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The key to success with children is teaching them good values that they can take with them for the rest of their lives. Values that will help them excel more at school and even work later in life. And in today’s fast-paced lifestyle one of the most valuable lessons for them to learn is the value of patience and self-control. Showing your children how to wait for things and not get everything “NOW” can go a long way for teaching them life lessons. A great example of this can be found in Dr. David Schapira’s book, Fetus to Fifth Grade. In the book he recounts an experiment done at Stanford University by psychologist Walter Mischel.
Mischel published a study on children at the preschool on the Stanford University campus. He sat them down with a marshmallow. They were told that the research assistant had to leave for a few minutes (approximately 20 minutes) but if they did not eat the marshmallow during that time they would be rewarded with another marshmallow. Some of the children ate the marshmallow, but some did not and forced themselves to wait by thinking of other distractions, talking to themselves, playing games with their hands or trying to fall asleep. He then followed all of the children for a long period of time afterwards.
When evaluated later as teenagers, those children who resisted eating the marshmallow and exhibited delayed gratification were:
How to Brand Yourself
Posted by: | CommentsSo you’ve decided to start a business. You have gone on a self-discovery journey to find out what what your vision is, what your passions are, as well as your gifts, talents, and skills. You’ve chosen either a direct selling company or a network marketing organization. Or you want to turn your hobby into a business. Perhaps you have specialized knowledge and gifts that you can turn into a product or service people need, want, and desire.
Now what?
Now it’s time to build your business into a brand. Read More→
Putting Appreciation to Work
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It was common for our parents and grandparents to marry once, put down roots, and follow one or two jobs until retirement, but Americans in the new millennium seem to be taking a revolving-door approach to commitments: just in case it doesn’t work out, the door is left open.
The turnover rates are confirmed by statistics as half of marriage commitments end in divorce, one third of volunteers do not return after their first year of service, and Americans hop from job to job with an average of 11 different occupations by the time they are 44 years old. While some of these commitments (such as marriage) reflect moral bearings and others freedom of choice, they all point to a common thread of dissatisfaction.
The research is evident, but what are the underlying causes of this widespread discontentment driving people away from their commitments? Why are pastors, professionals, and ministry volunteers experiencing burn-out? And what can we do differently to prevent this? Read More→
Cultivating the Fine Art of Casual Loafing
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torm clouds were brewing like fresh morning coffee in the normally placid parsonage this past week. I will not say that things got out of hand, which is not to say they did not. I just will not say.
I sensed a growing controversy between my wife and myself. Its genesis came about because of some silly mix-up, I assure you. Usually, mix-ups come about because of some misunderstanding and boy, do I sure miss my understanding. I have misplaced mine for so long I honestly cannot remember when I had it last
If my memory serves me, and it has not to date, the last time I had a glimpse of my understanding, I was standing at some altar repeating the words, “I do.” After that, life has been a glorious blur.
The faux pas between us simply was a matter of attitude. My better half took the high road and I, per usual, took the low road. The reason I take the low road is simply that when I fall, and falling for me is inevitable, I do not have far to plummet. Read More→
My Grandfather and That New Contraption – The Telephone
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I was sitting in a restaurant on a Friday afternoon enjoying a leisurely repast with some friends. Somewhere in the middle of our conversation, my cell phone went off. Without even thinking about it, I reached into my shirt pocket, pulled it out and answered it.
It was then I was struck with an awful thought. I am now a child of this contemporary technological world. I never thought I would succumb to this sort of thing. But here I am; I’m not the man I used to be, and I’m not even sure I’m the man I want to be.
On my way home, I thought about how far I have come in this modern world. Then, for some reason I thought of my old grandfather. He died in 1974 and every once in a while I think about him. This was one of those times.
What came to my mind this particular time was when my grandmother got a new contraption for their home. Grandfather was not enthused about some of these modern advances. Read More→
Guest Post: Teaching Your Kids the Power of “I’m Sorry”
Posted by: | CommentsMy husband and I are not screamers. We might raise our voices from time to time, but we aren’t ones to yell at each other or our kids.
Now I am not saying we are perfect parents. Not a chance. You see, we have our own parenting areas that need attention. Yelling, however, just isn’t one of them.
When my kids were much younger, I remember one time in particular when I did scream at them. It wasn’t a little scream. I didn’t just merely raise my voice.
I… screamed.
Believe me, it wasn’t my finest mommy moment. Read More→
I’m Having an Out-of-Cash Experience
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I have read of people who testified to the fact that they have had an out of body experience. After meeting some of these people I can understand why they would want to abandon their body if only for a moment. My question is, why did they return? Whether this was a real experience or not, only their hairdresser knows for sure.
I have made it one of the primary purposes of my life to stay in my body as long as I live. In fact, I have so developed my body so that there is ample room for my La-Z-Boy chair and me. I like to be comfortable.
Truth compels me to say that I have never experienced an out-of-body experience. Every night when I go to sleep, I am unconscious until morning but I do not think that counts except when it comes to sheep, but who gives a baa-baa about sheep. I have a hard time relating to these people with such esoteric experiences. I do not doubt them, I just do not relate to them.
One thing that I can relate to is “an out-of-cash” experience. There, I said it. Confession is good for the soul. For many years, I was ashamed of having these kinds of experiences. I thought I was the only one in the whole world that ever experienced such trauma in their lives. I kept it a secret for many years. Read More→
Guest Post: It’s Time You Experienced Success in Direct Sales!
Posted by: | CommentsAre you looking to start a profit making home party business, but don’t know which one to choose?
Now, at last, discover how you can earn money by selecting the best direct sales company to suit you.
Here’s how . . .
Figure out what you want to sell. The most important step to choosing a company is deciding what to sell. The last thing you want to do is sell make-up when you don’t even wear it. You have to be enthusiastic about the product you are trying to sell; otherwise, customers will take your lack of interest as a bad sign.
Make a list of all the things you enjoy doing, such as crafts, cooking, collecting things etc. Once you’ve made your list, read it. Now circle all the things that have a common theme, like scrapbooking and painting or gardening and houseplants.
Now that you have narrowed down your list, it’s obvious to see what you enjoy doing. If most of the things on your list are craft related, then chances are, signing up with a company that focuses on crafts is suitable for you. Taking the time to learn what you are really passionate about is vital to your success. Choosing the wrong company is bound to bring failure. Read More→
Guest Post: Surefire Ways to Pack a Punch With Your Ezines & Newsletters
Posted by: | CommentsNewsletters, or ezines, can be extremely effective marketing tools for your business. They put your name in front of your potential clients, regular clients, and peers while showing your expertise and professionalism. They are an excellent means to both market and grow your business and also show your existing clients your creative abilities.
Now the only drawback is to ensure your newsletter is worthy of being read. I subscribe to a lot of newsletters, but find I regularly only read a few upon their arrival. When I decided to create my own newsletter, one of the first things I did was to look at those newsletters I regularly read and determine what it was about them that made me want to read them. What sets them apart from the rest? Read More→
Guest Post: Successfully Growing a Family and a Business Under One Roof
Posted by: | CommentsIdentify the highest and best use of your time. If you’re in direct sales, the highest and best use of your time is probably when you are setting appointments or actually selling. If you’re a tutor, you make money tutoring. If you teach piano lessons, your teaching time is most profitable. Identifying the highest and best use of your time is essential so that you know which actions create income for you—and which actions don’t. This is essential for profiting from the next tip.
Hire help when possible. Early in my work-at-home career, I asked a successful Realtor® this question, “If you had one piece of advice to give someone who works for herself, what would it be? She was so certain of her answer she didn’t even pause to think. “Never do yourself what you can pay someone else to do,” she responded.
I asked her to explain. “I’m a Realtor®,” she said. “And the best use of my time is listing and selling houses. I hire someone to do everything else I need done.” A graphic designer creates all her mailings for her, and a mailing house applies the postage and sorts the brochures according to postal regulations. An assistant sets up showings and confirms appointments. She focuses on securing listings, working with buyers, and selling properties. And that’s how she has become successful. Read More→



