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Do you Weigh Yourself Daily?

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32751453_1699322973454113_3582582794557063168_nHere is some perspective for those trying to lose weight: last Saturday I weighed myself, and I weighed myself again on Monday after a weekend of pigging out on junk.

I was up five pounds 

I weighed myself on Wednesday and I was down 4.5 lbs.

I definitely did not lose 4.5lbs in two days lol 

If I had weighed myself again after lunch, I’d probably have been up again. Our body fluctuates throughout the day for so many different reasons (sodium intake, water, food, etc) and our weight will reflect that too. The best time to weigh is first thing in the morning before you’ve had food, and after you’ve emptied your bladder.

If you’re the person stepping on the scale obsessively multiple times a day or even just once every day, please do yourself a favour and put the scale out of sight so you won’t be as tempted. Weigh once a week instead to avoid getting frustrated and allowing that to derail you.

Don’t let the number on the scale control you or dictate your worth.

xoxo

Jess

Why you Need LimeLight by Alcone’s Botanical Foundation in your Life!

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The LimeLight by Alcone botanical foundation was designed for professional makeup artists. This is the TOP selling professional foundation in the world, and it has existed for over 50 years. It will give you FULL coverage and a smooth, even complexion without absorbing into your skin. This means it will not break you out or cause a reaction because it has been formulated to be non-comedogenic.

Typical foundations that you can purchase in stores are about 8-22% pigmentation, and this stuff is 50% pigmentation. 8% pigmentation is basically your BB cream, lower coverage type of foundation. 22% pigmentation is about the fullest coverage you are going to get from a retail setting. When you use LimeLight by Alcone Botanical Foundation with the 50% pigmentation, you are going to need a lot less product to achieve an even complexion and the look that you are striving for.

You would use half as much product, or less, with this foundation as other foundations you have tried in the past. You should start by toning it way back, and gradually add more product if needed. To help you transition to using less product, you can try using a fluffy powder brush to apply instead of a beauty blender or a buffer brush. This method is perfect for beginners!

You may be wondering… “What if a wax based foundation doesn’t work for my skin type?”

Your skin type is irrelevant. As I stated above, this foundation has been formulated for professional makeup artists. As such, the botanical foundation has specifically been formulated to work with EVERY skin type. That ranges from super dry to super oily skin types, so no matter where you fall on that spectrum, you will be able to use this specific foundation. That being said, let’s look at each:

DRY: If you have skin that is excessively dry, there are things you can do to help with that. It is important that you exfoliate your skin regularly to clean up some of that dead skin cells. Otherwise, if you have a lot of dry skin patches it will not matter what type of foundation you are using, you will find that you notice those spots more. You should also be moisturizing your skin prior to applying the foundation. Lastly, you can use the “10 Years Younger” finishing spray to finish off your look and set your makeup.

OILY: In contrast, if you have oily skin you will likely want to pair your foundation with a pressed powder. It is really important that you use a translucent pressed powder with this foundation as opposed to a pigmented powder. The botanical foundation is highly pigmented already, so you do not need more pigment on your face. You also want to be careful that you don’t use a product on top of the foundation that might cause an oxidation issue. Lastly, you can leverage the “Oil Strike” setting spray to finish off your look. This is a phenomenal product, and if you start to get oily throughout the day it will actually stop the oil production in your face for that day.

Because you need so little product for each application, one foundation pan could last you between four and six months. This varies depending on your usage, and if you’re a makeup every day person or an occasional wearer. In general, people who wear makeup 5-7 days out of the week will get between 5 and 6 months out of their foundation. You will not find another foundation of this quality, for this price, that will last you this long in any department stores!

Do you have blemishes or dark circles that you really want to cover? If the answer here 37e4196542989e3d24f8d38448e162a9is yes, you should consider getting the custom palette with a foundation and two concealers. This saves you money off the total, and you’ll be able to use a concealing concealer on those difficult areas as well as have a brightening concealer for a bit of highlighting. Alternatively, you could also do a highlighting and contouring concealer. Once again, you need very little product for full coverage, so one concealer pan will last you a long time.

