Tips On Formal Wear For Men : Vests & Cummerbunds: Tips On Men's Formal Wear

Indian Salwar Kameez

How to wear a Dhoti

This is for my friends abroad who requested me to put a video on how to wear the garment...............

SARI [How to wear a SARI]

Can an American Girl Wear a Sari?

10 Fashion Faux Pas at Work

Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.co.uk editor

What you wear to work is probably the most important part of your wardrobe. Your appearance could be the difference between getting that promotion and being stuck in the same position forever.

Dianah Worman, diversity adviser for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, comments, "Dress codes are part and parcel of how a business communicates. They help an organisation say what it is about and the specific role and contribution its staff are expected to make."

But what is an appropriate look and style? Check out these work wardrobe faux-pas to make sure you don't repeat them.

1. Showing underwear
Showing bra straps or even the whole of your bra through a light blouse will encourage your male colleagues to see you as a woman rather than a professional. If you really want to wear a sheer blouse, wear a nude-coloured camisole underneath. As for slips, one length does NOT fit all. Buy slips in several lengths and in the colours you wear most often. You want to mute the sheerness of your garment - not draw attention to the colour of what's underneath.

2. Wearing the wrong colours
The lime green or hot pink that's all the rage this season may look fab on the catwalk but awful on you. Don't waste your money on clothes that make you look pale or washed out either. Plenty of department stores offer free style counselling, so why not get some tips from the experts.

3. High heels and scuffed shoes
Shoes should be comfortable to walk in, especially if you're on your feet for long periods of time. It's not worth blisters just to look that extra but special. The highest heels women should wear to the office are two to three inches. Check shoes regularly to make sure they're in good condition -- many department stores and stations have heel bars where you can drop in at lunchtime.

4. Wearing too small a size
If it doesn't fit, don't wear it. High street clothes will never look fitted so it's worthwhile investing in a tailored suit. A well-made suit will conform to your body shape and posture and retain fit and shape for many, many wearings.

5. Skimpy attire
We've had some hot summers lately but there's no excuse to look like you're off to the beach. Choose clothes in light colours and fabrics that stay cool, such as linens and lightweight wool. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) have said employers should follow the Japanese Prime Minister, who urged his country not to wear jackets and ties during summer. Wool can be worn all year round and a light-weight suit with a partial lining is perfect for summer. For linen, choose blends with cotton or silk to avoid too much creasing.

6. Underarm stains
You may have to try a few deodorants to find the best one for you. If you perspire heavily or need a surefire method to prevent stains, consider using dress or jacket shields.

7. Too much cleavage
If you show off your body, you will simply encourage your male colleague to look at you as little more than someone they would like to sleep with. This may boost your ego but it certainly won't boost your career opportunities.

8. Out-of-control hair
Wild hair just doesn't look professional. Women should invest in a good haircut and styling products to make hair easier to manage. Men should keep their facial hair well-trimmed or, better still, be clean-shaven.

9. Being too casual
Last year, Barclays Bank reportedly sent staff a memo stipulating that jeans, shorts, flip-flops, strapless tops, sportswear, T-shirts or trainers would not be tolerated in the workplace. How should you define dress-down Fridays and smart casual? If you really want to wear jeans, make sure they're clean, neat and fit well -- dress them up with a tailored shirt and jacket or blazer.

10. Too much jewellery
An employee of British Airways (BA) took them to court for refusing to let her wear a cross. BA's policy is that personal items of jewellery, including crosses, may be worn but underneath the uniform. Wherever you work, jewellery should always be kept to a minimum - keep it simple, like a watch, dainty necklace/plain cufflinks and a ring.

The saying "Never judge a book by its cover" doesn't apply in the workplace. Where else in life can the clothes you wear have a genuine effect on your future and how you're perceived?


Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.co.uk. She's an expert in job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Seasons

Whats hot for this Season?


From Sanyukta, Seasons Correspondent Mumbai, August 1:

It is raining cats and dogs. Braving all those puddles and slush you have to reach office on time. As you turn to cross the road, an autorickshaw passes by splashing the muddy water on your saree. Next you try to catch a bus but end up getting drenched in the thick downpour. After you reach office, you try to wash off the mud and squeeze out the excess water from your pallu. But it is not so easy. The result is you shiver through your bones the whole day in the air-conditioned environment. Had the fabric of your saree be rayon or silk you could have avoided this mess. It is this necessity that has caused the advent of monsoon fashion in India. India, which is still waking up to concepts like fashion seasons was blindly aping the Western idea of spring/summer and autumn/winter collection.


However, for the past couple of years, designers like Vandanna Roy Of Sentiments have started bringing out monsoon collections.Says Vandanna, "during monsoon, the accent is on bold colours, pastels are out simply because the sun is not shining as bright as it was in summer. Fabrics like blended cotton and polynylon are ideal for this season. Chiffon and crepe are out as they lose their sheen once they are wet. I prefer thicker fabric material as it will also keep you warm. My personal favourite for monsoon is capri pants teamed with tank tops, I think it is the best for the season.

"Sunita Ramnathkar's Barcode has worked on the Jungle theme this monsoon. Says she, "my designers have captured the thick greenery and wild dense growth of jungles for the monsoon. Deep beige, olive green are the dominant colours in this pret collection." But not all designers believe in bold colours for monsoon.


Goa-based Wendell Rodricks prefers to bring out the various hues of sea to dark bold colours of greenery in his collection for the season. The dominant colours in Wendell's collection include blue, green, indigo and white. The fabric used is blended cotton.


According to Dinesh Chheda who has been designing ethnic threads for women for more than 25 years, "most women prefer wearing salwar-kameez to sarees during monsoon. That apart, they generally do not buy anything major during this season. All their buying is confined to summers or festive occasions. Hence, I do not see the need to design for this season. However, if I ever design for monsoon then the accent will be on synthetic fabrics and bold colours."


In contrast, leading designer Seema Roye has brought out Splash, an exclusive collection comprising six different segments, to welcome rains. Seema's collection consists of elegant beach wear, Indo-Western fusion and traditional Indian wear. Her palette is as wide as blue, peach, light copper and white. Palazzos teamed with tank tops are among the fusion wear and elegant zardozi work on satin mark the ethnic collection. Her fabrics include satin and net.

Unlike Seema, Shaina NC does not design for monsoon nor does she believe in any kind of work on her clothes for the season. She avoids fabrics like cotton, crepe and organza. According to her, "silk is best suited for the monsoon. It also gives scope for variation in the hues."

Anita Dongre whose AND outlet at Crossroads avers, "traditionally,Indian women used to have a different variety of clothing exclusively meant for the monsoon. It is only now that we have realised the need to revive this tradition. I have not brought out anything new for this season but my fusion wear, which is a blend of Indian bandhani with Western outfits, seems to be the right choice to offset this season."

Designer Jai Ramrakhiani makes special bermudas for the monsoon. "I think bermudas are best to avoid the various hassles of heavy downpour," he smiles.

Vikram Phadnis simply treats monsoon as an off season and takes a break during this period. He would rather concentrate on his autumn\winter collection than design for monsoon.

Star designer Manish Malhotra has similar views. Says he, "I think colours like blue, light purple, indigo, lemon yellow and white, which are a designer's favourite for summer also hold good for monsoon. He does not see the need to design separately for monsoon.

Deepak Duggal who is into men's fashion in a big way, has designed special shirts for the monsoon. Says he, "it is important to use the right fabric during monsoon as there are certain fabrics which lose their sheen once wet. Hence, I import a special blend of rayon and cotton from Italy, which I use for most of my line for this season. The rayon ensures that the clothes do not cling to your body and cotton dries up fast so it is an ideal blend for this season."

With so much to choose from for this season, monsoon will never be looked down upon as a dull and dreary season anymore. Most, I am sure, will be ready to welcome the showers. EOM…

Source: http://www.seasonsindia.com/Beauty/monsoonfash_sea.htm

9 Cool Ways to Avoid Sweatshops

Want to make sure your clothes weren’t produced in a sweatshop? — Our National Green Pages™ is filled with screened clothing companies that source their garments responsibly, so you don’t have to wonder if your clothing purchase is fueling injustice in a factory thousands of miles away.

We here at Co-op America depend on our own Green Pages companies to make sure that our purchases avoid sweatshops too. For example, our Green Festival works with T.S. Designs, a longtime member of our green business network, to supply the thousands of soft, high-quality, organic, sweatship-free “Green Festival” T-shirts we give to our wonderful festival volunteers.

The good news is that “sweatshop-free” today goes beyond T-shirts. Searching the National Green Pages™ yields a green option for just about any apparel or household item you need; our editors compiled the list below by searching for sweat-free options on items people often ask us about.

