Friday, November 16, 2007

Best Motivational Speaker: How to Be One and Choose One

To be the best motivational speaker, you need to learn from the best. Giving motivational speeches, trainings and seminars requires study and training. But before you can even begin practicing to become the best motivational speaker, you need to make some basic decisions first about your chosen career. For example, who is your target audience? What general field of interest will you speak about? There are hundreds of subjects that you can focus on as a motivational speaker from business management to sales to health and self-improvement issues.

Make sure to pick a subject that either you are truly an expert on or something that you are passionate about and willing to master because, obviously, you cannot be the best motivational speaker on your chosen topic and gain the confidence of your audience if you lack the knowledge about it. Studying resources is just a part of building mastery of your subject. You need to hear and see the current motivational speakers in action. Do not just take note of what they are saying like every other attendee but observe how they express their views, their choice of words and manner of delivery. Personally observation is the best way for you to learn how to become the best motivational speaker.

On the other hand, if you or your company is looking for the best motivational speaker for a business conference, industry meeting, company retreat or any other event, make sure to be careful with your choice because your selection is as equally important as the location or the timing of your event. Perhaps even more important because the words the speaker will impart to the audience –employees, industry peers, or clients – have the power to motivate action. Hence, hiring the best motivational speaker will help you maximize the value of attendance and the return of your investment by inspiring positive changes within the company.

The best motivational speaker is one who can tailor an entire presentation to the specific needs of a business or company. There are many speakers who recycle old speeches or presentations, changing just a couple of things here and there. The best motivational speaker understands that every business and organization is unique and develops presentations that are aligned to individual business goals. While most, if not all, motivational speakers are effective in rousing the emotions of audience, only the best motivational speaker knows how to equip people with concrete and actionable ideas that lead to the desired results. Through powerful stories, illustrations, humor, and insights, the best motivational speaker challenges the audience’s will and drives positive action.

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Stress Management for Parents

Parenting is never an easy job. There is no denying that most parents have gone all sorts of difficulties in raising a family and rearing their children. Parenting therefore is one of the most stressful jobs anyone can ever find. Parents are not immune to the effects of stress that they get everyday. Stress management for parents is what they probably need in order to unload the burden that parenting brings.

Stress management for parents take cue on the importance of taking care of one’s body and mind as well as looking after the welfare of their children. More than anything else, stress management for parents can totally break the roadblocks that might impede on parents’ performance of their duties not only for their children but for themselves as well.

Here are some of the techniques in stress management for parents. These will surely help parents in addressing their own stress and how to cope with each type.

Social Support- parents should not undermine the value of social support because as the old cliché goes, no man or woman is an island, still holds true today. Parenting should bind them to a closed world. Instead it should provide parents better opportunities for growth and continuous learning. Just as they let their children mingle with others, they should also give themselves the chance to do the same.

Develop a hobby- just because a person is now a parent does not mean that the world stop revolving on exploring one’s creative side. Doing a hobby is a safe way of enjoying life and at the same time unburdening one’s load from parenting blues. A hobby need not be expensive and exclusive. Parents can choose hobbies that can give them time to spend quality time with their kids. Through hobbies, parents do not only have great time for themselves but great time with their family as well.

Take care of the finances- there is no doubt that issue that concerns money is one of the sources of stress in the family and for parents to endure. It is no question that rearing a child is the most expensive endeavor let alone the most challenging and stressful. Managing the family’s budget and expense should be dealt with accordingly, lest it would affect the family’s quality life. Likewise parents are spared from the effects of money-related stress.

Body care-­parents should give considerable attention to their body as they their children’s. A healthy and balanced diet together with exercise is still the most affordable coping strategy to stress. Parents should avoid or minimize any chance of getting stressed-out or even getting sick.

Parenting is definitely one of the most challenging professions amidst stress and pressures. Having the right attitude in coping with stress, parenting is without a doubt the most rewarding.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Stress Management and Burnout

Stress Management and Burnout - Stress management and burnout in an exclusive way, do go “hand in hand”. Think about all the stressful things that one can go through every day -work deadlines, new schedules, family relationships, sleepless nights, an annoying cold, and all the rest of the things that affects one’s daily interaction with life. Sooner or later, these stresses if not effectively managed can result to burnout. Thus, proper stress management equals prevention of stress, and elimination of burnout.

Fact is, the world can never be free of stress and everybody gets “stressed out” in various ways, but “stress” does not have to take over one’s life –the key is handling it before it handles you. So what is stress? And what is burnout? Stress is how the body reacts to the “demands” given to it. It can be positive stress such as in the forms of adrenaline rush that increases ones energy positively, or it can be negative stress that drains one’s physical and emotional energy.

Burnout on the other hand, is the result when one is not able to cope with the continuous stresses in their lives. The outcomes are feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, exhaustion, frequent illness, and low spirits or low self-esteem. The signs that one is heading out for burnout and should take steps for stress management includes: headaches, irritability, sleeping, upset stomach, increased heart rate, frequent fatigue, clenched jaw, incapacity to concentrate, and feeling depressed or hunched shoulders.

