MY BLOG

Common searches — authenticity, self-acceptance, feminine, resilience, mindful business, pricing, process, feasible schedules. What would inspire you today?

An Invitation to honour your Intrinsic Vision

My blog and my books invite you to step more fully into who you truly are, to establish a lifestyle that is truly grounded. Focused on authenticity, self-acceptance, intuition and the feminine, all I create and share for you is meant to help you stay healthy — in mind, emotions, body and relationships — by discovering and staying true to you. Authenticity, Boundaries, Compatibility, Sovereignty.

I no longer share technical business insights, as I’ve shifted focus, but I have kept those I've shared in the past. There, I apply my professional and MBA insights through alternative, mindful entrepreneurship strategy — pricing, process, feasible schedules for true creativity and productivity. Quick tips and feasible practices to help you along the way. I hope these insights energize you.

Conversations with Crystal-Marie is no longer my monthly e-news update. Still, the conversation continues here on the blog (subscribe here), on Instagram, Patreon, Bitchute or YouTube. and occasionally on LinkedIn via profile and company. Welcome🌺

July 24, 2014

Protect Your Privacy - Opt Out

July 24, 2014/ Crystal-Marie Sealy

If you're one who's decided

online privacy

is a battle not worth fighting, I say hats off to you. If you've said that, but deep down you're hoping that someone out there will find a solution, then you might want to follow

Kate Knibbs

Kate's gizmodo.com article

she was lovely enough to provide a few

Opt-Out options

for us to stop those creepy websites from tracking our every move. Thanks, again, Kate!

Source:

protectyourdreams.blogspot.ca/2014/07/protect-your-privacy-opt-out.html

Opt-Out, Step-by-Step

In summary, here are a few steps you don't want to miss from Kate's Opt-Out Article:

AddThis.com Websites:click here to òpt-out of all ad-related tracking done by websites created by this company.
Networkadvertising.org:click here to opt-out of ad-related tracking programs for up to 96 companies.

AddThis.com

lets you do to fairly easily, and should apply to all websites created by the company.

Look Closely

Networkadvertising.org

poses a bit more of a challenge, so here are some pointers. There are

three (3) columns/lists

of websites to opt-out of.

First,

all 96 companies;

second,

those companies that follow you; and

third,

those whose tracking programs you've already opted out of.

Opt-out out of the

second column

(click "select all", if you're overwhelmed), then

repeat for the first column.

To get as far as possible:

Repeat this for each browser you use (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, etc.)
Repeat for each log-in on 'personalized' browsers such as Chrome, if applicable e.g. your Guest vs. your personal profiles.

Once you're finished, if you find that it will not let you opt-out of all 96, give it 5 minutes and try again. If that doesn't work,

let them know

Note:

Opting out does not mean you will no longer receive online advertising.

It does mean that the company or companies from which you opted out will no longer deliver ads tailored to your web preferences and usage patterns."

Networkadvertising.org

Food for Thought

My life is an open book, in that I'd rather not have any secrets that keep me in bondage (mentally or otherwise), however, it's not so open that I want to make stalkers and identity thieves feel welcomed. Whether concern is around:

Hackers and viruses like Heartbleed that publicize or steal password data, or
Perverts and creeps that are following you or (scarier) your kids online,

companies have proven time and again that they while they want to know intimate details about you,

they can't be trusted to keep that data safe or use it wisely.

Privacy may be "a thing of the past" for the desensitized sociopaths we've created through our corporate, short-sighted, bottom-line-focused, profit-margin-driven society, but not for me.

P.S.

If you think I'm kidding about the sociopathic stalker-types, note the

tone of the author in this article

Keep your heads up and your eyes open, everyone!

April 25, 2014

My Twitter Follow Philosophy

April 25, 2014/ Crystal-Marie Sealy

Thank you

for following

@Cmaries08

Twitter!

I hope you

enjoy my tweets

about:

* Inspiring quotes * Good books (usually novels) * God in Christ *

* Modern-minimalist chic Fashion & Home Design * Dance

Below,

you'll learn more about

who I follow - Directly,

as well as

via Lists.

What I Tweet -

http://twitter.com/cmaries08

Follow Philosophy

Who I Follow Directly

In an effort to make my newsfeed less overwhelming for me, and to truly enrich those of my followers interested in the same topics, please note that I

directly follow

only

those who share information on these five (5) topics,

and only

where aligned with my values

- no expletives or put-downs!

My Twitter Philosophy, Who I Follow -

http://twitter.com/cmaries08

Who I Follow via Twitter Lists

As my interests are many, including

photography, getting organized, the English language

and

millennial encouragement

(in a world always on their backs), I use

Twitter Lists

to follow those who talk about my other interests.

Explore

my Twitter Lists

! Subscribe to those you find interesting.

Other Tweets

Occasionally, you'll see tweets on dance classes, theatre performances or causes I support (e.g.

@AISToronto

), but these are rare.

What's Your Twitter Philosophy

Does your Twitter newsfeed give the information you really want?

Not

if you

follow everyone who follows you.

If you do that, your newsfeed gets

overwhelming

and is of

little value to you.

Hope you're inspired to create and share

your own Twitter Philisophy!

