Sales Peak Performance: Creating the Emotional Resiliency of a Champion

Eight decades ago, Dr. Evan O’Neill Kane of New York’s Kane Summit Hospital felt doctors were losing too many Customers in appendectomy surgery, many because of the effects of general anesthesia. He felt that local anesthesia would be better for the Customer but, not surprisingly, no volunteers came forward to test his hypothesis. Until, that is, February 15, 1921. That’s when he finally performed an appendectomy with local anesthesia — on himself! In the process, he changed accepted medical practice. To be your best you can be in sales, you often need to change too; sometimes that change means operating on yourself! Begin analyzing your own situation by simply counting the how many times the letter f appears.

FEATURE FILMS ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE FORMAL EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.

How many did you get? 3? 4? 5? 6? 7? There are a total of seven! Most people get four or five. If you missed some, why? Why would anyone miss an f or two or three? It has to do with our mental model or the way we perceive things and act on them. This little exercise points out that what you are missing in terms of sales performance improvement is most likely right in front of you. Sometimes the solutions to your challenges are there, but you just don’t see them. Why? Because of entrenched habits, perceptions and beliefs. When you try to improve, it seems as futile as trying to lose weight with fad diets.

So what’s the key? How do you breakthrough? Dr. Charles Garfield of the Peak Performance Institute has discovered exercises that help individuals tap their personal best performances. Garfield experienced these techniques himself as a world- class weigh-lifter and researcher. Garfield explains, ” In the process, the researchers discovered that mental training techniques not only combated negative reactions, but also threw open the doors to hidden reserves of energy and endurance.” Dr. Denis Waitley identified similar peak performance strategies in his work with Olympic athletes and business people. To begin remember these important principles to achieving sales peak performance:

  • Self-development is self-management. There is no self-improvement only increasing in the ability to be all that you already are. You can’t change others but you can change yourself.
  • To manage yourself better to sell more effectively you must be willing to change some habits to increase productivity.
  • A foundation to self-management is to respond to all events based on your goals and priorities rather than reacting to spot urgencies, problems or needs.

Mind and body are intricately intertwined; to control what you do, better control what you think. Just like a champion athlete systematically physically and mentally prepares to win the gold, champion salespeople do likewise. Know your product, learn selling techniques to be customer centered and prepare mentally too. It will help you handle the setbacks, the no’s and rejection that go with the job and think creatively. We call it Emotional Resiliency.

The Best of the Best Exercise

Think of a time in your sales career when you did your best work ever. Choose a situation that exemplifies your highest performance. Get a clear mental picture of the event. Replay it in your mind as if it were a movie. Think of the details –people, problems, sounds, feelings, and surroundings. Review in your mind what happened, how you behaved, what you felt and achieved. Capture your thoughts with the questions below:

  • What was the situation?
  • What was your motivation to succeed or act?
  • How did you feel?
  • What key behaviors or strategies did you use?
  • What lessons can you learn or relearn about your Peak Performance?

By learning to replicate that experience and improving the result as well, you’ll become a sales leader. To be the best you can be, make a commitment to personal development and excellence. If you want to be exceptional, do exceptional things. The difference between sales winners and losers is that the winners do what losers won’t do at all or won’t do enough. Never forget that success is not accidental. Achieve peak sales performance by continuing to learn from your experiences and others.

The Whole Marvelous Super Ultra Cosmic Magical Comic Book Universe

The forge of creativity & business that was Marvel Comics was a synchronic chord sounded by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko and all the authors and artists and inkers and colorists who worked there. It all started during the early 1960’s when the Fantastic Four and Spider-man and the X-men (The Uncanny X-Men) were formed from the imagination of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

X-men was a box office smash last summer. I’m sure you also remember the highly successful Hulk TV show.

The earliest X-men consisted of Jean (Marvel Girl) Grey (who later became the extremely popular Phoenix), Professor X (Xavier), Cyclops (Scott Summers), the intelligent Beast (Hank McCoy), and Iceman (Bobbie). Mutants born with special “super-mutant” abilities.

Later came the New Mutants with younger characters possessing mutant powers that sometimes seemed to possess them (the only type of comic book story I don’t like).

These characters from X-men including (Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Storm, Banshee, Kitty) evolved with the advent of the creativity of John Byrne (starting in issue #108 of X-men) and Chris Claremont (Giant Sized X-men #1 and Uncanny X-men #94 now valued at $500. up in “mint” condition. The most popular character was the main star in the X-men film–Wolverine. There is sure to be a sequel for this box office smash.

X-men Comics taught kids that prejudice is evil. People who live in fear and thus greed try to destroy that which they don’t understand.

Interesting that both the most recent Star Wars film and X-men film took a hard look at politicians (Congress). If power corrupts absolutely is it possible our system is absolutely corrupt? The Senator in the X-men film learned his lesson a little late.

Spider-man–the new Marvel film in the works–is about a kid who with usual teenage angst (bullies beating him up, not getting any babes, acne and so forth is mild stuff compared to today’s school experiences–such as not getting shot & killed while going to or attending school or being seduced by a deadly drug or infected by a killer disease) is merely bitten by a radioactive spider (radical stuff for the early 1960’s).

This gives Peter Parker super powers–insect powers–if amplified a man could lift a truck and carry it 20 miles as ants do. (Don’t get me started talking about Henry Pym the Antman who became Giant Man in the Marvel’s Avengers ((Capt. America, Thor the Thunder God etc.))). Add to that Peter Parker was also a brilliant student who was able to invent a web shooter and other great inventions. And Spider-man was born as a bi-product of the bi-product known as radioactive material (which Science still doesn’t know how to get rid of). (Try telling that to the Bush administration). Everything is energy! Remember Tesla coils.

But Marvel was not the only place parading superpowered characters.

D.C. Comics (Time Warner), too, utilized mythology and stories of Biblical proportions to entrain, energize and excite generations of teenagers, kids and adults from the 1940’s to present.

Some characters such as Superman, Atom, Flash, Batman, Green Lantern, JLA and others & even D.C.’s version of Capt. Marvel may have been inspired by spiritual literature which told of Hindu Gods and Goddesses and even Biblical personages who could stand in fire etc.

Scripts & Wit

Super Heroes: originating through human imagination and from literature, mythology, religion.

Though probably comic creators just made up their wondrous stories.

Once when I interviewed Gerry Conway for the Comics Journal he admitted to me that he had researched some of the comics he wrote. Conway’s friend partner Roy Thomas no doubt researched Conan and Thor and other material while writer & editor at Marvel. They worked together on the great animated Fire and Ice film. (Ralph Bakshi/Frank Frazetta).

And initially Thomas got the Conan property over to Marvel from Edgar Rice Burroughs in Tarzana, CA. (Tarzana–Tarzan…get it? Yep, it too is a comic.)

Older folk know and love the countless Films and TV shows and serials featuring these and other favorite colorful characters: Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Commander Cody (which may have inspired the Rocketeer comic and film).

COMIC BOOKS — Born by the sheer exhurberance of the Universe itself through the vehicle of the Human Being!

The Comic Industry is a metaphor for life. A cosmic drama unfolding. But not to put old wine into new bottles: Many times in the past Marvel and D.C. have teamed to do specials that benefits the play of creativity. I first met Stan Lee while I was the manager of a Comic Book Store in Studio City, California in the 1970’s.

Or, more accurately, I met him through his works at Marvel Comics — his extraordinary scripts & wit in 1961.

Very clever interaction with the fans through clubs and letter columns in the good old days made one feel as though one was a part of something. With Merry Marvel “we belonged.”

Stan Lee’s stories contained real life character’s, complete with dilemmas and the germ of great new ideas and principles for living a good life.

As when Spider-man didn’t stop a Burglar — the same Burglar who later killed his kind Uncle–Peter Parker (Spider-man) got the message — serve mankind. With great power comes responsibility.

And responsibility is the ability to respond.

Exciting fictional stories full of adventure and excitement with morals. Illustrated profusely.

Marvel Super characters were at first looked on by society as bad guys. Even after saving human butt thousands of times.

J. Jonah Jameson (cheap Editor of the Daily Bugle newspaper) has hated Spider-man for over 30 years. Jameson actually tried to destroy Spider-man by becoming a super villain.

Daredevil (blind Attorney yet Batman-esque in abilities & physical strength and agility–but with heightened senses) the Man without fear was often branded a villain too at first.

As was the ever popular Incredible Hulk — first immortalized as a comic book during the 1960’s. Who ranged from dull and stupid to near genius depending on the decade in which this enduring character is read.

What we fear we often regard as evil.

Comics have tried to teach us that the means are as important as the ends they produce.

What we do along the way determines the end result we will get. Comics are published because a word sounds good to the publisher. But some of these new young independent publishers need to know more about the meaning within these words (and so do their customers). But more power to these enterprising youngsters.

What is Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi, Mantra? What is Zen? (One young upstart publisher of “Zen — intergalactic Ninja” had never heard of Alan Watts — great promoter of Zen until I told him Alan Watts was a famous and popular theologian turned beatnik Philosopher & Author (one of many) responsible for introducing Eastern Religions to the spiritually starved West–often heard on KPFK radio. Alan Watts is possibly the foremost promoter of Zen. Watts’ book ” The Wisdom of Insecurity,” mentions, of all things, Comic Books. What are Chakras? The Tao means what? When kids grow up and learn about Meditation will they be tainted by our stupidity and greed?

Buzz words usually lower consciousness and cause confusion. Of course when I use to publish stuff as a youngster I made up names that sounded good but had little or no meaning such as: Beyond Infinity, Eon the Magazine of Graphic Illusions. I know less now than I did then. What is craft, art, Love, Truth?

I held several autograph parties with Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the 1970’s and 1980’s. I threw over 50 successful autograph parties with many wonderful comic book artists and writers. I’d host the event, provide refreshments, do all the advertising, graphic art, press releases, etc. It was an exhilarating experience. It was fun to interact with pros and fans. I gave away a lot of free promo stuff.

