The Helpful Blogger

Photography Tips: How to make good family pictures.

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Many people line the family up and snap a picture. So often that’s what we see on Christmas cards or in photo albums. Although it documents what each person looked like at that point in time, it’s not very interesting. Here are some photography tips that will pump some interest into your family pictures and will make you proud when you post them on line or send them to relatives and friends:

1. Think before your snap. Photography is much more than just snapping a picture and hoping for the best. Family photographs should be more than just people lined up according to height and taking a quick shot before they move. Think through the composition of your photograph and create some interest by doing more than just documenting who was at a family event.

2. Take a look at the components of the potential picture and don’t be afraid to move family members around to make a more interesting picture. For example, if you are taking your family Christmas photo, don’t be afraid to use a few props to give dimension to the photograph. Use some props to make it more real. Nothing says you can’t wrap up a few presents in September to use in the photo. And there are no rules that the children can’t be opening the presents in the picture.

3. Another way to ensure that you take good family pictures is to take lots of them during an activity. Let the activity unfold naturally and take frequent pictures. The great advantage of digital photography is that you can take all the pictures you want and you can delete the ones you don’t like without costing anything. So, snap away and catch those candid shots that are so interesting. Your family may ham it up for you at first when you begin shooting frequently, but eventually they will get used to you shooting pictures and will ignore you. That’s when you will catch the good shots.

4. Create a story of your family pictures. Before you take the pictures, think how they will fit together in a story of your event. For example, if you are taking the family on a picnic, take some pictures at home when the family is preparing the picnic, take a couple while packing the car, when setting up the picnic, when cooking the hot dogs, when eating, when playing catch, etc. The result will be a nice story of your day.

It’s good to take notes while you are taking pictures. This is especially true if taking family pictures while on vacation. Your notes can remind you of the significance of each picture. This will make it easier to put them into a scrapbook or to make a slide show out of them when you return home.

The pros and cons of making your hobby into a career.

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:15:00 +0000

We'd all love to make our favorite hobby into a career. In many cases, it is possible to do so if you approach it from a business standpoint. But before you quit your day job, it's important to consider the pros and cons of making your hobby into a career. And, it's important to carefully plan out the move, so you can do it without too much disruption to your life. Here are some pros and cons to consider:

Pros:

1. You will be doing what you love.
2. You may be your own boss. In some cases, you might work for others while making your hobby into a career, but usually people who make their hobbies into their careers work for themselves.
3. You will be able to schedule your time and not have to punch a time clock.
4. You will not have the stress of your former job.
5. You will meet new people who share your interest in your new career. You may have time to join professional organizations and associations that are centered on your new career and you will learn new skills.

Cons:

1. You may not be able to make enough money to support yourself. Before you quit your job in order to make your hobby into your career be sure to study the market and determine if there is a need for what you will be doing. Consider whether you will be able to find sufficient customers and be able to sustain income necessary to meet your needs and those of your family before making the change.
2. Assess your skills realistically. Are you as good at your hobby as you think you are? Try selling your service or product on a part-time basis while you are working in order to determine if you will be able to find sufficient clients or customers to make a go of it.
3. When you do find the customers, will you be able to keep up with the demand for your work? As a business of one person will you be able to keep up by yourself?
4. Do you have the start up costs and do you know how to set up your hobby as a career? One of the downsides of turning your hobby into a career is that you become the boss and will have to run the business in addition to enjoying your hobby. To make a go of it, you need to secure start-up costs, to meet with a lawyer and establish your business entity, to set up accounting and billing systems, and to ensure that you keep up with obtaining and maintaining current permits and licenses.

You'll need to do research on all this to determine what is required in your locality.
Before turning your hobby into a career, be sure to think through all these pros and cons carefully and determine what is best for you and for your family.

How to research a niche market.

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:44:00 +0000

There are a variety of tools available on line to research niche markets. Most of them relate to establishing your niche on line as topics for a blog or on-line shop, but this doesn't necessarily mean that the market and sales in that market will be strong. These tools merely tell the researcher what people like to read about on blogs. That research can lead you in the right direction, but the data regarding whether it translates into sales is not complete. Here are steps to follow to attempt to research your niche market:

1. If you are already marketing to a niche market, your first step to researching that market is to determine if you have chosen the right size niche. Is your niche too large, too small, or just right?

2. To determine if it's too large, study whether you have trouble keeping up with the number of products/services in your niche? Take a look to see if all of your products are selling and if you need to weed out some and narrow your scope in order to become more efficient.

3. Is your niche too narrow? You might determine that your niche is too narrow if you feel as if you "have all your eggs in one basket." Are there times when, if your product doesn't sell, you don't bring in the money you need? If so, this might be an indication that your niche is too narrow.

4. Investigate the size of the market. Does your niche market consist of a finite number of customers? If so, you need to either broaden your market or widen you niche. For example, if you are advertising and distributing your product or service only to your small home town, one way to increase the size of your market is to add towns surrounding yours by including them in your advertising and distribution of your products or services.

5. One way to determine if you need to make some changes to your services or products is to gather information from your current customers to determine what they think of the scope of your business. Through a questionnaire or survey, you can determine those aspects of the business your customers might think need to be changed.

6. If you are considering starting a business in a new niche, a survey or questionnaire is a good way to find out if your product or service is needed. You can do this on-line or through a mailing. For example you could develop a sample product and offer a special on it and see what type of response you receive. This may give you an inkling as to whether your product will be successful or not.

In business, it's always good to continue to evaluate your niche market and to revise it according to the results of your evaluation. In order to keep your business fresh you'll want to keep up with similar businesses.

Let your inner artist inspire you.

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:02:00 +0000

What and where is your inner artist?

Some call it muse, some call it inspiration; the inner artist is that inner creativity that that gives you that brilliant insight just when you need it. We all would like to bottle the good points of our inner artists so we can keep that muse singing our song all day long. Perhaps it can’t be bottled, but there are ways to get in touch with your inner artist and to make it work for you. Whether you're a writer, photographer, or artist, here are some tips on doing just that:

1. Spend a certain amount of time each day concentrating on your creative endeavors. Your inner artist will respond to the repetition of spending each day being creative. When you tap into your creative powers, it’s not so easy to shut them off. When you routinely work on your painting or novel, rather than letting it sit for a week or a month at a time, you keep this recent activity present in your mind and ideas will come to you more easily. Having thoughts of your piece nearby rather than buried gives you a running start for the next time you sit down to work.

