Candles Articles

Candle Making In School As A Fundraiser Activity

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:08:14 +0000

Candle Making In School As A Fundraiser Activity

by: Simon Oliver

Candle fundraiser activities are done by most schools because they are more effective than any other fundraiser strategies. Some schools will sell cakes, cookies, and more, but it?s really not as effective as candle selling. Selling candles is a very effective fundraising activity for your school.

Candle making is being taught in some schools, so it is a good way to start the candle fundraiser because the students are already trained on how to make unique candles with their own styles. You might wonder if people are interested in buying candles throughout the year. Well, candles are not usually bought for lighting. People buy candles for their collections and decoration purposes.

If you want to start a fundraiser in your school, make sure several students will cooperate with the activity. Each member should play their own part so that you have a lot of candles to use for your fundraiser. Candle making is not hard and you can come up with some great designs that will be suitable for the whole year. Those who have tried fundraising through selling candles have proved that is a profitable way to raise funds because of its relatively low cost. Teach the students a standard design or you can let them make out their own designs and styles. This activity does not only aim to raise funds, but it also aims to boost the creativity of the students and give them a sense of inspiration that they can do anything. It will also promote friendship with the other students.

It is important to plan your fundraiser activity near the holidays because they will surely sell. It is also the perfect time to apply the decorative designs to the candles.

You need to instruct your students properly on how to make the candles. The procedures should be explained to them step-by-step so that the candles will be perfectly made. Make sure that every student knows what they are doing and that they know how many they should make in order to promote the fundraising activity.

Although you can also buy candles from a company that makes candles, and sell it with a little additional profit, making your own candles is still the best choice. The students will love the activity, and they will surely learn from it.

In making the candles, you must come up with different varieties and sizes. Make small and big candles so people will have choices. Candle fundraisers are always a good option for fundraising activities because you are sure to sell every single candle. Everyone loves collecting candles especially the scented ones. You just need a little patience, and you will surely get the amount of donations that you wish to achieve.

About The Author

Simon Oliver has an interest in Recreational Activities. To access more articles on candle fundraising http://www.eucandlefundraiser.com or for additional information and resources visit this candle fundraiser http://www.oocandlefundraiser.info related website.

Camping For Fun

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:46:58 +0000

Camping For Fun

by: Ranger Bob

Camping for fun is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and relax. But before going camping you will need to purchase camping equipment one of the better places to get the gear you need is at camping world.

To go camping does not have to cost a arm and a leg. With the basics found in your home you could go today. Lets see first you will need some type of shelter a plastic trap 8 by 10 will make a good tent some rope 50 ft will be lots the ? inch nylon rope will work. Tie the rope between two trees and place the tarp over the rope. Stake down each side of the tarp with screw driver numbers need 6 to 8 I buy them at flea markets and garage sales. If you have a second tarp place it on the ground under the tarp tent be sure not to place the ground tarp outside the tent if you do any rain water may flow in on the ground tarp and you may get wet.

Ok we have a shelter now we need bedding you have blankets and pillow on you bed at home so use them they will wash up. If you have no air mattress then use two folded blanket placed on the tarp them make up you bed on top of them. Sleeping is now taken care.

We have some place to sleep now what about cooking. You have pots and pans in the kitchen. Us the fry pan , small 1 qt pot 3 qt pot and the biggest pot you have great for heating up water. If you have a tea kettle made of metal take it. Most campsite have a fire pit with a steel grill to set the pots on. If there is a campfire ban in place you can use a portable barbecue. Take the utensils from the kitchen if you have bbq tools take them.

Not doing to bad we have a place to cook and to sleep. If you have kids you will need a few more tarps and make them up a tent beside yours. Take you deck chair to sit on if you have no chairs then when you get to the camp site look for log blocks they make great chairs can be found at the wood pile.

Your chuck box can be a cardboard box with a lid or folding flaps. Put you dry goods in to this box salt ,pepper, cereal, potatoes, and What ever else you remove from the kitchen cupboard. Can goods beans, canned fruits, Kraft dinner you get the idea.

