How To Instantly Improve Your Life

There may come a time in your life when you stop and look around and notice you’re not as happy as you once were or think you could be. This is a normal experience or revelation to have and one you should certainly address and give more attention to.

The upside to having these feelings is that there are practical ways for how you can quickly improve your life and get to a better place. Avoid worrying so much about what others are up to or think of you and take this time to concentrate on you and your goals for once.

Identify & Follow Your Passion

Instantly improve your life by securing a job you love and hobbies you actually enjoy doing. Take time to figure out what is and follow your passion so you can be happy once and for all. Your job is a big part of your life, and if you’re working in a dead-end position, you may quickly feel fairly miserable about your life and situation in general. Life is too short to be spending your time in places and at companies that don’t appreciate you or where your skills aren’t being put to good use. This is one of the most important areas you should invest your time and energy into because it’s what takes up the majority of your schedule. 

Fit in Daily Exercise

If there’s one habit that’s worth adopting that will immediately improve your life it’s to fit in daily exercise. Having a more active lifestyle in general versus being sedentary all the time will help you to have more energy in general. Working out lifts your mood, helps you tone your physique and allows you to reduce your stress in a healthy manner.

It’s worth scheduling in activities that get your heart rate up and will help you to burn more calories on a regular basis. Below is a list of options you might want to consider as you get started:

·         Walking

·         Running

·         Playing sports

·         Practicing yoga

·         Weight lifting

Give it a try and in no time at all you’ll likely feel like a new person and wonder why you didn’t start exercising earlier on in your life. Another idea is to find a workout buddy so you can hold each other accountable and make working out more of a social activity as well.

Make Time for Fun & Laughter

It’s important to remember how having fun and laughing is good for your health and well-being. For instance, take a vacation, spend time with your spouse or play a game such as Kalah with your kids. These types of experiences will allow you to loosen up a bit and enjoy life and the people around you more. There’s a time and a place to be serious but it’s also necessary you make it a priority to laugh and have fun when it’s appropriate as well. This is a healthy way to spend your free moments and will allow you to refresh and rejuvenate so you feel better when tackling your other commitments.

Keep A Journal & To-Do Lists

You can also instantly improve your life by getting better about keeping a journal to record down your emotions. It’s a great tool for putting down all that’s floating around in your head on paper and being able to work through certain feelings that are top of mind for you. You’ll quickly be able to recognize what issues in your life are bothering you the most so you can address them right away and feel better fast.

Also, you’ll feel more organized and less chaotic when you create to-do lists for all that you’re responsible for completing. Trying to remember every single item that you’re in charge of in your head will likely cause you a lot of frustration and you’ll forget to attend to important matters. For example, make a list of work tasks, your weekly grocery store purchases and upcoming obligations that will require your time.

Slow Down

Rushing around and not taking the time to enjoy life and what it is you’re doing at the time is likely keeping you from feeling happy. Instantly improve your life by practicing mindfulness and living in the moment and appreciating all that surrounds you as it unfolds. Pay attention to what you’re doing and avoid multi-tasking and you’ll discover you’re more productive and feel less frantic as you take care of your daily responsibilities. Your days will seem that much more special when you’re fully present and attentive to what’s in front of you. Slow down and you’ll likely sleep better at night as well because your mind won’t be racing all around. It’s also a wise idea to practice gratitude, which will help you to appreciate all the little miracles happening in your life.

Nurture Your Relationships

It’s important to connect with others on a consistent basis and nurture your relationships with others. You can instantly improve your life by spending more quality time with the people who you love and adore. Be there for those who you care about the most and open up and let them in to what’s happening in your days. Do this by picking up the phone, asking someone to coffee or lunch and simply having more availability in your schedule for others. Life won’t feel so cumbersome or demanding when you’re bonding and participating in enjoyable activities with others.   

Conclusion

Your life isn’t going to get better all on its own and it will take an extra effort on your part if you want to experience brighter days ahead. These tips are going to help you instantly improve your situation and find more peace and happiness overall. Give them a try and see what areas have the greatest impact and do more of that going forward. Put taking care of yourself and your own needs at the top of your priority list and you’ll find that you aren’t so stressed out and anxious.

