Soropa Blog

What can you do to make yourself feel more successful NOW even if you feel you aren’t, even if you are so far away from where you want to be?

Whenever I was down, I used to think I just needed to wait it out. I used to think I needed to dig down and understand what my soul was trying to tell me.

I suppose it’s a fine line. You want to dig down and extract the jewels available there, but you also don’t want to get buried alive. In terms of Universal Law, being down, depressed, feeling bad, will only attract more of the same feelings. In metaphysical thinking, it is more beneficial to change your thought patterns to something ‘feel good’. This will attract more good feelings towards us.

You really need to decide for yourself what you want to do with where you’re at. As I said, it’s a fine line.
Acknowledge where you’re at, but don’t dwell too long down there. If you can’t mine a gem from there quickly,
cannot find anything positive down there, get out. When in doubt, follow the Gambler’s philosophy, “Ya gotta know when to hold em, know when to fold em, know when to walk away, know when to run.”

So where do we start? Here are a few suggestions for when you’re feeling down and not-so-successful. The most point is to get started. Doing something, anything, will send a message to the Universe of your intentions, and more begets more.

Exercise. I know, I know. It may be the last thing on your mind, however, doing anything physical, even slightly so, will improve your mood incredibly. The ol’ endorphins kick in eventually (they can’t help it) and chemical changes occur within our bodies which, in turn, elevate our mood. Even a 10-15 minute walk around the block will do wonders. Look at it this way, too. If the walk itself doesn’t elevate your mood, at least you can feel good about simply moving your body. A small success is still a success. A number of small successes increases your feeling of success exponentially.

Meditate. Connect with the Source/Universe/God/Higher Power. Most people are aware of a power outside of themselves overseeing our lives. Whatever you call it or feel it to be, there is something all knowing, other than our smaller ego selves. Connecting with the Source, getting quiet with ourselves, changes our thought patterns.

Think a good thought. Go to a good place in your mind. Imagine a good place where you can return to time and again. When you feel down, imagine that good place, go in, feel good, and get out. Visit often.

Declutter your space. Cleaning your space clears your mind. It also sends a message to the Universe that you are open for more, that you are capable of taking care of what you have and you’re ready for greater abundance.

Journal - get your feelings out. Just write down whatever is on your mind. If you want your journaling to be really effective, continue with the next idea…

Be grateful. This should probably be at the top of the list. Being grateful for something, ANYTHING, in your life has the power to magically lift you out of your funk. Make a list of just 3 things you are grateful for. See what happens.

Read - pick up something that you’ve been meaning to read for awhile. Take a look at your community newspaper, connect with your world. Learn something new.

Pick up a hobby - do something that you completely lose yourself in. For me it’s sewing and other needlecrafts.

Cleanse yourself. Physically - take a bath, shower, wash your face. Cleanse yourself any other way you feel fits. Light some incense with the intention of cleansing your space, your spirit.

Go see a movie. You get to sit in the dark and think of nothing but what’s on the screen in front of you.

Forgive. Yourself and anyone you are holding anything against. Just let it go.

Create a positive vision for your life. Imagine, dream.
And dream big. Record your vision in a journal, on an index card and keep it handy. Then revisit it when you need a reminder or boost. Your vision should be positive
and worded positively. More importantly, it should make you feel very, very good.

Any and all of these can get you out of a funk. The common denominator in all of these is action. Taking action to move you away from your funky feeling is what will move things along. If you choose to stay in your funk, recognize it as your choice, and take full responsibility for it. Don’t make the mistake of victimizing yourself. Nobody else is responsible for how you feel. We create our own thoughts and choose how we want to feel about external events. So, if you really want to feel down and stay down, okay, your choice. But know there are alternatives. We just need to reprogram ourselves to think of them instead of wallowing in our funk.

Sue Dyson, a stay at home mom to three children and one large dog, publishes SuccessfulMama Ezine, offering down to earth tips and resources to help moms balance personal goals with the craziness of motherhood. Visit http://www.SuccessfulMama.com

What woman wouldn’t love a cute handbag or purse? None that I know. Finding a cute purse or handbag is important to many people actually. Having a purse or handbag that matches your outfit of choice is key. And, it just adds a level of style and sophistication to that outfit. So, finding a great handbag or purse is a must.

