Key Steps to Get and Stay Motivated

One of the biggest obstacles to success is the time factor. Everybody desires a change for better in any given area of their lives: health, finances, self esteem or personal relationships. But not all of us have what it takes to stick to a plan and walk it out.

The truth is that great ideas will not change our lives overnight. On the contrary, the changes we choose of our own will always happen gradually. And their outcome depends on how motivated we are and how motivated we will stay throughout the process.

Let's face it. Being enthusiastic about a new idea for a few days, or even a week, is easy. Anybody can do that. It is when the going gets tough and when it turns out to be harder than we imagined that we lose momentum and eventually give up on our new project.

If you are a giver-upper, here is good news for you: You can change that bad habit-because that is what quitting is all about-and learn how to achieve your goals successfully.

Acquire a Vision

Long term projects cannot succeed if they are chosen randomly as a whim of the moment. You might have very good ideas, but you need to take them one step further if you want to implement them successfully.

First ask yourself who you are and who you want to become.

You might not be aware of it, but God has already laid out a wonderful plan for your life. You were not placed furtively on this planet to survive as good as you possibly can. The Bible states you are His masterpiece created to walk in a life He has already prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10).

So all you have to do is connect with God and flow with His program!

Fix Your Thought Life

Most of us make the mistake of focusing on externals when we implement changes in our lives. We neglect working on our mindset, the very place where wrong thought patterns will cause our endeavor to fail.

If those wrong thoughts are not dealt with, they will lead you to quit just as they did in your previous projects. Because the thoughts you have today will determine your life tomorrow.

The most powerful way to change wrong thought patterns is by studying the Word of God-the Bible-and finding out what God has to say about your situation. And that leads to key number 3:

Have Faith

Somebody once said, "Faith can move mountains." And it does. Faith is the most important factor when it comes to achieving success in life.

You might say, "But I don't have a strong faith!"

That's easy to solve: Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. It is when you diligently seek God and His way of operating that you will come to see yourself as the one He created you to be: A victorious overcomer.

You can find out what God's plan is for your life and change the course of your life forever. Learn how to flow with God's plan for your life, and how to successfully develop the talents He has given you with my free e-course "7 Steps to Consistently Change Your Life" and e-book "The Power of Self-Directed Learning" at http://www.Self-DirectedLearningForSuccess.com

From Bettina Langerfeldt, who teaches people how to pursue their God-given gifts and talents by designing their own education with self-directed learning.

2008 Freedompioneer

Persuasion Techniques

Don't you just envy how some people seem to get their way more often than not? These people always seem to have all the right words and all the right moves. However, if you take the time to actually study these people, you may be surprised to discover that they have more than just a few persuasion techniques in common.

These persuasion techniques allow them to easily get people to their side and persuade others to their way of thinking. And if you read the rest of this article, you too will be able to tap into this extraordinary power.

Know your audience

As wonderful as it would be to just magically convince another person to share your views, life doesn't quite work that way. You have to know where your audience is coming from in order for you to know which angle you can best appeal to.

If you're dealing with somebody who is more emotional, you can actually use feelings to plead your case. The chances of your success will definitely increase.

Turn weaknesses into strengths

During a job interview orientation, one of the moderators gave me a very helpful advice. She said that when asked for your weaknesses, try to position your statement into something more positive. Instead of, "I'm very shy and soft spoken," you can say, "I'm currently working on my communication skills."

By using persuasion techniques like this, you don't run the risk of scaring your customers away. In fact, they will be delighted to hear somebody with such a positive outlook on life.

Cite the positive facts

Naturally, you would want to tell your audience what the benefits are. People are generally happy to learn what they can gain from something.

You're not going to lie or make up stories. Those do not fall under persuasion techniques. When you persuade, you have to be certain that all your facts are true. Otherwise, your lies will come back to haunt you.

Even when you don't have magic on your side, these persuasion techniques will certainly help you win your audience over. Just follow these basic steps and you'll soon be able to talk your way through anything!

Discover how you can use the psychology of persuasion to change behaviors and influence anyone to your way of thinking! Get a FREE course that reveals groundbreaking persuasion secrets at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/secrets.htm

The Risks Of Caffeine

Millions of people drink soda each day- diet or not. Those who drink non-diet sodas could be at risk- but exactly how unhealthy can caffeine become for ones health?

Caffeine is both artificially and naturally produced. It is a stimulant, so it has seen many uses in areas of work or study. While most of it is consumed in soda, you can find it in chocolate and pain relievers.

At this point I can honestly say that I have found caffeine to be neither a stimulant nor addictive. I have been consuming it for many years in pretty large quantities. I can take it or leave it and, yes, I can sleep for hours after consuming it. It seems to make no difference.

It should be noted, however, that caffeine is, in fact, addictive- and you can feel the effects of it for up to 6 hours (or so they say). This can include insomnia, a rather large drawback to the drug found in sodas. It not only dehydrates the body, but removes calcium from bones- a vital nutrient in child development.

The maximum amount of caffeine you should consume a day should be no more than 100 milligrams- about two Mountain Dew sodas. It is recommended that if you drink more than this, you try to cut back. If you are sincerely addicted to caffeine-related products- it is recommended you take vitamins to help regain the nutrients you lose.

Caffeine is, and will continue, to be legal. It is strongly recommended intake of it should be limited to help fight obesity, high blood pressure, and other health related problems that come with the addiction- your health could depend on it.

Eric Hartwell oversees "The World's Best Homepage" intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on food and drink and visit our associated site articles for free.

Light Up Your Life With Feng Shui

Feng Shui (pronounced Foong Shway or Fung Shoy) is the ancient Chinese art of luck management, which works by maximising the flow of energy (known as Chi) in your environment. Every object, inanimate or living, possesses its own energy field and also has an affect on the flow of Chi in your environment.

The orientation and layout of your home, garden or business and its contents can impact your career, personal relationships, health and wealth. Whilst observing the basic rules of Feng Shui can greatly enhance your lifestyle, ignoring its principles can similarly bring misfortune and sorrow.

The most familiar method of Feng Shui is the compass method works on the principle of each sector of your house falling into a different area of your life, depending on its orientation. These sectors are identified by placing an octagonal, nine-sectioned diagram over a plan of your home. This diagram is known as the Ba Gua and is always aligned with the wall containing the front door or main entrance to the premises, with the compass points corresponding to those of the house directions. For example, if your front door faces North, then you should place the Ba Gua diagram on a plan of your property with the North sector (relating to career) aligned with the front door.

In the business environment, Feng Shui increases productivity and profitability, improves the health of its employees, enhances the companys reputation, protects from insolvency and helps you to recognise and exploit opportunities as they arise.

Clearly, not all houses are uniformly square and the front door is not always centrally placed. In these situations, you will find that some of the sectors of the Ba Gua may be missing, indicating trouble in that particular area of a persons life. However, steps can be taken to redress the imbalance like placing a bright light on the wall close to the missing sector to counteract the negative effects caused by areas that are lacking.

Feng Shui is a complex art, but there are simple rules that everyone can observe to help bring harmony into their lives by increasing the flow of positive energy in their environment and using effective lighting is one of the best ways of achieving this. Light is a very powerful tool in Feng Shui and the way in which you illuminate your home or office influences the impression that you create, including the shape, size and style of lighting that you choose.

There are many different types of lighting including decorative, accent, ambient, task and functional, with the most effective lighting schemes being a combination of all these. Accent light can be used to highlight a picture or display cabinet, ambient light can highlight dark corners and task light is used to throw a spotlight onto focused areas, such as a work desk.

A chandelier is one of the few all-round excellent Feng Shui energisers. The crystals in the chandelier reflect light beautifully, bringing in added glow and warmth. Hanging chandeliers in the southern corner of any room is beneficial and a chandelier in the Southwest corner of your home is wonderful if you wish to invite romance into your life or stimulate a current relationship! The Southwest sector relates to marriage and using pastel coloured lampshades with subdued lighting in this area can achieve the same effect.

You can invite excellent energy into your home by installing bright lights just inside and outside the front door are excellent, which for maximum benefit should be left on during the hours of darkness. Good lighting also helps stimulate the general flow of energy and is one of the best accessories for promoting balance and harmony within the home.

Lighting is one of the most cost-effective ways to enhance your environment. The right lighting can make small or uninviting areas feel alive, welcoming and tranquil. Lighting is a simple way of adding colour to a scheme, whether it is through choice of lamp base, shade or bulb. Investing in good quality lighting can also be a more economical alternative to major redecoration or the purchasing of expensive new furnishings.

Invest in a variety of stylish lighting and watch your health, prosperity and wellbeing flourish.

