MAJOR LESSON FROM A SMALL MISTAKE

 

A few days ago while driving with the kiddos I heard a knocking sound in my car. I did take it serious, just not serious enough to rush to my mechanic. Two days later I decided I would rush to my doctor then go to my mechanic. That day my car died.

I remember listening to an interview with Alex Trebek who stated that he wished he had paid attention to the little pain in his abdomin. We all know that lack of attention cost him his life. Its the little things that we ignore that become big issue items when ignored. 

As we approach 2022 take time to care for yourself. Selfcare is important. The visits to the nail salon, the spa or relaxation, are important. However, what I am referring to are those deeper approaches to our health both physical and mental health. The pain in the gut, the consistent burning stomach after a simple meal are just examples of those little health issues that tend to go unchecked. In 2022 make checking in with your doctor a priority and take your health seriously. 

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE. 

THANKFUL FOR ALL MY BLESSINGS

This year, this month and even today are important transitions in so many ways. As I move forward into a new  decade as I turn 40 years old this year, a new job opportunity is on the horizon and as my strength and faith are being tested, I am always mindful of the hidden blessings in lifes experiences.  Many of these challenges have put me on my knees and tested my faith, however,  I can still say THANK YOU LORD. 

Life comes with its challenges and no doubt its many blessings. Having the ability to experience both should humble us. Allow today to be a day of self reflection, gratitude and a day when we turn our thoughts to those less fortunate and determine ways in which we can meet their needs. 

Hope your thanks giving was a blessing.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE.

PREVENTING BURN OUT WHILE PARENTING

 

There isn't anything that moves me more than my children and there is not anyone who need me more than my children. But for me to be available I have to first focus on me. I have learned in my experiences in life that you cannot show up the way you ought to, when you are tired, exhausted and burned out. 

It is important as we raise our children to have them understand and respect our space and our quiet time. Here are a few tips that have helped me to prevent burn while raising my kids:

1. Set clear boundaries- It is ok to have your children know and respect your "me time". 

2. Be firm on your NO- Kids have high expectations and often times believe that you should meet their every need. At times we as parents feel guilty when we say no. However always remember you cannot fill from an empty cup.

3. Be present when you are with your children- Do not be distracted when you should be spending time with them. Children who feel neglected will engage in negative activities for your attention. 

These are just three tips. Please share your tips for preventing burn out while parenting. 

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE

FEARLESS FOCUSED AND TURNING 40!!!!!!

 

When I was ten years old I had one desire and that was to pass my common entrance exam which would qualify me for the 7th grade. Ten years later and my goal was just a more advanced version of my 10 year old goal. I was 20, I had dropped out of college because I could not afford it and I desperately wanted a new start. So my dream was to study abroad. A few years earlier when I left high school, I left with only three subjects. For those of you who may not understand the Caribbean or British education system leaving high school with only three subjects meant I had failed. I continued that pattern into college, not really failing but not excelling. Studying abroad meant that I could erase that past of failure and move forward. So at age 20 I worked on that goal and accomplished it. 

The years leading up to age 30 were growing years. I was working odd jobs here and there to make ends meet, living with my aunt and despirately needing my permanent residency or greencard. By age 30 I was newly married but still trying to figure out life as a wife, becoming employed, and holding my own. My 30s brought me three beautiful kids and many other blessings.

Now that I am officially 40, I feel a sense of accomplishment mixed with a burning desire to grow, stretch and excel. I have learned through the years to allow my faith to be my backbone, especially during those years of navigating the immigrant struggles on the streets of New York. 

My hope and desire is that as I gracefully navigate 40 and onwards I will become the woman that I desire to be. I will show up with excellence and grace with my head held high. I want to be fearless, focused and FORTY!!!!

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE. 

PARENTING JAR, KRIS AND KAIT

I am often times regarded as a supermom by some of my fellow moms. But honestly it is not a title I am particularly fund of. Reason being my "supermomness" comes at a very high price, exhaustion, burn out and guilt. I work, I have a business, three kids and way less self care than I deserve. 

After a long conversation with a friend who herself felt overwhelmed with parenting and wanted to hear and possibly adopt some of my strategies I have come to the realization that being a working mom is hard, and balancing climbing the success ladder while raising a family is challenging. 

So my question is how do we cope, find balance or what strategies should we implement in order to be our best selves and give of our best selves?

Pleaae share your strategies.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF (SI) NORTHSHORE

GET UP AND GO GET IT

I love the Tyler Perry story so much. Because nothing was handed to him, he had to go out and create it. The future belongs to those who tap into their creativity.

There is no room for sitting around and waiting. Just get up, go out, and use that gift inside of you. The one that you know is longing to be unleashed.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NOTHSHORE. 

THE ANTIDOTE TO BOREDOM

Mom I'm bored. Its not uncommon to hear my daughter utter those three words. With her everyday should be spent playing in the park and down time should be spent watching TV as much cartoons as possible. Its a never ending constant desire for entertainment. But as her mom, I am bothered by that constant desire for stimulation.

