Time You are not a UPS truck. Stop avoiding lifes left turns

Time You are not a UPS truck. Stop avoiding lifes left turnsTime You are not a UPS truck. Stop avoiding lifes left turnsPerhaps youve seen this time-saving hack making the rounds UPS trucks almost never make left-hand turns Should you do the same?Or maybe youve seen thatkitchen time-saving hack pre-soak your pasta, so it cooks quicker Then theres my personal favorite DVR your favorite shows so you can fast-forward through the commercials. You save about eightminutes every half hour, so in the course of watching twohours of TV, you find 32 minutes to exerciseThis is true, but you know another way to find 32 minutes to exercise?Dont watch two hours of TV.Time hacks in general often miss the pointTime hacks maysave minutes here and there, butthose minutesare easily squandered on other things. Its betterto focus on the big picture and do the important stuff first, and the bits of time will take care of themselves.Lets start with those UPS trucks. It makes sense if you have thousands of t rucks making thousands of turns to optimize what you can, but the average person lacks this scale. Rather than reroute to avoid twoleft turns while doing errands, join Amazon Prime and get stuff delivered. That waythose UPS trucks are on the road (avoiding those left turns) rather than you.Youll save much more time by lowering your standards than by any particular strategyI collect old magazines, and one of my favorite time saving tips from a 1960s Good Housekeeping was to use a butter knife to spread wax evenly on your floor waxer. Most of us dont spend a whole lot of time waxing our floors these days,which turns out to save more time than any butter-knife technique. You can fold your towels more efficiently, but if you re-use your towels, youll be doing less laundry and hence less folding. Or you could find a wash-and-fold tafelgeschirr that delivers.You can streamline your morning routine and get an app that sends your order to the coffee place before you get there. But it might be an even bigger win to negotiate to work from home once a week. Yes, you might need to make your own coffee, but youll have plenty of time with the twohours you save.As for the DVR, theres nothing wrong with fast-forwarding through commercials. But I suspect that most people use the eightminutes saved every half hour to watch more TV threeshows when once you only would have been able to watch two. This is certainly efficient, but its not very productive.Think about what you want to do more of with your timePlan the big stuff- the meaningful stuff, the fun stuff- first. Having trouble getting out of work by 7 p.m.? Try getting tickets to a sports event that starts at 7 p.m. You might surprise yourself with how efficient and motivated you are.I used to think I didnt have much time to read. Then I started getting some real page-turners, and wow I found all kinds of time. I didnt actually make more time, but it felt like it.When we build the lives we want, time saves itself.Laura Vand erkam is the author of I Know How She Does It, 168 Hours and What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast.

If you dream about these things, you are a psychopath

If you dream about these things, you are a psychopathIf you dream about these things, you are a psychopathIt was recently reported that people who tend to have dark personality traits such as selfishness, narcissism, and entitlement tend to also put their ambition above all else and all people. Well now it turns out, these people with this dark core or d-factor are probably dreaming about the same things too. New research from the University of Liverpool and the University of Turku in Finland found that if you possess these dark personality traits, theres a good chance you have them when you dream to. The experiment used 300 people and first looked at whether the subjects had the Dark Triad personality traits Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Then they asked them how many times a week they dreamed about behaviors including hitting or killing someone and sexual dreams that included people they knew or groups of people.What your dreams say about youThe study found that the subjects who exhibited the Dark Triad traits had a positive correlation when it came to sexual and violent dreams. Psychopathy and Machiavellianism- a person so focused on their own interests that they will manipulate, deceive, and exploit others to get ahead- were associated with dreams focusing on aggression, while psychopaths and narcissists tended to have more sex dreams. But do note that this was a very small study and having dreams about these subjects does not automatically make you a psychopath. You just may want to cut back on the horror movies this month if you find yourself having lots of violent dreams.

