About Denton County, TX

If there's one thing I could stamp out in life (besides poverty) it would be frustration. With gloomy skies seeming to be around housing industry and financial workers daily these days, the frustration of paying bills and managing finances just never goes away. Options need to be developed of course, maybe short term working in areas that aren't your specialty but never lose sight of getting back on track and always trying to be good at

Playing Your Own Tune!!

This is listening to your inner voice. Doing what you were born to do. Loving your work so you lose track of time with it. You are amazed people pay you to do this. Having passion. Not a career, but a vocation.

Your inner voice message may change as you get older shifting from success to significance.

That is ok too. But strive to listen to it. It will signal you. It really signals you when your core says something is wrong. You may have those sick and tired of being sick and tired thoughts. You may have this weird technique like I do, that you know in life what you "Don't" want. For example I steered myself into jobs with being shackled to a desk many years ago, and it was so NOT me. I wanted to go out in the world and set up meetings, have lunch with people, drive deals home. Shackled at the desk for me at least was suffocating.

Another technique to zero in on whom you are, and what tune you are "supposed" to be playing is taking personality tests like Meyers-Briggs and the DISC model. You can search them out online. I have found them suprisingly to be amazingly accurate. You'll learn a lot by reading the assessment. It will be an ah-hah moment where you will step back and say that is me.

Look at celebrities. Who are you like? I see myself as Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic Airways floating hot air balloons over the Atlantic. Now if I only had his money. I am working on it.

Listening to your inner voice and playing YOUR tune extends to our work, the relationships we select, and to the life we design. Be a little patient if it all doesn't add up for you in one week. But don't take a lifetime to figure out who you are or the next version of yourself you want to be in a new life. Where you want to live and who you want to be around and what you are doing should come to you sooner rather than later. Go for it.

In a span of 10 to 15 years you can go from rags to riches and even back to rags again. So do not be disheartened where you are at exactly at this moment in time. It is much more important to know exactly WHO you are, what you like, what makes YOU, YOU, and get out there and play that tune of yours. Afterall, that's what in the end will make you the most happy. And isn't being happy what will make you the best YOU?

I've had three very good deals fall through in just a week. And as best as I can tell, due to the economic slowdown and changes in the lending practices. No more income stated loans no matter how good the credit and cash. And the others are pulling back to ride out the storm. The leads are drying up, listings are expiring and not relisting and the phone's not ringing as much. These three prospects 6 months ago would have been sales and completed.

So now here's my plan. FORGE AHEAD, WORK SMARTER, HANG ON, and make two extra phone calls each day, go on to the networking meetings, get more MCE credits, read, read, read, and tighten the belt, we may be in for a bumpy ride. I attended an economic meeting this week and also heard from a "Power Panel" of experienced agents and this seems to be their plan as well. One big producer said he started in the industry when it was worse than it is now back in the late 70's (12% rates, etc.). But I also looked around the room and found some agents MIA. But I always remember this. I have a bigger goal than hard times and a strong will and mind. I surround myself with strong real estate people and stay with positive, goal oriented drivers and that continues to keep me moving forward.

OK, some of you are already asking, "Where's the chocolate?" Chocolate is forthcoming, I promise!

I just want to bring one thing to your attention before we dip into the chocolate. Whenever you encounter the graphic

"See what's brewing at lulu's cuppa java"

it's time to kick back, take your shoes off and relax.

This is an invitation to stop by and chat about whatever floats your boat and escape the daily grind for a few moments.

Now back to chocolate. I confess I am a chocoholic. I believe that chocolate is one of the major food groups. It is a natural anti-depressant. Dark chocolate is purported to be full of flavonols which which reduces stress and helps fight the naughty bits known as free radicals (which are BAD for us). It's also said that it is an aphrodisiac. So, what's not to love? Chocolate is good for you—at least in moderation!

A week ago I was in the midst of a chocolate attack and there wasn't any chocolate to be found in my house. Well, since I knew I couldn't live without something chocolate I drove to the market... drooled over the myriad of choices—chocolate cake, chocolate pies, chocolate candy bars, chocolate cookies, and chocolate ice cream, but none of it appealed to my deepest, darkest chocolate desire.

Then EUREKA I was struck by a lightning bolt—chocolate truffles! That was it, nothing was gong to satisfy me except chocolate truffles! Alas, no chocolate truffles were in residence at this ginormous supermarket. I mean what's a chocoholic in the throws of chocolate withdrawals gonna do? Make them, of course, that's it. Only one problem, I had never made chocolate truffles before, but I was determined to have them. Thus I set about filling my cart with ingredients that I thought chocolate truffles contained. Thirty dollars and three hours later my chocolate truffle craving had been satisfied! The kitchen looked like a tornado had hit it, chocolate was everywhere, but I didn't care because I was eating my fill of truffles. I went to bed satiated and dreamed of chocolate truffles dancing in my head.

