"I Wish I Would Have - Words of Regret"
"I wish I would have." Those are words of regret.
Yet today, there are lots of people saying "I wish I would have." I am saying it because I did not work as hard on my affiliate marketing website as I should have. So, I am losing some income today.
You see that big green snowblower on the far right hand side of the picture above? That is a John Deere snow blower. John Deere does not have an affiliate program for their big equipment. Yet, there are other places that sell snow blowers that do have affiliate marketing programs. I've been meaning to write a review type of article for snowblowers since January - when I sold mine. Yet, I never got around to it. "I wish I would have."
#Bombcyclone, #Facebookdown, & #Instagramdown - all on the same day.
Can you see the cars in the picture? Those are just three of what was mostly likely over a dozen cars belonging to people. People that spent about 20 hours in the gas station/convenience store next door to my shop. (Note: the guys in the front of the picture are people working to help dig the cars out. They are not the car owners. They are heroes...)
I chose to stay at my shop, which has my computer, a kitchenette and several comfy couches. I seriously doubt they planned to spend 20 hours at a gas station waiting for the weather to clear enough that they could drive. Since I can't open my doors to look out, I don't know exactly how many people there were. There was a bunch. "I bet they wish they would have listened to the weather reports.
There are also a LOT of other people that spent all yesterday and last night in other stores, temporary shelters, or in their cars waiting to be rescued. Poor things couldn't even share their misfortunate circumstances on Facebook or Instagram.
They attempted to drive even though we were told a big blizzard was to arrive around 10 am. The worse case weather forecast came true. We had a blizzard combined with hurricane for winds. On Twitter, it was referred to as a bombcyclone. Who knows what it would have been called on Facebook or Instagram since that company was busy shocking the world with it's outage.
Anyway, here in Colorado, numerous people had wrecks. One person lost control of their vehicle and killed a police officer that was attempting to assist other stranded motorists.
I am not talking about a few people. I am talking about over 1,200 people being stranded just in the Colorado Springs area alone. I don't know how many people that attempted to drive in Denver area - which is even more populated. The police officer, actually a state highway patrol officer, was killed in the Denver area.
I have not heard stories of anyone talking about how much fun it was to be stranded. The people trying to pull their cars out of the ditches today do not look like they are having fun either. The guys trying to dig their cars out of the snow this morning with snow shovels were NOT having fun.
I was lucky. I planned ahead. Of my two choices to ride out the storm, I luckily picked the place that only lost power briefly.
I wish I would have gotten even one blog post written yesterday. Yet, I lost focus and was more interested in the weather, the power flickering, what my friends were doing and about people's reactions to #Facebookdown and #Instagram down.
I really wish I would have worked on my blog more last summer. Had I done so, I would feel more financially secure on days like today when I can't have the shop open. I wish I would have.....
Since over 20,000 people in the Colorado Springs area lost power last night, I am really mad at myself for now having ever gotten around to doing the best of lists on snowblowers and back up generators that I though about doing a couple months ago. I really wish I would have. People were sitting at home yesterday, with no Facebook or Instagram, bored.
Before they "rediscovered" Twitter, I predict many of those people were shopping online instead. They probably are today also. Yet, Facebook seems to be working again.
Snow drift viewed from my back door.
Today, it is too late to change the past. Yet, it is not too late to learn from our mistakes.
1. If you have bad weather approaching your area - don't get yourself into a position that you are saying, "I wish I would have listened."
"I wish I would have prepared." "I wish I would have stayed home." Car repairs and tow trucks are expensive. Sitting around waiting out a storm in your car is BORING. Stay home. Stay off the roads when super severe weather is forecast.
2. If you have been dreaming of working for yourself. If you have been dreaming of working online so that you don't have to commute to work, start now.
Don't delay. If you continue to procrastinate, it is highly probable that someday you will be saying, "I wish I would have...."
3. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Diversify.
Diversity your products, the affiliate programs you are using and your methods of marketing your business. You never know what could happen that is beyond your control.
For example, who would have thought that Facebook or Instagram would be unavailable for hours and hours yesterday?
Prior to yesterday, I thought that my online business was safe despite my brick and mortar business having to be closed due to the weather. In my case, I don't used Facebook much. Yet many small businesses rely on Facebook business pages rather than websites. It is not too late to diversify. Don't be someone saying " I wish I would have...."
4. If you think of product that you could be promoting on your website, do it.
Don't just think about it. Don't rationalize reasons not to. Trust your instinct that it could be profitable. It is not like will cost you a bunch of money to have one extra posted dedicated to the item(s). If no one is interested, that if fine. Yet, you never know when something changes or happens that will make the item very sought after. Otherwise, you might be like me saying, "I wish I would have."
