Learn To Forgive Yourself And Others

In order to live a healthy life both mentally and physically one must learn to forgive. Forgiveness allows an individual to work through the hurts and bitterness experienced and to let go of all the negative elements. In embracing the act of forgiveness and moving on the body and mind can then start to experience the peace, hope and joy that is the byproduct of forgiveness.

The physical implications are vast and serious when it comes to harboring unforgiveness. There are actual scientific researches that conclusively agree that the body’s chemical make up is disturbed dramatically when there is resentment and unforgiveness in the individual.

This disturbance that causes the imbalance will then transcend into either serious or mild unhealthy medical conditions. Some of these conditions can escalate to further seriousness if the unforgiveness goes unchecked.

Perhaps knowing some of the benefits that can be enjoyed if unforgiveness was absent, the individual would be more willing to let go and move on.

Healthier relationships can be fostered when the step to forgive is taken. This is because the individual bearing the grudge will be able to release all the negative energy that is dominant in the unforgiveness element.

A greater level of spiritual and physiological state of well being can be attained. This level of release will also ensure the corresponding peace and joyous feelings to be abounded. Medically, stress levels are considerable lowered as with blood pressures. There will also be less likely symptoms of depression, anxiety, and chronic pains.

Though forgiveness is not an easy thing to do, however it is not only vital bit also possible to achieve. The process of forgiveness starts one step at a time.

It is a committed act of consciously accepting the facts and moving away from the pain and rejections caused. The end desired product is the ability to gain the positive elements of compassion and understanding.

Essentials For Be a Life Coach

Becoming a life coach is not easy. As easy or as lucrative that job might seem, a person has to have certain essential characteristics before they are considered to have the potential to be a life coach. So what are the important characteristics that are needed to be a life coach?

1. The passion to help

To be a life coach, you need to be eager to help people. People are coming to you seeking for your help. So there has to be a real sincere passion for you to help them. Without this passion or eagerness, you will easily lose your patience and your clients will not be able to succeed in achieving their goals.

2. Be a good listener.

You need to listen more than you talk. Your clients will be coming in telling you about their problems and the goals they want to achieve. If you are one of those people who are unable to sympathize when another person is talking, this is not the job for you. You need to listen to what your client has to say and understand what they are truly saying and meaning.

3. Be objective and don’t judge.

You must be able to make objective observations and tell your clients of your observation in a clear and truthful manner. You also need to keep your own judgement and bias out of your observation.

4. Excellent communication skills

Most of the life coaching conducted may be via telephone. So you need to have excellent communication skills and relationship skills for you to be able to connect with the client at a personal level. If you are cold and distant, your life coaching will be ineffective.

To sum it up, if you have all the criteria stated above to a life coach, so you do have the potential to be a life coach. All you need is to sign up for a training program and start on a journey that is both rewarding and fulfilling.

How to Be a Life Coach: Inspire Yourself, Inspire Them

Life coaches are consultants who work with people and help them achieve and make the desired changes in their lives. If you want to take on the job as a life coach, here are a few steps that you should take first.

Firstly, you need to be caring and emphatic. The work of a life coach involves listening and understanding other people’s problems. Then you need to help these people and encourage them to achieve their goals. This requires you to be extremely caring and emphatic. If you are an impatient and unfriendly person, you would lose patience with your clients fast and would not be able to communicate well with your clients.

Secondly, you need to decide on what area of life coaching you want to specialize in. Some life coaches specialize in helping people with their interpersonal relationships, businesses, careers or even on a personal development level.

Thirdly, you need to be trained. You have to enter training at private institutes which offers this course. This will help you to receive accreditation from a recognized organization such as International Coach Federation or the International Association of Coaching. Although this is not a requirement but getting yourself accredited makes you part of the organization’s life coaching network and this can direct clients to you.

Fourthly, it is recommended that you get yourself mentored by an established life coach too. A life coach has to have personal and professional development too. Whilst you are receiving your mentoring from an established life coach, you too can also start to give out coaching of your own. By doing so you are actually putting what you learn in to practice and it accelerates your learning process too.

Lastly, you need to continue to improve your life coaching skills. Life is about constantly learning so keep on taking the continuing education classes to develop yourself not only from a professional point of point of view but also for your own personal development.

Inspiring Others Through Life Coaching: 4 Great Steps

Being a life coach, you need to be able to inspire others to make a change in your life. However, has there been a time, where you are worried that you won’t have the answer, or you’ll give the wrong answers? Well here are 4 great steps for you as a life coach to take to help inspire others to make a change.

1. Be there for them

When they signed up for your sessions, your clients know that they are being held accountable to you. They know that next week you are going to ask them did they do it. You just need to be there for them. By being there for them, you are helping to push them to discover what is important in their life and inspiring them to move towards achieving their goal each and every day.

2. Listen to them

You need to listen to your clients with undivided attention. You need to gather what the client is saying and what the client actually means. You may ask questions such as what steps can you take to what do you really mean? This way you are asking questions that will make the client really think of what they are really saying.

3. Talking it out

Sometimes all that is needed to find a solution to the problem is to talk it out. Every week, you are giving your client the chance to talk out the problem that has been bugging them for the whole week. When the both of you are talking out the problem, it will shed more light on the issue they are facing.

4. Two head are better than one.

When your client is telling you about their issue, you are able to observe it from a detached point of view. This is because you are not personally involved in that issue. You are then able to give an objective observation that will give a whole different perspective to your client’s issue. You might even suggest different solutions that they have never thought of.

In conclusion, most people think that to inspire others, you need to get out of your box and do the fantastic to reach to the clients. The most important thing actually is to be there for the client and to be understanding. Only through that you will be able to inspire your clients to make a change for the better.

Life Coaching: The Pros They Have To Offer

Many people do not know what a life coach can do for them. The job of a life coach is to basically help you identify goals and to motivate you to achieve those goals. So here are the few benefits of having a life coach.

In your present mind frame, it is difficult for you to manifest success in your life because you have no idea what is your personal goal or the personal success you want to achieve. A life coach is able to help you to point out what is important to you and once they have pointed out your priorities, they can help you work out and set up a goal for you to achieve.

