5 Top Careers for Health and Fitness Enthusiasts

Americans are getting healthier, thanks to the attention drawn to the obesity epidemic that has been eating away at families over the past few years. A few years after the CDC raised the red flag over the runaway rate of obesity in the US, Americans have prioritized healthy eating and regular visits to gyms and fitness centers to help curb lifestyle diseases.

As such, the health and fitness market has experienced unprecedented growth over the past five years. The revenue from gym and fitness club memberships has grown by about 2.4% every year up until 2016, where the growth rate went up to 3.2% as more adults became active.

Careers in the health and fitness sector have also become more lucrative. Some, like personal trainers, are making at least $240 an hour with multiple clients, which goes on to show just how much the industry has grown.

If you are all about muscle, cardio, and everything fitness, these five careers might be perfect for you.

1. Personal Trainer

This is one of the fastest growing careers in the health and fitness job market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that opportunities for personal trainers and fitness instructors will grow by about 24% between 2010 and 2020. In 2015, the average personal trainer made about $18 per hour, with the average salary range falling between $10 and $49 per hour, which makes it a very lucrative trade.

Personal trainers often have a 2 or 4-year college degree and one or more specialized certificates in any of the areas of interest. Certifications include CPR & AED certificate and the ACE training certificate.

Personal trainers can work with competitive athletes, older adults, and healthy clients looking to manage weight and improve their overall levels of physical fitness.

There are tons of resources for individuals who want to learn how to become a personal trainer, so be sure to check these out.

2. Athletic Trainer

An athletic trainer is a professional or semi-professional who specializes more on strength exercises than on weight loss. Athletic trainers are normally part of a sports team and helps diagnose, treat, and prevent injuries that may have been caused by exercises. Athletic trainers are often an important part of a professional, college or even a high school sports team and usually plays a key role in ensuring athletes are healthy.

In many states, athletic trainers are usually required to hold at least a 4-year bachelor’s degree and one or more practicing licenses and certifications. Practitioners are also usually required to pass the exam set by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

3. Nutritionist

A good diet is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. As a nutritionist, you will typically be responsible for coming up with specific dietary schedules for clients who are looking to lose weight. Nutritionists are also responsible for designing diet plans for people who are involved in different kinds of exercises, for instance professional athletes.

Nutritionists will usually have a 4-year degree and a state license before practicing in some states. They can work individually as consultants or employed in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, or as part of professional sports teams.

4. Yoga Teacher

Yoga has so many proven health benefits for the mind and body. Yoga instructors or teachers are trained to guide students on the various forms and techniques of meditation and spirituality for overall mental and physical health and fitness. Since yoga is such a wide field of study, yoga instructors are normally trained in one or two types of yoga, though instructors may perfect other types as they continue practicing.

In the US, yoga teachers or instructors are normally certified by the Yoga Alliance after training in an institution that has been accredited by the Yoga Alliance. This is especially true if you are looking to work with large yoga studios where the pay is usually higher.

5. Physical Therapist

The demand for physical therapists is projected to grow by almost 40% by 2020, according to projections by the BLS. Physical therapists are specialists who usually deal with exercise-related injuries to help clients recover efficiently and quickly. They are usually trained to design customized rehabilitative exercises for people with different types of injuries. Due to the sensitivity of this career, practitioners are often required to have a doctorate or post-graduate degree and a practicing license in many states.

Conclusion

Careers in the health and fitness area will continue to grow globally as more people take health matters more seriously. Working within this industry will see practitioners increase their earning potential over the next few years, which will be one of the surest ways to guarantee stability in a highly volatile job market.

Featured photo credit: tanjashaw via pixabay.com

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3 Alternatives for Going to the Doctor

When it comes to health insurance and health coverage, just about every person in the world has a slightly unique situation. There are so many different variations of health plans, and so many different options for who runs a community’s healthcare system that there is no one size fits all solution to healthcare.

There are, however, many people who have meager health insurance or no health insurance. For this group, going to the doctor can cost a significant amount of money. In fact, many people could live for a month on the amount of money they would have to spend on a single doctor visit. For this crowd, it can be hard to justify that visit and often it is necessary to seek alternative solutions to health problems. Here are four common problems and their alternative solutions.

Retail clinics

Retail clinics are typically found in supermarkets and drugstores. They are staffed by real nurses and practitioners, but may be less skilled than a doctor. They usually do not have the ability to treat and diagnose the vast number of issues that a medical doctor could, but for a large number of visitors that is not what they need.

Clinics have the ability to offer their services at a low cost because they can limit a lot of their expenses by working in conjunction with the store that they are associated with. They can also focus on a few core services and make those cheaper; for example, sore throats, infections, sprained ankles, and other minor injuries. These are typically the most common issues people go the doctor for, and clinics can be just as helpful as a doctor, at a significantly lower cost.

Massage therapists

Many people do not fully understand all that can come from a massage. They just picture the classic photos most massage parlors use to advertise. Relaxed tourists laying on a table while they are gently massaged. Perhaps they pause to sip a margarita every once in awhile.

The truth is that massages actually have the ability to heal a lot of internal issues and pain. Here are a few of the common massage styles and what they can treat. Some types of massages can quicken the healing of torn muscles and scar tissue. Other types have the ability to help people move their joints in motions they never thought they would be able to do again.

If your issue is an internal one dealing with muscle or bone, consider a massage parlor. They are much cheaper than doctors and often can yield better results.

Essential oils

Essential oils have been all the rage the last few years. However, if you look at the true history of essential oils, they have actually been the rage for thousands of years. People throughout history have found ways to burn different types of oils to yield incredible results. Essential oils have been proven to have the ability to help with depression, skin issues, sexual problems, hormonal imbalances, digestive pain, and many other issues that millions of people experience on a daily basis. There are more than a dozen different oils that have become popular in the last few years and each one can serve a specific cause.

It is important to note that while these are alternatives to a doctor in some situations, they are not alternatives in all. If the issue is not life threatening and time is not of the essence, these alternatives are typically worth trying, as they have the ability to save significant money. If the issue is time sensitive, however, it is typically a good idea to head to a doctor’s office and fork out whatever is necessary.

Featured photo credit: Dingzeyu Li via unsplash.com

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Track Your Projects Better and Improve ROI with Paymo

For еvеrуоnе intеrеѕtеd in rеѕоurсе optimisation whеn dealing with simple or more complex projects, Pауmо is thе tool fоr уоu. With fеаturе-riсh tооlѕ, Pауmо mаnаgеѕ simultaneous tаѕkѕ uѕing a simple timе tracking tесhnique. Its dеѕktор widget records timе-bаѕеd tasks, whilе Pауmо’ѕ Andrоid аnd iPhоnе apps allow уоu to tаkе nоtе оf the time spent during аnd bеtwееn meetings. This later forms аn ассurаtе bаѕiѕ fоr оnlinе invоiсing through Pауmо’ѕ built-in invоiсing capabilities.

Paymo iѕ a simple online рrоjесt mаnаgеmеnt app for small and medium businesses that аllоwѕ уоu tо manage projects frоm ѕtаrt to finish. Thiѕ means that you wоn’t nееd to рау for аnd uѕе ѕеvеrаl аррѕ.

The app is different frоm other project management аррѕ оut there bесаuѕе it еffесtivеlу соmbinеѕ individual features thаt аrе uѕuаllу оffеrеd by distinct соmраniеѕ. Find out what these interesting fеаturеѕ are:

1. Timе Trасking with Tаѕk Management and Team Collaboration

Project management is a complex process for mаnу buѕinеѕѕеѕ, but thе software рrоgrаm to handle уоur рrоjесt management tаѕkѕ dоеѕ nоt hаvе to bе. Pауmо аllоwѕ you to assign tasks to coworkers, plan and schedule your projects, idеntifу рrоjесt bоttlеnесkѕ, accurately and automatically track timе ѕреnt оn рrоjесtѕ оr tаѕkѕ аnd helps your tеаm bесоmе mоrе рrоduсtivе.

The app also offers аutоmаtiс time trасking – a dеѕktор арр that mоnitоrѕ еvеrуthing уоu’rе dоing on уоur соmрutеr effortlessly. At the еnd of thе dау, juѕt allocate the recorded timе tо уоur projects. It iѕ idеаl fоr hеаvу multi-tаѕkеrѕ аnd people whо fоrgеt tо сlосk in.

