My Essay Blog

Are you stuck in a rut? Do you ever feel that you are being perpetually driven; that life is a never-ending round of rushing from here to there, or from one chore to another, with no time for relaxation? That money worries &ndash how to pay those rising bills, or where the next payment is coming from for your children’s education, your family’s healthcare, your house mortgage &ndash occupy your mind much of the time, or that relationships with your family or spouse suffer because you haven’t got time to spend with them &ndash you’re working all the hours there are to pay the bills after all, aren’t you. Things never seem to go right, no matter how hard you try, and feeling frustration and discontent has become a part of what you are. You long for the day when you can get just a little time for yourself, and do some of those things you always wanted. Without knowing it, you may have programmed yourself for unhappiness and failure.

But what if there is a way to say goodbye to fear, anger, worry, and all those other negative emotions? What if you can transform your life so that you can obtain all the things you ever wanted? You can you know. The powerful and secret techniques taught by manifestation can do just that. Learning to become a Master Manifestor is your blueprint to success, prosperity and personal fulfilment. Using the inside knowledge of manifestation, you can discover how to implement your ideas and dreams in a simple and stress-free way to dramatically change your life for the better.

Manifesting is an ancient science (over 1500 years old), and although the manifestation techniques are largely unknown to the modern world, the tried and trusted methods have proven to work and are needed now, more than ever. By manifestation you can attract good fortune to yourself, financial and personal, and work magic in your life. Radically different from any other self-help programme &ndash in fact you can realistically throw away 90% of every self-help book you’ve ever collected &ndash this Manifesting Mindset will transform the way you think on all levels. A new departure in self-improvement, it will harness the physical laws of the universe to create anything you desire: attract love and romance, make your perfect job appear, eliminate stress and low esteem, lose weight, find abundance and financial freedom. Consciously draw life-affirming experiences to yourself.

Anyone can learn the art of manifestation. Regardless of what you’ve been conditioned to believe, it is available to ALL of us. Why not give it a try and see where it takes you.

Penelope Housden

Time management is a big concern for a lot of people. I keep hearing, “There are just not enough hours in the day…” or “Where does my time go?” Face it we all live busy lives. Work, family, and other commitments keep us all hopping. To utilize better time management, it’s important to recognize what the specific problems are. Is it not having enough time for you or your family? Do you feel that you are wasting time by excessive driving? Maybe you are not sure where all your time is going and just want to account for it. Or you could have a full schedule that you are having a hard time keeping up with. Whatever the reason, time is a precious resource that most of us need to use to its fullest.

The most important step in time management is evaluating our schedules. On a sheet of paper write up a “typical” week for you, by looking at your current schedule you will be able to identify places where better time management could be use. Ask yourself why you are feeling unsatisfied with your schedule? Make a list of what you want to change and what you want to make room for. Do you want more time to peruse interests? More time to be with your children? Or just more time to get everything done?

After you have done this take a piece of paper and draw three columns. In the first column put a list of all appointments, events, or commitments that are “set in stone”, things that take place at a set time and happen daily, weekly or monthly. Such as work, club meetings, or standing doctor’s appointments. In the second column put “flexible” tasks or commitments that can be done around your “set in stone” commitments, such as grocery shopping, house cleaning, or having lunch with a friend. In the third column put those “occasional” appointments, doctor appointments, a school play, or an old friend coming into town (or anything that does not fall into the other two columns).

Then using a calendar (preferably one with large spaces for the days) Or use a notebook and label each page a day or two (depending on how much you are trying to accomplish daily or weekly.) Start putting in the items from your three columns, starting with the items that are “set in stone” then the items that are occasional, leave the “flexible” items to last since you are able to put them in around the other things.

The objective is to balance out your days and to maximize your time. Why make a separate trip to the pharmacy when it is on your way to your son’s soccer practice? I always try to plan appointments in the same area on the same day, this reduces my travel time and gets the most out of my day.

The biggest thing to consider is: Are you doing too much? No matter how well time is managed there is such a thing as an overload of commitments. Time management is not just about structuring your week so that you can get everything accomplished. It is about creating a manageable schedule that will give you time for the important things in life. So, before looking at your time management skills look at what you are trying to juggle.

Include things that you want to do but just don’t seem to have time for in your day. What is the sense of managing your time better just to fit in more work? A part of time management is balancing so that you can have time to enjoy the fun stuff in life too.

