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Life Area: Personal   |  Topic: Universal Laws

Improve Your Life Using the Laws of the Universe (Part 2)

Last post you will recall we covered the first 7 of the 12 Laws of the Universe:

1. The Law of Divine Oneness
2. The Law of Vibration
3. The Law of Correspondence
4. The Law of Attraction
5. The Law of Inspired Action
6. The Law of Perpetual Transmutation of Energy
7. The Law of Cause and Effect

Now let’s turn to the final five laws of the universe to improve your life.

How to harness the final five Laws of the Universe to improve your life.

8. Law of Compensation

The Law of Compensation is about reaping what you sow. It instills trust in us that we will be compensated for our work as long as we’re open to receiving in all the many ways that the universe can deliver. To be clear, compensation in this sense isn’t limited to employment arrangements or financial compensation. Rather, it’s about receiving compensation for all your contributions to the world around you, including the love, joy, and kindness you spread; it is all rewarded.

9. Law of Relativity

Nothing and no one is inherently good or bad. Everything is a spectrum of expression, and there is more than one perspective on any situation or challenge. In other words, we are the ones who assign meaning to things, so we can choose to regard things as “bad” or as happening in our favor.

Everything is forever changing and our job is to embrace the ride!

10. Law of Polarity

Everything has a polar opposite: If there’s an up, there’s a down. If there’s light, there’s dark. One cannot exist without the other. Experiencing these polarities is part of the human experience, and they also help us learn from our mistakes and support us in identifying what we don’t want so we can get clearer on what we do want.

11. Law of Perpetual Motion

The Law of Perpetual Motion tells us that everything is forever changing and our job is to embrace the ride. If life is tough and challenging, know that it will change. If everything is peachy, then savor the moment, but don’t try to make it last beyond the natural order of things. Each stage of life has tremendous gifts to offer.

12. The Law of Giving and Receiving

The energies of giving and receiving operate within all of us, and in order to create flow, they need to be in balance. To work with this law is to recognize where in your life the balance between giving and receiving is off. You have to allow both sides in you to have their say and get their way. Much like the Monkey Mind, you don’t want to kill it, you simply want to acknowledge it and take what it says into consideration, because it’s just doing its job…to keep you alive!

Well, there you have it (in two parts), the 12 Universal Laws that exist to help us better our lives. Now, let’s get to work in using them!

Please share this post with your family and friends. 

My mission is to inspire people and organizations to live their highest vision.

I am a Success Strategist and Master Coach. I provide transformational coaching and training for individuals and organizations to help you Grow Your Life and Build Your Business by getting clear and focused on what you want, why you want it, and how to create it. Learn more about me at SuccessSeriesLLC.com.

There is no better endorsement than that of a friend, so if you like what you’re reading or are using my many FREE resources, tell a friend to join the Tom Hart Success Series Community, to receive email notifications of new blog posts and Talk with Tom podcast episodes, learn of upcoming events, and other news, by visiting my website and clicking on the offer to receive my FREE monthly resource by leaving their email address OR forward this to them and have them simply click here (we respect your privacy and do not tolerate spam and will never sell, rent, lease or give away your information to any third party).

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Life Area: Personal   |  Topic: Universal Laws

Improve Your Life Using the Laws of the Universe (Part 1)

Much like the Law of Gravity, there are universal laws by which we all are influenced. Merely by our existence, we feel the effects of these laws whether we believe in them or not. The good news is that we can also tap into them to better our lives.

Understanding these laws helps us master life on all levels and gives us insights into what we can do to reach our goals. Interpreting them properly, one puzzle piece at a time, shows us how we ended up where we are from our past and trusting and using them in congruence with our values show us how to use the laws to create flow to get where we want to go in the future.

Keep reading to learn specifics about each of the 12 Laws of the Universe how they influence our lives and how to harness their power:

How to harness the first 7 Laws of the Universe to improve your life.

