December 7, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
With the financial crisis fading, many businesses are still operating under tightened purse strings. Where staff celebrations used to help boost motivation and show appreciation, these have become an expensive luxury which many businesses can no longer afford.
The traditional staff party, with a meal followed by drinks has its pros and cons. For some employees, the hassle of organising childcare can prove expensive, while others enjoy the opportunity to see their colleagues in a non-work setting.
Something different
With more and more working parents in the UK workforce, perhaps it is time to change your approach to staff celebrations. Corporate family days are a relatively new idea in the UK, but originated in America. A corporate family day is an activity day planned with your employees and their families in mind.
Outdoor activities
Often with an outdoor activity theme, corporate family days usually involve the workforce working in small teams to complete a range of tasks. Similar to a team building day in some respects, a family day will challenge your staff in a variety of ways. The family element helps employers demonstrate their appreciation of their staff, not just as employees, but as parents too.
Planning the right sort of day
To plan a day that will be a success and enjoyable for all, you will need to find activities that are suitable for everyone attending. Find out the ages of your employees children, and find out if any have disabilities so you will be able to cater for and include everyone.
A good mix
The next stage is to devise activities that will be suitable for everyone, and that will cater to each of your employees strengths. Ideally you want each employee to have an activity which they can feel that they are good at.
Going to the professionals
You may decide, after thinking about the various risk assessments and health and safety forms you will need to fill in, that going to a professional would be a much simpler option!
There are several companies throughout the UK which offer corporate family day events. Often these will be based at outdoor activity centres, so look for some in your area.
The benefits of letting them run the show
Allowing an external company to take over the planning and organisation of your family day takes the pressure off of the internal teams responsible for organising it. This means that they will be in the same boat as the other employees, and be able to enjoy the event without worrying how it is received.
Also, by handing over to experts you know that they have a wealth of experience that they can call on in planning your event giving it every chance of becoming a great success.
Things to check
Make sure you have passed on all the important information to the family day organisers. These included details of ages, disabilities and dietary needs.
December 7, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
A great number of self-improvement gurus speak of wealth. If you turn on the television, surf the Internet, go to the book store and look at the best sellers list, a great number focus on financial well-being. There are those who speak of other aspects of self-improvement; however, the majority promote that which will fill the seats: monetary gain. Even the great Napoleon Hill, of Think and Grow Rich fame, spoke of financial wealth even though he invoked religious and spiritual themes. Of course, he was writing after the Great Depression and almost everyone’s focus was on finances at the time. But as one of the more popular sayings goes, it is money that makes the world go ’round. And there is nothing wrong with money. According to Zig Ziglar, the great motivational “encourager,” “money is not the most important thing in life, but it is reasonably close to oxygen.” An adequate amount of money provides for peace of mind, a house, the bills paid and debtors kept at bay; it simply enables one to provide for family-and if need be-friends. Money is not the root of all evil, only the people who love it above all else. And this is where a problem arises. In the scheme of things, for you, where does money rate in relationship to other things: family, honesty, integrity, sincerity, valor, trust, all which can be lost or compromised if money is the priority.
What one needs to do in order to become financially successful has been covered time and again by many a guru; however, what is interesting to note is that the greatest lessons one can learn from the pursuit of great financial rewards are offshoots of the pursuit or excellence. Because in order to excel, excel in most areas of life, one must make great sacrifices in time, exert great effort, gain focus and purpose, maintain a serious level of persistence, and overcome the self and self-defeating habits through thorough self-examination and discipline. These things are of a much greater reward and of a much greater eternal significance (these principles last and remain with the individual forever; money and material things are fleeting and temporary), for it is here where one comes to understand the true purpose of life.
“It is one of the strange ironies of this strange life [that] those who work the hardest, who subject themselves to the strictest discipline, who give up certain pleasurable things in order to achieve a goal, are the happiest people.”–Brutus Hamilton
It is this being of “the happiest people” that truly and significantly enriches the soul. There are many who are rich but find little joy in life. There are many poor and middle class who live their lives this way too. But great joy abounds in this universe of ours. However, in order to find true joy one must tap into certain universal laws and principles. And I’m not talking “I’ve just been to Disneyland” joy but joy that lasts a lifetime and then some:
“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”–Chinese proverb
It is this reaching out to others, this giving of the self that invigorates and enlivens. Time and time and time again stories come out of Hollywood (I use Hollywood because few of our neighbors are being interviewed these days) about first time mothers and fathers and the great joy and purpose therein that they have found. They see for the first time real joy. They see for the first time much greater importance beyond the self. They see for the first time that nothing is more important than a child for whom they would give their lives if need be. Why? Let’s examine this truth.
