New Year, New You!

As the New Year comes to pass, many people seize the opportunity to set new personal targets and goals concerning their lifestyle, home and profession. With a little positive thinking and the ability to realistically highlight areas which you would like to improve on, you can set targets for the New Year to help you improve your home and life in general. Whether you have aspirations of a new career, an urge to empty your house of excess clutter or a personal determination to lose some excess weight, a New Year's resolution can prove to be a fantastic opportunity to set targets and meet them. So, let's look at a couple of ways you could start the New Year effectively and meet some targets that could make a world of difference for you this year.

Spring clean

Clearing out areas of your home which contain excessive amounts of clutter is a fantastic starting point when looking to give your house a thorough spring clean. Clearing out garden sheds, cupboards and cloak rooms can create storage space to fill with any items or furniture that is overflowing into the various rooms of your house. Be sure to clean all areas of your home as you go; this is much easier to do after a clear out as those 'hard to reach' areas are much more accessible.

Adding new style and features to your home in the New Year is another great way of bring a fresh modern feeling to the house; consider adding new kitchen furnishings or bathroom furniture.

A Healthy New Year

It's widely recognised that many people tend to gain a few pounds in weight over the Christmas period; once the various delectable Christmas treats are spread across the dinner table it's all too easy to tuck into chocolates and help ourselves to a leftover sandwich. It's important to combat these Christmas snacks during the New Year however, and assessing your weight and BMI during the first week or two of January can act as a valuable incentive to those who wish to lose a few pounds.

Setting a healthy diet plan alongside a consistent exercise regime is the most simple and easy to manage method of weight loss. Miracle weight loss pills and diets promise quick results and rock hard abs. Avoid these if possible; weight loss should be a gradual change that does not strain your body or shock your system. Be sure to plan a diet and workout that works for you.

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Written on behalf of branded bathrooms bathroom furniture and dangerouslee.biz who are the original source of this article.

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Tips For Relocating To The Czech Republic

Moving to a new country always brings new experiences and challenges. Moving to the Czech Republic is no different - you can expect things to be different and you must try to be flexible. Rather than behaving like a tourist, your goal is to act like a citizen. This will make it easier for you to fit in and make friends. In turn, you will then be a little more prepared to move to your destination country.

1) Every country is unique. When in the Czech Republic, it's not necessary to spend a lot of money on clothing. If you dress up too much, you will be taken as a tourist because the locals dress very casually. Due to their low income, Czechs aren't concerned about buying expensive clothing and accessories. Dress simply and down to earth.

2) Whenever you enter the building of a small business establishment, greet the people by saying "Dobry Den" in a very polite fashion. This simple means "Good Day" and you will be treated with more respect, even if your accent is not the best. Those who use this greeting are not taken as tourists. You should also leave by saying "Na Shledanou" or "Goodbye."

3) When you need to purchase train or bus tickets, it's best to take a local person with you, if at all possible. The reason for this is because otherwise, you may be charged up to double for your tickets. A monthly pass is probably the best way to buy because you get a better rate and you won't have to worry about being charged extra each time you need a ticket.

4) If you decide to visit a local restaurant, be sure and check for the daily menu. It will likely be written outside the cafe in the Czech language; and can easily be translated with a bilingual dictionary. If you don't, you will be given the more expensive a la carte menu. If you cannot find the daily menu, then ask for the "Denni Menu Prosim," which translated is simply "Daily Menu Please."

5) Czechs are not unfriendly people, but they aren't overflowing with emotion either. You will definitely be taken for a tourist if you are extra friendly or emotional in public. People who visit or move to the Czech Republic are sometimes perplexed by the serious demeanors of the people, but it's just their way. They are not expressive in public and prefer to keep to themselves.

Quite frankly, it's very likely that you will not do things the right way when you first move to the Czech Republic. You will quickly learn from your mistakes, however. You will learn the differences between being treated like a tourist and a local. People will never be rude or unkind to you, but you will make friends quicker and feel more at home if you can learn to do things like the locals. As the old saying goes, "When in Rome - or the Czech Republic - do as the Romans - or Czechs - do."

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When moving to Europe, you must be prepared for the adventure of a lifetime! Expect the unexpected and you will do just fine. Also, be sure to check on shipping to Czech Republic so that you can have things sent to you after you arrive. Be sure and visit our website for more information!

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Internet Dating Safety Tips for Seniors

Online dating is an awesome way to meet singles and love interests, but some people do not always have common sense when chatting or when they first have a meeting. If you read my tips below, you will learn how to recognize the common cons scam artists use to try and win your heart and steal from your wallet.

Remember to use common sense when dating on the Internet.

