9 steps to living abundantly

Many of us are bowed down by life – stressed, short of time, tired, on a treadmill, knowing that this isn’t the way to live, but not knowing how to free ourselves up to live more fully, more abundantly. There are simple things we can do – they don’t take time or money – they take a change of attitude. Here are 9 of them:

1. Being totally financially honest – if you are not, this implies that there is not enough for you to have everything you need without dishonesty.

2. Creating a vacuum so that more good things can flow into it – don’t fill your life up with things you don’t really want. Ask yourself if you want each thing before you buy it. Don’t have abundant rubbish, live abundantly by seeking out the things and experiences that work for you in your core being.

3. Tithing is often associated with religion, but it is also possible to tithe in a non-religious context. This seems a really important aspect of living abundantly – every time you freely give money away, you are implying that you are confident that more will come – this is a BIG positive affirmation with a lot of power behind it. The traditional amount is 10% of your income. I’ve recommended this to lots of people, and they’ve told me that when they do this – magically - they seem to have more. I started with 10% but now I’ve increased it, because I’ve seen that the more I give away the more I get back, and the happier and more abundantly I live.

4. Being grateful for what you already have – focussing on the good that is already in your life. It’s easy to think about what you don’t have, but spend some time each day thinking about what you do have. Start each day by thinking of 5 things that you are grateful for – and express this out loud.

5. Resentment, jealousy, envy and self-pity interfere with the free-flow of abundance. If you are jealous or envious of someone, it implies that what they have is not available for you to have also. If you find it difficult to let go of these feelings, Bach flower remedies may help. Try the emedy ‘willow’ to counteract resentment and self-pity, or try ‘holly’ for envy, jealousy and greed.

6. Forgiving those that have wronged you is part of living abundantly. Holding on to your anger, however justifiable it may seem, keeps you stuck in the past, rather than going forward into a better future. If it’s difficult to let go of your negative feelings, try writing a letter expressing all your anger, hurt or envy. Write until you can write no more, and then burn it.

7. Being able to receive from other people. Being able to receive is healthy, but many people find it difficult. You may need to practice receiving. Think of the pleasure you get in giving. By not receiving generously you are denying other people the pleasure of giving.

8. Realise that in general ‘good luck’ plays a very small part in people’s life. (If you put your faith in good luck, then you have to accept the possibility of bad luck too.) People who put their faith in ‘good luck’ often spend their lives waiting for things to happen. People who don’t believe in luck go out and make things happen.

9. Believing that there is enough money, food, love, etc. in the world to meet everyone’s needs to live abundantly. I left this one till the last, because it can be very hard to believe when faced with war and starvation in the newspapers and on the TV, but a lot of this anger and need is caused because people who have do not believe they have enough, because they substitute money and food for all the other abundance of life. Do your bit to correct that imbalance and start living a life that recognises there are inequalities and shortages, but recognises that we can correct that so we all have what we need.

Ebooks categorically speaking

The categories associated with ebooks are incredibly large. Trying to pinpoint the exact type of material best suited for ebook development is a bit like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall.

What follows is a brief look at a few of the categories in which ebooks may fit.

Arts

Music

Biographies

General

Business

Management

Marketing

Education

Essays

Games

Sports

Health & Fitness

Inspiration

Medical

History

Military

Religion

Science

Home & Garden

Cooking

Gardening

News

Philosophy

Politics & Government

Economics

Government

Law

Politics

Reference

Social Issues

Child Development

Communication

Environmental Issues

Ethnic Studies

Family

Social Issues

Travel

Children

Classics

Fiction

History

Humor

Science Fiction

Seasonal

Drama

Fantasy

You will notice I said brief because in each category there are several sub-genres that may also contain ebooks for sale.

The growth of ebooks is actually serving to displace traditional publishers to a certain degree. You will still find significant titles available at brick and mortar bookstores, but the very nature of ebook development has allowed many authors to bypass traditional publishers – and still find success.

The next time you visit your favorite storefront bookstore be sure to look at the vast aisles filled with books on every conceivable topic. Now condense that to your PC screen and a few clicks. In the end you will likely find lower priced ebook downloads available that can be just as portable as a regular book. Perhaps the best news is the ebook download can be accomplished without leaving the comfort of home.

The realm of ebook publishing is growing and populated with a maverick group of writers who have taken publishing into their own hands. This is not to say that traditional publishers haven’t seen the benefit of ebooks. In fact, many mainstream publishers are also offering some of their titles as ebook downloads.

Most writers have a very vivid imagination so the use of that imagination is important to ebook development. The truth is there are no limitations to the topics that can be addressed in an ebook.

Several ‘ebook only’ publishers can assist you in developing your book or you can research the skills needed to develop your own ebook.