Now, many women shop for purses and handbags in department stores, malls, and fashion boutiques. Sometimes you can find a store that sells nothing but purses and handbags. Often shoe stores carry a wide selection that match the shoes they are selling, a cute idea at that. Yet other places to find the right handbag or purse include the Internet and online auctions.

A little information about these Internet stores is key when looking for a purse or handbag. For example, if you are looking for a designer handbag with a special label denoted said designer, you may want to check out the designers website. There you can find genuine designer items, to knockoffs, and even gently used items as well. To search for any of these options, use a major search engine and simply type in what you are looking for in the search box. It’s as easy as that to find handbags and purses at your fingertips.

Handbags of all styles, shapes, colors, and with all sorts of features, textures, and looks are available to the consumer. Designer or not, trendy, cute, or sophisticated, the consumer has to do nothing but look to find a cute look or an accessory to match their outfit. Yet, finding a good deal on the handbag or purse is also key. Using all the resources listed above, it should not be hard to find the right handbag and purse.

About the author:

Mike Yeager
Publisher
http://www.my-purse-4me.com/

Lions and Tigers and Zebras - Oh My
Spend a Fun Day at the Zoo

When was the last time you took your kids to the zoo? Do you remember how much fun they had, and do you remember how much you enjoyed watching their faces light up when they watched the penguins being fed, or the chimpanzees chasing each other around the exhibit? Isn’t it time you packed up your family and headed to the nearest zoo?

A day at the zoo isn’t just a fun way for the entire family to spend the day, but also a great opportunity for you to teach your child about all sorts of stuff. There is of course the obvious, like naming the different animals with your preschooler or reading the exhibit signs with your school-age child. Let’s take a look at some other teaching opportunities.

If you are taking a preschooler to the zoo, talk to him about what sounds the different animals make. Ask him what sound the monkey makes and then ask him to listen to the animal. Don’t forget to praise him for how closely he imitated a monkey’s call.

There are also plenty of opportunities in the Zoo to talk about colors. What color is the lion, how about the flamingo? You can also count the animals with your child. How many elephants can you see? Another idea is to talk to your preschooler about what a particular animal likes to eat. Some of his suggestions may be outright funny. My little cousin figured that flamingos only ate cotton candy, since they were so pink.

For a school-aged child, the questions should of course be a little more challenging. Talk about where the animal originally came from. You can leave it at the continent, or look at the exhibit signs to figure out what country exactly they came from and then ask your child what continent that country is in, what the climate is like and also how this particular animal has adapted to the climate. For example, a polar bear’s coat is white so he blends in with all the snow and ice.

You can also talk about the animal’s particular habitat and how it was recreated in the zoo. You can look at the chimpanzee exhibit with your child and compare it to the forests in Africa that they originally came from. Did the zoo provide plenty of opportunities for the chimpanzees to climb?

Don’t forget to talk about the classification of the animals as well. You can ask a younger child whether a particular animal is a fish, a bird or a mammal and go into a little more detail with an older child. You’ll be surprised how much they have picked up in science class in school and will be more than happy to share with you.

After you get home from the zoo, encourage your children to talk about the trip, look up information online about their favorite animals, or to answer any additional questions they may have. Ask your preschooler to draw you a picture of their favorite animal.

Read the following child product reviews related to the zoo that will let your child relive the day at the zoo at home.

Playmobile Zoo
http://www.kinderinfo.com/product-reviews/inside-toys/playmobile-zoo.htm

Little People Zoo
http://www.kinderinfo.com/product-reviews/inside-toys/little-people-animal-sounds-zoo.htm

Zoo Story Pop-up Book
http://www.kinderinfo.com/product-reviews/children-book-reviews/snappy-little-zoo.htm

About the Author

Susanne Myers is the founder of http://www.kinderinfo.com .
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It’s almost Halloween - the days are slipping past, but they too can be a lot of fun - all leading up to a great family/friend time for all.

