How Positive Self Talk Helps Boost the Subconscious & Your Belief System
Cookie Monster
May 5, 2017

Without realizing it, people are their own biggest critics. It is usually blamed on the outside world for inflicting negative energy on others and causing self-esteem issues from verbal abuse, but what a lot of us fail to realize, is that we are sometimes the only ones constantly talking down to ourselves. Many times, when people are faced with decision making, a negative voice pops up in our heads telling us all the reasons why whatever decision we make is a going to be a bad one and that we will fail at whatever we try to accomplish.

On a side note, it is true that the outside world is originally to blame for this bad habit. This may be because, as children, we were exposed to negative comments from great influencers such as our parents, peers, relatives, and teachers. With our young minds willfully learning facts and information from these people, we hang on to the things that stand out the most to us. And that just may be a piece of negative advice as to why we’re not good enough. This gets buried in our subconscious mind over time, and those negative voices adapt to the format of our own voice. But, you don’t have to live like this. With a few simple steps, you can change your negative thought process.

Identify the source of the Voice

In order to fix a problem; you must first admit that you have one. Take notice the next time you hear a negative voice when it comes time to make a decision. Identify where this doubt came from, whether it be from your mother constantly telling you, “you’re too young to do that on your own” as a child, or, your childhood best friend always treating you like a useless sidekick. Mark it the moment it pops up.

Replace the Negative with Positive

As soon as you recognize the birth of this self-doubt, ask yourself “is this true?”. Chances are, it’s not true, and you are not a worthless imbecile. Tell yourself the truth, that you are a human being who is capable of mistakes, and who is also capable of recovering from those mistakes. Overpower those doubts with positive truths about yourself.

Negative self-talk is not something we choose to pick up in the early days of our lives, but it is something that we choose to carry with us every day. The mind is a very powerful place and it sometimes hardwires itself, without your permission, to pick up certain habits that you wouldn’t wilfully keep. So the only way to rid this subconscious disease is to willfully tackle it every time it flares. In addition to that, you should also consider performing subconscious mind exercises like meditation. Everyone knows that in order to maintain a healthy relationship, you need to have constant communication with your partner. So why not treat your mind the same way? Choose to become friends with your subconscious self and in no time, you will become a haven of true, positive thoughts.

Dental Onlay and Inlay vs Crown
Cookie Monster
February 28, 2017

Sometimes, fillings fall out. This can be from normal wear and tear, worsening decay of the tooth, or disease or infection. In this instance, either a dental onlay or inlay or a crown is used. This article will go over both dental options, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each.

What Is It?

Dental Inlay and Onlay

Dental inlays and onlays are very similar techniques used to fill a hole in the tooth from cavity, injury, or decay. A dental inlay is crafted using the specifications of the hole in the tooth, as well as the tooth itself. A custom inlay is created to fill the hole and cover the tooth. An onlay is similar to this, however, it uses the cusps of the infected tooth to secure the onlay in place.

Crown

A crown is a fitting that covers the entire tooth. It is often used only when at least 50% of the tooth is infect. Dental inlays and onlays may not work in this situation.

Inlay/Onlay vs. a Crown

An inlay/onlay uses less material, so it is less expensive to fill than a crown. It also saves a lot more of the healthy tooth, preserving it to prevent further damage. The downside is that inlays and onlays will not work for all situations, especially if there is a moderate to severe amount of tooth decay. They also take two visits to be fitted instead of one, since they must be created for a customized fit.

The Benefits

Benefits of Inlays

  • Natural appearance
  • More durable than metal fillings
  • Will not wear and tear with exposure to hot and cold food
  • Resists force when you bite down
  • Care for them like you would your natural teeth
  • Customized for a better fit

Benefits of Onlays

  • Easy to clean
  • Helps preserve the natural tooth underneath
  • Will not shrink
  • Unlike to become discolored
  • Strong and stable

So, Which is Better?

Looking at the facts about each, it seems inlays and onlays are the better choice. They are customized for a better fit and withstand wear and tear. Additionally, they are easy to care for and help preserve the tooth. However, they will not work in all situations. Speak to your dentist about whether a crown or an inlay or onlay, or simply go with low cost of cfast braces whichever is best for your situation.

