Most don’t think to use angels to make themselves wiser.

But this is one of the favorite activities among angels; to help make humans less stupid – guiding them to make wiser decisions.

Didn’t think of it that way, did you?

Overall, it’s not that big of a deal, but it is if you count the massive heartache that foolish thinking and choices can bring you.

Foolish decisions can cost a lifetime of hard work and toil just to work off one single thing you did earlier in life.

A single wise decision can equally as powerfully make your life that much better, and that’s not remotely a joke how different an outcome that creates.

It’s the difference between crying because you’re laughing so hard…

… and crying because life is tragic and you can’t get your footing.

We often don’t think in terms of wisdom – perhaps intelligence and being smart. But who want to be wise in a world that favors smart people?

Who are smart people, really?

They’re people who make less foolish decision on a daily basis.

Isn’t that part of wisdom then, to reduce foolish thinking?

It is, and the angels want to help with this.

Here are some hidden angelic powers that can greatly aid with making wiser choices and thinking…

Lavel – Enable you to make wiser decisions; you are encouraged to stop and think before making all important choices.

Melahel – Reduce foolish thinking, and thereby foolish actions. This empowers your thoughts so that you make far fewer poor / foolish decisions on a daily basis.

Eshaliah – Causes one to pause before acting, having them reflect on the long term ramifications of what they’re doing. This increases decision quality; wiser choices equates to a higher quality of living.

These angels are dynamite in terms of removing those regrettable moments we have where we don’t think before we act. Those choices me make as a result of those moments tend not to be the best, and sometimes they can lead to a life of regret – and that’s what we’re trying to avoid here.

Can you imagine if you made one fewer foolish choice per day?

It doesn’t matter what it is, but if you reduce the overall number of poor choices in your life, you will literally change everything for the better.

Should you use all the angels listed here?

There’s no need for that. Just choose one and see what happens. We often under estimate the number of crappy decisions we make, and that needs to be corrected.

Aniel – Reduce the amount of foolish thinking you have on a daily basis by reflecting frequently throughout the day to ensure all decisions align with what you want and who you are. Causes you to have wiser decisions and thinking – you think before you act, almost always.

Most people don’t self-reflect enough.

They often make the excuse that they “didn’t think of things that way… ” and that then becomes their excuse for not knowing better.

Don’t be that person who uses excuses like that just to make up for their poor decisions.

They can be prevented, resolved and even completely eradicated. Don’t think that your bad choices define you.

Some think that the bad choices define who they are, but that’s a lie.

If you do enough good – make wiser choices – and reduce the amount of crappy things that you do, you are soon known for the good that you do.

Make sense? Of course it does.

Those who are known for their bad choices, and are almost famous for that (notoriety = bad popularity) haven’t made enough good choices.

But what if we’re already known for the negative stuff already?

Vevaliah – Dissolve our negative reputations so that others see the best in us; people around us start to forget the foolish stuff we’ve done in the past and start remembering the wiser stuff.

Isn’t that a useful power?

Now you have no excuse.

You literally have the tools now to think and act wisely.

Now the only way is onwards.

As though speaking in public isn’t tricky enough, then there is the roast. When we are asked to put on a roast for someone we find ourselves walking directly into a social minefield from which there appears to be no way out. If we do a poor job, then the audience will be bored and will end up hating you. If you do too good of a job, the object of the roast will become angry and will end up hating you. What’s a speaker to do?

Prepare

If you’ve ever had a chance to attend a roast or watch one done on TV, then you know what this is all about. A group of people who know the guest of honor get together and, because they know him/her so well, are able to get up and say disrespectful things that make everyone laugh. If this is done well, then the speakers appear to almost be making it up while they are talking; however, the reality is that what they are saying requires careful preparation. There’s a huge difference between ribbing and insulting.

When you host a roast, you will be called on to lob mild insults towards the guest of honor all night. This means that you are going to have to do your homework and collect the information that you’ll need before the big event. The key here is to collect as much background information as you can.