Effective stress management and burnout prevention are very essential for one’s physical and mental well being. Here are some helpful stress management and burnout prevention tips:

Do away with “swimming upstream”
A lot of people turn to alcohol, food, or drugs when they feel stressed out. Sugar can give a person that “quick” energy burst but will take it as quickly as well, leaving one with lesser energy that they first began. Vitamins can affect one’s mood, while intoxicating substances will in fact worsen stress. Caffeine speeds up the system and alcohol slows it down, either way, it places added stress to one’s body. Bottom line is, avoid swimming upstream –it’s exerting too much effort with very little progress.

Stop-Breathe-Reflect-Choose
Managing stress in one’s life is finding what works best for them. Learn to stop the incessant pour of negative thoughts; breathe and release the tension in your body; reflect if whether or not “all the worrying and stressing” will help solve it –give yourself rational questions and rational answers; then choose how to react in a positive way and realize the “power to choose” positively when negative situations confront you.
Successful stress management and burnout deterrence allows the opportunity for emotional and physical energy to take place that helps a person to efficiently deal with the challenges and changes of life.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

"Nicogel Direct" from nicogeldirect.com

"Nicogel Direct" from nicogeldirect.com

A Review...

Consumer: $19.95 for one pump bottle and one free box of 10 packets. Larger quantities are available.

The purpose of Nicogel Direct is to provide a cigarette substitute for smokers when they cannot smoke in public places.

Pros: Nicogel is delivered via a hand cream. You receive a pump and a box of 10 single-use packets. When you are craving a cigarette but in a situation where no smoking is allowed, you can curb your cravings with a single pump of hand cream or by wiping your hands with a packet.

Nicogel is not advertised as a stop-smoking aid but it does have that effect. A single use stops cigarette cravings for several hours, and yet there is only 1/10th of the nicotine of a cigarette in each usage.

Nicogel Direct can supply a product that will keep smokers much more comfortable in non-smoking situations, and it really can help smokers stop smoking if they choose to stop.

Nicogel is already available over the counter in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Republic of South Africa, France, China, Japan, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, Columbia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Panama, Nicaragua, Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Caribbean, USA, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Austria, Italy, and Spain.

Cons: I can find no cons associated with the Nicogel Direct product. Nicogel has just become available over the counter in the United States. But people from all over the U.S. have purchased the product directly from Nicogel Direct.

Guarantee: The guarantee on the website reads, “In the event you wish to return a product you purchased from NicogelDirect.com, we have a 30-day guarantee for all of our products. Products eligible for return and refund must meet the following requirements due to sanitary & hygiene restrictions:
The manufacturer's tamper-proof seal must be fully intact
The product being returned must be unopened & unused
Returned in the original packaging
Returns must be authorized in advance by obtaining an RMA number
Shipping & Handling fees, if applicable, are non-refundable.”

Value for money: Nicogel Direct appears to be an excellent value for the money. It will be very appealing to smokers.

"Cigarrest" from Cigarrest.com

"Cigarrest" from Cigarrest.com

Consumer: Smokers who wish to quit

The purpose of Cigarrest is to help smokers quit smoking.

Pros: Smoking cigarettes is an addiction. Smoking is an addiction that keeps smokers chained to their cravings and prevents them from living smoke free lives. The smoking addiction is not one that is very easy to kick. I’ve heard smokers say that it would be easier to give up eating than to give up smoking.

Cigarrest offers a free 30-day supply of their product. Included in the welcome package are 30-day supplies of chewable tablets, Cigarrest gum, and VitaGuard Smokers Vitamins; a Cigarrest program guide and exercise handbook; and a Cigarrest program audio CD.

The Cigarrest program addresses the entire cigarette addiction -- not just to the nicotine in the cigarettes, but to the entire physical process of lighting and smoking a cigarette.

Cons: There aren’t any cons associated with Cigarrest. It has been on the market for a long time and the site claims to have helped millions of people quit smoking.

Guarantee: There is a guarantee that reads in part, “You may return your remaining product for a refund less shipping and handling charges upon request for a refund and return of the product within 30 days of being charged.”

Value for money: Since price could not be determined, value cannot be determined. Although quitting smoking would be of value at any cost.

CJ

Friday, May 18, 2007

Chronic Alcohol Abuse

Chronic alcohol abuse, also known as alcoholism, is a condition wherein a person is physically dependent on the intake of alcohol. However, a person who abuses alcohol is not necessarily an alcoholic. Someone who abuses alcohol will from time to time drink excessively and this may result in that person being harmful towards others or negligent of responsibilities but, technically speaking, that person is not alcoholic unless he or she develops chronic alcohol abuse, where the person feels a strong and constant need to drink.

Chronic alcohol abuse, in other words, is an addiction. A person with this condition builds up tolerance to alcohol so the tendency is for them to drink even more. Just like in any substance addiction, when an alcoholic attempts to cut down his drinking the withdrawal symptoms kick in such as nausea, sweating, anxiety, and delirium.