Thank-You Messages, Phrases, and Wording Examples

Thank-You Messages, Phrases, and Wording ExamplesThanksWriting a thank-you note or email message is a lovely gesture to express your appreciation for any occasion. In the business world, athank-you notecould make the difference between getting the job, the client, or the contract,and being passed over. Thank-you notes can solidify the impression you left with the interviewer and make you stand out from the competition. A well-written thank-you note can show your team or colleagues how much their hard work is appreciated, or let your boss know that you value his or herbei support. If you take the time to write a personal thank-you note, it will always be appreciated, regardless of the circumstances. People like to be thanked and they remember those who take the time to send a note or email. Words and Phrases to Use to Say Thank You Whats the best way to show your appreciation? When youre writing a thank-you note, choose a stichwort that fits the reason why you are saying thank you . Take the time to carefully tailor your thank-you notes to fit the circumstances. If someone has helped you at work, on a project, or with a problem, let them know you appreciate the assistance. If you aresending a job interview thank-you note,thank the interviewer for his or her consideration. If someone gave you career advice or a tip on a job opening, tell them you appreciate the guidance or the suggestion. When youre sending a personal thank-you letter or message, simply stating your thanks and appreciation is often all you need to do. Heres a list of phrases to get you started. General Thank-You Phrases These general thank-you phrases can be used for all personal and professional communications. Thank you so much.Thank you very much.I appreciate your consideration /guidance / help / time.I sincerely appreciate My sincere appreciation /gratitude /thanks.My thanks and appreciation.Please accept my deepest thanks.Thank you for your assistance /consideration /encouragement /gu idance /support /thoughtfulness /time. Business Thank-You Phrases Sending a business thank-you note is not only professional its a way to build a relationship with your professional business contacts. I am appreciative of your assistance and look forward to your continuing to work on our account.Many thanks for giving me this opportunity.Thank you for referring individual name to me for services provided.Thank you for referring us to company name.Thanks very much for the assistance you provide my business. It is sincerely appreciated. Personal Thank-You Phrases Use these phrases to let someone know how much you appreciate what they have done for you. I am grateful for your support.I appreciate you.I appreciate your taking the time.I value the insights and guidance you provide.I wanted to thank you as soon as possible.I truly appreciate the confidence you showed in me.I very much appreciate your help.It was very thoughtful of you.Thank you for your assistance.Thank you for ev erything you do.You are always so helpful.You are the best.You have been most helpful.You have my gratitude. Professional and Career-Related Thank-Yous Its always a good idea to thank everyone who has helped with your job search and your career, or provided other professional advice or assistance. I am so very thankful for your time.I appreciate the information and advice you have shared.I sincerely appreciate the assistance.Many thanks for your assistance.Many thanks for your time.Thank you for accepting my connection request.Thank you for connecting with me. Its an honorThank you for the assistance you have provided me during my job search.Thank you for all the help you have given me with my job search.Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I very much appreciate the time you spent discussing career options with me. Thank you for providing me with advice.Thank you for sharing your expertise.Thank you for speaking with me. Your insights were truly helpful.Thank you for sp ending time with me.Thank you for taking time from your schedule to talk to me. Thank You for Your Consideration When youre requesting something from an individual or an organization, be koranvers to add thank you for the consideration to your email or letter. Thank you very much for your consideration.Thank you for your consideration and forthcoming response.Thank you for your consideration and attention to this matter.Thank you for considering my request.I am very grateful for your consideration.I appreciate your consideration, and look forward to hearing from you.Your consideration is sincerely appreciated. Thank You for Help Has someone helped you out? Be sure to take the time to relay your gratitude. I appreciate your help.I am grateful for your help.I am so very grateful for your time.Thank you for such a wonderful contribution.Thank you for taking the time.Thank you for taking the trouble to help me.Thank you for all the helpThank you for your assistance with this mat ter.Thank you so much for the help. Please let me know if I can return the favor.Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank You for a Job Interview Thanking the interviewer after a one-on-one interview not only shows your appreciation. Its also a reminder that youre a strong candidate for the job. I appreciate having the opportunity to speak with you today about the job title at company name.I appreciate the time you and the company name team spent interviewing me.I appreciate your time and consideration in interviewing me for this punkt.I enjoyed speaking with you about the opportunity to work with your company.I greatly or, sincerely appreciate the time you took to interview me.I sincerely enjoyed meeting with you to discuss the job title opening.I would like to thank you and your staff for the opportunity to meet with you. Many thanks for the opportunity to meet with you.Thank you for speaking with meabout the job title position at company name.Thank you for the courtesy you ext ended to me during my interview. Thank You for Providing a Reference or Referral Reference writing can be labor-intensive, and it can also take time to refer someone for a job. Your connections will appreciate receiving a thank-you email or message. I appreciate your taking the time to write a reference for me.I really appreciate the reference you gave to company name on my behalf.Thank you for taking the time to provide me with a reference.Thank you very much for recommending me for the position.Thank you for referring me for the job at company name.Thank you so very much for referring me for the job title position at company name.Thank you so much for putting me in touch with individual name at company name.Thank you so much I really appreciate it Workplace Thank-You Phrases Bosses and employees love to be thanked, especially when they do something extra. I really appreciate the effort you have contributed to your teams project.I sincerely appreciate your flexibility and willingness to help.I wanted to express my personal gratitude for the effort and extra time you have contributed.Thank you for your confidence and support.Thank you for your help. Im thrilled to have you on our team.Thank you for always going above and beyond.Thank you for proving what it means to be part of a team.Thank you so much for meeting with me yesterday regarding the project Im working on. How you end your message or note is important, too. Aprofessional closinglike Sincerely, Best regards, or With appreciation will add a nice finishing touch to your communication. The Benefits of Sending a Thank-You Note When youre job searching, youll have many different opportunities tosay thank youto those who help you, and to prospective employers. For example, when youwrite a thank-you note after an interview, the gesture shows appreciation for the employers interest, time, and attention, reiterates your enthusiasm and interest in the job opening, and reminds the employer about y our qualifications and experience. Thank-you notes are a good opportunity to bring up something you may have forgotten to mention during the interview, orto follow up with additional information that the employer has requested. Usually, an interviewer will explain next steps in the process and when to expect to hear back from the company. If they did not discuss this, or you have yet to hearfrom them, use your thank-you letter as an occasion to follow up. Doing so in athank-you note can express your gratitude and show your unwavering interest inthe position while simultaneously checking in on the process. Review Thanks Thank-you notes can be handwritten, typed, oremailed, depending on preference and circumstance.Thanking someone for acting as a referencefor you, or forletting you shadow them at their job,doesnt require the swift delivery that an interview thank-you would (where the hiring process is going to move along quickly,requiring you to send your thanks immediately after your interview). Timing is almost as important as what you say. An email will make an immediate impression. Thats key if youre in contention for a job, especially at a medium-sized to large company. If time isnt of the essence, consider sending a handwritten card or note. That gives the reader a tangible reminder of your appreciation. A small business or a colleague may look kindly on a handwritten note, while a corporate contact will probably expect, and prefer, an emailed note. Review thesethank-you note samplesfor a variety of situations, and then choose an appropriate phrase to include in your personalized thank-you note.

