Education

Creative thinking isn’t just something for arty types and mad scientists. You can learn to be creative by practising creative thinking techniques.

How many times in your life have you heard about a new idea that sounds fantastic, or seen a new innovation become a success story? And on how many such occasions have you said, “I wish I’d thought of that”? Well, the truth is that you probably could have done. A further truth is that you can develop the creative thinking skills to come up with some great ideas of your own.

You may well be sceptical about your own creative capabilities, and it’s understandable if you are. After all, it’s perfectly possible that you’ve never had what you consider to be a creative idea. But it’s just as likely that you’ve never climbed a mountain either. That doesn’t mean that you can’t climb mountains, only that you’ve never set out to climb one. And that’s the whole point about creativity. Contrary to popular myth, creative ideas aren’t things that spring from nowhere in the minds of genius savants. They’re things that you and I and your favourite half-cousin can produce – just so long as we’re willing to work at it.

Artistic Creativity Versus New Idea Generation

The creative thinking guru, Edward de Bono, describes creativity as the bringing into being of something valuable that did not exist before, and stresses that this is a skill which we can all learn, and at which we can all improve with practice. He makes clear, though, a need to differentiate between the creation of new ideas and the creatiion of art. Whereas the ability to create new ideas can be taught and learned, such methods are unlikely to produce a Mozart, a van Gogh, or a Dylan Thomas.

How to be Creative – Creative Thinking Techniques

In his book, The Extra One Per Cent, the psychologist Rob Yeung identifies creativity as one of the key traits of successful people. Of the techniques and attitudes required to be creative, Yeung stresses the need to actually take the time out to create. The modern world is a world in a hurry, but creativity requires that we step back from the burning issues of the day and take the time to actually think.

Yeung goes on to explain that not all creativity – in fact very little – is about creating brand new ideas. Rather, creativity is often about the fusing together of disparate ideas and concepts, or using existing ideas and constructs in an unconventional way.

De Bono appears to concur with Yeung on this latter point. In his book, Creativity Workout, de Bono advocates the use of random words, derived from a prescribed table of such words, as the starting point towards developing new solutions to existing problems or scenarios. By completing the creativity excercises in the book, readers may, for example, find themselves addressing the matter of how to develop new themes for a health club, using the word ‘Elephant.’ Or ‘Skyscraper.’ Or ‘Hammer.’ Or whatever.

You too can Develop Lateral Thinking Skills

The random words technique is one component of what de Bono christened “lateral thinking” – a body of measures designed to approach problems from an unconventional angle.

I have personally used de Bono’s random words technique to develop successful new business ideas. Yet I don’t think of myself as especially creative. I’m simply someone who was prepared to keep an open mind, devote some time to study and then apply what I’d learnt. That last bit is the most important. Yeung concludes his book by reminding us that learning achieves nothing unless we convert it to action.

Dietary habits can play a significant role in how rapidly the body burns calories and fat. Here are ways to boost the metabolism and increase fat burning. There’s no diet pill that will magically melt away excess pounds, but there are simple ways to increase fat burning and metabolism.

As people age, the basal metabolic rate or the rate at which calories and fat are broken down slows significantly. Unless fewer calories are taken in, gradual accumulation of excess weight in the form of body fat will be the final result. Not only can excess fat be unattractive, it also increases the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

One of the best ways to prevent this outcome is to increase fat burning so those extra calories are burned off instead of stored in the form of fat. What are some of the best ways to do this?

Build More Muscle

Resistance training not only burns calories, but also builds lean body muscle. Lean body mass gives a boost to the metabolism, resulting in more fat and calories being burned. This is one reason men can eat more calories than women without gaining weight. Fortunately, there’s no need to become muscle bound to increase fat burning and metabolism. A consistent weight training workout combined with cardiovascular exercise can give a slow metabolism a much needed kick start.

Eat a Healthy Breakfast

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Studies have shown that people who start the day with a healthy breakfast are less likely to become overweight. Unless the body gets sustenance after an overnight fast, it can go into starvation mode. When this happens, the metabolism slows down to try to conserve energy. To increase fat burning and metabolism, begin the day right with an egg, bowl of oatmeal, or cup of yogurt. It’ll also decrease the risk of snacking on the office box of doughnuts later in the day.

