How to achieve stress-free travel

Whether you are going on business or pleasure, traveling can be very stressful. Tension can start from the planning stage up to the time you are leaving. However, stress does not have to ruin your business or vacation. These simple tips are guaranteed to help you get rid of that travel stress bug.

Plan ahead

There is no replacing good planning. To ensure that your travel will be stress-free, make sure that your flights and hotel accommodations are booked and confirmed. This will put you at ease knowing that delays are unlikely and there will be no surprises at the hotel desk.

If you arrange for transportation for the duration of your travel, all the better. In case, you will have to get around the city by taxi, it is good to ask the concierge to help you find a reputable taxi company.

Be prepared to get lost

Remember that you are on a foreign land and unless you have already traveled there a couple of time, you’ll have no way of knowing how to get around. Becoming lost is probably the biggest nightmare for travelers.

Before embarking on your trip, buy a travel book with maps and some useful phrases that you can use with the locals. Carry with you a credit card, identification papers and enough money to get around the city in case you get lost. It is also a good idea to ask your hotel for a business card which you can show to locals when you ask for directions.

By acknowledging that you can get lost, you can better prepare and be ready for anything.

Keep the communication open

Nothing can be a better stress-buster than staying connected with your family when traveling. With today’s technology, communication is increasingly more available. People who travel can now keep in touch through cellular phones, emails and text messages. Rates in international phone calls are also cheaper now than before.

Reward yourself

Do not procrastinate. If on a business travel, make sure that you have done all your work before you go sightseeing. Set aside a day where all you can do is travel to different sights in the city. If your schedule is spread out, make sure that you have ample time to go somewhere. It will also help to make out an itinerary of places to see. You can always ask the hotel to help you with that.

Eat local cuisine

Eating can minimize travel stress! So, treat yourself to local foods and stay away from your usual staple of burger, spaghetti and cola. Be adventurous and have fun in local restaurants. Before leaving, you can ask people who already traveled in the country if they can recommend any restaurants. Hotel personnel can also help you immensely. When you’re there, don’t hesitate to ask for the house specialty and enjoy!

Keep a travel journal

Writing down your experiences during your travel will not only preserves the memories, it will also help you relieve stress. Describe the sights that you have seen, the places that you have been to, even the people you have met. Get small keepsakes from each experience, a napkin from the restaurant where you have eaten, a receipt from a souvenir shop, a bus ticket going to a special place. This will keep the magic of your travel with you.

Learning to breathe your way to health

Living a 9-5 existence in the office plus the constant demands at home puts even the most positive person under considerable stress and anxiety. At the office, a typical career executive or a rank-and-file employee would have to juggle between one task to another. Often under time pressure, office workers try to beat the clock and turn in quality outputs every single day. Just imagine the hustle and bustle that goes on at the floor of the stock market at nine o' clock in the morning on a busy Monday. Try to think of the hassles encountered by a kindergarten teacher that is in charge of at least 10 four and five-year olds. Or try to even begin what a day is like for an emergency room doctor in a crime-ridden inner city hospital.

Coping with anxiety is not a phrase or term that is supposed to be heard only from yoga practitioners or peaceniks. In fact, every single person in the world today must learn to develop this life skill. Dealing with stress on an daily basis is called a life skill because of the enormous impact that pressures at work and at home have on our mental, physical, and emotional health. Overcoming depression is now seen not just as a form of emotional fortitude but a capability much like being able lift a set of barbells. Getting rid of the blues is a form of intellectual and emotional strength that must be developed by people through conscious and constant practice.

But how does a person actually strengthen his or her emotional core? Aside from having a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and rest, and being generally positive about life --- people should start to breathe correctly. Yes, proper breathing should be learned. So many people actually go through life without knowing how to properly breathe. Breathing is supposed to be a very natural action that can be done without thought. Still, many fail to get enough oxygen and do not get the relaxation that should come from proper breathing.

So, how does one breathe properly?

