Love doesn't hurt... Our expectations do....

Love

Why are today's students not realizing their potential as critical thinkers? Although educators have, for two decades, incorporated contemporary cultural studies into the teaching of composition and rhetoric, many students lack the powers of self-expression that are crucial for effecting social change. _Acts of Enjoyment_ presents a critique of current pedagogies and introduces a psychoanalytical approach in teaching composition and rhetoric.

Some people believe that to enjoy life, they need to do things like:<ul><li>Earn more money</li><li>Have the perfect relationship or friends</li><li>Become well-respected or famous</li></ul>However, plenty of people have these things and more and are still unhappy.The Vietnamese monk and 'father of mindfulness,' Thích Nhất Hạnh, wrote, "So many conditions of happiness are available – more than enough for you to be happy right now."But if there are already so many things to enjoy in life, why don't we enjoy every day?Because learning how to enjoy life takes practice

 Want to know how to enjoy life more?

During my hour-long commute home from work, when I’m too tired to even listen to podcasts, I listen to music. More often than might be healthy, I listen to Lana Del Rey, as she cycles through her doomy refrains about how her life is over, she’s filled with poison, she’s running like mad to heaven’s door. With their frothy melodrama, Lana’s songs tend to match my postwork mood so precisely that it doesn’t feel like listening at all. I don’t have to concentrate or pull myself in.

How to really listen to music? 

A critique of current pedagogies that introduces a psychoanalytical approach in teaching composition and rhetoric. Thomas Rickert builds upon the advances of cultural studies and its focus on societal trends and broadens this view by placing attention on the conscious and subconscious thought of the individual.

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

Discover the world of business and economics.

economics

Economics

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

problemsolving

Problem Solving

Why are today's students not realizing their potential as critical thinkers? Although educators have, for two decades, incorporated contemporary cultural studies into the teaching of composition and rhetoric, many students lack the powers of self-expression that are crucial for effecting social change. Acts of Enjoyment presents a critique of current pedagogies and introduces a psychoanalytical approach in teaching composition and rhetoric. Thomas Rickert builds upon the advances of cultural studies and its focus on societal trends and broadens this view by placing attention on the conscious and subconscious thought of the individual. By introducing the cultural theory work of Slavoj Zizek, Rickert seeks to encourage personal and social invention--rather than simply following a course of unity, equity, or consensus that is so prevalent in current writing instruction. He argues that writing should not be treated as a simple skill, as a naïve self expression, or as a tool for personal advancement, but rather as a reflection of social and psychical forces, such as jouissance (enjoyment/sensual pleasure), desire, and fantasy-creating a more sophisticated, panoptic form. The goal of the psychoanalytical approach is to highlight the best pedagogical aspects of cultural studies to allow for well-rounded individual expression, ultimately providing the tools necessary to address larger issues of politics, popular culture, ideology, and social transformation.

Thomas Joseph Rickert

Acts of Enjoyment

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.”2. “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” 3. “Get busy living or get busy dying.”4. “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”5. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”6. “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”7. “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”8. “Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.”

Lifetime qoutes

.&nbsp;"If life were predictable it would cease to be life and be without flavor." 2. "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."3. "Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood." 4. "You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated." 5. "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." 6. "Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not."7. "The only impossible journey is the one you never begin."

Wisecracks, wit and wisdom of the current times.

books

Books

Consisting of memorable quotes of the last twenty years or so, "The Quotable Quote Book" serves up smart remarks that exhibit all the pungency, intelligence, irrationality and humor that mark our modern era. Studded with names we all know, "The Quotable Quote Book" includes the words of Woody Allen, Nora Ephron, Dan Quayle, David Letterman, Gloria Steinem, Gore Vidal and Fred Flintstone, among others. Arranged alphabetically by subject for easy reference, this one-of-a-kind compendium rounds up exceedingly quotable quotes drawn from the famous and the infamous, from television, songs, movies, advertising, politics, the news, theater, stand-up comedy and wherever else eloquence or wit dwell. A few samples: "Never go to a doctor whose office plants are dead." --Erma Bombeck "Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names." --Ed Koch, quoting John Kennedy "When men reach their sixties and retire, they go to pieces. Women go right on cooking." --Gail Sheehy "The liberals can understand everything but people who don't understand them." --Lenny Bruce "Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours." --Yogi Berra The perfect gift, this delightful book should never be far from the reach of anyone who needs to write a speech, give a toast, break the ice or have a laugh.