Eat More Protein

Protein consumption has more of a stimulatory effect on metabolism than fats or carbohydrates. Eating a source of protein with every meal is a simple way to increase fat burning naturally. The best protein sources are one that are lower in fat and calories such as egg whites, skinless chicken, turkey, and fish.

Eat Smaller Meals More Frequently

Eating smaller meals every few hours keeps the metabolism primed and increases fat burning. Each small meal should be low in calories and include a source of protein. Frequent meals keep the body from going into starvation mode and help to reduce cravings.

Other Ways to Increase Fat Burning

There’s evidence that the catechins in green tea subtly boost the metabolism. One study showed that drinking three to five cups of green tea a day can burn off an additional fifty calories per day. To get maximum benefit, avoid adding sugar and milk since these are additional sources of calories.

Some studies have also show that hot peppers temporarily boost metabolism, although this increase doesn’t appear to be sustained. The effects of these foods on metabolism aren’t dramatic, but can add up over time.

Want to burn a lot of calories in a few minutes? One of the keys to obtaining this goal is to pay attention. This means that while its okay to listen to music while you workout, you should avoid the distractions from the television or book that you may be reading while you use the exercise bike or treadmill.

If you are not paying attention to how long you work out and how hard to you work, you may be wasting energy and time with little results to show for it.

Jogging, Running, or Walking

When you exercise outside, use a watch timer or set a timer on your cell phone. Walk or slowly jog for up to 10 minutes to warm up your body, joints, and muscles. This will prevent cramps later on. Jog, run, or walk at a faster pace for five minutes. Increase the speed of your cardio workout for one minute. Repeat all steps after warmup for up to 30 minutes every day.

Treadmill Exercise

Start with the lowest incline, but set the speed at a pace that your comfortable with. Walk or jog, depending on how you feel at the time. For 15 seconds, raise the incline by two. Reduce the incline after one minute. For the next three minutes, you should jog or walk at your own pace. Repeat this treadmill exercise for 30 minutes.

Biking

Keep the bike on a manual setting to get the maximum workout on the exercise bike. If there is a timer on the bike, set it for 30 minutes. Cycle at a steady pace for five minutes. Raise and decrease the level of difficult every 30 seconds. Continue biking at a steady pace for another five minutes. Raise the difficulty setting higher than it was before and continue increasing and decreasing every 30 seconds. Go back to a normal level. Repeat the workout.

Jumping Rope

Jump rope for as long as you can, trying to get to 30 minutes. As you skip and jump around, move your feet and arms to move around instead of standing one spot. Every three minutes, jump as high as possible so that you can send the rope under your feet and over your end multiple times in one jump.

This will help to strengthen your leg muscles. For five minutes, as you jump rope, crisscross your arms to give them an extra workout. At the end of 30 minutes, you can use the rope to help you as you do a few stretches to cool down from the workout.

Changing a tire is relatively simple and can be done in eight steps or less.

There are some things that people just have to learn the hard way. How to change a flat tire should not be one of them. Few things are more frustrating than getting a flat tire on the way to work or the airport, and few things are scarier than being a young woman alone at dusk and realizing that she just blew your tire.

Every driver should know how to change a tire, and in theory, it’s not that hard to change your flat and save yourself some time and the fee for roadside assistance. Preparation is a big factor in how well someone makes it through an emergency.

A car will come with a spare tire, but it may or may not come with a jack and wrench, which a person will definitely need, and it will be extremely helpful to have at least one brick or small cement block to prevent the car from rolling. A person needs to make sure when he first buys his car that he has, or puts, these things in the trunk with his spare.

So what does someone do when you realizes he has a flat? The first thing to do is make sure the car is properly stopped. This means the engine is shut off, the gear is in Park, and the emergency brake is engaged. If the driver is driving when the tire goes, he shouldn’t slam on the brakes; instead, he should grip the steering wheel firmly and ease his foot off the accelerator to let the car slow gradually. By all means, pull as far off the roadway as possible, then brake lightly to come to a complete stop. Always he should stop on flat land and never a hill.

