Tag: Learn

  • How to Select the Right Marketing Strategy for Your Business

    How to Select the Right Marketing Strategy for Your Business

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    I’ve probably had more conversations about this topic with clients than any other: What marketing strategies should I use to market my professional services?

    These days, there are more options to market yourself than ever before. And you may have a tendency to look for something quick and easy that will generate a never-ending stream of new prospective clients.

    I wish that solution existed. Some of the newer methods of marketing, such as YouTube videos, are very powerful, but extremely difficult for the average person to pull off successfully.

    Over the years, I’ve had tremendous success with three primary marketing activities. And I’ve also helped a whole lot of clients implement these strategies successfully as well. Nevertheless, for all of them it can take a tremendous amount of time and energy to get consistent results.

    Here are the pros and cons of each strategy and my overall recommendations about how to integrate each one into your overall marketing plan.

    Networking and Direct Outreach

    This strategy about building relationships with others in your field who can connect you to prospective clients. This means having conversations, attending meetings (individually or in groups), and doing follow-up. Sometimes it means reaching out directly to those in your network (including LinkedIn), being proactive, and exploring possibilities for projects.

    Pros: Networking is the most concentrated, focused, personal kind of marketing. And if you do it well and consistently it can be extremely effective in building strong relationships and trust with your business associates and prospects.

    Cons: The downside of networking is that it can drain your energy. This is a particular issue for introverts like me. And networking only enables you to reach a limited number of people.

    Recommendation: Start marketing your professional services by meeting as many people as you possibly can – face to face. Join organizations and associations and then learn how to use LinkedIn to connect with new prospects.

    Speaking (Live and Webinars)

    If you want to gain a reputation as an expert, nothing is better than speaking. And it combines the best of networking and writing, in that you are connecting with people directly and also sharing your valuable expertise.

    Pros: Speaking can quickly establish you as an expert. And you can immediately follow up with those in your audience.

    Cons: The downside of speaking is that, for many people, it comes with a high fear factor, therefore a lot of people avoid it.

    Recommendation: As your network expands, start to find audiences to present your ideas through professional associations, chambers of commerce, and other groups both offline and online. Learn the skills of giving a great presentation and of following up with your audience members.

    Writing

    Publishing articles and books have always been a good way to market professional services. It establishes your credibility. And with the expansion of various platforms on the Internet, such as Medium, and tools such as WordPress, it’s easier than ever to put your ideas out there.

    Pros: There is no better way to get your ideas out into the world and in front of a large number of people quickly and at virtually no cost.

    Cons: The downside of writing is the sheer volume of online material. There are so many articles published online these days and sent out by email that it can be hard to break through. And yes, writing is a lot of work and takes lots of time.

    Recommendations: You should publish an online newsletter and blog as soon as possible. Work at growing your list and you’ll expand both your reach and credibility. Note that this can take years, so you need to be patient.

    This is the fifth of five articles about the 5 Pillars of Marketing, my marketing model that helps get your marketing on track. 5 Pillars article here.

    Social Media (supplemental strategy)

    For independent professionals, social media is a fast and easy way to communicate about what you’re up to in your business. It’s worth the time to set up LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

    Pros: It’s easy to set up social media accounts and start posting and linking almost immediately.

    Cons: It can take a long time to gain traction that results in any new business. And it can also eat up a huge amount of time.

    Recommendation: Think of social media as a supplement to networking, speaking, and writing. It can increase your visibility and credibility among those you already know.

    All of these marketing strategies take time to master and don’t yield immediate results, but in my experience, the time and effort you put into them will reward your investment many times over.

    Perhaps the biggest mistake you can make in marketing your professional services is implementing these activities randomly and superficially. For success, you need to do all of them regularly and frequently. And for that you need a solid, step-by-step plan.

    Cheers, Robert

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    Source by Robert Middleton

    Views: 1

  • The Real Reason Why Small Businesses Can’t Get Approved for a Loan

    The Real Reason Why Small Businesses Can’t Get Approved for a Loan

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    Oh no, not again. Yes, that’s right, I’m not going to go there… at least not for today. There’s no shortage of excuses and reasons why small businesses can’t get approved for business loans. It never fails to amaze me the coverage this topic gets especially when the national economy goes into recession or when major political races are at stake. Yes, I agree that small business growth and success is the economic back bone of the US and also, that more than 60% of the US workforce are employed by small businesses. But where I get off the group think is when it comes to the lack of financing for a small business with a business loan. In this article, let’s explore the REAL REASON that small business don’t qualify for loans and the truth may even surprise you.

