SELF ESTEEM AND DEVELOPMENT

17 SIGNS OF FALLING IN LOVE

2011-04-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

SEVENTEEN:
U LOOK AT THEIR PROFILE/PICTURE CONSTANTLY

SIXTEEN:
WHEN YOUR ON THE PHONE WITH THEM LATE AT NIGHT AND THEY HANG UP, YOU
STILL MISS THEM EVEN WHEN IT WAS JUST TWO MINUTES AGO.

FIFTEEN:
YOU READ THEIR TEXTS or IMS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

FOURTEEN:
YOU WALK REALLY SLOW WHEN YOU'RE WITH THEM

THIRTEEN:
YOU FEEL SHY WHENEVER YOU'RE/THEY' RE AROUND.

ELEVEN:
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THEM, YOUR HEART BEATS FASTER AND SLOWER AT THE
SAME TIME

TEN:
YOU SMILE WHEN YOU HEAR THEIR VOICE.

NINE:
WHEN YOU lOOK AT THEM, YOU CAN'T SEE THE OTHER PEOPLE AROUND YOU, All
YOU SEE IS HIM//HER.

EIGHT:
YOU START LISTENING TO SLOW SONGS, WHILE THINKING OF THEM

SEVEN:
THEY'RE ALL YOU THINK ABOUT.

SIX:
YOU GET HIGH JUST FROM THEIR SCENT.

FIVE:
YOU REALlIZE THAT YOU'RE AlWAYS SMILING TO YOURSELF WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT THEM.

FOUR:
YOU WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR THEM, OR ANYTHING TO SEE THEM.

THREE:
WHILE READING THIS, THERE WAS ONE PERSON ON YOUR MIND THE WHOLE TIME...

TWO:
YOU WERE SO BUSY THINKING ABOUT THAT PERSON, YOU DIDN'T NOTICE NUMBER
TWELVE.

ONE:
YOU JUST SCROLLED UP TO CHECK & ARE NOW SILENTLY LAUGHING AT YOURSELF.

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

2011-03-25T05:32:00.000-07:00

I am back this is me again doing justice to nature. Sometimes, things go bad that you really want to be alone. and sometimes,things go good and all you need is just one friend to talk to,or better still a lover.but the truth is that we dont think of God.and b4 we think of God our troubles had made us go depress.But i'm here to let you know that their's always light at the end of the tunnel.
No matter what you are going through in life today, i want you to know that some persons somewhere have gone through same fate before. You just have to pick yourself up and move on with your life.
Lets listen to this inspiring story of Mr Timothy Ward...

Hello, my name is Timothy Ward. On November 13th of 2008 I was in a serious motor vehicle accident which rendered me a C5 complete tetraplegic. After the accident I spent five weeks in the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, Australia then flew home to Christchurch, New Zealand and spent seven months in the Burwood Spinal Injuries Unit. Those eight months will forever remain etched in memory; it’s a different world inside a spinal unit. No matter how bad you think things are, you are constantly reminded you are not the only one going through this and to be grateful just to be able to move your arms. Things could have easily been much worse.

Tim with his Mum and Dad

WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME

Having my spinal cord injury in Australia complicated my situation greatly. As I had been out of New Zealand for longer than 6 months I was no longer eligible for Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) which would have provided comprehensive no-fault personal injury cover, as it does for all New Zealand residents. Thankfully I was accepted by a New South Wales scheme called Lifetime Care who covered my care and equipment such as chairs, hoist and bed. Normally someone covered by ACC would receive 80% of what they were earning before their accident but I am now only receiving an Invalids Benefit.

Tim the Barman on Dunk Island

MY LIFE BEFORE SPINAL CORD INJURY

Prior to my accident and C5 tetraplegia I lived a carefree life. Travel has always been a big part of my family’s lifestyle. I was born in Durban, South Africa then spent my early childhood in Nottingham, England before the family immigrated to Christchurch, New Zealand.I’ve long held a passion for travelling, adventure and playing all kinds of sports, and been fortunate enough to pursue these interests for most of my life. Sport has been an integral part of my life; it’s something my family and I have always enjoyed immensely, developing fitness and friendships.
I grew up playing football (soccer) with my older brothers, our father often participating in our matches as referee. At the age of twenty-six I’d was an accomplished cricketer and played off a 13 handicap in golf. As a good all round sportsman, I would jump at the chance to give any sport a good old crack.

