As I was reflecting on the gratitude I felt for the support my friends and family were giving, I also thought about all the emotional support we share, and all of the other types of support that help us all keep stress at bay. While relationship conflicts can be a cause of stress, the right circle of friends and type of social support can work wonders.

I recently read some interesting research on types of support, however, and found confirmation on what I've always instinctively felt: that not all types of support function in the same way and, even more interesting to me, some types of support can actually be damaging if given in too-large quantities. Read more about the research on different types of support, and see the resources below on how to share stress relief with your loved ones through supportive relationships.

Relationship Resources for Stress Management:

• Types of Social Support
  What are the different types of social support, and how do they work? Do men and women need different things? And is it really possible to get TOO MUCH support from a spouse? Learn more about social support and stress!

• Best Types and Sources of Social Support
  Social support is a wonderful remedy for stress, and can come in many shapes and sizes. And different types of social support resonate with different people (though esteem support is virtually universally liked). What does good social support look like to you? What are your favorite types and sources of social support?

• Communication Skills
  Conflict in a relationship is virtually inevitable. In itself, conflict isn't a problem; how it's handled, however, can bring people together or tear them apart. Poor communication skills, disagreements and misunderstandings can be a source of anger and distance, or a springboard to a stronger relationship and happier future. Next time you're dealing with conflict, keep these tips on effective communication skills in mind and you can create a more positive outcome.

• How to Create Truly Supportive Friendships
  Creating a supportive circle of friends is well worth the effort, but it does take some work. Here are some important things to remember in building your social support.

• More Research on Social Support
  

What are some ways you've given support lately? What are some ways that people have supported you? Share your experiences in the comments, we'd love to hear them! And if you've found this post helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and family via the 'share' button. Thanks!

Support For Stress Relief originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 22:18:28.

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I recently created one of these Reader Response articles on the topic of cognitive reframing. The question I posed is as follows:

Cognitive reframing--the wonderful practice of looking at things in a more positive light in order to experience them as less stressful--is a simple and effective stress reliever. And there are unlimited opportunities to practice cognitive reframing to maintain a more optimistic world view. Sometimes it helps to see how others can take lemons and make lemonade; sometimes it's nice to get a pat on the back for a brilliant example of cognitive reframing you've used in your own. Either way, I invite you to share your best examples of cognitive reframing in your own life, and get inspired by the stories of others.

I received several great responses. Here's one I particularly like, from Linda.LongIsland:

Several people, including Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, have written about the benefits of gratitude. Instead of focusing on what's going wrong, we can focus on what's going right. A friend of mine was complaining that nothing went right one day. I said, "You have to look at things correctly. Lots of things went right. Can you walk? Can you see? Do you have a roof over your head?, etc." She answered yes and then thanked me for giving her "a gift." We all have so much to be grateful for and by concentrating on the daily miracles in our lives, we will have the strength to get through stressful times.

How would you have responded? Here's your chance--add to the Reader Response article on cognitive reframing yourself!

In the comments section below, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, or any topic ideas you'd like to see turned into a Reader Response article. I'm always appreciative of suggestions!

See More Reader Response Articles

Reader Wisdom: Reframing A Bad Day originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 05:48:29.

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The following resources can help you to shed self-sabotaging thought patterns and behaviors starting now, and create a more serene, aware life for yourself.

• Stress and Self Sabotage:Are You Creating Additional Mental Stress For Yourself?
  We've all found ourselves being impatient with people or taking out frustrations on innocent bystanders, or causing unnecessary conflicts and mental stress because stress is clouding our judgment. The following are some of the most common ways that people create mental and emotional stress in their own lives. Carefully think about whether any of these self sabotage techniques apply to you, so you can make simple changes to reduce significant mental and emotional stress from your life.

• Share Your Self Sabotage Stories
  When did you realize you were contributing to your own stress? What did you do? What advice do you have for others? Share your stories with this reader-generated article, or just see the stories of others who have battled this type of stress, too.

• How To Learn From Your Mistakes
  It's hard to face mistakes, but even harder to stay at peace when you find yourself making the same mistakes over and over. Here are some tips to turn life's difficult situations into your lessons, and gain wisdom from your mistakes.

