Spiritual

The Road to Intuition

Have you had that experience when all of a sudden you just had this huge hunch that something is about to happen, and to your surprise, that intuition was eventually translated to reality?

When you feel strongly about something without logical basis to it, that’s called intuition. It comes in three impressions: clairvoyance or “the third eye”, sensing clearly and feeling through listening.

Clairvoyance is when your eye goes beyond what it can see. This is when you know what is happening somewhere.

Sensing clearly is basically what we refer to as “hunch” or “gut feel.” This is the time when you are overwhelmed with a feeling and you can’t explain it and all you can say is “I just know.”

On the other hand, feeling through listening or clairaudience is being able to “listen” between the lines. Intuition also happens at times when a certain sound, whatever it is – be it a car’s honk or a bird’s twitting – ushers in an intense feeling.

They say only a number of people are gifted with intuition. Astrologers even insist that people born under the Scorpio or Pisces signs are naturally intuitive it almost borders on E.S.P. But studies have been sprouting left and right that proclaim that anyone can develop intuition.

Why the need to develop intuition, you ask? Why not let your emotional and psychological state as it is? First and foremost, intuition promotes good communication. It makes you more sensitive to the people around you; it often keeps you from hurting those you love because you are intuitive enough to understand them. Intuition also makes you far more creative than ever. Intuition means releasing more creative juices for any means of expression. Lastly, intuition has a healing power. This healing power is not in the physical sense, but in delving deep into your soul to eradicate some negative energy buried in it.

With that being said, are you ready to develop your intuition? Here are some ways to unlock this gift:

1. Hypnosis

Oh yes, get yourself hypnotized. Hypnosis is not limited to watching a pendulum move back and forth. Perform self-hypnosis or you can avail of hypnotic programs that can strengthen your intuition.

2. Meditation

Meditating means finding peace in yourself. If your mind and heart are cluttered with too many baggage and hurt, you wouldn’t be able to quiet down that part of you that could eventually initiate intuition. There are so many ways to meditate: take a yoga class, or just simply practice some breathing that could bring you straight to Zen.

3. Think positive!

A worry-free, fear-free state could do so much to improve your intuitive ability. By staying positive, you attract good energy that would be able to easily recognize imminent feelings and events.

4. Just let go.

What does this mean? If you are on the brink of making a huge decision, let go of all the inhibitions and head to a quiet place where you could find out where the letting go has brought you. Sometimes you just have to listen to the voice within you, and that voice wouldn’t come out unless you let go.

5. Never expect.

After letting go of the inhibitions and all those things that stop you from thinking and feeling clearly, never expect an answer right away. Never expect that the “hunch” would fall on your lap immediately. Give it a little time then you’ll just get surprised that — wham! — now you have your answer.

6. Believe in your first impressions.

When you see someone for the first time and think that he is a bit too arrogant for your taste, chances are that impression actually holds true. Most of the time, first impressions are brought by intuition.

7. Stay happy!

See? All you need to be intuitive is to stay happy! Happiness attracts immense power and such power includes intuition. In tapping your intuition, your motivation must be happiness and contentment. Given that premise, intuition will fall to you easily.

Intuition is helpful, because sometimes it leads you to something that cannot be achieved otherwise. A lot of lives have been saved by intuition alone. Decisions are easier done if armed by this gift. Develop intuition now and reap benefits you have never imagined.

Marketing

Starting an Affiliate Marketing Campaign

Some business owners opt to start an affiliate marketing campaign as part of their overall marketing strategy. In most cases the affiliate marketing campaign is only a small portion of the overall marketing strategy but there are some business owners who opt to rely exclusively on this type of marketing. The main purpose of doing this is to save money while still achieving valuable advertising. However, once a business becomes more successful they should consider being more proactive and combining affiliate marketing with other types of Internet marketing such as placing banner ads and orchestrating an email marketing campaign. This article will take a look at what affiliate marketing is and will provide insight into why this is popular and how it can be used effectively.

