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Kamis, 31 Maret 2011

How to Have a Great Time without Losing Your Money

Gambling in a casino or online casino is supposed to be for fun, but for many people the casino is the place where some machine eats all their money, and they are broke after the first hour and have to go to the ATM to get more money.

If you are not an experienced gambler it may be best to stick to the slot machines, but the fact is that the casinos make most of their money from those one armed bandits.

The easiest game in the casino is Roulette. The object of roulette is to guess what number the little ball will land on, which is not easy but there are other bets to make. In roulette you can bet on the color of the number the ball will land on, and since there are only 2 colors on the board it is a much safer bet. You can also bet on whether the ball will land on an even or odd number.

If you are not an expert gambler and just want to have a good time you can also play keno. Keno is much like the lottery. You have a card marked with numbers 1 to 100, and depending on the amount you want to spend and the game you play determines on how many of the number you get to pick. A computer picks the numbers and if you have at least 5 correct numbers you will win some of your money back.

I would recommend staying away from the poker rooms, but there is one poker game that is mostly newbie friendly, Red Dog Poker. The game is very simple to play. the dealer gives out 2 cards, and the player has to bet if the next card will fall in between the first 2, an example of this is you are dealt a 5 and a queen, so you have to bet on if the next card will be a 6 to a jack, the smaller the distance between the cards the more money you will win if you are right. If your cards are a 5 and a 9 and you win you will win less then if your cards were a 5 and a 7 and the next card is a 6. You may never become a millionaire from playing Red Dog Poker, but it is lots of fun and you can sit at the table for hours without spending much money, and it can be lots of fun.

One of my favorite things to do in the casinos or online sportsbooks is to play the horses. You do not need to be a genius or have been going to the track for years to pick a winner, all the information on the horse and jockey is displayed in an easy to understand way so you can have all the information you need to pick a winner, and for a few 2 dollar bets you can spend an entire evening in a casino or sportsbook for less then 50 dollars.

Rabu, 30 Maret 2011

Las Vacaciones son la Mejor Solución Para Relajarte

Si te sientes un poco estresado con el trabajo, con tu pareja o con la familia y necesitas tomar decisiones, ver a los problemas con otra perspectiva siempre ayuda. Aquí te recomiendo tomar unas pequeñas vacaciones en donde tu decidas.

Puede ser el lugar mas inesperado el que te puede hacer mejor. Debes buscar en diferentes sitios que lugares están disponibles por el fin de semana o una semana entera (si te la puedes tomar).

Los lugares mas ideales deben ir de acuerdo a tu gusto. Por ejemplo si disfrutas del sol algún lugar de veraneo con el mar y la playa van a ser perfectos. Si no te gusta la playa, busca algún lugar en las montañas tranquilo que te traiga paz y serenidad.

No necesitas gastar mucho dinero para tener un buen resultado, ya que solo unos días es suficiente sin tener que perder mucho tiempo en el viaje de ida y vuelta. Puedes optar de ir en auto que es más económico o en avión depende de los precios.

Si vives en Europa, un fin de semana en Barcelona no te costara demasiado y sin duda te abrirá la mente y dejara atrás los problemas que parecían tan grandes que no te dejaban pensar.

Tomarte unas vacaciones es algo positivo que solo traerá buenos resultados. Lo sitios desde ya dependen de tu poder económico. Si tu disposición no tiene limites, St Tropez en la costa de Francia es un lugar vacacional ideal. Fiestas desde las 3 de la tarde en la playa, mercado en el centro del pueblo, las playas mas increíbles y mucho mas.

Si tu poder adquisitivo es un poco limitado, puedes ir a palma de Mallorca en España, a Ibiza o elegir entre muchos de los puertos de la zona.

Si vives en Sudamérica o centro América, uno de mis lugares favoritos es Punta del Este en Uruguay. Aunque un poco caro, siempre saldrás de ahí con una sonrisa. Las playas más inolvidables, junto con los bares de moda, y actividades entretenidas las 24 horas del día te esperan ahí.

Si no optas por ir a Punta del Este, Brasil es otro de los lugares mas increíbles. Ahí puedes ir a Buzios disfrutar de los camarones con palito, las playas los cocos, los helados, y mucho más.

En Argentina también puedes encontrar lugares vacacionales, como Miramar, Pinamar, Mar del Plata, y otros.

Si buscas lugares sin playa durante el invierno puedes ir a Bariloche, Villa La angostura, Las Leñas en donde puedes esquiar.

Sin duda, cualquier lugar que elijas un poco alejado de tu trabajo, o deberes diarios te ayudara a relajarte y pensar mas tranquilamente como solucionar o seguir adelante en tus decisiones.

Selasa, 29 Maret 2011

How To Improve Brain Function

How to improve brain function? Start with a few questions.

Is problem solving easy for you? Do you learn new things quickly? Can you improve your brain function? Your answers to these questions will have an effect on your brain function, because brainpower and psychology are intimately connected.

Brain Function and Expectation

1. A friend spent his childhood with wealthy kids and their families. He now makes more money than most of us. Coincidence? Did rich friends give him money? Did they help him in business? No to all three questions. He just grew up with an expectation of a certain level of income. His mind will always push him to take actions towards that level.

2. The book said there was a checkmate in four moves, so I looked until I found it. I used to think those elegant solutions to chess puzzles were very rare in real games. I eventually realized they are there, but that without the expectation of finding them, I settled for less worthy moves. Now I find the elegant moves more often.

Do you see how expectation and belief expands or limits your mind and your life? Now, to apply this to better brain function, you need to adjust your expectation and unconscious beliefs about your brainpower.

What you think certainly affects what you accomplish. When you believe you can improve your brain function, you are far more likely to do what's necessary to get that result. So how do you adopt the most useful beliefs and expectations?

Okay, don't worry. I won't tell you to stand in front of a mirror making positive affirmations. I have an easier way.

Affirmation or Evidence?

Try this experiment: Watch for polite drivers for two days, making a mental note to yourself each time you see one. Notice the polite ones, ignoring the rest. By the way, this will change your experience of driving in a positive way. Then watch for rude drivers for two days, and you'll see them all over.

Do the exercise above, and you'll understand that you experience the world not just according to what is there, What you pay attention to is the more important part of your experience. Ready to apply this to your thinking process?

Notice your success. When you learn something new, make a mental note, or write it down even. Point out your problem-solving successes, and you'll have more of them. When you're thinking clearly and effectively, tell yourself, "Look at that brain go!"

Go ahead and make those affirming statements, but why not make them when you are looking at the evidence? Evidence is more convincing than affirmation. Watch, and you'll find examples of progress, however large or small. Focus on these, and remember them. You can start doing this right now. That's how to improve brain function.

Senin, 28 Maret 2011

Viajar por placer

El periodo de viajar en avión no es la experiencia que mas disfrute. Cargar con la valija, pagar el pasaje, la sensación de encierro en el avión entre otras son los negativos de viajar. Sin embargo llegar al lugar de destino es tal recompensa que lo mencionado anteriormente deja de ser relevante.

La posibilidad de conocer nuevos horizontes es siempre un lujo que no todos pueden utilizar. Es sin duda una de mis actividades favoritas, sino la más favorita. Poder conocer otras culturas, nuevas comidas, idiomas, paisajes, negocios, restaurantes, en fin, viajar es para mi muy enriquecedor.

Si decides viajar solo, verdaderamente tiene sus ventajas. Permanentemente tienes la posibilidad de conocer alguien interesante en el avión, charlar con el pasajero a tu lado, o tropezarte con algún amigo de un amigo que se encuentra viajando en el mismo momento.

Viajar asimismo ofrece la posibilidad de desconectarse de los problemas que lo atormentan diariamente. Claro que a pesar de que uno se aleja los problemas no desaparecen, pero desde ya que puedes mirarlos con otra perspectiva y te darás cuenta que lo que lo que veías tan negro quizás es un poco gris!

