Doomsday

When the storm comes, true nature will show. Everyone is out for there own interests you know. And another peak, we are starting to reach. We come full circle with words becoming so controversial. Divide we stand, and divide we fall. In the end, fingers shall point, in the directions of all.

4 Mistakes Every New Content Marketer Should Avoid

Content marketing can be a very lucrative career, once you have an established portfolio and client list. It takes time and hard work to build yourself up into a reputable writer that can attract clients. Getting there can be a difficult process and you will learn many lessons over your career. Here are some comment mistakes many new content marketers make.

Falling for these common scams

Scams are rampant these days, and it’s almost impossible to avoid running into a least one while working as a content marketer. A good rule of thumb to follow, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. This can be from a client not paying to stumbling on a website that ends up giving your computer a virus. But the biggest scam I have seen out there is websites promising to give you the answer to becoming rich as a content marketer in a matter of weeks.

A common scam I have run into researching content marketing are people who have you watch a 45 minute video offering you the tips that made them rich as a content marketing. These videos are packed full of basic information a quick google search can provide you, but here’s the catch, if you stay to the end of the video they promise to give you the secret to success. So you stick it out and watch to the end, only to find out you have to pay 3 easy payments of $300 to get answers you are looking for.

The truth is, there is no easy way to becoming a content marketer. It takes time to build a reputation as writer and attract clients to you. Good old fashion hard work is the secret to your success. Sure, you need to be a decent writer and understanding of how to create a piece that will be acceptable, but most of that can be learned overtime. Doing research and taking classes on SEO, content writing, and marketing can help you will all of this.

Inaccurate research

Not everything you read on the internet is true, as a content marketer you want to make sure the information you are providing is 100% accurate. This means you want to use website that are trusted. For that you want to look more towards the .org’s or the .gov’s. If you see that same information on mutable sites, you can start to see that there is a greater chance the information you are finding is true.

Not editing your work

This one speaks for itself. We are all human and make mistakes, but your clients aren’t going to want to keep paying you if you can’t edit your own work before sending it off. I have been guilty of this in the past, especially when I’m rushing to deliver a piece to a client. This is why I have a policy to give myself a whole day with a finished piece before I send it off to a client. Once it’s done, I wait for the next morning to email it. That way I can have one more look at it with fresh eyes, to catch any mistakes that my initial edits have missed.

Forgetting to look into the audience and their needs

Content marketing is intended to bring in leads for our clients business, but the way we do that is by providing their audience with valuable information. This allows our client to build a better relationship with potential and current customers. If we fail to take a look at what the audience wants or needs, we are failing to provide them with the information that they come to find. This can cause our client to not get the sales they are looking for by employing you as a writer.

If you are looking to becoming your own boss, content marketing can open many doors for you. There are going to be many mistakes you make along the way, but failure means you are growing.

Do You Remember The First Time?

Do you remember the first time you fell out of love with someone? Did it happen gradually, before you even realized what was happening? Or was it immediate, like ripping off a Band-Aid? Did it make you want to cry, or curl in a ball? Or maybe it was a relief that the hurt was gone? People are not wounds, nor homes. You can’t pour yourself in them and hope to find happiness inside of it.

Forgiving You Will Be An Act Of Rebellion Against My Heart

How do you forgive someone who isn’t sorry? Forgiveness, after all, is a selfish endeavor. It is saying “I will no longer hold on to the bitterness and in this I release any power you have over my emotions.” This isn’t always about letting them back into your space, but rather having the ability to let them go, while being okay with that. Not everyone is meant to stay in your life forever.

Now tell me, how do you forgive someone who has spent your whole life treating you like an inconvenience? How do you learn to let go of that anger that has become so embedded into your very DNA, without also tearing yourself apart? Is it possible to strip down these strands to single nucleotides and remove the ones that don’t suit the person you wish to be?

I want to live a life of my own accord, but your contribution to my existence is something that holds me back. It is a bitterness that grips my heart in an icy grasp. It is an anger that shatters against the wall. It is a voice that seeks comfort in loud contrast. It is holding on to someone who treats me poorly, because how could I ever know anything different from the example you set?

