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Archive for June, 2008

Help! I Just Lost My Job - How To Survive A Vacation On Layoff Island

Feel like Gilligan stranded on Layoff Island? You’re not alone. As a result of corporate downsizing many qualified candidates are now looking for a job. Bouncing back from a career crisis can strengthen your ability to lead others, force you to develop new skills and reposition you for a comeback.

How to Explain A Layoff or Firing.

With the influx of qualified job seekers, HR managers understand gaps in employment. If you are the victim of a failed start-up or an eliminated position, attribute your layoff to changes in the economy or reorganization within your former company.

Focus on the positive. Tell the truth. Don’t bash your former employer.

Be as forthright as possible when explaining in an interview why your position was eliminated. Make sure the emphasis is placed, when communicating to a prospective employer, on business related reasons. If other employees were eliminated as well, feel free to mention this and any other pertinent information to the hiring manager. Explain what you learned most from the layoff process and how you are looking forward to a new position.

Don’t seek revenge; participate in gossip or burn bridges.

After you hear the words, “You’re fired.” You will experience a range of emotions from shock and anger to sadness and fear. Before you react to the news negatively, and say something that you might later regret, think of the future consequences of your actions. If you need it, take 24 hours of grief to mourn the loss. Call a non-work related friend or relative to vent your frustrations. Smile at all times and get ready to plan your comeback. If this split is amicable, ask your boss for a reference letter. If not, make a list of work-related contacts that can vouch for your skills and experience.

Take job search matters into your own hands. Market yourself.

Start searching for a new job right away. But don’t rely solely on a recruiter or staffing agency. Search the online job boards and local area newspapers to see if they have the contact names and addresses of the hiring manager. Contact the manager to determine if the opportunity is a match with your skills, and interests. Find out why the position is open and what type of person, skills, personality, and work style fits best in this department.

Network, Network, Network.

Use LinkedIn, Facebook or other social networks to connect with current or former contacts. Let your references know that you are back in the job market. Strengthen relationships with colleagues and friends in areas outside of your comfort zone and experience. Build new relationships in organizations where practitioners in your field are scarce.

Outshine the competition. Present your skills like a consultant.

In addition to your resume, write a case study highlighting your skills and experiences. The case study will summarize all of your skills and experiences and showcase your abilities in a real world setting. This approach can eliminate the idea of highlighting only one facet of your skills, and can present your services as a complete solution to the new company. Think of the case study as a selling tool to use during the interview process. Above all, it should be personalized for the company and the position.

Prepare for the income transition. Be proactive.

Call your local unemployment office immediately to start your claim. Contact temporary agencies in your field for available work. Many new staffing companies place senior level talent with hourly rates from $20 to $150 an hour. Use outplacement services, provided by the company, to polish your resume and boost your morale. Call your health insurance provider to determine when your coverage ends.

Without a doubt, after surviving a vacation on layoff island you will know how to effectively sell your abilities or even find a new career with confidence and clarity.

Mechele Pellebon analyzes the celebrity career moves of entertainment icons. At Career Vanity.com, the Publicist and Career Strategist dishes weekly advice to help job seekers learn from the professional missteps, triumphs and victories of the rich and fabulous.

Cat Island Is More Than Just A Historical Place
Bahamas vacation is still the best choice for those who want to escape from the world's tumult. Cat Island will welcome you with its beautiful quiet beaches, as well as many different possibilities to have fun and relax.Whether you love history or not, a short exploration will always enrich tourist's knowledge on Cat Island or to see places and objects you've only read about.You can reach the highest point in Bahamas by following the steps of Fat...

Volcano Cruise
Live a unique experience, live the volcano cruise!The island of Santorini, which is located in the Cycladic island complex in Greece, is a unique natural phenomenon. It has the largest caldera of the world, which resulted after a volcanic eruption hundrends of years before christ. This is why Santorini has been for years now a famous tourist attraction.If you find yourself in Santorini, then a volcano cruise is something you should definitely hav...

Maui - Your Vacation Paradise
The island of Maui is the perfect destination for a fun-filled and relaxing getaway.One of the most popular Hawaiian Islands, Maui is a tropical paradise filled with amazing sights, incredible beaches and thrilling recreational activities.By the time you finish reading about Maui, youll be ready to pack your bags and head for the Hawaiian Islands. Mauis extensive stretches of gorgeous sandy beaches will leave you breathless.For the perfect aftern...

Are You Thinking About Your Next Get-Away Trip? Try A Cruise Ship Vacation
You want to plan your next vacation why not think about a cruise ship vacation? Perhaps you have read good reviews on cruise vacations, and maybe heard glowing reports from friends, but have never tried one yourself. Nevertheless, if you are thinking about going on a cruise ship vacation, you should know that there are many interesting things that you can do on cruiseCruise Ship Vacations The first thing that makes cruise ship so enjoyable is th...

Choose A Caribbean Charter Yacht Three Varieties To Choose From
When choosing a Caribbean charter yacht, there are three categories of yachts. They are power yachts, sailing yachts and multihull sailing yachts, such as catamarans and trimarans. You can also have a special Caribbean charter to learn about the art of sailing a yacht. This will give you the knowledge and training you need to charter a yacht all on your own without the need of a captain and crew. When you book a Caribbean charter yacht, you can b...