5. Appreciate your family and friends. Make sure they know how much they mean to you.
There are no guarantees in life. Yesterday, a policeman was killed trying to help people that had slid off the highway. Another vehicle came up, lost control and ran over him.
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I might as well work on writing the snow blower and emergency generator reviews that I planned on writing since January. More snow is forecast for the middle of next week. Who knows? This might give me an opportunity to see how fast I can rank on these search terms.
How are you going to AVOID saying, "I wish I would have?"
Are you going to start your online business?
Will you maybe focus more? Dedicate an extra hour or two to the business?
Are you going to publish good quality content more frequently?
Will you prepare for major storms and disasters in advance?
Will you hug your family and friends. Let them know they are loved and appreciated?
--Sondra
PS. I really do love all of you here at WA. The longer that I am here, the more I realize that the community is the one of two best features that we receive. The other is the training. Thank you for reading and your ongoing support.
Recent Comments
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Wow! That sounds like quite the storm. I am glad you were cozy and tucked inside. Are you still there?
You make some great points. Someone was killed here this winter in the same way. They stopped to help someone off the road and another car hit them.
I know consistency is my greatest weakness here. I need to always work on that. It is so darned hard with so many jobs though. We are getting a new door for the 6-plex since people have been getting into the building when the door is ajar. One of the tenants caught two bums shooting up drugs in the hall yesterday!
We are trying to get ready to show the apartment in our building this weekend. Hopefully the earthquake cracks won't scare them off!
My traffic and sales are way down again...probably due to my lack of posting on my site...again. I was doing so well for a few months.
Jessica, you are so spread out with so many challenges, I'm surprised that you get to post at all.
Yikes about the bums getting inside. Hopefully you can get that door fixed quickly.
Hopefully your sales and traffic will pick up again soon. My shop did great on Tuesday. It felt like December. But then I've been close the last two days.
I've got to call my landlord tomorrow and ask him to have somebody dig the snow away from my doors so I can get out. Someone left the shovel by my door.... I can see it. lol
He drives me nuts.... He knows that I'm here... My friends are further out in rural areas - so they haven't been able to dig out themselves much less me.
He lives above his shop and has tons of security cameras so he can see what is going on.
It seems the least he could do is have the snow removed from one door when he had the parking lot done. The tractor with the snow blower tried to get as close to the building as possible. Yet, I've still got knee high snow at the front doors and chest high snow in the back...
Yet, I'm back to thinking that staying in this retail location is not a good idea. Too expensive and the landlord doesn't seem to be interested in taking care of the outside of the building....
I hope that your showing goes well this weekend.
Good grief! We have our snow plowed when it gets to 3 inches each time. We are paying a fortune for snow removal. When we rented a house we just shoveled ourselves but with the 4 plex (and everyone has a garage) and the neighboring building right there we just hire it done and split the cost between the buildings.
The problem is the other building is behind in paying their half. I pay it and they don't pay me back!
I can't imagine having a business tenant and not dealing with the snow! That is unacceptable if that is part of your agreement. He should make sure your snow is removed promptly!
I hope you find an answer somehow!
Yes, it has been nothing but drama here for us. We went and found a very large potted plant (fern looking) and a pedestal to put it on last night to put in the corner of the hallway with the worst of the cracks in the sheetrock. I told the guy coming to look this weekend that there are earthquake cracks we are trying to fix but they won't be done yet. There are cracks everywhere but that is one of the worst ones. I hope this works. I told him so I don't have to feel like I am covering anything up (ha ha).
Unfortunately, my lease agreement does not discuss anything outside the building space - i.e the side walks, parking lot etc.
With my background, I should have caught that prior to signing the lease. After all, not only am I in real estate. As a CPA, I have helped my employer budget for snow removal costs and reviewed proposals as they prepared to sign a contract with one company. My mistake.
I hope it goes well with your prospective tenant. My prediction is that most places that he is going to look at is going to have similar issues. You all were affected by the earth quake. If others maybe had access to repair people on staff; they might be charging even more.
I envision very positive things for you.
Awesome thoughts especially at the beginning of a new year, well 3 months into a new year is still new to me.
It's amazing how they come up with new names like "bombcyclone" a snow storm is still a snowstorm.
"Facebookdown" - my wife started withdraws but with encouragment she got over it. I totally missed it because I was busy trying to work on my website.
Anyways thanks for the reminder that what we do today can affect our future.
Ray
Ray,
I hope your wife is completely happy today. It sounds like Facebook working properly.
I still don't know how or why the "bomb" part of the name was applied to this weather event. I've watched enough weather satellite pictures to understand the cylcone part.