Secondly, a life coach is also there to lend some clarity to the issue that you are going through. When you are grappling with an issue, it is easy to not be able to see the solution as clearly as others because you have been blinded for so long. By talking it out with a life coach, they will be able to give an objective and truthful observation about your issue and also shed some light on the problem that you are having. Furthermore, they would also be able to come up with ideas that you have never thought about.

Thirdly, a life coach is there to help you to put your plan into action. Once you are done with setting your goal and setting a course of action, they help you to make decisions much more quickly and reduce costly delays and thus proving better quality action.

Fourthly, when you have a life coach, you are therefore accountable towards them. They will ask you each week of your progress and will hold you accountable to your action. If you are unable to put your plan into action, they will be able to motivate you towards your goals and to stick to your action plan.

Lastly, a life coach is there to give you support. They will listen to what you have to say without judging or criticizing. They will also give you their support during the toughest times and they will also be there to celebrate your successes.

So to sum it all up, getting a life coach will be the next best step towards trying to improve your life and trying to achieve your dreams. So what are you waiting for? Seek out a life coach today.

The Benefits Of Being A Life Coach

Life coaching is a profession that is different from consulting, mentoring or counselling. The process of coaching addresses issues such as business, personal projects, relationships and the client’s personal growth. So what are the benefits of becoming a life coach?

There are many benefits of becoming a life coach. Firstly, it a rewarding and fulfilling career choice. They have the opportunity to help people get the most out of their life. They are working with positive people who are eager to learn and achieve. You don’t have to struggle to try and change that person’s mindset. That person wasn’t sent to you. When you are a life coach, people come seeking you to help them. This means the battle is already half won because they are willing to change and they are willing to pay you to help them change.

Secondly, being a life coach also accelerates your personal and professional development. When you are a life coach, you are expected to be at a certain level of personal and professional ranking already. You are the expert and that is why people are seeking you out. When you start coaching others on how to develop themselves personally and professionally, you are accelerating your own pace because you are learning from your clients too at the same time.

Thirdly, being a life coach gives you mobility. You have the freedom to live and work anywhere you wish. You can coach from your home, from an office or while travelling. It can be done through telephone or you can even do it through email!

Fourthly, your coaching business can bring in big money for you. You can earn on an average $120 an hour in coaching fees. It ranges from $100-$300. At the same time you can also earn while you learn. Most coaches who start coaching within 6 months of entering a training program are also earning fees shortly after. It is important for you to practice what you learn and learn from what you are practicing.

Lastly, coaching is how you can make a difference in the lives of others. You are helping others to improve their lives and achieve their dreams. Furthermore, by the end of the day, you will feel great joy because you are able to help someone.

In conclusion, there are many benefits to being a life coach. The most important benefit of all is that not only you derive joy from coaching but you yourself are able to grow too. So what are you waiting for? Be a life coach today.

10 Simple Ways To Living A Happy Life.

Everyone strives to be happy but the mistake that everyone makes is that they think that happiness is some kind of finishing line in a race. Once you crossed that line, you will live happily ever after. That is not true. Happiness is a choice! You can choose to make your life happy. So here are a few ways you could try.

1. Let go of past memories.

Everyone has both sad and happy moments. So forget about your painful memories. What’s in the past stays in the past. Instead focus on your good memories and move on.

2. Be optimistic.

Always try looking on the bright side of things. Look for the silver lining behind each dark cloud. For example, if you had an unfortunate accident and your car is badly dented, but on the bright side is that nobody got hurt and that dent in your car can be repaired. There is always a bright side to look on so be optimistic!

3. Be close to your family

Try and maintain a close relationship with your family and friends. Our relationships with them have a greater impact on our happiness than anything else. Human beings are made to be social creatures. So appreciate the existing relationships that you have.

4. Try finding a job that gives you happiness.

If you are feeling stressed out in your current job and not getting the job satisfaction that you want, perhaps it’s time for a career change. Job satisfaction plays an important part in your happiness. So give your job a chance. Try having a positive attitude in your job. If that doesn’t work, it may time for a change of jobs.

5. Make friends

You need to make friends with people who share a common interest. Find something that you are deeply passionate about. It could be a hobby or an organization you can volunteer in. There you could meet people who the same interest and passion as you.

6. Exercise

Exercising releases endorphins. So, not only you are taking care of your body but you will automatically start to feel good about yourself.

7. Change your thinking

You have to start living life to the fullest. Don’t delay your life a second longer. Try something new everyday or pick up a new skill!

8. Don’t let the small stuff bug you.

Remember all the small petty stuff that used to bother you? Forget all about it and focus on the bigger picture. Life is too short to be worry about trivial stuff.

9. Live your life for yourself.

Stop trying to live your life up to other people’s expectations. You are your own person. So start living it for yourself!

10. Lastly, remember to love with all your heart. You have all these love to give so give your love to something and start feeling happy today!

A Simple Guide To Being Happy At Work

Nobody ever thought you could derive happiness from work but you can do that. Studies have found that people who are happier at work have an overall better quality of life than people who are always frustrated because of their work. So how do you be happy at work?

Most importantly, you need to choose to be happy. Happiness is a choice. Think positively about your work. Try avoiding the negative aspects of the office like gossips and backstabbing colleagues. Find colleagues who you get along with and who share the same interest as you. Spend time with them and get to know them. You can always ask them out for drinks after work or have your lunches with them.

Next, don’t be stuck in a rut at your work. You need to take charge of your own professional development. You may not be able to grow or learn as much as your want from your current job. However, this doesn’t mean that you will not be able to grow professionally. Make specific plans about what you want to achieve and how you will go about achieving it. Will it be you taking up extra classes to pick up new skill? Anything! Don’t be on a plateau phase. Keep on going up!

Then, you could ask for feedback from your boss and from your customers. Tell your boss that you would like to hear his opinion about your work. Try getting feedbacks form your clients too. If you are doing a good job, this will further affirm your believe that you are doing a good job but if there are negative criticisms, take it as an opportunity to grow from their feedbacks.

In conclusion, you can be happy in your job if you choose to be. However if all else fails, it is probably time to re-evaluate your current job and employer. You don’t have to stay there your whole life. Make a conscious decision to change now!

Being Happy With Yourself: A Step By Step Guide

Have you ever stood in front of the mirror and started criticizing your appearance? Or there is that little voice in your head that keeps on putting you down? Well, learn to shut that voice and all that negative thoughts. All those thoughts are just pulling you down and stopping you from being happy. Happiness is a choice and you need to choose to be happy. So read our step by step guide on how to be happy.