Since both your audience and your fellow roasters know about the target, you need to make sure that what you say is not only funny, but also relates to the person that you’re talking about. This means that you’ve got to dive into their past and find out where they went to school, where they’ve worked, who they’ve worked with, and why they left each job. Ultimately it’s the answers to these questions that will provide you with the raw material that you’ll need to create the roast talking points that will be required.

Present

When you are hosting a roast, you get to control who speaks and when they speak. Generally you’ll select four to five other people to come up and say a few things about the guest of honor. Let’s be honest here, some people will do a good job of this and the others won’t.

Knowing this, you’ll want to make sure that nobody is scheduled to talk for too long. You’ll want to create a sequence in which the speakers go. This sequence should be based on some sort of logical progression. People who knew him or her at different stages in life, people who worked with them at different companies, etc.

Content

The success or failure of a roast ultimately comes down to the content. As you put together what you’ll be saying, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind.

You need to make sure that your ribbing relates to things that the audience knows are not true (“… when you robbed that bank last week…”). Stay away from things that they can’t decide if you are joking about or not (“your wife tells me that you are still beating her”).

The best humor comes when you make fun of the guest of honor in regards to things that they make fun of about themselves. For example, if the target can’t spell very well and is always lamenting the fact, then feel free to rib them about it.

Finally, making fun of things that the guest of honor doesn’t really care about is always safe. This could include a comment about the time that his / her boat sank because they forgot to plug a hole. Stay away from such items as you are too short, you are too fat, you are too bald.

What All Of This Means For You

Putting on a roast that will provide a good-natured ribbing of the guest of honor without offending either them or the audience can be a real challenge. Speakers who are asked to take on this task need to realize that if done incorrectly, they can get themselves into a lot of hot water.

In order to successfully host a roast, you’re going to need to do your homework. You’ll need to collect a lot of information on the guest of honor. This includes both background information and stories. Next you’ll need to organize how the roast is to be conducted: sequence the presenters and tie their presentations together. Finally, your material will need to be carefully edited so that you make everyone laugh, but you don’t offend.

The next time that you get asked to host a roast, you don’t need to say no or go running for the door. Instead, use the tips that we’ve discussed and do a great job of showing the star of the show just how much he or she is appreciated by gently making fun of them in a positiveway.

Like any other job, while becoming a CNA after taking a CNA training class and passing the certification exam may have it’s benefits, it also comes with its own set of disadvantages that you must consider carefully before seeking to pursue this profession. This profession will undoubtedly give you a great sense of fulfillment as you help those in need but there are negatives with the job.

You will have good days and bad days on this job and you need to develop the tools to help you deal effectively with the problems that you will experience as a CNA as you will be made aware of in a CNA training class, on the job and by talking to other nursing assistants.

The road to becoming a certified nursing assistant and entering the medical profession is probably the easiest you will find and only requires attending a CNA training class that lasts on average between four and six weeks. The cost to attend a CNA training class is also quite reasonable and you may be able to obtain financial assistance or be able to find free CNA training classes. A certification exam must then be passed on completion of the CNA training class.

While being a CNA for the right person will provide a great sense of fulfillment, even the best person will struggle at times with the demands of the job. The main duty of CNAs is to care for patients and fulfill their every need. Although there continues to be a great demand for nursing assistants which far surpasses the demand in most other professions, the demands of the job are the main reason that there is also a high turnover in this profession.

Disadvantages of being a CNA

1. One of the disadvantages if you are entering this profession mainly for the money is that you will be disappointed in the pay although it is still a great start. This healthcare profession is considered entry level which means that the pay is generally considered entry level as well although it is certainly above minimum wage. If you enter this profession, you need to make sure that you are entering it for more than the money e.g. if you have a great need to help others or if you are using this career as a stepping stone to other healthcare professions.

2. You may feel that the job demands of feeding, bathing, grooming, lifting, as well as many other duties that you will perform for patients, their families, nurses and doctors may be too great especially when compared to the pay you are receiving. You may feel that there are not enough hours in a day to complete all the tasks and may start to experience job burnout because you may not have time to take care of yourself in addition to taking care of everyone else.

3. With the low pay comes the other disadvantage in that there really are few to no opportunities for advancement with this job as you shall learn in a CNA training class and if you wish to move forward in your career, you may have to consider taking additional training to become a nurse, doctor or other healthcare professional.

