quinta-feira, 30 de outubro de 2014

sábado, 25 de outubro de 2014

So You Think You Are Depressed

Are you feeling a little down on yourself? Do you constantly have negative thoughts and lack motivation? If you think that you are experiencing depression don’t worry, you are not alone. Depression is a symptom that plagues people all across the world. The prolonged sadness and lack of positive emotions is what most people feel when they are depressed. You know what depression really means? It means that you feel like you need to make a change in your life. What you need to start doing is taking steps towards living a more fulfilling life and ridding yourself from negative thoughts.



Think back to when you did not feel depressed. What was going on in your life at the time? Did you have a job? Were you in a serious relationship? Losing a job or breaking off a longtime relationship are things that can lead to depression. The stress of trying to make money and whether or not you will find love again can be overwhelming for the brain. To defeat depression you need to get your mind off of things and pick up a hobby. Start playing that instrument you have always wanted to learn. Paint portraits of people or places you admire. Just find something to get your mind off things and you will feel a little better about yourself over time.



Studies have shown that regular exercise combats depression. Putting your body into motion and relieving that stress can start to make you think positive again. Exercising actually helps give you an activity to do and helps get your mind out of the dark hole of bad thoughts that might be circling around up there. Get a gym membership or plan daily jogs with a neighbor or friend. Working out with someone else can help give you time to talk to someone and vent a little.






Anxiety and depression are closely associated with one another. When you become depressed you might experience anxiety and when that happens they both feed off on another. What's great about working out is that you can knock out two birds with one stone. Exercising helps reduce both anxiety and depression. Instead of staying in on weekends get out and have some fun. Go out with your family or friends. Even if you just go out and get a little time to yourself it can help you feel better about life. You might even meet a new group of friends or find a love interest when you go out.



Depression is hard to get over. You have to work at fighting depression every day. Work towards ridding yourself from those negative thoughts and over time you will slowly start to feel better. Instead of wallowing in despair about the past look forward to the future. Every day you have the most powerful option to make choices in your life. Choose to produce a better life for yourself and a few years from now you will forget what it ever felt like to be depressed.

terça-feira, 21 de outubro de 2014

How the hell am i into all this?

Productivity is a word that tends to get thrown around a lot, but most middle down and get to it. Few people actually give you tips on how to achieve that quality of being able to produce good results consistently from your work. 

In the modern world, productivity is a common ideal. It does not have to be the measure of much work you can accomplish in your job. Productivity can also be about completing the things you need to do at home, or even during your leisure time. The point is that you can get more things done in the same time or even less.


Without further ado, i present 101 quick productivity tips that you can apply
to your daily life. Note that while i used the word “work” here, in practice
these tips can be used to organize and slap rockets onto your home and social
life. And so, we begin.

managers only use it in sentences asking the average employee to hunker

domingo, 12 de outubro de 2014

How To Plant and Grow An Herb Garden

There is nothing that improves the taste of a dish as much as being able to use fresh herbs straight from your own garden.  It is very easy to start an herb garden and to grow your own herbs and if you are a beginner gardener, an herb garden is a great way to learn.



Most herbs only need two things to grow well.  They need soil that drains well and lots of sunlight.  What this means is when looking for a location for your herb garden, choose a place that will get six full hours of direct sunlight and that doesn’t hold water, but drains it off.

Another consideration when selecting the location is convenience, especially if you will use the herbs frequently while cooking.  The closer the herb garden is to the kitchen, the easier it will be for you to just dash out and snip off what you need.



Herbs need a good, fertile soil, but that can be prepared from just about any soil or dirt.  If the soil is more clay or sand than dirt, you’ll need to mix in plenty of compost to get it ready for herbs.  Herbs need pretty rich soil to do well.  Even if your soil is already in good shape, adding compost is still a good idea because it provides additional nutrients which will help the herbs grow.  Do not use composted manure, though.  This isn’t good for herbs because it is high in nitrogen which speeds up growth, but reduces the flavor.



Selecting the herbs for your garden is part personal choice and part where you are gardening.  Many herbs are perennials, which means they will grow year after year.  Some, however will require replanting each year.  There are some herbs which are used frequently in cooking, such as oregano, basil, thyme, and cilantro.  These are generally grown in every herb garden.  There are others which are more of a personal preference such as dill, chives, rosemary, and mint.  Then there are different varieties of some of these such as chocolate mint, orange mint, and lemon mint.  Rosemary grows as a bush and is a perennial, but the needles are what actually provide the intense flavor to the food.



Herbs grow well from either seeds or from starter plants.  If starting them from seeds, don’t plant them until after the first frost.  If doing starter plants, start them between three to four weeks before they’ll be planted in the garden.  Use small pots between one to three inches across and fill with good potting soil mixture within about 1 inch from the top.  Place two to three seeds in each pot and keep the pots moist and warm until the seeds sprout.  Once the seeds sprout, move the pots to a sunny spot and keep them semi-moist.  Once the last frost is passed, plant the pots in the garden.



Once all the herbs are in the garden, ensure the garden gets plenty of water.  It needs at least two waterings per week, soaking thoroughly at least two inches down.   Harvest the herbs frequently as they grow.  This will help keep the herbs keep producing more foliage and getting fuller and it will not hurt them, in fact it will help them to cut them back often.



When the growing season ends, you can freeze or dry and herbs left in the garden and they can be used throughout the winter for seasoning.

