self help: Fast track to self-help at city libraries

PEOPLE in Glasgow with mild mental health problems such as stress, anxiety and depression could soon have access to self-help books. The Healthy Reading scheme set up by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Glasgow City Council was launched today by Minister for Health Andy Kerr. The first project of its kind in Scotland it lets patients pick up books quickly from libraries through referral by a GP. Publication date 28/06/06

Share based on self help

By Bob Holliday bholliday@pantagraph.com CARLOCK - Laura Jean Child of Carlock is a 78-year-old widow on a fixed income. But she wouldn't dream of accepting free food. "I don't need to get free stuff. That's for those who are desperate," she said. Instead, through a program called Share Food, Child pays $15 to get about $30 worth of food each month. The nationwide program, which buys in bulk and uses volunteer help to unload and distribute its goods, has been in Central Illinois for 20 years. The self-help nature of the program is one of the things that convinced John Truitt Sr. to introduce it to Central Illinois. "When you're handing people food, it's a Band-aid, and it becomes a habit of coming back for more," said Truitt. The program began in San Diego, Calif., 23 years ago. Child has been participating in the program since her husband died about 12 years ago. The program requires participants to donate two hours of community service per month. Child takes money and gives receipts during the monthly food distribution at the White Oak Township building in Carlock. Other volunteers drive elderly neighbors to the doctor, or act as Scout leaders. The homebound can pray two hours a month, Truitt said. On average, the program serves 11,000 families every month. Food is distributed in 33 counties. Fresh fruit and vegetables and frozen meat is warehoused in downtown Peoria. "Last month (in May) we distributed 118 units," said Lorene Smith, who with her husband Kenneth, volunteers as a host at the Hilltop Mobile Home Park clubhouse in Bloomington. "We have people coming from Clinton and Heyworth," she said, adding the program "is good for people on fixed incomes or people with kids." Nancy Bohannon is Smith's counterpart at the White Oak Township building. "It's very good food for a very decent price," she said. Added Child, "it's popular because you save money and it's not a charity program."

self help: Noel Edmonds writes self-help book

THURSDAY 08/06/2006 15:52:37 Noel Edmonds has signed a reported £500,000 book deal about his new belief in "cosmic ordering". The TV presenter will publish the self-help tome Positively Happy in July. It will reveal the meaning of the bizarre symbols seen on his hand as he hosts Channel 4 show Deal Or No Deal. Edmonds, 57, claims to have changed his life with the aid of the New Age faith invented by a German guru. He made a series of cosmic "wishes" which have all come true - including his plea for a new challenge after the break-up of his marriage. Soon afterwards he landed the Deal Or No Deal game show which has revived his TV career. "It`s not totally mad. You`ll think I`ve gone away with the fairies but it`s fantastic," Edmonds said. "And it is quite reassuring about life after death and spiritual things." The presenter has credited his success to the book Cosmic Ordering Service by German author Barbel Mohr, which has subsequently shot to the top of the best-seller lists. Publisher Vermilion said Edmonds` own book will show readers how they can harness the same techniques to "banish negativity, make constructive changes in your life, create your own luck and ultimately find greater happiness". Publishing director Clare Hulton said: "We`re thrilled to be publishing Noel`s book. "As well as being a fascinating insight into the life of Britain`s best-known television presenter, it`s a powerful and engaging self-help book that will show readers how they, like Noel, can achieve happiness." Vermilion declined to comment on how much the deal is worth.

