By Levy Francesca
Source : http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/forbes/20100720/tls-the-world-s-happiest-countries-f011666.html
In the wake of their World Cup loss, residents of the Netherlands may be feeling depressed. But there's reason to believe they won't be done in by the agony of defeat: According to a recent poll, the country is one of the happiest in the world.
Championship-winning Spain, on the other hand, was swept with euphoria and national pride, but that may have been an unfamiliar feeling. The country ranks No. 17 of 21 European countries in terms of happiness.
The fact is good times probably have more to do with the size of your wallet than the size of your trophy shelf. The five happiest countries in the world--Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands--are all clustered in the same region, and all enjoy high levels of prosperity.
"The Scandinavian countries do really well," says Jim Harter, a chief scientist at Gallup, which developed the poll. "One theory why is that they have their basic needs taken care of to a higher degree than other countries. When we look at all the data, those basic needs explain the relationship between income and well-being."
Behind the Numbers Quantifying happiness isn't an easy task. Researchers at the Gallup World Poll went about it by surveying thousands of respondents in 155 countries, between 2005 and 2009, in order to measure two types of well-being.
First they asked subjects to reflect on their overall satisfaction with their lives, and ranked their answers using a "life evaluation" score between 1 and 10. Then they asked questions about how each subject had felt the previous day. Those answers allowed researchers to score their "daily experiences"--things like whether they felt well-rested, respected, free of pain and intellectually engaged.
Subjects that reported high scores were considered "thriving." The percentage of thriving individuals in each country determined our rankings. For a complete list of countries surveyed, including the percentages thriving and their daily happiness scores, click here.
Money Matters The Gallup researchers found evidence of what many have long suspected: money does buy happiness--at least a certain kind of it. In a related report, they studied the reasons why countries with high gross domestic products won out for well-being, and found an association between life satisfaction and income.
"Money is an object that many or most people desire, and pursue during the majority of their waking hours," researchers wrote in the report. "It would be surprising if success at this pursuit had no influence whatsoever when people were asked to evaluate their lives."
Indeed, Denmark, the world's happiest country, had a per-capita GDP of $36,000 in 2009, according to the Central Intelligence Agency. That's higher than 196 of the 227 countries for which the CIA collects statistics.
But there's more to happiness than riches. The Gallup study showed that while income undoubtedly influenced happiness, it did so for a particular kind of well-being--the kind one feels when reflecting on his or her own successes and prospects for the future. Day-to-day happiness is more likely to be associated with how well one's psychological and social needs are being met, and that's harder to achieve with a paycheck.
Take Costa Rica. The sixth-happiest country in the world, and the happiest country in the Americas, it beat out richer countries like the United States. That's because social networks in Costa Rica are tight, allowing individuals to feel happy with their lot, regardless of financial success.
"Costa Rica ranks really high on social and psychological prosperity," says Harter. "It's probably things systemic to the society that make people over time develop better relationships, and put more value on relationships. Daily positive feelings rank really high there."
Inhabitants of some rich countries are bound to feel happier. But happiness is elusive to define, and money isn't the only thing that influences it. Harter explains that the more abstract sense of happiness to which wealth contributes has a different effect on one's life than daily happiness.
"Each of us is two different people. We evaluate our lives periodically; we sit back and reflect and summarize things that have gone on in our lives to date," Harter says. "Another side is how you experience things daily. Daily experience affects your stress and your psychology. How you evaluate your life affects your decisions. It's important to think about how you can leverage that well-being."
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
BFR & BLR Increase Again From 6.05% to 6.30% Effect From 13 July 2010
Source:http://www.horlic.com/bfr-blr-increase-again-from-6-05-to-6-30-effect-from-13-july-2010/
Base financing rate (BFR) and base lending rate (BLR) increase again!!! With effect from 13 July 2010, both BFR and BLR will be raised to 6.30% per annum from 6.05% per annum.
First Increment (March 2010) = 5.55% to 5.80%
Second Increment (May 2010) = 5.80% to 6.05%
Third Increment (July 2010) = 6.05% to 6.30%
Base financing rate (BFR) and base lending rate (BLR) increase again!!! With effect from 13 July 2010, both BFR and BLR will be raised to 6.30% per annum from 6.05% per annum.
First Increment (March 2010) = 5.55% to 5.80%
Second Increment (May 2010) = 5.80% to 6.05%
Third Increment (July 2010) = 6.05% to 6.30%
Friday, June 25, 2010
Healthy Eating
Easy Tips for Planning a Healthy Diet and Sticking to It
Source :http://helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm
Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you.
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”—it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as defend against depression. Additionally, learning the habits of healthy eating can improve your health by boosting your energy, sharpening your memory and stabilizing your mood. Expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.
Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success
To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.
Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.
Think of exercise as a food group in your diet.
Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.
Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key
People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small. Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.
Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat
Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.
Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet—they are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal and your first choice for a snack—aim for a minimum of five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.
Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better.
The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits. Some great choices are:
Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.
Don’t forget to shop fresh and local whenever possible
The local farmer’s market, fruit stand or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group are great ways to get access to fresh, local produce. To find local growers, farmer's markets, and CSAs in your area, visit Local Harvest.
Avoid: Fruit juices, which can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup; avoid or dilute with water. Canned fruit is often in sugary syrup, and dried fruit, while an excellent source of fiber, can be high in calories. Avoid fried veggies and those with dressings or sauces—too much unhealthy fat and calories.
Water—a vital part of a healthy diet
Water makes up about 75% of our bodies and helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy and headaches.
Caffeinated beverages, in particular, actually cause the body to lose water. Fresh fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain plenty of water and can help with hydration, especially when you are looking for an alternative to your eighth glass of water for the day.
Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains
Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.
A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs
Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.
Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran, don’t necessarily mean that a product is whole grain. Look for the new Whole Grain Stamp. If there is no stamp look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat,” and check the ingredients.
Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains, like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.
Avoid: Refined grains such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.
Fiber: An essential component of a healthy diet
Dietary fiber, found in plant foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fiber helps support a healthy diet by helping you feel full faster and for a longer amount of time, and keeping your blood sugar stable. A healthy diet contains approximately 20-30 grams of fiber a day, but most of us only get about half that amount.
The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber can dissolve in water and can also help to lower blood fats and maintain blood sugar. Primary sources are beans, fruit and oat products.
Insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water, so it passes directly through the digestive system. It’s found in whole grain products and vegetables.
Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats
Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia.
Add to your healthy diet:
Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans) and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.
Reduce or eliminate from your diet:
Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective
Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.
Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:
Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.
Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans are great choices.
Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh and veggie burgers for a change.
Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.
Downsize your portions of protein. Most people in the U.S. eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.
Complete, incomplete and complementary proteins
A complete protein source—from animal proteins such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese and eggs—provides all of the essential amino acids.
An incomplete protein—from vegetable proteins like grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and beans—is low in one or more essential amino acids.
Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide all of the essential amino acids your body needs. For example, rice and dry beans are each incomplete proteins, but together they provide all of the essential amino acids.
Do complementary proteins need to be eaten in the same meal? Research shows that your body can combine complementary proteins that are eaten within the same day.
Why are complete and complementary proteins important? Complete and complementary proteins that provide all of the essential amino acids will fill you up longer than carbohydrates because they break down more slowly in the digestive process.
Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium & vitamin D for strong bones
Calcium and vitamin D are essential for strong, healthy bones—vitamin D is essential for optimum calcium absorption in the small intestine. Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.
Great sources of calcium include:
Dairy products, which come already fortified with vitamin D.
Dark green, leafy vegetables, such as kale and collard greens
Dried beans and legumes
See Osteoporosis, Diet and Calcium for more about the role of calcium in your diet.
Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar, salt, and refined grains
If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar, salt and refined starches.
Sugar and refined starches
It is okay to enjoy sweets in moderation, but try to cut down on sugar. Sugar causes energy ups and downs and adds to health problems like arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, headaches, and depression.
Give recipes a makeover. Often recipes taste just as good with less sugar.
Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
Eliminate processed foods. Processed foods and foods made with white flour and white sugar cause your blood sugar to go up and down leaving you tired and sapped of energy.
Salt
Salt itself is not bad, but most of us consume too much salt in our diets.
Limit sodium to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Most of us consume far more than one teaspoon of salt per day.
Avoid processed, packaged, restaurant and fast food. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen meals contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended teaspoon a day.
Healthy eating tip 10: Plan quick and easy meals ahead
Healthy eating starts with great planning. You will have won half the healthy diet battle if you have a well-stocked kitchen, a stash of quick and easy recipes, and plenty of healthy snacks.
Plan your meals by the week or even the month
One of the best ways to have a healthy diet is to prepare your own food and eat in regularly. Pick a few healthy recipes that you and your family like and build a meal schedule around them. If you have three or four meals planned per week and eat leftovers on the other nights, you will be much farther ahead than if you are eating out or having frozen dinners most nights.
Shop the perimeter of the grocery store
In general, healthy eating ingredients are found around the outer edges of most grocery stores—fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain breads and dairy products. The centers of many grocery stores are filled with overpriced, processed foods that aren’t good for you. Shop the perimeter of the store for most of your groceries (fresh items), add a few things from the freezer section (frozen fruits and vegetables), and the aisles with spices, oils, and whole grains (like rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).
Cook when you can
Try to cook one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening and make extra to freeze or set aside for another night. Cooking ahead saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you have a home cooked meal waiting to be eaten.
Have an emergency dinner or two ready to go
Challenge yourself to come up with two or three dinners that can be put together without going to the store—utilizing things in your pantry, freezer and spice rack. A delicious dinner of whole grain pasta with a quick tomato sauce or a quick and easy black bean quesadilla on a whole wheat flour tortilla (among endless other recipes) could act as your go-to meal when you are just too busy to shop or cook.
Stock your kitchen to be meal ready
Try to keep your kitchen stocked with recipe basics:
Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.
Recipe and soup starters such as garlic, onions, carrots, and celery.
Healthy staples like brown rice, white Basmati rice, whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, and wild rice.
Whole wheat bread and tortillas for healthy sandwiches and wraps.
Beans such as lentils, black beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, fava beans, and lima beans.
Frozen corn, peas, and other vegetables to add to recipes or for a quick vegetable side dish.
Frozen fruit and berries to make smoothies or frozen desserts.
Dark greens for salads, plus salad add-ins like dried fruit, nuts, beans, and seeds.
Fresh and dried herbs and spices.
Healthy fats and oils for cooking, such as olive oil and canola oil. You can also try specialty oils like peanut, sesame, or truffle oil for adding flavor.
Unsalted nuts for snacking, like almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, and pistachios.
Vinegars, such as balsamic, red wine, and rice vinegar for salads and veggies.
Strong cheeses, like aged Parmesan or blue cheese for intense flavor in salads, pasta, and soups.
Source :http://helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm
Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you.
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”—it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as defend against depression. Additionally, learning the habits of healthy eating can improve your health by boosting your energy, sharpening your memory and stabilizing your mood. Expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.
Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success
To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.
Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.
Think of exercise as a food group in your diet.
Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.
Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key
People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small. Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.
Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat
Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.
Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet—they are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal and your first choice for a snack—aim for a minimum of five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.
Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better.
The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits. Some great choices are:
Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.
