Customer service is a main pillar of any business, as it will instil trust and loyalty into customers, build on your reputation and credibility, and ensure customers choose you over your competitors. 

You must consider the service that you provide your customers with. You should listen in and observe your employees to see how it is going, and what improvements could be made. Your employees should all be regularly trained on customer service, as well as active listening and have extensive knowledge of your products. You will also need to look for new opportunities for improvement. To help you on your journey, here are some top tips to improve your customer service, so you can see success within your business. 

Understand your customers 

First and foremost, you need to know your customers inside and out. This will ensure that you can tailor your customer service and access to it, to their needs. It will also ensure that you know what makes them tick, so you can go above and beyond for them. You should learn all about your target audience, who they are, what they like, what they dislike, what their preferred methods of communication and payment are, where they spend their time, and much more. This will give you a lot of insights so you can shape your service accordingly. If you are in a specific niche, such as healthcare, then you and your staff will need to be well-versed about what your company is about and have a good understanding of the industry. If you own a private medical practice for instance, you would need to look into a virtual assistant for healthcare if you were deciding to outsource to avoid a lot of headaches and confusion with your client base.

Make sure you communicate clearly 

Communication is crucial in any relationship, especially one with your customers. You need to be able to communicate clearly to your customers and speak their language. You should be able to meet them where they are and ensure that you are not using technical or jargon-filled language. This will all make a huge difference to how they respond and whether they choose to invest in you, or your competitors. Having said all of that, it’s important to note that good communication takes time, and some business owners don’t have that luxury. If you are finding yourself stretched for time consider outsourcing to a quality virtual assistant call answering service that will give your customers what they need to feel satisfied with your services without frustrating them.

Make things easy for your customers 

Making things easy for your customers is a game changer. Why should a customer invest in you when they have to jump through hoops? From navigating your website to shopping in your store, you should do everything you can to consider the journey your customers will go on and how you can make it simple and efficient. In today’s world, people like to be quick and don’t like to wait around. If you are a retail store or provide an in-person service provider, consider what they see when they first walk in and what impression you make. Can they find the product they need, or where they need to go easily? When it comes to paying for the product or service, can they do this quickly and easily? Customers value quick, easy and secure payment methods using smart technology. Not many people now pay with cash, and cash registers are very outdated. A poor or old payment process is not making things easy for your customers and may reflect poorly on your credibility. You can instead use a credit card terminal available here. This will also help reduce any issues related to cash and you can keep serving your customers properly. 

Customers should be at the heart of every task you complete in your business. Follow these top tips to help you improve your customer service. 

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CBD and Hemp Rush

Tucked between controversy and innovation lies a booming empire of CBD and hemp products. Once spoken about with suspicion and intrigue, these green warriors are now dominating wellness, beauty, and pet care markets across the board. Exploring this area requires courage and guile. Navigating legal complexities and altering social perceptions require both boldness and skill to succeed in doing so. Yet for a gutsy entrepreneur, the CBD and hemp industries provide not just a slice but an increasingly large chunk of an ever-expanding pie. Due to consumers’ increasing desire for natural and holistic remedies, becoming involved in the green gold rush could be a lucrative venture that yields massive returns. You can start accepting payments for CBD products and launch an online store now.

Cryptocurrency Startups

Entering the digital frontier, cryptocurrency startups represent one of the riskiest yet highest-reward business ventures. Where volatility reigns supreme and regulatory scrutiny intensifies, launching one is certainly not for those lacking resolve or who shy away from taking risks. Entrepreneurs attempting to break into this field must possess an in-depth knowledge of blockchain technology, an acute eye for market trends, and an unwavering faith in digital currencies’ transformative potential. Success in this space can bring more than financial reward, it can also mean shaping the future of finance and commerce through innovative payment solutions or pioneering new forms of investment. But with great power comes great uncertainty, only those willing to navigate its treacherous waters could see their efforts yield unparalleled achievements.

Green Energy Solutions

Transitioning towards more eco-friendly forms of energy consumption has become an imperative for modern businesses, marking an essential shift from more eco-detrimental practices. Green energy solutions such as solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal are key to combating climate change while providing lucrative business opportunities. Companies investing in green energy technologies are leading a revolution, contributing to a cleaner planet while tapping into an expanding market driven by consumer demand for sustainable products and services. This sector represents an attractive option for businesses aiming to reduce their carbon footprint, reduce long-term energy cost savings and enhance their brand image as environmental champions. With governments around the globe offering incentives for renewable energy initiatives, the potential for innovation and expansion in green energy is boundless – making it an attractive prospect for those seeking to make an impactful statement both environmentally and financially.