self help: Self-Help Housing: 18 Families Chosen for New Program

Posted: June 17, 2006 10:45 AM A groundbreaking ceremony today in Pontotoc County moved one family another step closer to becoming new home-owners. That family in Ada, and seventeen others are teaming up with Tri-County Oklahoma to build their own houses. KTEN's Andrea Kurys has the story. The families come from Pontotoc, Coal and Johnston counties. They are all taking part in a self-help housing program. Over the next two years, they'll be working with Tri-County Oklahoma and each other to build their dream homes. Tri-County Oklahoma is a non-profit corporation that works to create economic opportunities and adequate, affordable housing. This program targets low income families who may never have had this opportunity otherwise. Jay perkins said, "We've got four kids in my family, me and my wife, and a lot of people stacked on top of each other at the house we're at now. Now maybe nobody will have to share a bedroom anymore." Seanna Miller said,"It's gonna be incredible to have our own house, and everybody have their own bedroom. It's going to be nice." Bryson Miller said, " I'm happy about my new house." Ada Mayor Donna York and the State USDA Rural Development Director were among some of the people that attended today's groundbreaking ceremony. The families will participate in homebuyer education classes and receive construction training. Tri-County Oklahoma will supervise the sub-contractors and partner with the chickasaw nation for credit counseling services.the money used in the housing project comes from a federal designation that was awarded in 1999. Andrea Kurys, KTEN News.

self help: Diabetes self-help classes offered this week

Special to the E-E A free diabetes self-help course designed to educate those with diabetes on how to manage, control and live a healthy life will be offered at the Washington County Health Department. This four session course will include professionals speaking about what diabetes is specifically, how it affects eyes and the body in general, how to manage stress, helpful nutrition planning, the role of exercise, and a discussion of medications and self-blood glucose management. Dates of course: Monday, 6-8 p.m., “What Is Diabetes” Tuesday, 6-7 p.m., “Diabetes and Your Eyes” Tuesday, 7-8 p.m., “Diabetic Medications” Thursday, 6-8 p.m., “Diabetic Diet” Friday, 6-7 p.m., Testing Your Blood Sugar Friday, 7-8 p.m., “Exercise & Stress” Call 335-3005 to sign up.

