Do you feel that you are in need of some kind of anger management course? Are you looking into the different forms of anger management treatments that are available? If you have answered yes to either or both of these questions, you are not alone.

I have first hand experience of the troubles that can arise from my own lack of control, over my anger. In fact my wife nearly left me because of it. Fortunately after seeking help I am now able to live without the fear of losing my temper and am back in my wife’s good books.

I have always struggled to deal with any form of stress. A lot of people class me as “a stress head” and they would probably be right. After the birth of my second child, finances became stretched. I felt like I was letting my family down as I was finding it hard to support them.

I was also very unhappy at work. Despite working and trying very hard, my boss was very tough on me. He was always very negative and whatever I did was not good enough for him. I really wanted to leave this company but felt that I could not take a risk as we needed the money.

To gain some pleasure out of life, I turned to alcohol. This however was not exactly pleasure and only made things a whole lot worse.

I became quite depressed and this depression turned into anger. I was angry that I was struggling with money and struggling at work. I was becoming a nightmare to live with.

I then decided to try meditation, this was one of the best moves I ever made. Meditation has really helped me to relax and to stay focused and in control.

In the last couple of months I have started to attend tai chi classes and these have also been very beneficial.

I would certainly recommend tai chi and meditation for people who have an anger management problem.

.
Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including:
stuttering treatment
stuttering cure
help for people who stutter

True Forgiveness comes at a price. It is quite costly in the human scheme of things. Because in many cases the human mind is addicted to pain and misery and the desire to return over and over to the same pain is habitual.

Kind of like what the tongue does with the broken tooth. And the price of course is letting go! Letting go of grievance, hate and judgement of any kind, a daily practise that must be adhered to if moving beyond duality is at all possible for anyone here on planet earth.

The dualistic mind sees a ?them and me? scenario on all occasions, and hasn?t moved to the level of being able to see them selves as the other or embrace the experience of oneness. And because this hasn?t happened it is necessary to go back to the very basics of the awakening process and take responsibility for all that is seen as part of the projection of the construct of mind. This is what is known as taking responsibility for what is seen heard and felt. This is also the beginning of self inquiry or the ancient adage ?Know Thyself?.

So how do you forgive or let go of hatred, judgement and grievance.
Well the first step is to decide that forgiveness is necessary and to understand that the reward is a peaceful mind. And that this is worth the effort that you must put into this ?work?. And what goes with this of course is knowing you can?t do this alone. You are a child of The Universe, whole perfect and loved.

 Then say to your self ?I am immortal Spirit; this body is just an image. It has nothing to do with what I am in truth?

 When you look at someone else who you may want to judge as having wronged you in some way .Say to yourself, ?I am Spirit whole and innocent, all is forgiven and released?

 Finding yourself not at peace with a particular person you might have had a past idea of hurt with. Picture the person in front of you during meditation and say a prayer

 ?Since I am whole and perfect and remember who I am in truth, I forgive ?both? of us for what has never really occurred. Now there is only innocence and we join together in this Love that permeates all that is.

 Forgiving does make the grievance disappear. Forgiveness has a vibration that is higher than the grievance and when forgiveness is activated it spreads out and uplifts as you remember your Universal connection.

 If at any time the mind returns to the grievance it is worth asking the question.?What am I getting out of this pain?? And return quickly to the above ways to return to your true nature.You may find ?The 7 Doors, Keys to Your Full Potential? a useful book full of good tips for awakening to enlightenment.

.
Margo Knox is a coach in “The Field of Awakening” her blogs and products are availble at www.margoknox.com

Tomorrow we will see things in another light. The way life is today is not how it will show up tomorrow. That is for sure. Make a note also to do the things you planned to do today because it changes tomorrow.

Do not put it on hold if you want things to be done the way you want it. Be in charge of your life. Take more responsibility.How are we otherwise suppose to teach our children?

Be the role model they deserve to have. What do you appreciate in a person or a friend? What kind of values would you like to be remembered for?Maybe you do not care but I am sure your kids do. I remember what I thought about my parents. The way they treated other people. The first boyfriends I took home. My father was so embarrassing to them. He did not remember their names and treated them with disrespect. Not what I like to do. Maybe it was a game for him I so not know but what I do know is I did not like it.

That?s what I mean by keeping in mind things you like to copy from your parents. You must have had great people around you like teachers etc. If you do not want to copy your parents. As tomorrow never will be the same again you might as well create a new plan if you are not satisfied. Put a list together divided in two parts. On one side write all the things you like to keep and on the other side write the things you are unhappy with. Rip the paper in the middle; keep the good side and burn the bad one. Like the old saying keep the best and leave the rest. We can create a new plan as often we like.