Forgiving you will be an act of rebellion against my own heart, because I no longer wish for my driving force to be the anger that has built up inside. I want a heart filled with happiness and content. I want to let someone in that has the desire to be by my side. No longer do I wish to hold on to someone out of love. It must have mutual respect and equal effort for me to stay.

I may forgive you and drop the topic, but that doesn’t mean I want you back in my life. I’ve come to see, that once something has been broken, it can be impossible to piece back together. The cracks will always be there and it will never be the way it used to be. Perhaps that is for the best, and we learn to live with it.

In this I have learned that you reach an age when you realize each and every person has a different perspective on life. They are looking at the world with a different set of eyes and see things in ways you couldn’t possibly fathom. People are changing every second of every day. So how can we judge them based on how they respond to the world around them? This is why, in order to heal, we must learn how to forgive. Accepting that, as human beings we are all flawed and make mistakes, hurting people we once cared about.  Letting go of the ones that no longer serve to help us develop as people is how we keep growing.

Why Well-being Should Be The Focus Of Your Corporate Culture

The well-being of employees has become increasingly important in the corporate workplace. This is for a very good reason; if your employee’s well-being is taking a back seat it can wreak havoc on their productivity, as well as their health and morale.

By adding well-being to your corporate culture, you are encouraging your employees to operate at their most productive level possible. It has been proven at times where employees well being was not being addressed their performance was negatively impacted. In cases such as these you see:

  • Decrease in productivity
  • Increase in mistakes made
  • Conflict among staff
  • Increase in sickness and missed work days
  • Lower morale among staff
  • Higher staff turnover

When you actively work to make your staff’s well-being a priority you start to see that these problems are no long prevalent. Providing support that helps to engage and motivate your staff is the key to having a successful well being program. It takes time and commitment, but the results speak for themselves.

By focusing on your staff’s overall health, you have the ability to raise motivation and productivity. There are a number of ways to accomplish this. It’s about finding ways to add healthy habits, which might include yoga, healthy eating, meditation, and fitness into their daily lives. Finding a way to balance emotional, physical, mental, and workplace well-being is an important step to a happier life. A happy employee will be a productive employee.

Work In Progress

Something about being 29 makes me feel like there is a sense of urgency to do something meaningful. As if I must accomplish a new goal, or make a complete life change to help finish off this decade right. I’m not sure what that is, yet. But I have some ideas that are a work in progress. Looking forward to sharing them with you. Let’s evolve together.

The Last Year In My 20’s

This past Friday was my 29th birthday. As I enter the last year of my 20’s it makes me think of all the things I have learned over these last few years. I have grown into a completely different person, ready for the next chapter in my life. Here are some of my thoughts about life.

Drinking is a Young Persons Game

When we are young, college age, we are introduced to the world of drinking. It is all around us and the best way to relieve stress after a long week of classes. Everyone around is asking where the best parties are and who is going where. At that age, we can party all night and be fine the next day.

As I have aged, I realized that even a drink or two can greatly impact my performance the next day. This is why I have given up drinking for the most part. When I wake up in the morning I want to be able to face my goals head on, with a clear mind and body. I can’t afford to be groggy or hungover. It’s just not worth it anymore. I’d rather crush my goals on the weekend then spend it in bed nursing a hangover.

Hobbies are Vital

Once we are done with school and off on our respective careers, most of us stop learning. We spend our free time surfing the web, or staying at our T.V. until bed time. This offers us no growth causing us to become stagnant.

Everyone should invest in hobbies. You should have a few different hobby’s; one that makes you smarter, one that makes you fitter, one that challenges you to go further in your career, one that helps your creativity, and one that you enjoy. While you don’t have to do each of these hobbies every day, you should try to fit them in your schedule as often as possible.

Hobbies I like to include in my daily activities include; playing the guitar, video games, writing, reading, cooking, taking online classes, jogging, power lifting, yoga, and meditation. I will often cycle through these hobbies each year to keep things fresh and exciting. I also like to try out a new hobby to help with my creativity. This year I’ve added drawing and painting.

Be Aware of what You are Eating

Food is meant to keep us alive and fueled. Our nation creates a mass amount of food that isn’t good for us to consume. When we are younger it seems like we can eat anything and not suffer any consequences. However, as we age our bodies start to take the hits. While you don’t have to eat healthy every day, try to be aware of what you are putting into your body. Try foods that are going to aid in your health, rather than the ones that can cause damage.

