May 23rd, 2008
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Meditation, an exercise recommended for everyone, but especially
those of us with hectic, stressful lifestyles, is defined as an
engagement in contemplation, especially of a spiritual or
devotional nature. Meditation has been shown to relieve stress,
and promote overall good health, by simply reflecting upon our
day, and finding happiness within ourselves. This and other mind
exercises help us to keep our mind fit, and functioning at top
performance levels. But up until the last twenty years,
meditation was something the western world new little about. Is
it necessary for our health? Or have we just come up with a new
fad, to fill up the empty hours of our day?
Our mind has varying levels of operation, known as brainwaves.
As we pass through the different stages of our day, we enter
various stages of brain wave activity. The brain uses this tool
as one way to allow us time to rest our busy mind, and cope with
all the pieces of information we’ve received, a way to kind of
“mind file” for the day.
Modern alternative medicine and holistic healers believe in the
power of the energy that flows through our bodies; this energy
radiates from our mind as well. It is believed to be the chief
from of transportation for our body’s nervous system to carry
out communication. Breathing techniques, music, aromas, and
candle therapy are all ways we utilize the opportunities to
reflect on our day, allow our mind to rest and replenish itself
for further use. But are these methods keeping us mentally fit?
Yes, it does help to keep us mentally fit. The great benefit in
meditation, however, the mind’s ability to transform itself into
a vehicle for higher awareness.
Meditation is a way for us to become aware of the fact that
there is more to our being than just our physical activity. We
have so much more potential locked away in our mind, resources
that we never tap into until we have the chance to quiet the
mind, quiet our surroundings and open the door to the
possibilities we don’t examine on a day to day basis.
In our meditative state, thoughts that never have the
opportunity to be heard during the bustle of the day are
afforded the opportunity to come forward and be heard. Every
step that we take is a step in some direction for our life. The
opportunity to set our own destiny, develop our manifestation of
what we believe our life should be, is the opportunity
meditation provides. Every action we’ve ever taken started as a
thought. The thought was then brought into reality by our action
on that thought. So are we able to produce new thoughts and new
possibilities, in this time of quiet reflection.
It is in these small moments of creativity and higher conscious
operation that our mind heals itself from the stresses of the
everyday activities, and maintains a real level of healthy
operation. Our mind is like our body, we don’t have to look
unhealthy to be unhealthy, and sooner or later, the illnesses
show.
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May 23rd, 2008
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When it comes to ballet flat shoes, there are really two choices – leather and canvas. You could also choose imitation leather shoes, but these won’t usually work well, and they wear out quickly. So really, your two choices are leather or canvas ballet flat shoes.
Before shopping for ballet flat shoes, ask your instructors which type of shoe they prefer you to have. Most instructors do have a preference, and that preference comes from years of experience not only in ballet dancing, but in teaching ballet classes as well. They know what works and what does not work for the classes that they teach. Listen closely to their opinions and preferences when it comes to ballet flat shoes.
Leather soles are usually preferred, even though they are a bit more expensive than canvas. Depending on the type of floor that you are dancing on, leather soles will usually last longer than canvas; however, if you are heavier, leather will cause you to stick to the floor more, which may cause injuries. For this reason, men usually prefer canvas because there is less possibility of sticking to the floor. Canvas wears out faster than leather, though, and you can expect to replace your ballet flat shoes much more often.
Another decision that must be made for ballet flat shoes is the type of closure on them. Beginning ballet dancers are usually required to have an elastic band that runs across the top of the shoe. The band is sewn to each side of the shoe, making it more secure on the foot while dancing. This is a common request made by ballet instructors for children, and often for adults as well. Ribbon closures are usually reserved for advanced students and recitals.
Color is another factor. Your instructor may prefer a specific color of ballet flat shoes. For recitals, shoes may need to be dyed, which is easily done, especially for canvas shoes. Again, your instructor will tell you what color is required for your ballet flat shoes, as well as what type of sole and what type of closures are preferred.