If you are so booked solid that you can not schedule an hour and a half of quality family time, an hour of time with your significant other, and at least at the very minimum 30 minutes &ndash 45 minutes of time for yourself then you have too much on your plate and it is time to ask for help to relieve yourself of some commitments. Being run down and worn-out will not assist you in better time management, in fact it will hinder it.

There are many reasons why some people never move. This is a topic for later discussion, but for now lets focus on those individuals who do hop from country to country and make new homes in different countries and often on other continents. Are you one of those people whose address seems to be forever changing?

Luckily, for us expatriates we live in an era of technology when we do not have to rely on the regular mail any longer. Contact is at the tips of our fingers. E-mailing has become a favorite way of keeping in touch with friends and family for all peoples around the world, and specifically for expats. This tool has made the expat lifestyle so much more convenient, acceptable and viable. Family, friends and clients are just an email away.

However, emails are no longer enough. Hearing a voice is comforting and needed. It also puts the issue of distance into perspective. Yes, we may be on the other side of the world, but we are truly only a heartbeat or a phone call away. There is nothing better than surprising friends and family with a phone call just to chat or to wish them on special days. Also, in matter emergencies we need to be able to pick up the phone and make that connection without having to pay the earth for it.

Dear expats, we no longer need to worry about the expense of these calls. Can you imagine being able to call someone on the other side of the world and not have to pay for the call, not even a single cent? Believe it or not it is possible. Maybe some of you have heard about Skype and have been too wary to try it. Then again many of you may not have heard of these telephonic services that are readily available to us over the computer. Well, let me inform you that it works, it is cheap and it has changed the level of my communication with people around the world. I use Skype on a daily basis, sometimes three or four times a day. Because of Skype I am in regular phone contact with friends and family, I study internationally and I operate my business on a truly international level.

All you need is a computer. In fact you do not even need to have your own personal computer. Once you have an account set up, you can log into any and make your call. You will, however, need a need a fairly good headset and these do not cost an arm and a leg.

Go to Skype .skype.com and download the program. It takes an easy 10 minutes. Set up your account and you are ready to make your calls. If the other person also has a Skype account, both parties involved do not pay a penny for the call. However, if you are calling to a regular landline or cell phone number you are charged for the call, but at an extremely low and very acceptable rate.

If you want to improve the quality of your communication as an expat, Skype or another such telephonic service, may just be your answer. Why not give it a try?

Quote of the week

” Communication is a skill that you can learn. It ‘ s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you ‘ re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life. ” Brian Tracy

Freebie of the week

Are you experiencing communication difficulties in any one of the following areas? Your expat surroundings. Your job. Your family. If you would like to improve the quality of your communication in one of these areas, please take advantage of this week’s free offer and sign up for a free coaching session. As a coach, I offer you my time and energy as a gift. I will help and support you in finding and putting into practice the tools that will enable you to improve this area of your life. Are you ready to explore?

Are you about to move abroad? Have you considered how hard it is going to hit your purse?

When we consider moving overseas, it is not just about the job and the opportunities. It is also most definitely about how your finances will be affected.

It is important to check out information like the Mercer survey. This helps to calculate which cities are the most expensive in the world to live in. These surveys can give you accurate information and can help you compare costs of living. An important aspect you may want to take into account is how your quality of life will be affected when you move. A higher salary does not necessarily mean a better quality of life. It is not guaranteed that you will be better off.

When you first arrive in a country you may need to be able to pay for things such as rent, set up costs, deposits, a car and others. It is a good idea to have a good amount of emergency reserves of cash for unexpected costs that might arise.

When I made a move from Korea to the USA, I was very thankful that I did have emergency reserves of cash. I needed to buy a car, put a hefty rental deposit down, pay for motel costs for a couple of weeks, deposit cash in order to open a bank account among other things. There are many and often unaccounted for relocation costs that come into play when you move. It is in your best interests to be as prepared as possible.

The best way to get information is to do your homework. Go online and look at some sites, especially expatriate sites. A useful tool is to go to the FORUM boards and see what people have said about living in certain countries. You might even want to start your own forum discussion. Expats are very willing to share their experiences and knowledge.

Once you have gathered your information, the next step is to do your math. Brainstorm with friends about what factors you need to take into account so that you do not miss anything. Factor in education, housing costs, moving and/or storage costs, transport, clothing, household goods and so on.

