4 Ways To Scale Your Business

I'd like to speak to you ladies that are interested in scaling your business. I am not attempting to do anything, except to inspire you to align with your goals, dreams and desires. We all have particulars that we want to achieve.

Whether that is turning your blog into a business; writing a book, or selling your art and crafts.

I see many women lead a conversation by saying, "I do this as a side hobby." In my previous marriage, my husband was the means of income, so in essence, I didn't have to worry about making money to pay for necessities such as the mortgage or water bill. Basically, I could play with no degree of stress to provide financially.

My Spinach Lemonade {A Mermaid's Seaweed Smoothie}

My dear friends, 

I thought about just titling this post "A Mermaids Seaweed Smoothie", but then I said to myself two things, "They'll never click over because unless you're a mermaid, even the thought that it would taste delicious would stop you in your tracks and for SEO purposes it's a tricky thing to title blog posts highly niched."

The truth is, I am notorious for changing the names to things and giving everything a nickname. So in good mermaid landlocked humour, I want to still call it 'A Mermaids Seaweed Smoothie' even though there's not an ounce of seaweed in it.

Now having prefaced all that, I am also a person that will not drink or eat something unless it tastes divine. I have never been that gal that would eat diet foods because they're good for me, but taste like rubbage. So when I say this spinach lemonade is yummy, I scouts honour swear to it.

I drink this lemonade every single day, like clockwork. The reason I started drinking it, was because before I started practising the law of attraction, I had lived with the belief that I had adrenal fatigue. I adapted that belief because other people would tell me it wasn't normal that I enjoyed sleeping so much. Nowadays, I know I slept frequently because I had loads of resistance in my awakening state. I was constantly on the lookout for ways to raise my iron levels without impacting my digestive system.

I might also state that I have anaemia. I am not able to donate blood because of it, and if you know anything about anaemia, you are aware exhaustion is apart of your life. I finally found this recipe, tried it and loved it. The best part is there are only a few ingredients and it gives me resounding energy.

A Mermaids Seaweed Smoothie
Ninja Blender {you don't have to use a ninja, I just love my ninja. It blends the ice to perfection, like a snowcone, yum}

Spinach 2 cups {just grab a few handfuls and throw it in the blender

Fresh Lemon Juice 4 tablespoons ( I like a tart/sour lemonade so you can play with the taste by adding or subtracting the amount)

Honey 2 tablespoons {Treasure Trove Tip ~I actually heat my honey up in a little bit of water in the microwave before adding it to the blender of ice. If you don't the honey is too cold and won't blend well.}

Ice and Purified Water {I just guess with the amount of ice and water. I like my lemonade thick.}

And there you have it! Spinach lemonade, it's sweet, cool and refreshing. These are all things I would know about since I live in Florida and I'm a true Southern woman. {smile}

I would love to know if you try this and then swim back and tell me what you think.

Perseverance {How Landlocked Gardening Taught Me To De~Weed}

 My dear friends, 

Yesterday I spent the day in the front garden planting lovely new flowers that my BG {Beloved Gardener} surprised me with as an early Easter gift.

I am constantly thinking, especially when occupied in my pursuits.

As I began to dig, there was unveiling evidence of small cobblestones all throughout the patch of dirt where I was to cultivate. When gardening, before you start, you lay out your plants to see where they will look nice. There is symmetry, height, width and sun availability to take into consideration.

So in my tenacity to spade exactly where I had laid out the flowers, my thoughts about gardening twirled into a metaphor about life.

I could have easily surrendered, to look for other spots in the garden to plant those flowers because the place I was digging was beastly. It took me twice as long, and I was exhausted by days end.

How often do we see other folks in the face of adverse circumstances or lack of determination seek the easy way out; looking for a quick fix or short cut? Perhaps, I should speak individually on this matter. I have seen oftentimes where folks want to skip the arduous work as an entrepreneur, or artist, in order to relieve their plight.

I find that folks want to ride the coattails of others, instead of spending the efforts, necessary time and years to put into the work of success all on their own.

I know the world is made up of NOW, and we spend quite a bit of attention on the arrival of successful individuals. Too often we don't see all of those voyages that were lengthy, tear-jerking, and disappointing.