2. Seek out inspiration. Visit galleries, read books, study, etc., to get your creative juices flowing. Viewing creations of other artists, writers, photographers can’t help but inspire you to work on your own. Magazines and books are also good for providing inspiration to your inner artist.

3. Join art or writing associations and visit with other artists or writers as often as you can. Meeting with other creative people and hearing what they are working on often will give you a pump of adrenalin to work on your own creations. Clubs, organizations and associations are a great place to meet others who are facing the challenges and triumphs that you face each day. If there is no artists' or writers' league in your area, why not start your own group. It needn’t be a big group to accomplish what you want. You just need to gather together a few people who understand your language and what you’re going through.

4. One way to contact your inner artist is to continue your education. You can do this through a local college, but if that is not available in your area, private lessons with someone you admire will stimulate your creativity all the same.

Whatever the case, keep your work up front in your mind and a priority in your life and your inner artist will continue to inspire you.

Fiction writing: understanding the importance of “show, don’t tell.”

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:41:00 +0000

Show me, don't tell me...!

The goal of a fiction writer is to bring a story to life so the read will live the story rather than being told the story. Showing the story rather than telling the story makes all the difference. For example, you could tell the reader: Sally was angry at Bill. Or you could show the reader: Sally grabbed the vase and heaved it at Bill, aiming at his head.

Both sentences convey anger, but with showing the reader (the second version), the reader is plopped down right into that room and is dodging the flying vase with Bill. It’s a much more exciting way to experience a story. It will keep your reader’s interest, keep him/her turning pages, and keep people reaching for your writing.

Showing instead of telling in writing fiction is important for several reasons.

1. As in the above example, showing pumps life into the action. The characters in the story are moving about in real time and talking to each other. If instead of being told: Karen told Sally that she didn’t want to go out with Jeff; the writer says: “I wouldn’t go out with Jeff if he paid me a million bucks,” the reader becomes part of the conversation. As readers, we find it much more enjoyable to be in the scene rather than on the outside watching the scene.

2. In showing, the writer uses more dialogue and more action. These increase the pace of the book. We always hear how important it is for a book to be a page-turner. Showing readers what is happening is one way to turn your book into a page-turner.

3. Showing plays into the senses. Writing is often flat if you are telling the reader only the story. If a writer, through showing, brings in all the senses, each scene takes on added vividness. In showing, the reader is afforded information about what the characters see, hear, smell, feel, etc. This makes each scene more alive for readers.

4. Showing changes two-dimensional characters into three-dimensional characters. It’s easier to care about a three-dimensional character who moves fluidly through the story and engages the reader as well as other characters. If you character are two-dimensional cardboard cutouts, your reader will have a more difficult time caring about them and what happens to them. Keep your characters alive by showing the readers what they are doing and what’s important to them.

The most important reason to use showing rather than telling is to increase the believability of your characters, their actions and your story.

Overview of blogging for writers.

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:32:00 +0000

Blogging is changing the face of writing. In case you haven’t been caught up in the frenzy of it all, blogging is a very broad term for making periodic entries on a website designed to be a running account of the topic of the blog.

Famous blogs are The Drudge Report and The Huffington Post. These are two of the political blogs. Daily, writers post what is happening in the political world and beyond on these blogs. When news happens, postings are made instantaneously. If you jump from blog to blog, you can keep up to date on the news and study all sides of a story in real time. Because the newspapers delivered to our homes are almost out of date before they come off the press, most newspapers have blogs today, as well. The entertainment industry uses blogs to keep the world up to date on all the happenings with the stars and the TV and movie industries.

Blogs aren’t just for the rich and famous and newsworthy. In addition, many individuals use blogs to keep family members informed on what’s happening in their corner of the world. Here are some of the common uses of blogs:

1. Businesses use them to create a stir about their product.

2. Others use them to bring traffic to their website. If you post blogs frequently (daily or at least 3 times per week) search engines will begin to send traffic your way.

3. Artists and writers use them to show the processes they use to create their art or to show works-in-progress. For example, an artist might use a blog to show sketches of the current concept for a painting or a photographer could use it to show clients their latest landscapes.

4. Others use blogs to share recipes or “how to” information for home projects.

In order for a blog to be successful, the creator of the blog must post blog entries frequently. Because some people aren’t interested in writing the blogs themselves, they often hire writers to write the entries for them. This has opened a new industry for writers. There are many writers who are beginning to specialize in writing blog pots. If you’re a writer looking for work, writing for blogs is something you might want to investigate.

How to become a leader who coaches effectively.

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 10:01:00 +0000

An effective leader is, by definition, adept at guiding those he/she leads. In business or in any group, a leader is wise to rely on those he leads to help him accomplish the goals of the organization. To do this he must coach those under him to do their part of the job to his specifications. Here are some ways to effectively coach others:

1. Determine the specific talents of those you are coaching in terms of the job that must be done.

2. Assign those you are coaching specific parts of the job based on their talents.

3. If there is no one who has the skill needed for a certain part of the job, train someone to do it, or train a group of two or more employees together how to accomplish the task or tasks. A good coach is always ready to help those he is coaching improve their skills and broaden their talents.

4. Create a non-threatening environment for accomplishing tasks, so staff members feel comfortable expressing concerns and asking for help.

5. Set clear parameters for completion of the job. The good coach makes it clear what is expected, so staff members are not surprised when their work is rejected. It is difficult to accomplish a task if no specifications are given.

6. Set specific deadlines to ensure the job is finished on time. Be sure to set deadlines before the job is due, so parts can be tweaked if necessary.

7. Periodically the leader should check the quality and progress of staff in meeting the goals so assignments can be adjusted.

8. Check to ensure that questions have not arisen that may be holding the team back.

The main attributes of an effective coach are good listening and communication skills. A coach must communicate what needs to be done, how to do it, and how to handle barricades to the progress of the project. Most leaders become leaders because they have good communication skills.