First, we must recognize the truth: anyone from anywhere can create a profile with a picture they found on Google image search. If anyone ever asks you to donate money or send them money because they are in an emergency situation, don't do it. If you come across anyone asking you for personal information, they may be trying to steal your identity. This includes your name, address, phone number, social security number, or bank account information.

Use the following information to identify the common methods of stealing personal information

Messaging on the Internet is tough, especially in cases where you're limited to 140 characters. If you suspect or come across any of the following items in the list below - chances are it might be a dating scam and you should cease contact with the person you're talking to.

- Your chats with the user seem vague, topic changes over different messages abruptly or they talk off topic.

- Receiving messages right away. This may be a robot talking to you, especially if you receive messages at unusual times of day.

- After a few messages, the person wants to talk on another messaging service. The links they send may be viruses or they are advertising for that website.

- They are asking for money because of an emergency and you're the only person who can help them.

- The person was just widowed and is asking for money or help.

- Tells you about a charity or wants you to donate to a cause.

- They say they're traveling, living overseas, deployed and are requesting money.

- Asks for your address so they can send you gifts (flowers, etc).

- They say that finding you online was fate and request money or other personal information from you.

- You see that their picture has been used in another profile. You could save their picture and use a reverse image search to find the source of the image.

- Their photo seems unrealistic or modified in some way. If the dating website you use has a report feature and you come across any suspicious activity, report that person. It will flag the account to administrators who should personally review the account and delete it if necessary.

When you find someone that you would like to meet offline, follow these guidelines and stay safe when you meet in the real world.

- Never arrange to be picked up at your house.

- Tell someone where you are going and what time they should expect you back.

- Keep your cell phone with you at all times.

- Meet somewhere public that has many people and try to stay there.

- Stay sober or drink with caution.

- Don't assume the person you're with is safe.

- Split the bill so there is no obligation.

- Until you absolutely trust them, use a hotel if you want to get freaky.

- Practice safe sex.

- Remain alert until the date is over and you're home safely.

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Keeping yourself safe both online and offline is very important. Don't get a false sense of security or ignore these rules because you use a dating website that does background checks on its members. People with a criminal record can still get into these websites due to flaws in the background checking system - it's not perfect.

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Personal Growth Positively On The Up!

By: Anne M.

As individuals, it is so easy to fall into a rut, as there are certain sets of circumstances that make us accept situations which occur in our lives, admittedly sometimes through no fault of our own, but very often they lead on to a downward spiral, and we lose sight of our earlier dreams. Eventually after a period of time, belief is drained, and a reluctant acceptance of what amounts to second best, is the path that many end up taking. This is a truly sad predicament, but thankfully not one that anybody needs to settle for, as all they require is a change of focus, and with some steely determination, anybody can put their life back on track and move forward. This is basically a realization of a necessity for an individual to take back control of their life, and undertake a period of personal growth, to enable their lifestyle to match new goals, or even old ones which had been abandoned. 

Self-belief is vital if a person is going to grow as an individual, and make the decisions that, perhaps at present, they do not feel able to. Driving forward and carving out a bright, maybe even dynamic future for yourself, is something everybody should aspire to, regardless of age. Taking personal responsibility for all things happening in your life is a basic requirement, but to do so in a positive mindset, can make a whole world of difference to the eventual outcome. Failure is something many try to justify, when they are lacking a passionate driving force, but it is a relatively simple process to turn around, if the individual genuinely is willing to change.

Personal growth can take many forms, but much of the time it boils down to using emotions in a positive way. These same emotions may well have been actually holding you back, so the first thing to do is to turn them in your favour and manage them in a way that allows them to act on your behalf, not as an obstruction. Channelling and controlling these everyday feelings can bring about a far more relaxed attitude, and will see an immediate change in character. Everybody has some creativeness inside them, it is just a matter of harnessing it to generate new ideas. Motivation and education go hand in hand, one is not much use without the other. Having the motivation to take your life in a positive direction is a great starting point, but the need for learning never ceases. 

Understanding yourself and discovering a true purpose, both lend themselves to personal growth matters, as by acknowledging these, an individual is able to plan ahead for a future, fully focused and can push forward with absolute vigour and conviction. Logical, rational and strategic thinking can propel you to a place that was previously out of reach, in the negative mindset. Help is at hand in the form of a multitude of training courses and programs, all aimed at personal development, but each with a specific goal in mind. There really is no need to accept mediocrity, life is full of choices and opportunities, so each and every individual owes it to themselves, to maximize their true potential. 

