The Psychology Of Effortless Writing

I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions. ~James Michener

Writing has always been a highly pleasurable form of art for me. I find it surprising that many people view it as something to avoid as much as possible. The most baffling thing to me is how people complain of "writer's block." I've also heard of metaphors like "squeezing blood from a stone."

Not only is it a delicious experience to read and to write, but it's really easy. After all, it's talking and expressing your view of the world. Sometimes your views, like that of Nelson Mandela's, can even change the course of history.

Through writing I can convey my entire experience so that someone else can benefit from it and learn from that experience without having had to be there. So, by writing I can give others much more than I can in person. In addition, writing bends time and I can convey my experience to someone centuries away.

Anyway my point is not to wax eloquent on the joy and gift of self-expression. Rather it is to demonstrate how easy it is to write quickly and with delight.

Here are five simple things that you can do to make your writing effortless.

1. Read. Enjoy your favorite book, luxuriate in the imagery, and allow yourself to drift into someone else's experience of the world. When you read, your brain starts to warm up. It starts to hum and sing. It discovers the pleasure of its own function.

2. Write. After getting inspired by the writings of others, it's time to cut your own piece of the pie. Sit down and write. Let the words flow; fall into a reverie; and go swimming in the river of your own cogitations.

3. Edit. Go over what you've written. Cut out extra words and tighten sentences and rearrange paragraphs. Make it a game. Play with the idea of how you can make it shorter, simpler, or more expressive.

4. Proof. Read over what you've written. See if there are any typos or spelling mistakes. See if there are any grammatical errors or awkward sentences. Prune, correct, and shear.

5. Publish. Get it out there. Do a blog. Post a letter. Gather it into a volume and pack it off to a publishing house or post it as an e-book.

Finally, bless the work and let it go. Don't be attached to the outcome. Your pleasure was in writing. You can't do anything about how others respond or fail to respond.

Writing can be a chore only if you set about it the wrong way.

Here are five ways that people like to turn pleasure into pain:

1. When you confuse the inner editor with the inner writer, you feel confused and pained and blocked. First, let the writer show up. Then, the editor can do its thing. Keep both functions separate.

2. When you write under pressure, with no sense of beauty, and with no sense of magic within. This is easily cured by reading a good book. Let the flow of language carry you. Your subconscious will then be attuned to replicating the beauty.

3. When you spend hours editing, trying to get it perfect, and upsetting yourself because it's impossible to read it through and not make a correction. Words are plastic and they can always be molded better, and each time you read you can see more to shape. Hence, just edit it once and let it go.

4. When you cling to the outcome. When your work is not published and you feel rejected. When it is read by "friends" who make comments that have nothing to do with what you wrote. When you expect something for your efforts and nothing comes back to you. After you write and send it out, let it go.

5. And when you're unclear on an idea and it never comes out right. You can't get it right because your thoughts are all jumbled up. In this case, outline or wait for inspiration.

In conclusion, write. It will do your soul a world of good.

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Saleem Rana got his Masters degree in psychotherapy from California Lutheran University. His articles on the internet have inspired over ten thousand people from around the world. Discover how to create a remarkable life

Copyright 2004 Saleem Rana. Please feel free to pass this article on to your friends, or use it in your ezine or newsletter. It's a shareware article.

Cottage Holidays

Holiday time is around the corner and its time to plan where to go and what sort of holiday you prefer.

If you dislike the hustle and bustle of busy hotels or living in a selfcatering apartment what are your options!

You can rent a caravan or hire a tent, or you could decide to take a cottage holiday.

Holiday cottages come in all shapes and sizes tiny ones for two people or large ones for ten to twelve people or more.

They can be quaint and crooked or up to date with all the mod cons.

You can find one with a thatched roof which is every ones picture of a real country cottage, or many of them have a swimming pool or tennis courts !

They can be in the depth of the country away from it all, where woodland and wild flowers are in abundance, or in a small village where the local shop sells anything and everything.

If you like the idea of farming life where the children can see the animals and feed the hens, your in luck because many farms rent out the little cottages on their land some even have a horse to ride.

Even the seaside has their fair share so if you dream of lying on the golden sands and dipping your feet in the cool sea water you are in luck.

Climbing and hiking holidays are very popular for the fit and hardy, you can find a cottage or a cosy wooden chalet on the side of Snowdonia or the Scottish Highlands, and if you don't like the mountains the Yorkshire Dales are perfect for walking.

Lakes and rivers are always popular, although they are not a perfect environment for young children so families should steer clear of these. If you opt for a cottage close to Loch Lomond you might even see the monster of the deep if you are extremely lucky.

Cottages are everywhere and it is not only the summer time when they can be enjoyed. Even in the middle of winter you can curl up in front of a real log fire or wrap up warmly and face the elements of a wintry countryside.

Many cottages allow dogs, imagine their delight with so much open space and all the different smells that send them ecstatic with joy.

There are no downsides to cottage life for if you opt for a holiday in Great Britain you must expect the possibility of bad weather. Make sure you take some games or a pack of cards to keep the children occupied in this event, for mom and dad a good book or the ever faithful television which almost every cottage will have.

If you want to venture further a field you can travel by ferry over to France you will need your car due to the long distances you may have to travel,it can be harrowing at times unless you are used to driving on the right side of the road.

So people enjoy your holiday in the cottage of your dreams. Quaint, Cosy, Thatched or Modern, there is one out there for you.

Sylvia White is the Author and owner of Business Opportunity Websites, http://www.sylviawh.co.uk, http://www.u-want-money.com, and http://www.geocities.com/sylviaworkathome

Be Filled With The Spirit!

