Journaling and your Mental Health

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In previous posts, I have explored art journaling; ways to do it, why to do it, and what you need to do it. Today, though, I want to focus just on the journaling aspect. Maybe the thought of art journaling is too intimidating or scary. Maybe you have been told all your life that you can’t draw or be creative. If so, then let’s just talk about what journaling can do for you and your health.

There are many ways to keep a journal. The easiest and fastest way to do so is with a cheap lined notebook that you can keep handy. Here is the type I am talking about.

If you have never kept a journal, using something that you don’t consider “precious” is helpful. That way, you can write with abandon and not care if you make a mistake or make a mess. When you are journaling, you want to be able to write without thinking about your supplies, what you are writing, or if what you put on paper is grammatically correct. This is your place to express your feelings and thoughts, so just let them spill out onto your paper. No pressure, no rules, no worry.

Most girls I know have had a diary at some time in their lives. I know I did and I loved to write in mine until my older sister found my diary and read it out loud at the dinner table. It mortified me. I have had difficulty writing down anything personal ever since and I have struggled with feeling safe in my journals. It worked out. I used my journals to learn to trust again and to feel safe again, but it took me a very long time. Even now, as I grow into a senior, I experience moments when writing down my thoughts or feelings gives me a moments pause. It is okay. I just wait for it to pass and go on with my journaling.

Here is an excerpt from an article on the positive effects on your health from journaling:

Why is Journaling Good For You?

Journaling is a widely used non-pharmacological tool for coaching and counseling and the treatment of mental illness. Two forms of journaling are particularly commonplace in psychotherapy (Sohal et al., 2022):

Expressive writing
Typically performed over three or four sessions to access the client’s innermost feelings and thoughts; focusing on the emotional experience than events, people, or objects.
Gratitude journaling
Involving a focus on the positive aspects of life through capturing situations, events, and interactions for which we are grateful.

Keeping a record of personal thoughts and feelings is particularly helpful in supporting mental health by (WebMD.com, 2021):

Reducing anxiety
Breaking away from a nonstop cycle of obsessive thinking and brooding
Improving the awareness and perception of events
Regulating emotions
Encouraging awareness
Boosting physical health

The positive effects of journaling can even be felt when not performed daily – helping the individual better understand their needs and boosting their wellbeing (Tartakovsky, 2022).

Research on Journaling

Studies show that by capturing our thoughts and feelings on paper, “participants often reveal a considerable range and depth of emotional trauma” (Baikie & Wilhelm, 2005, p. 339).

Indeed, while the experience of writing can be upsetting, clients report they find it valuable and meaningful and, ultimately, a valuable part of the acceptance process.

In fact, based on client self-reports, research suggests a wide range of physical, cognitive, and emotional benefits from expressive writing (Baikie & Wilhelm, 2005):

Lowered blood pressure
Improved lung and liver function
Less time spent in hospital
Better moods
Improved psychological wellbeing
Fewer depressive and avoidance symptoms
Reduced stress-related visits to the doctor
Less work absenteeism
Less time out of work following job loss
Higher student grade averages

Not only that, but research into gratitude journaling suggests that “study participants who regularly drew their attention to aspects of their lives that made them feel blessed increased their positivity” (Fredrickson, 2010, p. 187). However, a caveat exists. Recording what makes us feel grateful every day can become monotonous, even zapping positivity. A few days a week may be sufficient.

There are scientific studies to determine the effects of journaling on the body. Some of the findings promote that journaling helps with anxiety and depression, with stress relief, can improve your memory, and may even boost your immunity. Here is an article about that.

When should you journal?

The quick answer is whenever you feel the need. I know that is a non-answer for most of us when we are looking for specifics. So, for us let’s examine when we need to journal.

The best thing is to decide you are going to journal daily (or weekly). Putting it down on your to do list or calendar can help, but if that feels to exposed, just make a mental agreement with yourself that you will journal at a designated rate–either daily or weekly. The next thing is to determine what time of day is the easiest and the best time for you. We all have internal schedules that we have to function around.

I am a morning person, so I would need to journal in the early morning when I have the most energy and my mind is clearest. My children are night owls and would then need to journal later in the evening because that is when they feel more energized and alert. You need to discover when you feel the most alert and clear headed. That may be the time you need to journal. Okay, let’s say that is in the middle of your work day. Bummer. However, journaling can be as simple as a single line, or as complex as you want. It really should not take you very long to write in your journal. If it does, you are thinking about it too hard. Find your time and make it work.

What should you put in a journal?

This is when it gets to be creative. There are so many ways to keep a journal that you may need to try them all out to see what works best for you. It may turn out that different types of journaling will work for you at different times during the week. I use many types of journaling throughout my week. It just depends on what my thoughts are and what is happening around me.

Let’s look at types of journaling:

Brain Dump Journaling:

The first type is called a “Brain Dump” and it is exactly what you think it is. You sit down and just put every thought in your head down on paper without any worry of thought about it. This type of journaling is good to get things out of your head and out of your way. I find that this type of journaling works for me when my inner critic starts to interfere with what I want to do. If I just pour out all the negative things my critic is saying to me onto paper, I can see it for what it is and move past it. You may find this type of journaling is helpful for you to get negative thoughts out in the open so you can see that they are just that, negative thoughts, and have no power over you.

Bullet Journaling:

The second type is call “Bullet Journaling” and there are many articles and videos available to you to explore this type. Basically, bullet journaling helps you to focus on tasks you need to get done without applying pressure on yourself. This type of journal helps you get or stay organized; it helps you set and keep your goals; it allows customization to meet your needs and not the needs of anyone else. It is a combination of lists and writing, as well as doodling and stickers. This allows both catharsis and progress in your day and also allows for some creativity on your part, but not quite like an art journal.

Gratitude Journaling:

The next type of journal is called a “Gratitude journal” and the focus here is to write about all the good things you have in your life and around you. Things that make you happy and things you truly are grateful for. This type of journal is beneficial for depression and anxiety because it removes the dark glasses and lets you focus on the light around you in your life. This journal can be as structured or unstructured as you want. Some people simply write one line a day to show that every day has something to be grateful for.

Diary type Journaling:

Another type of journal is the diary type of journal where you simply write about your day and all the things that happened to you as well as your thoughts and feelings related to those things. I find this type of journal is the hardest for me to keep because of my trust/safety issues. Because of this, I try to include this type of journaling interspersed in my weekly output.

Creativity Journaling:

There is a creativity journal where you write poetry, songs, doodle, draw as ways to express your feelings. This one is the closest to an art journal as you get. I think that if I am going to do this, I might as well be art journaling; but you may not feel that way. It’s okay because there are no rules.

List Journaling:

There is also a type of journal that is just lists. This is a good way to stay on top of things, but I don’t find it as useful personally. You, however, may absolutely love list making and choose to make this a way to journal.