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Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

Music - An Excellent Therapy For Stress And Tension In Today's Scenario

By: Mark Bennett

Our lives are filled with work, family and other personal obligations. It is difficult to manage these obligations and sometimes we feel the need to avoid them. But it is not possible. How much ever you try to avoid them, these things are still part and parcel of your life. At the end of the day, you may feel relieved when these obligations are fulfilled but you are bound to get stressed. Stress is something which will make you think twice when you take up these obligations. This stress may physically and mentally strain you. It is nature's law that human beings are the only creature that get stressed quickly and agitated. Yeah! Stress could increase your blood pressure and give you tension. Now what can be done to cope up with stress? Surely we all know that stress is unavoidable and there is always a solution to overcome it. 

There are innumerable methods to relieve stress and the most effective is music. Music is one of the things that could just ease your stress blocks. A pleasing music just makes you relaxed and feel fresh. One of the best things about music is that no matter what kind of music you hear it will still give you a pleasant feeling. 

I still remember my car pool friend who always listens to soft and melodious tunes on his iPod. While going to work, he would take out his iPod and would sit back and relax. Frankly most of my car pool buddies found it absurd. But it was actually effective. He would be so much energized in his work that his co-workers would just get astonished. He enthusiasm level would be so high and completes his job on time. His boss always appreciated him for his avidness in doing his work and complimented him. 

Gosh! His energy level and enthusiasm would be tremendous. At times I felt that he drank about four or five cups of coffee in a day. Sometimes I felt that he was on medication or something. So one day I just inquired to him on how he was so full of energy the entire day. He just replied that I have my iPod. He took out his iPod from his pocket and showed me the entire list of melodious and soulful songs. He said "Look dude, like all people I get stressed. But as soon as I get stressed, I take out my iPod and just click the play button. My entire stress just vanishes away. You could try it."

Seriously I have heard many people saying that music therapy is one of the greatest medications for stress and tension. Many of us know that seeing is believing and I for sure was convinced. Music has this irresistible characteristic that it just eases your mind. It stimulates our brain cells, making us relaxed and refreshed. Do you know that music has been used to promote healing since ancient time? Most of the physicians and doctors used to prescribe music as a stress reliever to their patients. They never gave any medications and always told to their patients to listen to soft and melodious music. 

Music therapy not only involves listening to music but also playing as well. Just imagine a room filled with people who work together. They are using different percussioninstruments and playing a song. You need to notice that most of them may have a friendship that strays outside the office. Still their rhythm and flow of music is proper and precise. How is that possible? Most of them may be non musicians and not great friends. Some could be even bitter enemies. So how is that they are able to produce a wonderful music. 

This is the quality of music. No matter what kind of music people play or listen, it just mesmerizes you. From a corporate point of view the above example shows success and teamwork. Even though they were amateur and unprofessional musicians, they had the thirst of achieving success. To quench this thirst of success, each of them cooperated and showed the effect of teamwork. 

In short, music is a never aging medication for people suffering from stress and tension. Hear or watch some music on your TV channel offered by cable services like Dish TV Packages and feel relaxed and happy.

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Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Mark is a freelance writer and columnist. He has written many articles on topics like news, current events, entertainment and cable TV packages like Dish TV Packages. He is a hardcore fan of comedy sitcoms and watches most of them in his free time.

Having a Positive Attitude Brings Many Rewards

Before the age of twenty-two I used to think I was one of the most unluckiest people in the world. My life seemed to be such a struggle compared to other people who seemingly breezed through life. I was caught up in a web of negativity and needed someone or something to help me to escape.

Then I met a man who was around fifty while working on a project at work. We were having a chat one day when he stated that I was a depressive person who rarely smiled. What he said was quite upsetting and disturbing, however would have a profound effect on my future.

In a shocked state I denied the accusation but be continued, yes you are, you very rarely smile, you are negative about most issues and you always seem to be carrying the world on your shoulders.

This man was aged around fifty three and continued, I used to be like you and then I was given some advice, of which I am now going to relay to you. When you feel down, depressed or sorry for yourself, read the newspapers or watch the news on the television. You may then realise that you are in fact one of the lucky ones.

I listened and thought about what he had said. I had never been a big reader or watcher of the news, but decided to start. The advice was totally correct, the news from around the world and even my own country was quite shocking. I realised that the worries I had were actually quite trivial and that I needed to cherish everyday and start to look on the bright side of life.

In reality worrying about a particular situation does not help you, what I now try and do is to find a solution to whatever it is I am stressing about by thinking positive and taking a pro-active stance. This is not always easy as the negative demons in my mind are constantly working to bring me down. I see it as a battle and the demons as a bully and am determined not to let them win.

Art of Flirting

Many people believe that the art of flirting is something that you either have or you don't.  This isn't true at all.  The art of flirting is something, which can be mastered by anyone with an interest in learning how to flirt.  It's a practice-makes-perfect skill, which is learned from the inside out. Everyone masters the art of flirting differently, but there are some basics of the art of flirting which might help you to find the flirt within and bring her out to play.

