“For every one of us who succeeds, it’s because there’s somebody there to show you the way out,” says Oprah. “ The light doesn’t always necessarily have to be in your family; for me it was teachers and school.”

And, you don’t need to talk to someone in person to be motivated to live your best life! You can be inspired by blog posts, magazine articles, or even books about strong successful women in history. To learn more about Oprah Winfrey’s life, read Oprah: A Biography.

And, here are five tips for living your best life….

How to Live Your Best Life – Oprah Winfrey

1. Figure out what your best life is. “The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be,” says Oprah Winfrey. How do you know who are you meant to be or what your best life is? You do what you love. If you don’t know what you love, then you do different things until you find what makes you feel good about yourself and your life. Nobody has the answer to what it means for you to live your best life — except for you.

2. Find your bliss by consciously seeking direction in your life. What makes you happy? What are you doing when you lose track of time? Who do you love spending time with? What did you want to be when you grew up? Take time to think about the direction of your life, from both a short-term and a long-term perspective. “Direction provides focus and inspiration and is the antidote to day-to-day monotony,” writes Robert Pagliarini in The Other 8 Hours: Maximize Your Free Time to Create New Wealth & Purpose. “In the real world, you achieve direction by creating compelling goals.” He says setting life goals gives you feedback, which can fuel your motivation and inspiration.

3. Connect to something bigger than yourself. I believe in God, which gives me a sense of purpose, comfort, security, inspiration, love, compassion, acceptance, freedom, and many many more positive emotions! It doesn’t matter to me if Christianity is “true”, or if I can prove God exists. What matters is that connecting with God helps me live my best life by making me happy, fulfilled, and peaceful. Connecting with God gives me freedom and forgiveness, which improves my life indescribably. If you’re serious about living your best life, tap into a Higher Power or something bigger than yourself. If you’re wobbly on the spiritual front, read 4 Tips for Renewing Your Spirituality.

4. Don’t compare yourself to other women. “You can have it all,” said Oprah Winfrey. “You just can’t have it all at once.” Are you jealous of a coworker, friend, or family member who has a successful career? Or maybe you’re the one with the successful career, but you wish you had a husband or kids or more time to travel. One of the biggest tips for living your best life is not comparing yourself to other women! Each of us has our own life to live, and we need to accept where we are at any given time in our lives. If the green-eyed monster visits you regularly, read Making Envy Work for You – Helen Gurley Brown.

5. Adopt a “so what if I fail?” mantra. My friend wants to start her own business, but is scared she’ll fail. “Who cares if you fail?” I asked. “It’s embarrassing – I don’t want to have to say I failed,” she said. So, she can never risk failure…or she can surround herself with strong women who failed and survived and succeeded and failed again and survived again and succeeded again! She can absorb their strength and courage just by being with them – and that’s how she’ll learn to live her best life. And that’s how you can learn how to live your best life, too!

Remember that how you spend your days is how you spend your life.

Are you living your best life? If not, what do you need to change?

Related posts:

1. 5 Ways to Recharge Your Batteries – Oprah Winfrey
2. The Key to Success for Women – Oprah Winfrey
3. Secrets of Successful Women – 6 Life Lessons From Maria Shriver

“If you are a newbie in the kitchen, any recipe will take you longer than it should because you are just getting familiar with your bearings,” says Rachael Ray. “Once you get more comfortable with your cooking routine and preparation skills, things will move a whole lot smoother and faster.”

If you’re not used to shopping with an eye on your budget, give yourself time to snuggle up to it. If you don’t know any good recipes, read Rachael Ray’s Yum-o! The Family Cookbook.

And, here are ten tips for saving money on groceries…

10 Ways to Save Money on Food – Rachael Ray

1. Stay focused on your reasons for saving money on food. Why do you want to save your buckeroos — what are your financial goals? Do you want financial independence (and who doesn’t!)? Keep your goals front and center: write them on your forehead if you have to. It’s much easier to eat cheap and healthy if you stay focused on why you’re eating cheap and healthy.