A Little More About Inlays and Outlays

You can expect to pay around $250-$1,500 for an inlay or $350-$1,500 for an onlay. The total cost will factor in several things, including the type of material used, how much material is worked on, and the dental office you choose to work with.

Usually inlays and onlays are fitted in two visits. During the first, a mold will be taken and during the second, it will be fitted to your tooth.

While it would seem inlays and onlays are the better choice, they will not work for extreme tooth decay or situations where 50% of the tooth is infected. Your dentist can offer more information and a recommendation based on your specific dental situation.

http://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/dental-materials
https://www1.aetna.com/employer-plans/document-library/states/ca-dental/CA_OPT1A.pdf
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/taking-care-your-teeth-and-mouth

BENEFITS OF DUCTLESS COOLING AND HEATING SYSTEMS
Cookie Monster
December 8, 2016

At one time or another, you may have seen a ductless cooling and heating device and wondered what it was. Ductless systems are a great option for homes that do not have any ductwork installed. They are ideal in kitchens where there’s a lot of cooking going on because as you might know, ventilation is very important to avoid those stinky fumes. These devices are an affordable alternative to central ventilating, heating and air conditioning system that needs a network of ducts to move air. Below are the benefits of ductless systems.

They are flexible. Ductless cooling and heating systems usually directly distribute air into different zones and they only have small indoor unit and outdoor unit that usually does not need something more than setting capabilities and access to electricity. These devices can be installed in many different areas like apartments, condos, businesses to name a few. And if you have solar panels, all the energy consumption from these necessary home systems will be free!

http://lexieweblog.tumblr.com/post/153468969154/tips-to-extend-the-life-span-of-your-air

Cost-effective. This is one of the main reason why many homeowners are switching to ductless systems as it saves on cost. When in your home’s temperature becomes dependent on insufficient air conditioning systems, the monthly bill can mount up. Ductless systems operate on less power as they are smaller than the traditional forced-air systems and in addition, these systems deliver temperatures controlled air directly into a room, thus there is no loss in efficiency. With these ductless systems, homeowners are able to create zones in their homes where they don’t heat or cool a room that is not occupied. More to the fact that you get to save money on home utilities, homeowners are entitled to utility rebates as they are many states and federal programs that allow homeowners and business to take advantages of these additional savings `for the year they install it.

Easy to install. Installing the traditional ducted systems can take several weeks and can disrupt the daily activities in a home. Ductless systems, on the other hand, are less invasive to install because the blowers are mounted on walls or ceilings and only need small hole placed on the exterior wall to connect to the outdoor unit. Thus, homeowners do not have to worry about rebuilding walls or ceiling after the installation. The installation can be performed in a day.

The good thing with ductless cooling and heating air conditioning systems is that they are quiet and do not make noise. Traditional ducted systems can make a lot of noise, but the ductless systems are quiet and make a noise similar to that of a quiet hum. It amounts to the background noise that is easily drowned out by music, conversation or television. If you want to learn more about where to find an HVAC business close to you click here

Electromagnetic Radiation
Cookie Monster
November 28, 2016
electromagnetic-radiation-and-lamp lights

Electromagnetic radiation is a little-understood property of the physical universe. Despite the fact that we still know relatively little about this force, we have harnessed it in many different ways to help create the modern world in which we live.

The most familiar form of electromagnetic radiation that we all experience on a daily basis is what we call visible light. It is a strong argument in favour of the idea that there may be some truth in The Bible that the first created thing in the universe is light. Light is electromagnetic radiation of a certain bandwidth of frequencies - the spectrum of the rainbow shows us these different frequencies, from red to violet. You may also have heard of infra-red and ultra-violet, which are the first invisible frequencies you encounter on either side of the visible spectrum.

If you have a special camera, you can see infra-red, which we commonly refer to as heat. Anybody that is warmer than its surrounding environment will give off infra-red radiation. This would show up on an infra-red camera. It is strange to think that all of us are giving off a kind of light - we glow. If you have seen the film “Predator” you will be familiar with how people appear to an Infra-red sensitive camera.

