I know, I know – it’s fashionable to post lists of the “top” social media and digital marketing blogs that everyone already knows (or perhaps ignores). But that’s not what this is.

We don’t need another list of sites sharing the Mashable’s of the world. It’s not that those sites are bad, but lists including them just aren’t useful because everyone already knows they exist. But I was thinking, even within the marketing category some of the blogs I’d consider the smartest still aren’t read by everyone.

With that said, today I wanted to share some blogs which, while might be somewhat well-known, deserve more attention. Basically I’m hoping to share a few new sites with you today. If not, I’m no better than the cheesy lists (and if that’s the case, apologies in advance).

The one promise of all the blogs below is they actually stay updated and the content is consistently thought-provoking.

Conversation Marketing

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

Ian Lurie is founder of internet marketing firm Portent and, perhaps more importantly, keeps one of the sharpest (and sometimes snarkiest) blogs on the web. Expect a mix of unique and creative tips / tricks mixed with Ian’s always witty personality. Oh, and his rants are gold.

Social Triggers

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

Derek Halpern keeps the fast-growing Social Triggers blog which has fast become a favorite of many. Always interesting (and data-driven) tips, tweaks and strategies make this blog a must read. Expect easy-to-read posts (as Derek is a fan of making very scanable pages) with equal parts logic and creativity.

Techipedia

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

I really can’t say enough good things about Tamar. Hopefully you already know her, but if not it is past time to connect. Tamar’s ever-awesome Techipedia posts a mix of trends, tips, tools and ideas and while she doesn’t post every day, when she does it’s always worth a read. If that wasn’t enough, she’s also one of the nicest people in our industry.

Spin Sucks

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

I was lucky enough to meet Gini Dietrich, CEO of Arment Dietrich and lead author of Spin Sucks at the Vocus summit earlier this year. The good news is even if you can’t meet her, she always has the same energy online as she does in person. Her blog just…plain…rocks. And, in my opinion, any blog with the word “Sucks” in the title has to be good, but go visit and decide for yourself.

PR Squared

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

Todd Defren is responsible for the content on PR Squared and it’s consistently one of the better PR blogs out there. Bringing a perspective from the agency side, Todd always shares fresh thinking and challenges readers to think critically about the industry. Plus he’s not just smart: Todd is an all around nice guy.

New Comm Biz

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

Tac Anderson keeps the consistently smart and savvy NewCommBiz blog and has been a “must read” of mine for several years. Not yet connected with Tac? What are you waiting for – he’s been around forever and has been sharing opinions long before most were even using the web for marketing.

Outspoken Media

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

Future Buzz readers already know about Outspoken Media’s blog (and Lisa Barone). We link over there quite a bit as an example of agency blogging “doing it right.” Seriously, these guys just rock at blogging. Oh, and if you’re ever at a conference with Lisa, don’t try to live blog a session ahead of her. She’ll win every time.

Grow

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

Although Mark and I don’t agree about everything (such as our opinion on Klout Score) his blog, Grow, is one of the better sites in the digital marketing category. Plus it’s always good to get an additional perspective on things, so I welcome the debate. Go subscribe, because Mark is smart, savvy and serious about helping people.

Geoff Livingston

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

What can I say about Geoff Livingston that hasn’t already been said? If you’re not subscribed to his blog, you’re missing out. Following him on Twitter is fine but really you need to add his site to your reader if it’s not there already: Geoff takes things head on and always provides a sharp opinion on news and trends. Plus he’s an author so his writing is always compelling.

Eloqua

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

So full disclosure, Eloqua is a client of LEWIS (my employer). However, that doesn’t change the fact that I have organically been a fan of and endorsed their blog for a long time before we provided consulting to them. Their team consistently publishes unmissable, creative content and frequently shares visual thinking such as original infographics. Eloqua sets the bar extraordinarily high for a software company: whereas many companies treat blogging as a skunkworks project, they fully embrace being a media company.

Dave Fleet

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

I’ve been a fan (and reader) of Dave Fleet’s blog for years, and it’s one of the definitive sites in the PR category. Dave shares a mix of tips, trends and news and his opinions are always on the money. However I think he doesn’t always get the attention he deserves – so go subscribe to his site and get smarter from one of the brightest people in PR.