To increase the effectiveness of your communication during coaching remember to keep the assignments you make easy to understand. State instructions in concrete terms that are measurable. Leaders make sure that they don’t talk down to staff during coaching, but treat the staff with respect. By doing so, staff will feel more at ease about asking questions or asking for clarification if they don’t understand part of the assignment.

Writing web content that keeps readers reading.

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Writing for the web is much different than writing fiction or non-fiction for a magazine, book, or just for you. To write effective web content, you must master the art of writing succinctly. Studies have shown that you have a little over 4 seconds to catch the attention of the reader. After that short a glance, they will move on unless you grab them.

A page laden with long paragraphs will look like too much work to most readers. Keep your web content concise.

When reading on the web, most people do not read long pieces word for word. They scan them to see if there is anything earth-shattering that they must read. That’s one of the reason keywords are so important. They pull in the reader’s attention and tell him/her what to expect from the web content.

Here are some suggestions for writing web content that will catch the attention of readers:

1. Make every word count. Wordiness in writing web content will send readers to the next website or blog. If ever there is a time to leave out those pesky, persistent, petulant adjectives, this is it. Adverbs should go by the wayside also when writing for the web.

2. Make sure you pay attention to the keywords (these are the important nouns that define your topic) of your web content so that the search engines will glom onto what you’ve written and bring readers to it.

3. In addition to making every word count, make your paragraphs count as well. Short paragraph are more inviting to readers. Keep them short and get to the point.

4. Use headings to your advantage. At times, in writing we use cute headings and sub-headings. In writing web content, your headings and subheadings might be the one part of the page that catches the eye of the reader. Each heading or sub-heading should tell the reader what’s in that paragraph or section of the article. Don’t substitute cute for informative.

5. Use white space to your advantage. Make the piece easier for the reader by breaking up the reading with blank space.

6. Use lists and graphics to get your point across in a short-handed fashion while keeping the reader interested in your web content.

7. Talk to the readers. A friendly, conversational tone will help readers stick with your web content. Web writing should be breezy as opposed to ponderous. Keep it light and the readers will thank you by taking more than the 4+ seconds to read the page.

What techniques do you use to keep readers on the page?

Why editing is essential for web copy.

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 11:12:00 +0000

The content you put on your website represents you. What image do you want to present to the world? Here are some of the important reasons why editing is essential for web copy.

1. Your writing is a form of communication. If you truly want to communicate to your readers, errors will not help you do so. Errors will draw the reader’s attention to the error and away from the message.

2. Errors in writing brand you as careless. Even simple typos strike some people in the wrong way. In some cases, if there are numerous errors, readers may interpret them as meaning you are not dependable. Why should they read the content you write if you are not dependable? If you are careless with the face you present to the work will you also be careless with the work they want to entrust to you? All that perception comes from not going that extra step and having your copy for the web edited.

3. If you don’t have someone edit your copy, you may miss not only typos but information errors as well. People are too busy today to double and triple check the information provided. If you are known as reliable in providing quality information in your copy, you can destroy that reputation by letting one error statement slip into your copy. It may be due to just using “wasn’t” in a sentence instead of “was.” An editor would have caught that. It may be hard to regain the trust of your readers once it’s gone.

4. In addition to losing business and readers due to having errors in content, the problem may grow beyond that to losing you credibility or standing as someone who knows what they are writing about.

5. Misinformation is a problem on the Internet. As a writer, you don’t want to contribute to the perpetuation of misinformation. By simply having your web copy edited before posting it, you’ll cut down on the possibility of this.

Beyond all these reasons to have your web copy edited before posting it, it is equally important to not edit your own copy. It is essential to have a professional editor edit your copy to ensure the best job possible. Writers do not see their own errors. They have the copy in their head and are apt to read an error as correct because their mind is forming the sentences instead of their eyes catching the errors. Therefore, always have your web copy edited by a fresh set of eyes before posting it.

Techniques to help you meet deadlines at work

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:25:00 +0000

Meeting deadlines is an important attribute in an employee or for any business owner. If you have difficulty managing your workload, here are some ways to ensure you meet your deadlines:

1. Take a good hard look at your work habits. Are you using your time wisely? Are you working only on projects you like and having to rush to complete the others? Are there too many interruptions? Analyzing what is hindering you in trying to meet deadlines is a beginning.

2. Next, rearrange your schedule and work habits to get more work done. Set a schedule that will help you be productive and let others in the workplace know that you need some uninterrupted work time.

3. Recognize the importance of meeting deadlines. Usually your boss will give you a deadline for a reason. Even if the deadline is arbitrary, it is important for you to meet it. Why? It’s important because meeting the deadline for a work assignment tells your boss or your customers that you are responsible. It tells him/her that you care about your job/business.

4. Approach each work assignment individually. If a work assignment is large, divide it into manageable parts.

5. Based on the amount of time before your deadline, establish due dates for each part of the assignment. Write due dates on the calendar for reference.

6. Check your calendar each day to determine what parts of your work assignments are coming due. Set priorities and work on the ones that are due first.

7. If you don’t meet one of your mini-deadlines, don’t let it slide. Immediately re-work your calendar to redistribute your work.

8. If you have multiple work assignments, repeat the process for each of them.

9. If you know with certainty that you will not meet your deadline on a particular work assignment, it’s best to tell your boss/client early on, rather than waiting until the due date. That way, your boss will be able to assign another person to the job to help you. Or your client will be able to make adjustments according to the new schedule.

Remember that when looking at your workload, meeting deadlines and the quality of your work are both important. Don’t let the work slide to the last minute. If you keep to your schedule, you will avoid all that time you spend in angst and devote that time and emotional emphasis to the quality of your work.

Marketing your artwork

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:59:00 +0000

To carve out a piece of the art market for yourself, you must let your creative mind consider all possibilities. Tap into every opportunity you can to grab the attention of the market and set yourself apart from the others. Here are some tips on how to go about devising a marketing plan that will work for you:

1. Create a brand that sets you apart. Devise a look for your advertising and paper and online communications that shows off your artwork. For example, if you are an oil painter and you do mainly landscapes, you would do well to include one of your favorite landscapes on your business cards, on post cards that you use to announce your art events, and on newsletters that you send out to tell people what you are doing. Choose one picture and don’t change from picture to picture. Essentially, you want people to think of you when they see that picture.