Tim Ward in physiotherapy

I had spent the two years prior to my accident travelling up and down the East coast of Australia having the time of my life. It was on Dunk Island, in tropical North Queensland, working as a cocktail barman that I met Jane. I decided to move to Sydney to be with her. It was a decision that would change my life forever.

MY LIFE AFTER SPINAL CORD INJURY

Being so sports minded and athletic, coming to terms with tetraplegia after spinal cord injury and everything I lost as a result of paralysis, has been very difficult for me. I’d have to say losing my hand function and sense of touch has been the hardest. I truly believed my life was over. I was very depressed for most of my time in hospital.
Today, nine months after my accident, I’m starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. And rather than thinking about all of the things I lost and may never do again, I’m focusing on what I do have, and can do. Taking on the challenge and giving it my best, as sportsmen do.

Tim with Bro & Nephew

MOVING FORWARD

I’m awaiting the completion of modifications to a Housing New Zealand home before moving in. The necessary works include ramps for access, wider doorways and a modified wet room for showering. I’m also trialing equipment in preparation, wheelchairs, hoists and pressure relieving mattresses etc. which should make life easier and assist me in achieving greater independence.

ETHICS AND MORAL VALUES

2011-03-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

Ethics could simply be defined as the study of moral standards and how they affects conducts.
Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines "ethics" as the "discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation," "a set of moral principles or value" or "a theory or system of moral values." Ethics assists individuals in deciding when an act is moral or immoral, right or wrong. Ethics can be grounded in natural law, religious tenets, parental and family influence, educational experiences, life experiences, and cultural and societal expectations.
Ethics in business, or business ethics as it is often called, is the application of the discipline, principles, and theories of ethics to the organizational context. Business ethics have been defined as "principles and standards that guide behavior in the world of business." Business ethics is also a descriptive term for the field of academic study in which many scholars conduct research and in which undergraduate and graduate students are exposed to ethics theory and practice, usually through the case method of analysis.
Ethical behavior in business is critical. When business firms are charged with infractions, and when employees of those firms come under legal investigation, there is a concern raised about moral behavior in business. Hence, the level of mutual trust, which is the foundation of our free-market economy, is threatened.
Although ethics in business has been an issue for academics, practitioners, and governmental regulators for decades, some believe that unethical, immoral, and/or illegal behavior is widespread in the business world. Numerous scandals in the late 1990s and early 2000s seemed to add credence to the criticism of business ethics. Corporate executives of WorldCom, a giant in the telecommunications field, admitted fraud and misrepresentation in financial statements. WorldCom's former CEO went on trial for alleged crimes related to this accounting ethics scandal.
Although the example mentioned involved top management, huge sums of money, and thousands of stakeholders, business ethics is also concerned with the day-to-day ethical dilemmas faced by millions of workers at all levels of business enterprise. It is the awareness of and judgments made in ethical dilemmas by all that determines the overall level of ethics in business. Thus, the field of business ethics is concerned not only with financial and accounting irregularities involving billions of dollars, but all kinds of moral and ethical questions, large and small, faced by those who work in business organizations.
The discussion that follows is organized into three parts: (1) the major theories or "moral philosophies" that are applied to business ethics; (2) a well-established model of ethical decision-making in business; and (3) the factors that affect individual ethical decision-making in the business context.

APPROACHES TO ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING

Philosophers have studied and written about ethics for thousands of years. The moral philosophies or ethical "theories" that have been developed form the foundation for ethics in business. Table 1 shows some of the major ethical philosophies that are applied to business ethics. Each of the ethical philosophies is briefly considered in this section.

TELEOLOGY.

Teleological theories of ethics focus on the consequences caused by an action and are often referred to as "consequentalist" theories. By far the most common teleological theories are egoism and utilitarianism.

EGOISM.

Egoism defines right and wrong in terms of the consequences to one's self. Egoism is defined by self-interest. An egoist would weigh an ethical dilemma or issue in terms of how different courses of action would affect his or her physical, mental, or emotional well being. Thus, an egoist, when faced with a business decision, would tend to choose the course of action that he or she believes would best serve self-interest.
Although it seems likely that egoism would potentially lead to unethical and/or illegal behavior, this philosophy of ethics is, to some degree, at the heart of a free-market economy. Since the time of political economist Adam Smith, advocates of a free market unencumbered by governmental regulation have argued that individuals, each pursuing their own self-interest, would actually benefit society at large.

