Is Your “Anti-Fad” Attitude Costing You Money, Time and Effort?

Is your stuff boring?

(Because you say that you don’t want to do “fads”)

In other words, to ‘play it safe’, do you offer a “walking program” with some body weight exercises and recommend that your clients try a “Zumba®” tape or take a water aerobics class.

But you also offer some nutritional advice. You tell them to eat boneless, skinless chicken breast, broccoli and brown rice and to drink lots of water.

You may recommend a vitamin supplement.

Does it work, probably. It worked for you? Most of the time, right?

What’s wrong with it?

It’s boring.

No one cares about it. No one cares about your program. They definitely won’t pay you for that advice.

Now here’s Joe Trainer up the street, who likes to teach spinning, he just “fused together” different types of exercises and exercise routines to develop “Bazukka”

“Have you tried Bazukka?”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a new group fitness class where you lift a Pilates Ring/Fitness Circle with your arms and ‘like’ spin with your lower body while on a bike…

It’s a great total body workout… It’s Super fun.”
(I’m making fun of course. Bazukka doesn’t exist, right? I also hate hearing the use of “super” as a superlative like “Super easy” or “Super simple”. I don’t want to hear super anything except for “Superman or Superwoman” or like the name of a grocery store near me, “The Super Supermarket”. This is really the name of the store. I’ll post photos.)

Sorry, back to the Anti-Fad stuff.

Bazukka is a fad.

So is or was, Spinning, Step aerobics, Tae-Bo, TRX, bootcamps, 30-minute circuits, Tabata, MMA workouts, P-90X, Zumba, Cross Fit, Shake weight, Yogalates, Body Pump, Dancing to the Oldies, latest abdominal contraption and anything
“originating” from Russia.

All Fads. There’s more for sure.

People tried them for the newness and excitement brought on by the creator of that particular program (fad). The creator of that “fad” got results for themselves, then with others and built on from there.

What about food fads /nutritionally fad diets. (Here’s one that really gets me crazy,
“Fat-burning foods”. I couldn’t resist.)

Let’s say this is what you’re thinking,

“Well I’ve heard of those workouts and maybe even tried some and even got certified in some, but now that I’m teaching, helping others get fit… I want to stay away from fads. I want to teach people how to exercise, eat and be well. Real common sense stuff. I don’t want to ‘trick’ them into a temporary situation.”

This sounds nice… but it’s costing you clients, therefore money. And you should care, because your competition, other fitness professionals (ie: personal trainers), are already doing this.

They are already creating a “temporary situation”, a fad, that gets their client’s attention long enough to gain some trust. This is just what you need to get and keep your potential client’s attention and interest… especially with exercise.

Since the best results come down the road, you can’t get prospects interested enough to buy with what will happen “down the road” (prevention), you need a “hook”. You need to develop/create a program/project that excites them, sounds fun, even challenging and has self-efficacy built into it.

It’s what I call a STW or Short Term Win. It’s the “fad” part of your freelance project that you use to “hook” your targeted clients. The STW is designed to last 7 to 14 days.

I have written up about 15 workouts for you, the nurse interested in fitness and wellness, to utilize when helping your clients “fix” their trouble areas and concerns. Each of these workouts, when used with a diet that you feel works best, will deliver “fad” like results.

A fad-like result is a quicker result that lasts as long as the client continues to follow the STW. It gives them a lift and motivates them to continue on and helps build credibility for you, because you did what you said you would do.

The workouts are labeled just as clients or potential clients asked about them:

“How do I get rid of this?” Workout (“this“ could be muffin top, back fat, cellulite, cankles (cankles are calf and ankle “fused” together, there is no visible ankle showing), even poor posture… what ever it is, this workout will tremendously improve your client’s problem when combined with other efforts you have them doing … like the meal plan/diet you are using.
“I just want to zip my pants!” Workout Waist Reduction Workout
Bat Wings Be Gone (arm toning)
I Want A Bigger Booty Workout (in some cases, someone wants a bigger butt, all the rave today) (Butt-building workout)
I DON’T Want A Bigger Butt Workout (Slimming & Trimming workout)
10 lbs. in a 5 lb. bag? Workout (Weight Reducing Workout)
“I wish I had more time to workout!” Workout Busy People Workout
“I just need help keeping consistent” Workout 30-Second to 90-Second Workout.
“My joints hurt a little today, what else can I do?” Workout Low-Impact Workout (For Joint pain, NO body parts flopping around that may be embarrassing, distracting or painful)
“I wish I had a place to workout at home!” Workout Home Workout (Finding “space” in clients home, using exercise equipment and gadgets they already own.
Weight-Bearing Workout (For bone health, osteoporosis prevention, diabetes)
Body Weight Workout (Using their own body weight as resistance, getting down onto floor is required)
Gym Equipment Workout (Machines, cables, free weights, Gravitron, Smith machine, cardio decks, etc.)
Seated Workout (Medically restricted, obese, can’t/won’t get on floor)

I could name these workout with titles that would be “Hooky” and a couple of them I will, but you can see that they all could be “fad” workouts. But they sound more inviting and peaks people’s curiosity, yeah?

