A business card is the calling card for your business, so it’s important to make your business card is one people will hold onto and not throw away. Want to make sure your business card is not in the discard pile? Here are seven do’s and don’ts which will get your business card into the right hands and noticed.

1. Don’t Cheap Out

Yes, you can get business cards for free. VistaPrint.com will give you 250 business cards for free. But, you have the word “free” on the backside of the card which tells everyone you can’t afford proper business cards. It doesn’t cost much extra at VistaPrint to get the word “free” taken off the back of the card. Do it. And, if you’re printing your own business cards make sure the card stock is heavyweight card stock. There’s also nothing that says cheap like flimsy card stock.

2. Keep it Simple

Don’t use too many different fonts or include too much information on the card. Be sure to include all the vital information on the card, such as name, phone number and address, and perhaps a main slogan for your business, but steer clear of listing everything under the sun your business can do. Make sure it’s clear by quickly glancing at the card what your company’s main focus is.

3. Use a Font Large Enough to Read

Use fonts that are large enough for people of all ages to read. If you’re 28 and can read it just fine, let someone who’s over 40 read it. If they have difficulty reading the type, make it larger. You don’t want to lose any business due to a card that someone has to use reading glasses to read.

4. Use a Larger Font for the Most Important Information

If the desired action is for them to give you a call, highlight the phone number with a larger font. If it’s the address, highlight the address. Don’t make them have to hunt for the most important information on the card.

5. Include your Website Address and E-mail Address

If you don’t have a website address, it’s time to get one. People now are used to checking businesses out on the internet. A five-page website won’t cost much, but can be the difference between gaining a new client or not.

6. Never Use Cards with Outdated Information

Have you ever received a business card with a phone number crossed out in black marker with another phone number written in ink next to it? All that says is “I’m too cheap to buy new cards.” And that implies a business that isn’t getting much business.

7. When handing your business card to someone, make sure there’s an offer on the back of the card, and hand the card to the person with the backside up so the person will see your offer. This can be 10% off your services, a free consultation, or whatever offer you think is appropriate. Give someone a reason to call you.

Business cards can be one of the most important marketing tools you have. Give it the attention it deserves and you may be richly rewarded.

Shari Hearn is a writer and creator of a career training website where you can learn about many different career options, including how you can earn an online accounting degree.

Modern man has complex and variegated needs and desires. He needs institutional structures to make it possible for him to attain these wants. However, there is no agreement on the nature, role, powers and responsibilities to be endowed upon these institutions. Should all of them be voluntary in nature? How much powers have to be given to governments, the coercive institutions of society for managing (or meddling into) the lives of citizenry? Are private organizations capable and willing to shoulder primary responsibility for improving quality of life of people? Who has to play and what role? These questions form the query that Savas aspires to answer.

Man’s quest to seek answers to these questions, though, is not of recent origin. Even in primitive societies people tried to delineate and demarcate the area of responsibility for sovereign and other institutions. The answers to these questions have, however, never been uniform. Plato, the legendary Greek philosopher, wanted all affairs of society to be managed by ‘communes’. There was no role for private institutions, even for the families. All children were to be raised jointly by the communes. No person was even to know which child he had fathered! His compatriot Aristotle specified diametrically opposite prescription. He was a firm believer in private ownership; his oft-quoted refrain being “that which is owned in common by all will be neglected by all.” This, then, is earliest outline of a debate that, with little variations, has periodically haunted mankind and the winning ideas of which have, surfaced in cyclical waves, in colors of different hue. Adam Smith (Laissez Faire), Proudhon (Early Socialism), Marx (Communism), Keynes (Interventionist State), Milton (Intellectual Foundations of Privatization) and a score of other thinkers grappled with this problem and came up with different solutions. If one had to summarize the result of this debate in one sentence, it would be best to recall the famous dictum; “Nothing is more powerful than an Idea whose time has come”. And, at the moment, one such buzzword is “privatization”, which is defined as, “relying more on the private institutions of society and less on government to satisfy people’s needs”.

The reason for ascendancy of this creed is not difficult to fathom. People, world over, have been dismayed by the performance of governments in responding to expectations reposed in them. Inefficiency, waste, unresponsiveness, officialdom and power politics, red-tapism and corruption are typical of malaise afflicting the entire spectrum of public sector institutions. Therefore, understandably, privatization has gained ever-increasing momentum and acceptability. Savas, who has been one of the pioneers and leading proponents in the field, demonstrates the need for privatization with empirical evidence. We need not go into the specifics of this evidence, since it is widely known. I am sure, given an opportunity; all of us can come up with our own experiences in this regard.

Savas, who is seized of ‘the idea of the moment’, however, has opened himself to criticism on different account. Throughout his work, beginning with its very conceptualization, he exhibits presumption of universal superiority of the idea. His concept of Public-Private Partnership- “Any arrangement between government and private sector in which partially or traditionally public activities are performed by private sector”- is very narrow and restrictive. It is not clear why he prefers this definition to a more general and inclusive definition, which could be on the lines of, ‘any arrangement in which both the sector join hands and perform the role best suited to each for betterment of the society’. In the present context, it will not alter conclusion. Removing excessive governmental flab is the need of hour. But, no solution is valid for all occasions. When encountering general depression in economy, Keynesian therapy of increasing governmental expenditure must be administered. Is this not what industry asks of government at the first hint of even a mild recession?