Treatment of chronic alcohol abuse usually includes:

* Detoxification or the cleansing of the body of alcohol which, of course, requires that the person stops drinking. The process may take four days to a week. A person undergoing detoxification usually takes medication to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
* Prescribed drugs to help avoid a relapse after the person has successfully quit drinking. An example of these drugs is disulfiram”, which creates adverse physical reaction when alcohol is taken such as vomiting, headaches and nausea. Other prescribed drugs are “naltrexone” and “acamprosate”, which both suppress the craving to drink
* Counseling, which can be done individually or as part of a group. These sessions are designed to help recovering alcoholics determine first, which situations may trigger their desire to drink and secondly, how they can fight the urge in those situations. Alcoholics Anonymous or AA is the most well-known example of these programs for chronic alcohol abuse recovery.

How effective these methods are in treating chronic alcohol abuse depends upon the degree of addiction as well psychological and social factors. The person’s commitment to the treatment process is also vital. Studies show that more alcoholics who committed themselves to a 12-step recovery program were able to remain sober six months afterwards compared to those who did not join any support programs.

Research also shows that chronic alcohol abuse treatment is more effective if medication is combined with counseling or therapy than undergoing individual methods of treatments alone.
Unfortunately, chronic alcohol abuse cannot be permanently cured. People recovering from alcoholism must continually strive to avoid a relapse.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

How to be on Top of the Sales Ladder

The art of selling products and services to people has been around for ages. Until now, selling is one of the most lucrative professions ever created. However, the difference between before and now is the competition. Every year, competition has become even tougher and bolder. If you have been a salesperson for years and you see a decline in your performance, maybe it’s time for you to start anew with fresh and innovative tactics and give your old tactics an early retirement.

The business landscape and the market have changed tremendously. They developed new ways of reaching out to their customers. They even open up new markets to maximize the potential of their products and services. With the advancement of technology, selling has become more competitive for the suppliers and more convenient for the companies needing the products.

How do salespersons like you be on the top of this highly competitive age? Here’s how:

1. Customers have the habit of saying “NO”. Do not believe it the first time you hear it. You will be amazed at how fast they convert the “NOs” to a “YES.” If you remain calm and say the things you said better the next chance you get, there is a high possibility that the customer will say “yes”. In case you were not able to close the sale with your customer, do not lose hope. End in a good note and try calling again in a month or two, you might be amazed of her response to you. They may say yes the next time around when they have had time to consider your product. Companies are rarely impulsive. They need time to consider all possible angles before making a decision.

2. Nothing beats the original. Avoid copying other styles of selling just because you think it is cool and it might be worth a try. Fresh tactics attract more customers so be sure to develop your own brand of selling.

3. As a good salesperson, you should be able to express and explain the “what’s in it for me” line for your customer. They want to know how your product will benefit their company. Be sure that you know the benefits of your products and services by heart so you can explain it well to your customer. Concentrate more on your customer’s benefit rather than yours.

4. It is good to maintain your confidence in yourself and in your products. If you are confident in both, it shows in your expressions, words and actions. Your customers get a good impression. If you have a negative outlook, this easily reflects on your actions as well. This can influence the customer and nudge them towards deciding whether to buy from you or not.

5. The dream technique does wonders for sales people as well. Dream what you can become in the future. It will reflect on your outlook, goals and attitudes in life. It is a very good motivator.

6. In selling, never use scare tactics. It is best if you cultivate a great sense of humor because it will make your customers at ease with you. You will easily build rapport with them.

7. It is wiser for a salesperson to maintain a list of his former customers and track what happen to them. From time to time say hi and ask about the product you sold them and check if they are satisfied. This way you maintain a good relationship with your customers because you will never know when you may need them again for another selling. The next time you sell a new product to your customer, it would not be difficult to convince them again.

8. A good salesman is always on the look out for new markets and does not stop at the most comfortable market he knows. New markets are good fishing grounds for new customers.

9. Always have a ready compliment for your customers. Do not focus on their difficulty for you as clients but on things you can admire. Try to understand where they are coming from.

10. Customers always want to hear what’s new. You should always carry good news. Though you may have the same sales pitch over the years, try to reveal something new about your products and services and try to say the sale pitch in a refreshing way. Your customers may be looking at a chance to upgrade and if you do not respond quickly, other salespeople can take them away from you.

These are the top 10 give-away tips to remain on top of the ladder. Never forget them and you will have the chance to earn millions.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Computer Scrapbooking 101 Membership from Princess Crafts.com

Computer Scrapbooking 101 Membership from Princess Crafts.com - Consumer: Scrapbooking Enthusiasts

The purpose of the Computer Scrapbooking 101 Membership is to gain access to quality digital scrapbook pages, layouts and ideas that are easy to use.

Pros: There is no way to say just how valuable the membership in Computer Scrapbooking 101 really is! I had scrapbooking supplies scatter around several rooms and then along came Computer Scrapbooking 101 and just changed my life! Gone are the pages and pages and piles and piles of ‘stuff’ that I never seemed to make heads nor tails of!

All of the free gifts are just great but the cost of the membership all by itself is well worth the small cost! Only $39.00 a year! That doesn’t even buy a meal out for a family of four and the membership lasts a whole year! Yes, I went for the Gold membership. I’m just getting into genealogy and this is going to be a huge help.

Cons: There are no cons associated with the regular Computer Scrapbooking 101 Membership or the ‘Gold’ Membership. Both are excellent products.

Guarantee: There is a guarantee of satisfaction with the Computer Scrapbooking 101 Membership for both the one-site and four-site memberships. The consumer can get a full refund of the price of the membership at any time during an 8 week (56 day) period after joining.

