Brussels Sprouts?… Yes Please!!

As I sit here enjoying a second helping of pure goodness, I can only but shake my head that something I so despised as a child; I now cannot imagine NOT eating!  Regularly!  For 50 years I’ve been missing such awesomeness, such complex flavor!  What could it be, what could be so satisfying that I rue missing it for all this time…Brussels sprouts you say?

Seriously, what kid grew up loving Brussels sprouts?  I recall them floating in the pot of boiling water, boiling away for eternity, like all vegetables were cooked when I was young!  All boiled WELL into submission!  Then to the plate where mushy, sour and stinky ‘cabbage nuggets’ waited for me.  Time and time again I tried to wait them out, for my Mom to let me slide and leave the table without choking them down. Not a chance. Thankfully she was kind enough to only serve a few onto my plate.  So when she wasn't looking, I would quietly "fling" them, one by one into the centerpiece on the table!  Ha!  She would never know ‘til those little hard rocks rolled out one day! And by then, they would be unidentifiable!  I'll tell you one thing, I knew I would NEVER make my kids eat these horrid little things! 

Fast forward, oh maybe 50 years.  My husband decides he’s going to try a recipe he saw or heard about somewhere.  Yes, Brussels sprouts were about to creep back onto my plate!  And let me tell you, I couldn’t be happier!  What changed? Was it me? Was it the preparation?  Well, something fabulous happened and now I crave those little buggers!   I've recently been known to make a restaurant dining decision based on whether or not they have these delectable little balls of goodness on their menu!  Truth!  I hope you've had a laugh with me today!  Enjoy this recipe; it’s truly fantastic!

Bacon Brussels Sprouts (serves 2)

Ingredients:

12-14 small Brussels sprouts

2 bacon rashers, minced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons Sea or Kosher salt

Salt and pepper

Method:

- Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add Sea salt.

- Blanch Brussels sprouts for 4-5 minutes depending on size, then drain and refresh in cold running water.

- Cut sprouts in half lengthwise.

- Heat olive oil on high. Add bacon and cook 1-2 minutes.

- Add Brussels sprouts and fry until they start to brown around the edges and the bacon crisps.

- Add garlic slices and fry 1 minute until softened (do not over cook garlic).

- Drain Brussels sprouts to remove excess oil. Serve hot.

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The 10 Things I Gave up to Create the Life of my Dreams

1. Spending time with negative people.

2. The couch.

3. Taking advice from people who haven’t done what I aspire to do.

4. TV.

5. Focusing on no’s – why focus on anything negative?

6. What other people think of me. Why care? They aren’t paying my bills!

7. Spending money on things that won’t make me better; like fast food, and investing that money into good books that will help me grow and develop.

8. A spotless house. That came when I could afford a housekeeper.

9. Sleep.

10. A belief that I am not worthy.

If you want something you have never had, you have to be willing to do something you have never done. I like to call these “investments” in my future. Short term sacrifices for the long term. Did it help me to take my life and business to a whole ‘notha level? Absolutely!  Do I continue to practice this philosophy? Yes. Every one of them! Every day. It allows me to focus on what will take me to new heights. What will allow me to truly live my dreams.

If you are ready to make a change in your life, try it! Print this list and commit. See what happens when you shift your focus. It just may change everything for you! I hope you do! The reason I’m sharing this with you is to pay it forward. When you find something that works for you, tell someone! It just may help someone else to do the same.  Share your feedback on my connect page!  I’d love to know how you’re doing!    

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Life is a Gift!

Today I’m going to share something very personal and I’m praying it comes through as it’s meant; from the heart…

Life can be so hard. I get it. More than you know. I can remember, what seems like only yesterday… I was a single mom of two precious little girls. They were 2 & 3. I was going through a divorce, so strapped. I was blessed though as I received child support every month from their father. Which is more than many do. I will always be grateful for that. But it was tough. We lived in one town, had childcare in another, and I worked in another. I was always the last mom to pick up her kids. They usually ate mac’ n cheese & hotdogs or hamburger helper for dinner. I’d eat whatever was left. I kept a box of cheap wine in the fridge. I rationed it for weeks! That was my “reward” for working hard. One day I had the most humbling experience of my life. The best gift of my life. As I came to pick up the girls one Friday evening, my daycare provider, Elke Howard, met me at the door. She said “Honey, I have something for you. I told the other moms we had a mom in need. I didn’t tell them who, but they all stepped up.” She, along with the other day care moms, had put together bags of food for me & for my girls. Everything from boxed meals and rice, to frozen meat. Bags full. I left there that night so humbled by their kindness, tearful and full of gratitude…I was 27 years old.

In the next phase of my life, I met & married my soul mate, Ray Hartman. We had a good life, we both worked, and then I lost my job. We came upon tough times. Again. I’ll never forget shopping for baby clothes for Chloe & school clothes for Danielle & Brianna at second hand stores. Not our proudest moments, but we did it without shame because that’s what you do. The girls & I made cookies for Christmas gifts, because it’s about the love that goes into it, not the money spent.