This year, try placing your scarecrew at a table (an old one from your garage or shed) or make one from two saw horses and a flat board. Instead of the ‘ol straw hat, place a chef’s hat on his/her head and make sure he/she has an apron. Then load on the bountiful Fall harvest (pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, apples, etc.).
Heads will turn to check out the new chef in town.
***
Instead of just setting out a big bowl of goodies for family and friends to enjoy while watching TV, playing games, or sitting by that bonfire -
Place a handful of your choice of treats in an ice cream cone, or waffle cone. You can even make colorful cones from heavy paper, rolled in a cone shape, and taped. Place in your scariest bowl and let the fun begin.
***
After a hard day of helping to decorate the great outdoors - let your children have fun in the tub -
Spray shaving cream into plastic containers and add just a quick drop of food coloring in each one in the colros of Halloween - yellow, orange, monster green, etc.
The little ones can then make tomorrow’s blueprints for even more fun on the tub, or enclosure, and no harm is done - clean-up is fast and easy.
***
And speaking of kids - begin now to make a memory placemat for enjoyment years to come - not only for the wee ones but for all the adults as well.
Take pictures while raking leaves, making costumes, or any Fall or Halloween fun time and include the adults and friends or neighbors that just happen to come by. Continue your collection of pictures until Halloween day and make your child or friend, or hustand, wife, or whoever, the centerpiece in the mat. Add all the other pictures around, with the date and year on the very bottom.
Laminate both sides and do this every single year - not only will you see how things change, but the laughs and giggles start when years down the road, costumes change, people change and even the ‘ol homestead changes. Everyone enjoys looking back and enjoying the moment once again.
***
Halloween and every day leading up to this holiday -
ENJOY!
©Arleen M. Kaptur 2003 October

About the Author

Arleen Kaptur has written numerous books and articles on living a simple/rustic lifestyle and enjoying every day of it.
Free newsletters:
http://www.arleenssite.com

Perhaps you have not heard the Japanese now have a bullet train that exceeds 250 mph. The only problem is that takes a long time to slow down, so it doesn’t reach Top Speed on every trip or stay at those Top Speed for very long. But its speed is what you need then this bullet train is best of breed.

The previous fastest bullet trains ran at 125 miles an hour in Japan between our Osaka and Tokyo. But the French with their TGV bullet train has run at a top speed of 218 mph. But this new Japanese bullet train runs consistently at 223 mph on a daily basis with a top speed of 250 mph.

Of course in Japan, you will have to slow down quick if there is an earthquake and the Japanese have already thought about that too. The bullet train has spoilers, which come out like giant Japanese fans to break the air and slow the train down as much as 10 mph per second and back down to 55 mph, when the brakes kick in hard.

The nosecone of the bullet train is over 52 feet long in order to shape the airflows so they will streamline along the body at those high rates of speed. Engineers say that the bullet train is even more stable at high speed due to the relative wind and special shaping of the airflows. Consider this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

The first thing to know about depression is that it is not just in your head. Depression is, in fact, a whole body disease that affects multiple systems.

In addition to feeling sad, hopeless, or helpless, a person may suffer from extreme fatigue, decreased motor (muscle) coordination, changes in appetite and weight, and a loss of interest in activities that are usually pleasurable–just to name a few of the more common symptoms.

Anxiety, which is commonly understood to consist of fear without any direct cause, is highly correlated with depression. Anxiety is an imbalance not just of brain chemicals, but of the entire nervous system, which is over-responding throughout the body as if a physical threat is impending. This can often cause the depressed person to feel very jittery, and some people experience extra clumsiness as they go about their day.

Only a doctor can diagnose depression, and if you are suffering from what you believe to be depression, you should make an appointment immediately. (If you need help sooner, please dial 9-1-1.) When you speak to a doctor during a formal assessment, he/she will ask you questions like the following, which are adapted from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV:

1. Are you experiencing a depressed mood?
2. Have you lost interest in most or all of your normal activities, including normally pleasurable ones?
3. Have you experienced a dramatic change in your appetite, leading to noticeable weight gain or weight loss in the last month?
4. Have your sleep habits changed? Do you sleep much more or much less than normal, or do you have trouble getting to sleep or waking up?
5. Do you feel agitated or jumpy, or have others noticed that you are more irritable than normal?
6. Have you had trouble concentrating or thinking clearly?
7. Do you feel abnormally tired throughout the day?
8. Do you have overwhelming feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or hopelessness that things won’t improve?
9. Have you been thinking about death or suicide more than usual, or have you tried to commit suicide?