Shauna Sorensen

The Quotable Quote Book

Communication skills are the abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds of information. Some examples include communicating new ideas, feelings or even an update on your project. Communication skills involve listening, speaking, observing and empathising. It is also helpful to understand the differences in how to communicate through face-to-face interactions, phone conversations and digital communications like email and social media.

What is communication skills? 

Active listening means paying close attention to the person who is speaking to you. People who are active listeners are well-regarded by their co-workers because of the attention and respect they offer others. While it seems simple, this is a skill that can be hard to develop and improve. You can be an active listener by focusing on the speaker, avoiding distractions like cell phones, laptops or other projects and by preparing questions, comments or ideas to thoughtfully respond.

Active listening

Different styles of communication are appropriate in different situations. To make the best use of your communication skills, it’s important to consider your audience and the most effective format to communicate with them.For example, if you are communicating with a potential employer, it’s better to send a formal email or call them on the phone. Depending on the situation, you may even need to send a formal, typed letter over other forms of communication.

Adapting your communication style to audience

In friendships, characteristics such as honesty and kindness often foster trust and understanding. The same characteristics are important in workplace relationships. When you’re working with others, approach your interactions with a positive attitude, keep an open mind and ask questions to help you understand where they’re coming from. Small gestures such as asking someone how they’re doing, smiling as they speak or offering praise for work well done can help you foster productive relationships with both colleagues and managers.

Friendliness

In the workplace, people are more likely to respond to ideas that are presented with confidence. There are many ways to appear confident such as making eye contact when you’re addressing someone, sitting up straight with your shoulders open and preparing ahead of time so your thoughts are polished. You’ll find confident communication comes in handy not just on the job but during the job interview process as well.

Confidence

Strong communicators can accept critical feedback and provide constructive input to others. Feedback should answer questions, provide solutions or help strengthen the project or topic at hand

Feedback

When you’re speaking, it’s important to be clear and audible. Adjusting your speaking voice so you can be heard in a variety of settings is a skill and it’s critical to communicating effectively. Speaking too loudly may be disrespectful or awkward in certain settings. If you’re unsure, read the room to see how others are communicating.

Volume and clarity

Empathy means that you can understand and share the emotions of others. This communication skill is important in both team and one-on-one settings. In both cases, you will need to understand other people’s emotions and select an appropriate response. For example, if someone is expressing anger or frustration, empathy can help you acknowledge and diffuse their emotion. At the same time, being able to understand when someone is feeling positive and enthusiastic can help you get support for your ideas and projects.

Empathy

A key aspect of respect is knowing when to initiate communication and respond. In a team or group setting, allowing others to speak without interruption is seen as a necessary communication skill. Respectfully communicating also means using your time with someone else wisely—staying on topic, asking clear questions and responding fully to any questions you’ve been asked.

Respect

A great deal of communication happens through nonverbal cues such as body language, facial expressions and eye contact. When you’re listening to someone, you should be paying attention to what they’re saying as well as their nonverbal language. By the same measure, you should be conscious of your body language when you’re communicating to ensure you’re sending appropriate cues to others.

Understanding nonverbal cues

Whether you’re returning a phone call or sending a reply to an email, fast communicators are viewed as more effective than those who are slow to respond. One method is to consider how long your response will take. Is this a request or question you can answer in the next five minutes? If so, it may be a good idea to address it as soon as you see it. If it’s a more complex request or question, you can still acknowledge that you’ve received the message and let the other person know you will respond in full later.

Responsiveness

<ul><li>Ask a close friend or colleague for constructive criticism. It can be hard to know how you are perceived as a communicator. To get an objective opinion, ask a trusted friend for their honest feedback. Understanding your areas of improvement for communication can help you identify what to focus on.</li><li>Practice improving communication habits. Many communication skills are habits you have developed over time. You can improve those skills by practising new habits that make you a better communicator. .</li></ul>

Improving communication skills used

You will use your communication skills in every step of the job search and on the job. Everything from your resume to the job interview and beyond will require different types of communication skills. Here are a few ways you can highlight those skills at each step.

How to highlight communicative skills

A well-written resume is a demonstration of strong communication skills. Ensure that your resume is structured appropriately and free of spelling and grammar errors. Additionally, you may also want to include some positive communication skills in your resume skills section, especially if the job post calls for specific communication skills in the job description. You can add skills to your Indeed Resume for employers searching for candidates with your skillset.

Communication skills for resume

Your cover letter is a great opportunity to elaborate on your communication skills. While you can talk more directly about how effectively you communicate here, your cover letter is one of the employer’s first impressions of your skills. You will want to make your cover letter brief, well-written, free of typos and spelling errors and tailored to the position you’re applying for.