    It’s Deeper Than Statistics

    I love numbers and even better, I love reading financial statements and the notes. The love for numbers did not become a passion for me in the world of small business lending until I came to understand that the financial statements tell the story of a business. Similar to the story behind the financial statements, there’s a story behind the statistics stating that small business owners can’t get approved for loans especially if they’re of a certain ethnic group, gender, and / or industry. I’m not completely washing away the reality that there’s a shred of discrimination in our world… hey, we live in a broken society with broken people. However, a large part of this thinking (small business owners can’t get a loan because of skin color, gender, etc) is just simply untrue. I’ve been on both sides of the fence so to speak in the world of small business lending. I’ve worked for a big bank, and I’ve worked for a not for profit community development financial institution and it’s always the same. The number one reason why small business can’t (and don’t) get approved for loans is due to the considerably large operating risk that exists in these businesses.

    Operating Risk: It All Starts with You

    What does operating risk mean? Well, here’s a question to bring some clarity. What speaks more to sustainability: a business that’s been operating for at least one year or a business that’s still in the owner(s) mind? I’d go with the first option. Operating risk means that you have and continue to execute on your business plan(s) and that the business is cash flow positive (i.e. returning a sustainable profit margin to cover costs and make you money). Here’s the sad truth: not many small businesses get to this point. Most if any, within two years are still trying to figure things out. OK, granted, there are levels to this particularly when you observe the diversity of businesses. However, I’m speaking to the ones that endeavor to obtain a business loan.

    In closing, I offer a couple of ways to minimize your operating risk and increase your chances of getting approved for a loan. (1) Grow tough skin and learn to survive. The game of business is one of survival. Most days, things will not go your way and you just have to stay the course, be adaptable, and stay true to the business mission. (2) Never forget the 3 P’s – Production, Processes, and Personnel. Become efficient in the production of what you offer for sale, create and put in place processes to enhance production efficiency and ultimately the customer experience, and finally, hire, train, and invest in people who share your vision for the business.

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    Source by Pierre Pinkerton

    Views: 1

  • Get the Kind Of Marriage Counselling That Is Healthy For Your Relationship

    Get the Kind Of Marriage Counselling That Is Healthy For Your Relationship

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    Marriage is a union of not only two souls but two families. It determines how the next phase of your life will look like and the expectations you can have from it. There comes a few times when things do not go so well and there are various ups and downs in a marriage. This is not a new thing as every marriage has faced such obstacles at certain phases of their life and they have dealt with it.

    Marriage counseling comes as a huge help during these situations where you get guidance from a professional as to how you can handle such situations and not let the marriage get over. You get to learn a lot of tips and lessons from these counseling sessions that help you in the long run to keep that bond with your partner intact.

    Let us have a look at some specific benefits that come your way because of this kind of counseling sessions:

    • LEARN TO DEAL WITH THE MATTER IN A MATURE WAY

    It is not necessary that you need to argue and fight in order to resolve a particular problem that might have taken place between partners. These matters can be handled maturely as well with a polite and civilized conversation between the two and then eventually reaching to a conclusion that will help to deal with the problem that has risen. This is the kind of tips that you can expect from these sessions that will help you to deal with the problem in a healthy manner.

    • YOU WILL LEARN TO DEVELOP A MORE EXTROVERT KIND OF A NATURE

    One of the best lessons that comes our way from these sessions are that how you can stop hiding your thoughts and feelings within you and open up about them so that it gets more clear that what exactly each one of you have been thinking and where the problem lies. It is very important that you do not trap your feelings and be as vocal about it as possible and have a proper communication with your partner about it.

    • YOU WILL GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER

    Once all the misunderstandings and miscommunication is resolved, you will have a much better and deeper understanding of your spouse. You will develop a deep understanding for each other and that will help to sustain the marriage that had been hitting the rocks for a while now. This understanding will take the marriage a long way and make it more stable. You can very well see the role this kind of counseling gets to play in such scenarios, you do need a helping hand at times to get back on track and this kind of a help is exactly what a bit of an unstable marriage requires getting back on its feet.