When you work for an organization, a company, you must follow accepted, government guidelines, regardless of the massive research you have done on your own that contradicts what you were hired to do.

For example, when I was a RN Health Educator for a hospital system’s Health Resource Department, when teaching diet principles and meal planning we had to promote the food pyramid, (1990’s). I knew back then that the government food pyramid was a “diabetes starter kit”. But we couldn’t say anything.

When you are not working for yourself, you can’t express your brillance and do what you know works.

There were some times when I just couldn’t help myself. I knew I had to work for myself. I remember the big egg and cholesterol scare.

I never bought into that. So I just couldn’t tell the public to do that. Here’s why…

I never told people to eat egg whites because my grand mother used to ask, “why would you pay more for less food and why change the way God made it to be… eaten together. Besides, the yolk is the best part”.

I have fond memories of eggs and my grand parents. Grapefruit too. Bacon too. My Nana wouldn’t lie to me.

Sorry, I was reminiscing.

So eventually, I began not caring about the standard guidelines and because of the newly found internet, the public we served wanted to know more than that government-fed stuff. And I was all too happy to oblige.

At the health fairs, where we did all kinds of health screenings, I had the longest lines. Longer than the other Nurse Educators. They complained I was taking too long with people. I didn’t care I did what I wanted.
I even told some, where to find raw milk… I know sacrilegious. I was written up in our local newspaper, the Asbury Park Press, about it.

Hey, I considered myself a resource. I started and was hired in a “Health Resource” department and even through the changes to that department, I continued to dispense “Health Resources” and I was popular with the public.

Too bad I wasn’t popular with the new administration.

You should be a resource and be popular with your targeted audience. Be a resource with your program/project.

You don’t have to do or talk the standard, boring health and fitness filling to sound credible. In actuality you won’t be seen or heard.

Unlike having the backing of a large hospital when I was sprouting that unoriginal, nobody hears you, same ol’ fitness & nutrition stuff… today, I have to stand out and get people to “buy into me” and so do you!

Create a “Fad” have fun with it. Try it on yourself and invite others to try it with you.

You should become the local celebrity in your area.

You know, people will say, “Oh that’s Janet, she’s the local Fitness Nurse and helps busy moms lose that baby fat”.

Do in-person sessions. You can also work with clients over the internet and phone and use video for workouts and demonstrations. And even do a combination of these.

If you need workouts, and help with any fitness programming (I do easy-breezy fitness programs, not complicated and tricky), don’t hesitate to contact me here:

https://www.timetrade.com/book/2CHMJ

Stay tuned for the notice of the finished “fitness programming for the fitness nurse” workout guide.

Till next time,

Minky

Freelance Gig

A goal of a Recycled Nurse is to eventually get paid for your freelance work (gig) promoting your fitness/wellness program/product.

A Freelance Gig – to me – is about having to work when you need to and want to by doing gigs (jobs) you love, are trained in and/or getting trained in.

A project can be a gig if it involves getting paid doing something by the project; not the hour and you have the “freedom” to work when you want to.

Remember this is about “freedom”. Freedom from “the – – – race”, the “forced work” and bad feelings, freedom from holding back, freedom from the mundane. When we “choose our work”, we get to say “when”, we get to say “who” and we get to say “how much”… which is the best part.

Maybe this resonsates with you. (Did “resonate” come from California?)

It’s not for every nurse.

Most nurses want predictability and stability. That’s what nursing is and should be. We know it’s 24-7 people!

Some nurses believe you’ve got to “fight for it”, “fight for this” in your job and “fight for that” on your job…

…all the time.

I’ve always believed, “You can’t fight City Hall”. Why would do you want to? I’d rather be doing something else.

Like… making people laugh.

It’s been my experience that the “metaphorical City Hall’s” of the world, don’t have a sense of humor. So it’s my choice to retreat and fight else where. A battle I’m better suited to fight.

Do not be “fully engaged” to people’s personal ‘situations’.

This is quite easy to do when you do freelance work, because you actually like being there. So the complaining and the drama, is a “passing” moment for you. You have a force field protecting you from being drawn in to the “nonsense”. This force field appears because you are working there for different reasons. Reasons that serve you and your purpose.

You’re more making the “easy” cash to feed your purpose than the manager’s “favorite” staffers on the schedule.

Keep Calm and Carry On.
~Winston Churchill?

The Conslutant – no that’s NOT a typo

No, that’s not a typo. It’s my extreme effort to get you to pick ONE Thing
when starting your freelance work in fitness, health and wellness and not to be like I was.