Danny Brown

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

Danny is just…plain…awesome. He’s also a member of the community here and frequently stops by to comment (along with Gini). He brings a mix of opinion, tips and tricks and is consistently smart with his ideas published. I’ll let his ideas speak for themselves and hope you’ll connect with Danny if you haven’t already.

The Brand Builder

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

Olivier Blanchard always has an opinion…and of course we love that. If you’re not yet reading his blog, the brand builder, it means you’re late. Olivier cuts through the noise of social / marketing bloggers providing consistently smart and worthwhile ideas. Plus the dog blog mascot is a fun idea.

AimClear

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

The team at aimClear keeps one of the better digital marketing blogs, covering everything from SEO to PPC to social. I’ve worked with Marty on a few projects and his team is top-notch in the industry. Can’t say enough good things about their blog either, so be sure to add it to your feed.

Adam Sherk

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

I’ve been following Adam both on his blog and stream-based channels for years, and he’s one of the few who really gets the intersection between SEO, PR and media. Everyone from marketers, to publishers to public relations pros should be subscribed to Adam’s site.

ViperChill

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

ViperChill is the brainchild of Glen Allsopp, one of the sharpest young entrepreneurs out there. Glen takes the Dosh Dosh approach to blogging: few articles, but when the ones published are unmissable. If ViperChill isn’t in your reader, it’s time to add it and catch up. I especially like how Glen always open-sources his work and shares case studies / data all the way from KPIs to revenue.

Engage

Read the blog. Follow on Twitter.

I learned about Engage through Andrew Hanelly who is a frequent contributor on this site. And I’m always pleased to see the ideas shared on Engage (TMG’s blog) are always not just smart, but accessible to a wide audience. Worth reading for both the novice and advanced.

What other blogs do you think need to get more exposure that we didn’t share with you today?

Tens of millions of American jobs depend on the retail industry. Anyone whose job results in a consumer product – from those who supply the raw materials to factory workers to the truck drivers who deliver goods to stores – counts on retail for their livelihood. With 3.6 million stores drawing on a vast array of suppliers, retail supports 42 million jobs and $2.5 trillion of annual GDP in the US.

With stores in every community, merchants connect daily with consumers and are a key barometer for the economy. And after more than a century of representing those merchants, the National Retail Federation continues to be known as the "Voice of Retail in the Nation's Capital."

Download a 12-page packet on the Value of Retail.

Pronto uses a patented applicator to apply condoms in less than four seconds. The company is now targeting global distribution.

18th October 2011 in Health & Wellbeing.

In South Africa, where more people are living with AIDS and HIV than any other country in the world, inventor Willem van Renburg recognized the need for a condom that is quicker and easier to apply than conventional models, in order to encourage more people to use them. After several years of development his idea became Pronto, a condom that can be put on in less than four seconds using a special applicator. The Pronto condom is now embarking on a global rollout.

Willem received financial assistance from Metropolitan Life Ltd for the initial development phase, and with the help of several technology suppliers created the first production machine and secured patents in key markets around the world. The condom was initially launched in 2006, contained within a foil pack — which also acts as the applicator — and was packaged in a protective sleeve. To apply the condom the user holds the foil pack between the thumbs and forefingers, cracks the pack in half, pulls the applicator apart, rolls the condom down and snaps the applicator off the condom, in one continuous movement. Pronto received further funding to test and develop the product before relaunching in South Africa on Valentine’s Day 2011 and beginning the search for international distributors.

M&C Saatchi Abel have created a playful marketing campaign and Pronto plans to grant distribution licenses to overseas companies who have knowledge of local markets and infrastructure. The first license has been given to a company in Switzerland, and marketing material will be provided to ensure consistent brand messaging. The video below demonstrates how Pronto woks:

AIDS and STDs are serious problems that affect communities in countries worldwide. Could distributing Pronto in your area be a beneficial and profitable move?

Website: www.getitonpronto.com
Contact: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Get-It-On-Pronto/131956386852409

A great game called Spent has gotten a fair bit of attention for its incredibly simple yet powerful simulation of life below the poverty line. The concept is pretty simple: You work a minimum or near minimum wage job, and do your best to make every day decisions about life--and offers a great early signal of ways that technologies are being redesigned to create empathy and build social understanding across boundaries.

