The Model Info Center

Do you sometimes feel that all your time is focused on dealing with problem employees? It seems that when you’re not addressing performance or discipline issues, you’re creating new policies, procedures, and work rules that are geared to correct the bottom 10% of your workforce. In all my years in consulting, working with large organizations and small, I regularly hear this from executives who are totally exasperated by both employee issues and the inability to focus on anything else.

But how do you know when enough is enough? What barometers can you use to determine whether you’ve hit a wall and need to get some expert help? Here’s a quick quiz:

1. When recruiting, are you finding that the people coming through the door are not qualified to do the job?

2. When a new hire starts working, do you sometimes wonder: “Is this the same person I interviewed for the job?”

3. Are your employees not learning the job as fast as you need them to?

4. Are your supervisors ill equipped to manage their employees?

5. Are you losing top performers because you haven’t been able to provide them enough challenge?

6. Do you often wonder what the heck your employees are thinking?

7. Do you find that increases in wages do not result in any increase in productivity?

8. Do conducting performance appraisals seem to create more problems than they’re worth?

9. Do injured workers seem to stay out of work longer than you think they should?

10. Do you often wonder if some employees are even going to show up for work?

11. Does it seem like your turning over people at a faster rate than you can replace them?

12. Is it sometimes easier to do the job yourself rather than try to train someone to do it?

13. Do you often hear “it’s not my job”?

14. Do you struggle to get projects done on time and within budget?

15. Are you unsure of your obligations under the law?

16. Do you find yourself so focused on problem solving that you have no time to think about innovation?

17. Do you sense that your employees are not focused on the customer?

18. When dealing with employees, do you constantly worry that you might get sued?

19. Is soliciting ideas and suggestions from your employees like pulling teeth?

20. Do you sometimes feel that things just aren’t working?

If you answered “yes” to more than 2 or 3 of these, you’ve got problems. Things need to changeand need to change now. Get some professional help. If you are to survive and prosper, you need to start doing things differently. Successful organizations depend on well trained, engaged employees. When your workforce is operating effectively, you will find that you are in better control and problems with employees disappear.

Rick Dacri is an organizational development consultant, coach and featured speaker at regional and national conferences. Since 1995 his firm, Dacri & Associates (http://www.dacri.com) has focused on improving the performance of individuals and organizations. Rick publishes a monthly newsletter, the Dacri Report (http://www.dacri.com/enewsletter.htm) with the intent to provide clients and friends critical information on issues that impact them, their organization and their employees. Rick can be reached at 1-800-892-9828, or rick@dacri.com

Sophisticated or not, IP geo location technologies give web operators the possibility to discover the location of abusive users around the Globe and apply national or international laws on them. The virtual world of the Internet offers freedom to the users more than the offline world. The reason why so many laws are broken with the help of the Internet is that people get caught less online. Authenticity, fraud, copyrights and so many more couldn’t be as easily detected in a network as in the real world until recently and the perpetrator often got away with the crime. IP geo location saved the day and will probably save it even more in the future. This technological mean of location is becoming very useful and demanded because of security, access and network efficiency. To transform the borderless Internet environment to a place where laws do apply just in the same manner as in the geographical territory IP geo location is an imperative.

Let’s take the example of a web site that has an increasing number of visitors. This site deals with a lot of clients that use their services. There is no guarantee for the safety of any transactions unless the clients offer their information online. What if this info would be false? The location can be obtained if the client voluntarily gives the IP address away (with the help of a site registration) or, if he does not, then it can be detected with approximate accuracy through different methods. An online form, registration, sign-up - all can be tricked with false information. There is no other mean of verification of authenticity and legal constraint than IP geo location.

Software solutions help web operators find out the IP geo location of a person through a number of methods:

1. The simplest one is the less effective also. Looking up the Regional International Registry for “Whois” records can prove to be a useless struggle. There are 5 R.I.R.s and each serves a designated area in the world. The R.I.R.s allocate IP addresses to organizations, ISP’s and users in their specific region or area and they allow the free download of the files with the information. Records with IP addresses have actually been downloaded by various persons who now offer them for free in online databases you have to access. However these IP geo location files are not very accurate and might not help.

2. Basic network tools like ping, traceroute and nslookup are more effective in IP geo location. A network of servers can prove to offer a more accurate IP address location. IP addresses all over the Internet are “probed” and used by the network to find the exact location of just one IP address. Some solution providers use a lot of servers (thousands) while others use only 10-12.