2. Activate two money saving tips a month. This is one of my best tips for saving money on food because we see smart ways to save money everywhere – the internet, budget books, our rich old aunts, on placemats at funky restaurants. But, do we actually apply them to our lives? Nope. It’s too much. So we need to be strategic about the money saving tips. For instance, don’t try to implement all these ways to save money on groceries at once; instead pick one two a month. Focus on making those two money tips a habit. In a month or six weeks, find one two more money saving tips to work on. This way, you’re not overwhelmed with a million ways to save money on food – and you’re steadily progressing towards financial independence.

3. Keep your fridge and pantry stocked with the basics. This tip for saving money on food is directly from Rachael Ray’s blog: “If you find yourself in the middle of a recipe and you realize you are out of something, that’ll set you back while someone runs to the store. Here’s a good list of things to keep on hand.” Avoid impulse trips to the grocery store, because impuls trips lead to impulse buys!

4. Make your own dressings and sauces. We don’t use dressings on our salads; instead, we sprinkle sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and raisons on top. It’s cheap, healthy, and tasty! I make my own BBQ sauce — much more delicious than store bought — and my hubby makes cocktail sauce for shrimp and bean dip for our weekly Mexican Fiesta night. Have fun making your own dips and sauces – it’s a great way to save money on food.

5. Yes, I said weekly “Mexican Fiesta Night.” Do you have a food theme night? For Mexican Fiesta, my hubby makes bean dip (cheap and healthy), and I make pea guacamole (avocado, canned or frozen peas, corn, tomatos, garlic, onions — it’s my favorite dish). Having a planned food night — Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Middle Eastern — is a great way to save money on food, especially if you experiment with different (cheaper) ingredients. In fact, pre-planning your entire week’s menu can help you save money by reducing impulse meals in restaurants.

6. Halve the amount of meat you use. Add filler (oats, crackers, rice, mashed potatoes) to your burgers, meatballs, or meat loave. This way, you’ll half the amount of ground beef, chicken, or pork. Instead of bbq’ing a steak or chicken breast, cut half of one portion into strips and put it into a stirfry. Nobody will notice there’s not a full portion of meat in the stirfry (but they will notice a half portion of meat on a plate!).

7. Buy and cook bulk foods — it’s both cheap and healthy! “Joining a bulk shopping club, like Sam’s, Costco, or BJ’s, can be cost-effective if you frequent the club regularly,” writes Kathleen Zelman in 10 Ways to Save Money on Food Shopping. “Bulk purchases can be a great way to save money — as long as they get used. You might also look in your community for shopping cooperatives that sell food in bulk at a substantial savings.” Cooking in bulk can save both money and time, if you prepare huge pots of, say, spaghetti sauce, and freeze it in individual portions.

8. Savor your leftovers. I don’t understand why people don’t like leftovers! Most of the time, leftover food is tastier than when it was first cooked. The flavors have had a chance to meld into a sweet symphony of music in your mouth! If you want to save money on groceries, do not throw anything away (unless it’s so old it doesn’t look like food anymore). I use my leftover rice, mashed potatoes, or stir fry veggies in soups or stews. I eat leftover pizza and potato salad for breakfast. I refuse to cook new dishes until we’ve eaten our leftovers. These little things don’t just help you save money on food, they teach you to be creative in the kitchen!

9. Keep your eyes peeled for the occasional sale on lean meats and vegetables. Another way to save money on food from Rachael Ray’s blog “Stock up on chicken tenders or boneless, skinless breasts, sirloin steak, pork loin chops or tenderloins. Portion the meats out and freeze them so you can cook with them whenever you want.”

