You, Artificial Intelligence, and the Future

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has ceased to be a futuristic concept; it's now an integral part of our daily lives. From the smartphone in your hand to the automatic scheduling of meetings, AI's invisible hand is shaping our world. 

This article explores the role of AI in our lives and how we can enjoy its benefits while avoiding over-dependence.

The Dawn of AI

The journey of AI is fascinating, tracing its roots from theoretical concepts to today's advanced algorithms. 

Understanding its evolution helps us appreciate its potential and limitations.

Let's delve into how AI makes life more efficient and the challenges it brings.

Benefits of AI

From simplifying complex tasks to enabling new discoveries, AI amplifies our human abilities as a force multiplier in various fields.

AI's impact on society is profound. We'll examine how AI-driven innovations are fostering economic growth and addressing critical challenges.

The Importance of Balance

 

The key to a harmonious AI-human future lies in balance.

At the heart of this balance is the understanding that AI should be a tool for enhancement, not replacement. 

AI's capabilities in processing information, recognizing patterns, and executing tasks with superhuman efficiency are undeniable.  

 

To ensure AI serves humanity, we must prioritize ethical AI development, this involves setting clear guidelines on the use of AI, focusing on transparency, fairness, and accountability. 

By doing so, we can prevent biases in AI systems and ensure they are designed with the welfare and values of all users in mind.

Dependence on AI is a growing concern as AI is reshaping the job market. 

How to adapt to these changes and thrive in an AI-enhanced workplace?

The integration of AI into the workforce marks a pivotal shift in the employment landscape, this evolution brings a blend of challenges and opportunities, reshaping how we view jobs and skills in the digital age.

AI is not just an addition to the workforce; it's a transformative force. It automates routine tasks, optimizes workflows, and opens new opportunities' for innovation and productivity. 

However, this automation also raises concerns about job displacement. 

Roles heavily reliant on repetitive tasks are increasingly vulnerable to being automated. On the flip side, AI creates new job categories and career paths, especially in fields like AI development, data analysis, and AI system maintenance.

 

A harmonious AI-human future requires fostering a collaborative synergy where AI and humans work together, leveraging each other's strengths. 

For instance, AI can handle large-scale data analysis, while humans can provide contextual understanding and ethical judgment

As AI becomes more prevalent in the workforce, ethical considerations come to the forefront. Issues like bias in AI algorithms, fair compensation for jobs impacted by AI, and ensuring equitable access to AI-related opportunities are critical. 

Employers and policymakers must work together to address these challenges, ensuring that the AI-driven future is inclusive and fair for everyone involved.

For businesses, the transition to an AI-enhanced workforce helps with strategic planning. This involves not only adopting the right technologies but also preparing the human workforce for change. 

Employee training programs & courses, innovative management strategies, and a focus on company culture are essential in this shift  to be smooth.

 

 

Effective regulatory frameworks play a crucial role in balancing AI and human interests.

These frameworks should be flexible enough to adapt to rapid technological changes while robust enough to protect human rights and privacy.

Public Engagement and Awareness

People should be educated about the capabilities and limitations of AI, dispelling myths and fostering a realistic understanding of what AI can and cannot do. 

 

Such awareness empowers individuals to make informed decisions about how they interact with AI technologies.

Skills of the Future

The demand for traditional skills is being overshadowed by the need for digital literacy, critical thinking, and adaptability. 

As AI takes over routine tasks, the human workforce needs to focus on complex problem-solving, creative thinking, and emotional intelligence – skills that AI cannot replicate. 

This shift emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and re-skilling, allowing individuals to stay relevant in an evolving job market.

The future workplace is not about AI replacing humans but about AI and humans working collaboratively. AI's role is to augment human capabilities, not substitute them. 

By handling data-driven tasks, AI allows humans to focus on areas requiring emotional intelligence, creativity, and personal judgment.

Preparing the Next Generation

Education systems must adapt to prepare individuals for an AI-driven world. This means not only teaching technical skills related to AI and machine learning but also fostering soft skills like adaptability, ethical decision-making, and collaborative abilities. 

Educational institutions should focus on experiential learning, encouraging students to work on real-world projects involving AI technologies.

 

As AI continues to evolve, so must our approach to education and skill development. A future-proof strategy involves nurturing skills that AI cannot replicate easily, such as critical thinking, creativity, empathy, and interpersonal skills, making sure that human qualities remain at the forefront of our societal progression.

AI in Art and Creativity

 

AI is not just about logic and efficiency; it's also a tool for creativity. Let's talk about AI's role in art and creative processes. 

This should be fun as we all know by now AI can create pretty impressive images based on our complex prompts, scanning thousands of elements from databases and our exact instructions.

It's like a dance between the structured precision of AI and the fluid, often unpredictable nature of human creativity, opening doors to realms that were previously unreachable allowing artists to delve into unexplored territories of expression.

Looking to the future, the potential for AI in artistic creation seems boundless, each advancement in AI technology, artists will have more sophisticated tools at their disposal, not just enhancing their technical abilities but also deepening their conceptual explorations. 

 

 It's a journey that's reshaping our understanding of creativity, expanding the horizon of artistic possibility, and redefining the essence of human expression in the digital age. 

The future of this fusion is as exciting as it is unpredictable, holding the promise of continual transformation and inspiration. 

 

I've outlined the essential elements that will pave the way for a future where AI and humans don't just coexist, but thrive together in a relationship marked by mutual benefit and shared progress. 

This vision hinges on our ability to balance technological advancement with human values, ensuring that AI serves as an extension of our capabilities rather than a replacement.

.....Is that a robot in a wheelchair??A.I did it again.😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄

 

As we move forward, it's our collective responsibility to nurture this partnership, ensuring that it evolves in a way that respects our humanity and better our lives.

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Currency Trading - An Introduction

 The simplest definition of currency trading is the practice of exchanging one country's currency for another country's currency. 