Their picks are far from exhaustive, but clearly represent the reach of the green economy; we hope they inspire you to search the Green Pages on your own!

Check More on this at :http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/sweatshops/whatyoucando/9coolways.cfm

Summer Wears Clothing Men Only

Men casual clothing kurta pajama is a gift to the Indian traditional wear by the great Mughals. In their custom, both men and women enjoyed kurtas and pajamas cut in long flowing panels. These elaborately embroidered kurtas with real gold and silver threads, weighed between 5 to 10 kilograms. With the change in time and fashion, modifications were made according to the comfort and affordability of people. Now the kurta pajama is more of a mans informal relaxing wear. Though the source of inspiration remains the same old Mughal fashion, many new changes are seen in todays style of Kurta pajamas.
Among men, the most commonly worn kurtas are the coarse handloom kurta with high Chinese collar. They are either plain woven or the designs are woven in different colors. Comfort and easy wearing quality has made the kurta pajama universally popular. They are worn in winters as well as summers. The material for the summer and winter kurta changes suiting the weather conditions. Summer welcomes crisp and light cottons, while winter gives way to all heavy and thick materials. However, the handloom kurtas are worn in both summer and winter. The style popular among mens kurtas is the straight cut with side pockets.

The prints commonly seen on this apparel in summers are block print and tie and dye of Rajasthan and Gujarat. These kurta pajama sets from Rajasthan and Gujarat come in not only traditional block printing and tie and dye but also with rich embroidery and glittering mirror work. The chikan hand embroidery of Lucknow is also very popular for its traditional rich look and values. These are usually made in pure cotton as they are worn mainly in summer. The winter Kurtas are in silk, satin, and other thick fabric.

Clothing Gift Ideas

Clothing can be of various types depending on your budget. It is one of the favorite gift items to opt for. You can try out clothing gifts for women, men, and kids. There are various styles available in the market. You have ample options to choose from depending on his or her age and their personal preferences, likes and dislikes. So here we try to help you out with certain ideas on clothing gifts. You can refer to these ideas while deciding on what cloth item you want to opt for.

Clothing Gift Ideas for Women

You should always select clothes for women according to their dressing sense. If she is a workingwoman than you can gift her something on official wear. There are various kinds of western official wear available in the market. Like you can opt for shirt and trousers. The shirts can be of slim fit, traditional and loose fit depending on the body type. You can choose fabrics like linen and cotton. There are formal shirts with the freshest, most vibrant colors and the most luxurious materials all combined with subtle, elegant, professional tailoring. Women's shirt should have a wonderful feminine twist in its look. Nowadays the formal wear, which are available are more contemporary in style and relaxed clothing. The cutting should be closer fit and should give a sleek modern look. Other than the office wear you can also opt for eveningwear and party wear. Various options are available on evening and party wear. You can opt for silk woven evening dresses with embroidery on it, sensuous evening gowns with waist sash. Gowns are available in different colors and designs like trendy strapless eveningwear, gown with spaghetti stripes, evening dresses with double edge on the neckline, dresses with decorative ribbon band on waist, and classy evening gown with handmade embroidery. There are casual wear also to gift like jeans, t-shirt, and skirts.

Clothing Gift Ideas for Men

Men clothing should be given according to the occasion and their tastes. There are men who prefer to dress formally all the time whether in office or in parties. So for them you can try out formal clothes. But there are men who prefer to be in casual all the time. They like wearing jeans and t-shirt. Some also like to wear party clothes so for them you can gift party wears. Some of the ideas of clothing for men are shirts and pants. Shirts can be gifted of various fabrics like cotton and mixed fabric. It can be full sleeve and half sleeve but if you are gifting formal wear than you should opt for full sleeve shirts of light colors, which has a official look. But if you are gifting informal shirts than you can go for different colors according to their age. You can try out vibrant colors and prints like checks and floral prints. Coming to pants ideas men today has a lot of option to choose from. For business purpose they opt for cotton chinos, linen, jeans, corduroys, and khakis. The colors you can try out are black and different shades of gray for formal wear. Many people wear nylon blend fabric too. Jeans can be gifted of different colors like blue and its different shades, even black and shades of gray. These are some of the clothing gift ideas for men, which you can refer to while giving clothes to them as a gift.

Clothing Gift Ideas for Kids

For giving clothes as a gift to kids you should know what is the occasion you are giving gifts. The main thing in kids clothing is comfort. You should know before giving that the fabric is good for skin or not. During summers if you are gifting than you should always go for cotton clothes, which are good for skin. For girls you can gift frocks, dresses and skirts of various vibrant colors and prints. For boys you can gift shirt pant set of different colors. You can check out some of the shirts with cartoon figures printed on it. Those look really good on kids. During winter season you can also gift winter garments, which comes in different varieties. So here are some of the gift ideas on kids clothing.

Source:http://gift-ideas.iloveindia.com/exclusive/clothing-gifts.html

sareeeees galoreeeeeeeeeee

Casual is something occurring at irregular or infrequent intervals, being without ceremony or formality. In India the most common casual dresses for women are casual saris, casual printed sarees and casual suits. You can wear casual sarianywhere and any occasion. As in any society, how you dress affects your experiences.Your fashion choices make a statement about your interests or intentions, and these statements are subject to cultural interpretation.Only Utsavsaree provide an appealing saree in white fashion crepe in a casual and semi formal style. The last few decades in Western countries have seen a revolution in fashion ideas, especially among the young, that would have shocked Westerners even two generations back. Though a small segment of urban India has been exposed to, and often accepted new fashion directions, most Indians hold a more conservative view.


Many businesses today have adopted “casual dress” policies like as-casual sari,casual lehnga, salwar kameez. Some individuals and businesses claim that casual dress policies make employees more productive and more comfortable in the workplace. Today, casual dress seems to fall into two categories: careful casual and careless casual. Careful casual has somewhat of a “tailored” look, rather than a sloppy look. Clean, pressed clothes leave a much better impression than stained or wrinkled attire. Careless casual suggests one does not care about his or her appearance. This is not the business image one should communicate (“Dressing down impacts…”, 3000). In a recent survey on casual dress policies, 80% of executives said the following items are unacceptable in a casual dress environment: sweat suits, contemporary salwar suits, exemplary salwar suits, spandex, denim (jeans), shorts, t-shirts with slogans, bared midriffs, halter tops, tank tops, flip-flops, and sandals. On the other hand, the following articles of clothing are considered acceptable for casual dress in most workplaces: turtlenecks, collared shirts and blouses, khakis, corduroys, slacks or pantsuits, blazers, vests, sweaters, and leather shoes (“Casual dress”, 3000). These rules go for men and women; however, it still may be a little more difficult for women to decide what to wear. Mary Lou Andre, president and founder of Organization by design (a Boston-based fashion consulting firm), tells women to “Ditch the miniskirts and sandals; no matter how fashionable and lovely, bare skin just isn’t appropriate at the office. Another tip to consider is to dress as if going to meet friends for dinner in a nice restaurant, not as if going to wash a car. Also, casual does not equal old. Worn clothes give an outdated impression. Clothes should be selected based on the image and ideas one wants to project.

In India, there are two main dress styles for women: the sari and the salwar kurta. casual sarees are stylish and wonderfully comfortable, ideal for the long hot Indian summers. Contemporary sarees are available in designs ranging from ethnic chic to traditional to modern prints, in a wide range of fabrics, are wonderfully flattering for the fuller figure. Women of all sizes can wear these outfits with confidence, knowing they will turn heads everywhere they go. Causal sari /simple sarees can be used both for daily wear and office wear. Causal daily wear saris can be of cotton, chiffon or any other fabric. Cotton daily wear saris are much into demand during summer.
Dressing to fit in is more important for women who want to avoid unnecessary hassles. The standard advice is to cover your shoulders and your butt, and avoid showing cleavage.

Utsavsarees.com is a shopping service provider for the large Indian community residing in USA, New York, Los Angeles, California, Chicago, Illinois, Houston, Texas, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Phoenix, Arizona, San Diego, California, Dallas, Texas, San Antonio, Texas, Austin, Detroit, Michigan, San Jose, California, Indianapolis, Indiana, San Francisco, California, Jacksonville, Florida, Columbus, Ohio, Austin, Texas, Memphis, Indiana, Indianapolis, Iowa, Des Moines, Tennessee, Baltimore, Maryland, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Boston, Massachusetts, Charlotte, North Carolina, El Paso, Texas, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Washington, Fort Worth, Texas, Denver, Colorado, Nashville-Davidson, Tennessee, Portland, Oregon, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Cheyenne, Las Vegas, Nevada, Massachusetts, Boston, Hawaii, Sydney, Mauritius, Fiji Is., Australia, Singapore, India, Malaysia and other parts of world

Source: http://www.utsavsarees.com/pages/casualsaris.htm

Man Gym Wear

When it's the time for a gym workout, you cannot go about exercising in your business casual suit. When it's the time to shape up your body, you should opt for proper gym workout clothes for men that are comfortable. These man gym fitness clothes allow flexibility to bend upside down for carrying out different types of exercises. Man gym wear collection is pretty extensive. There is a vast array of clothing you can choose from.