For a wide range of sophisticated and auspicious lighting for your home or office, visit www.thelightcompanydirect.co.uk

About The Author

Jan Andersen is a British Freelance Writer and Copywriter, with 21 years marketing and PR experience. In addition to writing commercial copy for a broad spectrum of audiences, Jan specialises in compelling articles and features on diverse lifestyle topics and social issues. She has also participated in many TV and radio programmes. Jan owns and runs five websites; World Writer, Mothers Over 40, Child Suicide, SACS (Surviving After Child Suicide) and Jan Andersen Writing Services. Until recently, Jan had four children aged 20, 17, 16 and 4. Her eldest son, Kristian, tragically took his own life on 1 November 2002. Whilst campaigning for depression, suicide and drugs awareness, Jan is in the process of completing a book on child suicide entitled, Chasing Death

worldwriteruk@hotmail.com

Chinese Proverbs

Nearly every society boasts of a high-quality collection of proverbs which denote life experiences along with the materialistic and intellectual depths of that culture. Humans are humans and by and large our understanding of the universe differs between every individual. Indisputably, each culture is one of a kind in a number of ways, and proverbs offer us a window to see the difference and the similarity between various cultures. Chinese proverbs could easily be termed as a living history as they unite the distant past with the present. They present a window through which Chinese people have traditionally and even presently view and understand their lives.

These proverbs are admired for their simplicity and wisdom, and the simple sheer number of them. You might derive a sense of gratification by going through this ancient heritage and will equally recognize the significance of these sayings. Chinese proverbs have the ability to take you back to the traditional Chinese way of life. With a 4,000-year record of civilization and culture, the Chinese have produced countless proverbs and you will find a proverb for almost any modern-day situation. In China, the well thought-out use of Chinese proverbs in writing is regarded as a symbol of higher learning and knowledge rather than a general knowledge of folklore or cliches.

A number of these proverbs and simply profound, having been crafted with the purpose of alleviating the sometimes unconventional thoughts and myths which permeated Chinese society at the time. These proverbs provide insight and tidbits of wisdom about Chinese society. Structurally, all proverbs can be further grouped into established phrases, proverbial sayings, admired sayings and two-part symbolic sayings. These are all incomparable to each other in the Chinese language, and are all vibrant with metaphors and layered meanings. Whilst most Chinese proverbs consist of only a few characters (words), when joined together they represent a tremendous amount of cultural depth, history and backstory.

An example of a Chinese proverb translated into English is: "A single ant may wipe out an entire dam, and be only afraid of standing still rather than to work slowly" which symbolizes at a surface level the power of every single individual in this universe. The proverb "Behind an able man, there are always other able men" signifies that being a leader will inspire others to follow. "Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one" shows that man is a rational creature. "Better a good deed done close to home than a journey far away to burn incense" shows that people should be modest and stay away from pompous displays of fluff. "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness" sums up the Chinese Confucian philosophy to life - do something to alleviate your idleness, don't just complain about it.

Jackie Tan is a Feng Shui writer and enthusiast, and part of the team behind BeingBlissful.com

Cooking Lobster

Lobsters are one of the most delicious foods and are considered as a luxury by some. They are healthy and low in fat. Unfortunately, they taste better when cooked alive and thus cooking lobsters, for some people, can really be a difficult task what with boiling or cutting them when still alive. However, certain specific cooking methods need to be followed to speed up the killing process.

For boiling lobsters, a large pot full of rolling boiling water needs to be added with salt and lemon juice. For a 12 to 14 quarter pot, the water level needs to be at least 6 inches high. Once the water is at full boil, the lobster has to be dropped head first inside the pot. In case of trying the reverse, the lobster might crawl back out of the pot. For a lobster weighing 1 lb, the ideal cooking time would be 12 minutes whereas for a 1.5 lb lobster the time would be 15-18 minutes. A 2 lb lobster needs about 22 minutes for proper cooking. The boiled lobsters can be removed from the water once the shells are bright red and then can be served with melted butter. Lobsters get overcooked very quickly and to avoid this, they need to be taken out as soon as the time is up and placed on grocery bags or paper towels for draining.

For steaming lobsters, they need to be placed inside the pot, along with something with holes at the bottom of the pot, so that the lobsters are never able to sit in the water. A 10-quarter pot might need an inch of water added with salt. While lobsters under 2 lbs require 10-12 minutes of cooking, 15-20 minutes would be needed for those over 2 lbs.

Live lobsters may not be ideal for broiling. Individuals can kill them by stabbing them through the ?T? mark on their head, appearing right behind the eyes. A sharp knife is essential to cut through the center of the shell followed by cracking the shell and prying the sucker open by hands. Claws can also be cracked but not removed. For broiling, the lobsters are brushed with melted butter and placed on a preheated pan or broiler with the shell side down until they are heated through.

Lobster provides detailed information on Lobster, Lobster Tails, Lobster Recipes, Maine Lobster and more. Lobster is affiliated with Salmon Fishing.

Your Sun Sign, Moon Sign, and Ascendant Sign - Just What's Going on Here?

The short answer is: Your Sun sign describes your basic ego, your Moon sign describes your emotional inner self, and your Ascendant describes the facade you show the rest of the world.

Want to know more? Read on.

Your Sun Sign

From these three components, an astrologer can develop a thumbnail sketch of your personality -- a recognizable line drawing as opposed to a full-color portrait, but still, clearly, a picture of you. The fact that we have three reference points instead of only one helps explain why not everyone born under the same Zodiac sign is "just alike."

The Sun symbolizes your basic personality. The Zodiac sign it occupies describes your character's essential qualities.. This sign is also usually the easiest to find. It's what you mean when you tell someone "I'm an Aries," or "I'm a Capricorn."

The Sun, by sign and house position, describes your ego's central traits. To an astrologer, your Sun sign describes your core personality. Many say it's the most important sign you have, but that's not entirely true. The Moon and Ascendant signs are just as important -- but they can't be accurately determined without an accurate birthday, place, and time. (The Sun changes signs approximately once a month. The Moon changes signs every 2 1/2 days. And the Ascendant sign changes every 2 hours ... day after day after day.)

Sun sign information alone is "better than nothing," but it's also seriously incomplete. Sun sign forecasts can define what's happening for you on a conscious level and to your self-image, but that's not all you are ... not by a long shot.

Your Moon Sign

In astrology, the Moon symbolizes your inner self, the part of you that responds from habit, feelings, and instinct. If you are a sensitive or emotional person, you may recognize your Moon sign qualities more readily than your Sun sign. These traits are "who you are inside" ... an intimate side of your character only you and those close to you really know. In fact, your Moon sign may be very different from -- or even in conflict with your Sun sign traits. (And there's another reason why people are so complicated!)

Forecasts based on your Moon sign reveal what's happening in your private life, your inner world, with your family situation and living conditions ... and how life's shifting tides could affect your security, foundations, and feelings. Because they target your experiences literally "where you live" you are apt to relate to readings that involve your Moon sign much more directly than those based on your Sun sign alone.

Your Ascendant Sign

Your Ascendant sign is also called your "Rising Sign." The two terms are interchangeable. It is literally the sign that was rising on the Eastern horizon of the sky in the place and at the moment of your birth. Because the Ascendant sign changes every two hours all day long, yours obviously depends on the exact time you were born.

Only if you were born near sunrise will your Ascendant sign (possibly!) be the same as your Sun sign ... and it is completely independent of your Moon sign. Yet this third component in your horoscope gives the most valid information about how you appear to other people ... and how you take on the world.

Your Ascendant describes your temperament, the lens through which you view the world, the personality you put "on public display." It's the side of your character you willingly show the outside world. Changes here explain why even people born on the same day can have very different personalities, different strengths and interests, and different life experiences.

Forecasts based on your Ascendant will be the most descriptive and accurate regarding your life circumstances and immediate future. You will relate to such information very readily ... which makes your Ascendant sign information even more crucial than that based on just your Sun sign.

The three components of your character will provide three different views of you and your life ... all of them valid. And here's another tip: If you know your Moon sign and Ascendant ... and read astrology information for all three (real astrology -- not the "daily horoscope" silliness in the newspaper!), you'll see a much more dimensional picture of your life unfold!

(c) 2001 by Rebecca Brents. All rights reserved.

Rebecca Brents writes on a wide variety of spiritual and new age subjects, including astrology, tarot, feng shui, alternative health, metaphysics, and self-improvement. She publishes the extensive online new age Ezine, The Enchanted Sprite on her website, Enchanted Spirit: http://www.enchantedspirit.org/, and offers numerous online new age lectures and new age classes in these various fields. She also provides astrology readings, tarot readings, and personal consultations through The Enchanted Spirit Metaphysical Source Shop http://www.enchantedspirit.com/. Stop by and subscribe to her free new age ezine, New Age-New Horizons http://www.enchantedspirit.org/Whats_New/.