This foundation has been formulated to last all day, while maintaining a healthy glow. It is super lightweight and gives you a natural sheen as thought you aren’t even wearing makeup. Because you use such a small amount of product, you barely notice it is there.

If you go ahead and try the products, make sure that you moisturize your skin before applying the foundation if you are choosing not to use a primer. That being said, if you usually use a silicone primer, it will NOT work with this foundation. What I mean by this is the clear looking gel primers that make your skin feel super soft. This will not work under this foundation because it creates a layer on the skin that keeps it from setting properly, which results in transfer. If you want to use a primer, you should ensure that you are using a spray primer.

If you are considering trying out these products, start by asking yourself some questions:

  • What issues do you have with your skin?
  • What are you looking to do with your makeup?
  • What issues are you having with your current makeup?

Once you have answers to these questions, bring them to your Beauty Guide to have them help match you with the right product(s) for you. If I am the first Beauty Guide to expose you to these awesome products, I would be more than happy to help match you! I can also help with color matching, and all I need is whether you burn or tan more easily and a picture of you in natural light. Simply use the contact form above and I can get you some help!

xoxo

Jess

 

Overcoming Hurdles

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The first month of 2018 was a challenge to say the least. I mean January 1st my dog decided to swallow a bounce sheet, which resulted in me having to induce vomiting and clean up puddles of puke everywhere. A few hours later she decided to dig a tampon out of my purse and eat the cotton, which resulted in an emergency trip to the vet and more vomiting. I mean, it can only get better from there, right?
January was also the first time I tried getting back into workouts and nutrition full force since my knee sprain and muscle damage last February. This injury still pops back up and causes issues, so I have had to modify like crazy or even skip certain moves entirely some days when it is feeling tight. I also got sick for the first time in ages this month, which resulted in a setback with my weight loss progress as I had to skip more workouts and didn’t do my best on the nutrition front.
This month I also faced a pretty tough decision professionally. Anyone that has known me more than a year will be able to vouch for the fact that I had gradually found myself less and less passionate for my existing beauty company, which was evident in my shift in focus and lack of posts. Well I’ve been watching a professional beauty brand for over a year now. I found out that the brand I had fallen in love with over a year ago is finally launching in Canada, and that was the sign that I needed to make a change. I decided to leave behind a company that I had loved for 4 years, and been a part of for 3. I won’t bash my old company because that isn’t what I am about, but what I will say is that my soon to be new company is just a much better fit for me and my future. I love the concept behind the entire company, I truly LOVE the products I’ve tried so far, and I couldn’t be more excited to ride this out with a great group of women.
Lastly – I lost 12 pounds this month (so far) despite all of the hindrances and setbacks. This month was full of hurdles, but I am considering it a pretty freaking successful month!
February, I’m coming for ya!
xoxo
Jess

Here’s to New Beginnings in 2018

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It’s that time once again where we reminisce on the past year and everything that has (or has not) transpired. Everyone has a different reaction when it comes to this moment, and it is entirely dependent on the kind of experiences we’ve each faced. I’ve seen post after post on social media over the past few days with people either expressing gratitude for such a great 2017, or expressing their readiness for 2018 to begin in the hopes of a better experience in the new year.
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For me, 2017 was full of heartbreak, pain (both emotional and physical), and loss of a loved one. It was a time of transition, where I said goodbye to old friends and made some new ones. Over the past several months, it has also been the most time I’ve spent with my family outside of holidays or special occasions in a really long time. The highlight of my year happened on June 9th when I picked up my puppy Callie and brought her to her forever home.

Though I have a lot to be sad about this year, I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a great family, a wonderful puppy that has helped me through one of my toughest times by just being there, bringing me joy every day, and loving me unconditionally. I have a job that I really enjoy, with many coworkers that I consider friends. The quote above is my promise to myself. I am going to let go of all of the bad from this year and make way for a better year with everything and everyone that is good in my life. I won’t allow the bad taste of 2017 to act as an ominous black cloud threatening to rain over my 2018 parade.