If I am going to be honest with myself, I am no different. So many times I find myself playing with my phone just searching for something to captivate my attention. 

This drive for constant stimulation drives out my creativity. It is during those down times when I forgo stimulation that I am most creative. I encourage you evaluate those moments when you move towards being entertained and instead, get personal with your thoughts, and find your inner creative moments.

One Love

Danni

THE BEAUTY OF GROWING TOWARDS THE SUN

 

When you have tried your absolute best and things seem to still move towards the opposite direction,you are in for a big blessing. 

I am learning to let go of control. So many times in our work life or even in other situations, things seem to just take the worst or sad turn. But if you are confident that you have tried your hardest, you played the right cards, and you didn't cheat the proccess, just await your blessing.

At times when the path is messy, we cannot visualize or understand its purpose when looking forward. But when we are able to pass through those moments of sadness, fear, and disappointment and look back at the past, then the blessing becomes evident.

I encourage you to step forward though your trying times with the assurance better will come.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE. 

THE WORLD AS MOM AGES

 

When you are a child, your parents are super heroes. They always seem to know the correct answer, the right path and it wasn't until I was an adult that I dared to challenge them. 

As a mom of young children, I get to enjoy being seen as a super hero, although they challenge me constantly.

What life never prepared me for was the emotions of caring for my aging parents. As I watch my parents especially mom struggle with her own health issues there are days when I feel overwhelmed and sad, days when I feel sorry for her, and days when I get upset with her. The reality of handling their affairs are challenging. 

No matter the circumstances, sharing the burden with my two brothers and being able to talk to them is plays a big role in my sanity. If you are the main caregiver for your parents, know that there are resources of those of us caring for parents or elderly loved ones.

Stay positive, focused and have gratitude always. Most importantly, shower them with love.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR, A MOM, A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE.

FAITH FUNCTION AND EXPECTATION

A few weeks ago I was listening to an author speak about expectation, faith and our response to challenges. His theory was that our expectation dictates the way we view and handle challenges. According to him, lowering our expectation might be benificial when dealing with challenges. 

Though I sort of knew where he was going, my message is the opposite. God has blessed me tremendously when my expectation was high. It is not just faith in God, but also faith in yourself. There is nothing wrong with believing that you are worth more, that you should push yourself harder, or that you deserve more. I genuingly believe that when you have high expectations, you set high goals and have high standards and work harder, and is ultimately a better team player. 

My goal here is to encourage you to heighten your expectation and by doing so heighten your blessing. You tend to get what you expect.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR, A MOM, A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE. 

FALLING IS NOT FAILING

If I were to write the definition of a successful person, it would be someone who fell many times, got up, dusted themselves off, and kept going. Falling is not failing. Falling is and should be seen as temporary. Our strength, our grit, our ability to persevere, to get stronger, to sharpen our skills are manifested when we are faced with challenges. 

In the biblical story of the exodus, the Children of Israel are faced with the red sea before them and the persuing army behind them, little did they know that through this experience they would witness their biggest miracle.

What is the challenge you are facing that have you feeling like you have failed? It may be a job, a business, a health issue, no matter what the challenge, allow yourself to become refined like gold. Gold can only be refined as it goes through extreme heat. My guess is that this big challenge of yours, this fall, this temporary stop is producing a finer, more refined version of you.

To my Aunt J, facing her biggest challenge yet, you will emerge stronger. I love you.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR, A MOM, A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE.

WHAT COVID TAUGHT ME ABOUT GOAL SETTING

 

No doubt we have learned a lot in 2020-21. But what have we learned about setting and achieving our goals. Here is the most important lesson I have learned about goals through my covid experience.

The challenges of 2020/21 did put many of my goals, dreams and desires into perspective. They were tested in ways many of us never in our lifetime expected. But what I learned is that the path may change, you may be rerouted but the goal must remain the same. Even your microgoals leading up to the big goal may be modified, and that is ok, whats important is keeping our eyes firmly on the prize and still moving towards it.

So do not allow the challellenges of 2020/21 keep you feeling like giving up, or if you have fallen off the path, do not become discouraged. Get back up and find your path.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR, A MOM, A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE.

STAYING FOCUSED, POSITIVE AND CELEBRATING

The relaxing view of the sun setting through my upstairs window.

Can you imagine we are still going through this worldwide pandemic? Inspite of all this, it may seem hard to focus, to be positive and even to celebrate. Here are some of the things that I have been doing to stay focused, positive and to celebrate.

1. I stay focused by doing checkins on my goals. I have various goals spiritual, family, wealth, health. Within each category I have steps that I take to complete these goals. 

2. I stay positive by setting a positive tone as part of my morning routine which includes prayer, bible, gratitude. I also am a big advocate of keeping negativity out. I only listen to the news to stay updated with world events, but eliminate it as much as possible. The news has a ways of invoking negative vibes. 

