How To Get Your Apartment Investing Done For You

Investing in apartment buildings is a business and it does take time, work and education on your part, but those efforts can result into huge success and help you reach your goals. That being said, many investors will still not take action for one reason or another, one of those main reasons is time. The reasons why most investors select traditional investments are because they are hassle free, they are quick to get into and they take minimal time. Reading this book, you now understand that apartments and commercial investment real estate is the way to achieving high returns and creating additional income streams. However, how do you counter the time issue?This article is for those who have the desire and motivation to invest and own apartments, but would rather be as passive as possible while receiving all of the benefits of an active owner. The best way to be an owner of large portions of commercial real estate, without having to do the work yourself, is by investing in a private investment fund or a managed joint venture. These investment structures are put together by an individual or an entity referred to as a syndicator.WHAT IS A SYNDICATOR?A syndicator is an individual or entity that structures real estate ventures for qualified participants to invest in. Multiple investors can invest a portion of capital in a venture or property over what they normally would if they invested themselves. These investors, along with the syndicator who formed the venture, can partake in the benefits associated with the investment. Here are some of the benefits:1) High returns, as previously compared to traditional investments, investment funds can offer good returns on investment.2) You are building equity in larger commercial properties which will result into higher payoffs when the property sells.3) You do not have to guaranty the debt that the fund purchases, what you typically do when buying investment real estate yourself.4) Management and systems are in place for property management, accounting, legal and reporting; providing a true done for you program.5) The management team is an expert in the field and you get to take advantage of their experience.6) You can use your IRA to invest and grow your money tax free.ROLE OF THE SYNDICATORThe role of the syndicator is very simple; they do all the work, so you do not have to. In this book we covered specific steps to locate, acquire, finance, manage and sell apartment properties. We realize that it does take work and effort on your part to do. Working with a syndicator eliminates that. Along with all the steps necessary to acquire good apartment and commercial property investments, your involvement in the whole process is to receive your monthly cash flow checks and your owners report statement. The syndicator should provide a program that gives you the ease and comfort of how traditional investments operate. This includes providing you with the support on ways how to invest your IRA/401K.The syndicator does his or her homework and makes sure they present quality, good return project. They work only with experienced, highly competent professionals, such as attorneys, accountants, insurance agents, contractors and advisors. The syndicator should also comply with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A syndicator should only be marketing and working with qualified accredited investors.QUALIFICATIONS OF THE SYNDICATORThe syndicator should have extensive experience in putting together successful ventures and have a record of those accomplishments. The syndicator of team members of the entity should have a good standing reputation and be highly educated in the syndication process. The team of professionals should also be highly qualified and should be able to provide a track record of success or experience. There are a lot of syndication groups out there, but appear to be smoke and mirrors. Anyone can put together fancy marketing materials and offering material, but may not have the expertise or experience to put together a sound venture. Be sure to check the qualifications of the syndicator and the project they are marketing. The information presented to you should be easy to understand, giving you a clear picture on the quality of the investment.REQUIREMENTS FOR INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE FUNDS AND JOINT VENTURESPrivate real estate funds are not suitable for all investors. Since real estate funds are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), fund managers can only offer or sell ownership in a fund to certain types of investors. These investors are referred to as “accredited investor” or “qualified purchaser”. If you are considering being an investor for a fund, you are required to meet a minimum financial eligibility guideline in order to invest. To be eligible, you must have an individual or joint net worth of $1 million dollars or an individual annual income of at least $200,000. If you are a couple, looking to invest, there needs to be a combined annual income of minimum $300,000 for past two calendar years. Before you even think about investing into any fund, make sure to review your financial situation, your goals and objectives and your risk tolerance with your financial professional.CLOSINGReal estate investment funds and joint ventures are a great way to be the owner of apartment and commercial investment property. These ventures allow you to have your money work for you, without any effort on your part. There are risks involved with every investment, so make sure to work with a syndicator that is experienced and presents sound projects that yield attractive returns that meet your investment objectives.We are seeing an unprecedented opportunity for investors to earn high returns and significant benefits through the ownership of Apartment Investment real estate. If you enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about investing in apartments you can watch a FREE, No Obligation Webinar explaining the benefits of owning Apartment Investment Real Estate in further detail register here: Investing Done For You