Incidentally, there are also a growing number of ebook publishers that will publish a full print edition of the book once a certain number of ebook downloads have been reached. In other words, for some writers the development of an ebook may be the means of breaking into traditional avenues of publishing.

Get more money on ebay by taking good photos of your item

A picture is worth a thousand words. When selling items online on auction sites such as eBay this saying becomes more relevant. A picture is worth money and a lot of money. A good set of pictures can make the difference between an item that is sold and an item that is not sold. It can also make a big difference in the highest bid price received for an item.

It is not enough to just to take a photo of an item. A good photo can raise the value of the item and help sell it. This article provides a few rules to follow in order to take better photos of such items.

The first rule when taking photos of an item is to take more than one photo. Show the item from many angles show it zoomed in and zoomed out in different positions – for example if the item is a car show it with doors closed and with doors open. If it is a DVD show the front cover the back and the disc itself.

The quality of the photos must be as high as possible. Make sure that you have the right lighting. It is always better to take photos during the day time with natural light rather than with flash light. It is also better to take pictures when there is overcast rather than when the skies are clear and the sun light is strong. If the skies are clear try to take the photos either at the beginning or the end of the day. Follow the rules of good photography, use a tripod if long exposure is needed make sure the photo is not overexposed or underexposed and that it is not blurry.

When taking the photo make sure that you stage the right background for the item. Usually you would want to stage a background that is in contrast with the item and that has no details or interesting objects that can steal the viewer’s attention. Also make sure that the background is a matte color and that it does not reflect light. For example when taking a photo of a black computer mouse and keyboard use a white or light gray background.

Emphasize the value and the details of the item. Every item has unique features or important details that you would like to draw the viewer’s attention to. The best way to do that is to take close-up photos of those details. For example when selling a car that has very low mileage take a close-up photo of its odometer. Another example when selling a known brand product such as shirts or pants take a close-up photo of the tag or the logo to emphasize that the item is genuine.

Take photos that support the textual description of the item. For example when selling a high end brand purse if the description says “perfect stitches” take a close-up photo of the stitches to prove that the description is right.

If your item size is important you can use a known size object in order to help the viewer visualize the item’s size. For example when selling a miniature spy camera take one photo of the camera side by side with an object such as a quarter or a matchbox. The viewer will find it much easier to visualize the camera’s size when looking at such a photo rather than reading the camera’s measurements.

And last but not least remember to keep the photo file size small. When viewing a photo on the user’s screen a low resolution is more than enough. In most cases a VGA (640X480) picture is all that it takes and such a photo can be as small as 50Kbytes. It is important to keep this in mind and not be tempted to put high resolution photos that are big. Such big files load very slowly on the viewer’s computer. In most cases the viewer will get frustrated and would just skip to the next seller.

Slide in campers your camping experience is incomplete and dull without one

Slide in campers are extremely famous among campers worldwide. These slide-in pop-up campers are durable, light weight, priced reasonably, and meet customer's specific requirements.

Tundra is a leading company that has been endorsing and manufacturing the best of slide in campers. The company is dedicated to provide the best since its establishment in the market forty two years back. These campers promises to fit each lifestyle and this is the reason that people have appreciated and embraced these campers. Here are some of the best features included in slide in campers by Tundra.

a) Tire-turning angle:

These slide-in campers have enhanced tire-turning angle. This helps reducing the turning circle. The rear suspension has shocks mounted outboard of the leaf springs similar to the ford F150. This works towards enhancing the dampening proficiency of the shock.

b) Brakes:

There is a four-wheel disk brake system that utilizes large ventilated rotors front and rear. The front rotors are 13.9 inches in diameter and 1.26 inches in thickness. These also consist of four-piston calipers. The unique Brake-force distribution optimizes brake pressure at each wheel and provides greater control during braking. The amazing brake assist system is engineered in a fashion to analyze whether the driver is attempting emergency braking.

c) Traction control:

These slide-in campers are equipped with Automatic Limited-Slip Differential (ALSD). The unique combination of A-LSD and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) is considered as a standard equipment. The VSC system of this slide in pop-up camper integrates traction on all models. This also enhances traction on or off-road via keeping the vehicle going on the direction it intends to.

d) 4x4 compatibility:

The unique combination of A-LSD and VSC provides better traction to the two-wheel drive. The 4x4 configuration provides a part-time, shift-on-the fly four-wheel drive system. The system features a six-pinion planetary reduction gearset in order to provide high and low ranges.

e) Safety:

These slide-in pop-up campers feature the best and widely recognized star safety system. The system includes Brake Assist, Traction Control, ABS, Vehicle Stability Control and Electronic Brake Force distribution.

f) Towing:

This is the major attraction of slide in pop-up campers. The tow package is available on all V8 models and is standard on double cab long-bed models. The package starts with a one-piece hydro-formed towing receiver integrated in to the frame. The structure of towing package attaches to each side of the frame around the rear spring staples frame with twelve bolts.

g) Front office:

The driver in front office of slide in campers is surrounded by a U-shaped command and control. This control center supplies an unobstructed view of the road and also measures it. It keeps all the knobs, buttons and switches close.

h) Electronics:

The regular cab DX model is available with a standard AM/FM/CD stereo. This is equipped with four speakers and an audio input jack. The audio systems can play mp3/WMA formatted CDs.