Pауmо’ѕ client manager is robust еnоugh that mоѕt small and medium businesses wоn’t require a separate CRM рlаtfоrm. Whеn creating a nеw сliеnt, you have at your disposal several fields to complete, which include information about the company, the affiliated contacts, notes and more.

The team can use notes and real-time discussions to improve internal communication and collaboration.

2. Timеѕhееt Rероrting

Pауmо’ѕ rероrting mаkеѕ it easy tо generate custom rероrtѕ аnd lооk оvеr your business асtivitу for any timе реriоd. It’ѕ gооd tо be аblе to ѕее at a glance whеrе mоѕt оf уоur mоnеу iѕ соming from versus whеrе mоѕt оf your time is spent. This way you are more empowered to make changes that improve efficiency and earnings.

3. Invoicing Add-ons

The additional invoicing add-on allows you to create estimates that, once approved, can be easily turned into invoices. You can add expenses to projects or clients.

Aside from this, Paymo does not have a calendar or Gantt chart.

4. Desktop and Mоbilе соmраtibilitу

Pауmо iѕ a uѕеful and powerful аррliсаtiоn that iѕ available for Windоwѕ, Mac OS X, iOS and Andrоid, which еnаblеѕ you tо achieve thе соllесtivе goals of рrоjесt management, time tracking and оnlinе invoicing with a fеw сliсkѕ.

The app iѕ available in 18 lаnguаgеѕ аnd thе information in the knоwlеdgе bаѕе (inсluding video tutоriаlѕ) will help уоu gеt ѕtаrtеd and lеаrn еvеrуthing аbоut the аррliсаtiоn. It can be inѕtrumеntаl in keeping your company’s ореrаtiоnѕ organized with simplicity. It оffеrѕ thе соmmuniсаtiоn аnd соllаbоrаtiоn tооlѕ you nееd to dо your work.

Final Thoughts

While Paymo is a great tool, it does lack integrations with third party apps and does not have a resource scheduling module (which is critical for scheduling in project management). You may have to look for another application for this.

That said, this application still has many beneficial qualities that can help boost your return on investment.

Be sure to check this application out as well as a bunch of others similar to it when choosing the best application for you. At the end of the day, you want a project management application that makes work and life easier for you and your company.

Image Credit: Paymo via paymoapp.com

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3 Actionable Tips to Get Better Sleep Every Night

You definitely don’t want to stay lazy and stressed all day long. Do you?

A healthy adult requires 7-9 hours of daily sleep on average, and most of us don’t even make it to 6 hours. Some have distractions that don’t let them sleep while some others just aren’t able to sleep despite staying in bed for long.

We all keep hearing about how a healthy lifestyle consists of getting enough sleep but how many of us actually try to get these tips to work?

Unfortunately, most of us don’t!

I am not sure about you, but I have never been able to adapt to healthy sleeping habits until I came across these simple tips.

Being deprived of a good night’s sleep doesn’t only keep you lazy and stressed all day long but it also has adverse effects on your health as well. But before you diagnose yourself with insomnia, here are some simple tips to help you improve your sleep patterns:

1. Say NO To Stimulants Before Bed Time

This is one of the most commonly made mistakes by most people with sleep disorders, including me. Intake of nicotine, caffeine or alcohol before bed time makes sure you can’t get a good night’s sleep.

Let’s talk about caffeine, which is one of the most popular drug in the world. We consume caffeine on a daily basis in things like coffee, tea, chocolate, etc. Caffeine is a stimulant that most of us use to stay alert at work all day long. But if you are going to have a cup of tea or coffee right before jumping to bed, you are just getting one step closer to a poor night’s sleep. You will stay up longer in bed, staring at the ceiling or even playing games on your phone.

Similarly, alcohol and nicotine are also stimulants and excessive routine use of nicotine can cause insomnia and other sleep disorders.

Stop caffeine or nicotine intake at least 6-8 hours before your bed time. This ensures that any previous intake is broken down and you are all set to get a good night’s sleep.

2. Fix Your Sleeping Environment

Do you wake up with a sore and achy body?

It’s probably because your sleeping environment is not set, be it mattress or your pillow. If you have neck pain or back pain after you wake up, you need a better pillow. Identify your sleeping position and then select a suitable pillow. If you are a stomach sleeper, get a pillow that is ideal for stomach sleepers.

If you are a back or side sleeper, an organic buckwheat pillow can come to the rescue. A buckwheat pillow is stuffed with buckwheat hulls that adjust themselves according to the position of your neck, giving you relief from neck and back pain.

If you experience hot flashes or night sweats during sleep, try a hydraluxe pillow or any gel-based pillow that stays cool. You can also use a water-filled pillow to keep your head cool all night long.

3. Being Consistent

Being consistent is vital, be it your business or sleep. Most of us don’t understand the importance of consistency and hence get deprived of good sleep.

Make a schedule and follow it religiously. If you tend to forget things, use your smartphone and schedule it. Set an alarm at 30 minutes before your sleeping time, so you can give yourself grace time to finish things off before going to bed.

Make sure you cancel any source of light before going to bed. Leaving lights turned on is another distraction and keeps you waking up in short intervals. If you are scared of dark, you can leave a dim light bulb turned on in a corner of your room.

I am not saying that you are going to see an 180-degrees shift in your sleep patterns, but I am sure you will be able to sleep better and longer by following these simple tips.

Featured photo credit: Healthable via healthable.org

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11 Heart-Melting Questions That Will Captivate Her Mind

If there is a lady somewhere that you like so much and would want to impress, then you need to be very creative to get her attention. There are many ways of getting into a lady’s mind, with asking her questions being one of the best ways. However, you need to be very careful with the type of questions that you ask her so that you improve your chances of getting her. If you have the right questions, then you increase your chances of getting her. Similarly, the wrong questions kill all your chances of having that beautiful lady that you want.

Here below are the 11 heart-melting questions that will captivate her mind.

1. What are your secret skills?

A number of women like to talk about themselves. This is the perfect opportunity that you can give her to talk more about herself and brag. This question will not only let you know of her special skills, but also give her the impression that you don’t mind when she talks of herself.

2. What was your favorite childhood toy?

If you are serious about captivating the mind of a lady, then do not forget to ask this question. She will definitely boast about how caring she was when she was young. Furthermore, it will give you an idea of what she used to like.

3. What would you grab if your house were on fire?

Another good question that will captivate her mind is about what she treasures most from her house. By asking what she will save when her house is on fire, you will know her greatest treasure in her house. She will be more than glad to tell you to want she likes.

4. What is your favorite place in the entire world?

You also need to show her that you mind knowing her best place in the world. She will give you a definite answer that will make her wondering if you want to take her there. Already, you will have piqued her interest.

5. What’s your current passion in life?

Of the many questions to ask a woman, never forget to ask about her passion in life. She will be happy to know that you are interested in knowing what she finds passionate in life. This question will also help you to know if you have the same passion.

6. Do you have a nickname?

This is a good question that you can present in a soft manner. If she does not like her nickname, do not pressure her to say it. However, if she likes her nickname, you should ask her the story behind it.

7. As a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up? Do you still want it?

This question targets her life’s ambitions. She would be happy to let you know about her childhood ambitions and if she still holds on to them. If she has changed her ambitions, you should ask her what motivated her to change.

8. If you were stuck in an elevator and you had a chance to listen to one song, what would be the song?

The woman is probably waiting for you to ask her about her favorite song. Do not do it casually. Ask her in a way that will melt her heart. If you ask this way, she will surely tell you of her personal favorite music, which will help you know her better.

9. What do you hate most in a man?

Here is her opportunity to warn you of what she does not expect you to do. You will make her feel that you are special and willing to know what she hates most so that you will not do those things.

10. What is your favorite way to spend your Sundays?

You can also ask her how she likes spending her free time, more especially on Sunday afternoon (since it tends to be more people’s day off).

11. What kind of things make you laugh?

To get her heart melting, you should ask her what kind of things make her laugh. You will be surprised to hear the kind of answers that she will give you. You can even use one to make her laugh.