Communication skills for covering a letter

communication

Communication

Effective communication

Everyone knows that eating a balanced diet, exercising and getting plenty of rest are key to maintaining good health. However, that can seem to be an impossible task while in college. Frequently, the appeal of sweets, fast food, caffeine and alcohol outweigh healthy options when you’re in the company of friends or under stress from coursework. Here are some tips for staying healthy in spite of your college lifestyle.

Tips for maintaining health. 

<ol><li>Nutrition</li></ol>Eat a variety of nutrient rich foods. Your body actually needs more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and there is not one single source for them. Your daily food selection should include a balance of good carbs, protein, fruits, veggies, and dairy products. Check out the food guide from the USDA at mypyramid.gov.

Methods maintain health

Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes moderate and reasonable, it is easier to eat what you want, and maintain a healthy and balanced diet. What’s a moderate portion? A medium-sized piece of fruit is one serving. A cup of pasta equates 2 servings and a pint of ice cream contains 4 servings.

Diet

DO NOT SKIP MEALS. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger and frequently results in over-indulging. Snacking between regular meals can help if you are pressed for time. Just make sure you have at least two balanced meals.

Do not skip meals

DO NOT eliminate certain foods. Because our bodies require diverse nutrition, it’s a bad idea to eliminate all salt, fat, and sugar from our diets, unless told to do so by a medical professional. Choosing healthier options such as skim or low-fat dairy will help you maintain a balanced diet.

Eliminating certain foods

Foods are not good or bad. It’s all about portion control!

Good or bad

Stay away from cokes and other sugary sodas, which can pack as much as 17 teaspoons of sugar per 20oz drink! Sugar is a source of empty calories that can use up important vitamins and minerals in your body. Water helps not only to hydrate, but to aid in blood circulation, the removal of toxins from our bodies and in the regulation of our body temperatures.

Water

Avoid too much caffeine. Caffeine is a mildly addictive drug that can affect your ability to sleep and focus while also affecting such bodily functions as muscle function and the cleansing of waste products.

Coffee ☕

To be active<ul><li>﻿Use the stairs instead of the elevator.</li><li>Get at least 30 minutes of activity every day. If the idea of sweating at the gym for hours on end doesn’t sound appealing to you, then head outside for a game of ultimate Frisbee. Or, try going for a walk or a run. The important thing is that you get moving!</li></ul>

Fitness

<ul><li>Keep yourself organized to eliminate unnecessary and preventable stress. </li><li>Turn off the TV and listen to music.</li><li>Make time everyday, even if it’s just 15 minutes, for relaxation and reflection. </li><li>Get plenty of sleep.</li><li>Allow at least 30 minutes of quiet relaxing activity before bed at night, e.g. reading.</li><li>Resist the temptation to use sleeping pills, when under the stress of writing papers, studying, etc.</li><li>Sleep is not a waste of time! It’s as important and necessary as nutrition and exercise. </li></ul>

Relaxation

Get involved and meet people in a positive environment. Often the adjustment to college can be difficult, especially when students are leaving the support system they have known for a lifetime. Whether it’s participating on a sports team or in Rhodes Student Government, joining a religious organization, volunteering at the soup kitchen, or helping in some other form, helping others helps us. The most important thing to remember is to find something you are interested in and enjoy yourself

Socially healthy

For good health, we need more than 40 different nutrients, and no single food can supply them all. It is not about a single meal, it is about a balanced food choice over time that will make a difference!<ul><li>A high-fat lunch could be followed by a low-fat dinner.</li><li>After a large meat portion at dinner, perhaps fish should be the next day’s choice?</li></ul>

Variety foods

About half the calories in our diet should come from foods rich in carbohydrates, such as cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread. It is a good idea to include at least one of these at every meal. Wholegrain foods, like wholegrain bread, pasta, and cereals, will increase our fibre intake

Rich in carbohydrates

Fats are important for good health and proper functioning of the body. However, too much of it can negatively affect our weight and cardiovascular health. Different kinds of fats have different health effects, and some of these tips could help us keep the balance right:We should limit the consumption of total and saturated fats (often coming from foods of animal origin), and completely avoid trans fats; reading the labels helps to identify the sources.

