As a kid, I was exposed to a strong reading culture. Although my parents were not well educated, they clearly understood the importance of reading and our house was full of books. I remember visiting friends’ houses and being amazed at how little books they had around!
The benefits of reading are enormous, and we could probably come up with hundreds, but for me, there are a few benefits that really stand out. Let's talk about the benefits and then I'll discuss how to fit reading into your busy, non-stop life.
I suppose most of us would agree that reading is a beneficial thing, but making time for reading can be a real challenge. Here are a few things I’ve found useful in trying to build this rewarding habit.
It’s a shame that our education systems so often turn kids off books, but if you’re enjoying reading, then you’re likely to keep doing it, so go and find a book you love!
Like so many other people, I spend a lot of time ‘reading’ on the Internet. The benefit of the Internet is that I have access to an enormous amount of information and can access it with an ease which would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. But there is a downside, of course – there is so much information that I easily get distracted, and end up flicking from one site to another, never really reading anything in detail.
So the first bit of advice I would give for really getting into a serious reading habit is – switch off the computer! Pick up a real book, sit down and start to read.
I keep several books by my bedside and I usually read a chapter before I turn out the lights. This can be a really good way to end the day – it distracts you from any problems you might have had during the day so that your mind can settle down, and can make you feel sleepy.
Carry a light paperback around with you. When you find yourself waiting for something, on the train or bus, or just bored, you can get the book out. Reading will alleviate your boredom and can make your journey fly.
Yes, they’re still out there! Libraries have changed a lot in recent years and are now hubs of information. But the main activity of the library is still to provide books, and there is little more enjoyable than spending a couple of hours perusing the shelves, delving into the pages and choosing a few really good reads.
It’s important that reading is not a chore: it should be a real pleasure – something to look forward to! I remember, as a teacher in the UK, witnessing the endless initiatives to get kids to read. They almost never met with much success. And then, suddenly, everyone was reading – kids, adults, old people – sitting in cafes and on railway stations and airports, sitting on benches and walls and even on the floor – just reading. Why? Harry Potter had somehow managed to inspire a huge chunk of the population. People found that reading the Harry Potter books was enjoyable, and so they were busily turning page after page while the world went by.
Written on 3/31/2010 by Mark Harrison. Mark Harrison writes about personal growth, communication, and increasing personal wealth. Check out his new book, Thirty Days to Change Your Life.
Today I want to talk about the seven most motivational quotes ever spoken (or written). Why? Because motivation is the key to success! I like what Zig Ziglar said about motivation, he said, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”
Motivation is something you need everyday. It's motivation that pushes you forward when you want to collapse; it's motivation that lights the end of the tunnel. If life is a road trip, then motivation is the engine that will take you to your destination. Nothing happens without motivation. Have you been motivated today?
Here are the seven most motivational quotes ever written or spoken, I’ve subtitled them, and given them some commentary, I hope you enjoy.
The 7 Most Motivational Quotes
Thank you for reading and be sure to pass this article along.“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do” --Marianne Williamson, A Return To Love
If not you, then who? We are taught as children that others are great, and that we are not, so I ask the question, “Where do the “great” come from?”
I submit to you that the great arise from the most mundane of places; the great are those who refuse to remain as they are; the great are those who believe in their greatness.“The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart, this you will build your life by, and this you will become.” --James Allen, As a Man Thinketh
The thoughts that you harbor in your mind, the ones that you continually give your attention to, those thoughts will eventually become your life.
If you see yourself as a success, then you will become a success; whatever you consistently ponder, you will become.“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”--Helen Keller
Whatever your dream, go after it; never settle for a life of quiet desperation, never become a realist. John Eliot said, “As soon as anyone starts telling you to be “realistic,” cross that person off your invitation list.” Your life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.“The fishing is best where the fewest go, and the collective insecurity of the world makes it easy for people to hit home runs while everyone else is aiming for base hits. There is just less competition for bigger goals. If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is, too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.”-- Timothy Ferris, The Four Hour Work Week
Someone has to be successful, someone has to write the next bestseller, someone has to be number one, someone has to be on the best, why not you! As the famous poem goes, “You have all that the greatest of men have had, two hands, and two feet.”“I do not have superior intelligence or faultless looks. I do not captivate a room or run a mile under six minutes. I only succeeded because I was still working after everyone else went to sleep.”--Greg Evans
Keep working, and keep working, and keep working towards your goal, eventually you will get there. The key is to remain focused on your goal! I like what J.C. Penny said, he said, “Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal, and I will give you a stock clerk.”“You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they wanna tell you, you can’t do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.”--Will Smith in the Movie: Pursuit of Happyness
There will always be “little men” telling you “how you can’t, why you can’t, and how you’re going to fail when you try.” But if you have a dream, go after it; never let someone tell you what you can’t do. You can do whatever you believe you can do.“The greatest achievement was at first, and for a time, but a dream.” --Napoleon Hill
The largest tree was once a tiny seed. There was a time when Microsoft wasn't on any computers; there was a time when Michael Jordan had never scored in a basketball game. Never despise small beginnings, every success starts small. So stay focused, if your focus is steady, you will succeed!
Written on 3/30/2010 by Mr. Self Development who is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth; support him by visiting his blog at mrselfdevelopment.com or by subscribing to his feed.
5 Effective Tips on Removing The Obstacles to Your Success
Posted by SoMeOnE at 3:40 AM Labels: Business
One of the fastest ways to success is to remove the obstacles in front of you. These obstacles can be anything from mental roadblocks to office politics and making them move in the direction you want is not always easy and it certainly isn't fast.
I am not here to tell you exactly what to do because that won't work; your world is much different than mine. I am, however, here to share my experiences with you so you can take what I have learned and apply portions of it where it makes sense in your life. Going in, understand that reading is never enough to achieve success. If you're going to skim this article and then do nothing, your life won't change. You have to take action and you have to fail an incredible amount of times until something happens. There are exceptions of course, but I think you catch my drift.
If you only learn one thing from this article, that alone is enough and it will have an impact on your life. With all that said, here are my five effective tips on removing obstacles to success:
The simpler you can make something, the easier it will be for you to succeed. If you buy a course that has been proven to work for thousands of people, you will succeed, if you follow the instructions.
I know I’m supposed to say you should break the rules and be remarkable, but I'm not going to do that. Following instructions when you have no clue what you’re doing is the fastest way to success, at least for me. You might be different, so don’t take what I say as gospel.
