Nowadays everyone is talking about going green or saving the environment. If you feel this is the right thing and want to fight global warming but you don’t know where to start, this article is probably a good starter.

These are just simple steps that may not significantly shrink the big hole in the ozone layer but will make you feel good to know you’re taking steps for a better environment and a better you.

photo by aaardvaark

1. Forget paper towels.

They are always easy to get and seem hygienic to use. Right, but what about all those trees they need to put down to make the paper towels? If you care about them, you may want to consider cloth towels that you can later put in your washing machine and use them again the next day.

2. Save some power

Studies showed that your computer or the TV, when plugged in, even if turned off still consumes electricity. Therefore if you’re leaving for a trip or something that will take a few days un-plug the electronics you don’t need. You can even do it in the morning when you leave for work and plug them back in when you get back 8 hours later.

3. Recycle

Not sure if you’ve heard but the Vatican talked about modern sins. Pollution and not recycling are some of them. Therefore if you want to be closer to God and live a greener life consider recycling. Old materials are used to create new products and reduces the need for raw materials and energy.

4. Use less packaging (plastic bags)

Plastic bags pollution or plastic pollution is already a big threat. For example in some cities (like San Francisco for example), supermarkets have been banned to offer their customers plastic bags. Isn’t it true that you always seem to get more plastic bags than you need and you end up stacking them under the sink? Use a bigger bag that you can put all your groceries in or re-use your carrier bags

5. Drive less

You can set your own targets like “this month I will drive 200 miles less”. Car emissions are one of the biggest threats to global warming and if we don’t do something about it, we will be the ones to suffer the consequences. If you can shop locally and walk to the store instead of driving outside the town to a huge store you will not only put less CO2 in the atmosphere but your body will feel better because you walked.

6. A-rated electronics

If you have an old (collection) fridge that you don’t want to get rid of, you can turn it into “furniture” if it looks that good. A-rated products they build these days are using less power, so you may want to change the one you have with one of these. By the way, I’ve chosen the fridge example because from what I know they contain CFCs which contribute to the hole in the ozone layer. We don’t want that to happen, right ?

7. Cleaning. Watch out

Did you know that many of the products you use to clean your kitchen for example are extremely toxic? Polycarboxylates, phosphonates or bleaching agents are harmful for plants or pets so if you want to make sure you clean “green” make sure you’re using green kitchen products like Ecover for example.

8. Take showers instead of a bath

Many call this one a myth, but taking showers not only uses less water than a bath does but will also use less energy. Save water, take showers! However, if you feel stressed out and a good old bath is your thing do it.

9. Plant a tree

I don’t think this one needs any comments, because it may not only be a green decision but also a great life decision. Imagine when the tree grows and you see it bigger and bigger, fighting with CO2 emissions?

10. Switch lightbulbs

Though Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFL) are a little bit more expensive they will probably lower your electricity bill by 60%. Another great thing for using them is they last 12 times more than traditional bulbs.

11. Travel by train

Air transportation is currently responsible for 3.5 percent of all greenhouse gases that are helping the ozone layer hole getting bigger and bigger. Therefore, if the distance is not very big and you can travel by train do it at least 2-3 times a year (instead of flying).

If you can think about more ways don’t hesitate to comment below.

No matter if you’re changing your job or just because you need something new in your life, moving to a new city could be fun at first and a nightmare after. From things you’ll have to eat, to finding a place to live or to making new friends the road may be sprinkled with lots of problems.

New York City - Times Square (by FraukeFoto)

For many people, living in a new city is a big challenge and if you break through, you’ll eventually have to make friends. If finding out things like crime rate, school systems, medical care, taxes, cell phone coverage or bars and restaurants to spend your time, is just as easy as searching on Google, making new friends is not very easy.

This little guide may help you out.

First things, first

Alone in the city or not, you should know what type of people you enjoy spending time with. This is the first step you should consider. If you don’t like people that are frequently spending time in bars or clubs you should avoid such places. Be honest to yourself and decide what people you should meet.