Basically, currency trading involves four main variables: currencies, exchange rate, time, and interest rate. 

The interplay of these variables creates opportunities for small investors to obtain investment returns that are generally unheard of in the traditional investment world. It is also referred to as foreign exchange, FX or Forex, but the essence remains the same that currency trading is the exchange of one currency against another.

Perhaps, in terms of trading volume, the currency exchange market is the world's largest market, with daily trading volumes in excess of $1.5 trillion US dollars (although the figures may differ, but this is just an approximation to show its importance). 

One thing is for sure that in orders of magnitude it is much larger than the bond or stock markets. 

For example, the New York Stock Exchange has a daily trading volume of approximately $50 billion. 

So you can easily imagine its importance in the trading world of today. 

Moreover, contrary to earlier thoughts, currency trading is not limited to just larger organizations and other large banks and financial institutions, but open to everyone who has enough expertise and determination to hard work.

You can start playing the currency trading market with real market conditions immediately. 

Trading opportunities in the forex currency trading market are now available to individuals through technology interfaces such as those used by major currency trading brokerage firms (usually large corporations with big tummies).

 If you decide to hire a professional who takes advantage of this technology, you will be able to view your accounts' closed trades 24 hours per day through a secured, online access portal.

Historically, SMBs and individual investors have had limited access to the forex market. 

For decades, major banks, multinational corporations and other participants, trading in large transaction sizes and volumes, have dominated this market. 

However, just like many other business segments technology has lowered the barriers of entry and opened up this attractive marketplace to a new breed of investors and speculators.

Technological advancement, along with liberal market sentiments, has allowed almost everyone to deal in currency trading, unlikely to the past when there were only few organizations that could trade the currency. 

You also can open a mini account with as little as $300 US although $2000 US is recommended. Keep in mind that mainly major banks, international organizations and some other are doing very well in currency trading.

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5 Thinghs You Must Do To Fail In Business

 There are more books about succeeding in business then curse words on MTV. 

It is not easy to define what makes a business succeed, but it is easy to describe what makes a business fail.

 If you are starting your business or currently being miserably unsuccessful, you might want to read on.

No doubt that most entrepreneurs want to succeed in business and I wont argue that failing is on the top of the do list for anyone. Here are five things you must do to fail in business.

1 💥You must want to become an overnight success. 

Isn’t it great to hear about some new product becoming an instant hit? 

Realistically, most overnight success stories take a lot more than one night of work. 

Think of any popular brand and think how long it took to create it.

 Even though things can happen quickly online, it takes a lot of testing and trying of what works for your business.

2 You must do it all alone. 👆

It takes a team effort to make any business successful. 

Even if you are the only member of your business, be ready to listen to what others have to say, and keep an open mind.

3 You must be convinced there is nothing new to learn. 💪

Even if you are an expert in your area, you will find that succeeding means learning.

 It is impossible to grow your business without a commitment to learning and improving your skills. 

4 If you think you have to be the cheapest to be the successful, you might be surprised. 💲💲

Price is not the only factor when it comes to making an online purchase. 

Actually, pricing a product at the right price is an art form. 

The right price is more important than the lowest price.

5 Never forgive yourself for failing.

 Even the greatest business will have its ups-and-downs. 

You are going to have difficulties, and you are going to be making mistakes. 

It is OK to make mistakes. It is not OK, however, to keep repeating the same mistakes. 

The biggest difference between successful businesses and failed businesses is that successful businesses will learn from their mistakes and use it for improving.

Remember to do the above if you must fail in business.

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Anxiety and Depression

 It's perfectly normal to feel anxious or depressed occasionally, especially in response to life's stressors. 

However, when these feelings become prolonged, disproportionate, or apparent for no significant reason, they need to be addressed. 

Thankfully diagnosis and treatment methods have come a long way, with many public health campaigns working towards bringing mental illness 'out of the shadows'. 

The co-occurrence of anxiety and depression is a noted feature of these disorders. 

While behavioral and emotional symptoms may differ within the two, the fact remains they are both an unnatural and unwelcome state of mental health. 

Characterized by a constant overwhelming state of fear or worry, anxiety can be debilitating in its physical manifestations too. 

The symptoms of depression may be similar to unrelenting feelings of sadness or despair.

The exact cause is still unclear; however, changes in brain chemistry, genetic factors, and hormone function are all believed to play a role. 

Irrespective of the cause, mental illness requires and generally responds to professional treatment. 

Best Methods of Treating Anxiety and Depression

Our understanding of mental illness has evolved over time, yet it still presents certain difficulties. 

Diagnostically speaking, depression and anxiety primarily affect the way an individual thinks and feels, and in most cases subsequently behaves; therefore we generally rely upon patients to identify these changes themselves and seek help. 

In some cases, family members or close friends may be able to identify vulnerable individuals and assist in requesting attention. 

Once diagnosed, however, treatment can be quite successful using a variety of approaches; the most common of which are psychological therapies or 'talking therapies'.  

Such therapies are generally administered by a qualified psychologist and involve either behavior modification (Cognitive Behavior Therapy or CBT) or examination of intrapersonal and interpersonal patterns and behaviors. 

Generally, work will be done to identify and address key triggers and ways of managing future events. 

Such therapies are often combined with a focus on improving nutrition and encouraging regular exercise, which itself can actively promote a healthy mental state. 

Indeed, a safe and effective first step towards self-empowerment is taking control over one's diet. 

The benefits are both psychological and physiological. Reducing or eliminating spikes caused by sugar-laden foods and stimulants, such as excess coffee, cigarettes, etc., will help in reducing the debilitating feelings associated with general anxiety.

Children and Adults Can be Affected

Young people and children unfortunately are just as vulnerable to mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. 

While often harder to detect, once diagnosed, applied therapies specifically designed for children can usually assist the child in living a happier and more fulfilling childhood.  

