Financial Tips For Stay-At-Home Moms

By Melissa Chapman, SheKnows editor

If you're a stay-at-home mom, anxious about your financial future and fearful that your spouse's once hefty paycheck may at some point significantly decrease, check out these sound financial tips to help you keep your family's finances on track in spite of the rocky economy.

As the American economy continues to nosedive on a daily basis and unemployment numbers increasingly rise, many stay-at-home moms are succumbing to the pressure to reign in their family's spending habits and get the biggest bang for their buck.

1. PLAN FOR A PINK SLIP - EVEN IF YOU'RE SURE YOUR SPOUSE WON'T GET ONE

According to Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, a personal finance expert and the author of Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom, while your family may currently be able to get by on just your spouse's income, you must think about how you would fare if he lost his job. Avoid potential money battles by establishing a budget together, eliminating debt, and building up an emergency cash cushion. You'll never regret being prepared for a "worst case" scenario.

2. OPEN AT LEAST ONE CREDIT CARD IN YOUR OWN NAME

Ms. Khalfani-Cox notes that many stay-at-home moms make the mistake of allowing all the family's credit to be held solely in their husband's name. It's best for their personal credit rating, in the event of divorce and/or a spouse's death to have one credit card in their own name.

3. GET A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY ON YOURSELF

Stay-at-home moms need life insurance because if something should happen to them the cost of replacing all the services they provide for their kids would be enormous. Ms. Khalfani-Cox says according to Salary.com, if the typical American stay-at-home mom got paid she'd earn more than $116,000 a year for her work! This means that if she were to die, a life insurance policy would help pay for services, like child care so that their kids aren't short-changed.

4. HAVE FUN FOR FREE

Stay-at-home moms can research ways to have fun without spending too much money, says Leslie Truex author of The Work-At-Home Success Bible. These include taking their kids to parks, museums and libraries, which in addition to books, offer videos and electronic games too.

5. BUY USED AND BARTER

It's easier than ever to buy and barter quality used items through resources like Freecycle and Craigslist. Leslie Truex author of The Work-At-Home Success Bible reports that local consignment shops are also a great resource for stay-at-home moms where they can shop for gently used items. This will not only help save money, but it will also put money back into their local community.

6. DEVELOP A PART-TIME INCOME FROM HOME

According to Cristin Frank Frankhaus, LLC, co-owner of CarryCargot.com, stay-at-home moms can use their talents and skills to find freelance work or start a home business. If they're crafty they can check out Etsy, an online marketplace for selling and buying all things handmade. If they've got trade skills such as copy writing, proofreading, research and design, they can contact local businesses and schools to see if they need help.

7. CASH-ONLY GROCERY SHOPPING

Always take a list and cash allotment for a shopping trip advises Kelley Scarsbrook AKA, The Stay at Home Mother. Cash allows stay-at-home moms to monitor their spending a lot closer as it isn't something abstract (like a debit card or credit card) and helps them become a lot more aware of what is passing through their fingers. Whenever possible buy in bulk, and use coupons.

Source: SheKnows

10 New Ways to Live Rich on Less

How to sneak money back into your wallet this month.

By Rosa Heyman, RedbookMag editor

1. Get value from gift cards

"If you find partially used or completely unused gift cards sitting in your wallet or desk drawer, it's time to sell them and get cash back for it instead of letting the balance expire," says consumer savings guru Andrea Woroch.

2. Clip coupons the high-tech way

The Coupon Sherpa Mobile Coupon App (free) uses GPS to give you digital coupons based on your location.

"Just present the coupon on your phone to the cashier at check-out and you will receive instant savings," explains Woroch. "The app also offers grocery coupons that load directly from your phone to your loyalty card so you never have to waste time clipping or searching for coupons."

3. Comparison shop

You want to get the best price, but who has time to run from store to store weighing the options? The RedLaser mobile app does all that hard work for you.

"The barcode scanning app provides instant price comparisons on your smartphone so you know where to find the same goods for less," Woroch says.

The Amazon Price Check app works similarly with a barcode-scanning feature to compare prices on Amazon, enabling you to make purchases directly from the app.

4. No-waste deals

Attention those with an arsenal of unused Groupon and Living Social deals: Scoutmob, a mobile app and daily e-mail, is great because you don't have to purchase ahead of time.

"Buy the deal on your phone when and if you decide to go with the offer and present it for instant savings at checkout," explains Woroch.

5. Track your savings

With the free Savings Goal Tracker, you can chart your savings progress. Even better: "The spreadsheet helps you choose exactly how you want each deposit allocated," says Woroch.

6. Set short-term and long-term goals

Whether it's a new house or a new handbag you're after, big ticket purchases require careful planning.

"To save effectively, you need to create a budget, keep track of your expenses, have a target savings goal and work toward it,” Woroch explains.

LearnVest's My Money Center, built specifically for women, helps set budgets so that you can work towards short-term and long-term goals and keep spending in check.

7. Make it easy for yourself

Use mint.com, another online savings and money-management tool, which links all of your credit card and bank information into one place. Download the mint.com app to stay on top of your finances on-the-go.

8. The beauty of cash-back

Save yourself a trip to the bank — or worse, a $3 to $4 ATM withdrawal charge — by opting to get cash back the next time you're at the grocery or drugstore. It'll almost feel like you're being paid to shop!

9. Skip the bookstore

Instead of spending a bundle on brand new hardcovers, visit the library. If you've switched over to reading on an easier-to-tote around e-reader, Kindle books can be loaned to others for 14 days, and the borrower doesn't need to own a Kindle. Just download the free reading applications for PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry and Android devices.

10. Get organized

Always forgetting which online coupons you purchased? Manilla, another great free online money management tool, not only stores your banking info, but lets you keep track of purchases from deal sites like LivingSocial and Groupon. Check accounts from anywhere by downloading the free app.

Source: RedBookMag

How to Handle a Work Setback

We cringed when U.S. Olympic gymnast Jordyn Wieber burst into tears after her teammate edged her out of the all-around competition. Sure, career setbacks happen, but they're never easy to deal with. Whether you were passed over for a promotion or didn't get a big project, experts say this is best way to deal.

By Korin Miller, Cosmopolitan editor

Take a Moment to Process It

If you're stuck at work for a while, head to the bathroom and take a moment to be upset (although if you feel like you're going to cry, hit up a bathroom on another floor so your coworkers don't catch you). Remind yourself that it's just a setback, and in a month, it'll be easier to deal with.