I hope that you take away from this post that journaling is an individual process and can be as simple or as involved as you want it to be. There is no right or wrong way to journal except to not do it at all. Journaling frees your mind and soul, helps your body and makes you feel prepared for whatever life wants to throw at you. I highly encourage you to take this up as a way to execute some form of self-care. In today’s society, we all need to be able to do self-care to destress, control anger, and give us the break to breathe that we need. Journaling will do all of that and more.

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How to Art Journal for you

2 Comments / Art Journaling / admin

In my last post, I talked about art journaling–what it is, how to do it, and why it is good for you. It’s a good post and I recommend it to anyone who wants to start an art journal but is fearful, or confused about how to get started. The rule is–there are no rules! Just start where you are and go with it. That being said, I thought I would post here about how you can make your art journal yours and not feel like it is someone else’s.

There are so many blogs and videos online that tell you how to make an art journal, how to do an art journal, what to put into an art journal, etc. I thoroughly understand how a person who has never done anything remotely “arty” might be off-put or confused by the amount of and difference between all the information online. So, here I just want to clarify something for any person who has ever thought about starting an art journal and been stymied and never started; an art journal is what you want it to be. There really are no rules and you can make it however it serves your purpose.

Here is a good article on what is an art journal. You might want to read it, but remember this is her way to do it, not necessarily your way.

One Little Word

Let’s begin with what you want to accomplish with your art journal:

Do you want to use an art journal to play in?
Do you want to have an art journal to express your thoughts and feelings?
Do you want an art journal because you always thought it would be a cool thing to do?
Do you want to art journal because you need stress relief?
Do you think an art journal will be therapeutic for what you are dealing with right now?

All of these are a correct reason to start an art journal. If you just want to play, this is the place. If you want to learn to express yourself, this is the place, If you think it will be a cool thing to do, this is the place. If you need stress relief, this is the place, If you need therapy right now, this is the place. I hope you got the message that art journaling is for any and all reasons.

Let’s talk about what you can use to art journal:

Now we get to the nitty gritty. An art journal can be made on or out of anything. Surprised? I know people who use old magazines or sales catalogues; I know people who use a $.50 lined notebook; I know people who use individual pages that later are clipped together; I know people who use store bought journals; I think you will only be restricted by what you can find or have access to. There are even people that journal on playing cards! Think about that for a second.

Your art journal needs to meet your requirements. Do you want to only journal at home in a safe place? Do you want a journal you can keep with you at all times? Do you want to journal big? small? tiny? Once you figure out what you can use and the size, you are ready to get started.

Let’s talk about what you will need:

Here we can really get lost.

You can art journal with only a pencil and paper, or pen and paper. I have seen examples of such journals that took my breath away in their simplicity and beauty.
You can choose to use papers and collage for your art journal. I have seen artists who do entire portraits out of collage and entire landscapes out of collage, so there is no limit to what you can accomplish with using just paper. If that is your style, you will only need papers (trash, containers, magazines, mail, as well as store bought paper) scissors, and glue.
Then there is the person who wants to use paint in their journal. You go! Get yourself a very cheap set of acrylics for $2 at Walmart and get going. Make a mess with paint, or paint what you are seeing or feeling. Do use paint, you will need paper that can hold up under the paint, paint brushes (get those at the craft store of Walmart too), and something to hold water in. I use a bottle top from my laundry bottle. It’s free and it works, so I am confident you can find something for free in your own house. Let’s not forget that you can use watercolor or gouache paints too, but I find acrylics work best for me. You do you.
Then there is the person who likes to mix things up and use all of the above. My kind of art journalist. This type only wants to play and use various supplies to express themselves and their moods. They need all the above and usually have them already because they have dipped their toes in before but got distracted by life.

The bottom line is that everything can be used in an art journal, you decide what makes you happy and that’s what you do!

Let’s talk about how to get started:

Okay, you have your journal (paper or whatever), you have the supplies you need. Now what? Well the best answer to that question is just get started; but I know from my own experience that answer is not helpful. So let’s get real here. Maybe you need some inspiration. Go look online at other art journalists to see what they are doing, go watch some videos online to learn new tricks to try out, but my favorite is to find a quote somewhere that speaks to you (you know what I mean here I hope) and start there.

When I find a good quote, I usually think about it for a few days and images start to fill my head. After a while, I just have to get started putting them down on paper. Sometimes I draw, sometimes I collage, sometimes I paint. There is no rhyme or reason to it. It just happens. I play with it until I feel satisfied that I have done all I need to do. Then I move on to something else. It is not unusual for me to make 2 or 3 pages in one sitting, but that is me. You may take days and days just to finish one page. Again, you do you, boo!

However you find to get yourself started, just make sure you do it instead of putting it off for later. Later never arrives. You will be standing in your own way of progress.

Let’s talk about what you get out of art journaling:

You should get a sense of satisfaction that you created something that did not exist in our world before.
You should get a feeling of relaxation and decreased stress.
You should get a feeling of accomplishment: You did that!
You should feel happy and relieved.
You should have a release from the issues you were dealing with in that page.
Mostly, you should just be pleased with yourself.

Art Journaling is so good for your feelings of self-worth, self-esteem, and connection. When you play in an art journal, you receive so much back that you will wonder why it took you so long to get started.

So, now my question is, What are you still doing here? Go get started!

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Art Journal: What is it and What do you do with it?

Leave a Comment / Art Journaling / admin

In this post, I want to talk about art journaling. There is quite a lot of information available online and on YouTube about doing art journaling and making an art journal; but here I just want to break this process down to the bare bones so as not to overwhelm anyone.

Basically, and art journal is a type of book (it can be any kind of book, even a magazine) that you use to express your thoughts and feelings about your life or just about your day. There are very few rules to an art journal since it is yours to do with as you wish. When I first started out, I was confused by all the talk about pockets, tags, journal cards, etc. Then I discovered that none of that was necessary. I went to the Dollar Tree and got a lined book in the school section and that is what became my first art journal. It wasn’t the best choice since that paper did not hold up well to the addition of paints, but I used it until it was full up. Because I chose something that only cost me a dollar, it wasn’t precious to me and I did not mind making a mess of it.

That first art journal turned into a place for me to explore my style. To develop my style of art. It didn’t matter if it was any good because no one would ever see it. It was a place for me to spend time drawing, painting, journaling, and collaging. I would find artists I like on Instagram and try to make things in that style, then make it again with changes I liked. I would use it to perfect my drawing (especially perspective) and I didn’t care that some of my drawings looked like a child drew them. It was my private space to play, to grow, to practice my art.

Here are some ways others have used their art journals:

Document your experiences and memories through art and writing
Experiment with different art techniques and materials
Practice drawing or painting from observation or imagination
Create art to express your emotions or feelings
Record your personal goals and aspirations
Collect inspiration and ideas for future art projects
Use your art journal as a tool for self-reflection and personal growth

All of these will work for your art journal. I know some people with mental health issues who use theirs to learn more about themselves and their illness. People with chronic illness sometimes do art journaling to get relief from pain and to give them a break from their illness. There are so many reasons to art journal, surely you can find one that fits you.

