There is magic in the moment

We socialize, network but they are not a replacement for the magic that life brings to the table when we meet someone new. Some of the greatest incubators of ideas and innovation come from times when we meet and greet and are open to hearing what the other has to say. 

Be sociable, be a good networker, but most of all be a good listener. Listen and learn, and you will feel the magic that is in the moment when you meet.

Saving Energy – Solutions That Will Not Change Your Lifestyle

We all need to cuts costs but that may interfere with our lifestyle, so here are some ideas that may help reduce costs without causing too much change in lifestyle. The increase and decrease in temperature in the future places great pressures on customers as this may mean only one thing, more power and fuel are needed to manage the environment and make houses more pleasant.

Over the years, new technology has been developed to enhance our living. Power saving methods have not been left out. However new technology, as always, is a bit expensive at first. And the prices will go down after some time. But instead of waiting for a more affordable power saving devices, let us utilize conventional thinking today and do some work in conserving power.

•                  Avoid "phantom" energy users.

Electrical appliances that are plugged into sockets even when not in use consume energy. It is like a turning on the engine of your car and idling for a very long time. A single appliance plugged in may not give a meaningful increase in the electrical bill but letting every device on "standby" can be a very expensive device. Pull the plugs from their sockets from every appliance whenever you don't use them.

•                  Turn down the temperature of water heaters.

Water heaters hold about 40 gallons of water and maintain it at a constant temperature. Forty gallons of water that are sitting in your tank for a very long time consumes a lot of energy. If the water heater is not expected to be used for a while, it is advisable to maintain it at a lower temperature.

•                  The openings and leaks in doors and windows create drafts.

The stronger the draft is, the longer it will take for homes to be heated or cooled - in addition to the extra work that a heater or an air-conditioning system is doing to regulate the right temperature of the house. In newer houses, the difficulties may be few as developers take more notice to seal drafts. Older homes may not be as well sealed. Even if the outer walls are covered, air flow often occurs around wall sockets, switches and vents that could result in water concentration around these areas. A good foam patch could fix the problem.

•                  If there is really nothing to prepare much cooking for, let the stove and oven rest.

Instead, use the microwave. When cooking in stoves though, the closer the bottom of the pan used for cooking matches the hob ring of the stove, the more energy is saved. Too much flame for the pan and you are paying for heating the air around it.

•                  CFL lights are energy savers.

Using CFL bulbs will save you more than sixty percent of the cost of lighting compared with using incandescent light bulbs. These lamps are a little more pricey but these costs are recovered easily because of their long life and the energy saving features.

•                  Clean appliances regularly.

Dirt and dust interfere with the efficiency of appliances. Leave about four inches of distance between the wall and appliances that generate heat and your walls will not retain the heat.

When in the market for a new appliance always look for the energy coefficient and the energy saving features when you are buying.

Finding the Source of Your Fear

I used to have an irrational fear of horses. Growing up I delivered papers along a river in the country and there was a number of horses that used the trail along the river. Every time the horses came through I became paralyzed and would not move for sometimes hours. I never understood my fear and when I went to University, the group I was in loved to go horseback riding for fun. I joined them a few times but my fear would overcome me and I would have to withdraw. I finally overcame my fear by following some of the steps I outline below. It was not easy but I did overcome my fear of horses.

Unless you get to the source of a problem, it is difficult to solve it. The same is the case with your fears. If you are serious about getting rid of your fears and lead a more rewarding life free of fears, then you need to take care of this step before you can face or overcome your fear. When I found the source of my fear I was able to understand how irrational my fear was. I found out that when I was about 3 years old, I was kicked by one of the horses on the family farm and was out of commission for a few weeks.

Recognizing that triggers of your fears will help you either control, reduce, or fight them. Regardless of the type of fear you have, there is always a source. One approach to overcoming your fears is to take the time to write down your fears and their level of intensity. Then, add a note about environmental, emotional, or other factors that trigger that fear. This may help you trace the source of your fear. Look not only at external triggers but also consider internal triggers. Was there something in your past that created this emotional response? It is basically as simple as asking yourself, “Why am I afraid?”! So I asked that question and realized that every time I saw a horse I had an unconscious flashback to my childhood. Once I realized what was happening I was able to start to take control of my emotional state.

Another significant reason why determining the cause of your concern is of fundamental is that it empowers you to assess whether it is something that you can handle and control on your own, or whether you need expert help. In my case with my fear of horses I was able to take control of myself, but sometimes it is better to get help.

If you want further success in mastering your worries, then you need to take the lead so you can get individual help for whatever fears or concerns that drain you. Here are tips to get you started on the right track:

•                  Remain positive. Fears that produce negative impact are also triggered by negative thoughts and outlook on life. Therefore, you must try to sweep aside those adverse thoughts from your consciousness to stop yourself from feeling sad.

