Soropa Blog

How often have we heard ourselves complaining about how unlucky we are in life or how things are just not working out right for us. However, what we so easily forget is that at some time before in lives, luck has favoured us.But it is human nature whereby we remember only what didn’t work for us but easily forget the things that happened in our favour. There are several things in life that we must cherish and be thankful to God for. One important thing that we must do is make a list of all the good things that have happened to us or all the blessings we have got and refer to that list whenever we feel upset or uncared for. Actually this is the same logic, which we use when we read old love letters because they remind us of happy times and cherished memories. Here is a list of ten quotations and how we can interpret these to lead a happier life.
1) Cry a river; build a bridge; get over it.
Let go of past failures, sadness and people whom we remember but who no longer care for us. This sounds so easy but its easier said than done. We all have gone through our share of heartaches and sadness. But when we constantly remember the pain and suffering we had endured, we are allowing that sadness to gain an upper hand over us. What we must realize is that what has happened, has happened. Its over and done with. People change and times change. Moving on in life is very but it’s the first constructive step to a better you.
2) Everything happens in its own time.
There are things that we do and expect to be rewarded for which does not happen. In offices there might be a promotion that we might have wanted, a high percentage of marks in a test or a job offer that we were sure that was to be given to us etc that never worked out. At such times we lose perspective and blame our luck and become despondent. We need to realize that there is a time for everything that happens in our lives. And when the appropriate time comes, things will start working the way they were supposed to work.
3) You are the only person who can make yourself happy.
Think of your happiness too and be kind to yourself. In life all of us have goals and ambitions. But in the pursuit of those goals we lose sight of the bigger picture that we are doing all that to make ourselves happy. This is seen especially in the case of mothers who are doing so many things for their kids and family that they don’t remember as to when was the last time they did something for their own happiness. It happens to all of us. Be more gentle on yourself. Make yourself happy and that can be done in so many ways. Treat yourself to some ice cream, buy a book that you were dying to read, spend a day lolling in the bed and doing nothing. We deserve it and so do our bodies.
4) Laughter is the best tranquilizer with no side effects.
Laugh each and every day of your life. Humorous situations happen to us every single day. Whether you choose to enjoy the moment or not is your decision. There are so many excuses in our day-to-day life to have a good laugh. All we need to do is just look at the lighter side of life and enjoy the moment. When you laugh don’t think whether people are watching you or how much you laugh. It’s their problem that they cannot find the humor in the situation that you have found.
5) Happiness is a journey not a destination.
As we make our journey through life we have so many things to savour and experience. There is no such thing as instant happiness or happiness that can be found somewhere. Live your life each day, as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point.
6) Do today what others wont so you can live tomorrow like others can’t.
So many times we are faced with duties and work that we are not happy doing or performing. In those times instead of hating or shirking from that work we can try and make use of thought that somehow whatever we doing will prove beneficial to us one day or the other. Maybe the results won’t be seen tomorrow but surely we will benefit because we did something that no one was willing to do. An example would be the people who started companies, which are million dollar establishments today. They dared to venture and put their money in something that their colleagues would not have been willing to do and today their work is paying off rich dividends.
7) It is never too late to be what you might have become.
There are several factors that cause us to land up doing the work we do. Many of us at some point of time or the other would have definitely wanted to make a career change and thought that its too late to do it. But the truth is its never too late. We can start doing whatever we want to do because its your life and your decisions. In the U.S, there are people who attend college in their late 60’s and 70’s because they always wanted to do it. Such people are the ones who believe in this adage.
Treasure the love you receive it will survive long after your gold and good health have vanished.
We always cherish our material possessions more. Life takes a lot from all of us. Today we might have good health, family love and a good home to go back to. What we forget is that there are some many calamities that can take away all our comforts but love is something that can never be taken away. We need to be more demonstrative of our love towards others and treat our loved ones with more kindness and affection.
9) The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
Any huge task that needs to be done seems very daunting at first. But if we analyze the task carefully and do it step by step we will find that things get resolved very quickly and easily. But we need to be bold enough to take the first small step. Once that is done we just need to proceed with small steps towards our goal.
10) Always have: something to do, something to love, something to hope for.
These three things are something that will keep the flame burning within all of us. Something to do will keep us busy, something to love will keep us motivated and something to hope for will take us faster towards our goal.