1. Radiate positive energy. Smile, be funny and confident because your behavior will attract or keep people away. You need to be interesting, not boring. This is how you keep shyness away, a main problem for most of the people I’ve seen the first time.
2. Start at work or school. The best way to meet new people in a place you’ve never been before, is to start with the place you spend the most time during the day. Be it school, be it work find someone (nice enough) to show you the area and make a quick list of interesting things you could do. Some of you will say that after 9 hours of work, they have no energy left to spend time with the same people again. Could be true, but these are the first people you meet that could at least open your horizon.
3. Activities, activities, activities. Another great way to find people sharing the same things you do is to find activities to join.
   • sports : go jogging in the park, find a swimming pool or a gym to join, find a group for mountain expeditions, tennis lessons and actually every sport you enjoy.
   • social and cultural: you may want to consider dancing lessons, taking a drama class, find new events in your city on different websites/blogs, attend church on Sundays and so on.
   • for families the easiest way to meet new people is through your kids. Join the charity fund at school, take your kids to soccer practice or swimming lessons. It’s easier to meet other parents, discuss problems that concern both parts and then throw in a barbecue party at your place and invite all those parents.
   • for teenagers or young people, a very good idea to making your first friends is sharing an apartment with someone. I know it could be dangerous but you’ll have to trust your instincts on choosing the right person.

The Lion Conversation Continues by (tberling)

A better you, for better relations

Just attending events or running in the park is not enough to get you friends to spend time with. The most important thing is starting a conversation because a good first impression is very important.

• Don’t be rude. You may not like the person you’ve just met, but it doesn’t mean you have to send them away with bad words. You never know who “they know” and you end up feeling sorry.
• Overcome shyness. Shyness is rooted in fear. The fear of being public humiliated or ignored. The fear of embarrassment is so big that people prefer to sit back and watch others do the talking. If there’s no battle, there’s no winner. Be confident in your self-worth and practice (start conversations). One more thing, make sure everyone knows you’re a newcomer, they will take you easier and you’ll feel better.
• Smart conversation. Don’t ever expect to start a conversation by asking a question that can give a quick “yes” or “no”. Instead of asking “Do you like these paintings?” you can try to say “I like/dislike these paintings because …. What do you think about them?”. Different people require different approaches. If you’re meeting geeks you may want to talk about the gadgets you own and why you like them, but if you meet people working in advertising most likely you’ll have to refer to the latests billboards you’ve seen across town.
• Be funny. That’s a must and I don’t need to explain it, right?

Mistakes you should avoid

1. Old friends. For the first few months until you accommodate and make new friends you’ll probably keep in touch with old buddies. Sometimes the biggest mistake one could do is to hang on old friends too much, so that they have no time for their own. Save time for yourself, it’s an “order”.
2. Don’t be too clingy. If you’re not invited live with it. Don’t take desperate measures and call over and over again or make a scene because those people may have other friends, too. Friendship is a slow motion thing so take your time,be patient and relax. It will come.
3. Couples. They tend to rely only on each other and miss the part where they go out to meet new people.
4. Less TV and Internet. This is good for anyone reading this. Watching TV and surfing on the Internet is very addictive and could keep you tied up to a chair for long hours. On the funny part, keep in mind that I’m not saying to forget about reading SocialPacks, that’s allowed.

I hope these little tips are going to help you out if you plan to move to a new city, and if you have your own tricks I’d love to hear them all.

It happens sometimes to remember a meeting just when you are already late for it or go to the supermarket and forget what you were supposed to buy. These are just a few reasons for people to wish for a very good memory and there is a saying an elephant never forgets.

But what if we can be just like the elephant. What if we can improve our memory skills and memorize all the important things we used to forget, wouldn’t that be a big victory? There are certain memory stimulating games and all sorts of techniques that should help someone improve their memory.

picture by Shutterscript

There are two different approaches to help your memory. Internal techniques that involve association, visualization and observation and external techniques that include written instructions, organizing, environmental factors or sound triggers.