Oh well....writing reviews should occupy my mental thoughts now.
Cheers.
Great post and great point Sondra! We're given so much each day, and ideas are often thought of too lightly. Some of the ideas we have are like diamonds in the rough, and if we don't sit on them, they could transform our lives. Your post and a meeting with a WA member today made me realize some ideas I've had that I've regarded too lightly. Thanks for making more of us reflect. Someone reading this might realize they've been sitting on an idea that can completely change their life!
Thank you Tiffany!
I hope that you can implement some of the ideas that you've been sitting on. They could very well be the ones that change your life.
Keep being awesome at all that you do.
This post is a champ! Beautiful photos of the snow. I sure do miss my native home of Minnesota.
I’ve done exactly that, ”wished would have done that.” The words ring true when we dwell on them. Not a best thing to do when need to stay focused and be productive on our online business.
I like your advice and suggestions. I spent a lot of my time thinking and idling. I need to get serious and DO IT!
Good points on this post.
Thank you Brenda. I hope that you can get serious and just DO IT.
I've heard that Minnesota has lots of snow. lol I'm from Texas, so I'm still trying to get used to it.
Take care and just do it.
I am sorry to hear about your snow experiences. It is true that many times procrastination leads to "I wish....." statement. thank you for reminding us about remaining focussed in every situation.
Joseph
Thank you Joseph.
I hope this post will get you to do at least one thing that you've found yourself procrastinating about.
Cheers!
You make very valid points. My wife’s car has the Air Conditioning running kind of weak. I better go ahead and get it fixed or recharged now.
I have now dedicated more time to my website. As a result if being here to use Site Content, I am in the community more often now also.
Thank you for reminding us to be prepared...
I wish you the best!
Bob
Bob,
It sounds like you have a great plan. I'm glad that you are really starting to appreciate the value of the WA community.
I hope you get that AC fixed sooner rather than later. That will help keep your wife happy.
I wish you the best also.
At least you are safe, Sondra, at least we assume/hope you are, but what a day (or is it two?) you have had. And look at the bright side, you are getting your snow blower and emergency generator reviews done. You likely would have put those off for months otherwise, or would you?
Colette and Philip
Thanks. I am safe and warm and well rested.
Snowblowers and emergency generators are great to have at times like this. Yet, it is easy to procrastinate writing about them or purchasing them when the weather is great. I was leaning toward prioritizing writing about paint color trends. Yet, the commissions on snow blower and generators are higher...
I hope that March turns out to be super productive for the two of you.
Oh my...seams storms are all over the planet
Here too... unusual weather... too hot for the time of the year and Stormy winds...
Yes, prepare
It is hard to imagine it being hot in other places.
The old people are convinced that the weather works in cycles. They say that a major snow storm like this happens once every 25 or 26 years. So, according to them, it was right on schedule.
I hope you stay comfortable and prepared.
I learned early in life that would have, could have and should have will drive one crazy. More than once at our family garden center my father guessed wrong to cover our beds of flowers we had for sale only to find them brown and ruined the next morning. Only took one time to learn to be cautious next time more. Yet I think we all still do it even after it happens. Human nature causes us to be less cautious sometimes and still take chances. Living in an area prone to bigger storms then I in Central Ohio would probably wish I moved somewhere warmer or at least less snow in the winter. I got spoiled after college to move to SW Florida for 11 years, then moved back to Ohio. At least it was not in NE Ohio off Lack Erie in the snow belt. :) No way! I agree we should have more social media than Facebook and Instagram. Also, agree our community here at WA is awesome and understanding.
Sorry for all the snow, and hope some Global warming comes your way soon for spring to arrive next week.
Take care,
Bill
Thanks Bill.
I understand what you mean..
Since last year was a drought, I am trying to see the moisture from the snow as being a good thing.
Take care,
Sondra,
You always seem to look at the positive which is a good thing. I have a dear friend who lives outside of Denver, and happy my Facebook came up so I could see how he and his family was doing. Mother nature takes care of us, yet sometimes we get more than we anticipated for sure. Be safe!
I do try to focus on the positive things.
So, I'm guessing your friend and his family are fine?
Even though Denver is only an hour and a half away, sometimes it can seem like we are in different worlds when it comes to the weather. Yet, this storm was big enough that we both felt it's impact.
ps. I'm glad that Facebook has worked as a great tool to keep up with your friends.
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I don't envy your storms, Sondra. Today is the first day that feels like spring to me in over 3 months. Mostly cold air instead of snow!
Hi Mike! I hope spring arrives for you soon. Stay warm and enjoy the flowers when they start popping up.