Writing in Technology Review, Christopher Mims has my favorite description of the experience:

I've been unemployed for just one month, and already I've sent my only child to school crying because other kids make fun of him for being on the free lunch program, driven away from a fender bender with a parked car because I didn't have the money to pay for the accident (luckily no one was around), been fired from my temp job for talking to a union organizer, put my kid's dog to sleep because we couldn't afford its medical care, and applied for food stamps—which won't arrive until next month.

From the beginning of the process, where you have to choose between buying health insurance for a quarter of your monthly income, or going uninsured, Spent effectively immerses people into the everyday decisions and challenges that come with poverty. Every decision feels tense, and no matter what you choose, nothing seems to have a particularly good outcome.

One of the really astonishing things about these tradeoffs is how frequently health decisions are involved:

A lot of the challenges are like this--you're in a situation where in theory, you can act, but the immediate financial cost of doing something makes it possible to take care of yourself and family over the long-run. You have to figure out if you should let your kid get made fun of for accepting free lunch or pay for him to eat; you have to decide whether to pay for dental care or ignore your need for a root canal. It becomes very clear, very quickly, that doing anything for your long-term health and security is much more difficult and expensive than making a short-term choice.

For people in the health world, it's not only instructive for thinking about many of the health challenges people face, but also helpful for thinking about opportunities to improve health and well-being over the next decade.

Beyond the specifics of the game, I think Spent offers an early signal of something I wrote about a few months ago: The idea that over the next decade, one of our big opportunities and challenges with technology will be to use them to enable people to imagine the lives and situations of others. While not the experience of any one individual, it's an incredible example of using technology to simulate and share different kinds of experiences in order to break us out of our traditional relationships and understandings, and give us windows into other peoples' lives.

EBay is making the tools it uses every day for its own marketplace available to other merchants — for free.

The platform, called X.commerce, was unveiled yesterday at the company’s developer conference in San Francisco and is designed to help any size retailer, ranging from family-owned stores to Toys “R” Us, keep up to date as shopping goes online and mobile.

In an interview, X.commerce’s VP and General Manager Matthew Mengerink explained that the basic package is free, and if a retailer elects to add extras, there could be a small flat fee paid to developers. Additionally, if the retailer wants to host its inventory on eBay’s servers, it would cost between $25 and $125 a month, depending on the amount of inventory in the system.

So, what’s the catch?

Mengerink says there isn’t one, although the company does have a plan for how to make money.

But first, here’s an explanation of what you get for free.

At the core is Magento, an open source e-commerce platform that helps retailers quickly create basic Web sites. Other features include Milo, which lets retailers list their in-store inventory on the eBay site; or Red Laser, which gives them access to mobile bar code scanning technology; or even third parties, like Kenshoo, which will manage online marketing campaigns (of course, retailers will have to pay for the ads).

He explained that it was in eBay’s best interest to make the tools free because retailers often said in the past that they don’t have the cash.

“Our innovations slowed down because they don’t have the money,” he said.

X.commerce is a big bet for eBay and will represent its fourth major division, joining the eBay Marketplace, PayPal and GSI Commerce. The platform has been stitched together through a variety of acquisitions over the past year, which are just now starting to jell and make sense.

During the keynote yesterday, eBay’s CEO John Donahoe said, “The whole entire company’s mission is to enable commerce. We want to enable merchants of all sizes to compete in this new environment and we will not compete with them.”

As for how it will help generate revenue, the plan is for the X.commerce platform to be one big lead-generation machine for eBay’s other services, namely PayPal and GSI Commerce.

For instance, if retailers first build a site based on X.commerce, there’s a chance they will pick PayPal, even though it is one of 500 payment gateways available on the platform.

Additionally, Mengerink said, if the retailers become successful, perhaps they’ll need more robust tools and graduate to GSI Commerce, which eBay acquired in March for $2.4 billion.

GSI powers online presences from such retailers as Calvin Klein, Levi’s, Sports Authority and Radio Shack, and will do everything from take pictures of products to fulfilling the orders. GSI takes a portion of sales from the increase in revenues to the site.

EBay will also have a more steady flow of revenue from applications sold on the X.commerce site through an upcoming app store that it will be launching. Developers will be able to create applications or widgets for e-commerce Web sites and sell them in the store. Each time a retailer buys one, eBay will take a 20 percent cut.

“If eBay and PayPal and GSI show that they can be valuable, they will come to you,” Mengerink said.