How to Get Nursery Manager Jobs

The only way to get nursery manager jobs is to know the lowdown on what the job involves. There are four sides to a nursery manager job. Before one can become a nursery manager, most nurseries will look for certain qualifications. Some companies may not be strict about nursery assistants, but has a more critical eye when it comes to nursery managers. In most instances, the nursery manager is a former nursery worker who was eventually promoted. To qualify for the job, it will help to have a CACHE Advanced Diploma in Child Care and Education and an NVQ/SVQ Level 4 in Early Years Care and Education. In some cases, a CACHE Professional Development Award is also helpful. Unlike nursery assistants who can get a nursery job without much prior experience, it is most needed when it comes to nursery managers. This goes to show that getting nursery manager jobs is not a one-step process. For most nursery workers, becoming a nursery manager is an aspiration, and an important step in their career movement. This is because nursery managers also have access to more opportunities.

The opportunities at the feet of nursery managers are plenty. This is the highest point of being a nursery employee. Naturally, some nursery managers go on to open their own nurseries and childcare centers. Since they have had experience in managing one and are knowledgeable about how nurseries operate, they have what it takes to be a successful owner of their own nurseries. If this is not the path they take, they can also train to become teachers. As nursery managers with the NVQ/SVQ Level 4, they are given the privilege to move on and become a full-fledged instructor, which opens up yet more opportunities for career fulfillment.

However, these opportunities dont come easy. Nursery managers have a lot of responsibilities that should be coupled with the right skills so they can properly do their job. If a nursery nurses job is crucial, then the nursery managers job is even more so. A nursery manager is expected to provide care and education to the children. However, aside from this, they are also responsible to manage the childcare facility or nursery that they are working with. They handle operational tasks as well. In addition, nursery managers are usually assigned to work with children with special needs. Since nursery managers have more experience and a higher training level, they are in a better position to deal with such children. It is also the nursery managers job to keep track of whether the expectations of parents are met and the commitments of the nursery are delivered properly and completely.

Because of these responsibilities, a nursery manager needs to have more skills and capabilities. Aside from the ability and the essential traits for caring for the children, they also need to be instructors. Then, they also have to have management skills, because they will be handling the other staff working in the nursery. In addition, they need people skills because they will interact with the parents the most. They will act as the primary point person for the parents of the children.

In a nutshell, a nursery manager is the primary representative of the nursery. In most cases, parents who consider nurseries also take the demeanor of the nursery manager into consideration. The nursery managers job is definitely heavier, but the sense of fulfillment and the opportunities make the job worth all the effort. Besides, the pay raise connected to becoming a nursery manager also says a lot about why a lot of people are now looking for nursery manager jobs.

The opportunities in Nursery Jobs are endless. If you have what it takes to have a Nursery Manager Jobs, find out how to be one at http://www.nurseryjobsonly.com/

Sales Manager Jobs - Skills and Requirements
An insight into sales manager jobsSales manager jobs are considered to be one of the most important and glorious jobs in the world of sales and marketing. But reaching the job itself is not easy. Most people look at the working of a sales manager and think that it is an extremely easy job.After all, you only have to manage a team, attend company meetings, set targets and relax while your team works. But nothing can be more wrong than this. A sal...

Nursery Furniture For The Expectant Parents
One of the most enjoyable things to do whenever you are expecting a new baby is decorating their room. However, before you start decorating you would first need to plan your budget. You will need to buy baby furniture, a crib, baby bedding, proper lighting, wall decorations, paint and of course curtains for the windows. Your main focus however should be the furniture especially the crib. If you wish to save money, you may also want to buy discoun...

Pharmaceutical Sales Jobs - Interview Woes And Huting Online
An insight into Pharmaceutical Sales Jobs Pharmaceutical has been a sector that has grown at the rate of noughts. Hence jobs in this sector have been widely sought after by people around the world.Pharmaceutical sales jobs are one of these jobs and most people vying for these jobs are unable to find quality information regarding them.What is expected of you in pharmaceutical sales jobs?How can you make a lucrative career out of this? Does this fi...

Top Jobs In Sales For Women
While most people think that sales are a difficult job that needs the perseverance and skill of a man, recent results have proved otherwise.It has been noted that women are equally adept if not superior in handling a sales job and hence a career in sales might just be the one that you are looking for.There are several attributes that place the fairer sex in a better position.They are more organized and can handle more work. Also it has been noted...

Winning the Career Race - One Step Back Could Mean Three Steps Forward!
For many losing a job might mean they ran out of luck. For others it can become a journey of discovery and creating their own luck.In the past month I met two individuals who created their own luck. Both had decent careers and they thought they were on positive career paths. In one, I'll call him Jack, his company was sold, and most of the jobs eliminated. In the other, I'll call her Jackie, the company made several missteps in the marketplace an...

Understanding Pregnancy Nutrition

When it comes to pregnancy, the health of mother and baby is paramount. Many a new mother, once finding out she is expecting, will immediately make a doctors appointment to confirm the pregnancy and have a full check up. Thus begins nine months of consistent medical surveillance that works towards ensuring a healthy, full-term delivery. And many times, during such a visit, the doctor will discuss pregnancy nutrition and how maintaining a proper diet can help support the growing fetus.

Often women will remark that pregnancy has allowed them to eat for two. While pregnancy certainly does increase the appetite of an expecting mother, it in no way is a license to overeat and indulge in foods that you would normally avoid. Rather, pregnancy is a time for increased vigilance when it comes to your food intake. Now, the choices you make no longer just affect you they affect the health of your baby.

Pregnancy nutrition really follows the same principles of any healthy diet. If you are already following a proper diet then you are well on your way to healthy pregnancy nutrition. If you have not been eating properly up until this time, then now is the time to make some changes. It will ensure the health of your baby; and, perhaps you will be left with a habit of healthy eating that follows you for a lifetime.

When keeping an eye towards pregnancy nutrition think whole foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Try to avoid foods high in salt, preservatives, and other chemicals. Keep high fat and fried foods to a minimum. Focus instead on lean meats, nuts, and soy.