A happier childhood better prepares the child for dealing with the stresses of teen years and young adulthood. 

The healthy and safe transition of young adulthood enables the individual to prepare for and live a life feeling in control, empowered, and able to deal with everyday challenges.

Finally, and hopefully, after exploring other options, the use of antidepressant medication may be required. 

This depends on the severity of the illness and is most often used in conjunction with psychotherapies. 

Antidepressants can be very effective in some situations. 

As in any medical case, treatment is ideally specifically tailored to suit the individual, based on a thorough study of a personal history of symptoms, responses, and environment.

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7 Tips To Increase Your Credit Score

 Having a high credit score can mean the difference of thousands of dollars of saved interest expense compared to others with a lower score. 

For example, if you improve credit score results from the credit bureaus, just a few points that increase your credit score can make a huge difference in the interest rate you will pay for a home purchase. 

It pays to increase your credit score!

The most commonly used credit scores available to lenders are FICO scores, which is a scoring method created by Fair, Isaac & Co...FICO!

These scores are provided to lenders by the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. 

Before we get into some tips on how to improve credit scores, it pays to review the major areas that determine your FICO score.

1. Payment history on credit and retail store cards, loans, and mortgages.

2. Amount that you owe. Credit agencies look at how many accounts have balanced and the proportion of that balance to the credit line.

3. How long is your credit history? The longer the better.

4. New credit accounts. Applying for a bunch of credit cards all at once can hurt your score.

5. Different credit types, such as mortgages, retail loans, credit cards, and installment loans.

6. How many late payments do you have?

Now, with the playing field laid out, let’s work to boost your credit score! Some methods that boost your credit score take time, months, or years, and other areas to improve credit score can be made with a phone call right now! 

That said, here are the 7 tips to raise your credit score!

1. Pay your bills on time. 

Your payment history is a major factor (35% of your FICO score) in determining your credit score. 

If you pay your bills late or had an account referred to collections, your credit score will take a major hit.

2. Sign up for online banking and make sure your regular recurring bills are paid automatically. 

This way you will not forget a payment that will wind up reducing your credit score.

3. Increase your credit limit. 

Another large factor is the amount of your debt in relation to your credit limit. 

If you have a card with a $10,000 credit limit and your balance is $9,000, this will not help to improve your score. 

To make the debt/credit limit ratio look better, you can try to call your credit card company and request an increase in your credit limit. 

Don't use the extra credit though! That defeats the whole purpose and puts you further in debt!

4. Don't apply for many cards at once. This will not improve your credit score because this is a characteristic of high credit risk groups.

5. Don’t ever close an open credit card account. If you pay off a credit card down to a zero balance, leave it open. 

Remember that a positive factor for your credit score is how much available credit you have at your disposal when compared to your credit balance, in addition to the length of your credit history.

6. Apply for loans within a two-week period. 

Every time you request a loan and the lender pulls your credit report, it can hurt your score. 

It is part of the FICO formula that reasons "this person is trying to apply for credit and loans and possibly be trying to live way beyond their means!" 

If you keep the loan process within a two-week period, all of the credit report lookups are bundled together as one single request!

7. Check for errors on your credit report. 

Examine your credit report for errors and contact the credit reporting agencies to fix any errors on your credit report.

If you take action and follow these tips, you will be able to give your credit score an immediate boost and gradually increase it even more as time passes. 

The major keys are to pay your bills on time and reduce your debt amounts when compared to your credit limit. 

This has a twofold benefit of improving your credit score and reducing your debt.

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$1000 Provable Income Cash Advances: Should You Take The Opportunity?

 Many finance firms are willing to offer a sum of $1000 to those in need, provided the beneficiary has a provable source of income and agrees to repay the amount as per the firm’s outlined repayment schedule. 

However, needless to say, that you would end up repaying more than you acquire from the cash advance firm. 

This is because the cash advance firm is likely to charge interest on such credit lending.

Getting hold of a $1000 cash advance won’t be a cinch by any means. 

You would have to carry out preliminary research of reputable cash advance firms willing to lend $1000. 

Though it’s easy to find a cash advance of around $250 to $500, you might have to shop around a bit in order to bag $1000. 

It is recommended to keep several options open during your quest for a cash advance. 

This way, if one cash advance firm leaves you high and dry, you could easily switch to another.

Sums of $1000 and below are considered trifling amounts by bigger loan firms’ standards. 

Therefore, it is highly unlikely to acquire a $1000 loan from a loan firm. 

However, cash advance firms are a viable option for people in urgent need of around $1000. 

Cash advance firms would gladly approve your application, provided you have a provable income source. 

But, cash advance companies normally charge a higher rate of interest relative to bigger loan firms.

All in all, a cash advance is a nice and quick way to acquire that much-needed cash in a jiffy. 

But since the rate of interest is on the higher side, it’s best to take up a loan from a loan firm, if possible. 

In general, you should turn to a cash advance firm only when you have no other means of acquiring cash.

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7 Habits of Highly Successful Dating

 1)Don’t look at other women

While dating, focus your attention on your date and make her feel as if she matters the most to you compared to other women. 

Let’s face it, women loved to be showered with attention and pampered by her man. 

If not for you, who else other than her immediate family members.

2)   Make her feel like a queen. 

On the first date, buy her dinner to show you value her company. 

This will also reduce any tension between two people meeting for the first time. 

Make her feel special. 

Women find this absolutely irresistible. 

Build a bond of fun and excitement between you and be romantic. 

Subsequently, you can buy her gifts when the relationship progresses but never ask or even hint at sexual favors in return. 

3)Be yourself. 

Don’t exaggerate or boost your credentials, successes, etc. 

Make the other party feel at home so that she does not feel pressured to impress or lie to you. 

Sincerity is the best policy. Nobody feels more comfortable around people who are genuine and sincere.

4)Don’t ever talk about your past relationships.

Don't keep harping on them. This is a no-no and a sure turn-off. 

