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Why do some folks get hired and promoted faster than others - or seem to get their way more easily in other aspects of life? It is not just due to hard work and good luck. According to new studies, confidence is what gives successful people that extra edge.

Confident people are simply more likely to seek out opportunities and ask for what they deserve. Check out these easy ways to feel great about yourself.

Believe your compliments.
Have you ever received a compliment and dismissed it, downplayed it or even argued against it? Each time you diminish a compliment, you lose out on a feel-good mood boost and you send a subconscious message that perhaps they should not compliment you.

Next time you get a compliment, simply answer.
Thank you - period. No arguing or giving a compliment in return. See if you feel happier and more capable!

Do one thing at a time.
It is a fact that we are wired to handle several tasks at one time but just because we can doesn’t mean we should. When no one task has your full attention, you typically have to repeat several steps in order to finish each task properly - making you less efficient and leading to frustration that can take a real toll on your self-confidence.

Dare to go slow.
Focus your attention on one thing at a time. If you are tempted to multitask just remind yourself of this: two tasks half done are useless compared to one task completed 100%.

Schedule downtime.
Find it hard to relax when there is something unfinished? Join the crowd! Studies show we tend to consider ourselves “on call” 24/7. Giving yourself some downtime makes you more productive overall. Pushing yourself constantly without a break just leads to stress and burnout.

Set a fixed time when you will “shut off” - no matter what. Turn off the cellphone, do not check emails and give yourself some relax time without feeling guilty. You will be better and more successful for it.

Trust your instincts.
When you have to make a decision, do you tend to weigh all the options - over and over again? When it comes to big decisions a study suggests you’ll do better not to think too hard and go with your gut. Your subconscious brain needs almost no time to process all your experiences that relate to a particular situation and come up with a smart course of action. Drawing out the process rarely leads to better outcomes.

Next time you have to make a decision, quickly narrow your options to two, and then give yourself a time limit - say 5 minutes - to weigh the pros and cons and then let your instincts be the tiebreaker. The more often you do this, the more confident you will be in general, not only when it comes to decision.

Close your eyes and visualize yourself succeeding at a really difficult task. If, in your mind, you can confidently ask for a raise or give a perfect speech, you’re more likely to accomplish the goal in real life, experts say.

You’ve been hearing about “going green” and how you can help the environment while protecting your family from toxins. But too often, that has meant paying more for everyday necessities. Here are some ways to go green without breaking the bank.

Sweeten your house with beeswax. Many scented candles are made with chemicals that, when burned, emit toxins into the air, including cancer-causing carcinogens.

Experts advise buying pure beeswax candles. They have a sweet nontoxic scent, and create negative ions, neutralizing impurities in the air. They last five times longer than regular candles.

Filter air without a filter. Indoor pollution levels can be more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels, particularly when the windows are closed. While a HEPA filter can clean your air, they can cost over $100 each. The typical houseplant can remove up to 87% of indoor air toxins within 24 hours. The most effective ones are spider plants, mums and Gerbera daisies.

Plug in everything here. Your phone charger, computer, iPod docking station, DVD player; all sap electricity whenever they are plugged in, even if they are not in use. The average home has 30 of these devices consuming energy right now - padding the monthly electric bill as much as 15%.

Get back more than $100 a year just by plugging them into a power strip. Simply shut off the power strip with a single flip of a button.

Would you like to be greeted by a fresh scent when you open your front door? It’s easy - and guaranteed to lift your spirits.

Be picky about cleaning products. They’re the baseline of your home’s fragrance. Those made with natural ingredients have light, fresh scents - with no chemical after smell.

Invite nature inside. Fresh flowers and herbs have gentle fragrances that are stimulating, never overwhelming. And they’re easy to change, so you’ll never tire of them. Boost your mood with essential oils. Choose a favorite and dab a drop onto a light bulb (heat spreads the scent) or add to a bowl of dried flower petals.

A Scent secret. Flower, fruit and herbal scents are all ideal for your living room. Perfume a cotton ball with a drop of rose geranium oil, wrap in a paper towel and tuck behind your sofa cushions.