Ping = Packet Internetwork Groper (It is a tool also received with the TCP/IP software package and it determines if a host is active or not determining the round-trip delay)

Traceroute = used as a debugging tool to determine the route from a local to a remote host

Nslookup = name server look up program (The TCP/IP software package includes this program in order to determine a host name or an IP address)

3. While this last category of IP geo location methods (number 2) is considered of medium effectiveness, there are other solutions who use even more sophisticated technology such as artificial intelligence and special systems. Some also make a more thorough verification and comparisons of IP addresses and IP geo locations for a perfect result.

There are many things to say about this rather complicated topic that requires knowledge about the ever-changing Internet environment. The guideline is that IP geo location is earning more popularity everyday just like any aspect regarding the full expansion market, the Internet. Safety is an issue in the virtual world just as much as in the real one because the two interact. IP geo location takes care of this by acknowledging true identities.

Amelie Mag is an Internet writer.
To find out more about IP addresses visit http://www.iprelated.com

This article can be republished as long as the byline active links are saved.

Many have said that Democracy is on the march and we now have 126 countries in the world; nearly half which have a democracy style of government. Decades the prior we were all worried about Beehive Syndrome and Communism, as the “Domino Affect” was to be prevented at all costs, including US countrymen and soldiers blood. But today we see a new trend towards socialism and communism in South America and one would have thought in watching all the national successes due to Democracy that indeed this would continue.

However, today we see Bolivia, conveniently stealing foreign business and taking over gas and oil companies in their country. Refusing to honor contract renewal arrangements and spitting in the face of capitalism, one of the main components of their economies strengths and of their Democracy. Why? Have we failed to show the best side of Democracy or are those entrusted by the people too short sided to see the benefits for the leadership and the whole of the people?

Are communism style dictatorships on the March in South and Central America? Is Democracy fading away and those nations who ditch this gift of freedom, liberty and rule for the people and by the people doomed to repeat the fall of past civilizations of mankind in this Hemisphere? Is the leader of Bolivia, busy taking advice from Castro, Red China, Venezuela? If so, doesn’t the USA need to send out Video Tapes, manuals, visual presentations to all these nations to educate them on the reality of the flows of civilization and why Democracy is the best long term choice?

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Many legal malpractice claims share common allegations/themes that can be avoided if law firms have the proper risk management measures in place. Implementation and maintained use of some very rudimentary systems and procedures can reduce the likelihood of being sued, or in the event you are sued, can bolster your defense. Below are some basic tips law firms can utilize to help reduce their legal malpractice exposure.

Engagement Letters - Legal malpractice claims often hinge on whether or not the claimant can establish that they were a client of the attorney (or at least owed a duty of care in 3rd party claims) and that the attorney agreed to handle the matter in question. A written engagement letter prepared for each client or potential client can serve to establish the facts of the lawyer-client agreement. Ideally an engagement letter would include the following:

• Name of client
• Scope of services (and in certain circumstances specifying what services are not being performed/included is also appropriate)
• Fee amount and billing schedule, including payment expectations
• Identification of any potential conflicts of interest
• Name and contact information of primary attorney handling the matter including outline of firm’s communication guidelines (i.e. timeframes for responses to phone calls, faxes, letters, etc.)
• Client’s obligations to the attorney and/or firm
• Dispute resolution method and initiation procedure

Non-Engagement/Declination Letters - These are often the difference in getting a meritless claim dismissed. As important as engagement letters are, non-engagement/declination letters are equally important. Written documentation to the former potential client advising that you will not be representing them is critical in establishing that no professional relationship existed. Non-Engagement/Declination letters should include the following:

• Name of potential client
• Date the attorney and/or firm met with potential client to discuss representation
• Details of the potential case which were discussed
• Statement clearly advising the potential client of the attorney’s/firm’s decision not to accept the case

Disengagement Letters - Various circumstances may arise that prompt a severing of the professional relationship between a lawyer and client. This often occurs before the matter for which the attorney was hired has reached a final resolution. In such circumstances it is crucial the “disengagement” be documented in a letter to the client. If the client subsequently hires new counsel who makes an error, the disengagement letter may be the best defense to establish who the responsible attorney was at the time the error occurred. Disengagement letters should include the following:

• Name of client
• Date the attorney and/or firm are terminating their representation of the client
• Statement clearly advising the client of the attorney’s/firm’s reason for disengagement (i.e. case concluded, client request, non-payment of fees, etc)
• Successor counsel: if known include their name, if not include a statement advising client to seek new counsel

Professional Liability Insurance - Consistent use of the letters described above may help you reduce the possibility of being named in a malpractice suit, however they won’t eliminate the possibility of claims. Lawyers professional liability insurance won’t eliminate claims either, but it can serve to minimize the impact a malpractice claim might have on your firm.