For example, I have seen a friend that wrote 5 books and spent nights crying because she was hoping that 5th book would've been picked up by a traditional publishing company.{Good news, she finally did get published and they both turned out to be New York Times Best Sellers} Or the woman spending years going on auditions to only get picked over for parts time and again. Those are the moments we don't often see, we see the arrivals-the big breaks, the highlighted reel.

I believe it takes many folks years, and I would hope in the future that we see more of the voyages, so as to inspire folks that are in the beginning/middle stages. I do believe it would create a visual of encouragement. 

When folks skip steps, they are missing all of the beautiful aspects of what will one day be so meaningful for them. The fact that they didn’t give in or surrender when there were 'cobblestones' in their way. They didn't seek easier, softer soil, and the universe indeed rewards that immeasurably. The flowers will be symmetrical and have height variation. It will be a living, breathing colourful pallet of wonder. 

It would’ve been more facile for me to move the flowers to the back garden, but in the long term, I would’ve regretted it. I would have had to transplant them from one bed to another for lack of sun, constantly worry about the chickens demolishing the new growth, and have to put up wire fencing to keep the ladies from eating petals.

How often folks do this same type of extra work because they wanted to skip steps, take an easier route, and not work arduously for their success. In the end, it’s so much better to play the long~end game, receive true accolades from within because you know you did all the work yourself. The reward: you’ll have a gorgeous garden of flowers.

There's going to be days, in fact, mostly that your garden will look like rubbage, you'll have no blooms and there's an enormous amount of weeds to pluck.

We need to stop looking at other folks gardens, comparing it to ours. It's an easy trap to look upon their blooming flowers, picturesque {social media worthy photographs} and then get down on ourselves because ours looks less appealing. 

Give yourself time, remember your voyage is your own. We aren't seeing all the time and effort they put into their garden. All of the years they've spent time weeding, cultivating, learning, researching, and digging. The times they didn't go out dancing with their friends but stayed home on weekends to work in the garden. You aren't seeing behind the picket fence, you're looking at what appears externally. 

Don't be so hard on yourself, and surely remember to keep your head down and work on your dreams. When you do this, you'll find you have no time to even notice another woman's garden/success, because you'll be too busy accomplishing yours. 

Before you know it, you will be the woman with the beautiful garden/success story.

I shall write again soon.

Most affably yours til my next swim, Raquelxxx

6 Ways To Navigate From Religion To Spirituality

My dear friends,

I often speak on my blog about partly vexing subjects. My attempts are too fragrant them just enough to know that I am polite in my efforts, and in no way do I have the intentions to cause anyone affliction. 

I keep this reminder of my well being on my writing desk.

"What other people think of me is none of my business."~Gary Oldman

A verifiable writer has an expansive desire to speak about their lives, share particulars that nearly ripped them to emotional shreds, or to simply write about a lovely stroll at the park. A writer must write as if their life depends on it. Between writing and breathing, to survive;  both are required {smile}. 

How The College Admission Scandal Contradicts The Law Of The {Seaweed} Harvest

My dear friends,

Today, I'd like to talk about the college admission scandal involving Lori Laughlin and Felicity Huffman. Let's dive in, shall we? I feel the real issue beneath the makeup sponsorships, the youtube channel of Olivia Jade {Lori's Daighter} and the dismal repercussions of this story have more to do with a lack of ownership and parental enabling than anything else.

Why We're Turning Our 1974 Home Into An English Victorian Mermaid Cottage {To Then Sell And Become Homesteaders}

 My dear friends,

I received the news last Wednesday that we were out of the running for the curatorship of Flanders Mansion in Carmel By The Sea. I wasn't devastated or distraught, because I know that just means considerable specific desires that Jeffrey and I have are coming. I deeply trust the processes. I spent over 5 years diligently working with the city, historical research on the mansion, the Flanders family genealogy, and I feel very confident that all of that work was leading me to what will be.

My newest little cross-stitch I'll begin this evening by kerosene light.

My Beloved Gardener and I have a little routine that we do on weekends. After our home chores: we get baths, dress, jump into the truck, drive about looking at homes, land and property. We go to all sorts of little farmers markets, flea markets and charity shops. It's one of our favourite things to do as a couple.  He also knows that when I take my big camera there's going to be many stops for picture taking and picking of wildflowers. {I keep a little pair of clippers in my car, along with a little corked bottle of water, just for those spur of the moment times}.

