Moms with Dreams Show

At some point in your life, you may have struggled with finding clothes that fit well and make you feel amazing. Or perhaps you struggle with identifying and expressing your personal style when it comes to your wardrobe. That's where my guest, Melissa Joy Bermudez, steps in to save the day.

Melissa Joy Bermudez is a personal stylist, professional shopper, Confidence Creator and the founder of MJB style solutions based in Edison, NJ. She is passionate about helping women and men use their personal style as a tool to present themselves to the world in the best way possible.

In this episode, Melissa talks about:

• How she became the Confidence Creator
• Common struggles moms face with confidence, self-esteem and body image
• Doing a "closet cleanse" and why you should
• Her perspective on Stitch Fix and other subscription services
• What a Look Book is and how it can change your life
• And more…

Melissa Suggests that You Read:

High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard. This book talks about six high qualities of high performers and teaches patience with yourself no matter what stage of life you're in.

You're Invited….

For the rest of February, Melissa is offering a free wardrobe review. This is for anyone who walks into their closet and feels overwhelmed with trying to figure out what they're going to wear. You'll get your own customized Look Book with 30 styled outfits created from what's already in your closet. Contact Melissa directly at [email protected] to schedule your free wardrobe review (during February 2018). Let Melissa know that you heard about this on the Moms with Dreams Show.

Where You Can Find Melissa Online:

Website: https://www.mjbstylesolutions.com

Facebook- @MJBstylesolutions Instagram-@MJBstylesolutions LinkedIn- Melissa Joy Bermudez Twitter- @MJBstylesolutns Pinterest- MJBstylesolutions

As always, I'd love to continue this conversation with you here in the comments. Let me know what you think about this topic. If you'd like to share a personal thought, you can email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening and being a part of my extended family. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, you can do that on iTunes, Stitcher and here.

Until next time, Reclaim YOUR dream, Do what YOU love and Make a difference.

In this episode, I talk about the power of saying no and why it's important that you learn how to say no and feel good about it. This is a lesson that I've been learning over the past few years. I haven't always been good at saying no, but I'm much better at it now.

The truth is that I used to think that I was being mean if I said no to something even if I really didn't want to do it. I don't like hurting anyone's feelings, so I often over committed and agreed to doing things for others that simply didn't serve me. Most times when I did this, I would end up feeling bad because I committed to doing something that I really didn't want to do. I go deeper into feeling bad in this episode. I share two other main points that you should consider as you begin to learn how to say no. As women, we must take a stand for our own happiness and that begins with understanding the power of saying no.

As you listen, think about times in your life when you said yes to something that you should have said no to. Think about how you felt afterwards. Do you remember having positive or negative feelings?

Now, imagine how you would have felt if you simply honored your true feelings and said no. I encourage you to start implementing the power of saying no in your life. I promise that you will thank yourself for it in the long run.

As always, I'd love to continue this conversation with you here in the comments. Let me know what you think about this topic. If you'd like to share a personal thought, you can email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening and being a part of my extended family. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, you can do that on iTunes, Stitcher and here.

Until next time, Reclaim YOUR dream, Do what YOU love and Make a difference.

In this episode, I had a light and informative conversation with Knifie Burks, founder of the Social Media Lifestyle.

About Knifie Burks

Knifie is a Chicagoland realtor and social media strategist who helps women create multiple streams of income online and in real estate. As a single mom, she truly understands that sometimes life gets in the way and that women often feel like they're being pulled in many different directions at one time. Knifie inspires women to take the action steps needed to step out of their comfort zone and into an abundant life where they are no longer living on "The Edge" of their dreams but taking the leap into the life that they desire!

Interview Highlights

• Knifie shares her strategies to help women overcome their fears as entrepreneurs
• The two biggest excuses women use when it comes to following their dreams and how Knifie pulls them through that
• Changing from a mindset of scarcity to abundance
• A pivotal moment that resulted in a new direction in Knifie's business
• How she helps clients find more time to build their businesses
• Common roadblocks that moms face and how to get past them
• How to stop living on the edge of your dreams
• And more…

Connect with Knifie

Website: www.TheSocialMediaLifestyle.com

Facebook: find her under Knifie Burks

Facebook group: bit.ly/thesocialcommunity

Instagram: @knifieburks

Periscope: @knifieburks

I hope you heard something today that reminded you of what's possible for you to create in your life. I'd love to continue this conversation with you here. Simply leave me a comment or thought and I'll be sure to respond. If you want to send a personal note, you can email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening and being a part of my extended family. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, you can do that on iTunes, Stitcher and here.

Until next time, Reclaim YOUR dream, Do what YOU love and Make a difference.

MWD 114: Face Your Biggest Fears This Year

"Nothing happens until you do." - Unknown

If you declared 2018 to be your year, then get ready to make it happen!

In this episode, I'm sharing my F.A.C.E. Your Fears formula to help you make 2018 your year for real. You'll want to carve out 15-30 minutes of quiet, distraction-free time to go through this exercise.