Similarly, take the case of India, just after independence. In the absence of adequate infrastructure and profitable opportunities, government was per-force led into assuming commercial activity. We may, of course, question the extent to which it was required vis-à-vis that undertaken. But, government intervention was a practical wisdom of the times, just as much as privatization is today. We also have to concede the fact that 21st century capitalism is not the same as 19th century capitalism. Under the influence of socialistic ideas, many of its harsher features have disappeared or at least have become moderated. Therefore, Savas should have adopted a more general version of the concept as it leaves scope for flexibility and adaptation, when the circumstances no longer remain the same.

In the same vein, Savas believes that when talking about relative performance of the two sectors, the issue is not of ownership, but of ‘monopoly against competition’. “Most of the times government institutions work under monopolistic environment. We have unwittingly created and maintained such monopolies under the naïve assumption that if monopoly is a public one, somehow it will automatically perform in public interest. Moreover, often we prohibit competition under the belief that competition constitutes duplication and waste”. Moreover, he reckons, if we present the proposition to public in this manner, resistance to privatization will be much lesser. He has a point.

Indeed, infusion of competition can help in improving the performance of the public sector and also this proposition is politically more palatable. However, if the issue indeed is monopoly against competition, then why leave out private monopolies, that are beginning to actively influence and control the governments. If the growth of governments has resulted in estrangement of stakeholders from the managers (bureaucrats), it must surely be true also of large private organizations, which are growing phenomena of economic life. As someone as remarked, “Big corporations are dead. Long live enormous corporations”. In fact, in this respect, I consider Savas to be already getting behind times. We comprehend the problem caused by excessive governmentalism. We have also found its solution, i.e. privatize economic activity and decentralize political structures. But, we are yet to wake up to the problem of growth of private monopolies. Certainly, we have enacted anti-trust laws, like MRTP in India. However, these have proven woefully ineffective in tackling the problem. Savas presents persuasive arguments against the existence of public monopolies. Unfortunately, he restricts his Endeavour to addressing public monopolies alone. The reason for which is far from apparent.

Now, let’s move away from the contour of ideology into the realm of theory and practice of privatization. This is where Savas has novel ideas. Which goods should be produced by the private sector? Which goods are best left to government? Often, we come across ad-hoc answers to these questions, which are not wholly satisfactory. Savas has theorized the concept very beautifully. Chapters 3 and 4, which contain this framework, form the backbone of the book. “Vast jumble of goods can be sorted and classified according to two characteristics: exclusion and consumption. The resulting classification determines the role of government and private institutions in supplying the goods”. ‘Exclusion’ implies that a user can be denied the use of goods unless he meets the conditions set by the potential supplier. In other words, goods can change hands only if both seller and buyer agree on the terms of sale. A good is marketable to the extent it is excludable. The ‘consumption’ dimension relates to joint or individual usage of goods. Some goods can be enjoyed jointly by many people without being diminished in quality or quantity, while others are available only for individual consumption. These two characteristics give rise to four pure combinations- individual goods, toll goods, common-pool goods, and collective goods. Individual goods (e.g. Personal car) are those goods which are consumed individually and where exclusion is possible. Tolled goods (e.g. Satellite television) are consumed jointly, but exclusion is feasible. Common-pool goods (e.g. air) are those goods which are consumed individually, but where exclusion is not feasible. Collective goods (e.g. National defense) are jointly consumed, in-excludable goods.

Individual goods are the easiest for the market to handle. Individual demands the goods; producer makes it and sells it at mutually agreeable price. Public action is required only for the purpose of regulation. Toll goods, similarly, can be easily supplied by the market, except in case of natural monopolies. Common-pool goods pose a problem for the market economy, since their consumption cannot be excluded. “Common pool and Collective goods have troublesome properties. Market place is unable to supply them because nobody can be excluded from their consumption. With no need to pay for such good, and with no means to prevent their consumption, such goods will be consumed- even squandered- to the point of exhaustion”.

Savas, then, goes on to differentiate between goods producer and arranger. “The distinction between arranging and producing goods is profound. It is at the heart of entire concept of privatization and puts the role of government in perspective”. The goods producer directly performs the work and delivers them to the consumer. Goods provider or arranger merely assigns the producer to the consumer, or vice versa. A government that decides to provide a service at collective expense does not have to produce the service using government employees and equipment. This chapter is, in my opinion, the best chapter in the book. It outlines recommendations on different kind of arrangements possible for producing and providing goods, along with their relative merits. Among a score of possible arrangements, Savas recommends the maximum use of market system. Subsidies, wherever necessary, should be provided directly to the consumer, rather than to the producer. I could not agree more with the author on this issue. Consider for example, our PDS (ration and fair price shops). Given its ineffectiveness and high cost of distribution, it will certainly be a better idea to give food stamps, as in USA, to the targeted beneficiaries and allow them to buy from wherever they want.

There is one more issue, which I feel compelled to raise. Savas believes religion should be introduced in public schools to rectify the immorality existing in the world. I would abstain myself from writing much on it, except quoting Bertrand Russell from his essay on ‘Why I am not a Christian’. “You find this curious fact that the more intense has been the dogmatic belief, the greater has been the cruelty and the worse has been the state of affairs. In the so-called ages of faith, when men really did believe the Christian religion in all its completeness, there was the inquisition, with its tortures; there were millions of unfortunate women burnt as witches; and there was every kind of cruelty practiced upon all sorts of people in the name of religion”. Lest anyone gets an idea that it was a phenomenon that afflicted Christianity alone or that it belonged to middle ages alone. Please turn around and have a look at the record of Taliban regime, or the teaching imparted at most Madras’s, or at the instructions given by Hindu fundamentalist organizations, or at the happenings in recent months throughout the world. It is my fervent appeal that we should work to undermine the spread of such ideology.

