@DanaMNelson – Page 9

January 7, 2011

5 Simple Things to Rev Up Your LinkedIn in 2011

Linkedin, remember it? The social network for grown ups. Many people often under utilize this very rich resource for business connections. Here are some quick, simple, easy ways that you can rev up your LinkedIn profile.

#1 Update your bio on your LinkedIn profile While reading the book Branding Yourself – How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself by Erik Deckers and Kyle Lacy, I was reminded I need to look at my LinkedIn profile. They pointed out “your bio needs to change and update… in both written and verbal form” as your experience, skills, and accomplishments change. It’s a new year,and it’s a great time to reflect on your past year.

#2 Update all your current information Be sure to include any new online social platforms like a twitter account or a blog. Be sure your employer is current. Please be sure to list the e-mail that is best to contact you. I love it when I look up a professional’s e-mail on Linkedin so I can send them an important document and they have listed CurlyQ at yahoo dot com.

#3 Make sure to update your photograph Be sure to use a a professional head shot. Kyle and Eric remind us that LinkedIn is not the place to have a photo of yourself that’s unprofessional or worse yet – not have a photo at all. They compare not having your photo on Linkedin, the professional networking site, like going to a networking event with a mask on. What’s the point?

#4 Make it a point to update your connections on a regular basis After att

ending that networking event where you took your mask off, be sure to add those new connections to your LinkedIn connection.

#5 Give a recommendation Te easiest way to get a recommendation is to give one. The holiday season may be over but this is the time to be generous.

I love the way Linkedin can connect you to a variety of people all over to find common business and personal interests. I met, via Twitter, Chris Husong. That led to our connection on other platforms like Linkedin. On Linkedin Chris Husong is a LION or Linkedin Open Networker. Through Chris I met Clent Alexander, Owner of the San Diego Flash Professional Soccer Club. Clent had a great post today on his facebookstory about Linkedin:

“So my friend was looking for an attorney. I suggested he post a request on LinikedIn. He got a call from a guy, who knew a guy. He and the referral spoke on the phone. “Where are you located?”. Turns out they’re in the same building, 6 suites down the hall from each other.
Conclusion: Sometimes the power of the internet can help you find someone 100 ft away!”

However you use Linkedin, to connect at home or around the globe, it’ll only work for you-

IF YOU USE IT

I’d love to hear your Linkedin story.

January 7, 2011

Just Start / Keep Blogging

Finding inspiration is hard

It’s 8:50 PM and I’m still trying to come up with my inspiration for blogging today. I have blogged every day with the exception of Christmas Day and Christmas eve, including the days of my procedures.

Giving other people courage

There have been more and more people telling me that they’ve been inspired to blog. They’ve seen my dedication to posting daily, but more than that they’ve seen other people, and their dedication to blogging. I don’t think it’s that we’re doing it every single day that’s inspiring these people; it’s that we’re choosing to find things that are meaningful in our lives we feel worthwhile to share. I think because we have the courage to let our guard down, and share intimate thoughts, that gives other people the courage to do the same.

Join us

If you’ve been thinking about taking the blog-a-thon challenge, but you’re too intimidated to do it every single day, just do it. Start today, make that commitment. Maybe it’s not everyday, maybe it’s once a week, or every other day. Whatever it is, make a commitment to YOU. Start up that blog, and share with us the things you need to say. Share the things we need to hear.

You Matter

If you’ve been blogging, please know the things you’re saying are reaching people that desperately need to hear your message. Please continue even if you’re struggling with it. We’d love to hear from you, feel free to share your blog in the comments, or to share another blog that has touched you.

If Today Was Their Last Day by Dan Perez

This blogger is not one of the blog-a-thon participants,

but this post moved me today.

January 6, 2011

Reading with my eyes closed

I underwent the procedure to remove my stents today. The CT scan

was inconclusive so the hope was to remove the stents and see if that was the problem. As I mentioned before this is too soon for them to cone out. There are still lots of stone fragments that need to come out. Without

the stents this will be a painful process. I came home with aspirations of reading. I have three must reads in my possession.

Content rules by CC Chapman and Ann Handley.

Almost isn’t good enough by Wayne Elsey.

Branding Yourself by Erik Deckers and Kyle Lacy.

What I have managed to do is bend the binding, mark myself up with my highlighter, and place a sleep scar on my face in the impression of a book corner. I have tried to read, but the medication has other plans for today.