Moving abroad can have a severe impact on your finances. You need to take this knowledge into account before your move and not afterwards! How prepared are you for your move?

The World ‘ s 10 Most Expensive Cities

Source: Mercer Human resource Consulting, 2005 Cost-of-Living Survey

2005 Ranking

1 Tokyo, Japan

2 Osaka, Japan

3 London, United Kingdom

4 Moscow, Russia

5 Seoul, South Korea

6 Geneva, Switzerland

7 Zurich, Switzerland

8 Copenhagen, Denmark

9 Hong Kong, Hong Kong

10 Oslo, Norway

3 things you need to be prepared for when you relocate

* No one understands you

* No one understands you

* No one understands you

Tip of the week

What is considered enough money when moving? Maybe just a little bit more than you planned on.

Quote of the week

“Beware of the little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.” Benjamin Franklin.

Back home I was always a member of the local badminton club and at a time I was a member of the Weight Watcher’s Club. Both were very effective in my life. I not only got to play my sport, but it served as a large part of my social life. I met some special lifelong friends there. Weight Watchers also served me very well in that it helped me change my perspective on what a healthy diet and exercise lifestyle meant to me and like the many badminton clubs I supported over the years, Weight Watchers was a place where I met many supporting and like-minded people.

I chose to use my positive experiences with clubs when I relocated overseas and got involved with different clubs that suited my interests such as the dance club, the “Learn Korean” club, the singles club, the fitness club and of course last but not least, the badminton club.

I have, however found that too often when expats relocate, they tend to shy away from joining clubs. There may be various reasons namely: being overwhelmed by everything that is happening; being fearful of walking into a new club for the first time; not knowing the language; laziness etc.

But time and time again in the different countries I have been fortunate enough to work and live, I have found joining clubs to be an excellent way to quickly meet diverse groups of people. Clubs offer so many different facilities ranging from playing fields and organised sporting teams, to squash courts and swimming pools. But as already mentioned, joining clubs are not limited to the sports arena. There are book clubs, expat support clubs, cooking clubs, and chess or scrabble clubs, AA clubs, monthly travel clubs, the Rotary club, Toastmasters, the local Lions club and the list goes on.

Many clubs provide food and beverages at good rates and often prepare for special functions such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Guy Fawkes, birthdays or other special days that are celebrated in your home country. Organising a function yourself at a club is also an easy and cheap option.

You could organize a variety of leisure opportunities such as dinners, wine tastings, trivia nights, costume parties, potluck dinners, movie nights, and cultural activities. For couples with children I have found that the majority of clubs are very accommodating and have groups for mothers and their children. They often provide a range of classes and activities starting with ballet or karate classes going all the way through to finger painting afternoons.

And then, please do not forget about your local library! No matter the size, the library is very often the very hub of the community. I am so thankful for all those afternoons when I sat at the library emailing family and friends for hours at a time and for free. Libraries are also more often than not, a great source for all kinds of local information.

If you look close to home, the companies you work for usually offer a wide range of club activities. Make it your business to find out what is available right at your fingertips. Special rates are always made available to staff members.

Joining clubs can be very helpful in making your expat living experience a success.

If you think about it, club hopping may be just the thing you need.

Action Plan for The Week

* Decide which club you want to join.

* Find out all the information and details you need to know.

* Determine a date by which you will commit to signing up.

* Join.

* Have fun!

Quote For The Week

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” Jack London.

Three Club Trivia Questions (true or false)

* Toastmasters was founded in America.

* The motto for the Lions club is “Unity and Strength”

* Rotary clubs are presented in over 100 countries in the world.

Answers:

* True: It was founded in Oct 1924 at the YMCA in Santa Ana, California.

* False: “We serve”

* True: 167 countries to be specific.

***TRIVIA***

All 3 clubs originated in the USA

Expatriate years offer a wonderful time and opportunity to reinvent oneself. As an expatriate you want to hold onto those parts of you that you love and that work for you, no matter where you are. But while you trail around the world, you have the very good fortune to pick up new skills and/or explore hidden ones to add to the tapestry of your life.

Yes, it is true that as an expatriate you do miss your home, friends, family, and the sense of community and security you had before relocating abroad. Traditions that have been part of your life for so long have to take the backseat to new conventions and customs. The “norms” back home are not always quite that current in one’s new host country.

In South Africa I am one of the crowd, in the USA I was the girl with the accent, in Israel I was considered na

What is stress?