The Difference Between Conventional Loans and Government-Backed Loans

Prospective homeowners have many options to consider in deciding what type of loan is best aligned with their financial needs and goals. And it’s often possible to get lost in the sea of mortgage lingo without ever really understanding what all of the various terms mean.What follows is an attempt to clarify the difference between two types of mortgage loans that can be taken out for the purchase or refinance of a new home: conventional loans and government-backed loans.Conventional Loans
Conventional loans are loans that are made purely in the private sector and therefore come with no sort of backing by any federal agency. Because these types of mortgage loans don’t have any backing by a federal agency, they typically tend to have a higher down payment and credit score requirements than government sponsored loans.The amount of the down payment varies for conventional loans, but it can typically be around 10%. Now, if you’re taking out a home loan on a house that cost $500,000, that’s going to involve a $50,000 down payment cost.Most people simply don’t have that much money lying around ready to be invested. But, of course, that isn’t the case for everyone. If you’re well off with great credit and can afford it, then there are powerful incentives to look into getting a conventional mortgage. Not only will you likely get one of the better mortgage rates available, you won’t necessarily have to pay for private mortgage insurance.Government-Backed Loans
By contrast, government-backed loans are insured through some sort of government agency. The Federal Housing Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development are among three of the government agencies insuring these loans.Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans are by far the most popular and widely used government-backed loans. FHA loans constituted only a fairly modest market share of home loans, somewhere in the single digits just a few years ago.By 2011, these loans dramatically rose in popularity and now comprise 30% of all home loans being produced. This sharp rise in government-backed loans is due in part to the way the private sector has responded to the housing crisis.As more and more households were thrown into foreclosure, lenders in the private sector began tightening up their lines of credit to prospective new homeowners. They also instituted stricter requirements on the type of credit worthiness that would allow one to qualify for a home loan.Because of the stricter new requirements, FHA loans often became the only choice for people looking to qualify for a home loan.The most popular FHA loan requires that the recipient of the mortgage loan put at least 3% down, but 100% of this money can come from an external source. It may come from a gift from a relative, non-profit organization or government agency. So, in at least some sense, it is possible to get a FHA loan with zero money down.There are numerous factors that should be considered when deciding to get either a conventional or government-backed loan. But the same general rules apply. Buyers with good credit should look into conventional loans. Buyers with less than perfect credit who are looking for a low down payment and low closing costs should definitely look into getting a government-backed loan.