Now understand this – I am speaking about me in this post… NOT you. If you can relate to my uncalculated risks and reckless adventures, great, I hope you get a take away… but remember I am writing about me.

This metaphor about The Conslutant…appeals to the side of desperation and low-level tactics I used to get paid and more.

You need to acknowledge, identify and if possible avoid this behavior. It’s also me trying to get you to join our Recycled Nurse Movement (opt-in) and start recycling your life skills for extra money/freelance work and start out right, “Start out how you want to end up!” (As my Nana always said)

So, let’s begin my plight (Even though this is real, it’s o.k. to laugh. Actually I hope you do)…

That’s who I was… a Conslutant. Not a ConSULTant… A ConSLUTant.

Don’t be like me. Don’t do what I did,

I was a whore.

A whore will repeatedly do anything for money. Will have a service for anybody.

This is just some of what I did…

Let’s get this right off the table – I was a “certification whore”. If you are starting to feel a bit of offense coming up in you – just know, I would get certified from the back of a cereal box, if needed, back in the day (the 80’s) – You may never do that… therefore you’re probably not a “certification whore” like me… so rest assured and enjoy my plight…
At one point, I had about 8 or 9 fitness certifications and maybe 3 in nursing. From back of magazine to weekend programs to online programs and all kinds of schools. I recognize the importance of “knowing your shit” and having a validation.

Hell, I used to teach and travel on weekends (Friday-Sunday), certifying personal trainers, so I can appreciate accomplishing something… but I was a whore with it. Today guess how many I have?

None. Nada. Zero.
Do I still have that knowledge? Of course I do. But I didn’t need sooo many “certs”. Do you really? Are you making more money because of them? Are you more confident because you have them? At the time it seems right.

Crystal balls and unicorns… I wish they were real.

Obtaining some of the “certs” actually caused unwanted stress and grief with my health and in personal relationships too.

You know if you might be going down this garden path to getting certified in everything when:

You run into someone you used to know and hasn’t seen you for a while – asks you,

“You do what again?”
and you freeze and “pick one” of your “certs” in your mind.
Then blurt out something that sounds questionable. Like a fusion of 2 or more certs, “I’m a ‘doula-Yoga-lates Instructor Coach’ and I supervise in the ER , sometimes”. Then you try to explain yourself. This sounds painful doesn’t it? I know because I used to do this.

Does this happen to you, ever? No?
Well, like I said, this is about me.
I’d chase people and even wait for prospects on the street or parking lot and approach them with an offer. When they refused, I’d lower my price and my morals and offer another trick.
I’d have 7 or more different business cards at one time; one for every position/fantasy title I could be or do. I even made up some of my initials, meaning they meant something to me… only. It was like I was some sort of Secret or Double Agent.
Someone would ask me in an elevator, at a conference, “So, who are you?” I would answer, “So who do you want me to be?”
OR “So, what do you do?” and I would answer, “I’m a conslutant, what are you looking for? I can do it all.”
When asked how much were my services, I would say, I charge by the hour. But I also do 1/2 hour rates.
If the prospect showed less interest than I hoped, I’d suddenly have a one-time-only special offer and say “I have a special and I can charge by the 1/4 hour. Everybody has 15 minutes, right?”.If I didn’t hear from the prospect in a day, I would call them and say,
“I do group rates too… yes, group rates for a 1/4 hour and yes, I can come there on a Friday afternoon on the weekend of the 4th of July”.
(sound like a whore yet?)
I’d respond back to everybody and anybody who showed me any interest at all. This could be on social media and on phone calls. I pre-qualified no one. Basically you just had to be human and able to “possibly” pay. ‘Cause many times I didn’t get paid.
I’d go to networking events and fling my business cards at anyone within 4 feet of me.
I’d eat “dinner” at hotel meetings. After sleeping 40 minutes in my car, I’d spruce myself up run into the ladies room and emerge like a predator, a “catwoman”. I was like a well-seasoned ferrell cat and I hadn’t eaten since 11:00 (it’s now 7:00pm) because I was Intermittently Fasting. I chose this time to IF because funds were low.
I walked into several rooms setting up and there it was… farm-raised SHRIMP! JACKPOT! This kitty was very happy and I’d smile casually, walked over to the “spread” and taste a few shrimp and then take a 2 handfuls and put in my tote bag. (My mom’s friends on the senior bus trips to Atlantic City taught me well.) Calm down, I only took enough for my dinner that’s all.

You never put a piece of food in your bag from a buffet? (I’ll write something funny about “buffets” another time)
On the computer, I would see that someone had an idea that brought them in some money, I’d buy it and then copy it… my attempts to replicate their success was demoralizing. I did all this work to be like someone else and I never got a call back. (womp, womp)
Over the years, I’d offer every service/program ever thought of in fitness & health for everybody and anybody. I learned that from the hospital health resource department that I worked for. We offered a hundred choices for their (the community’s) selection.
Here’s an example below of a hospital health resource dept. nutrition programs. We did health education programs in the community. I worked for them and got a lot of whore training here, about 13 years worth. This was just the nutrition programs! The fitness programs I did were about half of this.