So now I bid you all good night. (This post was written quickly before I fell asleep again and on my iPhone. )

*
DISCLOSURE:I borrowed the book Content Rules from our local Library, I purchased Almost Isn’t Good Enough from Amazon, and I was sent a free copy of Branding Yourself, because I bugged Erik to death, and because I will be reviewing it for our local Business journal. The Links to each book are in fact affiliate links to my Amazon account, where if you click that link and purchase the book I am suppose to receive a small percent. (Big deal. Google it, order it from your local book seller, who cares as long as you invest in one or all of these books to enrich yourself.)

January 5, 2011

Medical update:

Like I said I am finding this easier to blog about other stuff than to blog about what I am going through. At the start I thought I had it under control, (an illusion I know.) I knew what to expect as I have undergone this very procedure before. I even told several people that I knew what to expect, and that I was not going to kid myself about the am

ount of pain and the amount of time I would be out of commission. I also followed those statements with “but this one won’t be as bad, because they (my kidneys) are cleaner than they were the first time, and it is only one side.”

I was so wrongIn the days preceding the procedure, I had some significant kidney pain on the left side. So on the day of my scheduled cleanout, I told the doctor about it and asked that he look into it. I remember him saying “good call on the left kidney” when I woke up. Turns out they did clean out both sides. Over the next few days I had discomfort. I expected discomfort. What I did not expect was that my pain and discomfort would get worse over the passing days. I wrote it off with the rationalization that you always hurt worse 24-48 hours after a crash.

Gaining more than expected

So I started retaining water, or so I thought. My torso started swelling and over the past few days I have grown to look a solid 8-9 months pregnant! So on top of the pain of the kidneys being beaten from the inside out, and the discomfort of having hard plastic crazy straws stuck inside me, I now had the pressure and discomfort of being pregnant!

I have had x-rays and a CT scan. I have no answers yet. But the doctor did wish to remove the stents tomorrow. It is a bit early and I still have lots of stone fragments that will need to pass. Maybe it is my body rejecting or revolting about the stents. Maybe it is my bottom of the barrel revelation that I do not want to be fat (or pregnant) ever again. Maybe there is another medical reason for me to be so swollen. But that is the hardest part: The Uncertainty. I just don’t know what is going on.

Thank you to all my friends for your continued help, support love and prayers.

January 4, 2011

It Matters

Content Matters

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NMA_zMSzyU&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Below are some of the bloggers participating in the Blog-a-thon.

Name Blog

Stacey Shanks www.YogaAndLife.com

BgKahuna www.bgkahuna.com

Zachary Long www.fenglongphoto.com/blog

Shanna Hall www.healthyfitandsexy.com

Bonnie Schnautz www.brenewed.com

Paula Diaco www.signaramavt.com

Jennifer Tallini www.yogawithstyle.com/blog/

Mary Biever Real Life in the River City

Mandy Gregory www.mamasowngreenclean.com

If you are not on here send me a link to your site and I will add it.

January 3, 2011

5 things to consider before you decide to promote your brand online:

Letting go of control

Sometimes, those of us who habitually spread ourselves too thin over too many things have to let go.

We like to feel like we are in control in business, life, and relationships. We micro manage the details to the extreme. And because of this dedication to detail we seem to be successful.

It’s an illusion

The ‘control’ we think we have is an illusion. We think we are on the right path with our life and career, that we have the reigns of destiny.

One drunk driver, one heart attack, one stray bullet can bring our well crafted, well intended futures crumbling down around us. Often it’s not until then, when we are left to sift through the rubble, that we realize we never had control in the first place.

I have control of my brand, and my business

No you don’t. With the wide-spread acceptance of social media as a means of communication, a business can no longer hide behind the illusion that it’s in control of its brand by choosing to moderate comments or by choosing not be on social media at all.

Deleting negative posts

When a brand decides to maintain brand reputation by deleting negative feedback, let’s say for example on their Facebook fan page, they assume they are controlling the conversation. The problem is that the conversation stops between the brand and the consumer and continues consumer to consumer.

People will continue to speak about good and bad service that your brand has provided even if you are not willing to participate.

5 things to consider before you decide

to promote your brand online:

Are you willing to give up control?
Are you prepared to deal with negative feedback?
Do you have a purpose?
What are your goals?
What are you willing to risk?

If you’ve not thought through your goals and laid out a plan that fits your purpose, then you’d better be willing to risk it all.