As part of pregnancy nutrition, your doctor may also advise you to increase your dairy intake with yogurts, low-fat milk, and cheese. Calcium is extremely important for a growing fetus.

Additionally, you will more than likely be given a pre-natal vitamin to take once daily. This contains a combination of vitamins that you need as well as additional iron that is essential for pregnancy nutrition.

This in no way means that you cant indulge in a food that you have been craving. Moderation as always is key. Give yourself a treat now and then but try not to overindulge.

Keep in mind that pregnancy nutrition also includes avoiding those foods that are disallowed during pregnancy. Your doctor will surely give you a comprehensive list of foods that are unsafe during this time. Be sure to follow instructions carefully.

With the proper pregnancy nutrition and continued medical care, you are on your way to enjoying a happy, healthy pregnancy and a wonderful birth.

For easy to understand, in depth information about pregnancy visit our ezGuide 2 pregnancy.

Getting Ready For Pregnancy - Work Hard On Planning
In the simplest of expressions, 40 weeks of week-by-week pregnancy undoubtedly, would be the most dynamic, riotous and unplanned times of your life. The meaning and impact of pregnancy is not simply restricted to carrying a baby in your womb for 9 months, but is much more complicated and includes a whole lot of vigorous changes in every aspect of life.Plan While You Are Still MobileConsidering the fact that the life post conceiving would take a c...

Pregnancy Advice
The 10 Things You Should Do when you are pregnant, these are not the hardcore scientific stuff, just plain simple things to remember in those first few weeks when everything changes, in a short while you will probably remember these without a problem.1. Eat well and eat right How much you eat has a major impact on your baby's health.2. Get enough rest Sleep can help you get enough energy. However, there may be periods during pregnancy where you...

A Healthy Pregnancy - A Healthy Baby
Becoming pregnant is an exciting milestone in any woman's life. Because of my many physical changes that happen during pregnancy to the mother and baby, a pregnant woman's body needs essential nutrients. The metabolism of a woman increases by 30% during pregnancy & nursing which this increases the need for essential nutrients.Here is a great guide for good nutrition during pregnancy with an explanation of each nutrient that plays a vital role in ...

Healthy Diet Helps To Lose Weight During Pregnancy
Everyone admits to it, no one likes to hear it, and most of the time it isn't true; we become whales during pregnancy. Our bellies are huge, we can't fit behind the wheel of our car, we waddle when we walk, and we are uncomfortable. But, this is part of being pregnant and nothing to do with being fat. Pregnant bodies change in miraculous ways and there is no need to beat ourselves up for putting on normal weight.All doctors know that weight gain ...

Pregnancy Signs - How To Deal With Common Pregnancy Signs
You wake up one day, just like any other day, and you feel like something is not quite right with your body. You feel that your breasts are a little swollen and tender. Perhaps your period is coming. But then you find that you cannot stand the smell of coffee, or oranges, or any other food for that matter.Perhaps you are ovulating, and your hormones are experiencing some changes. And then there are the very frequent visits to the bathroom. Add to...

Use An Investment Property Calculator To Evaluate Properties

If you are getting serious about rental property investment, you will need to be able to determine if a property is likely or not to be profitable for you. The last thing you want to do is invest in a piece of property and find out that you are loosing money each month because your expenses on the property are more than your income from renting it! One of the best ways you can begin to evaluate your potential investment property is through the use of an investment property calculator. You can easily find investment calculators of all kinds on the Internet.

An investment calculator can assist you by showing you many of the probable outcomes you can expect of your investment. Investment property calculators use very complex mathematical equations to give you fair financial analysis of your potential investments. They look at all of your routine mortgage and upkeep costs, and they also can give you an idea of your income and tax considerations for the property, as well.

By simply looking on the Internet, with a good search engine such as Google, you can very effortlessly find a multitude of free investment property calculators which you can easily use to evaluate rental property. Into the property investment calculator, you will input all of your monthly rental income, the monthly loan repayment costs associated with any financing you have on the property, and the operating expenses which are necessary to maintain the property in question each month.

From all of the data you have entered the calculator will then give you rough estimates of your monthly cash flow you can expect from the investment, your annual building tax deduction which you can legally take, and any changes which might occur in the amount of taxes you will be paying on the property.

Mortgage investment calculators are complex enough to take both positive and negative values into consideration such as income, taxes, and payments. The calculator is a great way to determine if your potential investment property will earn you money, or conversely cost you money. It can also be helpful in determining the rent which you will want to charge your tenants for rental of the property.

Most mortgage calculators do have some limitations which you need to be aware of, however. Most of them assume that your expenses are the same each month over any given year. While it?s a nice basis, we all know that you can have a very costly repair and your numbers will no longer be anywhere near close to accurate. But, in this scenario you can run the calculator again and re-evaluate the numbers it gives you.

Many mortgage calculators also do not take into consideration many of the important tax issues you will be faced with. They do not see any rebates you might receive, or any tax deductions which you may be eligible to claim which would reduce your overall tax obligation

While investment property calculators can be very valuable tools for you to use, you will want to understand that they do have some limitations and as always you will want to consult with professional tax accountants when necessary.

Our complete package has calculators for investment property and all the tools you need to get the most out of your property income investment. KISCL, http://www.kiscl.com has all of the tools and resources of experiences real estate professionals to help you succeed with commercial property.

Future Of Property Investment In The UK
This is a huge question and it is impossible to give a definitive answer. However, with the recent credit crunch and increases in interest rates over the past 12 months it seems that property investors are going to have to work harder to pick up profitable property investments and have a sound long term strategy.Property investors who have a sound investment strategy who focus on investing in areas of potential growth, strong rental demand and in...