Beauty in the bath. Scented soaps, oils and lotions will permeate your bath with your personal fragrance. Add sweet-smelling flowers for extra freshness.

Peaceful bedroom. The sanctuary of your bedroom is the perfect place to indulge yourself. Proven sleep-enhancing scents are lavender, jasmine and vanilla.

Food and soap scum can really gunk up a dishwasher.
Cleaning the dishwasher isn’t something we tend to think of, but debris builds up over time which reduces its performance. Here are a few tips that’ll help keep your dishwasher in tip-top shape:

1. Get rid of Gunk. - Clean the filter to get rid of caked on food and other debris to help with drainage and general cleaning.   2. Clean Up. - Pour a cup of white vinegar into your dishwasher to wash away grease, grime and calcium deposits. 3. Freshen Up. - Sprinkle a cup of baking soda along the bottom of your dishwasher then run it on a short, hot cycle. 4. Accessories. - Don’t forget about the racks and cutlery baskets as they can also accumulate grease and food pieces.

Your garage vehicle door may be the largest moving object in your home and could weigh up to 400 pounds. For your safety make sure it’s in good condition.

Overhead garage doors have gravity to deal with. In the absence of some type of balancing mechanism, the door would slam shut as soon as you let go of it. Older garage doors may employ a weight and pulley system to balance the weight of the door however virtually all modern systems use springs. Regardless of the method used, the door should balance. If you open the garage door about half way and let go, it should balance there.

Spring failure
The springs used to balance the weight of the door are under enormous stress. If a spring were to break, flying pieces of metal could cause serious injury. Modern spring systems incorporate safety features to prevent flying metal in the event of a spring failure. Extension springs should have a cable running down the middle of the spring to contain the spring upon failure.

Automatic opener
Automatic door openers are not a replacement for a properly balanced door. The opener is not powerful enough to lift the entire weight of the door. The opener works with the help of the springs or counter balance system.

An automatic garage door opener should stop and reverse on meeting an obstruction.

Many systems manufactured prior to 1982 may stop but not reverse, these older systems should be upgraded. Today, some form of external entrapment protection is required. An electric eye is the most common system used. If your garage door opener does not have an electric eye system, you may be able to upgrade it without replacing the entire system.

Emergency release
During a power failure the garage door may be impossible to open. Most automatic garage door openers have an emergency release to disengage the garage door from the opener. Once disengaged, you can open the door by hand. It is usually a short rope hanging from the unit. Pulling the rope disengages the door from the automatic door opening mechanism.

From poodles to Shih Tzus, every dog has its own personality, and the breed you love best can say a lot about your personality. Research consistently proves that people attribute certain characteristics to you based on which breed you own.

For insight into how people see you, just find your best friend below.

If your best friend is a…

Terrier: You’re an ambitious innovator.

Labrador Retriever: You’re a relaxed person.

Poodle-esque Pooch: You’re an adaptable smarty.

Sporting Dog: You’re serenity plus strength.

Toy Dog: You’re a cosmopolitan sophisticate.

Freshen your home the natural way and let the spring air enhance your living space.

1. Erase the trace. Cooked a strong smelling dish? Simmer some lemon slices in a pot of water to freshen your kitchen.

2. Twice as nice. Deodorize your carpet and vacuum cleaner - instantly. Sprinkle baking soda, wait overnight and vacuum up the smells the next day.

3. Cure your cutting board. Soap won’t lift some food smells, but parsley will. Chop a few sprigs of parsley and rub the pieces over the board then rinse.

• Keep it in good shape: Your garage door will always require periodic lubrication and adjustment. An overhead garage door that is poorly maintained may pose a threat to your safety.   • Pinch hazard: Sectional overhead garage doors pose a pinch hazard to fingers. Never put your fingers in the space between door sections to close the door, use the provided handles. • Security: The remote control for your automatic opener is like a key to your garage. When you move into a home, you should change the remote control settings just as you would change the locks on your doors. • Educate children: Kids need to know that garage doors are dangerous. Mount the door activation button five feet from the ground, out of reach.