Trends in Color and Paint

A relatively unknown fact is that Architect Frank Lloyd Wright frequently designed clothes to coordinate with the colors, patterns and style of his clients' homes. (Hmmm...What a surprise this would be to the guest, after one too many martinis, to realize that he has been discussing the origin of man with the kitchen wall.) It also has been claimed that one way to determine a client's color preferences is to simply look beyond the skeleton's in the closet to the colors on the hangars. This concept begs me to to wonder why I haven't been inclined to paint my home as well as those of any of my clients in a range of matte to to high gloss enamel black or, as another option, white with Ralph Lauren's faux denim. (So, let's presume that if this method really worked the profession of residential interior design would quickly become obsolete.) But there is one final method worthy of mentioning, since it has has reclaimed itself as the trendy answer and is found in the ancient art of Feng Shui. Here you can achieve appropriate color and good karma simultaneously with ultimate modern efficiency.

Letting the cynic in me subside, I am not proposing to entirely cast aside these methods, ancient and modern, but would like to also consider other guidelines which will take into account the natural lighting conditions, color effects, and recent color trends as another solution to selecting paint.

SELECTING COLORS THAT WORK:

Natural Lighting: Clearly, more light brightens and accentuates while less creates shadows and dulls color. However, one color on a wall could be entirely different on another due to natural lighting conditions that also shift and effect color values throughout the day. The direction of each room will also need to be considered since northern exposure rooms receive more cool blue casts while southern exposures receive warmer reds and yellows. Although many color guidelines advise against using the same cast of color this will be, in the final analysis, a personal choice. (De gustibus, non est disputandum.) Blues in eastern facing exposures can also be brilliant and comfortable due to the natural cool effects of light. Fire red on a southern exposure wall can also create high impact appropriate for a particular room that demands a dramatic effect. So, whether or not you use a cooler color to tone down a southern exposure or a warmer color to support it will rely ultimately upon the effect you are trying to achieve.

Color Intensity: Another challenge is how to imagine the effect that one inch paint sample will have across the entire room. If your room receives a lot of natural light consider toning down the intensity by lightening or neutralizing it. Otherwise the effect could be too extreme for comfort.Color Trends: Color impacts everything from cars to make-up to upholstery, clothes and well, just name it. Understanding these trends will help determine when to put an out-dated color to rest and provide newly improved alternatives. At this time the darker neutrals have replaced the lighter ones, especially darker taupes. Also new to the map are slate and charcoal grays as a savvy alternative to taupe and a subdued version of the impossible black. Camel is and will remain the classic and sophisticated neutral that works with every color. All three options work beautifully with bolder trendy accent colors in the red, orange, turquoise and avocado range. Let's turn to effects of color and some of many recommendations provided by Benjamin Moore.

Psychological Effects of Color:

While color impacts our mood and behavior, it also reflects our personality and desires. First, consider what effect you trying to achieve. Many answers can be achieved initially by simply describing how you would like to perceive your room. Below are a few of the symbolic associations attached to color with a few trendy color recommendations by Benjamin Moore.

Red: Love and heat. Aggressive and bold. Courageous. A good luck and fame color in Feng Shui. It both attracts attention and creates excitement, while being expressive, rejuvenating, and passionate. Try Benjamin Moore: Fuchsine 1343 or Coral Essence 2007-40.

Pink: Feminity, softness, sensitivity, faithfulness. Try Benjamin Moore: Victorianna 1263 for subtler pink.

Orange: A bold and high energy color of nature. It is the out-going color: friendly, cheerful, and happy. It creates order without being overly-controlling. It can also decrease irritability. Try Benjamin Moore: Tangerine Zing 132, Tangerine Fusion 083, or Peach Brandy 112.

Yellow: Great color to promote study. It is cheerful, optimistic and stimulates memory and mental clarity. However, like the sun, only minimum exposure required. This is a difficult color for the eye to process. Try Benjamin Moore: Firefly 299 or Malton 1073.Green: Life and nature. A powerful and popular color that is easy on the eyes. It is a color of relaxation and comfort, balance and harmony. Darker green represents ambition and prosperity, envy, rejuvenation, moderation, concentration, and security. Try Benjamin Moore: Glacier Lake 867, Four Leaf Clover 573, or Trailing Vines 1505.

Blue: Tranquil and inspiring like the clear blue sky. Like water, it is refreshing and renewing. Symbolic of trust and longevity, also associated with leisure, authority and strength. Light blue reflects patience and dark blue, impulsivity. Try Benjamin Moore: Waterfall 2050-50, Tropical Teal 734, Blue Jean 2062-50 or Ash Blue 2057-40.

Purple: The color of royalty. It contains romance, imagination, passion, and spirituality and encourages wisdom, reverence, inspiration, and quietness. This is the color of elegance and mystery. Color of the season is Benjamin Moore: Frozen in Time 1448.

Black: Noncommittal. Color of sophistication, elegance, dignity, and power, while reflecting aloofness and mystery.

White: Perfect balance and color with hidden values. Indicates purity, sterility, sharpness, and spirituality. It encompasses the entire color spectrum. Tone it down with Benjamin Moore: Super White 02.

Gray: Both black and white, it lacks in assertiveness, but compensates by revealing intelligence and a sense of discipline, and self-reliance. Try Benjamin Moore: Ashland Slate 1608.

Brown: Conveys warmth and comfort, genuineness, solidarity, and masculinity. Try Benjamin Moore El Cajon Clay 1260 or neutral top pick Grege Avenue 991.

Certainly the home is true reflection of ourselves, our beliefs and aspirations, so take care, choose wisely and know thyself!

Sharon Hess

Interior Designer,

http://www.askdesigncenter.com

Ask Interior Design, Inc.

Headboards Can Be A Mirror Of Your Personality

Everyone has a stylistic preference, especially in terms of his or her own home dor and particularly in the bedroom. One of the best ways to get this point across is to choose the right style from among the many headboards on the market. However, you may not be familiar with the various styles of headboards available today and what they say about you.

Wooden headboards are available for those who enjoy everything from an Edwardian extravagance to a minimalist rustic design. Wood can be carved into an intricate design or can provide a basic, flat backboard for your bed, creating an empty canvas from which to begin a surrounding design. Large headboards carved from wood tend to show your penchant for being in the spotlight, stealing attention from other aspects of your design. Choosing a smaller piece shows your need to have all the elements in your bedroom work together to create a complete picture.

Iron headboards are a typical choice for those who tend to change their minds often, since the wrought iron background is so diverse, and the dor surrounding the material can be changed as frequently to the widest variety of styles as you desire. If you feel like decorating the area with red and black Feng Shui design this month and in basic white cottage style next month, headboards of wrought iron are the perfect background from which to begin.

An iron sleigh bed, with its intricate design and specific look, speak to your classic taste and the need to feel cozy and "at home" in your bed. These beds, including the material, also show a preference for the outdoors due to the resemblance to an actual sleigh. Of course, because sleigh rides are equated with romantic evenings, this choice of headboards can also show you up as a romantic at heart! Again, though, the choice of iron as a material shows your need for diversity and simplicity.

If you choose to redesign your bedroom with a choice of one of the popular modern platform beds available today, you are showing you either don't really care much for detailed design or you prefer a true minimalistic design behind any additional dor or accessories you use to express your style. With these headboards, there is little intricate carving, metalworking, or design, and they are typically quite plain, allowing you to build around them.

One other choice you may consider in choosing your personal style is the purchase of leather headboards. While these are not necessarily intricate in terms of weaving or carving, they do speak to a sense of sophistication and desire to add a stately and expensive appearance to the room. Regardless of your choice, the style of headboards you choose will easily tell people who you are and give them insight to your taste.

Ben Weissman writes articles about using Metal Beds, Headboards and other Contemporary Bedroom Furniture to Decorate Your Home. You'll find more Interior Design Ideas at http://www.Home-and-Bedroom.com Make your bedroom into a personal retreat!

The Truth About Gossip

Connecting with others is one of the most rewarding things about college. The times sitting around the dorm rooms swapping stories are some of the most memorable times for me.

As any woman knows, the gift of gab is KEY to your success if you want to survive dorm life. The chat sessions that we held in the dorm at all hours in the morning were some of the most fun and interesting times in college. We would order pizza and pig out while talking about who had lost or gained weight, and all of the interesting things that had gone on in our life, like our past romances or who we were dating at the time, or what good looking guy was our next ambition. But, often, when one of the regulars werent there, wed start gabbing about them, and what awful thing they had done this week. Since I was usually there during the sessions, it never occurred to me that I would be the subject of such talk. It just never crossed my mind. After all, I was so well liked, or so I thought!