If you followed my blog before my little hiatus, you may have noticed I stopped posting. This was for a lot of different reasons, but mainly I got overwhelmed. I  needed to focus on my temporary contract in hopes of coming on in my job full time, then I sprained my knee and lost the ability to do my workouts (and with it my motivation for most things), then I got a puppy that consumed my life with training and constant pee outings, then I lost my grandfather who I loved very very much, and then my focus became my family.

Well, I am back. I realized that there will always be excuses, regardless of how valid they may be. I may not post daily as I used to, but my goal this year is to maintain at minimum 1 post per week. Blogging is something that I enjoy doing, and I am going to use this new year as a fresh start to get back in the saddle.

So, you now have my first “resolution” of the new year.

  1. Business/Personal – Blogging a minimum of 1 post per week.
  2. Mindfulness – Daily journaling to help clear my mind and focus my goals, even if it is just a few sentences on some days.
  3. Health – Getting back into my normal activity routine as much as possible post-injury and maintaining a healthy diet
  4. Growth – Daily activity to better my mind in some way. This could mean reading for 10 minutes before bed, listening to an audio book or podcast, using my language app, etc.

This may seem like a lot, but I think it is important to maintain a healthy balance. I’ve always enjoyed blogging, learning, journaling, and my health and fitness practices – I have just struggled to do it all at once. I think 2018 is the year that I am going to set the goals in motion officially, and crush them.

What are your goals for 2018? I’d love to hear them!

For those of you venturing out to ring in the new year; be happy, but stay safe!

xo

Jess

Happy-New-Year

8 Truths About “Cheat Meals”

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If you have been trying to lose weight or tone up then you have likely been a part of the discourse surrounding “cheat meals”. Do I allow a cheat meal once a week? Once a month? Do I allow a cheat meal only when I’ve reached my first milestone or goal? Do I not allow any cheat meals at all? Well, I am going to give you a few truths, some of which might be hard to take. You ready?