Car Title Loans: Choosing the Right Financial Service

How is this a good investment for both the borrower and the title loan company? It is an excellent investment for the borrower. This is why: at this point of time, let’s assume the borrower is in some kind of financial disposition. That means the borrower may have lost their job, can’t afford to pay their rent, may need money for their child’s school tuition; there could be a number of possibilities why the borrower is in search for instant cash. Depending on the borrower’s vehicle value, the borrower can receive up to whatever the maximum the loan company may offer. Some loan companies offer up to $100,000 and others may offer lower loans of up to $5,000. Obviously if the borrower is driving a Mercedes or BMW they will be looking at a larger loan value, but every title loan company is different.Let’s look at the other side of the spectrum. How is this a good investment for the loan company? If we scroll back to the first few sentences in this article, we can see that the title loan company “uses the borrower’s vehicle title as collateral during the loan process”. What does this mean? This means that the borrower has handed over their vehicle title (document of ownership of the vehicle) to the title loan company. During the loan process, the title loan company collects interest. Again, all companies are different. Some companies use high interest rates, and other companies use low interest rates. Of course nobody would want high interest rates, but the loan companies that may use these high interest rates, probably also give more incentives to the borrowers. What are the incentives? It depends on the company, but it could mean an extended loan repayment process of up to “x” amount of months/years. It could mean the loan company is more lenient on the amount of money finalized in the loan.Back to why this is a good investment for a title loan company (for all the people who read this and may want to begin their own title companies). If by the end of the loan repayment process, the borrower cannot come up with the money, and the company has been very lenient with multiple loan extensions. The company legally receives the collateral of the borrower’s vehicle title. Meaning the company receives ownership of their vehicle. The company can either sell the vehicle or turn it over to collections. So are car title loan companies a scam? Absolutely, NOT. The borrower just has to be careful with their own personal finances. They must know that they have to treat the loan like their monthly rent. A borrower can also pay-off their loan as well. There are no restrictions on paying a loan. He or she could choose to pay it monthly, or pay it off all in a lump-sum. Just like every situation, the sooner the better.Car Title Loans: The Pros and Cons
It is very helpful to analyze the pros and cons of a car title loan before you decide to take a loan out. Learning about your financial investment before you finalize anything is a great financial tool to success. A borrower must consider their options fully before making a decision.If you go online to most car title loan companies and read their “about us”, “apply-now”, “FAQ” pages you will see how bias their information really is. This is called false marketing. Just like the terminology “false advertising” most of these companies never state the entire truth about their company. They may hire outsourced journalists and columnists to write their content. Read the content before you make your final decision. If the content is cheesy and uses imagery in their content, the company is probably bullshit. Writing jargon in articles, is not something to brag about, but come on? Really? This is 100% needed! An example of poor imagery content may be: “Tired of thunderstorms and rainy days, get a car title loan today, and turn your day into a bright-sun shiny day”. The content shouldn’t be a story, if the borrowers really wanted to read a story, they could take their “nooks” out and read an article from “Reader’s Digest”. The content should be straight to the point, to get the borrowers’ to want to receive a loan from the car title loan company.The Pros of Car Title Loans
The most clear-stated pro would be the advantage of receiving instant cash. Anyone could walk into their local 7-11 or convenient store and purchase a state lottery ticket. That process is extremely easy; however the probability of receiving a large amount of cash instantly is extremely low. The probability of receiving instant cash at your local auto loan company is extremely high. Unlike traditional banks, and credit bureaus, another advantage of the car title loan industry is NO CREDIT CHECKS. Most of the time, borrowers come to tile loan companies because they’re stuck in financial situations. Their credits scores are usually poor at this point, after collections have had to continuously made adjustments because they couldn’t pay their bills on time. That is a major “Pro” for a car loan company. No matter what the borrower’s credit score may be, the borrower is still qualified to receive a car title loan. Another pro of the car title loan industry (which was actually mentioned previously in the article) is since the borrower is putting their car loan as collateral, it is easy to convince the lender to extend the loan to you.How does a borrower qualify? Like stated before, there is NO CREDIT CHECKS, therefore the borrower is already pre-qualified for a loan at this point. However, the borrower must meet the following requirements to receive a car title loan. The borrower must be over the age of 18 years old, the borrower must be the owner of their vehicle title, they must have already paid off their vehicle liens-free, and they must have a valid driver’s license or state identification card.How long does the application process take? The simplicity and speediness of the application process is another “pro” or advantage for the car title loan. The average online application just asks basic personal questions pertaining to the borrower’s vehicle, and location. The application roughly takes about a minute or less to complete. Most companies get back to the borrower within a few minutes of submitting an application. Once the loan representatives read through the borrower’s application information, they quickly give the borrower a call based on the number provided in the app, and go over the details and process of obtaining a loan.How long does it take to receive the loan? Every company depends and probably has a different loan process, but it usually takes within 24 hours or less to receive the “instant cash”. That is another advantage, or “pro” of the loan industry. Traditional banks, and credit bureaus, can take up to a few weeks to finalize the loans. By that time, the borrowers would have already lost their homes, been in serious debt, etc. Taking out a car title loan is the best financial choice. Check.The Cons of Car Title Loans
Now that we looked at the Pros, let’s look at the Cons of car title loans. Honestly, no financial decision is 100% perfect. Nothing is perfect, but some things get close. If this article was based on telling the reader that the car loan industry is the best financial choice, then the article would be full of shit. That’s why the title is “key-worded” “Choosing the ‘RIGHT’ financial service. Not the BEST. The “Right” financial service. Remember, nothing ever is perfect, especially in finances, but some things come close.The cons of a car title loan are indeed straightforward. The borrower is basically handing the ownership of their personal transportation over to the car loan company as collateral in order to receive a cash loan. As stated before, the borrower can face extremely high interest rates- depending on the company. If you have poor to no credit because of your financial situation, and learn that you cannot pay-off the loan you will be stripped of your vehicle, and instead of being able to alleviate your debt, you will fall into even more debt. At this point, the collections agencies will be completely done with you. The saying “follow the directions, and it’ll turn out right” is extremely important and accurate when obtaining a car title loan. A borrower may also be at risk of taking out a loan from a disreputable company that will charge extra fees on top of the accrued interest, or instant hidden feeds that were written in the fine print in the contracts, that are almost impossible to see, unless observed carefully with a magnified glass. Thus, a borrower must be careful before making a finalized decision in any financial situation, especially when their biggest ticket possession is being used as collateral.Now that this article has closely examined the Pros and Cons of the car loan industry, it is up to the borrower to make the right financial decision. The final decision is the hardest part. The final step is always the hardest part because the borrower now has to make a final decision whether he or she wants to take out a car title loan or choose to use another financial recourse. Honestly, after everything stated in this article, it would seem to be that choosing a car title loan is the right financial service. Again, banks and credit bureaus take too long to process a loan, so why choose them? If the borrower is in need of fast cash, they might want to consider choosing a car title loan.