So, upon learning that Flanders' was no longer in our future, we talked about where we might want to set down roots to create our 'forever home'.

Our plan is to find a substantial piece of property and become homesteading farmers. We have even talked about buying one of those stone cottage kits and build our own little cottage just the way we like it. We are going to get 5 sheep, more chickens {we'd like about 20}, roosters, more rabbits and a few dogs. That will be plenty for us as we will have all the farming to do, especially since we plan to have a large vegetable/ flower garden too. Jeffrey is most excited about the garden, and I can't wait either. I feel a little like Tasha Tudor. I can imagine she was just as happy the day she purchased her property to begin her dream home.

 I will have a stone wall such as this, along with the entire cottage being made of stone. Even the sheer thought of it makes me beyond giddy.

I think of Louisa May Alcott when she and her family finally moved into The Orchard House.  She, too, had always moved around and I can only imagine she was thrilled to bits to finally land at, "The Orchard House".

I am actually a bit relieved to finally know that I can now get on with life~so to speak. I had spent so many years living in a state of uncertainty with Flanders. That feeling begins to take a toll on someone after a period of time~ it did for me, anyway.

I do love the little home that we named Staffordshire Cottage, and it has so many delightful features and a surplus of potential. I had the idea of turning it into an authentic Victorian cottage a few months back as I was speaking with my dear friend. She is the friend of Tasha Tudor's children. We were chatting it up last week, and as usual, Tasha came up. She knows so much about Tasha and I gathered many more intentions from her. I got off of the telephone and thought to myself, " I shall do as Tasha Did." Tasha wasn't always where she desired to be. It wasn't until much later in life that she lived in her dream home that her son built by hand. Did you know for a little over a year Tasha and her children lived in their barn while the house was being built? She went many years living in another home, and while she was there, she sketched and dreamed about her one-day dream home that she envisioned.

The other day I was thinking about how often women, look at other women and compare their lives. We forget~ that artist/author that we admire so greatly has been on their personal journey for decades, and maybe our journey is just beginning. They, too, were where we are once upon a time. I am into my journey of only a few years. There are others somewhere out there, just beginning. Let us be mindful, we will get our greatest desires and dreams, but we must relish and live in the NOW. Each of us is unique and individual, and we mustn't focus on others and what they are doing. Regardless, of how similar in nature someone's life seems to appear, it is not. I think women do a grave disservice to themselves when they compare their lives to other women.

I acknowledge to you that I say this frequently, and the reason I do so is, that what better person to speak of such a thing, than a person that once upon a time struggled. It tore me up mentally, and it's truly no good for our sweet little spirits. Let us cut that out. {smile}

The long end path of Jeffrey and myself will be to spend much effort in transforming our little cottage into an English Victorian Cottage. Our tentative plan is to then sell it, make a decent profit and buy our piece of land. We are going to give ourselves a good year to work on the cottage, and in our spare time, continue seeking a beautiful piece of land. Do you dream of living in the country or are you a city gal?

Most affably yours til my next swim, Raquelxxx

How I Use The Law Of Attraction To Catch Celebrity Clientele

 My dear friends,

I made some chai tea for our little visit today.

This post is something that I have wanted to share for a while now, because oftentimes, folks only HEAR of the Law of Attraction working, but never quite understand the actuality of HOW it works. I will attempt to disembowel it a wee bit.

Watch Out For Those Sea Witches

My dear friends, 

I had such a flood of inspiration for blog posts come upon me last evening that I just couldn't wait to share. I have some black tea all ready for us and our little visit.

Before I commence, let me say to you, Rabbit Rabbit! The sweet little painting above is of the dear Tasha Tudor. I wanted to paint her next to the ocean. To those close to her, she was known to say on many occasions that when she died, she would reincarnate back to the 1830s, as a captain's wife.

As an ode to Tasha, I thought it only fair to paint her by the water's edge.

Have you ever heard of the British saying, "Shoot you in the foot?" I happen to adore that saying, I think it's because I am a sucker for anything British, are you?