I like reading,surfing the web n listening to music.Writing is my passion and i hope you enjoy this article..

Things & time. Time & things.
Big difference? Little difference? No difference?

I’ll tell you. Big difference. BIG difference. Why? Simple. To-do lists.

Look, I come across a lot of people who can’t seem to get a handle on time.

“Waaaaaah, I have so much to do, and not enough time.”
“Waaaaah, there aren’t enough hours in the day.”
“Waaaaaah, where did all the time go?”

Call it poor time management. And what’s the universal solution? That standard dose of wisdom from the minions of know-it-alls?

“Make a to-do list.”
“You need a to-do-list.”
“You mean you don’t have a to-do-list?”

Do you like equations? I like equations? Here’s an equation:

to do list = to don’t list

Wanna know why? I’ll tell you anyway. I’ll tell you the same thing I tell my clients.

Lists are for tracking things. Items. Objects. Shopping lists. Top Ten lists.

Schedules are for tracking activities. Activities take up time. If you want to track your activities, get yourself a schedule. Or a calendar. Or a planner. Or make a time line.

The usual response is, “You’re crazy! Everybody has a to-do-list. I don’t understand.”

No problem. Take out your to-do list, and we’ll chat about it.

Maybe your list looks something like this:
-do taxes
-buy present for Frobish wedding
-pick up dry cleaning
-clean out gutters
-renew driver’s license
-follow up with sales lead
-call dentist
-return broken toy (don’t forget receipt)
-call mom & dad
-look for new computer

and so on…

Name someone who finishes everything on a to-do list every day. Right, nobody. In fact, what usually happens at the end of the day is called ‘page 2′. Which is followed by page 3. Both of which bury page 1. Oh sure, things “eventually” get crossed off.

So, what’s the point? The point is ‘timeout’.

I was watching the playoffs this weekend, and was reminded of the difference a football game and life. In a football game, you can stop the clock. Think about it for a moment. Where else but sports can you ask that time be frozen? Your relief pitcher needs more time to warm up? Send a coach to the mound.

Imagine if this were true in real life.
“Time out. I’m going on vacation. Cancel the three foot stack of mail that I’m destined to return to.”
“Time out. I’m not feeling well, and will be away from the office. Hold all emails and client requests.”
“Time out. Hold all patient calls and emergencies while I’m enjoying the holidays with my family.”
“Time out. I know that the boss wants this pronto, but I have dinner plans and have to leave early.”

Obviously, we can’t plan (for) everything. (i.e., 6:45 - 7:00PM - change baby’s diaper). But we can plan for a lot of things. Sure, we’re not robots. Life is dynamic. Moods change. But, wouldn’t things be a bit more manageable if instead of writing ‘Clean out gutters’ on a list you made some calendar entries like this :

Sunday
11:45-12:15 - Clean out gutters
1-4PM - football game
5PM - Shopping - Look for computer
Return broken toy (take receipt)
Buy Frobish wedding gift

Good friends, the key ingredient missing from to-do lists is time.
Take our garbage. WHEN?
Work on taxes. WHEN?
Call cousin Fred. WHEN?

Lists are for WHAT. Schedules are for WHEN.

I know it sounds radical. Give it some thought.

Endings Are Beautiful Too
Helaine Iris
© 2003

“To be able to look at change as an opportunity to grow–that is the secret to being happy.” Joan Lunden

As I stepped outside this morning for my daily power walk the brisk October air braced my cheeks. The deep, fragrant aromas of wood smoke and dying leaves; autumn in New England filled me with an unexpected joy and appreciation for the season. I looked around at the spectacular, vivid color of the trees. My sneakers kicked through the crinkly red, orange and brown piles waiting to be raked. I remembered that I use to hate fall.