Your cooler can be another cardboard box but this one you will line with a trash bag. Place the bag in the box and position it in the corner with the excess fold over the top of the box on the outside. You will need ice to keep the frozen foods cool. Save up you milk containers plastic works best wash out and fill ? full of water an place in the freezer. When you have a few frozen containers you now have the ice that will keep your food cold.

Place at least two in the bottom of you ice box then place the frozen meats, milk, juice into the box. You should place vegetables on top if there is room place a third frozen milk jug at the top of the box. You will need a lid for the ice box take another box and fold the flaps inside and slide the box over the top of you food box. Remember to keep this ice box out of the sun and you will find the ice will last about 4 to 5 days.

Other things to bring candles will work if you do not have a flash light but be very careful as a candle can start you tent bedding on fire and will cause a forest fire so never leave a candle un attended. A roll of tin foil will be needed the thicker the better. works very well for cooking in .Bring a plastic pail to carry water in. A plastic basin will work to do dishes and wash up little dirty faces and hands.

There are many things you have in the house that will make the camping trip fun use you imagination. An get out and explore the parks and lakes in your area

About The Author

Ranger Bob has been having fun camping for years and wants to share all his knowledge with you so be sure to visit him at http://www.camping-for-fun.net.

webmaster@camping-for-fun.net

Dessert Parties

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:28:51 +0000

Dessert Parties

by: Amanda Baker

Dinner parties are a hot trend and a great way to get together with all of your friends. But do you and your friends have a serious sweet tooth? Do you get more enjoyment out of the desserts than dinner? Why not host an evening dessert party? A dessert party can actually be hosted any time of the day, but a late evening party is typically best.

With desserts, the tiny touches really do completely the big pictures. For instance, doilies on dessert plates when serving a fine piece of cake is a beautiful touch. A nice espresso goes well with pastries.

If have a tasty pound cake and want to make it look beautiful when serving? Use wine or champagne glasses and a flavor or two of ice cream to serve desserts a la mode. Serve flavored coffees and teas with some fresh fruit. All by itself, it can serve as a dessert. Just don't forget the decaf! Frozen desserts are a great idea for an unexpected get-together. Most of the fancier desserts can be frozen and thawed in warm weather for only about an hour.

Need a quick cake decoration? Keep some butterscotch, chocolate, and caramel sauce on hand. Nice thin swirls of a flavored sauce across the dessert plate works especially well with a nice torte or cheesecake. Mini chocolate chips are fabulous when coupled with fresh raspberries and a rich chocolate cake.

Any particular season coming up? A seasonal dessert leaves a great impression on your guests.

Chocolate-coated strawberries are an ideal dessert party treat. You can begin with a carton of large ripe strawberries with stems. Melt two to three large dark or milk chocolate bars per carton in the microwave, in a pyrex measuring cup. Be very careful not to burn the chocolate. Hold strawberries by the stem, dipping them one by one into the cup. On a large plate coated with wax paper, rest the strawberries (which should only be dipped just over halfway) and chill for about forty-five minutes. Serve with Columbian coffee or a designer coffee drink. If you're crafty with drinks, you could concoct a drink specifically for your event!

Always pre-slice cakes, but serve to guests one at a time. Do not have the cake already on a dessert plate, unless the event is directly after a dinner.

Dessert parties are becoming more popular and a little more sophisticated, so soft lighting, candles, and appropriate music are a must. Remember not to serve pies, as they are informal and casual and interfere with the class and mystique of a dessert party.

About The Author

Amanda Baker writes for All Things Pondered: http://AllThingsPondered.com.

