Tip Number Six: Yes, you can dye your eyebrows when you get your hair done. Have grey hairs in your eyebrows? Feel like the color is not quite matching with your haircolor? Ask your stylist to tint them while you are having your color done–the charge will be minimal, if any, and you will be thrilled with the results. Some salons may have you sign a release for this–but it’s only to protect them if you have an allergic reaction or something strange.  If your stylist knows you well, and has a history of coloring your hair, this will not be an issue. If you are concerned, they can do a little test on a sensitive area of skin beforehand to give you piece of mind.

Mary Kay Holmes has been a hairstylist in Los Angeles for 12 years, and works out of a private studio space in Culver City. After growing up in New Mexico and moving to California in 1995 to work in the movie industry, she settled in Mar Vista with her husband and two children in 2005. Now if only she could figure out how to add an ocean view and infinity pool to her roof, she would consider this neighborhood paradise! Check out her website www.mkstyles.com.

Tip Number Six: What Is Accepting? “What is” is the root of relieving all suffering, stress, and fear. Having the willingness to accept any pain we may have is how we come to know our happiness. By knowing the source of our tension and why it is there, we open the doorway to change. For example, a boyfriend didn’t call you back when he said he would and it hurt your feelings, or a co-worker spilled coffee on important papers and you freaked because you didn’t have copies, or you lost your patience with a driver who blocked you in at a Trader Joe’s parking lot. Accept imperfection. When we greet whatever is happening with acceptance, we take things less personally and experience more inner-balance. Realizing that you cannot always change your circumstances or other people’s, ask yourself if you can accept yourself in the present situation as it is.

Lynn Zavaro is an author and artist who has emerged as a defining voice in the art of guiding others to know themselves and create the life they want through the lens of spiritual psychology. She has a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology and has worked in a clinic counseling individuals, couples, children and youth groups. Lynn developed a series of interactive and experiential books and games to support others in having fun while artfully discovering themselves on their creative life paths. Her book and card deck set, The Game of You – An Interactive Way to Know Yourself, Create the Life You Want releases this Fall 2010 from Schiffer Publishing. Find out more about Lynn, her upcoming workshops, and play a free sample game on her website: www.gameofyou.com. Lynn also writes a weekly food blog combining The Game of You cards with a little insight, story and a recipe or two: www.thegameofyou.blogspot.com. She lives in Venice, CA.

Tip Number Six: Setting Boundaries:  Women who are juggling work, family, aging parents, start-up businesses, and relationship issues are subject to constant demands from others.  By learning to set healthy boundaries, you’ll feel better, and so will everyone you interact with.  Healthy boundaries are created from strength rather than fear.  Healthy boundaries mean being able to say yes when you mean it, and say no like you mean it.  Clarity, consistency, and a firm belief that you deserve adequate time and resources to respond to a request will help you respond to others with good boundaries.  Practice setting small boundaries, and the bigger ones will seem like less of a challenge.

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and frequent speaker and author specializing in women’s health and well-being, and chronic health issues. Learn more about her practice at www.drkubacky.com.

Tip Number Six: Track Your Efforts. A good web analytics software such as Google Analytics (which is free) is a must in order to properly track and analyze your online marketing efforts. You will be able to see where traffic is coming from, which of your website pages are most popular, what keywords are leading people to your site, how long they stay, what they click on and much more. So for each of your marketing efforts you should be able to see the results and determine whether it was cost-effective or not. Repeat or expand on those efforts that are working and refine or drop those efforts that aren’t making any headway. If you speak to customers over the phone, or in your store, always ask how they found you and keep a record of that information – not all data can be gathered from your website. Looking at the keywords will give you insight into how people really search for your business and can give you ideas for ways to add to, or tweak your website content.