I will walk you through the four steps of facing your fears:

1. F- Fears – what are they?
2. A- Admit that you have certain fears (instead of sweeping them under the rug) and Assess your Fears (why are you afraid of ________ and what is the root of your fear?)
3. C-Choose the fear(s) you're going to face this year. Challenge your fears. Create a new outlook and a plan for Change
4. E- Execute your plan

I truly want the best for you and I believe in you. Take back your power and face your fears. Don't let another year of letting your dreams live on the shelf. You can absolutely live the life you desire and deserve. It begins with facing your fears and not being controlled by any beliefs or stories that don't align with the vision you have for your life.

I'd love to continue this conversation with you here. Simply leave me a comment or thought and I'll be sure to respond. If you want to send a personal note, you can email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening and being a part of my extended family. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, you can do that on iTunes, Stitcher and here.

Until next time, Reclaim YOUR dream, Do what YOU love and Make a difference.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my role models and teachers in the online business world, Amy Porterfield.

About Amy

Amy is an online marketing expert and educator and the host of the top-ranked podcast, Online Marketing Made Easy. Amy has worked with mega brands like Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and Peak Performance Coach, Tony Robbins, where she oversaw the content development team and collaborated on ground-breaking online marketing campaigns. Through her bestselling marketing courses, thriving social media community and popular podcast, Amy inspires a grounded, tangible and self-affirming sense of "Wow! I really can do this" for over 250,000 online entrepreneurs. She proves that by moving away from "step-by-step" and into "action-by-action", even the newest online entrepreneurs can bypass overwhelm and self-doubt, and instead generate exciting momentum as they move closer to building a life and business they love.

We had a great time and Amy shard a ton of golden nuggets. We talked about how new entrepreneurs can overcome self-doubt and build momentum in their businesses. Amy was open, honest and shared a lot of great knowledge that will help you build your audience.

Interview highlights:

• How to determine the right time to start a business as a busy mom
• Ways that a brand-new entrepreneur can gain momentum in her business
• The best way to manage all the moving parts of an online business
• The truth about why you need an email list
• And more…

Amy shared a special gift that you can find at http://amyporterfield.com/momswithdreams.

Connect with Amy Porterfield at:

www.amyporterfield.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/AmyPorterfield

Instagram: @amyporterfield

Twitter: @amyporterfield

iTunes: www.amyporterfield.com/itunes

I hope you are going to apply some of the golden nuggets Amy shared so you can overcome self-doubt, gain momentum and build an audience.

I'd love to continue this conversation with you here. Simply leave me a comment or thought and I'll be sure to respond. If you want to send a personal note, you can email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening and being a part of my extended family. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, you can do that on iTunes, Stitcher and here.

Until next time, Reclaim YOUR dream, Do what YOU love and Make a difference.

Your kids are watching and learning from you – even when you don't think they're paying attention. They're observing your behavior, your reaction to different situations and how you manage life overall. In this episode, I pose this question, "are you setting the right example for your kids?"

I share a recent "textversation" with my teenage daughter that opened my eyes to this concept of me unknowingly setting the right example. She made me see just how much she'd been paying attention to the way I've been navigating my life, without ever saying a word.

I'm sure that you've had moments in your life when you've said one thing and done another, right? Or, maybe you parent by the old adage, "do as I say, not as I do". Well, if you have, I'm not judging you. But I want you to stop and think about how this lifestyle and parenting style could be influencing your children and what lessons they're learning from you.

I go into this her and I also invite you to reframe your thoughts about pursuing your dreams. It's easy to think of going after you want as a selfish act worthy of guilt, but really there's more to it. You can hear my take on that here, too.

As you listen to this episode, I encourage you to think about your behavior, habits, routines and personal beliefs that may not be the best example for your kids. Challenge yourself to change one at a time. As we approach the New Year, work this into your goals and make a conscious effort to improve. Be gentle with yourself and embrace the journey.

Your children are worth it and they deserve it.

I'd love to continue this conversation with you here. Simply leave me a comment or thought and I'll be sure to respond. If you want to send a personal note, you can email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening and being a part of my extended family. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, you can do that on iTunes, Stitcher and here.

Until next time, Reclaim YOUR dream, Do what YOU love and Make a difference.

Join me for the second (and final part) of my Set Yourself Up for Success Series, where I share my strategy for achieving your goals and bringing your vision to fruition in 2018.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• 3 common reasons why most people don't follow through with their New Year's Resolutions and goals
• A fundamental step that most people miss, causing them to fail at their goals and vision
• About the power of vision boards and how to create one for yourself
• And more…

After listening, you'll have a better picture of what it takes to achieve your goals and dreams in the New Year. If you follow through with my advice and tips, you can absolutely create the life you desire and fully deserve.

Setting yourself up for success begins with you making a decision that you're (a) ready to live the life you desire and deserve and (b) ready and willing to put in the work to make it happen. Once your mind is made up, no one can stop you. Your actions will fall in line with your thoughts and your beliefs.

Are you ready to change the trajectory of your life in 2018?