Be filled with the Spirit.? always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. -EPHESIANS 5:18, 20

Some years ago, a couple traveled from their home in Chicago to Arrowhead Springs to talk to me about an idea they had. "We heard your lecture on how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Our lives have been dramatically changed as a result," they said enthusiastically. "We have come to encourage you to go on national television to tell Christians everywhere how they can know the Holy Spirit and experience His revolutionary impact in and through their lives."

I am humbly grateful to God for the privilege of teaching these great truths concerning the Holy Spirit to tens of millions of people through-out the world, often with the same dramatic results this couple enjoyed. To be effective lighthouses for Jesus Christ, we must be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Without that filling, we will fail miserably in our spiritual lives and accomplish little to reach other people for Christ. The disciples were good examples of this truth. They were with Jesus for more than three years. They heard Him teach and saw Him perform miracles such as no man had done before. But though they were exposed to the most godly life ever lived on earth, during Jesus' time of crisis, Judas betrayed Him, Peter denied Him, and all the others deserted Him.

Jesus knew His disciples were fruitless, quarreling, ambitious, self-centered men in need of the empowering Holy Spirit. So on the eve of His crucifixion, He told them, "It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper [Holy Spirit] will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you" (John 16:7, NKJV). Jesus did. The rest is history.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: It is only through the empowering of the Holy Spirit that we can be effective witnesses for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bill Bright Products Books, Music, Videos Up to 30% Off! http://freedomonline.spreadtheword.com/store/SearchAllSimpleNEW/asp/strSearch/Bill%20Bright

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The Risk of Being A Yes-Man

Sales is all about negotiating. You are negotiating from the first word out of your lips on a cold call, to the moment that you touch the contract with your customer's wet signature on it.

Whenever you are listening to a prospect tell you about something that they want or complain about a problem that they want you to help solve, do not be too quick to agree.

If you do, you risk losing your leverage.

Here's an example. Let's say that you are selling photocopy machines. Your prospect tells you that he believes his monthly costs for copying are too high.

So far so good - here's a prospect that has a pain that you can sell to.

You ask him to tell you why he believes his costs are too high.

Your prospect starts to tell you all of the reasons why he thinks his costs are high, and what he believes the solutions to the problem are. He tells you what sort of new services or equipment and capabilities he needs.

He goes on for 5 minutes or more talking about this.

Being a sales professional, you are most likely what we call a "people person". Most people in sales have a high need for approval from other people. We thrive on interaction and strokes from others.

During his 5+ minutes of speaking you are naturally inclined to give verbal and physical cues to encourage him to keep talking. You are unable to just sit there like a wooden statue. You feel a normal need to reciprocate the communication in small but noticeable ways.

With a high need for approval, you are likely to encourage your prospect to continue talking by giving positive verbal and physical cues. As he is speaking you nod your head occasionally, you say things like "Yes", "OK", or "Right".

This is where many of us get into trouble.

By using such positive cues, you are subtly telling your prospect that you can solve their problem, or that you can give them what they want.

Why is this bad? In our example here, you don't want your prospect to know just yet whether you can solve the problem. You want the focus to stay on him, his problem, and the consequences of it.

If you let on that you can solve it too soon, then you give up your leverage. He *wants* to know whether you can solve his problem.

And once he knows that you can solve his problem, he'll want to know pricing, terms, customer references, etc. The focus will be on you (instead of on him), and you will have lost control of the sales call.

He'll disassociate from his emotions around his problem. It is at this point that the prospect starts to get intellectual, and tries to figure out how to game you, how to get what he wants out of you at the best possible price.

You want to keep the focus of the sales call on the prospect and his pain so that you can find out more important information. You want to what know his budget is, what his decision approval process is, and you want to see if he'll make me a reasonable commitment to you if you can solve his problem.

So instead of giving positive cues while he is speaking for 5 minutes about why his copying costs are so high, give neutral cues.

Encourage him to keep speaking by using words and phrases like "continue", "tell me more", "interesting", "wow", and "I hear what you are saying".

What you want is to empathize without agreeing. If you agree to soon, then you give something away without getting what you need in return.

Practice this anytime you are negotiating with a prospect.

In other words, practice it all of the time.

? 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.

Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown's sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com/ and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com/

How to Master Communication Even if you failed High School Grammar

Does the thought of knowing your verbs from your adjective scare you? Can the word syntax send you running for cover? Or perhaps putting two words together in front of a crowd sends your body into complete melt down. If so, there is help for you.

Have you ever wanted to communicate more effectively with other people, or dreamed of writing a novel. Maybe you just want to write better reports, get your points across more clearly or be able to stand up in front of people and give a talk.

Often people will say to themselves, "I can???t do that, I was never good at English in school." Yet, this feeling of not good enough is where many communication masters began.

I know of people who stuttered as children and were told they???d never be able to read or talk, yet are well known speakers today. One other person that I know, immigrated to the US and had to learn English, yet today he is a speaker and author. These people discovered that it takes more that knowing your nouns and sentence structure to communicate with others.

Part of the challenge is, we were taught that if we can write a proper sentence then we can communicate are thoughts correctly. That is like saying if you can see than you can read or if you can hear you can listen. Unfortunately, this is not true for reading and listening are skills that we need to learn.

There are many people who have grammatically correct sentences with proper punctuation who can not write anything creative or interesting. It takes more than grammar to connect with other people.

Getting your thoughts, feelings, views and values across to another person are skills that you can learn and master.

