Author: lisagangone

Tis the End of the Year well for taxes…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Tis the end of the year for taxes…

Do you know where all of your paperwork is to get your taxes done? Yes, we just got through the holidays and tax season is upon us whether we like it or not.

Here are a few tips to help you prepare:

Pick up a basic monthly accordion file and start filing your receipts by month. I know it is the end of the year but if you take a little bit at a time you can get this organized in time.

Make sure you separate your personal and business receipts.

Medical receipts are important so get those together. You want to show how much you have paid out of pocket-depending upon the percentage this can be a deduction from your income-this is for personal. For business gather up everything-premiums, prescription receipts, co-pays, etc.…

Have last year’s tax returns handy for referencing back just in case there are any questions on how you filed previously. This is especially necessary when changing CPA’s.

Any college bills? You will need 1098-T for yourself or your children.

Mortgage interest, property taxes, closing costs-this can help bring down your income.

 

If you are not sure bring those receipts with you. Your CPA will tell you what you can deduct. You never know so do not pre-judge. Tax laws are always changing.

Looking for more tips and tricks to help you stay on target? Sign up here to get onto my email list.

 

Until the next time…

~Lisa

 

 

 

Being Organized Can Be Fun!

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

A question for you. Are you organized or disorganized? As an entrepreneur or an average consumer we still have receipts, paperwork, warranties, and so much more. Even though we are in the age of digital technology we still seem to have piles of paperwork. Trying to stay organized can be quite stressful. Between work, family, pets, and social obligations we cannot even keep what is important to us organized so how can we even expect ourselves to keep our paperwork together?

Well this is where I come in. Part of taking care of ourselves is taking care of every part of our lives. Yes we have our obligations and those are important. Some of us like myself say having a tidy house is not important to us but in reality it is (it is a little difficult with my dog but I work on it). For myself if I cannot find something I am just creating undo stress in my life. Having that extra bedroom as an office may not be feasible for everyone. So pick an inconspicuous spot in your kitchen or living room and dedicate it to your paperwork. A great way to do this is decorate it with whatever theme or colors your room has so it blends in and is not an eyesore. You can pick up some inexpensive file folders or file boxes, label each section and voila you have your office. What do you think? Why don’t you give it a try and see how it works for you. I find that I am always reorganizing my office space in some form or another. Especially with my 2-½ year old dog Jack. Right now my bookcases are backwards so he cannot get into trouble and I won’t lose anything I need. If you are looking for office filing cabinets or accessories a great place to look is Habit for Humanity stores. You would be amazed at the great finds. Thrift shops or even Goodwill stores are other places you can find useful accessories. Now keep it simple because you do not need a lot of stuff to keep your stuff.

Add a little inspiration to your space. A vision board if you have room or just some positive affirmations will help. This is just not about carving space out of your home for ugh paperwork. Making it warm and inviting will give it energy where you will want to take care of it. Whatever you love add it to this area within reason of course. I have some of my vision boards in front of my desk so they can inspire me daily. A few affirmations added to this are so helpful for me. I would love to hear how you stay organized or if you need help. Peace of mind is what you will find once you make your space yours.

I am a bookkeeper with a twist. I get you organized and comfortable with your space so it is no longer an albatross on your back.

Until next time…

~Lisa

 

A Little Spin For You…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Switching it up….

 

Hi all! Well when I started this blog I really had no idea where it would take me on my journey. It has inspired me to share my story in hopes of inspiring others. It has been a sounding board in regards to my business, my personal life, and my crazy dog Jack. I did not have any expectations and I am not pressuring myself to be perfect. I do my best to keep it real because that is important to me.

So, on that note, I am going to change things up a bit. I am still going to do my best to inspire and support all of you. I am going to begin to sprinkle in some business to educate, guide, and help you with your businesses. Because when it comes down to it entrepreneurs build up entrepreneurs. This is what my tribe does on a daily basis. We keep each other going, supporting, kicking each other in the butt when needed, and giving hugs, and most of all we refer each other.

Since I have really not written too much here is a little bit about my businesses: I love to help people. I do this financially and physically. On the financial side I am a bookkeeper specializing in working with entrepreneurs because I know how difficult it is to run a business and all of the ins and outs you have to keep track of. So I take your back office off of your hands. I get you organized and your books kept up on a monthly basis. It all depends on your needs. I can customize packages to fit each entrepreneurs needs. On the physical side I work with a health and wellness company who helps people physically suffering find some relief and help them live their lives once again. This company gave me my life back so I help others do the same. That is it plain and simple. Nothing fancy but I am fortunate and grateful that I have the ability to help others.

I am excited to announce I am working on some tips and tricks I can share with you at a later date. The best way to snag these little gems will be through my email list.