1. Law of Divine Oneness

The Law of Divine Oneness is the overreaching Universal Law, in that it’s the one upon which all others build. This law states that we are all connected through creation. Every single atom inside of you is connected in some way, shape, or form to the rest of the universe you move through. This means that everything we do has a ripple effect and impacts the collective—not just ourselves. To call upon this principle for self-improvement, simply remember that your actions both matter and make a difference.

2. Law of Vibration

Everything in the universe has a frequency and an energetic vibration. Nothing ever stands still, everything is always either being pushed away or pulled toward something. Furthermore, items of a similar vibration are attracted to each other. So, to use this law to manifest your desires, you must match your vibration with that of what you want.

3. Law of Correspondence

The premise behind the Law of Correspondence is that our lives are created by the subconscious patterns we repeat every single day, and these patterns either serve us or hold us back. Activate this law by becoming aware of your own patterns, which are often passed down via family ties, and then consciously taking action steps to break them.

4. Law of Attraction

By far the most well-known of the Universal Laws, this is the Law of Vibration in action. Many people get scared by the notion that bad thoughts or low vibrations can somehow destroy their life because they’re unaware. The law is not a punishment, but a very clear mirror of our self-worth and mind-set. You’re surrounded by the outcome of decisions you’ve made in the past and are fully capable of making other decisions and attracting a different set of circumstances.

Everything in the universe has a frequency and an energetic vibration. Items of a similar vibration are attracted to each other.

Continue reading →

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Life Area: Physical   |  Topic: Nutrition

Ensure That Your Smoothies are Healthy

Many of you are aware that I take in a smoothie or Herbalife protein shake every day. There are few foods out there with more of an enduring healthy reputation than smoothies. Experts love to recommend them for breakfasts, colorful recipes are splashed all over wellness influencers’ feeds, and smoothies are a mainstay of many wellness-minded restaurant menus.

It makes sense as to why we love them, too. They’re delicious, portable, and relatively easy to throw together in the blender. They seem to be a perfect meal or snack, depending on what you put in them.

But considering that we are unfortunately in a time of peak nutrition information overload – even second-guessing the health merits of certain vegetables, no less – it’s worth revisiting the health merits of the smoothie. Are smoothies healthy? Here’s what you should know.

Are smoothies healthy?

Unfortunately, not always. Not all smoothies are truly healthy, some can contain a lot of added sugar and sweeteners and if you’re having it pre-made somewhere, you don’t know if they’re using unsweetened milk or what type of protein powder.

Smoothies are often seen as being packed with vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber and protein (if there’s a source like nut butter, milk, or avocado inside to make it creamy). And, if you compared a smoothie to a bacon breakfast sandwich, you’re probably thinking that smoothie is the healthier option…but not always.

Smoothies can be a perfect snack or breakfast, depending on what you put in them.

Smoothies can be surprisingly high in sugar and calories, thanks in part to their high concentration of fruit. Fruit is generally a healthy choice thanks to its antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. However, fruit also contains fructose (natural sugars and carbohydrates) which can add up when you’re including several different kinds to a single smoothie. I’ve made this mistake many times. And, try to avoid getting something with added sweeteners on top of the natural sugar.Those natural and added sugars can really add up if you’re not careful. For instance, my go to Matcha Green Tea Blast Jamba Juice is over 400 calories and includes 57 grams of sugar.

What does a healthy smoothie or shake look like?

My favorite smoothie is: a quarter cup each of my Herbalife Formula 1 Chocolate Healthy Meal shake mix and Herbalife Protein Drink Mix, 2 tablespoons of Herbalife Prolessa Duo fat-blocker, 2 tablespoons of Organic PBFit peanut butter protein powder, 1 cup of blueberries, ½ an avocado, and a shot of my Young Living Ningxia Red Essential Oil-Infused Wolfberry supplement. Blend on low with 5 ice cubes and 8-10 oz of water or unsweetened plant-based milk. This recipe will ensure that your smoothie is delicious and filling, without just being a sugar bomb that leaves you hungry an hour later.