You will only project the impression that you are unable to let go and continue to give a present date a chance to get to know you better in a positive manner. 

5)Treat your first date as if going for an “interview”. 

You want to impress and let the other person know your qualities and characteristics of a life partner. 

If you are not ready to be in a commitment, let her know straight away so that you do not mislead her into false hopes. 

But be cautious not to boast or exaggerate stuff that is beyond you. 

Your deepest communication with women is carried out by your personal style and your level of confidence. Nobody feels more at ease than being with a confident man.

6)Don’t keep splurging and live like a millionaire unless you are one yourself. 

During the dating process, be careful how you handle money and spend within your own capacity. 

You don’t want a bank account with only 1 figure left after several dates. 

If you cannot afford it, go somewhere cheaper or try less expensive alternatives. 

It is most undesirable if, after several dates, you find that both of you are almost broke or worse, had to borrow to continue your lavish lifestyle. 

If your partner is in a habit of borrowing money from you, drop her or him immediately. 

7)   Be observant.

While dating for a while, you can conclude if this person is suitable for you for life or not. 

During dating, keep both eyes wide open and look for telltale signs like a persistent borrower, in debt, etc but after marriage, keep a close eye and forgive. 

The best time to date is during high school or undergraduate years as you are young with no "life baggage" but you can also date if you are single again. 

Marriage is meant to last for better or for worse till death do us part. 

But enjoy dating while you can and live life to the fullest. 

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Do Less to Accomplish More

 Multitasking – it's how we do things these days. 

Five things at once.

 Why? 

Time crunch. 

Too much to do, so little time. 

We're busy, busy, busy. ..Rush, rush, rush. 

Gotta be productive. 

Gotta get more done. 

Gotta go more places, have more things, see more people. 

We're frantic, exhausted, and stressed. 

You know the scenario. I know it, too. 

Here are some recent examples.

I'm finishing the dinner dishes while starting a load of laundry, taking out the trash, setting up a lunch date with a friend on the phone, and baking super-chunk chocolate chip cookies.  (We can't forget the importance of chocolate in our daily lives!)  

End result: bits of tissue from an unchecked pocket all over the "clean" clothes, a spilled glass of milk, a lunch date mis-entered on the calendar, a sticky, stinky mess on the floor from dropping (and spilling) the trash, and two broken dishes. 

Oh, and I burn the cookies, too, and hurt my friend's feelings by not paying attention to her. 

All in all, apologizing, cleaning up the mess, straightening out the confusion, and redoing the jobs I was trying to do all at once take more than twice as long (and create about twenty times the stress) as if I'd done things one at a time. 

Or I'll be putting laundry away while tidying the house, having a yelled conversation with my daughter, and thinking about an article to write. 

End result: My daughter thinks I'm angry because I'm yelling, I can't ever find the stuff I've put away (and two months later end up buying replacements, only to have the original turn up the next day), and half my clothes fall off the hangers and have to be picked up and rehung. 

Or even ironed, if I don't catch them for a couple of days. Then I forget to write the article. 

I've been known to (accidentally) leave my sunglasses in the refrigerator and my car keys in the bathroom sink because I was thinking of what I had to do next instead of paying attention to what I was doing at the time.

What I – and everyone else caught in this rush-rush trap – need to do is just slow down. 

Do one thing at a time and be fully present for it. 

We'll end up saving time, money, and energy in the long run. 

By slowing down, by concentrating on one thing at once, you'll remember tomorrow what you did today. 

You'll know where you put your car keys. You'll remember that you bought a loaf of bread yesterday, and you don't need to buy two more. 

You won't burn your cookies and have to start from scratch. 

And in the long run, you'll save time, money, and stress.

Now, we don't need to swing too far the other way. 

My beloved husband, the official cookie maker in the family, will put a batch of cookies in and actually sit and watch them as they brown. 

Of course, he also watches paint dry and glue set. (Really!) 

And while what he does he does well, that extreme would drive me crazy. 

So I compromise. 

I do two things at once, or even three, but no longer four or five. I put the cookies in to bake, then settle in on a chair in front of the oven with a magazine (or a telephone) and keep those cookies company. Then I’ll sample one as soon as it's out of the oven and cool enough to handle. That's a reward I've been missing out on. 

I've been too frantic, too busy, doing too many things at once to enjoy the fruits - or cookies - of my labors. 

I don't get the satisfaction of a completed job, much less a job well done when I'm doing so many things at once that none of them are well done. 

So a vague sense of dissatisfaction builds up, along with the frantic stress that's also a by-product. 

Between stress and dissatisfaction, I get the feeling I need to do more – when actually, that's the cause of the problem. 

The answer may seem counterintuitive: I need to do less.

After a certain point, multitasking is no longer efficient. Sometimes (take cell phones and driving, for example), it can be downright dangerous. 

I'd like to challenge you to notice how much you really accomplish when you multitask. 

Are you saving enough time to be worth the stress and the worry? 

Or if you did one or two things at once, instead of four or five or six, would you end up with more energy and less stress, more satisfaction, and less time expended? 

It's up to you – only you can escape from the rush-rush, multitask, a be-more-productive trap that American society is caught up in. 

Only you can choose to do more by doing less all at once. 

The reward? 

Finding your car keys exactly where they are supposed to be and eating a perfectly baked chocolate chip cookie is priceless.

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Authentic Success

 A More Effective Way

I own a stack of self-improvement books ten feet tall. 

Achievement seminars I've attended number in the dozens. 

I had been trying to improve myself since the second grade when Mrs. H. burst my young bubble. 

Although I went on to fourteen more years as a star pupil, I never forgot the way she made me feel - not good enough.

 And through the years whenever a co-worker, boss, or customer questioned my motives or integrity, I felt those same feelings - of being not good enough. 

So what went wrong with my self-improvement stint? 

