Sunday 29 March 2009

Quick Tips to Motivate Your Kids in Sports

Sports allow kids to learn and master a variety of skills. Not only does it make kids more physically fit, but sports can also give kids the opportunity to interact, build friendship, communicate better, and learn important qualities like sportsmanship, teamwork, and diligence. But before all that, you need to convince your child first to leave his or her toys behind and give sports a try.

Find out where your kid's interests lie.

Don't assume anything. Just because your kid's a boy doesn't mean he's automatically interested in basketball or football. At the same time, just because your kid's a girl doesn't mean she's inclined to prefer a sport with less physical contact such as tennis or volleyball.

Although genetics and family history could influence your child's preferences in sports, they can only do so at a certain extent. It's not unheard of to have a badminton-loving member in a golf-playing family.

You need to listen instead of making any assumptions. Of course, there's also a possibility that your child himself is still unsure of the type of sports he's interested in. If so, it's your job to ask leading questions. Does he enjoy playing outdoors or indoors? Does he prefer to play games focused on speed, stamina, or strategy? Answers to such questions will give you a clue on the kind of sport your kid is most likely to enjoy.

Start at home.

Don't immediately enroll your kid in a sports clinic the moment you discover where his interests lie. Rather, see how far his liking for the sports goes by playing a game or two in your backyard or outside your house. Throw or pitch a couple of balls and see if he's entertained. More importantly, practicing at home will give your child the opportunity to explore his decision and determine for himself if the sport's indeed something he'd enjoy playing.

Prove how enjoyable sports can be.

Another way of motivating your child to participate in sports is to show them by example how enjoyable such activities can be. Play with them. Better yet, invite a few friends and some of his playmates even and play a game or two.

Give him exposure.

Let him know more about the different kinds of sports and why it's enjoyable for so many people. Watch a game on TV or, if possible, watch it live. There's nothing more impressive - and convincing - than when you're watching a game in a crowded stadium and everyone around you is having a good time. Visit sports shops as well and point out to him the different kinds of equipment he might have to use in sports.

Choose the right setting.

Some kids prefer to practice sports alone before joining a sports camp. Other kids, however, prefer immediate action and interaction. Choosing the appropriate setting for your kid will help him know and enjoy sports more.

Be supportive.

You need to make sure your child understand that your goals for having him join sport is to see him happy and, of course, have him become healthier and stronger. Although winning a game would be nice, it isn't your ultimate goal and neither should it be for him.

He's your kid first, an athlete second.

Most importantly of all, do remember that he is your child first and being an athlete is only his secondary role. Motivate him with that thought in mind and you'll do fine.

Self Improvement Programs and how they Work

There are many programs that can help you in your efforts to being healthy in mind. If you have many things on your mind and simply want to have the easy way to deal with them, you should try a program because they show you how to have a great mental existence. They can be an accelerated practice that professionals, with no problem can put in your schedule and can last for a year or longer, depending upon the program administrator.

There are also lessons that you should to practice. These programs can maximize your energy as well as lose weight keep yourself healthy, gain creativity, lose stress develop better relationships put yourself into profound meditative states find meaning in your life become more aware gain a stronger immune system and raise your spirituality.

You may also find a better sense of yourself as well as the person you'd like to be. A lot of these programs use one system or one philosophy, some are universal, or involve seeing the whole picture that involves every aspect of the person's well-being. Many of them go way beyond presenting you with theories that are behind the programs to provide you with tools to make these programs to work in your own life and these lessons are easy to follow, implemented quickly and lots of fun to actually do.

Audio recording self help tapes - On a typical self-help tape, you will hear a pleasant and easy to listen to, English speaker that will guide you into a state of relaxation. To magnify the effect each tape echoes positive reinforcement a deeply relaxing effect, that goes from the left speaker, to the right and also makes 3D sound effects.

So at times you'll hear one voice conversing with the left side of your brain while in the same instance hearing other echoed voices addressing the other parts of your brain. This powerful technique of giving out different suggestions to both the conscious an unconscious mind can institute good changes very quickly. In addition, the engrossing 60 bpm sound effects and the subliminal suggestions make the experience better.

How to make the most of such courses of study - Speaking from a behavior point of view let us take a look at what motivation is all about and how to make it better because the human brain is a virtual warehouse of energy.

There's nothing we can't achieve once we put our minds to it and that has been proven many times but like anything, there are strings attached. The same brain is easily distracted and actually our imagination is probably the one thing capable of faster than light travel so it is not an easy task to keep the brain occupied doing one thing for a long time. If the job is monotonous then it becomes harder and if it requires a lot of you and has a time limit then that's it for you.