Ballet Shoes provides detailed information on Ballet Shoes, Ballet Pointe Shoes, Ballet Flat Shoes, Discount Ballet Shoes and more. Ballet Shoes is affiliated with Ballet Classes.
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May 23rd, 2008
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Birds are the most visible form of wildlife, they are found in
every part of the world that is not permanently covered by ice,
and you can see them in any weather, any time of day or night,
anywhere you go. Whether you live in the country or the city,
there are birds nearby, 835 species of birds spend at least part
of the year in North America. You can go out looking for birds
or attract them to your home. Birding is one of the
fastest-growing outdoor activities all around the world. The
Verb ‘To Bird’ would serve as an excellent jumping off point for
a feature, which highlights the growing popularity of birding.
More than 70 million Americans are feeding and watching backyard
birds.
Success in bird watching is, to a large extent, based on
location, either by venturing to locations or habitats where
birds are plentiful, or by devising ways to attract birds to
your own back yard. Birds seen at a distance may be enjoyable to
watch, but the true excitement of the hobby is greatly enhanced
when you can see the birds up very close. Some of the most
useful tools that enhance your bird-watching experience are
those that makes birds easier to see in striking detail.
There are numerous ways to participate in the hobby of birding.
Aside from simply viewing birds in nature, avid enthusiasts
engage in numerous other activities. Some of those may include:
feeding birds, providing nesting sites or birdhouses, growing
specialized plants and gardens to attract birds, traveling to
nature sanctuaries and other bird-watching locales, keeping
lists and notes on birds seen in the wild, making diagrams and
sketches and spending hours trying to snap the perfect
photograph of a favorite bird species. In order to enhance your
beautiful experience of bird watching in winter one can learn
bird’s song. Birds’ strongest senses are sight and hearing, and
they have evolved ways to communicate and to recognize their own
species by using signals based on those two senses. Because we
are also creatures of sight and sound, we can tap right into all
the fascinating distinctions of color and shape that birds
embody, and just as naturally we can appreciate the sounds that
are so important in their lives. As you begin to recognize bird
songs, your own backyard will become a much more interesting
place.
For me, it was like gaining supernatural vision, being able to
see through the leaves and around buildings. I was amazed at how
many birds were all around me and how much I had been missing
out on. To broaden your bird-watching experience beyond your own
backyard, consider incorporating some bird-rich locales into
your next vacation. Serious bird enthusiasts actually plan trips
around visiting bird sanctuaries, nature parks and other natural
locations where they can view birds in large numbers, in
diversity of species and in their native habitats. Traveling to
a region of the country other than the one in which you live
will allow you to see species you may have never seen before.
Try to observe the birds so they don’t know you are there. Move
slowly, make as little noise as possible, and keep your
distance. Going too close to a nest or repeatedly scaring a bird
off its nest can cause the parents to abandon their nest leaving
the eggs vulnerable to predators. Do not touch the eggs or young
birds. Avoid trampling fragile natural areas to get a closer
look. Stay on paths and trails. Don’t litter. Now once you have
started on the bird watching its important to build bird house,
start the proper bird-feeding all year around, provide them with
water either through bird bath or providing water specially in
extreme weathers. In this way the birds would be attracted and
would keep coming back to the backyard.
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May 22nd, 2008
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1. Create a free ebook directory on a specific topic at your web site. People will visit your web site to read the free ebooks and may see your product ad.
2. Turn part of your web site into a members only web site. Instead of charging for access, use it as a free bonus for one of your products.
3. Add a free classified ad section to your web site. You could then trade banner ads with other web sites that have free classified ad sections.
4. Create two versions of your e-zine so people can choose if they want ads included with it or not. This’ll attract the people who hate ads to subscribe.
5. Publish your e-zine only on your web site. Have people subscribe to a “new issue” e-mail reminder. This could really increase your traffic and sales.
