| When Teamwork Isn't Working: Fixes for the Teams You Depend Upon |
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(September 2015). When a team tackles any project, there can be hidden hazards and predictable pitfalls. Yet complex problems are best solved by teams, as researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found. They compared teams of three, four, or five people, to people ...
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| Hurricane Preparedness Part II |
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Tampa, Fla. (July, 2015). Learn the terms associated with a hurricane. A hurricane watch means a hurricane is possible in your area. Be prepared to evacuate. Monitor local radio and television news outlets or listen to NOAA Weather Radio for the latest developments. A hurricane warning ...
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| Are You Ready for a Hurricane Part I |
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Tampa, Fla. (June, 2015). Hurricanes are severe tropical storms that form in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Scientists can now predict hurricanes so that those who live in coastal and other communities should plan what they ...
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| Understanding Bi-polar Disorder |
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Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They are different from the normal ups and downs that everyone ...
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| When Worry Gets Out of Control: Generalized Anxiety Disorder |
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Tampa, Florida (March, 2015). The National Institute of Mental Health provided this article in brochure format and since it is within the public domain may be reproduced without formal permission ...
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| Recognizing Verbal Abuse |
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Tampa, Florida (March, 2015). When one reads about or thinks about domestic violence, one usually imagines some type of physical altercation. And, haven't we all heard at one time or another that "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me"? In fact, however ...
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| Happy Valentine's Day |
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Tampa, Florida (February, 2015). Valentine’s Day is coming and with it is the inundation of all types of media ads proposing the various ways to celebrate this special day. Much emphasis is placed on the type of gifts one should get for those they love. Flowers? Perfume? Candy? ...
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| When You Feel Like You Don't Matter |
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(Tampa, Florida January, 2015). Did you experience or do you remember someone else in grade school not being part of the "in group?" Or, were you a part of a particular group for a while and then suddenly found yourself on the outside? In high school were you the smart kid and ...
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| Maintaining Your Balance |
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Tampa, Fla. (December 1, 2014). As the holiday season gets into full swing, most working (and non-working) adults find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of personal, family and professional obligations. Whether it is getting the home cleaned, taking the ...
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| HOLIDAY CHEER OR HOLIDAY BLUES? |
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Tampa, Fla. (November 1, 2014). The coming of a variety of holiday celebrations, both religious and secular, is once again on the horizon and approaching faster than many people would like to imagine. While the holidays are festive and the highlight ...
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| ANNIVERSARY GRIEF – SEPTEMBER 11 |
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Tampa, Fla. (September 1, 2014) Anniversaries of tragedies such as September11, 2001 can be difficult for many people and may invoke some strong feelings. Each person has a different memory of and feelings toward a tragic event and as a result will ...
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| Stress Management Tips |
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(August, 2014). The American Psychological Association on their website has published the following in order to offer tips on how to manage your stress. In today's fast-paced and ever-connected world, stress has become a fact of life. Stress can cause ...
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| Are You Ready for a Hurricane? Part II |
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Tampa, Florida (July, 2014). Learn the terms associated with a hurricane. A hurricane watch means a hurricane is possible in your area. Be prepared to evacuate. Monitor local radio and television news outlets or listen to NOAA Weather Radio for the latest ...
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| Are You Ready for a Hurricane? Part I |
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Tampa, Fla. (June, 2014). Hurricanes are severe tropical storms that form in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Scientists can now predict hurricanes, but people who live in coastal communities should ...
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| Are You a "Negaholic"? |
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Tampa, Fla. (May 1, 2014). Have you ever heard the word "negaholic" before? Well, it is a term that is used to describe a person that is basically a pessimist with the added factor of a thinking pattern that contributes to one looking at the negative side of ...
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| Walking on Eggshells |
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Tampa, Fla. (April, 2014). While physical abuse is easily identified because of the external evidence, verbal abuse is difficult to identify. Why besides the fact that there are no external bruises? Because the victim feels confused, often wonders if they ...
