Pluto Blog http://blogpluto.nireblog.com Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:19:20 +0100 Pluto Blog http://nireblog.com/imagenes/logo.png http://blogpluto.nireblog.com http://nireblog.com "The Little Corporation Who Cried Wolf" Part 3 http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/06/12/the-little-corporation-who-cried-wolf-part-3 http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/06/12/the-little-corporation-who-cried-wolf-part-3 Okay guys, it's time for part three of our plan. Are you ready? Have you made the commitment to re-energizing your staff? Have you followed the action steps and started to create your "dream department."Well, just in case there is a small handful of you who aren't quite up to speed yet, let's do a short review...We started this whole thing with a discussion of how very important your own motivation level is to the success of your department. Unless you are personally upbeat and positive, you cannot expect your staff to be. Your "action steps for success" suggested that you look at working through any issues that are keeping you from being super-motivated. Then it was time for you to make an official commitment to yourself that you were willing to do whatever it takes to get moving on your re-energization plan.Next we looked at the first three components to the plan:1. Communicating your plans to your employees2. Be involved, be visible and be aroundand 3. Clarifying expectations.Did you complete the action steps directed towards achievement of these steps? I hope so 'cause it's time for steps 4 - 6.Component 4Show 'em you care!!Does this sound like a greeting card company slogan? Probably, but that's okay - I'm really not talking about showing 'em you care in a warm, fuzzy kind of way. There are ways you can do this without making them think you are losing your mind. Like listening to them. Think about it - doesn't it carry a ton of weight with you when your boss listens to you without doing fifteen other things at the same time? And what about when he listens and actually uses some of your ideas. Pretty cool, huh? Well, it's the same way for your employees. They want to be heard and understood. And it's up to you to find a way to make the time for this to happen.Another way you can show 'em you care is to be around to help them out when they need it. As we discussed last time, you'll now be spending lots of time in your department which is where you need to be if you are going to be helpful to your employees. Now I'm not saying that you should put on the baby-sitting hat but do offer to pitch in and help when your employees need it. After they recover from the shock, they'll really think it's great.The next way to show them you care is to show them that you are working just as hard, if not harder, than they are. Your employees cannot stand figure-heads, and neither can we, right? So make it obvious to them that you are busting your butt to make things happen. But please try not to be too annoying about it. There is a fine line between letting employees know that you are working really hard and complaining/bragging. You don't want to sound like some kind of whiner,right? So watch it.Component 5Foster a team atmosphereMan, this is a hard one. Employees these days just don't seem to want to join in on the old "team spirit" bandwagon. But if there is some way, any way, that you can enlist your troops, do it. You can start by talking about this concept. In your department meetings tell them that you really want everyone to come together and create a team. Tell them that you expect them to work together and help each other. They'll secretly snicker at first, but after a while they'll start to think about it.And what's the alternative for them? They get on the bandwagon or they get left behind. When you talk about creating an awesome work environment you can tell them how much you want your department to be the best one to work for in the company. Refer to your "team" often.Be sincere and let them know that you mean it and that you're not just blowing smoke. This will give them a bit of a team feeling right there. Then, as you start to implement all of the components, a bit more of a team spirit will start to emerge. For example using some of their ideas will make them feel part of the solution and part of the team. It shows them that you do listen and are capable of being "big" enough to use something that you didn't think of.And try to create some kind of way for them to recognize each other for their good work. For example, you could create some kind of program where they can fill out pre-printed cards to give to each other as recognition for a job well done. The cards would have info such as:Employee Name:Description of Accomplishment:Date:Submitted by:Then, as they fill these out and start giving to them to each other, more of a team spirit will start to emerge. Everyone likes to be told "Good Job." Even when it comes from a co-worker. Have all employees submit their received cards to you and then do a drawing once a month for a day off or a nice prize. This is a cool program and people LOVE it.And certainly give credit where credit is due. Share credit for the accomplishments made by your department. In a big way - in a really vocal way. Let there be no question that you directly attribute the success of your department to them!!Component 6Make it a constant process!This is a must. Yes, this type of employee motivation plan does take lots of time and energy. And it will continue to. But you must commit that this is a way of life for you as a manager. Once you do implement the components and start to utilize them on a consistent basis, they really will become second nature to you. It just takes a while.As you implement your tools, pay attention to what is working and what needs tweaking. Ask your employees for feedback. Remember, you should be doing a LOT of listening from now on. Ask them if they like the employee recognition program in your department. Ask them for ways to make it better and more meaningful. Do they feel that the team spirit is building? Why? What things can you be doing to make it better? Many brains are better than one, so make sure to enlist them in the process!!Never lose sight of your goals for having a super-motivated, productive, happy staff - the envy of the company. Your boss will thank you because of the increased productivity and contribution to the bottom line. And if that weren't enough, your spouse and kids will thank you because running a department like this does wonders to your stress level and quality of your personal life!!!Now go out there and be a STAR!!

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]]> Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:40:49 +0100 "The Little Corporation Who Cried Wolf" Part 2 http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/06/12/the-little-corporation-who-cried-wolf-part-2 http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/06/12/the-little-corporation-who-cried-wolf-part-2 So...are you guys all revved up and ready to go? Are you committed to doing whatever it takes to motivate your staff and create a super-charged, mega-energized department??As we discussed last time, your attitude and motivation level is absolutely critical to the success of your department re-energization plan. This plan just cannot work if you are anything less that 100% committed and motivated to make it happen. It's up to you to model your work ethic and attitude to your staff.Now I'm not saying all of this to put undue pressure on you. I doubt you need any more of that. I'm just trying to over-emphasize it so that you will never lose sight of the importance you play in all of this. On those days that you find yourself discouraged or un-motivated, remind yourself that YOU are the key to your department's success!!!Okay, enough of that, let's get onto the fun stuff. Uh, let me re-phrase that...Let's get onto the stuff. Or should I re-phrase it yet again, perhaps a bit more formally this time...Let us proceed with the discussion of employee motivation techniques which, when implemented consistently over a period of time, will significantly enhance the attitude, motivation levels and therefore productivity of one's staff.Nah, I like let's get onto the stuff better. But what is this stuff? Well, there are six parts to this stuff. So today we'll focus on parts 1 -3, and next issue we'll wrap it up.Stuff 1: Let them know your plans.As you may have heard me say before, communication is KEY. Especially when you are dealing with a situation like our current one. In our situation we are presuming that employees are de-moralized and de-motivated because Senior Management has been less than truthful orcommunicative. It's up to you to assure your staff that you DO believe in telling them the truth and that you plan to keep them in the loop as much as you can.So tell them you are sorry that things have been especially tough and tell them that you are committed to turning things around so that your department can be a functional AND fun place to work.Announce that you are launching a plan to make your department the BEST and ask for their input. Ask them for ideas as to how you can work together to accomplish your goal of creating the "super-department."Make sure to impress upon them that you are totally committed to the effort and that it is NOT just some B.S. cheerleading meeting.Stuff 2 Be involved, be visible and be around.Now more than ever before it's really beneficial for you to be in your department. This shows your staff that you are involved in the daily departmental issues - you're not just a figure-head sitting in your office reading the WSJ.So get out there. Help your employees out. Walk around and ask them how things are going. Be available for questions or consultation. Show them that you are part of the team and are there to help them be successful.And while you're out there, spread good vibes. Don't seem to be walking around just looking for problems (although you do want to keep an eye out for those). Be an upbeat, positive role-model for your employees. They need it!!Stuff 3 Clarify your expectations.To get this ship running smoothly, you'll need to let your crew know exactly what they need to be doing. Now I'm not talking about micro-managing here. You don't need to hover and hand-hold to make sure that things are getting done to your liking. What I do mean is clarifying expectations in a more general manner.Pull out those job descriptions and review them. Are they current? Are your employees performing functions that aren't really even necessary? Since you are spending more time in your department now, it should be easy for you to get a handle on who's spending their time doing what. Again, ask for their input. Ask them about how they see their role in the department and what they feel their most important responsibilities are.Action Steps for SuccessNow that the first three steps, or should I say "stuffs" have been outlined, it's time to make them work for you.In order to let the team in on your department re-energization plans, schedule a really fun meeting. Put on your best "rah, rah team" hat and write up an outline of the things you are going to discuss and the kinds of questions you are going to ask to get people involved. To set the tone, have food and drinks available. But try to do something unusual. Pizza and donuts are so overdone, don't you think? Onto the be involved, be visible and be around piece...it's pretty simple in theory, but when it comes to actually making it happen, it will be harder than you think. To get yourself in the groove, schedule lots of time on your calendar for this. Make yourself do it. It is really important!!Last, but certainly not least and certainly not the most fun, clarifying your expectations of your team. Pretty straightforward this one, but again the kind of a thing you have to force yourself to do. Who wants to review job descriptions, right? Yuck!! But it's got to be done, so just get it over with. You'll be glad when it's over and it's well worth the effort!!Now don't be overwhelmed. Yes, it's a lot of work, but it is sooooooooooo worth it. Your department will start to run more smoothly, productivity will increase, your employees will be happier and YOUR stress level will radically decrease. So whenever you're discouraged about the plan, remember the outcomes.Now go out there and be a STAR!!