10. Experiment with eggs — omelettes, fritattas, quiches. The high cholesterol scare is over! There’s no need to fear eggs — as long as you don’t eat them every day. Eggs are a great source of protein, and much cheaper than meat. Plus, Canadian researchers say eggs may reduce high blood pressure. So, make it a habit to cook an eggy dinner once a week: frittatas, lazy man’s quiches, omelettes, French Toast with Canadian bacon (can you tell I’m a Canuck?). Eggs are cheap, healthy, and delicious.

“When you really want to show some love, keep the flowers and say it with spaghetti.” ~ Rachael Ray.

For more money saving hints, read 8 Smart Ways Women Can Save Money – Suze Orman.

Related posts:

1. 8 Smart Ways Women Can Save Money – Suze Orman
2. 7 Fast Ways to Get Fit and Save Money on Exercise – Venus Williams
3. Doing What Comes Naturally – Rachael Ray

Milian is smart, sassy, and oh-so-confident – and yet she’s empathetic and kind.

She’s also self-aware:

“I found a husband who married me despite my faults, children who think I have no faults, and a job that pays me because of my faults,” she says. “It’s perfect!”

She’s aware of her weaknesses – which may be the most telling sign of a fearless woman. They know their flaws and fortes, and they embrace them both. To learn more about living fierce and proud, read The Confident Woman: Start Today Living Boldly and Without Fear. And, check out these five signs of fearless women…

5 Signs of a Fearless Woman – Judge Marilyn Milian

Honest and real. “When you are a real judge on the bench, you try hard not to react to everything, not to speak your mind to everything,” says Judge Marilyn Milian. “When you are a television judge, the handcuffs are off. Not only do I get to say what is on my mind, my producers insist on it!” Being honest about what you think is a sign of a fearless woman – and only the strongest, smartest, most successful women know when to be honest and when to hold back.

Generous and giving. Fearless women recognize that there is enough to go around – they don’t have to grab all the love, money, friends, or opportunities because they know everyone will get what they need. They have big hearts and generous spirits. Fearless women give compliments freely, share their ideas and resources with others, and believe there is lots of love and support in the world. Abundance is their state of mind.

Present. This isn’t just a sign of a fearless woman, it’s the sign of a confident, peaceful, fulfilled, spiritually sound person. Do you live in the current moment, or are you worried or fearful about the future? Are you mired in regrets or bitterness of the past? A fearless woman is focused on the here and now. She’s present. Marilyn Milian is a perfect example of that; when she’s on the bench on national television, she’s completely focused on the litigants. I love it!

Objective and detached. If your boss, coworker, or partner snaps at you, do you take it personally or do you shrug it off as someone having an off day? Can you stand up for yourself if you need to, and recognize when it’s better to let things brush by you? Fearless women aren’t attached to certain ways of thinking or feeling – and when they run into problems such as toxic people at work, they find ways to deal with it. They don’t see everything as a judgment of who they are. “When you are able to be objective with no attachment to what is right and what is wrong, there is space for life to work itself out for your benefit,” writes Rhonda Britten in Fearless Living.

Courageous and open minded. “I did college in three years, I skipped the third grade, I’ve always had this race, and one day life drops something out of left field,” says Judge Milian. “My life, which had always been so focused, had just opened up. And I’m gonna ride this out. I will never have a gig like this again!” Fearless women take opportunities, even if they feel scared, nervous, or intimidated. And, fearless women recognize when they’re on a great adventure…and when they need to call it quits, cut their losses, and find some other opportunity to explore.

Writing this makes me realize that I’m not as fearless as I thought! I need to work on being more generous and giving. Instead, I tend to operate out of fear and scarcity…

What about you? I’d love to hear your thoughts or questions on these signs of fearless women…please comment below!

Related posts:

1. Signs of a Financially Independent Woman – Quips and Tips
2. 5 Steps to Being a Successful Woman – Katherine Hepburn
3. How to be a Successful Woman – Amelia Earhart

“If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies,” says Oprah. “And if you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race.”

I tend to run full speed ahead without stopping to recharge, and I keep learning that doing too much actually puts me farther behind than stopping to rest! These five ways to recharge your batteries will help stop you from doing too much. If you’re interested in restoring unbalanced energy and guided mediation, click on The Gemstone Crystal and Chakra DVD, above.

