08.05.04
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by admin
Weight Loss – It’s in Your Head
By Helene Haber
When you truly consider the weight-loss process, the battle waged is mostly in your mind. “Should I eat the corn muffin with butter or would it be better for me to have margarine or better yet, have jelly? What am I doing eating this muffin anyway? It’s so caloric and filled with saturated fat. I’m such a pig. I have absolutely zero willpower.” It’s no wonder you’ll eat that muffin with the butter and slather jelly on top to quiet that negative self-talk.
What you need more than a diet is a way to shift those negative self-defeating thoughts to more adaptive, positive self-statements. As with most things worth doing, this requires a bit of practice. First, become aware when you’re using a negative statement, then determine what about that thought is faulty and finally, replace it with a self-defense response or coping thought.
In the corn muffin example, instead of listening to “I’m such a pig” which clearly mislabels who you are, respond with “Pigs are animals and I am human. I don’t have to be perfect.”
Many people cannot change their eating habits until they change their thoughts about food, eating and drinking. By shedding “distorted” thoughts and replacing them with productive ones, eating habits can be changed. It is possible to rid yourself from many self-critical thoughts, but like any ingrained habit, it takes vigor and vigilance to change. Here are some other thinking distortions to challenge:
Shoulds. Should statements are more about other people’s values, not ones chosen by the person who wants to lose weight. Additionally, should statements reflect an attempt by the dieter to motivate herself without really believing in the value. Better to determine what works for you. “I will eat up to two Hershey kisses daily and thoroughly enjoy them.”
All-or-Nothing. This kind of reasoning is the foundation for perfectionism. An all-or-nothing individual views the world as black or white. Since there is no allowance for gray areas, the behavior is either perfect or a failure. “I’ve ruined my diet by eating all that pizza. I can’t stay on a diet and I’ll just always be fat.” Maybe the problem does not arise from the behavior… maybe the problem is with the diet that does not allow for pizza. “I do not want to give pizza up for the rest of my life, so what I need is a way to include pizza in my diet without feeling like a failure. Let me try having a salad (dressing on the side) before the pizza to take the edge off my hunger.”
Good Foods/ Bad Foods. If the truth be told, foods do not misbehave. Foods are not good or bad. While it is true that some foods have more nutrients or are more fiber-dense than others, all foods can be enjoyed. How we think about food colors what we eat and how much we eat. If a food is labeled as bad (such as fries), then for many individuals that food is taboo. When one eventually succumbs to eating the forbidden, French fries, bingeing may result. Rather than continue with dichotomous thinking of good food/bad food, shift to allow space for all foods you like without judgement. Instead of “I ate those fries which are so bad for me” to “I really enjoyed that small portion of fries. They really satisfied me.”
Body Distortions. Rather than dwelling on how fat or thin you think your body is, it is extremely helpful to view your body in terms of what it can do for you. For example, when you look in the mirror, instead of zooming in on your stomach which “looks five months pregnant, although your last baby was nine years ago” tell yourself “my body has given life” or “my body enables me to go where I want to and allows me to have fun.”
The conversations that are going on inside your head cannot be stopped. However, what you can do is to be aware of negative self-talk and understand that it has little to do with actual reality. When you believe this, you can respond to the critical voice with a more objective, coping thought. Although negative thoughts may not be stopped entirely, they can be quieted by listening to your compassionate, caring voice. In much the same way you would sympathize and listen to a close friend, listen to yourself. Be your own best friend and chances are you’ll have greater weight loss success.
Helene Haber
Holistic Nutrition Coach
Helene Haber, HHC is a board certified health counselor. She designs personalized wellness solutions for women of all ages looking to enhance their lives, get their bodies back in shape and their health back on track. Email: TopCatHelene@aol.com.
http://www.integrativenutrition.com/graduates/HHaber.aspx
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Posted in Success at 12:00 am by admin
Creating A Life You Love
By Robin Harris
Imagine that right now, right here, today… there is within your grasp not one but several opportunities to redesign specific aspects of your life so that the sum total is a life you absolutely love. Then imagine that the only thing standing between you and your opportunities is a closed mind, fear, habits, concern, worry, drama, or perhaps mental, physical, and emotional clutter. Do you know what a default is? It’s what you get when you don’t choose to get something else and for most of us a default life is average and mediocre with sprinkles of joy in between. A default life is living for the weekend. A default like is hanging on ‘til retirement. A default life is waiting for the kids to grow up, move out, and finish college. A default life is waiting, and waiting, and waiting for things to get better someday…one day.