Mi viaje favorito fue el que hice a Paris con mi mejor amiga. Allí, estuvimos viviendo en la zona de Le Mare, en donde por las noches salíamos a algún boliche de moda y por el día hacíamos turismo absoluto. Desde Notre Dame a Monmatre, hay un sinfín de lugares para recorrer en la ciudad.

Si eliges Europa como destino, es recomendable ir durante primavera o verano y no en invierno, ya que el frió clima y la oscuridad de la tarde no te benefician para caminar y pasear. Sin embargo en la mayoría de los lugares de Europa encontraras calefacción central para no sufrir tanto.

Hay infinidad de lugares para recorrer y viajar. Si decides ir a Italia tienes una variedad culinaria para todos los gustos. Las pastas y pizzas son increibles, y sus paisajes no dejan nada que desear!
En España, Barcelona es la ciudad turística y más cosmopolita; por otro lado Madrid tiene un estilo elegante y sofisticado.
Siempre y cuando viajes con algún compañero o compañera que tengan un estilo e idea similar al tuyo del viaje, buena energía y estén abiertos a nuevas experiencias, te aseguro que te divertirás.

Si te encuentras en un momento de tu vida donde te sientes presionado o estresado, por trabajo, estudio, familia o lo que sea y buscas un escape rápido y certero viajar es la mejor solución. Te abriga la mente, te rejuveneceré el espíritu y volverás con nuevas historias y experiencias para contar!

Minggu, 27 Maret 2011

How to Protest the Online Ban

Protesting the government is not a cast of protesting a company because you do not like a product, this is a case of you trying to change the mind of the government and this can be hard to do, but it can be done.

Before you can even have a chance at holding a successful protest the first thing you should do is to circulate an online petition, this will give you an idea of how many people support your cause and gives you a list of names with phone numbers that you can call to get people to come to your protest.

The next step is to go online and find other groups protesting the new internet gambling act, and see if that group would be willing to join your protest, the more people protesting the online gambling ban the better the chances are of getting the law reversed.

After this you should start a letter writing campaign not only to your local congressmen but to all the Congressmen and see where they stand. Some of them will not be in support of the online gambling ban and will be willing to not only sign your petition but will be hey may be even willing to speak at your protest.

The next step is to plane your protest. The timing of your protest is important if you choose to protest at the Whitehouse you do not want to do it when the president is not there or if you choose to make your stand at congress do not do it at a time they are on a brake, this can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your protest.

Make sure to have a well written press release to the press at least 2 days before the protest to ensure that you will get press coverage. The more people who hear about your protest the more names you can get on your petition.

The point of a petition is to basically let someone know that people are not happy with what they are doing, and if enough people protest the government you can get them to change their decision. This is especially true with a politician. They know thee job depends on votes and if they are going to gain enough votes to secure their job they will do it even if they truly do not agree with it.


You must apply for a permit to protest at least 30 days in advance, or if there are delays you may not have a permit on the day you have told your protesters to show up, to truly insure you have time, apply for the permits at least 60 days in advance.

When applying for the permits you should be able to find out about the rules for setting up any sound equipment you will need so you can make the arrangements for them.

The only thing left to do for your online gambling ban protest is to wait for the big day.

Sabtu, 26 Maret 2011

Why You Never Get What You Truly Want

Many of us, whether we know it or not, live within a prison of our own making. This prison has no metal bars, nor can its walls be seen by the naked eye; however, it is every bit as effective in keeping us from our freedom as a real prison cell. It’s called our comfort zone

Comfort zones can take on a variety of different forms, from the area in which you live and the circle of people with whom you socialise, to the amount of money you earn.

The primary force that keeps you living within your zone is your fear-based belief about what will happen if you move outside it.

Regardless of how ridiculous or unrealistic that belief may be, you will accept it as truth depending on the level of certainty you feel.

Your comfort zone is not really comfortable at all, but is really a virtual prison that keeps you from evolving and growing as a human being.

The bars to that prison are your fears about what may possibly happen if you move beyond them. The key to your freedom therefore lies in the removal of the underlying beliefs that cause those fears to exist.

Just for a moment think about a goal or dream you have that seems somehow out of reach. Now check to see if achieving it requires that you move out of your comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory.

It could be a dream job, a new relationship, starting your own business, losing weight, or living in a totally different part of the world.

As you do this little exercise notice how a subtle feeling of fear or nervousness begins to emerge in your chest or stomach area.

This is your unconscious mind springing into action with the intention of dissuading you from doing anything it perceives may put you in danger.

Most of the time you won’t notice the constant influence your comfort zone plays in your life, and you might find yourself placing the blame for your lack of progress towards your goals on laziness or procrastination.

However, if you stop and consider just for a moment why you can’t seem to get that item crossed off your to-do list, make that phone call, or fill out that application, you will begin to realise the true cause: What you want to do is outside your comfort zone.

It is your beliefs that direct your mind to do this; therefore, in order to break through your self-imposed limitations and achieve the success you desire, you will need to remove them.

Jumat, 25 Maret 2011

If I Only Had One Arm…

Sometimes it is good to reflect on how life would be if you did not have some of the things that are so useful to us but that we take for granted as we live each day. Things like ample amounts of food you will appreciate better if you fast once in a while. Or maybe electricity, which if not available because of a storm or plant failure can literally shut down our world as we know it. We forget how important to our life these things really are. What I want to do is just that—I want to reflect on what my life (really everyone’s life) would be like with the use of only one arm.

Your arm is one of the things that sets you apart in creation from many, many different things. Fish don’t have arms, neither do birds, or snakes, or most four footed creatures. Really monkeys and some rodents (like raccoons) use their front most appendages like arms and they are considered crafty and advanced in a lot of ways. Arms allow us to multi task. We can move about while we manipulate things with our arms deftly and communicate all at the same time. Most animals that don’t have arms have to use their mouth instead which gets in the way of things like communication and breathing and other important tasks. So we would not be as crafty or as good at multi-tasking.

We would not be as capable of hard work with only one arm. It is amazing the difference in the ability of carrying things and manipulating our environment with one versus two versus more sets of hands. This is why the phrase “can you give me an extra hand” is such a commonly used one and why there are so many jobs that provide just that. Just think of all of the jobs that use extra “hands”—surgery techs, carpenters, lab assistants, animal trainers, entertainer sidekicks, police partners, etc. If you don’t have an arm you don’t have a hand let alone an extra one.

You also won’t be able to care for yourself as well. One arm and one hand can’t clean all parts of the body as well. It can’t cook, or feed itself as well. It can’t protect itself or get itself around as well. There just is no end to all of the things in your life that would be severely hampered by only having one upper extremity. This is why an arm is worth so much in lots of insurance policies, more than a leg for instance. So the next time you think you have it rough, tie one hand behind your back and see if your life seems better all of a sudden.

Kamis, 24 Maret 2011

Getting Help For Your Panic Attacks And Other Anxieties

Are you having trouble getting rid of your panic attacks and other anxiety related problems? It is not easy to manage your anxieties, however here are some techniques a person can use to help conquer their panic attacks and other anxiety related symptoms.

The first step is that you should talk to a professional who can get you started in the right path of getting better. Getting help from a counselor or other professional is very important and can provide you much help and insights in dealing with your current problem.

A good way to manage your anxiety is to challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking. When encountering thoughts that make your fearful or anxious, challenge those thoughts by asking yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense.

When overwhelmed with worry, a person may encounter a lot of scary thoughts coming at them all at once. Instead of getting upset, remember that these thoughts are exaggerated and are not based on reality. From my interviews with various professionals, I’ve learned that usually it is the fear behind the thoughts that gets us worked up. Ignore the fear behind these thoughts, and your worry should decrease.

Sometimes, we get stressed when everything happens all at once. Instead of taking it out on someone else a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get your mind off of the problem. A person could take a walk, listen to some music, read the newspaper or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things. This mental timeout can help you refocus on your current situation.