But is it wise? I would suggest sticking to the original plan for at least six to seven months. Unless you find out the path is wrong yes then make a few changes. It is not about the changes it is the consistency of it that counts. Life is a number of repetitions. See how kids learn to walk. They try ones, falling and up again for how many times? As many times until they can walk. How many people do you know that try new thing ones and then give up? I know lots of people who do that. It is understandable of course.

The biggest challenge in life is patience. Have faith that everything will work out and that the only issue we have is time. What is time? Just lots of moments that goes by. So take your time as a priority. Think that this day may be the last one. If it was would I be happy to leave the Earth that way and would my kids be proud of me?

.
MarieLouise is working as a personal trainer, life coach and author. She is also very skilled as a net worker with several years experience from different MLM companies. marielouisefalk.blogspot.com

Is there any difference between Coaching and Therapy? It is often a doubt that most of us have. Many of us may have attended life coaching or undergone life coaching training without knowing the difference between therapy and coaching.

Some of us might even wonder whether there is any difference at all. Well, there are differences, even if they seem to serve the purpose. It is only to us uninformed that it seems to serve the same purpose actually they are two different things meant for different purposes.

Therapy is primarily meant for looking back to establish the route cause of problems. Coaching on the other hand is meant for personal evolution. A therapist focuses on helping clients overcome past problems. These problems are so disruptive that they seem to get in the way of functioning normally. These problems are generally caused by some incidents in the past. Therapists work with the client to resolve these problems by talking about the events in the past. A life coach on the other hand sets goal for the client and generally helps him move forward. He or she helps you in designing your life the way you want it to be. The life coach plays a supporting role and helps you in reaching your goal. These goals can be career oriented, business oriented or any other goal. They can be even goals for health.

A therapist is a qualified person i.e. a therapist requires a certificate to practice. They have to undergo intensive theoretical and practical sessions before they can venture out on their own. A life coach need not have any educational qualifications but there are certification programs available for them as well. It is just that it is not yet required by law for them to do so. A therapist and the client have to reside in the same place whereas for a life coach the client need not be in the same geographical location. The internet makes it easier for the life coach to stay connected with the client.

A relationship between a therapist and the customer is almost like the traditional doctor ? patient relationship. The therapy sessions are held at a measured pace. It can take months and even years sometimes for a person to be completely healed. This is not the problem of therapy but the necessity of therapy. The life coach on the other hand is more like a mentor. Life coaching courses are held at a rapid pace. They usually stick to a schedule. Again this is necessary for coaching as it is a forward looking occupation.

The discussions between a client and a therapist are usually one sided. In fact, it is even wrong to say that they discuss, it is more like the client speaks and the therapist listens. It is a monologue with the client speaking. Communication is a two way business for life coaching. It works on discussions. The more the client opens, the better way the life coach can help the client.

A client goes to a therapist because he has unresolved issues. He may want to solve his problems with the help of the therapist. Sometimes, the client meets the therapist not because he or she wants to but due to pressure from family, peers or friends. This is why therapy sessions can hurt a client emotionally. This is necessary for the healing process to take place. In essence the process of therapy is all about resolving your past. It is all about letting the past go. It nurtures and strengthens a person?s life. A client goes for life coaching because he wants to go or his company sends him. This is done so as to plan for a better future. It creates more excitement than fear in the customer. A better future is not something to be afraid of. It is all about creating a future. This is a catalyst for change; change for the better.

The functions of therapy and coaching might seem to overlap but in actuality they are different pursuits. Sometimes therapists also work as coaches which might be the reason why people tend to confuse the two. They are not. They are definitely different in their own way.

.
Sean McPheat provides life coaching and training for people all around the globe. He is the owner of the Life Coaching Studio and he designs and delivers life coach, programmes and mentoring across the UK, Europe, US and the Middle East.

A good mentor communicates to their mentees that they are worth their time and effort because they are valuable people - something that people from all walks of life respond well to.

A good mentor can be a catalyst for ongoing personal development. Those who choose mentoring as a profession have already “been there” and “done that”, often they have travelled the same path the mentee wishes to take - and so are able to help each person help themselves, so that they not only achieve their goals but also have more control over their lives.