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    Source by Achal Mehrotra

    Views: 0

  • What is the Ultimate Lifestyle?

    What is the Ultimate Lifestyle?

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    Since the mission of this newsletter is to help you define,

    carve out, and live your own Ultimate Lifestyle, I figured I

    should devote some space to laying a proper foundation for

    doing that.

    Before you can hit a target, you need to know where it is!

    So, to begin, let’s answer the question:

    What is The Ultimate Lifestyle?

    First of all, it’s different for different people. There are

    no rules or formulas. For some people, it means a lot of

    money, lots of “stuff,” a fast-paced and “jet-set” sort of

    lifestyle. For others, it means a very simple, slow-paced

    life that focuses on service to others. And for others, it’s

    every possible scenario in between these two “extremes.”

    There’s no right or wrong lifestyle, or good or bad

    lifestyle.

    There’s just what works for you — and it will likely change

    over time. I know it has for me.

    No matter how you end up defining Ultimate Lifestyle for

    yourself, now and in the future, there are 8 components that

    must be considered:

    1) Income Streams

    To live your Ultimate Lifestyle, you must have income

    streams flowing that allow you to pay your bills and finance

    all the “extras” you prefer. To me, the ultimate target to

    shoot for in this arena is to have income streams flowing

    whether you “show up” for “work” or not, so you can choose

    what you want to show up for (even if it continues to be

    what you call “work” or a “job.”).

    That’s what I’ve been able to achieve by applying my

    Invisible Path/11th Element strategies combined with direct

    marketing on and off the Internet.

    Having income streams flowing whether you show up or now

    seems like “pie in the sky” to many people, but it’s

    actually very attainable in today’s world. You’ll learn more

    about how to do it in future issues.

    2) Emotions and Beliefs

    Many people fail to create their Ultimate Lifestyle because

    they have emotional blocks, issues, or beliefs (what I call

    “p.s’s.” or “master biography files”) that hold them back.

    Other people have produced extraordinary results and could

    live their Ultimate Lifestyle, but their blocks, issues or

    beliefs prevent them from doing it — or fully enjoying it.

    Therefore, living The Ultimate Lifestyle must include having

    access to resources and inner skills that allow you to

    uncover and remove, heal, or release any blocks, issues or

    beliefs that hold you back. You’ll learn more about how to

    do that in future issues.

    3) Fulfillment and Satisfaction

    Whether you have a 9-5 job and career, you’re a full-time

    mom, or whatever you do with your time, a big part of living

    The Ultimate Lifestyle means getting as much fulfillment and

    satisfaction from what you spend your time on as possible.

    Many people don’t ask for this, don’t focus on this, and

    therefore don’t get it. You must make it part of your

    intention and focus!

    4) Living Environment

    How and where do you want to live? In the mountains? In the

    big city? On the water? Multiple homes? Do you want to live

    in a big home or a small home? Is privacy or seeing

    beautiful scenery out your windows important to you? Do you

    like modern furnishings, antiques, or an eclectic mix?

    Living the Ultimate Lifestyle means asking these questions

    and having a home base that nourishes you at a very deep

    level. My family recently moved to Charlottesville, Virginia

    in pursuit of the nourishing living environment we craved —

    and we got it, even better than we expected!

    5) Relationships

    What good is having income streams, a healthy emotional

    life, empowering belief systems, a great living environment,

    and a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction from how you

    spend you time if you’re alone (and don’t want to be) or

    your relationships with significant others (parents,

    siblings, kids, associates, etc.) are a mess? Believe me, I

    know about this one from long personal experience (before

    meeting my wife, Cecily).

    Therefore, living The Ultimate Lifestyle must include having

    access to resources and inner skills that allow you to

    attract, build, and maintain healthy relationships.

    6) Health

    Again, what good is having income streams, a healthy

    emotional life, empowering belief systems, a great living

    environment, fulfillment and satisfaction, and great

    relationships if you have health problems that drag your

    quality of life into the gutter?

    Dr. Robert Lindberg says, “We spend most of our life gaining

    wealth and we then spend most of our wealth on gaining back

    our health.”