4. While taking care of everyone else’s needs, you may wish to feel appreciated on the job for all that you do and you may find at times that your contributions are undervalued and you are not appreciated which can be demoralizing and lead to a lack of motivation to continue to perform your duties with the same enthusiasm you may have had at the beginning.

5. While patient abuse is common at many care facilities, the reverse is also quite common. You will deal with many different types of patients and while many may be appreciative of all that you do, there will be some that will not appreciate you and will make your life difficult and may abuse you both physically and verbally. How to deal with this abuse will be dealt with in a CNA training class as well as by your employer.

6. Another disadvantage is also that you may get attached to many patients who may spend months and even years at a care facility and you may have to deal with the inevitability of circumstances of patient death which can take an emotional toll.

This professional is a family lawyer who specializes in child custody cases, helping to protect children’s rights. To become a child custody lawyer you would have to pursue the same path as any lawyer but specializing in child custody cases. In most states, you would need an undergraduate degree, like a bachelor’s degree before you can go to law school. When getting your law degree your bachelor’s degree does not need to be in a subject related to law. If you have already chosen your career path there are some existing pre-law specializations. For example, when specializing in custody law, you could major in social work, philosophy, or psychology. Any of these majors will help give you a unique education that will help you further down your path to become a child custody lawyer.

When getting your bachelor’s degree make sure that you are maintaining a high GPA as this may help you get into this type of school. On the road to becoming a child custody lawyer, applying to such a school is often stressful and rigorous but is a necessary step to becoming a lawyer. When completing all of the required application letters take your time to ensure that you are doing them correctly. If any have a deadline to summit them, try to get them done first so they will get there on time. During the application process for law school, you will need letters of recommendations so try to get professionals you know or former teachers to write the recommendation letters for you.

To get into law school most require applicants to submit standardized test scores that focus on the general law. One such test is the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). This is a very hard test to pass but is needed in order to get into law school. Before taking the exam experts recommend that you study for this test at least six to twelve months in order to pass, get a good grade and possible admission to law school. When attending law school, you should tailor any elective courses so they relate to family law subjects. While at law school and during your undergraduate schooling you should look for assistant or internships with a family law firm. This extra training can provide you with a wealth of information it can also help you establish a professional contact network. Once you have completed law school you will have to sit and pass the bar exam for your state or the state where you will be practicing as a child custody lawyer.

Although you are specializing in child custody cases, you will start out as a family attorney. It may take several years to gain expertise and become an established child custody lawyer.

‘Time is of the essence.’ How many times have you heard that? You might even say that it is so cliché. Still, you cannot deny the fact that time is a very precious commodity (especially in these fast-paced times). One of the main reasons why podcasts are becoming so popular these days is because they are a time efficient way of getting a message across to an audience.

Recent research revealed that most people listen to podcasts while engaging in other activities such as driving or during a workout. This makes them quite easy to consume. For most people, a podcast provides something to do, while they do another thing; for example, washing, cooking or babysitting. Someone could actually learn something new while taking out the trash or catching up on the latest celebrity gossip while out for a jog!

Compared to television, which takes up so much of your time and does not allow much room for multitasking, podcasts are flexible. Ideally, podcasting can serve as a distraction for mundane activities such as commuting or waiting at the doctor’s office. People are no longer slaves to radio or television schedules. Listeners now call the shots, and they can listen to whatever they want, wherever they want and whenever they want. And that is awesome!

Many people, just like you, have created brand new careers and income streams by entering the world of podcasting. Research also shows that 50% of people have listened to at least one podcast. In this article you will discover three reasons why podcasting is the hot new kid on the Block.

Versatility

It is easier now than ever before to share your ideas, thoughts or visions with the world through podcasting. After all, it is arguably the number one communication medium on the planet right now. All the listener has to do is download your podcast to their phone and then listen at their own convenience. They can fast forward, rewind or replay episodes as many times as their hearts desire.

While there are different types of podcasts, generally the goal is the same: To communicate with an audience. The objectives or the end results may vary a bit. They can be any one of the following:

· Motivate or inspire.