Mentoring is a Greek word meaning “enduring,” and defined as a sustained relationship between two individuals, a mentor and a mentee (or prot?g?). The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a mentor as “a trusted counsellor or guide.” It has also been described as “a wise, loyal advisor or coach.”?Another definition for mentoring is one-to-one encouragement, advice, or befriending for an individual.

The original Mentor is a character in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. When Odysseus?went to fight in the Trojan War, he entrusted the care of his kingdom to Mentor, including overseeing and teaching Telemachus,?Odysseus’s son.

Today a wide range of employers acknowledge that their senior staff need nurturing as well as other personnel, and so the demand is growing. Previously it was primarily middle management who received mentoring; that has recently changed as many CEOs and MDs now actively seek mentoring to advance their careers, and personal development. Individual mentoring for top executives is now a timely, much needed, and sought after service.

“Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.”?? John Crosby

A personal mentor is someone who cares about people; someone they can easily trust, who can help them to develop their potential. Sessions are both private and confidential ensuring an environment where each client feels safe and supported.?

Professional mentoring is about helping mentees to understand, plan and implement whatever it is that they want to achieve. Mentors assist others to make significant transitions in knowledge, work or thinking.

A mentor provides guidance and support in a variety of ways to a developing individual, acting as confidante, role model or tutor. Through a variety of approaches they help expand mentees’ horizons and increase their chances of success ? on every level, offering guidance, support and assistance as the person faces new challenges. Mentors assist by nonjudgmental listening, giving advice, and through sharing their experiences, their own life challenges and successes.

Mentoring is designed to help each person to fully understand where they are now, where they want to go, and how to achieve it in the best way?possible.?It also provides a highly confidential way to share and explore problems, difficulties and strategies. Today, thousands of people worldwide from all walks of life benefit from mentoring.?

Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.” Eric Parsloe, Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring ?
Some of the areas that mentors work with are goal setting and creating effective, more enjoyable ways to achieve short and long-term goals, both business and personal.

Many businesses also support and actively encourage their staff to have a mentor, or attend a mentoring course. Some businesses also hold customised mentoring seminars in-house.

One of the most valuable assets in a career is a good mentor.
“It is not what we give but what we share, for the gift without the giver is bare.”?( Unknown)

.

Genevieve Dawid is a respected mentor offering dynamic, result-oriented approach to mentoring and personal development. She uses highly successful methods: from consciously changing thought patterns to create affluence or success, to adopting strategies for a more stress-free lifestyle. More about mentoring or The Achiever’s Journey.

White Noise is not actually ?noise? it is a random signal with a flat power spectral. It is a sound frequency or a signal that one hears as a gentle hiss, similar to the sound of wind rustling through trees, a waterfall, radio static or the ocean turf.

It is purely a theoretical construct. To use a simple analogy, the color white contains the whole spectrum of colors of light. Similarly white noise is created by using the entire spectrum of frequencies, the human ear can hear.

White Noise can help a person relax or work as a sleep aid. Life is full of disruptive sounds and noises, such as honking of cars, barking of dogs, noisy neighbors, annoying snoring and screaming sirens. White noise does not add to the clamor of noise instead white noise contains equal frequencies of all sounds. Research has shown that a steady, monotonous stream of the same peaceful sound, such as white noise, can filter and mask distracting noises. This gentle continuous sound promotes a calm mood to help you relax and/or fall asleep.

The benefit of white noise for anyone is that it can help lessen the noisy distractions of one’s physical environment. That’s why it’s used to help people relax, sleep, and concentrate better. Different sights and sounds within their surroundings more easily distract individuals with ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity, impulsiveness and other similar disabilities. By masking or canceling out extraneous sounds, white noise can be a very effective part of an overall program to promote greater focus, concentration, and productivity, as well as improved interpersonal behavior.

White noise is often recommended as a behavior modification tool, to help manage your pets’ behavior, especially to relax them. Many dog owners play white noise as an anti-bark control to stop their dogs from incessant barking at loud noises or if they’re suffering from separation anxiety or fear. White noise also helps comforts your scared or nervous pet, especially if it’s experiencing some form of pet phobia.
And, pets love to fall asleep to white noise, just like humans!

White noise can be obtained in different formats such as ocean waves and the wind. Of course, these are not the real ocean waves and wind but pure white noise in the soothing rhythmic pattern of waves or the dynamic intensity of the wind.

.
Author Jason represents
the website www.yourfavouriteshop.com
Come and visit their new Health Forum, The Health Place. You can get special deals
and contests offered nowhere else Visit
www.yourfavouriteshop.com/

The following article is one of a series of articles which focus on Personal Development, Self Improvement, Motivation and Empowerment. It is based on research done over twenty years as a personal and business coach.

