Eidul Adha...TaqabbalAllahu minna wa minkum

Eid al-Adha (عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā) "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is a holiday celebrated by muslim worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.

Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from the Quran….Like Eid al Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a short prayer followed by a sermon (khutba).
Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of ذو الحجة of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for three days or more depending on the country. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan...

The slaughtering day…Idul qurban and practise of detachment. Here we go again. As we are entering Hari Raya Haji, it is time for the moslems to spare some money to buy cattle(s) to be sacrificed. You will soon see on the side of the roads some cows and goats ready to be slaughtered in the name of God. Soon, you will see depressing and sadistic doings towards the sheeps, goats and cows.

The story behind beheading goats for sacrifice starts from when Ibrahim was asked (or tested) by God to show how obedient he was. God asked Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Ismail, who was born after Ibrahim was very old. Both of them were in confusion, but then both said that if it is in ordered by God, then they should do it. So, Ibrahim prepared to behead Ismail, and when the knife (or guillotine, or whatever they were using at that era) almost reached Ismail’s neck, he was replaced by a goat (or cow). The moral of the story is, if you want to be blessed by God, you have to sacrifice.

How to make parents very happy

Tell your parents, “Thank you.” Parents can feel unappreciated and taken advantage of when you fail to show gratitude for the things they do for you. Acknowledge their effort, make them a sweet card or simply give them a bear hug from time to time.

Communicate with them openly, honestly and often. Discuss your feelings, friends, boy or girlfriend, peer pressure, schoolwork or your plans for Saturday night. Keep them apprised of the events in your life so they won’t have to worry about what you’re thinking or doing.

Follow the rules of the house. Get in before curfew, finish your work before going out and always be completely honest. You’ll have far less disagreements if they know you’re responsible and trustworthy.

Listen respectfully when your parents talk to you. Take their advice to heart, complete requests quickly and even ask how their day went. Keep your eyes off the television and remove the stereo headphones from your ears to give them your undivided attention.

Try your hardest at everything you do, whether it’s school, work, sports or even household chores. Even if you don’t come home with perfect grades or don’t make the varsity squad, for example, they won’t be disappointed if they’re sure you put in your best effort.

Do your chores without a reminder. Nagging you to take out the trash or straighten your room can put your mom on edge. Consistently complete your tasks and offer to help with theirs when you can.

Hang out with your parents whenever possible. Although it’s great for them to have time alone together, they’ll be happy to know you enjoy seeing movies, having leisurely dinners or walking around the mall with them.

How to tackle a blind date

Some tips on how handled it, and here we go…….

First of all, as with everything, you have to have the right mindset. You write in your e-mail that you usually have some kind of connection to a girl before you go on a date with her. You already have two connections; your mutual friend, and the fact that you have been “set up” by her. I assume that your friend is a girl. She has already “validated” both of you! Think about it, that’s a better start than most guys gets on most dates. And you also have one common interest; that is to meet each other! And how great isn’t that? You’re both “interested”. Not knowing “what she’ll be like” is actually a pretty good thing; you could say that you start at ground zero. Since there are no expectations, you should actually be more comfortable than at a “regular date”, where you will both be “coloured” a little by your last interaction, whether it was by phone or in person.....

I think I have said this before, but I’ll say it again. Don’t treat a date like a job interview!.That means you, shouldn’t be wearing clothes that are not “you”. You should be 100% comfortable in your clothes. A shirt only looks as good as you wear it, so if you’re not used to wear shirts, a t-shirt is fine. Shouldn’t ask her all kind of boring questions. Be overly nervous. I know this is hard. But try to relax. Speak slowly, and pause between words to create suspense for her, and to give yourself time to think about what to say. Be interesting…..You shouldn’t be afraid to say something to upset her a little bit, or make her laugh. You have nothing to lose, and being boring is the absolute worst thing you can do. Have an exit plan. It’s so much better to meet over coffee for a first date, than to do the whole “dinner and a movie” approach. It’s expensive, and if you just don’t feel it for each other, it can also be extremely awkward.

