Showing posts with label Self Improvement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self Improvement. Show all posts

Friday, November 8, 2019

3 Ways To Improve Your Magnetism

There are lots of reasons why you might want to improve your personal magnetism. Not least amongst them is that with a greater sense of magnetism, you will find yourself attracting more people into your life who you are going to enjoy having around you. But there’s more to it than that - an increase in personal magnetism will also have a way of making you feel more fully yourself, more confident, and more able to approach or attack anything that you might need to focus on. Clearly, that is all very useful indeed. In this post, we will look at just three of the most effective ways to improve your personal magnetism in a short space of time, so that you can enjoy all of these benefits and more.

Source - CCO License
Looking Good

A big part of this is about how you appear to others, so it is going to be necessary to work on that as best as you can first of all. There are plenty of things that you might feel you want to improve here, but as long as you are working on one or two of them you should find that you can easily make this work out pretty well. Focus on all those things that people tend to notice easily and early on. That means getting your hair done how you like it, focusing on improving your skincare, and getting whatever dental implants you might need. With an improved smile, skin and hair, you will already be attracting much more attention to yourself. So that is absolutely something you can start with.

Being Active

It is hard to be personally magnetic if you are not really moving around very much and sitting in the corner all the time. If you want to attract more attention to yourself, you should focus on being as active as possible. That will mean that people see you, for a start, and they will also start to wonder whether you are someone they want to get to know. This process of being more active is difficult for many people, but it is probably essential if you really do want to be more magnetic, so be sure not to overlook it. It is easy to do, and it could mean that you are going to improve your magnetism much more than just doing nothing.

Source - CCO License
Sharing

It’s no use creating all of this energy in yourself and then keeping it inside. If you want to be personally magnetic, and if you want to do something with it, then you are going to need to think about sharing your energy with those around you. That is something that people tend to find very catching, and it will often mean that you are going to discover a new way of being which really opens you up to other people more. That in itself is a hugely important part of the process, and something which you can and should work on as well as you can at all times from here on out.

Monday, March 11, 2019

Why Doing DIY May Make Your Life Better

Image via Pixabay
There is a big, dedicated, and lively “self-help community” out there, as well as a related industry that churns out large numbers of books, video tutorials, pamphlets, retreats, seminars, and other guides and techniques for becoming your “best you” and getting over whatever situation might be holding you back in life.

In the self-help sphere, in general, you often hear about things like meditation, holistic health techniques, certain dietary practices, and so on. You’re not so likely to hear about the ways in which performing DIY can help to make your life better, and bring out your “best you”, however.

DIY is probably less popular these days than it has been in some time. The abundance of information provided by the World Wide Web in general means that we can always contact specialists when we need to conduct some roof maintenance, or replace a leaking faucet.

And of course, there are many situations where you really should leave it to the experts.

That being said, by living a life devoid of DIY, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

Here are some reasons why doing DIY may make your life better.


It can help to get you out of your own head

From time to time, we are all likely to fall victim to the phenomena of being “stuck in our own heads.” That is to say, we're all vulnerable to getting caught up in our negative ruminations, daydreams, uncertain reflections and fears, and all the rest.

Often, we construct mental prisons for ourselves that essentially stall our ability to make progress in our lives in general, to live the kind of lives we want to live, or to become the kind of people we want to be.

Often, people try and think their way out of their mental prisons, and there may be something to that. The “Positive Psychology” school that brought us the concept of “Learned Optimism” emphasises the importance of challenging critical thoughts, and they seem quite successful in doing so.

Then again, it can be the case – and often is – that what we really need to do when we’re caught in our own mental prisons, is to find ways of breaking out altogether.

Largely, this is a matter of doing things that force you to engage physically and directly with the world around you – whether that means socialising with friends in a public place, engaging in an active hobby, exercising, or in fact doing DIY.

When you’re working on repairing a damaged appliance, or sanding a table, you’re physically active, and it can be easier to get out of your own head.

It can boost your self-esteem by making you more self-reliant

One of the downsides of having so many amenities, services, and goods at our disposal these days, is that we tend to be significantly less self-reliant than the generations that came before us.

That lack of self-reliance can often be tied into a lack of self-esteem, and a sense of being somewhat more vulnerable and helpless in the world and we would like.

When you get into DIY properly, however, you are making yourself significantly more self-reliant, and more capable of dealing with the issues that are likely to arise in everyday life.

A lot of anxiety can melt away when you feel that you are up to the challenge of facing the world head-on, and dealing with the problems you find there.

It can help you to appreciate the complexity of the everyday amenities you take for granted

These days, we all tend to be pretty spoiled, and take for granted the amazing variety of amenities that we enjoy, that people only just recently in history would have considered supreme blessings from above.

For example, how much appreciation do you feel on an everyday basis when you turn on the hot water tap in your shower, and the water actually comes out hot?

When we take things for granted, we essentially strip them of their special value and meaning, and react to them as if they were just unremarkable features of the environment.

But when you take up DIY as a pastime, however, you are constantly confronting those amenities from a problem-solving state of mind. This will very quickly motivate you to see the value in these things, to be reminded of the miracle of their very existence, and to appreciate them.

This, in turn, can help you to feel more grateful for your life in general.

Monday, February 25, 2019

5 Easy Ways To Progress In Your Career

In reality, there are very few people who are happy with their jobs, and don’t want to progress in their careers. One glance at someone above you in the workplace (who seems to be doing a lot less work than you, for a lot more money) can just make you feel fed up with your job, but there are many ways to ensure that you’re progressing up the ladder.

