We all have a personal brand. If you think you don’t, you should probably look further into it. How you present yourself on a regular basis becomes your personal brand, like it or not. If you dress like a slob and drive a dented old rust bucket, there’s a good chance people are going to think you aren’t all that serious about your personal brand.

We all like to believe that personal appearances don’t matter, but they matter more than you can imagine. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, as the saying goes, so you have to pay close attention to how you are presenting yourself to the world.

Celebrities Have A Lock On Personal Branding

When you see photos of Paris Hilton in public, you’ll notice that she’s always put together. Her hair is done and her makeup looks flawless even if she’s just going to the store to pick up dog food. She knows that she will be photographed wherever she goes and that people will critique her personal appearance, so she drives around in a powder pink Bentley.

What you drive says a lot about who you are as a person.

For Hilton, her luxury ride conveys her comfort with luxury items. She also highlights her socialite status with her car’s diamond-encrusted dashboard and custom paint job.

Meanwhile, Oprah Winfrey has nothing to prove to anyone and she’s out to prove it to everyone. She keeps it low-key by staying out of the tabloids. She rolls around town in a Tesla Model S.

Her car says she’s sophisticated, low-key and environmentally conscious. Her choice shows that she is thinking about everything and checking off all the boxes with one choice.

Chris Brown, on the other hand, is no stranger to controversy. His 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo is painted like an F-86 Sabre transonic fighter jet, even though he has never seen any military or even civilian service. But, Brown is more than happy to be in the news for his poor life choices, so why not have a car that is painted to look like a military fighter jet?

See Also: What Science Says About The Car You Drive

How To Enhance Your Personal Branding

What you drive can say a lot about who you are as a person. If you’re still driving your old college clunker, you may not be sending the right message about your personal branding.

If you are starting up a business, pay close attention to how you present yourself to potential clients. Rolling up to client meetings in a clunker may send the message that your startup is a total fly-by-night operation and they would be better off taking their business elsewhere.

Ask yourself what message you want your car to convey about you. After all, this is usually the first thing a potential client sees about you.

If you are running a clean energy startup but driving a gas-guzzling SUV, maybe it’s time you consider switching to an electric vehicle. If you are running an agriculture startup but driving a convertible, you might want to make the switch to a small truck.

It may just be transportation, but it has to serve your needs and send the right messages about you. Even your paint job can speak volumes. Having your company’s logo on your vehicle can show how committed you are.

See Also: 5 Smart Ways to Boost Brand Awareness

Make Yourself Stand Out From The Crowd

If you don’t think personal branding is a thing you need to worry about, you need to reassess things.

Do you need to update your wardrobe? Get your car wrapped with some sort of mobile advertising? Redo your website and update your blog more often?

Take stock of each of the many ways potential clients might have a first interaction with you and ask yourself what impression you want to make. Once you have a personal branding goal, you can start working on them.

To learn more about what your car might be saying about you, here’s an infographic you can check out.

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How many times have you returned home from vacation with a pocketful of change that you feared would stop your plane from taking off? And what have you done with those foreign coins once you made it back to your pad?

Like everyone else, you probably have a tray or jar where you keep the leftover coins from your trips. It’s only practical to leave them at home since they don’t seem that valuable to carry out in the streets.

It’s actually peculiar. Even in the age of plastic, these coins follow us everywhere and it’s not something we often give a thought. In reality, however, these coins aren’t really worthless.

The True Value Of The Coins From Around The World

As for the substance of those coins, the weight of the metals used in making them is more or less arbitrary. In essence, this means that the store value of most modern coins bares no direct connection to the value of the materials they’re made from.

Most coins cost considerably less than what they are worth when spent. Otherwise, fraud would be more widespread than it is. While the act of melting down coins for any reason – let alone to sell as scrap metal – is illegal, there’s generally no point in doing so as they are worth more as minted currency.

But, what can you actually get from those foreign coins if you were to reduce them to shapeless nuggets?

That would depend on your relationship with that notoriously difficult group of people known as scrap metal merchants. It makes more sense to think of how much the metal costs to buy in the first place.

For example, the United States quarter, which has a surface value of 25¢, is mostly made of copper. In fact, 92% of it is copper.

While the price of copper has soared over the last few years – enough so that the nickel is actually ‘worth’ more than a nickel – there’s still only $0.02968 worth of copper in a quarter. The rest is accounted for by $0.00439-worth of nickel. So, all in all, you’re better saving up that daily change in a jar and turning it in at the bank, rather than starting your own foundry.

The Canadian quarter costs even less to make. Its face value equals that of 19 US¢, but its metal value- mostly from its 94% steel content- is just $0.00315. It contains less than a thousandth of a cent’s worth of nickel. The use of steel strengthens the coin while the smidgen of nickel makes it easier to create the design on the face.

Holiday Coins

And how about that holiday money?

Well, your €1 coins are currently worth around US$1.09 in the pâtisserie. However, despite their fancy gold-colored rim, they are actually worth less than a nickel as scrap metal.

The similar looking British pound is worth around $2.58 right now, although it varies widely at the moment due to the confusion surrounding Brexit. One thing that remains a little more constant is its metal value which is around $0.071. That’s a little more than the similarly-constituted Euro as it is a little fatter.