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]]> Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:40:31 +0100 "The Little Corporation Who Cried Wolf" Part 1 http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/06/12/the-little-corporation-who-cried-wolf-part-1 http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/06/12/the-little-corporation-who-cried-wolf-part-1 Recently I was working with a client, Bob, on a problem he was experiencing at work. He’s a VP for a high-tech company who has gone through more re-orgs, mergers, acquisitions and other corporate changes than I could possibly begin to remember. But Bob is quite a guy. In fact he’s managed to survive quite nicely through all of the insanity.Bob came to a recent session with a big problem. His troops are getting restless (and unmotivated and disgruntled) because they haven’t received their usual yearly performance increase. It was supposed to happen in January. Oops...It’s true - lots of companies are holding off on raises these days. At least salary freezes are better than layoffs, right? And if this salary freeze stuff is communicated clearly and honestly by company officials, most employees really do understand. They understand what’s going on with our economy. So they get it - times are tough all around. They don’t like it, but they get it.But Bob’s company made a critical error...they cried wolf. And more than once. You see Bob’s company told employees in January that the raises would come in March. And in March officials claimed the raises were coming in May. And in May...you can guess what happened. May came and left - no raises. But the employees did get another empty promise. Just two more months, guys. But alas, it’s November 1 and still no raises.These days the company officials have stopped crying wolf. In fact, they aren’t saying anything at all. First make a bunch of empty promises and then clam up. Brilliant strategy.So what does this stroke of management communication genius mean for Bob? It means that he’s stuck with an apathetic staff who really doesn’t want to work hard for a company run by a bunch of liars.Bob’s problem is a common one - how do you keep your staff motivated when company officials make such bad decisions? Well, it’s really hard! It takes an incredible amount of dedication and hard work to pull it off. But it can be done. It has to be done. And as a manager it’s up to you to re-energize your staff and create a department where communication, teamwork and fun are seamlessly integrated into daily life.And it’s so worth it. Not only does doing this impact your success in your own job and the company’s bottom line, it helps you have an impact on other people’s lives. Just think about the difference your employees will feel going from working for a company that they don’t really trust to working for a manager who is creating a fun, productive fulfilling environment. Big difference, huh?So what’s the plan of attack? Well, it’s a going to be a lot of hard work, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to start off this adventure with a declaration of commitment. I mean there will be times when you just want to throw in the towel and manage your staff like everyone else does. So to ensure that this won’t happen, you must stand firm in your beliefs that your new energized department is worth the effort.Make this commitment to yourself in whatever way is meaningful for you. Some of you need to simply tell yourself that you are committed to doing this. Others may need to write it down or tell a friend. Whatever the case is, make a formal commitment and you’ll have a better chance of sticking to the program.Action Step for SuccessAre you feeling somewhat un-motivated yourself? Work through any issues you may be personally experiencing that are keeping you from committing to this department re-energization plan. Don’t lose sight of the fact that you control your own attitude. No-one else. So choose to get committed to the plan! You’ll be glad you did!Now go out there and be a star!!

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]]> Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:40:13 +0100 Instant Willpower http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/06/05/instant-willpower http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/06/05/instant-willpower We’ve all heard people say “I have a system”. Ever since I was a little girl and watched my mother put together a grocery list, I’ve known -- and used -- the power of systems. Systems help take the frustration out of daily living. They help you do what you WANT to do in an easier, more consistent way. A system practically does the work for you. You don’t have to over-think it, you don’t have to spend time figuring it out. It pulls you forward when you are tired, when you’d probably just throw in the towel and give up. It’s Instant Willpower because it makes things easier.Let me share some simple every day systems that I use to give me Instant Willpower. #1. “Are these dishes clean or dirty?” That was a constant question in my house. I tried the clean/dirty dishwasher sign, but we always forgot to flip it over. Now a small custard dish stays in the dishwasher all the time. When the dishwasher runs, it gets full of water. When someone puts up the dishes, they simply empty the water in the dish, and put it back. Once glace – full or empty – tells you if the dishes are clean or dirty. You already have a lot of systems in your life. Some of your systems work great, others not so well. For example, in college a friend of mine got in a bit over her head, and discovered that she had more money going out than she had coming in. When I asked her how she decided what to pay, she grinned and said that she got them all in a pile, then threw them up toward the ceiling, and whatever stuck, that was what she paid. Considering all the late notices I was seeing, obviously, not a good system. Now that’s a silly example, but I mentioned it in order to stress the point that jst because you currently have a system, doesn’t mean it’s doing what it’s supposed to do. A good system is one that creates an environment that lets you be your best self. #2. I’m never going to enjoy working out. It’s just not my style. Over the years, I’ve tried many different activities, machines, gym memberships, you name it. I really want to exercise because I like the health benefits it gives me, but it’s a challenge for me. It was very easy to talk myself out of going to the gym (I could come up with a million excuses), or even walking to the bedroom to use the expensive piece of equipment I had dirty clothes hanging on (you too?). I began to look for a system that would pull me forward, help me use that machine, help me go to the gym instead of making it far too easy to wimp out.Now, as a caveat, let me say that I 100% believe in making a commitment to yourself and sticking to it. But we’re human, after all. Sometimes we need that external force to help motivate us. I decided to budget some money towards a personal trainer. (I could either buy a new couch, or try out the trainer, and quite simply I made a conscious decision to clean the couch and hire the trainer.) The trainer comes to my home 2 times a week at a predetermined time. I could of course call him and skip my sessions. But he’s paid in advance, he’s ready and willing, and for whatever reason you want to call it, just knowing that he’s scheduled is enough to get me into my tennis shoes and meet him with a smile on my face. He’s my system. He’s my instant willpower. A system set up correctly either pulls your forward to do what you want to do, or sort of “forces” you to do something that may not come very naturally. #3 If you are trying to stop overspending at the mall, and you always use your credit cards, make a conscious effort and simply stop carrying them. That’s a strategy or a system for finding a way to stop spending for things you don’t really need, but may find it difficult to overcome in the moment. Some people have a “24 hour rule”, in which case they never buy unless they sleep on it. In the case of the credit cards, it will at the very least make you go home to get your cards, then return, which will give you time to think about it and make a conscious decision to overspend. Systems work for things that you even love to do, but tend to let get pushed to the side by other more in-your-face things in your life. For example, #4. I love to read, and my type of work demands that I read a lot. But because of that, I found that over the years reading for simple pleasure (mysteries are my choice) had fallen to the side. I joined a local book group, where you show up once a month and discuss a mystery book that the group has decided on. It gives me a target, and makes it easer to do something that I might otherwise let slide. Take a look at your systems. Are they working? Or are you throwing the bills onto the ceiling and seeing what sticks. Try some Instant Willpower!