Firstly, you need to be yourself. Forget about trying to fulfil other people’s expectation. Don’t live your life for others. If you fulfilled their expectations, would you feel happier? The answer is NO. Start living life for yourself!

Secondly, you need to learn to accept yourself. Take a piece of paper. Now write down all your flaws. Write down everything that you hate about yourself. After you looked at it, now tear it up! You need to learn to accept yourself. Now write down a list of the things that you love about yourself. Be kind to yourself. You will soon discover there are plenty of things to love about yourself.

Thirdly, take out the emotional trash. Do you have friends who are always putting you down and making fun of you? Well you don’t need that kind of people. The only reason they are making fun of you is because they derive pleasure from putting you down. So cut them out of your life. You won’t lose out.

Fourthly, laugh everyday. Hang out with your friends, watch a funny movie, have long chats with old friends and reminisce about the past. Make it a point to laugh everyday. Laughter will help you relax, boost your immune system and help you in general. So learn how to laugh!

Fifthly, try something new! Try a new experience every single day. Life is too short to be spent in the same old routine every single day. So try something new! Be open to new stuff. You never know that you have some hidden talent and you will soon get to see yourself in a whole new light.

So what are you waiting for? Make the wise decision of being happy today. You have the choice and you might as well choose it now.

Making A Happy Family: 5 Simple Tips

Many families now are suffering from issues such as separation, divorce, turmoil and even domestic violence. So how are you going to make your family a happy one? Here are five simple tips.

1. Focus on teamwork

In any successful sports team, teamwork is extremely important and forms the backbone of the team. A happy family need that too. You could start by doing simple things together like chores and move on to planning a vacation together. If your child has a problem at school, both of you could sit down together and try to solve that problem together.

2. Spend time together

Try allocating time everyday to spend some quality family time together. Try having activities together like a jog in the park or game night on Friday where all of you could sit down together and play board games.

3. Enjoy each other’s company.

While spending time with each other, don’t treat it as a chore. You need to learn to enjoy each other’s company. When you enjoy each other’s company, it creates a happier and enjoyable environment at home.

4. Have dinner together

This may sound simple but families hardly do it! The parents might come home late or the children may be busy with their after school activities. You need to start doing this. Family dinners are absolutely essential. When you eat together, you will be able to spend time together and know how each other days went. You may learn what went on during school and you can tell them what happen in yours. So you are actually encouraging your kids to share.

5. Be understanding.

Try to be understanding of each other. You need to accept each other for all your talents and limitations. By understanding each other it will create an environment of warmth and trust.

Most importantly, you need to remember, friends may come and go, but your family will always be there for you. So start creating your happy family now.

The Benefits of Achieving Happiness

All fairy-tales usually end with the words “And they lived happily ever after”. Everybody is constantly striving to achieve their expectation of happiness. So what is it about happiness that is so perfect? Here are a few benefits that being happy can give you.

You get better health!

Happy people are more likely to have a stronger immune system. They are also shown to endure pain better. Did you also know that happy people are less likely to suffer from depression and there are also fewer suicides because happy people just have better coping skills?

They live longer

People who are always looking on the bright side of life, tend to live longer than pessimists. So what are you waiting for? Have a new positive outlook today.

Success at work

Happier people are more productive at work. When you are happy, not only you feel better, you also have more energy and are able to focus. This increases productivity and creativity. They tend to be more satisfied with their jobs and more happiness shows higher income! Unhappy people are more sluggish, distracted and they are also less productive at work. When working with clients, clients are also attracted to one who emits a positive emotion. A happy person exudes confidence and this confidence will attract more clients.

Better relationships

People are always drawn to happy people. They would want to be around a happy person. Like attracts like. Your whole life becomes happier because you have established a warm and loving character. Your family and friends also become happier. Furthermore, your children respond well to positive thoughts and positive emotions. You will get your children laughing around and growing to happy adults too. In addition, your spouse will also be more loving in your response to your happiness.

So what are you waiting for? Happiness has many benefits and there are no downsides to being happy. So make a choice to be happy today!

4 Handy Tips To Get More Time

Who hasn’t wished that there were more hours in a day? We seem to be rushing from place to place trying to accomplish everything and if we don’t we end up feeling frustrated. So here are a few handy tips to create more hours in a day.

1. Acknowledge the fact that you can’t do it all.

Decide what is important in your life. You have to know that you can’t do it all. If you do try, you will end up being frustrated and burnt out. The most important thing is how you are spending your time. Are you having quality time? Are you happy with the way you spend it? Think about that.

2. Prioritize ruthlessly

Review the list of things you have to do. Now redo that list and prioritize that list. Not everything has equal importance in that list. Which is more important? Getting your hair done or that big paper which is due this Friday? Once you prioritized, you find that you will be able to get more things done instead of rushing around like a mad person.

3. Enough is enough

You have to know your limit. Do not commit yourself to the project if you are still in the middle of another project. Unless you are able to handle both projects at the same time, then go ahead although that is most likely not the case. If somebody asks you to do a favour for them and your day is jam packed, learn to say NO. You are not being unkind, but you have to think of yourself too at the same time.

4. Get away from the distraction

When you have that big project coming along, it is okay for you to sit down, shut the door and disregard the phone calls or emails that are coming through for that particular period. You need to get your work done and those email and calls can wait. Set aside another part of the day for you to listen or respond to emails and phone calls

In conclusion, remember, to lead a balanced life you need to get your life organized, so try our time management tips and you will be sure to achieve all that you want to do.

How To Manage Your Time: Creating More Hours In A Day

Sometimes you might feel as though there are not enough hours in a day. So how can you juggle everything between your career, family and your life? Here are a few tips on how to.

1. Have a to-do list.

List down the things that you need to do. You can have multiple lists for home, work, or studies. This will help you to organize your life instead of having one big messy list.

2. Prioritize

Do your list in order of priority, the most important task being on top. Which is truly important? By prioritizing, you are ensuring that you are directing your effort to what that matters. You will be able to give your attention fully to the first task and once you completed that task, you will be able to breathe easier and move on to the next task.

