Archive for May, 2008

Overcoming the 7 Roadblocks Women with Families Face Making Career Changes

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

By Monique Houde Family is the driving force of our lives. You need family to support you and in most homes you need money to support your family. You work to support your family but you usually end up spending little time with them because of your 9-5 job. According to a Gallop poll 70% of Americans hate their jobs. Life is funny sometimes. Its so easy to find yourself in a job you dont love, in a career that doesnt drive you or longing for passion in our work. Sometimes we find ourselves there after even a long road of education in a field we were certain was the right choice for us. The good thing about life is that it is forever changing; sometimes due to circumstances and sometimes due to personal choices. I would argue that we have many more personal choices that we think we do. For every reason someone gives me that they cant make a change, I can give them two reasons they need to. There are certainly roadblocks that can seem to disable our dreams but I believe with the right beliefs, motivation, accountability and resources, all things are possible. Lets look at overcoming some of the most common obstacles women face making career changes that will allow them more time with their family. 1. Finding the right career that fuels your passion. How great would it be to wake up every morning and be excited to work? How about loving what you do so much that you talk about it with everyone you know? We are all born with natural talents and abilities. We use them when we are young and believe it or not we still use them every day. Its all about tuning in to yourself and recognizing what makes you tick. Tuning in means paying very close attention to the things you do in your regular routine that bring you great pleasure. What could you do for hours on end and never realize how much time has passed. What are the things you do every day that get your juices flowing. What feeeeeels good and motivates you to do more? And equally it is wise to look at the things in your life that you dont enjoy. What makes you cringe? What do you put off til the last minute? You know what Im talking about! We all have those things and they are best not to be the things that take up the majority of our time. Take this first step and start tuning in. 2. Making the kind of money that will pay the bills and more. There are several jobs that pay a lot of money but it is up to you to define a lot of money. You may need to look at the bigger picture. How much is it worth to you to be able to not commute an hour to work? Not only will you save on gas and wear and tear on your car, but also you will be saving precious time with your family. You can put a dollar amount on some things but not all. Now to determine what careers will bring you the amount of money that you have defined as enough or a lot. Do some research. After you have gone through the exercise detailed above, you will be able to see what careers entail the things you enjoy the most. The Internet is a beautiful tool where you can see the salary ranges for different careers (http://content.salary.monster.com/?WT_srch=1&WT.mc_n=01;CRC;GOO). Maybe you want to branch out on your own. Having a life coach can significantly help you in figuring out what works best for you given your skills and what resources you will need to achieve your goals. 3. Keeping health insurance. There is a certain security to working for a company, paying a set amount of money every paycheck and not worrying about health insurance. There are several plans available to entrepreneurs and women in business that offer customized plans for your specific family needs. Check online for small business health insurance and check out the options. There are several plans that can meet your needs and when you are making the money you want this will not be an issue and until then you can always take advantage of a cobra plan where you pay the group rate for insurance for a period of time until you find the right plan for you. 4. Sticking to your goals and staying motivated. This is a tricky one. There are several steps to creating your goals and then a different set of tools to help you stick to them. You may have more than one goal. Your first goal may be to spend more time with your family. You can begin doing this way before you determine what career you would like to move into. Another goal may be to leave your current job by a certain time. Yet another may be to make a certain