Fall meant death, the end of summer, my favorite time of year. I was a summer person flourishing in the bounty of life at its fullest. Every year, falls approach signaled to me an ending, a time to let go and I didn’t look forward to it.

As I was walking and breathing deeply in the beauty of the morning I began to experience my relationship with the changing seasons as a metaphor for my life. I began to think about how well we as a culture celebrate birth, youth and new beginnings and how we’re taught to fear death, change and endings.

Recently, I had an experience where my affiliation with an organization dear to me was complete. It had become clear that it was time to let go and move on. The change would mean a decrease of revenue, as well as a loss of supportive associates. Naturally, I was conflicted about making the decision to leave and felt some pain in the separation. I wondered how I would compensate for the change, and what I would replace the emptiness with where a once thriving opportunity lived.

Then yesterday, I worked with a client who absolutely hates her job. She dreads going to work each day and is miserable, yet with growing certainty is clear she needs a career change. She’s been struggling with this dilemma for months and is terrified to take a step to change her life.

What became clear was the enormous resistance most of us have to change and how much suffering it causes in our lives.

Is your first impulse to avoid change or to resist endings and hold on to something longer than is healthy or useful?

Here is a practice that helps me make friends with endings and change:

1. Start by looking into your past. Can you honestly say that any change you’ve made didn’t leave you in a better place than you imagined? By realizing this you will build positive evidence that change is most often a good thing.

2. Next, take an inventory of what you are afraid to let go of. What do you think you might lose by ending or changing your situation? You might be right, AND, by bringing what you fear into the light you can more realistically evaluate if it is a true consideration or simply a fear.

3. Now, look at what you are making the change mean. For example, “I’m a failure at relationships”, I’ll never be satisfied with any job, I’ll regret…” Ask yourself and see if these self-defeating statements are really true.

4. Finally, make a list of all the possible benefits to be gained by making the change. Also consider how this change could benefit those in your world. If you were happier or less stressed, what would the ripple effect be?

By using this practice I let go of my business affiliation. I took a deep breath and moved on. Within about two weeks I had a new opportunity full of promise and excitement drop into my lap.

I’m learning to appreciate change and endings much in the way I find the colors of fall leaves beautiful. The dying of leaves produces the breathtaking color. Without it there would be no chance of birth and new beginnings in the spring.

Fall. Bring it on. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

It’s YOUR life…imagine the possibilities!

Helaine Iris is a certified Life Coach, writer and teacher that loves her life. She works with individuals, and self-employed professionals, who want to thrive in their business while crafting a life that’s in absolute alignment with their highest ideals, deepest values and gracefully masters the complexities of modern living. For a solution focused complimentary session visit her website http://www.pathofpurpose.com or call her 603-357-8546 or email her helaine@pathofpurpose.com

Office politics! It’s just another way of saying: “The employees are not getting along!”

When so much of a company’s success depends on the employees’ ability to work together as a cohesive team, it is critical that people understand and appreciate the differences in each other.

Symptoms of Office Politics:

• Conflict

• Stress

• Job Dissatisfaction

• Poor communication skills

The Results:

• High employee turnover

• Reduced productivity and profitability

The Solution:

• Improve employee communication and understanding

The Disc Classic behavioral assessment is widely used by the nation’s largest companies to improve the working relationship amongst its employees. The disc profile provides a nonjudgmental way to explore the “Dimensions of Behavior” across these 4 dimensions: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness.

• D types like to be in control, and are direct, impatient, and strong-willed.

• I types are people-oriented and are expressive, outgoing, and they need recognition.

• S types are stable, predictable, and they like to work behind the scenes. They are good listeners and are sympathetic.

