The stillness of a winter sunrise is a moment to cherish at…

The stillness of a winter sunrise is a moment to cherish at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in Maine. Established in 1966, the refuge protects salt marshes and estuaries important for migrating birds. Stretching from the coast to inland forests, the refuge offers amazing views and wildlife watching on five excellent trails. Photo by Ward Feurt, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Perkins+Will Design a Unique Contemporary Apartment in São Paulo, Brazil

Perkins+Will created in this apartment a sophisticated, and at the same time comfortable, space, fulfilling in this way the wishes of the residents-to-be. This apartment located in São Paulo, Brazil was remodeled in 2015, with wood as its principal element, giving it sobriety and elegance. The ceiling is covered with a wooden grill that runs through the entire space and gives the home an uncommon and unique look. The furniture,..

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5 Reasons Your Business Idea Is Rubbish

I got a message this morning from a guy in London who wanted my advice on setting up a peer-to-peer taxi service to rival Uber and Lyft. He reckoned he had a USP, but I was already walking away from this assignment.

I explained that he’d broken one of the basic rules of goal-setting. The one about reality.

Uber raised over $12bn to get where they are, Lyft around $2bn so far. My loner in his home office might manage that, but chances are he won’t. Ever.

Of course, he also might win the lottery. All he has to do is buy a ticket, right?

I like to be brutally honest with my clients. More to redirect than demoralize of course, so here are 5 ways to test if your well-meaning idea might never create a successful business.

Reason 1: Barriers to entry

business barriers

Many industries require big investment in machinery, technology and people just to get started. That’s a barrier to entry if you’ve got limited access to funds.

Other barriers could be the need to obtain licences, authorisation or qualifications before you’re able to trade. The most common barrier though, is the cost of being heard.

Do you have a viable route to market at a price you can afford?

If you don’t, then find a different idea.

Reason 2: Misaligned skills

You’re an accounts assistant looking to escape the grind of the company you’re working for. Setting up your own bookkeeping firm might be a realistic goal.

On the other hand, deciding to launch a children’s nursery just because you have a child of your own isn’t an indicator of success by itself. Learning ABOUT your business whilst also learning how to run it might just be a stretch too far.

Think “I am able to do this” rather than a loose “I would like to do this”.

Reason 3: Poor goal-setting

It’s been said many times, many ways that goals need to be specific, measurable and realistic. Beyond that, your goals need to inspire you.

Goals are not just about numbers. You have to really WANT to achieve them. You have to live and breathe your goals. Missing them has to feel like dying.

Can you quantify goals that mean the world to you?

You should.

See Also: Gardeners Have the Secret Sauce for Goal-Setting 

Reason 4: Me-too!

business competition

It’s tempting and even inspiring to look at a successful business and think “I could do that”. Maybe you could, but here’s the news: they already did it.

The market for anything can only take a certain supply before it’s saturated. New entrants then face an uphill struggle to be heard, and a downhill race to the bottom as they attempt to compete on price.

Try this instead: do something new and better.

Reason 5: No market

I had a friend who had a hunch. Actually, more an itch he had to scratch.

Based on his experience of fixing his mother’s washing machine (and thereby saving her the perceived cost of replacement), he reckoned he could start his own domestic appliance repair business.

He had a van and some tools, right?

Wrong. Nobody fixes their white goods anymore, as he found out too late.

Cost of replacement is low, products are generally reliable and extended warranties abound. As the TV Dragons might say: Congratulations, you’ve found a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist!

Brain Tattoo:

Don’t waste your precious life trying to polish a poo.
Every successful business starts with a great idea.
Find yours, and connect to it.

See Also: Five Steps To Turn Doing What You Love Into A Successful Business

 

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New York City – New York – USA (by b k) 

New York City – New York – USA (by b k

Comfort_Architecten Design a Private Residence in Riscone, Italy

Casa M by Comfort_Architecten (8)

Many homes that incorporate a slightly rustic aesthetic tend to be very grand and feature statement pieces. You might enjoy the emphasis on whining wood finishes and the natural setting of the home but actually prefer a structure and decor scheme that manages to be somehow more understated in its rustic resplendence. Some designers seek to achieve that by sticking to natural textiles and materials in the building and decor,..

