Hi, I’m Chelsea Moser & this is my personal blog: TheNoDak.com (aka The North Dakotan). TheNoDak blog is a front seat view into my crazy life! Join me on this journey as I share my thoughts. Now sit back, relax & read away!
Also, do comment! I love reading your stories and thoughts too! As always, if you wish to contact me directly – just drop me a line: Chelsea@ChelseaMoser.com.
Lots of Love and Happy reading!
Tonight I write to you while flying across the country. Almost 5 hours in a plane could probably cause anyone to organize and then reorganize his or her desktop. This is the third time in three hours for me…
But, I didn’t just do it to be more organized.
Well, the first time I did, but then I was remembering the memories – old photos, articles, emails and book chapters. I read and reread things I haven’t seen in months – maybe even years. And then when I thought I was done going through the past few years on my desktop – I found yet another folder… full of memories.
Time has gone by so fast…
I realized several things about myself while going through my files. First and foremost – how much I’ve evolved and grown in 2009. And second, everything that has happened in my life over the course of a year. What a wild and crazy ride! Several mountains have been climbed, choices have been made at four-way stops, paved roads changed to dirt ones and then back again.
I look back on it all and think about the coulda, woulda, shoulda… but I’m really happy with how everything worked out. At the beginning of this year, I would have said, “it’s funny how things don’t work out”. Now I say “it’s funny how they do”.
I definitely didn’t go with the flow in 2009. For some reason… I always select the most difficult paths – the most complicated ones. That’s what I do. And look at me now. I didn’t get here without hard work and dedication, of course. I worked my butt of in 2009. But I took the most complicated plan, which brought me hard times – but most importantly – success and happiness. And I’m so thankful for that.
Of course, there are things that didn’t work out – and I really thought they would. I convinced myself they would; my mind was set to believe that. And I came out of those times pretty disappointed. Actually – really disappointed. But I know that 1) you never know what the future holds and 2) I was able to take something away from each disappointment and I learned so much from it.
Take a moment and think back to your last 11 ½ months. I’m sure you’ll also notice a pattern of change. How did you deal with it? Did you take the most challenging “road less traveled” path? Or did you simply go with the flow?
I’m sure you all are reading this and thinking to yourself – yes, I wish certain things had worked out in 2009. And like me, I’m sure you think about it all the time. Those missteps, missed chances and unsure choices you made. But know that they are all part of who you are today. Who knows what the future holds. Maybe you’ll get a second change. Or better yet, maybe you’ll be thankful that things didn’t work out.
Just know that in this moment everything is the way it should be. There is no such thing as coincidence. Everything happens for a reason. That reason resides within you and one day you will understand. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But, someday – all of this will make sense.
I sit here in awe… knowing that this computer holds so many memories; great times, bittersweet endings and opportunity for new beginnings. Bring on 2010. I’m ready.
Are you?
I’ve been traveling a lot lately… east coast, west coast, midwest and everything in between. So many people think traveling is a great life. Well, it is… you see a lot, you do a lot, you learn a lot – but it’s a lot of work living out of a suitcase – trust me! I’m blessed and totally thankful I have the opportunity, but I also love the way it feels to be home, too.
Traveling – for me – is time to think and reflect. When you’re trapped in a plane… there is only so many things you can do. I think, I analyze… I question. But lately, my traveling hasn’t been any of that. My thoughts have been focused on change.
I realized the need for change in my life… in so many ways.
A lot of change.
Decisions needed to be made in my life about so many BIG things… it was scary – no doubt. BUT thank God I embraced it. I just ran with it. All of it was and is completely out of my control and I’ve been riding it out and enjoying it. I’m not resisting any of it… I’m basically saying “hell, why not!”.
All of these decisions and changes were positive ones – nonetheless. I’ve changed my way of living on
so many levels. My business is having a complete overhaul… and so is my personal life. Everything is changing and I’m learning to live my life embracing the change and learning that this is what living life is all about – change.
It’s all about growing, evolving… changing.
Find time to think about the changes that need to be made in your life. Don’t be afraid of them. Just know that change is so good… and you can lead a better life by embracing the change and going for it. If you’re unsure of something – and you’ve been questioning it for a long time – just know that you need to make a change. Enough of feeling unsure or having constant questions… change it. Run with it. Evolve and move to the next level.
I struggled with all the change at first – I resisted it. Now I embrace it. Stepping out of my comfort zone has never felt so good.
We all know that 60 years is a long time. Especially when you’re talking about a marriage! My grandparents have been married 60 years this month. It’s so incredible to wrap my arms around how long they’ve been together. But the most incredible thing (and the focus of this post) is that they are still madly in love. They have such a solid relationship and they love each other more than anything. You can see it in everything they do.