You can sign up here: http://eepurl.com/clTkNf

 

Thank you and until next time…

~Lisa

Words Matter…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

A good friend of mine insisted I by Robert listen to “Rich Man Poor Man,” by Robert Kiyosaki. She was adamant about this. Now that I have listened to the entire book I now understand why. It has been on my lists of things to do but I was always making excuses. There are quite a few books on my wish list that are now going to make it to my get it done list. This book has changed my entire outlook on life. I believe I was in the process of changing my outlook but this book has kicked it into high gear for me.

All I can say is words do matter especially the words we tell ourselves. Just a small change in a few words can make a difference. Now when I am looking to help build my business up I need to take a look at what and how I am saying things. Instead of I can’t afford it I will turn it around and say how can I afford it. Pull the negative words out and put in the possible words. As long as I believe I can do the work I will accomplish it. This has already started happening for me. Try it and see how it changes you.

I am going to work on two lists, what I do not want and what I want. I found it interesting what was on both of his lists. It is more about what we get stuck in and not about money but what we can do once we have money to do those things. That struck me hard. I do not need to limit my dreams and myself. One of my entrepreneur friends has been talking about how she has changed her relationship with money. I believe all of these factors into our relationship with money. When not if we change the words we use we will change the mindset we use. How about that! The power of choice is key. I have been on a journey of educating myself to get a degree. By doing this I am empowering myself to all sorts of opportunities. It has opened my world up to the exact journey I am on today. I will complete this journey next spring.

Listening to this book I have been enlightened to the choices I have made and my choices in the future. Time, learning, and money are choices we all make. I am changing the words I use around these choices. I have made an investment in myself with my schooling and I will continue to educate myself in business. Listening to other entrepreneurs and embracing new concepts and ideas but then implementing them to improve myself. Unconsciously I continue to learn daily. Turning this into a conscious decision will help me master something new continually and my world will expand exponentially. How exciting is that! I was at a networking group this morning. An entrepreneur said to me: be you, show your passion about what you do, and have fun doing it.

Until next time…

~Lisa

 

 

 

 

A Little Nourishment for Your Soul…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Nourishing Our Souls…

How do we nourish our souls? In today’s world well at least in my opinion more people are open and honest about how they feed their souls or maybe it is just the people I choose to surround myself with today. I am passionate about feeding my body in a healthy way and helping others to do the same. I am also passionate about feeding my soul and love the journey it has given me.

In business I need to look at what I do and how it serves me in mind, body, and spirit. When I do this money will follow. In the past I only considered my job, what position I held, and how much my salary was. This thought process shifted for me when my circumstances changed. My entire outlook on the business world changed. Honestly for a long time I did not know how I felt. I thought without the status of having a job my outlook would be of shame and embarrassment. But it wasn’t. It was freeing. This was the first time I truly felt I was feeding my soul. It has taken time but today I can look at fellow entrepreneurs and truly understand where their passion comes from.

I share this with you because it is important to acknowledge one’s self worth away from what we do for a living to pay the bills. Once I acknowledged this I saw myself in a new light as a human being not a human doing. Today I have the ability to change my thoughts and beliefs to who I truly am not who the corporation I worked for expected me to be. This is feeding my soul. Opening up to new possibilities, learning new things, and making decisions for the health of my being is life changing. How have you been able to feed your soul? Looking at my visions boards this week the words, “From lost to found,” stand out to me. For years I was lost in the mire of hanging onto a job that did not fit me. Have you ever felt this way? How have your vision boards inspired you?

When I look at the benefits of nourishing my soul has given me it is astounding. I have found in my entrepreneurial journey that decisions are not permanent and it is okay to make mistakes because I can only develop more into the person I am meant to be. I have found surrounding myself with other entrepreneurs I boost myself up and am able to boost others up. One of the most amazing pieces is the people I have met and continue to meet. I would have never had this opportunity to expand my network in my past life. I have met some pretty amazing people who inspire me to keep moving forward in my journey.

Now I encourage you to continue in your journey and share your awesomeness with the world.

 

Until next time…

~Lisa

 

Oh Decisions…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Decisions…

Sometimes coming to a decision takes time for me. Sometimes I overthink them, analyze, question, and obsess. This usually does not work too well for me and there are always signs when I do this. It is whether I am open to seeing the signs or if I need a hit over the head. By the time the latter happens I have enthralled myself in muck and mire. This happens less and less for me but truthfully it still happens. Focusing on little signs and letting go of a situation, person, or thing really works for me. But we have become so conditioned that we forget what works for us and we fall back into old behaviors easily. Does this happen to you?

