Are Flashcards an Effective Way to Learn?

Do Better On Tests With Flashcards

Flash cards may seem old-fashioned, but they still work to prepare you for tests and pop quizzes. This is especially true if you have a limited amount of time to study for your exams. At first, flashcards may not seem like the best way to memorize learning materials. However, once you learn how to make them and use them, you will be on the right track to memorizing everything you need to know.

On that note, here are six tips to help you use flash cards to pass your exams:

Tip #1: Make the flashcards yourself.

If you take the time to write down the facts that you need to remember, they will be easier to memorize because you will understand them firsthand. So instead of buying premade flashcards, try making them yourself and you will do much better with memorization.

Tip #2: Buy recipe cards and a magic marker to get started.

The next time you are at a grocery store, buy some recipe cards and a marker to create your flashcards for an upcoming test. It will probably take you an evening to make them, but once the flashcards are finished, your friends and family will support you because they see that you are serious about passing your exams. They may even start to help you memorize what you need to know for your midterms or finals.

Tip #3: Don’t be embarrassed to admit that you need help to memorize test answers.

Memorizing is actually a physical chore that everyone dreads. This is because when you memorize lists of random information, it isn’t real because you haven’t used it yet. So the best way to make hypothetical information a reality is to go over it out loud with someone else. The best way to do that is by using flashcards. If you are going to college, people admire that and they want you to succeed. If they see you using flashcards to learn anatomy, the first thing they will want to do is help you. This is how flashcards work.

Tip #4: Get in the habit of keeping your recipe cards with you.

They may get worn out, but by keeping your recipe cards with you, everyone will start to help you memorize. You will be surprised at the fact that when you are on public transportation, at work, at school, and at family gatherings - everyone will be curious as to how you are doing with your memorization skills. You will eventually have so much confidence and experience with memorizing that you will ace your exams and graduate with no problem.

Tip #5: Don’t give up on flashcards for memorizing information.

If you are new to learning, you may feel frustrated that you aren’t doing as well in your classes as you thought you would. This is why memorization techniques like flashcards have been around for decades. Feel free to use them in order to succeed in school - like most other students have.

Tip #6: Don’t feel bad because you didn’t know about flashcards.

You aren’t the first person who couldn’t memorize everything on a test because they had never heard of the information before - and you won’t be the last. Just accept the fact that you need some help in order to complete your education and you will accomplish your educational and professional goals much more easily.

See also: WriteYourselfRich.net

Why Audio Learning is the Best Memorization Method

Audio Learning May Be The Answer To Your Study Problems

If you always have your ear buds in, then there is a learning method you should know about when traditional study methods aren’t working. 

Here’s the secret: audio learning is the best memorization method if you are going to class and studying subjects like biology or history.

This is because reading information about anatomy or historical dates and then trying to memorize it is not the best way to learn for everyone.

When they go to college, many people have an image in their head that they should sit down, read some information and then commit it to memory by looking at a book. They think that is how ‘smart’ people learn everything.

What they may not realize is that everyone learns differently.

This is an exciting concept because it means that you can learn subjects like anatomy faster if you use audio learning as opposed to studying a book. Of course, you should always read your text books, but when it comes to test time, you can prepare for something like a history exam by using audio learning instead of other methods.

The first step to passing your exams is to determine your learning style.

Some students are visual learners, but many are auditory learners. In fact, as technology progresses, many more students are tuning into auditory learning as opposed to visual learning.

For example, you can record a lecture from your professor, download an auditory file from online, or record information using your own voice. You can then listen to the information over and over again in order to memorize information to pass a test. This is a great way to memorize something like a geography lesson - because you can listen to it anywhere.

Whether you take public transportation or fall asleep at night listening to music or a lecture, you won’t bother anyone if you are wearing your ear buds. Someone may ask what you are listening to, but once you tell them that it is a chemistry lecture and that you are a student, they will actually congratulate you.

If you are an audio learner, than you owe it to yourself to start learning by listening to the information you need to know so that you can do better in school and also at work. By using audio aides, you will also be much happier with yourself and your schoolwork.

It hasn’t been since the sixties that people have only used books to learn.

This was when professors wrongly assumed that it was the only way to gain knowledge and pass a test. These days, students even learn by kinesthetic methods - which means that you do something, like manipulate or touch a globe - in order to learn a subject like Geometry.

Try something new. If a subject like memorizing Spanish verb tenses is frustrating you, it’s time to change gears and get a new plan. Don’t beat yourself up anymore by using traditional study methods and enjoy learning again. 