We’ve put together some simple tips, for those looking to say goodbye to that stagnant and boring 9 ‘til 5 job, and hello to career progress.

Image credit
1. Be a ‘good’ employee
OK, if you want to progress in your career, you don’t have to be sucking up to your boss to make it happen. However, you do need to make sure that you’re coming in on time, you work to the best of your ability, and you’re not always having sick days for no reason. When you ask for a promotion, you need to have evidence that you’re committed to your career, and the business.

2. Ask
If you want to progress, and get a little bit more cash for what you do, then you may just need to ask your boss how you can advance though the company, and whether the opportunity is there. Not only will this alert him to the fact that you’re considering this (and thus he will consider it himself) but it will also help you to do make the right choices when it comes to career progression.

3. Get more qualifications
Another way to progress is by getting more qualifications, and this is beneficial in many ways. Not only will they help you in the future, but your boss will see that you’ve gone out of your way to improve your chances at a promotion, which shows your commitment and initiative. From a police foundations online course to a Masters program in business, there are plenty of options.

4. Seek advice
If there is somebody above you in your career that you’ve always looked up to, then it may be wise to approach them and ask for advice and support. You don’t always have to look for an official ‘mentor’, but there are plenty of people out there who can tell you how they progressed, and what steps you should take, too. Again, if you don’t ask, you don’t get, so seek some advice!

5. Set your sights on something
OK, so you know that you want to progress. However, do you know where you actually want to go, and do you have a specific job in mind? Having some direction will ensure that your chances at success are a lot higher, and it allows you to be sure that the steps that you’re taking will get you there. You also need to know that you have the ability to do the job, and that it matches your skills.

So, if you want to progress in your career, then why not try out these simple tips? You could be on your way to getting the role that you’ve always dreamed of!

Saturday, January 12, 2019

This Is the Year to Get Your Driver's Licence

Photo source
If you’re legally old enough to drive, but don’t have your own licence, this is the year when you should really focus on getting it. Learning to drive can benefit you in so many different ways! Let’s just take a moment to look at some reasons you should book into lessons and finally get behind that wheel.

Driving Really Isn’t That Difficult or Scary

Of course, getting behind the wheel for the first time is bound to be a relatively daunting experience. You’ll find yourself quickly switching from being in the passenger’s seat to suddenly having control over an entire vehicle. But think about this rationally. Look at the sheer number of people who drive on public roads every day. If most people are capable of something, it really can’t be that difficult or complex. When it comes down to it, driving is a simple combination of being aware of how roads work, understanding how to make a vehicle move in the way you want it to, and combining the two things safely. Besides, you’ll have a professional instructor by your side and you can always reach out to HugheyLawFirm.com/sc/charleston-auto-accident-lawyer/ if you do experience any issues on the roads.

Driving Provides You With a Newfound Freedom

One of the main benefits of being able to drive is a newfound sense of freedom. You will be liberating from the timetables and stop locations of public transport. You’ll be able to drive to a wider range of places as and when you please! You can head where you want, when you want, without having to rely on anyone else to get you there.

Driving Can Boost Your Career Potential

It may sound odd, as you’d think that you only need to drive for jobs that require you to drive for a living, such as being a taxi driver. Now, obtaining a licence can open up new career opportunities like that if that’s something you’re interested in. But driving can boost your career potential in other ways too! Nowadays, more and more employers are requesting a full, clean driving licence of applicants. There are various reasons for this. Some may want you to run occasional errands in the company car. Many will simply want to ensure that you can get into work on time without having the excuse of public transport cancellations and delays.

Committing to Something

If you don’t have a hobby, driving lessons encourage you to commit to something productive until you manage to completely master it. You won’t pass your test unless you are fully competent and can be trusted to drive independently on the roads. So, you’re going to have to keep trying again and again if you don’t take your lessons seriously.

So, it’s time to get on it! Check out local driving schools and pick one with good reviews and recommendations. You’ll be steering the wheel of your own car in next to no time!

Friday, September 7, 2018

Image via Pixabay
There are those chilling moments in life where you can tell that everything is just going wrong. Sometimes it happens out of the blue, and you’re assailed by multiple crises one after the other, and sometimes it builds up. You have a bad run in the office, and then an unexpected bill hits you, next thing you know you’re sick, and your car has broken down on a rainy day.

Things can quickly mount, and issues can build up, to the point where what was once a fairly manageable issue threatens to become a major life crisis that you will have real difficulty salvaging.

The key, when this unfortunate kind of situation arises, is to catch things as early as possible, and take the right kind of steps to begin correcting course as soon as you notice what’s going on.

But what are the right steps to take? In this article, we’ll take a look at a few things you can do in order to seize back control of your life when you can feel things sliding off the rails.

Research practical solutions before taking rash action

When you first notice that things are not as they should be, you may well be inclined to resort to rash actions in order to attempt to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

If you’re in a bad financial situation, for example, you may find yourself itching to sign up to the first unscrupulous payday loan provider you can find, without undertaking the process of learning what you should know about the various options available to you before committing to any single one of them.

It is simply in your best interest to pause, take a deep breath, and do your research before committing to any course of action which could have long-term or significant consequences for you.

The internet is a great resource for finding out about different strategies that people might use when in a tough situation, and various kinds of support groups, programs, and services are available which can help you to identify the best course of action before diving in headfirst.