Featured photo credit: moniellain via flickr.com

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5 Easy Ways To Improve Your Backyard

We all dream of having the perfect backyard, that beautiful family place where we can prepare some outdoor activities, meals and spend a good time with our closest ones. A remodeling and design process can be tough; it can take some time and can be a little expensive. Many people think they have no resources (time and money) for that.

The reality is that you are on time to start working and get that perfect backyard for the upcoming summer days. You do not need to do a whole makeover—here are some easy ways to improve that space and have a beautiful and inspiring backyard:

You can create and set an outdoor lounge-cinema area

You can use many simple things to prepare this incredible outdoor cinema without investing lots of money!

You just need to extend a comfortable blanket on the floor (grass) or a mattress topper and cover it with some pillows, cushions, and fabrics. Maybe add some twinkle lights around and set a white sheet hanging on a wall or tree and set up a projector (it might be worth it to invest in buying one; you can find them starting at $100).

Start a botanical garden

As you know, a botanical garden is a well-cared-for garden with a variety of plants, trees, vegetables, flowers, etc. Certainly, you need to prepare some areas and set up a plan before starting your garden; you need to know –for example- where the most sunlight and shade falls in your garden and determine a non-disturbing area.

Many people love desert type gardens with rocks and plants like cactus and agaves, etc. others love bamboos and more green and aquatic landscapes. So you better start removing old furniture, cleaning trash and rubbish, take your lawn mower and tools and start building your lovely garden!

Install an outdoor kitchen or a barbecue area

You might wonder what benefits does an outdoor kitchen have, but there are several ones and the investment would definitely be worth it.

These are perfect spaces for entertaining and you can organize parties or barbecues during the summer (and keep the cooking and food smells outside). And you can adjust your budget for this idea and project (maybe you can start with a grill and an outdoor kitchen bar and keep improving and remodeling that area).

You need to know that this option will definitely increase your home value and you’ll be proud to show it off to your friends and family.

DIY Fire Pit!

You can build a fire pit according to your space and budget; the size, the materials and ideas are up to you. There are many ways and (online) ideas to set a fire pit area, so come on! Get your builder spirit out and start this incredible idea that everybody will love.

Build a pool with pallets on a low budget!

Everybody dreams of having a pool during the summer, but the idea can be out of our budgets and plans. What about building a pool using recycled materials? You can find many stories online about people who have formed the frame of a pool by attaching 10 pallets together and a waterproof tarp as a base for the pool lining, with some other low-cost materials.

And talking about pallets, there are numerous DIY pallet projects and ideas you can easily do to improve your outdoor living area. Just let your creativity and imagination out and you will be surprised at how many designs you can do like pallet furniture projects (benches, bed frames, tables, wall decoration, etc.) or green living wall projects!

Do you have more backyard ideas in mind?

Featured photo credit: Oshomah Abubakar via unsplash.com

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Why Law Firms Need Marketing Automation

The use of marketing automation in business has recently gained popularity. For those of you who don’t know what marketing automation stands for, here’s a quick definition:

“Marketing automation refers to the software that exists with the goal of automating marketing actions. Many marketing departments have to automate repetitive tasks such as emails, social media, and other website actions. The technology of marketing automation makes these tasks easier.”  – Hubspot.com 

For you to gain a competitive edge on your competition, you need to understand what it takes to acquire and retain your customers. Understanding your prospect will give you the opportunity to put a customized action plan into place. The use of marketing automation allows you to do this by triggering specific actions based on results. For example, you can trigger what page, content, follow up, and services to provide a client by understanding their response to a specific message. The benefit of marketing automation is not limited to any specific type of business; however, some can benefit more than others.

For you to understand the true value of marketing automation, let’s explore how law firms can use it to get a competitive edge. We’ll be exploring three main areas – identifying prospects, understanding prospects, and analyzing return on investment (ROI).

Identify Prospects

Thousands of online marketers have been relying on email marketing to generate positive results. The strategy is to send several follow-up messages to find which ones resonate with different subscribers. This is a very lengthy process because you only gain two types of insight – open rate and click through. But, you’re limited on what features you can use like split testing, smarter segmentation, URL viewed, social interaction, and personalization. In short, everyone will continue to get the same content sent to them no matter how they engaged with the previous message.

By using this strategy, you’ll be:

1. Wasting your time and resources marketing to a subscriber who might not be interested in your services.
2. You’ll be limited on the insight you gain because the subscriber might be interested, but what services are they exactly in need of.
3. Annoying subscribers by bombarding them with emails will increase unsubscribes. This is bad for your overall goal.

Smarter marketing through automation will allow you to identify prospects better because you’ll be able to provide continuous value nurturing them until they become loyal customers.

Here’s a sample marketing automation workflow:

Let’s look at how this would work:

As a lawyer, much of the business is acquired through cold calling and a prospect database. You’ll start this automation process by calling a prospect, and the result will trigger the automated tasks. For example,

1. A prospect is called, and if contact is made, a welcome email will be triggered. This email will include information about your law firm, the services you provide, etc. If you’re unable to reach the prospect, then they’ll be added to a pending follow-up list. They will continue to be contacted until they agree to learn more about your services.
2. The welcome email is opened and the prospect continues to receive additional information about your services with each message bringing them closer to becoming a prospective client.
3. After a certain amount of days, a follow-up call is triggered. This will be a call triggered to close the deal with the client. If you’re unable to get them as a client, they’ll be added to a pending “follow-up call list”. They’ll be contacted again within a few days.
4. If they agree to use your services, the software will send them a pending agreement for viewing and a signature.
5. If a signature is attained, an email will be send about retainer fee; if no signature yet, there will be a follow-up email reminding them to complete the agreement.

This is just a simple sequence; however advanced marketing automation tools allow you to configure the funnel as it relates to the way you acquire and retain clients.

Understanding Prospects

Above, I mentioned the importance of sending high quality content to your prospects. This keeps them engaged and builds long-term loyalty. A sure way to lose people who are still potential prospects is by sending content they don’t value or find relevant. For this reason, writing high quality content that is relevant and insightful are very important. For example, you know the client is looking for a military lawyer with a high success rate, so send through relevant content on how to find the best lawyer and/or what to look for.  But, how do you know what types of content prospects find insightful? How do you know what content to continue writing for your existing customer base? These types of questions have haunted online marketers for years because it takes a long time to acquire subscribers, but you can lose them in a very short period if they don’t find value in your content.

The marketing automation, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), has changed the way we approach content marketing. It’s changed the way we produce content by providing so much insight on the prospects during the automation sequence. Since you’re able to segment prospects into various lists, you’ll be able to send different types of content to each. With each event triggered, you’ll understand the prospects preference. Since the marketing automation is so customizable, you can put the prospects through a series of events where they even select the type of content they want to receive. Long-term wise you’ll save time, money, and resources only writing content that resonates with the prospects.

If you’re familiar with marketing, then you know how date and time matters. By analyzing the reports on each prospect, you’ll establish a pattern on when they are most likely to open and read follow-ups. Use this information to set a schedule on when content should be sent out to them. This is a lethal combination when you know what type of content the prospects want to read, and what time they want to read it.

For lawyers, it’s even more important since you’ll know what time is best to call the prospects. You’ll know when to send out contracts, agreements, and other important documentation as well.

Analyze Return on Investment

Marketing automation is an all-in-one software that allows you to analyze your ROI. The main objective for any business is profit, so it’s important you know if you’ve made or lost money. Through the CRM software, you’ll be able to analyze where you earned and lost money. A complete profile will allow you to make tweaks on how you conduct business so going forward you can continue to make a profit.

As a lawyer, it’s important to know the cost per acquisition and retention. You want a clear breakdown of how much it costs to attain the customer and how much it costs to keep them once in the marketing funnel. By using a marketing automation platform, you’ll be able to see your prospects move through your sequence in real-time. You’ll be able to analyze where they stop engaging so you can trigger another set of tasks instead.

