Trusting Yourself and Others
March 30, 2006
How come, as women, we always second-guess ourselves? Are we not confident to choose a mate that has the characteristics of what we yearn for or start and operate a business that we have a passion for? Who can you trust?
For most of my teenage and adult years, I’d sit in front of my computer going over a wish-list of things to accomplish before growing old. Unfortunately, others tried to degrade my dreams, dissolve my opinions, and demean my competency. My self-esteem was not as high as it should be after achieving numerous awards in high school and business school. Despite the ongoing negativity from nay-seers, life goes on. Can you relate? There is always someone lurking in the wind saying ? ‘who does she think she is?’
Trusting yourself to others is tough if you grew up around negative individuals. Did you grow up around people that never expressed their thoughts openly and honestly? Again, whom can you really trust?
Trust is a five, letter word but it has many definitions. My definition of trust is: having faith, belief and conviction of someone or something. Trust is a word that carries the weight of a dump truck.
In our personal lives, we trust our husbands, boyfriends, family and friends. We trust that others will love us and treat us with dignity and respect. We trust that they will support and appreciate our thoughts and beliefs regardless of their personal beliefs. We trust them with our hearts and inner thoughts. If that trust were broken, whom would you go to confide your thoughts to?
In our business lives, we build relationships with other entrepreneurs in order to grow our businesses and become successful. We meet people from different cultures and industries that we trust will support us in our endeavors. However, when we mistrust a business partner, we tend to build a wall around ourselves because that hurt is like loosing a good friend.
How many people do you trust with your inner thoughts? Take time out to keep those that are trustworthy in your circle by planning monthly outings, weekly phone chats, or create and deliver handwritten letters. Since it’s hard establishing trust in your life, it would be beneficial to acknowledge why you became trusting in the first place. More importantly, trust in God first and man second.
This article was written by Yasmeen Abdur-Rahman, Lifestyle Entrepreneur Coach and owner of The Brownstone Workshop in Cary, North Carolina. For a ‘free’ consultation, contact Yasmeen at 919-319-6271 or via email mailto:yasmeen033@aol.com and view a detailed description of all services at http://www.thebrownstoneworkshop.bigstep.com.
Everyone Needs a BAG (Big Audacious Goal)
March 30, 2006
A Big Audacious Goal (BAG) is a clear and compelling catalyst that serves as a focal point for effort. Unlike smaller goals, the BAG is something that is huge. It is challenging and in some ways seems impossible - but a BAG is also inspiring, compelling, and motivating.
Everyone needs a BAG. BAGs challenge us to be more than we are right now, and to tap into all of our resources. BAGs bring out the best in you by bringing all your talents to the forefront. Goals are wonderful to have, but having that one Big Audacious Goal will make the biggest difference in helping you become who you were meant to be.
Throughout life we will have different BAGs. I have had several BAGs in my life; my most recent one was to complete my doctorate degree. It took me seven years, but the goal of achieving it was so compelling that I couldn’t give up. According to Robert G. Allen a BAG, “Scares you, because you know you can’t do it by yourself. It forces you to push the envelope of your own beliefs and get massively creative.”
If you are going to have goals, why not have at least one Big Audacious Goal. You should have at least one goal that pushes you beyond your self-imposed limits. One goal that is so big that it scares and excites you at the same time. Having a BAG will motivate you to go further than you ever thought you could and do more than you ever thought possible. If you are going to dream, why not dream big and create a BAG that will test all that you are and give you back more than you can imagine.
Coach Rachelle Disbennett-Lee, PhD, is a Certified Master Coach specializing in working with business owners and professionals in being more profitable and productive while staying sane and balanced. Coach Lee is the publisher of the award winning e-zine, 365 Days of Coaching. Her first book, 365 Days of Coaching ? Because Life Happens Every Day (Universal Publisher, 2004) was named a finalist for Best Book 2004 by Publish.com and has a five star rating on Amazon.com.
Visit Coach Lee at her websites http://www.coachlee.com and http://www.365daysofcoaching.com
True Direction, Inc. Copyright
This article along with byline attached may be freely republished
A Guide To Help You Teach Your Children Positve Self-Image Through Fitness
March 30, 2006
Raising a pre-teen or teenage daughter (or son) is not easy and can cause any parent a lot of stress. There’s so much to worry about ? dating, drugs, alcohol, sex, school grades, just to name a few. But one crucial element often gets overlooked until it manifests itself in extreme ways (like through an eating disorder). I’m talking about self-image. It’s extremely important that parents ensure that their children have a positive self-image, especially in relation to their body.