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| Stop Playing the "Blame Game" |
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Tampa, Fla. (March 2014). Have you ever been blamed by someone for something you didn't say or do? How did it feel? Or, have you ever caught yourself blaming someone else for something and based that "blame" on insufficient evidence? When we blame ...
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| Building Positive Self Esteem |
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Tampa, FL. (February 2014). Do you like yourself? I mean, do you genuinely like yourself? Are you comfortable and content with your life? Or, do you find yourself being critical, negative, pessimistic, argumentative, demeaning or non-accepting of ...
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| Can You Learn to Be Optimistic? |
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Tampa, Fla. (January 2014). Have you ever felt as if pretty much everything in your life wasn't going very good? Have you experienced getting up in the morning with a groan and going to be at night with a sigh thinking that life that day was just plain ...
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| Presents or Presence? |
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Tampa, Fla. (December 1, 2013). The coming of a variety of holiday celebrations, both religious and secular, is once again on the horizon and approaching faster and earlier than many people would like to imagine. While the holidays are festive and the ...
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| Holidays and a Mix of Emotions |
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Tampa, Fla. (November 1, 2013). It’s that time of year when one holiday after another is on the schedule. Parties, special food, travel, seeing folks and family members that we haven’t seen for a while, shopping, decorating etc. are all part of our ...
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| What You Need to Know Regarding Depression |
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Tampa, Fla. (October, 2013). Everyone from time to time experiences temporary feelings of sadness, frustration, irritability, stress, and fatigue as part of the normal ups and downs of daily life. When five or more of the following symptoms are present most ...
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| We're Halfway Through |
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Tampa, Florida (September, 2013). Hurricane season is at about it’s midpoint since the season ends November 30, 2013. Most Floridians and residents of other states typically keep a close eye on weather reports regarding tropical depressions, tropical storms ...
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| Can You Learn to Be Optimistic? |
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Tampa, Fla. (August, 2013). Have you ever felt as if pretty much everything in your life wasn’t going very good? Have you experienced getting up in the morning with a groan and going to be at night with a sigh thinking that life that day was just plain difficult? ...
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| Sticks and Stones |
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(Tampa, Florida July, 2013). When one reads about or thinks about domestic violence, one usually imagines some type of physical altercation. And, haven’t we all heard at one time or another that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me”? In fact, however, verbal ...
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| Facts About Domestic Violence |
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(Tampa, Florida June, 2013). The American Psychological Association has an online brochure titled “Intimate Partner Violence: Facts and Resources” that presents significant information regarding the occurrence of domestic violence and provides ...
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| Assistance for Victims of Domestic Violence |
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(Tampa, Florida (May, 2013). A recent article in the March 19, 2013 edition of USA Today by Matthew Daneman titled, “More States Offer Job Protections for Abuse Victims” addressed the steps that a growing number of states have taken to require employers to provide job protections for workers ...
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| What is Social Phobia? |
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Tampa, Florida (April, 2013). The National Institute of Mental Health provides information based on a variety of topics which are available to the public free of charge and which may be also be duplicated and distributed. This article summarizes their information regarding social phobia ...
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| Is It a Matter of Luck? Compulsive Gambling |
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Tampa, Florida (March, 2013). The month of March brings about a day well known to Americans: St. Patrick’s Day. There are parades and celebrations and restaurants serving Irish food. And there is a phrase with which we are all familiar: “the luck of the Irish.” Outside of that particular day, there are many individuals who believe in the concept ...
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| Relationships - Healthy Or Not? |
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Tampa, Fla. (February 1, 2013) “Life is difficult” - thus begins the book, The Road Less Traveled, by M. Scott Peck. It sometimes seems from the moment we get up until we go to bed, very little about life is simple. Yet, we are surrounded by all kinds of supportive resources. Ask any specialist in the field of stress management and they will tell you ...
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| Resolution Revolution |
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Tampa, Fla. (January, 2013). Many of us have or will soon be facing the age old question: “What will I resolve to change as the New Year begins?” A recent study indicated that 25% of New Year resolutions disappear after one week! So if we are really honest with ourselves, we have to face two questions: first, why would we even be thinking about making a ...