The first thing to know about the art of flirting is that it's something, which can be done by anyone.  You don't need to be the most attractive person in the room (and beauty is a subjective quality anyone) and you don't have to be the smartest, most athletic or most outgoing either.  The art of flirting is designed to bring out the wonderful qualities that are unique about you and to let them shine so that others can be drawn to them.  In this way, the art of flirting begins from the inside.  Knowing the qualities you like about yourself and using them as a basis, the art of flirting is an art of quiet confidence.

But you want to know what to do to let others know that you're a terrific person right?  The art of flirting is an art, which is primarily non-verbal.  They say that the eyes are the keys to the soul and you should use yours as a starting point for the art of flirting.  Have you ever been glancing around a room, bored and disinterested in what was going on around you when a stranger caught your gaze and held it for a few moments?  For most people, this causes the heart to race and the mind to start whirring, wondering what it was about them that caught someone's attention.  People are drawn to others who are attracted to them and you can convey your interest at many levels with the different types of looks you give to people.  The art of flirting will incorporate many different types of gazes.  If you are in a public setting and just want to catch the eye of a stranger, meeting their gaze and holding it for a few seconds then letting it go followed by meeting it again is the best method.  This quickly conveys that you are interested in flirting with them and you will be able to tell from their reaction whether or not they share your interest.  More aggressive flirting is done through giving the object of flirtation a look, which says, I am thinking dirty things about you.  Sometimes this is done with a lingering gaze, sometimes with an up-and-down-the-body glance and sometimes with a stare, which suggests that you are hungry and looking to devour them.

In addition to eye contact, the art of flirting makes use of other types of body language.  Positioning your body in such a manner that shows you are open to communication is crucial to the art of flirting.  Touching the other person is also a big part of the art of flirting, but it should be done cautiously.  You should read the other person's body language to determine whether they are welcoming the signals you are sending out.  You'll be able to tell if it's appropriate to touch their arm or lean your leg against theirs while talking.  The art of flirting consists of a combination of conveying your intentions while reading the signals of the other person.  A successful combination of these two things which stems from a foundation of casual confidence in your own self worth makes the art of flirting enjoyable and fun.
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7 Goal Setting Steps

The three keys to living without limits have always been the same. They are clarity, competence, and concentration. Goal setting will help you live without limits. Learning how to set goals is an art. Learn why setting goals is a necessity. Here are 7 Must-have conditions to set goals.

1. State your goal in positive terms.

People often set a goal in terms of what they don't want! "I don't want to smoke, to be angry..." It's "what I want to do or want to be" See the difference? Hear the nuance? Are you ready to state positively every goal you want to achieve?

2. Make sure the goal can be self-initiated and maintained 

The goal doesn't depend on the attitude of your neighbor, on the behavior of your wife or family. The success of your goal must depend on you, and you alone.

3. Your goal must be sensory specific

Here comes the importance of clarity. The clearer the picture, the more compelling and the more attractive it is, the greater the drive to reach your final destination. Act as if the goal is already achieved. Make a very clear image, in rich details, and you will be so enthusiastic that you will automatically attract the solution.

4. State the context of the goal.

"Where and when will my goal be achieved?" The answer can be obvious for some goals but not at all for others. Try to be as specific as possible.

5. Run a Quality Control check on the goal to ensure balance in all areas of your home/work life.

Above all, you don't want to lose your balance. When you run this 'Quality Control Check", you play a win-win strategy. Everything is one system and the whole system must win. You will find peace of mind in knowing that you are in harmony with the system. Step back and look at all areas of your life. Is your goal worth it?

6. State the resources needed to achieve the goal: what is the price to pay?

There is always a price to pay, for everything. There is always some kind of sacrifice to make when you set a worthy goal. In this step, you will define all that you will need, in terms of time, money and energy.

7. State the value and the consistency of the goal.

Why do I want to reach this goal? Why is it important to me? Is this goal in harmony with my vision, beliefs and values? Answer these questions. If you don't seem to be satisfied with the answers, maybe you should change your goal. Set a new goal until you feel it is in harmony with your passion, vision or mission.

When you properly set a goal with this model, two important things occur. First, you are in total harmony with your vision, belief and value systems because your entire "You" agrees and offers no resistance. Second, you are programmed to succeed. Indeed, your very (whole) neurology and physiology are both instructed to drive you towards obtaining your desired goal. You're totally focused.

Again, The three keys to living without limits have always been the same. They are clarity, competence, and concentration. When you set crystal clear goals, and you respect the 7 must-have conditions, you can literally live without limits, can't you?

No Title Necessary: New Years Resolutions, version 2012

No Title Necessary: New Years Resolutions, version 2012

Dealing with Stress

By: Terry Doherty

Stress and anxiety are probably involved to some extent in a great many of the causes for clients coming for hypnotherapy.

