I’ve lost over 100 pounds twice.

The first time, I experienced a major injury, job loss, relocation, and the death of my closest family member. I was about 2/3 toward my total weight loss goal that time.

I kept up with exercise and good nutrition for a bit. Unfortunately, I slowly reverted to old habits and then eventually things rapidly declined. I gained seventy pounds in six months.

It took a few years for me to get inspired to try again. The second time, I wanted to lose one hundred pounds to reach my big goal. After two and a half years of hard work, lots of setbacks, injuries, and lessons learned, I did it. I SMASHED my goal!

It’s been almost four years since I hit my goal and in all candor, I didn’t keep it all off. Despite my work with coaching clients, having a book and podcast on the 100-pound weight loss journey, and working in the fitness community, I still deal with ups and downs.

Over time, I’ve come to realize that it’s a wonderful thing to be in a fantastic physical shape, eat healthily, get adequate sleep, and find some harmony in life. However, I also know what it’s like to run multiple businesses, be involved in my community, do service work, teach six to twelve yoga and fitness classes a week, put in the time and effort needed to keep a relationship fresh and exciting, write regularly, and work on my own healing and personal development. It’s a LOT.

There are many things that I’ve learned from my experiences, but I’ll keep this simple. Here’s how to change your lifestyle.

Self-acceptance is paramount

If we want to be healthy, we must practice self-acceptance. When we practice self-acceptance, we give ourselves permission to receive great and amazing things in this life.

When we deny ourselves the gift of self-acceptance, we block many of life’s blessings.

Self-acceptance acts as the fuel that drives us to do difficult things. It gives us the inspiration to continue onward when things get tough (and they will).

Acceptance doesn’t necessarily mean that we like everything about ourselves. Rather, acceptance means that we see ourselves as we are. We accept our attributes, behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.

We may aspire to improve but we learn to accept ourselves as we are, without needing to change who we are.

See Also: Self-Acceptance: The Key To True Happiness

We must have a compelling “WHY”

Whenever we embark on any lifestyle change, we’re doing something that we’ve either never done before or we are attempting to do something that we have struggled with.

There will be setbacks. We will make mistakes and we will get discouraged.

Our compelling WHY will keep us focused and motivated to keep pushing through these challenges.

Challenges are a huge blessing. We thrive on challenges. We don’t get stronger and smarter when things are good. We learn to thrive when things are rough. Life doesn’t get easier. We just get better.

When I attempted to lose 100 pounds the second time, I made a list of 100 reasons to lose 100 pounds. I then made 100 videos and each of them discussed one of the reasons on my list.

Over the course of two years, I continued to document my progress until I hit my goal. It’s great to have a strong WHY. I needed 100 reasons why!

And you know what? It worked!

It’s not about the destination – it’s about the journey

Quite frankly, this third one used to (and sometimes still does!) drive me CRAZY.

“Enjoy the journey!”

I’ve heard this for years from yoga teachers, life coaches, and mentors. Sure, it’s great to enjoy the journey, but I want RESULTS!

However, I’ve discovered that when I reached a goal, I would plan for the next. I wasn’t content.

Our achievements do not define us. We develop skills and wisdom by our experiences. We become extraordinary in the process.

That’s where the beauty really happens – not at the end, but in the journey.

Our stories are interesting because of the trials we endure. We are fascinating because we are innovative and creative. Our legendary tales aren’t remarkable because we achieved something. They’re remarkable because we overcame SO much!

We are all on the brink of something incredible. We have goals, dreams, and a purpose. We owe it to ourselves and to our loved ones to do something remarkable with the time we have.

We can do amazing things when we accept ourselves as we are, delve deep, and discover why we want to live our best lives possible. We learn to live in each moment and appreciate the journey.

See Also: 6 Ways to Lose Weight (and Still Have Fun)

There’s so much more to come for you! Start here and you will have a great foundation.

Here’s to your continued success!

The post 3 Major Lessons Learned From Losing 100 Pounds appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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If you are thinking of creating some great video content but you’re not quite sure where to start, don’t worry. You can easily find the best video-making website with just a quick search on the internet.

But before you do that, make sure you have a digital asset first. It can be a blog, website, a YouTube channel or a Facebook page. If you do not have one yet, make one before you start making online videos.

Why video?

