A good night sleep makes you happier and healthier

Why Sleeping is (Almost) More Important Than Breathing

I used to pull all-nighters back in college, forcing myself to stay awake to cram for an exam or finish a paper on art history, my major. I did it because I thought it would help me get ahead, but in the end it always set me back—I wound up tired, cranky and unproductive the next day.

Even though I've grown up (and wisened up) since then, I still have trouble convincing myself to crawl into bed at night: I keep a running tally of all the things I haven't crossed off my to-do list—reading manuscripts, prepping for a TV appearance, even laundry! And I'm always tempted to stay up just a bit longer to get everything done before morning.

So what stops me from burning the midnight oil? Not only has personal experience proved that I'll be more stressed (not to mention less chipper) when I'm sleep-deprived, but studies suggest that not getting adequate zzz's can increase your risk for heart disease and depression, and even cause weight gain (ever found yourself heading to the fridge or the vending machine when you're tired? I have!).

Try these tips to help relax before you hit the sack:

Unplug
Avoid having long conversations on your cell phone before bed: Researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit found that people who were exposed to the slight radiation that emanates from cell phones took longer to fall asleep and spent less time in the deep stages of slumber.

Make Your Bedroom a Haven
Draw the blinds and turn on a fan or a soothing CD of nature noises to block out distracting sounds. Swapping ordinary bedroom bulbs for yellow ones (GE makes a 25-watt version sold at drugstores) can help you feel more tranquil as you're getting ready to nod off. Consider treating yourself to a cozy new comforter or putting flowers on your nightstand so that being in your bedroom—and sleeping!—becomes something you look forward to.

Say Thanks
Once you're under the covers, take two minutes to reflect on the things you're grateful for. Studies show that practicing grateful thinking makes people more optimistic. And going to sleep with happy thoughts will help you sleep more soundly.

Article Source: Lucy Danziger (www.self.com)

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Finding happiness through Chinese astrology

Chinese Astrology - Is Happiness Measured On A Weighing Scale?

Our purpose in life is to seek happiness. This is the ultimate aim of all people. No matter what our goals, dreams or visions, they all lead to the same destination – happiness! We may seek more money, better career, good health, pleasurable time, meaningful relationship and other finer things in life. All these aspirations come with a price.

In Chinese astrology or Ba Zi, the price can come in the form of destruction, clash, harm or punishment between the metaphysical elements in our natal chart. The question is "Are we prepared to pay the price and sacrifice a part of ourselves in order to attain happiness?" Some of us are lucky to be born with a sliver spoon and live a gilded life but most of us have to make ends meet by sheer hard work. Whether we were born rich or started life at a disadvantaged, happiness is not delivered to us on a silver platter. We need to look for it. Finding happiness and keeping it is a real challenge as our journey through life is full of twist and turns. The road ahead can be rocky, long and winding. There are times when we meet with obstacles, stumble and fall, hurt ourselves and lost our directions along the way. The journey of life can inflict extreme physical, mental and psychological pain on us and it can be so unbearable that we begin to question whether the end justifies itself. In Chinese astrology or Ba Zi, the pain that we endured is reflected by the 7 Killings star which bring extreme stress and pressure.

Not everybody is created equal. At least it is not in the physical, mental and psychological dimensions. Different people have different threshold of pain or comfort zone. Some are weak and some are strong. Some are risk takers and some are risk averse. Most of us are in between. We just need to look for a comfortable level where pain and pleasure is at an optimum balance. Imagine a weighing scale with two pans and a balance where pleasure and pain weigh equally. Any excess on either side will tip the balance. The trick is to maintain a comfortable balance with neither too much pleasure nor pain. This is what we should do to maintain a comfortable balance in our lives. Our lives are like a weighing scale on which happiness is weighed between pleasure and pain. Our goal in life is therefore to seek an optimum balance within our own comfort zone. This is happiness created out of keeping a comfortable balance in our lives.

"So are we able to pay for the price of happiness?"

