Self Improvement

Why Should I Do My MBA Online?

January 10, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

I’ve always believed that no dream is too big to realize. We all have it in us to get to where we want to be; as long as we’re willing to do the work, we’ll get there eventually. This simple belief applies to every part of life. If your current goal is to get a promotion, move forward in your career and shape a better future, then getting a master’s degree is a step worth investing in.

A Master of Business Administration or MBA is a good degree to have. It is known for its value in today’s market. Even better, you can now pursue an MBA degree online while maintaining a full-time job and working on other parts of your life. The big question a lot of people are asking themselves is: why should I do my MBA online?

More Flexibility = Better Balance

One of the key advantages of choosing to pursue an MBA – or any other degree you want to get – is the flexibility of online study. Online courses from top universities such as the University of Maryland are much more flexible than their offline counterparts. You don’t have to attend classes at certain times or even relocate closer to the university you’re enrolling into. You can simply access the online learning platform, study at any time and complete the entire course at your own pace.

That said, discipline is still needed in order to complete the course successfully. Taking an online degree means setting aside a certain amount of time for studying every day and sticking with the schedules you’ve set yourself. This is actually a good thing; you’re introducing a more balanced routine into your life.

An Instant Boost

We all want to achieve our goals as quickly as possible; today’s best online MBA options allow you to do just that. You will notice that a lot of companies are seeking professionals with the right skills to fill key positions as they expand and grow with the market. The company you’re working for right now may already have mid- to top-level management positions to fill.

As soon as you start with your online MBA degree, notify HR and update your CV. Don’t forget your LinkedIn profile, too. These simple steps will open a lot of doors. Prepare to be surprised, because you may land that promotion you’ve been after even before you complete the program.

A Chance for Change

There is one last reason why taking an online MBA is a good idea: it is a great chance to make changes. If you’re not happy with the workload or the career path you have right now, make that jump and shift to a better career. Want to be better at running your business? An online MBA can help you acquire the knowledge to do so.

It is an opportunity that is too good to miss. To make it even better, there are still so many other reasons why an online MBA makes sense. All you have to do now is find a suitable program and get that much closer to realizing another one of your dreams.

Author: Maggie Hammond is a retired nurse and freelance writer, exploring and writing in the U.S. in retirement. An advocate for public health and nursing qualifications, she feels passionate about raising awareness of the current strain on public health organisations.

Are You Consistently Inconsistent?

August 16, 2016 by Joi Leave a Comment

Ever have a moment of clarity about yourself that hit you right between the eyes? I’ve come to both expect and appreciate these moments because they usually (though not always) lead to a level of much-needed improvement in my life.

A recent conversation I carried on with myself went something like this…

I: I thought you were going to stop eating chips.

Myself: But they’re so good! They’re so crunchy! They’re so salty! Yummy!

I: They’re horrible when it comes to sodium, cholesterol, and overall health.

Myself: Crunchy! Salty! Yummy!

I: Why do you eat something you know is unhealthy?

Myself: Because YOU keep buying them!

I: I’m not buying them anymore!

If I will finally stop buying the addictive… yes, Yummy… little buggers, the problem will be solved.

Problem is, I’ve had this conversation with myself, before, and I’ve rolled my cart right back to the potato chip aisle defiantly.

Seriously, I could just punch Myself.

Yesterday, I meandered into the kitchen for a snack. As I’ve mentioned on the self help blog before, I am the proud owner of a hiatal hernia, which necessitates eating small amounts frequently as opposed to large meals a few times a day. As you’d imagine, this can trip a body up when they’re looking for something quick and convenient.

Guess what’s conveniently bagged and downright fun to grab a handful of anytime you want them?

Sure enough, when I walked into the kitchen, I grabbed a bag and dove in, without even fully registering what I was doing. When I finished off a big old handful of them, I went to wipe off my hands. Greasy and salty. It was at this point I had a heart to heart with myself.

