How To Fight Back Against Depression

I am one of those people who can easily slip into a very negative state of mind. The slightest knockback or problem can lead to a cloud of doom descending over me, a cloud which I find hard to push away and remove. This article looks at ways in which we can fight back, to quickly get us back into a happy mode.
I used to be quite a fragile character, some would say that I was even scared of my own shadow. I was always paranoid that people were talking about me and laughing behind my back.
Even though my parents are superb, I was not a happy child or a happy teenager. I am so unlucky you see or so I thought. I walked around as if the world owed me something and would often feel very sorry for myself. I was bullied at school, it was more mental bullying rather than anything physical. I am sure that most people also get bullied and deal with it. It would leave me in a state of panic and depression. Looking back I have to say I was a bit of a wimp in reality.
I decided that enough was enough by my mid-twenties and decided it was time to toughen up. I could not continue to live my life as I had been, as I would probably be dead by the time I was fifty.
I then went about a self-help program to increase my overall self-confidence and self-esteem. I wanted to learn more about stress-management, dealing with depression, relaxation and about how to become successful in life.
What I found out over the next twelve to eighteen months would change my life forever.
These are the things I had to do:
I had to stop feeling sorry for myself. Yes I am not perfect but who is.
I had to think in a more positive way.
I had to stop worrying about the future.
I had to stop caring what other people thought of me.
I needed to smile more.
I needed to learn to relax. I now use meditation for this purpose.
I had to learn to like myself.
I needed to become stronger to fight away the negative thoughts in my head.
I needed to appreciate what I did have in life, rather than concentrating on what I had not.

I started to implement the above and it helped me no end. That horrible cloud of doom, still descended however, around once a month. When it does descend, I now write two lists. What I am happy about in life and what I am sad or worrying about. I then analyse both lists and more times than not, I am actually over-reacting.
In conclusion, life is a battle. There are good times and bad. We need to become strong and learn to think in a more positive way. We have to fight back against people who bully us and against the voices in our head who are trying to make us panic. This is not easy, however with determination people are able to turn their life around just like I have.
I used to feel anger towards the people who bullied me at school. I now feel sorry for them. They are the bad apples and I prey for them. I prey that God will one day make them pure.

How Does One Know If He Or She Has Gilbert's Disease?

Gilbert’s disease is a condition that has closely related symptoms as jaundice, in fact there had been several studies that say that some cases of jaundice is caused by Gilbert’s disease. A very thin line separates the two conditions and without professional help one may not be able to understand and determine which condition they are afflicted with.
It’s difficult to understand why it is important to know the right condition you have if two conditions barely have a difference. The importance of knowing the right conditions that you are afflicted with is that knowing what condition you have can lead to easier treatment. Treating certain conditions requires knowing exactly the type of condition that you are experiencing. You can’t really treat a flu with cough medicine right? It goes the same with every kind of condition that people experience.
Unfortunately though some conditions may not have a treatment or a cure. One of those conditions is Gilbert’s disease. This condition is not really damaging or harmful to the patient but it still causes a lot of discomfort. Gilbert’s disease causes fatigue and jaundice to a person.
Even if some conditions have no known cure or treatments it is still important to have it diagnosed properly to learn more about the condition and find a cure in the future. Going back to Gilbert’s disease if it has no known cure or treatment why do people still to have it diagnosed. For experts to be able to find more about the condition and to be able to find out more about how to treat it.
How do you find out if you are suffering from Gilbert’s disease? Is there a proven way to pinpoint the condition if Gilbert’s disease shares the same symptoms with jaundice? There is and you can consider following it if you have the time to examine yourself. Here is a short list of the ways and the steps to go through to systematically to find out if you have Gilbert’s disease.
Step number 1: If you have an inkling that you have Gilbert’s disease and you also found out that your family has a history of having it too, you should immediately look for the signs and symptoms of the diseases. One of the symptoms you have to look for is the symptom of jaundice. Those signs are yellowish skin and yellowish eyeballs, it may also be accompanied by swollen mucus membranes and running nose. Another symptom is fatigue due to physical stress (exercise, general stress, and illness). Other symptoms to look for include nausea, general sleepiness or tiredness, pain in the body.
Step number 2: Visit your family doctor and tell him about the symptoms and the signs that you are experiencing. You should also tell your doctor about your suspicion and your family history. This may narrow down the search for the condition you are experiencing. Telling your doctor your suspicions may help out a lot.
Step number 3: Besides testing the physical symptoms, your doctor will let you go through an indirect bilirubin blood test that will say whether the disease is at hand.
Step number 4: Once diagnosed, though there isn’t a treatment for the condition your doctor can still treat the jaundice and the help relieve the pain or discomfort associated with the abdominal symptoms of Gilbert’s disease that can be present.

7 Things You should know when planning a babyshower

Introduction:

Babyshowers have their origin in ancient time. Like other things, the way and manner in which they are planned and celebrated have changed over time. Here are somethings that you should bear in mind when planning a babyshower today.

1.  Know the culture of the would be parents.
Because babyshowers are steeped in tradition and customs, it is important to have a good idea of what is culturally acceptable by the would be parents and what is not. People do not necessarily throw away their culture because they live in modern times. Knowing the cultural limitations, makes the celebration more memorable and worthwile.

2.  Know the needs of the parents to be
It is pointless giving gifts that recepients can not use. Would be parents need things for the new baby and are probably stretched to their limits. It would be only worth their while if the gifts they get help to alleviate this burden. Where the gender of the baby is known in advance, give gifts that are gender appropriate.

3.  Know the best time to schedule your shower
As the hostess, it behooves you to know when to schedule the babyshower for maximum benefit and impact. Do not schedule your shower too early or too late. Expecting couples need all the financial help they can get. Scheduling a shower too late may mean that the couple had already bought all the things they need for the baby.

4.  Know the physical needs of the expecting mother
Pregnancy puts enormous physical challenges and demand on the expecting mother, especially if it is their first pregnancy. It is a good idea to locate the shower closer to home to avoid putting additional strain on an already over challenged mother to be.

5.  Know who is on your guest list
The success and failure of a babyshower to a certain extent depends on the attendace. How responsive is your list. Did you consult the couple when compiling your guest list. Remember this is their babyshower not your. You are only a vessel in the actualization of this event.

6.  Know your refreshment plan
Preparing for and feeding even the smallest group of poeple can quickly turn into a nightmare if no adequate plans are made for that. Set up a plan about what to serve and how to serve it and work your plan. Make room for emergencies that may arise.

7.  Know your plan for entertainment
What is your plan for entertainment? Do you have games that your guests can play? Board games and puzzles make for easy and entertaining games that your guests can play. You might want to organize some kind of poetry reading, depending on the mix of your guests. You can have guests come with their own poems written for the occassion to share with others.

Consolidate credit card debt

We know that it’s good to consolidate credit card debt (at least that is what we keep hearing from everyone). In fact, the first step towards addressing the problem of credit card debt is to consolidate credit card debt. Now, what do you do to consolidate credit card debt? Should you just go with that attractive ad in the newspaper that says ‘...the lowest APR in the town is available here’?

The first thing, really, is to keep your eyes and ears open. There are always a number of offers available for you to choose from. The credit card suppliers keep coming with new and more attractive offers asking you to consolidate credit card debt with them. However, you must note that the APR quoted in bold, e.g. 0% APR, is applicable only for a short term (3-9 months). The long term (or the standard) APR is different. So, when you go looking for a credit card to consolidate credit card debt, you must be keenly looking for these 3 things (in terms of APR) – introductory APR, introductory APR period and the standard APR. Let’s see how each one is important.

Introductory APR is probably the most attractive thing to look for when you are looking to consolidate credit card debt. If you consolidate credit card debt to a card that has a low introductory APR e.g. 0%, the first thing you get is a breather/relief in terms of the rate at which your credit card debt has been growing. Based on how long that 0% APR period is (generally you will look to consolidate credit card debt with a credit card supplier who offers 0% initial APR), you will at least be able to temporarily break the growth rate of your credit card debt. More the introductory period, the better it is. However, you should not ignore the standard APR when you consolidate credit card debt. This is the interest rate that will be applied to your balance after the expiry of the introductory low APR period that was given to lure you to consolidate credit card debt with that credit card supplier. If the standard APR is too high and you know that you will not be able to clear off the entire credit card debt during the low APR period, that credit card is probably not the best for you to consolidate credit card debt to. However, if you think that you will be able to clear off the entire credit card debt during that period, you can make some compromises on the standard APR of the credit card to which you consolidate credit card debt.