Autonomous Vehicle Development

Automated vehicle development represents an unprecedented wave of innovation that promises to shape how we envision transportation for decades to come. This sector is rapidly advancing, as technology giants and automotive leaders strive to develop self-driving vehicles that promise greater road safety, reduced traffic congestion, and an unparalleled passenger experience. Autonomous vehicle development depends heavily on cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced sensor systems that enable vehicles to interpret and navigate complex road environments with minimum human intervention. Self-driving technology is opening the way for smarter public transportation and logistics solutions that could reduce carbon emissions associated with traditional vehicle use. Challenges inherent to this field can be considerable, including ethical considerations, regulatory compliance and technology standardization. Potential rewards from autonomous vehicle development can be immense, offering a glimpse of a future where transportation is safer, more efficient and environmentally sustainable, making autonomous vehicle research an increasingly prominent field of research among innovators and investors alike.

Virtual and Augmented Reality Enterprises

Virtual and augmented reality enterprises stand out as key avenues for transformation and expansion. VR transports users into an entirely digital world, while AR enhances real life with digital information overlaid onto it. Both technologies have applications beyond gaming and entertainment, for instance, in education, healthcare, real estate investment, and retail sales, among others. VR and AR have the potential to transform learning environments by providing immersive experiences that simulate real-life scenarios. Furthermore, in healthcare, they present innovative solutions for surgery simulation, patient treatment planning, medical training programs and education. Retailers are turning to AR to enhance customer experiences, offering virtual try-ons and in-store navigation. VR and AR technologies present enterprises with the exciting challenge of creating user interfaces that are intuitive, as well as hardware upgrades to deliver captivating experiences for their audiences. Although such technologies still face technical and adoption barriers, their increasing incorporation into various industries demonstrates their immense potential to positively affect society by providing new ways for people to connect, learn, and interact with the world around them.

Conclusion: Bold Venture Forward

High-risk business ventures may not be for everyone. They require courage, innovation, and resilience, combined with some degree of luck to succeed. Yet this risky dreaming is creating the future of industry, technology, and society. For fearless entrepreneurs like those found here, the rewards far outweigh the risks, leading them down a journey of unprecedented success. Whether in code depths, CBD or greener planet building these ventures require visionaries willing to challenge convention and venture where few others dare.

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When you want greater freedom, there are a lot of ideas that play a part in helping you to achieve this, and make positive life changes in the process. There are plenty of factors that can help you be more successful in your life, and freedom is something that is going to help you focus on this as much as possible. Here are some of the best ideas that are going to allow you to enjoy a greater sense of freedom this year.

Set Realistic Goals

One of the most important elements you should be thinking about when it comes to improving your life and increasing your freedom is to set realistic goals. You want to be ambitious and have lofty ideas, but at the same time, you need to make sure you have goals that are reachable and attainable. This is why you need to set new year’s resolutions that you can actually stick to, as these are going to help inspire and motivate you to greater long-term success, and help you to enjoy more freedom moving forward as well. 

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Getting out of your comfort zone is one of the best things that you need to try to get right moving forward. There are so many elements that will help you improve this, and one of the best ways of being able to get out of your comfort zone is something you can achieve with a new car. Head to Edmunds, and make sure you choose a reliable and dependable vehicle that is going to help you enjoy more freedom, independence, and opportunity moving forward. 

Have a Clearer Mind

By clearing your mind and being more zen, there are so many benefits that you can enjoy, and this is something you have to think carefully about. This is something that plays a big role in allowing you to improve your mental well-being, which is integral to long-term health and happiness. There are loads of great ways of being able to work on this, and having a clearer mind is going to go a long way toward helping you. 

As you can see, there are a lot of things that you need to do when it comes to improving your life in the coming year, and achieving more freedom. This is something that plays a part in helping you become happier and healthier in a great number of ways, and it is essential to make this work for you.  

The post Enjoy Greater Freedom This Year By Implementing These Strategies appeared first on InstantELLA.