· Educate, for example: Explain how to get a specific task done, such as how to bake a cake.

· Tell a story, which can be fictional or real.

· Promote or sell a product.

· Share an idea or perspective.

· Provide advice.

· Bring awareness to a cause or topic.

· Entertain or provide laughter.

The variety of topics that can be discussed allows everyone to find something that interests them. It is up to you to find a niche and create your content around that niche.

Requires very little to start.

You literally just need a cell phone to start. So, no you do not need to hire a fancy producer, nor have a state-of-the-art recording studio. People do not listen to a podcast because the sound is of the highest quality. However, they will listen if the content is good and speaks to their heart or elicits some type of emotion. Therefore, one of your main objectives as a podcaster should be to focus on preparing good quality content. Pay attention to details such as: Title, structure, schedule and editing.

Though not a must, editing your podcast will most likely be a task you will do. This will allow you to clean up your recordings, making them sound more professional. You do not have to be tech-savvy or a pro to edit your podcasts. There are quite a few free editing software programs available for you to use that will help you achieve this feat quickly and easily.

Once you have recorded a couple of episodes, are sure you want to continue with podcasting, you may want to invest in some higher grade equipment. For podcasters, technology is now available that allows a novice to produce high quality podcast episodes on a very low-budget. If you took a poll of most podcasters and asked them the question, “How did you get started?” most would probably tell you that they started in their garage, basement, bedroom or living room talking on a computer or smart phone!

It can be profitable

Research has shown that 45% of podcast listeners have a monthly income of $75,000 or more. If it is done right, a podcast can be very profitable as it is not expensive to start. Once you have started, there is the potential to attract sponsors within your niche through the promotion of products and services of others. Short commercial ads could be read by the host during the show. This approach is considered authentic and intimate because it is not perceived as an interruption to regular programming. It is rather seen as information from a familiar and trusted source. This is the most common way of monetizing your podcast.

As the host you can also create your own products that can be offered to your listeners. You have loyal subscribers who trust you. If you develop a product that meets a need of your listeners, some will want access to this type of additional resource. This is a great way to grow a coaching or consulting business.

In addition, you can offer premium episodes of your show for sale. Maybe a light-hearted conversation you had with an interviewee or videos of yourself while recording an episode. You can also repurpose your content by transcribing your audio, format it into a book and offer it for sale on Amazon and other distributors.

You can also repurpose your content and create a YouTube version of your show. This is quite easy to achieve. You can simply use a tripod for recording videos of yourself during recording sessions, use Zoom or any other video recording app. Basically, record once and repurpose several times!

The possibilities are limitless when it comes to podcasting as more people are listening to podcast than ever before. Subsequently, there are numerous advantages to be gained from having your own podcast.

1. It is time efficient.

2. They are easy to create.

3. They can be profitable.

4. They can be consumed quite easily by end users.

These are just some of the reasons why Podcasting has grown in popularity over the last decade.

Whilst there are many reasons why podcasts are popular these days, do not assume that you will jump into the mix and have loyal listeners or subscribers instantly. It will take time to build your audience. But if you never start, you will never have an audience at all.

Yes, you can make money from podcasting, but you will first have to do your due diligence and create quality content that is of value to an ever-increasing pool of listeners. Once you have done that, the sky is the limit!

Surrogacy is perhaps one of the most selfless acts that a woman can bestow upon a couple in need of a child. Surrogacy, however, can come with both physical and physiological risks that may or may not be easy to recover from. Understanding what the psychological risks of surrogate motherhood can make the transition from carrying a child to relinquishing that child easier.

The psychological risks of surrogate motherhood may be a heavier burden to carry, but pre-screening and on-going counseling both before and after the event can help surrogate mothers adjust. There are four areas that are of particular interest in the psychological aspect of surrogacy: contact (bonds), control, closure and ethics. Surrogate mothers form relationships with the couples they surrogate for and that bond may perhaps be even stronger than the bond they may feel for the child they are carrying. They see and talk to their couples regularly and become used to the caring bestowed upon them from their couples. These bonds are strengthened by the routine prenatal visits, maternity clothes shopping, calls to see how they are feeling or if they need anything for comfort. These routine events cause them to become almost dependent on their couples and some surrogates report even becoming depressed after the birth not because of having to relinquish the child, but because they no longer have a reason for contact with their couples.