2. Create a presence on the Internet. You should have a website at the very least. Remember to use the painting you chose for your brand and the predominant colors in that painting on your website as well. That’s your brand. It goes everywhere.

3. In addition to a website, create a blog and publish frequent articles about what you are doing as an artist. This will draw traffic to your website. I know artists who post sketches of artwork-in-progress to draw people to their websites.

4. Hook an online gallery into your website so you’ll have a means to sell your artwork to those who don’t live in your area. It will also give you a means to show your artwork to customers near and far.

5. Be active on the Internet. Visit blogs and galleries. Submit y our work to reputable online galleries. Also, chat with other artists. You never know when they might hear of someone looking for your type of artwork. Do a good deed and recommend their work as well.

6. Don’t concentrate only on the Internet. Continue all the traditional ways of creating a presence. For example, join art groups and associations in your area and other areas if they pertain to your type of work. Enter your artwork into local exhibits. Join the local chamber of commerce to spread the word about your artwork.

7. Show your work locally and in surrounding areas. Many times libraries will welcome an exhibit of artwork, and many city government buildings and hospitals enjoy having exhibits by local artists.

8. Keep your customers and potential customers up to date about what you are doing. Learn to write a professional press release. Create a mailing list on the Internet and one for the regular mail. Every time you show your work, send a press release to these two lists. Keep your name and your activities in front of the public by sending short notices to community magazines that publish a monthly calendar of events. Publish a newsletter on at least a quarterly basis to update previous customers and to let potential customers and groups know about what you are doing.

As an artist, you are an asset to the community. Be sure to keep everyone up to date on what you are doing and the artwork you are producing. Your contributions to the world of art around you will be one of your greatest marketing tools.

How to live an easier life

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:28:00 +0000

Note: It's the weekend.... so I thought this post might be appropriate...

How to live an easier life

Some people thrive on hardship, chaos, gossip, and drama. If you’re not one of them or you don’t want to be one of them, you don’t have to buy into that way of living or thinking. At one time or another we have all fallen into the “if only” trap. “If only” I were rich, life would be easier. “It only” I were beautiful/handsome, life would be easier. “If only” I were more popular, life would be easier, etc.

If those wishes came true, they would do little to make life easier, happier, or brighter. It’s our internal workings, our minds that make life easy or hard. Work from the inside out and you may find life much easier. Here are a few ways to get started:

1. Give up your expectations of how you think life should be. No matter what you expect, life will most often surprise you and give you something else. What life gives you might be just as good as what you expected but will you allow yourself to enjoy it? In most cases, if your expectations are not met, you’ll be disappointed. If you have no expectations, you won’t be disappointed and you just might allow yourself to enjoy what happens without making your life harder by being disappointed over your unfulfilled expectations.

2. Live in the present. We can spend endless hours worrying about yesterday and tomorrow. It is, of course, appropriate to be prepared for tomorrow. If you have committed to do something for your job, your family, or your friends, you must be prepared to follow through. “Live in the present” doesn’t mean that you don’t take care of your obligations. Instead, it means that in any situation, remind yourself to enjoy the present moment. It will make life so much easier and more enjoyable.

3. Be true to yourself. You will make your life so much easier if you don’t fill it up with activities, events, clubs, associations, etc., that mean nothing to you. So many times, our lives become crammed with club meetings and activities that we enjoyed at one time but have lost their sparkle. Nothing says you have to continue with any activity that does not serve a purpose in your life. One of the best ways to make your life easier is to weed out all the activities that are no longer useful to you. Your life will become so much easier if you boil it down to meaningful activities only.

4. Simplify. With all the responsibilities we face in everyday life, it all becomes too complicated at times. To make things easier, look for ways to simplify each aspect of your life. If you reduce a ten-step task to a five-step task, you’ve probably freed up some time for you. For example, if you always go to a laundromat on a certain night despite the fact that it’s always crowded and it takes you twice as long as it should, you’re only making life harder for yourself. By trying that same Laundromat at another time, or another night you may be pleasantly surprised.

In summary, look at all the activities and chores in your life and determine ways to simplify them and you’ll not only make life easier, but free up time for things you enjoy.

How to keep writing despite rejection

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:35:00 +0000

Rejection is a part of every writer’s life. It’s important to learn how to keep writing despite rejection. When we send out that first piece of writing, we expect the world to fall at our feet. When that doesn’t happen, we are crushed. I once received a rejection on a manuscript before I received the postal confirmation slip. Now, that’s rejection.

The road to publication is a long one, but there are countless stories of well-known writers sending manuscripts out and reaping rejections. Would it make you fee better to know that one publisher said of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, “It is impossible to sell animal stories in the USA.”? Yes, publishers can be wrong. Therefore, it’s important to put the book out there again and again until you find a home for it despite rejection. What if Orwell had just thrown that manuscript in the closet based on that publishers opinion?

Here are some ways to do keep rejections in perspective and to keep on writing that:

1. Put the rejections in perspective by realizing that it is only one person’s opinion and there are many more places to send your work.

2. A rejection doesn’t mean you’re a rotten writer. It only means that one publisher can’t use that one piece at that time.

3. Can you learn something form the rejection? If so, once you lick you wounds, sit down and try to apply what you learned through what the rejection letter said.

4. Some rejections aren’t rejections at all. If the rejection letter says they can’t use that piece but would like to send something else you’ve written, dry those tears and send something right away. Hearing from a publisher that they want to see more of your work is an endorsement of your writing.

5. Adopt the motto: Writers write. No matter what, I will keep writing and keep submitting.

6. Make a list of 20 places to send your article or manuscript. As soon as it comes back rejected, send it to the next. If the rejection includes an invitation to re-write and to submit again, do so.

7. Diversify. Write, write, and write. Keep something out there all the time to increase your chances.

Above all else: If you love to write, continue. Keep writing despite rejection. The more you write each day, the better you will become.

How to build your business networking skills

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:10:00 +0000

Networking is a broad term. Generally it means that we exchange business and contact information with colleagues or potential business contacts. Many people today say they use networking skills to build up their businesses, but do they really know how to go about building their business networking skills in an organized manner. Here’s a way to go about it:

1. Analyze what you want to gain from networking. Do you want to meet like-minded colleagues with whom you can exchange information? Do you want to find potential customers? Do you want to do both?