The card that synchronizes with your current and future financial position (and needs), is the one you should consolidate credit card debt to.

Common Strategies of Animated Comedy

As an independent filmmaker specializing in animated comedy, I'd like to share my thoughts and observations on how to create projects intended to make people laugh (in a good way).  By taking a close look at recent popular shows and movies (i.e. Simpsons, Family Guy, Shrek, etc) I've outlined a brief analysis that identifies some of the major strategies of humor used in many of today's animated television programs and shows, as well as the advantages/disadvantages of implementing them. Just a note before we continue: this article isn't intended only as a guide for comedy filmmakers- I'm sure those of you who appreciate good humor will get something out of it as well.

The following compilation is the result of my own observations, and I'm certain you'll see what I mean if you take a closer look this Sunday night when Family Guy comes on.  Later, I'll share some of my own thoughts on the subject of creating effective humor for mainstream audiences.

1.  PARODY: This involves poking fun of well-known genres and plot formulas (action, horror, porn, etc), and making references to well-known films, TV shows, famous people, significant historical events, etc.  Very often, these genres, films, and TV shows are spoofed.  Think of the number of times you've seen a reference to a Kubrick film during an episode of The Simpsons, or a Star Wars reference in Family Guy to emphasize a joke. 

Advantages: First off, it's easy to do and often elicits laughs.  The basic structure of the joke is based on a well-known source, and the audience is likely to get it right away. 

Disadvantages:  To be blunt, it's lazy filmmaking.  Too much parody thrown in a story can often be interpreted as a lack of creativity/originality, and ultimately limits the project's depth.  Jokes/gags of this kind will only last as long as the spoofed or referenced subject is popular or is  fashionable.

2.  ANIMATION THAT IS DELIBERATELY BAD/CHEESY: Includes the use of poorly drawn/animated characters and backgrounds as an important element of the humor.

Advantages: Sometimes more efficient and more cost effective than using more detailed animation techniques.  It's funny to watch and calling some attention to the bad animation can generate new jokes and great sight gags.  Think of shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Sealab 2021.

Disadvantages: Like the parody, this can quickly turn into lazy filmmaking.  Depending only on bad animation for laughs might make the project difficult to maintain in the long run.

3.  GROSS-OUT HUMOR/EXPLICIT LANGUAGE: Includes humor that is, but not limited to being scatological, sexual, bloody, etc.  Also includes use of foul language.  Since the Simpsons and South Park, audiences have come to expect jokes of this kind.

Advantages: In small doses and if done with subtlety, gross-out humor and the use of explicit language combined with visual sight gags can be hilarious.

Disadvantage: Easy to overuse.  Dialogue containing too many four-letter words for the sake of being obnoxious will turn off most viewers.  Gross-out humor, if only used for shock value, will seem shallow if it does nothing to contribute to the overall story. 

4. NON-SEQUITORS (RANDOM HUMOR):  Jokes, statements, events, etc. that happen out of nowhere.

Advantages: Absurd humor that occurs at random works on several levels, which include the outlandishness of the act itself, its unpredictability, and also its general disregard for logic in context with the scene's apparent focus.  It can take an audience by surprise, and can add some originality to the project.

Disadvantages: If an absurd and random act suddenly shifts the focus of the story, it may disappoint viewers who have otherwise been engaged in the narrative.  Also, many people may not "get it," which has the potential of restricting the viewing demographic.  When a nonsequitor serves as a story's conclusion, it's usually evidence of an inability to create an effective ending. 

On creating more effective humor:

Characters with unique qualities: Trying to be original isn't easy, but it is a lot of fun.  When creating characters, don't worry too much about whatever's "hip" or "in" at the moment.  Start off with characters that have very specific personality traits, habits, etc.  Base them off yourself, off of people you know, your experiences, or just let your imagination run wild.  Give your characters specific hobbies, unusual interests (i.e. a hero that can't resist objects that squirt water), and/or specific likes/dislikes.  These concrete qualities will often provide opportunities to develop character, storylines, and above all, humorous events. 

Stories with solid conclusions: Many creative folks I've talked to notice the difficulty of coming up with good endings.  No matter what the genre, filmmakers of all sorts can learn a valuable lesson from mystery novel authors.  When you come up with the idea for a film, start by knowing how it's going to end.  This gives the story focus, and makes it easier for all the events to logically pan out.  Another important tip to remember- audiences will almost always forgive a film with a bad beginning, but will never forgive a film with a bad ending.

Understand that being funny isn't the same as acting funny:  Okay, what does this mean? Here's an illustration:  There was a video on the internet of a careless skateboarder falling on his face multiple times after trying to coast off the roof of his parents' house.  It wasn't funny to the skateboarder, but it was funny to most of the people who saw it happen.  Why?  On a psychological level, it's in our nature to laugh or take some kind of satisfaction in someone else's misfortune/failure so long as the screw-up doesn't result in death or dismemberment (most of the time).  On a more practical level, most of the online viewers laughed at the sheer idiocy of the act. After all, the careless skateboarder who plunged off the roof actually expected positive results from his stunt.  So how do we apply this to creating comedy? Create situations that are funny to the audience, but not to your characters.  One effective way of doing this is having your characters expect serious results from doing things that are clearly dangerous, stupid, or both.

These are just a few pointers to help you get started with creating your own comedy, or to help you understand some of the more successful comedy out there today.  I hope you enjoyed the article.  Have a good laugh!

Free Ebooks For Children

Ebooks are very popular all over the Internet. They are used to promote products, in marketing, and often are distributed for free by the author.
Many aspiring novelists who have been rejected time and time again turn to the world of ebooks to distribute their material. It’s not rejected due to low quality but sometimes publishers just avoid a certain genre if it isn’t popular.
Many up and coming children’s book writers have discovered that by distributing a free ebook or two, their name recognition may improve and sometimes publishers will just contact them first.
There are all kinds of places to get free ebooks for children. Just using any of your favorite search engines should get you a lot of results.
Some sites that have these free ebooks are religious in nature, educational, or privately developed. Sometimes if you join a kids club online, you will receive free children’s ebooks in your e-mail on a weekly or monthly basis.
Many sites will have you register with them before you can download any free children’s ebooks. This is usually pretty safe but before you do, make sure to read the fine print.
You don’t want to have your inbox filled with garbage forever. There is rarely a subscription fee for these free ebook sites because the authors usually give everything away.
Before you sit your child down at the computer or with their personal ebook reader, make sure you flip through most of the pages. Odds are everything is how it should be, but as in any industry there are always one or two bad apples out there.
Also read an abstract of the story so you will know if any important characters are going to die as that can be hard on children.

A Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help You Defend Against A Misdemeanor Charge

A misdemeanor isn’t as heavy as other crimes but you can be charged for it and this will become part of your permanent record. Fortunately, you can fight it with the help of a criminal defense lawyer.
When you are charted with a misdemeanor, you are given a citation which states the date and time that you will appear in court.
Do you have to see a lawyer? Some people do so immediately so they can be guided throughout the process. For that, you have to hire one. Surely you can get somebody because if you don’t, a state appointed lawyer will be the one to help you but they don’t do that well compared to private counsel.
For you to quality a state appointed counsel, you will have to fill up a form. You will also be required to reimburse the state for the legal services of the public defender.
When you finally hire a lawyer, tell them what happened because only then will they be able to figure out a strategy to help you out. For instance, your lawyer can argue that illegal items that were found in your possession were planted. If that is the case, during the arraignment proceedings, you will enter a plea of not guilty.
What is the difference between a plea of guilty and not guilty? If you enter a guilty plea, you give up the right to a trial since you admit to the crime. However, when you plead not guilty, you will stand trial and the jury will decide whether or not you are really guilty of the crime.
Here, the prosecution will be bringing in witnesses, police reports and the evidence. Your criminal defense lawyer will have the chance here to dispute the findings and if he or she is successful, reasonable doubt is achieved and your chances of getting a not guilty verdict become higher.
Once the closing arguments are made, the jury will now deliberate. If you are found to be not guilty, then you walk. But if you are guilty, then you will be sentenced shortly which may mean paying a fine, spending some time in jail, doing community service and placed on probation. You can appeal your case of course which will be done by your criminal defense lawyer.
The objective in this proceeding is to get you a not guilty verdict so you don’t have to spend time in jail. However, if you are guilty and given the option to make a deal, perhaps you should take it.
The process of facing a misdemeanor charge is the same even if you are below 18 years of age. The only difference is that a parent or guardian is also present together with your lawyer when you have to face the judge.
Since being charged with a misdemeanor isn’t that serious, some people decide to represent themselves. If you decide to do this, make sure you are familiar with the law and the procedures involved in your case because during trial, no one will help you or advise you on what you should do. But if are not sure how the legal process goes, why trouble yourself when you can hire a criminal defense lawyer who does this for a living.

