8 Tips for Parents Teaching Their Kids How Money Works

All parents want nothing but the best for their kids, and that includes growing up to be successful in life. But when it comes to money, many parents struggle terribly to teach their kids about it. The good news: even parents who haven’t been financially successful themselves can teach their kids everything they need to know about money including how misunderstood it is by the masses.

Steve Siebold is author of the new book “How Money Works: Stop Being a Sucker,” and is a self-made millionaire who has interviewed more than 1,300 of the world’s wealthiest people over the last 35 years.

His 8 tips to help parents teach their kids how money works:

- Teach your kids to dream big: The self-made rich are the biggest dreamers in the world, and parents encourage their kids to dream beyond what they think is possible. The truth is that not all their ideas are winners, but that doesn’t discourage them from thinking about it. Encourage you kids to dream about whatever it is that motivates, excites and drives them.

- Teach your kids to build a healthy relationship with money: Unfortunately, most people see money through the eyes of fear and scarcity. The wealthy teach their kids to look at money as a positive force in their lives, and see it through the eyes of freedom, possibility, abundance and opportunity.

- Teach your kids that wealth is nonlinear: School and most of what you learn is going to teach you to think in linear terms or in a straight line. 123. ABC. Unfortunately, the serious problems in society are rarely solved at this basic level of thought. Encourage your kids to look at things in as many different ways as possible, and in ways that other people never even consider. Teach them that linear thinking is the obvious. Nonlinear thinking is the nonobvious. Linear thinking will make your kids a living. Nonlinear thinking will make them rich.

- Teach your kids to maintain a sense of urgency: Teach your kids that with each passing year, time seems to accelerate, so they must operate with a sense of urgency. The masses procrastinate, stall and put-off fulfilling their commitments to the very last minute, which is often too late. Teach your kids it starts now by completing their class assignments, homework, chores, sports or music practice, and anything else they commit to in advance or at least on time.

- Teach your kids to embrace conflict: Most people avoid conflict at all costs. They hate it. Teach your kids that constructive conflict can be a valuable learning mechanism. When smart people disagree on ideas, philosophies and strategies, new levels of understanding can be reached. Teach your kids to keep their emotions out of conflict and look at it through the eyes of logic and learning. If they do this, they’ll be able to use conflict to learn, grow, be more successful and make more money. Remember, conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional.

- Teach your kids to fail forward: Teach your kids that success is usually built on a series of attempts and failures. Most of the world views failure as a death sentence. Instead of learning from the failure and moving forward, most people shrink back into their comfort zones and play it safe for the rest of their lives. Teach your kids that failure isn’t fun, but it is the required foundation of making it big. Making mistakes and the education they will give you is to be expected and embraced.

- Teach your kids to take responsibility: Teach your kids they are responsible for their success, fulfillment and happiness. Most people like to blame everyone and everything but themselves for their struggles. It’s never their faults because they refuse to grow up and accept the fact that they are makers of their own destinies. Teach your kids not to wait for the hero on the white horse to come riding in to save them. They are the heroes and they are 100% responsible for saving themselves.

- Teach your kids to cocoon themselves: Teach your kids to be selective over who gains access to their inner circle. The masses see this as an elitist action successful people take to isolate themselves from others because they think they’re better. That’s simply not true. Cocooning is about protecting your consciousness from the fear and scarcity mindsets that plagues the masses. Dr. Albert Einstein said, “Consciousness is contagious,” and he couldn’t be righter. Your kids will be the average of the five people they spend the most time with.

5 Signs Your Marriage Is Over

With over 25 years of experience, Adam Edelstein has seen the signs. As the elder son of the legendary divorce attorney, Saul Edelstein, Adam has built his law practice with a passion for justice promoting fairness, a hallmark of his success.

Please see below for Adam’s insights on how you can tell your marriage is nearing its end.

5 Signs Your Marriage Is Over
By Adam Edelstein

You Don’t Communicate

In one study, 53 percent of couples reported that a lack of communication was a core reason for their divorce. In any relationship, communication is crucial to build on a foundation of honesty and trust. When you and your partner won’t address relationship issues or share in each other’s joy, you’ve lost that connection.

If this critical connection is damaged beyond repair, your marriage could be on a slippery slope toward divorce.

You’re Constantly Arguing

Do you consider your partner one of your best friends? Any relationship is much stronger if there is a friendship behind it. If you’re more at ease when your partner is out of the house or far away, you should consider other options.

If you’re constantly arguing, looking for ways to belittle each other, or even completely avoiding each other, your relationship is certainly on the rocks.

You’re Constantly Thinking About Separation

On average, 20 percent of married women and 13 percent of married men, report having thought about leaving their spouse.

The moment you start thinking about leaving your spouse, you’re living in a single mindset. These thoughts are a major sign that it’s time to get serious, or consider a divorce.

There is Infidelity

It may be hard to rebuild trust in your marriage if your partner has cheated on you in the past. Once you have broken your partner’s trust, it is nearly impossible to restore and the psychological damage that infidelity can have on a person can last for years, if not a lifetime.

Your Relationship Lacks Intimacy

Has your relationship lost its intimacy? Do you find your mind wandering, rather than giving your partner the attention they deserve?

Physical affection is a strong predictor of satisfaction, affection and likeability in a relationship. The oxytocin produced during intimacy promotes bonding, reduces stress and can even boost trust in a marriage.

6 Things You Can Do to Prevent Animal Cruelty

How many of you are animal lovers? We are! We have animals as pets and we're always donating goods and volunteering our time to worth animal rescue groups. Animals become valuable members of our family and are loved. With that said...there are some nasty people in this world who abuse them.

In recognition of Animal Cruelty Month this April, canine authority Jeffrey Scott Franklin, owner and operator of Cobra Canine, is sharing six ways to prevent animal cruelty. Please pass this information on to all of the animal lovers in your life!!!

6 Things You Can Do to Prevent Animal Cruelty

1. Don’t get a pet as a toy or an impulse decision. The people who aren’t up for the 8 to 15-year commitment of responsibility (financially, physically and emotionally) are often times the ones who end up sending their pet to a shelter or simply not caring for the pet as is required. Pets need food, shelter, regular baths and nail clippings, vet checks, vaccines and in their lifetimes some sort of vet care or geriatric care may become necessary. Be prepared for these and this will make sure animals aren’t neglected.

2. If you don’t know much about dogs (or any specific animal in question), don’t breed them. Let experts do the breeding work. Enjoy your pet to his or her fullest- without adding more animals that may or may not end up in great homes. While we aren’t advocates of spaying or neutering until at least two years of age, we do believe in being responsible if your pet is around other animals.

3. Volunteer at an animal shelter. If you feel the need to have a fuzzy pet friend, but not a lot of time- donate your time and energy to a local shelter. Go walk a few dogs and pet some animals that need some love and attention. There are never enough volunteers at these places.

4. Keep them warm and cozy. Donate extra blankets and care items you may already have in your home to local shelters.

5. Report suspicious activity. If you see animals that are maltreated, mistreated or neglected- report it. You won’t get backlash for this from the authorities- but you very well may save an animal’s life in the process. If we keep our eyes and ears open, animals have a much better chance at having a good life or potentially, a great life and a second chance.

6. Adopt or donate money to shelters. We have found many strays over the years, and helped them medically, given them training, and found them loving homes. If you see an animal that needs some TLC, or a home- help as you are able.