After a run one day I came out of the shower to hear my name mentioned by one of my suite mates. To my horror, it wasn't just my suite mates, but my roommate and a whole room full of girls from the hall. As I stood in the bathroom listening to the talk and laughter in the room next to me, I quietly steamed. I heard about how often my boyfriend would let the phone ring 1000 times, how messy I was, how I was too loud and so on and so on. I couldnt believe that these were the same girls with whom I had confided my entire existence. I was in SHOCK that I was the subject of so many peoples disgust! They had been so nice to me in person, and now this?

I had no other choice than to confront them, head on. So, with my towel around my hair, and one around my dripping wet body, I quietly walked in the room during their lets talk about Mary gossip hour. The gasps of horror filled the room and now it was THEIR time to be shocked. And rather than yell and scream, I simply said: You know, Im really sorry that I have offended all of you like I have. And it is hard to believe that I had to sit here and hear all of the things that I have done wrong. But do you all realize that yesterday, Anne, you were talking about Kathryn? And Kathryn, the other day, you were talking bad about Lynn? And Lynn, you were dissing Elaine? And Elaine you were in disgust with Liz? So cant you see, all of us are sitting here right now, talking bad about ME, because Im the one that wasnt the room? But, if one of you left, that YOUR name would quickly be smeared all over the place? Is this how we want to be? Is this how we want to treat one another?

No one said a thing, but the words lingered stiffly in the air as everyone looked uncomfortably around the room. I quietly left as everyone was left with their own embarrassment of being exposed.

After that, things changed for me. Any time a gossip session started creeping up into the conversation, I remembered the time when I had been talked about so horribly. I remembered how bad I felt finding out that my friends were really disgusted with me and rather than tell me to my face, they opted to talk to others about it. I learned that I would always find people who were different from me, and it didnt matter that I understood what they did or not, that they were entitled to think and to act like they wanted to. I learned that even with our best friends, that we would sometimes disagree. I learned how important that loyalty was and what a great quality it was to develop. I learned that others would respect an individual who chose NOT to gossip and chose to stand apart from the people who do. And I learned, that I wanted to be that kind of person.

That day of gossip changed my life. I cant say that Im perfect now, but I do try to remember those lessons that I learned that day. I realize that I cant change or control anyone else, but I am in control of how I conduct myself. I also now have living proof that the words my mom told me so long ago were ones that I would want to live by: if you cant say anything nice, then dont say anything at all.

Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABCs 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.

Contact: http://www.marygardner.com

Advantages of Framing With Steel Studs

I have heard all sorts of stories over the years of the advantages in framing with steel versus wood studs. One time I even heard you could build an entire house with the amount of recycled steel from a large automobile such as a Cadillac. I find this hard to believe unless you're building a very small home.

My personal favorite for framing with steel studs is that they are extremely straight. I have built nonbearing partition walls using 12 foot 3 1/2 inch wide steel studs and after the drywall you can lay an 8 foot level to check it for straightness on the wall with amazing results.

If you use 3 1/2 inch wide steel studs with 5/8 of an inch drywall you will get an extremely durable and sturdy wall. Framing was steel studs is common in office renovations or remodeling. Most of the steel stud framing is done via the drywall contractors.

Steel studs and termites do not mix. You'll never have to worry about these little buggers or other uninvited house pests damaging your walls.

Over the years I have heard stories that steel framed buildings are earthquake and fire proof. They might be more resistant to fire than wood but keep in mind when metal is hot enough it will bend and warp making it unusable.

When I hear people talking about a fireproof building built with metal framing components my first thought is all of the other materials used in building the house that are not fire resistant. Don't get a false illusion when buying a house framed with steel studs and think it is 100% fire proof.

As far as steel framed buildings being earthquake proof this is another story. I really can't comment too much on earthquake damage to a steel building. The problem with earthquakes is they seem to create fires. So even if you're building does survive an earthquake it could get damaged by a fire in the area.

I have framed more wood homes than steel homes over the years and my steel stud construction is limited to nonbearing partition walls usually located in office buildings. I love framing with metal because of its light weight and ease of construction.

I still love framing with wood. There is something about what framing that I have always loved and always will.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as

well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on House Framing Ideas

When Do We Get To Meet God

Why Smart Goals Don't Work - And What to Do About It

Each year, I receive at least half a dozen identical articles touting the benefits of SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. SMART goals are increasingly seen as the secret to personal and business success. Unfortunately, it's a pretty safe bet that most of these goals will go the way of the proverbial New Year's resolution. Why? Because none of these articles actually tell you how to make SMART goals work. In fact, most people who try the SMART approach for any but small and relatively easy goals frequently find themselves frustrated and disillusioned.

Well-constructed goals are extremely powerful tools for getting things done, increasing concentration and motivation. Successfully completing a well-constructed goal builds self-confidence. Unfortunately, creating a well-constructed SMART goal is not quite so simple as the average article makes it out to be.

To begin with, a specific goal is only useful if it's something you can control. Although this may seem obvious, the fact is that far too many people set goals that appear to be under their control, but really are not. For example, consider the athlete who sets the goal of winning an upcoming tournament: it's specific, it's measurable, it has a time of completion associated with it. Is it achievable and realistic? Depending on the athlete's level of skill, very possibly. However, the athlete has no control over the difficulty of the competition. He may simply be outplayed by a more skilled opponent.

Furthermore, although the goal is measurable, in that the athlete will know whether or not he accomplishes it, the measurement is not particularly useful. At no time will he know how close he is to accomplishing the goal, where he needs to focus his energies, or what else needs to be accomplished. The athlete is far better served by setting the goal of exercising certain key skills in the competition, skills that have a high probability of leading to a victory. Not only will he gain the self-confidence boost of accomplishing his goal, he may just win the tournament.

Another problem is that a goal is simply too big. If a goal takes years to accomplish, it can be extremely difficult to maintain motivation. Big, ambitious goals are wonderful, but they need to be carefully structured. It is vital to break them down into subgoals that can be accomplished in a much shorter period of time. The perception of progress is critical to maintaining motivation, whether for an individual or a team.

Having too many goals is another common problem. Well constructed goals are great, but if you have too many of them at once, they become a distraction. Many people can focus on three to five unrelated goals without a problem, but not ten or twenty. Keeping in mind that each goal might generate numerous subgoals along the way, it's easy to see how having more than a few key goals can easily balloon out of control.

Is the goal something you really care about? Many people have goals that they don't really care about. Perhaps they've been told it's something they ought to do or they believe they should do, but they don't really care about the outcome. If you don't care whether or not you accomplish a goal, it's hard to find the motivation to do it.

Used properly, SMART goals can be a very powerful and effective tool. Well-constructed goals can increase motivation, improve focus, and build self-confidence. Used improperly, they can decrease motivation, and destroy self-confidence. If you're using SMART goals, here are some questions to ask yourself:

Do I control the outcome?

Can I measure progress in a meaningful way?

Is my goal too big? Can I break it up?

Do I have too many goals? Is there enough time in the day/week/month to work on each one?

Do I really care about my goal? Is this something I genuinely want to accomplish?

Good luck!

Stephen Balzac is the president of 7 Steps Ahead (http://www.7stepsahead.com), a consulting firm based in Stow, MA. He can be contacted at 978-298-5189 or steve@7stepsahead.com

Finding Something You Don't Like About Yourself - Creating Habits

Finding something you don't like about yourself is usually very easy for most people. Most of the time you don't even have to ask your family or friends because you have heard them complain about the same thing for years. How many times have you heard someone mention, I need to lose weight?

Here's a list of things people don't like about themselves. If you're one of those people that has a hard time finding something wrong with yourself, you could always ask one of your friends for some suggestions. I'm sure they would like that.

1. The need to lose weight. This of course is one of the worst problems with Americans. Most people need to lose weight and let's not forget there are some people that need to gain weight.

2. The need to stop gambling. As more Indian reservations are allowed to build gambling casinos and of course as the Internet gambling gets larger, I've noticed some people with gambling problems.

3. The need to stop drinking alcohol. The abuse of alcohol has been going on for many years. These people have an excuse for why they drink and most of the time it doesn't make sense.

4. The need to stop smoking. This could be one of the most difficult things I've ever seen my friends and family deal with.

5. The need to stop excessive behaviors. For example, gossiping, cruelty, bullying, lying, cheating, stealing, partying etc. You get the idea.

6. Don't forget the dreaded shopaholic. Most shopaholic's seem to have large credit card debt and can't seem to stop this vicious circle of buying and owing money to their creditors.