Overall, the book makes for an interesting reading. Savas makes a strong case for privatization. The empirical evidence presented by him is impeccable. I have glossed it over only because I trust all of us are intuitively aware of it. Savas may be faulted for having a closed mind on the ideological front, but at least, these prejudices are not out of sync with times. Even if, only just as yet.

Punit Arora is an expert on management and public policy in developing countries. He can be reached at pun8max@gmail.com.

High cholesterol diets that stress cutting eggs and butter out of the diet have been found to have a very small impact on the levels of cholesterol. Stopping the eating of margarine is more vital as is curbing the intake of respectful as well as processed food, which is full with hydrogenated fats and oils, as also trans fats. Saturated fats in butter are not half as harmful to you as the above-cited foods, given that they could be handled and, in fact, are called for by the body.

Cooking with fresh garlic is fruitful in the reduction of cholesterol, as too is taking quality natural cholesterol reducing supplements that have authentic Policosanol along with guggulipid, since such substances are proven to successfully lower the levels of LDL and increase the levels of HDL. A beneficial high cholesterol diet may possibly certainly outperform statin remedies and also not have any side effects.

Studies have even revealed that high cholesterol diets that encompass low fat, low cholesterol could be bad for you because they may possibly reduce the ‘beneficial’ cholesterol (HDL) while just minimally impacting on LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol, and it may perhaps end up making your cholesterol levels worse. For those that are not hither to doing hence, maintaining a natural cholesterol reducing diet to the high cholesterol diet is highly suggested.

A high cholesterol diet that lacks in essential fatty acids could also contribute to heart complications. Supplementing the diet with a tablespoon of natural flax seed oil every day is an awesome agent for Omega 3 essential fatty acids, and it does not manufacture fat but helps lose extra pounds. Cooking with only ‘Extra Virgin Olive Oil’ is also highly accepted as it helps lower the levels of LDL levels, while also raising your HDL levels to a beneficial level.

Remember we only have one heart and we should do everything in our power to keep it strong and healthy. After all you owe it to yourself to stay healthy for as long as possible. It just takes a few small changes and you will notice a positive difference in your cholesterol levels.

R James is an avid health food conniseur he is often found at various health food stores looking for the best foods to lower cholesterol and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Visit Low Cholesterol Diet Info for more

Looking for something to do in Fresno? Whether you are a tourist or you live in Fresno there is always something interesting to do. One great attraction is the Downing Planetarium. Its a great place to visit if you want to do something a little different. This article will give you some information about what you can expect to find at the planetarium and will tell you why you should add it to your must see list.

The Downing Planetarium was built in 1999 and has since become a popular destination in Fresno. It has a star theatre with a 30 foot dome that seats over seventy people. The theatre uses a star projector, two video projectors and almost thirty slide projectors to put on shows. All of this equipment is controlled by one computer program. The planetarium uses this equipment to put on a number of different shows. One of the current shows is Destination Pluto. In this show visitors are taken on a journey from the sun to Pluto. Along the way you will discover the wonders of our solar system including moons, the different planets, comets and asteroids. Another show at the museum is Hubble Vision. In this show you will get to see a summary of the different discoveries made by the Hubble Space Telescope. You will see different planets, you will see black holes, the formation of stars and supernovas. There are also a number of other shows at the planetarium but no matter which one you see you will be happy with the experience. It is a must see attraction for sure.

If you would like to visit the planetarium while you are in Fresno you can find it at 5320 N. Maple Avenue. For more information and current hours you can call 559-278-4071. Have fun exploring the universe.

Learn about cleaning in Fresno, California at the authors website on carpet cleaning companies in Fresno.

Not too long ago, I was watching a high school basketball team compete in a playoff game against a rival school. Each and every individual brought something special to the team as they all had their unique skills. They blew the opposing team out within the first and second quarter.

However, as time when on, I began to see a small momentum shift between the two teams. Not only was the away teams making a comeback, but the home team began to lose some steam. The players weren’t running and jumping as much as they were in the first two quarters. They weren’t trying their absolute best to get the ball in their hands and score. They were fatigued!

To make a long story short, the visiting team came back and won the game. Everyone was shocked. Everyone began to wonder what happened; why the home team let the opposing team make a comeback in such short time…Well, I had it figured out the entire time.

About half way through the game, I noticed that the home team’s players panting like dogs. All that running around and jumping finally caught up with them. They were out of breath, and they didn’t have anything left in their tanks. While the other team wasn’t technically as good as the home team, they were in better shape.

After the game, I asked the away team’s coach the secret of their comeback (as if I already didn’t know), and just as I expected, his answer was that he trained his players to last long for the entire game. Not to long after that, I heard the losing team’s coach complain that they needed to go over some more drills and improve their shot percentage (funny how he learned absolutely nothing from this horrific experience).

Moral of the Story: Increase Your Stamina

Because it doesn’t matter how good you are. If you can’t last long enough, you won’t be able to showcase those skills.

Ryan Dodson - Fitness Instructor - Stop getting tired halfway through the game and increase your stamina within 2 weeks. Visit http://www.ebookchi.com/inhumanstamina.html for more details.