We know that great joy comes from reaching out to help others, but where does the greatest joy reside? Certainly one can find fleeting joys, temporary joys, but where do the long lasting, self-perpetuating joys come from? What is most important to most people. Answer? Family. Spouse. Mother. Father. Son. Daughter. Grandmother. Grandfather. Relations. Consider this point, how long do we grieve for the loss of a car, a job, a favorite piece of clothing or jewelry? Certainly we can experience sadness or depression because of loss here, but do any of them last a lifetime like when we lose a daughter, son, friend, mother, father? Why? Because we lose a bit of ourselves, our humanity, our familia when relations die. It is these lives that give us life. Sustain us. Promote us. Energize us. You can take all the self-help, self-improvement, self-actualization classes you want, but if you lack family, a family that nurtures and encourages, then you are left with little success that matters. At the foundation of any healthy, successful society is the family.
“The approaching tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family had prompted many governments to reaffirm the critical importance of the family as a central unit of society.” (www.un.org 2004)
“The newly published Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church dedicates one of its first chapters to the institution of the family, described as “the vital cell of society.” (Vatican Compendium on the Importance of the Family www.zenit.org 2004)
It is in the family where one needs to learn important truths and principles that will not only aid in creating a stronger family but those principles will be taken into school halls, business meetings, all gatherings public and private to create a better society. It is where one learns discipline, respect for self and others, cooperation, humor, laughter and play.
“Marriage requires collaboration, commitment and a sense of responsibility; these things equip us to choose and to work together towards a “we, us” or “together” orientation. We must strive to develop a deeper knowledge of the importance of the family and family values in Islam in order to deal with the powerful forces that surround us.”
We must set aside a special time each week for our family members to enjoy one another, communicate, plan, and study Islam together. Husbands and wives need to spend time together talking and striving to have a sense of humor. They need to exercise self-control because when either of them gets angry and loses control, the effects can be wounding. Our tempers can get us into big problems.” (Kassaimah Muslim Homes: Islamic Family Values in An Anti-Family Society www.missionislam.com 2007)
It is here where one learns of “reaching out” to others. This is not something that is or should be taught by schools, governments, communities, public or private institutions. It is in the family where one learns and earns a strong foundation. It is the responsibility of the parents to teach these principles, and if they don’t know of them, they need to do their due diligence and learn of them through family, church or private counseling.
It constantly and consistently amazes me that these principles are not common knowledge. Maybe they do need to be taught in schools to parents and then have the children pass them on to their children and so on. And after this has been done for some time the family can take over with a proper, social, emotional, spiritual education.
Interesting to note that the amount and consistency of love, respect and attention that a child receives before the age of five to a great degree determines that child’s mental welfare and stability for the remainder of its life.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives-mothers and fathers-will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.” (Gordon B. Hinkley “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”)
Nothing outside of the family can make up for any excessive abuse or lack of love within.
December 6, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
Common Sources of Spiritual Attachments A spiritual attachment is energy from another person, actually another spirit as we are all spirits, that has attached itself to ours. A lot of my work with clients has to do with removing these attachments. Before going on to the most common types, I want to say a few words about the nature of spiritual attachments. We all have them. They block our energy in various ways. Spiritual attachments that come from another person have to do with an unresolved emotional connection. It can literally be anything, love, hate, lust, jealousy, envy, desire, trauma, you name it. The point is that the energetic attachment is formed by the persistent and not fully resolved emotion. These energetic attachments hook into us like a harpoon into a wale and keep us from swimming freely through the ocean of our lives. I will talk about particular aspects of attachments in other blogs. For now, here are the most common sources. Family: This is by far the most common source. It makes sense, of course. For most of us, the most important figures in our lives, especially the formative years, are family. We also often have intense, suppressed, and long-lasting emotions regarding family. Spiritual attachments to family members often go the deepest and can have profound implications to ones life and happiness. Current and Ex Lovers and Spouses: Definitely a strong second. Passion, love, lust, rejection, anger, hurt, and desire are strong energies that form strong spiritual attachments. Like family, lovers and spouses, both past and current, can be responsible for deep and significant spiritual attachments. Friends and Acquaintances: A distant third. There are many different levels of emotional intensity in seemingly casual relationships. The vary nature of the relationship being casual means that you may not have a lot of insight into the undercurrents in the other person. So, you can easily become an unwitting victim of their anger, mistrust, envy, or indeed, their desire. All of theses emotions can form energy attachments from their spirit to your spirit. Coworkers, Bosses and Employees: Many of my clients are business owners or executives. I am sometimes amazed by the sheer number and weight of attachments they have from their employees. Of, course it works the other way too. I have to pull off the bosses or the manager’s attachments from employees as well. Typically these attachments are very minor. Not something that would significantly effect the course of ones life, but never the less, a drag on the system and a lightening of the load when they are gone. Now, for an interesting tidbit. It doesn’t seem to matter how long ago these attachments were formed. They can last decades and dare I say it, lifetimes, but that is another topic. Also, since these are essentially spiritual attachments, they can and often do persist after death. However, removing them works the same either way. There are also less common sources of spiritual attachments that I will address in other blogs. I hope this is interesting and helpful to some of you. You can find more about spiritual attachments and spiritual development in my book Soulbaby: A Spiritual Odyssey Thank you. Best Regards, Michael
December 5, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
In the difficult times of divorce, or any family legal case- hiring a reliable legal representation is perhaps one of the best decisions you can ever make. A legal case concerning divorce, child custody, separation, and other family related legal issues may not be as easy as it seems. There are a bundle of requirements you need to comply with apart from the intensive demand of your time, effort and money.
