Blog Posts by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

"I believe in businesses where you engage in creative thinking, and where you form some of your deepest relationships," said Anita Roddick, creator of The Body Shop. "If it isn't about the production of the human spirit, we are in big trouble."

One of the keys to starting your own business is to tap into your own spirit of creativity and get used to "out of the box" thinking - like Roddick did! To learn how and why she started The Body Shop, read Finding the Right Timing in Life.

And, here are six steps to starting your own business...

1. Believe in yourself. Your clients or customers immediately know if you believe in your service or product, and they'll assess you and your product or service accordingly. Tap into - and express! - your passion, integrity, and vision, and you're more likely to be successful.

2. Gather a great team. When you're starting your own business, don't try to do everything yourself, even if you're a freelance writer who works alone (like

If you think getting your period isn't fun or exciting, then you don't know how cool "the curse" really is! There are several benefits to getting your period; in fact, menstruation can actually be good for your physical, mental, and emotional health.

"I'd always considered my period a nuisance," says Trina Read, author of Till Sex Do Us Part: Make Your Married Sex Irresistible. "When I was pregnant and later breastfeeding, it was a relief not to get it. But after I had Andrew, I began missing it! It felt like a part of me went missing…and I was shocked by how happy I was to get my period back."

Your period can slow the aging process. According to Dr. Thomas Perls, a leading U.S. longevity expert, women age more slowly than men because menstruation causes iron loss. Iron feeds free radicals, which increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer's. Losing iron via blood can lengthen lifespan - which may be one of the reasons women live longer than men .

If you're feeling sad these days, blame it on the weather! The fall season brings shorter days and less light (and the light you do get can be less intense, depending where you are in the world). Your low mood may be due to Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.

"Long nights and cold weather days are upon us which means the 'winter blues' could be setting in," says Dr Oz Garcia, author of Look and Feel Fabulous Forever. "The winter blues are clinically diagnosed as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a mild seasonal depression that affects many people during the long and dark winter months. SAD can affect your mood, energy level, and diet."

These "winter blues" affects more than 10 million North Americans every year - mostly women. SAD is a mood disorder triggered by lack of light during the winter months. Basically, your body's biological clock gets out of sync, and wake and sleep cycles are disrupted. SAD varies from person to person. Some experience a major mood disorder or

If you like to save for rainy days and he'd rather buy umbrellas, rain gear, and rubber boots when payday hits, then you're coping with two different money personalities!

Here are five money fixes…but first, financial guru Suze Orman weighs in about money and relationships:

"Opposites may attract, but I wouldn't put my money on a relationship of financial opposites," says Orman.

But don't worry: Just because Orman wouldn't bet her money on a couple with two different money personalities doesn't mean that couple is headed for relationship breakdown or serious financial problems!

The two basic money personalities are savers and spenders. If you're a saver married to a spender - or a spender married to a saver - you'll run into different relationship challenges than two spenders, or two savers.

Here are five ways to deal with those money problems:

1. Know your FICO score. "If you forced me to pick one single bit of advice that would have the biggest impact on

It's never too late to succeed in college -- even if you're entering you're entering your last semester!

These seven steps to success will help you balance achieving your goals with enjoying the college experience...because all work and no play makes Jane a dull girl...

1. Figure out what your goals are. Do you want to get higher grades? Make more friends? Stop procrastinating? Find better roommates? To achieve any type of goal, you first need to be specific about what they are.

2. Pick your top three goals. Since you can't reasonably expect to achieve everything you want in life - few people have the resources to achieve everything they aspire to - you'll need to pick the three or four goals that are most important to you. Focus on those. If you're a mature student, you may have different goals -- read Success Tips for Mature College Students for help.

3. Learn when to say no, and when to say yes. Limit your paid work hours, study groups, volunteer roles, etc. to what

What are you avoiding at work -- and are you making the job bigger by putting it off?

"Procrastination is, hands down, our favorite form of self-sabotage," said Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby.

Whether or not you're sabotaging yourself, you might be affecting other people's careers and stress levels! The causes of procrastination include fear of failure, negative beliefs ("I can't do it well, so why bother?") and perfectionism.

These ways to overcome procrastination will help you get things done at work, which will create a happier, healthier work environment.

1. Find out what your lateness does to others. "The perpetually tardy stay in happy denial about the effect of their lateness on others," writes Julie Morgenstern in Shed Your Stuff. "Raising your awareness can make you think twice before throwing your own schedule into turmoil." She suggests asking your colleagues what happens for them when you're late, and how your tardiness affects them.

2. Become aware of

The only thing worse than being sick is spending money you don't have on your health! Here are five tips for saving money on health care, from one of my favorite financial experts: Ethan Ewing of Bills.com.

1. Keep up to date with your health checkups. Do not skimp on medical care to save a few dollars, especially if a health condition requires regular monitoring. Also, make sure your children get all necessary vaccinations. Many insurance plans cover well-child and preventive care visits with a low or no co-payment. Or look into health care clinics for discount health exams and vaccinations. If you're a student, read 8 Tips for Staying Healthy at College .

2. Ask for a discount - Some doctors give patients a cash discount for paying out of pocket. Patients with health insurance should be sure the physicians they see are in the network for a deeper discount on fees. Talk to the manager of patient accounts; many providers will offer discounts of 10-50% if patients have lost jobs

Is your BFF an energy vampire? She is if she gives you "apples" that are actually dripping with poison. Toxic female friendships won't just drag you under and keep you down, they can actually make you unhealthy, anxious, and depressed.

Here are several signs of friends who aren't really friends -- and what you can do about it...

Signs of Toxic Female Friendships:

• You don't discuss your successes for fear of jealousy, criticism, or negative feedback
• You make all the effort to stay in touch; she never calls, she never writes
• You leave your visits feeling deflated, exhausted, angry, or depressed
• You're constantly "cleaning up" after your friend
• You lie for your friend
• Your friend gossips or spreads rumors
• Your friend flirts with your boyfriend, husband, or life partner
• Your friend needs constant physical, spiritual, or emotional support
• You don't respect or support how your friend is living her life
• You can't be yourself in your