The key to ensuring strong self-esteem and a positive body image starts with the parent. If you don’t feel positive about your self-image, then how can you expect your children to? While this is important for both genders, it is especially critical for raising a healthy daughter. And beginning the lessons when a girl is young is imperative, so don’t wait until it’s too late ? teaching your daughter to feel good about her body needs to start at a very young age.
Eating disorder experts say girls are developing eating disorders as young as 5 and 6 years old. And a recent study indicated that 70% of the sixth-grade girls they surveyed said they began worrying about their weight between ages 9 and 11. Why are so many young girls thinking that they are fat? Many are obsessing about their weight because they have parents who are preoccupied with their own poor body images.
While the statistics are disheartening, the good news is that there’s a lot that can be done to help our children have positive self-images. And, even small changes that parents make can help. Here are few tips to help your children avoid warped and negative body images:
- Establish a "no diet talk" rule. When your children are nearby, DON’T talk about dieting or how fat you feel! This is extremely important. Remember, kids are listening all the time (even when you think that they aren’t ? especially then). So, even though asking your spouse or friend "do I look fat in this?" may seem innocent, it can have a life-altering effect on your kids when they repeatedly hear it.
- Parents aren’t the only adults that influence their children. Set the "no diet talk" rule mentioned above for all adults that are around your children. This means you shouldn’t allow your friends, parents, siblings, neighbors, or anyone else to talk about being fat or being on a diet when they are around your children.
- Set a good example. If your children never see you engage in fitness or if they hear you complain about working out, then they are going to have a negative image of exercise. Let them know that you workout to stay healthy, to be strong and to have more energy and stamina (so you can keep up with them)!
- Get your kids involved in sports. Experts say that playing sports really helps build confidence and improves self-esteem (especially for girls).
- Teach your children to include physical activity as part of their daily routine. But don’t force them to exercise. Make sure that the physical activity is seen as something fun to do rather than teaching them to think of exercise as a necessary evil. Good activities include taking a nightly family walk, turning off the t.v. and instead turning music on that you all can dance to, or taking a weekend family bike ride.
- Try to prepare (or if you are short are time purchase) healthy meals. And teach them the importance of good nutrition. Don’t let them have the misconception that there are "good" and "bad" foods. If a kid thinks that candy is a "bad" food, then naturally they will just want it more. Just try to encourage your kids to eat a balanced diet each day and to eat sugary and/or fatty foods in moderation.
Remember that something as small as talking about losing weight in front of your kids can have very detrimental effects on their self-image as they age. Damaging behavior learned from a parent at a young age can take years for a child to overcome. So, the sooner you start incorporating the tips above into your life, the better for you child. But don’t forget that it has to start with you ? make sure that you are incorporating healthy fitness and eating rituals into your daily routine and that you have a positive body image (no matter what your size or shape is)!
About The Author
Lynn Bode is dedicated to helping people get fit. Through her website company, www.WorkoutsForYou.com, she offers affordable online exercise programs to help you lose weight, tone-up, build muscles, increase stamina and more. Custom programs for all fitness levels. Vist the site for a Free sample workout.
How To Free-Up 10% to 15% of Your Income
March 30, 2006
Would you be interested in freeing up 10% to 15% of your current income? Just imagine what you could do with this money. You could pay down your debts, increase your savings, or work toward that next important purchase that you have in mind. Wouldn’t it be exciting to actually have money left over at the end of the month?
I know what you are thinking: "That would be nice, but not if I have to budget every dollar". What if I told you it could be done without budgeting? What if you could accomplish this in a week’s time without too much effort? Would you take a few steps in order to improve your finances?
If you answered "yes", let’s go through the simple steps required to make this possible.
Step #1: For a total of 7 days we need to track every single expense. This includes credit card, check, and cash purchases. For this program to really work you will have to track everything (even pocket change). The easiest way I have found to accomplish this is to use a blank check register and write down every transaction that you make for the next 7 days. And I mean every expense, even if you give your child a quarter for a gumball, track that expense. We need to collect the date the purchase was made, and the item that was purchased (this part of the exercise is actually most of the work, and really isn’t all that time consuming ? especially when we keep in mind the possible benefits).