Ninth Nebula’s first autograph party was held with Stan Lee, publisher of Marvel Comics. For ten years my shop endured in North Hollywood, CA next door to the world’s oldest Science Fiction Club (a built in audience of friends and fans and computer fiends).

The Stan Lee event evoked long lines of Comic Book fans of all ages drooling for Stan’s signature on the splash page of their old and new comics. Nowadays professionals sign comics on the cover of their title en mass which I don’t approve of. (But who listens to me).

Comics forms are often abused by aspiring young publishers who use several unnecessary full page splashes when the effect could be achieved in a tiny panel — waste of money, ink and paper if you ask me. Unlike the good old days when Steve Ditko gave us our money’s worth in the form of about 6 panels per page — he in his way was like a Zen Master — the precision of his work rivaled the art of Chinese Calligraphy (see his unique style in old Atlas Comics from the 1950’s). Some of the recent experimentation’s by Frank Miller & other talents have all done exceptionally creative work too.

Stan Lee’s arrival in a Limosine exemplified the style and pizzazz in which he lived his life. He was the spokesperson, promoter and Publisher of Marvel Comics at the time.

Stan has more energy than many men half his age. Did you catch the Hitchcock-like cameo in the awesome recent excellent X-men film where he was a Hot Dog vendor (on the beach).

Ninth Nebula was a context for many things but few know it was my 2nd book shop. My first store was opened in 1978 in the Santa Monica area and was called Beyond Illusion: New Age Book and Comic Shop. But comic books paid the rent even back then.

From 1985 through most of 1986 I threw over 19 successful mini Comic book Conventions (the San Fernando Valley Comic Book Convention). This show allowed me to open Ninth Nebula–the Complete Comic Book Store. Small in size, yet packed with all the best stuff.

Jack Kirby appeared at one of my autograph events too. Kirby was Lee’s partner on all the important Marvel titles in the early 1960’s when they were formed such as Fantastic Four, (Strange Tales) Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Hulk, X-men, Daredevil, Avengers, Journey Into Mystery) Thor, (Tales to Astonish) Ant-Man, (Tales of Suspense) Iron-man, Capt. America, etc.

Around 1961 Amazing Fantasy #15 was issued which is the first appearance of Amazing Spider-man and if in perfect shape could fetch $20,000 or more. Check your price guides.

Comics were serious business until the Death of Superman (and then it exploded further) which created new problems and opportunities as the comic industry began new birth pangs in 1993.

I gave 100% service & attention to all my customers at all times. I had to become innovative since often the store became overflowing and I could not mention all the new titles. I’d push a button on my tape recorder when people said “what is new.” Then the many fans and readers would get an audible list of every last detail of the new comics that had just come in. I was busy ringing sales with other customers so this made it possible for me to sell more comics. When shipments were bumped due to mail I’d say put my comics in some coffins — I need ’em now (Capital City never did). When I lived on the premises I had a buzzer so I was the first 24 hour comic store that I know of.

As a kid I’m proud to have collected and owned several complete mint sets of every Marvel Comic Book (1961 to present).

In fact I feel the Lee, the Ditko and the Kirby are three awards the Comic Industry should create (I said this loudly prior to 1984). Though as often as I try to turn him into one of his characters (such as Doctor Strange the occult master of mystic arts) Stan remains a human being — a man, down to Earth — courageous and kind. But I’m sure it was Stan’s business savvy that made and kept Marvel such a colossal success for many years.

Long may Vishnu (Hindu God of preservation) bless the best that the “Comics Industry” has brought forth in creative inspiration down through the decades.

With comics you get to read and enjoy them over and over again and someday they will be worth something. Sure the overproduced over hyped stuff may be valueless, but if you buy what you enjoy you can’t lose.

Comics have proven themselves over the last 60 years as a legitimate American art form. Comic Book audiences are growing faster than in any other hobby form including electronic games & virtual reality. It isn’t over yet. In fact, one could say we are at the beginning.

(“He who knows, knows, they who say they know, don’t.” –Lao Tsu). Like Meditation, you won’t know what it is unless you try it.

There are many Star Trek and Star Wars Comics from Marvel and D.C. that have been issued and I collected in the past all of which are very popular. These use to be issued by Gold Key in the 1960’s. Shatner co-created TEK comics. Spielberg and Lucas were influenced by the Comic Book genre. Roger Corman is cashing in with his Cosmic Comics. Even Leonard Nimoy has a successful Comic out. Other comics sport logos from deceased Isaac Asimov & Gene Roddenberry.

In the 1960’s, Underground Comix & Fanzines made the scene. One could say this was the beginning of the Independent line of comics. Vaughn Bode’ (Cheech Wizard) kids have emulated this sadistic character through their Graphitti on the walls of washes in the past for years) Rick Griffin, George Metzger are but a few of dozens of innovative Philosopher/Artists whose work not only represents the 1960’s but whose originality rivals the Will Eisner’s (The Spirit), Harvey Kurtzman’s (MAD ), Milton Canniff (Steve Canyon), AL Capp (Lil Abner) of their day. Though sex and drugs were the order of the day, during the 1960’s, Underground’s did not and do not represent mainstream comics–which are clean and not usually politically or spiritually sophisticated. Though political cartoonist Ron Cobb punched the unrightous right wing in their gut when necessary during the 1960’s.

If you know where to look one can find incredible literary treasures in this unique American art form–The Comic Book, now worldwide in acceptance, popular in every country (indeed, as a teaching tool one could learn other languages).

Fanzines and Underground’s contain some of the earliest and most bizarre art by today’s seriously great Comic Creators.

A successful new film has been released a few years ago about the life of Robert Crumb creator of Fritz the Cat. Robert Crumb also created Zap and Mr. Natural (I’ve seen original Mr. Natural artwork prominently displayed framed on my best friend’s Fathers’ wall. (A Psychiatrist by profession in the early 1970’s).

Gerber’s four volume Photo Journal Guide To Comics is a masterpiece chronicling comics history with full color photos of the covers of old back issue comics from the 1940’s–1970’s loved by many generations of people who wished their mother hadn’t thrown them away so they could retire in style today. I explain it is never too late to begin again as gems are published weekly and the selection is enormous.

Many Doctors, Lawyers, Film People, Teachers, Musicians, Computer Experts, Politicians, Artists & Authors people from all walks of life still all read comics & or collect them. I’ve sold comics to Clint Eastwood and his son. Robin Williams once roller skated into my first Comic Store in 1978 and bought Art Books & material related to the Comic Book genre. My friend reminds me that when I threw a mini comic con Leo DiCapprio worked for me briefly (I bought Underground comics from his Dad George).

Social Relevance

Comics indeed, teach art and story writing skills by their very nature. And are used by storyboard artists in making films, doing animation and more.

At my suggestion Marvel and D.C. issued Hunger Awareness comics in the late 1970’s with proceeds going to charity. Various talents offered their artistic skills as a donation. Marvel and D.C. have done other promotional activities for charities protecting wildlife, anti-drug campaigns etc.

Other social issues Marvel has utilized in their Comics: Scientist/Inventor Tony Stark wrestled with his own inner demons as an alcoholic with heart problems who is kept alive by his suit as Iron Man (see the new film coming up).

The blind Daredevil fought the (Kingpin) Mafia & Crime with his supersenses. Radioactivity and a spider created Spider-man.

A nuclear test created the Hulk.

As I read Dr. Strange (one witnesses a 30 year battle with Dr. Strange that sadly and finally ends as the villain Baron Mordo dies of Cancer–fully forgiven by Dr. Strange all the evil rendered unto him.

World War two vet Nick Fury (Secret Agent) dies just after his creator Jack Kirby passes away.

I discovered new worlds in micro dimensions and negative zones in the Fantastic Four (Human Torch lives) back in the early 1960’s.

Marvel Lee/Kirby even created the Black Panther at the same time as Black Panther’s were active in America–and this tie in with history and comics is not an unusual thing. This version of the Black Panther was a Chief from Africa with super powers of a sort.

In the 1980’s Aids Awareness comics were issued (Ninja high School). And a major character also died from Aids in Marvel’s (Canadian Mutants) Alpha Flight.

Some Comic Books teach Science or even other languages. Ms. Mystic by Neal Adams and Green Arrow by Mike Grell and Hawkmistress by yours truly (ask to see the script) often tackled environmental issues. Am I preaching to the converted.

Kids like to read & try their hand at creating comics. Classes (including Distance Learning internet classes on comics and other themes are available around the nation. In other words people can get credit and training without leaving their homes.

Comics are a safe addiction for the whole family.

Big Little Books (short thick early one page comics, every other page just text–hardbound, from the beginning of this century) are a form of early comic books.

Violence in any form is wrong (physical, emotional etc. or against Nature). Scape-goat-ism / facism of an economic, political, militaristic, religious, talk show, judicial, prison or from any source is wrong.

Other comics explored the murders of JFK, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Most comics are not humorous. And History can effortlessly be learned, through the enjoyment of comics.

Capt. America and the Human Torch fought Hitler & fascism in Captain America comics during the 1940’s, for example.

Comics can be better than film or TV when done right. Though few have translated to the screen all that well so far except for X-men and a sleeper called Unbreakable (as of June/July 2001 it’s extremely hot at the video stores). (A great film! But it seems the comic industry is attacking itself? with this sort of material.)

There are comic books as high in vibrational quality as classical music. E.C. comics Weird Fantasy, Incredible Science Fiction, Weird Science & Weird Science Fantasy & others from the 1950’s (regarding art and story) & certain comics from Marvel & D.C. and other companies may sometimes be likened unto the much higher vibration of John Lennon or Vivaldi (quality wise). (See Dreyfus in Mr. Holland’s Opus to understand what I am saying or even Finding Forester with Sean Connery). Because of the level of story and rendering of art back in the 1950’s when issued. These were projects of love and survival.

The new way to sell comics is Ebay, Amazon.Com and Yahoo auctions. Among others. eBay is the most successful so far.

Keeping track of your collection is a full time job. There is now inventory software for organizing Comic Collections.