Don’t forget to shop fresh and local whenever possible
The local farmer’s market, fruit stand or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group are great ways to get access to fresh, local produce. To find local growers, farmer's markets, and CSAs in your area, visit Local Harvest.
Avoid: Fruit juices, which can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup; avoid or dilute with water. Canned fruit is often in sugary syrup, and dried fruit, while an excellent source of fiber, can be high in calories. Avoid fried veggies and those with dressings or sauces—too much unhealthy fat and calories.
Water—a vital part of a healthy diet
Water makes up about 75% of our bodies and helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy and headaches.
Caffeinated beverages, in particular, actually cause the body to lose water. Fresh fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain plenty of water and can help with hydration, especially when you are looking for an alternative to your eighth glass of water for the day.
Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains
Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.
A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs
Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.
Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran, don’t necessarily mean that a product is whole grain. Look for the new Whole Grain Stamp. If there is no stamp look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat,” and check the ingredients.
Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains, like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.
Avoid: Refined grains such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.
Fiber: An essential component of a healthy diet
Dietary fiber, found in plant foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fiber helps support a healthy diet by helping you feel full faster and for a longer amount of time, and keeping your blood sugar stable. A healthy diet contains approximately 20-30 grams of fiber a day, but most of us only get about half that amount.
The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber can dissolve in water and can also help to lower blood fats and maintain blood sugar. Primary sources are beans, fruit and oat products.
Insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water, so it passes directly through the digestive system. It’s found in whole grain products and vegetables.
Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats
Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia.
Add to your healthy diet:
Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans) and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.
Reduce or eliminate from your diet:
Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective
Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.
Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:
Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.
Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans are great choices.
Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh and veggie burgers for a change.
Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.
Downsize your portions of protein. Most people in the U.S. eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.
Complete, incomplete and complementary proteins
A complete protein source—from animal proteins such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese and eggs—provides all of the essential amino acids.
An incomplete protein—from vegetable proteins like grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and beans—is low in one or more essential amino acids.
Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide all of the essential amino acids your body needs. For example, rice and dry beans are each incomplete proteins, but together they provide all of the essential amino acids.
Do complementary proteins need to be eaten in the same meal? Research shows that your body can combine complementary proteins that are eaten within the same day.
Why are complete and complementary proteins important? Complete and complementary proteins that provide all of the essential amino acids will fill you up longer than carbohydrates because they break down more slowly in the digestive process.
Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium & vitamin D for strong bones
Calcium and vitamin D are essential for strong, healthy bones—vitamin D is essential for optimum calcium absorption in the small intestine. Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.
Great sources of calcium include:
Dairy products, which come already fortified with vitamin D.
Dark green, leafy vegetables, such as kale and collard greens
Dried beans and legumes
See Osteoporosis, Diet and Calcium for more about the role of calcium in your diet.
Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar, salt, and refined grains
If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar, salt and refined starches.
Sugar and refined starches
It is okay to enjoy sweets in moderation, but try to cut down on sugar. Sugar causes energy ups and downs and adds to health problems like arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, headaches, and depression.
Give recipes a makeover. Often recipes taste just as good with less sugar.
Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
Eliminate processed foods. Processed foods and foods made with white flour and white sugar cause your blood sugar to go up and down leaving you tired and sapped of energy.
Salt
Salt itself is not bad, but most of us consume too much salt in our diets.
Limit sodium to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Most of us consume far more than one teaspoon of salt per day.
Avoid processed, packaged, restaurant and fast food. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen meals contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended teaspoon a day.
Healthy eating tip 10: Plan quick and easy meals ahead
Healthy eating starts with great planning. You will have won half the healthy diet battle if you have a well-stocked kitchen, a stash of quick and easy recipes, and plenty of healthy snacks.
Plan your meals by the week or even the month
One of the best ways to have a healthy diet is to prepare your own food and eat in regularly. Pick a few healthy recipes that you and your family like and build a meal schedule around them. If you have three or four meals planned per week and eat leftovers on the other nights, you will be much farther ahead than if you are eating out or having frozen dinners most nights.
Shop the perimeter of the grocery store
In general, healthy eating ingredients are found around the outer edges of most grocery stores—fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain breads and dairy products. The centers of many grocery stores are filled with overpriced, processed foods that aren’t good for you. Shop the perimeter of the store for most of your groceries (fresh items), add a few things from the freezer section (frozen fruits and vegetables), and the aisles with spices, oils, and whole grains (like rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).
Cook when you can
Try to cook one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening and make extra to freeze or set aside for another night. Cooking ahead saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you have a home cooked meal waiting to be eaten.
Have an emergency dinner or two ready to go
Challenge yourself to come up with two or three dinners that can be put together without going to the store—utilizing things in your pantry, freezer and spice rack. A delicious dinner of whole grain pasta with a quick tomato sauce or a quick and easy black bean quesadilla on a whole wheat flour tortilla (among endless other recipes) could act as your go-to meal when you are just too busy to shop or cook.
Stock your kitchen to be meal ready
Try to keep your kitchen stocked with recipe basics:
Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.
Recipe and soup starters such as garlic, onions, carrots, and celery.
Healthy staples like brown rice, white Basmati rice, whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, and wild rice.
Whole wheat bread and tortillas for healthy sandwiches and wraps.
Beans such as lentils, black beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, fava beans, and lima beans.
Frozen corn, peas, and other vegetables to add to recipes or for a quick vegetable side dish.
Frozen fruit and berries to make smoothies or frozen desserts.
Dark greens for salads, plus salad add-ins like dried fruit, nuts, beans, and seeds.
Fresh and dried herbs and spices.
Healthy fats and oils for cooking, such as olive oil and canola oil. You can also try specialty oils like peanut, sesame, or truffle oil for adding flavor.
Unsalted nuts for snacking, like almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, and pistachios.
Vinegars, such as balsamic, red wine, and rice vinegar for salads and veggies.
Strong cheeses, like aged Parmesan or blue cheese for intense flavor in salads, pasta, and soups.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
5 Ways to Encourage Your Savings Habit
by Miranda Marquit ·
Source:http://moneyning.com
Like so many things in life, setting money aside as savings is a habit that needs to be developed. If you want to see your nest egg grow, you need to do what you can to encourage a savings habit. Setting money aside needs to become a way of life, instead of some sort of burden. If you are having trouble getting into the habit of saving, you should try these 5 ways to keep you motivated:
1. Set Achievable Savings Goals
One of the biggest issues is that you may not have a goal. You just have an idea that you need to save money, but there is no true purpose for your money. It’s hard to stay motivated when you have no clear idea of what the money is for. So it is much easier just to spend it.
Instead of pointlessly saving, create achievable savings goals that give purpose to your money. Whether you want to save $5,000 in the next six months for a vacation, or whether you want to save up five months of expenses by the end of the year for your emergency fund, having a realistic goal gives you something to work toward — and progress you can see.
2. Reward Yourself for Reaching Small Milestones
Depending on the length of your goal, you can reward yourself at certain milestones. This helps you track your progress, and also helps keep you motivated to continue saving. These rewards should be fun things that you might not normally do, but that are still small and within reason. It might be a day off (if you can take a personal day at work), a picnic in the park, dinner at a nicer restaurant than usual, or some other enjoyable activity. Just don’t blow all your savings while enjoying your small reward.
3. Automate Your Savings
One of the easiest ways to get into the habit of saving is to set up some automatic method of moving your money around. Whether you have money from your paycheck automatically deposited into a savings account (including a retirement account), or whether you do an automatic transfer each month, automatically having your savings moved around can help you adjust your lifestyle to what you end up as “take home” pay. Soon you won’t miss the money, but it will still grow and work for you.
4. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Always denying yourself the small treats you enjoy, and focusing on penny pinching, can bring you to hate saving. While you can cut back on some of those small expenses that eventually add up, you might actually feel better about saving if you focus on cutting back on the big expenses. Forgoing the big TV is an one time thing that can save you $700 to $2,000. And you can still get good entertainment on your current TV, or use the Internet. You will probably find that you will get over the TV pretty quickly and move on. However, constantly telling yourself that you can’t get that delicious $2 bagel you love can start to create resentful feelings toward saving. It’s a daily litany of denial that can start to make saving a chore.
5. Look for High Yield Accounts
One of the most depressing things about savings is how slowly the money grows. You can increase your satisfaction with savings by looking for high yield accounts. While yields are still generally low, you can still do better than the less than 1% offered by a traditional savings account. You can also look for alternative products like money market accounts and funds, high-yield CDs and bonds. However, be aware that some of these options may not be FDIC-insured, and come with greater risk.
Bottom line: Setting aside money for the future is important, but you need to find ways to keep yourself motivated. Do any of these things work for you? What keeps you motivated to save?
Source:http://moneyning.com
Like so many things in life, setting money aside as savings is a habit that needs to be developed. If you want to see your nest egg grow, you need to do what you can to encourage a savings habit. Setting money aside needs to become a way of life, instead of some sort of burden. If you are having trouble getting into the habit of saving, you should try these 5 ways to keep you motivated:
1. Set Achievable Savings Goals
One of the biggest issues is that you may not have a goal. You just have an idea that you need to save money, but there is no true purpose for your money. It’s hard to stay motivated when you have no clear idea of what the money is for. So it is much easier just to spend it.
Instead of pointlessly saving, create achievable savings goals that give purpose to your money. Whether you want to save $5,000 in the next six months for a vacation, or whether you want to save up five months of expenses by the end of the year for your emergency fund, having a realistic goal gives you something to work toward — and progress you can see.
2. Reward Yourself for Reaching Small Milestones
Depending on the length of your goal, you can reward yourself at certain milestones. This helps you track your progress, and also helps keep you motivated to continue saving. These rewards should be fun things that you might not normally do, but that are still small and within reason. It might be a day off (if you can take a personal day at work), a picnic in the park, dinner at a nicer restaurant than usual, or some other enjoyable activity. Just don’t blow all your savings while enjoying your small reward.
3. Automate Your Savings
One of the easiest ways to get into the habit of saving is to set up some automatic method of moving your money around. Whether you have money from your paycheck automatically deposited into a savings account (including a retirement account), or whether you do an automatic transfer each month, automatically having your savings moved around can help you adjust your lifestyle to what you end up as “take home” pay. Soon you won’t miss the money, but it will still grow and work for you.
4. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Always denying yourself the small treats you enjoy, and focusing on penny pinching, can bring you to hate saving. While you can cut back on some of those small expenses that eventually add up, you might actually feel better about saving if you focus on cutting back on the big expenses. Forgoing the big TV is an one time thing that can save you $700 to $2,000. And you can still get good entertainment on your current TV, or use the Internet. You will probably find that you will get over the TV pretty quickly and move on. However, constantly telling yourself that you can’t get that delicious $2 bagel you love can start to create resentful feelings toward saving. It’s a daily litany of denial that can start to make saving a chore.
5. Look for High Yield Accounts
One of the most depressing things about savings is how slowly the money grows. You can increase your satisfaction with savings by looking for high yield accounts. While yields are still generally low, you can still do better than the less than 1% offered by a traditional savings account. You can also look for alternative products like money market accounts and funds, high-yield CDs and bonds. However, be aware that some of these options may not be FDIC-insured, and come with greater risk.