Assume an attitude of extreme personal accountability

When something goes wrong in your life, it generally a good idea not to beat yourself up too much. It’s likely that you may only be partially, if at all, responsible for the way that things have gone. This doesn’t, however, mean that you’re free to sit back, cry, point the finger at others and try to externalise your issues.

The hard reality is that you need to adopt an attitude of extreme personal accountability in order to make the right kind of productive changes in your life going forward.

While you shouldn’t beat yourself up about how much of a failure you are, you should act as if you are 100% responsible for the way that things develop going forward, even if, on paper, you’re not.

Why should you do this? Simple. When you adopt an attitude of extreme personal accountability and take the default position that the outcome is in your hands and your hands alone, you empower yourself, psychologically, to take as much action as you can to set things right, while remaining driven and motivate to do so.

The opposite stance — one that says you’re a helpless victim who’s been hard done by — does not empower you at all. It robs you of your power and increases the likelihood that you’ll only sit in the corner feeling bitter, sad, and resentful.

Focus small, very small, and work on making things incrementally better day by day

When things go wrong in your life, you will often want to take the biggest possible corrective actions you can think of, as soon as possible. Sometimes this may be viable. In many instances, however, being overly frantic and ambitious in your attempted solutions will only set you up for failure and disheartenment.

Instead of shooting for the star, consider starting small — very small — so small that it’d be nearly impossible for you to fail — and do whatever you realistically can in the moment to make things even just a fraction better.

Keep doing that on a daily basis, and before too long, you’ll be in a much better position than you were to start with, and will be well on the way to getting things back on the right track.

These small actions could be having a difficult conversation with a loved one, or opening a new bank account, or even just vacuuming your home. Whatever makes things a bit better than they were before.

Try to restructure your habits and systems in line with what will be most beneficial for you

Humans are, to a large degree, creatures of habit. It’s not so much that we make conscious decisions about everything we do in our lives, it’s more like we run on autopilot for a significant chunk of the time, and look up occasionally to see what’s going on around us.

Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comics, notes that it’s the systems we have in our lives — those routines that we play out each day for their own sake, without really giving much thought to a distinct goal — that define our destiny to a very large degree.

Charles Duhigg, author of the book “The Power of the Habit” frames things similarly, when he talks about “keystone habits” that radically affect the way we live our lives.

To get your life back on track as soon as possible, one of the most meaningful things you can do is to identify the kinds of habits and routines that would be the most beneficial for you, and then to take steps to implement them, bit by bit.

Focus on one or two at a time, and keep the rest written down somewhere you can refer to them often. The more of these habits and systems you manage to successfully adopt in your life, the more you can expect to benefit in the near future.

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Do you spend hours listening to music? In the car, in the mornings with your coffee? Perhaps you listen to classical music in the evenings? Or just on some headphones on the way to work. It doesn’t matter how you are listening to music; it only matters that you do. Why? Well, in 2011 scientists found that music releases dopamine – the feel-good chemical in the brain. 

Photo by Mark Solarski on Unsplash
Some songs bring us back to those points in time. Sitting in long grass with headphones in, watching the world pass by, little to no reasonability. The smell of summer in the air, small puffs of clouds passing by, and daydreaming. Or, a song that gets you pumped up and ready to take on a big meeting at work, the horrid rush hour traffic or reminds you of feeling confident and in control. 

We all have music that takes us to particular places in our life, triggers important memories that we have stored away. But how can we expand on that and use music to improve our mental health? 

Focus: Classical music is the best thing for helping you focus, it also brings a lot of calm. Generally, any music with a tempo of 60 beats per minute increases your brains' ability to process information. Playing classical music in the background while you get on with your task is one way to utilise it. 
Social Connections: Music can stop us feeling alone, often times sharing playlists with friends, going to live music places or chatting on forums about bands you love can alleviate some isolations. 

Motivation: Eye of the Tiger anyone? If you need a bit of a boost to get through chores that you just can’t face right now, pop on some of your most loved upbeat tunes. Once the beat catches you, even on a not so great day, you’re likely to bop along and slowly work through what you need to do. 

Expression: If you have problems telling your loved ones how you are feeling, then consider making them a playlist of songs to help them understand. Music is compelling as a communicator, from ecstatic happiness to feeling like you can’t breathe right now. Whatever it is you want to say, you can use music to convey that. 

Relaxing: This one kind of goes without saying, music helps you relax. It doesn’t matter if you choose to have it in some headphones, or on in the background, taking a minute out of whatever is going on it your day to inhale, exhale and switch off a bit is helpful. 

When you have time, sit down and make a playlist for a few moods, things to perk you up, things to get you in the zone for your favorite activity, music that brings you back to particular moment and music that has made an impact on you. You might even consider picking up an instrument like the ukulele and using https://musicianauthority.com to take it to a whole new level of enjoyment. 

“Music is the greatest communication in the world. Even if people don't understand the language that you're singing in, they still know good music when they hear it” - Lou Rawls

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

3 Ways Stoicism Can Make You More Resilient

Image via Pixabay
In life, it’s generally best to try and acquire positive habits that will improve our circumstances, make us happy, and guide us towards success, without us having to sacrifice our wellbeing and struggle dramatically in the process.

Nonetheless, it is sometimes necessary to use sheer willpower to push through difficult times, find the light at the end of the tunnel, and win the rewards we are seeking. A demanding profession such as being a skilled personal injury attorney, for example, will invariably require some force of will — both to qualify in the first place, and then to practice successfully.

For this reason, it can be immensely helpful to have a philosophy at hand that helps us to thrive and become more resilient in high-pressure situations.

