing

Now go look at your blog, see where your opt-in box is, and make sure it is front and center, above the fold.

Popularity: 12% [?]