• What Lessons Do You Learn From Mistakes?
  What have you learned from your own mistakes in life? What hard-won wisdom would you refuse to trade for the world? Share it with others who can learn from your experience, and see other readers' best!

Do You Sabotage Yourself? How? originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 07:19:12.

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This week, I blushingly admit to watching a 'Women Tell All' episode of 'The Bachelor', where several of the women who weren't chosen as wife material were invited back to the show to review their experiences and, of course, 'tell all'. (Don't stop reading here if you're not a Bachelor fan--I promise there will be a point to this blog post that transcends mere reality show plot lines.) But what struck me was how different people handle mistakes. One woman, Michelle, was brought up on stage to watch clips of her time on the show, and comment on them. She was a 'drama queen', and there was plenty of footage of her crying, making demands, hurling insults, and basically focusing solely on her perspective and her needs, before she was actually asked (by the Bachelor) to leave the show in the middle of a group date--a big break with protocol and an even bigger statement that what this girl was doing was NOT working for her. However, when viewing the footage, her mantra seemed to be 'no regrets'. Not 'no regrets' as in, "I really messed that up, and learned a lot from it. Because it was such a growing experience, I now have no regrets," but more as in, "I did nothing wrong here, and if I had it to do over again, I would make the exact same choices, therefore I have no regrets."

In contrast, another woman (Ali) who had also left the show--my original favorite--came to the stage to face a few clips of her own. In one of them, she said something unkind to the person in the house (Vienna) who annoyed most of the other girls, as well as many viewers at home. She would have been entirely supported had she stuck to her guns and said, 'no regrets' about her unkind words. In fact, because said other woman came out ahead of her in the race for the Bachelor's heart, many would have seen her as justified if she just stayed vague and mum on the topic. However, she instead asserted that she regretted saying those things, said that Vienna doesn't deserve to be 'trashed in the media', and wished her luck. Classy!

So what did I take away from this experience? I couldn't help but laugh to myself about how an attempt by Michelle to keep stress at bay by failing to acknowledge mistakes ("No regrets!") can actually create more stress! Failing to take responsibility for one's mistakes creates stress in a few different ways, but perhaps most importantly, it takes away the ability to change what one is responsible to change. In other words, if Michelle can't acknowledge what mistakes she may have made on the show, she's unable to learn and grow from them, and she's destined to repeat dysfunctional behavior. Ali, on the other hand, did an excellent job of illustrating how to take responsibility, see the lesson in a situation, and then move on, without beating oneself up over it or getting caught in rumination. She did express regret for mistakes she'd made on the show, but it became evident that she brings less 'drama', less stress, to the situations she faces in life.

Does this mean that everyone who sets the intention to live with "no regrets" is simply overlooking every opportunity to take responsibility for mistakes and learn from them? No, of course not. But that is a trap that people can fall into. It's a shortcut that's tempting to take. To truly live with no regrets, part of the equation is learning what you can from every situation as part of moving on, while developing the ability to appreciate your mistakes instead of beating yourself up over them.

Take a minute and think about your own life. Do you tend to evaluate your setbacks and see what part of it you're responsible for? Do you make new plans incorporating this learning? Or do you lay blame primarily on others? Do you just avoid reflection altogether and figure it's pointless to spend time going over such things? Share your experiences, tips and thoughts in the comments section. And, of course, if you found this post helpful and passed it along to your (using the 'share' button), I would be appreciative as always!

How To REALLY Have "No Regrets" originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 06:03:09.

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Coping With The Aftermath originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 06:02:42.

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I recently received an email from a reader wanting to know more about the basics of burnout. The question is:

"I'm really busy, but all the things I'm doing are really either necessary for my family's survival (working to put food on the table, cooking to make that food palatable, etc.) or are fulfilling me emotionally (I have a book club and take a class once a week). So I'm very busy, and my husband is concerned that I'm going to experience burnout. I get stressed sometimes, but I don't think burnout is a problem--I don't feel overly stressed, and I really enjoy what I'm doing. Also, I don't know what I'd cut out. Should I be concerned about burnout?"

Read my response, and offer your own words of support in the comments section. Share if you've experienced burnout in your own life and how you've handled it, or share your own burnout questions.