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]]> Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:46:28 +0100 Being Nice Can Be Hazardous To Your Health http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/06/01/being-nice-can-be-hazardous-to-your-health http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/06/01/being-nice-can-be-hazardous-to-your-health "Mom, what did the doctor say about your liver function
tests?" Martha and her mother Leah spent plenty of time on
the phone the days before the follow-up doctor visit talking
about what this abnormal blood test could mean. With a heavy
sigh Leah said, "Well, the doctor looked like he was having
a hard day, and there were lots of people in the waiting
room and they looked very sick, so I didn’t ask." Martha
said, "If you took care of yourself with just a fraction of
the nurturing you give to everyone else in the whole world,
you would be in great shape."
Leah’s life is guided by two words: "Be nice." In her
perfect day, everyone gets along, she anticipates and meets
the needs of others and goes to sleep knowing she’s a worthy
person because people tell her so. Leah avoids conflict and
she would never dream of making a scene. When she gave the
cashier at the grocery store a $20 bill for a $7 item and
got back $3 she didn’t say a word. Her perfectionism usually
heads off criticism, but sometimes it backfires. She tried
to help her adult son, who said with annoyance, "Mom, stop
being such a people-pleaser." Leah’s darkest fear is that
she will not give enough and wind up all alone, abandoned by
her friends and family.
While being nice sounds like a good idea, there’s a problem.
It doesn’t work. People pleasers often take care of others
at the expense of themselves. Activities that promote
health, like the daily walk and a good night’s sleep are
sacrificed when someone else is in need. Trying to avoid or
ignore conflict and anger is like trying to hold a beach
ball under water. Unexpressed feelings can pop up as
physical ailments, such as heartburn or depression or back
pain. When your value as a person is defined by what other
people think about you, and you don’t measure up, food or
alcohol medicate the emptiness.
If you’re a people-pleaser who gets sick, the same behaviors
that got you to the doctor in the first place may stand in
the way of getting good health care. You might not want to
"trouble your doctor" with your problems. If you have side
effects from a medication, you might simply stop taking the
pills rather than tell your doctor that you want to try a
different medication. A cross look from the front office
staff when you ask for a copy of your medical record may be
all you need to decide that you’re not doing that again.
The bottom line is that being nice can be hazardous to your
health. It erodes your health and impairs your ability to
get better if you’re sick.
I invite you to examine how being nice is working for you.
Serving others offers great rewards. Serving at the expense
of yourself comes with a huge cost that ultimately limits
your ability to serve. You can be freed from the
imprisonment of people-pleasing. If you want to treat
yourself with more love and respect, here are some thoughts.
Re-think being nice.
People-pleasing is a learned behavior that can be unlearned.
Although habits may be deeply engrained, small changes can
make a huge difference. Next time you’re asked to volunteer,
instead of jumping in with a "Yes", say, instead, "I’ll get
back to you on that." You will come to understand that "no"
is a complete sentence, and you can utter the word! If you
can’t imagine doing this, use this "fake it till you make it
trick"...tell yourself that you’re taking care of your
children’s father, your mother’s daughter or your pet’s
owner.
Take care of yourself every day.
Get exercise, nutrition and rest every day. Do something
that recharges your batteries every day no matter what. It’s
a cliché, but when you’re on a plane you’re instructed to
put on your own mask before taking care of others.
Bring an advocate with you to the doctor.
Engaging in acts of self-care, like going to the doctor, can
feel like swimming upstream to a people-pleaser. Being nice
takes the form of being a good patient who doesn’t make
waves.
Here is something critical to remember: You are not there to
take care of your doctor; your doctor is there to take care
of you. In the past you may have made your medical choices
by raising your antennae and tuning into what you think will
make your doctor happy. You certainly want your doctor’s
opinion, and in most cases you will agree with your doctor’s
recommendations. Sometimes getting good care means making
waves, like asking , "What are the other treatment options?"
or requesting a more complete explanation or seeking a
second medical opinion.
While it’s always a good idea to take a second set of
listening ears to a doctor appointment, it’s particularly
important if you’re a people-pleaser. An advocate will
assure that you and your health care team stay focused on
taking care of you.
Accept help.
People-pleasers can give from dawn to dusk, but they rarely
accept help, even when they’re sick. When I ask my patients
who are people-pleasers how it feels to help a friend
struggling with illness, the answer is a broad smile. Then I
remind them that when they accept help, they give their
friends a chance to have those same good feelings.
If you are a people-pleaser, your heart might be racing. I
assure you I’m not asking to give up serving others. I’m
suggesting that a healthy life is a life in balance, and I
encourage you to treat yourself as nicely as you treat
others. When you take care of yourself, you offer us the
gift of most fully who you are. Then you can really serve.
It's more important than ever to take an active role in your
healthcare. The best way to get top-quality, safe and
effective healthcare is to actively and knowledgably
participate.

