Category: Random

Surprise! How to Bring Joy to Your Friends, Family and Colleagues

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We all love a good surprise. Whether it is a surprise party of all our friends or an unexpected perk at work, there is something just wonderful about the whole process. But what is even better, is that you can use the power of surprise to bring joy to those around you every day.

The best surprises are not the most lavish or complicated. In fact, it is the small acts of kindness that we appreciate most because they usually show an honest interest that can’t be found elsewhere.

Here are a few ideas you might like to try.

Surprises at Work

For most people, work is a bit of a grind. You go in, you do your thing and then you go home. It’s the same most days. A surprise is just what you need to break the monotony and it doesn’t even have to be expensive to succeed. As you can see on the http://www.proweatherstore.com/, introducing a little surprise every now and then can feel empowering for employees and motivate them to do even better.

So what sort of surprises work here? Well, if you’re the business owner, you have a lot of scope from ordering in a stack of pizzas to announcing an early home time. As an employee, you should probably check your boundaries first but it might be fun to organize an office playlist for the day or take in some snacks to share.

Surprises for Family

Kids absolutely love surprises and there are so many things you could do that they would just love. Fun breakfasts always go down well and even the simplest soft cheese-topped bagel can be improved with a bit of food coloring and sprinkles! Starting the morning well is a nice way to set the tone for the whole week and makes a big difference.

For a bigger surprise, you could turn the lounge into a fort to jazz up your family movie night or even take everyone on a day out together. To be fair, ordering in a stack of pizzas works pretty well at home too!

Whatever you do to surprise your family, just make sure that the experience will suit everyone and encourage you all to bond. After all, enjoying each other’s company is what family is all about.

Surprises for Friends

Keeping up with friends between work and family commitments can be tough but a little surprise once in a while can help things along. Again, the surprise doesn’t have to be big – especially if you live quite far away from each other. A postcard is a lovely way to check in with an old friend.

Organizing a spontaneous night out is a fun way to catch up but don’t just do what you usually do. Spice things up by trying a new place or stay in and try something different like cooking together. Once again, ordering a stack of pizzas works wonders every time but go wild – make sushi, buy a chocolate fountain. Have fun!

Breaking Goals Into Smaller Steps

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We all have goals in life. Some of us want to buy our first house, some of us want to purchase a luxury car, some of us have goals that are related to our careers, and there are those who have goals related to their health, for example, wanting to lose weight. It does not matter what your goal is, achieving objectives is never easy. Motivation is one thing and people struggle with. Yes, there is no denying that you want to fit into your wedding dress and lead a healthier lifestyle, but staying committed on this journey, especially when it can take a while to get to the end result, it can be difficult.

One of the best things that you can do in order to achieve any sort of goal is to break into smaller steps. In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the most common goals that people have and provide you with some examples of how you can break these goals up into smaller steps. This should give you inspiration and help you when it comes to breaking up your own goal so that you can be best placed to achieve it.

Let’s deal with one of the most common objectives that a lot of people have today and this is losing weight. There are many different reasons why you may want to lose weight. There may be an outfit that you want to fit into or you simply may want to be healthier. If you want to lose two stone, for example, this can seem like a mammoth task and so it is not hard to see why your commitment would dwindle. Instead, you should break this down into smaller amounts of weight over short periods of time. Every time you achieve your small goals you will be motivated and this will help you to achieve your overall goal of losing two stone. Alternatively, you can set yourself health challenges every couple of weeks, for example, one of these challenges could be to drink eight glasses of water every day. Head to https://www.helpguide.org/articles/diets/how-to-lose-weight-and-keep-it-off.htm/ for some tips if this is indeed your goal.

A lot of people also have goals relating to their profession. For example, you may want to achieve your dream career. However, opening a business or achieving your dream career can be extremely overwhelming because it is such a big goal. Instead you need to map out what is going to take to help you get there. For example, you may want to start with a blog so that you can establish yourself in the industry. A good example of this is http://www.lcmpa.org/. You can see an informative blog on literary, which contains the writer’s opinion. You could do this as the first step on the ladder for your career and then once you have established is you can continue setting other moguls until you get to where you want to be.

Hopefully, this has helped you to see how you can achieve your goals and stay motivated. No matter what your objective is, when is a big one it can seem overwhelming and almost impossible to achieve. However by regular goals in smaller amounts and achieving these you end up picking off objectives from the list and this keeps you motivated.