Learn here all about how to grow an herbs garden yourself

Tips for Operating an Online Business

Many of us have a strong entrepreneurial spirit and would love the opportunity to work for ourselves. Although that opportunity has always been available in many different ways, one way that is now open is working on the Internet. In order for you to do so successfully, you need to make sure that you are set up properly and that you are moving your business in the right direction. Here is a brief guide which will help you to make the most of your Internet marketing success.





One of the first things that you need to understand about Internet marketing is the fact that it is actually a business. Far too many individuals come online and decide to start an online business but they treat it more like a hobby. I'm not necessarily saying that you cannot have any fun when you are operating an online business but you do need to treat it properly. Start by writing a solid business plan which will help to keep you motivated and moving in the right direction.



It is also important to ensure that everybody in your life is on board with your idea of starting an Internet business. It is likely that you are going to find many individuals that feel as if they can take advantage of your time, just because you are working at home. They need to understand that you are operating a business and that you must dedicate the time necessary to make it successful. Although it certainly is true that you will have some leeway, as far as your time is concerned, if you take advantage of it too often, it will make it difficult for you to succeed.



Having a comfortable place to work in the home is also imperative when running an Internet business. If you feel as if you are going to be able to operate your business sitting on the sofa with the TV on, it is likely that you're going to fail. There will be times when you are able to work in front of the television or perhaps even work in a more comfortable area of the home but for the most part, stick with a designated office space. Try to keep it out of the way so that you keep distractions to a minimum and make it a comfortable space that is conducive to working effectively.



A problem that many people have when working online are the many online distractions that are possible. Once you choose the direction of your Internet marketing business, make sure that you continue to move in that direction without wavering. Although there are going to be times when other options present themselves that may seem more attractive, pulling yourself in too many directions will make it difficult for you to succeed. Keep your focus on your original plan until it sees the success that you desire.



Those are the few of the suggestions that I have which will help you in starting your Internet marketing business and keeping it successful. You are starting on a road that has many enjoyable benefits along the way. Give your Internet marketing business the attention that it needs and it will work well for you.

Click here to find an Online Business that earns you money

When a Spouse Has Depression

Depression affects not only the patient, but also the family. The spouse of a depressed patient must be very tolerant. They must be very patient and they must be very loving.



Take Time For Yourself



As the spouse of someone with depression, it's very important to take some time for yourself. Get away from the stress and relax a little. Grab a trusted friend and go to coffee once a week. Go for a daily walk. Spend some quiet time with your favorite book. How ever you spend this time, make it you time and make sure that the depressed spouse isn't along.



Stay Current



Stay up to date and current on your spouses medications. Is your spouse taking the medications? If you spouse has been known to pretend to take them learn to count pills and double check. You can also tell by behavior. If your spouse seems off, consult with their doctor about the possibility that they may be off their medications or on the wrong medications.



Support Network



Set up a support network for yourself. This network could be, the family doctor, a pastor, a few trusted friends, a support group or your own family. When things are tough ask for help. Don't be afraid to tell family what is going on. If they truly care, and most do, they'll want to help you.



Educate Family



Teach children and other family what to do in a crisis. If there is a crisis situation, have a plan in place for children. It could be a friends house, a family members house or simply to hide out in their room until the crisis has passed.



Be Patient



Your spouse doesn't like feeling out of control. Be patient and loving. Redirect whenever possible. Recognize symptoms before they happen and redirecting them to other feelings is often more simple.



Have A Plan



When your loved one is doing well, sit down and discuss things openly. Your loved one won't be able to understand during an episode of depression and you'll be wasting your breath. If you work out a plan prior to an incident you'll be able to work together and focus on healing and not damaging your relationship.



Keep Doctor Appointments



Help your loved one make it to all of their doctor appointments and go with them as part of their support network. Be supportive and encouraging to them.



Keep A Journal



Journaling is a great way to track your own concerns. Journaling will help you to share with the doctor about "bad days" and "good days". Journaling will help you to remember those good days on a bad day when you're struggling.



It's important to remember that you're not alone in your struggle to help your spouse. Many others are struggling with the same issues that you are. Don't ever be afraid to take time away, get help, call the doctor or your pastor. You can't do this alone and neither can your depressed spouse.

sábado, 11 de outubro de 2014

Dangers To Avoid When Working From Home

Working from home is a dream for many people. Women especially, dream to be able to make a living from the comfort of their home, while taking care of the kids and of household chores. While this is absolutely possible and many persons are successfully doing it, you need to be aware of potential dangers that may keep you away from success.



Losing one's focus is one of these dangers. What your home is your office, it's very easy to get distracted from your work by those dishes that need washing or by those kids who need pampering. You need to make a clear separation between the two facets and stick to your business tasks until you get them done before moving into domestic issues. A clear work schedule would probably help, so try to make one and follow it closely.



When you work from home, the fridge is probably in your sight most part of the day. Do not take snacks every 30 minutes or so, no matter how tempting this may be. It's so easy to put on a lot of extra weight when you don't realize how much you are actually eating. Have your meals at the same time each day and don't munch on any snacks while you are at your computer. Work should be work, meals should be meals. Keep the two separate, if you want to work from home and still fit inside your clothes.