UTILITARIANISM.

In the utilitarian approach to ethical reasoning, one emphasizes the utility, or the overall amount of good, that might be produced by an action or a decision. For example, companies decide to move their production facilities from one country to another. How much good is expected from the move? How much harm? If the good appears to outweigh the harm, the decision to move may be deemed an ethical one, by the utilitarian yardstick.
This approach also encompasses what has been referred to as cost-benefit analysis. In this, the costs and benefits of a decision, a policy, or an action are compared. Sometimes these can be measured in economic, social, human, or even emotional terms. When all the costs are added and compared with the results, if the benefits outweigh the costs, then the action may be considered ethical.
One fair criticism of this approach is that it is difficult to accurately measure costs and benefits. Another criticism is that the rights of those in the minority may be overlooked.
Utilitarianism is like egoism in that it advocates judging actions by their consequences, but unlike egoism utilitarianism focuses on determining the course of action that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Thus, it is the ends that determine the morality of an action and not the action itself (or the intent of the actor).
Utilitarianism is probably the dominant moral philosophy in business ethics. Utilitarianism is attractive to many business people, since the philosophy acknowledges that many actions result in good consequences for some, but bad consequences for others. This is certainly true of many decisions in business.

DEONTOLOGY.

Deontological theories of ethics focus on (1) the rights of all individuals and (2) the intentions of the person(s) performing an action. Deontological theories differ substantially from utilitarian views on ethics and would not allow, for example, the harming of some individuals in order to help others. To the deontologist, each person must be treated with the same level of respect and no one should be treated as a means to an end.
Deontology proposes that the principles of ethics are permanent and unchanging—and that adherence to these principles is at the heart of ethical behavior. Many deontologists believe that the rights of individuals are grounded in "natural law." Deontology is most closely associated with the German philosopher Immanuel Kant.

JUSTICE.

Justice-based theories of ethics concern the perceived fairness of actions. A just (ethical) action is one that treats all fairly and consistently in accord with ethical or legal standards. Justice theories of ethics are closely associated with the philosopher John Rawls.
To determine the fairness of an action, one often appeals to distributive, procedural, and/or interactional rules. Distributive fairness is based on the outcomes received by individuals and their perceptions of these outcomes. Procedural fairness is based on the processes (policies, procedures, rules) employed to reach decisions. Individuals evaluate the fairness of these processes in addition to (or instead of) the outcomes received.
Finally, interactional fairness relates to the personal treatment one receives in the administration of a decision-making process. Interpersonal fairness has to do with the respect and consideration shown in the administration of decisions. Informational fairness has to do with the explanations and accounts provided for the decisions made.
The study of organizational justice has become a major field within organizational behavior. To date, however, there has not been a complete integration between justice perceptions and ethical theory.

RELATIVISM.

Teleological, utilitarian, and justice theories of ethics are all "universal" theories, in that they purport to advance principles of morality that are permanent and relatively enduring. Relativism states that there are no universal principles of ethics and that right and wrong must be determined by each individual or group.
The relativist believes that standards of right and wrong change over time and are different across cultures—and does not accept that some ethical standards or values are superior to others. The concept of relativism can probably be summarized as "What's right for one may not be right for another," or "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

INDIVIDUAL ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING

There are many approaches to the individual ethical decision-making process in business. However, one of the more common was developed by James Rest and has been called the four-step or four-stage model of individual ethical decision-making. Numerous scholars have applied this theory in the business context. The four steps include: ethical issue recognition, ethical (moral) judgment, ethical (moral) intent, and ethical (moral) behavior.

ETHICAL ISSUE RECOGNITION.

Before a person can apply any standards of ethical philosophy to an issue, he or she must first comprehend that the issue has an ethical component. This means that the ethical decision-making process must be "triggered" or set in motion by the awareness of an ethical dilemma. Some individuals are likely to be more sensitive to potential ethical problems than others. Numerous factors can affect whether someone recognizes an ethical issue; some of these factors are discussed in the next section.

ETHICAL (MORAL) JUDGMENT.

If an individual is confronted with a situation or issue that he or she recognizes as having an ethical component or posing an ethical dilemma, the individual will probably form some overall impression or judgment about the rightness or wrongness of the issue. The individual may reach this judgment in a variety of ways, as noted in the earlier section on ethical philosophy.