Here are a few ways to improve memory, that helped me and you may benefit from.

1. Keep an active brain. This is probably the best advice I can give you. Your brain is not a muscle so exercising inside your head is needed to keep it “growing” and to create new nerve connections.
   How to do it. More complex ways require learning. A new language, skiing, roller-blading, dancing or playing a musical instrument are all great ways to create activity inside your brain. Just consider how many images or happenings you could associate that new French word you’ve learned. Easier tasks than learning, are puzzles and games.
2. Make associations. Creating a mental link between the things you already knew and new information is very important. Associating things is a very good memory booster. It’s like filing your documents on letters and you go to B to find Bill’s invoices. Let your imagination free when you associate things.
3. Visualize and observe. When you want to remember something in particular you should create a mental picture of what you’re interested in. Be very attentive to details and take a benchmark.
   How to do it. The most common example is forgetting where you’ve parked the car. When you get out look around and see if there are any signs near you, count the lanes to the entrance or see if you’re in front of a certain building. You will most likely remember the color or the architectural elements of that building.
4. Repeat things. Practice makes it perfect, some would say. One of the biggest concerns when talking in front of people is that you may forget your speech. It is true, but how can we make sure we won’t? The more times you hear, see or speak about something the easier you will remember it. Go in front of the mirror and tell the speech loud or focus about it in bed and do it silently.
5. Meditation. I remember when I read The Silva ”Mind Control’ Method (printed book by José Silva) for the first time I was amazed. The guy was a city planner and he lost the drawings for a proposed shopping mall in the area. What he did?
   

   He sat at his desk. In a moment his eyes closed and he became still and quiet. Anyone might have thought he was composing in the face of disaster.

   A full ten minutes later he opened his eyes, rose slowly, and walked outside to his secretary. “I think I’ve found them,” he said calmly. “Let’s look at my expense account for last Thursday, when I was in Hartford. What restaurant did I have dinner in?”

   He telephoned the restaurant. The drawings were there.

   I guess it explains things very well. I always try to meditate 10 minutes a day when everything is peaceful in the office. I put both of my hands over the abdomen, I breathe deep and I try to concentrate on the calmness that surrounds me.

6. Exercise. If you’re fighting a sedentary lifestyle and exercise daily not only your muscles will be happy. You will improve blood circulation throughout your body (brain included), be more alert and relaxed
7. Eating and sleeping. If you’ve been a reader on SocialPacks you already know that we care a big deal about eating and sleeping. There are certain things you can eat to have more energy and a few tips to getting a good night’s sleep that will keep your brain healthier. Try to include fish in your meals, foods containing anti-oxidants, Vitamin E, Niacin, Vitamin B-6.
8. Organize your life. I remember what Grandpa was saying that the way you make your bed is how you sleep. Later on I realized that he was right. Living a complicated life is not going to make it easy for your brain to remember things. If your office is filled with files and papers that no one ever try to put in order, don’t expect to find what you’re looking for. Same goes for your brain.
9. Reduce stress. A cluttered life, eating problems, sleeping problems or a bad job could lead to living a very stressed life. When you’re stressed out you won’t be able to concentrate and makes remembering a very difficult process. Declutter your desk and the whole work environment, relax when you have time and play sports when you can. All these help to have a healthier brain.

I hope these are going to help you out and I am certain you guys have more tips and tricks to improve memory. Just leave your thoughts in the comments below.

In modern cultures, sitting or remaining inactive most of the day without any or little exercise is called a sedentary lifestyle. The main concerns of being inactive go beyond the common depression or the mental problems and will influence your life forever because it could lead to obesity, type II diabetes, heart problems, different cancer types or even hemorrhoids.

photo by RCWW, Inc./Corbis

But these are not the only concerns one should have when having a sedentary lifestyle, because the lack of exercise cause muscle atrophy and weakening that could lead to possible injuries. Daily exercise will reduce the chances for colon cancer by 60 percent and heart disease by 50 percent, scientists say.

