s Power Tips Newsletter

Power Tips newsletter, June Issue

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INDEX:
One Minute Tip
Power Quotes
Tips for your Happiness
Tips for your Health
Tips for your Prosperity
Sponsored Resources
Editor’s Note / Humour / new free books

One Minute Tip:

Commit to investing time and money and energy in the things that mean the MOST to you. Re-commit to planning your life, to living your values, and to making the most of your talents and the opportunities to live well, rather than being merely busy.

A GREAT life is no accident. It is the result of planning, preparation and commitment to doing the few key priorities you have chose for your life. Do less, live more!

Power Quotes:

Happiness:

”I couldn’t wait for success, so I went ahead without it.”
- Jonathan Winters

Health:

”Picture in your mind a sense of personal destiny.”
- Wayne Oates

Prosperity:

”Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
- Mark Twain

Tips for your Happiness:

Learn the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen Covey’s ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ is a very successful book filled with timeless ideas about the kind of attitudes that are common among individuals who exhibit the best and most efficient performances in work and life. It has been considered as a highly relevant piece of work and millions of people have put the principles to action, reaping the rewards as a result. Here are the 7 habits and what you should do to implement each one.

Be proactive.
Being proactive means acknowledging and accepting responsibility. It is only by doing this that you can begin taking action on your goals and making them a reality. By being proactive, an individual ceases to be just a part of the flow of life and work. He becomes an active participant, eager to implement changes and not being held down by his circumstances.

Begin with the end in mind.
Begin by formulating your own ‘personal mission statement’. This will serve as your life’s purpose and will be the guide with which you will act, think, speak and make decisions. For organizations, this habit begins with the creation of a company mission statement, which becomes more effective and meaningful if formulated and participated by everyone in the organization.

Put first things first.
Learn to prioritize everything within a given time frame and set criteria to achieve the long term goal you set. Learn to delegate and practice the art of proper time management.

Think Win/Win.
Go for solutions where the end result will be mutually beneficial to all parties, regardless of what view they choose to take. This will meet every member’s expectations and needs, it also helps prevent or resolve conflicts.

Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
Before telling someone what to do, learn about the person and his situation. If you must give advice, do so only after you have established a rapport with that individual. Otherwise, whatever you offer will be rejected.

Synergize.
Work with teams and learn the art of problem solving. Implement decision making as a collaborative effort, a product of many individual’s differences, strengths and contributions. Learn to look at innovation and use it to your advantage. The team is the lifeblood of the organization, so learn how to harness it.

Sharpen the saw.
You can’t progress in life if you don’t grow. Keep yourself sharp by ensuring that you are updated and that you have a good sense of self-renewal. Choose activities for what they can contribute to your growth as a person.

Scrapbooking hits the big time in America

How about a hobby that’s creative, can be practiced with a lot of your friends, is relaxing, but will be treasured by people for years to come.

That’s scrapbooking, and there’s little wonder why it’s sweeping the country. Lots of people do it individually, but even more people have joined (or formed) scrapbooking clubs.

They typically meet in someone’s home, but there are scrapbooking cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska, and weekend sessions at resort hotels. Meetings often have a theme, such as pajama-party sessions or Hawaiian-wardrobe nights. Depending on the groups, there might be a little wine, but there’s always something to snack on while the members clip, snip, and paste.

It is estimated that 4 million people, mostly women, gather for “crop-alongs” every month. One company, Creative Memories has 65,000 consultants who visit these gatherings offering expertise and plenty of equipment and supplies to sell. Nationwide, there are about 2,000 scrapbook stores, up from 300 just five years ago. And that doesn’t count the big scrapbooking aisles at Wal-Mart.

In September, one cable network held an eight-hour scrapbooking marathon. These scrapbooks are extravagant creations with titled pages, journal entries, love letters, artwork, and photos. They are exhaustive records of family life.

The Many Collectible Items – Everyone can enjoy this hobby!

Collections can range across many different items, from common everyday items to obscure and exotic items. A woman in Missouri that collects Barbie’s might think that collecting match books seems strange.

However, the woman in Florida that collects those match books from every hotel she has ever traveled to finds her collection invaluable. These match books remind her of all the memories of her trips. So, who is to say what is really normal or weird?

Some collectors might collect lunch boxes, while other collectors might collect anything that displays Mickey Mouse. Some people think that anything of value that people collect can be considered a collectible. This is not necessarily true.