See also: writeyourselfrich.net  

10 Memorization Tips to Improve Your Study Time

Memorization Tricks Will Help You Do Better On Tests

Almost no one has time to study anymore. This is because most people work while they put themselves through school. Use these 10 memorization tips to improve your study time and you will not only do well in school, you may also have some extra time to relax.

Tip #1: Find a place where there are no distractions.

If you try to study in front of the television or while you are hanging out with your friends, you will not be able to concentrate well enough to get anything accomplished. Go to the library or to your bedroom to focus and you will get much more out of study time. Also, don’t cheat by listening to music - and turn off your mobile devices so that you aren’t distracted by people who are trying to reach you.

Tip #2: Don’t rely on cramming.

Everyone thinks that if they stay up all night before a test and cram that they will save time and make a good grade. However, cramming rarely ever works. It is better to set aside some time every night to study. This is because it takes a while for your brain to absorb information so that you can make sense of it and then answer test questions. Besides, flunking a test may also mean getting kicked out of school. This is because cramming also leads to cheating, which most schools don’t tolerate.

Tip #3: Organize your study materials.

Don’t just read a book and think you will remember everything. The best way to remember what you are studying is to use mnemonics, flashcards, notes, and highlighters to help you concentrate on the materials you need to know for an exam.

Tip #4: Use mnemonic devices.

Mnemonic devices are the easiest way to remember the information that you need to pass a test. For example, the most common mnemonic device is ROY G BIV, the acronym for the colors in a rainbow - which are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Tip #5: Use the internet to get more information.

If you don’t understand something in a class you are taking, look it up on the Internet. Usually information on the internet is easier to understand because many people write the same way they talk. So these people write in terms that are easy to grasp and this will help you if you are struggling with a class you are taking.

Tip #6: Relate new information to your current situation.

If you are studying something you don’t understand, like anatomy, think about a time when you may have had a medical problem. If you went to the hospital or the doctor and remember how you felt, you can relate this to something like an anatomy exam.

Tip #7: Use visual or auditory information to remember.

If you go to a lecture, record it or use your smartphone to take a picture of a diagram in the lecture hall. This will help you remember the exact moment of when you got the information and ingrain it into your memory.  

Tip #8: Join a study group.

If you go to school, there are always groups of students who are trying as hard as you are and don’t understand the class any better than you do. Collectively, you will all understand the materials better because everyone will remember and understand something different than the rest of the group.

Tip #9: Pay more attention to information you can’t understand.

There will always be a part of a class that you will struggle with when you are a student. Always work on this part of your studies first and you will find that your understanding of other class materials will fall into place much more rapidly.

Tip #10: Vary up your study routines.

Try to study in different places and at different times. For example, study outside if the weather is nice or study at night if you can’t sleep. Don’t let yourself get in a rut by studying the same way every day and you will be much more productive.  

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

A Good Web Hosting Company Will Educate You in Web Development

A Web Hosting Company Can Help You Become a Webmaster

If you sign up with a web hosting company that provides a good selection of software along with tutorials, forums, and an email support system, you can get an education in web development that rivals that of any computer science degree.  This is because if you get into developing your own site and become addicted in the process, there are plenty of people out there on the web who love to show off what they know and are willing to take a few minutes to answer questions from inexperienced users.  Even if you start off with a free site builder and have no knowledge of web design whatsoever, you can become a self-taught web master if you have the desire.  

A cheap web hosting education begins with an understanding of how your web hosting company sets up its equipment. 

The main piece of equipment that a web hosting company uses in order to make your site available on the internet is called the server, which is actually the computer where the operating system is loaded, along with all of the information for your web site.  If you have a shared hosting plan, your site, along with many others will be on the same server. 

If you have a server all to yourself, then you have a dedicated hosting plan, which is usually for a larger website.  A virtual server plan is somewhere in between, with multiple sites sharing one server, but with the same security benefits as a dedicated server.  The operating system will usually be Linux.  Linux is the most popular because it is open source and the least expensive.

Now, let’s look at how your account is set up. 

A web hosting company will price your account based on how much disk space and bandwidth they give you.  Disc space is the amount of storage space that a web hosting company will let you have on their server, and bandwidth (data transfer) refers to the amount of data that viewers can download per month from your site. 

If you buy an all-inclusive cheap web hosting package, the amount of bandwidth you receive per month usually corresponds to the amount of disk space you are purchasing.  This kind of hosting package also includes features to get you started like a free domain name (your internet address), a free point-and-click-site builder (if you don’t know HTML), and a control panel so that you can manage your site.  This is enough to get you started, and since all of these features also come with installation wizards, there isn’t a lot to learn.  Your education really begins with the software that your low-cost web hosting company has hopefully included in your package.