When you meet, be sure to make her comfortable right at the beginning by introducing yourself with an open hand, and by saying your name out clear. This is really “standard procedure”, but shaking hands really helps with getting her comfortable around you.....

Right from the point where you walk out the door, be confident that she is a good girl that is interested in you. And to get the right look in your eyes, have the mentality that she actually thinks you’re pretty,....When you meet her, you meet her at a local café etc. You wear comfortable clothes, and you greet her by shaking hands.You don’t talk about or ask her boring stuff.

This could also be supplied by you looking suspicious in a fun way, like that “creep” was you. Quickly looking from left to right, and back again a few times is almost guaranteed to make her laugh.Again, making a little fun of yourself is a great way to ease the natural tension between you...have fun!, If you manage to have fun, I think everything will be fine......

How to feel good all the time

Stress: The first emotion that kills good moods is stress, if you are living a stressful life style or even if your external environment is promoting stress then you will rarely be able to feel good.

Over eating:Eating is another factor that can change your mood right away, try to eat something while you are full or fill your stomach with soda and you will experience a sudden drop in your mood in few seconds. Only eat when you are Hungary and stop eating before you are full and then food will never make you feel bad.

Guilt: Guilt is a another source of emotional pain that prevents the person from feeling good. I am not talking about the kind of guilt you get when you do something really awful but the guilt I am talking about is the one that results from tiny events such as not exercising on the day you were supposed to exercise or delaying a task that you were supposed to do. These tiny events can result in feelings of guilt that prevents you from feeling good.

There are countless number of items that I can mention that prevents a person from feeling happy but in the end the concept will still be the same. Learning how to become aware of the small events that trigger unwanted emotions will help you prevent them in early stages and will lead you to feeling good all the time.

Successful group discussion

When it comes to a group discussion, there is no such thing a "too much planning." The planning that you put into a group discussion will often be a reflection of the results. Some of the things that you will want to pay attention to are recruitment issues and the topic that will be discussed.It is important for you to make sure the group is stimulated. One of the things you will want to focus on is choosing the right people to participate in the discussion. In most cases, this will be the task of the moderator.
The quality of the group discussion will be dependent on the people who are chosen to participate. Choose the wrong people, and you will get the wrong results. If you have the time and resources, it may be necessary to someone the task of choosing the right members for the discussion. In a nutshell, the people you choose should be highly qualified to deal with the topic that is being raised. It is also important to make sure you never judge people based on their appearance. This is a mistake that can be made by the leader as well as the other members. Often, the appearance of a person will not have an effect on their ability to contribute to the discussion. In addition to appearance, an emphasis should also not be placed on the educational background of the participants. Just because a member does not have advanced degrees is not a sign that they are not valuable. Obviously, the ideal group discussion will be composed of people who are educated and attractive. However, fantasy and reality are two different things, and these attributes are not crucially relevant in a group discussion.

Another thing that you will want to remember is that gaining a certain objective during a group discussion does not mean it was successful. However it is also important to make sure the members of group stay focused on the topic that is being discussed. It is easy to get off topic, and this can waste time and hurt the ability of the group to reach a desired goal. If you are planning the event, it is important to make sure your presentation is ready. Everything should be organized and prepared. A lack of organization will convey a bad message to the other members, and this is something you will want to avoid. If the members of the group need to be organized for the discussion, it is important for you to let them know this beforehand. If you don't communicate with them effectively, it can cause a number of problems.

Why people fall in love?

It is a mystery why we fall in love. It is a mystery how it happens. It is a mystery when it comes. It is a mystery why some love grows and it is a mystery why some love fails. You can analyze his mystery and look for reasons and causes, but you will never do anymore that take the life out of the experience. Just as life itself is more than the sum of the bones and muscles and electrical impulses in the body, love is more than the sum of the interests and attractions and commonalities that two people share. And just as life itself is a gift that comes and goes in its own time, so too, the coming of love must be taken as an unfathomable gift that cannot be questioned in its ways.