First learn the rules, play by the rules and only break them once you understand them. In the end what I’m trying to say is to find your own way of doing things.
Ever since I paid someone money to criticize my poker game, I’ve been in love with coaching. It’s just such an effective way to reduce your learning curve. If you’re not getting the results you want, you can ask your coach what he or she thinks is wrong and what you can do to improve.
Not only did I use coaching to improve my poker game to such a stage that I was able to make a living at it for almost five years, but I’ve also used it to learn blogging. I knew what I wanted, so I went out and found someone who was already successful. I then joined their coaching program.
If you want to get something done online, you’ll naturally run into a lot of hurdles especially when it comes to design and the technical side of things. I realize you may not always have the money to throw on outsourcing, but if you do, it’s an effective way to save time and eliminate possible frustration.
Want to get a blog up but don’t know how? Outsource it. Want to edit an audio file but don’t have the tools? Outsource it. Some things you want to outsource, others not so much. Think about where it makes sense.
Don’t know how to do the technical stuff? Don’t have money to outsource? Still feel like you can provide? Partner with someone whose strengths are your weaknesses and split the profits.
Another restricting belief you may have is sharing the profit with someone. I had that too. Still have it to some extent, but working with the right partner is a lot of fun. I’m not out to make millions of dollars.
I live a simple life, so I don’t need a lot of money. I’ve realized that I can do what I want to do with a relatively small income. It’s a common trap we fall into. We think we need all this money to do something, when instead we can just do it right away.
When you think about success, it’s easy to associate it with competition. We have been taught to believe that success means stomping on other people to get higher up on the ladder, but does it really have to be that way?
What you believe determines your reality. But remember, you do not have to be perfect to be successful. It’s easy to put successful people on a pedestal and think that they are above you when they aren’t.
They are human beings just like everyone else. They have feelings, fears and worries. Think about what’s holding you back and why. You may begin to uncover some uncomfortable stuff, but if you want to become successful and do what you love, that’s one of the fastest way to get there.
Written on 3/28/2010 by Henri Junttila. Henri is addicted to living a free and passionate life. He runs the Wake Up Cloud, where he shows you how you can learn how to find your passion and live consciously.
How to Get Back Into Your Routine After a Break
Posted by SoMeOnE at 2:42 AM Labels: Relax, Travel, Workplace
At various times, we take breaks from the normal run of life. Sometimes, this is due to work itself (e.g. a conference) and sometimes it's a vacation. Whatever the reason, there's always going to be a transition period where you need to get back into your regular working routine once you come home.
Instead of getting hugely stressed trying to catch up, here's a simple five-step process to getting back into your normal routine:
How do you get back into your usual routine (or even a better routine!) after taking a break? What tips would you add?
When you've got a planned break like a vacation coming up, make an effort to prepare for it. Most of us do this naturally, but it can be too easy to stick our heads in the sand and hope that everything will magically come together!
One crucial thing to do is to clear anything urgent before you go away. Obviously you'll take care of tasks which need to be done before you go – but look ahead a bit for deadlines that occur soon after your return. You don't want to be frantically trying to complete that big report on your first day back in the office.
Sometimes, of course, a break may be unplanned – due to illness or a family emergency, for instance. In that case, you may need to hand over or delegate any tasks with upcoming deadlines: don't assume that you'll necessarily be back in the office as quickly as you're hoping.
We often think that we can go straight from vacation mode back into work mode – but it's worth planning some transition time. Book an extra day off so that you've got time to get over your jetlag and catch up with your laundry. At work, don't schedule meetings for your first day or two back in the office – treat these as "catch-up" days: you'll need to clear that email backlog!
If you work for yourself, this is just as crucial. You may even want to tell clients that you're away for a bit longer than you really are ... this gives you a chance to catch up on things without dealing with phone calls or sudden requests.
Have you ever come back from a conference or vacation and thrown yourself straight back into work, only to end up feeling exhausted? You may well have been busy – even if it's not directly on work – during your vacation, and the switch back into your regular routine can take a toll.
Instead of trying to be superman or superwoman, how about easing yourself back into work or life gently? Tackle some simple tasks instead of something high-powered; where you've got control over your own schedule, try working a half day or two at first, in order to get back into "work mode". If your break was partly for stress-relief, there's no sense in coming straight back to the usual busyness!
I find that after a break, it's hard to remember exactly what I was working on or what needs to be done next. Rather than grabbing the first task which presents itself to your mind, sit down for ten – fifteen minutes and make a list of what needs to be done. This helps you prioritize, so that you don't end up trying to cram loads into your first days back at your desk.
A to-do list is also a good way to battle overwhelm: you won't be worrying that you've forgotten about something vital, and you can focus on just completing one task then moving on to the next.
If you've had a long break, it can take time to get back into your usual good habits. Perhaps you find yourself chatting too much when you should be working, or your mind wanders constantly when you're trying to focus. Work on getting back into your good habits.
In some cases, you may want to use your return from a break as a chance to establish some good habits. Often, a vacation or other break from work can help us to come back into our "normal" life with a fresh perspective. Is there anything which needs to change? Perhaps you want to make a real effort to finish work on time each day, or maybe you've realized that if your inbox can survive untended for a week, you don't need to check emails at 8am every day.
Written on 3/26/2010 by Ali Hale. Ali writes a blog, Aliventures, about leading a productive and purposeful life (get the RSS feed here). As well as blogging, she writes fiction, and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing.
Amazing Life Lessons You Can Learn From Albert Einstein: Part Deux
Posted by SoMeOnE at 5:06 AM Labels: Motivation
Given the great response to the article “10 Amazing Life Lessons You Can Learn From Albert Einstein,” I’ve decided to publish the other seven lessons that I originally intended to include in that article. These were cut out because I feared the article was too long. However, I now believe that these seven lessons are even more profound than the original ten.
For those who didn’t get a chance to read the earlier article, let me begin by recapping Einstein’s accomplishments. Then we’ll take a look at seven more amazing lessons from Albert Einstein. There’s so much to learn from him! If you read the original, feel free to skip past the next couple of paragraphs.
[Recap] Albert Einstein has long been considered a genius by the masses. He was a theoretical physicist, philosopher, author, and is perhaps the most influential scientists to ever live.
Einstein has made great contributions to the scientific world, including the theory of relativity, the founding of relativistic cosmology, the prediction of the deflection of light by gravity, the quantum theory of atomic motion in solids, the zero-point energy concept, and the quantum theory of a monatomic gas which predicted Bose–Einstein condensation, to name a few of his scientific contributions.
Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics “for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect.”
He’s published more than 300 scientific works and over 150 non-scientific works. Einstein is considered the father of modern physics and is probably the most successful scientist there ever was.
7 More Amazing Lessons from Albert Einstein:
Thank you for reading, and please pass this article along!“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.”
Success requires all that you are, or as Walter Cronkite so eloquently put it, “I can’t imagine a person becoming a success who doesn’t give this game of life everything he’s got.” To succeed, to become a master, will require all that you are. Are you giving your all?“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”
With success comes opposition, there will always be resistance to greatness. Zig Ziglar said, “Little men, with little minds, and little imaginations, go through life in little ruts, smugly resisting all changes which would jar their little worlds.” Never let “little men” stop you from achieving your dreams. Know that great spirits have always encountered great opposition.
“The most important decision we ever make is whether we believe we live in a friendly universe or a hostile universe.”
Your perception becomes your reality. If you believe the world is plotting to do you “good,” than it is. If you believe the world is plotting to do you harm, than it is. Wayne Dyer said, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Make the choice to see the world as friendly?“Most people say that is it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character.”
Your character determines how far you go in this lifetime, so work on your character; work on being the person you want people to perceive you to be. Work on your attitude, Einstein said, “Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character,” and without character, success has no value.“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.”
Never stop learning, when you’re not learning, you’re not growing; when you’re not growing, you’re dying. Always ask questions; always look for better ways to get things done. Einstein said, “He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.”“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
The only way to conquer a problem is to grow bigger than the problem. You must become a “bigger” person. You must change the way you perceive things. This is why reading is so important; reading expands your mind to new levels, it increases your consciousness and your likelihood for success. Learn to cultivate the joy of reading, readers are leaders!“The high destiny of the individual is to serve rather than to rule. The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.”
Einstein said, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” Let me encourage you to live your life in service to others, in service to your spouse, your children, your community, and your world. Your greatest success will come from your service to others.Written on 3/23/2010 by Mr. Self Development who is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth; support him by visiting his blog at mrselfdevelopment.com or by subscribing to his feed.
A few years back, I decided to try a "no TV" experiment. I wanted to see if it was possible to give up television for an entire week. It wasn't as extreme as the 30 day experiment mentioned here, but it seemed like a good length of time to me. Actually, before beginning the experiment a single week of no TV seemed like a lifetime. I had grown quite attached to my TV, but I wanted to get back some of my time. I knew that my time could be spent in a more productive manner than watching TV, but I had grown quite accustomed to plopping down in front of the TV after work and vegging there until bedtime.
As I entered the experiment, I realized I had to overcome some of the excuses I had developed for keeping the TV on. I have heard the following excuses from others and also uttered them myself. I realized that these excuses were really just falsehoods keeping me away from exerting any effort to do anything... anything at all.
I came across an interesting quote recently:
We get accustomed to having noise in our lives. So much so that quiet time can feel quite uneasy or even frightening. We often thrive on that constant source of outside stimulation. The television is a poor source of background noise. Most programming leans toward the negative and some (like the evening news) can be downright depressing. Beyond that however, quiet time is very beneficial. In the quiet we are forced to listen to our own thoughts. We get the opportunity to think for ourselves. The quiet allows us to recharge those mental batteries.
Ah, the ideal babysitter; needs no payment, doesn't complain, keeps the kids entertained for hours, and allows us parents to get some time to ourselves. It's pretty obvious that "the kids watch it" isn't really a good excuse. Sure the kids get sucked into some happy delightful children's programming and sure they may learn a thing or two, but how much more would they learn by using their own imaginations? We all know that we shouldn't let the kids watch too much TV, but we often long for some time to ourselves and permit that babysitter in a box to do our jobs as parents. And really, the TV doesn't make a very good parent. Our children would be a lot better off if we encouraged play time, reading, and imagination. Of course, part of this includes us getting involved with our children and participating in some of this play.
I can't count the number of times I've heard someone say they watch TV for the educational programming like the Discovery Channel or The Learning Channel. The best way to approach this is to ask yourself if this "learning" is beneficial to you personally. Would buy a book to read about this topic? If the answer to that simple question is no, then you really aren't learning anything useful at all. I'm not sure how knowledge of Lions in Africa or Kangaroos in Australia will really benefit us in everyday life. Sure the topics may be interesting, but in reality they take away from time that could be spent actually learning; learning something beneficial that we could apply to our everyday lives.
Unwinding after work is a great idea, but is watching TV really the best way? How about a warm bath, a good book, some light conversation with the family, a short nap, or lounging in a comfy chair in the back yard. All of these alternatives would be better ways to unwind. Additionally, that time spent unwinding in front of the TV often stretches into most of the evening. That bit of time intended for unwinding ends up being an evening wasted in front of the TV. I'm sure you can find better methods for unwinding that won't consume your evening.
This was my excuse in my younger years. I hated missing something on TV, especially when everyone else was talking about it the next day. It's a lonely feeling to be left out of conversations just because you missed a TV program and had nothing to contribute. As you get older, the scene changes to coworkers around the water cooler, but the excuse remains. The difference is, as an adult, we should feel less pressure to fit in, and have more meaningful things to talk with our coworkers about. I have missed out on hundreds of "television" conversations at work. It's really not important to me anymore, and I can give a small smile on the inside when a "television" conversation begins because I know I've made better use of my time. You sit around watching all this stuff happen on TV. . . and the TV sits and watches us do nothing! The TV must think we're all pretty lame. -Shannon Wheeler
I think the quote hits it about right. My week without TV was a big success. I wasn't twitching, crying in the corner, or drenched in a cold sweat. I actually found myself reading more books, talking more with my wife, and generally enjoying the evenings more. We did allow the TV back into our lives, but on a much more limited basis. In fact, we eventually canceled our cable TV because we weren't getting good value out of the programming available. How about you? Are you ready overcome the excuses and try a No TV Experiment?
Written on 3/21/2010 by Eric Watermolen. Eric is a lifestyle blogger and amateur philosopher. He enjoys discussions of our path in life. You can find him at Eden Journal, where he posts a wide spectrum of articles from personal development to spiritual and philosophical awakenings..
5 Big Ways to Add Time To Your Days
Posted by SoMeOnE at 2:05 AM Labels: Productivity, Success, Tasks
A lot of productivity advice offers great hints for speeding up particular tasks: perhaps by concentrating better, by eliminating distractions and interruptions, or by learning to use Firefox, Gmail and other common programs more efficiently.