Here are some ways that the ancient art of stoicism can help you to become more resilient.

By reminding you to focus on what’s in your control

The key focus of stoic philosophy is to understand what is completely in your control, what is outside of your control, and to know the difference.

The reasoning used by the ancient Stoic philosophers such as Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus led them to conclude that the only thing that was ever truly in our control was our own thoughts and responses to things. That’s because we hold on to these things when all else is taken away from us.

For this reason, the Stoics argued that everyone should focus primarily, if not exclusively, on their reactions to situations, rather than to the situations themselves. 

Everything outside of a stoic’s immediate control is considered “indifferent” — either a “preferred indifferent” or a “dispreferred indifferent”. What this means is that there are some external circumstances that you’ll enjoy more and less than others (including everything from wealth to violent death), but that the only true “good” is behaving virtuously.

In life, it’s often not possible to know for sure what the future will hold. But we can always act properly.

By reminding you that virtue is more important than popularity or comfort

The stoic understanding of “virtue” can be a bit confusing and perhaps contradictory, but the basic idea is that acting and thinking in the “right and honorable way” is the only true “good” in life.

Everything else — from popularity to comfort — is seen as an indifferent (as mentioned above).

This stoic doctrine can help us to consider that, even if we’re not completely content with how things are working out in our lives, we can always take pride in acting with virtue, courage, and honor.

By encouraging you to enjoy the simple pleasures in everyday life

One thread that runs through much of stoic philosophy, is that it is good to appreciate and take pleasure in the small blessings we encounter in our everyday lives, rather than always feeling displeased and discontented until we achieve our next great goal.

As stoicism encourages the enjoyment of “preferred indifferents”, as long as they don’t interfere with virtue — will have free license to properly revel in those moments over the course of the day that makes you smile. The taste of your breakfast, the sight of a beautiful sunset, or the cool breeze on a hot summer day.

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Rock Those Locs!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine.

I have stick straight, shoulder length hair and I have been sporting this layered cut for years. I dream of having a really daring hairstyle but I don't want to be stuck with it if it doesn't work out for me.

Thankfully, there are options now for women (and men!) to express their personality and change hairstyles in minutes. This is what I found at Black Hairspray, an e-commerce website that offers a wide range of wigs, beauty and hair care products. Their selection of wigs come in various kinds, styles, and colors. It was easy for me to find something that matched my personality!

Since I was a young girl, I have always been fascinated by women who sport locs. I keep thinking about the time and effort needed to grow hair to be that long and then twist or braid them into those lovely locs. 

Now I don't have to wait to grow my hair. I can sport locs anytime I want to! At Black Hairspray, I found bobbi boss crochet locs in various lengths and colors matching my own natural hair color!

Beautiful! These locs are hand braided using a crochet and hook system. The craftsmanship is fantastic! These are very affordable and come in 12 different shades. Each package contains 15 locs for less than $10! It is the best deal I've found to boost my confidence in my looks.

Head on to the website and check them out. I am sure you will find the perfect wig or locs you've been wanting to have for the longest time. However, the company does not stop there. They even have items for all our hair, skin, and nails beauty needs.

Wouldn't it be nice to show up at my next party, get together or event looking nothing less than fantastic!

Oh yes, I am absolutely going to rock those locs!

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Is Following Your Dreams Worth It?

Picture Source
From a very young age, we're all taught that the one thing that you should always do is to "follow your dreams." No matter what happens, you should never let anything get in the way of doing what you really want. At first glance, this seems like perfect advice. After all, no one wants to find themselves living a life that they're unhappy in. However, the reality is that "following your dreams" can often be a more complicated than idea than a lot of people realize and it can also be something that might not live up to your expectations. Here are a few things to consider when deciding if following your dreams is really worth it.

Putting all your eggs in one basket

One of the things that you generally need if you're going to follow your dreams is a totally single-minded approach that you never waiver from, under any circumstances. However, one thing that a lot of people fail to realize is that, if you spend your life with a totally one track mind and then something changes that leave you needing to go in a different direction, that can be incredibly difficult to deal with. Make sure that, even if you're pursuing your dreams, that you leave room for changes and adjustments in your plan every step of the way.

Risks

Following any kind of life or career path is going to come with risks, that's just something that you need to be aware of. However, you need to know how much risk you're willing to put up with. You might think, "I've moved to a new place, found fantastic storage near me for all of my belongings, and I'm ready to get out there and find my perfect career!" However, you need to think about whether or not you've got something to fall back on. After all, if you're not able to start following your dreams right away, the last thing you want is to suddenly end up in a position where you have no way to support yourself.

People change

This is something that a lot of people seem to forget. Just because you grew up wanting to do something with your life, that doesn't mean that you have to spend the rest of your life wanting to do that exact thing. People change and grow over time, and you may find that something that you were incredibly passionate about just a few years ago holds no real interest for you anymore. If you built your entire life around one specific thing, then you could end up getting trapped on that path even when it's not something that you're especially interested in pursuing.

Now, please don't think of this as somehow trying to tell you not to follow your dreams. Far from it. If you have an ambition in life and you want to follow it, then that's fantastic. Just remember that you don't need to spend your life on one single track if you feel as though you might be better off moving in another direction.

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

High Ho, Silver Lining

Sometimes, bad things happen. We could coat ourselves in cotton wool and lock ourselves away. Still, we would fall foul sometimes. That’s just the the cookie crumbles. In truth, it has to be that way. You would never be happy, after all, if you didn’t know how it felt to be sad. So, instead of hiding away, we should embrace the bad and the good by putting ourselves out there whenever we get the chance. 