3. I celebrate by doing those little things that bring me and my family joy, and taking the time to reflect on those moments. An evening at the park flying our kite as a family or going to the beach with friends for me is celebrating. I also take lots of pics and reflect on these later. I ensure that I do not work on my childrens birthday and I have a small inexpensive family gathering for them. 

Although these may seem small and simple, enjoying these moments are extremely important.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE.

ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO

 

We usually hear the term on your mark, get set, go. But what does that really mean? Most importantly, what does it mean to you? 

In my Jamaican culture where track and field plays a big part in our culture, we understand this term to mean "preparation and run to win". 

The small moments of winning at the olympics are usually backed by hours of preparation. 

Are we preparing for a win or is our lack of preparation bringing us towards a sure loss? I would encourge you to pay keen attention to the preparatory periods in our lives. At times we are not given opportunities, not because it wasn't for us, but because we did not fully prepare.

Prepare for your win and unleash your inner olympian.

One Love 

Danni

A REALTOR, A MOM, A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE

LESSONS IVE LEARNED IN LIFE AND PARENTING

I must admit I have been around since the 80s (I know I look younger). But throughout the years I have picked up a thing or two that I would love to share. Here are five lessons I have learned in life and in parenting.

1. Be childlike in my view of life. What I absolutely love about kids is they were born seeing possibilities, majority of our limitations came from the uninformed concepts of adults. 

2. Never take NO from someone in a position to tell me yes. That includes my relationship with God and my level of faith. (Borrowed from Mignon Francois of the cupcake collection). 

3. View the cup as half filled. Yes there is distress, chaos and problems in life, but if I focus on the solution vs the problem, the problems will be resolved. 

4. Passionately love myself. As a woman living in NYC its so easy to compare myself to others. Love myself includes loving my skin, my hair, my personality, the things that makes me different and the things that make me the same. Appreciate and love it all. Never base my perception of self on other peoples opinions of me. 

5. I have to go through situations to grow from situations. As I go through hard times it is hard to understand why I am being challenged. But looking back I am able to see how much those situations strengthened me and helped me grow. 

One Love Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE

MY MENTAL HEALTH AT STAKE

 

My kids flying their kite.

A few mornings ago I woke up mentally stressed, slight headache, physically exhausted, and breathing heavy. But what was worse were the thoughts going through my head. Every single negative thought was racing through my mind and literally forcing through my veins. Although this I am sure is a far cry from a mental health break down, I knew if I continued along that path, eventually I would get there. 

After soul searching and praying here is what I decided to do.

1. Turn off the noise- I consume a lot of self help, or self improvement content. That over time had me telling myself that I was just not hitting the mark and need to work harder and set bigger goals. Yes thats great information, but it too has its place. Another source of noise was the news. As I read what popped up on my news feed and scrolled through social media, my anxiety level only increased. 

2. Increase entertainment- something I hardly do, but I had to find ways of giving me a belly laugh or at least send some positive hormones through my veins. 

Please share, what are the ways you destress and how do you take care of your mental health?

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE. 

WHEN FAMILY AND FRIENDS REJECT YOUR DREAM

Recently I had a conversation with my dad about years ago when I decided I wanted to migrate to the US. At the time my dad had lost his job, I had dropped out of college because I couldn't afford it, yet I had a dream of migrating and studying in the US. 

I remember my dad  applying to teachers college in Jamaica on my behalf. I was absolutely upset. Don't get me wrong, becoming a teacher is great, becoming a teacher in Jamaica is great, but that was not the vision I had for myself. I was highly offended that he felt so little of the vision I had for myself and instead was promoting the vision he had for me. The truth is, my dads vision was the easier route and the more "sensible" route. But it was not the vision I had for myself.

Why am I telling you this story? Well, because, when we begin to dream BIG UNCOMFORTABLE DREAMS and we share them with others, they try to dull it down. Its nothing personal, most times it comes from family and friends who love us and want whats best, and our big dreams scare the crap out of them. 

My advise, if you are open to it is; have big audacious dreams, set massive goals and work at them like your life depends on it. You know why? Your life does depend on it.

One Love

DANNI

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE 

THE DREAM

A few nights ago as I slept I had a very strange dream. In it a decision was being made that would have negatively impacted my family. What was even more startling was the fact that this decision was being made because of how we would have been viewed by those around us who were making the very same decision. So we chose to go with the flow instead of standing for the principles that we held as a family. Now that I look back, I cannot help but think how true to life this dream actually was. I learned two lessons from that dream.

1. Stand out among the crowd:

This was actually the secondary lesson that I learned. When I review my life's decisions the times when I lost, were the times when I chose blending in versus standing out. These moments no doubt held me back because I knew the decision I needed to make, the stand I needed to take, the dream I suppressed.