How often should to enjoy a smoothie?

Like you heard me say earlier, every day. If you’re making a balanced smoothie that is low in sugar and providing your body with proper nutrition they can work for a meal, a snack, or a post workout recovery drink. Since I do Intermittent Fasting, I usually have my smoothie as my first meal of the day around noon (my IF window is 12-8pm). If you make a post-workout smoothie, pack it with ingredients that replenish your electrolytes, like banana. Post-workout, your body is craving energy to replenish and a smoothie can have a pretty good carb-to-protein ratio, which is great for that.

However you make them, and however often you have them, smoothies are a nutritious meal when made properly. Here’s to good eating!

Please share this post with your family and friends. 

My mission is to inspire people and organizations to live their highest vision.

I am a Success Strategist and Master Coach. I provide transformational coaching and training for individuals and organizations to help you Grow Your Life and Build Your Business by getting clear and focused on what you want, why you want it, and how to create it. Learn more about me at SuccessSeriesLLC.com.

There is no better endorsement than that of a friend, so if you like what you’re reading or are using my many FREE resources, tell a friend to join the Tom Hart Success Series Community, to receive email notifications of new blog posts and Talk with Tom podcast episodes, learn of upcoming events, and other news, by visiting my website and clicking on the offer to receive my FREE monthly resource by leaving their email address OR forward this to them and have them simply click here (we respect your privacy and do not tolerate spam and will never sell, rent, lease or give away your information to any third party).

#GrowYourLife  #BuildYourBusiness

Life Area: Personal   |  Topic: Goal Setting

4 Goal Setting Tips for 2021

2020 was a year of unknown, extreme challenges and taking inventory of what’s most important to us. Our lives may have been put on hold in a lot of ways and we watched our goals change, but we still had your eyes on the prize. Now, another year is on the horizon. And as you start to think about your New Year’s resolutions for 2021, your goals will come back into focus. Use these goal setting tips to help you reach new heights in the coming year.

2021, your goals will come back into focus. Use these goal setting tips to help you reach new heights in the coming year.

First, Evaluate Your Progress.

Before you look forward, you need to look back and ask yourself, “’What have I accomplished this year?’ ‘What goals did I actually achieve that seemed so far out of reach just a year ago?’ ‘What were the biggest and smallest milestones that I celebrated this year?’” Every step you took brought you that much closer to your goals. Having measurable ways to track how much progress you have made allows you to see just how much every task adds up in the long run. Acknowledging your progress gives you a chance to reflect on areas where you’ve improved. This look-back boosts your confidence, offers clarity and uses positive reinforcement – which ultimately leads to productivity. In order to perform better and reach your goals you have to evaluate the ones you’ve already accomplished.

Continue reading →

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Life Area: Professional   |  Topic: Environment

Creating The Perfect Home Workspace

Mark Twain had a shed on his farm in New York. and J.K. Rowling had a room at The Balmoral, a five-star hotel in Scotland. But you can make the perfect workspace in your man-cave or she-shed or maybe it’s an unoccupied nook or a room in your house currently sitting full of junk. Here are some guidelines for creating the perfect home workspace:

• DESIGNATE YOUR CHOSEN SPACE. Make sure it’s a place where you won’t be interrupted.
• EMPTY THE SPACE ENTIRELY AND CLEAN IT. Maybe even give the walls a fresh coat of paint.
• FILL YOUR NEWLY EMPTY SPACE with only objects conducive to your creative process.
• CONSIDER ACQUIRING NEW FURNITURE. Possibly a desk, a comfortably chair, a bookcase you can fill with inspiration.
• DON’T BE AFRAID TO INVEST in professional help to clean, paint, or assemble furniture. Maybe put a posting on TaskRabbit to get yourself an estimate of costs.

