Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Use The Library More

With difficult economic times people are cutting back on lots of things. This is a great time to rediscover your local library.

Let your magazine subscriptions lapse. Or most of them, or many of them. Do you really read them all anyway? Go to the library and spend an hour or two or three and read magazines there or take them out.

Stop renting films from Blockbuster and use the DVD rentals at your library. My local libarary rents family films for a week for free. Can't beat that price.

Read books. This is a perfect time to go back to reading as a form of recreation instead of video games or other expensive electronic items.

Read together as a family. Read to each other. Read the same book and talk about it. Redicover your connections to each other.

Go to free lectures, children's story hour or whatever else you library provides free of charge. Some libraries have a tremendous amount of programming, some don't. Check other libraries in your area and see if they have programming.

Libraries are a window onto the whole world.

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Monday, December 29, 2008

New Year's Resolutions

This is the time of eyar that we all make New Year's resolutions that we all hope will make next year better. Below are my suggestions for ways to help your resolutions to work for you.

1. Make The Resolutions Positive.
Phrase everything in a positive way. Instead of saying I must lose weight or I must exercise more think in terms of I will take better care of my health this year. Instead of saying I will be a better parent say I will spend more time with my children.

2. Persistence pays off.
If things don’t turn out well right away don’t give up. We all often slip up in own way or another. Keep on going through the problem and determine that you’ll keep going to you’ve reached your goal.

3. Set realistic goals.
Trying to get everything to be perfect can mean that you’re never satisfied and therefore don’t get things done.

4. Make sure your resolutions mean something to you.
Don’t make a resolution because it’s something someone else thinks you should do, such as lose weight or take a class. You won’t do it. Think about what’s important to you and make goals based on your wants and needs.

5. Ink it, don’t think it.
One of the most important things you can do with goals or resolutions is to write them down. By writing them down they become more concrete to you and you also start thinking about the ways to achieve them.

6. Post your resolutions where you can see them everyday.
Put them on the bathroom mirror, by your desk, on the refrigerator. This is so that you will remember them and act on them. It’s not to make you feel guilty but to get them both to be part of you and to keep you moving in a positive direction.

7. Do it whether you feel like it or not.
Action can be the start of change. Don’t wait for the perfect time. Just start doing what you need to do and the rest will fall into place.

8. Make just a few resolutions.
Make a few that you will work on. It’s better to have a few resolutions that you accomplish than many that you don’t.

9. Set rewards for yourself for when you’ve reached different parts of your goals.
Set up rewards that you can afford and like – a new jacket for a special event or tickets for a show – and have them be part of the resolution process.

10. Forgive yourself.
If you don’t fulfill your resolutions fast enough or fall behind don’t berate yourself or call yourself negative names like stupid or dumb. Forgiveness is a wonderful quality that needs to be practiced. If we can forgive ourselves we can get more done and be happier.

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Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Last-Minute Mailing

If you don't have all your gifts sent out and are concerned about their arriving by the 25th remember that the Post Office has something called Express Mail. They deliver 365 days a year. Yes, they deliver on Christmas Day. Usually if you get your package to the Post Office on the 24th it wil be delivered on the 25th. However be prepared for long lines.

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Monday, December 22, 2008

Martha Stewart Perfection

Has your holiday time has always been about getting everything perfect? Perfect deocrations, perfect table centerpiece, perfect gifts, perfect meals, perfect everything maybe it's time to rethink things.

It's not just the economic downturn changing things it's also about how we live our life. What makes the important things down the road a year from now or decades from now. People remember the holiday cooking smells, the family and friendships, the fun and enjoyment of being together or celebrating in a really meaningful way.

Think about this as a time to make memories. Not only for yourself but for those around you. What can you really do to make this time one that is memorable. Take the time and the energy to really talk to people, to spend time with them, to connect with them by phone or email or by letter. This can be the best gift of all.

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Friday, December 19, 2008

Regifting

It's coming down to the wire for holiday gift giving.

This is a great year for regifting. We've all received gifts that we can't use or don't want but are perfectly fine items. We're in a society of material overload (or have been up to now) and regifting is a good way to lighten our material overload. Wine, candles, books and lots of over things are good gifts to pass on. I've regifted and there are certain things to keep in mind.

1. Don't regift something to the person who gave it to you. Either remember who gave you something or if it's something you immediately know you won't use make a note and put it with the item.

2. Remove the original gift card. You don't want someone receiving something from you and then in the package seeing that it was given by to you by your Aunt Millie or a friend.

3. Make sure the item is in top notch condition. Don't regift items that you've used, are shabby or look worn in any way.

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Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Need vs. Want

With the new and tougher economic times people are trying to figure out how to spend less money. Americans have had a drunken spending binge for the last twenty years. I have seen it with many people I have worked with who just plain had too much stuff. No one needs 150 pairs of shoes or 250 sweaters.

It's time to figure out what you need vs. what you want. We all need the basics of food and shelter and clothing. Beyond that start to ask yourself simple questions.

Is this something I will use regularly? Do I have other similar items? Do I have other similar items that I don't use? What will happen to me if I don't have this item? Will something happen to me if I don't purchase it or will I be just as well, or better off? Am I buying this to gain status in the eyes of others? Do I really need this?

Start thinking in a different mode.

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Saturday, December 13, 2008

Inexpensive Gifts #2

In the past I have urged people to use the dollar store for gifts and suggested ways to be imaginative about it. Well, it may be even more important in these tough economic times to use the dollar store.

You can get really good gifts by thinking about what can be put together. If someone likes to cook put together a couple of kitchen utensils, a jar or two of spices, a potholder and wrap it all in a dish towel or two and tuck in a recipe that would use the spices.

For someone whose life is harried (and whose isn't) put together a mug or two, some tea, a candle, some chocolate, maybe a CD and a few words about relaxing along with a favorite poem of yours.

Take some time to look at what is available and think about how you can put the combinations together. This is what makes a gift special and personal and gives the recipient the feeling that you cared about what you gave.

The dollar store can also be great for gift bags, wrapping paper and bows.

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Inexpensive (But Thoughtful) Holiday Gifts

This year everyone is certainly concerned about money and concerned about spending on gifts. There are many gifts you can gift that are thoughtful, will be truly appreciated by the recipient and are either not expensive or maybe even cost-free.

1. I have for years recommended that peopel put together photograph albums as original, inexpensive and unique gifts. Do you have photos of family or friends that are duplicates or that you can easily get reproduced? Put them into an album (preferably one where the pages are made of archival materials) and give them to people. I've given albums for wedding gifts and they are great for graduations and other events.

If you are having family for the holidays you can have historical family photos put on CDs, or do it yourself if you know how and give them as gifts. They really are gifts that no one else will give them and they are truly thoughtful an appreciated.

2. Another thing that you can do is to give a coupon book as a gift. The idea is to make up coupons that the recipient can take out any time for a back rub or something else that they may want or need. Use your imagination.

3. I love paper and stationery and collect cards with sayings that I like and put them into an album where I can look at them to be inspired or soothed when times are tough.

Some of the ones that I have are:

Confront the difficult while it is still easy: accomplish the great task by a series of small acts. -- Tao Te Ching

The road to sucess has many tempting parking spaces. -- Steven Potter

A woman is like a tea bag -- you never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water. -- Eleanor Roosevelt

You can find the same types of cards to put into an album or look through a book of quotes or look online and print them out or copy them in nice handwriting and put them into a book or album. This can be a very personal gift if you know the type of quotes the person will like -- whether they are religious or romantic or inspiring.

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