He should put his brick(s) behind the tires he is not changing to anchor the car. He should use as many bricks as he has, and tuck it as close to the wheel as he can. This is just some extra protection against rollaway, so it’s no big deal if he doesn’t have them.

He should place his jack under the car near the flat tire. He should make sure the jack is right side up, and to the “inside” of the car (in front of back tires and behind front tires). A spare tire is smaller than a normal tire, but the car has to be jacked up high enough to easily slide your spare tire onto the car.

He should use the wrench to loosen the lugnuts (he will most likely have the “+”-shaped wrench). He should hold his wrench parallel to the ground and cap a lugnut with it, then turn it counterclockwise. Remember, “lefty-loosey, righty-tighty”. If he doesn’t have the strength to make the lugnut loosen at first, he can use one foot to step on the wrench while it is on the lugnut until the hold is released, and then finish loosening it with your hands. There will be about five lugnuts to loosen.

He should slide the flat tire off and put it in the trunk, then hold your spare tire up and align the holes with the screws on the wheels, then slide the spare on.

He should put the lugnuts back on your wheel, turning clockwise. He should put them all back and not try to save time by skipping one or two. After making sure they are secure, he should then lower the jack to let your car back down to the ground.

He should go to the garage as soon as possible because a spare is only meant to be driven less than 25 miles, and less than 40 mph. Many people recommend going straight to the closest garage around.

Okay men, your job doesn’t end at the altar. When you get married you’ve entered a relationship, not just ended a conquest. It is important to keep your wife happy because when momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy, including you. You want to keep your wife happy if you want to keep your relationship. Lots of people are getting divorced these days. You don’t have to be one of them. Here are some tips to help all you husbands out there to build (or re-build) a great relationship with your wife through courting her. Here’s how you court your wife:

Ask, Don’t Assume

Ask your wife out on a date as if you had just met. You probably know each other a little better than using a one-liner on her, but it will make her smile to hear you trying to flirt with her. If you ask your wife on a date like you used to before you were married, it renews good feelings, romantic ones, just by asking. Dating your wife begins with asking, not assuming she’ll want to go if you say you’re going out Friday night. The only thing is, you and she probably have more obligations in your lives now, so advance notice is necessary. Ask her out for Friday night with enough time that she can clear her schedule and get a babysitter if you need one.

Make it Special

Men, in general, are not very good at making occasions special after they are married. Do you remember buying her a dozen roses, setting the mood music, and finding out what her favorite restaurant was while you were dating? Well, it’s time to get back to that. Make occasions special. Surprise her. Bring home flowers for no reason. Ask your kids what she does in her spare time, then get her something, for example, if she likes to read, bring her home a book. Your wife works hard to keep your home running orderly and getting things done, so make her day special by letting her sleep in, serving her breakfast in bed, and doing the dishes on an ordinary day and giving her the day off on her birthday.

Expressions of Love

While you were dating and the first few years of marriage were probably filled to the brim with, “I love you.” Why should it change just because a few extra years have gone by? Keep telling her that you love her. Do it every day. You have to say the words, then meet the words with action. You work long hours and mow the lawn to show her than you love her, and I’m sure she appreciates it, but what are some other ways you can show her that you love her? The butt pinch is good, flirting helps, leaving love notes and surprises are wonderful ways to show her that your love for her is still alive and that it isn’t all sexually oriented. Compliment her shamelessly. Women love compliments and feel much more loved when they hear compliments. If you think your wife looks hot, you better tell her so or you might be in trouble.

The basic principle here is to court your wife as if you weren’t married. You can have a much more fulfilling relationship with your wife if you are willing to put forth the same effort you did when you were trying to win her heart in the first place.

Of all the places that need cleaned in most homes, closets often are ignored. The reason for this is that when people clean their homes, everything gets shoved in the closets.

This happens so much, that sometimes people are afraid to look in some of their closets for fear of what they might find in there! People do not have to be afraid of the upstairs coat closet anymore, there ways to de-clutter any closet (no matter how bad it is).

Plastic totes/containers

Make friends with airtight plastic containers with locking lids. You can buy clear ones so you can see what is in each container, or buy different colored ones and color coordinate what goes into each one.