The assortment of gym attire for men is simply fabulous. There are different kinds of T-shirts you can look out for ranging from Asian shooter shirt to sleeveless Running T-shirt to bodybuilder stringer tank tops. Running T-shirt is perfect for treadmill exercising, as it is moisture absorbent. For bodybuilders, there are specially designed zip up gym jackets. Ringer T-shirt, made up of 100% cotton is sheer light and is a great choice to wear in summers. In winters, hooded zip up sweatshirts are the best deal. Heavy fabric for coziness and mushy feel for softness makes a fantastic combination. Its thermal lining provides the desired warmth.

In pants there are again multiple choices available to you. There are different kinds of sports and workout pants. You can try out one of the techno mesh training pants or else look out for the comfy jogging track pants. Retro designs are again in vogue. Sweatpants style drawn form the period of 70s looks cool and features the best of both worlds namely style and comfort. In summers, a great option is drawstring shorts. They are truly offbeat. So, men leave your old gym rags and go buy some cool gym wear for you.


Source: http://www.indobase.com/fashion/men-fashion/apparels/western/sports-wear/man-gym-wear.html

Man Summer Clothes

Some tips on choosing the right man clothing for summers are: -
Man summer wear collection is vast and gives you multiple options to choose from. You need to pick up something that goes well with your individual decorum. And mind you guys don't get lured by the designer labels because they might not be the apt clothing for you. So always keep in mind that "all that glitters is not gold".
Shades and prints have psychological effects. On hot summer day, a person in black big print top would lend a feeling of hot summer winds but if you see a man dressed in white plain shirt, you will feel cooler. It gives a feeling that though the mercury is shooting but still the temperature is bearable. So next time look out for some sober light colors and small prints. Complicated motifs should be avoided. Gaudy clothes are a total no.
Don't attempt to overdress. Avoid wearing jacket on top of a shirt or T-shirt.
While freaking out with friends, attire shorts instead of full-length pants. Sleeveless tops and other types of tank tops are a good option. Don them with a pair of funky thong sandals or else hunt for sneakers.
Swimming is a great fun activity, which is not only delightful but shapes your body too. So, buy cool beach attire for yourself.
In summers avoid proper fit clothes. Loose fit gives you a relaxed feel. The keyword to be paid attention to is that the outfit should be airy.
Ensure that you are wearing a seasonal fabric cloth. Cotton is the best option in summers. Hassle free and skin friendly it is an all time favorite. Avoid synthetic stuff. Soft material helps you in fighting with the intensifying heat.
Jeans is not suitable to be worn in summers. You should rather go in for cotton or linen pants.
Accessorize yourself with cool hats and funky goggles. Bandanas are again a great fashion accessory. These summer accessories are just perfect for summer season as they look stylish and give a soothing effect. It's like you have your cake and eat it too.
So, next time you step out of home take care to follow these tips and you'll suddenly feel that the temperature is dropping. So, learn to camouflage the season with your intelligence.


Source: http://www.indobase.com/fashion/men-fashion/apparels/western/sports-wear/men-summer-clothing.html

shady characters

I can't remember a time when Ray-Ban sunglasses have been out of style. Sure, their popularity comes and goes, but unlike Vuarnets, "goggle" glasses with blinders, and Oakley shields, Ray-Bans always look classic. In fact it's precisely the old-school shape of both the Aviators and Wayfarer styles that makes the look of forties aviation pilots, sixties movie actors, seventies rock stars, and eighties brat-packers still look relevant today.

Because we've seen Ray-Bans worn in such a high profile way for so long, I'm now most impressed by guys who have found new interpretations of the Ray-Ban look. I saw a guy on the street the other day whose sunglasses looked liked classic aviators in every way except the edge of the frames was shaped differently. I asked him if they were Ray-Ban, and he proudly declared they were "street" glasses he bought in Dakar. I also recently noticed a street vendor selling aviators in updated shades of electric blue, white, and bottle-green. You see, the logo really doesn't matter. The idea is basic and repeatable, the very definition of a standard. It's just a little American configuration of glass and metal (or glass and plastic, as the case may be) that has taught a world of men how to go incognito.

Source: http://www.mensvogue.com/clothing/blogs/in_her_eyes/eyewear/index.html

Getting Through Tough Times

Controlling Stress

Unexpected income changes are among the moststressful events a person can experience.Unemployment, a disaster, divorce or the death ofsomeone you love can be personally devastatingand can trigger the same reactions.Personal Crises Are StressfulIn a personal crisis, you may feel tense and angry.You may have mood swings and find yourselflashing out at others. Feelings of frustration canlead to family arguments. Or you may feeldepressed and discouraged. These feelings may benormal and common. Other family membersusually share some or all of your emotions, eitherdirectly or indirectly. While sharing your feelingsof loss and despair, they may also have to dealwith your depression, frustration and anger.Allow yourself and other family members toexpress feelings. Don’t talk about “snapping outof it.” This denies the seriousness of someone’sfeelings.A personal crisis may force you to make rapidchanges in your life. It can disrupt your habits andnormal routines and give you too much or notenough free time. Maintain your daily routines asmuch as you possibly can. Try to fill your time insatisfying and rewarding ways.Unemployment may mean you can spend timewith your children, spouse or other familymembers. Work on household projects that youhaven’t had time to do. Read up on a topic you’vewanted to learn more about.Every member of the family feels stress duringtough times. Support and communicate with oneanother. Some roles and responsibilities may needto be changed until the crisis is over. Be flexibleand willing to try new things. Studies show thatfamilies who meet challenges head-on are themost likely to successfully cope with crises.Change can be difficult, but all family membersneed to pull together during a crisis.Take Care of YourselfIn order to better cope with stress, keep your bodyhealthy. Eat balanced meals, get enough sleep andexercise regularly.One approach to coping with stress overload is totake a break from the stressful situation. Here aresome suggestions:Take a walk.Watch a movie.Spend time on yourself — take a long bubblebath or shower.Listen to music.Work in the yard or garden.Work on your favorite hobby, or start a newone.Jog, dance or participate in some otherphysical activity.Another approach is to take action to reduceexcess muscle tension by using relaxationexercises. Although relaxation exercises do notget at the causes of stress overload, they provide aphysical release from tension.ToughTimesControlling StressGTTT-12
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2Learning to achieve the relaxation response is askill that takes practice. Practice the technique atleast twice a day. Follow these guidelines:Find a quiet place.Get into a comfortable position — lie down onthe floor or sit with uncrossed legs.Breathe easily and naturally.Keep muscles loose, limp and relaxed.Easy Relaxation TechniquesBelly BreathingSit or lie comfortably in a relaxed position. As youslowly breathe in, let your belly expand. Think ofit as a balloon filling with air. As you exhale, letthe air out of your “balloon” slowly. Place yourhands on your stomach. You should feel it rise andfall as you breathe.Slower Respiration RateSlow down your breathing rate by seeing how fewtimes you can breathe each 60 seconds. When youbegin to get tense, take a few minutes and simplyslow your breathing down to about three to sixbreaths per minute.Shoulder ExerciseTry to touch your ears with your shoulders. Holdit for a count of 4. Then let your shoulders drop.Now rotate each shoulder separately toward therear. Do each shoulder 5 to 10 times. Then do bothshoulders together.MassageMassage the back of your neck, concentrating onthe part that feels tense. Cup your thumbs at thefront of your neck and massage on both sides ofyour spinal column, letting your head fall limplyback against your rotating fingers. Use yourfingers to massage around your hairline and underyour jaw and your cheekbones.Mental VacationEnjoy the pleasures of a vacation through yourimagination. First, close your eyes and think ofsome place where you would like to be. Then gothere in your mind. Perhaps you will go alone. Oryou might imagine being with someone. You maybe quietly watching the sunset, a mountain, thewoods or an ocean. Or you may be active inhunting shells or rocks, hiking, playing some sportor game, climbing a mountain or cycling. Enjoythe experience.When To Get HelpSometimes things may get so difficult and out ofcontrol that you may need to get professional help.In every community, resources such as the familydoctor, mental health professionals, supportgroups and clergy exist. They can help you dealwith extreme levels of stress and the physical andemotional trauma that often accompany them.The following symptoms indicate a need foroutside help:Feeling depressed. (Some signs are crying forno reason, lack of personal care, feeling as ifyou don’t want to do anything, fatigue,unreasonable fears, inability to concentrate,change in appetite.)Changed sleeping patterns. (Sleeping toomuch, difficulty falling asleep, waking a lotduring the night and too early in the morning.)Abusing family members.Thinking about suicide.Disciplining too harshly.Hallucinating (you hear voices or see thingsthat are not there).Considering separation from your spouse.Thinking of nothing good to say.
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3Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. (Thiscould be drinking in the morning, hidingliquor so no one knows you are drinking,drinking more than two or three drinks orbeers every night.)Feeling guilty, as though you aren’t being agood parent to your kids.Experiencing isolation. (You don’t knowanyone to talk to and you have a strong needto talk to someone.)Making excuses for your situation or lyingabout your situation.Having attacks when you feel extremelypanicky (may also have high pulse rate anddifficulty breathing).Feeling overwhelmed by life.Before your problems become too big to handle,find a trained, skilled counselor to help you andyour family cope with this crisis. A familycounselor can help you handle your fears, adjustto your present situation, and plan adequately forthe future. Health insurance may help pay forcounseling costs. Some counselors charge on asliding scale — depending on your ability to pay.Your religious leader may provide counseling atno cost to you.For a list of agencies that can help, see the factsheet in this series, Community Agencies That CanHelp.For information on support needed during stress,see the fact sheet in this series, Identifying Sourcesof Support and Friendship.Getting Through Tough Times is a 19-part seriesfor individuals and families experiencingpersonal/financial crises.Contact your local University of Illinois Extensionoffice for copies of other fact sheets in this series.The address and phone number can be found inthe yellow pages of your phone book under“governmental offices - county.”Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914,in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dennis R. Campion, interimdirector, University of Illinois Extension.Information from Managing Between Jobs: Controlling Stress, by Joan E. LeFebvre, professor, Family Development Department, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Vilas, Forest and Florence Counties. With permission, adapted for Illinois by Charlotte Crawford and Lois E. Smith, Consumer and FamilyEconomics Educators, University of Illinois Extension, 1/94. Reviewed by Kay Mayberry and Cammy Seguin, Family Life Educators, University of IllinoisExtension, 2/99.Copyright © 1999 by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.Getting Through Tough Times: Controlling StressGTTT-12

