Continual Vigilance

Is your life passion filled? What are you the most passionate about? Are there places and parts of your life where the passion has disappeared?

When some people hear the word passion, it conjures up visions of sexual passion. Yet, that is only one small part of what passion is.

We have (or don’t have) passion for life, passion for certain things that we do, passion for living or just the act of being a very passionate person. What does it really mean to have these kinds of passion? It means you are enthused, dedicated, joyful, committed, excited, revved up. In short, when you do something with passion, live passionately or are passionate about something, you can bet that you are living directly from your heart and soul at those moments. Living deep, living large, living with gusto! Passion can be a sort of gauge, are you living via the go, or living via the soul? If you are living and doing via the soul, the passion will be there.

The problem is, so many of us have lost that passion, that joy for life. Why is it that we lose our passion? It could be so many factors, not the least of which are stress, being in a rut, suffering a loss, or a combination of things.

We are only human, after all, and being human can really wear you down. If you have lost your passion in any way shape or form, then go easy on yourself, it’s a normal part of life, the ebb and flow of energy. Give yourself time to go through whatever it is you are going through. We cannot life in high gear constantly and slowing down to heal or regroup is a natural part of the process we call life.

When you are ready to reclaim your passion, here are some steps that can help you along:

Acknowledge and thank the reasons or situations that have made you step back from your passion. Sometimes slowing down and taking a step back is the greatest gift we can give to ourselves. Instead of looking at your lack of passion as a negative, acknowledge it for coming into your life.
If you aren’t sure what you are passionate about, take a look at the things that bring you joy-the things that, when you are doing them, you lose all track of time. It becomes a meditation of sorts and time just stands still. That is when you are living in your passion.
Try to reclaim the joy of childhood. Adults tend to take themselves much too seriously and this so often suffocates our passion for life. Reclaim a sense of childhood joy and wonder about the world. For example, take a nature walk and make a point to notice the smallest things.
Take dancing lessons. Moving your body to music helps you free up stiffness in your body, frees your spirit and brings a lightness to your heart.
Get creative! Do something creative and get your hands dirty-mold something with clay, do finger painting, or dig in your garden (no gloves allowed!). Feel your body’s connection to whatever you are creating-don’t worry about getting dirty-that’s what soap and water are for! To clean that stuff up!
Forget about what other people think. Most of the time, they are too busy worrying what you think of them. So cut loose, get silly, enjoy yourself and have a good time! Revel in the gift of life…and do it with passion!

Arielle Sumner Consoli has been dubbed “Long Island’s Favorite Life Coach”. Aside from writing for such websites as The Long Island Guide (Ask the Coach!) and longisland.com (The Life Coach Expert) she has helped numerous people live their ideal lives by making lasting changes, removing blockages, achieving goals and by simply showing them how possible it is to truly live their dream. Arielle gives complimentary sessions, and hold numerous teleclasses throughout the year. Stop by her website at http://indigoskiescoaching.com for more information.

These days, if you’re starting a career as a freelance writer, it’s no longer enough to ring up a few editors and distribute a few business cards. Most of the people who want to hire you will ask if you have a website. If the answer is ‘no’, you could lose out on some valuable sources of income. Here are five reasons why you should have a web presence.

1. Developing the brand of you
As a writer, your name is your brand. People will like or hate your stuff, trust or distrust your opinions. Either way, they’ll have positive or negative feelings every time they see an article with your name on it. So your job is to build editors’ and readers’ trust in that brand.

2. Writing is your business - you need to treat it like one
Every reputable business has a website that showcases its products and services. You should too. How else are people going to know what you have to offer? A website allows your potential clients the luxury of accessing your information in their own time. You should include a resume, references, services (types of writing), samples of work, links to where you’re published on the net.

3. Efficiency
A website is a time saving way of showcasing your past and current work (an online portfolio or selection of clips). You can point editors to it as well - a time saver for you and them. No longer do you have to spend time selecting and printing your best work. Instead, upload examples to your site and link to other places where your work has been published.

4. Make your passion work for you
Some of the writing you do will be for love rather than money, but that’s no reason why you can’t make it work for you. Upload your short stories, poetry, novel chapters and so on to show how creative you are.

5. Skills development
If you do the web development yourself, you’ll also be gaining another valuable skill. The discipline of editing your material for a website will be invaluable when you’re trying to get a commission to write 40 web articles for a pittance (we all have to start somewhere).