5 Things to Tell Kids Before They Go to College

Got kids that you'll be sending away to college this year? If so, you'll want to read our guest-post article today by teen expert Rabbi Rupp. Several great tips in this one for parents to give to their kids before sending them off! You can learn more by visiting Life Your Legacy.

5 Things to Tell Kids Before They Go to College

1. Before you reinvent yourself, imagine how you want to be perceived when you graduate.

In essence, everything in the beginning was created to facilitate the end. Before you do something, figure out where you want to go. As logical as this is, it is highly unpopular today for one reason: it requires you to be responsible and disciplined in achieving your long term goals at the expense of your short term ones and/or your immediate desires.

The problem is that when you live as someone you aren’t, it’s harder to shake people’s initial perception of you than you might think. “Who cares what people think of you?” you might ask. YOU do. We’re very social animals, and how people perceive us matters to all but the most socially unconscious. So imagine how you want to be when you graduate. Do you want to be a leader? Confident? Set in a path towards greatness? Above the “freshman nonsense” that so many upper classmen talk to me about? So act like that now, and you’ll find yourself becoming what you want, instead of becoming what works just for now.

2. You don’t need a boyfriend/girlfriend.

The world tells us that college is the time for young men and women to meet. Not to date per say, like we did in my day, because the youth are too cultured for that. But maybe to “hang out.” And be friends. And beneficial friends. And then have the talk. Then have more benefits. Soon the Facebook status changes from single to “discussing an exclusive contract.” It could even go to full on “exclusive.” And once the relationship is exclusive, then comes the drama. Quickly it becomes too much for one, and not enough for the other. Relationships require a crucial ingredient called commitment. If you aren’t ready to commit, you aren’t ready to date. Not because you can’t, but because you can’t be in a successful relationship (for both people…that’s implied by ‘relationship’) until you’re all in. The other person’s needs are more important than your own. What he or she wants is your OBLIGATION to oblige. Boyfriend and girlfriend imply exclusivity and commitment. Hooking up means offering what people used to pay for in commitment and nice dinners, for free. It devalues you and what you’re offering. EVEN if it’s fun for you for the moment. Being in a relationship means locking yourself into putting their needs first. For most people, that’s too much this early in life.

3. There are no substitutes, even though it looks like there are.

A body next to you doesn’t mean you’ll feel connected. A room full of people doesn’t mean you’re having fun. So-called “benefits” doesn’t mean you aren’t being used, and definitely doesn’t mean that you’re being respected. A degree in your hand doesn’t mean you’ll be proud of it if you didn’t do the work. An internship doesn’t mean you’ll have someone ready to hand you a job. And a job doesn’t mean you’ll find meaning in life. And even if you think you’ve found meaning in life, it might not be what life is all about.

College, and the lifestyle attached to it, is all about marketing. Just try to keep it in mind. Drinking gives the impression you’re having more fun than you are. Hooking up makes you think you’re more valuable in someone’s eyes than you might be. You feel like you have more worth than if you were to go home alone. Understand that marketing frames reality for the buyer. It doesn’t make it true. Value, meaning, and happiness all has to come from inside.

4. Invest in yourself now, not in your future.

If you’re always looking ahead, you’ll never take the steps you need for now. As John Lennon said 800 years ago, “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.” We think and focus on what CAREER we want, and which INTERNSHIP we need to get. We need to live like we’ll live forever. Living forever means there are consequences to what we do. We need to live a life we’ll one day be proud to share with our kids. There’s a secret to life. You never reach an age where it is easy to do the right thing. If you don’t make a habit of doing the right thing now, you won’t do it when you’re older. Maturity is a decision, not an age.

Dreaming like you’ll die today means to dream big. Too often, we dream way too shallow. We don’t have dreams. And if we do, how big do we dream? The greatest potential we have is right now. Our future isn’t here yet, and our past is over. We can do anything now—today. We can make good choices or bad choices. Dreaming like we’ll die today means that we should dream about being great now, making the right choices now, and not thinking that somewhere down the road we’ll become great. In short, you don’t know where you want to be when you’re forty. And even if you know how you want to make your money, there’s more to life than career. To be successful in life, you have to work on YOU, not just your future income stream. And that kind of work can and should be done today.

5. Be proud of who you are, and where you come from.

College for many is a jump into a much broader world. It is exciting and fun to broaden your horizons. However, a lot of times we compare ourselves to others in this much larger pool of people. We wonder why we aren’t as smart, fit, popular, well-adjusted, fearless, etc. as the next guy. We look at our world as too small and compact, and that the broad world is so much more intelligent and cultured than ours. It’s good to broaden. But broaden doesn’t mean dumping who you are or where you come from. A fundamental teaching of Judaism is that you have all the tools you need, and the place where you find yourself in life, is exactly where you need to be In all of human history there has never been you, and in the future there will never be another you.

Avoid Meltdowns: 7 Steps to Ensure Social Success

When it comes to working with children, any parent, teacher, or therapist, will tell you that preparation is the key to success. This is especially true for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). New situations or social scenarios can provide quite a challenge. Unfamiliar sensory input, anxiety, and communication deficits can often lead to meltdowns. But what if we could avoid the undesirable behaviors for all kids with some simple preparation beforehand?

For many years, social stories have been used to help children prepare for new and challenging situations. These tools are stories written by parents or professionals to explain a social scenario or communication skill. Speech-language pathologists and hosts of Speechie Side Up podcast, Kimberly Tice, M.S. CCC-SLP and Venita Litvack, M.A. CCC-SLP created their Lou Knows What to Do social series because they found themselves constantly writing personalized social stories for their students. Why? Because they worked!

Avoid Meltdowns: 7 Steps to Ensure Social Success

1. Set the scene: Describe the setting in as much detail as possible. Providing sensory information can help! For example, warn your child that the Thanksgiving family party may be noisy and have strong smelling food.

2. Utilize visuals: Utilize visuals whenever possible: This may not always be doable. But in the age of smartphones and iPads, a quick google image search can sometimes clear up confusion!

3. Construct positive statements: No one enjoys long lectures filled with rules! For example, “no running,” “no hitting,” “don’t yell.” Kiddos may be more receptive to positive statements that tell them what they should do instead (i.e. remember to walk).

4. Check for comprehension: Be sure to ask questions before, during, and after your conversation to assess your child’s understanding of the topic.

5. Explain social customs: People with ASD often do not see the value in certain social customs such as saying “Happy Birthday!” Explaining these rituals can clear up any confusion.

6. Suggest specific behaviors: Don’t assume your child knows what to do! Especially in a place where they have never been. Be clear about what you expect from them.

7. Summarize the most important points: Repeating the pertinent information can help your child retain it!

5 Tips When Looking For a New Job Over the Age of 40

When I look in the mirror, for the first 5 seconds I still see a twenty- year -old. Then the visible wrinkles around my eyes and jowls provide a friendly reminder that I’m not twenty anymore. At that moment in the mirror, I challenge myself physically as I don’t feel like I’m over forty, and the face I’m looking at cannot be accurate, but according to my birth certificate, it is. I mean, hell, I still feel young, so how can I look so different? Simply put, I’m just a twenty-year-old that now has twenty-five years of work experience, a family, and has journeyed through the ups and downs of life. Even though this is what I believe, I now know others don’t feel the same, especially when it comes to the work place. Here is my recent reality check. Last year I left my corporate job of 14 years. I was in a space where I had the opportunity to find a new job with a new company. I felt fresh, excited and limitless. Although it had been a while since I last interviewed, I thought, “No problem. I’ve got this. I used to any get any job I wanted, so finding a new one should pretty be easy.” After a few interviews, good interviews I thought, I wasn’t getting hired. Frustration set in because I could not figure out what was so different this time around. After all, my resume was stronger and more accomplished than my younger years.