2. Finish Your Dream

That dream haunted me when I awoke in the early hours of the morning. Then I began thinking to myself, hey that's my dream. I can end it any way I want. Another life lesson. Sometimes the hand we are dealt in life seems like an impossible curse to break. Why not change the cycle? So what if your parents lived a certain life or you were raised a certain way? Ultimately the decision is ours to change the narrative of our life's story.

Let's focus only on that which allows us to find our purpose and change the story we've told ourselves to reflect the story we want to create.

One Love
Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE

BECOMING STRUCTURED AND ORGANIZED

Have you ever ended your day and wonder where did the time go or even worse, what did I accomplish today? 

I am always on a quest to find a more effective and efficient way to manage my life. It dawned on me today as I dozed off in my car (I was parked), that I do need to put pen to paper more and really fine tune even the smaller details of my life.

Here are few things that have either helped me stay organized or things I am committed to working on improving.

1. Tracking my spending- My banking app allows me to track spending and also create goals. Because i swipe my card for almost everything the spending report created in the app is very detailed. It allows me to see what, where and how much I am spending monthly. 

2. Meal planning- I did this in the past but fell off track. It allowed me to get more creative in my meals, prep better, and grocery shop more efficiently. Also I must add, I have saved so much money shopping in Aldi- check them out. 

3. Activity planning with the kids- This has worked very well for other super organized moms that I converse with. Scheduling a specific day or days during the week for those miscellaneous activities such as the park or hanging out or eating out makes things flow so much better. The kids have something to look forward to and its not an activity that takes away from other important activities because it was scheduled. 

These are just three things but I would love to hear from you regarding how you stay organized and on top of things.

One Love 

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE

MAKING TIME FOR REST AND RECOVERY

 

Lately I have been extremely exhausted. With all the many things I do in addition to parenting three young children, feeling overwhelmed is always close by. Here are a few things you can do to take and enhance your rest.

1. Create a winding down routine- Having a winding down routine especially at night puts your body in the winding down state. Reading a book or journaling is a great winding down routine.

2. Shut down devices- Our devices are major distractors. They keep our brain in alert mode making it hard for us to unwind and fall asleep. I personally prefer to put away my phone at least half hour to an hour prior to bed

3. Use black out curtains- Using backout curtains will prevent light from outside for example street light from disturbing us while sleeping. 

4. For the busy parents find me time- My me time is usually when I find time to do the more creative activities that I enjoy such as blogging. Set time on your calendar for your me time, stick to it and let your family respect that time as your time to unwind. I also enjoy evening strolls on the beach

5. Go to bed at the same time every night- Our body works on routine like clock work. It is not healthy to vary the times you go to bed. I understand the weekend is a time we use to stay up late then sleep in, but that practice lessens the quality of our sleep.

Happy Resting 

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE

WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU CAN'T?

 

Jared is an absolutely sweet and amazing child but when faced with any sort of challenge his first response is usually "mom I can't do it". My answer to that is usually to encourage him to take risks and to try new things. But as his mom, I always ask myself, "who told him that he couldn't"? 

I am posing that very question to you and also to myself. Who told us that we couldn't do the things we day dream about, or live the life we always wanted to live or transform ourselves in the way we wanted to transform ourselves? 

There is a quote that says, "he who says he can and he who says he can't are both usually correct". (Real source unknown). Is it a limited mindset that is holding us back from creating the future that we desire? 

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE 

HUSTLE AND GRIND

Life is all about the hustle and grind. I am all about multiple streams of income. If we learned anything from this pandemic and its economic effect it is that one source of income is not ok. Here are a few ways to change that.

1. Get a side hustle

2. Pay off or down your debt

3. Invest your side hustle money in an area that brings in passive income.

4. Live below your means.

Get up and go do you.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTH SHORE.

STEP INTO YOUR GREATNESS

 

Hey Guys,

I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and I'm doing videos. Please step into your greatness and let go of your fear.

One Love 

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTH SHORE 

CREATING KIDS WHO WIN

 

Today I listened to a podcast interview with Spencer Rascoff. For those of you who may not know who he is, that may not be a surprise. He is the former CEO of zillow which in the US is a real estate site that shows homes available for sale. 

As I listened to Spencer talk about the companies he's building and business ventures with his young children, I thought to myself, wow, he is setting his kids up for success. How can I ensure that my children are also being molded for success?

1.How I show up and view myself and my view of the world is critical. It's the little insecurities that we hold as parents that tend to creep into our children's personality. We have to be aware of them and take strides to eliminate them. Our children tend to see and internalize the subliminal messages that we pass on. 

2. Expose our kids to people who are successful. Let them see that there are people out there who are living amazing lives, people who work hard and have accomplished success at high levels.

3. Highlight the process of getting to high level of success versus just the financial attributes that comes with that level of success. Encourage them to produce high quality work and have high standards. 

4. Readers are leaders. Encouage your children to read and also encourage them to read various topics. 

5. Answer their questions with respect and applaud their curiosity.

Keep pushing our little dreamers.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR  A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTH SHORE 

THE ONE WEEK HABIT PROJECT

 

This is for those of us who struggle to change our habits and attitudes that seem deep-seated and hard to get rid of. 