Yet, it’s all too easy to forget that sentiment when we fall on hard times. In fact, it can be difficult to see a way through at all. In all honesty, though, there’s a silver lining for the majority of bad experiences. Sometimes it’s harder to see than others, but it’s always there in some form. And by considering these pointers, you’ll be able to find a path through most negative situations. 

Picture Credit
What have you learnt?

Whether an injury has turned your life upside down, or you’ve experienced a heartache, most negative situations have a lot to teach. In fact, when we look back at formative moments, they often begin with hardship. So, next time you fall on a rough patch, consider what you’re learning from the experience. Do you know something about yourself that you didn’t before? Are you learning to control your emotions? Are you realizing new belief patterns because of what’s happened to you? These and more are common in the aftermath of trauma. And, though it may not seem like it at the time, it’s things like these which make us who we are. So, yes, you’re going through a tough time. But, by accepting the situation and becoming more aware, you also stand to learn the most important lessons of your life.

Could you take positive action?

It’s also worth asking yourself whether you can take positive action. If you’ve been involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault, could you get legal help with personal damage claims? That way, you can at least make changes to your life with the compensation money. Or, perhaps you’ve stumbled on hard financial times. Could you use that as inspiration to finally start the business you’ve been dreaming of for years? Even if you’ve lost a loved one, you could make donations in their name, or even start charities to save other lives. These efforts won’t undo what’s happened, but they can at least ensure something positive comes from it.

How will this change your future?

It’s also worth considering how bad situations can change your future. It helps to think about both of the above points here, as these work together to alter this. But, the event in itself can also have an impact. It may be that you avoid making a mistake again, to ensure the same doesn’t happen. Or, it may be that the incident makes you look at your life and see where you’re unhappy. And, that can result in positive changes which have the power to alter everything.

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Standing On Your Own Two Feet

When you’re becoming more and more of an independent adult, one of the main things you want to do is get your own place. However, that comes with a lot of considerations! Making sure you’ve taken everything into account may need a bit of double checking and then checking again, so here’s a list to help you out with the things you’ll need to keep in mind. Your would be party lifestyle depends on it!

Image
Making Sure You Pack Everything

Even if you don’t have all the furniture for your new place yet, that doesn’t mean you have nothing! If you can pack everything you know you own in a few boxes well before you move, you’ve got a good heads start on the seating, sleeping, and dining situation. The rest will follow suit when you get the money to have a shopping spree

Try and get the details out of the way first, as the small but essential items need to be taken over to your new place straight away. Your toothbrush and clothing for example, as you’re going to need them as soon as you get going, and you don’t want to be digging in the bottom of your cardboard boxes right before bed when you’re out of energy already!

Know Your Amenities

When you’re out of milk and it’s 2 in the morning, you’re going to need to know where the nearest 24 hour shop is. Waiting until the morning and then going for a look around is the last thing we want to do, so explore the area surrounding your new place before you settle in. 
Is there a supermarket nearby? Can you easily park your car near your house so you can run errands easily back and forth between the two locations? If not, get an action plan together! Only you know your own limits, so don’t trick yourself into thinking the 20 minute walk each way is always going to be fine. 

If the Money Matters Get too Much

There’s a lot you have to pay for when you’re looking to move, and that often puts up a huge barrier and stops us. However, when you can immediately get a ballpark figure over what you’re going to need to afford each month, you can immediately start budgeting. It’d also be a good idea to sock some savings away in larger amounts; the furniture won’t buy itself after all!

If there’s no other option for you when concerning finance, it’s not a bad idea to take out a loan. You can make the money back enough to pay small installments, or your can turn to  https://debtconsolidation.co/debt-relief/. This way everything is pooled together and made a lot more manageable as a result; it’s a great solution if you have nowhere else to go. 

Use this advice. There’s a lot to think about before moving yes, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it when you know you have the means to do so! 

Friday, January 12, 2018

Why Is Your Credit Score Important?

Image
What is your credit score?

A credit score is a value which is calculated by lenders to judge your credit at a certain point in time. It is used to assess how likely you are to repay any loan you are given, and therefore whether they should take the risk and give you the money. 

There are three different credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and these each calculate the credit score slightly differently, but based on the same financial factors. There are five main factors which come into play when calculating your credit score and how likely you are to be accepted for a loan:

  • Payment history: a record of all payments relating to credit which you have paid
  • Outstanding debt: any debt you have which hasn’t been paid
  • Length of credit: how long you’ve had credit, the longer the better because it shows stability
  • New credit: any credit you are pursuing
  • Types of credit: the type of credit you have

Can I improve my credit score?

There is always a risk in life that something will happen that makes paying back your credit near impossible, and due to this there may be a few bad records on your credit report. But don't fret: it could be a mistake on your report, which you can get a best credit repair service to help you with, or it could be something that you can change and manage. 

There are a few ways you can save yourself some money and improve your credit score:
  • Cut back on your spending
  • Pay off any existing debt which may be affecting your credits score
  • Closing multiple credit cards
  • Start saving and budgeting

Credit counseling

If you are really struggling with paying back your debts and managing your credit score you can always ask for help from a credit counsellor. These are non-profit companies and will provide you with different services depending on your needs. They will work with you and your lenders in order to find the best solution for your issue and the best way forward. Most lenders are willing to do this because they will receive some of their owed money back, so it is a win win for them to be involved and help you solve your issues. 