Saturated and unsaturated fats

Fruits and vegetables are among the most important foods for giving us enough vitamins, minerals and fibre. We should try to eat at least 5 servings a day. For example, a glass of fresh fruit juice at breakfast, perhaps an apple and a piece of watermelon as snacks, and a good portion of different vegetables at each meal

Beverages

A high salt intake can result in high blood pressure, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. There are different ways to reduce salt in the diet:<ul><li>When shopping, we could choose products with lower sodium content.</li><li>When cooking, salt can be substituted with spices, increasing the variety of flavours and tastes.</li><li>When eating, it helps not to have salt at the table, or at least not to add salt before tasting.</li></ul>

Imtake of salt and sugar

Provides advice on using the glycemic index to develop healthy eating habits, lower blood pressure, decrease the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and lose weight.

health

Health

Dr Ray Strand presents cutting-edge medical evidence that will help you protect your health. These healthy lifestyles also help lower your blood pressure, decrease your cholesterol levels, and decrease your risk of heart disease and diabetes while at the same time allowing you to lose weight.

Ray D. Strand

Donna K. Wallace

Healthy for Life

It is important to prioritize your life in order for self-improvement to occur. Self-improvement helps enhance strengths, improve mental health, and even heal relationships. Some ways of self-improvement include simple tasks such as reading a book, trying something new, mediating, or even waking up early.

What is self improvement?

1 – Become more fit and healthy (and in particular, lose weight). Yes, this is a nearly universal desire. Closely connected to this response is the second most commonly-voiced aspiration: to exercise more and become more fit and healthy. #2 – Find our purpose in life. No small task. Some people surveyed were seeking to understand why they were put on Earth, while others were specifically wondering what they were “born to do.” #3 – Acquire more skills for success. The desired skills vary markedly from person to person, but in general, people are wishing they could sharpen the skills that lead to scholastic, career, or life success.

This Bundle Book contains 2 manuscripts from Steve Van Gard: Self Transformation Techniques: 7 stages of personal growth Strategy To Success: How to lead a successful life In this modern dynamic world that brings us challenges from the moment we wake up to the second we put our head on the pillow, there is an ever-growing desire to thrive. A desire to achieve and overcome our limitations. But it is not in the material goals that we will find our growth and development as human beings because there is no better achievement than our own transformation. Can you imagine yourself three months from now? How about one year from now? Where do you want to be? How do you want your life to look like? Because if that is not a good enough trigger for you, then you will need to find the motivation that will push you forward. Unless you want your life one year from now to look exactly the same. In the first part of the book you will find: - How to discover the power of thoughts in your everyday life - The difference between reaction and response - The importance of routines - Good and bad habits, and their patterns - How the right Community can help - The vision of transformation and the plan to achieve it - How and when taking action "When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps." - Confucius Strategy and implementation go hand in hand. The purpose of creating a very good and clear strategy is to support you in the implementation phase. And when you have a solid strategy, then you can return after any implemented step and look at what needs to be done next. Once things start moving, then you get momentum and one win after the other will help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. You will start rolling the dices and you will also gain more confidence. Therefore, you will be taking more and more actions and your mindset will improve with each win. "You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action." -- Tony Robbins In the second part of the book you will find a detailed and very practical guide focused on strategy and action: - The definition of success and what makes a person successful - The connection between success and failure - The importance of mindset - How to build your strategy to success - How to implement this strategy - How to overcome obstacles - The evaluation stage - The importance of action - Why celebrate your success

education

Learning & Education

This Bundle Book contains 2 manuscripts from Steve Van Gard: Self Transformation Techniques: 7 stages of personal growthStrategy To Success: How to lead a successful lifeIn this modern dynamic world that brings us challenges from the moment we wake up to the second we put our head on the pillow, there is an ever-growing desire to thrive. A desire to achieve and overcome our limitations. But it is not in the material goals that we will find our growth and development as human beings because there is no better achievement than our own transformation. Can you imagine yourself three months from now? How about one year from now? Where do you want to be? How do you want your life to look like? Because if that is not a good enough trigger for you, then you will need to find the motivation that will push you forward. Unless you want your life one year from now to look exactly the same. In the first part of the book you will find: - How to discover the power of thoughts in your everyday life- The difference between reaction and response- The importance of routines- Good and bad habits, and their patterns- How the right Community can help- The vision of transformation and the plan to achieve it- How and when taking action"When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps." - ConfuciusStrategy and implementation go hand in hand. The purpose of creating a very good and clear strategy is to support you in the implementation phase. And when you have a solid strategy, then you can return after any implemented step and look at what needs to be done next. Once things start moving, then you get momentum and one win after the other will help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. You will start rolling the dices and you will also gain more confidence. Therefore, you will be taking more and more actions and your mindset will improve with each win."You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action." -- Tony RobbinsIn the second part of the book you will find a detailed and very practical guide focused on strategy and action: - The definition of success and what makes a person successful- The connection between success and failure- The importance of mindset- How to build your strategy to success- How to implement this strategy- How to overcome obstacles- The evaluation stage- The importance of action- Why celebrate your succ

Steve Van Gard is a businessman, consultant and coach. He loves animals, music, travels. His thought about self-growth is focused both on concepts and action.