Step #2: Once we have tracked every expense for the last 7 days, we then need to go through each of those expenses and evaluate them. What we are looking for is which expenses fall into the "wants" category, and which expenses fall into the "needs" category. As you try to identify these, let me give you some coaching? Is that Diet Coke habit every morning really a "need", or is it actually a "want" that could be cut back in order to improve not only your finances, but also your health? The idea is not to identify how many things that you enjoy that will need to be sacrificed, but to identify the items that you really could do without ? and not suffer?
Once you have identified the "wants" that you don’t really "need" in order to be happy, add these expenses up for the week. If you are the typical American you will find that these unnecessary "wants" will add up to approximately 10% to 15% of your take home income. In fact most people who do this program, are shocked to find that they really do waste a lot of money on things that they had no idea would affect their finances so dramatically.
Step #3: Commit to saving. This is probably the hardest part of the program, and within reason you have the freedom to choose your "wants" for the day or to choose your "needs". Now I know that some days that "Diet Coke" (or fill in your own vice here____) is an absolute "need". When you are having that kind of day, go ahead and reward yourself for being so good the rest of the week. But make sure that you keep your objectives in mind for the long run and commit to saving that money for the next day.
Now before you give up on putting these steps into place, lets realize the fact that the benefits of this program really do add up. In fact the average American making the average wages will find that they are able to free up $200 to $300 each month. You are probably thinking "sure, but that won’t work for me". In all of our experience in teaching this program we have not yet (knock on wood) found anyone that was not able to identify and free-up a portion of their take home income.
This newfound savings can go a long way in making your financial picture much brighter. It can help you extinguish debt in a fraction of the time, put money away for a better retirement, and get you out of the month to month budget crunch that so many of us deal with all of our lives.
And remember this: If you save only $1 per day and invest it at 10% interest ? in 56 years it will grow to $1 million. Every dollar counts. Make sure you get the most value out of every dollar you earn, by focusing on your financial goals instead of the wasted "wants" of life that put most of us in financial bondage.
© 2005 DebtGuru.com®. Michael G. Peterson is the Vice President of American Credit Foundation, an IRS 501 (c)(3) non-profit consumer credit counseling organization that has assisted thousands of individuals and families with their financial situations through seminars, education, counseling services, and, debt management plans. For more information, and free consumer resources visit http://www.debtguru.com
This article may be freely distributed as long as the signature file and active link are included.
Help With Buying A New Ceiling Fan
March 30, 2006
When you are choosing a new ceiling fan there are a couple of things that you really need to think about before you go out and make a purchase. If you do not think and plan before purchasing your new ceilnig fan, there is a chance that it will not perform the way you want it to or it might not even fit in the space allocated. Even worse, you may inadvertently be using a ceiling fan that is not suited to the environment you place it in.
Size Your Ceiling Fan
So you have decided to buy a new ceiling fan. The first thing you need to do is to find out what area you have available. Take a measuring tape and accurately measure the space around the point where the fan is to be mounted. This measurement wil dictate the blade length and is intended to stop the blades from coming too close to the walls. Also find out the ceiling height to avoid collisions between the rotating blade and objects underneath.
Decide On Lighting
Many ceiling fans now come with built-in lighting, which really does help to make it a centerpiece in any room. However, if you want to place the fan in a room that is already sufficiently lit via uplighters or lamps then it is advisable to buy a standard ceiling fan without a light. You can always add a lighting kit at a later date.
Save On Energy Costs With ENERGY Star Fans
If you live in a hot climate then you will probably be using your ceiling fan for long periods during the day. As the price of electricity rises it would be prudent to buy a ceiling fan that has been rated ENERGY Star complient. There are plenty of ceiling fans that are complient with this standard that will save you money.
Choose A Style
No matter what style your room is you will be able to find a ceiling fan that will blend right in. There are so many fans available on the market right now - it really is a buyer’s market. Some of the more popular styles of ceiling fan include:
- Bamboo ceiling fans
- Palm ceiling fans
- Rattan ceiling fans
- Tropical ceiling fans
Low Ceilings? Try A Hugger Fan
If you have a room with a low ceiling but still want a ceiling fan to cool the temperature down you need a hugger fan. These types of fans are customized for these types of rooms as they come with shortened downrods.