Continue reading →

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Life Area: Professional   |  Topic: Presenting

Use the 10-20-30 Rule When Presenting to Investors on Zoom

You’ve probably endured plenty of terrible presentations in your time, but maybe you think that up in the higher echelons of Silicon Valley, entrepreneurs have really nailed the art of the pitch.

Nope. As early Apple employee-turned-investor Guy Kawasaki bluntly puts it, “Most of these pitches are crap.” Even top-tier entrepreneurs pitching elite VCs can’t seem to make an engaging set of slides.

You might conclude from this fact that crafting a compelling presentation is incredibly hard, requiring subtle artistry and exceptional skill. Once again, nope. Kawasaki insists that all you have to do to not torture your audience with any persuasive presentation is follow his classic 10-20-30 rule.

Even top-tier entrepreneurs pitching elite VCs can’t seem to make an engaging set of slides.

10 slides

“Ten is the optimal number of slides in a PowerPoint presentation, because a normal human being cannot comprehend more than 10 concepts in a meeting,” Kawasaki insists. “If you must use more than 10 slides to explain your business, you probably don’t have a business.”

What should those 10 slides contain if your presentation is an investment pitch? Kawasaki helpfully offers a list of the 10 points that venture capitalists actually want you to cover.

20 minutes

TED Talks are 20 minutes for a reason — that’s how long you can reasonably expect an audience to pay attention. Exceed this hard limit at your peril. Even if you have an hour to present, actually click through slides for 20 minutes, Kawasaki insists. Use the rest of the time for setting up your tech before and taking questions after.

Continue reading →

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Life Area: Personal   |  Topic: Aging

Never mind Aging: Four Ways to Stay Young at Heart

My birthday was yesterday. I always use the day to contemplate my life, assess my year just past, and set goals for my year ahead.

I always marvel at how hung up on age so many of us are—even when we’re still relatively young! I often get questions from clients such as: “I’m 38 years old and just got out of nursing school. Will anyone hire me at this age?” or “I’m 55. Is it too late for me to start a business?” Of course you probably are way ahead of me on what my answer has always been to these and other similar questions…”You’re never to old to start anything.”

Take a moment and imagine yourself in old age. What do you see?

Take a moment and imagine yourself in old age. What do you see? When I do this exercise with my seminar participants what immediately comes to mind for them is a version of themselves where they’re slower, grayer and weaker – a shadow of their former self. At worst, they are so frail that everyday activities become difficult.

Now, repeat the exercise, except this time I’d like you to imagine yourself to be fitter, sharper, and more energetic. There are no wheelchairs, canes, or nursing homes in this future. If you’re a tennis player, you’re still storming the net. If you’re a hiker, you’re still hitting the trails. If you’re a nutty cyclist like me, you’re still on the road. This version of you can become a reality.

How can you stay young at heart, mind, and spirit and get the most out of life and your career? Here are four ways:

Never stop learning. The day you stop learning you become old—at any age. Just as weight lifting is to your muscles, learning is to your brain. To keep it sharp, strong, and high functioning, take a class, engage in self-study, do more challenging reading, take music lessons, learn a new language, talk to people who do something different from you. Learning keeps you young and makes you feel alive and engaged in life.

Continue reading →

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Life Area: Professional   |  Topic: Freelancing

3 Things You Need to Know Before Going Freelance

Being a salaried employee means having the stability of a steady paycheck. It also means having to answer to a boss, and, in many cases, adhere to what could be a pretty rigid work schedule. It’s no wonder, then, that a large number of workers contemplate going freelance each year.

Now there are plenty of good reasons to become self-employed. You get to be your own boss, set your own schedule, and take on projects that are interesting or meaningful to you. That said, there are certain financial implications of going freelance you’ll need to account for when making the leap. Here are three in particular to know:

Going freelance could end up being the most rewarding career decision you’ll make in your life.