Domain Registration - How to Register A New Domain Name for Your Website

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:53:19 +0000

Domain Registration - How to Register A New Domain Name for Your Website

by: Benjamin Chapi

Domain names are site names that provide rememberable names to stand in for numeric IP addresses. Before getting a web site on line you need to have a domain name. These are the familiar web addresses such as yahoo.com that most browsers use to find a particular web site. Domain names, in fact, are pointers to a particular IP address and we use them because they are easier to remember than a series of numbers. The Domain Name System (DNS) is a system that stores information associated with domain names in a distributed database on networks, such as the Internet. The DNS is what makes it possible to attach hard-to-remember IP addresses (such as 193.456.28.8.) to easy-to-remember domain names (such as "web-hosting-guide.org")

All websites have an IP address in the form 193.456.28.8. The domain name system translates these numbers into names such as google.com. All domain names are registered in a central registry maintained by InterNIC, a subsidiary of ICANN - the organization which certifies domain name registrars. Domain names are filtered through Domain Name Servers (DNS) which link IP addresses with domain names. Each web site usually has a primary and a secondary DNS ? duplicates that increase reliability.

The first step in registering a domain name is to choose it. The name can be almost anything you want, but to be most effective it should reflect the nature of your website. If you are selling scented candles, for example, it helps to have a domain name that has some reference to candles ? scented-candles.org.uk for example.

The rules for domain names are simple ? only letters, numbers or hyphens are allowed. Other than that, a domain name is limited to 70 characters, but you are advised to keep it as short as possible. Domain names can be upper or lower case ? case is ignored by DNS but you can use a combination to make the name more recognizable. Since DNS is case-insensitive, yahoo.com can be advertised as YAHOO.COM.

Every domain name ends in a top-level domain (TLD) name, which is always either one of a small list of generic names (three or more characters), or a two characters territory code. There are several extensions available. The most common is .com - it has even entered common vocabulary as a way to express Internet activity ? (I own a dot com business). Other extensions include .biz (for commercial sites), .org (for non-commercial organisations), .net (for organisations involved in Internet infrastructure) and .name (for personal names). There are also extensions with more specialized uses such as .museum, .aero, and .coop and are used exclusively by members of certain organizations. In addition to these common extensions, there can also be a country code extension such as .us (United States) or .uk (United Kingdom). The rules for using country extensions vary, so you need to check with your registrar to see if they are available to you.

All domains must be registered with a registrar that has been certified by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). There are hundreds of registrars and their prices vary considerably. Although registrars are closely regulated, they are permitted to offer their services through third parties; so many web hosts offer a domain name registration service even if they are not a registrar. The price of a domain name will usually be higher when dealing with these third-party services.

Domain names are usually registered for a minimum of one year, although you are permitted to buy up to a 10-year registration contract. Usually the longer the registration contract, the lower the price, so if you are sure you will be on the web for a considerable length of time you can benefit from a longer registration period. Most registrars also offer a discount on bulk purchases. If you own a number of domain names you can save money by transferring them all to the same registrar.

About The Author

Copyright © 2005 Benjamin Chapi. Visit the Web Hosting Guide http://www.web-hosting-guide.org/ for more information about domain names. To find out what your prospects are looking for before you set up a website go to: http://www.uniquekeywords.com/

7-point Checklist For Choosing The Right Candle Holders

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:41:29 +0000

7-point Checklist For Choosing The Right Candle Holders

by: Justine van Zyl

While candle holders are obviously key elements in any candle setting, all too often they suffer a sort of benign neglect.

Sometimes they're used "just because they're there", and sometimes because choosing the right candle holder seems a rather daunting task.

If deciding what to use is your problem, then this handy checklist could help to simplify the process.

While glass and metal candle holders are the most popular, there is an absolutely huge variety available, in all sorts of materials.

As you run down the list, you will see that as you make decisions you are led naturally to the right kind of holder and the right kind of candle.

Making your own is also an option if you have the patience and skill - or perhaps just the patience!

1 The event

* Are you going to use the candle holder as an integral part of the event, or do you want the candle to be a minor accessory?

* If it's a seasonal event, such as Easter or Christmas, one of the many plaster candle holders might be suitable.

Once you've got the setting for the event clear in your mind, you can move easily to the next point to consider, which is...

2 Size

* If it's a statement you're after, think big and bold because anything less will probably not achieve the effect you want. But big and bold brings its own problems - solid colors probably won't work.

Think vines, ivy, and espalier multiple candle holders, which lend themselves particularly well to larger arrangements with a number of tea lights or small jars.

