Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Turn Your Passion Into Your Profession With These Top Tips

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It’s the dream, isn’t it? Having a job that you feel truly passionate about? Going home each day and thinking about all that job satisfaction you have just inhaled and giving yourself a pat on the back for a job well done. The truth is, the dream isn’t a reality for many of us. But why shouldn't it be? Life is too short to be unhappy and miserable in a place doing a job that we just don’t enjoy. We spend a huge chunk of lives earning an income to live. January is one of those times of year where people place a focus on change. Changing their lifestyle, or losing a few pounds. Changing the way they think or their career path. So you may be wondering about the next step for you. Which is why I thought now was an ideal time to share with you some top tips to turn your passion into your profession.


Have a plan


Planning is everything. Or it at least it should be if you want to make any headway and have a direction in life. Some people are happy to see what comes and let fate takes it cause, but for most people, we need a clear vision of how things are going to go and what we want to achieve. So plan out your career path just as you would your week, month and year. Figure out the necessary steps to get you to where you want to be, and highlight what it might take to get you there. At this stage, it’s worth looking into exactly what you have a passion for, and what you want to do. This should then be able to indicate what areas need work.


Do plenty of research


When you know what you want to do, the profession or even company you want to work for now is the time to research. Research the job role and observe whether you will need any additional skills or qualifications. Look into the companies you are considering, as you can check out company reviews such as the AlgaeCal reviews, for example. Knowing the ins and outs will stand you in good stead for reaching your ultimate goal.


Don’t be afraid to improve yourself by learning


Sometimes it is necessary to learn new skills, and this may be difficult at first to do. Learning and getting additional qualifications may mean more time spent working, but remembering that the end goal is what you are working towards. Learning is never something to be afraid of, it just broadens your horizons.


Show initiative


Perhaps you want to stay put with your employer but work towards a different role. This is when showing initiative could get you places. Perhaps it might mean taking on additional responsibility or speaking up in a meeting when you have an opinion or point to make. Don’t be afraid to shine in your current role.


Have a positive attitude and work ethic


Finally, having a positive attitude and good work ethic will help you reach your ultimate goals. Try and remind yourself what you are doing it all for. It will certainly help keep you motivated.


I hope these tips help you turn your passion into a profession.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Get Paid to Try Hulu #Swagbucks


If you've been thinking about trying Hulu, this is the time to do it. Thanks to an offer through Swagbucks, you get $20 (paid in the form of points called SB) for trying Hulu for a month. That will cost you $7.99, so you're making $12 on the deal!

Hulu has tons of current and classic programming, movies, brilliant original series, and more. Here's how you do it:

1. Click this link.

2. Create your Swagbucks account (takes 30 seconds).

3. Click "Continue" and sign up for Hulu.

4. Enjoy Hulu!

You should have your points within 30 minutes.

Haven't tried Swagbucks yet? They're a site where you earn points (called SB) for doing things like online shopping, watching videos, taking surveys, and discovering deals and services you might like to try (like Hulu!). You then take those points and turn them into free gift cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, Target, or PayPal cash.

This is a great time to join because when you sign up through the link above and get your 2000 SB, you'll get a bonus 300 SB at the beginning of February. So that's $20 (2000 SB) for trying Hulu plus your $3 (300 SB) bonus, which gets you 2300 SB, which means you make $15 total just for watching TV!

*We have had Hulu at our house FOREVER! Currently we are enjoying binge-watching "This Is Us" but watch so many other things on there as well. My son loves being able to watch his CW shows the day after they air and there are a ton of great movies as well and wonderful shows too.

Making Mental Health Your Priority: Simple Ways To Lift Your Mood When Times Get Tough

It’s January, and everywhere you look people are posting photographs of healthy meals and gym kits. Making resolutions to get healthy at the start of the year is a really positive step to take. But being healthy isn’t just about having a body that works properly. It’s also about happiness, contentment, and mental stability. As a society, we tend to shy away from talking about mental health, but it’s an issue that affects us all. We all have times when life seems tough. Here are some simple ways you can lift your mood when you’re having one of those days.