Dole Out Congrats

Yeah, it's hard to be amped for someone else when you feel like you got sucker-punched, but people will be looking to see how you react to the news. So if a coworker got a promotion that you felt like you deserved, swing by her desk to say congrats. Feel like you can't be sincere face-to-face? Write her an email. Just keep it short and sweet like, "I just heard the news. Congrats on the new job!"

Take Notes

There's probably a reason why your coworker got the promotion—is she always "on" in meetings? Does she get really good feedback from clients? Or does she have a little more education? Whatever it is, take notes. Maybe there's something you can improve on that will help you score the gig the next time around.

Don't Let It Get You Down

Remind yourself that just because things didn't work out this time doesn't mean they won't next time. And chances are, it's not going to significantly affect your life.

Vent to Your Friends

It always helps to talk it out, so call up your girls and have them over for drinks. They can probably offer insight on the situation and advice—not to mention a sympathetic ear.

Meet With Your Boss

Wait until a few weeks after your coworker got the promotion, and then ask your boss for a meeting. Don't mention your coworker's promotion (you don't want to make it seem like you're whining), but reiterate how much you love your job and say that you'd love to eventually move up within the company. Then ask if there's anything you can improve on. Take the feedback she gives you and use it.

Make New Goals

Whether it's a work goal or something personal, like training for a half marathon, focusing on a new project will help you move forward—and get you amped for the next best thing.

Source: Cosmopolitan

How to Explain Why You Were Laid Off

By SavvySugar editors

You're probably sick of talking about why you were laid-off and how your job search is going, and unfortunately those questions will keep coming until you've found a new job.

Potential employers will certainly want to know the reasons behind your unemployment, meaning you'll have to discuss what happened during a situation in which you're already vulnerable. Learn how to handle the sensitive interview question so that you're not left stuttering through an answer.

Bring It Up Early

It's a safe bet that a potential employer will probably ask why you left your last job at some point in the interview. Divulge the facts when you're prompted, but don't be afraid to mention it earlier. "Tell me about yourself" is one of the most common conversation topics in an interview, so while giving your answer also mention your reason for not having a job — even if it's because you were laid-off.

Take the Pressure Off

Receiving a pink slip is never good news, but if you were let go because your company was dealing with tough financial times that caused a group layoff, explaining yourself to a potential employer is pretty simple. Quell your interviewer's doubts by stating your company let go "x" percent of the workforce. If the percentage isn't substantial but money led to your departure, just say your department was restructuring and your job was eliminated.

Chat About Something Positive

So you were laid-off, but your story doesn't have to stop there. Fill your interviewer in on the ways you made the most out of your unemployment. Talk about any volunteer participation and even bring up particular books you enjoyed reading.

Keep the Details to Yourself

Be honest about why you were laid-off, but don't feel like you need to divulge the details about your previous employer's financial state. Be succinct in explaining the circumstances surrounding your layoff — the focus should stay on you without much emphasis on the company where you used to work.

Don't Feel Pushed

Some people just love dirt. If you're met with one of these individuals who happen to be interviewing you, don't feel like you need to feed their desire for gossip. When an interviewer with this quality asks you for more information about your old company and it seems inappropriate, take a simple plan of action: summarize what you've already said and mention you've moved on and think it's for the best. Your interviewer will be forced to move on to the next question, which better be about you!

Source: SavvySugar

Could Staying Off Facebook Hurt You?

By Libby Kane, LearnVest editor

Raise your hand if you’ve heard that an improper Facebook post could hurt your chances with a potential employer. (Well, okay, you don’t actually have to raise your hand.)

But have you heard that not having a Facebook could be just as harmful?

The Daily Mail reports that people without Facebook accounts may be regarded by employers, and even psychologists, as “suspicious.” The Mail writes about “the suspicion that not being on Facebook, which has become so normal among young adults, is a sign that you’re abnormal and dysfunctional, or even dangerous.”

And therefore unhireable.

But, after all, career experts have been cautioning us to lock our profiles up tight for a long time now, so employers don’t find anything they don’t like. But have things changed? Can not having a Facebook profile hinder our job prospects?

What Do Employers Really Think?

It seems as though a “shocking” new statistic about what Facebook means to employers is released monthly. In 2008, CareerBuilder.com found that 20% of employers admitted to checking the social network profiles of potential hires. In 2010, the number increased 53%. In 2012, it’s 37%. So, even though it appears to be less common than it was two years ago, employers are looking us up online.

But what are they hoping to see? And what happens if they don’t see anything–if virtually, you don’t exist?

According to David Eichle, who makes hiring decisions at David and Sam PR (he’s the Creative Director and Co-Founder), the Daily Mail’s claim isn’t so far off-base. “If I’m researching a potential employee younger than 50, I’d be disturbed by lack of a Facebook profile,” he says. “Anyone who isn’t savvy enough to know that they should maintain a basic presence online might not be savvy enough to know other things.”

But on the other side of things, Paul Thompson, owner of surveillance company Reel Time Imaging, thinks an applicant without a Facebook profile is “wonderful.” He explains, “When I see your résumé, or meet you, I believe everything that’s there. It’s up to you to slip up or lower my expectations.” Not having a profile or maintaining a basic one lessens your chances of such a slip-up. “We can teach you skills,” he adds, “but we can’t teach you character.”

Other hiring managers we consulted agree. “If [the candidates] don’t have Facebook accounts, I’m thrilled,” confides Bruce Hurwitz, President and CEO of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing. “My gut tells me that they are serious individuals.”

And then there’s the in-between: “In our industry, clients come to us for digital expertise,” explains Scott Bishop, VP of Strategy at digital ad sales company Phenomblue. “So if you don’t have the basics (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) it raises a question.” He explains the candidates he usually hires have even more of an online presence. “We look for indications of initiative or passion, like if you have a Tumblr as a writer or you’re on Pinterest because you’re interested in design–we look for that.”

HR Business Partner Caleb Leiker of career site The Ladders supports that thinking: “If a candidate isn’t using Facebook as a professional networking tool, it’s best left hidden or secured by privacy settings anyway. As a recruiter, I should only be able to find a candidate’s professional-facing profiles online.”

The Bottom Line?