For example: pink containers= sweaters, blue containers=coats, etc. The great thing about airtight plastic containers is that they keep foreign materials out like mildew, dust, and insects/rodents. Most of them are also water resistant.

Plastic containers are stackable and available in many sizes and colors. You can also opt for a plastic organizer to put in your closet. This can hold miscellaneous items like gloves, scarves and winter hats. You can also put some of those items that always creep into a closet like pens, books, and toys and put them into a plastic container or organizer.

Shoe racks

The best kind of shoe rack to help organize a closet is one that hangs behind the door. This will pick your shoes up off the floor of your closet (and other rooms) and have them easily accessible behind a closet door.

The hanging shoe racks that have deep pockets can also be handy for kids rooms as well; along with their shoes, they can store dolls, toy cars and other various toys. These type of shoe racks can also be handy for organizing crafting supplies that ends up shoved into whatever closet has room for it.

Space savers

There are many types of space savers perfect for a closet. One type is a hanger. Space saving hangers are great because you can hangmany items on one and then drop one side. The clothes stay wrinkle free and take up less room. Another type is bags that you can place clothing, blankets, bulky sweaters, and bedding in and then you vacuum out the air.

These bags are great because once they have been flattened, you can stack them on top of each on a shelf, under the bed, or on the floor of your closet. The added bonus to these bags, is that you can take your clothing out and have them be as wrinkle free as they were before they went in the bag.

Tie rack

This is for anyone who has ties, scarves, and/or belts. Tie racks will keep ties and scarves from getting wrinkled and possibly even stepped on at times. There are closet friendly tie racks that you can hang up.

There are many ways to de-clutter your closets. From plastic containers to shoe racks, organizing the clutter can become an easy task. The only thing you have to do is brave that upstairs coat closet.

Is your favorite vice really that bad for you? Find out how the heart benefits from sex, chocolate, wine and even the sun.

Imagine enjoying wine, chocolate, and sex with your beloved on a private, sunny beach. Worried about the heart health vice squad issuing a citation?

Long considered bad news the heart, your favorite vice could actually have health benefits if indulged in moderation. Rather than limit or eliminate wine, alcohol, chocolate, and even sex from your daily life, consider the potential health benefits.

Sex and Heart Health

By having sex three or more times a week, men reduced their risk of heart attack or stroke by half and that heart patients are no likely to suffer a heart attack during sex than those without heart disease. Additional health perks of sexual activity include less depression and pain due to the hormones secreted during sex. Doctors advise people with heart disease to consult their personal physician about their individual cases, however.

Dark Chocolate Sweet for the Heart

Chocolate lovers rejoice! Dark chocolate has been shown to help chronic fatigue syndrome, high blood pressure, cough, and a host of other problems. In addition, the antioxidants in dark chocolate act as an anti-depressant.

Many of the health benefits from chocolate seem to stem from antioxidant flavanols (a type of favonoid), which are also found in other plant foods including tea, grapefruit, grapes and wine. The cocoa bean happens to be extraordinarily rich in them.

Because chocolate tends to include cocoa butter and sugar that can, if consumed in excess, burden the heart, doctors suggest enjoying dark chocolate in moderation.

Sun at the Beach Good for the Heart

The sun can shine healing rays onto the heart. The vitamin D in sunshine can positively affect high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes, cancer, and more. The benefits of sun exposure is lessened by sunburn, however. Skin cancer can be caused by too much sun, a person’s genes, skin type, and amount of sun exposure. Studies indicate that a large dose of sun in a short time frame is more harmful than small amounts over time.

Red Wine, Alcohol and Good Cholesterol

Toast to better heart health with a glass of red wine or any alcohol in moderation, according to The Mayo Clinic. The antioxidants in red wine can prevent arteries from becoming clogged. In addition, these same antioxidants can be found in red and purple grapes. Studies also indicate that alcohol itself, when consumed in moderate amounts, can benefit the heart by raising “good” cholesterol and by reducing the formation of blood clots.