The same scientists, say that modern people don’t care about walking or jogging anymore. It’s mainly true. I remember myself a few years ago. I was working late and I was getting home very tired, or at least that’s how I felt. A 30 minutes walk was a no-no. I was wrong. First time I tried it, I went for a 30 minutes run in the park and I noticed not only that I had more energy but more important I wasn’t as tired as I thought.

TVs, computers and using a car are the biggest threats to a healthy lifestyle. I’m not saying we don’t need them, but people are not putting a limit to using them. The best example is the car. I know people that won’t walk to the grocery store even if it’s less than 500m away and the reason is “I can’t carry all that food back home” and this is how over-eating starts.

Globally, one person out of three is aware of the benefits those 30 minutes of exercises a day could bring. These are 10 simple steps for spending half an hour of your time to healthy habits.

1. Forget the car for small distances. This sounds like a cliché I know the benefits of walking are incredible. Drive less, get off the metro or the bus one station before and walk or buy a bicycle. That way you will probably earn up to 10 minutes of exercise.

2. Use the stairs. Forget the elevator, bring back the stairs. So many of you will say I’m crazy and some could have a point if we consider that buildings these days have tens or hundreds of floors. The explanation is that you can always take the elevator and get off three or four floors below and use the stairs for the rest of them. Do it 2-3 times a day and you have a 7-10 minutes of exercise as well.

3. Lunch break. Now that we know how to make the most of the lunch break you can probably see the benefits of walking 10-15 minutes in the park. Simply forget about the office chair or the laptop. The effect is doubled if it’s a sunny day.

4. Home exercise. No one says you have to go to a gym in order to exercise. Yoga, stretching or an indoor training bike are great for healthy muscles. Do all these things outside and your body will use the “healing effects” of sunlight which many of us miss these days.

5. Go to the pool. For me the best time is early in the morning. The blood starts flowing and the whole body begins work. Don’t exaggerate, because you won’t make it to the Olympics. Do it for fun and for staying healthy. Swimming is one of the most complex sports when it comes to muscles.

6. Be active during weekend. Take your kids and wife if you have or your loved one and make a small trip to a new place. River rafting, a trip in the mountains, or playing tennis with a friend, water sports, rollerblading or rollerskating are just a few simple ideas I got right now. Your imagination could be better than mine and as long as you avoid the Internet, over-sleeping and the TV it’s a good thing.

7. Physical activity. It gets everything moving in your body, the blood, the oxygen, nutrients, the nervous system and so on, therefore if there’s work to do at home don’t pay someone to do it if you can manage just as well.

8. A pet. I love dogs and probably so do you. Going with the dog in the park for example shouldn’t be an obligation but a reason to walk for a few minutes outside.

Exercising is a low priority for many and that has been long researched. Just to make my point, studies say that a sedentary lifestyle causes more death than smoking, so this is how important physical activity is. Oh, and if you were wondering how you can exercise without having to move your body the answer is there isn’t a solution. No pills, no nothing. Go out and move a little bit.

It is easy to get caught up in life and not stop and savor the important moments. It is even easier to not realize that there are steps that can lead to a happier and healthier you.

It is not always about the big changes in life, like winning the lottery, but also the little, seemingly insignificant, things that will help achieve a more optimistic view on life and a better preparedness in tackling life situations.

Get rid, or limit time with, negative people
Realizing who is bringing you down in life may not be entirely easy yet this can help you tremendously. We feed off of other people, thus creating a circle of either healthy or unhealthy, positive or negative outlooks on life.It may not always be possible to cut out someone in life, for example your mother, but limiting time with that person, or preparing yourself for the negative can help. When you know you will be spending a couple of hours with your mother who degrades you and makes you feel worthless prepare yourself to take everything with a grain of salt. Make a list of what you expect her to say and write down the opposite next to it. Consult this list after seeing her.