Feel free to use this as a guide.

January 31, 2014

Do You Really Want It

January 31, 2014/ Crystal-Marie Sealy

Today!

You psych yourself up to

pursue your dreams hard today.

You get started on an

immense high.

Suddenly, thoughts of competition, workload or obstacles bring you crashing down, so you step back and say

"tomorrow".

ound familiar? By now you know you're not alone. It's not a cliche,

it's the truth.

Do You Really Want It

You

absolutely must ask

yourself

"Do I really want it? How will "it" affect your life, today, tomorrow? What is the permanent opportunity cost?"

Do you still want it? The answer is:

"Yes"

"Yes, but not right now"

"No"

. Not maybe.

Decide. Do you want this?

Whether you

write

it,

envision

it or

talk to yourself

about it,

make the time to decide

if you really want it and

make the decision permanent - commit.

Want It versus Feel Like It

Once you've decided that you really want

this - business | healthy eating habits | firm body | healthy marriage | family relationship

- you're not looking back.

You want this...but you're not going to feel that wayevery day.

Nothing I've mentioned above comes without hard work, and

you've never worked as hard as you're going to work for this.

Such is the true nature of dreams.

[

Cliche:

Nothing worth anything was ever easy.]

Summary: Do You Really Want It - Here's How To Go Get It

Importance of Motivation

I'm very visual and words are important to me so, for me,

Pinterest

is a God-send, when used wisely. I have created an

Inspiration Board

Vision Board

(hidden)

and a

God Board

, that I look at whenever I start talking myself down or

procrastinating.

You have to find what works for you:

Develop a short speech you say every morning & when your resolve wanes | Listen to speeches | Take long walks | Write | Daydream about success | Run (Ha, ha. No, not 'run away' :p)

Do whatever it takes to motivate you - nothing is too weird.

[

Key: Commit a short time to doing that, then get back to the task at hand.

]

Importance of Support Systems

Support

is a funny word. Many will say the words, but many of those will keep bringing the "practical reality" your way, and it will always sound like

a list of "reasons you can't".

Run. I can't say it strongly or loudly enough.

RUN. They will keep you back.

Find people

that

you trust

that

believe in

what you're going for and will only provide

advice to propel you

forward. Spend most of your "people" time with them.

Find people

who've

succeeded at something crazy

or 'impossible', who are still optimistic about possibility, and have tea with them once a month.

That is reality.

Importance of Alone Time

Even if you hate being alone, you need this time to be productive. Having people around is great, but if this is your dream

you have to make time to do it.

You also have to commit to simply

making time to be with yourself;

to hear and face your own thoughts. [

Read:

Why Productive People Have Empty Schedules

. Not literally, perhaps, but good.]

Don't Look Back

None of this will "come naturally". You have to

form new habits

to commit to

alone time,

implement these

motivational changes

and develop those

support systems.

It's an uphill climb, but we've already decided that

it's worth it. Right?

[

Start today:

10 Reasons to Stop What You're Doing & Start Clearing Your Clutter

More Support Online

If you'd like continuous

support for your dreams,

find more online:

Twitter

, Facebook Page

Entrepreneurs Courage

I hate the new lack of privacy on social media, but I love encouraging others, so here's to my being a little open.

September 03, 2013

Pinterest, More than Pictures

September 03, 2013/ Crystal-Marie Sealy

Hi Readers,

I've fallen in love with

Pinterest

. I know I work in social media, but

is absolutely great. It's great for visual addicts and ADD pinners, but it's an amazing source of inspiration and project support as well.

Hopefully this will whet your pinning appetite.

Travel Example: 2013 Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Wardrobe Updates

I'm unusual in that I don't enjoy shopping - for anything. If you rarely see anything you like, Pinterest can restore your faith in fashion. Pins (images) are often from other websites. Tracking pin websites can mean new places to shop. Pins also help if you want to redefine your wardrobe - new stage of life, passion for a new range of colors, change in taste. Pins I like:

Shoes: http://pinterest.com/BashertJewelry/the-heels/
Wedding Items: http://pinterest.com/cmaries08/weddings/
Clothes: http://pinterest.com/kendadouglas/i-would-wear-this/
Jewelry, Designs by Tams: http://pinterest.com/tammyezer/designs-by-tams/

Whether your challenge is that (a) you don't like/absolutely love color, (b) you have "wine taste on beer budget" or (c) cuts, styles or sizes just never fit quite right, Pinterest will surprise you.

Getting Organized

As a perfectionist who's learnt to let go, this aspect of Pinterest literally leaves me drooling. Dominique Nancy inspired the list below, the last of which was pinned from

http://www.bhg.com

. Living in a big city means even neat freaks and minimalists have a hard time!

For shoes: http://pinterest.com/pin/39054721740257258/
For children (motivation): http://pinterest.com/pin/39054721739141215/
For bills & house maintenance: http://pinterest.com/pin/39054721739505385/
For drawer organizing: http://pinterest.com/pin/258394097343866169/

Pins give tips on organizing small spaces.

Pinterest for Men

I keep hearing that men aren't on Pinterest - but that's not been my experience. Unless these are conspiratorial women, here are some men - and men's pins - on Pinterest.