Restorative Dentistry Helps You Regain Life

An individual’s appearance plays a major role in how he or she deals with life. Most of us may have noticed that on certain days when we are looking good our confidence level goes up by many notches. Similarly when we are having a bad hair day, our confidence level automatically dips. It is not a question of how beautiful a person is, but rather it depends on how presentable the person is looking that day.So even if one does not have beautiful hair, she would still like her hair to be perfectly groomed which adds to her overall appearance. Similarly we would like to have every aspect of our physical features to be proper which can be further enhanced with cosmetic. Our teeth also play a very crucial role in our grooming although we do not realize it. It is no wonder therefore that restorative dentistry has found many strong followers.Restorative dentistry is the technique that dental health professionals use to rectify and correct every kind of dental problems. A person may face some alignment problems with his teeth due to some accident or disease or maybe even a natural defect. The other kinds of dental problems include discoloration, infected gums, loss of teeth, bad breath, canker sores and many such other problem areas. Such problems usually arise from caries or severe external trauma and leave the patient feeling unattractive and in great discomfort. Restorative dentistry has undergone much technological advancement and now it is possible to cure and rectify the problems that arise in dental health care. Restorative dentistry makes use of upgraded materials like transparent or invisible braces and various kinds of fillings.The restorative dentistry process can be broadly classified direct and indirect restorations. Direct restorative dentistry uses a variety of materials like dental amalgam, glass ionomer cement and composite resins. The indirect process includes materials like porcelain, zirconia, gold and other materials. The direct restorative dentistry involves the placement of the restorations in the tooth itself while the indirect restorations are usually prepared in a laboratory and then set on the tooth. The most common types of indirect restorative dentistry include the use of veneers, inlays and outlays, bridges and crowns. The dentist prepares records of the patient’s tooth and gives it to the dental technician who then prepares the indirect restoration based on these records. Once the size and bite have been confirmed the indirect restoration is permanently bonded on the patient’s tooth.Restorative dentistry has managed to provide hope to millions of people across the globe that faces problems due to a dental defect. Conditions which were earlier considered to be permanent and incurable can now be easily rectified. Also restorative dentistry is making use of materials that ensure that the natural appearance of the patient does not suffer due to any restorative dental work. The cosmetic aspect of such treatment has a major contribution in enhancing the popularity of restorative dentistry among people suffering from dental problems in all parts of the world.

What Is the Suffolk County Tax Grievance?

If you are a property or home owner anywhere in the United States you are probably familiar with paying property taxes. Property taxes are a percentage of the worth of your home and/or property that is tacked on to your tax bill each and every year for as long as you own it. The problem with this is that property values fluctuate regularly, but property value assessors don’t come around to record that fluctuation on a regular basis. This means that you may be paying property taxes that are too high.What Can You Do About It?
In Nassau and Suffolk Counties there is relief from this assessment delay. If you belief that you are paying property taxes that are too high you can file for a tax grievance in order to get the amount you owe reduced. Not only is there an assessment delay, but there have also been cases where the assessors have not assessed correctly just to get the job done quickly or even worse, for the sole purpose of making you pay higher taxes. If your property has already been assessed but you believe that it was done incorrectly resulting in higher taxes, you can file an appeal to have a hearing officer review the assessment or have it redone entirely. Sometimes this is a lengthy process and you can file a tax grievance in the interim. In Nassau County you can file a tax grievance every year as long as you file by March 1. In Suffolk County you can file one every other year and the deadline is May 17. To make the process go as smoothly as possible you may need to get a lawyer to help with proper filing, document drafting and property value assessment.How Do I Know if I am Paying too Much?
Your property values are affected by a few factors. It fluctuates with the real estate market. Your property is worth the amount of money that you would be able to sell it for in the current market. When the real estate market is low, or houses in your area are selling for cheap, there is a good chance that your property value has gone down. This situation is not very beneficial if you are currently selling your home or property, but if you are paying property taxes this could be in your favor. If there is construction in your area or if a road has been widened so much it has infringed upon your property this would also cause your property value to be reduced. Look around your neighborhood. If there are houses that have been abandoned or there are a high number of houses in disarray your property value has more than likely decreased. If you notice any of these changes, but your property taxes have not decreased you need to have the property value re-evaluated and you can file for a tax grievance.