The Mortgage Calculator In Australia Part 2
The Mortgage Calculator in Australia provides a good guide as to how much you can borrower on a loan. If you are in the market for a mortgage you may choose to use the services of a mortgage consultant or a mortgage manager and one of the first tools they will use is a Mortgage Calculator.There are three different types of Mortgage Calculators in Australia:- Mortgage Calculator to borrower money on residential home loans Mortgage Calculator to...

Are You Really Ready To Buy Rental Properties?
Watch the various television shows and infomercials and it can seem like investing in rental properties is the way to go to make a certified fortune. Rental properties can be lucrative, but there are definite downsides.Most people have a particular view of rental properties. They buy a property, stick a renter in it that covers the financial nut of the owner and then sit back and collect money in the form of rent. As the property appreciates over...

1031 Tax Exchange Properties and What to Look For
1031 tax exchange properties have very specific requirements attached to them and this article will focus upon what to look for when searching for 1031 tax exchange properties.To give a little background on the IRS and what it considers a particular property, it is necessary to speak to you about the different categories which real estate falls into. The first category is land held for investment. The second category is land held for business. ...

Spanish Properties - A Good Investment Option
Spanish properties are gaining worldwide recognition as a good investment option. More and more people have expressed their interest in buying property in Spain. The reasons behind purchasing Spanish properties may be many.The first and foremost reason is that people wish to spend time in the serene and scenic surroundings of the Spanish countryside, and buy homes, apartments, cottages and villas for their personal use. This serves a dual purpose...

Spending the Difference?

In our current economy, it’s becoming more and more important to “realize” actually savings. Now when I say that, I’m talking about paying less and saving the difference. Many of my clients, upon their initial call to me, may mention that they currently have a low fixed rate. The conversation always seems to shift to, “If you can’t lower that rate, then I guess it’s not worth it for me to refinance.” Interest Rates for several years were at all time lows, current rates have raised slightly…but are still relatively low.

I ask all my clients who have low rates, “When you refinanced from 8% down to 5%, you probably saved a few hundred per month?” They usually agree. Then I ask, “What have you done with the difference?” Most of them have spent it and now they need to “lower” their rate even more to start saving again. Lifestyle changes are much more affordable than refinancing, but even harder to stick to.

It’s important to calculate an overall interest rate to show a prospective client exactly how much they are spending on all of their debts. For example: You may have a 5.5% Fixed rate on a 30 year mortgage, but pay over 22% on your credit cards. If you calculated the overall interest rate, it may show 14 - 15%, depending on how much debt you are carrying. By refinancing those revolving debts into your mortgage, it’s very possible to keep a low rate of interest and increase your monthly cash flow.

Once this is accomplished, I recommend that the client take some of those savings and actually start to save it. Put it into a savings account with a decent rate of interest, you can easily find 4% with an ING account.

For additional tips, please check out our website www.mac-mortgage.com or drop me an Email dbarris@midacap.com.

David Barris, Branch Manager for Mid Atlantic Capital.
Located in Turnersville, NJ we specialize in debt consolidation, rate/term refinance loans, purchase money, construction financing and home equity loans.

Which Architectural Style Attracts the Most Buyers?
I'm often asked which style of home is most likely to attract the most buyers when people begin looking for homes to flip. That's always a tough question, because people's tastes vary in different parts of the country. What's hot in one are may be a dog on the market in another, and certain people who would prefer a particular style of home, no matter where they lived.The best advice I can give is to drive around your target area to see the compe...

47 Million - Holy Cow!
Ivana Trump couldn't do it. Perhaps Steven Johnson can. Who is Steven Johnson, you may ask? He's an Arizona businessman who just paid $47 million dollars for the former Holy Cow Casino Cafe and Brewery site, on which Ivana once had plans of developing a Las Vegas high rise condo hotel tower. Now here's the kicker: after spending all that money, he's not sure what he's going to do with it!"I haven't finalized my plans yet," Johnson said by phone. ...

Tax Consideration for Home Mortgage Refinancing
If you knew you could save money on your taxes would you do it? Of course you would! However there are millions of Americans each year who miss out on all kinds of tax benefits because they dont know tax law. That on top of not hiring an accountant who does know all of this information means that lots of people dont get the tax credits they deserve. For example, there are tax credits for the interest paid on a home mortgage, but everyone doesnt k...

Difference Between Reverse Mortgage and Line of Credit
Owning your home and want to benefit from its equity can be a tricky situation so it's good to know the difference between reverse mortgage and line of credit loans.There are several ways to get money out of your home, and depending on your age and credit status, it can be difficult to decide which way will cost you less in the long run. The first thing to think about when considering the difference between reverse mortgage and line of credit is...

Connecticut Mortgage Loan Refinancing - Choosing The Right Mortgage Program To Avoid Overpaying
Emotional involvement will be the biggest obstacle that most Connecticut homeowners face when applying for a refinance home loan mortgage. The problem is that when you meet with your mortgage lender to get a Connecticut refinance mortgage you will most likely become too emotionally invested in the process.Don't get me wrong, you should be emotionally invested in the process, but you should always be able to take a step back and evaluate your goal...

You Deserve To Do What You Love!

When we pursue doing what were passionate about what does that mean? John Dir says in his article How to Find Your Passion, Passion is a pure form of motivation or compulsion that provides an energizing constant which is independent of environmental demands. It is an irresistible drive to focus ones attention and energy to accomplishing something of personal worth, which cannot be daunted by a sense of failure to accomplish the goal. Did you ever wake up one morning way before the alarm went off just because you were going to do something you just couldnt wait to do? What was it? You deserve to do what you love! In fact its exactly what youre supposed to be doing.