Let’s keep things in perspective: The mere existence of a Facebook profile won’t make or break your job search. And the experts disagree on whether having a Facebook profile helps or hurts your odds of getting the job. And, obviously, if you’re applying to work in social media, the standards for you will be a little different.

If you want to make sure you get it right by as many people as possible, your safest bet seems to be maintaining a basic profile, with your name, hometown and an appropriate profile photo … sans constant updates or compromising photos. Remember, even if your settings are “friends only,” you never know who those friends might be.

At the very least, before putting yourself out there or applying for a job, run your profile through a site like socioclean.com, which basically scans your profile for anything that could be objectionable.

If you’d like to go the extra step to be conservative with your Facebook presence, without deleting your profile entirely, you might want to disable your wall. After all, while everything you publish has been carefully vetted, the funny video a well-meaning friend pops onto your wall–er, timeline–can be inappropriate. Easy fix? Make it impossible. Friends who need to tell (or show) you something can still send you a private message. Or, you know, an email.

Source: LearnVest

6 Bad Money Habits to Break

It’s so easy to fall prey to these common mistakes, but our tips will help get your cash flow back on track.

By Stefanie Tuder, Cosmopolitan editor

Bad Habit: Not sticking to a budget.

How to Break It: Creating a budget may sound like a drag, but it’s actually super easy, says Alexa von Tobel, CEO & Founder of LearnVest.com — just follow the 50-30-20 rule: 50% of your money goes to necessities (rent, utilities, health care, groceries, etc.), 30% is for fun indulgences (a new motorcycle jacket, tapas and mojitos with the girls, a weekend trip with your man), and 20% is put towards savings and debt repayment (if you have no debt, save the entire amount). Then, sign up for Mint.com, a free website that automatically and securely connects to all your bank accounts and shows you how much you’re spending in each category, recommends Catey Hill, author of Shoo, Jimmy Choo! The Modern Girl’s Guide to Spending Less and Saving More. Bonus: Mint also sends you reminders when it’s time to pay a bill.

Bad Habit: Splurging on stuff you don’t need.

How To Break It: The good news: You found the perfect pair of sexy summer wedges. The bad news: They cost half a month’s rent. When you’re faced with a temptation, put it to the need vs. want test. Ask yourself, “Do I need a new blouse for work?”, “Do I need to take a cab home, or is there a cheaper safe option?” or in this case, “Do I really need sandals this expensive?” If the answer’s no, then step away from the shoe rack! We’re not trying to be a buzzkill here, so if you’re pining for it a few days later, reconsider whether you can make it work into the 30% of your budget set aside for guilty pleasures by sacrificing something else—like dinners out—for a bit.Think you still won’t be able to resist? Try going on a cash diet, says Hill. Every week, take out just enough money to last you the next seven days, leave your credit cards at home, and only use cash. (But don’t carry massive amounts of money in your purse—take what you need for the day and put the rest somewhere safe at home.) It forces you to regulate your spending so you can make it through until the next withdrawal.

Bad Habit: Overdrafting on your checking account.

How to Break It: There’s nothing more annoying than being hit with a ridiculous overdraft fee—the median charge is $27, even if you’re only pennies over your balance. You have two options to avoid this: a) Tell your bank to turn off the overdraft capability on your account, so it’s impossible for you to spend money you don’t have. b) Check out FindaBetterBank.com—it matches you with a bank with the lowest fees around, and you can set up text and e-mail alerts that let you know when you’re in the danger zone.

Bad Habit: Not saving enough money.

How to Break It: No one likes to think about it, but the reality is, bad luck can strike every once in a while—like losing your job or getting in a car accident. Protect yourself by setting up an emergency savings account. Stash at least 6-9 months of your overall expenses in there so you have a buffer just in case, recommends von Tobel. That way, if something happens, you’ll have a good amount of time to get back on your feet without scrambling for cash.

Bad Habit: Forgetting about your 401K.

How to Break It: Retirement seems so far away, but putting money aside for it now is one of the most important things you can do to set yourself up for later. Find out if your employer matches any contributions to your 401K (an employer-sponsored retirement account that comes from your pre-taxed paycheck) and contribute at least that much—it’s like getting free money! If your employer doesn’t, consider an Individual Retirement Account (similar to a 401K, but not employer-sponsored) or Roth IRA (retirement account that’s already taxed).Here’s why it’s so key to sign up in your 20s: if you put in $1,000 a year starting at age 25, you’d be sitting pretty on more than $300,000 by the time you’re 65. But if you start at 30, you’d have $200,000, and starting at age 35 lowers that number even more to $130,000, which is serious money to lose out on, says von Tobel.

Bad Habit: Ignoring your credit score.

How to Break It: Your credit rating is the only grade that matters after you graduate—that number affects whether you get loans, hired, approved to live somewhere, and more. It should ideally be above 760, and you build your credit by never missing a payment on anything. Head to CreditKarma.com to get your free credit score in under 2 minutes, says von Tobel.

Source: Cosmopolitan

Three Signs You Could Be Canned

It was recently announced that four of the Real Housewives of NYC—Jill Zarin, Kelly Bensimon, Alex McCord, and Cindy Barshop—will not be returning to the show next season. While we’re not sorry to see some of the cast go—all their yapping lead to serious migraines—many of them admitted to having no clue they were about to be fired. To ensure you never find yourself completely blindsided by a pink slip like these ladies were, we spoke to Martha Finney, career expert and author of Money With Meaning: 42 Practical Ways to Discover Your Calling and Land Your Dream Job Now, about indicators that the axe may be about to fall—and if there’s any way to turn the situation around.

By Jessica Knoll, Cosmopolitan editor

1. There’s New Blood on the Floor

If your company has recently acquired or been acquired, and there’s someone who does the exact same thing you do, you could be in trouble. Schedule a meeting with your boss to express your concerns. Ask if your skill set could serve the company in other ways. At the very least, he or she may be able to give you a heads up that your days may be numbered, which gives you a chance to get started on your job search ASAP.

2. You Made a Major Mistake

You may be tempted to apologize profusely, but this could actually hurt your case rather than help it. That’s because the last thing you want to do is repeatedly call attention to your blunder. Plus, no matter how sincere your “I’m sorry” is, it’s not a productive way to handle the situation. Your best bet is to take on the role of strategic partner by asking your boss what you can do to mitigate the damage quickly. Most higher ups want to see you do well, and are willing to mentor you through a screw-up, no matter how colossal.