Working with clients for hypnotherapy in High Wycombe and surrounding areas I notice that stress and anxiety are everywhere and can cause many problems if ignored. Relaxation exercises, and other stress management techniques can be very helpful in overcoming stress and anxiety caused by everyday life.

Self Hypnosis is also very beneficial and hypnosis downloads such as www.double-powered-hypnosis.com can be of significant help.

Due to a variety of socio-economic conditions, stress has now become more widely recognised by both individuals and employers. People in the UK lose several thousand days of work not to mention great personal anxiety that can lead to marital discord, depression, panic attacks and many other problems.

At The Mind Works we offer a comprehensive stress management programme using Hypnotherapy in High Wycombe and around the counrtry for both individuals and corporate clients to help with stress and anxiety in an immediate way and also to offer long term strategies.

Effective stress management takes in various therapeutic models and tailors a programme to include not just dealing with the presenting stress but to also help clients to avoid reaching high stress levels in the first place. Hypnosis can help with stress by;

• Teaching relaxation techniques and relaxation exercises, thereby developing new ways to relax naturally (the relaxation response instead of the stress response).

• Positive thinking can help with panic attacks, anxiety and fears.

• Creating an understanding of stress using cognitive techniques and the reasons for stress and addressing those stress factors on different levels giving an understanding of the individual nature of stress and creating positive outcomes for the future.

Remember stress and anxiety can cause problems in very clever and unhelpful ways. One of the best ways to combat stress is to exercise but then who wants to exercise when dealing with stress. Although I use Hypnotherapy in High Wycombe I also work with clients around the country and utilize additional therapeutic interventions.
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Terry Doherty is a world renowned Hypnotherapist and life coach. Visit his Hypnotherapy in High Wycombe site. He also has a range of Hypnosis Downloads

Article Source: http://www.positivearticles.com

The Power of Self Confidence

Self confidence is not something that holds me back, in fact I really appreciate the level of confidence I enjoy and feel that I can make the choices and decisions I want without a feeling of concern or over riding fear. That is not to say that I am always successful, but I realize that even by trying I am moving closer to a higher level of confidence.

I did not always have a high level of self confidence. When I was younger, I had a lot of self confidence in my ability to do well in football and track, but my confidence in my ability to deal with life’s challenges was quite low. This was probably caused by a fear of not measuring up to my parent’s expectations and a little bit of social shyness. However, as I got older, I realized that my parents only wanted me to be healthy and to try my best at everything I did. As a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, I had a lot of social interaction with people from all walks of life and I lost most of my shyness. My job also required that I respond to all different kinds of situations. The more success I had, the more my self confidence rose.

Self confidence or confidence in yourself means that you know that you can do whatever task you are faced with. This does not mean that you have to do every task by yourself. It means that the ones you know you can do by yourself you do and the ones where you need help you know how to find it. Confidence is a learned trait, not something you are born with. It is the force which pushes you forward and allows you to find the right path amidst the confusion and chaos of life. Confidence is the necessity you must have to assist you in realizing your dreams and goals.

We all have the power of self confidence within us. Sadly many leave it unused for long periods of time while others use it sparingly like a miser. Forget about past worries and build the power of self confidence within you. Since you can’t change the mistakes of the past, don’t let them spoil the present or dim the future.

The first thing that you must practice is “don't hate yourself” before deciding to practice self confidence. It is very difficult to become self confident if you do not like yourself. Remember, just like everyone else, you were born into this world for a specific reason. Think about the things that you are good at doing. Work at becoming better at them. Don’t worry about the things that you are not very good at. As a very successful person I was talking to recently said, “Why spend your limited time here on earth working on things you are not good at. Instead perfect the things you are good at and hire someone to do the things you are not good at.”

Mediocrity and poor performance are often due to low self confidence but it is not something you have to live with. You can build your self confidence by challenging yourself to take action and do something. Even though you feel as if you lack confidence, it doesn't mean other people can tell. Building good self confidence is a wonderful thing, and it's much easier than you'd imagine. One of the easiest ways of building self confidence is to “take baby steps.” What I mean by this is to set small goals or projects that you have to complete. Each time you do one in the time you have set for yourself, you will build your self confidence. The accumulation of small “victories” will convince your subconscious mind that you can do what you set out to do. It will then convince your conscious mind that you have a lot of capabilities and your self confidence will grow. If you continue to do this over a period of months, you will find that your self confidence becomes greatly improved. With improved self confidence you can take on bigger projects and goals and as these are completed your self confidence will grow by leaps and bounds.