If you're going this route, you can probably justify wholesale and/or discount quantities.

* If intimate is your objective, then go with tea lights or small jar or container candle holders.

* If you want to go to the opposite extreme, then chandeliers can add a delightfully unusual touch if you have the right place to positon them, which leads to...

3 Siting

Where are you going to position the candles?

* For instance, if you're going for a combination of scented candles and food (and you should think very carefully about that particular mix) then the holder needs to be off to one side, substantial enough to be noticed and to be left unattended in safety.

You want to please your guests with a suggestion of a fragrance, not overpower them or the food.

* If the setting is more intimate, then smaller is better. Don't force your guests to crane over the candles to hold a conversation.

4 Color

* On some occasions you will want to match the colors in your rooms, and on others you'll be going for contrast.

* You also don't want to restrict yourself to just one color of candle, so you need enough holders to allow you to mix and match.

* Remember that boldly-colored holders are more difficult to match to the candle color and to your decor.

And once you've decided on the right color, you'll be led naturally to the appropriate....

5 Material

Even though you've narrowed down the options, there are still some wonderful decisions to be made.

* You can choose between wood, bronze, silver, crystal, aluminium, metal candle holders, wrought iron, beaded holders, or natural products such as bamboo and coconut.

* Glass is obviously popular. You can either choose a completely neutral holder, or choose a colored holder that will match the candle color. Glass is particularly appropriate for votive candleholders.

* Hurricane candleholders are popular for pillar candles and are wonderful for al fresco dining. Remember to look for one with a handle if you will need to move it while still hot.

Then you only have to decide on ..

6 Shape

* There are a large number of animal and character shapes available, although these have to be matched carefully to the occasion.

Bees, birds and butterflies (particularly pretty when matched to tea light candles) are popular and are available in solid and transluscent colours.

* Consider slate pillar plates for the really big or multi-wick candles; in fact, lovers of pillar candles can find a wide range of coasters and plate holders, some of them beautifully decorated.

7 The candle itself

By now you should have eliminated a whole lot of possibilities; the holders you are still considering will almost choose themselves.

* For instance pillars, which tend to be chunky anyway, require more substantial holders than more delicate candles.

* If you're going to use votive candles, remember that they must be burned in a holder, because votives are really container candles without a container. If possible go for a straight-sided container as long as the rest of the design pleases you.

The straight sides will reduce the wax pool that is formed when the candle burns, and the tighter the fit, the longer the candle will burn.

* And finally, if you're in a languid mood, what about the charming bowls, complete with stands, that are specially designed for floating candles?

About The Author

Justine van Zyl provides information for people who want to make better decisions about the candles they buy online. You can find many more helpful tips at http://www.buybettercandlesonline.com

A Valentine?s Dinner That?ll Knock His Socks Off

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:22:54 +0000

A Valentine?s Dinner That?ll Knock His Socks Off

by: Michaela Scherr

A few years ago I wanted to do something really special for my husband on Valentine?s Day. I didn?t want anything in return, only that the evening was fun and enjoyable, and that was how it turned out.

The look on my Valentine?s face when he came home for dinner was priceless and shall remain with me forever. I?d never seen his eyes or smile so wide!

I?d like to share this special Valentine?s Dinner with you now, it had the effect I wanted including an evening filled with laughter and great conversation.

What you?ll need:

A white table cloth

Approximately 20 silver balloons

Silver ribbon for the balloons

Selection of white candles of differing shapes and sizes (unscented)

Several sheets of red cardboard (thin enough to cut)

Blu-Tack or other safe, removal adhesive

White platter for prawns (substitute if you prefer something else)

Small white plates

Ice and lemons for prawn platter

Two servings of French Fries

Seafood sauce for dipping

Bowl for prawn shells

Finger bowl with lemon slices (to wash fingers when peeling prawns)

Red paper napkins

Forks

Small Gold Stars

Ornamental opaque glass pebbles

Small posy of flowers (in case he forgets)

Small vase

Aromatherapy oil burner

Aphrodisiac essential oils of rose, jasmine and mandarin

Cool, sensual music (soul music is great)

Setting the mood and table

Blow up all balloons, tie with silver ribbon around chairs, ceiling, anywhere in the area you?ll be dining.