But something had changed. I aged.

Call me naive, but I did not think that my age would be an obstacle in the workplace. I had heard this from other women over the years, but I chose not to believe them because certainly it would never happen to me.

Here is a true story:

A sales recruiter was helping a sales manager fill an open position. The recruiter sent her a resume of a female candidate with a college graduation date of 1998. The sales manager abruptly turned down the resume. In addition, she let the recruiter know that she didn’t want to see any resumes with college graduation dates prior to 2003. This was the sales manager’s criterion for what she deemed to be a viable candidate. Not experience, not achievements, not abilities. Simply age.

This true story was painful for me to hear. Here was a woman selling out other women and contributing to the stigma that we fight every day and sadly her perspective is a harsh reality. However, let this statistic give you another reality check and perspective. In 2024, women over 65 will make up roughly the same percentage of the female workforce as older men do of the male workforce. Additionally, twice as many women over 55 will be in the labor force as women ages 16-24.

Knowing the stigma, knowing the numbers, and the reality, what is the best way to approach finding a new job later in life? Here are 5 tips when looking for a new job over the age of 40:

1. Use your Network
Sending our resumes to career websites will do nothing for us. We get pushed aside as we are categorized. The tip here is to use our network of colleagues, former business associates and friends to find companies who are hiring and will have a genuine interest in what we can do for their organizations. This method does work. Finding like -minded individuals with the same goals of working smart and getting stuff done will provide the best platform for finding a new working environment.

2. Show off your skills
At this point in our careers, we have a proven list of accomplishments and skillsets. We have navigated some of our toughest times and have already been through the learning. Because of this we require less training and possess the right skills, because yeah, we know how to do it. We need to show off our confidence and accolades to a potential employer. They need to know that our leadership skills and experience will fit in flawlessly with their company.

3. Be bold
We can ask harder questions in the interview process and as an employee. Perhaps questions that challenge company methods or goals. If anything as women, unfortunately, we have been taught to be compliant and agreeable to get through the stepping -stones of our careers. We don’t have to do that anymore. We have arrived. Work experience has taught us to think quickly, make decisions and share opinions. We have a lot to teach, and hiring companies need to appreciate this.

4. Seek a mentor, be a mentor
In recent weeks I have had great women mentor me. Women of a certain age. Women who are drama free, make sh*t happen and don’t sweat the small stuff. I appreciate them, have learned from them and have committed to do the same for others. This is important as this will help us change the tide and break the stigma.

5. We are already tech savvy
Much to the disbelief of others, age doesn’t stifle our tech knowledge. It’s who we are as a society. Most of us already use work related apps like Zoom, Slack, Dropbox and others. The point is, our tech knowledge isn’t lacking, so that is no excuse for hiring companies or managers. We are already there. This is not a hinderance.

The battle continues. In my earlier years as a woman in the corporate world I fought to make a mark. Now, I’m fighting the same female battle in addition to 20+ years of life and work experience. This should get easier shouldn’t it? It doesn’t, so it is up to us to change it. We have to change the mindset by challenging the current stigma. Because we have arrived and we are not going anywhere.

Holly Caplan is a workplace issues expert, career coach and author of Surviving the Dick Clique: A Girl's Guide to Surviving the Male Dominated Corporate World. For more information, please visit, www.hollycaplan.com.

Tips for Finding a Long Distance Moving Company

Moving can be a stressful time. You can help ease some of that stress by using a professional, dependable moving company. Long distance moves are often coupled with other stressful life events, such as a new job or a change in living circumstances. Take some of the stress away by using a trustworthy, reliable moving company. When choosing a long distance moving company, there are several things you should look for.

Choose a long distance moving companies nj that will take responsibility for your belongings. You want a furniture moving company that treats your furniture and home with care. They should provide carpet covers for high traffic areas, hard surface protectors to protect your hard floors from scratches, protection pads for tight corners and railings, and furniture disassembly and assembly.

A professional moving company is also valuable during the loading and unloading process. They will use their years of experience to get boxes packed and unpacked in an order that makes sense and get things settled in the right location. They can even unpack the boxes and get rid of the packing material for you, a benefit that will surely make you feel at home much quicker.

Working with a professional moving company is helpful to your budget. Professionals know that moving is expensive and will help you in several ways. They will provide an estimate before the move, use heavy duty packing materials to keep your possessions safe and help you utilize storage if necessary.

When moving, you want to work with professionals who understand every step of the moving process. They can provide packing material, packing help, and a timeline on what to expect during the move.

There are many moving companies to choose from, so it is important to select a company with a solid reputation that you know you can trust. The company should be licensed and insured, and be willing to provide references. Taking the time to choose a reliable long distance moving company can help ease the stress of moving while also saving you money.

5 Tips for Working Moms to Survive the Back-to-School Hustle

From the moment my daughter got out of school in May to the end of July, was a complete blur. It was a blur of summer camp, work, travel, deadlines, proposals and pool parties. The fact that she was going back to school in three weeks had not occurred to me. When it did, I panicked. Where did the time go? I frantically realized I had no idea what day school started and had to ask another mom. I got a brisk answer of “August 20th,” which I like to call the “working mom fail” response. The guilt of not knowing when my child starts 2nd grade and feeling completely overwhelmed set in. Where do I begin? I’ve got to sign her up for fall activities, get a new backpack, lunchbox, some new clothes and also manage my job, meetings, travel and various work expectations. As working moms I think we feel there is no easy way to do all of this and keep a clear head and stay on task, but I have found five great tips for surviving back to school as a working mom:

1. Order Online:
Spare yourself the hustle of shopping. No need to throw everyone in the car in 100-degree heat to head to your favorite retail super store, fend off the kiddos requests for toys and candy while back-to-school shopping. It is not worth it. Modern technology allows us the ability to order online for backpacks, clothing and supplies. Think of the time and energy you will save by sitting on your couch and checking some boxes and swiping “check out”. This also applies to grocery shopping too, which is becoming more and more common. Download the app for Shipt or Amazon Prime and let them do the grocery shopping for you. Do it a day or two before school starts. The kids can make their requests so they get to put some creativity into their lunchbox choices. Other positives are that it isn’t expensive to shop online and it saves money because you avoid over-buying in a store.

2. Let the Laundry Lie:
Where does your laundry lie? Mine sits on a bed in the guest room.
Clean, yet unfolded. But clean. The point here is, let your laundry lie. It is okay to let some things slip during back -to -school time. You will have so much on your plate as it is, don’t let the mundane domestic stuff get to you. Not having every thing completed or accomplished around the house is okay. You will not get a ticket or a fine for letting some things in the household fall behind. Give yourself permission to know that it is okay if you don’t get everything done. It is completely normal, and you will eventually catch up.

3. Get Your Routine Back:
In the summer our routines are typically off. As I mentioned, it can feel like a complete blur when so much is going on. Activities, camp and work will run you, instead of you running them. No shock there. Bringing structure and school back into your life can be a struggle, but welcome it because it brings the return of normalcy. Give yourself a cushion returning to the routine by practicing earlier bedtimes and waking times week before school starts. This will get us parents and kids back on schedule. Also, create a family calendar with upcoming school activities and your work schedule to make sure that all planets are aligned, and if not, this gives you time to create a family management strategy.