2. Determine who, based on what you want to gain from networking, you want in your network.

3. Devise a plan for building your networking skills. List the steps and the possibilities for getting in touch with those you want in your network.

4. Make it easy for people to get in touch with you. Distribute your business cards to everyone you meet. Make sure your business card identifies your business, your website, your email address, your phone number, etc. Literally give a business card to everyone you meet. You never know when that card might be passed to someone who will be important to your business.

5. Create a web presence and communicate with others. Establish a website and make it easy for people to find you. Be active on the Internet, so your business will come up when someone searches for it.

6. Create a mailing list of those you know are important to your business. Communicate with them on a consistent basis and encourage them to help you increase the number in the group. You could do this through establishing a newsletter that you send out about the business. Make the information in it helpful to those who receive it. When you send it out, ask those receiving it to pass it along to others they think might be interested. Your newsletter could be on paper or sent out electronically on the Internet.

7. Attend conferences, meetings, seminars, etc., on topics related to your business. This is a great way to meet people in your field and to establish face-to-face relationships with them. Before you go, pull together some ideas about how you can help each other, so you’ll have some networking ideas to offer to others.

Networking can be very helpful to you and your business. The key to building your business network is to be consistent and to respond to others when they communicate with you. Networking works best if it is for the betterment of all, so don’t make it only about you and your business.

What is customer service?

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:20:00 +0000

Customer service starts with management and the values they instill in their employees. Unfortunately, customer service has moved away from the concept of “The customer is always right.” This is in part due to the litigious world we live in. We are afraid to admit that a customer might have a valid point when they make a complaint.

Whether you run or work for a large organization or a small outfit, the principles of customer service are the same. Here are some of them.

Keep the customer happy. This doesn’t mean that you have to put everything on sale or that you need to go to extraordinary lengths to make the customer happy. Most people would be satisfied with a little honest attention when they are shopping or looking for someone to provide service in the home.
Listen to the complaints without becoming defensive. Too often when you ask a sales clerk or service person a question, they tell you why your question is out of line instead of answering the question. If I ask how long something will last, I don’t want to hear, “Forever.” I know that’s not true. Tell me the truth and I’ll be grateful and more likely to buy from you in the future.
Show that you value the customer’s time. So often brick and mortar stores and phone and online service businesses don’t hire enough people to give good customer service. When I go out for lunch, I don’t want to hear how many tables the waitress has, or I don’t want to stand in line forever to find a clerk. In too many cases, stores and restaurants are maintaining minimum staffing levels. This is especially true of phone services for all businesses. How many times have you heard a recording say, “Your call is important to us. The next available person will be right with you.”? It is not customer service to make a customer wait on the phone for half an hour for a “real” person to come on the line.
Stand behind the value of your product. Assist a customer rather than trying to sell him something more expensive than he needs. Too often when we ask for a particular product, the sales clerk will offer a suggestion of a more expensive product. Now, I would appreciate this if what I am proposing to buy is not worth the price. However, I don’t want to have to fight with a sales clerk to obtain information about a product I want, just because he/she wants to make a bigger commission.
Meet the customer’s needs, rather than your own. The customer is always right. Businesses would find their businesses booming if some of them returned to this old tenet and to the one about having pride in their product.

How to set goals in your career path

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:35:00 +0000

It is never too late or too early to set goals for your career path or to revise the goals you set a while back. Here are some simple steps to map out a career path:

1.       Assess. The first order of business in setting goals in your career path is to assess where you are. First, you need to determine if you are even on the correct path for you. If you aren’t on the correct path, then make the more desirable path the subject of your goals.

2.       Define. The next step is to determine what success on your chosen career path means to you. For some, goals will be based on money only. For others, it’ll be based on status of becoming “director,” “head salesman,” or “supervisor.” For still others, successful achievement of career goals means reaching levels of increasingly more meaningful work.

3.       Make a quick list of how many goals it will take to reasonably reach the end goal of your career path.

4.       List the goals in more detail. Be sure to write the goals in measurable terms. Each goal must be something tangible enough that you’ll be able to assess, at any given point, how you are doing in achieving the goal and you’ll know immediately and triumphantly when you reach each goal. For example, instead of listing “Be recognized for my work,” be specific and measurably in writing your goal by saying, “Be recognized for my work by being promoted to assistant director.”

5.       Once you’ve written the complete list of goals, put it away except for the current goal and the one that follows it. List under each of these goals the steps you must go through to reach them.

6.       Then break it down by listing under each step what you must do to achieve that step. This is your blueprint to achieving the goals in your career path. Keep it handy to remind you each day where you want to go with your career and how you plan to get there.

Write your career goals and the steps under them in pencil. As you progress, you may find your goals will change or you will need to revise them. Don’t be afraid to make these changes as you go along. It’s only natural that as you mature, your goals will mature with you. Make those changes to your goals as you go along so you won’t lose your way on your career path.

How to follow-up after a job interview.

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:01:00 +0000

The job market today is tight. Applicants need every advantage to distinguish themselves from other applicants. After a job interview it is important to give your self a boost toward landing that job. Following-up after a job interview is one way to let a potential employer know that you are serious about the position and eager to work for their company.

However, you don’t want to hurt your chances of getting the job by pestering them. Here are some tips on how to follow-up after a job interview:

Before you leave the interview, ask when they will be making a decision about the job and how and when you will be notified. By knowing their time-table, you can gauge when to inquire about your status. You don’t want to inquire too early and annoy the employer.

After the interview, send a brief thank you letter to the person who conducted the interview. In it, thank him/her for the opportunity to apply, the time spent in the interview, and their consideration of you for the position. Keep the letter short, sincere, and close it with some statement of your interest in the position and your hope to be working for them soon.

If you haven’t heard from the employer by the time they expected to contact you, it is acceptable to make a phone call to inquire about the position. In doing so, remember that every contact you make with the employer is part of your application process, so it is best not to show your irritation that they have not notified you of the status of the position.

Sometimes the decision-making process takes longer than expected, and you will show your maturity and willingness to work as a member of the team by showing your patience with the process. That said, there are also reasons that an applicant may need to know the outcome of the selection process. In this case, tell the employer honestly that you are very interested in the position and go on to tell him/her the reason you need to know the outcome of the selection process. It might be that you’ve been offered another position and you need to let that other potential employer know. It is perfectly acceptable to put this information before a potential employer.

