Tuesday 29 May 2012

Puppy Care: Introducing Puppy to an Older Dog

Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting experience! The puppy is excited, you are excited, but what about your older dog? You remember, the one who has been an only dog for years. It can be done and fairly effortlessly at that.

Dogs, for all their domesticity, still have a pack mentality. You, of course , are the alpha, or head dog. Your older dog will be the beta, or second in command. When bringing a new dog into the pack, your established dog may feel threatened. Be mindful of this. While you do want your newest addition to feel loved and welcomed, you also want your older dog to know that it is still loved very much and its position in the household is secure. There are a variety of things you may do to make this transition from a one dog to a two dog home go smoothly.

Go slowly! This is a brand new place for your puppy and a new situation for your older dog. Don’t rush them into any kind of relationship. Let the puppy explore. Allow them to get acquainted. I would advise here, to stay in close proximity when the dogs are just getting to know each other. Sometimes fights do break out and you won’t want either dog injured.

Spend quality time with each dog separately. This allows you to bond with your puppy and also shows your older dog that it is still an important part of your life. A caution here, don’t spend all of your time with them in separate situations. This may breed jealousy and ill will between dogs.

Play is important. Play with your dogs separately and also have playtime together. Make sure they have plenty of toys and chew toys. Once they begin having fun, it won’t be long until they are playing together and you are the one left out!

Reward good behavior. As mentioned, this is a new situation for both dogs. Reward them with playtime or treats so that they know that they are moving in the right direction.

This all may sound like a lot of work, but it truly isn’t. Once your dogs develop a relationship, your diligence will be awarded with twice the love!


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Nova Science Now : How Smart Are Dogs?

Friday 25 May 2012


Tips To Keep Memory In Tiptop Condition 

Keeping the memory in good condition is a vital part of the brain’s function. Every now and then, our actions greatly depend on a lot of information we retrieve from our memory bank.  Such information can either be short term (such as specific tasks that we have to do) or long term (such as the ability to drive a car or repeat an instruction we read from a book).  While long-term memory may come spontaneously without too much effort when the need arises, short-term memory requires recalling information from the accumulation of things stored in our memory.  This is why you need to keep your memory in great shape to achieve efficiency in your daily endeavors:

·         Keep your attention focused on the needed information to be stored in your memory bank.  Even with distractions around you, stay focused on the subject.  The more concentrated you are on the information, the better the chances of retaining it in your memory.

·         Utilize the most ideal sense or senses when gathering the information.  This is what we call acuity in sensing our environment. Be aware of the color or details of a picture, or the particular sound or smell of the thing involved.  All our bodily senses are attuned to collect information depending on the circumstance at hand.  While our sense of vision may be the most used in gathering information, our senses of hearing, smell, taste, and touch are equally important and helpful in remembering things, situations, and information about something or someone.

·         When you’re not sure that the information you are about to remember would really be retained by your brain, it would be better to write the information.  This could be proven effective especially in gathering very long and tedious information like lecture notes or a personal interview.  Just be sure you don’t forget that you have a note at hand; and of course, don’t misplace the note.

·         Maintain a balance diet.  A well-proportioned diet will result to a conditioned memory.  Oily and sweet foods may cloud the memory.  If you cannot completely eliminate a bad diet, gradually cut down your intake of these memory-inhibiting foods.  Doing it gradually cushions the effect of withdrawal symptoms and you’ll get adjusted to the new lifestyle you are creating.  This is not only beneficial to the memory, but we can say you’re on your way to a healthy life.  Drinking lots of water brings lots of advantages to your overall health, and memory is not an exception.

·         Don’t deprive yourself from enough rest and sleep.  Having enough sleep does not condone laziness; oversleeping does.  So don’t feel guilty resting or sleeping as long as it is not overdone.  You need it badly to keep you revitalized from the tiresome demand of work.