Additional Burnout Resources

• Symptoms of Burnout

• Burnout Risk Factors

• Burnout Quiz: Does Your Job Put You At Risk?

Burnout: Are You At Risk? originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 19:40:57.

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If you feel you're not making the most of your weekends, don't worry--you can change that now. Take a 'staycation' or 'playcation' this weekend. Host a game night. Or try a fun stress reliever. The following resources can give you ideas for what to do with your time now--I invite you (dare I say I 'challenge' you?) to try at least one new thing during your next weekend, and tell me how it went.

• How To Have A Truly Relaxing Staycation

• Cheap Vacation In Your Home Town

• Take a Play-Cation!

• Fun and Games for Stress Relief

• Fun Stress Relievers To Try

• Laugh More and Have More Fun

• Hosting a Game Night

• Hosting a Game Night

Here are some of my favorite group games, and here's a list of favorite games from readers. Check them out and share your favorites, or tell us what you do for fun in the comments section of this blog. And if you found this blog helpful, please share it with the people in your life who could also use some fun, via the 'share' button below. Have fun!

Have Some Fun This Weekend! originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 at 13:54:07.

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You can stop stress before it really starts by changing your perceptions so that you see stressors--even things that normally drive you nuts--as a challenge vs. a threat, or as a learning experience. If you 'look for the gift' in each situation instead of seeing stressors as scary or even inherently negative, you can stop your body's stress response before it starts the cascade of changes that can lead to feelings of overwhelm and chronic stress, with all of its negative effects.

It's true. This is because the body's stress response responds to perceived threats--threats to our physical or emotional safety--rather than actual threats. If we don't see something as stressful, it isn't. No stress response, no sweat. The trick is training your mind to see things with more optimism, more adventure, more trust in yourself. This strategy of changing your perspective can't eliminate every stressor in your life, but it can eliminate some, soften others, and be an invaluable tool for general stress management.

So how is it done? One way is through reframing, or seeing things from a different perspective. Another is through gratitude, or looking at what you can be thankful for. Seeing things from a positive explanatory style is helpful. And for specific examples of how to do this, see this article on cognitive reframing to get ideas from other readers and share your own. And practice, practice, practice.

How has this concept come up in your life? What are some things you can start looking at differently? Add your thoughts in the comments section. And if you found this post helpful, please consider sharing it.

Related Blogs:

• Comedy or Tragedy?

• Taking A Lesson From Reality Shows

• The Link Between Gratitude and Happiness

See No Stress, Feel No Stress originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Monday, February 15th, 2010 at 06:34:40.

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And, being a stress management coach and writer, I examined all of the different strategies that can be used--some that I used yesterday, others that I could have chosen--to manage stress on One Of Those Days. There are problem-focused coping strategies, emotion-focused coping strategies, and mixes of both. There's a pretty broad variety of ways to manage the same set of stressors, and I'll list several below.

• Take A Meditation Break
  A well-timed meditation session can feel like a mini-vacation when you're having an overwhelming day. Regular meditation brings cumulative benefits, but even a five-minute meditation can help put you in a better frame of mind so that whatever stressors come, you've got them handled.

• Use Reframing Techniques
  Sometimes stress is all in how you look at it! If you see something as a threat vs. a challenge, for example, it will bring more stress. If you're catastrophizing, 'shoulding all over yourself', or unwittingly using other cognitive distortions to add to the stress of your day, stop. (Hint: these cognitive restructuring techniques can help!)

• It's Okay To Say No
  Sometimes we have One Of Those Days because we have so many commitments stacked up on each other that one false move leads to a string of minor crises (see my yesterday, above). One way to avoid doing this is to only take on commitments that are really important to you and directly help you fulfill your most valued goals, like 'keep my job' or 'be a good parent'. It's important to learn how to say no to other more periphery commitments, even if people will be disappointed.

• Locate A Supportive Shoulder
  Sometimes it helps just to have a sympathetic ear or an active listener to tell your troubles to, to 'get it out of your system', or to feel validated and supported. If you are someone who does better with the supportive ear of a good friend (and can avoid rumination when telling your tale), then go for it! Research on coping styles shows that social support can be a wonderful stress release, and can lower cortisol levels as well. So let your friends help you, and you can return the favor when your friend has One Of Those Days in the future.