Cut out as many love hearts as possible from the red cardboard and stick with blu-Tack (or other safe adhesive ? read instructions first) wherever you can and where you can easily removable it.

To set the mood place water in your aromatherapy oil burner and add some aphrodisiac essential oils; add 3 drops rose; 3 drops jasmine; and 5 drops mandarin. Light the tea light candle approximately 30 minutes before arrival.

Put tablecloth on table.

Using panache strategically group some candles together at one end of table.

Always use caution with lit candles - never leave the room unattended when burning candles, this applies to aromatherapy oil burners.

Strategically place the remaining candles around the room. (I loathe being a killjoy but please ensure candles are not close to any flammable objects)

Position large white platter in centre of table; shell bowl next to platter then finger bowl with lemon slices.

Place red napkins and fork on top of smaller plates and positioned where you?ll be sitting.

Bring out vase and flowers.

Place opaque glass pebbles around candle display on table and several around white prawn platter.

Sprinkle a small amount of gold stars on table for effect.

His gift:

A selection of fine chocolates

Bottle of red wine

2 red wine glasses

Red ribbon

Valentine?s Day Card

Tie the two red wine glasses stem up, with red ribbon to the top of the wine bottle and place with Valentine?s card on table.

Scatter chocolates on table

Just before he arrives:

Light candles

Check aromatherapy oil burner

Place prawns on platter as well as some ice and lemon wedges

Place seafood sauce on table

Have French fries almost ready to serve and waiting in the oven

Turn on the music and program to repeat

Take off apron

Take a few deep breaths and reeellllaaaxxxxx

If this doesn?t impress him, he may be asleep, unconscious or he?s finding a reference point of what is before him!

Here?s to an evening filled with laughter, fun, and romance!

You can visit Michaela Scherr at http://www.michaelascherr.com

About The Author

Michaela Scherr

Copyright requirements are that it remains with Michaela Scherr and for the link to be clickable or ?live? at http://www.michaelascherr.com

Michaela is a Transformational Coach, certified practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), writer and intuitive who is totally committed to helping others create positive and action oriented changes to their lives.

Michaela is the author of several e-books and publisher of a monthly newsletter called From My Desk, and Inspirational Musings, short fortnightly emails to inspire and give food for thought.

eBay Tips

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:05:17 +0000

eBay Tips

by: Adrian Kennelly

For just a moment, try to comprehend the power of the Internet. Every day, there are millions of people from around the globe "surfing the web."

People run their business from the Internet, search for love, research succulent recipes, plan vacations, and best of all - they SHOP! People that shop are always looking for a bargain, not just any bargain, but something spectacular.

The most popular public auction site, eBay, is where people gather to find anything from dishes to jewelry to houses and just about everything in between. Last year there was even a mother sold on eBay!

You can purchase amazing original artwork from China, have it signed by the artist, and shipped directly to your home. Perhaps you are trying to find 12 yards of Toile to reupholster your couch. You might even be looking for a new lawnmower or different power tools. The great news is that eBay has it all!

The other side of buying is the selling. Anyone can sell anything on eBay. Open an account, list your product, and wait for the bids to start coming in. There are secrets to being a power seller on eBay. While it is true that anyone can sell, to be successful, you need to know the inside secrets. One woman made over $250,000 last year on items sold on eBay. She is just one out of thousands and thousands of people that make a ton of money just selling merchandise.

Are you ready to learn how to be an eBay seller? You will find it to be easy, fun, and exciting.

1. Collectibles

Hot sellers on eBay are collectibles such as coins, stamps, or dolls. You can check out the collectibles category to get a better idea of what people love to buy. Anything that will move up in value would fall in this category.

2. Consumables

This popular category would include anything that people use and then would need to buy again such as lotions, perfumes, camera film, candles, etc.