Here’s some more analytics provided by the CRM interface:

• Open and click through rates
• Bounce rate
• Time and date of engagement
• Increase in clients
• Increase in profits
• Content engagement percentage
• Cold calling success and fail rate
• Agreement success rate
• Completed cases
• Expenses
• Profit and loss

Final Thoughts

The power of marketing automation in business has no limits. The fact that you have complete control over the customization allows you to keep tweaking your workflow until it’s perfected. Email marketing tools are very limited in features and, because of this, are becoming less popular in business. Specifically, email marketing will have limited split testing functionalities, the inability to segment prospects, and trigger events based on actions. But, advanced marketing platforms provide you with an all-in-one solution, increasing your overall goal. As you read here:

“Around 48% of law firms cited an ‘improved ability to cross-sell,’ when using a CRM solution – further improving the ability to generate revenue as a result of using a CRM.“ – jamesattorneymarketing.com

I believe marketing automation will continue to gain popularity over the years, especially when more people are turning to the Internet to hire professionals. As competition increases, those businesses that avoided automation will have no choice going forward. They’ll have to find better ways to connect with prospects so they can outshine their competition.

Featured photo credit: Gilles Lambert via unsplash.com

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5 PROVEN REASONS WHY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FAIL

Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail And How To Succeed In Goal Setting

Three weeks into the New Year and here I am typing up my first post of the year! For some writers, an absolute no-no! Unheard of. Three weeks without writing a single sentence???  Especially at the start of a new year when you should be motivated, inspired, energized, all that good stuff.  No wonder why new year’s resolutions fail!

Hold on – I can explain.

From great food at Thanksgiving, presents at Christmas, plus the fireworks that brought us into the New Year- the excitement over the past few months came to a screeching halt on January 2nd.

The holiday bubble burst and I was tossed back to reality! Ugh.

The work I had pushed aside now sat there waiting for me. I ignored it for another few days because I just couldn’t. Something was holding me back. I was not motivated or able.

What was wrong with me? Everyone else was talking about their “word of the year”. The one word they had chosen that was destined to make 2017 the best and most productive year ever!

I read many articles with New Year’s resolution ideas. On weight loss, productivity, relationships, travel, friendships, family.

You name it, I read it.

But you know what I realised? All these new year resolutions were bound to fail! Yup. Every single one of them. Here’s why.

The articles were giving great suggestions. However, the way they suggested approaching goals and resolutions was completely off.

They all had the same mantra.  Achieve success by starting anew. The “fresh start effect.”

Just because we have a new calendar year, do we honestly need to start everything over?

I understand letting go of the things you no longer like or want in your life. Yes, let all those things go. What about the things in your life you want to keep? The things you can build on that you like, in order to refine what you are already doing.

You want to move forwards not backwards right? That’s why I say don’t start over. Build and grow instead.

Let me break this down for you into smaller, clearer points.

Here Are The 5 Reasons Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail

1. You Are Lacking Motivation Or Commitment

Most resolutions made do not make it past January. The ones that make it into February are usually forgotten by March.

Why? Lack of commitment. It is easy to be motivated. Maintaining motivation requires commitment. Without it, your initial motivation and energy to get your resolution going will dwindle. And fast!

Do you know anyone who has made the same resolutions each year but never manages to stick to them? Have you done the same?

Don’t feel bad, you may have the right intentions, you just need a little help in committing. I will explain this a little further into the post.

2. You Are A Master Of Procrastination

You have had an entire year to make changes in your life. Every single day has presented a new opportunity for you to change.

That didn’t deter you from pushing that opportunity away, making excuses as to why it is not the right time.

I guess January 1st just seemed to be like the perfect day to start right?

Wrong.

Have you ever told yourself that you just “didn’t have the time” to do one thing or another? What I have learned is, saying you don’t have the time means that it is not a priority.

I’ll give you an example.

You come home from work, walk into the kitchen and make yourself a sandwich. Finish eating and toss the plate into the sink which is piled up with all the other ones from yesterday. You know you need to do the dishes but Scandal is starting in 20 minutes on TV and it is the season finale!

It will take you 10 minutes to do the dishes but you tell yourself “you don’t have the time.” So you ignore the dishes, check your Facebook notifications, upload a picture to Instagram, Tweet about Scandal and the 20 minutes are up.

Ok, how about this scenario?

You toss the sandwich in the kitchen sink, and right there on the kitchen counter, a genie appears out of nowhere. Offers you 10,000 Euros/dollars if you agree to do the dishes before watching TV.

HA! I see you rolling up your sleeves, turning the tap on. What? Are those two plates and dishwashing liquid in your hand?

You see how that quickly became a priority and you suddenly do have enough time?

The same works for when you want to plan your goals. Only set goals you are really interested in meeting.

Prioritize your time and tackle the things you can you reasonably achieve in the timeframe you have set for yourself. Be it a month, a season, or a year.

3. You Have The Oliver Twist Syndrome

New Year’s resolutions fail because people are constantly wanting more. It is our nature. Creating a ton of goals will get you nowhere.

Setting goals means you are trying to achieve something you do not already have. Aspiring for something in the future. If you don’t plan the right way your new year’s resolution won’t work, which in turn can affect your self-confidence and self-esteem.

You end up beating yourself up and feeling bad for not achieving your goals. They key here is the focus.

Say you have TEN goals you want to achieve by December 31st, but you know realistically, you can only achieve five if you are lucky. Which five do you keep? Which five do you let go?

Think about it – so now you have five goals, cut them down to three.

Good. Look at your list of three goals. What timeline will you set for them?

It is human nature to want more as soon as you have received or achieved something you want.

This works out well for a goal setting scenario because you can divide the timeline of reaching your goals over shorter periods of time.

Break your main goal into sub-goals. When you create a timeline, you take your goal from something that will happen in the future and move it into the present.

A timeline subconsciously creates a commitment to meet your goal. Reward yourself for each success.

Fret no more! I have something special just for you to get you started.

A goal setting guide which includes a goal planner, daily agenda (three different formats), and a weekly planner PLUS some excellent information on how to set and keep your goals.

4. Resolution Adoption

One of the biggest reasons why New Year’s resolutions fail is that the resolutions are based on the expectations of others. If you are making resolutions based on what others think you should be doing, you are setting yourself up for failure.

What have your family and friends been whispering into your ear?

Stop smoking? Start exercising? Quit drinking? Cut sugar out of your diet?

All great ideas and suggestions. They love you and want you to live the best life possible, they mean well – I get it.

Don’t set goals for yourself by looking at other people’s expectations or by reading a magazine that tells you how to ‘get fit,” “get thin,” or do anything else.

The more you are aware of and understand the reasons why you are doing something, the higher success rate you will have at accomplishing your goal.

Reason why New Year’s resolutions fail at such a high rate? They are not coming from your heart.

5. You Don’t Believe In Yourself

If you’ve tried (and failed) to set a New Year’s resolution (or several) in the past, I know it might be hard to believe in yourself. Doubt is a nagging voice in your head that will resist personal growth.

Get rid of that voice by replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. Defeat doubt and begin believing in yourself. Really trust that you can do it.

Use These Tips To Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Work

• Write down your goals
• Break a large goal into smaller achievable parts
• Track your progress daily
• Make it public
• Create routines that support your goals
• Tell friends and family about it
• Be accountable

Make the commitment and success will be yours.

Have you made New Year’s resolutions and ended up not sticking to them? Thought about why New Year’s resolutions fail one year after the other? Were you able to identify the reasons you were unable to meet your goals?

Please share your experiences with me in the comments section below.

Featured photo credit: http://ift.tt/2jX3jaE via unsplash.com

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7 Ways Meditation Can Improve Your Life

I believe we are in a spiritual revolution, and more people are focusing on natural ways of healing. When watching TV shows, movies, and news channels, you’ll hear more about how natural healing and meditation is good for you. It calms down the mind, can help with movement, and allow you to live a more enjoyable life. For this reason, I decided to write about the power of meditation and why you should incorporate meditating into your life.

1) Reduce Stress

Meditation is a natural way to reduce stress in your life by taking control of your mind and emotions. It forces you to relax to a point where you forget about daily stresses. The other alternative to meditation is to take anti-anxiety medication which can cost money, and you’ll rely on pills every day you are faced with a stressful situation. For this reason, it’s important to learn how to handle stress by meditating so you have a permanent solution which is cheaper and one which you control.

2) Improve Concentration

When meditating, you are allowing yourself to concentrate on your internal energy. In the beginning, this can be very hard, however, over time you’ll get better at centering your energy while clearing your mind of other distraction. As you automate this process, you’ll notice how you’re able to focus better on daily activities and in general throughout life. Remember, while meditating you are moving clutter from your mind so the next time you face any distraction, you’ll know how to remove distractions blocking you from doing your work.