It is important to understand that connecting with people can be very intensive and emotional whether you are feeling fear; anger, joy or ecstasy and many people shy away from this. Most often people misunderstand one another because people see things differently and can get upset when people do not see eye to eye with them.

There is a lot of fear of being wrong, of making mistakes, of failing or being perceived as being stupid in anyway. Many misunderstandings lead to disagreements and violence in trying to make or force their way of thinking. People can act as though their lives depended on being right as apposed to having a different point of view. These create many barriers to communication which need to be overcome in order to connect with another person and master communication.

When you can release the need to be right, you can discover a whole new world of discoveries and wonders. Marianne Williamson said it well when she said, ???Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy???? It is important to understand, that to make the world work, we need different views, outlooks, likes and desires.

Many problems happen with people who share the same birth language. There seems to be an assumption that if you spoke the same language that the other person should automatically understand you.

What most people do not realize is that on a physiological level, our brains are all wired differently due to the way, environment and culture that we have been raised in. This also helps to create our psychological out look and personalities.

There is also our metaphysical nature which affects whether we are willing to try and connect with other people. We are influenced by Universal laws, even when we are not aware of them. For example, if you did not know that gravity existed, it wouldn???t stop you from falling off of a cliff. On a quantum level our beliefs and attitudes affects the outcome of our ability to interact with each other. For example many people have heard of "Cause and Effect". In this law, as you treat others, so shall you be treated. On a scientific level, we are electromagnetic spectrums of energy. So the energy that we give off, we attract back, because like attracts like. This means, when you give off anger, hatred, judgments or love, kindness, and understanding, you are attracting the very same behaviour back to you. This in turn, affects your ability to communicate and connect with other people.

Your beliefs have an impact on whether you are happy or sad, have abundance or poverty, health or suffering and even of what you can or cannot be, have or do. It is when we are aware of our own beliefs and values we can work on seeing if they work for us, or if we need to change or alter them. So maybe you???re asking yourself, where do I begin? That question is easy to answer, with yourself. So often people have no idea what they want and hope that other people will figure it out for them. I have seen people get mad at other people for not knowing what they want or for misunderstanding them. It is important to realize that we can???t communicate to others before we clearly know what we want and where we are heading. The people that I spoke about earlier; their lives improved when they clearly understood what they wanted, and then were able to ask others for guidance and moved forward in helping others. For communicating is connecting with others. The second area, once you understand yourself, is that it???s important to understand others and their reality. The next step would be to realize that what you think you are seeing and understanding may not be an exact representation of reality. Our brains filter out most information around us so as not to overload us. What it chooses to let through are things that are important to us and things that are a potential danger. Any information that is considered in conflict with our perceived reality and beliefs is filtered away. So you need to be open to learning and discovery.

Now, if you take this information, consider the following. What if you realized that reality is often illusive and personal? What if you where to discover that the main block to your growth and answers are in the way the you perceive yourself, the world around you and of what you believe you can achieve? And what if you were to understand that the answers weren???t out there, but inward and that you already have what you need to communicate clearly to others? What if I told you, that what you had to do was to be willing to look anew, and that it can build from there? See if you can???t realize the possibilities from understanding yourself and others around you in order to master communication. Today, we are asking more questions and wanting more answers. Today more than ever people are asking, what if I can?

Maria Boomhower is a professional in communication, media relations and holds a Diploma in the Art of Applied Communication. She has won awards for excellence in her field. Her background in communication management has spanned from supervision and training to productions, photo journalism, running sub-press centres and security videos Her style has been to teach communication in ways that creates a win-win environment for those involved. Maria Boomhower The Master Communicator http://www.falconfreedom.com "Command Attention & Confidence" 1-250-389-0551 maria13-89433@autocontactor.com

Whos Your Daddy? How to be a Great Dad in 5 to 7 Minutes

I am a dad. I have been now for over 8 years. And I suppose I don't know just everything there is to know about being a dad, good bad or otherwise.

I have learned a couple of things though.

My wife, Susan and I had been married for about 6 years before my daughter, my oldest child Andrea was born. I cut the umbilical cord and almost immediately began to wonder how I was going to teach her. How could I lead her. How was I going to be the all knowing FATHER figure, I was sure I was supposed to be.

I wondered if I would have the wisdom in me to guide her through life's biggest decisions.

How could I lead her as she chose a career when I still wasn't sure what I wanted to be when I grew up?

How could I instill in her the wisdom necessary to choose a husband when my own wonderful marriage was a series of happy accidents, blind commitment and amazing providence.

How could I help her find her way spiritually and morally. The questions I anticipated were just so DEEEEEPPPP! And I was just so shallow.

I know now that you start with the small stuff.

When Susan and I first found that we were going to have a baby, I got involved. we read books. We went to Lamaze classes. I was going to be the amazingly capable husband and coach in the delivery room. When the time came, I was barely able to stand up at the head of the delivery bed, hold Susan's hand and keep from passing out.

When we had our second child, Alizabeth , I was more experienced. I was a little more capable. When our son Steven arrived I was an old pro and when our fourth baby came to us the doctor actually told me I would have to move over so she could perform the delivery instead of me. I still think I could have delivered Abigail myself.

When you first become a parent, you start with the diapers and learn to protect your baby and allow them to grow. What I learned is that you can grow with them.

You don't have to know how to guide their career choices. You have to teach them to finish what they start and to love a job well done.

You don't have to teach your children to wisely choose a spouse, you have to let them know that they have intrinsic worth with or without Mr. or Mrs. right.