Whatever you choose to do, don’t make your inquiry sound like you are delivering an ultimatum. Instead, state the facts, express your desire to work for him/her, and the reason that you must make a decision. Don’t use this if you are merely tired of waiting for an answer. In many cases, the potential employer is working as quickly as he/she can to make a decision. If you deliver an ultimatum, you might fine that they encourage you to go ahead and take that other job.

The important aspect of following up after an interview is to let the employer know that you are serious about the position and that you are grateful for the opportunity to be considered for the job.

How to encourage participation during meetings and workshops

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:19:00 +0000

Many people who attend meetings and workshops just want to listen to what is going on and not participate. They don’t want to be encouraged to participate in the meeting or workshop. They want to be informed or entertained. Often this shyness stems from fear of not measuring up. Here are some tips on what a facilitator can do to encourage participation:

Create an environment of error-free participation. As a facilitator of a meeting or workshop, it is best to put the participants at ease in the beginning. One way to do this is to create an environment that encourages people to participate without increasing their worry about saying something wrong. As the facilitator you can do this by framing your questions and discussion points so there are no wrong answers. Instead of speaking in absolutes, ask for one of many in a list. For example, instead of asking the group to “…name the one marketing strategy that will work for this product,” ask the group to “…brainstorm all the marketing strategies that might be good for this product.” By broadening the question, you lower each participant’s fear of being wrong.
Brainstorming technique. Another way to encourage participation is to request to hear all ideas no matter how silly they might think they are. By lowering the expectations and making it okay to offer a silly idea, people will have feel freer to speak up.
As the facilitator, ensure that you are part of the discussion. If the meeting is supposed to be a lecture, then let the participants off the hook by not calling on them. If you as the facilitator truly want their ideas, make the meeting into a conversation where their ideas are as important and as respected as yours.
When someone offers some information that might be embarrassing to them, find something good to say about it. And be authentic about this. Don’t say the traditional, “That’s a good point,” if it’s not. But find a way to expand the idea to make the participant feel that at least he/she provided a spark of an idea that led to more.
Make speaking out fun. Ask the group a question and ask for the silliest comment about it. The exercise is for someone to offer a silly or invalid idea and it’s the responsibility of the group to form it into a good idea. In this manner you are providing reinforcement for silly ideas. This will loosen up the group and make them feel it is safe to talk in your workshop or meeting.
If it’s possible to rearrange the room, do so. Make the arrangement of the room as informal as possible in order to facilitate communication.

To facilitate discussion, the facilitator needs to express an authentic desire to hear from everyone in the group. If certain people within the group, look particularly uncomfortable even after the above activities, then allow them to have a pass during the workshop or meeting and work them into the conversation the next time.

Small business guide to effective marketing strategies

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:56:00 +0000

The goal of marketing is to attract customers who want to buy your service or product. Small businesses frequently fail if they can’t figure out how to do this. However, small businesses can move toward ensuring their success by implementing the following strategies:

Create a product or service that is needed by the public and stands out from the others in the same category. For example, there are many wedding photographers in most cities. If you are one of them and you want to book more weddings than the others, you’ll have to distinguish yourself by providing services that are different and better than theirs. Instead of creating wedding albums that look just like theirs, create your own style that sets you apart. At times, this will be a risk, but if you deliver quality work, you will develop your own niche of the market.
Develop a name for your business and a motto that will identify you easily. To attract customers and to facilitate their referring you to others, choose a name that it easy to remember and has something to do with the product or service you are offering.
Create printed materials, including a business card, brochure, and website, with a uniform look, so when people see it, they don’t even have to read it. They’ll recognize the look of it as yours.
Don’t distribute anything about your company or service that is not professional. Every piece of paper and every communication from you reflects your business, so make each communication count.
Keep your name in front of your customers. Don’t let long periods go by without letting your customers hear from you. And, set up a good system to keep track and communication with your customers. You’ll want to continually add to your customer list.
Don’t advertise. Send information instead. By this I mean that people often throw away advertisements without reading them, but they rarely throw away an information booklet or newsletter. So instead of sending out a flyer that just advertises your product, write an article or two about what you do or informative text about your product’s use and send it out as a newsletter. Always include information on topics other than your product, so your readers will learn to look through the newsletter carefully because you’re providing them some interesting text.
Sponsor some type of event to bring in the customers. A talk about your product or an open house for old and new customers is a good idea. With events such as these, you can send out a press release to various media outlets and you just might gain the interest of a writer for the local paper or supplement. If no one wants to publish an article about your event, you can at least have it listed in the calendar of events in the paper and on local radio shows.
The most important thing that a small business owner can do to market their business is to stay alert for opportunities. Frequently, you hear about events that would have been a perfect opportunity to market your business. To know about these opportunities in time to take advantage of them be sure to read local papers and magazines cover to cover. You never know what opportunities might arise.

How do art galleries work?

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:39:00 +0000

There are basically two business models for art galleries. One follows the set up of an individually owned, traditional retail store. The other follows the co-op model. This is where the artists ban together and own the gallery and work cooperatively to run it.

In the case of the individually owned gallery, the gallery owner runs the gallery as a retail business. They have sales clerks who wait on customers shopping in the gallery. Individually owned galleries operate as follows:

To show artwork in this type of gallery, the artist would approach the owner with a portfolio representative of their artwork or with a few samples of originals of their work. The owner would evaluate the work and decide whether or not to carry the artist’s work
The artist would then provide the gallery with work ready to hang or be displayed. In some cases, the owner lets the artist choose what work they want to display in the gallery. However in most cases, the gallery owner would choose the works for the gallery.
At times, galleries will buy the artwork outright at a wholesale rate from the artist and sell it at a retail rate in the gallery. Most often, however, the gallery will represent an artist on a consignment or commission basis. In these cases, the artist receives a portion of the price of the artwork when the work sells and the gallery receives the rest.
The gallery owner is responsible for the overhead of the gallery, including the salaries of the sales clerks and other costs of running the business.

