Must Stuff

Download Paltalk v10.0 Portable Free

2010-12-25T05:09:00.000-08:00

Paltalk v10.0 Portable Size:13.5 MB

Software for Chat Rooms, Instant Messaging & Video Chat .You can find all the function at single place

Chat Rooms, Instant Messaging & Video Chat � All in One.YOu can chat with voice and video chat with up to 10 people including AIM, Yahoo and ICQ friends.Video Conferencing is also for Share documents and presentations with colleagues or friends with video conferencing from HearMe.

Home Page - http://www.paltalk.com

Download Links
HOTFILE
http://hotfile.com/dl/91873055/af426df/Paltalk_v10.0.zip.html

FILESERVE
http://www.fileserve.com/file/pGDmXNh/Paltalk_v10.0.zip

FILESONIC
http://www.filesonic.com/file/47236794/Paltalk_v10.0.zip

Download Free hp Water Theme

2010-12-25T04:58:00.000-08:00

hp water Theme For XP

Installation:

To install Copy the both 'hp water.theme' and the 'Theme' folder to 'C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\'

Download
==========

Hotfile

Mirror

Fileserve

Mirror

Filesonic

Tips to Protect yourself From Online Dating

2009-12-06T02:05:00.000-08:00

With the wonderful move of Online Dating into the mainstream of our culture so that it is becoming The Norm, we must learn to protect ourselves while pursuing love and dating through Online Dating and Online Personals.

What's single girl to do to protect herself while pursuing love, sex, and romance with Online Dating Sites?

First of all, during the Getting Acquainted stage of Online Dating correspondence, when you are simply exchanging a few emails to before the man asks you out, trust your gut if you are feeling really uncomfortable.

Then here are Top 10 Tips to protect yourself with Internet Personals and Online Dating:

1. Do not give out where you live to a stranger online. Do not provide a stranger you haven't met yet with your home address.

2. Let the man give you his phone number first, then respond with yours to him. Give him a cell number. If your only cell number is with your office, it's time to get a personal cell phone number. This is one you need to feel comfortable giving out. He's asking for your number. If this is a man you're interested in meeting, give him your phone number. Yes, we're hard to get, but, oye, don't make it impossible!

3. For Date 0 you must meet in a public place where it is lighted, not a super crowded nor a super dark environment. Save going to a darkly light dance club together for later after you two have met and hit it off! Maybe for your second date!

4. Meet near where the lady lives. For Date 0 you need to meet near you, where the lady lives, not just in a good very public place.

This is not just good manners on behalf of the man displaying that he is a gentleman, but it is also for your safety.

You then know where it is safe to park, how to safely approach the restaurant or bar.

Men, be a gentleman and meet her over near where she lives. By doing so you display that you are a protective and providing man, not a guy looking to be her equal but only a buddy. Meeting near where the guy lives or "half way" is what friends do. We are aiming for sexual and romantic chemistry here, not being buddies. By doing so, you will distinguish yourself immediately as a Man who is thoughtful and thinking of her safety and displays masculine cherishing behavior towards her femininity.

5. If he doesn't post a photograph of himself online and wants you to start emailing him privately, respond sweetly with the autoresponse option they have a Yahoo! Personals about wanting his photo first. And then send no more messages until he either posts a photo or provides you with a way to view his photo safely online.

Providing you with his MySpace page isn't safe because it reveals your name and MySpace profile to him, and you may have more personal information (name of town where you live....) which you might not want him, a total stranger, to see.

6. Maybe post your residence town as 1 or 2 towns over from where you live if you live in the burbs. This is not lying in your profile, this is protecting yourself. Any adult will understand when you later reveal where you really live.

7. If he is saying his job/career is terribly public like he is a celebrity or public figure (yes, they are at the Online Dating Sites, too!) so he doesn't want to post his photo at his profile, he can email you the address of a website with his photo or cite his name to you.

Men are to protect ladies. If he is more protective of himself than you, forget him. Move on. He's a boy not a man. Men protect ladies. They gave their names, website photos from their news coverage, Yahoo! ID where they posted their photo, something.

If he wants you to email him or set up a separate email address just so he can email you his photo, oye, he's expecting you to go to a lot of effort, and he hasn't even bought you a drink yet. If he is a man, he is making an effort to get you. If not, then not. I'm the pretty one, remember? I go to plenty of effort to look this gorgeous and sexy, and you are enjoying it, I know. Thank you for noticing. Bat, bat, flutter, flutter. However, I'm not making all the effort. Men seek to display their masculine prowess in pursuing us, bless their hearts. Don't you love it?

8. If the man starts to pester you for your personal contact information without revealing his first, just stop emailing with him. He's not worth it.

Remember, first, above all, protect YOU.

9. If a man gets belligerent with your online, block him and delete his messages. Remember, sometimes people are just being jerks. Maybe it was a really bad week at work. We're all human. Sometimes we are shrews. Whatever. Focus on what you want and move one. No need to obsess about it and panic. Just delete, block and move on.

10. Don't give out your personal email address until he has corresponded with you at the Online Dating site for at least 3 emails. You have more safety protection while you are still corresponding at Yahoo! Personals or Match.com than you do once you have moved over to your email account.

If he gets weird in some way where you are not comfortable while at the Online Dating website, you can block him easily and report him. Once over at your own email, he already has your personal email account.

Do be romantic and sensible while pursuing love online, don't you think? Because YOU are totally worth protecting!

Definition of a good relationship

2009-12-06T02:01:00.001-08:00

That may have been the definition of a good relationship years ago, but now most people want more. Following are ten signs of a healthy relationship.

KINDNESS

Is kindness more important to each of you than having your way, being in control, or being right? Do you each receive joy out of being kind to each other? Being kind rather than controlling with each other is essential for a healthy relationship.

SPONTANEOUS WARMTH AND AFFECTION

Do you and your partner well up with warmth and fullness of heart for each other and express it with affection? Are you each able to see the beautiful essence within each other, rather than just the faults? Are you able to get beyond the outer to the unique inner Self of each other? Do you enjoy sharing affection? Warmth and affection are vital for a healthy relationship.

LAUGHTER AND FUN

Can the two of you laugh and play together? Do you appreciate and enjoy each other’s sense of humor? In the midst of difficulties, can you help each other to lighten up with humor? Can you let down and be playful with each other, letting yourselves be like kids together? Laughter and fun play a huge role in a healthy relationship.

ENJOYING TIME TOGETHER AND TIME APART

Are you both each other’s favorite person to spend time with? Are you motivated to set aside time just to be together?

Do both of you have friends and interests that you enjoy doing? Are both of you fine when you are not together?

Some couples spend a lot of time together because they really enjoy it, while others spend a lot of time together out of fear of being alone. It is important for a healthy relationship for each person to have friends and interests, so that they are not dependent on each other. Dependency is not healthy in a relationship, particularly emotional dependency.

A METHOD FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION

All relationships have some conflict. It is not the conflict that is the issue, but how you deal with it. Do you have a method for resolving conflict, or do the issues just keep getting swept aside? If fighting is part of how you deal with conflict, do you fight fair, or are you hurtful when you fight?

LETTING GO OF ANGER

If one or both of you get angry, do you hang on to it, punishing your partner with it, or can you easily let it go? In healthy relationships, both partners are able to quickly move on, back into kindness and affection.

TRUST IN YOUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER

Do you each trust that the love is solid, even in very difficult times between you? Do you each know that you can mess up, fail, disappoint the other, emotionally hurt the other – and the love will still be there? Do you each know that the love is about who you are, not what you do? This level of trust is essential for a healthy relationship.

LISTENING, UNDERSTANDING, ACCEPTING AND LEARNING

Do you each feel heard, understood and accepted? Can you share your secrets with your partner without fearing being judged? Are you each more interested in learning about yourselves and each other than you are in controlling each other? Is listening to each other with an open heart and a desire to understand more important than judging each other or defending yourselves?

SEXUALITY

Is your sexual relationship warm and caring? Can you be sexually spontaneous? Can you talk with each other about what brings pleasure to each of you?

FREEDOM TO BE YOURSELF

Do you each feel free to be all that you are? Do you each feel supported in pursuing what brings you joy? Does your partner feel joy for your joy?

While some people may naturally be open, kind, affectionate, accepting, and emotionally responsible for themselves, most people need to heal the fears and false beliefs they learned in their families. Healthy relationships evolve as each person evolves in his or her ability to be loving to themselves and each other.

Reasons to Get Smile on your face

2009-12-06T01:58:00.001-08:00

01. Call an old friend, just to say hi.
02. Hold a door open for a stranger.
03. Invite someone to lunch.
04. Compliment someone on his or her appearance.
05. Ask a coworker for their opinion on a project.
06. Bring cookies to work.
07. Let someone cut in during rush hour traffic.
08. Leave a waitress or waiter a big tip.
09. Tell a cashier to have a nice day.
10. Call your parents.
11. Let someone know you miss them.
12. Treat someone to a movie.
13. Let a person know you really appreciate them.
14. Visit a retirement center.
15. Take a child to the zoo.
16. Fill up your spouse's car with gas.
17. Surprise someone with a small gift.
18. Leave a thank-you note for the cleaning staff at work.
19. Write a letter to a distant relative.
20. Tell someone you thought about them the other day.
21. Put a dime in a stranger's parking meter before the time expires.
22. Bake a cake for a neighbor.
23. Send someone flowers to where they work.
24. Invite a friend to tea.
25. Recommend a good book to someone.
26. Donate clothing to a charity.
27. Offer an elderly person a ride to where they need to go.
28. Bag your own groceries at the checkout counter.
29. Give blood.
30. Offer free baby-sitting to a friend who's really busy or just needs a break.
31. Help your neighbor rake leaves or shovel snow.
32. Offer your seat to someone when there aren't any left.
33. Help someone with a heavy load.
34. Ask to see a store's manager and comment on the great service.
35. Give your place in line at the grocery store to someone who has only a few items.
36. Hug someone in your family for no reason.
37. Wave to a child in the car next to you.
38. Send a thank-you note to your doctor.
39. Repeat something nice you heard about someone else.
40. Leave a joke on someone's answering machine.
41. Be a mentor or coach to someone.
42. Forgive a loan.
43. Fill up the copier machine with paper after you're done using it.
44. Tell someone you believe in them.
45. Share your umbrella on a rainy day.
46. Welcome new neighbors with flowers or a plant.
47. Offer to watch a friend's home while they're away.
48. Ask someone if they need you to pick up anything while you're out shopping.
49. Ask a child to play a board game, and let them win.
50. Ask an elderly person to tell you about the good old days.
51. During bad weather, plan an indoor picnic with the family.
52. Buy someone a goldfish and bowl.
53. Compliment someone on their cooking and politely ask for a second helping.
54. Dance with someone who hasn't been asked.
55. Tell someone you mentioned them in your prayers.
56. Give children's clothes to another family when your kids outgrow them.
57. Deliver extra vegetables from your garden to the whole neighborhood.
58. Call your spouse just to say, I love you.
59. Call someone's attention to a rainbow or beautiful sunset.
60. Invite someone to go bowling.
61. Figure out someone's half-birthday by adding 182 days, and surprise them with a cake.
62. Ask someone about their children.
63. Tell someone which quality you like most about them.
64. Brush the snow off of the car next to yours.
65. Return your shopping cart to the front of the store.
66. Encourage someone's dream, no matter how big or small it is.
67. Pay for a stranger's cup of coffee without them knowing it.
68. Leave a love letter where your partner will find it.
69. Ask an older person for their advice.
70. Offer to take care of someone's pet while they're away.
71. Tell a child you're proud of them.
72. Visit a sick person, or send them a care package.
73. Join a Big Brother or Sister program.
74. Leave a piece of candy on a coworker's desk.
75. Bring your child to work with you for the afternoon.
76. Give someone a recording of their favorite music.
77. Email a friend some information about a topic they are especially interested in.
78. Give someone a homemade gift.
79. Write a poem for someone.
80. Bake some cookies for your local fire or police department.
81. Organize a neighborhood cleanup and have a barbecue afterwards.
82. Help a child build a birdhouse or similar project.
83. Check in on an old person, just to see if they're okay.
84. Ask for the recipe after you eat over at someone's house.
85. Personally welcome a new employee at work and offer to take them out for lunch.
86. While in a car, ask everyone to buckle up because they are important to you.
87. Let someone else eat the last slice of cake or pizza.
88. Stop and buy a drink from a kid's lemonade stand.
89. Forgive someone when they apologize.
90. Wave to someone looking for a parking space when you're about to leave a shopping center.
91. Send a copy of an old photograph to a childhood friend.
92. Leave a pint of your spouse's favorite flavor of ice cream in the freezer with a bow on it.
93. Do a household chore that is usually done by someone else in the family.
94. Be especially happy for someone when they tell you their good news.
95. Compliment a coworker on their role in a successful project.
96. Give your spouse a spontaneous back rub at the end of the day.
97. Serve someone in your family breakfast in bed.
98. Ask someone if they've lost weight.
99. Make a donation to a charity in someone's honor.
100. Take a child to a ballgame.

12 Things to know you are in Love

2009-12-06T01:56:00.001-08:00

TWELVE: You talk with him/her late at night and when you go to bed you still think of him/her.

ELEVEN: You walk really slowly when you are with him/her.

TEN: You don't feel Ok when he/she is far away.

NINE: You smile when you hear his/her voice.

EIGHT: When you look at him/her,you do not see other people around you. You see only him/her.

SIX: He/She is everything you want to think.

FIVE: You realise that you smile every time you look at him/her.

FOUR: You would do anything to see him/her.

THREE: While you have been reading this, there was a person in your mind all the time.

TWO: You've been so busy thinking of that person that you didn't notice that number 7 is missing.

ONE: You are going to check above if that's true and now you are silently laughing to yourself.

Ideas for your First Date

2009-12-05T19:53:00.000-08:00

Here's What to Wear

Imagine a romantic date in Paris. Would you ever visualize the man in a tux and the woman in her sweats? First impressions, be they of a person or place, stay in our memory much longer than anything else.

This is why couples recall the most intricate details of their first dates or wedding days — because of the way they looked.

Although we are told numerous times to never judge a book by its cover, we all do it. The mismatched outfits and really bad haircuts grab our attention, slapping those who wear them with a label they can never shake.