Most people don’t accidentally have a great life, a great job, a great marriage, a great body, or great children. I don’t know about you but I am not touched, moved, or inspired by mediocrity. I don’t aspire to live an average life, with an average job, and celebrate twenty-something anniversaries in an average marriage. My spirit longs for relationships and experiences that cause me to love deeply, grow profoundly, and see the magnificence in all of life. I can’t have that kind of life if I am settling for the default. My name is Robin Harris and I am a coach, an author, a certified Highlands Natural Abilities Counsultant, and I am the CEO of DesignerLife, a transformational business dedicated to helping individuals live by design; not by default. And today I just want to talk to you about designing a life you absolutely love. I call it the DesignerLife.
What’s a DesignerLife? Think of a piece of art that is not only beautiful but extremely functional. Just like a beautiful warm and cozy home provides sanctuary and focus for a family, a DesignerLife provides sanctuary and focus for the soul. Just like each room in that house has its own motif and purpose, each area of the DesignerLife has its own motif and purpose. Just like all of the rooms together, even the hallways and pantry make up the house, all of the areas of our lives make up the DesignerLife. A DesignerLife has been lovingly designed and architected to honor your best and your highest good and it includes spiritual hallways and pantries, too. Mmm, it sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?
I want you to consider a show home that has never been lived in. Everything is just so beautifully pristine and sterile. That’s because it’s for show but when the family moves in they bring their energy, their style, their nuances, their touch and the house becomes a home. It’s not perfect…but it is. It’s not immaculate buts it’s naturally inviting. The DesignerLife is a life you design that is natural, expanding, and very, very inviting not only to you but to other sojourners, also. We have so long been looking to the system, the companies we work for, the businesses we have built, the country we live in to sustain our way of life. Today is a new day, and the comfort of what we knew has passed away, it’s time to excavate, renovate, and develop our most precious resources: our soul’s dreams, our natural gifts, and our talents. It’s time for us to evolve to the next level and some sojourners are going to go kicking and screaming, and some won’t go at all. You probably thought the creation was completed millions of years ago, oh no. Human’s are still in process and every so often life says “hold on, wait a minute, it’s time to shift and leap baby”. You can plod along for only so long before life demands that you run fast or get eaten. The new paradigm is not for survivors, it’s for thrivers; people who are ready to unleash their potential into the world.
You see, the magnificent being that you are is not your doing. You didn’t design it, you didn’t create it, so there no reason to be arrogant about it. It’s a gift. Don’t just say thank you. Gratitude is only the beginning, there’s also a measure of responsibility and accountability that fall on the shoulders of the gifted. And we all are gifted. It is our responsibility to nurture our magnificence, to develop it, and express it profoundly in the world that we live in. Your magnificence is not only going to give you a life you love, it’s going to touch, move and inspire others. Divine intention will have your be great in ways you cannot even imagine. Divine intention will have your biggest mistakes sow seeds of wisdom and contribution to other. Divine intention will have you become the student and the teacher in life’s next evolution. The next evolution will have human beings manifest the Creator’s abundant, loving, creative nature.
What would it look like to have a life you absolutely love? When you really think about it, I mean see it with your minds eye, in living Technicolor, it should be so awesome it sends chills up your spine. I’m not talking about a superficial life where people are pretending to be happy, pretending that the marriage is working, pretending that the kids aren’t driving them crazy, pretending that life is in order when chaos is actually the king. I’m not talking about having more, more, more while feeling less, less, less. I’m talking about a life where your soul is satisfied. This is a life where you have peace of mind, finances in order, and a healthy mind, body, and spirit. This is a life with relationships that inspire and stimulate you, intimacy that heals and thrills you, and family and community for mutual love and support. This is a life complete with meaningful and fulfilling work that uses your gifts and talents and honors your uniqueness. This is a life where there is adequate time for self-nourishment, self-investment, fun and relaxation. And… this is a life where you receive an abundance of joy by contributing to the well being of others who are on the planet with you now, as well as those who will be coming in the future.