Running a home-based business may lead to a lack of exercise. When you need to commute to a job every day, you do things you don't even notice: you walk, you climb stairs, or you may even run sometimes, if you're late. When your office is two steps away from your bedroom, you eliminate all that exercise. If you don't replace it with some other form of exercise, you'll soon be out of shape. It's very important to stay fit, so stop every two hours and do some sort of effort. Yoga is excellent for home workers, because it doesn't require a lot of space and a lot of time. You can choose a few poses that work best for you and practice them in chunks of 15-20 minutes, several times a day.



Perhaps the biggest danger of working from home is mixing work and leisure time in such a way that you end up with the sensation that you worked straight for 15 hours every day, when in fact you only worked less than half that time. It's best if you can put a time limit where you stop office tasks and call it a day. Otherwise, you may start neglecting your spouse, your family duties and your friends. You'll feel tired, because your body will believe you worked late, when actually you played 100 computer games in-between those office tasks you achieved.





Running a successful home business while staying sane required discipline, focus and control. If you don't lose yourself to procrastination, you'll be much happier than a 9 to 5 worker. It's entirely up to you.

Choosing A Home Business

Many people these days are looking at choosing a home business. Depending on the business and the amount of time that is put into it, the business can either bring in a little bit of extra money, or it can bring in a fortune, and anywhere in between. Not every home business is right for everyone, so you will need to choose one that is right for you.






The first thing you will need to determine is what you expect out of a home business. Do you want a little bit of extra money to make your car payment, or do you need to be making enough income to live on. Generally, the more time and effort you put into the business, the more money you can make. Decide how much time you can put into the business. If you are starting your business on the side, then you do not want to ignore your regular job. You also do not want to sacrifice too much time with your family.






Decide who your customers will be. You will need to know as much as possible about your potential customers. Are they mostly men or women? How old are they? What is their education level? You need to decide who your target market is, and who you want to work with. Once you have identified your target market, then you need to know what they want and what they need. When you know this, you can decide how to best fill their needs, and to find a business model to help them.





You can provide your customers with either products or services. In most cases, a business selling a product will take less time and effort than selling a service. If you sell a product, you do not even need to have a product to sell. In many cases, you can sell someone else’s product, and earn a commission for each sale. If you can create your own product, though, your profit can be higher. If you decide that you have skills that others need, you can sell them your service. Keep in mind; this can take more of your time than selling a product.





Once you have found your market, and chosen your product or service, you will need to set up a website and promote it. One of the easiest ways to do this is through social media. You can set up a page on Facebook or a profile on Twitter, and start building a following. Just be sure that you aren’t adding just anyone to your list, but add people that fit your target market. Be sure not to spam your followers. Use social media to get to know them, and to interact with them. Do not simply send message after message saying “Buy! Buy! Buy!” Let them ask questions, and be sure to answer them politely.



Starting a home business can be done in only a few hours a week or you can put in forty plus hours per week. Keep in mind, that the more you put into your business, the more you’ll get out of it.

Click here if you want to find out more about monetizing the time you spend online

Ceramics and Sculpture


I think that for many ceramic artists, a number of this collected work reminds us of the maker, is additionally an acquaintance, mentor, or somebody we’re galvanized by (a.k.a. a ceramic crush). Some items area unit nice for dinner parties, whereas others area unit our daily companions. As makers, i believe we tend to area unit therefore lucky to own this cross-over expertise, of each understanding however one thing is made, and understanding the necessary role that hand-crafted objects play. they create experiences and our surroundings special, they connect us to others,  and encourage us within the studio

Creative ceramics


The Perfect Wedding Gift!
We have an excellent plan for a marriage gift - a personal ceramic plate! embellish it yourself, or higher still: take the platter and pens to your friend's reception and find everybody to sign it. Then gift the happy couple with a beautifully-glazed souvenir of their day.

Gift Cards
Stuck for a present idea? Then why not offer somebody a clever Ceramics Gift Card and allow them to hearth their imagination. Gift cards is bought from Artur directly, please contact him for a lot of info.

terça-feira, 7 de outubro de 2014

GARDENING'S MOST VALUABLE ADVICE


Many people may not be aware that gardening can actually harm the environment.  A large amount of carbon dioxide can be released through tilling the soil.  This contributes to global warming.  When you cultivating and compacting the soil, destroys good fungi.  Fertilizers like nitrogen and manure often leach out of the soil and pollute the water you drink.

Global warming

Did you know that the earth's soil gives out carbon dioxide in the atmosphere 10 times more than all human activity?  This comes from the pill bugs, microbes, fungi and worms when they breathe, digest food and then die. Although in the past plants have been capable of absorbing carbon dioxide caused by small-scale tillages, this isn't the case nowadays.  
The increase of the globe's average temperature is because of the carbon dioxide the soil emits when tilled. The good news is that tilling can be minimized by mulching or sheet composting.

Good Fungi

In untilled soil, there is beneficial fungi known as the vesicular-arbuscular-mycorrhizae or VAM for short. VAM actually forms a symbiotic relationship with plants.  Their filaments increase root hairs and provide nutrients to the plant.  They give out zinc, copper, potassium and phosphorus.  Plants provide carbohydrates for the fungi in return.  It is possible to grow a garden without tilling the sooiil at all by mulching heavily until the soil is soft and friable. 

Surplus Nitrogen

Many gardeners waste nitrogen and manures; farmers do otherwise. Farmers only need a quarter to a third of nitrogen to mix with an inch of compost, horse, or cow manure.  Kate Burroughs of Sebastopol California, uses the same rule for her home-grown lettuce and sweet corns. When it comes to broccoli and pear trees, farmers only need a small amount.  Notice that gardeners apply larger amounts of compost and manure than farmers. Obviously, they are not only wasting their fertilizer but also their money.  