1. Develop a habit of Prayer and Reflection

 This one is first on my list, because I have experienced it personally and know it helps! Spending time in prayer (if you are a spiritual person) or even personal reflection and examination of your day, situation, actions or decisions goes a long way in creating a sense of purpose and objective which leads to improvement in the way we live personally and in society. Some may argue life is busy and there are only 24 hours in a day. Well guess what, there are 24 hours in a day!! Let that sink in – 24 hours, out of which all you have to do is find or make 15 mins of sincere prayer and/ or reflection. This could be the first thing you do in the morning before getting out of bed (set your alarm 15 minutes earlier!), during the day on your lunch break (everyone takes time out to have a meal), when you get home (do this while taking a shower), at the gym (while working out) or  at the end of the day before retiring for the night. There are several apps available to facilitate prayer and meditation. Remember, prayer and reflection are great at a personal level and could also be beneficial if you do this as a couple, a family or even in a group with friends. Make time for prayer and reflection, trust me you will find the time!

2. Let ‘Declutter’ and ‘Organization’ be your new motto

They say a cluttered surrounding is a cause for a cluttered mind and distracted thoughts. Quite dangerous when you think about it in terms or family, career and life decisions. You owe to yourself to declutter, that is, remove unnecessary items from your living space that otherwise could lead to an untidy or overcrowded situation. Decluttering logically leads to better organization. ‘Where can I possibly declutter?’, you may ask yourself. Start small with what is easily and visually perceptible. This could be your living space – a closet or wardrobe, the kitchen or bathroom cabinets, a book shelf etc. Decluttering is the opposite of unnecessarily collecting and/ or hoarding. If you have things that have accumulated over the years at not being used, sell, donate or send them to the trash. There are several platforms such as Ebay, Poshmark, Mercari etc through which you could sell secondhand items you no longer use or need.  At office you could organize and declutter your physical workspace. At the digital level, how about the old files, apps and software taking up space on your laptop or desktop. There are a million little ways you could declutter your life and living space. Given that some of us, while embarking on a cleanup exercise may get fully absorbed and even drowned in the task. We must be mindful of this but, nevertheless, try some of these solutions and who know, they may surprise you with the opportunities they open up!

3. Manage your Time wisely

From the above point of getting so absorbed in tasks (whatever these may be) that we may find ourselves helpless, frustrated or drowning in them, a smart way to combat this is to always be mindful of time. Time is a tricky thing and even ironic. We all have the belief that we are in control of our time – at least our personal time. Yet, if we hired a construction team (on our personal time) to redo our home, or hired a lawyer to advise us on a particular case, we might find we’re being billed by the minute. Are we still the master of our personal time? Or while absorbed in our hobbies, the clock runs out and we find we’ve neglected another more important task while enjoying our personal time to engage in our hobbies. The truth and fact are that Time is its own Master and none of us can control time – increase or decrease it. We can, however, effectively manage our time. The way to do this to remind ourselves of the 24 hours in the day and prioritize our tasks accordingly. What cannot be finished must be left for another day and another time and we can learn how to improve efficiency along the way.

4. Develop your Talents, conquer your Weaknesses

Everyone has talents. The Bible and scripture teach us this. What do we do with our talents is the question of significance? Are we even aware of what our particular talent could be? The way to find out is to engage in as many activities and opportunities as possible while we have the time and means. We discover some talents early in life – perhaps as a student- and then use the rest of our lives to develop and improve these, some even choosing their talents to become their careers! But others discover talents later in life as a result of something they did. Perhaps as part of training and development in their careers (my father for example in his youth worked in a bank with all its regular operational roles, but was later given an opportunity to work for their tech and security and discovered his calling as a software engineer thereafter!) Some may find it pursuing a hobby. Talents are in us and opportunities to discover them are all around us. Make it your mission to utilize your talents to your full potential. Doing this would necessarily involve getting over fears. People are unique in that we are all wired differently, having different kinds of fears. The fact is that fears are unfounded. What scares me may not scare others… so can it really be a fear? Again, a lot of our fears stem from a failure in the past, or a feeling of inadequacy. But these too are only instances, separated by time, circumstances and maturity. For example, should an adult still be afraid of something that scared them as a child, even though they are now grown and may better understand the thing that sacred them? Fear only holds us back from developing our talents. Make a decision today to Explore your talents by conquering your fears!

5. Decide to form your Own Conscience

Conscience, much like time, can be a tricky thing. We do not always understand our conscience and therefore not as much in control of it as we think we may be. Most of us would define conscience as that little voice in our head telling us what is good and what is bad. In fact, most people feel their conscience is truth. This is a big mistake that is often misguided and leads us into most of our problems. The truth is that unlike natural law that exists as truth in the universe, conscience is subjective, meaning that it is capable of error.

Conscience and more importantly moral conscience, therefore to avoid error, needs to be properly formed and then consciously developed to a stable degree to which one can honestly rely on their conscience to make sound, rational and ethical decisions. More often then not, bad decisions are made, because of an ill-informed or not fully developed conscience.