So what other techniques are available to anyone wishing to develop more self confidence? It should be no surprise to you when I tell you that the single most influential person on your self confidence is you, or more specifically, your mind. This probably sounds very basic but are you using your own thoughts to reenforce your self confidence and self esteem? Talk positively to yourself all the time. Become your own best friend and supporter. Encourage yourself to do more. Congratulate yourself on every small or large victory. Remember that very few people are successful the first time they try to do something. You didn’t ride a bike the first time you tried. Thomas Edison didn’t invent the light bulb on his first attempt either. It took him more than 10,000 attempts before he made the first successful light bulb and it only lasted a few minutes. The biggest thing to remember is that you are never defeated in doing anything you want to do until you quit. Donald Trump, during a recent interview, stated that he was richer than most people because he failed more times than most. However, in his case, he learned from his mistakes and tried again. Why? Because he was confident that he could do what he wanted to do if he just continued trying. You are no different from Donald Trump. Do what he did. Just keep trying until you succeed. When you do, your self confidence will soar and you will realize that you can do anything you want to as long as you continue trying.

Another technique is to watch other people. When you see someone that stands upright and moves with a sense of purpose watch to see if they give you the impression that they have a lot of confidence. If they do, duplicate the physical characteristics of these confident people and you will start to gain the confidence they display.

One thing that you must ensure that you do not do is listen to people who talk down to you or try to tell you that you cannot do something. Usually these people can’t do these things themselves, so they try to convince others that they can’t do them either. If something like this keeps happening to you, tune these people out and stop associating with them. Your inner confidence needs to be liberated from this constant barrage of negative thoughts and statements from the dream stealers around you. Your limitations are in your mind, not in your reality.

Here are some tips for everyday practice. If you want to develop and build confidence, associate with positive uplifting people. Good people around you will help you build self confidence. If you want to build up your confidence, do something new every day. Each of these small acts will add to your confidence and also make your life more enjoyable. The most sacred thing in life is self confidence because it is the secret of all miracles. When you have confidence in yourself, you arouse everything that is stronger, greater and superior in you. In consequence, the more confidence you have in yourself, the more you will attain and accomplish. A person who knows the power of self confidence walks a path of inner growth and achievement. With self confidence a person of mediocre ability can achieve more in life than those with exceptional talents and little self confidence.

Supreme self confidence is a birth right for every person so isn’t it about time you claimed yours?

Tips to Manage Your Everyday Stress Effectively

Often times stress will manifest when we carry over yesterday’s concerns into our present day concerns. An accumulation will almost always end up in a high stress level. Therefore, we must be able to “dump” all of our concerns from the previous day or days and concentrate wholly on our today.

So here are 3 stress busting tips 

- Stress Busting Tip #1 

Resolve right now to release every thought from yesterday and be only mindful of the now…. this thought only...this breath...this moment. Take in three very deep breaths and slowly release each one.

At the same time feel each and every concern, each and every problem, and each and every unresolved moment, begin to dissolve. You can deal with them at a later time. For now, you are only to be in this very moment.

Now go to your inner quiet place. Go deep inside to a place where you feel that you are at peace and then just relax and breathe in deeply and enjoy the feeling of being at one and at peace within yourself.

Use this special time and place to be calm. Free your mind and body of all worry, all regret, all disappointment, all anger and grief.

- Stress Busting Tip #2 

Next, think of one particular act, such as rocking your baby, taking a quick stroll, raking the leaves, and do that one simple thing. All the while, your mind is quiet and calm and you are in your own special place within.

Practice this act of quiet and calm each day and you will see that you will accomplish so much more. At the first sign of being stressed, go back to this mindful, quiet place and start all over again until you have reached your inner place of calm.

- Stress Busting Tip #3 

The very best thing that you can do for yourself is to eat, drink and rest – to your health!

Stress is easily brought on by not eating and drinking properly. When you don’t get the number of hours of sleep that you need each night, you are only setting yourself up for additional stress.

Limit the amount of salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol in your diet. Drink plenty of clean, pure water each day and do at least moderate exercise each day. This will breathe new life into your skin, hair and will nourish all of your vital organs.

Take time to breathe properly! Take deep belly breathes to send pure oxygen to all of your body. Laugh and then laugh some more. It is food for the soul! Spend time doing the things that please you most. Engage in healthy and fulfilling relationships and work on problems that would erode the closeness that you have with someone special.

When we are content and living a balanced life everyday stresses seem to pale in comparison. We are better equipped to deal with the unexpected.

You can take control today! Isolate only one particular stressor in your life and then work on it until you regain control. At the very least, have some new hope!

Simple but Effective Techniques to Initiate Stress and Anxiety Relief at Work

Ricky Gervais and the BBC's stunningly successful sit-com "The Office" has been a huge hit around the world spawning countless spin off's and remakes.