4. Be Guilt Free:
I think the hardest thing about being a working mom during back -to -school is missing school events. The hallmarks of the beginning of the school year like Fall Festival or Meet the Teacher are big events for the kids. Missing them can make you feel disconnected from their little lives and the guilt can take over. This is also difficult because you miss the chance to meet other parents and classmates at these events. You start to feel like a constant outsider because you are the mom who isn’t around enough. Don’t beat yourself up or hold yourself to an impossible standard. Know that you are doing everything that you can to accommodate both school and work and that you are still present in your kids lives, even when you can’t physically be with them.

5. Connect with other working moms:
I have a lot of wonderful friends who are stay- at -home moms. They tend to keep me grounded and I rely on them a lot for my sanity. Working mom friends can be super supportive too because they are most likely experiencing the same emotions and situations. For overall complaining, coping and time management ideas your working mom friends will happily listen and help you. In addition, their schedules will most likely parallel yours, so for all of those 2:30 play dates you have missed, you can now do play dates on schedules that accommodate the work day. The silver lining here is that you get to solidify strong relationships with other women who will stand by you when you need support.

Managing back-to-school time will never be perfect or fool proof, but working outside of the home can bring on some added stress. It is balancing act that can cause disruption as you get adjusted to the new school year and schedules. Know that you are not alone, and we are all muddling through it together.

Holly Caplan is a mom, workplace issues expert, career coach and author of Surviving the Dick Clique: A Girl's Guide to Surviving the Male Dominated Corporate World. For more information, please visit, www.hollycaplan.com and connect with her on Twitter, @hollymcaplan.

Experience Goes Hand-in-Hand With Education

Pulling Out All The Stops For Your Child

As a parent, you want to make sure that you equip your child with the best possible chance of being successful in life. You've probably already enrolled them in a school that encourages them to become independent and pursues their strengths. After all, it is through their strengths that they can find a profession that they not only love, but are comfortable performing the work, and successful in doing so. As a result, they can be successful at their profession and quickly rise through the ranks. However, education alone is not enough to make your child stand out from the rest.

For many parents who want to help ensure that their child attends to the university or workforce of their dreams, enrolling them in a highly rated school isn't enough. In the case of university application reviewers, they're presented daily with children who all stem from excellent schools and have excellent grades. Often, there is nothing that makes them stand apart, and from that point, it's really a luck of a draw as to who is selected to join that university.

To make sure your child stands out from the rest, one of the best experiences you can give them is to sign them up for an international summer camp.

Real Culture

During these camps, children will be sent to certain places in the world where they can live with a family for a time. They'll learn their language, both in speaking and in writing, as well as have their eyes opened to local traditions. Not only will they be able to visit local historic sites, but they can come to understand a country at its base elements. This experience is sure to shape the child and for many employers and universities, children who have experienced diversity and possess language skills outside of standard English are passionately sought.

To make sure your child receives an incredible experience, sign them up now.

4 Important Resources for a Kid's Home Art Studio

Nurturing a budding artistic talent is a wonderful way to keep children creative and imaginative. Art is also a form of self-expression, giving children an outlet for their day to day emotional woes. Parents who offer their children a stocked art studio may notice an increase in the creativity, overall disposition, and school performance of the children as they continue to use art as both a fun hobby and therapeutic activity.

Activity Tables and Easels

Activity tables are important for a variety of crafts and artistic creations. In most cases, children will sit down at an activity table in order to complete a project. This might include sculpting, paper crafts, or drawing. Be sure to provide protective cloths during messy projects, though. Easels are important for painting projects, especially those that may take a few weeks to complete.

Painting Supplies

Painting is a favored art activity by children. It is simply far more fun than drawing or coloring for most kids, especially since paint is able to blend and mix far more easily on the canvas. Fine art brushes, painting palettes, and an extensive paint collection are the core items that will be needed for a painting studio.

Crafting Paper

For all of the scrap booking, card making, and holiday art projects, crafting paper is important to have on hand. This could be as simple and affordable as common construction paper; or, the children could have a variety of printed scrap booking and card crafting paper. With this paper, the children will need scissors, tape, glue, and rulers. Parents could also invest in glitter, hole punches in fun shapes, and scissors with unique cutting patterns.

Clay and Clay Tools

Clay is also a fun art medium, with Play-Doh being the most widely available version. However, true sculpting clay is far better for children who wish to produce skilled pieces of art that will be fired in a kiln. Clay tools help to shape and smooth the clay, as well as texture it. Art is an important hobby and activity for children. An art room at home will offer children a healthy, fun environment to spend extra time in.

3 Ways a Smile Can Shape a Child’s Outlook and Brighten the Future

The idiom “Don’t judge a book by its cover” means you shouldn’t form an opinion about someone based on appearance or personality. Yet the reality is, much of society – from school to the business world – does just that.

This tendency can be particularly rough on a young person’s psyche – and future development – when classmates tease them about their looks. One of the top reasons students give for being bullied is physical appearance, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. Studies show victims of this type of ridicule are often withdrawn and lack self-confidence, which can affect them well into adulthood.

“Children can be cruel to each other about appearance, and being the target of mockery or bullying leaves a real mark on on a child’s psyche,” says Dr. Kerry White Brown, an orthodontist and author of A Lifetime of Sensational Smiles: Transforming Lives through Orthodontics. “The pressure only gets worse as they get older; they’re less likely to participate, and that holds them back from realizing their true potential, both in school and out.”

Conversely, making improvements can enhance the story of one’s life. For example, losing weight or making cosmetic changes like straightening teeth often alters how we’re perceived and feel about ourselves. A Penn State University study found that people who smile more tend to be seen as more likeable and more competent, and an article in The Washington Post cited statistics that attractive smiles lead to higher-paying jobs and greater satisfaction in life.

"When you look at the research, a child that has a confident and consistent smile makes them a healthier person overall,” White Brown says. “They’re seen in a more positive light, versus someone who never smiles, and this can carry into their future prospects.”

White Brown gives three ways a smile makes your child healthier, which can lead to a happier adult:

* Lowers stress and anxiety. Smiling releases endorphins, the chemicals in your body that make you feel happier. “Kids with crooked teeth hide their smile or never smile, and often they’re bottling up stress,” White Brown says. “They become introverts. Being confident to smile relaxes them and gives them a new lease on life.”

* Strengthens the immune system. “The physical effects can’t be understated, and are all the more reason parents should make sure they have happy children who aren’t overly self-conscious or down about their appearance,” White Brown says. “It’s been proven that smiling helps your body produce white blood cells to help fight illnesses.” Hungarian health research teams studying smiles published evidence that sick children who were made to smile significantly increased their white blood cell count.

* Makes you more self-confident. “It starts with the fact that when you smile, others are more likely to smile back at you,” White Brown says. “It makes you more approachable, more likely to engage with others and grow in the process. That’s one reason some business people think a winning smile is as important to leadership as management technique.”

“How you feel about yourself isn’t just important when you’re a child,” White Brown says. “How you saw yourself then and how you see yourself as an adult can be linked, and it can impact your choices and options throughout your life.”

Dr. Kerry White Brown is a 5-star rated orthodontist and the author of A Lifetime of Sensational Smiles: Transforming Lives through Orthodontics. A graduate of the Howard University College of Dentistry, she operates an orthodontics practice, White Brown Smiles, in South Carolina with five locations. Dr. White Brown is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Association of Orthodontists, and the South Carolina Association of Orthodontists

Everything I Learned About Leadership I Learned From My Mother

My Mum is quite petite, gentle, and very Scottish. No drill sergeant or business card that read Household CEO, she was way more than just a mother. She was my first leader. I realize from my earliest days until today, almost every leadership lesson I needed to learn she taught me.