I tried dutifully to follow the advice in all those books and workshops, showing me what to do and how to be. 

But, time after time, I failed. 

I have come to learn that I did not fail...what I did do was try to copy the efforts of others and expect results for me. 

My perceived lack of success came from trying to change myself. And, I was forcing on myself the methods and skills that weren't me! 

Discovering and embracing your own authenticity is the more effective way toward achieving fulfillment in life. 

Want to be a better boss, more valuable volunteer, finer parent, more creative employee? 

Be yourself. 

Know yourself. 

Uncover and use your inborn strengths and natural talents. 

Your authenticity, then, will serve as the foundation for all you are and do. Lead, manage, parent, create, love...all from this base of authenticity. 

Then, and only then, those enhancement skills- time management or assertiveness skills for example- will work in the balance! 

Authenticity

Authenticity, I have found, comes from a combination of engaging your talents, loves, and gifts; being autonomous (self-directed); and relating to your external world in your way- not as a copy of someone or something else. 

In their book Why We Do What We Do (1996 Penguin USA), Edward Deci and Richard Ryan note that some of the signs that hint we are moving towards authenticity include having a feeling of competence and being effective, feel free to choose based on wise decisions, and a certain connectedness to the world. 

Why Bother?

So what is it that makes authenticity so desirable? 

When you strive to find and be your authentic self, you gain a certain control. 

The world continues to spin around and around throwing your days out of whack but you, authentic you, remain in balance. 

You stand ready from a central point of self-control able to make decisions by considering those facets important to you. 

You find satisfaction and contentment through being and acting authentically. 

Even, especially, in times of chaos, you know where you stand because you are in control of yourself. 

If You Don't Bother

Okay, so what if you don't bother? When you are not freely choosing your direction or making choices from an authentic center (your true self), others take control of your being! 

Whether subtle or outright, others may begin to make it seem that your duty is to be under their control, that you indeed must give up your sense of authority over self. 

Certainly, there are some situations that are not within our ability to control (taxes, laws, work regulations, etc.), nor do we desire to. 

However, we can always choose how we will react to, feel about, or even overlook these situations. We also hold great power in any situation - that is hope. 

When you're acting from an authentic foundation you can easily find hope. On the other hand, when you allow others control of you when you are not acting from an authentic place, here's what can happen, and many times do (Are you showing any signs of being unauthentic?): Low job satisfaction

Tardiness or absenteeism

Self-imposed limits on work performance (Why bother doing more?) Bad or poor attitude

No motivation or motivation that is conditional on receiving something else.

Low productivity

Hopelessness (Stuck in a rut)

Too much on your plate (Out of balance or alignment) 

Searching For Your Authenticity

To find your authentic self, you will work hard- it's not that easy a task. 

For me, even when I realized that I had to find my own personal methods that matched my strengths and personality, I struggled to be. . .me. 

Who was I anyway? 

At a training session for a utility corporation, we were asked to quickly tell a story related to a time when we got results by relinquishing control. 

I told the story of helping my daughter to ride her two-wheeler. 

In short, she finally rode the thing when I stopped running alongside her steadying the seat! 

It was a fantastic story, told with finesse. 

My feedback? 

The class thought I was an excellent actress who had told that story many times. 

I hadn't actually - the incident had only occurred two days before the training! 

What I was missing was AUTHENTICITY. 

How could that be? 

It was what I valued most, being true to myself! 

But I wasn't being true to myself. In my heart of hearts, I was yearning to let Jane out! 

On the outside, I was acting as if. 

I was acting the way I thought I needed to act depending on the culture or politics of the situation. 

Yes, we do have to adapt...but not to the point of losing ourselves in the process! 

When times got rough and I was out of control...others were surprised to see Jane's survival personality coming through - and it wasn't very refined! 

Sometimes self-exploration shows particular actions you need to take - and taking them might prove to be painful. 

As you grow to a deeper appreciation and understanding of self, others may not like it one bit! 

Authenticity helps you to regain control of your life and this may make the controllers in your life angry, defensive, and even more controlling. 

Their distorted feelings, although real, come from their loss of control over you - they may still love you dearly, or value your friendship, but they must not be allowed to take your life in their hands. 

The essence of your authenticity is true and clear, and it becomes stronger each time it is recognized as so, and each time you consult yourself over some decision. 

Many authenticity seekers report that once they began taking back control, people in their lives truly important to them eventually came to respect and enjoy them even more, although the initial "coming out" caused great uneasiness in their relationships. 

How To Engage Authenticity

Keeping in mind all the great things that can and will begin happening for you in light of some of the not so great stuff, here, in brief, is how authenticity can be engaged and embraced in your life. 

You engage in an expedition of discovery which helps you to get to know yourself better than you did at the start. ¡¤ You work to pinpoint areas in which you haven't allowed authenticity in the past, and you consider reasons why this was so. ¡¤ You create a foundation with authenticity as the key so that you always have a ready plan of action to engage whatever chaos comes your way. ¡¤ This foundation also stands strong as you encounter others who do not favor your newfound authenticity or those who state they simply will not allow you to be this way. ¡¤ You recognize that you are a very special, genuine soul on this earth. No longer will you try to copy the actions of others. You won't need to imitate it. You will be yourself, effective, accountable. Yes! You will be all this thing! s and more when you begin from a center of authenticity! 

Authenticity improves productivity and personal fulfillment in your daily work. 

It diminishes feelings of hopelessness and reduces tardiness and absenteeism. 

These positives, and those mentioned before, are attained through authenticity because when you are true to yourself, you can rely on our autonomy in your choices, weighed carefully with your values and principles. 

As you respond to others, they mirror that responsiveness to you - it's catching! Authenticity yields confidence that allows your creativity to flow and the innovation in you is unleashed. When combined with a personal plan of action and choices made from accountability, authenticity propels us along toward our vision and allows us a feeling of content. Just think of the possibilities if all of us, and our organizations too, would engage our authenticity. Wow! Synergy in life.

