This week I had a bone density scan, a mammogram, a full medical checkup, a facial and a meeting with a financial planner all in the same day! I am walking my talk when I cajole my clients into taking care of themselves FIRST! And, doesn't it seem that the upkeep is becoming more and more complicated? Ah, well, as my title says:Every day above ground is a good one and I want to have many, many more.

If you are over 50, and have not had a bone scan, ask for one. I had one at 50, only to discover I had Osteopenia (the pre-condition to Osteoporosis). Left untreated, I would have begun to have broken bones in my early 70's. Now, because of treatment, my Doc tells me, I'll be good at least into my mid-eighties. But we never would have known until it was too late if I hadn't had that test!

My husband, Bub, got a full check up last month since he is planning on retiring this summer and we will not have the same health insurance. He has been very bad about check ups and I was so glad he went. Both the family doctor and the urologist were pretty sure he had prostate cancer. A biopsy was done and HIP HIP HOORAY, it was cancer free. In researching this between the time he did the biopsy and we got the results, I read how important early detection is and how many men are symptomless. Is there someone in your life that needs a nudge on this one?

Both of these situations reminded me again how precious each and every day is. We celebrated with Champagne and lobster last weekend. It was,though, a bit of a wake up call about how important it is to get those checkups. And, as much as we do a lot of enjoying each other, I am a bit more conscious to plan to see friends and family and create memories. Who knows how many days we have? Each day is a bit of the currency of our lives that is spent forever.

People expect with the amount of money we make on a transaction that they will get good service. They expect good communication. They expect that we know what we are doing, will fill in the paperwork impeccably, will help them understand the implications of all the contract terms, and will negotiate the very best deal for them. As well they should!

So.......
What are you doing that no one else is? Your points of difference are the foundation to building value, loyalty and referrals that will bring you business no matter what the market is like. The bar gets continually raised and the various business models we are compared against require that you need to re-strategize regularly your differentiators.

What are you doing to Wow those clients?
The great thing about being creative with this is that you can have fun in the process. How can you do something or include them in something that will have them telling all their friends about what their Realtor did for them?

Take an hour this week to research the competition and to brainstorm how you can WoW those clients. Your business will increase because of it!

Do you ever feel you are a victim at the mercy of others? Would you love to have a strong MOAT around you so they can't impact you? If so, here are good ways 5 ways to strengthen your personal boundaries:

1. What behavior in others is unacceptable? You do not need to put up with behavior that is hurtful, disrespectful or just plain rude! If you do not respect yourself and set boundaries, it is likely you will be negatively impacted by others. Make some conscious decisions about what is and what isn't acceptable. This is a very personal thing and no one else's standards or boundaries have anything to do with what you choose for yourself.

2. Then Communicate Those Boundaries. Life is too short to work with jerks! Luckily, most clients don't fall into that category, but maybe just need a little coaching on giving your proper respect. On the other hand, if they are rude jerks, you don't need them. Once you communicate and set boundaries with others, they will usually respect them. You may need to remind them, but most people want it to be a win/win.

3. Days off and office/work time. We are one of the few professions where the norm seems to be that an agent should be around 24/7 for their clients. We have done this to ourselves! Stop it! If you tell people in advance your working hours, you will not lose clients, but will be garnering the respect you deserve. My friend, John Smith, printed on his business cards: Office Hours: M-F 9 am-6 pm,Saturday by appointment, Sunday-Family Day.

4. Give Up Being Mother Theresa You may be in this business because you like people, but you can not solve everyone's problems. I am particularly talking about getting sucked into dramas. As an agent, we can provide all the business information they need, but don't need to become co-dependent about helping them solve their life problems. Some people thrive on the excitement of crises and dramas. This isn't a productive use of your time unless you ware working on getting your therapy license.

5. Enjoy Yourself One of my favorite quotes is by my husband, Bub, who says,"If you aren't enjoying yourself you are doing it wrong." I misquoted him once by saying "If you aren't having fun, you are doing it wrong" and he corrected me by explaining it was about enjoying SELF. In other words, liking the person you are and the things you are doing.

When you respect yourself and set boundaries, this tells the world you are a person with high self-esteem who is true to their own values. You may find yourself letting go of some relationships, but it will probably be a relief instead of a problem.

What boundary could you implement this week? Implement one, see how it feels and then I bet you will extend that moat around you to really give yours self some protection.