Self Esteem is Highly Important to Your Enjoyment of Life

Self-esteem is how you evaluate yourself on an imaginary scorecard. If your self-esteem is low, you will score less because you tend to think poorly of yourself. It is not uncommon to experience this. Fortunately, the therapy is at hand- in fact in your own hands. All you need is the guidance, which I am going to provide you with. I will be suggesting you ways and means to get your scores nice and high and build up your self-esteem.

You may ask why we need to go through this process at all. Well, the reason is simply because low self-esteem can be disastrous to our health - physically and mentally. Many a time low self-worth is the result of conditioning that all children are exposed to. They are taught to put their own needs at the very end. They should ideally think of others first. I am not saying selflessness is bad but when it causes you to disregard yourself, it is ceases to be a virtue. In the right amounts, selflessness keeps you modest and humble.

You may ask how low self-esteem affects you? Low self-value results in despair. You start thinking of yourself as a failure, as an insignificant speck in society. You place everybody else on a pedestal and end up feeling worthless. Consequently, you face dejection and depression, which leads to poor physical and mental health.

You begin to lose your confidence, start neglecting yourself totally. You no longer care how you look. Your working environment seems alien. You lose initiative and miss opportunities. You won't strive to make more money because you don't believe you deserve it (or don't believe you're capable of earning it in the first place). In fact you end up repelling all good things coming your way because of your attitude.

Subsequently, your life gets affected totally - your job, your relationships - basically your entire existence. When you have a low opinion of your self, you will project the same to others who in turn will also hold a low opinion of you. So, it is all in your hands to make a difference to yourself.

It must seem quite negative all that I have said so far but the aim is not to depress you, but to make you aware of the ill effects of low self-esteem.

5 Ways to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

With good intentions, many of us come up with resolutions. These goals can have a major impact on our lives if only we could fulfill them. Here are five quick tips designed to put your on the road to success:

Take it step by step: Many marathon runners get through the race by taking it a few steps at a time. They see the long race as the repetition of those steps, again and again. Try to break down your goal into pieces. If you're trying to lose 20 pounds, then set a goal for the first four pounds. Psychologically, it's more like climbing a hill, rather than a mountain.

Have a carrot: Pick a special reward for when you achieve your objective. This should be something fun that you don't normally do. You could eat out at a special restaurant, go to a concert, or take a trip. The key is that you really want to do the activity but won't enjoy it until you've reached your goal. No cheating!

Have a buddy: See if one of your friends, who also has a goal, will agree to be your resolution partner. You both will need to keep in touch with each other, provide support, and make sure the other is making progress on his or her goal. This is better than telling everyone about your resolution. Sadly, some people like to see others fail at their dreams. They'll help undermine your success. Stick with one or two people who are motivated to change their lives. You'll create a much stronger support network this way.

Talk to yourself: You may not want to do this in public but it's a good habit to give yourself some daily feedback about your goal. Again, if you're trying to lose weight you might take a minute every day to talk about what you did that day. For instance: "Today I made smart choices about what I ate. I resisted the urge to eat foods that get me into trouble. Every day, I'm getting closer to my goal." Keep this affirmation as positive as possible. This is also an exercise that you can do with your resolution partner.

Think about the goal: Pick a time during the day (after waking up or before going to bed works well) and visualize that you've achieved your resolution. Imagine what that feels like. If you want to quit smoking, imagine being healthier and breathing much better. If you're trying to lose weight, think about your clothes fitting looser on your body or even shopping for new, thin, clothes. This habit helps program your mind, making your goal seem that much more real.

Are You Making New Year's Resolutions?

With Christmas just around the corner and New Years not far off, people are soon going to be thinking of what new promises they would like to make to themselves for 2009. There are many out there who don't think too much about making new resolutions, either because they don't believe in doing such a thing or they have never been able to keep up with them in the past. Others continue to make new resolutions every year, either because they feel they have kept up with them well enough in the past to warrant making a new one, or they legitimately want to make a lasting change in their lives. Regardless of whether your friends or relatives feel making resolutions are important or not, what really matters is if you would like to make a resolution for yourself.

A New Year's resolution is basically a promise that one makes to their self for that year, whether it is to lose twenty pounds, to quit smoking or to minimize the number of drinks they have per day. It is something that only you can decide for yourself. First, you have to think about what is important to you, and what it is about yourself and/or your life that you would like to change for the better. It helps to think back to the last year and pin point what you may want to improve upon it for next year. Now, a New Year's resolution doesn't necessarily have to be for only one year, it could be a long-term promise that you feel you want to keep for a few years or even for the rest of your life. It all depends on what the promise to yourself is.

When making a New Year's resolution, many will make a hasty choice as to what it will be and then forget about it shortly after. Some will make a resolution that they have full intention of following through on, but then it falls to the back of their mind and they slowly forget about it. This, of course, defeats the whole purpose of making a resolution. If you want to make a serious New Year's resolution, you need to give it some serious thought. You want to think of something that you really want to change, as well as something that you will be able to follow through on. What good is a promise if you can't follow it through? It should be remembered, however, that regardless of what you decide your New Year's resolution to be, you will have to be prepared to put some effort into following through with it. If you need a little help with your resolution, you can always contact an online counselor. You might be wondering how online counseling can help you with this. Some online therapy can help a great deal when trying to learn more about yourself and decide what about yourself you would like to change in the New Year. Speaking with and online therapist can also go a long way in helping you to achieve your resolution.

Are you tired of Procrastination?