The included scripting languages and software is important if you want to learn how to become a web developer more quickly and affordably.  It is better to pay a little bit more per month for some decent software than it is to save a few bucks and think you can find it free later.  This is because any scripting languages or software that is in your package is set up to work with that operating system. 

If you introduce either licensed or bootleg third party software later on, you may find that there are mysterious glitches that no one can explain, even if the web hosting company claims that there should be no problem.

After getting set up with a cheap web hosting company, you are on your way to becoming a self-taught web master. There are a lot of developers who are doing some exciting things with computer languages and creating a lot of interesting solutions for existing challenges. So find the right web hosting company, get started with your own site, and see where it goes from there.

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

5 Ways To Invite More Laughter Into Your Life

Take Some Time For Laughter And You Will Feel Better

Everyone needs more laughter in their life. 

Laughter is healing. It makes people feel more welcome and it alleviates tension in any room.

This is why so many public speakers use jokes in their speeches and also why doctors encourage laughter to help patients get well. 

If you are lacking laughter in your life, here are five ways to get more of it into your daily routine and crack a smile much more often.

1.       Email funny internet jokes.

If work allows you, or if you have the Internet at home, take a few minutes to read and forward funny internet jokes and videos.  There are plenty of free funny videos on YouTube as well as websites that have jokes and funny pictures. There are also newspaper headlines and funny greeting cards that are all free to forward to s friend.  Because these hilarious home videos and headlines that come from all over the world; so there is an endless supply of funny material that can make someone laugh every day.

2.       Tell a funny story or a joke.

If you are ever sitting around at work or even at home with visiting family, things can get uptight. A funny story is the best way to make everyone laugh, especially if someone in the group has a gift for storytelling. Usually a humorous story is about someone where something impossibly funny happens to them and how they react to or get out of a situation. Telling a humorous story is fun for the story teller as well as the people that are listening.

It is especially uplifting if you have a contest to see who can tell the most humorous story. A story telling contest can go on for a good hour; when everyone has told their tale of mirth, most people will be in an entirely good mood  for the rest of the day and will probably chuckle every once in a while when they remember the story and the person who told it.

3.       Have an impromptu get together.

If you are studying too hard, practicing too much, or working too long, there is nothing like an impromptu get together where everyone can relax, unwind and blow off some steam. At an impromptu get together, usually you go to someone’s house to have food and listen to music or watch a movie. During this kind of break, it is best to watch a comedy, where everyone can enjoy a good laugh. It is also helpful to tell any funny stories that you might have about work or a project that you are trying to finish.  After a good laugh with close friends, most people feel about going back to work or to school.

4.       Play a game.

A game at work, school, or a party is a great way to get everyone laughing. Pick a fun game like charades or a store bought game that is designed to make people laugh. Generally, if tensions are running high, a fun game where people try to communicate titles of movies, etc. while acting them out or drawing them will have everyone laughing in no time. These kinds of games also show that people can get along even when things are serious.

5.       Play a practical joke. 

A practical joke can get everyone laughing if it is done correctly. Just remember though, a practical joke is not the same as a prank. A prank is a joke where someone gets made fun of or gets hurt while others laugh. Pranks don’t always work out to be funny either. A practical joke is more along the lines of rearranging the letters on someone’s keyboard or wrapping everything in their office in tin foil while they are out to lunch.  No one gets hurt, and everyone can laugh at the expression on someone’s face when they can’t figure out what is going on.

These are just a few ideas of how you can bring laughter back into your life, and remember, you will always feel better after a good laugh, no matter what the situation. 

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

Talk With Your Kids About Math Using Everyday Life Examples

Learning Math Is More Than Doing Homework

If your child is doing poorly in math, then there are things that you can do other than continually scold them into doing their homework. This is because you may not know it, but there may be something missing in your dialogue with your children when you are at home that can help them do better in math. For lack of a better term, it’s referred to as ‘math speak’ or ‘number talk’ by psychiatrists.

Simply put, number speak is the amount of times that you speak to your child about math every day. Think about it this way. When your child is little, as a parent it is easy to take the time and count how many birds you see or how many people are in the room because it is fun to see your child learn to count.

And believe it or not, you were teaching your child the Cardinal Number Principle – that the last number reached when counting determines the size of the set. You probably didn’t know that you were teaching your child such a fundamental principle of math, and they probably didn’t either. This is what made teaching and learning math fun for both of you.