Another thing to remember is that things change and events do not stay the same. For instance, you may feel overwhelmed today with your anxiety and feel that this is how you will feel the rest of the week or month. This isn’t correct. No one can predict the future with 100 Percent accuracy. Even if the thing that you feared does happen there are circumstances and factors that you can’t predict which can be used to your advantage.

As a Layman I realize that experiencing a panic attack is scary. The next time it happens remember to apply some of these techniques you recently learned. The key is to be patient and not to give up. In time, you will be able to cope with your panic attacks.

Rabu, 23 Maret 2011

Get To Sleep Tonight

I used to have problems sleeping. I was always tired and if I accidentally dropped off during the day for so much as five minutes I wouldn’t be able to sleep the following night. Then a friend told me a trick he used to use and I adapted it slightly. Since then I have always been able to use this technique to get to sleep.

To start with, think about your breathing. Keep it regular and slow. As you breath in think to yourself “sea” and as you breathe out think “shore”. Get a rhythm going. While you’re doing this imagine you’re standing at the edge of the sea looking down at your feet. As you breathe in and think “sea” imagine the small waves running over your feet as a small wave breaks and then, as you breathe out and think “shore” imagine the water retreating back to the sea. See the water as it goes back towards the sea and see the sand that is left behind. Feel that your feet are now on their own little mounds of sand as the sea has washed the surrounding sand away. Repeat.

Now, if you’re like me you’ll be thinking of a hundred other things at the same time. Maybe trying to work out what’s for tea, how to pay off your loan, you’ve just remembered the kids need a packed lunch for school the next day, mentally writing a presentation. Perhaps you’ve just finished work, it’s late and you haven’t had time to wind down properly so your head is swimming with figures. Whatever it is you need to concentrate. That might sound silly – having to concentrate to get to sleep. The natural reaction is to try and relax but if you relax all the worries come flooding back and make you more anxious. You need to concentrate on just two words.

It doesn’t matter if you can’t keep your breathing regular. What matters is that you say “sea” and “shore” to yourself as you breathe in and out. Really concentrate. Think the words as loudly as you can to drown out all the other stuff that keeps coming back to you. Also try to see the little waves lapping at your feet and then the sand as they go back out again. Concentrate as hard as you can on keeping the breathing, the words and the pictures all together. Don’t try to add anything else. Don’t try to count how many times you do this before you drop off. Just keep with the breathing, saying and seeing. It should soon settle into a rhythm but you might not notice. You’ll probably be asleep.

Selasa, 22 Maret 2011

Reboot Your Commute

Commuting is one of those things that, if you are doing it, is something that you have to do rather than want to do. And if you have a negative attitude about your commute, it can quickly turn into something that starts to impact more than just the time you spend commuting.

Your attitude about the commute can carry into work, home, and play. When you arrive at work already in an agitated state, you’ll need a cooling off period or your productivity will be lowered. Time is wasted preparing for the commute itself, either by having to hype yourself up or by dragging yourself down. It can also take its toll of your health, whether it is from increased stress or weight gain. Needless to say, commuting takes away from time that you would rather spend on other activities.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you actually looked forward to your commute? It may seem overwhelming to try to picture the commute in a different way, but there are resources out there to help commuters change their perspective and even turn the commute into something positive and productive.

Following a simple program and making small changes is a great way to start turning your commute into a better experience. Programs are good because they provide structure and activities to see you through the needed steps and help you to understand
why the commute affects you adversely and how to change it.

One of the first things to do is think about what it is that drains you about the commute? Is it the time, the crowds, being away from home, fears and risks associated with traveling, or simply the boredom? In order to revert back to a time before the stress of the commute got hold of you, you first need to articulate what about the commute is draining. Then you need to do something about it.

Think of the commute as a tool that allows you to live your life in a better way. For example, instead of saying:

“I hate driving all the way to work. I wish I could retire. What’s the use of having a nice house when I don’t have any time to spend in it?”

You could say: “I commute to work so that I may live where I choose. In this way, I get the best of both worlds, a good paycheck and a good home. I even get to use my commute time in a way that increases my health and wellbeing.”

Figure out what drains you, then you can act on that and move forward to help make your commute a positive force in your life.

Senin, 21 Maret 2011

How to Play Texas Holdem

Texas Holdem has become such a popular Game that most tournaments now days are Texas Holdem games, and there are even 2 or 3 television shows dedicated to the game. Texas Holdem is a 5 card poker game, but instead of each layer being dealt 7 cards, the dealer deals 5 cards in the center of the table, these cards are used by all the players to make the best hand possible. To make your hand each player is also dealt 2 cards and the object is to use the cards in your hand and the ones on the table to make the best hand you can.

There are 5 rounds of Texas Hold’em Poker and they are:
The Pre-Flop
The Flop
The turn
The River
The Showdown

During a Texas Holdem game between each round there is a round of betting, and is when players with bad hands may fold.

In the game of Texas Holdem the first round is the pre flop. During this round the big and the small blinds place their bets, the big and small blinds are the first two players to the dealers left. Before the players are allowed to look at their cards the small blind must place a bet of half the table minimum and the next player who is the big blind must place a bet of the table minimum and then the dealer gives each player their hole cards. The hold cards is the name of the 2 cards each player has that are exclusively theirs, these cards guarantee that each player has a chance to make a better hand then the other players, without them all you would have is the 5 communal cards.

In Texas Holdem the next round is the flop. This is when the dealer deals out the first 3 of the 5 communal cards. It is during this round that most players will fold; betting in this round is usually very conservative because 2 more cards are still needed and betting big on the chances that the cards you need are the ones that will appear is taking a big chance with your money, one that can coast you to bust out of the game early.

The third round is called the turn. The turn is when the dealer puts out the 4th communal card. At this point you can get a good idea of your chances of getting a winning hand and now is when the betting starts to heat up, and more people will drop out of the game.

The river is the last of the 5 cards to be turned over by the dealer. At this point all the cards available to make the hands have been put out, this is also the last time to bet before turning over the cards.

The last round of Texas Holdem is the showdown, this is when all players turn over their cards and a winner is declared.You now have all the information you need to start playing Texas Holdem.

Minggu, 20 Maret 2011

How To Have Fun With Speeches

While most people consider speaking in public worse than a death sentence, it does not have to be so. In fact, public speaking can be a fun and fruitful endeavor in the hands of a speaker with the right mindset.

And the first agenda when it comes to public speaking is to approach it in terms of having fun.

How can you ever have fun speaking to a large audience hanging on to your every word and gesture, you say? The answers are simple.

Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Choose a subject near and dear to your heart. There is no better supplier of knowledge than experience. Your audience knows when you just read off a book and when you’re speaking from having been there yourself.

Frankly speaking, unless you speak with emotional involvement with the subject, you cannot endear yourself to your audience. The audience looks for it, wants to know that whatever they are learning from you is worth their time and effort to listen to.

You want to be earnest, enthusiastic, excited, and persuasive. No other technique does this faster than being personally involved.

2. Capture the feelings you had about the topic. Again, your feelings are the key to a convincing speech and is the ability to project the feelings you had of the subject across the whole audience. Some may not agree with you and some may have felt you could have said it another way. But, none of them will forget you.

Speaking to the public monotonously and indifferently creates a sense of objectivity not appreciated by the audience. The stage is not the time to become dispassionate. Imagine the reason why we patronize movies and theater so much. It is partly because we want to see depth of emotion expressed fully.

As human beings, we need to see humanity in others.

3. Speak and act sincerely. You must approach the speech like a man going to have a good time, not like a man heading for a hanging. No matter what happens, you must have the will to survive with a sense of humor. In this tip, one must find a way to appreciate the situation he is in, and then find a way to turn the tables to his advantage.

The ability to float right-side up when you are down is a great test of personal character more than anything. To act with sincerity in all that you do will permeate his being and will become most noticeable with the audience.

Sabtu, 19 Maret 2011

The Automatic Champion

“Babe” Didrickson Zaharias was a phenomenal athlete. This Texan ran, jumped, rode horses, and played basketball and baseball—with tremendous flair.