I can’t tell you the details of your DesignerLife. I can’t tell you how living a life you absolutely love will show up for you. I only know that the process of designing that kind of life will rock your world. I know somebody out there is saying, pfff you must be dreaming… and my response is “yes, and your point is…”
You see if it were left up to the practical people, the realists of the world, we’d still be huddled in a cold cave without a fire to warm us. I’m not just a dreamer, oh no: I’m a possibility chick with a plan. You see a designer life is not just about dreaming about it, thinking about it, longing for it, hoping for it, praying for it. A DesignerLife is about intention; the kind of intention that produces action, the kind of action that produces results.
The road less traveled is full of uncertainty, but the other road, the popular one can only take you where you’ve already been. Having an extraordinary life, a life you absolutely love is gonna seem like way too much work to the average person. It’s not going to appeal to the person courting mediocrity. It’s not going to excite the person who is content with waiting for some day, one day. It doesn’t call to the practical or the realist. So if you fall into one of these categories, cover your ears cause this message isn’t for you. I’m talking to the people who caught a glimpse of possibility for their own life, for the sojourners who are ready to unleash their potential out in the real world, and for the people who can’t stand the thought of settling for the default life.
The message I want to bring to you is simple. Your most challenging obstacle is not the present or past circumstances of your life, the things you did or didn’t do, it’s not your age, your gender, your race, it’s not the naysayers or critics or the practical realist who are convinced your dreams and aspirations are a waste of time, oh these are all challenges to be dealt with on their own terms but by far the biggest challenge you will face is your own self doubt, lack of commitment, and fear. Getting over yourself is the single most forwarding action you can take to move toward your own magnificence. I want to ask you for a huge favor and here it is…Get over yourself and just be magnificent.
Robin Harris is a DesignerLife Coach who work with client’s who are ready to live by design; not by default. Contact Robin via web site www.designerlifecoaching.com or by email at robin@designerlifecoaching.com.
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Posted in PR at 12:00 am by admin
How To Get Zero Cost Publicity For Your Business Part 2
By DeAnna Spencer
This is the ending to my previous article, How to get no cost publicity for your business. Some other options include signature files, joint ventures, free for all links, informational articles, webrings, and giveaways.
Signature files are great ways to get free publicity for your business. It’s just a short blurb at the end of your email. It’s not considered spam. Of course, you shouldn’t just send blank emails to people, just so they’ll see your signature file. That might be considered spam to some people.
Joint ventures are also great ways to get free publicity for your business.
Joint ventures are fairly easy to set up. Just find someone who is not in direct competition with you that may benefit from your book, product or service. Ask them if they will promote your product to their list in exchange for a link on your website or an announcement to your list.
Most business owners will agree to such an arrangement as this is a win-win for everyone.
Another way to get free publicity for your business is to join as many webrings related to your business that you can find. Once again, this costs you nothing, and you get new traffic. A good place to find webrings is http://www.webring.com I also host a webring for people that are in the online marketing and advertising business.
You can join it by visiting
http://f.webring.com/hub?ring=marketingandadve .
Also, you can gain free publicity by writing informational articles. My suggestion is that you post these for free and include a resource box at the end of your article with your contact information and a short blurb about the product or service you are trying to promote.
Another source of free publicity is free for all links. A free for all links page is just what it sounds like. Anyone can list their url on this person’s page. The only catch is that some pages may collect an email address from you and send you a lot of emails. I would just put in an email address that I didn’t mind getting a lot of emails at.
Finally, giveaways are an excellent way to get free publicity for your business. You could give away a report, an e-book, or even a coupon for discounted services. These are just a few of the ways that you can get free
publicity for your business. I’m sure your creative minds will come up with some additional ways.
DeAnna Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a successful business by providing affordable administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small business owners. Visit this small business resource today.
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Posted in Ethics at 12:00 am by admin
Business Ethics: The Law of Corporate Karma
By Jeremiah P. Huck
According to the shamanic traditions, the great mystery of being is that all things are alive and have a level of intelligence. This is because all things are a part of the Great Spirit. However, all things also function individually, in thought and action. It is in these individual actions that karma is born. Karmic laws also state that all karma, both good and bad, must also return home…return to sender!
Most of us don’t have a good grasp of group karma. Simply stated, if you agree to be a member of a group situation, you are also agreeing to it’s collective karmic pattern of return. So sooner or later problems at work, in your business or corporate structure will show up at your front door. It’s like you caught the flu from the group…but now your personally ill.