Are you letting fear stop you from doing what you want to do? If fear is robbing you of your dreams it’s time to change your focus.

Fear is a by product of your thoughts. To overcome fear you need to change the way you look at things and change the way you think about them. Fear is rarely a reflection of your current reality, it’s usually a result of anticipating negative future events.

People respond to fear in different ways, they

• avoid things and find ways of getting around them
• give in to the fear and do nothing at all
• let the fear be a catalyst and provoke them into action

The thing you fear the most is often the one thing that’s standing in the way of what you really want. Don’t let fear rule your life. Recognise it for what it is and let your fear act as a motivator to get you to where you want to be. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’; it’s possible to feel fear yet move past it and go for what you want regardless.

In the past I’ve let fear hold me back from doing many things that I really wanted to do. I eventually decided that it was time to do something about it. I didn’t want to get to the end of my life and be full of regret for all the things I hadn’t done. I decided it was time to face my fears and push past them.

When I stopped to think, I realised that the things I feared rarely actually happened. Then, I started to ask myself, “What’s the worse thing that could happen if I did …?” “Would that really be so bad?”

I began to realise that I’d been letting ridiculous things stop me from stepping out of my comfort zone. I had a choice. I could carry on being afraid and let those fears stop me from doing things, or I could face the fears and go ahead and do things in spite of feeling afraid.

I decided that I wasn’t going to let fear of failure stop me any longer.

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt

I encourage you to press on and do what needs to be done, if necessary, do it afraid. There is no magic solution. The key is to recognise the fear for what it really is and refuse to let it hold you back from your dreams. The antidote to fear is to take action.

• develop a clear strategy for overcoming your fear
• begin taking action
• do something every day towards overcoming your fear

Your plan will never be perfect. Make adjustments as you discover what is working and what isn’t. When you start taking action the fear will begin to lose its power. Focus on your plan and take some action every day.

It’s unlikely that the fears will ever completely go away; fears have a habit of creeping up on you when you’re not expecting them. Just tell them that you’re not going to listen to them, take a deep breath and dare to live life the way you want to live it.

When you step out of your comfort zone and start to do things that you’ve been afraid of doing you soon begin to discover that the fear was bigger than the thing itself and there really wasn’t anything to be afraid of. Things are rarely as bad as you think.

Don’t let fear rob you of your dreams. Do something towards overcoming your fears every day. Keep pushing through and silence your fears forever.

If you’d like a monthly dose of encouragement subscribe to my free newsletter - The 5 Minute Life Coach. When you subscribe I’ll send you a valuable free guide - Be Your Own Life Coach Now. This step by step guide will help you to start changing your life straight away. And each month, I’ll send you a link to a valuable free eBook.
You can start transforming your life today.

You’ll find more coaching articles at http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk

Lynne Lee is a Christian life coach and spiritual mentor. She helps people to re-design their lives around what matters most.

Copyright: Lynne Lee - All rights reserved

The prostate gland is located directly beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. It’s estimated that approximately 234,460 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and approximately 27,350 will die of the disease. About one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, but only one man in 34 will die of the disease.

The most common cancer in American men, excluding skin cancer, is prostate cancer. Early prostate cancer is confined to the prostate gland itself; most of the patients with this type of cancer can live for years without any problems. Like other cancers, the cause of prostate cancer is not known; it appears to be more common in African American men and men with a family history of the disease.

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease are bone pain or tenderness, and abdominal pain. Having one or more cancer symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have prostate cancer. If cancer is caught at its earliest stages, most men will not experience any symptoms.

One symptom is a need to urinate frequently, especially at night. One prostate cancer symptom is difficulty starting urination or holding back urine. If you have one or more prostate cancer symptoms, you should see a qualified doctor as soon as possible.

When a digital rectal exam is performed it often reveals an enlarged prostate with a hard, irregular surface. A chest x-ray may be done to see if there’s a spread of cancer. A number of tests may be done to confirm a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

A PSA test with a high level can also be from a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. The decision about whether to pursue a PSA test should be based on a discussion between you and your doctor. A urinalysis may indicate if there is blood in the urine.

Medications can have many side effects, including hot flashes and loss of sexual desire. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options. Besides hormonal drugs, hormone manipulation may also be done by surgically removing the testes.

Urinary incontinence can be a possible complication of surgery. An oncology specialist will usually recommend treating with a single drug or a combination of drugs. Surgery, called a radical prostatectomy, removes the entire prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissues.

In patients whose health makes the risk of surgery unacceptably high, radiation therapy is often the chosen conventional alternative. Some drugs with numerous side effects are being used to treat advanced prostate cancer, blocking the production of testosterone, called chemical castration; it has the same result as surgical removal of the testes. Radiation therapy is used primarily to treat prostate cancers classified as stages A, B, or C.

Thoroughly discuss your treatment options and concerns with your doctor and other health professionals; it never hurts to get a second or even third opinion or more if necessary. Impotence is a potential complication after the prostatectomy or after radiation therapy. Recent improvements in surgical procedures have made complications occur less often.

Since prostate tumors require testosterone to grow, reducing the testosterone level is used to prevent further growth and spread of the cancer. Treatment options can vary based on the stage of the tumor.

Just about all men with prostate cancer survive at least five years after their diagnosis, 93% survive at least 10 years, and 67% survive more than 15 years. Make sure to read everything you can get your hands on and mull it all over. The one thing that you should not do however is rely on any information obtained from the Internet to make your final decision.

For more information on prostate cancer treatments and prostate cancer symptoms go to http://www.BestProstateHealthTips.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s website specializing in prostate and prostate cancer tips, advice and resources, including information on prostate tests and natural prostate cancer treatments

Imagine a world where everyone spoke their truth.

If that stirs up an, “Oh my Gosh, I couldn’t do that!” feeling or a belief that the world would be full of rude people, read on. It’s because of repressed words that need to be said that there is so much confusion and resentment in our world. Even with the short term gains and society’s applause, many people would like to give up pretending in exchange for the freedom that comes with being real. People’s honesty allows them to enjoy deeper relationships and contribute more to society. Most of us know that, but after years of conditioning, how do we break free of old patterns?

I spent the first thirty-five years of my life holding back my true thoughts. I developed a jaw disorder, wrinkles and a lot of pent up frustration until I finally found a way out. A whole new world opened up for me. I felt so much joy I decided to share the process with others. I began facilitating seminars and found a common theme; the majority of participants had struggles with expressing their true thoughts in the moment.

Many of them confessed that they responded with what they thought others wanted to hear just to keep the peace, be accepted or gain an edge in some way. But, saying one thing and meaning another left them feeling unaligned. For example, when someone asked them to lunch, they’d respond with an automatic “Sure!” only later to be frustrated because they really didn’t want to go. We’ve been brought up to say the right things in order to be accepted. There’s nothing wrong with being polite but when we lose our natural flow we have a tendency to be more like a robot than our true selves. Wouldn’t it be easier and clearer if we just spoke from our heart? Wouldn’t it be refreshing to quiet all the chattering voices in our mind and just speak with our true voice? Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

It takes a lot of courage to communicate honestly. Our voice emerges literally from within our body revealing our inner-most world. And, living in a world filled with judgment can be a difficult place in which to open up. Most of us have been protecting ourselves from the scrutiny of others for a very long time. We’ve compensated by fibbing, hedging, or exaggerating in some way. We may get short term approval from others, but every time we do it, it costs us a little in our own self-respect. Once we tap into self-love and knowing our own values, it becomes easier to say what we truly want to say the first time around. It takes a lot less effort to speak from the heart and is backed with a lot more power.

The mind has a way of calculating for self-advantage. For example, if I say it like this, he’ll approve of me. If I say it like that, I’ll get what I want. Speaking from the heart without filtering it first actually gives us energy. There’s a sense of freedom in being compassionately honest and direct with others. People will tune in when they sense you’re speaking your truth. Just make sure it’s your truth, not what you think the other person’s truth should be. There’s a big difference between telling people how you feel and telling them how they should feel. For example, saying “I feel frustrated that you didn’t call” is much different than saying, “You should call when you say you will.”

Yes, they’re both honest, but the big difference is that one is acknowledging how we feel and the other one is accusing someone. When we’re real for others, we open the door for them to be real with us. We’re entering an age where it’s vital to connect with others. It will take nothing less than honesty, courage and compassion for it to happen. The infamous growing pains may come as you experiment with the process.

Tell the most supportive people in your life what you’re doing; that you’re practicing thinking on your feet and saying what you want, in the moment. Tell them it’s important for you to be honest and ask them to be patient with you. The discomfort of the growing pains will soon be forgotten as you reach your new level of freedom. Stay with it and keep practicing. It’s helpful to re-read this information after you’ve pracced the steps (listed on page 5) to reinforce your learning and notice where you are making progress.

To get the full benefit from this process you must practice it and experience it in your life. If you just understand it intellectually without the practice, you won’t get the results you’re looking for. It takes commitment and practice.

With any communication, intention is the place to start. Ask yourself how you will feel when you express your goals, concerns and ideas clearly to others. Your authentic voice wants to be heard. Take some time to visualize what your world will look like. Will your breathing be easier? Will you feel more connected and alive? How does it feel to have the satisfaction of knowing you were true to yourself by saying what you wanted to say?

Before we communicate with others we must first communicate with ourselves. That is, asking ourselves who we are at our core and what we stand for. Taking too much advice from others, we can lose touch with our true nature. I remember a time when I altered who I was depending on the situation. There was a professional me who spoke in a certain way with my business associates. There was a fun-loving, clever me who would speak in another way with my friends. There was a dependent me who would speak in a way with my significant other. The list went on and on. It was exhausting. The words and voices were all for them. It got to the point where I had completely lost my own voice. How about you? How many voices do you have in your closet? As you’re exploring, tune into the voice that speaks for you.

In the movie Runaway Bride, Julia Roberts keeps leaving her grooms at the alter. Richard Gere enters her life and notices she changes her choice of eggs depending on the man she’s with. With Brian, she liked them scrambled with salt, pepper and dill, with George, she liked them fried, with Gill, she liked them poached, and with Bob, it was a garden omelet, egg whites only. Of course it was how each one of her fiances liked his eggs that determined what she wanted. It wasn’t until she really tasted them for herself that she knew her favorite was eggs benedict. When we take time to look for the answers inside rather than outside, we speak with a sense of ease and knowingness. Only then can we share our thoughts and ideas clearly; not what they want to hear but what we truly want to say. Bill Cosby said, “I don’t know the meaning of success, but the meaning of the word failure means trying to please everyone else”.

The characteristic of all truly powerful communicators is that they are honest. Most of us believe we are honest, but with a closer look get more discerning. My guess is that we have all lied. I know I have. Looking back on it, it was mostly done out of the need for approval or out of fear. I’ve said yes when I really wanted to say no. Telling myself I’d stop eating chocolate and then eating it the next day is a lie to myself. Have you ever set a new year’s resolution that you didn’t keep? My purpose in asking these questions is not to give you a free ticket for a guilt trip. It’s simply to point out that we’re much stronger people when we’re honest. Integrity means a sense of wholeness and there’s strength in that. In the book Your Body Doesn’t Lie, author and medical doctor John Diamond proves through kinesiology that we test stronger when we’re honest. We’re relaxed and the voice isn’t ‘uptight.’ There’s a sense of effortlessness when our words match our actions. We’re congruent, we feel it and others feel it. Little white lies, even when we think they will help someone actually weaken us. They also build walls, sometimes with the people we love the most. Is honest dialogue easy? Not always. In the beginning it can be very difficult. The good news is; it gets easier as we practice and make it a part of our everyday lives.

Laying the Foundation

Take some time to explore what’s true for you. I invite you to take whatever time you need to be lovingly honest with yourself. You’ll begin to understand where you want to make adjustments in your life and in your speaking habits. These questions may be the most important questions you’ll ever ask yourself.

1.)-Am I the same person wherever I go?

2.)-Am I at peace with my interactions with others?

3.)-With which people and situations am I less than honest? (Not only with what I say, but with what I don’t say.)

The next step to laying a foundation is knowing your values. Write down the three values that are most important to you.

My Top Three Values

1.) __________________________

2.) __________________________

3.) __________________________

Do these values show up in the way you communicate? If you’re brave you’ll ask a family member or close friend to give you feedback as well. Are you walking your talk? Are there any missed opportunities for demonstrating more of your values? For example, if you wrote “family” as your top value and you don’t have a specific, quality time set aside for them, something’s amiss. If you wrote “health” and you’re eating unhealthy foods, well…you get the idea.

You’ll find that once you’re clear on who you are and what you stand for, it’s much easier to think on your feet and communicate with ease. Without this essential foundation and knowledge, it’s easier to be someone you’re not. Listening to one person’s ideas sound good, so we go along with them. Then someone else comes along with an idea and it sounds good; we go along with them. There we are like a rudderless ship in the sea of confusion. Socrates wisely stated, “Know thyself.” When we know ourselves and our values, we are free to say what we want with anyone at anytime.

Now, let’s explore how to think on your feet and answer questions in the moment. Have you ever noticed it’s much easier to answer a question with the perfect response when you’re not under pressure? What if we could use a 5-step process allowing us to respond in a way we feel really good about…the first time around? We can leave that situation saying, “Yes! That’s exactly what I wanted to say.” You’ll find this 5-step process can save you time, reduce your stress level and increase your self-confidence.

How to Say What You Want in the Moment:

1.)-Listen to the question
2.)-Breathe
3.)-Repeat the question
4.)-Respond honestly
5.)-Know when to stop

1.)-Listen to the Question

The first step is to listen to the question. It sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? And yet, so many of us formulate the answer to a question we haven’t even heard yet. We wonder why we feel disconnected. You’ve probably seen this at networking events or in your personal interactions. When one person asks a question and the other person is way off in left field with an answer to something else. It can be caused by a number of things; lack of focused attention, lack of interest, or too much emphasis on responding with the right thing. The more we try to say the right thing, the more we say the wrong thing. When I first joined Toastmasters International I was especially nervous when it came to the extemporaneous speaking portion of the meeting. It was one minute of sheer terror. One person asks a question and you answer it, on the spot, in front of the group. I was more than a little afraid. I had no public speaking experience; my knees were shaking and my heart was beating triple time. Everyone is asked a question relating to the theme of the evening such as like latest technology, favorite movies, great philosophers, etc. As everyone else had their turn, I searched my memory banks, trying to remember anything that I had ever experienced regarding that topic. It was like I was in another dimension. I realized there were other people in the room, I could hear some talking but couldn’t really hear the words. Mostly I was in my own head. Have you ever experienced this over-preparation? When it came time for my question, I randomly pulled out one of the 15 stories I’d been rehearsing in my head related to that topic and tried to connect it with the question. People looked at me with a puzzled look and kind of a half smile. They applauded me ever so politely. This method of mine went on for months until finally I’d had enough. I gave up trying to have the perfect answer. I decided I was just going to stay in the present moment…what a concept! I’d listen to the other people when they were speaking. I told myself I would not prepare but just stay in the present moment and do the five step technique. When it was my turn I experienced such incredible freedom! Wow…it was so much easier. I felt such a deep connection between the questioner, the audience and me. The applause was so much stronger. I felt, “Yes, that’s exactly what I wanted to say.” Listening to the question may sound simple, but it’s the first step to truly powerful dialogue.

2.)-Pause

The second step is to pause. Pause long enough to take a breath from your diaphragm. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy pause, but it does have to be a pause. Silence is where the thinking begins. Anything else is purely reactionary. Psychologists tell us that most people respond to a question with what they think we want to hear. If you ask them a second time, they’ll tell you what they truly feel. The irony is we think people will listen to us if we have an answer right away. Check it out for yourself. The reactionary type aren’t listened to nearly as much as the ones who have given it some thought. Two to five seconds. That’s all it takes. Not long. But long enough to let people know you’re being proactive rather than reactive.

Take a drink of water or do something to give yourself a moment to gather your thoughts. And yes, there may be those of you saying, if I took a minute to breathe, they wouldn’t wait for my answer. Well, that tells you something, doesn’t it? A recent study indicated that 80% of the questions are really statements in disguise. If people really want your answer, they’ll be ok with you taking a breath before you respond.

3.) Repeat the Question

Now we come to step number three; repeat the question. When someone asks you a question that requires contemplation, repeat the question back to them. This serves two purposes. First, it helps you have clarity about the question. Second, it gives you time to think about the question and actually ask yourself about it. Once you try this yourself, you’ll get a feel for it. People in my seminars who have done this step say their answer changes from what they would have said to what they really feel after they’ve repeated the question. Keep in mind, you won’t use this technique for every single question. For example, if I ask you what time it is, you won’t say, “So, you’re asking me what time it is”. You only use this technique for the contemplative questions! If I ask you how you feel about your communication skills or a similar question, it would be appropriate to repeat the question back to the person. For example, “So you’re asking me how I feel about my communication skills.” This gives you the time to feel into it and answer with your honest answer.

4.)- Respond Honestly

That takes us right into step number four which is to respond honestly. We’ve all been around people, haven’t we, who give the zippy one liners, the clowns who are always trying to get a laugh, the intellectual type who give us a long and profound answer for a simple question. We’ve been around the sarcastic type and the cutesy type, but the ones who get people to really listen are the ones who respond honestly, from their heart. When I was training a group of people in Kennewick, WA, a woman named Linda came to the front of the room to practice the 5-step process. I asked what she liked best about her job. She answered immediately without taking a breath or repeating the question. Almost as if on automatic, she replied, “What I really like about my job are the people. I’m a people person.” The audience members shook their heads back and forth as if they didn’t believe her. I asked Linda if she’d like to try it again, only this time, to do all 5 steps of the process to include breathing, pausing and responding honestly. She said, “Sure, let’s try it again.” This time I slowly and deliberately asked her, “Linda, what do you like best about your job?” She looked at me, repeated the question, took a long, deep breath and responded with, “You know…I really don’t like my job at all.” Everyone in the room started laughing. But, it was an epiphany for Linda. For the rest of the day, she had a far away look in her eyes as if it were the first time she had ever truly communicated with herself about this topic. Gazing out the window, it felt like she was saying to herself, “I can’t believe I’ve been at this job that I hate for the last 17 years!” We have to communicate with ourselves first before we can think on our feet and answer in the moment. And by repeating the question, it gives us an opportunity to do just that. There is a scarcity of honest communication in our world today. When you are the one who is honest, you can be assured that people will be listening to you. I’ve seen this happen in my own life and with people in my seminars. When someone answers honestly, people pay attention. The ironic thing is, when there is a pause, and people answer honestly, they command rapt attention. Try it for yourself.

5.) Know when to Stop!

Step number 5 is to stop. This may sound about as simple as step number 1, listen to the question, yet, it can be difficult for many people. A good point to remember is to leave them wanting more. Stop, before they stop listening to you. I’ve heard people give brilliant answers to questions only to diminish everything they’ve said by talking too much. The ironic thing is we imagine people will listen to us more if we talk longer. The opposite is true.

Use this when people ask you contemplative questions. Prove to yourself that this five step process works. Use the gradient approach. Start with the caring people in your life and work up to the more challenging ones later.

Deepening our communication skills is a never ending process. It’s like doing a dance throughout life as we interact with new people and see things from different viewpoints. I wish you all the success you can imagine. Just remember you’re doing yourself and the world a service when you communicate honestly and directly.

Pamela Ziemann has been coaching and training people for over 10 years in the area of speaking with their authentic voices. She can be reached at Z@pamelaziemann.com or 425.223.0123

Living with acne can be very difficult, and even more difficult to find just the right acne treatment for you. Many sufferers will try just one acne treatment and if it doesn’t deliver they give up. While it’s easy to find acne treatments, finding the just the right treatment or treatment product for you is what’s important.

In a survey conducted in Great Britain, 95% of 16-year-old males and 83% of 16 year-old females had acne. Nearly 17 million people in the United States have acne. People of all races and ages have acne. Acne is one of most common skin conditions in the world, affecting more than 40 million people.

Check your shampoo to make sure it isn’t causing pimples or other breakouts on your forehead. The liver gets rid of toxins from bad food, drugs and chemicals and sends them through the skin resulting in eruptions, acne, pimples and other skin disorders. The cause of acne is unknown and there is still much to be learned.

Remember, that even the most gentle and natural products you might use to clean your face can leave your skin a bit dry; use coconut oil as an excellent way to re-hydrate the skin after using any acne commercial or natural cleanser. This is a little messy but you can try making a paste by mixing three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon together and applying the paste on your pimples at bedtime for two weeks, and wash it off each morning; honey has anti-bacterial action - a cheap, natural home remedy. Since the latest research indicates a connection between stress and acne, make an effort to cut down on stress any way you can.

One helpful remedy seems to be to use ice to reduce the swelling caused by inflamed pimples: rub it over the blemishes for 2-3 minutes. Never underestimate the healing, restorative power of a good night’s sleep. If you’re going to buy acne products, it’s much more worth your while to buy acne-treating products that work against current pimples and prevent the occurrence of new ones.

Try a diligent application of coconut oil several times a day and at bedtime to see the healing benefits. Popping pimples can cause infection and scarring; best not to do it. Acne and its treatment is one of the most misunderstood topics there is when it comes to acne skin care.

You want to avoid squeezing, pinching, picking or popping your pimples because it can cause scars or leave dark spots on your skin. Shave carefully and try both electric and safety razors to see which works best for you. Coconut oil is very inexpensive; it’s a good, cheap, natural home remedy.

One treatment method some people have used is applying cornstarch, egg whites or milk of magnesia as a facial mask. Too many chemicals can strip your skin of its natural oils and the skin will overproduce oil to compensate for it, blocking your pores and causing more acne.

Whether you eat a natural diet of living fruits and vegetables or eat dead junk food, what you eat may have a direct or indirect affect on the male hormones which may or may not play some part in acne. When you change your diet, your lesions should start getting better within a week or two, with significant improvement the first month. In any case, no matter what skin or acne treatment you choose, whether it’s chemical, drugs, alternative, or natural methods, changing your diet alone will be the best treatment you can do for your acne and you’ll achieve overall good health in the process.

To cure yourself of acne, you need to correct the problems going on inside of your body that are causing the acne. The best acne treatment is a diet that will help the body eliminate waste; if you’re eating the standard American diet (SAD) it’ll be reflected in your skin.

Put two tablespoons of coconut oil in your all fruit smoothies and blend. Get plenty of sunshine on your arms and legs; sunshine triggers the production of Vitamin D3 which is essential to having healthy skin. The two most common digestive concerns that affect your skin are not enough water and not enough fiber.

Use olive oil with a little very fresh flaxseed oil in your salads. Consider taking cod liver oil or fish oil supplements every day.

Fortunately, many people have discovered through trial and error how to cure their acne. One should always think about cheaper, alternative, natural, effective treatment methods to get the best cure or solution to their acne, zits, pimples and blackhead problems. You should see the results of your cheap acne home treatment remedies, with improved skin, within just a few days.

For more information on natural treatments for acne and acne light therapy, go to http://www.Best-Skin-Solutions.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s website specializing in acne, pimples and skin disorders with tips, advice and resources for adults, teens, and babies, including information on acne scar treatments

A vacuum cleaner is one of the most expensive pieces of home cleaning equipment we have. A good quality vacuum cleaner is an excellent investment in your home and in your home cleaning equipment. You can save a lot of money by doing your research.

If you have lots of flooring to vacuum you’ll want a model with floor attachments that use brushes and/or an upright vacuum with metal bottom plates. Metal components in a vacuum cleaner are better than plastic but will make the unit much heavier. A vacuum cleaner should expel or exhaust only fresh, clean air.

Vacuums with replaceable bags can add up each year adding significant cost to your initial purchase. Check out features vs. the weight to choose the right model for you. Look into the lightweight options to find vacuum cleaners that’ll be easier to push, carry, and store.

A self-propelled vacuum cleaner may sound great, but they’re actually very heavy to lift. Read the warranty fine print so you know exactly what’s covered in the event it’s defective or you need it repaired. Canister vacuum cleaners that have onboard tool storage make tools handy to reach.

Consider where the vacuum cleaner will be stored to make sure it will fit the space. Do you want an upright or canister? Find out the air watts to get a good indication of its suction power.

A bagless vacuum may leak dust, dust mites, mold spores, fungus, bacteria and allergen particles into the air, so small you may not be able to see all of them but will be cheaper though in the long run, because you’re not buying and using up bags. Though they may not be more powerful, higher priced uprights have a lot of gadgets that may be handy for your home, providing you use them. Make sure the machine feels comfortable.

A low-end upright model will usually have only a suction hose with a crevice tool, stair brush, and extended wand piece. Higher priced uprights have a wider cleaning path, possibly dirt sensors, and some will be self-propelled; they may have pre-motor filters to protect the motor from damage too. Many people find they don’t like to bend over to move the vacuum around so prefer an upright over a canister.

Find out how often belts, filters, and other items will need to be cleaned and/or replaced. You may want to find a canister vacuum cleaner with wheels that won’t scuff or damage your floors. It’s important to find out exactly what kind of maintenance your new vacuum cleaner will need.

True or absolute HEPA filters must pass a strict test to be considered HEPA worthy. You want to get rid of as much dirt, dust, mold spores, fungus, bacteria, dust mites and allergens as possible. HEPA is a type of filter that can trap a large amount of very small particles that other vacuum cleaners recirculate back into the air of your home. Look for the serial number and test results that are printed on true or absolute HEPA filters; make sure that the test results at .3 microns are 99.97 percent or above.

Make sure you get a good feel for the vacuum, its handle and accessories so you know if you can handle it if you have any disabilities or physical problems. True or absolute HEPA filters are usually more expensive than other HEPA filters. It’s up to you to decide if a true HEPA is essential for your family, or if capturing a smaller amount of particles is worth the price break on filter costs; however your family’s health is worth paying a little higher price.

Take time to do your research, the same way you would for any major purchase and buying a vacuum cleaner won’t be difficult. Choosing the best vacuum cleaner for you is easier than ever. Know that you’re getting the best vacuum cleaner for your money.

For more information on saving money on vacuum cleaners and best buy shopping for vacuum cleaners online and offline go to http://www.SaveMoneyOnVacuumCleaners.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s website specializing in vacuum cleaner tips, advice and resources, including information on vacuum cleaner ratings and vacuum cleaner reviews