5 Ways to Recharge Your Batteries – Oprah Winfrey

You don’t necessarily need to get out of town and go to a day spa to recharge your batteries (though that often helps!). Sometimes all you need to do is stop and think for a few minutes…

1. Tell yourself that you have enough time. When I take a deep breath and reassure myself that I have enough time and I will get everything done, I almost immediately feel recharged! Telling myself I have enough time makes me feel lighter and more energized.

2. Stop taking things so seriously. I’ve found that I can get the same amount of work done when I’m stressed as when I feel light and happy. In fact, I can get more done when I’m feeling light and happy, because I’m not tense and anxious (which causes more errors). If you’re like me – a little on the serious side – you might find How to Lighten Up and Get More Done helpful.

3. Remember that you can’t have it all at once. This hint for recharging your batteries is inspired directly from Oprah. “I’ve learned that you can’t have everything and do everything at the same time,” she says. One way to stop yourself from doing too much is to remember that there’s a season for everything…and now might not be the season to get what you most want out of life. Take this as a time to recharge your batteries, instead of dwelling on what you wish you could have.

4. Tune in to your intentions. To stop yourself from doing too much and draining your batteries, figure out what your intentions are. Oprah again sums it up nicely: “Before you agree to do anything that might add even the smallest amount of stress to your life, ask yourself: What is my truest intention? Give yourself time to let a yes resound within you. When it’s right, I guarantee that your entire body will feel it.” For help figuring out your intentions, read Getting What You Want Out of Life – Angelina Jolie.

5. Remember that every decision you make counts. To recharge your batteries, stop shrugging off your options. Everything you do in life takes you closer to your dreams and goals…or farther away. “With every experience, you alone are painting your own canvas, thought by thought, choice by choice,” says Oprah. To stop doing too much, look at every decision you make in the light of not just your truest intentions, but your overall life plan.

What have I missed – what are your thoughts on recharging your batteries? I welcome your comments below…

Related posts:

1. How to Live Your Best Life – Oprah Winfrey
2. The Key to Success for Women – Oprah Winfrey
3. 6 Ways to Create a Vision Board That Works – Martha Beck

Maria Shriver’s mom, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founded the Special Olympics. Her dad, Sargent Shriver, founded the Peace Corps. Before she became a journalist and writer, Maria Shriver felt enormous pressure to achieve and succeed! She has four kids with husband and governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Here’s what Shriver told Oprah Winfrey about letting go of the roles you play and finding your self-identity. To learn more about self-identity and authenticity, read Just Who Will You Be? Big Question. Little Book. Answer Within.

Secrets of Successful Women – 6 Life Lessons From Maria Shriver

“I was raised in a family that equated self-worth with personal achievement…if you weren’t accomplishing big, then you were being. You weren’t even seen,” said Maria Shriver. “Being seen for who you are – not what you do – is the greatest gift anyone can give you. The greatest gift I can give to my children is to live my own life.”

1. Accept that letting go of other people’s expectations is a process. You won’t be able to let go of other people’s expectations – or your own expectations of yourself – overnight. Letting go of the roles you play and finding your self-identity is a process that can take years. Shriver said she exhausted herself with her phenomenally fast-paced life, and she’s finally learning to dial it back, and just be with her children.

2. Know that your life doesn’t have to be defined by the roles you’ve been playing. You may be a wife, a mother, a doctor, a daughter-in-law, a pastor’s daughter – but that doesn’t define your life. “Just who will you be?” asks Shriver. You have the freedom to figure out who you’re going to be in your life – what hats you want to wear, and what hats you want to hang up for good.

3. Let yourself cry and rend your clothes. “It’s extremely liberating, that I cry,” said Shriver. “My mother was very tough.” Instead of swallowing your emotions or overeating to avoid them, let yourself cry, get angry, be sad, and put yourself first. This secret for successful women involves expressing your emotions, finding the courage become who you want to be, and keeping your self-identity intact.