An affiliate marketing campaign is essentially a situation where other website owners place ads for your business on their websites. These website owners are known as affiliates. It is important to understand how this type of marketing works. In general the affiliates are given code for your banner ad to place on their website and given the freedom to promote their own website as they see fit. In promoting their website they are also attracting attention to your website because of the banner ad directing visitors to your own website.

One of the most appealing elements of affiliate marketing is the affiliate is only compensated when he produces a desired result. This means the business owner is not obligated to pay the affiliate unless the affiliate is successful. Success may be defined as generating traffic to the website, resulting in a sale or even resulting in the Internet user registering on your website or filling out a survey. The compensation for affiliates is generally based on cost per click, cost per lead or cost per sale. Cost per click and cost per lead are usually paid in terms of a flat fee which is awarded to the affiliate each time an Internet user either simply clicks through the banner ad on his website or performs a specific action after clicking through the ad. Cost per sale may result in the affiliate being awarded a flat fee or a percentage of the sale depending on the agreement between the business owner and the affiliate.

The most effective use of affiliate marketing is to actively seek out affiliates with a proven track record of promoting the businesses which they support. Most affiliate programs are open to anyone with a website and it is not necessarily damaging to allow those who are not particularly knowledgeable about marketing to run your banner ad but it is far more worthwhile to seek out affiliates who are quite adept and generating website traffic to their own website. This is important because the more visitors they receive each month the more likely your website it to receive interest from visitors who click on the affiliates banner ad.

Another aspect of affiliate marketing which can contribute to success or failure is the design of your banner ads. It is important to remember affiliate marketing is viewed the same way other types of marketing are viewed and care should be taken to create banner ads which will be appealing to your target audience. This means everything from the colors of your ad to the size and style of the font should be carefully considered to create an appealing advertisement.

Relationships

A Quick Guide To Computer Dating Services

It may surprise you to discover that the first computer dating services sprang up in the 1960s (the first was in 1957), long before the age of the internet. Back then, these computerized matchmakers relied on exhaustive profiles put together in each dating company’s offices. Later on, these may have included extra features like videotaped interviews or messages to be shared with matches that were interested.

For their time, such services were on the technological cutting-edge. Imagine how advanced it seemed back before the web came along: everybody answered the same series of questions, those were in turn fed into a huge computer, then the computer went to work and after making all kinds of computations it spat out a list of those who were likely to be the most compatible with each other. It was magic…for its time.

While it may have seemed advanced and mysterious, the reality is that most such computer dating services used relatively simple matching formulas. Perhaps without a majority of the questions really mattering at all, but rather added to make things look more thorough. The computer was the gimmick that brought people in. After all, a computer doesn’t let emotions cloud its judgment. It just uses logic. Of course, it’s easy to look back with a sort of comical reverence at these early attempts of electronic matchmaking. Especially now that almost everybody has access to a computer with an internet connection.

So how did those old computer dating services evolve? Today they most frequently take the form of web based dating services. Chances are that you have heard of a few of these, as they are nationally advertised. At first glance, these modern incarnations seem to make the same claims, and to be run in a similar manner. But there are differences. For one thing, in the “old days” you would have to go to the offices of the computer dating service to fill out there questionnaire, but now you can do it online, right from the comfort of your own home; whenever it is most convenient for you.

However, the differences between the old and new go beyond convenience. The matching process is now much more sophisticated than it used to be. This is due not only to advances in computing power and better algorithms, but also to customer expectations. People today don’t view computer dating as a novelty, they expect results in the form of meeting people that are compatible with themselves.

In the physical, offline world, new relationships often begin with introductions through mutual friends and acquaintances. This will usually lead to a few chats on the telephone, or worse…the dreaded blind date. Followed up with a series of phone calls until the two people involved are comfortable with one another. Online dating is different. It begins with filling out a profile which the dating service will use to narrow your field of potential matches. The next step isn’t a blind date, but rather a bunch of e-mails, instant messages or video chats. All of these things are done before you ever meet face to face. But keep in mind that computer dating services can only go so far; it will be up to you to build the actual relationship.