·         Take time to relax.  Breathe deeply if you must.  Keep your thoughts organized before acting on them.  Keep away from stress and anxiety.  It may be impossible to completely eliminate stress since it is part of our challenging generation, but try to keep it down as much as possible.  Stress may bring your memory into its inefficient level. Avoid the habit of saying to yourself that you might forget things, because you’re more likely to if you do so.  This just builds your anxiety level up to its panic mode.

·         Stay positive, creative, and energetic.  Your memory needs to be within a circle of various things.  Things that come in various shapes, sizes, and colors can motivate your creativity.  This is a positive way of discovering your surroundings in all its variations and diversities. Avoid being enclosed within the four walls of your room just like you’re a prisoner.  The only time to be enclosed is when you have to rest or sleep.  Don’t be a couch potato.  There’s a very exciting world out there waiting to improve your memory.

The very best time to improve your memory is between infancy and adolescent.  As we grow old, memory starts to fail.  But a strong memory that we can develop during the prime years of our lives will definitely enhance us to be good thinkers.  This can be done by continuously exercising our memory through reading and other cognitive activities like the habit of solving crossword puzzles.  The more you do these, the better memory retention is developed.

As far as health is concerned, high blood pressure can lead to stroke and heart ailments.  It also results to poor memory retention.  Memory function declines when blood pressure is high.  Researchers have observed that people with normal blood pressure, especially at midlife, have a higher cognitive function. Concentration, decision-making, and remembering functions falter as a result of high blood pressure.  What is healthy for the body is likewise healthy for the memory.

Remember this.

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Thursday 24 May 2012

Psalm 23 Devotional


Psalm 23 Verse 0ne

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Personal! Personal! Personal! That’s what Christianity is.

John 10:4

When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

God wants you close enough to guide you. God wants every part of your life wrapped up in His love.

Some of the terrain God takes us through is rough, but the end result, if we allow Him to guide us, teach us and shepherd us, is completeness.

Colossians 2:10

And you are complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power

I shall not want:

If we learn to hunger and thirst after Christ we won’t need to hunger and thirst after other things.

Matthew 5:6

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Philippians 4:19

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.


Psalm 23 verse two

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

Green Pastures:

God knows the places and purposes that are just right for you; places and purposes that will bring fulfillment and joy. Christ Jesus, your shepherd, knows how to get you there. Develop an ear to hear and courage to follow, step by step, so you can enjoy the green pastures He has prepared for you.

Isaiah 50:4-5

The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.

The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

Still Waters:

Peace is a very valuable commodity. God can give it.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Isaiah 26:3

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Isaiah 55:12

For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.


Psalm 23 verse three

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

The shades of meaning in the word restore are:

Return to the way it should be

Refresh

Relieve

Fix

Pull in again

To give back something lost to the owner

To put back in place i.e.: a king to his position of authority

Thank God He has everything we need to restore us, refresh us and to pull us into the way of righteousness; the path of living right before God by grace.

We can be restored to our place of authority in Christ over all the schemes of the devil to perturb, perplex and destroy our walk with and position in Christ.

Psalm 51:12

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Isaiah 57:18

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners

Isaiah 38:16-20

O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these is the life of my spirit. Oh restore me to health and make me live!

Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness.

The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day; the father makes known to the children your faithfulness.

The LORD will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the LORD.

The width and depth of our restoration is in direct proportion to our hunger for the righteousness of God and our crying out to Him. The word “cry” in the bible contains the following in its meaning.

To call out deeply and sometimes loudly

To earnestly pray, desiring and needing an answer

Matthew 5:6

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Psalm 34:17

When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psalm 56:9

Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me.

Psalm 119:169

Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word!

Once we have seen the restoring work of God’s righteousness in our own lives we can be used as an instrument of righteousness for His names sake to bring restoration to others.

Romans 6:13

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Galatians 6:1

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.


Psalm 23 verse four

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

This whole world is under the shadow of death. Our sins and the devils influence have cast a shadow of spiritual death and darkness over everything; that’s why we need a savior. That’s why Christ is called the light of the world.