The best gardening advice that can be given to those concerned is to do all things with moderation. Keep in mind that too little and too much of something is not healthy. This is the most valuable advice one can have in gardening.


segunda-feira, 6 de outubro de 2014

Secrets of keeping to the family budget



The high cost of living in today's society, wherever you may be, has made budgeting a priority among families.  In today's inflationary world, nothing is more important than knowing how to wisely spend the meager income that you get.

Financial problems usually arise due to lack of proper budgeting skills, or failure to keep to the proposed budget.  No matter how much income you may have, it is still important to keep track of your assets and liabilities, your earnings and expenses.

It is ironic but a person who earns thousands will have the same problems with the person who earns by the hundreds.  Most often, different kinds of people, with diverse income levels, have budgeting problems.   Others who may have been successful in making a budget, usually fail to keep within such a budget.

A budget refers to a financial plan, taking the incoming and outgoing monetary resources into consideration.  A good budget should not only mean a balance or equity between income and expenditures.  It also means lesser expenses, and making an allowance for savings.

If you earn a thousand dollars per month, you should map out all the necessary expenses you will have to incur during the month such as payment for your house, food and transportation.  Of course, this is presuming that your tax liabilities have already been settled.  What remains after you deduct your total expenses from your income is your savings.

What you do with your savings will make a difference later on, when the need arises.  You can choose to keep your savings in a piggy bank or place it in a bank where there is minimum interest rate but at least your money is safe from you and from intruders.  With a bigger savings, you can get the services of a financial adviser who can give you higher-yielding investment options

Here are tips to make sure that you keep within the family budget:




1. Maintain a logbook where you can list your income and expense account on a weekly or monthly schedule.  

2. Buy your groceries at one time.  To do this, make a list of all the things that you would need for your target period and purchase them at one time.  Sometimes, there are discounts if you buy by the dozen so take advantage of this.

3. Avoid going to the supermarket and shops if you do not need to buy necessary items.  This will keep you from making unnecessary purchases and keep you from straying away from your budget.

4. Think twice before you buy something.  By doing this, you will realize that it is not really a necessity but a whim.









Getting anxious over Anxiety Depression?



A lot of people who are exerting too much of their brain power usually exhaust not only their physical strength when engaging in various multi-tasking activities, they also tend to over extend their brains up to the point when it plainly needs some good old time for relaxation. A lot of busy people who seem to cannot fathom the idea of relaxing and taking time of from work, as well as their worries, tend to actually start having nervous breakdowns, anxiety depression and all sorts of mental illnesses that can cause a person's sanity to go haywire, fortunately, if you're one of those poor unfortunate ones who are unable to distress and is constantly worried and fussing over things, there are actually available cures and various treatments for treating anxiety depression. 

Anxiety depression is actually characterized by all sorts of irregularities and erratic behavior from the person who is suffering from it, this is usuallu due to certain stress triggers that may tend to easily cause a person undue jitters and stress. Also, a lot of people who tend to get easily nervous over stressful activities are actually prone to having anxiety depression, its just a matter of being strong-willed when it comes to facing difficult and stress-prone activities. It may be pretty hard to overcome at first, but trying to be calm and cool in times of extreme pressure is what'll actually save your mental health from going totally downward spiral.

When it comes to effectively curing one's self from a mental illness, one must keep in mind that you have to be actually honest with yourself and assess what kind of depression or mental illness you actually have, go to reputable psychiatrist to get yourself diagnosed correctly as well as be able to get the right depression treatment for yourself. Here are the various types of depression:

Manic or Bipolar depression - characterized by sudden and extreme changes in one's mood wherein one minute he or she is in an elevated state of euphoria while the 
next minute (day or week) he or she is feeling to be in a personal hell.


Postpartum depression - characterized by a prolonged sadness and a feeling of emptiness by a new mother wherein physical stress during child birth, an uncertain sense of responsibility towards the new born baby can be just some of the possible factors why some new mother go through this.

Dysthimia - characterized by a slight similarity with depression, although this time, it's been proven to be a lot less severe, but of course with any case, should be treated immediately.

Cyclothemia - characterized by a slight similarity with Manic or Bipolar depression wherein the individual suffering from this mental illness may occasionally suffer from severe changes in one's moods.

Seasonal Affective Disorder - characterized by falling in a rut only during specific seasons (i.e. Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall) studies however, prove that more people 
actually fall in to a rut more during the Winter and Fall seasons and lastly, Mood swings, wherein a person's mood may shift from happy to sad to angry in just a short time.  



But the type of depression that has actually been proven to be quite common among people is anxiety depression, which is actually characterized by the state of being overly anxious about things. Anxiety, a supposedly normal behavior that'll actually help a person adjust more to a certain stressful activity like first date jitters or a grueling exam the following day. Anxiety actually helps you get psyched up towards facing certain "difficult situations"; anxiety therefore is actually a good thing. Anxiety depression however, is simply the opposite, not to be easily dismissed as a "case of the nerves"; Anxiety depression is in actuality an illness that can be caused from the biological makeup of an individual, or in other words, a hereditary illness.