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| Keep Life In Perspective |
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Tampa, Fla. (December 1, 2012) As the holiday season gets into full swing, most working (and non-working) adults find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of personal, family and professional obligations. Whether it is getting the home cleaned, taking the kids to school events, buying gifts or performing a host of other activities, it is clear that many ...
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| Getting Through or Celebrating? |
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Tampa, Fla. (November 1, 2012). It's that time of year when there is one holiday after another on our schedules. We are invited to or are the host of parties, celebrate with all kinds of special food, find ourselves driving or flying to see folks and family members that we haven't seen for a while, shop, decorate etc. Sound familiar? These are examples of ...
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| Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: When Unwanted Thoughts Take Over * |
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Tampa, Florida (October, 2012). Do you feel the need to check and re check things over and over? Do you have the same thoughts constantly? Do you feel a very strong need to perform certain rituals repeatedly and feel like you have no control over what you are doing? If so, you may have a type of anxiety disorder called obsessive compulsive disorder ...
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| 255,168 |
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Tampa, Florida (September, 2012). Think about some of the life struggles you have faced over the years starting with your earliest memories. Once it was a simple decision as to whether you wanted Cheerios or Fruit Loops, French toast or pancakes, chocolate milk or juice for breakfast. Later it was a decision as to what sport you really, really liked or what language ...
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| It Began as an Ordinary Day |
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Tampa, Florida (August, 2012). There are dates when society at large can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the sudden death of Princess Diana, September 11, 2001, the Columbine or Virginia Tech shootings and now July 20, 2012. Most people awoke to hear of the tragic murders of twelve innocent ...
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| If It Is Happening To You: Recognizing Verbal Abuse |
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Tampa, Florida. (July, 2012). What thoughts come to mind when you hear the term domestic violence? How often have you heard about domestic violence on the news or in other TV shows or read about it in newspapers, magazines or journals? Usually when one reads ...
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| In the Midst of Winter |
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Tampa, Fla. (May , 2012). The famous philosopher, Albert Camus, wrote in The Stranger: "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger – something better, pushing right back." So often life "hits" us with ...
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| You Are Your Most Valuable Asset |
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Tampa (March, 2012). According to Julio C. Muniz, a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), if you are young and healthy, you might think your chances of becoming disabled are fairly slim. You wouldn't be alone in your belief: 64% of workers believe they have only a 2% or less risk of a disability lasting three months or longer ...
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| How Have You "Branded" Yourself? |
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Tampa (February, 2012). Turn on the television, read the newspaper or magazines, look at billboards and we see companies and services that work hard to present their “brand.” But companies are not the only ones who try to get their brand out so as to be immediately recognized and have particular qualities identified. We, too, live in a digital age and are accustomed to routinely ...
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| Rerun, Retread, or Renewed |
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Tampa (January, 2012). The year of 2011 is now gone as is 2000, 1989, 1956 and all the others. Sometimes, however, there is a year or several years where we have experienced an event, met someone, celebrated a life changing memory and our lives appear changed forever for the positive or the negative. Sometimes we just get stuck. So what happens? We just keep replaying it in our ...
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| Presents or Presence? |
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Tampa, Fla. (December 1, 2011). The coming of a variety of holiday celebrations, both religious and secular, is once again on the horizon and approaching faster and earlier than many people would like to imagine. While the holidays are festive and the highlight of the year for many, for others it may be a time filled with frustration and feeling over-whelmed. There are many ...
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| Holidays Are A'Coming |
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Tampa, Fla. (November 1, 2011). It’s that time of year when one holiday after another is on the schedule. Parties, special food, travel, seeing folks and family members that we ...
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| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder |
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Tampa, Florida (October, 2011). Many of us have experienced or know someone who has been involved in combat or who has experienced some other traumatic event such as a robbery, serious ...
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| We're Halfway Through |
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Tampa, Florida (August, 2011). Hurricane season is at about it’s midpoint since the season ends November 30, 2011. Today it was announced that as the most recent tropical storm was being downgraded to a trough of low pressure, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a busier hurricane season than was announced just three months ago. The initial ...