You Aren’t Condemned To A Miserable Existence! How To Make The Most Of Life With Allergies

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It is something that can make you completely miserable. When you live with an allergy, whether it’s undiagnosed, or you are prone to plenty of flare-ups it can be a very depressing, not to mention stressful, existence. Whether you are someone that can go into anaphylactic shock, or you have sniffles or cold-like symptoms, living with any form of allergy can feel like a major downer. But are there any keys to living a happier life, without stress, despite suffering?

Isolating The Triggers

Sometimes it’s very straightforward, and the triggers provide an immediate reaction, but when these triggers are in your home, it can be a very difficult thing to isolate. Sometimes if you are developing an allergy, and you don’t know what the cause is, it could be something to do with the chemicals you use in your cleaning products. Or it could be in your food. The most difficult thing when you are suffering from an undiagnosed allergy is to find the root cause by the process of elimination. And the best way to do this is to make a note of when these flare-ups occur. After a while, if you’ve amassed enough evidence, you can then begin to whittle down the root cause. Sometimes the triggers are really straightforward, but sometimes they can take a lot of detective work. And so, by looking at a list of when these flare-ups occur, you can start to isolate the real issue. Sometimes it’s not due to a reaction to a product. It could be stress related. After all, issues like hives and eczema can be the result of stress. As such, do you have something going on in your life that stressful right now? If so, you know what you have to do.

Making The Alterations

If you have an allergy that’s undiagnosed, you can then start to make the necessary changes. When it’s something as straightforward as chemicals, these days, there are many chemical-free alternatives. But when you are using the services of professionals, like carpet cleaners, it can be difficult to find the ones that don’t use chemicals. But, there are green environmentally friendly carpet cleaners out there that use friendly products that won’t flare up allergic reactions. And this is just one example. When you’re making your alterations, luckily, nowadays, there are plenty of options out there so you can live an allergy-free life. This isn’t just in terms of getting rid of the chemicals in your products, but if you are out in public, and you are eating at a restaurant, they are obliged to inform you of any allergens in their food if you ask. This is great for those that suffer from a gluten intolerance or have an allergy to nuts or milk. But the big issue that we all have when we suffer from an allergy and we have to go out in public is that these things are beyond our control. But what we have to do is make the appropriate changes in our life so that they become a learned habit. And this is very difficult at the very beginning of learning to live with an allergy. Because you are used to your old patterns. And if you are someone who’s allergic to bread, and you decide to have some for a treat, you could find that it will make the rest of your day uncomfortable, and could impact you for days to come! So instead, you’ve got to think about making the necessary alterations in your life so that they become a habit. And this can take quite a while. And for something like bread, where it tastes so good, going from that to a gluten-free alternative can be quite a shock, primarily because they can taste disgusting! But, you’ve got to think that if suffering afterward is really worth it. And you know, deep down, it is not.

Learning To Accept Your Allergies

When we are diagnosed with an allergy, especially if it makes us feel pretty miserable, that change in lifestyle can be difficult. Learning to live with the fact that we’ve got some form of allergy can feel like that we are a little bit weaker than everyone else. But, if you have an allergy, you’ve got to think about what keeping the symptoms at bay will do for the rest of your life. And if you suffer from something like a food allergy, and this means that you can’t eat bread for the rest of your life, then surely it’s a small sacrifice? And this is something very important to point out, especially as far as food allergies are concerned. Because we have to slow up proceedings in a restaurant by asking for the gluten-free menu, it can feel like we are making a mountain out of a molehill. But you know how you will feel if you decide to throw caution to the wind and have some bread. And it sounds like a very strange thing, that eating a simple morsel of bread will cause uncomfortable sensations, and you may have to spend the whole of the next day in bed. But these people don’t know how it affects you. But in this respect, we can feel somewhat embarrassed that we have an allergy, especially if it’s just something that is so common. But food allergies are on the rise, and the fact that there are more food options that don’t have milk or nuts or wheat highlights just how common it is.

It’s difficult to make the most of life when we have a lot of allergies, but if we are constantly sneezing, or we just feel headachy all of the time, it’s important to get these allergies diagnosed. Sometimes we don’t think it is an allergy, and it’s just the way we are. But the amazing thing that happens, once you’ve made these alterations to your life, is that you feel so fantastic in comparison to before, you wonder how you managed to even get by before! Living with allergies doesn’t mean you are condemned to a miserable existence.

Take The Stress Out Of Your Life!

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Let’s face it, the modern era seems to be purposely built to make many of us feel as stressed as possible at all times. It moves at a ridiculously fast-paced, we’re all constantly under scrutiny over how “productive we’re being”, and that’s not even mentioning the sheer number of obligations many of us end up having to deal with. Everything from work to family to trying to keep up some kind of social life seem like they’re just pulling you around trying to stress you out as much as possible. Of course, that’s not the way things have to be. Here are just a few things that you can do to take some of the stress out of your life.

