8 Holiday Shopping Ideas… A bit off the beaten track

Creativity is an amazing thing. It can save you a fortune and give you better results yet most people opt for ‘thinking with their wallets.’ A much more expensive option. If you want to please those people in your life that really matter OR give the obligatory gifts to clients and ‘associates’ without going broke, here are 8 thoughts for you.

1.  Send them all the gift of love. Take a charity that no one can possible have a problem with and one you endorse and send a BIG gift to that charity in their name. ãYou…WE have so much. I am donating $100 in your name to UNICEF for the children of the world.ä It will cost you $100 but it does that person, you and the children a LOT more good than a pewter plate with your corporate logo on it.

2. Write a personal note to your spouse or kids and include 5 vouchers for ‘One hour of massage’, ‘One get out of the flat for free and I take care of the kids’ or ‘Good for one night out with your girlfriends / the guys’ or ‘A day with dad / mom doing what ever you want to do…Sentosa, video games, picnic, Discovery Centre or ???’. Put an expiration date so they get used up.

3.  Remember what that person likes and give it to them. This is a repeat of last week but the point is, if you are listening, it may not cost a lot to make people feel appreciated.

4.  Days for that special someone. You already have everything I own. I want to give you something that not even I own. A day of my life. I give you one day, of your choosing, where I will do whatever you desire. I’ll pamper you, take care of you, massage you and gladly be your servant for a day.ä Do you think THAT will be appreciated?

5.  Get out of work early voucher. Give your employees a voucher where they can get out of work at 3 PM any day of their choosing, except during peak periods (list). Costs you NOTHING and will be seen as a HUGE perk. Hey… On the days they wish they were gone? They are already GONE mentally.

6.  Book of your choice from Popular, Times or Borders. Great gift. Give them an in-store voucher or just your own (buy it and I’ll pay you back). Keeping your team or kids reading is a great thing. The fact they don’t buy it immediately means they have to see it and think about it a lot. More positive thoughts than the tie you buy and it goes into the drawer for years.

7.  Promise (and actually CHANGE) the bad habit your family dislikes. For example, if you have promised to be home for dinner and never made it on time, tell them it is your ‘present’ and NEVER BE LATE ONCE!!! Set no appointments near dinner time and pay your staff a bonus to kick you out EARLY.

8.  Write a poem or love note to the people that matter. Sorry, the jewellery stores tell you they need to see diamonds. Instead, take the next 10 lunch hours writing a poem of just how much you love that special someone in your life. Write it. Re-write it. Perfect it. Include how you met, your first kiss, the first time you ‘knew’ she / he was the one, etc. Print it out on special parchment and frame it. $30 - $50. Diamonds $5,000. Diamonds will impress. Your poem will touch the heart. Depends on what you want to accomplish.

I’m not against retail. Just think we need to connect at a level other than the plastic card level. Visa, MC, Diners and AMEX are great, but cannot buy the heart. Our gift of time and creativity can do a lot to make the holidays special.

Join other Success Minded People by subscribing to the “Success Series Blog Tips” and GET the eCourse for FREE.

3 Ways to Add Romance to Your Life

Amore` or romance or passion is almost universally sought after yet rarely achieved. We may fall in love and even get married, but is the fire still there?

Speaker friend, Patricia Fripp tells a story of old grandma and grandpa nearing their farm and pass a young couple kissing passionately in a parked car by the side of the road. Grandma says to grandpa, `Remember when we used to sit that close in this old truck?` Grandpa replies, `Well, I am not the one who moved!`

IF you have someone special in your life, is there any way you have `moved` away from him or her? If you do not have someone special, have you moved away from getting close to people and are avoiding intimacy? Here are 3 ways to add romance to your life:

#1 Work at it. If your spouse likes gifts, buy a little token today and bring it home. If your spouse likes love notes, write one now before you forget. If the person you love is struggling with work, career or family, pay special attention to him or her and ask questions. Your interest and concern speaks volumes about your love, opening up hearts and minds.

#2 Seek it. Look for opportunities to get away with your sweetheart, just the two of you, even if only for an evening or a day or two. Turn the TV off and sit and talk. Sometimes, going to a coffee shop for this is easier than at home as it breaks the `same-old-pattern` syndrome. Maybe start the conversation with, `I maybe have not told you or shown you lately, but I want you to know, how much I love you.`

#3 Be creative. Compose a song and sing it. Put him in his favourite chair and dance for him. Give her a one-hour head to toe massage. Feed each other and fill in between bites with a kiss or caress. Fill the tub with bubble bath and take a bath together. (saves water!) Smile at him or her and hold it until the other asks why. Then say, `Even after all this time, I just love to sit and look at you.`

NONE of this costs any big money. ALL of it adds to enjoyment and romance for both parties involved. Got comments or questions?  Just leave your comments here.

Click Here to subscribe to  the “Success Series Blog” Tips

Juggling daily demands can leave anyone frazzled.  Let me shows you how to balance your life and to be worry-free in five steps.