Lucy Beer is an online marketing professional of more than 8 years. She loves to consult with and teach small businesses and entrepreneurs how to develop their online marketing strategies. She works one-on-one with individuals, or in small groups to train your staff, whether you are a total beginner or are looking to take your web marketing to the next level. She is also a WordPress-aholic and provides WordPress training. She blogs at www.webtrainingwheels.com and you can reach her at: lucy@webtrainingwheels.com

Tip Number Six: Keep Looking For Offers. The top 3 factors, in my humble opinion, that get a home sold are: location, price, & accessibility. So you’ve got all 3 going for you & now have an offer. Woohoo! Right about now, most homeowners want to stop doing open houses & limit when to show their home. This mindset is similar to switching from running to walking when the finish line is in site. If you have a great offer & the perfect buyer for your home, keep showing it! Maybe you’ve even become friends with the buyer, great! But if anything happens to their loan, their cash, they change their mind. Guess what? You start all over again! Don’t stop until you cross the finish line, in this case means your home is officially SOLD! Click through this slide show for tips on how to create accessability: http://homesellingdiy.com/archives/66

Kim Halverson is a second generation Realtor, with her sister Kristine, in Los Angeles’ Westside. Her focus incorporates qualities that result in confidence and trust from buyers and sellers.  See more about Kim at: www.KimAndKristine.com. Also for practical home selling tips go to: www.HomeSellingDIY.com

Tip Number Five: If you have frizzy hair and want to save yourself time in the morning, get a Brazilian Blowout. Yes, they are expensive…but if you can let your hair air dry wavy with no frizz or blow out in half the time, isn’t an investment worth it?  Do a consult with your stylist and find out if your texture is a good candidate–I have a client who called from Florida and was air drying with no frizz!

Mary Kay Holmes has been a hairstylist in Los Angeles for 12 years, and works out of a private studio space in Culver City. After growing up in New Mexico and moving to California in 1995 to work in the movie industry, she settled in Mar Vista with her husband and two children in 2005. Now if only she could figure out how to add an ocean view and infinity pool to her roof, she would consider this neighborhood paradise! Check out her website www.mkstyles.com.

Tip Number Five: Loving-Kindness.  Loving-kindness is the end-all-be-all of discovering our true happiness. How much we love ourselves is directly equal in proportion to how much we are capable of loving and receiving love. To affectively embrace and embody the act of loving ourselves, we have to be kind to ourselves and respectful. This loving-kindness placed toward us will then project outwardly to others. In full circle it will reflect back to us. Take a moment to see if there is a way you are being hard on yourself like judging yourself for not being good enough at your job, or basing your inner-value by the amount of money you have in the bank, or feeling undeserving of a friend’s compliment. Learning how to offer ourselves more loving-kindness softens our heart and enables us to care for ourselves more deeply in order to cultivate more generosity towards others with greater ease.

Lynn Zavaro is an author and artist who has emerged as a defining voice in the art of guiding others to know themselves and create the life they want through the lens of spiritual psychology. She has a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology and has worked in a clinic counseling individuals, couples, children and youth groups. Lynn developed a series of interactive and experiential books and games to support others in having fun while artfully discovering themselves on their creative life paths. Her book and card deck set, The Game of You – An Interactive Way to Know Yourself, Create the Life You Want releases this Fall 2010 from Schiffer Publishing. Find out more about Lynn, her upcoming workshops, and play a free sample game on her website: www.gameofyou.com. Lynn also writes a weekly food blog combining The Game of You cards with a little insight, story and a recipe or two: www.thegameofyou.blogspot.com. She lives in Venice, CA.

Tip Number Five: Your Thyroid, Depression, and Anxiety:  Your thyroid is a small gland in your neck that impacts over 100 bodily systems and functions.  If it’s unbalanced, you can experience debilitating symptoms.  On the mental health front, under-active thyroid (hypothyroid) can mimic depression, and over-active thyroid (hyperthyroid) can present as anxiety.  Women are more inclined towards hypothyroidism than men.  If you’re feeling “off,” make sure you and/or your therapist are considering all the possibilities, including underlying physical causes.

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and frequent speaker and author specializing in women’s health and well-being, and chronic health issues. Learn more about her practice at www.drkubacky.com.

