Learn to say “thank you” to those who deserve to hear it

Generosity & Kindness
Regardless of your age, we’re all still students in the classroom of life. The learning process is never over, unless of course you choose to ignore the lessons that are often presented to us on a daily basis. Something I’ve learned of late is that society has a very difficult time showing their appreciation – sharing a simple “thank you” to those who’ve unconditionally offered their kindness. While there might be an unwritten code that the actions we take in life should be for our own personal fulfillment, and not because we hope to reap something in return, every human being wants to feel appreciated for their generosity. G.B. Stern once said that, “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” Too many times we assume that people know how much…
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Giving yourself time to adjust

Life & Living
I’ve been a little MIA from the blogosphere lately. Believe me I haven’t run out of things to say, but rather the time and energy to write them all down. In fact I’ve been terrible at answering emails and staying in touch with friends – things I’ve always prided myself on maintaining in a timely fashion. The book I’ve been trying to complete; the piano I’ve been trying to play; the blog I’ve been trying to update – all remain dormant because of one change in my life, which has truly consumed my thoughts. I recently started a new job, and am so very happy with my new position and the wonderful people I get to work with. After many years of bouncing from one mediocre employment opportunity after another,…
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Online Reviewers are not always truthful

Information & Education, Life & Living
I recently came across an article entitled “Is that online review a lie?” Reviews have become an important part of consumer’s online purchasing strategy. Be it cars, TV’s or hotels, if we find one negative review after another posted online then something must be wrong with that product or service, right? But somewhere along the line we’ve all forgotten that not EVERYTHING we read online is necessarily true. In fact many critics, who may first appear to be honest, are actually misleading you in an effort to sway public opinion. Bottom Line/Personal (BottomLinePublications.com) recently discovered some startling information regarding online reviewers. It seems that some of the glowing reviews posted online are actually being done by people who work for the business being reviewed, by marketing firms hired for the…
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Edison knew a thing or two about patience

Information & Education, Life & Living
Many would characterize Thomas Alva Edison as an ingenious inventor – holding 1,093 U.S. patents for such creations as the phonograph and most notably the electric light bulb. The life of an inventor is riddled with disappointments - sometimes requiring dozens, even hundreds of failed attempts before finally attaining success. But Edison refused to let failure define his life’s work. So instead he lived under the simple belief that anything was achievable with a little persistence and effort. He once joked, “I never failed once. It just happened to be a 2,000-step process”. When you think about it, our journey through life differs little from that of an inventor. We all spend our days struggling to create the most desirable and personally satisfying existence possible, oftentimes with mixed results. But…
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Overcoming anxiety – finally!

Life & Living, Youth
It’s taken me years…literally…but I’m happy to say that I think I’ve finally overcome my ongoing battle with severe anxiety. Whenever I’m challenged by a new experience or situation, I often find myself riddled with anxiety – and many years ago it was enough to cripple me emotionally and physically. But thankfully today I have a better understanding of my anxiety – what triggers it and how to go about controlling it. So much of my own anxiety was tied to childhood insecurities I carried into adulthood – often leaving me to question my character and my abilities in this life. But recently I started a new chapter in my personal history book, and was pleasantly surprised by something that was missing. Yes, there were butterflies in my stomach over…
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