3. Your Assignments are Dwindling

If you notice that responsibility is slowly being taken away from you, talk to your boss about it. Be frank and tell them you’ve noticed your role dwindling and would like to stay an integral part of the team. This way you’re at least vocalizing that you want to be there. Finney also recommends keeping a running list of your achievements so you can pull it out to show higher-ups, reminding them of everything you’ve done well. And if you ever do find yourself in the same pair of stilettos as Jill Zarin, you can use the same list to show off your past accomplishments on interviews.

Source: Cosmopolitan

What Your Boss Is Really Thinking?

By RedBookMag editors

Do you work for someone buttoned-up or more laid-back? Between these two very different head honchos — Marjorie Kaplan, president of Animal Planet Media and Michelle Visser, CEO of Burt's Bees Baby — you'll get the answers you need on three common work dilemmas.

1. You're talking to your boss when you start to feel tears coming on: Let 'em fly, or run for the ladies' room?

VISSER: "It's absolutely okay to cry in front of your boss, but it shouldn't become a habit. A few years ago, someone came into my office sobbing because she was overwhelmed. Coincidentally, a promotion was in the works for her, and a few days later I gave her the good news. Maybe she thought her tears had helped her, because from then on, she kept coming into my office to cry. You want employees to feel free to express themselves, but work isn't the place for therapy."

KAPLAN: "Do your best to get away--but calmly. Excuse yourself by saying, 'May I have a moment?' More often than not, crying is viewed as a sign of weakness and immaturity, and the inability to keep your feelings in check will undermine people's perception of you. If you can't get away, ask for a tissue and be honest about why you're upset. Crying doesn't have to make you seem soft if you own it, explain it, and quickly pull yourself back together."

2. You and a fellow single coworker seem to have a thing for each other. Is it okay to date?

VISSER: "Sure! Work is no longer something we do from 9 to 5, and it's getting harder to separate our personal lives from our professional ones. My sister actually met her husband through work, so if the single people in my company go on a few dates, I'm 100 percent fine with that. And of course, if it doesn't work out, that's okay too. That's life, and most people can be professional in those situations without letting emotions flare at the office."

KAPLAN: "Whether your company has a policy against it or not, dating someone you directly work for or who works directly for you is never a good idea. If you're the boss, others may feel you're playing favorites. If you're the underling, the promotions you've earned can be misconstrued as a result of your relationship and ruin your credibility with the rest of your team. And whatever your position, returning to a purely professional relationship after the personal one ends is nearly impossible."

3. Your boss is taking you to task in a meeting in front of everyone. Should you defend yourself, or stand down?

VISSER: "As long as you're polite, you can disagree with your boss publicly. Sadly, I've seen many managers launch into screaming, finger-pointing tirades in front of a whole conference room of people, but here's the thing: It only makes them look worse. You may feel embarrassed in the moment, but take comfort in knowing that your boss is digging her own grave. What you should do is take the criticism with dignity. And if you're going to speak up, be darn sure you're right."

KAPLAN: "This situation really depends on the culture of your workplace. If healthy debate is a part of the team dynamic, there's nothing wrong with being clear to your boss about your point of view in a respectful manner. Meetings should be about the work, so don't make it personal. But if your boss doesn't support that kind of debate and expects you to sit there and take it, save your points for a one-on-one discussion after the meeting."

Source: RedBookMag

Follow Up On a Job Application With These 5 Steps

By Brian O'Connell, MainStreet editor

Landing a job is an art, and the winner is usually the first one who brushes some well-targeted paint on the canvas.

According to StartWire.com, a Lebanon, N.H.-based firm that provides job-seekers with updated information on their employment applications, says 50% of hires applied during the first week a job posting went up on the wire.

Furthermore, 27% got the job by responding the day an ad was posted.

“Job-seekers underestimate the importance of being at the front of the hiring line,” says Chris Forman, chief executive of StartWire. “Once a hiring manager or recruiter does an initial pre-screen of candidates and makes an interview list, they rarely look back at applications that come in later. To optimize your chances, apply as soon as you see a job. And seek out an internal contact within the company who can put in a good word for you.”

But what happens when you apply for a job or even go on an interview – and don’t hear back?

Leaving applicants in the dark is bad for business, StartWire says, since 77% of job-seekers (who double as consumers) think less of a firm that doesn’t get back to job applicants. What’s more, 58% say they would “think twice” before buying that company’s products or services.

That’s the employer’s problem. For job-seekers who remain in the dark after shipping off an application or completing a job interview, the best defense, as the saying goes, is a good offense.

Here are some concrete steps to take when you don’ hear back from a potential employer:

First, review what you’ve done: 

Make sure you don’t have any leaks in your application. Re-read your application and target any errors or grammar issues. Make sure you have multiple contact listings, including a phone and/or cellphone, email and Twitter tag. Have a friend or family member review the copy too. If you’re error free, move on to step two. If you found an error, fix it, and make sure your next job application is error free. If you do have a glaring error or two, know that such mistakes are a big red flag to hiring managers.

The “24-hour thank you note”: 

Within a day of a job interview, write back with a nice, diplomatic “thank you” note to your would-be employer. Make sure you refer to your contact by name, thank them for the learning experience and offer to be on call 24/7 to answer any questions. Above all, register your enthusiasm for the job. That – plus the fact your thank you note gets you back on the employer’s radar screen — should separate you from the pack.

Follow up: 

Human resource consultants say one week is sufficient time to get back to an employer who has left you hanging, and that goes for employment applications and job interviews as well. Set that as a target date and get back to your potential employer, preferably by email. You can text if you have their phone number. If you share Twitter or Linked In accounts, a job query works, too.

Establish a timeline: 

This tip is tricky, but done right, it’s highly effective. In your follow-up note, make sure to establish some time boundaries. Include in your note a line or two similar to this one: “I’d appreciate a time frame for a direct response. Please advise, and thanks for your help in advance.” Hiring managers are human, after all, and will likely provide any information they can, within reason. But if you don’t ask them, chances are they won’t offer up any timelines.

One more tip: 

Don’t be afraid to “water the infield.” In baseball parlance, groundskeepers don’t go out at the end of the fourth inning and just water the area near first base – they water the entire infield. The same goes for job-seekers. By all means take all the steps listed above, but increase your odds of landing a job by sending as many applications and going to as many job , as possible.