Throw a Super Simple (and Cheap) #Birthday Party for Your Kid!!!

It seems like kids’ birthday parties are getting out of hand these days, with parents trying to top each other for the Most Elaborate Party award! Why break the bank for an off-site birthday party for your child when you can do it yourself on the cheap?  This year, consider giving your child the Ultimate Birthday Party, one where he can play, have fun and just be a kid.  The added bonus is that you get to keep your sanity and money.  Follow these steps (some of which go against everything you’ve ever read about birthday parties!), and you’ll have a stress-free celebration everyone can enjoy.

1. Either call or E-vite.com family and friends to save the cost of invitations and stamps. Invite them to your home or maybe even to a park shelter that you reserve in advance. Set the party time for 1 p.m. so guests know lunch won’t be served (think of the cost plus set-up and clean-up!). Make the pick-up time clear; a couple of hours is usually plenty of time for a good shindig.

2. The night before the party, bake the cake (from a box, of course!) or cupcakes. Feel free to get fancy on the cake if you have that talent; otherwise, most kids are just thrilled to have sugar in any form. You could even bake a special small cake (maybe heart-shaped!) just for the Birthday Kid and let him decorate it himself.

3. On party day, don’t worry about setting up a craft or handing out costly goodie bags for the kids. Most parents these days are into de-cluttering and find their kids have way too much junk. Craft and goodie bag paraphernalia will likely just get thrown away later. Parents will appreciate not having to take home anything except for their child, and won’t feel guilty because you spent more on a goodie bag than they did on your child’s gift.

4. To kill some time, consider a piñata (filled with something quickly disposed of like candy or fruit snacks instead of junky toys). Otherwise, kids don’t need every minute of their day scheduled for them … running wild is what they are best at, especially at a birthday party!

5. Assign one adult party-goer to take pictures and one to take video of all the fun (including the opening of gifts and blowing out of candles) so you can concentrate on celebrating with your child and keeping track of the other kids.

6. Make the decorations simple, especially for younger kids who probably don’t watch enough television to even have a favorite cartoon character. Colored paper plates work great, as do regular plastic forks (recycle those forks if you’re going green!). Rather than buy expensive Mylar balloons, blow up some store-bought colored balloons yourself and tape them to walls and doorways or leave them loose on the floor.

7. Have a basic order of events in place to keep things moving along.  For instance, you could have the kids play until everyone has arrived, then open gifts, sing “Happy Birthday” and eat cake and ice cream, which would lead into the piñata, and end with more play until the party’s over.

8. Make sure your child thanks each gift-giver as she opens her gifts. If your child is running around as everyone leaves and can’t thank everyone a second time, go ahead and do it for her. This way, you don’t have to send thank you notes after the party, which just takes more time and money and is yet another thing that ends up in the garbage.

9. Speaking of gifts, are you tired of your kid receiving so many gifts at a birthday party that you can’t even find a place to put them all? Melissa, mom of one, said she (or was this her kids’ idea?) asked guests (when her kids were little?) to bring canned goods for Harvesters instead of gifts. What a way to teach the Birthday Boy or Girl, as well as his or her guests, about gratitude and going green!

10. If you have older kids (ah, tweens!), Jen Wood, mom of 2, thinks pizza and a movie at home, followed by a sleepover, is a great bet.

SIDEBAR

Party Shopping List:

Cake mix

Frosting

Sprinkles and/or decorating gel

Candles and matches

Ice cream

Juice boxes or pouches

Napkins

Forks

Plates

Balloons

Pinata and stuff to fill it with

Rope to string up the piñata

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How to Master Typing

In typing class, many people struggle to keep their eyes on the drill book. The temptation to glance down at the keys is enormous. Who hasn’t typed like a parrot plays the piano in the first days of typing class? Believe it or not, this one-finger malady plagues typing students today, so is there a quick solution to the problem?

Look Away

The real trick is to start typing without being visually guided by letters or numbers. It forces a student to learn the keys from memory. This skill is developed with motor learning. In typing, that means repeated instances of hitting the keys without looking. It commits to memory where a letter or number lay in the keyboard. That way, the students can benefit from the best typing software in the market. All these programs want to see the student use all ten fingers on the keyboard.