For these two, it hasn’t always been easy. Of course they’ve had their issues and heartaches. They’ve gone through a lot together – but the one thing that has kept them going strong for all these years - is the love and respect they have for each other. They truly love each other. They have the pure, real love that is hard to find. They found it over 60 years ago…
So many times I’ve thought to myself – does true, pure love exist? I’ve had this conversation with myself so many times and the one thing that gives me hope – are my grandparents.
I’ve spent many days and nights with my grandparents. I’ve watched them. How they take care of each other and nurture their relationship. How they hold hands in public and kiss before they crawl into bed. It’s amazing, truly. So many relationships go bitter… sometimes early on and sometimes later in life. You see older couples and they are bitter, they are crabby, and they are simply annoyed with each other. They just don’t have the passion. It’s unfortunate, but just know that when you follow your heart – you’ll find the true, pure love and you’ll know that anything is possible. And I know for a fact – because I see it in my grandparents every day.
The way my grandparents smile at each other, laugh at each others jokes… the stories they still tell about their time together – it’s 
all amazing. They are in love. They appreciate each other with so much passion. Not only do I admire their love and dedication, but they also mean so much to me and I’ve looked up to them my whole life. I’m very fortunate to have such a great family and I’m blessed to have them as role models. They give me strength every day.
This post should give you hope. Whether you’re in a relationship or not, just know that true love really exists. It’s out there… and it’s worth holding out for.
Ok, so I have to tell you… I’m loving Florida weather. I LOVE being outdoors – especially when it’s really hot (hot!). In North Dakota – come September, it’s getting chilly out. Normally a light jacket is in reach and it’s beginning to look and smell like fall everywhere…
But Florida – now that’s a whole different ball game! I knew it was going to be quite an adjustment, but didn’t realize how much I’d love it! Today was all about the warm weather – people kayaking, surfing and everything in between. I loved it. I will definitely get used to wearing my suit and being in the water on a regular basis – through November!
I will admit – I’ll miss the North Dakota weather. The crisp nights, Halloween and seeing all the kids in their outfits OVER their snow suits, the snow man built outside each house, the smell of fireplaces, sports in the snow… the list goes on and on.
When I think of North Dakota in the winter – I instantly think of hot chocolate, scrabble, cards, and lots of family time. I always remember being stuck in our house – very snowed in – for DAYS. We’d be out of school for days, stranded inside – play games and getting on each others nerves BIG time. But boy do those times make the best of memories. At the time, it probably wasn’t so fun and funny… spending all that time with family and not being able to leave because your car is buried under 4ft of snow. But now I look back on it and smile until my cheeks hurt! Those memories will forever be with me. Such wonderful stories to tell my kids someday.
But, I’m ready to make new memories in the hot weather – with the Gulf of Mexico right outside my door. I can totally handle that… a story in the making. I’m growing here, learning here… and working on the next chapter in my book.
All good. Truly Blessed. Thankful and loving it.
Hi there. Cassie Boorn here, Chelsea’s assistant. Earlier this week Chelsea was interviewed by a magazine that was writing an article on her journey as an Entrepreneur. As I was reading through the uncut interview, I thought I’d share a snippet. I can’t share everything with you right now, so you’ll have to wait for the article and interview to be published. But I thought this part was great.
Chelsea was asked when she first classified herself as an entrepreneur. I thought I’d share this portion of the interview with you here:
“Truthfully, I’m not sure I knew what an entrepreneur was when I was a kid, but I was always exercising my creative/inventive instincts at a really young age… and there has always been something very intriguing to me about that.”
“My mom would probably tell you I was born with an entrepreneurial spirit because I’ve always been a risk taker, super creative and extremely curious about everything. But… she also thinks I’m crazy, too. So I would say that in itself would classify me as an entrepreneur!”
“All jokes aside, while growing up I always felt different. I knew I was capable of something much bigger than I could envision at the time and I was confident at a young age that I could build a business in the biggest, most amazing way. To me, being an entrepreneur is a mindset and it’s something you embody and embrace every day. It’s pure joy. It’s love. It’s a great life.”
We’ll be sure to let you know when the full article and interview is published. More to come. -Cassie
P.S. When did you realize you were an Entrepreneur? I’m sure Chelsea would love to hear your story. Feel free to share it here.
I’ve had this huge feeling of uncertainly for the last few weeks. This feeling became stronger as I was packing all of my things, saying goodbye to my family and moving to Florida. I wasn’t sure if I was chasing something or running from something… and I’m not so sure I’ll ever figure that out…
But, I’ve never been more certain than I am right now knowing that I’m exactly where I need to be in this moment in time. So many things have happened over the course of this last month – both personal and business. It has all been very surreal and very crazy – to say the least.
Lately I’ve been on the road more than I’ve been home. But I now have my priorities in line with my goals in life and I’ve made choices without the influence of others. And these choices have been nothing but good to me so far.