  1. You are not a dog. You are a human. I don’t know when we got into the habit of
    10252062_1495807727300105_1347712706819967600_nrewarding ourselves with food, but it needs to stop. It is like we’ve been training ourselves like we do our pets and using food as a reward for being good and following through with intended plans. This is not a healthy mindset to have. We should be fueling our body for energy and for nutrition, not to convince ourselves to do things that we want or need to do. We need to work on our mental strength and learn to follow through on our goals without using food as a reward system. Instead, use other incentives that appeal to you as a reward.
  2. Eating your feelings? Big no-no. Sometimes people take comfort in food and use it as an emotional crutch to help them get through tough times. This can become a never ending hamster wheel because you eat your feelings when you’re down, gain weight, get upset because you’ve gained weight, then you go eat your feelings some more to help you deal with the weight gain. This just goes on and on, believe me, I know because I’ve been there. A LOT. What I have found is that it is possible to get past this, you just have to find something else that you can do as a stress reliever and mood enhancer to replace the behaviour. For me, this happened to be exercise. Not at first, because at first it was brutal and I felt like I was dying every time I tried to do cardio, but over time I really came to love it. I started feeling more energized after workouts, I started to be in a happier mood over all because my body was producing endorphins, and it totally changed my outlook on things. Find something that takes the pressure off, and start investing yourself in that as a hobby to help you crush this nasty habit.
  3. When should you have a cheat meal, you ask? Never. For real though. Take the words “cheat meal” out of your vocabulary. Does this mean that you should never 10291702_1496869693860575_6598855432707716944_nallow yourself to enjoy foods that aren’t healthy? Absolutely not. If you want to have a piece of cake for your birthday, go for it. If you want to eat pizza at a family outing, by all means. BUT – this does not mean that it should turn into a free for all. The question is are you eating bad foods that can mess up your progress in excess or too frequently, or are you using a food tracker and incorporating the “bad” foods into your daily food journal? That is the difference. We need to change our mindset around food. We were born to live our lives, and if we love certain foods (ahem* poutine, pizza, and ice cream*) then we should still be able to enjoy them from time to time without guilt. It is all in moderation. If you know you’re going out to eat, you can plan ahead for that and modify the rest of your day to accommodate the extra calories from that meal. The key is sticking to whatever you allotted in your journal, so if you made room for 2 slices of pizza, stick with that and don’t go beyond. The point here is change the language that you use when talking about food. Just like this image above – replacing the way you word things can have a powerful influence!
  4. Stop with the guilt. So many of us get down on ourselves if we cave to temptation. This is how cheat meals turn into cheat days, cheat days turn into cheat weeks, and before you know it you’ve gained back all the weight you had lost and then some. Weight loss is a process, and there are good days and bad. One healthy meal is not going to magically make you drop 20lbs, just like one unhealthy meal is not going to make you gain 20lbs. If you make a mistake and you unexpectedly give in to temptation with food, just get out your food journal and do your best to modify the rest of your meals for the day to realign your macros. Whatever you do, don’t allow yourself to say “well screw this, I already messed up once so I may as well go all out”. We need to move ourselves away from that kind of thinking entirely. This is how we end up with eating disorders, which can be very dangerous if not dealt with quickly.
  5. Want real results? Eat clean. If you really want to lose weight, tone up, gain muscle – whatever the case may be – you really should eat as clean as possible. I found that the only way that I could stay on track was to cut out unhealthy foods entirely. Over time I was able to gradually start reintroducing chips, cake, pizza, and other not so healthy foods that I enjoy back into my life using myfitnesspal to track my macros. It was a lot harder in the beginning, I needed complete separation from those foods. It’s like the chip slogan “you can’t have just one”, because I really couldn’t reign myself in if I started snacking. When you’re just beginning a weight loss journey, you really need to give yourself time to make that mental shift about food. You need to give your taste buds time to adapt and your body time to expel all of the gunk, sugar, and chemicals from the junk you’d been consuming. After a while you will find yourself starting to really enjoy the healthier foods you’re eating, and even to crave them in place of some of your old favourites.
  6. Food is an addiction for some, so treat it as such. If you’re like me and you use food17155845_392974191072545_1614899538685597864_n to self-soothe, you need to realize that until you replace that addictive behaviour with healthy habits, you can’t feed the addiction. You should avoid going back to eating unhealthy foods in moderation until you’ve gotten to a place mentally and
    emotionally when you are able to restrict yourself to that which you’ve allotted. It takes at least 3 weeks to make or break a habit – so you should wait at least that long before trying to incorporate unhealthy things.
  7. It IS okay to say NO to junk food. One thing that I have learned upon making some positive changes to my life is that others tend to take offence to those who make such drastic lifestyle shifts. It is like they know they should make the change themselves, but they don’t want to, so they subconsciously try to sabotage you and bring you back to their level. This happens with quitting drinking, smoking, and more. It is unfair, and it makes things harder for you when you’re trying to do the right thing but your friends, family, or coworkers keep egging you on and trying to tempt you to give in.When that happens you need to establish clear boundaries and let them know that if they value you and whatever relationship you have with them, that they need to support you as you make this transformation. If they are unwilling to support you on this journey to a healthier version of yourself, then they don’t belong in your life. It really is as simple as that.
  8. If you fail – try again. Honestly, I have failed so many times when it comes to proper nutrition that it’s a wonder I haven’t given up. I’ve failed with weight loss because I allow life stresses, heartaches, ailments, hardships, and more to get in the way of my progress. I’ve probably lost upwards of 200 pounds in total with all of the yo-yoing I have done when it comes to weight loss. The thing is, I know what I am capable of when I put my mind to it, and you can do it too. It is just a matter of changing the way you think about food and use past failures as a learning experience. You haven’t failed until you’ve given up, so keep trying. Get help if you have to. Email me if you need to talk or want an accountability buddy, I am happy to help. Just don’t give up on yourself, because you are capable of much more than you know.

