It's Spring & Seedtime!

I am so excited about our new Sponsor that I figured I should write a whole post about it!
You guys KNOW how happy I am when the weather finally breaks and spring is just right around the corner.  And this year, is going to be a little bit different of a celebration.  

Normally, I'd be prepping my camper getting read to head north or some new destination, but this year, it was decided for me that I am to stay put.  Always looking to make lemonade from lemons, I have decided to plant my long awaited Victory Garden.
And Seedtime, just happened to show up at just the right time to help get me started and now, they are willing to help you as well! 

This whole gardening thing is pretty new to me and so I went to someone who I could trust to get me off to the right start and be there to help me through the whole process.  Have you ever struggled with knowing what to do, or when to do it in your garden? If yes, keep reading because I have brought some help!! 

Paul Dysinger and his team from Seedtime have opened the doors to their new garden planner Seedtime. 

A Garden Planner!!
Y'all know how I love a good planner!
I LOVE having a place to write everything down and visualize how things are going (hopefully) to happen!

It’s the first home garden planner that lets you easily visualize exactly when to seed, transplant, or harvest in your garden all year long - based on your location. And then after adding the flowers or veggies into your calendar it’ll give you a daily or weekly checklist of exactly what you should be doing - and when you should be doing it through your entire gardening season, based on the plants you choose.
It’s completely customizable and incredibly powerful.

This is the cool part... I mean, a secret club kind of cool part...  Seedtime isn’t open to the public right now. That means you can get access by invitation only.
And that's ME!!

Paul and his team are letting me share a private invitation link for you to get early access to start using Seedtime right away - and you can get started for free.

Use my link here!

So, if you want an easier way to plan and track your garden planting schedules…. If you like the idea of following a weekly checklist instead of constantly wondering if you should be seeding your tomatoes, eggplant, or lettuce right now… If you like the idea of less stress or overwhelm… Get your free access to Seedtime here!

I am having a blast planning out my garden and scheduling how, where and when I need to get things started. I am SO EXCITED!!!!
Seedtime is making this SO much easier for me than having to research each and every veggie I want to plant.  (And don't forget the pollinators!!)
And, because I am sharing this with you, the good folks over at SeedTime have offered my people an extra bonus.  When you sign up using my link you’ll even get $5 of free garden seeds!

You can get started for free and have a great gardening season.  But, they also have other training available for you as well.  Lots of video lessons that you can tap into to get even deeper help with your planting and gardening strategies.  They will help you every step of the way.  Plus there's also a private community that you can ask specific questions and the people are so nice and willing to help, you will come away with more confidence.
If you're wanting to garden this year and are on a learning curve, like I am, consider letting SeedTime help you out.  And don't forget the FREE SEEDS!!! 

I can't wait to chat with you about our gardens on my FB and Insta pages and maybe I'll see you over inside the SeedTime community!
Here's my link so you can get started for FREE!!

Be Selfish- Help Others

​We are taught to help others.  I teach to help others.  I, myself look for opportunity to help others. One doesn't really have to look far.  

Simple acts of kindness.

We are also taught and I teach to expect nothing in return.  Meaning, by you bestowing love and kindness on someone else, they don't owe you anything.  You are not "one up" on them.   The person being bestowed your gift of time, energy or physical product may not even acknowledge you.  May not even show gratitude.  Might even be crabby about it. 

Be kind anyway.  Help others anyway. 

You are kind and helpful for the mere sake of being kind and helpful whether anything comes from it or not.
But here's the thing... something ALWAYS comes of it.  I have been "catching" myself being kind, FOR the very reason that I KNOW I'll get something back from it. 
I have become selfish... greedy! 
I have found that when I am sad or depressed, if I focus outward, and do things for others... I feel better.  
It may not come directly from the source as in say a "thank you" or a five star review, or even a smile... but, it does come back around.  
I recognized this when I started being "kind" on the down low... and now it's my favorite thing to do.  Help others when they don't realize they are being helped and if they did... they don't know where it's coming from. 
Sometimes, I do things for others, only because I know it will make me smile.  I know!  Selfish!!  Sure, it blesses the other person, but... oh how it makes my heart swell and feel light. 
I know... I know... selfish. 

I have a Book Club on this website.  It's filled with books from brand new authors finding their footing in the author world which involves a heavy load of marketing.  Things that most writers are not aware of when they embark on this journey.  If you haven't seen it, you should really take some time to check it out... (Click here!  Warning- be sure to block some time, because there is SO much to see!)

I charge a small fee to showcase their books here.  I present them to you fine people and I help them build an audience.  I could charge a lot of money for this service.  I could do it for free.  But I have found that charging a small amount allows them to feel empowered, and take the opportunity seriously.

I will not get rich from this service.  Not monetarily anyway, but rich in so many other ways. I don't get to see the faces of these authors, but I remember the first time I saw my book's cover on the interwebs... it was amazing.  And even if one new set of eyes saw it and remembered my name... that was progress.  
Most authors don't get rich or even have a lot of money to invest launching thier baby out into the world, but one person at a time builds an audience.  And so I give them access to my audience.  And I get to impart small tips and tricks along the way. 

I have found that when I offered to do these same things for free, it was a completely different vibe.  I am treated differently.  Not always, but enough that "they" trained ME how to better serve them.  I still offer great advice, even if they don't order.  I spend hours every day answering questions for authors, but it's different when you put money into the game.  You treat advice and service with a bit more respect.  You value the other person's time.
When I charge a mere $5, I am met with gratitude.  I am met with eagerness to do more, learn more.  I am met with a camaraderie of being inaugurated into the Author's Club.  And I feed off it. Not the money... those feelings.  I am selfish.  I admit, I love the five star reviews.  I love the thank yous and notes of gratitude sent to me... but mostly, I love seeing new authors spreading their wings and getting their work out into the world.  It's no easy task.  But when I scroll through the images of these books, most that are brand new to the market... I smile... selfishly, that I have them on my site.  That my audience are some of the first that get to see them.  That when I lay my head on my pillow at night, I know that I've helped my fellow authors in my own tiny way. 
Selfish.  

I believe I have more than one purpose.  I believe we all do. I believe we are given clues to our purpose by the strengths we have been given.  One of my strengths is to be able to help elevate others.  It is a pure, selfish joy of mine to lift others who may be struggling in one way or another.  It is a strength to help others find that missing piece of where they are to finding joy and happiness that is within reach, but they just might not be able to see it.  And selfishly, I pursue this purpose.  Or perhaps, it pursues me.  It makes me happy.  It helps me to suspend any grief I may have and I find happiness in helping others. 
I am humbled that I am a person that people reach out to... to share with.    It is fulfilling to me to lift others who may have stumbled.  It's a privilege to be that hand they reach out to and together with both our strengths lift them back up on their feet. 
When I am just focused on me... and my sadness or grief, I can't be of service to others.  I am happy that my need, that selfish need to smile and feel proud of how my fingerprint was left behind on someone else's happiness propels me to stay up on my own two feet. 
​
So, may I offer, if you are feeling sad, or disconnected or depressed... take a little bit of time to be selfish... and help others.  You'll be glad you did.