When this happen to young people, they too often try to grasp the love and hold it to them, refusing to see that it is a gift that just as freely, moves away. When they fall out of love, or the person they love feels the spirit of love leaving, they try desperately to reclaim the love that is lost rather than accepting the gift for what it was, then moving on. They want answers where there are no answers. They want to know what is wrong in them that makes the other person no longer love them, or try to get their love to change, thinking that if some small things were different, love would bloom again. They blame their circumstances and say that if they go far away and start a new life, their love will grow. They try anything to give meaning to what has happened. But there is no meaning beyond the love itself, and until they accept its own mysterious ways, they live in a sea of misery.

You need to know this about love, and accept it. You need to treat what it brings you with kindness. If you find yourself in love with someone who does not love you, be gentle with yourself. There is nothing wrong with you. Love just didn't choose to rest in the other person's heart. If you find yourself someone in love with you but you don't love him back, feel honored that love came and called at your door, but gently refuse the gift you cannot return. Do not take advantage; do not cause pain. How you deal with love is how you deal with yourself. All our hearts feel the same pains and joys, even if our lives and ways are different.

If you fall in love with another, and he falls in love with you, and then love chooses to leave, do not try to reclaim it nor to assess blame. Let it go. There is a reason and there is a meaning. You will know in time. Remember that you don't choose love. Love chooses you. All you can really do is accept it for all its mystery when it comes into your life. Feel the way it fills you to overflowing, then reach out and give it away. Give it back to the person who brought it alive in you. Give it to others who deem it poor in spirit. Give it to the world around you in any way you can. There is where many lovers go wrong. Having been so long without love, they understand love only as a need. They see their hearts as empty places that will be filled by love, and they begin to look at love as something that flows to them rather than from them. The first blush of new love is filled to overflowing, but as their love cools, they revert to seeing their love as a need. They cease to be someone who generates love and instead become someone who seeks love. They forget that the secret of love is that it is a gift, and that it can be made to grow only by giving it away.

Remember this and keep it to your heart. Love has its time, its own season, its own reason for coming and going. You cannot bribe it or coerce it, or reason it into staying. You can only embrace it when it arrives and give it away when it comes to you. But if it chooses to leave from your heart or from the heart of your lover, there is nothing you can do and there is nothing you should do. Love always has been and always will be a mystery. BE GLAD THAT IT CAME TO LIVE FOR A MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE. If you keep you heart open, it will come again...

How to make a strong first impressions with others

You only get one chance to make a good first impression. Wether you are at a party, a job interview, or on a date, your first impression will set the tone for your relationship with the other people. Your impression can make you stand out and get that job, make a new friend, and even get a second date. Here are the steps to make lasting impressions on others.

Look into a mirror and smile! Just before you enter a room for the first time or meet someone new, step into the bathroom and smile into the mirror. Speaking with a smile on your face will give your voice a positive tone, and will help to shift your mood if you are feeling down. While you are looking at your smile, take note of your general appearance. Make sure your clothing looks good, and that you have nothing out of place.

Listen to others when they speak. It has been said that God gave us one mouth and two ears for a reason: to listen twice as much as we speak. When someone shares an interesting story, listen with genuine interest and sincerity. Resist the urge to one up their story with one of yours, and instead encourage others to talk about themselves.

Squash your bad mood. If you are about to meet someone for the fist time, forget all of your troubles and be happy. Don't unload or "vent " on someone new. Whiners leave a poor impression on others in almost every way. Look for the silver lining in every situation, look at the glass as half full, and make lemons out of lemonade if needed... but always remain positive.

Be nice and flatter others. Focus on the accomplishments of others and share positive and affirming insights. Show appreciation if applicable, as appreciation will tend to win over most anyone. Also, be careful not to overdue your compliments, as that may leave you looking like you are just sucking up.

Make eye contact! Looking into the eyes of another is sometimes a difficult task for anyone, let alone someone you just met. When you meet someone for the first time, catch their eyesight for a few seconds, and smile when you speak. You will project a positive mood, and you will appear to be interested in the other person.