* Not only will that increase your odds; an actual job offer gives you leverage with the original company and makes you a more desirable job applicant.

Source: MainStreet

Top 10 Tips To Manage Pressure At Work

By WomenFitness editors

Work stress is the reaction that many people have when they are under high pressure at work for a given period. Many of us are motivated by the challenges and difficulties arising from the requirements of the work. Fulfilling these requirements leads satisfaction. However, when the pressure at work reaches high levels and lasts for a long time, people find the existence of a threat to the welfare or interests and then experienced feelings like fear, anger or anxiety.

Here are the top 10 tips to manage pressure:

1. Start your day day with a healthy breakfast:

It's better for your health (and your weight) to eat breakfast than to skip it. And it's definitely better to eat a healthy breakfast, high in fibers and nutrients, than one full of refined grains, sugar, salt, and/or saturated fat. Balancing carbohydrates (preferably from whole grains, fruit and vegetables) with some protein and a little healthier fat will do a better job of staving off hunger until lunch and fueling your entire morning's activities. According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), most adults consume less than 15 grams (g) of fiber daily, and yet the recommended intake for optimum health is 20 to 35 g.

2. Learn to manage your boss: 

Never tell your boss "I can't do this. I don't have time." Instead, always say something like: "Of all the things you want me to do, what would be most useful right now?" Or, "What is your highest priority?" Or, say something like: "According to the 80-20 rule, 80% of the value I can add for you will be achieved with 20% of the things I do, so which 20% is most likely, in your view, to add the most value for you right now?" Another useful line is: "I always want to do the best possible job for you in the least possible time. Which things are most important to you right now?" Don't forget to appreciate the pressure your boss is under. Show a little empathy by saying something like: "I imagine you are under so much pressure, I don't know how you think straight. Would it help to take 10 minutes to do some prioritizing?"

3. Get organized! 

You can avoid a lot of pressure and stress by prioritizing your tasks. Take yourself five minutes before you start working to prioritize all upcoming tasks from high-priority and very urgent to low-priority and not urgent. Furthermore, it can be really helpful to break big projects or tasks into sub-goals, which you start to target one after another.

4. Effective Time Management: 

The stress factor number one is having a lot of workload and tight time limitations to get that work done. Taking this into account we can see the high importance that effective time management techniques can have on our stress level.

5. Confront your fears: 

The best way to ease your anxiety at work? Face your fears. Begin by just picturing yourself going face-to-face with the very things that worry you and cause anxiety. By getting used to the idea of confronting your anxiety-causing concerns before you actually do it, you will actually feel more comfortable the time comes to face them.

6. Exercise a must: 

Regular exercises can reduce your stress level drastically as it decreases stress hormones and increases the production of endorphins, which will make you feel good! A person that is exercising regularly is less affected by stress than others! Plyometric twice a week is an excellent option if you are limited on time and want to burn some serious fat while toning and creating separation in the legs. I would recommend a 15 to 30 minute session of squat jumps, tuck jumps, jumping jacks, plyo pushups, using a bench to jump up AND off of, jumping rope, etc. Hop on your treadmill and walk at a very steep incline of at least 10+ at a pace that allows your heart rate to rise but remain manageable. Stairs are also ideal for walking up and down if you are desperate for something to do in an office environment-put a backpack on with some heavy books or a gallon jug of water in it and get to it. For strength training , do a variety of exercises for each muscle group, typically to add variety to your workout. Exercising regularly will help you manage work pressure.

7. Laughter: 

Another very effective stress management technique is quite simple: laugh! Laughing releases endorphins, lets you forget your worries and reduces stress quite effective. Just invest some time to read some really good jokes or watch a comedy show on TV.

8. The negative effect of alcohol and nicotine: 

Besides all health-related conditions drugs can cause: alcohol and nicotine can also have a negative impact on your ability to cope with stress effectively. Furthermore, it is important to note that drugs cannot be considered as helpful stress relievers. Alcohol and nicotine might seem calming and therefore helpful when you are stressed in the first moment, but they both can lead to addictions, which increases the stress level drastically when they wear off.

9. Proper sleep: 

Sleep deprivation can have negative influences on our performance in our professional life, but it can also cause us to feel stressed at home. The importance of enough sleep cannot be stressed enough as it keeps you balanced and allows you to handle stress more effective. You need to sleep for 8 hours, Once you get up from the bed you need to Immediately do some simple floor exercises for at least 20 minutes and walk for 10 minutes your body will be ready for the challenges. Individuals who struggle to fall asleep within 30 minutes of lying down are more prone to anxiety, a university study in Quebec found. "Our brain is sort of a one-track loop," says Suzanne Segerstrom, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. "If that track is full of work worries, crowd them out by tuning in to something else, like talk radio or an audiobook."

10. Give thanks : 

At the end of the day no matter how things turned out – perhaps your best intentions went awry, or perhaps they were spot on – give yourself a moment as you ease into bed or the shower or a moment between the To Dos and the Got Dones and appreciate you did the best you could in the time you had. Allow yourself to BE more of who you already are because time is worth more than what shows up on a lifetime of lists. Be thankful for the person you are and for the being you are now willing to actively embrace. Over time, you'll find yourself making more meaningful To Dos and feeling far less stress in accomplishing them.

Source: WomenFitness

6 Items to Simplify Your Life

By RealSimple editors

1. Mini Lunch Notes

What's the only thing sweeter than a homemade lunch? An unexpected note that is packed along with it. If you’re short on time in the morning, use these colorful cards and silly stickers to jot a quick hello to your favorite student.

2. Chef’n Ice Cracker

Do you prefer serving your favorite watermelon-mint cooler over crushed ice? Turn those oversized cubes into pebbles or shards by simply tapping the ice cold chunks with this stainless steel wand.

3. People Towels Reusable Hand Towels

Spare that extra napkin and tuck this 100–percent organic cotton towel into your little one’s lunch box. Not only are these eco-friendly and reusable, but the fun animated designs are bound to bring a smile while she’s cleaning up her sticky fingers. Ten styles available.

4. Page’Ups

Anything that makes typing notes a little easier gets an A+. This clever plastic desk accessory holds up to 15 sheets of paper, so you can read and type simultaneously. Available in pink, green, and black.