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]]> Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:42:37 +0100 10 Lessons for Every "Shoestring" Entrepreneur http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/23/10-lessons-for-every-shoestring-entrepreneur http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/23/10-lessons-for-every-shoestring-entrepreneur Starting a business requires adequate capital. However, many entrepreneurs are finding that capital alone is not a guarantee for success. Some businesses start out with millions in the coffers, yet end up in the dumps. While a few businesses with shoestring budgets eventually grow to become extraordinary successes.How can this be? Success in entrepreneurship is not necessarily a contest of having the fattest wallets. Rather, it is an exercise of smart financial management, careful strategic planning, and yes, lots of luck. Successful entrepreneurs know how to stretch and maximize every single dollar.Here are ten ways entrepreneurs on a tight budget can still come out a winner:1. Set realistic goals. The first step every start-up entrepreneur must do is to determine the right scope and size of your business. Many entrepreneurs simply jump into the idea of starting a business, without understanding what the business really entails - financial requirements, management know-how, and technological skills, human resource requirements. They eventually fall short of what they can really do. Review the business you have in mind and determine if it is within a range that's both attainable and desirable.2. Plan your costs properly. A lot of entrepreneurs start a business without the faintest idea of what the costs will be. They either overestimate the cost, or worse, underestimate the financial requirements needed to properly capitalize the business. This is particularly evident in the preparation of financial projections in the business plan. Some entrepreneurs prepare financial projections with numbers that don't square with other sections of the business plan (e.g. marketing section calls for local television advertising yet budget is only $200). Some do not even include a list of assumptions to explain their numbers. From out of the blue, they feel that their business can grow from 20% in the first year to 40% in the second year, without explaining how the increased growth can be achieved.3. Smart financing for your business. Financing a small business is not a lock-stock-and-barrel proposition. For many entrepreneurs, there is no single source to finance their entire operation. The money provided by one source (e.g. your mom) may be enough to buy your raw materials, but you still need money for your working capital. Entrepreneurs need to look at financing as the sum of the parts of their business: what you finance are the individual assets needed for your business. Your question should always be: "What's the best way to finance this asset using the least upfront dollars?" The ideal financing source is one that provides the longest payback period, carry the lowest interest rates, require little or no collateral and demand no personal liability. Alas, that may be fairy tale. The next best thing is to choose what makes the best sense for you and your business, given your priorities4. Put your money where it will bear fruit. Shoestring entrepreneurs have one common characteristic: they lack money and often struggle to raise capital for their businesses. Capital of a start-up venture goes to either of these investments: "fixed assets" (furniture, fixtures, and equipment), or "working assets" (inventory and working capital). Despite the lack of capital, many small business owners put most of their money to buying fancy equipment and chic office space - costs that a struggling start-up can do without. This is a common error in business decision-making. Successful business owners put as much money as possible into the working assets - which bears cash and sales - and as little as possible into fixed assets.5. Is it the right time? Timing can be a key to the success of a start-up. There's a right time and a wrong time to open a business, especially if your business is cyclical in nature or in a seasonal location. The opening of a retail slot in your favorite mall, or your own convenience should not be your reasons for starting a business. Rather, you should plan through the months when the crest for the demand of your product cyclically ends.6. Control the cash. Cash flow is said to be the lifeblood of a small business. And rightly so. Your business will survive only as long as it has the cash to pay for your financial obligations. With limited capital, cash flow controls every decision in shoestring enterprise, and it can be the only way to navigate during your start-up phase. One key rule for entrepreneurs: only when you have adequate cash can you even begin to think of profits. Many businesses fail not because they are undercapitalized, but because they fail to properly plan the undercapitalized operation.7. Push the sales. Building sales depend on several factors - nature of the business, location, level or competition, and intensity of marketing and promotion. The goal of every shoestring entrepreneur must be to build up sales immediately. If you have a bank loan or financed your business through credit card, for example, your creditors will not allow you to delay your payments just because you are still in the process of building up your sales. They want your payment - now! You therefore need to push the marketing of your business, maybe issue a flyer this week, run a one-paragraph ad in the local newspaper the next, send out news briefs and article contributions. The key rule is to dedicate at least two hours of your day to marketing your business. Know the steps you'll take before you open and after you open to maximize sales and help the business to fast sales increases.8. Balance your sales and profit objectives. Sales and profit do not always go together. Some entrepreneurs are willing to cut down their profits in their effort to drive sales up. Oftentimes volume alone will not be able to compensate for the loss in profits. Try to maintain gross profits at least equal to the industry averages. Strive to give the business the best balance between a solid policy of capturing sales without sacrificing needed profit margins.9. Be 'lean and mean'. A struggling start-up does not need dead weights. Keep your fixed costs down, and spend only on items that can sufficiently contribute to improving the bottom line. If you can still adequately operate from your home office, there is little need in leasing an office space in the downtown area. Avoid hiring a permanent employee if you can still make do with temporary and seasonal staffs Every dollar in expense should be directly tied to income: spend a nickel only when you are sure you can get a dime in return.10. Master the financial tools. As a business owner, you are responsible for the life and growth of your business. This entails knowing, not only the marketing or production aspects of your business, but the financial tools you need to manage your business effectively. Understanding the finances of your business will give you control over its direction. Unpalatable it may be to some entrepreneurs, knowing the money part of your business will tell you where you've been, where you're going, and how fast you're getting there. Sure, you can hire bookkeepers and accountants. But you yourself need to understand your cash flow, income, profit and loss statements, and break-even point.

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]]> Fri, 23 May 2008 14:49:12 +0100 10 Basic Steps You Must Do To Profit Online. http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/20/10-basic-steps-you-must-do-to-profit-online http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/20/10-basic-steps-you-must-do-to-profit-online 1. Find a strategic business partner. Look for ones that have the same objective. You can trade leads, share marketing info, sell package deals, etc.
2. Brand your name and business. You can easily do this by just writing articles and submitting them to e-zines or web sites for republishing.
3. Start an auction on your web site. The type of auction could be related to the theme of your site. You'll draw traffic from auctioneers and bidders.
4. Remember to take a little time out of your day or week to brainstorm. New ideas are usually the difference between success and failure.
5. Model other successful business or people. I'm not saying out right copy them, but practice some of the same habits that have made them succeed.
6. Take risks to improve your business. Sometimes businesses don't want to advertise unless it's free, sometimes you have to spend money to get results.
7. Include emotional words in your advertisements. Use ones like love, security, relief, freedom, happy, satisfaction, fun, etc.
8. Ask people online to review your web site. You can use the comments you get to improve your web site or you may turn the reviewer into a customer.
9. Out source part of your workload. You'll save on most employee costs. You could out source your secretarial work, accounting, marketing, etc.
10. Combine a product and service together in a package deal. It could increase your sales. If you're selling a book, offer an hour of consulting with it.

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]]> Tue, 20 May 2008 14:39:32 +0100 Basics Rules of Life Alignment http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/19/basics-rules-of-life-alignment http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/19/basics-rules-of-life-alignment Life alignment is the process of taking out the rough spots and aligning your life with your personal goals, desires, and objectives. It all has to do with your core belief systems and how you must learn to enhance them so that you can once again move forward in your life. The ultimate objective of balance is to define who you are now, and define your values, vision, mission, and goals.
The basic elements of aligning your life are simple. As listed below, they consist of a set of core rules that provide an outline to help you grasp and understand what it is that you want out of life. In the e-book Balancing Act --- Balance Your Life and Grow Beyond Your Current Boundaries!, we step through these rules so that you can have a set course to follow and understand the concepts presented.
* Who Are You: Define and accept yourself and your surroundings, but do not allow your environment, habits, physical issues, or doubt to define you.
* Accept Responsibility: Do not place the burden of success and failures on others and do not destroy someone else for personal gain.
* Take Control: Do not worry about those things that are out of your control, instead, take responsibility for your life and for things that you can control.
* Obtaining Power: Do not see things as impossible only because you cannot accomplish them immediately. Determine why it appears to be impossible and figure out how to accomplish it.
* Organize Your Life: Define and eliminate false hope and desires. Let go of things that are of little consequence in your life.
* Plan Your Journey: Learn to change and adjust to move along your path toward your new destinations. Never stop looking ahead and never stop learning. Education reduces fear of failure and of the vast unknown.
* Take Action: Reward yourself and live life to the fullest.
Aligning your life involves the organization and management of priorities. It is the elimination of things that are no longer of any use and the alignment of essential items so that they are of greater use to you in your pursuit of your goals. Aligning your life means setting a vision and putting everything in motion to reach that vision.
However, an aligned life is never set in stone. Life alignment is a continual, interactive process. As you move forward in life, you will grow and experience new things. As you grow, your ultimate vision changes, as will your alignment processes and the plans necessary to achieve personal fulfillment.

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]]> Mon, 19 May 2008 06:34:32 +0100 Benefits Of Drinking Herbal Teas http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/14/benefits-of-drinking-herbal-teas http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/14/benefits-of-drinking-herbal-teas Herbal teas have long been known to have medicinal benefits as well as being tasty to drink! Some of my favorite teas are chamomile tea, jasmine tea and ginger tea. Each of these has a distinctive taste as well as health benefit.
Chamomile tea is a favorite herbal tea that many use if they have trouble sleeping. It has natural sedative, antiinflamatory and antispasmodic properties so is also good for cramps. Due to it’s calming benefits it is often used to help relieve anxiety. It is rich in essential oil and can help the digestive system function properly. Chamomile is also very good for your skin and you can wet a cloth in the tea and use it as a skin cleanser or compress.
Jasmine tea is a combination of green tea leaves and jasmine flowers. It has a lovely jasmine scent and flabor with all the wonderful antioxidant properties of the green tea. Jasmine tea has long been used for it’s relaxing and warming qualities and is also soothing to the digestive system. This tea also may help lower cholesterol according to recent studies and may even help with longevity.
Ginger tea has powerful medicinal properties. It is reputed to be a aphrodisiac and can help freshen your breath! It has anti fungal and anti spasmodic properties and can help sooth stomach upset by neutralizing acids and aiding digestion. Ginger is also reputed to help relieve nausea, motion sickness, dizziness, flatulence and even help to ease muscle pain.
To properly make herbal tea, use 1 tea bag per person or, if you are making it from the dried herbs, use 1 teaspoon of the herb. Add boiling water to the herb mixture and let sit for 5 minutes. Don’t let it sit for too long or it will start to taste bitter. Don’t drink it too soon or the herb won’t have imparted it’s flavor into the water enough. Typically herbal teas are taken “black” but you could add a little milk or some sugar or honey to taste if you like.

