by Rachel V. Rae
Stress can be cause by a myriad of reasons; they can be events, situations and things that cause stress. For many of us it is money worries, work and family life issues that cause us the greatest amount of stress. Health is another topic that can cause stress, especially for people that have chronic or painful conditions, medications to buy and testing that needs to be done, as well as the concern about the outcome of the prognosis.
There are many events, situations and things that cause stress. For most of us it is money worries, work and family life issues that cause us the greatest amount of stress. Health is another topic that can cause stress, especially for people that have chronic conditions, medications to buy and testing that needs to be done.
When you are facing stress whether it is acute (short term) or chronic (long term) stress it affects your overall physical and emotional health. Obviously short term stress is not as dangerous if you deal with the situation causing the stress and handle the stress properly. Chronic stress is another story, at first the symptoms that this stress causes may be very mild, but you may find that you are more susceptible to colds.
When you are facing stress whether it is acute (short term) or chronic (long term) stress it affects your overall physical and emotional health. Obviously short term stress is not as dangerous if you deal with the situation causing the stress and handle the stress properly. Chronic stress is another story, at first the symptoms that this stress causes are very mild you will have headaches and you will also find that you are more susceptible to colds.
There are a number of things you can do that can help you deal with stress. Exercise is a wonderful tool for a number of people. Sometimes a good run or a round of aerobics or something else that will get your heart rate up can really help get the tension out of the body.
Exercise is a wonderful tool for a number of people. Sometimes a good run or a round of aerobics or something else that will get your heart rate up can really help get the tension out of the body.
You can also create a gratitude book. Naturally do this when you aren?t stressed and use it when you are. In the gratitude book you are going to write the things in your life that you are thankful for. This can be as simple as the fact you are able to get up and live another day, that you are able to take a breath on your own and so on. Sometimes we just need quiet. Quiet time and deep breathing can also help soothe jangled nerves. Perhaps taking a powerful nap would be very restorative. Turn off the cell phone, music, TV, computer and other noise making items, unwind and unplug!
Listen to soothing music and take a hot bath with a beautifully scented candle. The soothing music will help you calm your mind and the hot bath will help release the tension from your body. The fragrance helps to relax as well.
Get a massage if you can. If you can’t, do a hot foot soak bath for your feet, and run some beautiful scented oils on your feet afterward. Then put your feet up and relax
Spend time with a pet. If you don’t have one, see if you can spend some time with a friend’s, or perhaps consider getting one if you can.
Read a great book and curl up with a cup of tea or cocoa or other favorite hot drink.
Spend time with a pet. If you don’t have one, see if you can spend some time with a friend’s, or perhaps consider getting one if you can.
Call a supportive friend or family member, reach out to someone you love. Many times we isolate and don’t give others the chance to see us vulnerable, when they really do care and would like to show that care at our low points.
Write in a journal, sometimes getting your thoughts and anxieties on paper help diminish the power of those anxieties.
Find a hobby you enjoy if you don’t already have one. Invest in your creative side and if you don’t know of one, set on a journey to discover it. Many times people have hidden talents that are just not yet known. Take a class that interests you to learn.
Dont allow stress ruin your health or your life. Take action today to help you live a more comfortable and less tension filled life.
About the Author:
By Rachel V. Rae A person who likes to seek ideas to diminish
worry and seek methods to cope with stress. Check out her website for more
creative ideas
July 30th, 2008
Posted by
Rachel V. Rae |
Home & Garden |
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by Eric Jilson
Downsizing one’s home or living arrangements has become an increasingly popular choice among families recently, with rising costs and generally troubled and uncertain economic times looming over everyone’s head at present. Not only will you reduce your rent or mortgage payments, but you’ll find that your utilities can be reduced as well. Moving closer to work or to commonly traveled points can also drastically cut your gas consumption and costs.
Mortgage or rent payments are the largest single expense that families have, accounting for as much as 30-50% of a household’s gross income. Scaling back on your living arrangements naturally affords the greatest degree of potential savings. You may even find through selling your old home that you can virtually pay off a smaller one in one fell swoop, cutting out mortgage payments and long term interest rates entirely.