How can anyone who considers themselves to be relatively intelligent and reasonable keep falling into the same trap… especially a trap they set?!? I think, after my self-convo yesterday, I have a little insight into the dilemma. When we try to out-smart ourselves by setting our own traps we fail for one clear reason – we know there will be no REAL consequence because if we’re anything with ourselves, it’s lenient. When I say, “I won’t buy them anymore” – I don’t stick with the program because, what am I going to do? Ground myself from watching History Channel for a month?

Never!

Here’s where it gets trickier – the more often we repeat the cycle, the easier it is to do so. Seriously, it’s the easiest thing in the world to wheel into the chip aisle and throw a couple of bags into the cart. I don’t even have to think about it and I’m certain I could find the aisle in the dark. Furthermore, I believe I have the skill set to distinguish Doritos from Lay’s and Lay’s from Cheetos simply by feeling the bags in the dark.

We have to finally get to the point where we are so PUT OUT with ourselves that we say “enough is enough” and vow to make a change that will stick.

For me and my personal “Consistently Inconsistent” roller-coaster, it will mean…

Being strong when I see chips sitting on the shelves.
Not give in when my weakness says, “Come on, just one bag..”
Find a snacking alternative (more on that in a minute).
Not back down, no matter what – not even once. It’ll be uncomfortable when I wheel by the aisle. I’ll feel an inner conflict, to be sure, but each time I do it, it’ll become easier and easier. When we win these small battles in life, they make us stronger and, as a result, help us with future battles.

When I’ve had battles with other “Consistently Inconsistents” in the past, I’ve found that I must, must, must provide an alternative for myself. I’m wired in such a way that going cold-turkey on anything is impossible unless I have a alternative. For example, I once decided to give up diet soft drinks. I didn’t just drink them to wash down food or stay hydrated – I enjoyed drinking them, quite frankly. I had to ask myself, “What is it you enjoy about these drinks so much? What do they provide?”

When I realized that they were convenient, fun, and tasted darn good, I had a road-map of what my alternative had to measure up to.

I knew what it needed to be and I knew what it needed NOT to be (unhealthy). My solution was coconut water and iced tea.

Whatever you’re up against, ask yourself similar questions…

What do you get from this?
What need does it address?

Then, you’ll want to ask yourself WHY you want to give it up…

What’s bad about this?
What is this doing or causing that isn’t best for me?

Now? Find an alternative! I think the best way to go about breaking a bad habit is establish a new… better.. habit in its place.

Come up with a list of alternatives – whether they’re foods, drinks, hobbies, activities, tv shows, etc. Write a list of ideas and try them out. When it came to switching drinks, I first tried bottled water.

Didn’t last two days.

Then I tried flavored water.

Made it three whole days.

Then I hit upon coconut water and the deal was sealed.

I’ve decided to keep celery and carrots on hand to help steer me from potato chips – they’ll be healthier in every conceivable way. At least they’ll score crunchy and tasty points… maybe I’ll be able to trick Myself into imagining that they’re salty.

If you want to defeat something – stay on its case. Don’t let up and never let it see you sweat.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

The One Superpower We All Have… The Power to Choose

July 26, 2016 by Joi Leave a Comment

Who is your favorite superhero? Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Thor, the Black Widow, Spiderman, Superman, Iron Man, Hawkgirl? With all due respect to all caped heroes and heroines, my top three are Hawkgirl, Iron Man, and Batman. Though, after seeing the new trailer for Wonder Woman, I have a feeling my “top 3” is about to become a “top 4.”

That lasso, man.

We all love superheroes because they have this incredible amount of nobility and endless power they use for the good of mankind.

While we mere mortals may have varying degrees of nobility, we do have something in common with superheroes – we have our own superpower and can most certainly use it for good. This superpower is the power to choose.

I don’t know about you, but I often abuse my power. I am often confronted with two choices and exercise my superpower poorly by making the wrong choice.

We all struggle with the power to choose simply because we are, in fact, mere mortals.

Situation 1: We’re confronted by someone who is clearly in a bad mood. We have enough sense to SEE that but do we have enough sense to get out of the way? Not always. In fact, very often we charge right in, making a bad situation worse by responding to their harsh words with even harsher words. We take our power to choose and blow it to bits. In doing so, we take a bad situation and elevate it to a terrible situation – benefiting absolutely no one.