3. Information Products

In this category, you would sell anything that can be sent on a CD or floppy disc or downloaded from the Internet. This is another popular category.

4. Start at Home

When you first get started, it can be a little unnerving. The best option is to start by looking around your own home. Think of items that you would sell in a garage sale. However, instead of pricing each item and lugging it outside hoping for a nice sunny day, you can advertise them on the Internet.

5. Just eBay

Although there are several other quality auction websites, eBay is by far the most popular and most successful. Although you could start using all the other sites, by spreading yourself out too thin you take the risk of getting things mixed up. In reality, it is better to use eBay and focus your attention and efforts on this one site. You will not be disappointed.

6. Look Around

Navigate through each section to familiarize yourself with all the different pages. You will find a site map and help tab, which are very useful tools. It will take a little time to get used to the site but start by looking. As you start selling, navigating will become much easier.

7. Quick Response

When you have an item listed on eBay and a potential buyer contacts you with a question, respond quickly. It is important and actually critical to your success to check your account several times a day. Answering a question could be the difference between you getting the sale or the buyer going elsewhere.

8. Trustworthiness

It is extremely important that you handle your account with integrity. The number of positive comments and amount of stars earned are what will be the deciding factor for many buyers. Be professional, polite, and stand by what you sell.

9. Accuracy

When you list your item(s) on eBay, write an accurate description. You do not have to write long paragraphs of rambling information but provide exact measurements, colors, condition, etc. Be extremely precise when it comes to your description.

10. Buyer Contact

Once your item(s) have sold, be responsive to the buyer. Contact them in a quick manner, thank them for their purchase, and provide the required information for payment.

About The Author

Adrian Kennelly

This article may be freely redistributed and reprinted as long as this resource box remains intact.

To read the rest of this guide free, please vist http://www.onlineauctiontips.net.

3 Simple Strategies For Increasing Revenue

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:34:34 +0000

3 Simple Strategies For Increasing Revenue

by: Richard Rigor

It's a simple yet common question, "How can I make my business more successful?"

Success can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people but when it comes down to it, the success of your business should only be measured by one thing - profit.

At the end of the day, it's not how many people came in to your store or phoned in. It's not even how many widgets you sold. At the end of the day, what truly matters is how much of a profit you made.

It would make sense then that your efforts focus on profit as the end result. With that in mind, there are only three strategies to increase profits for your business.

1) Increase the dollar size of each order

2) Increase the number of times people buy from you

3) Increase the number of people who buy from you

Most likely, your business is already primed to attack each of these three angles and implementing that attack should be fairly easy.

Let's say that you are the owner of Happy Wicks Candle Store. Let your customers know that for every $50 they spend they will receive a free 4-inch candle. When they are eligible for the free candle, offer them the option of upgrading the 4-inch candle to a 6-inch candle for only four dollars.

Implement a customer loyalty program. Whenever a customer spends $200 with your store they receive a 20% discount on their next order. Show loyalty to your customers, too. Create customer-only events and sales, even workshops on how to make candles at home.

Candles are also popular gifts. Be sure to place your contact info on each and every candle. This makes it easy for the gift recipient to purchase from you. Be sure to also use this tactic when co-promoting with similar businesses such as a flower and bath and body shop.

Looking at the example Happy Wicks Candle Store, the tasks of increasing profits was not a difficult one. Truly, it's a matter of putting systems in place that generate increasing profits.

Take a look at your business and examine the systems you have in place. Chances are there's undiscovered profits lying about. Put systems in place to gather those profits and you'll find your business reaching new heights of success.

About The Author

Richard Rigor is a real estate agent and marketer. If you're looking for a boost to your online (or offline) businesses, click over to www.endlessprofits.com.

50th Birthday Party Ideas For a Sensational Celebration

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:14:22 +0000

50th Birthday Party Ideas For a Sensational Celebration

by: Dee Schrock

Is a 50th birthday party coming up and you're at a loss for ideas? Here are a few tips and ideas to help you get started.

You can create your own invitations by drawing 50th birthday theme such as "50" or over-the-hill gag themes.