Ephesians 2:1-2

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience

John 8:12

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 12:46

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

I have light to see, strength to endure and a life giving faith filled hope in God so no matter the valley, no matter the pull of temptation, no matter the war in my soul and no matter the snare, I don’t need to be stuck but rather I walk through. My sojourn through this world, although there are valleys (some longer than others), can be victorious.

1 Peter 2:11

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

1 Peter 5:10

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Fear no evil, He is with you:

I’ve heard it said “oh that’s not real it’s just an imagined fear”. Well there’s no such thing as an imagined fear. The root of the fear may be based in shadows not reality, but the fear it produces is real. Cry out to God and allow Him to bring the light of life to those roots of fear in you. Keep cutting those roots with the word of God called the sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6:17.

Psalm 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Isaiah 35:4

Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you."

2 Timothy 1:7

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Your Rod, Your Staff, Your Comfort:

The shepherd’s rod is used to guide the flock by easy nudges or if needed for real stubborn sheep to actually take the legs out from under them in order to teach it not to wander into danger. The rod is also used to pull a sheep out from thicket or up out of pits. Another use of the shepherd’s rod is to ward off enemies of the sheep. If we allow our shepherd Jesus to use His rod, which are His word and the Holy Spirit, in our lives then it will bring us to a place of comfort.

The shepherd’s staff is like a walking stick. It’s used to balance and steady the step on rough terrain, up hills and down hills. The staff can be leaned on for stability. The staff is a picture of Jesus bringing balance, steadiness, stability and comfort in our walk with Him.


Psalm 23 Verse Five

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

As we walk this Christian walk we do have enemies trying to thwart, derail and confuse us. The devil has many ways to accomplish this, some are as follows:

Deception – Revelation 12:9

Robs – John 10:10

Hinders – 1 Thessalonians 2:18

Accuses – Revelation 12:10

Ensnares – 2 Timothy 2:26

Lies – John 8:44

Temps – Matthew 4:3

Plus we have other people’s and our own sinful nature to contend with.

But thank God we have a table. At this table is a generous feast of all God has prepared for us; life giving, freedom producing never ending truths. Free will always gives us a choice of what we will partake of, life and blessings or death and curses.

Deuteronomy 30:19

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live

2 Peter 1:3-4

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Yes God does want to shepherd you to a place of closeness with Him; a place of blessings.

Anointing a head with oil in those days was a sign of honor and favor. It was something done for a very distinguished guest. [Judges 9:9, Psalm 92:10, Luke 7:38, 46] It was done at festive occasions as an indication of prosperity and rejoicing. Here in verse 5 of Psalm 23 it states God anoints our heads with oil. It shows us what He thinks of us.

Yes God does want our cups (all of who we are) to run over, overflow and abound with this new life we now can enjoy with Jesus.

John 7:37-38

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"

John 10:7-11

So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.


Psalm 23 Verse Six

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

The mercy of God keeps the door open for the goodness of God in our lives.

The word mercy is very similar to the word grace. It means God’s compassion to us even when we deserve punishment. Mercy and grace gives us free access to the unfailing steadfast love of God to us. We can never do enough to earn it, it’s a free gift, we can only be smart enough to receive it.

Mercy, grace and goodness are things God is rich in and He is always ready to share with us in order to keep our walk with Him abounding in spiritual blessings.

Ephesians 2:4

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us

Ephesians 1:7

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

Romans 2:4 (English standard version)

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Romans 2:4 (contemporary English version)

You surely don't think much of God's wonderful goodness or of his patience and willingness to put up with you. Don't you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him?

God’s goodness to our souls can be experienced in valleys, mountaintops, ups and downs; anywhere, all the time; this we can be certain of without doubt.

Psalm 27:13

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!

Psalm 31:19

Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!

2 Corinthians 1:3 says:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort

Our heavenly Father knows we need mercy everyday because it’s His mercy that enables us to draw close and stay close to Him.

