The Importance of Community

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 6

Written by Robin Kelley Harp

When one is working in an online business, it can be a lonely venture! Often family and friends simply do not understand what it is that you are doing. They may assume that you are simply chatting with friends on Facebook or quite honestly, wasting your time. They may not understand how you could generate money from a simple website. This is why the idea of a community is very critical. A tribe is described as a distinctive close-knit group and to be successful in online business, you must find yours.

In the world of online business, who is it that stands out head and shoulders above the rest? These are the people who have been successful and are living the lifestyle you desire. They could be a great asset to you as your mentors in business. For me, the first person that comes to mind is Natalie Sisson. She is that crazy cool Suitcase Entrepreneur that originally planted a dream inside my mind! I was reading online about some women travelers in Canada and came upon the Suitcase Entrepreneur. I immediately looked her up and found the Freedom Plan and jumped in. Whenever I’m feeling doubtful about my capabilities in business, I simply turn on one of her podcasts and immediately become re-inspired. I honestly owe all of this to her! When I get the opportunity to meet her in person, I would really like to dig in and find out exactly what keeps her so incredibly motivated. I am so grateful to her for lighting the world with the potential of freedom!

Another choice as a business mentor would have to be Shelley Hitz. I discovered her on a business podcast and really resonated with what she had to say. She is an author coach, and we share similar values. She is incredibly upbeat and motivational and has helped me with some “tricks of the trade” to start my Kindle book! When I meet her in person, I would probably like to know how she focuses on one project at a time when she has so many book ideas dancing around in her head. Also, off of the business topic, I am very intrigued by her two years as a Christian missionary in Belize.

I would like to add a personal thank you to both of these motivational women who have displayed great courage and had such success in online business! You’ve given me hope!

My Path to Success

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 5

Written by Robin Kelley Harp

What do I need to do now to define my path as successful? One of the main things that I need to focus on is my writing! So, while I’m sitting reflecting and trying to write, a million ideas of what I should be doing are running through my mind. From now on, I will implement the Pomodoro technique to help me stay on track! One can do anything for 25 minutes–right?! After all, I have an amazing idea for a book!! It is all in my head already, and the chapters are outlined. It’s simply just waiting for me to get it organized on paper!

The really great thing about finishing my book will be that it actually connects to my plans for my weight loss membership community. Since I am currently doing everything in my power to lose weight and be as healthy as I can be with this dreaded disease of Sarcoidosis, I am all about health and wellness! It is my prayer that my enthusiasm can help other disabled people discover a success story in their own lives. It is my goal to have that membership community up and running by November 1st, in time to help people through the holidays.

All of this plays a part in helping me get closer to my dreams. I really do have a heart for others, and wish to see chronically ill/disabled people like me living their best life possible! While I am empowering these people to get as healthy as possible, I in turn will be doing the same thing for myself. It’s a win-win!! This “dream” business venture will also allow me and my family to live a location independent lifestyle that I am sooo looking forward to! There are Sarcoidosis survivors all across the world, and I would like to “connect the dots” with each one!

Getting My Spider-Man On!

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 4

Written by Robin Kelley Harp

I must admit that the idea of “unlocking my superpowers” was a very foreign topic to me! What does that really mean? Do I even have such powers? While the first thing that came to mind was a picture of Spider-Man climbing up the facade of a building, I knew that I needed to dig deeper for my answers. I have a favorite bookmark that really says it all for me! It states my belief that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” As a Christian, we have unlimited power through Jesus! That power and deep faith keep me going when all else fails!

Reflecting on what I am actually good at brings to mind several ideas. One of the things that I have always been told by others is that I am a good listener and can “read between the lines” in a conversation. I usually have a way of knowing how someone is truly feeling about something despite the words they use. I call this intuition, or discernment. I believe that this is a good trait to have, especially as a weight loss coach.

Another “superpower” or gift that I have, I believe, is the power to motivate others! With my disease of Sarcoidosis, I have good days and bad days but try to remain upbeat through it all! I also enjoy being a bright spot that helps to inspire people around me. For example, I have always been the go-to person in my family when someone needed a sounding board or a safe place. This also serves well for my business niche. I understand the challenges of being a disabled person with 100 pounds to lose. Believe me, if I can do this, anyone can–and that’s what I hope to express to my clients! So possibly for me, the best superpower of all is that I am just your average person who’s been battling in the trenches but shows up to win!

“Good morning, beautiful.”