• Have A Sense of Humor
  Laughing in the face of stress is a good way to rob it of its power. And, fortunately, there are other benefits of laughter as well. Practice maintaining your sense of humor on an overwhelming day and the world laughs with you!

• Just Breathe
  A quick and effective way to feel much less stressed anytime, anywhere? Breathing exercises! Try taking a few deep breaths right now, and see how much more relaxed you can be. Then you can reverse your body's stress response, improve your mood, and press 'restart' on your bad day. Or at least suck some of the stress right out of it!

Just 'One Of Those Days'? originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at 06:16:51.

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Psychological scientists Simone Schnall from the University of Cambridge, Jean Roper from the University of Plymouth, and Daniel M.T. Fessler from the University of California, Los Angeles, recently set up a study where participants viewed either a neutral video, or an uplifting clip of musicians expressing gratitude to their mentors on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' (one of the best shows to watch for uplifting content), which was designed to provide an 'elevation', or a burst of positive feelings. Participants then wrote essays about what they saw, and were paid for their time. Researchers found that those who watched the uplifting clips were more likely to volunteer as subjects for future projects.

While it can be argued that people watching pleasant and uplifting videos were more likely to want to participate in future studies because they found the experience more enjoyable and more repeat-worthy, the willingness to help in future studies can also be interpreted as a greater propensity toward helping others for those who watched others display kindness. But it's not a completely clear connection; I wanted to see more.

And, lucky for me, they did a second study that gave me much more!

In the next experiment, a different set of volunteers watched one of three clips: a neutral one, the uplifting Oprah one from the other study, and a funny clip designed to make subjects laugh. Then, as they were free to leave, the research assistant helping with the study pretended to have trouble opening a computer file necessary for the experiment. She told them that they were free to leave, but asked if they would be willing to fill out a questionnaire that she described as boring. The results of this study put a smile on my face.

Participants who viewed the uplifting clip spend about twice as much time helping the researcher as did participants in either of the other groups! (This means that finding the experiment enjoyable, or wanting to make additional money participating in studies isn't what was behind people's willingness to help out.) The researchers themselves conclude that "by eliciting elevation, even brief exposure to other individuals' prosocial behavior motivates altruism, thus potentially providing an avenue for increasing the general level of prosociality in society."

This research left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest and a determination to see this in action in my own life: will people in my environment be kinder to others if they see more kindness from me? Will they be less stressed? I intend to find out, though I already know what the answer will be, methinks.

How will you use this new information in your own life? Share your experiences in the comments section and bring a smile to everyone else's face, too! (And if you find this information interesting, please pass it on!)

Below are more resources for kindness, altruism, gratitude and all of those good feelings.

• Benefits of Altruism

• How To Be Happy

• The Link Between Gratitude and Happiness

• Feel Grateful, Sleep Better!

• The Hidden Power of Altruism

_{Source: Schnall, S.; Roper, J.; and Fessler, D. Elevation Leads to Altruistic Behavior. Psychological Science, 2010.}

Is Kindness Contagious? originally appeared on About.com Stress Management on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 05:55:34.

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Working under the supervision of dentists, dental hygienists provide preventative dental care and teach patients how to maintain good oral health. They provide dental cleanings, examine teeth and gums, apply fluoride treatments and sealants, and take and develop x-rays. In order to become a dental hygienist, you will have to attend a dental hygiene school. Attending dental hygiene school usually results in earning an associate degree (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition).

If you think you might be interested in this career choice, you should learn more about it. Read Dental Hygienist: Career Information to get some basic details about this occupation, including earnings, job outlook and advancement opportunities. To get additional information, interview people who work as dental hygienists. Your dentist's office is a good place to start, but make sure to arrange a meeting during a time when the dental hygienist isn't working. For help deciding whether this career is a good fit for you, take the Should You Become a Dental Hygienist? quiz.

Weekly Career Profile: Dental Hygienist originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 08:23:20.