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Is your power of mind really so great that you can condition it to achieve anything you want, such as gaining more profits and finding your desired relationship? What exactly are mind power secrets and is there any way that you can unlock these secrets to help attain success.

Over the years, there have been numerous studies done to prove the power of our minds and the results have been positive. If you have yet to discover the keys to these secrets, this article may be a life-changing experience for you!

The Potentials of Your Power of Mind.
Expert’s studies have discovered that there are actually a lot of untapped potentials in the power of the mind. When you are able to tap into these untouched potentials, the economic, social and personal achievements you can gain are immeasurable.

Unlocking Your Power of Mind.
• Get a professional to guide you through the whole process.
• Purchase and activate a basic power of mind resource or book. It will serve to unlock the powers of your mind.

What are some of these basic mind power principles?

1. Practice Makes Perfect.
The more positive mind exercises you do by meditating and reflecting upon your positive potentials, goals and dreams, the better life you will create.

Take a few moments each day to just think positive thoughts. Thoughts of what you hope to achieve in life. Over time, you will find your negative thoughts and energies will disappear and be replaced with the positive thoughts.

2. Positive Thinking.
You will need to ensure that both your conscious and subconscious minds are positive in believing that you really can achieve your dreams. So, starting from now, start visualizing in your mind your dream life and positively believe you can achieve it. Eliminate all negative thoughts as soon as they creep into your mind.

3. Healthy Physical Self.
Although you only need to use your mental self when you are using your mind power, you must still have a healthy body in order to achieve success. If you are too sickly, your mental self will be affected by the pain and sufferings. Thus, learn to relax and heal your physical self. Once you have done that, your mental power will be strengthened.

The only person who can unlock the potentials to your power of mind is yourself.
If you want to get out of debt and skyrocket your life and business profits, you can do so once you have successfully unlocked your mind powers.

Apply the steps mentioned above and venture on your way to attaining the success in life you were meant to have.

Mak Stella
www.powerofmindtips.com

With the cost and hassle of replacing central heat, a lot of people are investing in space heaters.

Whole-Room vs. Personal Heater:
Select the Right One.
An electric space heater that is too large for an area will consume lots of energy and lead to higher utility bills. Buying a portable heater rated for a small space and expecting it to cover a large area will make it work harder to heat the space.

Tip-Over Protection
A heater with a tip-over or tilt-over switch will automatically shut off if tipped over for any reason.

Pick the Right Place
Install at least 3 feet away from furniture, window treatments, bedding, clothing, rugs, and other combustibles.

Directly Plug into an Outlet
Sufficient power capacity is required. An extension cord increases the chance of overheating.

Regularly Inspect and Maintain Your Purchase
Frequently clean and maintain the heater to ensure safety. Wipe down the heater to reduce the amount of dust and allergens that may be dispersed.

Shut Off and Unplug
When leaving an area, disconnect the portable space heater or buy one with an automatic programmable timer.

Keep Heaters Away From Water
Refrain from running a heater in a bathroom or a humid basement. Moreover, do not touch the heater if you are wet or have wet hands, as this increases the risk of electrical shock.

The relaxing experience one gets at a quality hotel or resort is designed right into the rooms to make a stay as rewarding as possible. For those who like the feeling of being in a five-star hotel room and would like to re-create that experience in their own homes, here are a few simple tips.

Your bedroom is the room in your house you spend the most time in every day. You’ll love having a peaceful oasis to retreat to at the end of the day and wake up to each morning.

Bedrooms should not multitask. Banish all furniture beside the bed, a chair, nightstands and a dresser. No exercise equipment, desks, computers, sewing tables, etc.

Insulate for sound. Fabric or paper wall coverings and carpets help. Double-paned or triple-paned glass windows will minimize outside sounds.

Control the lighting for sleep and romance. Dimmable lamps create a warm, romantic environment. Layered window treatments give you options for both privacy and light.