I’ve enjoyed watching a few good “Electronic” or internet Comics at DC, stanlee.net and elsewhere. But animation is still better (as far as I am concerned). Beast Wars is a really well done 3-D cartoon originating from talents in Canada. Beast Wars is probably the best animation being produced these days.

Store owners didn’t mind the plethora of first issues until around 1996 when new people took over at Marvel and elsewhere. Comics are a viable art form no one should take advantage of. But retailers and fans feel they have been used. And we resent it.

One funny footnote, Frederick Wertham, the much hated Psychiatrist blamed for the demise of E.C. Comics and other companies during the 1950’s paranoid Senate subcommittee hearings where he testified against the “violence in Horror & Crime” Comics actually found something in Comics of value a little later in his life and began publishing Comic Book Fanzines. Yes Wertham got into Comics Fanzines and self publishing!: Wertham complemented Fanzines as a good that came out of Comics.

Fanzines are of many types from Science Fiction to Comic Book from art-zines to zines that specialize exclusively in one genre: Dr. Who, Star Trek, mainstream Science Fiction books etc. There are pro-zines (published by professionals in the comic industry) and zines that are “self published” by fans.

Censorship is wrong unless it is self imposed.

D.C.’s Elseworld’s stories are extremely creative and good and take comics to the next level. Putting Superman or Batman in a unique setting in time and space isn’t a new idea but the way DC executes these tales with details is usually innovative and exciting.

Where does one classify the classic Cerebus the Aardvark by Dave Sim, Reed Fleming Milkman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Hate Comics?

Classics Illustrated (classic literature illustrated) helped many people with time constraints pass a book report.

Black & white Warren Magazines (Vampirella, Creepy, Eerie) from the 1960’s often contained some of the best art & story for any time. Some fans are reeling still from the talent of Richard Corben (Den, Nevermore), Mike Ploog (Frankenstein), Jim Starlin (Warlock, Dreadstar), P. Craig Russell (Night Music, Elric.) Great work hidden in Tower Comics (Wally Wood) and Charleton Comics (Ditko) too.

The unacknowledged older audience pray that Marvel and D.C. maintain as high a standard of quality as possible.

New talent should not copy from other people’s work. Draw from life and photos. Regardless of what misinformation you may get.

Stan and Marvel literally saved the Comic Industry from extinction during the last 35 years I feel.

Eventually fans may focus on Silver Age and Golden Age comics from the 1940’s–1960’s. Or the E.C.’s from the 1950’s as I did at age 15 after acquiring every Marvel and D.C. issued during the 1960’s. But one really can’t outgrow comics. Once it is in your blood it will always be in your blood. New or now-agers would say I’m “too attached” to my possessions (comics). Possibly so. But a really well written nicely illustrated comic is better than watching Disney’s Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 in an Isolation float tank isn’t it.

Remember when I said one felt part of something with Marvel in the early days — “The Merry Marvel marching Society” etc. This is very true. People want to participate in an active way in their lives. This is one reason costuming is so successful at Comic and Science Fiction conventions. And one reason why Toys and Magic the Gathering and the internet comics, where you get to direct the outcome of the adventure, are so viable as hobbies. Because instead of watching TV one gets to enter in and play to be active and to participate.

Good art and stories are essential. Stan use to say “put it out there and see if someone salutes.”

When we were kids, of course, comics cost just.10 cents to.12 cents each. The first.02 cent raise meant we had to cut back a certain number of comics. Today Action Comics #1 (where Superman first appeared in 1938) goes for $175,000 in near mint in auctions but was onJy $400.00 when I was a 15 years old kid.

I was selling Joe Kubert original Hawkman art to people on Military bases back then and then buying more comics with the profits. (See how Comics taught business, indirectly).

When comics were released I was the kid waiting to cut the plastic strip off the piles of new D.C. and Marvel comics before the manager got around to it back in 1961 at Thrifties so I could get the newest releases before anyone & pull out the most pristine “mint” issue each and every Tues. and Thurs. year after year.

Actually I was just trying to get the next issue to read and collect as soon as it was issued. Then in 1986 when I started Ninth Nebula I started air freighting the new comics to my shop and had 500 regular weekly customers. I also gave generous discounts.

We grew up, married, had kids, started our own comic stores.

More & more “readers and collectors” abhor this wanton greed and unfairness in the comic book marketplace to their pocketbooks and sense of right. They want quality not just quantity.

In a way this is where OLD Marvel really succeeded. Marvel taught its readers to think for themselves.

Most real long term retailers find nothing wrong with investors investing in Comics or Marvel Stock, and everyone made short term money with D.C.’s two first editions of the Death of Superman. Retailers made out quite well on Superman’s Death–especially the Black Bagged version. As did Newsstands who bought them from retailers and resold them at higher amounts. Copies sell at around $25.00 now for the “black bagged edition.” The day this issue was released copies sold from $5.00– $50.00 each. Reports went as high as $250.00 for a single issue. But there are so many titles produced that since comics are not returnable to the distributor the amount of left over inventory with any “real store” will be immense and costly. Profits for shops are not as high as you may think.

Another super successful comic, Astro City by the author of Death of Superman and the Painted Marvel’s, Kurt Busiek, was published by Image Comics. Demand rivals that of the D.C.’s acclaimed winner The Watchmen (a story of some out of shape Super Heroes who try to prevent New York and the world from getting blown up, written by English Author Alan Moore). My favorite comic lately is the Spectre which began in the 1940’s. I also love various issues of Hellblazer and Swamp Thing. Tastes vary and so do types of comics. When one says Archie or Casper or Disney or Richie Rich that might be the only frame of reference a novice has about what is available. Great or unique art draws me into reading the comic. Quality matters.

At Ninth Nebula our customers were 30-50 years old and spent $30.00 or more each week all year long. They’d get 30 comics all totally different from all publishers. Most customers still focus on Marvel and D.C. but Independent publishers are here to stay.

Mad Magazine was originally a smaller size E.C. Comic. At issue #24 Mad became an entirely black and white magazine in a larger format. The ever popular talented humorous generous Sergio Aragones has been on TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes and other shows and is co-creator of Groo the Wanderer (with writer Mark Evanier) started with Mad many years ago. Their Groo the Wanderer at Marvel literally had me laughing hysterically on the floor after I fell off my chair.

If you are just exploring comics for the first time be sure to check out stores that carry old and new issues.

Direct Market is strange now because there is only one real main stream distributor of comics today. Diamond. If you want to start a shop don’t order randomly–find out what your customers will buy. Use their order form. There are small publishers too from whom you might be able to order directly and internet subscription services.

Other material to check out when you get into Comics reading and collecting: Comics Values Monthly (think it still exists in some form), Wizard, The Comics Buyer’s Guide and The Comics Journal (Published by Fantagraphics. Opinionated Gary Groth is the editor). And of course the price guide Overstreet. Which should be used as a guide but not as the bible. My famous saying remains: “Buy what you enjoy–if it goes up that is an added bonus.”

This “industry” will endure for all those with faith who work hard and make wise choices in ordering: Marvels, D.C.’s and Independents.

New is no longer so sacred a word. But together we can make it so when it again deserves it. We are moving in the correct direction. Thanks Stan, you helped give the “Comic Book Generation” the ability to think, better than schools ever could. And the desire to keep on learning.

Remember we’ve moved from a you or me world to a you and me world. These aren’t just words but lifestyles millions of people adhere to now. And we are not the “fringe.”

I share this Truth as a service to the Comics Industry: “Wider is not better.” (Except for the car & luxury industry). Give us quality and we will give you our money, time and attention.

As King Arthur and Stan Lee might say: “Excelsior! ” Or as I might say: “Where’s my Digel.”

Resume Tips For Military Spouses

My friends came over for the weekend and brought two small gifts for my kids. One gift was a small stuffed animal and a book, the other a small puzzle; but what stood out was the presentation! Clear cellophane wrap around the book and beautifully tied rawhide ribbons tied in a bow that was so beautiful I didn’t even want to open it, or at least I wanted to somehow save it for re-gifting purposes. Presentation does make a difference! So I keep this in mind when I am looking at clients resumes. I like a resume printed on a good quality printer with no smudging, thick ecru paper, and if you are delivering it via email no italics and I like a little white space. If you are delivering the resume in person to a company or passing it along at a networking event, make sure you have a fresh manicure and a good haircut to boot. Clients often want to know a savvy way of combining their chaotic work history and how to package the gifts they have obtained throughout their military lifestyle. Should they go for “spouse-friendly employers” or hide the fact that they are a spouse on the run; they remember the hiring managers making comments on why they should or should not hire a candidate. Consider these tips as you go after the job of your dreams and remember that the law of attraction also applies to resumes, so regardless of my tips, if you love your resume others may love it as well!

1. Looks matter.

First impressions count so make your resume pretty! Consider limiting any bold or italic font as it often looks messy if the resume is scanned; better yet, try creating a clean PDF version of your resume as well so that it can be submitted to jobs electronically and not lose its professional appearance. Hiring managers are turned off by hard to pronounce names so if you have a difficult name put a nickname in parenthesis next to it for the job hunt-they can learn how to pronounce Vandana after you are hired. If you have an equally exquisite email address, consider changing that too. While friends may enjoying sending email to lovemymilitaryman@aol.com consider revamping the email listed on your resume to your initials or your first and last name and the internet provider; it will appear much more professional. You never know if a hiring manager is spying on MySpace or judging your personal address. In addition, make sure your home and cell phone voice mails are short, professional, and clear while you are job hunting.

2. Don’t play hard to get:

You don’t want a potential employer to call your house and be scared off by your sarcastic recording. Bottom line, make sure that you include a correct name, email, and mobile phone number that you can access at all times. Try to send resumes when you will have time to interview as well. If you are working full time, taking night classes, and about to have a baby you may not be free for potential interviews, and if a company calls you to come in and you postpone the date, another candidate may be hired on the spot just because they show up first. Perhaps postponing sending the resume until your summer holiday or three months postpartum will up your chances of being picked.