You don't have to answer all of the big spiritual and moral questions. You have to teach them to love God and to love others.

If you can start with holding your wife's hand and keep from passing out, you can move on to the big stuff when you're ready

Steve Brummet is a communication expert, writer and speaker who works with all types of organizations to increase understanding of communication styles.

Better communication can help you and your organization reduce stress and increase productivity. For more information on one of our workshops, please feel free to call or write.

http://www.communicationspeaker.com
steve@stevebrummet.com
972-548-6048
214-578-4172

Meditation: A Path To Inner Peace

Throughout history, meditation has been an integral part of many cultures. Records indicate that meditation was practiced in ancient Greece and India more than 5,000 years ago. In the Buddhist religion, meditation is an important part of their spiritual practice. Different forms of meditation are practiced in China and Japan, and Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have traditions similar to meditation. The word meditation comes from the Latin 'meditari' which means: exercise, turn something over in one's mind, think, consider. It is defined as "consciously directing your attention to alter your state of mind."

Meditation is one of the proven alternative therapies that in recent years have been classified under the mind-body medicine therapies. It is continuing to gain popularity, as more and more health experts believe that there is more to the connection between mind and body than modern medicine can explain. Meditation has been shown to aid the immune system and improve brain activity, according to researchers. More and more doctors are prescribing meditation as a way to lower blood pressure, improve exercise performance, for people with angina, to help people with asthma to breathe easier, to relieve insomnia, and generally relax everyday stresses of life. Many hospitals now offer meditation classes for their patients because of the health benefits. All promote physiological health and well-being.

Traditionally meditation has been used for spiritual growth but more recently has become a valuable tool for managing stress and finding a place of peace, relaxation, and tranquility in a demanding fast-paced world. Benefits resulting from meditation include: physical and emotional healing; easing stress, fear, and grief; improved breathing; developing intuition; deep relaxation; exploring higher realities; finding inner guidance; unlocking creativity; manifesting change; emotional cleansing and balancing; and deepening concentration and insight.

Meditation elicits many descriptive terms: stillness, silence, tranquility, peace, quiet, and calm. All counter stress and tension. Lama Surya Das in his book Awakening The Buddha Within says, "Meditation is not just something to do; it's a method of being and seeing ? an unconditional way of living moment by moment." In other words, learning to live in this moment because this moment is all we have. Henry Winkler is quoted as saying; "A human being's first responsibility is to shake hands with himself." Meditation is an opportunity to 'shake hands with ourselves' in a safe, simple way and to balance our emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.

Meditation takes many forms in today's society. All have one thing in common. They use concentration techniques to still the mind and stop thought. Various practices exist such as chanting (Mantra), focusing on energy centres in the body (Chakra Meditation), breathing, mindfulness (Mahamudra), loving kindness, formal sitting (Vipassana), expressive practices (Siddha Yoga), and walking to name some of the styles. Try each style and see what works for you or you may want to alternate between the techniques from time to time. For the purposes of this article, I will discuss Mahamudra and walking meditation.

Practical Steps To Begin Meditating

1. Find a place where there are few external distractions. A place where you feel emotionally comfortable, safe, removed from pressure and stress is the optimal location.

2. Wear clothing that is loose and sit or lie in a comfortable position.

3. Plan to meditate in an area that is warm and comfortable. You might want to have a blanket or light covering as some people experience a feeling of coolness when they aren't moving around for a period of time.

4. Candles can be used to focus attention on the task at hand. If you use them, remember to be cautious and extinguish them before leaving the room.

5. Relaxation is a key component of meditation. Take a few moments to bring about a state of relaxation by taking a deep breath through your nose, expanding your lungs and diaphragm. Hold the breath for a few seconds and slowly exhale through your mouth. Do this several times until you feel relaxed.

6. Calm, soothing music can be helpful for inducing a state of tranquillity and relaxation

7. If you are hungry, have a little something to eat, as it is not necessary to meditate on a completely empty stomach.

8. Put your expectations aside and don't worry about doing it right.

Meditation

Mahamudra is the form of meditation that is a way of going about one's daily activities in a state of mindfulness. It is meditation integrated into all aspects of our lives. This following exercise is one you can do anywhere to create a feeling of inner peace. It is particularly helpful for those times you are stuck in traffic, waiting in line at the grocery store or bank, at the office when days are hectic, or when you are picking up the kids from school or extra-curricular activities. "What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it," wrote Hugh Mulligan. Meditation helps us remember to stop and 'smell the daisies.'

Begin by taking a deep breath. Breathe deeply and as you do expand your lungs and your diaphragm. Hold the breath for a few seconds and slowly exhale through the mouth. Focus on your breath and clear your mind. Do this several times until you feel the slowing of your breath and a deep sense of peace fill your body. Consciously feel the peace permeate your body. Drop your shoulders and connect through the top of your head to the Universal Energy. Repeat. If you wish, send peace to those around you by connecting to their hearts with light and love.

Walking Meditation

A walking meditation is simply an exercise in awareness. There are four components:

? become aware of your breathing,

? notice your surroundings,

? be attentive to your body's movement, and

? take some time to reflect on your experience when you return home.

To practice 'awareness walking' bring awareness to walking wherever you find yourself. Take notice of your breathing. Are you taking short, shallow breaths without even knowing it? If so, take several deep breaths and centre yourself in your body and in the present moment. Appreciate the wonderful body you have and the blessing of being able to walk.