But what can you do if simply saving five minutes here and ten minutes there isn't enough? What if you want hours more space in your life, or if you feel constantly overloaded and busy?
Here are five big ways to make more time, which, ultimately means you'll have a better chance of succeeding at what you want to accomplish.
What could you do this week to free up a big chunk of time in your life?
It's an unpopular thing to say, but I'm going to say it anyway: You can't do everything that you want to do. I'm sure that, like me, you've got loads of goals and projects and ambitions and ideas... the truth is, you're going to have to pick between them if any of them are going to succeed.
Can you drop one goal? Can you put it aside for a while? If you're trying to start a side business, lose 50lbs, write a novel and get a promotion all in the same year, you're probably going to end up quitting on all of them. It's much better to make a conscious decision on what you want to drop.
As well as the goals and projects which we love, most of us have a few commitments which we're not so keen on. Perhaps you got roped in to being on a committee at your kids' school, or maybe you're always the person who cooks at home.
You don't have to keep on with your commitments month after month and year after year. If you've totally lost interest in something, and if it's become a dreaded chore, then find a way out! You might even find that by quitting, you can open up a space for someone who'd really enjoy that particular task.
One reason that many of us end up too busy is because we have the attitude that "If you want a job doing, you have to do it yourself." The truth is, there are plenty of tasks – especially low-level ones – which we should be delegating. It's not only better for us, it's better for other people who can learn and grow their skills by taking on those tasks.
At work, delegating usually means handing on tasks and responsibility to a junior colleague (see here for some tips on delegating effectively). But you can also delegate at home: perhaps getting your teens to help with dinner, or even paying a professional for help with jobs such as cleaning, gardening or decorating.
Many of us have a tendency to say "yes" whenever we're asked to take on something new. Often, we're reluctant to say "no" because it's just a little job ... perhaps taking the minutes for a regular meeting at work, or making cakes for the kids' school fete, or helping out with our partner's accounts.
The problem is, little jobs often go on over time and become tedious commitments, draining energy as well as time. Plus, if you keep saying "yes", you'll find your free time shrinking rapidly. One of the best ways I've found to say "no" is to ask for a few days to think about it. This is often easier than feeling put on the spot for a decision, and it also lets people know that you're taking their request seriously.
Finally, if you're really going to create time in your life to do what you want, you need to make your happiness a real priority. That means believing that your happiness does matter, and behaving appropriately.
You may find that you need to stand up for yourself more, or that you can start suggesting social activities which you enjoy, rather than just going along with whatever friends and family say. You may even end up switching careers, starting your own business or taking a sabbatical.Written on 3/20/2010 by Ali Hale. Ali writes a blog, Aliventures, about leading a productive and purposeful life (get the RSS feed here). As well as blogging, she writes fiction, and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing.
Avoid the Audit: Six Red Flags That'll Put You in Tax Purgatory
Posted by SoMeOnE at 12:20 AM Labels: Freelancing, Money
Around February, my commute home starts to give me a knot in my stomach. That’s because my bus passes a tax-preparation shop where, as tax season draws nearer, a woman stands outside wearing a Lady Liberty costume and holding a sign that promotes the shop’s services. Oh, great, I think, it’s time to dance with the IRS again.
I don’t know why, but the idea of doing taxes terrifies me. All those forms requiring detailed numbers and asking questions I don’t quite understand—there’s so much room for error! The consequences of messing up are even more intimidating. I’ve never been audited by the IRS (knock on wood), but I can imagine it’s a nerve-wracking process. However, even crossing all my Ts and double-checking my math doesn’t guarantee an audit-free year. As a tax novice, I decided to read up on the matter, and now that I’ve done some homework, it’s clear that a few factors make the IRS more likely to pay extra attention to your tax papers.
One Potential Solution: Protecting Yourself with Paperwork
According to Jeff Schnepper, a writer for MSN Money, one of the most common reasons tax forms get scrutinized is that they’re riddled with math errors, incorrect spelling, typos, and so forth. The first line of defense against an audit is not giving the IRS a reason to look twice. Remember that the IRS receives financial records from your bank and anyone you’ve earned a paycheck from, so make sure that you’re providing that same information—numbers that don’t match up are suspicious.
Sorry, owners of small businesses and freelancers—the IRS tends to look closely at your information. First, it needs proof that you’re running a for-profit operation, not a hobby. Second, it wants to make sure that you’re reporting income accurately and that the small-business deductions you take are accurate and fair (i.e., not claiming personal expenses as business write-offs). Also, if your company’s taken a significant financial hit, that sets off a mini-alarm for the IRS, since it’s possible that you’ve been misrepresenting figures. Sandra Block, a writer for USA Today who covered this topic in 2000, recommends providing an explanation, along with tax papers, to avoid raising any red flags.
The IRS uses a computer program called the Unreported Income Discrimination Function System to compare each person’s tax deductions and credits against what the IRS has determined is average for certain income brackets. If your DIF score is considerably different from that of others in your category—as in, you earn $60,000 a year but reported a $40,000 charitable deduction—that’s a big IRS red flag, as CNNMoney.com staff writer Christian Zappone described in 2007. The program’s main purpose is to scout out individuals who’re most likely to owe more money after further analysis.
Back in the day, a common complaint come tax season was that the rich were somewhat protected from audits. But these days, the IRS is more concerned with lowering the country’s astounding tax gap (the difference between taxes owed and taxes paid). “If you’re a millionaire, you’re a lot more likely to hear from the IRS than taxpayers in any other income bracket,” IRS spokesman Terry Lemons told the Wall Street Journal in 2009.
The problem with both of these deductions is that too many people claim them for inappropriate reasons. A home office isn’t just a room that you happen to work in once in a while. And when it comes to job expenses, there’d better be a good reason why your bosses didn’t reimburse you in the first place, so it’s an iffy deduction right off the bat. There are detailed rules for deductions, so unless you want a tax tangle in the future, don’t claim anything unless you know it’s right.
The IRS’s computer program triggers many audits, but some come courtesy of tipsters—including individuals, media sources, and public records—reporting potentially faulty tax returns. “The Examination Process,” an explanation of auditing on the IRS’s Web site, lists “information from compliance projects that indicates a return may have incorrect amounts” as one of the reasons for extra examination.