Procrastination is a type of behavior which is characterized by deferment of actions or tasks to a later time. For an individual, procrastination may result in stress, a sense of guilt, the loss of personal productivity, the creation of crisis and the disapproval of others for not fulfilling one's responsibilities or commitments. While it is normal for people to procrastinate to some degree, it becomes a problem when it impedes normal functioning.

Have you heard the saying it takes 20 days of constant practice to form a habit? Think of that and then think of this: if all it takes is 20 days to form a habit, what can 20,000 days do? I'll tell you what these 20,000 days can do - they can reshape your character. This makes learning time management skills all the more important.

After all, procrastination may be a habit now but 20,000 days down the line, it will define who you are and what you do. Martin Avis knew this (he wasn't a former procrastinator for nothing!) and he used this knowledge to come up with a helpful, concise, but enriching guide, '14 Days to Total Time Control'. The ebook simplifies the concept of time management and offers tips for time management that are easy, practical, and workable. It is an entertaining read, too, as Avis draws from his rich trove of procrastination experiences to illustrate certain points.

Time management experts like Avis aside, though, here are some tips for time management that you can try right this moment.

1. Do not wait for things to become urgent before you do them.

Ever told yourself, "If it's not urgent, it can wait"? Snap out of this self-created myth. Time does not wait for anyone. So do what you can do now. Do not wait for tasks to pile up before you get to them.

2. Make a list.

Elephants, it's been said, do not forget. But you're not an elephant; you're human! It is natural for you to forget. So try this strategy: every morning, sit down and think of how you want your day to go. Then, write down all the tasks you need to do. Arrange them according to their order of priority and do them accordingly.

3. Learn to delegate.

You can't do everything yourself so why try? You don't need tips for time management to realize that you should delegate the things you do not have time for - what you need to come to that realization is plain common sense. So go ahead, ask others for help.

Remember, time is precious. You do not always get the chance to do tomorrow what you can't do today.

Time Management, a very important aspect of life

When there is so much competing for our attention, how do we keep up our work productivity? We've all had days when it seems like nothing gets accomplished, facing one interruption after another. As a creature of habit, I seem to work better when I have a system to follow.

The key to getting things accomplished is to maintain focus and build momentum on the important tasks. Here's a few things you can do to improve your time management skills.

Vary your Work Environment

These days, I do everything via a laptop computer that I can take with me. Sometimes I find that there are certain types of work for which my home office is just not conducive...such as a big research project, contemplating an important financial move, and such. These are typical things that many of us procrastinate on because it seems so cumbersome to do them.

However, I find when I change my surroundings, I can create an environment where I can actually get excited about that which I have been avoiding. This might be the local library or a coffee shop/internet cafe. The net effect is that I am creating a comfortable environment in which to put forth a focused block of time toward an important task...all contributing to a feeling of well-being.

Match Tasks with your Work Productivity Patterns

Do you find that you work most effectively if you stay focused on one task at a time? But what about those emails that need to be answered, websites you want to check out, that essential reading you need to do? I group these tasks into several categories which I handle in focused segments of time throughout the week.

For example, I handle emails in short blocks, 2 times/day. I return calls twice/day. I group my catch-up reading time and website reviews into the early evening, because this is the time when I let myself relax after a productive day. Being a morning person, this works for me; whereas, you may be a night person and setup a different routine.

Treat Important Blocks of Time as Appointments

I find it helpful to break my day into segments, being flexible around what is most pressing. Most people have no problem, typically, in blocking off a piece of the day for a meeting. Yet, if we know that we should take a block of time to design a new landing page, or write a series of articles, we often allow that time to get interrupted with phone calls, going off on internet tangents, constantly checking emails, etc. Instead, treat those segments like appointments...allowing nothing to get in the way.

Do your Most Important Project First

For me, creating forward momentum on our Internet business is the highest priority. So, the first 4 hours of my work day is when I devote to that purpose. It's like an ongoing appointment that I do not vary unless something pressing (pre-planned) trumps it. I shut off the phones and don't check emails. This allows me to get into the productive space such that one task flows efficiently into the next.

Then, at the end of this period, I have a feeling of accomplishment. I can then focus on the other tasks that need attention, or as is often the case, continue on my internet business-building tasks. Most importantly for me, it allows me to approach the rest of my day in a more relaxed fashion.

Try these approaches for yourself. You might just find that they increase your personal productivity.

Career Success Strategies - Interview With Your First Impression in Mind

"A statesman who keeps his ear permanently glued to the ground will have neither elegance of posture nor flexibility of movement." -- Abba Eban (1915-2002)

It takes less than 6 seconds to leave a first impression. It is said not to judge a book by its cover, but come on, isn't it the color, the design, the layout and title that draws us to pick up a book that may be of interest to us? When perusing magazines or CDs we are attracted to the cover. Notice what you make up about a person when you are first introduced to her/him? What are you making up about that person? Spend some time people watching and notice the assumptions you make. Is most of what you hear yourself saying negative or positive?

Something that most of us don't take notice to is how we stand or walk. The military requires soldiers to have the best postures. Why do you suppose the military trains its soldiers to march straight and tall? What possible difference can standing tall make?

Let's say you are going for a job interview or you are networking at an event to build your business. Within seconds you have already said a lot about yourself by the way you walk. The unseen that surrounds you is the energy you are expending which comes from your attitude and self-esteem. The seen part is your body language.

How you stand and walk says volumes about you before you even say a word. The majority of us walk around everyday without paying any attention to what we are saying even though we are not uttering a word. There is a lot that can be said about body language from the clothes you wear to gestures.