Another one of the psychological risks of surrogate motherhood is that of closure. Often, this can go hand in hand with every contact or bonding issues. The routines and relationships developed between the surrogate, couples and medical staff that often make the transition from pregnancy and surrogacy to the birth and farewell stage that makes it difficult. Not only does the surrogate have to deal with the loss of a child, per se, but also the loss of those unique and caring relationships and routines that they have grown used to over the previous nine months.

And finally, there are many ethical issues that arise from surrogacy that add to the risks of surrogate motherhood. The surrogate not only has to deal with her own personal religious and sociological beliefs of giving up a child that she has carried for nine months but she also has to deal with how other people within her community view her decision to essentially give up a child and how those views can also affect her own family.

Each of these psychological issues are recognized as risks of surrogate motherhood and each should be addressed during mandatory counseling before, during and after pregnancy to ensure that the surrogate remains mentally healthy and able to relinquish the baby with a clear mind. Contact or bonds are formed almost immediately with the parent couples and caretakers and may even be stronger than those formed with the baby and that understanding this may ease any closure issues at the end. Control issues should be discussed and comprises need to be made so that the surrogate, who inevitably has the most to loose, still feels in control of her own body, yet still assuring the safety of the baby she is carrying. And last, but not least, ethical issues should be discussed to ensure that the surrogate is comfortable with questions from her community and family.

Becoming a professional poker player is difficult. Not only do you have to be good at the game you have to have a good business head. To that end you have to learn to treat your beloved card game as a business, rather than a pastime which in the past you have been good at.

If you are thinking about becoming a pro read this first.

Business Element

Like most businesses there will be good times and bad times. You must be prepared for the latter and use the former to offset your losses. Professional poker playing also needs capital like any other business, and for poker this means having a substantial bank roll.

To that end you must try and work out how much you will need to maintain a steady income from playing poker. A highly competitive profession if ever there was one. From the income figure you can estimate how much you will need to bankroll your career as a pro player.

Every player has a severe losing streak no matter how good they are. You must be able to deal with this financially.

You are going to be self employed. This is scary and hard at the best of times, and rather than making a sale, you are going to have to win a considerable amount of money to make your business thrive.

Evaluate Evaluate

To become a pro and a better pro, you have to be able to honestly evaluate your play style after every game. Ideally, having an honest opinion from someone you trust is best. A fresh, unbiased pair of eyes will be able to tell you if you are leaking too many tells, if your bluff was too obvious, and generally pick up on your weaknesses. In essence you must be able to take criticism and be honest with yourself to know when your big loss was down to you. All of this will improve you as a player.

As a professional poker player constant improvement is needed. Otherwise it is a long walk to the poor house and back into mainstream work.

The evaluation of your poker play should have already started. If you can find a mentor or at least someone you trust who understand the game, so much the better. Many players record their games in the form of notes. How much they staked, how much they won, nearly every statistic you can think of. They then refer to them constantly.

Why?

Many professionals started our as good amateur players and realised that playing a game they love for a living would be a good way to live. The chances are you are of the same mindset. On the surface there is edginess to the lifestyle that is very appealing. A little like being a spy. The reality is however, that it is a business and a job. In ten years time will you enjoy the game so much?

You may not ever view the game again like you do at the moment. A point to ponder perhaps?

Social Life

Once you embark on being a pro your social life will be centred on poker. Poker will dominate: Your friends will be poker players, your partner will be from a poker background, and even your pets will be able to shuffle cards. You will study poker when you are not playing it, and your maths will improve.

This is an aspect you need to think about to become a professional. Are you prepared for the change and sacrifice?

Percentages

If you have not worked it out already, you are going to have look at poker as a business. This means working out percentages to the nth degree and then perform in tournaments. You will start to think of the game statistically and indeed start to study your own game in the same terms. This is common to most gambling.