An extensive list of topics. No USP here. If you had to pick one which one would you pick?

This list serves absolutely everybody… and some animals and space aliens.

Remember hospitals have large marketing budgets. You and I don’t. It is foolish to think you can serve what a large hospital system can, even if you have the “knowledge” in all of those topics.

One of the biggest mistakes I see nurses who want to do freelance work in fitness/health make is they want to work with anybody which is everybody.

For example I just got an email the other day from a nurse, with a great history of skills and experience, said she wanted to do fitness and health improvement work with pre-teens, busy moms and some men. That’s just about everybody right? How do you find these people and position yourself around that market? How can you provide a ass-kicking result with very different wants and needs of these 3 groups?
I don’t even want to discuss the broadness of “fitness” and “health improvement”.

In her defense, we never spoke to each other on the phone.

But I can almost tell by what she wrote, she’s headed down that road of “slutdom” in her marketing efforts and getting attention. Again, “Start out how you want to end up!”

I know it’s challenging because I did the same thing. That’s what got me started down the road of becoming a slut. A Conslutant. Being all things to all people. Before ‘Minky’, “cheap & easy” were my middle name.

I’m sure many of you are quite well versed in many topics in fitness, health and wellness. If you don’t learn to become the best in one area and position yourself to those people in that area, that expertise you have, will get “lost in the sauce”.

For example, I read a story about an allergy clinic who could handle all kinds of allergies and wanted to expand their reach. But they weren’t getting the traction that they wanted with their community. Once they got insight from someone smart, they focused (their USP) on just nut allergies (not even food allergies) but nut allergies and mothers of young children.

Their visibility went up. Word of mouth was great and sales improved. AND they still treated other people with hay fever and other allergies too.

How NOT to be a Conslutant:

Decide you want to recycle some skills you have and put a program together in the fitness, health & wellness space. This program should be able to be duplicated for the prospective client’s benefit not your benefit.
Know your service or product by picking one thing. “Wear it well”, be proud. It’s not for everybody. Tell people who it’s for!
If you don’t have a service or product yet, but you want to develop one, make sure you’ve tried the process on yourself exactly how you would propose others do it.
I believe in anecdotal stories and passion, it’s what drives us. But you need a way to pull it together, get specific and expect certain benefits (outcomes). If you feel you need more fitness training I like NESTA , but you may not need it. Think Richard Simmons and Susan Powter (blonde with spiked-hair, Google her)
So, you’re not all over the place like manure in a garden (my mom used to say that about me; it was her way of saying, “you’re a -)”,
you should answer this – What are you trying to accomplish?
I like this question. Has some vision to it. Then, once in a while, maybe add… “now” after accomplish.

Well, recycling skills and life experiences take time. It’s definitely a process. But there’s no reason you can’t make money along the way. That’s how it’s done or why do it? Earn & Learn or Learn & Earn and Live and Learn, I love those.
All of this comes down to finding your USP. (Unique Selling Proposition)
You can’t be authentic and confident in what you do without it. You can’t build a brand without it.

Without USP – You can’t answer the “How” in these very important questions for you –

“What is your immediate goal?”

“To make money or to get visibility?”

They may crossover on your path, but they are different when you start creating your freelance work project and in your day-to-day actions.

Early on, I combined both, this was a mistake.
I ended up being “visible at the moment” and made some cash, then “poof” I was invisible again. Nobody wants to be associated with a networking desperado doing the “walk of shame” afterwards.

Now, I know better. These 2 outcomes are different especially when “need” is involved. The things needed to do to make money were different than things needed to do to get visibility.

Even though it may take time, don’t do what I did and spend years “busting your ass” solving “everybody’s” problem that they didn’t know they had.

When you’re ready to join and recycle yourself, avoid slutty business behavior, laugh, let me know, I can surely tell you what not to do.

Minky
loriradcliffecfn at gmail dot com

P.S. I can also tell you what to do too. Here’s a little cheat list:

What you do
How you do it
Benefit it has

If you knew your USP, answering these seemingly simple questions, would be seemingly simple.

Jelly Legs and My Beats Headphones

Here’s the summation of it all:

Jelly Legs almost got me in trouble with an escalator.
Jelly legs need to be experienced at least twice a week for best results
Lovin’ my new Beats Headphones pushed me into “jelly legs” without any grief or pain (so that’s means I didn’t really notice)
Leg exercises you should never do if you have a butt that’s too big and thick thighs that you want to trim down
Try “adding” something instead of taking something away

===========================================
Here are the details…

If you don’t know what “jelly legs” are here’s what I’m referring to –

You’ve worked out (your legs) to that point (for you) that they are only moving you forward because of previous years walking since about 2 years old.
They feel, well…
like jelly.