All About Las Vegas Message Boards

New to Las Vegas? Want to know everything about Las Vegas and at the same time meet new friends from Vegas online?  Las Vegas has long been one of the centers for entertainment and life in the United States. It is where the great gambling games thrive and along with gambling, Las Vegas has the reputation of being the playland getaway of the world.

Well, there’s a lot more interesting about Las Vegas.  Now, if you want to know more about it, including its people, history, entertainment, nightlife, gambling, historical spots and everything Las Vegas, there is one thing that I can recommend – try joining and participating in some interactive Las Vegas message boards.

Yes, you heard me right. I said Las Vegas message boards. These hubs, also known as forums or bulletin boards, can now be accessed easily and quickly through the Internet. Several sites out there on the web have designed and developed their own Las Vegas message boards for the people from Las Vegas and other parts of the world to meet and make friends. At these portals they can talk everything about this playland getaway of the world. They can exchange thoughts and share their experiences in the city, and the Las Vegas message boards are a great place to learn, as you can ask questions and receive answers from the other members of the boards.

Just like the other forms of interactive forums that are highly accessible online, the Las Vegas message boards are divided into different sections.  There are sections for the entertainment and sports, dining, weather, and for general information about the city. Well, I have emphasized some sections of the Las Vegas message boards below for you to better understand how the boards are managed and organized. Note, however, that this is not a complete list of typical Las Vegas message boards.

Top 10 Section

Usually, the Top 10 section of a Las Vegas message board is where a list of one of the most popular features in Las Vegas is posted.  It is here where you can as questions, post recommendations, or post a review about the top ten best values in the city.  For some, this section serves as a great guide for you to get started when you get to the town.

Weather Section

The weather section of Las Vegas message boards commonly presents a guide to the monthly averages for the city’s unusual climate.  It is here where the members of the board can ask and post recommendations on what to pack during a certain season.  It is also at this section where you can find links to the current forecast.

Casinos

Thinking for playing at the Las Vegas casinos? Want to find recommendations or suggestions about the best casinos in town? If so, then the casinos section is the place to go. Usually, what is presented in this section is not only every casino in Vegas, but every casino in the nation. The local and toll free phone numbers and even home page web addresses of the casinos can even be accessed just at this section. You can also find information about the hottest games in town right at the casinos section.

As I’ve said earlier, there are other interesting sections covered by the Las Vegas message boards. If you really want to know everything about them, just search them online. As simple as that!

Business Consulting Defined

I am sure most of you have heard the phrase, or term,
business consulting. And I am sure some of you wonder
what this business consulting is all about.

How does it make money?

How does one become a business consultant?

Perhaps you even see some of these business
consultants in your office and secretly ask what these
people are doing in your boss’ office or over the
phone so often.

And when someone tells you that they are there to
advise your boss, you ask yourself why does your boss
need advising? Isn’t he supposed to know what he
should be doing?

After all, he’s the boss and he is paid very high to
do his job. So to stop you from guessing and demystify
the business of consulting, here is business
consulting-defined.

Business consulting is the practice of advising the
executives of an organization on how to improve the
officers’, as well as the business’, performance in
certain fields or areas.

Business consultants are hired temporarily to analyze
the problems and dilemmas of the business and then
develop a management plan to solve the problems, or
improve the weak areas of the organization.

They can guide the organization’s improvement and
progress through a step by step process, guiding them
all the way. However, the extent of their involvement
still depends on the client organization’s decision on
how deep they want the business consulting firm to get
involved in their management.

Now, why does an organization need outside
consultancy?

Are the top executives not capable enough to solve the
problem?

Organizations avail the services of these so-called
business consulting firms for different reasons and
depending on the need of the company.

Some hire external consultants to have a fresh mind
from the outside, giving more objective analysis of
the problem. It might be that the company’s executives
have already been too involved in the problem that
they might already be taking it personally.

Hence, their judgment is already clouded with personal
feelings. Others hire them for their specialized
expertise on a particular new area, with which the
company is not yet familiar.

Most common service that business consulting firm are
hire for is the business development service, which is
usually on a per project basis, where hiring a
permanent employee for the task would be unnecessary
and expensive.

In this case, business consultants are hired for a
particular period of time depending on the length and
depth of the project. Sometimes, they are retained
during the first few months of the project until such
a time the officers can manage on their own. Or
sometimes, they are retained for the whole duration of
the project, up until its completion.

Another common service business consulting is known
for is management coaching for the organization’s
executives, wherein consultants conduct a one on one
training to a particular officer and guide him to the
successful management of business. The consultant here
is usually duty on-call for whatever advising need
that may rise anytime.

Consultants may also provide assistance in the area of
change management for the organization’s employees,
who are about to go through major changes and
development within their work place. Today, business
consulting has become one big industry, as it becomes
popular with more and more organizations recognizing
the importance of an objective analysis and focused
expertise from outside the company.

Drug Rehab Intervention

Dealing with drug rehab intervention means that an
individual that has already been exposed to illegal
substances and used people who are responsible for
gaining back his normal status without receding in
using the substance again. It gives the individual the
opportunity to know how far the extent of his problem
is.

Oftentimes, people who are involved in taking too much
doesn’t even know that everything is going out of
control. These people tend to reason out that their
drug dependency is just a temporary detour or
otherwise making the wrong thing turn out right. Those
who are surrounded by people who also use drugs tend
to grasp that their dependency is nothing compared to
others who are making it an everyday habit. This can
mislead them that their actions are somewhat
acceptable.

What these people need is a fair feedback of how they
are behaving and acting towards other people. A
non-critical, systematized assortment of medications
and non-judgmental procedure can make the person
gradually see how drastic changes in his life has
negatively affected him and his loved-ones. Once the
person already understood what his drug dependence is
doing on him and to other people, he will begin to see
that he is not the only one who’s affected and hurt.

Pieces of Advice:

1. Be attentive. Try to notice if changes in one of
your housemates are occurring and how many times it
happens and in what time or occasion. Once this
happens, talk to the person regarding the problem
that’s bothering him and what are the different kinds
of concerns that he have. Communication is always the
best key to participate and finally know something.

2. Don’t avoid the user. When the family feels sorry
for the addict, eventually they will give out ways to
avoid him and the problem at hand. They will be
hesitant to talk to that person giving him more
freedom to roam around and do the deed. People who
depend on chemical substances are those who need more
attention.

3. Chart the time when medications were given. This is
important in cases of sudden change of behavior with
the individual. Taking down the time and dosage of
medications is beneficial especially for emphasis to
the therapist that the medication has these kinds of
side effects.

4. Be honest and specific. For the sake of the
family’s trust, always be specific on the kinds of
treatment and the individual’s response and progress.
Be honest with how the entire process of
rehabilitation is going. Ask the family if they wanted
to spend some time in the treatment plan. State any
kind of consequence for the family if they ignored the
signs of drug addiction. Advise them of the different
methods that’ll be beneficial and effective for their
affected individual’s healthy transition.

5. Always inform the family. If the patient has shown
some progress or relapse and there is a need to
increase or decrease the treatment given, always
inform the family. This will be make them understand
why particular changes are made.

6. Listen for further concerns. If the family sees
that the drug intervention has is taking too long or
has gone too far or if ever they’ve noticed something
unusual with the treatment and process, they will air
out their concerns. Always take some time to listen to
these feedbacks and questions. This will make the drug
rehabilitation more easier for the facility and the
family.