self help: The Talent Magnet

From: Issue 106 | June 2006 | Page 80 | By: Robert Buderi Kai-Fu Lee was waiting serenely at the upscale sushi and seafood buffet he had selected for our meeting in Redmond, Washington. One thing about Lee: Friends let him choose the restaurant. He keeps copious notes on scores of establishments, so dining out with him is pretty much a sure bet. Over the eatery's din, Lee spoke eloquently about two of his favorite subjects: China and its students. The nation, he observed, was hungry to transform itself from an outpost of low-cost manufacturing to a hub of technology creation--and it boasted an enormous and growing reservoir of newly graduated engineers and scientists. The challenge for foreign companies was to help those new technologists leaven their traditional Asian values with a more Western mind-set. "What it is going to take for success in the 21st century is a combination of both," Lee explained. "How you adjust the humility with confidence, the perseverance with self-criticalness, the courage with the serenity." It was May 31, 2005, and Lee was still a vice president at Microsoft. Although he was working in Redmond then, few knew China better. Microsoft had hired him in 1998 to open its research lab in Beijing. The lab attracted top Chinese computer-science graduates, and it has since made its presence felt in just about every Microsoft business, contributing key algorithms for MSN's new search engine and developing ever more realistic graphics for Xbox games. Lee was promoted to Microsoft's headquarters after just two years in Beijing, but he returned often to China, giving scores of lectures aimed at helping university students learn how to prosper in a modern, internationally competitive world. He was becoming, in fact, an A-list celebrity on Chinese campuses, a Brad Pitt-meets-Albert Einstein blend of movie star and scientific statesman. His Mandarin-language book, Be Your Personal Best, sold more than 400,000 copies within six months of its debut last September. And his Web site--www.kaifulee.com--draws tens of thousands of Chinese seeking advice on education and work. All of which was why Microsoft's archrival, Google, was at that moment dangling a package worth at least $10 million to lure him away. Google wanted Lee to help it conquer the search market in China--a meager $278 million in 2005 but growing at a dizzying pace--where it currently trails homegrown Baidu. Even more important is the market for talent. In 2004, roughly 350,000 computer scientists, information technologists, and engineers graduated from Chinese institutions of higher education, compared to 140,000 in the United States, according to a study by the U.S. National Academies, the nation's top science advisory body. Soon after our dinner, to Microsoft's utter dismay, Lee would accept Google's offer. His new job, which comes with the title vice president for engineering and president of Google Greater China, is to create a talent magnet, building an R&D center that will tap into the nation's trajectory and mining the best and brightest from Chinese universities to feed Google's own growth. His story speaks volumes about the global race to apply talent to innovation--and what it will take to win. The Guanxi Imperative The fact that Lee, who was raised in Taiwan and the United States, has found such an audience in China underscores the importance there of role models who can thrive in both Asian and Western cultures. He was born in Taiwan in 1961, the youngest of seven children. Both his parents came from mainland China. His father, a Nationalist Party legislator during the 1949 communist revolution, fled to Taiwan for safety; it took a year for Lee's mother to escape with their then five children. Lee's oldest brother moved to the United States and took in Kai-Fu, who was 11 at the time. Lee eventually earned his bachelor's degree with highest honors from Columbia and a PhD in computer science at Carnegie Mellon, where he pioneered an approach to speech recognition based on statistics and machine learning. After a brief stint on the CMU faculty, Lee joined Apple Computer, where he helped develop QuickTime into a standard multimedia format, and then Silicon Graphics. In 1998, he was already a minor Silicon Valley legend when Microsoft came knocking, asking him to open a China research lab. Lee had three key goals in founding the Microsoft lab. One was obvious: to do great research that would feed new products. The second, which in 1998 put Microsoft far ahead of its competition, was to open a novel conduit for attracting the untapped talent in Chinese universities. The third and most ambitious was to help create the innovation infrastructure--starting with world-class education and training for students--that would enable China to become a more integral part of the modern world. The three goals, clearly, were intertwined. To attract students, for example, Lee had to show government and university officials that he was not just grabbing the best talent but was also seeking to create a system from which everyone would benefit. In short, Lee needed to build guanxi, the networks of mutually beneficial relationships essential to success. In China, there's no such thing as a purely business relationship. Instead, you must blend formal relationships with personal ones, often on different levels. And even as you take, you must also give back. Lee understood this from the outset. While some at Microsoft leaned toward building the new lab in business-savvy Shanghai, he chose Beijing, which was home to more top universities and closer to key government agencies. He and his colleagues then called on universities and government officials, entered into academic collaborations, and spoke to thousands of students about what was needed to succeed in the 21st century. The Microsoft lab became the top draw for Chinese computer-science graduates and built top programs in speech recognition, wireless, multimedia, graphics, and search. For his success, Lee was called back to Redmond and named vice president of Microsoft's natural interactive services division, charged with commercializing features like text-to-speech technologies. But last May, when he learned that Google planned to establish a China R&D lab, he emailed CEO Eric Schmidt, expressing interest in the job. The Google brass bit hard, offering Lee a $2.5 million signing bonus and another $1.5 million after one year, plus stock worth more than $5 million. Lee inked the deal last July. Microsoft quickly sued to enforce its noncompete clause, drawing headlines around the world. But the firms settled within a few months--and last fall, Lee began putting his guanxi to work for Google. "It's Overwhelming." Lee rushed to China for the fall job interview season. Nearly simultaneously, he launched into a book tour, visiting 25 universities in three weeks. Be Your Personal Best is rooted in Lee's imperative of incorporating the best attributes of the United States and the Middle Kingdom. But it also offers something deeper and more personal, describing three