Moving more during the day can help you be healthier. Make it a daily challenge to climb more stairs or walk further because anything that allows you to move is a fitness tool and more importantly it can be a stress buster. Moving in small increments of time can be just as helpful in maintaining health as going to the gym for 45 minutes. Also, try to avoid fried foods and any foods with high fat content. Most foods are available in lower fat versions such as fat free cheese, and other products. Keeping your body and mind healthy will reflect in other areas of your life as well.

If you are searching for a job, your cover letter and resume all speak to the type of person and worker you are, but what about compiling some actual work for employers to see. Consider developing a job-search portfolio. This is something you can pull out and show the interviewer. Say you did a project and came up with a strategic analysis of a company against others in the same industry show them your thought process and you analytical skills. The important thing is to show something that you have written or contributed to that is detailed and organized about a specific subject. Therefore, instead of just mentioning it on your resume you have concrete evidence of it in your “career portfolio”.

It never pays to be closed minded. Especially when you are developing your job-search plan it is important to explore different career paths. Although you may still land a job without spending the effort to develop a plan, you may be ruling out possible positions based on their specific job titles. Try to see careers in a different light and talk to friends and family to discuss different career paths and pick their brains about their experience in different types of jobs and careers. You need direction if you want to find a job you will enjoy and mapping everything out will help you set specific goals to accomplish and keep you on track with many different options and opportunities.

In a time when trust in others is in great despair because of the economic climate it is important that in your decisions whether they are business related or personal that you stay true to yourself in what is right and wrong. Decisions test our understandings of situations and the environment we are in on a daily basis. Situational awareness is something important and keeps us on our toes. When thinking of making decisions that test your ethical standpoint it is important to think of three things. Number one, does your decision break any laws. If it does, you have your answer- you probably shouldn’t be pursuing that action. If it does not break any laws move on to whether it is in accordance with your organizations policy. Last, does it meet your own standards for what is ethically correct? If you can not live with the consequences of your decision you should look in to reevaluating if that is really the “right” choice for you.

Plastic uses a lot of resources to produce, and although it can be recycled it is very important that while shopping one tries to avoid it. Typically shopping for products in glass containers can be recycled more easily. Reusing plastic containers that you bring in to your home for storing food and other items is helpful to cut recycling costs. Also, if you find that you are surrounded by the plastic tubs, see if you can donate some of them to a local school or art center. This could allow schools and art centers with extra resources that would normally cost a lot of money and can be accomplished by just looking around at extra household items.

When looking for a career or a job you absolutely need to have some type of work experience. It is especially vital to obtain this experience through an internship, working part-time or volunteering in the field you are looking to enter. Even if you can not get the experience in the field or job you want the important thing is to get a skill set that is transferable. Employers also like to see some leadership experience because it adds to the skills and abilities that are important such as delegating, motivating, inspiring, problem-solving, conflict resolution and more.

We are all in control of our own happiness, and making the best of the situations we are placed in. Knowing yourself and your own personal growth is central to fulfilling your purpose in life and meeting all challenges head on. Designing your life to bring you joy and devoting time to activities that you can partake in to make you happy is important. Analyzing and reevaluating life and your own dreams is crucial. What use to bring you happiness may now be mundane and although dreams are hard to abandon, if they are not bringing you the fulfillment you deserve take in to account that dreams can change.

Our economy is in a recession, and it is intensely important to be more mindful with your own personal spending habits. When times are good, it is easier to splurge on common goods but we are all now being reminded that we need to be a little more responsible. If you are looking to save some money the first step is to find out where the money goes. For most of us, it is the monthly bills, food and transportation costs. Start by looking for savings at the grocery store and then cooking more rather than going out to eat. Stop drinking bottled water and look in to getting a filtration system which will help you save. Stock up on items that are on sale such as pasta, juice and other staples. Instead of buying brand name, substitute for private label brands. Thinking of alternatives will help you save; just be creative.

Make business fun. Don’t take yourself or your business too seriously. By establishing a creative environment you will be able to reinvent your business continually. Encouraging out of the box ideas will challenge people just be sure to maintain a strategic alignment and the necessary resources. Pursue opportunities faster than your competitors and be sure to always celebrate success.

Today, of course, is Inauguration Day and will go down as one of the most influential days in the history of our United States of America. People from around the world will watch as Barack Obama is sworn into office as our nation’s 44^th president. Regardless of political affiliations, it is pertinent that change is going to be made in our country and that he will seek peace and security as well as hope, liberty and most importantly opportunity for all.

From his inaugural address we can see that he, as we all are, is aware that our country is in a state of economic despair. He reminds us that we need to be patient as we all work and strive to succeed on a national level but also here at home. President Obama is telling and asking us to be creative and join in his plans for change and be courageous in the months ahead as we have done in the past. As leaders of our own lives, businesses, families, and organizations we can agree that change is not always easy, but is almost always necessary. Therefore, we can be leaders of change and development and start rebuilding one day at a time.

"The time is always right to do what is right." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

On this Martin Luther King Jr. day, take some time to think about why this day is a federal holiday and how it changed history.

Green initiatives are on the top of almost everyone’s list of priorities. More and more companies are using telecommuting and other forms of teleconferencing to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to travel which also increases worker satisfaction. This also allows companies to lower overhead costs for office space, heat, air conditioning and lighting. All of which is helping the earth’s sustainability.