Lane Crawford Autumn/Winter 2011 | Source: Lane Crawford

Are Chinese Models Putting An End To Asia’s Colonial Mentality? (Forbes)
“If we were to take our cues from the fall 2011 advertising campaign of luxury retailer Lane Crawford, it would seem that we Asians have come to love our own. The campaign features a stunning all-Chinese cast wearing the latest threads from New York, Milan, London and Paris… Is the Chinese luxury consumer now aspiring to be like the Chinese faces modeling her favourite brands?”

The Muddy Roots of Fine Linen (WSJ)
“Linen has become a high-end staple on the designer-clothing racks… Yet these thousand-dollar linens have humble roots. Two-thirds of the world’s linen originates in a narrow belt of farmland that stretches from northern France to the Netherlands… Fashion brands are telling consumers more about the origins of their clothes. Linen, because it comes from such a limited region, is able to ride this movement.”

Frida Giannini by Dave Gahan (Interview)
“Giannini has acquitted herself ably on all fronts, crafting a new chapter in the Gucci story by embracing her own ultra-feminine take on fashion, one that doesn’t so much wrestle with what was, or the iconographic power of those interlocking Gs, as display an unbridled enthusiasm for what is and what might be if we could only find a way to chill out and live in the now.”

Adding a Splash of Luxury to Swimwear (IHT)
“The French company Eres isn’t interested in runway shows or fashion weeks, and it has always shunned the annual Miami event, deciding to keep its beachwear firmly under wraps… Instead, major global buyers and journalists make a by-invitation-only pilgrimage twice a year to the company’s headquarters in Paris to discover in which direction the swimwear fashion current is flowing.”

Kanye West steps into stilettos (Telegraph)
“Women’s Wear Daily have revealed that Mr West – who has footwear ‘previous’ as a sneaker designer for Louis Vuitton – is beavering away on a line of stilettos with help from cobbling maestro Guiseppe Zanotti… ‘Kanye is always here in my factory. In the last three years, he has come here maybe every month… [Kanye] loves learning about shoes, both the design and construction, and we’ve tried to design something together.’”

This is my first foray into the H&M Home collection 2011 looks to fall under the “Industrial Modern” veil. Choose from signage to lace your bed with or the kitchen motifs which fall more classically in line with what grandma would pass onto you. So in the case that your family’s collection of linens never made it to you, hit up H&M and refuel on them today. (c)

More looks after the click.

1-Twitter Infographic

2-Obessed With Facebook

3-Dexter

4- Smokin

5- Starbucks

6- Flickr

7- Anatomy of an Energy

8- School-Prison Food

9-America’a Green Garden

10- Left Handed Facts and Statics

11- Gamers Infographic

12- How Small Businesses Are Using Mobile

13- Women in Business

14- Research in Motion’s Uncertain Future

15- Nikon vs. Canon

16- Scary Truth About Movie Theater Snacks

17- Time Line Infographic

18- Graphic Designers Roadmap

19- SV650 Infographic

20- Karl Marx

21- Simpsons Infographic

22- Last.fm Infographic

23- Pixel Infographic

24- Sony Playstation 3 Infographic

25- Sex by Numbers

26- Bing vs. Google Infographic

27- Package Fox Infographic: FedEx Vs. UPS

28- How Android Is Taking Over

29- Electric Car Infographic

30- WordPress Infographic

31- Earth Day Infographic

32- Collage Football  Infographic

33- Barcelona School of Management

34- 2010 World Cup Social Media Stats

35- How the Web has Changed the Way We Buy Music

36- Transportation Today

37- Most Bike Friendly Cities

38- Clean Water

39- Fizy İnfografik

40- Hearing Loss Statistics Infographic

41-Child Abuse and Neglect in America

42- The Marathon Meal

43- Facebook’un İlişkiler Üzerine Etkisi

44- Aile İçi Şiddet İnfografik

45- Gittigidiyor Anneler Günü Kampanyası İnfografiği

46- Mobil Pazarlama

47- Skype

48- Animals&Humans: What’s the diffirence

49- Aldatma İnfografiği

50- Color Psychology

h-yaman.com

So many fashion weeks, so little time. But how can you keep track? We’ve cobbled together a list of fashion weeks taking place over the next year. Are we missing one? Email us on tips@fashionista.com, as this list will continue to be updated.