If you answered “yes” to questions 1 and/or 2, plus any four of the other questions, and these symptoms have persisted for at least two weeks with little change, you may be suffering from clinical depression.

Your doctor will also want to make sure that these symptoms are not due to what would be considered a normal reaction to a life situation, like a death in the family. It is completely normal to feel those things after a traumatic life event, unless those feelings persist for longer than two months without seeming to become easier to handle.

Additionally, the doctor will want to know whether these symptoms are causing you great difficulty in completing your normal daily activities. Depression is serious enough that it can cause a person to miss work and be unable to fulfill family obligations.

Risk Factors

People who suffer from depression are much more likely to suffer from other life threatening diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Much focus has been put on discovering why depressed patients are about four times as likely as their peers to suffer a heart attack within 14 years of their first depressive episode.

Underscoring the whole body effect of depression is the research finding that depressed patients have lower heart rate variability (HRV) than normal. HRV is lowered when the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system is not fully functioning, and people with low HRH are at high risk for suffering heart attacks.

The malfunctioning of the parasympathetic branch may be a key in understanding how mental perception of events that lead to depression affect the entire body.

Causes of Depression

Depression can be caused by any number of circumstances. For some, genetics may play a role (this is especially true for bipolar disorder, or manic depression, which is not covered in this article). For others, it could be the result of their life situation, such as an overly stressful stretch of time or a disease.

Many times, depression can be caused by “uncontrollable stress”. In this case, a person is going through a negative event in which they perceive their efforts will not affect the outcome. Caregivers are especially prone to this. With the advent of disease such as Alzheimer’s, a patient may need constant attention from a family member for years, causing great disruption in the caregiver’s life.

In cases of stress, it should be repeated that the effects will be on the whole body, not just the mind. Stress can cause the secretion of excess cortisol, which in turn can damage tissues in the brain and body. Stress hormones can also cause the nervous system to become overworked in trying to maintain balance, eventually causing it to shut down due to exhaustion.

Depression Treatment Options

Anti-Depressants

One of the great advances in pharmaceutical medicine was the advent of the SSRI class of anti-depressants. Depression can cause an imbalance in the brain chemical called serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps us feel calm and relaxed with a sense of wellbeing.

In people who are depressed, serotonin production may be lowered, or it may not be utilized most effectively in the brain.

Neurotransmitters are secreted into the spaces between the brain cells. SSRIs, or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, prevent the serotonin from being absorbed back into brain cells as quickly, and brain researchers believe that leaving more of the serotonin in between the cells has a mood-enhancing effect.

Examples of SSRI class anti-depressant drugs include Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. They have been shown to be highly effective for alleviating depression and anxiety in a wide range of people, though their safety in children has recently been questioned.

Counseling

In addition to medication, patients are usually also referred to a counselor for what is often referred to as “talk therapy”, or more formally as cognitive behavior therapy. With this type of counseling, the depressed person learns to notice their negative thinking patterns and challenge them. Over time, patients are able to prevent negative moods by intervening in their own to reflect a more positive outlook.

Exercise

Research has shown that consistent aerobic exercise in a specific heart rate zone has very beneficial effects in fighting depression in both the short- and long-term.

While it may be difficult for someone experiencing a major depressive episode to rally the energy necessary to exercise, most people who do experience at least some relief from depression within just 10 minutes of starting.

Though not widely publicized, the effects of exercise have been repeatedly shown to result in decreases in depression that are on par with both drug and counseling therapies. For more information on an exercise program that may help alleviate depression symptoms, please go to www.hrh-for-depression.com.

Herbal Therapies

Interest in herbal therapies for depression has always been high, and in some countries, such as Germany, herbal therapies are preferred over medicinal therapies, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Many people prefer herbal therapies in general, because they believe the side effects of anti-depressants may affect them negatively.

Herbs such as ginseng and gingko biloba have been used to treat depression, but the only herb to be tested in a large scale study is St. John’s wort. Patients who were followed for 26 weeks of St. John’s Wort use did experience a reduction in depression that was nearly comparable to sertraline, an SSRI.

Researchers warned, however, that St. John’s wort may utilize the same metabolic pathways as other drugs for depression, heart disease, seizures, and some cancers. As a result, patients need to be certain to consult their doctors on the use of St. John’s wort with other medications.