6. Sell advertising space in your product package. You could sell inserts, flyers, brochures, booklets, and digital ads for electronic products.
7. Offer daily or weekly visitor bonuses. This will increase your repeat traffic and sales because your visitors will visit regularly to get the visitor bonuses.
8. Allow people to download software or e-books from your web site at no cost. Just ask your visitors in return if they’ll refer their friends to your web site.
9. Build up the number of people that join your free affiliate program quickly by temporally offering your product for free to the people that sign up.
10. Negotiate with e-zine publishers to get free or discounted ads by letting them join your affiliate program and earn commissions on the ad you run.
11.Publish a web blog like http://www.20six.de/secura
Hans-Peter Oswald
http://www.com-domains.com
Hans Peter Oswald
CEO
ICANN accredited Registrar Secura
http://www.com-domains.com
secura@domainregistry.de
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May 22nd, 2008
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The Easter Bunny carrying his gift basket of colored eggs,
chocolate and jelly beans is a familiar symbol of the Easter
holiday for many. But there is a movement down under to replace
the Easter bunny with the native Australian bilby.
The rabbit was not originally native to Australia. It was
introduced in 1788, but did not spread rapidly until two dozen
rabbits were released in 1859 for sport hunting. The combination
of no natural predators in Australia and their infamous ability
to breed quickly resulted in the original 24 turning into a
population of millions within 10 years. The rabbits ate much of
the vegetation, causing food shortages for the indigenous
species. The vegetation removal also caused significant problems
with soil erosion. Despite many attempts to curtail the rabbit
population, the problem continues today. Currently, the rabbit
causes an estimated $AU600 million in damages per year. This
widespread damage to the Australian environment has resulted in
the rabbit being viewed unfavorably by the majority of the
population. In most parts of Australia, it is even illegal to
own a rabbit as a pet.
Because of the rabbit’s history in Australia, some Aussies
decided they wanted a new symbol for their Easter celebrations.
They chose the bilby, a native Australian animal and a member of
the bandicoot family. Thus, the concept of the “Easter Bilby”
was born. The bilby is similar in size to a rabbit, with long
ears, long, snoot-like nose, soft grey fur, and a distinctive
black and white tail. The idea for the Easter Bilby has been
around since the 1970s. However, the idea has picked up momentum
in recent years, as the bilby has become an endangered species
(currently, only an estimated 600 bilbys exist in the wild).
Just like the Easter Bunny, the bilby carries his basket full of
chocolate eggs and delivers goodies to children everywhere in
Australia each year. There are Easter Bilby songs, children’s
stories, cards, stuffed animals, chocolate-shaped bilby treats,
organizations, and websites, all dedicated to this new
tradition. So if you happen to find yourself down under during
the Easter holiday, don’t mention the bunny!
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May 22nd, 2008
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Bad credit is a widespread problem in the UK. The number of people filing for bankruptcy is increasing. A bad credit history includes arrears, default, county court judgments, bankruptcy, etc. A bad credit history haunts the borrower for a very long time. It becomes very difficult to obtain a bad credit loan. Even if you manage to get one, the lender will charge a very high rate of interest. You acquire a poor credit score if you default in repayment of a loan or miss out on your regular payments.
Bad credit loans are taken out by borrowers who have a poor credit score and are in an urgent need for money. Lenders are usually reluctant to offer bad credit loans because they consider you as a high risk borrower if you have a bad credit history. There are many lenders who offer bad credit loans, but at a high rate of interest. Therefore, you must compare the loan quotes offered by various lenders to get a bad credit loan at a reasonable rate of interest.
Before taking out a bad credit loan, it is always better to opt for a credit repair. Close down all your unused credit cards. This will prevent you from getting into the debt trouble in the first place. Take out a debt consolidation loan to consolidate all your high rate unsecured loans. Once you repay your debt consolidation loan, your credit score will improve. You can also talk to your creditor and explain him your inability to repay the loan. Your lender might come up with some kind of solution, which will help you improve your credit score.