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

Books have been written about Servant Leadership and big ticket speeches given but from my earliest memories I saw my Mother live the very tenants of Servant Leadership. Mum built a home of warmth and love where I felt secure enough to risk striking out on my own but knew that I had a soft place to which I could always return. I knew that no matter what, I could always depend on her. She modeled what it meant to be a great mother, wife, daughter, and sister.

Teams need to feel connected and team members empowered to take risk but know that you have their back if it doesn’t always go according to plan. Team members also need to know what behaviors are acceptable and what good looks like.

HUMILITY

Maybe this was one of the tougher lessons for me to learn. My parents were visiting our home in Kansas when a massive storm blew through. I arrived home to find our back yard flooded and totally upended. My Dad, Husband and Mother were beavering away trying to fix the damage. I’m not sure exactly what I did when I showed up but my Mum threw her hands in the air and yelled, “Stop. Good news. Management’s here!”

Being the boss doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers or always be the one in control A little gratitude and acknowledgement of the hard work of others can go a long way. Letting others take the lead at times build their confidence and sets an important example of humble leadership.

ACCOUNTABILITY

I was a really good kid and rarely got into trouble but I knew if I broke the rules or disappointed in some way, it was going to be dealt with. The rules and expectations were clear. In my senior year, my classmates and I were going out for a farewell dinner. My Mum told me she didn’t want me drinking at the event. I went. I didn’t drink and I was not a happy camper. Looking back on it now, it was good advice. Yet if I had had a drink my Mum wouldn’t have known.

Accountability cuts two ways. The first way is that when there are rules and expectations, there have to be consequences if there is a miss. But the second most important element to accountability is that people choose to step up and do the right thing and hold themselves accountable even if it might be easier to let things slide.

COMMITMENT

My Mum married the man who was to be my Dad over 63 years ago. I’ve observed the ebb and flow of their marriage. There was more smooth than rough, but as in any marriage, there were some challenges. I never for a moment saw my Mum flinch from that commitment she had made for better or worse. I love watching them together now, as she still laughs at all his old jokes even when she hears them from the umpteenth time.

Team members value the stability of knowing where you stand and that when the going gets tough they can count on you to have their backs, stick with it and work it through. This doesn’t mean that the tough conversations don’t happen. They do. I’m not naïve enough to think all relationships whether business or personal work out but I know I have to work hard and commit to the best possible outcome.

ALWAYS BE OPEN TO LEARNING

When Facebook came into its own, my Mum took it on! She realized that through Facebook, even though she was some 5,000 miles away, she could casually stay connected with what the boys and I were up to. She had never owned a computer and had nothing fancier than a flip phone. In her mid-70’s she got her first p.c. and some 5 years later a smart phone. Unafraid to ask for help and lean into the technology, she fast became my number one Facebook “stalker.”

Leaders who have nothing to learn show up totally closed off. When you stop learning you stop growing. No matter how far along you may be in your career, you need to stay open to learning new skills, new ways of doing things, and new technologies. It can open up a whole new world for you.

CELEBRATE

Mum’s always been good at celebrating, but I saw it reach epic proportions when she became a grandmother. Watching her with my boys, I saw her celebrate every little victory and accomplishment even if it wasn’t quite perfect. They knew they had no bigger cheerleader than their Nanny. Her celebrating gave them confidence to always strive even against the biggest challenges. Having her cheer and making her proud was a driver in itself.

We often get so caught up in what lies ahead that we forget to celebrate accomplishments. Demonstrating pride in what others achieve provides recognition and incentive to continue to do well.

So to my Mum and all the mothers out there, Happy Mother’s Day. Perhaps without even knowing it, you teach leadership better than anyone else in the world!

Linda Adams is a Leadership Development expert and co-founder of the Trispective Group. he is the co-author of The Loyalist Team: How Trust, Candor, and Authenticity Create Great Organizations. For more information, or to take a free team snapshot assessment, please visit, www.trispectivegroup.com.

5 Fitness Tips Every Teen and their Parent Should Read

There’s a lot of good reasons for teens to engage in exercising regularly and stay fit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that students who are physically active tend to have better grades, that higher physical fitness levels are associated with improved cognitive performance, and that those who participate in physical activities have fewer disciplinary problems. Add to that the fact that they will be laying the foundation for a healthy lifestyle and creating great habits, and it’s a great deal all around. Yet many teens and their parents have questions about fitness that may be holding them back.

“The benefits of being a fit teen are plentiful, but it’s important to also know how to help reduce injury risks and stay motivated over the long haul,” explains Coach Sarah Walls, personal trainer and owner of SAPT Strength & Performance Training, Inc., who is also the strength and conditioning coach for WNBA’s Washington Mystics. “Being fit and healthy is more than just exercising, so it’s a good idea to learn more about what you need to do to be healthy all around.”

Here are 5 fitness tips every teen should read:

1. Eat brain food. This is the good stuff, which is the unprocessed, whole foods, which include things like salads, poultry, lean meats, eggs, healthy fats, etc. Unprocessed foods are packed with vitamins and nutrients that will keep you sharp mentally and physically fit, too.

2. Train to be more useful. Going to the gym to work on your "abs" and "beach muscles" is usually done with endless sit-ups and biceps curls, but you can get the same effect by training to be more athletic, faster, and generally more useful in life, which means working to get your entire body stronger. You can work with a personal trainer to put together a routine that meets these needs and goals that are tailored specifically for you.

3. Go into Do Not Disturb mode. A big part of mental fitness is the ability to step away from the phone calls, texts, and Instagram feeds. Your mind will keep you feeling better when you walk away from those things more often. Take some time to go for a walk or spend time playing with your dog, as these kinds of things are good for your body and your mind.

4. Appreciate that nothing happens overnight. When embarking on a fitness routine, it helps to celebrate the small victories that come with the little daily improvements. Yes, you may want to get a big bench press or increase your vertical jump by several inches - both are worthy pursuits, but both also take time and dedication. Learn to love the small changes and watch how they lead to meeting big goals.

5. Beware of the changes. Fitness has changed a lot in 20 years, so be careful whose advice you take. There are plenty of well-intended coaches and parents who dole out advice that is at best antiquated and at worst downright dangerous. Listen to your body, ask questions, and seek out expert advice when you need it!

“The teen years are a great time to work on fitness and for laying the foundation for a healthy body and future,” added Coach Walls. “The more you know about what it takes, the less you are looking for an overnight fix. Getting fit, whether you are a teen or a senior citizen, takes time, patience, and dedication. But it’s worth it!”

Sarah Walls has over 15 years experience in coaching and personal training. Owner of SAPT Strength & Performance Training, Inc, founded in 2007, she offers coaching to develop athletes, adult programs, team training, online coaching, and more. She is also the strength and conditioning coach for the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, and has over eight years of experience working as an NCAA D1 strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer. To learn more, visit the site: www.saptstrength.com.

6 Reasons To Stop Feeding Your Kids “Kid Food”

Doctor Yum dishes up important reasons to skip the typical kid-related food and opt for more nutritious options.

According to the National Institutes of Health, on any given day one-third of children and 41 percent of teens eat from a fast-food restaurant. They also report that the restaurant meals often served to kids contain too many calories. The typical “kid food” being offered tends to usually include chicken nuggets, fries, macaroni and cheese, burgers, and pizza. The problem is that these meals often provide empty calories and don’t provide enough nutrition. They also keep the kids wanting the same types of foods at home, with parents often providing them. One expert, Doctor Yum, says it’s time to ditch the “kid food” and start giving kids better options.