• C types are analytical, and concerned with quality. They like to plan ahead and are systematic in their way of doing things.

When employees understand the different work styles and how best to relate to each style, the “Office Politics” may be a thing of the past.

To purchase the Disc Classic profile or any other Inscape Publishing product, visit www.disc-profiles-on-sale.com.

About The Author

Kevin Hobbs writes for http://www.disc-profiles-on-sale.com/ where you can find more information about inscape publishing products. *All products are registered trademarks of Inscape publishing.

losangel27@yahoo.com

Why are we overweight? This question has been asked many times and we all have different answers. The most common is because we eat too much, especially junk food, and exercise less. It is easy to say, I will lose weight and keep it off. Reality is that when we eat more calories than we can use for energy, our bodies store fat. The issue is whether we are seriously committed to change our lifestyle, adopt healthier habits and exercise more. After we gain weight, we find difficulty losing it. There is hope. Increasing our fat burning metabolism will help us lose weight.

Most people have tried many diets, such as quick weight loss diets with the hope of loosing that unwanted fat, yet failed to keep the weight off. Why? Because quick diets are not the answer. Think for a moment, we did not gain all that weight in one week, but gradually, right? Therefore, we can lose that unwanted fat gradually and keep the weight off. This is why it is so hard to lose fat and to stay slim with those quick weight loss diets. Some of these diets are so extreme that leave you feeling hungry, weak, and the end is that instead of promoting a healthy eating habit to lose weight, you end up cheating and eating until you satisfy those cravings.

Back to our original question, why are we overweight? People are overweight for different reasons: eating too much, lack of exercise, slow fat burning metabolism, retaining water, eating too late, eating unconsciously while watching TV, eating the wrong foods. We tend to eat for emotional reasons too, as we relate food as calming our nerves. Sound familiar? Sure, we feel fine while eating, but is this the answer to calm our nerves? No. Definitely not. Anxiety can drive us to eat more and see food as an ideal comfort.

How to resolve the overweight issue?

First, we recommend you take a conscious decision of examining your eating habits and consult a physician to check your health before starting any nutritional program and exercise plan.

Second, keep a daily record of what you eat, drink at least 8 glasses of water, have green tea to increase your metabolism, consume lots of vegetables and fresh fruit, avoid junk food and heavy sugary products.

Third, learn to say no when friends or family members offer you second or third servings.

Fourth, keep a firm decision and a positive attitude to lose that unwanted weight, visualize the new you.

Fifth, contact friends who will encourage you to lose weight and motivate you when feeling down. There is always someone ready to keep you motivated.

Whenever you feel eating for anxiety, think twice. Stop for a moment and ask yourself, “am I really hungry or is just an emotional excuse?” Instead of eating impulsively, try to drink water or have a cup of green tea, go out for a walk, or contact one of your friends for motivation.

Remember you are not alone; there are many people trying to lose weight and helping each other is the most valuable tool. Others have lost weight and kept the weight off. I did it, so can you! Believe in yourself, you are special.

==============================================
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anna “Overweight? NO MORE!” lost over 80 pounds from 230 pounds and has kept the weight off for 3 years. She believes that every person can achieve a healthier figure with determination, eating healthy, and exercising. There is no general miracle diet, but every body responds differently. It is a matter of taking the first step: “Believing that one can regain a healthier body, having that strong inner motivation is the key to stay focused. I did it, so can you!”
www.officialoverweightnomore.com
contact: anna@officialoverweightnomore.com

NOTE: This article may be freely reprinted in your ezines, ebooks, off-line publications, or on your websites. We only require that the entire article and the resource box “about the author” at the bottom of each article remain unchanged.

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These super easy cafe curtains can certainly dress up your room. Even a beginner at sewing can make these in a couple of hours.
Make Cafe Curtains send this project to a friend! These cafe curtains are simple, inexpensive and take almost no time at all. A lovely way to dress up any kitchen window! MEASURING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. First measure your window height. Cafe curtains can cover anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 of your window. If you want to cover the bottom window casing, include that in your measurement.