Bottom line: Setting aside money for the future is important, but you need to find ways to keep yourself motivated. Do any of these things work for you? What keeps you motivated to save?
Monday, June 21, 2010
Establishing Dreams and Goals by Jim Rohn
Source : http://www.chinkk.com/?p=120
One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams. Think of it: We can look deep within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our families; dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical lives; certainly dream of better spiritual lives. But what makes this even more powerful is that we have also been given the ability to not only dream but to pursue those dreams, and not only to pursue them, but the cognitive ability to actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams. Powerful!
What are your dreams and goals? This isn’t what you already have or what you have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there.
So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts.
Let’s take a look at some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:
Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don’t do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet “dream time” this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts.
Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you LOVE to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions, you will feel great and you will be in the “dream zone.” It is only when we get to this point that we experience what our dreams are!
Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don’t think of any as too outlandish or foolish—remember, you’re dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record.
Now, prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.
Here is the big picture: Life is too short to not pursue your dreams. Someday your life will near its end and all you will be able to do is look backward. You can reflect with joy or regret. Those who dream, who set goals and act on them to live out their dreams, are those who live lives of joy and have a sense of peace when they near the end of their lives. They have finished well, for themselves and for their families.
Remember: These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. Your specific goals are what you want to attain because they are what will make your life joyful and bring your family’s life into congruence with what you want it to be.
This article was excerpted from The Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan. It’s time for a mid-year success checkup! Are you focused and on course for reaching your goals? Are you on the right track mentally, physically, spiritually, financially, relationally and otherwise? If you’re not on course, or you’ve lost momentum or you never even got started, we’ve got an incredible offer for you. Join The Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan for ONLY $9.97 a month for the first 3 months, then ONLY $17.97 for each of the remaining 9 months! Plus, receive more than $300 in bonus materials, including a special bonus! Click here now for complete details or to enroll.
One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams. Think of it: We can look deep within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our families; dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical lives; certainly dream of better spiritual lives. But what makes this even more powerful is that we have also been given the ability to not only dream but to pursue those dreams, and not only to pursue them, but the cognitive ability to actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams. Powerful!
What are your dreams and goals? This isn’t what you already have or what you have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there.
So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts.
Let’s take a look at some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:
Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don’t do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet “dream time” this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts.
Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you LOVE to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions, you will feel great and you will be in the “dream zone.” It is only when we get to this point that we experience what our dreams are!
Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don’t think of any as too outlandish or foolish—remember, you’re dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record.
Now, prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.
Here is the big picture: Life is too short to not pursue your dreams. Someday your life will near its end and all you will be able to do is look backward. You can reflect with joy or regret. Those who dream, who set goals and act on them to live out their dreams, are those who live lives of joy and have a sense of peace when they near the end of their lives. They have finished well, for themselves and for their families.
Remember: These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. Your specific goals are what you want to attain because they are what will make your life joyful and bring your family’s life into congruence with what you want it to be.
This article was excerpted from The Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan. It’s time for a mid-year success checkup! Are you focused and on course for reaching your goals? Are you on the right track mentally, physically, spiritually, financially, relationally and otherwise? If you’re not on course, or you’ve lost momentum or you never even got started, we’ve got an incredible offer for you. Join The Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan for ONLY $9.97 a month for the first 3 months, then ONLY $17.97 for each of the remaining 9 months! Plus, receive more than $300 in bonus materials, including a special bonus! Click here now for complete details or to enroll.
From Habits to Freedom
Source:www.selfgrowth.com
How many times have you heard someone say, "I never have enough time!"? Maybe you have even said it yourself. I hate to break the news to you...we all have the same amount of time: 24 hours in a day which means 168 hours per week. There is nothing that anyone can do to change it. For some people that is the bad news. There is good news, however. You are in charge of your time. Now I can already hear some of you arguing that isn't true because the boss claims a lot of your time, family or friends want some of your time, there are personal life tasks to be taken care of, and that is all before you even think of doing something fun. But if you just take the time to read this article, I can promise you some tips to save some time later...and even create some new time.
It's not an issue of managing time; it's a matter of managing oneself. Since organizing is about replacing non-functioning habits with functioning ones, let's look at some of the habits you need to develop in order to gain time.
Habit #1: Learn to say "no".For most people, the ability to say "no" is difficult if not impossible. For such a short word, it can be almost impossible to say. The best place to start is to develop a standard answer to give anyone who asks for your time. One example might be "Can I get back to you in a couple of days; I need to check my calendar before I commit to something new?" You have to create a statement that works for you and that starts to roll off your tongue the minute someone says, "Can you ____?" You may have to practice in front of a mirror until you feel comfortable. If someone indicates that they can't wait, then be prepared to immediately decline.
After you have had time to think about it, look at your calendar, or discuss it with someone, be as short and direct as you can and don't be swayed by reasons they may use to get you to change your mind. Keep the words of Anne Lamott in mind, she says, "I live by the truth that "No" is a complete sentence."
Here are some statements that may be useful:"My schedule is full for that (day, week, month, year, etc.)" You do not have to tell the person anything else. Even if they indicate that the task won't take to long, be firm and repeat the statement."
I need to decrease the amount of stress in my life by cutting back on tasks. I hope you understand." Again, do not give any details. Just make the statement and move to another topic of conversation."
My (spouse, family, friends, etc.) need my full attention at this time so I am unable to take on additional activities." Don't elaborate. Just maintain your stand.Be aware, if you are a longtime "yes" person, there will be people who will be unhappy when you start saying "no". Be strong. It takes awhile to develop a new habit and you are bound to meet outside resistance.
Habit #2: Silence the internal people-pleasing voices.Part of saying "no" is the ability to stand firm with others. Another part of saying "no" is the struggle against the internal people-pleaser voices. Not everyone has these, so if you don't, you can skip to habit three. For those who know exactly what I am talking about you've may experience fear that someone might reject you if you don't say "yes". You might feel like it is your duty to say "yes" to all requests; it is almost a driving force. Unfortunately people who are addicted to approval from others are usually disappointed because while it is possible to please lots of people, it is impossible to please everyone. There will always be someone who isn't happy with us for some reason or another.
One of the best ways to quiet your internal people-pleaser is to empower yourself by answering the following questions truthfully:
1. "What stops me from saying "no" when I am asked to do something that I really don't want to do?"
2. "What is the worst thing that could happen if I say "no"?
Resist the temptation to rationalize. For instance, when you ask yourself the second question, it is very tempting to say something like "that person will think less of me." That is certainly not a "worst case scenario". It may help you to write down your answers or to discuss them with someone. You won't be an approval addict one day and then not one the next. You are forming a new habit. It is a process that will take time and may include the occasional setback.
Habit #3: Block out time on your schedule.I am talking about literally blocking time on your paper or electronic calendar. Most people write down the time that an appointment starts. This is not enough. You need to write down the ending time if you know it or estimate it is you don't, you also need to plan for transportation time. If I have an organizing session with a client that is from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., then I will mark my calendar to denote the actual session time but I will also indicate the time I need to leave my office and the time that I expect to arrive back at my office.
Noting "actual" appointments may seem pretty logical, but what about all of the other activities that fill your day? Whether we are talking about personal or professional tasks, it is best to allot a specific time for them to get accomplished. For some reason we tend to think that "everything will get done". In reality, less than we think gets done because we don't plan time a specific time to work on the project nor do we estimate the amount of time the job will take. Let's take this article as an example. It doesn't write itself. I actually mark a specific time in my calendar that says "write ezine". But that isn't all; I predict how much time it will take to compose. Remember the rule of thumb, estimate the amount of time and then double it. If you end up with extra time, great! But you will usually find that you are much closer to actuality when you double your guesstimate. Once you start doing this, you will probably notice that you have a very full calendar. Maybe you have more activities than hours (hence the reason many people don't get enough sleep)! This actually leads us back to habit one about learning to say "no".
Practice, practice, practice! That is the only way that you will create these new habits that will give you more free time and more freedom to decide how to use your time the best. It's a process. It takes work. In the end you will be able to cherish the gift of time more freely.
About the Author:North Carolina's first Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Janice Russell, and her firm, Minding Your Matters® Organizing, have built a reputation for helping business and residential clients organize their space, items, documents, and time using the flexible structure principle™. Janice's workshops on topics such as tackling the "no time" trap, perishing paper piles, and stopping stuff from being overwhelming are dynamic, informative, and practical. Minding Your Matters® is dedicated to helping people achieve organization with lasting results™ in their personal and professional lives. Janice is highly regarded within her industry. She is a Golden Circle Member of National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and past president of the North Carolina Chapter of NAPO. Janice is the author of the book Get Organized This Year! and the audio Stop Letting Stuff Overwhelm You. For more information, please visit http://www.mindingyourmatters.com or call 919-467-7058.
How many times have you heard someone say, "I never have enough time!"? Maybe you have even said it yourself. I hate to break the news to you...we all have the same amount of time: 24 hours in a day which means 168 hours per week. There is nothing that anyone can do to change it. For some people that is the bad news. There is good news, however. You are in charge of your time. Now I can already hear some of you arguing that isn't true because the boss claims a lot of your time, family or friends want some of your time, there are personal life tasks to be taken care of, and that is all before you even think of doing something fun. But if you just take the time to read this article, I can promise you some tips to save some time later...and even create some new time.
It's not an issue of managing time; it's a matter of managing oneself. Since organizing is about replacing non-functioning habits with functioning ones, let's look at some of the habits you need to develop in order to gain time.
Habit #1: Learn to say "no".For most people, the ability to say "no" is difficult if not impossible. For such a short word, it can be almost impossible to say. The best place to start is to develop a standard answer to give anyone who asks for your time. One example might be "Can I get back to you in a couple of days; I need to check my calendar before I commit to something new?" You have to create a statement that works for you and that starts to roll off your tongue the minute someone says, "Can you ____?" You may have to practice in front of a mirror until you feel comfortable. If someone indicates that they can't wait, then be prepared to immediately decline.
After you have had time to think about it, look at your calendar, or discuss it with someone, be as short and direct as you can and don't be swayed by reasons they may use to get you to change your mind. Keep the words of Anne Lamott in mind, she says, "I live by the truth that "No" is a complete sentence."
Here are some statements that may be useful:"My schedule is full for that (day, week, month, year, etc.)" You do not have to tell the person anything else. Even if they indicate that the task won't take to long, be firm and repeat the statement."
I need to decrease the amount of stress in my life by cutting back on tasks. I hope you understand." Again, do not give any details. Just make the statement and move to another topic of conversation."
My (spouse, family, friends, etc.) need my full attention at this time so I am unable to take on additional activities." Don't elaborate. Just maintain your stand.Be aware, if you are a longtime "yes" person, there will be people who will be unhappy when you start saying "no". Be strong. It takes awhile to develop a new habit and you are bound to meet outside resistance.
Habit #2: Silence the internal people-pleasing voices.Part of saying "no" is the ability to stand firm with others. Another part of saying "no" is the struggle against the internal people-pleaser voices. Not everyone has these, so if you don't, you can skip to habit three. For those who know exactly what I am talking about you've may experience fear that someone might reject you if you don't say "yes". You might feel like it is your duty to say "yes" to all requests; it is almost a driving force. Unfortunately people who are addicted to approval from others are usually disappointed because while it is possible to please lots of people, it is impossible to please everyone. There will always be someone who isn't happy with us for some reason or another.