5. Food Markers

Keep tabs on the items in your refrigerator with these helpful fill-in labels. They're already categorized (chicken, beef, takeout), which makes it easy to identify leftovers past their prime.

6. Locker Cup

This mesh organizer magnetically adheres to locker doors, so your star student can easily grab school supplies when he's racing to make it to class.

Source: RealSimple

Ways to Save Your Money on Prescription Drugs

By RealSimple editors

1. Opt for mail order. 

Most employers’ prescription-drug plans offer access to mail-order suppliers, such as Express Scripts and Medco, but not all participants take advantage of the services. For people who regularly take medications (like birth-control pills or drugs for high cholesterol or allergies), these programs can yield substantial savings, since you get a long-term supply. A 90-day supply of some brand-name medicines can cost as much as $100 less than three separate 30-day prescriptions at the corner pharmacy. Talk to your benefits manager for more information.

2. Be cautious about free samples. 

If you take the packets of meds your doctor doles out, be aware: Freebies are often available for only the most expensive brand-name prescriptions used to treat chronic conditions. So ask your doctor if she has considered generics or a more established (and less expensive) brand-name alternative, says Jan Engle, an executive associate dean at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy.

3. Split your pills (as long as your doctor approves). 

If you’re taking 20 milligrams of a cholesterol medicine, for example, ask your general practitioner to prescribe the 40-milligram dose, then use an inexpensive pill-splitting device from the drugstore to cut each pill in half, says Engle. Most of the time, you’ll pay the same price but get double the doses. Note: This doesn’t work with gel caps, time-release medications, or capsules.

4. Check out assistance programs. 

Discounted or no-cost medicine may be available from government programs, nonprofits, and other entities. Go to the clearinghouse website of the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (pparx.org), where you can search by the name of the drug or the company that manufactures it. If you suffer from certain ailments, such as cancer, seek out disease-related associations (like the American Cancer Society; cancer.org) for additional resources.

Source: RealSimple

Does Your Boss Hate You? 4 Subtle Signs To Watch Out For

By Ashley Insalacco, Prevention editor

Think your boss hates you? Here’s just one reason you need to know: Being paranoid at work causes your coworkers to dislike you, according to a study in the Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 

Researchers found that people who think their coworkers or bosses dislike them seek out information through spying or eavesdropping. This annoys their colleagues, causing your paranoid self to be rejected.

How do you know if you’re doing a good job without having an awkward talk with the head honcho? Here are a few ways to know the big cheese thinks you’re a block of lindberger.

1) She doesn’t move his coffee cup when you sit down. 

If your boss respects you, she won’t want anything between you when sitting across the table. She will unconsciously move her cell phone, coffee cup, or pen to the side so there is no blockade. “If something else is more important than you, or if they don’t want to engage with you, they’ll put up a barrier,” says Patti Wood, MA, Body Language Expert and author of Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma.

2) He stands facing you. 

When a male boss likes you, he will stand at your side to talk with you. Standing side-to-side rather than face-to-face means he trusts you. “That’s where guys feel the most comfortable, the safest, and disclose the most,” says Wood.

3) She aims her body away from you. 

Next time you step in your boss’s office, pay attention to how she moves. A person’s body windows are their toes, knees, pelvis, stomach, heart, throat, mouth, eyes, and palms of hands, says Wood. If she trusts you, she’ll be more likely to aim her body at you, keep her hands on the desk, and let her mouth slightly open.

4) He only emails you. 

If your boss emails, calls, texts, and stops by your cube, that’s a good sign. An employer who likes you is more likely to communicate through all media platforms. Unlike the guy that he just wants emails from, he’s interested in what you have to say.

Source: Prevention

5 Smart Strategies to Eliminate Your Debt

Weighed down by credit-card bills? In part three of Real Simple’s get-out-of-debt series, learn insider strategies for zeroing out even a sky-high balance. You owe it to yourself.

By Vera Gibbons, RealSimple editor

Minimum payment due, reads the box on your credit-card statement. What an enticing idea: Pay a small amount and you’re off the hook for the whole bill—for a while, anyway. Alas, as the more than 45 percent of Americans who carry a balance every month know, that rotating charge usually comes back to bite you. For example, a cardholder who owes $15,956—the average amount of debt per household, according to Ben Woolsey, the director of marketing and consumer research for CreditCards.com, a credit-card–comparison site—will end up shelling out an additional $11,000 in total interest if she pays only the minimum each month.

You may have had a very good reason for running up high-interest debt: Maybe you had to make some unexpected big-ticket purchases or lost a job or endured an illness. But regardless of the cause, ridding yourself of that balance should be your top financial priority. “You need an action plan to help you work at reducingand eventually eliminating what you owe,” says Gail Cunningham, a spokesperson for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a nonprofit organization. Here are several ways to create one for yourself.

1. Target just one card first.

If you’re carrying balances on multiple cards, it’s a long slog to wipe out those debts. So give yourself a boost of instant gratification right from the start, says Mary Ann Campbell, a certified financial planner in Little Rock, Arkansas. Ask yourself: What short-term financial goal will make me feel as though I’m making meaningful progress on debt reduction?

If your answer is “Having one card totally paid off,” then throw as much money as you can toward the card with the lowest balance first, says Curtis Arnold, the founder of CardRatings.com, a credit-card–comparison site. (Yes, do this even if you need to pay only the minimum on your other cards in the meantime.) If your answer is “Boosting my credit score,” then tackle the card with the highest utilization rate (that’s your balance divided by the card’s limit). “Since your score takes a hit if you use more than 20 percent of your available balance, bringing the utilization rate down just 20 percent could significantly increase your score,” says Arnold. And if your answer is “Paying less in interest,” then the tried-and-true method is to pay off the card that has the highest interest rate first.

2. Ask your creditors for lower interest rates. 

Often a simple phone call to the issuer is all it takes to get a reduced rate—provided that you have good credit (a score of 730 or higher) and you are a long-term customer who makes payments on time. You could get a percentage point or two shaved off, which can add up to hundreds of dollars saved annually. One tip to try: “If you’ve been offered a lower rate by a competitor, tell the customer-service rep,” says Bill Hardekopf, the CEO of LowCards.com, a credit-card–comparison site. “There’s a chance they’ll match the offer.”