3) Healthier Lifestyle

When people start to work out daily, it improves all aspects of their life because people generally want to eat well, stop smoking, and drink less. The same can be said about meditation because this can help you feel good and relaxed. When you feel good, you want to do good so will avoid anything which makes you feel otherwise. Meditation helps with relaxation, focus and simply makes you feel good so you no longer want to do anything which harms your body.

4) Increase Happiness

When I finish meditating, I feel much happier because I don’t have unwanted stress in my life. In fact, Studies have shown that brain signaling increases in the left side of the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for positive emotions, while activity decreases on the right side, responsible for negative emotions.

5) Networking

With so many people meditating, you now belong to a community or group which shares the same interests. It’s a great way to meet new people and share new experiences. The popular movement has caused meditation classes to flourish at my gym and local community center where I go daily. I have met different types of people and this has increased my social life since after we go for dinner and socialize on the weekend as a group.

6) Cardiovascular Health

The connection between stress and heart disease is well-documented. Stress can increase the risk of heart disease which is way avoiding stress is always recommended. I mentioned above how meditating can relief stress which lowers the risk of heart disease, however, the practice of relaxation can also lower blood pressure. According to the U.S. News and World Report, it has been shown that “meditation induces relaxation, which increases the compound nitric oxide that causes blood vessels to open up and subsequently, blood pressure to drop.”

7) Improves Goal Setting

To feel the benefits of meditation, you should do it daily or 4-5 per week. This means you need to get into the routine of taking out time to meditate. Just like getting up to go to work daily requires dedication and good habits so does meditate. As you start to keep a solid schedule to meditate, you’ll notice it improves how you complete other tasks in your life too.

Final Thoughts

There are several other reasons to meditate so do your own research to learn how it can help benefit your life. However, through my own research, I’ve learned that meditation can increase happiness, lower stress, and help improve your overall lifestyle.

Featured photo credit: huffingtonpost.com via huffingtonpost.com

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Effects of Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is a chemical produced by the skin with the aid of sunlight. If you work in an environment where you are unable to spend enough time outdoors, you may need to take a supplement to ensure that you are receiving the proper amount of vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential to your health. It provides anti-cancer benefits, helps with brain development and improves immunity, cardiovascular function, respiratory function and muscle tone.

What Causes a Vitamin D Deficiency? 

There are a number of reasons why people do not get adequate amounts of vitamin D. Normally, the body produces the necessary vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Unfortunately, many people work indoors or wear sunscreen. For those who live in the Northern states, getting enough sun exposure can be difficult in the winter. Finally, as you age, your skin cannot produce as much vitamin D. Taking a vitamin D supplement can ensure you are receiving the necessary amount of vitamin D you need to protect your health.

Vitamin D is used to improve the density of bone by helping the bone cells to uptake calcium and use it properly. When a vitamin D deficiency occurs, you are at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis. Osteoporosis cause bones to become brittle and the body begins losing bone or making too little bone. This causes an increased risk of experiencing fractures. In addition to this, there are numerous other effects of a vitamin D deficiency.

Weakened Immune System

Vitamin D is used by the body to turn processes on and off, including immunity. Vitamin D strengthens T cells in the body. These are the immune cells that seek out and destroy microbes that invade the body and cause illnesses and infections.

Diabetes

According to the American Diabetes Association, a vitamin D deficiency can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 80 percent. The researchers stated that vitamin D helps with insulin secretion and the conversion of glucose into energy. Low vitamin D levels can increase insulin resistance and impair the metabolism of glucose in the body.

Cardiovascular Disease

A vitamin D deficiency can increase the risk of a number of cardiovascular diseases, including congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and peripheral arterial disease. Vitamin D helps to decrease inflammation in the body and reduce the risk of arterial calcification. Vitamin D suppresses renin which is a hormone that increases systolic blood pressure. By combining a vitamin D supplement and a calcium supplement systolic blood pressure readings can be decreased.

Depression

A vitamin D deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of developing depression. Depression often results from lower serotonin levels. Serotonin is a hormone produced in the brain that helps elevate the mood. This all-important hormone increases when the body is exposed to sunlight or a vitamin D supplement is taken.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis occurs when the immune system attacks the nerve cells’ protective coating. Multiple sclerosis can cause eye pain and blurry vision, numbness throughout the body, fatigue, balance and gait problems, vertigo, muscle pain, depression and trouble thinking clearly. Because vitamin D helps improve immunity, studies suggest that a vitamin D supplement may decrease the risk of developing multiple sclerosis and help ease the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Cancer

Vitamin D provides anti-tumor protection by regulating the genes that are involved with the spread of cancer cells. Studies have shown that vitamin D may help lower the risk of developing certain cancers, including colorectal cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer. In fact, a vitamin D supplement can help reduce the size of a tumor by 25 percent within a week and increase the lymphocytes in the body. Vitamin D helps the body increase platelets and red blood cells and boosts the immune system, allowing the body to better fight off cancer and disease.

Approximately 25 percent of the American population has a vitamin D deficiency. If you work indoors, live in a northern climate or are dark skinned, you are at an increased risk of developing a vitamin D deficiency. Spending time outdoors and taking a vitamin D supplement will help to correct this deficiency and protect against cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, and cancer.

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5 Business Ideas for New Entrepreneurs in 2017

In 2016, more people chose to leave their jobs and start their own businesses. According to the Kauffman Index, the rate of startup growth was 58.5%, which was nearly 12 percentage points higher than 2015.

If you are interested in starting your own business, there are many great opportunities in 2017. Here are some business ideas that could make you a lot of money.

1. Sell Organic Looseleaf Tea

Demand for tea is growing significantly. According to data from the World Tea Expo, the U.S. market for tea rose by $10 trillion in 2014. Many young adults are also interested in loose-leaf tea. This is a market many distributors like Teavana don’t serve.

Unfortunately for tea enthusiasts, the climate in most parts of the U.S. isn’t ideal for growing tea. This is a great opportunity for savvy entrepreneurs with the right contacts.

According to NPR, many great fortunes have been built by tea exporters over the years. However, the barrier to entry was high, so it was difficult for new entrepreneurs to enter the market. There is a much better opportunity for entrepreneurs on a low budget in 2017, since the market is growing and globalization makes it easier for business owners on a small budget to start their own tea importing business.

2. Import and Re-Sell Goods

If we learned one thing from the past election or the Brexit fiasco, it is that people are very nervous about globalization. While globalization is a threat to some people, it’s a huge opportunity for clever entrepreneurs.

You don’t have to start a new business from scratch. If you are already selling on Ebay or your eCommerce website, you can consider expanding your supply chain to China, India or another country. You can mark those items up and resell them on eBay or your own website. An entrepreneur on Reddit created a business importing goods from China and make nearly $7,000 in the first couple of months. Many other entrepreneurs are doing the same.

3. Resume Writing Service

Although the economy is getting better, many people aren’t thrilled with their jobs. Last year, Gallup reported that about 51% of employees were actively seeking a new job.

You can create a booming business helping struggling job seekers. The easiest way is to create a resume generation business. Even many professionals have difficulty creating their own resumes, so this could be a great way to make a nice income.

Cost Helper estimates that resume writers charge between $80 and $349 per resume. Since job seekers have to tailor their resumes to different clients, you can earn several hundred dollars helping a single client.

4. Create a Coupon or Consumer Review Blog

Many people aspire to make a living as a blogger. Unfortunately, most people fail, because they create a blog about something they are interested in, even though there isn’t a large demand for it.

People that make a lot of money do so by coming up with a blog topic that appeals to a large customer base. Coupon blogging is one of the best. Reviewing products is another great way to earn a living blogging.

Louida, an Atlanta woman that created her own coupon blog a few years ago, earns close to $10,000 a month from her site.

There are a few ways that you can earn money as a coupon or product review blogger. You can rely on advertising from Google Adsense or other advertising platforms. However, affiliate marketing is a better way to earn an income. You can encourage your visitors to visit client websites and get paid whenever they signup for an email newsletter, request a free sample or buy a product.