Oh, you knew that already? So how do you figure it out?

Lets start with the obvious:

1. What would you do if you were independently wealthy

and no longer had to do anything to earn money?

2. What do you enjoy doing so much that you would do it

everyday for free?

These questions are not easy for some people to answer. Many people consider these questions frivolous. After all, Im not independently wealthy and I cant afford to work for free.

Well, back up. I didnt ask if you were wealthy I asked what you would do if you were. Please allow yourself the opportunity to dream. This is a key. I know you know how to daydream you do it everyday.

You see if you get stuck on how to make money with your passion youre not going to allow yourself to figure it out. Go back to question #2. What are you doing now for free that you love to do? Listen to your heart, not what you think others expect of you.

Plan the time in your life to do more of what you enjoy doing. Put it on your day planner if you have to. If you love to travel, plan it. Go online and study the places you want to go. Read about the hotels and the sights. Envision yourself doing those things. Plan day trips around where you live go find the unusual things in your neighborhood. Get guide books on your state and become an expert at finding the places that interest you. Practice traveling in your back yard. Take a picnic if you cant afford to stop and eat. Do It!

I spend at least an hour each day studying Philosophy and Personal Development. I cant get enough information it consumes my free time but its what I look forward to everyday its what Im excited about each morning. What am I going to learn today that I can share with others?

Now lets get to the money part. You may never earn a penny from your passion but what does it matter if youre doing what you love. At least in your spare time. However, if you become knowledgeable in a particular area that you love and over time you know more about it than most other people guess what? You have value in that area. How do you market that value? Write an eBook and sell it through ClickBank, build a website, write a book to get published, share what youre learning with others when you have the opportunity, teach it at an adult learning center, write articles to submit on the internet. Information today is like gold, it has great value and there are people everywhere looking for it. And just imagine how much joy you will get out of sharing what you love with others. They will not help but see your passion. I have read that after about 4 years, people who have pursued their passion start to make close to what they made in their old unfulfilling jobs often even more.

I offer one more quote from John Dirs article How to Find Your Passion, Your lifes passion may be discovered in an instant, or take many long years to uncover. You will know you have it when your heart of hearts tells you, I dont care what other people think. I know this is what I want to do, and I am going to get started making it happen. I dont care how long it takes, or how difficult it will be for me to accomplish; I just know I need to see where this idea will take me.

Dick Ingersoll is sharing what he has learned from his studies in metaphysics, philosophy and spirituality at:
http://applying-the-law-of-attraction.com

Why Most People WIll Never Get What They Want
Put simply, most people will never get what they want simply because they do not deserve what they want. This is not to say that in the scheme of life they do not deserve what they want, but instead in their own minds, in their own reality, they do not deserve what they want. Seriously, think about it. How many people do you know who honestly, whole heartedly, completely believe that they deserve to be wealthy in all areas of their lives. How man...

Dare to Love
Love is something we all strive for in our daily lives. I personally love a lot of things, some are seen and others are unseen. I love the smell of a fresh ground coffee beans and the aroma of brewing coffee. I love waking up next to my wife. And, I love the sight of a squirrel that lives outside my front door. I love it when the squirrel cautiously approaches a peanut that I placed on the ground. It approaches very slowly, looking all around to ...

How Belief Systems Can Make or Break Your Real Estate Fortunes
What's the difference between a real estate millionaire, and someone who is broke? It's their "behavioral programming". To create financial freedom in real estate, it comes down to the software that runs your mind... your subconscious thoughts that create your beliefs about what you can achieve, what you deserve, and the habits you put into action to attain your goals in life.As you were growing up, you may have been told, for example, that real...

Manifesting Mr Right - Use the Law of Attraction to Create Your Ideal Love Life
If you're ready to create your ultimate love life, the Law of Attraction can give you a head start in drawing in Mr. Right. Here are 5 steps to bring your ideal love to real life:1. Know what you want. Get clear about what type of person you want to attract into your life. Write down the qualities you want him to possess. What's he like? What makes him tick? What do you love most about this guy? Get as detailed as matters to you. There's...

Aim High
Dear Insightful Ones,Let us aim high on our goals today. Let us be aware of our desires. Let us attune ourselves to the Universe in doing so and in doing so we will attract what we truly want.Let us appreciate all that we have today and everyday. Let us take time out from our busy schedules to give a hand to someone who is in need.Let us be brave in all of our actions. Let us connect to the everlasting strength within us in doing so. Let us be c...

Three Strategies to Create an Abundant Life

Each of us has many things to be grateful for in our lives. But sometimes we take them for granted or, even worse, we forget them in the midst of our crowded daily schedules. Working moms tell me that when they are really busy they find themselves focusing on what they don’t have instead of treasuring what they do.

Returning home from a particularly stressful day at work, you might find yourself complaining that your house isn’t clean, big or modern enough. When you’ve woken late and are rushing yourself and two school-age children out the door, your offspring’s behavior may lead you to think (or say out loud) that they are wild and uncooperative. And if you are experiencing mounting deadlines and unreasonable demands at the office, it may be difficult for you to muster a positive attitude about your career.

If you find yourself thinking more about what is lacking in your life than reveling in its abundance, you may be unintentionally fostering an attitude of scarcity (there’s just not and never will be enough). Life is not always perfect (it’s not supposed to be) nor does it always go our way. But when you acknowledge what is working, when you are grateful for the simple joys of life, like a hug from your child, you become more aware of the goodness and abundance that surrounds you each day. Use these three strategies to help you create a more abundant life.