There are some people out there that collect telephone books. Now some people might not consider this to be a collectible, because a phone book does not really hold a value since they are usually given free to the public.

However, a collectible item is considered to have value if people are willing to pay money for the item. The old saying that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” certainly holds true for the collector.

Collectible items can be found almost anywhere. The popular place today to buy and sell collectibles is eBay. A collector can spend hours pouring over hundreds of auction ads for their collection of choice. Collectors can go to trade shows to buy, sell or trade collectibles.

Collectibles can be found at antique malls, flea markets and, of course, the ever popular garage sale. Garage sales are an American pastime. One person can go to a garage sale and see nothing but junk, while another person can find their new favorite collectible to add to their collection. Once again, the important thing to remember is that if someone is willing to pay money for it, then it is a collectible.

Just as important as what you collect is the way your collection is displayed. Collectors have entire rooms dedicated to their collectibles. Toy train collectors will spend years putting together an entire train setup complete with buildings, trees, streets, people and, of course, the train system.

Others will use their entire home to spread out their collectibles. Either way, collectors take the utmost pride in their collections irregardless of what they collect.

Collectors are aware that if lost or stolen, some of their collectibles are irreplaceable. Insurance companies even have addendums that can be added to homeowner’s insurance policies to insure a collector’s collection. Due to age and rarity, some collections are so valuable that they have their own insurance policy.

Most of the time, collectors don’t start out by thinking “I’m going to start collecting something… I’ll chose teacups!” Rather, they simply feel drawn towards teacups, and find themselves in awe of the many different types and styles. From there, the teacup lover will start hording teacups that he or she sees in yard sales or at the store.

This is how a collector is born. If you are always looking at a particular item, or you are intrigued by the thought of having all of the different types, then look up some more information. If you find that there are many different types of that item that can be bought and sold, then perhaps it is time to let out the collector in you!

Collecting items of value has become quite the American pastime. This is also a way for the older generation to pass down some history to the younger generation. It is important that this hobby continues to be an important part of our culture so that history can live on from generation to generation.

So, if you feel the urge to collect something, don’t suppress it as some kind of foreign urge. Embrace it, and start doing more research and shopping to find out how you can become a real collector. It is a fun and rewarding hobby.

Tips for your Health:

Okay … Who Doesn’t Have Time to Exercise Now?

What if you could get the same results with six minutes of cardio exercise each week, as opposed to six hours? Well, if recent research is any indication, you can.

In a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, 23 reasonably fit men and women were timed to see how fast they could cycle 18 miles. They were then divided into three groups. One group cycled two hours a day at a moderate pace.

Another group biked 10 minutes a day in one-minute bursts. The third group biked for a total of two minutes a day – an all-out sprint for 30 seconds, followed by several minutes of rest (repeated four times).

After two weeks, the subjects repeated the 18-mile test – and all of their times improved to virtually the same degree. Additional tests showed that their muscle enzymes (essential for preventing diabetes) and the ability of their muscles to absorb oxygen also improved to the same degree.

Granted, this is a small study. But it does show that you can reduce your workout time (and get the same or better results) if you’re willing to endure some discomfort.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet – A Healthier Way to Lose Weight

By Tess Thompson

The human body has its own ways of reacting to foreign invasions. Bacteria, viruses, and toxins are common foreign substances that the body’s immune system considers as harmful. The system reacts with biological defenses to avoid diseases and infections. Inflammation is one of the first automatic responses of the auto immune system.

Some researchers believe that obesity is actually an inflammatory response of the body to warn us that we are eating what is not good for us. An anti inflammatory diet is based on the theory that the body does not need fat and processed foods and therefore reacts with inflammation. The theory appears to be logical considering the high incidence of obesity in the developed world which relies on processed fatty foods to a larger extent.

Determining food choices for an anti inflammatory diet is easy. The diet basically consists of foods that that are close to the original form. The essential ingredient that reduces inflammation is Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Fish, especially oily fish, is one of the best sources of Omega 3. Red meat, on the other hand, is considered to trigger inflammatory responses. Some important instructions that are part of the anti-inflammatory diet are:

– Caloric intake of 2000 to 3000 calories per day depending upon your size and level of activity.
- Calorie intake to be distributed between carbohydrates (40 to 50%), proteins (20 to 30%) and fat (30%). All three groups must be included in all meals.

– Use virgin oils for cooking and avoid saturated fats.