Performance Management Sings the Blues – It’s Broken, How to Fix It

Most companies and their employees sing the performance management blues. Employees hate it, few CEOs support it, fewer managers do it well and it doesn’t necessarily improve performance. Then, why do it? It’s time for a change.The Problem-it doesn’t work Here are a few startling statistics from the WorldatWork: Study on The State of Performance Management.

Only 10% of employees feel middle management champions it

Only 12% of employees feel top management view it as business critical

Only 30% of employee trust their company’s system

58% of employees give their company’s procedures a C grade or lower
And, Reuters says, 80% of employees are dissatisfied with their performance reviews.Studies don’t tell the whole story. Here are a few examples of what I have heard from working in companies across four continents and a variety of industries.

My boss doesn’t know what I do, but once a year he is going to rate me?

Why bother, for a 2% increase? We didn’t do ours this year. Everyone received a cost of living increase and a gas gift card.

Too much work online with our performance management tools, and it doesn’t relate to the job.

It is really about whether or not the boss likes me. If she does, I’m good.
Employees and managers alike tend to hate performance management and the reviews that go with it, mostly because people hate giving and receiving feedback.One executive responsible for $500 million in business shared with me that the best rating his boss gave him was a 3.2. He told his boss, “If you can’t give me 5′s you should fire me.” His boss responded that “he was just a tough grader.” I say, that’s bogus! The major problems with performance management is that it comes down to the review, the rating and the reward.The WorldatWork study said, “The top goal of performance management… is differentiated distribution of rewards based on individual performance.” I think that’s bogus, too! Shouldn’t it be about increasing performance? According to SHRM Foundation, Building a High-Performance Culture: A Fresh Look at Performance Management, “Performance management is the “Achilles’ heel” of human capital management-often viewed as ineffective by employees and managers alike. Despite the time, effort and resources devoted to it, performance management rarely achieves its intended purpose-improving performance.” Today, managers are focused more on completing their performance management procedures online or filling out the form, than in having a high-value conversations with their employees. In other words, they see it as another administrative task that they must check off! The system is broken; few people value it and it needs to be fixed!The Solution-use it today! To begin: communicate, communicate, communicate. This means start with your team planning by including your employees’ involvement and input. Follow this up with one on one conversations with each employee. Do it informally, without a form, or an evaluation, or a pay increase looming on the horizon. Just discuss the employee’s job and have a dialogue, not a monologue. Review job priorities, strengths, areas to improve, key goals and plans. The manager should begin by asking the employee well thought out questions about the key areas identified above. The manager should listen, add feedback and give guidance as the conversation moves forward. The manager and the employee should each take notes on the discussion. This process alone will begin to improve performance. Why? The employee and manager will begin to come together and develop clarity about key goals, priorities and expectations. It will allow them to collaborate through a simple, straightforward and sustainable approach.In fact, regardless of the type of performance management system your company has, any manager can begin to improve it today. This Performance Coaching methodology has power through regular one on one communication conducted monthly throughout the year.The Corporate Leadership Council’s report, Driving Performance and Retention through Engagement shows that the leadership approaches that help employee engagement are also important in performance management. These are: “setting clear expectations, helping employees accomplish work, providing regular feedback, and finding new opportunities for employees to succeed and develop.” According to a McKinsey global survey, these kinds of practices are more effective than financial incentives but less used by managers. Pat Riley, author of The Winner Within, said it well,”A coach must keep everyone on the team in touch with present-moment realities – knowing where they stand, knowing where they’re falling short of their potential, and knowing it openly and fairly.” To be effective, managers must be trained and mentored to ask good questions, to give and receive feedback, to coach and to write an effective plan. These are already issues. Why not invest less in the technology of performance management, and more in the people who supervise the employees–and make the biggest impact on their results?