Luckily, there are steps you can take to protect yourself if you fall into one of these categories. The best means of self-defense is a thorough record that backs up your claims. Keep receipts, bank statements, and all pertinent paperwork that proves that what you put on your tax forms is true. The book What the IRS Doesn't Want You to Know
The IRS has up to three years after you’ve filed to audit, so keep that in mind when spring cleaning your office. It may feel silly to save a receipt from two years ago, but if it relates to a suspicious deduction you’ve claimed, it’ll come in handy if the IRS comes knocking.
Information is power when it comes to protecting yourself from an audit. If you recognize that there are factors that set you apart from the average taxpayer, send in tax forms with an explanation of the situation, via either a note or paperwork that serves as evidence. However, there’s such a thing as giving away too much information that the IRS didn’t ask for, and that can slow down return processing. If you feel that your tax information could lead to an audit, take your return directly to a tax-preparation professional’s office before you fill out any forms on your own. You may think dealing with a professional is too much of a hassle, but it’s a far friendlier alternative than a stand-off with an IRS auditor.
Written on 3/19/2010 by DivineCaroline. DivineCaroline a place where people come together to learn from experts in the fields of health, spending, and parenting. Come discover, read, learn, laugh, and connect at DivineCaroline.com.
How To Shape Your Lifestyle to Improve Your Fitness
Posted by SoMeOnE at 5:49 AM Labels: Health, How To
Fitness, in the past, has not been a big part of my life and I imagine that's true for many people reading this. I want that to change.
I don't like running out of breath, aching after minimal movement and not being able to do the things I want to do just because I'm not physically prepared for them. For the longest time I felt this was just who I was. I was the computer geek, someone who wasn't built for sports or to be fit and healthy.
The reason for this though wasn't because I had any physical impediments preventing me from participating in sports or working out. It was simply because I felt a disconnect between my lifestyle and fitness. The two categories seemed worlds apart. I've completely flipped that belief around.
There's still a long way to go before I consider myself "fit," but over the past few months I've been shaping my lifestyle to support fitness rather than trying to fit in a run or a few push ups in the deep recesses of boredom. It's a subtle shift with a big impact. Here are some of the tactics I'm using:
The world's greatest athletes didn't get to where they are by segmenting their life and fitness in two different boxes. You don't have to dedicate every waking hour to a healthier you, but it's obvious to see that forming a lifestyle that is conducive to fitness is far more powerful than trying to transplant the latest buzz-wordy routine into your day. Now, how are you going to shape your lifestyle to improve your fitness?
"Training" and "working out," while convenient descriptors bring up thoughts of slogging away at a gym for hours, feeling helpless and basically doing things you don't want to be doing. And that's why I say, don't train.
Starting a traditional training regimen has two fundamental flaws:
The approach I'm taking is much simpler. First, I chose one exercise that I loved: the pull up. It's a difficult exercise, but the technique is easy to pick up and for a skinny guy like myself it's quite powerful for building strength. Then, for the next 2 months, this is all I did. 100% of my focus went towards maintaining 2-3 sets of pull ups, 3 times per week. Now, at the 4-5 month mark I've also adopted doing floor presses with dumbbells, and am working them into my habits quite effortlessly.
Yes, this is essentially the same as regular training, but the key difference is that you progressively work towards forming fitness habits with the path of least resistance and tailor the habits to your specific goals and desires, as opposed to adopting a whole new set of routines in one swoop. Save the effort for when you lift weights or go for a run; the process of adopting the fitness lifestyle should be met with the utmost simplicity.
Why are you trying to improve your fitness? If you answered "Uh..." then don't worry, that's normal. You know you should improve your fitness, and you "get" the benefits, but you're not sure of that higher purpose to spark change in your life.
Say you're overweight and sit at home all day watching television. You've adapted to this lifestyle since it's comfortable - you're not going to want to do away with it unless there's a very compelling reason. Personally, I want to improve my fitness because I envision a life of travel and sports like kayaking and swimming, and these would be considerably more fulfilling if I was physically more capable.
Creating a purpose is difficult since there's so much choice in the world. So, don't be too concerned if it takes time to discover your reason why; just make sure that you do come up with one. Oh, and it helps if your purpose comes from within (such as wanting to be the best version of yourself) rather than based on external motivations (like how other people perceive you).
Everything that is holding your back from your fitness goals is "background resistance" that needs to be eliminated. For me spending too much time on the computer has been my biggest crux which I've made significant progress in overcoming with a little bit of patience mixed with pragmatism.
What is holding you back? Limiting beliefs? Lack of money? Distractions? Identifying these detractors sets you on the path to overcome them. Write them down on a piece of paper, prioritize them from most painful to least painful and set a plan to cut these detractors from your life.
Written on 3/18/2010 by David Turnbull. David is an ectomorph who writes about what it's like to live the life of a skinny guy. He's trying to defy his ectomorphic genes through strength training and eating copious amounts of food.
Meetings. Recitals. Soccer practice. Grocery shopping. Day care drop-offs and pickups. Birthday parties. With all the busyness that is running rampant in our lives, wouldn’t it be awesome to have one day a week just for you and your family to lay low, sleep in, hang out, and pretty much do nothing?
Does it sound like the perfect antidote to all of the stresses that keep you perpetually running on fumes? Does it also sound as likely as waking up tomorrow morning with your head stapled to the carpet?
The idea of taking one day a week as reprieve from the hectic pace of modern life may seem pretty revolutionary, but it is actually as old as human history. It even has a name, albeit an old-fashioned and highfalutin sounding one: Sabbath.
The word itself probably conjures up religious overtones and maybe even an image of Charlton Heston holding a couple of stone tablets. And indeed, the concept of “Sabbath” does have ties to religion, with roots in several faith traditions, including the Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, and Muslim faiths.
But I don’t want to talk about religion.
I just want to talk about Sabbath. It comes from the Hebrew word “shabbat,” which means to stop or to rest. In fact, the Sabbath has never really been for God. It’s for us. The idea of taking a day to stop our frenzied activity is as relevant today as it ever has been. It’s exactly what we need.
But most people -- maybe even you -- think of such an idea as impractical or even impossible. After all, weekends are packed with athletic events, church activities, work commitments, and family get-togethers like birthday parties, baptisms, and weddings. You’d love to have a day off, but its not like the world is going to let you take one.
No, the world might not be too keen about you dropping off the radar, but you know what?
It’s not the world's choice. It's yours.