Lamentations 3:22-25

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."

The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

In accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior we have been placed into an eternal position with Christ. We have been placed into the kingdom of God, a kingdom that will never go away, never be overthrown and never diminish; it lasts forever! Forever and ever! Eternal! These are mind boggling concepts, but it’s really real. God is real! Heaven is real! You living forever in heaven is real! This all made possible for us by the mercy, grace and goodness of God to us.

Hebrews 12:28

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe



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Baseball Pitching Changed The Game

One of the most amazing things happened on the way to work. Baseballfarming. com, my website, is sending baseball zingers, nuggets, facts and humorous anecdotes to every baseball player, fan, and anyone standing within sight or earshot of my website.

The game of baseball is pure American with the American ingenuity of taking a thought, a phrase, a game, a habit or even your money and calling it American. Has anyone seen or heard of this game of baseball? I have and I thought I had played the game enough, read many books of its history and followed many heroes of the game but there is so much about which I did not have a clue.

This thing about coming to work. An amazing thing popped into my mind. It was simply this: ”Baseball pitchers throwing underhanded. ” I had heard about it in passing but it really did not sink in with full impact until I began my baseballfarming. com website. Doing my homework, paying close attention to detail, the light finally came on, “Hey those early day baseball playing heroes were really playing a girly game. ”

I’m sorry but I didn’t live back in mid the 19th Century when Alexander Joy Cartwright Jr. and his New York Knickerbocker Baseball Club began to get serious and put down some rules and regulations so we could have a legitimate basis for claiming baseball as being an “American game. ” The thrill of competition was so strong boys, from across towns USA, began to challenge each other and the game grew and grew and just like ’Pinnochio’s Nose” it got bigger and bigger.

So our game had it’s genesis up east around Boston and New York then spread to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Chicago. It could not be contained and was soon recognized as ”America’s Pastime”, this game we call Baseball. ”

The real kicker is that the facts, the statistics and yes, the myths surrounding the game clouded much of the reality of it all. Many of the nitty gritty details are ignored or never really pondered to the point of, “ This is how it is, folks! ”

As I was growing up the boys played baseball and the girls played softball. Do not get me totally wrong. Men and boys also played this game of softball during my era around the time of World War II. Being a boy and with a tendency of being a little bit of a male chauvinist in spirit and environment it was this way, “Boys and baseball, Girls and softball. ”

Before some of these local fellers twice my size and with the muscle to reinforce their feelings take me to task for calling sofball a girly game let me back track some. As a matter of fact Birmingham, Alabama and the Gulf Coast environs of Florida and Alabama during my high school years were World leaders in Softball. Bagget Transportation Company and 7-Up Bottling Company battled toe to toe, year-in year-out, for Softball Supremacy. These were Industrial Corporation sponsored men’s teams and leagues that showcased Hall Of Fame caliber softball playing.

The most significant thing ie, difference between the games evolved around the Pitching. Baseball pitchers threw the ball overhand and softball pitchers threw the ball underhand. Not a big deal but that is simply how the games were played. Along comes dunce me thinking that it had always been that way. Boy was I flabbergasted to learn baseball playing was all underhanded throwing until.?

Remember our great game of baseball started with rules and regulations of play being established by Mr Cartwright and the Knickerbockers Baseball Club well back there in 1845.

The National League was the driving force which propelled major league baseball into an organized sport with strict rules, schedules and as a business venture with controlling interest and motives determining the rules of play. Here is my surprising knowledge: Starting the season of 1884 was the rule change which allowed pitchers to pitch overhand.

Imagine from and even before 1845 until 1884, some thirty-nine (39) years, baseball was played by rules with pitchers throwing underhand. I did not know this little bit of reality. ”Did You? ”

Batter Up----Let’s Play Ball....

Major Wiley B. Channell USMC (retired) talking all about baseball here at http://www.baseballfarming.com. I plan to keep the baseball world of fans players and bystanders loaded up with baseball strategies, training, and winning ideas.