When deciding whether or not to carry professional liability insurance, consider the following:

• Frequency of client claims and malpractice law suits are on the rise. The National Law Journal has reported that an attorney can now expect to be sued at least once during their career.

• Defending a malpractice claim is expensive. History tells us that approximately 35% of loss payments in professional liability claims are due to litigation expenses, so even if you prevail with your defense it will be costly.

• Your personal assets may be at risk without appropriate professional liability insurance in place.

• Many clients, especially larger companies, are now requiring proof of professional liability insurance before they will enter into an engagement.

• Many, if not most, referral services require the attorney or firm have professional liability insurance in place before they will begin referring cases.

• Some states and jurisdictions now require that you disclose to clients whether or not professional liability insurance is in place.

If you are a small or mid-sized law firm that has experienced difficulty finding lawyers professional liability insurance due to paid claims or disciplinary actions, DefenseProSM Lawyers Professional Liability may be able to help. Administered by Lockton Risk Services, a subsidiary of Kansas City-based Lockton Companies, the largest independently-owned commercial insurance broker in the United States, DefenseProSM is specifically designed to meet the professional liability needs of distressed law firms. For more information, visit the DefenseProSM website at http://www.defenseproliability.com.

DISCLAIMER: The information in this article is provided for general discussion purposes only, and does not constitute legal advice. For specific advice contact your own legal, financial, insurance and/or other advisor.

Jason Ingle, RPLU
Sr. Underwriter
Lockton Risk Services
7300 College Boulevard, Suite 500
Overland Park, KS 66210

Parrots make wonderful family pets because they are great companions, they are beautiful birds with colorful feathers and you can teach them to talk. But you must have a strong level of commitment to your parrot because he will need daily and weekly maintenance, as well as plenty of attention.

What a Parrot Needs

When you consider how to take care of you parrot, you will have to consider what you will need to get started. The first thing you will need is a large cage for your parrot to live in. Make sure it is big enough for him to move around a bit and be comfortable. To occupy his time and make him feel comfortable you should place a mirror, a swing and a toy in the cage. You will also need something to properly line the cage.

What To Feed Your Parrot

A parrot should have a healthy, well-balanced diet. It should consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat and grains. Peanut butter and cooked eggs are other sources of protein that are good for parrots. Pre-packaged parrot food is certainly another valid option. It takes the guesswork out of feeding your bird a wide variety of balanced nutrition.

As with most pets, avoid feeding your parrot caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and salty foods.

Teaching Your Parrot To Talk

One of the most attractive features of this type of bird is that you can teach them to talk and whistle. Most people get a lot of enjoyment out of it. It does require a lot of time and repetition though and training should begin when the parrot is young. New words should be introduced with an activity so the parrot can link the two. He may even pick up on words you don’t really want him to learn just because he hears them often.

Whistling may come more natural for the birds and may be encouraged after you have trained him to talk.

Provide Exercise

Your parrot will need to get daily exercise. Let him out of the cage for small amount of time, starting with fifteen minutes at a time. Let them fly around the house and tire themselves out. See a professional for wing clippings when necessary.

Beak Care

Never try to trim your parrot’s beak at home. Seek a professional’s help when needed. Some things you can do at home to help your bird with beak care is to provide a concrete perch or a cuttle bone for him.

Maintenance

The basic things you need to commit to for taking care of your bird are quite simple, but they do require some effort on the owner’s part. In addition to never leaving his food bowl empty, you will need to provide him with fresh water twice a day. You will need to clean his cage on a weekly basis. You will also need to groom him 2-3 times per week. This can include a full bath given in a sink or washtub or by simply misting the bird and using specialized bird shampoo on him.

When all the work is done, you will have a beautiful pet that will provide hours of entertainment and joy.

