Food for thought

Our character is forged in the furnace of adversity. In what ways have you been uniquely prepared to serve others?

Prioritize Your Life!

Feeling overwhelmed? I totally understand! Between juggling work and family and dealing with everyday obligations and distractions, life can get a bit chaotic. The best way to handle it all is by prioritizing. Identify what's really important.

When it comes to work-related tasks, this can be fairly simple. Deadlines usually dictate what jobs need to get done now and what tasks aren't as pressing. If you're unsure, ask your supervisor to confirm what your priorities should be. And if you're overloaded, don't be shy about requesting that some of your duties be reassigned.

Home-related priorities are trickier. You want to be as efficient at home as you at work, but you can't do it all! So go easy on the house rules. Instead of rushing to clean dirty dishes immediately after dinner, take some time to sit for a while and chat with your family. Strengthening these relationships is what matters most!

Use your Journal to make note of all the things you'll need to get done that day — or week, if you prefer — then rank each task in order of importance. Stick to accomplishing three things per day. Yes, just three. If you go over that amount, then fantastic! The point is to give yourself a break. Hey, you're only human!

Recession Drives Surge in Youth Runaways

Worth reading ... and watching: Recession prompts a surge in young runaways. http://bit.ly/1NzULf. Video: http://bit.ly/FcqVP

5 Things You Never Knew Your Cell Phone Could Do

Real things your cell phone can do that you didn't know about

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST
Emergency: The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly, this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

SECOND
Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone.

Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object.
You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other 'remote' for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).

Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!'

THIRD
Hidden Battery Power: Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370#. Your cell phone will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell phone next time.

FOURTH
How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone? To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: *#06#.

A 15-digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone is stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use /sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

And Finally....

FIFTH
Free Directory Service for Cells: Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem.

When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800)FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.

Love Your Life: 5 Simple Steps

By RealAge

Being happy takes practice, but the results are well worth the effort!

What really makes you happy?
Mounting obligations and hectic schedules can make it all too easy to lose track. But whether it's the little things in life that make you smile, or the joy of working toward a larger goal, focusing on your happiness each day can help protect your emotional well-being and your physical health.

Follow these simple steps to rediscover your passion for life.

1. Value Your Daily Diversions

When you're adding items to your to-do list, don't forget the good stuff. If you look forward to reading in bed, going out to breakfast, taking long walks, listening to music, or just sitting quietly outside, make time for at least one of your favorite diversions every day.

Consider crossing out pesky items on your list that you keep saying you're going to do but haven't gotten to in over a year, like alphabetizing your bills or organizing your sock drawer. Or get rid of a time-consuming chore that isn't enhancing your life one bit.

2. Build Your Strength and Independence

We all have low-energy days, but if you can resist the urge to skip your daily workout when you’re feeling low, you'll be rewarded both now and later. Try this trick: Tell yourself that you need to do only 10 minutes of exercise. Once you're up and moving (and feeling better) you'll most likely want to finish your workout. Even if you can't push past the 10-minute mark on the occasional bad day, you’ll feel good about doing at least a little something. Sticking with an exercise plan helps you feel good about yourself, strengthens your immune system, and enhances production of mood-boosting hormones.

3. Squash Your Stressors

Defuse daily hassles by practicing stress-reduction strategies. Try taking deep-breathing breaks throughout the day, inhaling through your nose and then exhaling slowly through your mouth. Repeating this action three or four times allows more oxygen to get into your bloodstream, creating a feeling of calm. Progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, and meditation also are effective ways of reducing tension, stress, depression, and anxiety. And a brisk 10-minute walk will do far more to dissipate your stress and lift your spirits than eating the bad-for-you snacks you might crave when feeling frantic.

4. Celebrate and Share Your Skills

Volunteer at a local school, club, or community organization. Not only will sharing your unique talents and expertise benefit others, but research shows that volunteering can make you happier and improve your well-being, too. Feeling engaged and involved in your local community is good for your emotional health. It's also an opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people. Win-win.

5. Appreciate the People Around You

Unwind and share a few laughs with your family or friends at least once or twice each month. The openness and trust you share with the important people in your life can help give you the perspective you need to cope with everyday challenges. These regular connections will also have a positive impact on your health, especially when you share a good laugh. Laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, and releases endorphins that can ease pain.

Also, don't neglect relationships at work. Colleagues and coworkers can provide valuable support and keep your blood pressure under control during stressful situations.