concentric circles--representing value, attitude, and action--around which people should evaluate, plan, and live their lives. It's a self-help book in the best American tradition, but tailored to Chinese tastes--and brilliantly so. Even Lee was astounded by the turnout for his appearances, with an estimated 60,000 young people cramming into halls in the course of the tour. Tickets to the "free" talks were scalped for up to $55 each, a staggering sum for Chinese students, and an online survey ranked him as the most influential person on Chinese university campuses. "Kai-Fu is a pop star among university students in China," says Wei Sun, dean of the Beihang University College of Software Engineering in Beijing, who has worked with Lee since his Microsoft days. "He is an eloquent speaker. He prepares well. His topics are right on with what the students are keenest to hear." One talk, he remembers, was simply about making presentations, a skill unknown to many Chinese students. Lee carried it off like a motivational speaker. "He was getting into Martin Luther King, 'I have a dream,' " says Sun. "He did things they have never seen before." Lee's message about realizing one's potential found even wider resonance. "It's overwhelming," says Sun. Students are flocking to Lee's volunteer-run Web site in growing numbers. From about 30,000 registered users just before he left Microsoft, the site has swollen to 110,000 users today, many of them seeking help with fundamental issues of career and life. Typical questions: "Can't female students be software engineers?" "I'm a student of computer science but more interested in marketing and economics. Do you think it makes sense for me to get a master's degree in computer science?" Not surprisingly, Lee's soaring appeal is already helping Google. Some 10,000 résumés arrived at its Beijing offices in the first two months; the figure is several times that now. Lee had intended to hire 50 R&D staffers during his first year. Now, he notes, "we have found so much talent in China, we have already exceeded our hiring goals. It appears I will easily double that." Whatever pull Google has for Chinese graduates, for now it's often Lee himself who seals the deal. Xin Zheng, who earned his doctorate in computer science from Tsinghua University early this year, turned down a Microsoft job to join Google as a software engineer. "Kai-Fu is a leader of life values for Chinese students," Zheng says. "He knows a lot of Chinese students' puzzles and problems. His instructions lighten the road ahead." Lee, of course, must parlay his personal appeal into a sustainable R&D organization--which comes back to building guanxi. "Part of being successful in doing business in China is to be viewed as sincere, trying to do something positive," Lee says. "[There's] no substitute for that." So Lee has already hosted a nationwide programming competition, dubbed CodeJam, that drew 13,500 entrants. The final round, held live in Beijing, consisted of three programming problems worth 1,500 points. Lee notes that only "a handful" of programmers in the world typically exceed 1,000 on similar tests. To his astonishment, four of the 50 CodeJam finalists topped that figure. The winner, Chuan Xu, a student at Zhejiang University, will join the Google lab after he graduates this spring. Reversing the Flow In April, Google announced a Chinese-language brand name for its search engine: Gu Ge, or "harvesting song." But before they harvest anything, Google's new Chinese scientists still have much to learn. At Microsoft, Lee found that many new hires, accustomed to following explicit instructions, had a hard time with Western management, where it is common to confront a boss and where seizing the initiative without specific directions is often prized. To speed his recruits' progress, to help East meet West, Lee is trying out new Internet-based training and team-building exercises--sometimes even before new hires begin work. Lee is also seeking mentors, Mandarin-speaking experts skilled in the ways of Western research and development who will advise the young recruits. The hope is that, by year's end, Lee's bright-eyed researchers will be on the way to creating technologies that improve the company's standing in China. In the past, Lee notes, Western firms have "localized" products created elsewhere, tweaking menus or changing documentation for Chinese users. That is no longer enough. "User behaviors and preferences are different in different parts of the world, so you can't take a one-size-fits-all approach to innovation," he says. So the R&D center, staffed by homegrown talent well-versed in local preferences, will create products initially for the Chinese market: Search and paid advertising for mobile phones are likely, as is Chinese speech recognition as a search interface. Eventually, though, Lee expects the lab to help change the flow of innovation worldwide. In areas such as mobile-phone usage, China is leading the world. "So we will build a product first in China and then understand the product and move it back to the United States or Europe when that market matures," he says. That chance to make a global impact is another big drawing card for the Google center. Yang Liu, an early hire lured from Sybase's China operation, puts it this way: "A group of smart and great people could do something really great for the world." It's clear already that realizing such ambition will be more than a matter of nurturing top talent--and that meshing East with West won't be a pro forma exercise. Google, which recently launched Google.cn, attracted the wrath of many in the United States by agreeing to the self-censorship dictated by Chinese laws, which includes blocking search results on sensitive topics such as "Tibetan independence." In February, Lee was hounded on the subject when speaking at UC Berkeley and Stanford University. Lee declines to comment on the censorship issue, referring to Google's testimony at a congressional hearing that it does far more good than harm by offering its services in China and that it simply must respect the regulations of different governments. Google is, of course, playing with a double-edged sword. The democratic urge it represents--its mission is "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful"--is fundamentally at odds with China's restrictive policies. Lee must appreciate that. Given his commitment to working with Chinese officials and supporting change from within, though, it is almost inconceivable that he does not support Google's line. That stance may yet compromise the search giant's global ambitions. In the Middle Kingdom, though, it seems unscathed. In fact, Google is hot. Lee still draws excited crowds wherever he speaks. Top tech grads clamor to work for him. A new generation of talent is rising, raw but potent, eager to change the world. Robert Buderi is a writer in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His book with Gregory T. Huang, Guanxi: Microsoft, China, and Bill Gates's Plan to Win the Road Ahead (Simon & Schuster), was published in May.