The fact is that the comic situation transfers across cultural barriers. The exact idioms of the language may alter but essentially we see people in the show that we relate to in our own workplace - sometimes we even see ourselves.

The people are not the only aspect of the show tat transfers, so do the situations the characters find themselves in. Do these two quotes from The Office strike a chord?

Jim Halpert: Because right now, this is a job. If I advance any higher, this would be my career. And if this were my career, I'd have to throw myself in front of a train.

Michael Scott: This is our receptionist, Pam. If you think she's cute now, you should have seen her a couple years ago.

These lines may be funny yet they point to something basic and fundamental pertaining to the work place: stress and more specifically work related stress.

The UK Health and Safety at Work Executive (HSE); the UK government's Work related health and safety body define work related stress as: “the adverse reaction a person has to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed upon them."

A certain degree of stress is healthy, t keeps us on our toes and drives us to achieve. In essence stress will cause us to lead more fulfilling lives. The difficulty is here however, is how do we create a healthy balance of stress because too much stress and anxiety is certainly harmful to your health and well-being? What techniques can we apply to encourage stress and anxiety relief in our lives? Stay with me for a short while and we'll look at 10 simple ideas to initiate stress and anxiety relief at work.

Tune Into Your Body

A simple idea it may be, but one that is the key to unlocking the box to the other stress and anxiety relief techniques that we shall examine. Be aware of the degree of stress that you're experiencing at any one moment in time. First of all you need to know when your stress levels are rising.

Measure your stress level on a scale of 1-10. While you're at home find a time when you are alone and when you can lie down with your eyes closed. Put on your favourite music for relaxing or just sit in silence, whatever works best for you. Just let your mind wander and do not seek to hold your thoughts, no matter how fleeting. After 10 minutes or so you should be aware of level zero stress.

This is the gauge for measuring all other stress levels. During the day check into the scale and not the level of tension that you're feeling: are your shoulders hunched and tense; how does your gut feel, is it tight and churning; is your jaw clenched?

Take time to move

Movement is a great way to reduce stress levels. Just by getting out of your seat and moving around you will find that you will feel a measure of stress and anxiety relief. A brisk walk during your lunch break and a short jogging session at the end of the day will reduce tension. Generally aim to keep fit anyway.

Take time for deep breathing

Simply breaths deeply, inhaling through the nostrils, after holding the breath for a count of three exhale slowly through the mouth.

Take time to use your minds power of imagery

This is another great way to bring stress and anxiety relief into the workplace. Just take a moment or two to imagine that yo are somewhere else. Hear the sound of the sea, create the vivid colours of the sky in your mind, soar of to your favourite place and do not wait for that distant vacation; go there today. The more vivid the images the better this stress and anxiety relief technique will work.

Take time to challenge your irrational thoughts

Be aware of you inner voice and the messages that it is sending to you. Often these thoughts are based on previous mind conditioning and the thoughts will be harmful and create unnecessary levels of stress. For example if you are under pressure to get something done by a particular time you may find yourself thinking" I must get this done or else I'm fired and I'll need to find another job!" This is probably not the case and if it is then you're probably better looking for another job anyway.

Take time to plan work into smaller manageable tasks

A large taks can be overwhelming and may need to be broken down into simpler easier to complete jobs. We meet more step by step targets this way and feel agreater sense of achievment after each step is finished. Give yourselfa reward for completing the smaller taks and do not wait for the final task before you give yourself a pat on the back.

Take time to reduce cafine intake

Have you ever seen a two-year old completely wired after chomping through a few cookies or drinking cola? Well that’s exactly what happens to all of us when we take in too much sugar or caffeine. However, unlike the nipper at home we can’t very well run around the office making airplane noises, we just carry the excess stress.

Take time to have a play break

Some professionals keep “squish” balls, or stress balls, in their work space a simple squeeze is all that is needed for rapid relief of stress and anxiety. Other people take a few minutes to play a game at www.addictinggames.com. They’re quick (less than five minutes), easy to play, and many don’t require a download.

Take time to Blow Off Steam - but fairly

Don't think that you can't vent a little, but just remember words spoken in anger can haunt you for a long time if they’re read or overheard by the wrong person. Don’t put anything in email you don’t want the whole office to see.

Take time to understand that a little stress is worthwhile

Finally, remember that it’s natural to feel stress when you leave your comfort zone. Some stress must be endured as you expand your horizons, learn new tasks and earn new responsibilities. That kind of stress may not be much fun, but in the long run, it’s worth it!

The Strength of Your Belief

Be careful what you believe because that is what you will experience. Your belief system is a mechanism which is uniquely yours. It is powered by your desire and controlled by your thoughts and actions. In other words, your success is measured by the strength of your belief. 