Beauty

Unwrapping The Health Benefits Of Chewing Gum

One method used to maintain astronauts’ oral health isn’t exactly rocket science. It’s sugarless chewing gum-and it’s not only been linked to healthy teeth, it’s been found to have a number of other benefits as well.

Here’s a closer look:

Out Of This World

In 1964, NASA began giving astronauts sugarless chewing gum for their space missions. Since the astronauts were fed through a tube, their gums tended to swell because they were not actually chewing their food. Chewing gum helped keep their teeth and gums healthy and strong.

Healthy Smile, Healthy Body

Sugar-free gum has been shown to help reduce the incidence of tooth decay–a condition believed to affect half of all adults and to be the most common chronic childhood disease of childhood. It’s estimated that Americans spend $60 billion a year to treat tooth decay-and it is money well spent. Tooth decay can cause tooth loss, which can lead to malnutrition.

More Reason To Smile

The health benefits of gum don’t stop there. The makers of Trident sugarless gum, Cadbury Adams USA LLC also offer a product called Trident White. According to Cadbury Adams-the U.S. business unit of confectionery and beverage leader Cadbury Schweppes (NYSE: CSG)–the gum not only whitens teeth and helps prevent stains, it also provides additional oral health benefits. It features Recaldent, a remineralizing ingredient that helps strengthen teeth. The gum’s whitening agent is completely nonabrasive (unlike gums that use baking soda to whiten) and does not contribute to tooth sensitivity.

Chew To A New You

An added benefit of chewing gum: It’s low in calories. Sugar free gum usually has about five calories. That means it can be a smart way for dieters to help satisfy snack cravings. For instance, Trident Splash is a sugar-free gum that Cadbury Adams says was actually designed to be a great tasting snack alternative that’s good for your teeth. The gum is a unique combination of textures-a liquid center surrounded by soft, chewy gum and a sweet, crispy outer shell-and it comes in two surprising flavors: peppermint with vanilla and strawberry with lime.

Not Just Lip Service

According to the National Association of Chewing Gum Manufacturers, chewing gum:

Relaxes and eases tension

Helps concentration

Helps people resist the urge to smoke

Reduces ear discomfort when flying

Cleans teeth after meals.

Family

Clear Expectations Make Discipline Easier

Sometimes it can be very challenging to communicate anything with your child. Setting clear expectations regarding what’s acceptable behavior and what isn’t imperative to successfully teaching your child right from wrong. If the parameters are muddled or the child learns that in one situation the rules hold true yet in another situation the same rule does not, it makes for confusion and frustration on both sides.

Sit down with your child well in advance and line out the expectations and consequences of misbehaving or a misdeed. Make it clear that in no uncertain terms is there any room for negotiation at the time of the infraction, and that should such a behavior occur you intend to be firm in your discipline. Rules regarding your child’s safety, health or well-being should have no room for negotiation when being set or enforced. Other rules can be openly and honestly discussed with your child and an agreed upon action should be forged that both parents and child can agree upon. If necessary, make a contract between parent and child. Lay it all out in black and white, in language your child can clearly understand. For younger children, you might want to develop a good behavior chart within the contract, and for each week that goes by without any infractions being noted, a favorite or special activity might be earned. The connection between good deeds and special time with mom and/or dad might be just the currency they understand.

But all children need to understand that disciplining them is your way of teaching them what’s acceptable behavior and what isn’t. It may seem as though children fight rules and regulations, but they truly know that such parameters are meant for their well-being, health, safety, and enable them to grow into a mature person capable of making wise decisions.

Auto

The Basics of Electric Cars

A lot of people today are fascinated with the idea of driving an electric car. Besides, with an electric car, you will be able to save a lot of money on gas and also contribute to the overall well being of the environment.