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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday, March 5 that employment in temporary help services continued to increase in February (The Employment Situation - February 2010). Those looking for work should take notice. Not only is temping a way to bring in much needed cash if you are unemployed, it can be a first step toward a more permanent position. While the temp job itself may not turn into a full-time job, it can help you connect with someone who will lead you to your next job. Temping is also a great way to get hands-on experience and pick up some additional skills. The flexibility inherent in temping will allow you to continue your job search campaign.

More About Temporary Employment: Is a Temp Job the Right Alternative for You

Temp Jobs on the Rise originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 12:00:49.

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I'm an advocate of exposing kids to a variety of careers as a way of letting them know about the options that will some day be available to them. This is achieved through career days, job shadowing and projects such as Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. Sometimes children are even given the opportunity for hands-on experiences. For example, they may get to spend a few minutes behind the camera in a television studio or sit behind the reference desk in a library. Those are pretty innocuous tasks — if something goes wrong, no lives will be seriously affected.

I can think of a few workplaces where hands-on experiences would be totally out-of-place. A child should not have hands-on experience doing surgery, for example, or giving instructions to a pilot from an air traffic control tower. Sound far fetched? Well, the air traffic control tower thing actually happened. A New York air traffic controller brought his son to work with him and let the 10 year old give instructions to pilots departing from JFK, one of the busiest airports in the U.S. The controller and his supervisor, who allegedly allowed this to happen, have both been suspended.

Bring Your Child to Work But Don't Let Him Do Your Job originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 08:45:03.

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Hairstylists, hairdressers, shampooers and nail technicians all work in the cosmetology field. Jobs in this field are varied as is training. One may be trained to cut, color and style hair, apply makeup, give manicures and pedicures or even style wigs. If you want to work in the cosmetology field you will probably have to graduate from high school or earn an equivalency diploma first. Then you will have to attend a state-licensed barber or cosmetology school. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition).

If you are thinking about working in cosmetology, you should learn more about it. Read Cosmetologists, Hairdressers and Related Jobs: Career Information to get some basic details about this occupation, including earnings, job outlook and advancement opportunities. If, after reading this article, you are still interested in working as a cosmetologist or hairdresser, you should gather even more information. Interview people who work in this field. Then take the Should You Have a Career in Cosmetology? quiz. It can help you decide if this career choice is for you.

Weekly Career Profile: Cosmetologists, Hairdressers and Related Jobs originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 08:00:18.

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According to an article in the San Francisco Examiner, a Muslim woman was fired from her job at Hollister, a clothing retailer owned by Abercrombie and Fitch, for wearing a hijab (Muslim Woman Says She Was Fired for Wearing Hijab. San Franscisco Examiner, 2/25/2010). A hijab is a traditional religious head scarf. The article reports the woman was employed as a part-time stockroom worker at the store's San Mateo, California location and that she spent some time on the sales floor. Apparently higher-ups in the company didn't want her to wear the hijab in public. The Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on the woman's behalf.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the government agency charged with enforcing all laws that protect us from workplace discrimination based on our race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the law that makes it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or employee, such as the San Mateo woman wearing the hijab, based on religion. The law also prohibits discrimination based on national origin, race, color and sex (including pregnancy). Your boss can fire you for wearing a hijab, but he or she can't do so legally. Religious discrimination in the workplace is illegal and if you experience it either as an employee or as a job applicant you can file a complaint with the EEOC as 3,386 people did in fiscal year 2009 (Charge Statistics: FY 1997 through FY 2009. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).

More: Employment Law and Your Career

Can Your Boss Fire You for Wearing a Religious Garment? originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 09:00:04.

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What do you do when your unemployment benefits end? Unless the U.S. Senate's proposals to extend benefits come to fruition within the next few days, millions of people will need to know the answer to this question.

The About.com Guide to Job Search, Alison Doyle, has put together a list of resources to help you survive if your unemployment checks stop. These resources will also be useful to those who find that their benefits don't cover their expenses, as is often the case. Included are government assistance and non-profit and social services agencies. See What to Do When Unemployment Runs Out

More Unemployment Information:

• How to Deal With Sudden Unemployment
• How to Cope With Job Loss
• Long Term Job Search: Staying Positive

Resources to Use If Your Unemployment Benefits Run Out originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 09:58:21.