Things that you can put in your art journal to help you:

Drawings, sketches, and paintings
Collages made from found materials (e.g., magazine clippings, old photographs, ephemera)
Handwritten notes, lists, and journal entries
Quotes, poems, or song lyrics that inspire you
Doodles, patterns, or decorative elements
Mixed media elements, such as washi tape, stickers, or stencils
Photographs or prints of your artwork or artwork that inspires you

The list could go on and on, so don’t limit yourself to these. You will find that as you journal, your mind will open up to more and more possibilities on ways to fill it up. Go with it!

Places to look to find your items:

There is the obvious craft store or art store

There are many online stores that specialize in art journal ephemera (some of my favorites are Amazon, Temu, wish, Target, Michaels, Shein, etc.)

Collect old magazines from the recycle stack

Find online free journaling pages

Look for old photographs, either your own or some you found online (this is my favorite–I like to make lives up for the old photographs I find)

Thrift and Charity stores have a wide selection of items that can be used in an art journal.

Here are some YouTube videos that explain exactly how to make your own art journal if you want to do that:

https://youtu.be/scCvJFcmQMI

There are so many more there for you to check out. Now that you know how to do this, go get started. I can’t wait to see what you do. Please leave a comment below and tell me about your journey with your art journal. I have another post about this subject here. If you want to see someone else’s art journal, you can check it out here!

If you would like a printable sheet of art quotes, please click here.

Art Journal: What is it and What do you do with it? Read More »

Self-Care for Everyone

1. Why Everyone Should Practice Self-Care

Self-care is such an important part of setting yourself up for success. There are many benefits to practicing on a regular basis, preferably daily but at least as often as possible.

Here are some of the top benefits to adding self-care to your routine.

It is a Way to Be Kind to Yourself

When you practice self-care, you are practicing self-compassion, which is something everyone could use more of. It is so easy to get caught up in your life, with ll the

schedules and kids’ play dates and homework and all your home responsibilities, that you aren’t spending enough time for yourself.

Not to mention actually being compassionate to yourself. If you find that you think negative thoughts about yourself, whether your personality traits, what you think are
flaws, or physical traits, you need to be kinder to yourself. Self-care is a great way to do that.

By practicing self-care, you are forced to think more about yourself and your own needs, and you will benefit greatly by understanding how important you are to yourself.

You Give Yourself Time to Rest and Relax

It is also a good way to schedule time for yourself, when you otherwise would not make yourself a priority. Spending more time on everyone but yourself is extremely common,
but is also a bad habit you want to break. You can’t possibly be your best, most authentic self for other people in your life if you don’t care to your own needs as well.

With a regular self-care practice, you schedule in time for your self-care activities, so you will naturally begin to relax more and have that rest time in each day or on a weekly
basis.

It Often Includes Activities You “Don’t Have Time For”

Self-care is not just activities you enjoy, but frequently includes those special ones that you rarely make time for. Maybe you do read from your book every day, but you don’t
often have time for more creative activities. Or you might find that you don’t get enough pampering in and can’t remember the last time you set aside extra time for a face mask
or to get your nails done.

This is why it is a great idea to make a list of any activity you have been wanting to do for yourself, but haven’t had the opportunity in a while.

Self-Care Can Boost Confidence

When you start practicing more self-care, you may notice a big boost in your self-esteem and confidence. This is a wonderful side benefit! It doesn’t always happen right
away, but the more you practice self-compassion and put aside this time for your own needs, the more you will begin to feel better about yourself.

It is not just those pampering self-care activities that boost your confidence, but self-care itself where you are spending more time on your own needs. It really does shift
your mindset drastically.

It Prevents You From Burnout and Overwhelm

If you have been struggling with burnout lately or feel overwhelmed, self-care is a great place to start. With this extra time you set for rest and relaxation, you have no choice
but to unwind and just rest for those few minutes every day. It might not seem like much, but it really can make all the difference when it comes to burnout.

2. How to Fit Self-Care Into Your Routine

The big question is often what self-care activities to include and how to actually fit them into your routine. Just like any new habit you incorporate into your life, it is a matter of
figuring out what your current routine is and where you might have space for a new activity. This isn’t going to happen overnight, so think of it as a process to adding a new
habit into your current lifestyle.

Here are some tips for fitting self-care into your routine.

Analyze Your Current Daily Routine

Before you can fit self-care into your daily routine, you need to have a better idea of what your current routine looks like. Take some time writing down the basic activities
and schedule you have on a consistent basis. Start with your work schedule, including when you get ready in the morning, what time you leave the house, your commute, what
time you have during your work day, and when you get home in the evening.

Do the same thing even if you work from home, but adjusting it slightly for when you tend to start and stop working for the day. You can then write down anything you do
every morning or every evening, from brushing your teeth and taking a shower, to putting the kids to bed or taking your dog for a walk.

The objective here is to understand your habits and routine, and at what time you do them. You are looking for times when you do activities that might not be completely
necessary, when you tend to waste more time, and when you might have a free window.

When Do You Tend to Procrastinate or Waste Time?

There is likely a time of day or certain task that tends to take a little more time and energy away from your regular routine. Maybe it is in the evening, when you sit in front
of Netflix for 2 hours before you go to sleep. Could this be the time of day when you schedule in 20 minutes for a little self-care?

Think about the schedule you just wrote out and when you might be able to fit in self-care because you were wasting time on something that didn’t need to be done, or taking
longer than you really needed to.

Morning and Nighttime Routines

Many people like to fit their self-care into either their morning or nighttime routine. These tend to be more flexible, because you aren’t at work or tending to your kids. Adding self-
care to your routine doesn’t have to require a lot of or energy. It could mean 5 or 10 minutes a day, even broken up into multiple segments.

Weekly and Monthly Self-Care

Another option is to do self-care less often, but still fit it into your schedule. This is for people who either don’t feel like they need it every day, or simply can’t find the time. If
this sounds like you, start with self-care just once a week or even once a month or so. This still allows you to focus on yourself and your own needs, but without a big time
commitment in the beginning.

3. Self-Care Ideas for Every Type of Person

Now for the fun stuff – finding the right self-care activities for you! Included below are 8 different types of people and lifestyles, so you can get an idea of what types of self-care
might be best for you.

But keep in mind you don’t have to stick to these specifically. They are simply a way to give you an idea of what self-care might look like in your lifestyle, but there are an
endless amount of possibilities when it comes to self-care.

Self Care for Homebodies

If you are a homebody, you might be someone who either prefers to be alone most of the time, or you just need to recharge more often when in your home. There is nothing
wrong with that! For you, the more traditional self-care activities are going to be great for you.

Say no to social events – Yes, just turning something down without needing a reason can be a form of self-care! Especially when you are a homebody or introverted person,
this just gives you a relief of responsibility and more time to do something at home that is only for you.

Pampering activities – Since you spend more time at home, it makes sense that your self-care would include those indulgent, pampering activities. This might be taking a long bubble bath once a week, doing a face mask, painting your nails, or sitting in front of the fireplace on a cold evening and enjoying the quiet time.