This self improvement article was written in response to questions which I have been asked as well as address common challenges that people have with this subject and all aspects of personal development.I sincerely hope that you find the following information of value.

What Are You Doing To Enjoy Life?

Can you remember your childhood days? During those times, nothing yet seemed complicated - all we had to think about were crayons, cookies, or Santa Claus. We didn’t care about the things we didn’t know because we were just too oblivious of the things that might bother us.

But as we grow older, we get anxious with the things that surround us - life and death, loving and parting, success and failure, to name a few. We find that almost everyday, we are obliged to be concerned about people or events.

Nevertheless, always keep this in mind: Don’t take things as if they are responsible for the way you feel. Events or situations do not trouble you. How you look at them does.

If you miss those carefree days, you just have to look back at how you used to view things then, and you will know what to do now. Here’s a guide to make sure you won’t lose your way:

Cherish the simple things: Trust in the power of a smile or laughter, a kiss or a hug. Believe in kindness, honesty, dreams, and imagination. Living positively is the first step to becoming happy.

Loosen up. Laugh at your mistakes. You might remember the time when you were delivering your speech and your mind went completely blank right in the middle of delivering it. It’s embarrassing. But most likely, your audience will forget about it in a day or two. We all mess up occasionally. The good thing is that people tend to forget such situations.

Surround yourself with what you love. Get a pet. Retain film moments as keepsakes. Keep away from those that drag you down. If that high-paying job makes you sulk at the thought of having to go to work, find a job you like first before quitting. If some people force you to comply even if you think of doing otherwise, stay away from their company.

When it comes to the subject of self improvement, I fully understand (through my own experiences) that it is a lot easier said than done. However, you are here, right now, because you have a desire to improve your self or you are at least interested in this subject. Perhaps you are reading this to help a friend or colleague - great. If this article helps you or your help a friend, paying it forward is what life all about so we all win.

Don’t put it off. Go on that trip. Take your Master’s. Learn a new hobby. You’ll never know the extent of your life. Do something, while you can.

Don’t push yourself too hard trying to please everyone. You just can’t. And it never seems to be worth it anyway. When you want to make somebody’s day, start with your loved ones.

Keep fit. Be that attractive person you always picture yourself to be. Cherish your health. It’s the best way of showing you are putting your best face forward.

Do not assume. Don’t fret about forgetting your speech before you actually do it. Don’t worry about not getting the job you want because you might mess up at the interview. It’s good to expect the worst; but don’t end up expecting only the worst.

Alter your way of thinking. When you’re being ridiculed, criticized about your family background, or condemned for past mistakes, put on deaf ears. Don’t believe everything you hear. You know yourself better than everybody else does. Never wallow in self-pity.

Remember: Don’t get upset over things just because it’s how most people would react when faced with the same situation. When you find yourself being negative - angry, down, jealous, etc. - you also unknowingly drain your energy and enthusiasm. You just have to try keeping these negative feelings in the low, because giving in to these emotions would sometimes make you unreasonable, and you might end up making bad decisions.

Happiness is always in your grasp. You can attain it, as long as you know how.

NOW is the time!

O.K. you have read the article. Now is the time for action. Without action, this article adds no value whatsoever to your self improvement. But remember, without action, you cannot blame this self improvement article or any article for that matter. So, take action NOW.

Even if only one piece of advice, one piece of information, one tip makes a difference, then the whole article has been worth it for all of us.

NOW is the time!

.
Following personal research, these Powerful Self Help resources that help us to improve our lives come from top experts - powerful resources and more to help you improve your lifestyle and make your dreams come true.

Be the person you truly wish to be Get Your Self Help Resources Here

This is truer than people might realize. Dig deep, there is a significant powerful truth buried in this statement that can redefine life and create more positive and powerful experiences.

As we navigate life, become educated in society, and learn from experiences we inevitably think we know.

We know what people are like, we know what this means and that means, we know what to expect, and we know what will be good and what will be bad. All of these perceptions are defining a reality before it even has a chance to show you something different.

To know is to not know is a statement that drops judgement and allows the experience to demonstrate something new. It also creates an openess for you to discover more; this could be more about you, more about life, more about people, or more about situations. You have still your past experiences there to offer insight and you allow the present experience to reveal more or create something new.