Convert Your Word Doc into a Plain-Text Resume

Convert Your Word Doc into a Plain-Text ResumeConvert Your Word Doc into a Plain-Text ResumeWord.docs look terrible as plain-text files if you just change the extension. Follow these steps to ensure your formatting meets best practices no matter what version youre using.If youve spent time carefully selecting the right font for your resume, aligning the margins and crafting a clean outline of justified section titles and subtitles, the last thing you want to do is render the whole thing in plain text. But thats just what you need to do, said several resume-writing experts, including Barbara Safani, owner of the career-management firm Career Solvers and Job-Hunt.org.Once they have the content of their resume prepared, job seekers must create an alternate, plain-text, internet-ready version of their resumes for those occasions when it is requested, and it often is.Many online job boards and corporate application sites will only read plain-text formats like ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) that dont recognize fancy formatting like bullet points, fonts, margins, or bold or italicized text. Furthermore, cutting and pasting your resume from a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF document into an e-mail will result in a mess of disjointed lines and passages that dont make sense without the bold or italics, tabs and bullet points meant to platzset them apart.Just changing the extension of your resume file doesnt change its format and make it magically ready for plain text. The document must be recast to adjust for the elements that relied on design to communicate. Below are the steps necessary to transform your resume into a plain-text file.Saving your Word resume as ASCII text1. Open a simple text editing program such as Notepad (on the PC, under Start Programs Accessories Notepad) or SimpleText on the Mac.2. Start Word or whatever word-processing program you use.3. Open the resume file. Double-check spelling and grammar, particularly if youve made any changes.4. Highlight all the text in the document.5. Copy the highlighted text into your Clipboard.6. Switch to the Notepad or SimpleText editor.7. Paste the copy of the resume file into a new editor window.7. Save the document as plain text with line breaks.8. Set the document page at 60 characters per line.9. Omit bolding, italics and underlining from document.10. Check for any symbols that were inadvertently changed during the conversion process (e.g. a bullet point will become an asterisk*).11. Remove tabs, columns and bullets and again save the document with line space breaks.12. Use spaces rather than tabs to line up text in the document.13. To make text stand out, use white spaces and/or full capitalization, or frame section titles with characters such as equal signs (=), the underscore key (__) or asterisks (*)

Finding the Best Dates on Resume

Finding the Best Dates on Resume You would like your employer to understand what you did in your prior jobs, but you dont will need to incorporate the kitchen sink. An outdated resume could signify the difference between an acceptable job and the fruchtwein suitable job that results in a fulfilling career. Be certain to tailor your resume to the particular industry or job type that you are trying to get. Recruiters wish to know if youre likely to be a very good fit for the job. If you believe youre safe when you get the job, think again. For that reason, it might bedrngnis be essential to list all your part-time, unrelated jobs. For example, if you have a substantial employment gap since your final position, you might want to use a functional resume rather than a chronological one. More than 15 decades of experience When you get started including jobs from before 2000, you begin to eliminate the hiring managers interest. Along with losing your present job, you can find it even more challenging to locate future employment as you own a termination for cause on your employment record. Generally, its far better include either the month and year, or only the year. Even employers that would like to provide great references are hesitant, worried the policy that permits them to reward decent work could return and bite them when a lousy employee requires a referral. The three most typical mistakes that could continue to keep your resume hidden from recruiters are also the simplest to repair. In the event you should submit an entirely skills-based resume for employment without listing any employment dates, you probably wouldnt get a callback from the employer because its evident youre hiding something. Sometimes people have several jobs that overlap. A Startling Fact about Dates on Resume Uncovered For example, Wendys capacity to plan and price all facets of a 75-entree menu reveals her organizational skill which is vital in teaching. Your own agenda, howev er noble it can be, ought to be de-emphasized in the application practice. So lets examine some methods to compose aggressive, up-to-the-minute resumes that truly SELL you. If you compose the day, month, and year for a single date, then use the exact same format throughout the remainder of the resume. Application forms might also request a record of previous addresses and for information which you would rather not reveal, like a record of convictions. If thats the case, then the functional resume format could be perfect. Have a peek at these examples to select which format is most suitable for you. The narrative format enables you to control the information that you provide. 1 thing you shouldnt do is lie about your dates of prior employment to attempt to cover gaps. Instead, the majority of people elect for a straight functional resume as a means to hide the gaps. In an age of internet access and proactive networking, they can find the name of someone with whom theyve work ed. Its too simple for a typo to happen whenever someone is emailing you and its going drive people crazy.After all, youre going to obtain work. Job candidates might stretch the truth by employing vague terms to spell out their abilities and experience. Its essential that you consider how relevant and important older parts of work experience are to the jobs that you are presently on the lookout for. Having 10 decades of experience at your manager-level job usually means far more than six months. Moreover, its better if youve got an opportunity to inform your references ahead of time a future employer may be calling. If youre planning to change significantly summarize your long work career in one paragraph. If it is not pertinent to the job that youre applying for, it is a waste of space and a waste of the businesss time. You start writing a functional resume by specifying the skills the employer is searching for. The Key to Successful Dates on Resume Dates of employment ou ght to be on the exact same line as the company name, but on the appropriate side of the webpage. Employers need accurate and present information. Youve worked hard to set up a distinguished career. To begin with, you always wish to include things like all former employment on your resume.