Value for money: There are five free gifts included in the regular Computer Scrapbooking 101 Membership and an additional one included for the four-site membership, making the purchase of either a regular or ‘Gold’ membership an excellent value.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

How to Plan a Highly Successful Scrapbook Crop


The purpose of the How to Plan a Highly Successful Scrapbook Crop recordings is to

Pros: A scrapbook crop can be compared to an old fashioned quilting bee that our grandmothers and great grandmothers attended in days gone by....except that they are more extreme.

Susan Whitehead has recorded in great detail how to organize and execute a plan for a highly successful scrapbook crop. The information is directed toward those who are very serious about conducting profitable scrapbook crops and not toward those who simply want to get together with a few friends and exchange ideas.

The recording, How to Plan a Highly Successful Scrapbook Crop, details information concerning whether or not you should have vendors at your scrapbook crop and what kind of gift should be given to vendors. Other questions that are answered are what the best locations are and how to secure goodies to give away.

Cons: There are no apparent cons for the How to Plan a Highly Successful Scrapbook Crop recordings. This is an excellent product.

Guarantee: There is a guarantee of satisfaction given with the purchase of How to Plan a Highly Successful Scrapbook Crop. The guarantee affords the purchaser to get a full and unconditional refund of the purchase price for a full 8 weeks after the purchase is made.

Value for money: The How to Plan a Highly Successful Scrapbook Crop recording are well worth the price and when the free gifts that are included with a purchase are included, the value becomes excellent.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

The International Journal of Stress Management

The International Journal of Stress Management is a methodical journal for experts treating personal and occupational stress. The journal comprises “peer-reviewed” first-rate original articles including reviews, theoretical, historical, and empirical articles, in addition to editorials and book reviews. Some areas of interest take in “stress and trauma assessment”, “stress and trauma management”, stress management, and treatment issues.

Released as a quarterly journal, it is also the official publication of the International Stress Management Association or ISMA. ISMA is a nonprofit organization committed to “working for a less stressful world”. The organization seeks to press forward the education of students and professionals, as well as make possible methodological sound research within the wide field of “interdisciplinary stress management”, which includes psychology, dentistry, medicine, physical therapy, education, occupational therapy, speech therapy, business and industry, and psychiatry.

The International Journal of Stress Management, issue 4 Volume 13 (November 2006), includes articles reflecting on different issues in stress management internationally and areas of stress, on top of four articles that centers specifically on stress in the “policing” profession. Some of the articles found in this issue include:

Prominent Consequences of Role Stress: A Meta-Analytic ReviewThis journal article focuses on “role stress”. The article examines well-know effects of role stress, specifically centered on researching dissimilarity in relationships between aspects of role stress, and regularly cited effects through the use of the meta-analysis techniques.

Emotional Disonnance, Burnout, and In-role Performance Among Nurses and Police Officers
The articles touch on two studies -101 police officers and 108 nurses tested the suggestion that “emotionally demanding” connections with recipients can result to emotional dissonance that may in turn, lead to impaired performance and job burnout. Additionally, the authors foresee that “emotional dissonance” would be unconstructively related to in-role performance in terms of its association with burnout.

Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in Police OfficersThe article centers on a present study that looks at the connections of “posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms” to “subclinical cardiovascular disease” in police officers. The study showed that higher PTSD symptoms in the police sample were linked to an almost double reduction in “brachial artery FMD” –a biomarker of “subclinical cardiovascular disease.

The International Journal of Stress Management targets professionals in the field of education, psychiatry, psychology, medicine, and others “researching stress and treating stress”. The International Journal of Stress Management is distributed in hospitals, other health-related institutes, and hospitals. The rate for subscription to the journal is at $75 for organizations and $35 for individuals.

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Causes of Stress and Management

So now we understand what stress is. It’s the sympathetic nervous system reaction towards a certain situation which primes us for activity. It’s the same “flight or flee” response that evolved to meet our prehistoric forefather’s demands for survival. And it is the same nervous system response that readies our body to strenuous activities like running a marathon; the same nervous system response that readies our aboriginal forefathers for a hunt and a kill. The only thing is that, in today’s modern and cultured society the need of such automated function is not needed, this “flight or flee” response gets of little use, but yet still it is triggered often.

The “flight or flee” response of our nervous system is one big contributor to everyday causes of stress and management. Because every time this happens, it releases certain chemicals into our body, to support muscular action that is anticipated to take place. One of the chemicals, Epinephrine (or better known as adrenaline) allows certain bodily changes takes place. One of them, it results in the acceleration of heart and lung action to sustain the need of oxygen and calories for burning of energy. Another is that some blood vessels of the body are constricted to allow more blood where it’s needed. Some of them are the pain receptors of the body. This is all needed once, for the heavy activity like fighting or putting down prey; now it’s just wasted energy. Less blood enters the brain too, thus it’s hard to think while you’re running. A dilation of pupil occurs to widen the view of the surroundings, making your eye sensitive to a bigger angle of vision. Other lesser occurring reactions include the inhibition of tear glands, salivation, and food processing, and sometimes the relaxation (or inability) to retain bladder control, and the inhibition of erection or sexual appetite.