1. Acknowledge the Positives

You are what you focus on. Pay attention to all the positives in your life each day. Instead of concentrating on your messy house, be grateful that you have a safe and comfortable home. Make an effort to be really aware during your precious moments with your children rather than obsessing about the times they are exuberant and wily.

2. Practice Daily Gratitude

Begin by practicing gratitude on a daily basis. List mentally (or in a journal) five things you are thankful for each day. On challenging days you may only be able to cite the basics, like “I’m still breathing.” On other days you may be able to articulate some very joyful moments and gifts. Review this list before you fall asleep. This practice of daily gratitude slows life down and makes it much more joyful.

3. Draft Your Abundance Statement

If you are ready to take things a step further, write your own abundance statement of twenty words or less. What does abundance mean to you? One of my clients adopted a personal abundance statement that she could turn to when she was feeling overwhelmed. It read: “There is enough. There will be enough. I am enough.” Simple. Powerful.

Copyright 2006. Lisa Martin. All rights reserved.

Lisa Martin is a certified coach who inspires working mothers to achieve success thats balanced.
Author of Briefcase Moms: 10 Proven Practices to Balance Working Mothers Lives,
Lisa is a sought-after expert and speaker on work-life balance issues. Known for her very personal and practical approach, Lisa coaches working mothers to know what they want and get what they want.
With 20 years of entrepreneurial and corporate experience, Lisa is also the founder and president of The Briefcase Moms Group a work-life coaching and training company that helps organizations attract, engage and retain working mothers. A mother herself, Lisas powerful presentations and programs have helped thousands of women define success and balance on their own terms. http://www.briefcasemoms.com

The ABC’s of Career Transition
A: Accept that you are responsible for your career and your life.B: Believe that change is possible and that you deserve to be happy.C: Clarify what you want in your career.D: Dare to dream big; be determined through hard times; don't let anyone tell you what you can or can't do: define that for yourself.E: Engage in activities that are congruent with your goals.F: Find your faith in what really matters; face your fears; focus on what you want; f...

Thoughts Attract
Dear Whole Ones,Today let us pay attention to our thoughts. Let us all notice our thoughts and notice that as we think, we attract.What do I want to attract into my life?I want Beautiful, Caring, Loving, Wise, Fun, Humorous and Loyal Friends, perhaps.I want ________________________Can we all take a few moments to fill in the blanks knowing that our wants are for our highest good.Do we know what it is we really want?Can we find out? Yes! We can kn...

10 Keys to Creating What You Want… the EASY Way!
It is a widely accepted spiritual principle that your thoughts and beliefs create your reality, they even made a movie about it! What does this really mean, and how can you apply it to your life to begin to create the reality that you want?Basically, what you have in your life now is a reflection of your beliefs, thoughts, and expectations. You can create only what you believe is possible. From a different perspective, you attract into your li...

Manifesting Mr Right - Use the Law of Attraction to Create Your Ideal Love Life
If you're ready to create your ultimate love life, the Law of Attraction can give you a head start in drawing in Mr. Right. Here are 5 steps to bring your ideal love to real life:1. Know what you want. Get clear about what type of person you want to attract into your life. Write down the qualities you want him to possess. What's he like? What makes him tick? What do you love most about this guy? Get as detailed as matters to you. There's...

People Don’t Know You Are Ugly Until You Tell ‘Em
Question: What is ugly, really?Answer: It's what you project.Did you know that?Well, think about it for a minute. Someone new comes up to you and you turn away with thoughts like, *They won't like me. Someone will tell them about me, and even if they like me now, they won't like me then.*How about when you talk to someone, you don't look them in the eyes? Your shoulders are slumped. You mumble or quickly run someone else down so the attention wil...

Yoga Breathing Will Induce Relaxation Of Mind and Body

A really positive benefit that you will discover soon after starting your yoga practice, that you will learn properly. Yes, you will start breathing in such a way as to bring an instant calmness and total relaxation into your life. As long as you are receiving good instruction, or following an accurate guide, the better you will get at this which will further enhance the quality of your life. Furthermore, if you find yourself in stressful situations, you will be better able to cope and remain calm thanks to your yoga training.

A really common fear or phobia that people suffer with is having to speak in public to an audience. Many of the public speaking courses include components on relaxation techniques. These are incorporated into the course as they are considered vital techniques to either eliminate or control panic, which is a common reaction when people address strangers in public situations. People who perform yoga breathing exercises on a regular basis are found to be a lot calmer as individuals, they seem better able to control these stressful situations better than those who are untrained in these or any other techniques.

If you remain calm and in control of your breathing, the fear of public speaking will subside and the apparent enormity of the situation will seem to be in perspective, making the situation easier to accept and control. By simply breathing correctly you will notice a feeling of calm that will enable a person to complete a public speaking engagement; or any other stressful situation for that matter.

Yoga has also benefited many professional sports men and women by allowing them to perform at, and sometimes beyond, their best by eliminating the tension and anxiety that they feel pre-event. In all sports events optimum performance demands that the muscles and breathing of competitors remain as relaxed as possible at all times to allow for maximum performances. Yoga is the vehicle to allow you to achieve that optimum yet relaxed state of mind and body. Other yoga stretching techniques train the body to become more flexible, which is an additional benefit to athletes as a supple body will pick up fewer injuries.

Correct Yoga breathing exercises will imbibe a relaxed, focused individual who will remain calm under pressure and un-phased in the face of adversity.

Start practicing Yoga today and see the great, long-term health benefits you will receive.

Take action now by clicking here to discover the most effective way to dramatically improve your physical and mental well-being easily.