Feeling satisfied and fulfilled with your life is an essential part of your emotional and physical well-being. As you grow to appreciate your time, independence, self-assurance, skills, and relationships, you will be amazed at just how good you feel, both in body and in spirit.

A Cure for All That Annoys

By RealAge

Has the week gotten on your last nerve? Here's a way to turn your mood around tonight. Break out a clever comedy.

Clever is the key here. Researchers say that humor is a very effective way to assuage negative feelings -- if it takes a little mental muscle to figure out the punch line. So grab the Annie Hall DVD, not Dumb and Dumber.

Distraction Action

When researchers set out to see why humor is such a mood booster, they discovered something interesting. Highly demanding stimuli were more effective in tempering bad moods than less demanding stimuli were. In other words, it's the thinking that people do to "get" jokes that helps take their mind off their troubles.

Ways To Save Money During The Recession

One good thing that has come out of the economic recession is that more people are seeing the need to become savers instead of borrowers. It's because the recession has shaken our faith on the economy. People are losing jobs, losing their homes and losing their livelihoods. The old lifestyle of freely borrowing and spending is now seen as highly irresponsible, and a new lifestyle of frugality is encouraged.If you haven't started to save yet, now is the perfect time to start the habit. Here are some ways to save money today.

Stick to Your Budget

If you don't have a budget yet, it's about time you make one. List all your expenses and allocate a maximum amount you can spend on it. Make sure you allot a percentage for emergencies. Having a budget and sticking with it will help cut down your unnecessary expenses and save you from financial hardships.

Cut Down on Food Expenses

This does not mean you should go hungry, it just means you should find ways to reduce your total food costs. There are a lot of creative ways to do this, such as making your own meals at home, buying food supplies in bulk at the grocery store, reducing the frequency of your restaurant visits, and even planting a small vegetable garden at your house.

Pay Off All Consumer Debts

Consumer debt is a borrowing used to buy something (like a car, or groceries) as opposed to a borrowing used to invest or start a business. It is not a secret that most consumer debts, like bank loans and credit cards, have very high interest rates. The best thing to do during a financial recession is to get out of debt. Start using cash only and pay off all your existing consumer debts. If you have more than one consumer debt, cancel the card or loan with the highest interest first.

Build a Savings Account

Even if you're in debt, find ways to save even just a small percentage of your salary every month. Slowly build a savings account equivalent to at least three months of your living expenditures. This will become your emergency backup fund in case you lose your job or get sick. The problem with most Americans today is they're not saving for the future, they're too focused on the present. Go against the flow and protect your tomorrow first for yourself and your family.

Find a Secondary Source of Income

Generate another income stream for yourself. It doesn't matter how small it is, the extra money will surely help to either pay off your existing debts or to add to your savings account. The main problem for employees during a recession is that there is very little job security during these times. The good thing about having a secondary source of income is at the event that you lose your main job, you have a backup source to tide you over. You can take a second job on a part-time or freelance basis. You can also establish a small, start-up business at home. You can sell some of the things that you don't need anymore at a garage sale.

How to Live a Better Life with Less

Post written by Leo Babauta.

I’ve worked for more than 5 years now to simplify my life, and while I’ve discovered the sublime joys of living a simple life, I’ve realized most people don’t get it.

“Why would I want LESS?” they ask themselves. “Less is less fun, harder, monk-like, boring.”

The simple answer: because life can be so much better with less.

That’s hard to believe if you haven’t tried it, but today I am happier than ever. I’m better off financially than ever, now that I’m out of debt and living blissfully debt-free. I am unencumbered by a crapload of stuff, and I have room in my life for what’s truly important: my family, my writing, and my twin loves of reading and running.

The beautiful thing is that you don’t need to earn more money or buy a bigger house or car or have a bigger company in order to have this better life — you need less of all of that. It’s attainable simply by cutting back.

Here’s how to do it — briefly. This will be familiar to long-time readers, but it’s a necessary primer for newer converts.

Do less. Cut back on your workload, on your commitments, on your schedule, on your todo list. Focus on the things that make the highest impact, and drop everything else. You can do this slowly, over time, but do it consciously. The result is you’ll have more room in your life for other things, you’ll be more effective with your time, and you’ll be less stressed out. Read more.