If you are skeptical about the money that you can make running a coupon site, then you should read about Coupons.com. In 2014, the company filed for a $100 million IPO. The site generates about $200 million in sales every year.

5. Tutoring Services

Tutoring is another great way to earn money. If you have a degree in a specialized field, you can charge $50 or more an hour to help struggling students.

Tutoring is also a great way for professionals to make extra money on the side. During slow periods, lawyers can tutor recent law school graduates to help them pass the BAR exam. Engineers can also work with students at their local engineering school.

Start Your Own Business in 2017!

There are plenty of opportunities for intelligent people to start their own business. The hardest part is taking the plunge. Do you plan to launch a business this year?

Featured photo credit: Pexels / Paul Kunitsky via pexels.com

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5 Wordpress Plugins That Will Increase Your Conversion Rates

Are you having trouble marketing your product or service? You might feel like you’re stuck in a rut, but sometimes a few simple changes are all you need to spruce up your website and increase your conversion rate. And if your site is based on WordPress, you have thousands of plugins at your disposal, each offering a different tool to help you organize your content, attract visitors, and increase clicks and conversions. Interested in boosting your sales?

Here’s just a few of the great WordPress plugins that can help your revamp your site and reach your monthly goals with ease.

1. OptinMonster

If you’re looking to increase your number of email subscribers, OptinMonster makes it easy to catch your audience’s attention through pop-ups and other tools. Instead of tucking away the subscriber form on a separate page, OptinMonster helps you attach the form to floating headers, sidebars, pop-ups, welcome gates, and more. Your email form becomes a striking element that actively grabs your readers’ attention, not a passive form hidden away on the footer.

To take advantage of this plugin, you must sign up for an account at the OptinMonster website. This is a monthly subscription service with the option of monthly or annual billing. Three tiered packages are available, each with a different set of features. The Basic account is only $9 per month (when billed annually), with $19 for the Plus account and $29 for the Pro account.

2. OptimizePress 2

Need to refresh your landing page? OptimizePress 2 gives you the tools to build engaging landing pages with a high conversion rate. Their features include a live editor that updates your site automatically, a library of pre-made themes and custom elements, automatic mobile conversion, secure membership portals, and more. This plugin makes it easy to build an accessible, eye-catching landing page that sets your products or email forms front-and-center.

Want to give it a try? OptimizePress comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. The prices for packages vary, with $97 for Core, $197 for Publisher, and $297 for Pro. Each package comes with its own set of features and benefits. This is a one-time fee, not a monthly recurring charge. However, you’ll have to renew your license once a year to keep receiving support and updates.

3. Hello Bar

For a simple solution that makes your content pop, Hello Bar adds a full-width bar to the top of your page. You can add an email form, provide helpful links, include social media buttons, and more. It’s a floating bar that follows your readers as they scroll down the page, keeping your email form at the forefront of their attention; this increased exposure means they’ll be more likely to subscribe. Hello Bar is easy to use, with a simple dashboard that requires almost no coding knowledge.

Everyone can sign up for a free account, but the Pro account means no advertisements and additional customization options. You can upgrade your account once you’ve signed up at the Hello Bar website.

4. Leadpages

Want to spice up your landing page with crisp, engaging content that immediately hooks your reader? Leadpages instantly gets your clients involved, with pop-up email forms, mobile opt-in codes, 1-click sign up links, and more. When they visit your website, they’ll be greeted with content that invites them to interact right away, rather than a generic sales pitch or a large chunk of text. Leadpages also includes a wealth of other features, including automatic mobile conversion and a website editor that requires no coding knowledge.

If you’re interested in Leadpages, you can choose from one of three packages: $25 for Standard, $49 for Pro, and $199 for Advanced. Each package is geared toward different types of businesses and entrepreneurs. You can choose from monthly, annual, and 2-year billing options.

5. Nelio A/B Testing

Want to test your landing page before it goes live? Nelio gives you the tools to test every element on your site to help you attract the biggest number of visitors. No technical knowledge is required; Nelio automates everything, enabling you to switch over your site to the best version. And best of all, you can complete all your testing straight from the WordPress dashboard.

To get started with Nelio, you can purchase one of their tiered packages. Each package comes with a free trial. The Basic option costs $288 annually, while the Professional option costs $888, and the Enterprise option costs $2,568. Each comes with a unique set of features tailored toward the size of your business.

Featured photo credit: The White Label Agency via thewhitelabelagency.com

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3 Avantages of Royalty Free Music

Royalty free music can sometimes be found in documentaries as background music, or in other films where the budget is limited. But making use of royalty free music can also be a helpful avenue of creating business promotions, especially those that aim to achieve popularity in internet marketing. This is entirely different from other paid music and sound clips that can be joined to websites and video advertisements; it gives lots of excellent benefits. One of the good things about royalty free music is that it is not too expensive, and can be used repeatedly. It is a great online opportunity that should not be missed.

What is royalty free music?

Royalty free music can be defined as a collection of music that is licensed for a single payment. When purchased, there is no extra fee attached to the royalties, and it is billed to the purchaser. However, some prominent business organizations have recently created a restriction as to the number of items that can be reproduced from the original music. This means that the audio or music that was bought can be reused with no extra charges, but the number is limited only up to a certain number. The limit is often placed under five thousand units, but specific details are different in every music collection based on the license agreement.

Royalty free music offers countless use of the track bought. As stated, there is a new regulation that altered its true capability; still, it remains to be the best option compared to expensive copyrighted music which can be used for online businesses.

Below are 3 main reasons.

1. It’s legal

Law encompasses royalty free music. Using royalty free music is a legitimate way of making great promotions that can be of help for converting the audience. In an online business organization, the advertisement is an area that presents professionalism. Using a song illegally will result in problems with “online police,” and this will then spoil an internet marketer’s online reputation. Because royalty free music is legal, it presents a safe way of using music.

2. It’s easy to get

One thing that is efficient about royalty free music is that it can be downloaded easily. The internet, as a very important technology, has a great collection of useful websites full of music groups. Whenever clips are needed, anybody can just search on the internet for royalty free music, then buy and download the sound that best fits their need. It can be obtained in a short time, and can be readily used on the spot.

3. It has a large variety

Royalty free music produces and provides many different kinds of music and sound clips. There are all sorts of businesses on the internet. There are some online firms that offer products for babies, adults, men, women, and other interests. Royalty free music also has different varieties of audio, such as sound effects, or natural sound clips. Different kind of clips are available for internet marketers to make use of these sounds, which range from nature, to technology, to musical instruments.

To use royalty free music is like achieving a free and excellent advertising method. It provides a large variety of sounds and music that are legal, and also easy to get. With the advantage of royalty free music, you have a better way of producing a result-oriented business advertisement over other means of storing music. It is advisable to use royalty free music for your YouTube videos to avoid legal issues.

Royalty free music is perfect for working with multimedia projects, and you can find different kinds of music online at reduced prices.

Featured photo credit: Alexas_Fotos via pixabay.com

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How to accelerate your personal growth

When I was in my early 20s, I went through a rough transition that eventually led to my own personal growth journey. This photo of me working from a hotel in Beijing above is a very different image than who I was earlier.

I was in an on/off relationship that had just ended for the third time. I was in a job I did not find fulfilling at all and I was drinking and partying way too much to make things worse. (Hint – this is the worst thing to do when you are already not happy).

After that relationship ended again, something inside me snapped, and I became set out to become the best person I could possibly be.

To do that, I knew that the journey was 100% my responsibility and blaming anyone or anything else for my problems would not get me anywhere.

That is the first step to accelerating your personal growth journey. You need to take 100% responsibility for everything in your life.

If you don’t like something it is your responsibility alone to take action to correct it. It is not the responsibility of the government or anyone else to make you happier and more successful. It is only yours.

So your first step to accelerating your personal growth is to embrace that mindset.

Once you have truly embraced that, do the following tasks.

Name the specific skill you want to improve on

Personal growth is a very broad term, and the way we grow it is by improving all the skills that lie underneath that. Is it communication, technical skills, leadership skills?

Grab a piece of paper and write down some areas you want to improve on in your own life. For example, some I have had are: improving my writing for web content, improving my public speaking, learning growth analytics, and campaign strategies.

The more specific you can get, the better.

Once you found the skill you want to improve, here is exactly what you should do.