Steve Van Gard

Self Improvement Education

A good leader is doing everything confidently and encourages this confidence in others. He or she cheers up people and makes them feel that they are needed and that they are doing everything well. Though, a confident but non-responsible person is likely to get the whole team in trouble.

How to become a leader

Ways to Develop Your Leadership SkillsPractice discipline. A good leader needs discipline. ... Take on more projects. A great way to develop your leadership skills is to take on more responsibility. ... Learn to follow. ... Develop situational awareness. ... Inspire others. ... Keep learning. ... Resolve conflicts. ... Be a discerning listener.

Way to develop your leadership

A person lacking in confidence can never be a good leader. A person must be confident enough to ensure others follow him. The leader must have confidence in his decisions and actions. If he is unsure, then how can people have the desire to follow him.

How a leader should be.

This illuminating study critiques the concept of leadership as understood in the last 75 years and looks to the twenty-first century for a reconstructed understanding of leadership in the postindustrial era. More similarities in past decades were found than had been thought; the thread throughout Rost's book is that leadership was conceived of as good management. He develops a new definition and paradigm for leadership in this volume that distinguishes leadership from management in fundamental ways. The ethics of leadership from a postindustrial perspective completes the paradigm. The book concludes with suggestions that can be immediately utilized in helping to transform our understanding of leadership.

This illuminating study critiques the concept of leadership as understood in the last 75 years and looks to the twenty-first century for a reconstructed understanding of leadership in the postindustrial era. More similarities in past decades were found than had been thought; the thread throughout Rost's book is that leadership was conceived of as good management. He develops a new definition and paradigm for leadership in this volume that distinguishes leadership from management in fundamental ways. The ethics of leadership from a postindustrial perspective completes the paradigm. The book concludes with suggestions that can be immediately utilized in helping to transform our understanding of leadership.

Joseph Clarence Rost

Leadership for the Twenty-first Century

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is a progress. Working together is a success.

Teamwork qoutes

"Great things in Business are never done by a single person.T They'redone by a team of people."

Individually we are one drop of ocean. Together we are an ocean.

Teamwork qoutes 

T e a m w o r k Makes the dreamwork

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships."

"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."

"The best teamwork comes from men who are working independently toward one goal in unison."

"None of us is as smart as all of us."

"Collaboration allows teachers to capture each other's fund of collective intelligence."

"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself."

“Unity is strength. . . when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”

“I invite everyone to choose forgiveness rather than division, teamwork over personal ambition.”

“Remember, teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.”

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”

What are the secrets of successful teams? Why do some teams achieve remarkable success while others fail or are consigned to mediocrity? To find the answers, Larson and LaFasto interviewed a wide range of teams, including the space shuttle Challenger investigation team and executive management teams, and discovered a surprising consistency in the characteristics of effective teams. The authors explore the eight properties of successful teams and examine priorities in building a high-performance team.

career

Career

corporateculture

Corporate Culture

What are the secrets of successful teams? Why do some teams achieve remarkable success while others fail or are consigned to mediocrity? To find the answers, Carl E. Larson and Frank M. J. LaFasto conducted a three-year study of teams and team achievement. Interviewing a wide range of teams, including the space shuttle Challenger investigation team, executive management teams and a championship football team, Larson and LaFasto discovered a surprising consistency in the characteristics of effective teams. In Teamwork, they explore the eight properties of successful teams: a clear, elevating goal; a results-driven structure; competent team members; unified commitment; collaborative climate; standards of excellence; external support and recognition; and principled leadership. A final chapter examines the priority of the steps that lead to the building of a high performance team. The authors strive to make the concepts concrete, coupling solid theory with straightforward, practical advice on how to apply it and with lively, fascinating anecdotes. The volume will appeal to practitioners, scholars, and advanced students in the areas of organization studies and management, as well as interpersonal communication.

Love

Acts of Enjoyment

The Quotable Quote Book

Effective communication

Healthy for Life

R. Mahesh