7. Working long hours or the workaholic. Sometimes this is a necessity but I would suggest that you change your lifestyle if possible. Reevaluate your reasons for working so hard.

8. Religious fundamentalists. People that spend too much time at their place of worship and soon find themselves feeling guilty if they're not doing something spiritual.

9. The need to be on time. This would include people that have problems giving themselves enough time to get ready for work or school.

10. The need to stop doing drugs. I thought by now, approaching my 50s, that drugs would no longer be a problem in the United States, but it is. It's one of the most damaging things people can do to their lives.

There are plenty of things that people would like to stop doing or start doing. If you're a smoker and you seem to shop excessively near the casinos, I would advise you to start with something small and work your way up to the big stuff.

What are you going to change today about your life? Make a list of things that you're not happy with about your life and start making the changes today that you need to create the life you deserve and desire.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a personal development video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Personal Development

Random Acts of Kindness and Pay it Forward

You can actually push the envelope a bit more in your life by practicing good deeds for no seemingly special or specific reason.

One very powerful action and attitude you can embrace is the practice of random acts of kindness while also creating the pay-it-forward system of living. Random acts of kindness are just that: They're random, and they're kind.

When you give out of your pure desire to give and you expect nothing in return, AND you do this only to benefit others, then you're practicing random acts of kindness. Think about the energy you're sowing: Love, acceptance, care, support, and generosity. These are all very powerful seeds to be planting in the garden of your life.

And although you do this without any expectation of return (in fact, you do it just for the sake of doing it, which in itself is a precious gift), the truth is these acts will benefit you in countless ways. I've never met anyone, given the choice to do anything they wanted to do, who wouldn't want to give merely for the purpose of helping humankind in some way.

Pay-it-forward comes from the movie of the same title. It was a system dreamed up by a very wise, very young man who proposed, as part of a homework assignment, if we each did something positive for three other people and asked them to do the same for three other people, in a very short time everyone in the world would be positively affected.

It's easy to pay back people when they've done you a favor. But this system is about doing someone a favor, then asking them to return it by doing one for someone else. Again, you're planting the seeds of lush abundance and prosperity by practicing random acts of kindness and by adopting a pay-it-forward attitude.

What can random act of kindness can you pay forward today? Get started and plant those seeds today that will provide you with a fruitful harvest tomorrow.

Ken Donaldson has been offering counseling, coaching, and educational programs since 1987. His programs are focused on empowering people to have more successful lives, businesses and relationships. Claim your FREE Relationship Success Special Report at http://www.marryufirst.com/ Ken is the author of Marry YourSelf First! Saying "I DO" to a Life of Passion, Power and Purpose.

What Does a GFI Do? - Electrical Problems

In your bathroom you should have a GFI electrical outlet. Most new homes or newly remodeled homes require you to have GFI electrical outlets in the kitchen. Most older kitchens do not have GFI electrical outlets. GFI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter.

Why not call it a GFCI instead of a GFI electrical outlet? Well it is called a GFCI in some instances. GFI is short and is the most common name used by most electricians and builders for this type of outlet.

GFI 's come in 15 amp and 20 amperage outlets. GFI outlets must be wired properly. Make sure you're using the proper wire size when hooking up the GFI outlet.

How do I know which size wire to use? This all depends on how far away you are running it from the electrical panel. There are charts you can use to figure this out. If you are not running the electrical wire more than 80 feet from the electrical panel you can use 12 gauge electrical wires for a 20 amp GFI. This is a general rule of thumb for most electrical house wiring.

If you're going to be using a 15 amp GFI and you are going to be less than 80 feet away from the electrical panel you can use 14 gauge electrical wires. Again this is just a general rule of thumb for most electrical house wiring.

A GFI is a light duty electrical plug used in bathrooms, kitchens and the exterior of your house. The sole purpose of the GFI is to shut the breaker off faster if there is any moisture or light load problems.

Let's say for instance you have your hair dryer plugged into the GFI outlet. The hair dryer somehow falls into the sink while it is on or plugged in. The GFI outlet will instantly shut off because of the sensitivity of the breaker inside of the plug it self.

The GFI plug has a test button and a reset button on it. If you are continually resetting the GFI you will wear it out eventually. I have had GFI plugs after resetting the button about 10 times break and no longer able to use them.

The GFI electrical plug is a great idea and if you don't have them in your bathroom or outside of your home it would be a great idea to have an electrician install them for you.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Home Building Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

San Diego Termite Damage

Religion Articles

Stammering and Stuttering Treatments That Work

In the world of stuttering treatments there is unfortunately rather a lot of trash out there. You may believe that this is a rather hard hitting statement however if you are a person who has a stutter then I am confident that you will understand what I am saying. There are, however, treatments for stammering and stuttering that do work, I will be writing about these in this article.

So which stammering and stuttering therapies do work? Well the first piece of advice that I will give is that the treatments that are offered by people who have previously had and overcome this form of speech impediment are likely to prove to be the most beneficial.

There are stuttering therapy courses on the market which are run by people who formerly had a stammer or stutter. The second piece of advice is that the courses which are on a one-to-one basis are likely to be of more benefit than those that are on a group basis. Yes there is likely to be a longer waiting time before a person can attend a one-to-one course, this is essentially because they are more popular, for obvious reasons.

Over the last few years there has been an ever increasing demand and popularity for self-help stuttering therapy products. There are now some excellent alternatives within the market place including a DVD, an e-book and an audio book.

The third and final piece of advice, well at least for this article, that I will provide, is in relation to these self-help stammering/stuttering therapy products. Before you decide to purchase you should ensure that there is a support service which you can contact if you have any questions from watching, listening and reading the material. If there is not a support service in place then it could be well worth seeking an alternative form of stammering treatment.

Steve Hill is a speech coach from the UK; he runs The How To Stop Stammering Centre and has a number of websites including:
stuttering information
speech impediment cure

Cost Effective Stair Building

What is the most cost effective way of building stairs? Why do the tract homes use on site methods of construction? When you think of a factory assembling a product on a assembly line you think why not a home. Why do they still build homes on lots or residential home sites?

If homes could be built in a factory cheaper than on site that is exactly what every home builder would be doing. They just haven't quite figured it out yet. When dealing with the large amounts of materials required to build a house and of course the expense of shipping. It is not cost effective to build a conventional home in a factory and ship it over long distances.

This is the biggest problem with cost effective stair construction. Most prefabricated stairs you will notice are spiral stairs. These stairs are smaller than most stairs that are used for multi level construction.

Spiral stairs are hard for your average carpenter to build. These stairs can be purchased from a factory easily and quite inexpensive.

The stairs in your average two story house are going to weigh about 3 times the amount of a spiral set of stairs that could be shipped in a cost effective way. Spiral stairs are not going to be the main stairway in a home and normally go up to a loft or an attic. Most spiral stairs don't meet the minimum building requirements for the main stairway in your home.

When building tract homes the lumber is shipped in bulk directly to the house site where it will be assembled. The lumber and other building materials will be shipped once. If it went to a factory and then assembled it would also have to be sent to the site on which the house was to be built. This added expense in shipping the materials twice is the problem for such a large and heavy item such as a set of stairs.

There are other prefabricated types of stairs that are built locally and the shipping usually is not a major expense. If you are building a stairway that is not to difficult to build for the average carpenter it will normally be cost effective to build the stairs on site. This would require having the carpenter build the stairs as part of the rough framing and then after drywall have the finish carpenter build the stair handrail system.

Visit us now for easy Home Constuction Help

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Are Christians Really Interested

Higher Self

Sometimes you might allow your emotional input to dictate your choices, which could be an indication that you are acting compulsively. The best way to make a distinction between intellect and emotion is to engage with your higher self to hear the wisdom of your spirit.

Your higher self (a.k.a. subconscious or collective unconscious) is connected to the universe, and also has access to your thoughts and feelings. Consider your higher self (subconscious/collective unconscious) as having a helicopter view of your actions, reactions and goings on in your life. It has the ability to weigh all the factors from a neutral place of peace. Even before a sudden impulse can be triggered, you can go within the space of your higher self by taking a deep breath and blowing it out slowly-quieting your mind-to access the wisdom within. Meditation or yoga are also highly effective in helping to connect with the higher self.

When you practice connecting to the wisdom within regularly, you will learn to discern quickly which voice is advising you. When you notice it is the ego mind or an emotional aspect, you can stop it in mid-stream.

To learn which aspect is in control you can look back to learn from previous choices and recall what your inner guidance was advising you-albeit you might not have followed it. You will learn when you have listened and when you have gone against its direction, and this information is helpful for your learning and growth. Every choice you make is an opportunity to learn about life and about yourself as you co-create with the universe.