Watch or read something – Self-care for you may also be to watch or read something new. It takes you away from work and other responsibilities and allows you to just relax
in your favorite way.

Self Care for Social People

On the other hand, you might be the complete opposite, and actually get more energy when you are around other people. If you tend to be more of an extroverted, social type
of person, then the opposite self-care activities will be best for you.

Spend time with friends – The first way you can practice self-care is by setting up a time to be with friends. Maybe this will be a new weekly hangout, or you call up
someone you haven’t seen in a while.

Go on a weekend trip – Another option is to get out of the house and see the sights. You can go on a quick weekend trip either with your family or friends, see a new place
in your area you haven’t been to in a while, or just take the opportunity for a quick

l hike to go on. Look for a new trail and explore it alone or with some
friends. Make a day vacation.

Plan a creative activity with family or friends – If you don’t want to go anywhere, but still be social, you can instead find a creativity to participate in with friends or at home
with your loved ones. This might be a new craft or taking a painting class.

Artistic and Creative Types need Self Care, too

Naturally, if you are an artistic person or you like creative activities, your self-care activities will follow suit. But this is also a great time to explore new things. Here are
some ideas:

Try a new hobby – If you already do something artistic every day, it might not feel like a new self-care activity. Instead, find a new hobby or think about something you wanted
to try doing, but never really had time for.

Do something you haven’t done in a while – Think about creative activities you enjoyed in your youth that you haven’t explored in a while. Was there a phase in high
school or college where you really liked watercolor? Now is a great time to pick up the paintbrush again.

Bring your art outside – A great option for self-care is to combine a creative activity you enjoy with nature. Both of these together offer amazing benefits to your mind and
soul.

Working Parents

For busy parents, your self-care activities might look a little more like getting a break or just finding a way to recharge. While other activities are actually with your kids.

Extra time in the shower – This might seem like such a small thing, but as a busy parent, you probably don’t get much time to yourself. You are so used to rushing with everything you do not related to your kids, that you are really neglecting your own needs. Something as simple as giving yourself 5 extra minutes in the shower can make a huge difference in how you feel.

Self-care with kids – It’s not always possible to have self-care time alone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do something fun with the kids and still make it part of your self-care routine. Maybe you love being outdoors, so you bring your kids to the local park or the lake. Or you decide to have a fun family game night at home.

Coffee with friends – If it’s possible to have someone watch the kids for an hour a week, try to schedule time out of the house with friends or just by yourself.

People Who Love the Outdoors also need Self Care

If you are someone who loves to be outside and be a little more adventurous, these self-care activities are for you:

Take a walk in the park – The great thing about this is that it is free to do and doesn’t require much. Just put on some comfy clothes, walk or drive to your nearest park, and
enjoy a nice little stroll. Just a few minutes in nature can make you feel refreshed.

Find a new hiking trail – For a bit more fitness in your self-care routine, you might want to find a local trail nearby so you don’t feel rushed.

Go for a scenic drive – You can also just jump in your car and go for a drive. Don’t have a destination in mind, and instead just drive the scenic routes where you live.

Workaholics definitely need Self Care

Being a workaholic is not really something to brag about, since it can be really hard on both your physical and mental health. But if you use this just to describe having to work
a lot of hours, the following self-care activities will definitely benefit you:

Take mini breaks during the day – With a busy schedule, it might not be possible for long breaks, but you can take little 5-minute breaks a few times during the day. Make

sure you put your phone away and don’t look at your computer during this time!

Get out of the office – Whether you are taking a break or choosing to work somewhere else, get out of your office for your self-care activities. It is really important to physically step away from your work.

Avoid working during your lunch break – The best thing you can do for yourself might be to simply not work during your breaks. If you eat lunch in your office,
sit away from your computer, or try to find somewhere else to eat so you aren’t as tempted.

Take a power nap in the afternoon – Give yourself a few minutes every afternoon to shut your eyes and take a quick nap to recharge.

People Who Get Bored Easily should try these out

If you are someone who tends to get bored very easily and can never really stay entertained when you have free time, here are some ways to incorporate fun activities
into your self-care.

Take your creative activities outside – You might already be good at scheduling time for art and other creative endeavors, but you may be bored of your surroundings. Now
is a great time to had outside! You can get new inspiration and explore the differences in creating outdoors. Plein art painting is done outside and is a wonderful change.

Read a new style of book – If you are an avid reader, try switching up from your usual genre. If you typically read self-help and non-fiction books, grab a new fiction thriller or
series and see how you like it.

Learn something new – You can also expand your mind and knowledge by learning something new.

People with Stress should remember Self Care activities for stress

Everyone has stress at least some of the time, but if you tend to get chronic stress, you need a little more pampering, self-love, and calming. These activities will do wonders for your high stress levels.

Meditation and mindfulness – Adda daily practice of meditation or mindfulness, or combine them together. This gets you into a calmer headspace and allows you to reduce stress by acknowledging the present moment without being overly critical of it.

Yoga or tai chi – For a little physical activity, try adding yoga or tai chi to your daily routine. This can calm your mind and reduce both stress and anxiety.

Write in a journal –For you might look like spending 5 or 10 minutes every morning writing in a journal. You can explore your own thoughts, come up with new ideas, and spend this time learning more about yourself.

And if this isn’t enough, here is a link to an article that goes more in-depth on this subject.

Get a free downloadable Self-Care Journal here.

Self-Care for Everyone Read More »

Artificial Intelligence tools available now

Artificial Bots now available to you

Jasper and Writesonic are both AI tools that focus on helping people with speech and language. Jasper is designed to be an AI personal assistant that can help with tasks like scheduling appointments and setting reminders. Writesonic, on the other hand, helps people improve their writing by providing suggestions for grammar and vocabulary.
Runway is an AI tool that allows people to create their own AI models and experiment with machine learning. With Runway, people can upload their own data and try out different algorithms to see what works best for their specific needs.
Quillbot and Genei are both AI tools that focus on helping people write and generate creative content. Quillbot provides suggestions for writing and helps people rephrase sentences, while Genei uses AI to generate ideas and content for writers.
Wordtune and BlazeToday are both AI tools that help improve people’s writing. Wordtune focuses on helping people with grammar and vocabulary, while BlazeToday helps with writing in general, giving suggestions for sentence structure and flow.
Introspexion and CrowdStrike are both AI tools that focus on security. Introspexion uses AI to monitor a company’s network for potential threats, while CrowdStrike uses AI to protect against cyber attacks.
Descript is an AI tool that helps with audio and video editing. With Descript, people can transcribe audio and video recordings, edit the transcripts, and then use the AI to automatically sync the edited text with the original audio or video.
Otter.ai is an AI-powered voice-to-text tool that transcribes audio and video files into written text. It helps people save time and transcribe interviews, meetings, and other audio files easily.
Fireflies is an AI tool that helps people create custom videos with minimal effort. It uses AI to suggest video templates, animations, and even music that match the user’s brand and style.
Fathom is an AI tool that analyzes data and presents it in a clear and concise manner. It helps businesses and organizations make data-driven decisions by creating graphs, charts, and other visual representations of data.
Flexclip is a video creation tool that uses AI to help users create professional-looking videos in minutes. It has a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy for anyone to create videos for their business or personal projects.
Synthesia is an AI tool that helps people learn how to play musical instruments. It provides personalized feedback, such as timing and accuracy, to help users improve their skills.
Ai.writer is an AI-powered writing tool that helps people create written content quickly and easily. It uses AI algorithms to suggest sentence structure, vocabulary, and other elements of writing, making it a great tool for anyone who wants to improve their writing skills.
Article Forge is an AI-powered content creation tool that creates unique and high-quality articles on a variety of topics. It uses AI algorithms to generate articles, allowing users to save time and produce a large amount of content quickly.

