Happy National Puppy Day! Did you know that dogs aren’t the only…

Happy National Puppy Day! Did you know that dogs aren’t the only animals with pups? Other species, like the fox, have young that are also called pups. In the spring, a mother fox gives birth to a litter of 2-12 pups (also called kits). When the pups are about seven months old, they’re ready to strike out on their own. By winter the pup will find a mate and will stay with that mate for the rest of their life. Check out more photos of different pup species: https://on.doi.gov/puppies

Photo of a red fox at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey by Ashleigh Scully via U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Beach House By Cibinel Architecture on the coast of Victoria Beach, Canada

Houses by the sea have something very special, or at least, it is so for lovers of the sea. The idea of sitting in front of it, relaxing, listening to the waves breaking upon the shore, enjoying the salty smell, it all makes us dream and disconnect from the world… at least for a moment. Our dreams are a reality in this beautiful house designed by Cibinel Architecture on the..

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What Are The Advantages Of Business Consolidation Loans?

There are quite a few myths that revolve around debt consolidation loans. However, if your small business is struggling, debt consolidation loan is your only option to keep yourself afloat. It is also the only option that will not dampen your credit score. Debt consolidation is the hero without a cape that has saved countless number of companies from going down under.

According to the American Small Business Administration, almost 30% of the new small companies do not survive their first year in the market and almost 50% of them go under in their fifth year. The lack of funding and consolidation resources are majorly responsible for their untimely departure from the marketing world. In this cutthroat world of business, it is miraculous to get another chance with debt consolidation.

There are quite a few benefits you can enjoy when working with companies that offer actual debt consolidation meaning. This means you can’t only get your company on solid ground but you can also enjoy added benefits.

The list includes:

Reduced APR

With timely filed consolidation loans, you can reduce your annual payment rates and interest rates. If you happen to have a great credit history, you can file for lower interest rates with a longer payment term. You can enjoy APRs as low as 12% for repayment terms of 5 years or longer.

Lower monthly payments

This is something almost all businesses look forward to. You can coalesce all your monthly payments into one payment that has a lower interest rate. This automatically reduces the net amount you’ll be paying each month.

Additional borrowing

This is one benefit most new entrepreneurs would kill to enjoy.

When you are applying for your consolidation loan, you can apply for additional money to fund your future projects. Because of your lower interest rates, you are likely to get an increased DSCR for your business. This means, you do not have to take out short term debts again when starting a new project soon.

Simplify cash flow

There are three ways you can enjoy better cash flow.

1. You will have to pay just one creditor, instead of 3 or 4. It gives you the chance to use the loan amount to pay your credit card bills. You can just manage one account and the rest of the payments will take care of themselves.

credit card

2. You do not have to deal with defaulter’s notices anymore or penalties for missed payments. The consolidation loan company will take care of timely payments. In addition to that, you get to enjoy making one pre-scheduled payment to your loan company every month.

3. Longer debt and longer payment terms call for lower monthly payments. You can easily save more cash and cover regular expenses without cutting corners.

Say goodbye to creditors

You can resolve all your lines of credits at one go with one large sum. You’ll be able to give your business freedom to grow and expand into new dimensions. You will not have to attend to creditor calls and you can even pay off all your credit card bills with the sanctioned amount. Consolidation loan has the power to free up your revolving credit lines.

Payments are more anticipated

getting out of debt

You can coalesce many short-term loans into one loan with smaller payment amounts. You can also consolidate loans with variable interest rates under one loan amount that you can pay for a longer time period with a much lower, fixed interest rate. As a result, you can chalk out a definite plan and budget for the coming year in your business.

See Also: 5 Ways Business Investment Loans Can Help Your Start-Up

When dealing with consolidation loans, you will have to know how to negotiate for the best deals and better benefits. You need to find the right companies that offer the right kind of loans that your business needs to thrive.