Take a load off

One of the biggest causes of stress for most people is the fact that it can often feel like you just don’t have the time to deal with everything that needs doing. From work to bills to chores it can feel like you’re drowning under it all. So why not try and take some of that weight off by handling certain things over to other people. Something like hiring a live in housekeeper takes a huge amount of the burden of looking after your home off you. Of course, if you don’t have the budget for that then the best thing to do is just to learn to say no to things. If your boss wants you to work overtime, you don’t have to say yes!

Change careers

Speaking of your boss, there’s a good chance that work is going to be the biggest source of stress in a lot of people’s lives. It’s all too easy to end up in a job that you don’t like. The best answer to this really is the most obvious: find something else! Find a job that doesn’t bore you or leave you feeling stressed and frustrated. Sure, that’s often easier said than done but which would you rather, a short period of stress looking for a new career or a lifetime of stress stuck in a job you hate?

Find something you love

Sometimes it’s not a matter of removing the things in your life that cause you stress but rather by embracing the things that you really love. Find a hobby or something that you’re really passionate about. You’d be amazed at just how much that can alleviate the stress of the modern world. Sure, you might still have to deal with stress in your life, but at least you have something you love to look forward to.

Of course, it’s important to remember that it’s never going to be possible to take all of the stress out of your life. You’ll always have responsibilities that you have to deal with and there will always be days where you just don’t really want to get up and go to work. However, by finding the things that make you happy and that make life worth living then those stressful times are going to at least be a little more bearable.

5 Gadgets Every Movie Lover Needs

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When it comes to improving your movie watching experience, there are plenty of gadgets that can come in handy. Here are just five must-have gadgets for any movie lover.

A 4k TV

A 4K TV could help you to watch your movies in stunning realistic detail. They’re a step up from HD, often referred to as UHD (ultra high definition). There are lots of different 4K TVs on the market to choose from – this 4K UHD buying guide could help you find the right one suited to your needs and budget. Other cool modern features to consider could include a curved screen (which allows people from all around the room to get an equally good view) and smart technology capability (which allows you link up your TV with your smartphone). 4K TVs are starting to get more affordable – perhaps due to the rise of 8K TVs, which have an even greater resolution, but are still very much a luxury option.

A sound bar

To turn your living room into a home cinema, surround sound speakers could be another worthy purchase. The sound bar is the most innovative new speaker system – rather that having to place speakers all around the room, you can have a single speaker in the form of a strip just below the TV which is capable of bouncing sound around the room. There are a lot of different sound bars out there to meet all budgets. Make sure to choose a design that complements your TV.

A tablet

For watching movies on the go, nothing beats a tablet. This could be a great way of filling a long commute or a way of occupying the kids on a long car journey. There are lots of different tablets on the market – the tablet buying comparison guide could be worth reading before you invest in one.

An all-in-one remote

Rather than having multiple remotes for different things, you could consider switching to an all-in-one remote that allows you to control your TV, your speakers and your media players at once. These could help to cut out the confusion.

A VHS converter

Still got an old library of VHS tapes gathering dust in your attic? Converting them into DVDs could be possible thanks to a small USB stick. This gadget records whatever is on the TV and saves it onto the USB drive. This can then be burned onto a DVD, allowing you to keep your selection more consistent. All-in-one media players are another option, although these tend to be bulky bit of kit that may not fit under all TVs.

Protect Your Farm Business From Financial Loss

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Running any kind of business is always going to be something of a challenge. There are many risks associated with any business, and you need to make sure that you are aware of them primarily so that you can protect yourself from them should you need to, and so that you know what you can expect in terms of potential future issues. Obviously, the main thing that you will be concerned with is financial loss, and as with any other business you might want to think about what you can do to make sure that you minimize it as well as possible. In this article, we are going to look at what you might be able to do to ensure that you protect your business from financial loss. As long as you consider the following, you should find that that is much easier to do than you might think.

Plan Ahead

With farming, you absolutely need to make sure that you are planning ahead. You need to always think about the next season, the next few seasons and even the next whole year if you are to know what is ahead. That is important not just so that you can kee crops alive and animals happy – and therefore make sure that your money is kept in tact – but also as a means of planning for what future planting you might want to do. You will soon become aware of just how much you need to focus on this in order to keep your finances in tact for good, and it is in many respects a kind of skill you will develop over time. In the short term, you should always be looking at the weather for upcoming weeks, so that you can protect against things like sudden spring frost or a rapid increase in temperatures. The more you pay attention to these things, the more you are protecting your business in the long run from any kind of serious loss, so this is vital to make sure you are doing.

