Kaira Rouda Books page

Real You: To thoughts, dreams and contests

 Here's a thought. It's February. Sure, it's cold, blustery and snowy in much of the country and the economic news still isn't great, but the thought is this: Things will get better and you aren't alone. As you know, many people in many different industries are facing career challenges. Some days it's hard to be resilient, but you must. Why? Because you're getting stronger. Better. There is no exact answer as to how that will happen, not for your industry and not for you as an individual. But it will. If you believe it.      Have you been taking time to invest in you and your dreams? Are you ready when the market improves and opportunities arise? Do you have a clear vision of your future? Have you solidified and embraced your passions, surrounded yourself with the right people and are you following your instincts?

      Knowing what you want goes a long way toward feeling in control of your life, and your future.

     I'm following my passion for writing and my first novel HERE, HOME, HOPE comes out May 1st! Like the real estate industry, the publishing industry is going through a major upheaval and the road for a debut novelist not being published by a big New York publishers is - and this is an understatement - daunting. But writing fiction - and seeing it actually published and in the world as a book has been my dream since 4th grade. And now, I'm going for it.

      If you'd like to help spread the word - and have a chance to win an Advance Reader Copy of my book and a Dogeared Karma Necklace - just head to Facebook and "Like" my Kaira Rouda Books page. Your support means a lot!

     You have mine, too. Make sure you are creating a business and a life that is a reflection of you, your goals, your dreams, your essence. Then, when the challenges come - and they will - you can return to that essence and know it was worth it. And it will be. Because you chose it. It's your dream.

Real You: The social media allure

I'll admit it. I'm hooked on Twitter and Facebook. And I'm there, almost too often. But in my defense, I love it out there. Yesterday, I discovered the Women Entrepreneur Festival taking place in New York and on the hashtag #wefestival. Following the tweets, I was almost in the room. It was so inspiring. Meanwhile, on Facebook, I watch my high school and college friends' children grow, share in their accomplishments and meet new friends with shared interests - from all over the world. I've also started my first ever fan page and it's almost silly how joyful I become when another person "Like"s my Kaira Rouda Books page. (Sally Fields, anyone?)

I've found folks to be either all in or completely disdainful when it comes to social media. And what I will say, to those who remain in disdain, try LinkedIn. It's like sticking your toe in the water. Move on from there.

As I wrote in Real You Incorporated, the real world really is on online; and you should join the fun.