I wondered how I would put in my clutch and drive – then I turned the corner of the gym and saw this… an escalator.

It wasn’t so much that the escalator was so high… it was working… it was “stepping onto the escalator” without ending up like Will Ferrell on “Elf” or falling on my face.

I could see the yellow lines on where the steps separated, but my foot just wouldn’t move correctly, like my mind wanted it to. This is Fatigue for real. Not too much blood to the brain – Otherwise known as “muscle head”.

Then the next yellow line would come… I had my bifocals on, so the moving stairs were close then they were far, then blurry.

Just when I got a clear 3-second focus, I’d try to step down but the separating stairs would be in the middle of my foot and , I just couldn’t put my foot down where the step was separating, this went on for (what felt like 30 minutes) but it was only about 20 seconds, me standing one leg trying to get on… I needed serious mental concentration that just wasn’t there anymore.

I had to dig deep to step up onto this escalator… finally, I prevailed. I was on with first foot firmly planted (dropped down) and second one followed along nicely. I was proud of myself. I will never (in my mind) rush another senior citizen again!

I had “jelly legs”. If you don’t know what I’m talking about just work one body part with a knowledgeable fitness professional and that body part will feel like jelly during and after the workout… but it’s really tightening up your shit.

You MUST experience “jelly legs” in your workouts at some point if you want lasting change and stay trimmer longer. Twice a week will do, if you do it right. But I was getting distracted, watching people, watching people work out… incorrectly, you know… Those “other people” who don’t know what they are doing, but you do. I feel you, ’cause I feel the same way.
So I decided to try listening to something while I exercised. I listened to things like various trainings, performances, “books on tape” and of course music, podcasts, Mp3 downloads, etc. What an experience I’ve been having lately.
My son just delivered his Christmas present to me:

For Minky!

Maybe it’s the noise-cancelling feature, but I got lost in my workout (in a good way) while listening through my new Beats headphones. I started remembering “why” I used to work out for all those years after being athlete…
I like to feel like I’m doing something for the “self-preservation of my body and mind”. It makes me feel for all the damage I’ve done to my body over the years – I can still feel this good through this movement I do. It’s really all I know.

So, of course PangPang wanted to try them out too.

For PangPang!

Blue Tooth technology – a “first” for me. I know I’m trying to catch up as best I can. Nice to have no wires! I got carried away when working out during the exercises I do. My legs felt really like “jelly” after this particular workout, and what was the difference?

Beats Headphones? Maybe. I think so.

The sound was good; I pushed myself harder during the workout because where the sound took me.

I liked the whole “feel” of wearing them too. They even kept my ears warm on those blustery walks on the boardwalk with PangPang. So, now I’ll wear them every time I go… get better results and be happier, feel better. For me having an accessory made me work harder and follow through… I liked it.

What small change or “add” can you do, that becomes part of a ritual and makes it easier to make that change you want or what your client wants? It’s a becomes a better experience for you.

When you add one thing you seem to like it makes the change easier. I don’t do a lot of exercises (When I go to the gym I use the Gravitron, some cables & mostly a 30-min. circuit with 30 sec. per exercise stations) and it takes me at least 3 days to recover.

I add my smaller ritual GPPG exercises between going to the gym.

What are GPPG exercises?* It stands for Get up. Pee. Pajamas. Go.
They are part of smaller exercise rituals I do and it involves 30 seconds. I talk about it more in my “Anti-Bully” Workout. (Which is NOT for children.) This is for Nurses who want to serve up some sweet revenge and have a delightful experience by the feeling the transformation and validating yourselves with your results.
I am currently doing the “Anti-Bully” Workout* (this one is for Nurses who want to fight back and improve their situation) This workout is designed to trim my bulky thighs and buttocks – I don’t want the Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian look at my age. At this age that would equal diabetes, high blood pressure and not being able to stand up.

The workout involves kicking, punching, straight leg exercises and exercising your voice in your own way and it’s also a short workout.

Because of my muscle type, I don’t need more muscle under my layer of fat.
So I don’t do too much squatting, lungeing, never step aerobics or any exercise that involves simultaneous hip and knee flexion. Because my legs will get huge.

Is that what you want?

I just want to trim down and zip my pants… you know what I mean?

Some of you have worked out hard and you’ve experienced jelly legs. But for me – Jelly legs does NOT equal a bunch of squats, lunges, step classes, crash fit, Tabata – it equals working your legs in a way to whatever it takes to get to “jelly”. You’ll know it when you’re there.

By the way if you do that stuff… good for you… my body can’t and won’t handle it.

Also, for me, I need to do it with Beats Headphones in a gym 2-3 days a week, and I supplement (add) that effort with several exercise rituals that are for 30 seconds – done within my normal morning and evening rituals.