3. Break down your task.

Once you have prioritized your task, you can now break down your large task into small tasks. For example if you have a big paper you have to write for your college, start breaking it down into small tasks such as review textbook for ideas, background search using the internet, brainstorming topics, choosing topics and making a decision. Smaller tasks are less overwhelming and give a direction to how you are going to focus your energy.

4. Set deadlines

Now that you have broken down your large task into smaller tasks, start by giving each small task a deadline. Perhaps day one you could, do your background search with the internet. Once you got all that down, day 2 go on to brainstorming and by day 3 you will have your topics ready and you can meet the professor. Try doing consistent work day by day. Little by little everyday goes a long way.

5. Go with the flow.

When do you work best? Are you a morning lark or a night owl? Plan your day accordingly and save your most difficult work for the time you are at your freshest.

Most importantly, remember to make each day count and don’t procrastinate. If you do delay the work you have today, you will suffer the consequences later when you are burning the midnight oil.

Organize Your Life: 5 Helpful Tips

Sometimes you are so overwhelmed with endless work or studies, family and friends. You find that you don’t have the time to do anything. So how exactly, do you organize your life and create more hours in a day?

1. Get yourself a planner!

Write down everything that you need, your groceries list, your phone, your appointment dates. Write everything down inside there. Then in your planner, make a to-do list for your day. Don’t make a list that you can’t achieve. Like for instance, you would like to complete a paper by today. That is impossible isn’t it? Break your large tasks into small actionable tasks. Then make a to-do list for the week. This is an extension of your daily list. What you can’t do today, you can do tomorrow for that week.

2. Be effective with your activities!

Do all your shopping at one go. Don’t go to the store to buy your milk now, then in the evening, drop by to buy toilet paper. You are wasting your time. Compile a shopping list and do all your shopping at one go. Another example will be to pay your bills all at one time instead of paying them at different times.

3. Multi task

Do you have to wait at the dentist for an appointment and at the same time you have to write that important paper? So whilst you are waiting for the dentist, bring your piece of paper and brainstorm about the ideas you use to write in your paper. Load the washing machine and whilst waiting for it, send some emails, or do your calls.

4. Assign a time frame

Set a timeframe for your tasks each day. Give a time slot for each item and plan your day properly. For example, you have to go to the dentists at 11 and you also have to buy groceries. So while you are out of the house, put your groceries shopping at 10 in the morning and then you can go to the dentist after that. Then you can go straight away home. You are saving time and saving on fuel too instead of two trips out of the house.

So what are you waiting for? Get your life organized and you will find that you have more hours in a day to do everything!

How To Stop Wasting Time

Are you one of those people who are always wasting time? You are doing something else when you should be getting your work done? Everybody has a procrastination habit that they don’t want to admit to. So how are you going to kick this habit? Here are a few steps how.

1. Identify what you waste your time on.

Are you one of those people who waste their time on watching television or surfing the Internet when you should be getting your work done? List down those time wasters? It could also be lining up in a queue in the post office to get stamps. So list it all down.

2. Find solutions

Now that you know your time wasters, list down the solutions you can take to stop wasting time. It could be taking out the television plug, so that you can’t switch on the television. It could also be doing online banking instead of lining up to pay your electricity and water bills.

3. Plan your day

Have a checklist of what you have to do for that day. Try putting your checklist in order too. Say like you have to go to the store in the morning, put it as number 1. Number 2 could be clean the house. Make your check list as practical as possible. If you do have a checklist and you did not plan in what order you should be doing, you will most probably only be able to complete half of your checklist.

4. Plan your week.

After you are done planning your checklist by the day, you can now move on to a checklist for the week. Give a timeline to the things you have to do for that week. This way, it allows you to get more work done at a consistent pace and you will also be able to find some time in between to relax.

5. Multi task!

Multi tasking is how you could use your time more efficiently. You could go through your bills while watching your favourite show or you could do your online banking whilst having your breakfast in the morning. So multitask!

Most importantly, remember to make every second count! So start today! Remember, time waits for no man!

Time Management Tips: Reduce Stress, Increase Productivity

Are you one of these people who are unable to find enough time in the day to complete everything? You start being overwhelmed by the entire task that you have to do? Here are a few tips you can use to manage your time!

1. Plan each day

At the start of the week or if that is too ambitious, you can plan the night before, what do you need to do the next day. Remember to prioritize. Put your most important task at the top and those less important can take a back seat.

2. Delegate

Take a look at your to-do list and consider what you can pass on to someone else. Say, if you need to buy some groceries for your household but your spouse works near a grocery store, delegate the task to him. After all it is on their way home.

3. Set a timeframe

Set a timeframe for you to complete each task. However don’t be overambitious. Take the time you need to do a quality job. Doing your work right the first time may take more time but it is better than doing a shoddy work the first time and trying to repair it again later.

4. Take note of how you spend your time

Keep a diary of everything you do for that week. Look at how you are spending time and could you have used that time any more efficiently. For example, if you have to read your emails in the morning, you could also load the laundry at the same time. Find out what you are wasting time on and try to cut down on it.

5. Establish routines and habits

Try having a schedule to follow. This will make yourself more efficient. For example, reading and answering email can take the whole day. So set a limit to one hour a day for you to do that and stick to it.

6. Limit distractions

Have a quiet place for you to do your work. In that place, close the door and turn off your phone so as nothing will disturb you during that period.

So try our time management tips. Once you’ve managed to plan your life out, you will find that you lead a more balanced and relaxed life.

Personal Branding Tips: Basic 101

What is personal branding? Personal branding is developing your own mark that is centred on your own personal name or career. You can then use this brand to express and show the world your personality and values. The one mistake that everyone thinks is that, personal branding is only for entrepreneur or for the rich and famous. It’s not! It is for everyone. You have to be an expert on something to increase your value and worth as an individual. So how do you get started on personal branding?

The first step towards personal branding is to accept that you are a brand. Now you are able to use the same marketing strategies as corporate and product brands to build your own brand and get recognized. So how do you discover your brand? Think about what you are passionate about and what you would like to do for the rest of your life. Specify your goals, mission and personal brand statement. Your personal brand statement is what do you do and who you are and you also need to create a development plan. Have you ever been called creative by your peers or co-workers? Well that description is part of your brand.