As humanity grows in it’s awareness…it also grows in karmic responsibility. So years ago many industries caused environmental problems, but were not aware of that fact. However, karmic law states all things must return home……….so these industries don’t really exist today…..or operate in a weakened condition [ in the future they will not exist at all].
According to my spirit guides, there is a big push these days too clean up the karma of the global business world. We know from the news that many business institutions, and even very large corporations are in trouble these days..many will not make it through the heavy gate of karmic return. They will fail………….
On the brighter side, Spirit is not against business, but is really pro-business….so now what?The newer business model that is emerging is much more holistic. By agreeing to function more holistically, much less damaging karma developes…..and if you’re really aware of all business levels…very little negative karma developes.
So, if you’re in a corporate or business situation, and things are not really going right…take the time to clear the issues up, before you catch the karmic flu!
Just at the environmental level, many things should be addressed….but just start by keeping your office or work space clean and organized….this helps clear out negative energy patterns.
Taking it one step further…use Feng Shui tools and techniques if you know how. Or buy a book, hire a consultant or use trial and error to solve some of the ongoing issues around you at the job or business.
Jerry publishes an online magazine and newsletter dealing with shamanism and holism as they aply to life and business.
http://www.jeremiahhuck.workzsites.com
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Posted in PR at 12:00 am by admin
How To Get Zero Cost Publicity For Your Business Part 1
By DeAnna Spencer
Would you like to expand the volume of your business? You can let thousands know about your service, your store, or your new product without spending a penny. Whether you want to make more sales or get an offer on television, you can broaden the scope of your clients by free
publicity.
You don’t have to climb a flagpole or hire a dancing bear to get attention.
In fact, with just a telephone, flyers, and some follow up letters, you can be making much more money than you are now.
What product or what business are you involved with that needs more customers? You might have a neighborhood store or you may have
invented something that is difficult to market. Maybe you’ve launched a new web site.
How are you presently getting customers? Maybe you’re advertising in trade journals, magazines, or newspapers. Perhaps you’re doing banner swaps or participating in co-op programs with other ezine publishers.
Perhaps you’re an author, trying to market his or her new book. Or maybe you’re a young comic or an actor trying to establish his/her career.
Regardless of your business or enterprise, whether it is an online or an offline business, free publicity is available for you. Furthermore, you don’t need any special training to do it. Take a look at the variety of options available to you.
What is Publicity?
Before we get into the different types of publicity out there, it would help if we knew what we were talking about. Publicity is making something known to the public, spreading information to the general, local, or national market. It is information with a news value used to attract popular opinion or support. Everybody uses publicity. Politicians, manufacturers, celebrities all use publicity to gain attention and further their causes. Publicity isn’t limited to large organizations. Small committees and enterprises use the local newspapers to publicize events
and endeavors.
Publicity differs from advertising because it is free. Although some organizations trade tickets or services for mention in a particular publication, generally publicity is newsworthy information that a publication produces. Good publicity is one of the best ways of letting people know you have a worthwhile business.
Do your research. Before you begin a publicity campaign, you should know the answer to the following questions:
What is the product or service I am promoting?
What is the radius of the market (local, city, state, country, and world)?
What do the customers want?
Where do the customers go to buy my product?
Are my buyers mostly online or offline?
Where to publicize
Depending on your product or service, you have a full gamut of
possibilities for advertising without paying. Deciding on the type of media is as important as knowing about your product and your customers.
If you want to publicize directly to the general public national
publications, metropolitan newspapers and Sunday supplements are the way to tap into the market.
For a local enterprise – a profitable business, a charity, or community service- the local paper is the best source of free advertising. Don’t go for the big fish first. Start with the local press and then work your way up.
Make it newsworthy
In order to qualify for publication, your story must be newsworthy.
Anything published in the newspapers, magazines, and trade journals must be of importance to its readers.
You may have a new product or product line that can be featured in the magazines.
If not, you need to come up with a unique angle. For example, you may have to come up with fresh ideas for your service.
Or maybe an unusual piece of information in the inventor or business owner’s biography might make an interesting twist.
Formatting tips
Keep the press release to one page. It should be brief and informative.