Type with Ten Fingers

By learning or relearning the right placement of fingers on the keyboard, a student is taking the first step toward the successful act of typing. It can happen fast too. Some programs assert that they can get you typing 50 words per minute or more in one day! Unfortunately, if you cheat and glance at the keyboard, your progress will slow.

Pays Dividends

By memorizing the location of the letter and numbers on the keyboard, the student can quickly progress from finger placement to touch typing. They will begin to enjoy the superior technology that many keyboards present to us every day. Everybody benefits from the shortcuts found in software applications, and touch typing makes the process of using shortcuts faster. With that level of keyboard skill mastered, the student will get the most out of today’s computer applications.

The motor learning required in typing class will make a difference because without ever looking at your keyboard, you will continue to type for minutes or even hours whether you’re typing from a source or from your imagination. It's the first step toward keyboard competency.

How to Write a Fantastic Welcome Email (plus 10 Email Marketing Dos and Don'ts)

I found this great post on MyEmma.com called "5 Elements of the Perfect Welcome Email" and wanted to share it today. If you have a blog, book, product, website, or business, and I know some of my readers do, you want to have an email list. You want subscribers. And you don't want to annoy them or drive them away. We all get way too much email these days, and you want to provide value for your readers.

For example, I have a website called The Published Parent and I have an email subscriber list over there of almost 500 readers. After someone signs up, I send them a welcome email which includes their freebies they signed up for: two different mini-books that relate to writing. I also introduce myself and let them know how to get in touch on the Parenting Magazine Writers Facebook group, how to follow me on Twitter, etc. I try not to hard-sell on my book. I let them know how to get in touch with me. I don't want to scare them away and cause them to unsubscribe once they receive the freebie! Read on to find out more about creating the best possible welcome email for your readers, fans, etc. And you can find more fabulous resources over at Campaign Monitor!

We all know the importance of a good first impression, and a welcome email is your best opportunity to make one for your business.

After a subscriber signs up to receive your emails, you want to send them a message that introduces who you are and the value you'll add to their lives and inboxes. Not to mention how glad you are that they've signed up to receive your company's updates. 

Let’s not forget that it’s kind of a big deal to have someone sign up for your email list, especially with studies coming in that say office workers receive upwards of 120 emails per day. These people already receive an inbox full of emails and, yet, they have chosen to receive even more by subscribing to your list.

In turn, you don’t want to take your subscribers for granted and assume they'll stick around, regardless of what you send them.

That welcome email is your opportunity to show that you will add value to their email inbox. Of course, the question becomes, how do you actually deliver an exceptional welcome email that will excite your subscribers and make them look forward to receiving more emails from you?

In this article, we will look at some of the most important elements to include in your future welcome emails to new subscribers. Use these methods to make your emails stand out among the rest and increase subscriber engagement. 

What is a welcome email?

Depending on what kind of email list you are growing, a welcome email could come in many forms.

Some of these tips may be more relevant for certain businesses or niches. For example, an e-commerce store may send a welcome email when someone has made their first purchase. A thought leader for an industry, however, may send welcome emails when people opt-in to receive their regular content updates.

5 things every welcome email needs to do

In all cases, a welcome email is your first official email touchpoint with a new subscriber. This is your first impression and these tips will make sure your first impression is as strong as possible.

1. Offer easy-to-understand information for getting started.

A lot of welcome emails are sent after some type of purchase or initial interaction. This is great news because you know that you already have an engaged customer on the other end. You also know that they may have your product sitting in their home or, at the very least, it’s on its way.

This is your opportunity to share some great information that will enhance their customer experience and begin creating brand loyalty. 

Not only is this information helpful, but it also shows that your emails add value rather than simply push products or sales. Subscribers will appreciate that you want to help them enjoy their purchase as much as possible.

The welcome email for Google Home Mini, shown below, is a great example of how to offer a quick start guide inside a welcome email.

Google uses the opportunity of a welcome email to help new users navigate their way around features, and it also provides an overview for those who want to get the most out of their device.