Also, there are actually various types of Anxiety depression, each having its own unique characteristics. Take for example Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD, this kind of Anxiety depression is a lot more complicated than the average Anxiety depression, in spite of possibly being a day-to-day habit for those who suffer this kind of Anxiety depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder actually makes the individual quite more paranoid than usual, anxiety attacks are more frequent, even absurd at times. They can even be anxious even when there's no apparent reason that calls for them to behave in such a way. People suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder actually shows a lot of symptoms, from lack of sleep, to being unable to relax, getting tired easily, cannot concentrate on what they're doing and even suffering from depression.  This kind of Anxiety depression is still curable; just a little work will actually do the trick.

Consult a reputable cognitive behavior therapist who'll help give the individual the therapy that he or she needs to help him or her loosen up, also prescribed medicines are sort of a must to help these individuals battle anxiety attacks, help them calm down and relax.


The tell-tale symptoms of depression


People who may be suffering from depression or manic disorders actually exhibit or show each and every kind of symptom of depression that doctors will tell you that depressed people have. Sometimes it’s actually quite easy to overlook such symptoms and not be able to help one’s self or others who are suffering from depression for that matter.

There are actually a lot of symptoms of depression that depressed people may actually posses but they don’t have to suffer from each and every one of them before you actually help them get diagnosed and be treated for this illness. Also, since symptoms of depression actually vary, the time of their "attacks" varies as well.

Here are some common examples of symptoms of depression:

Prolonged period of sadness or not feeling "up to it,"  people who are always feeling not in the mood, who’d rather mope around the house and feel sorry for one’s self is the best example for this symptom of depression.

Feels hopeless, perennial pessimist: speaking of feeling sorry for one’s self, another common symptom of depression is when a person actually feels like he/she has nothing to look forward to in his or her life. As for being the perennial pessimist, those who show this symptom of depression are usually very negative about things, again, the feeling of hopelessness comes in to mind.

Guilt-driven, loss of self-worth and helplessness: other symptoms of depression that can be easily seen on people who prefer to mope around all day long are these. Whenever a person feels so guilty over something, that actually makes one a very sad person who feels like he or she doesn’t deserve to be happy. Thus, the loss of self-worth, if that person feels like he or she isn’t worthy of being happy or enjoying one’s self then that’s clear tell-tale symptom of depression. Helplessness also contribute to being depressed, when assuming that things won’t simply go your way, it’s already a clear saying that you have absolutely no hope in your body at all. 

Isn’t interested in finding or taking pleasure; just dropping the hobbies as well as the other things that one used to enjoy: this tell-tale symptom of depression just shows how depressed a person can be, if one is actually too sad to take pleasure even in the very things that one loves then that person is seriously lacking something, rather, that person might well have caught the depression bug. 

Fatigue, always tired: people suffering from depression, since they’ve lost whatever interest in life that they may have had before are actually lacking of physical energy at all times, if one would prefer to just mope around, probably won’t even eat not get enough sleep, a depressed person may well be on their way to not just a mental illness but depression can actually be terrible for one’s physical health as well. 

Having trouble concentrating, having bad memory and is indecisive: a person who is suffering from depression easily gives away this tell-tale symptom of depression. Wherein one’s lack of interest with regards to the outside world or for just about anything for that matter can lead to that person’s inability to lose track of things and actually not be able to remember things that happened or what other people said. Lack of interest actually makes depressed people very inattentive.

There are actually more symptoms of depression that can actually help you see if a person (or you) needs to be brought to the doctor to get some help when it comes to depression: lacking sleep, sleeping too much or waking up at wee hours of the morning are all symptoms of depression (if it happens on a daily basis), appetite loss as well as eating too much may show one’s lack of enthusiasm for life. Be weary of sudden weight loss or weight gain in those around you. Being suicidal, talking about death, about wanting to die is another clear indication that that person is depressed. Being restless and irritable and physical symptoms that are usually brought about by poor mental health such as headaches, digestive disorders and various body pains. 




Taking Manic Depression Seriously


Manic depression or Bipolar depression is actually considered as one of the worst type of depression that people usually suffer from.

Characterized by sudden and extreme changes in their mood, Manic depression is said to be called as such because manic = mania refers to the 'ups' while depression refers to the 'downs'. 
A lot of people actually experience erratic changes in their moods, some times, these so-called mood swings may not just be caused by PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) or stress. Doctors actually have diagnosed mood swings as a common symptom of depression. 

But when these so-called mood swings have gone to utmost absurdity, from getting irked even by the littlest or simplest of thins like not getting your favorite ice cream flavor, this may not be just a sign of brattiness, but when getting irked means you'll cuss and swear on the ice cream vendor and throw absurd tantrums, this may already be the start of Manic depression.The so-called 'manic' or 'ups' in Manic depression is described as to be the times when a person suffering from Manic depression may experience overly high periods, consisting of heightened energy, a sudden outburst of euphoric mood, extreme irritability, thoughts racing as well as aggressive behavior.


According to therapists, someone suffering from Manic depression may have these so-called manic 'periods' wherein sudden outbursts of euphoric and elevated mood swings may actually go through this for as long as not just a day, in can actually go on for as long as one week, even longer than that. 

When it comes to the so-called 'low' or 'down' periods, as its name suggests can actually bring someone who is suffering from Manic depression may experience very similar symptoms to those who are suffering from actual depression. People who are suffering from Manic depression may actually experience episodes showing a depressed state of mind - a feeling of worthlessness and being unloved may start to corrupt the individual's mind. Various symptoms, showing guilt, extreme sadness, anxiety attacks, feeling of not belonging, extreme pessimism and obvious loss for pleasure. According to therapists, an individual who is depressed. consistently for more than a week can officially be diagnosed as someone who is suffering from Manic depression. 