Notice your surroundings. What season is it? Take a few minutes to listen to the noises around you. Feel the wind, sun, fog, rain or snow on your face. Look at the people, animals, birds, sky, trees, and buildings around you. Breathe in and out and realise that you are an integral part of the environment.

Pay attention to your body. Are you holding tension in your shoulders, neck, solar plexus, lower back, or legs? Breath into any areas where you are feeling tension and let it drain into the Earth. Next, pay attention to your posture. Are you standing straight and tall or slouching? Walk in a way that is comfortable for you with your body loose and uplifted. Walk with dignity and confidence, one foot in front of the other and pay attention to the experience of movement. You can walk mindfully anywhere, along a sidewalk, walking your dog, in the mall, along the hallways at work. You simply remind yourself to be in this moment, taking each step as it comes. Some people find it helpful to repeat a mantra (mantras are sacred words repeated in order to bring focus to your mind). You can also use a variation on the walking mantra by counting your breaths. Walk more slowly than you usually do and count how many steps it takes for your intake of breath and how many steps for your exhale. In this type of meditation, your attention is focused on both your steps and your breathing bringing together a wonderful balance of peacefulness and awareness.

Take some time to reflect on your experience when you return home. Five or ten minutes brings closure to your walk and provides an opportunity to make the transition from this 'place of peace' to ordinary day-to-day activities.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace ? Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the book and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Gwen Nyhus Stewart ? 2004 ? 2005. All rights reserved.

Guide to Loan Terms

Listed below is a guide to loan terms. It is a useful list of definitions of loan terms that may or may not be familiar to you. Keep it nearby as you will never know when you might need it for quick reference.

Accrue

Process in which interest accumulates on a borrower's loan.

Amortization

A repayment method in which the amount you borrow is repaid gradually though regular monthly payments of principal and interest over the term of the loan.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)

The APR shows the cost of a loan expressed as a yearly interest rate, including the interest and other fees associated with the loan.

Application

First step in the official loan process to gather and record information about the potential borrower.

Borrower

Person who has been approved to receive a loan and is then obligated to repay it.

Capitalization

Adding unpaid accrued interest to the principal balance. Capitalizing interest increases the principal amount of the loan and the total cost of the loan.

Collateral

Property pledged as security for a loan to ensure repayment of a loan.

Credit Agencies/Credit Bureaus

Organizations that collect individual consumer credit information and provide credit reports to potential lenders.

Credit History

History of an individual's debt repayment. For most types of loans, lenders use this information to gauge a potential borrower's ability to repay a loan.

Credit Rating

Grade assigned to denote the net worth and credit standing of an individual or a business.

Credit Report

Record that lists all past and present debts and the timeliness of their repayment and documents an individual's credit history.

Debt

Amount owed to another that must be repaid.

Default

Failure to repay a loan according to the terms of the loan.

Delinquency

Failure of a borrower to make a timely payment on a loan.

Interest

Fee charged for the use of money.

Interest Rate

The amount of interest charged on a loan, usually expressed as a percentage.

Lender

Entity that provides loan funds to the borrower. Depending on the type of loan, the lender may be a bank or other financial institution.

Loan

Money borrowed from a lending institution, usually repaid with interest.

Loan Applicant

Party applying to the lender for a loan.

Note

Binding legal document you sign when you get a loan. It lists the conditions under which you're borrowing and the terms under which you agree to pay back the loan (also called a promissory note or a mortgage note).

Payment

Periodic (usually monthly) instalments paid to a lender to be applied toward repaying your loan.

Principal

Loan amount borrowed from a lender, not including interest or additional fees.

Repayment

Process of paying back borrowed money.

Term

Time limit within which a loan must be repaid.

Variable Interest Rate

Interest rate that changes periodically in relation to an index. Payments may increase or decrease accordingly.

You may freely reprint this article provided the author's biography remains intact:

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Live the Adventure!

Think of an adventure that you might like to take. Maybe it is a trip to a foreign country or a major destination in your own country. Maybe it is to climb a mountain or float down the Amazon. Whatever works for you, picture what that would take. Got it?

Good, now let's see what are common characteristics of a good adventure and apply them to our lives. In doing so, you will shift your perspective and see how your own day-to-day life can be an adventure!

1. A desire to see something new:

When we set out on an adventure, we are usually looking for something new. We are looking to break out of the doldrums and get to somewhere we have never been before. What about in life? Are you constantly looking for something new to experience? Take some time soon to experience something new. That will put some adventure in your life!

2. A desire to see something grand:

People on adventures usually pick something larger than life, something grand. Do you think anybody would go to see the "Tiny Canyon?" No way. But hundreds of thousands of people adventure their way to the Grand Canyon. What about your life? Is there anything grand that you are pursuing? Is there anything bigger than life that you are striving for? Take some time soon to pursue something grand. That will put some adventure in your life!

3. A desire to learn:

Lots of people take adventures to learn about something. This makes Washington, DC a popular adventure spot will all of its history. You can spend days there! Your eyes and mind are always being opened and it is enjoyable. What about your life? Are you involved in anything that causes you to continually learn and grow intellectually? Take some time to stretch yourself to learn something. That will put some adventure in your life!

4. A willingness to be diverted:

Part of a vacation adventure is that you can be diverted and it is okay! That is part of the fun. Yes, we want a clear destination but sometimes it is the diversions that bring us the spice of life. What about you? Are you diversion averse? Maybe you need to let yourself get out of the box sometime. Try this: The next time you have the possibility for a fun diversion, take it. Life is short and you can take some diversions. That will put some adventure in your life!