Ultra-violet light, on the other hand, is only given off by certain electro-chemical reactions. The sun is a major source of ultra-violet light, in fact, it is the major source of electromagnetic radiation for the entire solar system. Most people cannot perceive any ultra-violet light at all, but certain small birds and insects do perceive ultra-violet light. Many butterflies, in fact, have patterns that are distinctly more extravagant when the ultra-violet component is taken into account. The same applies to many flowers.

Even with this wide variety of effects of electromagnetic radiation, from heat to ultra-violet, we have barely scratched the surface of what is contained within the electromagnetic spectrum. There are wavelengths that are much shorter, known as gamma rays, and those that are much, much longer, and these are referred to as radio waves. Of course, we have put both of these things to some use - microwaves are used in cooking and we all listen to the radio from time to time.

As I said, we have put the electromagnetic radiation in the Universe to a wide variety of uses - even painting your walls could be said to be a manipulation of the electromagnetic properties of your surroundings. Electromagnetic radiation is fundamental to the working of the entire universe, in some ways it is the entire universe. In Einstein’s famous equation E equals MC squared, on which much of our current model of the universe is built, E stands for the speed of light.
As I mentioned, light is given a great deal of weight by most religions as well, and this is perhaps one thing that the modern physical sciences agree on - light is extremely important! I particularly like Himalayan Salt Lamps for lighting my house, and in fact I just got my fourth one from Himalayan Salt Lamp Boutique. (You can keep up with Himalayan Salt Lamp Boutique updates on Facebook here.)

Quite funny considering light is weightless and may not be comprised of anything material at all. It’s nice to know that there are still many things we do not know. There may well still be a glittering and prosperous future ahead of all of us when the next outrageously useful property of light is discovered and harnessed.

Who knows?

I think everyone can agree that if we could remove the need to bill everyone for gas and electricity we would be moving in the right direction and that would be as great a leap as the invention of the light bulb.

Three Questions About Your Diet
Cookie Monster
October 26, 2016

Diets are a funny thing. More and more people are coming to realise that you are always on some kind of diet, the question is whether or not your diet is supporting the way you want to live. There are still plenty of people out there who think of the word diet, and think of “going on a diet”, that is to say, somehow drastically changing the way they eat for a certain period of time for the purposes of losing weight.

This definition of diet is pretty unhelpful really, since it encourages people to see-saw from one weight to another, to spend a month or two miserable and wracked with cravings, and then a week blowing out and putting all the weight right back on again.

So, a new way of looking at it, is that a diet is just what you eat as a general rule. If you are smart, then you will tailor the way you eat to suit yourself at any given period. The question is, what is the best diet for you right now?

Here are a few questions that might help you find the best diet for you right now.

1. Are you happy?

This is perhaps the most important question you can ask yourself. Now, the answer is rarely a straightforward yes or no. There are often things that we are happy about, and things that we are not so happy about.

There can be emotional events or turmoil in our lives that makes us unhappy, thoughts of things left undone, or even worse, unstarted.

There can be physical issues like skin problems or feeling like you are over or under-weight.

Ask yourself how your mood has been of late. Have you had arguments with those close to you? Have you felt good one minute and terrible the next. Have you had a black cloud over you or are you a sparkling ray of sunshine?

It may come as a surprise, but all of these things can be affected by our diets. Of course, our diets cannot change unpleasant things on the outside, they can help us feel good in ourselves, and that means we are better able to deal with life’s turmoils when they turn up.

2. Do you still feel young?

Numerous studies have shown that people who still feel young at heart live longer. Stands to reason really. Again, it may come as some surprise to find that your diet can help with even this. In fact, one of the hallmarks of getting your diet and lifestyle right is that you feel as young and enthusiastic about things as you ever did.

3. Do you enjoy your food?

This question is central to any consideration of diet and what diet might be right for you. No diet or lifestyle is going to work if you don’t enjoy your food. One of the whole points of eating, as any Chef will tell you, is to have the joyful experience of eating something truly delicious when you are rightly hungry.

The experience is often ten million times better when you have made the food yourself, and even better when you have cobbled something new together using only the things you have in at the time.