I took notice of this topic recently as I recalled something about changing my posture to improve my level of confidence. I was about to venture on a new project, which would take me out of my comfort zone. My gremlins were having a field day with me uttering all kinds of reasons why I couldn't do a good job with this new opportunity. I tucked in my tummy, put my shoulders back, held my head high, and took a walk. Soon thereafter, I felt so much better.

I approached the project with new zest and possibility. Wow what a difference! Try it.

Practice standing with tummy tucked in, shoulder blades reaching to touch each other, chin up and looking straight ahead. This exercise is quite effective regardless of body size. For those of you looking to lose weight, standing more erect gives the impression you have lost 5-15 lbs, depending on your current weight. Since pulling in my tummy and walking straighter, my friends are asking me if I lost weight. It's magic! It's so simple! It is also healthier. Walking tall may even give you the momentum to start exercising and eating more moderately if you so wish.

The ability to capture your audience when you walk into a room is sure to start you off on the right foot when going on an interview or making a presentation to prospective clients. Non-verbal signals have five times the impact of verbal signals. So you can count on losing your audience when you walk in with head down dragging your feet regardless how much you try to change it. This is a small step in making a big impression in your non-verbal communication.
Questions hold the answers:

* What can be improved in the way you stand and walk?
* When you stand and walk erect what do you notice?
* When you slouch what does it feel like compared to standing erect?
* What is your assessment of someone who slouches?
* What is the posture of the leaders you admire?
* What benefits would "standing tall" have when going on an interview?

Tips:

* Correct posture can actually help you be calmer and more relaxed, which is the way you want to be on an interview or making a presentation. This can actually be put to the test. Check out the above website to see how.
* Listen to your body and feel the power as you individualize your "standing tall".
* Do you know that it is impossible to be depressed with correct posture and chin up? Try it!

Remember to stand tall and anything is possible!

A Woman's Worth

Women have strengths that amaze men.

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,

but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy

and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in.

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take 'no' for an answer

when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel

and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about

a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

yet they are strong when they

think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss

can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have the compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their

family and friends.

Women have vital things to say

and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

How to Meet New People Without Being Creepy

1. Stop limiting yourself! If you go into the situation thinking people will reject your attempt at striking up conversation, you will ultimately be unapproachable. Most people are generally friendly, and everyone enjoys making new friends. If someone does happen to be unresponsive, don't worry! Who wants to be friends with him/her?
2. Have a positive relationship with yourself. Be confident in who you are, your beliefs, your likes/dislikes, and have a solid understanding of what you are about. This gives you a personality and confidence! You need both to make friends (who like YOU).
3. Try asking for their opinion on something. This person will be flattered you value his/her thoughts on the subject matter. Also, try being witty or making a small joke. Laughter is a great way to break the ice.
4. Be honest. Don't try to impress or boast.
5. Ask questions about school or directions. Strike up a conversation - any conversation! No one said you had to have a profound first remark which enlightens the other person's being.
6. Try flattery! Make sure you are sincere and pick a compliment which is directed specifically to the other person. Instead of "cute jeans" try "I can see by that (title of band)'s cd in your hand you have great taste in music!
7. Join clubs or do charity work with subjects that interest you. If you find it interesting you'll automatically find other people who do as well.
8. Don't judge others - it will keep you from making new friends more than anything else. Never pass up the opportunity to be nice to someone else.
9. Be patient. Realize it may take some time.
10. Ask people about fun places to hang out.

Tips

• Have a positive attitude. If you assume that they are going to think you are creepy, you might act in a way that makes them think that. If you have the attitude that they will like you and you behave like you really believe that, you will get a remarkably better response.
• Forced smiles look unnatural, instead try to feel how you feel when things are really going your way. If you get to that place you'll have a smile without even trying.
• Be interesting. If you aren't interesting, work on it.
• Stop thinking and worrying about how others perceive you. If you obsess that people will think of you as creepy during social settings they are bound to!
• It's best to go up to someone who looks friendly, bored or who smiles at you.

Warnings

People might think you're creepy and ignore you anyway. A lot of people are like that because they're overly protective of themselves. In this case, they are the creepy ones, and you don't have to worry about meeting them.

25 places to meet new people

Learn where to meet new people. In this fast paced world, a lot of people out there are lonely. Change your attitude and get out there and make new friends.