If you still aren’t clear on just what AI is or what it can do for you, check out the article here to read more about the benefits of using it.

In summary, these AI tools all use artificial intelligence to help people in different ways, but they all have the common goal of making tasks easier and more efficient. Whether it’s helping with speech and language, creating AI models, or generating ideas and content and are designed to enhance the way people work. AI tools are improving writing, increasing security, and helping with audio, transcribe audio files, create videos, analyze data, play musical instruments, improve your writing skills, or create content, there’s an AI tool that can help you. These tools are designed to make tasks easier and more efficient.

If you missed it, there is another post about AI here.

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AI: What is it?

1 Comment / AI / admin

Artificial intelligence–it seems that you cannot go anywhere online without running into the term AI or ChatGPT. If you are confused, don’t worry. This post describes what AI is exactly and the different types of artificial intelligence currently in use. Despite its potential, AI is still a relatively new technology, and many people are still unfamiliar with it. It is important for everyone to understand the basics of AI and how it can be used in their daily lives. Learning about AI can help people understand how it is used in the modern world and how it can potentially benefit their lives. If interested, here is an link to Wikipedia’s page on Artificial Intelligence–(warning)it is long and dry, but very thorough.

What is AI?

AI, also known as Artificial Intelligence, is a type of technology that allows machines to learn from their environment and complete tasks with minimal human intervention. In recent years, it is becoming increasingly popular and is used in various industries and applications.

Where is AI being used?

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way we live and work. AI makes it easier for businesses to automate mundane tasks and increase productivity and also creates more efficient and accurate customer service.

Chatbots provide customer service 24/7, allowing businesses to save money on hiring employees. Additionally, it is used for predictive analytics, which helps businesses make decisions based on data-driven insights.

How does that affect online users?

AI is also becoming increasingly popular in the online world. It is being used to create more personalized experiences for online users. The algorithms are being used to make recommendations based on a user’s search history and interests. It is also being used to create virtual assistants, such as Alexa and Google Assistant, which help people manage their day-to-day tasks.

What does the Future of AI look like?

The future of AI looks very promising. It is expected to continue to revolutionize the way we live and work. It will be used to create more personalized customer experiences and automate mundane tasks. AI will also create smarter and more efficient robots, which will be used in various industries. AI is also expected to be used in the healthcare industry, which can help doctors diagnose illnesses more accurately. Additionally, AI can be used to create autonomous vehicles, which can help reduce traffic and make transportation safer.

Some of the AI currently available include:

1. Natural Language Processing (NLP)

NLP is a type of AI that allows processing and understanding of human language. NLP uses algorithms to analyze text and other forms of language to understand the context and meaning behind the words. It is used in applications such as virtual assistants, chatbots, and search engines.

2. Computer Vision

Computer Vision is a type of AI that is allows the processing and analyzing of images. It uses algorithms to recognize objects and patterns in images, as well as to identify faces. This type of AI is used in applications such as facial recognition, autonomous vehicles, and medical diagnosis.

3. Machine Learning

Machine Learning is a type of AI that uses algorithms to learn from data. This type is able to find patterns and make insights from data, as well as to make predictions about future events. Machine Learning is used in applications such as predictive analytics, pattern recognition, and recommendation systems.

4. Robotics

Robotics is a type of AI that allows the control of robots. It uses algorithms to understand the environment and to complete tasks with minimal human intervention. Robotics is used in applications such as manufacturing.

I know that this article is dry and seems more educational than entertaining. That is because this is fast becoming a major player in our lives and we need to know exactly what it is and what it does for us. Once upon a time, the type of AI that we have right now was considered science fiction; but

as with most science fiction, there is always a bit of fact and truth in it and if you live long enough you will see it come to be.

In my 20’s I was a avid science fiction reader. Today’s use of artificial intelligence is reminiscent of the book, I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. Not the movie but the book. I encourage you to read it and see if you agree with me.

This is the first post about AI, but if you are interested in affiliate marketing, goal setting, or any art type activity, check out my previous posts here.

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Dogs: We love them but sometimes…..

10 Reasons Why Your Dog Ignores Your Commands

Is your dog giving you deaf ears? When this happens, avoid repeating the command over and over and imposing yourself until you get a response; instead, take a step back and consider the following scenarios which are some of the most common issues encountered when training dogs.

1) Low Value Treats: Are Your Treats Worth Working For?

It’s a romantic and hard to debunk myth that dogs work for us just to please us. In reality, as opportunistic beings, dogs are most likely thinking “what’s in it for me?” according to the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). The right use of treats can really make the difference between a dog who is eager to work and one who couldn’t care less. The use of low-value treats (such as kibble) can be detrimental if your dog isn’t excited by them, especially during the initial stages of learning or when there are distractions around, so make sure your treats are worthy of attention.

Also remember to stick to treats which are soft, smelly, and in small bite-sized pieces. This allows your dog to quickly gobble up the reward and focus his attention back on you, rather than being distracted by a longer-lasting treat.

A suggestion? Try to use what respected veterinarian, trainer and writer Dr. Ian Dunbar calls the Ferrari of dog treats: Freeze-dried liver.

2) Low Rate of Reinforcement: Are You Missing Out on Rewarding?

In the initial stages of learning or when there are lots of distractions around, your dog may find sniffing the grass, looking around, marking territory and pulling on the leash more rewarding than training. Why is that? It’s probably because there are stimuli that are extra interesting and are worth paying more attention to. If your dog has received little training in the past, he may have been doing this for a good part of his life. Increasing the rate of reinforcement during this time by giving your dog more treats for his training efforts may help to motivate him, and will teach him to pay more attention to you than to the distracting environmental stimuli.

A low rate of reinforcement can also cause your dog to get frustrated and give up trying; remember, during the initial stages of learning you need a continuous rate of reinforcement (giving rewards for every success), and only once your dog shows signs of responding well can you move on to a variable schedule (only giving treats for success every now and then).

3) High Criteria: Are You Asking Too Much at Once?