Reduce clutter and make your bed every day. Seeing the tops of the nightstands and dressers makes the bedroom feel clean, and a well-made bed looks luxurious and inviting.

Give yourself some luxurious touches. Place a special robe or pair of cozy slippers at your bedside.

These quick tips from the National Safety Council are geared to keep you safe in and around your bathroom.

1. Use non-slip bathmats or appliques in the shower.   2. Prevent trips by purchasing an adhesive, non-slip rug mat. 3. Make the entrance to the shower or bathtub easily accessible with a bath step or a walk-in tub. 4. Install grab bars by the toilet to assist in safely getting up and down. 5. Plug in nightlights in and around the bathroom. 6. Switch to liquid soap or soap-on-a-rope to avoid reaching and bending over. 7. Add a hand-held shower nozzle. 8. Make sure the shower door swings outward in case of a fall.

Residential electric heating systems are clean, nearly one-hundred percent efficient, and easy to maintain. Fossil fuel would be cheaper and more efficient to burn directly in your home. Except for one mitigating factor: delivery of the fossil fuel to the home comes at a cost. In remote areas where the delivery costs of fossil fuel are high, electric heat may be a less expensive option.

Heat pumps
An electric heat pump collects heat from outside and moves it inside. When you heat your house with electricity, you convert one unit of electrical energy into one unit of heat energy. With a heat pump, you might then use one unit of electrical energy to collect two units of heat energy, giving you one-hundred percent more heat than you paid for!

Electric Furnace
An electric furnace is a simple and relatively trouble-free system. It has no heat exchanger, no gas valve, no igniters and no chimney. It simply has an electric resistance coil placed directly in the air stream. A blower moves air through the furnace and circulates the warmed air throughout the house.

Electric Baseboard Heaters
Electric baseboard heaters provide heat exactly where you need it, as you need it. Baseboards allow you to set back the thermostats in the rooms you are not inhabiting, saving a significant amount of energy. Unfortunately, you cannot easily add an air conditioner to this system.

Electric Hot Water Boiler
An electric hot water boiler uses electric elements to heat water. The heated water is pumped into radiators or convectors throughout the house.

Electric Radiant Heat
Under-floor electric radiant heat is popular in bathrooms and kitchens, usually added as accent heating rather than as the primary source of heat.

Electric Thermal Storage
This system heats a thermal mass, such as blocks of ceramic, located inside the home heating unit. During peak hours when electricity is most expensive, the electric heat shuts off but heat continues to ooze out of the ceramic, thus heating the home.

A signature represents how people want to be seen by the world and how they feel others perceive them.

Use handwriting to clue into anyone’s true personality.
If the person writes their name . . .

Large: They are confident.

Straight up and down: They are cool, calm and collected.

Slanted to the left: They are shy.

Small and concise: They are humble.

Illegibly: They are guarded.

With a line at the end: They are worried about the future.

Slanted to the right: They are extroverted.

With a line underneath: They are dependable.

Make these minor changes to save energy and money.

• Add weather stripping to doors and windows.

• Wrap your electric hot water heater with a blanket.

• Properly setting your programmable thermostat may reduce heating and cooling costs by at least 10%.

• A clean furnace filter will help your heating system work better, use less energy and last longer.

• A heavy duty outdoor timer will automatically turn your seasonal lights on and off.

Low capital & installation costs Electric heating is very easy to install, ensuring installation costs are kept to a minimum. It doesn’t require any pipe-work, simply a connection to the electrical circuits.   Low Life Ownership Costs The true cost to consider is the lifetime costs of the system, which not only take into account the fuel used, but the hidden maintenance costs - both monetary and time - over its lifetime. Flexible & Versatile No flue or pipe-work, so there are no restrictions on building layout and no regulatory or planning issues associated with positioning of flues to restrict you. No maintenance and no annual inspection With virtually no moving parts to break down or wear out, electric heating is extremely reliable and there is practically nothing to go wrong.

Change is constant. Whether it’s in the workplace or our relationships, nothing in life ever remains quite the same.