If you believe that under no circumstance you will be able to repay your loan, then you can file for bankruptcy. Once you are declared insolvent, you will be discharged from all your debt obligations to give you a fresh start. However, this is not as easy as it looks. Your assets may be sold off to pay off your debt. Bankruptcy remains on your credit score for a number of years and you will find it very difficult to obtain a fresh loan during all these years.
Prevention is always better than cure. Try not to fall in the debt trap. Use your credit cards very cautiously and take out loans only when there is an urgent need for money. Take out only that much loan which you can repay comfortably.
The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting Uk-loan-market as a finance specialist.
For more information please visit http://www.uk-loan-market.co.uk/
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May 22nd, 2008
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Most websites use similar fonts and as a result have a generic look. So, if you want to differentiate your look and also add a personal touch to your website, consider using handwriting fonts. These fonts really make people feel more comfortable with your site because it is personal rather than computerized, or at least that is the feeling that is portrayed. There are many additional uses and tips for handwritten fonts as well that will give you an idea of ways to use these fonts on your website and why.
- Teach Children how to Write
First of all, using handwriting fonts is a great way to teach children how to form letters correctly and also how to write in sentences. By using handwriting fonts children can learn these writing techniques online, print them out to practice, and more. Learning how to write correctly has never been easier thanks to online handwriting tips.
- Cursive or Manuscript
Not only will children learn how to write correctly, but cursive and manuscript fonts are both available. Because of this, teaching children is especially easy as there are so many reproducible resources available for teachers and parents alike. Whether your child has problems with writing as a whole, specific letters, cursive, or manuscript, you can print out as many of the specific letters or sentences in the handwriting fonts that you need and watch your child’s skill level increase dramatically.
- Personal Touch
Even if you are not teaching children how to write, handwriting fonts are perfect for websites when giving a testimonial, signing a newsletter, and many other instances where using these fonts would be appropriate. Because of this, your site will have a personal touch that will reach out to visitors and make them feel a kinship that would otherwise not exist. Do not underestimate the power of using handwritten fonts on your website.
While handwriting fonts are great tools in certain situations, they can be taken overboard and abused. For example, you do not want to write all of the text on your website in a handwriting font. This will be taking things too far and make it difficult for your readers to differentiate information. Stay away from doing this and only use the handwritten fonts sparingly and where appropriate. You will benefit significantly more from using these fonts in this manner than over using them. If you are not sure where or how to use handwriting fonts, but want to include them on your website, just consider where you would typically have something handwritten and apply this technique. For instance, these fonts are best used as a signature or other type of writing. Start out small and test to see what works well for your website and visitors.
Michael Turner shows you exactly how to increase web site traffic in his free 7 part mini-series. Grab it today at http://www.powertraffictactics.com/
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May 21st, 2008
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Breakdown in the Becky Lane!
I’d just sat down at my office away from home, the local Panera, when another regular customer, Harold, sidled up to my table. We’d chatted a number of times before, and he was intrigued by my title of Financial Sanity Coach and knew I had been working on my book, “Good Debt, Bad Debt” (Penguin-Portfolio,Jan. 2005) at this very table for the past year. Today he sought my advice on a weighty matter.
“Jon, I am thinking of buying a car for my daughter,” Harold confessed. I didn’t need to hear any more to know what was coming next. And when I did hear the whole story, I didn’t know whether to feel sorrier for the daughter or the father. Apparently, Becky had been working for three years and had succeeded in saving an amount roughly equal to one eighth of the tip I’d left at the counter. Now Dad was about to reward her excellent saving behavior by buying her a car.
Unbeknownst to Harold, he was about to initiate a life-long process that Stanley and Danko, authors of The Millionaire Next Door, call “economic outpatient care.” There’s only one cure, as I advocate in my own book, Good Debt, Bad Debt : crimp the cash flow, now. If this sounds like “tough love,” it is, and for good reason: kids who can’t save a good chunk of their income are destined to become financially challenged when they finally do leave the nest.