Proven Steps For Beginning E-Commerce Web Builders

Are you struggling to build you an e-commerce web storefront on the web?  Perhaps these few tips will help you as you embark on this exciting venture; of joining the other ecommerce site builders.
First things first, you should plan your website carefully.  Determine your goals and lay out which marketing strategies and what outcome you expect from each.  Is it your goal to generate leads?  Do you want to have an online catalog?  Would you like to compile a database of possible clients?  List your objectives in quantifiable form (i.e. increase sales by 20%). This will help you to determine the success of your e-commerce site as time goes on.  

Your next task will be to determine the things your possible clients will want and need to know prior to making a purchase.  These things may be: 
• A detailed product/service description complete with pricing guides, key features, product specs, et cetera. 
• Customer reviews and testimonials, reports and studies, customer success stories and positive remarks made by prior customers.
• A section that covers frequently asked questions (FAQ) to answer questions and cut down on the need for one-on-one assistance.  
When planning the construction of your site, you should focus primarily on customer use.  Potential clients will want a site that’s easy to use, easy to navigate, and answers the many questions most consumers have prior to spending money on a product.  You should strive to create a site map that will outline each page of your site, starting with the home page.  You should also plan to implement the use of tools that will track and measure your site activity (i.e. where do customers click most often, and whether or not those clicks lead to a purchase).  This way, as you build your e-commerce web site, you will be able to compare your goals against your results.
As you build, you will want to make certain you’re using the right tools.  Your solidly laid out plan is just the beginning. Next comes the actual construction of your e-commerce web site.  Many business will turn to professionals (a very powerful tool in web building).  The professional web site builders design and create outstanding web sites.  There are unlimited sources of contact for professional web builders.  Use the phone book, or better yet, look online and you will quickly find a firm in your area.
On the other hand, maybe you’re not budgeted to have professional help building your web site.  Many successful e-commerce sites are constructed using tools that are designed to help the layperson create a professional and polished site on their own, without the aid of HTML experts.  Again, resources for such sites can be found all over the Internet and you can even find great web building programs to download for free. 
Let’s review.  In order to build a successful e-commerce web site, your primary goal is to keep your customer in mind.  Determine what you’d like to see if you were investigating a product and do your best to build a web page that meets those specs.

Why use landscaping stones?

There are many reasons why  you should incorporate landscaping stones into your landscaping design. The main one however is for beauty, pure esthetic beauty. For a landscaping design to look perfect it needs to have layer and this can be a hard thing to achieve without the use of landscaping stones.

landscaping stones are not the only way to give your yard depth but they are the easiest way. You could try to change the slop of your yard. You could dig lower sports and build up higher ones but this could take forever and you would have to know a lot about landscaping to try to tackle a job like that. Just think of the trouble you could get into with the drainage issues if you were to make a mistake! No, it is far easier to simply use landscaping stones to bring some depth to your yard.

You can use landscaping stones to accent certain portions of your yard, you can even plant some plants in these landscaping stones. They look great round the patio and the fence and you can even get colored landscaping stones to bring more color into your yard. This kind of color is especially nice to have in winter when everything is so bare and cold looking. The fact of the matter is that you can transform the whole look of your yard with the simple use of landscaping stones. They are like jewelry only for the yard.

There are many different kinds of landscaping stones and they come in all shapes and sized. The landscaping stones that are right for you will depend on the effect that you are trying to create with your yard. And different parts of the yard might require different sized landscaping stones. You can get a wide variety of colors for your landscaping stones and in some cases you may want to mix a couple of colors together to create a whole new and interesting look.

If you are planning to overhaul your yard this year then you need to start looking into using landscaping stones in your design. These will bring the whole yard together and if they are used right will add balance and harmony to your entire garden.

You can get landscaping stones at your local gardening center and even some home building stores will carry them. Shop around and find the landscaping stones that suit your home and your needs best before you make a purchase.

A Graduation Gift that Stands the Test of Time

“The only real failure in life is one not learned from.”
Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book

Ah, graduation. A lot of hard work, time, talent, money and drive have led to this point: a milestone that will be celebrated, photographed and remembered forever. Whether from high school, college, law school, medical school, or what have you, graduation is a wonderful time of excitement and change.

How to mark the occasion? You can always write a check. (What new graduate doesn’t need money?) Before you whip out your wallet, however, remember that cash is practical, yet very impersonal. Because you’re reading this, it’s a good guess that the graduate is a special woman in your life, she worked hard to get where she is, and she deserves a graduation gift that is truly memorable.

How about something memorable, practical, meaningful and beautiful? Try pearls.

Pearl jewelry—whether pearl studs, a pearl pendant or a beautiful pearl strand—is a classic and wonderful addition to any woman’s jewelry box. Whether she’s heading off to college, interviewing for jobs, about to embark on a career, or planning a wedding, the recent graduate can wear pearl jewelry for instant polish. Added bonus: She’ll remember you every time she wears them.

Which pearls to choose
Pearls come in many beautiful styles, shapes and designs, but for graduation, a simple classic style that will stand the test of time is best. (They don’t call them staples for nothing.) Because classic pearls are so popular, there are a variety of options from which to choose. The following are classics she’ll reach for again and again.

•    Pearl stud earrings: The great thing about pearl studs is that they go with everything. Round, white pearls with a rosé overtone flatter most skin types, and make a wonderful addition to any jewelry box. Some stores even carry pearl studs for non-pierced ears.
•    16 inch pearl strand: A matched pearl strand is a jewelry staple for a reason: it’s a classic—not to mention a no-brainer accessory that a woman can reach for to instantly add polish to an outfit. Shorter strands worn closer to the throat draw attention to the wearer’s face and skin; with their dewy complexions, young women look fantastic in pearl chokers. This style sits close to the throat and looks great with a business suit, v-neck sweater, tee-shirt or open-collared dress shirt.
•    18 inch pearl strand: This slightly more versatile, “princess” length necklace can be worn with most any neckline, and will serve the graduate well throughout her life. The princess length is a very popular choice for a great reason: it works well with everything from turtlenecks to sweaters, business suits, dress shirts, and more. 
•    pearl pendant: A pearl pendant necklace featuring a single, large pearl is a great option that can be worn with many different styles. Choose a thin sterling silver or white gold chain for a modern look.
•    pearl bracelet: A perfect complement to a bold watch, and slightly more affordable than a pearl necklace, a pearl bracelet adds polish and class.
•    pearl ring: A pearl ring can make quite a bold and sophisticated statement, especially when the ring features a single, large pearl. The only downside to buying a ring is that you need to know the graduate’s ring size. Classic pearl rings look fantastic with both white and yellow gold.

Many retailers and online stores sell classic pearl jewelry in sets. Not only is this great because you pay less for the set than if you purchased a necklace, earrings and bracelet separately, but buying a pearl jewelry set provides the added bonus that the pieces will match.

What to look for
No matter which style you choose, or whether you buy pearls from a local jewelry store, large retail chain or Internet store (which should offer adequate descriptions of what you’re buying along with a money-back guarantee), keep in mind these tips when you’re shopping for pearls and you won’t go wrong: 
•    You’ll pay more for larger pearls. In general, a larger pearl takes longer to form, and the chances of finding a perfectly round, large pearl are slim. After the 7.5-8mm mark for freshwater cultured pearls and akoya cultured pearls, the most popular pearl types, prices rise dramatically. A 6.5mm strand is both lovely and affordable—and perfect for young women.
•    Pay attention to luster and surface. Pearls should have a high luster, or surface sheen, meaning they reflect light well. They should also be free from large blemishes such as chips and pits, although small blemishes are acceptable. An absolutely perfect strand is likely faux. Pearls are, after all, a natural product, and small variations are to be expected and do not detract from the pearls’ value.
•    Round is the hands-down favorite shape. While baroque pearls are gorgeous, and button and coin pearls are modern and affordable, when it comes to classic pearls, round is still in. To check that pearls are uniformly round, ask the jeweler or read the Internet description. If you can handle the strand, roll it on a table. Matched pearls will roll smoothly.
•    Thickness is important. Most pearls sold today are cultured pearls, and the best ones are formed in oysters or mussels that have been implanted with small, mother-of-pearl beads and mantle tissue or mantle tissue only and left in the water long enough for a sufficient coating of nacre to form. Avoid pearls that have been implanted with large plastic or glass beads or harvested prematurely; they will flake and peel easily.
•    Pay attention to uniformity. Make sure that pearls in a piece of jewelry are the same size, color, shape and luster.
•    Beware: Some jewelry makers try to hide smaller or imperfect pearls near the clasp.
•    Choose color carefully. Pearls look best if they flatter the skin tone of the wearer.