I’m 54 and I find the stresses in my life very different from when I was 33. I am a “late bloomer” and have three children aged five, seven and 13. I also have an eye on the horizon as to how many years I have left of solid income generation. Also, my values are different as are my commitments and my body is VERY different. How does the “mature” person balance life, with or without children or grandchildren in the mix?

What got me started was a conversation with my wife while attending a jazz night at The Arts House in Singapore. On the way home, she questioned whether this life  balance concept is all it is cracked up to be.

She shared with me a statement and then a question, “I try to balance time with the kids, helping you in the business, commitments at AWANA (Teaching young people Bible verses), attending church, reading books, taking care of our home, extended family, friends and more and it always seems I should spend more time with you, the children, with everything. Can we really have balance?”

THE KEY TO BALANCE

Great observations and an awesome question! Here was my reply: We can never do it all. Trying to do it all only leads to frustration. All we can really do is pick the most important tasks and set realistic expectations. The hard part is to learn to be happy with what we DID do as only the lazy accomplish all they would like to do. Those of us with great ambition in life and higher self-worth need to learn that balance comes from appreciating what we have done and NOT dwelling on what did not get done.

I promise you, everyone looks “ideal” from the outside. This guy’s life looks so easy. She looks like a PERFECT wife and mother. He looks like a better husband. She looks like her life is charmed. If we get into the comparison game, we are doomed from the start.

Keep in mind that everything looks great from the outside; but on the inside, it is often very different. He looks like an ideal husband until you find out about his abuse. She looks perfect but you don’t know her temper or spending habits. Better to focus on your own life and what you can do to maximise your effectiveness, improve your own level of pleasure and cope with the worry and stress you have.

With that in mind, here are five ways you can balance life better – and worry less:

1. Daily “Quiet Time” I start my day EVERY day with 30 minutes of quiet time, reflection and prayer (first fruits of the day). This ensures that no other “priorities” or distractions get in the way. It also helps me focus my efforts for the day and keeps me in balance. If NOTHING ELSE gets done, at least I had my time alone with God.

Three big advantages of doing this early, when the house is quiet: One, no distractions. Two, it lends clarity to my day. Three, it gives me peace as I approach my day. It is like insulating myself from stress before the stress occurs.

I also take “quiet moments” throughout the day to pray at meals, whenever I have a challenge or hear of one from a friend. This way, I don’t hold those fears, angers or problems inside. I immediately give them to God to deal with for me. Getting rid of these pressures and worries is incredibly stress-relieving!

Finally, I always pray with my wife at night before going to sleep. We ask forgiveness for what we did or said that was not kind, right or just, asking God to lead us in a new direction, closer to Him. It is magical!

2. Be at peace about your money How much is enough? If you do not have a figure in mind, you can work to the day you die and never feel in balance.

Set a REALISTIC figure and put a plan in place to get it in an acceptable amount of time and set a yearly, monthly and daily target to work on. If you meet your daily target, you’ll be more relaxed. If you miss several days or weeks, make time to readjust your target or get to work.

Before you set your financial targets, make sure they are consistent with your values for family, friends and fun. Saving for a retirement with no fun, no time for family and no time for friends will leave you with few family members or friends when you reach your target. Also, if you do not know how to have fun NOW, how will you learn about fun when you finally reach your target?

3. Make time for family How much time is enough? Would the family agree? Ask them. Work out a compromise all can live with and stick to it. Blocking time on the calendar for family will help you accomplish your family goals and assist with feeling balanced.

Remember, this is balancing YOUR life we are talking about, not your children’s lives. Most grandparents love spending time with their and children. Not all want to spend ALL of their time with their grandchildren. Make sure whatever you agree to is fair to you and your spouse. YES… family often comes ahead of personal pleasure. Just ensure it is not at the EXCLUSION of personal pleasure.

4. Revisit your priorities Beyond the above areas, when it comes to juggling fitness, social commitments and personal satisfaction issues, it is all about priorities. I would LOVE to play my saxophone every day like I did prior to our children being born. To me it is fun, relaxing yet invigorating. Now, I play intermittently. Why? Priorities. I’d rather spend the time with our children. When our two younger children are in school, I will make time for my sax.

Gym is a priority twice a week, with bike rides and walks in between. Why? I need that time for health, sanity and so that I live long enough to play with my grandchildren some day, God willing.

5. Consider your true value Do you still have “worries” that keep you from enjoying your “balanced” life? Do you think you are irreplaceable? I know I am not. If a bus flattened me tomorrow or some other calamity takes my life, I know my clients will not go out of business. We are but smoke on this planet. A puff and then gone.

Nothing we do really matters in the long run. We do our best, contribute our most and then go on. No one will remember us five years after we are gone. Enjoy a balanced life while we are here, contribute what we can and worry little about anything else.