1. You’ll be liable for self-employment taxes

When you’re a salaried employee, taxes are taken out of your paychecks so that you don’t have to worry about paying the IRS its share of your earnings. Not so when you’re freelance. Independent contractors are liable for self-employment taxes, and those taxes are due to the IRS on a quarterly basis throughout the year. Not only must you pay those taxes on time as a freelancer, but it’s on you to calculate how much you owe (or get an accountant to do it for you).

Of course, Social Security is only part of the self-employment tax picture. There are Medicare taxes you’ll also be responsible for, and unlike Social Security, there’s no income cap. This means that as a freelancer, you’ll pay a 2.9% Medicare tax on all of your earnings.

The good news in all of this is that you can deduct half of your self-employment taxes when you file your tax return. The bad news is that you’ll need to come up with that money up front, so prepare for that major expense.

2. You can still save for retirement in a tax-advantaged plan

Many freelancers are quick to assume that they can’t save for retirement in a tax-advantaged manner, but actually, there are several options available to self-employed workers that salaried employees don’t get access to. If you’re a freelancer without employees, one option you might consider is the SEP IRA. Short for simplified employee pension, a SEP IRA lets you contribute up to 25% of your net business earnings (your earnings minus your business expenses, SEP contribution, and half of your self-employment taxes. If you employ other people, saving in a SEP can get expensive because you must contribute the same amount to your workers’ accounts, percentage-wise, that you put into your own plan. But if you don’t have employees, this isn’t an issue.

Continue reading →

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Life Area: Physical   |  Topic: Drinking water

The Importance of Drinking Water

There are a number of benefits to drinking plenty of water. Among them includes reducing caloric intake due to keeping you feeling full, but drinking plenty of water also supports normal muscle and organ function, aids skin health and appearance, and enhances energy. Drinking lots of water may very well be the simplest thing you can do to improve your health, and the best part is that it requires minimal effort.

Drinking lots of water may very well be the simplest thing you can do to improve your health

I don’t believe you necessarily need to drink a set amount of water every day, although more is certainly better. Experts say a good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day. I am not a nutritionist, but what I have found works for me is to drink 32 ounces first thing in the morning when I wake and keeping a quart bottle full of purified ionized water to sip throughout the day, thereby drinking over a gallon little by little. Now, I weigh 194 pounds so I should be drinking over a gallon and a half. I’m sure I get there somehow, someway, with the other beverages that I may drink, including my morning green drink and daily meal-replacement protein shakes. In any case, the primary goal is to eliminate unhealthy beverages, including soda, juices, and high-calorie coffee drinks.

There are many apps out there that can assist you in tracking your water intake. One such app I wrote about in my blog post as part of my January Goals Setting Series entitled 14 Apps To Help You Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions, which you can find [here]. The app was Waterlogged, and includes a digital log (clever), here’s the link to the App Store for your convenience:

Waterlogged

We all know we are to drink half our body weight in ounces everyday. With easy to use Waterlogged, you can keep track of your progress morning, noon and night.

If you do nothing else tomorrow as you embark on your journey to live a stronger, healthier life, you can certainly do this.

BONUS TIP

STOP DIS-EASE AND ILLNESS

A healthy diet rich in tomatoes, olive oil, nut, green-leafy vegetables, yams, fatty fish, and fruits – along with proper hydration, a strength-driven exercise routine, and quality sleep – can help keep sickness at bay. Use these science-driven methods to help reduce your risk of illness even more.

• Wash your hands. Use soap and water and scrub for at least 20 to 30 seconds.
• Filter the air. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can remove nearly 98 percent of virus particles. Pointing the fan out the window can also help.
• Train your mind. People over the age of 50 who underwent mindfulness training, such as meditation, in a University of Wisconsin study nearly halved the occurrence and severity of acute respiratory infections.

Please share this post with your family and friends. 

My mission is to inspire people and organizations to live their highest vision.