Write the words For Release in full capital letters at the right. Make sure you include your daytime phone number, address, email address, and website address if you have one. Write a personal letter to the editor.
Be cordial, but keep it short. If you have a product that you can mail, send the editor a sample if he or she agrees to that. Watch the publication and clip the press release when it is published.
DeAnna Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a successful business by providing affordable administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small business owners. Visit this small business resource today.
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Posted in Management at 12:00 am by admin
Executive ESP: A Pathway to Success!
By Jeremiah P. Huck
We all have psychic abilities that we use daily, although most of us don’t even realize that. The full study of this issue would take many books, and years of experience to grasp all the factors. Since we can’t do that here, we can still focus on applying these skills to making informed business decisions. Those of us making constant business choices, effecting staff, ethics , health, and the botton line ,need all the data we can get our hands on. So these tidbits are designed to help you use your natural abitities, and to improve your business situation!
First of all, there are many, many management styles. It is in your best interest to honestly evaluate your personality and your personal approach to making choices and running your business. This gives you a baseline to start from when adding ESP into your operating formula.The ancient Greeks said ” Know Thyself”.
Some of us are very mental in perspective, some emotional, and others more physical. These basic personality factors often don’t change much during our lifetime. We tend to keep processing life from the same angle. When we pick up psychic data from outside this base personality, we tend to ignore it. It’s not comming from our comfort zone.
In the business world, what we ignore can create lost potentials or major problems. What we tune out doesn’t really go away, it just stays out of our awareness. So our business is effected but we never get to know it, it stays in our blind spots.
When working in a group situation this blindness is compensated by others around us, often with different main personality types. They can pick up what we miss. This works fairly well, but……
Frankly, at the executive level you often must make choices by yourself. This leaves you open to your limitations. Sure you can get data, but still the final choice is usually yours. Remember that both your strong and weak functions tend to stay that way for life. So you will tend to always focus on some things while ignoring others.
Opening your natural ESP abilities can present a personal challange. As you pick up data from your comfort zone, well…no problem. But when you get psychic information from your weaker traits, again you will want to tune it out……you will tend to feel it as a stress.
So, if you want to include data from a broad range of psychic information..even beyond your comfort zone, there are many techniques you can use……
Realize that stress can be a sign that you are aware of something that you would rather ignore.Then use stress busters to help you handle that. Try to meditate each day, in a quiet place… and see what happens. If stress kicks up try to breathe through it, so you can stay focused on what you are processing.
It takes great courage to trust your whole self, and all your awareness. Don’t push yourself beyond your limits, but try to broaden your scope, little by little.
The real test is to see if you are willing to apply your ESP gained data into your daily business planning.
Jerry publishes an online magazine dealing with shamanism and holism as they apply to life and business.
http://www.jeremiahhuck.workzsites.com
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Posted in Management at 12:00 am by admin
The Business Shaman: Exploring the Mystery of Success!
By Jeremiah P. Huck
Note: This article was written for a internet business site. It is a promo for my work with the business world. I published it here for anyone who is interested in a shamanic perspective on creating success, in both business and life. If you read between the lines, it will offer you some help when dealing with any challange.
The sound of the drum is strong and steady. It’s cold and damp in the large cave, except near the central fire. There are 40 naked, hairy, human-like creatures in deep celebration. Yet there is fear in the air. The clan is preparing for the next hunt.
The shaman enters and speaks to the group of his dreams, explaining all the dangers the tribe will face tomorrow. The hunters begin to prepare themselves mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The shaman leaves, going into his small,sacred cave to begin the magic ceremony. He must do this to help bring about a successful hunt, and to protect the tribe from what he knows lay ahead. He has seen it all in his visions, he’s an intuitive.
That was a long time ago, or was it? You still need a place to live in, perhaps a cave, but more likely an apartment or house. You still need food to eat, but most likely from the grocery store. So, things have not really changed but just updated.
Today we don’t trade shells for our supplies and services, but money [ and lot of it ]. So we need success in our economic and business life. But like the primal hunter, we need more then just survival, we need a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual approach to help us be fully successful. We also need a good source of intuitive information to guide us through the challanging times.