However, as kids get older, math becomes dull, repetitive, and hard to understand. Math is no longer fun, and the only reward that a child gets is some positive recognition for a good grade - or some discipline for a bad one. As you can see, this isn’t much for you as a parent either, especially if you have to punish one child while you reward another.

So to get started with math speak, here are some helpful ways you can introduce math into the conversation for an older child and help them do better in math:

1.      If you are going on a car trip, make your older child part of the process.

Have them figure out how much gas you will need, where you can stop to rest, when you should leave, how long it will take to get there, etc.

2.  If your child is interested in sports, go over stats with them and figure out averages for the stats and how they are determined.

The same can apply to the subjects of art and crafts or anything that your child is interested in.

3.      If you give your child an allowance, help them manage it.

Talk about how many hours they need to work over a period of time to earn a certain amount of money. Then help them spend it. Talk to them about percentages when something goes on sale or how much interest you pay on a credit card if you charge something.

Even small things, like how many days to a holiday, average temperatures, how many minutes it takes to get somewhere, how much flour you need if you double a recipe, are all great ways to get your child acclimated to constantly thinking about math and keep the math speak going.  

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

How to Start Planning a Family Budget

Credit Card Debt Impacts A Family Budget

Planning a family budget is much more difficult than planning a budget for just you alone. This is because your family may have more than one source of income as well as many more unexpected expenses. 

When you are planning a budget as an individual, you may decide to eat only one meal a day in order to afford a vacation or a nicer home; but with a family, financial decisions like those are not an option. You can’t ask a family member to go without food or clothing so that the family can be better off financially.

So many families suffer through going without the necessities or working themselves to death, simply because they don’t understand the basic principles of a family budget and how to implement one. This isn’t for lack of trying. Members of the household will sit around the kitchen table with a pen and a notebook, and start planning a family budget by writing down income and expenses in order to figure out their finances.

However, since there isn’t ever usually enough income to cover all of the expenses, these meetings usually boil down to ‘who has to give up what’ so that the family can pay all of the bills. Of course, this results in arguments and hurt feelings, but no family budget. This is not the way to plan a family budget, but rather a way to shut down communication altogether.

So how do you plan a family budget without arguing about it or depriving anyone of the necessities?

There is a Solution to Planning a Family Budget

And here are a few steps to follow to get back on track with your finances without the family strife:

1.  Track your finances for two to three months.

Save every receipt and every bill for several months and you will be amazed at how much money you are wasting. You will probably find late fees, high interest rates, out-of-control electric bills, grocery receipts full of junk food, etc. Once you see how much money you are wasting, you will find that little things like clipping coupons, combining errands to save gas, shutting off appliances when not in use, and not just taking cash out of the ATM for ‘spending money’ will save you several hundred dollars each month.

2. List your expenses that you simply cannot neglect like the mortgage/rent, utilities, credit card payments, car payments, insurance, etc. and subtract them from your total family income.

Whatever you have left is what you have to work with for food, clothing, gas, etc. If you simply don’t have enough, you may have to find a cheaper place to live or sell one of your vehicles. If credit card debt is the problem, a temporary or seasonal secondary job may help.

3. Use computer software for budgeting to help you out. 

Making lists on paper is a good place to start, but once you see you finances on a computer generated spread sheet, you will get a much better idea of how to plan your finances.  

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

How Buying Green Products Can Improve Your Health

Saving The Planet With Green Products

When you think of buying green products you probably think of saving the planet. 

But did you know that you are also improving your health at the same time? 

Green products that save the planet on trash are made with many fewer chemical than their traditionally manufactured counterparts, and that means that you won’t be around so many chemicals when you use them.

For example, did you know that many mass manufactured kitchen cabinets are made with formaldehyde?  

This is the same chemical that is used for preserving dead bodies. When formaldehyde is used in kitchen cabinets, it can seep into the food that you store in them. You can also breathe it into your lungs. Eating and breathing embalming fluid is in no way healthy, so buying green products made without harmful chemicals like formaldehyde is not only much better for the environment, it is also much better for your health.  

The same goes for buying other home improvement products like home insulation. 

It used to be that insulation contained asbestos, which is really detrimental to your health, but some insulation products still have harmful chemicals. Make sure to look at all of the ingredients listed in a home insulation product before you buy it, and then look the chemicals up on the Internet. There are new chemicals made every day that have different risks if you use them in your home that government regulations haven’t caught up to yet. Being an informed consumer is the best way to protect your family’s health from being poisoned by products that aren’t green.