In the Olympic tryouts in 1932, she won five first places in track and field events. In the games of that year in Los Angeles, she won a gold medal in the women’s 80 meter hurdles, a gold medal in the javelin throw, and a silver medal in the high jump.

After the Olympics, Zaharias turned to golf. Although she started from scratch, she won the National Women’s Amateur and the British Women’s Amateur.

The press hailed her as a “natural athlete.” They often referred to as an “automatic champion.”

But the real story behind Zaharias fairy-tale success was her painstaking diligence. Her success came from studied repetition. In every sport she undertook, she was methodical, deliberate, and persistent. She was neither “natural” nor “automatic.”

When, for example, she played golf for the first time, she did not automatically master the game. Instead she studied the game carefully, covering all its complex skill sets, under the tutelage of the finest golf teacher she could find. She looked at all the elements of the golf swing, broke it down into parts, then put it all together in a fluid movement.

Besides using an analytical approach to understand the game, Zaharias also locked the information into her motor nervous system through exhaustive practice. She would spend as many as 12 hours a day on the golf course, hitting as many as a thousand balls. Her hands would often becomes so sore that she could hardly grip her club. She stopped only long enough to tape up her hands before picking up the club again.

Zaharias learned to play golf the right way. She started out by hiring an exceptional teacher. She analyzed each part of the golf swing then put them all together in a fluid motion. She practiced for about 12 hours a day. She exercised self-discipline and self-sacrifice. And she didn’t doubt herself. Her previous successes had created an enduring self-confidence. She believed that if she applied herself she would be a golf champion. She proved this belief true.

Zaharias took a risk. She risked her reputation as an athlete by trying something new. She also risked the time and money it cost her to perfect her new sport.

Above all, she was methodical in the way she went about inventing herself as a champion golfer. She chose a gifted teacher, studied all aspects of the game, and put her new knowledge into practice, converting theory into motor learning, coordination, and stamina.

Jumat, 18 Maret 2011

How to Find a Good Inexpensive Hotel

When going on vacation somewhere you have never been it can be hard to find a good quality Hotel working on a budget. So here is a guide to help you find a good place cheap, so you don’t have to worry about where you will stay.

In my life I have done a great deal of traveling, and I have many nightmare stories about the things that have happened to me in some of the cheap hotels I have stayed in. I remember once I was ok a ski trip and half the floor in my room actually dropped about 6 inches. I woke up and my head was lower then the rest of me and was confused for several seconds before I managed to come to my senses. Lucky for me the room was on the first floor. On another trip, the police raided the hotel looking for illegal immigrants, and there was noise all night long. It was probably quiet the next night, but I did not stick around to see.

Finding a good inexpensive hotel should not be a gamble. The best way to find a good hotel is to go to a place you have been before, but assuming that is not an option the next best thing is from someone who has been there.

If you know someone who has been to the same vacation spot as you are planning on going, ask them about the place they stayed, the worst that can happen is they tell you they hated it or that it was too expensive.

But what if no one you know has ever been to where you are going to be? Unless you like to gamble, you can't just make reservations anywhere, if you are looking to gamble on something play blackjack or poker in a casino, but don’t roll the dice with the place you are going to use as your home base for your vacation.

Use the internet to look for hotel reviews. There are many websites that have reviews from people who have stayed in the hotel. Now one mans hell may be another mans heaven, but at least this way you can see that 5 people stayed there and said it was fine and two said it was not good maybe these 2 people were the exception.

Or maybe the two that did not like the hotel were in town for business in an area popular with tourists. This can be an annoying situation when everyone around you is partying and you are trying to sleep, this is one of the reason why no business is conducted in Daytona Beech during Spring Break.

Talking with a travel agent is always a great way to assure your happiness with your lodgings, and helps keep the gambling in the casinos and out of your room.

A good thing to do is to make sure to ask lots of question on the phone with any hotels you are considering staying in.

Kamis, 17 Maret 2011

Life And Sharing

Life is very precious. We take every day as if it does not matter. Most of us do that. Ask a terminal patient, who has been given only few days to live and you will realize the way we all spend our lives without truly valuing it.

Think of your own life. Imagine that you will be die after a week, strongly imagine that and watch your thinking. Your priorities will undergo a very big change. Your first priority may no longer be to finish that office report, but call up few friends and sharing your thoughts with them. Make a list of what all you would wish to accomplish in the next seven days, before you die. You will be surprised at your own list. You will realize the difference between important and urgent immediately. All the urgencies will become secondary and all the important tasks will become primary.

Most of our urgencies relate to small things in our life, but they eat away our vital living. Coming back to the title of this article - sharing, what is it? Watch few married couples, or few couples in love and observe the differences amongst all of them. At one end, you will find couples who share even the smallest incident and detail, who love to tell each other about everything and at the other end, you will find couples, who are not able to open up to each other at all. They keep most of their life to themselves and go through the relationship quite mechanically. Keeping every problem, every emotion and every thought to themselves, the partners do not talk to each other about anything other than what is needed to carry on life. This is a waste of life and this is a waste of a relationship. This kind of life gives no real inner satisfaction. It is a very lonely existence with a pretense of living together.

Life is valuable and it has be enjoyed deeply. For that, a couple has to be so open to each other that each one should know everything about the other. Have you read about twins? You must have. They behave similarly and think similarly. A couple may not be able to reach that level of sharing, but surely somewhere close to that. The problem with most of us is simple - we are all running after a mirage. A mirage of happiness. We believe that more money, more success, more technology and more of everything will gives us more in life. The reverse is true. Living is beyond all this outer paraphernalia. Living means sharing and being truthful to oneself and to each other. Only that living satisfies. Begin thinking that you will die after seven days and start writing about what all you would like to do in this period to get some satisfaction while dying. Your priorities will change dramatically. Please do this and find out what is that in life, which makes your existence vibrant.

Rabu, 16 Maret 2011

Speed Read Faster Than Ever With These 4 Tips

Many people, particularly students, would love to be able to absorb information faster. But before retaining information, they have to go through the first stage of learning, which is reading.

For many individuals who are pressed for time, speed reading has become a necessity. However, it's not just the reading part that is important. Equally essential is for the reader to fully understand the words coming out from the book or paper.

Speed reading can be learned from courses where you Learn the techniques and how to train. It is then important That you keep practicing your speed reading as well as reading comprehention.

Here are some great tips to read and comprehend faster.

1) Relax.

If you're in the stressed mode, it would be much more difficult to concentrate; hence, it would just be a lot harder for the information to sink in.

2) Know what you want.

Focus on the areas that you really need to learn. Some people read all parts of a book, when all they need to know is a specific chapter.

Know your priority. If you need to find out about a certain subject, go to the Table of Contents and search for the heading that best suits your need. If you need to learn more, then adjust accordingly. The important thing is to weed out the stuffs that you don't currently need.

3) Get rid of the structure words.

Did you know that around 60% of the words we read are structure words? Examples are the words "the, or, and." They are essential in the structure of the sentences; but when you ignore them, they basically mean the same thing. They only serve to beautify, yet you can understand what you are reading even without them. Try not to focus too much attention on structure words.

4) Practice, practice, practice.

When I started exercising with weights, I can only lift the lighter ones. As the time goes by, I slowly add more and more weights as my body tends to adjust and become more comfortable carrying heavier ones.

The same concept goes for speed reading. Set a goal. Figure out how fast you can read, then create a plan to increase your ability.

If you can read 200 words per minute, set a goal to read 250 words a minute. After accomplishing this feat, set a goal to read 300 words per minute, and keep increasing the the goal as your speed improve.

Selasa, 15 Maret 2011

Pets: How to Take Care of your Dog

The Bond that can come between a person and a dog can be extremely strong, especially if that bond had been strengthened living with each other for many years, I have personally cried after loosing our family dog that had been like a best friend to me from my birth till I as 15 years old, when he was hit by a car one morning.