Follow these pearl-buying tips, choose wisely, and your graduate will have a jewelry staple she’ll treasure forever.

A graduate of the Gemological Institute of America’s Graduate Pearls program, Amy Drescher is a fashion writer and accessories buyer for www.moonriverpearls.com. She welcomes your questions. Reach her at adrescher@moonriverpearls.com.

Benefits Of Owning Motor Homes

Why would you want to own one of the many different motorhomes that are available for sale from many motorhomes dealers? The main reason for this is the fact that you gain access to multiple benefits that motorhomes offer. For example, you will be able to use motorhomes to travel to many outside locations for a long vacation or just a simple weekend getaway. There is no more need to spend all this time planning where you are going to stay, where you will eat and cook food and what car you will have to rent. Motorhomes will provide you with the simple solution for all these dilemmas.

With the help of motorhomes you will have access to basic household items, appliances and amenities and will not have to deal with the uncomfortable hotel stays or even more unpleasant stays in tents. Owners of motorhomes can prepare them in such way that everything that is needed for the enjoyable trip is available at all times. You don’t have many limits to what you can take with you. You can cook food, sleep and even shower in most of the motorhomes. You can even attach other equipment and vehicles (boats, jet skies and other sport equipment, for example) to your motor home.

Motorhomes can be helpful not only for vacation purposes. Even if you are traveling to a different city on a business trip or to visit your friends or family, motorhome will make the ride more enjoyable for you and your family. You will have more freedom to change destinations and will even save money on hotels and restaurants. You can choose which one of the many available motorhomes to purchase depending on your personal needs, size of your family and your travel plans. Motorhomes come in different sizes and variations and will have different amenities and equipment installed. Different types of motorhomes will have different prices so it is up to you to decide which motorhome to purchase.

For more information on Motor Homes please click through to our site.

4 Tips About Cats Ringworm And Your Children

Did you know that your cats ringworm is not a real honest to goodness worm? That's right cat lovers. Your cat isn't infected with a worm, but a fungus. If you're into big names the medical term is dermatophytosis. Let's keep it simple and use ringworm throughout this article. This article will give you 4 tips about your feline’s ringworm.

1, Your Cats Ringworm And Your Children.

Ringworm is extremely contagious. Your cat can pass it on to your children, you and other animals. You or the kids can infect someone else or another pet. Not only can it be passed on to others, it can be spread to other parts of your body or the bodies of your child or pet.

It is impetrative that you have your animal treated as soon as possible. In addition, if your child or you, are infected you should consult with your family physician. In most cases if the fungus is treated properly you will start to see improvement within the first few days.

Within 7 to 10 days there should be a complete recovery from the fungus.  However, the doctor or your vet may recommend continued treatment for up to 2 or 3 weeks to make sure there is no reoccurrence of the infection.

2. How Can I Tell If My Cat Has Ringworm?

You should understand that in some cases there will be no outer signs of the fungus infection on some cats. However, your cat can still be a carrier and infect you, your children and your other pets. If you suspect your animal is a carrier call your vet.

If this is the case how can your cat or you be a carrier? Actually that is pretty simple to explain. The fungus can be anywhere. It can be in the grass, on the sidewalk, flowerbeds and can even be in the air ducts of your home.

During the incubation period of the fungus it develops spores, which can be picked up by your pet or you. When your animal or you move about the spores will drop off into the carpet, furniture, clothing, and bedding. Therefore the spores then can be picked up by your heating and air conditioning unit to be circulated through out your home.

3. How You Can Identify The Cats Ringworm.

First let’s talk about how ringworm can be spotted on your favorite feline. In most cases you will spot the fungus on the head, around the ears or eyes or on the paws and nails of your cat.

Generally this is demonstrated by the circles of hair loss or flaky red skin in a circular form. You may notice your kitty scratching and licking the wounded area. Furthermore you may well see an increase in broken hairs and patches of flakey skin on the pets bedding, the carpeting, your clothing or your furniture.

One area you need to think about checking closely is the cat’s paws. There is a variety of the fungus, which seems to concentrate in the pads of the paws or under the nail beds of your pet.

Second let’s talk about how to spot it on your child’s body or on your self. Very likely you will have an itchy sensation, in the area, where the fungus has penetrated the skin. As it continues to fester you will see a red circular pattern on the infected area. You may also observe dead looking skin flakes. Again you should contact your doctor in the event you see an outbreak on you or your child.

4. What Are The Treatments For Your Cats Ringworm?

At last there is some good news. Ringworm is easily treated by your vet and you. In the majority of the cases the vet may prescribe an antifungal cream and shampoo. It’s usually a matter of shampooing your favorite pet every other day and applying the cream as directed by the vet.

Surprisingly enough your personal physician will recommend a very similar treatment for you or your child. It’s possible they may prescribe and antifungal soap and cream. However, the doctor may just tell you to pick up the soap and cream across the counter at your local discount store or drugstore.

In conclusion you, your children and your wonderful pet can be infected by cats ringworm. But it is easily treated and cured with the proper medication.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended for any type of medical advice for you or your pet. It is intended for information purposes only. Always consult your personal doctor and your pet’s vet in case of a medical problem.

5 ways to increase traffic to your blog

Blogs are a very popular ways of promoting your product or service. They are easy to install, easy to administer and easy to update. And search engines love them too. But what is a blog without traffic?Exactly. Here are five quick ways to boost traffic to your blog and start seeing those big sales.

1.Build a list of blog services to ping
There are a lot of blog services you can ping. This means that you notify this service, that you've updated your blog. These services then list your new posts and you get the traffic from them. I've made a list of 50+ blog services you can ping on my site. These list are also available if you search google or any other search engine for it. That should be enough to give an initial boost to your traffic.

2.Add buttons to popular news readers
What does this mean? Well there are sites like yahoo or google or bloglines etc, which have a members area where you can select sites with RSS feeds to fetch the latest updates from different blogs. That way you can have the latest updates from let's say 50 blogs listed on one page. I have a list of these popular pages on my website plus the buttons which link to them. Users can then easily add my blog to their news reader members area.

3.Update your content regulary
Search engines and blog services love regular updates. It's very likely that you will get targeted traffic from search engines if you post regulary. That means you should make a new post to your blog at least once per day. But be careful. Too many updates per day can harm your search engines position and hits. What's too many? 10 or more.

4.Post in forums
Post in forums, but don't spam them. Post something fresh and interesting and put a link to your blog in your signature. Don't just post in any forum. For example if you're selling cds, post in forums that are about music and cds. Don't post in car forums if you're selling furniture. By posting in forums you will get one-way links which are good for search engine position in search engines like google or msn or yahoo.

5.Submit to blog search engines
There are masses of search engines available, that list only blogs. Just google for „blog search engines“ and you should find at least 20 of them. These blog search engines will help you with targeted traffic. Be sure to write a good title and a good description to your blog, so that people will easily find it and click on your link.

Follow these 5 steps and you will start seeing lots of traffic to your blog. And the so long awaited sales will start coming in. And don't forget to update your blog with fresh unused content that you write yourself.