Finding the Causes of Stress and Management

Finding the causes of stress and management is the most efficient way to handle stress. By doing so, you will not only counter the ill effects of this but also divest these energies into something useful. Here are some tips finding the causes of stress and management controlling it.

Anger and fear is the psychological preparation of the body to fight or flee. When your angry, blood starts to pump more oxygen into your system, that’s why there’s always the risk for heart failures especially with those having heart conditions. One of the biggest causes of stress is anger, fear, hatred and other emotions similar to it.

Anxiety is also another great contributor to stress. Depression, lack of motivation, sadness, grief, these emotions and other similar to it are causes of psychological stress. They may not excite you in the same way as being angry but they do inhibit several bodily functions.

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Benefits of Murphy’s Law

People can associate uneventful outcomes to the lack of luck, karma, or plain stupidity, but Murphy’s Law says that it is inevitable.

Murphy’s Law is a law stating that if something bad is possible, then it will be actualized. All of us have experienced bad days when we can’t really figure out what’s wrong with ourselves. We tend to end up doing all the wrong things and giving the wrong decisions.

There are days, for example, that a person goes out of his home for a walk without taking an umbrella. After a few days of scorching heat, he wouldn’t mind bringing an umbrella because raining is uneventful. However, the moment he steps out of the house and gets too far to go back, the droplets pour in; slowly at first, then the speed increases as the drops become bigger. This is referred by many as bad luck, but it’s actually a common explanation of Murphy’s Law.

Creation of the Law
Murphy’s Law states that if there are several ways of doing a certain thing and one of these ways would lead to a catastrophe, then one will eventually do it. The said Law originated in 1949 and was quoted from Captain Edward Murphy, a military engineer who was working on a project that attempted to test the capacity of human life amidst the G forces. The team of Captain Murphy was working on a mechanism that would measure the level of stress that would have been experienced by humans as they let a sled down a certain height. As they tested the contraptions, they didn’t work because the wires weren’t properly connected. Murphy made a comment about the technician who was responsible and this became the origin of the Law.

There are different versions of the Murphy’s Law; however, these versions are the same because they all pertain to the possibility of things to go wrong. The law can be easily mistaken to be a quote that is treasured by pessimists. Yes, it may seem that way, but it really is a very important Law that is not supposed to be put in a box together with pessimism. It is a Law that has given birth to one important principle, the principle of defensive design.

The Good in Murphy’s Law
Murphy’s Law provides a basis for anticipating the worst things that can happen given a certain situation. It makes us aware that we must do things right to get the right results. This is not necessarily the motto of a pessimist or a paranoid person; it’s a principle that is taken into consideration by people who would want to get the right things done.

It is actually applied in the design of different things such as electrical appliances, automobiles, personal computers, and others. It is used in the design of all the things that are all around us. The principle of defensive design prevents worst-case scenarios from being actualized. As a result, the level of these worst-case scenarios goes a notch lower. It builds the foundation for continuous improvements in our world.

Murphy’s Law may be a very negative-sounding proposition; however, it is a very important law that should always be remembered when engaging in any task or activity.

Friday, April 06, 2007

Berkshire Stress Management

Finding the best stress management program is a daunting task to do and perhaps another one stressful thing in the making. With the number of stress management workshops available for us to choose, nailing the right one that perfectly fits for our own needs is also one challenging act to do.

Among the many stress management programs available, Berkshire stress management is one of the most popular in the industry. It offers various programs for different groups of people. All the Berkshire stress management workshops are facilitated by one of the most renowned psychologists, Gill Smith. The 20-year extensive experience of Smith both in stress management and hypnotherapy makes her more qualified to handle problems in stress and how to cope with them.

Berkshire stress management is offering stress management training to corporate entities. One of which is the One-hour Stress Management Awareness for Managers. In this workshop it only caters to a maximum of 20 persons per session. Managers will be trained on how to better understand the sources of stress and its varied types. Techniques on how to deal with its effects as well as the techniques of controlling them are also part of the training module. With the demands that managers are constantly confronted with in the workplace, this stress management training is an added learning experience in properly and scientifically dealing with stress.

Another Berkshire stress management training module is the Two-hour Stress Management Workshop. Each session will only have 15 participants making each training session intimate and personalized. Theories and best practices on how to manage stress are taking much of the chunk of the training. Participants will be made to understand and analyze their own sources of stress as well as their own reaction to certain stressful situations.

Berkshire stress management is also offering longer stress management training sessions. It has stress management training for one day specially catered for organizations. For every session there are only a maximum of 15 participants. This whole day activity will not only focus on sources and coping mechanisms of stress but also other concerns such as the legal and financial concerns. Risk assessment planning is also given importance.

Berkshire stress management is also offering stress management training for individuals. Each session can be done either one-whole day or two half-days. It also serves to walk-in clients in a one-to-one basis. Another interesting aspect of Berkshire stress management is the hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy is one of the safest techniques being performed in their own clinic.
Stress management is truly one of the most selling staple products for people who are always on the go and living in the competitive world.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

The Queen of Clean: Linda Cobb

The Queen of Clean, Linda Cobb, is a household name these days and one that is synonymous with anything and everything to do with cleaning. Although she once used to rule the cleaning world with her own cleaning company, she has since hung up that title to take on the title of Queen of Clean.