1.) Buy the top 5 to 10 highest rated books on Amazon for that skill

Reading from people who have had past success in the skill you want is one of the quickest ways to learn something and put it into action. Most people will just read one or two books on the subject; reading five to ten will dramatically enhance your skills and overall knowledge in that skill.

You may also use Audible for this. Personally, I mix reading and listening. If you’re not on Audible, get it if you are truly serious about increasing your personal growth. Time spent walking or commuting is valuable time to learn.

You can also check websites like edX or Coursera for courses you can enroll in on the subject. Some are free and some are paid.

2.) Start networking (and do it correctly)

Look up groups on Meetup and other platforms like Eventbrite for the skill you want to grow and start attending them. This will have two immediate impacts: you will start learning more on your topic, and you will begin networking and meeting like-minded people in the business.

A quick note—networking doesn’t mean finding as many people as you can and then asking them if you can “pick their brain.” This has generally become a big no-no in the entrepreneur space. You always have to consider what value YOU can add to the other person as well.

Having said that, what is the best way to approaching networking?

Simple, build meaningful relationships and new friends. Play the long game. Picking someones brain for 10 minutes over coffee may help you temporarily right now, but it leaves a bad taste and doesn’t set you up for a long term relationship, which is FAR more valuable.

After you meet some new people at an event and discover their interests and what they are doing connect with them through email or social media. If you find any articles or insights that may be of value to them, send them their way. Comment on their posts and encourage them on their own journey.

Build a meaningful relationship, instead of coming at them like a vampire trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible.

Recently, I have been attending an amazing Growth Marketing meetup in San Francisco.

3.) Find 2- or 3 professional events or conferences on the skill you want to grow

There are so many conferences, seminars, and live events for almost any skill that you could ever want to grow. Check your own city or any nearby and I bet you will find some. Live events are powerful as they are a full immersion experience. You essentially take the first two points above and throw it into a fast spaced boot-camp style experience.

Try to do this each year and make an effort to attend them. Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make and will yield the highest returns.

Rinse and repeat this for each skill you want to build, and you will 10x your personal growth in that area.

Seem simple? It definitely is.

How many people do you think actually do this though? Be the exception!

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Strategies to Find the Best Attorney When You Need One

When someone hears you need to hire an attorney they automatically think something is wrong, however, there are several reasons why someone will need an attorney. For example, you may need to hire an attorney when purchasing a house, for insurance purposes, or even for immigration. No matter what the reason, it’s important you hire someone who can get the job done right. You’ll be spending a lot of money hiring an attorney so it’s important you receive the outcome you plan on. Here are some factors that matter when looking to hire an attorney. With the growth of the internet, finding the right attorney has become easier as you’ll learn while reading through this content.

Let’s get started,

Referrals

One of the best ways to find a reputable attorney is simply by asking someone. Others have been in the same position where they needed a lawyer; they can provide valuable insight on what to look for.

They can also give you the name and phone number of an attorney they have used in the past. You can ask your referral about their experience with the attorney and the outcome they received. The attorneys may give you a few hundred dollars for sending someone to them and providing business. You can collect this money or pass on the discount to the person who referred you.

If you decide to ask someone for a referral, it’s important you pick their brain and find out as much as you can about the process. This will help you going forward because you’ll know what to expect when you enter your consultation.

Online Reviews

The Internet has changed the way people connect and conduct business online. Not only that, but you can find a lot of valuable information by doing a quick search in Google. For example, there are popular sites that allow people to review their experience with attorneys. Lawyerratingz.com and avvo.com are two popular review websites where you’ll be able to find the information you need.

If you are looking to hire an attorney then head over to these websites and read what others are saying about them. Pay close attention to what others have written because this will help you make a more informed decision before hiring an attorney. When using these websites, focus on the number of reviews in combination with the rating because a 1-star rating out of 253 5-star ratings holds less weight then a 1-start rating from a single client.

Free Consultation

Take advantage of the free consultations offered by attorneys before hiring them. This will give you a chance to ask them questions that are on your mind. I would suggest thinking about some questions and writing them down before your consultation. This way you don’t forget anything important during your meeting, which would have had a significant impact on your case.

A great way to find out about the attorney’s track record is by viewing their case results. Successful attorneys always have case results (portfolio) either on their website and/or office. Skim through their cases and look at the results to find out how many were successful. Here is an example of a military lawyer which had success.

Another quick tip: schedule a free consultation with a lawyer who is an expert in what you’re looking for. If you have an immigration matter, visit an immigration lawyer not a criminal lawyer.

Ask Other Lawyers

Asking other lawyers for a referral is a great way to find someone reliable. Lawyers always want you to have the best because this helps them going forward. The more successful a case, the more business for them going forward. Schedule a free consultation and if the lawyer cannot help you, then ask them for a referral. Lawyers that have been practicing for years can help guide you in the right direction.

Featured photo credit: divorcelawyerchronicles.com via divorcelawyerchronicles.com

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Men's Watch Guide: 4 Foolproof Steps In Selecting a Watch

Following good fabrics, a man may feel the urge to have a proper watch to match his look, whether that professional or stylistic.

When choosing a watch, you must consider the price, use, types and taste. Of course, there are many other things to consider before making your choice, but those are the main 4 considerations to be aware of. Here are the following:

1. Price

One major problem with men’s watch selection is that the people think price is means quality. Most people believe the higher the price, the better the quality, so they go for the highly-priced watches only to be disappointed along the way. I’m not disputing the idea that price could mean quality, but, this is not true in all cases.

Every business person has the power to talk anyone into what is quality and what is not, but only the people who are knowledgable about the product they desire can really tell if it’s quality or not. While newbies may only focus on the outward appearance of the watch and judge its price based on aesthetics, knowledgeable watch buyers may rather focus on the internal building.

Make sure you do your research first. That way you’ll have well thought out questions for the sales person and will be able to know what the fair price really is.

2. Types

One of the first steps in selecting your dream watch is knowing the type of watch you want and how it works.

For modern watches, there are two categories of movement. One of the categories is the quartz watch, which functions by an oscillatory movement and is powered by a cell/battery. Automatic watches, on the other hand functions, doesn’t need batteries. This watch is powered by a self-winding, tension system.

The quartz watches are easier to use, cheaper and are more accurate in time measurement than the automatic or mechanical watches. None the less, the mechanical watches may be better than the quartz watch in terms of craftmanship. This is one of the reasons why the mechanical or automatic watch is more expensive than the quartz watch.

3. Uses

It’s not enough to know how your watch moves or what is happening inside; you also need to know what the watch is used for. Every man understands that different occasions demand a special watch to match with style. This is why it’s definitely not enough to have only one timepiece and be satisfied.

For instance, there are watches solely made for hiking purposes while others are strictly made for use in the depths of the sea. There are numerous categories of watches based on their intended purposes and making a choice among these is sure to pose a challenge if not properly guided by a pro or with little research.

Again, this goes back to doing your research.

Also, make sure to think about your daily activities as well as what event(s) you plan to wear your watch for. If you are an avid hiker you may want to get a watch fit for hiking. Or perhaps you want a watch that’s great for hikes and work.

4. Taste

What counts most when it comes to watches is your taste. This is the reason why a man purchases an item for $50,000 instead of another that’s worth $20,000, even though both perform the same function.

The same reason goes for why a buyer would choose an automatic watch that is less in accuracy and priced higher compared to a quartz watch, which is more accurate and cheaper.

Go for the taste that suits your style.

Now that you know the 4 primary considerations when selecting a watch, go out there, do some research, and find the right watch for you!

Featured photo credit: Anh Phan via unsplash.com

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These Android Anti-Theft Apps Are Guaranteed to Stop Thieves in Their Tracks

We know you take good care of your phone. Of course you do. Who wouldn’t be careful with a device that probably cost you several hundred of dollars? But the fact of the matter is, unless you’re leaving your phone in a locked safe in your bedroom, there’s always the chance that it could get stolen. Over 2 million mobiles are stolen every year in the US^[1] and subscriber fraud costs mobile phone companies more than 100 million every year. So statistically there’s a fair chance that one day that mobile could be yours. Which is why we’re taking a look at anti-theft apps. If you’ve got an Android, here are the best apps for protection.