Getting Help

Nearly 10% of Americans will experience a depressive illness in any given year. If you feel you are in the throes of depression, please understand that there are very effective treatments available to you. Modern SSRI medications, which are the most commonly prescribed anti-depressants, can start working within 2 weeks of taking the first dose. By engaging in some moderate exercise, you might even feel somewhat better by the end of today.

Though doing anything while suffering from depression is difficult, please do make it a priority to seek some sort of help. If you need others to intervene on your behalf, please communicate that to them.

If you are feeling depressed, chances are that people around you have noticed, but they may not want to say anything about it to you. With a small overture on your part, they will likely jump at the opportunity to help you seek treatment.

If you would like more information on depression, you can go to the National Institute of Mental Health web site at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm. There you can download information about depression and search for topics related to depression and depression treatment.

Craig D. Wilcox is the author of The Heart Rate Health Program, which could help people suffering from depression ease their symptoms. Information about the Heart Rate Health Program for depression can be found at http://www.hrh-for-depression.com He also maintains the sites http://www.heartratehealth.com and http://www.hrhprogram.com.

Cancer of the mesothelium is a infrequent cancer of the tissues that line people’s internal organs. Around two thousand brand new occurrences are detected each year in the whole US. Of this group, aboutthree out of four of cases affect the sac around the lungs, named the pleura. Also known as pleural mesothelioma. In nearly ten to 20 percent of cases, mesothelioma could involve the tissue that encircles abdomen organs, called the peritoneal membrane, resulting in what is then referred to as peritoneal mesothelioma.

Exposure to asbestos is positively the main risk factor for this uncommon sickness. After exposure to asbestos, the delay to progression of the mesothelioma disease might be twenty to forty years. As a result of work introduction, mesothelioma is nearly 3 times more routine in males, than in women. Because the amount of cases moves upward with age, there are nearly 10 times more instances in the males over age 64 than in the men in their midlife.

Being diagnosed with Mesothelioma is a grave disease, that, at the moment, has a incredibly bad rate of overall endurance. Nonetheless, if it is recognized quickly, regimens are then available that might seriously prolong the patient’s life. All new approaches continue to be and are being developed through the use of clinical trials.

Infant soft leather shoes will never be the same as TrendyKid brings you the Starchild Shoes Summer 2004 Collection consisting of Tutti Frutti, Urban and Country & Western. Starchild Shoes lead the market once again with their innovative designs and mix of both contemporary and traditional styles. Acclaimed British footwear designer Janet Middleton, who designed for Vivian Westwood before starting her own range of infant shoes, does it again with her inspiration and imagination to show why she is at the top of the industry.

Washington, DC June 21, 2004 — TrendyKid the leading importer of UK and European products is pleased to announce their Starchild Shoes Summer 2004 Collection. This Summer 2004 collection of soft leather shoe designs has three new ranges, Country & Western, Tutti Frutti and Urban. Country & Western classic ginghams in various color waves with slip on designs as well as pretty ankle ribbons. Tutti Frutti brings vibrant fruits such as melon and cherry that will add zest to any young ones wardrobe. The new urban line reflects today’s trends of urban sport and combat wear for parents who like to keep little feet up to date. The inspiration for the urban line of shoes is taken from street wear fashions and trends of casual chic.

Starchild Shoes lead the market once again with their innovative designs and mix of both contemporary and traditional styles. Acclaimed British footwear designer Janet Middleton, who designed for Vivian Westwood before starting her own range of infant shoes, does it again with her inspiration and imagination to show why she is at the top of the industry.

Starchild Shoes provide growing feet with the protection they need. Hand made in Britain from the finest Italian leather. Every pair comes with durable non-skid sueded soles that are ideal for bouncing, crawling, and early walking, even on tile or wooden floors. Colored with non-toxic dyes, they are safe for “toe suckers” and other orally curious infants.

Starchild shoes are elasticized at the ankles to make sure shoes stay on, even through the most active play. Four sizes are available for ages up to 24 months. Presented in a unique Starchild gift box or clear pouch bag with attractive swing tag.

About TrendyKid
TrendyKid imports, sells and distributes exciting and innovative products from the UK and Europe. For more information, visit TrendyKid on the web at http://www.trendykid.com or call us at 1-888-TRENDY-K.

About the author:

.