Get Insured

As with any other kind of business, it is always important to make sure that you are insured. There are actually many kinds of agricultural insurance that you might want to look into, depending on the kinds of risks you feel your farm is particularly open to. For instance, if you are worried that you live in an area where you might see the theft of some equipment and machinery, you should look into getting hold of some farm machinery insurance, just to ensure that you are going to be able to recover any losses that there might be if that does happen. Or if you are worried about the potential of fire and other disasters, then you should think about insuring your premises against that too. You can even insure the land itself, although that kind of insurance has the potential to be quite expensive on the whole. In any case, it’s worth looking into if you want to really feel secure in keeping a hold of your money for good, no matter what might occur.

Advertise Early & Often

A lot of farms suffer with not being advertised enough, and this lack of marketing is often one of the main reasons that they don’t see their profits rise and rise. If you want to protect yourself against financial loss, you do of course need to make sure that you are going to advertise your farm early and often, so that you can be sure you are going to keep selling as much as you can. Bear in mind that at the start you will need to start advertising a season or two in advance, so that you have interest by the time you can actually start selling anything. You might even want to hire someone to manage this side of things for you, so that you can ensure that you are going to be able to sell as much as possible, and so keep your business in positive financial terms.

Stay Legal

Finally, remember that one of the main reasons that any business suffers financial loss is due to being fined for illegal activity. It’s not that these businesses necessarily do anything untoward on purpose, merely that they often overlook some kind of legality which they didn’t realize was there. You should make sure that you are aware of whatever regulations you need to follow, so that you don’t have to worry about losing out money with a hefty fine one day.

More Than A Book! The Best Hobbies To Improve Your Brain

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If you thought that watching TV was the best way to get your brain working, you are mistaken! Most of us spend so much time idly lazing on the couch we are letting our brains rot. If you’re concerned that, as you get older, your memory seems to be subsiding somewhat, you shouldn’t worry anymore! It’s actually all about getting the best hobbies. The fact is the right hobby can do so much for us in mind and body. But let’s focus on the best hobbies that can improve our mind.

Learning A Language

Learning a language has been shown to have stimulating effects on the brain. In fact, people that can speak more than one language have more gray matter in their brain than those that speak just the one. It’s, in many ways, a way of multitasking. And while you might think that learning a language is harder in life, you will still feel the same benefits that a child does. Just because a child is able to pick up a language easier, doesn’t mean that they have vastly improved brains! In fact, the topic of neuroplasticity shows how malleable our brains are, despite our age.

Picking Up A Musical Instrument

Musical instruments have been shown to have benefits in terms of cognitive functions, including problem-solving and pattern recognition. Music is a great way to engage both sides of the brain. And if you’re someone that hasn’t picked up an instrument before, it can feel like a very complex notion, like learning a new language, but there are sites like Piano in 21 Days that can guide you through the basics. It’s a very important thing to point out when you want to engage with a subject, but you’ll find it difficult, doing something that you enjoy, or something you have a deep connection to will help you to learn it better. Music is a very good example if you have a passion for music in the first place.

Playing Games

Not just any games, but specifically brain training games have been shown to improve our problem-solving abilities. We have to remember that games, in any form, can stretch our brain. Even physical ones. And while playing sports can involve a lot of physical exercise, which does benefit the brain, if you really want to challenge your mind, you’ve got to go for the brain training games and puzzles that are out there in abundance. From Sudoku to crosswords, and the many apps around, you can challenge your brain. In fact, there’s a game that comes recommended, Dual N Back, which challenges sequential learning, spatial awareness, and your memory functions. Remember, these things are difficult (and very frustrating) but because they are difficult this means you are stretching yourself.

Meditation

Have you ever sat down and trying to focus on nothing? It’s difficult! As a hobby, meditation isn’t just a fantastic way to aid concentration, but it has benefits for mind and body, calms you down, and giving you that ability to focus despite a whirlwind of distractions around you physically and mentally. Getting into the habit of meditating in the morning, or learning how to calm your body and mind down, just by focusing on the breath, will serve you well throughout your entire life.

How To Ensure That You’re Getting Enough Sleep

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Sleep is one of those things that determines whether you have a good or bad day, and it is so important to make sure that you’re getting those Zs in if you want to do great. However, some of us just struggle with it. We either can’t drift off to sleep as our heads are full of anxieties, or we constantly wake up in the night, unable to get into a really deep sleep. Whatever your problems are, getting a good night’s sleep is vital, and we’ve put down some simple tips so that you can get some well-deserved rest in, and begin your day feeling refreshed!