There is no right or wrong, only choices that take you closer or farther away from your goals. Growth is a process of trial and error; experimentation. The 'failed' experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately 'works.'

When you use your higher self you know you have your best interest at heart, you can listen and trust you will be on the right track. The answers to life's questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen and trust.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Life Coach, Hypnotherapist, Author, "101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life." Dr. Dorothy has the unique gift of connecting people with a broad range of profound principles that resonate in the deepest part of their being. She brings awareness to concepts not typically obvious to one's daily thoughts and feelings. http://www.drdorothy.net

Moisture Against Gravity - Destroying Walls

Well I'm going to start this article with a little information on a job I did once.

I had been repairing a rental house for one particular homeowner for about three years when all of a sudden I got a phone call from him telling me the rental house was destroyed and he had never seen nothing like this. He sounded so upset over the phone I told him I would meet with him immediately.

On my way to the house I was trying to get an idea in my head what the house was going to actually look like. Since I have been repairing rental properties for over 20 years at this point of my career, nothing really shocked me. I had pretty much seen everything that could possibly be done to rental property by the tenants that lived there. There is a lot to be said about taking care of it as if it were your own.

He was waiting for me at the front door and he looked thoroughly disgusted. As I approached him he was shaking his head and yelling at the same time can you believe these people, can you believe what they did to my house. I was expecting to see the front door ripped off and all the windows broken out of the house but this wasn't the case.

As he led me through the home and I could see the usual clothing on the floor, broken cabinets, a few holes in the walls and of course that awful smell of mold and mildew. All of this stuff was nothing new to me because I'm the guy they call to fix it when a renter moves out of the property.

As I entered one of the bedrooms I got my first glimpse of something I had never seen before but heard stories about and could not believe my eyes. Looking at the walls in the bedroom about 3 feet from the floor all the way around the room, the plaster was soft. It actually looks like someone shoved popcorn into the wall somehow.

The homeowner wasn't even looking at this because of the rest of the damage in the home. I started to explain to him I'd never seen nothing like this but I could guess it was water damage somehow since the plaster was soft. I could actually stick my finger into the wall, that's how soft the plaster was.

My first thought was to examine the carpeting a little closer to see if it was wet. Well it was damp but it wasn't as wet as I would've expected it to be with the amount of water in the walls. With a little more home inspecting I had found the culprit, it was a broken water bed. The water bed was now in the backyard looking innocent.

I couldn't believe a broken water bed could do this much damage so I looked around for broken or leaking water pipes and could not find any. The other bad news I had to inform the homeowner was that the water had damage the bathroom and closet walls also. These walls of course were on the other side of the bathroom walls that were damaged.

Well the point of this story is that water will actually wick its way up or worked its way up into a wall. I had to remove 4 feet of drywall all the way around the room. The plaster or drywall actually acts like a sponge pulling the water into the walls. Hard to imagine that gravity in this case seems to reverse. I would've never thought that water would've traveled so far up the walls creating that much damage.

To repair the rental property I had to remove the damaged drywall, remove the carpeting, dry the wood framing out and put the whole thing back together.

I'm still amazed and will remember that project for as long as I live.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on House Water Damage

Was Jesus A Good Example

An Overview of Zen Meditation For Your Self Help

Zen meditation is a little different as compared to other traditional forms of meditation. Here the person who meditates does not get into a "trance" and they experience the beauty of life, in each breath of the present moment to the fullest.

How To Meditate

Select a quiet, comfortable place. The spot should not be too cold or too hot, nor too dark or bright. Place a cushion on the carpet or a blanket. You can keep it on the floor or on a thin pad.

These meditation pads and cushions (also called as zabutons and zafus) can be easily purchased. However other materials like rolled up blankets, sofa cushions or pillows is good enough for beginners.

The benefits of Zen meditation are as follows:

- Builds focus and concentration
- Generates awareness of Big Self
- Compassion,calmness,spontaneous joy
- Improves health and overall well being
- Builds character and increases will power
- Bestows psychic powers

The sitting postures under this type of meditation have been illustrated in many books. There are various postures like the full lotus posture, quarter lotus posture, half lotus posture, Burmese posture and kneeling posture which can be practiced by following the instructions given in the book.

In all these postures, it is necessary to keep your spinal cord straight, chin tucked in, buttocks thrust out and hands held closed to your body in "cosmic mudra". Here the left hand rests on the top of your right hand with palms open.

After you are through with the sitting posture, you have to take deep breath which would allow the lungs to expand. Focus all your attention on your breath during this process of meditation. If thoughts arise, acknowledge them, let them pass and treat them as a passing cloud.

If you are counting your breath, then you should count the breath from 1 to 10 when you exhale and inhale. You can purchase items like a bell, a ringing bowl or a incense to signal the start and the end of meditation period.

Initially you can practice this meditation for a period of 10 minutes. As you gain experience, you can extend the period up to 20 minutes. You should sit for meditation at the time when distractions are minimum preferably in the early morning. However there are some people who would love to meditate in the evening as well.

If you are following your breath then focus your attention on the breath as you exhale and inhale. When your mind flickers and wanders here and there then bring back the attention to your breath. Do not punish yourself if the attention wanders. The main purpose of your mind is to create thoughts. They are always with you. You should overcome those thoughts and focus on your breath.

While meditating, make sure you wear loose clothing. It is not recommended to sit for meditation after a heavy meal.

While practicing Zen meditation, you may experience cramps or aches in the legs and back. Don't force yourself so that it becomes strenuous. If you feel like doing Zen meditation in a group then you can look for various groups on the World Wide Web.

Here's an excellent way to start enjoying the benefits of meditation today. The Deep Zen audio program is easy for anyone wanting to learn how to meditate and helps advanced meditators achieve deeper levels of meditation too. Try your free demo here: http://holothink.org

Dangers Using Wood Stair Cleats - New Stair Construction

I would imagine most people don't even know what it wood stair cleat is, in construction we have so many words that describe the same thing. A stair cleat is another word for a thread bracket. In other words it's the part of the stairway that connects the stair stringer to the stair step. These have been used for years and over time, most of them will develop the same problem.

Most wood stair cleats loosened up and create a safety hazard. If the stairs are located outside in extreme weather conditions, for example, if it rains or snows a lot, extremely humid humid weather, or extremely hot and dry temperatures, your staircase might not last that long, if it is or isn't maintained properly. It's not a bad idea to use steel or concrete for stairways in these climates.

If you're ever walking up a set of stairs with wood cleats and the stair steps feel a little loose or wiggly, make sure you examined the stair cleats for safety. It's not uncommon for someone to be walking up or down a set of wood stairs and having the stair step or tread giveaway because the wood cleats has loosened.

If the wood stair cleats are nailed to the stair stringer, the nails can loosen up, causing it to become loose, as you walk up and down the stairs applying pressure to the stair cleat, this will create movement in between the stair step and the stair stringer. This could cause the cleat to crack, break and separate the connection between the stair step in the stair stringer.

I would suggest using metal brackets instead of wood cleats. The metal brackets will not crack or disintegrate like some wood cleats. Stair building brackets of course can loosen up and should be maintained regularly.

If you decide to use wood stair cleats, I would suggest using screws instead of nails and drilling holes in the wood stair cleats, most of the time this will prevent cracking the cleat. Try to use a thicker material for the stair cleat, for example using a 2 x 4 with lag screws and washers would be better than using a 1 x 4 with nails.

If you're walking up a set of stairs and a stair step feels loose, contact the owner of the property and let them know, they have a problem with their staircase.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more stair building books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Greg Vanden Berge Quotes

The Trap of the Common Sense

Many people are not satisfied with their lives and want to achieve more. However, only few actually make their dreams come true. Why does this happen?

It seems to be logical that if you are not satisfied with life you are negative about your current situation; you have negative thoughts and constantly complain. For many people it is also logical to blame others for things that didn't work out in their lives. This kind of logic actually keeps people where they are today.

Many things that seem to be a "common sense" and "intuitive" in reality just ways everybody does things. It is our collective thinking that makes them common sense and intuitive. If you look at lives that people live you will see how these "common sense" habits, perceptions and beliefs make their lives miserable. They keep people at their current jobs, stiff all their creativity, promote fear of taking risks, keep them glued to their comfort zones. This results in deep inner dissatisfaction and is a direct way to depressions and different self-destroying addictions.

"Think outside the box" is not just a common self-improvement textbook phrase. It has a deep meaning of questioning all the "common sense" things in order to see the way out which is usually just in front of you. You can't see it because it is not part of your belief system, it doesn't go along with how you perceive the world.