It is important to note that conscience is introduced and developed early in life. The earlier the conscience is nurtured and developed, the better the over-all quality of life later on. It is never too late, however to form and develop our conscience.

The Catholic Church teaches that some of the important ways to develop a conscience is the practice of virtues (good habits) and avoidance of vices (bad habits). Regular confession, acts of repentance and reparation, and acceptance of responsibility are some of the ways to develop a reliable conscience

6. Work on your Self-Awareness

Thanks to the excessive exposure to and availability of technology, all of us – young and old- find ourselves more distracted today than our grandparents and past generations. Technology has a way of engaging us ALL the time. This a distraction that has a direct impact on our ability to focus on the external (things outside of us) as well as internal – our own self-awareness. A lack of self-awareness, like a lack of moral conscience, can not only lead to getting us into trouble and making bad choices, but also impacts the opinion others may have of us. When we look distracted because we are not aware of ourselves, it tells people around us that they are not important. Similarly, our behaviors both in the physical as well as digital online world – the way we walk, talk and present ourselves, the things we do and say – either because of our lack or awareness or possession of self-awareness can dictate our success in life. Self-awareness can destroy or create opportunities. If you were not aware of yourself and the impact you may be having on the world around you, now is a good time to start!

7. Build Real Relationships, not online ones

Gone are the days of real, true, in thick or thin friendships. It is becoming more and more common for young people and kids these days to spend more time online than in the real physical world. Thanks to Facebook’s Metaverse and other similar online offerings, the possibility of avoiding the real world and escaping into an anonymous one is becoming a dangerous reality. Yet scientific research, studies and good old common sense has shown that real relationship and verbal – physical communication with actual people in actual relationships feed one’s need for love, friendship and a sense of community. Those that engage in real relationship have a tendency to be more grateful, happier, mentally and emotionally stronger than those who lack these relationships and who tend to be more isolated and depressed. Remember: No man can live as an island and nothing can substitute real communion with other human beings or creation all around us. Human relationships build us up, no matter how brief they may be. A hello to your regular barista or can driver to work, a smile, handshake or hug you give or receive from a classmate, a friend, a colleague or a stranger goes a long way in feeding our souls.

8. Be Original and Creative

In a world that has become so lazy that modern day movies, music, products and videogames are just a copy-cat and rip off of an older better version, originality and creativity is absolutely vital if we wish to progress.

Being creative and original is not just meant for students writing essays or scientific papers, or for the poet composing poetry or an artist trying to create art. Creativity and Originality is meant for all and in every sphere of life. It starts with originality of thought. This does not mean creating new realities or distorting facts to suit our narratives. Thinking creatively means finding solutions to problems, getting along together, building new visions. Going with the flow and absorbing the thoughts, actions and opinions of others without clearly thinking on our own or without any conviction of our own is being the opposite of original. Choose to be original in your thoughts this new year and put those original thoughts into your own creativity!

9. Waste Not – Want Not

An oldie but goldie. Translated, this means being conscious of resources – all resources- no matter to who it belongs. It could be energy sources – water, electricity, fuel and other utilities we pay for and utilize on a daily basis. It could also be our own time, our talents and intellect, or our spirituality. It could also be the things those around us own or possess – their time and resources, or simply their love, attention and goodwill. To be mindful of these means not to abuse them as nothing is infinite. Everything runs out – water, fuel and even patience. Be happy with less. Use the less well. Recycle and share surplus with others and be grateful for the extras.

So, there you have it 9 ethical resolutions for the new year and a new you! We hope these tips have been helpful. You do not have to adopt all of them this year, but even if you follow some of these good habits in the next few months, you’ll be on your way to a better you! Good luck and push forward and onward.

The post Becoming A Better You: Ethical Resolutions For The New Year! appeared first on InstantELLA.

So, keeping this in mind, here are a few critical chores, I believe, are connected to success and if taught to a child early enough, will develop positive & effective habits later on in their adult life. If you can get your kids to do these willingly & correctly on their own by age 12 (if not before), count yourself lucky

Making the Bed: Setting Goals

Here’s what making your bed (or not) reveals about your personality

This is the first opportunity for success every morning. It’s the first task that is presented to the child when he/she wakes up & often signals their response or how they will react towards other activities throughout the day.