Limit your pre-sleep screen time

We’re all guilty of this one, but scrolling through your Twitter and Instagram feeds before you go to sleep could be the reason that you’re struggling to doze off. Not only is the light from your screen likely to keep you up for longer than it should do, but there have also been some studies linking mobile phone use before sleeping to depression and loneliness. Whilst you can put your phone on night mode in most cases, and apps are now being released that apply blue light filters to your screen, it may be a good idea to just give the phone a miss. Read a book, or just relax and talk to your loved ones. It could help you in more ways than one!

Get a good mattress and bed frame

Getting a good bed is key to ensuring that you’re getting enough sleep, and there are many people out there who are trying to sleep on 20 year old mattresses every night, and wondering why they aren’t providing much comfort. You should be changing your mattress every 8 years, and it’s also worth looking into the different types out there (some prefer memory foam, and others need more support for their backs). Buying a sturdy bed frame is also important, as a squeaky old frame could be waking you up every time you move in the night. You spend almost half of your life asleep, so it is certainly worthwhile investing in these things!

Block out the natural light

If you’re trying to get in some sleep, but you struggle due to your environment, then you may need to get some better blackout curtains or blinds. This is particularly the case if you’re working night shifts and trying to sleep during the day, as it can be difficult to get your body into a state of total relaxation and sleep if the sunlight is coming through your blinds. An investment in some of these may not put you out a lot financially, but it will help you to see a real change in your sleeping habits. Say goodbye to those annoying street lights – and the sun – and hello to a good night’s (or day’s) sleep.

Clean, clean, and clean some more

OK, some people out there haven’t washed their bedsheets since the dawn of time, but you may also be guilty of not cleaning your bedding enough, either. Many sources state that you are supposed to wash your sheets once a week (or once every two weeks, in some cases) but two weeks is the maximum time you should go without changing your bedding. An unclean bed can be detrimental to your sleep as you will be breathing in bacteria and dust, which settles on your sheets and can cause allergies. Don’t forget to vacuum your room as much as you can, and create a great environment to enable sleep.

Get a good routine in place

One of the other problems that you may be having is that you simply don’t have a good routine, and your body isn’t used to going to sleep and waking up at certain times daily. You should aim to go to sleep at a similar time each night (though it doesn’t have to be exact) and you should also try to get up at the same time, too, which shouldn’t be too difficult if you have to go to work in the morning. On the weekends we all (well, some of us) enjoy a lie in, but try not to sleep too much over these two days, as it could end up adding a spanner into the works of your routine. Decide a rough time to sleep and to wake up, and try to stick to it!

So, if you want to ensure that you’re getting enough sleep, why not try out these simple tips? You’ll be glad that you did when you feel refreshed, and ready to face the day!

Do You Love Being Hands On?

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If you love being hands on, then welcome to an article that’s going to change your life. You’re either a hands on and very forward person in life, or you’re someone who likes to relax and take the back seat. But life is all about taking risks, being hands on, and getting the most out of every situation you’re in. Now, think about what situation you’re in all of the time, your work situation!? It can often feel like you’re spending too much time at work, and that it consumes your life to a point where you’re doing nothing else but thinking about it. If you’ve got to this point in your life, or perhaps you’ve been there before, you’ll know how stressful it can be. The more time you spend at work, and actually overthinking everything to do with it, the more you should realise that’s time to change career. So if you’re hands on, and looking for a total change of career, here are our top ones that we think will suit you!

Career Fair at College of DuPage 2014 14

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is the best career line you can go into if you’re looking for something that’s super long term, has a lot of money in it, and has a lot of responsibility to it. You could think about something like lean manufacturing that’s super hands on, and gives you a lot of room for responsibility. To get into this you could take on a lean manufacturing distance learning degree, which would put you in a better position to be employed in a higher position. This is very much an engineering based role, so you’re going to have to have a good head to do this, and a practical thinking one. There’s always the risk that something could really go wrong with this one, and it could all fall on your hands. But, if you do it right, this role is super rewarding and fulfilling.

Trade Work

Trade work is most definitely the perfect career if you’re hands on, because you literally will be doing something all of the time! There are so many different trades that you could go into as well, from window fitting to brick laying, it’s always said that’s good to have a trade under your belt to fall back on. Plus, out of all of them, this is probably going to be the easiest to settle into. All you have to do is start out as a labourer and work your way up through the profession by gaining experience. Just get looking on the internet, or perhaps you know people who are in trade at the minute, and start your journey towards a super hands on career.

Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is super hands on, you just have to have the mindset to actually do it. You have to like being active, and you have to want to make a big difference to the people who are working with you. To get into this you could go for a university degree course,or even just a college course! But again, it’s a lifelong career with many different paths that you could go down later on down the line!