Slide in campers provide excellent comfort and security to travelers while on a camping adventure. Additionally, these campers are tough enough to withstand harsh weather conditions and adverse road situations. Most people across the globe have recognized the slide in campers as the ultimate choice for camping. One can feel at home in these slide-in campers.

You don t pay commissions in forex trading

The Foreign Exchange market is the largest financial market in the world. In the US alone, it has a daily trading volumes of $1.2 trillion dollars, which outshines the stock, bond, and other commodity markets. But just what is currency trading or Forex trading, as it is more commonly known?

Forex trading is where you will buy one currency and sell another, or it may be a combination of a few different currencies in total. Your trading involves matching one currency against another. That is, you buy the Euro hoping it will rise against the U. S. Dollar. Which also means you hope the U. S. Dollar will fall against the value of the Euro. This does not mean you wish the U. S. Dollar bad tidings, it is just you are trading using economic information about the two currencies. You can do the same for the Swiss franc against the Japanese yen. Most people probably call this form of trading speculation. But consider that some individuals and groups make millions of dollars daily using the techniques available for trading in currencies.

You would usually do Forex trading using a margin. This means you leave a small deposit with your broker and can trade for many times the value of your deposit. For example, let's say you want to open a trade matching two currencies, and you want to trade for $5,000. You can make a deposit of $50 with your broker, and stand to gain much more than the $50 after you close the trade. You benefit from not using your own money but earning a tidy profit. Of course, you could lose on the trade, but your losses, would be no more than your deposit if you took the necessary precaution to exit the trade once you reached your margin.

You still need a broker as you do in the other markets. With Forex, your broker will open an account for you to make your trades. Different brokers stipulate different amounts you should deposit to your account. Some ask for just $50 to open an account, but you wouldn't trade much on such a small amount. Most brokers set margin at 3-5%, so if you want to open a trade for $10,000 you will need to have on deposit $300-$500. The great thing about Forex trading is that you do not pay a commission on your trades. But don't cry for the market makers just yet. They manage to recover their expenses and profit on all your trades, by picking up the spread between the two currencies you trade. The spread is the difference between the bid and ask prices of the two currencies.

While you may look at Forex trading as pure speculation, you have to consider that to succeed you need to understand the nature of chance as it applies to the market. You may get up one morning to hear the U. S. Dollar dipped against the Euro because exports to Europe fell sharply for the third consecutive quarter. If you take this information without doing further research and decide to trade the Euro against the U. S. Dollar, you are speculating. However, you do not have any solid proof the dollar will continue to fall against the Euro. Successful traders don't only digest the financial news, they also use other tools to decide how to trade.

Ebay auction

eBay – the World’s Online Marketplace – is the place to go when you want to buy or sell anything on the Internet. eBay lets its members sell items on the Internet via Auctions, which entails bidding, and through the Fixed Price Format, which means that there is a set price for items on sale. eBay Auction is the more popular selling method between the two.

Selling on eBay

When selling on eBay, whether it is through eBay auction or the fixed price format, a person has to first register to be a member and then create a seller’s account. Credit card details or being ID Verified is needed to create a seller account. The next requirement is a picture of the item to be sold. This is required since most buyers want to see what the item actually looks like before buying anything.

The next thing to do is to get your item listed by clicking on the Sell Your Item button. After clicking on the button, be sure to give all the necessary information such as the item category, the title, item description, and the price, payment method, shipping costs, return policy, and payment methods. For your item to have a greater chance of being viewed by more prospective buyers you can list the item under more than one relevant category. Another effective strategy would be to have a very specific title that would most probably typed by prospective buyers as their search string.

To keep track of all your listings simply go to My eBay since it keeps track of all the items you’ve sold and are currently selling along with all the bids made on them as well as all the items you have bid on and are currently bidding on. My eBay also has a summary page, a favorites page, and your accounts page. As soon as the item is sold eBay will notify both the buyer and seller through email. Make sure that you communicate well with your buyer and notify the buyer that the item is being shipped as soon as you receive the payment.