Secondly, you need to select a niche. What is a niche? Niche is a focused, targetable portion of a market. So how do you find your niche? Get started by writing down your expertise, education, experience and what you are passionate about. Once you figured out that you had a passion for that, you need to check out your competition in the niche that you have chosen. Now write down all the ideas that you have for your particular market you have chosen. If your niche is too narrow, you may have to expand it a little. After that, start researching your clients? Who will your niche are targeted towards? Will it have a good reception? How do you reach the people? You need to research properly before starting. There’s no point choosing a niche and creating a brand centred on it when you didn’t do your research.

Now let’s create your brand. With that niche and your action plan ready in mind, it’s time to highlight your brand. In the modern age right now, there are so many ways to reach your targeted demographic. It could be through business cards, portfolio, websites, Twitter, Facebook and so much more! All of these marketing strategies are free! All it needs is your persistence!

So what are you waiting for? You’ve got the basics now. So start creating!

Personal Branding: Finding Your Artistic Side

Great artists all have something in common. They have built their own personal brand that is based on creativity, music or art. So how do you get started on your personal brand? Here are a few steps how.

1. Discover your talent.

You need to define yourself. You need to discover what you are good in. You don’t want to be lumped into a group and tossed aside. You need to clearly communicate what you are about for you to stick out in a crowd.

2. Put yourself in your work!

There is no point churning out a piece of art or writing music that doesn’t have your personal brand on top of it. For example, Van Gogh’s style of painting is so prominent that, if you were to see any other painting, you would immediately know that it belongs to him! This is because he has made his own mark on his paintings! So have your own style and personality and make your work one of a kind!

3. Know your process

How do you work? What makes you unique? What makes your work different from others? Do you use a certain style unique only to yourself? Do you do write music that is different from anyone else? Learn and know what your process is like.

4. Advertise yourself!

It’s time to advertise your work. If you don’t tell anybody about you and your work, who is going to? Forget about the embarrassment and inferiority. Take it as a learning process. You are there to showcase yourself to the world and at the same time take feedback and learn from other great artists. So how do you advertise? Have your own portfolio, your own website, through social networking websites such as Twitter and Facebook. You are your own PR agent.

5. Aim big.

You have to aim for the top. Don’t be contented with small little goals. Without risk there are no rewards. So think big and you will start achieving big dreams.

Most importantly, be persistent in your work. You have to learn to believe in your personal brand. If you don’t, who will? So make today count and start creating!

4 Habits Deadly To Your Personal Brand

Everyone has their own personal brand these days. Personal brand is synonymous with your own reputation. There are many ways you can strengthen your personal brand. However, what took so long to build can be destroyed in a matter of second with a few habits of yours. So read up on 4 habits deadly to your personal brand!

1. Procrastinating
Don’t put off what you have to do today to tomorrow. Your brand is not going to create yourself. You already know what your niche is and you already have a plan. All you need now is to put your plan in action. Remember, you are in charge of your own personal brand. If you don’t build it up, who will?

2. Inconsistency
You need to define your brand. Your brand also has to be consistent. For example, McDonalds taste the same in every country. That is consistency. Consumers would expect that your brand is consistent every where. If it is different, your personal brand will drop and it will hurt the image that you are trying to put forth with your own personal brand.

3. Bad time management
You need to know how to manage your time properly. If you cannot keep track of your own work and time, why would clients trust you with their money? Part and parcel of your own personal branding is to deliver the goods on time and in a consistent manner! There is no point having really good products but at the same time being unreliable. Clients take reliability into account when choosing your brand.

4. Being stuck in a rut.
You need to constantly keep on moving. Your ideas need to be fresh. If you just stick to the same old concept all the time, someone is bound to take your idea and an extra zing to it. So keep those fresh ideas coming. You don’t want your personal brand to stay on a plateau phase all the time! You want it to keep growing and growing!

Most importantly, what you can take home from this article is, you are in charge of your own personal brand. If you don’t work on it, nobody will!

Tips for Making Friends: Step By Step Guide

For some making friends may come naturally but for others, it may be long and painful process. This is especially so if you are shy and socially awkward. Don’t worry if you are like that. Try reading our step by step guide on how to make friends.

Firstly, you got to put yourself out there. If you want to make friends, first you need to get out of the house. If you don’t put yourself out there, you are never going to have the opportunity to meet new people. So switch off the idiot box, get off the couch, put on something nice and start meeting people!

Secondly, you should join a social activity. Join classes that will enable you to know more people. For example, if you have always been interested in dancing, now is the time. Join a dance class. There you will be able to meet people who have the same common interest as you and you will be able to make new friends.

Thirdly join sports. You don’t have to be good to join a team. You could always sign up for basketball or tennis. You could then organise basketball games with your friends every week. In addition to keeping yourself tip top condition, you are also having an amazing bonding session with your team mates!

Fourthly, volunteer for a cause! Volunteering is a great way to meet new people while working towards a good cause. By working together with other people, you may meet others who have a passion for the things that you care about too. So what are you waiting for?

Lastly, when meeting new people, be a good listener. When somebody is telling you their story, don’t try and top their story by telling a story of your own. Listen intently when the person is talking and don’t interrupt them. Remember all the important details about them and ask questions about their interests. You will come across as a good listener which is an extremely sought after quality in a good friend.

So what are you waiting for, try these few steps yourself and start making friends!

Win Yourself Some Friends And Get A Social Network

When you are in a new environment, it may be more difficult for you to get your social life back together. So here are a few ways you can win yourself some friends and expand your social network.

Firstly, you need to find potential friends. You could find your potential friends from you list of acquaintances. These are people whom you know but may not talk to on a regular basis. It could be people from your work or people in your classes whom you get along with. Turn all these people into your new potential friends. You never know, they may be an amazing friend to have but you have never found that out till now!

Secondly, it’s time to get out of your house and start meeting new people. It may require an effort on your part to do something out of your daily routine. So go out there to functions and or bars and try to meet new people.

Thirdly, remember to get their contact information! Once you meet that person you get along with, remember to get down their contact number. Ask them for their mobile number or email address. Ask them if they have a Facebook account. This will make it easier for you to contact them!

Fourthly, now with that contact number in your hand, invite your potential friends to do an activity together. Once you meet that someone that you get along with and you have a common interest, try asking them out for a cup of coffee or have an outing like a jog in the park together. All these activities together will help build up your friendship whilst spending time to get to know each other.