5. An expectation that there will be breakdowns:

Have you ever gone on a family vacation that didn't have breakdowns? Not many. But when all is said and done, aren't those the things we laugh at years later and remember clearly? You know, "Remember Dad getting mad that the car had broken down and he slammed his finger in the door and started hopping around so much he fell in a ditch of water? And when he came up for air he had mud on his face? What a riot!" Even dad laughs at that ? later! What about your life? Are you frustrated by the breakdowns? Try looking at them from the perspective you will look at them from 20 years from now. That will put some adventure in your life!

6. A focus on fun:

Whatever the adventure is, we usually expect it to be fun, don't we? Well, life can be fun too. In fact, I require that life be fun! What about your life? Is it "all work and no play makes Jack or Suzie a dull boy or girl? Get out and have some fun my friend! That will put some adventure in your life!

7. A clear destination:

Ultimately, our adventure usually has a clear destination. It may be the top of the mountain. It may be the goal of getting your whole family together at a resort. Whatever it is, it has a clear destination. It is the goal, and it is what gives us purpose.

What about your life? Do you have a clear destination you are working toward? Set your sights on a clear destination! That will put some adventure in your life!

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.

To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.

Fashion Style is Important

Fashion style is important. You clothes make your fashion statement, and how you're perceived. Stand straight and carry yourself with grace. You will radiate self confidence.

Here are some fashion tips and advice to look and feel good. Don't forget your jewelry accessories are like the icing on the cake. They are the finishing touch. Dress to Impress and Make Your Fashion Statement!

Fashion Tips

Make sure your wardrobe has plenty of neutrals on hand - they are perfect for mixing and matching. They can be dressed up or down with the right jewelry additions.

Not a one of us woman has the perfect figure. We all have flaws. Accept your flaws and work with them

Know your body and what looks good. You are logically attracted to clothes, styles and colors that flatter your figure. Experiment a bit, and try something a bit off your normal habits

Tailored outfits are flattering to most all figures

Buy styles that flatter your figure and don't forget that finishing touch with your jewelry

To make a short neck look longer wear a sccop neck or open collar shirt, complete the look with a long necklace

Large breasted women and women with wide hips can optain balance by using shoulder pads

Make sure your panty hose fits properly

Don't bare all - leave something for the imagination. Entice with your a glittery necklace or choker, and don't forget the earrings

Leather stretches so if your buying a leather skirt or pants make sure they are snug when you purchase them. There are also some fabulous faux leather products on the market that can give you great wear for a season or two without having to worry if they'll still fit next year

Dress up your look with glittery jewelry, accent a line with a necklace. Don't forget your earrings and bracelets. They add the finishing touch to your look. You can completely change your look just by changing your jewelry. Dress it up or down!

If you find an outfit in a magazine but its too pricey for your budget don't fret. There are terrific department stores and online sites that sell very similar for much less. Your jewelry is the same. That fabulous designer parure that costs way more than you can afford - your certain to find a similar in an online store for much less. Clip the picture and keep it with you so you can match

Set your budget and stick to it. Purchase plenty of mix and match pieces to get the most for your money. And don't forget to complete your look with jewelry. Mix and match your jewelry pieces also.

Make your fashion statement! You are a unique individual with your own look. Portray your self confidence and turn those heads!

? Copyright Sher Matsen, All Rights Reserved.

About the author:
Sher has been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at Estate Jewelry International.

Shoppers Beware - Tis The Season

It's the number one complaint from consumers and it only takes a moment for you to become a victim. While you search for holiday bargains, identity thieves are searching for targets - unsuspecting consumers. Here are some tips to help you safeguard your identity and other valuables:

1) Protect your account numbers - Most stores only print the last four or five digits of the charge account on your receipt. However, some stores haven't caught up with technology. If the merchant makes an impression of your charge card, be sure to ask for any carbons that are part of the receipt. "Dumpster divers" can lift account numbers from discarded carbons to steal your identity and your account information.

2) Protect Your Social Security Number - If you are asked to provide a SSN when making a purchase, challenge the cashier as to why they need this information. Request that some other form of ID be used instead of your SSN. There is no valid reason for them to request this information. You provided it when you applied for your account so they should already have this on file.

However, if you've opened a new account, don't be surprised if the cashier asks to see some form of picture ID, such as a driver's license. Don't view this as an imposition, remember that the store is actually taking steps to protect you - making sure that you are the account holder.

3) Keep an eye on your charge cards and receipts - Don't let your charge card leave your sight. Most cashiers will keep your card so that they can verify the signature on the receipt. However, sometimes they simply swipe your card, then hand it back to you or put it on the counter for you to retrieve. Check that the card you've been given back is yours and not someone else's. Occasionally, mistakes can happen, especially when the store is busy.

Also, make sure that you take your receipts with you. You'll need them to verify your purchases when your bills come in January and February.

4) Watch for pickpockets - Professional pickpockets love the holiday shopping season. Open backpacks, large shopping bags and unstrapped purses are a pickpockets dream. "Be wary of the distractions around you, because that's what the pickpockets like. They usually work in teams," said Edward Gross, a Chicago police officer. "They usually work in teams. For example, one of the team members fakes a fall and when an innocent person tries to help that's when the other pickpocket lifts the victim's wallet."

5) Use a credit card and a secure site when shopping online - Paying by credit card is the safest way to pay online. It protects your legal right to dispute charges for goods or services never received, never ordered or misrepresented.