I have some friends who have completely challenged my thinking about what’s actually possible when it comes to taking a Sabbath. A few years back, they committed to taking one every week. They chose Sunday as the day. Here's what it typically looks like: After they go to church in the morning, they come home and have leftovers for lunch. Then they just, well, hang out. They take naps. They play board games. They watch old Andy Griffith reruns. And, they get pizza delivered for dinner (no cooking for Mom!)
When I first heard of this, I was as intrigued as I was perplexed. “But what if your kids have a baseball game? What about youth programs at your church? What about the obligatory birthday parties of friends and family?”
Knowing that the husband was a speaker who specialized in the church market in which Sunday evening programs are common, I added, “What about places that want to hire you on Sundays?”
“We say no,” they said simply and directly.
They admitted that it was challenging at first. They had to do a lot of communicating. They told churches who wanted to hire him on Sundays that their Sabbath was vital to the health of their family, and most of the time, the church was able to book them on a different day. They spoke to the coaches of their kids’ sports teams at the beginning of the season and were very up front about them not being able to participate in games or practices on Sundays. (And believe it or not, the coaches didn’t even penalize the kids by cutting their playing time!) They explained to the leaders of their church that they wouldn’t be attending any programming on Sundays. Even extended family members eventually got with the program and respected their wishes.
“And you know what the most amazing thing is?” they added. “The kids look forward to it more than we do! They love the downtime and the reprieve from the busy week at school."
I was simply blown away by the audacity of this family to disregard the concept of what a typical weekend is “supposed” to look like. And I was challenged to follow their lead with my own family.
Their example helped me to see that the idea that we are "obligated" to go to all the athletic, church, and family activities going on is another one of those rules that doesn't exist.
Believe it or not, you get to decide what a weekend is “supposed” to look like. (For YOU, at least.)
Starting this past year, my wife Kim and I have committed to this idea of taking a Sabbath, and I can’t even tell you how much it has contributed to the overall health and happiness of our life. Just like anyone, our weeks are busy and contain their share of potholes and emergencies, but they are so much easier to deal with when you know you have a light at the end of the tunnel: a day to stop and get refreshed.
Again, even though some faith traditions consider certain days of the week as the "official" Sabbath, the concept is just to take one day a week to take a time out, slow down, and reflect in celebration about what we’ve been given. Because we are self-employed, Kim and I have a lot of flexibility with our schedule. Sometimes we’ll take our Sabbath on a Saturday, a Sunday, or even a Monday.
Here are a few guidelines we follow:
You might choose to do things a bit differently. Nobody’s life is the same, but there are two constants:
First, a Sabbath is doable for everyone. God is pretty clear on that point, and if you think you're the exception, you're wrong. Second, the world isn’t going to offer you a free day once a week without a bit of effort. It will take a little creativity, a little sacrifice, and a little communication. You will probably have to say no to some good things in order to say yes to the best thing. But in the end, it will be SO worth it.
These days, we're so busy missing out on stuff, we don't even realize what we're missing out on! I don't care if you're a religious person or not. I would suggest that you seriously examine the rules that don't exist and consider implementing a regular Sabbath into your own life.
In the end, a little respite from the cacophony of voices and choices, from the harried busyness that wears down our immune system, is not a luxury. It's an absolute necessity.
Now more than ever, we all need time to physically and mentally rest. To breathe. To just be. And to make sure life doesn't speed by you before you've ever had the chance to figure out where you want to go.
Written on 3/17/2010 by Jason Kotecki. Jason is a cartoonist, author, and professional speaker. Jason and his wife Kim (a former kindergarten teacher) make it their mission in life to fight Adultitis and help people use strategies from childhood to create lives with less stress and more fun. Stop by www.KimandJason.com for more tips for escaping adulthood.
7 Amazing Lessons from 7 Distinguished Billionaires
Posted by SoMeOnE at 12:31 AM Labels: Motivation
They say that a million dollars in $100 bills is 43 inches high, but a billion dollars in $100 bills is almost three times the height of the Empire State building. A million dollars in $100 bills would weigh 22 pounds, but a billion dollars would weigh 11 tons.
Suffice it to say that the accumulation and maintenance of a billion dollars requires much wisdom. Today I want to look at seven amazing lessons from seven of the world’s most famous billionaires. These billionaires range from Bill Gates to Mark Cuban and each of these individuals have accomplished amazing things.
There are many things that we can learn from them so enough with the monologue; here we go!
7 Amazing Lessons from 7 Distinguished Billionaires
Thank you for reading and be sure to pass this article along!“It's through curiosity and looking at opportunities in new ways that we've always mapped our path at Dell. There's always an opportunity to make a difference.” – Michael Dell, Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Dell Inc.
If you never look for an opportunity, you will never find one. The Wright Brothers were looking to see if it was possible for man to fly, they didn’t stumble upon it, they were looking for it. What are you looking for? The Scripture says seek and ye shall find, knock and the door will be open to you.“I always knew I was destined for greatness.” – Oprah, Media Mogul
As the famous poem goes, “If you think you’re outclassed, you are, you have to think high to rise, you must be sure of yourself, before you can ever win a prize.” You must believe in “you” before anybody else will. Oprah believed that she would be a success, and she is. What do you believe about yourself, whatever it is, that’s what you will become.“It's better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you'll drift in that direction.” – Warren Buffet, Investor
You can’t soar with the eagles, if you spend your time hanging with the chickens. Find people who are going where you want to go, and “conspire to aspire before you expire.” Atmosphere is critical, diligently guard who enters your inner-circle. Your friends are a prophecy of your future.“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” – Bill Gates, Co-founder and Former CEO of Microsoft, currently the 2nd richest man in the world behind Carlos Slim.
Who are you empowering, who are you helping, who needs you. You can’t go forward without helping others go forward. Instead of being concerned about how you’re going to get ahead, find a way to help others get ahead, and you will get ahead in the process. Empower others and you will empower yourself.“In the end, you're measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish.” – Donald Trump, Real Estate Investor/Developer, TV Personality
Don’t be a “jack of all trades” and master of none. Don’t bite-off more than you can chew. Decide what you want to accomplish in your life, and spend your time accomplishing it. Work hard, take breaks, and in the end, if your focus is single, you will have accomplished it.“I'm the type that thinks if you don't learn from history, you're doomed to repeat it.” – Mark Cuban, Internet Entrepreneur and NBA Team Owner
It sounds simple, but many people live a life of repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
The “cow in the ditch” example below gives us a pattern for how we should deal with our mistakes.