Sadly, even with a big jump in salary, most young people continue to spend like they did when their parents were footing everything, from essentials to lifestyle extras. Their “metabolic spending set points” work against them when its time for them to pay ALL their expenses.
To explain the problem, I gave Harold the following example: “If you’re living at home and make $200 a week and spend it all, there are no immediate consequences. Suppose you spend all $200 on going to the mall, eating out, concerts and clothes? No problem. Mom and dad cover the serious stuff. But once you start living independently, even if your salary starts at $1,000 a week, there’s a problem with spending $200 a week on fluff. For starters, taxes are higher; total housing expenses will be about 36 percent of salary and has, for 23 years kept pace with income. Suppose housing expense (rent/mortgage/utilities/taxes) chew up 36 percent, taxes take 28 percent, and your lifestyle choices cost 20 percent of salary. This leaves less than 14 percent of income for everything else: food, transportation, retirement, etc. That aint much….”
Harold nodded as I went through my example. I could see by his body language that this was a painful topic for him. “Hey, it’s natural to want to do nice things for your kids,” I said to assuage his guilt a bit. “The problem is finding a way we can give that doesn’t cripple the ambition and thinking of the recipient.”
I also explained the plan I’ve been using in my own home. Here’s how it works. My wife and I allow our kids to spend only 50 percent (40 net) of the money they get from small jobs and gifts; the other 50 percent must be saved. When my 13 year old son had a job helping a neighbor insert ads for a commercial paper route, he was earning $20 a week. He would bank $10, tithe $2, and use the remaining $8 for games, books, or special treats. Several times when he wanted a $40 Nintendo game, he understood it could take five weeks to save the money. Often, he would strive to come up with special jobs around the house to earn the money faster. This plan seems to work pretty well — it provides enough cash to generate some immediate benefits, while enabling my son to experience the pleasure of watching his savings grow. So far he hasn’t complained one iota.
Harold’s eyes widened as I described how the 50-percent plan works in my household. I could see that the gears were turning. This was the time to make my real point. “Harold,” I said, “You’re obviously a successful guy and you got to be that way by exercising good judgement and fiscal diligence. Don’t you want to pass on those qualities and skills to your daughter?” Harold raised his his Rolex clad wrist in front of his chin and thought for a moment.”Maybe Becky would be better off it we didn’t pay for everything,” he admitted. “I’m gonna give this some thought.”
Apparently, it wasn’t a whole lot of thought. About two weeks later I looked up from my perch at the bakery and saw Becky and her dad driving by in a new Camry Solara convertible. Oh well, the road to fiscal hell is sometimes paved with good intentions. Maybe Harold will remember the first mile of his descent when he’s still paying for Becky’s car repairs twenty years down the pike.
Copyright © 2004 Jon Hanson www.gooddebt.com
Note: This content is availble for free use on your website or e-zine, or print based so long as it is, used in its entirety and is not altered and my name, copyright notice and URL appear in the article. Or Jon Hanson for interview jon@gooddebt.com Thanks. Jon
ABOUT JON HANSON
A 24-year veteran and student of the real estate business and now a full-time author and speaker on topics of personal finance, Jon Hanson talks from the heart literally; he barely survived his own “near-debt experience” a few years ago and used the lessons he learned to mine a deeper joy out of the dysfunctional monetary habits and attitudes that nearly cost him his life. Stressed, demoralized, nearly $100,000 in debt to the IRS, and suffering severe chest pains, Hanson imagined his own obituary while hooked to a heart monitor at his local emergency room.
Fortunately, there’s been no need for the obit. Jon has lived on to write Good Debt, Bad Debt which he hopes will spare others from the trauma he experienced while suffering from extreme “Debtabetes.