If you’re struggling for disposable income or even just to make ends meet, this is certainly a great option. Sure living in a large space is nice, but for the potential stress it can save and other options it can open up for you, is it really that important to have an extra 1000 square feet? How many of those rooms do you really use? Do you need a basement that big or a yard that big?
Real estate taxes are another major payment that home owners must make, and while these will never go away, whether your home is fully paid or not, a smaller home, and in a potentially less lucrative area can cut those taxes in half or more.
A smaller place will also cut utilities costs. It takes twice the amount of heat or conditioning to warm or cool a house twice as big as another, and these are no small savings. You find that a cheaper, older home may not be as well insulated though, so you may want to look into this immediately upon moving to maximize your potential utilities savings right from the start.
Beyond the actual amount of money saved, investing or using that money for other ventures could increase the savings even more. Even savings of just $1,000 a month being invested into a low risk stock or other source could equal additional income of as much as $15,000 a year. That could equal into quite a few vacations, season tickets, new electronics and other luxuries, just for living in a smaller space.
You’ll also find that there’s less work to do around the house, which the stay at home member of the family will appreciate. Fewer windows to wash, less carpeting to vacuum or flooring to wax etc. will all lead to more time in other pursuits.
That’s not so say this is right for everyone. Some people may find the downsizing difficult after being used to more, may really like the extra space or just the social status that comes along, or that they feel comes along with a bigger or more modern place. If moving to an apartment or condo, you’ll also need to consider whether pets are allowed should you have some, and whether the presence of close neighbors and potential noise will bother you.
It could very well be that one member of the family will approve the idea while others may not, of course they are not having to spend time doing a transfer credit card loan. If this is the case with you, mention all the positives mentioned here plus any more you can thing of, and let them know all the wonderful things you’ll all be able to do with that extra money, and you may not find it so difficult to sway them.
July 30th, 2008
Posted by
Eric Jilson |
Home & Garden |
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by Bryan Perry
Every gardener waits patiently for the time of the year when they can sit and chalk out the plans for the following years garden. It is usually in the winter that such plans need to be made, since summer is the best season for outdoor gardening. But if you think that your green fingers are raring to go and get some activity even in the winter months, you can go for winter indoor gardening. Before you embark upon indoor gardening, you need to have certain things ready. The gardening equipment that you need will need to be selected and ordered for light requirements.
when it comes to gardening, the primary requirement are that of light. One needs to monitor the amount of light coming in. The light, however, must be adequate for all the plants. The basic problem is that during winter, the days are shorter, which means that the amount of light that your plants will get will require very careful monitoring so that every plant gets optimum sunlight. Although many gardeners use incandescent light, high intensity discharge lamps or halogen lights, you must remember that there is nothing better than sunlight. Try to give your plants the best of whatever light is available. For the extra light, you can rely on indoor gardening equipment.
Water Or Earth You can grow your indoor garden in two ways. You can either use soil, that is good old mother earth for the plant or you can use special water that has all the added nutrients in it. The indoor gardening equipment that you will need depends upon the system that you use. In case you want your indoor gardening endeavor to be one that is soil free, you have to go for hydroponics or soil less systems. Although this system is somewhat difficult, especially in comparison to the usual technique, it is not something impossible. There are numerous hydroponics kits available in the market and you can order one whenever you want. For the gardening enthusiast, hydroponics is a very intriguing field and winter is a great time to learn a lot about it and actually put it to practice through indoor gardening.
In case you want to use seeds in your indoor garden and cultivate them in such a way that you can transplant it outdoors later, you can go for jiffy peat cups or seedling starter kits. The best thing about these kits is that they allow you to get through the whole process without creating much of a mess. And when you want, you can take the whole of the peat pot and transfer it outside. There are many individuals who have a great passion for indoor gardening. And there are some who have a fascination for a certain kind of plant.
There are many who like to cultivate cacti while others have a soft corner for all kinds of tropical plants. Whatever your interest is in, you just have to ensure that you start gardening only after doing a certain amount of research on the type of the plant that you want to cultivate.