This is where the saying “be a splitter and not a lumper” comes into play. It is often tempting to try to teach new behaviors all at once in a single evening. When your dog stops working for you, you start thinking: “Am I asking for too much at once?” Truth is, often when dogs fail to respond to a command it is because it is too hard for them. So try not to ramp up the difficulty too quickly; rather, break the objective down into several attainable steps to help your dog succeed. As an example, if you were trying to train your dog to touch the tip of a target stick with his nose, you could reward him for touching ANY part of the stick at first. Over time once your dog gets a hang of this, you could then move on to rewarding him only for touching the rounded tip at the top of the stick.

Try your best to prevent your dog’s progress from stalling, and do not make your training sessions too long – keep them short and sweet!

4) High Level of Distractions: Is there too Much Going on?

Dogs learn best when there are little to no distractions around, so be sure to start your training sessions in a quiet room where there is not much going on.

Once your dog is able to perform the behavior in the quiet room, build from there and gradually start asking your dog to perform the behavior in a noisier room. Then, progress to the yard, a busy street, the dog park and so forth.

If you start on a busy street or at the dog park right away, your dog may not respond because you have not yet built a foundation for the behavior.

5) Lack of Training: Has Your Dog Ever Been Trained Before?

If the handler has a history of being inconsistent and not following through with the dog, there’s a chance the dog may have learned he could get away from certain behaviors and has learned to ignore the handler. Dogs who have never been trained and have been allowed to do as they please for a good part of their lives often find the initial stages of learning difficult, since the concept is entirely new to them. It is up to the handler to become interesting and worth listening to by investing in reward-based training methods, like the ones taught in Adrienne Farricelli’s Brain Training for Dogs course.

6) Unclear Cues: Are You Confusing Your Dog?

Dogs thrive on consistency, so make sure you always use the same command cue and that all other people training the dog are on the same page. If you ask for a command and your dog just stares at you, consider if that command has a history of being used consistently.

In classes, it is not uncommon to encounter a family where the wife uses “come” to call the dog, the husband uses the dog’s name, and the kids just say “here!” Don’t ask for behaviors in multiple ways, and make sure your body language is congruent with the verbal command. Dogs find body language more salient then verbal cues.

Also, try your best not to repeat commands over and over, otherwise your dog will learn not to listen to the first time you say it, but will wait for you to finish your sentence instead!

7) Frustration Buildup: Are you Getting Frustrated?<

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Dogs are masters in body language and they can easily detect frustration. When the handler’s frustration builds up, dogs often shut down instead of becoming more compliant. In this case, it helps to ask the dog for a behavior he knows well (such as a sit) followed by a reward to end the session on a positive note. You can try the exercise again a little bit later, possibly further splitting the exercise into smaller sections if it was too hard for your dog.

Also, keep in mind that if you start raising your voice, bending down or getting into your dog’s face, you are intimidating him dog and he will feel the need to send you appeasement signals and default behaviors, rather than listening to your commands.

8) Emotional Problems: Are Emotions Getting in the Way?

If a dog is fearful, anxious or nervous, his emotional state may interfere with training. This is because the dog is often in a fight or flight state which affects his cognitive function, impairing his ability to learn. In such a case, you may need to work in areas where your dog is less likely to be frightened and then gradually introduce more and more stimuli in a way which does not cause him to react.

As an example, if your dog was frightened of thunder, instead of immediately exposing him to recordings of thunderstorms on full volume, you should first play them at a very low volume, where he acknowledges the sound but does not become scared. After rewarding your dog while the sound is played, you would, over time and numerous training sessions, increase the volume at which you play the recording. This process is known as desensitization and is a common technique used in dog training.

9) Health Considerations: Is Your Dog in Pain or Uncomfortable?

If your dog ignores you, he may be feeling unwell or uncomfortable. If your dog has always been obedient and is now slacking off, it is best to have your veterinarian rule out any medical problems. Sloppy sits or a reluctance to lay down may be indicative of orthopedic problems.

Aside from medical problems, some dogs may not like to be trained on certain surfaces, or perhaps the weather is too hot, too windy or too cold – there are a multitude of possibilities. Often, a distracted dog may simply need to relieve himself or get a drink of water. Consider how well you could perform in an exam if you were busting to use the bathroom!

10) Are You Forgetting to Brain Train Your Dog?

Many owners are not aware of this, but when it comes to dogs, idle minds are the devil’s workshop. Yet many owners are happy to leave their dogs bored by the fireplace all day, leading to untold behavior problems. The simple secret to a well-trained dog is engaging their mind and getting them thinking.

In the wild, before domestication, dogs would spend much of their lives performing tasks necessary for survival. Even in more modern history, dogs had special roles to perform in their relationships with humans. You can still see these natural drives in dogs today! For example, you will notice how beagles love to follow scents, how some terrier breeds love to dig, and how treeing coonhounds bark upon noticing prey up a tree. Unlike humans who perhaps dread the 9 to 5 grind, dogs actively WANT to work, and when they do not, they become prone to behavior problems, disobedience, and poor psychological well-being. Many owners spend THOUSANDS on dog training when the solution could be as simple as providing Rover with more mental stimulation!

There is a solution to all these issues:

Fortunately, Brain Training for Dogs offers a solution to this problem. Written by professionally certified trainer Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA (who’s work has appeared in USA Today, Everydog Magazine, Nest Pets and more), Brain Training for Dogs is one of the first training programs to not only teach obedience, better behavior, important skills and tricks, but to also work on increasing intelligence and engaging the dog’s brain too. Through 21 fun and simple games, the novel and scientifically-proven methods taught by Adrienne are sure to improve the lives of both you and your dog! By the end of Brain Training for Dogs your dog will be able to tidy up his toys, play the piano (yes, really), and identify his toys by name – all while being a better behaved and more obedient dog.

Here is a short video showing one of the trick she uses to teach your dog:

Want to get started with brain training? You can check out thecourse by clicking here:

>>>Get brain training for dogs today

As seen, there are many reasons why your dog may not be listening to you. Don’t quickly label your dog as stubborn, don’t begin shouting commands like a drill sergeant, and don’t give up training altogether – instead, try to give your dog a break and consider what may really be going on. A better understanding of how dogs learn should pave the path to better training.

Hope this helps!

Dogs: We love them but sometimes….. Read More »

Affiliate Marketing Done the right way

Leave a Comment / affiliate marketing / admin

Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn money by promoting products and earning a commission for each sale that you generate. It can be an especially effective strategy for those who have a website or blog with a large audience. In this blog post, we will outline five steps to help you get started with affiliate marketing, including tips on how to use SEO to boost your affiliate marketing efforts.

Find a niche with an affiliate marketing program

The first step in making money with affiliate marketing is to find a niche that you are passionate about and that has a large potential audience. This could be anything from cooking and recipe websites to fashion and beauty blogs. You need to research products and services that would be a good fit for your audience. Do this by looking at popular products or services and identifying gaps in the market, or by identifying a target audience and their needs. Once identified, it’s important to research the competition and see what types of products or services are already being offered. This helps to determine if there is a demand for the niche, and if there is room for competition.

Additionally, new affiliate marketers need to also research the potential profitability of the niche and look for affiliate programs that align with their niche and audience. It’s also important to build a website or a blog to promote the affiliate products, and create content that is engaging and informative for the target audience. (There are several ways to do this that cost you nothing, so don’t let this stop you.)