Motivation can be thought of as the process of routing energy of the brain towards a definite goal or purpose. If your boss is good then the task of keeping you motivated is up to them. Though even then you have the job of motivating yourself and believe me, self motivation is the best motivation especially because it is an internal force we all have.

Confidence and Self Esteem

If you are confident about your abilities, then you have high self-esteem. This is not something you are born with but rather developed and with it, you can be a winner.

But how do you get it? Well, you start to build it up the moment you are born. If they raised you right, you will know what is right from wrong.

One way you will learn about that is to get disapproval sometimes for tasks that were not done properly. You can also get it for doing something that you were not supposed to do but if this was explained properly, you will know that this is something that must never be done. This will enable you to have good decision making skills because there are consequences for everything you do.

So you are confident to take certain risks, your parents will encourage you try things and then be there if things don't work out. This will already teach you a little about your limitations and you will soon learn more of that in the future.

From here, you already get the idea that building your self-esteem is not always about winning. Sometimes you have to lose and face a few setbacks to make you a better person.

In sports, there is such a thing called sportsmanship. This is when you accept that you lost and shake your opponent's hand. By being able to acknowledge the achievements of others, you will soon have the courage to try better and maybe next time, the outcome will be different.

Another thing that builds self-esteem is individuality. We are all born different. Some have dark skin while others are lighter. Some are taller while others are shorter. Self-esteem teaches us to accept who we are so we must never wish for things that we don't have.

But are your parents the only ones that will make you feel confident and develop self-esteem? The answer is no because later on, you will go to school so this will also be further developed by your teachers and your friends.

In school, there are rules you need to follow similar to those that are done at home. With your friends, one of the challenges is not giving in to peer pressure but this is not easy since we want to fit in.

With the different people around, you might get confused who to believe. When this happens, you just have to trust your instinct. If you hear something bad, learn to ignore it and only accept what sounds good to your ears.

Confidence and self-esteem go hand in hand because without the other, you will not be able to appreciate who you are or even have the courage to take some risks. Do you have it? That is something you have to answer for yourself but one way you can assess yourself is to write down on a piece of paper your qualities and your accomplishments.

If you have not done that much in your life, it is never too late to start trying. If you need help, get the support of your family and friends. You can even get the help of a specialist who can figure out a plan to help you achieve your dreams which would not be possible without confidence and self-esteem.

Friday 27 March 2009

How to Get Life Lessons From Your Experiences

Everyone has exactly 24 hours a day. What makes the difference is how you use your time. Have you used it well?

One way to get the most out of your time is by using each experience as a learning opportunity. Don't just go through an experience without extracting life lessons out of it.

Every experience should be used as an opportunity to learn and grow. You get value from your experiences not just from what you accomplish but also from what you learn. Treating your experiences this way will help you grow fast.

If you have this attitude, you won't repeat the mistakes you make. While there is nothing wrong with making mistakes, you should not waste your time by repeating the same mistakes.

Having this attitude will also help you identify the things that you have done right. That way you can allocate your resources to make them even better. You will grow fast in your life with this attitude.

To help you learn from your life experiences, these tips may be helpful:

1. Go out of your comfort zone to do something new

If you repeat what you already know you won't learn much. You will learn a lot if you try to do something new.

Even if your effort ends in failure, you will still learn something. At least you will know if something doesn't work.

2. Have a personal journal

Having a journal where you can write down your thoughts and ideas is really helpful. If you make writing in the journal a habit, you will see your experiences in a fresh way.

While previously you might treat an experience as it is, now you will see it as a learning opportunity. You will be more observant because you are looking for something to write in your journal.

3. Find out how you can do better in the future

If you don't have the desire to grow, it's hard for you to learn something new. But if you have the desire to grow, you will see that there are a lot of things that you can improve in the future.

You can then figure out what exactly to do to improve yourself in those areas.

4. Share what you learn with others

If you like to share the life lessons you learn, you will learn even more yourself. While you are sharing your experiences, you may get new thoughts and insights.

Your friends could also give their ideas that further enrich yours. Sharing your experiences will benefit both you and your friends.

Small Business Ideas for teens

Teenagers are always looking to make more money. They understand that they need money in order to buy the things they want. Therefore, in order to get what they want, they have to make money. It's hard to find money at this age and it isn't always that easy to get a part time job, and even if they do get one, it's rarely the job of their dreams.

When most teens want to start making money, they look for a job. It's not always easy to find a job. Even if they do find a job, it's not usually a job they love or that pays much. Another way to make money is to start a business. Some teens have been very successful with starting a side business.

You don't need to make a million dollars with your business in order for it to be considered successful. You can start small and stay small and still make money. Some of the most common small business ideas for teens are lawn mowing, snow shoveling, babysitting, etc.