It is never too late to invest in more education. Not only could it help you earn more money, it could also help you in changing careers or just overall enriching your life with more knowledge. Adult students can be found in all areas of study from health care to business, as well as technology and science. The options are endless and will help you feel more challenged, and hopefully give you the ability to move to an even better job, make more money at you current job, or give you some job security in these tough economic times. So whether your goal is to work for a college degree or you enter in to a certificate program, education will always work in your favor.

As you probably already know, it is important to do research into the company. Knowing about key people at the company, their products and services, locations, competitors and some current events or news related to the industry. However it is also important that you dress for the interview. Even if from your research you know that the company has a casual work environment, dressing up will send the message that you are serious about your career and the position you are applying for. Being neat, clean and professional is important in making the first impression a good one.

When someone around you is having a stroke, acting quickly could save his/her life. The symptoms of a stroke are distinct because they happen quickly and could happen at any time. If you believe someone is having a stroke call 911 immediately. Symptoms of a stroke are an onset of sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg especially on one side of the body. More symptoms include confusion, trouble speaking and trouble seeing out of one or both eyes. Sudden severe headaches with no known cause and trouble walking, dizziness and loss of balance are all noticeable signs of someone having a stroke. Being able to recognize a stroke could save you or someone you know.

With the economy in its present state it is important for the unemployed to be realistic with possible employment opportunities. Whether you are new to the job market or experienced don’t have too high of expectations for salaries, benefits, vacation time, or support. Being realistic about the company and your new position is what is going to make you happy. Therefore you should concentrate on factors that you can control and do your best to keep any of your demands reasonable. Then begin to work towards other higher expectations or goals- and the rest will follow suit.

The last blog post was about how it is important to sell yourself on an interview without being too boastful. So what happens when you believe that you’ve got the job in the bag, and stop selling yourself and move on to aspects of the job such as salary, benefits, and vacation time. Be very careful because although these topics are all appropriate and important to discuss, it is crucial to do so when the company is completely sold on you. That means, it’s not over until it’s over and you should wait until you have an offer to discuss these details.

We all know that a resume followed by the interview are two of our first impressions that leave a huge impact on the hiring manager. Therefore it is important that when you are selling yourself you are able to do it effectively. Find a way to comfortably talk about yourself and discuss what makes you special. This really is your opportunity to brag a little, set yourself apart from others. However, it is very important that you do all of the above without being boastful.

For many people, a short power nap helps them make it through a busy and long day. Taking a power nap may be more worthwhile than you can even imagine. The key is to keep the nap short, because if your nap is long you may end up groggier than before the nap. Having the right mind set to take a nap is important, so it is best to take the power nap in the morning or soon after lunch and stay away from foods with too much caffeine, fat and sugar. Try to find a quiet place, and set an alarm. Chances are you will be more productive after the power nap.

Whether it is written on your resume or something you bring up on your resume projects you worked on or positions you held 10-15 years ago should not be the focus. You need to use your past experiences as a foundation but need to focus more on your career and the professional you have become. The skills and traits you currently posses and what make you valuable to your new employer. Don’t dwell on the past; concentrate on your current abilities and experiences.

Being afraid of change is usually a result of the change being so monumental; it seems unrealistic for it to be achieved. Instead, set realistic and simple goals. Therefore, reaching the goals is an ongoing process, not an actual event. Writing down the progress being made will give you motivation and applying self discipline and focus will help. If you attempt to tackle too much at once or if the goal is too grand it will be too overwhelming. Keep it simple, and don’t do it alone. Employ the help of those around you who will lend guidance, and more importantly support.

Being useful at work is important, because although you are expected to actually be useful some people can pass off looking busy very easily. Actively looking for ways to do more and investing more time and effort to do projects well will impress both your boss as well as those around you. Reaching out to new workers and sharing your knowledge with them will show your leadership. Learning and being the most knowledgeable and skilled in your position others will come to you as the specialist for your job or the tasks involved. All of the above will add to the company, and therefore to your importance at the company.

Standing up in front of an audience and giving a speech is very stressful for a lot of people. People are afraid of public speaking. So whether it was because of a negative experience in the past, or fear of being humiliated, people think that the audience will not like them. There are some things you can do prior to your presentation to get your audience prepared for your presentation, and put yourself at ease. Give an outline of your presentation to the audience so they will not be pressured to jot down notes, and add humor where appropriate. Speaking with conviction and really understanding and knowing the material you are presenting on is also important. Give an introduction, strong middle, and a conclusion. Speak loudly and clearly

Often when people are evaluating if they are happy in their current careers they look at aspects of the job that they like, and those that they do not. From there they look at personal and professional strengths and weaknesses, and identify requirements. As they begin to answer these probing questions exploring what’s out there becomes a little more narrowed down. If you are still having difficulty answering if you should change your career try shadowing someone in a different industry for a day or taking industry related courses to see if you really are devoted to changing your career.

In 2009, regardless of the economic uncertainty that faces us, there are always companies looking to hire talented professionals. Being prepared is the only way to take advantage of all the opportunities presented in the New Year. As we age our goals and objectives expand and change. Knowing what really makes you happy is important in taking advantage of career opportunities. Then establishing the steps that are necessary to achieve the goal will help you narrow down and realize that most of our career dreams are within our reach. We may have to take a few chances and risks to get there, but in the end it will be worth it.