"There is a saying that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression,” says Joe Tracy, publisher of Online Dating Magazine. "When meeting someone for the first time on a date, it is absolutely vital that you look your best. Part of that is your hygiene and grooming and the other part is the way you are dressed. Even if you aren’t the most attractive person in the world, you can make yourself look 10 times more attractive and appealing simply by the way you dress.”

In today’s fashion-conscious world, taking into consideration your body type and combining it with up-to-date trends for your dating attire may become overwhelming.

Even though the perfect date may be hard to find, following runway trends such as itchy angora, bright metallic belts or tight pants is definitely no way to impress anyone.

"Remember, a little goes a long way. You want your date to go home and remember your beautiful eyes or luscious lips, not your creepy fake fingernails or gaudy gold bracelets,” explains Kim Lance, associate publisher of the magazine.

Dating is not only about chivalry and good hygiene; it’s also about wearing a complimentary outfit that will leave your date speechless. The way we choose to dress is based on the type of people we attract. For example, creative people lean towards the more graphically interesting fabrics and colors while the professional and serious types tend to go for the darker and clean-lines.

"Today the style of dressing for a date is definitely more laid back, but don’t misinterpret that for casual. I always feel that being subtly sexy is a nice way to show your date that you take pride in how you look,” says Amanda Doll, a personal shopper and stylist for Girlshop Inc.

That means dresses with flats for women and blazers with jeans for the men, she says. Avoid sneakers and go with a nice pair of shoes instead.

Keeping your outfit clean and simple will enhance your features and boost your confidence, getting people to notice you. Feeling confident and secure in what you wear reflects in your personality and makes all the difference. When you are meeting someone for the first time or getting to know them, you want to make sure you are giving off all the right vibes.

"The reason you want to dress to impress your date — aside from appeal — is that you want to show that you care. You took some time to choose an outfit, the date is something special,” explains Lucia M. Tait, a product information specialist for VIVRE.

“Don’t overdo it, dress for the occasion and plan ahead,” Tait says.

Some cool Health Tips

2009-12-05T19:44:00.000-08:00

Health tips

Healthy Hair:

o Use a mild shampoo and use it twice or at the most thrice weekly
o Condition only if required
o Massage the scalp with oil
o Natural good quality oil with almond as an ingredient is helpful

Healthy Face Skin:

o Face is sensitive, it requires washing many times a day, not necessarily with soap each time
o Rinsing your eyes is required if irritation occurs
o Creams are a must in the winter season.
o Lip balms are indispensable, since it is important to make sure you are crack free (specially in wintry conditions)

Habits for a Healthy Body:

o Bathing once thoroughly with soap a day is a must, the second time on a given day don't use soap too much
o Keep your nails (hands & legs) trimmed.
o Don't touch any part of your body after dirtying your hands via various ways.

Healthy Teeth:

o Brush at least twice daily, once in the morning and before retiring to bed, the latter should not be forgotten at any cost
o Gargle after having beverages of any sort
o Avoid chocolates and drinks, same goes for cigarettes

To prevent yourself from common cold, make it a point to dry your hair completely after shower, don't wet yourself in the rains, and don't stay in air conditioned rooms for prolonged periods of time. AC can prove to be harmful to skin too. Skin dryness is the possible cause and to prevent that use some kind of ointment before entering an AC room.

Always bear in mind ‘Health is wealth'. Best of all, these ideas are nearly free of cost.

How to Express yourself In Love (Romantic Ideas)

2009-12-05T19:42:00.000-08:00

Some people are born romantics and, when you see such people effortlessly being romantic and loving, it's common to wonder why you can't be like that with your own partner. The fact is though, that very few people are naturally romantic, it is rather a result of practice on their behalf. They have simply taken the time and made the effort to find out what their partner wants, and then found interesting and exciting ways to deliver it.

You should aim for lots of little gestures, made on a regular basis, rather than focusing on sparse, grand gestures. If you can afford to do both, that's great, but you may be pleasantly surprised at just how much the little things mean to your partner. It is all about demonstrating that you care, that you want your partner to feel special, and that you are in love with your partner.

If you are not entirely sure what your partner wants, you may need to try different things at first. If you are short on ideas for ways to demonstrate your affection, try some of the following suggestions:

-Send a text message saying how much you love them
-Write and post a letter to them
-Send a romantic email and attach your favorite picture of the two of you
-Give compliments each and every time you see each other
-Always kiss them before you leave and when you return
-Kiss your partner when they are least expecting it
-Give them hugs and affectionate squeezes
-Hold hands while walking together
-Leave love notes lying around
-Phone your partner for no other reason than to say you love them
-Cook and serve a candlelit dinner
-Arrange to have an intimate lunch together
-Send your partner flowers
-Write a romantic poem and read it to your partner
-Write a list of the reasons why you love your partner and stick it on their bedroom wall
-Learn some massage techniques to use on your partner
-Call last thing at night to wish them sweet dreams

There are of course other things that you could do, but those ideas listed above are more than enough, so long as you follow them through and put your heart into them. By implementing even a few of them, your partner will be in no doubt as to how your feelings towards them. Also, remember, that affection returns affection, so, by starting to be affectionate and romantic yourself, your partner will soon starting responding to you in the same way. Soon enough, you will be romantic bliss!

Amazing Fact hope u dont know much of them

2009-12-05T19:41:00.001-08:00

The word "queue" is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed.
Beetles taste like apples, wasps like pine nuts, and worms like fried bacon.
Of all the words in the English language, the word 'set' has the most definitions!
"Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.
"Rhythm" is the longest English word without a vowel.
In 1386, a pig in France was executed by public hanging for the murder of a child
A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off!
Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete.
You can't kill yourself by holding your breath.
There is a city called Rome on every continent.
It's against the law to have a pet dog in Iceland!
Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day!
Horatio Nelson, one of England's most illustrious admirals was throughout his life, never able to find a cure for his sea-sickness.
The skeleton of Jeremy Bentham is present at all important meetings of the University of London.
Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.
Your ribs move about 5 million times a year, everytime you breathe!
The elephant is the only mammal that can't jump!
One quarter of the bones in your body, are in your feet!
Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different!
The first known transfusion of blood was performed as early as 1667, when Jean-Baptiste, transfused two pints of blood from a sheep to a young man.
Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails!
Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin!
The present population of 5 billion plus people of the world is predicted to become 15 billion by 2080.
A Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian, and had only ONE testicle.
Honey is the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible.
Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a "Friday the 13th."
Coca-Cola would be green if colouring weren't added to it.
On average a hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minute.
More people are killed each year from bees than from snakes.
The average lead pencil will draw a line 35 miles long or write approximately 50,000 English words.
More people are allergic to cow's milk than any other food.
Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand.
The placement of a donkey's eyes in its' heads enables it to see all four feet at all times!
The six official languages of the United Nations are: English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.
Earth is the only planet not named after a god.
It's against the law to burp, or sneeze in a church in Nebraska, USA.
You're born with 300 bones, but by the time you become an adult, you only have 206.
Some worms will eat themselves if they can't find any food!
Dolphins sleep with one eye open!
It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open
The worlds oldest piece of chewing gum is 9000 years old!
The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds.
Queen Elizabeth I regarded herself as a paragon of cleanliness. She declared that she bathed once every three months, whether she needed it or not
Slugs have 4 noses.
Owls are the only birds who can see the colour blue.
A man named Charles Osborne had the hiccups for 69 years!
A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue!
The average person laughs 10 times a day!

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain

Your Signature Tells About you

2009-12-05T19:40:00.000-08:00

The various types of Signatures you come across & the
attitude of a person are listed below:

# SINGLE UNDERLINE BELOW THE SIGN!!

These persons are very confident and are good
personalities. They are a little bit selfish but
believe in "Happiness of human life"

# TWO DOTS BELOW THE SIGN!!

These persons are considered to be Romantic, can
easily change their fiancÃ¯Â¿Â½es as if they change their
clothes. They prefer beauty in other persons & they
themselves try to look beautiful. They easily attract
others.

# SINGLE DOT BELOW THE SIGN!

These persons are more inclined towards classical
arts, simple & are verycool. If you loose faith with
them, then these persons will never look back
at you. Hence its always better to be careful with
these people.

# NO UNDERLINES OR DOTS BELOW THE SIGN!!

These persons enjoy their life in their own way, never
pay attention to others views. These are considered to
be good natured but are selfish too.

# RANDOM SIGN, NO SIMILARITY BETWEEN NAME & SIGN!!

These persons try to be very smart, hide each & every
matter, never say anything in straight forward manner,
never pay attention to the other person of what he is
talking of.

# RANDOM SIGN, SIMILARITY BETWEEN NAME & SIGN!!

These persons are considered to be intelligent but
never think. These people change their ideas & views as
fast as the wind changes its direction of flow. They
never think whether that particular thing is right or
wrong.

You can win them just by flattering them.

# SIGN IN PRINTED LETTERS!!

These persons are very kind to us, have a good heart,
selfless, are ready to sacrifice their life for the
sake of their near & dear. But these seem to think a
lot and may get angry very soon.

# WRITING COMPLETE NAME AS THEIR SIGN!!

These persons are very kind hearted, can adjust
themselves to any environment & to the person they are
talking. These persons are very firm on their views &
posses a lot of will power.

Check your personality by undressing yourself

2009-12-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

1) If you throw your clothes all over the place, you are a friendly, life-of-the- party type. You are free with your thoughts and opinions, not caring much about what others think of you. Your parents might think your room looks like a cyclone hit it? But it actually represents your happy, individualistic nature!

2) If you remove each piece of clothing and put it away carefully, you are a serious person who likes her life to be very calm. You are comfortable with routine, and you believe that the best way to deal with life's problems is to prevent them in the first place. You are a perfectionist. By nature you are quite shy. You are bservant and you know more about some people than they think, just because you've watched them. You are dependable and sometimes intense. You think carefully before making decisions. You go about your tasks methodically, with concentration. You know how to pay attention.

3) If you take off the shirt, and ten minutes later get around to the pants, you are an extremely self-confident person. You are naturally bright and intellectual. You are also a deep thinker who loves to ask questions and ponder the meaning of things. You hate being rushed and you do not like to be hassled. Usually you like a lot of free time for yourself.

4) If you get out of your clothes as quickly as possible, you are concerned about others and what they expect from you, but you're worried about your own needs. You are family-oriented, and stay extremely busy. You often feel stressed, but most of those heavy expectations come from your own head! Give yourself a break; you don't have to be perfect.

5) If you take off your rings, earrings, necklace, watch, etcetera before anything else, you are a warm and sensitive person. You are considerate and thoughtful, and you give good advice to your friends. You are a natural born romantic.

6) If you don't have an undressing routine and you never do it the same way twice, you are a very curious and interesting person. You enjoy a broad range of activities. You take risks and enjoy fun and adventure. You are very social.

Check how sexy your name is

2009-12-05T19:37:00.000-08:00

Add the letters in your first name using the numbers below and check them from the following points.

• Under 60 points = Not too sexy
• From 61-300 points = Pretty sexy
• Over 301-599 points = VERY sexy!!!
• Beyond 600 = beyond Very very very sexy!!!!

A=100, B=14, C=9, D=28, E=145, F=12
G=3, H=10, I=200, J=100, K=114, L=100, M=25
N=450, O=80, P=2, Q=12, R=400, S=113, T=405
U=11, V=10, W=10, X=3, Y=210, Z=23

When you have done and calculated it, others if how sexy your name is.

Vastu and Feng-shui Tips

2009-12-05T19:36:00.000-08:00

SOME USEFUL TIPS BASED ON VASTU AND FENG-SHUI

1. Allow a bright light on the main door.

2. It is best to leave only maximum 5 door open.

3. Avoid keeping a T.V. set in bed-room.

4. Avoid keeping any water feature or plants in the bed room.

5. Do not use seperate mattresses and bed-sheet.

6. Arrange the furniture to from a square or a circle or an octagon in.

7. Brighten the corners.

8. Place a picture of bright sunrise on southern wall in living room.

9. The wind should come from south-west in the bed room.

10. Dining-room should not expose to the front door of your house.

11. Never put mirror in kitchen.

12. Keep the broom and mops out of the sight in kitchen.

13. Keep the bathroom and toilet door closed as much as possible.

14. Windows should open outward normally.

15. Do not keep prickly cactus, plants in the house.

16. Place an aquarium in the sourh-east corner in living room.

17. Place a happy family picture in living room.

18. Please check there aren't grown very high trees like Bangan, Pipal, Thornytrees.

19. Please check the gate of the lift is not in front of the main gate of the house.

20. There should not be any room which has shape.

21. There should not be obstructive houses surrounding your plot.

22. The house should be fully airy and has enough water resource.

23. The seat in the latrin should be NORTH-SOUTH.

24. In the office, sit facing the door.

25. Hang a picture of mountains behind you in the office.

26. Place the computer on your right side on the table.

27. A ladder to go up stair curved on the right side should be devided in to two parts.
It should be constructed leaving north-east or south-west direction.
Ladders stepping down towards north or west creates waste of Lakshmi.

28. One should never hoard stale food, withered flowers, torn clothes, waste paper, waste materials, empty tins, old jars and useless things.
These things prevents Lakshmi from entering the house.

29 If there is marble flooring in the house you should see that the old leather shoes are not lying here and there.
Marble is considered to be holy stone. If possible avoid marble in bedroom, bathroom, latrine.

30. In a place of worship in the house it is necessary to have open atmosphere. Use marble in the worshiproom.
Take care that there is enough light and air. Latrine should not be near worship room. keep cleanliness and always light insense sticks.

Cool Tips to make an Dating Site Profile

2009-12-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered why some of your single friends seem to get more matches through online dating than you? (We're not talking about your friends who physically resemble Brad and Angelina here.) You are all of a similar standard in the looks department, but some of them just keep getting the matches. Perhaps you need to overhaul your online dating profile. Check these tips below to ensure that your online dating profile is as good as it can be:

Sell yourself up. You should never forget that your online dating profile is pretty much an advertisement for yourself. There is no point downplaying your attributes. Demonstrate your best features in a positive light. Would you purchase a car that had an uninspiring ad?