Getting your diet right is all about finding out how to truly enjoy your food - not with a guilty feeling because you “shouldn’t”, and not with an unsatisfied feeling like “you want to but you can’t”.

Keep in mind that a good diet that is right for you will result in you answering each of these questions in a very satisfying way.

Obviously, we can’t be happy all the time about everything, that would be daft. Also, there will be times and days where we all feel our age, and certainly there are times when we have to make do with some crappy food that we don’t much like and isn’t really the kind of thing we would normally eat, but you’re in a service station so what’re you gonna do?

However, the wonderful truth is that it is possible to find a diet that is right for you, one that is easy for you to follow, most of the time. One that is flexible enough that you can have the odd blip or blowout, but it doesn’t really matter. But you have to start looking, and trying a few things out. No one apart from you can find this out - we are all too different.

It doesn’t matter if you can’t buy a blender and a juicer and overhaul your whole lifestyle right now, you can take small steps. We can all afford a new herb or spice pot once a week, or a different veg choice or two.

Get stuck in! You’ve got a whole lifetime to work it out, but the sooner you do, the better and longer that life will be, guaranteed!

How To Increase The Productivity Levels Of Your Team Members
Cookie Monster
September 11, 2016

Whether you are the owner and operator of a company or work for another who has assigned a team to you, it is important that you learn how to cultivate the productivity juices of the team. The more motivated the team is to reach their goals, the easier it will be for you and everyone else involved. However, it is not always an easy task to accomplish.

The first thing that you need to realize is that each person is an individual. What works well to light a fire under one person could have the exact opposite effect on another. You need to understand each person and what they perceive to be most important.

Everyone has their style, and if you do not recognize that with your team, you will constantly be butting heads with them. You may have one person who is great at certain tasks, but if you force them into another division where their abilities are stifled, you will weaken your team. Of course, it is good for people to grow beyond their current skill set. However, you need to pick and choose those opportunities carefully for the good of your team and the individual.

You will discover that there are tons of tools available today that are designed to help strengthen teams. You can take advantage of some of these fantastic offerings to help your team. What works well for you will depend on multiple factors, not the least of which is your budget.

Some of these tools include workbooks and workshops that are designed to be worked on together. You can also find retreat-style workshops where the entire team spends a weekend together engaged in team building exercises.

teams and team leaders

Your team will need to know exactly what you expect from them and when. It is much easier for people to stay motivated and remain productive if they have goals. Clearly defined goals will reduce the time people spend slacking off.

You must develop your skills as a leader if you want them to follow you. Too often, owners and managers expect others to follow their commands and fulfill their desires without regard for the person. If you are someone that they want to see succeed because you are a terrific person, your team will naturally fall in line to help you. However, if you are a jerk, you can expect the bare minimum from most people.

Some people find that a good way of keep the team motivated is to point out something positive about the contributions everyone is making during a regularly scheduled meeting. Whether you do it once each week or once a month, gathering the group and laying out well-deserved praise will go a long way in developing your reputation. Always be honest or you will come across as a liar.

You can have a great team that is highly productive if you work on your leadership skills and their team skills. Find out more from our friends at One Third More: One Third More - Team Development Consultants

What is the Ketogenic Diet?
Cookie Monster
September 9, 2016
Fish and Butter - keto meal idea

A friend of mine has had great success in the last few months following what is called a ‘ketogenic diet’. I remember how dubious she was before she started - it seems like a crazy diet when you start reading about it. And she was also concerned about whether it would work for women. She found a couple of good programs though and decided to jump in and try it out.

Over 6 months she has lost 20lbs and has cleared up some acne that she’s pretty much had trouble with all her life. She was one of those unfortunates who carried on having teenage acne well into her 30’s! Not just little pimples either, those big cystic acne things which look truly painful and last forever. Anyway, I digress.

The ketogenic diet is based around eating macros that are something like this: 80% fat, 15% protein and 5% carbs. I know! That’s a crazy amount of fat!! Also you aren’t supposed to drop your calories, primarily because you want to be eating as closed to 200g of fat a day. At first I couldn’t picture how much that was, and then I remembered that a typical block of butter is 250g.

