‘Tis the Season to Slow Down

holidaysmile.jpgby David Bohl

When Halloween candy hits the shelves before Labor Day and animatronic Santas are ho-ho-ho-ing at you before you’ve even had a chance to carve your Thanksgiving turkey, it’s hard not to feel rushed through the holiday season. However, difficult as it may be to pause and reflect on the meaning of the holidays, it is certainly beneficial.

If you feel like the time between Halloween and Christmas is nothing more than a blur before your eyes, try a few of these tips to slow down and enjoy your holidays this year.

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6 Characteristics of People to Surround Yourself With

happygirls.jpgAre you somebody other people want to be around? If not, why not? And if so, what are those characteristics that you think make people want to be around you? Are those the same characteristics of people you want to surround yourself with?

Since I work closely with a lot of people in my coaching practice, I’m an astute observer of human behavior. I listen to my clients’ complaints about the people in their lives and find common traits of these “problem” people. I also listen to the traits my clients find admirable, ones they would like to aspire to in themselves. So, I advise them to surround themselves with more of these kinds of people, the ones who have characteristics that make them stand out, make them special, and make people want to be around them.

These are some of the essential qualities I and my clients admire in quality people! You may find different ones that work best for you. I call these characteristics the 6 H’s.

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A Thanksgiving Recipe for Gratitude

dinner.jpgby David Bohl – Life Coach and Lifestyle Designer

Baste the turkey? Check. Craft a cornucopia centerpiece Martha Stewart would be proud of… check. Buy an extra place setting for Aunt Flo’s new fling. Check.

Your Thanksgiving to-do list may be complete in your eyes, but have you forgotten the purpose of the holiday in all the excitement and hubbub? This Thanksgiving, don’t lose sight of the deeper meaning behind your 20-person, eat-till-you-drop get-together: gratitude.

Whether you’re a first-time Thanksgiving host or you’ve been serving up white and dark meat for years, it’s easy to get carried away in the details lose sight of the true spirit of the day. But don’t forget that especially during the holidays, it’s important to slow down. Take time to stop and smell the pie – and be thankful for that wonderful aroma!

Slowing down at Thanksgiving means stopping to reflect upon all that life has bestowed upon you! Why not start a Thanksgiving tradition of gratitude? It can be as simple as going around the table and sharing what each person is thankful for — or taking a moment to read a special poem aloud around the dessert table.

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Do You Need Help? Read This!

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“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

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6 Goals for Singles to Strive For

horse.jpgby David Bohl

Do single people really have goals that are different from married couples?

Certainly they do when it comes to relationships. Yet, their career goals may be similar, as are their personal and health goals.

However, because of their single status, unmarried folks have more time to focus on building a future that might indeed include not being single. Or on building a fulfilling lifestyle as a single person, whether or not they remain that way or change their status.

When I coach singles, I encourage them not to put any part of their life on hold, waiting for the day they are not single any more–if indeed that day ever comes. Since none of us is really in control of whether or not we get married, if you are single, set goals for what you want now and in the near future, being realistic about the unknown status of your relationship future.

Here are some realistic goals that make sense for happy, successful, single people to strive for……..

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Does Market Collapse Mean the End of the World?

fearful.jpgNo WAY!

Though you might believe otherwise from the news coverage and mass hysteria, the world is not coming to an end. The Financial “Crisis” will make it more difficult for those with not so perfect credit to get loans, but it really shouldn’t affect your day to day life.

What it should do is make you realize that this will impact only a tiny fraction of your existence…and there are so many other areas of your life that you have complete control over. Why not work on them, and secure your future?

What’s the worst that could happen?

Ask any economist, and the only response you will get is their opinion or theory. The markets are responding to the hysteria and the uncertainty of our past mistakes and future fears. Do not be swayed! Stay strong! Eventually when the government allows our markets to stabilize (by stabilizing THEMSELVES) we will return to our bullish times. Until then, realize that this period will be over at some point. Just make sure that YOUR house is in order.

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Chicken Little

chicken.jpgby David Bohl

Remember when you were a kid, and your mom and dad read you that story about Chicken Little?

Chicken Little feels an acorn drop on her head and assumes the sky is falling. She goes on to spread such misinformation to her animal friends. The chaos that ensues enables “Foxy Loxy” to come along and make a meal out of some of Chicken Little’s friends.

The story of Chicken Little is meant to show what happens when you pass along information that isn’t true. It leaves you vulnerable to attack because no one is paying attention to what’s really happening.

Lately, the mass hysteria that the media and the internet have contributed to is reminding me of that story. No, we’re not all running around squawking that the sky is falling, exactly. But we might as well be, with the election rumors flying around, the bailout backlash, and everything else that’s going on.

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Have You Outgrown the Club Scene?

Now What?

From my article What to Do When You’ve Outgrown the Club Scene at Dumb Little Man:

istock_000006426126xsmall.jpg“As you mature, other things in life take precedence over nursing hangovers and not remembering the end of the night. Spending your entire paycheck on drinks no longer seems fiscally responsible. Yet, it is sometimes so difficult to move away from the party club scene that has been part of your life for so long. How do you meet people? What should you do on a Friday night? How can you persuade your friends to do something else?”

Read the rest of What to Do When You’ve Outgrown the Club Scene.

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Laughing in the Face of an Economic Recession?

laughing.jpgOur nation is going through some troubling economic times right now… but you do not need to follow suit. The economy today is a horror story of financial bailouts and golden parachutes. Is the government going to bail you out if you make some not so good decisions? This is why you need to control your own financial destiny!

Don’t panic.

Easier said than done, right? Well, the truth is that the stock markets go through cycles every ten years or so. Which is why if you are close to retirement, you should be involved in low risk stocks and why if you are far from retirement, higher risks are acceptable. You should be waiting it out… not jumping ship! If you join the sell, sell, SELL bandwagon, you will be sorry when those that buy your “undervalued” stocks at a song and make a killing. An economic downturn is the best opportunity to purchase stocks (and even “designer” stocks like Google or McDonalds) at a much discounted rate.

(Note: Before you do anything, talk to your financial advisor who can help you figure out the best financial planning strategy that makes the most sense for YOU.)

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