I believer everyone should know how to cook. If you feel like you don’t have time, try meal prepping on the weekends. Try bringing health foods to work, and getting meals that are easy to make and eat when you get home for dinner. It’s a great start to a healthier lifestyle.

My girlfriend and I try to cook dinner together most nights. We have a protein, a vegetable, and a carb for most meals. I recently decide to focus more on the protein and veggie. We make enough for us both to pack a lunch the next day. Some days we will make a large meal that will last for 3-4 days to make the week a little easier for us. We try to cut down on sugar and only add them once in a while.

Time Management is a Must

Getting older also seems to mean getting busier, which is why time management is a must. If you need to, write out everything you wish to accomplish in the week, month, or year. Create a timeline of how you will get that done. Make little goals that you can achieve along the way that will help you reach the main goal. Try your best to stick to the timeline, but don’t get disappointed if you need more time.

I like to use apps on my phone to help with this. To help me build a more productive life, I have a habit building app. I make a list of things I wish to accomplish and how often in the week I want to do them. I then check them off every day after I am complete. This way I hold myself accountable and make sure I am being productive. In the past I have also written out daily schedule and check things off as I went along. Working for myself means I always need to remind myself to not get distracted from my productivity.

Spend Time with Those you Love  

Life isn’t always about work and goals. Sometimes, you need to set all of that aside and enjoy time with your loved ones. Put down the phone, computer, work, and be face to face with them. Let them know how much you appreciate them and build your relationship.

At the end of the day, you are in complete control of the path you are going to take. If you want to create a better version of yourself, it takes little bits of action each and every day. In life you need to find a balance of work and play. It isn’t always easy and many times you will falter, but the key is to keep trying.

Physical Therapy Treatment Solutions for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Treatment Solutions for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints. Autoimmune diseases cause the body to attack itself, because it perceives it as a threat. As the joints are damaged, they become inflamed and painful, often too painful to perform daily tasks.

As the immune system attacks the joints, there is a thickening of the space between them, which results in the destruction of cartilage. Over time, the tendons and ligaments in these areas get stretched out and weaker, causing the joint to lose its shape greatly impacting movement.

Discovering the Symptoms

The early signs of this disease usually begin with pain in the small joints, starting in the fingers and toes. As it progresses, it can move to the other joints and, in rare cases, other areas of the body. Some symptoms to look out for include:

  • Swollen, tender joints
  • Joint stiffness that gets worse with inactivity
  • Fatigue
  • Fever

Treating the Symptoms of RA

Aging on its own can be difficult; with rheumatoid arthritis it’s even harder. Having trouble using your hands, or even standing up can make it difficult to live a normal life. Though there is no cure for this disease, symptoms can be treated medically and with physical therapy.

Flexible Joints, Flexible Life

About two thirds of RA patients have significance muscle loss. In fact, it is found that 70% of strength loss is common in most patients. Research has shown that aerobic and resistance training can help improve functions and overall wellbeing of those who suffer with RA.

  • Weight Training– Reversing muscle loss can help improve movement of the joints, and reduce the disability associated with this disorder. A 24-week resistance training program can increase lean body mass, resulting in improvement of strength and function of the joints.
  • Aerobic Exercise– Patients that partake in aerobic exercise can decrease their risk of mortality around 20-30%. It helps to improve joint function, while increasing flexibility.
  • Other Exercise– Pilates and yoga have also been found to be effective. Elderly patients, who practice tai chi, tend to have better movements in the ankle and knees, due to the increase of joint lubrication.

Patients who suffer from RA are encouraged to partake in some form of exercise as part of their care, as inactivity can cause it to worsen. It is important to consult your local Physical Therapist to help you discover the right exercise regimen for you.