The Australian dollar is equivalent to around three-quarters of the value of the American dollar. In metallic terms, however, it is worth a gnat’s wing under a nickel. It’s made mostly of copper- around $0.04728’s worth, in fact. The Indian ten rupee coin may sound exotic, but this Asian treasure is equivalent to only 16¢ in the bank or $0.04687 at the foundry.

A ten-dollar coin in Hong Kong looks like the inverse of the Euro- a silver-colored rim on a gold-colored core. You could exchange it for US$1.25. In metal, it’s only worth one-twentieth of that price.

It may only be a matter of time before American dollars and Russian rubles are directly interchangeable. We’ll have to see how that one plays out in ‘Trumpmerica’!

Meanwhile, a five-ruble coin is equivalent to just under 10¢ or less than $0.004 in metal terms. It’s made almost entirely of steel.

The five-South African rand coin is worth a nickel and a bit in metal. The Chilean 500-pesos coin, as impressive as it sounds, accounts for just $0.75 in the store. As a scrap metal, it’s just worth $0.043.

Old Coins

For a true whopper of a coin, you might need to go back to the Roman ages. From the 1st century BC to the beginning of the 4th century AD, the Roman gold aureus contained around 8g of gold. It was considered to have the monetary value of 25 pure silver denarii.

In today’s terms, it would be worth around US$710 at the bank and just under half of that if melted and sold to a gold merchant.

That said, if you happen to be passed one amongst your Euros while on holiday in Italy, the wisest move is to not take it to a bureau de change or to seek out a local scrap merchant and cash it in to pay for your flight home. It would be far more sensible to put the thing up for auction. Its rarity and antique status make it a sought-after collector’s piece for many big buyers.

In fact, that piece of gold ‘pocket shrapnel’ might make you up to a million dollars if it’s the right vintage, in good condition and you find the right buyer. Just make sure that they’re happy to pay you by check or by bank transfer. You don’t want to be carrying $1M-worth of unmarked nickels and dimes in your suitcases! It’ll end up costing you a whole lot more in checked luggage.

For an at-a-glance guide to the prices of the coins from around the world, including their precise metallic constitution and values, check out this new visual guide from 911 Metallurgy.

Source

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It’s no secret that a lot of what we think and do are the products of our habits. These habits are often carried out unconsciously and they lead to our emotions and beliefs. These emotions and beliefs then lead to certain actions. These actions can reinforce our beliefs or have consequences that start the cycle all over again.

What exactly is mindfulness?

Mindfulness has been defined in many ways. Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn has described it as, “Awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally. It’s about knowing what is on your mind.”

Generally speaking, mindfulness has two major aspects to it.

The first involves the following:
• Being generally aware of the present moment
• Noticing when that awareness wanders
• Bringing that awareness back to the present moment

The second most common aspect of mindfulness is focusing on something in particular. This involves:
• Paying attention to something in particular, like one’s breath
• Noticing when the mind drifts from that thing
• Bringing attention back to that thing.

Strengthening mindfulness for self esteem

Mindfulness is a skill that most westerners are not used to. Becoming more mindful usually takes specific forms of practice. Many traditions and methods have been developed over the years.

The different forms of meditation have been generally accepted as mindfulness practice. Still, the main goal of being more mindful is to apply its principles to real life situations.

See Also: The Profound Effects Of Meditation On The Mind

Seven steps to utilize mindfulness for self-esteem

Stay in the present moment

Most of your distressful feelings are either memories of things gone wrong or thoughts of a less than optimal future. If you find yourself feeling less confident, odds are you’ve been harping on past failures or are worrying about a particular outcome.

You must strive to vigilantly observe when your mind isn’t focused on the present. When you notice your awareness drifting, bring it back to the here and now. Concentrate on what you’re doing right now at this very moment. There’s a saying, “If you have one foot in the future and the other in the past, you’re pissing on today.”

Don’t confuse ruminating and worrying about the future with planning. Depending on how ingrained your habit towards negative thinking is, it can be a thin line between worrying and planning.

Think of it like this.

If you tell yourself that you are going to do x, y and z, it’s usually planning. But, if your thinking is along the lines of “what if” or “such is probably going to happen”, then you’re probably worrying.

Don’t judge

Judge not or you shall be judged.

This saying has more truth to it than most people realize. Judging can become a formidable unconscious habit. What you often don’t realize is that by judging others, you’re actually drawing comparisons.

You will eventually judge someone to be better at something than you. And once that happens, you will start to down yourself and attack your own self-esteem.

A good way to practice being non-judgmental is to watch the news or read the newspaper and not form an opinion about what you see. In other words, try not to think that the event, the people involved or their actions are right, wrong, smart or stupid, etc. Then, try to bring this same mindset when dealing with others.

When you judge others, your mind slips out of the present moment. It makes you vulnerable to ruminating about the past and future. Remember, judge not, or so you shall be judged.

Stand tall

Research has shown that standing with good posture can have beneficial effects on your mood. It is hard to walk with one’s head, shoulders and chest held upright and not feel good. If you’re standing with good posture, most people will look at you and treat you as if you are confident. It can help you feel better about yourself.

One of the hindrances that make it hard for many people with low self-worth to stand tall is fear of eye contact. If you keep the two previous steps in mind, staying in the present and forming no judgments, it will be easier for you to look people in the eye.

Don’t stare. Just occasionally look people in the eye, especially if they’re looking at you. If you still find eye contact hard, there are a couple of hacks for it. You can look at the bridge of a person’s nose, instead of directly in the eye. Another trick is to look at a person’s ears if you’re directly in front of but not too close to him.