A Family Lawyer is a legal representation specializing in Family Law. These lawyers are experienced in handling cases specific to Family law having studied and handled various family law cases for years.
Now, is there really a need for you to hire a Family lawyer? Well, there is. If you want things to be light and easy and that you want to lessen the burden of dealing with all the complexities of the case then hiring a Family lawyer is a wise choice. Here are some good reasons why you should hire a Lawyer specializing in Family Law:
1. Save Time – You definitely wouldn’t want to deal with so much paper works with all the technicalities muddling your head. A lawyer can help you with all these formalities and make things easier for you by just making you submit the legal documents needed then all the rest are handled by them.
2. Exert less effort – A lawyer practically handles everything for you. Once you entrust your case to your attorney, he will be the one to process all engagements for you saving you all the effort you need just to cover all the processes of the case. Basically, all you need to do is wait for the details and instructions.
3. Save Money – Instead of handling things on your own and spend for unnecessary processes, why not hire someone who is well-experienced in the kind of legal process you are dealing with and yet will provide you with a really reasonable price? Most of the available Family Lawyers nowadays offer competent yet affordable legal services. You can save money if you carefully look for a reliable, competent and affordable lawyer.
These reasons are just among the many others, which can help you decide whether to hire a Family Lawyer or not. It is important that you take time in studying your disposition and consider all the pros and cons in hiring a legal representation. Finally, having to take the burden from you by getting someone who’s professional and who really cares is the ultimate benefit out from this.
December 4, 2015 / como / 0 Comments
When the Farrells, aunt comes to stay, only Lizzie goes to meet her. Pam is too spoilt, Tony is silly and mean and the twins only care about each other. The Children at Green MeadowsFrancis, Clare and Sam Love animals, but don’t have any pets of their own at Green Meadows- until they are given a dog to look after in secret. Molly, Peter, Michael and Shirley are excited to be moving to Red- Roofs, a Lovely big house on the hill. Their new home is said to be Lucky, but the good fortune doesen’t last for long .Sally, Amanda, Micky, Podge, Yolande and Bobby are the Put-Em-Rights, a secert gang that tries to solve everyone’s problems.But soon they find that helping others can lead to unexpected adventures. Three friend from different families live next door to each other and go to the same school. when two of the boys join a gang that meets in a cellar under a derelict house.John, Marian and Annette are horrified when the Taggerty family next door. At first they want nothing to do with the noisy and boisterous Taggerty children.When they are first sent to live with their cousing at Mistletoe Farm, Melisande, Cyril and Roderick find country life much harder than they thought and they don’t get on with Jane, and Susan at all. Soon the sparks being to fly! After their adventures at Mistletoe Farm, Melisande, Cyril and Roderick are thrilled when they hear that they are moving to a home of their won at Holly Farm. But their excitement fades as they find family life at Holly Farm is not what they expected. Can they pull together and save the farm from danger? Enid Blyton is adventure family still the most popular children’s author in the world. This book includes over 20 stories that will capture your child’s imagination.Pip is a pixie. He is not even as tall as a daisy, but he has a big, curious mind about everything. His friend Jinky is always ready to help, but Aunt Twinkle makes sure that Pip and Jinky stay out of trouble. It’s a beautiful book that teaches family values. It is a great gift for anyone, esp homes with growing children. It is one of the books I always wanted to own.