Sign up for an affiliate marketing program

Once you have found a niche, the next step is to sign up for an affiliate program that offers products or services that are related to your niche. With so many different affiliate programs to choose from, take the time to research and find one that is a good fit for your needs. Some popular affiliate networks include Amazon Associates, Commission Junction, ClickBank, ShareASale, AWIN, JVZoo, or Warrior. You can Google affiliate marketing programs and find so many it may take you days to decide on a product.

Create high-quality content to market

One of the most important aspects of making money with affiliate marketing is to create high-quality content that promotes the products or services you are promoting. This could include blog posts, product reviews, and video reviews. Make sure that your content is engaging, informative, and provides value to your audience. It should educate and inform the reader while also promoting the affiliate products or services. To write good content, new affiliate marketers must first understand their target audience and their needs.

You need to research the market and identify the demographics and interests of the target audience. Then your content will address the needs and interests of that audience. You need well-researched, well-written, and easy to understand information. Additionally, it needs optimization for search engines by using keywords and phrases that the target audience is already searching for. Make it visually appealing and easy to read, with images and other multimedia elements used to break up the text and make it more engaging. Finally, update regularly to keep the readers engaged.

Use SEO to boost the affiliate marketing efforts

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of optimizing your website or blog to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This is important because it helps your content to appear before more people, thus increasing your potential for sales. Some tips for optimizing your content for SEO include using relevant keywords, creating high-quality backlinks, and publishing regularly. There is so much information on the web about this subject that we will not go into it further here. There are videos, articles, blog posts, and even courses available to learn this very important step. Please take the time to learn the basics of SEO if you want to make any money at all. Here is a great starting point in learning SEO.

Market your affiliate products

The last step is to promote your affiliate products to your audience. This could include including affiliate links in your content, creating banner ads, and sharing your affiliate products on social media. Make sure to track your progress and adjust your strategy as needed. Promoting a product correctly as a new marketer involves finding the right audience and using the right channels to reach them.

One effective way to do this is through content marketing, which involves creating valuable and informative content that educates the audience about the product or service, and positions it as a solution to their needs. Another way is through social media marketing, where the marketer can use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to connect with the target audience and promote the product or service. Additionally, email marketing can also be effective, where the marketer can send personalized emails to a targeted list of subscribers.

It’s also important to follow the guidelines and terms of service of any platform you use for promotions, as well as to not be too aggressive in the promotions, not to use false claims and be respectful of the audience time and inbox. To avoid spamming, marketers should avoid sending unsolicited messages or emails, and should always include an opt-out option for the recipient. Additionally, marketers should be transparent about the nature of their message and should always include accurate and relevant information about the product or service they are promoting.

Warning!

There is a fine line between being an affiliate marketer and being a spammer on the web. To market, you provide information and value to your audience before you ask them to click the link. To spam, you just ask them to click the link without first beginning any type of relationship with the audience. Don’t spam; it gets you banned from both your product and the platforms you spam on.

In conclusion, affiliate marketing is a great way to earn money online. By following these five steps, you can start making money with affiliate marketing today. Additionally, by incorporating SEO tactics, you will be able to give your marketing efforts a further boost, which can increase your audience and ultimately your earning potential. Do some research, and start promoting products or services you believe in and that fit with your niche. This will help ensure that your audience trusts your recommendations and will be more likely to make a purchase through your affiliate links.

There are other articles on this topic on this blog and you can find them here and here.

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Affiliate Marketing: Does It Work?

1 Comment / affiliate marketing / admin

Affiliate marketing has been around for quite some time and if you search YouTube videos, you will find many good and not-so-good videos on this subject. This type of marketing is just word of mouth marketing. What that means is that you tell someone about a product and they check it out and they buy it. When they do that, you get money if you are an affiliate for the product. You will see this in just about any blog post or any article on the internet.

It is no different than when you go see a movie and it is spectacular, so you tell all your friends about this movie and they go see it too. The only difference is that you don’t get paid for telling them unless they buy you popcorn or something. If you see a good sale on something you know your friend has been needing, don’t you tell that friend about the sale? In this example again, you don’t get paid money but your friend really appreciates your help. It is really no different with affiliate marketing.

Getting Started

Affiliate marketing is relatively easy to do and relatively easy to get started doing. It does require work on your part and you do have to do your research. You don’t want to be referring your friends and family members to something that is rotten or unsafe. But other than that, it is much easier than any other type of side hustle.

Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn money by promoting products and earning a commission for each sale that you generate. It can be an especially effective strategy for those who have a website or blog with a large audience. In this blog post, we will outline steps to help you get started with affiliate marketing, including tips on how to use SEO to boost your affiliate marketing efforts.

Find your niche

The first step in making money with affiliate marketing is to find a niche that you are passionate about and that has a large potential audience. While this sounds easy, it may take you a bit of time to accomplish this step. As I said earlier, you need to do your due diligence; you need to check out the product, the company that makes it, the reviews and the rules to sell it. You could choose anything from cooking and recipe websites to survival type blogs. You are not restricted in your choice of niche. Once you have identified a niche, you can begin to research products and services that would be a good fit for your audience.

Sign up for an affiliate program

Again, this sounds like a no brainer but there are some programs that require quite a bit from the affiliate. There are programs that are very difficult to get approved to sell. Th

ere are programs that take quite a long time to allow you to become an affiliate for them. But once you have found a niche, you need to sign up for an affiliate program that offers products or services that are related to your niche. There are many different affiliate programs to choose from, so take the time to research and find one that will be a good fit for your needs. Some popular affiliate networks include Amazon Associates, Commission Junction, and ClickBank. The issue is to check out is the rate of pay and how often you can get paid.

Create high-quality content

Some people are under the assumption that all you have to do is post your link somewhere and you make money. Not so. Affiliate marketing requires you to develop good and honest content about the product. You cannot just go around posting your link everywhere and expect to make money. That is spamming and will get you removed from the program you signed up for and may even get you booted from most platforms. One of the most important aspects of making money with affiliate marketing is to create high-quality content that promotes your

products or services. This could include blog posts, product reviews, and video reviews. Make sure that your content is engaging, informative, and provides value to your audience.

Use SEO to boost your affiliate marketing efforts

Affiliate marketing requires eyes on to make money, therefore you need to make sure you are getting views. No one wants to think about SEO (Search Engine Optimization), but if you want anyone to find your offer it is a MUST. This is the process of optimizing your website or blog to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Itis important because it will help your content to be seen by more people, thus increasing your potential for sales. Some tips for optimizing your content for SEO include using relevant keywords, creating high-quality backlinks, and publishing regularly. Again, there are many videos available that will give you the information you need to do this right and that will help you make money.

Promote your affiliate products

The next step in your affiliate marketing is to promote your products to your audience. This could include placing affiliate links in your content, creating banner ads, and sharing your affiliate products on social media. If you choose social media, be sure to read the rules on the platform about affiliate links. Many of these platforms do not allow affiliate links, so you either have your post removed or get banned. If that happens, you will have to start all over on the platform with a new account which is not what you want to do.