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A licensed practical nurse (LPN), working under the direction of registered nurses and doctors, cares for patients who are sick, injured, convalescing or disabled. To work as an LPN, sometimes called a licensed vocational nurse or LVN, one must complete a one-year formal training program. These programs are usually offered by vocational and technical schools or community colleges (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition).

If you are thinking about becoming a licensed practical nurse, you should learn more about it. Read Licensed Practical Nurse: Career Information to get some basic details about this occupation, including earnings, job outlook and advancement opportunities. If, after reading this, you are still interested in a future career as an LPN, you should gather even more information. Interview people who work as LPNs. Then take the Should You Become an LPN ? quiz. It can help you determine if this career choice is for you.

Weekly Career Profile: Licensed Practical Nurse originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 12:10:35.

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I received an email this morning from someone who had read my article Top Six Topics to Avoid Discussing at Work. The second topic on the list of topic in that article is "Politics". The person who sent me the email complained about a higher up at his company who frequently sent politically-charged emails to the company's employees. He went on to say: "I think about two-thirds of the recipients probably agree with him but not all of us do. I just don't know what I can do about it. I want to respond to all but I'm afraid I will get fired."

I agree that these emails do not belong in the workplace and I also agree that speaking up in this situation could be dangerous. I advised the email writer to set up a filter to delete the offensive messages. That way he doesn't have to read them, but he won't be doing anything to jeopardize his job. What do you think? Please share your thoughts by commenting on this post.

Reader: What Should I Do About Political Emails at Work? originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Monday, February 22nd, 2010 at 11:47:23.

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There are many factors to consider when choosing a career, aside from how much money you can make. Money, actually, doesn't play as big a role in job satisfaction as you might think. Of course we all have to make a living, but if you don't like your job, it doesn't matter much how much you get paid. What does matter a lot is how well a career choice matches up with your values — those things that are important to you. Let's say you find the following values very important: variety, collaboration and creativity. Imagine how you would feel if your job involved working alone, following strict guidelines and doing the same thing everyday. Would it matter how much money you were making? Sure, maybe you can handle a job that didn't match your values for a short time, but could you do it for several years?

Read Identifying Your Work Values

Consider Your Values When Choosing a Career originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Friday, February 19th, 2010 at 15:31:11.

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Animal trainers generally work with dogs, horses or marine animals. They train them for riding, security, performance, obedience or assisting people with disabilities. Animal trainers, in addition to earning a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, also need some additional training. Some of this training may be hands-on, but dog trainers, for example, often receive training through workshops at vocational schools or community colleges. Marine mammal trainers are usually required to earn a bachelor's degree in marine biology, biology, animal science, psychology, or a related field. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition).

If you are thinking about becoming an animal trainer, you should learn more about it. Read Animal Trainer: Career Information to get some basic details about this occupation, including earnings, job outlook and advancement opportunities. If you are still interested in a future career as an animal trainer, it is time to gather even more information. Interview people who work as animal trainers. Then take the Should You Become an Animal Trainer? quiz. It can help you determine if this career choice is for you.

Weekly Career Profile: Animal Trainer originally appeared on About.com Career Planning on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 15:55:23.

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Is a messy, cluttered home office slowing you down?

If you're not quite ready for a full makeover but desperately need more home office organization, here are 5 Quick Ways to Organize Your Home Office.

More Home Office Organization Help

• The Basics of Home Office Design
• Filing Tips for People Who Hate Filing
• Organize Your Office and Improve Your Office Design
• The Organize Your Office Course

Image (c) Alan Levine

Most Popular Articles | Newsletter | SB Canada Forum | RSS Feeds | Follow Me on Twitter

5 Quick Ways to Organize Your Home Office originally appeared on About.com Small Business: Canada on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 08:08:51.

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"How do I get more clients?" is one of the most common questions I get asked. It figures; getting new clients can be one of the biggest problems for consultants and other professionals who are self-employed, especially when they're just starting out.

Assuming that you provide a quality service coupled with good customer service, the solution to the problem isn't that difficult. To get more clients, you only have to do two things:

1) Get known.

People are always reluctant to hire an unknown entity. The sooner you get your name out there and start to become a known brand that thy can trust with their business, the more clients you'll attract. PAK Your Business Image, Build and Use a Promotion Kit and learn how to Blow Your Own Horn.