ETHICAL (MORAL) INTENT.

Once an individual reaches an ethical judgment about a situation or issue, the next stage in the decision-making process is to form a behavioral intent. That is, the individual decides what he or she will do (or not do) in regard to the perceived ethical dilemma.
According to research, ethical judgments are a strong predictor of behavioral intent. However, individuals do not always form intentions to behave that are in accord with their judgments, as various situational factors may act to influence the individual otherwise.

ETHICAL (MORAL) BEHAVIOR.

The final stage in the four-step model of ethical decision-making is to engage in some behavior in regard to the ethical dilemma. Research shows that behavioral intentions are the strongest predictor of actual behavior in general, and ethical behavior in particular. However, individuals do now always behave consistent with either their judgments or intentions in regard to ethical issues. This is particularly a problem in the business context, as peer group members, supervisors, and organizational culture may influence individuals to act in ways that are inconsistent with their own moral judgments and behavioral intentions.
Some specific factors that influence the individual ethical decision-making process, as outlined above, are presented in the final section of this essay.

FACTORS AFFECTING ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING

In general, there are three types of influences on ethical decision-making in business: (1) individual difference factors, (2) situational (organizational) factors, and (3) issue-related factors.

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCE FACTORS.

Individual difference factors are personal factors about an individual that may influence their sensitivity to ethical issues, their judgment about such issues, and their related behavior. Research has identified many personal characteristics that impact ethical decision-making. The individual difference factor that has received the most research support is "cognitive moral development."
This framework, developed by Lawrence Kohlberg in the 1960s and extended by Kohlberg and other researchers in the subsequent years, helps to explain why different people make different evaluations when confronted with the same ethical issue. It posits that an individual's level of "moral development" affects their ethical issue recognition, judgment, behavioral intentions, and behavior.
According to the theory, individuals' level of moral development passes through stages as they mature. Theoretically, there are three major levels of development. The lowest level of moral development is termed the "pre-conventional" level. At the two stages of this level, the individual typically will evaluate ethical issues in light of a desire to avoid punishment and/or seek personal reward. The pre-conventional level of moral development is usually associated with small children or adolescents.
The middle level of development is called the "conventional" level. At the stages of the conventional level, the individual assesses ethical issues on the basis of the fairness to others and a desire to conform to societal rules and expectations. Thus, the individual looks outside him or herself to determine right and wrong. According to Kohlberg, most adults operate at the conventional level of moral reasoning.
The highest stage of moral development is the "principled" level. The principled level, the individual is likely to apply principles (which may be utilitarian, deontological, or justice) to ethical issues in an attempt to resolve them. According to Kohlberg, a principled person looks inside him or herself and is less likely to be influenced by situational (organizational) expectations.
The cognitive moral development framework is relevant to business ethics because it offers a powerful explanation of individual differences in ethical reasoning. Individuals at different levels of moral development are likely to think differently about ethical issues and resolve them differently.

SITUATIONAL (ORGANIZATIONAL) FACTORS.

Individuals' ethical issue recognition, judgment, and behavior are affected by contextual factors. In the business ethics context, the organizational factors that affect ethical decision-making include the work group, the supervisor, organizational policies and procedures, organizational codes of conduct, and the overall organizational culture. Each of these factors, individually and collectively, can cause individuals to reach different conclusions about ethical issues than they would have on their own. This section looks at one of these organizational factors, codes of conduct, in more detail.
Codes of conduct are formal policies, procedures, and enforcement mechanisms that spell out the moral and ethical expectations of the organization. A key part of organizational codes of conduct are written ethics codes. Ethics codes are statements of the norms and beliefs of an organization. These norms and beliefs are generally proposed, discussed, and defined by the senior executives in the firm. Whatever process is used for their determination, the norms and beliefs are then disseminated throughout the firm.
Almost all large companies and many small companies have ethics codes. However, in and of themselves ethics codes are unlikely to influence individuals to be more ethical in the conduct of business. To be effective, ethics codes must be part of a value system that permeates the culture of the organization. Executives must display genuine commitment to the ideals expressed in the written code—if their behavior is inconsistent with the formal code, the code's effectiveness will be reduced considerably.
At a minimum, the code of conduct must be specific to the ethical issues confronted in the particular industry or company. It should be the subject of ethics training that focuses on actual dilemmas likely to be faced by employees in the organization. The conduct code must contain communication mechanisms for the dissemination of the organizational ethical standards and for the reporting of perceived wrongdoing within the organization by employees.
Organizations must also ensure that perceived ethical violations are adequately investigated and that wrongdoing is punished. Research suggests that unless ethical behavior is rewarded and unethical behavior punished, that written codes of conduct are unlikely to be effective.