Although the electric car technology is still in its infancy and not a lot have been developed for personal use, there are some electric cars that already exist today and are being driven by regular people like you. Electric cars are still very expensive and research and development is still on-going in order to develop an electric car that is really cost effective and one that will be able to satisfy the needs of the average person.

At its most basic, electric cars are generally cars that are powered by electric motors. Some developers even used conventional cars and converted them in to electric cars by removing the gasoline engine, muffler, tailpipe, catalytic converter, and the gas tank.

Electric motors are then added to power things that used to get their power from the gasoline engine. This means that the water pump, power steering pump, air conditioner and other essentials in the car is now powered by the electric motor.

To power the motor, batteries will be installed in the car. In the past, this required a lot of batteries in order to power the car. However, thanks to the latest innovation in battery cell technology, you will find that the batteries used in electric cars today are now a lot lighter, have more power, lasts longer, and it can also be charged at a very fast rate.

This means that electric cars can now be used in long trips. In fact, you can even charge your car while you eat lunch and have it fully charged after your meal.

As mentioned before, the electric car technology is still in its infancy. So, don’t expect to find a high performance electric car just yet. This means that you shouldn’t expect finding an electric car that goes from 0 to 60 in just a few seconds.

Electric cars being developed today are for city driving. Although it may be a little slow, you will find that electric cars will really enable you to save a lot of money. In fact, the federal government today is now encouraging people to buy electric cars by offering tax incentives to people who owns and drives electric cars.

In some states, electric cars are offered free parking on pay parking lots and are also excluded in the car pool lane rules.

The best benefit that electric car can ever give you is that it will help keep the environment clean. Because electric cars are purely powered by electricity, this means that it will not emit anything harmful to the environment.

So, if you are planning to get a car, you may want to consider buying an electric car. Aside from the fact that it will allow you to save a lot of money on gasoline, it will also allow you to contribute to the environment.

These are the basics of electric cars. Because it doesn’t use gasoline or any other fossil fuel to run, you will be able to have a quieter and cleaner running car. Electric cars may still be expensive today but it won’t be long when you will find that electric cars will start rolling off from production lines.

Weight and Diet

Becoming A Healthy Eater

Being a healthy eater requires you to become both educated and smart about what healthy eating actually is. Being food smart isn’t about learning to calculate grams or fat, or is it about studying labels and counting calories.

Healthy eating is all about balanced and moderate eating, consisting of healthy meals at least three times per day. Healthy eaters eat many different types of foods, not limiting themselves to one specific food type or food group.

Eating healthy requires quite a bit of leeway. You might eat too much or not enough, consume foods that are sometimes more or less nutritious. However, you should always fuel your body and your brain regularly with enough food to keep both your mind and body strong and alert.

A healthy eater is a good problem solver. Healthy eaters have learned to take care of themselves and their eating with sound judgement and making wise decisions. Healthy eaters are always aware of what they eat, and know the effect that it will have on their bodies.

When someone is unable to take control of their eating, they are also likely to get out of control with other aspects of life as well. They could end up spending too much, talking too much, even going to bed later and later.

You should always remember that restricting food in any way is always a bad thing. Healthy eating is a way of life, something that you can do to enhance your body or your lifestyle. If you’ve thought about making your life better, healthy eating is just the place to start. You’ll make life easier for yourself, those around you, and even your family.

Hobbies

A Hobby Greenhouse Will Get You Growing!

For people who would like to do more gardening but live in a short growing season area, a hobby greenhouse is the answer. A hobby greenhouse is not large enough to produce vegetables or flowers on a commercial basis. It will, however, give you a place for a tomato plant or two and some fresh greens even if you live in the northern regions. Greenhouse enthusiasts even have their own association, called the Hobby Greenhouse Association, which publishes a quarterly magazine. The organization also sponsers events and helps individuals connect to get help with the aspect of gardening that they are interested in, whether it’s growing cacti or saving seeds.