One of the best ways to quiet your internal people-pleaser is to empower yourself by answering the following questions truthfully:
1. "What stops me from saying "no" when I am asked to do something that I really don't want to do?"
2. "What is the worst thing that could happen if I say "no"?
Resist the temptation to rationalize. For instance, when you ask yourself the second question, it is very tempting to say something like "that person will think less of me." That is certainly not a "worst case scenario". It may help you to write down your answers or to discuss them with someone. You won't be an approval addict one day and then not one the next. You are forming a new habit. It is a process that will take time and may include the occasional setback.
Habit #3: Block out time on your schedule.I am talking about literally blocking time on your paper or electronic calendar. Most people write down the time that an appointment starts. This is not enough. You need to write down the ending time if you know it or estimate it is you don't, you also need to plan for transportation time. If I have an organizing session with a client that is from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., then I will mark my calendar to denote the actual session time but I will also indicate the time I need to leave my office and the time that I expect to arrive back at my office.
Noting "actual" appointments may seem pretty logical, but what about all of the other activities that fill your day? Whether we are talking about personal or professional tasks, it is best to allot a specific time for them to get accomplished. For some reason we tend to think that "everything will get done". In reality, less than we think gets done because we don't plan time a specific time to work on the project nor do we estimate the amount of time the job will take. Let's take this article as an example. It doesn't write itself. I actually mark a specific time in my calendar that says "write ezine". But that isn't all; I predict how much time it will take to compose. Remember the rule of thumb, estimate the amount of time and then double it. If you end up with extra time, great! But you will usually find that you are much closer to actuality when you double your guesstimate. Once you start doing this, you will probably notice that you have a very full calendar. Maybe you have more activities than hours (hence the reason many people don't get enough sleep)! This actually leads us back to habit one about learning to say "no".
Practice, practice, practice! That is the only way that you will create these new habits that will give you more free time and more freedom to decide how to use your time the best. It's a process. It takes work. In the end you will be able to cherish the gift of time more freely.
About the Author:North Carolina's first Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Janice Russell, and her firm, Minding Your Matters® Organizing, have built a reputation for helping business and residential clients organize their space, items, documents, and time using the flexible structure principle™. Janice's workshops on topics such as tackling the "no time" trap, perishing paper piles, and stopping stuff from being overwhelming are dynamic, informative, and practical. Minding Your Matters® is dedicated to helping people achieve organization with lasting results™ in their personal and professional lives. Janice is highly regarded within her industry. She is a Golden Circle Member of National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and past president of the North Carolina Chapter of NAPO. Janice is the author of the book Get Organized This Year! and the audio Stop Letting Stuff Overwhelm You. For more information, please visit http://www.mindingyourmatters.com or call 919-467-7058.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The Importance of a Budget Planner
Source - http://kclau.com/wealth-management/budget-planner
by jacquelyn
in Wealth Management
In a survey done in 2008, only about 28% of Malaysians have a monthly budget. Either you are extremely rich that you cannot be bothered to keep track of your money or you do not have any money or income to keep track of in the first place, you have no desire whatsoever to do it. However most of us fall somewhere in the middle rung, meaning we are not so rich as to completely disregard where our money is going.
People normally make excuses when it comes to doing a budget planner. The work is tedious, it is a useless exercise, my income is too small, etc. They start to complain even before they attempt to do it. The bad thing is you also hear them lament “I don’t know where my money went!” or something similar. You hear this complain often enough even from people who earn a decent income.
Well, to this people, they better listen up. This is where a budget planner becomes handy and useful. A budget planner helps you plan your day to day expenses. The fact is everyone spends money daily such as when you buy food, when you make a call, when you switch on the fan, etc.
Having a budget planner helps in the following ways:
It shows your spending pattern. Maybe you have been spending 20 percent of your income on the lottery and you did not realize it yet.
Assist you in doing proper allocation of your money. For example, 10 percent on food, 15 percent on savings, 10 percent on debt repayment, etc.
It stops you from spending money you do not have. Who knows, maybe you have been trying to live a RM100,000 lifestyle on a RM50,000 annual income.
Assist you in your debt-repayment plan.
Assist you in achieving your financial goals faster.
A budget planner is really an important part of your financial planning. You cannot simply say you want to save 20 percent of your income when you do not have the amount to save in the first place. If you want to know whether you have or not, start to plan now. Go to the internet and type in “budget planner” or “free budget software” and you will get free samples of it.
Basically, you will be tracking your monthly income, your day to day spending, your big expenses (e.g. loans, utility bills, insurance, tax, etc.) and knowing your balance at the end of the month, positive or negative cashflow. Once you do this and keep doing it as part of your financial planning, you stop asking the question “Where did all my money go?”
by jacquelyn
in Wealth Management
In a survey done in 2008, only about 28% of Malaysians have a monthly budget. Either you are extremely rich that you cannot be bothered to keep track of your money or you do not have any money or income to keep track of in the first place, you have no desire whatsoever to do it. However most of us fall somewhere in the middle rung, meaning we are not so rich as to completely disregard where our money is going.
People normally make excuses when it comes to doing a budget planner. The work is tedious, it is a useless exercise, my income is too small, etc. They start to complain even before they attempt to do it. The bad thing is you also hear them lament “I don’t know where my money went!” or something similar. You hear this complain often enough even from people who earn a decent income.
Well, to this people, they better listen up. This is where a budget planner becomes handy and useful. A budget planner helps you plan your day to day expenses. The fact is everyone spends money daily such as when you buy food, when you make a call, when you switch on the fan, etc.
Having a budget planner helps in the following ways:
It shows your spending pattern. Maybe you have been spending 20 percent of your income on the lottery and you did not realize it yet.
Assist you in doing proper allocation of your money. For example, 10 percent on food, 15 percent on savings, 10 percent on debt repayment, etc.
It stops you from spending money you do not have. Who knows, maybe you have been trying to live a RM100,000 lifestyle on a RM50,000 annual income.
Assist you in your debt-repayment plan.
Assist you in achieving your financial goals faster.
A budget planner is really an important part of your financial planning. You cannot simply say you want to save 20 percent of your income when you do not have the amount to save in the first place. If you want to know whether you have or not, start to plan now. Go to the internet and type in “budget planner” or “free budget software” and you will get free samples of it.
Basically, you will be tracking your monthly income, your day to day spending, your big expenses (e.g. loans, utility bills, insurance, tax, etc.) and knowing your balance at the end of the month, positive or negative cashflow. Once you do this and keep doing it as part of your financial planning, you stop asking the question “Where did all my money go?”
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Five Simple Habits That Will Make Your Rich
Source:http://pgcare.blogspot.com/2010/06/five-simple-habits-that-will-make-your.html
This is a goal that many people share. Unfortunately, only 5% of people actually achieve substantial wealth in their lifetime. If you are going to get rich at some point in your life, you need to stay on track, day in and day out. The path that you are on right now may not be the one you want to continue to follow. These five habits can help get you in the right frame of mind and hopefully assist you in building significant wealth:
1. Set Big Goals.
No matter what the word rich means to you, you have to set the goal of getting there. There is nothing wrong with small goals, but to get rich you have to think big. For example, set the goal of reaching an annual salary of $100,000 within the next five years. If you don’t want to focus solely on income, set goals based around other financial details such as paying off your mortgage in a short period of time or saving enough money to pay for large purchases with cash to avoid going into debt.
2. Don’t lose sight of your goals.
Anybody can set a goal, but most people never do what it takes to reach them. If you want to get rich, you have to stay on the right path, no matter what gets in your way. Day after day, review your goal and make sure you are taking steps towards reaching it. Post your goals on your refrigerator, on your bathroom mirror, and on your night stand. Stay motivated!Tip: have somebody alongside for support. This can be anybody from a friend who is trying to accomplish a similar goal, or a spouse who is willing to work with you to make this happen. Goals are always easier to reach when you have help on your side.
3. Have a reason for every financial decision that you make.
Why are you spending money on that particular item? Why are you only saving 10 percent of your income when you can afford 20 percent? It is very easy to settle into a groove, and make the same decisions time and time again. While there is nothing wrong with this (if you just want to live a normal life), those who want to get rich must always be looking to better their position. Question every move you make, even if it means taking more time to finalize the decision.
4. Keep a journal.
Not only is this is a great way to track goals and the progress that you are making, but it also gives you a place to record your feelings on money and related details. You may be surprised at how much progress you make when you begin to put your thoughts down on paper. If you get in this habit, it is easy to look back at it any time and see where you have come from and whether or not you are really on your way to becoming rich.
5. Wait before you buy.
One of the best ways to save money and reach your goals is to implement a waiting period before you make non-essential purchases greater than a particular dollar amount. For example, you may decide to wait 15 days before making any purchase of $75 or more. Why is this a good idea? In many cases, you will either forget about the purchase or decide that you don’t really need it. By cutting back on impulse buys, you will be able to save hundreds (or maybe even thousands) of dollars per year.Are you currently practicing any of these habits? Have you experimented with them in the past?
This is a goal that many people share. Unfortunately, only 5% of people actually achieve substantial wealth in their lifetime. If you are going to get rich at some point in your life, you need to stay on track, day in and day out. The path that you are on right now may not be the one you want to continue to follow. These five habits can help get you in the right frame of mind and hopefully assist you in building significant wealth:
1. Set Big Goals.
No matter what the word rich means to you, you have to set the goal of getting there. There is nothing wrong with small goals, but to get rich you have to think big. For example, set the goal of reaching an annual salary of $100,000 within the next five years. If you don’t want to focus solely on income, set goals based around other financial details such as paying off your mortgage in a short period of time or saving enough money to pay for large purchases with cash to avoid going into debt.
2. Don’t lose sight of your goals.
Anybody can set a goal, but most people never do what it takes to reach them. If you want to get rich, you have to stay on the right path, no matter what gets in your way. Day after day, review your goal and make sure you are taking steps towards reaching it. Post your goals on your refrigerator, on your bathroom mirror, and on your night stand. Stay motivated!Tip: have somebody alongside for support. This can be anybody from a friend who is trying to accomplish a similar goal, or a spouse who is willing to work with you to make this happen. Goals are always easier to reach when you have help on your side.
3. Have a reason for every financial decision that you make.
Why are you spending money on that particular item? Why are you only saving 10 percent of your income when you can afford 20 percent? It is very easy to settle into a groove, and make the same decisions time and time again. While there is nothing wrong with this (if you just want to live a normal life), those who want to get rich must always be looking to better their position. Question every move you make, even if it means taking more time to finalize the decision.
4. Keep a journal.
Not only is this is a great way to track goals and the progress that you are making, but it also gives you a place to record your feelings on money and related details. You may be surprised at how much progress you make when you begin to put your thoughts down on paper. If you get in this habit, it is easy to look back at it any time and see where you have come from and whether or not you are really on your way to becoming rich.
5. Wait before you buy.
One of the best ways to save money and reach your goals is to implement a waiting period before you make non-essential purchases greater than a particular dollar amount. For example, you may decide to wait 15 days before making any purchase of $75 or more. Why is this a good idea? In many cases, you will either forget about the purchase or decide that you don’t really need it. By cutting back on impulse buys, you will be able to save hundreds (or maybe even thousands) of dollars per year.Are you currently practicing any of these habits? Have you experimented with them in the past?