June 2011

Halifax- Atlantic Fashion Week F/W ’12
June 13-19

Dubai- Dubai Fashion Fiesta
June 16-18

New York- Full Figured Fashion Week
June 18-22

Milan- Moda Uomo Men’s S/S ’12
June 18-21

Paris- Modea Men’s S/S ’12
June 22-26

Dubrovnik- Dubrovnik Fashion Week S/S ’12
June 23-25

July 2011

Hong Kong- Hong Kong FW S/S ’12
July 4-7

Paris- Modea Couture & Haute Couture F/W ’12
July 4-7

Berlin- Berlin Fashion Week
July 6-9

Rome- AltaRomaAltaModa
July 8-12

Little Rock, AR- Little Rock Fashion Week
July 11-16

Barcelona- Barcelona Fashion Week
July 13-15

Cape Town- South Africa Fashion Week
July 13-16

Amsterdam- Amsterdam Fashion Week
July 13-17

New York- Africa Fashion Week
July 14-16

Miami- Swim ’12
July 14-18

Atlanta- Atlanta Fashion Week
July 19-24

Toronto- Frugal Fashion Week
July 21-24

Dusseldorf- Dusseldorf FW
July 23-27

Medellin, Colombia- ColombiaModa Fashion Week
July 26-28

Bangalore, India- Bangalore Fashion Week
July 28-31

August 2011

Copenhagen- Copenhagen Fashion Week
August 3-7

Stockholm- Stockholm Fashion Week
August 8-14

Oslo, Norway- Oslo Fashion Week
August 8-14

San Francisco- San Francisco Fashion and Merchants Alliance (SFFMA) Fashion Week
August 8-14

Upper Malboro, Maryland- Maryland Fashion Week
August 8-14

Stockholm- Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
August 9-11

Baltimore, MD- Baltimore Fashion Week
August 18-21

Brisbane, AU- Fashion Festival Brisbane
August 20-26

Austin, TX- Austin Fashion Week
August 20-27

Sydney, AU- Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival
August 22-26

Omaha, NE- Omaha Fashion Week
August 22-27

St. Charles, MO- Greater St. Charles Fashion Week
August 24-27

Bali- Bali Fashion Week
August 24-29

Mpumalanga, South Africa- Mpumalanga September Fashion Week
August 28-Sept 4

New Zealand- New Zealand Fashion Week
August 29-Sept 3

September 2011

Madrid- Semana Internacional de la Moda (SIMM)
Sept 1-3

St. Petersburg, FL- St. Pete Art & Fashion Week
Sept 6-10

Istanbul- Istanbul Fashion Week
Sept 7-10

New York- New York Fashion Week S/S ’12
Sept 8-15

Helsinki- Helsinki Design Week
Sept 9-18

Vienna, AU- MQ Vienna Fashion Week
Sept 13-18

London- London Fashion Week S/S ’12
Sept 16-21

D.C.- D.C. Fashion Week
Sept 19-25

Raleigh-Durhan-Chapel Hill, NC- Triangle Fashion Week
Sept 19-25

Tampa Bay, FL- Tampa Bay Fashion Week
Sept 21-24

Milan- Moda Donna Women’s S/S ’12
Sept 21-27

Perth, AU- Perth Fashion Festival
Sept 21-27

Edmonton, AB- Western Canada Fashion Week
Sept 22-29

Boston, MA- Boston Fashion Week
Sept 23-30

Cork, Ireland- Cork Fashion Week
Sept 24-25

Paris- Modea Women’s RTW Fashion Week
Sept 27-Oct 5

Seattle, WA- Fashion Week at the Bellevue Collection
Sept 28-Oct 2

Vancouver- Vancouver Men’s Fashion Week
Sept 29- Oct 1

Brooklyn, NY- Brooklyn Fashion Weekend
Sept 29-Oct 2

Washington, D.C.- Latin Fashion Weekend
Sept 29-Oct 1

Johannesburg, SA- South Africa Fashion Week
Sept 30-Oct 2

October 2011

Phoenix, AZ- Phoenix Fashion Week
Oct 5-8t

Hoboken, NJ- New Jersey Fashion Week
Oct 9-13

Tegucigalpa, Honduras- Honduras Fashion Week F/W ’12
Oct 13-15

Tbilisi, Georgia- Tbilissi Fashion Week
Oct 13-17

Moscow- Russian Fashion Week
Oct 15-20

Los Angeles- L.A. Fashion Week
Oct 14-21

Tokyo- Toyko Fashion Week
Oct 17-21

Arlington, VA- Northern Virginia (NOVA) Fashion Week
Oct 24-27

Lviv, Ukraine- Lviv Fashion Week
Oct 25-30

November 2011

Vancouver, BC- Vancouver FW
Nov 1-6

Dar es Salaa, Tanzania- Swahili Fashion Week
Nov 3-5

Nassau, Bahamas- Islands of the World Fashion Week
Nov 3-5

Lagos, Nigeria- Nigerian Fashion Week
Nov 16-19

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam- Vietnam International Fashion Fair
Nov 17-23