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]]> Wed, 14 May 2008 13:34:34 +0100 Banishing Hannibal Lecter Personalities From Your Life http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/12/banishing-hannibal-lecter-personalities-from-your-life http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/12/banishing-hannibal-lecter-personalities-from-your-life We all know them. We all have somebody like them at our workplace. Some of us have them as our neighbor. Some are related to them. Gosh - some poor souls even live with them. So who are these people I speak of?
What I am talking about are the Hannibal Lecters of society. Toxic people.
Toxic people enjoy telling you every reason why you can't or shouldn't do something. Tell them an idea and they will tell you it's no good. They hope that you won't achieve more than they can and really don't want you to succeed. They whine, they complain, they spread rumors, they are prone to ugly moods - a thundercloud follows their every move. They are the doomsayers. I'll bet you already have someone like this in mind as you read these very words.
Unlike the Hannibal Lecter of "Silence of the Lambs" fame, toxic people are not trying to eat your flesh. No. Toxic people want to consume other things - your confidence, your self-esteem, your dreams, your ambitions, your goals, your desires. I think you get the picture.
The best thing you can do if you find yourself in the presence of one of these people is to run, hide, make other plans. Just get away from them as fast as you can. The least amount of time you spend with them the better.
Toxic people will attempt to indoctrinate you with huge amounts of negative input in a very short space of time, so it is imperative that you limit your time with them. They are easy to recognize. Their language gives them away. Every time they open their mouth out comes a litany of everything that is wrong with them, you, the world and other people.
Recognizing positive and negative personality traits is one of the skills of personal development. Many excellent books exist on this subject but there are none better than "Personality Plus" written by Florence Littauer.
In her book, Florence Littauer defines personality traits. In it you will learn how to get along with the four main personality types, and the multiple combinations of them. I have had the privilege of hearing Florence speak and she is a truly gifted author and presenter.
By understanding your own personality traits and those of other people you will enhance your ability to get along with those who are important to you. If you are a Human Resource Officer, a General Manager, a salesperson, or just somebody who likes to get along with other people, what would this skill be worth to you?
Guard yourself against the Hannibal Lecter's of this world. Your life will be so much more fulfilling without their destructive influence.
About the author: Gary Simpson is the Course Co-ordinator for the "Life, Journey, Destiny - Personal Development Home Study Course" and the author of "How to Stop Wasting Your Life and Start Getting What You Want". His email address is budo@iinet.net.au. The website containing this article and others is located at Motivation & Self Esteem for Success.
[If you like this article and would like to use it on your own website or ezine you may do so ONLY if the article is not changed in any way and the final paragraph: "About the author", with all links intact, is included.]

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]]> Mon, 12 May 2008 14:36:15 +0100 Not Making Any Progress? Write It Down http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/10/not-making-any-progress-write-it-down http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/10/not-making-any-progress-write-it-down Not Making Any Progress? Write It Down.



By Ken Leonard Jr.

©2002 KLJ Online



Do you have a problem getting things done? Write it down.

Can't find time to build your business? Write it down.

Are you in a rut, not making any progress? Write it down.


So, you have an idea of what you want to do, but you
need help actually getting started, right? Making a habit of
regularly writing down your goals will allow you to achieve
your "ideas".


Start by using a "to-do list" daily. As you scratch off each
completed task, you are making progress. This feels great, and
will create much needed momentum for your home-based business.


Each Sunday, draw up a "plan of action" for the coming week.
Prioritize this list to get the most important tasks done
early in the week. This way, as your week progresses, you are
on a "down-hill glide" instead of an "up-hill climb".


Next is setting your monthly goals. In the last week of every
month, establish your plan for the month ahead, and be
realistic. Don't set such lofty goals that you can't
accomplish anything. Start small and grow over time. At the
end of the month, re-evaluate your plan for that month. If you
didn't reach many goals, set lower goals, and reach those. If
you reached all or most of last months goals, set higher levels
for the coming month's plan.


Quarterly goal plans will help you to semi-regularly
re-evaluate your situation. This will show you which areas
need work, and which tasks are getting done.


The supreme motivating factors for your home business are
included in your long-range goals. This is "the big picture",
your vision of what you want your business to be. This is
the reason for doing everything.


Think Big. You can accomplish anything with the right plan
in place. Setting and reaching your goals boosts your confidence
greatly. This is essential for your business to grow and
succeed in the long term.


Don't sell yourself short. Write it down!

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]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 06:05:29 +0100 Career Goals and Stress http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/07/career-goals-and-stress http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/07/career-goals-and-stress Career Goals and Stress:
How to Achieve Goals and Maintain Your Sanity
Deborah R. Brown, MBA, MSW
____________________________________________________________________________
"Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time."
Max Ehrmann
"Desiderata"
When it comes to career success, direction and focus are crucial. But beyond direction, how effective is it to have goals?
Requirements for Effective Goal-Setting
Much has been researched and written about the effectiveness of goal setting.
The findings say that :
ï‚· Difficult goals lead to higher performance than easy goals.
ï‚· Difficult goals lead to higher performance than "do your best" goals.
ï‚· Setting specific goals results in more precise performance than setting "do your best" goals.
Just having the goal is not enough. You must develop a strategy to make it happen. What are the activities you need to perform everyday? Plan those activities, but also stay alert and open to new ways to achieve your goals as they present themselves.
There are three critical requirements that dictate how well goal setting will work:
ï‚· Commitment to your goals.
ï‚· Periodically reviewing where you stand regarding goal achievement (getting feedback).
ï‚· Belief that you can achieve your goals (self-confidence and self-efficacy).
You need to genuinely desire the goals you set. If you don't like your job and don't want to be there, then it is difficult to be committed. It's also crucial that you believe that you can achieve the goals you set for yourself.
Stress and Goal Setting
Goals create striving which results in more stress. So how do you deal with this stress?
Since I am notoriously poor at pacing myself, I created a structure to help me with this process. My plan includes eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, but also not scheduling clients on Fridays. I never work past 8 p.m. I plan vacations and weekends away, and schedule social events with friends at least once per week. Part of my stress management program also involves not over-booking myself with social activities so that I have time to retreat for rest and recuperation.
As I approached graduation from college many years ago, I wrote a poem about goal setting which I titled, "My Brook and I."
I remember the brook
streaming though the woods;
spending hours around it,
building forts, wiping the mud off me with skunk cabbage.
I remember the brook on sunny days;
Water babbling over stones and rocks, pieces of wood;
making the water ripple the way it did.
I wondered what happened to the brook
traveling away from my yard.
I had a goal for my brook
to flow to the ocean...but then what?
I see goals for myself
thwarted, rearranged, fulfilled.
But the goal for my brook;
What happened to it?
Deepak Chopra, in The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, says that if we want to have a successful career, we should first center ourselves and then release our intentions (our career goals) to the universe. We should not be attached to the way these goals develop, or to the exact outcome, but leave the details to the universe. We can get the same results through effort and trying, he says, but the result is stress, which can lead to heart attacks and other physical illnesses.
Sometimes we focus more on our unhappiness with our present situation, than on what we want to achieve. Chopra says that we should accept where we are now, be fully present in the moment and concentrate on our deepest intentions (goals).
Goals should be difficult, but achievable with persistent effort. Goals that are too extreme, such as doubling your income in one year, can only discourage you.
Goals work because you persist and focus your efforts in a specific direction.
Without that direction, we can find ourselves floating through our lives, more at the mercy of outside forces that are not devoted to our welfare or success. But we can manage our goals in a way that does not create undo stress by not being attached to the exact way they are achieved.
Having set goals the brook and I
build toward them.
The brook unable to know...
about a pipe in the ground, a seeping marsh, a dam.
Myself not knowing the course I will follow.
Knowing what I want,
yet finding it hard to grasp.
I remember years of competition, of struggle, of acceptance.
Then discovering what is real, important;
myself, my friends, expression;
a soft kitten purring on my lap;
peace.
Being more than a doctor, a lawyer.
Knowing comfort, relaxation.
Being myself.
Approaching the completion of one goal,
I set new ones.
But fulfilling them means going away, sorrow.
Like the brook moves on, streams to the river...
the ocean.
Saying goodbye to familiar things,
friends.
Facing a reoccurrence of similar past memories,
painful.
Conclusion
In my business I set performance goals for myself every year. I also set goals for relationships, finances, home, physical and mental health, as well as spiritual development. I can attest to the fact that the more specific the goal, and the more frequently I review that goal and focus on it, the more likely I am to meet that goal. It helps to write down your goals, read through them periodically, visualize them and keep a picture journal that represents the achievement of those goals. But it also helps to listen to the feedback from the universe, and make adjustments to those goals when necessary. We should have a career plan, but be flexible with how it unfolds.
I know a word...self-fulfillment.
Being vulnerable, can I take chances?
Being strong, grinding ahead through disappointments.
Being weak, letting go of crippled goals.
Like a brook who misses the river,
finding another happiness.
Being motivated, seeking what I am after,
But not too aggressive.
Being easy, tension-free.
Making it through the insecurity
Like cool water in a brook;
not knowing what will come.
Traveling through the seasons of time.
Molding myself to the environment like the brook
makes its path through nature.
Sliding over any obstacles
the brook continues over rocks, pieces of wood.
Freezing in the rough, cold spots;
melting in the warm.
Praying for a map free of dams to follow
in a steady, unchartered progression.
My brook and I.