Try this:

1. Identify a habit that you desperately want to create.

2. Set a goal to addressing that habit and no other habit for one week. We tend to get overwhelmed when we have many things we want to change. 

3. Write positive affirmations that affirm that habit and commit to repeating them first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. Stand in your mirror and repeat your affirmations with conviction out loud while staring yourself in the eye.

4. Be clear on why you want to create this habit. It doesn't have to be a noble reason it can be as simple as I want to look stunning in my jeans.

5. Take the time to ease into this habit, but keep reminding yourself of your why. Only take one habit one week at a time. 

Lets make our habit creation fun, easy and simple.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTH SHORE 

ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW

 As humans we never know the impact we have on the life of others, just by our mere interactions. As we strive for success, living our purpose and finding our greatness, let's not get so caught up in our lives and the busyness of our lives that we fail to remember the little things that matter.

Here are a few things that may seem small but will mean a lot to the other person involved.

1. Visit a friend or relative in the nursing home.

2. Call on an elderly neighbor, get their grocery, or just engage in a friendly conversation.

3. Volunteer in a homeless shelter or drop off gifts to kids in need.

4. Say a friendly hello to those you pass by on the street.

5. Make a card for your partner. 

Don't let our affection only be shown during special days or only during the holiday season. Make someone else feel special today.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTH SHORE 

EIGHT STEPS TO LIFT YOUR MOOD

There are going to be those days when the weight of life becomes overwhelming. Here are a few tips to lift your spirit.

1. Think of your blessings despite your current situation. 

2. Remind yourself that you deserve and will ultimately get better.

3. Change your thoughts from why is this happening to me, to how can I fix this situation.

4. Give generously your time or talent to someone in need.

5. Research and write down positive quotes and commit them to memory.

6. Take a long quiet walk in a scenic park or go for a run.

7. Text something encouraging to a friend.

8. Pray about it.

One Love 

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTH SHORE. 

FIGHTING OVERWHELM

 

My days are long and busy. They at times leave me exhausted and depleted. I am sure I am not alone in that camp. There are days when my dream of being the real estate investor that I aspire to be seems like an impossible goal. That's when I remind myself that the way to climb a mountain is starting one step at a time. Here are some ways that have worked for me when that feeling of overwhelm and doubt begin creeping in. 

1. Have a chat with your mentor or a good friend who will be brutally honest with you, but knows how to uplift your spirit 

2. Make a vision board or write down your goals and break them down into bite size pieces. I often feel that if we are honest with ourselves we will see gaps in our effort which is often times the source of those feelings. Deep down we may not be giving our dream our all. 

3. Recall moments when you broke through on something that seemed like an impossible task or vision at one time.

4. Start an "I believe in myself journal". Begin Journaling the positive things that happened in your life and show gratitude for it.

5. Take massive action on something that is way out of your comfort zone but goal specific. Now is the time to take massive action. 

Becoming successful in your goals and dreams is never an easy road. Never allow that feeling of fear, doubt and overwhelm to over take you. 

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTH SHORE 

One Love

Danni

HUSTLE AND LET IT FLOW

 

When I was in undergrad, I was an international student trying to find my place in NYC and desperately needing a greencard. Hustle was an understatement in comparison to what I had to do just to pay my out of state tuitions. Those days are long done, the struggle of not being a permanent resident has been replaced by the privileges that come with being a member of the documented American society. With that came complacency and a loss of my apitite for greatness. 

My one prayer is that you will never allow the privileges of what you have, over shadow your dreams and desire for bigger and better things. Continue the hustle. This will eventually lead you to your dream. You will be amazed at how opportunities that you never considered unfold when you put in the work. 

As I rebuild my real estate career I am seeing how putting in the work opens doors, boosts my confidence and motivate me to go harder. 

Close your eyes, dream big dreams and hustle hard.

One Love 

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTHSHORE 

ITS A SIMPLE WORD.......THANKS

Hey Guys

Many of you have been reading my blog for many years, before my mommy days, and I want to say a big THANK YOU. As I write this blog on a Friday morning there are so many things going through my mind. My silly little habits started out as a desire to change my life by changing my thoughts. It's a daily constant grind. 

As many of you know I am a licenced NYS realtor a home owner, and a landlord. Real estate is that thing that I love but to make it in this business it's hard work, persistence, never taking a break. Purchasing a home is the single biggest investment most people make in their lives therefore a realtor must be knowledgeable of the market and market trends, have strong negotiations skills, and know how to lead their sellers and buyers in making informed decisions that will not cost them a fortune. 

I am changing my business model as I increase marketing. From time to time I will use this platform to speak to the real estate trends and its effect on our lives because the impacts are big, but very few are aware. 

Please follow me on IG @dannidee and Facebook danielle Bentley the realtor.