Please explore more Resources about Parrots with lots of Information

The separation of Church and State? Evolution, Intelligent
Design and the Bible. part 3. Intelligent Design is a doctrine
such as Evolution and the Bible. If the world is looking at the
Bible as a doctrine we must look at all Books, Papers, Articles
and Scientific Lectures as Doctrines. What is I.D.? Intelligent
Design (ID) is the controversial assertion that certain features
of the universe and of living things exhibit the characteristics
of a product resulting from an intelligent cause or agent, as
opposed to an unguided process such as natural selection..
Adherents of Intelligent Design have claimed that it stands on
equal footing with, or is superior to, current scientific
theories regarding the origin of life and the origin of the
universe. The scientific community has rejected this claim on
the grounds that Intelligent Design is not a scientific theory
but junk science. The N.A.S has said that Intelligent Design
“and other claims of supernatural intervention in the origin of
life” are not science because their claims cannot be tested by
experiment and propose no new hypotheses of their own.
Proponents of Intelligent Design make the claim that there is a
systemic bias within the scientific community against
proponents’ ideas and research, because of the naturalistic
assumption that science can or should only make reference to
natural causes. Critics have called this argument polemical, as
Intelligent Design, in its opposition to what it terms
methodological-naturalism, is at odds with current scientific
philosophy and methodology. Finally, supporters hold that
religious neutrality requires the teaching of both evolution and
Intelligent Design in schools, because teaching only evolution
unfairly discriminates against those holding the Creationist
beliefs. Teaching both, Intelligent Design supporters argue,
allows for a scientific basis for religious belief, without
causing the state to actually promote a religious belief.
According to critics of Intelligent Design, not only has
Intelligent Design failed to establish reasonable doubt in its
proposed shortcomings of accepted scientific theories, but it
has not even presented a case worth taking seriously. Critics of
Intelligent Design argue that Intelligent Design has not
presented a credible case for the public policy utility of
presenting Intelligent Design in education. More broadly,
critics maintain that it has not met the minimum legal standard
of not being a “clear” attempt to establish religion, which in
the United States is constitutionally forbidden. Many large
words are usually associated with theories dont you think? If we
are to teach, I.D. we might as well teach, Scientology, Budism,
Hinduism, and all the other isms in the world and hope our
children can still think for themselves afterward. The Bible
answers all these isms like this; Mat 16:12 Then understood they
how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of
the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Rom 16:17
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and
offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and
avoid them. 1Ti 6:3-5; If any man teach otherwise, and consent
not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is
proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes
of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil
surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and
destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from
such withdraw thyself. There are many fine Christians that want
to do the proper things for their children but for them to push
for Intelligent Design to be taught in the schools along with
Evolution, is also harmful, for they are devieateing from the
true word. This is a deception from Satan. 2Jo 1:9-11; Whosoever
transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath
not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both
the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring
not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid
him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of
his evil deeds. Teaching Intelligent Design is erring from the
truth. We do not sneak about trying to cover up the Gospel of
Jesus Christ, but we are to stand boldly affirming the truth and
Faith that we have in the Word of God. Gal 1:7-9; Which is not
another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert
the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so
say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you
than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Rom 1:16 For I
am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek. Phi 4:6 Be careful for nothing;
but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God. So in ending, we see
that the men who are encouraging teaching Evolution and those
that argue to teach Intelligent Design are both at odds with the
Father and His word. We cannot allow others to teach false,
religions, doctrines and unprovable theories to our children.
Its the Bible or nothing. ars

Some people have a natural artistic ability when it comes to home décor and design but for most of us we need a little help. A few simple tips on what type of floral arrangements and colors can go a long way in making your home beautiful.

Before you decide on where to put your fresh cut flowers, silks or dried flowers, you need to understand a few simple rules.

Color is very important!

1) If you have vibrant colors in your room such as a red wall and rich colored furniture then you will want to have soft colors for your flowers. An all white or soft creamy yellows can make a better statement than a brightly colored arrangement that will just blend in with the other vibrant colors.

2) If you have neutral colors in the room then brighter colored arrangements will bring life to any room. Look at the color scheme you have going. If the room has white or creamy walls and tan colored furniture for example, you will want to liven things up with colored accent pillows and floral arrangements of browns, reds and yellow. Remember you want to enhance but not overwhelm with them.