Situation 2: We can choose to take a walk or do a little yard-work – getting sunshine, fresh air, and exercise at one whack… or we can choose to stay inside and play a game online. How often do we make the wrong choice with this one? And let’s not even get into food choices!

Situation 3: We witness negativity and ugliness on social media. We can choose to rise above it and try to set an example for the immature mortals around us… OR we can get right down on their level and go toe to toe with them. When we make this poor choice, don’t we just increase the number of jackasses?

The examples go on and on, but you get the idea. We have endless opportunities daily to exercise our superpower. The opportunities are so great that I’d never want to even attempt to count them. Our day is filled with moments and our moments are ripe with opportunities.

How do we make better choices?

The first step to making better choices is simply to acknowledge you are, in fact, making a choice. Take the first and last situations above, for example. If we were to train ourselves to be more mindful, we could train ourselves to pause before reacting to others. In that moment of pausing, we could then ask ourselves, “Is this the person I want to be? Do I want to mirror their behavior or aim higher than that?”
The second step is to breath in, breath out and choose well. Ask yourself, which choice is “worthy of me?” and which choice will “be best for me and others involved?” When it comes to most choices, the decision has to be made within seconds. You don’t always have time to sit down and write out a “Pros and Cons” outline (though I gotta admit, I love those). You have to recognize that you have a choice, then you have to make the one that is worthy of you, best for you, and best for everyone involved. Not the choice that feels good in the moment – but the one that’ll feel good after the moment has passed – because the rest of your life is a heck of a lot longer than that one moment.

If we were to acknowledge the power given to us each time we have a choice, perhaps we’d make smarter choices. Smarter choices = better life.

Wonder Woman would approve.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Make Choices that are Worthy of Who You Are

Top Ten Things You Should Stop Doing

February 13, 2015 by Joi 1 Comment

We are a generation of to do lists, multi-tasking, smart phones, and appointment calendars. We’re convince that the MORE we DO, the happier we’ll be. We think, “If we want happiness, we have to do do do and get get get…”

We proudly wave our “git ‘er done” mentality and vow to do just that. And, of course we want our lunch to go – after all there are places to go, people to see, and plenty of ‘er to get done.

I won’t even lecture (well, not today anyway) about what this does to our health, psyche, and relationships. You get a free pass, I’ll go all mother hen on you about your well-being another day.

What we fail to realize, however, amongst all of our busyness, is that we can have an admirable “To Do” list, but if we keep doing certain negative, destructive things – we’re just shooting ourselves in our ever moving feet.

Think of these 10 self-destructive thoughts or actions as your To Don’t list.