Control Impulse Spending with the 30-Day Rule
Source -
http://pgcare.blogspot.com/2010/06/control-impulse-spending-with-30-day.html
I made a trip to Costco to buy business supplies last week. While browsing the software, I spotted the latest version of Quicken. I picked up the box and looked at the list of new features. I felt that urge creep upon me — the urge to spend. “Maybe the Mac version is out, too,” I thought. “I should stop by Fry’s to check.”Then I thought of the $50 it would cost to upgrade. I thought how Quicken 2004 has served me well for three years. I began to have doubts. “I’ll use the 30-day rule,” I told myself. “If I still want this next month, I’ll buy it.”
The 30-day rule is a simple method to control impulse spending. Here’s how it works:
1. Whenever you feel the urge to splurge — whether it’s for new shoes, a new videogame, or a new car — force yourself to stop. If you’re already holding the item, put it back. Leave the store.
2. When you get home, take a piece of paper and write down the name of the item, the store where you found it, and the price. Also write down the date.
3. Now post this note someplace obvious: a calendar, the fridge, a bulletin board. (I use a text file on my computer.)
4. For the next thirty days, think whether you really want the item, but do not buy it.
5. If, at the end of a month, the urge is still there, then consider purchasing it. (But do not use credit to do so.)That’s all there is to it. But it’s surprisingly effective.
The 30-day rule works especially well because you aren’t actually denying yourself — you’re simply delaying gratification. This rule has another advantage: it gives you a chance to research the item you want to purchase. This can save you from grief.
For example, after returning from my Costco trip last week, I checked the reviews on Amazon. Quicken 2007 for Mac gets 1-1/2 stars! Yikes! Still, I added it to my wishlist. A month from now, if I still feel I need it, I may allow myself to buy it.
I began using the 30-day rule about two years ago. I don’t always remember to follow it, but when I do, it works well. Sometimes my urge to spend is gone by the time I get home. Sometimes the urge grows stronger for a week or two, but then subsides completely. It’s rare that I decide I need something after thirty days of waiting.
http://pgcare.blogspot.com/2010/06/control-impulse-spending-with-30-day.html
I made a trip to Costco to buy business supplies last week. While browsing the software, I spotted the latest version of Quicken. I picked up the box and looked at the list of new features. I felt that urge creep upon me — the urge to spend. “Maybe the Mac version is out, too,” I thought. “I should stop by Fry’s to check.”Then I thought of the $50 it would cost to upgrade. I thought how Quicken 2004 has served me well for three years. I began to have doubts. “I’ll use the 30-day rule,” I told myself. “If I still want this next month, I’ll buy it.”
The 30-day rule is a simple method to control impulse spending. Here’s how it works:
1. Whenever you feel the urge to splurge — whether it’s for new shoes, a new videogame, or a new car — force yourself to stop. If you’re already holding the item, put it back. Leave the store.
2. When you get home, take a piece of paper and write down the name of the item, the store where you found it, and the price. Also write down the date.
3. Now post this note someplace obvious: a calendar, the fridge, a bulletin board. (I use a text file on my computer.)
4. For the next thirty days, think whether you really want the item, but do not buy it.
5. If, at the end of a month, the urge is still there, then consider purchasing it. (But do not use credit to do so.)That’s all there is to it. But it’s surprisingly effective.
The 30-day rule works especially well because you aren’t actually denying yourself — you’re simply delaying gratification. This rule has another advantage: it gives you a chance to research the item you want to purchase. This can save you from grief.
For example, after returning from my Costco trip last week, I checked the reviews on Amazon. Quicken 2007 for Mac gets 1-1/2 stars! Yikes! Still, I added it to my wishlist. A month from now, if I still feel I need it, I may allow myself to buy it.
I began using the 30-day rule about two years ago. I don’t always remember to follow it, but when I do, it works well. Sometimes my urge to spend is gone by the time I get home. Sometimes the urge grows stronger for a week or two, but then subsides completely. It’s rare that I decide I need something after thirty days of waiting.
Trust in Relationships
Sumber - http://pgcare.blogspot.com
Source:http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Trust_In_Relationships.html
In my work with couples, I often find a lack of trust at the root of many challenges they report.Trust is a VerbWe have been taught to believe trust is a commodity to be earned by others. Once they have passed certain tests, then we feel safe to extend our trust.
I would like to entertain the idea that trust can be a verb, rather than a noun. It’s a choice you make and says much more about you than it does the person to whom you are extending that trust.When you are involved in a relationship and you say you trust that person, it is more than a noun. It's not just a thing you extend to a person like a gift—it is followed up with behaviors—things you do and things you don't do.
When you trust someone, you know he or she will do the right thing. You know they have their affairs (no pun intended) under control. They are faithful and loyal. You don't need constant reassurance of this—you just know.What you don't do is constantly grill a person about where he or she is and with whom he or she is spending time. You don't have him or her followed looking for proof of infidelity. You don't snoop around in his or her personal belongings or private places. You trust that he or she can be trusted.
Trusting has so much more to do with who you are as a person than it does with who your partner is. When you are secure in yourself and know that you are worthy to receive love, then it is natural to trust.
The Law of Attraction
The Law of Attraction is a simple law of quantum physics which demonstrates over and over again that you will attract into your life that upon which you focus. If you look at life and see positive, happy things then you will attract more of that positive energy into your life. When you look at life and see negative, unhappy things everywhere, then guess what? You are going to attract more ugliness into your life.
If you always find yourself in relationships where you have been disappointed and lied to, ask yourself what is it about you that brings dishonorable people into your life? I'm not in any way blaming you for your misfortune, but I know people attract what they think about. So ask yourself, what are your thoughts that actually pull dishonest people into your life?If you want more trust in your life, you have to be more trusting and more worthy of trust. You can’t get from others what you don’t possess in yourself. If you are looking inside out, then you must ask yourself, “Am I a trustworthy person? Does my partner realize that I have integrity and can be trusted? Do I extend trust to him or her?”Of course, there will inevitably be someone you trusted who didn't deserve it, but don't allow that to shake the foundation of your self-confidence.
It is right to trust the person with whom you are involved. If he or she is undeserving of your trust, in time this will be revealed to you and then you can move on and forgive—whether or not you choose to stay with the person. But if your choice is to forgive and stay, then put trust into an action verb once more.
It does no good to stay if the trust is forever gone. You will find that eats at your self-esteem daily and you will turn into someone you don't recognize and definitely don't like.Be the person you want to be in the relationship. Don't let paranoia and suspicion ruin a good thing.Beyond Lost
TrustI was recently talking to one of my clients about her readiness to begin a new relationship. This woman, Susan, had been divorced for about five years and believed she was ready for a new dating relationship in her life but nothing was happening for her.I asked her if there was something holding her back. She is an attractive and fun-loving person. I suggested that maybe her ex-husband was still holding too much power over her emotions to allow her to engage in a relationship with someone new.She thought about that and realized that what really happened is that when her husband had an affair with a much younger woman, it totally shook her self-esteem. If she doesn’t like herself, how can someone else be attracted to her?
So often, when our trust is shattered, we tend to look at ourselves. What’s wrong with me? Why did someone I love betray me? Why didn’t I see it? Instead, we need to look at the character flaw in the other person. When someone makes a promise to another and breaks it, then that is a flaw in them, not you.Trusting really comes down to which is most important to you—trust or self-protection? If you are more concerned with keeping yourself safe, you probably won’t trust because you are afraid of being hurt. However, can you really protect yourself? Won’t you still be hurt to learn of a loved one’s deception? Without trust, you will never achieve that level of intimacy a trusting relationship provides. What will you really lose by trusting?
The most important thing, though, is to not lose respect for yourself. You are a worthy person. Spend some time engaging in some self-nurturing behavior. Learn to love yourself again. Your self-esteem cannot be based on the frailties of another person.I have two questions. Do you want to be in a relationship with someone whom you can't trust? And do you want to be in a relationship where you are behaving as a jealous, crazy person?
This is definitely a personal decision and I simply ask you to evaluate your own behavior, and regardless of what your loved one does or does not do, are you able to be the person you want to be in your relationship? If not, are you willing to continue to function within the relationship or would it be better for you to end it? Only you can decide and only you can know what the right answer is for you.
Trust is Multi-Level
The trust one needs in a relationship is multi-level. At the base level, there is a trust in your partner. Of course, at this level, you could be right or you could be wrong. Your partner may deserve your trust or he or she may not. Your partner may be totally and completely untrustworthy. You have no control over that at all. If a person is unworthy of your trust, that in no way diminishes you. It is all about their character. You can’t let it shake your self-confidence.At the next level is a trust in oneself.
At this level, it is important to trust your own instincts in people. You may not always be right. People are very good at deception if they want to be. Remember Ted Bundy? However, if you trust in yourself and your good judgment, when you make a mistake you won’t be devastated. You just realize that you were involved with a person who was a master of deception and you move on undaunted but perhaps a bit wiser.
Finally, there is trust in the universal order of things—a divine spirit, if you will. If you have total and complete trust in the Universal Spirit or your Higher Power then that trust will never be betrayed. The Universal Spirit will always provide you with what you need whenever you have a need.I believe what happened with my client is her trust was placed completely in her partner. When the trust started to waiver, then the relationship failed. It’s OK to trust the person with whom you’re involved but your broader trust should be placed in yourself and then ultimately in the Universal Spirit.
Have you lost your trust? Do you want to get back to it? Let go of the wrong that was done, trust in yourself again and ultimately trust in the Universal Spirit to always and forever provide you what you need when you need it. You will discover a sense of peace and calm that will sustain you through the difficult and lonely times.
Learn more about improving your relationships with our Relationships from the Inside Out Tip Sheet.
Author's BioKim Olver is a life and relationship coach. Her mission is to help people get along better with the important people in their lives, including themselves. She teaches people how to live from the inside out by empowering them to focus on the things they can change. She in an internationally recognized speaker, having worked in Australia, Europe and Africa, as well as all over the United States and Canada. She is the creator of the new, revolutionary process called, Inside Out Empowerment based on Dr. William Glasser's Choice Theory. She is a public speaker and provides workshops in the areas of relationships, parenting, and a variety of self-growth topics. She is the author of Leveraging Diversity at Work and the forthcoming book, Secrets of Successful Relationships. She co-authored a book with Ken Blanchard, Les Brown, Mark Victor Hansen and Byron Katie, entitled 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life. She works with individuals, couples, parents, social service agencies, schools, corporations and the military--anyone who will benefit from gaining more effective control over their lives. She has consulted on relationships, parenting, self-development, training, leadership development, diversity, treatment programs and management styles.
Source:http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Trust_In_Relationships.html
In my work with couples, I often find a lack of trust at the root of many challenges they report.Trust is a VerbWe have been taught to believe trust is a commodity to be earned by others. Once they have passed certain tests, then we feel safe to extend our trust.
I would like to entertain the idea that trust can be a verb, rather than a noun. It’s a choice you make and says much more about you than it does the person to whom you are extending that trust.When you are involved in a relationship and you say you trust that person, it is more than a noun. It's not just a thing you extend to a person like a gift—it is followed up with behaviors—things you do and things you don't do.