Monitor Your Credit

Think of your personal record and how that follows you all the way through your life, your credit history is exactly the same. Whether you have a high credit score or a low one, it is crucial that you take the time to monitor your credit situation so that you can either improve on your score or maintain it at a high level. You have the right to request your copy of you credit report for free, so take advantage of this and take a look through it to make sure that it is all in order.

Do you need perfect credit?

No. It is not a common occurrence for people to have a completely perfect credit history and score. Lenders are simply looking for evidence that you have paid off your credit most of the time and that you are likely to back what they lend you within a timely fashion. 

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Image Source
If you are considering a career in psychology, it is important to know the difference between the different forms of psychology. Two of the most popular types include clinical and counselling psychology. In this post, you will discover the key differences between each type, so that you can make up your mind regarding the best career path for you.

An introduction to psychology
Before we can delve into the different types of psychology, it is first important to explain what psychology is and who psychologists are. Psychology is the scientific study of people, behaviour and the mind. It explores how people react with each other and the environment, as well as how they act and think. Psychologists, therefore, help people by influencing all aspects of public life, including social justice, education, and, of course, health.

The different types of psychologists
If you feel that psychology could be the right career path for you, it’s important to know about the different types of psychologists. As you will already know, there are counselling and clinical psychologists, which we are going to focus on next. Aside from this, other types of psychology include teaching and research, occupational, health, forensic and educational.

Counselling and clinical psychology
Now that you have a basic understanding regarding the different forms of psychology, it is important to look at the difference between clinical and counselling psychology. Both types of psychologists aim to enhance and promote psychological well-being while reducing psychological distress. There is a significant overlap between both forms of this scientific study. However, the main differences lie regarding training and their perspective. Clinical psychology focuses on individuals that have serious mental health issues, for example, psychosis. Counselling psychology focuses on less pathological, healthier populations. The distinction is increasing small, as they work in similar settings, but you will need to achieve a greater level of training to break into the clinical field.

Training
As mentioned, the main difference between the two fields of psychology regards the training side of things. Both will require you to get an accredited degree or conversion course in psychology. Once you have done this, you will then need to train in your chosen specialism. The good news is that you can find Masters in Counseling Psychology and Masters in Clinical Counseling online. This means you can be more flexible with your education and work in the process. Of course, you may prefer to do your Masters Degree at a university, the choice is yours, but both options are fully available to you.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of how clinical and counselling psychology differ from one and other. As you can see, they are very similar in many ways. Nonetheless, it is important to know about the differences so that you can make up your mind regarding the route you want to go down.

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

The Surprising Ways To Better Your Writing Career

If you are a work from home writer, you are probably aware that it helps to think of yourself as a business. After all, you are a business, and the more that you act in that way, the more likely it is that you will be able to see the kind of success that you are probably dreaming of. There are countless ways in which you can ensure you are treating yourself as a business, and it definitely pays to think about some of them as soon as you can. The earlier you get to know what you need to do in order to better your writing career, the more success you will have with that career. Let’s look at some of the more surprising ways you can improve your writing business now.

Image Credit
Get Better At The Admin Stuff

Like all businesses, you are always going to have the administrative side of things to deal with. The better that you are at this stuff, the more likely it is that your writing business on the whole will keep going in the right way. Of course, there are countless ways to improve your administrative skills, and one of the best is simply to take an online accredited mba program. With this kind of qualification under your belt, you will be able to manage your business - and yourself - much more effectively. What’s more, you can take such a qualification without actually leaving the home, making it ideal for the stay-at-home writer that you are.


Read What You Hate

Chances are, you have your own particular idea of what kind of literature you would much rather avoid. For some people, for example, this might be romantic novellae, and for others it could be that sci-fi is their big dislike. Whatever your own literary bugaboo is, you might actually be able to learn a thing or two from reading more of it. You might be thinking: why would I subject myself to reading the stuff I hate? But the more closely you understand why you actually hate it, the more you will be able to steer clear of those very mistakes in your own writing. It is actually just as valuable to know what you dislike about something than to know what you like about something. Don’t be afraid to read something you hate today.

Image Credit
Get Out More

Writing is a solitary pursuit, there’s no doubt about it. But the writer’s life is not necessarily made better by the fact that you will tend to spend a lot of time indoors. They say that you should write about what you know, but if all you know is your study then there is not much material to work with. This is why it is always valuable to get out more, as in living your life more fully you will have much more to write about. If you feel that you are struggling for things to write about, it might be a sign that you have started taking the work-from-home idea a little too literally.

Monday, January 1, 2018

Dealing With the Woes of Low Self-Esteem

Self-esteem might be a term that you’ve heard of, but do you know what it really means or what it implies? Self-esteem usually refers to how you evaluate yourself and your worth. It’s the type of thing you say to yourself in your mind and generally, low self-esteem means that you don’t value your own life or happiness very much.

Coping with low self-esteem can be difficult. You’ll be demotivated to do anything and it will feel like you aren’t able to cope with changes in life. It can be incredibly frustrating and even lead to depression if you aren’t able to manage it correctly. To help you out, we’ve put together an article with will help you deal with the problems associated with low self-esteem, and how to ultimately get rid of the problem entirely.

Image Credit
Signs of Low Self-Esteem

Having low self-esteem means a number of different things, so let’s identify the main symptoms first for a better understanding.