self help: Legal self-help organization offers free guide on writing wills

Washington, DC – HALT, a leading publisher of legal self help publications, today released a new guide to assist consumers in writing their will. The Citizen’s Legal Guide Write Your Will: No More Procrastination is available for free on HALT’s Web site (http://www.halt.org/) and through HALT’s Legal Information Clearinghouse. “It’s easy to put off writing your will, but it’s definitely a mistake,” said HALT Program Director Theresa Meehan Rudy, the guide’s author. “The rules regarding your estate have scant regard for your wishes. The only way to make sure those wishes are carried out is to get your estate in order, and a great way to begin that process is by writing your will.” A recent nationwide survey conducted by one of the largest financial advisors in the country found that many affluent Americans have not taken the necessary steps to plan their estates. This same survey found that more than one-third of the nation’s wealthiest individuals do not have wills, health-care proxies or trusts. Procrastination is the excuse most cited by the survey respondents who do not have a will. HALT’s easy-to-understand guide answers consumers’ basic questions about wills and estate planning including: what it takes to make a will legally valid, what property can pass to heirs outside of a will, how to choose an executor, what the executor’s duties are, and how to make changes to a will. The guide also advises consumers about their will-writing options such as using do-it-yourself software, working with independent paralegals or hiring a lawyer. HALT's 8-page free Citizens Legal Guides, which also include Plan Your Estate and Probate: How to Settle an Estate, supplement HALT's existing range of resources, which includes brief brochures and handouts along with Citizens Legal Manuals, full-length books that offer detailed information on a legal topic, such as legal research, probate or small claims court. Founded in 1978, HALT—An Organization of Americans for Legal Reform is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public interest organization. HALT pursues an aggressive education and advocacy program that challenges the legal establishment to improve access and accountability and reduce costs in the civil justice system. Please visit http://www.halt.org/ for more information. Web link: http://www.halt.org/self_help_resources/internet_brochures/Writing_Your_Will.pdf June 8, 2006 2:37 PM

