It took me over six months to finally start writing my book. I talked about it. I planned things around it, and I found many excuses why I couldn’t start on a specific day. Once I started, I became so excited I wanted to make up for lost time. As a result, I ended up rushing through the first chapters and had to re-write almost everything. In the end, I didn’t win but lost time. Looking back now, I realize that I just didn’t know better. That said, I wish I would have known these 10 tips I discovered throughout my author journey. When you want to start writing your first book, take these 10 steps to be successful: #1 What’s your story? Do you know what your book should be? Is it fiction, non-fiction? Who is your audience? What’s Continue Reading
Holiday Shopping Party @ Breighela James! Come celebrate with us!
TREAT YOURSELF to a new looka new book & a glass of wineWEDNESDAYNOVEMBER 7th5-8 PM Breighela James Boutique, 4220 N Williams Ave, Portland 97211 Maika Janat has been a client of ours since year one! She has become a dear friend and we are constantly amazed by all she does. In September she launched an incredible book we all should read and buy for everyone on our holiday shopping lists: Go.See.Do.10 Life-Changing Quotes to be Successful as a Young Professional. We were talking casually last week about her book making the perfect gift! So of course, the three of us ladies decided to throw a holiday shopping party!We can't wait for you to meet her! Xx Aubri & Bre SEE YOU WEDNESDAY Continue Reading
Trust the Timing of Life
Why is August 14, 2018, a special day? Because it’s the day I woke up and my book, Go. See. Do. became available for pre-order on Amazon. For a first-time author, this is a big deal. Let me set the scene for you. It was Tuesday morning. My better half was traveling, and our daughter Lucy decided to get up early. I guess she knew it would be an important day. So, we had breakfast, and I called the plumber because we had no hot water in the house. I tried but couldn’t fix the problem the night before. After I dropped Lucy off at her beloved day care, I returned home to work. I was feeling pretty good about the schedule and strategy of my book launch. I had scheduled meetings with social media and book marketing experts later in the Continue Reading
HELLO 2018….it’s OK!
I think I told you before that it feels like that I get tested on every chapter of my book before I decide to really include it. Our start into 2018 or let’s say the last 4 weeks have been my personal proof that my chapter “It’s OK!” will definitely get a spot in my book. Not sure if I have never noticed it before because I was so busy myself or even used to do the same thing. This year it seemed like the world around me started the new year with more goals than ever, more life changers, more resolutions and more diets. From personal happiness, high prioritized self-care and possibly record-breaking fitness to very promising business opportunities. Filled with energy, boundless power and ambitious programs, people started this year Continue Reading
TRUST THE TIMING OF YOUR LIFE
Today marks November 13 and I am heading into my last two Portland weeks of the year. It feels a little early to me to wrap up this year and get into the holiday mood but due to the fact that we will spend the month of December in Germany my Portlandia-Year 2017 will officially end on Thanksgiving. Crazy. My new favorite thing to do called Motherhood has taught me many things but here is one: If you think you have time do something right now, you better get it done right away as you never know when the next “now” will be. Sometimes it’s just NOW or NEVER. So, let’s look back: 2017 was definitely a very special year for me and so different from all the other years before. I didn’t really know what to expect but I Continue Reading
How BE ACTIV came to life….or simply: DON’T OVERTHINK IT.
I didn’t know what to expect when a client asked me to meet him for happy hour to share an idea with me. It was a typical rainy evening, and he had already arrived when I entered the cozy restaurant in NW Portland. He was a bit nervous and hesitant to share, so he launched into small talk. I finally told him I couldn’t help him if he wouldn’t share his idea with me. His idea was to create a mobile fitness concept. He had done tons of research and analysis about what keeps people from moving and what barriers prevent them from working out. His analysis revealed the problem, and he had created a business idea based on it. A fitness van or trailer would arrive at participants’ homes where they could work out with friends or neighbors. Once Continue Reading
BACK TO SCHOOL
When I was still in school summer was always my favorite season. The weather was nice, we were out and about all day, went on unforgettable family vacations in Italy, spend all day windsurfing, playing at the beach with friends, enjoyed good food, didn’t worry about a thing, most of the time didn’t have to do anything tasks or homework, the parents were a pretty in a good mood as well and it was just a good time overall. Also, our back then six weeks of school vacation felt forever and always too short at the same time. When it was time to go back to school we were excited about the first day and also sad that the summer felt like it was over. If you were lucky you could still wear your brand-new Italian summer dresses and there were Continue Reading
LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE MAKE OTHER PLANS
“So you will be gone next weekend? But we had this girls weekend set for months now. You can’t be at the wedding? Honestly, isn’t there anybody else that can go on this site visit?” Over the last 15 years those kind of questions occurred frequently and my family and friends got used to fact that they would be healthier and easier for them not to get to excited for me to come and visit already days before. They would rather start to get excited when I actually made and stood in front of them. Also, I am pretty used to the fact that things change all the time. We would be planning a job and felt like we just had figured out everything when we had to learn that the whole concept needs to be changed, the event day would be re-scheduled Continue Reading
Alameda, Freemont and Alberta.
We moved to Alameda in May 2015 and happen to end up just between Freemont and Alberta. Back then I wasn’t really sure I would like the area we decided to rent a house in. I hadn’t spend much time on Portland’s east side and I was hesitant if we wouldn’t be to "far out". ( funny, right?). Besides the fact that we ended up loving the house we stayed in, the neighborhood has been growing on us day by day and we still very much like it. The question leaving our house basically was: “Left or Right?” Which either meant we would end up on Alberta Street or Freemont Street ;-). // When on Alberta // A sun downer, a happy hour, a blazer’s game or just a little snack and IPA. So many times we ended up in THE STATION. It’s definitely Continue Reading
You got half a day to kill in Portland? What about…? #getoutthere!
Being the tourist guide in your own city always makes you explore more things and might take you to places you normally don’t go that often which is great! A similar thing happens when you take different kinds of transportation: Even if you have the same destination you need to go to every week: If you mix it up (car, bike, walking, public transportation) you will notice different spots you might not have known just taking by car. The last couple weeks motivated me again to play tourist in my own city more often as well as to try to get to same places taking different transportation and ways to explore more by even doing your daily routine. Here we go with my new April-finds, ever-greens to go’s as well as some “re-born” Continue Reading