Then start working on putting these Top 10 Ways to Get Known into action. Pick one and start working on it.

2) Ask for referrals.

Many business people seem to find this incredibly difficult, but it's the number one way to build your business and get more clients. Whenever you satisfactorily complete a job, ask the client if she or he knows of anyone else who might be interested in your services. If the client is reluctant to pass names along with you, give him or her extra business cards and/or brochures to pass along to potentially interested people.

Also, ask the client for a written testimonial and permission to use it (in your marketing materials, such as your brochures and website). Remember, the worst thing that can happen is that the client will say "No!"

Still uncomfortable? How to Ask for Referrals and Get More Clients provides tips and several referral scripts that you can use to ask clients to give you a referral.

You may also want to try using the system C.J. Hayden explains in Wanted: 100 Referral Partners.

Do these two things, and you'll get more clients guaranteed. But be warned; it's not an overnight process, so the sooner you get started, the better.

And if you're starting from square one, just starting out and starting to work on getting known with no or very few clients that you can ask for referrals from, the two fastest ways to jumpstart your client list are joining local business organizations and cold calling. Use my 10 Cold Calling Tips to make cold calling a more successful experience.

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Want More Clients? Just Do These Two Things originally appeared on About.com Small Business: Canada on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 08:12:01.

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March 8th, International Women's Day, is a great time to reflect on women in business.

Here in Canada, more women are joining the ranks of the self-employed all the time; In 2007, women made up 35 per cent of all self-employed individuals. By 2010, CIBC predicts that one million Canadian women will own a small business. And the number of female-run businesses is rising 60 percent faster than the number of those run by men (Women Entrepreneurs: Leading the Charge, CIBC).

• Women in Business a Growing Wave presents the statistics of the astonishing growth in women-owned businesses in this country.

• For more on what the "typical" Canadian woman in business is like, see The Face of Canadian Business Women.

• And if you are a Canadian woman starting or running a small business who is looking for funding, check out Small Business Loans for Women in Canada: For Women Only.

International Women's Day is also a great day to celebrate the triumphs and accomplishments of women everywhere, to reflect on what improvements to women's lives are yet to be achieved, and to do our own part to "ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding". Canada's theme for this year's International Women's Day is Strong Women. Strong Canada. Strong World..

To find International Women's Day events near you, visit this page of the International Women's Day website.

More on International Women's Day:

• International Women's Day in Canada
• International Women's Day 2010
• A History of International Women's Day

Logo courtesy of Status of Women Canada

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Celebrate Women in Business on International Women's Day originally appeared on About.com Small Business: Canada on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 08:03:32.

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Promotions for Facebook Fan Pages is an application that lets you "create and launch interactive promotions and marketing campaigns on Facebook Fan Pages within minutes." I like that you can create promotions with different formats such as contests, coupons and giveaways, giving your Facebook Fan Page visitors a better chance of engaging with your page.

The cost is reasonable;$5.00 per campaign for a Basic account and $25 per campaign for a Standard account. There are also Premium and White Label accounts available.

More on Facebook Fan Pages

• How to Create a Fan Page on Facebook
• Research Shows Facebook Fan Pages Are Good Marketing

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Cool Tool of the Week: Promotions for Facebook Fan Pages originally appeared on About.com Small Business: Canada on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 08:33:46.

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Follow the link above to see how others have answered this question in the Small Business Canada Forum.

Articles Related to This Question:

• Are You an Independent Contractor or an Employee?
• Decrease Your Income Tax Bite With Income Splitting

More on the Small Business Canada Forum

Other questions and discussions in the the Small Business Canada Forum right now are:

• Can we claim an allowable business investment loss (ABIL) on shareholder loans?
• How can I promote my business by the lowest or no cost at all?
• What's a catchy fun name for a children's (tween) clothing business?

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Hiring Your Spouse as a Contractor or an Employee originally appeared on About.com Small Business: Canada on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 08:33:18.

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Want to run a home based business of your own but having trouble deciding what to do and getting started? Then this article is for you.

It will show you how to build a home based business from the ground up - a home based business that will succeed rather than just being a drain of your time and money.