I am looking at one of my vision boards and one sentence stands out for me-make one change. One change can make all the difference when we are struggling with well just about anything. I ask you what one change will you make today? For me this change can help me get a little bit closer to a decision, idea, thought, or feeling. I do not take decisions lightly. I am not talking about what to have for dinner-but then again this can be a difficult decision for some people so I will not discount nor judge anyone for that.

Signs come in different forms for everyone. It may sound hokey to you but think about it. Some people may not consider them signs, call them something else, or feel it is just their decision-making skills at work.

In today’s society we have so many different tools we can use. Technology has given us capabilities we have never even imagined. One decision I have made is to be aware of my surroundings when I am walking and not to have my head in my phone. I miss so much when I do this. I have decided to observe the beauty around me, to keep me safe knowing my surroundings, and you never know what you can experience this way. We can learn so much when we are aware. Sometimes I think we get so caught up in everything that we forget just to be. Aha another decision of mine is to just be. When I stay in the moment more ideas, thoughts, and feeling s come to me and then I can make that big decision which has been haunting me. I have been berating myself for not keeping up with my blog. Well I could say I needed time to be and let my thoughts come to me.

Now this would not be my blog if I did not mention my dog Jack. He certainly teaches me to be in the moment. Animals make split decisions without even thinking. Well we think they are not thinking but who knows what goes on in their heads. I would love to know what goes on in Jack’s head. He has definitely helped me be more aware of my surroundings and my feelings. When I am losing my patience or lets face it yelling at him for bad behavior these are all awareness’s I need to look at to change my behavior. If I am doing this with him am I doing this with the people I interact with? Food for thought… Just for today I allow signs to come to me to help me with decisions. When I do this decisions come naturally and comfortably and for this I am grateful.

Until next time…

~Lisa

Focus…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Have you ever been so busy your brain just cannot focus? That is how I feel right now in regards to my blog. My schedule just changed as it normally does in September but it takes me time to adjust even though I know it is going to happen. Then add in Jack adjusting and we are in for a good time! For over a week I have been trying to get ideas of what to write and its just not coming to me. So I have decided to write just about that. I may have told you in past blogs that I am going to college. Well, I have seven more classes and I will have my bachelor’s degree. It is so close yet so far away. It is in my sights for Spring 2017. This is my focus yet the rest of my life needs to move on too. So, I ask you how do you handle things when life is going in ten different directions?

I can tell you that Jack is not pleased with these schedule changes. Dogs are creatures of habit just like us humans. There are a few days of the week that have not changed and yet he is still off kilter those days too. Progress not perfection as they say. I am working on getting in my groove and in the meantime am plodding through. I guess you could say Jack is doing the same thing. Part of me feels as if we have regressed in his training because of the schedule change. I felt like I was going a little crazy for a while until I figured it out. Those “ahah” moments get me every time.

Admitting mistakes or in this case, a loss of ideas. In this world for the most part people are not given permission to admit mistakes without repercussions. In other words people are not allowed to be human. Why can’t we be allowed to be human, make mistakes, and learn from them? It is usually “society” or “work” that puts these pressures on us. For me if I do not admit my mistakes I do not grow and improve myself. Maybe I am delusional in my thinking but I am looking just for this humanness. What are you looking for?

I am making this posting short and sweet. I hope you can relate or know someone who does. Please share this with them if it can help.

 

Until next time…

~Lisa

Finding Balance With Jack…

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Well it has been about four months since Jack has come into my life. I have had to make some changes to my schedule to ensure Jack is taken care of. This brings me to the topic of balance. I have many layers to my life and work as so many others do. I have a “job,” school, self-employment in multiple businesses, self-care, and care of others within my businesses. Jack has played an important part in those changes. I need to make sure I am home to feed him, exercise him, train him, and most of all to enjoy him. Because of that I need to schedule around him. This was a personal choice for me. I love having a dog in my home for me it completes my home. What completes your home?

For me schoolwork is structured and I know when I need to accomplish tasks. I know Jack’s schedule and what I need to do. I have set schedules with some clients and others I work around my schedule. When it comes to building my businesses I have no set schedule. As an entrepreneur scheduling time is on me. Sometimes this goes well for me and other times not so much. What about you, how do you manage your time? This can be a blessing and a curse for the self-employed. Time freedom needs balance, as does life itself. I need to build my business around Jack and myself.

Right now I am looking at and assessing the common threads of all of what I do. Synergism is very important to me in all aspects of my life. I find when I have continuity I have momentum and this is a great feeling. When I do not have continuity I can get in my own way. Does this happen to you? I would love your feedback on this. I love that each part of my life has a common thread. Jack has helped me see this. I have been given lessons and continue to have lessons with Jack. I love to learn even if frustration comes through. Once I am through it I appreciate it so much more.