4. Be kind to yourself. “I’ve found a new kindness and a new gentleness with myself,” said Shriver at an annual woman’s conference in California. She described how she nursed her sick mother — and how that changed her from being tough and aggressive to kind and compassionate. “I’ve realized I can be different. The best thing I could do for my mother is to mother her.” Shriver says she likes herself better when she’s gentle to herself and to others around her.

5. Know you’re not alone. “All of us will go through a time when we’re stuck, alone, and afraid,” said Shriver. Remember that you’re not emotionally or spiritually alone even if you are physically alone! Other women (even successful, famous women) have struggled and survived before you, and other women will come after you. This secret is about connecting with and gaining strength from women even if you don’t know them.

6. It’s never too late — no matter how old you are. Shriver encourages women to keep asking themselves “Who am I going to be?” She pledges to show up in life as herself — not an imitation of anyone else. Similarly, George Eliot said ”It’s never too late to be who you might have been.”

What do you think of these life lessons from Maria Shriver? Are you stuck in a certain role in your life…and do you want out?

Related posts:

1. Letting Go of Other People’s Expectations – Maria Shriver
2. Living Your Own Life – Maria Shriver’s Advice to Michelle Obama?
3. Inspiration for Successful Women – Mozart’s Mother and Sister

Here’s what the successful Barbara Walters says about gossip:

“Show me someone who never gossips, and I’ll show you someone who isn’t interested in people.”

And another zippy quip about gossip:

“If you haven’t got anything nice to say about anybody, come sit next to me.”  ~ Alice Roosevelt Longworth.

Let’s face it: there’s something delicious about gossip. It feels good – and there are scientific reasons why we love to (need to) gossip. If you’re a woman who gossips, cut yourself a little slack. You’re human. If you want to learn to gossip less, click Overcoming Gossips by David Kamara. And here are a few reasons men and women gossip — plus how gossip can actually improve your health and life…

Why do Women (and Men!) Gossip?

Men and women are genetically programmed to gossip, and celebrity gossip is particularly appealing. Over 60 million American women buy celebrity magazines every week, and 90% of Hollywood gossip enthusiasts are women. Evolutionary psychologist Dr Charlotte De Backer says that we’re genetically programmed to gossip. Gossip lights up our brain cells in positive ways, literally making us feel good.

“It is widely known for humans that chocolate stimulates the release of endorphins, and therefore eating chocolate stimulates feelings of happiness,” says Dr De Backer. “Gossip is [also] an instant stimulator of endorphins.” Talking about other people releases those feel-good hormones, which is why gossip feels so damn good. Gossip also plays a role in developing human intelligence and furthering social lives.

Celebrity gossip makes men and women feel good. Our lives are stressful and busy – and maybe a little boring sometimes! Knowing that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt disagree about whether or not to spank Zahara gives us a rush. And, gossiping is healthier than binging on cookies and ice cream, drinking a bottle of wine, or shopping for another pair of shoes.

Celebrity gossip is safer than office gossip because we can spread rumors, give our opinions, and spend hours speculating about the lives of the rich and famous without ramification. Our words can’t come back to haunt us. (Note that men and women who overly indulge in office gossip can jeopardize their livelihoods and professional reputations. Gossips, be ware!). 

The Relationship and Health Benefits of Gossiping

Gossip builds relationships. Telling secrets and talking intimately is not only fun, it builds stronger connections between women. Friendships often include spicy rumors and speculations about the people we know, which can be even more delicious than celebrity gossip because of the elements of danger and secrecy. But, a friendship can become toxic if it’s based on gossip.

Gossip makes friends of strangers. Researchers from the University of Oklahoma found that negative attitudes about others can promote friendships among strangers. Gossip or bonding against a “common enemy” establishes boundaries and builds self-esteem – and fans of sports teams are perfect examples of this! Gossip can be healthy because it pulls you together.