3. Transfer your balance (cautiously). 

It’s tempting to move a balance from a card with a high interest rate to a card with a substantially lower one (find one at Bankrate.com). And potentially that’s a smart move; you can save hundreds of dollars a year. But be careful: You should transfer a balance only if you’re committed to paying off the debt within an introductory low-interest-rate window (which typically lasts 12 to 18 months after the first billing cycle closes) and to making monthly payments on time, says Arnold. Otherwise your rate could skyrocket, possibly ending up higher than the one you just got rid of. (Important: You should also avoid making any purchases with the new card, as sometimes the low interest rate won’t apply to them.) In addition, know that you’ll probably be charged a balance-transfer fee, which is usually about 3 to 4 percent of the total amount transferred. (To calculate how much this will cost you, go to smartbalancetransfers.com.)

4. Use a peer-to-peer lender. 

In an ideal world, you would pay off your credit card in full and be free and clear. But if you can’t do that, consider borrowing money to pay off your card from a peer-to- peer lender, such as LendingClub.com or Prosper.com. These secure sites offer loans with fixed interest rates that can be 20 to 30 percent lower than most credit cards, meaning you could save hundreds of dollars in interest on your debt, says Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, a cofounder of AskTheMoneyCoach.com, a personal-finance site. If you have a job and a good credit score, you may qualify to make an online loan request for up to about $25,000.

5. If you’re really strapped, make two minimum payments each month.

Card issuers typically charge interest on a daily basis, “so the sooner you make a payment, the faster your average daily balance is reduced, which translates into fewer dollars in interest that you ultimately pay,” says Gerri Detweiler, the director of consumer education for Credit.com, a personal-finance website. If you’re on a tight budget, go ahead and pay the minimum due each month, then try to make the same payment again two weeks later. Keep making a payment of the initial minimum-due amount twice a month until your debt is paid off. (To keep track, put a reminder on your calendar.) Case in point: Say you charged $2,000 on a card with a 17 percent interest rate. If you make only the minimum monthly payment (which is about 2 percent of the balance), it will take more than 21 years to pay off the balance. But if you make an additional payment of the original amount two weeks later, you will be debt-free in less than three (!) years.

Source: RealSimple

4 Things No One Tells You About Money

Okay, so these pointers won't instantly add more zeroes to your bank account. But they will help you rack up a great credit rating — and that fattens your wallet in the long run.

By Jessica Knoll, Cosmopolitan editor

You no doubt know that making late credit-card payments seriously effs with your credit score. But that's not the only habit that can screw with your rating. We spoke to Manisha Thakor, financial expert and author of Get Financially Naked: How to Talk Money with Your Honey, and asked her to share four crucial tips to maintaining awesome financials.

1. Say No to Store Cards

When you're dropping a few hundred dollars at Macy's or Victoria's Secret, it's as hard to resist a pitch for a department store credit card — 10% discount! Bonus points! — as it is to swear off chocolate on day one of your period. But you must not give in. Thakor points out that store cards have obscenely high interest rates as well as outrageous penalties you risk getting slammed with. Whatever you save on your initial purchase probably won't be worth the extra fees — which automatically are added to your credit report.

2. Get Rid of Your Plastic Harem

One of the most common mistakes Thakor sees people make is opening up a bunch of cards thinking that it makes them look like a better credit risk. "Two cards max is ideal," she says, "Any more than that, and lenders view you as someone who has the potential to get into a lot of trouble, and they end up lowering your overall limit."

3. Toss Out Your Newest Cards

However, closing any random card could actually hurt your credit score. "One of the most important factors affecting your credit is the length of your credit history," says Thakor. If you're trying to lighten your wallet, it's best to sacrifice a newer card, so you don't lose all the good credit you've established with a long-time card that reveals your solid financial habits — such as paying bills on time and/or in full.

4. Be Careful With Student Loans

Educational debt has always been considered okay, the thinking being you'll pay it off with the high-salaried job you land once you get your degree, says Thakor. But here's the tricky part: Any student-loan debt you rack up will stay with you until you've completely paid it off — unlike credit card debt, which you can often negotiate with a lender and pay back fifty cents on the dollar, for example. Thakor advises doing everything you can to minimize college loans from the beginning: Choose a state school over a private school, or do two years at a community college and spend your last two at a four-year university.

Source: Cosmopolitan

The Top 10 Work, Life and Money Lessons from Mika Brzezinski Every Woman Should Know

By Cali Williams Yost, Forbes editor

Ten of the key lessons from Mika Brzezinski's book Knowing Your Value every woman should know:

Mika Brzezinski

1) Know your “value:” 

What you contribute and how much that is worth in the market.My heart broke for Brzezinski when she describes how it felt to finally sign a contract with MSNBC only to realize that both of her co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Willie Geist made significantly more money than she did. Not only that, but they were assigned specifically to Morning Joe, whereas she was required to do the show and other assignments for the network. This very painful realization finally forced her to objectively and dispassionately research how much she was worth in the market and learn how to be compensated fairly.

2) Don’t wait to be noticed.

Walk in and ask for what you want…because that’s what all of the guys are doing, constantly.If there’s one truth from the book that every woman needs understand, it’s that men ask for more all the time, even if, on paper, they don’t deserve it at all! If five guys are constantly asking for a promotion and you don’t say a word because you think someone will notice your hard work and ask if you’re interested in advancing, chances are it’s not going to happen. One of the guys will get the job.

3) Learn how to negotiate in a way that’s comfortable for you, and stop being so “grateful” for everything.

My admiration for Brzezinski increased even more when I read the candid, awkward account of her initial attempts to negotiate. In one scenario, she went in and basically said, “I hope you understand that I need to make more money.” It didn’t work. Then she decides to try to emulate the negotiating style of the men which was very confrontational and aggressive. Needless to say it didn’t work either (although the story is very funny the way she describes it.)

Finally, she decides to approach her negotiation in a way that’s comfortable for her, “Be prepared—document your achievements, know the fair market value of your work—and make it about the facts in front of you.” And that’s what she did and she succeeded.

Also, the belief that “I’m so grateful for the opportunity, so I shouldn’t ask for more” is a common stumbling block throughout the book for Brzezinski and the other successful women she interviewed. Yes, we should be grateful for a good job, especially today. But don’t let that sense of gratitude keep you from getting what you are worth. Sheryl Sandberg shares a terrific story of how she almost fell into the “gratitude” trap until her brother-in-law snapped her out of it, quite forcefully.