(You have a ritual, if you think about it.. yes, you do… are you thinking, “my ritual is chaos”?) Yet, chaos has repetitive moments.

If you want to* try this or you already exercise, take heed or as a reminder:

You WILL be sore the next and the next day, so expect it.

I expect it.
That’s why I need 3-4 days to recover.
Don’t live at the gym or exercise like a nut, like I used to. It really isn’t good for you.
It’s excellent for you if you rest, exercise, eat. In that order.

Stay tuned for “The ‘Anti-Bully’ Workout” (for Nurses) section in your Escapism & Sweet Revenge guide, “Start Out How You Want To End Up!”

*Exercise and Eat at your own risk. Seek medical advice prior to following
this or any diet or exercise program.
Want more? Opt in to the top right – and visit me, Minky, at

www.FreelanceNursePros.com

Fear and Starting Over

Fear.

It’s a feeling that most people try to conquer or beat.

I think that’s wasted energy and will leave you feeling baffled, confused and unfulfilled.

Why?

Because Fear can’t be erased. It doesn’t go away. It simply changes it’s face… like a chameleon.

One day or moment it’s there while you’re standing up to your boss; the next day or moment it’s there again right before you start skiing down the intermediate slope for the first time.

So when I hear people say the word “fearless”, it deflates me a bit. Because I don’t believe them.

It’s like when people put on seminars and programs about being “stress less and stress free”.

The only time I know when you are “stress free” is when you’re dead.

I believe it’s more effective to face your fear on a regular basis, recognize it, acknowledge it and keep moving.

Fear begins to lose its luster… but it doesn’t ever completely go away.

So, to me, “FEARLESS” is a what I call “cheerleader word”.

No substance to it… but it sounds good in a sound bite or a cheer.

PangPang is showing his fear below:

His face is priceless. It’s like, “Keep that crazy exercising Santa away from me!”

He’s afraid to make any sudden moves and didn’t want to be in there by himself when I got up.

We all want to feel comfortable. We all have our “security blankets” too.

My security blanket was my list of almost 3,000 nurses interested at some point in fitness & nursing.

Now, believe it or not, 3,000 names on an e-mail list is not that many. But I didn’t do any formal marketing,

no actively plugging on Facebook or other social media, no cold mailings, most nurses simply found me on Google.

So I thought and had confidence and faith in there being “a need” or even “a want” by nurses to become fitness nurses.

I was only partly right.

Since 2007, I’ve seen the same pattern of nurses who found me, they:

Had an idea of what they wanted to do, but it stopped there
Wanted to get “certified” in many things
Did nothing or very little with any information/certification (this is not unique to fitness nursing)

Some of you may be thinking that if the certification was crap… what should I expect?

I expect you to understand that it’s not the certification that makes you successful.
(Just so you know, I have 2 college degrees and at one time I had 7 certifications, so I was like you too!)

Today ALL of my certifications have expired, because I know you can’t take away what I know from

the past and continue to learn from those before me in how to get clients and get paid in the business of freelance work that I do – in the area I know best.

I see it in many areas of nurses in business. They get “certified” as something and it could have been approved for nursing education credits through an accreditated organization that can supply the nursing credits – BUT- (not an accreditated program though, so be careful if that’s what you’re after, they are not the same thing. Getting these credits/contact hours are no different than getting them from a nursing magazine.)

Some nurses actually get the Board Certification (BC) from a bonafide nursing body – BUT in business, these nurses are still struggling… they have no or very few clients or are begging or chasing the wrong potential clients. Why?

Because, in my opinion, because of all the “extra” book training, they must justify that training, and they simply refuse to believe they need help making money. They have no lead generation marketing and sales skills and feel that if they throw up their idea on Facebook that will be enough.

Well, if people can go to You-Tube or Doctor Oz and get something similar to what you are offering or want to offer in fitness, health & wellness (and you have no point of view or personality)… why would they pay for what you have? Ouch, I know.

In you want to be in business, stop getting initials, get clear on your value and distinction and start learning and doing hardcore

sales training from others, outside of nursing, and remember some of the best trainers have no formal degrees. (There are a lot of broke MBA’s out there or are doing something they hate.

Action and skill TRUMP cert/degree and passion when it comes to working for yourself every time.

This is another fear because actually getting certifications is not that scary, may be hard, but not as scary as cold calling or not paying your bills or wondering what other people will think of you if you fail at going out on your own… That’s scarier. That creates fear.

So, I was having such a hard time letting go of what I wanted to do. I had fear. My income was erratic and

I found out the hard way… most nurses (my original audience) are not entrepreneurs nor risk takers… which is o.k.

You are who you are regardless of how you put food on your table.

For the business that I was in, I had the wrong audience. I needed to change and further define that audience.