Regardless of the gravity of change, it can always be a little scary. So scary, in fact, that some people are downright crippled by the idea of it causing them to remain stagnant in anxiety. We can’t control every aspect of our lives and we can’t stop change from happening. But how we respond to change will greatly affect our overall life experience.

1. Don’t fight it
I once heard one of my favorite yoga instructors say suffering is what occurs when we resist what is already happening. Life changes are usually out of our control. Rather than trying to manipulate the situation and wishing things were different, try flowing with it instead. Some initial resistance is natural if we’re going into survival mode. Just make sure you are conscious of when this resistance is no longer serving you.

2. Find healthy ways to deal with your feelings
Whenever we’re in transitional periods it can be easy to lose track of ourselves. Sometimes we feel like we’re being tossed about by life. One way we can channel these feelings is by finding healthy ways to release them. For instance, whenever I find myself in a difficult transitional phase I find physical activity helps me channel my emotions and release endorphins. It also helps me get in shape which increases my mood and energy levels.

3. Reframe your perspective
Reframing perspectives is a very powerful tool. It helps to take a situation you are struggling with, such as a major life change, and find some sort of empowerment in it.

Examples of disempowered thinking during life changes include casting blame, focusing on negative details or victimizing. These perspectives can make awkward transitional phases much worse than they have to be. Meanwhile if we come from a more positive perspective such as finding a lesson in the situation, realizing that there may be an opportunity for something or that everything passes we can come from a greater place of ease.

4. Find time for self-reflection
Having time to reflect is important at any stage in your life, but it’s especially important during transitional periods. We need our time to step back and get centered when things can get a little crazy.

As a result, big life changes are perfect for doing some self-reflection. They are opportunities to check in with ourselves and practice getting grounded for a few minutes.

Self-reflective exercises include meditating, yoga or journaling - all of which require some quiet time to get yourself together. If handled in a positive manner transitional periods can pave the way for some serious self-growth, reflection and awareness.

Amanda Abella
Freelance writer & life coach

Few people are aware of the danger that clothes dryers can pose which is one of the reasons that dryer maintenance is so often overlooked. Fires can occur when lint (a highly combustible material) builds up in the dryer or more commonly, in the dryer’s exhaust duct. This blockage causes excessive heat to build-up in the dryer.

Some warning signs that your dryer vent may be blocked are:
1. excessive heat in the laundry room
2. a musty smell
3. clothes that are still damp after a cycle
4. a large amount of lint and debris

If you notice any of these signs, it’s important that you take steps to clear your vent right away.

Keep Your Dryer as Lint-Free as Possible
1. Use a lint brush or vacuum attachment to remove accumulated lint from under the lint trap and other accessible places on a periodic basis.
2. Every 1-3 years, have the dryer taken apart and thoroughly cleaned out by a service technician.
3. Clean the lint trap after each load.

If you regularly clean out your dryer’s exhaust vent, you’ll not only significantly reduce a very common fire hazard but you’ll also save money as your dryer will last longer and run much more efficiently.

Before You Go…
1. Never let your clothes dryer run while you are out of the house or when you are asleep.
2. Thoroughly read manufacturers instructions regarding the safe use of their dryers.

If all else fails, you can always go back to an old-fashioned clothesline. There have never been any reported clothesline fires!

Moving can be stressful so planning is the key. The more organized you are, the less stress you’ll endure and the more fun you’ll enjoy!

Start off by packing non-essential items like pictures and books. This is the perfect time to ruthlessly purge your “stuff” and either donate or sell items you no longer need. Here are a few packing tips for the rest of your things:

• Unscrew light bulbs from lamps
• Water plants the day before the move
• Take a photo of how your electronics are connected
• Lay towels between pictures before bundling them up
• Label the sides of boxes so you can read them when they have been stacked

The best way to ensure a smooth move is to write out a plan of action. Make a checklist and a timeline that clearly states what needs to be done.

If you follow these tips, you’ll have fond memories of the last day in your old home - just don’t forget to take one last family photo before you leave.