We only pay for what we can afford because the price of happiness is relative. It defers from people to people. Some may pay a little to enjoy its value whereas some may pay more for the same return. A poor man can be as happy as a rich man within one’s own comfort zone. In other words, happiness is status blind! It is using what we are born with, living within our means and hopefully, happiness will "see" us.

In Chinese Astrology, a person is born with innate characteristics and abilities that are elemental in nature. The elements are metaphysically represented by wood, fire, earth, metal and water. These elements are believed to be cosmic energies that radiate from the stars in the constellations and that they give birth to all living things on earth. We are infused with the energies of the five elements based on the configuration of the stars at the precise hour of our birth. Whether we are destined to live a life full of pleasure or pain depends on the elemental equilibrium in our natal chart. The secret to happiness is keeping a comfortable balance of the elements within us. This is the essence of Chinese astrology!

Article Source: Alvin Yap (ArticleBiz.com)
http://www.proactive-qi.com

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Here's the top 10 habits of home business

Top Ten Home Business Habits

Home based businesses are fantastic. There are numerous advantages to having a home business: Time flexibility, no commuting to the daily 9 to 5 job, unlimited income potential and tax advantages just to name a few. However, there are many bad habits that you will need to avoid when you are working for yourself. They are listed as follows:

The Top Ten Bad Home Based Business Habits:

1. No Focus-You must prioritize your work. Do not let yourself get caught up in unnecessary tasks that will get in the way of the most important tasks.

2. Discipline-Staying on a regular schedule and getting some sleep as well.

3. Eat Healthy-It's very easy to consume a lot of junk food when snacking.

4. Drinking-Consume plenty of water and don't drink too much alcohol.

5. Dress For The Part-Get dressed for work even if you are working from the home office. Dress for success.

6. The Media-Too much negative news can have an impact on your well being-especially Television.

7. Surfing the Internet-This is relative to focus and can waste a lot of hours looking for unnecessary stuff or information.

8. Unproductive Phone Use-Limit your use of the phone for training, contacting, follow up or presenting.

9. All Work And No Play-It is crucial to keep a healthy balance between family and work.

10. Never Stop Learning-Too often we fall into the lazy trap. Never settle and try each and everyday to make what you are doing better. In other words, growth!

Your home business should not be left up to a game of chance. You must have a strong focus on your goals in addition to keeping a great balance between your family and the amount of scheduled time for your work. One must consider these factors if you are serious about a home business. For those who work at home, they have a strong, healthy balance and have much more success than those that are 100% all work all the time. In the words of Mr. Miagi, "Must Maintain Balance". You will find yourself being a much more pleasant person when you have that balance between work and time with the family. I know I am. Balance equals happiness.

All the Best!

Article Source: Sean Hagon (ArticleBiz.com)
http://ownyourlifeonline.com/

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A dog behaves based on what it eats?

Dog's Behavior Is Related To Dog Nutrition

Good nutrition is the most essential foundation for your dog's wellbeing. Basically everything related to your dog's behavior boils down to what you feed him. If you'd like to have an obedient, well-behaved friend to keep you company for the next several years, it would be best to pay close attention to what he takes in.

Nutrition affects your dog's health and longevity. It is essential that you give him an appropriate balance of proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates and the proper trace amounts of nutrients and minerals. These are necessary for their proper growth, repair, and the maintenance of a sound immune system.

Nutrition is an intricate and crucial aspect of your dog's capacity to think clearly, cope with stress readily, and keep a cooler disposition. If your dog is unnaturally irritable or lethargic, it might be due to an unbalanced diet.

Thinking consumes a lot of energy. Dogs that are involved in training programs exert tremendous amounts of mental energy. This is needed so that they can focus on the tasks presented to them. If your dog is not given proper nutrition, they can become sluggish, tense, or hyperactive when asked to do the simplest of tasks.

Dogs with improper nutrition cannot focus very well. They tend to lose concentration quickly and they have the tendency to get confused quite easily. Improperly nourished dogs find it hard to understand simple tasks, even though it is something that you ask him to do constantly. This confusion can easily be covered up by aggression.