I remember teaching & explaining the importance of making the bed to my sons (now age 10 and 12) a few years ago. They share a room and have bunk beds. The older one is on the top bunk. Initially the younger one would forget but eventually has got into the rhythm of making his bed. Every time I asked ‘boys, are your beds made?’ the answer was always ‘yes!’ I thought my job was done. The older one started off strong but I recently discovered he’s been shoving his blanket out of sight, behind a huge body pillow. Since he’s on the top bunk, it’s hard to notice the bed isn’t made the way he was taught and supposed to do it. When questioned, he had no excuse for not making his bed. What possible good did he achieve by not doing the right thing? Was there anything more urgent he needed done instead & why did he not come back later to finish his bed?  Was he also giving his teachers the slip with homework or assignments, was he slipping up elsewhere by taking what he thinks is the easy way out? Was this laziness or slyness? These were questions I had to ask him because I had to make him see that they were not good qualities to have in the world of adults or when he worked his first paid job.

What I realized is that unlike my younger son, the older one for some reason, finds it hard to set goals and rules for himself. He finds it difficult to follow goals others may have laid down too (like making the bed). So, he’ll need more time or guidance. But in the process, I’m hoping that making the bed will teach him to set goals in life because that’s important.

Taking out the Trash – Solving Problems, Starting Anew

What Japan can teach us about cleanliness

My husband & I were watching a few minutes of Jerry Seinfeld’s standup comedy last night where he talked about an object’s journey to becoming junk, how everything in a house is  pre-trash stage, eventually on its way to becoming junk. eBay is a newer concept of people transferring trash from one person to another. And while the jokes made us laugh, it’s also kind of true. Getting rid of trash is necessary & needs to be done routinely. Physical trash if unattended to, causes disease. For me, a messy room is also a messy mind. I cannot concentrate with mess around me. Mess inhibits creativity & so, the process of cleaning up the house, taking out the trash is rejuvenating & cathartic.

For kids, taking out the trash can serve as a lesson i.e. It’s ok to make mistakes & it’s ok when things don’t work out the way you expect, but it’s important to understand that mistakes, like cleaning up trash, can be fixed and that every time you fix something, the possibility of starting a new will always be available! There’s no need to feel bogged down with childish worries and let the trash pile up. Taking out the trash is always the solution

Taking care of the Pet: Love & Responsibility

5 Ways to Help Your Pets Stay Healthy and Strong in 2019

My sons have had hermit crabs as pets for 3 years now. The first pair died & we replaced them. The replaced crabs are still with us and the credit of keeping them alive (this time) goes to my older son. He has a connection with animals. He even feeds & pets the neighborhood cat who’s started to visit us regularly.

Looking after a pet, gives the child a sense of purpose. It has developed nurturing qualities in my son. He loves his pet and knows he plays a big role in keeping them clean, happy & fed. Having a pet, I believe, teaches a child to look beyond themselves and towards other’s needs. The world could use a bit more of that

Doing their Laundry: Planning & Hard work

Cleaning Skills to Teach Your Children

‘Laundry’. My husband shudders at that word and so do I sometimes. Not only is it chaotic, rule-bound, painstaking and time-consuming, but the thought of the number of sweaters that shrunk & ‘whites’ that became off white at their best and discolored at their worst, makes me want to cry.

Now, imagine your kids doing their own laundry.

Why should you create this nightmare for them? Why, when the load is heavy and it involves rules & using chemicals and an electronic washing machine that could get damaged? The answer – to root out laziness and teach your kid about hard work, planning & responsibility.

My kids used to have a gala time switching out clothes throughout the week, like it was a fashion show, with no regard about who took care of doing the laundry, folding their clothes or making sure they had a neatly organized closet. So, at first, I made them only fold their clothes & put them away. And boy did they grumble about that but it taught them, at least, to be more responsible about rotating their clothes & keeping their closet clean. Then I began to notice my younger one getting both mentally & physically lazy, refusing to think logically, and putting up a resistance to do any kind of work (except make his bed). So, I decided to make him responsible for all laundry in his room, including his brother’s. This would involve being aware when to do the laundry, washing, drying, setting timers on the machine, deciding how much detergent & water to load, separating clothes, making sure the machine and laundry room was clean & everything in place when he was done, bringing the laundry up to his room & then folding all the clothes and putting them away. The task truly is exhausting. On a weekday, he’d need to balance his schoolwork and sports and find the time to do all of this.

Skip to 6 months later! My little guy is a pro at laundry, he maintains good grades at school & has a great willingness towards work. No complaints whatsoever. He thinks critically and even plans his day and tasks ahead on his own with little guidance from us. I’m so proud of him, eager to see what he’s capable of. And we owe it all to ‘doing the laundry’. Since he doesn’t seem to be lazy anymore & that issue is resolved, I felt there wasn’t a need for him to continue doing the Laundry .I’m now making his older brother do it and let’s just say, I’m looking forward to the end of another 6 months to see if this experiment takes similar roots!