Every kind of plant needs a special kind of soil for growing and special conditions to thrive. Taking care of the individual needs of the plants is the task of a good gardener. Do your research and then order indoor gardening tools that will help you make your indoor garden resemble the environment that the plants are most comfortable in.
July 30th, 2008
Posted by
Bryan Perry |
Home & Garden |
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by Thomas Griffin
1. Service Businesses: Things you do for others; repairs, cleaning, child care, etc.
2. Products You Sell to Others; Business cards, names, shoes (715-723-1871).
3. Products You Can Make and Sell to Others: handicrafts, ceramics, jewelry.
4. Advertising Representative: sell ad space in publications of others, charge % fee.
5. Alternations, Sewing, Cleaning: Sewing, cleaning, anything to do with clothing and what people wear.
6. Auto Work: Repairs, cleaning, polishing, tune-ups, etc.
7. Baking: Cakes, cookies, candies, etc.
8. Baking, Cooking Classes: Teach people what you know about baking, cooking, etc.
9. Bookkeeping, Accounting: Help others keep their books, accounting (800-223-4542)
10. Broker Services: Offer products and services of others to YOUR customers as a broker.
11. Business Consultant: Help others in running their businesses, guidance,, etc.
12. Business Skills Class: Teach others how to run a business, how to make and save money.
13. Childbirth Classes: teach new parents all they need to know, what to do and how.
14. Closeout and Odd Lot Items:Locate items that are not moving, buy at a discount.
15. Computer Services:Secretarial; services, typing, resumes, reports, manuscripts, etc.
16. Computer Training: Teach people what you know about computers.
17. Craft Instruction: Teach people what you know about craft-making.
18. Dancing Lessons: Aerobic classes;popular dances, teach in your home, etc.
19. Dealerships:Sell programs and plans of others, sell their products, etc.
20. Discount Printing:Contact small printers offer their services to others.
21. Distribution of Flyers, Circulars: Do it by mail for clients, charge a fee.
22. Editing,Advisor:Read manuscripts,reports. Edit them, re-word sections before publications.
23. Equipment Repair:Take in all kinds of appliances and equipment. Service and repair them.
24. Financial Services: Take in all kinds of appliances and equipment. Service and repair them.
25. Freelance Writing:Articles, Dramas, Poems,etc.
26. Garden Goods for Sale: Sell corn,potatoes,flowers,melons, etc.
27. Ghost Writing:Sell your ‘way with words’ to others; help them to get it in print!
28. Gift Ideas, Wrapping:People need help in these areas and will pay for that help.
29. Hair Salon: Washing, Cutting, Styling, Coloring, Perms, etc.
30. Hair and Beauty Classes: Teach make-up techniques, hair styling;cutting,cutting, etc.
31. Hobby, Gift Ideas:There are thousands of different items you can sell.
32. How-to and Money-Making Books/Plans.
33. Import/Export:Learn from the pros;; give it a try; buy low there, sell high here!
34. Issue Your Own Publication or Newsletter: Charge ad rates, Subscriptions, etc.
35. List People for a Fee: Offer to list their name as wanting something, charge a fee; etc.
36. Laundry Service: Washing, Ironing, folding, etc.
37. Locator Service: Locate Jobs, Bargains, sources, discounts, buyers, etc.
Mail Forwarding Service: Offer to forward mail, receive it at you address for others.
39. Mailing List Service: Compile and sell your customer names; rent and sell their names.
40. Mailorder Classes: teach people how to make money; save money; get rich’ etc.
41. Multi-Level Opportunities: It’s possible to make money this way, if you get enough people.
Parties in Your Home: Help others plan and hold them, charge a fee, be a clown, etc.