Portable Hot Tub Spas And Their Accessories

While standard hot tubs have been around for many years, they have several disadvantages when it comes to size, weight and moving options. That is why many people are looking into portable hot tub spas lately and of course because it will be easier for them to get that hour of hydrotherapy anywhere. However, before going out and buying one, there are several things you should know about them to be sure you are making the right choice. As their name suggests, portable hot tub spas have the advantage of being able to carry them around and to easily take them off and install them in another location and they come with a variety of accessories that come in handy and are easy to carry around. You can easily move them from one place to another and if you are constantly on the move, a portable hot tub spa may be the right choice for you. When you are selling your house, you can very well pack it up and take it with you wherever you will move next, especially if you have invested a significant amount of money in it and you do not want to sell it together with the house.However, things are no that simple when it comes to portable hot tub spas. Just like with any portable thing, chances are that it will not be as robust and strong as a fixed, solid hot tub. Indeed, when you are buying a fixed tub you need to carefully consider the place where it will be located, the amount of space it will take up and the effort of taking it apart afterwards. When buying a portable hot tub spa things are easier in this regard, as you can move it from one corner to another of your property. If the weather gets worse, you can simply take it apart and store it in a secure place until the meteorological conditions are favorable to set it up again. In this way you can avoid many of the problems related to cleaning it after an unexpected storm or after you have been away for a longer period of time. Dirt and residue (such as leaves, dust and other external factors) are the worst enemies of any hot tub, as they can easily enter the pump and damage it. Properly maintaining your hot tub is vital if you want it to function properly for many years. In addition, portable hot tub spas have a significant advantage when it comes to protecting it against bad weather, as you can simply put it away whenever you consider it necessary.Therefore, when it comes to maintaining and moving around, a portable hot tub spa may sound like a very good idea. However, there are also downsides to owning one. Firstly, a portable hot tub spa will never be as sturdy and solid as a fixed one, no matter which manufacturer you choose. Solid hot tubs are usually made of plastic or fiber and they are very resistant when it comes to hits and other impacts. You have to be very careful with your portable hot tub spa if you want it to last for many years. Yes, you can move it around, but you must be extra careful when installing it and when putting it away to keep it away from any direct hits. Their weight can also be a problem, but this is the case of very large portable hot tub spas. Most portable ones weigh less than 300 lbs, making it easy for you to carry it around and to install it as often as you want.

The Mind, Body and Spirit Approach to Lasting Weight Loss

“Every New Year I start a new diet. What suggestions do you have for helping me stick to the diet this year?” Despite our best intentions, many of us never make it past January with our declarations. Here’s the pattern: initial excitement, great expectations, and grandiose promises to get in shape, followed by procrastination, guilt, and disappointment. If you are one of the people who set the same goal every year, this time it is your turn to succeed! Follow these tips to help you set yourself up for positive outcomes and make your weight loss dreams a reality.1. Change is a ProcessTrue change is never effortless! There is no secret formula, and no instant weight-dissolving pill. There may be people out there who promise these things but I have yet to see one that lasts for the long-term. Of course, there is liposuction and various gastric surgery processes, but even then you still have to adjust your lifestyle to maintain your results. Weight loss is a process that you learn. You make mistakes and you learn from those mistakes. In the process, you learn to believe in yourself, you gain confidence, and you decide to give yourself success. The key is this – the process you go through is even more important then the end goal itself. Because who you become in the process is your most important reward.2. Know What You are Moving TowardMany weight loss declarations are made out of frustration and in response to a negative pattern or habit that you want to change or end. Examples include, “I don’t want to be fat” or “I don’t want to be thinking about food all the time.” However, it is difficult to develop momentum from a negative desire. Successful goals need drive and passion! Define what you want in positive terms and allow yourself a positive attitude to keep your motivation powerful for the long haul.3. Develop a Relationship with FoodThe return to healthy, peaceful, and successful eating starts by replacing the strict rules of dieting with the goal of developing an intimate relationship with food. A good relationship with food involves choosing foods that make you feel more alive and vibrant. This means selecting foods that increase your levels of energy, health, pleasure, and motivation. This is not about being “good” or eating “the right” foods, but about eating foods that make you feel satisfied on both the physical and the joy levels. Your goal is to feel fulfilled and content after eating in a holistic mind, body, and spirit manner, not sick, uncomfortable, deprived, or guilt ridden.4. Food Is an Extension of Self-LoveEating in relationship to hunger, fullness, satisfaction, and joy is about beginning to know your self on an intimate level. It is about feeling entitled to take care of your physical body and your emotional well-being. Notice how you feel and before eating ask yourself, “Is this really what I want?” Then decide. By treating your mind, body, and spirit with respect, you eat less not because of rigid rules, but because you have made a decision that it is important to feel good. Connect with your body and eat foods that satisfy on many levels, including health, energy, taste, and contentment. Eat in a manner that allows a sense of feeling good, both now and later.5. Give up GuiltBelieving that you have “cheated” on your diet and then telling yourself that you have ruined any chance of success produces guilt and feelings of failure. If you overeat, acknowledge your behaviors with truth and compassion. Become curious about why you do what you do, and leave your criticism and judgment behind. Accept the choice that you made, learn from your experience, and then tell yourself you are capable of making news choices. Refocus on your goal immediately, and don’t wait until Monday or next week to take action.6. Think “Management” Instead Of “Control” Control implies an adversarial relationship with food. Control tends to mean that you are in a constant battle to have power over weight, eating, or your body. Instead of using force to have power over something, consider using a more loving style of management. When you manage something, you work with it to achieve your desired results. You unite with your desire or goal. Rather than forbidding yourself to eat certain foods, manage the situation. If what you love happens to be cake or cheeseburgers, then consider creative ways to eat what you want.7. Avoid Getting Too HungrySkipping meals and snacks is a set up to binge or overeat. When most people get too hungry, all intentions of moderate, conscious eating fly out the window. The problem with ignoring feelings of hunger is that you also start ignoring feelings of fullness. Soon your body isn’t in charge of eating – your diet plan is. Try to tune into hunger and eat shortly after noticing hunger. Provide all of the foods the body craves for health and pleasure.8. Put Your Mind In Touch With Your BodyRegular physical movement – whether gardening, walking, lifting weights, or practicing playing ball – helps you connect with your body. Physical movement provides a sense of well-being, confidence, and body awareness. Include regular movement in a way that feels positive. Healthy, beautiful bodies come in all shapes and sizes.9. Make Your Food Taste Good If you need to add a little sugar, fat, salt, herbs, or seasonings to make your foods taste better, then do it. Also, be sure to keep an abundance of good food around and plenty of variety. Reward yourself with nutritious food choices which leave you feeling energized and alive. Fill your house with all sorts of enjoyable fresh foods – fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, lean meats, poultry, fish and dairy products. Being able to choose the foods you want to eat is the beginning of a new, healthy relationship with food.If you have set weight loss as your goal once again, congratulate yourself for holding tight to your dream! Start fresh, focus on the positive aspects of your courage, and give yourself credit for your determination. In your journey of successful weight loss, consider utilizing the tips above to build enthusiasm, confidence, and steady momentum. Never give up on your dream!