In this fast paced world we live in, sometimes we don't make time to socialize. Before you know it, your friends have all gone their own ways and often you are left alone. You sit night after night watching TV or spending time on the computer. The computer you say, can help you meet people. Sometimes it can, but more often than not, it's just faceless, meaningless chatroom conversation. It's better to get outside of your home, see people face-to-face, socialize and have fun! There are many reasons you may not get out to meet people. You're too busy, too tired, too shy, too frustrated by the social scene, and just overwhelmed by it all. But the alternative is to be alone. Listed next are 25 places to meet people. Some ideas to help get you motivated to go out and make some new friends. All you have to do is leave your house! You have nothing to lose and so much to gain: FRIENDS! Change your attitude, be open to possibilities, relax, and have fun. Bars and nightclubs are not mentioned as there are many better and preferred ways to meet people. 1)Join a health club: solves two problems; you'll become less of a couch potato and more fit. Think of all the people you will meet. The friends you meet here will most likely be healthy, athletic and attractive. You'll look better and feel better at the same time. 2)Take a class, any class: again a two in one tactic; you'll learn something new and make new friends with similar interests. Conversation is easier if you have something in common. 3)Go to Museums: Many museums have special events and members only events. Become a member and meet lots of cultured people. 4)Got to sporting events: Go to sporting events of any kind; soccer, football, basketball, etc. Go to professional games or college games, guaranteed to have fun. 5)Go to Flea Markets and Antique Shows: While you're browsing the finds, you can people watch. 6)Play a Sport: Have you ever wanted to play soccer after watching a game on TV? Lots of towns have adult sport programs. Volleyball and tennis are common town recreational sports you could join. 7)Join a Book Club: Check this out at your local library. Reading books and sharing them is another great way to get to know people. 8)Join a Singles Group: Self-explanatory, there are many singles organizations out there that plan singles dances, get-aways, etc. 9)Volunteer: Help build houses for Habitat for Humanity; give out beverages at marathons, or join one of the many volunteer organizations. 10)Have a Party: Invite your friends and have them invite two friends and so on and so on. 11)Learn a craft: take craft classes at your local community center. 12)Join a Business Association: If you are a professional, join your local association. Network for your business and your personal life. 13)Go to High School/College Reunions: A great way to reconnect with your old best friend! 14)Get a Dog and Walk Everywhere: go to parks and the beach with your dog. Dogs are great people meeters! 15)Go to every Party you are invited to: even if you don't want to go...go. You never know who you'll meet. 16)Join an Investment Club: make money and friends! 17)Travel: go to the islands; Europe; talk to everyone. Learn about their culture. 18)Go to seminars: lots of people go to seminars alone; great place to start a conversation. 19)Go to Wine Tastings: sometimes local restaurants have a wine-tasting night. 20)Go skiing, snowmobiling, snowboarding 21)Take a yoga, Tai Chi class: relieve tensions and meet other enlightened people. 22)Get a new job: Is your job boring, going nowhere, maybe you need a change. A new job is a great place to make some new relationships. 23)Join a women's or men's group 24)Take up acting; go to acting workshops, help create scenery. 25)Talk to everyone, everywhere As you can see, these are not difficults methods. They are tried and true. Remember, you can never have too many friends!

Change your Life Style

If your debts are building up, your relationship is leading you astray, or your career is at a halt, it's about time to analyze your situation and start the process of life change. Make a decision today to do all that yo u can to transform your life. To do or not; it's all up to you.

Create clear and well defined goals.
In whatever you attempt in life, you must first have clear and well defined goals. You are where you are now because you might have become indifferent about your goals in life.

Establish the action Steps.
You should not think about making your problems go away. Instead you should set your mind to create action steps to bring what you want into existence. Clear goals and precise action steps or strategy are requirements to start off.

Be willing to make Changes.
Wanting something different means letting go of whatever is holding you back up until today. Your personality may need a lift, yourself esteem a boost and your thinking definitely has to shift.

Start Believing in yourself.
Even though you have made mistakes and gone through challenges in life, there is every possibility to turn things around. You have to start to believe yourself. Your beliefs about what you can do and achieve are vital to making your dreams come true.

Take Immediate Action.
It does not matter whether you are fully prepared to start. Once you have a goal, know what you have to do, and are willing to get out of your comfort zone and start believing yourself, take immediate action. Do what you can with want you have and you will build the momentum and fight your fear.

Allow time for study and learning the skills.
In order to make life changes, you have to allow time to study and learn new skills. You gain knowledge through reading, listening and from doing things. If what you do does not give you the expected result, you have not failed instead have gained a new experience.

Take charge of your thoughts.
Your mind is endlessly producing pictures, images, voices and sensations without your conscious awareness. Those thoughts have influenced and affected your emotions and responses. It is abut time you take control and give the instruction instead. Direct your mind by creating images of what you want to say to yourself. Otherwise it will go on with the endless cycle of producing thoughts from the past and that of doubts and fears. Pause during the day and night to contemplate and to remain in focus. You need to take a break in between to see whether you are moving in the right direction. Sometimes you may seem busy doing things that are of not much importance. Contemplation allows you to observe and listen and it provides inspiration.

Impose the disciplines. Persist even when progress seems slow.
Keep on even when progress seems slow. Remind yourself that it takes time to grow and to make life changes. Impose the disciplines to take action everyday. Your next action or the next person you meet may provide the solution

Who Moved My Cheese?

An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work & In Your Life.
DR SPENCER JOHNSON

“Cheese” – a metaphor for what we want to have in life, whether it is a job, a relationship, money, a big house, freedom, health, recognition, spiritual peace, or even an activity like jogging or golf. Each of us has our own idea of what Cheese is, and we pursue it because we believe it makes us happy. If we get it, we often become attached to it. And if we lose it, or it’s taken away, it can be traumatic.

ONCE, long ago, there lived 4 little characters who ran through a maze looking for cheese to nourish them & make them happy. Two were mice named “Sniff” & “Scurry” and two were little people named “Hem” & “Haw”. Every morning, the mice & the little people dressed in their running gear & headed over to Cheese Station C where they found their own kind of cheese. It was a large store of Cheese that Hem & Haw eventually moved their homes to be closer to it & built a social life around it. To make themselves feel more at home, Hem & Haw decorated the walls with sayings. One read:

Having Cheese Makes You Happy

One morning, Sniff & Scurry arrived at Cheese Station C & discovered there was no cheese. They weren’t surprised. Since they had noticed the supply of cheese had been getting smaller every day, they were prepared for the inevitable & knew instinctively what to do. They were quickly off in search of New Cheese. Later that same day, Hem & Haw arrived. “What! No Cheese? Who moved my Cheese? It’s not fair!”, Hem yelled. They went home that night hungry & discouraged. But before they left, Haw wrote on the wall:

The More Important Your Cheese Is To You, The More You Want To Hold Onto It.