Using Credit Wisely

Try to make more than the minimum payment!
Why is this important? If you stick to the minimum amount due to pay off a balance of $1,000 on a card with an 18 percent annual interest rate, it would take you more than 12 years to pay it off. During that time, you would also pay $1,115 in interest charges. That is more than double the original balance. So, that shirt you got on sale for $19.99 really cost you $39.98.

If you get a credit card, just be careful. The very first time you pay less than the minimum payment on your bill, it shows up on your credit report. The first time you're late paying a bill, it's there. Every time something goes wrong it's noted in your credit report.

And, don't get greedy...

Every time you sign up for a credit card just to get that free t-shirt it's recorded. Too many inquiries into your credit can be a bad thing.

Helpful Hints for Credit Card Use:
Try to restrict your credit card use to only one or two cards.
Use credit wisely. Ask yourself the following questions before purchasing with credit: Is this something I need? Do I need it now? Do I have the ability to repay? How long will it take me to repay? How much will it ultimately cost me?
Make sure that monthly debt payments do not exceed 20 percent of your monthly net income.
Shop around for credit cards with low interest rates, low annual fees and reasonable grace periods before finance charges begin.
Pay the entire balance when it's due and review your spending habits to cut unnecessary purchases.
Pay your bill as soon as you get it, and if you can't pay the entire balance, pay more than the minimum amount due when possible.
When you use credit to pay for an item, write down the amount and subtract it from your funds to ensure you can pay the amount at the end of the month.
Never lend credit cards to friends or leave cards or receipts lying around where people can find them.
Think ahead. Be proactive, not reactive, about your finances. Plan for different obligations now and after graduation.
Keep a list of your credit card account numbers and phone numbers in a safe place in case a card is lost or stolen. If a card is lost or stolen, report it as soon as you notice it is missing.


If you're already in way over your head check out these tips to see how to get out of debt without giving up food.

How to Avoid Debt
It is a good idea to get into the habit of asking yourself ten questions every time you consider purchasing something on credit:

Do I really need this item right now or can I wait?
Can I qualify for credit?
What is the interest rate (APR)?
Are there additional fees?
How much is the monthly payment and when is it is due?
Can I afford to pay the monthly payments?
What will happen if I don't make the payments on time?
What will be the extra cost of using credit?
What will I have to give up to pay for it?
All things considered, is using credit worth it?

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Types Of Men's Bags

1- Briefcase
Briefcases are probably the oldest form of “acceptable” handbags for men. Modern-day briefcases, however, have evolved a great deal since the days of your father’s sharp-cornered case. They’re no longer boxy; in fact, that’s about the only traditional element discarded in the modern briefcase. The classic shape (without the sharp corners), buckles, leather exterior, and practical interior compartments help make this bag a timeless addition to any working-man’s wardrobe.

Carry with: Business attire

2- Messenger bag
Aptly named, the messenger bag is designed after the bags traditionally carried throughout history by -- whom else? -- messengers. Often made from canvas and swung across the shoulder, messenger bags have taken on a whole new meaning in urban fashion. From students with canvas bags to urban hipsters with modern leather bags, the messenger’s laid-back style will always have a classic casual flair, but today’s leather messenger tote also exudes a hint of uptown sophistication.

Carry with: Slick street clothes

3- Holdall
Any traveling man needs a holdall for those weekend jaunts or three-day business trips. Big, bulky luggage has transformed into sleek, stylish holdalls (or carryalls). Its design is inspired by the duffel bag, but its predominantly leather exterior and more refined appearance attribute a classic look to this practical tote.

Carry with: Casual weekend wear, business-casual attire


Source:D

http://www.askmen.com/fashion/fashiontip_300/313_fashion_advice.html

Handkerchief etiquette

How a handkerchief can come handy on so many occasions?
By Peter Foss

Why carry a handkerchief?
If you think you will out in the open for too long and may not have ready access to a bathroom, a handkerchief (for formal situations) or a small hand towel (if you are going to hike or workout or be outdoors) are a must. That way you can use it to wipe yourself if you sweat or if you end up washing yourself in the open.
While many people may know this but let me repeat - no matter in what culture you are, it is simply not a good idea to blow your nose into a napkin. What I suggest is that if you need to blow your nose and rush to the nearest bathroom. You should always blow your nose in your own handkerchief and be as discreet about it as possible. You should do the same after sneezing.
In many poor countries where public restrooms do not have paper towels or tissue paper, you will find that having a handkerchief is very helpful. Similarly, if you are traveling in an area where you likely to experience a lot of dust, you can use a handkerchief to cover your nose so that you do not breathe a lot of dust particles.
Handkerchief etiquette

Use it only once. As soon as you can, please change it. If possible, carry more than one, particularly if you will be gone for several hours or if you have a cold.
While silk handkerchiefs are great for style, it is best to have a cotton handkerchief for actually using it.
There is no rule that men should carry only dull, white handkerchiefs but it is generally expected that men will not be using the types popular among women (frilly, flower-patterns, feminine colors, etc.)


Source: http://www.mynippon.com/lifestyle/handkerchief-etiquette.htm

How to Say "No" at Work and Get Away with It

Do you feel like you have to say “Yes” to everything that comes your way in the workplace? Every task, project , business trip and any other requests that may come across your desk in the course of the work week? The truth is, many of us end up overloaded and unable to complete our job duties because of taking on so many additional and extra tasks. While being able to rise to the challenges just may be part of the job, there are ways to learn to say “no” when the occasion warrants. Of course, any time we say “no,” there are likely risks, but there are some techniques to help minimize risk and make our “no” a win-win situation.

There are a few different approaches you can take when you really cannot or don’t want to take on an additional project. If you want to refuse because you have issues with the project itself, there may be a way to share those concerns with your superiors. By questioning the validity of the project (unless it is your boss’ pet project!), the need for the task, meeting or trip, or whether the extra work is necessary to the overall goals and well-being of the company, you may be able to say “no” without actually saying no.

Another approach is to simply state that “my plate is too full” or that you are too busy working on x project, or the suppliers in project y are running behind and you’re having to work harder to keep things on schedule. Make sure this is actually a situation where you really do have too much to do. What might happen, of course, is that the supervisor may take away some of your other duties to make room for the new project. You may be able to avoid this, however, by offering an alternative in your place. “Unfortunately, I am just too busy with the xyz project to do this one justice, I think that Suzy would be a great choice and do a good job for you.”