3 Reasons Why Knowledge Really Is Power in Your Business

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Everyone is undoubtedly familiar with the phrase “knowledge is power.” It’s the kind of thing that used to get served all the time on TV shows, when we were kids, and likely many of us had our parents constantly reminding us of the importance of education, on the basis that it would enable us to live fruitful, successful, and happy lives.

Of course, this statement has many profound truths to it. The more you know about health, fitness, and nutrition – the better able you are to keep yourself in top physical condition, optimise your mood, and avoid health crises down the line. Or, to give another example – the more you understand about DIY, the less reliant you are on potentially expensive repair services.

But, of course, one of the key areas in which the statement applies is in the realm of business.

Here are a few reasons why knowledge really is power in your business, and why you should commit to continual education, and depth of understanding, if you’re interested in long-term professional success.

Your analytics can show you the right path to take

There are many various types of data analytics which are likely to be relevant to any given business. One of the key metrics that is often tracked, for example, is “bounce rate.” This is a metric that refers to how long the average visitor spends on a given page, or section, of your website.

If you notice that your primary sales page has a “bounce rate” of three seconds – you can assume that there is a real problem there, that needs to be addressed if you want to have any hope of actually making any sales via your website and all.

Then again, your analytics can also show you what’s going right. Perhaps you have embedded certain links in a newsletter email, which gets automatically sent out once a week via MailChimp, and have noticed that one of these links seems to yield a disproportionate number of engagements.

It would then be, by far, in your best interests to try and identify what it is about that particular link which is appealing to customers and clients – and to apply those principles to other dimensions of your marketing.

Simply by measuring and reviewing your analytics, you can often completely transform the course of your entire business for the better.

Specific goals, targets, and strategies get results – non-specific ones don’t

It has been said, time and time again, that “if you don’t know where you want to go, you’ll never get there.” On one hand, this is an injunction to pay attention to the importance of goal setting, generally.

In another sense, however, this quote – and ones like it – hits at a more nuanced truth. That is, that specific goals, targets, and strategies get results – and non-specific ones don’t.

You have likely heard of “S.M.A.R.T.” goals – an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound.

The point of this acronym is that when you set goals, they should be as focused as possible. You should know exactly – not broadly – what it is you want to achieve. You should know when you want to achieve it by, and you should have a clear idea in mind of what metrics you are going to track to see whether or not you are progressing down the right path.

Of course, being specific involves – almost by definition – having more information. The more information you are able to bring to bear on the goal-setting and planning process, the more likely you are to actually be able to bring your dreams to fruition.

The more you know about your field, and industry, the better able you will be to navigate it masterfully

Here’s a no-brainer question; if a potential employer had to hire one of two people for a given role, and one was an expert in the field, and had a proven track record of being masterfully insightful in that domain, and the other knew absolutely nothing about the field and all, who do you think would get the job?

Of course, this is an exaggerated situation. It is rarely, if ever, the case that out of any two applicants for a job – one will know everything, and the other will know nothing.

Nonetheless, the point stands. When you know more about your field and industry, you’re invariably going to be more attractive to potential employers.

More than this, though, you are also going to be better able to navigate the industry on your own terms. An entrepreneur who knows more than his competitors, for example, is in a very advantageous position.

Can’t Afford A Vacay? Make Your Home Feel Like A Hotel 100%

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Vacations are expensive, and something that unless you save up for a while, many people can’t afford. But, this doesn’t mean that you can’t feel like you are on vacation by turning your home into a hotel! There are some simple ways to do this, and some of these might be easier than you think. We have come up with a list of things that you can do to make your home feel like a hotel, so that you can enjoy a vacation at home!

Go Shopping For Some Deluxe Dinners

The first thing that you should think about doing is going shopping for some luxury dinners. What we mean by this is think of some of the meals that you wouldn’t normally have, be that because they are expensive or because they aren’t great for you, and get them for the next couple of days. It will feel as though you are truly in a hotel with a luxury meal right at your fingertips. Make sure that it is something that doesn’t take much prep time so that you get the most out of the experience!

Get The Best Bed You Can

Have you ever laid down on a hotel bed and just thought, this is what heaven feels like? It’s all to do with the mattress. Hotels have the comfiest mattresses and that is why you have such a good night of sleep when you are there. So, if you want to make your bed feel like this, you need to shop around in mattress stores to find the right quality that you need. Once you get this home and on your bed, you are going to feel like you are on the comfiest bed in the world! This is one of the best parts of vacations that you can have right in your own home!