Jane Miller works with People to Discover their Authentic Life Work and to use their Potential in a World of Chaos. 

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5 Ways Moms Can Make Money With A Home Business

 Does the idea of starting your own business from home sound appealing? 

Has found the right one stumped you?  

Do you often think that if you could make money at home you would be one very happy person? 

Then read on and see how easy it is to make money with a home business.

Make Money with Your Interests

Everyone is born with a special talent that sets them apart from others. 

Your job is to figure out what that talent is and find a way to turn it into a business. 

One lady I profiled in my book, "The Stay-at-Home Mom's Guide To Making Money" had always liked horses. 

When she was younger she didn't have a horse of her own, so she would groom and feed other people's horses just for the chance to ride. 

Now that she is an adult, she has turned that interest into a pet sitting business. 

While she takes care of the smaller critters, she has niched herself in the area of horse care.

What Are Your Hobbies? 

Is your hobby candle making, painting portraits, herb gardening? 

These are all great home businesses just waiting to happen, and you don't necessarily have to produce these items to make money. 

Maybe you could start a newsletter on the subject of your hobby for others just like you. 

 Maybe you could sell supplies to other hobbyists or businesses. 

Or maybe you could write a book on the subject. Once you start brainstorming you'll be surprised at all the ideas you will come up with. 

One woman I've met online is now the owner of her own portrait sketching business. 

She actually had two other home businesses before she decided that she could make extra money drawing sketches of people.  

She does incredible work, and when you look at your pictures it's hard to believe she hasn't been doing this longer. 

Sometimes the business for you is right in front of you; it's just hard to believe that someone would actually pay you to do something that comes so easily and naturally for you. 

You're Producing a Product or Service for Your Friends and Family for Free already.

I talk with moms all the time who say their family or friends are always coming to them because they are great at creating a resume, or because they can really put a nice bouquet of flowers together for special events. 

These are all great ideas for a home business. 

Seriously consider charging for these services. 

Let your family and friends know you are in business. 

They've already used you in the past for these things; they trust your work. 

They will probably enjoy spreading the word and letting other people know that you are open for business. 

Go With What You Already Know A Lot About 

Maybe you enjoy your work outside the home but still want to be home with your kids, or want the flexibility and satisfaction of owning your own home business. 

Use your previous skills to get your business started. 

Teachers become tutors, secretaries become virtual assistants, graphic artists become -- graphic artists.

 The same can go for architects, photographers, and transcriptionists. 

You'll be surprised at the number of jobs you've held in the past that could be the key to getting your own home business started now.

Have You Ever Thought, "Why Doesn't Someone Start A Business Doing xx and x?"

Do you see the need for a particular product or service in your community? 

Are you trying to figure out why someone hasn't thought of it and started providing it yet? 

Why can't that someone be you?

 There is no reason why you shouldn't be the one to see a need, fill it, and make money from it. 

You have many interests, talents, previous experiences, hobbies, and good ideas that are just waiting to be turned into a money-making venture. 

Why not make this the year your home business dreams come true? 

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Be Your Boss: Do-It-Yourself Debt Settlement

 Many people find themselves owing much more money than they can realistically afford to pay back. 

If you can relate to this situation, then it’s highly likely that you’ve researched your options and have decided that negotiating with your creditors for reduced settlements on your credit card balances may be the best solution to become debt-free.

Now that you’ve made the decision to attempt negotiating with your creditors you’re probably left wondering what steps to take and whether or not you need to have a debt settlement firm to do the negotiating on your behalf. 

Well, that depends; some people can successfully negotiate reduced settlements with their creditors, while others simply feel too intimidated when they face any type of controversy. 

My experience has shown that approximately50 % of the people with whom I talk are willing and able to negotiate on their own.

If you can remain calm and, at the very least, sound confident, during the stress, badgering, harassment, and several phone calls from your various creditors, and you’re patient enough to take the time to become educated about the process of debt settlement, there’s no reason you can’t negotiate on your own.

If you’re going to go it alone, it’s important to understand that the debt settlement process can take several months, and during this time your creditors won’t stop badgering you and trying to convince you to enter into a repayment arrangement. 

But remember, you decided to negotiate with your creditors due to the fact that you simply could no longer afford to make your monthly payments. 

Even if your creditors are willing to reduce your monthly payments and/or interest, you’ll still be faced with many monthly payments over a period of several years. 

So, during the course of your discussions with creditors, stand your ground and insist that you simply cannot commit to a long term payment agreement.

If you need convincing to remain on solid ground when talking with your creditors, think very carefully for a moment about the “make-up” of the credit industry. 

If you’ve made your payments on time every single month for the last several years and suddenly faced a hardship, your creditors simply wouldn’t care. 

You could call and write to these companies, begging for a break on your interest or payments and they won’t budge. Only once you become delinquent will they finally offer you a reduced interest rate or payments. This fact alone should help you stand your ground and insist that you absolutely will not agree to their new payment terms. They weren’t willing to help you after you reached out, begging for assistance, and this unwillingness by creditors to cooperate has led many people down the path to bankruptcy.

After several months and numerous discussions with your creditors, you’ll eventually reach a mutually agreeable negotiated settlement. 

Prior to releasing funds to your creditor, you’ll want to obtain a settlement letter, which clearly states the settlement arrangements that have been verbally agreed upon. 

This is very important; remember, if it’s not in writing it doesn’t exist, so until you have a settlement letter with a settlement amount, a deadline, and the correct account number, don’t pay a dime.

Successful debt settlement requires knowledge and education. 

Take your time and take advantage of the many resources that are available. 

Even if you find that it’s necessary to spend a few hundred dollars to buy materials that will inform and educate you, you’ll end up being several thousand dollars ahead. 

Your decision to become debt-free is one you will not regret.

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The Power of Intention

 I was fried. 