3. Making up for lost time:

Spouses often struggle with the proverbial gaps in their resume. Stop worrying about it so much and just think of what you did during that time that would still be worth listing. When you have a career gap it is OK to include those part-time extra jobs you took just to earn some money, and remember to word them as professionally as you can and include transferable skills such as customer relations or multitasking so your future employer sees some benefit to the work. You can also fill a gap with any volunteer work or schooling that may have been completed, especially if it is relevant to the job you are after. If you do have a lengthy gap in your resume try filling the gap with a few bullets rather than a lengthy explanation in a cover letter that should be focused solely on your strengths. If the gap is so big that you can’t even fill half a page, then go take an intro to computer class and volunteer at organizations associated with the type of work you want to do, join some professional organizations or attend a conference so you have something current to brag about.

4. Boldly define benefits:

Job selection experts are not mind readers so don’t assume they will understand military-spouse jargon; make sure your resume is clear and to the point. Write the resume with the company’s needs in the forefront of your mind rather than highlighting what you are seeking. Resumes are not job descriptions of what you did, but rather a personal press release that displays accomplishments in clear succinct bullets highlighting your strengths, your transferable skills, and past contributions that will cause you to stand out and pique their interest rather than a recap your entire employment history. Companies should be able to quickly see your credentials and spot highlights that make you a good match for their company.

5. Size doesn’t matter:

While one really good page is better than two so-so pages, don’t cut back or start shrinking text to comply. Remember that short and sweet is all you need; and I say go for the trendier “profile” instead of a generic objective (description of the job you are after). The company knows the objective if you are applying for a job and a profile summarizes your selling points. One page resumes are back in style so consider moving some of those accomplishments to the cover letter and pairing down the resume content to look more like a sales brochure than a dissertation. In addition to choosing a clean simple typeface, have your resume professionally edited, and avoid any jargon. Keep in mind that a positive tone and active first-person tense reads more attractively.

6. Don’t fake it:

Some spouses hire a fancy resume writer that rewords what they have done in old jobs to percentages and dollar signs of what they have accomplished, but then get stumped during interviews when they are quizzed on their own resume. Don’t list that you are an expert at databases if you have never worked with one. And instead of scattering resume buzz words and clichés throughout, make the resume authentic. First think of your top strengths and then use a strong verb that describes where you really excel rather than what looks good on paper. Not only will your confidence shine through, but once you are hired for the job it will end up being a much better match than if you exaggerate in your resume and end up being placed in a job that requires the “attention to detail” work you abhor.

7. Peeking isn’t cheating:

Go have a coffee at the library or local bookstore and peek at the resume book section. Do an online search, or better yet ask friends who are in good jobs if you can use their resume as an idea template. I am not saying to plagiarize a resume manual word for word, but as you read others’ resumes it may “remind you” that you also were awarded something that slipped your mind. It can even be useful to go back to your old employee handbook that describes your past job description to help jog your memory about your skills and successes. As long as your ideas come from enough different sources and really resonate with who you are, it isn’t cheating.

8. Tell your friends to brag:

As with everything else in military life, it never hurts to be over prepared. When you go to an interview bring a few extra copies of your resume in case you need to pass it along for a second interview-you never know. If you wrote “references available upon request” make sure that you actually have references and have a pre-typed one pager of these references and their contact information ready and on hand. Don’t forget to let folks know you have used them as a reference so they don’t blow your cover and say “Sara who” when a future employer actually calls.

9. Don’t assume:

Don’t assume the hiring manager knows how you are connected. If you know someone in the organization well, include your “contact” in the cover letter’s first paragraph. Some spouses assume that an employer knows they are proficient at the computer or that they have references available upon request. It never hurts to include all relevant job skills. Another assumption people make is that the human resource professional reviewing your resume knows all the jargon associated with each job. You want to stay away from abbreviations and jargon no matter how common you think the word is.

10. Show off your stuff:

A beautiful resume that stays on your computer isn’t going to get you that job. Contact all the military-spouse job resources and post your polished resume. In addition, print some extra copies and bring them with you so as you network you can pass them out. Try traditional job-search sites as well and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince, and the same goes for job hunting. Buy some nice folders and place a few resumes in them to drop off at your idea organizations. If an organization isn’t hiring, ask them if they can keep your resume on file just in case something opens up.

Now let’s get started!

o Write down everything you have done in the past about your work history from your first job until now. Include relevant volunteer work, seminars, and training you have received, and next to each item list the skills you acquired, such as answered a 5-line phone, presented to a group of 50, brought in X number of dollars in revenue, etc.

o Create a skeleton resume with the main content you want to share with potential employers, and then save this as “resume skeleton” on your computer; and then you may want to create two different resumes for the two directions you are headed. For example, one resume may include all your military volunteer work and be terrific for applying for that perfect position with a spouse-friendly employer, and the other resume may look more corporate and include only your work history, a P.O. box, and that “great” corporate contact in the cover letter.

o Have mentors (outside the military) review your resume and give you honest feedback. Consider the resources available to you on base or e-mail me at Krista@militaryspousecoach.com to schedule a resume consultation, which includes editing, discussing your resume, and lots of support, coaching you to take the next step in your career!

If you would like to work with me as your coach or have any questions about the profession, please feel free to write: Krista@militaryspousecoach.com and please sign up for The Military Spouse Coach ezine that offers low cost, high quality coaching products that you can take advantage of!

Nameonics 101 – The Science of Memorable Brand Names

When creating a name for a new product, service or company, the number one rule is to make that new brand name memorable.

The reason is obvious: If your customer can’t remember the name of your product, the chances that he or she will search it out – much less recommend it to someone else – are slim to none. Forgettable names are worthless. Memorable names are priceless.

The bad news is that most companies ignore this rule and end up with product names that are about as memorable as a yesterday’s lunch. The good news is that you don’t have to settle for a forgettable name. Creating memorable names is easier than you think.

All you have to do is take the following crash course in Nameonics – the science of memorable brand names.

Nameonics (yes, I am a word geek, and yes, I made that name up to make this article more memorable) combines “name” with “mnemonics.” As you may recall from English class, mnemonics are linguistic devices that are kind of like memory aids that make information easier to remember.

Here are six basic Nameonics you can use to make the brand names you create more memorable:

Rhyming

Like catchy jingles, names that rhyme often stick in a person’s head whether they want it to or not. Rhyming works in multi-part names like Crunch ‘n Munch and in shorter names like YouTube. Other examples of rhyming include Mellow Yellow, Lean Cuisine, and Reese’s Pieces.

Imagery

The human brain is hardwired to respond to and store visual imagery. That’s why names that evoke a vivid image like BlackBerry, Jaguar, or Hush Puppies are so easy to remember. So when naming your new product, be sure to think in pictures as well as words.

Alliteration

Alliteration is one of the most common mnemonic devices. To create an alliteration, begin each word in the name with the same letter or sound. Bed, Bath & Beyond is an alliteration. Other examples include Coca-Cola, Spic and Span, and Krispy Kreme.

Neologisms

A neologism is a newly invented word like Google or Wii. Neologisms can be created by respelling an existing word. Google is a respelling of the mathematics term “googol”. You can also make a neologism by combining two words. Snapple is a combination of “snap” and “apple.”

Onomatopoeia

Buzz, bang, and thump are all onomatopoeia – words that sound like what they stand for. Brand name examples of onomatopoeia include Whoosh Mobile, Meow Mix, and KaBoom Energy Drink. Try adding some oomph to your names with onomatopoeia.

Haplology

Need your new product to generate a Bunch-O-Business? Then a haplology may be just the ticket. To create a haplology simply take a three-word phrase and abbreviate the one in the middle. Examples include Toys “R” Us, Bug-B-Gone, and Land O’Lakes.

This Ain’t Rocket Science

Nameonics is one science that does not require an advanced degree to practice. Anybody can use rhyming, imagery and other simple Nameonic techniques to make their brand name stand out from the competition and stick in the customer’s memory bank. Give it a try. You’ve got nothing to lose but a boring, hard-to-remember name.

Resume Tips – 5 Ways to Circulate Your Resume For Job Search Success

Too many people are out of work now, and many are giving up on the chance of finding a job. Sometimes, having a different mindset of how to market yourself can open the possibilities for job search success. There are a number of ways to use your resume, and trying one of these methods might make the difference in finding your next job. If your job search plan is diversified, you will have a better chance of obtaining an interview because your resume will have been circulated to a larger audience of people.

Networking

Networking is one of the best ways to distribute your resume. Networking is getting someone you know to introduce you to somebody that you haven’t met before. While there may not be an obvious job opening, networking could prove valuable at introducing you to that position before it becomes public. This might give you the leverage needed in today’s job market. It certainly can improve your chances at securing an interview.

You don’t need to know a million people to network. Start with the obvious – friends, immediate and extended family members, club or association members, service professionals you’ve hired, and even your hair stylist might know someone who knows about a position that you fit.

As you speak to these individuals, or communicate with the contacts that they provide you, make sure they have a copy of your resume. It’s natural for people to help each other; however, it’s not always natural for us to be comfortable asking for help. Practice asking, “Would you hold onto my resume in case you hear of someone who needs my skills?” Chances are, you will get a friendly yes more often than not.

Advertisements

It is expected that, when answering a classified ad, you will need to submit a resume. Make sure that your resume and cover letter are tailored for the specific requirements of the advertisement. And, read the entire classified section. Sometimes, a job posting appears under a different title than what you might think as normal.

Understand the requirements posted in the advertisement, and be sure your resume fits those requirements. Adjust keywords and critical elements to make sure your resume sells you for that specific position. After all, you wouldn’t try submitting a resume for short-order cook when answering an advertisement for catering and event planner! Although there are similar functions in both positions, the level of your qualifications should fit the position you are competing for.

Employment Agencies

Employment agencies are another place to circulate your resume. If you’ve been out of work for a while and need to start finding something for income, try a temporary agency. Their positions can sometimes develop into permanent placement, and you have a chance to prove your loyalty by working through an agency.

Other employment agencies utilize a fee structure approach to placement. Check the fee arrangements and distribute your resume if their business practices would be beneficial to your job search. Many of these agencies work under a fee structure where the employer pays a finder’s fee for the position opening; and these are often for jobs requiring specialized skills or hard-to-fill positions.