Get a job that you enjoy
If impossible, a hobby. Having a job that you dread is known to cause depression and a feeling of just wanting to get through the next day as quickly as possible. Getting a job you enjoy is obviously the best thing for you but, let’s be real, this is not always possible.

One way to deal with this is to find something you enjoy doing at work. You may not like what you do, but there may be something, like lunch socialization, that you look forward to. Find this, and focus on it. Also, picking up a hobby or activity outside of work that you truly enjoy can help ease the tension of working somewhere you hate because you have something to look forward to once work is over.

Put money away
It doesn’t have to be a lot of money, even 10$ or 20$ a week can help. Having money set aside is always good for your health because one of the most stressful parts of life is not having enough. Although it would be ideal to put hundreds away each week in case of future emergencies or purchases, this may not always be possible. Even knowing that you are accumulating 10$ a month can help ease some stress.

Make “time away” with someone special
Stress and negativity can ruin the best things in life, for example, your marriage or your most cherished friendship. Sometimes we get caught up and forget to make time with the people who mean the most to us. Jobs and money will always be around to strive for while people are not so permanent. Do not regret not spending enough time with your mother or father in the future because you are too busy now. Also, this time can be a “de-stressor”, or a time to vent the stresses in life and get feedback from others. Take advantage.

Buy yourself something
It can be something small, like a box of your favorite cookies, or a good book that you’ve always wanted to read. Buying something for yourself, OR even others, is a good way to remind yourself to take care of yourself.

Tell someone you love them
Loving, and being loved back, helps maintain health and happiness. It reminds you that you are not alone and you have support.

Travel to see the world
See new places and cultures, maybe even incorporate some part of the way they live into your life. For example, a form of mediation or a new food that you truly enjoyed. Remind yourself that you control your life and that life does not control you.

Remember to play, laugh and smile
Children can be the best ways to remind ourselves how to live and be happy. Play with your children, relearn from them what you may have forgotten, that life is not only about getting through each day at a time.

It is difficult to find a moment to yourself in a world that is so fast paced and chaotic at times. It seems that no matter how hard you try, there is always something going wrong to stress you out. Taking time out for yourself is needed in order to slow yourself down and to remind yourself that you too are important.

To take care of yourself and to love yourself and those around you before you are looking back with regrets. Play, laugh and smile now because “now” is sometimes more important than tomorrow.

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photo by JonSpot

We all know about the stereotypes that surround ‘geeks and nerds’. The most well known: Social interactions. The social milieu is a scary venture for not only ‘geeks and nerds’ but also introverted people. It may seem that no matter how hard you try you get nowhere and end up making yourself look like a fool. The following tips will help you interact better and have a fun time in the process.

1. Confidence. This is a “biggy”. Difficult to obtain but crucial for social interactions. Let’s face it, not many wish to interact with someone who is drawn into themselves or wishes to be anywhere else but where they are. Low confidence, among many other things, makes those around you feel like you haven’t quite figured yourself out yet or that you don’t really know if you want to be talking to them. Even pretending to have confidence will have an impact on people’s impression of you, however, the best approach is, coaching yourself before social gatherings so that you have real confidence.

2. Real confidence. How does one obtain this elusive concept? Well, make a list of personal accomplishments, or values that you have before interacting with others. Do not use these as indicators that you are better than others, use them to boost your self–esteem; your self-worth.

3. Be simple. Do not overdo it on the quantum physics or the likes. Most people will have no idea what you are talking about and will feel threatened or think that you are trying to make yourself look better than everyone else. Before going to a gathering, if possible, look up interests of people that you may be talking with. If you find that one person is in psychology or sociology, look up some interesting topics that will be useful in chitchat. Perhaps a controversial issue would be of use in order to capture their attention.