Thinking outside the box

To be creative, is to have the capacity to think freely, openly, without limitations or constraints about problems and challenges confronting our life reality. When we are creative, we tend to see opportunities and possibilities that we would normally filter out of our personal experience. Creativity allows us to think outside of the box, around the box and through the box in an imaginative and free flowing manner.In today’s day and age, our ability to think creatively about our life circumstances will help us to overcome the never ending problems and challenges that a “normal enriching” life throws our way. In retrospect, there are a plethora of strategies, techniques and tools that we could utilize to enhance our creative capacity, however for many people, these methods would be futile, because creativity first begins within the mind. If our mindset isn’t aligned and tuned into the “creative thinking channel”, than we will severely struggle to find the creative answers we are so desperately searching for.

A certain set of qualities, beliefs, methods of talking to themselves, asking the right kinds of questions and taking strategic actions that naturally cultivate creativity within the recesses of their minds. By consistently and persistently instilling these traits into your psyche, will help you to supercharge your mind and unlock your capacity for creative thought. Flexible in thought, opinion and in the decisions they make on a daily basis. Flexibility naturally encourages “outside the box” thinking which expands possibilities and opportunities. Persistently thinks about the possibilities that are available to them at any one moment in time. They fully understand that focusing on “possibilities” will expand opportunities, conversely, paying attention to “limitations” will only attract a greater array of problems into their lives. Fully understands that without “risk” there can be no worthwhile rewards. They therefore take risks by thinking differently, by taking chances, and by utilizing creative techniques and strategies in a unique, untried and unorthadox manner. Fully focused and locked mentally on the goals they seek to achieve. They dare not break this lock until the moment their objectives are fully realized within their physical reality. Constantly moving forward towards their objectives. This doesn’t mean being “action oriented” 24/7. However, it does mean focusing your body and mind on tasks and activities that keep you moving forward towards your goals consistently every single day. They always ask themselves “Is this activity taking me closer to my goals, or is it pulling me away?” The answer redirects their thinking and actions towards their creative objectives.

Never give up on your dreams

Dream Big If you truly believe that you are the creator of your world and that your thoughts create your reality, don't hold back. Make your life the masterpiece it is meant to be. It's only you who sets the limit of your success. ...and if you do have big dreams, don't think it is greedy to want more wealth, health and happiness - it is your birthright.
You must KNOW that you will achieve the dreams you desire. If you have doubts, you will sabotage your efforts. You will unconsciously stop yourself from doing the things that are needed to succeed. You'll start to make excuses. So you need faith. Faith in yourself and faith that these universal laws exist. But don't just sit at home doing nothing and expecting something. I believe that if you work with the universal laws, for every step you take towards your goals, they take two towards you. In other words, working with the universal laws makes it easier for success, but you still need to take action.

Be aware of your natural cycles And be aware that during low times you may have low energy, and low belief in yourself. This is where you must be aware of your thoughts.

When you are feeling a little low try reading some motivational or inspirational books. If they don't work then press 'pause' on the dream in your mind. Avoid the doubts and worries that will push away your chances of success. Take some time out and do other stuff and when you're feeling good again press 'play' again and go for it big time.
On your journey you will make lots of mistakes, I've certainly had many, but don't see them as mistakes, see them as lessons. Take an objective view at what has gone wrong and learn from it... and make sure you don't do it again.