In spite of being one of the most common, yet severe type of depressive disorder, Manic depression, according to doctors can actually be treated. There's no reason to worry too much about it, just follow the proper procedures that the therapist will instruct you to do, take the proper prescribed medications as well as the proper dosage in order to help you (or your friend or love one) overcome Manic depression before it becomes too late. Also, individuals who are suffering from Manic depression should always be able to see their therapists on a regular basis so as to be able to release their pent up emotions to some one who can interpret and understand what they're going to a lot better as compared to "normal" people.

Although positive results for a Manic depressive patient can still be achieved from natural alternatives, a proper and a more lasting relief from Manic depressive symptoms can still be best acquired through seeing cognitive behavior therapists. Contrary to some beliefs, when it comes to psychiatric treatments, psychiatrists, preferably cognitive behavior therapists are still the best ones to consult for Manic depression, as well as the ones who'll most probably be able to cure Manic depression.  



Self-Discipline And Saving Money


A great way to save money is to be aware of the fact that one has the power to define the state of his finances specifically through a conscious effort of disciplining the way one spends and controlling one's expenditures.

Self-discipline will most definitely be the key to reducing one's debts therefore increasing the possibility of growing one's savings.  And in the long run, improve one's standard of living.

According to money management book author Robert Hastings, "Undisciplined money, usually spells undisciplined person".  Therefore, if one notices how his hard-earned money seems to slip away so darned easy, then it is about time that he rethinks his ways and try to discipline his unpleasant spending habits.

One of the essential keys to successful money management, specifically saving money is to possess proper attitude.  Self-discipline is at the topmost of this proper attitudes list, of course.

Only with self-discipline that people recognize that they do have the freedom and power to do the right thing over doing as their impulses dictate.

Sounds complicated?  Well, not really.  Knowing fully the fantastic rewards of disciplined money in a disciplined person's hands should be motivation enough for one to do all that is humanly possible to achieve that elusive financial stability everyone hopes for.

Here are some helpful money saving tips.


1.  Realize that the most convenient method of building one's wealth is through saving money.  Money is the only sensible material to save.

2.  Focus expenditures on the things one needs.  Live day-by-day knowing that you have enough.  

3.  Avoid buying on impulse. Take your time when buying, especially the expensive items.  If you really need it, it would most definitely not slip your mind.  Otherwise, if you go along forgetting all about it, then it isn't really worth the money you have to spend on it at all.

4.  Credit card debts hold the number one slot as the cause for financial drains these days.  Control your spending by using your credit cards less.  Or for unavoidable circumstances when you really have to use the credit card, consider using the ones that charge less interest.  Then dump the high interest ones for good.

No matter how you look at it, saving money is so easy to do.  A little bit of imagination, some creativity and a lot of self-discipline will take you a long way in keeping hold of your hard-earned money.


Tips on How to Teach Your Kids to Save Money



A lot of teens nowadays do not understand the value of earning and spending money. They were not oriented that investing is necessary even if they are still students. As parents, you play a crucial role in this area. 

You should be able to teach your kids on how to save money. They should be able to understand the concept of money and investment as early as childhood. This will prepare them to learn money management, as they grow old. 

Here are some tips on how you can teach your children how to save money:

1. Your children should be educated of the meaning of money. Once your children have learned how to count, that is the perfect time for you teach them the real meaning of money. You should be consistent and explain to them in simple ways and do this frequently so that they may be able to remember what you taught them.

2. Always explain to them the value of saving money. Make them understand its importance and how it will impact their life. It is important that you entertain questions from them about money and you should be able to answer them right away.

3. When giving them their allowances. You need to give them their allowances in denominations. Then you can encourage them that they should keep a certain bill for the future. You can motivate them to do this by telling them that the money can be saved and they can buy new pair of shoes or the toys they want once they are able to save.

4. You can also teach them to work for money. You can start this at your own home. You can pay them fifty cents to one dollar every time they clean their rooms, do the dishes or feed their pets. This concept of earning little money will make them think that money is something they have worked for and should be spent wisely.

5. You can teach them to save money by giving them piggy banks where they can put coins and wait until they get full. You can also open bank accounts for them and let them deposit money from their allowance. You should always show them how much they have earned to keep them motivated.

Money and saving is not something that is learned by children in one sitting. You should be patient in teaching them and relating the value of money in all of their activities. Children will learn this easily if you are patient and consistent in guiding them and encouraging them in this endeavor.




Keeping children motivated


Initial enthusiasm in after school activities tends to wane after the 
first excitement is over. This is but natural. The trick is to keep up the 
hard work even after this. How do you keep your child motivated? This is 
of particular importance when the child goes in for educational after 
school programs.

Make the career-academics connection early on:
Let your child understand how important studies are. Let him know that 
an excellent career is wholly dependent on wholesome learning. To develop 
his interest in studies, plan family activities that are connected with 
his studies. Emphasize the real-world connection to academics whenever 
possible.


Set goals:
Let your child know, through example, that hard work will be rewarded. If 
your child believes that achievement is a natural by-product of effort, he 
is more likely to put in hard work. Such children are also less likely to 
drop out of programs and college at a later stage. 

Reward success:
When a child achieves something, it is necessary to praise his hard work. 
Positive reinforcements enhance confidence and increase self-esteem. 
Conversely, beware of criticism. It can ruin the frail ego of children and 
play havoc with their minds. 