Dogs serve many different needs for people. Some people get a dog because they are lonely and need a loyal friend or because they want a dog to protect the home. A dog that is taken good care of and given attention to regularly will give his life to help protect his home and his owner. For the blind a dog can be a pair of eyes to help them get around and for the police a dog can be an important tool and a loyal partner, with a nose that nothing can beat.

The first thing you need to know about taking care of a dog is that dogs need lots of exercise. This is the same for large dogs and small dogs. All dogs need to be let out at least once every 8 hours and should given at least a 20 minute walk to give the dog some fresh air, exercise and a chance to relieve themselves.

It is also important to play with the dog on a regular basis. This can mean going to the park on a weekend or day off and having a good game of fetch, tossing the ball around in your back yard or just wrestling on the ground with the dog, just make sure if you are ruff housing with a little dog that you don’t accidentally hurt the dog. Playing with the dog for a half hour a day, is not only good for the dogs physical health but a dig that is played with regularly is mentally healthier and less likely to become a depressed dog, it also lowers your blood pressure as well and it will form an unbreakable bond between you and your pooch, which will extend to your family if you should start having one after having the dog.

What you feed your dog is very important to the dogs continued good health. The better dog foods will be marked for what are groups the food is appropriate for. Younger dogs need certain vitamins and minerals in larger amounts then an adult dog, and the same goes for an elderly dog they need more calcium in their food to help protect their bones and joints. Feeding your dog the wrong food can stunt the dog's growth and opens the dog to a larger risk of surgery when they are older.

Just like a person a dog should be taken to the veterinarian's office every 6 months, and must receive their shots every year. Regular checkups and vaccinations will also help assure that your dog grows to be an old happy dog.

Senin, 14 Maret 2011

Finding And Overcoming The Source Of Your Fears And Stresses

A sure way to overcoming your fears and anxieties is in finding the source of your fears and being able to manage it. In dealing with any kinds of fears or anxieties, try to learn what is the real source of your fears and anxieties. Knowing what is causing your anxieties can go a long way in finding the solution.

A person can find the source of his or her own fears by doing some self evaluation and also by talking to a professional. Asking yourself questions such as: “Why am I afraid” or “What is causing my anxiety” will lead you in the right direction in finding the source of your fears. Give it some time and eventually you will find the answers your looking for.

Once you find the true source of your fears, the next step is to find the solutions that will solve your problem. With the help of a professional, write down a list of possible techniques and solutions that you think will manage your fear and anxieties. The next step is to apply the techniques that you uncovered. Here is a brief list of some techniques you can use to help deal with your fears.

A good way to manage your worry is to challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking. When encountering thoughts that make your fearful or anxious, challenge those thoughts by asking yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense.

When facing a current or upcoming task that overwhelms you with a lot of anxiety, the first thing you can do is to break the task into a series of smaller steps. Completing these smaller tasks one at a time will make the stress more manageable and increases your chances of success.

Sometimes we encounter a scary situation that gets us all upset. When encountering these events, always remember to get all of the facts of the given situation. Gathering the facts can prevent us from relying on exaggerated and fearful assumptions. By focusing on the facts, a person can rely on what is reality and what is not.

Many people try to get rid of their anxieties and fears without taking into consideration why they are afraid. As a layman, I learned that the best way to get rid of your fears is to find those techniques that will manage the true source of your fears. If you can do this, then you should be able to overcome your fears and anxieties.

Minggu, 13 Maret 2011

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Is A State, Contingent Upon Happening Of An Event

When stress is qualified with two additional words, traumatic on the left side and disorder on the right side, what can happen to an individual? It is not only the situation that you have to face; it is an ordeal that you have to undergo.

It is not a disease in itself. Post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a state, contingent upon happening of an event. It depends upon the intensity of the incident, and the level of your response to it. Feeling of danger to life is one of the worst types of traumatic stress disorders one may have to undergo.

Our soldiers are but human beings. There is a limit beyond which the human mind would say, “Well, this is the limit. Beyond this I can not bear. This is demonic.” The dastardly war-scenes might trouble his memory, repeatedly. Even if you are not the direct sufferer, the impact of the suffering of others, watching a serious accident, a natural calamity like Tsunami, or a violent terrorist attack, a devastating fire- all these could lead to PTSD.

The following factors may also contribute to PTSD:

1. Flashbacks that create intense impact in your mind.
2. Highly disturbing memories.
3. Feelings of guilt.
4. Panic attacks.
5. Panoria.

The treatment for PTSD varies from individual to individual. It depends upon his mental and intellectual levels-his capacity to understand and bear the strain. Post-traumatic stress disorders can cause flashbacks, which are vivid, and disturbing memories of the event.

The person with PTSD is helpless individual and requires sympathy and understanding. Tactful handling of the person is required to create fresh hopes in his life. Efforts must be made to cultivate in him deep understanding of life. Counseling on socio-spiritual topics is likely to give positive results in his disposition. His emotional numbness will have to be tackled. The person needs to be told that he has a purpose in life and he must fulfill it, by positive thinking. There are many cases in this world, which are worse than his, he needs to be emphatically but politely be told.

The attack of PTSD is difficult to predict. It may be immediate, one month after the event, sometimes, it might happen after years.

Transformation Old to New or New to Old

Copyright 2006 Marshall House

I like to think of transformation as a big word for big change. Of course, everything in life is always changing, always transforming. Without change, there is no life. Even if something seems stationary or stuck, it is still moving or evolving. Sometimes you are an instrument of the change, sometimes you are a witness of the change. Change happens in you, around you, through you, and as you.

In my view, the transformation that happens in small increments is far more deep and lasting than the transformation that happens in quantum leaps. Quantum leaps may seem dramatic and powerful, and can certainly get your attention. However, I find that those events that are called "quantum leaps" are either the culmination of a lot of little changes or the beginning step in a series of steps that can facilitate deep and lasting change.

I think sometimes people get confused about what is old and what is new. I know sometimes I do. Here is one view I hold about oldness and newness: I often label something new which is, in truth, very old or original or foundational. For example, the new paradigm of business is the application of what I consider to be old values that have been lost in the maze of competition, greed, pressures, and false beliefs. Allowing spiritual principles to be expressed more openly is new for many groups of persons, yet is an ancient idea.

In putting together this article, I considered a number of dichotomies besides new/old that might convey what I want to say; for example, I considered, familiar/unfamiliar, obsolete/recent, outgoing/incoming, preferred/not-preferred, old (or current) paradigm/new paradigm, and it/not it. I chose new/old because that dichotomy conveys a sense of movement through time. The change from old to new (or new to old) is usually not so much a matter of age, but a matter of movement or transformation. The key is a change in form. Energy moves from one form through or to another (trans ' form ' action).

No matter what dichotomy you might choose, I strongly recommend that you not make one polarity right and other wrong, nor one bad and the other good. Right/wrong and good/bad dichotomies are filled with human judgments that tend to keep you stuck in false beliefs, re-creating dynamics you do not like or prefer. Instead of rejecting either the new or the old, honor each so that its energy (current) can be available for your present experiences. Transformation requires movement.

Sabtu, 12 Maret 2011

Today is an Opportunity, Hear the Knocking

Copyright 2006 Marshall House

Opportunity is knocking. Opportunity is knocking all the time. All the time. Listen.

Sometimes you may not hear the knocking. Or you may hear, see, or sense it and then ignore or discount it. You may, for example, be preoccupied with the absence of the opportunity you desire. You may think that you are giving your attention to the opportunity you desire, but if you are complaining or feeling sad that it is not present, then you are focused on its absence. Preoccupation with absence, allows absence to expand. Preoccupation with the absence of your heart's desires can be very disempowering.

Desires are an essential part of life. In fact, without desires there is no life. Desires lead you to opportunity and/or help opportunity to find you. When you hold a space for whatever you desire to experience in your life, you invite in the opportunity with your readiness and eagerness. It is helpful that you identify what is an opportunity for you. Remember, what is an opportunity for someone else may not be an opportunity for you. Your own personal empowerment is entirely in your hands.