Citation

Cooney JK, Law RJ, Matschke V, et al. Benefits of exercise in rheumatoid arthritis. J Aging Res. 2011;2011:681640. Published 2011 Feb 13. doi:10.4061/2011/681640

Jagpal A, Navarro-Millán I. Cardiovascular co-morbidity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a narrative review of risk factors, cardiovascular risk assessment and treatment. BMC Rheumatol. 2018;2:10. Published 2018 Apr 11. doi:10.1186/s41927-018-0014-y

Veldhuijzen van Zanten JJ, Rouse PC, Hale ED, et al. Perceived Barriers, Facilitators and Benefits for Regular Physical Activity and Exercise in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Review of the Literature. Sports Med. 2015;45(10):1401–1412. doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0363-2

Using A Local Massachusetts Content Writer To Market Your Business

 

So you have decided to start your own business. You have you business plan laid out, a website in the works, and friends who are willing to be your first customers. What do you do next? Well, for a business to success you need a marketing plan. While word of mouth can bring in leads, the internet will bring in more. Here a few ways to market your business.

Utilize Social media

Social media is addictive, which means people are on it constantly. Many companies are taking advantage of this to bring in leads. However, you don’t want to spread yourself too thin. Pick a couple of the more popular sites to use that you know you can keep up to date. If you aren’t going to be able to provide fresh content on it, consider hiring someone to help you with this.

Ads

Don’t have a big enough audience on your social media yet? Consider paying for ads to bring in customers. Writing effective copy can create a conversation and bring people to you. Ads are a great way to utilize social media to gain a bigger following.

SEO

Search Engine optimization should not be underestimated, but also not over used. While you don’t have to litter every piece of writing with SEO, keep it in mind to help with your ranking in Google.

Keep Website Up-to-date

Every once in a while you need revamp your website. Provide new work to your portfolio, write a new about me section, expand if you need to. This is going to show your current customers that you are still growing and they can expect great service, while introducing you to new possible leads.

Blogging

Blogging is a way to get your name out there, and allows you to connect with your clients. It shows that you are knowledgeable about the key aspects of your business, and provides useful information. The best part is, it sits on your page for years to come and can still generate new organic leads. The best way to utilize a blog is to make sure it is being updated on a regular basis.

Finding it hard to keep up with the writing aspect of business? Want to just focus on running your company? I am currently looking for more clients. For any of your writing needs, email me at christinajrasmuson@gmail.com.

Winter Has Come, But Have Your Leads?

Search Engine Ranking: Why Your Company Should Invest In Content Writers

In the age of the internet, it has never been easier for businesses to get their messages out there. However, it also means the competition is getting fierce. Blogging is a modern marketing technique gold mine. Once posted, this content will stay on your site, collecting you leads for years to come. This is why many website will post multiple blogs per day.

Creating content for your website might seem like a simple step to generate leads, but it isn’t always. That’s why many companies are looking to add a content writer to their team. Content writers create content for you to use on your website, and can also help you create ads. They know techniques to help bring in more organic traffic. Here are some reasons you should invest in a content write.

Search Engine Optimized

Anyone can write a blog post and put it on the internet, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to bring in readers. SEO techniques help you raise your ranking with search engines, making it easier for potential leads to find you. Knowing the right keywords and coming up with catchy titles are must have skills for a content writer to stay in business. Once you hire a content writer, you won’t want to go back to doing it yourself.

Time Is Money

Running your own business takes a lot of time, trying to keep up with the content on your own blog isn’t always a simple as it sounds. Many business owners will create a schedule that will work for a while, but then they start missing days, which eventually leads to the blog just stopping all together.

When working with a writer, you don’t have to worry about that. Fresh content will be delivered to you at a time you decide. The more regular the blogging schedule, the higher your organic traffic will get over time. A good content writer is worth their weight in gold.

Experience

Content writers have experience writing for different blogs and are constantly gaining knowledge of works and what doesn’t all the time. This helps to take the trial and error away from you, helping you to get those leads now, rather than later. Not only will the quality of writing be better, but it will be more engaging for your audience.

Tailor Made Content

Know the audience you want to be attracting? A good content writer can take that information and create an article that will deliver exactly what your audience needs to be enticed into clicking your links. This content is created for the use of only your website, making it unique.

Content writing is a skill that I have been honing for 6 years. Your business can’t wait six years to start bringing in leads. If you are in the market to expand your business by adding a content writer to your team, contact me today. You can reach me at ChristinaJRasmuson@gmail.com.