Although we tend to think of stress as caused by external issues, issue in themselves are not stressful. It is the way in which we interpret and react to them that makes them stressful. People differ enormously in the type of events they interpret as stressful and the way in which they respond to such stress.

Stress is generally created when the demands made on a person start to exceed that person’s ability, or perceived ability to cope. Essentially a gap is created between what a person needs/wants to do, and what they feel they are able to do.

Many things or even the anticipation of them can lead to stress:

* Pressure to achieve/perform

* Problems at work

* Bullying

* Financial problems

* Arguments

* Family issues

* Divorce

* Bereavement

* Depression

* Unemployment

* Moving house

* Alcohol or drug abuse

Physical Symptoms of Stress may include:

* Tiredness

* Headaches

* Frequent colds

* Trouble sleeping

* Muscular aches/tension

* Nausea

* Sweating, feeling hot and bothered

Emotional and Mental Symptoms of Stress may include:

* Anger

* Anxiety

* Depression

* Irrational fears

* Mood swings

* Irritability

* Frustration

* Poor concentration

* Confusion

* Loss of sense of humour

* Negative thoughts

* Feeling of overwhelmed

* Feeling out of control

* Loss of motivation

Tackling stress

There are many strategies that can help you deal with stress:

* Realise that it is ok to be stressed and cut yourself some slack

* Try to understand what stresses you and why

* Avoid obvious stressful confrontations/situations

* Learn to be more assertive

* Take regular exercise

* Reduce alcohol

* Eat a balanced healthy diet

* Recognise your limits and learn to say no

* Organise your time better

* Keep your work/home space organised and tidy

* Talk to friends or family

* Listen to relaxing music, or read

* Take time out to relax

Alternatively you may benefit complementary therapies like aromatherapy, acupuncture and reflexology.

If your stress level is making it impossible for you to function as normal, it is perhaps worth seeing your GP as extreme or long-lasting stress can be very bad for your health, not to mention your relationships, so it is better to see a doctor sooner rather than later. Your GP can then advise you on the best course of action.

Most people do not take care of themselves. They think it is selfish and self-indulgent.This could not be further from the truth. My experiences have shown me that when I do take care of myself in the ways that I need to, it is only then that I am truly capable of being of real service to someone else. I have also found this to be especially true when one is away from “home” and from expected support systems.

When living abroad there are so many things to be aware of and take care, that it is too easy to forget to take care of oneself.

Have you considered how you can take care of yourself in your new environment? Here are some ideas that may work for you.

* Voice you feelings. Don’t keep them inside you. Share your accomplishments or disappointments with someone you trust. Remember that when you express your feelings, it is then that you can change them.

* Do not compare yourself with others. This kind of jealousy causes self-disgust. Do not think others are better than you. If there is someone you admire, use them as a model to improve yourself.

* Take time to play. Play is any activity that makes you feel good. You not only deserve it, it is essential to a balanced state of well-being.

* Learn to say no. When you become more comfortable with saying no to others you will find that your self-esteem improves. When you then choose to say yes to others, you will want to and you will feel great and energised by your choice.

* Exercise. Go for a walk. Ride a bike. Take the stairs. You don’t need to go to a fancy gym to break a sweat. There is nothing like some physical activity to help shift yourself from a mood of despair to one of hope.

* Remember you are only a human being doing your best . Don’t let others put you high up on a pedestal. When this happens they expect you to be perfect and they feel angry and disappointed when you let them down.

* Please remember to laugh, laugh at everything, especially at yourself. Try it! It is the cheapest and most effective form of medicine for life.

* Practice being an encouraging and kind person. Find 2 people today you can help out in this way. When you do this, you will not only feel amazing, but it will kick up your self-esteem a notch or two.

* Take up a hobby. What is one thing you have always wanted to try out? It could be oil painting, learning a foreign language, taking flying lessons … the list is endless. Creativity helps you unleash a sense of enthusiasm and zest for life.

* Put time aside for your spiritual life. Slow down. Practice sitting quietly. When thoughts crop up, acknowledge them but do not pay attention to them. Be still. Be courageous and if a traditional religion has not been helpful for you follow your own spiritual path.

Action Plan For The Week

As an action plan for the week, how about choosing 3 tips from the list of 10 below? Put them into practice everyday and take note of how it affects your relationships with others. You might just discover that by indulging and taking care of yourself, you are in fact enabling yourself to help others by just being YOU.