How many of us really know every item sitting in our closets? Once you discover closet cleaning has a science to it, you should find it easier to build it into a positive habit. Here are some tips to tackle your closet without separation anxiety.

1. Focus. Cleaning out your entire wardrobe in one shot can be overwhelming. Instead of waiting for clothes to pile up, try focused purging. Sort out one drawer at a time, or just try shoes and boots.2. Favor. Think about the last time you wore those perfect pants. If you can’t put your finger on when, it is probably time to donate and give back to the community.   3. Finalize. If all your clothes disappeared, what fewer items would you wish were right back in your closet? Once you decide which items are keepers, you should quickly spot the ones you can part with and donate.

The basement is usually the last place people think to insulate, yet it can account for up to 1/3 of heat loss in a home.

Insulation can significantly cut down on energy use. It also creates a comfortable space – a boon to people who wish to extend their recreation and living space into the basement.

Where Should the Insulation Go?
From a building-science point-of-view, it is better to insulate the outside of the foundation. From a practicality point-of-view, however, insulation is easier to apply from the inside, especially if done while renovating.

Here are the exterior versus interior pros and cons:

Exterior Pros
• You can fix any foundation issues at the time.
• Insulation will not take up basement space.
• The foundation itself will be warmer.
• The foundation stays dry inside, reducing or eliminating mold and mildew.

Exterior Cons
• Disruptive and expensive: you have to dig soil to get at the foundation.
• The above-grade portion of the foundation insulation is difficult to finish and protect. Rigid-foam insulation is the most common exterior insulation material, most often finished with stucco, a fragile finish that gets damaged from lawn tools, etc.

Possible fix: use exterior insulation for the below-grade part of the exterior and then insulate the above-grade part from the inside.

Interior Pros
• Much easier to install and less expensive than exterior.
• Can be done while renovating the basement.

Interior Cons
• Foundation wall will be at exterior temperature (cold), making it prone to condensation.
• Any moisture that gets into the wall system does not dry readily, making the wall prone to mold.

Problems with Traditional Interior Techniques
Since interior insulation is by far the most common approach, traditionally, a moisture barrier is applied to the foundation. Fiberglass batts sit against this barrier and then a vapor barrier is applied to the batts on the interior.

Other interior insulation strategies work much better, such as foam-based insulation that is more tolerant to moisture.

The season you look forward to most says a lot about your most alluring traits. If you prefer…

Winter: You are poised yet perseverant. Tenacious & driven you are able to plow through obstacles. Few things, be it a snowstorm or a setback, can keep you down.

Spring: You are a determined optimist. Spring is synonymous with potential - the almost palpable feeling in the air that anything is possible. You don’t quit until all your goals have come to fruition.

Summer: You are an exuberant doer. This is hope fully realized. You bring an exuberant passion to whatever you do and have a spark to your spirit that’s just as bright as summer sun.

Fall: You are multifaceted. Smart & sophisticated you are drawn to autumn’s understated beauty. You know that when fall arrives, there’ll be a cornucopia of fun & pursuits to do.

1. Turn the space under a staircase, in a closet or an attic into a home office. For a custom look, add a desk and built-in cabinets, or just fit in a small table and chair and hang a memo board on the wall behind.

2. Make the most of wasted space above your kitchen sink. Add two wire shelves in the open area above the sink directly between the cabinets. This should make a perfect, safe spot for draining fine china and glassware or for holding soap and sponges.

3. Use kitchen cabinet sides for extra storage space. Hang a metal rack to hold pot lids or a towel bar to hold dish towels.

4. Stack two benches. To create impromptu shelves use the benches to hold books or baskets full of CDs or videotapes.

Deal with dampness first – Most experts agree that you should deal with any dampness issues before insulating the basement from the interior.   Seek out knowledgeable contractors – Do not simply follow traditional conventions. Significant advances in the best techniques for insulating basements mean better results. Fix basement windows – One of the most effective strategies for improving the thermal efficiency of your home is to seal air leaks. Seal and weather strip basement windows, which are often neglected.

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