Show individuality. Don't be afraid to stand out from the rest of the online dating singles. People get bored reading the same descriptions over and over. Make an effort to give different answers to others. Bland and safe answers are boring answers and you will not catch any one's attention by playing it safe.

Select an appropriate name. This is a really important point that many singles overlook when online dating. Single guys should note that girls do not think that any kind of dating name that has overly sexual connotations is clever or appealing. Everyone gets the names with 69 in them, no they are not clever, and most girls find them a turn off. If you can't think of anything original, or everything you can think of is taken, opt for your porn star name. Your porn star name is the name of your first pet and the name of your first street that you lived in. Play around with those name combinations until you find something you like.

Display a photo. Surveys show over and over that other singles will not date you if they cannot see what you look like. This makes sense since approximately 90% of initial attraction is based upon appearances. Other online dating singles want to see what you look like now, not 10 years and 10 kilos ago. Ensure that your online photo is as flattering as it can be. If you have great features make sure that they are well displayed in the photo.

Be honest. There is no point lying about your age and your hobbies. You are only wasting your time and everyone else's. Be honest about what sort of relationship you are seeking. There are plenty of singles in online dating for all types of encounters. If you are not interested in long term relationships tick one of the other boxes. Being honest on your profile gives you a much higher chance of finding someone that you are genuinely going to have things in common with.

Don't appear desperate. You may be desperate and dateless. You may feel that you are hopeless. You may have been single for a while. However, your online dating profile is no place to display those thoughts. No one likes misery. The more desperate you appear, the less singles you will attract. The trick to online dating is to appear happy and carefree.

Spend some time and thought on your online dating profile. Your online dating profile is definitely not the place for 'near enough is good enough'. Your online dating profile is the equivalent of you walking into a singles club. Would you go there looking less than your best? Eye catching online dating profiles do grab the attention of online dating singles. Overhaul your profile now.

How to Save Money Some Cool Tips

2009-12-05T19:32:00.000-08:00

To better manage your money, here comes some tips:

First, set your goal in short-term and long-term. There must be something you want in desperation, like a car, a macbook. You will figure out what to cut to have your dream come true. Yes, you are not really saving money here, but you find the ways.

Second, make a budget and prioritize your spending. Track your monthly expenses and calculate the average for your regular payments (Rent, Phone Bills, utilities, gas etc.). Shopping and entertainment may change from month to month, set a minimum. When you have a total spending plan for the next month, save all the surplus for investment or open a savings account.

Third and the smarter way, when you have to buy something, find a cheap one. Actually this is easy because you are online. DO NOT save your cable expense.

The Internet has changed our way of life: Users get greater access to information than ever before. It also offers many opportunities for saving money. As online shopping has become more and more popular, businesses have been pressured into not only maintaining an online presence, but also competing for a thriving global consumer base. Online deals and specials are powerful persuasion for potential customers, and are therefore used by many retailers. If you know where to look, you can find many ways to save money online, such as traditional coupons that you can print out and carry with you, and online coupons that use links or coupon codes to save you money.

There are two ways applying the discount for online stores: linked coupons and coupon codes With a linked coupon, you simply click on the link, and it takes you to the online store via a special URL; then when you finish the shopping, your savings will be applied to your shopping cart automatically. A coupon code is a special code you will need to enter when you check out. Because online stores depend on online coupons and promotions to boost sales, these codes are very easy to find. There are many websites dedicated to listing current online coupons and coupon codes. Most of these sites offer a search feature to help you find exactly what you're looking for.

Hair style that suits to You

2009-12-05T19:26:00.000-08:00

When you begin to search for that perfect long hairstyle, medium hairstyle or short hairstyle that will compliment your features you will first have to decide what shape your face is, the type of hair you now have, and of course your own unique personality. If you only go by the shape of your face and ignore your own personality then you may not be very happy with the outcome.

The basic face shapes include oval, rectangular or oblong, round, square, heart, triangular and diamond. To determine what your face shape is you will need to first measure your face crosswise the top of your cheekbones, next measure your jaw line from the fullest point to the fullest point crosswise, next measure your forehead crosswise, and last measure from your hairline to the bottom of your chin. Remember to write down each measurement as you go.

You should be able to tell with these measurements, which shape face you have. Now, on to deciding which hairstyle looks the best with your face shape.

Oval: An oval face shape gives you the opportunity to wear practically any hairstyle from long hairstyles to medium hairstyles to short hairstyles. Now this is where your personality kicks in. According to the activities that you enjoy you may wish to wear your hair shorter instead of pulling it back to enjoy participating in sports or keeping your hair out of the way for most activities. To get an example of celebrities with oval shape faces and the variety of hairstyles that look great on them take a look at Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, and Mariah Carey.

Rectangular or Oblong: If your face shape is rectangular or oblong your best bet would be short hairstyles or medium hairstyles. Bangs will do wonders for giving your face a softer and more gentler look. Celebrities with rectangular faces include Kirstie Alley, Stephanie Seymour and Janet Jackson.
A round face should wear short hairstyles that sweep back away from the face, adds more fullness and height at the crown. Kate Winslet, Christina Ricci, and Drew Barrymore all have round faces and look great with a variety of hairstyles.

Square: Square face shapes should wear short hairstyles to medium hairstyles and should stay away from straight long hairstyles. Celebrities with square shape faces include Demi Moore, Sandra Bullock and Holly Marie Combs.

Heart: Heart shape faces should wear hairstyles that are either chin length or long hairstyles and short hairstyles should be avoided. Michelle Pfeiffer, Lucy Lawless, and Claudia Schiffer all belong in the heart shape face club.

Triangular: If you have a triangular shape face then this is the exact opposite of the heart shape face. You should wear short hairstyles. Kathy Ireland is a great example of a celebrity with a triangular shaped face.
The diamond shape face is as great to have as an oval. You can wear short hairstyles, medium hairstyles and long hairstyles and look absolutely gorgeous. Examples of this include celebrities such as Sophia Loren, Katherine Hepburn, and Linda Evangelista.

Women have the desire to have their hair looking gorgeous each and every day and that is why female consumers spend billions of dollars each year buying hairstyling products. When you begin to search for that perfect long hairstyles, medium hairstyles or short hairstyles that will compliment your features you will first have to decide what shape your face is, the type of hair you now have, and of course your own unique personality.

How to be a charmistic and fabulas personality

2009-02-09T19:49:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed how some people captivate everyone they speak to? No matter what they look like or how much money they have, they can walk into a room and instantly be the center of attention. When they leave, people think highly of them and want to emulate them. That’s charisma, a sort of magnetism that inspires confidence and adoration.

Like beauty, luck, and social position, charisma can open many doors in life. Unlike these other qualities, anyone can become more charismatic.

Improve your posture. Good posture will give the impression of self confidence (even if you don’t feel that way on the inside). While walking, maintain a relaxed yet definitive upright posture: spine long, shoulders back, head level with the ground. This may feel awkward or overpowering to you when you first practice it, but keep trying.
Relax the muscles in your face to the point where you have a natural, pleasant expression permanently engraved there. Face the world and show everyone you’re not afraid.
Make a connection. When your eyes come in contact with another person’s, nod and smile subtly with a subdued joy shining forth. Don’t worry about the other person’s reaction and don’t overdo it.
Remember people’s names when you meet them for the first time. This takes an enormous amount of effort for most people. Repeat the person’s name when stating your name to that person will help you to remember it better. For example: “Hi Jack, I’m Wendy.” Follow through with small talk and repeat the person’s name. Repeat it once more when you say goodbye. It’s not just about helping you to remember that person. The more you say a person’s name, the more that person will feel that you like them and the greater the chance they’ll warm up to you.
Be interested in people. If you meet a new acquaintance, for example a coworker, a classmate, a friend of a friend, etc. find out about their immediate family and interests. Be sure to ask after the names of family members and remember them. Be careful in that subject though you don’t want to be nosy. If you ask too much they will become uncomfortable. Also ask after their particular interests in life. These two topics will ensure much better small talk than just harping on about school or work. Most people don’t like to think about those things at social occasions unless they have to. Even if it is about networking, you should understand fully the worth of taking a break from talking shop. It is important to refrain from talking up about yourself. Be purely interested and impressed by the person with whom you are speaking.
Orient topics toward the audience. This means taking into account topics that interest those around you, even if you are not so keen on them. If you are in a sporty crowd, talk about last night’s game or the meteoric rise of a new team. If you are amongst a group of hobbyists, draw out their hobbies and make remarks related to fishing, knitting, mountain climbing, movies, etc. Nobody expects you to be an expert. It is your level of interest and willingness to engage in topics that makes you an interesting person to be around. Exercise an open mind. Let others do the explaining. If someone mistakenly thinks you know more about the topic, be genuine and simply say that your knowledge is limited but that you are hoping to learn more about it.
Praise others instead of gossiping. If you are talking with someone or you are talking in a group of people, and up pops the subject of another person in a positive or negative way, be the one to mention something you like about that person. Hearsay is the most powerful tool in gaining charm because it is always viewed as 100% sincere. It has the added benefit of creating trust in you. The idea will spread that you never have a bad word to say about anyone. Everyone will know that their reputation is safe with you.
Don’t Lie. A lie is something you say for which there is some direct evidence somewhere out there that contradicts it. If you tell Mary that you like Jane and Billy that you don’t like Jane, Mary and Billy will talk and your reputation will be ruined. No one will believe a word you say.
Issue compliments generously, especially to raise others’ self esteem. Try to pick out something that you appreciate in any situation and verbally express that appreciation. If you like something or someone, find a creative way to say it and say it immediately. If you wait too long, it may be viewed as insincere and badly timed, especially if others have beaten you to it. If you notice that someone is putting a lot of effort into something, compliment it, even if you feel that there is room for improvement. If you notice that someone has changed something about themselves haircut, manner of dress) notice it, and point out something you like about it. If you are asked directly, be charming and deflect the question with a very general compliment.
Be gracious in accepting compliments. Get out of the habit of assuming that the compliment is being given without genuine intent. Even when someone makes a compliment out of contempt, there is always a germ of jealous truth hiding in their own heart. Be effusive in accepting the compliment. Go beyond a mere “thank you” and enjoin this with “I’m glad you like it” or “It is so kind of you to have noticed.” These are “compliments in return.” Avoid backhanding a compliment. There is nothing worse to a person complimenting than to receive the response “Oh well I wish I was as ______ as you/that situation.” That is tantamount to saying, “No, I am not what you are saying I am, and your judgment is wrong.”
Control your tone of voice. The tone of your voice is crucial. Most people feel insecure somewhere inside and have an inability to accept praise. For this very reason, when you praise, do it subtly and glibly. When you say, “you look nice today” it should be in the exact same tone that you would use to say “it’s a nice day.” Any variation from your normal tone will arouse suspicion about your sincerity. Practice giving compliments into a recorder and play it back. Does it sound sincere? Practice until you get it right.. It might not sound right to you, in that case, ask someone for judgement.

Tips

Developing charisma is an art. The general guidelines above can help you be more charismatic, but your charisma must come from within you and must reflect you as an individual or it will appear fake. Fortunately, everyone has the ability to be charismatic, and it simply needs to be coaxed out. Practice and take note of what works and what needs improvement.
Don’t mimic others. People with well developed charisma have a remarkable ability not only to sway people’s opinions but also to cause others to emulate their personalities and even gestures. At the same time, however, research has shown that charismatic people do not emulate other charismatic people. Their individuality sets them apart.
Have a message. Don’t be afraid to be controversial, to push the envelope. If you believe in something or feel strongly about it, communicate that in a respectful way. Your charisma will help people be accepting of your ideas.

Tips to motivate yourself for excersize

2009-02-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

You know you need to work out, but you’re having trouble getting up the enthusiasm. How do you find motivation to exercise when you just don’t feel like getting off your butt? I ask myself this question every now and then, and I have the feeling I’m not the only one.

There are a million ways to motivate yourself to exercise, actually, but these are a few that have worked for me.

Have fun. If you hate running, don’t go to the track for exercise. Find something you like. The list of different kinds of exercises are nearly endless. The only really important thing is to get your body moving and your heart rate up.
How you feel after a workout. I always feel great after a good workout. It’s a high. And I let that motivate me the next time.
Calories burned. If you count calories (and it’s really one of the most effective ways to lose weight), you know that the more you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the bigger your calorie deficit.
How you’re going to look. Imagine a slimmer, fitter you. Now let that visualization drive you.
Change it up. Even if you have a routine you enjoy, mix it up from time to time. Try entirely different exercises. You can check out a tape at the library and try yoga or kick boxing for an afternoon. This will not only keep you interested, it will break your muscles out of their routine and help produce better results.
Get a buddy. Exercising with a friend introduces a positive kind of peer pressure. You will be more likely to go to the gym if you know someone is waiting there for you. Talking and laughing while exercising will also keep you from being bored.
An exercise log/graph. For some reason, writing it down is extremely important. Really. Do it for a week and you’ll see what I mean.
Get appropriate clothing. If you don’t have the appropriate clothes for the excercise, it can be irritating, uncomfortable, frustrating, or even unsafe. If you exercise outside after dusk, be sure you have reflective clothing to prevent traffic accidents. Also be sure the clothing looks nice; if you don’t like the way your clothing looks, you may feel uncomfortable, and less likely to exercise.
Pack Ahead of Time: An iPod, athletic shoes, a towel… whatever. Walking around the house trying to find stuff is a good time to lose your resolve. Put everything together in your gym bag. When you finish working out, take out things that need to be laundered and replace them immediately.
Have a Goal. What do you want to achieve? Make it specific, make it meaningful, make it obtainable. Be sure to have short-term benchmarks along the way. It’s OK to change your goals if the original plan doesn’t work, but have a goal. Regularly evaluate how you are doing on your goals.
Success stories. I find the success stories of others incredibly inspirational. If a fitness website has success stories, I’ll almost always read them.
Reward Yourself. Have a healthy reward when you reach a goal. Buy yourself that cute pair of bike shorts. Go for a weekend hiking tri. Soak in the sauna for your “workout” that day. Buy a new yoga video. Whatever works for you to celebrate in line with your healthy lifestyle!

The best way to Improve your posture

2009-02-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

Are you worried about looking like a hunchback? Here’s a pain free and effective method for safely assuming a ‘correct’ posture and improving muscle tone.