IMAGE: Really Good Emails

 

2. Introduce the team to your subscribers.

Just because you aren't having a face-to-face interaction with each customer doesn't mean you can't have a personal interaction and introduce the faces behind your brand. After all, the people that make up your business are one of the most important pieces of your business.

Introducing certain team members may be a great way to kick off your email subscriber relationship. This is especially true if your subscribers will be interacting with these employees regularly. This helps break the ice and gives your business a warm and approachable personality.

A great example of this is the Peloton welcome email that introduces a subscriber's trainers they'll be working out with. 

On its way to becoming the year's biggest trend in fitness technology, Peloton—a fitness bike that comes equipped with live or prerecorded virtual classes, is also leading the way in personalized communication and approachable branding. They focus on the trainers who will be leading the classes, creating a connection with the people behind the brand from the get-go.

From their social media accounts to the welcome email that subscribers receive, Peloton wants users to feel personally connected to the people that will be representing their company on a daily basis. See how they do it in email form: 

(you can read the rest of this post here!)

Ready to create your new and improved welcome email campaign? Let us know!

BONUS: check out these 10 email marketing dos and don'ts from Campaign Monitor.

Impress Your Guests: Tips for Delicious Party Food on a Budget

How many parties have you ever been to that later became the talk of the town? Well, if not the town, at least those parties were the envy of your close circle of friends. How would you like to host a party like that? Perhaps you ‘think’ you don’t have the funds to do it up right. Actually, you can impress your guests even on a budget, as limited as it might be. Try these tips for delicious party food that will fit literally any budget whatsoever.

Use What You Have for Starters

While you want to lay out a decorative spread, you really can’t afford all the special tablecloths and decorations you feel you need. Why not use what you have for starters? Perhaps you collect gadgets and kitchen tools because you love to cook. Pull out that lovely solid wood cutting board on which you can lay an assortment of finger foods which are quite cheap to prepare. That walnut wood cutting board would make even peanut butter and jelly finger sandwiches look delectable, so put it to good use! Any serving spoons, dishes and dishes you’ve gathered would do quite nicely. Again, instead of worrying about buying decorations, spend that money on ingredients for the lovely food you’ll work up!

Finger Sandwiches for the New Age

Finger sandwiches were mentioned above, only half-jokingly. These were made quite popular during Victorian England and typically they were cucumber sandwiches served with tea. While most Americans today frown upon cucumber finger sandwiches without meat or cheese, you can get a couple of pounds of cold cuts and some rather inexpensive cheeses. Cut these in triangles, corner to corner and serve them up in grand style on a special plate or serving board.

Finger Foods Galore

Instead of going to the frozen food section in your local supermarket for all those expensive pre-made appetizers, look instead for frozen pie crust, filo dough or pastry dough. These you can take home and create amazing finger foods to your heart’s content. Have you ever had smoked wienies wrapped in filo and baked until golden brown? Perhaps you can chop up fresh mushrooms, add a bit of mozzarella, and wrap them in pockets of filo or pastry dough before baking. From miniature pies to pockets of meats and cheeses, you can create gourmet finger foods for just a few dollars!

Buy in Bulk

If you have a local restaurant supply store nearby, you can often find large bags of ingredients at much cheaper prices than in a grocery store. Instead of paying $5 for a 16-ounce bag of frozen strawberries, why not get a five-pound bag for just over $10 at a restaurant supply chain? As a general rule of thumb, the cost per ounce goes significantly down as the amount you buy goes up. This is the same for anything from frozen foods to dry goods, so shop wisely and you will have what it takes to go gourmet.

A Few Final Thoughts

As a final note, take the time to search the Web for interesting recipes you can easily prepare at home. The fewer items you buy pre-made or packaged, the lower your costs will be. You might need to start prepping and cooking your foods a day or two in advance, but many of the items you’ll be serving can easily be refrigerated to be brought out the day of your party. Also, remember that the prettier you make your presentation, the more appetizing your food will appear. Start with what you have and work up from there. It may not always be what you serve but how you serve it. That’s the bottom line.