Changing your mindset around “cheat” foods is one of the biggest keys to success. However, I’m living proof that this is easier said than done lol. It’s a process. As I wrote this blog post, I wrote the whole first point using “we” throughout, and I debated on changing it. Upon consideration, I realized that I am writing this from the perspective of someone that knows that this is unhealthy and that the mindset needs to change, but I am also still working on making that shift myself…. for the hundredth time.

This is something that you really have to work on consistently and build it into the foundation of your life. It needs to become a lifestyle and not just a weight loss routine or some kind of temporary diet, otherwise, you doom yourself to failure. I am a constant work in progress, and I accept that!

I WILL achieve my goals, and I would love to see you do it alongside me. 

xoxo

Jess

3 Reasons to Stop Calling Network Marketing a “Pyramid Scheme”

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www.fitnessbeautytravel

“Don’t hate what you don’t understand” – John Lennon

I see posts online with people calling the Network Marketing industry a pyramid scheme all the time, and I hear it in person occasionally as well. I have to say, when this happens it takes a lot of effort to keep myself from educating the people that said it. For this reason, I have set out to hopefully educate some people about Network Marketing a little bit so that we can do away with this line of thinking. To start out, I want to provide you all with the TRUE definition of a pyramid scheme for a basic understanding in case any of you are unsure:

Pyramid Scheme: a form of investment (illegal in the US and elsewhere) in which each paying participant recruits two further participants, with returns being given to early participants using money contributed by later ones.

If you are one of the people that typically refers to Network Marketing companies as a pyramid scheme, I wanted to share these three reasons with you to hopefully help you understand why you should really stop.

UntitledNumber 1: It is untrue. As defined above, a pyramid scheme revolves solely around recruitment. So as an example I wanted to show you what a pyramid scheme ad looks like. I didn’t really browse that hard, I just went to a random advertising group on Facebook and scrolled for about 5 minutes. I found this gem to the left, and this is just the first I came across of what I am sure would be many to be found on the wall of that group. This isn’t an obvious pitch for a pyramid scheme, because obviously, they would get in trouble. However, I have a little insider knowledge with this $25 per referral ad because someone tried to recruit me for this kind of crap in the past. And that is exactly what it is – total bullcrap. THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is a pyramid scheme. Their sole purpose is to go out and recruit people for the “company”. All they have to do to join is pay a small fee of $25+ dollars to join, and then they can start recruiting more people and earning money immediately. It is a constant return of cash from ONLY recruiting.

Do you see the difference between THIS and between legitimate Network Marketing companies? I hope you do, because it is pretty freakin’ huge… THERE ARE PRODUCTS AND/OR SERVICES FOR SALE… If it is a company that has legitimate products for purchase, it does NOT qualify as a pyramid scheme, despite the fact that it does involve team building. In fact, when you think about a typical corporate environment, there are often bonuses for referrals. When you work at the company for so long, you are granted the opportunity to make recommendations for people that you think would be a good addition to the company. If they are hired, make it through the probationary period, and succeed in their role, you receive compensation for the recommendation. So when you think of it that way, the corporate environment has team building too! The problem here is that this industry is a relatively new concept to people, so it is difficult to grasp I guess. Think of it this way: Each person involved in Network Marketing is essentially the CEO of their own company. In order for a company to grow and become successful, they typically must have other employees and grow in size. It is the same with Network Marketing. To become truly successful, you need to build a team, and you need to nurture that team consistently to help them grow teams of their own as well. When you think of it this way, Network Marketing actually is more of an inverse pyramid. Why? Because in order for one person to be successful, they have to aid their team to be successful. You can’t just recruit a bunch of people, then sit back and rake in cash. You need to train your team, help your team to grow, and push your team to achieve new heights in their business. Nobody can simply sit back and get complacent, which appears to be a common assumption.