As a great side benefit, it would improve your self esteem and attitude! You will appear and feel more confident which improves your attitude and mood!

Know what good posture is believed to be. Most people think that to “stand up straight” means tensing your back to heave your chest ‘in and up’, and pulling your head back in to your chest. This is not so. The spine has two natural curves that you need to maintain called the ‘double C’ or ‘S’ curves, these are the curves found from the base of your head to your shoulders and the curve from the upper back to the base of the spine. When standing straight up, make sure that your weight is evenly distributed on your feet. You might feel like you are leaning forward, and look stupid, but you don’t. [This needs an image]
Using a mirror, align your ears, shoulders, and hips. [This needs an image] Proper alignment places your ears loosely above your shoulders, above your hips. Again, these points make a straight line, but the spine itself curves in a slight ‘S’. You’ll find that this doesn’t hurt at all. If you do experience pain, look at your side view in a mirror to see if you’re forcing your back into an unnatural position. If so, stop it!
Do exercises that strengthen the muscles across your upper back and shoulders. These do not have to be strenuous! Try the following, with or without hand weights:
- Align your ears over your shoulders. Raise both arms straight up, alongside your ears. Remember to keep your ears aligned! Bend forearms toward shoulders to touch your shoulder blades. Do 10 repetitions with both arms, then alternate 10 reps for each arm singularly.
- Align ears with shoulders. Raise both arms out to sides at shoulder length. Hold for a slow count of ten. Slowly lower arms to sides, counting ten as you lower. Slowly raise arms back to shoulder height, counting to ten as you raise arms. Do ten reps, constantly checking your alignment! If ten reps are too many to start, do as many as you can. You should at least feel a slight fatigue in the shoulder muscles.
- Be a penguin. While you wait for a web page to load, toast to pop, or the microwave to beep, place elbows at your side, and touch your shoulders with your hands. Keeping your hands on your shoulders, and your ears aligned, raise both elbows (count one, two) and lower them back to your waist (count one, two). Do as many reps as your wait allows. You’ll be surprised how much exercise fits into 30 seconds.
Do stretches. This can greatly help if you find that you have a sore back or neck after a while.
- Tilt (stretch) your head in all four directions over your shoulders (forward, back, left, right), and gently massage your neck. Avoid rolling in a circle, as it may cause further strain.
- On your hands and knees, curl your back upwards, like a cat, and then the opposite. Think about being able to place a bowl in the hollow of your back.
Repeat the exercises a few times each day. Doing them in the morning helps your body stretch out the muscle lethargy of sleep, and periodically throughout the day helps raise your energy level without a heavy workout.
Doing yoga is also excellent for posture. You can take a class or find a good workout video.

Sitting

Sit in an office chair.
Align your back with the back of the office chair. Avoid slouching or leaning forward, especially when tired from sitting in the office chair for long periods. Keep your shoulders straight.
Flex your arms at a 75 to 90 degree angle at the elbows. You may have to adjust the office chair.
Make sure your neck, back, and heels are all aligned.
Keep both feet flat on the floor. If there’s a problem with feet reaching the floor comfortably, a footrest can be used along with the office chair.

Standing

Stand with weight mostly on the balls of the feet, not with weight on the heels. Avoid locking your knees.
Keep feet slightly apart, about shoulder-width.
Let arms hang naturally down the sides of the body.
Tuck the chin in a little to keep the head level. Be sure the head is square on top of the neck and spine, not pushed out forward
Stand straight and tall, with shoulders upright.
Stand against a wall with shoulders and bottom touching wall. In this position, the back of the head should also touch the wall - if it does not, the head is carried too far forward (anterior head carriage).

Walking

Keep the head up and eyes looking straight ahead. Avoid pushing your head forward.
Keep shoulders properly aligned with the rest of the body.

Carrying Objects

Always bend at the knees, not the waist.
Use the large leg and stomach muscles for lifting, not the lower back.
If necessary, get a supportive belt to help maintain good posture while lifting.
When carrying a heavy or large object, keep it close to the chest.
If carrying something with one arm, switch arms frequently.
When carrying a backpack or purse, keep it as light as possible, and balance the weight on both sides as much as possible, or alternate from side to side.

Driving

Sit with the back firmly against the seat for proper back support. The seat should be a proper distance from the pedals and steering wheel to avoid leaning forward or reaching.
The headrest should support the middle of the head to keep it upright. Tilt the headrest forward if possible to make sure that the head-to-headrest distance is not more than four inches.

Sleeping

A relatively firm mattress is generally best for proper back support, although individual preference is very important.
Sleeping on the side or back is usually more comfortable for the back than sleeping on the stomach.
Use a pillow to provide proper support and alignment for the head and shoulders.
Consider putting a rolled-up towel under the neck and a pillow under the knees to better support the spine.
If sleeping on the side, a relatively flat pillow placed between the legs will help keep the spine aligned and straight.

A great side benefit of keeping your head straight, and your ears/shoulders/hips aligned is an improvement in your self-esteem and attitude. If you walk with your head up, you appear more confident, and feel more confident, which improves your attitude and mood, making it easier to walk with your head up.

The way to find free time for you

2009-02-09T19:38:00.000-08:00

Are there a hundred different things you wish you could do with your life someday — anything from exercising to meditation or yoga to writing that novel you always wished you could write to reading more to relaxing and watching the sunrise? But perhaps you never have the time, like most people.

The truth is, we all have the same amount of time, and it’s finite and in great demand. But some of us have made the time for doing the things we love doing, and others have allowed the constant demands and pressures and responsibilities of life to dictate their days.

It’s time to move from the second group back into the first. Reclaim your time. Create the life you want and make the most of the free time you lay claim to. It’s not hard, though it does take a little bit of effort and diligence.

Not all of these will be applicable to your life — choose the ones you can apply and give them a try:

Take a time out. Freeing up your time starts with taking a step back to take a good look at your life. You need to block off at least an hour. Several hours or half a day is better. A whole day would be awesome. A weekend would be even more ideal, though not necessary practical for many folks. With this block of time, take a look at your life with some perspective. Is it what you’ve always wanted? How would you get to where you’ve always wanted to be? What do you enjoy doing, but don’t have enough time to do? What things actually fill up your day? Are there things you could drop or minimize to make more time? We’ll look at some of these things in the following items, but it starts with taking a time out to think and plan.
Find your essentials. What is it that you love to do? Make a short list of 4-5 things. These are the things you want to make room for.
Find your time-wasters. What do you spend a lot of your time on that isn’t on your essential list? Take a close look at these things and really think about whether they’re necessary, or if there are ways to reduce, minimize or eliminate these things. Sometimes you do things because you assume they’re necessary, but if you give it some thought you can find ways to drop them from your life. Figure out what you do simply to waste time — maybe surfing certain sites, watching TV, talking a lot at the water cooler, etc. You’re going to want to minimize these time-wasters to make room for the more important stuff, the stuff that makes you happy and that you love to do.
Schedule the time. As you sit down and think about your life and what you want to do, versus what you actually do, you will be looking at ways to free up time. It’s crucial that you take a blank weekly schedule (you can just write it out on a piece of paper, or use your calendar) and assign blocks for the things you love — the stuff on your essentials list. If you want to exercise, for example, when will you do it? Put the blocks of time on your schedule, and make these blocks the most important appointments of your week. Schedule the rest of your life around these blocks.
Consolidate. There are many things you do, scattered throughout your day or your week, that you might be able to consolidate in order to save time. A good example is errands — instead of running one or two a day, do them all in one day to save time and gas. Another example is email, or any kind of communication — batch process your email instead of checking and reading and responding throughout the day. Same thing with meetings, paperwork, anything that you do regularly.
Cut out meetings. This isn’t possible for everyone, but in my experience meetings take up a lot of time to get across a little information, or to make easy decisions that could be made via email or phone. As much as you can, minimize the number of meetings you hold and attend. In some cases this might mean talking to your boss and telling her that you have other priorities, and asking to be excused. In other cases this might mean asking the people holding the meeting if you can get the info in other ways. If so, you’ve saved yourself an hour or so per meeting (sometimes more).
De clutter your schedule. If you have a heavily packed schedule, full of meetings and errands and tasks and projects and appointments, you’re going to want to weed it out so that it’s not so jam-packed. Find the stuff that’s not so essential and cancel them. Postpone other stuff. Leave big blank spaces in your schedule.
Re-think your routine. Often we get stuck in a routine that’s anything but what we really want our days to be like. Is there a better way of doing things? You’re the creator of your life — make a new routine that’s more pleasant, more optimal, more filled with things you love.
Cut back on email. I mentioned email in an earlier point above, regarding consolidating, but it’s such a major part of most people’s lives that it deserves special attention. How often do you check email? How much time do you spend composing emails? If you spend a major part of your work day on email, as many people do (and as I once did), you can free up a lot of time by reducing the time you spend in email. Now, this won’t work for everyone, but it can work for many people: choose 2-3 key times during the day to process your inbox to empty, and keep your responses to 5 sentences.
Learn to say no. If you say “yes” to every request, you will never have any free time. Get super protective about your time, and say “no” to everything but the essential requests.
Keep your list to 3. When you make out your daily to-do list, just list the three Most Important Tasks you want to accomplish today. Don’t make a laundry list of tasks, or you’ll fill up all your free time. By keeping your task list small, but populated only by important tasks, you ensure that you are getting the important stuff done but not overloading yourself.
Do your Biggest Rock first. Of the three Most Important Tasks you choose for the day, pick the biggest one, or the one you’re dreading most, and do that first. Otherwise you’ll put that off as much as possible and fill your day with less important things. Don’t allow yourself to check email until that Big Rock is taken care of. It starts your day with a sense of major accomplishment, and leaves you with a lot of free time the rest of the day, because the most important thing is already done.
Delegate. If you have subordinates or coworkers who can do a task or project, try to delegate it. Don’t feel like you need to do everything yourself. If necessary, spend a little time training the person to whom you’re delegating the task, but that little time spent training will pay off in a lot of time saved later. Delegating allows you to focus on the core tasks and projects you should be focusing on.
Cut out distractions. What is there around your workspace that distracts you from the task at hand? Sometimes it’s visual clutter, or papers lying around that call for your attention and action, or email or IM notifiers on your computer that pop up at the wrong time, or the phone, or coworkers. See if you can eliminate as many of these as possible — the more you can focus, the more effective you’ll be and the less time you’ll waste. That equals time saved for the good stuff.
Disconnect. The biggest of distractions, for most people, is the Internet. My most productive times are when I’m disconnected from the grid. Now, I’m not saying you need to be disconnected all the time, but if you really want to be able to effectively complete tasks, disconnect your Internet so you can really focus. Set certain times of the day for connectivity, and only connect during those periods.
Outsource. If you can’t delegate, see if you can outsource. With the Internet, we can connect with people from all over the world. I’ve outsourced many things, from small tasks to checking email to legal work to design and editing work and more. That allows me to focus on the things I’m best at, the things I love doing, and saves me a lot of time.
Make use of your mornings. I find that mornings are the absolute best times to schedule the things I really want to do. I run, read and write in the mornings — three of the four things on my Essentials List (spending time with family is the other thing on the list). Mornings are great because your day hasn’t been filled with a bunch of unscheduled, demanding, last-minute tasks that will push back those Essentials. For example, if you schedule something for late afternoon, by the time late afternoon rolls around, you might have a dozen other things newly added to your to-do list, and you’ll put off that late-afternoon Essential. Instead, schedule it for the morning, and it’ll rarely (if ever) get pushed back.
The Golden Right-after-work Time. Other than mornings, I find the time just after work to be an incredible time for doing Essential things. Exercise, for example, is great in the 5-o’clock hour, as is spending time with family, or doing anything else relaxing.
Your evenings. The time before you go to bed is also golden, as it exists every single day, and it’s usually completely yours to schedule. What do you want to do with this time? Read? Spend time with your kids? Work on a hobby you’re passionate about? Take advantage of this time.
Lunch breaks. If the three golden times mentioned above don’t work for you, lunch breaks are another good opportunity to schedule things. Some people like to exercise, or to take quiet times, during their lunch breaks. Others use this time to work on an important personal goal or project.

Effect of Negative thinking

2009-02-09T19:33:00.000-08:00

Life could be so much better for many people, if they would just spot their negative thinking habits and replace them with positive ones.

Negative thinking, in all its many-splendored forms, has a way of creeping into conversations and our thinking without our noticing them. The key to success, in my humble opinion, is learning to spot these thoughts and squash them like little bugs. Then replace them with positive ones. You’ll notice a huge difference in everything you do.

Let’s take a look at 10 common ways that negative thinking emerges — get good at spotting these patterns, and practice replacing them with positive thinking patterns. It has made all the difference in the world for me.

10 Deadly Sins of Negative Thinking

1. I will be happy once I have _____ (or once I earn X).

Problem: If you think you can’t be happy until you reach a certain point, or until you reach a certain income, or have a certain type of house or car or computer setup, you’ll never be happy. That elusive goal is always just out of reach. Once we reach those goals, we are not satisfied — we want more.

Solution: Learn to be happy with what you have, where you are, and who you are, right at this moment. Happiness doesn’t have to be some state that we want to get to eventually — it can be found right now. Learn to count your blessings, and see the positive in your situation. This might sound simplistic, but it works.
2. I wish I were as ____ as (a celebrity, friend, co-worker).

Problem: We’ll never be as pretty, as talented, as rich, as sculpted, as cool, as everyone else. There will always be someone better, if you look hard enough. Therefore, if we compare ourselves to others like this, we will always pale, and will always fail, and will always feel bad about ourselves. This is no way to be happy.

Solution: Stop comparing yourself to others, and look instead at yourself — what are your strengths, your accomplishments, your successes, however small? What do you love about yourself? Learn to love who you are, right now, not who you want to become. There is good in each of us, love in each of us, and a wonderful human spirit in every one of us.

3. Seeing others becoming successful makes me jealous and resentful.

Problem: First, this assumes that only a small number of people can be successful. In truth, many, many people can be successful — in different ways.