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]]> Wed, 07 May 2008 14:45:44 +0100 But I Bought All The Books And Tapes, And I’m Still Unhappy! http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/07/but-i-bought-all-the-books-and-tapes-and-i%e2%80%99m-still-unhappy http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/07/but-i-bought-all-the-books-and-tapes-and-i%e2%80%99m-still-unhappy I love this quote by Zig Ziglar, and think it’s a perfect introduction to this article:
“People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing- that's why we recommend it daily.”
The same thing can be said for all the different techniques that lead to happiness.
Often you will hear people say,
“I tried affirmations, and they didn’t work.”
“I tried NLP, and it didn’t work.”
“I tried subliminal programming, and it didn’t work.”
“I tried (insert any other technique), and it didn’t work.”
Well, the reason is NOT that the techniques are faulty. Every technique has had some success. And every technique has had some failures. There is no holy grail, magical technique, guaranteed to work for everyone. Why is this?
Quite simply, we’re all different.
In my search for happiness, I tried many things. Some I can relate to, others I can’t. Some I didn’t even try. My scepticism ruled out subliminal programming, right from the start. That doesn’t mean it won’t work for others who are open to trying it. In fact, some people swear by it.
So don’t be stressed if you try something and it’s not a good “fit”. Accept we’re all different, take the positives out of the experience, and move on and try something else.
Here are a few pointers though in how to find “what works” for you:
(1) Firstly, understand that these techniques are not a direct cause of happiness. If they were, then everyone who used them would achieve happiness. These techniques are an indirect cause of happiness, with another step in the middle.
There is one, and only one, direct cause of happiness. And that is for you to change your thought process.
Happiness comes from positive thoughts. EVERYONE who focuses on the positive side of their life, with gratitude for what they have now, IS HAPPY!
And everyone who focuses on the negatives, and worries about their future, or lives regretting their past, IS UNHAPPY.
It’s as simple as that.
So what we’re looking for is a technique (or bunch of techniques) that simply help us focus on the positives in our life, right here and right now. If you try something and it doesn’t effectively focus your thoughts on the positives, don’t worry about it. Find something else that does.
(2) Make sure you use the technique properly. Some like meditation take many years to completely master (of course there are great benefits along the way). Others are quite simple. Whatever technique you try, research it completely, and consider seeking a teacher, coach or mentor.
(3) As Zig Ziglar said, use the process continually. You are aiming to replace any negative thoughts with positives. Doing it once doesn’t guarantee positive thoughts forever, for the rest of your life. You need to make this a continual process.
However like riding a bike, or driving a car, with practice it will become automatic. Your subconscious will take over much of the process, and you will be well on your way to the lifetime of happiness that you so richly deserve.
(4) Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. What works one time may not be the best answer next time. My favourite restaurant at the moment is called Base Camp. It’s a Nepalese Restaurant just down the road from us here in Melbourne. But that doesn’t mean I always eat there when I go out for dinner. Sometimes we eat Italian. Sometimes we might feel like Thai.
As I said earlier, I tried many things in my search for happiness. Some worked for me and some didn’t. I found my answer in a combination of many techniques. I personally love affirmations. But at other times I get more value out of EFT. I have a morning routine of manifesting visualisation and meditation. I have an evening (before bed) routine based around the expression of gratitude.
Find a whole truckload of ways to make you feel happy. And use them all at the appropriate time.
There is no holy grail, magical technique, guaranteed to work for everyone. So stop looking for it. Try something. Use it properly, and consistently. And if you get great results, keep using it. If you don’t get results, move on to something else.