“Most food is kid-friendly. Kids just need to learn how to eat it,” says Dr. Nimali Fernando, a Fredericksburg, Virginia-based pediatrician who founded The Doctor Yum Project. “Kids who are taught healthy eating habits, which include eating a variety of healthy foods, will be far better off now and in the long run. They will be learning healthy habits that will last a lifetime.”

Here are 6 reasons to ditch the pizza and pouches and get your kids back to real food:

Kids can learn to eat real food. Most of us parents overestimate the amount of food children need. Therefore when a toddler takes two bites of their entree, parents may feel defeated instead of realizing they may have eaten enough. Parents then may be more likely to reach for those kid-friendly, addictive snacks (like crackers and gummy snacks) to fill their child’s belly. It should be no surprise that grazing-style eating, where hunger does not fully develop, leads to a poor appetite at mealtime. Parents should continue to provide opportunities to practice eating healthy foods, and have realistic expectations for what their child should eat. With enough practice kids will get used to a healthy array of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Check with your pediatrician to see if your child is meeting expectations for growth to ensure his food intake is on track.

Restaurant kids meals are a waste of money. When eating out, say no to kid’s meals, which are usually variations on the same “kid-friendly” foods like pizza, chicken nuggets, and sweet drinks. Most of these menus have little to no vegetables or fruit. They may be belly fillers and provide calories but little added nutritional value for your dollar. Instead, order a healthy similarly priced appetizer and/or share your entree with your little one (restaurant meals are so oversized that chances are good that the serving is too big for you anyway). Alternatively, order a few entrees “family style” and ask the server to bring extra plates for whole family to sample. This encourages kids to be adventurous and get used to trying new foods.

Kid-friendly foods are misleading. Recent studies of toddler foods show that many actually have more sugar and salt than what is recommended by experts. Food companies know that parents worry about nutrition, and know the buzzwords to attract those worried parents. It’s easy to make food choices based on the promise of “more protein” or “high in calcium.” But reading the nutrition label (on the back of the box, not the front) will give you the big picture on whether a food is right for your child. Is there an abundance of additives and preservatives? Are the ingredients recognizable and safe? How much sugar is added? Think about the whole foods that might be used to get the same benefit (like a handful of nuts for protein instead of a protein bar).

Kids need real food to develop and thrive. While pizza and macaroni and cheese may fill a child’s belly, kids need fruits, vegetables and whole grains to provide the necessary, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients (plant nutrients) for optimal growth and development. Furthermore, an important part of a child’s development is their oral motor skills, those functions of the mouth (lips, tongue, teeth and palate) that allow for speech, safe feeding and swallowing. Many kid-friendly foods are soft and easy to eat and don’t encourage development of those skills. Relying too heavily on these foods (like soft chicken nuggets and pouches with soft purées) can allow kids to lag behind in oral motor development and may lead to picky eating.

You don’t have time to be a short order cook. Making two or three meals to satisfy everyone's preferences is exhausting and can lead to cooking burnout. Teach kids to eat what you are eating to save time and money and to encourage the spirit of adventurous eating. This can be done from the earliest bites of solid food. Instead of relying on store-bought baby food exclusively, find ways to make your meals into healthy baby food. Check out the Doctor Yum Project’s kid-tested, pediatrician approved recipes on doctoryum.org. Many of them have a “baby food shortcut” which shows families how to adapt a family meal and make a meal for a baby along the way. Eating in this way from a young age can avoid that picky eater trap and lead to a path to adventurous eating for a lifetime.

Nutrition shouldn’t be hidden, so stop hiding the veggies. Kids that are very hesitant eaters may be benefit from a few hidden vegetables as they gain confidence in food, but in general parents should try to help kids learn to love healthy foods without hiding them. While hidden veggies may help nutritionally, the kids may not gain an understanding that vegetables can be delicious, so they may still try to avoid them when they are visible. Get kids loving their veggies by leading by example, preparing them together, growing a garden, and visiting a farmers market where they can pick out a couple of things to try. The more variety they are exposed to and realize that they enjoy, the better the eating habits will be.

“If kids can get involved in the food process, from shopping to preparing it, and they can learn about why eating healthy is so important to them, they are more likely to do so,” adds Heidi DiEugenio, a director at the Doctor Yum Project. “This will help them avoid the obesity problems, chronic health issues, and they will have a better opportunity to live a healthier life throughout their adulthood.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, healthy eating habits can help children maintain a healthy weight, as well as reduce their risks of such conditions as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, iron deficiency, dental cavities, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure. An unhealthy diet, on the other hand, can lead to being overweight or obese, increase risks for certain types of cancer, and negatively affect overall health, cognitive development, and a child’s school performance.

Dr. Fernando and Heidi DiEugenio are two of the original founders of The Doctor Yum Project, an organization with the mission of transforming the lives of families and communities by providing an understanding of the connection between food and overall health, as well as empowering them with the tools to live a healthy life. The project offers free online tools to help families make healthier meals, healthy cooking classes, child nutrition classes, cooking camps for kids, hands-on cooking instruction for families, first foods classes, and a teaching garden, They also offer a preschool nutrition curriculum, with 40 classrooms and almost 600 participating preschoolers. They are the go-to resource for families looking for answers on how make healthy, achievable dietary changes for a lifetime of good health.

Dr. Fernando, otherwise known as Dr. Yum, is a board-certified pediatrician. She is also the co-author of the book “Raising a Healthy, Happy Eater: A Parent’s Handbook” (The Experiment, October 2015). To learn more, visit the site at: www.doctoryum.org.

5 Phrases to Never Say to The Elderly

Anyone who has ever cared for or spent time with the elderly knows the frustrations that can arise. Simple things that most of us take for granted can turn into monumental tasks that must be repeated over and over again. What are the best ways to handle these situations?

Kurt Kazanowski, an expert in hospice, homecare and working with the elderly, says that while it can be frustrating, especially when it’s someone very close to you like your own parents, there are things you should and should not say that can make it a bit easier:

For example:

- Don’t say: “How can you not remember that!?”
Say instead: “See this sticker? Dad, if the car isn’t inspected before the end of the month, we could have problems.” Place a few post-it notes on the dashboard, fridge and bathroom mirror. Add a smiley face to keep the tone light. And if you still think your parents might forget, make the appointment and then call your dad that morning to remind him.

- Don’t say: “You could do that if you really tried.”
Say instead: “Let me watch and see where you’re having trouble so we can figure out how this can get done together.” Or if you live out of town: “Ask (So-and-so) for help.” Seniors, like everyone else, want to maintain their independence. But if a project is truly beyond their capabilities and they either don’t know anyone who could help (or won’t ask), you might want to try to find someone who can lend a hand.

- Don’t say: “I just showed you how to use the remote control yesterday.”
Instead say: “The blue button on top turns the TV on and there’s one set of arrows for changing the channel and another for the volume. I’ll show you again.” Better yet — ask your parents’ cable or satellite provider to recommend a senior-friendly remote control with a simple design, or purchase one at a local electronics store. Or if they’re okay following instructions, you could write or print out step-by-step directions in large, legible type and leave it near the remote.