Solution: Learn to admire the success of others, and learn from it, and be happy for them, by empathizing with them and understanding what it must be like to be them. And then turn away from them, and look at yourself — you can be successful too, in whatever you choose to do. And even more, you already are successful. Look not at those above you in the social ladder, but those below you — there are always millions of people worse off than you, people who couldn’t even read this article or afford a computer. In that light, you are a huge success.

4. I am a miserable failure — I can’t seem to do anything right.

Problem: Everyone is a failure, if you look at it in certain ways. Everyone has failed, many times, at different things. I have certainly failed so many times I cannot count them — and I continue to fail, daily. However, looking at your failures as failures only makes you feel bad about yourself. By thinking in this way, we will have a negative self-image and never move on from here.

Solution: See your successes and ignore your failures. Look back on your life, in the last month, or year, or 5 years. And try to remember your successes. If you have trouble with this, start documenting them — keep a success journal, either in a notebook or online. Document your success each day, or each week. When you look back at what you’ve accomplished, over a year, you will be amazed. It’s an incredibly positive feeling.

5. I’m going to beat so-and-so no matter what — I’m better than him. And there’s no way I’ll help him succeed — he might beat me.

Problem: Competitiveness assumes that there is a small amount of gold to be had, and I need to get it before he does. It makes us into greedy, back-stabbing, hurtful people. We try to claw our way over people to get to success, because of our competitive feelings. For example, if a blogger wants to have more subscribers than another blogger, he may never link to or mention that other blogger. However, who is to say that my subscribers can’t also be yours? People can read and subscribe to more than one blog.

Solution: Learn to see success as something that can be shared, and learn that if we help each other out, we can each have a better chance to be successful. Two people working towards a common goal are better than two people trying to beat each other up to get to that goal. There is more than enough success to go around. Learn to think in terms of abundance rather than scarcity.

6. Dammit! Why do these bad things always happen to me?

Problem: Bad things happen to everybody. If we dwell on them, they will frustrate us and bring us down.

Solution: See bad things as a part of the ebb and flow of life. Suffering is a part of the human condition — but it passes. All pain goes away, eventually. Meanwhile, don’t let it hold you back. Don’t dwell on bad things, but look forward towards something good in your future. And learn to take the bad things in stride, and learn from them. Bad things are actually opportunities to grow and learn and get stronger, in disguise.

7. You can’t do anything right! Why can’t you be like ____ ?

Problem: This can be said to your child or your subordinate or your sibling. The problem? Comparing two people, first of all, is always a fallacy. People are different, with different ways of doing things, different strengths and weaknesses, different human characteristics. If we were all the same, we’d be robots. Second, saying negative things like this to another person never helps the situation. It might make you feel better, and more powerful, but in truth, it hurts your relationship, it will actually make you feel negative, and it will certainly make the other person feel negative and more likely to continue negative behavior. Everyone loses.

Solution: Take the mistakes or bad behavior of others as an opportunity to teach. Show them how to do something. Second, praise them for their positive behavior, and encourage their success. Last, and most important, love them for who they are, and celebrate their differences.

8. Your work sucks. It’s super lame. You are a moron and I hope you never reproduce.

Problem: I’ve actually gotten this comment before. It feels wonderful. However, let’s look at it not from the perspective of the person receiving this kind of comment but from the perspective of the person giving it. How does saying something negative like this help you? I guess it might feel good to vent if you feel like your time has been wasted. But really, how much of your time has been wasted? A few minutes? And whose fault is that? The bloggers or yours? In truth, making negative comments just keeps you in a negative mindset. It’s also not a good way to make friends.

Solution: Learn to offer constructive solutions, first of all. Instead of telling someone their blog sucks, or that a post is lame, offer some specific suggestions for improvement. Help them get better. If you are going to take the time to make a comment, make it worth your time. Second, learn to interact with people in a more positive way — it makes others feel good and it makes you feel better about yourself. And you can make some great friends this way. That’s a good thing.

9. Insulting People Back

Problem: If someone insults you or angers you in some way, insulting them back and continuing your anger only transfers their problem to you. This person was probably having a bad day (or a bad year) and took it out on you for some reason. If you reciprocate, you are now having a bad day too. His problem has become yours. Not only that, but the cycle of insults can get worse and worse until it results in violence or other negative consequences — for both of you.

Solution: Let the insults or negative comments of others slide off you like Teflon. Don’t let their problem become yours. In fact, try to understand their problem more — why would someone say something like that? What problems are they going through? Having a little empathy for someone not only makes you understand that their comment is not about you, but it can make you feel and act in a positive manner towards them — and make you feel better about yourself in the process.

10. I don’t think I can do this — I don’t have enough discipline. Maybe some other time.

Problem: If you don’t think you can do something, you probably won’t. Especially for the big stuff. Discipline has nothing to do with it — motivation and focus has everything to do with it. And if you put stuff off for “some other time”, you’ll never get it done. Negative thinking like this inhibits us from accomplishing anything.

Solution: Turn your thinking around: you can do this! You don’t need discipline. Find ways to make yourself a success at your goal. If you fail, learn from your mistakes, and try again. Instead of putting a goal off for later, start now. And focus on one goal at a time, putting all of your energy into it, and getting as much help from others as you can. You can really move mountains if you start with positive thinking.

Work feel Effortless

2009-02-09T19:28:00.000-08:00

Sometimes work can be a drag. You get caught up in trying to be more productive and suddenly your life turns into a series of to-do lists. You gauge your measure of success by how much you accomplish. You even determine how happy you allow yourself to be by how much you’ve gotten done in the day.

We spend a lot of time trying to find ways to be more productive. To do things faster, better, cheaper and spend our time more effectively. But instead of just doing more in less time, maybe we should focus on actually enjoying the work we’re doing instead.

Here are 8 ways to make work seem like less of a chore and more like a gift:

Follow your natural rhythms. A lot of the time I resent working is because I’m trying to force myself to do something I don’t feel like doing. Naturally there will always be some things you’re not crazy about doing (like cleaning the toilet). But how often do you force yourself to work more, when you really want to relax? When you force yourself to work when you’ve promised yourself a break, you’ll likely just end up distracting yourself with other things and put off working. Then you get stressed and end up resenting work. Instead, follow your natural rhythms. When you feel like working, work. When you don’t, don’t. Don’t over complicate things.
Do, don’t think. I’m going to stay true to this point and not think about writing something elaborate. Just do, stop thinking about it. Fail, make corrections later.
Don’t put sugar in your tank. You wouldn’t put sugar in your gas tank right? It doesn’t make much sense to fill your body up with unhealthy fuel either. If you don’t have the energy to get the work you need to done, work will feel forced.
Remove hidden roadblocks. What’s making you avoid working? What’s making your work seem like drudgery rather than joyful? It might have something to do with your beliefs about yourself. Maybe you believe you’re not good enough, smart enough or don’t have enough experience. Question your beliefs about what you can and can’t do.
Only do your best. Work can easily become a chore when you’re trying to constantly be perfect. The truth is, some of your ideas might not be so great. Others will be mind blowing. If you can accept that and just do your best, you stop judging yourself. Guess what it feels like when you’re no longer picking over everything you do with a fine toothed comb? It feels extremely liberating. It feels like you can actually enjoy your experience, rather than worrying about how everything is going to turn out. That is working effortlessly.
Act from your gut. When you think you have a great idea, believe it. Follow it. Chase it until you’re out of breath and can barely hold yourself up. Because if you don’t trust yourself, you’ll regret it later. The best way to live is to follow your intuition and trust life. If nothing else, trust yourself. Because if you can’t trust yourself, how can you trust your mistrust? That’s not very smart is it?
Focus on what matters. Our minds are constantly pulling us in different directions. We have to wash the cat, buy more apple cinnamon oatmeal, finish writing that resignation letter to your no-longer-boss at your dead-end job, and all sorts of other things. We have a tendency to follow what’s urgent instead of what’s important. In order to get the important things done, we have to be ruthless at removing distractions. If it takes bringing a laptop (or notepad) to a cafe to write your grandiose novel, then do that. Avoid the vacuum of minutiae urgency. Remove all distractions so you can focus on the important things. I would much rather spend 4 hours working on an important project, then 4 hours spinning my wheels and scratching my head trying to figure out what I did today.
Refuse to do what you don’t want to do. I often avoid working because I’m trying to do things I think I “should do.” I think I should read more because it will make me smarter. I think I should buy new clothes because it will make me cooler. I think I should work on this project because it will be good for my resume. Forget what you think you should do (except maybe… paying your rent). Do what you want to do. Other people will understand. In fact, they’ll probably envy you.

Tips to loose your weight

2009-02-09T19:24:00.000-08:00

Anyone who is overweight will testify that losing weight is not as easy as it seems. The people that are lean, or have gone from fat to skinny will say it’s just a matter of motivation and elbow grease. Although it is not as simple as that. Our environments have waged war on us. Their weapons are sedentary lives and trans fats of mass destruction. All is not lost though, here are some quick simple tips to get ahead!

Substitute Water. Our bodies are about 65-70% water. It follows that water would be not only essential, but the best possibly choice of liquids to ingest. In fact, our bodies will sometimes simulate a hunger response, when in reality the body is craving hydration. When hungry, drink a glass or two of water to check if it suppresses your hunger.
Chew Your Food. Chewing our food very slowly and deliberately has several benefits that are often overlooked. It gives us the ability to relax, and enjoy our meal. Slow chewing is the first, and highly important, step in a complex system of digestion. Besides, if we eat slowly, we might feel full before finishing the whole meal, and can leave the rest for the next meal.
Exercise daily. How silly of me to include something as obvious as exercise. I did a 30 day trial with waking up, and walking for 30 minutes first thing in the morning. My journal records that I was feeling amazing during the period of time that I was following this habit.
Publicize your intentions. Start a blog, join a forum, and have other people keep you accountable to help. Tell other people your plan, it would help you get the motivation to go with it!
Create a food schedule. Plan your day so that you’re eating at approximately the same time each day. This scheduling will incorporate itself into your circadian rhythm, and aid in digestion.
Do not over eat. Know your limit and stop eating when you are full. I have often been a victim of wanting to finish a meal so that it doesn’t go to waste. This has left me with many a stomach ache. Next time, doggy bag it for later, and don’t hurt yourself!
Choose your snacks wisely. Put down the Lays® and cheese puffs. Pick up the apple and baby carrots. Make the right decision, I know you can do it.
Lifestyle. Remember, it’s not about special diets, or special exercise programs. The real secret is in turning your health into a lifestyle, and focusing on this healthy lifestyle with every choice you make.

Public Speaking Tips

2008-11-10T06:11:00.000-08:00

Ensure your speech will be captivating to your audience as well as worth their time and attention. Videotape your presentation and analyze it. Emphasize your strong points during your presentation.

Be solemn if your topic is serious. Present the desired image to your audience. Appear relaxed, even if you feel nervous. Establish rapport with your audience. If a microphone is available, adjust and adapt your voice accordingly.

Master the use of presentation software such as PowerPoint well before your presentation. Persuade your audience effectively. Speak loudly and clearly. Sound confident. Maintain sincere eye contact with your audience. If what you have prepared is obviously not getting across to your audience, change your strategy mid-stream if you are well prepared to do so. Allow yourself and your audience a little time to reflect and think. Keep audience interested throughout your entire presentation. Remember that an interesting speech makes time fly, but a boring speech is always too long to endure even if the presentation time is the same.

Check out the location ahead of time to ensure seating arrangements for audience, whiteboard, blackboard, lighting, location of projection screen, sound system, etc. are suitable for your presentation.

Tell audience ahead of time that you will be giving out an outline of your presentation so that they will not waste time taking unnecessary notes during your presentation.

Here are just a few hints, public speaking tips and techniques to help you develop your skills and become far more effective as a public speaker.

Mistakes
Mistakes are all right.
Recovering from mistakes makes you appear more human.
Good recovery puts your audience at ease - they identify with you more.
How to use the public speaking environment
Try not to get stuck in one place.
Use all the space that's available to you.
Move around.
One way to do this is to leave your notes in one place and move to another.
If your space is confined (say a meeting room or even presenting at a table) use stronger body language to convey your message.
Tell stories
Stories make you a real person not just a deliverer of information.
Use personal experiences to bring your material to life.
No matter how dry your material is, you can always find a way to humanise it.
Technology
Speak to your audience not your slides.
Your slides are there to support you not the other way around.
Ideally, slides should be graphics and not words (people read faster than they hear and will be impatient for you to get to the next point).
If all the technology on offer fails, it's still you they've come to hear.
Humour
Tell jokes if you're good at telling jokes.
If you aren't good, best to leave the jokes behind.
There's nothing worse than a punch line that has no punch.
Gentle humour is good in place of jokes.
Self-deprecation is good, but try not to lay it on too thick.

You can learn to enjoy public speaking and become far more effective at standing in front of a group of people and delivering a potent message.

And remember to keep practicing!

Get a great body in 5 steps

2008-11-10T06:10:00.000-08:00

Here are some interesting exercises that can be done at home easily without any equipment. Also you can do it wherever you want!

Do one to three sets of each exercise, with eight to 15 repetitions per set.

Step 1: The warm up

Leg lifts: Stand with your feet apart at hip width. Place your hands on your hips. Bend both knees slightly and shift most of your weight onto your left leg.

Keeping your knee slightly bent, lift your right leg up and out to the side, about six inches. Lower to the original position. Repeat with the right leg, then with the left.

Arm curls: Use hand weights or dumbbells. Hold a weight in each hand, arms at your sides, palms facing forward.

Stand with your feet apart at hip width, knees slightly bent. Curl the weights up to your shoulders, then lower to the original position.

Step 2: Stretch exercises

Hamstring stretch: Lie on the floor and stretch your legs. Raise your left leg, using a towel to assist, until you feel the tension in your hamstring. Hold. Repeat on other side.

Inner thigh stretches: Sit on floor; place the soles of your feet together. Drop your knees toward floor. Gradually, lower your torso towards the floor until you feel a gentle tension in your inner thighs. Release.

Modified hurdler: Sit on floor, right leg extended, left foot against the right knee. Lower your torso and reach for your ankle until your hamstring feels tight. Repeat on other side.

Step 3: Floor exercises

Crunches: Lie on the floor with your feet hip width apart. Cradle your head in your hands without lacing your fingers together and with your elbows pointed slightly inward.