So what are you waiting for? Get your stuff on the net and start building the brand of you.

Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor. Sharon worked in publishing for 18 years, writing articles and editing and designing books and magazines. She has also lectured on journalism. For more information or to contact Sharon, visit doublehdesign.com. Sharon also publishes freelance writing advice

The life cycle of the typical small business is short and painful. It starts out with a dream and ends with a whimper. And in between, a struggle of Herculean proportions is played out as the owner tries to figure out why the business isn’t succeeding.

Depending on which survey you read, up to 80% of small businesses fail. Most fail within the first five years and those who survive the first five are often losing money. Pursuing a career in small business ownership seems like a fool’s footpath straight to failure and poverty.

So, what is the difference between the 80% that fail and the 20% that succeed? When you examine the reasons that cause business failures, you begin to understand that most business failures are preventable. The major missing ingredient is knowledge. Business owners who get expert help before they open a business have a much greater chance of succeeding. Business owners who get expert help as their businesses grow and change succeed more quickly with fewer speed bumps along the way.

Why do businesses fail? A study published by Jessie Hagen of U.S. Bank gives the details of the top reasons for failure:

General Business Factors

• 78% - Lack of a well-developed business plan, including insufficient research on the business before starting it.

• 73% Being overly optimistic about achievable sales, money required and about what needs to be done to be successful.

• 70% Not recognizing, or ignoring, what they don’t do well and not seeking help from those who do.

• 63% Insufficient relevant and applicable business experience.

Financial Factors

• 82% Poor cash flow management skills/poor understanding of cash flow

• 79% Starting out with too little money.

• 77% Not pricing properly - failure to include all necessary items when setting prices

Marketing Factors

• 64% Minimizing the importance of promoting the business properly.

• 55% Not understanding who your competition is or ignoring competition.

• 47% Too much focus and reliance on one customer/client.

Human Resource Factors

• 58% Inability to delegate properly - micro-managing work given to others or over delegating and abdicating important management responsibilities.

• 56% Hiring the wrong people - clones of themselves and not people with complimentary skills, or hiring friends and relatives.

To get your own business on the right side of the 80/20 split, assess your business to see if any of these Failure Flags exist. Then, systematically eliminate them. And if you don’t have all the skills you need, hire an expert to help you. The cost of having a professional on your team is far less than watching your business join the 80% club.

Caroline Jordan is a small business coach and mentor working with small business owners to conquer the skill gaps that prevent success. For a free special report called Seven Secrets for Small Business Success visit http://www.TheJordanResult.com.
Get Knowledge. Get Focus. Get Results.

Many American homeowners have used refinance agreements to
save money on their interest rates while pulling cash out of
their homes to pay debt or make major purchases. Mortgage
lenders tout the practice as a clever way to save money or
achieve a major life event like college tuition or a
wedding.

If you’re considering pulling some cash out of your own
mortgage by refinancing, take a look at the rest of your
personal credit. You could inadvertently cause yourself much
grief while the savings you earned during the refinance get
sucked away by other lenders.

All lenders look at your debt to income ratio, along with
your credit score and other factors, to determine the lines
of credit they want to extend to you, as well as the
interest rates they expect you to pay. Most banks tie their
credit card interest rates to the prime rate set by the
Federal Reserve Bank. Because you pay a number of points
higher than the prime rate, you might be used to seeing that
interest rate fluctuate without experiencing any major
surges.

When you take equity out of your mortgage during a home
refinance, you increase your debt load. Therefore, your debt
to income ratio looks less attractive to lenders.

In previous decades, credit card issuers would review your
credit only once every few years. Usually, they would check
your credit scores when renewing your card or when you
requested a credit line increase.

Today’s sophisticated credit monitoring systems report your
activity on an almost daily basis. When you make a move with
any of your creditors, the data create a trail of ripples
through the fabric of your current credit relationships.
Sometimes, your new debt burden may trigger an automatic
system that shoots your credit card’s interest rate by ten
or fifteen percentage points.

Worst of all, you won’t know about the increase until it
shows up on your statement. Buried in the fine print of your
contract with your credit card lender are statements that
allow them to change your interest rate at will, with only a
maximum of fifteen days’ notice. Even if you thought you
earned a promotional deal or a fixed rate, your interest
charges could balloon overnight.

Therefore, before considering a cash out refinance, talk to
representatives at your credit card companies about whether
your plans could backfire on you. Pay off as much of your
credit card balances as possible before you cash out so you
can minimize your debt to income ratio. If your credit card
interest rate increases, use some of that freed-up cash to
free yourself from that card.