We often say we are not defined by our past. This is the way our life is meant to be and yet, we often are limiting our future based upon past experiences. If this is true in our lives, then we are being defined by our past. All that is needed is a shift in perspective. When the body, emotions, or mind reacts to a situation, person, or whatever, then you want to seize the moment and be curious enough to ask why you are reacting the way you are.

When you are reacting to a situation, it is fear based. This could be a belief, a family emotional trigger, a self-esteem issue, or many other root causes. Being curious and identifying this allows a couple of things to happen. Recognizing the reaction allows you to step back and inquire deeper. This will enable you to discover issues that you can then begin correcting or accepting. Second, stepping back from the reaction for reflection will allow you to respond rather than react. When you are responding to a situation, it is based in peace.

There is so much more that can be explored from this place. Personal power, personal responsibility, accepting responsibilitiy, victimization, emotions, emotional hijacking and sabotage; there are so many depths, twists, and turns along this road of spiritual awareness. Owning and understanding that aspect of your nature allows room for so much of life’s experiences to occur and provide learning. Change is also easier to embrace and navigate.

To know is to not know. I’d just invite you to entertain this possibility and play with it in new situations. Whenever you find a judgement popping up, step back from it and say, “I see you, now let’s just wait and see.” Sometimes, the judgement may be right. Won’t it be wonderful and surprising to experience new truths when the judgement is wrong?

.
Lee Down is a Professional Coach, Trainer/Facilitator, Speaker, & Writer of One Man Can Human Capital Development that focuses on relationships, the key foundation to success in business and life. With more than 15 years professional experience and a thirst for truth and understanding, he focuses on the human spirit and human capacity.
Working with clients, he facilitates the breaking down of beliefs, barriers or obstacles that bring clients forward on their journey of discovery with spirit, energy, abundance, passion and purpose, integrating the mind and body experience. Working with business, he brings visionary leadership and relationship skills to the forefront that witnesses an empowered culture evolve and develop directly impacting the improvement to the bottom-line.

Leadership development in the form of Executive Coaching has well and truly arrived in Singapore, but what is it and what qualities do you look for in a good Coach?

Three years ago a small band of qualified Coaches formed a local chapter of the International Coach Federation, a global, self regulating body for professional Coaches.

There were just twelve members and we met at the chapter President’s apartment. Now there are almost seventy members, a mixture of Life, Career, Business and Executive Coaches with varying degrees of training and experience. So what has happened to bring about such rapid growth in the coaching profession and where does it fit in the overall scheme of human development interventions?

One of the primary drivers of coaching’s arrival in Singapore is the availability of Coach training locally. Coaches no longer have to go to Australia, Europe or the USA to get their basic training. Secondly, many MNCs in Singapore have used coaching as a global management development strategy for years and until recently have had no choice but to fly Coaches in from elsewhere to assist with management development plans. Companies previously unfamiliar with the benefits of coaching are now starting to catch on and Singapore government agencies have also enthusiastically embraced coaching to boost leadership performance at senior levels. Hence there is a ready market for those local Coaches, now professionally qualified.

Having said the market is growing, there is still a certain mystique and a number of misconceptions surrounding coaching and how it works. It is regularly confused with training, consulting, mentoring and counselling. Some brief definitions may help to clarify the differences.

Training usually takes place in a group setting and is designed to transfer new skills and knowledge from the trainer to the participants. Training may be followed by various methods of reinforcing the skills learned, but often training is short term with little or no follow-up.

Consultants possess specialist knowledge of a particular industry or function. They apply that knowledge to issues within an organisation and charge a fee based on time and content delivered.

A Mentor, is usually someone within an organisation who passes on functional and organisational knowledge and experience to someone internally who has less knowledge and experience.

A Counsellor typically assists someone suffering from an emotional disturbance due to some past event to come to terms with the past and return to a stable, normally functioning emotional state.

A Coach on the other hand, assumes that he or she is dealing with a normally functioning human being. Coaching conversations are always future orientated. Unlike trainers, consultants or mentors, they may have no knowledge of the function or industry in which the client works. Coaches are not subject matter experts in that sense. Their expertise lies in core skills designed to help a client achieve peak performance. They do this by assisting clients to discover new and more effective ways of going about their work to achieve results that meet or exceed their own, as well as their employer’s expectations. Such core skills include:

? Empathising and creating rapport
? Powerful questioning
? Active and intuitive listening
? Direct and honest feedback and reflection
? Discovering the root cause of an issue
? Pushing the boundaries of the client’s comfort zone
? Co-creating action plans with the client
? Tracking goals and progress
? Identifying changes that positively impact performance
? Providing support and encouragement

The key difference between coaching and other forms of human development is that solutions, plans and ideas for positive change come from the person being coached, not the Coach. The Coach may share past experience or provide skilfully timed prompts, but ultimately it is the client who provides answers and commits to action. Another difference with coaching is that the Coach/client relationship is completely confidential, to the same degree as that of a client and lawyer. It is in this atmosphere, over the course of a coaching engagement that a client builds the confidence to share ideas and even anxieties or insecurities with the Coach, in the certain knowledge that nothing said in a coaching session will leave the room without his or her permission.