If you are in the market for a hobby greenhouse, there are several types on the market. The smallest type is not large enough to walk into and must be accessed from the outside. It resembles an old-fashioned phone booth made all of glass and outfitted with shelves. This type is designed to fit as many plants as possible in as small a place as possible. The shelves are made of glass to allow as much light as possible to reach plants on the lower shelves. Another inexpensive version of this sort of hobby greenhouse is shelving covered with a zippered tent of clear plastic. This sort of arrangement is great for the small-scale hobby gardener wanting a place to keep her flowers or houseplant starts.

There are a variety of designs of hobby greenhouse that are large enough to walk into but made entirely of clear glass or plastic. They are often about the same size as a small storage building. Some independent builders have started making these to sell locally. Among national brands, one of the nicest is called the “Solar Prism.” It is called this because of it’s unique construction. This hobby greenhouse is made of a single piece of durable clear plastic which is designed to work like tiny prisms side by side. They trap the rays of the sun and shoot them back into the greenhouse at all angles. For this reason, these little greenhouses are said to glow when the weather is cloudy.

Better hobby greenhouses are equipped with automatic sensors that open vents which allow ventilation and keep the interior temperatures from getting too high. These are a great labor saver, but can get expensive. Another benefit sometimes found in nicer greenhouses is a built in irrigation or misting system. Members of the Hobby Greenhouse Association, or HGA, have invented many interesting designs of greenhouses.

If gardening is your hobby, greenhouse growing will interest you. With a greenhouse, you can have the earliest tomatoes and salad greens all year. You can also start seedlings for the main garden early in the spring when outdoor temperatures would kill them. A hobby greenhouse can be a good investment.

Self Improvement

Does a Law of Human Attraction Exist?

‘Opposites attract’ is a law of attraction, at least where electromagnetism is concerned. But are there laws about attraction between two people? ‘In a world that is full of strangers’ as a line in a famous song of the 1980’s goes, is there a clear set of rules that allows two people to fall for each other?

Is attraction a matter of chemistry?

Maybe. According to scientists, the attraction between animals of the opposite sex is all about chemicals called pheromones. The effect of pheromones in behavior of insects is the most studied to date. It has been observed, at least in some experiments, that pheromones are responsible for communication among same species and colony of ants. The horrible odor released by skunks to ward off enemies is said to be a kind of pheromone. Some species of apes rub pheromone-containing urine on the feet of potential mates to attract them. Some scientists believe that animals (usually the females) such as insects and mammals send out these chemical signals to tell the male of their species that their genes are different from theirs. This gene diversity is important in producing offspring with better chances of survival. The perfume industry has capitalized on pheromones as a means to increase one’s sexual attractiveness to the opposite sex. Animals such as the whale and the musk deer were hunted down for these chemicals.

Lately, scientists are looking into the existence of human pheromones and its role in mate selection. There are many conflicting views in the realm of biology, chemistry, genetics, and psychology. Most scientists would assert that these do not exist, or if they do, do not play a role in sexual attraction between a man and a woman. But new researches such as that conducted by Swiss researchers from the University of Bern led by Klaus Wedekind are slowly making these scientists rethink their stand. Their experiment involved women sniffing the cotton shirts of different men during their ovulation period. It was found out that women prefer the smell of men’s shirts that were genetically different, but also shared similarities with the women’s genes. This, like in the case of insects and other mammals, was to ensure better and healthier characteristics for their future children. But researchers also cautioned that preference for a male odor is affected by the women’s ovulation period, the food that men eat, perfumes and other scented body products, and the use of contraceptive pills.

Does personality figure in sexual attraction?

Yes, but so does your perception of a potential mate’s personality. According to a research conducted by Klohnen, E.C., & S. Luo in 2003 on interpersonal attraction and personality, a person’s sense of self-security and at least the person’s perception of his/her partner were found to be strong determinants of attraction in hypothetical situations. What does this tell us? We prefer a certain personality type, which attracts you to a person. But aside from the actual personality of the person, which can only be verified through close interaction through time, it is your perception of your potential partner that attracts you to him/her, whether the person of your affection truly has that kind of personality or not. This could probably account for a statement commonly heard from men and women on their failed relationships: ‘I thought he/she was this kind of person.’