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| The Tyranny of the "Shoulds" |
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Tampa, Florida (July, 2011). This is the month when we celebrate Independence Day. A date that reminds us of the many sacrifices generations have made for human freedoms. It is a good time to reflect on the concept of freedom. What is it that makes a person free? There are many responses to that question many of which might be defined ...
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| Lose Something |
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Tampa, Florida (June, 2011). So often when we think of the word grief, we associate it with the word death. Certainly when a spouse, family member or friend dies, we go through a grief process. It is important, however, to expand our understanding of what grief really is and to what the word applies. Grief is an emotion that consists of many parts and applies to ...
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| But It's Only Beer! (Part II) |
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Tampa, Florida (May, 2011). This article is Part II on the topic of understanding the impact of alcohol on one’s personal and professional life. The following covers some basic information to consider if one chooses to drink ...
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| But It's Only Beer! (Part I) |
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Tampa, Florida (April, 2011). Talk to any physician, therapist, or addiction specialist and they will tell you they have heard it over and over: “I don’t have a problem because I only drink beer!” Or, “I don’t have a problem because it never interferes with work because I only drink on weekends!” A further look at the patterns, however, or discussion with friends ...
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| Failure is Training for Success |
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Tampa, Florida (March, 2011). Napoleon Hill (1883 – 1970) was an American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success. Hill said "The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail" and provided an analogy that can provide a significant ...
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| Valentine's Day is Coming |
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Tampa, Florida (February, 2011). Poetry, novels, movies, music etc. each send a variety of messages regarding love and relationships. As a result, one often interprets and defines love based on a romantic or idealistic perspective. Do we know what it really takes to have a loving relationship that will last? Don't most people talk about love being the foundation? ...
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| Going in Circles? |
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Tampa, Florida (January, 2011). Have you ever said to yourself "I feel like all I'm doing is going in circles"? Or, have you noticed that you or others keep repeating the same patterns despite New Year's resolutions, "wake up calls" from your health etc. While it may appear that going in circles is a negative process, there is also a significant positive dimension to ...
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| Holidays and Your State of Mind |
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Tampa, Florida (December, 2010). What do you think about this time of year? Decorations, gifts, traveling, family and friends…or stress. Have you stopped to think that we are inundated by messages telling us what to do and how to do it? Stores are decorated and have pre-wrapped packages for those last minute spontaneous presents. We find ourselves running to and fro and ...
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| Coping with Apprehension in Uncertain Times |
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Tampa, Florida (November, 2010). With the recent experience of credible threats of attack via explosives on planes carrying cargo, we continue to find ourselves in jittery times. We can overcome our feelings of apprehension and anxiety by recognizing what’s behind them and by renewing our efforts to live normally. The emotions many are experiencing now are different than ...
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| Domestic Violence: A Real and Present Danger |
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Tampa, Florida (October, 2010). October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and given the statistics available, the number of domestic violence occurrences throughout the United States is a real and present danger. It is currently estimated that one in four women (25%) will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Approximately 60% of all domestic violence occurs ...
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| Your Family and the Internet? |
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Tampa, Florida (September, 2010). Do you sometimes feel as though your family members know more about the internet and other digital technology than you do? Do you see only the positive dimensions of digital technology or only the downside of digital availability instead of recognizing that both dimensions are present? Hopefully, this article will help you recognize ...
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| What Does Depression Look Like? |
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Tampa, Florida (August, 2010). Have you or someone you know expressed feeling sad and helpless? If so, it is possible you have a type of depression referred to as clinical depression. Those with clinical depression experience a deep and constant sense of ...
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| Tips for Preventing and Managing Wedding Debt |
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Tampa, Florida (July, 2010). According to Julio C. Muniz., a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and author of this article, the average wedding now costs $22,000, representing more than five months worth of wages for a middle-income family, according to data from the ...
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| Avoiding Bank Overdraft Fees |
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Tampa, Florida (June, 2010). The best way to avoid overdraft and bounced-check fees is to manage your account so you don't overdraw it ...