So things have come full circle as more and more people are living a holistic lifestyle. The health and mental health fields have been shifting towards holism, and for many years I was deeply involved with that. Today, the business world is also changing, you only have to read the newspaper to know that. I have spent the last ten years exploring and testing new, more holistic business approaches that can be applied to day to day operations or towards reaching long term goals. I’ve hosted television programs on these matters, and publish an online magazine dealing with shamanism and holism as it applies to life and business.
Oh yes, I am a real shaman. I bring to my work a strong male intuitive function and all the trimmings of the ancient shamans but with a modern perspective. I am known as the business shaman. I went on line to offer my services to the global business community. I work with all levels and aspects of business and deal with any issue through training, coaching, consulting and intuitive guidance. Generally I work in a partnership with you and your business to create, reorganize or transform.
Jerry publishes an online magazine and newsletter dealing with shamanism and holism as they apply to life and business.
http://www.jeremiahhuck.workzsites.com
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Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by admin
The Art of Knowing When To Say When
By DeAnna Spencer
When running your own business it is important that you develop the wisdom to know when to say when. It’s important to realize that there are actually other things in life that you need to pay attention to.
For example, I know this may come as a surprise to some of you, but you are human and sometimes you need to take breaks to do things like eating and sleeping.
Don’t forget about that family of yours.
They need to see more than the back of your head. After all, didn’t you start this business so you could spend more time with them?
Also, don’t be afraid to give yourself breaks
just to veg out.
It’s really easy to become a victim of information overload
these days. Do some fun things online.
There’s nothing wrong with taking some time out to just play some games or whatever it was you used to do before you started trying to make some money online.
Oh yeah, don’t forget to bathe. 
I know it sounds silly, but sometimes we need to be reminded of such things. If you have to schedule these types of breaks on your computer to remind yourself, then do just that.
Sometimes I amaze myself when I calculate how long I’ve been on the computer at one time.
Get up and stretch. Get outside(unless the smog alert is code orange).
Play with your dog. Play with your cat.
Read something totally non-business related.
I know it sounds hard, but I know you can do it.
You’ll be much more productive when you allow
yourself to take a break.
Okay, break over. Let’s get back to work.
DeAnna Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a successful business by providing affordable administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small business owners. Visit this small business resource today.
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Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by admin
Resume Tips To Take You From SAHM to WAHM
By Kim Bauer
When looking for a telecommuting position, it is very important to have your resume in tip-top
shape. This is often the only thing that a potential employer has to base a hiring decision on
since they most likely will not be interviewing you in person, your resume has to make that
great first impression for you.
When your resume comes across the fax line or is opened in an email, it needs to be presented as
professionally as possible. Besides the obvious typos and misuse of words, your resume needs to be
highly organized and make a great impression as quickly as it reaches your potential employers
hands. With some organizational skills and a little work your resume can be the one that stands
out.
Where should you start, I would suggest starting with a list of your skills. Most people would
probably not start in that manner but I think that it gives you a more positive basis to work from.
When I speak of skills, I don’t just mean how many words you type or that you can operate a hundred programs on your computer. Use skills from volunteering with every organization from the school PTO to your church. You might be surprised when you really stop and think of everything that you learned while being an officer in the PTO or organizing the volunteers for the Little League concession stand. All of these are skills can be effectively used when organizing your resume. Not only do they require leadership and organizational skills but an ability to work
well with others.
Now that you have your skills listed, you should be pretty proud of yourself. Sometimes making
a list of your attributes is the hardest part. We should all know what year we graduated and when
we finally got the nerve to resign from that dreaded 9-5 office position.
Next, I would recommend making a list of all previous positions with your job title as well
as a brief description. Make sure that you use some “key words” that will easily grab the attention
of the eyes scanning your resume. If you don’t have a solid work history , I would recommend a functional resume format. The functional format highlights your skills rather than the time line of your work history.
Remember to see your resume as a marketing tool. On a billboard you only get a few key words to
catch the attention of the traffic speeding by. Your resume needs to serve the same purpose. It
needs to spark the interest of the potential employer so that they will want to know more about you
and your assets. That is how you land the interview.
Kim Bauer is the President and Founder of www.wah-101.com
A Work at home web site that focuses on researching and providing legitimate telecommuting job
leads to her members. Keeping parents with their children physically while providing for them
financially is the goal.