Track your progress

Make sure to track your affiliate marketing progress and adjust your strategy as needed. You need to know which post worked and made you money, you need to know which type of platform is the best for your product. You also need to keep track of the money you make for taxes. A simple spread sheet works fine. You don’t need anything extra fancy to keep track of all this.

In conclusion, affiliate marketing is a great way to earn money online. By following these steps, you can start making money quickly. Additionally, by incorporating SEO tactics, you will be able to give your marketing efforts a further boost, which can increase your audience and ultimately your earning potential. Do some research, and start promoting products or services you believe in and that fit with your niche. This will help ensure that your audience trusts your recommendations and will be more likely to make a purchase through your affiliate links.

Here is an example of a landing page that promotes an affiliate product. These are easy to set up and will help you stay away from trouble on the various platforms.

Here you will find another post about how to use Pinterest for affiliate marketing.

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Affiliate Marketing: How to’s

Leave a Comment / affiliate marketing / admin

Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought by the affiliate’s own marketing efforts. If you are looking to make money online and have a passion for promoting products, then affiliate marketing could be a great way for you to earn some extra income. In this article, we will take a closer look at affiliate marketing and how you can get started.

What is Affiliate Marketing?

As mentioned above, affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards affiliates for each visitor or customer they bring to the business through their own marketing efforts. In other words, affiliates earn a commission for promoting a company’s products or services.

There are two main parties involved in affiliate marketing: the advertiser (also known as the merchant or retailer) and the affiliate (also known as the publisher). The advertiser is the business that is selling the products or services, and the affiliate is the individual or website promoting the products or services on behalf of the advertiser.

The process of affiliate marketing can be broken down into three simple steps:

The affiliate signs up for an affiliate program with an advertiser. This is typically done through an affiliate network, which connects affiliates with advertisers. The affiliate will then receive a unique affiliate link, which they can use to promote the advertiser’s products or services.

The affiliate promotes the products or services to potential customers through their own marketing efforts, such as through their website, social media, email marketing, or other channels. When a potential customer clicks on the affiliate’s unique link, they will be redirected to the advertiser’s website.

If the potential customer makes a purchase or takes a specific action (such as filling out a form or signing up for a newsletter), the affiliate will earn a commission. The amount of the commission will vary depending on the terms of the affiliate program.

How Do You Get Started with Affiliate Marketing?

If you are interested in getting started with affiliate marketing, there are a few steps you can take to get started:

Choose a niche:

The first step in getting started with affiliate marketing is to choose a niche or topic that you are interested in and have knowledge about. This could be a specific product or service, or it could be a broader topic such as personal finance or health and wellness.
Build a website or blog:

In order to promote products or services as an affiliate, you will need to have a platform where you can share your unique links and content. This could be a website or blog. There are many platforms available for building a website or blog, such as WordPress or Squarespace.
Join an affiliate program:

Once you have a website or blog set up, the next step is to join an affiliate program. There are many affiliate programs available, and you can find them through affiliate networks such as Commission Junction or ShareASale. When joining an affiliate program, be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully and choose a program that aligns with your niche and target audience.
Promote products or services:

Once you have joined an affiliate program and have your unique links, you can start promoting the products or services to your audience. This can be done through your website, social media, email marketing, or other channels.
Track your results:

It is important to track your results as an affiliate to see what is working and what is not. This can be done through tools such as Google Analytics.

Affiliate marketing has many moving parts, but is the easiest way for anyone to make money online. If you follow these steps, you have a really good chance of making extra money from affiliate marketing. However, you may not make a lot of money initially but don’t let that discourage you. Just keep going and keep putting your affiliate marketing links out on the net. There are many ways to post your links without spamming, so be sure you learn how to do it correctly. You don’t want to be banned from sites. There are several videos on YouTube that can help you find places to post your links. I would recommend you start here, as this man will walk you through everything you really need to know about this subject. Here is a video you might want to watch:

There is another post on my blog that explains how to use Pinterest for affiliate marketing and you can find that here.

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Why is Journaling Good For You?

Research on Journaling

When should you journal?

What should you put in a journal?

Brain Dump Journaling:

Bullet Journaling:

Gratitude Journaling:

Diary type Journaling:

Creativity Journaling:

List Journaling:

Let’s begin with what you want to accomplish with your art journal:

Let’s talk about what you can use to art journal:

Let’s talk about what you will need:

Let’s talk about how to get started:

Let’s talk about what you get out of art journaling:

Here are some ways others have used their art journals:

Things that you can put in your art journal to help you:

Places to look to find your items:

Here are some YouTube videos that explain exactly how to make your own art journal if you want to do that:

1. Why Everyone Should Practice Self-Care

It is a Way to Be Kind to Yourself

You Give Yourself Time to Rest and Relax

It Often Includes Activities You “Don’t Have Time For”

Self-Care Can Boost Confidence

It Prevents You From Burnout and Overwhelm

2. How to Fit Self-Care Into Your Routine

Analyze Your Current Daily Routine

When Do You Tend to Procrastinate or Waste Time?

Morning and Nighttime Routines

Weekly and Monthly Self-Care

3. Self-Care Ideas for Every Type of Person

Self Care for Homebodies

Self Care for Social People

Artistic and Creative Types need Self Care, too

Working Parents

People Who Love the Outdoors also need Self Care

Workaholics definitely need Self Care

People Who Get Bored Easily should try these out

People with Stress should remember Self Care activities for stress

Artificial Bots now available to you

What is AI?

How does that affect online users?

What does the Future of AI look like?

Some of the AI currently available include:

1. Natural Language Processing (NLP)

2. Computer Vision

3. Machine Learning

4. Robotics

1) Low Value Treats: Are Your Treats Worth Working For?

2) Low Rate of Reinforcement: Are You Missing Out on Rewarding?

3) High Criteria: Are You Asking Too Much at Once?

4) High Level of Distractions: Is there too Much Going on?

5) Lack of Training: Has Your Dog Ever Been Trained Before?

6) Unclear Cues: Are You Confusing Your Dog?

7) Frustration Buildup: Are you Getting Frustrated?<

8) Emotional Problems: Are Emotions Getting in the Way?

9) Health Considerations: Is Your Dog in Pain or Uncomfortable?

10) Are You Forgetting to Brain Train Your Dog?

There is a solution to all these issues:

Find a niche with an affiliate marketing program

Sign up for an affiliate marketing program

Create high-quality content to market

Use SEO to boost the affiliate marketing efforts

Market your affiliate products

Warning!

Getting Started

Find your niche

Sign up for an affiliate program

Create high-quality content

Use SEO to boost your affiliate marketing efforts

Promote your affiliate products

Track your progress

What is Affiliate Marketing?

How Do You Get Started with Affiliate Marketing?

Choose a niche:

Build a website or blog:

Join an affiliate program:

Promote products or services:

Track your results: