How to Be Extremely Confident

 by Mitch Reid, Demand Media

Without confidence, any situation can feel threatening, says psychologist Marci Fox, Ph.D., in her PsychologyToday.com article, "The Key to Confidence." In fact, those who lack confidence are more likely to sabotage their own successes. Not only does an unconfident attitude limit your work abilities and personal life, it leaves you open to the consequences of stress and anxiety. Adopt several strategies to increase your self-confidence and open up a world filled with potential.

 Don't Fear Imperfections

Accept your imperfections, suggests psychologist Leslie Sokol, Ph.D., in her PsychologyToday.com article, "Six Ways to Boost Your Self-Esteem." You won't always be right, and you won't always come in first place so learn to be OK with these facts. Don't spend so much time dwelling on your imperfections that you disregard your other, more positive, traits, Sokol advises. Each time you have a negative thought about yourself, counter it with a positive one. For example, if you catch yourself thinking about how bad you are at giving speeches, praise yourself for being a good listener. Understand that some traits you can improve while others you can only accept.

Focus on Concerns, Not Worries

Worry is the enemy of self-confidence. Battle your worrisome thoughts by recognizing worrying as a needless distraction, says Fox in her PsychologyToday.com article, "Give up Worry by Recognizing It as a Bad Habit." When you worry, you focus on negative 'what-if' statements. In many cases, you cannot even confirm or address these sometimes imaginary problems. On the other hand, a feeling of concern denotes realistic problems, Fox explains. If you feel concern about a situation, take action to prevent or reduce it. Focus only on concerns in your life, and cast aside baseless worries.

Challenge Yourself

Take on new challenges. Whether these challenges come in the form of a new workout routine or learning to play an instrument, always congratulate yourself when you reach goals, even small ones, Sokol explains. Practice congratulating yourself and avoid worrying about certain outcomes as you work your way through challenges. Live in the present and focus on your tasks at hand. View any failures as learning opportunities. And remember: Nobody is perfect.

Avoid Arrogance

People often mistake arrogance for confidence and vice versa, but key differences exist. Arrogant people insist on bragging or showing off to earn the praise of others, explains clinical psychologist Leisa Bailey, Ph.D., on her blog post, "The Difference Between Confidence and Arrogance." Arrogant people tend to compare themselves with those around them, whether financially, intellectually or physically. This is because arrogance relies on a sense of external superiority, such as high cash flow or constant praise -- all of which can easily vanish. On the other hand, confident people find happiness even while being aware of their shortcomings. After all, confidence comes from within.

The Harm Soft Drinks Can Do To Your Body

 January 5, 2011 at 6:03 pm

• Kully Dhaliwal

Some people drink soda pop as if it is water, some even instead of water. Sure, the primary ingredient is water, but, with all the other “stuff” it contains it can have a…toxic…poisonous…lethal…venomous… seriously harmful effect on your entire body. Drinking soda pop is a sure way to age faster. Here’s why:http://www.oleda.com/prodinfo.asp?number=D6PC

Soda Pop (or carbonated soft drinks) has an alarming amount of sugar, calories and harmful additives in it that have absolutely no nutritional value. Studies have linked soda to osteoporosis, obesity, tooth decay and heart disease. And still, soda accounts for more than one-quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States….and we wonder why we can’t lose weight and why we have health problems. WE encourage illness and disease little-by-little every day by not preventing their cause. We know better, we try to fool ourselves, but our bodies’ cells can’t be fooled about what we put in our mouths. I hope the next time you look at a can of soda pop you take note of the ingredients and smarten up for the good of your own healthy lifespan and that of your children and grandchildren.

Here’s what’s in Soda Pop:

Phosphoric Acid: May interfere with the body's ability to use calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones. Phosphoric acid also neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which can interfere with digestion, making it difficult to utilize nutrients.

Sugar: Soft drink manufacturers are the largest single user of refined sugar in the United States. It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and many more negative side effects. Most sodas include over 100 percent of the RDA of sugar.

Aspartame: This chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures. Further, when aspartame is stored for long periods of time or kept in warm areas it changes to methanol, an alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens.

Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks can cause jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.

How many sodas have you had today? How about your kids? The average American drinks an estimated 56 gallons of soft drinks each year, but before you grab that next can of soda, consider this: one can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites. Nutrition labels are not required to divulge how much caffeine soda contains.

Let’s take a look at some of the major components of a can of soda:

Okay, so we already know that colas contain a fair amount of caffeine. It turns out to be 35 to 38 milligrams per 12-ounce can, or roughly 28 percent of the amount found in an 8-ounce cup of coffee. But few know that diet colas -- usually chosen by those who are trying to dodge calories and/or sugar -- often pack a lot more caffeine. A 12-ounce can of Diet Coke, for example, has about 42 milligrams of caffeine -- seven more than the same amount of Coke Classic. A can of Pepsi One has about 56 milligrams of caffeine -- 18 milligrams more than both regular Pepsi and Diet Pepsi. Other sodas including, Mello Yellow, Barqs, Jolt, Sunkist, and Mountain Dew also contain high amounts of caffine.