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]]> Wed, 07 May 2008 14:45:10 +0100 Finding True Happiness http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/04/finding-true-happiness http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/05/04/finding-true-happiness There are four sources from which we can experience true divine contentment. Contentment, as defined in part one, is a plateau of the Christian life that every believer must reach in order to be fulfilled spiritually, mentally and emotionally. That being said, let’s look at these four sources of divine contentment in which are sure to provide ways to reach a state of fulfillment.John 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Source #1 - When we see God as our FatherWe cannot reach a state of divine contentment until we know and understand inexplicably who our Father truly is. Not knowing who our Father is will leave us in darkness. We will not be able to discern His voice from all of the other voices that are trying to be influences in our lives. Our Father God wants us to call Him Daddy, Abba, Father. Some of us may have earthly, biological fathers, and a number of us have never met our biological fathers, nor even know where he can be found. But our Father in heaven wants us to know that He is there when we call. Our Father God wants us to commune with Him as if He were the only father that we’ve ever known. He wants to be there for us in all of our situations and circumstances. He longs for an eternal dialog with us.John 15:10-11 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. Source # 2 - Live by the Word of GodKnowing the voice of God is critical in the days that we live in because there are many false prophets, pastors and teachers that are leading God’s sheep down wrong paths. This is due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of the Word of God. We must possess logos (literal word) and the rhema (revealed word) Word of God in our inner man to be able to persevere. We must abide in God’s Word daily, consistently and with passion.Having His commandments etched onto our hearts is what our Father God longs for. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of having God’s commandments etched onto the heart. It is through the keeping of the commandments of God that we experience the love of God and the presence of God. Abiding in God’s love is our purpose. To accomplish this, keeping the commandments of God is mandatory. The most beautiful part about this passage is in verse 11. After keeping the commandments, and after abiding in the love of God, then, and only then, will the joy of the Holy Spirit dwell within us. Joy is the end result of our obedience and our abiding in the love of God. Joy is our reward for staying steadfast and unmovable in the things of God. Joy is our source of contentment and happiness.Romans 8:28-29 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Source #3 - Be who we are born to beIt was no accident that we fell into the arms of our Father God and came into the knowledge of His Son. Many people struggle with their attempted relationship with God because they were not called. For those who are called to the knowledge and understanding of who God is and what Jesus Christ has already done for us, there is a divine purpose behind the call. The purpose of the call is to raise up a group of dedicated individuals who would press into the things of the kingdom of God, magnify the kingdom of God, and do the will and work of the Father. God called us from birth to be His foot soldiers on earth to establish His kingdom. God knew us before our birth, and predestinated us to be His, and His alone. But not only has He pre-chosen us before our birth, but he wants us to be mirror images of His Son. Jesus Christ is our big brother, according to verse 29 - “…that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” We are the brethren. So if he is to be the firstborn of many brethren, that makes us His little brothers and sisters. II Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is in the place of beholding the glory of the Lord that we are transformed into His image. Being in the persistent presence of God is what we should desire. We are a product of our environment. If our environment consists of violence and murder, our children will be influence by the spirit of violence and murder and there will be a good chance that they will fall into the snare of violence or murder. The same thing is the case with an environment of holiness and sanctification. If our children grow up in an environment that fears the Lord, and is clean, righteous and holy, then our children will be influenced by these things and therefore grow up to be fearful of the Lord, clean at heart and mind, righteous in the eyes of God and man - holy and separated unto God.Being in the presence of God changes us overtime. It is the consistent purging by the water of the Word of God that cleanses, purifies our spirit, and transforms us into the likeness of God. But we must understand that this transformation is usually not something that happens overnight. Persistency and consistency is the key to being taken from glory to glory. The Spirit of the Lord purges us by stripping layers of ungodliness, one at a time. With each level of glory that we come into, a layer of ungodliness is shed. Continued pressing into the glory of God allows the stripping of our old man (flesh, sin) so that the new man (Christ) that has been supplied by the Spirit of the Lord will be able to show and do His work - being a reflection of the anointing of God, the oil of joy that he wants to pour into our lives.Adam and Eve forgot who they were in God. They forgot that they were made in the image and likeness of God. Sin and disobedience led to the lack of knowledge of who they were in God. The same thing happens to us. Sin and disobedience places a barrier in front of our eyes. This barrier of sin blocks our vision of the image of God, and then we forget who we are in Christ and how we are to be like Christ. We must always keep God in remembrance so that His glory will continue to shine upon us and change us into His image.Mark 8:14-21 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselves saying, it is because we have no bread. 17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? Perceive ye not yet, neither understand? Have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? And having ears, hear ye not? And do ye not remember? 19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. 21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? Source #4 - To remember what God has already doneBrothers and sisters in Christ, it is the testimony of what God has already done in our lives that will allow us to always remember that God is able in all circumstances and situations. It is in remembering how we were delivered and set free from past bondages and pitfalls that increases our faithfulness in God and our belief in His Word. In Mark 8, Jesus fed the multitude with only two fish and five loaves of bread. This miracle was seen by the masses, including the disciples with a front row seat! And yet, only a few verses later in the same chapter, they had already forgotten what God had done for the people. A miracle, sign and wonder that was done in their presence had been forgotten in so short a period of time. We are guilty of this also! We become so consumed with our problems that we forget about the miraculous power of our Lord, Jesus Christ! He wants us to remember what He has done for us in times past. We must always carry a testimony of how good God has been to us in the past and how he has delivered us from the snares and traps of the enemy. It is Satan that wants to erase our minds of the goodness of God. Satan longs to trap us in sin so that we are incapable of recalling our testimonies of what God has done for us. A lot of us are probably still living because of the grace of God, and His grace alone. Let us not forget who we are in Christ, and how he has set us free from the captivity and bondage of sin.In closing, these four sources of divine contentment - 1) seeing God as our Father, 2) Living by the Word of God, 3) Being who we are born to be, and 4) remembering what God has already done, will allow us to experience the fullness of God. This fullness encompasses all that God wants us to possess in His kingdom. Joy is a possession in the kingdom of God. Happiness is a benefactor of that joy.Lets make it a priority in our lives to strive for happiness by seeking the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is the result of the kingdom of God becoming our environment. Our environment will be permanently changed by these four sources of divine contentment. Be content in the Lord! Be happy! Be filled with joy, in Jesus name!

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]]> Sun, 04 May 2008 04:34:41 +0100 Being Independent, Not Keeping Down with the Joneses http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/04/24/being-independent-not-keeping-down-with-the-joneses http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/04/24/being-independent-not-keeping-down-with-the-joneses Most of us are fortunate enough to live in places where we’re free to choose how we live. What we think, what we do for a living, how we spend our time – for the most part, we choose all of those for ourselves.
“Independence” can refer to so many things. When we talk about our prosperity, what do we want to be independent of? From what must we declare our freedom?
Here’s a big one: independence from the limitations of the opinions of others. Many of us feel the conscious or unconscious need to live up – or down – to the expectations of others.
We’re playing roles in our families that we’re reluctant to break out of. Maybe our parents set parameters for our lives – big ones or small ones – and we’re afraid to burst through those boundaries and “disappoint” them.
We’re uncomfortable if we rise above our current peer group. That’s not just because we want to fit in, but also because our peers make us feel uncomfortable if we don’t. Many of the people who are in the same situation we are don’t want us to break out of it. If we do, it reminds them that they could too, if they wanted to. But they haven’t made the decision to do what it would take, and that’s not a good feeling. Even if they don’t actively hold us back, they don’t encourage us to break the mold.
I’ve heard it said that where you’ll be in five years can be predicted by looking at the five people you spend most of your time with. Why would that be? Because that’s the mindset you build around yourself. That’s the energy you spend your time in. If you consistently surround yourself with people in the same circumstances you’re in, you’re not in an environment that will help you generate new ideas that would move you beyond. And if you do come up with these ideas, you’re not supported in developing and pursuing them.
In his highly motivating book “Prosperity”, Charles Fillmore writes:
There is a great similarity in the homes of nearly all people who have about the same-sized incomes…But here and there are exceptions. Someone is expressing his or her individuality…This free, independent spirit has much in its favor in making a prosperity demonstration. The delusion that it is necessary to be just like other people are or to have as much as other people have causes a spirit of anxiety that hinders the exercise of faith in demonstration.
We all know to fight the tendency to envy what our neighbors have. Here we call it “keeping up with the Joneses” – that feeling that if the Jones family down the street got a new big-screen television set, we should get one too. But what about the urge to keep “down” with the Joneses? Is your circle of acquaintances subtly keeping you from looking ahead and thinking bigger? Are you choosing to let them? That’s not to say you need to give up your friends. But you can be open to more than what they see.
We’re lucky enough to live in societies that allow us our choices. What a waste it would be to not give ourselves the chance to exercise them.