Many Eastern meditation techniques prescribe the proper form of breathing. Aside from maintaining a straight yet perfectly relaxed body, it is also important to learn how to breathe in deeply and inhale in such a way that the stomach expands as a result of the intake of air. Exhalation, on the other hand, must lead to the deflation of the stomach. The correct breathing pattern does not cause tension on one's shoulders or rib cage. Dr. Mehmet Oz, a medical doctor and frequent guest in the Oprah Show, had this to say about proper breathing:

“If you're inhaling with your rib cage, you are not taking in air as much as you could if you inhale with your diaphragm. When you exhale, you should allow your diaphragm muscle to move up to push the air out.”

While some people who are diagnosed with certain emotional or psychological disorders may need to take anxiety medication it has been established through research that those who breathe properly through regular meditation experience a higher level of emotional stability than those who do not practice good breathing techniques.

So, instead of fretting all day long, we can all try to go back to the basics of how to put in more air into our system. Air is life and proper breathing is definitely the way to have more of it.

Bridal gowns how to find the perfect wedding dress

Style, colour and ceremonial importance of the bridal gown worn by the bride during the wedding ceremony depends upon the culture and religion of the couple getting married.

White is the preferred color of the bridal gown among the westerners. Creamy shades such as ivory, ecru and eggshell are also used in making bridal gowns. Queen Victoria of England, wore a white bridal gown when she got married to Albert of Sax-Coburg in the year 1840. Since then the white bridal gown became the norm in all marriages. In the earlier years, bridal gowns were made in any colour except black. Innocence of the childhood and purity of heart was symbolized by the white bridal gown.

A bride to be can spend weeks and sometimes even months looking for a perfect bridal gown because of the variety of designs and styles available. Determine three things – theme of the wedding, time of the year the wedding is held and the budget – with these three things finalized, picking up the correct gown will become easier.

Choose a gown style depending upon the style and formality of the wedding function. In a formal wedding it is better to wear a formal bridal gown. Besides a white bridal gown, another appropriate choice is ivory which is also considered as a formal wedding gown. Bridal gowns in pink, peach and ice blue are also becoming very popular.

The average retail cost of a bridal gown is around $700. Prices of designer and premium gowns start from $2000.

Maggie Sottero, Mon Cheri, Marisa, Pronovias, Mori Lee, Davinci, Demetrios, Bonny, Eden Bridals and Mikaela are some of the popular designer bridal gowns.

When selecting the bridal gown, take someone close to you and who knows what is best for you. This will help in getting a gown which is not radically different from the usual style suitable for you.

It is better to ensure the bridal gown is comfortable and it is not restricting your movement. Getting a bridal gown can be a demanding process so initiate the process well in advance. Compare the designs from various fashion magazines and also go through family photo albums to know which will be the most suitable style.

Prior to committing yourself on a particular design, try different types and designs. If the bridal gown is custom made, allot six months for the making of the gown. Too many friends accompanying you during the shopping for gowns will only confuse you and you may end up making an incorrect selection.

Being overweight is a learned habit not a choice

It is remarkable to find how many people eat out of boredom, sheer habit, or to the accompaniment of a newspaper, a book, or a heated business discussion. Many succumb to the habit of eating at a "minute" diner, fast food restaurant or lunch counter, gulping their food and running a "hoof and mouth" race with Father Time. (He always wins.)

Others are trained from childhood to stuff themselves—"finish your plate” (An old relic of primitive days when food scarcities or the uncertainties of a next meal or a next day were constantly present). Some call this "scavenger eating;" many children acquire this habit by imitating their parents who are imitating their parents who may have been raised under food scarcity circumstances.

Many men and women are the victims of monotony or plain poor cooking in their meals. They rarely vary the selection and choice of foods out of sheer inertia, indifference, or lack of attention. So they try to make up in quantity what they lack in quality, seeking satisfaction from calories instead of from quality and contrast.

Dr. Arthur Master, in a study of a group of patients not suffering from heart disease, found that a significant loss of weight was followed by an average 35 per cent reduction in the work the heart has to do. The lesson to you is clear: Even though your heart is strong, being overweight taxes it with work and strain beyond its normal capacity. A healthy heart is gradually weakened by the extra stress imposed on it by 20, 30 or 40 pounds of unnecessary fat.