When teaching dogs, the first thing I check is the dog's nutrition. I work from the inside out. Training becomes useless if the essential source of bad conduct is not adjusted.

Overexcited, distracted and unrestrained dogs are frequently fed foods that are rich in high levels of cereal compounds such as: corn, wheat and corn meal.

Aggressive dogs are usually fed foods that contain higher levels of incomplete protein which normally generate too much energy. These types of proteins are often incomplete chains and they do not give the proper building and repair needed for a healthy dog's body. They are also notoriously hard to digest.

Timid or stressed out dogs are not able to digest their foods very well. Most dogs with this behavior suffer from intestinal complications like diarrhea. Their coats are often dry, brittle and they often shed heavily.

A good way to test the foods that you give to your dog is by soaking it in water for about half an hour. If the food puffs up in size and becomes spongy then it is most likely made out of cereal.

If you observe your dog's stool is soft and loose and if you can categorize him to be gassy then it is most likely the result of improper digestion.

Giving your dog a balanced and healthy diet will do a lot in keeping him happy. It will not only contribute to their health and longevity but it will also make him a good member of our society.

Article Source: Finley Zhang (ArticleBiz.com)
http://www.YummyHealthyDogFood.com

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Tips on keeping your marriage hot

Marriage Tips That Will Keep Your Relationship Rockin’

My husband and I are high school sweethearts. We have been together for fifteen years, now. He and I got married when we were only twenty and twenty-one years old. I am now thirty-one and he’s thirty-two. We’re working on eleven blissful years of marriage.

It has been an amazing experience to love the same person for nearly half of my life! We started dating when I was fifteen, and he was sixteen. When I tell that story, other women think that I’m lucky. They’re intrigued that when I speak about my husband that I do so with a twinkle in my eye.

And everyone always wonders how we’ve managed to stay so deeply and wonderfully in love with one another. The answer is simple: we still do the things we did when we first started dating one another!

My husband still calls me on the phone while I am at work just to see how my day is going. Even though he works from home, he still gets up each morning and drives me thirty miles, just so I can ride in the H.O.V. (high occupancy vehicle) lane and not have to deal with traffic. That means he has to take the same route coming to get me in the evenings.

When he drops me off in the mornings, when I get to my desk, my message waiting light is usually flashing alerting me that someone has left a message. As you can imagine, at least one of them is from my husband saying that he loves me and hopes I have a great day! He calls the night before when I’m not in the same room with him, or as I’m coming up the elevator to get to my office.

So, it should come as no surprise to people why I love my husband so much. It’s because he also loves me!

Marriage is full of compromises and making things fun. It takes an effort from both parties to make it successful.

Here are a few things that will keep your marriage relationship as hot as it was in the beginning.

Make time for one another. Have at least one day a week set aside for you and your spouse, and don’t let anything take that time away from the two of you.

Communicate with your wife or husband. Talking has opened up so many new doors of opportunity in our relationship. A "Good morning." goes a long way. Good communication is key to making any relationship last, so talk…and then talk some more!

Compromise is also another key to a successful marriage. There is a lot of give and take. Just make sure the giving and taking is equally distributed, and you are sure to have a happy bond with your mate.

Lastly, have fun! Run around the house and act wild and crazy, especially if you have children. Laughing really is good medicine! Stop taking yourselves and your spouses so seriously! Your marriage will keep the fire it had in those earlier years, if you do!

Article Source: Nicole Calhoun (ArticleBiz.com)
http://www.fulltimefamily.com

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Which zodiac sign is most compatible with you?

Zodiac Signs and Horoscopes: Who am I compatible with?

Love and compatibility with another is something that we all strive for. It is something that is talked about in every social circle and in every walk of life. This notion of love and compatibility is always a hot topic when discussing your “sign” with someone. One of the main reasons for a person to read their horoscope is to find out about their past, present and future love life. So it’s only natural for us to wonder which zodiac signs are compatible with one another. So who are you compatible with?