Tilt your chin a little bit toward your chest and pull your abdominal muscles in. Exhale through your mouth as you curl your head, neck and shoulders up off the floor. Hold this position for a moment, then inhale as you return to your original position.

Squats: Stand tall with your feet apart at hip width, with your weight slightly back on your heels. Place your hands on your hips. Sit back and down as if you're sitting into a chair directly behind you. Lower as far as you can without leaning your upper body more than a few inches forward (this depends on your flexibility and your build).

If you can bend your knees far enough so that your thighs are parallel to the floor, stop. Don't allow your knees to travel out in front of your toes. Once you feel your upper body fold forward over your thighs, straighten your legs and stand up. Take care not to lock your knees as you complete the movement.

Push-ups: Lie on your stomach. Bend your knees and cross your ankles. Bend your elbows and place your palms on the floor, in front of your shoulders and a bit to the side. Straighten your arms and lift your body so you are balanced on your palms and knees.

Tuck your chin a few inches towards your chest so that your forehead faces the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Bend your elbows and lower your entire body at once. Rather than trying to touch your chest to the floor, lower until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push back up.

Step 4: Stretching exercises

Dips: Sit at the edge of the desk or on a sturdy chair. Place your hands with the palms facing your body. Slide yourself off the seat and support yourself with just with your hands. Slowly lower yourself by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, and then press yourself back.

Lunges: Stretch your legs a stride's distance apart. Slowly bend your knees until you are in a kneeling position with your knees not quite touching the floor. Don't look down; don't allow your knees to shoot out past your toes. Return to your original position.

Step 5: Face exercises

~ Tilt your head backwards. Let your upper lip cover your lower lip. Maintain the posture as you curl your tongue up inside the mouth and press it against your upper palette. Then smile.

~ This exercise helps to get rid of furrows and lines on the forehead. All you have to do is lift the eyebrows upward and open your eyes wider with each count.

~ Place the entire thumb inside your mouth, between the teeth of the upper jaw and the upper lip. Press the upper lip back into the teeth so that your thumb is squeezed.

Benefits of Walking Exercise

2008-11-10T06:08:00.000-08:00

It is said that every person has two doctors with him... his right leg & his left leg. A vigorous 5 mile walk can do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy man than any medicine or psychology. it is the easiest exercise for most individuals, one that can done without equipment except good shoes, in most terrains & weather & also in very old age.

What we are talking about is not just walking but brisk walking. Here are the benefits of the same--

Why walking ?

Walking is the most natural exercise known to man.

Besides this, here are the other benefits of walking ---

1 ) Walking improves circulation
Calf muscles are man's second heart. On walking, these muscles pump the blood to the heart with all force. This leads to greater heart exercise, increased oxygen requirement & better blood circulation.

2) Walking is good for the heart

The increased oxygen requirements lead to exercise for the heart. On a long term basis, it leads to a better circulation for the heart. Thus it reduces the chances of a heart attack.

2 ) Walking cuts fatigue
Once daily brisk walking has become a habit, you start reaping the benefits.
Soon there is no need of any laxatives.
No more low back ache.
No more of that catch while bending.
Above all, in shape body is not easily fatigued.

3 ) Walking improves the posture.

4 ) Psychological benefits

Many studies have shown enormous psychological benefits of walking. It has been shown that daily walking habit reduces anxiety, tension & improves mood.

What is "brisk walking"?

It has been shown that what works best is not walking but "brisk walking". Scientifically, it correlates with the pulse rate that you should achieve for the maximum benefit. However, simply speaking, brisk walking means : a level that's not just strolling; but not out pf breath either.

How many minutes a day should one walk briskly?

No study has established the exact time for the maximum benefit. However 45minutes to 1 hour is a good guide.

You can even incorporate it in your daily life style. That way you will automatically walk briskly to the office & for that matter anywhere. A short brisk walk is is worth two miles of ambling. That way you will easily get minimal amount of good exercise every day. And, as striding becomes a habit, you will soon get more exercise, willingly.

Self Management

2008-11-10T06:07:00.000-08:00

You are responsible for everything that happens in your life. Learn to accept total responsibility for yourself. If you do not manage yourself, then you are letting others have control of your Life. These tips will help "you" manage "you."

Here is a list of things that help you in self management and which will in turn lead you to the path of success: -

-) Look at every new opportunity as an exciting and new-life experience.

-) Be a professional who exhibits self-confidence and self-assurance in your potential to complete any task.

-) Agree with yourself in advance that you will have a good attitude toward the upcoming task.

-) Frequently ask, "Is what I am doing right now moving me toward my goals?"

-) Do it right the first time and you will not have to take time later to fix it.

-) Accept responsibility for your job successes and failures. Do not look for a scapegoat.

-) Do not view things you do as a "job." View all activities as a challenge.
-) Use your subconscious mind by telling it to do what you do want. Instead of telling yourself, "I can't do that very well," say, "I can do this very well."-) Give yourself points for completing tasks on your "to-do" list in priority order. When you reach 10 points, reward yourself.

-) Practice your personal beliefs. It may be helpful each morning to take 15 minutes to gather your thoughts and say a prayer.

-) Make a commitment to show someone a specific accomplishment on a certain date. The added urgency will help you feel motivated to have it done.

-) Practice self-determination, wanting to do it for yourself.

-) Believe that you can be what you want to be.

-) Never criticize yourself as having a weakness. There is no such thing. You are only talking about a present undeveloped skill or part of yourself that if you so chose, you can change. You do not have any weakness, only untapped potential.

-) Be pleasant all the time-no matter what the situation.

-) Challenge yourself to do things differently than you have in the past. It provides new ideas and keeps you interested.

-) Talk to yourself. A self-talk using positive affirmation is something that is common among all great achievers. They convince themselves that they can accomplish their goals.

-) Create your own "motivation board" by putting up notes of things you need to do on a bulletin board or special wall space. It is an easily visible way to see what you need to work on. When an item is done, remove the note. Also keep your goals listed and pictured on your board.

-) Stay interested in what you are doing. Keep looking for what is interesting in your work. Change your perspective and look at it as someone outside your job would,

-) Establish personal incentives and rewards to help maintain your own high enthusiasm and performance level.

Improve your Communication Skills

2008-11-10T06:05:00.000-08:00

Here are 6 great tips you can use!

1. Awareness of your own interaction with other people is the first step in improving your communication skills.

Learn to identify which types of situations make you uncomfortable and then modify your behavior to achieve positive results is a critical step in improving your communication skills.

You can learn to become aware of behaviors in other people that prompt you to respond in negative ways and modify your own behavior to turn the situation into a positive experience.

2. You must accept responsibility for your own behavior and do not fear apologizing for errors in judgment or insensitive actions.

Asking others for honest feedback about the way you interact with others can be very helpful. Accept the negative feedback along with the positive and make changes accordingly.

. Your non-verbal communication is equally as important as the things that you say. Positive body language is extremely important in your interactions with other people.If your words and your actions do not match, you will have a difficult time succeeding in social situations.

4. In order to learn how to improve your communication skills, you must become a great listener. You must fight the urge to respond immediately and really listen to what the other person is trying to communicate.Offering suggestions or criticism before you are certain of the other person's intent can only lead to frustration for both parties.

5. Improving your communication skills is a process and cannot be accomplished overnight. Trying to improve or change too many things at once will be counter-productive. You will become discouraged and overwhelmed if you attempt to change your entire personality all at once. Choose one or two traits at a time and work on those over a period of time. Learn to take advantage of your personal strengths and make a positive impact on others.

6. Maximize your positive personality traits and use them in your interactions with others. Good communication and great listening skills are the most important tools you can use in improving your communication skills.
You can learn how to improve your communication skills by developing excellent listening skills, learning to resolve problems and conflicts, understanding body language, and accepting responsibility for your own negative behavior.

Determination and self-awareness will make your desire to improve your communication skills a reality.

You can change your life and now is the time to start.

Tips to improve Fuel Economy

2008-11-10T06:03:00.000-08:00

Here are some very good tips on improving your vehicle's Fuel Economy / Increase Fuel Efficiency / Mileage. With increasing fuel prices it is becoming more and more prudent to use them.

Use your gears wisely.
Driving in the highest gear possible without labouring the engine is a
fuel-efficient way of driving. A vehicle travelling at 60kmph in third gear
uses 25 percent more fuel than at the same speed in fifth gear

Drive smoothly
Think ahead! By applying light throttle and avoiding heavy braking, you can
reduce both fuel consumption and wear and tear. Try to predict traffic at
junctions and when in queuing to avoid accelerating and then braking.
Research suggests driving techniques can influence car fuel efficiency by as
much as 30 percent.

Switch off your engine
There are two schools of thought on this one. Switching your engine off for
short periods of time can actually increase fuel consumption, as it requires
more fuel to get the engine started. Also your catalytic converter will no
longer be running at full temperature and so your car will be less
efficient, increasing the amount of pollution you cause. However if you are
stopped for more than a few minutes then your car will simply burn less fuel
with the engine stopped.

Drive off promptly to prevent wasting fuel
Don't leave your engine running when you first start up. Drive off straight
away if you can, but drive gently until the engine has reached its normal
operating temperature. This doesn't increase fuel efficiency as such, but it
does mean your engine is switched on for less time.

Lighten your load
Think carefully about what you need on a journey. if you do not need
something, do not pack it. Remove roof racks if not needed. The lighter the
load, the lower the fuel consumption, and emissions, and the higher the fuel
efficiency.

Tyres effect fuel efficiency
It is estimated that about 50% of tyres on the road are under inflated.
Aside from increasing the rate of wear, this wastes fuel and decreased your
fuel efficiency. Check your tyre pressures every fortnight. Worn tyres will
also decrease fuel efficiency (and your safety!), so check the tread
regularly. If you are replacing tyres then consider some of the newer 'Eco'
tyres that are designed specifically to increase fuel efficiency.

Car Windows
Driving with your windows open drastically reduces your fuel efficiency, far
more so than putting the air conditioning on when motorway driving. So in
those hot summers(?) preferably keep the windows shut, and the air
conditioning on if you want to keep cool. Of course the air conditioning
decreases fuel efficiency too, so try not to over use it.

Invest in a new fuel efficient car
New cars come in all shapes and sizes, but it is possible to pick a new car
that can greatly reduce your fuel bill, and your fuel emissions.

Size matters. Choose an economical car - small cars use far more fuel
efficient and produce lower emissions than large cars.

Drive the most fuel-efficient car that meets your needs. Compare models and
classes. Even similarly sized cars can vary in fuel efficiency by up to 45%.

Consider diesel engines (with a particulate trap), and LPG (Liquefied
Petroleum Gas) and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) fuelled cars - all have
lower CO2 emissions than standard petrol cars.

Consider 'hybrid' vehicles - they combine a conventional engine with an
electric motor and battery. These offer reduced fuel consumption and CO2
with potentially lower emissions of all pollutants.

Diesel Engines
If your going to buy a diesel, ensure it is a new 'common rail' type, as
these are approximately 10% more efficient than older diesels. also replace
(or clean if applicable) air cleaner elements as often as is required by
your vehicles servicing schedule.

Regluar Maintenance maintains fuel efficiency

Air Filter:
One of the most common reasons for a drop in fuel efficiency is a dirty
intake filter. This will decrease the amount of air entering the cylinders
of the engine resulting in incomplete combustion. Check the filter regularly
to ensure that it is clean.

Spark Plugs
Ensure your spark plugs are in good condition. Renew the plugs and wires at
intervals specified by the owners manual. This will keep all cylinders
firing properly resulting in higher efficiency.

Lube Oil:
Change the lube oil at intervals specified by the owners manual. Use the
recommended oil only especially in newer cars. Use of an engine flush before
changing the oil will help to get rid of a lot of the dirt that collects in
the engine that a normal oil change will not remove. On older engines it is
advisable to use an oil treatment agent. This basically thickens the oil
which creates a better seal between the piston and the liner, preventing
blow past and consequent loss of combustion pressure, resulting in higher
fuel efficiency.

Exhausts alter fuel efficiency
Most cars have special sizes for the exhaust. When cars are reasonably old
the silences has to be changed. The garage people always try to fit a size
that they have in the garage it self. Which might not be the exact size
recommended for the car. The wrong size a bigger or smaller silencer size
effects on the MPG of the car and the HP of the car. It may be cheaper to
put another size than your recommended size for your car but on the long run
it will cost you in many ways, especially on fuel consumption. Always put
the recommended size of the exhaust that is indicated in your car manual
because the car company knows how to optimize the performance of your car.

Herbal Skin Care Tips

2008-11-10T06:02:00.000-08:00

Here are 22 practical Herbal Tips for Skin Care from the experts! Very easy to use and effective.

1) Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.

2) Cut some beet root into small pieces and grind them. Squeeze juice from beet root and massage to your face for 5 minutes. Shower after 10 minutes with mild soap or gram flour.

3) Mix sandalwood powder with rose water and add 4 to 5 drops of milk in it and apply on to your face and body. Shower after 15 minutes with warm water.

4) Mix honey in water and drink daily in the morning to keep your skin shiny and smooth.

5) Warm honey and mix with lemon juice and apply on to face. Wash after it dry.

6) Mix Turmeric, sandal powder and olive oil and apply to body. Shower after 10 minutes.

7) Massage your skin with milk. Milk has moisturizer, it will keep your skin smooth.

8) Use humidifiers and keep room temperature moderate to keep your skin away from dryness.

9) Hot water blushes your skin and you don't feel fresh unless you have bath with little cold water. If you have shower for a longtime, dead skin will be automatically be removed. Do not rub with towel, be gentle on your skin.

10) Take food which contains more A and C vitamin.

11) Grate carrot and boil. Massage that mixture to body to get fair and smooth skin.
12) For natural bleaching: - mix milk and lemon juice. The
milk will break as soon as you mix the lemon juice in it. Use that mixture to massage on your body. It works as natural bleaching.

13) Mix turmeric and cream on the top of milk, massage that mixture to body.

14) If you go into sun your skin will lost the fair ness. To get your skin color to normal take equal quantities of cucumber juice and tomato juice and apply on to skin. Shower after 10 minutes.

15) Massage mustard oil to your skin for 5 minutes and have shower with gram flour or mild soap.