4. Capture their attention. As mentioned, a controversial issue might be useful. But one must be careful here in the delivery. It is important to bring the topic into conversation without stirring up too much chaos. For example, introduce yourself to person X and say that you were informed that X was a psychology student and that you read this interesting article on Y subject. Ask them what they thought about it. People love to talk about their opinions.

5. Listen. This is important. One must learn quickly how to balance interjection of opinions and views versus just letting the person talk. You will see the person getting frustrated if you are cutting them off too often or babbling too much about yourself. Social interactions are give and take although sometimes it’s better to give a little more than you take.

6. Find something in common. We all know how much of an impact this can have. And avoid at all cost making it corny like “we both like red”.

7. Be prepared to fail and remember that practice makes perfect. Or if not perfect, practice makes better. If you don’t succeed right away you must get back up. Only with experience will you be able to learn what works and what doesn’t in social interactions. If you fail, take it as a challenge to do better next time.

8. Have fun. Realize the reason you are there, to make friends or to meet new people. Learning about other people’s interests, or being able to talk with someone about your own interests is fun and important in building self-esteem. Being stressed will only hinder your process.

These tips will not change you over night so don’t expect them to. Also, it is crucial to remember that you will fail. We all do, even those highly extroverted people who can talk to anyone fail. The best thing to do is learn to not focus entirely on the failing aspect. Instead, figure out where it went wrong and make it better for next time. Also remember that not everyone is meant to get along. Some situations will not go well for the simple fact that some people’s opinions will clash. Or because either you or they are having a bad day. The more social gatherings you participate in the quicker you will learn when and how to talk to people.

[photo by *cynner*]

It’s not everyday that you will want to know about online productivity because maybe it has nothing to do with you, but that’s not quite the right approach. The principles regarding productivity remain the same irrespective of whether you work online or onsite. It’s important that you have a correct approach to your working schedule. In most cases, online productivity becomes an important matter especially if you are working from home itself. This is because at work, you are constantly monitored so your productivity is in check. However if you’re working from home there are many distractions to keep you away from work.

photo by Paladin27
The other hindrance in terms of online productivity is that people tend to work longer because they think they will manage. Truth is we are human after all and you really won’t get away by pushing yourself beyond your personal limit. Once in a while it’s acceptable and may work for you, but if you continue to push yourself, you’ll burn yourself out.

PLAN

When you work online, don’t ever over stress yourself. It may seem very easy when you tell others you are working part time, freelance or full time from home itself. It paints a very flowery picture and gives the image of a very easy job, but the truth is very far from this. Yes you may find more comfort sitting on your favorite chairs surrounded by the comforts of your home, but that’s just about the only leeway. Your work is as hard as anyone else’s so plan it well. This is optimum. Know your day’s agenda and set targets. Make your work plans at the start of each work day or else you’ll be running late in a number of things.

HOLIDAY TIME

Just because you are sitting at home does not mean you continue to work without any holidays. Make sure you take the required amount of holidays. Keep your weekends off so you can do all your pending odd jobs and revitalize yourself for the subsequent week. If you work non-stop you’ll lose connection with yourself and will be a zombie at home. Do not sacrifice on your breaks and don’t push yourself and say you’ll work till your family members don’t come home each day. Take a break and call it quits for the day once you have worked for the amount of hours you have decided upon.

MANAGEABLE TARGETS

There’s times you’ll want to take on more work because it seems too attractive or the payout is great, but be realistic, you’d rather have regular freelance work for a fixed amount of hours each day to help you meet your monetary needs rather than overstress yourself on certain days. Don’t ever take on more than you can manage only because you think you can manage. This will cause you to lose clients in case you can’t live in accordance to your impulsive decisions.

BE REALISTIC

Don’t sit longer hours and do silly things like skip lunch or postpone meal times each day. It’s really not fair to yourself and honestly you really aren’t going to achieve anything great by doing so. This is because if you push beyond your limits, very soon lethargy will set in. your pace will slacken and you’ll actually be working longer hours with reduced productivity. Now that’s not worth it all so take preventive measures to avoid such unsuitable situations.

