May 19, 2012

Best Summer Destinations to Unwind

Summer vacation is the time for relaxation; it’s a time to unwind and take a break from life’s cares and worries. Check out some of the top vacation spots for relaxation.

Hawaii

Stunning beaches, warm breezes, and the laid-back island atmosphere create a backdrop of perfect serenity for the overstressed and work-weary to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Relax with a massage on the beach or take a stroll through one of the many national parks that offer views of volcanoes, tropical plants, and exotic wildlife.

The Bahamas

Sunny days, sparkling blue waters, and vibrant sea life make the Bahamas a haven of relaxation. Great ways to unwind include snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, and moonlight sailing.

Florida Keys

Gliding through warm water with nothing but the calming visuals of passing sea life are what make the Keys a great place to relax and enjoy an unknown world. And miles of beaches are great for those who want to stay dry.

If you are truly looking for a vacation to relax and unwind that’s almost hassle-free, consider a cruise. There are loads of cruise deals out there, so you’re sure to find one that works for your budget.

Cruising is a great way to travel while on vacation. It’s simply the best way to see some of the most beautiful vacation destinations in the world, right from the balcony of the ship or the window of your room. And cruising to your locale aboard one of the many Princess cruises that are setting sail in ports all around the world allows vacationers to relax and enjoy traveling aboard a luxury cruise liner while taking in the beautiful and breathtaking scenery that only nature can offer.

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Filed Under: Milestones, Personal Development Tagged With: , ,

Building Self-esteem in Teens

Two adolescent couples at the 2009 Western Ida... 

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The teenage years are a crucial time for building self-awareness and self-esteem. These two things int urn build a teenager who is happy and confident in who they are and where they are headed in life. Here are some helpful hints of allowing your teenager to develop a healthy sense of self-esteem and identity.

Let Them Be Themselves

Ok, so this may not be right if, for your teen, being themselves involves destructive behaviour. For the most part, a teenager is looking for ways to find out who they are through expressing their individuality.

They may want to express themselves through the clothes they wear, the music they listen to, or the kinds of books they read. Whatever the case, as long as it is not self-destructive, there is every reason you should allow your teen to be themselves.

If they do happen to be doing something which you don’t agree with personally, such as following a different religion, then have a chat to them and see if it is a serious interest or just a passing phase.

Stay Positive

No matter what happens with your teenager, staying positive is a crucial part to developing a healthy sense of self-esteem. Many teenagers who lack self-esteem come from homes where negativity runs rampant. This external negativity is then internalized by the teen and reflected back, causing them to think negatively about themself. Do the best you can to stay positive and supportive for your teen.

Nobody said raising teens was easy, in fact it’s one of the most challenging jobs a parent faces. However letting your teen be themself and staying positive as a parent could make the bumpy road smoother.

 

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Filed Under: Personal Development, Teenage Consumers Tagged With: , ,

Emotional Intelligence

Book Cover 

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You have probably heard of IQ, which stands for Intelligent Quotient. Basically this measure how smart someone is when compared to a standardized norm. But have you ever heard of EQ? The Emotional Quotient, or more commonly called, emotional intelligence, is how smart we are with our emotions in every day situations.

The Development of Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence has been the subject of much research from as early as the 1930s, when it was referred to as social intelligence. However it became very popular among self-help guru’s with the publication of Daniel Goleman’s book ‘Emotional Intelligence’. Since then it has become very popular among those wanting to better their lives. It has also become a popular tool in industrial and organizational psychology to help businesses and their employees.

The Four Areas of Emotional Intelligence

  1. Perceiving emotions: In order to understand our emotions, we first need to perceive them. This involves acknowledging they are there. For you can’t consciously deal with something you do not acknowledge. Perceiving and acknowledging then opens the doorway to understanding and managing.
  2. Reasoning with emotions: Once you have perceived your emotions you can then begin to think about them and why you are experiencing them.
  3. Understanding emotions: To become more emotionally intelligent a person needs to understand the emotion, this means understanding it as a whole, and not just why you are personally experiencing it.
  4. Managing emotions: This is of course when, after a person has perceived, reasoned, and understood their emotions, they begin to manage their emotions and how they experience them.

Emotional intelligence is a wonderful tool for understand our feeling selves.

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Filed Under: Financial Means, Personal Development Tagged With: , ,

What a Teen Wants

Two adolescent couples at the 2009 Western Ida...

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When reading the title of this article you may be tempted to think about all the material things that come to mind. Yes, many teens want “things.” These material items can include everything from a new car to the latest and greatest fashions. Teens can become overwhelmed with their wants; however, many parents fail to understand that there are many emotional things that teens want. And they may want these things much more than any material item.

Many teens want their parents to admit their infallibility. Teens want their parents to admit that they are not perfect. This admission by parents will help the teen feel more human. Many teens already feel confused and somewhat “messed up.”

Most parents want to “be liked” and this is almost impossible especially when dealing with teens. Teens probably won’t be doing cartwheels or jumping for joy when they are being disciplined or given boundaries, but deep down they do appreciate it. In some small way, they do know that you, as a parent, have their best interests in your heart and mind.

Teenagers actually want an authority figure in their lives. While they will probably not actually show it, they appreciate someone who can say “no” when it’s necessary. The teen years are a time for young people to test boundaries and see how far they can push the limits.

You and your teen can still have enjoyable times while working all these things out. You can simply go online shopping at Offers.com for some fun, or even just hang out on the porch and enjoy a sunset. Just being together is the most important thing.

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Filed Under: Personal Development, Teen Lifestyle Tagged With: , ,

Talking to Children About Divorce

My sister and her baby. 

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You’ve made the decision to get divorced. Now what? How do you tell your children? Talking to your children about divorce is challenging, but here are a couple of tips to help you out.

Keep it Together

Once you have made the tough decision tom part ways, you will need to tell your children. No matter how many children you have it is a good idea to tell them as a couple and to tell all the children at the same time. This way, your child will see that you are both involved in this decision, and that it is not just the decision of one of you, or that the other has already left. It will also give your children the opportunity to ask questions if needed and to emotionally support each other.

Use Clear Language

don’t dance around the subject when explaining divorce to your children. Use very clear language which is age proper that they will be able to understand, and which will not confuse them. Be honest about the situation. You don’t need to go into details, such as telling your children that their mom or dad is going to stay at a friend or family  members house for a while will only raise further questions that you will need to avoid. Saying something like ‘mom/dad is going to live at so-and-so’s place from now on because we have decided that being together isn’t working’ will be more digestible, even if it is still emotionally shocking for them.

Being honest and straight-forward with your children about divorce is the best way to approach the subject.

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Filed Under: Personal Development, Teenage Consumers Tagged With: , ,

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