amount of money in your first year. Breaking down your goals into categories will help you to stick to them more easily. Family goals, career goals and money goals are a few good ones to start with. You can expand your list as you see success with these first three. Dont get discouraged, many people try out goals and revise them several times before accomplishing them. Just remember they are yours make them attainable and fun! As far as staying motivated it is hugely important to be extremely specific as to why you really want to accomplish the goal. I want to spend more time with my kidsgoodbut why? What about that is important to you or your family? I want to make $100Kgoodbut why? What will it make you feel when you accomplish that? Make sure you have a partner that can help keep you accountable. 5. Identifying resources needed. There are so many resources out there for you to draw from when making transitions such as this. There are internal resources; talents you have, people you know, places you have worked for, the list is endless. Tap into those when looking at making any change. What do I have at my fingertips that can help me accomplish what Im setting out to do? Write these down! These are the skills I have, these are the friends family and co-workers that can help me, these are the places I have come in contact with that have things I may need to use. There are also external resources. Places that you have yet to tap into; the Internet; newspapers; people, again, the list is unlimited. This is where the work comes in. Identifying what is out there that will help you with your task at hand. Make it fun. Several people I have worked with have realized that it is very useful to have another person to brainstorm with. 6. Timing the transition. This is a very flexible thing. It may change as you accomplish certain aspects of your goals. You might feel the need to have all of your eggs aligned to feel comfortable making your move. Your family needs may change and it will be good to stay flexible here. Part of your goals will be attaching a timeline to certain things and when those things are accomplished you can then move on to the next phase of that goal or a whole new goal. Be patient with yourself and ask others to have patience with you too. As long as you are making progress and achieving successes you are headed in the right direction. Trust your gut; you will know when the timing is right. 7. Dealing with nay-sayers. There will always be some skeptic ready to burst your balloon. Someone is bound to tell you that you cant do it, you shouldnt do it, or ask you why you arent just happy with what you have. You and only you know what is best for your family and your familys needs. Trust yourself. If you are waking up every morning almost in tears at the thought of heading to work, then you need a change. People say things all the time for several different reasons. Some are envious that you have the guts to try something new. Some are miserable themselves and you know the saying! Some simply think they know whats best for you because they have lived longer than you. Some may even have great intentions by warning you about the risks and for that reason you should certainly explore the risks ahead of time so you come from a place of knowledge when the subject is brought up. With that said, go ahead and make choices to enhance your life and take the nay-sayers out to lunch when its all said and done. You will be happy to do it because you will BE happy when you are spending more time with your family while making all the money you need. This report is brought to you by: Monique Houde Founder of Freedom Coaching www.opcweb.com/freedom Monique has been working with people for over 10 years. She has coached people to start their own business, cheered them on as they exceeded their goals, coached many through difficult decisions, been a personal relationship mentor and celebrated great successes. Time management, goal setting, moving through disappointment, weighing out choices, confidence building, soul searching and life balancing are just some of the skills that Monique’s clients have learned through coaching. For more information about working with Monique as a Life Coach and to receive your FREE 30 minute consultation please call 978-764-6600 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Monique_Houde http://EzineArticles.com/?Overcoming-the-7-Roadblocks-Women-with-Families-Face-Making-Career-Changes&id=51287 cash advance lender fort worth business cash advance bad credit loans personal make cash fast

