A Motivational Message About Living In The Moment

There are many who, when asked, need to really concentrate and think back to a situation where they were consciously experiencing "a moment". Chances are they were not living in the moment, if they have to really think that hard to remember it. Get motivated to live in the moment.

Life is short. Life is too short. There's so much to do and to see and to experience. Without being aware of what is actually happening to us, life is whizzing by us at lightening speed. How many times have you heard, where did the time go? How did they grow up so fast?

Without actually taking in those special moments in your life and realizing the magnitude of their importance, getting something from them is something that will not happen for you. Be motivated to make things better. Everyone has their task lists, their "honey-do" lists, the day-timers that are filled with appointments to keep, meetings to attend, deadlines to meet. This has become the norm. What we must do, is prioritize... not what task must be completed first but putting your life and relationships into proper order and perspective.

The biggest benefit of living in the moment is that your quality of life raises through the roof. The first step of living in the moment is awareness. Know who you are, your strengths and your weaknesses. Analyze your inner spirit and focus on being a good human being. Be kind and enjoy the people around you. Realize that we all have love in us and it is there to share in many different kinds of ways. Do something nice for someone today...just because.

Don't be so caught up in the chores of life that you forget to live it. Don't ignore the opportunities that are the special moments in time, they present themselves to you as something to cherish. As an example, when your child asks you to play catch, don't hesitate to say "sure, let's do it". Know that you can finish that report tomorrow.

You may not realize it but you already have taken the time to capture some special moments in life. Some of them were when you have snapped a picture. Isn't that the same? You are realizing that something is special and wonderful and you want to remember it. Living in the moment is doing just that with your brain and your heart. Firstly, there is the realization of it, then the conscious effort to appreciate it and then to lock it away in the memory bank.

Live your life in the moment, appreciate what is happening around you and believe that you are exactly where you are in that moment because you were meant to be there. All else will fall into place. Getting the tasks done, paying your bills on time, being somewhere to catch a plane or bus or train, those are things that will fall into place. It is more important to use energy to serve you first.

Live in the moment:

Be aware of what goes on around you. There are always special moments to be had, all around you.
Keep a journal. Jot down those special moments in life that made a big impact on you.
Celebrate your moments. Realize that life has great things to offer, be open to accept it.
Spread the joy. Share your experiences and your stories.
Appreciation and gratitude. There will be no regrets that you missed out on something along the way.

Life is wonderful, so live in the moment and take it all in. When you are motivated to appreciate the beauty of life, you're in touch with it. You will be amazed at how much is really going on around you and you'll wonder how you never noticed them before. Let your brain and heart capture those special moments and you will feel much more fulfilled and happy and at peace. Love life by experiencing those special moments.

Living Room Lighting Comes in a Large Range of Styles, Sizes and Designs

A lot of people enjoy improving the look of their home and there are many things that you can do to add style, design and quality to your home. One of the most used rooms in your home will be the living room. Adding style to this room is relatively easy - living room lighting is one of the best ways to ensure style and comfort and you can do this without breaking the bank.

Living room lighting is available in a variety of shapes and sizes and you can create many different looks with the simple addition of a lamp or a set of lights. It is also a great way to make your home look and feel more stylish and elegant.

If you're thinking about adding something like this to your home then you'll have a few things that you'll need to think about. You'll have to consider a budget, a mood you want to create and of course, where you are going to buy your lighting from.

It can be hard to consider all these things at once so you should start by thinking about your budget. To work out a budget, it can be a good idea to, have a good look around online and find a range of products that you might be interested in. Once you have found items that look good, you should make a note of the price.

Once you have a list of products and prices you can then work out an average figure that you'll need to spend for the products that you want. This will allow you to set a realistic budget for your purchases - make sure that you are realistic because you want to ensure you get quality for your money.

Once you have a budget in mind you can then think about the type of living room lighting you want to buy. A lot of people opt for lamps because they're easy to add to your current setting. However, it's not that difficult to install dimmer switches which can create a range of effects in your living room and they're actually quite cheap to buy.

Dimmer switches and lamps are probably the most common options to choose from and they can be found in a variety of stores both online and offline. You will probably immediately think of stores like Homebase and B&Q for your purchases but bear in mind that you might get better deals at smaller stores online.

There are a lot of online stores where you can find options that are suitable. Simply head over to Google and search for different sorts of lighting equipment - you should find products that are reasonably priced as well as being of good quality.

Overall, as long as you do your research and you consider the options available on today's market, you should find that buying living room lighting for your home is an easy and exciting task. Just make sure that you set yourself a budget and that the living room lighting you buy is appropriate for the style and effect you want to achieve.

The Millionaire Lifestyle - How to Live it Without Breaking the Bank

Many of us familiar with the Law of Attraction know that the quickest way to achieve our goals is to think, feel, and act as though we have that which we desire already in our lives. For many of us, becoming a millionaire is one of these goals. Before we can expect to become a millionaire, we must live and act in a way that attracts this new lifestyle into our awareness. This does not mean go out to the local BMW dealership and buy a brand new car. The money simply will not appear overnight in the bank. Living with abundance and prosperity can be just as much in your mind as in your wallet. True riches come from abundance in your life which can be achieved by your behavior and how you promote yourself. Here are some simple tips to living like a millionaire today!