Don’t put things off. If you’ve been wanting to build a tree house… go buy your lumber today! If you’ve always wanted an herb garden Martha Stewart would be impressed with, start planning it right now. If the thought of something makes you smile, imagine how much you’ll smile when it’s out of your brain and in your reality.
Don’t let others determine how you feel about yourself. Never look to other people to see your own reflection – you’ll never get the same one twice. Taking a good, hard look at yourself is the first step in the self improvement journey. But YOU are the one that has to take inventory. Don’t let others build you up too high, but certainly don’t allow them to tear you down. When someone else determines your highs and lows, don’t they pretty much have control over you?
Don’t allow toxic thoughts to rent space in your mind. Here’s the dangerous thing about thoughts – they don’t remain thoughts. They become actions, they become attitudes, and they become words. Actions and words CANNOT be undone. They can be apologized for, agonized for, and can serve as huge weights on your conscience – but they can never be erased. If you entertain negative thoughts about an individual and keep feeding these thoughts with MORE negativity and hatred, it will come out – make no mistake about it. Think of negative thoughts as toxic waste. NOW, how long do you want them sticking around?
Never “bad mouth” your loved ones to others. I once read a woman’s quote that said something to the effect of how thankful she was that her name was always safe in her sweetheart’s mouth. I thought that was beautiful. She knew that if he ever spoke of her to his friends and/or family, it would be with kindness and love. When we speak of our loved ones, should they not be able to say the EXACT same thing? Are your loved one’s names safe in your mouth? Don’t run people down – especially those you love. Build them up… brag on them! People will make judgments about your loved ones by your own words – they’ll also judge just how much you love and pride you have for them from these same words.
Don’t make excuses. If you mess up, and come on, who doesn’t – own up to it. Don’t try to laugh it off if it isn’t funny, don’t try to re-size it (up-size or downsize), and most of all, don’t try to put the blame on someone else. Finger pointing is a big pet peeve of mine. Don’t. Do. It. It’s ugly.
Don’t underestimate karma. Seriously, never ever fail to give karma her due – you’ll be sorry. I’ve been telling my daughters about her (and her keen memory and even keener sense of justice) as long as I’ve been telling them to say please and thank you. Karma can be a rewarding, kind, beautiful seeker of justice, but she can also seem like a cruel, vindictive something or another. Either way, she has an impossibly long memory. You can’t outrun her, you can’t hide from her. The only thing you can hope to do is to stay on her good side. You know the old adage that says the mother is the “heart” of the home, and that if she’s happy, everyone’s happy – but if she’s miserable, everyone’s miserable? Meet Karma… the heart of life’s home. When you make a point of doing the right thing (whether anyone’s watching or not), Karma keeps score and your world will be more harmonious. But when you dodge what’s right in favor of what’s wrong, you’re instantly on her ‘ish list. And make no mistake about it, she’ll get to you.
Stop doing what you hate. If you’re working in a job that makes you miserable, find another one. Life’s too short to spend it being miserable.
Stop thinking so much about money. That’s another thing that sort of defines our generation. We never seem to think we have enough money. Think about it this way – if we had more, we’d just spend more. When my husband and I were first married, we didn’t have a heckuva lot of money. When our beautiful daughters started arriving, we had even less. More love, more happiness, more laughter – but most definitely less money. Today, we’ve been blessed to have enough money, but guess what? We still spend it. We simply pay a little more for what we wear, where we live, what we eat, and what we drive. We were as warm, as comfortable, as full, and as mobile then as we are now. I’ll let you in on a little secret too, we were just as happy then as we are now. We’re the same people now as we were then. We laugh out loud at Andy Griffith reruns, get far too wrapped up in UK Basketball and St. Louis Cardinals baseball, spoil our daughters and cats, and so on. Money buys stuff but it doesn’t buy happiness, it doesn’t buy relationships, and it doesn’t buy memories. If you’re sacrificing any of the three in its pursuit, you’ll be more than sorry in the end – you’ll be devastated.
Don’t nitpick other people! Sorry for the exclamation mark – I just felt compelled to yell this one out loud. How this guy wears his hair, how that woman dresses, what this person eats, how that person talks – none of your concern. Not your problem. In the new testament, at the point where Jesus has risen and is addressing his apostles, one of them sees fit to ask Him about another apostle. Jesus’ response was, “What is that to you?” A very loving and long-suffering way of saying, “Now remind me how that’s any of your business sir….” We get SO off track by looking at what others are or are not doing. They are responsible for their own lives – how they dress, where they work, how they live… Unless it is directly… directly, now… affecting you or one of your loved ones, let it go. Why bother finding MORE things to worry about or be unsettled by? Wouldn’t life be better if one looked for things to be happy about? Also, keep this in mind – if you overly criticize people, they will eventually stop trying to please you. They’ll figure, “I can’t do anything right with this so and so… so…. I quit even trying.” If you kill someone’s creativity and confidence, how does that benefit you OR them?
Finally, stop doing what isn’t working. If you’ve been working toward a particular goal and don’t seem to be gaining on it whatsoever, it’s time for Plan B because Plan A is belly up. You can either keep wasting time and hope it suddenly flips over and miraculously starts working, or you can abandon what doesn’t work and find something that does.

BONUS: This one is my absolute favorite one… so I set her aside from the rest. A chosen, favored one to be sure. Once years ago, I read a quote that – if there were such a thing – would be my ‘Spirit Animal Quote.’ It said, “All I’m after is a world filled with laughter.” I’m all about laughter and had MUCH rather be accused of finding too many things funny than of finding too few things funny.