Who Else Is Misleading Us About Samples of Writing about Certificate Sourse in Resume?

Who Else Is Misleading Us About Samples of Writing about Certificate Sourse in Resume? If you would like the quickest approach to enhance your writing, sign up now. When you start writing the resume, select the resume based on your profession. From grammar to formatting and strategy, you will learn all you want to stand out as an authority in the area. You might need several unique versions of your or CV because of the particular position for which youre applying. Details of Samples of Writing about Certificate Sourse in Resume A CV is your opportunity to show an employer what youve got, therefore weve designed a course that will provide you with comprehensive guidance on CV writing, so that you can get the job that you want. For example, a candidate who wants to make an application for work in IT will have a different resume to an individual who is applying for employment in music field. When you submit an application for a job there are lots of other candidates who want to find the exact job and submit resume for the exact same. Normally, your latest job should take up the largest space on the webpage. As soon as you schliff the most in-depth program in the business, so theres no continuing education requirement. Everything in your resume needs to be simple to read and simple to comprehend. Earn accredited on-line masters degree in nursing while youre on the job, at home or even on vacation. Its possible for you to arrange the program work to fit your personal or company activities. The Start of Samples of Writing about Certificate Sourse in Resume Alas, many job seekers become overwhelmed before they even begin. One of the principal things theyll be on the lookout for is required certifications. For instance, if youre asking for a job for a network analyst, you dont need to list your house health-aide certification. Your resume will be completed in agreement with the deadline. Samples of Writing about Certificate Sourse in Resume Secret s Resume writing samples provided will provide you with a peek into the sort of resume you want to have according to your profession. Once our writer receives all the essential information, you dont have anything to be concerned about anymore. The capability to compose a great essay is a foundational block that may unlock several opportunities. Regardless of the simple fact there are quite a few how-to articles out there, resumes arent simple to write.

The Sensible Strategy for a Job-Hopping Career

The Sensible Strategy for a Job-Hopping Career The Sensible Strategy for a Job-Hopping Career To create a strategic job-hopping plan, candidates should consider six tactics (and inherent caveats)1. Know How Each Job Change Will BenefitYouBefore making a move, have an explicit understanding of what the new position will add to your skill set, experience base, mastery, maturity, and personal satisfaction. Dont just go with the flow.2. Every Move Must Be Explainable after the FactIf you job hop regularly, you need to have an explanation for each move that will be credible to future employers. Saying It seemed like the right thing to do at the time wont convince even the fruchtwein sympathetic interviewers. If, looking back, youre not sure why you made a questionable job change, create a defense based on your current career plans and be prepared to sell it.3. Job Hopping Should Be All about LearningNumerous moves arent disastrous if they reflect a master plan, but frequent moves where you dont have time to develop new skills raise red flags. Plan to remain in each job at least 18 months.4. Your Last Job Is Who You Are to Potential EmployersHiring managers are going to assume that your most recent job reflects what you want to do with your life. Unless you tell a different story on your resume and in interviews, others will assume that your most recent job reflects your professional identity.5. Some Jobs Can Raise SkepticismBe careful that an interim job doesnt create an impression that you are no longer accepting new challenges and responsibilities. Taking on a lower-level assignment to learn new skills is fine, but be prepared to explain your rationale to prospective employers.6. Understand Opportunity CostsWhen considering a position, focus on what you may be giving up before considering what you could gain. For example, by transferring to a staff job from line management, you may jeopardize your ability to return to line management once youve developed new tal ents. Dont allow yourself to be pigeonholed into a single position.Ultimately, you must be sure your heart is in the right place. By mapping out a strategy that adds critical skills to your portfolio with a specific goal in mind, your job-hopping adventure can eventually lead to a well-paying, fulfilling position. You should build new skills where ever you are, whenever you can but you need to be willing to change jobs, possibly multiple times, to reach your career goals. Itmakes a lot of sense to think several jumps ahead before making a move.