Number 2: It is offensive. Seriously though! If you ask anyone in the Network Marketing business what they think about people that refer to their JOB as being a pyramid scheme, chances are they will say that it drives them a little bonkers. It is just so frustrating to be so passionate about a company that you love, and to have so many people on so many different fronts constantly trying to dis what you do. We work HARD at what we do (or at least those of us trying to make this a real career) and it can be offensive and rude to have people look us in the face and call the Network Marketing industry a scam or a pyramid scheme. If you care about your friends and family involved in this industry, please do not use those terms when speaking to them about their business. Even when speaking to strangers, it is best if you just keep those words out of your vocabulary when discussing this topic. These days Network Marketing is becoming super popular for being part-time endeavors, so you seriously could be meeting tons of strangers every day that have businesses outside of their “real” jobs without your knowledge. If you want to avoid an awkward and uncomfortable conversation, just keep those little negative thoughts to yourself!

Number 3: It makes YOU look bad. I am aware that this one may offend a few people, because I am sure that there are a lot of you out there that are guilty of doing this on a fairly regular basis. However, I gotta be real… It seriously makes you look kinda silly and ignorant to those of us that actually know the true definition of a pyramid scheme. We live in a time where SO many people around the world are bringing in full-time earnings by working at home with their direct sales business. There are millionaires in many of these companies, and more and more are made all of the time. If you put the time and effort into this industry, and you are willing to learn and to grow as a person, you can be successful in this industry as well. To say that something is a scam, when it is clearly doing so much good for so many family and individuals around the world, is just ridiculous.

If you have been guilty of this, I want to encourage you to please just stop. Start thinking of Network Marketing for what it really is – a successful business opportunity not for the faint of heart.

xoxo

Jess

5 Reasons Direct Sales is MADE for the Struggling Student

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Something about myself that many of my online readers may not know, is that I actually started my direct sales journey while I was an undergrad student. There are challenges that accompany that for sure, because along with class, you are often trying to balance readings, writing papers, preparing presentations or projects, working part-time, and having some form of social life. Having a direct sales business on top of all of that sounds daunting to you on top of all of your other tasks, and it does come with unique challenges. However, it also has a lot of hidden perks. When you have classes through the week, and schedules that change from one term to the next, it can be difficult to find steady employment that is above minimum wage… and let’s face it, minimum wage on part-time working hours for a student is often just not enough. When I started school, I was actually working three part-time jobs. Each job individually did not provide me with enough hours, so I kept taking on more and more. This resulted in little sleep, a lot of stress, and not enough time to focus on my schoolwork. Any of the higher paid jobs typically do not accept students, because they prefer to have people that are going to be there long-term and working on a full-time basis. Add to that the fact that it is becoming increasingly hard to find a job in the first place, at least where I am from in the Maritimes.

I was pretty fortunate in that I was able to get into a good and steady job the summer after my second year of my degree. It wasn’t much in terms of hours during the winter months, but the hours and income I had during the summer allowed me to save. I also managed to get a perfect job for a student in my final year, a security guard in a government building. I worked weekends, which admittedly did suck, but it permitted me to study and work on schoolwork in between my responsibilities because the building was nearly always shut down on weekends. Most students are unable to have that luxury. For that reason, it is almost like the direct sales industry is perfect for the struggling student.

Here’s 5 reasons WHY direct sales is MADE for the struggling student:

  1. You have the ability to choose your own schedule. Have exams coming up, three papers to write, and a presentation to prepare for a seminar? Not an issue. With a direct sales business, YOU get to choose when and how you work. If you only have 5 minutes before class, you can write a quick post for Facebook and share an image on social media. Network marketing provides you with the freedom and flexibility to CHOOSE when you need to focus on your studies, and when you have time to focus on your business. There were some days when I was just totally drained mentally, emotionally, and physically from school (especially exam week), so having the ability to say “you know what, I think I need to take a day off from working my business and focus on my studies, or even just to relax and power up” is amazing.
  2. You are surrounded by potential customers. One of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t use that huge advantage while I had the chance. I am shy and more introverted, so I didn’t network like I could have. If you are a social person, this is honestly the perfect opportunity for you to use that to your benefit and make connections that will ultimately propel your business forward. University is just full of students, and gives you a giant advantage over everyone else doing a business. You have opportunities to meet new people DAILY.
  3. You save money on products you love. When you pick a direct sales company to join, you need to make it something that you love and fully support. In doing so, you will be genuine with those around you and they will see that in you. Working for a company that you love will allow you to get the products you would be buying anyway at a much cheaper price, and even make a return on all of your purchases through commissions from sales you make with the company. I chose a beauty brand and a health and fitness company because those were (still are) my passions, and I stuck around for 3+ years. I am with LimeLife now, and it is something that I absolutely love and enjoy doing, and it allows me to save money on amazing makeup and skin care that I would be buying full price anyway.
  4. You can take your job with you wherever you go. I went to school in my hometown, but a lot of people that I went to school with were from out of town. Many people came from different cities, provinces, or even countries to study. If this is you, what happens to your job if you go home over the holidays, during summer breaks, or when you graduate? Chances are a place of employment will be okay with 1 week vacation to go home, but they won’t be down with an entire summer. With direct sales, you can bring your business WITH you. While on holiday breaks, summer breaks, or upon graduation, you can continue working on your business. It is even better for you this way, because it allows you to network and make connections in your hometown and across the country as well!
  5. Extra income to support you throughout your degree. Every company is different, so I can’t speak for the payment schedules of all direct sales companies. However, I can tell you that LimeLife has the best compensation plan that I have seen for a direct sales company. The commission is deposited onto a special credit card that you can withdraw from, or even use to pay for in-store purchases like groceries, gas, etc. Personally, I chosen to allow my commission to accumulate on the card to use it to help pay off my student loans. This approach gives you an opportunity to support yourself throughout your degree with something you enjoy doing on your own time, by your own terms.

The naysayers will try to convince you that it is a waste of time, or that it isn’t worth it, but they are wrong. Even if you only have time to work on it super part-time like I did when I was in school, it still allows you to build a following through networking while in school and establish credibility among your friends, family, and peers. Over time that business will grow, and eventually you will have more time to put into it, and it will be worth it to see the result.

Are you a struggling student with a direct sales business already? I would love to hear about how this industry has helped you throughout the duration of your university career! Please share below in the comments :)

Feel free to reach out to me at any time should you have additional questions!

xoxo

Jess

So you want a business opportunity that is free?

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Much like anyone else in the network marketing business, I am a member of multiple groups to network with other people in the industry and those looking to become a member of the industry. Within these groups, I see countless posts on a regular basis of people seeking business opportunities with no starter costs. If you are one of those people – this is for you.

If you have been searching for anything free, chances are you can’t find a business opportunity that is free because that is not the way that the world works. Network marketing is NOT a get rich quick scheme. Network marketing is a legitimate business opportunity, and essentially you are your own CEO. Obviously all companies are a little bit different in how they do things, but for the most part, you are paying a fee to start that covers a kit full of products, training, website fees, etc.

Think of it this way. If you wanted to start your own store locally, you wouldn’t be able to just do it for free. There are start up costs, and a whole lot more that way too. Network marketing gives you the opportunity to have your own company without all of the hassle of producing the product and shipping it out.  You can’t expect companies to give you the world. The products that come in those kits are super discounted already (at least with my company, LimeLife) , so you can’t expect to be handed them for free. Not to mention that initial fee also covers your training online, it usually covers a personalized website, you get a LimeLife credit card for your commission, and more.

Another common theme among people that make these posts is to say “well I would rather join for free and not get the starter kit”. That is available with LimeLight as well, but I am sorry, that option just makes no sense if you want to get your business off to a good start from the beginning! Having a start up kit is essential to a new business so that you can use the products and accurately represent them to your customers. You need to have experience with the products and be knowledgeable about the products if you are going to sell them successfully. People are going to ask you what you think of certain products and expect you to be able to give them an honest answer. They won’t appreciate you saying “well, I don’t know actually because I have never tried any of the products”. Right then and there you will lose all credibility with that potential customer, and that is bad for your business.