“We certainly do not deny that gossip behavior has it drawbacks,” say these researchers. “Still, if there is a positive side of gossip, we believe it is that shared, mild, negative attitudes toward others can create and/or amplify interpersonal intimacy.”

Gossip reveals the personalities of men and women. Listen to how your friends and coworkers gossip; you’ll learn more about them than the people they gossip about. Women who gossip reveal highly informative information about themselves. Remember: if someone gossips endlessly about others, she may also be gossiping about you.

Gossip helps women survive. In cavewomen times, gossiping about our friends, family and neighbors helped ensure our survival. If we kept up with the affairs of others, we’d have a better chance of living longer and healthier lives. It’s evolutionary fact: women who gossiped survived longer. And today, women who know what’s going on – who’s quitting a job, who’s selling a house, who’s leaving her husband – stand a better chance of finding new jobs, making better real estate deals, and befriending new bachelors.

What do you think – do you tend towards gossiping at work, and has it helped or hindered you?

Related posts:

1. Funny Quotes and Sayings by Women – Paula Poundstone
2. 5 Signs You’re a Toxic Female Friend – George Eliot
3. Dealing With Difficult Family Members – Barbara Bush

“As one goes through life, one learns that if you don’t paddle your own canoe, you don’t move.” – Katharine Hepburn.

For more inspiration and motivation, click on This is Not the Life I Ordered: 50 Ways to Keep Your Head Above Water When Life Keeps Dragging You Down by Deborah Collins Stephens, Jackie Speier, Michealene Crisini Risley, and Jan Yanehiro. And, read on for five steps to being a successful woman, inspired by quotations from Anita Roddick, Barbara Walters, Dorothea Brande, and Linda Ronstadt. See Jane Soar!

5 Ways to be a Successful Woman – Katherine Hepburn

You may be interested in reading The Definition of a Successful Woman – Eleanor Roosevelt.

1. Take back your power. You give away your power when you say or think things like, “Oh, I couldn’t do that!” and “I don’t deserve this,” and “How could anyone find me attractive, or hire me, or pay me that much money?” The first step to being a successful woman is to take back your power. Find the support and guidance you need; overcome your habit of being your own worst critic. Listen to Katherine Hepburn’s advice, and learn to paddle your own canoe.

2. Identify what’s holding you back.  “It’s not who you are that holds you back; it’s who you think you’re not,” said Barbara Walters. Do you think you’re not smart enough, not skinny enough, not pretty enough, or not strong enough? The second step to being a successful woman is to identify how you’re holding yourself back. Be aware of what you’re afraid of.

3. Tune in to your talents. “Have you let other people talk out you of pursuing something you’re good at?” ask the authors in This is Not the Life I Ordered. ”Have you bowed to pressure and abandoned a project that was meaningful to you?” Don’t let other people’s criticism or indifference quell your dreams. And remember — you are meaningful and valuable just the way you are.  “If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito,” said Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop.

4. Clean up your “to-do” list. The fourth step to being a successful woman is to get rid of your emotional and physical clutter! Get rid of the things you don’t need to do, that don’t matter, that don’t create value, that don’t make a difference. Figure out if you’re taking responsibility for stuff that isn’t yours. Make sure everything takes you toward the your goals and dreams – not away.

5. Create an upward spiral. Successful women turn “woe is me” into action - and proceed confidently. Poet Dorothea Brande said, ”All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: Act as if it were impossible to fail.” No matter what you’re struggling with or how defeated you feel, take one step forward. Maybe that means calling for a college course guide or searching for grief support groups on the internet.

Maybe creating an upward spiral means that you have to accept change and take risks:

“So life changes and you have to change too. I don’t like change, but I’ve learned you just put your hands over your eyes and step off the edge.” – Linda Ronstadt.