I love 💘 my tribe.

One Love

Danni

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTH SHORE!!!!!!

 

UNSTUCK YOURSELF

Stuck in a rut? Check your routines. The answer can always be found there. As humans we find ourselves doing the same things over and over on a daily basis. Falling into patterns that are either making us or breaking us. 

The key to pulling ourselves out of those routines is by changing our association. Surrounding ourselves with people who challenge us and take us out of our comfort zone and getting an accountability partner is essential.

Remember- If you do the things you've always done you'll get the results you've always gotten.

One Love

Danni 

A Realtor, A Mom, A Daughter of the Northshore

Stay tuned for my real estate market reports!!!!

BE CONFIDENTLY YOU

I am always amazed at how critical and judgemental we are of ourselves. Although it is great to self assess, find our weaknesses, and straighten out the kinks there is a line to be drawn between self assessment and self criticism. Most times we are self criticizing because of something that we desperately want to change about ourselves and view it as a flaw. 

Here are a few concepts that I find helpful when the tendency to criticise arise.

1. Verbally telling myself that I am enough, smart, beautiful, confident - you get the point. Self affirmation is key to arresting those thoughts and putting yourself in a more positive state of mind.

2. Never compare- there is always someone who is better than you and worse that you in various categories. Comparing yourself to either group heightens your insecurity.

3. Capitalize on your strengths because our strengths come naturally they boost our confidence but also work on the areas that are challenging. Set goals to accomplish the growth that we desire to have.

4. Keep the promises we make to ourselves. Lots of times when we feel doubt, fear and anxiety it stems from not following through with what we told ourselves that we were going to do. 

5. Forgive yourself- many times our challenges are deeper rooted and cannot be simply solved. They take time, work, and most of all self compassion. (I'm not saying go break all your goals in a effort to be compassionate)

 

Take the time to look in the mirror and love every inch of your being.

One Love

DANNI

A REALTOR A MOM A DAUGHTER OF THE NORTH SHORE. 

Passing On the Baton

 On a recent flight with my daughter, we had the pleasure of meeting the pilot who was female. My daughter was bubbling with excitement as she was allowed to see the cockpit and chat with her new pilot friend. The pilot later emailed me and shared with me that Kaitlyn's excitement reminded her of the excitement she felt the first time she entered a plane. 

Our children need reminders of their excellence and their ability to excel. It is important that we not only tell them of others who have excelled but model excellence in our own lives. Our children tend to grasp and continue the legacy left by their parents. Being great role models is important. In addition to being role models, we must surround our children with people who have excelled and can also serve as positive role models for them.

As we strive for excellence let's bring our little ones along with us.

One Love

Danni

A Realtor, A Mom, A Daughter of the North Shore

DO THIS BEFORE DIETING

Many times we are on the hunt for the next new diet that will help us loose weight. The media also does it's part in influencing the way our culture sees and defines beauty. But I believe that what's more important than losing weight is the emphasis on our health and wellness.

Pay attention to your body and what you put inside your body. This means reading labels and paying attention to how we feel after we eat. For example, I know for sure a yummy sandwich in the morning will impact my level of exhaustion, increase my appetite and have me feeling crummy throughout the day. Pay attention to the foods and activities that fuels your energy. 

Here are a few things I learned just by paying attention.

1. My children's juice only had 5% juice

2. My cereal was made from genetically modified ingredients.

3. Staying hydrated decreased my allergic reaction to wheat.

Before doing a diet begin paying attention to the food we eat and the way our food affects how we feel.

One Love

Danni  

Creating a Development Plan

As I started this year and began thinking about areas where I'm lacking in growth and expertise I realized that my focus goal should be more about development versus some of the other goals that I had set for myself. 

Make your first goal a development plan. What is a development plan? Well a development plan is a goal to become more competent or knowledgeable in an area that you aspire to master. It doesn't always include going back to a physical classroom. For example I have two children in the toddler age range and setting boundaries and discipline is always a challenge. My goal is to set aside time to learn more about child development and strategies to raising young children. I bought a book on how to discipline toddlers and on child psychology. For me to become a better parent I need to read and educate myself and implement strategies that work for my children. 

There has never been a better time in human history where knowledge is literally at our finger tips. Make use of it. Create a development plan to help you advance.

Happy Summer if you're a New Yorker.

One Love

Danni

ITS YOUR DREAM- FINISH IT

 While sleeping I was in the middle of a nightmare when it dawned on me that this was in fact a dream and I had the power to change the ending.

The beauty of the past is that we already went through it and the beauty of the future is that we have the ability to create it. 

When feelings of fear, doubt and lack of confidence seem to rob us of our drive, step into the drivers seat and unleash your power. For many years I've been a spectator in my life versus an active participant. I have now come  to learn that the greats in this world despite their fear and lack of confidence they muscled up the strength to push through.

Be your own hero, become the person you aspire to be. It takes hard work, confidence and lots of faith. But if we are to win, if we are to have break throughs, we have to push forward in confidence.