Summing up

A career in poker is hard. Make no mistake big losses and incredible lows are coming your way. There will be times when you wonder why you thought it was a good idea.

With a clear steady mind however, a good business head, and a mentor or friend who is willing to help you, you might just make it.

Everyone in the workplace agrees that truly great employees are rarer than the proverbial hens teeth. It makes no difference if you are an employee yourself, or if you are a manager who is wondering how to actually find a great employee to fill a role, you know that great employees are at a premium.

What exactly is it though that makes an employee great? These top ten traits give some ideas to employers looking to hire and of course to employees who want to operate at the top of their game:

1. Dependability: Great employees are always dependable. They do the job they are supposed to do every time, and no one has to worry that they don’t deliver the goods. A great employee can be counted to always have their work done right, when it is supposed to be done – it is a forgone conclusion that they will, and no one else has to spend any time worrying about it.
2. Team Spirit: Great employees are team players. They don’t constantly seek out attention or hogs the limelight. Rather, a great employee works with others to make sure that the things that need to get done do get done, for the good of the company.
3. Taking Direction: Great employees know how to take direction. They know how to take criticism, direction and advice gracefully and make it work for them when doing their job.
4. Trust: Great employees don’t spread office gossip and they don’t dish company dirt. Likewise, they always tell the truth to their employer, even if it lands them in hot water.
5. Confidentiality: This of course is strongly linked to number 4. Great employees always guard the confidential nature of their business dealings and protects everyone’s privacy.
6. Participation: Great Employees participate in the day to day life of the office. They don’t bow out of meetings or skip the office birthday celebrations. These things may not be a fun part of working life, and everyone involved knows that everyone else has some place they would rather be – but a great employee wouldn’t be any place else.
7. Likeability: Great employee get along with other employees. Every office has one person that is in everyone else’s business and talks to loud on the phone and generally stirs things up and gets under everyone’s skin. This kind of employee zaps office morale – a great employee is a good co-worker to everyone.
8. Competence: Great employees have good working skills. It may sound obvious, but a great employee has the abilities needed to do their job, and they constantly seek ways to improve, like going to training seminars or seeking further education. Great workers have great skills.
9. Tact: Great employees have tact and decorum. If there is a problem in the office, a great employee doesn’t make a scene in front of everyone else. A great employee will deal with such issues with privacy and diplomacy. Further, a great employee doesn’t tell tasteless, political or religious jokes, nor do they send emails that tell these kinds of jokes.
10. Attitude: Last but certainly not least, great employees have a great attitude. Bad attitudes bring everyone down. A great employee helps make work great for everyone else by having a good spirit about their job.

That’s a lot of good traits to try and acquire! Don’t be dispirited if you fail to match up on a number (but hopefully not all!) of them. Just work on them one at a time and you’ll find your career progressing faster than you would have ever believed possible.

Step 1: Read the PMI Credentials Handbook. The PMP Credentials Handbook, available from http://www.pmi.org, explains in detail the process of becoming PMP certified. Reading it should be the first 20 minutes on your PMP certification journey.

Step 2: Make sure you are eligible. The Credentials Handbook also details eligibility criteria. Depending on your educational background you must show 4,500-7,500 hours of PM experience and 35 hours of PM related training.

Step 3: Become a Member of the PMI and your local PMI Chapter. Becoming a member makes financial sense. Members receive substantial discounts on the PMP exam and local events – in particular on PMP Workshop that many local chapters offer throughout each year. In fact, the discounts are bigger than the membership fees.

Step 4: Sign up for the Exam. “I want to become a PMP” is a good plan. “I want to become a PMP and my exam is in 3 months” is a much better plan because we all work a lot better when we have a deadline. Sign up online via the PMI website.

Step 5: Read the PMBOK Guide. Twice. 75% of PMP Exam questions come from the PMBOK Guide. You must know it. And the only way to know it is to read it twice.

Step 6: Read a PMP Preparation Book. To learn about the 25% not covered in the Guide you need third party products like PMP Prep Books or online self-study courses. You can find these books easily in online or local bookstores. These products will also “translate” awkwardly described PMBOK Guide concepts and give examples from everyday PM life.