    Living The Ultimate Lifestyle means having access to

    knowledge, resources, and skills that allow you to get

    healthy, stay healthy, and quickly resolve difficulties if

    and when they arise. I discussed some of the resources I use

    for this in previous issues, and will continue to share them

    in future issues,

    7) Time

    You can have income streams, a healthy emotional life,

    empowering belief systems, a great living environment,

    fulfillment and satisfaction, great relationships and health

    and if you don’t have any time to do what you love, to

    follow your non-work passions, or to truly enjoy anything,

    what’s the point? I know many people who could absolutely be

    living their Ultimate Lifestyle, but they choose to work too

    much, to the detriment of their quality of life. That’s too

    bad — to have the choice and ability and not do it.

    8) Wealth Building, Management, and Responsibility

    The final component to living The Ultimate Lifestyle is

    having systems in place that allow you to use your income

    streams to create wealth (as you define it), manage it, grow

    it, protect it, structure your financial and business

    affairs for maximum efficiency and personal benefit, and

    find ways of contributing and giving back (if that’s

    important to you, which it is to me and my wife).

    I’ll be writing a follow up article, called “The fuel that drives the Ultimate Lifestyle” shortly.

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    Source by Bob Scheinfeld

    Views: 0

  • Drugs – An Ugly and Temporary Escape From Reality

    Drugs – An Ugly and Temporary Escape From Reality

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    People that use drugs to cope with life do so because of what the drugs do to them. Most drug addicts have experienced pain from something that has happened to them in the past and the drugs, for a short time, have made that pain go away. Once they realize that the drugs do in fact make them feel better is when the abuse begins to happen.

    Most drugs do a great job of taking reality out of the minds of the user. They feel free once the drugs begin to kick in. They don’t care about the past or anything of that pain that has haunted them and they feel invincible living in the moment. The only problem is that each time the addict does the drug, he or she needs to do even more of it to get to the same feeling.

    What drug abusers don’t understand is that the drugs don’t take away from the problem, they only add to it. The reality of life never goes away it is just masked and distorted due to the effect that the drugs have. In order to overcome this life full of pain and hurt is not to go to drugs for relief, but to deal with life head on. And this is what the drug rehab places do so well.

    Drug rehab centers are there to help the addict overcome their physical addiction to the drug or drugs. They then confine in the individual to learn that the drugs are in fact not their best escape but just a temporary release that compounds their own situation for the worst. True relief from the pain that haunts them is to see the past for what it really is, something that happened before and is now out of everyone’s control. Once they realize that they can’t change something that has happened, they can then learn to live life from this point on.

    The drug rehab centers goal is to educate the addict about their illness so they can understand how to control their mind and eventually learn to live a productive life. They hope to instill in them a confidence that any goal they set to achieve can be accomplished no matter what their situation was or where they came from.

    Drugs are in ugly escape from reality that gives the user an invincible feeling for a short amount of time. Drug addicts too can change but first have to become knowledgeable about their situation and then want to make the change.

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    Source by Wade Davis

    Views: 1

  • 4 Little Understood Tricks to Ending Up Being a Successful Affiliate Online Marketer

    4 Little Understood Tricks to Ending Up Being a Successful Affiliate Online Marketer

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    Affiliate marketing company has actually gotten a great deal of buzz in current times due to advances in web innovations and upswing of social networks channels like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and so on

    Some affiliate online marketers particularly novices battle to make successfully due to the fact that they do not completely comprehend the service.

    WHAT REALLY IS AFFILIATE MARKETING?

    Affiliate Marketing is the procedure of making online commissions by promoting product or services. Your commissions are made each time you get a lead (Possible client) or offer items online.The fascinating element of affiliate marketing service is that you can make a lots of cash with a little financial investment.

    You can begin the company without items or services of your own, work from house and make passive earnings even while sleeping if you have an efficient system in location.

    HOW DOES AFFILIATE MARKETING WORK

    Register under the affiliate program of credible business that have important services and products.

    Get your custom-made affiliate tracking link for each item you choose to promote online.

    Select the ideal traffic source to utilize in promoting the item.

    Select the specific niche items to concentrate on.

    Pick the marketing method to utilize I.e Blogging, video or social networks marketing.

    4 MAJOR WINNING STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR REVENUES ONLINE

    Concentrate on a single specific niche at a time

    This allows you to quickly encourage your consumers to purchase your items. This will enable you to find out and obtain brand-new selling techniques that will increase your sales and increase your revenues.