- Don’t say: “What does that have to do with what we’re talking about?”
Say instead: “I was telling you about the game last night. It’s okay if you want to chat about something else.” If the subject is important to you, try to bring the conversation back on track without pointing a finger at your dad. And to avoid suppressing genuine anger or sadness, gently explain why the conversation was important to you. Another option: Say nothing and just listen.

- Don’t say: “You already told me that.”
Say instead: “No kidding? And don’t tell me that the next thing you did was . . . .” Yes, you can make a joke out of it — but only if your parents won’t feel hurt. Best-case scenario: Your mom or dad will feel amused and relaxed enough to join in.

Tips For Your Reading

If you've ever wanted to get an idea as to what might happen in your future, then a free psychic reading might be the answer. This is a reading done by someone who uses cards and other tools to look at most of the major aspects of your life, such as romance, your career and your health. There are a few things that the psychic can look at with the tools that are used to see if there could be changes for the better or worse in the coming weeks and months.

Before you go for the reading, you need to prepare yourself mentally. Think about some of the questions that you want to ask the psychic. These questions should be more open-ended instead of those that require a simple yes or no as the psychic can't really elaborate. Find a quiet place to clear away any negative thoughts from the mind before you go to your appointment. When you meet with the reader, you want to be as relaxed as possible. This will be a time of questioning and anxiety for many, but if you are able to relax, then you will better be able to listen to what the reader is saying and ask further questions that can sometimes reveal more about your life.

Keep the energy flowing while at the reading. If there isn't any energy, then the reader won't have anything to grasp from, which means that the reading can easily go cold. The reader will likely be doing most of the talking, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be asking questions and making comments. Don't give anything away because this could mean that the reader is relying on you for answers instead of getting answers from the cards and other tools that are used. Don't set your mind up for disappointment. Not everything you hear might be positive, but it will be details that you need to accept in order to move on in life. At times, the answers you get might give you a chance to change some of the aspects of your life, such as a career move or your finances.

9 Ways to Maximize Home Office Space

If you conduct any work from home, your home office needs a design that facilitates concentration and productivity. Clutter and poor design can leave you feeling distracted and increase the level of stress you experience on a daily basis.

* Article Brought to you by Worthington Direct

To design a home office for remote work or the paperwork that comes with daily life, consider two main elements: the furniture you place in the room and how you set up your space. Home office design is about creating a space that works for you. Consider these tips to get the most out of your home office design every day:

1. Pay attention to lighting. Humans work best in atmospheres that have access to natural light. Light affects mood, concentration, and our ability to focus on a task at hand. Situate your home office in a room that receives natural light and supplement that light with some natural, non-fluorescent, lamps or overhead lighting to keep the space warm and inviting. Your space should include enough light to keep you from becoming drowsy, but avoid harsh sources of light that can cause headaches over time.

2. Minimize distractions. While natural light is important, a window that overlooks the street may distract some people from their work. Consider adding gauzy curtains to windows or windowed doors that let light in but separate the space from potential distractions.

Every individual is different. As you discover elements of distraction, reduce them with a design tweak. For example, if your home phone constantly rings but you use a separate line for work, consider lowering the ring volume during certain activities.

3. Understand your workflow. A home office should cater to the way you use the space. If you keep paper files, set up the office in a way that supports easy filing. Some people use a home office for desk work as well as hands-on projects. Choose desks, tables, and cabinets that enable you to move from one task to another seamlessly.

4. Develop a system for organization. For many, organization is the bane of home office use. Instead of accepting that you can work in organized chaos, install organization solutions that make staying neat easier. Consider:

- Using baskets on open shelving to easily store bulky supplies

- Using file organizers to keep paperwork out of the way before
you file or scan it into the computer

- Boxing up items that you don’t regularly use in the office

5. Invest in a few quality pieces of furniture. At home or the office, your working space should feature ergonomic solutions that protect your physical health. Invest in a standing desk to protect your health or choose a chair and desk combination that enables you to sit comfortably as you work. Depending on the amount of time you spend in a home office, the right desk setup may make a significant difference in how you use the space.

4 Ways Your Cellphone Might Be Making You Ugly

Our cellphones have become so vital to our daily lives. Research has shown that the average person checks their phone 85 times a day and that we spend a total of five hours using our cellphones to browse the web or use apps. For many, our smartphone is the first thing we look at in the morning and the last thing we check at bedtime. Although quick glances at our phone may seem harmless, it can in fact be affecting us physically, mentally and emotionally. We caught up with some experts who help explain the ugly side of excessive cellphones use.

1. Ugly posture.

When we look down at our cellphones we are straining our necks and slouching our shoulders. Doing this can cause some serious damage to our overall posture even leading us to lose up to an inch to an inch and a half of height. “I see up to 10 patients a week complaining of severe neck and shoulder pain. When asked how often they use their phones the typical response is all the time. When pain becomes chronic and severe, surgery has to be considered,” explains Dr. Richard Samperisi, CoFounder of Campus Chiropractic Center at Florida International University & Functional Medicine Practitioner.

2. Ugly eye strain, bags and wrinkles.

Not only can staring at your phone all day cause serious neck and shoulder pain, the extreme use of our phones is leading to various eye conditions such as blurred vision, eye strain, headaches and dry eyes as well as to a condition they like to call “tech neck.” For those concerned with cosmetics and eye appearance constant squinting leads to wrinkles and under eye bags. New Bern, North Carolina plastic surgeon Dr. John Zannis explains that a combination of surgical and non-surgical procedures that address under eye bags, drooping and sagging usually range from 5 - $10,000 with a recovery time of up to 2 weeks. He’s also seen a rise in complaints about neck lines and wrinkling skin attributed to excessive cell phone use.

3. Ugly skin.

Are you constantly struggling with breakouts around your cheeks or chin? Instead of blaming hormones, junk food or a bad skincare routine consider looking at the device in your hand. “Our cellphones are filled with bacteria. We are continuously touching them with dirty hands, throwing them in our bags, stuffing them in our pockets or putting them on counter tops. Then without even thinking twice we put our phones right up to our ears where all of that bacterium from those dirty areas wreak havoc on our face,” offers Board Certified Dermatologist Dr. Kaly Papantoniou. She suggests frequently wiping the phone screen and using a face wash with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to rid bacteria from building up.

4. Ugly Manners

We see people at restaurants who are more focused on snapping a pic of their meal than enjoying each other’s company. Our persistent use of our cellphones can be affecting our relationships with the people and world around us. “When we focus more on our digital lives rather than the individuals we are with; we are not only giving off the impression that we do not care about what they have to say, we are also letting valuable and meaningful moments pass us by,” explains Dr. Sanam Hafeez a New York City based neuropsychologist and teaching faculty at Columbia University. She suggests putting the phone down and even going cell free twice a week.

Give it a try and see how cutting down on your phone use can also cut down on the ugly.

Dr. Richard J. Samperisi, DC, of Miami, Florida, is a New York Native who completed his Doctoral studies at Life University in Atlanta, Georgia. His post-doctoral education focuses on functional medicine and clinical nutrition.

Dr. John Zannis is a New Bern, North Carolina board-certified plastic surgeon and best selling author. A graduate of Stanford University and The University of Cincinnati Medical College, he received his formal training in General Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Connect with him via twitter @JohnZannisMD or his website www.zannisplasticsurgery.com

5 Common Things That Happen When You Lose Weight

Whenever someone chooses to commit to a weight loss journey, it’s not just a physical transformation that happens, but a mental transformation as well. Regardless of how long it takes for people to reach their goal weight, there are significant things that occur along the way that impact their body image and confidence. For all of the positive reinforcement once receives, they might also notice some negativity or odd reactions from those they are close to. Read on for tips and insights from leading experts that will offer clarity and solutions for anyone seeking to transform or who already has.