The size of your arrangements matters a great deal! You can easily overwhelm with an arrangement too big for a coffee table. If you look at any of the early morning talk shows you can get a good example of what to put on a small table and the larger flowers they put in the back ground. The larger flowers are always behind them and a little to the left or right of them.

It kind of follows the rule in photography, the 3rd, the 3rd and 3rd rule. There is a great motivational print called “Individuality” which demonstrates this perfectly. In a picture of a field of sunflowers, one stands out. All the sunflowers are about a 3rd of the way up. The sunflower standing alone is one 3rd to the right of the picture. Click on the blue letters motivational print and you’ll see what I mean.

This rule can be applied at home. If you look in design magazines you’ll see a floral arrangement on the fireplace and it will most likely be placed to the left or right of the mantle. The only time you will see it in the middle is if it is a long low arrangement or several smaller arrangements.

Larger arrangements are usually placed against a wall where they are accent pieces but make a bold statement. Large arrangements can also be placed in a foyer where it is the focal point and sets the tone of the rest of the house.

Whether you are designing with flowers or flower prints for your home I hope these few tips make it easier for you.

Willie Jones

Willie is a freelance writer, researcher, floral designer, and artist. Thanks very much for reading this far. Please come and visit us at: http://www.artinspires.com

“Make sure you enroll in the free motivational poster drawing at http://www.artinspires.com/. All winners receive a free framed print.”

Last Saturday, a group of A&W employees in Mission, BC won a $14.6 million Lotto 649 jackpot. However, they have yet to receive the cheque.

The lucky winners are a group of 9 or 11, depending on who you listen to. After it became known that there were 9 lucky employees involved, two other employees came forward to claim a piece of the pie. They said they participated in a group purchase of tickets but were being unfairly excluded, although it is not clear why. Both parties have been interviewed by the Lottery Corporation and have until early next week to resolve the matter or it will be referred to the courts.

There is not enough information to draw a conclusion, however something is strange here. Did the group of nine buy some extra tickets in the others absence? Was the party of two delinquent in their contributions to the ticket purchase fund? Is this a personality clash in the workplace or are the two just sore losers trying to cash in.

It is my bet that when all is said and done, there will be 11 people sharing the prize. If there has been a tradition of group ticket purchasing, the court will likely overlook a missed contribution. The court would also be likely to rule that additional tickets purchased in some employee’s absence belong to the entire group.

A nine way split is roughly $1.6 million each versus $1.3 million each for an 11 way split. A big difference if it is coming out of your pocket, but not so big given the circumstances and the fact it is like found money. The group of nine has to decide whether to include their two workmates and take less for themselves or go for it all and give a big chunk of those extra dollars to the lawyers.

Seems like an easy decision to me.

More articles at Ordinary Joe http://ordinaryjoe.ca/blog/

There is a lot of talk going on about what to do with the issue of feral cat population.

Some measures have been proposed which will allow residents to kill what they perceive to be feral cats on their property. This suggestion has caused a bit of a stir, and amongst cat lovers, it is quite understandable. Cats are natural wanderers and a treasured feline may make a mischievous dash out of its home only to find itself hunted quarry in a neighboring property.

There are more humane solutions being practiced right now which entail trapping feral cats, neutering and then releasing them back to their environment (TNR). Critics of this method maintain that the problem of cat predation on local small animal populations still exists after neutering, and that a continuous supply of stray cats are finding their fertile way into these feral communities every day. Thus, any positive gains realized by the TNR program are being constantly negated by the actions, or inactions, of irresponsible pet owners.

There doesn’t appear to be any immediate, cut and dry solution to feral cats except to keep employing the TNR program and educating the public about how to be accountable for their cats. Local laws can be enacted to impose fines on owners whose cats are caught wandering on a frequent basis. Social pressure can be fostered in the form of campaigns that suggest it is absolutely not cool and downright irresponsible to have unneutered or unspayed cats wandering around. This, of course, would not be applied to owners of show and working cats where planned breeding is necessary for their specific breed.

