Self improvement books can offer a systematic approach to achieving success. A good book will give step-by-step instructions and principles you can apply to achieve your goals and will be written in an easy-to-read style that makes the information accessible to everyone.

Here are five important benefits of self improvement books:

1. DREAMS. How many of us have forgotten how to dream? If we do dust off and resurrect our dreams, we often find it hard to sustain a focused march towards them. We are pulled in so many directions and all sorts of people want a piece of us. Self improvement books can help us to recover our lost dreams or even find them in the first place. Sometimes, we need to dream new, bigger dreams and these books can provide the inspiration and the motivation for us to do this.

2. ROAD MAP. An effective self improvement book will provide a road map or help us to draw one up that can take us from where we are now to where we want to be.

3. EMPOWERMENT. Self improvement books provide the knowledge and motivation that can empower us to take action confidently. Knowledge is definitely power when it comes to overcoming self-defeating behaviors or achieving new levels of success. We cannot open a locked door without the right key; success is a locked door to many people and the knowledge given in many self improvement books is the key that unlocks that door.

4. PROVEN TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES. Sometimes it can seem that if you’ve read one self improvement book, you’ve read them all. This isn’t true, of course, but it seems that way because there are universal principles that work if applied consistently and they don’t change. All the best books will reveal the strategies and techniques that work and explain how to apply them.

5. INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION. A major benefit of self improvement books is that they do more than inform, they inspire and motivate us to take the action necessary to succeed. They will tell parables with a message, true stories about courageous people who have transformed their lives, often against great odds. They will also try to scare you into action by asking you to consider what your life will be like in five years then ten years, if you do not make any changes to what you are doing and how you are living. Just the thought of things still being the same in a decade is enough for many people to sincerely decide to change.

Health, life & Love is a motivational website offering articles on health, life and love. We are dedicated to the happenings of life and how to better anyone’s day to day living.

The Herbal Remedy - Alternative Healing

If you’re working in corporate America today, you’re being asked to do more with less. The economic downturn of the late 1990’s, outsourcing of jobs, and the implosion of whole sectors—all of these factors have contributed to a business environment that is fiercely competitive.

Nowhere does this nerve wracking and high velocity approach show up more than in the modus operandi of many bosses.

Learning how to function with a difficult boss is one of the hardest challenges you face in your work life. Have you heard the saying that people don’t leave jobs, they leave their bosses? So true! You can love your job but if you hate your boss, you will hate going to work. And you won’t last long.

So how do you deal with a difficult boss?

In this article I profile four types of bosses: The Screamer, The Hypocrite, The Egomaniac, and The Risk Averse Boss.
See if you recognize your boss.

The Screamer

Don’t you just love this type of boss? NOT. At least she is predictable. You can rest assured that she will erupt like clockwork.

Watch for the telltale signs prior to erupting. Her brow will furl, eyebrows will rise and you can see the veins popping in her neck.
Sometimes, she’ll just explode without any warning or provocation.

The screamer burns out quickly. And she won’t remember what she said 15 minutes later. Screamers don’t want to be interrupted; you’ll make matters worse if you try to respond. Batten down the hatches while she blows off steam. If you can’t remove yourself, at least you know that this eruption usually doesn’t last long. As with a child having a tantrum, you have to wait till the child runs out of tears and energy.

Dealing with The Screamer

After the high volume tirade stops and you have an opening, probe to find out what’s behind the loud stream of words. Deliberately lower the volume of your voice and the tone of the discourse.

Ask: “I want to make sure I understand; can we go over the most important points?”

Learn to judge the best times to approach her. Tone of voice, body language, time of day, all these hold signs of her emotional barometer. That’s the key to getting what you need and avoiding many of her outbursts.

One note of caution, you need to have a thick skin to deal with this type of boss. If you’re easily offended or take things personally (it’s hard not to when someone is screaming at you!), you’ll need an attitude adjustment or you will burn out. My best advice is to watch other people who work well with her, and follow their lead.

The Hypocrite

This boss says one thing but really means another. The hypocrite will say he wants you to take the lead but what he means is if you try to overstep your authority, he’ll embarrass you in front of staff members. Or he will say the company is hard pressed for cash and then you’ll find that he’s bought a designer suit and is planning a vacation in Europe. He is a master at talking out of both sides of his mouth. What you see is definitely not what you get!

Dealing with the Hypocrite

You need to figure out if your boss is just moody or if his behavior is done with intent. This is a huge distinction. If your boss’s behavior comes from mood swings, you need to keep your reactions as consistent as possible.

Whether things are good or bad, you need to control how you respond and not join your boss on his emotional rollercoaster. Be patient and professional at all times. Use a “charge neutral” voice, an even, unemotional tone.

On the other hand, if he alters his behavior to manipulate you, he is on power trip and patience and professionalism on your part won’t work. You’ll need to prepare an exit strategy and eventually, leave.

The Egomaniac

Does your boss suck up all the air in the room? An inflated personality is often part of entrepreneurial DNA. This type of boss wouldn’t be where she is without the drive and single-mindedness that catapulted her vision from an idea into reality. However, when an oversized ego defines her management style and overpowers team members, it becomes your problem.

Dealing with the Egomaniac

First, sometimes you need to let the boss take the credit (even if it was your idea). Okay, I can hear you saying “no way!” The reality is your job is to make her look good to clients and/or her boss. You need to do whatever it takes to help her achieve her goals (within ethical boundaries, of course). From her success, flows your success.

Second, don’t let your being miffed at her taking the credit cloud the big picture. The big picture means helping her become successful so you can ultimately get what you want/need. It amounts to delaying immediate gratification for a bigger prize later. So, hold your tongue and communicate your personal goals to your boss when the timing is right.

Tip: you can always let her know after the presentation that you were so pleased one of “your” ideas played a role in winning the account or having the project turn out so well. Watch the tone of your voice. Make sure you don’t sound sarcastic or mocking. Your boss will understand what you are implying.

However, if your boss consistently overlooks your contributions, or if you are never recognized, then it’s time to start documenting your ideas. The cream always rises to the top and you can take your expertise to organizations where it will be appreciated. Until then, being a team player is the name of the game.

The Risk Averse Boss

He/she has zero comfort with risk taking. Any suggestions for streamlining or improving a procedure are met with a lukewarm reception.

Further, you feel like you are carrying your boss. The day they were doling out the genes for drive and ambition, your boss was AWOL. He/she does not lead or contribute and does the minimum amount necessary. Whenever you bring up a new idea or project, it never gets anywhere. This type of boss has no desire to move to the next level. And zero desire to help you get ahead.

Dealing with the Risk Averse Boss

Your job is to help your boss get comfortable with risk. Suggest possible scenarios, starting with low risk alternatives, to ease your boss into the process. Your boss may need to see the advantages in written form, with the pros outweighing the cons. Strengthen your case by lining up people who will support your suggestions. Take the time to build a strong case, one that makes it easy for your boss to say yes.

A Final Note

Learning the techniques necessary to thrive despite having a difficult boss will serve you well over the span of your entire career. Chances are, somewhere in your work life you will have a boss who challenges your patience and sanity. Building a time-tested arsenal of methods to handle this challenge is a transferable skill of the first order.

Dale Kurow, M.S., MCDP, is an author and a career and executive coach in New York City. Dale works with clients across the United States helping them to become better managers, figure out their next career moves and thrive despite office politics. Visit Dale’s web site at http://www.dalekurow.com/newsletter to sign-up for her free monthly e-zine “Career Essentials,” chock full of useful tips and strategies you can use immediately.

There is a link between stress and self improvement. Positive stress can provide a catalyst for personal change. However, negative stress can block us from moving forward in life. It can paralyze us and enough of it, over time, can destroy our self-esteem and entrench limiting self-beliefs. Therefore, managing stress is an essential first step in undertaking any self improvement program.

There are five specific stress management products and services available that can support our self improvement. These are:

1. MEDITATION cassettes and CDs. Meditation lowers the heart rate and brain wave activity and can be very healing. It relieves stress and calms internal chatter allowing you to be free for even a little while of harmful, negative self talk. This will allow you the opportunity to replace these beliefs with new positive ones.

2. SELF-HYPNOSIS. Self-hypnosis is an effective method of reprogramming the mind with positive, helpful beliefs which will help you to achieve your goals and create a better life. They can be effective in programming new beliefs that help you to quit smoking, lose weight, concentrate, increase creativity etc.

3. HYPNOSIS. If you would rather rely on a professional practitioner instead of trying self-hypnosis, there are many qualified hypnotherapists who use hypnosis to assist clients to manage stress and overcome challenges. Make sure your practitioner is registered by a reputable organization and has professional qualifications.

4. TEACHING. There are many teaching cassettes, CDs and DVDs available which teach strategies to minimize the impact of negative stress. Managing time, learning when to say yes and when to say no and using anchors to quickly change your emotional states all help to minimize stress.

5. NATURAL THERAPIES. Herbs can be used to help with stress management. Chamomile, valerian and St John’s Wort are all popular herbal remedies for stress. Withania is a very effect stress relief herb, but is usually only prescribed by qualified herbalists. Energy therapies can also be very effective stress management tools. Kinesiology, for example, uses muscle testing to identify energy blockages and limiting beliefs and assists in the release of old negative energy and stress. Bach flowers are remedies that work on an emotional level and as such are also excellent stress management products.

6. COUNSELING/COACHING. Counselors and coaches can provide one-on-one help to help you manage the stress in your life and achieve your goals. They teach skills and strategies for coping, direct you to appropriate reading material and monitor results. They also provide the opportunity for you to be accountable which reduces the likelihood of procrastination and avoidance. A good counselor or coach will often also act as a mentor and encourage you in the pursuit of your goals.

Health, life & Love is a motivational website offering articles on health, life and love. We are dedicated to the happenings of life and how to better anyone’s day to day living.

The Herbal Remedy - Alternative Healing

Pause a while. Stop everything or anything you are doing or going to do now. Just sit in a calm place. Be comfortable. You can settle down in a chair, a sofa or even lie down on your bed. Shut your eyes, but don’t sleep. Think. Ask yourself, ‘What is the purpose of my life? What is it that I want from this life? Do sensuous pleasures keep me happy forever? Don’t I crave for more and ever more? Am I able to avoid pain and suffering that always accompany my life-long pursuit of power, money and pleasure? How can I really avoid pain and suffering? Is there a way out? What is true happiness? What is the message of the Buddha, the Enlightened One, and how does it help me in my life? Can I actually find the same kind of awakening that will free me from this compulsive pursuit of sensual pleasures that ultimately subject me to untold pain and suffering? How do I go about finding it anyway?’

To find answers, go read the story of the Buddha and see if you have in you the same spirit, the same urge for peace and for true happiness that spells freedom from suffering and pain. The Buddha’s story is not long and tedious, unless you want to make it so. It is not a fable. It is a true story of a prince of a Himalayan kingdom. It happened more than 2500 years ago, much before the story of Prophet Mohammed and even much Jesus Christ was born. It also gave birth to a new non-theistic religion, and more than that, a new philosophy of life that you, like many others, can adopt or adapt with considerable benefit, without sacrificing any of your own religious beliefs.

Prince Siddhartha, son of King Suddhodhana of Kapilavastu ( a kingdom that existed on the present India - Nepal border) lived a life of plenty, pleasure and palace-luxuries, well shielded from the outside world (where the common man experienced misery and poverty, pain and suffering, disease and death), till he attained the age of thirty. One night, however, he renounced his claim to succeed his father, his possessions and all his relatives including his young and pretty wife, who was fast asleep with their newborn son beside her. That night, he started on his journey to discover the life outside as well as the light within. After leading an frugal life, practicing intense meditation and self-mortification, sometime depriving himself of any food, he realized that the better way to getting enlightenment lay neither in a life of luxury nor in a life of extreme deprivation but in adopting a middle path. He became the Buddha, the Fully Enlightened One.

As long as you crave for sensual pleasures, or your selfishness influences your way of thinking and determines your life’s goals, you only run after a mirage of happiness. If you wish for mental peace instead of agitation, physical rejuvenation instead of exhaustion, spiritual enrichment instead of impoverishment, resist your riotous temptations and stifle your selfishness. Still your anger and greed and jealousy and other negative emotions. Get into rendering selfless service and learn to be contented.

Practice meditation. Mine the riches within, rather than pine for the pleasures without. Discover the land of eternal pleasure and unending happiness that is deep down within you, and when love and compassion adorn your personality, you won’t experience any misery or pain or suffering. You will then have unraveled the Buddha that lies in you.

Health, life & Love is a motivational website offering articles on health, life and love. We are dedicated to the happenings of life and how to better anyone’s day to day living.

The Herbal Remedy - Alternative Healing

If you are having a pirate party, a mermaid party, or a beach party, send the invitations out on parchment -rolled into a plastic bottle with colored sand in; color the sand with food dye. Place a little plastic Nemo in the bottle.

If it’s a pirates, cowboy party send the invitation out as a ransom note! A dinosaur party can have conventional invitations but tied around the necks of plastic dinosaurs. If the party has a cartoon theme get the kids to dress up in that theme if they want.

Disney Characters are depicted in cheap coloring books and the kids can color in the characters and they can be cut out for the invitations.

Underwater parties can be held in the garden with a paddling pool and plenty of water pistols. Sand can be piles in boxes to look like chests and cheap toys can be hidden as both favors and prizes.

The kids can actually walk the plank using milk crates. Equally a castle can be made out of cardboard boxes, and the dollar stores have many Childs toys suitable for a castle knight or princess party.

If the kids are a bit older uses natural props and throw a kids star gazing party. Incorporate it with a sleepover. Rent a telescope a sneak a little education into the event. Cover the food table with a black cloth and cut out silver stars and moon shapes.

Cover the plates with metal foil and hang shapes from the trees, have a look at Christmas decorations or have a craft table and let the kids make their own. Use star shapes to cut out sandwiches and pizzas. Theme party ideas and supply are not restricted to birthdays a star gazing party can celebrate the longest night of the year or midsummer.

Find free printable invitations online at: http://www.4ninvite.com

Nina is an expert freelance writer. She is a cake decorator and a certified naturopath. Presently she is happily RV-ing with her husband.

There are so many weight loss products on the market; some of them offer a quick and easy way to lose weight. As a general rule, if it’s too good to be true, it’s most probably is: there is no “magic pill” for weight loss. The healthiest way to lose weight and fat is in a slow and steady manner.

In fact, researches show that the slower you lose weight, the less likely you are to gain it back. Start with small changes and slowly adjust to the lifestyle that fits you best, and keeps you healthy.

Here are 10 Simple Strategies to help you get started with your Healthier Life:

1. Forget the Word “Diet”. A diet is temporary, is hard to keep and when it’s over, you gain back the weight. What we’re focusing on is a Lifestyle shift: permanent changes that you can live with for the long run.
2. Set yourself up for Success! Surround yourself with a Supportive Circle, Eliminate temptations you might encounter during the day, Make a Grocery list before you go shopping and stick to it, and eat Healthy Foods and Soups at the beginning of the meal.
3. Make a Plan. Set realistic goals with dates, and explain to length how you plan on achieve them. Write down the purposes of your lifestyle change. Print out the plan, and place it somewhere visible, so you’ll always be reminded of where you’re going and how you’re getting there.
4. Drink Water. So simple, yet so effective. Water raises your metabolism and helps fight hunger, among many other benefits. Have a bottle of water with you wherever you go, and try limiting all of your fluid consumption to water whenever possible.
5. Exercise. Exercise has many benefits other than fat loss. Create opportunities to be active: Park far away and walk the distance, use stairs instead of the elevator, ride your bike to the store, walk your dog… Be creative and vary your activities to avoid getting bored.
6. Eat many small Meals. 5 Small meals spread evenly over the day are preferable over 3 large meals. This keeps your metabolism high and prevents you from being hungry. Mind portion sizes; you should be eating the same amount of food in more meals.
7. Don’t Miss out on Breakfast. Some consider skipping breakfast a “calorie saver”. The truth is, you’ll compensate for the calories you saved and then some. Always eat breakfast within one hour of waking, preferably rich in fibers.
8. Seek Knowledge. Learn things such as how to read nutritional contents of food, what your body needs and what it doesn’t, what a glycemic index is and so on. As you learn more, the quality of your food based decisions will rise.
9. Plan Ahead. This is especially important for busy people. When you’re not at home, there’s nothing easier than to say: “There are only fast food restaurants around, I have no choice”. Planning ahead allows you to foresee these situations and bring food from home when needed.
10. Do not be discouraged by Failure. Winston Churchill said: “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm”. You will slip from time to time, but the success of your plan depends on what you do next: Throw your commitment out the window, or forgive yourself and move on.

Did you know that over 95% of the people who go on conventional diets gain all the weight back, and sometimes end up fatter than when they started? Find out how to be a part of the 5% that keep the weight off!

If you have trouble coming up with the perfect Father’s Day gift, you’re not alone. Choosing a thoughtful gift for Dad can be fairly easy, but choosing a thoughtful gift that he’ll like is another story.

Mushy yet manly
When we’re buying gifts for Mom, sentimentality is often the guiding force. A delicate ceramic figurine that symbolizes your bond of friendship and trust will mean a lot to her. Try giving Dad the same gift you gave Mom and you’ll get a confused look and a collectible item that sits in its box on a shelf in the garage. That’s not to say that Dads don’t appreciate sentimental gestures, you just have to know how to do it right.

Usually, men and emotions don’t mix. They’ve got their own ways of telling the people around them that they care. A slap on the back, a cold beer, an awkward joke – those are Dad’s ways of saying, “You’re important to me.” So how do you get your communication styles to mesh?

A personal gift is worth a thousand embroidered words
To some women, a fish gutting knife is not a gift that says, “Thanks for being a supportive and caring father.” But to guys who love the great outdoors, this Father’s Day gift is a statement that you really understand your dad.

To show Dad how much you care, you have to show that you get who he is. If he’s into sports, tickets to a game, a jersey from his favorite team or a cushion for stadium bleachers are all wonderful gifts. If he’s into techie gadgets, anything iPod, a laptop accessory or a digital camera memory card will leave him smiling.

The point is to think about the things Dad loves doing best and find gifts that relate. Does he barbecue dinner every night in the summer? Does a fine cigar make his weekend? Does he read The Economist cover to cover every week? Giving Dad a gift that reflects his hobbies and interests shows him that you love the guy he is and think he’s altogether fabulous.

Say it right
The art of the Father’s Day card is a subtle and difficult one to master. The same rules apply as above. If you and your dad don’t exchange “I Love Yous” on a regular basis, an overly sentimental card may leave him uncomfortable and unsure how to respond.

We suggest finding a blank card with a nice design and writing in a few heartfelt words. Thank him for something specific like helping you learn to drive or supplying funds for extracurricular activities in college (shopping should be a sport). You don’t have to go overboard on the mushy thoughts. A few phrases of appreciation for his support and hard work show him that you know how much effort he’s put in to providing for his family.

No two dads are the same. If your dad has a sentimental streak and has kept every one of his #1 Father trophies, you’re on the right track with your gift giving strategy. If he’s not particularly open about his feelings, focus on the things you do know about him. Showing Dad that you love him for who he is can be the best gift he gets.

Abigail Jameison is a writer for the online Father’s Day resource http://www.FathersDayAndMore.com She has a strong interest in how different types of families personalize this important holiday.

The events and circumstances surrounding our birth affect us throughout our lives, and repeat generation after generation. That’s just the way it is. It’s like that for you. It’s like that for me, and it’s like that for Dannielyn.

Tomorrow the Bahamian courts will begin to evaluate the custody of Dannielyn, and then make a crucial decision about the fate of this 6 month old baby, born to Anna Nicole Smith. now deceased. While the public remains glued to the television screens, anticipating the expected outcome, questions will surface about the role of grandparents, and fathers in child rearing.

While the public expects the fate of child rearing, to be decided by the courts, the ultimate outcome will be decided by the relationship between the caregivers. The acceptance of this outcome, will affect this child throughout her life. If Vergie, the grandmother,and, Larry the father stay cooperative, life for Dannielyn will be better, then if they do not. All of which brings me to a very key point about the impact of “birth”, and how it affects us, throughout our lives. From the moment of birth, this baby has been thrown into the eyes of the public. Beginning with the death of her brother, the death of her mother, the unanswered questions about paternity, the wealth dispursement of her mother’s former husband Howard Marshall, and the role of grandparents in raising children, questions have swirled around this baby.

If I possessed a crystal ball, I would presume that when this child grows up, and has children of her own, one will die, and another will be born with questions about paternity surrounding it. If the grandparents and parents, expect differences to arise between them, and agree to disagree, the child will fare better, then if they don’t. If they don’t, we can expect Danielyn to have children, with disputes between grandparents, and parents, and these issues will be duplicated from one generation to the next.

We are destined to repeat that which we don’t accept or understand, until we learn to accept it, or understand it.

Parents involved in custody disputes would benefit by understanding generational repeat. It’s more then the actual decisions that are made in court about where, and who should assume custody, that affect children, its also about how these decisions occur. It’s about the relationships between these ongoing relationships. Generations repeat. It’s like that for you. It’s like that for me, and it’s like that for Danielyn. It’s just the way it is.

I developed a model applying teddybears to explore generational repeat. I have organized the teachings into a total toolkit to provide you with a model of exploring generational patterns. I provide life coaching, and family coaching services to explore relationship problems and solutions. I offer training to health care providers in how to apply teddy bears to teach about generational repeat. I invite you to visit my website at http://www.interactiveteddybears.com and purchase this toolkit for your group or practice, or to utilize the life coaching services.

About the Author

Tammy Stoner is a licensed clinical social worker and trained family therapist. She developed the Teddy Bear Technique® following the sudden and unexpected death of a spouse and discovered a very fast method of generating treatment results when exploring family systems. She has authored a book called The Seven Minute Social Worker, and has published many articles. She has been featured on television and radio, and in newspapers throughout the USA.

No matter how confident you feel in your ability to achieve your financial goals, it is always a good idea to sit down and re-evaluate your household budget. Take this time to assess your progress in achieving your financial goals from the past year, and begin to set new goals that reflect your current financial situation. When planning your family’s budget, remember to avoid making these key budgeting mistakes that can prevent you from achieving your goals:

Falsely Identifying Expenses

It is easy to stretch the truth about what you earn and what you spend each month. While you and your family are the only ones checking your budget, being dishonest with yourself gets you nowhere when you’re trying to achieve a goal. Be honest with yourself when you’re determining how much you spend in each of your budget categories. You cannot possibly stay out of debt if you’re not willing to see where changes must be made.

Not Planning for Emergencies

While it requires discipline, saving for the future can protect you from years of financial hardship. When building your budget set aside, if you can, a small monthly allotment that will serve as an emergency fund. You will be happy you have this money should an unforeseen event occur such as a medical emergency, a natural disaster or an auto accident.

Spending More than you Earn

Living beyond your means is a recipe for disaster in terms of successful money management. By building a budget you are taking the right steps towards organizing your financial life. If you make a conscious effort to live according to your budget, you should be confident in your ability to stay on top of your finances.

ABOUT ACCC: American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to regain control of their lives through education, counseling and debt management. ACCC provides individuals with practical solutions for solving financial problems and recognizes that consumers’ financial difficulties are often not the result of poor spending habits, but more frequently from extenuating circumstances beyond their control. As one of the nation’s leading providers of financial education and credit counseling services, ACCC works with consumers to help them with the best plan of action to reduce their debt and regain financial stability. For more information or to access free financial education resources log on to http://www.consumercredit.com

The wedding is an important event in the life of a girl, and being father of the bride is a unique honor which you will probably just have once or a few times. However, as honorable as it is, few people actually look forward to doing it. There’s pressure on you to deliver an impressive and memorable speech, often in front of a big audience, and not to mess up your daughter’s big day.
Here are a few simple tips for writing and delivering an impressive and memorable speech:

- when writing, split your speech into several sections: introduction, middle, and closing. Write down a few ideas for each. Ask yourself a few questions, like for instance: what do you know about the groom (good things, of course!), what are the most important things you have to say to encourage your daughter. Recall any funny (but positive!) anecdotes you may know about your daughter.

- for starters, you can briefly introduce yourself, since probably not everyone in the audience will know you. It is also the right place to say a few words to thank the people hosting the wedding - unless it isn’t you.

- the best way to lay out the body of your speech is by formulating a series of points that you would like to raise. The points should be ganised so that related points follow one another so that each point builds upon the previous one. This will also give your speech a more logical progression.

- for the closing, it’s hard to go wrong with a traditional toast or blessing for the couple. Make your toast loud and impressive, don’t forget to have a glass around, and drink to your toast yourself.

- when giving the speech, make eye contact with your audience. This helps to build trust and a relationship with the listeners. Do not fidget or make other nervous gestures with your hands. Do not keep your hands in your pockets. Use moderate, wide, relaxed hand gestures.

- take your time speaking. It is common for people to speak too rapidly when nervous. Try to avoid this by consciously speaking in a calm, relaxed tone. Don’t be too quiet, especially if you don’t have a microphone. Make pauses after key sentences.

- if you want to be really thorough, you can write down your toast or your basic speech structure on a note card and practice delivering the speech a few times in front of a mirror.

- most important of all - be natural. Don’t use any overly pompous phrases or elaborate vocabulary. It’s the simple, heartfelt words that are remembered and valued.