2. Measure your window width and include the casing if that is your choice. Your fullness should be twice to three times the measurement. If your fabric is home dec. fabric-it is heavier and maybe twice the fullness is fine. If you are sewing sheers then three times the fullness is what you want.

3. To your height measurement add 6″ for bottom hem and 4″ for heading. This is how much length in total fabric you need.

4. To your width measurement add 4″ for side hems. This is the width in total fabric you need.

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut your fabric the length you need plus the 6″ for hems.

2. Cut a 4″ wide strip the finished width of your panel.

3. Cut a 3″ wide strip the width of your fabric for loops to hang the panel.

SEWING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Take the 3″ wide strip and press one long edge under 1/4″. Fold the pressed edge over the opposite raw edge and stitch down the entire length. Press, centering seam in the middle of the strip. Cut this strip into 6″ pieces.

2. Press under 1″ on either side of cafe panel. Turn and press again another 1″. Press and stitch down. These are your side hems.

3. Do the same to the 4″ strip. This is your cafe heading.

4. Fold 6″ loops in half widthwise. Keep seam line on underside. Place one at each end of panel top. Decide how far apart you want the loops. Placing raw edges of loops even with raw edges of panel, pin each loop in place. Make sure they are evenly spaced.

5. Right sides together, pin heading on top of panel and loops.

6. Sew across heading and loops using 1/2″ seam allowance.

7. Flip heading to wrong side of panel. Stitch down sides and bottom edge.

8. Turn up bottom hem 3″ and press. It is important that your hem be straight. Turn again the width of the first turn and stitch down.

That’s it. You are finished your cafe curtain. They can really brighten up any kitchen with lively fabrics and a little effort.

About the Author

Mary Wilkins has three grown children and six perfect grandchildren. Completely self taught, she has been sewing, and crafting for over 30 years. Her website http://www.sew-whats-new.com has been recognized in many sewing magazines and newsletters alike.

When I left my high-tech corporate job to be an at-home mom, I had no idea of the changes I was going to encounter. No, I am not talking of the usual baby stuff like not freaking out when food or something worse gets rubbed on my nice clothes…if and when I get a chance to where nice clothes. Nor am I talking about the fact that I could no longer have extravagant and expensive knicks-knacks on my coffee table. What I am talking about is something else…and someone else. I am talking about having to relate to those other, more seasoned, at-home mommies.

Sure, everything seemed okay. Friendly glances at the park followed by a short spurt of conversation, but getting into those little cliques are just as tricky, if not more difficult, than the ones I encountered, and came to master within the corporate environment. Though I was efficient in my conversation and quick with my wit; though I laughed at the right jokes and wore appropriate attire; and, even when I stood in the widest opening of the park letting everyone see that I was available for chat, the mommies shied away from me. My best bet is that they probably gathered in a far counter to chuckle over my desperation. Heck, I may have even laughed at me too had I not been distracted by the small hovering cloud of post-partum depression.

You can liken this to the city gal in the country. There are many movies with a similar story line about the loud and obtrusive outsider that everyone sees as the square peg. While she may want to fit in, she knows from the get-go that it is going to be a long journey, due to all that tension she feels from her new peers. That is where I began to find my thoughts. (And let me tell you, if you think your co-workers in their Armani suits are pretentious, try a mommy-clique in t-shirts and capris. I kid you not, they can be downright condescending.) While acceptance is hard, it is a form of closure, and after a year or so, I decided that I was just not going to fit in with the bobby-socked, sneakered mommies littered throughout my day.