The next day Hem & Haw left their homes, & returned to Cheese Station C. But situation hadn’t changed. Haw asked, “Where are Sniff & Scurry? Do you think they know something we don’t?” Hem scoffed, “What would they know? They’re just simple mice. They just respond to what happens. We’re little people. We’re smarter.” Haw suggested, “Maybe we should stop analyzing the situation so much and just get going & find some New Cheese. Haw decided to leave Cheese Station C while Haw was more comfortable staying in the cheeseless Station C. Hem announced, “It’s MAZE time!” and wrote:

If You Do Not Change, You Can Become Extinct.

Meanwhile, Sniff & Scurry went farther into the maze until they found Cheese Station N. They found what they had been looking for: a great supply of New Cheese. It was the biggest store of cheese the mice had ever seen.

Haw on the other hand become more anxious & wondered if he really wanted to go out into the Maze. He wrote a saying on the wall ahead of him & stared at it for some time:

What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?

Haw now realized that the change probably would not have taken him by surprise if he had been watching what was happening all along and if he had anticipated change. He stopped for a rest & wrote on the wall of the Maze:

Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old.

Haw wondered if Hem had moved on, or if he was still paralyzed by his own fears. Then, Haw remembered the times when he had felt his best in the Maze. It was when he was moving along. He wrote:

Movement In A New Direction Helps You Find New Cheese.

As Haw started running down the dark corridor, he began to smile. Haw didn’t realize it yet, but he was discovering what nourished his soul. He was letting go & trusting what lay ahead for him, even though he did not know exactly what it was.

To his surprise, Haw started to enjoy himself more & more. He stopped to write again on the wall:

When You Move Beyond Your Fear, You Feel Free.

To make things even better, Haw started to paint a picture in his mind again. He saw himself in great realistic detail, sitting in the middle of a pile of all his favorite cheeses-from Cheddar to Brie! He saw himself eating the many cheeses he liked, & he enjoyed what he saw.

The more clearly he saw the image of himself enjoying New Cheese, the more real & believable it became. He wrote:

Imagining Myself Enjoying New Cheese, Even Before I Find It, Leads Me To It.

Haw wondered why he had always thought that a change would lead to something worse. Now he realized that change could lead to something better.

Then he raced through the Maze with greater strength & agility. Until he found bits of New Cheese. He entered the Cheese Station but it was empty. Someone had already been there.

He stopped & wrote on the wall:

The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner you Find New Cheese.

Haw made his way back to Cheese Station C to offer Hem bits of New Cheese but was turned down. Hem wanted his own Cheese back. Haw just shook his head in disappointment but this does not stop him from finding New Cheese. He smiled as he realized:

It Is Safer To Search In The Maze Than Remain In The Cheeseless Situation.

Haw realized again, that what you are afraid of is never as bad as what you imagine. The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exists.

He realizes it was natural for change to continually occur, whether you expect it or not. Change could surprise you only if you didn’t expect it & weren’t looking for it.

When he realized he had changed his beliefs, he paused to write on the wall:

Old Beliefs Do Not Lead You To New Cheese.

Haw now realized that his new beliefs were encouraging him to behave in a new way. He was behaving differently from the way he had when he had kept returning to the same cheeseless station.

It all depends on what you choose to believe. He wrote on the wall:

When You See That You Can Find And Enjoy New Cheese, You Change Course.

Haw just hoped he was heading in the right direction. He thought about the possibility that Hem would read The Handwriting On The Wall & find his way.

He wrote on the wall what he had been thinking about for some time:

Noticing Small Changes Early Helps You Adapt To The Bigger Changes That Are To Come.

He continued on through the Maze with greater strength & speed. He proceeded along a corridor that was new to him, rounded a corner, & found New Cheese at Cheese Station N where he saw the greatest supply of Cheese he had ever seen.Sniff & Scurry welcomed him.“Hooray for Change!”

Haw wrote down a summary of what he had learned on the largest wall of Cheese Station N & smiled as he looked at what he had learned:

• Change Happens
• Anticipate Change
• Monitor Change
• Adapt To Change Quickly
• Change
• Enjoy Change !

Be Ready To Change Quickly & Enjoy It Again.

Move With The Cheese & Enjoy It !

Career Advice

Once you have found a job vacancy that you want to apply for, the top tips below will help you compose a covering letter and make the most of your skills, qualifications and experience as you compile a CV.

Career advice: covering letters

A covering letter is sent with either a CV or application form and is usually the first thing that is read, so while it isn’t hugely important in the total communication regarding a job, you can fall at the first hurdle if isn’t done properly.

As with any communication, a covering letter is an expression of your brand, i.e. you, so think about how you want to come across and what you want to convey.