There are currently two types of business consolidation loans that are available:

1. Secured debt consolidation loans

These are loans that come with usually low interest rates and low monthly payments as well. Secured loans mean that you will be pledging some form of tangible property against the loan. In that case, the lending party has more security about repayment.

It is not uncommon for a lending party to take possession of deposit accounts, business assets, and business equipment in case of missed payments. However, secured loans are better in terms of comparatively longer payment terms and low rates.

2. Unsecured debt consolidation loans

Since these do not require you to pledge any tangible property, they usually demand a high personal credit score. You will experience higher interest rates and monthly payments when you opt for unsecured consolidation loans.

You can usually get these unsecured loans from private lenders and alternative sources. Even P2P lending can help you out with unsecured loans. However, it is a little harder to get as compared to secured loans since it demands a squeaky clean business credit and personal credit.

Small business debt consolidation loan is quite a wonderful way to keep your business thriving in days of dire distress. This will not eat away into your credit score and you will still be qualified for more loans. Many businesses go bankrupt simply because they cannot figure out the right time to apply for a business consolidation loan.

Business consolidation loan is not bad for business, provided that you choose the right consolidating companies for the loans. The right company should be able give you added services, including debt counselling and debt management. Getting out of debt will not be a monumental challenge if you have the right company to help you out.

See Also: 4 Ways to Start Building Great Credit

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annajewelsphotography: El Matador State Beach – California – USA…

annajewelsphotography:

El Matador State Beach – California – USA (by annajewelsphotography

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3 Theories To Help You Find The Meaning Behind Your Dreams

Dreaming is considered as a different, unique, and very complex process of thoughts. Ever since the beginning of our time, people wondered what dreams are and why we experience them at night.

Some ancient civilizations even believed that dreams convey messages of wisdom from their gods. A few centuries later, Sigmund Freud came along and famously theorized that dreams are a “royal road to our unconscious”. Today, modern dream theories suggest that dreams are not as complex and important as people once believed.

To give you an idea, below are the 3 most popular theories that can help you interpret your dreams.

The Freudian Theory on Dreams

the freudian theory on dreams

Sigmund Freud is the father of psychoanalysis whose accomplishments are being dismissed today by modern science at a fast pace. Despite this rejection, he is still popular for his theory on dreams.

While Freud lacked understanding and knowledge of the REM and the NREM sleep cycles, he believed that the meaning of each dream is wish-fulfillment. Freud began this argument by analyzing children’s dreams.

According to Freud, dreams serve a very important function in giving us clues of how our unconscious mind works. He believed that this was crucial for our waking life. Freud also believed that all dreams are of sexual or aggressive nature. Therefore, our brain does not allow us to experience such thoughts and emotions while awake and so represses them.

Since Freud provided so many theories, ideas, and thoughts on dreams, I need to sum all up as shortly as possible. He believed that dreams are a way of realizing our repressed desires. If you think that this theory can be true, you should get Freud’s book entitlled “The Interpretation of Dreams” to learn more.

The Jungian Theory on Dreams

the jungian theory on dreams

Being a student of the famous Sigmund Freud has certainly helped Carl Gustav Jung to become a successful and reputable psychiatrist on his own. Like Freud, Jung also believed in the existence of the unconscious. However, he didn’t agree with his mentor that all dreams are of sexual nature.

Having different views and theories on dreams caused Jung and Freud to take separate ways. Jung presented four theories on dreams. His most popular idea is that most dreams have a compensatory function. They express those aspects of our personality we don’t adequately develop in our waking life.

Jung believed that dreams are a way of communicating with one’s own unconscious. Unlike Freud, he believed that dreams are not attempts to fulfill wishes from the waking mind. Instead, he considered them as windows to our unconscious mind. To achieve wholeness and solve a problem in the waking life, one must look for guidance in their dreams.

Modern Theory on Dreams

modern theory on dreams

Over the last 50 years, modern science has been gathering evidence but found nothing to support any of the Freudian and Jungian dream theories.

It all started with John Allan Hobson, a famous American psychiatrist and dream researcher, who offered a believable, fact-supported theory (for a change). Hobson described the dreaming brain as a simulation machine that seeks to predict its waking environment. It functions depending on the REM sleep cycles. His basic idea is that our brains are genetically equipped with a neuronal system that generates a “virtual reality” of our waking lives during the REM stage.

Thanks to the many dream studies conducted by researchers from all around the world, now we know that dreams are not unpredictable. No training is required to decipher dreams, because they aren’t encrypted at all, as they were once believed. They also have no meaning.

Nevertheless, they can be useful to help us understand our own psychological state. The feelings we experience in a dream can be viewed as our brain’s attempt to convey information to its conscious self.

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Spacious Home in Rye, New York remodeled by Joeb Moore & Partners

There are houses that, by their design, make us feel a certain affinity, something like, “I could live there,” not because they are luxurious but because of what they transmit. And when I look at this house, I definitely think, “I could live there.” Its warm and familiar atmosphere is inviting, and makes us really feel that we are “at home.” This beautiful and spacious 4,815-square-foot home, located in Rye,..

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5 Steps to a Healthier Mind – Getting to the Root Cause

Note: This post is written by Martin Hrnjak

“Painkillers might ease symptoms temporarily, but unless treated from the core the problem will keep returning.”

How often in life do we hide from whatever is bothering us?

Maybe we are irritated all the time and respond badly to people asking us questions, maybe we are constantly in despair and don’t understand why dates never seem to work out, maybe we have a hard time finding a job; and instead of addressing the problem and facing the discomfort of looking at it in the eyes – we run, and hide.

Shopping, partying, spending money we don’t have, lashing out at others, eating too much or too little – these are all forms of numbing the pain of whatever is currently bothering us. These ‘coping methods’ exist because they help offer temporary relief to a much deeper problem, a problem which most of us don’t recognize, and are afraid to identify because it means we would need to face reality.

This chronic situation of hiding from our “demons” has become so widespread in society that many people fall into serious slumps because of it. Never has there been an easier time to hide from our problems than the 21st century; the advent of technology and especially the internet means we are always plugged in and never allowing ourselves to reflect on what are the things which bother us.

I am willing to wager that some of you reading this dread going to bed before you’re about to pass out, simply because being alone with your own thoughts is too frightening a proposition. That creates a vicious cycle of not enough sleep, not enough alone time, not enough time unplugged and no time to reflect.

If you find yourself in a situation akin to the above, then perhaps it is time to take a step back and start peeling away the layers under which you have hidden the root cause of your problems.

Luckily there exist several steps which you can take, in order to:

  • Determine WHAT is happening
  • Determine WHY it is happening
  • Find out HOW to prevent it from happening again

The method for doing this is by using the RCA (Root Cause Analysis) tool. This is a method used by professionals worldwide to improve their businesses and has been proven time and time again to be successful in doing so. RCA has also been adapted and can be applied to individuals – offering a very simple and effective way of getting to the bottom of things and becoming self-aware.

The five steps are as follows:

  1. Define the problem.
    What is happening? What are your ‘symptoms’?
    Asking a close friend or family member can help you answer these questions. Symptoms can include: partying to hide from your problems, eating too much, etc.
  2. Analyze the situation.
    How long has your problem existed? What is the impact on your life and those around you?
    You need to have a full understanding of these things before you can find factors contributing to the problem – again, friends and family can be extremely helpful.
  3. Identify contributing factors.
    What events lead to the problem surfacing? What are problems which surround the central problem?
    Such as: before I start binge eating, I read about other people’s successes on social media.
  4. Identify the root.
    Why do the contributing factors exist? What is the REAL reason for my problem?
    Continuing from the example in step 3: I have low self-esteem and seeing people being successful makes me even more insecure. Self-esteem could be identified as the root problem in this case.
  5. Find and implement solutions to the root problem.
    What can you do to prevent the problem from returning? How will you implement this?
    Perhaps you have low self-esteem because you are overweight, and you enforce this by binge eating; begin watching your diet, spending less time on social media, and beginning an exercise regimen.
    You will hire a personal trainer, or ask a fitness-buff friend to make sure you stick to this until your problem is solved.

Above I used a fitness example, but this process can be applied to just about any issue you are facing – and is always worth a shot (the only thing you lose is a few minutes of time, and you stand to gain a lot more).

You will find that the more you know about yourself and why you behave the way you do, the calmer and happier person you will be. Budgeting time will become easier, forming healthy habits will become a breeze, you will be less irritable and in general, you will see your quality of life improve.

I recommend these steps to anybody, and hope I helped at least some of you reading this.

Feel free to ask questions in the comments.

– About the Writer –

My name is Martin Hrnjak, I am a marketing executive in a small company, and in my free time I am a fitness instructor. It is a passion of mine to spread my knowledge and help those around me – and to learn all I can on my journey of self-improvement.

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These Amazing Websites Will Teach You a Great New Skill (Even If You’re Busy)

You’re reading These Amazing Websites Will Teach You a Great New Skill (Even If You’re Busy), originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Today, there’s no excuse not to be able to learn new skills.

While decades ago, we were limited to the confinements of a library or a classroom, we face no restrictions now. We can learn from the same device that we carry throughout the day, at anytime of the day, and anywhere we are.

Whether your goal is to get advice from today’s experts, learn a foreign language, or start a business, we’ve got 37 amazing (and curated) websites to learn new skills. Best of all, you can do it on your own time.

Enjoy!

Broaden your general knowledge

edX – Watch online lectures from the world’s top Universities

Coursera – Online courses curated by top educational institutions

CreativeLIVE – Watch live online classes from premium instructors

Skillshare – Bite-sized courses focusing on real-life skills

Udemy – A platform where anyone can learn anything taught by anyone

Lynda – Be taught by industry experts online

Khan Academy – Detailed tutorials taught by Sal Khan and hand-curated instructors on mathematics, science, business, and more

Think bigger

TED – Watch presentations from the world’s most innovative thinkers and leaders

Big Think – Read and watch big ideas discussed online

The Big Know – Free online courses from the world’s top brands

Speak a foreign language

Rype – Private language lessons with handpicked professional teachers for a flat monthly subscription

Duolingo – Learn basic vocabulary and grammar skills in a gamified approach

Memrise – Memorize vocabulary and other language skills using interactive flashcards

Learn a Language Challenge – Learn the most common 1,000 words in any language in 100 days

Lang-8 – Meet, interact, and connect with fellow language learners

Become a coding guru

Codeacademy – Learn how to code by building your own projects

Treehouse – Top online courses to help you learn how to coe

Dash – Gain access to tutorials on building awesome websites

OneMonth – Learn the basics of coding in one month

Liveedu.tv – Watch live streaming of professional coders

Platzi – Develop your skills through interactive and live courses

Get advice from the best

Quora – The world’s most trusted Q & A platform

Clarity.fm – Gain 1-on-1 access to professionals in business and more

Coach.me – Free tool to track your habits in a community

Whale – Ask interesting questions, and watch interesting answers

Wonder – Read answers to futuristic and bold questions

Start and grow your business

How to Start a Startup – A free online course on building a startup the right way by YCombinator

Startup Patterns – Bite-sized startup lessons

Digital Garage – Free digital tutorials from Google

Growth Hackers – Community and Q & A forum connecting the world’s best marketers

Inbound.org – Forum for online marketers

/r/startups – Reddit forum where entrepreneurs share unique startup stories and journeys

 

Level up your brain

Spreeder – Learn how to read faster

Lumosity – A free game to develop your mental agility

Calm – Get guided meditation on-demand

The Happiness Project – Daily lessons on how to become happier

 

Are there any websites we may have missed? Let us know and we’ll consider adding them into our list!

You’ve read These Amazing Websites Will Teach You a Great New Skill (Even If You’re Busy), 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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New York City – New York – USA (by M M) 

New York City – New York – USA (by M M