Animal studies have shown that phosphorus, a common ingredient in soda, can deplete bones of calcium. Even so, there's been concern among the research community, public health officials and government agencies over the high phosphorus content in the US diet. Phosphorus -- which occurs naturally in some foods and is used as an additive in many others -- appears to weaken bones by promoting the loss of calcium. With less calcium available, the bones become more porous and prone to fracture. Soft Drinks, especially light-colored drinks, and canned iced tea appear to “aggressively” erode teeth enamel in laboratory tests—and it didn’t matter whether they were diet drinks or regular ones, according to a study published in General Dentistry.

The soft drink industry argues that the phosphoric acid in soda pop contributes only about 2 percent of the phosphorus in the typical US diet, with a 12-ounce can of soda pop averaging about 30 milligrams. What happens when these soft-drinking people become young or middle-aged adults and they have osteoporosis, sedentary living and obesity? By that time, switching to water, milk or fruit juice may be too little, too late.

Cancer: Can food prevent cancer?

Fiona Macdonald-Smith

12:01AM BST 16 Jun 2008

Yes, says an American doctor who has come up with a holistic plan to beat the disease. But you need to change your lifestyle, too. Fiona Macdonald-Smith reports

Here's your lunch. And indeed your supper - ideally for life. There are vegetables, some olive oil, garlic, herbs, spices and maybe some meat or eggs - but just enough for the flavour. It's not the most exciting-sounding dish but, according to a new book, it could save your life.

Dr David Servan-Schreiber, author of Anticancer: A New Way of Life, calls it "the standard plate". It's part of a range of measures - what you eat, your environment and your mental attitude - that he has compiled from the latest scientific evidence to help you beat cancer.

This is, says Servan-Schreiber, the book he wishes he had when he became ill. Fifteen years ago he was diagnosed with a brain tumour - and eight years ago, having thought he had beaten the cancer, he suffered a relapse. After further successful surgery and 11 months of chemotherapy, he asked his doctor what he could do to prevent relapses. "I was stunned when he said there was nothing - they would just evaluate me regularly so if the cancer came back they could catch it early. It left me feeling utterly powerless."

A scientist himself - he is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine - he proceeded to trawl through all the available medical literature. "I discovered that there's lots you can do."

The core of Servan-Schreiber's book is the idea that you can build what he calls "an anti-cancer biology". Although everyone's body harbours defective cells, only in some of us will these go on to form tumours - in the rest of us, the body's defence mechanisms will kick in and protect us. He believes you need to strengthen your immune system's ability to fight cancer; reduce the inflammation that cancer needs to invade neighbouring tissues; and reduce the growth of new blood vessels that cancer needs to develop large tumours. The purpose of his book is to tell you what measures you can take to achieve this.
Most important, says Servan-Schreiber, you need to protect yourself against imbalances in the environment; adjust your diet to cut back on foods that promote cancer (sugar, white flour, animal fats) and eat more foods that contain phytochemical components that fight it (green tea, turmeric, cruciferous vegetables); heal the psychological wounds that aid the chemical processes that cause cancer; and stimulate your immune system.
As well as the more common-sense stuff, there are some unusual suggestions. Servan-Schreiber suggests wearing eau de toilette rather than perfume as it contains fewer potentially dangerous phthalates, which may be linked to cancer development; airing your clothes in the garden after having them dry-cleaned (to get rid of potentially carcinogenic ethylenes); even accepting your true identity, including unresolved matters surrounding your sexuality, as turbulent emotional states can inhibit the activation of immune-cell production.
But Servan-Schreiber's arguments for a holistic approach to cancer are all credible and one wonders why, if this information is available, this is the first time it has all been brought together. "If you're telling people to eat differently, exercise and manage their stress levels, there's no patent, no one's making money, so there's no incentive," he says.
He's not anti-conventional medicine, though. "It saved my life - it just doesn't help you prevent relapses. You need both approaches."

• 'Anticancer: A New Way of Life' by Dr David Servan-Schreiber (Michael Joseph, £14.99) is available from Telegraph Books for £12.99 + £1.25 p&p. To order call 0870 428 4112 or go to books.telegraph.co.uk.

A little of what you fancy...