In case you plan to sell your item through eBay Auction there are three prices you need to set before putting up the item n sale. First is the Starting Price. The Starting Price is simply the price you want the bidding to start. It is also usually the lowest price you feel that you can accept as payment for your item. Next is the Reserve Price. In case your starting price is lower than the amount you are willing to accept as payment you need to set the Reserve Price. Having a reserve price means that if the bidding ends with the highest bid still lower than the reserve price then your item will remain unsold. This price is concealed from buyers.

Last is the Buy It Now Price. The Buy It Now Price is the amount a buyer has to pay to get the item you are selling without having to bid. Both the Reserve Price and Buy It Now Price are optional. The reserve price can be advantageous since it will protect you from having to sell your item at too low a price but can also be disadvantageous since it may discourage buyers from bidding. The Buy It Now Price, on the other hand, is advantageous for buyers who really want to buy the item you are selling since there is no risk that they will be outbid if they automatically buy the item. It is also advantageous for you as the seller since it can hasten the transaction since you don’t have to wait for the bidding period to end. However, it can also be disadvantageous if there is much demand for the item you are selling since having a Buy It Now price will limit the amount bid even if some buyers might actually be willing to bid beyond that set price.

eBay charges the following fees to seller. The Insertion Fee, Additional Option Fees, and Final Value Fee. The Insertion Fee is a non-refundable fee charged for each item listed on eBay Auction. Insertion Fee ranges from $0.30 to $4.80. Additional Option fees are charged if you opt for additional features like the Buy It Now and if you want your item to be a Featured Item. The Final Value fee is charged depending on the closing price your item manages to garner after a successful close at eBay Auction.

Bidding on eBay Auction

To bid on an item in eBay Auction, click on the item you wish to buy to get to the item page. You can then place a bid by simply clicking on the Place Bid Button found on the right side of the picture. In case there is no such button it means that the item can only be bought at the set price and isn’t up for auction. When you place a bid the only price you will see is the starting price since the amount bid by other people will not be visible to you. Enter the maximum amount you will be willing to pay for the item you wish to purchase the click on the Place Bid Button. eBay Auction will automatically compare your bid with others and won’t bid the maximum amount you entered. Instead it will bid only what is needed to outbid the last bid. eBay Auction will do this automatically until it reaches the maximum amount you entered or you win the bid. In case another buyer outbids you eBay Auction will send you a notification so that you can enter a larger amount or at least know that you’ve been outbid.

In case you are bidding on a Reserve Price Auction check whether the current price bid has met the reserve price. If your maximum amount has been reached but the reserve price still hasn’t been met then you know for sure that you need to increase your bid since the item won’t be sold until the reserve price is met.

If you are nervous about bidding on an expensive item keep in mind that eBay has measures to protect both sellers and buyers from fraud. If you are simply nervous since it is your first time try bidding on cheaper items first before going on to more expensive stuff. You can actually find items for less than $1.00 on eBay auction.

5 reasons every writer needs a web site

If you are serious about your writing, in fact even if you aren't, you need a web site. Let me repeat that -- every writer needs a web site!

If you don't believe me then here are five very good reasons why:

1. Your web site can serve as your showcase and portfolio. It can include your biography, experience, and writing credits as well as copies of your work or better yet--links to your published work. So many queries today are done electronically and it much easier to simply include an url for editors or prospective clients to visit than to try to attach copies and/or a long list of urls on various locations.

2. Your web site can be your creative outlet. Perhaps your bread-and-butter writing is in the financial field but you really enjoy writing poetry or about fly fishing. Then you can publish those pieces on your web site to receive exposure or simply to reward yourself for a job well done. Who knows, you might even find yourself with some new paying assignments in these fields!

3. You can demonstrate your expertise in your particular field or fields by demonstrating the number of articles you have written in that area as well as any experience and/or education you may offer in this field. Listing your articles or putting a selection on your site will get your name linked with various key words surrounding that topic in the search engines.

4. For writers, your name is your brand and you need to continually have your name out there and furthermore you need to have it connected with your areas of expertise. The more articles and essays you have published on the web then the more times your name gets out there for readers, clients, and editors. Owning your own web site (deannamascle. com for example) is like owning your own billboard on the internet superhighway.

5. You can earn money with your own web site and your writing even without getting paid by publications. Place Pay-Per-Click ads on your site or sign up for some affiliate programs to advertise on your site. Depending on the size of your site and the traffic you attract this may become a major new source of income for you!

I hope I've convinced you that a web site can be an asset to your writing career, but I must warn you that web mastering can be very addictive to us creative types. Don't let it overtake your writing time. Start out simple and build over time so you can work out a good balance between your writing and your webmaster chores.