They aren't often thought of as businesses, but that is exactly what they are. By babysitting, you are offering a service of caring for your clients kids. You charge them a fee per hour. This is a business. The same goes for mowing lawns, you are offering a service of cut grass to your clients for a fee.

As long as you stay professional and treat your business like a business, you should be able to consistently make a profit. Tell everyone you know about your business. Tell friends and family and promote it using fliers and getting the word out every way you can. Make your business look professional by giving it a name, setting up standard fees, making a logo, and treating your customers and clients professionally. Do a great job and your clients will begin to refer you to people they know.

If none of these business ideas appeal to you, try to think outside the box. You could sell snacks, drinks, and candy in town or at a park. When people are thirsty and hungry and you're the only one to fill their need, they'll buy. You could even try selling stuff like candy at school, but make sure it's allowed and that you won't get into trouble.

Do you do very well in school? Even if you just do very well in one or two subjects that many other people have trouble in, come up with a tutoring service. Check with your school to see if it's okay to advertise it to your classmates first. You can charge by the hour or half hour, or you can charge a discounted rate for tutoring a small group of 3 or 4. Do some research and studying to come up with excellent tutoring techniques. If you help people get good grades, you'll have a higher demand for customers.

Getting a job will make you money, but jobs aren't for everyone. A successful small business is often more profitable and much more fun. Get creative and come up with the next big small business.

Find Support For Your Grief Through Others.

Many people make the assumption that when someone has suffered the loss of a relative or close friend, it is better to leave them to grieve alone. The reason for this is that they believe that talking about the person after the funeral has passed will bring back more grief, and make the person feel uncomfortable, or upset them by saying something wrong. This is not usually the case though, and this approach can avoid asking the questions which the bereaved actually want to hear. These people need to cry and become upset, as it is all part of the healing process.

Grieving is actually easier if you do not do it alone. Though family and friends may not instantly offer their support, if you let them know how you are feeling, and how they could help you, then you may be pleasantly surprised about the level of support they then offer.

The are many sources of people that you can talk to about your grief. Friends are an ideal source, as they know you and care about you, and will be willing to take some pressure of you to help you through the hard times. They may also be able to take care of your affairs if it is becoming too much for you. You should tell friends that if you become upset or angry whilst in your company, it is not because of them. If they understand this they will feel more comfortable around you during this time, and you will be more appreciative of them being there.

Although other family members may also be grieving over the same loss, close relatives can also offer each other support. Though pressures will be high, and tensions will be heightened, by keeping in close contact with relatives you can form a healing community together.

If you are a follower of a religion, speaking to people associated with these communities can be of great benefit. They will understand what you are going through, and your faith may become stronger as a result.

Dedicated support groups are another great option for the grieving. These people can also relate to what you are experiencing, and because of this it is possible that they may be able to offer you a type of understanding which you might not fins with others. You can find support groups both locally and through the internet.

If the grief continues, and does not seem to diminish over time, then a therapist or psychiatrist may be a good option. These people are professionally trained on how to understand your grief, then help you move forward in to the healing process, and on with the rest of your life.

Stress Management in the Workplace

Even if you are troubled beyond your limitations in the office, you can't do anything about it as after all, there aren't many occupations that don't make stress to some level. The idea is to be sure you can manage the issue of handling your stress! Alas the regular work environment reduces the methods that you can use to manage your tension, so for instance, if watching Television or films frees your stress, you cannot very well do that when you are at the business office. Neither will you be allowed to play pool or sing on a karaoke machine so the most you can hope to do is play some fast PC game, hoping that somehow it can unwind you, and for some individuals, this is adequate.

Nevertheless, there are practices to free the stress while seated at your office chair, because the trick is to not wait around for the tension levels to go up. As they say in medicine, an ounce of prevention is more than a pound of cure so do not wait to get worried and here's a couple of ways to do this. Individuals who are essentially fit will have more energy levels on which to employ. They are more able to withstand late nights and are more able to keep up with long periods of high brain action compared to people who are not, so to do this, you have got to consume healthy foods particularly those that are productive in vitamins, minerals and proteins. Also, having all the energy that you want will assist you manage better with stress when it happens.

Sleeping furnishes the body the rest that it requires as brain action and bodily processes slow down when people are sleeping. If a person misses sleep, energy levels decrease and the brain becomes confused which results in poorer concentration. In the long run this can become detrimental to your work operation thus, one way to avoid tension altogether is get the required 8 hours or more sleep as it will do you good.

Another manner to combat tension and to preclude it from occurring entirely is to have a daily jog or an exercise routine. Experts say that a person must work out 30 minutes every day to successfully keep the body in good shape and healthy. Physical exercise fortifies our resistance and increases the energy levels but it also assists to keep the stressors at bay as it loosens the muscles and keeps the air running freely through breathing techniques.