But, then…and here is the light at the end of the tunnel…something happened. To this day I cannot tell you how we came across each other, but I was invited to a play date by one of the sneakered-mommies. There, I met another mommy. The playdate started slowly and was light in discussion. But, it was consistent…and stayed consistent on a weekly basis. I began to look forward to my sessions. At the time, I did not know much about them, but every week that knowledge grew. To make a long story short, the friendships stuck. These days I do not always see them as much as I used to, but it is more of a hectic schedule issue than a lack of want. As well, more mommies came and I am proud of my little mommy network that I have slowly gained. Good-bye Armani, hello Gap.

A few times since, I have seen a new mom on the playground fresh from corporate, possibly on a trial period of this new career. I observe what those other mommies must have seen in me. There is a look of uncertainty on the face of an entry-level at-home mom. Perhaps it is a mix of “Am I doing the right thing (I loved my work, not to mention the money and acknowledgement), “I absolutely did the right thing (the proof is toddling before me) and “How the heck did I get here (What a completely different world). This uncertainty is projected in facial expression as well as through actual conversation. I reflect and believe that my uncertainty mixed with a mild case of PPD must have made me real stimulating conversation. No wonder they ran the opposite direction. As well, trying to bring a corporate mentality into the position of at-home mom was another stumbling block. I looked at building the new relationships as a strategy to accomplish and, subsequently, master. When really what it takes to build relationships with other at-home mommies is genuine honesty and a grounded sense of self. Only after that takes place and solidifies can a dash of cattiness be added. But, the details on that topic are a completely different article.

The next time you encounter a corporate mommy grasping for the sense of her new entry-level position, have patience and compassion. Yes, she could quite possibly start off awkward and maybe even insulting, but most likely, she wants to succeed in this new career. Mentor her in a non-invasive way and she is sure to become a great friend.

About The Author

Sherri Dodd is an ACE-certified Personal Trainer and Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant. She is also the creator and author of Mom Looks Great - The Fitness Program for Post Partum Women. With over fifteen years of exercise experience, she is dedicated to a life of fitness as well as encouraging others to seek healthy habits and a better quality of life.

http://www.momlooksgreat.com/

Right then, affirmations. In fact, GOAL affirmations.

Listen, it’s no good rolling your eyes and saying ‘Here we go’, I
can see you from here!

Actually, here’s a good exercise: If I ask you,. right now, to go and fetch me your written list of
goals, could you?
Yes?
That’s good!
No?
That’s bad!

And if not, put any cynicism aside for a while and read on…..

A goal affirmation is where you have a statement or goal written down, and you read them to yourself at regular intervals, usually
morning and night.
You also have one or two of them as your ‘mission statement’, which you can reel off at any time.

Do they work?
Well, yes they do, actually.

How do they work?
Blimey, what do you think I am, a psychologist?

Basically it’s to do with a big battle between the conscious and the
subconscious minds.
Oooh it’s a big bust up I can tell you, its like ‘Lord of the Rings’
on acid.

The subconscious mind will believe what it is told by the conscious mind, and unfortunately our conscious minds are programmed by society to not fulfill our full potential.

Paradoxically though, the subconscious mind will *not* believe certain things……

This is important, and bearing that in mind, you need to be very careful about how you word the affirmations.

Personality affirmations need to be in the present tense. Materialistic affirmations need to be in the future tense, and time specific.

Ok, you know me, I don’t like messing around, here’s examples………

GOOD - If you say ‘I am a strong and worthy person’, your subconscious mind believes it, and will act accordingly.

BAD - If you tell it that ‘by Dec 31st I will be a strong and worthy
person’, oh dear oh dear. This is no good, in fact it is damaging, because firstly you don’t suddenly cross a finish line and become
strong and worthy, and secondly it is telling your subconscious that at present you are *NOT* strong and worthy, and it will act accordingly!

GOOD - ‘By Dec 31st 2003, I will have doubled my yearly income’. Your subconscious will accept this as feasible, and will work towards it, and direct you correctly, waking you in the night with ‘Eureka!’ moments.

BAD - ‘I have a million pounds in my account.’ The subconscious will recognise this as simply not true, and will
merrily ignore it.

