Smaller businesses have a slightly more difficult path to success than others. To achieve success as a small business, you’ll need to do everything you can to ensure its growth. Various steps need to be taken, but there are also some tips and tricks that you can use to give yourself an edge.

In any case, this article will teach you how to ensure the growth of your small business and how you can keep it on top for a long time. After you’ve read the article, you’ll have some extra knowledge up your sleeve that will definitely benefit your small business.

Let’s start!

Developing an effective & efficient small business framework

The usual frameworks that work with big businesses can actually offer some insight for smaller businesses, but there are a couple of problems. Small businesses don’t necessarily need to grow constantly to be able to operate. Also, big businesses don’t need to spend a lot of time managing the start of their existence, while small businesses have to. Developing an effective & efficient small business framework is imperative to its survival.

Specialize in one thing & give your best

You won’t get far if you try to do everything at the same time, especially if you don’t specialize your business in one thing. Most businesses that try to achieve multiple things end up burning to the ground.

Don’t multitask because you will have to divide your resources and attention to multiple things and that isn’t good. Pick one thing and give your best by constantly working towards improving your business and the service/product it offers!

Partner with another small business

It’s understandable that most people want to work alone, without interference. This is mostly true for big businesses as they don’t need to partner with others except in the case of an emergency or an expansion.

Consider partnering with another small business as you will both get a boost in the number of customers and you’ll be making more money. Explain your business goals to the other business owner and discuss the terms for partnering. This also builds up trust, so you’d be wise to do this.

Using checklists

Checklists are fairly necessary when it comes to managing a business because they let you gain insight into your clients’ needs plus you’ll be able to get a better perspective on what needs to be improved regarding your business. Even though it might seem redundant at first, checklists are important, and they shouldn’t be overlooked. So, invest in making a great checklist for the business.

Take advantages of small business tools

There are many apps, tools, Saas (Software as a service) solutions developed to help small business owners to get things done easily and fast. For example: use Quickbooks online to keep track of P&L; use coupon maker to generate coupons (FREE); use Google Business to atttract local customers, etc. Smart business owners are taking full advantages of these tools (many are FREE) to generate sales and serve their customers.

Become a leader in the industry

Once you’ve set your business up correctly, strive to become the industry standard. Lead by example and show others that you are a leader. It will not only help your own business in getting more efficient and recognized, but you’ll also gain the respect of other business owners that may look up to you. Provide the industry with something new and provide it in a special, interesting way. There are many things you can do when it comes to this so be creative!

See Also: 3 Easy Ways To Reclaim Your Power As A Leader 

Boost up your e-mail marketing

E-mail marketing has somewhat fallen out of favor, but it’s still a very powerful and important tool in marketing. Social media is currently the base platform for advertising, but e-mails are just as powerful.

Try not to send generic emails all the time because people get bored of them quickly. Think of new ways you can promote your business through e-mails and you’ll start seeing an increase in clients!

See Also: 8 Top Marketing Tips for Small Businesses 

 

The post How to Ensure Growth in Small Business appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2r5BYqg

A majority of people might feel funny about second-hand recycling or, as it’s more commonly referred to, dumpster diving. The truth, however, is that it’s filled with lots of rewards.

Of course, I’m not talking about just any old dumpster in town. The gold mine comes around this time of year, particularly in college campuses. Those college kids love to throw shit out.

Printers, mini-refrigerators, cameras and even computers. You can find all kinds of gears simply by looking in and around college campus dumpsters. And not just that. You can also find things, like totes, bags, racks, and furniture of all kinds, in that same place.

Now, I’m not advocating one to grab a shovel and start digging to the bottom of any industrial dumpster. Heck, you can, but that’s not what I’m suggesting. Most kids leave their useful “trash” to the side of the dumpster that you won’t need to dig deep. In fact, you can get a good view of things just right on the top.

And to hell with feeling uncomfortable. There’s nothing to be ashamed of collecting perfectly useful items once used by other people. You shouldn’t feel ashamed to be seen near a dumpster just because you’re too afraid that girls or guys won’t go out with you anymore.

There’s plenty of reasonably clean gears within easy reach inside college dumpsters. That is to assume that they haven’t been sitting long and haven’t endured harsh weather conditions. Of course, plenty of things can withstand these elements for a short period and be okay, but there are also those that degrade quickly. Textbooks, for example, can provide easy cash, assuming the condition is adequate.

I like to think that most people recycle daily, though I’m probably wrong. Those who do toss their La Croix cans, beer bottles and milk jugs in those environment-friendly blue bins to be picked up and taken off to recycling factories. There, they are repurposed and transformed into other much useful things. Without a doubt, it’s a very positive thing to do for the environment.

So, why not recycle like this?

The benefits and possibilities with dumpster driving are abundant. You could start a little pawn style business with the treasures you find or even put on a dumpster art show. Nobody will stop you from using “trash” to be your creative outlet.

Food is another, though far more questionable, commodity you can retrieve from dumpsters. It’s relatively common in dumpsters you can find in grocery chains and markets, but not so much on college campuses. While I gravitate more towards household items, there certainly are people who look for perfectly fine packaged food out back.

In fact, I recently saw an American Ninja Warrior episode (I was in a Chicago hotel room with limited channels) and the dude who won the challenge was an avid dumpster diver from California, primarily for food. If an American Ninja Warrior advocates it, you know it’s legit.

Not only can dumpster diving save you money on daily products, you can also get a lot of things that work perfectly fine from the dumps and landfills. If you’re creative and willing, you could even salvage and utilize broken items for other purposes.

Knowing so much working “trash” is tossed out by tons of people is a shame. But there’s no shame in being in the thick of the recycling hustle and doing good for you and for your environment.

See Also: 10 Ways to Enjoy a Zero-Waste Lifestyle

The post No Shame In Dumpster Diving appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2q5zUAe

Dating is one the most fun experiences in life, but in today’s climate, it can also be one of the most worrying for you and for those who care about you. If you’re dating somebody from your circle of friends, it’s easier to have people’s mind at ease. But what if you’re on a first date with somebody relatively new or somebody you don’t know so much about?

Here are the twelve simple rules of staying safe on a first date.

Tell A Friend Your Plans

Make sure that a friend or family member knows exactly what your plans are for the evening. If they don’t hear from you when they expect to, then they can start to raise the alarm that something might be wrong.

Go Somewhere Public

On a first date, it’s particularly important to arrange to meet somewhere very public, like a park or a coffee shop. If your date wants you to go straight to their home for your first meeting, then you should be apprehensive about their intentions.

Take Your Mobile

This seems like an obvious tip, but absolutely make sure that you take your phone with you wherever you go. You can use it to text that the date is going well, but you can also use it for more serious reasons if something feels wrong.

Don’t Be Afraid To Leave

If something about the date doesn’t seem right to you, then do not hesitate to get up and leave. You don’t owe your date anything, especially if they are making you feel uncomfortable. Just excuse yourself and head for the door!

Pre-Plan Your Route

Make sure that you know exactly how to get to and from your date location. You should not rely on somebody else to pick you up or take you home, especially if you want to be out of their company quickly!

Eyes On Your Drink

Keep one hand and one eye on your drink at all times during the date, and never leave it unaccompanied to go to the bathroom etc. It might seem like a cynical thing to do, but you can never be too sure with a relative stranger.

Don’t Meet At Home Or Work

Don’t arrange the date to start from your home or your workplace, as by the end of the night you might realize that you have gone out with somebody who you don’t want knowing such personal information.

Don’t Drink Too Much

Of course, it’s a woman’s prerogative to drink however much she wants. However, on a first date, in particular, it is always good to have all of your wits about you, just in case any advances are made that you don’t want.

Don’t Be Driven Home

Don’t let your date drive you home. You might not want to reveal your home address this early on, and you also don’t want thr possibility of them driving you to a place that you are unfamiliar with.

Don’t Go Home With Them

It seems a bit old fashioned to tell someone not go home with their date after the first meeting in 2017, but if there is a strong physical attraction, it will still be there on the second or third date when you know them better.

Get A Friend To Call

It’s always a good idea to get a friend to call you halfway through the date just to check up on you. If it is going well, they will be reassured and your date will know that somebody is waiting up for you. And if your date isn’t going well, then their call can be your reason to leave.

Kiss Outside The Car

If you feel like you want to smooch on the first date, then do so outside of the car so that you aren’t at risk of doors being locked or things being taken too far in the semi-privacy of a vehicle.

So there you have it, 12 of my best tips for making sure that you are as safe as you can be when out on a first date. We hope you have lots of fun, but remember to be safe at all times and trust your gut when it comes to how you feel about the person you are getting to know. Looks and first impressions can sometimes deceive!

We’ve prepared the infographic below for you. Please share it with your friends or relatives.

Source

 

The post 12 Simple Rules Of Staying Safe On A First Date appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2pySkq4

For any artist to succeed in this highly competitive world, he needs to pay as much attention to promoting his art as its generation. Today, art is accessible to everyone. Because it is so common and accessible, you need to maintain and promote the quality of your work both online and offline if you want to gain an edge.

Instagram is quite a great platform for artists as it fundamentally concentrates on sharing images, paintings, and art masterpieces. It enables artists to demonstrate their painting process and even to sell their unique paintings along the way.

As per Vogue, artists sell their paintings on a regular basis today thanks to their Instagram feed. The platform allows incredible and somewhat unprecedented accessibility to all its users across the world.

If you want to take the same path, here are some secret tips for artists to gain Instagram success.

Make It A Fascinating And Interesting Experience

You must always make it a point to share those photos that are relevant and appropriate to your image as a capable artist. Instagram is an effective way to showcase your creativity, the things that inspire or motivate you, and even the events that are happening in your life.

You must understand that Instagram is definitely not just about your art. It can also be about your daily way of life and your brand. You could consider posting about events, inspirations, studio shots and, of course, your work in progress.

See Also: Top 11 Instagram Users You Should Follow If You Like Photography And Nature

Top Quality Pictures

Remember to incorporate really top quality images that would reflect your work as well as your vision. Instagram users usually expect high-quality and highly curated photographs. With the use of effective filters, you can make your pictures look as awesome as your original paintings. Bear in mind that you cannot post any mediocre-grade pictures on Instagram.

Add An Interesting Caption

You must give a serious thought to captions. Instagram is a platform that is just right for visual storytelling. You must get into the habit of sharing pictures with fascinating captions or an interesting story that can engage and grab the attention of Instagram followers.

We all know that Instagram users love to interact and they would be too happy to like a truly mind-blowing and captivating post.

Promote Your Art Effectively On Instagram

Your chief objective for Instagramming is to promote your unique work. But, if you wish to develop a long-term and robust fan base, you should not solely concentrate on selling your artwork. Many Instagrammers have achieved phenomenal success by focusing more on developing a brand and a distinctive style that is loved by the people. That is how you start using Instagram to your advantage.

See Also: How to Increase Your Instagram Followers in 2017

Highlight The Process

Post your progress on Instagram to effectively promote your work. As an artist, you need to pay attention to each aspect of your project. It is wiser to share some interesting pictures as your work updates and not just the finished products.

Using an effective hashtag, such as #coming soon or #sneakpeek can help, too. This is a great way of creating hype for your artwork.

Conclusion

Instagram is a great way to boost your sales. One good reason is that there is no apparent pressure on the followers to purchase your product. As you see your followers multiply, you would find them re-gramming your unique artworks or even tagging their friends. This is how this interactive platform could help your images go viral or at the least, reach that one Instagrammer who would purchase your work.

The post Instagram Tricks For Artists To Achieve A Successful Career appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2q06CDk

Alcoholism is an emotive issue in many circles. It’s not just because it has been linked to a plethora of vices but because drinking is a way to relax and unwind for most people. Proponents would say alcohol is only as bad as the user. They isolate themselves from the negative image that alcohol carries.

After a hard day’s work, most people will head to the bar and knock back some beer or tall glasses of fruity but potent cocktails. Occasionally, they interject their froth party with strong chasers. At the end of a wild night, they most probably call a taxi because they are just too drunk to drive home.

The after-work drink becomes customary. However, there is a silent user in the group that is not as casual about his drinking as the rest of the bar-goers. No one notices, and that’s just fine. You carry on unabated, until the day you realize that you are being laid off for coming to work drunk.

How did I become an alcoholic?

How did it happen?

If you look closely, you would realize that it was hidden under the guise of being a functioning alcoholic. It may come as a surprise, but functioning alcoholism is just a step away from becoming a total alcoholic.

But, is there a pattern that could help you recognize the condition early? There are four steps that ring across any alcoholic’s graph. Although the causative factors are not cast in stone, some are more common.

Drinking for the buzz

Most casual drinkers have no intention of exceeding their limits when they open a bottle. For them, a beer or a glass of wine is just a great placeholder during conversations. However, once you start drinking with the intention to be drunk, you may have a problem on your hands.

Drinking to escape

When you’re not feeling yourself, you rely on alcohol to set you right. That glass of wine, those shots of bourbon or that pitcher of beer opens up a world where you can forget all the stress and problems you’re facing. After your drink, you feel relaxed as if life isn’t busy bogging you down.

Drinking for the seclusion

Your escape phase has escalated to where you are getting in trouble with the law. The circle you belong to is gone, and you find yourself nursing a bottle anytime you are alone. The reclusion is where most psychological problems manifest. It’s a downward spiral from here- a vicious cycle of more drink and more isolation.

The reclusion is where most psychological problems manifest. It’s a downward spiral from here — a vicious cycle of more drink and more isolation.

Physical manifestation of the allergy from alcoholism

At this point, you are no longer a functioning alcoholic. The alcohol has taken its toll on your mental and physical capabilities and its starting to show. Your job, relationships, and health are taking a hit. As a consolation, it is at this stage that most users opt to seek help.

See Also: Where to Find Friends and Support During Addiction Recovery

When it comes to alcoholism, it doesn’t always have to mean a dirty person leaning on a wall and reeking of stale alcohol. There are people who are dependent on alcohol that look well on the outside. Noticing a pattern is the first step to saving someone from a steep slope of self-destruction.

If you’re having a problem with your drinking or suffering consequences from it, you should ask for help. Help can be found in many places, including therapy, 12-step fellowships, and alcohol treatment centers.

One important factor that many don’t take into consideration is the emotional aspect of alcoholism. The main question you should ask yourself is, “Why am I drinking in the first place?” If it’s due to an emotional issue, you may want to stop drinking completely. Once your body gets used to drinking alcohol to subdue your issues, you’re well on your way to full blown alcohol addiction.

See Also: The Tell-Tale Signs You May Have Alcoholism

The post Can You Curb Alcohol Addiction In Its Early Stage? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2pqPkLz

One thing I’ve always been very keen on is talking about taking ownership of things. I don’t mean physical things. I mean ownership of what you’re doing and who you’re being. It’s about being responsible for yourself and your life.

As someone who’s both been an employee and an employer, I know that the team members that are valuable to the company are the ones who take full and total responsibility for what’s happening around them. The ones who whine and point their fingers at everyone else are — let’s face it — hard work.

We’ve all experienced it.

We go into a shop or restaurant and the person who’s supposed to be serving us couldn’t give a hoot about what we want or make sure we leave the place as happy and satisfied customers. They make us fully aware that we’re an irritation and that we’re asking too much.

Then you go to a different shop and the person assisting you there makes all the difference. You’ll go back there because of the service and because you feel valued. The person who served you took complete ownership & responsibility for ensuring that you have a wonderful experience. He took it upon himself to give you a great experience.

I could, quite happily, go on for hours about this subject and I hope it’s something I drummed into my kids. This is how I see it:

Whatever you’re doing, you take FULL and COMPLETE responsibility for making sure that whatever is supposed to happen does happen, in a way that leaves everyone involved feeling great.

It doesn’t matter if your boss is an idiot or your colleagues are lazy and have a bad attitude. The only thing that matters is that YOU give it your all and that YOU make sure that you’ve done everything in your power to generate that outcome.

In other words, take full ownership of what’s happening around you and take complete responsibility for the outcomes. Not blame, but responsibility. They’re two completely different things.

See Also: Why Criticizing Others Won’t Get Them to Change … and What Will!

What do I mean by taking responsibility?

Now, it’s really easy to look at this from the perspective of the job we’re in.

If you look around, you’ll see that almost every problem that you encounter in the workplace is potentially caused by your failure and your co-worker’s failure to not take ownership. This can manifest in many different ways, such as:

• Having a bad attitude
• Not wanting to be there
• Someone who doesn’t care
• Having a goal that isn’t in alignment with the company
• Someone who likes to bitch and moan
• Someone who is only on the lookout for themselves

There are lots of ways these things can show. In certain instances, they can come out very subtle.

Now, take a look at your life. Are you taking full, 100% responsibility for your life?

Be honest and consider these things:

• In which areas of your life does your attitude stink?
• Which areas look exactly as you want them to?
• Do you live how you want to live?
• Which areas of your life inspire and motivate you?
• Which areas downright suck?
• Do you go to bed at night completely satisfied with your day?
• Do you show up exactly how you want to show up for everyone in your life?
• Are you the person you want to be?
• Do you do the things you want to do?

If you answered ‘no’ to any of those things or if there are areas which stink or suck, then you’re not taking ownership of your life. And there are a lot more questions I could ask, so don’t go thinking that because I haven’t asked a specific question, you’re off the hook.

You’re not and you’re not being fully responsible. It’s as simple as that.

This is not a blame game

This isn’t blaming and I’m not suggesting that anyone is ever going to be perfect. This is about constantly moving towards your true purpose in life. It’s about trying to get in alignment with who you really are.

Do you see the difference?

Blame is bad and just wrong. It stops you dead in your tracks.

Taking responsibility means you know where you’re going and if you’re not there yet, you just have to keep moving forward.

Let’s go back to employees who take ownership for a minute. Whether you’re an employer or an employee, you know who among your colleagues is great to work with and who isn’t. In other words, you know who takes responsibility for their job and who doesn’t.

Take that analogy and think about it in terms of your life.

If that person who takes responsibility makes such a difference to their workmates and their customers, what kind of a difference do you think it will make if you apply the same level of responsibility to yourself and your life?

See Also: 11 Ways To Pick Yourself Up And Bounce Back After Failure

How would your life be different if you took full, complete, 100% responsibility for it?

What kind of difference would it make to the people around you? What would you do differently?

Who would you make sure you showed up as? Would you experience your life differently? Would it feel different?

What if your real job in life, the one that you absolutely MUST take complete responsibility for and ownership of, was to show up as who you really are? To just be 100% fully you?

The universe put you here for a reason. If you want to reflect that reason, you’d better be fully responsible for showing up EXACTLY as the universe designed you.

What do you need to do to take ownership of your life?

 

The post Taking Ownership: Are You Taking Full Responsibility For Your Life? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2pXhVdu

When I was younger, I worked in a nursing home. It was a sad and disheartening place to work. The people you’d normally find there are not in their best condition and it was heartbreaking on most days.

On weekends, the grown children of some of those people would come to visit. They’d sit awkwardly on the stiff chairs, obviously just fulfilling their duty. However, once the obligatory hour and a half were over, they’d quickly walk out looking visibly relieved.

The parents would be left with nothing else but to look forward to when their children would be back next. Some residents had no visitors at all. It was so sad to watch.

On occasion, there would be a special resident, one who always had visitors. The children of this person would stay the entire length of the visiting hours and show up punctually the next week. Many times, his family members would bring dinner. His grandchildren would come on weekends and the halls would turn into a family reunion every Saturday.

And I asked myself, what was the difference between these two sets of circumstances? How were these residents different?

So, I started to look at my own situation and of the people around me. I finally came up with the most important items that would ensure a long and loving relationship with your children.

Let your kid be whatever or whoever he wants to be

Identity is very important to anyone.

When you were young, you probably had a good idea of wanted you to be- a teacher, pilot or doctor. Although you did not grow up to be those things, you were pretty much decided at that time.

Kids, as they grow, change their minds almost as quickly as sand falling from an hourglass. It is what they do. If you do not allow them to be who and what they want to be when they want to be it, they will resent you.

Don’t force them to share their toys

I know this is a sore subject for some.

When we were young, we were taught that nice people share. Our parents would take away our toys and give them to another child to play with.

Let’s look at this from another perspective.

How would you feel if your boss or your parent insisted that you give the keys to your new car to your friend just because nice people share? You would hate it. After all, it is YOUR car.

Well, if the toys truly belong to the child, shouldn’t he be the one to decide whether he should share or not? If you take his possessions away, he will dislike you as much as you would dislike someone who takes your things.

Instead of forcing him to share his toys, keep a separate basket of toys that are for everyone. This will make it easier for him to share with his playmates.

Stop finding fault

Some parents never realize that their kids grow up. They continue to correct them all their lives without knowing that it embarrasses and upsets the kids. Nobody likes to be constantly told they are not measuring up. No one wants to be corrected all the time.

If your boss did that to you, you’d probably quit. So, validate the things your child does right instead of constantly correcting the things he does wrong.

Know when there is something very important to your child

When my son was thirteen, he wanted his ears pierced very badly. His dad did not want this. So, my son, being the resourceful and totally badass kid that he is, recruited his little brother to steal sewing pins from my sewing basket and did it himself.

I didn’t realize what had happened until I noticed that he was wearing his hoody all the time- even in 90-degree heat. I pulled the hood off and there were my sewing pins sticking out of his earlobes.

Now, I could have gone ballistic, but all I did was laugh. I told him to take out the pins, let his earlobes fully heal and I would take him to a nurse to have it done right. In short, I knew I was licked.

Now, ear piercing is not a life or death thing so I could afford to be magnanimous. Some things aren’t, so make sure to choose wisely which issues to stand your ground.

Make the ratio of your time together way overbalanced on the fun and happy side

One of my biggest regrets in life was that I was so stressed out trying to work an insane job while raising my kids. I should have given myself more breaks. For that reason, the happy times were fewer.

Everything that happens to us, we will remember as either happy or unhappy.

Summer vacations and birthday parties are some of the events we consider happy. These are times we think of as pleasurable. Dentist appointments, on the other hand, are sucky so we consider them as unhappy.

Don’t give them too much

This is a problem for many parents and I’m guilty of this one, too.

I grew up in a house with seven kids. I shared a bedroom with three sisters in bunk beds shoved against the wall. There was little money for buying clothes. It was only when I was thirteen that I could finally babysit and buy the clothes I wanted.

Because of this, I thought it was best to give my kids everything I wanted as a child but could not have. This, unfortunately, made them feel overwhelmed.

It wasn’t until later that I realized that I was making them miserable while trying to make them happy. They felt that there was no way they could contribute back.

When I finally let them work and make money to buy what they wanted, they became resourceful and happy.

You cannot make up for a hard childhood by buying things for your kids. You make up for it by being a loving parent.

See Also: What You Need To Know About Teaching Children Values

Let them make you laugh

Everyone loves someone who finds them sparkling, charming and amusing. When your child makes you laugh, have you noticed how he tries to be funnier and funnier? Making you laugh is a gift from him to you. And laughing at his jokes is a gift from you to him.

Was there ever someone who made you feel sparkling, charming and amusing? How did you feel about that person?

Touch their hair as they pass

There is nothing like physical touch to make a person feel that you really want to share your space with them. Kids love to cuddle and get close.

I have endless photos of me and my son as he was growing up. In each one, our arms are entwined. We were always physically close and that closeness has remained to this day now that he is grown.

Love and protect your own parents

No matter how much we may have resented our own parents, they loved us and they did the best they could do for us. No parents hate or dislike their kids unless they have serious issues. Our parents just got overwhelmed and upset as we were growing up, and our kids, when they grow up, will probably feel the same way, too.

Show your kids a good example and overlook all the upsets for the time you have left with your parents.

See Also: Top 10 Tips to Help Children Develop Useful Habits

Always be willing to start over

My oldest son and I used to have fights. If we had kept it up, we would both have been miserable and upset all night.

At that point, I would look at him, hold out my arms and say “Can we please start over?”. He would tear up, come to me and we would be done.

This is a great way to end an upset. You both agree that it’s the end, and you start over.

Love your kids. Tell them how precious they are to you. Use discipline with love and understanding and you will not be alone in your later years.

The post 10 Ways to Avoid Making Your Kid Resent You appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2qLMz8O

Every lazy girl knows a few tips and tricks to look her best and arrive on time with as little effort as possible. To give you an idea, here are a few lazy girl life hacks you can try to simplify your life:

Dry Shampoo / Baby Powder / Cornflour

Maybe your shampoo ran out without you noticing or maybe you’re just plain lazy that day. Don’t worry! Dry shampoo can get you through another day of skipping the tedious hair-washing routine.

Here’s a great video that teaches you how to make DIY dry shampoo AND how to apply it to your hair.

A little bit of baby powder or cornflour can go a long way– well, I mean a little. Blonde haired girls don’t have to worry too much about overdosing on powders. Brunettes, however, need to be light-handed with the powder and only apply enough to absorb excess moisture.

Air Out Your Dirty Laundry

Haven’t had time to wash your favorite outfit that you’re dying to wear? No problem! Hang them out in the breeze to refresh your clothing and it’ll feel like they’ve just been through the wash.

For added freshness, spray the garment with your favorite deodorant and iron it out to combat any smells and creases. After that, you’re good to go.

If you know that you will have to hit the gym in the same pair of leggings twice in one week without a chance to give them a good wash between wears, make sure you take them out of your gym bag as soon as you get home and air them out straight away. This will help to dry the sweat and they’ll gain second-wear status.

Blow Dry Your Hair After a Gym Session

You washed your hair in the morning and decided to hit the gym. After your workout, you now feel sweaty and gross. Since your hair has just been washed, you can just get rid of the smell and sweat by applying dry shampoo.

Keep in mind that you can’t apply dry shampoo or powder to your hair while it’s still wet. So, pull out your hair dryer and dry up the sweat before applying dry shampoo and your hair will look as good as it did in the morning.

Knot Your Hair in a Bun

There are so many lazy girls who can’t be bothered to dry their hair and apply dry shampoo. Lucky for us, messy buns are all the rage. Toss your hair into a tight knot or bun and no one will know when you last washed it.

Quick tip: Braid your hair and style it before you go to the gym and you won’t have to touch it afterward.

Plan for a Good Snooze

Waking up in the morning can be hard work, and no one likes to get up with the first alarm. Take a leaf out of your lazy girl’s book and set your alarm a couple of minutes before the actual time you need to wake up. This will ensure that you get to hit the snooze button and still have time to get yourself ready in the morning.

It’s a win-win!

Run Errands in a Sweatshirt

Running out of time? Need to go to the shops but you’re just too lazy to get changed?

Throw a sweatshirt over your top and you’ll be able to run your errands with your pajama top on- and no one will know.

Kick this tip up a notch and run your errands bra-less too. A cute sweatshirt needs to be in every lazy girl’s closet for the days when she’s struggling to find the motivation to get things done.

Refuse to Wear Jeans (or anything you can’t slide on and off)

Jeans are tough to get on and off and, let’s be honest, no one enjoys jumping around to get the button done. We don’t need that kind of negativity in our lives.

Invest in some nice pants or leggings that you can slide on and off and you’ll be stylish, comfortable and ready to go at the drop of a hat.

Keep Makeup Removers With You At All Times

Some makeup products can be stubborn to remove. Keeping makeup removers in your bag or next to your bed can save you all the trouble. Your pillow will surely thank you, too.

Added hack: If you didn’t manage to get all of the eyeliner off from the night before, build on it. Last night’s eyeliner is today’s eyeshadow.

Minimal Make-Up That Will Leave You Glowing

The best make-up essentials for any lazy girl are a good concealer, mascara, eyebrow pencil and blush.

The concealer is perfect for covering any blemishes. Wearing mascara is a must if you want to look more awake and glowing. An eyebrow pencil is essential, too. Simply neatening up and darkening your eyebrows will have you looking well-kept in no time. Wearing a nice blush can give some color to your face. It’ll make you look youthful and flirty.

Braid Your Hair Before You Go to Sleep

Want to have flowing beach waves but don’t like putting too much effort?

Braid your hair into a plait before you go to sleep and you will wake up with beautiful loose curls. This hack can also save you precious time in the morning, so you can hit snooze a few more times.

Use Your Hair Straightener As An Iron

This hack is an absolute life-saver and time-saver. Using your hair straightener as an iron will allow you to get your hair done and get rid of the creases in your outfits without taking up too much time.

Bonus Life Hack:

Use Testosterone Boosters to Improve Your Energy Levels

I know, ladies using testosterone boosters sounds ridiculous, but a lot of the time that people (both male and female) feel run down is because their hormones are out of balance.

Testosterone boosters have proven to have numerous benefits for women, and they won’t make you big or bulky.

Men and women require a certain level of testosterone and women are often on a birth-control pill, which messes with their natural hormone balance. Many women complain about a loss of libido and general lethargy when taking hormonal medication and a boost of testosterone can help to remedy these negative effects.

 

The post 11 Life Hacks All Lazy Girls Definitely Do appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2pg9w3E

Many of us know that if you want something in your life, you’ve got to visualize it, hold it clearly in your mind, feel it and be it. In essence, you have to implant that thing using the power of the subconscious mind.

You can spend time each day visualizing exactly how your life is going to look. You can imagine yourself there, living the lifestyle you want, doing the things you want to do and being the person you want to be.

Another way is to journal. It can help you imprint your goals in a much stronger way.

You can try writing out your life in detail, repeating all those things you want to have in your life over and over again. Or you can meditate and spend time each day doing affirmations about who you’re going to be and what you’re going to have and do. You can do an evening gratitude list to get your mind to concentrate on the good things that are happening instead of the not-so-great.

You dream, you visualize and you act.

But, what if something comes along that knocks you sideways?

You see, the thing is, you’re really powerful- unbelievably powerful.

All the tools and techniques that I’ve listed out are just to help you harness and utilize the enormous power of the subconscious mind.

The problem is that we let our subconscious minds get on with things.

For a long time, our minds have ruled our lives. What the mind says, we believe. What the mind tells us to do, we do. The opinions our minds have seem like they’re their own. And for most of our lives, we’ve listened to our minds as though they are us.

We’ve Believed Everything It’s Told Us

And then, you suddenly decided that wasn’t good enough and you want to be in charge. You started exercising your mind on your terms, telling it what to think, where to place its attention, and even – heaven forbid – telling your mind that it’s wrong in what it’s thinking.

Now, you might think that you’re in charge here and that you’re going to get that stuff together and harness the power of the subconscious mind as though it was some tidal power station. Unfortunately, your mind has other ideas.

If you’ve been in charge for all those years, would you let go of control easily and quietly?

Didn’t think so? Your mind isn’t going to either. It’s got way more subtle (sneaky) powers than you ever dreamed possible.

You can visualize and journal and focus and imagine all you like. But, your subconscious mind will test your resolve- every time.

See Also: 5 Benefits of Journaling To Inspire and Motivate You

You say you want something? The mind will check if you really do. Your mind will create a massive roadblock that’s going to stop your visualization train in its tracks.

Let’s say you’ve been visualizing a wonderful and relaxing Caribbean holiday. You’re imagining yourself there on the beach. You can hear the waves, smell the ocean and feel the warm breeze upon your skin. You’ve almost saved enough for your holiday. You’re going to go out after your next payday and book your trip.

Then, your car breaks down and what do you know? The repair bill is what you’ve saved for your holiday TO THE DOLLAR!

At this point, you’ll probably think “Why does this stuff always happen to me?” or “I can never get ahead” or “I knew I wouldn’t be able to do this.”

But, consider this:

That, my dear, is just your mind testing you. It’s just your mind at work making sure that you do want all the things you’re thinking about.

How Powerful Is Your Mind?

How powerful is your mind that it can create stuff like that? It’s extremely powerful.

Instead of getting upset (like we tend to), acknowledge the power and creativity your mind has. See it as proof that you’re on the right track and your mind is just making sure. See it as evidence that you really can have everything you want. If not, the things you want are going to pose no problem.

Your job is to visualize the end result. Leave working out how to get there to your subconscious mind. It knows far more about how to work the universe than you do.

So, next time you run into one of those roadblocks, don’t stop and just keep going. Get straight back into visualizing the end result, journal about it, do whatever you can to get that vibration back to the level you want.

See Also: The Secret Mind Hacks That Can Change Your Life Today

The post What To Do When You Hit A Roadblock: The Power Of The Subconscious Mind appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2pDgJNx

Would you like to unleash the power within yourself that will enable you to achieve impressive results in whatever facet of life you focus on?

The key is to surrender.

When most people make a decision to change a certain aspect of their lives, it’s more like a wish than a steadfast decision. A decision, on the other hand, is an important component in how we approach this concept of surrendering for success and overcoming obstacles.

The word decision comes from the same root word as incision which means ‘to cut’. When you make a decision, it is literally cutting out all other possibilities. So, when we decide to improve relationships, make money or lose weight, we start making specific moves towards that goal.

When we come across oppositions or challenges, we can often become derailed- even by our own willpower. We become less excited and increasingly frustrated which can make us feel a bit hopeless. Because of this, it’s important that you know the best ways in overcoming obstacles in life.

How do you stay on track and keep going?

Surrender to the process. Recognize the frustration for what it is and surrender to the fact that obstacles happen for a reason. They don’t just pop out for you to learn a lesson or change your approach, but, ultimately, they help you get closer to your end result.

Don’t let disappointment take over or wear you down as it can only make you eventually give up. Instead, surrender to the idea that deciding to pursue your goals means you are agreeing to cut out obstacles that can impede you.

This may require you to be more open-minded, learn new things and see fresh opportunities. Just do it! Those things will help you evolve into the kind of person required to reach your goals.

What’s the difference between surrendering and giving up?

Surrendering is different from giving up.

Giving up is what most people do. They take a break from their goals and end up reverting to their old ways. Surrendering is what successful people do. They acknowledge the process and steadfastly decide to follow it through, surrendering to the path ahead. With this mindset, you’ll be able to accept and plow through challenging or frustrating scenarios like a bulldozer.

When we truly surrender to the outcome, we surrender to the process. When you get to that point, you won’t care about the roadblocks anymore. You care about the result.

In other words, you have to open your mind to new possibilities. Normal activities bring about normal results. Very few people have their ideal body, a huge bank balance, and amazing relationships. Those who have one, or all of these things, have committed to trying an out-of-the-ordinary approach. These abnormal activities have created abnormal, enviable results.

Once I truly decided that there was no other possibility for me – an overworked, underpaid mechanic – than to become a highly successful entrepreneur, I surrendered to that outcome and to whatever emotional states that could be triggered along the way. If I had to regroup and restart, then so be it.

This decision led me to build a multi-million dollar business. Since then, I’ve progressed to achieving my body and fitness goals and I’ve also cultivated my dream marriage. I’ve created a truly extraordinary life!

See Also: 4 Things Highly Successful People Do Differently

The person who has decided to be successful doesn’t beat themselves up about hiccups along the way; they just get busy creating what they desire. People who are living their purpose don’t have the luxury of feeling sorry for themselves; they forge ahead and take the steps required- in spite of it all.

To start overcoming obstacles in life, you should surrender to the journey that is being revealed to you with each step you take. You’re beyond the point of questioning whether it’s worth it or not or whether it’s as easy as it should be or not. You just need to continue doing it. Enjoy the journey because your success will be a by-product of your new way of life. So, make it a fun and prosperous one!

See Also: 5 Barriers That You Need To Cross To Achieve Success This Year

The post Why Surrendering Is Critical To Overcoming Obstacles In Life appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2pCb4ay