When you trust someone, you know he or she will do the right thing. You know they have their affairs (no pun intended) under control. They are faithful and loyal. You don't need constant reassurance of this—you just know.What you don't do is constantly grill a person about where he or she is and with whom he or she is spending time. You don't have him or her followed looking for proof of infidelity. You don't snoop around in his or her personal belongings or private places. You trust that he or she can be trusted.
Trusting has so much more to do with who you are as a person than it does with who your partner is. When you are secure in yourself and know that you are worthy to receive love, then it is natural to trust.
The Law of Attraction
The Law of Attraction is a simple law of quantum physics which demonstrates over and over again that you will attract into your life that upon which you focus. If you look at life and see positive, happy things then you will attract more of that positive energy into your life. When you look at life and see negative, unhappy things everywhere, then guess what? You are going to attract more ugliness into your life.
If you always find yourself in relationships where you have been disappointed and lied to, ask yourself what is it about you that brings dishonorable people into your life? I'm not in any way blaming you for your misfortune, but I know people attract what they think about. So ask yourself, what are your thoughts that actually pull dishonest people into your life?If you want more trust in your life, you have to be more trusting and more worthy of trust. You can’t get from others what you don’t possess in yourself. If you are looking inside out, then you must ask yourself, “Am I a trustworthy person? Does my partner realize that I have integrity and can be trusted? Do I extend trust to him or her?”Of course, there will inevitably be someone you trusted who didn't deserve it, but don't allow that to shake the foundation of your self-confidence.
It is right to trust the person with whom you are involved. If he or she is undeserving of your trust, in time this will be revealed to you and then you can move on and forgive—whether or not you choose to stay with the person. But if your choice is to forgive and stay, then put trust into an action verb once more.
It does no good to stay if the trust is forever gone. You will find that eats at your self-esteem daily and you will turn into someone you don't recognize and definitely don't like.Be the person you want to be in the relationship. Don't let paranoia and suspicion ruin a good thing.Beyond Lost
TrustI was recently talking to one of my clients about her readiness to begin a new relationship. This woman, Susan, had been divorced for about five years and believed she was ready for a new dating relationship in her life but nothing was happening for her.I asked her if there was something holding her back. She is an attractive and fun-loving person. I suggested that maybe her ex-husband was still holding too much power over her emotions to allow her to engage in a relationship with someone new.She thought about that and realized that what really happened is that when her husband had an affair with a much younger woman, it totally shook her self-esteem. If she doesn’t like herself, how can someone else be attracted to her?
So often, when our trust is shattered, we tend to look at ourselves. What’s wrong with me? Why did someone I love betray me? Why didn’t I see it? Instead, we need to look at the character flaw in the other person. When someone makes a promise to another and breaks it, then that is a flaw in them, not you.Trusting really comes down to which is most important to you—trust or self-protection? If you are more concerned with keeping yourself safe, you probably won’t trust because you are afraid of being hurt. However, can you really protect yourself? Won’t you still be hurt to learn of a loved one’s deception? Without trust, you will never achieve that level of intimacy a trusting relationship provides. What will you really lose by trusting?
The most important thing, though, is to not lose respect for yourself. You are a worthy person. Spend some time engaging in some self-nurturing behavior. Learn to love yourself again. Your self-esteem cannot be based on the frailties of another person.I have two questions. Do you want to be in a relationship with someone whom you can't trust? And do you want to be in a relationship where you are behaving as a jealous, crazy person?
This is definitely a personal decision and I simply ask you to evaluate your own behavior, and regardless of what your loved one does or does not do, are you able to be the person you want to be in your relationship? If not, are you willing to continue to function within the relationship or would it be better for you to end it? Only you can decide and only you can know what the right answer is for you.
Trust is Multi-Level
The trust one needs in a relationship is multi-level. At the base level, there is a trust in your partner. Of course, at this level, you could be right or you could be wrong. Your partner may deserve your trust or he or she may not. Your partner may be totally and completely untrustworthy. You have no control over that at all. If a person is unworthy of your trust, that in no way diminishes you. It is all about their character. You can’t let it shake your self-confidence.At the next level is a trust in oneself.
At this level, it is important to trust your own instincts in people. You may not always be right. People are very good at deception if they want to be. Remember Ted Bundy? However, if you trust in yourself and your good judgment, when you make a mistake you won’t be devastated. You just realize that you were involved with a person who was a master of deception and you move on undaunted but perhaps a bit wiser.
Finally, there is trust in the universal order of things—a divine spirit, if you will. If you have total and complete trust in the Universal Spirit or your Higher Power then that trust will never be betrayed. The Universal Spirit will always provide you with what you need whenever you have a need.I believe what happened with my client is her trust was placed completely in her partner. When the trust started to waiver, then the relationship failed. It’s OK to trust the person with whom you’re involved but your broader trust should be placed in yourself and then ultimately in the Universal Spirit.
Have you lost your trust? Do you want to get back to it? Let go of the wrong that was done, trust in yourself again and ultimately trust in the Universal Spirit to always and forever provide you what you need when you need it. You will discover a sense of peace and calm that will sustain you through the difficult and lonely times.
Learn more about improving your relationships with our Relationships from the Inside Out Tip Sheet.
Author's BioKim Olver is a life and relationship coach. Her mission is to help people get along better with the important people in their lives, including themselves. She teaches people how to live from the inside out by empowering them to focus on the things they can change. She in an internationally recognized speaker, having worked in Australia, Europe and Africa, as well as all over the United States and Canada. She is the creator of the new, revolutionary process called, Inside Out Empowerment based on Dr. William Glasser's Choice Theory. She is a public speaker and provides workshops in the areas of relationships, parenting, and a variety of self-growth topics. She is the author of Leveraging Diversity at Work and the forthcoming book, Secrets of Successful Relationships. She co-authored a book with Ken Blanchard, Les Brown, Mark Victor Hansen and Byron Katie, entitled 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life. She works with individuals, couples, parents, social service agencies, schools, corporations and the military--anyone who will benefit from gaining more effective control over their lives. She has consulted on relationships, parenting, self-development, training, leadership development, diversity, treatment programs and management styles.
7 lokasi kediaman terbaik di lembah klang tahun 2010
Sumber - http://www.drumah.com
Hartanah Pilihan Editor
Secara umumnya kebanyakkan pemaju perumahan di lembah klang hari ini tertumpu pada pembangunan sedarhana sehinggalah penempatan mewah khususnya dibandar-bandar utama.
Dari pemerhatian yang dibuat, majoriti hartanah yang di bina pada suku pertama tahun ini adalah hartanah yang berada pada harga RM400,000 keatas yang mewakili 81% pembangunan hartanah baru.
Walau bagaimanapun keseluruhan pembangunan untuk suku tahun pertama masih rendah berbanding pelancaran projek kediaman pada waktu yang sama tahun lepas.
Jika disusuri setiap pemaju dan lokasi yang cadangkan ini, hampir kesemua pemaju yang tersenarai mempunyai model pembangunan yang serupa iaitu pembangunan sebuah bandar pintar. Setelah membuat perbandingan menyeluruh, Drumah.com menyenaraikan 7 Lokasi Pembangunan Kediaman Bandar Pintar Terbaik Pada Tahun 2010 Pilihan Editor; lokasi tersebut adalah;-
1. Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam (Sime Darby)
2. Bandar Seri Putra, Bangi (UM Land)
3. Denai Alam, Shah Alam (Sime Darby)
4. D’Alpinia, Puchong (Hap Seng Land)
5. Alam Sari, Bangi (I&P Menara Sendirian Berhad)
6. Laman Granview, Puchong, (IJM Land)
7. Jade Hills, Kajang (Gamuda Land)
Laporan ini berdasarkan skor kredit (+1, -1,0) pilihan editor pada lokasi dan fasiliti, reka bentuk hartanah, keluasan tanah, luas binaan, spesifikasi, tawaran harga realistik, lanskap (township) dan nilai tambah pelan pembangunaan masa hadapan jangka singkat sekurang-kurangnya 5 tahun.
Dari perbandingan diantara contoh pembangunaan diatas, terdapat permintaan dan tren pemilikan hartanah berpagar di kawasan Kuala Lumpur; manakala daerah Hulu Langat bakal terus mencatatkan permintaan yang berterusan.
Daerah Sepang kini mempunyai prospek pertumbuhan baik dengan pelan pembangunan sokongan dari pihak Majlis Tempatan yang dilakukan secara berperingkat. Oleh kerana lokasinya yang berdekatan dengan Putrajaya dan KLIA ia menjadikan Sepang sebagai lokasi berpotensi untuk diterokai.
Dari sudut sewaan, hartanah-hartanah yang berada di kawasan utama seperti Bangsar, Damansara Heights, TTDI dan Bandar Utama terus dijadikan tumpuan pelabur dengan tawaran gaya hidup moden dan faktor keselamatan menjadi pilihan.
Secara keseluruhannya, tawaran pembangunan hartanah kediaman dan plot pada tahun ini mungkin akan mengalami sedikit penurunan. Walau bagaimanapun, nilai hartanah di bandar-bandar besar utama seperti Kuala Lumpur, Damansara Heights dan Daerah Petaling mungkin akan mengalami kenaikan singkat berbanding lokasi lain yang mungkin mendatar sehingga ke penghujung tahun.
Tujuh lokasi terbaik pembangunan kediaman untuk tahun 2010 adalah satu cadangan dari pihak editor Drumah.com untuk komuniti majalah hartanah online nya. Pelabur dan pembeli dinasihati untuk membuat penilaian yang lebih mendalam sebelum membuat sebarang tindakan berdasarkan artikel ini.
Bagaimana dengan anda? Sekian, semoga berjaya pelabur semua.
Hartanah Pilihan Editor
Secara umumnya kebanyakkan pemaju perumahan di lembah klang hari ini tertumpu pada pembangunan sedarhana sehinggalah penempatan mewah khususnya dibandar-bandar utama.
Dari pemerhatian yang dibuat, majoriti hartanah yang di bina pada suku pertama tahun ini adalah hartanah yang berada pada harga RM400,000 keatas yang mewakili 81% pembangunan hartanah baru.
Walau bagaimanapun keseluruhan pembangunan untuk suku tahun pertama masih rendah berbanding pelancaran projek kediaman pada waktu yang sama tahun lepas.
Jika disusuri setiap pemaju dan lokasi yang cadangkan ini, hampir kesemua pemaju yang tersenarai mempunyai model pembangunan yang serupa iaitu pembangunan sebuah bandar pintar. Setelah membuat perbandingan menyeluruh, Drumah.com menyenaraikan 7 Lokasi Pembangunan Kediaman Bandar Pintar Terbaik Pada Tahun 2010 Pilihan Editor; lokasi tersebut adalah;-
1. Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam (Sime Darby)
2. Bandar Seri Putra, Bangi (UM Land)
3. Denai Alam, Shah Alam (Sime Darby)
4. D’Alpinia, Puchong (Hap Seng Land)
5. Alam Sari, Bangi (I&P Menara Sendirian Berhad)
6. Laman Granview, Puchong, (IJM Land)
7. Jade Hills, Kajang (Gamuda Land)
Laporan ini berdasarkan skor kredit (+1, -1,0) pilihan editor pada lokasi dan fasiliti, reka bentuk hartanah, keluasan tanah, luas binaan, spesifikasi, tawaran harga realistik, lanskap (township) dan nilai tambah pelan pembangunaan masa hadapan jangka singkat sekurang-kurangnya 5 tahun.