What makes a happy workplace

Everyone wants to work in a positive and happy environment. No one wants to work at a job in which everyone is bickering and just putting in his or her time to get paid. A happy workplace is one in which management and other employees recognize and offer praise to workers for their good work. An employee that does a good job and gets the job done correctly likes to hear some appreciation for his or her work and efforts. Without any recognition or praise, an employee doesn't know if her work efforts are known or appreciated. When a company has the necessary equipment and materials to make a job easier to do, the employee can do his job more proficiently and correctly. A company that is constantly having down time because of outdated equipment or shabby materials will see a decrease in performance and employee morale.
A happy workplace is one that offers words of encouragement to employees. How a company treats the employees will be reflected in their work. If a company treats employees with little regard, they have no motivation to complete the work. A company should treat each employee with respect and talk to that person as a person and not just as an employee.A workplace that has happy employees has some teamwork. Co-workers work together to complete projects and help each other. They form friendships that may spread to outside of work. The employee comes to work happy and leaves happy because she enjoys her job and her friends. However, some workplace friendships tend to ignore others in the workplace, and cliques are formed that can make others feel alienated. Happiness in the workplace should include everyone, not just a select few.

Reasons to feel good about your life

Life is not just about eating, sleeping, working and again going back to the same pattern. It is more than that. We are here on this earth to do better things but we need motivation or inspiration to reach that level from where we can see the world from a new perspective.Life has a purpose. We are human beings and our existence unlike animals is beyond mere existence. You have a vision to do something in life and possibly to offer something special to others. Unknown to you others are expecting a lot from you. However you need motivation or inspiration to realize the importance of your goal. Motivation or inspiration encourages you to take action today for a better tomorrow. You cannot see your future but right now your present is in front of you. For your life is a mission and when you are on a mission you cannot quit half way.
Whatever you have is precious. There are people who always complain about their lives. They say they have got nothing to be pleased about. How wrong are they! You need motivation or inspiration to understand the value of your possessions. Everything that you have today in the form of your experiences, associations, talents, qualifications etc are priceless. However due to lack of motivation or inspiration your negative feelings have blindfolded your eyes. You cannot see your true self. Lack of motivation or inspiration has made you think that the time is not right yet to act. As you wait for the right time opportunities slip by you. When you get motivation or inspiration you feel good about your present and learn to cherish your achievements. You get the urge to do more. This is the time to start a new beginning as the clock strikes go.

Cure for H1N1

This article is about an anise‐like spice. For the evergreen shrub called "star anise" in the Eastern United States, see Illicium floridanum.

Star anise
Star anise fruits (Illicium verum)

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Austrobaileyales
Family: Illiciaceae
Genus: Illicium
Species: I. verum
Binomial name
Illicium verum
Hook.f.
Star anise, star aniseed, badiane or Chinese star anise, (Chinese: __, pinyin: bājiǎo, lit. "eighthorn";
Malayalam: _______) is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor, obtained from
the star‐shaped pericarp of Illicium verum, a small native evergreen tree of southwest China. The star shaped fruits are harvested just before ripening. It is widely used in Chinese cuisine, in Indian cuisine where it is a major component of garam masala, and in Malay–Indonesian cuisine. It is widely grown for commercial use in China, India, and most other countries in Asia. Star anise is an ingredient of the traditional five‐spice powder of Chinese cooking. It is also a major ingredient in the making of ph, a Vietnamese noodle soup. It is used as a spice in preparation of Biryani in Andhra Pradesh, a state of southern India. In Marathi, it is called BarDan which literally means "spice with twelve seeds".

Usages

Star anise (Bunga Lawang) Cure for H1N1 ?

Culinary uses

Star anise contains anethole, the same ingredient which gives the unrelated anise its flavor. Recently, star anise has come into use in the West as a less expensive substitute for anise in baking as well as in liquor production, most distinctively in the production of the liquor Galliano. It is also used in the production of Sambuca, pastis, and many types of absinthe.

Medicinal uses

Star anise has been used in a tea as a remedy for rheumatism, and the seeds are sometimes chewed after meals to aid digestion. As a warm and moving herb, Ba Jiao is used to assist in relieving cold‐stagnation in the middle jiao, according to TCM. Shikimic acid, a primary feedstock used to create the anti‐flu drug Tamiflu, is produced by most autotrophic organisms, but star anise is the industrial source. In 2005, there was a temporary shortage of star anise due to its use in making Tamiflu. Late in that year, a way was found of making shikimic acid artificially. Roche now derives some of the raw material it needs from fermenting E. coli bacteria. The 2009 swine flu (H1N1) outbreak led to another series of shortages as stocks of Tamiflu were built up around the world, sending prices soaring.[1]

Star anise is grown in four provinces in China and harvested between March and May. Its also found in the south of New South Wales. The shikimic acid is extracted from the seeds in a tenstage manufacturing process which takes a year. Reports say 90% of the harvest is already used by the Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Roche in making Tamiflu, but other reports say there is an abundance of the spice in the main regions ‐ Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and
Yunnan.

Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum), a similar tree, is not edible because it is highly toxic (due to containing sikimitoxin); instead, it has been burned as incense in Japan. Cases of illness, including "serious neurological effects, such as seizures", reported after using star anise tea may be a result of using this species. Japanese star anise contains anisatin, which causes severe inflammation of the kidneys, urinary tract and digestive organs.

Basic guide to body language

Actions speak louder than words. A guy would say one thing, but his body will tell you another. Body language is a subconscious way of giving himself away. If you are confused and still trying to figure out whether or not a guy has the hots for you, then it is best to check out this list of positive and negative body language. If a guy does more good body signs than bad signs, then there is a possibility that he is attracted to you.

However, it is best to be careful in doing and interpreting body language. Not everyone is comfortable with intimate body movements like being too close or touching his arm. For instance, if you lean too close to a guy, he might think your are overly aggressive or invading his space. In case he becomes queasy about it, apologize and put an ample distance between the two of you. At least that would give him a signal that you are sincere and caring.

Positive Body Language

He has good eye contact – Looking at another guy's eyes is one of the easiest ways to check if he is interested in you. If his eyes look friendly and show sincerity to you, then getting along with him won't be much of a problem.

His legs are slightly apart – Like straight men, gay men tend to make themselves attractive to other guys through their body positions. Putting their legs slightly apart make them appear taller, hotter, and more attractive. If he does this to you, then he is probably trying to catch your attention. You could probably even take a little peek downward if he's trying to show off his package. He twirls his hair – You may think it's a girl thing, but combing his hair (especially above the ear) using his fingers is a sign of attraction. If he tries to twirl your hair gently, then let him do so.

His smile is wide open – You cannot fake a good smile. If the guy smiles widely, even showing the laugh lines or crow's feet if the guy's a bit more mature, then he has genuine fascination or attraction for you. Some guys would even smile to show their dimples.

Interpreting a Woman's Body Language

Guys often resort to cheesy pick up lines or conventional dating strategies to get them through meeting women. They are often unsuccessful since they have missed on acquiring the most efficient ways on how to read their body language. The solution lies on how well you can read her reaction to the things you've said while engaging in a conversation.Women consciously try to conceal their responses and resorts to backing off when confronted with men who appear to be too aggressive or too weird, but on the other hand extend their flirting signals to men they find appealing.

The following signs indicate an interpretation of a women's body language.

Hair patting - A woman somehow feels unsure of herself when faced with a man she's interested in and would try to touch or fix her hair in a casual manner to see if it's still neatly in place and it doesn't get in your view of her face.

Her posture - When she suddenly mantains an upright posture and tries to check you underhandedly, this means you got her attention. She pushes her hair on the back or sides and has her toes pointing your way when she crosses her legs. It's your cue to approach her.Both raised eyebrows - A woman's eyebrows can disclose much of what she feels. Both her eyebrows raised when looking towards you spells her curiosity. When only one eyebrow is arched, it may mean that she's examining you still but the attraction has yet to exist.

The challenge of the Qur'an

Works of literature have been instruments of human expression and creativity in all cultures. The world also witnessed an age when such works of literature occupied pride of position similar to that now enjoyed by science and technology.
Muslims as well as non Muslims agree that the Qur'an is Arabic literature par excellence, that it is the best Arabic literature on the face of the earth.