    Select traffic sources

    It is suggested to concentrate on 2 traffic sources at a time. I will advise concentrating on one online search engine and one social networks traffic at a time. This allows you to appropriately track and enhance projects released on each platform consequently optimizing your revenues per product.The trick of incredibly affiliates is their capability to concentrate on a traffic source, screening and tracking projects efficiently.

    Test marketing technique to utilize

    You can never ever understand if either blogging, social networks or video marketing will be most rewarding till you evaluate marketing techniques such as:

    Track the data/results received from each of the approaches then you concentrate on the technique that produces the best earnings.

    Video marketing; You can make a video explaining the functions of the item then you publish it on YouTube for individuals to view.

    Blogging: You can compose a post utilizing well research study keywords for SEO. This attracts your customers to your blog site and triggers them to decide.

    Social Network Marketing: This is the commonest and the simplest approach particularly for novices. Facebook is a great platform since it has great deals of groups/forums where you can discover individuals who have an interest in your services and product. You can quickly send them a pal demand and pitch your items to them.

    Select the traffic type

    Paid traffic includes utilizing Pay per click or Pay per view marketing on online search engine and social networks platforms. This technique is much faster, related to increased conversion and earnings due to the fact that it enables you to target your customers particularly based upon interests and other functions.

    The traffic type can either be totally free or paid traffic.

    Complimentary traffic includes SEO, social networks groups, and short article marketing. The downside of this technique is that it does not permit you to target your customer based upon their interests and demographics.

    Learn more about how to become a successful affiliate marketer.

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    Source by Juan C Ruiz

    Views: 0

  • What Your Doctor Knows About Varicose Vein Surgery Cost – And You Should, Too

    What Your Doctor Knows About Varicose Vein Surgery Cost – And You Should, Too

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    If you know someone who deals with frequent doctor's, you're probably taken back by the number of medical procedures you've never heard of before. Particular medical procedures you might not be familiar with are those that pertain to varicose veins, and while that's not necessarily news, what you might want a little light shown on is varicose vein surgery cost.

    The one thing that is no secret is the cost of healthcare in this country. The cost of trying to be a healthy person nowadays is astoundingly high, which can often make people shy away from seeing a doctor. When it comes to varicose veins, the last thing most people will do is see their doctor about getting rid of them because it seems like an expense that's not worth making. After all, getting rid of them is often a cosmetic procedure, and dropping serious money on what essentially feels like a vanity project seems frivolous.

    Herein, however, lies the problem. Too many people are making a medical decision based on its cost-effectiveness. While this is a much bigger problem in terms of healthcare (way too big for the purposes of this article), it comes down to patients not taking the time to consult their physicians, which can be dangerous. It's time to be proactive patients and act as savvy consumers. Cost is often looked at as a taboo subject, but you deserve to know everything you can to make an informed decision. When it comes to your varicose veins, you need your doctor to be upfront about the cost of surgery to treat them.

    Here are some things you may learn from your physician about varicose vein surgery cost:

    Surgery Costs More Money Than Other Treatments – Because of the invasive nature of surgery, it costs more. It can also lead to longer periods of recovery and may not have the outpatient recovery other treatments do.

    There Is More Than One Treatment Possibility – Surgery is one of the last treatments noted in dealing with varicose veins. Be sure to ask your doctor about these possibilities first.

    Insurance May Not Pay – Varicose vein treatments tend to be seen as cosmetic, therefore they're labeled as elective procedures, which most insurance plans don't cover. You need to know this before any treatments.

    Less Invasive Can Be Best – Many of the treatments can be done in the office and have relatively low recovery periods. This is becoming quite the norm for most medical procedures and might be the best course of action for your varicose veins.

    Alternative Medicine – Though a little on the edge, ask you doctor about any alternative medicine options. While most medical professionals may scoff at alternative medicine (herbal and dietary supplements), others may be enlightened enough to note some possibilities, though they'll be quick to note that there isn't much information out there to consider them viable options.

    Varicose vein surgery cost can keep individuals from going through with the procedure just because they don't know how to pay for it. If there are issues with their insurance or simply with income, paying for surgery is almost impossible. Discuss these issues with your doctor and have honest conversations about all facets of your varicose vein treatment. The last thing you want to do is leave your health mired in misinformation & matters of billing.