Here are some guidelines which will help you to write a good covering letter:

· If sending by post, use good quality paper
· If sending via email, use tables without borders to keep the copy tidy and prevent it moving around or going onto a second page when sent to a different computer/operating system
· Create a headline with the job reference number and/or job title so that they are immediately clear about what it is referring to
· The letter should be short, to the point and clear
· If possible, find out the person’s name rather than putting ‘Sir/Madam’ and remember to use the correct sign off before your signature, i.e. ‘Yours sincerely’ if you use their name or ‘Yours faithfully’ if you can’t source their name and need to use Sir/Madam
· Use 12-point size copy and a normal, “non-wacky”, typeface
· Remember to check the spelling and grammar using spellchecker and have plenty of space rather than it feeling crowded. Use paragraph 1.5 lines in Word
· Refer to the advert/job specification and pull out the most salient points to refer to when you specify how you meet these criteria
· Unless you are asked to do a hand-written covering letter, create one using a computer
· Show enthusiasm for the job advertised and illustrate your knowledge of position/company
· Offer to provide additional information and make sure that you put your relevant contact details, i.e. a phone number that you can speak freely on and an email that is confidential to you. Put your contact details on the letter, either at the top of the page or in the footer
· Be positive and never be negative about your current employer or job, or your potential employer may fear that you will do the same in the future about them
· At the end of the letter, put Enc. and list what you are sending with the letter, e.g. a CV, references or an application form.

Career advice: Your CV

Your CV is a very important document. It is a summary of who you are, where you've worked, and it needs to convince the reader very quickly to read on beyond the first page and that you are worth investing more of their time in. Its main objective is to gain you an interview and its second objective is to give an initial impression of you as a brand.

As someone working in the marketing and communications field, remember the skills that you apply to brands can also be applied to yourself, so keep your objective in mind and create a strategy and plan for your CV.

In an ideal world, your CV would be targeted 100% to each individual job, but lack of time can prevent this.

A good CV:

Is no more than three pages in length
Its content and style is targeted to your target audience, i.e. the interviewer(s)
Its design/layout matches your target employer/profession, i.e. modern if modern, traditional if traditional
Says enough without saying too much
It needs to convey both what makes you different or better than your competitors, and give an indication about your ‘brand' character

Common mistakes on CVs

Putting the education section first
Not putting the most recent information e.g. jobs and qualifications first
Making it too long/wordy so the reader switches off
Having too much detail about what you do in your job, rather than how you've added value
Including references
Not giving enough thought to the design and font used
Lying/exaggerating your role

Tips to create a good CV:

Create a clear and consistent structure using tables/borders/different sized fonts or bold/underline/italics for headings
Put the key information on the first page, i.e. your name and address; paragraph summary about your years' experience and achievements and initiatives.
Unless you have under five years experience, put where you've worked and what you've done further back in a tidy format
Include training and other information such as hobbies to give a flavour of you the person
Don't repeat information - summarise your core skills
Think about what you want the reader to feel and think and then design your CV to elicit this response
Use action words and data on £ budgets, % increases etc to build evidence e.g. achieved, initiated etc
Get feedback from people you know and trust; recruitment agencies and interviewers can also provide useful pointers
If posting, use good quality paper; if emailing, send a PDF to keep the design intact.

Imagination is more important than knowledge

Albert Einstein once said “Imagination is more important than knowledge”. I woke up this morning and imagined a world where I would wake up one day and just place a call each to people like Richard Branson, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Steve Balmer, Jack Welch, Abramovich,Femi Otedola, Dangote, Jim Ovia, Subomi Balogun, Fola Adeola, Okonji Iweala, Oby Ezekweseli, Dora Akunyili, Felix Ohiwerei, Tayo Aderinokun, Oba Otudeko, Christopher Kolade, Wole Soyinka, Francis Atuche, Otunba Gadaffi etc to let us meet and in a twinkle of an eye they would honor my call.

I told a friend about this and he said I must be dreaming. I was so happy when he said “I must be dreaming” because as long as my dream becomes a reality and not a nightmare, life is good. I told my friend that even if it does not happen with the Femi Otedolas of today, the fact is I want to be a friend to the Femi Otedolas and the Dangotes of my time , it would happen and these people are my friends of today. I have a dream of seeing you my friends of today as the ones going to take control of this country’s economy soon but we all must be prepared so that our children would not ask us that Daddy, Mummy I thought you said Mr Lagbaja and Mrs. Lakasegbe were once your friends but why………….

What I believe is where God can take you to no man can get you there and as such all we need to continue to ask for is God’s revelation which is the secret to success. For some of us who find it difficult to buy and read textbooks but find it easier to read motivational books, underlisted are some of the words I share and believe in.

If you share a dream of being one the stakeholders in this economy in the near future then let me share what I learnt about the under listed with you within this month.

• Commitment
• An Open Mind
• Persistence
• Flexibility
• Faith
• Thankfulness
• Passion

Commitment

What are you doing with your Life: would you say you are living your dream; or are you just making the best of things, just getting to the next week - what we might call: existing rather than living? If you are living your dream, then well done: you are truly on the road to success. If you are not living your dream - or even if you have no dream at present - then do not despair because it is never late than never Try and find your dream, develop it and then move on actually achieve it! Click here to read more

An Open Mind

Simply put, doing unique, random, different, and ridiculous things is a good way to exercise the mind and promote new ways of thinking about the world around us. One hour of increased brain activity via thinking a lot or experiencing new stimuli can make you smarter, more energetic, more creative, more sociable, and more open to new experiences and ways of thinking. Click here to read more

Persistence

Persistence is the ability to maintain action regardless of your feelings. You press on even when you feel like quitting. Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. Click here to read more

Flexibility

Flexibility is an option, not a right. Flexibility is not about saying, "Yes" to every request. Rather, flexible work policies focus both on the benefits to the employee and the impact on the organization.

Faith

Faith is acceptance of what we cannot see but feel deep within our hearts.