The Mayo Clinic advises men limit alcohol consumption to two five-ounce glasses daily, while women should limit intake to one five-ounce glass. People who take aspirin daily should reduce alcohol intake, and people with weak hearts or pregnant women should not drink any alcohol.

When deciding whether to enjoy dark chocolate, wine, alcohol, or sex, Dr. Teitelbaum suggests listening to your body and being aware of what makes you feel better or worse. If something is bad for you, it will typically make you feel bad. But moderate indulgence in your favorite vice may be more than okay, it could be optimal for your heart and general health.

When people feel offended, hurt, angry or resentful as a result of something that has happened, it is helpful for them to understand the value of forgiveness. Holding a grudge can be very confining because it creates stress by consuming people’s thoughts. While it’s easy to harbor negative feelings toward someone who has committed an offense, it is important to learn what it means to forgive and how doing so can be very liberating.

What is Forgiveness?

Forgiveness is the process of releasing resentment, anger and negativity in order to create internal peace. It is a way of pardoning, excusing, absolving or exonerating others for perceived offenses that have captured an individual’s thoughts and feelings. Resentment creates internal anxiety and distress that manifests itself in physically, mentally and emotionally unhealthy ways. Letting go of that resentment allows the body and mind to regain a sense of balance and tranquility.

How to Forgive

Understanding the concept of forgiveness is so much easier than actually learning how to forgive. Even for those who desperately want to let go of resentment, stopping the anger and negative feelings from creeping back into the mind can be a challenging task. The best way to forgive is to replace the bitter feelings with positive thoughts.

Techniques for Forgiveness

There are a variety of techniques through which people can release resentment and welcome serenity into the mind and body. Sometimes people become offended when they believe that another person has purposely caused them harm. Looking at the situation from the other person’s perspective and choosing to believe that the intentions were good can be a helpful start to forgiving.

Reciting words of encouragement, affirmations and forgiveness quotes can also be useful for replacing negative thoughts and feelings with kinder images. Visualizing the resentful thoughts floating away from the mind and inviting forgiveness through the law of attraction are other effective techniques. And, using a combination of all of these approaches can be extremely powerful.

The Benefits of Forgiveness

There are many benefits associated with forgiveness, but the greatest advantage comes in the form of personal freedom. The act of forgiving releases mental and emotional burdens and creates an opening through which to welcome peace and tranquility. Just like taking a deep breath and discharging anxiety from the body results in increased relaxation, letting go of resentment frees the mind and body of uneasiness and concern.

Forgiveness is also beneficial because it allows for the healing of relationships, transformation of the mind to positivity, and a wealth of personal growth. Additionally, once the art of forgiveness has been learned it can be easily applied to future situations.

Learning the Value of Forgiveness and How to Forgive Others

The value of forgiveness and methods of forgiving are easy concepts to understand, but it can be very difficult to truly release the anger and negativity associated with perceived wrongdoing. Using the suggested techniques of positive thinking, recital of affirmations and quotes, visualization and the law of attraction can help people successfully transition from the confining feeling of resentment to the freedom of peace of mind. Concentration and focus will allow healing thoughts to evolve.

A toast, like any public speaking event is your opportunity to say some nice words about someone special in front of family, friends, acquaintances or business associates; you do not want to put your foot in your mouth! A toast like any speech has a beginning, middle and end and should run about two minutes in length. Any shorter might seem insincere and any longer will bore the audience into a hazy-eyed stupor.

First, consider the occasion for the toast and who the audience will be. Is this a wedding, bachelor party, or business meeting? Make your comments appropriate to what your audience would expect; personal or funny stories may be appropriate for weddings where achievement would be suitable for a business gathering. Your comments should be personal, special and succinct. You want to focus on what makes this person or persons special to the group without going into specific detailed explanations.

What is the mood for the event? If it is a formal dinner, you may need to keep humor out but use humor when the event is a bachelor party or roast. Be sincere and complementary to the honoree or honorees since the event revolves around him, her or them.

Preparation is crucial! Make sure you write down exactly what you want to say and then practice, practice, practice! You should be able to get to the point of making your toast without referring to your notes. When you practice, stand in front of a mirror and see what you are saying and how you are saying it. When it comes time to make the actual speech, standing will feel comfortable to you since you have practiced this way and allow you to project to the furthest member of the audience.