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| What Stresses You? |
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Tampa, Florida (May, 2010). According to Julio C. Muniz., a Cer-tified Financial Planner (CFP), a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and author of this article, money concerns are a significant contributor to stress. Research suggests that stress ...
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| Before a Hurricane Hits, Make Sure Your Finances Are Safe and Sound |
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Tampa, Florida (April, 2010). According to Julio C. Muniz., a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and author of this article, it is critical to make sure finances are safe and sound before a hurricane hits ...
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| Protecting Your Money and Your Time |
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Tampa, Florida (March, 2010). According to Julio C. Muniz., a Cer¬tified Financial Planner (CFP), a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and author of this article, for the vast majority of people, when it comes to protecting your money and your time, many of us can use a few lessons. If you’ve ever had to deal with persistent telemarketers, unsatisfactory ...
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| Be Wise About Your Money |
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Tampa, Florida (February, 2010). According to Julio C. Muniz., a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and author of this article, for the vast majority of people, when it comes to managing money, many of us can use a few lessons. When you're a busy spouse, partner or parent, spending time in a classroom or seminar to learn about ...
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| How Can I Better Manage My Short-Term Cash? |
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Tampa, Florida (January, 2010). According to Julio C. Muniz., a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and author of this article, for the vast majority of people, it is essential to keep a portion of their assets in liquid form in order to meet monthly commitments. For example, most families have to meet their mortgage or rent ...
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| Financial Tips for 2010 |
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According to Julio C. Muniz., a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and author of this article, many people resolve every year to save more, spend less and pay off debt. That's a worthy resolution, yet it needs to be followed with a solid plan of action...
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| Walking on Eggshells |
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Tampa, Fla. (October, 2009). October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. While physical abuse is easily identified because of the external evidence, verbal abuse is difficult to identify. Why besides the fact that there are no external bruises? Because the victim feels confused, often wonders if they are the one who is "crazy," feels like they are walking on eggshells all the time, and feels diminished in the ...
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| Tread Carefully When Taking Out Student Loans |
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Tampa, Fla. (September, 2009). When you take the original $20,000 I borrowed to fund my Bachelors degree, add the extra $5,000 I took out to help support me during my graduate work, and mix in my husband's student loan obligations, you arrive at a whopping $50,000 and that was 10 years ago. Even now, this figure is above the national average for student loan debt, which is estimated at approximately $21,000 per ...
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| Ready for a Hurricane? Part II |
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Tampa, Fla. (July, 2009). Learn the terms associated with a hurricane. A hurricane watch means a hurricane is possible in your area. Be prepared to evacuate. Monitor local radio and television news outlets or listen to NOAA Weather Radio for the latest developments. A hurricane warning is when a hurricane is expected in your area. If local authorities ...
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| Ready for a Hurricane? Part I |
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Tampa, Fla. (July, 2009). Hurricanes are severe tropical storms that form in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Scientists can now predict hurricanes, but people who live in coastal communities should plan what they will do if they are told to evacuate ...
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| Does Your Anger Control You? |
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Tampa, Fla. (May, 2009). We have all, at some time, experienced anger whether what we felt was a sense of annoyance or a flash of rage. It is important to recognize the difference between the normal healthy emotion of anger expressed in an appropriate manner and anger that is destructive both to the individual and to others. Anger can be triggered by a wide range ...
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| Save Your Home |
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Tampa, Fla. (January 1, 2009). With more Americans then ever being faced with foreclosure, banks are undoubtedly feeling pressured to be more aggressive in aiding home owners, given how many billions of taxpayer dollars have poured into the industry to stem the credit crisis. One large mortgage holder says it will expand its foreclosure prevention efforts and try ...
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| Women More Likely to Feel Stress Over Finances |
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Tampa, Fla. (February 1, 2009). The stock markets are tumbling, the U.S may be in recession, and if you have a 401K don’t even look at that. Surveys and studies have shown that women expressed more fear about economic situations and their finances then men and reported more physical and psychological effects because of related stress. Maybe this is due to women ...
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