4) Sometimes you have to be willing to walk away to get what you want.

In the opening scene of the book, Brzezinski sits in a restaurant across the table from her Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough. The show is successful. The audience is growing. She loves what she’s doing and enjoys working with Scarborough, but she calmly tells him that she is leaving the show. She is fact-based as she explains that she can no longer, in good conscience, be part of an effort where her contribution is not being fairly recognized and valued. Brzezinksi’s willingness to walk away leads to dramatic results that even surprise her. But her story proves that no one will value you, until you value yourself. Even if that means sometimes you have to be willing to leave to prove you are serious.

5) Men can be very powerful allies and sponsors. Seek them out.

If you didn’t already admire and respect Joe Scarborough, you will after you read the book. He is a true ally and advocate for Brzezinski, and not just because he’s a nice guy. It’s because he knew she was valuable to his success and the success of the show. Don’t be afraid to seek out men with the power to advance and sponsor your career. If the facts are there to support your contribution to them and the business, they can be your strongest supporters.

6) Like men, other women will pay you less if they can get away with it.

This is a tough one because it’s nice to think there’s a “sisters-supporting-sisters” camaraderie, but, as Brzezinski points out, other women won’t necessarily go out of their way to make sure you get what you are worth. In fact, like men, they will pay you less if they can get away with it. One female middle manager at the network even talked Brzezinski out of asking for more money explaining that she didn’t want her to get a bad reputation. Even when negotiating with other women, you need to do your homework and have your strategy in place.

7) Keep going when all seems lost, and grab opportunity when it appears.

Throughout the book, Brzezinski exhibits an extraordinary level of resilience and persistence. After being fired from her job as the weekend anchor of the CBS News and periodic correspondent for 60 Minutes, she writes, “I was 40 years old, and my career was in shambles. Basically, I was old news. My best days appeared to be behind me and I wasn’t considered a worthy investment.”

Finally, in 2007, after a year of unemployment, she begs someone she knows at MSNBC to give her any position they had. They gave her the job of reading 30 second news segments between shows. This was a major step down from her previous positions, but she took it. She was “grateful” to have the opportunity and the ability to make some money.

About a year into the job, she ran into Joe Scarborough in the hall. He was in New York auditioning for the slot vacated when Don Imus was fired. Even though Brzezinski and Scarborough had never met in person before, he asked her if she would be interested in co-hosting a show with him. The rest is history.

8) Flexibly redefine success regarding money, caregiving, prestige and advancement as needed.

“The job was just fine. After a year of unemployment, it was predictable, it was good for the kids, it was great to be back in the game but work was boring.” When Brzezinski first went back to MSNBC for four hours a day reading 30 second news lead-ins, it worked for her and for her family. Even though it was a major step down from her anchor position, it was better than unemployment. Consistently, throughout the book you see how she flexibly redefined success related to money, prestige, advancement and caregiving to feel good about where she was at the time. However, she explains that the trick/challenge was to recognize when her value proposition improved and readjust upward.

9) Be yourself.

When she runs into Joe Scarborough in the hall and he offers her the opportunity to co-host a show, her response is, “’Why?’ I told him I was a forty year old washed up newswoman and a housewife from Westchester. He said, ‘Exactly! Someone real!’” She got the job by being herself which is, ultimately, what made her so valuable. As I said at the beginning of the post, it’s because of that realness that I love watching the show!

10) Being a good mother makes you more valuable at work, not less.

Finally, perhaps the most important lesson for women who are mothers is don’t buy into the myth that you can’t contribute as significantly at work if you have children. Brzezinski firmly believes the opposite is true and carefully lays out the case that, in fact, being a mother makes you more valuable at work, not less.

We all need to know our value and offer it to the world and our families, while getting compensated fairly. Inspiration from brave, successful women like Brzezinski who have already charted this often unclear path helps. Now, more women must take the lead on their own behalf.

Source: Forbes

New Baby, Distant Husband

“Ever since I had the baby, my husband has been distant.”  

In the midst of all the excitement of new baby, especially the first baby, you rarely hear expectant parents talking about how this child will change their marriage. Babies are wonderful, let’s be clear about that, but they are also one of the biggest changes a marriage will ever go through. Like all aspects of parenthood, it helps to be prepared.

Before the baby comes it’s just the two of you and it’s easy to give each other the love, attention and affection you need for a healthy marriage. As soon as a child enters the family, that focus changes. Babies have a lot of needs and they cannot wait. Much of the attention you were giving to each other is transferred to the child, which can leave one or both partners feeling alone.   

So what do you do when you realize that your relationship has taken a hit? First of all, take heart. Distance between new parents is extremely common. If you’re feeling distant, left out, overworked, tired, neglected, unheard or overlooked it does not mean that your marriage is doomed. It just means that you had a baby.  The good news is that your marriage can definitely improve.

June Black, a frequent speaker at marriage enrichment conferences suggests the following:

1. Focus on connection rather than communication. In marriage we’re always told how important communication is. It is important, but with a new baby time is short. You may not have the time or the energy to really communicate so make connection your goal. Make time – you may need to schedule it – for the two of you to connect. Even if it’s as simple as a cup of coffee in the morning, make sure there is some point in the day when you focus on each other. Once you’ve connected, communication can come later.

2. Don’t forget to have sex. Pre-baby it might have seemed impossible to forget about sex, but in the early days of parenthood, it happens. If you’re feeling distant, especially if your husband feels distant, ask yourself “When was the last time we had sex?” There are going to be some days right at the beginning where sex is impractical, but as your body heals, make physical togetherness a priority.  Ladies, you may find that you don’t miss sex as your need for physical touch may be satisfied by cuddling and nursing your infant. Many husbands return to work after the birth and do not have as much contact with the baby. I know that you’re both tired, but he needs physical touch too. Cuddle your husband, kiss him and don’t forget to have sex.

3. Remind each other that you matter. It can be easy to lose your identity in the chaos of a new baby.  If you and your spouse only ever talk about the baby, ask about the baby, or tell stories about what the baby did today you may find yourself feeling lost.  Don’t forget to speak love to your spouse. If your husband leaves your bundle of joy each day to go to work, thank him. If you wife gets up three times a night to feed the baby, thank her for that. Remind each other that you matter, and that you are loved for who you are, not just what you do.

Source: PowerToChange