Earl Baker is a writer for DebtConsolidationer.com and RefinanceFinds.com.
For additional articles and an extensive resource for
everything about Debt-Consolidation and Refinance, please visit us at http://www.DebtConsolidationer.com and
http://www.RefinanceFinds.com.

Home improvement loans are designed to add extra beauty and give a new changed look to your abode. It’s not a child’s play to afford home renovation for a common man, as heavy expenditure is incurred in this. Home improvement loan is hence very beneficial to make major changes in your home.

You often feel bored with the same old interior of your home. You wish to make some significant changes but due to your limited budget you have to postpone your designs. Home improvement loan is very beneficial at such time. It helps you to make all those minor and major changes which you were thinking ever since you purchased your home.

Home improvement loan is an ideal choice to raise the standard of your living. You can now design your home without any worries of your financial status. It completely transforms your home, gives a vibrant change to the exterior and interior of your home. Home improvement loan can be distinguished into two major categories- secured home improvement loan, where offering collateral is mandatory for you. You bear a risk losing your property if you fail to repay. You find cheaper rate of interest and long repayment time. These loans are very fruitful when there are some big changes to be made.

Unsecured home improvement loans are its contrary. You have high interest and short repayment duration. But no risk posed to your property, if you fail to repay. They are suitable only for making small changes in your home. To get reasonable interest rate, search online. Home improvement loan also increases market value of your abode.

The one-time friend turned killer that was once such an indispensible, yet unnoticed, part of our daily lives for so many centuries, is now a feared enemy. It is Asbestos (from the Greek for ‘inextinguishable’) and is the reason for thousands of global compensation claims by mesothelioma lawyers against employers, manufacturers and processors of asbestos-related products. Many asbestos workers, and those unwitingly exposed to asbestos, have been given a mesothelioma diagnosis for which there is no cure, maybe just a little temporary relief, until the inevitable distressing death a few months or years after diagnosis.

Mesothelioma is a time bomb because it can be that less than a day’s exposure to asbestos dust is enough to produce mesothelioma, some 30-40 years later, when mesothelioma symptoms are first noticed. Though most mesothelioma victims are men, because mainly they worked in those industries, sometimes their wives and family too are innocent sufferers from this disease, inhaling the asbestos dust shaken from their husband’s/fathers’ clothing, or hair, at the end of the working day.

Whether the fault lies with manufacturers & employers (assuming they knew of the dangers) or the employees (did everyone diligently use respirator equipment and protective clothing, if it was supplied?), is something for the mesothelioma lawyers, insurance companies and courts to thrash out.
Meanwhile, asbestosis & mesothelioma victims are dying a painful and inexorable death, before their cases can even come to court or a settlement is reached. As there is no cure for mesothelioma or asbestosis, all that can be done is to make the sufferer’s plight as comfortable as possible, before death finally brings mercyful relief. Although various governments have introduced, albeit belatedly, anti-asbestos legislation, sufferers find that in some cases the time limit for claiming compensation is unrealistically short, given
the long time (30-40 years) before mesothelioma symptoms are first noticed. Many victims are dying before they get a court verdict, or even before they get to court. Unlike its Greek derivation, Mesothelioma and asbestosis victims are not inextinguishable.

What is Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer in the fluid-filled sac between the Mesothelium lining the lungs, or abdominal cavity or heart, and the body. In a healthy person, the mesothelium secretes a fluid which lubricates these organs, allowing them to expand, contract and easily slide over neighbouring tissues. Fluid in excess of that required for lubrication is removed through the blood & lymph system. In a person with Mesothelioma, the asbestos fibres penetrate the organ, into the fluid sac, producing cancerous cells which attack other cells, thickening the fluid, causing pain, and difficulty with breathing. Peritoneal Mesothelioma and, less commonly, Pericardial Mesothelioma, are not as common as the pleural type, but just as deadly.

The Causes of Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural Mesothelioma, the most common form of mesiothelioma, is caused, according to all known evidence, exclusively by inhalation of asbestos fibres. These fibres are very thin & sharp enough to penetrate the lining of the lung, entering the plural sac, thereby damaging the mesothelium cells. Often, cancerous growth results, as described above. Other factors also come into play, including the changes induced in macrophages by their ingestion of asbestos particles. The asbestos seems to stimulate the macrophage to produce free radicals, which then affect DNA to induce cancerous cell behaviour. The chances of a person in an asbestos-related environment developing lung cancer, are said to be about 50 times increased if that person smokes, though there is no evidence to show that smoking itself causes mesothelioma. Ironically, one brand of cigarettes in the 1950’s used asbestos in the filter tips.