I am a Success Strategist and Master Coach. I provide transformational coaching and training for individuals and organizations to help you Grow Your Life and Build Your Business by getting clear and focused on what you want, why you want it, and how to create it. Learn more about me at SuccessSeriesLLC.com.

There is no better endorsement than that of a friend, so if you like what you’re reading or are using my many FREE resources, tell a friend to join the Tom Hart Success Series Community, to receive email notifications of new blog posts and Talk with Tom podcast episodes, learn of upcoming events, and other news, by visiting my website and clicking on the offer to receive my FREE monthly resource by leaving their email address OR forward this to them and have them simply click here (we respect your privacy and do not tolerate spam and will never sell, rent, lease or give away your information to any third party).

#GrowYourLife  #BuildYourBusiness

Life Area: Personal   |  Topic: Emotional Freedom

Getting Unstuck From a Past Trauma

Came across this article on self-actualization that I found so profound that I wanted to pass it on to you. It’s about a five-minute read, so give yourself enough time to take it in. You can find the original at https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/the-scientific-process-to-heal-any-emotional-trauma:

In Greek mythology, Medusa was a monster, often described as a winged human female with living venomous snakes in place of hair.

Those who gazed upon Medusa’s face would turn to stone.

In a similar way, people who go through hard experiences can turn to stone, emotionally.

As trauma expert Dr. Peter Levine has said, “It is how we respond to a traumatic event that determines whether trauma will be a cruel and punishing Medusa turning us into stone, or whether it will be a spiritual teacher taking us along vast and uncharted pathways.”

We’ve all experienced “trauma,” whether we think we have or not. According to Dr. Lisa Firestone:

“A trauma can be defined as any significant negative event or incident that shaped us. It can emerge from any impactful instance that made us feel bad, scared, hurt or ashamed. By this definition, we have all experienced some degree of trauma in the process of growing up.”

Having “suppressed emotions” is another way of saying we have unresolved trauma in our lives.

But what does this actually mean?

How people become emotionally stuck

If you’ve had a hard experience in your past where something negative happened, or where you failed miserably, you might never step far outside your comfort zone again.

In that case, you’ve become incredibly limited because of your past.

Your emotions own you, rather than you owning your emotions.

When this happens, your personality stops developing, and you become incredibly predictable as a person.

Your life becomes quite repetitive.

Continue reading →

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Life Area: Personal   |  Topic: Success Habits

5 Habits of Successful People

The most successful people in the world did not arrive there by accident. Truly successful people, whether they are millionaires or have just found their true life purpose and get to enjoy living it every day, are in that position for a specific reason: their habits.

You can work, and work, and work at becoming successful until you are completely burned out. But if you don’t develop the specific daily habits of successful people, it’s unlikely you’ll ever get there.

I’m going to share five of these successful habits Jack Canfield suggests, and I hope you’ll consider integrating them into your life.

1) Successful People Believe in Themselves

If you’re going to be successful to create the life you want, you have to believe that you are capable of making it happen. Believing in yourself is a choice.

Of the hundreds of super successful people Jack has interviewed throughout his career, almost every one of them told him, “I was not the most gifted or talented person in my field, but I chose to believe anything was possible. I studied, practiced, and worked harder than the others, and that’s how I got to where I am.”

Successful people assume in favor of themselves and act as if achieving their goals is completely possible.

Continue reading →

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Life Area: Financial   |  Topic: Taxes

Millennial “Coach Dad” Helps You With Your Taxes

With the July 15th COVID-extended tax deadline fast approaching, I wanted to put on my “Coach Dad” hat and give my Millennial/small business clients out there some peace of mind…

While filing your taxes may not be as simple as a line my daughter always quotes…

“I don’t know what the big deal is about filing taxes…
you just gather all your stuff and hand it to your Dad!”

…I do recognize that each tax situation is personal and subject to individual circumstances, but it can be even more overwhelming if you are a small business owner or self-employed.