self help: Do the Write Thing

Article Title: Do The Write Thing Author Name: Dr. Donald Schnell Contact Email Address: Donald@spiritualjava.com Word Count: 560 Category: Personal Development, Motivation, Self Help Copyright Date: 2003 ******************* by Liz Sumner, Life Coach Article Title: Do The Write Thing Author Name: Dr. Donald Schnell Contact Email Address: Donald@spiritualjava.com Word Count: 560 Category: Personal Development, Motivation, Self Help Copyright Date: 2003 ******************************************** Publishing Guidelines: Thank you for publishing this article in its entirety including the resource box. When possible, please notify me of publication by sending either a website link or a copy of your ezine upon publication via email to Donald@SpiritualJava.com Thank You! ******************************************** Do The Write Thing ©2003 Dr. Donald Schnell Dear Colleague, Here is one of the real, hidden secrets of those who consistently produce product: make inviolate appointments with yourself to write. You most likely do a fairly good job at keeping the appointments you make with others. You have mastered this skill, so why not use it to get things done? For example, I have to write the Spiritual Java course, the Dream Achievers course, the daily Winning Edge, my coaching practice, there's another novel I'm working on, a newsletter in a different field, seminar planning etc. I block out several hours days in advance of the due date. If I didn't block out that time in advance, I'd wind up desperately scribbling out copy minutes before the due date. Some years back, I was counseling a hypnotherapist new to his practice. I shocked him when I told him to close his practice for a day if he wanted to see more business success. I suggested that instead of seeing clients that he devote an entire day to "marketing". This was a day that he was to call patients, visit health foods stores, give speeches, and his charity work. Most of these important tasks weren't getting done because his time was eaten by talking to patients. his little extra time to promote his business paid him back in huge dividends. He had to block out time for himself, so that he could accomplish this. I'm often asked about how I manage to do as much writing as I do, along with everything else I juggle. There are two answers. First, I write for at least two hours every morning, no matter what. The first hour of my morning, I write. At home, on the road, weekdays, or weekends, it doesn't matter. Tired or not, inspired or not, it doesn't matter. Second, I block time, often weeks, occasionally months in advance, as appointments with myself-just as I would keep an appointment with a client. Here is another power technique is to minimize any unplanned activity. By reducing unscheduled time and unplanned activity, you automatically reduce waste. If you look carefully, you'll see that most people just sort of show up. They arrive at the office, at work, and react to situations. If you press them for their day's plan, you'll find they may have only one or two scheduled activities-one of which is usually lunch-and maybe a few things on a vague things-to-do-list. All the unscheduled time somehow gets used up, but if you again press them at the end of the day, or better yet, at the end of the week, they cannot tell you where it went. The person who cannot tell you where his or her time goes is forever destined to be unpubished. Ideally, have your day scheduled out by the half hour, from start to finish. I recommend blocking out each hour into four, 15 minute segments. At the top of each hour make it a point to see how many of your most important items you can clear. Start your planning with 15 minutes. Why not try to plan for just one week? It is a cliché, that those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Cliché or not, it is worth remembering and worth taking the time to plan. When you plan, you free up mental energy that is pulling on you because you don't have a clear direction. When this happens, practically no writing gets done. Do the write thing, Donald Schnell About the Author Dr. Donald Schnell co- founded with Marilyn Diamond of Fit For Life, the Spiritual Java Diet Coaching Program, that is transforming thousands. The New Spiritual Diet, Incredible Value, One on One coaching Amazing Results. http://www.SpiritualJava.com or email: Donald@SpiritualJava.com Donald Schnell is the author of The Initiation. Free Motivational Newsletter, The Buzz http://www.spiritualjava.com

self help: Do-It-Yourself Indexing

Indexing a book is a science in itself. I have a friend who is a professional indexer, but if you have written a book and need an index created, you can do it yourself. And adding an index gives your book or ebook a professional edge, a bonus that the rea... by Judy Cullins Indexing a book is a science in itself. I have a friend who is a professional indexer, but if you have written a book and need an index created, you can do it yourself. And adding an index gives your book or ebook a professional edge, a bonus that the reader will appreciate. I indexed my nonfiction ebook, From Old to Gold: How to Start and Run an Antiques Business. Here's how I created a "quick and dirty" index for my book: 1. I started by looking at the indexes of other similar how to books. I checked out which words they list in their index to get an idea of which words are relevant for my book. 2. I then went through my book, making a list of words that would be relevant to readers in their search for specific topics. The list included words like antique malls; appraiser; art; collectors; dates, of antiques; styles, of antiques; trends. Decide how detailed you want your index to be. 3. Next, after my book was ready to go, that is, all final layout was finished so no page numbers would change, I searched my book (in Microsoft Word, click on Edit, Find, then type in each word you want to add to your index, one at a time). I then wrote down each page number where each word appeared in my book. 4. I did this process for each word then typed in the index as the last section of my book. I listed the word then the page numbers where the word appeared. I did not get too detailed, but I listed enough general words that someone can easily find a topic by using my index. This is the simplified version of how to create an index. There is software you can use or professional indexers, but this process worked for me and it can work for you too! About the Author Peggy Hazelwood runs the Albooktross Electronic Bookstore, http://www.albooktross.com/, where you can find ebooks from A to Z in categories like How To, Self Help, Writing/Publishing, and so much more.

self-help: "Will That Be Cash Or Credit?"