•                  Communicate with your internal self. There is no character who understands your concerns than you do. So, you need to build knowledge about your fears by knowing them and splitting them down into more manageable parts.

•                  Assess your fears. Some concerns are unreasonable and often reside in the subconscious of the person instead of actual reality.

The importance of learning how to overcome your fears is rather obvious. No one wants to live their lives in constant worry or fear, no matter how intense it may be. An anxiety-free life is one that provides more opportunity for growth and liberates you.

Here are techniques that I tried and worked for me, you can try them if you want to find relief from your fears or totally eliminate them:

*Visualization

*Gather facts

*Get professional help

Visualization

Take time each day to find a place where you can be isolated and be able to concentrate. Your objective is to move to a low-stress position where you have power over your fear, instead of the opposite. Imagine your fear as a concrete object that you destroy. You will never realize how it is able to calm you down. I did this first by viewing pictures of horses, and then I started visiting horses that were at country fairs and over time I was able to be around horses without uncontrolled fear taking over me.

Gather Facts

Most fears are caused by the unknown or people's inability to have control over a given situation. When you are experiencing certain types of fear, you need to look at the truth of the circumstances and find the knowledge that you need. The more data the less stressed you become, because you always know you can handle the stress. Once I was aware of the facts and found out that up until and even I was kicked, I loved horses. It was not until I was away from them for about 2 years that the fear took over.

Professional Help

If you are one of those people who doesn’t use or perform self-talk or confront their fears head-on, then it is best to seek professional help. A professional will start by assessing your fears and then suggest techniques that you can employ to combat those fears. Overcoming fears is often a long process, so don't expect to get rid of all your fears (if you have many) at once. It took me about 5 years to overcome my fear and to actually like being around horses again.

Some more money saving ideas

Regardless of the time in history and no matter what the current state of the economy, no matter what the current trends are, no matter what the unemployment rate is or where interest rates are, some money-saving ideas always work and stay true.

Big changes come from small steps and if you determine to put even one of these many savings secrets into place, you will see a big change in your life. The great Albert Einstein once said, “It takes a genius to see the obvious.” What he meant by that is that sometimes the simpler things in life are the most powerful ... but because they are so obvious, we tend to ignore them, and not let them work for us.

One of the most powerful money-making ideas is this: keep a daily diary of everything you spend. Go to the dollar store, buy a little book, and carry it with you wherever you go. Write down every penny – every single penny - you spend. It’s just as simple as that.

There is something incredibly powerful about writing down each of your expenditures. It makes the flow of money through your life more realistic and exacting. It shows you simply and clearly just exactly where you are spending your money, on what and why. Once you know this, it becomes much easier to control your spending. You will feel empowered with self-control and this will encourage saving.

Many people who have taken up this practice have not only learned something about themselves, which they never before understood, but they are often astounded by the simplicity of the lesson learned.

A daily expense log can help you achieve the insight and clarity you need to realize control of their finances. That’s what a simple spending record will do for you - it will give you much needed control over your spending, and thus your financial life. There may be nothing but a 75-cent notebook and a ballpoint pen between your life of financial struggle and financial freedom.

Stop deficit spending! We all know how our government has been creating debt—spending more money than our country takes in. It’s called deficit spending. Well, don’t do the same! The same rules apply to you and me. Using those nasty little plastic cards is a debt making system. Today, the average credit card holder is carrying around $8,000 in plastic debt!

Spending yourself into such debt with a credit card is certainly very easy, as many of you already know. The reason is psychological. When you give that clerk a credit card, it’s just not the same as handing over a stack of green dollar bills. Would you as readily hand over a pocketful of ten-dollar bills as toss a credit card across a counter? Probably not.

Credit cards put you in debt and keep you there. Even for people with good incomes, paying your credit card debt down to zero can be amazingly difficult. In addition, make no bones about it; credit card debt will sap your financial strength just as readily as an open vein will deplete your physical body of its very life force. Using a credit card by choice can quickly turn to use it for need. Once you get to that point, you are already in trouble and it becomes time to get some help.

There is no secret in freeing yourself from the credit card game. You must take out a pair of scissors today, cut your cards in half, and begin paying them back, slowly but surely. Be sure to always pay more than the minimum amount due, even if it is only $10 more.

Once you stop adding to the debt, even small payments will eventually, add up. You can get out of debt if you are patient and self-disciplined. Once your cards are history, you must adopt a strict pay-as-you-go policy. Instead of buying now and paying later, save now and buy when you have the full amount. This is key to being able to save.

Once again, stopping credit-oriented consuming is one of the most powerful financial tools available to anyone today. Why not pick up this tool and use it for yourself?