There are other factors too that can play a part, such as heredity, general health and diet. Although not too much has been clincially proven about these factors, as with all diseases, the better the person’s health the better their chances of not catching a disease.

The History of Asbestos.
It is probably not generally known that asbestos has been around since 4000 BC, when it was used in lamp wicks and candles. Interestingly, it was also used in the cloth wrapping of Egyptian mummies. Maybe this is the real origin of ‘The Curse of The Mummy’ stories; grave robbers, and maybe Egyptologists, could expect to get their just desserts! Clothing made from asbestos was highly prized in ancient times to wrap the bodies of Kings, so that their ashes would not mix with the earth or other contaminants during cremation, and it is said the Romans simply threw their asbestos napkins into a fire to cleanse and purify them.

Asbestos, a type of silica, is mined from three main types of metamorphic rock:- Chrysotile (white asbestos), Amosite (brown asbestos) and Crocodilite (blue asbestos). Other asbestos bearing rocks such as Tremolite, Anthophyllite and Actinolite are not in such common use but could still be found in some construction work, talcum powders and vermiculite. During the Middle Ages there does not appear to be much evidence of asbestos use; they probably had other problems, like recurring plagues and crusades, to contend with.

The fact that asbestos workers developed respiratory illnesses, and died young, was known as far back as Roman times when Pliny the Elder commented that asbestos workers seemed to have many health problems, advising against buying asbestos-workings slaves as they “died young”. Obviously, there were no mesothelioma lawyers around then! The deleterious effects of asbestos, in modern industrial times, have been recorded as far back as the start of the 18th Century but little notice was paid by factory owners & Governments to the plight of asbestos workers - labour was cheap and life even cheaper; nothing should stand in the way of the sacred cows of Industrial Progress and the profits of industrialists and politicians.

That it took until the 1970s before more stricter legislation to restrict its use and safeguarded workers was drawn up, is scandalous. A charitable reason for this inertia may be that asbestos had become so widely used in almost every aspect of our everyday lives, delivering such tremendous benefits, that there was such a reluctance to finally admit that something so useful could also be so deadly. People who have expounded the virtues, and made a lot of money out of, asbestos are hardly likely to suddenly throw up their hands and admit to being wrong. The alternative, less charitable, explanation can only be that greed and profit were more important than employees’ health.
Deja vu!

There are many ex-asbestos industry workers who are living time bombs, not knowing if the deadly fibres have affected their health.
As employers & governments have reluctantly been forced to legislate to compensate workers with Mesothelioma, there needs to be greater awareness of sufferers plight.

http://deepwide.co.uk

Actually there is one big reason why people will fail on their path to success and balance - the lack of a coach. The coaching is an essental part of your process of personal growth. Let me explain why.

You don’t know where to begin.
There are so many books, courses and trainings that most people do not know where to start. And when you’ve finally found a start?
A personal coach will select the material for you. The coach will lead your way and keeps assisting you when needed.

They have done it all.
A good coach has atleast looked at every different method that exists. He’s a been there, done that - type of person. That is why he is so good at creating the right path for you; because no single method works for everyone.

Wisdom comes from without.
How can a normal man ever select the wisdom out of every piece of information that comes into his mind everyday. You need to know how you can seperate wisdom from crap. And in order to know that you will have to know yourself from inside out!

Know how you are.
Only true guru’s and masters know how to select the right path and materials for you. That is because they know how to see the inside of their clients, even without physically seeing you, true masters know who you are inside.
Coaches who are very advanced can create a bond with you, and take your hand along the path to your personal success. And if they’re good enough, they are able to do it only by email, phone and letters. Trough writing, talking and listening they can create the most rapid changes in your life.

See, you really need a coach that is willing to give you personal training, accompanied with good study materials. I hope you will now take the first step to success, which is selecting a coach.

Dave Origano provides a free ecourse “Your Path to Success And Abundance”, complete with reports, tips and weekly articles. Subscribe now at http://www.MrOrigano.com

Peg Perego baby strollers are very popular with new parents. There are many models available for either one or two children. Some of the models available in this line are Aria - double or twin, Venezia, Pliko, Tender XL, or even an all-terrain stroller such as the Atlantico Classico. This selection means there is a peg perego stroller for any family.