I didn’t want to believe that even though I felt it. I just kept changing my act instead.

I finally listened to a mentor of mine, the great Lisa Sasevich,

“Lori, don’t change your act… change your audience”

I was afraid and I even gave warnings that I would not send any more e-mails to that original fitness nursing list.

Only a dismal response about 30 people out of about 3,000 opened the last email I sent.

They had enough of me already.

Time to face my fear, get rid of my “3,000 list security blanket” and start over.

PangPang has his own “security blanket too:

PangPang & his security blanket!

It’s his pug pillow friend and the warm radiator in 7 degree temps here at the Jersey Shore.

My new “security blanket” is now knowing I can be authentic and start writing exciting copy and comedy again.

I’m free of trying to “force” something on people who don’t want it, aren’t ready for it, they only want to get certified and have more initials or they were just curious.

I was trying to solve a problem that these nurses didn’t know existed yet, because they were not ever going

to take the risk. It could’ve been anything, not just fitness nursing.

I went about it all wrong.

Information overload is gone. I simply can help you with one strategy – deciding if you want to do some freelance work and finding your USP related to fitness, health and wellness. That’s it.

I now know certain nurses will find me when I talk to my truth. It will either resonate with you or it won’t.

So now I have started my email list again with 78 nurses so far who are interested in FreelanceNursePros.com and want to recycle their skills and life experience and make money doing freelance work that they love.

I help you do this by discovering your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) or positioning of your value, your distinction.

Most nurses who want to do some work for themselves are not “Entrepreneurs”. That’s too grandiose.

You simply want to know how to package and describe your value. Once this is discovered, you can make

much better decisions in how you want to move forward and if you want to move forward at all.

Today, my purpose is to provide you with a delightful experience, I don’t necessarily want to solve your problems. So, if you’re sitting back watching, that’s fine…

Watch me use my USP and promote my transformational and directional info-product, “Start Out How You Want To End Up!” featuring:

The “Anti-Bully” Workout (for Nurses). From product to speaking/webinars to private mentoring.

It’s all freelance work. And it won’t be for a pence.

You can do something similar too. If you want to solve a specific problem… that’s great for you. I encourage you to

know that and do that. I just have another perspective about my service offer than you.

Start over with me and find your new security blanket. Find your USP and and feel what it does for you.

It should excite you, create a hunger within you and makes you get up everyday wanting to fulfill it.

If you’re not feeling that way today, then you’re not doing you. You’re not being you…

See you next time,

Minky

P.S. One more thing about fear – it’s NOT FEAR but it’s ANGER that we should work through
or should get help for.

After all, we are all angry about something; some of us are just at higher levels than others.

And fear is a way to disguise our anger and deny our anger. We easily say “I’m afraid”.

Not me anymore, well, not as much anymore, I accept fear… I am actually pissed.
Yet, exercising helps me work through my anger.
What do you do to work through yours?
——————————————

LoriMinkyRadcliffecfn at gmail dot com

Recycled Nurse Blog is new

This blog site is back with a new focus.

This new blog for Recycled Nurses.

More information about what recycled nurses can do is here:

www.FreelanceNursePros.com

My Love Affair with Hard Manny (manual treadmill folks)

I asked my Fab5, if they have a piece of exercise equipment that they use regularly – You know, that was either garbage for someone else, you got it 10 cents on the dollar or is junk to anybody but you, that you have a love affair with. Well this is mine. I call it “Manny” the MANUAL treadmill. And he’s hard all the time…

Manny was made in the early 1980's and is not like a regular manual treadmill. His tread does not move unless you "dig" deep, like running on sand.

I do 4 intervals with Manny. I walk the first minute (but it’s hard walking, like manual steering from a parked position), the tread won’t easily move. I recover for a minute. Yes, recover. Remember YOU ARE THE MOTOR, there’s no “switch” to turn on. When you start, it starts… when you stop, it’s stops… no cool down.

I’ve had clients get on it and say, “O.K. what do I do?” I say, “Start walking… heel first…” It takes them a while to get the hang of it. Sometimes they push so hard, their shoe comes off. (I have to turn my head because I’m trying not to laugh and they’ll think I’m messing with them and I’m not!)

They have said, “I’ll work with you, if you DON’T make me get on THAT MACHINE!” That’s when you know it’s a good one (piece of equipment).

Back to my love affair – Then I run like a pit bull is after me for 30 seconds – recover 2 minutes. My heart rate is off the charts, I don’t even want to look at it until at least a minute into recovery. I repeat the 30 second sprint- recovery 2 minutes, for 2 more intervals. Then if I don’t throw up, (precisely why I exercise on a empty stomach, and so should you), I do some TRX moves, some thin thighs in 30 days moves, some hip flexor stretches with a small ball and chest and hamstring stretches and I’m done. 16 minutes.