Source: : http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/72770/how_to_say_no_at_work_and_get_away.html

7 Ways To Make Your Skin Glow

By Ken Black

Nothing says youthfulness and good health like glowing, fresh skin. Some people are born with it, some can thank their family genes, but for the rest of us beautiful skin takes some work. What you may not realize is that it is easier than you think to have skin that glows. These seven tips will help you get the skin that you have always wanted.

1. Eat Healthy

If you want beautiful skin, it is important to maintain a healthy diet. You need plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and dairy in order to have a healthy body and healthy skin. You want to steer clear of processed foods and canned foods because these have a great deal of sodium and ingredients that can cause your skin to become dry, oily or just malnourished. Do your skin and body a favor and only eat fresh foods. Broccoli is a great food to eat if you have acne and fish is great for your skin in general. If you are eating the good foods, your skin will show it.

2. Drink Plenty of Water

It is important to drink lots of water to keep your skin supple and moist. If you do not drink enough water, your body will begin taking water from various minor organs in order to feed the major organs. One of the minor organs that is affected is the skin. When the water is drawn from the skin to take care of major organs, you may notice that your skin is very dry and even flaky or it is extremely oily. Drinking lots of water, though, combats that and keeps your body balanced.

3. Cleansing Matters

Cleansing should be a vital part of your daily routine. You should remove your makeup each night and thoroughly cleanse your face each morning. The products that you use are also important. Whether you opt for a brand name, drugstore brand or a natural brand of skincare, you should cleanse your face daily and do it the right way: Using lukewarm water (not hot, not cold), splash some on your face. Put some cleanser on your fingertips and work it into a lather. Using a circular motion, rub the cleanser on your face, jaw line and neck. You don't want to scrub, be gentle. Rinse your skin by splashing lukewarm water on your face and neck until the cleanser is gone. Pat your skin dry with a clean towel.

4. Exfoliate

Exfoliation is a great way to get a quick glow. The trick is to get an exfoliator that is gentle but effective. You don't want a very coarse grit because you don't want to overwork your skin. Use a fine grit and make sure that it is gentle. You can use it each morning prior to applying your makeup for a glow that will last all day. To apply, splash your face with lukewarm water. Apply the exfoliator with the pads of your fingers in a circular motion. Avoid your eye area and don't scrub hard. Rinse well and pat dry with a clean towel.

5. Sleep

A good night's sleep is one of the best beauty tools you can have. While many people believe that sleep deprivation causes dark circles under your eyes, this is not true. When you miss too much sleep, fluid can collect under your eyes, making them puffy. If you are prone to dark circles, which is a concentration of blood vessels just under the skin, then the puffiness will make the dark circles more prominent. This can add years to your look. Plus, your body repairs itself while you sleep so if you don't get enough sleep, it can not repair itself adequately. So take the time to get a good night's sleep.

6. Your Makeup Means a Lot

Your makeup can mean the difference between great, glowing skin and acne or dry flaky skin. The mineral makeup that is gaining popularity lately is actually a makeup that is good for your skin. Some versions have certain minerals, though, that certain skin types react to so you may need to try a couple of different formulations until you find the one that is best for you.

7. Relax

Stress can wreak havoc on your skin so it is important that you take time to relax. Meditate, take a warm bath (not hot! Intense heat can harm your skin) or just talk with a friend. Classes such as yoga and Pilates are great stress relievers. If you take the time to relax and relieve your stress, your skin will thank you.

If you follow these seven simple steps, you'll soon have softer, younger looking skin, and you just might start getting unexpected compliments, but of course.

Ken Black is the owner of popular health websites. Visit this Skin Care site for more information on anti aging skin care.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Black

Five Ways to Make your Hair Shine

Who doesn’t want shiny hair? Whether your hair is long or short, blonde or brunette, there is nothing like a healthy shine to ensure that you get noticed. Did you know that there are a few secrets to shiny hair that you can try from the comfort of your own home? Healthy, shiny hair results from a combination of healthy living and choosing the right products for your hair type. Whether it comes to cleansing, rinsing or styling, you can do much to give your tresses that shiny edge that you are dreaming about.



1. Keep it clean. Selecting the right cleaning products for your hair will do much in ensuring that your locks can put their shiniest foot forward. If your hair tends toward the dry end of the scale, make sure that you look for a moisturizing shampoo. If you usually use a lot of heat to style your hair, in the form of blow dryers and curling irons, look for a formula that is heat activated. And if your hair runs on the oily side, don’t forget to use a clarifying shampoo regularly to strip your tresses of the excess oil that can wear hair down and dull the shine.



2. Rinse it out. Yes, it is important to thoroughly rinse your hair after shampooing, but a mere water rinse may not be enough. First, a cool water rinse will go a long way in smoothing the cuticles – a sure shine enhancer. You can even take your rinse a step further by adding a shot of lemon juice if you are a blonde, or a dash of apple cider vinegar if your hair is brunette or red. Beer is another good shine enhancing rinse for any hair color.



3. Style with care. Putting heat on your hair regularly is one of the fastest ways to suck the shine right out of it. If you simply cannot live without your blow dryer or hot rollers, make sure that you are using shampoos, conditioners and styling products that are specifically designed to be heat activated. This way that shot of warm air from your blow dryer will actually shine your hair up instead of drying it out and dulling it down.



4. Pick your styling products with care. Yes, hairspray is a great way to keep your do in place, but a hairspray with shine enhancers is even better. Look for leave in conditioners and styling gels that are specially formulated to bring out the shine. Even some hair colors are designed today to make the most of your natural glow. Let your products pick up where Mother Nature left off to step up your shine factor!



5. Give your tresses the royal treatment. Once a week, give your hair a complete pampering, using a commercial hot oil treatment or one that you whip up in your own kitchen. For shine power, select ingredients like strawberries that are pureed or olive oil that has been warmed up. A drop or two of rosemary will give a boost to darker hair, while chamomile oil will do wonders for lighter hair colors.



Shiny tresses are not something that you must only dream about. With a bit of hair care savvy and some special TLC for your tresses, you can bring out your best polish for your crowning glory. Shine on.

Source: http://www.carefair.com/Hair/Ways_to_Make_our_Hair_Shine_2812.html

How to brush your Dog's Teeth

Step 1 - Select an appropriate time
Find a quiet, convenient time when you and your dog are both relaxed.

Step 2 - Acquaint your dog with the process.
For the first few sessions don't even use a toothbrush. Gently stroke the outside of her cheeks with your finger. After she becomes comfortable with that, place a dab of toothpaste on your finger and let her taste it. We usually suggest starting with C.E.T. poultry flavored toothpaste, because pets like the taste..

Step 3 - Introduce the Toothbrush
Place a small amount of toothpaste on the brush. In a slow circular motion, brush one or two teeth and the adjoining gum line. The purpose of this step is to get your dog accustomed to the feel of the brush.

Step 4 - Begin Brushing
Over the next several days, gradually increase the number of teeth brushed. It is important to eventually brush the rear teeth where plaque and tartar have a greater tendency to accumulate. Go slowly and gently. Stop brushing when you decide to stop, before your dog begins to fuss. If she learns to dislike the procedure and finds out that fussing makes you stop quicker, then this brushing business is going to get harder, not easier.

Build up to about 30 seconds per side. Dogs don't get much tartar on the inside surfaces of their teeth, so you only need to worry about the outside surfaces Be sure to brush the big teeth way in back.

Make tooth brushing a pleasurable experience
Proceed slowly and gently. Stop each session while it is still fun and lavishly praise your dog afterwards. She will soon start looking forward to tooth brushing and it will become a pleasant activity for both of you.

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Using Feng Shui at Work: Private Offices and Cubicles

Arrange your personal office or cubicle according to the tenets of feng shui to get the most possible work done with the least amount of stress and frustration.

The continuous corporate emphasis on cost-cutting and profit maximization has led to a related yet unfortunate drive to squeeze the maximum possible usage out of every square inch of office space — not to mention out of the employees.

Corporate settings use two general seating arrangements: individual offices (one room per worker) and the dreaded cubicle (or office isolation tank). The move to more people sharing space, whether in cubicles or not, contributes to an admirable flattening of hierarchies within the corporation. However, the downside is sterility, a lack of privacy and personal space; you may feel like a unit in a machine rather than a person with individual needs and desires.

Having a room of one's own
The ideal office is a room of your own with a regular shape (preferably square or rectangle), natural lighting (at least one window), a solid door you can close, and a good position for your desk. One of the great advantages of having your own office is that you can usually perform more decorative Feng Shui adjustments than if you work in a cubicle. Of course, not every company can afford, or desires, to put every employee in his or her own individual space.