It comes down to the fact that over 64% of U.S. households have pets, and the majority of these pets are considered as family members. Cats are the rebellious, independent members of the family unit. They shouldn’t be left to their own devices nor should they be discarded like disposable lighters. Similar to any wayward teenager of a family, special measures and tolerances have to be adopted in order to get the loved ones through a difficult time in their lives and bring them back into the fold of family unity. Cats are a bit different in that they are “wayward children” for life, however, they can be conditioned to accept a house-bound lifestyle. Having them spayed or neutered (we’re talking about cats now - not teenagers) will help temper their wanderlust a little, and there are some great outdoor “playpens” and containment equipment designed just for the benefit of felines. Some cats can be trained to walk on a leash for nightly jaunts, however, that may not be particularly healthy for you or the cat if there are too many unleashed dogs in the neighborhood.

Do what you can to help alleviate the problem of cats turning feral. The animal welfare organizations and volunteers are doing what they can to deal with the current populations by using TNR, rescuing and adopting of cats. But the flow of new, fertile, domestic cats into the feral communities must be stopped at the family, neighborhood and regional level. This is accomplished through public awareness campaigns, teaching school children about responsible pet ownership, social pressure and individual involvement. It’s a long uphill road, yet it can be accomplished, one or two kitties at a time.

Cris Mandelin-Wood owns several websites covering domestic animals as well as Web information services and products. Animal welfare issues are of special interest. To sign up for the monthly Critterbytes Ezine, go to http://shelters.theanimalnet.com and select the state you live in. Once there you will find a listing of local animal welfare organizations and a sign up box for the ezine.

“I don’t have time to catch my breath, let alone sit for 15 minutes and meditate.” This is a phrase I hear all too often, while lecturing new mothers on beginning meditation.

Some may think I have my work cut out for myself when recognizing that most new mothers are running in so many circles that they become frustrated and possibly a little unreasonable. But reasoning with them is not something I expect to do. All I have to do is present the facts, and add some interesting 2-3 minute ‘mini-tations.’

Mini-Tations are quick ways of having a quite moment, lasting only two or three minutes.

As I begin to describe what meditation is, in a no-frills manner, mothers begin to sit up and take notice. The main purpose of meditation is to eliminate outside thoughts or distractions, in order to still the mind. New mothers are prime candidates for needing to eliminate distractions. It is very important that they stay focused and aware every minute.

Not only do they need to be totally immersed in paying attention to baby’s every need, but details of the rest of life need attention as well. The dirty clothes must be washed, the carpet must be vacuumed, the groceries must be bought, the phone must be answered, dinner cooked, and on and on and on…(somewhere in there comes the attention for a husband, too).

It would seem that taking care of baby would be a fulltime position. But somewhere along the way, the rest of the chores must be attended to. Even though there is no time to be selfish, taking care of self is of paramount importance.

Many new mothers are also trying to work outside the home at least part time if not back to the full rat race. So when I offer them the chance to take a well deserved two minute respite– that seems to fit into the scheme of things.

Research has been done by various organizations, such as West Oakland Health Center in California, and the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts. It has been found that meditation not only reduces blood pressure and heart rate, but reduces stress and tension. It reduces anxiety, builds self-confidence and allows you to sleep more soundly.

Your mind relaxes to the point that it can deal with problems that arise during the day. A sense of peacefulness comes over you and you are able to make better choices with less up-tight feelings.

New mothers can’t afford to not do this!

This is the list of several Mini-Tations they can do at any time during the day:

1. Focus on your toes. Yes! Your toes. Notice if your shoes are too tight. If so, take them off. Wiggle your toes. Pay attention to how free they feel out of the shoes. Take the bottle of baby powder and sprinkle it on your toes. Feel how smooth they are with the powder on them. Promise to free them a little later as you slip your shoes on again.

2. Sit comfortably for two minutes. Make sure the television is off. Listen to the sounds around you: the furnace/air conditioner running, the tick of the clock, a breeze blowing in the window, the birds singing, the traffic sounds down the street.

3. Smell the new baby smells: fresh bedding, baby oil, dirty diaper pail.

4. Softly, slowly sing a lullaby to your baby.

5. Rock your baby to sleep.

Once they started to get the idea that they could take their life experiences, include their baby and just focus on the experience, they were raring to get started with their new, stress reducing Mini-Tations.

Rev. Melissa Leath has been a spiritual mentor and teacher for 30 years, and is author of Meditation, Plain and Simple Workbook. She shares topics of self-empowerment such as meditation, intuition, spiritual path. Please find out more by going her website: http://www.123SpiritualGrowth.com , or http://www.MeditationWarehouse.com . Also, for a downloadable meditation e-book, check out: http://www.MeditationMadeEasy.com .