Tip Number Five: Be Social. Many business owners groan at the thought of social media, another item on their already too-long to-do list. But I invite you to consider that it’s a very inexpensive way to promote your business, and you have the ability to find your precise audience. Contrary to popular belief, you DON’T have to be a total narcissist to participate effectively in social media, and in fact it’s much better if you have other people’s benefit in mind, not your own! Many entrepreneurs and business-owners have a great passion for their business and industry niche. That passion is contagious and appealing to potential customers – social media is the perfect vehicle to share it. Take the approach of providing interesting, valuable or entertaining updates that showcase your personality and company values. Look for opportunities to help others rather than overtly self-promote. Goodwill will generate great word of mouth and social proof for your business. You can also use social media to find out what people are saying about your business or industry and you can respond directly or answer questions. Increasingly, Tweets and other social updates and profile information are being archived by search engines, so it offers another opportunity for your business to gain visibility. Social media is a long-term strategy so give it a few months of consistent work before making any determinations about its effectiveness.

Lucy Beer is an online marketing professional of more than 8 years. She loves to consult with and teach small businesses and entrepreneurs how to develop their online marketing strategies. She works one-on-one with individuals, or in small groups to train your staff, whether you are a total beginner or are looking to take your web marketing to the next level. She is also a WordPress-aholic and provides WordPress training. She blogs at www.webtrainingwheels.com and you can reach her at: lucy@webtrainingwheels.com

Tip Number Five: How Easy Access Sells Homes. You would think that a home for sale listed on the MLS would be able for buyers to see, right? Wrong! As I write this, I can’t get 2 of my buyers into see a condo they have the cash, the loan, they want to move & I can’t get them in! Argh! It reminds me of that scene in Pretty Woman. Remember when she had all that cash to buy some respectable clothes & no one would help her? So frustrating. When selling your home, accessibility is one of the top 3 reasons a home will sell. Make sure you are able to let buyers into your home to write an offer. Listen to this audio to create access not obstacle for selling your home: http://homesellingdiy.com/archives/69

Kim Halverson is a second generation Realtor, with her sister Kristine, in Los Angeles’ Westside. Her focus incorporates qualities that result in confidence and trust from buyers and sellers.  See more about Kim at: www.KimAndKristine.com. Also for practical home selling tips go to: www.HomeSellingDIY.com

Tip Number Four: Don’t cut your own bangs. Your hairstylist will happily get you in for a quick 5 minute trim–ask them what they charge and if you can call them the day of.  Most won’t charge more than $5 if you are their client, and you won’t have a bad hair day because you were too shy to ask!

Mary Kay Holmes has been a hairstylist in Los Angeles for 12 years, and works out of a private studio space in Culver City. After growing up in New Mexico and moving to California in 1995 to work in the movie industry, she settled in Mar Vista with her husband and two children in 2005. Now if only she could figure out how to add an ocean view and infinity pool to her roof, she would consider this neighborhood paradise! Check out her website www.mkstyles.com.

Tip Number Four: Responsibility.  To create personal and financial freedom it is important to understand that the principle of freedom is found with responsibility. Responsibility is the container to hold us securely and within this structure we can create the life we want. If you desire to create change in your life right now, take ownership for any responsibilities you may have in your given situation. Perhaps, you said something hurtful to a friend and an apology is in order, or you made a mistake at work that you could own up to, or you spent money you didn’t have on a new sweater and it would be best to return it. It takes awareness of our inner experience and our outer situations to admit to what is ours. Be honest with yourself and see how you might be creating your present situation at hand in order to enforce positive change.

Lynn Zavaro is an author and artist who has emerged as a defining voice in the art of guiding others to know themselves and create the life they want through the lens of spiritual psychology. She has a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology and has worked in a clinic counseling individuals, couples, children and youth groups. Lynn developed a series of interactive and experiential books and games to support others in having fun while artfully discovering themselves on their creative life paths. Her book and card deck set, The Game of You – An Interactive Way to Know Yourself, Create the Life You Want releases this Fall 2010 from Schiffer Publishing. Find out more about Lynn, her upcoming workshops, and play a free sample game on her website: www.gameofyou.com. Lynn also writes a weekly food blog combining The Game of You cards with a little insight, story and a recipe or two: www.thegameofyou.blogspot.com. She lives in Venice, CA.