A great themed 50th birthday party is 60's memorabilia. Have beanbag chairs handy for a groovy gathering. Share old stories about the guest of honor.

Be sure to include items such as a "magic bus", peace signs, and candles luminating the room.

Wear your flowered pants, John Lennon glasses and peace sign, or go all out with your leisure suit. Don't forget your hippie wig!

Have the guest of honor wear a birthday crown or Happy Birthday hat. Be sure to complement their outfit with an "over-the-hill" cane

Serve your food of choice on these tie-dyed party plates and tableware. Drinks can be served in psychedelic light up glasses.

An easy choice of games is to play a game of 60's trivia. There are several available including Trivial Pursuit 60s/70s editions.

Play clips from 60's TV shows or movies and competing teams guess first what movie/show the song was from.

60's karaoke is lots of fun and gets everyone laughing.

Complete the night with a Woodstock karaoke and flower power dance contest. Happy 50th!

About The Author

Dee Schrock has put together hundreds of theme party tips and fun ideas for easy (and budget conscious!) party planning.

Visit her website http://www.fun-theme-party-ideas.com for tons of popular theme party ideas, including decoration, costume, game, and party drink ideas, as well as printable invitations.

5 Top Tips To Boost Your Spirits

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:11:57 +0000

5 Top Tips To Boost Your Spirits

by: Christopher Green

If you?re feeling like everything is getting on top of you, or you?re finding it difficult to cope or function, or you?re feeling down in the dumps, then try these 5 easy-to-do tips to relieve tension and stress and boost your spirits:

1. Take a relaxing bath. Add music, candles and a glass of your favourite drink: beer, tea, hot chocolate, wine or even champagne. Close the door and forget about everything else for an hour or so. This helps to increase levels of calmness and the calmer we feel, the less likely we are to get stressed out or depressed.

2. Comedy night: get in your favourite nibbles: chips, tortillas, salsa, crackers, cheese, pizza, chocolate, cookies, ice cream etc. Crack open a bottle of wine or pour yourself a beer or two and spend a full evening watching your favourite funny films or comedians. Laughter raises our spirits and is a great antidote to the stresses and trials of modern living.

3. Get out of the firing line: Take off for some peace and quiet for a day or better still a weekend or a week. Take a journal, relax and gather your thoughts. When we?re under pressure or struggling to cope with a major situation or event in life, seeing solutions to our problems can be really difficult. Distance from problems can bring clarity and relieve tension. I love going to the coast when I feel like this and it always, without fail, helps me to calm down and find solutions. I don?t know why but there?s something really soothing about being near the ocean. Being near water, come to think of it.

4. Increase calmness and feel great by indulging in massage. Share a massage with your partner ? create a relaxing atmosphere by softening the lights and have oils and towels to hand. Lavender oil is particularly relaxing. Or, treat yourself to a massage from a professional masseur or masseuse. For a really invigorating massage, visit a Turkish baths if you?re fortunate enough to have one nearby. Massage is very relaxing and increases intimacy between lovers. It?s one huge stress buster as well but be warned, it?s addictive! Not a bad thing to be addicted to though, and it will do you no end of good.

5. Spend a week without watching any television. Television can fill your mind with negativity, bombard you with image manipulation via commercials and give you a distorted view of reality by showing you everything that?s bad about the world. Famines, disasters, murders, violence, war ? the list is endless ? and news programmes and soap operas are full of such events. So give your mind a break from this assault on your senses. Abandon the television for a week and do something more rewarding instead: Read a book, listen to music, socialize, workout, go for a walk or try your hand at something new. If you need to hear the news, listen to a radio news bulletin once a day. But try and avoid them for one week, replace them with something more life enhancing and see how you feel.

The above ideas are very simple to implement but they are also very effective in helping to relieve stress and tension. Give them a try and watch your mood levels rise!

Until next time.

About The Author

Christopher Green is the author of the new book ?Conquering Stress?, a special program which will show you how to conquer stressful illnesses such as depression, anxiety, panic and worry permanently and without taking powerful drugs. For more information, please click here ==> http://www.conqueringstress.com.