Dari perbandingan diantara contoh pembangunaan diatas, terdapat permintaan dan tren pemilikan hartanah berpagar di kawasan Kuala Lumpur; manakala daerah Hulu Langat bakal terus mencatatkan permintaan yang berterusan.
Daerah Sepang kini mempunyai prospek pertumbuhan baik dengan pelan pembangunan sokongan dari pihak Majlis Tempatan yang dilakukan secara berperingkat. Oleh kerana lokasinya yang berdekatan dengan Putrajaya dan KLIA ia menjadikan Sepang sebagai lokasi berpotensi untuk diterokai.
Dari sudut sewaan, hartanah-hartanah yang berada di kawasan utama seperti Bangsar, Damansara Heights, TTDI dan Bandar Utama terus dijadikan tumpuan pelabur dengan tawaran gaya hidup moden dan faktor keselamatan menjadi pilihan.
Secara keseluruhannya, tawaran pembangunan hartanah kediaman dan plot pada tahun ini mungkin akan mengalami sedikit penurunan. Walau bagaimanapun, nilai hartanah di bandar-bandar besar utama seperti Kuala Lumpur, Damansara Heights dan Daerah Petaling mungkin akan mengalami kenaikan singkat berbanding lokasi lain yang mungkin mendatar sehingga ke penghujung tahun.
Tujuh lokasi terbaik pembangunan kediaman untuk tahun 2010 adalah satu cadangan dari pihak editor Drumah.com untuk komuniti majalah hartanah online nya. Pelabur dan pembeli dinasihati untuk membuat penilaian yang lebih mendalam sebelum membuat sebarang tindakan berdasarkan artikel ini.
Bagaimana dengan anda? Sekian, semoga berjaya pelabur semua.
Make each day your masterpiece.
From The simple dollar blog - http://www.thesimpledollar.com
Make each day your masterpiece.
In other words, how would you spend today if it were the one day by which your entire life would be judged?
This is something I make a genuine effort to keep in mind every single day of my life.
What would I write if I knew I only had one shot at making a difference in someone’s life?
How would I spend the next hour with my four year old son if I knew it was the only hour he’d remember from his childhood when he was an adult?
How would I spend this evening with my wife if it were the last evening we would spend together?How would I spend my money today if I knew that today spoke financially for the rest of my days?
Would I hold my temper? Would I stop being such a slob? Would I set a good example? Would I not worry what the neighbors thought and just run through the sprinkler in my clothes, laughing with my children? Would I make a perfectly delicious, tasty meal and smile at my daughter across the dinner table – or would I just throw a box of Tuna Helper out there?
Every single day, we’re making an impact on the people around us. The people we love. The people we merely like. The people we will never directly know. Even on ourselves – our future health and happiness and relationships and skills and finances.
Every single day, we have a chance to really make all of those things shine – or we can buy a sack full of double cheeseburgers and sit in the basement all evening watching Seinfeld reruns.
Today is really the only day that matters. You can’t make your past self do anything. You can’t make your future self do anything, either. Your only freedom of choice is right now, and thus today is your one chance to paint your masterpiece.
What are you going to do today to make it your masterpiece?
Make each day your masterpiece.
In other words, how would you spend today if it were the one day by which your entire life would be judged?
This is something I make a genuine effort to keep in mind every single day of my life.
What would I write if I knew I only had one shot at making a difference in someone’s life?
How would I spend the next hour with my four year old son if I knew it was the only hour he’d remember from his childhood when he was an adult?
How would I spend this evening with my wife if it were the last evening we would spend together?How would I spend my money today if I knew that today spoke financially for the rest of my days?
Would I hold my temper? Would I stop being such a slob? Would I set a good example? Would I not worry what the neighbors thought and just run through the sprinkler in my clothes, laughing with my children? Would I make a perfectly delicious, tasty meal and smile at my daughter across the dinner table – or would I just throw a box of Tuna Helper out there?
Every single day, we’re making an impact on the people around us. The people we love. The people we merely like. The people we will never directly know. Even on ourselves – our future health and happiness and relationships and skills and finances.
Every single day, we have a chance to really make all of those things shine – or we can buy a sack full of double cheeseburgers and sit in the basement all evening watching Seinfeld reruns.
Today is really the only day that matters. You can’t make your past self do anything. You can’t make your future self do anything, either. Your only freedom of choice is right now, and thus today is your one chance to paint your masterpiece.
What are you going to do today to make it your masterpiece?
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind“Action Step”
T. Harv Eker’s Secrets of the Millionaire Mind“Action Step” Newsletter
From the desk of T. Harv Eker . . .
Money is a result. Wealth is a result. Health is a result. Illness is a result. They all come from your mental blueprint. It’s a blueprint that was created long ago in childhood and it’s embedded deep in our subconscious minds. We were programmed from an early age. But we can re-program ourselves and change the results in our lives by following four key elements of change: awareness, understanding, disassociation and reconditioning
So in the weeks ahead, we’ll use these four elements of change to transform your money blueprint. I’ll be giving you Action Steps that cover all three of the primary ways we were conditioned in the first place: Verbal Programming, Modeling and Specific Incidents.
I’ll also give you Action Steps to help engrain in your minds the way Rich people think versus the poor and middle class.
Let’s start with Millionaire Mind Action Step #1:
Verbal Programming
All of us were given verbal messages about money as we were growing up. “Money is the root of all evil.” “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” “What am I? Made of money?” “Rich people are greedy.” Even phrases such as “Filthy rich” or “Stinking rich” have a profoundly negative influence on our money blueprint. These four actions can change your verbal programming and change your financial life forever.
Action #1 - Awareness:
Write down all the statements you heard about money, wealth, and rich people when you were young.
Action #2 - Understanding:Write down how you believe these statements have affected your financial life so far.
Action #3 - Disassociation:Can you see that these thoughts represent only what you learned and are not who you are? They’re just not part of your anatomy. Can you see that you have a choice in the present moment to be different?
Action #4 - Declaration:
Place your hand over your heart and say… “What I heard about money isn’t necessarily true. I choose to adopt new ways of thinking that support my happiness and success.”
Touch your head and say… “I have a millionaire mind!”
Good job.
Now practice this principle over the next 30 days and watch your mind, thoughts and financial life transform.
From the desk of T. Harv Eker . . .
Money is a result. Wealth is a result. Health is a result. Illness is a result. They all come from your mental blueprint. It’s a blueprint that was created long ago in childhood and it’s embedded deep in our subconscious minds. We were programmed from an early age. But we can re-program ourselves and change the results in our lives by following four key elements of change: awareness, understanding, disassociation and reconditioning
So in the weeks ahead, we’ll use these four elements of change to transform your money blueprint. I’ll be giving you Action Steps that cover all three of the primary ways we were conditioned in the first place: Verbal Programming, Modeling and Specific Incidents.
I’ll also give you Action Steps to help engrain in your minds the way Rich people think versus the poor and middle class.
Let’s start with Millionaire Mind Action Step #1:
Verbal Programming
All of us were given verbal messages about money as we were growing up. “Money is the root of all evil.” “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” “What am I? Made of money?” “Rich people are greedy.” Even phrases such as “Filthy rich” or “Stinking rich” have a profoundly negative influence on our money blueprint. These four actions can change your verbal programming and change your financial life forever.
Action #1 - Awareness:
Write down all the statements you heard about money, wealth, and rich people when you were young.
Action #2 - Understanding:Write down how you believe these statements have affected your financial life so far.
Action #3 - Disassociation:Can you see that these thoughts represent only what you learned and are not who you are? They’re just not part of your anatomy. Can you see that you have a choice in the present moment to be different?
Action #4 - Declaration:
Place your hand over your heart and say… “What I heard about money isn’t necessarily true. I choose to adopt new ways of thinking that support my happiness and success.”
Touch your head and say… “I have a millionaire mind!”
Good job.
Now practice this principle over the next 30 days and watch your mind, thoughts and financial life transform.
Monday, May 24, 2010
7 Disciplines for High Performance
Sumber:http://chinkk98.blogspot.com/By Brian Tracy
There are seven disciplines you must develop if you want to achieve all that is possible for you. You can learn these disciplines through practice and repetition until they become automatic.
Goal Setting
Every morning, take three to five minutes to write out your top goals in the present tense. Get a spiral notebook for this purpose. By writing out your ten goals at the beginning of each day, you will program them deep into your subconscious mind.This daily goal writing will activate your mental powers. It will stimulate your mind and make you more alert. Throughout the day, you will see opportunities and possibilities to move more rapidly toward your goals.
Planning and Organizing
Take a few minutes, preferably the night before, to plan out every activity of the coming day. Always work from a list. Always think on paper. This is one of the most powerful and important disciplines of all for high performance.
Priority Setting
The essence of all time management, personal management, and life management is contained in your ability to set the proper priorities on the use of your time. This is essential for high performance.Concentration on your Highest-Value ActivitiesYour ability to work single-mindedly on your most important task will contribute as much to your success as any other discipline you can develop.
Exercise and Proper Nutrition
Your health is more important than anything else. By disciplining yourself to exercise regularly and to eat carefully, you will promote the highest possible levels of health and fitness throughout your life.Learning and GrowthYour mind is like a muscle. If you don't use it, you lose it.
Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.Time for Important People in your LifeRelationships are everything. Be sure that in climbing the ladder of success, you do not find it leaning against the wrong building. Build time for your relationships into every day, no matter how busy you get.
Action Exercise these seven disciplines will ensure that you perform at the highest level and get the greatest satisfaction and results from everything you do. Study these seven disciplines and then make a plan for how you can incorporate each of them into your daily life.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
10 Little Things that Make a Big Difference
Sumber:http://chinkk98.blogspot.com/2009/11/10-little-things-that-make-big.html By Molly Burke
It's the little things that count, it's true. We, all of us, have myriad opportunities every day to imbue the little things in our lives with enough power to make a big difference. It's easy, and it's fun. In the process, you'll gain goodwill, confidence and karma points. Ready?Here they are, 10 little, kinda slightly random but ultimately powerful things that make a big difference.
1. Say "Thank you."Such a small thing, but the effect it has on everything around you is profound. Gratitude is a force so powerful that it transforms the giver, the receiver, and the world at large simultaneously. Heartfelt gratitude, humbly expressed, heals as it praises. Write it on your checks as you pay your bills. Write it under your name on the checks you endorse. Look your food server, checker, toll taker, garbage man, crossing guard right in the eye and say "Thank you for doing this" and watch what happens. This is such a simple way to pay it forward, and it has such long lasting positive repercussions that you would be well served to make it a principle part of your spiritual practices. I'll be writing a whole series of blogs and articles about gratitude very soon, because this one concept can change your life for the better forever, starting right now.