Aries – is most compatible with Leo & Sagittarius, compatible with Aquarius & Gemini and opposite from Libra.

Taurus – is most compatible with Capricorn & Virgo, compatible with Cancer & Pisces and opposite from Scorpio.

Gemini – is most compatible with Aquarius & Libra, compatible with Aries & Leo and opposite from Sagittarius

Cancer – is most compatible with Pisces & Scorpio, compatible with Taurus & Virgo and opposite from Capricorn

Leo – is most compatible with Aries & Sagittarius, compatible with Gemini & Libra and opposite from Aquarius

Virgo – is most compatible with Capricorn & Taurus, compatible with Cancer & Scorpio and opposite from Pisces

Libra – is most compatible with Aquarius and Gemini, compatible with Leo & Sagittarius and opposite from Aries

Scorpio – is most compatible with Cancer & Pisces, compatible with Capricorn & Virgo and opposite from Taurus

Sagittarius – is most compatible with Aries & Leo, compatible with Aquarius & Libra and opposite from Gemini

Capricorn – is most compatible with Taurus & Virgo, compatible with Pisces & Scorpio and opposite from Cancer

Aquarius – is most compatible with Gemini & Libra, compatible with Aries & Sagittarius and opposite from Leo

Pisces – is most compatible with Cancer & Scorpio, compatible with Capricorn & Taurus and opposite from Virgo

(please note that this is only a suggestion as to the traditional compatibility traits of certain ‘signs’. This should not be followed as a make or break rule to follow in your love life as there are many factors that come into play when in a true relationship. These suggestions should be taken as such, as mere suggestions.)

Article Source: John Kim (ArticleBiz.com)
http://www.horoscopehaven.com

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Things to check before submitting website URL

What To Know Before You Submit Your Website URL

Submitting your website to the major search engines should be done very carefully. Never allow a URL submission service to submit your site to thousands of search engines, simply because thousands of search engines do not exist. There are only about 500 search engines, and only around 200 are credible and actually receive traffic. URL submission services that offer this type of submission are to be avoided. The most efficient method to use when submitting your website for inclusion is to do it yourself or to hire an expert to do it manually.

Before you begin to submit your website ensure that your web pages are thoroughly and properly designed using quality keywords, and most importantly your site must contain original, relevant content. Do not submit websites that are incomplete. Be sure to provide updated information about your website, keywords, etc. A simple submission to each search engine does not guarantee that your site would be immediately listed or that the ranking will be high. One important factor to remember is to include a site map which makes the crawling simple for the web robots.

An established website, already indexed by the major search engines, should not need to be submitted again. This can sometimes be conceived by the search engines as spamming. New websites with no established backlinks should be submitted only to the major search engines, and given some time to allow for indexing, should not be re-submitted unless your site is not indexed. If for some reason your site is not listed within a reasonable amount of time, a focus as to why your site is not indexed should be implemented.

If your website is not indexed within a few weeks after making the submission, there is usually a reason for this. It could be as simple as a "no follow" robots tag within the source code of your web page or not enough content on the web page. To ensure the search engines will index your website create web pages that contain relevant, quality content with 400 or more words on each page. This should be content which contains the main theme of your website. There other many other factors which could cause a website not to be indexed, such as broken links, duplicate content or repeditive submissions.

FFA pages, safelists and classified sites should not be submitted to and should be avioded at all costs. Never type in your URL anywhere offering a submission to a list of ad sites or any type of so called safelist. There are reasons search engines consider these types of pages unimportant, and usually penalizes sites listed on this type of a webpage. Services offering to submit monthly should also be avioded. Do not let your URL fall into the wrong hands, your website could end up not being indexed or even blacklisted if submitted to the incorrect or corrupt areas of the web.