If your office deviates from these ideal conditions, try these cures:


Irregular room shape: Use a faceted crystal sphere, mirror, or plant to correct the space. If your office is extremely irregular, you can have inexplicable setbacks and continuous frustrations at work. If you can't switch offices, you can apply the special nine green plants cure: Add nine healthy new plants to your space all on the same day. The plants should be purchased new for the purpose of this cure. If convenient, you can place the plants near particular irregularities in the room, such as strange angles, posts, cramped areas, and so on. Otherwise, just stick them where they fit best. For full results from this cure, visualize that your job and career are going very well.
Projecting corner, post, pillar, column, soffit, or duct work: Many offices contain features that break up the energy flow of the room or, worse, shoot "poison arrows" at your sitting position at the desk. Place a sizeable plant in front of the troublesome feature, or hang a faceted crystal sphere between the feature and your sitting position at the desk.
Solid versus glass walls: If your office contains one or more glass walls that make you feel even a little vulnerable, try to hang mini-blinds to cover the glassed-in area. Blinds are effective even if you don't often use them; their presence gives you added protection. If you can't perform this solution, hang faceted crystal spheres from the ceiling with red ribbons cut in 9-inch multiples. Use one sphere for every 5 linear feet of window space.
Improper lighting: Like the majority of office workers, if you suffer under fluorescent lighting, you can use a couple helpful hints. You may be able to replace the tubes yourself with healthier full-spectrum ones (also called "grow lights") from the hardware store. If you can't replace them, bring in some supplemental incandescent light in the form of floor or table lamps. Working solely with overhead light is uncomfortable for the eyes, and supplemental lighting is a source of relief for your eyes and mind.
Surviving and thriving in a cubicle
A cubicle is a much trickier Feng Shui situation than an office room. Cubicles are unfortunate paradigms of vulnerability for the individual worker. One of the chief problems is that you don't use a real desk but work from a countertop, unless you work in one of the large manager type cubicles. However, you can do plenty to improve your situation. By judiciously applying Feng Shui cures, you may find yourself in your own office sooner than you imagined. (See Figure 1 for cure placements.)

The first and most important priority is to make sure you can see the entrance to your cube from your desk. Try to move your sitting position first, but don't seriously cramp your work style. If you can't move — you can't.
If you definitely can't move your sitting position, you can place an 8-x-10-inch mirror in a picture frame or on a small stand to reflect the entrance of the cube to allow you to see if anyone is approaching. Many people subconsciously use the reflections in their computer monitor to see who's approaching them, because seeing the entrance is a basic human need. The problem is that the reflection in a monitor's screen is distorted, unclear, and unreliable.
The second priority is bringing living and flowing energy into your workspace. These features are important ways of compensating for the small size of your space and the constant traffic flows that pass by your cube. If you can bring an odd number of healthy plants into your space, you can stimulate more-active, vibrant energy. Also, a nice fountain near the entrance of your cube can work wonders. Not only can it stimulate more salary coming your way, but also it can help uplift your mood and diffuse any negative flows of chi (human or environmental) in the vicinity of your work space. If space or social realities preclude a fountain, you can get some of the same benefits from a photo (the larger, the better) of flowing water, such as of a waterfall or river.


For more info pls visit :D

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/Using-Feng-Shui-at-Work-Private-Offices-and-Cubicles.id-1113.html

Reiki

Reiki - Light Made ManifestThe Bhagavad Gita's universal wisdom applies to all times and situations. And Reiki's universal energy heals and harmonizes all. Here, a Reiki practitioner talks about how each strengthens and supports the other. More...


Reiki
Reiki, the energy healing system, is based on the belief that thoughts have the power to direct energy—the underlying dynamo shaping the world. Often described as a form of Shinto-Buddhist Qigong, reiki was rediscovered by Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese, in the early 20th century. Dr Usui's initial task was to discover how spiritual leaders such as the Buddha and Christ were able to perform miraculous healing through mere touch without depleting their own energy reserves. A deep spiritual experience led him to devote several years to the study. During his quest he experienced an intense energy gratification, which had healing powers. He named this energy—Usui Reiki Ryoho. His disciples, after the World War II, popularized the concept and its practice in the West.

Reiki (pronounced as 'ray-key') is made up of two words—'rei' and 'ki'. 'Rei' can be interpreted as a higher form of intelligence while 'ki' denotes life force. Taken together, 'reiki' is understood to be a kind of universal energy. This healing system works by raising the vibrations, of the being or object to be healed, closer to that of the practitioner. Reiki is a multidimensional energy healing system, which can heal the cause of a problem at whatever level it may exist—body, mind, or spirit.

Reiki is transferred to students by Reiki Masters through a series of attunements. During an attunement process, the Master selects a series of symbols, which represent important points located along a person's energy field, and guides them through higher vibrations of energy. This attunement process enables recipients to access the healing energy on their own—and in turn, help others to access it too.


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How does meditation work?

by SirGan

When people hear word meditation most of them consider meditation as a worship or prayer. But they could not be more wrong. The word meditation take its roots in two Latin words: meditari(to think) and mederi (to heal).
Meditation could be defined as a self-directed practice for relaxing the body and the mind. But we could say that it work with the mind and have its effects on both, body and mind. The purpose of meditation is to make our bodies transcend the real world and connect with the non-physical world. That is possible when all the activity of the mind is reduced to one. And what you should definitely memorize is the sentence that meditation is a state of awareness.
Most meditative techniques originally have come from East and to West through eastern religions. Meditation is mostly practiced in religions from India, China and Japan, but you could find some kind of meditation in many different religions through the world. In the beginning, purpose of meditation was mostly religious but when people noticed benefits on health and reducing stress it also became a non- religious matter.



Why you should meditate?

These are some of the main reasons why you should meditate:
To improve your concentration - clear mind makes you feel better and makes you productive.
Less bothered by meaningless things – our mind frequently magnify small things into serious problems. Meditation here can help. Through meditation we learn how to see a bigger picture and how to divide important thing from those which are not.
Better Health – meditation reduces stress levels and alleviates anxiety. It is more than obvious that life without stress and anxiety is much more quality and also healthier.
Knowledge of Yourself –meditation enables you better knowing of your inner force and shows you how to use it better.

Types of meditation
Generally meditation can be grouped in two main groups:
1. Concentrative meditation and
2. Mindfulness meditation.
Concentrative meditation

Focuses our thoughts on breathing or on some particular image or even sound (mantra).This allows us to be aware and focus our attention on just one thing. This process can be explained like zoom lens in camera, we focus our awareness on selected field.
This way of meditation looks like this: find peaceful place and sit quietly and focus on breathing. Many people believe that there is a big correlation between your state of the mind and between your breathing. When we are anxious or nervous our breathing is shallow, rapid and when we are calm and peaceful our breathing is deep and regular. Considering this link between mind and body your meditation can lead to deep breathing and that makes your body tranquil and peaceful.
Mindfulness meditation
The one who meditates sits still in quiet environment and just let the mind do whatever it goes through without any involving. That means no thoughts, feelings, images. This can lead you to calm mind that does not react at any way. In concentrative meditation your awareness is focused on selected object but in mindfulness meditation you will be aware of the whole area.

How does meditation work?
The first thing you should know when talking about how meditation works is the fact that meditation works differently with everyone .But generally we could say that meditation is like resting. When you work hard physically your body need to take a break. Same thing is with mind. During the day your mind is receiving different kind of information like smells, sounds, feelings and it is more than obvious that it needs to get some rest. Sleep can rest your mind and its main goal is to do that. But sometimes we are so stressed that our mind can not completely rest even when sleep. That is the moment when meditation can help us. Meditation is going right into the difficult, stressed or unpleasant mind areas and it’s not trying to find solution to these problems but to change the attitude to them. People who practice meditation have the fall in metabolic rate right after start meditation. Proof for this is huge drop in level of oxygen used; this oxygen consumption can fell up to twenty percent below normal. These people take one litre air less in one minute and their heart beats are less than normal. Blood pressure is also lower. Meditation decrease nervous system activity.

How to meditate?