Tuesday 22 May 2012


Strategies To Maximize Time

There is no denying in the truth of the saying, “Time is gold.”

You never seem to get enough of time.  Even if you are given thirty hours in a day, you still won’t be able to get enough of it.  Somehow, some things will come up and you will end up wanting more time.  Time is a precious commodity.  Once it’s gone, it cannot be recovered.

The fact is: when you are busy, time flies swiftly.  But when you are not, time seems to be standing still.  This is true when you are killing time because there is nothing else to do under the circumstances.

How do you maximize the use of your time?  It would be worth your time to consider the following strategies:

1.   Check your schedule at the start of the day.  Review it in its entirety. You may notice that portions of your day may be hectic, while some may not be too frenzied.  Distribute your activities evenly throughout the day.

Keep note pads handy so you can keep track of your schedule.  It also helps to remind you of your tasks and commitments.  Note pads and schedule notebooks help you avoid overlapping of activities.  In case of overlaps, determine which one is priority.

After spreading your schedule for the day and you still feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks to be accomplished, you may have to forego some of them.  Re-schedule other tasks for another day.

What you are actually doing is very much like cleaning a closet.  When your closet is in order, you avoid being accidentally hit on the head by falling objects upon opening its door.  Also, if it is in order, you will likely find spare spaces available.

2.   Request for a re-schedule in advance.  This is especially true when another person will be affected.  Show courtesy by doing this in advance.  This leaves time for the person to adjust to the new schedule.  Who knows? You may be doing the other parties a favor. They may be in the same predicament as you are, and they will not be aware unless you make it known to them.

3.   Be creative. Time is an element where simple creativity can be put to practice.   For example, you need to do the laundry but at the same time, you also have to rush and buy some groceries.  Perhaps, what you can do is to set your washing machine to do the laundry while you step out to the grocers.  Manage your time to the grocery store and back home, just in time when the laundry is done.

You can even do the cooking at the same time by using a slow cooker. It cooks food by itself.  You can even pick up the kids from school after shopping.  Four tasks are combined to one.  All it takes is scheduling and a little creativity.

4.   When you have to do a certain task for the first time, it is natural for mistakes to happen.  However, a first time task doesn’t have to be a blunder.  If there is no clear direction on how things should be done. Take time to plan it out before you take action.  This saves time, energy, and money.

5.   Visualize the possible outcome of your objective.  Seek out alternatives.  Choose the better of two or more alternatives.  If there is only one option, do it just the same.  Some tasks may appear difficult when you think about it, but not necessarily when put into action.  The same thing is true the other way around.

Time is something you could never have enough of.  You become wise when you choose to maximize it.

The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.” – C.S. Lewis

To Success,

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Friday 11 May 2012


Reduce Stress and Be Happy

Anything taken too much is bad for the health.  A little stress is actually good as it could serve to help you function at your best.  However, stress that seems a little too much could take a physical, as well as mental, toll to your body.  Stress should be managed in order for depression or anxiety to be prevented.

So what should you do it then?  The following are tips and advice to help manage stress.

Write it out, schedule it out.

It is best to write down everything that seems to be overwhelming.  You will find a things-to-do-list much easier to manage than having errands all crumpled up in your head.  Writing down tasks, and putting a specific schedule and time to complete them, helps anyone manage activities one chunk at a time.  Crossing out an activity that has already been accomplished is very rewarding and could actually help you feel more relaxed and motivated when doing the other tasks at hand.

One at a time works.

Focus all your attention specifically on one task at one time.  It does not help to feel panicky about the other undone or to-do tasks.  Thinking about them only adds unnecessary stress and could even hamper your efforts to do the task you are attempting to accomplish at present. 

Relax and take it slow.

At least, try not to expend too much energy on activities that are currently not priorities.  This is in order for your energy to be not easily expended on the tasks that are not that important, at least for now.