In a cooperative gallery, all artists join together and cooperatively set up and run the gallery. They collectively incur all costs equally. A cooperatively owned gallery usually operates as follows:

Wall space is shared by the artists in the cooperative.
Expenses are shared by the artists in the cooperative. There is usually a monthly fee to cover the operational costs and a commission goes to the gallery kitty when an artist sells a piece of artwork.
When an artist joins a cooperative gallery, there is often an initial fee for joining.
At times, cooperative galleries take in consignment pieces and have shows for artists who do not belong to the cooperative. They usually charge for these services and provide these opportunities to help defray the costs of operating the gallery.
The member artists share the duties of being on duty at the gallery. They act as gallery guide and sales clerk when it is their day to be on duty. Usually, each artist works a certain number of hours per month.

Museums are often considered galleries, but do not operate in the same manner. They are not a retail business like a gallery. They are in the business of showing artwork rather than selling it. They are usually run by a board of directors or some such advisory board with employees often consisting of a curator and several docents who tell visitors of the museum about the art work. Often museums have offer educational programs that are not available in galleries. Galleries usually hang traveling exhibits rather than representing local artists.

There are of course many variations within these two groups, but the structure is the same. When joining a gallery, it is important to study their structure and determine if you will be happy with what they can provide and the amount of work you'll need to put into it.

Are you ready to start a business?

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:47:00 +0000

Testing your readiness to start a business.

In these economically challenging times, it is important to know what you’re getting into before you start that business. You can test your readiness to start a business by honestly answering a few key questions regarding finances, marketability of your idea, your understanding of business practices, and your expertise.

Specific questions to help you determine your readiness to start a business are:

Can you afford to start a business?

How much money do you have saved toward starting your business?
It usually takes businesses at least six months to start receiving regular payments from clients and customers. How much money do you have saved to live on during the first six months of your business?
If your business doesn’t make money at first, how long can you wait for profits to roll in?
How much will the start up of your business cost? Is this money above and beyond the money you have set aside to live on during the first six months of your business?
Can you run the business on your own or do you need employees in order to succeed?
If you need employees, do you have enough to pay and to provide for benefits for them while you wait for your customers to pay you?

Is your product or service marketable?

Have you tested your idea in the marketplace?
What proof do you have that your service or product is needed enough for people to pay money for it?
Have you tested the viability of your product or service on a small scale? Did you find customers easily and were those customers pleased with the service or product you are proposing to provide?
Have you determined ways you will market your product or service and how much this marketing will cost?

Do you have the business knowledge necessary to start a business?

What do you know about running a business? Is it enough?
Do you know the best business structure for a business with your product or service?
Do you know the ins and outs of setting up a business?
Do you know how to keep the books for a business such as yours?
Do you know what documentation to keep for business and tax purposes?
Do you know how to track the inventory of your business?

Do you have the expertise to run the business you have in mind?

Do you have the background and knowledge required to run business such as yours?
Do you have the appropriate educational credentials and business licenses to run a business centered on the product or services you are offering?
Do you know who your competitors are?
Why do you feel you can compete with them?

If you assess these areas thoroughly and honestly and you determine that you have the expertise, the financial backing, and the market for your service or product, it just might be the right time to dip your toe into the business world. If you can give positive answers to most of these questions and are willing to work to overcome your weak areas, you will have done all you can to determine your readiness to start a business.

Caring for a cat with diabetes

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:22:00 +0000

The symptoms of feline diabetes are very similar to the symptoms of diabetes in humans. The most common and obvious symptoms are excessive thirst, excessive urination, and lethargy. These are also symptoms of a thyroid problem, so you can’t diagnose this yourself.

High glucose levels take a toll on your cat’s systems. As with the human body, high glucose levels over a sustained period of time can wear on the kidneys, eyes, and the heart. To prevent complications, it’s important to keep your cat’s glucose levels within normal or near normal limits. If you suspect diabetes, take your cat to the veterinarian for a conclusive diagnosis. Blood tests will tell your veterinarian what is going on with your cat.

Once diagnosed, taking care of your pet is important. The care you implement will be needed long term. It’s important to realize this and to be consistent with your care. Mild cases of diabetes are sometimes controlled through a diet change. Once your cat begins a special diet, it’s important to have your cat’s glucose checked periodically to ensure that a change of diet is enough to make the difference. And, it’s important to eliminate the extra treats you are used to giving your cat. They will work against the positive changes you are trying to make through diet.

A change of diet may not be enough to keep your cat’s glucose within an acceptable range. Your veterinarian will probably prescribe insulin at this point. In most cases, your veterinarian will be able to determine the appropriate dose and frequency of insulin to give.

In some cases, cats with diabetes have glucose levels that can’t be regulated without testing. In those cases, the veterinarian may have you test your cat’s urine before you give the insulin. This will ensure you don’t give the insulin when the cat doesn’t need it. Your veterinarian will explain this procedure to you, if needed.

The most important points in caring for your cat with diabetes are:

Take your cat to the veterinarian for a diagnosis.
Be consistent with your cat’s diet. It’s important that they eat at the same time each day, just as people with diabetes do. And, it’s very important that you don’t load their diet with treats. Stick to the diet that the veterinarian recommends.
Give insulin as prescribed by your veterinarian.
Keep a liquid sugar product on hand in case your pet has a spell of low glucose. Often diabetics drink orange juice or pop a glucose tablet when their glucose level drops too low. In cats, the need is the same. When I had a diabetic cat, I kept a syringe (without a needle) on hand. When my cat would act weak as if his glucose level was too low, I would squirt some honey or syrup into his mouth. This didn’t happen frequently, but it’s good to be prepared.

The important point in caring for a cat with diabetes is to provide lots of loving care. Your pet will adapt to all the other changes as quickly as you do if you keep the love constant.

Fiction Writing: How to create believable characters:

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:44:00 +0000

When writing a novel, full-bodied characters will do more to add believability to your story than anything. Through them, you will bring your story to life. You can do several things to create characters who will jump off the pages. They are:

1. Write a resume for each character. In it include information similar to what you would put in your own resume when preparing to apply for a job. It should be a detailed description of the person's educational and work history and accomplishments. If detailed, it will provide the structure for a character sketch of that character. At the end of the resume, write the details of a few incidents from the characters life that might apply to your story.