So how does attraction figure in relationships?

You have probably heard that attraction is a prelude, or a factor towards a relationship. Most probably, at least in the beginning; but attraction alone cannot make a relationship work. It is that attraction that makes you notice a person from the opposite sex, but once you get to know the person more, attraction is just one consideration. Shared values, dreams, and passions become more significant in long-term relationships.

So should I stop trying to become attractive?

More than trying to become physically attractive, work on all aspects of your health: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Physical attraction is still a precursor. Remember, biology predisposes us to choose the partner with the healthiest genes. Where your emotions are concerned, just ask this to yourself: would you want to spend time with a person who feels insecure about him/herself? Probably not! There is wisdom in knowing yourself: who you are, your beliefs, values, and dreams. And do not pretend to be someone you are not. Fooling another person by making him/her think that you share the same values and beliefs is only going to cause you both disappointments. When you are healthy in all aspects, attractiveness becomes a consequence and not an end. As mentioned in the Klohnen and Luo’s research, a person’s sense of self-security matters, perhaps even beyond attraction. But remember: do these things for yourself and not for other people. Only then can you truly harness your attractiveness as a person.

Health and Fitness

5 Components of Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is the ability to function effectively throughout your workday, perform your usual other activities and still have enough energy left over to handle any extra stresses or emergencies which may arise.

The components of physical fitness are:

* Cardio-respiratory (CR) endurance – the efficiency with which the body delivers oxygen and nutrients needed for muscular activity and transports waste products from the cells.

* Muscular strength – the greatest amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert in a single effort.

* Muscular endurance – the ability of a muscle or muscle group to perform repeated movements with a sub-maximal force for extended periods of times.

* Flexibility – the ability to move the joints or any group of joints through an entire, normal range of motion.

* Body composition – the percentage of body fat a person has in comparison to his or her total body mass.

Improving the first three components of fitness listed above will have a positive impact on body composition and will result in less fat. Excessive body fat detracts from the other fitness components, reduces performance, detracts from appearance, and negatively affects your health.

Factors such as speed, agility, muscle power, eye-hand coordination, and eye-foot coordination are classified as components of “motor” fitness. These factors most affect your athletic ability. Appropriate training can improve these factors within the limits of your potential. A sensible weight loss and fitness program seeks to improve or maintain all the components of physical and motor fitness through sound, progressive, mission specific physical training.

Principles of Exercise

Adherence to certain basic exercise principles is important for developing an effective program. The same principles of exercise apply to everyone at all levels of physical training, from the Olympic-caliber athlete to the weekend jogger.

These basic principles of exercise must be followed.

Regularity

To achieve a training effect, you must exercise often. You should exercise each of the first four fitness components at least three times a week. Infrequent exercise can do more harm than good. Regularity is also important in resting, sleeping, and following a sensible diet.

Progression

The intensity (how hard) and/or duration (how long) of exercise must gradually increase to improve the level of fitness.

Balance

To be effective, a program should include activities that address all the fitness components, since overemphasizing any one of them may hurt the others.

Variety

Providing a variety of activities reduces boredom and increases motivation and progress.

Specificity

Training must be geared toward specific goals. For example, people become better runners if their training emphasizes running. Although swimming is great exercise, it does not improve a 2-mile-run time as much as a running program does.

Recovery

A hard day of training for a given component of fitness should be followed by an easier training day or rest day for that component and/or muscle group(s) to help permit recovery. Another way to allow recovery is to alternate the muscle groups exercised every other day, especially when training for strength and/or muscle endurance.

Overload

The work load of each exercise session must exceed the normal demands placed on the body in order to bring about a training effect.