  

What is it that you desire? Often people do not have a clue what it is they want, they just know what they do not want. Now is a good time to evaluate your goals and determine the end result you want to achieve. Put your goals in writing and place them where you can see them throughout the day. Read them frequently to keep them fresh on your mind. 

• Be inquisitive. Research and learn as much as you can on how you can achieve your goal. Use all possible resources such as books, CDs, courses and people. Yes, people. Talk to as many people as possible who are already successful in what you want to achieve. Ask, ask and ask some more about what they did to reach success. Do not limit your contacts to only the people you already know. Introduce yourself by phone or mail, explain your purpose for contacting them and ask for a tip. The worst thing that can happen is that they ignore you. The best thing that can happen is that they become your mentor and offer support and encouragement. Chances are you will receive at least one great tip from many of the people you contact. This method is the least expensive and most rewarding. 

• Be unique. Next, take the ideas you learn, embellish them and come up with your own creative process. Think of how you can approach your goal in a way that no one else has. Dare to be different. Don’t be afraid to take risks. What do you have to loose? Write out a list showing the worst things that could happen and then list all of the best possible outcomes. Always maintain your concentration on your desired result.

• Be better than your competition. When you were a child and saw your older siblings or friends riding a bike (without training wheels), you didn’t look at their scraped knees and elbows and say, “Whoa, I could get hurt doing that.” Instead, you begged to try it for yourself. With a great deal of practice and often pain, you gradually learned how to maintain your balance. Before long you were trying to “out do” your friends with your speed or fancy tricks. When you fell, you would get back on and try again with even greater determination. From your very first effort, you believed in your mind that if you got back on, you would eventually learn to ride. I bet you even knew in your mind you would be the best in the neighborhood, in your school, in the state, in the world!   

 

• Be positive. If you see obstacles before you, then you will also only see problems. If you have hesitations that you plan will not work, then it will not work. If you are influenced by the power of negative people, then you will never be any better than they are. Believe in yourself and what you are capable of achieving.   

When your desire to succeed is stronger than the pain, fear or frustration of failing, there is no turning back. I challenge you to view your goals just like you did when you were a child before you learned about self doubt and negative criticism. Remember, anything is possible as long as you believe. Make a commitment that you will not let anything or anyone, including yourself stand in your way of reaching your goals.

Principles of Effective Christian Leadership

Probably the most important thing you can do as a Christian leader is to clean up your act---if there is anything in your life, moral or ethical, which would not stand up to scrutiny if the entire world found out---you must eliminate it immediately.  Do not give anyone an occasion to think that you are a hypocrite.

Be sure that every decision you make is honest and ethical.  You cannot effectively lead, as a Christian or not, when your decisions and actions are not above-board, fair, and honest.

As a Christian leader, commit to telling the truth no matter what.  As a Christian leader, when you lie or tell half-truths, people tend to feel that your entire faith is a sham.  In fact, if you are habitually lying and telling half-truths, your faith may indeed be a sham.

Learn everything you can about the tasks at hand, even if it means working in the trenches for awhile.  No one likes to be led by someone who has never done what they are doing.  This doesn’t mean you have to become an expert, just participate in the menial work long enough to understand the frustrating aspects of the work.  Another benefit to this is, when you have actually done the work, you can more effectively brainstorm solutions to challenges when they arise.

Lead by example.  Do you expect your employees or secretaries to arrive on time for work, and dressed well?  Then you must do the same.  Sometimes it is so easy to think that you have earned the right to come in whenever you feel like it, or to return from lunch whenever you wish.  Sure, you may have earned the right, but you gain far more by setting the example for performance.  Do you expect others to work overtime when a project is behind projections?  Then you must be willing to do the same.

Although you may feel you have earned the right to delegate away all the work, continue to be involved in productive tasks.  By doing some of the work, not only do you gain the respect of your employees, but also you keep in touch with the flow of things.  As a leader, it is easy to become disengaged from the actual productive segment of your business, and resultantly make decisions that look good on paper and sound good around the boardroom table, but are actually worthless when the rubber hits the road.

Constantly reevaluate your own performance.  Often, you may spend so much time correcting the actions of others and solving crises you didn’t create, that you develop a sense that others aren’t as capable as you.  Consequently, you may not recognize when you are falling into bad habits that also need to be corrected.  Be the first to recognize and correct your own short-fallings.

Avoid pride.  Once in a position of leadership, especially if you are good at what you do, it is easy to begin to feel that you are invincible.  Once that occurs, you become vulnerable to pride, and may make decisions you would frown on if your subordinates made the same decisions.  Maintain full responsibility for your actions, and keep them above-board at all times.

Learn to manage your time.  When you are in a position of leadership and find yourself delegating away most of the time-consuming tasks, it is easy to lose control of your time.  Again, when your employees see you wasting your time, they will tend to do the same.