What makes people happy

What makes people happy? Shameless happiness comes from pleasing yourself -- not all of the time but most of the time. Doing what's best for you will help to make you happy; it is one of the keys to shameless happiness. Pleasing others can make you happy. But who's going to please you? Who's going to do what's best for you? If you're going to be happy, then it's up to you to please yourself.There are times when you will want to do what you can to please others. And that's a good thing. Pleasing others makes the world a better place for all of us.

But there are times when it's best to please yourself, to do what's right for you. If you're constantly striving to please others then it's only a matter of time before they learn to take advantage of you. Pretty soon you'll have no time for pleasing yourself.Pleasing yourself is open and honest. When you please yourself you are being true to yourself. It's when you are true to yourself that you are most happy.

Time management

Tips to reduce stress and improve productivity

Effective time management is a primary means to a less stressful life. These practices can help you reduce your stress and reclaim your personal life.

Do you find yourself overwhelmed by the number and complexity of projects you have that need to be completed at work each day? Do you often feel the day flies by without your devoting the necessary attention to each assignment because other tasks keep landing on your desk, co-workers interrupt you with questions or you can't get it all organized? You probably know that effective time management will help you get more done each day. It has important health benefits, too. By managing your time more wisely, you can minimize stress and improve your quality of life.

But how do you get back on track when organizational skills don't come naturally? To get started, choose one of these strategies, try it for two to four weeks and see if it helps. If it does, consider adding another one.

If not, try a different one. Plan each day. Planning your day can help you accomplish more and feel more in control of your life. Write a to-do list, putting the most important tasks at the top. Keep a schedule of your daily activities to minimize conflicts and last-minute rushes.

Prioritize your tasks. Time-consuming but relatively unimportant tasks can consume a lot of your day. Prioritizing tasks will ensure that you spend your time and energy on those that are truly important to you. Say no to nonessential tasks. Consider your goals and schedule before agreeing to take on additional work. Delegate. Take a look at your to-do list and consider what you can pass on to someone else.

Take the time you need to do a quality job. Doing work right the first time may take more time upfront, but errors usually result in time spent making corrections, which takes more time overall. Break large, time-consuming tasks into smaller tasks. Work on them a few minutes at a time until you get them all done. Practice the 10-minute rule. Work on a dreaded task for 10 minutes each day. Once you get started, you may find you can finish it.

Evaluate how you're spending your time. Keep a diary of everything you do for three days to determine how you're spending your time. Look for time that can be used more wisely. For example, could you take a bus or train to work and use the commute to catch up on reading? If so, you could free up some time to exercise or spend with family or friends.

Limit distractions. Block out time on your calendar for big projects. During that time, close your door and turn off your phone, pager and e-mail. Get plenty of sleep, have a healthy diet and exercise regularly. A healthy lifestyle can improve your focus and concentration, which will help improve your efficiency so that you can complete your work in less time.

Take a time management course. If your employer offers continuing education, take a time management class. If your workplace doesn't have one, find out if a local community college, university or community education program does. Take a break when needed. Too much stress can derail your attempts at getting organized. When you need a break, take one. Take a walk. Do some quick stretches at your workstation. Take a day of vacation to rest and re-energize.

Diet during Ramadhan Al Mubarak

It is a globally recognized and foremost part of dietary guidelines that eating a variety of food using principles of moderation and balance. This is particularly true during the Islamic month of Ramadan when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. To be healthy, one must consume food from the major food groups: bread and cereal, milk and dairy product, meat and bean, vegetable and fruit. During the month long fast of Ramadan the metabolic rate of a fasting person slows down and other regulatory mechanisms start functioning. Body and dietary fat is efficiently utilized. Consuming total food intake that is less than the total food intake during normal days is sufficient to maintain a person's health. Intake of fruits after a meal is strongly suggested. A balanced diet improves blood cholesterol profile, reduces gastric acidity, prevents constipation and other digestive problems, and contributes to an active and healthy life style.
According to Sunna (the practices of Prophet Muhammad, Pbuh) and research findings referred in this report, a dietary plan is given: Bread/Cereal/Rice, Pasta, Biscuits and Cracker Group: 6-11 servings/day;

1. Meat/Beans/ Nut Group: 2-3 servings/day.
   Milk and Milk Product Group: 2-3 servings/day.
   Vegetable Group: 3-5 servings/day;
   Fruit Group: 2-4 servings/day.
   Added sugar (table sugar, sucrose): sparingly.
2. Added fat, polyunsaturated oil 4-7 table spoons.
   