Yoga — For Relaxation
People practice yoga for a variety of reasons. Many yoga practitioners are interested in the health benefits that come from regularly performing the routines. Others want a state of harmony between inner and outer self. Still others practice yoga primarily to relax.A State of HarmonyThe profound relaxation available through yoga includes a state of clarity of mind, and of harmony with and understanding of the world. If such a state of relaxation ...

Yoga is a Great Way to Exercise
Yoga is a great way to exercise; it is safe for just about anyone, regardless of their physical condition or age. Most people recognize that yoga exercise is a great way to increase your flexibility, but it is a great method to reduce stress in your life.Simple yoga breathing exercises can help you body fight of illness by increasing the oxygen supply to your bloodstream. This helps the body flush harmful toxins out of your system. If yoga did ...

Crash Course on Yoga
Although yoga has always been associated with Hinduism, it is actually even older than the religion. In fact, yoga is considered to be the oldest physical discipline in the world. This is perhaps the reason why there is no clear answer where it came from and when it started.Some believe that it started about 3000 BC, used to relax the muscles and the whole body as people prepare for meditation. Until now, yoga is considered to be one of the ways ...

Relaxation Technique: Yoga has a Long Lost Art for Relaxing You
We all know that one of the necessary things needed to keep an automobile in good condition is cooling the engine when it gets hot.Well the same principle applies to the human body. When the body and mind are constantly overworked, their efficiency in performing their duties diminishes. Modern social life, food, work and even play make it difficult for the modern man to use a proper relaxation technique for rejuvenation.An observance of nature wi...

Yoga Mats
Yoga mats are small carpets that are used by people practicing yoga. Yoga is a traditional Indian exercise form that uses body postures, breathing techniques and meditation for attaining a healthy body, mind and spirit. The practice of yoga is found to have several health benefits; hence, it is becoming an increasingly popular fitness workout method. Yoga calls for perfect relaxation of the body as well as the mind. This is the reason comfort is ...

More Smart Consumers are Saving a Bundle!

The new year saw a massive 25% increase in consumers saving money by signing up for a broadband bundle, a new study has just revealed. The research, conducted by broadband comparison site www.broadbandchoices.co.uk, found that more and more of us are buying both broadband and home phone from the same company, making bills simpler and saving a bundle of cash.

Bundling is a simple way to organise your home phone and broadband bills, and it makes sense for both companies and consumers. Chris Eagle, Commercial Manager at www.broadbandchoices.co.uk, explained: As people add more services to their household bills, they save more money and theyre less likely to switch providers. Youre unlikely to just remove one service, as the cost of your remaining services will increase. So unless youre happy to switch everything, youll stay put, keeping your current provider very happy!

One particular bundle has been making the news recently: TalkTalks free broadband offer, where broadband is offered free if you take up TalkTalks international phone call package and line rental. The marketing for this certainly did the trick, with over 25,000 people registering their interest in just a few days.

But the TalkTalk deal (brought to you by Carphone Warehouse) might not be the best option for you. According to expert Chris Eagle, Most consumers probably think the new TalkTalk package is the cheapest bundle on the market. But if you take things like connection charges, line rental, phone package and broadband fees into account then, over a year, Toucan still offers the light phone and broadband user the best value for money.

For example:

(i) Toucan Two-for-All phone package comes with free weekend calls with no call package fees, line rental at 8.99 a month and 512k broadband at 13.99 a month giving a total of 22.98 a month or 275.76 for one year.

(ii) TalkTalk free broadband offer has line rental at 11.00 a month, 9.99 for free local and national calls anytime, and a 29.99 connection fee, giving a total of 20.99 a month or 281.87 for one year.

Its worth looking at the full year cost as you have to sign at least a 12 month contract. (18 month for the TalkTalk offer).

It looks like this type of deal will be offered by more companies in the coming months: in a competitive market like this one, the other providers will have to keep up.

The future is mobile

Most bundled offers currently include broadband and home phone, but we could see mobile phone contracts being added in the near future. With NTL buying Virgin Mobile and Wanadoo about to re-brand Orange, it looks like the home and mobile phone markets are in the process of merging to offer you a better deal. And if you could get your home phone, broadband, cable TV and mobile charges all reduced and on a single bill each month, youd do it, wouldnt you?

Compare UK Broadband Packages

Grant For Investing In Real Estate - A Smart Real Estate Investment Strategy
Government grants for real estate investing are a under utilized method for real estate investors to obtain funding for their ventures in real estate projects. Billions of dollars are distributed as grants to invest in real estate by governments at all levels, including state and federal.Why is all this free money available for businesses and non-profits to put into real estate? Well, providing housing is a major function of the government and of...

Need An Alternative To A Sub Prime Mortgage?
There is a new loan out there that is now replacing the once popular sub prime mortgage loan. Community Reinvestment Act or CRA loan is what has a lot of banks competing over. CRA loans have the advantage of giving consumers a low interest rate, even as low as 5.57 percent for a 30 year fixed. These loans are only possible for consumers that will pay points up front.Most of the consumers that qualify for these loans have a credit score of 600, th...

Throw Your Bulky TV Sets - Get The Best In Town At Affordable Prices
In the present day competitive market, no manufacturer can continue to survive by offering obsolete products to its customers. The modern day market simply leaves no scope for these products; this is the primary reason why all manufacturers strive for innovative products. These innovative products are aimed at creating a demand for themselves by appealing to the customers in a unique manner.In the television industry, there have been significant ...

Mortgage Contracts Could Be Cheaper for Consumers
The two leading mortgage giants in the industry are teaming up to propose a new way to conduct mortgage contracts through less paperwork, which could ultimately save consumers over $1 billion. Obviously, this savings will be spread out over millions of borrowers, so the question becomes whether the proposal will benefit or setback the mortgage industry because after all, you cant just get something for nothing.Mortgage lenders may soon gripe abo...