ISSUE-RELATED FACTORS.

Conceptual research by Thomas Jones in the 1990s and subsequent empirical studies suggest that ethical issues in business must have a certain level of "moral intensity" before they will trigger ethical decision-making processes. Thus, individual and situational factors are unlikely to influence decision-making for issues considered by the individual to be minor.
Certain characteristics of issues determine their moral intensity. In general, the research suggests that issues with more serious consequences are more likely to reach the threshold level of intensity. Likewise, issues that are deemed by a societal consensus to be ethical or unethical are more likely to trigger ethical decision-making processes.
In summary, business ethics is an exceedingly complicated area, one that has contemporary significance for all business practitioners. There are, however, guidelines in place for effective ethical decision making. These all have their positive and negative sides, but taken together, they may assist the businessperson to steer toward the most ethical decision possible under a particular set of circumstances.

OVERCOMING FEAR AND ANXIETY

2011-03-21T10:58:00.000-07:00

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a phase that your physiological self enters that can affect an array of components associated with your wellbeing, including your emotions and behavior [1]. As a result, feelings get jumbled and we usually experience bouts of anger, fear, or intense worry. However, a moderate amount of anxiety is also considered a good thing, as the feeling can effectively prepare the body and mind to accurately respond to dangerous situations. Anxiety can also provide great motivation when it comes to getting work done or excelling on the homefront.
However, anxiety becomes a problem when a person begins to excessively dread the people, places, and routines they come in contact with on a daily basis. Sometimes it starts with something small, like riding an elevator to work, which can later turn into an irrational fear of the unknown every time you take a step outside of your house. Excessive worry can turn into an anxiety disorder, which becomes quite difficult to control and can last for long periods of time.

Irrational Fear:

It kills your life, your joy, your soul

What happens with Irrational Fear is that a person feels afraid but there is no actual danger. They might feel that their reputation could be harmed but it actually won’t be. Or they may feel that there isn’t enough money but there actually is etc...

Someone feeling Irrational Fear would be afraid even though there is no logical reason to be afraid there isn’t any actual danger.

Often a person experiencing Irrational Fear will mentally realize there’s no danger yet they’ll still feel afraid.

For this reason Irrational Fear makes people act in the strangest ways, A person would remove themselves from a perfectly good relationship or not pursue a business or job opportunity. And worst of all a person would not take the risks required to achieve success and Greatness.

They just wouldn’t do the things they know they ought to do to succeed. They therefore remain bound and frustrated. They never experience the thrill and the wonder of life to it’s fullest. Irrational Fear is truly the greatest thief ever as it steals the passion vitality and 'life‘ out of life.

When Fears Become Phobias: Naturally Helping Irrational Fear, Anxiety

A phobia is a fear that is so intense it causes a person to quit functioning rationally and normally. There is a big difference between a normal fear and a phobia.

When someone is simply afraid of something there is a good chance that that something could actually cause them physical or mental harm.
Phobias are different because the fear that is experienced is not rational and could not normally cause the person any type of harm.
Let’s say that someone has a phobia about mice. In reality, the mice cannot actually harm us; but to someone with a phobia the mouse might pose a life and death danger, which is imagined.
If you consider your fear to have reached proportions that are irregular then it would be wise to visit a psychologist. They will ask many questions about how you feel when you are afraid and how it affects your life. Try and keep a journal recording these types of things so that when your doctor asks you do not have to rely on your memory for information.
Commonly, phobias appear alongside other psychological disorders like anxiety or depression. Abuse of alcohol or drugs can also contribute to the problem. The doctor will want to make sure that none of these other problems are contributing to your phobia.
Phobias do not typically appear for no reason. There are several things that can lead to them. The first, and most common, is experiencing a traumatic experience first hand. An example of a direct experience would be a child nearly drowning and developing a phobia of water.
The second type of trigger is a false alarm. A person might experience a panic attack during a social gathering and begin to relate it to the situation.
Observing others has also been known to cause people to develop phobias. A good example of this would be a young one hearing screams from a peer in a dentist chair and then becoming utterly afraid themselves.
The last reason that people develop phobias is word of mouth. This is really easy for parents to do to children because their minds are so malleable. A parent telling their child about how dangerous and scary spiders are can develop an irrational, lifelong fear of them. So, make sure you are careful about what you tell your child!

