Are you letting the weight of the world drag you down?

A few weeks ago I was feeling crushed by the weight of the world, with all the natural disasters, the recession, violence against women around the world, the number of our young men and women being killed and traumatized by the war and on, and on…UGH! It was really getting to me and I let it affect the way I thought about my life, my family and my business.  My family, whom I love dearly, were getting on my nerves and taking up my time in a way that I was resentful. I wasn’t going into my office because I didn’t want to leave my house. My girlfriends, who were always asking me to do things with them, were now too busy with their own lives. Money and clients seemed to just disappear.  

“HMMM….WHAT IS GOING ON???”…This is NOT ME! I’m NOT like that normally and have had very few bouts of depression throughout my life, so I had to step back and wonder why I was often on the verge of tears.  My poor mentor had to put up with tears and nose blowing for a couple of hours at the local coffee shop one morning in front of all these people and I had NO INTENTION of even mentioning what had been going on in my head, but when he asked me how things were, my emotions took over and I couldn’t stop myself, for the life of me! 

It was embarrassing and yet obviously it was something I needed to get out of my system. I felt better immediately, listened to some very sage advice and continued to re-examine my perception of life, the happenings in the world and the direction of business.  Funny thing is I talked to more than a few friends and colleagues who were going through something similar, to different degrees.  

Now, I know this is a personal issue, so why I am writing about this here?

In this blog and on my GutZy Women Website, I’ve always tried to focus on delivering valuable information for YOUR benefit. The majority of the articles and videos I’ve published have been to educate, illuminate, inspire and motivate YOU to leverage the power of technology and Multi Media to expand your reach, whether for business, personal or benevolent purposes. 

But now I feel drawn to take it a step further and use my knowledge, skills and passion not just for business purposes, but to seek out those who are using a more holistic approach to how we can serve each other and the world and align myself and GutZy Women LLC with those who are proactively seeking positive solutions and taking action to impact positive change. 

So one “ah-ha” that came to mind through this process is that I wonder if what I’ve been publishing, teaching and offering is actually accomplishing that which I intended. Another question in my mind is that since the vision of GutZy Women is HUGE and has so many facets, is it time now to add another piece of the vision?

The first question can only be answered by YOU and I would LOVE your feedback. Call, write or comment below:

The second question, although open for discussion, must pretty much be decided by me and the universe. Come back tomorrow to see what I decided and how YOU can benefit!

LOVE

Deb Ducic

PS: The third question is…How is the state of the world affecting you? How are you handling it?

So what type of tech user are you? Did you take the survey yourself? 

Yesterday, I shared a study I ran across which was done to discover how American adults use (or not) the internet as well as other communication tools, like iPods, cell phones, Bluetooths and other electronic tools.  

The report was written by John B Horrigan, Director of research for the PEW Internet & American Life Project, based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International between February 15 to April 6, 2006, among a sample of 4,001 adults, 18 and older. 

PEW divides Americans up into three main categories, as well as 10 subset groups . Here’s the breakout:

·                     Elite Tech Users (31% of American adults)

·                     Middle-of-the-road Tech Users (20%)

·                     Few Tech Assets (49%) 

It’s a fascinating report, but rather than have you read the whole thing, here are some of the highlights: 

Of the “middle of the Road Users” half  of them have invested in a lot of technology, but they find the connectivity intrusive and all the information something of a burden. Many of them say they suffer from information overload (sound familiar?). The typical member of this female-dominated group is in her late forties and not many would miss it if they had to without the internet, email, or their cell phone. 

Of the “Few Tech Assets” group, only 15% are considered “off the Network”, which means those people who have neither cell phones nor internet connectivity and who tend to be older adults content with traditional media resources. 

For Lackluster Veterans, 8% of the Middle Roaders, the thrill of information technology is gone – if it was ever there to begin with. The members of this fortyish group of mostly men came online in the mid-1990s and seem to carry the weight of necessity more than a full hearted embrace of information technology’s affordances.  

Productivity Enhancers: this 8% of American adults happily get a lot of things done with information technology, both at home and at work, and view it as a way to give them an edge intheir professional and personal lives. 

