We all know that it’s important to change your passwords regularly–now more than ever.
Want to make your hair stand on end? Just log onto this site regularly to see who’s the latest corporate hacking victim. There were almost 20 security breaches in July 2015 alone!
[UPDATE: United Airlines’ database of customer info was the most recent that was reported 7/29/15. Ever fly on United??]
Want to know a very effective way to both powerfully protect your online life as well as make positive changes in the rest of your life?
Change your passwords to inspiring sentences (also called passphrases).
Yes… we’re supposed to change our passwords regularly and not use the same ones over and over. Yet how many of us follow that good “internet security hygiene?”
I didn’t. I knew I should but–as most of my clients who’ve sheepishly confessed the same to me– I just wanted to keep it super-simple by making it a meaningful word to me (which was in the dictionary). I also foolishly used it on more than one site. That’s a very, very bad idea since there’s software that allow hackers to basically throw the dictionary at your login until it breaks open.
Luckily, none of my passwords were on the worst password list. Check to see if yours is there and if it is..change it NOW!! Security experts agree that sentences (or passphrase) are much, much harder to crack.
Shortly after reading about the huge U.S. State Department hack, I came across this article that was posted online in USA Today about a guy who literally changed his life by creatively changing his passwords.
He wanted to get over his ex-wife so he changed his Outlook password to forgive@h3r.After a few weeks, it worked. He was able to emotionally let go of her and move on. After that success, he kept changing it to help him with other things he wanted to change. And those worked, too!
I was delighted and inspired by that. Why not tell yourself something positive every time you have to login?
Your new passphrase can become the basis of not only a better security strategy but also a powerful affirmation. Imagine what would your photo business be like if on a very, very, regular basis you were seeing these passwords: IL0v3toMarketMyPH0TOs!! or IEasilyGo0ut2sh00tNEWw0rk.