The following day I thought I'd take a photo of my endeavors. i was rather proud of them! However, when I looked for the container I discovered it was gone. How could this happen? Did the truffles grow legs in the middle of the night and walk away? I don't think so. I just couldn't believe how they could disappear. Several hours later my house guest returned from a day in Dallas saying she didn't know I could make chocolate truffles. I told her I didn't either, but out of necessity I gave myself a whirlwind lesson only to discover they had all disappeared. She turned bright red! She confessed she had found the container on the counter and took them with her to Dallas where she was meeting a few of her friends. She thought they'd try a few and return the rest, but they ate all of them!

Yesterday we went to the market together and we purchased MORE ingredients for chocolate truffles. I doubled the recipe last night. I'm crossing my fingers that tomorrow there will be enough truffles remaining to take the photo I thought about shooting last week!

The moral to this story is that if you want something badly enough you will find a way to make it happen... and true friends will appreciate what you do and even help you do it!

From the diary of a chocoholic—11.19.2008 with chocolate smears in evidence on the page.

Copyright 2008, Linda Bourgault, lulugraphix, All Rights Reserved.

I awoke to read many of this fan's favorites blogs today including ever humorous and lovely Susan Mangigian (West Chester, PA) and wanted to see what she had to say. Seems like she had been hit with the new MeMe running around on the Rain which to me looks like a version of a book report.

She was especially nice enough not to tag me, but it didn't take long and other wonderful pranksters came along in the form of Melody Bottling (The Colony, TX) and Patricia Beck (Colorado Springs, CO) and they got me. Seems you point at the nearest book to you and do the following:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 56.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next two to five sentences.
5. Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book or the intellectual one. Pick the Closest.
6. Tag five people to do the same

*The one book that this can not be is the Bible*

My book on my desk is called Tribes by Seth Godin. While I haven't cracked it open yet it is about social networking and the Internet and how less than famous people band together about their collective interests and a leader comes from these groups. Probably very fitting for all of us who blog away writing and reading here on Active Rain. Now you know what your mad scientist's brain here is thinking about understanding next. Sorry Susan, I am still hopelessly a non-fiction reader. I promise to do better. Anyway from pg. 56 on...

Folks who do nothing but mindlessly follow instructions let you down in two ways. First they are not going to do the local leadership when tribe members interact.... Second, they're not going to do a very good job of recruiting new members to your tribe.

Sounds like Seth is a strong proponent for leaders, wherever they come from.

I am going to be a leader "rulebreaker" and not torture any more folks with this particular MeMe. My not so random act of kindness for the day. Enjoy all your reading. You will grow most in the next five years from the people you meet and the books you read.

Ok, you are probably thinking this is an article about overweight women with large thighs. Wrong, oh mustard breath. Good guess though. It is actually a thought or two about preparation by we professionals.

I think this comes from my Scouting roots and that Be Prepared motto we had. How often do you hear of Realtors dashing out the door with a coffee in one hand, nothing to eat, dropping the cell phone, shoes untied, all to meet a client that they've lost the address where they are?

DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT YOUR SADDLEBAGS.

Ok, for illustration purposes I am using a picture of a bike. A woman's bike. Guys, use your imagination for your version.

In being a top notch professional of any kind these days, to stand out from the riff raff, remember a few things.

1. Eat a good breakfast in the morning to fuel you for the day.

2. Have your clothes, keys, cell phone all laid out the night before.

3. Prepare for working with clients the day before, with lists of houses to visit, locations, pertinent info on number of bedrooms/baths/square footage/amenities.

4. Expect the unexpected. If someone cancels or the schedule gets jumbled, in your mind have some Plan B's or Plan C's to be efficient with your time.

5. Have all your relevant contract paperwork handy, in the PC, or paper copies in a folder.

6. Use checklists judiciously to NOT forget key items you need for the day.

7. Have items in your vehicle, which is fueled up and clean, for the conditions, umbrellas, water, flashlights, etc. No one is perfect in this area of course, but work towards the ideal.

8. Above all, prepare for what can always be a trying, hectic, and hard working day with a "good attitude." Be around supportive people you know, read inspirational material, laugh at funny things you see along the way. Don't take yourself too seriously.

By packing your saddlebag on your bike with all the goodies you need for the day (I recommend a tootsie roll stash BTW), life just seems to roll along just a little easier. Hey, you might even meet a friend and put them on the handlebars and create your own bicycle built for two. Share a tootsie roll with them and with the smiles you create you'll know all that preparation ahead of time was well worth it.