I had once loved my job leading business-writing seminars. 

But after too many days standing in front of corporate managers from 8:00 to 5:00, entertaining them, educating them, and practically willing them to write better—well, it had gotten old. 

And the luxury of room-service had long been overshadowed by an aching desire to sleep in my own bed. 

It was definitely time for a change.

I had learned through study and personal experience that if you want to do something great, you have to start with a clear intention. 

So I sat down one day with paper and pen at hand, closed my eyes, and asked myself what I really wanted to do with my life. 

The answer came easily and quickly: I wanted to speak—not about how to write a better business letter, but how to live a better life. 

When I opened my eyes, I wrote down my intention: to start speaking to audiences about how to create the life we want. 

I then launched into designing the flyer that would describe in detail the first presentation I wanted to give on “Women, Power, and Happiness.”

A couple of weeks later, my friend and colleague Marci Shimoff was in my office. 

Like me, Marci taught business writing in the corporate world, and, like me, she was up to her eyeballs in dangling modifiers. 

We were discussing some fine points of punctuation when she suddenly saw my flyer and grabbed it off my desk.

 “I’ve been wanting to start a speaking business for the past four years,” she practically shouted. 

And just like that, our speaking partnership, which we called The Esteem Group, was born.

The first thing we did was to write down our intention. Our mission was “to help women understand and experience their inner power and self-worth, so they can create and live their own vision.” 

Little did we know what power those words contained.

We began building our speaking business, specializing in self-esteem presentations for women.

 One of our best resources was Jack Canfield, a renowned expert in the field of self-esteem, with whom Marci had studied. 

So when his book "Chicken Soup for the Soul" became a national bestseller that year, we immediately got his permission to share stories from it with our audiences.

It turned out to be a powerful combination: women and Chicken Soup. 

We saw what an impact the stories had, how deeply they moved women, and how much they helped them with the changes they were trying to make. 

So the following January, when Marci approached me with the idea of co-editing a volume for women, I didn’t hesitate. 

We faxed Jack a proposal. 

He said it sounded like a good idea—and then we all got busy and let it drop.

But Marci and I kept getting clearer about our intention: We wanted to touch the hearts of women all over the globe. We wanted to inspire them, uplift them, give them a vision of life lived from the heart—and show them the magnificent support we can be to one another.

We finally flew to Los Angeles and sat down for a meeting with Jack. 

With our vision clearly in mind and heart, we told him that we wanted to touch the hearts of women around the world through a Chicken Soup for the Soul book just for them. 

Jack asked us why he should let us do the project when his office already had a successful track record (they were working on number two in the series). 

Marci and I looked at each other across the table and simultaneously realized we hadn’t prepared a thing to say!

For a moment, we sat speechlessly. Then, all of a sudden, the words started pouring out: We both taught business writing and understood the principles of good writing; 

I had majored in journalism; we understood the “Chicken Soup” genre because we’d been using stories in our public presentations; we were connected with women through our business and felt that we understood what women were hungry for; the women’s market was huge; and finally, Jack and his coauthor Mark Victor Hansen couldn’t coauthor a book for women without women coauthors!

Jack didn’t even hesitate. 

He said yes, and sixteen months later, Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul became a reality. 

Within two months, it hit Number 1 on the New York Times best-seller list. 

A million copies had been sold.

But we didn’t understand the real implication of the numbers until the mail started coming in. 

We soon found we had fulfilled our intention beyond our wildest imagination. 

We were deluged with letters from women literally all around the globe telling us how our book had affected their lives. 

Estranged mothers and daughters were reconciled; abused women found the courage to get help, women changed careers, adopted babies, confronted their boss, their illness, their fears, their mother-in-law. 

We toured all over the country, speaking and signing books, and everywhere women shared their stories with us. 

Marci and I wept with them, cheered with them, and most days felt we were the luckiest women alive. 

I still feel that way!

To say that Marci and I worked extremely hard on that first book would be an understatement.

 The learning curve was steep, and we had to put the book together while still building our speaking business and teaching in the corporate world to earn an income. 

Even finding days when we were both in town at the same time was challenging! 

But we knew it was the opportunity of a lifetime. What a perfect vehicle we had found to fulfill our desire.

I believe that Intention is a fundamental principle of success. 

It is not the same as goal-setting. Goal-setting comes from the mind, while intention comes from the heart. 

The intention by itself doesn’t make things happen either. But when intention comes from the heart and is coupled with the willingness to work, miracles can happen.

 We may not know how it’s going to happen, but we don’t need to. We just need to be awake to opportunities and willing to show up and do what’s needed.

Adapted from The Soul of Success: A Woman’s Guide to Authentic Power, Health Communications, Inc., copyright 2005 Jennifer Read Hawthorne.

Jennifer Read Hawthorne is an international keynote address speaker and author. 

Her other titles include co-author of:

Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul

Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul

Chicken Soup for the Single’s Soul

A Second Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul

Diamonds, Pearls & Stone: Jewels of Wisdom 

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The Power Of Emotional Health

 Man's obsession with physical fitness is evident wherever you go.  

There is a phenomenal increase in the growth of fitness clubs and gyms.  

People have become conscious of their body image that they are willing to go the extra mile just to have the same sculptured body like those that are usually splashed in the pages of magazines, billboards, TV, and movie screens. 

People try to find sensible and sustainable ways to achieve and maintain a physically fit body, yet tend to overlook another important aspect of their well-being: their emotional health.

It has always been said that a healthy body cannot be divorced from a healthy mind or a healthy spirit. 

Emotional health is considered an integral part of man's overall wellness.  

Neglecting your emotional health can damage your physical health in the process. 

Research has shown that one of the leading contributors to illness is stress caused by unresolved emotional issues. 

Psychologists believe that emotions, such as fear, joy, sadness, and anger are mental responses to events, circumstances, people, or our own thoughts and memories.