Red wine
The concentration of polyphenols - which combat carcinogens - is greater in wine than in grape juice. Pinot noir is particularly rich in resveratrol, a polyphenol that protects cells from ageing.
Green tea
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), found in green tea, is a molecule that blocks the formation of the new blood vessels needed for tumour growth.
Blueberries
These contain anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins, molecules that force cancer cells to self-destruct, a process known as apoptosis.
Dark chocolate
Chocolate with more than 70 per cent cocoa is rich in antioxidants, proanthocyanidins and polyphenols, which slow the growth of cancer cells. Avoid milk chocolate, though.
Pomegranate juice
Used in ancient Persian medicine, pomegranates are now thought to halt the growth of prostate cancer. Drinking the juice daily slows the rate of spread by two thirds.
Seaweed
Seaweeds such as fucoidan and kombu, eaten in Asia, contain molecules that slow cancers of the breast, prostate, skin and colon cancer.
Broccoli prevents pre-cancerous cells from developing
Cruciform vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and bok choi all contain sulforaphane and Indole-3-carbinols (I3C), powerful anti-cancer molecules that can detoxify carcinogenic substances.
Oranges stimulate detoxification
Citrus fruits contain flavonoids, which are anti-inflammatory and help the liver detoxify carcinogens. Flavonoids in tangerine skins help kill brain cancer cells and stop them from spreading. Citrus peel can be steeped in tea or hot water or grated over salads or cereal.
Aubergines reduce the spread of cancer cells
A key source of terpenes, which act on tumours by blocking the enzymes cancer cells need to invade other tissues. Herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil and mint are also rich in essential oils of the terpene family.
Tofu blocks dangerous hormones
Soy isoflavones (found in tofu, tempeh, miso, mung beans and bean sprouts) are phytochemical molecules that battle cancer. They act like tamoxifen, a drug used to prevent breast-cancer relapses. There are far fewer breast cancer cases among Asian women who have eaten soy since adolescence.
Turmeric uniquely powerful anti-inflammatory
The principal spice in yellow curry, turmeric can inhibit cancer growth. In the lab, it combats cancers of the colon, liver, stomach, breast and ovary, plus leukaemia. Indians, who consume turmeric regularly, have one eighth as many lung cancers as Westerners.
Mackerel helps stop the spread of cancer cells
A key source of essential fatty acids, such as Omega-3s, which reduce cancer cell growth in tumours (lung, breast, colon, prostate, kidney). Studies show that eating fish twice a week helps prevent cancer. Also rich in selenium, which stimulates immune cells.
Tomatoes increase the body's capacity to attack tumour cells
Vegetables and fruits rich in carotenoids - tomatoes, carrots, beetroot, squash and apricots - contain vitamin A and lycopene, which slows cancer growth and combats a type of brain tumour known as a glioma. Men who eat tomato sauce twice a week may be protected against prostate cancer.
Garlic reduces carcinogenic effects
An ancient medicine, garlic is part of the alliaceous family. Their sulphur compounds reduce the carcinogens of tobacco and over-grilled meat and fight cancers of the colon, breast, lung, kidney and prostate, and leukaemia. Also regulates blood sugar, which helps limit cancer cells.

Prostate cancer prevention: Ways to reduce your risk

Prostate cancer prevention: Ways to reduce your risk

There's no proven prostate cancer prevention strategy. But you may reduce your risk of prostate cancer by making healthy choices, such as exercising and eating a healthy diet.By Mayo Clinic Staff

If you're concerned about your risk of prostate cancer, you may be interested in prostate cancer prevention.
There's no sure way to prevent prostate cancer. Study results often conflict with each other and most studies aren't designed to definitively prove whether something prevents prostate cancer. As a result, no clear ways to prevent prostate cancer have emerged.
In general, doctors recommend that men with an average risk of prostate cancer make choices that benefit their overall health if they're interested in prostate cancer prevention.

Choose a healthy diet

There is some evidence that choosing a healthy diet that's low in fat and full of fruits and vegetables may contribute to a lower risk of prostate cancer, though this hasn't been proved concretely.
If you want to reduce your risk of prostate cancer, consider trying to:

• Choose a low-fat diet. Foods that contain fats include meats, nuts, oils and dairy products, such as milk and cheese.
  In some studies, men who ate the highest amount of fat each day had an increased risk of prostate cancer. While this association doesn't prove that excess fat causes prostate cancer, reducing the amount of fat you eat each day has other proven benefits, such as helping you control your weight and helping your heart.
  To reduce the amount of fat you eat each day, limit fatty foods or choose low-fat varieties. For instance, reduce the amount of fat you add to foods when cooking, select leaner cuts of meat, and choose low-fat or reduced-fat dairy products.
  
• Eat more fat from plants than from animals. In studies that looked at fat consumption and prostate cancer risk, fats from animals were most likely to be associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Animal products that contain fats include meat, lard and butter.
  You might consider using plant-based fats instead of animal fats. For instance, cook with olive oil rather than butter. Sprinkle nuts or seeds on your salad rather than cheese.
  
• Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat each day. Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins and nutrients that are thought to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, though research hasn't proved that any particular nutrient is guaranteed to reduce your risk.
  Eating more fruits and vegetables also tends to make you have less room for other foods, such as high-fat foods.
  You might consider increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat each day by adding an additional serving of a fruit or vegetable to each meal. Consider eating fruits and vegetables for snacks.
  
• Eat fish. Fatty fish — such as salmon, tuna and herring — contain omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fatty acid that has been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. If you don't currently eat fish, you might consider adding it to your diet.
  Another way to add omega-3s to your diet is by eating flaxseed.
  
• Reduce the amount of dairy products you eat each day. In studies, men who ate the most dairy products — such as milk, cheese and yogurt — each day had the highest risk of prostate cancer. But study results have been mixed, and the risk associated with dairy products is thought to be small.