– Avoid margarine, vegetable shortening and all products that list them as ingredients at all cost.

– Decrease consumption of animal protein except for fish and low fat dairy products.

– Take at least 40 grams of fiber daily. These can be had from fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Ready made cereals are also a good source but make sure that they give you at least 4, preferably 5 grams per ounce.

– Choose fruits and vegetables from all parts of the color spectrum: berries, tomatoes, orange and yellow fruits and dark leafy vegetables.

– Mushrooms are advised as the preferred source of phytonutrients.

– Prefer tea over coffee and wine over whisky and beer.

A diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables in recommended quantities can supply all the necessary substances that a body requires. This includes vitamins and minerals for good health and weight maintenance. However, if some of the instructions cannot be met due to compelling reasons, the use of natural healthy weight loss supplements is recommended. Fish oil, garlic, ginger and turmeric supplements are available in convenient formulations that can make up for the nutrients missing in regular diet.

Anti inflammatory diet is natural in its approach and is based on moderation than on denial. It is closer to traditional healthy weight loss plans . It is unlike the fad diets that tell you how to naturally lose weight fast , which is not the right way to lose weight anyway.

EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) was originally designed to reduce the psychotherapy process from months and years down to minutes and hours.

From there it was discovered that astonishing physical healings also occurred. Symptoms faded for everything from Migraine Headaches to Cancer.

Complete details are given on the EFT website at www.emofree.com It often works where nothing else will.

How does a natural cure like EFT work?

Did you know you can use EFT for Pain Relief?

How can I use EFT as a home remedy to get rid of Headaches?

How does a natural cure like EFT work to fight my Addictions?

Where is my free book on how to do EFT on myself?

What are child sleep disorders?

Problems with sleep behaviors are commonly seen in children. Sleep is of primary importance at all stages of human development, and in the newborn, is the primary activity other than eating.

Childhood sleep disturbances affect not only the child but also the whole family. There is an abundance of different beliefs and lore on this topic. Sifting through the enormous amount of material, approaches, and opinions about kids’ sleep can be daunting for parents.

There is not one correct way to deal with your child in regard to sleep. Each child is unique and has his own special set of circumstances and needs. What’s important is for parents to identify what they feel comfortable with and what they feel is best for their child.

Just as parents pay attention to their children’s general hygiene, they can also address their sleep hygiene. This can be made a pleasurable event.

This can help to establish life-long patterns of good sleep. It’s much easier to prevent a sleep problem than to treat one.

The important daily sleep requirements in sleep hygiene is consistency. Bedtime should occur at the same time each night.

A regular habit of storytelling, reading a book, or talking about the day’s events are often nightly rituals that parents can implement.

This can be a meaningful period of engagement for both the parent and the child.

Typical bedtime sequences take around 30 minutes. Often children engage in what has been referred to as “curtain call” behaviors.

These are behaviors by the child that delay separation from the parents before bedtime. Kids will often get up and say they need to go to the bathroom, or that they need to get a glass of water.

Sometimes these behaviors become problematic. I recommend children be asked to do these things for themselves. This avoids reinforcing these behaviors by granting more contact with the parents.

Common Child Sleep Disorders:

Different sleep difficulties tend to cluster around different ages. Before the age of three it is common for infants to have problems going to sleep and nighttime awakening.

Nightmares, fear of the dark, and night terrors usually begin to occur between ages 3-6, and sleepwalking usually has its onset after age 6.

Sleep problems appearing later and in adolescence are more frequently associated with underlying psychiatric disorders, drug abuse, or medical conditions like narcolepsy.

At what stage should kids sleep in their own beds?

There are different philosophies about children sleeping in the same bed as their parents. Western culture expects children to sleep alone from a very early age.

In non-Western cultures, families tend to sleep together for a much longer period of time. Parents generally have to decide what works for them and their lifestyle. This issue can sometimes be a source of conflict between parents.

The older a baby is when he is sleeping with his parents, the more difficulty they are likely to experience when making the transition from their bed to the child’s own bed.

Kids generally love to sleep with their parents. Once used to this they can be quite resistant to changing. It’s important for parents to be aware of the impact that this has on their own time for both sexual and emotional intimacy.

Night Wakings

Infants sleeping alone often wake at night and fall back asleep without the parents being aware of the arousal. Some infants, as most parents know, cry upon awakening and this can become a regular and frequent habit.