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    Source by Morris Raymond

    Views: 0

  • Why Can’t I Forget My Ex Wife? Help for Moving on After Divorce

    Why Can’t I Forget My Ex Wife? Help for Moving on After Divorce

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    It is 3 a.m. Silence echoes inside the empty house. You know you will not meet tomorrow’s deadline for that project at work, but you don’t care. All this seems so trivial. It’s been that way a year now. A veil has been covering your perception, your goals and your aspirations. Only this one phrase keeps repeating itself inside your mind: “Why Can’t I Forget my Ex Wife?” You keep wondering if there was anything you could have done to save this marriage. You cannot understand why you sink deeper and deeper into this vicious circle inside your mind, instead of getting over it. They say time heals, but it does not seem to be happening to you. Time cannot heal, unless you want it to.

    Healing from divorce for men is just as hard as it is for women, maybe even harder. The reason for this is that women express their emotions, but for men it’s not as easy. They suppress their feelings. They struggle to abide by the role imposed to them by society and this always backfires. The pain inside of them accumulates and it multiplies to the point that it becomes unbearable.

    1. Express Yourself

    This is the most important thing you need to do during and long after the divorce. The phrase “men do not cry” couldn’t be far from the truth. Men do cry, but they do so in solitude. Do not struggle to hold back your tears in the company of a dear friend.

    2. Communicate

    Talk about it for hours with your friends and relatives, if you feel the need to.

    3. Avoid By All Means Mutual Contacts

    Whatever you say will be more than likely transferred in a distorted version to your ex-wife and vice versa. This creates a never-ending gossiping circle, which completely destroys a man’s chances to recover after divorce.

    If contact with mutual friends and relatives is inevitable, demand that they do not talk to you about this matter.

    4. Get It Out Of Your System

    A day will come, when you are finally sick and tired of mourning. Gather all the pictures, letters and any other reminders and keep them in a safe place away from your sight. Stop going to places you went together. If you are the one who’s kept the house, move to a new house or even area.

    5. Avoid Rebound Relationships

    Most of the times, these relationships do not work. They slow down a man’s healing process after divorce and they end up hurting even more people.

    6. Take A Trip Alone

    Take a trip on your own to some remote, peaceful place with warm climate and tranquil water for swimming. It will help you relax, realize the beauty that still exists around you and give you the opportunity for introspection. All the pain you’ve gone through will be for nothing, if you do not learn from it.

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    Source by Larry J Milton

    Views: 0

  • Health Anxiety and Solutions

    Health Anxiety and Solutions

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    It's always important to take care of oneself using all the principles of good health. Regular check-ups, proper nutrition and healthful living all enable one to keep on top of their health in a careful yet reasonable way. Often one becomes overly concerned with health issues and caught up in a cycle of health worries. One health issue is reconciled when another immediately pops up to take its place. These worries become all encompassing and exhausting after a while.

    Eventually, the individual realizes that this cycle of health anxieties has intruded upon the quality of their life. A dark cloud, always hovering over daily living, this intrusive form of anxiety has to be addressed. One begins by determining why this is occurring, what purpose does it serve and how to interrupt this behavior.

    Reason for Health Anxiety

    Health worries actually serve a purpose and this purpose is not difficult to detect if one looks deep enough into this pattern of behavior. Often this pattern involves the brain distracting from specific emotions which the individual finds difficult to address.

    Many emotions are so overwhelming, such as anger, grief or fear, that the brain looks for ways to distract. Health worries fit the bill because when one worries intensely about their health, there is little room to address an upsetting emotion.

    Health worries blanket every other thought and this WORKS. This is the perfect distraction from unsettling emotions. When one worry is reconciled, another takes it place to veil the unaddressed emotion. Each health worry has a strong purpose, as it masks the true upsetting emotion, which is much more difficult to face in the long run.

    Solution

    – Recognition and acknowledgment of the Health Anxiety habit, one worry quickly following another in a noticeable loop that never ends. Awareness of this cycle is always the first step to reconciliation of the issue.

    – Determining if this health worry is a true physical problem by visiting one's primary physician and ruling out a definite physical cause for the difficulty. Always rule out a physical cause before assuming it is merely health anxiety.

    – Noticing that these health worries settle down when you become intensely interested in another topic or swept into a new relationship, job or cause.