What do you think about these steps to being a successful woman? I welcome your comments below…

Related posts:

1. 5 Signs of a Fearless Woman – Judge Marilyn Milian
2. The Definition of a Successful Woman – Eleanor Roosevelt
3. 6 Steps to Solving Almost Any Work Problem – Helen Gurley Brown

The idea of connection as a key to success is new to me, because I’ve always been the strong, independent type. My “aha” moment came from Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers: The Story of Success, which describes why certain people are extraordinarily successful.

Success isn’t all about talent and perseverance – Gladwell points out that one of the biggest keys to success is the people around you. People don’t succeed in isolation, and Oprah Winfrey is the perfect example of how connecting with others improves your life.

The Key to Success for Women - Oprah Winfrey

“Every one of us gets through the tough times because somebody is there, standing in the gap to close it for us,” says Oprah.

But connecting with people isn’t just about getting through tough times! Connections can help you get what you want out of life, whether you’re selling your products or convincing your husband to move to Maui.

Successfully selling your product or service. I’m a freelance writer who pitches article ideas to editors regularly (visit me on Quips and Tips Successful Writers!). I’ve learned that if the editor doesn’t connect with my idea or story, she won’t assign it because she thinks the readers won’t connect with it. Further, if I have a personal or professional connection with the editor or magazine, then I’m more likely to get an assignment without even pitching an idea! Connecting with your clients or customers is not just a key to success for women…it’s the cornerstone of a successful career.

Convincing your family to “fall in.” Have you ever tried to force your child, spouse, or sister to do something they’re lukewarm about? It’s a losing battle – unless you can find a way to connect with them. I guess it’s about making them want to do the thing you want…and the key to convincing them is to find a way to connect. For a marriage, this could involve explaining why you need your husband to relocate to Maui with you (instead of just telling him you’re moving).

But remember – you have to be real! Connecting with others to improve your life can’t be superficial or one-sided. You have to give to get – and it feels great to help others. Connecting involves building relationships to help each other achieve, and not envying or resenting another person’s achievement. If you find yourself green with jealousy, read Making Envy Work for You – Helen Gurley Brown.

Also, people don’t like books or movies when they don’t connect with the characters, plot, or theme. For instance, I didn’t like the Titanic movie at all – because I just didn’t connect with it. As a writer, I have to keep remembering that if readers don’t connect to my topic, then they won’t read.

Connection is the key to success for women; luckily, we’re good at it!

Do you connect well with others — and has it helped your career? I welcome your thoughts below!

Related posts:

1. How to Live Your Best Life – Oprah Winfrey
2. 5 Ways to Recharge Your Batteries – Oprah Winfrey
3. The Key to Success for Female Entrepreneurs – Coco Chanel

Are you criticized for the clothes you wear to work? Don’t let it get to you! Take Whoopi Goldberg’s, who is a genuine “woman who wasn’t well-behaved.” But remember — there may be a cost associated with wearing whatever you want to work…

Did you hear Whoopi’s response on The View to the woman who criticized her clothes? Among other things, the woman said Whoopi’s clothes were baggy and unappealing; Whoopi told the critical woman to “Kiss my a–” and offered other choice words that don’t make her a well-behaved woman (my kinda lady!).

As a woman, should you wear whatever you want to work? Only if youd don’t care about furthering your career or if you’re established in your profession – like Whoopi Goldberg is. Here’s how wearing what you want at work can affect your career…and, to learn more about this successful woman, click on Whoopi Goldberg: The Journey From Poverty to Mega-Stardom by James Robert Parish.

Wearing What You Want at Work – Whoopi Goldberg

Don’t get “no respect” at work? Check your appearance… Like it or not, the clothes you wear to work affect the level of respect you get, the chances you’ll be promoted, and how credible you are to your colleagues.

“Before we even open our mouths, people have made a mental judgment about us based on how we are dressed, how we carry ourselves, and the demeanor with which we present ourselves,” writes Lois Frankel in Stop Sabotaging Your Career. “Within 30 seconds, a first impression is formed, so you’d better make that the best impression possible – it can make the difference in someone giving you the edge or simply dismissing you.”