Article Source: James Day (ArticleBiz.com)
http://www.submit-site.org

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Things you ought to know about trading

What Nobody Told You About Trading

What nobody told you about trading is that there is a very subtle mental and emotional trap that lures people into trading and then into doing things that they wouldn't do anywhere else in their lives. Along with the trap, there are several critical aspects of successful trading that simply aren't shared with new traders - you're left to figure them out on your own, and lose your money in the process. This combination is very powerful and makes very smart and astute people susceptible to a variety of mistakes that create losses, confusion, frustration and heartache.

The # 1 mistake you're led to make is under-estimating what it truly takes to be successful in trading. Not intentionally, mind you.

It's not as easy as you were initially led to believe and there was no one at the door giving you the whole scoop. No one handing out complete guides, no required reading. No one holding your hand and letting you know all of the pitfalls and traps, all of the many (40 at my last count) ways there are to lose money in trading. No one showing you all the truly "must-know" things to be successful.

Once you get in and start placing trades, it takes no time at all and you're getting hammered with all the emotions that are part of the game.

There's a lot to learn and trying to learn all by yourself while you're caught up in the emotional storm makes for circumstances where the odds of you making costly mistakes is high and your chances of success are pretty slim.

Long term trading is about protecting yourself and your capital, and having a blueprint to follow to build a profitable long term trading business of your own.

You need a guide to show you step-by-step how to keep your emotions in check, avoid the pitfalls and losses, how to go about your trading in a comfortable and smart manner, plus how to structure your trading business so that you can look forward to actually being here a year from now and making money at it, consistently and by plan.

Trying to sift through all the books, articles and advertisements regarding trading, to locate the missing pieces to the puzzle usually takes traders quite a while, sometimes years. Often it takes longer than they have money for – meaning that they have blown out their account before they find them all.

Again, placing trades is easy. Making money trading, on a consistent basis over time however, presents a formidable challenge that most are not properly prepared for. The result is frustration with the inability to reproduce the success already established in other endeavors, self-doubt and regret. This is truly regretable because it doesn't have to be that way.

Understand that you probably entered trading very unaware of all that you were in for. If you'll protect yourself and focus on survival, that's step one. It is also extremely worth your while to invest the time in self development and putting together a long term plan to insure that you'll make it through the learning curve.

Getting help and seeking out good resources to shorten the time frame is strongly suggested, as the learn-as-you-go and self-taught routes are extremely costly. Find a guide to show you the pitfalls and the steps to take to protect yourself so that you can realize the personal and financial benefits you sought when you first entered trading.

Article Source: Brian McAboy (ArticleBiz.com)
http://www.insideouttrading.com/more.html

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The relationship between gardening and being happy

What Gardening Can Teach Us About Happiness

It is said Gardening is one of the best ways to be happy, what can gardening teach us about the art of being happy?

Be Patient

For a seed to germinate, sprout and flower can take several months. As gardener's we do not expect instant success. In modern life we often expect and desire things as soon as possible, and when they feel to materialise, we feel miserable. We often lack the patience for things to arrive at the due time. However, if like a gardener, we can cultivate patience we will be able remain cheerful at all times.

Happiness in life I need.
But alas, without patience,
My happiness remains always
A far cry.

- Sri Chinmoy

Value the Journey not just the Goal.

A gardener enjoys the whole process of gardening, from planting seeds to watching the plant grow and flower. If a gardener only got joy when plants flowered, he would miss out on a whole aspect of gardening. In life we should not just aim for results or achievements; we can get happiness from our participation and preparation. Happiness comes not through being dependent on outer success and receiving things; happiness is dependent on our attitude to whatever we are doing.

Everything has its season.

Sometimes we want to capture a moment of happiness. We think that happiness is something to be treasured and held onto.When our happiness is dependent upon this kind of attachment, we are doomed to experience frustration and disappointment. Nothing in the world is permanent, everything comes and goes. However, this does not mean we cannot remain happy. In autumn a gardener does not become despondent because plants die back. He knows that this is what is expected; he also knows that next year will bring new life and new growth, possibly better than the previous year. The great spiritual teachings teach us to retain an attitude of detachment at fluctuations of the world.

