Looking for a new job in today’s economy is like trying to find a needle inside a haystack. We’ve all been there at some point. Sending out dozens of resumes, hoping to land that job that seemed like the right fit, coming up short, tweaking your CV, and then repeating the same process. And how about those jobs where you were almost the perfect candidate, but you lacked one or two skills which were required by the employer?

The thing is, why you should definitely reach out to potential employers and apply to as many jobs as you can, that is not the only thing you should be doing with all this free time on your hands. You can view it as an opportunity to invest in yourself. So what should you do? For starters, here are 5 things you should start doing today in order to advance your career and increase your chances of landing that job you’ve dreamed about. Keep on reading.

1. Expand Your Skill Set
The more you know, the more interesting you will be to recruiters and potential employers. Even you feel like you’ve mastered all the skills which are relevant to your industry, it never hurts to go back and update your knowledge, especially if you are looking for a job in an extremely dynamic field, such as IT, where changes happen on an almost daily basis. Also, you should look beyond your area of expertise and learn a new skill that will help you stand out from the crowd of other candidates.

Learning how to build a website in WordPress, for instance, is something that can come in handy no matter what you do, and it’s not rocket science either, since there are plenty of free tutorials online on how to do it. Stuff like coding, photo editing, or design can also become a more than welcome addition to your CV, so take time to check those out, as well. You can even build your own online portfolio website, and showcase all of your skills.

2. Improve Your Speaking
Many people forget how important it is to be able to verbalize your ideas and thoughts in a clear and succinct manner. While it’s not something you can put on your resume, the ability to speak in public can benefit your career in more ways than one. For example, you may be required to hold a presentation for your colleagues or potential clients, and the effectiveness of your presentation will not only depend on the quality of your PowerPoint slides, but also the way you communicate your message to your audience.

In such cases, your speaking skills can help you build credibility and good reputation in the industry. Since speaking is not a technical skill, it is a bit more tricky to learn it. But, apart from checking out some of the free courses on it, you should also choose different topics, and record yourself while talking about them. And yes, in the beginning, you will cringe at hearing yourself speak, but it will also provide you with an insight into what aspects of your speech you need to improve.

3. Invest into Building Your Online Presence
We’ve already mentioned how you can improve your chances by building your own online portfolio site, but there are other things you can do. Building a LinkedIn profile is an absolute necessity nowadays, since most companies find their employees online. Make sure that your profile is as complete as possible. But, LinkedIn is not the only social network you should pay attention to.

Your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other account can mean the difference between you receiving a job offer, and the recruiters choosing someone else for the job. Pay attention to what sort of stuff you post online. The same goes if you have a personal blog. Speaking of which, having another blog where you will demonstrate your knowledge of the industry is also something that will grab the attention of the recruiters.

4. Build and Maintain a Network of Contacts
Sometimes, it is not just about what you know, but who you know, as well. You should use your free time to build a network of contacts that will become one of your options when looking for a new job. This applies both to your online contacts, such as those on LinkedIn or Facebook, as well as those offline. In addition to adding new people to your contacts, you should also check up on those which have been there for a while.

Get in touch with your former colleagues, people you went to college with, or former clients by sending them an email or a message. Let them know how you’ve liked the project they’ve just completed, or congratulate them on something from their personal life. That way, you will get on their radar, and they will be more likely to think of your if their boss or one of their contacts is looking for someone with a skill set similar to yours.

5. Research Companies You Would Like to Work for
Instead of just sending out as many resumes as possible, research the companies you are interested in. Find out when and how they are hiring, what skills they are looking for, and whether you would be a good fit for their organization or not. You can focus on developing those skills which are sought after by them and similar companies.

By knowing more about the companies you are interested in, you can also predict if they are going to be hiring anytime soon or not. For example, if they are expanding, or if they have bought another company, they will most likely start hiring new people. And once they do, you need to be ready.

Conclusion
Just because the right job is not there yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to improve your chances of finding one. Use these helpful tips to advance your career today. Good luck!

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Simply put, overworking is bad working. Separate estimates suggest that stress costs American business $300B per year, with sleep deprivation alone costing $63.2B in lost productivity. If you’re working for yourself, it may be tougher to make that decision to slow down – but you will feel the benefits more acutely.

Health-wise, researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered that people who practice relaxation methods such as yoga have far more active ‘disease-fighting genes’. Other approaches to relaxing such as meditation or deep breathing can help you to enjoy lower blood pressure, better immunity, and healthier hormone levels.

Clearly this is beneficial to you, to those you care about, and to your working life.

Getting into the habit of mini-relaxations

If you’re a workaholic or you find yourself in a difficult period, it can be difficult to set the time aside for such pursuits. In fact, it may be more effective both now and in the long run to create a subtle shift in your lifestyle rather than try to lever in hefty new commitments.

It can also work out cheaper to make wiser decisions in your daily routine, instead of investing in expensive solutions that may be short-lived if you find they don’t suit you.

So let’s take a little look at a few such changes you can easily make.

Breakfast time relaxation techniques

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it’s not just about what you eat – it’s about your whole attitude.

Tumble out of bed on the third ‘snooze’? Grab a jam-sodden toast from the kitchen as you rush out of the house? These are the kind of habits that will set you in motion for more of the same.

Quick fix gets piled upon quick fix until it all comes tumbling down.

Getting up earlier than is absolutely necessary takes some practice, but after a few weeks you’ll swear by it. It means you can take the time to do some stretches, which will get your metabolism going and those happy-hormones flowing.

Making breakfast should be a ritual, a craft. Make yourself a proper filter coffee, and sniff it deeply before you drink. Eat some fruit and oats for some proper morning fuel. Do something nice for someone you live with.

See Also: 8 Positive Morning Routines to Transform your Day

Tips to help you relax on your lunch break

After a hard morning’s work, you may find your shoulders have risen up around your ears, your palms are sweating and your brain is throbbing. What’s worse, you still have a ton of work left to do in the afternoon. The solution that four out of five of us default to is to work through lunch.

Bad idea.

It is difficult to be creative when you’re staring at the same computer screen all day long. Give yourself a break: Take a walk to help you digest your lunch and to get some more of those exercise-induced endorphins pumping.

Doing something different each lunch break can help to stop the week feeling like one meaningless blob. Instead, you have “that day I went to the museum” or “that day I had a coffee with an old friend.”

If you’re stuck for ideas, follow your local art gallery or library on Facebook – they will advertise free events that are taking place in your town. It could be a lunchtime concert or a pop-up book sale: the important thing is to get some fresh air and sunlight.

And if you really can’t get away, at least take five minutes to tidy up your desk – which can be an effective reboot for the mind.

Relax after work and into the night

Home-time.

While you should make sure to leave your desk promptly, don’t be in such a rush to get back indoors. Walking home slowly can be a great opportunity to catch up on some exercise and to clear your head of the day’s thoughts before you rejoin your loved ones at home.

If it’s too far to walk, take public transport rather than driving. Okay, the train can be a pain, but so is getting stuck in traffic – and at least when you hand the driving duties over to someone else, your hands are free to read a book or call a friend.

Once you’re home, there are plenty of ways to relax. A bite of chocolate is scientifically proven to help you de-stress, and eating a good meal that you take care to prepare for your family can also help you to re-engage with the real world.

See Also: 8 Ways to Make Family Meal Times More Fun

Listening to classical music can improve your sleep, immune system and stress levels – as well as marking out your home as a safe refuge from the hustle and bustle of the office, be it a commute away or next door in your study.

It can be simple and cheap to make these little adjustments to your everyday life, from morning until night – and if reading up on stress-busting feels a bit too much like hard work, have a read at this infographic, which shows at a glance how this can be done and offers 50 ways to incorporate mini-relaxations into your day.

 

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Why would your dear old faithful heart get a heart disease, right? I feel as immortal as you do, trust me. But, my daily patients and recent statistics published by the American Heart Association, the CDC, and the NIH show that heart diseases represent the leading cause of death in the United States.

With a death toll of 375,000 people a year in the U.S. and causing 17.3 million deaths per year on a global level, heart disease is a problem which shouldn’t be taken lightly. Cardiovascular diseases don’t discriminate based on age, gender, or race and researchers all over the world are making incommensurable efforts to minimize their incidence. But there are at least 10 behaviors we can change to silence this merciless enemy.

According to medical specialists in the field, the best way to lower the risks of developing heart disease is getting the right information and implementing preventative lifestyle changes. Adults and children are vulnerable alike to coronary issues.

Therefore, we will further discuss the ten personal habits that can prevent heart disease for all age groups.

1. Quitting Smoking and Exposure to Second-Hand Smoking

Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoking represent health issues medical experts all over the world are trying to deal with. There is an enormous amount of research data linking smoking and second-hand exposure to coronary diseases and stroke, cancer and chronic lung and respiratory problems.

According to the NIH, quitting smoking and avoiding exposure to second-hand smoking can lower the risk of developing coronary heart disease and stroke in just a few years.

See Also: 4 Surprising Ways Tobacco Use Is Harming More than Your Health

2. Managing High Blood Pressure

Hypertension (known as High Blood Pressure) is considered a “silent killer” affecting over one billion people worldwide and around 33% of American adults. Unfortunately, the underlying causes of hypertension cannot be fully determined, and its symptoms are so discrete that they are overlooked by 14% of American adults. Measuring your blood pressure at home is one of the first steps you can take to prevent a coronary heart disease, because the higher the BP, the greater the health risks.

You need to take into account a pressure threshold of 115/70 mmHg to start worrying. The risk of developing heart disease, such as Dysmetabolic Syndrome X, doubles for each ten mmHg increase in systolic (the large number) and five mmHg increase in the diastolic (the small number). Investing in a high-quality arm BP measuring kit and learning to read it at home is a healthy and wise decision, especially if you have a family history of heart diseases or advanced age.

3. Keeping a Balanced Diet

A heart-healthy diet lowers your risks of developing coronary heart diseases, directly influencing your cholesterol levels (one of the most dangerous known associates of heart disease) and your blood pressure. A balanced diet for adults and children alike should focus on fruits and vegetables, whole grains rich in fiber, fish and fish oil, nuts, and seeds.

Of course, saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium should be avoided. Meat eaters should be careful to choose the leanest cuts possible, and all group ages should lower their sugar intake. If you have no idea where to start, here’s a marvelous suggestion.

4. Regular Physical Exercise

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the risk factors of heart diseases. Therefore, regular physical exercise should become a part of your daily lifestyle. Researchers recommend at least 2 ½ hours of moderate-intensity exercise in adults or at least 1 ½ hours of intense workout every week. If you cannot follow this schedule, then 30 minutes of low-to-moderate physical activity and muscle strengthening exercises a day should keep you in shape. Children should benefit from at least 1 hour of physical activity every day.

5. Cholesterol Control

We all know we deal with good cholesterol and bad cholesterol (LDL) – the latter being responsible for clogging our arteries and leading to heart disease and stroke. Cholesterol control is usually achievable through diet and exercise, but they are not always enough.

A cholesterol screening is recommended for children and adults alike. If your blood tests positive for high LDL, you may need to follow a medication therapy to lower those levels. Ask your doctor to regularly perform a cholesterol screening and prescribe you the proper medication if necessary, but I highly recommend these nine wonderful ways to reduce those pestilent levels of stress.

6. Weight Maintenance

Given the fact that 69% of adults are either overweight or obese, weight control should be taken seriously especially since it is associated with heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory problems and sleep disorders. To clinically lower the risk of heart disease, keep an eye on your Body Mass Index. The higher the BMI is, the higher the risks of developing one or more associated illnesses.

According to the AHA, maintaining a weight loss of 3-5% of your total body weight can significantly decrease your risk of high BP, type-2 diabetes, and high cholesterol.

7. Lowering Sugar Intake

Introducing fruits and vegetables in your diet is not enough to prevent heart diseases. Lowering your sugar intake, however, adds up to all the other preventative measures that make a healthy lifestyle. If you understand that the heart disease death rate in adults with diabetes are two to four times higher than in adults without diabetes, then you will understand that sugar intake is an issue that cannot be overlooked.

A sensible and smart diet, exercise, and weight loss are the first steps to take to prevent diabetes. However, diabetes tests and screening are mandatory – your doctor can catch early the diseases’ onset and help you keep it under control with the proper medication.

8. Keeping Stress at Bay

A few decades ago people considered stress to be a special type of illness. Today, it is a constant part of our lives and represents one of the many causes which lead to heart diseases in young people (30’ to 40’). Long-term stress usually translates into heart rate increases, BP increases, sleep and eating problems – which in turn may damage your artery walls.

Keeping stress at bay is not easy, but specialists recommend you master stress relieving methods (breathing exercises, meditation, self-development therapy) and engage on a daily basis in activities which make you feel good. Stress has devastating consequences on our bodies, minds and quality of life, so keeping it in control is the smartest lifestyle choice one can make.

9. Keeping Your Sleep Disorders in Check

Adults and children alike suffer from sleep apnea – a condition described commonly by snoring and choking during sleep. The pauses in breathing that occur in sleep apnea can contribute to high blood pressure, irregular heart rate, stroke and heart diseases.

Don’t take your snoring complaints from your family lightly and go see a doctor to help you manage sleep disorders, especially if you are past 35 years of age.

10. Staying Informed About Heart Disease

Ignorance and misinformation probably killed more people than all types of cancer in the world. To preserve your heart health, keep yourself updated with reliable medical information offered by specialists in the field. Ask for a family anamnesis to understand your heritage and your risks, get annual blood tests and screenings and don’t disregard any health issues you might experience.

Understanding the prevalence of heart disease, knowing its signs and contributing factors and embracing a healthy, happy, tolerant lifestyle are some of the most important measures to take against the cruelest killer in the world.

So smile as often as you can, embrace the differences in others, keep curious, do a good deed, surprise someone today with a shower of generosity, make this second, this hour, this day count! Regret, worrying, holding on to the past and those heavy-on-your-heart regrets, don’t do a thing for you or your loved ones. Move on, learn from your mistakes, pick a healthy habit now and show strength by sticking to it. It’s not easy, but nothing important ever is in the beginning!

Good health and good luck, my friend!

 

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One of the most underrated human body parts is the mouth, although gum inflammations, cold sores, and cavities are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to “poor oral health.” Dental hygienists consider gingivitis – the bleeding of gums when brushing and flossing – to be a very mischievous oral health issue.

Gingivitis is easy to treat, reversible and not damaging to the bone and teeth structures if prevented and properly kept under control. If ignored, gingivitis can turn into a periodontal disease which, in turn, is no stranger to heart inflammation. According to specialists in the field, the link between gingivitis and heart disease is inflammation.

Gum disease affects more than half of all Americans aged 30 and older. This fact, while extremely serious, also seems to be overlooked, because few understand that untreated gingivitis can lead to a world of pain and severe health consequences. Fortunately, there are many natural and home products with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral properties.

How can you heal gingivitis and gum diseases using natural remedies until you manage to see your doctor? Here are some tips and tricks from experts in the field.

1.  Salt

Salt is a teeth-whitener as well as a proven remedy for gum disease. It has antibacterial and antiseptic properties helping you reduce inflammation and preventing bacteria to further take over your mouth. Salt draws mouth abscess infections out and reduces the risk of developing plaque. If you experience gum swelling, bleeding, or bad breath, use salt to alleviate these gingivitis symptoms.

• Make a solution of warm water and ½ tablespoon of salt. Stir properly until the salt is dissolved. Thoroughly rinse your mouth with the liquid twice a day until the inflammation is reduced.
• You can also mix some salt into coconut oil and create a paste to rub your gums with. Coconut oil is one major natural remedy used in oil pulling routine for alleviating gum diseases. Salt will kick-start the oil benefits in case your gum diseases is more severe.

See Also: 10 Easy Ways to Whiter Teeth Without Spending Too Much

2. Garlic

It may be unpleasant, but chewing garlic can be used both as a preventative measure for oral health and as an herbal remedy to fight against gingivitis. You can ask any dental hygienist, and he will tell you that garlic has scientifically-proven health properties when it comes to gum diseases.

There are many ways to use garlic as a gingivitis healing agent, but these are dental specialists’ top favorites:

• Chew a few garlic cloves every day.
• Rub garlic cloves directly against the affected gums: you will notice quick relief from inflammation and discomfort.
• Make garlic toothpaste. Crush garlic cloves until you get a paste and use it instead of your regular toothpaste. Bbrush your teeth with at least two times a day until the gingivitis symptoms are gone.
• Mix garlic with turmeric and use as toothpaste. Turmeric has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric can also alleviate pain, eliminate plaque and stop bacterial infections.

3. Baking Soda

When it comes to baking soda, it seems that dental hygienists shook hands with cosmeticians and decided that this common home product is, in fact, a miraculous remedy used to treat various issues from gum disease to cold and flu.

See Also: Cheap Cleaning 101: Use Baking Soda

As natural remedies for gingivitis go, some dental hygienists swear by baking soda. The product has an antacid feature that regulates the pH of your mouth, reducing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

• Mix ½ tablespoon of baking soda in a little warm water to make a paste and brush your teeth with it at least three times a week until the gingivitis symptoms are gone.
• You can use the same paste to massage your gums with (for at least two minutes) – repeat 2-3 times a week.

All these products can be easily found around the kitchen so there is no reason for you to ignore gum disease symptoms anymore. They can be used not only as remedies but as a preventative adjuvant for oral health.

What you should not disregard, however, is that you still need to consult with your doctor and get a dental check-up at least three times a year. It is true that dental hygienists stand by these home remedies, but this is not a good reason for you to ignore the signs and symptoms of an unhealthy mouth.

 

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Developments in technology mean you can travel the world AND hold down a full-time job. These days, we don’t necessarily have to choose between one thing or another, but can have it all! Yes, full-time job included.

Whether you are working for a technology company or in academia, all you need is a little planning, the right kit and the drive and you can work on the go. Now, here is an interesting thing – the whole world could be your office! To many it may seem like a dream to work and travel, to set your own schedule and to use your hotel (or the Starbucks) as an office.

However, sometimes it can be trickier than you may think. First, you have to work and stay motivated and driven, though there may be distractions and things that are trying to get your attention. Secondly, you have to set your own schedule, and there is nobody there to tell you what to do and when to do it. However, working AND travelling is, in fact, a growing trend. It can be rewarding and exiting and it will add to your quality of life. Here are five tips on how to work remotely and stay efficient:

1. Find the right job

First, you have to find a job (and an employer) that will allow you to work wherever, whenever. This may appear to be difficult, but nowadays we have all of the technology and infrastructure that will allow you to work on the go, so there is nothing that really stands in your way.

Remote working will allow you to work anywhere in the world, whilst still being a valuable employee for the company. Though, it is still not a rare case that employers see remote working as a let off. Some of them may see it as a way for their workers to get out of responsibilities. Each day more and more HR managers and recruiters change the point of view: they are starting to see it as a way to attract the best staff, to recruit flexible, digitally savvy employees. Now, we have reached the stadium where demographic is irrelevant to getting the best staff for your company, which is exactly why each day more people outsource.

More and more remote full-time positions are offered each day. Should you wish to travel and keep your full-time job, now is the right time to do it.

2. Master the technology

Obviously, you will need a laptop, a phone, and a few tools to keep you alive. Make sure you have these even before getting a remote job. Other hardware and software may come in handy. Make sure you expand your knowledge of platforms, apps, and tools to keep you on the right track while you are on the go. This will make your full-time job and traveling much easier!

See Also: 10 Productivity Musts for Freelancers

3. Keep updating your skills

According to Jake Jorgovan at Milo the best way to work remotely around the world is to add value to the organization for which you work. Due the massive developments in technology over the last decade or so one does not need to be physically present to add value to your company. You can work from home, work remotely anywhere in the world and add a huge amount to your quality of life.

Some skills, e.g. copywriting and marketing, do not require physical presence to perform the role. If your skill does require you to be in the office, you can do one of two things: learn a new skill or go to the office.  Jorgovan talks of how he retrained as a web designer to allow him to work on the go. As well as this, you want to familiarize yourself with online networking, and with recruitment sites that offer full-time job positions, such as Jobrack.eu if you are in Eastern Europe. Finding this type of a full-time job opportunity will allow you to work remotely and travel all around (full-time too).

4. Have the right kit.

In order to work you need the correct tools to make sure you do the best job you can.  There are tons of apps that can make your life and job easier. However, if you want to mix these two, here is the survival kit for you:

• Well, of course – a laptop (and make sure that it is light enough)
• A cellphone (and make sure that it is unlocked), allows you to use your phone wherever you go.
• A Tablet (and make sure you have this if your laptop’s too heavy)
• An Ethernet cable, in case you can’t get WiFi (and make sure you do not forget it)
• Positive Can-Do Attitude (and make sure not to forget this one!)

5. Do the work!

Of course, one issue with not having a 9-5 office job is that you may have a lot of distractions. The beach? The cold beer? The museum? All three? Or perhaps your dog is desperate to go chase that neighbor’s cat … again.

Without someone to keep you motivated, it can be a big bone to chew on. However, do not fall in despair! Joining an online community is the smartest thing you can do! You will feel more connected to a group and take advantage of the perks of being a digital nomad.

See Also: 14 Problems Freelancers Usually Face

Forbes reckons that this may even become the norm, with freelancing growing at an average rate of 3 percent a year. Of course, we all want to travel the world. Quitting your full-time job to travel the world is like having a pair of pink glasses, to be honest. It may not be the most realistic prospect. In the end, it’s your work that pays for your hotel rooms, your flights and the numerous pumpkin spice lattes! The tips above can allow you to make a success of being a travelling freelancer and set your office peering over the azure blue of the Mediterranean!

 

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Just as accessorizing an outfit can make or break your look, the furniture choices you make affect the way your home, work establishment or office design is perceived. Enhancing the living or working space is essential, especially with furniture that complements the visual appeal of the area as well as its functionality.

Great furniture choices can do everything from making a small room look larger to transforming even the simplest building into a grand and beautiful space. Of course, the biggest challenge lies in finding stylish and contemporary furniture on a limited budget.

With that in mind, we’ve put together some tips that will help with this process.

Choosing Between Various Types of Furniture

You can choose between classical and modern styles that reflect your personality, and fusion contemporary designs are also making a splash in interior décor these days. Whether for your own home, a swanky office, an elegant banquet or a grand hotel, these eye-catching variations on standard designs will help set your space apart.

For functional cafeteria, school, restaurant or office furniture, a few styles that are in fashion today are simple and widely used in commercial spaces around the world. These indoor and outdoor furniture designs can easily be adapted for small or large groups of people and are quite easy to maintain.

If you’re looking for high-quality hospital furniture or multi-purpose pieces to set off any other space, don’t worry. Finding cheap furniture that’s also built to last is easier today than it’s ever been before!

How Can You Furnish Your Space with Limited Funds?

If you’re looking to dress up your space on a budget, here are the top 10 tips to keep in mind:

1. Start with the core pieces – Focus on the most important pieces for any space first, e.g. a sturdy bed for a bedroom or an executive desk and chair for an office. The rest can come later, but core items should be a priority.
2. Understand the materials used – There are many kinds of wood, plastic, glazes, fabrics and other materials that are used to create furniture. Invest some time in learning about how they work and what they cost, so you can pick the right ones.
3. Simple contemporary furniture works – Fancy embellished pieces tend to cost a lot more than their unadorned counterparts, and typically fit into any design scheme with ease. This leaves you a lot of room to get creative.
4. Search for cheap furniture online – Look for deals available online, since websites do not have the same overheads as furniture stores and can offer better prices. Don’t shy away from checking out used furniture either!
5. Opt for multi-purpose designs – Multi-function home and office furniture is a huge trend, growing in popularity every day. Sofa-cum-beds and stools that double as end tables are great for compact spaces, and will save you a bundle.
6. Accessorize, customize or DIY it – You can keep your investment minimal by buying plain pieces and adding your own creative touch to dress them up. Colorful cushions, a splash of paint, trendy doorknobs… the possibilities are endless!
7. Wait for items to go on sale – If you’ve been eyeing a gorgeous dining room set or the perfect garden seating, you’ll find that prices drop drastically if you wait till “sale season” when furniture stores sell old stock at huge markdowns.
8. Same piece, better deal? – Furniture manufacturers often sell products through different retailers, who mark up the price as they choose. Shop around a little – you could find the same item at a fraction of the price at another store.
9. Amp up your negotiation skills – Price mark ups on furniture are normally huge, so you may be able to get a better deal if you haggle a little. If you can’t get the price lowered, try for a freebie, discounts on delivery and installation, etc.
10. Shop in the international market – A sourcing agent can be invaluable when you’re buying furniture, especially in bulk. Shop from low-cost markets like China (the price difference justifies shipping costs) by hiring a China sourcing agent to help you find affordable, high-quality items.

See Also: Easy Decorating Tips for Bachelors 

Think of your limited budget as a challenge rather than an obstacle and you’re sure to have fun hunting down the best stylish furniture for the space you’re decorating.

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Do you follow your bliss?

There is a moment in people’s lives when they realize that things aren’t as they should be. Somewhere in-between the daily routines are gaps are things that simply don’t connect or make sense.

Most people choose to bury their heads in the soil like an ostrich and ignore these impulses. However, there are those few who are too curious. For them, these questions are like splinters in the brain and the more they choose to ignore them, the more painful they become.

These splinters have followed mankind throughout civilization. Mystics refer to them by many names but they all have a common thread because they lead individuals to a magical place called “BLISS.”

We all in some way have been presented with an opportunity to leap into the void to pursue something far greater than our small minds could imagine. However, fear, anxiety, over thinking or comfort zones force us to turn down the call of nature which could ultimately transform our lives.

For Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, it was the call to sell everything they had and create a little box with a screen that would change the way people all over the world use technology. For Walt Disney, it was taking every risk imaginable in creating animated characters that would change family entertainment forever, and for Nelson Mandela it was sacrificing his life and following the call of freeing his people from the chains of apartheid.

Growing up, I was always encouraged by my elders whether it be my pastor, parents or school teachers to just be myself. They always stressed the notion of not trying to be something or someone that I’m not which made perfect sense since we were all created in a unique and special way. Striving to follow in the footsteps of someone else made you a fake, a counterfeit, or as folks back in South Africa would say a, “Fong Kong.”

But looking back now, I disagree. If I had taken their advice, I’d still be a shy, awkward individual afraid to face the world.

So my question is, if someone is unhappy with who they are and what they are doing with their life, should they just simply shrug their shoulders and blindly accept the notion that they were created this way?

Well I say NO!!

Don’t be yourself; change and be who you want to be. Your life is like clay in the hands of an artist. You shape it accordingly to what you want it to be.

If you are a shy, reclusive individual and you hate this characteristic about yourself, then do everything you can to change this. Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “If you are sickly, surround yourself with the healthy. If you are shy, surround yourself with the gregarious.”

Bonaparte is pointing out a valuable solution in overcoming your deficiencies. He understood that we are weak in certain areas but also strong in some.

The best way to overcome those shortfalls is to learn from those who possess the traits we admire. The biggest problem with people is that they surround themselves with people who share their common interests and values. The danger of doing this is that they cut themselves off from the vast pool of information and skills transferred in daily life.

See Also: Be the Change You Want To See in the World 

The most difficult thing to do in life is to be completely honest with yourself and admit that you aren’t who you think you are. Our ego is a cloud that obscures our ability to recognize who we truly are.

And when I say “Truth” I mean recognizing yourself with all your fears, delusions, addictions, insecurities and not hiding from them but truly understanding that they make you who you are. The world is merely a thought, and most of our thoughts have been molded and conditioned by our parents, teachers, television, friends and family.

The ability to let go of all those things you learned and see things as they truly are is a long and extremely difficult process. The answers you seek in this life are within; all you have to do is trust yourself.

See Also:9 Things to Let Go to Find Ultimate Happiness 

I love my mother and father with all my heart and would move the world for them, but I have realized that their advice and counsel isn’t always the best for me. When making life-changing decisions, your parents aren’t always the people to turn to for advice simply because your parents have a paternal instinct wired in them, to protect you till death.

Their purpose is to protect you from potential danger or failure in life. This is great for raising a little toddler but the problem with this at a later stage in life is that it hinders the growth factor of the child.

Parents impose their fears and anxieties onto their kids, and understanding this is extremely complicated. The reason they don’t see this is because it’s coming from a good place.

But the reality is that they are cutting you off from following your true call in nature of pursuing this mythical journey which is faced with danger, insecurity, fear, and self-doubt. The obstacles you face on this journey are important ingredients which are essential in building a person of self-reliance.

When I say “Follow your bliss” I am in no way being oblivious to the challenges individuals have had to overcome or continue to face such as abuse, addiction, physical disability or the lack of money and education. This notion is simply my personal observation of a mysterious world which no one has the answers to. How you choose to look at it is a defining factor. If you see it as a world of hate, fear and misery, then that is what the world will be.

I personally choose to joyfully participate in the sorrows of life. Sometimes it hurts so much that we want it all to end, but that’s part of the game as the Taoist would say, “the Yin and the Yang”.

Like a good tennis game, you have to participate and play as if your life depended on it. If you lose, you go over to congratulate your opponent by shaking his hand. If you win, you graciously celebrate while remembering that without your opponent, the game would not be possible.

“Following your bliss” is something which deeply resonates with me. It’s a journey of abandoning what T.S. Eliot called, “The Waste Land” which is that life of going through the paces in life and simply existing from paycheck to paycheck.

It is following your internal impulses of doing what you were destined to be or do. Whether it is a poet, musician or scientist, “following your bliss” is following that quiet intuitive voice inside which leads you to something that ignites a sense of awe and wonder inside. As Joseph Campbell would say, “It’s not about finding the meaning of life, but rather the deep experience of it.”

 

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Half the fun of going on a trip is in the planning: picking out restaurants, dreaming about the sights, and mapping out new destinations to explore. The internet has made the process so much easier than ever before.

One of the most valuable tools at a trip planners’ fingertips is Pinterest. Yes, Pinterest.

The social media platform has more than 100 million active monthly users. It has always been a great place to find inspiration and organize online information. Since debuting buyable pins last year, it’s also become a great place to shop.

Travel brands are getting in on the fun by providing spaces for pinners to collaborate on travel plans, food, and entertainment. The Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts’ Pin.Pack.Go campaign, for example, invited individuals to collaborate on travel-themed boards and offered insider tips and advice.

Even if you’re still in the dreaming stage of planning a vacation, Pinterest is a great place to start preparing. The platform is filled with stunning photos of exotic locales, so look around to get inspiration.

Here are some other ways to get started:

1. Map It

Once you’ve settled on a destination, create a mapped board. These use geolocation metadata to display photos’ locations on a map. It’s a useful feature when documenting a road trip or planning an itinerary.

For example, a mapped board can show you whether attractions are within walking distance or help you determine the best order to do things. Be sure to scope out mapped boards from other users who have gone on similar trips.

2. Dive Deep

To get trip ideas, find boards dedicated to your destination. Explore beyond travel guidebooks and magazines. When you find an appropriate board, be sure to also check out any related pins to discover photos, videos, and anecdotes from others who have taken similar trips.

See Also: Strange International Laws Every Tourist Should Know 

3. Search Wisely

Similar to search engines, Pinterest users have varying terminology for similar things. For example, “food in Las Vegas,” “places to eat in Las Vegas,” and “best Las Vegas restaurants” are all search queries in pursuit of the same thing. In other words, it’s essential to vary your search terms to find everything Pinterest has to offer.

4. Make Your Purchases

Once you’ve worked through the planning stages, it’s time to pull the trigger and book your trip. If your hotel or airline is on Pinterest, it will likely have direct links to booking for each location. If you saved pins for travel necessities like sunglasses or snorkel gear during the planning process, use the blue “Buy It” button on each pin to purchase directly from the site.

See Also: 21 Top Travel Apps and Tools 

Whether you’re exploring a tropical island or simply visiting relatives, traveling takes research and preparation. Pinterest’s visual layout and shopping features make it an ideal place to plan and book your next getaway.

 

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With the European football season well and truly in full swing, travel experts Expedia have created a guide to almost every football ground in Europe, helping fans heading overseas to sample the sights and sounds of continental football.

We thought we’d take a look at three of the best and most interesting football grounds in Europe, using information from Expedia’s fantastic guide. Let’s go!

Signal Iduna Park, home of Borussia Dortmund

One of Germany’s most fascinating stadiums, Signal Iduna Park is also home to one of the country’s most interesting teams – Borussia Dortmund. Signal Iduna is the largest football stadium in Germany and within walking distance from the centre of Dortmund.

Signal Iduna Park’s ‘proper name’ is actually Westfalenstadion, which derives from Westphalia – a former Prussian province. Under a sponsorship deal, it will continue to be known as Signal Iduna until 2021.

It’s one of the most famous football stadiums in Europe and for good reason too – it was named best football stadium by The Times for its celebrated atmosphere. So, if it’s brilliant European football and an amazing vibe you’re after, head to Westfalenstadion!

The King Power Stadium, where Leicester City play

The buzzing King Power Stadium is something of a must-see, home to current Premier League champions Leicester City. Last season, the King Power was where dreams were made, as Leicester powered their way through game after thrilling game on their route to Premiership victory. And this season promises to be even more exciting as Leicester welcome European teams to their Champions League campaign.

The stadium is relatively new, having opened in 2002, and is named after the retail group King Power, owned by the famous Thai billionaire businessman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.Take a trip to the Midlands and sample some of the celebrated atmosphere!

Camp Nou, Barcelona’s fortress

The most famous football stadium in the world? Well, it’s got some competition from Old Trafford and perhaps the Etihad, but yes, pretty much. Oh, and it’s home to Champions League tournament royalty – Barcelona have secured no fewer than four Champions League wins over the last decade.

The home of Barca since it was built in 1957, Camp Nou, which means ‘new field’, is the largest stadium in both Spain and Europe, and boasts a seating capacity of 99,534. If you’re on a trip to Barcelona, a visit to this magnificent stadium is a must. Visitors to Barcelona also swear by the Camp Nou Experience – this tour of the stadium is supposed to be fantastic.

What’s your favourite European football stadium?

 

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