 They course through our conscious and unconscious mind at critical junctures or during seemingly inconsequential moments of our lives. 

Biologists, on the other hand, tell us that our emotions are rooted in self-preservation, triggering physiological reactions that enable us to find food, escape danger, and reproduce. 

In his work entitled "Emotional Intelligence", author Daniel Goleman pointed out that, “...all emotions are, in essence, impulses to act, the instant plans for handling life that evolution has instilled in us." 

Emotions have also evolved into facial expressions and body language so that each member of the group can signal his or her wants and needs to other members. 

As John D. Mayer, a leading expert in the study of emotions has remarked: "Emotions convey information...about relationships." 

Emotions are so powerful and actually possess the ability to make us sick, as well as provide healing.  

Emotions are relayed to the immune system through the autonomic nervous system. 

When people experience anxiety,  depression, and other painful emotions, the immune system can be affected and may cause a risk for a whole host of illnesses.  

In the same way, having a healthy emotional outlook in life can boost the resistance against disease. 

Mayer has emphasized, "People can reason with emotions in the same way they reason with cognitive information. 

So you can solve emotional problems just as mathematicians solve math problems." 

However, he also acknowledged that some emotions, such as grief and anger, can be harder to control or reason with.  

The interplay of various emotions makes that form of “reasoning” very difficult. 

Not all experts agree that human beings are born with a full range of emotions.  

Instead, some theorize that people were born with instincts and urge, along with an innate capacity for feeling. As people grow older, they develop personalities and nurture relationships with others, which are valuable experiences that help them expand their feelings into full-fledged emotions. Having a complete range of emotions is important for overall health and well-being.

Emotional health consists of five key components: 

1.Being is aware of your emotions. 

Emotionally healthy people are in touch with their emotions and can identify and acknowledge them as experience.

2.Being is able to process your emotions. 

After connecting with their emotions, emotionally healthy people develop appropriate ways of expressing them.

3.Being sensitive to other people and their emotions and having the ability to empathize. 

The ability to identify their own emotions enables emotionally healthy people to identify emotions in others and to have an intuitive sense of what it feels like to experience them.

4.Being self-empowered. 

Emotionally healthy people honor their emotions, which empowers them to fulfill their goals.

5.Being in healthy relationships. 

Using their emotional intelligence and empathy, emotionally healthy people build and maintain strong, functioning relationships. 

Just as emotional health can affect a person's physical health, the same is true with one's lifestyle making a direct impact on emotional health.  

Vitamins and minerals stimulate the production of chemicals in the brain.  

These are known as neurotransmitters that regulate our physical and mental health functions, including the way we process emotions.  

Minor deficiencies of these nutrients can lead to depression and irritability, as well as hamper our ability to concentrate and stay motivated. 

Definitely, unhealthy foods can adversely affect emotional health. 

Excessive intake of caffeine demonstrates many of the same physiological and psychological symptoms as people suffering from anxiety, while a diet with too much sugar has been linked to depression, aggression, and impaired judgment. 

Many experts believe that people with strong spiritual fervor tend to have healthier immune systems and are less prone to depression and high blood pressure.  

It can be surmised that the faith of religious adherents gave them an enhanced sense of well-being which helped reduce their levels of stress.

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Prove Your Power: Take Action Now and Achieve Your Goals

 TAKE ACTION!

I swear, it seems as if there are more opinions regarding fat loss than there are people. 

It's amazing. 

What's even more amazing (and frustrating), is that most of them are wrong, if not downright dangerous.

There is just way too much information for you to even get started with a successful program, sometimes known as "information overload".

There are so much information and so many differing opinions that you never even get yourself started. 

Or, you get started, but never give any particular program a chance, instead of going from one to the other, in a "shotgun" approach, never giving anything a chance to make progress.

You need to pick a sensible program and decide to stick with it for a long enough period of time that you can measure your results or lack thereof.

If you're like most people, fear, doubt, and confusion are preventing you from moving forward and tackling your fat loss goals. 

This prevents too many people from achieving their goals in life, whether it be a successful career, or building their body.

Everyone feels fear and doubt. 

The difference is that successful people move forward anyway and use these things as motivators to help them achieve their goals.

Do something! Hit the gym. 

Eat that nutritious meal.

You don't have to know everything to get started. 

Do a few weight exercises a couple of days a week, drop one thing in your diet that you know you shouldn't have. 

You can fine-tune your program as you go, doing more and more of the things you need to do.

Forget about whether supplement a is better than supplement b or if a turkey is better than chicken or should you have whey protein with casein or take them separately.

If you aren't doing the fundamentals correctly, these things just don't matter. 

This goes back to a previous article I wrote where I stated that things such as narrow grip, wide grip, etc. won't mean a thing if there are major flaws in the fundamentals of your training program.

Forget about which supplement is better for what, whether you should be riding the bike or hitting the treadmill if the turkey has less fat than chicken.

Master the fundamentals first!

The fundamentals of fat loss include:

Perform high-intensity weight training,

Burn more calories than you consume

Eat 5-6 small, frequent meals and never skip meals,

Taken in a few tablespoons of good fats such as flaxseed or sunflower

Eat natural foods; avoid processed & refined foods

Drink a lot of water

Eat more fibrous carbs, fruits & vegetables,

Consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass

Perform high-intensity cardio

If you're not doing all these things, and you're looking for the perfect supplement stack or the optimum periodization plan, then you are just setting yourself up for failure from the beginning.

Fitness Is A Lifestyle, Not A Diet

Do you know what is the biggest fat loss mistake made by beginners?

As many of you are aware, gym memberships always shoot up in January and February. 

All of the sudden, you can't get the equipment you want without a long wait. Don't worry, as you move into March, most of the newcomers will be gone because they've quit.

Results may come slowly for most of you unless you are genetically blessed.

But if you stick with it long enough, if you resolve to make it a lifestyle and not a quick fix, you will get the results that you want. 

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