Are you stuck in the Shallow of life Heres how to get out

Are you stuck in the Shallow of life Heres how to get outAre you stuck in the Shallow of life Heres how to get outMy wife and I recently saw the movie A Star Is Born, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. The movie follows a hard-drinking, country music star (Cooper) who discovers and falls in love with a young, undiscovered singer (Gaga).The movie is a remake of several earlier versions. My wife and I thought it was terrific. In one scene, Lady Gagas character impresses the country music star (Cooper) by singing a song she has written. They later perform the song together on stage. Heres a trailer of that sceneBesides the fact that Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga sing beautifully together, what I love about the song is the lyrics. They contain an important question for all of us, as well as the promise of transcendence.Are you happy in this modern world?The duet that Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga sing is called, Shallow. It opens with Cooper playing guitar and singing the following lyr icsTell me somethin, girlAre you happy in this modern world?Or do you need mora?Is there somethin else youre searchin for?Lady Gaga responds with the following lyricsTell me something, boyArent you tired tryin to fill that void?Or do you need more?Aint it hard keepin it so hardcore?And finally, Lady Gaga belts out the bridge to the song, with the followingIm off the deep end, watch as I dive inIll never meet the groundCrash through the surface where they cant hurt usWere far from the shallow nowHow about you? Are you happy in this modern world? Are you far from the shallow? Its an important question because, lets face it, life can be hard.Even Bradley Coopers character in the movie, despite all his fame and fortune, isnt happy. He escapes with liquor. Hes stuck in the shallow of life.Drowning in the deep end of lifeWhen were young, most of us get to experience several of lifes milestones. Stuff like getting ur drivers license. High school graduation. Turning 18 and being able to vot e. Turning 21 and being able to hit the brewery.For many, there is college and/or career beginnings. Marriage, maybe kids. Work promotions. Life has a structure and trajectory to it. We keep moving along, and dont feel mired in the shallow of life. Weve learned how to swim.But then we start to age. The milestones of life slow down a bit. Divorces and layoffs can happen. Health challenges. We may not be in the shallow end of life anymore, but diving into the deep end brings its own hardships.Ive written about this before. The notion that diving in the deep end means there is a lot of water above you, bearing down. And water has weight.The deeper you swim, the more pressure there is. Kinda like the longer you live, the greater the weight of all those years behind you. It can sometimes feel like youre drowning in the deep end of life.This difficult season in many peoples lives is often referred to as a mid-life crisis.Its a period when youthful looks are beginning to fade. The guy who was the football captain in college is now battling a beer gut and receding hairline. The gal who was a popular cheerleader in high school is noticing crows feet around her eyes and dimples on her thighs.Time is not gentle. Doubts about our accomplishments and lifes purpose can start to gnaw away at our minds.She has become invisibleAuthor Doris Lessing (the 11th woman and oldest person ever to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature) explored this midlife crisis issue in her moving novel, The Summer Before Dark.A review on Amazon.com noted that the book is a brilliant excursion into the terrifying gulf between youth and old age.The novels main character is Kate Brown, an attractive, intelligent, 45-year-old, married woman with a house in the London suburbs and three grown children.Over the summer, her life changes substantially. Her husband leaves for a conference in the states, and she takes a location as an interpreter. She has an affair with a much younger man, and later she bec omes quite ill.Writer Joan Gage, referring to the novel in an article in the Huffington Post, recounts what happens nextBy the time shes well enough to get out of bed, Kate has lost 15 pounds, her clothes hang on her, her dyed red hair is coming out gray at the roots and her face has aged dramatically. As she weakly walks around London, even passing her own house, where her best friend doesnt recognize her, Kate realizes that, by suddenly aging from an attractive, stylish, curvy redhead into a skeletal old hag in baggy clothes, she has become invisible.Clearly, Kate has not developed a strong interior life to weather the rigors of aging. She hasnt learned how to transcend vanity and drink from the deeper wells of love, friendship, good books and more mindful living.An article in the website Honeygood.com notesWhen you are emotionally fulfilled, you become a visible woman. You feel your step has a bounce and your laughter is contagious. You stand erect with great posture, with your h ead held high. You know you are respected by your husband, your family and your peers who see your relevancy, not your looks.Subtler means of beingThe reality is that well all get there, at one time or another. Well all confront our diminishing looks, career obsolescence, invisibility or general sense of irrelevancy.So what do we do? How do we inoculate or rescue ourselves from the shallow of life? How do we cope with these unwanted challenges and realities of middle age and beyond?Develop a strong interior life.A strong interior life involves slowing down enough to read, think, reflect and embrace a contemplative practice. Its the complete opposite of todays 24/7 pace. Its about shutting off all those glowing devices and social media rabbit holes.Each of us have an intimate conversation going on within ourselves. Weve been doing it all our lives. That voice inside you, checking in. Questioning. Congratulating. Doubting. Worrying. Rejoicing.When was