43. Pet Care: Training, Grooming, Boarding. Pets inn, (800-248-PETS)
44. Phone and Answering Machine: Telephone Soliciting; Answering.
45. Photo Studio in Your Home: If you like photography; have camera; dark room, etc.
46. Piano & Music Instruction: Teach pupils in your home; teach what you know.
47. Plant Care; Rental: Take in plants, care for them. Gardener’s Supply, (802-863-4798)
48. Publicity Service: Help others get the publicity they need, news releases.
49. Publish a Cook Book: Get help from cooks; offer to list their recipes. Charge per book.
50. Reminder Service: Remind people about important dates, events, using cards, phone, etc.
51. Rental Service: If you got it, rent it!. A backyard, a patio, shrubs, tools.
52. Reading, Reviewer: People are too busy to read all they need to; charge them for summary.
53. Researcher: Charge a fee to research a subject; charge for a written report.
54. Scholarship Assistance: Help students get financing. School Services (609-727-1700).
55. Self-Improvement Classes: Teach people what you know about losing weight; etc.
56. Sell By Mail Order: Ad specialties; Booklets; Reports, etc.
57. Sharpening Service: Take in saws, knives to be sharpened, etc.
58. Speaking, Reading, Recording: Sell your talents as speaker, reader, on tapes for the blind.
59. Start a Club: Sell Memberships in it; Charge monthly dues, issue a newsletter, etc.
60. Tapes - Videos: Buy in lots; sell; re-buy; resell.
61. Teach Various Subjects: Classes can be on How to do something, How to stop smoking, etc.
62. Tutoring: In_home Teaching; help students to catch-up[; improve skills, etc.
63. Used whatever Store: Have used items for sale, take in; sell, re-buy, re-sell.
Wedding Planner: Help young couples to plan theirs; what to order, when, etc.
65. Weight Loss Classes: How to lose weight; exercise; Diet, weight loss (313-553-2626).
66. Wholesalers; Sources of Supply: Publishers: Get their names, contact them for info.
67. Woodworking: Carpentry; Antique rebuilding; Repairs.
68. Write and Sell Books and Reports: Type up, copy and sell your own; sell works of others.
69. Yard, garage Sales: Sell what you no longer need or want; people will buy your junk!
July 30th, 2008
Posted by
Thomas Griffin |
Home & Garden |
no comments
by Mary Swanson
Beautiful Japanese Landscape Design
Japanese landscape design includes many low maintenance plants such as evergreens and perennials. There is also lots of rock, gravel and stonework pieces to complete the garden. It should also include a pond or other water feature. The hardest part to maintain would be keeping the evergreens pruned and trimmed in the traditional Japanese method.
Some of the most beautiful Japanese gardens have some type of water feature, which is often a small pond or stream if room allows. Water in this type of garden helps create the overall look and feel of peace and tranquility, making it a vital element. To not only complement the look but to actually make the water more functional, you could consider a Japanese garden bridge.
Japanese Garden Bridge
By adding a Japanese garden bridge you create safe passage through your exotic garden. At the heart of a Japanese garden is harmony with nature. Through the careful use of plants, stones, and water, areas of serene and quiet beauty emerge.
The Japanese garden bridge is typically constructed from wood or stone with a design that fits with the Japanese style. In Japan, these bridges are used to connect a shore with an island or in some cases, even to connect one island with another island. Of course, in a smaller residential Japanese landscape design, the Japanese garden bridge goes along with a strolling garden, again to go over a pond or stream.
Dry Japanese gardens consist of stone arrangements and gravel symbolizing the ocean and islands. It may also include sand that has been carefully raked. Traditionally five large stones will represent the five basic elements…sky, earth, wind, water, and fire. It is very traditional to have stone figures of Buddah or various animals representing longevity, happiness, or peace, etc.
Locating Japanese Garden Supplies
Once you have carfeully planned and drawn out the design of your garden you will need a shopping list of all the components you would like to include in your garden. You can look online and order items or find them locally at a garden supply shop.
Once you have added the bridge, you can look at other Japanese garden supplies to complete the overall look. Again, lanterns, statues, bamboo fences, deer chasers, waterfalls, pebbles, and stepping stones are all common, along with lots of beautiful flowers and plants. If you shop around online or even at your local home and garden center, chances are you will find a wonderful selection without spending a fortune.
July 30th, 2008
Posted by
Mary Swanson |
Home & Garden |
no comments