Dining Reservation Software – Manage Time, Employees and Guests Seamlessly

Dining reservation software is an absolute essential if you are the owner of a popular and busy eating establishment. Not only can you save an enormous amount of time, you can make the dining experience superb for your customers and manage employees with very little effort on your part.You will find that your client base will grow quickly when you integrate exceptional dining reservation software into your business. Employees, old and new, will easily be able to identify customers by name, and know their food and seating preferences in a quick glance. Cancelled reservations will not be a problem, and every staff member will know which tables are available at all times. If you are a restaurant owner, you know that customers are very pleased when they feel that they are your most important client. This will quickly generate new business for you.Time management becomes less of a worry when you can instantly find out about any aspect of your business. Knowing how many employees you will need at a certain time of the day helps you save money, so that you do not have too many staff members on duty when it is not necessary. You can also check on revenues and expenditures at any moment of the day, and see exactly where things stand.Dining reservation software is also essential when you have more than one location. You can easily keep up with all reservations, cancellations and available seating for any of your locations with the simple click of a button. This will eliminate much of the stress for your staff, as well as yourself. Inventory is tracked with ease, so that you are always aware of exactly what ingredients, drinks and other food items you may need or have on hand.With this software, you will also be able to email regular customers when needed, or they can email you to change reservations or seating arrangements. The entire operation of your restaurant will be smooth and seamless, which helps to avoid any possibly embarrassing situations that may otherwise occur, such as double booking a table.Of course your customers love your restaurant because of the great food you offer, but the customer service experience often impresses them even more. Increase the efficiency of your staff and insure that your clients enjoy a dining experience like no other by using dining reservation software. You will find the benefits well worth the small investment you make!

What Part of the Globe Do You Call Home?