the last time you really had a th oughtful conversation with yourself? The real you?From Native American and Eastern spiritual traditions to todays monotheistic religions and secular, mindfulness movements, human beings have sought purpose and meaning.Developing an interior life is all about enriching the mind and soul. For some, it is a spiritual conversation. For others, it may be a metaphysical examination. Pragmatists may scoff and call it navel gazing, until the full weight of life slams them into reconsidering bigger questions.Developing an inward life of balance, enrichment and reflection is how we inoculate ourselves against the slings and arrows of worldly life. The unending march of daily living, with its commitments, responsibilities and worries, stifles our ability to align with subtler means of being.Forever in the shallowsAccording to an article in Psychology TodaySpiritual traditions have always insisted on maintaining the depth and dimensionality of life. They have developed practices to ensure that this occurs including meditation, contemplation and various forms of self-reflection. With the loss of religion more generally we have also lost these safeguards against staying forever in the shallows.The article goes on to noteThe importance of creating both time and space for solitude was recognized across the worlds traditions and viewed as essential for psychological well-being and personal growth. Though the modes of self-cultivation varied these were linked to the ability to think deeply and to access higher modes of consciousness fostering positive states such as attitudes of compassion and gratitude.Monks and religious ascetics who choose a monastic life have always fascinated me. People like the monk James Finley. Perhaps theyre ahead of us, having figured out how to transcend the noise of daily life?James Finley, Ph.D, lived as a monk at the secluded Trappist monastery of the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, where the world-renowned monk and author Thomas Merton was his s piritual mentor.The Psychology Today mentions Finley in the following quoteCommenting on the lack of space for introspection in contemporary life, James Finley argues that Its the crises of our age, the loss of the interior of our lives.An inside jobI recently read Anne Lamotts new book, Almost Everything - Notes On Hope. Ever the eloquent writer, Lamott makes a better argument than I for why we need to develop a strong, interior lifeThere is almost nothing outside you that will help in any kind of lasting way, unless you are waiting for a donor organ. You cant buy, achieve or date serenity. Peace of mind is an inside job, unrelated to fame, fortune or whether your partner loves you. Horribly, what this means is that it is also an inside job for the few people you love most desperately in the world. We cannot arrange lasting safety or happiness for our most beloved people. They have to find their own ways, their own answers.If developing your interior life sounds foreign to you, he re are a few suggestions that might help.Learn how to meditate. There are countless online resources to teach you the basics of proper posture and breathing.Read broadly about how to develop a contemplative world view. Authors like Thomas Merton and the Dalai Lama may be helpful.If you are religious, incorporate prayer into your daily routine. The act of praying can help you think about loved ones, yourself, others, and how to establish a stronger inner life and relationship with God.Start keeping a journal, and tischset aside quiet time to write daily about your life, thoughts, feelings and personal growth.Embrace nature. Getting outdoors, breathing fresh air, and enjoying exercise in the great outdoors can help you appreciate life more.Make time for quiet and stillness. This can be at home, in your car, or anywhere where you can take time to contemplate, reflect and center yourself.Daydream. We did this as children, but somehow abandon it in adulthood as a time waster. Daydreams c an uncover solutions and deeper meaning in our lives.Make your creative passions more of a priority. Heres a helpful quote along those linesAspire to live quietly, mind your own affairs and work with your hands. -1 Thessalonians 411Help others. When we embrace kindness and humility towards others, good things happen. We become less selfish and egocentric. We worry less about vanity and wealth, and our sense of well-being and interior life improve.Forgive. They say that anger is a hot coal. You can throw it at the person youre angry with, but the coal still burns your hand. Forgiveness is a gift we give others, and ourselves. Its not always easy, but well worth it.Acceptance. Learn to accept the things you cannot change and focus on the things you can.Superficial thingsIm no authority on how best to develop a strong, fulfilling, interior life. Maybe some of you are experts and can add to this essay. I only know that vanity, jealousy, comparison, and egocentrism do not serve us well i n life. And unfortunately, so much of American culture is marinating in these superficial things (not to mention many other cultures).If we fail to develop our intellectual curiosity, which is a part of a healthy, interior life, then we are left with more shallow tools to sustain us as we age. The Internet, television, movies, and social media all have their place (in moderation). Theres nothing wrong with healthy entertainment, but such things arent enough to develop a strong, interior life.Our looks will fade and our bodies will slowly fail us. If we dont learn how to develop a strong interior life, aging will be harder, and we might find ourselves marooned in the shallow of life.Better to develop your inner life, and thereby live the words sung by Lady GagaIm off the deep end, watch as I dive inIll never meet the groundCrash through the surface where they cant hurt usWere far from the shallow nowBefore you goIm John P. Weiss. I paint landscapes, draw cartoons and write about life . Thanks for readingThis article first appeared on Medium.