Balance can mean different things to each person. It is what drives us although sometimes what drives us takes us completely out of balance. Some people are laser focused, others middle of the road, and others not so much. Where do you stand on balance? A little pun on words there! As I sit here writing I am looking at my vision boards. I am noticing a common thread of simplicity. My balance is within simplicity. Gardening, meditation, music, animals, yet finding balance when adding work is where I am at right now. It is daily work to keep balance in all areas of my life. As I have been told many times and truly believe it is in the journey that we find our balance. The road may be bumpy at times but it will lead to the place of balance we all need and want.

 

Until next time…

~Lisa

Jack’s Tale…

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Well we have caught the groundhog!! I hired an animal control person. We caught the same possum three times so he moved the trap and put a bigger trap in. Then Sunday afternoon I heard some rustling and hurray he was caught! Oh what a relief it is. It was only a week but it was a long week. I still have some work to do in the dog pen but I will get there.

Onto Jack’s new training, the first session was more about changing my train of thought and how I handle Jack. I need to unlearn and relearn some new behaviors in order to change and train Jack’s behaviors. It went well and Jack is realizing things are changing and he is not very happy about it. I now walk around with a spray bottle filled with water to catch his attention when he is mouthing or jumping on me. At first I was not comfortable with this thinking it was cruel but now I understand it will help in his training. I am already seeing a difference in him and in me. It is amazing how aware I become when I consciously pay attention to my behaviors. Some of my instructions are not using certain words, not repeating myself, and do not use a question in a command to name a few. I thought I did not use those words such as come on and repeating myself oh boy that is a tough one.

This makes me ponder on how I do this in everyday life. Using particular words, yes I am predictable with that. Repeating myself oh yes that is a definite. What are some of your behaviors you need to work on? I am having quite a lot of awareness’s with this new adventure. This week with dealing with the groundhog taking control of a physical area in essence it affected the mental space in my head. Having to change my routine due to an outside force can really set me back if I let it. How about you?

Changing my behaviors-this has been a work in progress all of my adult life. Now I have a new set of circumstances to work on. I catch myself daily so I am aware of what I am doing but how to change it? Hmm-well change a thought move a muscle as they say. I know when I make positive changes life is good so this is another positive change in my life. I am always looking forward to learning something new daily. This helps me grow mentally and spiritually. How about you?

Life is getting better with Jack daily. He gets me going in the morning, makes me smile and laugh, and he does get on my nerves at times but that is just a part of life. But who does not have a person or animal in their life that does that?

 

Until next time…

~Lisa

What is Next for Jack?

~ lisagangone ~ Leave a comment

Well I can tell you it will not be any more encounters with the groundhog! OMG that was an experience I do not want to repeat. As I have mentioned I have a groundhog living underneath my garage. Come to find out he has made a few homes in the neighborhood. This past Sunday evening Jack was out in his area while I was having dinner. I had cleaned up and he was ready to come in when he spots Mr. Groundhog and goes after him. Well the groundhog does not go through his escape hatch and they are nose to nose. Without thinking I run into the pen. Then the groundhog comes running my way! Needless to say what came out of my mouth was not pleasant! I got out and Jack corners it. Well my screaming gets some of my neighbors out to see what’s happening. They kept me somewhat calm. I honestly did not know what to do. I have dealt with rabbits, birds, and skunks but never a groundhog. I threw treats, his ball at Jack but no luck. I called the police to try to get animal control but it would take an hour. The officer on the phone probably thought I was crazy for calling. He asked me if I could get the leash around him and I told him I was calling because I had no idea what to do. While on the phone with him I had a light bulb go off. I grabbed Jack by his big fluffy tail and dragged him out. Mind you he did not react well but I got him out. Phew what a workout that was. Adrenalin pumping and relief all at once, luckily Jack had no bites and no blood on him.

Have you ever done something that put you in a corner or panicked and made a decision you regretted? Then of course fear kept you nose to nose and pride kept you from pulling back. I think this is where Jack and the groundhog were. Defensive and reactive all at once; this is quite draining. What lessons have you learned from past situations that help you in the present? I am so appreciative of my experiences whether it is a lesson learned or a successful event. But in the thick of things I do not always see it that way. Today I have gratitude around my mistakes and the growth I gain from them. It is helpful in business to have this attitude. I know that even though many have said no to me I will have those who say yes. It can be frustrating at times and I work on not taking it personally. Most times it is what is going on with the other person and not me is what it comes down to. I need to remind myself of this and keep moving forward. Tenacity is a powerful tool to stay focused on my goals. How about you? How do you use tenacity to keep you focused?

I had someone come this morning to set a trap for the groundhog. I will keep you posted on how it goes. For now Jack’s area is off limits until the groundhog is caught. Hopefully soon as this is putting a damper on daily life for us; I am a little ticked off but will get over it.

Until next time…

~Lisa