If you are just joining a company for the sake of joining a company and making money, I have to be honest, don’t bother. People can tell when you are genuinely passionate about a product or if you are just trying to push it, and they will gravitate to those they can tell truly care about the product. People want to buy from people that they can trust, and with whom they have formed a relationship. If you’re all about the sale and you place little value on the customer experience, you’re not going to get far in this industry.

Now I know that if you’re struggling and you don’t have a lot of money it can be difficult to make that investment, which is why some of the people making those posts are seeking something free to join. However, if you are serious about wanting a business opportunity that you love and creating a life of financial freedom, you’ll make the effort to save up bit by bit until you can pay for your kit. Even just a couple of dollars here and there will add up.

Just remember that with any network marketing business, you need to put in what you want to get back out of it. If you are not willing to make an investment into your business, then that is a choice that you are making, and it is something you are going to have to learn to live with. I don’t believe in sugar coating the truth to get people to join my team because I feel like people need to know the truth about network marketing prior to joining. It is important that you know what you can expect from this industry and what it will take to be successful, because it simply may not be for you.

It’s not for everyone, and that is perfectly okay.

Visit my previous post to learn about the Network Marketing industry. If you are still interested in making this a part of your life, Click Here to learn about LimeLife, or visit my website to sign up today! I have my own team training resources in addition to those provided through LimeLife corporate and our Facebook training group, and I would love to have you on my team and help you create the success you are hoping for.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Jess

‘Tis the season!

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A great post about the season of giving, as we are just on the cusp of the holidays.

You'll get it when you're older...

Recently I was volunteering at my local foodbank with some work colleagues. We had done a huge food drive at the office, then spent a morning packing turkey dinner fixins for families, cleaning shelves, organizing food, and other helpful type things. The whole experience was a  lot of fun and really rewarding, but it also got me thinking.

When I was little I was in brownies (for like a year, but let’s not talk about it), and I went to church (for like, 23 years, but let’s not talk about it). Donating to the food bank, and toy drives for needy families was THE THING to do at Christmas. At brownies we would all try to bring in as many cans of corn and boxes of kraft dinner as we could each week in order to make a sizable donation before Christmas.  By the end of the holidays the food…

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Fall Into Fitness Challenge Group!

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It has been a great summer with lots of nice weather, and I am sure that we have all enjoyed our fair share of BBQ’s, cold drinks, ice cream, junk food, etc. Now that summer is over, it is time to get yourself back on track with your nutrition and your exercise routine. After all, summer bodies are built in the winter months!

Let’s get ahead of the holiday weight-gain and get some awesome results to show off to your friends and family during Christmas and New Year’s visits. Most people wait until New Year’s to start, and statistically speaking, very few actually are still on track a few months – let alone a year later. Establish those habits prior to the holidays, and not only will you be less likely to gain a bunch of weight during the holiday season, but you’ll also be more likely to stick it out beyond January 1st.

I actually have a few girls starting CIZE in a couple of weeks, so I am currently looking for a few extra people looking to lose 10-15+ pounds. You will be drinking shakeology daily, working out, and interacting daily in a private challenge group with others doing the program as well! Not only will you receive the full fitness program, but you will also receive the nutrition plan and a month supply of Shakeology (which replaces one meal a day – I prefer breakfast). PLUS you also receive a month free of Beachbody On Demand where you can access over $2000 worth of fitness programs by amazing trainers, meal plans, and healthy meal recipes to try out. This is in addition to having a personal coach (me) to help and support you along this journey, and a small team of people doing this with you for support and accountability.

This is a fun way to learn about health and fitness in a secure environment with like-minded people to support and encourage you along the way. Let me know if this sounds like something that you could benefit from! In the meantime, feel free to join my Health and Fitness group.

Comment below with “I’m In!” if you are ready to take this next step toward a healthier life!

xoxo

Jessica