***Your home is your sanctuary, at least it should be. Whatever part of the globe houses you,your friends, pets or family is just as important as who you are as a person.We relate and feel really great when we are happy in our comfortable space. We rest, eat, sleep and take our reprieve from the duties of daily living. Part of daily living is sharing and giving time, love, space and assistance to others. To better assist others, you must first attain a comfortable living space. Finding a place for yourself, fills your comfortable space with things that occupy your place, and things that relate and reflect your style or taste. Home is where you feel the most comfortable..Know your role on the global scale. Keep your home as the most sacred space for you on the globe. Know that your sacred space is yours and yours alone!***Know that you are entitled to PRIVACY and nobody should be watching you, listening to your private conversations or invade your dwelling.** Keep vigilant and make sure that nobody gains access to your private telephone calls, your WIFI service or your intimate time with others spent at home. So many people are bombarded with lunatics that want to know every bit of your whereabouts, actions and conversations that life and privacy needs to be better guarded and secured.Wherever you reside on the globe, know where you feel the most comfortable. Recognize what’s good and feels like the right fit regarding where you choose to live. If you are a new graduate or seeking new housing, take your time to decide what part of the globe you’ll call home.We live in a great big vast country, and on an even bigger planet. So what exactly does that invite for you and me? It invites change. Whether you change your mind, your thoughts or your place of residence, it’s all up to you.Of one thing I can assure you: Wherever you live on the globe, it’s ease and comfort that fills a void, or a need that makes your dwelling your home. Make your home a home by living in a space that you make as your own, private sanctuary. Home is often called your home because it is the place most sought for comfort and privacy- the peacefulness of your house or home can be attributed to how wonderful you rest and appreciate your private space…Filling the need for you to have a peaceful life depends on a peaceful domicile or place of residence.Home is the way that we connect and let our hair down to renew or recharge our hearts, thoughts, mind and brain. It really makes no difference to me what part of the globe I call home,as long as I have comfort, space and privacy and my husband beside me, then I am comfortable and at home.I have lived in quite a few places over the past 20 plus years. What I have learned is that it’s a matter of exposing yourself to as many new and different experiences as you can, in the time that you are living and able to be mobile- thrive in the time that you are alive!To live your life and to be informed, aware and to gain appreciation and respect for who, what and where you have developed the most passion is rewarding!Practice empathy and philanthropy, throughout your life, caring for others and showing, and giving and receiving love is the most important space to be in everyday.I remember, as a child, we did a lot of local traveling and that’s probably when I first got the travel and adventure bug. I enjoyed long car rides with interesting conversation that initiated and created an all-encompassing out-of-the- ordinary way of discovering many restaurants and local jaunts that were joyful and quaint, to say the least. We always noticed beautiful homes and neighborhoods and imagined living in many stately places of residence.Many people call big towering buildings home, those with gated driveways and roundabouts that steer one visitor over to the next lane. Others call quaint high-rise buildings, replete with concierge service, guards, security and winding staircases their home. I still, to this day, enjoy visiting and seeing as many different places, around the globe, that others call their home, much like a pioneer seeking adventure and new discovery.I have also seen small shanty towns lined with dirt roads, covered in make-shift cardboard or plywood houses, across the Texas-Mexico border, separating one country and standard of living from another. That was frankly, very sad, emotional and disheartening. The homes were riddled, lined or filled with trash and debris that was later going to be exchanged for meager pennies- on the dollar, to possibly help sustain and feed a family of three or more survivors.Growing up and seeing the disparity between such scenes, in true reality, NOT out of a movie scene, or a sad dream, but IS in fact the reality of migrant workers and their families. Home was not a sanctuary or comfortable dwelling.( sad face- now tears running down my cheeks).Many migrant workers come into our country legally, to do jobs that most of U.S. citizens, in our country, would find too physically taxing, draining, exhausting or demeaning.I do not place judgement on either action of the equation. I right there and then made a declaration: – I will elect to attain and provide aid in the form of immediate medical care, maintenance, education, sponsorship, or to help by attaining continuous philanthropic support to aid or assist others who cannot help themselves. The odds are too high against them.My eyes and heart have not forgotten what I first witnessed as a small child. Along our drive passing the freeway in route to the major university, in my hometown, is when I first noticed the duality. My first reaction was shock, then grief, sadness and anger followed, when I saw things of such a high magnitude.I made a promise to myself: When I attain the means and the power to fulfill, the ability in me, to help some of the most-deserving people I shall. I will be helping them to have a chance, and better enable them to experience the normal standard of living. I will be happy to assist!It would be most heart-rewarding for these small communities of families and migrant workers to be able to enjoy more beauty and have functional lavatories, showers and places and spaces where they reside, on the globe, that they can proudly call their first choice of home. Know Your Role to Assist Others and Do So Emphatically!**I enjoy learning from you and from others offering me knowledge continuously!~