The more confident and hopeful you are, the more likely you will be able to listen for and hear the knocking of opportunity. Finding ways to be more hopeful about any aspect of life can make you more ready to let in new opportunities.

You might consider preparing yourself and your space in the same way you would prepare your physical space for an honored guest. You can clean your living space and clear your thinking so that you can feel good about opportunity’s presence. If you want to hear the opportunity when it knocks, fine-tune your hearing and other senses. The very best way to recognize the opportunity is to be happy. Happiness is the key to resonating with the opportunity that you have defined as one of your heart's desires.

So, consider, what opportunity are you ready for in your life? Do you know? Is it joy? Is it Peace? Is it Abundance? Is it Friendship? Is it Celebration? Is it livelihood? Is it all of the above? There's no need to limit yourself. Listen for the knocking of opportunity.

Invite in the Peace and Joy and Friendship and anything else you want to experience. Be specific or be general. Be clear about the essence of what you desire, relax, and let it in. Listen, open and receive.

Today is an opportunity. In my view, each moment, each situation, each second, is an opportunity. Listen for the knocking of opportunity.

Improving How You Speak In Public

Feeling less confident when speaking in public? Here are some tips to boost your confidence in public speaking.

Tip no. 1. You should have eye contact with the audience all the time.

Tip no. 2. You should just relax. You know now by heart what you intend to say. Just do it.

Tip no. 3. If you can, use visual aids. This could help the people listening to you understand more of what you want to say. They get your concepts in an instant. Keep your visual aids simple. If, for example, you don’t have the visual, then just remember to use words that would describe succinctly your point.

Tip no. 4. Why not give handouts to the audience? This would serve as their copy of your speech or at least the points you are tackling. They would feel that you gave them something that is free. Be simple and clear on what you say in the handout. Too many words and technical research could turn people off.

Tip no. 5. Do not think of how you can survive the speech, but on how
you can do your speech brilliantly.

Tip no. 6. Improving your speech unity and coherence would help your listeners understand your points and would help you be more confident in nailing down that speech. It pays to list down all the points you want to say, and arrange them in a logical, coherent order. So, for example, you are speaking in favor of stem cell research, enumerate your reasons why it is so, and close your speech with a conclusion.

Tip no. 7. Change the tonality and speed of your voice every now and then during the presentation. If you need to, convey energy. If you are emphasizing a point, slow down emphatically. If you are excited or angry about something, let your listeners feel that you are actually excited or angry about it.

Tip no. 8. Check out the various books available on how to present excellently. There are many books that are available that can help you boost your confidence in speaking in front of many people. There are also websites available on the Internet that give some tips on how to present brilliantly.

Speaking before a group of people can be intimidating, but once you get the hang of it, it is greatly satisfying and great fun. Once you have learned to enjoy your presentations or even a part of these presentations, your confidence in yourself will greatly increase.

Jumat, 11 Maret 2011

The Importance Of Celebration

There are many important things in life. Learning, growing, loving, and exploring are all things that each person should take time for. Celebration is another thing that everyone should take time for. Celebration adds an excitement and a lot of fun to life.

Celebration can happen for a variety of formal or informal reasons. Probably most people have gone to a celebration in honor of someone's birthday, wedding, or the birth of a new baby. There is something deep inside humanity that loves to celebrate the best things in life. We love a good Christmas or Fourth of July celebration or other celebrations that mark special holidays or family traditions.
Celebration doesn't have to be reserved for the biggest events or holidays of the year though. Because the majority of our days are spent doing trivial tasks like working or cleaning our homes, we all need things to look forward to. Celebrations of all kinds give us the excitement to keep making it through days that seem purposeless. Have you ever felt like life was a little too routine? I'm confident that by the time the next holiday or birthday celebration rolled around you were grateful for the change of pace.

Celebration allows us to relax and unwind in the midst of busy and crazy lives. We use celebrations as an excuse to gather with the friends and family that mean that most to us. We also enjoy celebrations because they allow us to remember the things in life that truly matter. As we celebrate, we allow the stresses of life to fall behind and we spend our time doing things we love with the people we love. There is something about a great celebration that reminds us of the purpose of our life and of the power of our closest relationships.

Think of ways to incorporate celebrations of all kinds into your life. Make a big deal out of birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries. Throw huge celebrations for Thanksgiving, Christmas or other holidays that are important to your religious beliefs. One of the biggest keys to getting the most out of life is to have celebrations for no real reason at all. Just invite your friends over, cook great food and spend a few hours playing games that cause laughter and build friendship.

Perhaps the best thing about celebration of any kind is that it makes our lives richer and more full.

Kamis, 10 Maret 2011

The Hideous Poison of Anger

When asked what gets in the way of communication most often, anger comes up. Moreover, the anger is often related to a perception of a situation that may not even be accurate. That is why anger can be a poison that sucks you in.

Judgment and ridicule can set in. Your breathing starts to change and becomes shallow and significantly faster. This pattern lowers the oxygen level in the brain, which increases the irritability, impulsivity and leads to confusion and behaviours such as threatening, yelling or hitting.

Your brain then starts searching for other reasons to be angry to justify how it feels.
By looking for reasons that can make other people bad or wrong, the mind believes it offsets or even justifies its own actions, thinking and beliefs.

It then sets up vibrations of energy that attracts more of the same and other people of the same nature. Your brain can then literately filter out anything contrary to the raging thoughts that it now feels.

All communication has stopped at this point. The other person is now defensive and on guard against the onslaught of verbal and possibly physical attacks from the other person. They no longer see this person as rational. They give no credibility to anything the other person is saying. In most instances, they are in protection mode and not even paying attention to anything the angry person is saying.

If they get angry them self, it increases the rage and adds more fuel to the fire. They now look for past behaviours that can explain the actions of the angry person. If they remember any previous angry behaviour, it is easy to conclude that the other person always gets angry.

It is important for both parties to take a time out and reflect on what the original issue was and what they wanted to relay. Try to look at, just what are the important issues and what isn’t important. Having give and take in the communication can go far is resolving issues. They could also reflect on how and why the anger built up. What about this issue brought up the anger. How does this relate to any past issue. What are the feelings that I have around this.

In most cases, anger is a secondary emotion. It can mask fear, whether it is a fear of loss or needing control of a situation. Being clear on why you reacted and can go along way in resolving the intense feelings and help you to focus on the issue at hand. Then the communication can proceed towards understanding and resolution.

Rabu, 09 Maret 2011

How to Concentrate in 4 Magic Steps

One of the main problems that deter a person's success is their lack of concentration. Lapses encourage disturbances to get in the way and stall progress. If ones wishes to proceed on their road to success, it is imperative they learn how to concentrate. Here, we show you some easy to learn exercises that are easy to implement.

1) Silence or Noise:
Most people cannot concentrate when it is too noisy, but others work better with music or others in the midst of a crowded room. If you are not aware as yet what best suits you, then try out the different environments. How? Take a notepad and a pencil or pen with you and try and write down a letter in all the three circumstances in a set amount of time. Ten minutes. That is all you will need to determine where your source of concentration lies. How? Check not only for length but also for development as that is more important.

2) Focal Point:
Every morning, before you leave for work or on the way, stare at any object for ten minutes. You can do this while in the toilet, car or bus. You will find this difficult, but whatever happens, do not move your gaze away. Hold it. Wait. And then, as the minutes pass you will find yourself deeply meditating about things that happened to you yesterday or challenges you have to face in a few minutes. Congratulations. You have just conquered the art of meditation.

3) Deep Breathing:
In the beginning, you can do this while staring at the object from tip number two, but if you wish to move towards real concentration, do this separetly. Sit down on the floor. If its hard, place a cushion. Close your eyes. Breathe. Count the number of inhales. When you have reached 100, start counting backwards but this time count the exhales. Mastering this will take you a while, but once you do move on to other kinds of mathemathical calculations such as naming the months of the year from December backwards or alphabetically. After that, make up exercises as you like.