1. You shed friends along with pounds.
Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD a NYC based licensed neuropsychologist, a teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College, explains that, “It is normal to lose friends as you lose pounds. As you see the payoff from the lifestyle changes you’ve made you may feel disconnected with friends who may still eat and drink things you no longer do. You’re evolving,” offers Dr. Hafeez. She also adds that, “It’s common to notice jealousy, and digs. You may even experience exclusion from dinners out presuming you wouldn’t want to indulge.”

Have faith that your true friends will love you at any size. “It will actually be difficult to tolerate any gossip, negativity or activities that are counterproductive. The last thing you need are people who bring you down when you are doing something positive for your well being. Look out for yourself. At times that may mean distancing from certain people,” advises Dr. Hafeez.

2. Loose skin becomes the new thing you notice.
Once you reach your goal weight, you may love how you look in clothes but naked in or a bathing suit is a whole other story. This is most common when weight loss is significant. Even when weight training is part of the regimen, loose skin does happen.

Dr. John Zannis a board certified plastic surgeon based in New Bern, North Carolina frequently sees and treats patients who went through a weight loss transformation. According to Dr. Zannis, “Loose skin can gather at the stomach, under arms, breasts, buttocks, inner thighs, face and neck. The more significant the weight-loss is, say 50 pounds and above, the more likely a plastic surgeon is sought out to explore body lifts that specifically address loose skin after weight-loss.”

3. You have more energy, are excited about life and can do more!
As you change your diet, add daily exercise to your new lifestyle and see the weight melt off, you gain energy! You don’t feel the need to hit the snooze button anymore. You may wake up energized for that 7am powerwalk or you may be inspired by that beautiful new dress you get to wear to work, another dress size dropped. Yay!

“Use newfound energy to your advantage, encourages Dr. Hafeez, your brain is forming new neuropathways as your perception about your body starts to change. That flight of stairs that was once an obstacle is much easier. Simple things like putting on shoes, picking up toys and pushing a vacuum are done with ease. As you take notice of what your body can do, you gain more confidence and want to do more. This energizes you both physically and mentally,” she adds.

4. Shopping gets interesting.
It is common to get overwhelmed with options now that you can shop the way you always dreamed of. Perhaps your new strong, shapely legs have inspired you to wear dresses again for the first time in years. Or after always covering your arms, you may opt for sleeveless tops. Either way, trying new looks outside of your comfort zone can be daunting. Dr. Hafeez advises to, shop on your own or with someone you really trust. “It is important that shopping is made to be fun by approaching it as a style experiment. Don’t expect everything to look perfect just because you are a much smaller size. Some things will work, others won’t. Look for clothes that feel good. When you smile in the mirror that’s a sign you’re on track.”

5. You make yourself, your health and well being top priority and start to inspire others.
When you lose a noticeable amount of weight other people want to know how you did it and how you are keeping the weight off. Your immediate family may also adapt to your dietary changes and experience weight loss by association. When your kids see you wake up every morning to exercise they see that anything worth having requires commitment. Your significant other may be inspired to also lose weight. “When you take care of yourself and are in a positive mindset, it has a positive impact on everyone you interact with. When the mind and body are aligned you love the way you look and feel, you’re happy and someone others can look up to.”

For information on Dr. Sanam Hafeez visit: http://comprehendthemind.com/about-us/

Five Secrets Fulfilled People Use Everyday

Are there real tricks to becoming fulfilled in life? You bet. My research and that of others suggests that there are key street-smart actions that those who are most fulfilled use every day in their professional and personal lives. I interviewed over 100 successful people---some who were fulfilled and others who were not---to understand why success does not always bring about fulfillment. There was amazing convergence around several things that fulfilled people do at work and home. Here are the top five:

1. Have strong values—and stick with them. Does your work environment, family and friends allow you to behave consistent with your values? Having to behave contrary with your values can be debilitating.

2. Practice resilience. The ability to face adversity and bounce back. One part of resilience is having grit, a firmness of character, or as psychologist Angela Duckworth describes it based on her studies, the “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” It was a rare person who could pursue their long-term goals without setbacks in their lives---divorces, failed promotions, cancer, family members coming off the rails. Many people who I knew to be successful in their professional lives had many hidden stories of failures and bounce backs. They used a variety of approaches to get around those adversities that you can borrow in your own life, such as building a great support network of friends, or family that can support you as you plough through challenges. Those who had developed mentors found them particularly helpful. Some dug deep into their long-term vision or spirituality to help them overcome setbacks. We all have setbacks, it’s how you get up that makes the difference.

3. Take risks. A really interesting finding in my research is the quantity of people who either took risks and vouched that those risks stretched them and enabled them to reach new heights, or those who regretted not taking more risks. It appears that wisdom brings with it perspective. What appeared to be huge risks to many when they were young, now seems insignificant in hindsight. Although hindsight is often 20-20, it would be too easy to dismiss this advice simply as sages looking through the rear view mirror. Instead, many felt so strongly about this that they have gone overboard in encouraging their children to take more risks. This is one of the most difficult lessons in the art of fulfillment, but you can help yourself by have a longer term vision, with many intermediate lighthouse goals along the way—stepping stones—that allow you to see the big picture. Imminent risks are often much less threatening when viewing the big picture. Another key is talking to those who have faced those risks before, often providing sage advice that allows one to reduce the fear and anxiety that comes with perceived risk.

4. Find a good network. One of the most frequent pieces of advice among our sages was taking time to build networks. One out-of-work pharmaceutical executive told me that the only time he networks is when he is out of work, lamenting that he has not learned from past mistakes. It takes so much longer to reconnect with people and build trust, he shared. This is an increasing challenge to those who are overloaded at work today. Many interviewees commented that time pressures reduced their attendance at meetings outside work, limited hobby and family time, and reduced the time to simply keep up with friends and professional colleagues on Facebook or Linked-In. Most realized that having a good network is a key skill, particularly in the world we live in where networks and connections are increasing key to scoring the next great job, or finding a life partner or getting into the right school. If you are not building your network continuously, you are falling behind.

5. Give back. An often forgotten element that brought fulfillment to many was giving back. Sharing your skills and experiences with others can bring an incredible sense of fulfillment when you see what it can do for others. I began volunteering for not-for-profits later in life and I can attest that it has been one of the most rewarding experiences. One group I encountered during my investigations was Rosie’s kids—a program to help inner city kids go ahead in life by teaching them stage skills—dancing and singings their hearts away. I first heard the backstory of so many of the disadvantaged kids---crack houses, abusive parent, abandoned, homeless---and then I saw these kids performing with huge smiles on their faces—and one child summed it up for me when I spoke with him at the end. He said that he was excited about his future—his chances. And with a tear in my eye, I realized that one of our greatest sources of fulfillment is enabled others to become fulfilled.

Take a moment to think about your own fulfillment. Do you have a vision, are you taking enough risks, have you built the networks to help you during difficult setbacks, and are you giving back to others more in need? Try it. I think you will find yourself more fulfilled.

William A. Schiemann, Ph.D. is CEO of Metrus Group. He is a thought leader in human resources, employee engagement, and fulfillment and author of Fulfilled! Critical Choices – Work, Home, Life, scheduled to be released October 1, 2016. For more information follow Dr. Schiemann on Twitter, @wschiemann and connect with him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/wmschiemann.