Stuck at the idea stage of starting a home based business? Maybe one of the business ideas in one of these articles will inspire you:

• Top 10 Home Based Business Opportunites
• Home Based Business Ideas Gallery
• 7 Inexpensive Business Ideas

And of course, whether you're starting a home based business or a small business with separate business premises, the procedure for starting a business in Canada is the same. Steps to Starting a Business will tell you what you need to know to get your new home based business off the ground.

Image (c) Pamela Adam.

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How to Start a Home Based Business That Will Succeed originally appeared on About.com Small Business: Canada on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 08:11:28.

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Canadian T1 income tax returns must be filed by April 30th, 2010 while Canadian T2 income tax returns must be filed no later than six months after the end of each tax year.

Remember that you must file income tax return(s) each year even if your small business made no money.

If you have questions about your Canadian income tax there are several different resources on this website that will help you find the answers.

• Preparing & Filing Your Canadian Income Tax Return will answer your questions about topics such as what tax forms to use, what business expenses are legitimate income tax deductions, and what tax deductions are available for home-based businesses.

• Canadian Income Tax FAQs for Small Businesses answers questions about income tax such as how to report your income from multiple businesses or a part-time business, whether you can claim business expenses you don't have receipts for or what will happen if you can't pay the tax you owe.

• And you'll want to visit the Small Business Canada forum too. Many people are working on their income tax right now and posting and answering questions. The answer to your question might already be there.

More on Canadian Income Tax

• Top Canadian Tax Software
• Your First Business Income Tax Return
• What Happens If I Don't Pay My Income Tax On Time?

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Answers to Your Canadian Income Tax Questions originally appeared on About.com Small Business: Canada on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 08:17:14.

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When you're running a business, there's a right way and a wrong way to answer the phone.

If you or your staff do it the wrong way, you'll lose business as customers lose interest in trying to do business with a company that's obviously not interested in them or serving their needs.

Answer the phone the right way, and you'll increase your customer base and your sales. Use these Phone Answering Tips To Win Business.

More on How to Answer the Phone

• The Three Keys to Business Phone Greeting Success
• Tips for Handling Incoming Phone Calls
• Tips for Handling Outgoing Phone Calls

Image (c) Huntstock / Getty Images

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How to Answer the Phone the Right Way originally appeared on About.com Small Business: Canada on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 08:16:53.

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According to the Canadian Franchise Association's annual directory, the top five franchise growth categories are:

• seniors and home,
• business consulting,
• retail,
• health/fitness, and
• nutrition and food.

And franchised business accounts for 40% of all retail sales, or $90 billion per year, and 10% of Canada's Gross Domestic Product.

In Should You Buy a Franchise?, I discuss the advantanges of buying a franchise as opposed to starting a business of your own from scratch, such as the comparative ease of startup, lower failure rate and ongoing help with managing and marketing the business, but here's one advantage I hadn't thought of - a better chance of getting small business financing.

Lorraine McLachlan, Canadian Franchise Association president and chief executive, said the internal statistics of the banks she's spoken to show creditors often choose franchisees because of proven management histories and higher chances of success (Banks often favour lending to franchise hopefuls, Stefania Moretti, canoe.ca MONEY).

So if you want to start a business but need small business financing, buying a franchise may be the best way to go.

The article I've linked above, Should You Buy a Franchise? presents the advantages and disadvantages of buying a franchise and what to expect when buying a franchise to help you decide.

More on Buying a Franchise

• Interview Franchisees Before Buying a Franchise
• The Pros and Cons of Buying an Existing Franchise (About.com Franchises)
• Top 10 Reasons to Buy a Franchise (About.com Franchises)

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The Top 5 Franchise Categories & 1 More Reason for Buying a Franchise originally appeared on About.com Small Business: Canada on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 08:13:17.

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If you already have a personal Facebook page, you can create a Facebook Fan Page to promote your business. Here are step by step instructions for how to create a Fan Page on Facebook.

More on Social Media Marketing

• Research Shows Facebook Fan Pages Are Good Marketing
• Poll: What Social Media Do You Use?
• How to Twitter: a Get Started Guide
• How to Use Twitter to Promote Your Business

How to Create a Fan Page on Facebook originally appeared on About.com Small Business: Canada on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 08:06:21.

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