Maintain a healthy weight

Men who are obese — a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher — may have an increased risk of prostate cancer. If you are overweight or obese, work on losing weight. You can do this by reducing the number of calories you eat each day and increasing the amount of exercise you do.
If you have a healthy weight, work to maintain it by exercising most days of the week and choosing a healthy diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

8 Fast and Easy Breakfasts for People on the Go

Let’s face it, when you’re racing out the door to get to work, eating a healthy breakfast isn’t a priority. You scarf down whatever is in sight, or hit a Fast Food drive-thru for a fat-filled bacon biscuit.
Breakfast is an important meal because your body hasn’t had any nutrients since dinner the night before. Skipping breakfast is not a good idea, especially for those trying to lose weight.
Here are some breakfast ideas for those days when you’ve got less than 15 minutes to prepare something:

1. Tropical Fruit Yogurt Parfait: “Parfait” is just a fancy word for a combination of yogurt and fruit.
2. Fruit Salad: It doesn’t get simpler than this. Just grab a container, a variety of fruit, and spend 5 minutes chopping. Finally, sprinkle granola on top and catch the next bus. I like to add a few pieces of cheese, too. You can save time by doing it the night before if you use fruit that holds up well after being chopped.
3. Microwave Scrambled Eggs: If you don’t have time to make Kathy’s stove-top scrambled eggs, then just nuke them! Crack open two eggs and whisk well in a microwave-safe dish. Put in a pinch of salt and pepper and set your microwave for 1 minute. Check to make sure your eggs are not runny by sticking a fork in and fluffing them up. You can put them on toast or on an English muffin and wrap it all up in aluminum foil and go. You can also hard-boil eggs the night before and take these with you.
4. French Toast Sandwich: Toast can be made in endless ways that work for folks on the go. But French Toast is my favorite. Grab two slices of frozen French toast — or use Kathy’s recipe — and stick them in the toaster to heat up, then pop whatever you want in between. You can keep it simple with a couple of slices of cheese, or even add a slice of ham. I’ve even done a smear of peanut butter and some banana slices. Some cream cheese and a few blueberries work just fine, too.
5. Smoothie: We’ve already given you many smoothie ideas, and most can be made the night before. So all you have to do in the morning is grab your thermal mug and get into the car. Have a breakfast bar on the side, and you’re guaranteed to make it to lunch without a hitch.
6. Oatmeal: Yeah, yeah, you expected to see this one on the list. I dislike plain old oatmeal straight out of the box or packet. But if you take a few minutes, you can turn ho-hum oatmeal into something fun and flavorful. If you don’t have any fresh fruit, try combining your oatmeal with dried fruit, Cheerios, chocolate or even peanut butter.
7. Apple and Pear Crisp: This is another nuked delight that tastes like dessert at breakfast. Who wouldn’t like that? Pop it in a microwaveable container so you can cook it at work.
8. Grilled Cheese: Kathy’s recipe is super easy, or you can pop bread in the toaster oven and let the cheese melt right there. Just keep your eye on it because it cooks quickly. The good news is that you can skip the butter if you’re watching calories. Wrap it and run!

18 Ways To Inspire Everyone Around You

 Live by choice, not by chance.  Make changes, not excuses.  Be motivated, not manipulated.  Work to excel, not compete.  Listen to your own inner voice, not the jumbled opinions of everyone else.
This is the way to inspire people!  This is how you can grow into the best version of YOU!
Here are a few more ideas to get you started with inspiring everyone around you:

1. Be authentic and true to yourself. – In this crazy world that’s trying to make you like everyone else, find the courage to keep being your awesome self.  Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else.  Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms.  Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.  No it won’t always be easy; because when it comes to living as a compassionate, non-judgmental human being, the only challenge greater than learning to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, is learning to walk a lifetime, comfortably in your own.
2. Stick with what you love. – Take part in something you believe in.  This could be anything.  Some people take an active role in their local city council, some find refuge in religious faith, some join social clubs supporting causes they believe in, and others find passion in their work.  In each case the psychological outcome is the same.  They engage themselves in something they strongly believe in.  This engagement brings happiness and meaning into their lives.  It’s hard not to be inspired by someone who’s passionate about what they’re doing.
3. Express your enthusiasm. – Passion is something you must be willing to express if you want to inspire others.  You can gain a lot of influence just by publicly expressing that you are excited and passionate about a topic.  Expressive passion is contagious because of the curiosity it stirs in others.  You’ll get people wondering why you love what you love so much.  Naturally, some of them will take the time necessary to understand what it is about the topic that moves you.
4. Excel at what you do. – People watch what you do more than they listen to what you say.  Be someone worth emulating.  Most people are inspired by GREAT musicians, writers, painters, speakers, entrepreneurs, engineers, mothers, fathers, athletes, etc.  There’s only one thing they all have in common: They excel at what they do.  There’s no point in doing something if you aren’t going to do it right.  Excel at your work and excel at your hobbies.  Develop a reputation for yourself, a reputation for consistent excellence.
5. Focus on building your character. – Be more concerned with your character than your reputation.  Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others temporarily think you are.  A genuinely good character always shines and inspires in the long run.
6. Care about people. – People don’t care about how much you know, until they know how much you care.
7. Challenge people to do their best. – As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.”  If people know we expect great things from them, they will often go to great lengths to live up to our expectations.
8. Lead by example. – Practice what you preach or don’t preach at all. Walk the talk!  Be the change you want to see in the world.  If you really want to inspire others to do something, then this ‘something’ should be a big part of your life.  You don’t necessarily need to be an expert at it, but you do need to be passionately involved.
9. Articulate what everyone else is thinking. – We are very connected to each other in various ways, the most important of which is our thoughts.  Out of fear, or passive shyness, lots of people hesitate to articulate their thoughts.  If you take the risk and say the things others are holding back, you become the glue that brings people together.
10. Make people feel good about themselves. – People will rarely remember what you did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.  Start noticing what you like about others and tell them.  Go out of your way to personally acknowledge and complement the people who have gone out of their way to excel.  As von Goethe once said, “Treat a man as he appears to be, and you make him worse. But treat a man as if he already were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.”
11. Help people heal. – Instead of judging people by their past, stand by them and help repair their future.  In life, you get what you put in.  When you make a positive impact in someone else’s life, you also make a positive impact in your own life.  Do something that’s greater than you – something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less.  Everyone values the gift of unexpected assistance and those who supply it.
12. Share lessons from your successes and failures. – When you can, be a resource to those around you.  If you have access to essential information, don’t hoard it, share it openly.  You have more to share than you realize.  Mine the rich experiences of your life and share your wisdom from your unique point of view.  Be vulnerable.  Be willing to share your failures as well as your successes.  Others will relate to you.  They’ll understand that they’re not the only ones with challenges. 
13. Keep your cool in tense situations. – What you do in a tense situation says a lot about your limits.  People take note of how far the pressure or social discomfort around you goes until you lose control of yourself and the situation.  President Obama, who often displays a calm and collected persona, had a joke in his speech at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner awhile back where he said, “In the next 100 days, I will strongly consider losing my cool.”  Obviously this made him appear even more calm and collected.  Bottom line: Keeping your cool in tense situations lets people know you have a mind of steel – a personality trait most people are drawn to.
14. Focus on the positive. – Be happy with who you are now, and let your positivity inspire your journey into tomorrow.  Everything that happens in life is neither good nor bad.  It just depends on your perspective.  And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should.  Either you succeed or you learn something.  So stay positive, appreciate the pleasant outcomes, and learn from the rest.  Your positivity will help encourage those around you.
15. Keep your promises and tell the truth. – Inspire people with your dependability and commitment to the truth.  If you say you’re going to do something, DO IT!  If you say you’re going to be somewhere, BE THERE!  If you say you feel something, MEAN IT!  If you can’t, won’t, and don’t, then DON’T LIE.  It’s always better to tell people the truth up front.
16. Listen intently to what others say. – Make people feel important, and inspire them by showing them that they are.  Eyes focused, ears tuned, mobile phone off.  In a world that can’t move fast enough, someone who can find time to listen to others is always appreciated.
17. Communicate clearly. – Mystery does not inspire.  Say what you mean and mean what you say.  Share your vision and ideas often with those around you.  Also, be sure to maintain eye contact when communicating; it’s one of the most alluring forms of personal communication.  When executed properly, eye contact injects closeness into human interaction, which captivates attention.
18. Be faithful to your significant other. – There’s nothing more inspiring than the unwavering love and commitment between two individuals.  Furthermore, your sustained fidelity in a long-term intimate relationship creates a healthy foundation for everything else you do.

In the end, everything you need to inspire everyone around you is contained within you.  So get out there and start inspiring people with who you are and how you live your life.

post written by: Marc Chernoff

Meditation for Beginners: 20 Practical Tips for Quieting the Mind

Meditation is the art of focusing 100% of your attention in one area. The practice comes with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness.
Although a great number of people try meditation at some point in their lives, a small percentage actually stick with it for the long-term. This is unfortunate, and a possible reason is that many beginners do not begin with a mindset needed to make the practice sustainable.
The purpose of this article is to provide 20 practical recommendations to help beginners get past the initial hurdles and integrate meditation over the long term:
1) Make it a formal practice. You will only get to the next level in meditation by setting aside specific time (preferably two times a day) to be still.
2) Start with the breath. Breathing deep slows the heart rate, relaxes the muscles, focuses the mind and is an ideal way to begin practice.