Introversion is a legitimate personality style, not a failure to be an extrovert. This is an important distinction and your understanding of it will help you to accept your introverted child and support him or her in building a positive self image. We used to think that people who were introverted were anti-social and unhappy. Now we know differently.

Much of our understanding about introversion comes from the work done by Swiss psychiatrist, Karl Jung, himself a gifted intuitive introvert. Like most introverts, Jung had a rich inner world. Even as a child he had wisdom, insights, numinous dreams and a questing of the spirit.

In the introduction to his autobiography, “Memories, Dreams, Reflections”, Jung expresses fears that his readers may be disappointed. Not much happened, he says. Not outwardly. Like most introverts, Jung’s “real world” was within and from this rich inner world, he gifted us with many concepts and theories which are still being explored today.

Not all introverts are intuitive like Jung. There are actually 8 different kinds of introverts. It will be exciting to find out which category best describes your boy or girl!

A word of caution. Temperament is not really quantifiable (measurable). In order to find out whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, you have to have observed behavior over a long period of time, so it is really an ongoing process. There are two popular tests that can help adults determine temperament. These tests are the Myers-Briggs® Type Indicator and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II. These “tests” ask “yes” or “no” questions based on your own observations of yourself, such as:

1.The more people you speak to, the better you feel. (yes or no)
2.You are more of a listener than a speaker. (yes or no)
3.When the phone rings you are the first to answer it. (yes or no)
4.You find it hard to be engaged in a project that requires your undivided attention. (yes or no)

As you can see, these questions are subjective. No test can describe the infinite variation of qualities that make up a person’s nature but these tests can help us to understand ourselves better. If you would like to try one of these for yourself, I recommend the Keirsey Temperment Sorter because you can take it on line, it is free and it is easy to understand. You can take the Sorter at: http://www.advisorteam.com/temperament_sorter/register.asp?partid=1 .

Pesonalty inventories like the MBTI® and Keirsey Sorter are for adults. How can you tell if your child is introverted?

If your child is very young, you can tell by whether they move toward stimuli such as people and things or away from them. Stimuli include, for example, clowns, visiting grandparents, pets, noisemakers, animals at the zoo, whirring fans, lights and clocks. Extroverted babies and toddlers move toward these things. Introverted babies and toddlers move away from them. As you can see, this is a very basic difference in people almost from the moment of birth and you can observe it for yourself.

You’re probably pretty sure your child is an introvert or you wouldn’t be reading this article, so let’s take a look at the 8 different kinds of introverts.

I will use Keirsey’s descriptions of the personality types because they are easy to understand. You can learn more about them at http://www.keirsey.com .

Let’s see which one of these 8 types sounds like your child.

1. GUARDIANS value belonging to a group or community. They maintain stability through responsible, conservative and traditional behavior.

GUARDIANS make up about 40-45% of the general population. There are two types of introverted GUARDIANS, Inspectors and Protectors.

Inspectors watch out for the institutions of society. These thorough and orderly people are interested in legalities and standardization.

Famous Inspectors are George Washington, Harry Truman and Warren Buffet.

Inspector children may be quite possessive of the toys and people in their lives and an above average awareness of insiders vs. outsiders. The worst thing you can do to a child like this is make them treat everybody as equal.

Protectors are serious people who care about the downtrodden and dedicate their lives to caring for them. The worse thing you can do to a child like this is try to make them “lighten up”.

Famous Protectors are Queen Elizabeth II and Mother Theresa.

Protector children may good safety guards at street-crossings, help the teacher by “tutoring” slower students and may be given other extra responsibilities in school because of their seriousness. The worst thing you can do to these children is imply that they couldn’t handle something like lunch money or keeping a new jacket clean.

2. ARTISANS value freedom and spontaneity. They want to be without constraint, at liberty to act on their impulses, play and create.

ARTISANS make up about 35-40% of the general population. There are two types of introverted ARTISANS, Crafters and Composers.

Crafters master tools, anything from a piano to a potter’s wheel to a paint brush to a supersonic jet.

Famous Crafters are Katherine Hepburn, Bruce Lee and Michael Jordan.

Crafter children are intense about projects like helping you set the table or raking leaves in the backyard. The worst thing you can do to these children is rush them or force them to end their project away before they have lost interest in it.