Negative Effects of Anxiety

Chronic stress and anxiety is never a good thing. Not only does your capacity to enjoy all of the beautiful things in life diminish, but you are usually unable to achieve goals that you have set for yourself or maintain a healthy relationship with family and friends. Your emotional wellbeing comes under attack when anxiety takes over your daily routine.
The risk for heart disease and stroke also rises, as the heart and circulatory system are greatly affected by physiological stress with artery restriction and an increased heart rate. Some people attempt to cope with their anxiety by modifying their diet. This physical response can lead to eating disorders, such as binge eating, bulimia, and anorexia. Sleeping difficulties may additionally impair your performance at school or work, influence your social skills, as well as place you at a higher risk for suffering a car accident.

Fortunately there is a simple and highly effective remedy to this problem...

This remedy will:

Set you free to Live and Breath
And Run and Dance, to the Sky
To be Free at Last
To Live and BE
And your "True" Self Begin

So what's the remedy?

Before seeking the medical assistance of a doctor, some bouts of anxiety are treatable at home with remedies including the following:

a) Teas:

For centuries, tea has been used to treat and cure a variety of medical mishaps, including anxious behavior and stress. A variety of choices containing components that aid in the reduction of tension and calm the mind, body, and soul include chamomile, cloves, lavender, orange blossoms, and thyme.

b) Aromatherapy:

Enter a therapeutic wonderland when you use aromatic essential oils (courtesy of hundreds of different plants, herbs, and flowers) that encourage physical and psychological wellness.

c) Childhood Flashbacks:

Some individuals have been able to overcome bouts of anxiety by transporting back to a time where things were much simpler. Dig deep into your repertoire of happy childhood memories to uncover Grandma’s freshly baked chocolate chip cookies or the scent of your favorite meal in the summertime. The nose is a powerful tool that can help lessen your fears and create a more relaxed sense of self. It can also stop a panic attack in its tracks. The Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago suggest using baby powder, an odor that seems to strike a chord with many.

d) Exercise:

Staying active is a great way to combat the symptoms of anxiety, as many people experience a rush of adrenaline that only creates damage when left stagnant. Burn off that extra adrenaline by embracing the benefits of exercise. Do a couple of jumping jacks, walk around the backyard, climb up and down the stairs, or hit a piece of home exercise equipment (like a treadmill or elliptical).

e) Deep Breathing:

Many people are able to calm down their anxiety when after learning certain breathing techniques. Deep diaphragmatic breathing is best accomplished when you keep your chest and shoulders in position while slowly expanding and contracting your stomach region.

f) Caffeine:

Anxiety and caffeine usually don’t mix, so to avoid common symptoms – you may want to limit your intake of caffeine by weaning off of the coffee, tea, chocolate, and Coca Cola.

g) Vitamin Supplements:

Boost your intake of vitamins by reaching for the following supplements: calcium, magnesium, and B-complex.

h) Avoid Refined Sugars and Carbs:

When it comes to your diet, choose foods that are low in sugar and contain a healthy dose of whole grains.

i) Artificial Sweeteners:

If you are prone to anxiety attacks, it is suggested to lessen your use of artificial sweeteners, such as Splenda, Nutrisweet, and Equal.

j) Hydrotherapy:

Also known as water therapy, this technique uses water (whether it is cold, hot, steamy, or icy) to relieve some of the discomfort that anxiety can bring.

k) Warm Bath:

Try sinking into a relaxing bath while listening to the soothing sounds of a musical artist that never fails to brighten your spirits.

l) Read a Book:

Plunge deep into your favorite novel or scan the pages of a colorful coffee table book to relieve some of the tension-filled symptoms associated with anxiety.

m) Dial C for ‘Comfort’:

Pick up the telephone and give your parents, sister, brother, or best friend a call when you feel the pressures of anxiety closing in.

BUSINESS PLANS

2011-03-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

Business Plans
Common Startup Mistakes

For most people, starting a business is an exciting time during which they are invigorated by the possibility of success and the fun of tackling new challenges. It is also a time to make lots of mistakes!