You might as well say the moon is made of cheese in your affirmations for all the good it will do you.

There! 4 examples, short and sweet, and I hope you can see the differences.
It’s only little changes, but they can have drastic effect on your
success.

Using affirmations which are worded wrongly will sabotage all your
efforts.

Use them correctly and outloud, and you will get so much of what you want, you will have to pinch yourself to believe it!

Er, what was that - OUTLOUD???

Oh yes, you need to say them outloud. You may think it’s silly, and sure enough you will feel absolutely
ridiculous the first few times you do it, but I am telling you here
and now, it works, it is a psychological trick on yourself, and is
another essential piece of the big jigsaw.

Or a Rubik’s cube if you like.

Yes, that’s it, imagine affirmations as completing the blue side of a Rubik’s cube.
Hhhm, I know I’m going off on one of my wanders here, but bear with me.
Self improvement, goal achievement, wealth creation, the 3 things I feel passionate about, it’s all a big learning process. 2 steps forward, 1 step back, and then suddenly it all clicks, and
then like me, you’ll be fit to burst, and shouting it from the rooftops!

So be careful you don’t use incorrectly worded affirmations!

**************************************** Gordon Bryan’s new book, ‘Transform Your Life in 21 Days! has been described as ‘a must read’, ‘awesome’, and ‘a true gem’.
If you liked this article, see the book for yourself at: http://www.transformyourlifenow.com ****************************************

I’ve holidayed in some European alpine skiing mountains for example Tignes-les-Brevieres, Grand Massif, Les Gets and Les Deux Alpes, but during all the family’s ski holidays Chamonix Haute Savoie is certainly my favourite place to go for skiing holidays France.

The place of birth of European alpine history and dwelling to the grand Mont Blanc - at 4807m European Unions’ highest mountain - Chamonix sports a unrivaled historical snow record, a abundant season (Dec-May), matchless off-piste skiing, and panoramas to die for. So Chamonix France has an worldwide renown as having more or less the most spectacular, intriguing, and elating skiing on hand anywhere in the planet.

Chamonix Mont Blanc France is enormous likewise it is bedeviling, and that’s before one even include the linked skiing fields; including Montgenevre, Superbagneres, Luz Ardiden, Val Thorens and Le Grand-Bornand.

The Mont Blanc Unlimited skiing lift pass covers seven nearby, and 11 regional ski towns; with pistes equal to 3840 metres, all over 290 bubbles, and 730 kilometres of skiing runs - and the bulk of the snowboarding towns higher than 2040m. They supplies for every standard from starters right through to expert skiers. Come to the ski fields page for up to date look at each of the big areas: Brevent, Bessans, Les Orres, Megeve, Flegere and La Plagne.

The internet has changed our buying habits. Many people have found the convenience of online shopping to be a great experience. You can easily click and see the product. You have a fun time shopping, browsing, reading and getting informed about products. And you don’t have to take time out from your busy schedule to fight traffic, crowds and lines to buy the perfect gift for your recipient.

No wonder Internet business generated $301 billion in revenue last year, by a University of Texas estimate.

If you compare shopping online to offline you would think as far as security goes, it would favor offline shopping, right? Not really.

In the years past, shoppers were more reluctant to do their shopping online - now things have changed greatly. And that confidence in consumers directly reflects the enormous growth of online sales.

I have a friend who took his wife out for a romantic evening to a local restaurant. The last place you would expect credit card fraud to happen. By the time he noticed they had charged him double the amount for their dinner, it was too late to go back to the restaurant. He rang me and we concluded that it must be a mistake. It was later that we found out that the restaurant owner’s reputation was a bit shaky. Apparently he frequently overcharged customers in the hope they wouldn’t notice.

I don’t know. It’s a funny world we live in.

Does this mean the internet is safe? Relatively yes, but don’t forget, the Internet is an open field and there are some bad elements out there.