On the day of the toast make a mental note as to whether the guests have their wine or champagne glasses filled. You may need to encourage the wait staff to fill glasses before you begin. Make sure everyone is seated and no one has left the table. Take a few deep breaths and gather your composure before you start.

To get everyone’s attention stand up and look at the audience directly. If the wait staff has filled glasses, then the guests will know you are ready to begin. Do not clink your glass with a utensil to gain attention. Once the room has quieted, you may begin your toast. Make sure you are holding a glass of wine, champagne or something that resembles either of these. Speak slowly and deliberately; and look at the honoree. Have several accomplices in the audience you can look at through the toast to give the impression you are speaking to everyone in the group.

Once you have concluded your speech, raise your glass and ask the crowd to raise theirs to the honoree. Sip your beverage and do not down the entire glass in one gulp.

Finally never give a toast if you are drunk. There is nothing more foolish than listening to an inebriated person trying to say something profound.

Some of us could stand to take a hint or two from some of the successful fashion stylists in the world today. A professional knows that to be successful you must be able to put together looks that will dazzle, from the items you already have in your closet. And girls, I don’t have to tell you what a gift it is to be able to take an ordinary item from our closet, and add a few accessories that will turn it into something extraordinary.

This ability certainly comes in handy when you don’t want to go out and spend a few hundred dollars on a complete new wardrobe. As we all know, a few key pieces can update your wardrobe and allow you many choices and options in rearranging and coordinating pieces, to create a complete new look out of something old, adding flair, style and originality to your good ole standbys.

For some of us, our jeans, t shirts and tennis shoes are the foundation which we base our wardrobes on. But as women, sometimes we want to put on something that’s going to make us feel a little more feminine, add a little charm and sophistication to our daily look. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with wearing our trusty jeans, we do yearn to break out of the doldrums and add drama to our style.

Try these trusted tips to add some pizzazz to old habits. Try adding that favorite pair of designer jeans you’ve been yearning for to your wardrobe. Sometimes, just switching from our trusted Lee’s to J lo, can make us feel more feminine. And of course, to spice up those jeans, add a pair of pretty espadrilles in a bright, feminine color, to make you feel sexy and fun.

Also, add a bright halter in the same shade as the espadrilles, along with an ankle bracelet, for a fun and flirty look. Pair that bright, summery sundress with your favorite espadrilles and blazer for a sophisticated but feminine look. Wear that favorite short skirt or shorts with a blazer and espadrilles for another fun look.

Dressing for work shouldn’t take a scientist either, rely on those same old staples to get you through the work week, just jazz it up a little with some of the following pieces and accessories. Combine bright colors that you normally wouldn’t consider a good match, but which are excellent for summer.

Like bright pink and orange, blue and green, colors that stand out and make you the center of attention. And if you just love those summery, colorful sandals, by all means, wear them to work paired with that favorite pencil skirt and ruffled blouse. Add a strand of white beads for that upbeat, funky office look. Cardigans are also an excellent feminine but useful staple item.

A bright cardigan goes well with anything, add a clutch bag in the same color scheme as your cardigan for an original look. Pair those black pants, which we wear to the office all the time, with a tiny top and espadrilles for a feminine and flattering look.

Our look can go from office to evening wear by the addition of an accessory or a change of shoes. If you wear flat shoes with those black pants to the office, change into heels and a glittery tank top for evening wear. Change your clutch from the lighter shades during the day to a bright red, or green for evening wear. Add an armful of glittery bangles at the end of the day, to take you from day to evening.

Add long, chunky necklaces to anything you might wear to the office or a jeweled belt and matching long, jeweled earrings for the perfect evening look. A short, silk halter looks great with pants, jeans and skirts, and is the perfect addition to take you from the office to the club in 5 minutes. Add a bright silk scarf to that little black dress to add flair and style.

An addition of an accessory or a change of shoes can brighten and change the look of any one of the trusted items in our closet. Its not necessary to spend hundreds on accessories or additions for our wardrobes. Learn to shop your closet and mix what you already have, with interesting pieces to create a new look.