These days she runs the world of cleaning with TV appearances on talk shows, (where she has a running challenge for anyone in the audiences to give her a cleaning question she can’t answer), a number of best seller books, and some of her own personal cleaning items.

This Queen of Clean also has time to run her own website, www.queenofclean.com. Within these hallowed pages you will find all the information that you need and more on the various products that the Queen of Clean sells, that she endorses, and also on the cleaning items which she considers to be the best of the lot.

And if you want to see the Queen of Clean in action, you can catch on her on talk shows such as Oprah, Live with Regis & Kelly, the Dr. Phil show, and the Today show among many others.

If that’s not enough for you, you can always catch the Queen of Clean on her own series which airs on the DIY Network, “Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean”. Or if you prefer you can even catch the Queen of Clean on radio in Phoenix, Arizona (where she lives) on the show, “Good Morning Arizona”.

Of course the Queen of Clean is not the Queen for nothing and from her first best selling book, “Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean”, to her latest book, “The Queen of Clean Conquers Clutter” you can be assured that you will find just about everything that you ever needed to know about household, and even industrial, cleaning tips and tricks.

And the best thing about this reigning Queen of Clean? She doesn’t rely on other people’s endorsements of a product, or even the manufacturer’s guarantees. She tries each and every product out personally before she endorses it, or rather, gives it the Queen of Clean Seal of Approval.

And what’s even better is that you won’t find a signal product on her Seal of Approval list which is repeated in the form of another product. Or in other words, every product that is listed with the Queen of Clean Seal of Approval is unique, and no two products that do the same thing will be listed.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Developing Your Persuasion Skills

There are people who never cease to amaze us. They have charisma that makes you believe just about whatever they say. These people have learned the art of persuasion. This skill is something that you definitely want to have yourself.

Persuasive skills are important for an individual who wants to aim for self-improvement. This is a skill that can definitely improve the way you relate to other people. This can even come more handy to people engaged in the field of sales or public relations.

Most people think attending personality development classes to make the change they want. That may work for some, but the important thing is you decide right here and now you will make the definite change.

The best thing to do is to develop your persuasion skills now!

Effective Ways to Develop Your Persuasion Skills

Consider these techniques in becoming more persuasive and you will surely go at great lengths.

Most of these utilize neuro-linguistic programming or NLP methods. This are words and methods that appeal to your audience’s visual, aural and kinesthetic senses.

1. Motivation Words
Use words that motivate people as you talk to them. Words such as “do this” or “you can” are helpful in convincing your listener’s mind. This has a subliminal effect in their minds. You can also maximize the words “today” and “now” in your sentences because these words suggest urgency to your listener; encouraging action.

2. Use Their Words
As you talk with your listener, you become familiar with the words they use. Once you learn your listener’s style, make sure you imitate it as you talk back. They may not notice it but it will make them identify themselves with you.

For example, a group of people may use the word “appropriate” instead of simply “proper.” Speak their language by using the word “appropriate” in your next sentences and you will see that persuasion comes easier.

3. Address the Person by the Name
Call a person by his or her name and you definitely have persuasion at work. Many salespeople are aware of this technique. However, it is best to use this with caution. It is not a matter of inserting the name at every chance possible. You have to know when to use it to get your desired outcome. Some people use this technique to drive a point. Some use their audience’s name in times that they want to get their attention. You have to know the right time to say it. It is best to wait for a time when you already develop rapport with the other party .

You may also ask new acquaintances how they would like to be called, especially if you are unsure. This immediately puts them at ease. Avoid also giving labels or nicknames to people you barely know.

4. Be Flexible
If you want to be effective in persuading people, you also need to change your language to adapt it your audience. You may have to accelerate or slow down the way you talk just the way the other person does. You can also study their facial expressions copy them while speaking with the other person. This makes them believe you are agreeing to their ideas or you are on the same side

This is what they call the mirroring technique. This aids in establishing a good rapport with people you just met. It helps in making the people relate with you and believe that a there is a connection between the two of you.

5. Believe in What You Say
Of course, the best way to persuade other people is knowing and believing what you say or stand for. The best way to improve your persuasive skills is knowing that you have something good in you that you can share to others.

Conclusion

Some people are gifted with persuasive skills, but this does not mean you will have a difficult time for yourself. Study and practice the techniques above and you will see how well you have improved and make others follow you.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Seven Helpful Steps for Self-Motivation

You can list down as many dreams as you can! You may be dreaming of fulfilling your greatest desire, getting the best education that can be obtained by money, or buying the car of your dreams.

However, all will be futile if you cannot push yourself to strive hard to succeed in your goals. Motivation is an integral element in becoming successful in any undertaking.

Here are helpful tips in improving self-motivation:

1.Be health conscious.
Self-motivation will be at its all time high if you see to it that you get sufficient sleep, take the required vitamins, and have regular exercise. It is easier to perform your tasks if you are feeling vibrant and healthy.

2.Make your plan of action.
Spend some time writing down things that you like to do. Set your course of action. Identify which is most important.

3.Practice the 15-minute time rule.
Give yourself a fifteen-minute time limit with a timer. You can have the option to stop when the timer sets off. Slowly, you will realize that you are beginning to develop an interest in the task when the time is consumed.