Fifthly, once you started the connection, try to keep it going. Once you have your own friendship going, remember to keep in touch with them through phone, email or Facebook. Hang out with them on a regular basis. That way you will be able to form a long lasting bond with your new friends.

Most importantly, the only thing stopping you from doing all these is yourself. So get out and start now.

How To Meet People And Make Connection

It is always difficult to meet new people. Sometimes we have a lot of people or acquaintances who have the potential to be a good friend in our life, it is just that we are too lazy to do anything about it and we let these people slip away. So here are a few ways to meet new people.

You could get to know people through your friends. When you are meeting someone through your friend, chances are the person has the same interest as you and may be more trustworthy of character. You could also throw a party or an event and ask your friends to invite their friends. This would enlarge your social circle!

You could also always turn your workmates into a potential friend. If you do get along with them, ask them out for lunches or for drinks after work. This will allow some bonding time for all of you. Furthermore, having a friend at work could make your work place more bearable.

Join classes such as yoga or dance classes. Both of you are there for a common interest and being in the same class may serve as the ice breaker you need to get the conversation started. Once you get the conversation started, you could start going for classes together or go for dinner together or a cup of coffee together after your class.

Sign up for a club or an organization such as a hiking club where you will instantly know a group of people who share the same interest as you. You can also start your own book club and have your very first meeting in your own home.

In conclusion, meeting new people may be intimidating and scary but persevere, because we are not made to be lonely. So get out there and start meeting new people!

Keeping Old Friends : 4 Useful Tips

They say it takes years to build a friendship but it may take only a split second to destroy a friendship. So here are a few ways on how to maintain your old friendship.

Firstly, make a decision about which of your friends are short lived and which would last a lifetime. Keep in touch with your lifelong friends. Call them once a month or twice a month. Remember the special dates in their lives like birthdays or major anniversaries. There is no such thing as not being able to find time for your friends. If you don’t have time, create time for them.

Remember to be a good listener. Listen to their problems and give them advice when needed. Display your understanding in a non-judgemental way. If all they need is a shoulder to cry on, then offer them yours. Celebrate their success with them and be there for them during a hardship. You shouldn’t be a fair weather friend.

Plan activities at least once a month like a dinner so you all could catch up. Go for the occasional movie together or have some sport activities together. Or you could also organize sporting activities that will involve your friends like a game of basketball or tennis every Tuesday night. Even better, you could get both of your families to have dinners together. Get your spouse involved too. Make them a family friend! This ensures that you are always in each other’s lives.

You also need to be willing to help your friends in times of trouble. Think about it this way, if you were in the same situation, you would hope that your friend would do the same for you too.

Most importantly, try as hard as you can to keep in touch with them. They have been there with you for your whole life. So appreciate the friends you have now because good friends are difficult to find.

Improving Your Body Language: Top 5 Tips

Your body language says a lot about what you are expressing and the individual you are. People are able to quickly make an impression of you after observing your body language. So here are 5 tips you can take home on improving your body language.

Firstly, there is the posture. You need to master your posture. Compare a person slouched up on the chair as opposed to someone who is sitting back straight with their shoulders outwards. What is your conclusion? A person sitting or standing straight up gives off an impression of self confidence and self assured to others. When you stand straight, not only you automatically start looking better you will also feel good instantly. Furthermore, people will start paying attention to you.

Secondly, there is eye contact. When dealing with other people, eye contact is extremely important. If you keep averting your eyes, people are more likely to mistrust you and regard you as being a shifty or dodgy character. However don’t go to the opposite side of the spectrum. Don’t stare intensely at the person. You will only be scaring them or making them feel nervous and uncomfortable. So try keeping eye contact around 60-70%. This will give them a feeling that you are sincere and genuinely interested in what they are saying.

Thirdly, check your distance when standing around others. Everyone has their own comfort space. If you are standing too close, you will be labelled as being pushy. However if you are standing too far away, you will be called arrogant or stand-offish. So be observant about the distance that everyone is maintaining around each other and try to do the same. If they keep backing up as you get closer then you should know you are encroaching on their personal space.

Fourthly, check your mouth movement. Your mouth can give away all sorts of clues. A different type of smile may give a different type of feeling to each recipient. A person will be able to detect whether the smile you are giving is sincere or not. Another example is that pursing your lips may signify you are thinking. However when you are feeling angry, you may also purse your lips to signify displeasure. So be careful of the signals that you are giving out.

Fifthly, check your arms too. Your arms can tell a person how receptive and open you are towards them. Imagine yourself talking to person who has their arm crossed across their chest. You may have arrived to the conclusion that the person appeared to be cold and unfriendly towards you. So here’s a tip, keep your arms at the side of your body. This shows that you are not scared and you are open and receptive to new things.

So try all these tips today and you are sure to notice what a major improvement it has made on yourself.

How To Read Body Language

Look all around you, the people around you may be verbally communicating with you but are you noticing the non-verbal signals that they are sending out? You should! Reading the body language is a very useful social skill. So here are a few tips for you to learn on how to read body language.

1. Gauge their distance

You need to pay attention to how close someone is standing to you. The closer they are standing, the more intimate they think of you. The farther they stand away, the less they care of you or the situation. Remember that everyone has their own personal space too. If you move forward towards them, do they take a step back? If they do, don’t go further. You don’t want to come across as pushy.

2. Look into their eyes

People who are unable to maintain eye contact are more likely to come across as being untrustworthy. If they tend to look to their sides a lot, they may be nervous or distracted. There might be some people who have their eyes always fixed on the floor. This may be because they are shy or timid. So be gentle and kind with them and you will be received more kindly by them. Notice too if their pupils are dilated. Dilated pupils usually indicate a sign of interest. However, remember that after a few alcoholic drinks, the pupils may get dilated too. So don’t get the wrong idea there!

3. Their arms

People with crossed arms are usually cold and not receptive to your presence. Although to some it me just a habit, it may also indicate that the person is slightly reserved. If they have their arms at the side of their body or behind their back, this indicates that the person is warm and open to new things.

4. Mirroring your moves.

If a person mirrors your moves, this may be a genuine sign that they are interested in you. Try changing your position to see whether they imitate you too. If they do, it’s a positive signal!

So try all these little tips today and be on your way to social success!

How To Persuade Someone To Quit Smoking

Do you have a friend or a family member who every time you see them, they are constantly taking a puff on their cigarettes. They are known as compulsive smokers and are addicted to smoking. If you are concerned of their wellbeing, here are a few steps you can take to encourage them to quit.