Run towards your dream.

One Love

Danni

HOW TO MAXIMIZE ON THOSE GOALS

 A few days ago I was listening to one of my favorite podcasters in the motivational space talk about maximizing on your goals. I always thought monthly goal check ins were the way to go but his tips took it a step further. I decided to give it a try and honestly I love it. Here are his tips combined with a few that I gained from the book The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People .

A. Categorize your goals. Your goals fall into one of four quadrants 

1. Urgent and Important  

2. Not urgent and important 

3. Urgent and not important 

4. Not urgent and not important 

When you sit to write your goals place them in one of these categories before putting together your daily tasks. Many days we find ourselves going through the day outing fires and at the end of it all nothing of substance has been accomplished.

B. After determining the goal or goals you are going to work on that day you now write down your task list. To maximize on your task you have to place them in one of the four quadrants. If you are sincere with yourself you will eliminate the tasks that only serve to make you feel good vs tackling the task that you have been avoiding but plays an integral role in pushing the needle towards your goal. In other words stop doing not urgent not important work for the sake of feeling busy.

C. This is the secret sauce- Do hourly goal check ins. YES set your phone to alarm every hour and check in on yourself. Take 3 minutes to evaluate:

What have I accomplished 

How has it pushed me towards my goals 

Have I wasted any time and effort 

What needs to be improved.

One Love

Danni

Lessons Learned From a One Year Old

 Winners never quit and quitters never win. In other words keep working on that craft, keep setting those goals, keep pushing forward, keep following through but most importantly, NEVER QUIT!!!!.

I watched my one year old as she climbed on the couch and fell backwards hitting her back on the ground. She cried a little as I assisted her in getting up but to my amazement she went right back to climbing up the couch. 

The beauty of children is just how fearless they are especially when they are little. At a young age the word impossible is not apart of their level of understanding. Fear and doubt in self is learned behavior. 

As a sales woman I have learned that people who tell you no usually become your best customers, so keep trying. 

What would you accomplish if you did not fear getting your feelings hurt? What would you accomplish if you knew for sure you would be successful? Stop doubting yourself, step out in confidence and go live your dream.

For my christian friends God never gave us a spirit of fear. Its in the bible go read it.

One Love

Danni

Checking In

 Earlier this week I watched a video interview of someone I went to college with. During that interview she shared the experiences she had as a child growing up. Experiences that would break anyone much less a young girl. I was surprised because seeing her from day to day she did not wear or show her experiences. 

Its covid time and for me the heaviness of the virus is taking its toll on me emotionally. If you know me, I'm always Ms. Positivity so that may seem hard for many of my close friends to believe. In a sense this blog is my Thursday night therapy. It helps me navigate the thoughts in my head. 

Now is the time to create a habit of checking in. Socially distancing and physical separation can affect us and our loved ones psychologically. Do not assume others are ok, do not assume being friends on social media means you are up to date with what's going on in peoples lives. Spend time reaching out, take the time to do a wellness check. 

You may never know the impact staying in touch may have.

This may not be a pumped up motivational blog, but I hope it inspires you to reach out to someone you haven't seen or spoken to in a while. 

One Love 

Danni

Keep Working On Those Goals

 Setting goals are easy and writing them down is also easy, what is hard is actually following through with the goals we have set. 

It is the beginning of February, do your goals still make you feel warm and fuzzy inside like they did in early January? Here are a few techniques to help you stay in winning mode.

Set micro goals- Many of us set out to accomplish large goals that may sound great in the beginning until we begin working on them. Usually a few weeks in and we are ready to throw in the towel. When we focus on micro goals it is easy  to see the results.

Celebrate the small wins- have a reward system in place and highlight your accomplishments no matter how small. 

Begin with the end goal in mind- Set a reminder in an area that allows you to see the reason for your goal. This reminds you of your why when you feel like giving up.

Forgive Yourself for Stopping- Taking a break from your goal can bring on negative feelings of doubt and lack of trust in ourselves. It is important to forgive ourselves for the temporary stops that we make on the way to accomplishing our goals.

Start Again- As the old proverb says, it is never too late for a shower of rain. If you took a pause, do not be afraid to get back up and start working on our goals again. 

Remember, totally giving up on a goal you have set and want to accomplish will leave you loosing faith and trust in yourself. If you have stopped working on your goal, restart as if it's a brand new year.

One Love

Danni

One Love 

Danni

MAMBA MINDSET

 One thing I love about professional sports is watching people who have put their absolute best into their craft and compete against each other. I am not the most competitive person, but it may be a quality I should encourage.

It's been a year since we lost Kobe. I have to admit I love the mamba state of mind. Yes Kobe was talented, but not the most talented, yes Kobe was gifted in basketball, but not the most gifted. What separated Kobe was his ridiculous none stop drive to be his absolute best. He would never be outworked. It was that mindset, that mentality, that energy, that persistence that drove his success to dominate the courts.