It is a very unique experience for me right now and I’m in total awe of how the past few weeks have unfolded for me. Every step I have taken, every thing I have done, and every person I have met had clearly been planned.
Every struggle, every heartache, every setback… brought me to this moment of clarity. I have so much more to say but I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. All I can do right now is relish in the feeling of knowing that I am right where I need to be in this very moment.
As a side note, I’m still discovering all of this. I’m far from being content and satisfied with my current situation, but I know that in this moment… I’m okay and I’m excited for tomorrow – and that’s all that matters.
I’ll fill you in on the details soon, but for now I’m making a choice… and that choice is to get off this computer so I can go sit in the hot tub!
I’ll leave you with this… one of my favorite quotes by Lytton:
To find what you seek in the road of life, the best proverb of all is that which says: “Leave no stone unturned.”
Happy September everyone! Make the most out of it – make memories – and embrace the time you have with the people that matter most. -Chels
The challenge of life balance is one of the most significant struggles faced by most people. Some are overwhelmed by the day-to-day demands of our careers, families, cell phones, internet, etc.. We often feel there is not enough time in our lives to do the things we need to do, let alone to do the things we want to do!
Enjoy the little things... everyday!
But you do have a choice and you must recognize that. You don’t have to be overworked and overwhelmed.
So many people ask me “how do you do it” and my response is very simple. I have a balanced life. I know when to say no and I know what I can handle. I also know what I need to fill my soul and be content. It’s a work/life balance. It’s a choice I make everyday. I know what’s most important to me in life and I hold that close to my heart and give it the time it needs. Everything else simply follows. It’s true, I work hard – and play harder! I have fun with it, business and personal. All I’ve ever wanted is a life full of laughter – and I remind myself that every day.
Truly, it comes down to twenty four hours. And it’s up to you how you use those twenty four hours.
No scientist or philosopher or great individual of the past has ever gotten more. 24 hours… That’s all we get. No amount of wishing, complaining, or creative time management will ever change that. No matter how many personal productivity techniques we master, there will always be more to do than we can ever accomplish in the time we have available to us, no matter how much it is.
If you’re busy, overworked and overwhelmed – you chose that lifestyle.
It’s not really time management you should be looking into. Even though much has been written about proper time management, the advice is more focused on making more efficient use of time. Too much emphasis on time management makes one obsessive, always watching the clock and thinking about what task is scheduled next.
So perhaps it makes more sense to give precedence to choice management over time management?
Decide what comes first.
Living a balanced life is about integrating components of your life that are truly important to you and realizing that sometimes you need to make choices about what has to come first.
By choosing what comes first, sometimes there are sacrifices. But living a balanced life doesn’t require you to give 100 percent of yourself 100 percent of the time. There will be times when personal/family life and work collides but by knowing what’s really most important to you and making choices based on this criterion, you’ll be better able to balance your decisions.
Finding a balance in your life is an ongoing process. Life is in a constant state of change… a work in progress. Allow yourself the time to regularly reassess the direction in which you are heading. Are you on track, or have you temporarily derailed?
Again, everything is a choice. Do what makes you happy. Remember that.
[Here's a sneak peek from a chapter in my book about Living a Life of Abundance. Enjoy!]
My definition of living life to its fullest starts with excellence and leading by example. Living a life of excellence opens doors of opportunity. You can start by exploring self-improvement and positive thinking. Become the best person you can be and everything else will start to make sense. In regards to leading by example – we need great role models in this world… so lead by example. Leadership requires one to demonstrate a level of commitment even when times are tough. It encourages others to stand strong and to take the higher road.
One of the most important things in my life is committing to causes. It’s very close to my heart and I’m very passionate about giving back. Committing yourself to one or more worthwhile causes helps ensure that your life has significance and meaning. There are so many causes you can devote yourself to furthering. And giving back fills a void in my life, which contributes to living my life to its fullest.
I’m also very passionate about continued learning. When you quit learning, you become stagnant. You stop growing. It’s impossible to live life to it’s fullest while standing still. You have to continuously seek new understanding and experiences. I keep myself growing by reading, traveling and engaging in new things. I try and be adventurous all the time. I’m always up for doing things I’ve never done. I like to be challenged and I truly enjoy change. It changes how you see and react to the world. It’s so important to continue your learning and experience things for the first time. Try it – it’s an amazing feeling.
Living life to its fullest also means being financially stable. I always work like I don’t need the money and with that attitude – it makes all the difference. Of course living life is going to take money… we all know that life takes money. Being wise with your resources provides a level of financial independence that enables one to pursue their greatest desires in life. Financial wisdom is about freedom. Try your hardest to become debt free. You’ll feel so much fuller in life.