January 2012

Milan- Men’s F/W ’13
Jan 14-18

Hong Kong- Hong Kong Fashion Week
Jan 16-19

Paris- Men’s F/W ’13
Jan 18-22

Paris- Gaute Couture S/S ’12
Jan 23-26

Berlin- Germany Fashion Week F/W ’12
Dates TBA

Montreal, CA- Montreal Fashion Week F/W ’12
Dates TBA

February 2012

New York- New York Fashion Week F/W ’13
Feb 10-17

Milan- Milan Fashion Week F/W ’13
Feb 22-28

Paris- Paris Fashion Week F/W ’13
Feb 28- March 7

London- London Fashion Week F/W ’13
Dates TBA

Washington D.C.- D.C Fashion Week
Dates TBA
March 2012

Lakme, India- Lakme Fashion Week
Dates TBA

Los Angeles, CA- Style Fashion Week LA
Dates TBA

Seoul, Korea- Seoul Fashion Week
Dates TBA

April 2012

Vancouver, CA- Vancouver Fashion Week
Dates TBA

Sydney, AU- Rosemount Australian Fashion Week
Dates TBA

Cleveland, OH- Cleveland Fashion Week
Dates TBA

June 2012

Milan- Moda Uomo Men’s S/S ’13
June 23-27

Tokyo- Japan Fashion Week
Dates TBA

July 2012

Paris- Men’s S/S ’13
July 2-5

You’re trying hard not to show it,
But baby, baby I know it …
You’ve lost that loving feeling …
~The Righteous Brothers

Ever get to a point with your blog and your content marketing strategy where you’re just … worn out?

The writing that used to thrill you now feels like a chore. Your readers are getting on your nerves. The tedious little tasks are getting to you.

You don’t want to quit … but you do want to get some of that old magic back, the way it was in the early days.

Blogs and businesses in general are a lot like marriages. Sometimes you’ve got to put in a little extra work to keep that spark alive.

If you could use a few ideas to re-romance your business blogging, you’re in the right spot. And if you’re still passionately in love, don’t worry … the same techniques that rekindle the spark can be used to keep that flame as bright as it is today.

#1: Learn something new

The human brain was not meant to absorb all the information it needed at age 24.6 and then stop learning.

As soon as you quit learning and growing, you start to die. That was what made your business so much fun in the first place — that crazy learning curve. It may have been overwhelming or intimidating at times, but it was also exhilarating.

It’s critical to your business (and your self-respect) that you keep learning. As soon as you start to rest on what you already know, you’ll start to get bored. And some clever, energetic competitor will show up to snap at your heels.

Add a new skill to your mix, or get even more amazing at some of the skills you already possess. Dive into a topic that scares you, like becoming a better salesperson or exploring the wild frontiers of your topic.

Remember Mihály Csíkszentmihályi’s definition of optimal flow — you have to be at the point where it’s not too hard and it’s not too easy. Learning something new will give you a nice refreshing dip back in the deep end.

#2: Do a Q&A call

If your problem is self-doubt, imposter syndrome, or believing that you don’t truly deliver something of value, announce a free Q&A call for your audience.

Use one of the free teleconference services out there and put the word out: You want your readers’ questions, and you’ll be available live to answer them. Get all of your blogging and social media friends to help you spread the word.

You can also do this as a blog post or a competition for some free one-on-one consultations — it’s a great way to rack up lots of traffic and attention in a hurry.

You’ll find that you know a lot more than you think you do. You might not be able to answer every single question, but that’s ok — just let your questioner know you’ll look into it. (More learning, yay!)

But you’ll be amazed at how many questions you can answer. This is the fastest confidence-builder I know. It’s also amazingly energizing to see firsthand how much you can help the people who are reading you. And that’s the kind of happiness-booster that lasts longer than a cute new pair of shoes or a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.

#3: Connect

Quick, name your 10 favorite blogs.