16) Mix cream on the top of milk and all-purpose flour and apply that paste on to your skin avoid eyes, eyebrows and lips. Shower after 5 minutes. This will make skin smooth.

17) Mix curds (yogurt) with wheat flour and apply to your skin and take shower after 5 minutes.

18) Grind rose petals and mix with cream on the top of milk and apply to your body. Shower after 10 minutes.

19) Scaly skin is a result of fluorine deficiency. Fluorine is the anti-resistant element of the human body, the absence of which creates problems in the blood and spleen. Since cooking and heating foods destroys fluorine, it is better to eat uncooked raw fruits and vegetables. Other foods rich in fluorine are goat milk and cheese, rye flour, avocados, sea plants and cabbage, cream whey and cottage cheese.

20) Wrinkle skin is a result of Sodium deficiency and makes skin sticky. Cucumbers are ideal for combating and preventing sodium deficiency because they are not only high in sodium, but also help in keeping the body cool, a great summer's treat.

21) Skin rashes are the result of silicon deficiency. To avoid pus and rashes, eat plenty of sprouts, alfalfa, barley, tomatoes, spinach, strawberries and figs.

22) Skin eruptions are the result of Chlorophyll. And are found in wheat grass and other green leafy vegetables

Helpful Tips on Eye Care

2008-11-10T06:01:00.000-08:00

With so many of us spending lots of time in front of the computer every day it comes to no surprise that research is showing a rise in visual problems. What can one do? First, it’s important to find out how you can protect your eyes through eye health exams and by making a few minor changes in your computer viewing habits.

Here are some helpful Eye Care Tips -

Positioning is everything

Correct positioning of your computer, keyboard and typing copy is essential. Your screen should be positioned about an arm’s length from your eyes and 20 degrees below eye level. Consider foot and wrist rests for added comfort.

Lighting can make all the difference

Room lighting should be diffuse, not direct, to reduce glare and reflections from your screen. Look into an internal or external glare screen and be sure to set your colour, contrast and brightness levels to suit you.

A little extra help for your glasses

Anti-reflective coatings on the lenses of your glasses can be applied by your optometrist to reduce discomfort and to ease reduced vision from bright and/or flickering light sources such as VDTs and fluorescent lights. And don’t forget, your doctor of optometry can talk to you about eyeglasses designed specifically for people who use computers a lot.
Take time out, our 20-20-20 rule

Step I :-
After every 20 minutes of looking into the computer screen, turn your
head and try to look at any object placed at least 20 feet away. This
changes the focal length of your eyes, a must-do for the tired eyes.

Step II :-
Try and blink your eyes for 20 times in succession, to moisten them.

Step III :-
Time permitting of course, one should walk 20 paces after every 20 minutes
of sitting in one particular posture. Helps blood circulation for the entire body.

It’s all in the blinking

Did you know that on average we blink 12 times per minute? But wait, did you know that when we’re on the computer we only blink 5 times per minute? That can add up to dry eyes. Relieve the discomfort by using artificial tear drops or gels and remember to blink!

Palming

Sit straight at your workstation and rub your palms against each other till you feel them warm. The warmth of your palms helps soothe and relax tired eyes. Then, lightly cup your eyes with your palms and relax for 60 seconds. Count the seconds in your mind. Repeat this exercise two to three times whenever your eyes feel tired, or as often as you want. While palming, you can either rest your elbows on your desk or keep away from the desk and cup your eyes. Both ways are fine.

Splash water on your face

During breaks, splash water on your face while closing your eyes. This has an overall relaxing effect and helps you feel refreshed.

Use tea bags

Keep two used tea bags in the refrigerator before you leave for work. Once you are home, place the tea bags on your eyes for a few minutes as you relax. This not only soothes tired eyes, but also reduces puffiness.

Eat healthy

Incorporate Vitamins A, C, and E on a daily basis; eat citrus fruits, green leafy veggies, tomatoes, spinach, poultry and dairy products. Pack a box of chopped carrots, cucumber and fresh fruits and munch in-between meals at the office.

12 Ways to Stay on Top of Stress

2008-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

It takes a million years for one gene to change in our bodies. One million years! I'm bringing this up because, physiologically, we're the same humans we were 300 years ago. But look at how things have changed in that short time. Some things make life easier now: washers and dryers, transportation, abundance of food, electricity, etc. But some things make life today more insane: cell phones, traffic, increased population, fake food, TV, busy schedules. I heard a statistic from a doctor-friend that we make more decisions in one day than people used to make in a year. No wonder we're stressed out and reaching for doughnuts or alcohol to cope.

All this craziness and high-speed living isn't going away. Since we can't change our genes, we have to create a map to navigate this crazy life. What can you do to try and stay on top of the stress so it doesn't affect your health, happiness, or waistline?

1. Exercise. Amen for endorphins. Believe me, they've helped me many days with my perspective. If you have to work out, then go take a brisk walk and get that blood flowing. It isn't about working out to lose weight -- it's about being healthy and staying sane.

2. Eat the real stuff. Crappy food (fast, processed, and loaded with sugar) doesn't help your chemical brain and body handle stress. Living food, real food, helps support your mind and body while it's trying to deal with the million things coming its way. Every time I reach for the chocolate, I'm looking to feel something from it. Don't get me wrong -- if it's just a little here and there because I enjoy the taste of it, great. But if I'm using it the minute I feel overwhelmed, then that's when that food is no longer OK to eat. It doesn't make the problem go away, and then I just feel bad about eating the food to pacify myself. Grab green food instead. Put things in your mouth that are going to support your immune function and keep you levelheaded.

3. Notice. Try not to let the stress overtake you. Recognize the situations that cause the stress and notice them coming your way. You have a better shot at fending off the full effects of the stress when you can anticipate it.

4. Get it off your chest. Talk to a friend or partner about the stress. Sometimes just getting it off your chest can help unload some of the burden.
5. Keep your sense of humor. If you do have the chance to talk about it, try to see the irony and humor in the wacky bits. I think someone is dead in the water once they lose their sense of humor.

6. Stay grateful. My daughter has large lungs and verbal skills she likes to display. Just when I start to wishfully think about her being quiet, I remind myself to be grateful that she can talk to me at all. In almost all of our problems are boatloads of blessings. "Oh, I don't feel like going to the gym." Well, Amen that you have the means and the health to even be able to wrestle with the idea of going to work out. Make a habit of saying thank you. You will notice the sunny spots a lot more often, and not just the gray skies and storms.

7. Ask, "What's the hurry?" Have some fun. We're always so busy going somewhere, we miss just enjoying the moment. If an opportunity comes your way to do something fun, take it.

8. Take a deep breath. When you feel the stress getting to you, take a moment. Get away, even if it's just for an hour, to be with yourself and your thoughts. Some people like to take a walk, meditate, lock themselves away in a beautiful bath, or go to church. Find the peace and the silence.

9. Keep it simple. Simplify where you can. Does Junior really need to be in 78 activities at the age of 5? Do you have to go to every little party or gathering you're invited to?

10. Turn of the TV. A lot of it is bad news anyway, and it robs us of hours that we could use to be getting other things done. Since everyone complains that they have no time, get some by unplugging from the tube.

11. Sleep. If you're rested, you have a better shot at handling things. Not to mention, you may not stress out as easily if you have a chance to recover at night.

12. Drink water. I have said it before: Americans consume 21 percent of their calories through liquid consumption. Hydrate with water. Help you entire system function better just by drinking enough water. Oh, and by the way, if you don't think that weight loss and proper hydration have a relationship, think again. Shift the paradigm on its side -- don't think about exercise and nutritional eating just as something you have to suffer through to get into those jeans. Instead, think of them as armor that will protect you in this crazy world, with all of the bazillion details you deal with every day.

Preventing and Fixing Bad Breath

2008-11-10T05:59:00.000-08:00

Many people have bad breath without even realizing it. This can cripple your likelihood of enjoying a healthy social life, finding a significant other, and even advancement in your career. Halitosis or bad breath is mostly a result of poor hygiene and is completely treatable. It is quite easy to prevent and fix bad breath with the following guidelines.

Brush your teeth and scrape your tongue first thing every morning, and also after each time you take a nap. Foul-smelling bacteria have had a chance to take over your mouth while you slept, and are most likely causing yucky "morning breath." Tongue scrapers can be found in most health food stores, and also in drug stores and convenience stores as they become more popular.

After you brush your teeth and scrape your tongue, rinse your mouth thoroughly and gargle with fresh, cool water. This is a very important step, one that many people overlook. Nobody likes to smell your breath when it's laden with dirty, used toothpaste scum.

Drink plenty of water - Insuring that you drink plenty of water throughout the day can help to control bad breath (halitosis). This can be an especially important consideration for those people who suffer from xerostomia (chronically dry mouths).

If you allow yourself to become dehydrated your body will try to conserve moisture by reducing its production of saliva. Saliva has a cleansing and diluting effect on the bacteria and bacterial waste products that cause bad breath. A reduction in the amount of saliva in your mouth can make it harder for you to control odors associated with your breath.

Rinse your mouth with water often - Rinsing with water can mitigate bad breath problems for brief periods of time. Rinsing will both dilute and partially remove the bacterial waste products that are the cause of breath odors.

Regular Health Mistakes

2008-11-10T05:57:00.000-08:00

All of us make little health mistakes that cause damage to our bodies in the long run - simply because we are unaware we are doing something wrong. Here are some of the most common mistakes made by many of us.

Crossing our legs
Do you cross your legs at your knees when sitting? Although we may believe that this is the lady-like elegant way to sit, sitting this way cuts down circulation to your legs. If you don"t want varicose veins to mar the beauty of your legs and compromise your health, uncross your legs every time you realise you have one knee on top of the other. The best way to sit is to simply place both legs together on the floor, balancing your weight equally. If you feel like changing position, instead of crossing your legs, simply move both legs together to one side. As an alternative, you could also consider crossing your legs loosely at the ankles. This is a classically elegant way to sit, and is far better for your legs and your health than sitting with your legs crossed at your knees.

Not changing our toothbrush
How often do you change your toothbrush? Most of us wait until most of the bristles have either fallen off, or are in such bad shape that we"d be embarrassed to pull out our brush in public. However, since not many of us need to pull out our brush in public, we carry on with our frayed one until we lose it. Replace your toothbrush often. Damaged bristles can harm the enamel, and don"t massage your gums well. If you find brushing your teeth a pain like I do, but know you must do it, you might as well be doing it right. Imagine going through the annoyance of brushing your teeth twice a day only to find out that you"re damaging your enamel every time you clean your teeth. Also, use a brush with soft bristles unless your dentist has advised otherwise.

Eating out often
There are oils that are high in cholesterol, and oils that cause little harm and are better for your heart. However, no matter how light the oil is, it is never a good idea to eat too much of it. Avoid fried foods.Remember that in all probability your favourite Indian food restaurant throws a huge, HUGE chunk of butter in a tiny bowl of dal. Rita, who worked in the kitchen of a 5 star hotel, was shocked when she saw the cook chop a 500gm butter slab in half, and throw half into a Paneer Makhani dish. No wonder the customers left licking their fingers. And no wonder they felt so stuffed and heavy afterwards. Limit outdoor eating unless you know that you"re getting served light and healthy food.
Skipping breakfast
Never, ever skip breakfast. Remember, when you wake up in the morning it"s been around 10-12 hours since your last meal. Your body needs food now, more than at any other time. Eat a heavy breakfast. You will then be busy through the day, and the calories will get expended quickly. If you are trying to diet, eat a light dinner. Here are some more common health mistakes we make. Being informed and making a few changes can help make us feel a whole lot better.

High heels
High heels sure look great, but they're murder for your back. This however doesn't mean you should steer clear of stilettos. Wear them, but not when you know you will be walking around a lot. Wear them when going out for lunch or dinner - when the only walking you will be doing is to your car, to the table, and back. Avoid high heels when you are going somewhere on foot. If you are constantly tempted to wear your heels, take a good look at your flats. Is there something about them you dislike? Invest in a new pair of beautiful flats or shoes with a low heel. Buy something you love, that you will enjoy wearing. If possible, get a matching bag. You will then enjoy your flats as much as you do your heels.

Sleeping on a soft bed
You don't have to sleep on the floor be kind to your back, but do make sure you have a firm mattress. Although a mattress on springs is soft and lovely to sink into, it's bad for your back. If you already have an old bed with springs, you don't need to invest in a new one - simply get a thick wooden plank put over the springs, and place the mattress on the plank. Similarly, if your mattress is old and lumpy, throw it out and get a new one. Your neck and your back will thank you. The same rule applies to sofas. If you will be spending hours on a sofa, get a firm yet comfortable one. Sofas you completely sink into are not the best idea.

Pillows
No matter how comfortable sleeping with ten cushions is, have pity on your neck and resist. Sleep with one pillow, and make sure it is not too thick. If your pillow gets lumpy, discard it and go for a new one. Get a thin pillow if you sleep on your stomach, and something a little thicker if you sleep on your back, to give your neck adequate support

Not exercising
So all of us know we should exercise more, but many of us don't. This is a health mistake we consciously make! And why is that? Simply because we refuse to admit the damage we are causing to our bodies by not working out. A number of people only start working out once they've experienced a warning signal. Don't wait for a heart attack to strike before you decide to opt for a lifestyle change. Make the change now. You don't need to train for the marathon to be in top shape. Half an hour of brisk walking three to four times a week will make a world of difference to your health. You could then increase this to forty minutes, four times a week - and you're all set. If you haven't exercised for a week, you're making a mistake.

Reasons Why You Should Start Practicing Yoga And Meditation

2008-11-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

The practice of yoga and meditation has become increasingly popular in the past few years, but I am sure that there are many people who are still asking themselves, “What’s in it for me?” So, if you have been wondering whether it would be worth your time to start practicing yoga and meditation, I would like to give you five good reasons why it would be a very worthwhile activity for you.

1. Yoga and meditation will improve your health

Yoga postures put gentle pressure on the internal organs of the body and help them to function properly. In particular the postures help your digestive system to work smoothly and thus avoid problems such as constipation, acidity and indigestion, which are common conditions that can lead to more serious problems later on. Meditation and deep relaxation can be just what you need to lower your blood pressure. Thus, yoga postures plus meditation is a great combination for maintaining and improving health.