Installation
Before you buy, make sure you can get the fan installed. If you are competent with electrical fittings or have experience in the installation of a ceiling fan in the past then you can simply take it home and install it yourself. For those who are less confident you can arrange for a local electrican to install it for you.
Andrew Boyd is a content writer offering help and advice on floor fans and ceiling fans that helps people make a more informed buying decision.
Things You Ought To Know First Before Undergoing Liposuction Surgery
March 30, 2006
According to the medical dictionary of Medline Plus, liposuction is the removal of excess body fat by suction with specialized surgical equipments, typically performed by a plastic surgeon.
With the removal of excess body fat, the body appearance improves and evens out distorted body parts. Breasts, buttocks, abdomen, and the face area are some of the most popular body parts that undergo liposuction.
Foremost reason why people resort to liposuction is for cosmetic reasons. They want to eradicate “love handles”, unsightly fat bulges, an abnormal chin line, etc.
Liposuction also helps improve sexual function by reducing fat deposits on the inner thighs, thus allowing easier access to the vagina.
Another reason for undergoing liposuction is body shaping that cannot be achieved by diet and/or exercise.
A note of caution, liposuction is not a cure for generalized obesity.
Liposuction is not as easy as just going to the doctor and telling him or her, “I want a liposuction right now.” People who want to have liposuction must meet certain criteria:
1) There should be a preliminary consultation. This includes history of the patient, a comprehensive physical examination, and a psychological health examination;
2) There should be a second consultation to give time for the patient to think over the planned liposuction surgery;
3) If the patient is married, the spouse’s presence may be required during the consultation;
4) The patient should ask questions about liposuction, express the reasons for the consultation, and must feel satisfied with the answers to their questions;
5) The patient must fully understand the pre-operative liposuction preparations, the liposuction procedures, and the precise post-operative liposuction care to avoid lethal complications;
6) The patient must have realistic expectations. Liposuction enhances the body appearance and boost self-confidence but it will never result to a perfect body.
Because liposuction is a medical procedure, there are risks involved. Some of the complications that may happen upon having liposuction are:
* Fluid imbalance due to the removal of a lot of liquid during liposuction and/or injection of large amounts of liquid during liposuction which can result to shock, heart problems, or kidney problems.
* Infections happen after any surgery and some physicians prescribe an antibiotic to patients having liposuction so it is important to keep the wound clean. Infections may be life threatening such as necrotizing fasciitis (bacteria eating away the tissue) or the toxic shock syndrome caused by bacteria associated with surgery.
* Embolism occurs when tiny globules of fat trapped in the blood stream blocks the blood flow to the tissue. This may cause permanent disability. Signs of pulmonary embolism are shortness of breath or difficulty of breathing.
* Drug reactions or overdose from lidocaine is fatal. Lidocaine is a drug that numbs the skin and large doses of this is used during liposuction. The effects of lidocaine are lightheadedness, restlessness, drowsiness, slurred speech, muscle twitching, and convulsions. Overdose of this drug may cause the heart to stop which is naturally fatal.
* Burns caused by the ultrasound probe during ultrasound assisted liposuction.
* Visceral perforations or puncture wounds in the organs may require another surgery and can be fatal. During liposuction, the physician does not see where the probe (canula) is, so it is possible to harm internal organs.
* Skin death (skin necrosis) occurs when skin changes color and fall off. This may also cause infection.
* Paresthesias is an altered sensation at the site of liposuction. This may be in the form of increased sensitivity in the area or loss of feeling. Some cases of this are permanent.
* Swelling
* Death
Given that the surgery had no major complications, recovery from liposuction can still be difficult.
The liposuctioned area appears larger than before because of swelling.
Special compression garments must be worn for two to three weeks to reduce swelling, bleeding, and to help contour the new body. The patient starts to feel better after a week or two after liposuction.
Walking is recommended after liposuction to prevent blood clots forming in the legs. Finally, exercise and diet will help keep your new shape.
————————-
Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.
————————-
©Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about liposuction, please go to: http://liposuction.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/