Today, our life is different. It’s not perfect, life never is! But from a financial perspective, we have freedoms we’ve never had before. We have the ability to pay it forward. Last year about this time, I earned an $800 Christmas Cash Bonus from the company that Ray & I get to represent. Remembering where we have been; Chloe, Ray & I were able to anonymously pay off Christmas layaways at Wal-Mart for 9 families with that bonus!  I’m trying to type through the tears because I KNOW what that will mean for these families. The store manager in Snellville, GA said that while normally they have many do this each year, we were the only people to do so thus far; “You don’t know what it’s like when these folks are told…”, “They can get very emotional…” All we could say, well Ray could say, because I was emotional, is “That’s what you do, you give when you can.” My message to you today, is life is a gift. It’s never so bad that it can’t get better.  It is what you make it. My heart is so full today because I KNOW that every family touched this past and future Christmas, will hold the same memory I did, years ago, in their hearts. They will go on to pay it forward to the next family when they can. God Bless you all throughout this giving season.

View the Original Blog Post here http://rondahartman.com/life-is-a-gift/

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Abundant Gratitude

These past few days I've been particularly emotional and so full of gratitude. Abundant gratitude! I am a grateful person by nature I think, but the truth is sometimes it just isn’t as prominent as it could be! Part of my gratitude today is that I have surrounded myself with gracious, kind and successful people. Often times, just hearing their words inspires me! I want to share some of those words with you today!  Words from someone I adore who is a part of my business. Her words just put me over the edge today.  No one can understand HOW this business really changes lives until you're in it. Thanks for sharing your heart my friend. You are loved!

While on the way to church a couple of weeks ago in Bixby, I asked Jason to pull into this parking lot. He had never been, but I had - several times. I just sat and stared inside. I will never, EVER forget the journey. I will ALWAYS understand and be patient with the lady in front of me counting her cash for groceries, organizing her coupons, or carefully watching the running total so she can add or pull things off the belt.

I will never act irritated or rushed because I REMEMBER being beyond embarrassed to pull my WIC folder out, divide out the vouchers for milk, peanut butter, and formula for my baby. We did what we had to do, and I'm thankful this was here for that season.

I also remember the day that I knew I would NEVER have to walk into this office again. And NOW? I quietly step up to that mama in front of me and simply say "Allow me. I would be thrilled to pay for these today". THOSE times at the store? The best EVER.

So for today, and for everyday, I will encourage you to be grateful. To count every experience and every little blessing. Keep your heart open and welcome all future blessings into your life!  My heart is full, and once again my gratitude meter is pegged on HIGH!

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What are Your Dreams?

Have you ever literally counted the dollars as you loaded your shopping cart at the grocery store? Factoring in every coupon before heading to the checkout? Or, carefully watched the gas pump tick, tick, tick, as it pumped the fuel into your car because as it got closer to the $10.00 mark you knew you had to get it to stop, spot on? Have you ever borrowed from the electric bill because the water bill was due a week sooner? I am confident that most Americans can relate to this at some point in their life. Honestly, I cringe just thinking about it. The stress can feel unbearable. Sigh. This was most certainly how my husband and I operated as we scrambled paycheck to paycheck. We would take this J.O.B. (Just Over Broke) because it paid a little more than the last one. We did that because we were taking care of our family and it's all we knew to do. In actuality, we were living our lives reactively rather than proactively. But we don't know what we don't know, right? 

Thirteen years ago I discovered the concept of Direct Sales/Network Marketing. Wow, could that really work for me? I met this young woman who stayed at home with her kids and she made a "real" income! Could "I" actually be a stay at home Mom like her and run my own business too? I had never imagined ME as a business owner! But what if...  Well, something inside me said YES so I followed my gut and started a home based business. My goal was to replace the modest but significant income I was earning. That was about $2,000 a month. I figured if I could even come close to that, by the time I subtracted what I had been paying out for child care, gas to and from work, work clothes, lunches and coffees, this could allow me to be home with my three girls and maybe even come out ahead! I thought, if I could do this, my kids would have MORE than I did growing up. A Mom at home! So I continued working my full time job and I hosted parties as many evenings and weekends as I could. I did a lot of parties then. My products were high end, and many people would host a party to earn them free or at a discount. Did I sacrifice time with my family doing this? Yes. Call it a short-term sacrifice for the long term! It was really three months of making an investment in our family’s future! I'm so grateful for that opportunity. It opened my mind to a new concept of making a living. I replaced that income and was able to raise my kids while earning that income through that business opportunity! 