So yes, you’re eating almost a whole block of butter or its equivalent a day.

The whole point of this is to get your body to start burning fats for fuel instead of carbs - or glucose.

When you eat carbs or sugars, your body has to release insulin to make sure that your blood sugar levels are not too high. And what I was amazed to find out was that the highest amount of sugar you can have in your blood without it being life threatening, is 1 teaspoon! Yikes. That really is a tiny amount.

So if you’re eating carbs throughout the day, your body is continually having to pump out insulin in order to keep your blood sugar levels at a normal amount.

And here’s the rub. Insulin stimulates your body’s fat storing mechanism. That’s right. So whenever you’ve got insulin pumping around your body, you are in fat storing mode. On the other hand, when your body learns to use fat for energy instead of glucose, suddenly there are 40,000 kcal available to it at any one time. (This is the average amount of potential energy stored as fat on someone’s body on average).

This leads to a steady stream of energy; no slumps in the afternoon or needing to take a nap halfway through the day. And it also means that when you are not eating your body is happily burning away your fat stores. And this is certainly what happened to my friend. After the first month or so (the adaptation phase) the weight just started to melt off her!

Needless to say, I am just about to jump into the ketogenic lifestyle myself. As a woman who has been eating a life of carbs up til now, this should be pretty interesting. I will keep you updated! Oh and if you want to go and check out my friend’s blog and read about her journey you can find her at ketogenicdietforwomen.com or hook up with her on facebook.

Nine most effective online marketing tips for a successful business
Cookie Monster
September 2, 2016

The internet offers unlimited access to a wide range of resources to market your business. Indeed, effective internet marketing strategies will enable you to run a fruitful online business. Experts, as well as beginners, use some internet marketing tricks that guarantee internet sustainability, and the success of their businesses. Here are nine most effective online marketing tips for a successful business

1. Know your audience

One of the internet marketing strategies is to know all people who are interested in the type of business that you are operating. Know the type of people who are frequent visitors to your website, then capitalize on that. Research, identify and target all audiences that can and will purchase your services and products.

2. Brand yourself

Branding yourself will make you stand apart from your competitors. Defining who you are is important. Besides, you need to define what you will offer that your competitors can’t offer. Ensure that your internet presence is unforgettable with the help of this internet marketing strategy.

3. Start blogging

Use a blogging platform to engage your audience. People who will hear you might identify you as a professional. Admittedly, having a professional voice in your business niche will bring trust and loyalty to your audience. Furthermore, talking to your customers will show that you truly care about them, and you are fully committed to helping them in the provision of solutions to the problems that they have. Blog articles will also influence your business audience to stick around your site. Therefore, this will boost your sales. SEO companies like Vancouver SEO agency use blogging as a key component of their strategy for website outreach.

4. Content is king

Unique and relevant content are important to the success of any business. Without a doubt, interesting content that is useful to your audience will automatically convert nearly all readers into customers. If you can`t produce the content that is relevant to your audience, then you can hire a professional to do that for you.

5. Use tracking and analytics

Make sure that you track your leads so that you close sales. You can come up with a good lead management by just defining the goals of your campaign. Consider hiring a resource to document your sales process, and manage your campaign actively.

6. Set and stick to your goals

Know your goals and ensure that they are clear. The best internet marketing strategies include having specific objectives. In short, make sure that your goals are SMART; Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound.

7. Use action terms

In your internet marketing campaign, always ensure that you utilize action terms that will compel all readers to take action. The call to action online marketing tricks includes using an active voice instead of a passive voice to convince your audience.

8. Use social media platforms

Know that your audiences are using various social media platforms. The resources are numerous and vast. Social media internet marketing strategies will help you to gain attention or traffic. You just need to outline clear objectives regarding your social media advertising efforts. Honestly, social media networks will help you to connect, and establish strong relationships with many people across the world.

9. Build a mailing list

Email list building internet marketing tricks include capturing all emails from individuals who are interested in the business information that you offer. Undeniably, having a mailing list which responds to your offers will assure your business success. Know that the way you gather your subscribers is crucial. Do not focus on numbers. Instead, focus on members who are more likely to respond to your business information.