If you have something that we call normal life than for sure you know what word stress means and how stress looks like. Stress is a natural way that our body copes with things that occur in our environment. It is not so bad if it lasts for sort period of time, but if you are mostly stressed than you could have dangerous health issues. Everyone should learn how to reduce stress and real blessing is meditation. But you have to learn how to meditate.
1. Making an atmosphere
Making a peaceful atmosphere is the most important part of your meditation process. You should do whatever it takes to make the quietest place possible (make sure your phone is off), if you want you could turn down the lights or find yourself some calming music. Choose the music that makes you peaceful.
2. Preparing your accessories
While you are creating quiet atmosphere you have to find certain accessories for better meditation. It’s not obligate to have it, but many people said that it can be very helpful. For example yoga mats are great accessories for meditation. Or you can find anything that is easy to sit on for you. Because the most important thing while practicing meditation is to feel calm and comfortable. If some certain things make you feel like that you should definitely have it right next to you. Many people find the sound of running water calming, or they have candles to make the environment as peaceful as possible.
3. Wear Comfortable
Wear comfortable clothes because you have to feel comfortable. There are people who feel comfortable when naked, so if you are one of them just go for it. Take off your clothe and start practicing meditation.


For More Information please feel free to visit :

http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/How_does_meditation_work__a677_f0.html

Occupational Hazards and How to deal with them

July 29, 2004
Breaking the Cycle of Mistrust to Build a Positive Safety Culture

A structured approach to communication helps a troubled company rid itself of the Safety Culture Toxins.
The OSHA recordable rate was at 12.8. Then, a near-fatality shocked employees and managers. Bob, a 30-year-old with two children, barely escaped with his life when an electrical arc burned the hair off his right arm and temporarily stunned him after he plugged in a piece of equipment. No one came forward to admit they had failed to tag the electrical outlet as faulty because they knew it would mean days off without pay at best and dismissal at worst.


Everyone was stressed. Morale was low from layoffs and restructuring. There was not enough money for preventative maintenance, at least not enough to address the concerns of the people doing the work. So, the plant manager decided to initiate a series of classes that would focus on changing the culture and behavior. "These near misses and accidents are due primarily to people's behavior," he said, "People have got to understand that fixing all the physical conditions isn't the answer to stopping accidents! I want to turn this culture around and the only way I know of doing this is to get everyone in a room and talk about it."

Consequently for a year, the author facilitated dialogues attended by all employees, including managers. The sessions did not focus on employee behavior as the cause of accidents. Instead, concerns were validated. There was more work to do than there was time to do it. There were physical hazards that had to be addressed. Corporate was thinking of selling the plant. Managers and associates faced reality straight on and ended up becoming the top-performing unit in safety, productivity and positive outlook for the future. This is the story of how they did it.

Phase I: Breaking the Cycle of Mistrust Dialogues

The initial conversations were brainstorming sessions. Managers, separate from associates, each made a list of their perceptions to answer these questions: 1."What frustrates you about the work processes, working relationships or communication breakdowns around safety?" 2."What do you think the other group is writing down on their list?"

A spokesman from each group presented their own list of complaints and the list they thought the other group might be making. The objective of writing down what the other group might be saying was to force each group to walk in the shoes of the other's perspective. The accuracy of the second list generated both surprise and laughter because things came into the open that many had thought were "undiscussable."

Discussion of the issues was very structured. In the past, arguments had broken out and no progress was made. This time you could ask questions of clarification, but you could not argue with the other person's perception. The facilitator often asked people what they had heard and asked them to repeat it until the other person agreed that s/he was understood. It was enlightening to the group that often "disagreements" disappeared when the individuals engaged in an argument really listened to each other and found out they actually agreed on an issue.

The next step was to split back into work groups (supervisor and crew) to prioritize the perceived problems and select one or two for problem-solving. Certain issues were assigned to the plant manager and his staff for resolution because crew members did not have the authority or resources to resolve them. The management team took these on, formulated goals and action plans, and began implementation. Crew members worked on their own work processes and reached agreement on how to handle specific situations that had caused problems in the past. At this point, some of the problems resolved not only improved safety but also production speed and quality.

After the entire plant work force had been through these dialogues, a pattern emerged. Figure 1 shows the list of the barriers to safety that showed up in every dialogue session. The management staff called them the Safety Culture Toxins. As other plants went through the dialogue process, the same list was generated repeatedly. How these toxins showed up in the dialogues offers significant insight into the perceptions that cause mistrust at work.

1. Meeting deadlines has priority over safety. Managers had told their direct reports that safety is a priority and that people will not be put at risk for the sake of meeting deadlines. In fact, everyone had been told they had the right to stop an unsafe job. Yet, often employees asumed that it was more acceptable in their organization to take a safety shortcut than it was to miss a deadline. This surprised some managers.

Managers did not understand the power of their position and the long-standing expectations that unconsciously drive people's behavior. Most of the time, the pressure to put production over safety is implied, not stated. Sometimes it is a miscommunication like a manager's casual comment, "It would be good to have this order ready to ship by next week," being interpreted as a rush order. It is easy for an employee to assume that the supervisor wants the job done no matter what when, in the past, people were expected to take risks to get the job done.

The underlying issue here is, "What is acceptable risk?" The answer to this question is not black and white. The teams arrived at an answer by discussing the facts surrounding each risk at tailboards.

2. Management not visible in work areas. "There is not enough time in the day for me to do everything I have to do," managers cried. It was clear that employees perceived the lack of visible presence as lack of interest. We asked employees why it is so important to see the top person. They said they cannot trust decisions made by managers who have never been to the job site, haven't demonstrated visible concern, competence or interest in learning about the real challenges workers face. They saw visibility as a symbol of the importance managers placed on safety.

3. Lack of concern for employee welfare. We heard many times that managers don't care about safety, only cost-cutting. Downsizing and outsourcing had created an atmosphere of distrust that management had the employee's best interest at heart. This was a tough one. Of course, managers did care, but often they did not understand the importance of expressing that care.

Some managers were better at expressing their values. They talked to people one-on-one, gathered their opinions, their concerns and ideas, and acted on them.These were the ones that employees felt could be trusted even if the company could not.

Repeatedly, employees demonstrated that they did not expect to get their way all of the time. Once managers took the time to explain their decisions and to show that they did care, new avenues of understanding frequently opened up. The animosity and resistance transformed into collaboration.

4. Not keeping commitments. Many examples of broken commitments arose. For management, the issue was that the union would break their promise not to use safety as a negotiation tool. They also viewed employees as unwilling to commit to taking personal responsibility for their own safety. For union members, they saw starting programs and letting them drop, failing to deliver on promised action items, lack of manpower and funding for safety as management's share of broken commitments.

5. Lack of agreement on a common direction or standards. Managers and supervisors didn't agree on safety goals or standards. One supervisor would enforce a rule, another wouldn't. This was seen as an obstacle primarily by supervisors and led to the next toxin, poor accountability.

6. Poor accountability. People felt poor performers were not confronted. Many times, people were not disciplined for failing to use proper personal protective equipment (PPE), but they were punished for accidents. Managers were seen walking through the plant without proper protection. Management wanted employees to remind each other to wear their PPE, but employees felt that constituted "enforcing the rules," which is a management responsibility. Thus, employees felt management was sidestepping its responsibilities.

7. Poor communication of important information. Many of the miscommunication issues related to over-reliance on memos, bulletin boards and e-mails in place of face-to-face contact. People felt they didn't have time to have conversations, but the results of miscommunication sometimes ended up costing a lot more.

An example that caused a lot of animosity occurred when a minimum manning policy was implemented. Grievances were filed because no one knew about it. Yet, it had been posted for over a year on a bulletin board and no one had read it.

We should never assume that letters, memos or reports have communicated important information. One of the Challenger accident investigators coined the phrase, "Information is not communication." All the information about the faulty O-rings was available. No one acted on the information and people lost their lives.

8. Blame fixing; personal attack and retribution are the norm in handling conflict. If someone tried to stop a job because they felt it was unsafe, supervisors would often say, "It's just a way to get out of work." This behavior resulted in filed grievances. Union representatives said it was the only way to get issues addressed. Accident investigations were seen as punitive. Even amongst union members, name calling was the norm.

9. Response and follow-up to safety concerns are slow or non-existent. After a year of dialogues, managers saw that responding to safety concerns and suggestions in a timely manner was at the heart of building trust and credibility. Over and over, employees told them this is how they judge the company's commitment to safety. One supervisor wrote: "I was asked to tell what I was doing to take a shift that had the most accidents 2 years go to zero year to date. My answer was, 'People want you to respond to them.' We all do, don't we? Problem is that we all do not do that. Why? I don't know. Most people in this plant are only going to tell you a couple of times about getting something fixed. Then, they will fix it (have an accident and then it gets fixed). We have all said many times before, attitude is the #1 factor in people not getting hurt. We as management must build credibility with our people. Then, we'll have a better chance of changing their attitude."

10. Fear in the workplace. The main factor that contributed to fear was overuse of the discipline process. People were not held accountable for not following proper procedure but were punished when they got hurt. This caused resentment and anger. Consequently, people began to suppress information and the incident rate increased.