Tip Number Four: Killing Chronic Multi-Tasking – If you’re proud of your ability to multi-task, consider new studies from UCLA that indicate it may take you up to TEN full minutes to recover focus when shifting from task to task.  If the thought of all that lost time isn’t enough to slow you down, consider the health benefits – a calmer brain is a happier brain.  Multi-tasking contributes to feelings of stress, overwhelm, fatigue, and anxiety.  By executing one task at a time, you’ll contribute to your mental health as well as your productivity.

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and frequent speaker and author specializing in women’s health and well-being, and chronic health issues. Learn more about her practice at www.drkubacky.com.

Tip Number Four: Develop Your Email List. Email is a cost-effective way to market directly to your target audience. The key is developing a list of ‘opt-in’ subscribers. This means they have explicitly told you, either in person, or via your website that they want to receive email from you – don’t under any circumstances spam people! There are a number of inexpensive email management services available such as Mailchimp, (which is actually free for small lists) Constant Contact, Aweber, and others. Any one of these services will provide you with copy-and-paste HTML code to place on your website to generate an opt-in subscription form. This form can also be used to collect info such as subscriber location and specific types of information they may be interested in receiving. If you have a physical location make sure you have a way to collect email addresses from customers by providing a guest book or similar where they can leave their email, or build it into the transaction process at the register by asking customers if they would like to receive your emails. Verbal ‘opt-in’ is perfectly legitimate.

Wherever you are collecting emails it’s good practice to set expectations and let people know how often you send updates, what type of info you provide and why they should sign up. Create a manageable schedule – perhaps once or twice per month to send out an email newsletter. It could contain news updates, special promotions, coupons etc. Be consistent and always provide a benefit for your audience.

Lucy Beer is an online marketing professional of more than 8 years. She loves to consult with and teach small businesses and entrepreneurs how to develop their online marketing strategies. She works one-on-one with individuals, or in small groups to train your staff, whether you are a total beginner or are looking to take your web marketing to the next level. She is also a WordPress-aholic and provides WordPress training. She blogs at www.webtrainingwheels.com and you can reach her at: lucy@webtrainingwheels.com

Tip Number Four: VIDEO: Marketing Secrets Most Agents Won’t Tell You. In case you didn’t know this already, over 80% of buyers start their home search online. So when those buyers see your home, are they seeing it online? If the answer is yes, then what are they seeing? Be sure that what they are seeing online will compel them to get off their buts to see your house. For more about how to create a demand online & an experience offline, watch this video: http://homesellingdiy.com/archives/29

Kim Halverson is a second generation Realtor, with her sister Kristine, in Los Angeles’ Westside. Her focus incorporates qualities that result in confidence and trust from buyers and sellers.  See more about Kim at: www.KimAndKristine.com. Also for practical home selling tips go to: www.HomeSellingDIY.com

Tip Number Three: Have a few greys around the hairline and need to meet your ex for lunch to head to a job interview? Take regular (non waterproof) mascara and brush lightly over those greys. Buy a cheap one in a color similar to your hair and have it on hand–you’ll be so glad you did! It will wash out easily, and can stay on for days with no effect on your haircolor!

Mary Kay Holmes has been a hairstylist in Los Angeles for 12 years, and works out of a private studio space in Culver City. After growing up in New Mexico and moving to California in 1995 to work in the movie industry, she settled in Mar Vista with her husband and two children in 2005. Now if only she could figure out how to add an ocean view and infinity pool to her roof, she would consider this neighborhood paradise! Check out her website www.mkstyles.com.

Tip Number Three: The Adventurer.  To create the life you want, have more freedom, and be a happier person – be an adventurer! Make life a daring adventure by welcoming the places that may make you feel uncomfortable or fear and use these situations as creative moments to be a catalyst for change. Stepping towards these places will cause you to immediately birth into new ways of being. Straighten your arms above your head and dive off the high board. There is no guarantee how you will land but you will learn from the diving regardless. For example, if you are afraid of taking a risk with your heart, be vulnerable by trusting someone you love and offer your support. Perhaps, you have always wanted to learn how to belly dance, meditate, be a comedian, or fly a plane – learn how to master this fear and commit to doing it today!