Demand your space

People with low self-esteem often don’t want to be noticed. When in public, they try to be as unobtrusive as possible. Whereas people with high self-worth stand out. One of the ways they do this is by taking up space.

For instance, when standing, try to keep your feet shoulder-width apart. When sitting, keep your knees apart as much as is appropriate for the situation. When you do this, you’re basically telling the world that you not only have balls, but they’re big ones. Try and keep your hands away from you as well, being mindful not to consistently fold your arms across your chest.

If you are a man, you should also be mindful of keeping your elbows away from your torso as well. Keeping the knees and elbows drawn in is often viewed as weak and submissive, not to mention effeminate in some cultures.

Make faces

The look you hold on your face often influences your mood. You should strive to have the look of a confident winner. Different people show that differently.

For one person, it could be a smiling face. For another, it could be the look of a person who’s serious and doesn’t play games. The choice is yours, as long as it is the facial expression that you feel a confident person would wear.

A lot of times, when you have low self-esteem, you defeat yourself before you even start. You have a look of defeat, submission or unhappiness plastered on your face. Not only does this affect your mood, but it can influence those around you.

When you smile, the whole world smiles with you. If you look upbeat and confident, it can make it easier for people to gravitate towards you. People instinctively know that emotions are contagious. Therefore humans tend to be attracted to people who feel good.

On the other hand, if you look like a depressed loser, not only will you tend to feel that way, but it can make people hostile towards you. They don’t want to feel like you do, so they will tend to avoid you or drive you away.

You’ll even find people will often be attracted towards you if you look slightly angry. The key word is “slightly”. If you look enraged or ready to explode, people may stand clear out of fear for their physical safety. Anger is not generally considered a positive emotion, but an angry person is generally looked at as having more confidence than one who looks submissive.

Relax

Relaxation techniques help to alleviate the effects of the fight or flight response. Being in a relaxed state won’t necessarily build confidence, but it can help to relieve anxiety and other adverse moods. This step takes practice.

In the beginning, it’s recommended that you practice some type of relaxation technique. This is so that you know what relaxation actually feels like. Once you have established how it feels, you’ll have to be mindful of the stress on your body. The common trouble spots are the face, neck, shoulder region and the central torso. During your day, you can do a quick self-check to see if there is unnecessary tension in those trouble spots.

Act as if

This step includes bringing all the other steps together. It’s sort of like being a method actor.

You contemplate how you would imagine a person with high self-esteem would act and then you strive to emulate that type of behavior. It may be awkward at first and people that know you may be put off a little. They may not take the ‘new’ you seriously. But, if you’re consistent, they will fall in line. The key is consistency.

You will eventually slip into your habitual ways of behaving. This is where mindfulness plays its part. You have to train your mind to become aware of your thoughts, attitudes and behaviors so that you can correct them as soon as possible. If done often and consistently enough, this in and of itself will become a habit.

See Also: 7 Ways Mindfulness Can Unlock The Door To Your Authentic Life

Conclusion

We see that high self-worth can be influenced by what you do and don’t do. Always remember that it’s about progress and not perfection. You should strive to be mindful of using your thoughts and behavior to:
• Prevent self-defeating thoughts from arising
• Eliminate self-defeating thoughts that do arise
• Bring up esteem building thoughts when they are not presently in mind
• Maintain esteem building thoughts that are currently in mind

If you want moderate gains in your self-esteem, be mindful of the steps you take to move through life. Your limits are only set by the limits of your mindset.

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“In corporate America, women fall behind early and continue to lose ground with every step,” begins the 2016 Women in the Workplace Study.

It’s not hard to believe, considering that only 17% of startups have a female founder. There are multiple factors holding women back from succeeding in the workplace. The study continues to note that women often miss out on vital interactions with members of management, stifling their ability to climb the corporate ladder from the get-go.

The more interactions missed, the shorter the ladder becomes over time. This creates a cumulative effect that becomes impossible to make up for later in life. What can be done to ensure that everyone has an equal shot at success? How do you boost the success of women in the workplace?

When Sheryl Sandberg wrote “Lean In” four years ago, her stated goal was to have half of businesses run by women and half of homes run by men. “In terms of women in leadership roles, we are not better off,” Sandberg said in a USA Today interview earlier this year.

She continued by noting that women comprise less than 6% of the Fortune 500 CEO in the United States. There are fewer countries in the world run by women today than there were when her book was first published. In the United States, she notes, there is only a tiny percentage more women in Congress. There has not been, she points out, much appreciable forward movement in women in leadership roles worldwide despite the efforts of a veritable army of women leaning in.

Along with the launch of her book, Sandberg also launched a nationwide campaign urging women to form “Lean-In Circles” in order to support and encourage each other throughout different stages in their careers. These groups provide mentorship and camaraderie for women who might not be getting such in the workplace.

According to Leanin.org, the most important steps for managers to close the gender gap in the workplace include:

Challenge The Likeability Penalty

Oftentimes, women are punished for being “bossy” or “shrill” in the workplace just for doing their jobs. It’s important to ask yourself if you would react the same way if you were talking to a man.

Evaluate Performance Fairly

Try to measure performance objectively and look for opportunities to make decisions in a gender-blind manner.

Give Women Credit

If you see a man take credit for a woman’s work, speak up.