3) Stretch first. Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit (or lie) more comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of “going inward” and brings added attention to the body.
4) Meditate with Purpose. Beginners must understand that meditation is an ACTIVE process. The art of focusing your attention to a single point is hard work, and you have to be purposefully engaged!
5) Notice frustration creep up on you. This is very common for beginners as we think “hey, what am I doing here” or “why can’t I just quiet my damn mind already”. When this happens, really focus in on your breath and let the frustrated feelings go.
6) Experiment. Although many of us think of effective meditation as a Yogi sitting cross-legged beneath a Bonzi tree, beginners should be more experimental and try different types of meditation. Try sitting, lying, eyes open, eyes closed, etc.
7) Feel your body parts. A great practice for beginning meditators is to take notice of the body when a meditative state starts to take hold. Once the mind quiets, put all your attention to the feet and then slowly move your way up the body (include your internal organs). This is very healthy and an indicator that you are on the right path.
8) Pick a specific room in your home to meditate. Make sure it is not the same room where you do work, exercise, or sleep. Place candles and other spiritual paraphernalia in the room to help you feel at ease.
9) Read a book (or two) on meditation. Preferably an instructional guide AND one that describes the benefits of deep meditative states. This will get you motivated. John Kabat-Zinn’s Wherever You Go, There You Are is terrific for beginners.
10) Commit for the long haul. Meditation is a life-long practice, and you will benefit most by NOT examining the results of your daily practice. Just do the best you can every day, and then let it go!
11) Listen to instructional tapes and CDs.
12) Generate moments of awareness during the day. Finding your breath and “being present” while not in formal practice is a wonderful way to evolve your meditation habits.
13) Make sure you will not be disturbed. One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is not insuring peaceful practice conditions. If you have it in the back of your mind that the phone might ring, your kids might wake, or your coffee pot might whistle than you will not be able to attain a state of deep relaxation.
14) Notice small adjustments. For beginning meditators, the slightest physical movements can transform a meditative practice from one of frustration to one of renewal. These adjustments may be barely noticeable to an observer, but they can mean everything for your practice.
15) Use a candle. Meditating with eyes closed can be challenging for a beginner. Lighting a candle and using it as your point of focus allows you to strengthen your attention with a visual cue. This can be very powerful.
16) Do NOT Stress. This may be the most important tip for beginners, and the hardest to implement. No matter what happens during your meditation practice, do not stress about it. This includes being nervous before meditating and angry afterwards. Meditation is what it is, and just do the best you can at the time.
17) Do it together. Meditating with a partner or loved one can have many wonderful benefits, and can improve your practice. However, it is necessary to make sure that you set agreed-upon ground rules before you begin!
18) Meditate early in the morning. Without a doubt, early morning is an ideal
time to practice: it is quieter, your mind is not filled with the usual clutter, and there is less chance you will be disturbed. Make it a habit to get up half an hour earlier to meditate.
19) Be Grateful at the end. Once your practice is through, spend 2-3 minutes feeling appreciative of the opportunity to practice and your mind’s ability to focus.
20) Notice when your interest in meditation begins to wane. Meditation is
hard work, and you will inevitably come to a point where it seemingly does not fit into the picture anymore. THIS is when you need your practice the most and I recommend you go back to the book(s) or the CD’s you listened to and become re-invigorated with the practice. Chances are that losing the ability to focus on meditation is parallel with your inability to focus in other areas of your life!
Meditation is an absolutely wonderful practice, but can be very difficult in the beginning. Use the tips described in this article to get your practice to the next level!

Increase Sales: 25 Sales Techniques That Work

Strategy 1: Use Content Marketing

The key is not to call the decision maker. The key is to have the decision maker call you. -Jeffrey Gitomer

A few years back, when you had a product or service to sell what did you do to get the word out? You tried press releases, television ads, paper ads, cold calls, banner ads, display hoardings and any other means you could afford. Business went to those who had the largest marketing budgets.
Fast forward to present day, people are no longer paying attention to the thousands of marketing messages that they come across each and every single day. With internet usage on the rise and people becoming more aware, all of these traditional marketing approaches are weakening day-by-day.
People who embrace relationship marketing, has already understood the power of content marketing. As compared to traditional methods of marketing, content marketing means getting found by prospective customers rather than trying to push your product or service to the uninterested masses.
With content marketing, there are a host of benefits

• Pre-qualified leads
• Lower marketing costs
• Higher conversion rates
• Higher customer satisfaction
• Lower customer acquisition rates

You should embrace content marketing not just for the benefits. Although it takes time, it’s what works very well now, and probably the only marketing technique that will work in the future.
Strategy 2: Use Upsells Effectively
If you are not using upsells, you are leaving money on the table. How many times have you ordered fries just because the sales guy asked you “would you like fries to go along with it?” or perhaps you were given a discount on something when you already made a purchase?
Upsells are very effective to increase sales. Once they buy from you and are in a buying mood, it’s easier to close an additional and related sale.
Many people who run online businesses give 100% commission to their affiliates on their product. Once people buy this product, they are presented with an additional high end product as an upsell. This is how many people make most of their money selling info products online.
Strategy 3: Create a Product Which Has Demand

Supply always comes on the heels of demand. – Robert Collier

This is a no brainer. Understand what your customer really wants. Is there some product already in the market that delivers the solution to your prospective customer? If not, provide it!!!
If there is already a product or a solution, try to think of a better way to satisfy the needs of the customer. This can be in the form of a better quality product. You can even bring about a twist in the actual offering to make your product more attractive.
Strategy 4: Clever Pricing Is the Key

Even peace may be purchased at too high a price. -Benjamin Franklin

Most of us who are not born to sugar daddies do price comparison shopping.
You may have a wonderful product everyone needs. However, if you price it insanely high compared to your competitor, you are going to find it hard to make decent sales (unless you are Apple).
5 strategies to price your product

1. Do market research and understand your competitor pricing. With this data in-hand, either develop a product with lot more features and charge more, or develop the same quality product and price it lower
2. High price can provide a sense of “high quality” since people have a deep rooted notion that higher the price, better the quality. If you price high, be prepared to deliver what your customer expects to get
3. Similar to point #2, a lower price can indicate inferior quality. The best way is to charge higher prices by providing more value to your customer
4. Price of a product is directly proportional to “perceived value”. If you can make you product seem superior to your competitor, you can charge a premium over your competitor
5. Price is again proportional to perceived brand value. If you have a brand value attached to your product, people will more readily pay a higher price for your products or service