Recruiters

Executive recruiters typically work with companies to find qualified candidates for senior-level positions, and work with the company on either a fee or a retainer contract. Submitting your resume to an executive recruiter may not see immediate results, but it is a chance to get exposure to some of the higher-level positions that wouldn’t be advertised in the classified sections.

Make sure you have a top-class resume for the recruiter to use, and that it is specific for your professional position. Recruiters have a better chance of matching you to a company when you are very clear about your accomplishments and the expertise that you can bring to the next company.

Bold and Direct

The direct approach is still a popular way of circulating your resume. Perhaps you have identified a company or industry for which you’d like to work. Although they haven’t posted any job openings, you can drop off your resume with a good cover letter. Sometimes, this will result in a request to complete an application, or even an immediate interview! At the very least, they will keep it in their candidate file for a short while, and an opening may come up that you are qualified for.

Think about the many different ways to circulate your resume. Don’t wait for opportunity to knock at your door; you need to get your resume out there to find the best opportunities! Follow guidelines when preparing your resume that ensure you end up with a quality, professional document. Once you have polished and perfected it, try some diversified ways of circulating your resume for job search success.

How Can I Make Money During This Recession?

How can I make money? That is a common question during this recession. But people like to make extra money or better money in the best of times. But during a recession, it is a serious matter indeed. I was born in 1932 which was the worst year of the depression. As I remember so was the next year and the next. It really didn’t end until the economy of WWII started to kick in. Nobody knows when this one will end even though it is “officially” over. With the deficits maybe never.

To answer the question, “How can I make money?” I have tried to break it down in to a few general categories as follow:

Find a Job

The immediate way to gain or increase income is to get a job, or a better job, or an extra job. I notice on sad stories on TV that many have two or three jobs. These are usually low-paying jobs that don’t quite bring in the bacon. Usually the person lost a good high-paying job and then had to take what he or she could find to support the family and to pay off all those bills created when times were “good.”

If you need a job learn this: Most all jobs are obtained through contacts. So to answer your question, “How can I make money?” then renew your contacts and make new contacts. For example you might call an old friend and tell him that you are out of work. Ask if he knows where you might find a job. Ask if he can help you. Then till him to let others know you are out of work and would appreciate any help he might give you. Ask if he knows a person who might be able to help you.

I am not going into the details of obtaining a job but I will list some thoughts on the matter:

1.You need an appointment for a job interview. Say you write a note to a manager you know in a local company. Ask for an interview. In your letter give some details of your educational details and employment background but mainly say how you think you could help the company if you were employed. Always give a phone number where you can be reached. Ask in your letter for the person to call you at the number for further discussion and to set up an appointment.

2.Have a resume. That is were the nitty-gritty goes. But be careful what you write. Don’t put things in there that would not be discussed in a business-like interview. Keep your religion and political activities out of the resume. Also, your hobbies are not that interesting. The purpose of a resume is to focus on the job you are trying to obtain. If you are looking for work in more than one area, then you need more than one resume. Give your vita (birth date, etc.) and contact information, the job you are applying for, the experience you have in that area, your education, any publications and activities in organizations that support your request.

3.Even if you go to an interview for a construction worker, dress like you are going to church right after the interview. Make sure you are shaved if you are a man, have your shoes polished, and that your tie is straight, not gaudy, and that you shake hands with a firm but not too-strong grip, and that you have a big smile on your face.

4.During the interview, listen carefully to what is being said. Pickup on things you can elaborate on. Avoid areas that are not of interest to the interviewer. Be enthusiastic but not overly so.

5.Ask for the job. Don’t start off asking about the salary before you get the job. Even then wait for the offer before you respond.

There are many resources to help you improve your chances of obtaining a better-paying job. Go to your library and search the net. Resume formats are readily available. Also don’t neglect employment services in your areas including resources your church or club might have available. Spread your wings!

Start a Local Business

Many new businesses are started during recessions. People are desperate to get something going. The self-reliant rely on there own skills or expertise.

There are many resources to help you get started in a new business. First start by talking to your banker. Ask him if he knows of business start-up opportunities in your area. Are there business that you might be able to take over?

Go to your local colleges and university and talk to people who are assigned to help small businesses. Talk to your Chamber of Commerce and local business clubs. Most important, talk to other business owners. Tell them that you are thinking of starting a business and ask for pit-falls to watch for, how to get financing, how to choose a location, what local business cost are, how he got started, what help he received on start-up, and let him do most of the talking. Who does he know that could help you?

Once you have decided which business you would like to start, write a business plan. Your local resources will help you prepare it. Some colleges and organizations offer classes to help you get going. These are usually taught by retired business people who know what they are talking about. One you have your plan, have your banker look it over. Ask your banker for help with financing. The Small Business Administration may insure your loan. To get such a loan, start with your banker.

In your business plan, state the objectives of your business in regard to your suppliers, your customers, and the community. Describe what you plan to provide to your customers including good service. Your business plan should not only discuss products, manufacturing, and financing but also how you are going to promote your business. After all is said and done, you must get customers in your door. After you get things going, you may want to offer products and services on the Internet but don’t get the cart before the horse.

Work at Home Using Online Sources

The question, “How can I make money?” is loved by Internet gurus. They make millions every year by providing get-rich-quick schemes that don’t work. Most all Internet marketers I know have been scammed in this way. But scams are rampant in all kinds of businesses so you must be vigilant. You can always check out a program on the Internet if you think it is scam. Just remember that if you put “Is the Joe Blow plan a scam,” Joe Blow himself will be in there still, trying to sway you. Look for an independent review who link does not lead to Joe Blow’s landing page because the writer is an affiliate of Joe Blow.

Remember that if you are going to be an Internet marketer that Joe Blow is your competition, not your friend. He will bleed you dry. He first give you a gift. That puts you on his mailing list. Then he sells you his scheme. You find the scheme does not work. He sells you additional products that are sure to work but don’t. Then he offers to mentor you on a personal until he has your last penny.

Although many folks go into Internet marketing, most fail. The reason is that it takes training to become an Internet or affiliate marketer. The process is free for the most part. You need a web page and an affiliate link. Free methods of marketing are available but most marketers use article writing. You can get your affiliate links by the dozens at no charge at Click-Bank, Commission Junction and other such sites. It’s all about traffic and pre-selling. Here is the process in a nutshell:

1.You decide what areas or markets to enter based on your knowledge and experience.

2.You make sure the markets you select are producing income to Internet marketers. To do this, you find keywords that people are searching for by using a keyword tool of which there are several good ones on the Internet. You see how much advertising is paid out for each keyword, how many visitors there are, and how much competition there is.

3.You choose products to promote. You make up an information page on the keyword subject. You do not try to sell on this page. You just try to warm the reader up so he will click on your affiliate link. If the keyword is “fishing for trout,” then you must give relevant information on fly fishing. You put your link at the end of the article. It might say, “Click Here for information on great fishing lures that I use myself.”

4.You write an article about fishing and in your resource box you link to your web page. You promote your article on your blog and on social sites and in emails.

5.You give something away on your web page. To get the free item the reader leaves his or her first name and email address. You use a code from Aweber or such that provides the free product, and then sends scheduled emails to the reader about fishing. You suggest your products in your emails.

It takes more training then I have given you here, but you have the idea.

Conclusion

This article is too short to give definitive answers to the question, “How can I earn money,” but I hope I have given you an idea of things you can pursue.

Good Hunting!

Fly Old Glory!

Salesmanship in Print

The Single Most Important Skill You Can Learn

Copywriting, sales-copy, sales-letters, ad-copy call it what you want, but “salesmanship in print” is in my humble opinion the single most important skill you can learn in your on-line quest for financial freedom.

Some marketers may say that building your list is the single most important skill, but this point is undeniable…good copywriters can basically write their own paychecks and great copywriters are usually ga-zillionaires!

Did you totally comprehend that last statement?

Sit back for a few seconds and really absorb that statement. Do you realize that there are people who can write a few pages and make thousands of dollars…whenever and wherever they want to? Imagine sitting on the beach with your wireless laptop and making more money with one letter than most people make in a single year! Don’t believe me?

Check this out. The going rate for hiring a top-notch, world-class, ad-writer to write a one to ten page sales-letter is upwards of $15,000.00 or more, depending of course on their notoriety, conversion rates, click through and response rates and other factors.

That may seem like an astronomical amount of money, but when you consider the fact that some marketers make millions of dollars from these sales letters, then that number doesn’t seem quite as large.

The great thing is that effective writing can be taught and learned. It’s not necessarily an art. Sure, there are some word-smiths that have more of a natural “gift” than others, but most great writers aren’t necessarily born great…they made themselves great.

How do you make yourself a better “salesman in print”? Well, that term was coined somewhere in the late 1800’s, by the late, great John E. Kennedy. And that’s where I suggest you start, with the all-time masters from “back in the day.”

John E. Kennedy is one of the greatest ad-men of all time. He considered a good ad, “a rational, unadorned means for selling.” He stated that True, “Reason-Why” copy is logic, plus persuasion, plus conviction, all woven into a certain simplicity of thought – pre-digested for the average mind, so that it is easier to understand than to misunderstand it.”

OK, he got a little deep there, but that about sums it up in a nutshell! In other words, if you give a person enough good “reasons why” they should buy from you in terms that they understand, your conversion rates should go up.

Some other great ad-men to study, if you’re a newbie are: Albert Lasker (of the infamous Lord and Thomas ad- agency) Claude Hopkins, who wrote Scientific Advertising, Eugene Schwartz, (his hard to find book, Breakthrough Advertising is a must read) and John Caples just to name a few.

So, get your foundation from the all-time greats, and then couple that with the best in the business today. Folks like Gary Bencivenga, Joe Vitale, and the late-great Gary Halbert come to mind. This is because online writing today is slightly different from writing that was mostly all print back in the day.

Then formulate your own writing philosophy based on a combination of both worlds, coupled with your own experiences and personality.

