Education and jobs

Another reason to stay in school and get more education:

A newspaper article I read today told of the growing number of bachelor-degreed persons experiencing unemployment (over 3% now.) However, the overall national rate was 6.7% and for those without a high school diploma, the rate was 10.5%. I always tell students (adults, as well) that education opens doors and provides opportunities. In times of economic distress, I would say this is even more true. 

Achieving goals

I ran across some advice from an e-newsletter I get on achieving New Year's goals, and thought I would summarize it. Of course, New Year's seems to be the time for a lot of people to come up with resolutions for the year, but these steps are helpful any time a person sets a goal. Hopefully, these tips can help you not become one of the estimated 90% who do not keep their New Year's resolutions. 

1. Set the right goals - set goals you are enthusiastic about accomplishing. 

2. Set priorities - don't set a ton of goals, one or two big goals is sufficient. If you have more, put them in order, then work on the higher priorities before moving on to others.

3. Focus - don't allow minor tasks or distractions to get in the way of accomplishing your goals. 

4. Put in the time - many goals can be accomplished if you simply put in the time. Plan time to work on your goals.

5. Chunk it - just like the answer to the question, "how do you eat an elephant?" is "one bite at a time," goals can be more easily accomplished if they are chunked into smaller tasks. 

6. No Excuses - work on the important things - those related to your goals. 

Hopefully these tips will help you toward accomplishing the goals you set this New Year as well as throughout the year. 

Hide & Seek

I got this image in an e-mail - the perils of being a surveyor in Alaska. Not quite the exercise I will be looking to do for a New Year's resolution. 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all. I hope everyone has had an enjoyable holiday season thus far and continues to find comfort in spending time with family and friends. As the year winds down, it is a great time to reflect on the past year and the things we were able to accomplish as well as those things we weren't. I know the list of things I would like to do in the coming year is long, but I've decided to take some advice I read recently on limiting the number of goals. I'll write more about that (on New Year's Day, of course.) May you have peace and love on this special day.

Thanksgiving

As the holiday season begins and Thanksgiving weekend has passed, I wanted to make a list of some of the things I was thankful for again this year. As I was driving in today, I was a sign that said something with the words "Gratitude" and "Attitude." (So much for details.)  I thought that so much of gratitude is our attitude about where we are in life and what we have. We need to be grateful for all the things in our life - they are there to teach us something - and hold that attitude daily. It is not always easy to do, but if we can convince ourselves to be grateful each and every day, things certainly seem to go a lot better. So, here are just a few things for which I am grateful. Happy Thanksgiving and may the holidays bring fellowship and good cheer.

1. Life

2. Love

3. Family

4. Health

5. Challenges 

6. Ideas

7. Friends and co-workers

8. Good food

8.