But Whoopi Goldberg’s in a different class…or is she?

If you knew nothing about Whoopi and you came across The View, would her clothes (casual, comfortable, and baggy, like she’s hanging out at home) add to or detract from her opinions? Would you think Whoopi was a successful woman, based on what she wears to work?

Think long-term about what you wear to work. I love Whoopi Goldberg and I respect her for addressing the woman who criticized her clothes! But I do wonder how her clothes affect her long-term career potential. Now, I know that Whoopi is set for life and probably doesn’t have to worry about her next job or career step…but I also wonder if her appearance affects her long-term job prospects. If she was a young woman at the beginning of her career, would she dress differently? Maybe, because it would matter more what she wore to work.

We regular women at work need to consider our long-term career potential – and that includes thinking twice about what we wear to work. No matter what our fashion choices are, I think it’s important to be conscious of the fact that our appearance affects our colleagues, our income potential, and our future prospects.

Do you think Whoopi’s clothes matter? And what about your clothes – do you wear what you want to work? Has your appearance, image, and fashion style furthered your career, or stalled it?

Related posts:

1. 6 Steps to Solving Almost Any Work Problem – Helen Gurley Brown
2. Doing What Comes Naturally – Rachael Ray
3. 7 Ways to Overcome Procrastination at Work – Sarah Ban Breathnach

The life lesson: your chances of success increase exponentially when you do what comes naturally! The successful woman: America’s beloved Rachael Ray.

“To me, success has always been being able to come home and make myself dinner, to know the bills are paid, that my family’s OK today, to have my dog and to eat good food,” says Ray. “That’s a successful day for me.”

Ray found a way (several ways, actually – her TV show, cookbooks, and magazine!) to do what comes naturally for her. That not only makes her a successful woman, it ensures that she’ll keep enjoying what she does. Here’s how Rachael Ray became so successful, and how you can apply her lessons and wisdom to your own life….and, click on Rachael Ray’s Big Orang Book for her ultimate collection of recipes!

Doing What Comes Naturally – Rachael Ray

“I think that’s probably the key to anyone’s happiness in life — just doing what comes naturally,” says Ray. “I don’t think you can choose whether you are successful in life when you’re talking about money or status, but I do think that you can choose if you’re successful in life if you define it by simply being happy.”

Even “naturals” need practice! Remember that no matter how natural you are at something – cooking, writing, throwing dinner parties, leading meetings, or running marathons – you still need practice. Rachael Ray didn’t become a gourmet chef and cookbook author overnight. She grew up working in restaurants, which gave her basic cooking and baking knowledge. Her mom worked as a restaurant manager, which taught Ray about the long hours and dedication a food career can demand.

Just because you’re a natural doesn’t mean you don’t need practice. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell writes that truly successful people practice their craft for 10,000 hours. Read 10 Habits of Highly Successful Women for inspirational tips!

Keep trying different things – and work hard. How do you know if you’re a natural at something? Keep trying new things until you hit it! Rachael Ray’s life lesson involves trying different things until you find what works. Successful women don’t try one thing and give up if it doesn’t work.

“Keep trying different things that you can envision yourself doing,” says Ray. “If you really love clothes, there’s nothing wrong with working in clothes. “Take any job. Don’t be a snob when it comes to work.”  To be successful women- to soar - we have to work hard. This means showing up every day and giving it our best shot…even when we’re tired, bored, or scared.

To learn more about doing what comes naturally, read . And, feel free to share your thoughts on this life lesson – I’d love to hear from you!

My source of Rachael Ray’s info is Success for Women.com, Rachael Ray: Answering Opportunity’s Call.

Related posts:

1. 10 Ways to Save Money on Food – Rachael Ray
2. How to Motivate Yourself – Amelia Earhart
3. 5 Steps to Being a Successful Woman – Katherine Hepburn