Prior to devoting himself to writing and speaking on the dangers of Debtabetes and other scourges of the land, Jon’s full-time business was real estate. Jon has worked almost exclusively with distressed property situations since 1981. In the second half of his real estate career, most of Jon’s effort was concentrated on more than 120 foreclosure work-outs, judicial foreclosure of liens, judgments, and disposition of bankruptcy claims. jon [at] gooddebt.com
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May 21st, 2008
Deceptive Public Speakers and presenters – or just the blind leading the blind?
A disappointing deception is being perpetrated in the so-called public speaking and presenting arena. For years it’s been a (now fading, thank God) ‘norm’ for companies to have a ‘motivational’ speaker at annual marketing, sales and other conferences. Being a veteran public speaker and founding member of the National Speakers’ Association of SA (NSASA), I need to declare an interest. The purpose of this article is to 1) Alert relevant parties to the ‘canned’ nature of what they may be getting for their speaker money and 2) Hopefully save some young wanna-be speakers from going down a highly inappropriate and ‘ersatz’ road.
My opinion of the role of an authentic public speaker is that one takes a brief to get enough information to really understand the audience and the intended outcome of the assignment or conference. You then custom-craft something or ‘tweak’ an existing suitable presentation for the event and then deliver that material in an engaging, and hopefully also ‘professionally entertaining’ way.
What triggered this article can only be described as a Damascene experience. Biblical-proportion scales fell from my eyes when I realised that the majority of the self-proclaimed ‘top’ speakers around the world have moved out of public speaking into public parroting and parody. And some South African speakers are now at risk of falling into the same trap. It’s the equivalent if you will of Madonna, Josh Groban or Placido Domingo lip-synching. Why the analogy? Well, because it appears that many of these speakers learn ‘off-pat’ every single word of what they say on stage. Worse, they rehearse, memorise and do the same with every vocal inflection, movement and gesture – including the ’spontaneously’ arched eyebrow and the pregnant but utterly contrived pause.
I studied speech and drama under the eagle eye of the redoubtable Rita Maas-Phillips in Cape Town. We trainee thespians became very familiar with the genius of Constantin Stanislavsky. He was the renowned director of the Moscow Arts Theatre and the father of ‘method’ acting which was subsequently adopted – to singular effect – by discerning movie actors. Seasoned live theatre actors had long benefitted. In method acting, you ‘become’ the character. So when Daniel Day-Lewis played the lead role in ‘My Left Foot’, he would sustain his on-camera character even off-set. If you were to play Quasimodo, you would continue to walk, eat, speak and interact as you believe the legendary hunchback of Notre Dame might have. What the audience got was as we say in South Africa, ‘die ware Jakob’ the real thing, the ‘Makoya!’
It seems that inappropriate competitiveness and a desperate need for acclaim by peers and public has shifted public speaking at the top end of the (former) ‘art’, into an exercise in mimicry. Parrot-fashion learning and highly manipulative NLP-driven stage movements hold sway. I cottoned on to this when I saw one of these characters demonstrating so-called ’stagecraft’ to some fledgling speakers. Each time, he replicated the same few lines, inflections and movements with terrifying and mathematical precision. It was like watching a rewind and slo-mo replay of a sequence on TV. He proudly proclaimed that this was how he managed ‘to get a predictable and consistent result from an audience, time after time.’
This is regretfully, high-school speaking competition or Eisteddfod-type ‘memorization’. At its worst, neurolinguistic manipulation. It’s not even decent amateur acting. Because although an actor will commit to heart, her or his lines, the nuances and variations in each performance will give it memorable impact and make it art. But the parrots of the speaking circuit don’t allow themselves even that leeway. They produce a clone of their performance at function after function and at venue after venue.
All good communicating on a topic will always of course have to incorporate the ’skeleton’ on certain aspects. So yes, there may often be a degree of repetition. But it will be differently phrased and delivered each and every time because of the unique audience energy, dynamic and interaction – or, lack of it!