Once you’ve increased your writing skills, every aspect of your communications with your clients and prospective customers will improve and thus your conversion rates. And not only will your conversion rates improve, just by polishing up your writing skills you’ll also naturally hone your verbal communication skills and thus your relationships in and outside of your business.

But remember, knowledge is nothing without action!

Teaching Children to Write by Free Writing

When it comes to writing, starting is the hardest part, but free writing makes it so much easier! Even with a chosen topic, a blank page or computer screen can be discouraging. Free writing will get kids past the blank page.

I make myself and my students free write because it is the easiest and best creative writing idea out there. Many professionals prefer to jump start their imaginations this way. It is also called quick, madman or practice writing.

The first time you ask children to do this, they will stare incredulously and grumble. They will be hard pressed to meet the time requirement of three minutes. However, after a regular discipline of free writing, they will begin to enjoy this time and it is amazing what they can produce. I often have to force them to stop at the end of ten minutes.

The rules for free writing:

  1. Write quickly and uncritically. Aim for quantity, not quality.

  2. You must write for the mandatory time period (begin with 3 minutes and work up to 10). There is no need for a topic. Begin writing. Do not think of what to write. It doesn’t matter. It’s the process, not the product that is important.

  3. Your hand must be moving the entire time and you are not allowed to talk. Not even a peep.

  4. If you can’t think of anything, then write, “I don’t know what to write,” or repeat the last word or letter over and over so that writing continues no matter what. If students consistently cop out in this manner ignore it. In time, they will come around. It’s way more boring to do this than it is to write.

  5. Use a non-ticking timer. I don’t know why that provides incentive, but it does.

  6. Use a scribbler. Write the date on the top right-hand corner. Continue just below this entry the next time. These writing samples are often used for future stories.

  7. When the timer goes off, read what you have written and give it a title. Write your title on the top left-hand corner.

  8. For best results, the parent should free write in his or her scribbler each time the child writes.

  9. Spelling, neatness, grammar, spacing, etc. do not count (I can’t stress this enough).

  10. What you write is private. You may share with the others by reading aloud when you are done, but that is entirely voluntary. The parent should honor children’s privacy. Only when we feel safe to write our true feelings will our creativity be released.

  11. Be faithful with this activity. Start every day with it and stick to it like brushing your teeth. In a very short time, it will produce fruit. I used this technique with a junior high creative writing course. We started each class by free writing for ten minutes. I assigned a certain number of free writing sessions for increasing lengths of time each week. Sometimes I made them write in unusual locations. The results were phenomenal. Their writing took off, and I attribute it directly to the free writing exercises. I have heard similar success stories from many parents.

When I began free writing each morning, I noticed two things happened almost immediately. One was that I began to look forward to that time. It became therapeutic. I never knew what would flow out of my pen and I discovered many things about myself. The second was that writing became much easier. When I say writing, I mean the writing that I did apart from free writing. What I free wrote was immaterial. Most of it I never looked at again. The real pay off came when I had to write an article with a deadline. I would sit at my computer and dive in, head first. No longer did I stare at a blank screen. Like a long distance runner, I was instantly in stride and I took off.

If you will trust me and try this consistently for a healthy period of time (months), you will notice a difference in your children’s writing. I would love it if you would write a comment about it on this site and share with others that it really does work!

The Teacher As Disciplinarian: Ten Ideas That Really Work!

Ten Ideas You Can Try Right Away

“Discipline is not the Enemy of Enthusiasm!”

– Morgan Freeman as Joe Clark

When it comes to Discipline in the schools, there are many well-publicized and well-marketed “systems”. People sometimes get carried away with systems, or programs, structures, textbooks, etc., arguing passionately, for example, that block scheduling is better than traditional scheduling, or integrated math is better than traditional math, or whole language is better than phonics, or this discipline system is better than that discipline system. Similarly, real estate agents will include the name of various school districts in their advertisement for a particular home based on how beautiful the district’s buildings are.

The focus, wrongly, is almost always placed on things, and not people. The truth of the matter is, and I’ll wait while you etch it in stone, my system will do better than your system if my people believe in our system and are passionately committed to its success. So when you hear the arguments, ad nauseum, for this system over that system in the schools, know that it is not the “thing” that caused the success, but the caring and passionate people working within the system.

The rules of golf, my friends, state that you are permitted to have 14 clubs in your bag. In the “golf course” of life in the schools, do you remember the teacher who only had a “driver” in his or her bag?

As we approach the topic of School Discipline, we must begin with the a priori acknowledgement that the American Juvenile Justice System is built on a rehabilitative model. This starts with the understanding that kids- you were a kid too, remember- are not perfect, that they will make mistakes, and that it is our duty as grownups to help them acquire the social skills needed to function as a productive individuals in society. If the Juvenile Justice system is set up this way, then how much more so must the school disciplinary approach be one that attempts to assist young people so that they improve their inappropriate behavior and become productive individuals? Naturally, this means that kids are supposed to get second and third chances, and some attempts at modifying behavior might take several years.

If the people who work in the schools were able to actually “fly the plane” in all respects, there would be no “Zero Tolerance” policies, either, and you would not read about kindergarten kids getting expelled for having a nail file, or because they gave a member of the opposite sex a hug. These coward politicians love to show how tough they are by passing legislation to expel kindergarten kids for hugging somebody or having a pocket knife. Media people, please listen: No real educator would ever come up with a policy like that- even criminals get three strikes- the one strike baseball game was concocted by politicians trying to get votes, not the educators you criticize when this tragedy occurs!

In the Broadway Show Bye Bye Birdie, Paul Lynde, bemoaning the behavior of teenagers “today” (circa 1960) sings in one of the songs this phrase- posed as a question… “Why can’t they be like we were, perfect in every way…what’s the matter with kids today, etc.?” A school I attended as a child had this quote on the wall by John D. Rockefeller… “What I am to be, I am now becoming.” So, everyone listen carefully… The kids you have right now or are going to have when you are out there teaching have not, unlike you, attained to perfection yet!!! However, perhaps through your caring efforts, patience, and rehabilitative strategies, they might get a few steps closer to the target- but they are not there just yet. So you will have discipline problems.

There are still teachers around who make kids stand in the corner and hold a dictionary in their outstretched arms or have someone write the dictionary, or “I must not talk in class” 500 times. We have all heard the horror stories of actions taken by teachers that do nothing but guarantee that the student will continue to do the wrong thing- often with greater enthusiasm. Don’t forget the line from Bye Bye Birdie…they are not perfect yet like you! Remember also that we are not selling a system in this book. You can buy books and take courses. Our purpose in this chapter is to give you a variety of tools- more like 14 clubs for your disciplinary “golf bag” if you will. These are strategies that have a high degree of success and can effect quick change.

PROACTIVE vs. REACTIVE

1. Start With a Positive…

Very few kids are discipline problems the first day of school or the first week of school. You probably already have an idea about the reputation of most of your students because the grapevine has informed you. The kids that have the potential to be problems have parents who usually are also aware that their child is a problem because that same child is a problem at home. So when these parents come to school angry at you the teacher, it’s really a case of misplaced aggression because it is their kid who is driving them over the edge. These same parents have literally cried on the telephone to me when they received good news about their child from the people at school- because it never happened before this. What’s the message for you? While it’s still early in the year- before the problems have manifested themselves, look for something positive that these potential problem individuals are doing and contact the parents to tell them the good thing that their child was doing.

Later, you will need the help of these parents to help change their child’s behavior and they will remember this phone call and view you as a nice person- a fair person- maybe the first person in the school district who has ever said something nice about their child. When you call later, you begin by saying… “Hi Mrs. Smith. This is Mr. Jones from the school. You probably remember that we talked when I called you about the nice thing your daughter was doing in my class.” Mom will say that yes, she remembers you. You then say, “I need your help with something.” Then you explain the discipline problem that her daughter is involved with and ask her if she could get involved at home and perhaps, working together as a team, you and Mom can help the child to improve this problem she is now having. Most of the time, the parents will go out of their way to help you. They will also remind the child that you actually said something nice about them and we want to keep this nice teacher on our side- he’s a friend. This potential problem child may start acting better anyway because he realizes that you also make good comments, not just negative ones like everyone else. This is an example of a teacher being PROACTIVE.

2. The Unknown Time-Out

Although this strategy works best with younger students, used sparingly, it will also be equally effective with high school students. Make a plan with one of the secretaries, the Athletic Director, the Principal in a smaller school, or some other person- perhaps the Librarian, the Nurse, Custodian, etc. You can arrange multiple destinations for the Unknown Time-Out maneuver. When you have one or more particularly difficult students or ones that start well but get mixed up in any of the commotion that occurs in class, you call one of the students up to you desk, hand him a colored envelope that has something in it with the name of the person the envelope is going to on it. You tell the student to take this envelope to the person and wait for a response and then bring the response back.

When the recipient of the envelope sees that particular student or that colored envelope, he or she knows what is going on and tells the student to sit in the waiting area while they get the answer ready. Now they take 10 minutes to prepare the response, give it to the student and tell the student to take it back to you. This student just got a “Time-Out” lasting perhaps 15 minutes without knowing it. This Proactive strategy kept the student from being yelled at again for what would have been his inevitable misbehavior, he has done something that seemed to be responsible, and so you the teacher comment on his reliability and thank him. The anticipated daily problem never occurred in the first place. In this process, the envelope, not the student, can be the indicator, so more than one teacher and additional students can be involved in this process. It is unlikely that the students- even high school students, will ever catch on to this strategy.

3. Inviting the Principal to Provide the Positive

If you had the pleasure to attend a Catholic Elementary School in the mid 50’s, you may remember this- ruefully, I do. The report cards were distributed every 6 weeks, so every 6 weeks, the priest would come into class on a Friday to be involved in the process of handing out the report cards to 65 or so students in the class. As the Priest gave out the report cards, he always added a moment or two of editorializing. To this day, I have bad dreams about him saying… “Daniel. Hmmm. Let’s see…My goodness, I know your Mother…The Poor Woman will be broken-hearted when she sees this awful report card.” Of course, everyone is sitting all prim and proper with their hands folded, but your buddies are looking at you and silently making faces and laughing all the while. All of this had quite the dramatic effect.