  • Do you hate yourself? One of the most common problems with having low self-esteem is that you’ll start to hate yourself. You’ll find plenty of ways to talk yourself down and you’ll constantly pick out negative qualities, even if they’re not true.
  • Do you always feel worthless? A feeling of worthlessness is common with low-self esteem. If you feel like you’re unable to perform well or have no redeeming qualities, then you’ll start to feel worthless as a person.
  • Do you think no one likes you? Do you feel like the eyes of other people are constantly looking down on you? Do you feel like no one enjoys your company and that they’d be better off without you around? This is another common sign of low self-esteem that can quickly lead to depression. If not dealt with correctly.
  • Do you always take the blame? If you find yourself constantly apologizing to other people and taking the blame, even if something isn’t your fault, then it’s a sign of having low-self esteem that cannot stay around.
  • Do you hate treating yourself? Ever felt bad that you just bought yourself dinner, or that you treated yourself to a new pair of shoes? Don’t feel bad, everyone should treat themselves now and then.
  • Do you feel like you have no positives? Can you find no positive qualities about yourself? You have more redeeming qualities than you think and it’s just your low self-esteem affecting you.
  • Do you have low confidence? Low self-confidence is a problematic issue on its own, but when combined with low self-esteem it can be incredibly damaging to your mental health.
  • Do you feel like you don’t deserve to be happy? Everyone deserves to be happy, so stop putting yourself down. Low self-esteem can make you feel like you’re not deserving of anything in the world, but that’s just wrong and this article will teach you how to deal with low self-esteem so you can be positive and enjoy life again.

Image Credit
Dealing with the Woes of Self-Esteem

Talking about the symptoms of low self-esteem is often the most difficult part of accepting it. It reminds you of the struggle you have to go through, but it’s important to identify these issues before they get out of hand. Once you’ve come to grips with your low self-esteem, you can begin to recover with the help of these tips below.

  • Learn what is affecting your self-esteem. It’s important to identify what exactly it is that’s affecting your self-esteem. Perhaps it’s because you’re suffering abuse from someone, or maybe it’s because of bullying in the workplace. It might even be because of mental health issues that you’ve been ignoring. Whatever it is, locate the source of your low self-esteem and find ways to treat it.
  • Find ways to boost your confidence. Boosting your confidence can be done a number of different ways. For some, it can be improved by changing or improving your appearance. Whether it’s from a trusted cosmetic surgeon such as Dr. Grawe or trying a different makeup routine, improving your appearance is one way of giving yourself a boost of confidence.
  • Surround yourself with positive people that care. Positive vibes are what you need to get through these tough times struggling with low self-esteem. Surround yourself with loving friends and family members and you’ll quickly realize that you have all the support you could ever ask for.
  • Stop talking yourself down all the time. Stop immediately with all the negative talk. Don’t discourage yourself by constantly mentioning negative things in your mind and focus on positives instead. If it helps, keep distracting yourself with positive and uplifting music, or head out more to speak with friends and surround yourself with positive people that care about you.
  • Challenge yourself to experience new things. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself to experience new things in life. Moments that you can cherish will always stick with you no matter what happens and they can be a source of motivation and inspiration that will help you through life.
  • Learn to love yourself. And finally, give your body and mind the respect it deserves. Learn to everything about yourself. Think about the positive aspects of your life and your personality and you’ll learn how to love yourself once again. Take care of yourself by improving your health, taking care of your body and getting enough rest between stressful situations in your life.

To conclude, having low-self esteem isn’t unheard of or uncommon. Many people experience it due to social factors or personal issues that are caused by underlying issues, but it’s important to identify why you have low self-esteem in order to deal with it correctly. With enough support from your peers and positive vibes to boost your confidence, you’ll be able to recover from having low self-esteem.

Friday, December 22, 2017

What Truly Defines 'Cool?'

Pexels
‘Cool’ is a word that has stood the test of time. People have been saying it for decades, arguably since the beginning of the 20th century. It is the one word that has persisted to mean ‘relevant, capable, impressive and competent.’ Those four words previously listed are still only attempts at listing the word ‘cool.’ This word takes up its entire category. There have been many trends which have come to refer to cool, such as ‘sick, fresh, funky,’ but all of these often live and die in the presence of ‘cool.’ 

The word ‘cool’ is universal. Even those who are lacking in English capabilities are able to identify what it means, because it’s such a pinnacle of our speech. This article is dedicated to analyzing ‘cool,’ what it means, and how to emulate it.

Cool Is Present

Cool always stays with the times. It never dies, and is spanned the world over. Surfers in Australia use the word cool, as do miners in Scotland. It’s an ever-present, ever utilized word, and it often refers to something being wholesome and present. ‘Present’ is perhaps one of the best ways to describe the word, because it’s always relevant. Someone who dresses shabbily in and and it dated clothing would be considered less cool than someone who shops for Billabong clothing online. Cool isn’t simply dictated by the quality of the threads you wear, although that can certainly help. Cool is more of a present, ever updating attitude, which is why it never goes out of fashion. It’s always here, and it’s always important.

Cool Doesn’t Care About Being Cool

Caring about being cool is the least cool thing you can do. This sounds quite funny, but it makes sense. We all know when someone is trying to be the focal point of the party, or we know when someone is playing disingenuous social moves in order to impress us. This idea of cool is faulty. Cool is really being down to earth, honest and filled with integrity. If cool was a person, they’d feel fully embarrassed by being labelled as ‘cool.’ This is how it preserves itself, and how the word continually stays relevant in common parlance.

To further back up this point, consider the actual real definition of the word. To be cool is to be chilled, as in temperature wise. This could be likened to emotion such as neglected to get ‘heated’ about something, but instead seeing things from a level, relaxed, patient perspective. Cool is not averse to passion, but only in the right instances.

