Five Myths about Life and How You Should Be Living It

joy.jpgEvery day, we’re bombarded by television commercials, celebrity spokespeople, and advertisements telling us the “right” way to live.

We are told to strive for unattainable lifestyles and to model ourselves after unrealistic, airbrushed models.

Sometimes you need to step back from this virtual reality and ponder what life is really about. Will that Mercedes or those anti-anxiety medications really make you happier, or are they only temporary solutions to deeper issues? Examine these five myths about how you should be living your life and start living the way you want to live.

(more…)

6 Tips for Streamlining a Project

project.jpgWhether you’re a full time corporate employee or a solopreneur, there have been times when clients or bosses drop large projects into your lap.

Suppose someone hands you a five-pound box of paper and tells you that it’s part of a project that’s due next week!

Or what about if you’re creating a business model for your own company – that’s a pretty voluminous project.

Here are some must-have tips for streamlining the work so that things get done right and move forward according to schedule. (more…)

6 People to Avoid in the Professional World

Let’s face it, the workplace can be like a battlefield. It’s hard enough that you have to huddle in a little cubicle, slagging away every day to support yourself and your family, but you also have a bunch of workplace drama that you usually have to deal with, too.

While this is not true of all work environments, there are some people in your professional crowd that you definitely want to avoid. Learn the traits of these professional piranhas, and stay out of their treacherous pond at work, so you don’t get eaten alive and watch your career go down in flames.

(more…)

How to Be Memorable

How many times have you read a quotable quote by a famous person and thought, “I wish I could have such great insight”?

One-liners are often meaningful and memorable, but what about the context they were taken from? While it’s great to be remembered for snippets of brilliant conversation, it’s better to be memorable for being a great conversationalist as a whole.

If you’d like to heighten the value of your conversations, here are some tips to consider. (more…)

Boomers, Keep Your Head in the Learning Game

by David Bohl

You’re never too old to learn! Once we graduate from high school, college, or even beyond, many of us never take another class. We may have decided that school is meant for the youth of our culture, and we assume that for the rest of our lives, we’ll only be getting our lessons from the school of hard knocks. While it’s true we learn an awful lot from life experience–that is if we are open to the lessons–there’s every reason to continue learning in school, through books, and now even on the Internet.

The opportunities for learning today are unlimited. However you like to learn, there’s a way to do it. Whatever you want to learn, there’s a place to learn it.

(more…)

The Ultimate List of 2008’s Most-Read Numbered Lists

istock_000002893840xsmall.jpg

Here are the 12 Most-Read Numbered Posts in 2008 at Slow Down FAST:

12.    5 Tips for Becoming a Better Listener
11.    5 Qualities of Successful Relationships
10.    6 Ways for Effecting Change in Your Life
9.      6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Busting Out of the Rat Race
8.      5 Signs It’s Time to Slow Down Fast
7.      6 Ways to Be a Friend Without Involving Money, Gifts or Obligation
6.      5 Ways to Reconnect to Your Inner Child
5.      10 Great Productivity Web Sites
4.      5 Signs You’re a Pleaser and What to Do About It
3.      5 Simple Tricks To Make You Smarter
2.      8 Essential Ingredients to Master Your Time
1.      The Causes and Cures of Procrastination

Thank you all for your support throughout the year, and best wishes in all your future endeavors.

Top 12 Posts of 2008

I know it isn’t year-end yet, but experience and observation have shown that not many people want to begin the heavy lifting of reflection and self-assessment near the Holidays.

So, after 700+ posts in 2008, I’m publishing the 12 Most Read Posts at Slow Down FAST so we can all get a jump on the new year.

Thank you all for your support throughout the year.

Here they are:

  1. The Causes and Cures of Procrastination
  2. Mindhacks: 5 Ways to Increase Creativity, Productivity and Intelligence
  3. How to Overcome the #1 Fear: Public Speaking
  4. 8 Essential Ingredients to Master Your Time
  5. Do Not Wage Psychological Warfare
  6. Stuck in a Rut? Fire Up Your Creativity with These 7 Steps
  7. What Are You Passionate About?
  8. See How Easily You Can Handle Change
  9. How to Maintain Professional Boundaries
  10. 5 Simple Tricks To Make You Smarter
  11. 5 Signs You’re a Pleaser and What to Do About It
  12. From Greedy to Grateful – Appreciating What You Have

Please subscribe to the Slow Down FAST RSS feed:    feed_icon_28×283.png

Do You Need Help? Read This!

istock_000007178358xsmall.jpg

“I finally learned that you cannot help people unless they really need help, are willing to be helped, want you to help them and ask you to help them. Even then, you can only help them to help themselves.” ~ Vincent Collins

Please subscribe to my RSS feed: feed_icon_28×28.png

Slow Down FAST Hits Top 5 of Personal Effectiveness Blogs

WHAKATE – Life Design Matters blog has picked Slow Down FAST as its #3 Personal Effectiveness blog.  Thank you!

Please subscribe to my RSS feed: feed_icon_28×28.png

Economy Survival Tip: Treat the Disease, Not the Symptoms

family2.jpgfrom Personal Coach David Bohl

There’s a saying in recovery/treatment/12-step programs that goes: “TREAT THE DISEASE, not the symptoms.” What are the diseases causing your stress? The current economic “crisis”? The political race? The politics in your office? Your son’s report card? Making your next credit card payment? You hold the power. Once you get clear in your mind, you have the opportunity and ability to deal with the anxiety and stress of today’s world by keeping your side of the street clean.

Financially Speaking

No, you didn’t singlehandedly cause the current financial crisis. So don’t take the blame for it, don’t feel guilty about it, and, by all means, don’t think that you have to fix it. Just look out for you and your family. Your only job as a responsible consumer is keeping your end of the bargain.

(more…)