Quote Of The Week

“Live life fully while you’re here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You’re going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don’t try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”

Do you ever feel that:

* Your life is out of your control?

* You are not where you could be or want to be?

* You don’t really receive the recognition you deserve?

* You don’t feel safe and secure in your relationships?

* You are often overlooked and undermined?

* You have strong desire but lack belief in your ability or the future?

* You are working harder but can’t seem to make any progress?

* You are frustrated because you can’t seem to break through the barriers in your life

* You are settling for less because it is still better than what other people have?

Do you ever wish that:

* You could have more confidence to do the things you really want to?

* You had more self esteem to stand up for what you believe in?

* You could command respect from your colleagues?

* You could impress others when they meet you?

* You could communicate your ideas with ease?

* You could stand up and speak in public?

What if you could do the above and:

* Eliminate Stress, Fear and Anxiety?

* Reclaim your Health by losing weight, quitting smoking, or dealing with other addictions?

* Improve all of your Relationships?

* Develop your Confidence and Self Esteem?

* Have more control over your life?

* Understand why people see you the way they do?

* Learn how to avoid these problems in the future?

Would you be willing to take the action necessary to bring about these outcomes? Is it just a wish you have, or is it a real desire to change? Have you ever thought “I deserve the best I can get in life and will do whatever it takes to get the best” If you are ready to give yourself the best in life, then please read contact us.

By the way the basic componants of behaviour are:

Be(behaviour)= Feel+Wish+Do

Each of us has a differing capacity of each, some prefer The Feelings (emotions) , some perfer Doing ( action) and other the Wishing( thoughts) , each has a profound cost and pay off. It also determines how you show up in life! And the capacity with which you live it fully,completely without limits. Only to figure that most of the programming to your behaviour happened at an unconcious level before your were even aware it existed. The turth of the matter is, by becoming aware of it you can then do something about it, and one of the best ways is with your Catalyst Coach.

The definition of success may be different for every person, but when getting to grips with the term, essentially it is about who you are, and who you are becoming. It is about living up to your potential and achieving your dreams. Your success is what will bring you a life of contentment, pride and enthusiasm in your accomplishments.

Too often than not though, we make lists of goals we want to achieve, but the list remains on the nightstand or kitchen table. The words do not move from the page and success seems to elude us. Regardless of what success means to you, there are strategies for making it all happen and come true for you. It is not as difficult as it may seem and is not only meant for certain people.

Are there goals you want to reach in your host country? Are there dreams you want to see happen before repatriation? I have spoken to expatriates who had such high hopes of using their years abroad to their fullest potential, but leave the borders feeling deflated and wishing they had used their time more successfully. If this is you right now, you can still make it all happen for you by applying some easy strategies that work if followed consistently and with enthusiasm.

Take action and move. Move both physically and spiritually. It could be as easy as buying a book you have been wanting to read, but get off the couch and move. If you don’t move you fall behind and then it takes double the amount of effort to play “catch up”. In other words - actively pursue your dreams and get into action. Write down your goals. Be as literary as you need to be and put pen to paper writing down in detail exactly what it is you want to achieve and what kind of life you want to live. To ensure that you do not set yourself up for failure, make the goals specific, measurable and hold yourself accountable. You do not have to do this alone, ask a friend, spouse or colleague to help you be accountable if need be and if that works for you. Remain open to possibilities, suggestions and support from others and be creative. Be careful not to shut yourself off to new ideas, new thinking, new challenges and new experiences. One never knows what opportunities may be waiting behind closed doors. Embrace all the “luck” that comes your way once you get into action. It is true that that Life rewards effort exponentially, no matter how small the effort or how challenging the obstacles. So, do not be afraid to visualize your highest goals and stay on a path of action to achieve them.

Suggestion for setting goals

Set goals that are yours and not someone else’s dream for you. It may sound selfish, but it is essential to you following through. Before setting your goals, take time to look at your thoughts and beliefs. Self-awareness is the key to making the best choices.

Some key areas in which you might consider writing your goals, if you have not already, include: family, spirituality, career, interests, lifestyle, financial, self-growth, health and well-being.

Give a plus to each of these areas you are happy with and a minus to each of the areas you are unhappy with at this present time. Choose one of the minus areas you are most unhappy with and make your beginning here. This is your first step to a happier and more successful YOU.

Quote of the week

“Success means having the courage, the determination and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.” George Sheehan