Even green products like toilet paper and paper towels are better to buy for your health than regular paper products. Name brand paper products often contain dyes and other chemicals to make them look nicer and smell better. These chemicals can irritate the skin and cause skin conditions that may need to be treated by a dermatologist. Green paper products are generally free of chemicals like dyes and bleach. They may not be as attractive in your bathroom and kitchen, but your skin will be much better off by not using the products that contain chemicals.

Green diapers like cloth diapers can also be better for your baby than disposable diapers. 

This is because disposable diapers have become so absorbent that they don’t need to be changed as often as traditional cloth diapers. This may seem convenient at first, but the longer a baby sits in a wet diaper, the more medical conditions they are like to suffer.

This may be something as small as diaper rash, but leaving a wet diaper on a baby can cause more serious medical problems as well. A cloth diaper is designed to make the baby feel the wetness so that it can alert the parent that it needs changing. A dry diaper prevents a lot more visits to the doctor than a wet one that holds in moisture against the baby’s skin for long periods of time. 

There are green products for almost every aspect of life. 

On the surface, it may seem like green products are more expensive and not as high quality as their traditional counterparts. It may seem also seem like a lot of effort just to make the world less polluted. However, once you start buying green products and organic foods, you will get used to the different quality, and more importantly, you will notice a difference in your overall health.

There are many long term health problems that are just now coming to light, which include problems that stem from products that many people use every day. It is better to get ahead of the game and buy green products today, than find out that you are suffering from a long term illness tomorrow.

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

10 Reasons To Leave The City And Take A Vacation

Take A Vacation And Recharge

If you live and work in the city, then you know how stressful it can be. Even with a few days off from work, you never get rid of the feeling that you are in the middle of the anxiety that goes along with being in the city. Even if you are trying to relax, there are crowds everywhere, pushing and shoving to get where they are going. The real way to relax and unwind is to get out of the city and take a vacation. If you still aren’t convinced, here are ten reasons why you should go:

1. Get some fresh Air. 

Air in any city is notoriously polluted - and getting to a place for a week or so where the air is clean can do wonders for your lungs and your well-being. Especially if you can get outside to a beach or some mountains for fresh air and open skies, you will do wonders for your psyche as well. 

2. Get some peace and quiet. 

There are other kinds of pollution in the city besides air pollution, and one of them is noise pollution. Taking a vacation where there aren’t sirens going off at all of the hours of the night can be a welcome break for your ears as well as your nerves.

3. Slow down the pace. 

Always trying to beat the traffic, running for a bus, and always being late for something is nerve-racking. When you are on vacation there isn’t any place that you have to be unless you want to be. Just don’t miss the plane that takes you there.

4. Turn off your mobile devices. 

When you are on vacation there are no phones to answer or emails to check. Unless that is, someone is calling to confirm an afternoon massage.

5. Eat what you want. 

You have the opportunity to eat what you want on vacation. This can mean starting a healthy diet, having time to eat out at restaurants, or even cook for yourself if you never get a chance to do this normally. In fact, you can even take the time for a cooking class.

6. Catch up on your sleep.  

Sleep is the best thing about a vacation. In fact, if you are completely exhausted that may be all that you do during your vacation. Just make sure to take your vacation away from the city, so that you won’t be tempted to do any work.

7. Pamper Yourself. 

Take a vacation at a spa and get massages, mud therapy, facials or anything that will help you relax and make you feel better about yourself.

8. Visit somewhere new.  

If you have always wanted to see the world, there are so many places that offer discount travel packages including airfare, hotels and meals. You can learn a new language, visit a new culture and make new friends.

9. Exercise outdoors. 

If you live in the city and you like to exercise, then you may be stuck on a treadmill or in an indoor aerobics class. However, when you go on vacation, you can hike, run outside, scuba dive, jet ski, para-sail, and do a hundred different physical activities that are not only exciting, but good for you as well. 

10. Meet new people. 

If you are stuck in a dating or social rut, a vacation can open up a whole new world of people to meet. There are all kinds of singles vacations and there are also vacations and resorts geared at almost every kind of social group. Do some research online and you may even go on a vacation where you meet the person who will become your soul mate! Talk about a reason to get out of the city and go on vacation!

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

Minimalism – How To Create More Space In A Small Home

Minimalism Will Make Your Space More Livable.