Add Some Hotel Comforts To Your Bedroom

Something else that you can do is add some of the comforts of a hotel room to your bedroom. When you think of a hotel, what is the first thing that you think of? Big TV? Mini fridge? Fluffy robes? Any of these can be purchased for your bedroom. It doesn’t have to cost you a fortune to buy a mini-fridge for your bedroom, and if you love the fluffy robes that make you feel as though you are wrapped in a cloud, you can get these online! The TV is going to be the most expensive item on this list, but even then, you can think of it as an investment that is going to last you for years.

Take A Weekend Away From The Chore Wheel  

You might not be able to afford to go abroad, but you can still act like you are. Take a break from doing the regular tasks of washing, doing the dishes, vacuuming and so on and hire a maid to do these things for you. It is only going to be for a couple of days so you don’t need to worry about spending too much cash on this, and it will give you a break that you deserve.

Hopefully, you have found these suggestions useful and will put some of them into place to make your home feel like a hotel!

3 Direct, Physical Actions You Can Take to Improve Your Spiritual Wellbeing

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When people think about their spiritual wellbeing — whether in the strictly religious sense of the word “spiritual”, or in the sense that it relates to emotional or aesthetic matters — they often don’t think of what could strictly be referred to as “direct” or “physical” actions.

Generally, the kind of topics that fall under the banner of “spiritual activities” will be things like prayer, meditation, contemplation on a given topic, or maybe enjoying poetry or literature.

There is certainly nothing wrong with those activities, but there’s a good argument to be made that, often, some of the best things you can do for your “spiritual” wellbeing will, in fact, be direct actions of various sorts. After all, whether you believe in the spirit as a distinct aspect of the self, independent from the body, or use the term to refer to your emotional life — it’d be hard to deny that the “ordinary” things you do in your everyday life have no impact on this domain.

So without further ado, here are some direct, physical actions you can take to improve your spiritual wellbeing.

Redesign and declutter your home

A cluttered and chaotic-seeming home just makes you feel bad, doesn’t it?

This seems to be a constant fact of the human condition, no matter who you’re talking to. There is, after all, a reason why minimalism has taken off as such a big trend in the United States in recent years, and also simultaneously in Japan (and then globally) through Marie Kondo “Konmari” decluttering methodology.

When all is said and done, getting rid of clutter is synonymous with getting rid of emotional baggage, and opening up the space for a new and fresh start in life.

Maybe it’s time for a redesign job, too? A new bathroom style might be just what your home needs to feel revitalised.

Get actively involved in a creative, artistic pursuit

Art is a great thing to appreciate, but actually getting involved in the process of creating it comes with enormous benefits, too.

You don’t have to become a great master artist to feel the benefits of emotional expression and regulation that come with getting actively involved in a creative, artistic pursuit. Simply getting a sketch pad, a pencil, and a book on basic drawing exercises can have a tremendous impact.

Likewise, writing some fiction — even if you never show anyone — can be a powerful experience, not just for the sake of engaging in a creative endeavour per se, but also because it helps you to explore your own thoughts and moods.

Take steps to structure your day more

Now, this one will really throw some people for a loop.

Some people are naturally very rigid, and for these people, finding ways to loosen up will generally be extremely beneficial. Other people, however, are too “easygoing”, and far from finding that this benefits them on a spiritual level, they are often deeply weighed down by negative emotion and guilt as a result of their chaotic lifestyle.

The feeling of wasting potential is a common consequence of an overly unstructured lifestyle.

So, if this sounds like you, work on taking incremental steps to structure your day more. Start with something simple like waking up at the same time every day. Then go from there.

Time to Get Zen – Mindfulness 100%

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Mindfulness is the key to life. A life lived mindfully is a life. Mindfulness is our direct connection to the Universe. It is the solution that we as human beings have been seeking since the beginning of modern times outside ourselves. The simple practice of mindfulness has existed for thousands of years; however human beings discard this approach for intellectual and more complicated philosophies or techniques. Sadly, this journey that is external never resolves itself. There are many texts and individuals available over, and that complicate analyze mindfulness. It appears that our self is programmed to complicate even the most straightforward of things. Mindfulness is supposed to be simple, yet a deep way. This present-centered solution allows us to live authentic lives.

So, what exactly is mindfulness and how can you apply it? Mindfulness simply put awareness of the moment or is a specific type of meditation. There are many forms of meditation. However, we’re going to focus on mindfulness meditation, which is believed to be the most functional and simple meditative exercise. Mindfulness involves participating in each moment as it occurs with awareness of your experience. Life only exists in the Here and Now when practicing mindfulness. The moment we experience is pure and unadulterated. Mindfulness is a “living” meditation which you can practice each second of your precious life. There’s no need to escape to a secluded location, as you can participate in mindfulness anywhere and at any time, no matter what’s currently happening around you. Falling in love with the things around you, visiting silent retreats, slowly brewing tea and accepting each moment.