I have a date every day with Manny except Mondays. No exercise on Mondays. A valuable lesson I’ll teach you if you stick with me.

What we want to teach you is to find a piece of equipment (your body will do also), that you can and will utilize and form a “love affair with it”. Talk dirty to it if necessary. Whatever it takes to get you in it’s presence and using it.

Every morning, I meet with Manny, I say “I’m only going one round (interval) with you today Manny… you wore me out yesterday.” Then I end up doing them all. It’s a love-hate relationship because some mornings I take a sneak a peak at myself in the mirror (you know, you pretend like you’re not looking at yourself) and my midsection is awesome. And I love Manny. When I have to run to catch a bus or after Pang Pang (my pug who thinks he can out run a kitty cat) and don’t feel like I’m going to die or lift babies or groceries and can eat more… I LOVE Manny.

At my age, I don’t want to teach 12 exercise classes a week or do endless cardio or body pump, or cross fit. I just want to “zip my pants” and have enough energy to enjoy my life. And to do that, I’ve figured out that I have to have my love affair with Manny until one of us says good bye.

Leave comments below and share your favorite piece of exercise equipment, even if it’s your own body. I’d love to know what it is. Can you develop a love affair with it? I hope you’ll try…

Fitness Nurse Heretic & Promoter meets Lisa Sasevich

This is an old entry of a couple of years ago.

But because of the new changes I have made I felt compelled to resurface it.

Why? Because it was from theis experience, from Lisa’s lips to my ears, the advice that I decided to take and ride:

“Lori, don’t change your act; change your audience.”

So instead of talking to nurses interested in fitness and self-employment; my new audience are broken, under-appreciated nurses who need and want to improve their own bodies/health and “fix” themselves; so they can better serve others in what they KNOW THEY CAN DO…help other people “at-risk” too. (And they can make some income in the process, they are hungrier!)

—————————————————————

Yes, I met the great Lisa Sasevich. Those of you who are saying, “Who is Lisa Sasevich?” That’s coming.

First, I need your nursing assessment skills. Can you please tell me what you think this is? ( I know what it is now, just want you to put on your nursing cap)

These red, itchy bumps started to appear randomly, as soon as landed in Las Vegas...

If you thought, “hives” then you answered correctly my friend.

That morning before I left for the airport, I didn’t yet confirm with the ‘dog nanny’ to watch our beloved Pang Pang pug.
That morning before I left for the airport, I took an assignment to test some students in North Jersey (crazy traffic near Rutger’s U). I thought it would take a few hours. The very first student took an hour and 20 minutes to test… oh boy. Will I make my flight? Security at Newark is atrocious. What shoes should I wear? Can I take a bottle of aspirin, can I take my vitamins on the plane? Should I just check my bag to be safe? Too many questions rolling through my head!
That morning before I left for the airport, I was having trouble communicating with the driver of the car that was taking me to the airport, bad cell phone connection.
I wasn’t done packing.
I’m on a hormone rollercoaster. (lack of sleep, edgy, heart palpitations)
I’ve been to Las Vegas a couple of times before, but this time was different… I was going there to meet one of my mentors in a big way, by myself.
I thought of all the other reasons/ways I could spend this money on.
But underneath all this chaos going on internally… I knew that I had to do this for YOU… not just me. I had to get more and more clear and get this infomation and share it with you so you can further your gift of fitness nursing to your tribe (that I’ll show you how to develop).
After rushing through the airport, waiting in security lines and finally boarding our late plane, I exhaled as I sat down in my seat and realized that I was alone. Meaning the one person who I would’ve called at least 7-8 times by now, in my craziness, my mother, was gone… again. But I had to do this. Because I want to do this. I knew that it was going to be o.k., but I still had that ‘knot’ in my tummy that never really left until I got back in Jersey.
Back to the hives. All of this led up to me breaking out in hives. (luckily none on my face!) I’m still breaking out today as I write this, but much better. It was my nerves. I stepped way out of my comfort zone… so much so, I broke out in hives! But it didn’t kill me and I’d do it again, if the opportunity came up again. I know that I can handle it. What I did is what very few people do… ACT! And it was well worth it – I was so thrilled to meet Lisa Sasevich as you will see below. I also made some great connections from all the other ‘agents of change’ who were there… ‘doing’ instead of ‘wishing’. It was an awesome experience, hives and all!:

Lisa and Lori. She's "The Queen of Sales Conversion and The Invisible Close" and I'm, "The Promoter of Fitness Nurse Consultants" See a trend here. Call yourself by what you do, so people can tell other people about you easily.

There’s so much to write about Lisa Sasevich. Please go to LisaSasevich.com to read, listen, watch her in action, you’ll be glad you did.

Visit www.FreelanceNursePros.com for more information.

Yours in Fitness & Nursing,

Lori

LoriRadcliffecfn@gmail.com

(732) 620-2193