If you have never created a video for your website, learn the basics first. Watching explainer videos, animated videos, and corporate videos can help you learn how to create content that will increase your website’s traffic.

Why are videos so popular?

For one, it helps explain a concept that is easier to understand using video. Corporate executives and others would rather spend a few minutes watching a video than to try to read a long article on the same topic.

When it comes to customer acquisition, the same is true.

Visitors who are looking for information search using keywords. If you want to get ahead of your competition, start making videos that can match the keywords they are looking for. That way, you won’t be leaving money on the table.

Now, to help you get started, here are the best sites to visit for online video creation.

My Simple Show

My Simple Show is an interesting and very simple option if you just want to create a quick explainer video. It uses what is known as “whiteboard” technology that requires minimum effort from the user.

All you need to do is sign up for a trial account through your Facebook or Google account or create one using your main email address. Then, select “create a video” and you’ll be taken through the process step-by-step.

First, write your script (up to 1200 words in the trial version) and select your images and audio. After that, Simple Show will create your story for you! The whole process only took us about 5 minutes from start to finish.

It is fantastic to see it all come together- complete with visuals and audio that perfectly enhance your story.

To download your video or render it to HD quality, you will have to subscribe to the paid version. With that option, you’ll be able to share it on, YouTube and other sites.

To get started, go to mysimpleshow.com.

YouTube

YouTube is the staple platform for submitting videos. While you won’t be able to create an original video there, the site can allow you to edit it, add royalty-free music, and render the edited copy on their site.

Also, you can create keywords and SEO in the tags section as well as the description area. This can greatly help with your site’s traffic and ranking.

YouTube is both a video platform and a search engine. It is also considered a social media platform. People go directly to the site to find videos every day. Having a YouTube account can let you share and post videos on your social media sites, blogs, and other locations, too.

YouTube is very flexible with the format types. It will automatically convert your content to YouTube format.

Sign up by visiting YouTube to get started.

Animoto

Animoto.com is a popular site for creating videos for individuals and business owners.

You can upload your video clips and combine them into a professional-looking HD video right on their site. They have dozens of professional video styles that were designed by video production experts. They also have over 1,000 licensed songs, which you can use for your material. Plus, you can have access to unlimited HD videos on their platform, too.

If you want to try out Animoto for free, you can do that today for 14 days with no obligation to purchase. After the 14th day, you’ll be able to upgrade to one of the premium packages starting at only $8 per month. For a more robust package for commercial use, you may want to upgrade to the $34 per month package.

Go to animoto.com to learn more.

Slide.ly

Slide.ly is a video-making website that offers something different for online eCommerce sites or blogs. They use more of a motion graphic format, which allows business owners to go in and find videos that will work with their brand.

They can insert their message, add their logo, and add high-action footage that will capture the attention of their audience. This platform can create high-impact marketing videos that can make it look like you own a million dollar studio!

You’ll find plenty of content to use and you can create a 30-second video in only a few minutes.

This platform is a bit more pricey at $49 per month for only one video, but you can always upgrade if you need more. Find out more at slide.ly.

Summary

If you want to create some professional-looking videos but you don’t want to hire a professional video agency, try one of these platforms. They can do wonders for your business.

Use YouTube to upload and edit your videos after they are produced. Use Mysimpleshow.com for whiteboard videos, Slide.ly for professional short promotional videos, and Animoto.com for more lengthy productions. Try them all and see what you think.

Whatever you do, do a video! It will make a huge difference in your rankings bottom line!

The post Four Great Sites for Creating Amazing Online Videos appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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You only have 8 seconds to capture a visitor’s attention.

If you’re planning on making it big on the internet, you need to make sure you get that 8 seconds right.

How?

The answer is to keep your site’s visitors as engaged as possible. Make sure that your website is eye-pleasing, easy to navigate, and highly usable.

Based on a research done by Stanford University, over 46% of visitors stated that design is the most important factor they consider in deciding whether they’ll stay or leave a website. But how can you ensure that?

Here are 6 ways to increase conversion rate.

Establish a Visual Hierarchy

Establishing a visual hierarchy helps users find the information they need to make a decision. You can apply the right visual hierarchy to your site to influence users and make them react positively to your call-to-action.

Here’s how you can create a powerful visual hierarchy:

• Perfectly placed conversion forms
• Call-to-action buttons need to be bigger, clear, and simple
• Use of high-quality images
• Brief and benefit-driven headline
• Use of power words to make your copy catchy and compelling
• A good layout that seamlessly moves eyes from one point to another

These design principles can improve the overall experience of your website in a way that users just don’t accomplish goals but also enjoy their visit to your site.

Use the right color combinations

Different color combinations convey different meanings and evoke different emotions. You can play with colors to get people to do exactly what you want.

For example, you can apply contrast psychology to highlight call-to-action buttons and to make headlines and texts noticeable and readable. Other important elements that you want to highlight should stand out from the rest of your site, too. Use the right color combination so that people can see them easily.

Use negative space effectively

Negative space is referred to as white space on a website.

In simple words, positive space has all the elements on your site whereas negative space refers to the empty space between paragraphs, sidebars, and texts.

Despite the name, negative space is valuable to the design of your website. Without it, your site will look cluttered.

Effective use of negative space is necessary to keep your website user-friendly and easy to navigate. So, avoid stuffing your website with too much information.

See Also: Web Design Strategy: How To Give New Life To Your Site

Good typography is critical

The right typography can enhance the readability of your content while optimizing your UI design. A good typography often goes unnoticed because it just makes sense. So, go for a simple yet bold typography that presents your content in a user-friendly way.

Here are some essentials of a good typography.

Consistency- Consistent use of kerning, typefaces, and formatting is essential to give your content a professional look and keep your users focused.
Hierarchy- Creating hierarchy is important to guide users through the content. For example, in web design, it has to be heading followed by subheading and then main copy.
Alignment- Alignment is important to keep the look of your web page unified. You can either settle for flush left alignment or flush right alignment to provide readers a stronger edge line to follow. As much as possible, refrain from choosing a centered alignment.

F Layout is the safest

A user’s natural pattern when browsing the internet follows the ‘F’ pattern. That makes it the safest and most effective website design to follow.

When visiting a site, visitors move their eyes from left to right, starting at the top of the screen. Next, they scan the page downwards to find the information they need. The bottom right of a web page gets the least amount of visibility.

Thus, to boost your site’s conversion rate, you need to place all the important pieces of your website along with that “F” pattern. This will encourage users to take specific actions, like completing a purchase, signing up for a newsletter or downloading an e-book.

Make it mobile-friendly

A lot of people access the internet from their handheld devices. If your website is not mobile-friendly, then you’re way behind.

If you want to increase your conversion rate, your website needs to be able to provide a seamless experience to users. Moreover, Google also prefers mobile-friendly websites. You can end up in a higher spot in the search results if Google likes you.

With that, optimizing your website for mobile is no more just an option but a must-do.

See Also: The Essential Elements of Modern Web Design

Final Thoughts

Lastly, remember the K.I.S.S (keep it simple stupid) rule for your web design. Keep it simple and make sure there are fewer distractions. The more aesthetically pleasing your website is, the higher its conversion.

The post How to Increase Conversion Rate: Top Tips in Designing Your Website appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Have you ever asked yourself how people lose weight and manage to keep it off?

You are thinking losing weight and staying fit is a matter of genetics, metabolism, and the willpower to change one’s habits. Although those things play a part in losing weight, building muscle, and improving one’s general health, the most important component to change happens in your brain.

The two stimuli that cause a person to take action

According to Tony Robbins’ book,  Awaken The Giant Within, human beings are motivated to take action by two things: pain and pleasure.

We do the things we do to move from pain to pleasure.

That can be eating, sleeping, finding a partner in life, quitting a job you hate, drinking, smoking or gambling.

We associate eating with pleasure because it removes the pain of hunger.

See Also: 8 Bad Food Habits That are Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Goals

We sleep to give our exhausted bodies and minds some rest.

We spend a good portion of our lives looking for a partner so we can share our joys and sorrows.

Even people who drink associate alcohol with pleasure. Maybe it’s to help them forget about their problems or to help them de-stress after a hectic work week. Perhaps, they enjoy socializing and alcohol just happened to be a part of most gatherings.

What causes a person to change his or her habits?

How do people suddenly find the motivation they need to lose weight?

I used to wonder if there was a switch you can turn on in a person’s head to make him decide to change for the better.

It turns out there is a name for that switch. It’s called the pain threshold.

Tony Robbins described crossing the pain threshold as the ultimate motivator to create change. Once you associate so much pain to something, you would do everything in your power to change it and move yourself to pleasure.

Most people who decided to lose weight crossed the pain threshold, which can be in the form of health issues.

Arthur Boorman was in so much pain from walking. So, he decided he had to lose weight or he would never walk unassisted for life.

Jared Mollenkopf was so out of shape that he got tired just sitting in front of a computer. Since he has an office job, imagine how much pain he’s in, having to sit for 8 hours a day.

Stacey Morris got embarrassed each time she had to put on extension seat belts whenever she flies. Since her job requires her to travel a lot, she had to endure that situation often.

It’s also pretty common to see people choosing to lose weight because of their family. Not living long enough to see young kids grow up or not having the energy to be there for the family during special occasions can be a good source of motivation to shape up.

How to use pain and pleasure to create change

The most important thing to ask yourself is this:

What do you really want?

Think about what is really going to give you joy and what gives you sorrow. Once you’ve figured that out, create leverage on yourself by associating pain to not changing NOW. Leverage is the key to get yourself into taking massive action.

In my case, there was a point in my life when I felt exercising took a lot of effort and I had little to no time for it.  I ate junk foods and sweets often because they tasted good.

It’s funny because I didn’t find time or energy for exercise but I could always squeeze in some time to go to the bar with my friends.

Was it fun eating anything I desired and drinking alcohol with friends instead of exercising and eating healthy? Absolutely.

Until one day, I took my shirt off and looked in a mirror.

I looked nothing like I used to be. I wasn’t really overweight, but my belly was starting to stick out. My hairline was starting to recede and my cheekbones and jawline where nowhere to be found.

I always felt like I needed more sleep and had low energy level to do anything physical.

I was in the worst shape of my life and I was only 29 years old!

The pain I felt looking and feeling older than I am was overwhelming. I knew right there that if I didn’t change something, things would go downhill fast and I was not prepared to accept that.

One thing I learned was that if I wanted to get different results, I had to do something I’ve never done. It definitely took a lot of courage to try something I knew nothing about but the pain of failing and gaining more weight weighed more than the fear of the unknown.

I took action. I bought weight loss programs online, which totally changed the way I trained. Slowly, I renewed my commitment to eating healthier, too.

The one thing that is absolutely crucial if you want to create permanent change

You’ve decided what you really want, you’ve gotten leverage on yourself, you changed your habits and approach and you’ve gotten the results you’re looking for. You started seeing results.

Well, it’s not enough that you lost some weight. You need to find a way to keep the fat off.

The danger with not creating new habits is that you can easily slip back into the things you were used to doing.

I mean, I could have stopped training. After all, I lost weight already. I could have gone back to enjoying my weekends watching movies, eating anything I wanted, and drinking beer.

But the joy I found with my new self meant more than eating junk foods and laying on the couch. My weekends were replaced by pickup games with friends or trying out new ways to do cardio, like biking, going on long walks in the park or hiking.

Hearing compliments about how much weight I lost felt good and it motivated me to train harder. That’s also enough motivation for me to take it easy on junk foods and alcohol. I became committed to staying healthy.

I still have my cheat meal and beer occasionally but I don’t enjoy it as much as I used to. After all, being healthy, strong, and confident give me my ultimate pleasure.

Conclusion

Now that you understand how to set your mind to lose weight and keep it off, it’s time for you to give it a try.

First, know what motivates you and what ultimately gives you pain and pleasure.  Figuring out how to lose weight with training and proper nutrition will follow as long as you’re committed to making changes. After all, there are lots of materials available on the internet from people who have done it before you.

Just find out what will work for you. Figure out what you like and what you don’t like. Go on and take that first step.

The post How to Set Your Mind to Lose Weight appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Lotteries are among the world’s most favorite gambling pastimes, with hundreds of people made much richer because of them. So there’s no wonder lottery ticket sales are huge when there’s a massive jackpot on the line. With state and national lotteries all completely checked by third-party audits, people play knowing that the results of each draw are completely fair and random; and yet people still manage to concoct strategies for playing the lottery.

Strategies by their very nature need to have an aim in mind, with the strategy itself built to advance towards that aim. However, as lotteries are completely random, the term of a “lottery strategy” may seem to be somewhat of an oxymoron. But, thanks to online records that are available, people have been able to devise methods which indicate to more likely outcomes based on previous results, and there are also general rules to give into to increase your chances of winning the lottery based on how much you spend on it.

So, let’s dig into some of these lottery strategies, and see if your chances of winning a massive prize can be enhanced.

Know your odds going in

It’s commonplace for someone to say that you’re more likely to be hit by lightning than you are to win the lottery, but that’s not even the rarest occurrence that has a greater likelihood of happening to you than winning the lottery. For example, if you live in the United States, you’re more likely to become the president of the USA, or become a movie star, be drafted by the NBA, or even be crushed by a vending machine. But every ticket has the same chance of winning, in theory. In reality, there are ways in which you can boost your odds of winning the lottery.

Give in to the randomness

The results of any lottery are completely random, but there is one certain combination that, should it come in, would disappoint many. In 2017, it was found that around 10,000 people per lottery draw in the UK selected the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. So if those numbers came in, each would have walked away with about £400 ($551.96).

Avoiding incredibly popular number combinations like the one above is important because it would mean you wouldn’t win some if you did win, but it’s also important to embrace the randomness. When it comes to lotto strategy, the best way is to be as random as the game itself. As many peoples’ lottery numbers derive from key dates in their lives, many of the larger numbers are missed out. Being as random as possible is the best way to play.

Play the numbers game

In a study performed over thousands of games in the Australian Lottery (a six-pick, 45-number lotto), it was found that certain patterns showed up with far more prevalence than others. The most frequently observed pattern way by picking one number in the range of 1-9, two in the range of 10-19, and then one in each of the ranges of 20-29, 30-39, and 40-45. With that pattern occurring 24 times rather than the expected calculated frequency of 18.7, it shows that the numbers have fallen more favorably into that pattern.

Another way sometimes suggested is to buy all of the possible combinations, but of course, that would be extremely time consuming and costly. So instead, to better your odds in a similar vein without spending much more, you could pool with friends or co-workers. Everyone in the pool chips in an equal amount to get an agreed upon the number of tickets per person, buy different tickets with each buy-in, and share the multi-million prize when it comes in.

While developing a strategy in a completely random game with rather long odds seems odd, there are ways in which you can boost your chances of winning the lottery. 

The post Betting on the Lottery: Is There a Strategy? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Vitamin B12 is essential to the human body. It has an incredibly important role in your central nervous system as it ensures the health of your nerves and blood cell. It plays a huge role in the production of DNA, too.

Because of its functions, it’s highly important that you get enough of this vitamin, whether through your diet or by taking supplements. If you do not get enough vitamin B12, then your blood cells will not be able to function properly. This can cause anemia. Although it isn’t always a medical emergency, you still need to take it seriously.

Where to Find Vitamin B12

A healthy adult should consume 2.4 mcg of the vitamin a day. Good sources include meat, eggs, and fish.

Vegans and vegetarians may find it harder to get enough of the vitamin because of their diet. So, finding supplements with the right dosage can help. You can also eat foods fortified with B12, such as soy milk.

Risk Factors for Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Given the fact that vitamin B12 is so important, you are probably wondering what can cause its deficiency.

Here are some of the most common causes:

• Maintaining a vegan diet
• Crohn’s disease, Celiac disease and immune system disorders
• Having pernicious Anaemia– This leads to low levels of intrinsic factor, which in turn leads to trouble absorbing b12 from food
• Being over 50– People over 50 years old produce less stomach acid which is key for b12 absorption.

Vitamin b12 deficiency is actually relatively hard to detect. In some cases, it can remain undetected for years.

However, if you suspect that you may be at risk of developing a b12 deficiency, then you may want to be tested. This is particularly true if you are experiencing any symptoms, such as:

• Fatigue
• A lack of appetite
• Feeling faint

Getting Diagnosed and Treated

To be properly diagnosed, you may have to undergo a number of tests and examinations, like routine complete blood count. After being diagnosed, you may need to make dietary changes and take vitamin supplements. It can either be in the form of a tablet or a shot, depending on your condition and its cause.

Failure to get treated can result in a number of complications. You can end up with depression, megaloblastic anemia, and progressive nerve damage. There is also mounting evidence that low levels of b12 can actually increase your likelihood of developing Dementia.

To find out more about the causes, the symptoms, and the forms of treatment for b12 deficiency, check out the infographic below.

The post Vitamin B12 Deficiency: What You Need to Know appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Finding the right health insurance plans for parents can be tough but when you know exactly what to look for, it can become a seamless process.

Old age brings with it ailments and health-related problems. If you aren’t prepared, it can put you under a lot of stress. It can cause problems not just with your finances but your relationship with your parents and siblings, too.

One of the best ways to be prepared is to invest in the right health insurance plan. Here are the most important factors you need to consider before purchasing one.

Entry Age

A majority of the health insurance companies provide health insurance for senior citizens around the age of 60 to 70. If your parents have passed 60 years of age, consider getting a senior citizen health insurance policy rather than a family floater plan. There are different entry age guidelines for different policies so make sure you check in advance before signing up for one.

The Kind of Coverage Available

You need to know that the policy you buy provides extensive coverage. This ensures your aging parents are protected against various types of ailments and even pre-existing illnesses.

Make certain that you check all the terms and conditions well. This helps you understand the kind of coverage you get in a better way.

Sum Insured

The sum insured should be sufficient to cover your parents’ medical expenses. You need to take into account all your parents’ existing health issues and conditions they are at risk of.

It goes without saying that you need to go for a policy that offers the highest coverage. Stay informed about the medical inflation rate and then decide accordingly.

The Premium Amount

As a person ages, his insurance policy’s premium rate also increases. Premium rates on senior citizen insurance policies are on the higher side. This is because the risk element is comparatively high for senior citizens.

When finding the best medical insurance for parents, you need to consider all the coverage factors and go for the policy that comes with the lowest premium.

Network Hospitals that Provide Cashless Treatment

When an emergency occurs, you can take advantage of your policy by seeking medical help and assistance from network hospitals. This gives you the advantage of gaining cashless treatment.

Although you can head to a non-network hospital (as your insurer would eventually cover the outstanding expense in time), you can go to an in-network hospital to obtain treatment without worrying about paying the hospital bills. See that the insurance policy you choose has a wide range of network hospitals on its list.

See Also: 7 Medical Procedures That Are Not Covered by Health Insurance

You also need to consider the renewal age which determines when you can renew the insurance policy. These factors can make choosing a systematic and trouble-free health insurance policy for parents easier.

See Also: 5 Financial Emergencies Everyone Must Be Prepared For

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If you are a student, you’ve probably thought of getting a job. But is it possible to work and study at the same time?

The answer is yes.

To be successful in balancing work and study, here are some tips and tricks you can consider.

Find a Job Based on What You Are Studying

It might seem difficult but it is not impossible!

For example, if you are pursuing a degree in History, you could look for jobs that can help you improve and learn more about your course. Universities are often looking for students who want to get involved.

You can help with different organization or your school’s administrative tasks. Either way, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with successful people who surely have a lot to teach you. Plus, you’ll be able to earn while learning, too.

Filling your resume with field-related experience also increases your chances of getting a job after you graduate. Employers appreciate related experience.

Become the Master of Time Management

Your schedule might be pretty tight if you’re working and studying at the same time. This is a challenging situation but you need to stay committed to make it through.

The key to balancing work and study successfully is to manage and organize your tasks carefully. Take into consideration using an agenda. It helps a lot! You can plan all the activities you have to do and, while time passes, you’ll get used to using it.

Every person in the world has the same amount of hours in a day, the same amount of days in a month, and months in a year. If others can make it work, so can you. Make changes to your current schedule until you have full control over your time. Follow this schedule to optimize your tasks.

See Also: 5 Essential Time Management Tips to Live By

Take Breaks

Of course, you might feel overwhelmed because it is not easy to work and study at the same time. Every once in a while, a break might help a lot. Don’t bury yourself under a pile of articles and lessons right after you come back from work.

Take your time and relax! Of course, it is also important not to push it and start procrastinating. Limit the length of your break and follow your agenda.

Enjoy a couple of hours with your friends, take a walk with your dog, and do some morning exercise to keep the energy levels high. Something as simple as your favorite chocolate can make things better, as long as you keep track of your schedule.

See Also: Five Things To Do Right Now To Stop Procrastinating

Keep Your Motivation Level High

At first, you could feel that everything is possible and that you can make it through without problems. The boost of motivation you have at the beginning is incredible and it gives you amazing powers.

But, with time, you might feel overwhelmed or tired and so your level of motivation might decrease. It will become harder and harder to do your assignments after a long day at work.

Reward yourself after you finish reading your lessons. Keep in mind that you do not have to give yourself amazing rewards. A chocolate, watching a movie or going for a walk will surely help. Besides that, you’ll have more energy and you will retain the information easily. Receiving small rewards after accomplishing tasks makes it easier to retain information.

Conclusion

Of course, it is not an easy job balancing work and study. Both of them are important for us and we should take care of both aspects. Although it might seem challenging at first, and it is, you should probably keep in mind that it’s not impossible.

By successfully managing your time and your breaks, you can easily achieve work-study balance. And remember, this is just a transition period towards adulthood. Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do!

The post Balancing Work and Study: 4 Highly Effective Tips You Need to Try appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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One day, while riding the train, I overheard a cry for help. Sure, the young lady sitting across from me was literally crying.

“If only I was rich,” she said. “If only I was rich!”

“I know, Babe . . . I know,” responded her friend in hopes of consoling her.

What started out as watching from afar, as if I were some nosy neighbor peeking from a window, turned into full-blown observation. What struck me most peculiar of all- for some reason- was the word “rich.”

After mulling over the thought for a second or two, I turned to Google for help.

Rich = Abundantly Supplied

The search engine instantly returned a definition.

Rich: abundantly supplied.

So, I asked myself: “Does that girl look ‘abundantly supplied’?”

Well, I see an iPhone 7 in her hand and a Louis Vuitton purse on her lap.

Then, I got to thinking: to be “abundantly supplied” means to have more than you need.

When I’m sitting around the table with family at Thanksgiving and everyone feels more stuffed than does the turkey, everybody is abundantly supplied. In other words, so far as food goes, we’re all rich because we have more food than we need.

What about housing?

Every non-homeless person is abundantly supplied. The same line of reasoning goes for the rest of the basic necessities. Once the basic necessities are met, all bodily needs are abundantly supplied.

The Mind is Everything

Unlike bodily needs which require basic necessities to satisfy basic desires, mental desires and needs are almost always abstract in nature. For this reason, we, as humans, can transcend meeting basic needs.

Just think of the people who still manage to crack a smile even when their bodies don’t feel comfortable during a fast. And think of depressed people. Although they have their basic needs met, they can’t manage to smile.

With that, remember this:

The best things in life are not only free but- get this- they’re not even things!

What Makes You Rich

See Also: 10 Mind Exercises That Will Teach You How To Build Self Confidence

When the Beatles famously sang “Money Can’t Buy Me Love”, they could’ve easily added “Money Can’t Buy Me Happiness, Peace or Even Riches”.

Aye, there’s the rub!

There’s no amount of money that can make you feel rich.

Why?

Because it’s not what you have but how you feel that makes you rich. This is by no means a revolutionary idea.

The wise men of yesterday used to say that it is better to be born lucky than rich.

Indeed, if you’re lucky enough to be a happy person, which ultimately depends on how you interpret reality, no amount of gold or lack thereof can ever affect your disposition.

This explains why Socrates went so far as to say that “he is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.”

And it is this wealth of nature which Shakespeare called his crown “a crown it is that seldom kings enjoy”.

What Socrates and Shakespeare both understood was that words such as happiness and riches are nothing but synonyms for contentment. In fact, contentment can be likened to a girl who wakes up in the morning in her natural state—stank breath and all.

When that same girl goes to her stylist and makeup artist, she transforms into the supermodel Happiness. Presto! She now can strut her stuff on the runway.

But when the show is over, Happiness—as did Cinderella—turns back into her natural self: plain ol’ Contentment.

If to be content means merely to be satisfied, then real wealth can only be measured by having as much money as you need, not want. After all, if happiness is a state of mind and everything about the mind is invisible.

To expect something invisible to give you happiness would be equivalent to expecting your eyes to let you see a ghost. This point may best be illustrated by the following thought experiment.

The World’s Richest Poor Man

Imagine traveling back to the year 1720. Think that you were born into royalty.

Being born with such luck, you have all the power and riches in the world. But here’s the catch: you’ve already tasted what life is like in the 21st century.

Now, here’s where the true nature of riches reveals itself.

As a king living in the 18th century, the average lifespan was about 35 years. Today’s average life expectancy is roughly 80 years.

So, let’s say you endured the harshest conditions possible, such as living homeless. That would probably cut off about a decade from your lifespan. Yet, that still leaves you off two times better than the richest king in the eighteenth century.

But such a case study would fail to reflect the average conditions of someone living today because most people aren’t homeless.

Most people have access to the basic conveniences, like smartphones, TVs and so forth. Think about it: Your Majesty didn’t even have a dumb-phone in his palace.

There are so many luxuries taken for granted today that would have so far exceeded the imagination of people from another age.

In Closing

People living today may never see how lucky they are if they continue to compare their status with others- probably just like the woman in front of me.

After waking up from my daydream, it finally dawned on me: the only thing in life that can make you poor is a poor attitude. Bingo!

Never saw it in that light. But, of course, the poor queen sitting across from me won’t be able to hear about my bright idea and fairy tales of poor kings.

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Trading centuries ago was way different than what we’re experiencing today. It was less convenient, easy, and predictable. It took a lot of time and it came with a lot of risks.

Here, we take a look at how has trade changed over time.

Setting the scene

Post-war investment was very different to the trading opportunities of today. The Great Depression, along with two world wars, had impacted the Stock Market such that very few people owned common stock. In fact, until 1954, daily trading volumes sat below one million shares on the NYSE – a tiny fraction of what they are today.

Investing was time-consuming and investment choices were fairly restricted, thanks to the limited competition among independent stockbrokers.

With contemporary technology, trade took much longer, too. Investors had to contact their brokers to instruct a trade. After that, a ticket needs to be created before the transaction can be carried out.

Prices were also harder to come by. An investor had little choice but to contact a stockbroker for the current market price on shares.

One instrumental change that took place was the introduction of a monthly investment program by the NYSE. This enabled investors to risk smaller amounts of money.

The 1970s to the end of the 20th century

While the Stock Market was experiencing slow growth during the 1970s, progress and changes in other areas were beginning to take place. Where trading had traditionally taken the form of physical stock certificates, this decade saw the rise of electronic trades, with stocks held at a central depository.

As automation and technology improved, the capacity for trading volume increased. At the time, the NYSE reported a daily trading volume of 100 million by 1982.

In 1970, the trade in derivative financial instruments increased. A number of governments initiated volatility into the markets by relaxing controls on pricing and a methodology for establishing option prices was introduced. Predicting future prices was sped up with the advancement in computing technology.

It wasn’t just the improvements in computers that helped the financial markets grow in the late 20th century.

In their 1996 publication, “Globalization Myths”, Paul Bairoch and Richard Kozul-Wright noted that the price of a three-minute phone conversation from New York to London fell by $242 over the course of the century. By 1990, a call was just $3. That’s way lower than its $245 price in the 1930s.

With cheaper telecoms available and electronic trades predominating, commissions were lower and investments could be smaller. Smaller risks were a major factor in the increase of mutual funds. With the introduction of individual retirement accounts (IRAs), more investors chose to pool their money with others’ in order to achieve financial goals.

21st-century trading

Today, it’s possible to make trades from the comfort of your living room, without having to employ the services of a broker or a financial advisor. The internet has proved an invaluable resource to investors, with current prices available on demand and the option of managing daily investments themselves.

Trade options have become so extensive that those who are new to investing can find the market somewhat intimidating. With the information available on the internet, new traders can easily adjust.

Compared with the 20th century, the economic sectors are vastly different. Iron, coal, and steel were a much larger part of the market before. Today, banking, pharmaceuticals, and information technology are the largest sectors.

Further differences include a rise in online brokerages, which means investors are able to pay lower commission rates, and the introduction of decimal pricing for stocks in 2001. As a result, there’s faster trading.

These developments come with an increased risk.

As the credit crunch of the late 2000s demonstrated, globalization and the close relationship between international markets can mean there is nowhere to hide when disaster strikes. An apparently small event in an overseas market can, therefore, have economic implications across the world.

Rather than being conducted through multiple regional exchanges, today’s global economy is defined in terms of financial centers. The largest of which are Tokyo, London, and New York.

Conclusion

Although investing is quicker, cheaper, and more convenient nowadays, the number and complexity of options make it more challenging. With the risk introduced by globalization, a portfolio structured for the future is more important than ever.

See Also: Trading Tips For Beginners: Are You Emotionally Ready to Trade Online?

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