Delegate, delegate, delegate.

You need not do everything all at once, and you need not do everything on your own.  Ask for help, get help, or pay for help.  When there is a feeling of being overwhelmed that is cropping up, hire someone to mow the lawn or get a sitter for your children.  The feeling of being pressed to finish something on time will somehow be eliminated if tasks are delegated.  It takes a load off unnecessary worry and anxiety.  Moreover, it is easier checking up on how things are, than worrying yourself sick doing everything on your own, all at once.

Give yourself a reward.

You deserve it.  Acknowledging your accomplishments, no matter how big or small, is an effort that is necessary before getting on to the next tasks or activities.  It reduces stress and could even make you happier in doing the next task. 

Give yourself a break.

You need it to be more productive.  A ten to fifteen minute break during your work is necessary.  Go visit a cafĂ© nearby, take a quick brisk walk, or do anything to put your mind off work, at least for a while.  This is necessary to refresh and recharge.  Believe it or not, you can also stay at your work and sit with your eyes closed as you visualize a peaceful landscape or a relaxing scene.  This frees the stress from your muscles and your mind.

Relax and be cool.  Doing so makes you healthier, happier, and a lot more productive. 

"The mind is all that counts. Tou can be what ever you make up your mind to be."
- Robert Collier

Regards and blessings.

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Thursday 3 May 2012

Learn to Set Goals


There are those who are bounded by laws and rules, yet success is too distant for them.  On the other hand, there are those who appear to be easy going people but are successful.  Think you have what it takes to be like them?  Or would you rather do something different to achieve the elusive success?  Take heart and set your goals.

What do goals represent by the way?  These are actually representations of your visions about you and your future.  Goals should be achievable and realistic.  These kinds of goals allow you to put them into practice or at least do some activities that allow you to monitor your progress. However, more is involved in just merely setting realistic goals. Remember that in order to achieve your goals, you must act according to your goals.  Otherwise, all else would be vanity if you do not exert effort in reaching them.  The following will help you set achievable goals:

1.     Enhance your skills in achieving targeted goals by setting objectives, as well as standard and optional activities that will help you meet your goals.

2.     Strategize and take risks in meeting your goals.  Strategic thinking is very important because this will allow you to be productive and focus on the activities according to your goals.

3.     Act in accordance to your goals.  Proper mind setting is very important in achieving your goals.  Take the extra mile.  Try taking risks but never compromise your safety.  Taking risks means that you are ready to learn new things and challenges that will help you in the long run.

On one hand, you may wonder why there is a need for you to set goals if you think you have not failed at all in your endeavors.  Remember that setting goals does not mean that you always fail.  Setting goals means that you are acknowledging your limitations and you are ready to work your way up towards success, professionally or personally.  It is for this reason why objective goals matter.

Moving forward, you also have to consider that there are goals that are just too hard to achieve on your own.  At times, these goals even create conflicts that you might think of surrendering in the long run.  Take heart. Everybody have similar concerns at times.  If this situation occurs and you think that surrendering is the last option, why not look for a partner, a friend maybe who is willing to help you out with your goals?  Collaborate with your prospective partner and learn to prioritize.  If it requires spending time in plotting all the possibilities, both the pros and cons, try it.

Remember that goal setting is focused on your benefits.  So try working things out and focus, focus, and focus.  Minimize or avoid distractions if possible so you can work your goals better.  Work that proper mindset for a clearer vision of you achieving those valuable goals.  If you are vying for promotion in your workplace, it is important that you see yourself already in the position you want.  If you are aiming for a personal or educational goal, make things happen by planning and doing things related to your goals.  You will then realize that goals, no matter how difficult they may appear, are still valuable to consider.  Once your goals are achieved, sweet success knocks on your door commending you for a job well done.

Always ask yourself if your goals contain the 5 W’s being Who (yourself or one of your sub-ordinates), is to do (or must do) What, Where, When and What thereafter.

Go for gold,