Connect with others
If you’re stressed out, or you’re feeling low, it can really help to connect with others. Call your best friend for a catch-up, spend time with your boyfriend or pop round and visit your mom. Spending time with other people is good for your soul. You can offload your problems or simply enjoy each other’s company. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to friends and family, it can often be easier to share your thoughts and feelings with somebody you don’t know. If you find it hard to open up, it may be worth seeing a therapist.



Think positively
Sometimes, it’s really easy to adopt a positive mindset. But when it seems like the world’s against you, it can be much more difficult. If you can train yourself to be one of those people who sees a glass half-full, it’s much easier to cope with days that don’t go your way. Take a step back, and think about what you’re worried about. Is it really that bad? Try and identify solutions, rather than focusing on problems, and be confident that tomorrow’s a new day, and you’ll tackle it with a positive outlook.

Help others
Nothing makes you feel better than using your time and energy to help others. It’s worth remembering that even on the most difficult days, there are always people worse off than you. There may be lots of people who seem much luckier, but you’ll never be at the bottom of the pack. If you have spare time, consider volunteering or find out about supporting local charitable organizations. Choose a cause that is close to your heart. Perhaps you want to support Jewish charities or offer your time to a children’s center, for example.

Laugh
You’ve probably heard people saying that laughter is the best medicine. While it may not work for every ailment, having fun can turn even the darkest day around. Put your favorite comedy movie on, meet up with friends or read a corny joke book. A little laughter can go a long way to boosting your mood.



If you’re trying to get your health on track in 2017, don’t neglect your mental health. Take steps to lift your mood and boost your happiness. We all have days when we feel down, but it’s not impossible to turn that frown upside down. Spend time with people you love, have fun, try and be positive, and help others. It’s important for all of us to make mental health a priority.

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Get $20 for Trying Gamefly! #Swagbucks


If you're looking to build up your budget post-holidays and you have a gamer in your life, Swagbucks (the online rewards site that puts cash back in your wallet) has an AMAZING offer through Gamefly where you get 2000 SB (which is the equivalent of $20 in gift cards) for signing up.      

Gamefly allows you to rent games for lots of different consoles including Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii, PS3, PS4, etc, with no late fees ever. Members can also play 100’s of PC games for free! You can try it out for 2 months at a price of $10 AND get 2000 SB by using this link!    

Haven't tried Swagbucks yet? This is a great way to do it, and when you sign up through the link above and get your 2000 SB, you'll get a bonus 300 SB at the beginning of February. So that's $10 for trying Gamefly, which gets you 2300 SB, which means you make $13 off the deal!

I love cashing out my Swagbucks for PayPal cash so I can get homeschool goodies, shop on eBay, make donations, etc. Swagbucks is an easy way to watch your money add up just by shopping for things you would normally buy and for taking surveys and watching videos in your jammies!

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Having Fun as a Family on a Budget

Most families look for ways to have fun without spending a lot of money. Luckily, this is usually not an extremely difficult task if you exercise your creative juices and tap into your city's local resources. There are usually a wealth of opportunities to have family fun enjoying low-cost or no-cost activities.

Local Events
The internet is just a few steps away from your fingertips and a huge resource for finding out what's going on in your city. Make a practice of conducting an internet search for free or low-cost city family-friendly activities. If you make it a part of your Sunday to-do list you're bound to find activities that take place throughout the week and the weekends.


Local Parks
Local parks provide an opportunity to be creative when it comes to family events. Think family picnic with a theme or an opportunity to play a little volleyball or basketball if space and courts are provided, the sky is the limit. You have the venue it's up to you to plan the event.

Fun at Home
Last but certainly not least, is the chance to have fun right in your own backyard, indoors or out. You don't really need a reason to plan a family event or activity. Really, the central reason for any event should be the opportunity to spend quality time together. Consider planning a stay-at-home family event when schedules have become hectic or to accomplish holiday tasks like creating executive gift baskets for co-workers or your favorite mechanic. Whatever the reason is for planning a family get together it's essential that you take the time to follow through and reconnect as often as possible.


Family fun doesn't have to leave you cash strapped and eating beans for the next six weeks, there are plenty of things that you can do that put low to no stress on your pocket book but still keep your family happy, engages, and smiling. Think local fun with free or practically free events that the family can enjoy in addition to local parks and recreation centers and opportunities to have fun without leaving the comfort of your home. It's doable and worth it. Get those creative juices flowing and start planning the next family fun day right away!