So why am I so disturbed by this galloping trend in the public speaking arena? Simply because it’s an absolute waste and abuse of what can, with the right mindset and understanding, be a speaking gift. When you have a good sense of the issues you’d like to explore in a presentation, you’ve got a sequence or line of thought and you’ve got your support material (if required) together, then comes the time for the real art.
The first, more commercial approach will be to source, structure the material, have a very clear sense of where you’re going and know how long the presentation or talk will take. But you intentionally keep ‘open’ your receptivity to subtle audience interaction (not necessarily spoken, but a ‘vibe’) and feedback in the form of engagement, response and so on, driving an element of your presentation. This can happen even with a typical non-interactive ‘keynote’ address.
The second – and highest form of communicating – is doing all the required prep but then trusting to the universe, God, your higher consciousness, intuition, the Ancestors, your Muse or whatever you wish to call it, to use you as an instrument to bring something special and of value to your listeners. Yes, even though it may be a business presentation, it can have an ‘edge’ that is unique and different.
When you’re appropriately ego-free and understand that you’re only ever the instrument or co-player through which such a message will be delivered – but never the sole author – then amazing, sustainable transformation can and does take place. People are affected and infected by the integrity and congruence of your message. You’ll potentially have lower demand appeal, because the undiscerning masses are mainly looking for a quick fix. And there are innumerable frauds out there just waiting to serve up their version of a ‘just add water and stir’ formula. Don’t listen to cynics who say that such integrity-based speaking, presenting or communicating isn’t possible or even desirable. Rather, talk with people for whom it is a norm rather than the exception – and explore your real speaking and presenting potential.
The role of intuition shouldn’t be underestimated. For those who respect the gift, there will be the sub-conscious ‘reading’ of energies and needs emanating from an individual or the audience. You may recall afterwards, that you used examples or analogies that you hadn’t for years. Or that you went very high disclosure on personal-experience based and therefore ‘healing’ information – because you were functioning authentically. You had prepared, you might well have rehearsed to ensure you honour the precise time allocated. But you spoke from the core of your being, knowing that it was not you alone speaking, but you in synch and tandem with the ‘Wise Ones.’ There’s nothing ‘mystical’ about this. It’s about choosing to operate at another and much more powerful level. You’ll know and feel the difference and so will discerning audiences.
By Clive Simpkins June 2005
clive@imbizo.com
May be used freely with appropriate attribution
Also published in tomorrowtoday.biz newsletter
www.marketingweb.co.za
www.imbizo.com
About the Author
Clive is a marketing and communications strategist and published book author. His speciality is facilitating sustainable change in individuals and organizations. Website: www.imbizo.com
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May 21st, 2008
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Pregnant? Congratulations! How do you feel? Scared? Excited? Shocked? pleased? or maybe something totally different. For me it I was amazed, scared and couldn’t think straight for a week! I was finally pregnant after all the times of trying it had happened, now for the easy bit – or so I thought.
It may come as a bit of a shock to you that people tend to bend the truth when you are pregnant. They only tell you the good things and not all the bad, like the worrying aches and pains and strange happenings. So here I am letting you in on some of my experiences from my pregnancy….
It took my husband and I months and months to get pregnant and my stress levels were through the roof. It was only after I had finally snapped after finding out that my sister in law was pregnant after only 2 attempts. That my frustrations came out and I ended up throwing a frying pan at my husband had a huge screaming row and cried for England at work. After I had that out of my system I broke down in my doctor’s office telling her it was impossible to get pregnant. She asked me if I had been under stress to which I replied I had been but felt much better after my big row!
She suggested that I should start to use an ovulation kit to determine when my most fertile days were. To be honest with you the thought of that made me feel like a total failure. I thought that getting pregnant was something that was so easy it would only take a few months. I was relatively young, nearly thirty and in good health, so why wasn’t it happening.
Well, there was a pretty simple reason: I was not ovulating when I thought I was! I had in fact got a long cycle that meant my dates were out by a week. We had a practice run sorting out the dates and then the next month I was pregnant!