Here are the three steps you should follow whenever a "cow ends up in your ditch:"
Step 1: Get Cow Out of Ditch
Step 2: Find Out How Cow Got in Ditch
Step 3: Make Sure Cow Does Not Get in Ditch Again
Using these three simple steps, you can solve many of life’s problems (from debt to relationship issues).“We will go forward, ... We will never go back.” – Michael Bloomberg, current New York City Mayor and Founder of Bloomberg LP
You can’t make much progress forward if you keep on taking steps backwards.
Make a decision to go forward, never settle, never stagnate, life is about growth, it’s about development. You are supposed to grow, you’re supposed to become all that you are capable of becoming, so go forward and never look back!
Additional Details on the Image Used: Bruce Schneier, Mark Cuban and Cory Doctorow. Mark is the only billionaire although I am sure the others are working in it. Bruce and Cory were recipients, along with Yochai Benkler, at the EFF Pioneer Awards.Written on 3/16/2010 by Mr. Self Development who is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth; support him by visiting his blog at mrselfdevelopment.com. .
The Hidden Business Lessons Of March Madness
Posted by SoMeOnE at 7:49 AM Labels: Business, Relationships
The NCAA basketball tournament is right around the corner, one of the most over-commercialized, bloated, melodramatic monstrosities on the sports calendar. Right? I mean, nothing shows the exploitation of the college “student-athlete” more than CBS’ billion-dollar baby. Right?
Wrong. For all the headaches and hype associated with the Field of 64, there are some important lessons the rest of the month can teach us. Between upsets and cutting down the net, keep these thoughts in your mind and think about how they relate to your life, career and even your relationships.
One of the first lessons of the tournament is getting in. Behind closed doors, the NCAA tournament committee decides who makes the field and who doesn’t. One of the key parts to their formula is the strength of your opponents. Think about that as you measure the successes of your business life. Have you built up your ego and by piling up easy victories? Do you know what it’s like to win hard, against someone just as smart or as talented as you, if not better? This is how the selection committees in our life (bosses, professors, recruiters) measure success. They are going to look at not just you, but who you beat. If you are cruising along with no challenges, who knows what you will do when you make it out of the first round?
For many students, the first round of the NCAA Tournament comes the same week as spring break, giving them a reason to pack up the car and take a road-trip for first-round games in Boise, Oklahoma City and Dayton. Just because you are a working person now doesn’t mean that you have to save all of your vacation up for the summer. You body needs to recharge every few months. Go ahead and take a few days, park it on your couch and watch the first two days of the tournament. Turn off your computer and your phone and watch the updates come in, late into the night.
Sure, it’s easy to root for the 16th-seeds of the world. Scrappy, small-school ballers who get everyone to cheer for them if they keep it close. But don’t make the mistake of always empathizing with the underdog. If you are doing business right, you will have smaller competitors looking to find your weakness and topple you. Don’t underestimate anyone who you may be squaring off with for a client or a contract. Stick with your strengths and don’t let up until the buzzer sounds – every time.
One-year wonders come and go these days in the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Durant spent a season at Texas, John Wall will be one-and-done this year at Kentucky. So if your school is in the field of 64, don’t fall too deeply in love with your superstar. Instead, root for the uniform, the colors and the tradition that make you a proud alum. The loyalty to those things are what unites everyone across the country who are tuned in to see your team tip off.
Two great plays you’ll see during March Madness are the buzzer-beating shot and the player diving out of bounds for a loose ball. How would you like to have members of your team at work who could deliver with everything on the line? Or someone who will throw their whole self into a project just to keep you from losing your momentum? You can’t teach those things, but you can look for the qualities when you decide who to surround yourself with at work.
It’s guaranteed that the person to win your basketball bracket pool isn’t going to be the office’s resident basketball expert. It may be a co-worker who picks the winners based on cute mascots or your friend who picks all the lower seeds or a rabid fanboy who thinks his school will win the title – and they do. Everyone has a system that works for them and sometimes they strike gold. Find your own system and don't rely on mimicking others success.
North Carolina and Oklahoma both had rosters filled with high school All-Americans this season. One thing they have in common? Neither is going to make the tournament. If your team is made up of a bunch of people who think they should be the star, no one is going to want to share the spot light. A team works best when everyone knows their roles. Who is your point guard? Who is your defender? Clearly defined positions, including a superstar, work best.
When you’re all finished with a huge undertaking, like crowning an NCAA champion, it always helps to reflect back on the emotions that everyone went through. That’s why CBS ends with “One Shining Moment”, the teary-eyed music video who shows the highs and lows of the entire tournament experiment. It gives even the most jaded of fan a chance to say – “hey, this is a great thing. And I’m glad I was a part of it.” Celebrate wins.
Written on 3/15/2010 by Mike Koehler. Mike Koehler is a public relations strategist and new media director at Schnake Turnbo Frank | PR. He works out of his offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, teaching businesses how to use the web. He spends his spare time with his wife and three kids. Read his blog at www.stfpr.com/newmedia.
Monica's Dad
Although we might still have the archetypal view of college life involving keg parties, frat houses and last-minute panics when a paper’s due, many of us integrate our studying into the rest of our lives. Whether you’re taking a PhD over many years or simply learning a foreign language before your trip this summer, your studying is going to take up time – and it needs to fit into your life.
If you’re struggling to find space for studying along with everything else, here’s how to make sure you have the time to study and to live:
Step 1: Look at the Big Picture
How much have you got going on in your life right now? What might you need to give up in order to have time to study?
We often end up too busy, trying to “have it all” or trying to life-hack our lives so that we keep stacking up achievements. Often, though, just cutting back on our commitments a little can make life a lot more relaxed and straightforward.
Do you need to put some of your goals or activities aside, for a time? What can wait for a few months or years?
Step 2: Look at Your Weekly Schedule
Once you’ve taken a long-range view of your life, narrow in on your weekly schedule. What regular commitments do you have? (Perhaps you work 8-4 each day, you take your kids out every Saturday afternoon, and you’re in church each Sunday morning.)
What gaps of time do you have free for studying? If you can, find times when you’re easily able to concentrate: if you’re a “morning person” then use that! You may be able to adjust your schedule slightly to suit your best studying hours – for instance, if you normally do chores on Saturday mornings but you also study best between 8am and 11am, then can you switch to doing chores during your “slump” time in the afternoon?