Why Install an App at All?

Other than being careful, there’s not a lot that you can do to prevent your phone being stolen. What you can do is protect your data and possibly even find your phone. A solid, anti-theft app should allow you to lock down or even erase your personal data (such as banking apps, Facebook passwords, and contacts) and allow you to track the phone as well (just in case you happened to leave it somewhere or so that the police can track it down in some circumstances).

Installing such apps isn’t a requirement. But the consequences of not doing so can be severe. Got that Amazon app on your phone? Then your thief is free to purchase things on your account as long as it’s logged in. Got a banking app? Then things are even worse if it allows the thief to transfer funds. Trust us, you want to protect your data in the best way possible, and that means being prepared for the worst.

The Default Option

Android users do have a built-in option for anti-theft precautions, and it’s pretty simple to set up (no downloads or payment necessary, so there’s no excuse not to do this one). Head into your Settings menu, scroll down to the section titled “Permission,” and then hit “Security.” Then simply check the box next to “Android Device Manager.” You can now access your phone remotely from your regular Google account (through Gmail is the easiest way). This default option allows you to remotely lock, track, or wipe data. The upsides are that it’s free and easy; the downsides are that these functions are pretty basic. This means that you might want to opt for a better, third party option, such as one of the below.

Prey

Prey is a very inclusive app that allows you to track not only your phone, but also tablets, laptops, and any other electronic device that you may have. Register your device into the app, and should it go missing head to the Prey website and mark it as lost. You will then be able to track or lock your device. Simple. But you can also send a message that will display on your phone’s lockscreen (we imagine something like “Give back my phone”…), make the phone sound a loud alarm, or even take photos with the phone that are then displayed on your PC (giving you a look at the criminal if nothing else).

You can also set up Prey with a “Control Zone” (ideally around your home or workplace), and you’ll receive a notification if your device leaves that zone. Prey is free, but a premium option allows you to add more Control Zones and devices.

Lookout

Lookout is a great app, but it doesn’t top our list simply because the free version is very limited. Using the free version of Lookout lets you track your device and scan apps you download to see if they’re safe, which isn’t especially impressive.

However, if you’re willing to pay for the premium version you get some awesome features. Premium Lookout lets you limit app permissions, as well as monitoring websites to make sure they’re not stealing any info from you. You can also remotely lock and wipe your phone, and there’s the possibility to back up your call logs and photos at the same time. Finally, you’ll get theft alerts if anything strange happens on/to your devices, and breach reports if any of the services you use are hacked.

Cerberus

Cerberus gives you tons of features. Not only does it let you lock or wipe your phone online (as well as making the phone ring to sound an alarm), but it will also let you do the same thing via SMS (which is great since your stolen phone might not necessarily have an internet connection). You can be alerted if your SIM card is changed; you can also remotely take video or photos, both of which are pretty cool. But the coolest function is something called AutoTask, which lets you set up “if X, then Y” situations. For example, you can set up a task that says “if the wrong password is entered, set off the alarm.”

Cerberus is free for a week, after which you have to buy a yearly subscription (but it’s cheaper than most apps). However, the downside to Cerberus is that it’s pretty complicated to use and isn’t particularly intuitive. If you’re tech minded, Cerberus is the best anti-theft choice out there, but the less device savvy might want to move on to our final option.

Where’s My Droid

Our pick for best anti-theft app right now is probably Where’s My Droid, simply because it offers many of the same features as Cerberus, and yet is much more user friendly. The free version will let you set a passcode on your phone remotely, locate your device, make the device ring, or send an alert if the SIM card is changed (important so you know that the phone number no longer works). All of that is pretty good, but there’s more.

Upgrade to Where’s My Droid premium (for a small, one-time payment) and you get rid of the ads that run along the bottom of your screen. You also add the ability to remotely lock and wipe your phone (as well as hiding the app icon for Where’s My Droid, so no one can delete it), and to remotely take pictures with your device. Upgrade even more to the Elite version (for a yearly subscription) and you can see location history for the device, stats, and can set up control zones (like with Prey).

Protecting your phone is obviously important, and the above are your best bets for anti-theft apps, with some being better than others. Be prepared: download your apps now; you might be glad you did if someone ever gets their hands on your phone.

Reference

[1]

^

Consumer Reports: Smartphone thefts drop as kill switch usage grows

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Don't Want To Be Disappointed By Your Relationship? Make Things Happen

What can I say? I am a sucker for romance, I love a happy ending and I cannot resist the lure of Valentine’s day. It is the one holiday that I connect with the most, but, at the same time, it is the one that never fails to disappoint. It is fast approaching and reminds me to pause and reflect on my life and my marriage and where our relationship might be headed. Having been married for over 30 years, I have learned a thing or two about taking some time to re-consider your options. If you can easily outway the good with the bad then it is worth pursuing. January 2017, things are looking good.

Relationships are never easy, they take time, work and patience to build.

Our relationship is pretty solid and while we do have issues, they aren’t jealousy, finances or communication. We have those covered. Our issues tend to be more related to what I call the “fun” side of things.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband but like everyone else, he has his flaws. For one, he is not very romantic or sociable. His idea of a romantic date night is sitting in the living room watching online movies and chilling with some cider. That might actually be fun if he did not run into the other room to check the hockey score every few minutes.

While there is nothing wrong with online movie date nights, there are more romantic ways to do it.

For example, you can add a theme to the date. Have your partner dress in costume and play a character. Isn’t a Game of Thrones candle night movie and dinner sound a whole lot more romantic than just plain old online movies? In fact, throwing a little role playing into any situation can add a little spice to the date night. It does not have to be a movie night. You can even go out to a sporting event and do this if you and your partner are brave enough.

High expectations

Do I have high expectations for my marriage? I used to think so. Truthfully, back then it seemed a bit more unbalanced. I was always giving into what my husband wanted to do. But, I have learned over the years that a strong marriage means knowing what you want and need. And, understand the behaviors you will and won’t accept. Clarity on this helps to keep the drama out. (Trust me on that one!) My husband has grown to accept the fact that I need him to be a little more “sociable” once in awhile. This does not come as naturally for him as it does for me. And, I do not want to have to ask for it. I expect him to do it. ( Expect may sound harsh, but in order to balance our situation, he must do this once in awhile.)

Know what you want and need, and then voice it to your partner.

Dealing with disappointment

Yes, I have been disappointed on many occasions. But I accept that because I put the expectation on it. What happens when I feel disappointed by my relationship? It makes me question if he feels like I am even worth the effort. And, I feel like I have failed. Sound familiar? It should. According to Randy Milne, an expert on kinichat.com, “Most of us have experienced disappointment at one time or another. It usually happens when we expect something that we shouldn’t.”  He also mentioned, that as partners we are equally responsible for the disappointment. One partner failed to deliver and the other failed to send the right message.

Turning things around

The one other thing that I have learned during my 30-year marriage is that if you want something bad enough, you may have to make it happen. If you know your partner is not able to provide it, don’t get angry at him or her. Instead, help them deliver by steering them into making the right direction. A hint: a nudge or poke never hurt anyone.

I created a jar to give my husband ideas of things he could do or buy for me that would make me happy.  Things that I wanted or expected without having to actually discuss it with him. He picks a few ideas out of the jar (on occasion) and makes the plans for me. This way, he succeeds and I do not get disappointed. It’s a win-win.

It is not a huge effort, but at least it is an effort. That is all I expect from him and I am content with that.

Setting limits on demands

If a little effort is all your partner can do, then you need to accept that. Do not expect too much too soon; they not be able to change as fast as you may like. But any attempt at change is a good sign. If your partner is showing an effort, you need to encourage them. Otherwise, they may not see the point in making an attempt. This is where most partners fail one another. They are not able to recognize how difficult it may be for the other partner that’s making the effort to do it. High expectations may lead to further disappointment. The best way to deal with this is to acknowledge every effort as a romantic and caring gesture. You will both feel good about it.

People give up too easily when things are not going exactly as they planned. It does not mean you have to throw in the towel. With a few adjustments, you can be more comfortable with the outcome. Even if it means listening to the radio while soaking in the spa in your own backyard. ow that is a great compromise. Maybe I will add that to our suggestion jar so my husband can plan that for our next Valentine’s date night.

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