So, the test is positive what now? Well, from my experience you could well expect bad stomach cramps; they are not unlike the pains you would associate with your period except that it never comes. After I found out my test was positive I went through six weeks of the most painful stomach cramps I have so far experienced. Be assured this was not every night but very frequently. People I spoke to told me they never had it but don’t worry it was perfectly normal. But that didn’t stop me from thinking I was on the brink of having a miscarriage every time I had these pains.
Eventually I found in a book I had recently bought, two sentences about the possibility of stomach cramps in the early stages of pregnancy, caused by the uterus stretching and if it became to painful try some paracetamol – IF it became to painful? That was an under statement to say the least. By this time I had discovered that drinking peppermint tea slowly in small sips also provided me with some relief. With that worrying hurdle out of the way what could happen next?
Breasts! Oh yes! Remember that feeling you get around the time of your period of how tender they felt? Well multiply that by 100 times and you may have some idea of how painful and sore they feel in the early stages of pregnancy!
I was five weeks pregnant when I just could not stand the pain of my usual bras any longer and in my lunch hour at work I ran down to Mothercare grabbing an assistant and saying. ” I’m five weeks pregnant, do you have any bras that I can wear with out wanting to rip them off in screaming agony!” to which the rather bemused sales assistant took my into a little room, measured me and bought in delightful selection of bras that looked like they could be used for hurling boulders out of.
After trying on about half a dozen fancy lacy ones I settled on a plain and boring cotton one but it was comfy – oh so comfy! And if anymore proof were needed I have worn the same 2 throughout my whole pregnancy and I have never worn anything so comfortable!
Paranoia seems to rear its head on a regular basis throughout the pregnancy. I felt everybody was talking about me behind my back, what a bad thing it was but they were too scared to say it to my face. Why did I feel like this? No idea! It was of course totally untrue and everybody was really happy – don’t you just love hormones.
Lets talk morning sickness, or as I discovered all day nausea for about two months. It suddenly just started at about eight weeks when I was walking around Marks and Spencer’s food hall when I smelt the rotisserie chicken and all of a sudden leaving quickly seemed a very good idea! Ginger biscuits and small sips of water got me through that little hurdle.
At three months I experienced the worst pain in my back down my legs I have ever felt. It was sciatica but the pain was so bad I couldn’t sit down for a few days!
Oh yes that pregnancy glow you are supposed to get along with the boundless energy – well I’m still waiting for mine and my baby is five years old now!
When I reached the six month stage I once again experienced the most awful pain in my stomach and ended taking my self up to the hospital convinced I was in premature labour. I wasn’t of course it was finally diagnosed as my ligaments stretching but no body ever tells you to expect so many aches and pains.
Yet another delight you could expect, nappy rash – ouch! No wonder babies scream so much! At seven months this awful rash appeared all around the top of my thighs. No matter how much cream I used it rubbed when I walked and boy it was so painful I nearly cried!
Lets not forget the joy of heartburn, when you are desperate for sleep you lie back and what happens? That awful feeling of burning gets worse and worse, so you struggle out of bed drink a glass of milk to calm it. Then find that once you are up again you need yet another trip to the loo before heading back to bed, where you know as soon as you lie down it starts all over again!!
Don’t get me wrong being pregnant was an amazing time: the kicks you feel, the hands and feet stretching your tummy so you can grab them, seeing the ultrasound and yes like a lot of people my baby really did wave at me when she was being scanned! Listening to the heart beat and knowing that very soon this little miracle would soon be with you.
Throughout my pregnancy, and even now I am a mum the one thing that I have relied on more than anything else has been my mother’s intuition or gut feeling. I have followed these feelings on a number of occasions and so far I have been guided correctly: deep down you can usually tell how you are feeling. If that nagging voice in the pit of your stomach doesn’t go away, then follow it Do this and you shouldn’t go far wrong.
Alix Mosley
Copyright 2004
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