These days, apartments and homes that people can afford are getting smaller; or more people are living under one roof. However, in our minds we are still buying home furnishings and accessories like we are living in larger spaces. What happens is that you wind up with so much clutter in a small space that you can’t move around. You don’t want to give anything up, but you don’t want to part with anything either, so what’s the solution? 

Read on for some tips to create more space that may help.

1. Put up some high shelves for the things you don’t use. 

If you have high kitchen shelves that no one can reach, this is the perfect place to store anything that you can’t use but don’t want to part with. As well, if you have too many things lying around in a bedroom - like children’s toys or clothes - you can put up cheap bracket shelving around the perimeter of the room near to the ceiling. Then you can put everything there and forget about it. 

   

2. Take photos of things you need to throw out but still want a memory of. 

If you have old family brick-a-brack or children’s artwork that you no longer want, but want to remember, take a digital photo and throw everything out. You will still have a memory, but won’t be carting around a roomful of items that are more trouble than they are worth.   

3. Buy furniture with storage compartments. 

There are all kinds of furniture like Murphy beds and sofa beds that come with storage or double as two things. This is especially true of children’s beds, which should have storage underneath. 

4. Give old clothes away. 

If you have old baby clothes or clothes you haven’t worn in a year, give them to charity. Chances are that they are out of date by now. And storing large amounts of clothing not only takes up a lot of space, but also encourages bedbugs and cockroaches to lay eggs and breed.

5. Buy smaller furniture. 

Hind sight may be twenty-twenty, but if you haven’t already bought it, don’t buy bigger furniture thinking you will take it to a larger house. Furniture only lasts about 4 or 5 years and then it is almost worn out. Buy smaller, less expensive furniture and wait until you buy that large house to get bigger and more expensive pieces.

6. Get rid of unnecessary furniture. 

Any flat screen television can hang on the wall, so if you have a large entertainment center, you have the bulkiest and most unnecessary piece of furniture there is. Hang the television on the wall and get a small stand to hold everything that goes with it. As well, if you have a large curio or display cabinet full of decorative or collectible items, get rid of it. This may be tough love for some, but wouldn’t you rather have the space?

Dressers and end tables in the living room are other pieces of furniture that you don’t need. All of your clothes should fit in the closet and can be stored properly with a closet organizer. End tables are just places that collect junk and dust, just like the tops of dressers.

Conclusion: Stop living like your grandparents! 

Not only is this extra furniture and other stuff that you collect expensive and unnecessary, it also takes up too much space. If you are too attached to everything and don’t know what to throw out, ask some friends over to help. You will be surprised at how fast they will help you get rid of everything you don’t need and create a whole new space!

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

Positivity – How Giving Compliments Can Make You Happier

Positivity: Pick Someone Every Day To Compliment

Giving complements is something that comes naturally when someone does something really great. For instance, if someone gets all dressed up for a big night out, it is really easy to say, “You look great!” This kind of compliment makes everyone feel good because the effort to look good on a big night is accomplished and the praise is obvious. Of course, this is a situation when you would compliment someone.  When someone makes and effort and succeeds, everyone wants to share in that success.

However, what happens when someone isn’t in a situation where an extra effort is required? This situation is called daily living, and although most of us make an effort every day, this effort goes largely unrecognized. This is because it is also generally expected that day after day we will continue to drudge along on our own without needing any encouragement.

And let’s face it. Giving compliments all of the time takes effort.

And so what if someone shows up to work on time every day? Isn’t this what they get paid for? Is it really a cause for joy if someone does the homework they were assigned? And isn’t keeping a clean house the minimum effort that someone should put forward?

It is true that all of these efforts are just expected of us. In fact, it would be weird if you went around complimenting people for every little thing that they did every day. An employee certainly isn’t going to get a compliment every time they come back to work from lunch on time simply because they behaved like a normal person. And you might not always compliment someone who gets straight A’s in school every time because they are naturally smart.

These kinds of compliments are redundant.

So how does giving compliments every day make you happier when they don’t seem to be needed? Doesn’t it take a special occasion to warrant a compliment? Like recognizing someone who made an “A” in school when they usually make a “C”?

It would seem like this is the case, but compliments that make you happier need to be given on a daily basis. And they are a little bit harder to give than the ones that seem so obvious.

Give a compliment when they don’t expect it.

Let’s take the example of the person who always shows up on time for work, but let’s say that once they get there that they don’t work as hard as you do. Sound familiar? You may be late occasionally because you have other worries, but once you are at work, you do a lot more than the others do. Feel a little resentful because the boss doesn’t notice? Of course. Anyone would.