January 1, 2011

Reaching Out to Others vs. Allowing Others to Reach Out to me

As I mentioned yesterday I tried to reach out to others who were suffering in order to offer hope and encouragement. I didn’t really let me guard down, express the anxiety I was feeling, and talk about what I was going though.

Wednesday night I let my guard down. I privately DMed my pastor @DaleBeaver

“Please pray for peace/calm, starting to freak out.”

He replied within minutes with a Bible verse that was spot on what I needed to hear. I thought maybe others need to hear it too. So I thanked him and tweeted it publicly. As a side note for those who don’t know me: I am a Christ Follower, but I DO NOT post much “churchy” stuff. I hold more to the – practice kindness talk to people and show your love than the preach it method- that is just WHO I am.)

Much to my surprise this sparked several side conversations, and more DMs from other people. So I posted it on Facebook.

“THANK YOU!! To Dale Beaver who sent this to me via Twitter, at a moment of top stress about tomorrow. (I really NEEDED to hear it) Philippians 4:6-7 “

Again, this is WAY out of norm for me. What I found was more and more outpouring of love compassion and caring. Many more started telling me stories of things they have endured and things they have suffered. And more than one THANKED me. Thanked me for saying I was scared? This seemed off to me, for them to thank me for posting, I was the one who was getting what I needed to hear not them.

There is a difference

When we drop our guard, and let people see we are hurting, or in need of friendship, we find something more special than we could have imagined.

-we find true and new friends alike.

-we find a deeper understanding of people’s beliefs.

-we find out how highly we are valued as people, not for our work, but for who we are.

-we find that through our suffering we can encourage others to be brave.

If I can stop one Heart from breaking
I shall not live in vain
If I can ease one Life the Aching

Or cool one Pain
Or help one fainting Robin
Unto his Nest again
I shall not live in Vain.

Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)

December 30, 2010

Today is the day

Today is the day. Surgery is this afternoon so I thought I should get today’s blog in before then.

I started this blog-a-thon to encourage some other bloggers and want to be better bloggers to write more. But I also started it for me. I started it to step out of my comfort zone and talk about some personal issues.

I failed

I gave you the facts and history. I kept blogging every day save for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But I did not get personal. They were not really about me, what I was feeling, how I was reaching out to people and who was talking back.

What I found

I’ve searched for people tweeting about kidney stones and had a few conversations of encouragement from me. Usually asked some questions, but did not make any real sparks. (People in pain are not real conversationalists.)

I’ve had conversations with @LeeAase , Director, Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media. Even with the strong initiative that they’ve started at the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media, there just are not a lot of doctors tweeting. If you’re a doctor, nurse or medical researcher reading this tweet me, I want to talk to you.

Real Jewels of Twitter

Aside from @LeeAase, I wasn’t really able to make connections with the group of people I’d intended,

Here’s what I did find – One night I wasn’t sleeping because I was worried about the surgery, trying to cram in some last minute work. so I popped on twitter for a distraction. Saw a tweet from a friend and replied with a RT as he had done.

“Me too! RT @evanashenhurst: Me! RT @313Nick: Hey Twitter. Who’s still up?”

The three of us tweeted about random things, getting to know each other better. I had a new person to follow that was interesting and fun, who then suggested I follow a friend of his he knew I would like: @AllisonNazarian Another new person to follow.

Then it occurred to me this happens all the time on twitter. Someone RT’s you, someone else joins the conversation, and real connections are made.

December 30, 2010

Making Healthier Choices – Carbs and Fat

This week I’m starting my new year off TODAY, by making healthier choices. Today’s choice is really a clever switch.

It is important to reduce, not eliminate totally, your fats and carbs if you are looking to maintain a healthier eating style. I hate the fad diets that starve you of good fats, and all carbs. (I’m a carbaholic!)

Here’s a secret:

If you’re replacing water for soda, you increase water consumption and decreased carbs. (Monday’s Post)

By replacing fries with carrots and celery, you increase your vegetable consumption and decreased your fats. (Tuesday’s post)

Do you find it hard to limit yourself? When it is a forbidden item, do you want it more?

If you start by slowly replacing the carbs and fats with great tasting fruits and vegetables, you will loose a portion of the desire for the bad foods. By simply focusing on adding, you will really be eliminating. Why don’t you join me? Start today.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE7szSLE924&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0]