Your energy reserves are depleted; you feel tired too soon and too often, even when doing simple things like walking and swimming, things that the person of normal weight can handle with ease and pleasure. Don't let too much weight rob you of a strong heart and the vibrant energy that you need to enjoy a full, healthy life. Learn to count your calories and you can count on more years of healthy, happy living.

We must remember that in the past 50-100 years there has been a considerable reduction in energy expenditure, because of a more mechanized way of life. People today don't have to go out to the barn and hitch up a horse or team or count on a long walk when they are ready to go somewhere. They merely step into their car, which is as close to the front door as they can manage it, and then drive to their destination, again parking as near the entrance as possible.

The introduction of countless labor-saving devices in our home, factories, and

offices has also robbed us of most of the physical exertion our grandparents and great-grandparents knew. In fact, when it comes to conserving energy, we seem to have approached about as near as we can get to a vegetable existence.

The message is clear; we must break our old bad habits and develop new good ones if we want to lose weight. Making healthier food choices whenever possible, watching our portions at mealtime, and getting in some exercise regularly are paramount if we want to keep our weight down and live a long, healthy, happy life.

How to know when your dog is sick

Most dog owners will notice any sudden or odd changes in their dogs normal behaviour but it is useful to know the specific symptoms to watch out for.

If you dog shows symptoms of excessive drinking, sudden loss of appetite, continual vomiting or diarrhoea, or unusual lethargy then these should be obvious enough to raise your concern.

Discharge from the eyes or inflamed eyes, a shallow or rapid breathing pattern or perhaps persistent coughing can all be signs of something serious.

Typically when a dog is sick or ill they will show a raised temperature, indicated by a hot, dry nose. If your dog has a high temperature or even a very low temperature you should seek professional advice from your veterinarian.

Do be aware that a dog's temperature will be raised after strenuous activity or excitement and will not therefore be a reliable indication to its health.

If you are unsure you can take your dogs temperature yourself and this is taken rectally with a suitable thermometer. A dogs normal resting temperature is 101.5F, although if your dog is a hairless breed their temperature could be one or two degrees higher.

To take your dogs temperature choose a time when your dog is calm. You will need to ensure your dog is firmly held to prevent them from sitting down onto the thermometer. Smear the thermometer with vaseline or suitable lubricant and insert it into your dogs rectum about an inch.

Any reading above 102.5F or any reading below 100F should be regarded with concern and veterinarian advice should be sought.

If you known or feel your dog is ill make sure you keep them calm and display a reassuring manner until you get them to the veterinarian. Dogs can be very sensitive to your tone of voice and will pick up any worry or anxiety in your voice and manner.

Understanding your dogs needs and keeping a watchful eye for symptoms of sickness and ill health will ensure you can take swift action and ensure you dog is cared for sooner than later.

Face to face negotiation

In our age of ever-expanding communication possibilities, researchers have been drawn to answer the question of which communication mode is most likely to lend itself to successful negotiation. Although the answer is undetermined, Face-to-face communication has been proven to have a greater possibility of alleviating miscommunication. When you’re in person, you are more apt to pick up all the nuances of the exchange. That way, you will be better able to gauge what the other party is thinking and to determine the direction in which the negotiating is headed.

For the same reasons, it is also easier to create and maintain rapport. If there is already a fair amount of tension in the air, however, negotiating by phone can take the edge off, can provide breathing room and can minimize the effectiveness of any pressure tactics that may have been employed. E-mail’s main advantage is that both parties have control over saying exactly what they want to say and how they want to say it. Since there is no ebb and flow to live conversation, the involved parties can keep the floor as long as they want. On the flip side, e-mailing can tend to make the negotiating parties less restrained and more impulsive in their communication. This rashness isn’t always a bad thing, but it definitely can be if tensions exist. One study found that abrupt and unmannerly exchanges occurred 102 times when negotiating via e-mail as opposed to only 12 times when negotiating face-to-face.

Understanding Personality Directions

A personality direction is the way in which we lean most of the time in terms of the way we act and react to most stimuli. We hate to be boxed in and categorized, but the reality is, most of the time we are predictable. Sure, people aren’t going to be 100 percent predictable all the time, but the more discerning you become, the more you will see how predictable individuals really are.

When you analyze personality directions, ask yourself the following questions:

I. Is your audience mostly logical or emotional?

A. Logical people:

1. Think with their heads

2. Go with what makes sense

3. Are persuaded by facts, figures and statistics

4. Rely on past history

5. Use their five senses

B. Emotional people:

1. Think with their hearts

2. Go with what feels right

3. Are persuaded by emotions

4. Rely on intuition

5. Use their “sixth sense”

II. Is your audience introverted or extroverted?

A. Extroverted people:

1. Love to communicate

2. Are talkative

3. Involve others

4. Tend to be public people

5. Want face-to-face contact

B. Introverted people:

1. Keep their feelings inside

2. Listen more than they talk

3. Like to work solo

4. Tend to be private

5. Use memos and e-mails over face-to-face communication

III. Is your audience motivated more by inspiration or desperation?

A. Desperation-motivated people:

1. Try to get away from the problem

2. Are stuck in the past, are afraid of repeating mistakes

3. Avoid pain

4. Want to get away from something

B. Inspiration-motivated people:

1. Work towards a solution

2. See a better future

3. Are motivated by pleasure

4. Want to move forward, have vision

IV. Are your audience members or prospects assertive or amiable?

A. Assertive people:

1. Consider results more important than relationships

2. Make decisions quickly

3. Want to be in control

4. Are task-oriented

5. Don’t waste time

6. Are independent

B. Amiable people:

1. Consider relationships more important than results

2. Are friendly and loyal

3. Like to build relationships

4. Are great listeners

5. Avoid contention

6. Are nonassertive and agreeable

The more you understand personality directions, the better you will be able to customize your negotiation tactics. Each individual’s personality direction will dictate how you customize your message.

Blogging on craigslist - an option for your online business

A Craigslist Blog is a popular tool with members of the established social networking site simply known as Craigslist. With the evolution of the popular site, blogging at Craigslist has become a way of life at the place where countless thousands gather each day. However, can a Craigslist blog drive traffic to your online business? Would it bring more visitors to your website? In a word - absolutely. In fact, many online marketers are now using this networking site as a tool to drive specifically targeted traffic to their website(s). WordPress and Blogger are very effective blogging sites and will undoubtedly provide online business owners with a substantial amount of visitors to any site, but a Craigslist blog can provides three unique opportunities that some blogging sites can't offer.

1) Blog? Craigslist? Can it really work? Sure it can. First, you will be targeting specific groups of people for your online business - immediately. Members of Craigslist have a wide range of interests and it is a friendly place for like-minded individuals to meet. Knowing that you can focus on a certain segment (or more) of this community affords you the chance to zero in on potential customers with considerable ease.

2) In addition to a Craigslist blog, you can use the advertising sections that are provided. The classified section of this social networking site provides you with an even greater opportunity to aim for more customers and coupled with your blog, Craigslist will allow you to focus on a promising group of individuals who will be happy to visit your online business. You will be in the desired position of having more sales, more Adsense clicks, more affiliate sales, and a larger list to market to in the future.

3) A blogging spouse? The one good thing about having a blog at Craigslist is the social interaction. Recently, a husband and wife started separate blogs without knowing it and within a few weeks, they "discovered" each other. There is an NFL cheerleader blog too. All of these great features and unique adventures makes Craigslist a nice online community with a lot of friendly interaction on a daily basis. Having a blog - Craigslist blog to be specific - can bring a concentrated set of very friendly visitors to your website with immediate results. And who doesn't want a friendly customer?

Having a Craigslist blog as part of your online marketing arsenal can provide a unique advantage that your competitors will envy. Knowing how to use this blog and the features that Craigslist offers can be a winning combination for your website. It costs nothing to join and you will be united with like-minded individuals who will bring their friendliness and enthusiastic buying power to you site.