This is why dressing in an understated way is so important. Highlighting the main focal points of your outfit such as a great watch or a nice piece of jewellery is tasteful and cool, because it’s not TRYING to show you how impressive it is. Someone wearing too much Jewellery or wacky colors can be seen as a little too complex. It looks as if you’re trying to hard. We’re not making any judgements on how people dress here, but simply how the word cool operates. That being said:

Cool Is Highly Personal

What is cool to you might not be cool to another person. The intricacies of a complex classical fugue might be considered the height of excellence to one person, while another might simply feel that the swift lyricism and strong beats of some modern hip-hop to be the coolest expression on the planet. ‘Cool’ switches in importance from culture to culture, and from person to person. This is what keeps ‘cool’ varied, and justified in its coolness. 

That’s why it’s important to pay cool no mind. Simply work on yourself, your appearance, your health, your career and you’ll find that cool comes to you. Think of it like a butterfly. If you try to catch it, it will get further away from you than ever. However, if you focus on other things and pursue them, cool will float and rest on your shoulder.

In Conclusion

The word ‘cool’ is many things to many people. It’s likely that after reading this article, the word ‘cool’ seems strange to read, hear and say. We’d like to take the opportunity to say that if you treat your family well, you earn your living and you’re happy meeting the challenges of life (even if it’s very hard,) then you are cool even if you don’t feel it. Now go out into this world with this knowledge, and achieve everything you’ve hoped to!

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Don't Underestimate Mom Support

As a mother, you can easily become consumed by your kids. Their needs can far outweigh your own, even on the days you feel desperate for a shower, a hot meal and a reassuring hug. From the moment your child is born, you go from being your own person to being accountable for someone else. Their life depends on you, which can be scary and overwhelming as much as it gives you pride. If you have a strong partner with you through the early days of parenthood, then you know that you are lucky. A lot of new moms go through those days pretty much alone. Your days are stuck in the same routine from birth to teenage years, and it can get a little bit wearing! As a parent, you can find yourself becoming increasingly isolated from the people you once called your best friends. Getting onto different paths in life can be sad and leave you feeling alone at a time in your life where you need as much support as possible.

Image Source
A support system for a mother is an essential. Good people surrounding you when you are at your most vulnerable point can make a huge difference to the way you do things with your routines and your children. If you’re a seasoned mother, then you know the drill when a friend of yours falls pregnant: you need to be that support. The support system a mom needs should never be underestimated, and the amount of support you as a mom could give another is huge! No mother wants to ask for help; they believe they’re supposed to be doing it all alone and not being able to manage is a sign of weakness. In actual fact, asking for help is a sign of strength and there are many ways that you can help, and be helped, as a parent. We’ve put some of the best ways below for you.

Chores.
Think back to when you first brought your baby home from the hospital. How into the chores were you? Not at all, we bet! A new mother has a tiny new life to get used to, so trying to fit chores in around that new baby, eating, showering and finding time to sleep isn’t easy at all. If you have a friend who is in the middle of a house move, then you know that they can benefit from a service like Pack Mom, and you can get a free quote to find out how other moms can rally around to assist in getting that house packed and ready for a move. There’s so much more a mom needs than flowers and advice – they need the chores done! So, roll up your sleeves and get stuck into the odd jobs.

Time.
If there is one thing that a new mother needs, it’s time. You may remember the drill from when you first became a mom. The hours seemed to melt into each other quickly, so one minute you’re holding the baby, then the sun goes down and you’re still holding the baby. Give your friend a heads up that you are on your way over. When you get there, tidy up, make some dinner and then take the baby off her hands. Give her a chance to go and shower, take a nap and have five minutes with a hot drink. No mom ever thinks about the small things that make them feel more comfortable, and so they let themselves get into a state. Postnatal depression is a real thing, but if you can be the support system your friend needs, you would be, right?

Image Source
Photograph.
Did you know that mom is always behind the camera rather than in front of it? If you’re a parent, you’ll already be very aware of this fact. Take a few photos of the new mom in your circle. It doesn’t matter if she’s in puke-stained pyjamas. It doesn’t matter whether she has her hair in tangles and her face unmade up. The early moments of feeling too tired to do more than concentrate on a new baby means that you can often miss those moments. Grab your camera and snap a few photos of the new mother in that stage of total euphoria and fear, so that she has that memory.

Older Children.
When you have a new baby and there are older children in the family already, it can be really difficult to spread the attention among the group. So, helping out by taking the older children out for the day to do some fun activities and even for a sleepover can really give a new mother a hand to adjust to a new routine. You don’t have to feed them sweets and treats to get them to feel good, either. Take them to a new movie or spend some time doing crafts with them. The guilt a mother can feel when she is dealing with a new baby and not spending time with the older children can be consuming, and when there are other hormones flying around it’s the last thing she needs. Support her by supporting her children.

Image Source
Go Out.
New mothers are often left behind by their circle of friends. It’s not always an intentional thing, it’s just one of those things where a new mother becomes overlooked as she continuously turns down invitations. Make a point of getting her partner to help by keeping the kids occupied and invite her out. Before a mother is a mother, she was a person first. A person with feelings, opinions and intelligence. Don’t underestimate the fact that motherhood has happened that she wouldn’t want to be treated that way still.

Being a support system for a new parent is just as important as having a support system for yourself. Never underestimate the need for a good support system, and never overlook the one that is around you in the form of friends and school moms. Your support can make such a difference to your life, so be the difference for someone else.