Online productivity has to be maintained each day so you reach all targets. This is possible only if you are attentive to your work needs. Make sure you take regular breaks each day. Eat on time and don’t stretch that hunger pang because soon you’ll start to loser your appetite. You really don’t want to take ill, do you? When working make sure you stretch adequately. Get up at regular breaks take a walk and rest your eyes. This is important so you don’t stress yourself and bring on fatigue. Make sure you get the right sitting furniture and not your favorite couch because that’s going to bring on a back ache that maybe chronic in time. Drink plenty of water during work hours and take a break every now and then to make sure you maintain continuity.

There are a few liberties you can take but don’t push that either. Don’t be lazy and keep postponing your work thinking you have lot of time to spare.

Online productivity needs self-monitoring so be disciplined and make the right decisions for yourself because you alone know the real story regarding your work abilities.

We all know that adolescents and adults can suffer from low self-esteem. Little attention is paid to the self-esteem of younger children. Who would have thought that children could suffer from low self-esteem from the moment they develop a self-concept? The following tips are a few among the hundreds that can help you and your child build a health self-concept.

1. Give the child a chance to contribute to the family!
   Let him/her pick out a task or chore that s/he wouldn’t mind doing during the week. This task can be changed weekly. Even something simple can help the child feel like they are contributing to the well being of the family. An example could be letting the child dress himself or letting him help fold socks.
2. Encourage the small things.
   Sure, we all notice the big things that children do, for example getting an A on that hard math exam. It is important to encourage these big things as well as the small things! It can be something as simple as the child putting out the garbage without being asked to. Watch what the child is doing, for example, praise them on a drawing they are doing at the moment.
3. If they don’t succeed but they tried hard, praise them still!
   Children are very aware and touchy about failure. Telling them it’s ok to fail is extremely important.
4. Pay attention to them!
   It is often the case where children go unnoticed in families as a consequence of busy schedules and routines. Well, making just an hour a day to sit down with him/her to go over the day can help boost self-esteem. Feeling neglected and alone often leads to low self-esteem.
5. Talk with your children about their feelings!
   Children learn to appraise their emotions from their family and environment. You can be a guide to understanding their emotions by simply letting them talk about what made them happy during the day, and why. What made them angry during the day, and why. From here, you both can devise ways of helping the child understand emotions like anger and sadness. These emotions can sometimes be confusing for a child. An example would be a child being angry at his best friend. This might lead to dueling emotions. Yes, their friend made them angry but they still like that friend and want to play with their friend. This can be confusing for children!
6. Get your child involved in the community.
   Visit elderly homes, get them into sports. No matter what the task, children’s self esteem will flourish when they have a chance to be part of the community.

These are just a few of a whole list of things that you can do to build and maintain your child’s self-esteem. Healthy self-esteem is related to creativity, productivity, happiness and overall well being. So any help you can give them sets them on a good path.

[Photo Source: Flickr]

Yes, you heard right, deal with every problem that comes your way, and this need not necessarily be the most difficult problem. There’s a very effective solution to all your problems. You need not have your problems grow on you. Deal with them as soon as they turn into a problem. For this you simply need to categorize each problem as minor or major. Yes that’s all you have to do. Make your life easy and trouble free by exercising a few things that you are already aware of.

Things to do when you feel down and under

1. Take a deep breath.
   At first, take a deep breath and calm down, and a deep breath doesn’t mean just one. Slow down, sit and exhale in and out. Do this a few times and you’ll feel much lighter.
2. Make a list
   Once you feel a little better take a pen and paper and start writing down all the matters that are troubling you. Yes start with all your problems and include payments, bills, housing, clothing, appointments, invesments or anything that should be done.
3. Categorize your problems
   Carefully listing all your problems will ensure that you don’t forget anything for the last minute. This helps you prepare while there’s still time than do a last minute job of something that’s important to you.