From Bangkok to Edmonton, credit card statements stuff mail and email boxes with payment deadlines. Every bill reminds the giver that gifts given freely do not come free. Giving and buying often exce... by A. Raymond Randall, Jr. From Bangkok to Edmonton, credit card statements stuff mail and email boxes with payment deadlines. Every bill reminds the giver that gifts given freely do not come free. Giving and buying often exceed generosity and need as a brittle piece of plastic becomes an avaricious spoiler of hopes and dreams. During this week, two families emailed me about credit card debt. One family lugs $12,000, and $50,000 shackles the other. Each family wants relief; however, debt accumulation comes easily while debt relief sucker punches emotions and wallets. Consumer debt burdens the workers of all economies. Highways jam with the doldrums, "I owe...I owe...It's off to work I go". . Truly, as an ancient proverb reminds us, "The debtor is servant to the lender". Nearly every government graphs consumer debt. The U.S. Federal Reserve's January report set U.S. consumer debt at 2 trillion dollars; the highest level in U.S. history. Canadians report an all time low savings rate (when debt goes up, savings goes down). Thailand consumers pushed debt levels up 25% last year. United Kingdom families might be forced to reduce their spending or sell their homes if interest rates ratchet up just 1%. Debt management resources can guide consumers to the high ground of debt relief as many credit management companies discover the need for debtor assistance and education. However, consider these steps before doling out more money to a credit assistance agency. 1. Manage your feelings. Take some time journaling your emotions about money by asking yourself where you learned personal definitions for fear and greed. Have some fun taking the innovative surveys found at Emode.com. 2. Push-off the weights of procrastination. Take action; do it now. This work requires sweat and concentration, but the rewards assure you of freedom and achievement. 3. If you learned to spend, you can master saving (ultimately, it's all about saving). However, before spending more money on reducing your debt and increasing your savings, educate yourself. Go to Myvesta.org, a non-profit consumer financial education organization. You will find "how to" books, such as "How to Eliminate Your Debt Like a Pro" along with many other self-help resources. Don't let someone else do for you what you can do for yourself. Working through your debt as a fascinating experience allows you to own your choices by changing your viewpoint. "Creditors have better memories than debtors." - Benjamin Franklin 4. Myvesta may not suit all your needs, therefore add the Alexa.com toolbar to research other similar sites. 5. If married, discuss credit card management with your spouse. Two issues undermine romance: money and...well, you know the other one. 6. Don't take a consolidation loan whether personal or home equity unless you find this the very last alternative. If you accept a loan, "shop...shop...shop 'till you drop" the interest rate. 7. If behind on payments, call credit card companies NOW...today...this minute. Find the right person for you to discuss your circumstance. If greeted with putdowns and parental tones, end the conversation, wait awhile and try another person. When you must, request a supervisor. Be gracious, professional and persistent with a plan of action. Most Americans carry 5 or more credit cards around. Take four of them and bury them in the backyard. Keep one for emergencies. Diligent efforts now will guide you toward financial freedoms in the future. Best wishes; if you act on this or similar recommendations, you will stand in a small crowd. Best wishes; if you act on this or similar recommendations, you will stand tall in a small crowd. About The Author Ray Randall serves clients as a registered investment advisor with his firm, Ethos Advisory Services, Essex, Massachusetts http://www.ethosadvisory.com . He has wide experience within the financial services industry, writes a weekly newsletter for Ethos Advisory Services, and coordinates the developments at Echievements . Ray holds a Masters Degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hamilton, MA. You may email him or call (877-895-3756). rayrandall@echievements.com Copyright A. Raymond Randall, Jr. - http://www.ethosadvisory.com

self-help: You can work at home and love it!