The next time you watch basket ball or the superbowl, or any sports event for that matter, do not watch it just for entertainment. Watch it with a desire to take some of the habits that creates the best.

One Love

Danni

THE: SHARPEN THE SAW PROJECT

 Lately I've been feeling stuck in various areas of my life. I figured since it's a new year and we are goal setting, now would be a good time to address the source of that feeling. 

Often times when we feel stuck either in our career, relationships or even parenting, that's usually our body telling us we need growth in a certain area. For me I was able to think through and pinpoint the source of my feeling and to address it, I formulated the "sharpen the saw" project. 

The term, "sharpen the saw" was not coined by me, instead it is a concept formulated by Stephen Covey and well documented in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". I encourage you to embark on a "sharpen the saw project" with me by:

1. Identify an area in your life where you feel stuck or there is lack of or need for more growth.

2. Find a book, video or podcast that addresses that area. For example if you want to grow in your relationship with your teen, begin reading books that talk about parenting teenagers.

3. Take notes as you discover new techniques, knowledge and ideas that can be implemented. Note- writing things down heightens our ability to remember it later.

4. Set a time or determine ways you can or will implement or apply your new knowledge. 

Don't have much time? Actually you do. We often find time for the things that are important to us. Commuting is a great time to learn. You can listen to anything anywhere. Reading on the subway for me is so therapeutic. I can get lost in a good book while commuting via public transportation. Cooking is also a great time to listen to content. Our scheduled breaks at work are also great downtimes when we can read. Find a time best for you and begin your project.

Now is the best time to invest in our personal growth. 

Please share with me how your project is coming along. 

One Love

Danni

LESSONS LEARNED IN A CRISIS YEAR

For most of us 2020 started out normal but we watched as overnight life as we knew it came to an abrupt halt. Here are five lessons that I've learned in 2020.

1. Be adaptable and flexible - for many of us, our jobs changed over night to accommodate social distancing guidelines. Many institutions grew others closed their doors. The ones that saw most success were those that found ways to quickly adapt to the new changes. 

2. Be a forward thinker- this goes hand in hand with lesson one. No one saw this crisis coming, but many individuals, organizations and business had already began implementing practices and adapting to the changing world. For example, the personal trainer who had already began doing online training prior to this crisis already had the infrastructure to market and expand. 

3. Set health goals- I cannot over emphasize this one enough. Covid exposed America's biggest dilemma. Many American's have at least two chronic illnesses and that is not ok. It begins with us as individuals taking inventory of our health and wellness. We have to be in the drivers seat when it comes to our health. It is 2021 so  let's put pen to paper and focus on what health means to us and the changes we are going to make to get our bodies healthy. 

4. Set Wealth goals- This is actually number 2 on my lessons learned priority list, health being number 1. As we see unemployment rise, what strategies are we putting in place to insulate ourselves in the wake of another crises? Again put pen to paper and begin writing not just saving goals but be audacious and set wealth goals, break your goals down into bite size pieces and work at them one by one. 

5. Think multiple streams of income - This is also another major lesson learned. I have learned this year that having one stream of income is not enough and not ok. Every single individual have talents and I believe we all have a purpose. If you have a 9 to 5 use your talents in other areas to create income, get a side hustle. There are so many people who will pay you for your skills and expertise. Become a consultant in an area that you are familiar with. If you are not confident increase your knowledge and skill set. Spend time improving on your craft then MARKET IT. 

I have learned many lessons in 2020 but these five are some of my top ones. Over time I will share the others.

One Love

Danni 

MY ENERGIZER MORNING ROUTINE

Being a busy mom of three kids ages 6 and under, it is absolutely important that I carve out time for myself. My "me" time has now become my morning routine and I absolutely love it. This routine keeps me energized throughout the day, not just physically but mentally as well. 

This is what my morning looks like:

1. I am an early to rise type of chick. My best wake up time is 4am- I find that I am clearest and most creative early in the morning.

2. I worship which involves reading my bible and praying. This allows me to be more centered, clear in my head and spiritually focused. 

3. I exercise even if it is just for a few minutes. Exercising gives me the feeling that I can conquer any and everything. 

4. I read - I recently heard an author say that he makes sure he reads a book about parenting or marriage every morning prior to reading anything else. I'm definitely going to be incorporating this into my morning routine. 

5. My absolute favorite part of my morning is breakfast. I almost always eat the same thing everyday; oatmeal, blueberry, banana smoothie made with almond milk. I have began adding more proteins into my morning like sardines (hubby says yuck!!!) or eggs (or Turkey bacon-my cheat meal) Yum!!!! I find that having breakfast latest 7am keeps me satisfied until noon.

What rituals do you have in your morning or throughout your day that puts you at ease or sets the tone for your day or night? Please share by leaving a comment. I would love to learn from you.

Can a Sistah say!!!!!

One Love

Danni