In conclusion, the above are nine most practical online marketing tips for a successful business.

Korean Clothing Brands and Outfits Are Changing Busineses
Cookie Monster
July 27, 2016

As commerce becomes more and more globalized, many businesses are expanding to reach other customers that were previously out of reach. Many people think about this and imagine foreign companies targeting consumers in the United States. However, many US companies have profited greatly by going after market share in other countries.

For example, in South Korea, the fashion is an extremely important part of the entertainment industry. The Korean fashion and entertainment industry has revolutionized their economy ever since the 1980s. Due to this, Koreans take great pride in their fashion as a part of their culture.

In general, Korea is considered to be the most forward-thinking in terms of fashion and clothing trends in Asia. This is due largely to the booming film and music industry. As Korean dramas, films and music groups continue to gain global acclaim, companies from other parts of the world are looking into to tap into the Korean market. To illustrate, there are many places to buy clothing online. But, what if you want to buy Korean clothing brands? Of course, you can always get Chinese knockoffs. But, an authentic Korean outfit has great value in the eyes of K-pop and Kdrama fans. Korean fashion is becoming more and more popular as the Korean entertainment industry relies heavily on its stars’ expanding popularity. The Korean movie stars and kpop music groups become fashion icons. There is an extremely popular demand for the real Korean outfit and practically every Korean dress that you see a K-pop starlet wear becomes the latest fad.

Thanks for the centralized nature of Seoul, the Korean hot spot for its celebrities, the outfits the the stars wear on-stage is not the only Korean fashion item that fans are looking to replicate for themselves. Many people are also interested in casual Korean outfits as well as the trendier fashionista items. This is because in Seoul you often see celebrities walking the streets. It is not uncommon to see a member of a kpop boy or girl group walking to a coffee shop. Granted, they try to keep to themselves. But they are all living in the same city so they are seen very often.

Another reason that the Korean fashion industry is booming is that he laws for Korean entertainment media is very different from the United States in that it protects its celebrities from slander. False accusations in the media are not tolerated. If a news column claims that a certain celebrity is dating someone or anything like that, and it turns out to be false, the managing company can and often does sue the news column. Also, misleading paparazzi pictures can lead to lawsuits. So, you can see how the general culture reflects a measure of respect for the industry that has brought Korea so much prosperity.

There are now many US-based Korean fashion blogs and news information for Korean Fashion online If you were looking for Korean Fashion online, you can check out some of these blogs to see what is popular right now. By the time you read this article, the fashion could already be out of date! Things happen very quickly in the fashion industry as clothing brands, dresses, and the online sources for where to find the latest and greatest change often.

Google Makes the Perfect House Extension
Cookie Monster
July 27, 2016

Wither you’ve a keen eye for design, or just get lucky with your colours, searching online to find design ideas is always a great place to start. Not only can you find lots of images that are linked to the likes of Pinterest or Flickr, but you’ll also come across some great architects that can give you a better home extension over your local builder.

What’s great about a home extension is not only the value it can add to your property, but that new home feeling that you have maybe been wanting, but didn’t want to move house for.

Although searches on Google aren’t as high as they used to be back in 2015, it is still a great place to find new ideas as architects, interior designers, and bloggers fill the internet with their thoughts and designs.
Dalkeith based architect Douglas Strachan understands the frustrations of living in existing housing “the main issues I come across regularly are, smaller kitchens, bathrooms, and really lack any connection with the garden”

Quality Architect

Above is a concept design for a Garden Retreat by Douglas, allowing the homes owners to enjoy their garden more through the day and retreat indoors during the night.

With the UK and Ireland topping the Google charts as a region looking for home extensions, there is a massive demand for this part of the property development market. This also means that there may be a number of untrusted sources looking to make a quick buck, whilst leaving you with a botch job extension and a bigger cost on repairs.
This alone, makes it imperative that you seek a trustworthy source before you bring your Pinterest Board to life.
Landmark Architects are a great Architecture Practice to follow on Twitter, with their latest project being written up on Houzz.