On the surface, it is an irresolvable dilemma. The plant manager felt he had an ethical responsibility to discipline such potentially harmful unsafe behaviors and employees saw his disciplinary actions as a set of inconsistent, unfair behaviors that were damaging what had once been a great place to work.

Phase II: Teaching the Concepts

To reverse the cycle of mistrust, we had to deal with perceptions and assumptions that dated back many years. Individuals and groups started from the position that their perception was the "right" one. So, we began by introducing the concept of personal choice and responsibility. Why? Because it is easier to expand your view of the truth than it is to get others to expand theirs.

Four concepts that are critical for the work of both self-change and organizational change were introduced: 1) It is our nature to assign meaning to what people say and do; 2) The process of assigning meaning often leads to a cycle of mistrust; 3) We can use the same process to build a path of trust; and 4) How to deal with seemingly irresolvable dilemmas. This final concept was added when the group realized that they did not have control over a lot of the issues that were causing them stress. Some issues like speeding up production and cost-cutting had to be successfully addressed for the business to remain competitive.

When we are born, we are taught how to view the world and how to assign meaning to its objects and events. Over time, our experiences add to our pool of meaning. Psychologists tell us that the emotion we feel when we observe an event is based on our interpretation of it filtered through our experience. For instance, if a caveman were to be beamed into the 21st century to observe a group of surgeons performing heart surgery, what would he feel? Would he feel fear or compassion? Based on his experience, he would most likely feel fear. We provided this concept and example as the backdrop to how mistrust becomes embedded in the culture.

Figure 2, The Cycle of Mistrust, shows that once there is a we/they situation, each group views the other's behaviors through a negative lens. We or I observe a behavior in step 1 and assign it a negative assumption in step 2; the way we feel triggers a protective reaction on our part in step 3. These self-protective actions can range from silent withdrawal to violence.

The recipients, "they," observe our self-protective behavior in step 4, assign a negative assumption to it in step 5 and in turn take their own self-protective action in step 6. We or I, of course, see their behavior and feel attacked. Thus, the cycle continues downward as each protective action triggers another negative assumption and reaction.

Our participants saw the truth of this cycle. Some even said that the cycle was beneficial because the continual animosity between union and management was an indication that each group was protecting its position. However, most people wanted to learn how to break the cycle so they could create a better quality of life in their work environment. This provided the opening we needed to introduce the concept of dialogue as the path to trust building.

Phase III: Teaching and Using Dialogue in the Work Process

The dialogue process combined with action planning and active follow-up on the part of the plant manager helped to resolve many of the old issues that had created the cycle of mistrust. But how could the mistrust be permanently replaced by trust? What were the behaviors and commitments that needed to be put in place?

The honest, respectful and results-oriented conversations that had taken place in the facilitated sessions needed to continue on a one-on-one basis, within work groups and between organizational functions. However, we were facing two severe obstacles. 1) Everyone knows how hard it is to bring up a touchy subject, to give or receive critical feedback and 2) when were people going to find the time to have these conversations?

There are certain assumptions that keep us from getting into conversations that can break the cycle of mistrust. Here are some of them:

You know he hasn't been following the proper safety procedures, but you also know an honest conversation could be unpleasant, ineffective or worse. He could hold a grudge or even sabotage you in ways you'll never know.
You should solicit her feedback and try to resolve her concerns, but what if discussing her issues simply makes matters worse? Better to let sleeping dogs lie, right?
You know you've let each other down from time to time, but things seem to be going OK. Besides, when you've tried to give him feedback in the past, you didn't solve problems, you just created bigger ones.
How can people consistently speak up in ways that make it safe for themselves and others to talk, no matter what the topic? Here are some tips:

Determine who you need to talk to and about what.
Prepare yourself. Examine your emotions for legitimacy. To be on the safe side, rather than thinking the worst of others, impute good motives. For example, when you're approaching a colleague who did not come to a meeting you called, you might ask yourself, what other possible conclusions could I draw? Or, why would a reasonable and decent person have done that? When we do this, we break the cycle of mistrust and open ourselves to new information and the possibility of improving our working relationships.
Start with a mutual purpose. Don't begin by diving into the heart of the issue. If you do, the other person is likely to become defensive and you'll conclude that you can't discuss the topic without a blow up. Wrong. Others don't become defensive because of your content, no matter how sensitive. People become defensive because of the perceived intent. If they believe you're out to get them, you're doomed. On the other hand, if others think you have their best interest in mind, you can talk about anything. It's important to begin a delicate discussion by clarifying how you're looking out for the other person. Don't proceed with the conversation until you're confident that the other person trusts your positive intentions.
State an observable behavior, don't interpret it and make assumptions. Assigning intention to someone's behavior typically generates resistance and defensiveness. The fix is an easy one. Begin with an observable behavior, ("You've failed to return calls to our key client three times in the past week"), not your feelings ("I'm feeling disappointed"), or worse yet, your negative conclusions ("You can't be trusted!"). If you start with the facts, the other person is far more likely to listen to the issue rather than feel attacked.
End by getting and giving commitments. How you end a crucial conversation is as important as how you start it. Too often, we work through a tough issue only to leave the details unresolved. When we don't clarify exactly what needs to be done, we leave the ensuing tasks to the infamous "them," only to learn that nobody took responsibility. End by clarifying who will do what by when. Also, decide when and how you'll follow up. If you don't, count on déjÀ vu dialogues in which you rehash the same issues over and over.
Each month, the team would check in with each other, ask for and receive feedback. The importance of tailboards grew as individuals grew in their awareness of what issues needed to be discussed. Everyone agreed that if the formal dialogues had not continued for a year, the skills would not have gotten into the work culture. After seeing how open, non-blaming dialogue positively affected their work and relationships, many employees continued to use the skills on their own. Equally important was the plant manager's insistence that time be allotted at tailboards and other standard meetings for this type of dialogue.

Phase IV: Recognizing Results and People

At the beginning of the project, we agreed that we had to have a way of measuring results and recognizing people's contributions. A perception survey was administered in the areas we were targeting for improvement and goals were set in the areas of housekeeping, training completion and near miss reporting. The goals would be measured by monthly audits. The perception survey would be re-administered yearly to measure progress in morale, job satisfaction and teamwork.

The monthly audit results were evaluated every three months to see what was and wasn't working. Sometimes people felt discouraged because they didn't see any progress. Then, we would publish results showing that things were going forward. Sometimes we exceeded expectations. This was the time when we recognized the teams and individuals who were responsible for the success of a project.

In the year-end perception survey, positive scores had jumped 20 percent across the board. People felt free to communicate and trust levels were up. It was very rewarding for everyone to see that their efforts had made their plant a better place to work. Perhaps more importantly, they had gone 2 years without a serious near miss or recordable.

Rosa Antonia Carrillo, MSOD, is president of Carrillo & Associates, a firm specializing in leadership development for environment, safety and health based in Long Beach, Calif. Carrillo has published numerous books and articles on developing positive safety cultures and in a frequent presenter at VPPPA and ASSE conferences. She holds a masters of science in organization development from Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.

Sidebar: Safety Culture Toxins

Meeting deadlines has priority over safety
Management not visible in work areas
Lack of concern for employee welfare
Not keeping commitments
Lack of agreement on a common direction or standards
Poor accountability
Poor communication of important information
Blame fixing, personal attack and retribution are the norm in handling conflict
Response and follow up to safety concerns is slow or non-existent
Fear in the workplace

Art Exhibition: Well Dressed

Well Dressed is an exhibition organized by Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation that explores visions of beauty, power, gender, class and identity through artist made garments and accessories. Featured artists have created royal regalia and symbolic attire using nontraditional materials.

Well Dressed is on exhibition at the Nathan Cummings Foundation, September 27 - December 14, 2007.

Viewing hours are 9:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday by appointment. Please call Karen Garrett at 212-787-7300 ext 206


Source:http://www.nathancummings.net/news/001073.html

The Public Speakers’ Page

The ability to speak confidently and communicate effectively is crucial to professional and personal success. Communication empowers us to remember the past, act in the present, and anticipate the future. Communication is the vehicle by which we manage relationships with others in contexts ranging from "one-to-one" to "one-to-many" using personal and public speaking skills. When we can speak with integrity in a style that engages our listeners, we can accomplish just about anything

The Speech Department at Maui Community College offers two courses to help MCC students improve their communication skills. Personal and Public Speech 151 is an introductory course that focuses on interpersonal, small group, and public speaking skills. The Principles of Effective Public Speaking - Speech 251 - is dedicated to helping students improve their public speaking skills. The Public Speakers' Page is for everyone interested in improving their speaking skills.


Source: http://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/

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