2. Physical description. We don’t always describe characters in detail to readers. Sometimes we just leave it to their imaginations. But for you to know your characters, it is important to be able to visualize each of them in vivid detail. Include in the physical description of each character: height, weight, body type, hair versus no hair, hair color, eye color, etc. Those are the basics. It's important to write them down and keep them straight. You don't want say someone can change a light bulb without a ladder if he isn’t tall enough.

Beyond this basic physical description, you'll want to get a clear picture of physical characteristics that set your character apart, such as walking with poor posture, long painted fingernails, the fact your character always wears a sun hat to keep the sun away from sensitive skin, a special piece of jewelry your character wears always, etc.

3. Quirks. We started addressing quirks a bit in the previous section. The more detail you have in mind about quirks of your characters, the more real and distinctive they will become. But don't go overboard -- too many quirks and your characters will turn into caricatures.

4. Likes/dislikes. Make a list of your character's likes and dislikes. What makes your character happy and what makes him sad or angry or embarrassed, etc. This list will help you know instinctively how your character will react to circumstances that arise in your novel. Also, list any allergies, chronic conditions, etc., your character might have.

5. Hobbies/talents. Make a list of the talents your characters bring to the table. If your reader knows that your character works out or was a runner in high school, the reader will expect him/her to do well in a chase on foot. If your character is a good cook, it may add to your story that people drop in on her just to get a taste of her latest cookies. This may not add an integral point to your story, but it'll help to round out your character.

6. Shortcomings. What are your characters weaknesses? Often the weaknesses will make the story more interesting. You don't want characters who don't have any faults. That's too boring.

Put all these characteristics together when you write your novel and the readers will find them intriguing and believable.

For more posts about writing and publishing, please visit my blog devoted to that. It's http://www.BeforeYouWrite.com

Professionalism when working from home

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:58:00 +0000

One of the great advantages of working from home is that you can begin your workday in your pajamas while slurping your cereal if that makes you happy. Many days, I get up out of bed and sit down for a couple hours of work before breakfast and before I get dressed. This doesn’t mean that I don’t maintain professionalism on the job. Clients would never guess that I dress so casually.

If you’re going to work from home, it’s important that you present yourself with the same level of professionalism as those who go out into the corporate world to work. If you don’t see clients or customers, don’t worry about your appearance, but here are some of the ways you can present yourself and your business professionally:

Always answer your business phone in a professional manner. State the name of your business when you answer it. This will make it clear that you take your business seriously and that you approach your work in a professional manner. Express a desire to help the caller. If you can’t talk at the moment, tell the person when you will call them back, but don’t give an unprofessional excuse, such as “The dog is chewing my slipper,” as a reason to end a business call.

If one of the reasons you are working at home is to save on child care, you may want to rethink this. Watching children is a full time job. You won’t be able to do that and attend to your business in a professional manner, too.

If you can’t afford to hire someone to look after your children full time, choose specific hours for your business when you will take calls and hire a sitter for your children during those times. For example, you could take calls from clients during the mornings only. Let your clients know how you are setting up your business, and they will get used to your schedule. They will be happy to have your undivided attention during the times you specify, provided you get the work done for them efficiently at all times.

The need to keep regular hours doesn’t apply just to those who have children. It’s easy for people who work from home to be lenient about keeping regular working hours. After all, the freedom to do what you want may be your reason for becoming your own boss. Your clients and customers may become frustrated when they have difficulty figuring out when you are open and when you aren’t. You may run into problems if a client needs something from you in a hurry and can’t get in touch with you. You can avoid this problem by keeping your business “seemingly” open at all times. Keep your cell phone with you during business hours. Answer it in a professional manner, and your clients need not know that you are at the zoo with your kids.

If you are in a business where you need to go meet with clients, you’ll want to dress accordingly. Just because you work at home doesn’t mean you don’t need to dress as appropriately as your brick and mortar friends when they go to work. Your appearance makes an impression and a statement about your professionalism.

How to tell if care giving is putting too much stress on you.

noreply@blogger.com (Lou Belcher) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:49:00 +0000

Stress is the enemy of caregivers. Providing full time care is often difficult, yet it can be a rewarding endeavor. Don’t let stress get away from you. Watch for the early signs of it, implement measures to counteract them, and you’ll find your time at care giving much more rewarding.

There are four signs of stress that are most prevalent in those involved in care giving. They are: fatigue, altered nutrition, altered mood or emotions, and altered health.

Let’s take a look at each sign of stress. It is important for care givers to find ways to avoid stress; and if it can’t be avoided, ways to overcome it.

One of the most prevalent signs of too much stress in caregivers is fatigue. While I was the full time caregiver for my elderly mother, there were many nights when she’d awaken me ten or more times. Disoriented, she often lost track of time and would call for my attention. Since I was the only caregiver 24/7, I often only got snatches of sleep during any 24-hour period. Eventually I recognized my exhaustion was taking a toll on my system. Once I realized that, I made sure I napped every time she napped. That way, I made up some of the sleep I was missing at night. Another solution is to ask a neighbor or friend to come in so you can take a full-fledged nap now and then.

Another sign of stress in the caregiver is what I call altered nutrition. In my case, this came in the form of weight gain. It’s all too easy when you’re stressed to reach for all that comfort food. The problem is that the weight gain makes it more difficult to function as a caregiver and leads to stress. To combat this, keep plenty of fortifying nutritional snacks on hand that will lift your energy level while reducing your stress.

Altered mood or emotions is a sure sign of stress. It is often difficult to maintain a happy mood and positive emotions while providing care for a loved one. It’s stressful to watch someone you love suffer. Stress is especially prevalent when giving care to an elderly parent whose condition is deteriorating or when giving care to a terminally ill patient. You can’t help but start to grieve for the person you will soon lose. The important deterrent to stress in this situation is to recognize that you need help handling your emotions and finding someone to talk to about how you are feeling. Often it’s enough to talk with a friend or a family member who understands what you’re going through. Also, there are agencies where you can obtain counseling over the phone or online if you can’t get away to meet with a counselor.

Altered health is another sign that the stress of care giving might be getting to you. If you find that you are run down and as a consequence are suffering from more aches, pains and illnesses than usual, it’s time to take action. See your physician and ask for help. In many cases physicians can refer you to services in the community that will provide just the stress relief you need in order to overcome the toll that care taking may be having on your own well being.