4.Discover your “peak hours.”
Ask yourself: Am I a morning or afternoon person? Find out the time of the day where is you are most energetic. Do you have more energy during the morning? Then it would be advisable for you to take jobs that require more energy during the morning. Late afternoon hours should be reserved for jobs that require less thinking. If you have more energy during the evening, you can seek profitable work that will match your enthusiasm.

5.Stop being a perfectionist.
Aim for work accomplishment and not perfection. Striving for perfection may lead to procrastination. There is a tendency for you not to do the job because you have the feeling that you will not do a perfect job. Accept the fact that no person is perfect and this will motivate you.

6.Break down the task into smaller components.
You can be motivated if you do your task one step at a time.

7.At all times, see to it that you always pump yourself up. Give yourself enough time to motivate yourself. Cheer yourself up and be confident that you can accomplish your goal. It is always important to think positively about yourself.

So if you simply don’t have too much resolve to pump yourself and get motivated, follow these seven simple steps and get yourself going!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Learn How to Succeed by Thinking like a Genius

Learn How to Succeed by Thinking like a Genius - You don’t have to be a certified genius to think like one.

When you learn how to think like a genius, you’ll soon reap the kind of rewards that used to be exclusive for people ten times more creative and smarter than you.

Start Thinking Out of the Box
Don’t allow yourself to be limited and restricted by traditions and conventions!

You should always tell yourself that you can do something that’s not expected. Although people who think out of the box are usually those with definite artistic talents, working in a regular office doesn’t mean you can’t let your creative juices flow. Just persist in proving your critics wrong and you’ll stay on the right track.

Have a Strong Dose of Confidence in Yourself
Geniuses aren’t all arrogant or conceited, but they do have a healthy dose of self-confidence. They know what they want, they know what they can do, and they know what they should do. They don’t let anything stop them from reaching their goals if they know they deserve it.

Have a Realistic Goal
At the same time, geniuses are smart enough not to reach for the moon – figuratively speaking, that is.

All their goals are SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Their goals may not be smart for others, but they definitely believe that it’s smart for them, and in most cases, that’s all that counts.

Maximize the Power of Visualization
Many people wonder how geniuses were able to create or invent such wonderful products or services. The answer to this is simple: they have powerful visualization skills. They can picture in their minds what they wish to happen in the future. As time passes by, the picture becomes clearer and sharper until it becomes reality.

If you want to succeed in life, you need to think like a genius and that includes being able to see in your mind where you want to be in the future.

Use Self-Affirmation
Reminding yourself about your goals, talents, skills, and abilities will strengthen your resolve in achieving your goals. Geniuses are smart enough to recognize the importance of motivation and inspiration and the role it plays in one’s life. If you wish to be as successful as most geniuses are, you need to remind yourself constantly that you deserve and are capable of obtaining such success.

Don’t Be Afraid to Take Risks
Geniuses are rarely afraid to take risks because they know that taking risks is usually the only way for people to make new discoveries and take advantage of new opportunities. Of course, being willing to take risks doesn’t mean you should take all sorts of risks without thinking the matter completely.

Use both facts and intuition to analyze if the risk you’re about to take is sensible.

Don’t Stop Asking
Lastly, it’s important that you don’t stop asking questions. Geniuses are the way they are because they’re eager to learn things all the time. If you want to find out the same things they know, you need to question incessantly about everything.

Learning how to think like a genius and making a conscious effort to do so at all times will not only give you the rewards you desire but also cause you to become one yourself in time. Nothing in this world is impossible and that’s something only geniuses understand and believe in!

Thursday, February 08, 2007

How to Boost Your Creativity: Even If you’re Not In the Creative Field!

How to Boost Your Creativity: Even If you’re Not In the Creative Field...

this is going to be an interesting article:

Kate is currently managing the family business. Everything's going well except that she feels that something is lacking. She feels that the creative side of her is slowly dying. Before she got married, she worked at an advertising agency. She described this experience as one of the happiest in her life.

After marriage, however, she decided to help her husband in managing the business. Although she doesn't regret her choice, she wants to develop her creativity and do something apart from handling the business. Sounds familiar right? Almost all of us, at some point in our lives, experienced this dilemma. Some of us are experiencing this right now.

We certainly need creative outlets. The opportunities for creative expression are numerous; we only have to keep our minds and options open. Perhaps there is an opportunity right in your family business to express your creativity. Perhaps we need to promote or market our products and services.

If this is the case, we can awaken our creative side by coming up with brochures and pamphlets or even an information packet for businesses. If we look hard enough, we will find that everything, even the most unrelated things, can inspire us to be creative.

If we have extra time, we can volunteer our services to family and friends for a small fee. This will allow us to flex our creative muscles with a lot less pressure than doing it full-time. Better yet, we can just do it for free!

Look for creative opportunities at home, too. Perhaps the house needs to be redecorated or there is a need for creative solution to storage problems. It is fun to do home-improvement projects, especially on a tight budget. Now, that really gets our creative juices flowing!

Perhaps the family photos need organizing. Maybe the garden needs to be designed. An upcoming special family event could use our creative touch. Why not design a backdrop for that big family reunion or put together a snazzy PowerPoint presentation for a wedding anniversary? How about decorating the venue for birthday party?