Weight Loss Diet

Monday, May 26th, 2008

By Nathalie Fiset Women had always been conscious of their weight. The trend for some had been to look pencil-thin to be called beautiful. Still, there are some women who prefer to look “healthier”, meaning, not being too skinny, balancing their weight with their actual height. Some women who wanted immediate results on their dieting scheme tend to crash-diet, meaning they deprive themselves the needed food by their bodies. For those who starve themselves, they usually are the ones who are most prone to binging, thus, packing on more pounds than they had shed during their limited food intake. Below are some tips on dieting to help eliminated or lose weight the safe and effective way. Eat small meals. Most people, especially women, tend to eat when they are bored or have nothing else to do. Some use food to console or reward themselves over some things or events in their lives. The best way to limit food intake is to eat only when hunger strikes, and in doing so, by taking only small meals. If an individual is used to eating 3 slices of bread, cutting it down to 1, as a starter, would be a good idea. By cutting down the amount of food intake, but taking it more frequently, the individual would not feel that he or she is hungry since they are still ingesting food when need, though at an amount which is much healthier. For example, instead of skipping eating breakfast and then eating a big lunch, it would be best to eat breakfast and then eat a smaller lunch. Choose the foods to snack on. Office workers tend to snack on sugary goodies available on vending machines in their offices. What an individual has to do to limit the temptation to snack on these is to store nutrition packed foods such as the following: 1. Dried fruits (raisins, figs, apricots) 2. low-fat Granola bars 3. whole wheat pretzels 4. puddings which are low-in fat 5. power bars 6. low-fat popcorns 7. dry-roasted mixed nuts 8 Eat foods high in fiber. Recent studies have shown that an increase in the intake of fiber-rich foods can contribute to weight loss. Fiber aids in the digestion process and makes an individual feel fuller at a much longer period of time, thus contributing to the decrease in the urge to eat. Foods high in fiber includes apples, pears, whole grains like pasta and wheat, lima beans and turnip green. Drink lots of water. Water replaces lost fluids in the body. It likewise aids in the digestion process. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day may reduce pangs of hunger since it makes the individual feel fuller, thus minimizing the urge to eat. It also flushes our toxins in the body and aids the kidney to function properly. It would be advisable to carry or have water nearby all the time. Office workers might want to have a container of water on their table so as to remind one self to drink. During small walks or jogs at the park, it would likewise be advisable to carry a jug of water for easy reach. Stress and sleep levels. If an individual who wants to lose weight deprives one self of the much-needed sleep, he or she might feel tired and sluggish during the day. Such fatigue might be confused with hunger or the need to eat, thus a weight losing idea buster. Sleep at least 8 hours a day, or whatever number of hours best suits the individual. It has been noted by some researchers that the ideal number of hours of sleep varies from person to person. Teenagers whose growth hormones are kicking, might need at least 10 hours of sleep, while older people feel re-charged and rested on a four-hour sleep. Stress on the other hand is said to promote a physiological change which might make loosing weight a hard task. A stressed body releases a hormone called cortisol. Said hormone encourages build up of fat cells in the abdomen as a result to response of the body to stress. Still, the idea of loosing weight should be done only for some very important matters. If issues of weight cause some health problems, it would be good idea, but to want to loose weight (even if one already feels satisfied with his or her looks) just because others told you so to look beautiful would not be very wise. Live a healthy life and be happy. Dr Nathalie Fiset is a family doctor and a certified hypnotherapist. For more information go to: http://www.reachyouridealweight.com http://www.aperfectharmony.com or http://www.a-1hypnosis.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathalie_Fiset http://EzineArticles.com/?Weight-Loss-Diet&id=363782 payday calendars same day military payday loans lap top no credit check no income personal loans

Get That Diet Monkey Off Your Back - 2!

Sunday, May 18th, 2008

By Gillian Tarawhiti The big question at the end of the last article was whether the DIET MONKEY would loosen its grip or hold on for dear life. The answer that DIET MONKEY is alive and well and hasnt loosen its grip at all. In fact I think for some it has moved in and taken up residency. It has been amazing to see that all the other participants in the Biggest Losers club, method of losing weight involved starving themselves, when that didnt work because they ended up gorging themselves, they tried pills and shakes, then for some reason that didnt work so they went back to starving themselves againwhich didnt work. So the cycle was never ending, hence that DIET MONKEY taking up residency. All the participants fell into the 3 reasons why we fail at dieting category being: fanatical dieting, emotional eating or conditioning. The fanatical dieters jumped from one diet to another, the emotional eaters had no idea why they were eating continuously other than they THOUGHT they were hungry and those who fell into the conditioning pattern, did what they knew starving themselves, because that is what they have always done (regardless that it never worked in the past). Our Biggest Losers challenge ended and as a writer Ive gained a lot of subject matter that would fill at least 2 or 3 books on the fact that DIETS DONT WORK. Oh by the wayI WAS THE BIGGEST LOSER. I of course, had an unfair advantage because I used a program I created, called Gain Back Your Life Weight Loss Program. This program has helped others lose weight and keep it off. It doesnt involve diets or dieting as such, it reveals the truth about exercise, helps you to supercharge your metabolism, stopping those cravings and more. We have started a Biggest Losers II and this time I have shared my knowledge with the previous participants. Lets see if we can finally shake that diet monkey of their backs. Author Bio: Gillian Tarawhiti BSc, Dip BM, Dip Ed, is Founder and CEO of Community Training Centre & Gain Back Your Life Centre, A registered EFT Practitioner, Member of AAMET and Online Training and Support to the new and not so new netpreneurs. Gillian is also the author of eBay Billion Dollar Goldmine, and the creator of the Multiple Ripple Effect System 2004. Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to http://www.gainbackyourlife-eft.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gillian_Tarawhiti http://EzineArticles.com/?Get-That-Diet-Monkey-Off-Your-Back—2!&id=156548 payday installment loan paycheck tax calculator types of sba loans hard money personal loan lenders in los angeles