2. Yoga and meditation will help you to overcome bad habits

What’s a “bad habit?” It’s something that you are doing continually, and something that you know is harming you but you can’t stop it. Are you smoking now? Maybe you thought it was good when you started, but you would now like to stop. The trouble is that it is not so easy to quit smoking or a similar habit once it has become established.

This is where yoga and meditation can help you out. The yoga postures help you to become more relaxed and mentally balanced. Meditation can help you to concentrate your mind and build up your will-power. Once you become internally balanced and have a stronger will power, it will become possible for you to break any habit, even one that you have been troubled by for many years.
3. Yoga and meditation will help you to lose weight

Obesity is one of the biggest health problems of the modern era. Our lives have become more sedentary and our food sources have changed over the last 100 years and this why many adults and even children are now overweight.Although this is a life-style problem, it is something that can be dealt with. The surest way to lose weight is to get more exercise and to control what you are eating. This is of course, easier said than done. But yoga and meditation can help you out. There are some yoga postures that are helpful in weight loss programs. Similarly, the mental strength that you can get from both yoga postures and from meditation can help you to gain a better control over your diet and this can result in healthy and permanent weight loss.

4. Yoga and meditation will bring you inner peace

You may be earning a lot of money and you may have a lot of social prestige but is physical or social wealth the goal of your life? Whatever material or social wealth you have, if you are not contented, satisfied and at peace with yourself then you will not be a happy person.

The goal of meditation is to help you find the inner core of your being. Who are you? Is it the name and address on your identity card? If you start meditating you will find that deep within you is a pool of infinite love and peace. This is the real you. If you can reach this place, then you will find peace and contentment; it is guaranteed!

5. Yoga and meditation will make you a wiser person

Every one of us has made mistakes that we regret. There is nothing we can do about the past. We can’t go back in time and not make the mistakes. But what we can do is to build up our capacity to see what has permanent value and what is transitory. When we attain this state of discrimination, then we will not do actions that we will regret later on.

Meditation helps a person to go beyond the “chatter” of the mind and attain a state of wisdom that will always be of help. Wisdom does not mean stuffing your mind with “facts” but it does mean to have a mind that will choose a course of action that brings about the welfare of everyone.

I have a list with many more reasons why yoga and meditation are helpful, but I thought I would start off with these five reasons. So, if any one of these items are interesting for you, then why not see for yourself, and start practicing yoga and meditation?

Management Traps and How to Avoid Them

2008-11-10T05:53:00.000-08:00

Much has been written about the secrets of good management and few will argue that the best managers are inspired, visionary, dedicated, industrious, energetic, energizing and display integrity, leadership, common sense and courage. So where is it that managers commonly fail or falter and lose their precious foothold on the corporation's top rungs? The following, from the career experts at bayt.com, are ten of the most basic management traps and tips to avoid them:

Weak managers set weak goals

As a manager your role is to get specific jobs completed by employees in the most optimal, efficient and innovative manner and in order to do that, you need to set clear objectives. Successful managers set SMART goals - goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based. They are able to communicate these goals clearly, simply and concisely to their employees so that none are vague or uncertain about expectations. By all means reach for the stars in your objectives but to do so without supplying employees with the training, resources, flexibility and freedom they need to accomplish their goals and a schedule of regular supervision and feedback is to set them (and yourself) up for failure.

Weak managers micro-manage - effective leaders inspire

The days of command and control organizations are long over - today's managers recognize that in order to leverage their skills and maximize their team's output they need to adopt a flexible approach and 'lead' their teams to excellence rather than closely supervise, instruct and control them. The best leaders communicate to their employees a vision and ignite in them the fire, motivation and desire to work towards making this vision a reality. Good leaders unleash their employees to innovate and achieve optimal solutions by communicating top-level goals and objectives and a suggested blueprint for success then leaving the employees to determine how to get there most optimally while ensuring they have the aptitudes, training, resources and work environment necessary to achieve superior results. While a program of regular feedback and supervision is essential, managers should ensure that their management style is not repressive, meddling or overly overbearing. The golden rule is to communicate the 'what' and the 'why' of the work that needs to be done and leave the employees to determine the 'how' without burdening them with strict instruction manuals or prescribed rules and patterns that are largely redundant and inconducive to speed, creativity, progress and innovation.

Weak managers are afraid of hiring/cultivating strong leaders

Strong leaders/managers have the self-confidence to hire the best people, take them to new levels and cultivate in them all the qualities needed to make them in turn effective leaders of the future. Weak leaders replicate themselves in their hiring decisions and hire mediocre players, mistakenly believing that an employee with more skills, acumen or industry knowledge than themselves will ultimately undermine them or make them look bad. The best managers are characterized by an ability to stimulate their employees to superior performance and through coaching, training, feedback as well as by example, inspire in them all the qualities needed to make effective managers. A good manager helps employees achieve their full potential and constantly raises the bar so that employees never stop learning, innovating and growing. Coaching, training, career planning and programs for ongoing growth and development of key staff are high on the priority lists of the best managers.

Weak managers belittle their employees

Bosses who favour the archaic 'tough' management style where employees are singled out for public reprimand and negative feedback is plentiful while recognition and positive reinforcement are scarce will fail to win the loyalty, respect and commitment of their teams over the long run. Without an inspired, fired up, self-confident employee base these managers set themselves and their teams up for failure. Effective leaders by contrast, respect their employees and give them regular feedback with intelligent constructive criticism and loudly laud special accomplishments in both public and private, while communicating any negative feedback ONLY in private and focusing such criticism strictly on the job performance, not the person's character. Strong leaders recognize and reward a job well done. These leaders inspire their teams to perform at their best and are able to elicit from them a high degree of loyalty and a 'hunger' to raise the bar and continuously excel. In such organisations, employees are not afraid to challenge their boss's ideas or upset the status quo in the interest of innovation and excellence and are encouraged to take risks to elevate the business to a new level. The autocrats and bureaucrats on the other hand sap their employees' self-confidence, drive and energy with their overbearing management style and fail to induce in them any motivation to raise the bar or excel.

Weak managers have poor communication skills

Good communication includes cultivating and maintaining open channels of communication with the team and others in the organisation, giving constructive, intelligent feedback, eliciting ideas through brainstorming sessions or otherwise, articulating the company vision and mission in no uncertain terms, setting clear objectives and listening attentively with an open-mind to employees grievances, suggestions and any other issues. Effective leaders have an open-door policy that welcomes input, suggestions and feedback from employees and recognize that good ideas and the next best idea/process/innovation can come from anywhere. Strong leaders listen; weak leaders talk. Strong leaders pay attention to their employees and encourage them to express professional opinions and ask for more responsibility; weak leaders think they are above such open-door policies. Employees who are not listened to and are not made to feel important or respected as professionals or individuals are unlikely to innovate or express any exciting new ideas that can move a company forward.

Weak managers blame

Everybody makes mistakes and strong leaders protect their good people from taking the fall when they err. Good bosses recognize that the occasional slip-ups are inevitable and can be learning opportunities and are ready to take personal responsibility when the team makes a misstep. A good boss realizes that his most promising employees want to succeed, will grow as a result of their mistakes and are unlikely to repeat the same mistakes. They do no set their people up as a negative example for the rest of the organization nor point fingers when the going gets tough. Good bosses are personably accountable for their actions as well as the actions of their subordinates and do not allow a culture of blame to permeate the organisation.

Weak managers take full credit for their team's accomplishments

While weak leaders usurp all the credit for a job well done by their teams, the strongest leaders will give the full credit to the team as a whole or the team member responsible for the project. Strong leaders motivate, energize and inspire by giving credit where credit is due and being generous with reward and recognition wherever appropriate. Strong leaders publicly thank their employees for a job well done and recognize that a motivated, successful, energized team will reflect directly on the boss.

Weak managers thrive on bureaucracy

Weak leaders are fond of, augment and live well with the layers and bureaucratic shackles that tie an organisation down; strong leaders remove them. Today's effective leaders recognize that in order to compete they must operate like a small company with a high level of speed, responsiveness and flexibility. They realize that to maintain their edge in today's marketplace their organization needs to be responsive to changing market conditions and remove the shackles, boundaries, layers, clutter and obsolete policies, procedures and routines that get in the way of the freedom and free flow of people, resources and ideas.

Weak managers are divorced from their teams

Effective managers genuinely care about their employees and take the time to get to know them and to understand their strengths, weaknesses, what makes them tick and their goals and ambitions. They also take the time to learn something about their personal life. While weak managers will maintain an outdated aloofness and a formal distance from their teams, exceptional managers are able to bring out the best in every employee and win their loyalty and respect by understanding their unique needs, motivations and abilities and showing the team that they are important and personally significant. Strong managers are team players and through their constant involvement with their teams communicate to them that they are there for them and supportive of them. Effective managers by building a supportive work environment, build a camaraderie and team spirit that enthuses and excites the team to new levels of performance.

Effective Cold Prevention Strategies

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1. Wash your hands - The world we live in is filled with viruses and bacteria that can make us ill. Your hands are no exceptions. Wash your hands often to keep them clean. If you cannot wash them, at least use some hand sanitizer, such as Purel.

2. Drink hot fluids, especially in the morning - The rhinovirus incubates in the back of the throat and spreads in the upper respiratory area because it's cooler than the body temperature. Rhinovirus can't survive at 98.6 (hence it doesn't travel far down into the bronchi or the lungs). By drinking hot fluid (such as hot tea and lemon) you can prevent the virus from incubating.

3. Keep your hands out of your face - We have already discussed the germs and viruses on your hands. You cannot wash them continuously, so in between washings keep your hands out of your face. Your face is an open portal to your insides. Keep the germs away from your portal.

4. Drink water - Drinking more water is my answer to everything. Water will help clean out your body and keep it clean. It will also keep your body functioning at 100%. You should drink at least (eight) 8oz glasses of water everyday. This will also help you lose weight.

5. Eat your fruits and vegetables - There are phytochemicals and antioxidants in fruits and vegetables that can help strengthen your immune system and prevent diseases. You should eat at least four servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits every day.

6. Multivitamins - If you are not eating all of your fruit and vegetable servings, you should take a multivitamin to ensure you are getting all of the vitamins your body needs to function properly. Take a simple one-a-day multivitamin everyday.

7. Stay warm - Being cold weakens your immune system and makes your body more susceptible to illness. Look at the day’s temperature at weather.com before leaving your home. Wear layers in and out of your home when it is cold.

8. Relax and rest - Stress weakens your immune system. You can reduce your stress levels by relaxing and getting more sleep. Sleep is essential to maintaining a healthy immune system. Sleep will also boost your recovery time if you become ill.

Getting a cold can derail your nutrition and activity plans. However, if you follow the strategies I laid out for you, you can prevent this from happening

Keep Teeth White Naturally

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There are many effective methods of teeth whitening available, but some come with heavy price tags. Here are some steps you can take at home to whiten teeth naturally without breaking the bank.

Things You’ll Need:

Straw
Toothbrush
Lemon Juice
Salt
Baking soda
Hydrogen peroxide
Strawberries

Step 1:
Limit your consumption of drinks that stain tooth enamel. A few of these include coffee, tea and red wine. If you simply can't cut back on these beverages, consider drinking them though a straw to limit the amount of liquid that actually comes in contact with teeth.

Step 2:
Brush your teeth immediately after eating, especially if eating foods that stain easily, such as berries.

Step 3:
Rub raw strawberries on your teeth, preferably pureed. There is an enzyme in strawberries that acts as a whitening agent. You'll want to brush and rinse after applying the strawberries to remove the natural sugars and acids they may leave behind.

Step 4:
Eat crunchy foods that require a lot of chewing such as carrots, celery, broccoli and apples. These foods are abrasive and will remove built up plaque, which dulls the appearance of teeth.

Step 5:
Dip your toothbrush directly into baking soda and brush. The results are worth the lousy taste.

Step 6:
Combine lemon juice and one teaspoon of salt to make a paste-like substance. Brush your teeth and rinse. Again, not so pleasant on the palate, but your teeth will thank you.

Step 7:
Use hydrogen peroxide to brush your teeth. Dip your toothbrush into a small capful of the peroxide and brush as you would with regular toothpaste, being careful not to swallow. Rinse with water.

- Tips -

Consider using one of the several whitening toothpastes on the market that have all-natural ingredients.
Brushing after every meal and flossing regularly are the first steps in maintaining a healthy smile.

Things to do for good Sleep

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Stick to a schedule. Erratic bedtimes do not allow for your body to align to the proper circadian rhythms. Mum was right when she set a time we always had to go to sleep as kids. Also, make sure you try to keep the same schedule on weekends too, otherwise the next morning, you’d wake later and feel overly tired.

Sleep only at night. Avoid daytime sleep if possible. Daytime naps steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to 20-minute, power naps.

Exercise. It’s actually known to help you sleep better. Your body uses the sleep period to recover its muscles and joints that have been exercised. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day can help you sleep, but be sure to exercise in the morning or afternoon. Exercise stimulates the body and aerobic activity before bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult.

Taking a hot shower or bath before bed helps bring on sleep because they can relax tense muscles.

Avoid eating just before bed. Avoid eat large meals or spicy foods before bedtime. Give yourself at least 2 hours from when you eat to when you sleep. This allows for digestion to happen (or at least start) well before you go to sleep so your body can rest well during the night, rather than churning away your food.

Avoid caffeine. It keeps you awake and that’s now what you want for a good nights sleep. We all know that.

Read a fiction book. It takes you to a whole new world if you really get into it. And then take some time to ponder over the book as you fall asleep. I find as I read more and more, regardless of the book, I get more tired at night and so find it easier to fall asleep. Different for others?

Have the room slightly cooler. I prefer this to a hot room. I prefer to turn off the heat and allow the coolness to circulate in and out of the windows. If I get cold, I wear warmer clothes. It also saves on the bills as you’re not going to require the heat all night long.

Sleep in silence. I find sleeping with no music or TV on more easy and restful. I guess others are different, but sleep with no distractions is best for a clearer mind.

Avoid alcohol before bedtime. It’s a depressant; although it may make it easier to fall asleep, it causes you to wake up during the night. As alcohol is digested your body goes into withdrawal from the alcohol, causing nighttime awakenings and often nightmares for some people.