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💙 Celestial Gates on 500px by Alexandre Deschaumes,……

💙 Celestial Gates on 500px by Alexandre Deschaumes,… http://ift.tt/2cDUXFR

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Packing Made Simple: 7 Tips to Make Your Move Go Smoother

A lot goes into planning and executing a move especially when it’s long distance. Even if you’re just moving across town, there are a lot of logistics to plan for, from packing the boxes, to packing the truck, and finally organizing your new place to make it a new home.

Regardless of how far you’re moving from your current home, here are 7 tips to help make packing and moving smooth and (nearly) stress-free.

Packing Boxes More Efficiently

packing boxes efficiently

Packing boxes takes a lot of time, but it is so much easier when you have all of the supplies you need on hand. Purchase boxes, bubble wrap, and packing paper to keep breakable items safe while in transit to your new home.

Sheets, blankets, and towels should be packed in larger boxes since they tend to be lighter, while smaller and more sturdy boxes are best saved for breakable and heavy items like dishes, glasses, and other kitchen appliances.

See Also: Protect Your Breakable Items By Following These Packing Tips

What Not to Pack

Keep important documents like medical records, school documents, and anything you may need at your new house handy so you can access them as needed. Consider packing a backpack with these items along with anything else that is irreplaceable or you’d rather not lose, like jewelry, cash, prescriptions, and keys.

Additionally, don’t pack anything perishable, toxic, or dangerous like dairy products, fertilizer, or gasoline. Instead, dispose of them in a safe, environmentally friendly manner before you move.

Get Organized

labeling boxes

Create a plan to help break your move into more manageable pieces. Set deadlines and stick to them to keep yourself on track so you’ll be all finished with packing and ready to load the moving truck come moving day. Label your boxes clearly, and have an idea where they’ll go in your new house to make unpacking that much easier.

Decide Whether or Not to Hire Movers

A professional moving company has the potential to make your move easier, but is hiring one the best fit for you? If you have the extra money in your budget, it might be a good option considering that hiring movers has the potential to save you the stress and backache that often accompany loading the moving truck yourself.

Generally speaking, the only disadvantage to hiring movers is the cost—moving companies tend to be pretty pricey. You’ll need to weigh through the pros and cons to determine whether a moving company is worth the financial investment for you.

See Also: Penny Packers: How to Move on a Budget

Make Moving Day Easier

Planning ahead is the best way to make moving day go smoothly. Make sure you have help lined up if you need it, and that you have water and snacks on hand to keep any helpers sustained and happy.

Pack an overnight bag with a change of clothes, your toiletries, and anything else you’ll need over the next 24 hours. This way, you won’t have to frantically sort through boxes to find what you need when you’re already exhausted from the move.

How to Pack a Moving Truck

As you label boxes, consider marking heavier ones so you know what to load up first in your truck. Make sure you have extra packing equipment ready to make loading the truck go smoother like a dolly to move large furniture and heavy boxes, stretch wrap to protect furniture and other large items, and extra straps and bungee cords to secure items.

Unloading and Unpacking

Prior to unloading the moving truck, take a walk through your new home to get a good idea where you want things to go. Measure doorways to be sure furniture will fit through, and lay down plastic tarps to cover the floor to prevent dirt and mud from being tracked through your house. Unload furniture first and place it in the desired rooms, then unload everything else and start getting settled in your new home. If others are helping you unload, you might consider adding cards to doorways with room labels that match your box labels. This will make it easy for movers to place your boxes in the right rooms.

Don’t Forget to Make a Plan

Making a plan and staying organized are essential to a positive moving experience, and who doesn’t want to have one of those? With the help of these 7 moving tips, you’re well on your way to crafting the ideal moving-day plan for your unique situation!

 

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Barnes Coy Architects and SARCO Architects Jointly Design a Private Residence in Papagayo Peninsula, Costa Rica

Cielomar Residence by Barnes Coy & SARCO (2)

When you picture your “dream house”, does your mind automatically drift off to somewhere warm and surrounded by water so that you’re always ready for a sunny swim? That’s certainly the kind of house we would build ourselves if given the chance! These features alone already make up for a beautiful, enjoyable home, but some designers take it a step further by including several novelty features. Cielomar Residence is the..

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💙 Colour eruption on 500px by maresa, South Africa☀ Canon…

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How to Install CALMfidence

You’re reading How to Install CALMfidence, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

“If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?”
-Rabbi Hillel
When the alarm goes off, does it only add to the “alarm” you felt when you went to sleep?

Is your big internal clock ticking loudly with the usual suspects?
• Anxiety?
• Indecision?
• Self-Criticism?
• Sadness?
• Lack of perspective?

Too many people don’t wake up with the alarm, they’re alarmed when they go to sleep.

Imagine waking up, enjoying life, and going to sleep with…CALMfidence.

Get Yourself Ready…Message Yourself

What’s CALMfidence? How do you get it? What’s it look like?

Hold on…remember something.

How?

Message yourself.

Messaging has two parts:

1) Finding/defining yourself
2) Telling someone

For CALMfidence, “own” your happiest/most loved self.

You’ve already done it, just guest-owned it for others.

Do you 1) think of others first and wish the best for them always; 2) stand in for the strong part of them until they can pick themselves back up?

Thanks for telling them 1) they count in the world; 2) they have everything they need inside to matter; and 3) they don’t need anyone else’s approval to feel good and be their best selves.

Move from Guest Owner to Self-Owner

Okay, so you’ve been “for others”.

Now, be the first and last of Hillel’s ideas.

Self-love and self-accept.

Sometimes you’ll do better than others, but resolve to do it now.

Own Time

You can own this mind- and spirit-set safely. How about closing your eyes and stroking your heart? It’s a great and quite way to “own” CALMfidence.
🙂

Close your eyes, image raising a child, or being the best possible friend or spouse possible.

But own that ultimate compassion for yourself!

Remember some wonderful time when everything was easy.

You deserve it as much as those you’ve helped. Accept your life-changing gift that you offer to the ones you hold dearest.
That’s the “Royal Road” to CALMfidence.

Here’s what it looks like!

CALMfidence Inventory

-You’re present, avoiding being one place with your body, but somewhere else with your mind.

-You pay yourself first. That’s much more that an economic statement. Every success isn’t about impressing others, it’s building up your own emotional bank account, your assets. Don’t leave your success at the water’s edge of your mind and spirit. Deposit it!

-You know you can accomplish more by doing less and have more than enough time to do all required.

-Your instincts are so good, you do NOTHING, rather than indulge inlazy and compulsive productivity.

-You have enough space in mind and spirit to make unhurried choices every minute of every day to find not only the best action, but the best thought available.

-You only compete with yourself.

-Your mindset is always creating, a growth mindset.

-You don’t ignore negativity, but you observe it, you don’t judge yourself.

-You’re self-compassionate without effort.

-Because you’re generous to yourself, you are effortlessly so to others.

-Your aspirations are rooted in human being, not human doing.

-You know where “True North” lies and assess everything on whether it will get you there.

-You don’t need external approval or attention to be their best self.

Isn’t this the message you want to send to the world, simply by being your happiest self?

You’ve Owned CALMfidence…now use it!

Next time you feel stressed, ask yourself, what would it take to be CALMfident? Practice so that you remember.
When in doubt, reset owning your most relaxed and poised self to get the effects above.

1-Know that you’ve had it before, so you’ll get it again. Don’t hesitate to simply STOP and REMEMBER a time of ultimate peace and confidence.
You’ve had one, no matter how seldom or long ago. Find it!

2-Be patient, be present and kind to yourself, even in a negative time. DO NOT criticize yourself.

3-Write down how you are feeling every day, be specific, both good days and bad.

4-Record, at least in your mind, and, better yet, on paper or in some word file, everything you did that was positive on any given day, no matter how minor.

5-Remember that there is only NOW. You only have to feel good NOW, not in a minute, not in an hour, not tomorrow, or next year, or in a decade.
Just NOW.

CALMfidence potential was and is your birthright. You just have to rediscover it and refresh to keep finding it.

After all, it’s part of being kind to yourself…always.

As Hillel might say, the rest is commentary.


Lars Nielsen writes full-spectrum communication, and now’s your chance to sign up for his newsletter for his website, Make Message Matter. Go to http://ift.tt/2lJ3kCR and, download his free guide to messaging, “How to Make YOUR Message Matter Cheat Sheet”.

You’ve read How to Install CALMfidence, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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