Housewarming Gift Ideas - What is Appropriate?

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

By Sharae Taylor A friend of yours has just made the transition from renter to homeowner. So what to give as a housewarming gift? Friends that you are close with are the easiest. You want it to be personal, memorable as purchasing the home was.You can wait for the housewarming party or you can take the initiative and start planning you gift right away. A realtor friend of mine and I came up with a great unique gift idea that she gives to all her clients when they purchase a home from her realty company, a “Guardian Angel for the Home” Angel painting. She includes a card that states “This Angel is created especially for Your Home … I ask that it protect you and bring you joy, health, and happiness”. I liked the idea so much since I am an Angel collector and Angel artist and Angels are for everyone, I have started giving these as a housewarming, hostess or thank you gift. You can always do something different, but try and keep the person in mind. Are they a “do it yourselfer”? Home Depot or Lowe’s would be a great place to find a gift or even a gift certificate and is an excellent gift because such centers also sell gardening must haves, grills, small home appliances and tools that every homeowner needs. Are they a movie buff? Gift certificates for movie rentals or the purchase of their favorite DVD. Music lovers you can do the same thing by adjusting it to music or if in the big city … tickets to a musical? With that new mortgage they may hesitate to purchase frivolous things for themselves. Put on your thinking cap! Many unique gift ideas can be inexpensive. A photo album for the new pictures of their new home. A basket full of spring bulbs to plant and include the gloves and instructions on how to plant them. Luxury bath items for that long soak in the new whirlpool bathtub in the master suite. Fireplace tools or a chord of wood are a good item if they have never had a fireplace before. Dinner at their favorite restaurant. How about a subscription to their favorite magazine or newspaper delivered to their new address? The point is, you want something that is going to be enjoyed. A gift that is taken out of the box and not a dust collector. There is something special for every budget that you can give that adds to the delight, joy, and thrill of the new homeowner. Sharae Taylor Sharae Taylor is a well known Intuitive Angel Artist whose paintings are in world wide collections and her works have been exhibited with other well known Angel Artists Andy Lakey, Donna Terody Sheratan, Gary Markowitz, past art editor of “Angel Times” magazine, and K. Martin Kuri, Angel Artist and Author. Sharae has also participated in many Angel Expos and Angel Conferences with other well known Angel Authors like Alma Daniels author of “Ask Your Angels”. Her Angel paintings are featured in the newly released “Angels” DVD by Llewellyn and New World Music and was featured in the February 2005 issue of Planetlightworker.com Sharae is a published author in magazines and ezines. To view Sharae’s Angelic art and for further information visit her website at: http://www.angelsbysharae.com Feel free to copy and reprint leaving all text and links in tact. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharae_Taylor http://EzineArticles.com/?Housewarming-Gift-Ideas—What-is-Appropriate?&id=94498 bad credit auto loan can you file payday auto title loans for bankruptcy ez money loan sevices veterans memorial houston texas airlloans houston texas cash advance lender unemployment