For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born,
and a time to die;
a time to plant,
and a time to pluck up what is planted;

Ecclesiastes 3:1-18; NRS

From Winter Comes Spring

At times life may feel like a barren desert, but no matter how bad life may seem it will not remain like this forever. Sometimes dark periods come and it is hard to see a way through; however, all periods of darkness are temporary. To get through these periods of unhappiness, we can let go of negative thoughts and concentrate only on positive thoughts. We should not contemplate on the present fallow period but look forward to the brighter future.

Tolerance

The qualities of trees and plants are self giving, patience and beauty. No matter how people treat a tree, it continues to offer its shade. When offering its qualities of shade and patience a tree doesn't judge.

How to achieve happiness?
Not by giving, not by talking,
But by being.

- Sri Chinmoy

Similarly, if we avoid judging others we will benefit from much greater happiness. When we judge others we bring in the critical mind, it is hard to cultivate happiness when the critical mind dominates.

Article Source: Tejvan Pettinger (EzineArticles.com)

Tejvan became interested in meditation and eastern mysticism whilst studying at University. After studying various spiritual traditions he became a meditation student of Sri Chinmoy. Tejvan now offers meditation classes on behalf of the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Oxford. Other articles on self improvement at: Sri Chinmoy Inspiration

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Things to make sure in preparing your resume/C.V.

How to Present Your Resume

One of the most important things you must consider when writing your resume or curriculum vitae is the design and layout.

Typeface

The first thing to consider is your choice of typeface. You want your resume to stand out, not compete with wedding or funeral announcements. Our advice is that you stick to a simple, clean typeface like Arial, Times Roman, or Helvetica. They are our choice because of their simplicity of design and clarity. Another trap to avoid is combining different typeface styles (like Times Roman and Helvetica). Each of these typefaces offers a variety of light, italic, and bold that can be used to produce an attractive visual effect.

Length

Debate among the "experts" continues as to whether resumes must be limited to a single page. Our take on this reverts to common sense:

- If your work experience is limited, i.e., you are a recent graduate or have only held one or two jobs, there is probably no reason for your resume to exceed a single page.

- If you can reasonably limit your resume to one page, do so.

- If you have held a number of positions and cannot describe your accomplishments and responsibilities on one page, then two pages are certainly acceptable. However, you do not need to provide detailed descriptions of jobs that date back more than eight or ten years, unless they add something significant to your experience and qualifications. Be sure to emphasize your most recent experience.

- Attachments, such as additional pages of publications (for writers, researchers, and academics), are appropriate.

- Exception: Consulting resumes are expected to include all relevant experience, even if they extend to multiple pages.

Layout

When you design your resume, bear in mind that open spaces make it easier to read. Avoid cramming your page(s) with heavy masses of print.

Paper

Standard office stationery is the safe choice of paper on which to print your resume and cover letter, although a quality paper stock may improve the overall effect. Slightly off-white papers is acceptable, but beware of using pastels or darker colors, which look unprofessional.

Print as many originals of your resume as you need on attractive, letter-quality paper. Never send photocopies of your resume to a potential employer. They're okay for friends or employment agencies, but not the employer with whom you want to win an interview.

Another point is that the resume you mail may be photocopied by a personnel department, and subsequently passed along to other members of their firm. Copies made from copies can lose readability. In an emergency, some professionally maintained office photocopiers may do a good job, but we think it's better to avoid such emergencies by always having "perfect" copies of your resume on hand.

Accuracy

A final word: Proofread your resume at every step in the process. Get a knowledgeable friend or colleague to help. Mistakes on resumes are embarrassing, unacceptable, and potentially disastrous. No matter how much you may pay to have your resume created, you're the one who loses if it isn't right. So be meticulous and don't settle for less than the very best.

Article Source: J.E. Burke (EzineArticles.com)
Dr. J.E. Burke is an educator, writer and entrepreneur involved in various business enterprises via Burke Publications. Please visit http://burkepublications.com and http://writer.burkepublications.com

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