I'm excited for you! I know that you have what it takes. Now is your time to step up and go get what's yours. It doesn't matter how old or young you are, how many kids you have or don't have, where you grew up, or how much money you have. What matters is your determination to succeed.

I'd love to continue this conversation with you here. Simply leave me a comment or thought and I'll be sure to respond. If you want to send a personal note, you can email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening and being a part of my extended family. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, you can do that on iTunes, Stitcher and here.

Until next time, Reclaim YOUR dream, Do what YOU love and Make a difference.

Resource: Forbes.com

In episode 110, I help you to start setting yourself up for success in 2018. As part one of a two-part series, I'm helping you understand why you need to take a big picture approach before you start setting goals and planning anything for 2018.

I go into details about the importance of:

• Assessing where you are right now
• Celebrating your success
• Reflecting on 2017

I share my WWW. System to help you really get into the reflection part with clarity so you know exactly what worked, what didn't work and what's next for you.

This is a powerful episode that you don't want to miss. If you're serious about making 2018 your year of breakthrough and achievement, then you're going to love what I talk about in episode 110.

I encourage you to have a pen and your journal with you so you can go through each exercise. Take notes of anything that comes up during each step and write down what resonates with you.

I don't want you to skip any steps as this part is going to help you set yourself up for success in 2018. In episode 111, we'll go deeper into what's next. I'll share tips and strategies to help you crush your goals and get to your next level of success in 2018.

As always, I'd love to have a conversation with you about this. Please leave your thoughts and comments below and I'll be sure to chime in and respond. If you have a personal comment that you only want me to see, feel free to email me at [email protected] and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks for listening and being a part of my extended family. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, you can do that on iTunes, Stitcher and here.

Until next time, Reclaim YOUR dream, Do what YOU love and Make a difference

In episode 109, I'm talking about how moms have to learn how to let go of our children regardless of if we want to or not. One thing that I know for sure is that our babies are born completely dependent on us. Then they grow up and eventually become independent.

How do you let go when your teenagers are more interested in hanging out with their friends than the family?

How do you react when your college freshman asks if s/he can stay at school or go with a friend's family for the holidays?

How do you pull back the reigns and gently advise your teenager when you've been so used to laying down rules and regulations?

What's the fine line between giving them some freedom and becoming too lenient?

How do you' land the helicopter' after so many years of hovering over your children?

What do you do now that you have more free time on your hands?

Letting go isn't easy – not even for the most tenured moms – so there are no simple answers to these questions.

In preparation for this episode, I spoke to women with adult children and they still miss their kids. It's even more challenging for them around the holidays when their adult children can't be at home with them for family meals, quality time and family traditions. I've been dealing with the mom dilemma of letting go with my teenagers. My youngest son is a junior in high school, my second oldest son is a senior in high school and my daughter is a freshman in college. As I had conversations with other moms of teenagers, I realized this is a universal thing and I decided to talk about it here on the podcast.

In this episode, I discuss 3 major shifts that your teenager is experiencing, painting a bigger picture that helps you understand what they're going through right now.

I also share 7 tips to help you get through this stage of motherhood without feeling like your kids don't love you as much as they did when they were little OR that you're losing them to the world (both thoughts that I had and still have sometimes – just being honest). I hope you find this helpful. As always, I'd love to have a conversation with you about this. Simply leave a comment below and let me know what you think. If you have a personal comment that you don't want the world to read, you can email me directly at [email protected].

Thanks for listening and being a part of my extended family. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, you can do that on iTunes, Stitcher and here.

Find resources for this episode at http://ericablocker.com/109

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of my 3-month break from podcasting and coaching. I share why I took an extended break as well as some of the changes I made to my podcast.

The main point in this episode is that, despite what you may think, taking a break helps you get closer to walking in your purpose and living your dreams.

Our fast-paced culture (and world) can make you feel like taking a break is something you shouldn't do if you're a dream chaser or an entrepreneur on the rise. However, I'm here to share the truth and let you know how powerful taking a break from everything can be to achieving your goals and dreams.

I've learned that sometimes…

• It's better to stop and rest rather than to keep pushing yourself when you're tired.
• You have to stop and be still so you can receive guidance on the direction you need to go in or what steps you should take next.
• Your creativity can get blocked if you have too much on your plate.
• You can face getting burned out and overwhelmed if you neglect to step back from all that you have going on.

As you listen, you'll hear me share four key lessons that will help you understand the power of taking a break and how to do it effectively. After all, taking a break should empower you to move forward – not hold you back from living in your purpose (i.e. performing the work that you were born to do).

If you have a lot on your plate or feel like you're reaching your limit, then this episode is a must-listen for you.

I encourage you to listen with an open mind and take notes. You might hear something that really resonates with you. You might even have an a-ha moment. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Leave me a note in the comments or shoot me an email at [email protected].

Thanks for listening and being a part of my extended family. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, you can do that on iTunes, Stitcher and here.

Resources for this episode:

Link to Psychology Today article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sideways-view/201410/what-is-workaholism