Putting together a simple meal: Gratitude & Survival

2 Questions You Should Ask Your Kids at Dinner

I can write a book on how ungrateful kids are about homecooked meals. From eating excruciatingly slowly, to wasting their food, to not saying ‘thank you’ when served their meals to comments like ‘I can eat a whole lot at olive garden’ and ‘ why can’t we have more of that ravioli (store bought, frozen or out of a can) like we do at grandmas?”…. these are all signs of the sense of entitlement a child has towards food. It’s common, we may have done it when we were kids and we’ve all heard about the starving children in Africa & Asia and why we shouldn’t waste food. But let’s face it, when we grew up, we very quickly and painfully discovered that life isn’t a buffet and neither are our meals.

Sure, fast-food tastes great but so does every other unhealthy food and Olive Garden is heaven on a plate but isn’t sustainable every day, even on a 6-figure salary!

More importantly, it’s not just irritating for the parents but every time a child acts difficult with meals, he/she is unnecessarily obsessing about the food, making himself/herself a slave to it and preventing himself/ herself from moving on to other more creative thoughts and activities. At no rate would I ever encourage a child’s ranting about meals.

So, it boils down to being grateful for what you have and if you’re not happy with it at least learn to fix it on your own, like a little adult. And here’s where my suggestion of a child learning to  put together a simple meal comes in. Example – boiling/ frying eggs, cooking rice, brewing tea/ coffee, cutting veggies, tossing a salad, learning how to operate an oven so you can grill/ bake fish & veggies on a try. I taught my kids to do it all last summer with the intention that one day in the week, they prepare a homecooked, healthy dinner for the family & their father & I will eat it without grumbling. That is yet to happen but on a daily basis, they do put together their own lunches to take to school – PB or ham sandwiches, cut fruit, crackers & other snacks.

There’s always a post its reminder on the cabinet door in case they may forget how to do lunch, but I relieved to confidently know if ever my husband or I leave the kids on their own, they will not starve or wait to get the next meal served to them. Often, they ask if they can help with dinner & I take that as a sign that they are beginning to understand & appreciate the love & work that goes into preparing a meal.

Choosing their outfits: Awareness

4 Reasons Why Your Kids Should Pick Out Their Own Clothes

How you dress may say something about who you are, but how you carry yourself speaks volumes! That’s something I learnt as a little girl studying in a convent. We had a uniform but there were other standards governing how we did our hair, wore our socks, polished our shoes and managed our fingernails. Times have changed, true, but that discipline has stayed with me till this day. It’s something I’ve tried to instill in my boys.

By encouraging them to choose their own outfits for school, I’m teaching them that they are responsible for how they want to represent themselves to others. Not only are they enjoying discovering their own styles, they also know that different occasions call for different attire. Casual sporty school clothes & sneakers are not appropriate for a more reverent occasion like attending Sunday Mass. The clothes they wear also serve as a physical cue or awareness as to where they are and how to behave.

This will prepare them for how to get on in the real work environment.

Doing the Dishes: Service & Discipline

Dear Kids: Do Your Own Damn Dishes

Like taking out trash, washing the dishes and cleaning up after meals is a necessary activity. There’s no escaping it in the adult world, so kids might as well get a head start. This chore is especially helpful to solve the problem of children who are slow eaters – the last one who finishes eating gets to clean up. And while they are ‘cleaning up’ perhaps they could do a little introspection to see how they can improve themselves to avoid a repeated episode of dish-washing. The truth is, like I said at the start, it’s not something that can be avoided as an adult.

An easy childhood, without chores, accountability or responsibility may be fun in the short term, but could lead to a more difficult & challenging life as an adult. My point to this litany of chores and why kids should do them is this: Learning how to cope!

Life is a juggling act. It’s all about coping & multitasking. The more self-reliant you are, the less you have to depend on people and situations. You can better control the outcome and you have a better grip on life. That’s when you stop coping and start living successfully and what parent doesn’t want that for their kid.. So, while other members of the family may dote on your child, it’s your primary job as a parent to teach your child to cope, to become self-reliant as quick as possible!

The post Raising Success – 7 Chores You Kids Should Be Doing & Why appeared first on InstantELLA.

What

8 Benefits of Learning to Sew

What product are you going to market? If you specialize in making custom cards then you should look at who the competition is. How do your cards stack up to what is being produced and sold by other people? This is a good time to be honest with yourself. Do you make a quality craft that people will want to purchase?