The concerned parent may rush in to see that the child is okay and to provide comfort. If a healthy baby continuously awakens this can be a source of distress for the parents. One popular intervention is “Ferberizing.”

This is a method popularized by Dr. Richard Ferber. Basically it involves letting the child continue to cry for increasingly longer periods of time without intervening.

The goal is to foster the child’s ability to “self-sooth” or put themselves back to sleep. This is effective after a few days for many children.

However, some parents don’t feel comfortable with what they perceive as a “cold turkey” approach. Parents need to do what they feel comfortable with and often do well with modified approaches.

I advise parents to try and not respond instantaneously to the child’s awakening and crying. An instant response is likely to be gratifying to the child and increase the likelihood that this behavior will recur.

Frequently a baby will cry for 20-30 minutes and then fall back asleep. A timer is often useful to keep track of how long your child has been crying (20 minutes at 2 am can seem like 2 hours).

Children often respond rather quickly to methods like “Ferberizing.” However, transitions, changes in environment, travel, and illnesses can causes these difficulties to recur.

Night Terrors versus Nightmares

Night terrors start to occur in the 3-5 age range, as well. Night terrors are distinct from nightmares. With night terrors, children will begin to scream and cry in the middle of the night but still be asleep.

These episodes are self-limited and it is best to hold the child, not attempt to awaken them, but comfort them until they have settled down again. Night terrors tend to run in families and usually resolve spontaneously.

At times the problem will be frequent and severe enough that medication is used.

Nightmares are frightening dreams that occur during REM sleep and awaken a child. They usually occur in the later part of the night. Most children have at least one nightmare during childhood; three percent of preschool and school aged children experience frequent nightmares, according to NSF’s 2004 Sleep in America poll.

They can be upsetting and a child will need reassurance when they occur. Nightmares can result from a scary event, stress, a difficult time or change in a child’s routine. Use of a nightlight or security object is often helpful.

Sleep terrors occur early in the night. A child may scream out and be distressed, although s/he is not awake or aware during a sleep terror.

Sleep terrors may be caused by not getting enough sleep, an irregular sleep schedule, stress, or sleeping in a new environment. Increasing sleep time will help reduce the likelihood of a sleep terror.

Insomnia is a sleep problem that occurs when a child complains of difficulty falling asleep, remaining asleep, and/or early morning awakenings. Insomnia can be short-term due to stress, pain, or a medical or psychiatric condition.

It can become long-term if the underlying cause is not addressed or healthy sleep practices are not employed.

Treating underlying conditions, developing good sleep practices and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can improve the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a movement disorder that includes uncomfortable and unpleasant feelings (e.g. crawly tingly or itchy) in the legs causing an overwhelming urge to move.

These feelings make it difficult to fall asleep. RLS can be treated with changes in bedtime routines, increased iron, and possibly medications.

Snoring occurs when there is a partial blockage in the airway that causes a noise due to the vibration of the back of the throat.

About l0-12 percent of normal children habitually snore. Snoring can be caused by nasal congestion or enlarged adenoids or tonsils that block the airway. Some children who snore may have sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea – when snoring is loud and the child is having difficulty breathing, it may be a sign of a more serious disorder, obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep caused by blocked airway passages, resulting in repeated arousals from sleep.

Sleep apnea has been associated with daytime sleepiness, academic problems, and hyperactivity. Treatment for sleep apnea is available.

Sleeptalking occurs when the child talks, laughs or cries out in his/her sleep. As with sleep terrors, the child is unaware and has no memory of the incident the next day. There is usually no need to treat sleeptalking.

Sleepwalking is experienced by as many as 40 percent of children, usually between ages three and seven.

Sleepwalking usually occur an hour or two after sleep onset and may last five to 20 minutes. As sleep deprivation often contributes to sleepwalking, moving bedtime earlier can be helpful.

Sleepwalking, like night terrors, tends to run in families. This problem emerges more frequently sometime after age 6.

A child can get up and walk around while still in a sleep state.

At times, the child can open doors and go outside. When the problem is this severe and can possibly endanger the child, medication is used.

Generally the child should be led back to bed without attempting to awaken him.

Sleepwalking tends to spontaneously resolve.

Click on the link to learn more about specific sleep disorders in-depth, and their natural home remedies as well as treatments that may be required.