Whats your leadership style

Whats your leadership styleWhats your leadership styleBecoming a great leader can be as simple as adapting the right style.If you are in a leadership position or are about to be, takea look at some of these successful leadership styles. While some people adopt just one, many peopleusea combination of styles.Democratic. This approach includesall members of the kollektiv when it comes to decision-making. While the leader ultimately makes the final decision, each member gets a say in how they think things should be done. unterstellung types of leaders try to inspire creativity and critical-thinking within the team. One of the downsides to this style is that it can take longer to come to a final decision, which can be detrimental when there are tight deadlines. Autocratic. This isa dictator type of leadership. When an autocraticleader makes a decision, they usuallydont ask for input from team members. There is one clear leader who makes the decisions, withteam members setting expectation s and direction. While things can be accomplished more quickly with this leadership style, it often squashes creativity andout-of-the-box thinking.Coaching. Theseleaders tend to think of themselves as mentors. They spend a lot of one-on-one time with employees to help improve their performance and create goals they feel connected to. This type of style is best foremployees who are seeking professional development and show initiative. However, some team members may feel as if theyare being micromanaged. Laissez-Faire. This is a hands-off type of leadership. The leader sets goals and expectations from the team and then gives them space to get their work done. Team members have total freedom to set their own deadlines and milestones. When needed and asked for, the leader steps in to offer help or advice. This style of leadership works bestwithanexperienced team and can be very effective with regular feedback andperformance reviews.Pacesetting. This type of leader clearly lays out high standards for performance andconstantly raises the bar. This style can be good in that it keeps team members on their toes when it comes to productivity. Butemployees always feel like they are being asked for more, whichcan lead to decreased morale. This leadership style can beeffective, when used sparingly and in conjunction with other styles.