Dress Codes and Apparel in Franchised Outlets and the Franchise Agreement

Friday, May 9th, 2008

By Lance Winslow Have you ever noticed that franchise companies have employees at the franchised outlets, who wear the exact same uniform, even when you orientate completely different state. Did you know that many franchise companies have dress codes and stipulations about apparel in their confidential operations manual, which are the same for many countries. In other words the McDonald’s uniform in Venezuela could be the same exact uniform, which is worn in Hawaii. Interesting isn’t? There is a good reason for this it has to do with consistency and brand name image. Each franchisor needs to consider this advantage that can be used in franchising. It is for that reason that most companies address this issue in their confidential operations manual, the initial training and even in the original franchise agreement and disclosure documents. In fact, in my company we put a clause in the franchise agreement to address apparel issues in our company; 3.10 Apparel Franchisee and its employees must wear shirts, jackets or other approved apparel with The Car Wash Guys logo as designated by Franchisor when performing Services for the Franchised Business. In the event Franchisee operated any business(es)other than the Franchised Business or other franchises offered by Franchisor to the extent expressly permitted in Section 3.3, the personnel employed in such other business(es) must wear apparel that does not feature any of the marks or color schemes of the Franchised Business. — — — — — Although our company is a small franchise system operated only a couple dozen states, we still felt it was necessary to address this issue. All franchise companies should consider this no matter their size. A competent franchise attorney can best help franchise in executives determine the best legal strategies to insure consistency of uniform apparel. Consider this in 2006. “Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow http://EzineArticles.com/?Dress-Codes-and-Apparel-in-Franchised-Outlets-and-the-Franchise-Agreement&id=160343 personal loans malta payday debit cards borrowing fast cash i want a real payday loan site

Protect the Skin You’re In

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

By Alli Ross Summer is approaching and thousands of people will be working on their tans before they whip out their shorts and swimsuits. However, improper skin care can cause permanent damage from the suns rays. Regardless of your skin type, it is very important to protect your skin. Here are some key tips to keep in mind this summer. Choose an appropriate sunscreen. If youve been to the store lately, youve probably seen a complete aisle full of sun block products. Its often hard to know which one to buy. Look for one that protects against UVA and UVB rays. (UVB rays are actually more harmful for sun burning the UVA rays). Its crucial that your sun screen protects against both of these sun rays. Dont waste your time with half the protection. What about the SPF? The SPF number simply tells people how much longer they can last out in the sun without being burned. The higher the SPF number, the longer your skin is protected against the sun. For example, lets say you put on a sunscreen with SPF 20. This would protect your skin up to 20 times longer than your average amount of protection time. To find out how long your sunscreen will protect your skin (multiply how long it normally takes you to burn * SPF of your sunscreen) So, if you normally burn after 30 minutes in the sun and you have sunscreen with an SPF 15, your skin would be protected for 450 minutes ( or 7.5 hours) Its also important to consider skin types when choosing the proper sunscreen. For young children (6 months and up): Choose a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher to protect against both sun tanning and burning. Look for a product that offers UVA and UVB protection. This is known as the broad-spectrum. For Very Fair Skin: This type of skin burns quickly. Look for a sunscreen containing SPF 20 to 30. For Fair Skin: This type of skin burns fairly easily but some tanning occurs. Look for sunscreen products containing SPF 8 to 12. For Medium Skin: This type of skin yields a moderate brown shade when exposed to the sun. Look for sunscreen products containing SPF 4 to 8. For Dark Skin: This type of skin rarely burns. Look for sunscreen products containing SPF 2 to 4. After choosing an appropriate sunscreen, apply it before going out into the sun. Be sure and apply it generously over all skin that will be exposed. Taking good care of your skin now will give you great-looking skin well into the future. P.S. Your skin is your number one defense mechanism against the environmental elements. Exercise, rest, and good nutrition are the foundation for beautiful, healthy skin. GranMamma is the webmaster at First Name Meanings - Baby Names Box - http://www.babynamebox.com - Where you can explore over 20,000 baby names and their meanings. Read articles on parenting, family, home and gardening. Be sure to say hi to GranMamma! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alli_Ross http://EzineArticles.com/?Protect-the-Skin-Youre-In&id=30186 job denile due to bad credit bad credit auto lenders credit repair company slogan tenant credit check report san diego