Pointers for parents:

Continued Here: just go to my page on The Health Success Site and select the A to Z Health Problems Guide link to read the rest of this article.

You will be amazed what a few minutes on this site will do to improve your health and the wellbeing of your whole family.

Tips for your Prosperity:

Consolidate Your Credit Card Debt

Consolidating your credit card debt is actually one of the smartest decision you could ever make. Credit card consolidation is ideal for anyone who is looking to have better credit now, and in the future. Consolidation is very common these days, and it is actually a sure way to combine your debt and make sure that you never get yourself too far in credit card debt.

Even though there are many reasons why to consolidate your debt, one of the better reasons is to get a better rate. If there is a way to get lower rates on a current consolidation, then you’ll have no reason to consolidate your debt. Anytime you are able to consolidate your debt and save yourself a bit of money – you should never hesitate to do so.

Consolidating your credit card debt will also save you a lot of money as well. If you have managed to get yourself in debt, chances are that you owe a lot of money on your credit card, or possibly several different credit cards. Consolidation will put everything into one bill, making it easier for you to pay. Paying just one bill can help you save a lot of time, as well as prevent stress.

Although consolidation will put your credit card payments into one bill, you should never do it for that reason alone. The last thing you want, is to pay more money to avoid getting more than one bill a month. Credit card debt consolidation is a wise investment though, as it may give you lower monthly payments over an extended period of time. It will also close out other accounts as well, which could help you to improve your credit.

If you are looking to consolidate your credit card debt, you shouldn’t hesitate to let the professionals help you. There are a lot of companies and banks that specialize in consolidation, and would be more than willing to help you.

Before you make your decision though, you should always research your options available and find the best one for your needs. You should also make sure that there are no hidden fees or other problems as well. If you take the time to research, you’ll save a lot of money in the future.

A lot of people who turn to credit card debt consolidation, let their credit cards get the best of them. A credit card can be great to have, although it can be easy to abuse as well. If you aren’t careful in your spending, you can rack up debt before you know it. Once you get yourself in credit card debt, it can be really hard and very stressful to get out of it. Normally, it will take you months and possibly even years to get out of debt.

If you’ve made the decision to turn to credit card debt consolidation, the first thing to do is to look at your debt, and see exactly how much you owe. If you know what you owe and who all you owe it to, it will be much easier to contact the professionals and get them to help you.

When you contact them to help you, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask them any questions, as you should always be looking for the best deal possible. Although credit card debt consolidation is a great thing, you should always do yourself a favor and wait until you find the best deal possible.

Pass It On

If you are reading for business (and you should be), you’ll come across a lot of articles that might concern the key people you are working with. Stimulate their thinking – and let them know you are keeping tabs on them – by clipping relevant articles and forwarding them with a stick-on note asking a simple, provocative question. Example: “How does this apply to your next project?” - Charlie Byrne

You can avoid these five pitfalls on the job

If you’re not watching how you work, how you act, how you speak and how you dress, you could be sending a signal that says, “When it’s time to cut someone, choose me.”

Ronna Lichtenberg, author of It’s Not Business, It’s Personal: The 9 Relationship Principles That Power your Career (Hyperion), says you can make yourself indispensable by avoiding these mistakes:

* Not pitching in when others ask for help is a mistake. The busier-than-thou attitude doesn’t make allies.

* Taking everything personally is a mistake. Some decisions must be made without regard to whether your work is appreciated. Your idea may have been passed over, but don’t think it’s because the boss doesn’t like you.

* Confusing business with pleasure is a mistake. At office functions, mingle with people at your level or above, people who are in a position to promote you. Know the difference between business and socializing.

* Seeking perfection is a mistake. Know the difference between having to be perfect and striving for excellence. Be willing to take on new duties. If you make a mistake, admit it and find a solution.

* Neglecting your appearance is a mistake. Many bosses think your appearance is a reflection of your work.

Do You Know the Path to Success?

Career Planning 101 Has the Information You Need to Get Your Career Headed in the Right Direction
Use this mini toolkit to help you navigate the different phases of the career planning process.
Make the most of your career planning and ensure your success!
This checklist is designed for:
• Anyone interested in identifying their hidden talents and abilities and matching them to the perfect job.
• Anyone that wants to avoid costly errors during the job planning process.
• Anyone interested in expanding his or her horizons to reach their highest potential!
• Students that want to plan their career the moment they start school.
• Students interested in finding a major that will match their ideal career.