Explore other creative activities, as well, including some we have never tried before. For example, we can try doing a scrapbook, try our hand in baking, sewing, doing children's arts and crafts, etc. If you are into visual arts and writing, then the possibilities for creative milking are endless.

Try these other ideas to get our creative juices pumping:

- Enroll in creative writing courses: check local community colleges or the classifieds for workshops in your area

- Practice writing a Journal: just get a notebook and a pen and let our thoughts flow

- Write poems: instead of writing free prose on your journal, try experimenting with rhymes and metaphors

- Draw, paint, or do graphic arts: create something for kids, members of the family, or just for ourselves to look at and say "I did that!"

- Try photography: a picture paints a thousand words; as they say, life is poetry in action. Capture it.

- Try jewelry making, pottery, theater arts, singing, and just about everything else that will keep us entertained!

Creativity is a state of mind. One does not have to be in a creative field to be creative. We can be creative as soon as we open our eyes in the morning. Let us put our stamp of individuality in every aspect of our lives. Above all, make our lives be our masterpiece. Enjoy it!

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

8 Tips In Improving Your Personality

Every person desires to improve his or her own personality.

So: today this post is about: how to improve personality.

It is quite evident in the methods and processes that is being employed in order to accomplish this particular goal. This is perhaps the reason why people buy new clothes or cut their hair. They improve their image and other things related to changing their appearances.

Personality goes beyond external appearance. It includes dispositions, traits, qualities, speech, and other things innate in the person.

Here are some tips in improving personality:

1. Be interested on people. Try to discover what other people want. Know their likes, dislikes, interests, and beliefs. By doing this, you will be regarded as a person with an attractive and pleasing personality.

2. Assume that people like you. If you show the other person that you want people to talk to you, they will react to you with warmth.

3. Admit your weaknesses. Do not regard yourself as a perfect person. Just as persons have strengths, they also have their weaknesses. To improve your personality, you should admit that you also have defects.

4. Admire your friends. Praise them for their achievements. Tell them how attractive they look. Make them feel how important they are to you. By this, they will also give importance.

5. Associate with people who are successful and happy. Seek the companionship of others who can give you new points of views, renewed hopes, and meaningful life. Ask for their advice and guidance. They can give you valuable insights about their experiences in life. You can learn from their insights and apply their insights to improving your personality.

6. Attend social gatherings. Social gatherings can increase your circle of friends. Social events can likewise give you new insights and experiences. It can help improve your relationships with other people and your community. Social gatherings can help you develop your communication skills.

7. Change your environment. Go on vacation or rest in a new place. Renovate your house and fix your furniture. Introduce changes in your environment.

8. Learn new things. Learn how to cook or play the piano. Enroll in voice lessons. Indulge in gardening. By doing this, you are expanding your horizons.

Aside from this, you can also develop your skills in other areas such as public speaking and understanding other people’s attitudes and beliefs.

Improving your personality takes a lot of work and dedication. While it may take a lot of work, it can be worthwhile and fun because you are focusing your attention on improving relationships with others and yourself.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Aromatherapy as an Energizing and Relaxing Treatment

Aromatherapy has been alive for centuries. It is known as a therapeutic natural practice that is commonly performed to energize, relax, and advance the beauty, health, as well as a sense of ease. It is highly considered as an energizing and relaxing treatment as it generally works to unite or balance the body, the mind, and the spirit of those who are taking it, leaving the person calm and active.

The aromatherapy as an energizing and relaxing treatment is in the first place a healing practice that involves the use of pure essential oils with a number of ways that include bathing, inhalation, and massage. Its nature is actually derived two words: Aroma, which means scent and Therapy, means treatment. Aromatherapy as an energizing and relaxing treatment is said to have evolved over the centuries and is practiced across every continent.

Furthermore, the aromatherapy as an energizing and relaxing treatment primarily works in harmony with your body, as mentioned above. This is for the fact that after an aromatherapy session, your body then becomes stronger as it was fed by with complex nutrients of purity from essential oils. It is worth noting that the essential oils are not something synthesized in a laboratory and deprived of all its components, making it potent for soothing the person’s feeling.

In the true spirit of aromatherapy as an energizing and relaxing treatment, certain ideas regarding the absorption of essential oils are highly maintained. It is commonly held that the essential oils generally have a relatively simple, small as well as lipid-soluble molecular structure that allows them to pass easily through the skin.

Once the diluted essential oils are applied directly to the skin, it is then completely absorbed and penetrates deeply into the tissues, interstitial fluid and bloodstream. It is through this process that aromatherapy as an energizing and relaxing treatment is highly deemed as a powerful health option.

This claim is even supported by the notion that the aromatherapy as an energizing and relaxing treatment works with essential oils that are natural rejuvenating agents that facilitate the elimination of waste matter, including dead cells. And, the aromatherapy as an energizing and relaxing treatment works with the essential oils that promote the regeneration of new and healthy cells.

Given those facts, the aromatherapy as an energizing and relaxing treatment is now commonly practiced in the form of massage as the essential oils are greatly carried by the specific organs and systems of the body where they enhance the natural functions of the body organs.