Today, visit each one of them, read their most recent posts, and drop some comment love. Remember how they used to inspire you to create better content yourself? Let them inspire you all over again.

Start making plans now to go to the next live event in your topic. If it’s in two weeks and you’re broke, plan for the one that’s three months out.

Go make some connections — and not just with your heroes. (Heroes are great, but sometimes they’re hard to get to at a busy conference.) Connect with that wonderful reader who always leaves awesome comments. Connect with the blogger who’s got about as many readers as you do. Connect with the person on twitter who always makes you laugh.

If you’re an introvert (like I am), remember to schedule some solitude to refill the well. Get a coffee on the other side of town, skip a conference session to take a nap, or go to the public library if you have to, but get some alone time to balance the socializing.

#4: Write your manifesto

One of the things that makes Zappo’s such a cool company is that early on, Tony Hsieh and his team sat down and figured out what they stood for: their core values.

They grabbed a piece of paper and figured out who they wanted to be — and who they didn’t want to be.

Come up with 10 core, essential values your business stands for. If they don’t make you tingle, you’re not being honest. Don’t put boring platitudes like “excellent service.” Find the values that put a lump in your throat.

Now, think about how you’re going to live that statement of values this week. What are you doing to show the world what you stand for?

#5: Deploy your signature strengths

The research on happiness is pretty clear. There’s only so much pleasure you’re ever going to get out of instant gratification. (Bad news for the cute shoes and the Ben & Jerry’s.)

Happiness researchers like Martin Seligman are all for you enjoying life’s pleasures — but you’ve probably already noticed those pleasures tend to lose their savor disappointingly quickly.

Seligman argues that you’ll get a much more lasting hit from focusing on what he calls gratifications, which boil down to the exercise of your signature strengths.

Are you particularly kind? Do you have the courage of your convictions? Can you find the humor in virtually any situation?

To discover your most important strengths, take the VIA Survey of Character Strengths (you’ll find it on the University of Pennsylvania’s Authentic Happiness site). The test will point to the character attributes that you’ve been particularly blessed with.

This week, decide how you’re going to use one of your strengths in your business. Maybe you’ll use Social Intelligence to strengthen your landing pages. Or Persistence to take those last few steps to make your launch great.

Exercising your signature strengths gives a sense of satisfaction and well-being that will endure. And if you keep up the practice of looking for fresh ways to apply your strengths to your business, your love won’t ever grow stale.

(Your test results just might make that Zappo’s style statement of values more exciting, too.)

#6: Find a coach

People who start businesses are kind of nuts. We think we can do everything alone. We tend to be contrarians by nature, and we’re addicted to drawing our own map.

And all of that is awesome. You need to be self-reliant. But it’s not cheating for you to get some help, too.

When I was starting out on my own, my legs were wobbly. I had a lot of passion and a ton of drive, but there were definitely days I was going the complete wrong direction.

Working with a business coach gave me some perspective, and helped me to remember to do what I knew I needed to do. It also helped me enjoy the process a whole lot more.

Just like a personal trainer at the gym, a coach won’t do the work for you. But they can help you realize that you’re strong enough to do the work yourself.

I happen to think my coach is great, but the important thing is that you find someone who resonates with you, shares your values, and has a style that will challenge you to do more than you can do alone.

#7: Schedule time away from online marketing

Some days this is the hardest one to pull off.

I don’t care how much you love blogging or writing. I don’t care how much energy it gives you. If you want to give it all the juice and passion you have to offer, you’ve got to step away.

When you create a business and start to live your dream, it’s easy to think you should do that all day, every day. But that’s a quick path to burnout. You’ll be more creative, more energetic, and more excited about your business when you build in time away to do some the other stuff you love.

The first thing we all need is to get moving. You don’t have to run a marathon if that isn’t your thing, but get out for a walk or a bike ride every day. It improves your mental clarity, your mood, and cuts your risk of pretty much every kind of disease. You’ll be a lot more productive, too, which is a nice bonus.

But you don’t get to stop there. I also want you, at least once a week, to schedule some time to just play. I don’t care if you go to the art store and get finger paints, just do something you find fun. Don’t make it too practical. If it has redeeming social value, it doesn’t count. Give that inner five-year-old some play time, and watch what that does for the rest of your life.

How about you? What do you do when you need to rekindle that spark? Let us know about it in the comments.