Lynn Zavaro is an author and artist who has emerged as a defining voice in the art of guiding others to know themselves and create the life they want through the lens of spiritual psychology. She has a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology and has worked in a clinic counseling individuals, couples, children and youth groups. Lynn developed a series of interactive and experiential books and games to support others in having fun while artfully discovering themselves on their creative life paths. Her book and card deck set, The Game of Youä – An Interactive Way to Know Yourself, Create the Life You Want releases this Fall 2010 from Schiffer Publishing. Find out more about Lynn, her upcoming workshops, and play a free sample game on her website: www.gameofyou.com. Lynn also writes a weekly food blog combining The Game of You cards with a little insight, story and a recipe or two: www.thegameofyou.blogspot.com. She lives in Venice, CA.

Tip Number Three: Vitamin D and Other Hormones:  Vitamin D is a hormone, and, as such, has complex interactions with your endocrine system, including sleep/wake cycle, menstruation, and mood.  85% of Caucasian women are deficient in Vitamin D – and if you’re using sunscreen as often as you should be, you’re almost sure to be deficient.  It is easily and inexpensively supplemented – usually 2,000 IU/day – more if indicated by your physician – and will help regulate your sleep, metabolism, mood, and energy levels in a positive way.  Choose the oil-based form for best results.

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and frequent speaker and author specializing in women’s health and well-being, and chronic health issues. Learn more about her practice at www.drkubacky.com.

Tip Number Three: Make Your Business ‘Findable’. Being findable is not only about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and showing up in search engine results for your desired keywords. It also means being findable in the other ways and places people go to find businesses like yours. If you are a restaurant, for example, you should have a presence on Yelp or other restaurant review sites. If you are a local business, make sure you have a presence in Google’s Places (http://www.google.com/local/add).  Check out where your competitors are listed online and try and be in the same places. There may be local groups on sites like Meetup.com that are relevant for your industry and target market. Creating profiles at such hubs will raise visibility for your business. Does your industry have trade associations or online directories that your site can be listed in? You have to think like a ‘searcher ‘ – a potential customer.

In a similar way, when considering your target keywords, think about how people actually talk about and search for businesses in your industry. They may not use the industry-specific jargon that you are so familiar with, but may search using more conversational or layman’s terms. Your restaurant might serve up ‘artisanal seasonal delicacies’ but is that how someone would think to search for a business like yours? They might actually be looking for ‘healthy food’ or ‘organic restaurants’.

Lucy Beer is an online marketing professional of more than 8 years. She loves to consult with and teach small businesses and entrepreneurs how to develop their online marketing strategies. She works one-on-one with individuals, or in small groups to train your staff, whether you are a total beginner or are looking to take your web marketing to the next level. She is also a WordPress-aholic and provides WordPress training. She blogs at www.webtrainingwheels.com and you can reach her at: lucy@webtrainingwheels.com

Tip Number Three: VIDEO:The Secret to All Successful Sales.  I bet you’re thinking I’m gonna tell you it’s all about being a great salesperson OR being a smooth talker, wrong. The secret is all in the numbers. Have you ever had a real estate agent beat you down over the price of your home? That’s just wrong. The real secret to successful sales, in any market for any product is….price! Think of the longest running game show: “The Price is Right” they’ve got it right. People who win know how much things cost. Same game here: price your home right, it will sell & you will win. (period). Watch this video for pricing tips: http://homesellingdiy.com/archives/25

Kim Halverson is a second generation Realtor, with her sister Kristine, in Los Angeles’ Westside. Her focus incorporates qualities that result in confidence and trust from buyers and sellers.  See more about Kim at: www.KimAndKristine.com. Also for practical home selling tips go to: www.HomeSellingDIY.com

Tip Number Two: Every time you wash your hair, after you condition in the shower, apply a detangling leave in spray and comb out. This does not replace a styling product, but is in addition to it. Your hair will be softer, less frizzy, and have less split ends and fly aways. It’s a simple, yet necessary part of your regimen.