Rather than presenting a single rigid definition of mindfulness to the reader, a few but concise definitions will be presented below drawn from practitioners and experts of mindfulness’ wisdom.

JJon Kabat-Zinn, the best selling author of Wherever You Go There You Are and the creator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, describes mindfulness meditation as “paying attention in a particular way; on goal, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.”

Levey and Levey in their magnificent book, Simple Meditation, and Relaxation, state ” Mindfulness liberates us from memories of their past and dreams of the future by bringing the reality of this present moment clearly into focus. ” They also express that “mindfulness makes us aware of lifestyle’s everyday miracles. ”

In one of the ancient Buddhist commentaries, it is stated that mindfulness is “presence of mind, attentiveness to the current… ”

Stephen Levine, the author of A Gradual Awakening, says that mindfulness is a ” moment to moment awareness of whatever arises, whatever exists. ”

Meditation teacher and writer Sylvia Boorstein state that mindfulness is having ” the aware, balanced acceptance of current experience. It is not more complicated than that. It is opening to or getting the current moment just ?s it is, without either clinging to or rejecting it. ”

These simple yet profound use expression and terminology, but what they all share in common are that mindfulness is being completely and fully present for life. It is being aware of what’s happening within and around you in each moment of your existence that is miraculous. We just clinic awareness without judgment, accepting our ideas and emotions exactly as they are.

As you may, have noticed mindfulness is a simple yet, powerful. It’s only being Right Here, Right Now: fully and immersing you’re being experiencing your life. That’s it! It is that straightforward. It is not necessary to reevaluate, intellectualize, or to over analyze what it is to be aware. Of course, our ego wants to divert us but don’t allow this. Recognize the existence of your self, say hello, and then calmly dismiss it. While there are more advanced explanations on this subject available for you to further research if you desire; what has been described here is the pure and simple essence of mindfulness meditation.

As you continue your journey of living that is mindful, or if you’re beginning And leave this guide, this writer suggests that you dive into the ocean of Now and intimately familiarize yourself with the pleasure of what’s right in front of you. As expressed in the Zen tradition, “When eating, eat and when walking, walk.”

Are you Right Here, Right Now? If not, center yourself and experience the bliss and ecstasy of this moment that is eternal. Enjoy your journey!

Signs of Work-Related Stress (And how to Beat Them)

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Working long hours can have a huge impact on your life. You may find that you are constantly exhausted and that you dread going to work the next day. That being said, stress can manifest itself in multiple ways, and if you don’t deal with them then they may go on to affect your mental well being.

Physical Signs of Stress

Stress can affect your body, the way you think and the way you feel. It can also change the way you behave and react to situations. If you believe that you are stressed at work then you need to look out for symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, stomach problems and even difficulty waking up in the morning. On the flip side, you may suffer from insomnia. This can have long-lasting effects on your health, and it can also cause your performance at work to drop. If you are stressed or overly tired, then this can even put you at risk of having an accident and this is the last thing you need. If you have had an accident at work then try and visit this link: http://hofmannlawfirm.com/practice_areas/new-york-maritime-accident-and-injury-attorneys.cfm to get some help.

Mental Signs of Stress

Stress can cause you to feel intense anxiety and even restlessness. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that stress is not a serious thing and that a lot of people experience it every single day. This is not the case, and if left untreated then it can lead to you feeling overwhelmed, depressed, angry or sad. You may withdraw socially, and lack all motivation during the day. If this sounds like you, then now is most certainly the right time to make a change. Usually, when you remove the source of the stress, the other symptoms will slowly disappear. This can work wonders for your physical and mental health.

How to Deal with Stress

There are many ways that you can deal with stress. The first thing that you need to do is look at the source of it. For example, if you have an awful boss who you just can’t seem to get on with then it may be worth asking to be transferred to another department. If your pay is too low, then consider finding another position altogether. This may sound drastic, but sometimes a drastic change is required in order to remove stress and for you to start feeling like your old self again.

What Not to Do

A lot of people resort to alcohol when stressed. They also overeat, refuse to go out and find it hard to do anything enjoyable. If this is the case, then you need to try and push yourself to go out for a walk. Instead of eating unhealthy food, try and cook your own meals and find a new hobby. This will help you to boost your endorphins and it will also help you to combat the signs of stress effectively. Sure, changes like this probably won’t happen overnight but with a bit of effort, you can be sure to see positive results.