Let's go back to a "negative" situation you find yourself in. The non-intuitive and only way out of it is to be positive. Do you want to have good things in life? Be positive about what you already have, be deeply grateful for every single thing, no matter how little, that you have in your life right now. Do you want to have more control over your life? Never blame anybody for anything that happened to YOU. Take full responsibility for attracting people and events into your life. How you can attract anything good if you are always negative?

It seems to be hard to be positive and grateful when everything is wrong however it is just a matter of forcing yourself to repeat positive phrases in your head even if you don't agree with them or they don't sound to be true. With time you will start actually feeling the truth in your statements.

As your perception of the world changes, slowly the physical world around you will change to reflect better who you are.

Do you need help to make your dreams come true? Visit http://www.pathstopower.net for a free book and more details.

Are you interested in natural health, weight loss, energy secrets? Visit http://www.nutrifitpower.com/ezine.html for free reports and more details.

Lynn Alex is a Life-Skills Coach, Yoga Teacher and an American Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner.

Planning Your Bathroom Remodel Budget - Home Improvement Ideas

As a bathroom remodeling contractor, I get calls from people, that have no idea what they want or how much anything is going to cost. Here's some simple tips that can be very helpful when planning a bathroom remodel budget.

Bathroom Remodeling Investment

In 2008, the average mid-range bathroom cost around $16,000 and you could recoup around $12,000 of your original investment upon the sale of your home. According to a popular remodeling magazine, larger bathrooms using expensive fixtures, tile, bathtubs, woodworking, toilets and showers had an average of $52,000. Upon the sale of a home, you could recoup around $36,000 of your original investment.

Finding out How Much Things Cost

My first suggestion, would be to visit your local home improvement center, lumber yard or plumbing supply warehouse. Larger stores like Home Depot and Lowe's, seemed to provide you with value pricing but don't have a large selection. While doing some research on the Internet I noticed that some of their pricing is outrageously, outrageous. Some plumbing supply warehouses can provide value but beware others won't.

Create a List of Bathroom Remodeling Parts

You can get a good idea of your bathroom remodel costs for your budget by making a list of bathroom parts with pricing and then adding them up for a grand total. If you're a total bathroom remodel budget is $15,000 and you have a $6,000 bathtub with $4000 worth of tile, you could have a budget problem.

Figuring out the Labor

You will have to contact a contractor to get an actual cost for the labor. Sometimes you can double the cost of your bathroom remodeling parts to get a rough idea. If you have a list or a couple of lists and a few pictures of some sample bathrooms, this will make the contractor's job easier and often they can give you a labor price within a few days.

Give Yourself a Cushion

I would suggest leaving yourself a small financial cushion for any additional remodeling items. For example, you could see a different toilet, or instead of painting the walls, you now choose to wallpaper, you could incur additional expenses that you haven't planned for. If you know exactly what you want and stick to the original bathroom remodeling plan, you shouldn't need the cushion.

Financial problems often transfer into construction problems, so spend some time figuring out, how much money you want to spend on the bathroom remodel and try not to go overboard on the budget. I hate to see homeowners struggling with home improvement loan payments. Try to create a bathroom remodeling budget that is realistic and will not create a financial burden upon you or your family.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your looking for some more bathroom remodeling or home building ideas.

Nothing Will Be Impossible

How to Counteract Violence, Anger and Hatred

Counteract Violence with Knowledge... The saying "it's the quiet ones you want to watch" is very accurate, the people who don't instantly recoil to the violence but stop to weigh their options. Profile the aggressor, find the cause of the violence, then react in a cool calculated way by finding collaborative and empowering alternatives. If the reaction comes from keen acuity and not a chemical imbalance the outcome will be far more efficacious. "An eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind"- "Mahatma Gandhi" Wise words from an even wiser man that teaches us one thing. There is no point in fighting fire with fire. Remedies like listening, deducing and giving time to get to the root of violent behaviour is what we need to dissipate it.

Counteract Anger with Understanding... Anger is a significant state of disapprobation and reasoning power is significantly hampered. Often anger can be diffused significantly when given a passive audience or serene location. Communication skills are essential in anger management but it is important not to lose control of your emotions. You do not have to agree with the position to respect the human behind it.

Counteract Hate with Righteousness... Hatred is more difficult, simply because it is not a rational feeling and is not subject to reason. Isolation from the hate mongers, education and psychotherapy should work. Every individual is human (with good traits and not so good traits) applying this ideology inhibits the reciprocation of this hate.

These may be difficult to counteract, especially since they are strong emotions, but with practice and dedication, they can be achieved!

Sashakay Fairclough is a 20 year old final year law student at the University of Huddersfield in England.

Success Starting in Your 40s

You're going to find it hard to believe, but very seldom does an individual peak with creativity until they reach the age of 40. The average individual usually makes the most money between the age of 40 and 60. This doesn't have anything to do with retirement. Most highly creative people keep producing until they die.

If you're 55 years old and looking for a new career or can't seem to find a job in the profession you have worked at your whole life, don't be alarmed or fearful. Do you think you could start your own business? Is there something, you have always wanted to do but have put it off until retirement, or until you had enough time to do it?

Why wait, if you can't find a job in a business you never truly enjoyed, maybe you can find a new job doing something you love.

I have worked in construction for 30 years and at 44 years old started to pursue a career in writing and plan to create award winning websites and best selling books, for the rest of my life. This doesn't mean, I won't work in construction ever again, but I will become a best selling author within the next 20 years.

Most people don't take the time required to learn a new profession. If you're sincerely interested in another career, and you're 50 years old, there is plenty of people out there to give you hope and inspiration.

If you would like some proof, here's a couple successful American businessman who succeeded after the age of 40. Henry Ford is probably one of the most popular and became extremely successful after the age of 40. Andrew Carnegie, an American industrialists who transformed the steel business and did not start reaping the rewards of his efforts until he was well past the age of 40.

I gathered this information from the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. There is a section in the book where he talks about people after the age of 40 with phenomenal success. Anyone who's interested in gaining wealth through spirituality or finances should read this book.

I've often heard the statement, "People Often Over Estimate What They Can Do in a Year and Often Underestimate What They Can Do in a Decade." If you want to accomplish something after the age of 40, I would advise you to start with a plan and then put that plan and the action. Your plan could take five to 15 years to achieve or longer but think about the rewards, whether spiritual or financial.

Gregory Vanden Berge is working to promote personal development ideas and spiritual reform. He has started a web site for videos and articles based on current information about subject he is very familiar with.

"Education has freed me, to pursue other ideas and release me from the bondage and fear of organized religion."

Gregory Vanden Berge

Wrong With Bible Verse

Raising Children With Love

I myself was a product of a child brought up in a Christian home, even though I would not consider my parents strong Christians. Both of my parents did what they believed was right and raised me and my siblings to the best of their ability. I sincerely believe my mother and father did the best they could with the information they had available at the time.

Were my parents inspiring me to become a better person, morally with discipline and obedience, or were they manipulating me to become a better person through religion and schooling. As children we don't have a lot of free will and as adults it seems like we have even less, the more we become controlled by our government, religion, family, friends or even our workplace, where we seem to spend most of our waking hours.

I believe we need to inspire our children through education and as a good parental example. This means we need to quit telling our children what to do and how to act and start doing so ourselves. Just because you go to church or your place of worship, does not make you a good person.

Manipulating our children with religion and raising them as products of our society, is often like farmers raising animals to have their lives sacrificed for others to benefit from. The minute we raise our children to fit into society, instead of questioning it, we are basically surrendering our free will and fitting into society to follow the laws and guidelines created by our governments.

Whenever someone in America says they are free, or this is the land of the free, I often look around at the people who have very little say in the lives they lead. Sure you get to choose whether you want to buy an ice cream or take a walk down the street but we are still blinded by the control placed upon us by our society.

I don't believe our children benefit from manipulation and control. I feel our children would do better if we acted as stewards towards them instead of owners. I have always viewed my children as individuals and often guided them through inspiration instead of manipulation.

I'm not asking you to let your children run wild through the grocery stores, raise your children with guidance and discipline but don't impose your will or beliefs upon them, we often do more damage in the long run creating a race of followers instead of thinkers. It seems like spoiled children become menaces to society eventually.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a inspirational video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Here is a rare thought is apparent, why don't you learn to be a good example for your children.

Home Selling Tips - Best Real Estate Advice Ever

One of the most important things to remember when selling your home is to keep it as clean as possible. If you need help or don't have the time to organize your stuff, you can hire a home staging professional in your area. Ask your real estate professional for more information.

1. Remove any clutter from the home and place it in storage. Do not store this stuff on the property if you don't have enough room. Storing clutter in closets or in your garage, will often make these areas look smaller. By removing clutter or even large pieces of furniture, the rooms will look larger.