When you get to the merchant's payment page, the "http" at the beginning of the url address should change to "https" or "shttp". This is a sign that the site is encrypting or scrambling your credit card information as you send it to them. Many browsers will even alert you of this via a pop-up window. Whenever possible, print and keep a receipt of your online transaction in case you need it later.

Happy Holidays!

About The Author

? 2004, www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com

James H. Dimmitt is editor of "TO YOUR CREDIT", a weekly free newsletter to help you manage your personal finances. Subscribe to the newsletter by visiting http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com. He is also author of "Identity Theft - How to Avoid Becoming the Next Victim!" available at http://tinyurl.com/bc45.

FDA Approved Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy Can Improve The Quality of Your Life

As of August 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) approved vagus nerve stimulation therapy as a treatment for depression. This therapy completely changed my life, when everything else had failed. It can improve the quality of your life as well. You need to educate yourself about this new medical breakthrough therapy.

In my book:

Out of the Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression

I include all of the information and benefits of this remarkable procedure. However, until vagus nerve stimulation(VNS) therapy for depression reaches universal coverage at the overall policy level, every reimbursement decision (Medicare, VA and private insurers) will be on a case-by-case basis. This is despite the fact the procedure and codes are identical to those of VNS Therapy for epilepsy (which does have universal coverage). Congress needs to pass the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Parity Act, named in honor of the late Senator Paul Wellstone. This act would eliminate the discriminatory insurance coverage of mental illness by third party payers.

The Case Manager (which is provided free of charge by the manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator) that would be assigned to you, will help with the reimbursement process. In my book, Out of the Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression, I list the procedural codes, sample letters( with the help of the Patient Advocate Foundation) as well as how to contact a Case Manager responsible for your geographic area. The Case Manager is your "go to" person who can provide additional patient education and referrals to psychiatrists and surgeons with experience and training in VNS located near you.

You need to be your own best advocate by fully educating yourself. For more information visit http://www.VagusNerveStimulator.com There is a free newsletter to keep you up-to-date on the latest developments.

Charles Donovan is the author of:

Out of the Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression

and is founder of the VagusNerveStimulator.com Web site. He was implanted with the vagus nerve stimulator on April 4, 2001 in the investigational trial of vagus nerve stimulation and depression. He testified at the FDA Medical Devices Panel Meeting in Washington,D.C.

Womentisements

The unnecessary and extensive use of female models in advertisements is common not only in America & Europe, but also in Pakistan and rest of the world. Women are used to sell everything from cars to cigarettes. These advertisements use attractive women posing in ways. This type of advertisements initially started in the West to sell special women products, alcohol and adult entertainments. Gradually this trend spreaded to other markets & products and unfortunately it has been adopted by our market also.

The reality is that peoples of nearly all age group are influenced by advertisements and advertisers know this reality. After presenting an attractive model, the advertisers pose that their product/service can fulfill any need and can cure any problem or difficulty faced by the viewer.

There are two things to be noticed about women's appearance in commercials. First, in many advertisements women are used irrelevantly and these advertisements include products which are purely for men. Second, if presence of a woman is necessary in certain advertisements then advertisements focus mainly on beauty and body features of the model, and less on the product.

This practice has been carried out by various giant companies across the globe. One of the classic examples is the presence of a woman in the advertisement of Gillette Mach-3.1 Another example in the advertisement of FORD in which woman's body is compared with car's body.

Other examples are advertisements of JVC camera and Toyota Lexus. In both advertisements they have shown partial nudity, while presence of women was not fairly justified.

After watching these advertisements one thinks that what are they trying to sell, and what feelings they are trying to create.

In Pakistan a very prominent example was a billboard advertisement of a motorcycle company. The advertisement showed a motorcycle and an attractive women resting with it. There was model number, features and name of the company on the board but surprisingly there was no male model in the whole advertisement. In our culture we don't see even a single woman riding a bike.

Another recent example is of a series of billboards & newspaper advertisements of a local home appliances manufacturing company. The company has its advertisements for microwave ovens, window AC, split AC, floor standing AC and refrigerators etc. Advertisements show only woman models with the subject appliance.

One is surprised to find no men in AC advertisements specially floor standing models that are usually used in offices. Chiefly the buying decision of these products has to be taken by a man who is the runner of the whole family. Same types of advertisements have been produced by other AC manufacturers.

A local ISP company carries the picture of woman on their internet hour's card, and even a 10 rupee card bears the same. According to a rough approximation the percentage of female internet users in our country is about 30%. So what about the remaining 70% male users? The advertisement does not reflect the high percentage users and just trying to pull the customer.

Another relevant example is of a mattress company advertisement. The advertisement show a luxurious room with a female model, cool dressed, lying on a bed. The object of interest for peoples is the girl not the foam because they simply can't move their eyes from a living thing to a non-living thing. The point here is that mattresses are for the use of both genders, not only for the women.

We have seen a lot of advertisements of shops, available in under constructing shopping centers. Female models are used in such advertisements & billboards who invite people to buy those shops. Logically there is no reason of showing women models in such advertisements because shop buying & selling is mainly men's business. A giant cellular company has associated female models with one of its service and shows attractive female models wearing tight sleeveless T-shirts in their billboard, electronic, print & visual advertisements. The company totally ignores the fact that in our country male mobile users are much more than female mobile users.

Advertisers can not justify the unnecessary use of woman's body for selling their products. These ubiquitous images encourage us to think of woman as a commodity. Advertising is an effective and persuasive marketing tool which creates an entire cultural worldview, shaping our attitudes and beliefs. The advertisements portray females as tall, extra smart & extra beautiful. They give emphasis to the physical attractiveness of woman's body. Advertisers use models & supermodels. Many times photographs are airbrushed or otherwise altered to remove any lines, bumps or lumps to reach perfection.