Mary Kay Holmes has been a hairstylist in Los Angeles for 12 years, and works out of a private studio space in Culver City. After growing up in New Mexico and moving to California in 1995 to work in the movie industry, she settled in Mar Vista with her husband and two children in 2005. Now if only she could figure out how to add an ocean view and infinity pool to her roof, she would consider this neighborhood paradise! Check out her website www.mkstyles.com.

Tip Number Two: Step.  To create the life you want with less stress, happiness, and success become the creator of your world one step at a time. Imagine you are trying to throw a basketball from one basket into the other across the length of the court in one toss. This would be an impossible feat. But, if you dribbled the ball with each step you took towards the goal, you would most likely succeed. Choose a specific yet small next action step towards making your goal. For example, you may want to lose 10 pounds, but this can’t happen overnight, so a first action step could be to join a gym you like. You may desire to have a relationship; a first step could be to sign up on a dating service. Make sure you complete each action step and then, surely step-by-step what you want will come into creation.

Lynn Zavaro is an author and artist who has emerged as a defining voice in the art of guiding others to know themselves and create the life they want through the lens of spiritual psychology. She has a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology and has worked in a clinic counseling individuals, couples, children and youth groups. Lynn developed a series of interactive and experiential books and games to support others in having fun while artfully discovering themselves on their creative life paths. Her book and card deck set, The Game of You – An Interactive Way to Know Yourself, Create the Life You Want releases this Fall 2010 from Schiffer Publishing. Find out more about Lynn, her upcoming workshops, and play a free sample game on her website: www.gameofyou.com. Lynn also writes a weekly food blog combining The Game of You cards with a little insight, story and a recipe or two: www.thegameofyou.blogspot.com. She lives in Venice, CA.

Tip Number Two: Coping with Insomnia. Untreated insomnia can actually cause depression. If you’ve already tried the obvious (decreasing caffeine, gentle exercise, consistent hours), then try these tips:  1) make sure your bedroom is completely, 100% dark at night; 2) don’t consume sugar before bedtime; 3) skip the night-cap; 4) try mindfulness meditation (download one online); 5) try eating a small protein snack before bed.  If all else fails, see your doctor for further assessment – insomnia may be an indicator of an underlying medical condition.

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and frequent speaker and author specializing in women’s health and well-being, and chronic health issues. Learn more about her practice at www.drkubacky.com.

Tip Number Two: Is Your Website Doing Its Job?  Once the design is done and the excitement of the shiny new site has waned, many business owners forget about it and assume all is hunky dory. If this sounds like you, now is the time to take a critical eye to your website again. Is it conveying the message it needs to convey about you and your business? If a brand new visitor lands on it, someone who is encountering your company for the first time, will they immediately understand what your business is, what you are all about, what you are offering, and how to contact you? What are the main objectives of your site? Are those clear when visiting? Everything should be tailored to speak to the needs and interests of your target audience so look with a layman’s eye and see where improvements could be made. Provide clear steps you want a visitor to take – don’t overload them with information or expect them to know what they should do next.

Lucy Beer is an online marketing professional of more than 8 years. She loves to consult with and teach small businesses and entrepreneurs how to develop their online marketing strategies. She works one-on-one with individuals, or in small groups to train your staff, whether you are a total beginner or are looking to take your web marketing to the next level. She is also a WordPress-aholic and provides WordPress training. She blogs at www.webtrainingwheels.com and you can reach her at: lucy@webtrainingwheels.com

Tip Number Two: VIDEO: How Motivation will Save You Time & Money. Ever wonder why some homes don’t sell? I bet you most of the time it’s due to a lack of motivation. By simply clarifying your motivation you will automatically shave off weeks or months of your home being on the market. Trust me, it’s worth it. Moving is stressful right? So before you do something crazy, like move, you better have a good reason. Watch this video for the sake of those who have to put up with you during the moving process: http://homesellingdiy.com/archives/20

Kim Halverson is a second generation Realtor, with her sister Kristine, in Los Angeles’ Westside. Her focus incorporates qualities that result in confidence and trust from buyers and sellers.  See more about Kim at: www.KimAndKristine.com. Also for practical home selling tips go to: www.HomeSellingDIY.com