2. Disconnect yourself emotionally from your home. This is a big problem for people who have lived in their house for long periods of time. If you've raised a family here, the children could have emotional ties also to the home. Some home sellers are looking for someone special to buy their home, if you've got the time and money to wait, you can be selective but be careful, because the longer you wait, the market could go up or down.

3. When your real estate professional is showing the house, it's always a good idea to leave the home until the potential homebuyers are gone. One example of this would be if you were in a bad mood or didn't have a good day and were a little upset at the world. Your mood could cause potential homebuyers to lose interest in the property. I've seen this more than once.

4. Make sure everything is operating properly. This would include doors, door knobs, windows, kitchen appliances, garage door openers, cabinet drawers, bathroom fixtures, toilets, faucets, lights, switches, electrical outlets and anything else that moves, slides, turns or rotates that is part of the home.

5. The Interior and exterior walls of the home should be in good shape. Make sure there's no termite damage, wood rot, peeling paint, broken windows or holes in the walls.

6. Make sure the flooring is in good shape. Some real estate professionals will suggest, replacing the carpeting with a neutral color. This method often works pretty good but I have seen plenty of homes that were re-carpeted and after the home was purchased the carpeting was replaced again, by the new owners. Just make sure the flooring is in good shape.

7. Here's a trick that definitely works a little magic when selling a home. Leave some cookies or a nice fruit bowl on the dining room table. There is no need to leave a sign that says "Eat Me". It gives the home a warm feeling, almost like a country atmosphere.

8. Even better than home selling tip number seven would be baking some cookies just before the perspective buyers arrive, it's not the cookies, it's the smell from the cookies that most people cannot resist.

These are just a few home selling tips but the most important is to keep the inside and outside of the home clean.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Don't buyers sell a home without checking how the problems with poor home repairs.

Christian Articles

Symbol of Brotherhood

Masonic jewelry is worn as a sign of membership of the brotherhood or passed down as family heirlooms. Here is a guide to this unique and interesting tradition.

The Brotherhood

The Freemasons have the longest history of any organization in the world. The first Grand Lodge was formed in 1717 in London, but there was loose organization and use of terms and symbols centuries before that. Stonemasons were the founding fathers.

Today, it is not necessary to be an actual mason to be a member as the principles of the brotherhood are self-improvement, social works and self-awareness. They were behind the creation of public schools in Europe and America.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century, they also took it upon themselves to make sure orphans, the elderly and widows were taken care of when the system provided no protection for them. There are a lot of conspiracy theories, movies and books surrounding the mystery of the Masons, but there is no real secret to this philanthropic and educated organization.

Types of jewelry

To designate membership in a Masonic lodge, there are a variety of Masonic jewelry pieces that a member can wear. The traditional piece is the signet ring, but there are other options as well. For the man who already owns a Lodge ring, other gift options are cuff links, tie pins, pocket watches and even pendants. These can all bear the same the emblems as the rings.

The Symbols

Symbols in freemasonry are important and they designate the degree of the member, the lodge and what the member wants to say about his membership. The most common symbols are the square and compass which represent the cornerstone of freemasonry.

In the center of these tools is the letter "G", which stands for geometry, a principle of freemasonry, and for God, the original builder. Some other tools of the trade found in Masonic jewelry are the trowel, the plumb level and columns. There are many other symbols to choose from when designing different pieces.

Proper wear

Only members should wear membership jewelry, but there are cases where antique Masonic jewelry is passed down as family heirlooms. As far as how to wear the rings, there are no rules on the proper way. Some men like to wear the emblems facing them but others like to wear them facing out for others to see. Married men typically wear their rings on the right hand ring finger. Some men choose to wear their ring on the pinkie finger. So, really it is all about personal preference and comfort on how to wear the pieces.

How to clean it

In gold or silver, Masonic jewelry can be very simple or quite ornate. The more intricate the design, the dirtier it can get. Gold pieces can be soaked in warm soapy water and scrubbed with a soft brush. If there are enameled or synthetic colored parts, don't soak the piece, but gently scrub with a soft soapy brush. Regularly polish with a soft cloth. For sterling silver pieces, only use cleaners designed for silver cleaning. These products come in wipes, cloths and creams.

There are millions of freemasons across the world and a gift of men's Masonic jewelry is a great way to recognize his contribution to society and to honor his pride and dedication to his brotherhood.

Men's Masonic jewelry can make a great gift and is a way to show your appreciation for a member of the brotherhood. Browse through a beautiful collection of Masonic pieces in solid gold when you visit http://www.gemaffair.com

Developing Wealth Building Habits

If you want to be successful, you need mentors or in other words find people that have succeeded. These people can include the ultra rich like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett, but don't forget about the people around you that have created good wealth building habits.

Some of the people have great advice and will need to be listened to very intently, while others need to be put on a list and never spoken to again. If you're going to be developing wealth building habits, you're going to need some advice from wealthy people. Let me make myself clear, when I'm talking about developing wealth building habits, I'm not talking about spiritual, knowledge, Biblical or religious wealth. I'm talking about making money, as much money as you desire or feel you need.

Wealth building habits start with you. Ask yourself this question "how bad do I want or desire wealth?" Really, really, really bad or are you the kind of person that would like to be rich, but that's as far as it goes. Developing any of these habits does not include sleeping in until 11 o'clock in the morning and then complaining the rest of the day about your finances.

Bill Gates used to work 16 hours a day. How many days a week did he do that? These are the questions you're going to find the answers to. If you're interested in making $50 million, you need to find someone who can teach you, how to make $50 million.

It won't be necessary to contact Warren Buffett but I would advise you to gather as much information about him as possible. Wealth building habits start with learning about wealthy people. If they get up at four o'clock in the morning and read the newspaper until six o'clock, then exercise for 30 minutes and start working at seven o'clock, you need to start doing this also. Developing good wealth building habits over time are what most successful businessman and women have been doing for years. Study their habits and start changing yours.

If you do something every day, it will usually become a habit within 30 days.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a self help video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Another Crappy Rule In The Bible

Reality Creation Secrets

Reality bites, now that's a phrase that you must be familiar with. How often have things started to go wrong for no reason whatsoever? From your boss promoting your lazy sub-ordinate to committing traffic violations at no fault of your own, there are those 'days' when nothing happens the way that it is supposed to. Sure, if you believe in fate, you can console yourself by saying that it probably is happening due to karma or something akin to that. But let's face it; sometime things happen even when you know that you are in the good. Take for example, the current president of United Sates, George Bush - he managed to beat his opponent against all odds, good for him but not so for his opponent. There is a reason why the reality can be quite different from what you expect it to be, it can be changed for the better depending on the energy level that you resonate in. Wait a minute, did I say energy and use it in the same sentence as the word 'resonate'? Yes! I did so and I am sure that statement sounds like garbage to some of you. But here is the catch, whether you believe in energy levels or not, the fact is that each and every one of us are attuned to it in our own respective manner. Did you realize that you are actually made from stardust; that you are made from the same matter as the stars in the sky? So is it that hard a stretch to believe that you can resonate energy just as the universe does? Just take a look at some of the e-books on reality currently online and you will see that it is possible to make things happen just the way you want them to. Books on the Reality Creation Secrets as well as a few alternative kind of books will by provide you with all the info that you need to know in order to tap into the massive energy flux inside you.

Sure, manifestation has been a subject of ridicule as well as a crutch for the many cuckoos walking out there amongst you. But the manifestation covered here in these books is not about creating things out of mid-air and is more to do with making things happen by resonating positive energy levels. Such books do enable you to modify the energy levels that you resonate in so that you would be able to achieve your goals. It naturally follows, that with positive energy flowing out of you, you should be able to focus better and as a result, be in a much better position to achieve your goals.

Books on the Reality Creation Secrets as well as any other alternative ideas may not be everyone's cup of tea but then again, manifestation of this kind is a new subject altogether so there are bound to be a few disbelievers out there. Either way, you should know that these products are not related to any magic gimmick and at the very least, it should enable you to tackle issues, which you would have avoided earlier on. In a sense, these books are alleged to do wonders to your self-confidence.

These products do make it possible for you to see reality in a different way altogether. From providing you with information on how to achieve Total Self Actualization to making it possible for your dreams to come true, these books are more of a half and half - as it deals with both spirituality and manifestation of material things. Either way, if you are on the lookout for a different take on reality or currently seeking innovative methods to achieve your goals, you may want to take a closer look at such products.

Reuben Wallis has reviewed the Reality Creation Secrets. As usual, his review is to the point and can be read here at the Reality Creation Secrets reviews.