Acupuncture and Arthritis

Acupuncture is a therapy that has long been held in high esteem because of the beliefs that the Chinese had about its capabilities. However, if you are currently living with arthritis then there is something that you should know about the acupuncture therapy. For starters, there have been arthritis patients who have experienced a great relief from the arthritis pain that they have felt. Whether or not acupuncture works for everyone dealing with this kind of chronic pain is unknown, but what is known is that the therapy does work and there should be lots more research being poured into this age-old technique.
Theories about Why Acupuncture Cures Arthritis
Many chronic arthritis have said that they feel instantly better after a round of the acupuncture therapy. This is not only an astounding finding, but many people and researchers don't exactly know why it works. However, the only existing and current theory comes from the Chinese because they believed that the therapy of acupuncture could cure pretty much any pain in the body. For starters, the Chinese believe that there are various acupoints located along points in the body that trigger the pain that is felt, especially during a bout of chronic arthritis. If acupuncture needles are then pointed towards those acupoints in the body, it is believed that the pain will cease and the individual can go on living a healthy life.
This theory certainly is held true over the very many lives that have tried it. More than ten million Americans currently suffer from some form of arthritis, and many of those patients feel as if they have nothing to lose when trying acupuncture. Indeed, they do not have anything to lose, because the Chinese believed that this form of therapy, even if it wouldn't work for some people, certainly would not be of harm to anyone.
Where to Receive Arthritis Acupuncture
If one is looking to find a cure for their arthritis and they are looking for an acupuncture cure specifically, there are many places one can go in order to try this age-old therapy. For starters, universities and colleges along with research centers are usually more than happy to take on arthritis patients in their effort to find out more about why acupuncture does work. Along with these kinds of establishments, though, there are also set acupuncture therapists that work alongside patients in their private offices, and these are the offices where the more individualized acupuncture care can take place. If one is not able to find an acupuncture therapist in his or her own city or town then chances are that they will have to drive a short distance to find someone who is interested in the therapy.
Nevertheless, though, there are thousands of places across the United States that are interested in pursuing the art of acupuncture in order to cure arthritis. What arthritis patients do know and what acupuncture therapists have known for quite some time is that the therapy does work well and it only take a little bit of believe and confidence in order to know that one will actually get better from the terrible and plaguing arthritis.

Mentally Better: Your Brain should Get Exercise Too

Common in our society today are the brain exercises designed to give our mental faculties the boost they need. There are games, activities and all other cranial calisthenics that claim to be helpful in maintaining our brains functioning superbly. You should know that these things are not just for those who have mental problems, these activities and exercises are also good for everyone – everyone who seeks to keep your minds healthy; to better your brains. From senior citizens to the younger generations, these activities should be helpful enough to keep them all mentally fit.
Although some scientists may not fully believe in the benefits of brain exercises, a lot of researchers and professionals hold on to the numerous studies showing that the brain really does need an exercise just like the body does. Studies have showed that people who have tried to perform brain exercises regularly have improved memory as well as focus. See, with simple brain exercises the functioning of both hemispheres of the brain are made better; your brain becomes healthier.

Cross Crawls
Cross crawls is a type of exercise that is based on the principle that our nervous system works homolaterally. This means that the left portion of our brain controls the movement of the right portion of our body, and so on for the other half. The principles of kinesiology are also applied in this exercise wherein rhythmic movements are suggested so that the brain’s lateralization can be improved further. You can do this simply by touching your right hand or elbow to your left knee. Do this for several times, and after one side, you may proceed with the other side, doing the same steps.
This exercise, when performed by babies, are believed to realign the brain circuits in order for the left half of the brain to be able to connect with the left part of the body, and vice versa. For the adults, on the other hand, when this exercise is done there is an integration of the different functions and tasks of the brain. This is the reason why this exercise is mostly recommended for people suffering from dyslexia. Aside from this, this exercise is also good for strengthening your immune system’s responses.
Lazy Eights
Another exercise which can benefit both the left and right hemispheres of the brain is the “lazy eights.” This is done by drawing the number “8” on a piece of paper using your right hand for two minutes. After the right hand, you may proceed to draw the same sign using your left hand. This should be done daily, and the result is that you will have better concentration and your hand-and-eye coordination will improve. Aside from these, another benefit is that you would feel a reduction of stress and an enhancement of your mood.
You may also do the “Rhythmic Eights” wherein instead of using paper and pencil, you can just create an imaginary eight in the air with your hands. This should be sufficient to coordinate the two sides of your brain as well.
Try Different Exercises for A Change
Since there are already a lot of exercises designed to improve your mental functioning, it would be a better idea if you would alter your exercises so that your brain will not get used to just one routine. By varying your brain work out, you are also able to exercise as many parts of your brain as possible. There are puzzles, crosswords and other brain games available; you just have to look for those which best fits you. Exercise your brain, better your brain’s performance.

Christian Dating Websites Not Just Typical Dating Sites

Who would have ever imagined that a great number of Christian dating websites would come to the internet in great numbers? Even more astounding; is the fact that they are still proliferating in great numbers.
Main stream society often, incorrectly,thinks of Christians as people who are focused on religion and have little or no interest in dating.However, Christians are human too.  If you are Christian, you know the stereotypes you have to face on a daily basis.  You also know the challenges involved in trying to find someone special to date.
Christian dating websites are plentiful. Therefore, it is easier than ever for you to find someone who has the same beliefs, practices, and religious affiliations as you do.  If you are Christian and single and would like to meet a special someone with the characteristics mentioned above, then you should seriously consider looking into some Christian dating websites.
When it comes to being Christian and dating, it is much easier to be in a relationship with someone who shares the same devotion to God as you have.  You'll also find that most Christian dating websites will not only help you to find a potential romantic interest, they will also allow you to make some terrific friends and contacts.  Christian dating websites can act as a gateway to find other Christians to network and communicate with.
Nonetheless, it is still necessary that you choose the right Christian dating site with members that are true Christians. There are a lot of Christian dating websites on the net that are misleading, whether intentional or accidental. That being said, you need to determine which ones are genuine and which ones will give you the right kind of information, privacy, and security.
What factors should you consider when evaluating Christian dating websites? Here are a few suggestions:
-A good Christian dating site should have a declaration of Faith. Since the site is supposed to be dedicated to help Christians find other Christians for a possible date, a pronouncement of faith ensures the site will live up to that purpose. 
-A good Christian dating site has privacy guidelines. This ensures that your  personal information is kept in confidential and private.
-A good Christian dating site has an outlook of what a true Christian is. Even if the concept in its entirety is all about dating, the values and morals thought as a true Christian should always serve as a guiding principle for the benefit of the members and the overall look and reputation of the site.
As a final point, Christian dating websites are created and designed for Christians, who want to get acquainted with their fellow brothers and sisters. And hopefully, by becoming a member, find that someone special to share their faith and life with.

Intellectually Better: Your Brain’s Physical Exercise

As you may have known, your brain works in a complicated manner. The left portion of your brain controls the actions and movement of the right part of your body while the right portion of your brain controls that movement of the left part of your body. Thus, it may be possible that the side of your brain which controls you dominant hand is more used than the other side. So, if you use your non-dominant hand into doing some of your daily activities, would it better your brain’s performance?

If you are a right handed person, then most of the time you are stimulating the left part of your brain. Now, if you use your left hand in doing certain tasks, then you are able to stimulate the right side of your brain as well. By doing so, you are awakening the part of your mental faculties that is intuitive and creative. On the other hand, if you are a left handed person, and you use you right hand in doing simple tasks, then you are stimulating the side of your brain that is rational and organized.

This idea is supported by Tony Buzan, the author of a book entitled Using Both Sides of the Brain. According to him, doing simple exercises or cross-trainings like this bring in additional features to one’s mental functioning, and at the same time there will be a total improvement in one’s brain power. By doing so continuously, a person may stay mentally young and fresh.

Other activities which can stimulate the other side of your brain may be done without really straining yourself. You can just simply walk around your room with your eyes shut close, or you can get dressed and strip of them with closed eyes. You can also revisit your childhood games; the game when you rub your stomach with one hand while your other hand is tapping your head is also a good brain exercise. Simple tasks like these already constitute physical exercise for your brain, and they can already bring good effects to your brain, no matter how trivial they may be.

So, you may start to wonder regarding the mental condition of those people who are blessed to be able to use both their hands for complicated tasks such as writing, or simply put the ambidextrous. You may think that since they are stimulating both sides of their brain that they are more intelligent than others. This is a misconception; there are no studies or researches which can attest to this idea.

There are people who are able to teach and train themselves to use both their dominant and non-dominant hands to do tasks, and sports like the cricket players. But their training does not necessarily turn them into academic geniuses; so perhaps, this is just too much to ask for.

So, whether or not these simple exercises may make you a little bit more intelligent, these physical exercises are still believed to have good effects on your brain. Academically, the results may just be minor, or even unnoticed, but there can be other aspects which are affected, such as your creativity, organization and other features. One thing worth noting is that by doing these exercises, you are stimulating the part of your brain which is not used as often as the other part. Don’t you think it is always best to keep them balanced? If you want to better your brain’s performance, you might as well try to stimulate you whole brain, and not just a single portion.