Peg Perego baby strollers are manufactured in Italy, which accounts for the names of the stroller models. It is also why there is great design to go with the beautiful plush Italian fabric on the strollers. The seat padding of the Peg Perego stroller can be removed so that you can wash them. This is a real plus when you have small children and don’t want the extra worry of trying to keep them from spilling food or drink. They are made to very high standards which means that your children will be very safe and comfortable, and you will have a stroller that is simple to use for years to come.

Peg Perego strollers are built to be lightweight but sturdy. This really helps with double strollers because with two children seated in the stroller they are still easy to push. The seats fully recline, so that the stroller is suitable for infants as well as toddlers. Some of the models, such as Venezia, do not have trays or cupholders. This isn’t too much of a problem as it is very simple to get a 3rd party cup-holder that fits.

Another benefit of Peg Perego strollers is the large storage basket. They are large enough to hold every thing you need to bring along for your child. They are also big enough to handle a few bags of groceries. Walking to the grocery store is a great way to get a bit of exercise and to get your child out into some fresh air.

Overall Peg Perego strollers are a great investment. They are very functional, and built to last. This means you can use the same stroller for a couple of kids and still be able to sell it once you are done using it.

The reason why serviced offices are so popular with younger, fledgling businesses and entrepreneurial-types is because of the relatively low start-up costs involved in renting office space in a serviced office building. The main benefits associated with serviced offices revolve around the low start-up costs due to the fact that the core structure is already in place. The complex will already have the basic support and admin staff needed to help run the place. This staff might include maintenance staff, as well as secretarial and general admin staff, and with these in place, it leaves the businesses with more time to get on with their own problems rather than having to sort out the addition support staff and their respective insurances and benefits, as well as having to take time out in order to train and recruit these individuals. Other associated costs which are helpfully absorbed and cushioned by moving into serviced offices will include the costs of setting up other infrastructure-related things. Things like an IT infrastructure needed for a computer network and/or internet access, as any serviced office worth their salt will already have this in place, one again saving the businesses therein an awful lot of time and allowing them to instantly access whatever it is they need to upon arrival in the complex. Other necessities included in an expect infrastructure would hopefully include a telecoms set-up, for telephones and general communication lines, as well as the conventional everyday items like heating, air conditioning and other such utilities. If situated in a more upmarket serviced office, you might find you have access to a gym in which to exercise, as well as a canteen that serves hot and cold meals, as well as snacks for those moments when you get a little hungry at work.

Using a computer has become an integral part of many people’s lives, and the time we spend on a computer is increasing with each passing year. This trend is fuelled in part by pleasure, the computer has become a Media Centre, and is a focal point for home entertainment, and secondly we are increasingly using our home computers for business.

The Home Office, whether for self employed activities or Tele-working for your employer has become common-place, hence the increasing need and importance of having a comfortable and well designed Computer Desk and Chair.

Important design issues that incorporate correct support, and encourage good posture, have become critical factors during the design process, and this is often integrated with modern and elegant styling. Fortunately, Home Computer Desks and Chairs have evolved along with the technology and are now available to suit every situation, comfortably fitting into even the smallest of corners in your property.

Home Computer Desks and Chairs come in many formats from functional to funky, or they can even be casual or quirky, or just plain friendly in their look and feel. Though there is no set requirement to look as classical or stylish as office Computer Desks and Chairs, they nevertheless have to blend in with the décor or theme of the chosen room.

For these reasons Home Computer Desks and Chairs come in many shapes and sizes and may be corner, u-shaped, curved or just straight. Similarly, they can be roll-top, modular, or just practical. They can be made of wood, oak, glass, metal or fibre. They can be fitted with a myriad of shelving options or storage racks, or they can be plain and functional with minimal drawers and shelves. The appearance can be selected from a wide range of finishes and can be sealed with a durable and stain-resistant finish to withstand daily wear and tear avoiding unsightly scratches.

The modern day Computer Desk and Chair has evolved to cater for many tastes and situations and is now an ergonomic extension of the computer and its user; they are critical elements in the quest for a satisfactory and safe computing experience, choose wisely.

Prime examples and advice can be found at www.computer-desks-online.com

About the Author:

Roger Anthony Coleman is the author of this short article, for further information on stylish Computer Desks and Chairs or Work Stations, please visit ==>http://www.computer-desks-online.com