Once the list is there in front of you, you have a realistic idea about the extent of matters that need to be taken care. Now divide the events in your list into things that can be resolved immediately and those that need to be left for later.

The right action

Once you know your immediate problems, solve then. Quite simply if the light switch needs to be repaired get it done today so you won’t wake up with the same problem morning after morning. This is the best gift you can give yourself. Instead of having the problems grow on you; deal with it as soon as you can. So with the light switch repaired you can happily remove it from your problems list and get on with the next effective action. This way you’ll have less weight to carry on your shoulders and can deal with your problems as soon as they arise, if it presents you with such an opportunity.

When you’re able to deal with you smaller problems on a daily basis, you’ll be able to lead a more relaxed and hassle free life because you won’t be bothered all the time. Simply there won’t be things that cause worry at the back of your head every waking minute. This offers a much more relaxed outlook and keeps you stress free.

Identify with your problems

It’s all about being able to identify your problems. It’s necessary that you accept and acknowledge the fact that there are many issues you have to deal with on a daily basis, whether big or small. So, it’s best that you don’t sleep over your problems because that way they’ll only mount. Resolving smaller matters with urgency leaves you with a less crowded head so you can think freely about the more serious aspects of life.

It’s always better to be aware about things that you know need to be taken care of, rather than sideline them and deal with it all in the last minute. You don’t need to rave about your problems at all times, but keeping matters of importance in your head makes you aware of them at all times. As such, when the opportunity arises, you’ll be able to resolve an issue immediately because it’s all so clear in your head.

Let there be motivation

Whether it’s in the best interest of your family or personal well being, it’s important you take care of things in the right manner. This way you not only ensure a personal peace of mind but will be guarantying a secure life to your loved ones. Having your problems weigh you down will not only rob you of your calm and peace but will slowly affect the wellbeing of your family. They will be troubled about your wellbeing and in time will start to take your tensions upon themselves. Let this not happen. Take the right action today so all of you can live in harmony and peace. Do not let your problems make you snappy and lash out at others, its’ not their fault. Maybe it’s not even your fault, it’s just a situation, like many others good or bad, it’s an opportunity to move onto the next stage of life, so deal with your problems and accept what comes on next instead of being bogged down by your present state.

You have your lists of goals that you’d like to achieve and last time we broke down career aspirations and looked at steps you might need to accomplish them. Now let’s take a closer look at your Financial Goals.

Financial Goals

Financial goals are difficult! I’m sure we would all like to have a few million dollars by the time we are 25. The most important part of any plans is making the goals realistic. If you are 24 and working at McDonald’s, being a millionaire at 25 is unrealistic unless you happen to have a winning lottery ticket.

Start with your 1-month goals. Those are usually simple and consist of paying up your monthly bills. See if you are earning enough to cover those bills. If not make changes. Spend less or earn more.

Then add in your 1-year goals. Maybe you have a small debt to pay off or want to take a vacation in the coming year. Plan it out. Take the total amount you will need and divide it out over your pays. Force yourself to save the money so you can achieve that goal.

Your 3-year goals could include things like paying off a larger debt or saving for a new car. Again plan it out.

A 5-year plan could include putting a down payment on your own home or starting an investment fund.

By the time you are writing your 10-year plan it should include bigger goals. Things like having paid off 50% of your mortgage, having 50K in investments or having 20K in your children’s education fund.

Remember you have to adapt the plan to your unique situation. You may have no debt or no interest in a car and can start saving for a house in year 1. Your 10-year plan could be to have a net worth of $10M. Whatever the case, just make sure your plan is realistic. What’s the point of having a plan that you have no hope of accomplishing.

You’ve made your lists and we’ve broken done Career Goals and Financial Goals. Next up is taking a closer look at Personal Goals.

[Photo Source: Noah Wesley]