Life Insurance Vs. Life Assurance
People spend a lot of money on complicated financial products and it is sometimes difficult to keep track of what products perform what tasks. Many people are not aware of all the financial products that are available or they only know of them vaguely. They may not know how much they cost or the potential benefits they offer. How can consumers make informed decisions on what products they would be willing to buy if they do not have this basic inf...

Be Generous In Nature - Don’t Be A Scrooge - Be A Giver And A Receiver

If you have read some of my other self improvement articles, then you have read about and perhaps even practiced focusing on the good in your life rather than the bad, being grateful and watching your words, your inner dialogue and your attitude to life. Here’s another step for you to practice.

For those of you who might not know what a scrooge is heres what the Oxford American Dictionary says: Scrooge is a miserly person in Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol written in 1843. Scrooge is a penny pincher, a cheapstake, a tightwad. Sounds like a terrible person, doesnt it? And so he is, a miserable, stingy, friendless, loveless, joyless person.

Do you know a scrooge? You know, the one who always disappears when the restaurant bill has to be paid? The one who comes to visit empty handed, and never invites you back? The one who takes and takes and never gives back. Are you perhaps a scrooge yourself? Or do you consider yourself to be a generous person? Because if one has the tendency to be miserly where money is concerned, then it follows that one is miserly with ones thoughts and attitude to ones family and friends or for that matter with life in general.

To be generous entails being magnanimous in every way possible and not only with money. For example, do you love generously, do you spread warmth around you generously to everyone you meet, do you give of yourself and of your time generously to your loved ones? Are you generous in your mind when things occur around you that are not to your liking? Are you generous in your thinking mode? Because if you are short tempered, intolerant, unforgiving, condemn others who are different to you, if you do not care about those who suffer, do nothing to help someone you know who might need help, then I am afraid to say to you that yes, you are a scrooge after all. But the good news is that you need not remain a scrooge. You can decide to change that right now. Its easy once you have made up your mind.

Open your mind and be generous in the way you think about everything that you do not agree with, and try to see the other peoples point of view. Be more tolerant of those who differ from you in thoughts and actions. Have compassion with those who suffer. Be kind and friendly, adopt a generous attitude by both giving and receiving by embracing life and youll open doors to new rich experiences in your life. Give with pleasure without expecting anything in return - and that, is a tough one, I know. It needs some practice. With such behaviour you will be activating the energies of the cosmic Law of Giving, which will in turn activate the Law of Circle and the Law of Receiving. This means that your good deeds will be making the circle and will be coming back to you tenfold stronger, always making you richer than before. But for this you need to be in a mode of receiving as well. Be prepared with wide open arms to the abundance that the universe will shower on you. The return might not be immediate and not from the same source that you gave to, but return it will. The energy will return to you because according to the law, the circle must close.

Be free and generous with giving gifts to your loved ones and those who are near to you and working with you or for you. Never go empty handed when you are invited anywhere, and if you cant afford a bunch of flowers, then one flower will do it too. The more generous you are to people in general, the more you make people happy, the more you show that you care, the more people will feel warmth for you. You will find people being generous to you in return. Accept that with gratitude and consider yourself lucky. Being shy, being depressed, being insecure are selfish traits in reality because we are focusing on ourselves, on our needs, our weaknesses and our limitations. As we do that we forget that we might be hurting other people by not communicating, by not sharing and that our silence or withdrawal is mistaken for not caring about them. Instead shift your focus on to others, go outside of your little self, open up to others, be generous in nature.

The universe works in a scientific way. Everything in the universe is regulated according to cosmic laws. Even the chaos is regulated. The only way for us to understand this is to try it out for ourselves to have our proof of how the universal laws work. As per the Law of Magnet, be generous first with whatever it is you wish to have for yourself. For example, do you want to have love in your life? Then fill your heart and your being with love and spread it around you and love will bounce back to you. You cannot possible attract love if you are a miserable unhappy dissatisfied person. Why would love be attracted to you? You want material wealth? Focus on wealth, dont focus on how poor you are. Dont have thoughts such as Im the poor one, I never have enough money, how am I ever going to manage? Instead think how wonderful it is to be wealthy. Think I love money and I attract wealth to me now. I am a magnet to money, to love and to all good things in life. My life is full of miracles. If you create this new inner dialogue in time you will attract wealth and everything else that you wish for to you. You want friends then learn to be a friend yourself and youll get friends. If you want people to notice you, then take good care of yourself, respect yourself, and be charming and notice others and people will take notice of you. If you have something special to celebrate then share your joy with others around you. When you are with others forget yourself, your insecurities, your needs, wants and dislikes, focus on them instead and learn to please. Youll be loved for that.

Learn to forgive those who wrong you and learn to ask for forgiveness of those whom you have wronged. There is no feeling that is more freeing than the feeling of forgiveness. When you experience the feeling of forgiving of letting go, an old resentment, a huge burden is lifted from you shoulders and a heavy stone is lifted from your heart allowing you to breathe, to feel light and free.

As the popular saying goes, sorrows shared are halved and joys shared are doubled. So who wants to be a scrooge? I dont. Do you? Of course not, do something about it right NOW. By the way, you do realize that it shows on your face too. Miserly people walk around with a tense, unhappy and angry face always frowning, worried, looking older than their age, and those who walk around with a happy face, eyes shining with enthusiasm and love for life, always ready to smile at you? are the generous ones of course. They usually look youthful and sparkle with energy. How your face looks now or when you are older is your decision. You hold the key to your looks in your hands.

Margo Kirtikar Ph.D.
http://www.visionsunusual.com
http://www.margokirtikar.com

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