The negative effects of advertising on women viewers fall into a number of problems. The most common effect is continuous increase in the number of women who diet & thus being involved in eating disorders. Across the world millions of women & girls who are unable to reach this standard of beauty, feel a sense of shame and failure. The average girl sees hundreds of advertisements per day and by the time she enters the age of adolescence she has received millions of commercial messages, most of them pointing towards the same direction that is to be ideal. A poll conducted in 1996 by the international ad agency Saatchi proves that advertisements made women fear being unattractive or old.2 Seventy five percent of the "normal" weight women in America think they are overweight and almost half of American women are on a diet on any given day. While 5-10 million women are struggling with serious eating disorders.3

Conditions are not much different in the major cities of our country. I conducted a survey in a local college. Data was collected from 50 female respondents with age range from 14-22years. Following conclusions were drawn:

? Half of the respondents told that advertisements stay in their mind not because of words but because of images.

? 76% of the girls are influenced by advertisements to buy products.

? 73& of the respondents are attracted by female models & 50% of the girls want to be like models.

? 60% of the respondents are not satisfied with their weight & 71% of them are somehow involved in dieting.

? In response to a question that what steps they can take to be like models. Almost 60% of the girls told that they can diet & improve figure for this purpose.

It seems that if consciously they do not strive to be models, but subconsciously these idealistic looks shape their views.

Today's fashion models weigh 23% less than the average female and a young woman between the age of 18-34 has a 7% chance of being as slim as catwalk model and a 1% chance of being as thin as a supermodel. Exposure to idealized body images lowers women's satisfaction with their own attractiveness.

Advertisers purposely present unrealistically thin & beautiful bodies in order to create an unattainable desire that is ultimately related to their products, so their customer never disappears. It is only used to play with men's emotion, to try and encourage them to buy the products because this supposedly will get the girl.

An old example is of Brylcream advertisement. In this commercial a poor man is seen going to work everyday with messy hair, sitting lonely on the train ride (sure sign of a loser). As soon as he adds Brylcream to his hairs, suddenly two gorgeous babes are hanging all over him.

Same type of advertisement of a famous drink was seen on our local media.

Many of these advertisements promote violence against women. The results have been seen in American society with more women injured from being battered by men than by all rapes.

An advertisement of After Shave Lotion starts with a man learning Karate in a centre. The voice in the background tells that it is essential to learn Karate when using our lotion because as you will apply lotion, its smell will turn all women mad & they will just attack you. Afterwards in advertisement they show that when man applies the lotion, 3 women try to capture him and he replies them by kicking them off.

Another very serious problem is the fact that advertisements almost always portray women as sex object in order to increase to appeal of their product. This significantly affects the way women think about themselves, particularly young women, because it is during the adolescent stage of life that young people develop their sense of self identity. This send the underlying message to women and girls that the only important thing about them is the way they look, causing many women to believe that their self-worth is dependant upon attention from men.

In response to a question that does a woman's value depend on her face or on her overall features and looks, about 98% of the respondent girls of my survey told that it depends on overall features & looks. And 77% of the girls were not fully satisfied with their personality and looks.

The commodification of women undoubtedly contributes to the high incidents of rape and physical assault in nearly all cultures around the world. These types of advertisements have also changed the thought process of men. Now a woman's value is determined by the way she looks. The impractical ideal in the minds of men lives only in the advertisements and not in the real world. This attitude is harming the women. All the credit goes to advertiser & then to media.

It is the reality that advertisers are not there to meet our social needs but are there to make sales and deal with big money. Corporations, whether big or small, can do anything to make a sale. This is a gift to society from Capitalism. Advertisements sell not only products, but also promises, life-style, images, hopes & dreams. But what kind of promises, images, life-style & dreams are they? This is the matter of question.

Conditions can not get better until & unless corporations realize that there are certain "Marketing Ethics" that have to be followed. Whether it is America or Pakistan, governments will have to look seriously into the matter. We ourselves will have to change our concept of ideal woman. We need to concentrate more on the product & services than on the projected bodies. Women will have to identify the red line between advertisement's world & the real world. Unless these improvements come into effect we will continue to suffer.

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REFERENCES

- Video available at:
http://www.marketingtoolbox.com/cases/gillette/index.htm 1

- Peacock, M. (1998). "Sex, Housework & Ads." Women's Wire web site.
Available at: http://womenswire.com/forums/image/D1022/ 2

- Body Image and Advertising. 2000. Issue Briefs. Studio City, Calif.: Mediascope Press.
Available at: http://www.mediascope.org/pubs/ibriefs/bia.htm 3

- "Facts on Body and Image," compiled by Jean Holzgang. Just Think Foundation web site.
Available at: http://www.justthink.org/bipfact.html 4

- Olds, T. (1999). "Barbie figure 'life-threatening'." The Body Culture Conference. VicHealth
and Body Image & Health Inc 5

- Limpinnian, D. The Portrayal of Men and Women in TV Ads.
Available at: http://www.aber.ac.uk/~mcswww/Students/del0001.html

- Moore, J. Women and Advertising. Available at:
http://www.socialistalternative.org/justice29/13.html

- Kilbourne, J. Still killing Us Softly. Available at:
http://www.mediaed.org/videos/MediaGenderAndDiversity/KillingUsSo

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Adnan Asfar; adnanasfar@yahoo.com