Inexperienced Experimenters: another 8% have the willingness to try new things online, which goes along with their openness to technology and they might even be willing to try even more if they had it. This is likely to be a woman and entering her fifties; she is likely to have been online for a relatively short amount of time – about five years – and to have an income just above the average. 

To read the rest of the article…CLICK HERE

 I am an Omnivore. What are you?

You can find out by taking a survey on the PEW Internet & American Life Project website. You probably already have a good feel for what kind of “techie” you are (or not), but you can see where you fit in with other Americans AND for those of you who are in “the business” you’ll find it valuable as well. Obviously, I’m fascinated enough to write about it.  Apparently I belong to only 8% of the American public who are deep users of Web 2.0 applications and mobile applications they’ve lovingly named “Omnivores”. 

Omnivores are a subset of people who fall into the “Elite Tech Users” categorywhich make up 31% of American adults. We are the most active participantsin the information society, consuming information goods and services ata high rate and using them as a platform for participation and self expression.We have a deep and varied tech appetite, which is why we are called the Omnivores. Most Omnivores are in their twenties (Where did I get lost?:) and nearly all have high-speed connections available at home or work. We are highly engaged with video online and digital content. Between blogging, maintaining our Web pages, remixing digital content, or posting our creations to our websites, we are creative participants in cyberspace. 

PEW divides Americans up into three main categories, as well as 10 subset groups and I’m sure you’re dying to know which group you belong to! Be sure to take the survey to find out, but in the meantime… Here’s the breakout according to the report written by John B Horrigan, Director of research for the PEW Internet & American Life Project, based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International between February 15 to April 6, 2006, among a sample of 4,001 adults, 18 and older. 

·                     Elite Tech Users (31% of American adults)

·                     Middle-of-the-road Tech Users (20%)

·                     Few Tech Assets (49%) 

Go take the survey, then come back tomorrow for some fascinating highlights and conclusions of this study.

To Learn More About Women, Technology & the Internet, CLICK HERE

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Debbie continues in this 3 part video series to ask Sandra Yancey about her views on the business climate, how women can continue to grow their business, and what strategies she is using to be more successful at eWomen Network.

Mary Pearsall, Executive Managing Director of the Colorado Springs, Colorado Chapter and Alecia Huck, founder of Maverick And Company, a business growth and development firm, round out the conversation, which turns to the 8th Annual International Conference and Business Expo that fills the huge Dallas Hotel every summer with thousands of business women, all looking to connect, learn, shop and celebrate!

Listen and watch this interesting and motivational gathering of women who love NETWORKING with other women to help each other become more successful in their businesses

If you are a woman who is serious about growing YOUR business, then seriously consider attending this conference in Dallas, Texas, July 10 – 13th. Let me know if you’re going. I would LOVE to meet up with you in Dallas!

For more information go to my GutZy Woman Website:

As of July 1, 2006, males outnumbered females through age 41. Starting at 42, women outnumbered men. At 85 and older, there were more than twice as many women as men.

$61,081 is the median earnings of women working in computer and mathematical jobs, the highest for women among the 22 major occupational groups.

5.6 million was the Number of stay-at-home mothers nationwide in 2006, up from 4.6 million a decade earlier.

84% is the proportion of women with computers in the home in 2003 who made use of that computer, 2 percentage points higher than the corresponding proportion for men. This reverses the computer use gender gap exhibited during the 1980s and 1990s.

American internet users have embraced online shopping because they say it’s convenient and a time-saver.

Two-thirds (66%) of online Americans say they have purchased a product online, such as a book, toy, music, or clothing. Attitudes and perceptions play a key role in whether online users choose to purchase products online… 

**78% of internet users either agree (53%) or agree strongly (25%) with the proposition that shopping online is convenient for them.          

**68% of internet users either agree (47%) or agree strongly (21%) with the notion that online shopping saves them time.

At the same time, most online Americans have high levels of concern about sending personal or credit card information over the internet.

While the number of e-shoppers continues to grow, there is still widespread concern in the internet population about the safety of financial and personal data online.

Read this article in its’ entirety with more interesting statistics here: