Give Yourself a Boost

No more negativity, no more getting depressed. It’s time to feel good about yourself and your skin. Here are some easy boosters!

1. Wear the right clothes. Don't just follow fashion like a sheep. If a look doesn't suit your body type, then wearing it isn't going to make you look fashionable. The way you look can say a lot about you and influence the way you feel. Start watching what you wear to work. Make sure it’s smart, neat and professional. If you want to be taken seriously, it’s time to start dressing the part. Wear a little make-up to work, just mascara/eye liner and gloss. It won’t stand out as ‘too much’ but will definitely make you feel a little prettier and hence better your own body image!

2. Clichéd as it sounds, exercise is something that really helps you boost your own image. You realize that you are in control, not your tummy. Plus you will end up loosing a few pounds either way and look stunning in your sexy new dress! A good idea is to start each day with a walk/run/swim.

3. Get a haircut. If you have the same hair style you did a year ago (or since 12th grade!) update your look and create a new you!

4. Beauty treatments always help to make you feel better. Manicures, pedicures, facials etc. help make you feel special. If you have time off – treat yourself to a spa weekend, or get a snazzy new hair cut!

5. Retail therapy has a wonderful way of making a really bad day or a really bad mood disappear! Shoes are always a treat for me. But it doesn’t matter what you get, it’s just a liberating feeling!

6. Ask that cute boy out. Muster up the courage and go ahead with it. Or say yes to that guy who's been bugging you to go out on a date. It's just one date and it's nice to feel wanted.

7. Put your self to the test and give up one of your vices. Smoking, drinking, binge eating, starving, honking your horn too much, biting your fingernails, snapping at others needlessly, being overly obsessive – whatever your vice is, kick it!

8. Do something you have been meaning to do, something that is on your to-do list. This could be finishing a book, a project, sending an email you were meant to, running errands around the house. The successful feeling of having achieved a goal, increases self esteem.

9. Try your hand at something new. Anything that challenges you makes you feel better about yourself just for the effort and courage it takes to attempt something new. Try cooking/baking/gardening/pilates/yoga. For the more adventurous – rock climbing/belly dancing/ kickboxing/ wind surfing etc.
10.For those more intellectually inclined – mentally challenge yourself with a task that had earlier foxed you. You may surprise yourself!

11. Don’t depend on anyone else to make you happy. You can do it you self with your very own theme song!! Pick a song, or a few songs that really make you feel happy and glad to be living! When you are feeling low or down in the dumps – listen to it, hum it, heck sing out loud! You’d be surprised how much lighter you feel!

Remember to be yourself. Love who YOU are, only then can you let anyone else love you.

Dealing With Anger

Getting cut off in traffic, a missed deadline, spilt coffee, a cranky child - it doesn't take much to upset us these days.

A recent study by Yale School of Management professor Sigal G. Barsade and Donald Gibson of Fairfield University showed that 1 in 4 Americans feel at least somewhat angry at work. That's a lot of grumpy people in the office. Add to that the frustration of a long commute and imagine what we're like when we get home at night.

Anger is a normal and necessary emotion. How we deal with it makes all the difference. It's a common philosophy that venting anger is good for you. "It's cathartic," we're told. "Just get it out of your system." But expressing anger through yelling, throwing things, or pounding our keyboards has an incredible impact on our co-workers, our families and ourselves. There are decisive steps we can take to bring anger back under our control. The next time you feel your ire rising you can take action to deal with it in a healthy way.

1. Take a deep breath. Believe it or not, pausing to take a deep breath when you're upset really does help. When you're angry your body releases adrenalin that increases your heart-rate and blood pressure, preparing you to run or to fight. Taking a deep breath helps to bring your heart-rate back down and sends a signal to your brain that the adrenalin isn't needed.
2. Remove yourself from the situation. If you feel your anger mounting, walk away from the situation for a moment to give yourself the opportunity to regain control. Tell the other person that you need a minute and will be back. Take some deep breaths, splash water on your face, jump up and down. When you can think clearly return to the situation and deal with it.
3. Communicate your frustration clearly. General statements using "you always" or "I never" rarely reflect the facts and don't solve arguments. Give specific examples of what has happened and how you are feeling. This gives the other person the opportunity to make amends if they are in the wrong, and helps to clear up confusion.
4. Use a journal. If you find that you are often angry, a journal can be a safe place to scream out your frustrations. Let your anger come out through your pen. Write down exactly who you're mad at and why. If you want to tear it up afterwards, go right ahead. Just getting your thoughts down on paper can be cathartic, and this way no one gets hurt.
5. Learn your triggers. Pay special attention to what it is that triggers your anger and then take action when you find yourself in those situations. If you know that you are more susceptible to anger when you're tired for example, don't have major discussions with your spouse late in the evening. Give yourself permission to say, "This really isn't a good time for me to discuss this. Can we talk about it _____" and set a specific time to discuss it. Setting a time and sticking to it shows the other person that you are not trying to avoid the topic but are genuinely seeking to find a solution.

If anger is becoming a major part of your life get in touch with a counselor. A licensed counselor can help you find the root of your anger and give you specific strategies for dealing with it.

Smart women, smart money

"I do not claim that all women, or a large portion of them, should enter into independent business relations with the world, but I do claim that all women should cultivate and respect in themselves an ability to make money."
- Ellen Demarest

There are many reasons why a woman must put financial security high up on her list of priorities. Some important reasons are that women tend to live longer than men, earn less money than men and generally will have less to live on in retirement. These are reasons enough for women to think about getting their financial houses in order, whatever it takes.

Financial security is a critical matter. Ignore your financial well being and you may find yourself eating cat food in old age, wishing you'd put away a little something in your youth. There are many things that you can do to improve your situation. It's not too late to make your future years better ones. The most important thing you can do is to learn about finances however dreary and dreadful you may think it to be.

Find the right resources and you may actually enjoy the process! Read up on financial news, get together with other friends to exchange information, get yourself a guide or mentor to help you understand finances.

Here are some encouraging facts about women and money matters -

• Women are often smarter than men about money.
• They admit it when they don't know something.
• They seek help.
• They avoid risk.
• They do their homework.
• They set goals.

And the best part - balancing and juggling money comes naturally to them.
They have been doing it for years!

So, hone in on your money saving and making skills.
Remember that you need to invest wisely in your futur