Can I Get My Ex Back If

“Can I get my ex back if . . . ?”

Whether the break up is very recent or it happened a long time ago, you probably ask yourself that question a lot.  Sometimes you have to recognize that it’s simply time to move on.  But if you’re determined get your ex back, there are some things you can do.

Can I get my ex back if I play hard to get?

And there are some things you should probably not do, like pretend you really don’t want your ex. Playing hard to get is a popular ploy, but very often it only discourages the person who wants you from trying to get you.  If you play hard to get with your ex, it might just be easier for them to let you go and move on to someone who’s easier to catch!

Let your ex know that you’re available and ready to fix the relationship.  Let your ex know that you’re willing to do what it takes to make it work this time.  That approach will probably give you a better chance of getting back together than playing hard to get and playing games.

Can I get my ex back if I try to pressure him or her?

Trying to get someone to do something they don’t want to is a sure way to upset them.  Whether you’re trying to get someone to do a chore or to remember to pick something up after work, too much reminding can become nagging.

Pressuring your ex to take you back will quickly sound like nagging, too.  Your ex might decide that since you do little but complain and nag about the break up, it’s easier not to be around you.  So you might drive your ex farther away by trying too hard to fix things.

Try the opposite approach.

Stop asking your ex to come back.  Once you’ve made it clear that you want to get back together, they know it.  Let it go and focus on being a good friend to your ex, with no expectations.

This might be difficult, especially at first, but if your ex sees that you’re really a pleasant person to be around and not a nag, they’ll want to spend more time around you.  And that could lead to you making up and getting back together. At least, you have a better chance at it than if your ex dreads seeing you and hearing you harp on them about coming back.

Can I get my ex back if I make them jealous?

You know your ex best.  If jealousy worked in the past, it might again.  But it might make them so jealous they become angry and decide that since you’ve moved on, so will they.

Can I get my ex back if they’re dating someone else?

It’s possible, but it’s the most difficult situation.  Concentrate on being fun and enjoyable to be around, and give them a chance to miss your good qualities.  Then see what happens.

If your Outlook is Better, Your Brain Performs Better

How good do you really think of yourself mentally? If you ask yourself if you are intelligent, do you answer with a nod and a smile, or with an ashamed “maybe”? In answering this question, you should know that there are a lot of things to consider, and your IQ score is just one of those. The reality is that if you think of yourself as better, your brain will perform better.
Your outlook and perspective on things like this will definitely influence the performance of your brain. If you really believe that you are good enough, then your brain may just start performing to level with your expectation. Some may say that basic intelligence would never change after the childhood stage of your life, but then there are still some who believe that psychology has an influence in this.
The Influential Psychology in Brain Function
You may have heard of stories wherein the protagonist, who never even stepped into high school, was able to work his way from rags to riches. He just used his guts and determination as he climbs his way to the top. His childhood may have shown him that he can be as rich as his friends if he would only work hard for it. Because of this, he followed what he knew, and because he knew that he too can be rich, he did work hard for it. His outlook was that he can do if others were able to do it.
He never received any money from his rich friends, and he never received any assistance as he worked his way. But what he got from his friends was his expectation. If he never met his rich friends, if he never knew that it is possible to be rich, he would not have worked hard to be where he is right now. He had a goal when he met them, and all he had to do was to just work hard to reach that goal – and so he did.
See, expectations of yourself can play a big role in your life. It serves as your motivation. It makes you feel that you are on to something possible, something that is just within your reach if you just work hard enough. This is the influence of psychology. Don’t you think that it is possible that by just thinking that you can think harder and learn faster, your brain might just do the same thing for you?
Experiential and Evidential Learning
After you have viewed yourself with better perspective, then it is time for you to be more attentive to the things around you which can serve as an evidence that you are about to reach your goal. After you have done all the affirmations, you need hard proof. Take note of your progress regardless of whether they are too small or too big. Focus on these developments. You will soon realize that the more you appreciate your small developments, more of them would soon follow.
So, in applying to your brain development, if you think hard enough that you can improve your brain performance, and then your brain would soon perform better. The improvements may not be as drastic as you expect, but there will surely be some changes. Take note of these changes, and soon you will realize that the cumulative effect of these small changes will amount to a big alteration to your brain functioning. Think of yourself as better, your brain will soon live up to your expectations.

Can I Get My Ex Back

It’s a question you’ve probably asked yourself, and maybe you’ve even asked friends or family members:  Can I get my ex back?  No one can answer that question with any certainty.  The reason you broke up, how friendly you’ve stayed and other things all have a lot do with whether or not it’s possible to get back together.

If you’ve stayed friendly and you haven’t insulted each other, the chances of you getting back together are better than if things had gotten ugly.  But even if the breakup was bad, people can forgive and set aside those hurt feelings if they try hard enough.

When you’ve asked your friends, “Can I get my ex back?” some of them probably told you that maybe you could.  Some might have shouted “No way!” And some probably said they didn’t know.

Your closest friends probably know a lot about your break up situation, so their thoughts on the matter are important to you.  But unless they’ve broken up with someone and gotten them back, they really don’t know the keys to getting someone back.

They might think you’re foolish when you ask them, “Can I get my ex back?”  But maybe they think you shouldn’t want your ex back in the first place.  It’s hard for them to be supportive if you do want your ex back, if they never liked him or her to start with.

Take all the advice you can get, but remember that not all of it is good advice.  Beware of any extreme advice, like people telling you that you should just date several people or start another relationship to make your ex jealous. Jealousy could lead to your ex deciding to let you go, since you give the appearance that you’re already moving on.

When you ask some people, “Can I get my ex back?” they might encourage you to have many casual relationships and to forget about your ex.  The decision is yours, but your goal is to not do anything to drive your ex farther away.  Your ex finding out that you’ve slept with one or more people while you’ve been trying to get them back isn’t going to help your case.
The only truly honest answer to the question, “Can I get my ex back?” is maybe. To give yourself the best chance of getting back together with your ex, you need to make them miss you.  You don’t have to date other people or make them jealous to do that.

Just be the best “you” you can be when you’re around them. We all like to be around pleasant, happy and friendly people.  Be a good friend, be positive and helpful.  Once you’ve made it clear you want another chance, trust that your ex knows that and has it on their mind.

Be the best person you can be when you’re around your ex, even if it’s hard.  This will help them remember the reasons they fell in love with you in the first place.

If You Feel Better, Your Brain Performs Better

It has been said that through meditation, you are able to calm not only your body but your mind as well. It may sound too difficult to try, however, there are ways to make meditation as simple as possible. This article for those who are hesitant to meditate because of the perception that meditation is a difficult process. It may be true that in order to perfect your meditation skills you need to practice it for years, however, you can still begin with the simplest relaxation techniques. This will surely make you feel better, your brain relaxed a little and your whole being is rejuvenated.
Meditation is a good way to reduce stress; and as you all know, we can think better if we are not stressed. As many researches have pointed out, you can suffer from brain damage if you are exposed to constant stress. Now, isn’t meditation just the right boost to your brain power?
Through mediation, your concentration will be strengthened, thus you can fully focus on any mental activity that you are working on. So you should learn to control your mind and use it efficiently for your own goals, do this by starting with breath techniques moving further to simple meditation.
Breath Watching
Find a spot where you can sit and relax comfortably. There, give close attention to your breathing for a few seconds. Basically, you just have to clear your mind for a moment and have a quiet time on your own. Here are a few tips to assist you.
1) Find your spot
Since you are only a beginner, you may want to find a quiet place where you can meditate. As you become more expert in meditation, you will notice that you can already meditate anywhere you want to. For the mean time, find a spot where you can feel at peace.
2) Be comfortable
Look for your position which will keep you at ease but not asleep. For most people, crossing their legs is their meditation position. If you are the kind of person who can lie down without falling asleep, you may also try lying down for this may be your most comfortable position. Just keep yourself perfectly still and comfortable but not asleep – this should be your meditation position.
3) Let Go of the Tension
Observe which part of your body is most tensed. You should learn how to tense up those parts and then release the tension in such part. You may experience the release as your body begins to be drained from all the tension. If you repeat the process, you will later on learn how to relax easily.
4) Breathe properly
Breathe properly through your nose. In doing so, the air can easily pass through your lungs. You may notice that your diaphragm, abdomen and chest expand more when you breathe through your nose. This is how you should breathe.
5) Pay attention
There may be instances when your mind may be disturbed by other thoughts, but you should always remind yourself to go back into paying special attention to your breathing. With constant reminder, the thoughts that may disturb you will soon fade away.
You may want to perform this meditation for at least five minutes. And then as you practice it more and more each day, you may want to perform it for a longer time. You should then be able to realize that these meditations can really help you clear your mind and increase your focus. By feeling better, your brain also performs better.