What do you do about it? Maybe you complain a little bit or complain a lot, but the complaining doesn’t make the problem any better. It may not look like it, but this is the perfect time to give a compliment. It may take some effort, but the next time this person does their share of the work, thank them. This may take a lot of humility, but thank them for the honest effort they put in that day.

If nothing comes from this compliment, don’t be discouraged, because at least you tried. However, you may find that this person may work just as hard another day.  You may even find out that they feel just as under-appreciated as you do; they just expressed it in a different way. You may even make a new friend at work that you can commiserate with when the going gets tough for everyone.

This may or may not happen to you, but think about it. If you start giving compliments when people don’t expect it, at the very least, you throw them off their game.  After a while of giving compliments that people don’t expect, you will be surprised at how differently people react to you. They will want to be around you more and also do things for you because they know that you will appreciate their efforts.

Now that should make anyone at least a little bit happier.  

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

Finding a Mentor – 10 Ways It can Change Your Life

A Mentor Can Help You Make Better Decisions

When someone pictures a mentor, they think of someone that they already have access to, like an employer, a teacher or even a parent. However, while these people can be mentors, they are also people that have a special interest in you, which can muddy the waters of the mentor/mentee relationship.

This is why you should seek out a mentor who works as a professional outside of your social circle. A mentor is someone who spends time advising people as part of a way of giving back to their profession or the community. They are someone who may have overcome some of the same difficulties you are facing and have gone on to be very successful themselves. 

A person who volunteers to be a mentor is someone with your best interest at heart and can remain objective in the process of helping you move your life forward. In fact, here are the top ten ways a mentor can change your life:

1. A mentor understands what you are going through and has probably been there as well. No situation is overwhelming to a mentor, and they can not only give you advice on how to overcome your problems, they can support you though the process.

2. A mentor can give you solutions to a problem that you never would have thought of on your own. While you may see only one solution to a problem, a mentor can see many. When you have many options, you will make better decisions.

3. A mentor knows other people that can help you when they can’t. A mentor has a whole network of people at their disposal for information and advice. So if they can’t help you with a particular situation, they know someone who can. These kinds of resources are something you could never get on your own.

4. A mentor has developed highly successful habits for success that they can pass on to you. You may not realize it, but you may have habits that are holding you back. A mentor can point these out and help you correct them.  

5. A mentor believes in you when no one else does. They can see themselves in you and recognize the potential that you have when others around you simply doesn’t see it or support the decisions that will help you move ahead.

6. A mentor can give your personal and professional recommendations. A letter from a mentor can get you a better job, get you into a better school, or get you into other kinds of programs that you can’t get into by yourself. This can make a huge difference in your life. 

7. A mentor can give you objective advice. Many people around you have their own interests and will try to make you bend to what is best for them or what they think you need. A mentor only wants to see you succeed for yourself.

8. A mentor can push you to do better than you thought you could.  They can set goals for you, keep you on track, and also inspire you with their own story or success stories from people in their network.  Being surrounded by successful people is almost essential if you want to be successful yourself.

9. A mentor can be there to just listen. They know that as you have successes with your life, you will also have failures. A mentor is someone who doesn’t judge you. So when you hit a brick wall, a mentor knows that sometimes you don’t need a lecture, you just need a friendly ear to listen to you.

10. A mentor will keep you on track. The main reason that you meet with a mentor is to report on your progress. This fact alone will keep you focused on reaching your goals, and completing the miles stones that will ultimately make you successful. 

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

10 Ways to Stay Calm

Stay Calm With Meditation

Losing control of your emotions and actions is becoming more and common as our society and our technology moves faster and faster. Many times, we can’t keep up with the brisk pace at which things happen (especially with the overuse of mobile phones and the internet) and this rapid exchange of ideas and information can cause anyone to lose their cool and have an immediate panic attack.

If you have ever had one of those days where everything converges on you all at once, then you understand the need to stay calm in panic-type situations. And if you feel panicky all of the time, then you are not alone. Many people these days are overwhelmed with the speed of life. That being said, here are 10 ways to stay calm during the day.

1. Turn off your mobile phone. 

Don’t be available to everyone at all times. If you let yourself be available on your mobile phone 24/7 then people will take advantage of that. This means that stress can come into your life at any time. If you need a moment when you want to be calm, turn off your phone.

2. Count to ten. 

It’s the oldest trick in the book, but this is because it really works. Counting to ten is an exercise that calms you down and keeps you from making impulsive decisions that can make your problems even worse.