Many of the mistakes entrepreneurs make during the start-up phase can be avoided. One of the best ways to steer clear of foibles is to talk to established business owners about what they learned during the process. Ask your attorney or accountant for referrals to business owners who have relevant experience and attend trade association meetings and talk to people in the industry you are entering.

No matter how much research and preparation you do, you will make mistakes when you start a business, but the common errors listed here may help you avoid a few.

Common mistakes include:

Incorporating too quickly

The first step for many people when they launch a business is to file with the state office of incorporation. While incorporating is an appropriate step for many businesses, it pays to wait until your business idea is well formed before taking the plunge. The reason: the concept of your business and therefore the name is likely to change during the first few months of operation.

Not researching the market

A frequently overlooked component of business start up is determining whether the target market for your product or service will buy from you. The best way to derive the answer to this question is to ask them. Arrange to speak to as many of your potential customers as possible. Questions to ask include: Would you buy my product or service? Where do you currently obtain this product or service? How much would you be willing to pay for it? What do you like/dislike about your current provider? Where would you look for this product or service when you need it?

Wanting to over-use an attorney

Attorneys' hourly fees add up extremely quickly and newly-minted business owners are often shocked by their first few legal bills. The temptation when you start is to involve your attorney in all aspects of your business for counsel and drafting of documents. Many business owners quickly learn that it pays to do your own research, draft your own documents, and call on the expertise of your attorney to refine your work.

Spending too much money on office space and decorations

A nice office and great computer equipment make many entrepreneurs feel as though their dream of entrepreneurism is coming true. While one of the pleasures of launching a business is setting up an office that you are proud of, expensive trappings have put many businesses out of business before they got off the ground.

Hope to see you at the top!

SELF ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE

2011-03-18T04:30:00.000-07:00

What is self-confidence?

Self-confidence is an attitude which allows individuals to have positive yet realistic views of themselves and their situations. Self-confident people trust their own abilities, have a general sense of control in their lives, and believe that, within reason, they will be able to do what they wish, plan, and expect.

Having self-confidence does not mean that individuals will be able to do everything. Self-confident people have expectations that are realistic. Even when some of their expectations are not met, they continue to be positive and to accept themselves.

People who are not self-confident depend excessively on the approval of others in order to feel good about themselves. They tend to avoid taking risks because they fear failure. They generally do not expect to be successful. They often put themselves down and tend to discount or ignore compliments paid to them. By contrast, self-confident people are willing to risk the disapproval of others because they generally trust their own abilities. They tend to accept themselves; they don’t feel they have to conform in order to be accepted.

OVERCOMING LOW SELF ESTEEM
Overcoming low self esteem is not a hard thing to do. You only need to know how to raise your self esteem. Finding those self esteem boosters is the real issue. Most times this is a unique quality to the individual.

CONFIDENCE BUILDERS

A self confidence test may be useful in order to find the right self esteem builders needed throughout life in order to reach desired goals and truly overcoming low self esteem issues. The results of a self confidence test would give you a starting point to work from in order to raise your self esteem. You may even get to see how you might be unique from the general public with self esteem issues. Confidence and self esteem may be a difficult thing to try and analyze, but many qualified people work very hard on these analysis

SELF ESTEEM BOOSTERS

Self esteem boosters are key in overcoming low self esteem. Having no confidence is a serious issue because it can stop you from attaining your goals in life and that is something that I am just not willing to surrender. Self confidence boosters can come is a variety of different ways, but I am a simple person and use pictures in my mind. In short, visualization for overcoming low self esteem.

You can raise your self esteem easily if you have the proper desire and some simple direction to get you started with self esteem builders. These are the building blocks to overcoming low self esteem issues.

Raise your self esteem and get the self esteem boosters you need or take a self confidence test to get an idea about what kind of self esteem builders may apply to you, but in the least confidence builders never hurt anyone with self esteem issues or no confidence.

The right self confidence boosters will put you on track with confidence and self esteem.

OVERCOMING LOW SELF ESTEEM

I’m in favor of visualization techniques to raise your self esteem. Visualization can take many forms and if done correctly can be a great source for those needed self esteem boosters everyone needs in daily life. As a matter of fact, I believe the Native Americans built a culture around it due to the quality of a group with confidence, as opposed to a group with no confidence. There are obvious advantages here.

Self esteem builders or confidence builders (whatever you want to call them) solve self esteem issues and build confidence where there is no confidence. And having a few self confidence boosters never hurt anyone overcoming low self esteem.