Faith is raising the sail of our little boat until it is caught up in the soft winds above and picks up speed, not from anything within itself, but from the vast resources of the universe around us. ~W. Ralph Ward

Passion

Passion is an emotion of feeling very strongly about a person. Passion is an intense emotion compelling feeling, enthusiasm, or desire for anything and often requiring action. Passion often applies to lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity or love. Click here to read more

To live a truly successful life, you do need to first have a dream. As Carl Sandburg, American historian, poet and novelist put it, "nothing happens unless first a dream".

If you think about it, nothing at all that now exists within our experience of physical reality did not first exist in the mind of the person who made it or brought it into being. In all cases, everything is created twice: the physical creation follows the mental creation.

To succeed, you must have a dream, or you may prefer to call it a vision - and you must completely commit yourself to its ultimate fulfillment - that is the essence of the mental creation.

“We make life by what we give and making a living by what we get”

What Makes for An Effective Leader?

Passion
An effective leader is a person with a passion for a cause that is larger than they are. Someone with a dream and a vision that will better society, or at least, some portion of it. I think a very key question has to be answered: Can someone who is a charismatic leader, but only to do evil or to promote herself, be a leader -- especially if she has a large following?” I would say no, she is a manipulator.
Also, without passion, a leader will not make the necessary courageous and difficult decisions and carry them into action. This is not to imply that all decisions are of this nature. But you can be sure, some of them will be. The leader without a passion for a cause will duck.

Holder of Values
Leadership implies values. A leader must have values that are life-giving to society. It is the only kind of leadership we need. This then also implies values that are embedded in respect for others. So often we think of people skills or caring about people as being “warm and fuzzy.” I think a leader can be of varying ‘warmth and fuzziness,” but a leader has to respect others. You can’t lead without it. Otherwise we are back to manipulation. Respect means also that one can deal with diversity -- a critical need for a leader in today’s world -- probably always has been, although diversity may have been more subtle in the homogenous societies of the past.

Vision
This is a bit different than passion, but in other ways it isn’t separable. If one doesn’t care about a subject, an issue, a system, then one won’t spend the time thinking about how it could or should be different. Yet, one could have strong feelings about something and not good ideas, particularly if she didn’t spend a good deal of time studying the topic. Thus a leader has to have some ideas about change, about how the future could be different. Vision then is based on two components that leaders also need: creativity and intellectual drive.

Creativity
One has to try to think out of the box to have good visions and to come up with effective strategies that will help advance the vision. I’d also add here the need for a sense of humor. It’s a creative skill that is in great need by leaders. We should read the funnies more!

Intellectual Drive and Knowledge
I believe a leader has to be a student. In general it is hard for a leader to be around enough other leaders to pick this up just through discussion, so I think a leader has to be a reader and a learner. Furthermore, I can’t see someone leading in a field they know nothing about.

Confidence and Humility Combined
While one can have a great vision and good ideas for change, and even passion for it, if one isn’t confident, then action will not occur. Without action, there is no change. Yet, paradoxically, a leader needs to have humility. No matter how creative and bright one is, often the best ideas and thinking are going to come from someone else. A leader needs to be able to identify that, have good people around who have these ideas. This takes humility, or at least lack of egocentricity. The leader is focused on the ends and doesn’t have to see herself always as the conduit or creator of the strategy to get to that end.

Communicator
None of the above assets will work for a leader if she can’t speak or write in a way to convince others that they should follow along, join the team, get on board. All the above gets to the old adage that a leader knows how to do the right thing and a manager knows how to do things right. But a leader has to be a manager, too. I don’t think these skills and abilities can be separated out very easily. Both need to be in the mix.

Thus a leader has to be some of the following, too:
Planner/Organizer
Someone who can see what needs to be done and help the team plan and organize the getting it done. Management is getting things done through people. While a writer or other visionary person may be very influential, even seminal for the cause of change, this is not quite my definition of a leader. A leader means to me, someone who is taking action, trying to get others to do something they want to see done.

Interpersonal Skills
Leaders must have the ability to act in an interpersonally competent manner, yet they also need to learn the techniques of good listening, honest and open communication, delegating, conflict resolution skills, etc., to actually get work done and keep the whole movement/organization/project together.

Other Business Skills
While in some arenas you may be able to get by with only some of these skills or none of them (if you can hire good enough people to do it for you), generally speaking you must have at least some skills in financial management, human resources, information management, sales, marketing, etc.

Tummy Tightening and Weight Loss

With all the diet fads and quick weight loss claims out there, how do you know who and what to trust for a successful weight loss plan?

The truth is, there are so many different voices of reason out there that no one weight loss solution is suitable for everyone. If you are serious about wanting to lose weight successfully without falling victim to yo-yo dieting, a reliable rule of thumb is: when in doubt, go organic. This means no miracle pills, no secret formulas, no magical weight loss belts, but rather pure organic exercise, healthy eating and nutrition. It may not sound as easy as a miracle pill but it is definitely more reliable. One great way to get a little exercise and work at slimming your bulge is to focus on tummy tightening.

Tummy Tightening the organic way…

The good news about tummy tightening is that you can pretty much get started anytime, anywhere. Here’s a couple organic tummy tightening exercises that you can perform either at a gym, in your living room or in the open space of your back yard:

1. The crunch

• Lie on you back.


• Place your feet on the floor, as close to your bottom as possible, with your knees placed together.


• Fold your arms across your chest and relax your neck.
  
• Inhale and slowly raise your shoulders as high as you can while keeping your lower back on the floor.