(If you’re not sure what times of day are your best hours for working, try the Productivity Heatmap from Productive Flourishing)
It’s particularly crucial to identify regular times for studying if you don’t have any regular deadlines – perhaps if you’re learning purely for your own interest, or if you’re working on a very long term goal like a PhD. Building studying into your schedule will help ensure that you don’t let it slide week after week.
Step 3: Have a Good Space for Studying
No-one can study effectively with the television on, clutter everywhere and no space to spread out books and papers. Having a good space for your studying means making sure that you’re somewhere which gives you the physical conditions that help you to concentrate.
That might mean:
Step 4: Learn Good Study Habits
If you’re going to study and live a full life, you’ll want to use your studying time as effectively as possible. That means developing good habits: not just to help you concentrate and avoid distractions, but also to make sure you’re not spending hours and hours doing something in an ineffective way.
There are lots of books aimed at students who want to improve their studying: your college or local library should be able to point you towards useful resources (e.g. on essay writing or exam technique).
The University Blog has great advice about all aspects of the student experience, but focuses particularly on studying well.
Step 5: Figure Out How You Learn Best
Some of us are kinetic learners – we like to do things, and we’re more likely to remember something if we’ve learnt it in an active way. Others are auditory learners – we have great recall for things we’ve heard. And others are visual learners – taking extensive written notes and using diagrams to understand a new concept.
In fact, most of us will find that we can learn in all those ways, but we’ll have a marked preference for one or another. I know that I personally much prefer to read a book than listen to it – but I know several people who find audio books a far better match for their way of learning.
Don’t struggle along with a technique that isn’t right for you, just because it’s how your friend, partner or colleague learns best. If you know what style suits you, then try to focus your studying on that; if you’re not sure, try out different techniques.
If you’re fitting studying of some description into your life, how are you doing it? What structures or habits are helping you?Written on 3/14/2010 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line (ali@aliventures.com) or check out her website at Aliventures.
I hate miserable people! OK, let me rephrase this last statement: I don't hate miserable people because to hate someone we first have to love them. But let's say I can't stand people who constantly complain, whinge, and choose to be miserable while they DON'T do a single thing to lift themselves out of their misery.
Being miserable sucks, but we all are at times - yes, even me. I have my bad times too. I tend to stick my head under the covers for a day or so before I re-emerge into the world.
Getting into a funk isn't planned; it just happens. Whether it's a sting of bad luck in life or some complicated chemical setup in our brain, it doesn't go away easily.
Depending on the day of the week, you answer here may vary, but: Is your glass half empty or half full? Is that always your answer? No? Well, it that your answer most of the time? There are two types of people on this planet: Those who are negative by default, and those who see the positive side, even in dark times. I consider myself to be the latter.
I take failure as a means to move ahead in life because I analyze my shortcomings and use what I learn to do better next time. If the Sh7$ hits the fan, I might get upset, angry or depressed, but I NEVER GIVE UP!
I'd choose happy over miserable any day. By choosing happiness we open ourselves up to experiencing great moments. By being happy we invite success, fun, opportunities and love into our lives.
Naysayers: Some people choose to be naysayers. They consistently complain, bully, whinge and find reasons to see things in a bad light. Naysayers are bitter people! Why? I don't know because my mind doesn't work that way.
Perhaps you can tell me.
It beats me really. Why would you want to make your existence on this wonderful planet a miserable one if you have a sound mind to choose otherwise?
Do you choose happiness? If so, why? Why do you choose happiness over misery? Is it perhaps because doors open to you that otherwise wouldn't? Or is it because your outlook on life is generally positive like mine?
Did you know that your mind is directly responsible for your failures and successes in life? If you don't believe me do this little experiment:
Observe what happens to you when you feel miserable the moment you get out of bed the next time it happens. How does this influence your day? Then observe how great life is when your mind is positive and open to new experiences and opportunities.
How does this influence your day now?
You should have no doubt that by choosing happiness over being miserable you hold the key to all the good things in life that are naturally yours. Are you ready to claim them?
A 360-Degree Approach to Improving Self-Confidence
Posted by SoMeOnE at 5:23 AM Labels: Development, Fear, Lifehacks
I know that when I’m not feeling particularly confident in one area of my life, the other areas begin to suffer too. When my job becomes stressful and tiresome, for example, so do my relationships and personal health.
However, I don’t think I’m alone. Many of my friends tell me they also feel a connection between self-confidence and their personal level of happiness. After all, we all want to feel good about ourselves. We want to realize the incredible potential we possess and to really feel worthy, be loved, and have nice things.
But to hold your head high and feel strong on a consistent basis takes focus. It also takes the commitment to look at your life from a holistic point-of-view. When one element of your life is out-of-alignment, then self-confidence is not operating at maximum strength.
A 360-degree approach to improving self-confidence may be the best solution because of the synergies that exist between the different parts of your life. When you begin to understand how these parts connect to one another then you begin to see the beautiful picture that is being created – the picture of your confident life.
Health and well-being
To feel strong, your body must first be strong. Fatigue, a lousy diet, and lack of exercise, all contribute to poor health and a weak body. Good health, however, does not happen overnight. Consider these simple, but healthy quick-wins to kick-start your lagging confidence as well as your metabolism:
Finances
The feeling of paying the bills on-time while putting a little money away is a good one. For some, a sense of confidence grows at the same rate as one’s bank account. But money, in a cruel twist of irony, can often determine what we think our true value is.
Feeling empowered over money, or at least the management of money, is the first step to capturing some financial self-confidence.
Relationships
My self-confidence soars when I know I’m making a difference in the lives of my wife, children and friends. Connection, communication and intimacy are all taken to the next level by my soaring confidence.
Nothing is as important as the people I choose to share a life. To keep my confidence strong, I often remind myself of the following:
Career
You spend a lot of time at work. Long hours, difficult projects and missed opportunities can often lead to a lack of self-confidence. However, you can crack the code to your career and get your confidence back on track, too with these reminders:
360 Degrees of Self-Confidence
Good health, a viable financial position, strong relationships and an effective career game plan will all conspire together and deliver a much-needed dose of self-confidence. By blending these elements together and relying on your ability to maintain a focus to each one will give you what you need to improve your self-confidence and complete that beautiful picture of a confident you.
Written on 3/12/2010 by Alex Blackwell. Alex writes for The BridgeMaker, an honestly-written blog about faith, inspiration and personal change. To receive twice-weekly articles subscribe here.