Having an entrepreneurial spirit has contributed greatly to my happiness. The definition of an entrepreneur is a person that initiates any enterprise that involves considerable risk. In order to live life to its fullest, you have to be willing to take risks. You have to step out of your comfort zone. Period. Entrepreneurship doesn’t necessary mean you have to own your own business. It simply means to embrace your entrepreneurial attitude. You can embrace this attitude even if you work for someone else. It’s more about how you approach life and the opportunities that arise. Everyone has an entrepreneurial spirit inside them… you just have to find it.
I mentioned being adventurous above, but it’s not just that. You must always seek adventure to live life to its fullest. Things like scuba diving, bare-foot skiing, hiking. Approach each and every day with a sense of adventure. Keep your mind open to the opportunities that every new situation and challenge presents. Seeking adventure is about challenging yourself and pushing through fear. It builds your confidence, makes you feel alive – and most importantly, shows you that the little things can make you feel so great.
With that said, are you living life to its fullest?
Shana of Social Desire posted this comprehensive list of 20 reasons. To get the last 9, you’ll have to check out her post:
1. Branding – Create a recognizable identity for your product or service. This is extremely important for a small business.
2. Create a buzz – Get the word out about your products and services in a way that promotes online conversation.
3. Online reputation management – Keep an eye on what other people and sites are saying about your name, company, or brand online – and fix any problems, if need be.
4. Establish yourself as an expert – Use forums and message boards to answer questions professionally, honestly, and correctly, which will earn you respect as an expert in your niche. People will look to you for answers.
5. Word of mouth – Customers need to trust before purchasing – people trust their friends and loved ones more than anyone else. So, if they hear from someone trustworthy about your product, chances are higher that they’ll buy. Market your products using word of mouth virtually.
6. Build relationships and become more personal – Use a variety of social media, and you’ll build relationships with customers and potential customers. Trust comes through honesty and sincerity.
7. Open up the line of communication between business owner and millions of potential customers – Millions of people who could possibly become customers? You could not have this easily in the offline world.
8. Small businesses can compete with the large companies – In the past, this was very difficult with the advertising and marketing budgets of large companies. With the right type of viral social media, you could get an immense amount of traffic with quickly-growing natural links, and keep traffic coming for a long time.
9. Social networking with potential clients and customers from all over the globe – With social networking sites such as Facebook, StumbleUpon, MySpace and Twitter, among many, many others, you can hold personal conversations with each of your customers. Tell them about new products, sales and coupons, suggestions and tips – the topics are endless.
10. Get great traffic - Not only great traffic…. but freakishly crazy amounts of traffic. For example, if one of your items becomes viral and makes it to the front page of Yahoo Buzz (a social news site), it could get you 100,000 to 1,000,000 viewers; from Digg around 2,000 to 60,000; and from Reddit around 2,500 to 30,000.
11. Increase your link-ability – One way to move up in the search engines is to have links from other sites pointed to your site. Natural links – or links that come naturally to your great post, awesome video, or amazing picture, are the best kind for your business. They’ll not only bring in traffic, but should also help move you up further in the search engines.
Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there…to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or help you figure out who you are or what you want to become. You never know who these people may be, but when you look at them, really look at them, you just know that every minute you spend with them is going to change your life in some profound way.
When someone comes into your life for a reason, it’s usually to meet a need you have expressed in some way. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you either physically or emotionally. They may seem like a Godsend, and they probably are. They are there for the sole reason you need them to be.
Nothing happens by chance or by any means of luck. Illness, injury, love, loss, greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your character. Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. Safe and comfortable but dull and completely pointless.
The success and downfalls you experience can create who you are, and the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they’re probably the most important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart…forgive them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious about who you open your heart to and who you don’t. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally. Not only because they love you, but also because they are teaching you to love and open your eyes to the little things that matter most.
You may meet someone that lights your fire, makes you feel again, shows you how to be a better person – one that gives you more hope than you know what to do with. Regardless of what happens in that relationship, take in those moments, enjoy each other and love unconditionally. No matter what happens – you are making a memory with someone that makes you smile on the inside, someone that gives you life and someone that understands exactly who you are. That, above all, should make you happy. And no one can take that experience away from you.
Make everyday count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, because you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people who you’ve never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, even if your scared, even if it’s complicated. Just follow your heart.
And please, please be sure you surround yourself with people that teach you lessons, help you figure out who you are, challenge you, motivate you, help you through difficultly, support you in every way and provide to you physically and emotionally. Most importantly, people that will change your life for the better.
Don’t be one to lead a comfortable life. Notice the difference between someone dropping in for a season… or a lifetime. You’ll learn from both, but hold tightly to the people that are there for a lifetime. You’ll know. Just listen to your heart and surround yourself with people that make you smile on the inside. It’s worth it.