• Hold that position for a count of 1 and breathe out forcefully.


• Slowly relax the stomach muscles and allow your shoulders to return to the floor.


• Repeat this procedure 10 - 12 times, rest for 60 seconds then repeat.

2. Lying Leg Raises

• Lie on your back with your hands, palms down under your buttocks.


• Raise your legs about 30cm (12") off the floor and hold them there.


• Now trying to use just your lower abs, raise your legs by another 15cm (6"). Do this by tilting the pelvis upwards instead of lifting the legs with the psoas.


• Make sure your knees are slightly bent.

Repeat the pelvis tilt 10 times, rest for 60 seconds then repeat.

In conjunction with good ol’ organic exercise, it’s important to include a healthy organic diet and nutrition plan in order to reap the most long-term benefits of tummy tightening exercises and weight loss.

Healthy Eating and Nutrition the organic way…

Although there are many food plans out there to help guide you in getting a sufficient amount of nutrients throughout the day, the truth is, it can sometimes be difficult to find time for healthy eating. If you tend to fall victim to a busy schedule, you may want to consider a nutritional supplement plan to help boost your energy and gain the nutrients difficult to get out of meals on the run. Nutritional supplements can be a great addition to any tummy tightening weight loss plan and will help you develop longevity with your results.

Tummy Exercises, abs, 6-pack, crunches, sit-ups, weight loss, body tone, lose 10 pounds

What is the Easiest Way to Lose My Tummy Fat?

There is no miracle cure that will help one lose tummy fat, mostly due to the fact that the stomach is one of the most obstinate fat holdouts for many people. Short of major liposuction and tummy tucks, one must lose tummy fat at a slow rate. There are no quick diets, or quick pills that will result in one being able to lose tummy fat quickly.

The most important factor in helping one lose tummy fat is regular cardiovascular exercise. This does not mean taking casual walks. Generally, depending upon one’s age, one should work out for at least 15-20 minutes, five days a week, at peak heart rate. Aerobic dancing, jogging, fast walking, jazzercise, swimming, and using stair steppers, bicycles or ski machines can all help one lose tummy fat.

Generally, one must work up to peak heart rate, and one should check with a doctor regarding what one’s peak should be. But usually, the 15-20 minutes should occur after about 15 minutes of warming up. One will get to peak heart rate more quickly if one is working more than one major muscle group simultaneously, like the arms and legs. Thus aerobic dancing or swimming may be more effective than riding a bike.

Second, exercises that work the stomach muscles are important. Building muscle mass in the body helps us to burn calories more efficiently and reduce fat storage. Lean stomach muscles can reduce the size of a larger stomach. Many people do abdominal crunches to lose tummy fat, but often do them incorrectly.

Using a weight machine, or participating in Pilates 2-3 times a week may be more effective. As well, Pilates helps one work other problem areas like hips and thighs. If one doesn’t have the times for a full Pilates' class, adapt 15 minutes of abdomen-oriented exercises for home use. One many not lose tummy fat if abdomen exercises are not combined with the fat-burning power of cardiovascular exercise. A combination of both is needed in order to lose tummy fat.

In addition to exercise, pay attention to diet. Do not eat in excess of what you need-most westerners consume far more food than what the body really requires. Sticking to the Food Pyramid diet is often one of the best ways to lose tummy fat.

Lastly, stress does often cause fat to accumulate around the stomach. Fortunately, someone who is regularly exercising is going a long way toward reducing stress already. One might further help their battle to lose tummy fat by trying to destress, using a variety of relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and prayer.

Significant stress that seems to occur without outside stressors may suggest one is suffering from chemical imbalances. If you suffer from panic attacks or great anxiety, you may notice more tummy fat and it may be harder to lose. One should address this with a physician, as restoring an appropriate chemical balance can significantly reduce stress, and possibly help one lose tummy fat. As well, one should always see a physician prior to beginning an exercise program.

Career Succession Planning

Career succession planning is something that many people fail to consider let alone plan. Ideally, we are all waiting for either that C-spot, cashing out and taking the entrepreneurial route or retiring rich (preferrably after hitting the lottery!). There are steps that need to be taken to adequately prepare for career succession.

• Get your managers and HR liasons involved in career pathing. Make it known what career path you want to follow and be sure to let your managers know so they can aid in developing your plan. An ally in HR is good to have so you can learn about the different opportunities that are available in the company.
• Develop your plan. Where you you want to go? What do you want to be when you grow up? Figure out what you ultimately would like to be doing at the height of your career and make goals and plans accordingly. This includes continuing your education (formal or informal).
• Set a timeline for your goals. You should know what you should achieve at each step of your plan. Figure out how much time you need to give yourself to get to each point. If you are not keeping up with these timelines you need to adjust your goals and/or plan.
• Keep yourself open to projects. Volunteering for project will give you the hands on experience you need to get you to your goal. Give yourself a chance to show what you can do. Incorporate any current and newly learned skills and make sure your managers are aware.
• Groom your replacement. There are many up and comers. But not everyone is deserving of your position. Everyone knows about networking and mentoring. You should be taking advantage of both. Keep your eye on fresh talent and look for those willing to learn, sacrifice and go the extra mile to get that brass ring. Don't try to turn this person into a carbon copy of yourself. But impart some of your wisdom and skill into this person.
• Have an exit plan. Having this is as important as having a career plan to begin with. Then note the above points.

Every career has a beginning, a middle and an end. It's up to you to make sure you work it all out for a smooth transition when it's time for you to go.