What’s the message for you? DON’T INVITE ANYONE IN FOR A NEGATIVE!!! But, invite the principal in and when he is there, publicly acknowledge the student by saying something like… “By the way Dr. Stevens(The Principal) Billy here has been one of my most improved students this report period- he is doing some very nice work!” – Or, “Billy, why don’t you show Dr. Stevens your excellent Social Studies project?” Billy has been doing some excellent work lately Dr. Stevens! The principal knows that this is his cue to congratulate the child and talk more about how nice it is to see students behaving this way, etc. This is another very proactive way to reinforce any positive behavior being shown by a student who does not show it that often.

4. The Sandwich Technique

The Sandwich Technique comes to us from the world of sports psychology and has been an effective tool for modifying behavior and encouraging people for over 30 years. It has application to almost every area of human endeavor- in fact, you can even use it with your spouse. It begins by getting a person’s attention by saying something positive. We say this because, for the most part, whether you are a spouse, an athlete, or a misbehaving child, your ears tend to close when you sense that a negative comment is coming your way- we all tend to tune this stuff out. So we get people’s attention by saying something positive first- the ears perk up. The positive is followed by what we really wanted to say- the criticism or negative and any disciplinary action that might be occurring. It is followed by a final upbeat and positive comment. Thus the negative is the Peanut Butter and Jelly, and the positive in front and at the end are the two pieces of white bread.

We’ll leave it to you how best to apply it in other walks of life, but consider how it can be used in the school setting by looking at the following hypothetical:

Johnny misbehaved in you class again today. He’s actually an intelligent individual who simply is not working to the best of his ability. He has shown flashes of brilliance, but for the most part, is usually at the center of any commotion that goes on in class- he’s been turning in some sloppy work lately as well. Write a script of what you would say to Johnny making sure to apply the Sandwich Technique.

It might go like this: Johnny, you know that I like you- you and I have developed a pretty good friendship over the last couple of months haven’t we? That’s why I am surprised that it is you I have to talk to so much. I have looked at your test scores and I have seen some of your work and it is excellent- you have the ability to be one of my brightest students. Here’s the problem, though…this is the fourth time in a row that you have turned in such sloppy work. So I am going to just keep giving it back to you till you do it correctly, and I don’t care if it takes you a month to do it correctly. You will have to come in after school to redo the work, Also, if you do not change the quality of your work, then I am going to have Mom and Dad come in, and you know what your father said he would do if I call him about you, don’t you? What do you think would be a good way to fix this problem? (Avoiding the Yes-No question)All right. Let’s get back to work, but I want you to know, I think you are a sharp kid, and I was just talking about you in a good way to Dr, Stevens. So let’s start doing the work I know you are capable of. Etc.”

5. Divide and Conquer

In this situation, two students are a constant disruption in class. Take one of the students and treat him in a way that is a little less strident than the other. This can be done by rewarding one of the students for doing something right and making it seem as though he is not the real trouble maker in all of these class problems- it’s the other guy. The second person will not stay too friendly with the first person, and the first person will begin to distance himself from the second person. You say to the first student, “You know Billy, I look at you as one of my better students and I don’t think of you as a troublemaker like some students seem to be in this class. What do you think you could do to improve this problem? (Again, not a yes-no)Following the private discussion, you move Billy making sure to explain to him that you want to get him away from the problems so he can do good work and not be bothered all the time. The partners in crime will not be so friendly with each other after you take this action.

6. The Phone Call From Class

Signal for the misbehaving child to join you in the hallway. Tell the child that you have your cell phone “right here in your hand”, and if you ever see this kind of behavior again, you are going to call his or her Mom at her place of work right here from class and the child is going to have to explain to her Mom the reason why the call is being made. The teacher then asks the student how happy he thinks his Mom is going to be to receive such a phone call from school when she is working? When he replies, “Not very happy”, say, “Right, not very happy, so I expect to see some very quick improvement in your behavior- got that Billy? This is one time where a yes answer is all that is needed. The next day, or for the next few weeks or so, if Billy is acting out, the teacher merely holds the phone up and looks at it and then looks back to Billy. Billy will understand completely. Additionally, can you imagine the effect this will have on the other students, notably potential problem individuals when they find out that someone had to actually call his or her mother from class!

7. The Letter in the Drawer

Let’s say that a child uses foul language in you class. First you tell him that this kind of language is not appropriate for class and that you and he are going to have to talk about this after class. Quietly, without any overreaction and typically after class, although there might be occasion to use this technique within earshot of classmates, you tell the student the following: You are really surprised that a person like him would be speaking like that. You then tell him to write down what he said on a piece of paper. Make sure all of the words and details are included in the writing. Then, with a flourish, you place the writing in a business envelope and put a stamp on it and tell the student that normally, this would go directly into the mail with a phone call to let Mom know it is coming. Also, you dramatically write out a disciplinary referral.

Then you might tell the student that you are going to give him a detention for his behavior, but since you the teacher are such a nice person, you are going to keep this letter and the referral in your desk for mow. If this behavior ever occurs again though, both of these items are being sent along with a second mailing for the additional offense. Then you tell the student that this will stay in your desk till the end of the marking period at which time you will dispose of it if he, the child, continues to behave properly. Like the technique involving the cell phone, if the child is starting to misbehave a few days letter, you can point to the letter or the referral as a silent reminder. The child will get the point and probably appreciate your kindness.

8. Invite Mom to come in

This is a great technique for improving everyone’s behavior because one visit to your class by someone’s Mom who sits right next to her normally misbehaving child for one or more periods and everyone will behave because they will fear that they might be next. Kids would rather have root canal than have Mom come in to sit next to them for an entire period or several periods. The process works like this: You make an effort ahead of time to establish a good working relationship with the Moms of some of your most significant problem individuals. You call Mom and invite her in because Junior is misbehaving. Mom comes to class and sits right next to her child and can remain for one or more days. Nobody wants to endure this humiliation. Do it just once and many of your discipline troubles will be over. The next day after the visitor leaves, the teacher can say… “Well, you saw a parent in here to visit because there were some problems I wanted her to see…who’s next?” Don’t expect any hands!!!

9. Involve the Guidance Counselor

Without fail, you will find guidance counselors more than happy to assist you in dealing with a student experiencing problems because it gives them the opportunity to do what they went to school to learn how to do. This is important to guidance counselors because, in the present national testing zeitgeist, they have all too often become the de facto assessment coordinators for their school. They have less time to actually counsel kids because much of their time is being spent checking bubble sheets, counting booklets, and filling out forms for the state as well as sifting through mountains of paperwork related to special education, for example. As a teacher who sees the same students on a daily basis, you know which students have the most pressing issues related to discipline and which ones would profit most from a visit with the counselor as opposed to a visit with the Principal or Dean of Students. Not every matter needs to go to the principal.

On the other hand, you are out there amidst the masses and you hear various stories about kids regarding things that are happening in their lives. Sometimes you have established enough of a rapport with a student that he or she shares it with you himself. Once a student was talking to me about where she was going for the holidays and matter of factly told me that she and her two sisters are from 3 different fathers and they would be going to see all of the fathers as well as the related grandparents, and even though one of the fathers used to “beat my Mom up”, things are pretty good around the holidays as long as he doesn’t get too drunk, etc. The child acted as though this was completely normal, and although she was a discipline problem now and then, after hearing this story, I looked at her much differently. I realized quickly that this was something that should involve the guidance counselor.

Remember also that kids spend more time around the people in school than the people at home, so you will often know immediately when a kid just does not look right which might be an indicator of sexual abuse, drug use, eating disorders, pregnancy, self abuse, etc. Maybe the grapevine knows about a death, a loss of a job, marital unrest, etc. You are the first line of defense in this process. The counselor has all of the right contacts and phone numbers of professionals that she can bring into the process. When a kid who was never a discipline problem starts to become one, or his work starts to take a negative turn, pay attention and don’t just turn directly to the discipline code page in the student handbook. You and the counselor, working together, can be a great force for changing a kid’s life- and the matter never has to get to the discipline office. Don’t be upset, however, if after the counselor gets involved, he or she is unable to share all information about the child with you. There are some issues with Confidentiality involved, so maybe all you will hear is that “The matter is being taken care of.” That might be all you are able to find out.

10. Careful About Examples

Do you remember the movie Home Alone? In it, Mc Cauley Culkin, the child who was left behind is talking to the old man who used to scare him. They are sitting in a church and the kid tells the old man that a certain third grader got “nailed” when kids found out that he wore dinosaur pajamas. If you are not careful about certain examples you speak about to misbehaving kids, you might get somebody “nailed”. To clarify, if you had brothers or sisters, do you ever remember hearing this from either of your parents, “Why can’t you be more like your brother who always makes the honor roll- he always does all of his work so neatly!

If, as a teacher, you make an example like this by saying, “Why can’t you people in the back turn in neat work like Jimmy here- he is such a wonderful student?”… you may be insuring that poor Jimmy is going to get “Nailed”. The world of kids is difficult enough, don’t put someone in peril because he or she is a model student. You can still have pageantry involving awards, but never expressed in a comparative way as in, “Jimmy got this, but look at you Billy, you only got this!” Your parents did that. It did not necessarily endear you to your brother or sister when the comparison was made.

10 Ways Baby Boomers Can Be Happier in 2018

How can you live your best life and be happier in 2018? Here are 10 surefire ways to help you hit the restart button for a better life.

Change Careers

Studies show that up to 80 percent of baby boomers plan to do some sort of paid work until age 70 to stay mentally sharp, keep engaged socially, and achieve financial security in retirement. That leaves a couple of decades after 50 to work.

Perhaps that’s why more and more boomers are contemplating an “encore career” to pursue their passions and create a fulfilling life they can enjoy.

The American Institute for Economic Research looked at people who changed or tried to change jobs after age 45 and found that 82% of people aged 47 and older who took up new careers in the last two years were successful, and 50% saw a salary increase.