The Learning environment


There is often a trap in the words 'after school activities'. One may 
easily believe that since these activities are after school, they are not 
of much importance. But, one couldn't be more wrong. Research suggests 
that children pick up some of their most important skills from after 
school programs. That is why children who do not participate in any extra 
curricular activities are generally slow and less vibrant.

The learning environment that one fosters in after school activities must 
be as disciplined and as functional as that found in the school. This is 
especially true of educational after school programs. This is the best 
place to teach the child important skills like time-management and goal 
setting. Time-management is a vital skill, but it is not achieved easily. 
Children need to feel the discipline that is needed to finish a task and 
the happiness of finishing the allotted work in a specific time frame. 

Children look for different things in an after class program. The learning 
environment should be attractive, colorful and informative. Use charts, 
pictures, posters and drawings to liven up a class. Additional resources 
(resources that are not easily available in the school) will make the 
classes interesting. For instance, when teaching a biology lesson, allow 
the child to see through a microscope or see slides of bacteria. This 
will add to his knowledge and also make him more enthusiastic about his after school program.


Discipline is a must in after school activities. In fun or sport-based 
activities, it is easy for children to step out of line and wreck havoc. 
While children should be allowed to have fun, they should be curtailed 
from unacceptable behavior. The best way to enforce discipline is to lay 
down the rules at the very beginning. Let the children know what is 
unacceptable, right at the beginning. 

Rewards are an important part of any learning process. The reward can be a 
simple pat on the back or a token of appreciation. Motivate your children 
to aspire for higher things by rewarding their achievements. Holding 
competitions or sport activities where the children can show their 
proficiency is a reward in itself. 

Children can get bored easily, especially in the case of an educational 
program. The main thrust of an academic program is to repeat what has been 
taught in class and to allow the child to learn it quickly. It is 
difficult to pique the child's interest a second time, especially when the 
child is already tired of one dose of the same lesson. It is best to 
thwart boredom by using creative techniques like an impromptu extempore on 
any topic, a quiz program or a slideshow. 

After school activities are becoming more popular by the day. Parents want 
their kids to learn more. Children too have an insatiable quest for 
knowledge. In an after school program, it is possible to pay individual 
attention and quench this thirst using various effective techniques. 

Reading activities



In a world that is slowly but surely turning away from books and getting 
glued to monitors or television screens, the importance of developing a 
passion for reading cannot be overlooked. Reading is a habit and should be 
established when the child is relatively young. What can you do to foster 
this habit?

Enroll your child for reading classes:
There are many well structured after school reading classes that aim to 
draw the children to books. They help kids with diction, idioms and 
phrases. For young children, these classes can be fun with animated 
characters and pictures. Illustrated picture books, rhymes, silly songs 
and pretend stories all attract the young child. Use creativity to capture 
the child's vivid imagination. 


Pique your child's interest:
If your child has a favorite character, pick a series of books that 
features this character. For my son, it was Spiderman. Thanks to friendly 
neighborhood spidey, my son latched on to comics fairly early in his 
childhood. 

Build a home-library:
A skill like reading cannot be learnt in isolation. Do not leave all the 
hard work to the after school program. Pick up books that you think your 
child will like. The Internet is also a rich resource of reading games 
that will attract little children to the fine art of reading. 


Art-based activities



A recent report by several independent researchers concludes that 
participating in the arts nurtures the development of social, personal and 
cognitive skills. Programs based on Arts can improve academic achievement 
and decrease the tendency towards delinquency. It helps youth form 
positive attitudes about themselves and build self-esteem.


Arts programs involve communication, interpretation and understanding of 
complex symbols, much like mathematics and languages. Thus it fosters 
higher-order analytical skills and skills of evaluation and synthesis. 
Many of the programs make the child regularly use multiple skills thus 
making him dynamic and versatile. 



Development of imagination, judgment and philosophy are fringe benefits of 
an arts-based activity. As opposed to the short 45-minute duration of the 
art classes at school, the extra time allowed in after school activities 
allows the child to get more involved. This results in more satisfactory 
opportunities for development of latent capabilities in the child. In 
turn, the child learns to set high standards of achievement. He 
understands what sustained focus is and learns that regular practice is 
the way to excellence. 

In the shy or the withdrawn child, theatre, speech or drama lessons may be 
an outlet for pent up emotions. As drama entails getting into the 'skin' 
of another person, the child learns to verbalize emotions and express 
thoughts. These reasons account for the popularity of arts-based 
activities.  



domingo, 5 de outubro de 2014

What Innovation Can Do to Your Life



It's a talent that everyone has, yet they think they don't. The power of innovation. If you've ever marvelled at somebody's creative prowess, guess what, you can create and innovate too. It just takes time. Everyone is born creative. The box of crayons in kindergarten were not limited to those who possessed potential; because the truth is, everybody has potential.

You know how long it took to learn to ride a bike or drive or to never commit the same mistake again? It's the same with innovation. It takes a  bit of practice and a lot of time before this mind function comes easily  when called. This article will teach you a few tips on how to bring innovation into your life.

Don't listen to what other people say. Follow the beat of your own drum. Allowing for the input of other people will only bring cacophony to the music you are trying to make. If you have an original idea, don't waste your time and effort trying to make people understand. They won't. And the help you will probably get comes in the form of negative feedback. If all those geniuses listened to their peers, we would probably still be living in the middle ages.