Have less. If you learn that enjoyment of life isn’t having stuff, you’ll be able to let go of it … and declutter. Having a life with a minimal amount of clutter is so enjoyable, so peaceful, it’s hard to describe. It leaves you feeling free, without the stress that comes with an overwhelming amount of stuff, and leaves room in your life for relaxation. Less of a focus on buying stuff means you also have more money, or less debt, or you need to work less in order to live the life you want. Any of those options are good.

Produce less. This is nonsensical to a lot of people — after all, aren’t we all trying to Get Things Done? To Get More Done? Well, that’s the norm, I’ll grant you that — people seem to think that producing grand amounts is great — to write a prodigious amount, to code a prodigious amount, to create a ton of products, to churn out services at an astronomical rate, to have more billable hours than anyone else. Well, that’s fine if you want your life to be all about churning out stuff, but not if you’re concerned about quality, about beauty, about meaning, and about having a life outside of producing. Instead, try producing less — spend more time making better things. Spend more time editing your work down to less, leaving only the most essential parts. Embrace a philosophy that work which is edited down to a minimum is better than volume.

Consume less. This is about how many resources we consume, how much we eat, how much waste we produce from our consumption. Instead of consuming, focus on enjoying what you have, preserving the beauty in what you’ve attained, being content with what’s already around you.

Connect online less. I love connecting with others online. Unfortunately, it consumes our lives if we let it. So if you do a lot of connecting online, through email and web surfing and blog reading and Twittering and Facebooking and what have you … cut back a little. Disconnect from time to time. Read the beta version of my book, Focus.

Connect with others, and your passions, more. Ah, here’s the good part. This is how your life becomes better, not worse, in living a life with less. It’s better because you disconnect from the online world in order to connect with what’s truly important: your loved ones, real people in the real world, and the things you really love doing. You’ve cut things out of your life not just for the sake of cutting, but for the sake of making room for what you’re really passionate about.

Edit, edit. Simplifying isn’t a one-step process of cutting things out. It’s an ongoing process, not only of simplifying but of putting a focus on what’s essential … and then continuing to edit. Think of your life as a work of art, and you as the artist. Come back to it and make it more beautiful by whittling away the unnecessary. Then come back and do it again, and again, until all you’re left with is what’s most beautiful, what’s most essential.

Life can really be better with less, if what’s left is what you love.

The Role of Positive Psychology

Positive psychology is an emerging field recognized by the American Psychological Association, and many experts who design stress-control programs harness its principles.
It focuses on determining and promoting the factors that permit people to thrive.
Rather than search for the roots of unhappiness, research coming out of this field investigates the ingredients of a good life and weighs the effects of traits like optimism, humor, and even eccentricity.

Optimists, for example, tend to do better than pessimists when coping with stressful situations. They are more likely to put a positive spin on stressors, look for ways to make the best of a bad situation, and use problem-solving strategies to tackle difficulties. Some studies indicate that optimists often fare better physically, too.
A long-term study of more than 830 Mayo Clinic patients published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2000 found that those classified as pessimists had a 19% higher risk of mortality over the course of 30 years than those who were optimists.
A 10-year study of 1,300 men based on data drawn from the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study was reported in Psychosomatic Medicine in 2001. It suggested that a sense of optimism may protect older men against developing heart disease.

If you're not a natural optimist, this information could merely fuel your pessimism. Don't let it. Take a deep breath and relax. Evidence suggests avoiding pessimism is more important than boosting optimism.
It's true that there are people with naturally sunny natures, but it's equally true that the way you handle yourself emotionally owes a great deal to nurture. With practice, your current outlook and behaviors can change for the better.

Can't learn without falling

"You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "life." There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a ...part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."

-Cherie Carter-Scott

"Seven Blunders of the World"

1. Wealth without work
2. Pleasure without conscience
3. Knowledge without character
4. Commerce without morality
5. Science without humanity
6. Worship without sacrifice
7. Politics without principle

—Mahatma Gandhi

Belief

"If you believe you can, you probably can. If you believe you won't, you most assuredly won't. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad." -Denis Waitley

A Quote to live by.

"Every decision you make - every decision - is not a decision about what to do. It's a decision about Who You Are. When you see this, when you understand it, everything changes. You begin to see life in a new way. All events, occurrences, and situations turn into opportunities to do what you came here to do."
-Neale Donald Walsch

Do you believe this to be the case?

"The strongest single factor in prosperity consciousness is self-esteem: believing you can do it, believing you deserve it, believing you will get it."
-Jerry Gillies