Nothing can make you more irritated than not managing your work time efficiently. Just speak to people who are familiar with cramming for tests or for work assignments. Preparing your time correctly and doing what you are meant to do an at the right time will help prevent the stressors.

Also, by doing your duty assignments and work load piece by piece allows you to relax while doing it and gives you sufficient time to truly work on it should your employer decide to have it real early. Being content and optimistic is the number stress buster there is and a smile can help keep the muscles in the face loosened. You in reality use less muscular tissues than when you are angry so laugh when at work and keep relaxed.

Tips to Prevent Panic Attacks

Of the ever increasing number of neurological disorders, panic attacks are a bit of a mystery to medical specialists as the cause of the problem could be anything but the underlying reason stems from an anxiety about something. By recognizing the causes of panic attacks, it is the first step to controlling them as you learn that a particular trigger does not have to mean a panic attack.

This is about taking control and being aware of an anxiety attack trigger is an important step forward to completely eliminating them. No-one should feel that feeling of anxiety so they must know from the outset that the goal is to eliminate the anxiety completely.

It is not uncommon for panic attacks to be the result of a situation that has happened to the individual in the past which when reminded about, results in strong emotions of fear, anger, frustration even guilt or depression but the trigger will vary from person to person. As part of a condition called general anxiety disorder, they all originate in the same area of the brain and the symptoms are pretty much the same with anyone who suffers with it.

Most often seen in the work environment, general anxiety disorder can be caused by pressures at work which are also linked to depression so the person should avoid any position where this may be a cause. Anyone that suffers from anxiety will feel under much more pressure in this type of environment and is more likely to succumb to an anxiety attack.

Rapid but shallow breathing is a good indication that someone may be having an anxiety attack and they may have very strong feelings about their own mortality. However, a panic attack can be brought to a safe and quick end by teaching the patient how to control their breathing and as a result what their mind is thinking about.

It is an easy matter to teach someone breathing exercises which will need to become an automatic response whenever a panic attack occurs. This involves inhaling for two seconds while pushing the stomach out and exhaling for another two seconds; this is repeated for as long as possible.

At no time must you think that because you have to consciously control your breathing that you are not in complete control. It is important that the focus of this be on controlling the hyperventilation and not actually the breathing and if this can be done the attack will ease very quickly. If for some reason this method is not working then a doctor's advice and attention needs to be sought so the condition does not persist.

7 Motivational Quotes to Brighten Your Day

Words are free for us to make, string together, and dispense with but there are times in life when only the right words can make us feel better. We know what we want to hear or say but the right words simply don't come to mind. It is in these times that motivational quotes prove their worth. Motivational quotes summarize everything we feel, expect, and believe in. We use them to be inspired and become better.

Be more motivated today, tomorrow, and for the other days to come with the carefully chosen motivational quotes below.

Focus on remedies, not faults - Jack Nicklaus Mistakes are so difficult to forget while the good things in life have an ephemeral existence in our minds. But why should we let our minds dwell on mistakes? What good can it do? The only time we should think about our faults is for the purpose of learning from them. Upon achieving that, we should focus next on remedies and move on.

Anger and haste hinder good counsel. - English Proverb Motivational quotes shouldn't be exclusively used for creating happy thoughts and feelings. They should also be used to get rid of unhappy ones and give way for something nicer, warmer, and brighter. Anger is one such emotion and you can use the motivational quote below to remind yourself how futile and destructive anger can be.

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. - Ralph Waldo Emerson There are many ways to apply this quote to our lives. If you have a goal, mere wanting is inadequate. You must have a burning desire for it. For that matter, enthusiasm isn't something to be embarrassed about. A world-weary outlook on life may be considered fashionable but some, but such affectations won't make you any happier. Be glad you have something to be excited about for these are the things that make life worthwhile.

Every man is the architect of his own fortune - Sallus Do not blame God or anyone else for your misfortune. It is useless to do so. You need to strive above all things because it is your life and everything that happens to you is within your power. True enough, some things can't be achieved overnight but if you work hard enough and believe in yourself, you will get what you want no matter what obstacles you're facing.

When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid. - Audre Lorde Don't waste time dwelling on your fears and insecurities. Rather, concentrate on discovering your strengths and finding out the best way to put them to use in order to achieve your goals. When you do that, you'll become too busy to ever remember to be afraid.

Practice hope. As hopefulness becomes a habit, you can achieve a permanently happy spirit. - Norman Vincent Peale Yes, hope is something everyone knows and understands but it's not something everyone can do and do repeatedly. Hope takes practice. Moreover, it requires constant practice because it's the only path to happiness. In that line, do remember another important motivational quote, from Horace this time: Never despair!

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? - Vincent Van Gogh Explaining this quote would be made easier with the use of yet another quote: courage is not defined by the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.