When engaging an Executive Coach, what attributes should you look for? Coaches come from many different backgrounds but in order to understand the human dynamics and politics in large organisations they have typically held reasonably senior positions in major corporations. To ensure you are engaging a competent Coach, used to dealing with senior management, ask who some of their customers are and at what level they have coached. They will not tell you the name of individual clients but they will probably not have a problem naming corporations that have engaged them. By all means ask about their industry background but don’t be put off if they were not in the same industry as the person they will coach. Remember, coaches do not need to be subject matter experts. However, ask about their formal Coach training and do not accept vague answers. If they have not gone through a formal Coach training programme, they are not Coaches. However, if a Coach is ICF accredited then it is a sure guarantee that they have undergone minimum levels of formal training, have a good degree of experience and have undergone an accreditation examination.

To find a Coach, a good source is either the global ICF web site, www.coachfederation.org or the local chapter site, www.icfsingapore.org. You will find a variety of Coaches on the local site including Executive, Life and Career Coaches with different levels of experience, targeting different market sectors. Some work on a private basis with individuals, while others only contract with corporate bodies. If you are an HR or Learning and Development professional responsible for engaging Coaches on behalf of your company, try to meet a number of qualified Coaches and then let the coachee choose which one to work with from your shortlist.

When used as part of an overall leadership development plan Coaching can produce dramatic upgrades in performance, better internal and external relationships and higher levels of confidence and self-awareness in the coachee. Wise investment in coaching is ultimately evidenced in the goal of all businesses, a healthier bottom line.

.
An original article by Dennis Heath, Managing Director of WayAhead Leadership Solutions Pte Ltd, first published in the British Chamber of Commerce “Orient” magazine in Singapore, December 2006. The WayAhead web site can be found at: www.wayahead.com.sg

As mentioned in Part 1, there are some countries that are very popular now amongst the expat community. They all have their own appeal and it can be quite confusing and stressful deciding as to where to start.

My proposed 10-step program is designed to help you decide on a country you would like to make your paradise.

Make a list of the world?s top overseas havens.

Step 2: Write down a list of your personal preferences and priorities. Write them down in order of priority. The list may include things such as climate, cost of living, taxes, culture, language, healthcare, accessibility to your home country infrastructure and government incentives for foreign investors.

Step 3: Consider the pros and cons of each of these countries according to your priorities. Make a tally sheet for each country.

Step 4: With the information you have gathered, limit your choice down to 3 countries.

>Step 5: My next step and motto is always: ?Try before you buy?, so plan to spend time in each of the countries chosen.

Step 6: While you are in each of the countries use your time wisely and look into, living costs costs, employment or business possibilities, transport means, education standards, schools, personal safety issues, postal services and banking services, Internet availability etc.

Step 6: Meet with seasoned expatriates who are living and working in the country.

Step 7: Look at as many properties for sale as you can.

Step 8: Set up meetings with experts on residency for all 3 countries.

Step 9: Look at all your facts and identify which country aligns most with your priorities and preferences as well as your values and the kind lifestyle you want to live.

Step 10: Make your choice, plan an extended stay if possible, don?t look back and enjoy the process.

To summarize, I am not saying it is easy not to look back, but always keep in mind that you’re not alone and not without a plan. Use the outline of the 10-step program, do your homework, speak to experts in the field and if you really want to live a different and better life, commit yourself to getting into action and maybe this is the year that it will make happen for you.

Next week, in part 3, I will post suggestions for what you need to do to when you are about to take up residency.

Quote of the week

?Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not to put the plan into action.? Napoleon Hill

We would love to hear how your plans for expatriation are progressing? Which country are you moving to? What helped you make your decision? What difficulties have you encountered if any? Your share could help someone else in a similar situation.

.
Kimbles is the resident writer at Xpatpals.com. An expatriate advice resource for expats living all over the world.