Spend time on it. I cannot stress that enough, although, please do not mistake this tip to tell you to quit your day job entirely. Do not. This involves some tricky time management but with a little discipline you'll be able to squeeze both in.

Exercise. Take a walk. Run a mile or two. Send all those endorphins coursing through your veins. Exercising certainly clears and relaxes your mind and allows for anything to pop up.

Record your dreams. Aren't some of them just the craziest things that your conscious mind would never have thought of? If you've had these dreams before, and I'm sure have, this only shows you the untapped innovative power you have lying within. So jot down those notes. Those dreams may just create an innovative spark in you.

Find your own style. You can always tell a Van Gogh from a Matisse. You'll know Hemingway wrote something by the choice of words on the paper. So it is the same with you. People will appreciate your innovation more because it is uniquely yours and that no one else would have thought of what you were thinking. That will let people see how valuable an asset you are.



Don't hide behind nifty gadgets or tools. You don't need the most expensive set of paints to produce a masterpiece. The same way with writing. You don't need some expensive fountain pen and really smooth paper for a bestseller. In fact, J.K. Rowling wrote the first book of the Harry Potter Series on bits of tissue. So what if you've got an expensive SLR camera if you're a crappy photographer? Who cares if you've got a blinging laptop if you can't write at all? The artist actually reduces the number of tools he has as he gets better at his craft: he knows what works and what doesn't.

Nothing will work without passion. What wakes you up in the mornings? What keeps the flame burning? What is the one thing that you'll die if you don't do? Sometimes people with talent are overtaken by the people who want it more. Think the hare and the tortoise. Ellen Degeneres once said that if you're not doing something that you want to do, then you don't really want to do it. And that's true. Sometimes you just want something so bad you become a virtual unstoppable. And that is passion. Passion will keep you going.

Don't worry about inspiration. You can't force it; inspiration hits when you least expect it to, for those unpredictable yet inevitable moments you should prepare. An idea could strike you on the subway, yet alas, you poor unfortunate soul; you have no sheet of paper to scribble down a thought that could change the world. Avoid these disasters. Have a pen and paper within your arm's reach at all times.

I hope this article has helped you bring more innovation into your life. Keep in mind that you're doing these things for your own satisfaction and not anybody else's. But soon enough they will notice, and everything should snowball from there.

What Really Makes You Tick?

Ten questions you should ask to yourself: a preparation to self-improvement

Be all you can be, but it's not always in the Army. I often see myself as somewhat contented with my life the way things are, but of course it's hard to think of anything else when where are real issues to be discussed.

Still I aspire for something deeper and more meaningful.

So we're all pelted with problems. Honestly it shouldn't even bother or even hinder us to becoming all we ought to be. Aspirations as kids should continue to live within us, even though it would be short-lived or as long as we could hold on to the dream. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks… or can they?

1. What do I really want?
The question of the ages. So many things you want to do with your life and so little time to even go about during the day.

Find something that you are good at can help realize that small step towards improvement. Diligence is the key to know that it is worth it.

2. Should I really change?
Today's generation has taken another level of redefining 'self', or at least that's what the kids are saying. Having an army of teenage nieces and nephews has taught me that there are far worse things that they could have had than acne or maybe even promiscuity. So how does that fit into your lifestyle?

If history has taught us one thing, it's the life that we have gone through. Try to see if partying Seventies style wouldn't appeal to the younger generation, but dancing is part of partying. Watch them applaud after showing them how to really dance than break their bones in break-dancing.

3. What's the bright side in all of this?
With so much is happening around us there seem to be no room for even considering that light at the end of the tunnel. We can still see it as something positive without undergoing so much scrutiny. And if it's a train at the end of the tunnel, take it for a ride and see what makes the world go round!

4. Am I comfortable with what I'm doing?
There's always the easy way and the right way when it comes to deciding what goes with which shoes, or purse, shirt and whatnot. It doesn't take a genius to see yourself as someone unique, or else we'll all be equally the same in everything we do. Variety brings in very interesting and exciting questions to be experimented.

5. Have I done enough for myself?
Have you, or is there something more you want to do? Discontentment in every aspect can be dangerous in large doses, but in small amounts you'll be able to see and do stuff you could never imagine doing.


6. Am I happy at where I am today?
It's an unfair question so let it be an answer! You love being a good and loving mom or dad to your kids, then take it up a notch! Your kids will love you forever. The same goes with everyday life!

7. Am I appealing to the opposite sex?
So maybe I don't have an answer to that, but that doesn't mean I can't try it, though. Whether you shape-up, change the way you wear your clothes or hair, or even your attitude towards people, you should always remember it will always be for your own benefit.


8. How much could I have?
I suppose in this case there is no such things on having things too much or too little, but it's more on how badly you really need it. I'd like to have lots of money, no denying that, but the question is that how much are you willing to work for it?

9. What motivates me?
What motivates you? It's an answer you have to find out for yourself. There are so many things that can make everyone happy, but to choose one of the may be the hardest part. It's not like you can't have one serving of your favorite food in a buffet and that's it. Just try it piece by piece.

10. What Really Makes You Tick?


So? What really makes you tick? You can be just about anything you always wanted to be, but to realize that attaining something that may seem very difficult is already giving up before you even start that journey. Always remember, that self-improvement is not just about the physical or philosophical change you have to undergo, but it's something that you really want.