We have been shopping online for years. We never had a problem with credit card fraud on the Internet. But then again, we always take precautions. From this point forward, you will see 10 checkpoints online merchants have to pass to secure our business…

Will your credit card details be safe?

Reputable companies online know that one of the things preventing customers from placing orders with them is customers not been sure whether their credit card details will be safe. Responsible companies have taken this concern onboard and have set up their systems to provide the customer with maximum security.

How would you know if you are entering your payment details on a secure page?

You should see a picture of a lock on the bottom right hand side of your screen. This lock will appear on the page that you fill in when ordering and ensures that your name, address and credit card information is being sent to the online store through encrypted code. This encrypted code means that a hacker will not be able to steal your credit card information.

Does the online store value your privacy and confidentiality?

Prior to the internet days, when I used to order something from a mail order company, mysteriously I would be sent advertising from companies that I hadn’t done business with. Back then I didn’t know that companies sold your personal information for advertising purposes to other companies.

Receiving junk mail was annoying but because of the cost involved, it didn’t happen constantly. Imagine now if you do business online with a company that doesn’t respect your privacy and sells your email address.

Next time you open your email software, you are bombarded with emails ranging from a dozen to hundreds. Now that’s not annoying - it’s intolerable.

So moral of the story here, make sure your email address won’t be sold. Ensure the online store has a privacy statement which would state they will maintain your personal details in the strictest privacy and confidentiality.

Does the online store have contact details?

You may think, of course an online store would display their contact details on their website. You would be surprised. I was. No email address, nothing. This is a sure red flag.

Reputable companies will have contact details.

Do they have a refund policy?

Offline stores have a refund policy and you go into the store, physically select the product and are then allowed to return it for whatever reason. If a refund policy is important in offline stores, it’s twice as important for online stores.

The internet in convenience surpasses the offline world when it comes to shopping - but one thing it can’t match is that offline you can physically touch the product. Therefore a refund policy of 30 days is great, more is better. No refund policy and I would stay away.

Do they send you some sort of confirmation when you place your order?

When you place your order what you need is something to tell you they have receive it, a receipt if you like.

A reputable company will either issue you one via email or display a new page of their website where they thank you and tell you the order went through okay and your product is on its way.

When do they deliver?

What times do they deliver during the day? Do they deliver on the weekends? Can you choose a time to have your gift delivered? Will it be delivered personally to the recipient intended or will the courier leave it outside their door?

How will your gift arrive?

If its flowers, will it come with a vase or in a nice box or wrapped? Will your bouquet contain flower care instructions? How about flower food to make your flowers last longer?

If you’ve ordered another gift product, will they wrap it? In what kind of material will they deliver it? Do they tell you these things on their website?

How long have they been in business?

This may not mean too much. There are companies that start off and surpass all others. But perhaps for your peace of mind, you may want to use an online store that has been in business for some years. To check the history of the company is easy.

You can go to networksolutions.com and click on “whois” on the top bar. You will be taken to a page where you can enter the web address of the online store you want to check and you will receive the relevant information.

Is the online store’s site easy to use?

Is navigating easy? Is looking for products easy? Do their graphics download in a reasonable time? A sure sign of an amateur sight is if they have their website cluttered with information.

Have they gotten any bad reviews?

A reputable company isn’t necessary one that hasn’t any bad reviews to its name. It’s virtually impossible to please everyone.

There have been companies I have bought from and absolutely loved. So it surprises me sometimes when I stumble on a bad review about their products or even bad comments about them.

So when is a bad comment about a company worth considering? I take note of reviews where the writer complains of:

• not receiving the product
• not receiving a refund
• not having their emails answered

If you want to see what kind of reviews a company may have, click on alexa.com. When you get to the website, type in the address of the store you want to check out. This will also show you how long the company has been in business.

Online shopping is fun. Take a little care and make it an experience! Happy shopping!

Copyright © Gina Stathopoulos

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