Balance will not make you happy unless you are happy with what you choose as balance. And, if you “balance” without worry, you will find peace in your balance. Not deciding what “balance” is will leave you as dissatisfied as someone with little or no balance. Choose your balance and smile as you learn to live with your balance, worry-free.

Tags: ambition, balance life, balance your life, balanced life, family, frustration, life balance, Michael Podolinsky, realistic expectations, stresses, success in life, Success Strategies, work, worry free

3 Steps to Pleasing Your Partner

This one may shock some people. It is about pleasing the romantic partner in your life. Sorry, but I cannot help but be holistic in my approach to life and if the home life is great, usually the work life is good as well and vice versa.

Now do not get too excited. It is not about sex. It is about what it takes to please your partner to make your partner happy and more in love with you than ever. If you do not currently have a partner, it gives you a better idea of how to court a future partner and then keep him / her once you connect.

Ask yourself what are the kinds of things that make you happy and satisfied. Chances are some, but certainly not all will please your partner. Unless you married a clone of yourself, your mate is probably a compliment to you, not a mirror image.

FIRST, take a look at your physical relationship. Not because it is the most important but because it is usually the first thing people focus on if there is trouble in the relationship. When I come home from a long day of speaking on my feet and my bride gives me a foot massage, WOW! When she has a tension headache from taking care of kids all day and I massage her shoulders and neck, I know she appreciates it.

Hold hands in public when you walk. For no particular reason when you walk behind your partner, give a soft gentle kiss on the neck. RUN to the door and greet your partner when they come home and give her / him a LONG hug. What we may not FEEL like doing is maybe what we OUGHT to be doing. Want more bliss? GIVE more bliss.

SECOND, listen. This should be number one but rarely makes the top 3 list for men of what they want. Reality for men and especially women, when their mate listens to them, it helps many problems disappear. Listen to his desires. Listen to her needs. Listen to what you two have in common. Listen to your mutual longings. Listen to God in your hearts. Listen without thinking of a comeback or answer. JUST listen.

THIRD, date each other. Notice, I did not say party or spend money together, argue, or go out with 20 friends or candle lit dinners (although the last one might not be bad), I just said to `date each other`. What happens on a date? Usually you talk… a lot. You hold hands. You smile. You compliment. You listen a TON and, yes, you finish with a kiss. (What happens after I will leave to your imaginations.)

Sarnai and I have only been married for about 9 years so this is not a fountain of wisdom from 50 years of marriage as some of you may have experienced. Just three simple things helping my bride and I get ever closer. We believe they can help any relationship.

Got comments or questions?  Just leave your comments here.

Click Here to subscribe to  the “Success Series Blog” Tips

What do women want in men?

Every Monday at 6 AM, I attend a Men’s Fraternity group at the International Baptist Church in Singapore. It is a programme from the USA started by pastor Robert Lewis. We are men of all denominations coming together to discover what a REAL man is and to become better husbands, fathers, friends and children of God. In a recent programme, we discovered 4 things every woman wants and it was so revealing, I thought I would share it with you. MEN… read this. WOMEN, if you agree, pass it on to the men in your life.

1) SECURITY. This can be financial security, family or relationship stability. If a man is trustworthy and gives her stability and security, she will feel more comfortable in her relationship with that man.

2) CONVERSATIONAL COMPANIONSHIP. NOT fixing, teaching or correcting her. True, open sharing with lots of listening. Men can start this with, `Honey, tell me about your day.` or `How are you feeling about your life (or about us).`

3) SINGNIFICANCE or to be Valued. A woman wants to feel valued by her man and like her life counts for something. Men, notice what she does for you, the family and others and tell her how important it is and how much you appreciate it.

4) AFFECTION. This does not usually mean sex but could include it. It means acts of affection which may include touch or anything that tells her she is treasured, loved and cherished.

I am 54 and I am just beginning to understand this. I guess better late then never.

Smile Maker: So what is hypnotism?

One man tells a friend he went to a show and was hypnotised.

His friend asks him what `hypnotised` means.

He said, `It is when you submit yourself completely to someone and do whatever that person tells you to do.`

His friend says, `Oh, I just call that marriage!`

To have your team learning these lessons and others improve their relationships and to boost their productivity, please give us a call at 65 6764-8067, e-mail  Mike(AT)MichaelPodolinsky.com or contact us through our website.

As Professional and Personal Development Masters, we conduct customised speeches, seminars and workshops to make you and your people more productive, informed, motivated and inspired.

In addition to training, we speak at conventions, conduct strategic planning retreats, sales meetings and facilitate sessions to optimise leadership development, team growth and personal productivity.

Find out how Michael Podolinsky will help your organization by browsing through the links below:

• Browse through Michael’s Products, Speech Topics, Seminar & Workshop Topics and  Public Seminars
• Check out what they say about Michael
• Click here to contact Michael to find out more about his training

Click Here to subscribe to  the “Success Series Blog” Tips

Tags: men, Relationships, what women want, what women want in men, women