Who

Business Boost: Navigating Your Creative Startup Through To Success

Who will you sell to? It is very important to know your audience. If you want to make custom cards then you need to know what type of person would like to purchase something like that. Middle-aged men who work in a law office probably won’t be your target. That doesn’t mean they won’t buy your product, they are just less likely to. Get to know the type of person who wants what you have to offer and then cater to them.

When

Getting Noticed: Help Your Creative Career Take Off

Consider time constraints. When making a product it is important to not only consider how much it will cost you to create but how long it will take to make it. Something you need to understand is that time is money. It may only cost you $3 to make a card, but if it took 2 hours to put it together, charging $5 doesn’t seem worth it. You would only be making a dollar an hour.

Where

Location, Location, Location And Why It’s So Important In Retail

Where will you sell your product?

• Craft Fair – Lots of crafty people like taking their items to sell at craft fairs. This isn’t a bad idea, but you should be aware that the booth space will most likely cost you at least $50. If you only make $60 from an entire day at the fair was it really worth it? Maybe it was because you handed out business cards and got your name out there.
• Online – There are many online sale options you could look into. You will need to know how you will get the product to your customers and be willing to be available online for questions and concerns people might have.
• Brick and Mortar – There is also the option of setting up a deal with a local store to sell your product. They will likely want a cut of your profit or they will charge you for the space where you display your product.

Why

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Why should people choose your product? There are thousands of people that sell custom made cards so you need to figure out what makes your product worth buying. Perhaps it is the best deal. Maybe you do custom work. It could be that you’re a good and honest businessman that people enjoy giving business to. Whatever it is you need to find it and market it.

How

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You’ll need time and a plan to get your product ready for market, whether you’re creating it all yourself or enlisting the help of a local manufacturer. Long term goals are great, but make sure you set short term attainable goals as well. You could decide that you’d like to create and photograph one new card design per week to help you build up your product selection. The choice is up to you.

You don’t want a fun hobby to become something you dread doing. Make sure you feel comfortable with starting a business (everything from getting your company certificate, and doing the work, to doing taxes every year), and if it feels right, give it a try. It may take a moment to take off, but a little elbow grease could have you enjoying a nice side income doing something you enjoy.

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Life is crazy and hectic most of the time, and it can feel like you are doing things for everyone and taking care of everyone else except maybe the most important person: yourself.

Taking care of yourself is something a lot of people put on the bottom of their list, putting everything else ahead of them. The problem with that is that by the time you actually get to the things that you need for yourself you will most likely be overly exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally.

And when this happens this exhaustion from not taking care of yourself and your needs can exhibit itself in negative ways such as being irritable, sick, or even through anxiety and depression.

Here are four ways to practice self-care today to make sure you are well-balanced in all that you do.

Take a break

Are you finding yourself overworked and constantly having way too much on your to-do list?

Part of self-care is understanding when you need to take a break and slow things down for a little bit. Take a break from social media and your phone for a while. Take a day or two off work, or get a babysitter and spend some time alone.

Doing these things will help to replenish and refresh you so you can go back to doing all the things you need to with more energy and gusto.

Make sleep a priority

Sleep And Your Health

Getting enough sleep is essential for your overall health and can be an important part of self-care.

If you constantly deprive yourself of enough sleep it can cause some severe health issues, and somewhere down the line, you may find yourself visiting websites like tetoncancer.com because according to the National Sleep Foundation, not getting enough sleep can increase your chances of getting cancer.

Some things you can do are set a bedtime and make sure not to make any commitments that would interfere with it. Also, ask your spouse or family member to help out with kids when they can’t sleep at night so you can get sleep when you need to.

Fuel your body

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Eating healthy food is a great way to practice self-care, but it’s also good to allow yourself to indulge in the foods you love as part of self-care as well.

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Try your best to eat foods high in nutritional value like veggies, fruits, and lean proteins. But if you are craving something like chocolate or a cinnamon roll, allow yourself to enjoy those as well and treat yourself.

Avoid things and people that trouble you

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We live our lives surrounded by people, and sometimes those people can cause us stress, anxiety, and other issues.

When possible, try to remove the people and things that cause these emotions. Now if it is a case where you can’t necessarily do so because you work with them or maybe if they are a family member, make sure to only have interactions when necessary, and then to take a step back and have time and space away from them.

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Practicing self-care is an important part of your overall well-being and health, and it is not a selfish endeavor. Do what you need for you so you can continue doing what you need to for others.