What are you passionate about? What do you believe in? Is there a product or service that you find yourself just raving about with friends and family! Share your talents, experiences, and beliefs through a home business. Cho.. by Geoffrey Faivre-Malloy 24 What are you passionate about? What do you believe in? Is there a product or service that you find yourself just raving about with friends and family! Share your talents, experiences, and beliefs through a home business. Choosing a work at home business is rewarding. Earn extra money - meet your savings and debt reduction goals faster! Have Flexible Hours - schedule your work around other duties or your household duties around your work. Either way, you set the schedule. Set your own goals - You decide what is enough. Provide a creative outlet to do something you love to do. You might feel motivated to work at home because you need a little extra money. Perhaps you just need a creative outlet. Maybe you've become so good at your household management skills that you just have too much time on your hands. With the many challenges of family and household management I congratulate you if the latter is the case! Give yourself a pat on the back! You know we learn our most valuable lessons from our failures and successes. Hopefully, Right! I have learned one undeniable truth in my work experience.If you love it and have a passion for it, you WILL be successful. There is nothing easier than doing what you love to do. This is an undisputable fact of human nature. We all know this instinctively, but somehow fall away from the idea. If you can incorporate what you love to do, are passionate about and truly believe in, into your work at home business you will find success! You can choose to live your work or work to live. The decision to live your work can only be successful. It just makes sense! Until you find your niche in life you are just trudging along doing the necessary steps to survive. It's when you find and work your passion in life that you begin to live. Your work naturally becomes your life. No, I'm not talking about being all about work 24/7. I'm talking about bringing something you are passionate about in life into your work at home business. There's a huge difference. That being said, you need to really analyze what it is you like to do. Think about something productive or creative that you love to do in your spare time. WHAT IS YOUR "THING?" You may instantly know what your "thing" is or it could take you several days to figure it out. You may not have been able to do what you love for so long that you have forgotten what it actually is you love to do. Unfortunately, this happens to a lot of us. For example, through all my experiences I found nothing that excites me more than what I am doing right now! Bringing my family back to basics, getting my financial goals back on track and teaching my children to be financially responsible and successful. When I started looking for an extra income I tried so many things that just seemed to be out of character for me. I accepted offers only to discover that the program either required me to sell something (which I determined early in life was definitely not my thing), or required me to do something that I had no clue how to do. Like building a website or internet marketing. I was shot down from the start and couldn't even get motivated to try. I learned that you don't always get what you expect when you accept a work at home offer. You have to be careful to read everything. Make sure you know what you're getting! If you choose an internet business and you're a "newbie", make sure you will be provided with all the educational and technical tools you need. Internet marketing and website building is very technical. If you have no knowledge of ....... writing HTML text Search Engine Optimization - click and pay hits - search engine spiders? Keyword brainstorming affiliates - associate programs Well, you can see it's another college degree it seems. At the very least it would involve a great deal of reading, studying, and trial by error to create a website much less be successful at it. You need a step-by-step program to help you through. Some programs can leave you in a sea of confusion! Where do I start? What's that mean? How do I promote it? Build a website? Advertise with search engines? You will be defeated before you've even begun if not careful. If you've bought into any of these informational offers and still feel lost on how to get started on your work at home venture, you know exactly what I mean. So, if you're not internet savvy, or a webmaster, be sure the program offers the assistance that you need to be successful! Perhaps a work at home internet business is just not your cup of tea. There are lots of other wonderful ideas for generating a home based income. Child Care, crafts, and cleaning services are just to name a few. And, yes, there are people out there that do love to clean! Just remember - Do what you love to do to be successful! Find something that interests you or adapt an idea to suit your interests. You'll be meeting your goals in no time! No matter what it is you love to do, you can find a way to use it to make extra money. The best part is you'll love doing it if you love the work! If you chose to include a work at home business to strengthen you family's foundation, I wish you the best of luck. Remember, if you pursue what you love and are passionate about, YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL! About the Author Cheryl Johnson is a mother of four helping herself and others become, and remain, debt free. Simple Debt Free Living is a self-help plan for personal financial independence including home business ideasto earn extra income. 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