4) Movement:
Focus on an animal: cat, dog or even ant or bird. Follow their every movement as if they exist in a vaccumm. Study every tiny spot on their body. The point of this is to learn how to diversify your concentration in such a way that movement does not deter you from your goal.

Conclusion:
Practice the above four tips and like magic, you will start enjoying life to its fullest because you will be able to focus on the things you want to focus on and disregard those that disrupt. Practive the above tips daily and you will be that much more closer to achieving your dreams and goals. Best of Luck!

Selasa, 08 Maret 2011

Free stolen and lost car checks now available to UK motorists buying used cars.

Motorists no longer have to pay to find out if the used car or motorbike they are about to purchase is one of more than 300,000 cars and motorbikes stolen each year in the UK.

Checkmyfile.com has launched the UK’s first free, online Police Stolen Vehicle Check, sanctioned by The Police Information Technology Organisation – a government agency that provides information technology, communications systems and services to the Police.

Barry Stamp, Joint Managing Director of checkmyfile.com, the UK’s leading online credit reporting agency, says, “When a consumer buys a used car, there is always the big fear it may have been stolen. Because of the way our laws work, many have lost both their new car and their money because they didn’t check if the car they were about to buy was stolen.

“Now a quick, free check of the police lost or stolen database, on checkmyfile.com, will help to cut the number of people who fall victim to buying stolen cars. If a member of the public has bought a car recently they can also gain peace of mind by checking it isn’t stolen.”

The latest car theft index, produced by the Home Office, states that 282,816 cars and 50,591 motorbikes were stolen, in England, Scotland and Wales in the latest recorded year.

Government statistics show small saloon cars were the most likely type of car to be targeted by thieves, with around 12 in every thousand registered being stolen. People carriers and 4x4s had half that risk with 6 in every thousand being stolen.

Cars registered more than 13 years ago were the most likely to be stolen, according to Home Office figures, with a theft rate of 31 per 1000 registered. Vehicles registered between 1997 and 2002 were at the least risk of being stolen, with just 5 in every 1000 being stolen.

Scooters and mopeds were the most targeted motorbikes, with low powered motorbikes under-5-years-old having a theft rate of 85 per 1000, making up 60 per cent of motorbike thefts in the UK. Motorbikes were much more likely to be stolen than cars, with 37 per 1000 being stolen, in comparison to 10 per 1000 for cars.

Checkmyfile.com’s free online service can also be used to check the number plates of cars that have been parked unattended in residential streets for unduly long periods or any suspicious vehicle. If required, prospective purchasers can also go on to purchase further vehicle checks to ensure that the car is as recorded at the DVLA, is not an insurance write-off and has no HP or finance outstanding against it.

Senin, 07 Maret 2011

Learning To Manage Your New Life

When you’re a new mother, life can seem overwhelming. Your life is full of new responsibilities, yet the old ones haven’t gone away. This is a period of adjustment, so recognize it as such. Here are some ideas to help you cope with this transition period, and create the life you envision.

First, set your priorities. There will be many days when you just can’t get everything done, so know in advance which things carry the most importance. Care of your baby is, of course, the first priority, and in order to do that, you may have to let some things slide. But, each of us is different, and so is our tolerance of leaving things undone. For instance, I have three children, and I hate it when we resort to feeding them fast food. So, cooking a good dinner has always been a priority for me. In order to do this, some days the house is a wreck, but feeding my family a healthy dinner is more important to me than seeing that all the toys are put away. You need to decide what works for you personally.

Secondly, ask for help when you need it. Very often, people are very willing to help, but they’re not sure what to do. Tell your husband what chores he could take over for you that would have the most impact. Do you have older children that are old enough to take over more household responsibility? Mothers are notorious for doing things for their children that the kids are perfectly capable of handling. Not only will assigning chores to your children help you out, it will also teach them some valuable lessons in responsibility.

Next, be sure to network with other women in your situation. If you’re staying home, find other stay at home moms to socialize with and swap babysitting. If you’re a working mom, get to know other working moms and spend some time with them. Talking to other women who have the same issues can keep you sane!

Finally, take time for yourself. All you will accomplish by working yourself nonstop is fatigue. Be sure to get away from your duties as a Mom to do some of the things you enjoyed before you had children. Go on dates with your husband, and hang out with your girlfriends. Continue to pursue your hobbies, or get some new ones. Being a Mom does change your life, but it doesn’t have to take over your life.

Minggu, 06 Maret 2011

New Thoughts

New thoughts can come from taking a new perspective on things. One way to do that is to challenge the assumptions that exist. For example, is love really a feeling of desire or attachment? This is a common assumption, but what if we challenge this?

New Thoughts on Love

Desire and attachment can be strong feelings, and they are often called love in certain contexts. However, attachment can be for bad reasons too, right? Desire too can come from less than noble places. What is an alternative definition of love?

How about a recognition of value? Seeing the inherent value in a person, like the beauty you see in a painting or hear in a melody. You do not need to be attached or even desirous of beauty to enjoy it. You just have to recognize it. The enjoyment that you take in another's existence then could be a definition of love. At least the emotion.

Love is more than an emotion though. How much love does a mother have for her children if she feels fond towards them, but doesn't feed them? Love in this context has to include action, doesn't it?

This points up the real problem with defining concepts like love. There are seven or eight or perhaps a hundred things we want to communicate. They are each different, yet we have just one word for them. Maybe rather than re-defining love we need to create a dozen new words. Now there's an area for some new thoughts.

Random New Thoughts

Another way to have new thoughts is to just look for new ideas to replace old ones. Then you expand on the new idea, to see what value you might find in it. Here are some examples of new thoughts, without expanding on them (help yourself).

- Why do we encourage uniformed people to vote? Maybe it's better to encourage people NOT to vote, unless they are willing to educate themselves on the issues.

- Is multi-tasking really a sign of efficiency? Maybe the fact that we need to be so busy just to get what we want shows that our actions aren't effective enough.

- Why can't we pay less for a surgeon who kills more people on the operating table? Why not recognize that there are better and worse doctors, have that information available, and pay accordingly?

- How about wonder instead of faith? Faith is just believing without reason. Wonder is to marvel at the world and accept that we don't have reasons or explanations for everything.

Finally, what if our level of creativity, and ability to have new thoughts isn't just something that is set at birth. What if it is a systematic process, one that may not be recognized by those who use it, but can be identified and copied? All of us can train ourselves to have creative new thoughts.

Sabtu, 05 Maret 2011

What is fear in a nutshell?

Copyright 2006 Pauline Houle

I will address the difficulty that many human beings face when fear is the main emotion that is in charge of their life. Why are some persons caught in the midst of their fears while others appear to have none?

In My Beauty & My Beast, Mind, Body and PMS, I have written profusely about fears. Mainly, what I am going to do here, is simplify and look at the different phases of fear and explain it in four steps.

We all have this Primal, instinctual fear after we are born that if no one took care of us, we would die within hours at best.

Then, we have what is called the Initial Fear when we start something or attempt a new action for the first time. Our old brain has a split second fear happening in all of us. We sometimes will stop breathing for a second or two until we realize that we can do this, and at least allow sufficient practice time to become better and comfortable at it.

To continue, if we do not conquer and master this initial fear but rather let it control us, it becomes a Jailor Fear that handicaps our movements, our thoughts and behavior. We might as well become afraid of everything as it happens to some people. They then become jailed by their fears; growing and expanding their life becomes impossible.

Last, we all have what Tony Robbins calls a Counselor Fear which we should respect as being a guide telling us to do or not to do something; it is a guide of higher knowledge; it is not a proof that we are lacking fear, it is a guiding courage that lets us know we have to conquer the initial fear.

How to heal those fears?