Yes, I’m one of those who laugh out loud at commercials with talking animals, and can be found doubled over with tears in her eyes while watching funny cat videos online.

I love to laugh and the sound of other people laughing is music to my ears. Never fail to look for the humor in situations.

Here’s an example that happened to my family recently. I was sitting beside my daughter Brittany in a “surgery waiting room.” She was waiting to be taken back for kidney stone surgery. She was in quite a bit of pain and was almost as worried and anxious as me. Almost. There, surrounded by about 10 other people who were awaiting surgeries, we found ourselves in a totally somber setting.

Then she pointed out something to me and we both had to laugh – a “biker” came strolling through, slowly, and took a seat. On the back of his leather jacket were the words GRIM REAPER. Brittany said, “Oh, great. What’s he doing here?” I told her, “I thought he’d be taller.”

I don’t know, there was just something about the moment that made us laugh. She even reached for her camera phone to take a picture but the Grim Reaper sat down and his chair hid his identity.

We both decided that, yet again, we had proof of one thing – God has a terrific sense of humor.

Just because we aren’t kids anymore doesn’t mean we have to stop looking for the fun in life. It’s there. You’ll find it if you look. Try to find the humor in as many situations as possible.

Laughing beats grumbling any day.

Sometimes we have to STOP doing things in order to START doing things. The negatives just weigh the positives down, so ditch them on the now.

Now, I’m off to plan my epic herb garden,
~ Joi

Review: 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do

December 17, 2014 by Joi 3 Comments

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do Review

I love it when I’m sent a book to review and I, literally, have trouble putting it down. 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do by Amy Morin is the latest book to fit this description.

I’ll tell you what reading it reminded me of: Sitting in a Baptist Church in the South on a Sunday morning as the Man of God in front of the congregation was on FIRE! He paces and preaches and preaches and paces – the whole time leaving you thinking things like, “That’s right!,” “That’s SO GOOD!,” and “AMEN!”

I’ve had the supreme privilege and honor of sitting in many Sunday morning services just like that. They’re downright tingly to your body, mind, and spirit because they serve as wonderful wake up calls.

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do is a wake up call in its own right. I can’t say that it stirs the Spirit necessarily, but that’s not what it’s setting out to do. THIS particular wake-up call stirs your mind and even your heart.

And does so with aplomb.

Expanding on her viral post that has become an international phenomenon, a psychotherapist offers simple yet effective solutions for increasing mental strength and finding happiness and success in life.

As a licensed clinical social worker, college psychology instructor, and psychotherapist, Amy Morin has seen countless people choose to succeed despite facing enormous challenges. That resilience inspired her to write 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, a web post that instantly went viral, and was picked up by the Forbes website.

Morin’s post focused on the concept of mental strength, how mentally strong people avoid negative behaviors—feeling sorry for themselves, resenting other people’s success, and dwelling on the past. Instead, they focus on the positive to help them overcome challenges and become their best.

In this inspirational, affirmative book, Morin expands upon her original message, providing practical strategies to help readers avoid the thirteen common habits that can hold them back from success. Combining compelling anecdotal stories with the latest psychological research, she offers strategies for avoiding destructive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors common to everyone.

Like physical strength, mental strength requires healthy habits, exercise, and hard work. Morin teaches you how to embrace a happier outlook and arms you to emotionally deal with life’s inevitable hardships, setbacks, and heartbreaks—sharing for the first time her own poignant story of tragedy, and how she summoned the mental strength to move on. As she makes clear, mental strength isn’t about acting tough; it’s about feeling empowered to overcome life’s challenges.

Each chapter goes into great (eye-opening) detail about the pitfalls of the 13 things successful people do not do. As you read through the book, you will (given the fact that you look human to me) recognize yourself in a few scenarios.

This is a good thing! WHEN you realize bad habits or choices, THEN you’re able to give yourself a good old-fashioned kick in the seat of the pants and vow never to go down that dead end road again.