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]]> Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:42:59 +0100 Boost your self esteem, increase your self confidence http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/04/18/boost-your-self-esteem-increase-your-self-confidence http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/04/18/boost-your-self-esteem-increase-your-self-confidence I have had many confidence issues in my life, all of which I have either dealt with or overcome. I have written about some of these issues below.
1. The Bald Patch
2. My height
3. My weight
4. The stutter
5. My lack of belief in myself
6. My career
THE BALD PATCH
Even though to some people it may seem trivial, I was born with a bald patch the size of a ten pence piece. As I went through childhood and especially the teenage years I became more and more self-conscious and paranoid about it.
It was especially noticeable when it rained or when I went swimming as my hair would become wet. People at school would ridicule me and I was forever trying to hide and cover the bald patch even though most people knew about it.
It hurt when people laughed at me and eventually I stopped going swimming altogether.
MY HEIGHT
Out of all of my close male family and friends, I am the shortest at 5ft 4. This probably should not influence my confidence however with people continually looking down on me it did. I have been called many names, the nicest being “Shorty”.
I was always jealous of other people taller than I was. I hoped that one day I might have a late spurt. This never came.
My height affected me with sport. I wanted to be a striker at football however the coaches only wanted people over 6ft tall. At snooker I am constantly have to use the rest which makes it difficult to play up to the best standard and at tennis I was constantly being lobbed.
It also meant that I only felt comfortable dating women 5ft 3 and under which reduces the available market considerably.
MY WEIGHT
During senior school I was very thin. This may have been the result of my parents turning vegetarian when I was twelve. At the time there were very few replacement foods and it seemed as though we went from having meat and two veg to just two veg.
As my parents cooked the food I had little option but to also turn vegetarian. After a few weeks I approached them and told them that I missed and wanted to eat meat. They were understanding to a degree and said:
“If you want it, you cook it”
At this age I could only really be bothered to cook properly a few days of the week and that gradually became less and less.
People at school would call me names like skin and bone and my weight became another area of paranoia for me.
THE STUTTER
At the age of four I developed a stutter. This became gradually worse as I became older even though my parents were told that I would grow out of it.
For what fluent people would class as simple tasks like reading from a book at school, answering questions, saying my name and address, ordering items at the bar or in a restaurant, and speaking on the telephone became a constant battle.
It was a very frustrating impediment, as I seemed to be able to talk quite fluently to people I knew well and whom I felt comfortable with, but at other times especially under any form of pressure could not say a word.
At the age of twenty two after about eleven months of sheer hard work and practice I managed to overcome the stutter and I now help other people who stutter to achieve fluency as well as helping people with confidence problems.
For more information about how I overcame the stutter please refer to http://www.stammering-stuttering.co.uk or contact me for an information pack.
MY LACK OF BELIEF
I always had a lack of belief in certain areas.
I would notice a female in a bar for example and would want to go over and talk to her but would have the negative attitude of I’m not good enough, why would she be interested in me? I stutter, I have a bald patch, I have a menial job and I am very thin.
Even if I approach her and am successful, I would then be expected to buy her a drink, possibly phone her, possibly meet her parents, and maybe even get married! The thought of attempting these things with a stutter and with a lack of social confidence was far too daunting for me.
I left school at sixteen mainly due to a lack of confidence and the stutter, but then had the problem of finding a job. Again my lack of belief came shining through. Who would want to employ somebody with a stutter, who has a lack of confidence and who is shy around people?
MY CAREER
After leaving school at the age of sixteen I now had to find employment. Suffering with a stutter and a general lack of confidence meant that work involving the phone or regular interaction with other people were not really an option.
I decided that I could probably cope with filing duties in an office and eventually gained a position at an insurance company.
I started at the lowest grade, a grade two and the work was routine and mundane. The average time to stay at this level before being promoted was six months. The grade three post involved sharing a phone and this is something I found very difficult to use.
To become upgraded you had to apply in writing to the personal officer and then if you passed the interview were then promoted. My attitude was that if I don’t apply I would stay as a grade two, which is what I wanted. I was probably the only person in the country who did not want to be promoted.
My boss would ask me at regular intervals why I was not applying and I would make up an excuse. To keep him happy I took the insurance exams.
After three years I had completed the first qualification which was a set of five exams. To my horror my boss congratulated me by stating that he was upgrading me to a grade three starting Monday without the need of an interview.
This promotion should in effect have given me a confidence boost however with my stutter out of control under the pressure and some of my colleagues mocking me I became more and more withdrawn and depressed.
I would be invited to social events and would make up excuses of why I could not go as I had a lack of belief that I could cope with the occasion and all the socialising involved.

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]]> Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:07:19 +0100 Choice and Change The Two Constants http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/04/09/choice-and-change-the-two-constants http://blogpluto.nireblog.com/post/2008/04/09/choice-and-change-the-two-constants OK, so here we are. We've switched the calendars out and made our resolutions. Now it's time to set about the process of making those changes we've resolved to make. You haven't forgotten already have you?
I heard you say this year I'm going to... stop smoking, exercise more, take a few night classes, start saving for retirement, eat healthier, cut my alcohol intake by 50%, get more rest and on and on and on. Choices to change. I applaud you for living consciously enough to even realize that some changes might be good.
Unfortunately there are those who don't dare think that on any given day, we can in any way we choose change anything or everything about ourselves and thus our lives. It seems we've somehow been coerced into believing major portions of the course of our lives are set in stone and are therefore unchangeable.
This of course could not be further from the truth.
On any day we wish we can open a new book for reading or start writing a new and exciting chapter of our own, in our own. We can stretch ourselves to meet new challenges, or we can choose to shrink away from them. At will we can turn old friends new again, and new friends old. We can move up, or we can move on. The choices that we can and must make are essentially endless.
What we must not loose sight of is that these things are in fact CHOICES. And even more importantly we must realize it's through these choices that our history is being continually written.
We also of course have the choice and option of exercising our choice not to choose. I call this the choice of mediocrity. This tag because not to choose is still a choice made. It's just allowing the choice to be made for you rather than by you. A very mediocre way to live. It's choosing to pretend to be alive rather than going ahead and doing it. I can't imagine though why someone would CHOOSE mediocrity. I Guess it's a comfort thing? I mean what the heck, we're here anyway. May as well do the thing. Right?
Anyway, not to get sidetracked...
If things aren't the way you want them to be the first thing you must do is choose to do something different from what you're currently doing. My personal philosophy on this one is if things aren't working, ANY other course of action is better. Figuring it's already not working so I can't break it. It's already broken.
We have both the ability and the responsibility to make conscious decisions and choices. What I'm suggesting is that you resolve to be the driver in your life rather than a passenger. You wouldn't set the cruise control on your car and just let it take you where ever it ends up would you? Don't do it with your life.
We must not allow errors in judgment to be repeated every day. If you want things to be different at some point you must resolve to do soing their lives and their lungs in jeopardy.
Chlorine fumes corrupt the air quality of a home simply by remaining a part of that home’s water. Chlorine escapes into the air each time the dishwasher is used or a toilet is flushed. The shower, also, is one of the biggest culprits in the corruption of air quality. Because chlorine vaporizes at a much lower temperature and faster rate than ordinary water, more than 85% of the chlorine in showering water will translate into chlorine fumes that can be inhaled in the shower stall. Of course, it’s highly unlikely that breathing in chlorine fumes in a shower stall or in the home environment will cause instant death or immediate, severe damage to the lungs. However, chlorine fumes can slowly begin to damage the delicate tissue of the lungs, causing or aggravating such diseases as asthma and bronchitis.
The Water Filter Solution
As stated above, the solution to the problem of chlorinated water will not likely occur on a municipal scale. The threat of waterborne diseases and other contaminants is simply too high for any responsible public official to abandon drinking water chlorination (at least as long as no other feasible option exists). The solution to this problem lies on an individual-by-individual, home-by-home basis.
The newest and most innovative method of reducing the risk of chlorinated water lies in home water filtration. Chlorine is the most dangerous and insidious contaminant of municipally treated water, and drinking water filters and whole house water filters are two of the only methods of water purification that are capable of removing chlorine.
An individual cannot always rely upon city officials to protect him and his family from all dangers. It is the responsibility of the private citizen to protect himself when he can. Facing the dangers of chlorine, a home water filter is simply the best and most effective means of individual protection and prevention.