Now, before I jump in, let me state that I am not a CPA or other tax professional and that what I write here is for informational and educational purposes only and comes to you from my years of personal experience. I recommend that you seek professional tax advice before filing your return.

First off, let me acknowledge that filing taxes is unsurprisingly one of the main sources of stress we all experience. In fact, a recent survey identified getting stuck in line at the DMV, being trapped in the middle seat of a plane, and undergoing major dental work as LESS stressful than doing taxes! I used to feel the same way.

When it comes to small business owners, freelancers, and self-employed, the IRS itself acknowledges that those taxpayers “face a particularly bewildering array of laws” regarding compliance, so many entrepreneurs put off taxes until the last minute, and then do it only as a necessary evil. But it doesn’t have to be that way:

Let me recommend you shift your mindset about taxes.

Do so by knowing two things: ❶ if you keep records as you go, you can save yourself a lot of grief, and ❷ you don’t need to know it all.

❶ By keeping accurate records as you go, you will have the best chance of maximizing your deductions and minimizing your taxable income. You can also more accurately project at any time of the year what your likely year-end revenue and expenses will be and therefore more accurately calculate your quarterly estimated payments (1040ES). Maintaining your own records helps keep you in control. Plus, it’s easy to do. You can create a simple spreadsheet or use affordable, cloud-based accounting software designed for self-employed professionals. My team and I use Quicken.

Time and money are the most common expenses for most freelancers. Effectively tracking your time usually produces more billable hours, which enables you to earn what you’re really worth. Here, too, you can use a basic spreadsheet or find cloud-based solutions. Many options for the latter also can generate invoices to keep you and your clients accountable. My daughter loves to use FreshBooks for her marketing agency, iHartMarketing.com.

Tracking your time and expenses has other benefits as well. You’ll be able to see how productive you are by project or client. Come filing time, you more easily can spot patterns and categorize expenses that appropriately reduce your taxable income. This includes the money you’re spending on advertising, business supplies, business insurance, gas, conferences, professional services, and travel. In short, you’ll have all the information you need to protect yourself from overpaying.

❷ And for the “you don’t need to know it all” part: there are many software alternatives out there, like TurboTax, that will walk you through the mechanics of your return in an interview kind of way. And, if you’re beyond that, just choose the “Forms” format and select what you need to file your return. This is especially helpful after you have a few years of filing under your belt and not much has changed with business operations in the meantime. Just merge in your last year’s return and take it from there.

Most self-employed professionals do not need an accountant or bookkeeper to manage their year-round finances. Those internal finance roles are more appropriate for small businesses with complex sales-tax issues, payroll, or other advanced reporting requirements. However, partnering with a professional at tax time is a smart move. If you’ve done the work to keep track of your income, taxes paid and business expenses, a tax expert can make the actual filing virtually painless. He or she can also identify potential deductions to track in the future, reducing your taxable income for years to come.

Taking control of your taxes removes one of the biggest barriers to sustained and successful financial independence. It also opens the door to start thinking about other ways to maximize your success — such as examining whether an LLC or S-Corp structure makes the most sense and how you can incorporate retirement planning into each model. Peruse this website to find my many FREE resources to help you Grow Your Life and Build Your Business.

Please share this post with your family and friends. 

My mission is to inspire people and organizations to live their highest vision.

I am a Success Strategist and Master Coach. I provide transformational coaching and training for individuals and organizations to help you Grow Your Life and Build Your Business by getting clear and focused on what you want, why you want it, and how to create it. Learn more about me at SuccessSeriesLLC.com.

There is no better endorsement than that of a friend, so if you like what you’re reading or are using my many FREE resources, tell a friend to join the Tom Hart Success Series Community, to receive email notifications of new blog posts and Talk with Tom podcast episodes, learn of upcoming events, and other news, by visiting my website and clicking on the offer to receive my FREE monthly resource by leaving their email address OR forward this to them and have them simply click here (we respect your privacy and do not tolerate spam and will never sell, rent, lease or give away your information to any third party).