Sit them down and tell them that you are concerned about them. Ask them why they started smoking. Reason with them. Be honest about the situation. Don’t attack them outright. Do not use words like you are smoking too much and it’s bad for your health. It sounds like an accusation, and their first instinct will be to go on the defense. Start with a simple, I’m concerned about you, you seem to be smoking a lot. Is everything alright?

Then ask them if they would like to quit. If they do, be happy for them and encourage them all you can. If they don’t, do not force them to do so. It might increase the feelings of discontent between the both of you. Find out their reasons for not wanting to quit or wanting to quit. Sit down together and list down those reasons. Reason it out with them rationally in a calm and concerned manner. Do no attack them. They may still be persuaded to quit for the good of their loved ones.

Thirdly, if the person is more than willing to quit, offer your support. Be gentle and kind. If they relapses after a day or two of not smoking, do not reprimand or judge them. Understand that smoking, like all other addiction will have withdrawal symptoms. Pick them up and encourage them to keep on trying and never give up.

Remind them that although they may choose to be an active smoker, their family will be inhaling their second hand smoke. Bring out facts such as there are almost half a million of second hand smoke related deaths. Remind them at the same time that by choosing not to smoke, they will be choosing their family’s health over an addiction.

Discuss with them what to do when they feels the urge to smoke. Provide healthy and positive alternatives for them. Do not replace a bad habit with another bad habit. Here are some things you could suggest: call a friend, take a walk, and learn something new. Every time they have the urge to smoke, ask them to delay their urges by drinking water.

Constantly, keep in touch with them. Always ask them how they are doing. Give them daily encouragement. Tell them how proud you are of them for trying to quit.

Lastly, the first two or three weeks are always the most difficult for your friend. Plan a celebration or give them a treat for making through the week. Be patient with them and give them your support. All these will give your friends the much needed boost they need to quit smoking.

Nicotine Addiction: Myths Vs Facts

How do you separate truth from fiction about nicotine addiction i.e. smoking addiction? Is smoking as deadly as they make it sound to be? If it so deadly, why are there still so many people doing it and why is the tobacco industry still expanding so rapidly? Here are some of the nicotine myths proven wrong.

Myth 1: Compulsive smoker are weak. That is why they can’t quit.

Compulsive smokers have a problem. Their problem is that they are addicted to smoking. Like any other addiction, it alters the brain. The brain is altered in a way that it needs nicotine to get through a normal day. When they do try to quit, the withdrawal symptoms kick in and smoking addicts look worst off when trying to quit than before. In order to quit, it takes dedication and a lot of persistence along with some positive support from family and friends.

Myth 2: Smoking is not an addiction

Contrary to what manufacturers have been saying for years, nicotine is highly addictive. Some nicotine addicts have claimed that quitting illegal drugs is easier than quitting smoking. Smoking addiction is as real as any other addiction. Since it is not illegal, many people underestimate the seriousness of a smoking addiction.

Myth 3: Nicotine cessation products are the only way to quit smoking.

Nicotine cessation products are not the only way to quit. There are plenty of support groups around and there are also some smoking addicts who have managed to quit without resorting nicotine replacement therapy. These products are only ways to reduce the nicotine cravings. Awareness and education are more powerful tools that a smoking addict can use to quit smoking.

In conclusion, smoking addiction is serious concern. Quitting is never easy but it is not impossible. With commitment, awareness, education and support, even the most hardened smoking addicts can have lasting freedom from their smoking addiction.

Dos And Don’t About Smoking

We promise ourselves each time that it will be our last cigarette. But we can never truly free ourselves from our smoking addiction. So here are some of the things that you should do and shouldn’t do after you smoked your last cigarette.

Don’t be impatient. Quitting smoking is an ongoing process not an event. Because we have been smoking for a long period of time, our body and brain have been wired to think that we need our nicotine fix all the time otherwise our body would not be able to function at all. So be patient with yourself, quitting smoking and replacing it with a new and healthier habit takes some time. Sit back and relax. The more anxious you are about it, the more likely your attempt to quit will fail.

Don’t be negative. Once the withdrawal symptoms kick in, you are more likely to experience a period of self negativity with negative criticisms aimed at yourself. Your brain is trying to persuade you to think that you will never be able to feel happy again without your nicotine fix. Snap out of it, think about it this way, your willingness to quit shows that you realized that you want to make a change and you have to stick to it.

Don’t neglect yourself. Trying to quit smoking will put you in a state of distress because of the withdrawal symptoms. You have to give extra attention and care to your body. Here are a few things that you should do.

Do eat a well balanced diet with three square meals a day. Your body will need all the nutrients it can get so fill it up with salad and fruits.

Do get more rest. You will be feeling tired from your nicotine withdrawal. If you are tired, rest now.

Do drink more water. It will help you detox more quickly and will also help to silence your cravings for smoking.

Do take daily multivitamins. Give your body the much needed boost to get you through the day.

Do exercise daily. Nothing makes you feel better than some physical exercise.

So remember all these littles dos and don’t. Taking care of yourself is really important and remember no pain no gain.

Things That They Didn’t Tell You About Gambling

One of the first few things that people should know about gambling say in a game of poker is that it is all about maths and a lot of patience. It is never about chance or luck. However a lot of this requires a lot of rational thinking. Gambling addicts which are compulsive gamblers are unable to think rationally and are unable to arrive to a rational decision.

Gambling addicts are often anxious and unhappy. They are anxious to get back to gambling. When not gambling, they are fidgety and constantly on the edge. They are unable to accept the fact that they have incurred so much in debt from their gambling. Most of them are just waiting for their luck to change so that they can recover their losses.

The more gambling addicts gamble, the more debts that they are in. They keep hopes that a big win will be the end of all their problems. However, this is a far cry from the truth. A big win will never solve the problem. A big win will just give an illusion of another big is around the corner for the gambling addict.

A gambling addict is never a good father or mother figure. They ignore their family responsibilities. Personal relationships become strained. All these are because of the mountain of debts from the gambler’s compulsive gambling. This leads to a lower quality of life not only for the gambling addict but also for the family of the gambling addict.