Step 7: Attend your local chapter’s PMP Workshop. The workshops from your local chapter are usually much less expensive but of similar or higher quality than those offered by commercial training companies. The volunteers involved as your instructors will mentor you in your studies and ensure that you know all there is to know.

Step 8: Answer Sample Questions. Successfully passing any test means knowing what you will be asked. The PMP exam is no different. Answer as many free and commercial PMP sample questions as possible and keep score. The rule of thumb is that if you consistently answer new questions 80% correctly, then you are ready to take the exam.

Step 9: Study Hard and have a Plan. Studying for the PMP exam is a serious endeavor and requires personal dedication. Manage your road to becoming a PMP like a project and create a plan – a study plan. It defines how many hours you study, how many chapters you read and how many sample questions you take every day.

Step 10: Take the Exam. After all that hard work, taking the exam almost sounds like the easy part. Consider the following to make the day of the exam a successful experience: Get a good night’s sleep the night before. There is no need to study until 3am. You have studied long and hard and you are ready for it. Bring two forms of official identification with a photo, water, snacks, a sweater, a simple calculator and earplugs with you to the exam site. Before the exam take the short tutorial explaining how to use the computer. Now click the “Start Exam” button. Good luck!

Finally, be prepared for ups and downs in your studies. Some concepts will be easy for you to comprehend and others will be hard. Don’t despair or think that you are never going to understand them. Thousands of people have passed the exam before you and you can pass it, too!

Many wise people have said that “change is the only constant.” To be sure, it is the one of only three things that we can count on in this life (death and taxes being the other two). However, what is really important in my opinion is how we deal with change, which says volumes about us. Like many things in life, dealing with change is something of an art form. The sooner we throw ourselves 100% into the change, the more adept we get at life itself. Here are some suggestions to help you cope with the change in your life.

1. Be honest and admit that you have probably wanted something to change.

For me, a key tenet in becoming your best self and living your best life is to accept responsibility for everything in your life. That means that you must be honest and admit that, for whatever reason, you wanted the change you are now dealing with. Of course, while most of us are wishing for change, we focus on just one dimension to the exclusion of others. For example, we might wish our boss was gone without taking into consideration exactly what a shakeup in management might mean to us and our jobs.

When we ask for change, we always assume that the change we want is in our own best interest. The thing is, it always IS in our own best interest, even if we can’t see it today. Just being mindful of that fact allows accepting responsibility for everything that happens in our life a whole lost easier, and once we do that, it is so much easier to feel solid, grounded and empowered. We are not the ‘tumbling tumbleweeds’ of song, but the might oak with strong roots.

2. Take a survey of past change in your life with the benefit of hindsight.

Make a list with three columns. In column A, write down all the major change or upheavals you’ve experienced in your life. In column B, write down all your feelings when in the midst of each of those changes. In column C, however, be honest and ask yourself what good came out of that change. Not just the immediate impact, which was probably frightening or negative in some other way. For Column C, you want to really reflect on exactly what part of you that you are proud of came out of that experience. If you are really brave, create a fourth Column (Column D) and be brutally honest about whether or not you would really have stopped that change if you could.

As you review the survey you’ve just completed, I think you may be surprised to recognize just how often the change you dreaded ended up being a positive factor in your life, one that you would repeat if you had the chance.

3. From the list above, also recognize that, in fact, you are a tough old bird

and you have already lived through a lot of change. Just like all those times before, you can come out of the other side of it and be labelled a veteran survivor, which you already are. There is no change you haven’t dealt with and gone on with your life.

4. In the immortal words of Nike, just do it!

In my life, there is much change I have wanted to stop but major change happens to us whether we want it or not. At some point, it is helpful if you can just take a deep breath and decide to “go with the flow”. The more deeply you breathe and the more frequently you breathe, the more you are empowered to accept change, and the more you are able to see the positive in it. Often, even when we’ve been begging for change, we go into resistance mode when it actually starts happening, thereby getting in the way of our own requested change. Fear is a natural response, but it does not have to dictate our life. Acknowledge that change is scary and keep those feet moving!