   

Discover your power color

Are you feeling blue? Seeing red? Looking green around the gills? Try a healthy dose of color therapy. It might be just the prescription you need!Our ancestors believed that color held magical properties. It could be used to ward off evil spirits, attract good ones, and even heal the sick. While in this age of hard science and cool technology we may view such beliefs with skepticism, our fascination with color has taken on new forms. Biochemists, environmental and industrial psychologists, make-up experts, wardrobe consultants, and, of course, advertising pros have studied color and found how it affects mood, health, image, perception, even heart rate. Certain colors can prompt you to eat faster, perceive objects differently, and even make you spend more money.

Although babies are drawn most strongly to bright colors, and children often prefer solid, vibrant hues, adults tend to choose more subdued tints and shades of color: pink and rose or maroon instead of fire-engine red, for instance, or peach, melon or rust instead of bright orange. To surround yourself with what you feel comfortable is most important. Certain colors can ramp up your mood, but only if they appeal to you. If they don't, they can do the opposite.

A good attitude is an uplifting attitude, A happy person exudes good attitude

Attitude has a lot to do with interpersonal communications, self-esteem and your perceptions of others and theirs of you. Yes, you’re going to have bad days, but you should give thought to your attitude and try to focus on the positive. A good attitude makes you feel better. Others see this and judge you by that. People want to work in an upbeat environment, and attitudes play an important role in shaping the work environment. Your attitude is communicated to others in three ways, by words, by tone of voice and in non-verbal ways, such as posture.

All of us, at one time or another, express the three different types of attitudes: positive, negative and neutral. Those with a neutral attitude are sometimes the most challenging to deal with, defining those individuals as spectators in the game of life. We often try to avoid contact with those carrying a negative attitude, the critics of the game of life. And we are drawn to those with a positive attitude, the players of the game of life. A positive attitude doesn’t just happen, It’s something you have to work at all the time. So how do you adjust your attitude toward the positive and maintain that attitude?

Positive thinking

You have a lot of things to discuss with your mind. You can change who you are by changing what you put into your mind. When you change the way you think, you change your life.

Although the wheel of change turns slowly, it always turns in the direction of what you put into your mind. When you put new things into your mind, you get a new life.

Positive action is the only appropriate response to a negative thought. No matter how negative your life is, positive thinking always makes it better.

Turn bad things into better things.

Maximum strength positive thinking.

How to create positive self talk.

Bridging the communication gap between men and women

You’ve probably been there before. You sit down for a latte with your best friend and immediately her eyes start to swell with tears as she blurts out “I don’t know why, but he just won’t open up to me!” Or you and your best bud meet up at a local shop and he greets you with “Man, my girl just talked my ear off. I need a drink!” Or perhaps you were on the other end of the conversation, not understanding why you and your relationship partner were having communication problems. Men and women usually communicate and respond very differently during conversations with each other.
Because men and women interact and interpret differently, conflicts or misunderstandings can, and often do, arise. A man and woman can walk away from a conversation having gotten two totally different perspectives on how the talk went and its resolution. These different perspectives can cause dissatisfaction in one or both partners and can lead to misinterpretation, anger, or resentfulness if not properly understood and recognized.
To better understand why couples often feel that their partner doesn’t understand them, it is important to look at some of the fundamental communication differences between men and women. Keep in mind that, while psychologists have discovered these differences through clinical research, they are still generalizations. Just because most men and women communicate this way, doesn’t mean that all do or that you and your partner do. But, understanding these differences can help you determine your own communication differences and get you back on the fast track toward reconnecting with your partner.