3. Meditate daily. 

You may have never meditated before, but meditating daily calms you down and will help you sleep better. A simple meditation is just to stare at a fixed object (like a candle) and clear your mind of everything. Do this for about five minutes a day and you will feel much calmer.

4. Take deep breaths. 

Taking deep breathes will force you to relax in any situation where you feel you are about to panic. Breathe all the way into your gut and hold it for a few seconds - then release it slowly for an instant calm.

5. Sit down. 

If you are in an extremely intense situation and you are standing, things can only escalate. Sitting down is immediately calming and has a calming effect on everyone else as well.

6. Chew some mint gum or pop a mint. 

Mint has an immediately calming effect, and it isn’t as easy to say something you will regret when your mouth if full of candy.

7. Take a walk. 

If you are in a situation that is upsetting and looks like it might escalate, take a walk. A brisk walk is calming and lets you clear your head. It also gives you time to organize your thoughts and think logically about a situation.

8. Pray. 

You may not be religious, but there is no reason that you can’t call on a higher power to help you think clearly and calmly. Prayer is the oldest form of meditation and has an immediate calming effect.  As well, you can pray anywhere.

9. Exercise regularly. 

Taking a walk will help you immediately calm down, but regular exercise is a better alternative.  This is because you need physical activity to release the stress that builds up every day. If you don’t’ release the stress in your life, it will eventually accumulate and cause you to lose your cool.

10. Eat healthier and get rest. 

Eating right and getting rest isn’t something that many people think is possible. However, think about the alternative. Eating poorly and drinking too much caffeine will cause an otherwise normal situation to seem overwhelming because you are so physically stressed. This will eventually cause you to lose control, which can cause even more problems. Taking the time to eat right and rest is the best thing that you can do to make yourself calm on a more ongoing basis. 

See also: writeyourselfrich.net

10 Ways To De-stress By Doing Less

Take Your Life Back By Doing Less

Ever feel like you are over-committed to way too many things? 

Then you probably are. If you feel like you are running 24 hours a day and still don’t get everything done - or never have any time for yourself - then you are committed to too many activities. Doing less will de-stress, so here are ten ways that you can de-stress by doing just that:

1. Just say no.

Whenever someone asks you to do something that you don’t have time for, start saying no. Chances are, if you are feeling stressed out from doing too many things, you say yes to too many people. Start saying no. It will feel strange at first, and people will insist that you help them, but say no more often and you will feel less stress with fewer responsibilities.

2. Stop doing things that don’t make any sense.

If a weekly movie night, a book club or a bowling league has become more of a hassle than relaxing, stop going. If at the end of a long day, you feel like curling up at home with the television instead of going out, stay home to relax.

3. Pay someone else to do things like household chores.

If there are teenagers or retired persons in your neighborhood that can mow the lawn, clean the house, babysit, make dinner, or do the laundry for a small fee, let them.

4. Organize your workplace.

If there is a quicker way to do something at work, figure it out. The more organized at work you are, the less stressed out you will be. Also, being able to multitask at work makes you a better employee, which also takes stress away.

5. If you can delegate at work, do it.

If you ever get the chance to have an intern or someone else at work to help you, take advantage of it. You can do this by being organized. If you are organized, then you know exactly what work you can give someone else to do before your boss finds other work for them.

6. Don’t take work home.

These days, everyone has to work overtime and do multiple jobs. However, if you are always volunteering to do more, it will catch up with you in a bad way. Not only will you be exhausted, but you will quickly find out that no one appreciates the extra work you are doing above and beyond the call of duty.

7. Make your family more independent.

You can’t do everything for your family and remain sound of mind. Gradually wean them off of your help, however this is possible. If something doesn’t get done for them they will have to live without it or eventually do it for themselves.

8. Get rid of codependent friends.

It sounds harsh, but if you have friends in your life that simply can’t make a move without you, they have to go. Your family and your job should always come first, and in that order. Tell everyone else to take a number, in a polite way of course.

9. Clean Out Your House.

If your house is cluttered, so is your life. Get rid of everything you haven’t used in a year and either have a garage sale or donate it to charity. This includes exercise equipment, old clothing and toys, home improvement supplies, and other useless junk. It will be easier to clean your house and you won’t feel guilty anymore about all of the things you were never going to do, anyway.

10. Just say no.

Yes I am repeating this advice, but so should you. Saying no is a hard thing to do, but it is much easier to say no in the first place than to drive yourself crazy saying yes to all the things that stress you out to the point of having a panic attack.  

See also: writeyourselfrich.net