Final Takeaway: Your product is worth what your customer is willing to pay for it.
Strategy 5: Run a Customer Reward Program
You really don’t need to be a fortune 500 company to run a rewards program. Just make it a simple program where people can get discounts for being a customer and satisfying certain simple criteria’s such as

• Being a customer for 1 year, they can enjoy 50% discount on the first bill of their second year as customer
• Collect points and redeem points for discounts, gifts, and so on
• 10% discount on your purchase if you shop for more than 100$

You get the idea.
Strategy 6: Advertising Is a Necessary Evil

A magazine is simply a device to induce people to read advertising. -James Collins

Many people take to advertising as a means to sell the product in any way possible. What the marketer does not take into consideration is that customers do not like to be deceived or being sold to. Advertise only the benefits the product/solution can give and never ever hype anything.
Only if your product lives up to its claims will people return to buy from you the next time.
Advertising is essential to bring your product to the spot light. Make use of the advertising medium that best suits your product and the time it is released. Radio, television, print and internet are some of the mediums you can rely upon to advertise your business.
Never give your entire advertising contract to one firm. If you have a line of products, ensure that you give each product to a different agency and do a split test on who can produce the maximum benefits.
Strategy 7: Give Out Free Samples
It’s proven time and again that giving away free samples to your customers can help you increase sales. If you have a book for sale, make a chapter or two available for free. If you sell products, give small sample packets for users to try out. If you provide a service, offer a free initial consultation.
Once your prospective customer starts using your product or service, they will have increased confidence over their purchasing decision. This will lead to a faster sale.
Strategy 8: Reach Out To Your Customers
It’s not enough that you simply advertise your products. They only make the buyer more open to embracing the product. Once you test your product, reach out to your customers and ensure that they can buy the products with ease.
Strategy 9: Looks Definitely Matter
I almost always end up buying products based on the design. Whenever I go shopping with my family, I tend to pick products with nice illustrations.
If it looks like a school going kid made the cover I am almost certainly not going to buy that product. Include a touch of professionalism and also convey the meaning. This holds true especially for food related products.
What about Apple? Apple focused on the design and let everything evolve around it. The simple touch interface, sleek and highly usable design made Apple the most valued Tech Company that it is today.
Strategy 10: What’s In a Name or Is There Much More to It? (Hint: There is much more to a name than just being a “name”)

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet -William Shakespeare

Always choose a product name your customer can pronounce easily and can remember without jumping through hoops. Take extra care to name the products in such a way that the name itself gives out the product details. The name you choose must proliferate into the mind of your target customers.
There is nothing wrong with choosing a unique name and trying to brand it. The minimum you have to do is make sure people can write it down correctly if you just pronounce it.
Do you think people who are not familiar with the car brand Chevrolet will correctly write it down if we simply pronounce it (Phonetic Pronunciation: shehv-ruh-LAY) and not spell it?
Strategy 11: Quality is King

Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected – Steve Jobs

Never, ever compromise on the quality of your product. If your customer loses the trust on your brand, your business will collapse like a pack of cards.
Some people tend to sacrifice the quality to prevent price hikes. But, if needed increase the price and serve the same quality rather than producing a low quality product.  You can also choose to serve less quantity for the same price.
If you plan to stick around with your business for a very long time, any compromise on quality will never get you even remotely close to your goals.
Strategy 12: Give Your Dealers a Reason to Sell
Nothing can be more devastating than dealers refusing to sell your products. It could be that they are getting better pricing from your competing brand or that they do not see a reason as to why they should push your product. Give them good commissions and always deliver on time. This way you can build a long lasting relationship with your dealers and they will push your products more.
In the online world, we come to affiliate marketing. Affiliates are the ones who sell our products for commissions.
In the information publishing business, you can expect to give up to 75 % of the commission to the affiliates. If you give them lower commissions, they will promote your competitor who offers them a better compensation. It’s always the rewards that motivate the affiliate.
Very few affiliates promote based on value. That’s the ugly truth online. So make sure you pay 50-75 % commissions for your info products to increase sales through affiliates. Some even give 100 % commissions to build a list of buyers.
If you sell a service or a software, figure out the maximum commission you can afford to pay your affiliates while not incurring a loss. I have seen software vendors and service providers offer commissions in the range 3%-25%.
Strategy 13: Set Up Production Centers in Different Parts of the Country
Always try to diversify when it comes to setting up a production center. It is always best to have various centers spread over a large geographical area. When you concentrate more employees in one region, problems are bound to come up.
Put on your thinking cap and decide the next site for setting up a production center.
When you have an online business, it is best to diversify your support staff. It is also good to have a local presence since people will trust you more. If you have a SEO company for example, it is easier to rope in US or UK clients if you have an office in the US or UK.
Strategy 14: Diversify Your Product Range