2. Yield the right of way.Let someone into your lane in front of you on the freeway, or the streets. Suggest that the person with a few items go before you with your full shopping cart. Step aside and let the harried mommy with the stroller and tagalongs through the door that you hold open with smile. Wait patiently while the elderly man tells his stories to the waitress, even if it means your breakfast will take a few minutes longer. Believe me when I tell you that doing all these things will give you a greater sense of community, deeper compassion, and it will serve to significantly calm YOU down when you're feeling stressed and hurried. Kindness expands, and it fills the space with goodwill and cooperation.
3. Give sincere praise.Everyone I know appreciates being appreciated, though how they prefer it to be expressed varies. But overall, and with very few exceptions, an honest compliment is always welcome. It can create instant rapport, and bridge many an awkward gap. Do NOT, however, use it in lieu of a gratuity when encountering service staff. Layer the compliment atop a generous tip and watch what happens.
4. Be a generous tipper.This may seem like an extravagance, and I am not condoning subsidizing bad service, but remember that our economic system is not set up to adequately compensate waiters, bartenders, valets and such. In addition, service personnel are assessed taxes on your tip whether or not you actually tip them, so do them a favor and give a bit more. They're working hard at a job you probably wouldn't do, or have done before when you were younger, so give 'em at least 20%. Unless they suck, at which time you should talk to their manager anyway.
5. Listen.You were given two ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion. Listening makes you appear more charming, too, so there's a bonus.
6. Floss.Flossing alone can add 6+ years to your "real age". Don't forget to brush first. As a matter of fact, flossing is the one thing you can do that can affect not only your oral health, but the health of your heart, as well. Plaque is plaque, after all, and is not good anywhere. Floss!
7. Send a card.Snail mail correspondence is a lost art. To make a big impression and touch someone's heart, send a short handwritten note inside a lovely card. The time and expense you incur will pay huge dividends in goodwill.
8. Pick up trash.Yours, others, random trash. Pick it up, and put it in a trash can or recycling bin. It's the right thing to do, and it expresses pride of place, simple responsibility, and a commitment to improving the overall health of the planet as you act ever so locally. Teach your children to pick it up, theirs as well as the trash of others. Beautify the world.
9. Use your manners.Good manners are social lubricant. They oil the machine of humanity. Using good manners conveys respect, both for self and for others. Civility in conversation allows everyone the opportunity to express themselves fully and be heard. Meaningful discourse naturally ensues. Good manners are the foundation of polite society, and politeness can be both charming and disarming. Use good manners and social graces to woo your love, court a client, ease your way with authority. You'll go far with good manners.
10. Share.Whether it's your cookies or your time, share. Every single person reading this has something, some talent, some time, some money, some compassion, and some fun that they could share with others. This is an abundant Universe, with plenty for everyone, if we'd only share. So, share.
So there you have it. 10 little things that make a big difference. One by one, not so huge. Together, they make a glorious way to go through life. But more than that, these 10 little tips are concrete, attainable and immediate ways to shift your energy, your point of view, and the way the world works. Practice them regularly, and be prepared for a dramatic increase in abundance, personal confidence, ease and grace. It's all good.
It's the little things that count, it's true. We, all of us, have myriad opportunities every day to imbue the little things in our lives with enough power to make a big difference. It's easy, and it's fun. In the process, you'll gain goodwill, confidence and karma points. Ready?Here they are, 10 little, kinda slightly random but ultimately powerful things that make a big difference.
1. Say "Thank you."Such a small thing, but the effect it has on everything around you is profound. Gratitude is a force so powerful that it transforms the giver, the receiver, and the world at large simultaneously. Heartfelt gratitude, humbly expressed, heals as it praises. Write it on your checks as you pay your bills. Write it under your name on the checks you endorse. Look your food server, checker, toll taker, garbage man, crossing guard right in the eye and say "Thank you for doing this" and watch what happens. This is such a simple way to pay it forward, and it has such long lasting positive repercussions that you would be well served to make it a principle part of your spiritual practices. I'll be writing a whole series of blogs and articles about gratitude very soon, because this one concept can change your life for the better forever, starting right now.
2. Yield the right of way.Let someone into your lane in front of you on the freeway, or the streets. Suggest that the person with a few items go before you with your full shopping cart. Step aside and let the harried mommy with the stroller and tagalongs through the door that you hold open with smile. Wait patiently while the elderly man tells his stories to the waitress, even if it means your breakfast will take a few minutes longer. Believe me when I tell you that doing all these things will give you a greater sense of community, deeper compassion, and it will serve to significantly calm YOU down when you're feeling stressed and hurried. Kindness expands, and it fills the space with goodwill and cooperation.
3. Give sincere praise.Everyone I know appreciates being appreciated, though how they prefer it to be expressed varies. But overall, and with very few exceptions, an honest compliment is always welcome. It can create instant rapport, and bridge many an awkward gap. Do NOT, however, use it in lieu of a gratuity when encountering service staff. Layer the compliment atop a generous tip and watch what happens.
4. Be a generous tipper.This may seem like an extravagance, and I am not condoning subsidizing bad service, but remember that our economic system is not set up to adequately compensate waiters, bartenders, valets and such. In addition, service personnel are assessed taxes on your tip whether or not you actually tip them, so do them a favor and give a bit more. They're working hard at a job you probably wouldn't do, or have done before when you were younger, so give 'em at least 20%. Unless they suck, at which time you should talk to their manager anyway.
5. Listen.You were given two ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion. Listening makes you appear more charming, too, so there's a bonus.
6. Floss.Flossing alone can add 6+ years to your "real age". Don't forget to brush first. As a matter of fact, flossing is the one thing you can do that can affect not only your oral health, but the health of your heart, as well. Plaque is plaque, after all, and is not good anywhere. Floss!
7. Send a card.Snail mail correspondence is a lost art. To make a big impression and touch someone's heart, send a short handwritten note inside a lovely card. The time and expense you incur will pay huge dividends in goodwill.
8. Pick up trash.Yours, others, random trash. Pick it up, and put it in a trash can or recycling bin. It's the right thing to do, and it expresses pride of place, simple responsibility, and a commitment to improving the overall health of the planet as you act ever so locally. Teach your children to pick it up, theirs as well as the trash of others. Beautify the world.
9. Use your manners.Good manners are social lubricant. They oil the machine of humanity. Using good manners conveys respect, both for self and for others. Civility in conversation allows everyone the opportunity to express themselves fully and be heard. Meaningful discourse naturally ensues. Good manners are the foundation of polite society, and politeness can be both charming and disarming. Use good manners and social graces to woo your love, court a client, ease your way with authority. You'll go far with good manners.
10. Share.Whether it's your cookies or your time, share. Every single person reading this has something, some talent, some time, some money, some compassion, and some fun that they could share with others. This is an abundant Universe, with plenty for everyone, if we'd only share. So, share.
So there you have it. 10 little things that make a big difference. One by one, not so huge. Together, they make a glorious way to go through life. But more than that, these 10 little tips are concrete, attainable and immediate ways to shift your energy, your point of view, and the way the world works. Practice them regularly, and be prepared for a dramatic increase in abundance, personal confidence, ease and grace. It's all good.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
I N S T R U C T I O N S F O R L I F E
1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three R's:
-Respect for self,
-Respect for others and
-Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
Want the world's best wages? Move to Switzerland
By Miral Fahmy
SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) – It pays to work in Switzerland: employees in Zurich and Geneva have the highest net wages in the world, a study by banking group UBS shows, while those in India's Mumbai take home the lowest.
The Swiss cities were also ranked among the top five most expensive in the world in the bank's 2009 "Price and Earnings" international study."With its extremely high gross wages and comparatively low tax rates, Switzerland is a very employee-friendly country," the Swiss bank said in a statement. “No other cities allows workers to take home more income at the end of the month than Zurich and Geneva."
The study, published every three years, compares the income and purchasing power of employees in 73 cities across the globe, highlighting wide discrepancies in wages between different regions, and even within the same country.
The biggest gaps were found in Asia, the study said, with Tokyo ranking as one of the world's five costliest cities while the capitals of developing countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines and India were all at the bottom of the price range. Oslo was this year's most expensive city, based on a standardized basket of 122 goods and services, followed by Zurich, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo and New York. When rents are factored in, however, New York rises to the top spot, the study said.
This year, the bank said currency fluctuations caused by the global economic crisis affected the rankings of several cities, most notably London, which was the second most expensive city in 2006, but which fell nearly20 places following the pound's drop earlier this year.
The analysis involved more than 30,000 data points, collected by several independent observers in each city, in March and April, the bank said. All amounts were converted into a single currency before being compared.
The world's cheapest places to live were Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur, Manila in the Philippines, and India's Delhi and Mumbai. But the average employee in many of these cities, as well as Jakarta and Nairobi,gets paid some of the world's lowest salaries which have between 11percent and 15 percent of the purchasing power of a salary in Zurich.
"An average wage-earner in Zurich and New York can buy an iPod nano from an Apple store after nine hours of work. At the other end of the spectrum, workers in Mumbai need to work 20 nine-hour days, roughly the equivalent of one month's salary," the study said.
Working hours also varied in the cities surveyed, with the study finding that on average, people in Asian and Middle Eastern cities work much more than the global average of 1,902 hours per year. Overall, the most hours are worked in Cairo, followed by Seoul, while the least hours worked were in Lyon and Paris.
SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) – It pays to work in Switzerland: employees in Zurich and Geneva have the highest net wages in the world, a study by banking group UBS shows, while those in India's Mumbai take home the lowest.
The Swiss cities were also ranked among the top five most expensive in the world in the bank's 2009 "Price and Earnings" international study."With its extremely high gross wages and comparatively low tax rates, Switzerland is a very employee-friendly country," the Swiss bank said in a statement. “No other cities allows workers to take home more income at the end of the month than Zurich and Geneva."
The study, published every three years, compares the income and purchasing power of employees in 73 cities across the globe, highlighting wide discrepancies in wages between different regions, and even within the same country.
The biggest gaps were found in Asia, the study said, with Tokyo ranking as one of the world's five costliest cities while the capitals of developing countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines and India were all at the bottom of the price range. Oslo was this year's most expensive city, based on a standardized basket of 122 goods and services, followed by Zurich, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo and New York. When rents are factored in, however, New York rises to the top spot, the study said.
This year, the bank said currency fluctuations caused by the global economic crisis affected the rankings of several cities, most notably London, which was the second most expensive city in 2006, but which fell nearly20 places following the pound's drop earlier this year.
The analysis involved more than 30,000 data points, collected by several independent observers in each city, in March and April, the bank said. All amounts were converted into a single currency before being compared.
The world's cheapest places to live were Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur, Manila in the Philippines, and India's Delhi and Mumbai. But the average employee in many of these cities, as well as Jakarta and Nairobi,gets paid some of the world's lowest salaries which have between 11percent and 15 percent of the purchasing power of a salary in Zurich.
"An average wage-earner in Zurich and New York can buy an iPod nano from an Apple store after nine hours of work. At the other end of the spectrum, workers in Mumbai need to work 20 nine-hour days, roughly the equivalent of one month's salary," the study said.
Working hours also varied in the cities surveyed, with the study finding that on average, people in Asian and Middle Eastern cities work much more than the global average of 1,902 hours per year. Overall, the most hours are worked in Cairo, followed by Seoul, while the least hours worked were in Lyon and Paris.
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