Some paths are there for you to explore; I encourage you to dig deep and find out what you are afraid about and whom are you insecure with. How does it influence your whole life? Some events from your childhood will be at the core of these fears and sometimes it will simply be your family education. If I had followed my mother's fears, I would have done nothing I was called for.

You owe it to yourself to do some cleanup otherwise you become the puppet of your fears! And further more, you continue being the slave and possibly teach your children to be afraid, hence reproducing more of the same.

I encourage you to really seek help if you need to do so for it is often times very difficult to dig by ourselves for fear of losing our life. But remember, that is just a fear. "Fear is like a scarecrow; when the birds land on it, nothing happens."

Jumat, 04 Maret 2011

Deflate Objections In 15 Seconds

Does this symphony sound familiar?

You are too!

Am not!!

You are TOO!

AM NOT!

YOU ARE ALSO!!

AM NOT!!

Familiar? It's how kids argue. I'm sure you've tried this mode of arguing decades back.

Children, when pointed out that they are "xxx", tend to retaliate that their accuser is also "xxx" The accuser then balks, because people hate having their arguments thrown back at them. It's human nature and this demonstrates the Reflexivity Principle of Argumentation.

By applying a belief statement back to the person asserting it, we test the applicability of that belief within an equitable context. By equitable context, I mean that what's good for the Gander should also be good for the Goose. This determines the universality of the statement. If, by throwing an argument back to its issuer, we observe a resistance, then this could indicate a presence double standards. This surely makes the argument IRRATIONAL, and NON-UNIVERSAL.

Let's see this in play.

She says, " You're always with your officemates. Obviously you don't like me anymore"

To counter this with Reflexivity , you apply her argument back to her by saying, "My dear, you spend at least 3 hours a day with your friends after work. Does this imply that you love me less now as well?"

She will then see the irrationality of her argument.

Let's try another.

Mark says, "The Bush Administration wastes so much time bickering, debating and arguing. Obviously this country is going nowhere. Such a waste of time!"

So you come to the good ole US of A's defense by saying, "I see.... so shall I assume that your business will never prosper either? Your Board spends a lot of time deliberating and debating. I observed that you, as Chairman, even seem to enjoy this and you goad them on! Now despite all that bickering, your company grows 10% per annum. Mark, I'm sure you're already aware of the value of debate. Healthy deliberation illuminates multiple avenues of action. That's what your Board does. That's what the Bush administration accomplishes."

Okay, let's put this to practice. Someone brave, come to the front; volunteer 10 arguments.

Then let's have someone else come up with ten counter arguments using this principle.

Have fun!

Kamis, 03 Maret 2011

How To Relax For Five Minutes Every Day

Moms and dads need to relax, but many of us have never been taught the most efficient ways to clear the brain! Many people use their sofa and TV to help them 'switch off and relax'. In reality, television programs can suspend you in stress for hours, with depressing or thrilling storylines, violence and madness! This article will show you how to relax in just 5 short minutes.

True relaxation is achieved when all tensions and thoughts are eliminated. Inside, you are calm, peaceful, yet alert and focused. You are in control and feel the strength of just 'being'. The good news is, anyone can do it.

The aim is not to escape from stress momentarily for a 'breather', it is to develop the ability to maintain normal breathing and heart rate, so that you can stay calm and in control, in any given situation.

All you need is between 5 and 20 minutes of personal time to slip away somewhere quiet…

1. Switch off your phone, ask others not to disturb you

2. Sit or lie comfortably

3. Just as if you were switching off all the lights in a huge supermarket at the end of the day, switch off all your thoughts

4. Close your eyes - the darkness is soothing

5. Now focus on the sensation of your breathing, feel the rise and fall of your inhale and exhale, listen to the air coming in and out of your body

6. Feel how your body feels

7. Don't try to alter your breathing, it will change naturally as you sink deeper into the experience

8. If thoughts slip into your mind, gently bring your awareness back to your breathing

This is all you need to do to relax your body and mind. It's THAT simple. To really benefit you need to practise this 'breathwork' on a daily basis.

After a few days of using this simple technique, you should begin to feel the rejuvenating powers of true relaxation.

After a few months - broader benefits will become apparent - improved health, improved relationships, better concentration and memory.

But don't stop there! With practice, it is possible to achieve this feeling of peace and calm at any time, enabling you to remain focused and composed even under pressure. Staying calm in a stressful situation is like having night vision when the lights go out - you have a great advantage!

(c) Copyright Kim Beardsmore

Rabu, 02 Maret 2011

Of Morality And Integrity- A True story

Recently in India, a news appeared. The news was not shocking but must be given a second thought. A sex worker had not told her daughter about her profession and saved enough money to send her daughter for higher education to Australia. After daughter came to know the source of mother's income, the report says that the mother and daughter have come closer.

This story has great human touch of a sacrificing mother saving for her daughter to keep her daughter away from the profession she was involved in. Ok till now. What about the daughter? Should she agree to go abroad and study and let her mother continue in the profession she so hates? Should she use the money from the profession so hated by the mother that the mother has decided to keep her daughter away from it any cost? Should the daughter not persuade the mother to donate all the collected money, begin earning honorably and keep her mother away from a profession her mother feels is dishonorable?

Will the daughter come back from Australia and begin earning well, and then ask her mother to stop? Will she study happily till then all the time realizing what her mother is doing? What value for such education when the person has no values? What
value for such money that is considered dishonorable by the mother? What value for such a relationship where every thought and decision is massively confused?

If moral and right living is the goal then the daughter should ask the mother to immediately stop what she has been doing. Refuse to touch the money and help mother come out of this moral confusion. Nothing moral and good ever came out from immoral acts. No strong building can be constructed on the foundation of sand.

We sometimes forget that good life requires sacrifices. Nothing good comes out comfortably. Life is complex and takes tests at every step. Please think about this story again, and imagine of the past and future of such people and such relationships. A non-integral person never gets any peace. A non-integral person can never give any peace. A liar and a dishonest person can never preach stories of honesty.

Both the mother and the daughter should come to term with mother's deeds. Atone for the perceived sins of the mother and get on with a life that teaches frugal living but honest and moral earning. Please remember that prostitution is a dishonorable profession. This though has not come from me, but from the mother herself. Moral questions do not have easy answers. Please read this story again and decide about the moral questions that are present in front of the mother and the daughter.

Selasa, 01 Maret 2011

I'm Working On The Chinese Characters

I couple of years ago I went through somewhat of a depression. I guess that is fairly normal, but I ended up going to see a counselor to talk through my issues. Being a counselor myself, it felt kind of strange at the beginning, but I did it anyway. Why? I guess because I am a firm believer that sometimes healing comes only as we get outside of ourselves and share with others. Anyway, one of the first things my counselor suggested that I do was make a list of things that intrigued me and that I'd like to learn about. Ever since then, I have been working my way through my list. I guess it is sort of my life goals in a way. I'm currently working on memorizing and being able to write the Chinese characters.

Learning how to write the Chinese characters was somewhere in the middle of my list. I'm not sure what exactly inspired me to include it on my to-do list except that I've been to China once and I still cannot get over how beautiful the written Chinese characters are. So their beauty intrigued me enough to want to learn them. So last fall I enrolled myself in an introduction to Chinese class and began plugging away at learning the Chinese characters.

The Chinese characters have proven to be as hard to master as they look. I thought they would come easily for me since I have at least a little bit of artistic talent. But no. They didn't. I have had to really discipline myself and practice consistently to grasp even the most simple Chinese characters. Many friends have suggested that I just quit because they know that I don't have any intention of ever learning how to speak or communicate the language.

There is something in me that cannot quit learning the Chinese characters though. Maybe it is because I am really trying to learn commitment to even small things and because I am trying to accomplish all of my goals. I just know that when my counselor suggested that working towards goals we care about can be really healing for people, I took her words to heart and have found that they are true. I have found a great amount of healing by focusing in on the things I want to see happen in my life. Even small things like learning to write the Chinese characters have taught me so much about myself.