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Posted in Uncategorized at 12:00 am by admin
How You Can Transform Frequent Flyer Miles and Hotel Points They Earn Into Dream Trips of a Lifetime
By Theo Brandt-Sarif
The best free room I ever had? There have been many, but one that comes to mind is the six-night stay my family and I enjoyed at the Park Hyatt in Tokyo. Incredibly, there was no check-in desk. As we entered the hotel, we were ushered straight to our room on the 40th floor by elevator, where we walked through the elegant lobby marveling at the spectacular views over Tokyo. Only after we were situated in our room did a staff person visit us. We signed the necessary paperwork in about 2 minutes—all from the luxury and comfort of the desk in our own room.
The amenities alone made our stay memorable. The huge bathroom greeted us with marble everywhere, while a giant tub invited us to sit, soak, and relax. Not only were the best shampoos, conditioners, and lotions provided each day, but also a new, top-of-the-line hairbrush and nailbrush. We lounged in complimentary silk kimonos and donned thick bathrobes after using the pool and spa—just a quick elevator ride away on the 52nd floor amid a dazzling 360-degree view of Tokyo.
For all of this, we paid absolutely nothing, not even room tax. But, as we all know, there is no such thing as “free.” It actually took 21 paid nights at Hyatt Hotels, using a promotional offer, to earn enough hotel points for that five-night complimentary stay.
But here is the key point: When you accrue hotel points or intend to use some promotion toward free nights, make the most of what they offer! Just as you would use those free nights you earn only at hotels which might otherwise be out of your budget, redeem your frequent flyer miles for the most expensive air tickets in business or first class.
Research consistently shows that almost two-thirds of all redeemed frequent flyer miles are used for free coach class trips within the US or between the US and Canada. This statistic amazes me. Because these awards usually cost 25,000 frequent flyer miles, travelers who cash them in towards domestic leisure trips—for which airfares are unusually low in today’s competitive travel market—receive a poor return on their investment. The savvy traveler can reach almost any domestic destination today in coach class for under $400 using an advance purchase ticket. With low-cost airlines such as America West now offering first class cabins for travel anywhere in the US priced under $1,000 (and frequently matched by the major competing airlines), even premium class is more affordable than ever before. Why not wait until you have accrued 100,000 to 200,000 miles and splurge on one or two premium class tickets for travel abroad?
You may argue that you want to use your frequent flyer miles quickly—before the airlines go out of business. Critics across the board are heralding the demise of all major airlines, and with it the frequent flyer mile programs savvy travelers have come to love—and hate! Countless “travel authorities” wax lyrical in newspapers and journals, and “knowledgeable” pundits on radio and TV continue to warn travelers to use up their miles quickly before they are all worthless. How utterly ridiculous….
With the exception of US Airways, which I believe will disappear from the landscape in the next few months, the majors are here to stay for the time being—so continue to accumulate frequent flyer miles and be ready to book your dream trip one day in the not-too-distant future. Will airline miles be devalued in the future? Of course they will—and so will the greenbacks in your pocket and mutual fund account, but that hasn’t stopped you going out and earning dollars each workday, has it? Get real now—the major airlines will need their frequent flyer programs for many years into the future, not only as a way to communicate with their customers, but also as a source of revenue from the thousands of businesses (banks, mutual funds, restaurants, long distance phone companies—how do we count the ways?) that offer frequent flier miles as rewards to their loyal customers. Your hotel points are even more secure, not least since the major hotel chains have not hemorrhaged money in the same manner as the major airlines. So keep earning those Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and Starwood loyalty points to enjoy the kind of stay I describe in the opening story.
It’s really the exotic destinations—from Tahiti to Paris, Antigua to Rio de Janeiro—that should excite you, the sophisticated world traveler who lusts for the unique, the unusual, the spectacular experiences. Start imagining—and planning—the fabulous trips that will take you to a whole new level of exhilaration. Decide which portion of paradise has the highest priority on your wish list—and figure out the amount of miles you’ll need for one or two or more business or first class tickets to transform your dreams into reality. Then begin working on strategies to start racking up the miles as fast as possible to accelerate your quest toward mileage nirvana.
And bon voyage!
Theo Brandt-Sarif is editor of Lustfortravel.com and co-author of the newly-released book Guerrilla Travel Tactics, Hundreds of Simple Strategies to Save Road Warriors Time and Money. He is a frequent speaker at corporate meetings and national trade association conventions.
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