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Whenever a new year comes around it can cause reflection on all the things you did in that year and all the things you want to make sure you do in the upcoming year.

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New Year’s resolutions can be hard because most of the time it can seem like you put in all this effort to make them happen but next thing you know it’s June and more than half (or almost all) of those goals haven’t been accomplished.

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But part of having smart goals, whether they are for the New Year or whenever, is to make sure that they are realistic and achievable.

Here are five ideas for resolutions that are both realistic and achievable and can have you feeling proud of actually keeping the promises you made to yourself and others.

Say yes more

3 Reasons You Should Say YES More Often

This is a resolution that can be easily achieved even starting the very first day of the New Year.

It can be easy to get in the habit of saying no or passing up opportunities because we are afraid or don’t want to mess with the status quo.

But life is about taking risks and trying new things so instead of saying no or thinking “maybe later,” when an opportunity presents it, say yes and try it.

Maybe it’s something you will never do again, but at least you know you tried it and you will be proud of yourself for doing it.

One veggie at a time

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Instead of being too general with your resolution of “eating healthier” and setting yourself up to not follow through, try adding one new veggie to every meal that you eat.

When you start off simple and small you will find yourself adding more and more veggies and fruits, and before you know it you will be eating “healthy,” and it all started with one simple carrot.

Make your physical well-being a priority

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Most of us find that we can look back and realize it’s been quite some time since we’ve had a physical from our doctor, dental visit, or eye exam.

It’s not enough to want to just “be healthy” in the New Year, you have to make sure everything is actually going ok with your physical health by going to see people who can look for things you may not be seeing or noticing.

You can even schedule an appointment right now to have ready for you in the New Year! Just call your local dentist like Grove City Dental.

Preventative medicine is always the best medicine.

Get off the screens

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Screen time takes up a lot of people’s time nowadays, and sometimes we don’t really realize just how much.

In the New Year you can monitor that time just to see how much, and luckily there are some pretty easy ways to do it. Even most smartphones now have a way to keep track of it and see what your daily and weekly usage looks like.

Ask Yourself – Could You Survive Without Technology?

Once you find how much that time is, slowly cut it down by small increments of time.

Studies have shown that watching too much TV or spending multiple hours in front of a computer can actually shorten your life, so lessening your screen time can actually increase your life.

Go somewhere new

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This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to visit some exotic, foreign place, unless you have the means and the time to do so and in that case go ahead!

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But if you need to start out small do it by going to a new restaurant, or exploring a new part of town, or driving to a nearby city you’ve never been to.

The post 5 Resolutions You Can Actually Keep In The New Year appeared first on InstantELLA.

Celebrate successes

3 Reasons Celebrating Your Many Accomplishments Is Critical To Your Success

It may sound obvious, but sometimes we move too quickly to fully appreciate and reflect upon our successes. No success is too small to ignore celebration; if there’s a target that’s been met, whether professionally or socially, then make sure you give yourself the credit you deserve. That satisfaction of meeting goals and celebrating achievements will be vital to inspiring the drive for future endeavours.

Each success comes from a fresh start

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No matter what has happened in the past, each new opportunity should be considered its own entity. Whether this is in a sporting or business capacity, let each venture stand on its own merits. While past successes have developed character and knowledge that will prove useful, treat each new opportunity as if it is your first.

Take it straight from the horse’s mouth; Winx is widely renowned as the world’s leading racehorse, often called the Usain Bolt of horse-racing. Her 28-race winning streak includes winning the Cox Plate three times in a row, so it is no surprise that comparing the odds for the race reveals that Winx is favourite to triumph again this year. Winx starts each race alongside her competitors, but her continued enthusiasm to win sees her consistently move away from the field. This can be applied to many aspects of life. When that enthusiasm subsides, it would be fitting for Winx to go out on a high note.

Go out on a high

If You Don’t Eliminate This Habit, You Will Never Grow

Knowing when to stop something that is going well is never easy. George Costanza, Jason Alexander’s character in Seinfeld, adopts a novel approach. Having found himself getting carried away after making a successful joke in business meetings, George decided to leave the room as soon as he received a big laugh. That way, those in the room remembered him for comedy gold rather than one bad joke too many.

George Costanza decided to trial going out on a high note. Source: Seinfeld via Facebook.

This is not really a suitable approach to directly adopt in the real world, but the sentiment is valuable. Going out on a high is an effective way to stop achievements from being undermined. This is the only time it is worth taking lifestyle advice from George Costanza.

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