    – Identify your patterns. Do you experience twinges of symptoms that often jump from one area of ​​the body to another? Do you find yourself overestimating physical intrusions and instantly jump to the conclusion that they signify danger or warrant the attention of an alert?

    – Find interests that involve your entire being. Lose yourself in things that allow you little time for inward thinking. True illness does not surface through boredom as do these behaviors. True health problems do not generally follow the same time table as health anxieties do. Health worries are stronger during times of boredom and when one lacks interests. An intelligent mind requires challenges and goals.

    – Activity is an important therapeutic tool against health worries. Exercise and movement invigorate and stimulate the mind and body in a positive way. Endorphins are released and Serotonin levels are boosted naturally when activity is a part of a daily routine. Moderate walking, jogging, tennis, swimming and dancing are all helpful activities that bring forth positive results.

    – Nutrition is also essential to good health which in itself helps eliminate the strong habit of negative thinking, often concerning health worries. When eating properly, Serotonin levels are naturally boosted and blood sugar levels remain stable. This helps settle down an over-reactive mind, leading to a lessening in health anxieties.

    – Talk back to the brain by firmly telling it to stop when health worries enter the mind. Shift into a more positive mode of thinking because you always have a choice in what you think about.

    The mind will respond by quieting down as negative thoughts subside. The brain, caught red handed in this behavior is instantly embarrassed causing it to suspend this cycle of negative thought. This is comparative to a child being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Embarrassment at being caught, stops this intrusive behavior.

    – Be aware of "what if" thinking. If the majority of sentences you think begin with "what if" then this is proof of a strong health anxiety habit. Change "what if" thinking to "so what" and watch the cycle break.

    Most of all, understand that worry solves nothing. Health worries, in particular will only serve to exhaust and deplete both mind and body. Consciously make a concerted effort to change the way you think and you will succeed in changing your life. You will go from self victimization to freedom from the intrusive habit of fearful worry.

    You always have a choice. Life can be wonderful and fulfilling when you learn to alter your perspective and chose a more positive point of view. You always have a choice. Never define yourself by your habit of worried thinking. Do not be victimized by health anxiety and fear. With a few simple corrections, especially in thinking, you will find your life changes from being difficult and upsetting to becoming easier and much more fulfilling on a daily basis.

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    Source by Dr.

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  • Stuffed Emotions Don't Die – They Multiply!

    Stuffed Emotions Don't Die – They Multiply!

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    As I work with clients on a daily basis, I am often amazed at how much fear is involved in showing emotion. Granted some people go the other way and completely out of control with their emotions. However, numerous others are entirely out of touch with how they feel. You can tell a person is in this situation because when you ask them the typical therapist question, "And how did that make you feel?" there will be a long pause. Uhhh …. ummmmm … truly the thought of putting emotion to an event is almost impossible for them.

    This process can be very frustrating when a person's spouse tends to be very in-tune with their emotions. They know exactly how they feel at all times. When an inquiry into what their partner is feeling brings a blank stare, there can be a complete break-down of communication. My common answer to help the aggravated partner understand what's happening inside their loved one's heart is, "when he / she tells you they don't know how they feel they are telling the truth. They truly don't know how they feel."

    Typically, a person who stuffs will respond to any situation requiring emotions in one or two ways. They will give you the one emotion that our culture allows us to show: anger. However, anger is not the real emotion they are feeling. It is just the emotion that we are allowed to express openly. Anger is really about hurt, unmet expectations or other pain. If a stuffer doesn't show you openly expressed anger, they will just push the anger down inside and do what they do so well … stuff it!

    The problem is that stuffing doesn't stop the emotion. Stuffed emotions don't get buried. Truly, stuffed emotions multiply. They become stronger and more powerful. Stuffing emotions over the long haul will eventually cause your body to break down. You can only carry so much emotion on the inside. Pretty soon your internal systems will start responding to the heavy load you are forcing them to carry.

    If you are a stuffer, please know that this information is coming your way via divine providence. It is time to step back and start finding new ways to identify and process your emotions. Emotions don't have to be scary when you learn better ways to get in touch with them. Emotions are just like the light on the dashboard of the car. They serve the purpose of letting you know that "something under the hood" needs looked at. You can take out the fuse so the light doesn't go on, but that doesn't stop the damage to the inside that could possibly happen if you drive on down the road ignoring the warning signal.

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    Source by Trudy Johnson

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