That’s why I call these moments wake up calls. They sound off alarms that help you shake out of a deep sleep and get moving in the right direction.

Amy Morin has put together an absolutely wonderful book that reads fast but leaves a lasting impression. Since I read it (a few weeks ago), I’ve often thought of her words.

Chapter 4: They Don’t Focus on Things They Can’t Control

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” – Maya Angelou

One of my favorite chapters in the book addresses the fact that Successful People Don’t Focus on Things They Can’t Control. Not only would it be a colossal waste of time and energy to focus on things you cannot control – it sucks time and energy AWAY that could actually be productive.

“It feels so safe to have everything under control, but thinking we have the power to always pull the strings can become problematic.” (Page 74)

The chapter includes examples and “symptoms” of this type of thinking.

“We can’t possibly make all of our circumstances and all the people in our lives fit into the way we think things should be. When you learn to let go of the details you can’t control, the amount of time and energy you’ll be able to devote to the things you can control will give you the ability to accomplish incredible feats.” (Page 75)

How great is that?!

This one chapter, alone, should be required reading for everyone in the world. If you cannot control it… let it go. Not only will everyone else around you be happier, you’ll be freer.

As I read through this chapter, I thought of a few modern-day illustrations of this bad habit.

Women who call or text their boyfriends/husbands again and again and again while he is on the golf course, fishing, watching a game, etc. If the truth came out…. they don’t want them THERE! They want them where they want them and yet, somehow, lost control of the situation. He wandered away! What’s a gal to do? She can retain a little bit of control by keeping tabs on him. Personally, I think a trip to Target would be a lot funner, but that’s just me.
This one’s timely – how about holiday get-togethers? Tension often runs high because every family has that one person who acts as though no one EVER does enough for them. They’re sour and resentful because they’re unable to control what everyone else says and does.
Anyone with co-workers knows how maddening control freaks can be. They aren’t the least bit interested in being a team player because they want to be the puppet master. They want to tell everyone else what “their job” is while refusing to let any “job descriptions” stick to them!

The list goes on, of course. This is one of the most powerful chapters in the book -but each chapter is profoundly powerful.

I know that 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do is a book you’ll love. Even more importantly, I know it’s a book you’ll get A LOT out of. One of the first things I thought after I finished the book was, “The phrase game changer is woefully overused… heck, I overuse it on a gruesome level… THIS book truly is a game changer and could help SO MANY PEOPLE!”

I thought it then and I think it now. You need this book. Period.

On December 23, you’ll be able to buy 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do on Amazon. Click through and pre-order it now!

~ Joi

From the Inside Cover

The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Your Mental Strength

Everyone knows that regular exercise and weight training lead to physical strength. But how do we strengthen ourselves mentally for the truly tough times? And what should we do when we face these challenges? Or as psychotherapist Amy Morin asks, what should we avoid when we encounter adversity? Through her years counseling others and her own experiences navigating personal loss, Morin realized it is often the habits we cannot break that are holding us back from true success and happiness. Indulging in self-pity, agonizing over things beyond our control, obsessing over past events, resenting the achievements of others, or expecting immediate positive results holds us back. This list of things mentally strong people don’t do resonated so much with readers that when it was picked up by Forbes.com it received ten million views.

Now, for the first time, Morin expands upon the thirteen things from her viral post and shares her tried-and-true practices for increasing mental strength. Morin writes with searing honesty, incorporating anecdotes from her work as a college psychology instructor and psychotherapist as well as personal stories about how she bolstered her own mental strength when tragedy threatened to consume her.

Increasing your mental strength can change your entire attitude. It takes practice and hard work, but with Morin’s specific tips, exercises, and troubleshooting advice, it is possible to not only fortify your mental muscle but also drastically improve the quality of your life.

About the Author

Amy Morin is a licensed clinical social worker, college psychology instructor, and psychotherapist. She is the only person in the psychology industry who is talking about mental strength on a global level. She lives in Enfield, Maine.

Why Should I Do My MBA Online?

More Flexibility = Better Balance

An Instant Boost

A Chance for Change

Are You Consistently Inconsistent?