A gambling addict will never able to progress far in their career. As smart or as talented as they may be, they need to acknowledge that they have an addiction. A gambling addiction gets in the way of work and they get bypassed for promotions and they will never progress far.

All in all, nothing good can ever come out of a gambling addiction. So take the initiative today to kick that habit!

Gambling: Is It Really Worth It?

Although the vast majority of people have no problem controlling gambling, however there are people who are gambling away every single thing they own. They are gambling away their unemployment money, their welfare money and their pension money.

Since it was legalized, the gambling industry has exploded. The expanding gaming industries however are outweighed by the huge societal costs of bankruptcies, suicides and social problems.

In addition, with the convenience of internet, now online gambling is readily available in the comforts of your home. Most people would justify it by saying, I am not going to casino to gamble, I am just playing a little on the Internet and it is not the same thing. A compulsive gambler on the Internet is the exact same thing as a compulsive gambler in a casino.

For compulsive gamblers, they tend to isolate or withdraw themselves from their families. They ignore their role as a father or mother and furthermore are straining their loving ties with their children. As they dip into their family funds to feed their addiction, they are actually taking away their kids chances at having a better future, or going to a college. This would strain family ties with the children. The children may grow up two ways. Either emulating their parent’s example or grow up hating their parents for denying them the chance of going to a good college. It becomes a vicious cycle.

Gambling also increases homelessness because they tend to gamble away their savings. They would have to sell their house to pay off their debts. This may lead to the compulsive gamblers committing suicide.

Ultimately, a gambling addict has to be made to understand that nothing good can ever come out of gambling. They don’t need to fall so low in their live for them to realize that they need to stop this. So if you know someone who is a compulsive gambler, it is time to be concerned about them.

7 Basic Steps To Break Your Gambling Addiction

Gambling is a difficult habit or addiction to break. Here are a few simple steps that you can take to your road to recovery.

Firstly, acknowledge that you have a problem. Understand why you gamble. Did you start gambling because it was fun? You have to realize that your gambling has now become a major problem and is causing a lot of distress in the lives of your loved ones.

Secondly, do not deny or minimize your problem. By minimizing your problem, you are not giving it the proper attention and care to the problem.

Thirdly, find alternatives to replace your gambling addiction. Do not take another bad habit to replace your gambling addiction. Replace with something positive. Try taking up exercises. Going for a jog everyday would be another good activity, Find positive alternatives to replace your gambling addiction.

Fourthly, make a list of your triggers. Recognize what set you off. Is it a particular time of the year, the friends that you hang out with? List it all down, and think of ways you can counter all these when faced with these situations.

Fifth, change your lifestyle. You have to make changes to your routine. Say that everyday on your drive back home, you will be driving past a casino. This would then make you want to enter the casino for a short game or two. What you could do is to change your route. When you get home, if you feel the urge to gamble, go out and take a walk. Delay your urges until it become inconvenient for you to go out gambling again.

Next, be accountable to someone. Being accountable to someone means that you are being completely honest and responsible for your actions. This person will then be able to support you and give you the positive reinforcement that you need.

Lastly, reward yourself. For everyday that you went by, without gambling, give yourself a pat on the back and a little treat. You need to be kind to yourself. If you do relapse, it’s alright, get back up and try all over again.

4 Ways You Can Use To Deal With Your Gambling Spouse

Gambling when played more than necessary and for all the wrong reasons can develop into a more serious pathological or compulsive gambling.

A pathological or compulsive gambler cannot stop gambling. For them, gambling is an addiction. These individuals are not the master of themselves and are constantly thinking of gambling. This problem can interfere with relationships between spouses. However if there is still something that you believe still can be salvaged of your relationship, here a few little steps you can start right away.

Firstly, stop giving in. When your spouse asks for money, you may have unwillingly given it to me but rationalising at the same time that he is going through a rough patch. Or perhaps you are turning a blind eye when money has gone missing. You may think that you are supporting your spouse, but all you are doing is enabling his addiction. So do not lend any more money to him. You do not have to make excuses for your spouse’s behaviour or the unpaid bills. Be honest.

Secondly, discuss the situation frankly with your spouse. Be specific about what is happening in his life. It has to be clear to your spouse that their gambling has a negative impact on you and the family. This way you are putting the responsibility where it belongs, on your gambling spouse.

Thirdly, be understanding. Hostile communications would yield nothing. There won’t be a lot of problem solving if you were to be hostile towards each other. Understand that your spouse has an addiction problem and the slightest thing or provocation may set him off on his habit. Sit your spouse down and discuss ways both of you can do to deal with this problem.

Lastly, set a limit. Set out a set of rules and make sure your spouse understands the function of the rules. The rules are there to set boundaries on his gambling habit. For an example, it is to keep your gambling spouse from using the family funds.

In conclusion, as a spouse you would want the best for your other half. Educate yourself on how best to deal with a gambling addict. If all else fail, seek professional help, there is no shame in that. You only want the best for your loved ones.

4 Ways That Made You A Gambling Addict

Compulsive gamblers have reached a point in their lives, where all that they can think about is gambling. Gambling is constantly on their mind. So what is it about gambling that is so addictive? Here are 4 ways that gambling can get you addicted.

Gambling gives you the illusion of being able to be control of chance. There is only a 50/50 chance that you may win. Gamblers believe that they have figured out the system and they are able to win the game. Chance, however is something that we never have control of. Lady Luck has no favourites. One day she may be on your side, and the next day against you.

The lure of the jackpot is another thing that gets you addicted. Everybody loves to be a winner. The lure of money is too great for certain people. Some people may win when they first started gambling. This is otherwise known as beginner’s luck or pure dumb luck. The person will then believe that gambling is an easy way to get money. They are unaware that there is a 50/50 percent chance that they will lose. The lure of the jackpot is even more so when the gambler is facing a huge mountain of debt and they believe that they need to win in the game to pay off their debt.

When gamblers first started out, they had a winning streak. This often serves as an encouragement or proof that the gamblers should gamble more because they are good at it. By winning in the first few games, instead of betting small, they start stepping out of their comfort zone and start putting on large bets. That is how they accumulate large amounts of debt.

Lastly, it is the belief that their luck will change. After a winning phase and now entering a loss phase, the addicts are holding on the hope that their lucks will change.

In conclusion, gambling may be fun if you are winning but do remember it has destroyed a lot of people’s lives. So be cautious when you are playing.