Get The Most Out Of Meetings

Be on the lookout for women who are being kept in the background in meetings and encourage them to take part.

Share Office Housework

If there are tasks, like making coffee or emptying garbage, that need to be done, be sure they aren’t just automatically falling to female employees.

Make Work Work For Parents

Support working parents any way you can. Make sure they know they are part of the team. Don’t make assumptions about work-travel and work-life balance without checking with parents about their needs.

Make Negotiating A Norm

Women are less likely to negotiate and may need encouragement to do so.

Support Mentorship and Sponsorship

Mentoring can help women succeed from both sides—leadership as well as personal development. Having a program in place can foster a sense of purpose from within your organization.

See Also: What Managers Should Know About Motivating Their Team

In addition to these steps, there are many habits women can employ to propel themselves forward in the workplace. Overcoming adversity is necessary for many women. Oprah overcame an impoverished childhood and J.K. Rowling overcame being a single mother on welfare.

See Also: 5 Women Entrepreneurs Who Failed Before Becoming Millionaires

Everyone can benefit from writing down goals. Dolly Parton has been known to not only write out her goals but also to go about her life as though she had already achieved them.

Taking time to rest and recuperate is crucial. Many women burn the candle at both ends thanks to an imbalance in work and home life. If you are one of these women, meditating or just enjoying a few minutes of quiet time can really make a difference.

Finding balance is the key. There will be compromises as the world changes, so tempering expectations and making the most of even the smallest of victories is going to make you happier in the long run. Learn more about the habits of highly successful women from this infographic.

Source

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Do you love pizza? Of course! Who doesn’t?

The word alone is enough to create a swirl of flavors in my mouth. The moment I order a pizza, I start envisioning the love-making session of warm cheese, bacon, tomato, and herbs in my mouth.

To be honest, pizza is the only thing I never want to share with anybody. Even when I am stuffed up to my soul, I somehow manage to squeeze in another bite.

And that is my problem. I don’t know how much to eat.

When I try to overstuff myself, I always regret it later. It ends up affecting my stomach and my sleeping patterns. It also leaves me lethargic.

And, if I try to eat far less than what my stomach can handle, it leaves me hungry. Even though I know I can eat a little more and my capacity is yet to be met, I avoid it as I get afraid I will overstuff myself again.

So, I figured out a way.

Instead of projecting all my lust on pizza. I started listening to my appetite. I started to eat one slice at a time. And, after each slice I ask my stomach “Bro, should I send some more?”

If I get a yes, then, without missing a beat, I reach out for one more slice. I started eating just enough to satisfy both my hunger and taste buds. That creates a beautifully balanced relationship between me and the pizza- without affecting my system.

Now, you must be thinking, “Damn it! What the hell is this guy trying to do?”

Instead of driving you and dropping you to your goals club as promised, I took a different lane and parked you at a Pizza place. This is all you must be thinking, right?

I know it’s all confusing right now and doesn’t make any sense to you. But, trust me, what I told you was all about goal setting- in a “cheesy” point of view.

Wait! Let me unwrap all this for you.

Place a reasonable order

This was one of my biggest weaknesses when ordering a pizza. No matter what my appetite was or how hungry I was, I always used to order a large pizza. And, 90% of the time, I either ended up overstuffing myself or throwing it away.

This is a major mistake a lot of people make while setting goals for themselves. They set unattainable goals. They don’t analyze where they stand, what their current situation is or if they can work on the goals they set.

Take, for example, a guy weighing 120 kg who set a goal to lose 30 kg in a month. What do you think will happen?

Simple. He will never make it to that goal because it is not a practical goal.

To lose 30 kg in a month, he needs to lose 1 kg daily and that’s not possible. Moreover, he will lose all his hope and motivation that he might never try again.

The first crucial step to any goal is not about measuring the goal. It is to measure yourself. You need to analyze your current situation. Based on that, you need to make projections.

Goals setting is important but setting practical goals is much more important than that.

See Also: How to Set Personal SMART Goals To Succeed

Extra price for extra toppings

Who doesn’t love some customization and extra toppings on their pizzas? For me, I always get a bit more cheese and cheese bursts. It makes my pizza even more divine.

But, what happens when you order all these extras? Obviously, you have to pay more for every customization you make.

Is it worth it? Will it incorporate more taste to your pizza?

It undoubtedly will but it will also add more cost to your total bill.

Our goals follow the same path. There’s always a price you have to pay when you add in “extras”.

Let’s suppose your goal is to hit the sales mark in order to buy yourself a new car. Now, you add some more weight to that goal. You want to buy a BMW (that’s your first topping). And, you put a little more weight to it as you set your eyes on BMW M3 (the final crust to your pizza).

So, how you are going to buy it?

Obviously, you have to do more hard work, put in more effort and be more disciplined. That’s the price you need to pay to bring your dream car in your garage. Of course, that’s apart from the thousands of dollars you need to pay for it.

Success mantra: You can’t aim for high goals while paying a low price for it. You have to pay the price for that extra taste. There’s no other way.

Go one slice at a time

So, your pizza has arrived and I know you can’t wait to dig in. But, what happens when you try to eat all the pizzas in one go?

Next day, there’s a good chance you might not even want to look at it. It might not even taste as good as it did yesterday.

The solution?

Take it slow. When you eat one slice at a time, your whole system will fully accept it and every process will work as it should. Take your time. Eat it, chew it and then digest it.

Same with our goals. Overdoing doesn’t do any good to them either.

Apart from setting realistic goals, you need to know how to break your goals into smaller targets so you can work on them on a daily basis. Every journey begins with a single step and goals are no different.

Tip: Write your goals on a blank paper. Then, write down the different ways you can achieve them. Write down a roadmap to reach those goals. Instead of hitting the finish line directly, divide the goals into smaller tasks and work on them every day.

Don’t aim for too less

So we take it slow on our pizza, but that doesn’t mean we need to eat much less than we want to or need to.

I agree that overeating is bad. But, if you eat way less than your hunger, then you are doing yourself a disservice too. We eat to satisfy our hunger and not to keep ourselves on starvation mode.

Nobody in the entire history of the world has touched the sky by setting very small goals. And, in case you are setting small goals, you are likely to get stuck in the same loop. To make sure that doesn’t happen, create goals that satisfy your hunger and soul. Otherwise, you will never realize your true potential.

Somewhere deep down, we all know what we are capable of. We just tend to fly under the radar because of bad habits. We know we are capable of much bigger things, but we don’t want to leave our comfort zone.

Whenever you set a goal, try to keep a balance so you don’t starve or overstuff yourself.

See Also: 4 Sure-Fire Ways to Motivate Yourself to Reach Your Goals

Summary

We are living in a highly competitive world where we are not just competing with others, but with ourselves, too. Every minute of the day, we should think of ways to achieve our goals and exert effort to turn those goals into a reality.

We create our future and there should be no reason why we can’t make the journey more worthwhile.

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Data breaches are always in the news.

That place you went for tacos last week got breached and now you need a new debit card. Your favorite department store was breached during the Holidays last year and you’d already gotten a new debit card from that. Even your cousin’s home-based business was breached and her essential oil empire is now in jeopardy.

It’s scary enough as a consumer. And if you own a business, data breaches can be downright terrifying. It’s not just an inconvenience for a business. Data breaches can cost millions of dollars to clean up and your company’s reputation may never fully recover.

But, where do all these data breaches come from, anyway?

As it turns out, 63% of data breaches are caused by the lax security procedures of third-party vendors who may not be trained to handle your company’s sensitive information. That’s right. Your data breach may not even be your fault, but you’d better believe you’re the one who will have to pay to clean it up.

Take, for example, the healthcare industry. It is one of the most expensive industries in which to clean up as data breaches can clock in at an average of $355 per record breached. That’s compared to an average of $158 across all industries. The data handled by healthcare businesses is more sensitive and more protected and there are some pretty complicated laws surrounding its handling.

This includes the following:

• Data privacy and security are guaranteed to patients by law
• Potential data breaches are required by law to be handled as data breaches until proven otherwise
• All businesses that have access to privileged health information are required by law to be compliant with HIPAA
• Verifying HIPAA compliance of your third-party vendors is up to you

If you own a medical practice and you hire someone to send out appointment reminder cards, you’d better be sure they are certified HITRUST for HIPAA compliance. Don’t just trust their claims of being HIPAA-compliant. Remember, a data breach can shut a small medical practice down altogether. Make sure your contractors are certified to handle the information you are sharing with them so you can lessen your risk.

In other industries, data breaches aren’t as costly to handle, but they are still just as serious. On average, public sector records are the least expensive to clean up, clocking in at $80 per record breached. But, reputational damage can still impact your company for years to come, if you survive that long.

Since data breaches can be so costly – the average in 2016 was $4 million – the easiest way to stop them in their tracks is to ensure that your third-party vendors are certified to handle any sensitive data your company has. Anything from your HVAC company to the company who supplies your printers can be the weakest link in your information security plan.

A good information security plan will do the following:

• Utilize security tech tools within your organization to protect your data
• Train employees on proper password hygiene and data handling procedures
• Only work with vendors who are certified to handle the type of data your company uses
• Have protocols in place for what data outsiders can access and keep other data separate

When you own a business, third-party contractors are your lifeline. You can outsource your payroll, billing, mailers and printing so you can spend more time on growing your business. As long as you follow strict guidelines on who your company will work with and what they will have access to, leaning on third-party vendors for support can help your business grow and thrive.

See Also: 7 Top Tips to Avoid Being Caught in a Phishing Net

Cyber thieves are always lying in wait for you to leave even the tiniest opening into your company’s sensitive data. Preventing them from gaining access is crucial to your long-term success in your field. Customers won’t want to do business with you after even one data breach, so it’s up to you to close all the gaps. Learn more about preventing data breaches from this infographic!

Source: United-Mail.com

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Marcus Aurelius was a truly remarkable man. The former ruler of Rome, considered the last of the Five Good Emperors, was also a devout student of the philosophy of Stoicism. During his rule, Aurelius found the time to construct a series of autobiographical writings, now known as the Meditations.

In these writings, the Roman Emperor offered a number of key insights on how to live a happy life.

So, without further ado, here are 5 of the most important insights from the writings of Marcus Aurelius.

Lesson One: Appreciate the shortness of life

“There is a limit to the time assigned to you and if you don’t use it to free yourself, it will be gone and will never return.”

Human beings can only exist for a tiny fragment of time and occupy an insignificant speck of dust on earth. We may get to live on this tiny speck of dust for 70 or 80 years, if we’re lucky. Time is surely one of our most precious resources, yet we often waste it.

When it comes to spending our hard earned money, we are frugal. But, when it comes to our time, we simply let it get away. We play video games, mindlessly surf the internet or worry about problems which, in the grand scheme of things, are not really problems at all. We can always earn more money, but we can never buy more time.

The key lesson from Marcus Aurelius here is we should learn to appreciate just how little time we have and to start living our lives today.

We often tell ourselves that tomorrow will be the day we start exercising. Tomorrow will be the day we apply for that job. Tomorrow will be the day we start writing that book.

In the English language, tomorrow is one of the most dangerous words. Stop living for tomorrow and start living for today.

Lesson Two: Stop seeking the praise of other people

“It doesn’t matter how good a life you’ve led. There’ll still be people standing around the bed who will welcome the sad event.”

If there is one important lesson I wish to have learned earlier in life, it is that there will always be people who dislike you. There are 7 billion people on this planet and to try and live a life that pleases every single one of them is utter madness.

Learn to understand that if someone dislikes you, it’s not because you’re not a funny or kind or clever person. There are going to be people who disapprove of you no matter what you do or say, so you may as well live your life as authentically as you can.

If you’re a massive Star Wars geek, then embrace that. If you disagree with someone’s political opinion, don’t pretend otherwise. Or if your friends make a comment you find hurtful, let them know.

In the words of the French Novelist, Andre Gide, “It’s better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.”

Lesson Three: Negative emotions are a result of negative thinking

“Your ability to control your thoughts—treat it with respect. It’s all that protects your mind from false perceptions—false to your nature, and that of all rational beings.”

The negative emotions we experience are often just the result of how we interpret things. Let’s take the example of two friends, Jack and Jill, who are both invited to a mutual friend’s birthday party.

Jack, a very extroverted individual, is excited at the prospect of attending such a party. He views it as a great opportunity to meet a bunch of new people. Jill, on the other hand, is filled with anxiety and dread. She doesn’t know anyone there and fears that she will have nobody to talk to.

This is a great example of how two people can have very different reactions to an identical situation. This element of stoic philosophy was so influential that it now remains a core focus of modern day Cognitive-Behavioral-Therapy.

We should learn to understand that the anxiety, worry or anger we experience is not a result of our environment. Those things happen because of our way of thinking. Because of that, we have the ability to empower ourselves and take back control of our emotions.

See Also: How To Control Negative Thoughts: A Practical Approach On How To Suffer Less

Lesson Four: Focus only on what you have control over and ignore the rest

“The cucumber is bitter? Then throw it out. There are brambles in the path? Then go around them. That’s all you need to know. Nothing more.”

There are only two things in this life we have control over: our thoughts and actions. That’s it. The rest is out of our hands. But, how often in life do we waste time and effort, complaining about things in which we simply have no influence over?

Emotions, such as anger, are not always useless. Sometimes, they motivate us to take action in times of injustice. However, there are many occasions where such emotions simply serve no purpose.

Take traffic, for example. You can shout, swear and beep your horn as much as you like or you can relax and listen to the radio. Either way, you’re stuck in the traffic jam and there’s nothing you can do about it.

The next time you feel frustrated or angry at some situation or comment somebody made, ask yourself, “Is this anger useful? Does it serve a purpose?”

You can’t control other people. You can’t control what they say, do or think.
So, stop paying so much attention to others and simply focus on your own life.

See Also: Changing Perceptions: Understanding What We Can Control In Life

Lesson Five: Seek to build your own character

“The mind in itself has no needs, except for those it creates.”

We live in a materialistic culture. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements telling us about the latest gadgets we need to own. The media constantly exposes us to the lives of the rich and famous. We’re sold credit cards so we can order whatever we want from Amazon Prime, spending our money before we’ve even earned it.

We’ve been lead to believe that happiness lies in material things, like getting a big house with a pool or a luxury Mercedes on the driveway.

When we seek happiness in the form of material possessions, we will never find joy. There is always something else to want- a bigger house, a faster car, more money in the bank account. Furthermore, when we seek fulfillment in the form of physical things, we place our happiness in the hands of others. I think Aurelius puts this best:

“If you can’t stop prizing a lot of other things? Then you’ll never be free—free, independent, imperturbable. Because you’ll always be envious and jealous, afraid that people might come and take it all away from you. “

The point is that no material thing ever really belongs to us. Everything can be taken away. If we define ourselves by how many bedrooms our houses have, what happens if we lose the house?

I think the key point Aurelius is making is that rather than seeking material wealth in life, we should learn to build our character. We should seek to become kind, honest and hard-working people. We should educate ourselves and learn to treat others with respect.

After all, our house can burn down, somebody may steal our car and our business may fail at some point. The one thing that can never be taken away from us? Our character.

The post 5 Key Insights For A Happy Life From Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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You’ve decided to get to bed early. You unplugged all your devices, made the room temperature comfortable and turned off the lights.

An hour has passed and you’re still wide awake, tossing and turning in a modern reenactment of the Princess and the Pea. After a couple more turns, you managed to get to sleep – only to wake up feeling crappy with an aching body.

Getting a good night’s sleep isn’t just about proper sleep hygiene. The right mattress counts, too.

Now, if you are wondering how and where you should start, here are 10 easy steps to help you find the right mattress.

Check your mattress

Ideally, you should change your mattress every 9 to 10 years. However, if you are constantly waking up with pain in your lower back, neck and shoulders, you should make the replacement sooner.

The presence of lumps and sagging are telltale signs you need to buy a new mattress. Frequent sneezing, while you’re on your bed, is a bad sign, too. Household allergens can accumulate on your mattress over time and if you don’t act right away, you can end up with allergies that can give you more than just poor sleep.

Know what you want

There’s no universal rule when it comes to mattresses. You should stick with your own preference to ensure your comfort.

Take note of what you liked in your past beds and consider the things you didn’t find comfortable. This is particularly important, especially if you’ll be buying your mattress in a physical store. A lot of salespeople can talk you into buying the most expensive mattress that’s nowhere near comfortable.

Assess your sleeping style

One of the most important things you should consider when buying a new mattress is your sleeping style.

• If you are a side sleeper, you should find a mattress that can provide adequate support for your hips, shoulders and other pressure points.
• In case you are a back sleeper, the best mattress for you is one that can support the natural curve of your back and spine. When lying flat, you should be able to insert no more than one finger between the mattress and your back.
• For stomach sleepers, pick a mattress that can prevent your lower back and stomach from bending downward as it can cause tension and pain.

See Also: Do You Have The Right Mattress For Your Body Type?

Do your research

Before making a purchase, make sure you do your research first. Ask your friends and family about what type of mattress they are using and know their experiences. Check reviews online and see how well certain mattresses last. You can also visit manufacturer websites to know what materials they are using for their products.

Set a budget

The most expensive price tag doesn’t guarantee the highest comfort. In finding the best mattress, it’s actually more about your body type, sleeping style and preference.

You can find a lot of quality mattresses under $1000. Some of them are even priced lower. When shopping around, make sure you do your research first so you won’t fall victim to tempting sales pitch.

Shop around

Once you are done with your research, it’s time to explore. Go to local showrooms and browse mattresses online. Get a feel of the different brands and see what you like and don’t like. Take note of their prices as well as other information you might find important.

While shopping around, be careful not to make any commitment yet. You are likely to encounter a lot of salespeople but don’t feel pressured into making a purchase until you are ready and sure.

Take the time to test the mattresses

Your body needs at least 15 minutes to fully relax. Use this time to test each mattress.

Lie down on your typical resting position and see how well the mattress can support your body. Take note of the areas that are making you feel comfortable as well as the parts that are making you feel awkward. You shouldn’t experience any numbness or pain. Mattresses can be firm, soft, or in-between.

Don’t be afraid to ask

When you don’t have enough time to test all the mattresses or you just want to be clear about your choice, don’t hesitate to ask the salespeople. Although they are trying to make a sale, you can still get accurate information from them if you ask the right questions.

Take, for example, a mattress’ motion separation. You won’t be able to determine if a bed has good motion separation if you’re testing it out alone. The same goes for temperature regulation as well as a mattress’ foundation.

Read the fine print

Shopping for a good mattress doesn’t end with price or materials. You also have to be aware of the guarantees, returns and warranties. Be clear about what is and isn’t covered so you’ll know what to expect.

Keep your mattress in shape longer

Now that you’ve found the perfect mattress for you, protect and extend its life so you can have more nights of good sleep.

Here are some of the things you can do:

• Routinely clean your mattress at least twice a year by flipping and rotating it.
• Strip the cover of the bed and vacuum its fabric covering. Make sure to vacuum the entire surface area to ensure that there are no pet hair, dust or cracker crumbs left.
• If there are any stains, wash them with a mild detergent and water. You can also use an enzyme-based cleanser. Be careful not to saturate the mattress and make sure its’s completely dry before you make your bed.
• You can deodorize your mattress by sprinkling a bit of baking soda over it. Let it sit for a couple of hours before vacuuming.
• Expose your mattress to fresh air and sunlight. This is one good way to eliminate bacteria.
• Replace and wash your beddings once a week.
• Use a disinfecting spray on the mattress as well as the box spring to get rid of bad bacteria.
• Invest in a good mattress cover. It will protect your mattress from dirt and stains.

See Also: 10 Things You Never Knew About Bed Bugs

 

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“I really just want to quit my job, move somewhere gorgeous and open my own B&B.”

That’s the secret dream of countless executives and “worker bees” alike. Chances are, they’re thinking of a luxurious inn that’s a peaceful, upscale retreat for humans – not a smaller facility filled with often-yowling and often-demanding cats.

Then again, those dreamers are probably not “cat people.” They can’t understand how fun it is to tend to a building filled with adorable, playful and trouble-making feline guests. That could be an ideal situation for cat lovers, though.

If this describes you, here’s a look at how to start a cat hotel.

The Basics

Let’s get this out of the way up front: you’re not going to make millions of dollars running a cat hotel. You can, however, make a decent supplemental income or even develop a viable small business by providing a reliable, safe and comfortable home for cats whose owners are out of town on holiday or for business travel.

Before taking any concrete action, research and planning are essential. Here are key questions to ask yourself.

Are you really up for this?

A cat hotel isn’t just a facility that has lots of cats to play with when you have the urge. You’ll have to spend hours cleaning, preparing and serving food, grooming and administering meds. Plus, there’s the administrative work you have to do on a 24/7 basis- with no vacations.

In fact, normal holiday periods will be your busiest time. A staff under your supervision can do much of the work for you. However, if you’re not actively supervising them, you may be at risk of losing everything you’ve built.

Is there an underserved market?

Many areas already have numerous cat or pet boarding facilities. Trying to take away their business is a lot harder than opening a cat hotel where there’s a demand for one.

Do you have the experience and knowledge?

Training or certification isn’t required in most areas. Just as running an inn is very different from having house guests, running a cat hotel is much more demanding than taking care of your own pets. Consider training courses or working in an existing facility before starting your own.

Do you need government approvals or permits?

You will, in many areas. You’ll also have to check zoning regulations to find out where cat hotels are and aren’t allowed.

Do you have the necessary funds?

You’ll need to acquire a suitable building, purchase everything from housing to food and market your service extensively. You’ll have to do all those things before revenue can start rolling in.

The Logistics

Still interested in taking the plunge after answering all of those questions? Here’s a brief guide on how you can start a cat hotel.

1. Find a proper location, ensuring there’s plenty of room for expansion if your business takes off. Don’t purchase or lease, though, until you’re sure that it meets all zoning requirements and you acquired all of the necessary permits.

2. Talk to a lawyer and accountant to set up the right business structure for your business. Be sure to obtain all tax IDs and permits, including employer ID numbers and sales tax permits.

3. Build suitable housing for your guests. It should be spacious, comfortable and safe. Build play areas, too. There are companies you can hire to do this for you.

4. Obtain liability insurance to protect against accidents and potential client lawsuits. Better safe than sorry.

5. Purchase the food, toys, play structures or other essentials you’ll require.

6. Hire staff members, if you have the need and the funds.

7. Build relationships with local vets, so they’ll be available in the event of emergency and (hopefully) recommend your facility.

8. Market, market, market. Start by giving away fliers and brochures at pet-related businesses and local stores. Advertise in local “coupon” magazines and build an online presence. Once you have a regular, satisfied clientele, you’ll have a regular income.

Conclusion

The old cliché says “Do what you love.” Running a cat hotel is a lot of work, and it will never generate enough income to let you retire to a tropical island. But for a true cat lover with a solid business plan, it’s a great way to reap financial rewards while doing what you love. And, it will definitely keep you busy!

 

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Falling in love with someone can be a wonderful experience. As you learn about one another, you begin to see new ways of learning and experiencing life. There is little that disrupts the flow of a newly budding relationship and it is easy to become swept away by the attraction.

However, once you have settled into your role as a partner, the attraction and adoration may no longer enough. You will face the challenge of working out problems. Unfortunately, some couples never recover from the hardships of learning how to compromise and growing together.

So, how do you know when it’s time to start giving up on relationships?

There isn’t enough quality time

You or your partner is seeking pleasure and satisfaction outside of the relationship.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a couple having different interests. In fact, two people in a healthy relationship should have experiences that they enjoy independently as well as together.  The struggle comes when one or both of the partners begin to seek enjoyment outside of the relationship at all times.

While this may seem like an insignificant problem, the lack of quality time spent together can compromise the health of the relationship in the long run.

Be sure to balance the time you spend doing what you love and the time you spend with your partner. If you find yourself relieved when you are not around your partner, it may be time to reconsider the future of the relationship.

The relationship is experiencing unfaithfulness

Unfaithfulness is like a wound that is unable to properly heal. There may be forgiveness and closure, but the harm the action caused will never fully disappear. All that may be left is a scar and there will always be evidence of the hurt.

Infidelity is commonly referred to as “cheating” and typically includes any sexual relationship outside of two exclusive partners. Cheating or infidelity, however, can also present as emotional or visual. If you find yourself looking at others for visual pleasure or you experience an emotional connection with another person that should only exist within your relationship, you may need to take the time to reflect on your relationship.

You become uncomfortable as a couple in social settings

If one or both of you are visibly uncomfortable when you are in public together, something is probably wrong.

This does not necessarily mean the end of the relationship. It may simply mean that there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

But, if one of you is intentionally avoiding the other when you’re with friends and family, the problem may have deeper roots. It may be the right time to talk it out with your partner and reevaluate things.

See Also: I’m Saying Thanks For Breaking My Heart

There are red flags of abuse

If you are harming your partner intentionally, either by words or by actions, then the health of your relationship is already diminishing. If your partner is doing things with the intent to harm you, it is time to walk away. No loving or healthy relationship comes with the intention to harm.

There may be times when a person does something that hurts the one he loves the most, but if this hurt has progressed to intentional, hurtful behavior, it is better to just walk away. Talk to local resources offering help for dating or domestic abuse. The trained individuals in these institutions may be able to provide you with a clearer answer about the abuse you are experiencing.

You and your partner are traveling in very different directions

Lastly, no matter how much time has passed since you decided to become an exclusive couple, life can still lead you to two separate directions. Differences in passions, desires and hopes for the future often spell the end of a relationship.

Healthy couples either work through these differences or mutually decide to end their partnership. Other couples have difficulty with this process and the ending of the relationship can be quite ugly. But, regardless of how messy it may look, it is important to know who you are and what you want. Your joy in life, no matter what you are doing, is what you pass on to the people around you and to your children.

Is staying with this person going to uplift you and encourage you to continue seeking joy? Or is staying with this person going to bring you down and discourage you from going after what you desire out of life?

Remember, it is never too late to walk away. Some of the best and healthiest relationships involve people who never give up and continue to grow with one another. If only one person is choosing to grow, change and move forward, is the relationship going in the right direction?

See Also: Leave The Past Behind: 6 Ways To Learn The Art Of Un-Loving

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