“Don’t view your age or your experience as a liability. It’s a benefit to companies to have a multi-generational workforce,” says Oriana Vogel, vice president of global talent acquisition at American Express. “One of our goals… is to hire employees that can provide a variety of different perspectives and experiences.” Age doesn’t come into consideration when it comes down to hiring the best people, she says.

Enjoy Life’s Simple Pleasures

In 2017, International Happiness Day and the first day of spring coincided. How often does that happen? But do we really need a special day to find some bliss? I say that any ordinary day will do.

In 2018, let’s pause and enjoy all of life’s simple treasures and treats we look forward to throughout the day. Yes, we all have them! You know, the moment you open up your drapes and sunlight fills your home. The aroma of coffee in the morning. Those delightful blueberries on your cereal. The hot shower in the morning that awakens and refreshes you.

If you’re a baby boomer still working, instead of grumbling about it, enjoy your favorite song on the radio as you drive to your job. Don’t just sit there, sing along! If you’re lucky enough to be retired, enjoy some creative leisure time.

Experience happiness from the simple act of giving. Take a moment and write, text, or call a friend. Give someone a big smile to brighten their day and perk up yours as well. Make it a point to do something nice for a stranger or give someone a sincere compliment today. When you get home, give a loved one a big hug. Make your dog’s day with a walk around the neighborhood, a treat, and an extra pat on its head. Relish each bite of dinner. Watch the sunset. Enjoy your favorite comedy and laugh loudly. At the end of the day, remember each blessing and give thanks.

If a gloomy thought dares to enter your head this day, usher it right out and replace it with a happy, positive thought. No groans or gripes allowed. Mentally shout “next” in your head and move right along. Relish every day of simply being alive.

Break Through Barriers

Oh, the wonderful things that can happen when we break through our self-imposed barriers!

When I wanted to become a writer, I put a lot of barriers on myself. I was afraid that people would laugh at me because I didn’t have a college degree. That my submissions would sit in a huge pile and be ignored by literary agents and editors since I didn’t know anyone in the publishing business. That friends and family would roll their eyeballs if I dared to express my dreams of becoming a writer out loud. That I would become so discouraged by the countless rejections sure to come my way, I would give up and watch my precious dreams slowly fade away. Doesn’t everyone want to be a writer, but how many actually make it?

Instead of taking action, I was comfortable just dreaming about becoming an author one day. It was fun envisioning my novel on the shelves of Barnes and Noble and my first book signing. Until a woman at a writer’s conference asked me a simple but profound question. What are you waiting for?

With the woman’s words echoing in my head, I took the first step and began submitting my short story to magazines. Of course, I received the standard rejection letter which stung, but I continued on my journey, taking writing classes and submitting my work. The road wasn’t easy. Many of my fears came true during that time. I gathered enough rejection letters to wallpaper a room. Many times, I became discouraged and swore off writing. But I tenaciously pressed forward. Six long years passed before my first short story was published. Am I happy that I persevered and finally faced down all those nagging self-doubts and fears?

You bet! I’ve been writing professionally for over 25 years now. Over the years, I’ve been published in national magazines, authored three books (one of which was published by big time publisher McGraw Hill), landed an agent, won three journalism awards, and even had my dream come true with a book signing at Barnes and Noble.

This is the year to reflect on who you are and what matters most to you in life. Time to overcome your fears, persevere, and find the power to become the driver of your own life and personal journey!

Become Happy-Go-Lucky

The Urban Dictionary defines happy-go-lucky as a person who is cheerful about most things, has a positive view on life, and annoys the you-know-what out of their friends. Haha! Seriously, think of all the benefits of lightening up. You’ll be less stressed, have more fun, take more risks, step out of your comfort zone and because of your positive attitude have more friends and better relationships.

So adapt a devil-may-care attitude, be a little silly, laugh more, mellow out, and be playful! If you can become more of a happy-go-lucky person, I’d lay bets that you’ll find life more enjoyable and even more fulfilling.

Take a Trip

It’s no secret that I love to travel, so a new survey last year that listed baby boomers choices for top bucket list travel destinations caught my eye.

Of the 12,000 boomer participants, a whopping 99 percent said they planned to take one leisure trip last year. About half planned to travel domestically on multi-generational trips, weekend getaways, and holiday travel. Bucket lists inspired 43 percent of boomers to say they hoped to travel internationally as well.

Which places topped boomers’ bucket lists for travel? Hawaii topped the list for a dream domestic destination followed by Alaska, California, Arizona, and Nevada. The top international destinations were Australia, followed by Italy, the United Kingdom/Ireland, France, and the Caribbean. Are any of these places on your bucket list? No time like the present!

Interestingly, boomers enjoy dreaming about their trip almost as much as experiencing the trip itself. Part of the fun is planning!

Stay Positive Despite Adversities

is it possible to be happy when persistent, scary, and frustrating problems keep rising to the surface and smacking us in the face?

Adversity can make us feel stressed, upset, disappointed, powerless, angry, and depressed. Even when some or even most other aspects of our lives are going well, we tend to focus on things that are going wrong.

Instead of allowing damaging thoughts to build and grow in strength, find a quiet, peaceful place. Think of your problems and then forcefully push them aside. As Mark Twain wisely said, “Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.”

Research has shown there is a strong link between creativity and better mental health. Instead of stewing about your problems, do something creative and you’ll be forced to look inward and listen to yourself. It will help you shut out the world and its problems for a while.

Purposely direct your mind to focus on things that make you feel happy. You might recall something funny your grandchild did or said, reminisce about one of your favorite memories, or plan a trip for the future. Or write down five reasons you can feel grateful and force yourself to focus on those things. Put inspirational, happy quotes on post it notes and spread them around the house. Again, with a little practice you can train your mind to naturally gravitate toward more pleasant thoughts.

Of course, these tips won’t make your problems magically disappear, but they can help you better able to cope with challenges.

Get Rid of Clutter

Whether we’ve become empty nesters or are following the latest trend of decluttering, many of us baby boomers are downsizing.

Two years ago, we moved. As I was filling up trash bags and putting aside things to donate and sell, I felt incredibly FREE. Why hadn’t I done this sooner?

Conquering clutter can clear the way for a more productive life. Without physical obstructions like piles of unopened mail, old clothes, and Tupperware without lids in the way, you’ll be amazed how much you can accomplish in your life.

Aim for Long-Term Happiness instead of Instant Gratification

Instant self-gratification rules the world today. Think about ATM machines that provide instant cash, fast food supplying instant meals, the Internet with its access to instant information and entertainment – all of which has turned us into impatient beings that can’t tolerate waiting for anything.

According to a CNN article, there are two types of well-being. One relies on self-involved instant pleasure and requires continuous action to constantly feed positive emotions. This type of satisfaction typically leaves as fast as it comes. For example, buying an expensive pair of shoes creates a temporary high but to keep that euphoric feeling we must keep shopping for the next quick fix. If something threatens our ability to seek out this kind of personal happiness – for example, all our credit cards are maxed out – our entire source of well-being is threatened.

The second type of well-being is a kind of happiness that comes, not from consuming products, but from working toward something larger than ourselves that gives true meaning to life.This type of well-being can bring long-term happiness.

That’s not to say that we should never reward ourselves with a bowl of ice cream or a great pair of shoes as a special treat every once in a while. We don’t have to wait to enjoy the present or our lives.

However, we’ll all be happier if we develop some self-control and avoid the habit of wanting everything right this second. Constantly giving into momentary desires can actually make us feel depressed in the long run. Advertisers have become experts at convincing us that instant gratification is the key to happiness. Don’t buy it. Shoot for long-term satisfaction and fulfillment instead.

Embrace Hygge like the Norwegians

Despite frigid arctic temperatures and months of darkness, the happiest people on the planet apparently live in Nordic countries, according to the 2017 World Happiness Report.

Norway jumped up three spots to claim the title of “world’s happiest country” for the first time. Denmark, the previous winner for three years in a row dropped to second. These countries were followed by Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden. In case you’re wondering, the U.S. came in 14th place, dropping down one spot from last year.

Could the reason Norwegians are so darn happy have to do with the Danish term hygge? Hygge is also difficult to define, but is translated loosely into the English word coziness and is associated with relaxation, indulgence, and gratitude. However, Norwegians would probably argue there’s much more to the word.

Hygge requires being present in a moment – whether it be simple, soothing, or special – that brings you comfort, contentment, or pleasure. The word refers to the ability to enjoy the good things in life with people you love. Hygge can describe soft candlelight, comfort foods like a pork roast or home-made cinnamon pastries, sitting by the fire on a cold night with fuzzy socks, or simply being kinder to yourself and others. It’s about transforming an afternoon cup of tea into an event with friends. Some people translate the word as coziness of the soul.

So, go ahead. Eat that pastry guilt-free, invite friends over for a glass of wine by the fire, or luxuriate in a candlelit bath. Savor the moment and let the warm, fuzzy feelings flow.

Retire in a Happy State

My childhood friend was visiting me last year when she asked, “Where do you want to retire?”

I’m from the Palm Springs, California area, which has long been one of the most famous retirement communities. Snowbirds love this place with over 300 days of sunshine a year. Golfing, casinos, hiking, and cycling are popular activities. Places to shop and dine abound. In addition, a fairly strong economy and low unemployment rate make the Palm Springs area a popular destination for baby boomers and retirees.

But do I want to retire here? Not especially. Some people love the heat, but I’m not a fan of the long, hot summers with temperatures that exceed 115 degrees. However, I have time to consider my options. Like many boomers, retirement is nowhere in sight for me at the time being. But of course, a girl can dream, right?

So, what are the best and worst states to retire? The results from a Bankrate.com’s survey last year were interesting. Traditional retirement spots like Florida and California didn’t make the top 10 while other states, not usually considered as premier places to retire, like Wyoming and Colorado, made the top five. Honolulu is the 2nd most expensive place to live and Hawaii residents pay an individual income tax rate of 11% – the 2nd highest in the U.S. But if you can afford it, this state ranks high for happiness and personal well-being. New York and West Virginia rated the worst.

There you go! Applying just a few of these tips can have a drastic impact on your life and help you find your bliss in 2018. Go for it!

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