Fast forward nine years, late 2012. The kids had grown, two were out on their own, and the economy had gone through significant change. What I mean by that is people were cutting back on extras. My product was no longer a viable way to earn income. People just weren't buying pretty and pricey things for their homes like they once were. And without that, my hosts couldn't earn their discounted products. So, the income that had sustained me for so long dwindled to near nothing. It was such a sad time. The stress had returned, and the financial struggle was back. Our two-income family was basically, back to one. Gosh, I bet you may even know someone who has gone through something similar with a job loss or even a not so great experience in direct sales. But I always say when opportunity knocks open the door! It knocked, and I opened. I could now take those nine years of experience and apply that into a new business opportunity with personal products that people REALLY wanted! The products were affordable, fun and I didn't have to hold parties in order for people to receive deep discounts! I know, it sounds too good! Here's the deal. When that life change happened, it literally allowed me to learn even more than what I thought I knew. More about business, more about people, more about working smarter, not harder. I started earning again. My confidence began to grow and I learned to start dreaming again! Dreaming bigger than I ever had! See, I know that my first network marketing experience had a more significant purpose than just replacing my J.O.B. It was on the job training, for life and business. For the last three years I've been able to help other people literally transform their lives with creating greater health, self confidence, and for those who choose to, their finances. I've learned that with the right experience, the right attitude and a simple plan all dreams are possible.          What are your dreams? 

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I Can Think of No Better Way to Make a LIVING, or a LIFE!

I have learned that when you love what you do, you’ll never “work” another day in your life! My husband Ray and I both have vivid memories of the days we went to our J.O.B.’s (Just Over Broke) anywhere from 8-12 hours a day, which had us spending time with people we just really didn't care for! I don’t mean that in a judgmental way, I mean people who give off negative energy and just plain make you not feel good! You know the ones I'm talking about, those who kind of repel happiness! Yikes! It’s so sad to see, but you can’t avoid it because you can literally “feel it! Like an earthquake! You just know they would rather be anywhere but there, with you… for 8-12 hours a day. Heavy sigh.    

Reality is, there are a lot of unhappy people in the world. Sometimes they just don't like themselves! I know, it’s a sad thing to say. Maybe sometimes they even like themselves too much, LOL! Life can be hard, and some people can feel they have to prove something and that's why they behave like they do. Well, ultimately life is short. It’s a journey full of choices and should be embraced! I believe that every soul walking this earth has a PURPORSE and GIFTS that when discovered allows them to be a light! That when open to options and willing to throw the old “ It is what it is” out the door, they may be able to create a happy and fulfilling life based on what they do for a living.   

I found my light. So did Ray! Sometimes you just have to wait for that perfect opportunity to present itself. The key is, when opportunity knocks, you’ve got to open the door! It's so refreshing to know that in our business we can literally choose who we work with! Seriously, we get to choose who we associate with! Who we will spend time with, who we will cry with and who we will celebrate with. We have made lifetime friends with like minded people, and the frosting on the cake is, no one tells us what to do, what we are “worth” as far as income goes, and we don't have to report ANYWHERE for 8-12 hours a day!

BOOM!

The power of choice! Can you imagine how that would look for you? Someone you love?  That negative person in your office? Wow, maybe you are even that person! Well, let me tell you, everyone has a choice! Even if you feel like there is no way out of your current situation, your circumstances or J.O.B. I’ll tell you there is! I see it every single day. I watch moms coming off of public assistance, professionals paying off tens of thousands of dollars in school loan debt in one years time, Mom’s and Dads choosing to be at-home-parents and literally living the life they had never dreamed of before. We work together as a TEAM. There is no "I"' in TEAM! Together Everyone Achieves More. We love that no one is able to experience true and honest success in our business unless OTHERS succeed right along with us! I can think of no better way to make a LIVING, or a LIFE!

GRATITUDE METER: HIGH

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Someday

I took some time out this week and had an awesome one-hour relaxation massage. It was absolutely wonderful! The soft spa music played in the background while I was surrounded by the fragrance of healing essential oils in the air and touching my skin. It was hard to keep my eyes open!  Seriously, a little slice of heaven!  I can say I graciously embraced every single moment of it! Oh the difference one hour can make!

Embracing this experience took me back a few years on how things used to be. The reality is, just 3 years ago this was not an option in my life. Most certainly not monthly or whenever I felt like it! Wow, a time for reflection and perspective! This is so powerful! Before I discovered life could be different with the right opportunity, my mind had become somewhat closed to “possibilities”. I guess I was stuck, seeing only how “it is”, not how it could be. Today I understand that our circumstances do not define us, or our futures! Talk about a breath of fresh air and relief! There are so many things like this that people just like me NEVER even think about because it's not a necessity or an option in their lives at the time. But I ask, why not?  

Someone out there may even be shaking their head right now, thinking what a silly thing to spend money on and that’s ok. But hear me out. I'm a conscientious spender. I don’t roll high on the hog and live a lavish lifestyle, but I do live much more comfortably and with a   lot less stress than I used to! The truth is, as women we work hard each day to provide for our loved ones and ourselves. To make sure we have a roof over our heads and food on the table. Caring for our children, our families and our homes. Maybe even taking care of the yard or a family member. We pay the bills, do the laundry, cook, clean, get the kiddos to their events and help with homework!  Oh, and more than likely go to work 40+ hours a week. Sometimes we just plain run ‘til we can’t run anymore!  I'm so grateful to continue to learn that through being open, that there are many possibilities available to me (and you), as long as we are willing to receive them!   I received mine three years ago this month.

My gratitude meter: HIGH!

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