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 3

Written by Robin Kelley Harp

Mmm–morning! I open my eyes as my hubby leans over to give me a sweet morning kiss, followed by a whispered “Good morning beautiful.” in my ear! We are up early this morning so that we can get to the beach before sunrise. We grab a couple of pieces of fruit out of our organic fruit basket that we received upon arrival, and head out to the beach. We polished off the bottle of champagne last night. The sun begins its beautiful morning ascent as we hit the beach. As I am blind, hubby describes the beautiful sight in detail!

The golden sand is already gaining warmth from the sun, as we sit on our blanket and dig our toes into the sand. Mmm, what an incredibly peaceful, easy feeling! We lie there together enjoying the soft, warm breeze as we discuss our plans for the day. After a brief dip in the ocean, we head back to the hotel to shower and get ready for the day. We enjoy a delicious seafood lunch with a business associate. After lunch we continue to work on a special project for a couple of hours. We get our most important work completed, and the rest of the day belongs to us.

We head out to the historic district to explore this wonderful old town for the afternoon. The sea breeze seems to have followed us to a quaint little stone restaurant for dinner. We eat outside on the patio while enjoying the sounds of Caribbean music. Hubby talks me into a nice, soft slow dance and promises to hold me tight! As it is now twilight, we decide to take a taxi back to the hotel and complete our beautiful day with a glass of wine in the hotel cafe. Sweet dreams!

Why I Do What I Do

 

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 2

Written by Robin Kelley Harp

I am convinced that through discovering and understanding your personal “why” you can become anything you wish to become! You see, this personal dedication to the bigger picture will always keep you pressing forward! The beauty of your personal “why” keeps you striving for your long term goals, even when your today doesn’t go very well. My personal why stems from many years of disability and challenge. It continues to give me hope to get up every morning!

My deep core reason for doing what I do revolves around the disease of Sarcoidosis. I have been dealing with this disease on a daily basis for 30 years now, and 8 years ago it caused me to go blind. Sarcoidosis is primarily a pulmonary auto-immune disease, but can affect every organ in your body. Sarcoidosis is just as insidious as Cancer, just without the recognition. Basically, the medical community does not know much about this mystery disease. My goal in this life is to spread awareness of the disease of Sarcoidosis, find the unknown cause, and ultimately through research find a cure. I have dedicated myself to this purpose…’til my last breath! For that purpose, I have started a Sarcoidosis community on Facebook. Everything that I plan to do will refer back to Sarcoidosis awareness!

I am currently working on a business venture to help chronically ill and disabled persons who need to lose weight. I intend to use the profit from this venture to fund my Sarcoidosis awareness campaign. As a wheelchair-bound disabled person, I realize how easy it is to gain excess weight, and how difficult it is to then lose it. The medication Prednisone alone (which is given for auto-immune diseases) can really pack the weight on. With illness and fatigue, you are unable to exercise, and so one feels very helpless. I have recently reached my goal weight loss of 100 pounds with a fantastic nutrition program utilizing very little movement. I am bursting at the seams so ready to help others do what they feel is impossible! It is possible to be physically disabled and still lose 50-100 pounds!! I am ready to empower and inspire others like me!

Seeking Clarity Amidst Chaos

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 1

Written by Robin Kelley Harp

Growing up in America we are taught that we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. But how free are we really if we work for a boss who dictates our daily activities while at the same time being limited by our weekly paychecks? Are we brave enough then to strike out on our own and start a new business venture from scratch? This Georgia girl decided last November that I was indeed brave enough, ready, willing, and able. So here I am, ten months later–stuck!! Why?

Taking the time to sit down and reflect on this question, I discovered many reasons for this dilemma! I must admit that I have some serious obstacles in my path, but I was well aware of them going into this. These larger obstacles revolve around my chronic illness of Sarcoidosis, including my blindness. Therefore I must accept being a little slower than most, but determined nevertheless to cross the finish line! While working around the health issue, I realized that something deeper must be holding me back! But what?

Could it possibly be that instead of being scared of failure, I am actually scared of possibly being successful? I know that may sound strange, unless you understand the mindset that I had growing up. In my household, there seemed to be a definite bias against people with money. In fact, I have just come to the acceptance that wealth is not a dirty word!

Honestly, this writing exercise regarding my challenges around finding my focus has really made me brutally aware of the issues that are holding me back! I have been self-limiting my potential success based on a negative mindset that I must restructure. I intend to wake up totally fresh and recharged tomorrow morning, ready to start anew and cross those hurdles on my way to the finish line!