Better Your Brain Performance: Stop IQ Deficiency

You may have personally experienced, or just heard from other people, of the mental boost that they get from smoking. Perhaps, for a short period of time such boost may be true, however in the long run, the effect of the tobacco consumption may be more dangerous to your brain than what you have expected. If you want to better your brain’s well-being, you have to worry about what affects your IQ.

An Addiction Research Center conducted a research regarding the long-term effects of alcohol on an alcoholic’s brain functioning. As expected, alcohol was found to be associated with mental problems and lower IQ scores. And as an addition to their findings, they also found out that long-term smoking has an effect on decreased brain power.

The results showed that alcohol has more severe effects on the thinking skills of alcoholic men who have been smoking for quite some time already. It has an adverse effect on memory, problem-solving skills and even the IQ of these men.

Among these alcoholic subjects, cigarette smoking was seen to be related to reduced mental functioning. However, even though the cause and effect relationship between smoking and the decreased mental performance was not clearly established, there are still some things which point out to the fact that cigarettes are the cause to such effect. In order to prove this point, more studies will have to be conducted.

Aside from these bad vices, there are still other things which may cause the reduction of your brain power.

Other Short-term Causes for Poor Thinking Performance

According to some more studies, foods which include artificial food coloring and sweeteners may be bad for the brain, more especially if they are consumed in large quantities. Usually, the children are the ones more affected negatively by these artificial flavorings and colorings. Examples of these kinds of foods are colas, white bread and hydrogenated oils.

The hydrogenated oils may cause the clogging of the arteries, and thus may result to heart diseases. Because of the clogs, it would be harder for the blood to flow to the brain. Artificially sweetened foods are unhealthy as well because they can cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels. These fluctuations may cause short-term brain fogging and even diabetes. Thus, it would be wiser for you to stay away from excessive sugar products.

Aside from these foods, other intangible things are believed to cause decrease of brain power. Personal problems such as egotism may be a factor. Because of egotism, a person may limit his ideas into just one view, which is his own. Because of egotism, he becomes settled with just his original thought and he would think that since his thoughts are more important than others then there is no more need to look at the ideas that come from others.

As you may have noticed, the effects of the bad eating habits as well as the personal problems may just be temporary. Thus, if you stop eating all those junk foods and start eating healthy; and likewise stop being so egocentric, then your brain functioning may just return to its normal performance. Fortunately, these factors affect the brain efficiency temporarily; unlike with alcoholism and smoking wherein the effects really do affect the IQ.

However, despite the effects’ permanence, the fact still remains that you should take care of your brain. You should keep it healthy all the time by doing things beneficial to your mental health. Whether or not the efficiency of your brain is affected temporarily or permanently, the truth is that it is still harmed for a certain period of time.  You should know better, your brain performance should always be at its prime.

Healthier Body Comes When You Better Your Brain’s Power!

The human brain is a multifaceted organization of cells and around fifty million neurons that work with utmost complexity in order to keep you going healthy and strong. It is believed to be five times bigger than an average brain of a mammal with the same body size. In human beings, the frontal lobes and the forebrain are especially expanded since these parts are the ones responsible for self-control, planning and reasoning. Thus, in order for you to have a stronger and healthier body, try to better you brain. Healthier mind means healthier body.

It is during our childhood, or the early stage of our lifespan that the development of the brain and the central nervous system is critical. As we grow older, the body’s capacity to absorb nutrients is weakened. Thus, it becomes more difficult for us to protect ourselves from illnesses, injuries and stresses. Simultaneously with our aging process, we also lose neurons, or commonly called as the brain cells. Unlike the other body cells, the neurons do not regenerate nor do they replicate; and they do not have the capacity to repair themselves. Because of this, our brain is not able to perform as well as when we were younger.

Thus, in order to keep our brains performing well, we have to follow some do’s and don’ts. This way we can help our brain maintain its fitness and strength.

What to do:

See to it that you exercise regularly and that you engage yourself in physical activities that can help you maintain your vitality.

Your mind is exercised more if you participate in active learning. Try new experiences so that you can learn from such experiences firsthand.

Maintain your social life as well. Do not isolate yourself from your social groups; instead, you should keep in touch with each of them. A happier life would mean a healthier life.

You should always be in control of your life. Do not feel as if you have no power over things. Maintain a positive self-image and a positive outlook on life.

Do not be overwhelmed by stress. You should know how to handle them all.

A balanced diet will definitely keep you healthy. So, as much as possible, you should eat a balanced meal and foods that are rich in antioxidants and vitamins.

You should get enough rest and sleep. Professionals believe that you should sleep for at least six to eight hours a day.

If you have any health problems, you should give attention to them as early as possible. Never take your health for granted.

What not to do:

Avoid drinking excessive alcohol and smoking too much cigarette. Also, do not do illegal drugs!

Never forget to inform your doctor of your mental condition. Important changes should always be reported.

Do not miss a visit to your doctor when these changes occur.

Never self-medicate because some drugs may interact negatively with your mental status, especially if you are taking more than one drug.

Do not live alone by isolating yourself from the others.

Never stop yourself from experiencing new things.

Most importantly is the fact that in order for you to have a healthy mind, you need to always have a positive attitude. Be ready to face all the challenges that life may bring, and never lose hope! Be in command of your life. Better your brain by having a better attitude about life.

Seven Steps to Thinking Better: Your Brain Power Boost

Most people, especially those who are not as intelligent as Einstein, would want to have a boost of their brain power. If you are one of those people who want to think better, your brain power boost might be just a few steps away.

These seven steps might help you in your quest to keep your brain working perfectly fine.

1. Engage yourself in a Regular Exercise

Do simple exercises like a simple walk or jog. It may not be as intense as a full-blown work-out. You just have to keep your body physically fit and active.

Simple work-outs may trigger the release of neurochemicals known as endorphins. These chemicals are responsible for making us feel happy and by feeling happier, a more positive effect on the brain can be observed.

2. Supplement your Diet

Natural supplements are believed to have a good effect on the brain. These supplements not only keep your body healthier, they also maintain the fitness of your brain; thus resulting to better brain power! These supplements are so popular that they can be found anywhere, from your local health and food store up to the web pages of the internet.

3. Use your Brain

If you are to exercise your body, you should exercise your brain as well. Use your brain muscles more often – think and learn. You may read, talk with other people or even play educational games. Any activity that can keep your brain working effectively may be tried out.

4. Play Games

Choose games that will definitely have a good effect on your brain. Refrain from playing games which are “no-brainer.” Nowadays, most computer games are designed to exercise your brain, so all you have to do is to choose well the games that you will play. Gaming consoles are also following the fad into increasing brain function. So, do your part in boosting your brain power, play games that will increase your brain power.

5. Enjoy an Educational Hobby

Choose a hobby that will give you some lessons at the end of the activity. This will not be such a difficult task since most of the time, we learn something from our experiences. Just be sure to do things that are not monotonous. Your hobby should be something that will help you learn new things every time you perform it. This way, you will be able to use some parts of your brain which are left unused before.

6. Sleep Well

Sleeping is the time when your body rebuilds and recharges itself. Most professionals believe that you should sleep for at least six to eight hours a day. Aside from these hours, you should also try to take ten-minute power naps.  After these refreshing sleeps and naps, you will surely feel energized to take on more activities for the day. Do not deprive yourself of sleep, and you will then realize that your brain will function better with more hours of sleep.

7. Relax

Because of the complexities of our society today, your brain is exhausted just as much as your body. Thus, you should take the time to relax and cleanse your mind of the worries and stresses that might overwhelm your thoughts. You may want to try on spas or meditations to give your mind a break from all the hassle. After the relaxation, you will feel that you are prepared to take on another complex day! This is how you make better your brain’s health and performance.