Composers create by staying in close touch with the five senses and the world around them. They often express themselves in the “fine arts”.

Famous Composers are Mozart and Steven Spielberg.

Composer children are drawn to musical instruments, song, dance, costumes and make believe. They may prefer symbolic and inspiring stories such as “King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table” to stories about contemporary children. The worst thing you can do to these children is limit their exposure to creative outlets.

3. IDEALISTS value personal growth, authenticity and integrity. They yearn to develop themselves fully as individuals and facilitate growth in others.

IDEALISTS make up about 5-10% of the population. There are two types of introverted IDEALISTS, Counselors and Healers.

Counselors are ethical and empathic. They focus on human potential.

Famous Counselors are Karl Jung, Jane Goodal and Mohandas Ghandi.

The child COUNSELOR will be guileless about telling the truth and will sense the truth about others. These children often know what works for people and what doesn’t. It is not unusual for them to stand up for smaller siblings or a child who are being picked on. They have a good sense about future events and when asked without judgment, they may be able to put it into words. The worst thing you can do to a child like this is deny their reality because they are being socially inappropriate.

Healers care deeply for a few special people in their lives or for a favorite cause. They strive to bring peace and integrity into the world and usually seem quite serene, though they are actually very passionate.

Famous Healers are Albert Schweitzer and Mia Farrow The author of this article is also a Healer.

The HEALER child shows a concern for people and animals that far transcends their age. Parents often find children like this a great solace. One of my clients calls her son her “lodestone” because he has such a calming effect on her. The worst thing you can to a child like this is take advantage of their tender hearts by burdening them with problems beyond their years.

3. RATIONALS value competence and intelligence. They strive to learn, know, predict and control the resources in their environment.

RATIONALS make up about 5-10% of the general population. There are two kinds of introverted RATIONALS, the Mastermind and the Architect.

Masterminds are the ultimate pragmatists. They like to test their strategies against reality and make contingency plans.

Famous Masterminds are Isaac Newton and Friedrich Nietzsche.

Mastermind children are often bright little scientists who prefer to manipulate data and experiment with ideas rather than relate to people. They are the kids who love puzzle books, riddles, word diagrams and mysteries. The worst thing you can do to these children is make them spend a lot of time with other people.

Architects experiment with the spatiality of things. They look at the universe as raw material to be shaped according to their designs.

Famous Architects are Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin
(also the architect Howard Roark in Ayn Rand’s novel, “The Fountainhead”).

Little Architect children often build whole worlds of their own. They enjoy a certain type of imaginative play in which they are actually building other realities. The worst thing you can do to children like this is to negate their perceptions. All worlds are possible in the mind.

Introverts as a whole make up less than 30% of the population but as IQ rises, so does the percentage of introverts. As you can see, introverts make contributions to the world far in excess of their numbers.

I have prepared a list of books which have a main character who is an introvert to help you understand introverted characteristics in action. You can visit this list at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/listmania/list-browse/-/5QP6HDHW59NJ/ref=cm_aya_av.lm_more/002-6067292-5963242 .

I also have a list of children’s books that treat the nature of introversion sensitively. You can visit this list at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/listmania/list-browse/-/29V5R8SODJTND/ref=cm_aya_av.lm_more/002-6067292-5963242 .

Graduation Tassel

Graduation accessories come in various options and varieties as well as for the actual graduation ceremonies and memorabilia that one may be interested in. One may be surprised at what is available in shops that sell graduation attire. There are two types of the graduation tassel; the smaller tassel and the memorabilia. The smaller tassel is normally attached to the graduation cap and the memorabilia option is larger than the smaller option.
The smaller tassel is included with the first purchase of the graduation gown and cap. The memorabilia is something that is bought separately. One can purchase the tassel in a variety of places. The graduation tassel
comes in a variety of colors and choices depending on the colors of the learning institution from which the graduate is graduating. According to historians, the tassel is used to signify the academic achievements of graduates in the school.
The graduation tassel worn by students offering Bachelor of Arts is white in color. The one worn by Bachelor of Science is golden yellow while the one worn by students offering education course is light blue in color. Bachelor of Science in computer science is associated with gold yellow while Bachelor of Arts in computer science is associated is associated with white.

GraduationSource, a leader in graduation regalia products since 1960.