A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets- Steve Jobs

The trick is to increase your market share in other related markets. If you concentrate on one particular product then the risk of MNC’s coming and replacing you is huge. So always spread out your line of products.
If you produce ham, produce different frozen food items, not just ham. If you have field staff and you need to make the most of them, it is necessary that you have a range of products to sell. You won’t make enough profits to pay a decent wage to your field staff if you concentrate on just one product.
In the online world, to increase sales, diversification is essential. You may have one product that teaches how to build muscle. You needn’t have the info about how to build six pack abs in the same product. You can instead have two different products.
This strategy to make more sales will help you price the two different products competitively as well as make more money through upsells or cross promoting the products to the two buyer lists you have.
Strategy 15: Listening To Your Customers Does Wonders for Your Business
Find out what they require. Why do they use the current product if they use any? What could have made their job easier? Always have an eye for details for such things.
The reason why you should be listening to your customer to make more sales is because it helps you learn the customer’s language. Once you start interacting with them and understand their problems, you will learn to convey your product marketing message in a language your customer understands.
Strategy 16: Be Unique With a Great USP

A good voice isn’t so important. It’s more important to sound really unique – Stephen Malkmus

Whatever product you bring to the market, it must have a unique angle to it. If you produce normal pencils, make it unique. Maybe the pencil has additional features such as higher resistance to the writing lead breakage or a comfortable grip or something like that.
Have a simple, yet effective USP.
If you are selling a book online about “making money online”, make sure that you have something to differentiate yourself from the rest of the people out there. If you have an online store, what makes it unique? Free shipping or do you have same day delivery?
Strategy 17: Test Locally and Deploy Internationally
Make sure that you release your product to a local audience first. Test it and see how it fares. If you can’t make sales locally, there is not much chance that you will make huge sales on an international level. Choose your local test market in such a way that there is a demand for the product there.
If you have an email list of people who have subscribed for information from you, try selling them your product at a discounted price. Some people call it internal launch. See how well they receive it. Make tweaks and improve constantly. This way you can increase sales online.
Strategy 18: Reinvest Your Profits

How many millionaires do you know who have become wealthy by investing in savings accounts? I rest my case – Robert G. Allen

It’s always a good bet to reinvest what you get from your business into your business. Never try to spend your business income for unnecessary things (Do you really need a new couch or a fancy office?). You must always have a cash reserve in case you plan for expansions in the future.
In order to increase sales, you must have a good product. TO ensure that you have a good product, you need to invest in research and development. Use your business income to fuel the R&D process and not withdraw a huge salary for yourself.
Strategy 19: Be Professional

I recently went to a new doctor and noticed he was located in something called the Professional Building. I felt better right away. – George Carlin

As your business expands, it would be difficult to manage your business on your own. When required, make sure that you recruit people who can align themselves with your values and business goals.
Being an online business, not many can afford to hire a HR. So, handpick the people you want. If you want to increase sales, then you need a dedicated team to help you with your goals.
Strategy 20: See Your Employees as Your Co-Workers
Never try to be bossy. Always make your employees feel that you are a part of them. If you try to portray yourself as the boss and others as workers, it may affect their morale.
Most people, who have online businesses, hire work at home people or have a virtual team. In that case, make sure you don’t sound arrogant and always pay them on time.
Strategy 21: Your Employees Are Your Greatest Assets
In case of delayed payments, it must never occur to your employees that you are purposefully delaying payments. In case of dire situations, inform your employees beforehand that there will be a delay.
If you have field staff, give those people hands on training. You must make sure that they are well versed with answers to any questions your prospective customers might ask.
Try to bring up people within your team. This will greatly boost the confidence and morale of your employees. Employee people local to the place whenever possible and if you have outstation employees support them as much as you can.
The quality of your employees can have a direct effect on how well your product sells. If you have a great team, not only will you products be great, but your team will find and solve issues faster and innovate easier.
Strategy 22: Be Honest

Achievements on the golf course are not what matters, decency and honesty are what matter. – Tiger Woods

File your income tax correctly. If you are not well versed with accounting, hire someone who can do it for you. If you provide services, give a money back guarantee to your customers. If you cannot provide the service as described, never hesitate to make a refund (If possible, a no questions asked refund).
Strategy 23: Provide Unmatched After Sales Service

If you are not taking care of your customer, your competitor will. -Bob Hooey

This is one area which I see many businesses fail in. They market their product, sell to their customers, and then no news from their support team.
It is equally important that you provide support to your customers. Only happy customers result in repeat buys and quality referrals. Do not forget the fact that word of mouth is still the best mode of establishing a brand and increasing sales.
Strategy 24: Set Up an Incentive Program for Your Sales Team
What motivates your employees to sell more other than your monthly pay check? If you have no incentives, then when most people reach their sales quote, they won’t try to sell any more. After all, what’s in it for them to work harder just to make a few more sales?
Provide incentive to your sales team and you’ll see that your sales will mostly increase after setting up the incentive. It can be anything from getting featured for the month on your company website or extra pay. See what works with your employees and give them what they want.
Strategy 25: Keep Testing
Keep testing your products or service. Experiment with your ad copy, your price points, your website structure, promotions you are running and so on. Only after a lot of testing can you come up with the most effective way to increase sales.
If your business is web based, then make sure you use conversion optimization techniques to test and find out the most effective way to close the sale.