1) Gratitude
The quickest path to riches, hands down is gratitude. You must first feel grateful for the many blessings in your life before you can expect to get more. No matter how bad things may seem I guarantee there is at least one thing, person, or situation that you can be grateful for. Even, if the situation is as simple as being grateful for a green light when you were in a hurry. No matter how small or stupid it may seem look for that one thing or person and allow that gratitude to grow. Feel the gratitude within yourself and take a few moments just to focus on it. You cannot expect to live an abundant life if you have bottled up anger and resentment.

2) Live for Success
Successful people don't waste their days away procrastinating all that should be done. Try getting up a little earlier in the morning and start to plan your day. You might begin your day by exercising and filling your mind with positive thoughts and affirmations. If you are looking for a career change or exploring the possibility of starting your own business, don't just wait for it to happen, make a plan and take action! Sometimes feeling like a millionaire is as simple as changing the way you dress. If sweatpants or jeans and a T-shirt are your permanent uniform, try dressing up a bit. You don't have to buy expensive dress clothes, any will do. As you begin to feel more confident in yourself you can do some browsing and window shopping at those more expensive stores and begin feeling what it would be like to live a millionaire lifestyle.

3) Seek Out Positive People and Surroundings
I can go on and on until I am blue in the face about how important it is to surround yourself with positive people. Associating with those that continually put you down, or remind you of how sick you were last week, or just simply can't find anything positive to talk about won't do you a bit of good. Recognize those people in your life who are positive, and begin spending more time with them. If you cannot get away from the negative forces in your life, explain to them that you only wish to talk about positive things. This is your chance to affirm your new and positive self. Finding the positive applies to your surroundings as well. Try going to an expensive hotel or bar, and buy yourself a drink (just one is ok). While dressed in your nice clothes having a drink at this expensive bar begin soaking up what it will be like to live a millionaire lifestyle. Get used to having prosperity and abundance abound in your life.

4) Expect Success
Now that you understand how to live like a millionaire without breaking the bank, expect success in your life. If you don't expect success and abundance in your life, who will? Obviously, these tips will not work if you do not run your business with effort and persistence. Work hard, put forth your best effort and anticipate prosperity and abundance to begin manifesting themselves in your life. The universe does not conspire against you, it actually wishes all this for you and is waiting to give it to you right now. Believe that you deserve to become a millionaire and live the millionaire lifestyle. Be grateful for all that you have, and put forth your best effort persistently and consistently and you will see major changes take place in your life. Open up your heart and your hands to the possibilities and believe that you have already accomplished your goals.

Outer Banks Vacations - It Just Makes Cents

Our many trips vacationing on the Outer Banks have always been mainly because we loves the beaches, the sightseeing, the people we met, and the overall OBX experience. When people have asked us why we vacationed on the Outer Banks, living seven hours away, we always would mention one of the above factors.

This year, with the economy in the worst shape in memory and people losing jobs or fearful of losing jobs, the question around the feasibility of taking a vacation has been felt by nearly everyone. People are looking for ways to hold onto the money they have, but are still looking for ways to take some relaxation time.

Now, more than ever, a vacation on the Outer Banks is more affordable. As an example, let's take a six bedroom and seven and a half bath house with an elevator in Salvo. The high season rate is $5,330. This includes everything but taxes. The house is 100 feet from beach access and has both ocean and sound views. Central air, fully stocked kitchen, a private pool and hot tub, elevator, wireless Internet and beds made and towels provided are all included. There are no additional charges for house cleaning, credit car fees, booking fees, security deposits and so forth. For a six bedroom house on the Outer Banks, this may be in the upper range of price for a house that is "ocean-side." An ocean front house will likely run slightly higher.

Now let's compare similar homes in other beach resorts I pass on the way to the Outer Banks: Avalon, New Jersey; Bethany Beach, Delaware; Ocean City, Maryland; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. All are beautiful houses but all have slightly different amenities, but none offer any more than what is available in the Salvo, North Carolina house. All of the houses are ocean side but not ocean front. The rental prices were as follows:

Beach Location Bedrooms/Bathrooms Weekly Rental Rate

Avalon, New Jersey 5 bed, 5 bath $13,500

Bethany Beach, Delaware 6 bed, 4 bath $7,500

Ocean City, Maryland 5 bed, 4 bath $5,595

Virginia Beach, Virginia 6 bed, 4 bath $5,525

Salvo, North Carolina 6 bed, 7.5 bath $5,330

As with any sample, rental prices vary by house in a particular market, based on amenities, location to the beach and so forth; however, it is clear that you do get more house for you money in the Outer Banks both in size of the house and in the amenities the house provides.

Now, mix this in with the other things you can do and see on the Outer Banks outside of a week of beach fun and suddenly you have all the makings of a truly unique family vacation experience. The Outer Banks has a wide range of historical sights, like the Wright Brothers Memorial and the four lighthouses. In addition, with six championship golf courses and world renowned fishing, there is something for whatever your passion.

Investment Banking Interviews - First Round Interviews Decoded

First of all, we're talking about the formal "give me a job" type of first round interview here. Not about the investment banking informational interview, which is simply a meet and greet.

First Rounders are where your banking lives really kick off and their importance comes down to the simple fact that if you mess up here your banking life is DOA - dead upon arrival!

For target school kids first round investment banking interviews will frequently take place on campus when the banks roll into town and will often be with an analyst or other junior banker who's an alumnus of your school.

In other countries it might take place at the bank's HQ and be with a representative from the IB's HR department - or a junior banker.

For non-target school kids who manage to get a formal recruiting interview it might take place at a nearby school or at the bank. More likely though you'll start out with informal interviews over coffees - aka investment banking informational interviews - thanks to your networking, which can then lead to formal interviews at the bank's HQ.

But location is the least of our worries, so let's move on.

It's more important for you to recognize that the purpose of the first round interview is to act as a quality control mechanism. Junior bankers simply aim to cull enough students so that final rounds (aka Super Saturday or simply Superday) can take place without a throng of 10,000 students storming the bank's offices.

And so they are only testing you on

1) your track record as listed on your resume,
2) your personality and
3) your basic technical skills.

Thankfully you will only be summarily grilled on these issues, because first round banking interviews don't go for that long. Think 20-30 minutes.

How can you sail through first round interviews?

Well, if you manage to 'get along' with the interviewer then you're probably through.

i.e. if you can talk about your resume for a couple minutes, get the banker smiling and answer some Basic as Ben Stiller questions about financial statements and Finance 101 valuation techniques you'll most likely get green lighted for another interview.

And if you can show you have serious passion for banking by talking about your journey over the years, how it has led you to banking and made you want it more than ever before, you're almost home.

Increasingly important in today's recruiting environment though, is your ability to handle some basic investment banking technical interview questions and brain teasers during first rounds. Banks are loading interviews with more than before, because it's the fastest and most objective way to eliminate a huge chunk of the candidate pool (an important point when supply & demand is as out of whack as it is now).

At the end of the day though these first round interviews are just about eliminating the Ben Stiller type retards - i.e. a 'basic smarts' cut. Or said with more panache, these interviews are simply about eliminating the also-rans, not about picking the stars. So don't stress.

Richard is the head writer for Inside Investment Banking - a one-stop shop of advice for students just like you who want to know how to get into investment banking without a 4.0 GPA from Harvard or nepotistic connections on Wall Street.

Created by a team of 5 young bankers, Inside Investment Banking contains all the real insider advice you need to write killer banking resumes, answer tough interview questions, network with bankers and much more.

Lifestyle Banking - Living for Pay Day

For some people it comes mid-month, for others at month's end. Occasionally it comes right at the start of the month - just in time for you to watch those figures plummet.

And what am I talking about? Pay day.

Lifestyle banking is the term for a new breed of loan, and it's an appropriate moniker - as our lifestyles have sped up, digitised, and, ultimately, revolutionised our lives so has our demand for more flexible banking services. Services such as the Payday Loan are surfacing to fill this emerging market and provide a new approach to loans.

We all have hectic lifestyles and speed is often the most important factor in any decision. "How fast?" we ask ourselves of a service - and services such as the Payday Loan are fast. Often, we need to get cash into our account on the same day we request it - and this is becoming more and more viable. In fact, generally, cash advance loans costs less and are more flexible than similar products.

Take the importance of credit ratings to our consumer society today - it's vital to maintain a good rating as the number of products and services requiring it to be good increase in number daily. A new breed of lenders have emerged who appreciate this problem and most of the time their services will not impact your rating in any way.

None of us want to get into problems financially, yet we have all been in a situation where a cash loan or a cash advance would be beneficial. It might be that getting hold of the money owed to you on pay day in cash is the most cost effective use of that money. After all, companies talk of enabling their cash flow so why shouldn't we?

If you need to borrow cash fast, and increasingly we all do, then a cash advance loan is precisely the kind of cost effective product that can enable you to do just that, all the while maintaining your long term financial commitments. Typically you can be offered anything up to your current wage minus rent, bills, and so on - and charges are most often fixed depending on the quantity borrowed. Whatever the precise loan you go for, you can be sure to know exactly what to expect before you finalise your decision.

Typically, we want to keep close track of our finances and we look to pay back our loan as soon as possible. However, as flexibility is the key to modern finance, you can generally find that it's possible to roll over your loan payments to a later date if you feel the need.

A personal loan is designed to help keep your finances liquid, not to increase the burden on your pay packet: and you should find a company which subscribes to responsible lending and won't let you overspend or harm your ability to meet monthly payments. So, if you feel the need to access money due to you on your next pay day then a short-term, cash advance loan would be ideal for you.