Swing

Let's ditch New Year's resolutions.

Since most people drop theirs before January is over, why not think about what's really important to you and do that instead?

Ask yourself: What is so exhilarating a goal that it takes your breath away? What makes you go: WOW!!??

In his manifesto, 279 Days to Overnight Success, Chris Guillebeau writes that one of his goals is to read 50 books a year (Apart from traveling to at least 20 countries … oh, yeah, he is reading on the plane … and organizing big events). Wow! These are goals that get me excited. What a way to fall in love with your future.

What will do that for you? What will set your heart on fire?

Most likely, it's the goals you've talked yourself out of: Wearing frivolous red shoes to work. Finding that someone special. Leaving a job that doesn't fulfill you, having a baby, asking for a raise, working less, sleeping more, drawing big colorful paintings, throwing lavish dinner parties, etc.

You've convinced

Read More »from Fall in Love with Your Future

Illustration by Scott BakalBy Christa Martin

In 1989 Pamela Weiss quit her office job to spend a summer at a Buddhist monastery outside Carmel, California. That summer turned into two years and, eventually, a new title: Zen Buddhist monk.

RELATED: If You Need a Push...8 Top Coaches Offer Irresistible Motivation

Now Weiss offers mindfulness workshops to corporations like Genentech and Twitter through her company, Appropriate Response. Weiss, 49, believes that "bringing your whole self to work-mind, heart, and body-helps you find the best response to a situation." (Better than, say, firing off an angry e-mail after a heated meeting or stressing out before a big deadline.) Here, she shares four ways to infuse your cubicle with calm.

RELATED: Your Brilliant (Next) Career...and How to Find It

Find your footing: Next time you're feeling overwhelmed, press your feet against the floor. "By establishing a strong physical foundation, you bring a sense of balance to the body," says Weiss.

Become a beginner: If you find

Read More »from 4 Ways to Increase Your Workplace Well-Being This Year

Photo Courtesy OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network"People with money do not inspire me. People who live a wealthy life regardless of what they have and they don't have, those people inspire me." ~Suze Orman

On the eve of her new show, "America's Money Class with Suze Orman," America's most trusted personal finance advisor and best-selling author offered some valuable advice on financial planning in marriage and education, predictions for the economy in 2012, and why her new show is the greatest gift she could have given herself.

Shine: Can you give us a brief 2012 economic forecast?

Suze Orman: I think that 2012 is not going to be an easy year, but I have been saying that now for many years. In comparison to what is going to be happening in other countries, we are not going to look quite as bad. I do think that you are going to see real estate in many of the areas, the sand states--Florida, Las Vegas, or Arizona-probably continue to go down. In big metropolitan areas, real estate has probably hit its bottom-New York City.

Read More »from Exclusive: Suze Orman Talks Money Secrets

7 great free computer programs...Whether you're a blogger, designer, writer, or are doing any other work from home, we know that your computer (and the Internet!) is your best friend. We also know that buying the latest computer software can get pricey, which is why we scoured the Internet for websites that offer valuable and useful computer programs for absolutely free. Whether you're looking for a free alternative to Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, or Photoshop - you've come to the right place. Check out our list of 7 totally FREE computer programs you must know about if you're working from home:






Dropbox.com
1. Dropbox
Dropbox is a file storage and backup system that allows you to share files between computers and mobile devices, and also access them online from anywhere.
Download Dropbox


Gimp.com
2. Gimp
Gimp is an awesome photo editing software that allows you to quickly and easily crop and resize photos, add text, and much more. It took me a little bit to figure out how to really use it, but now I use it everyday to edit photos,

Read More »from 7 Free Computer Programs Great for Freelancers

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Whether you're dying to work at a particular company or just want a complete career overhaul, landing that initial interview is always the first hurdle. But there's more to securing that first meeting than applying online or calling prospective employers' human resources department. The following tips help you take your career destiny into your own hands with a strategy that will help you land the interview of your dreams.

1. Revamp your résumé
No one likes updating his or her résumé, but a perfect polish is the very first thing that helps to make you stand out from the job-applying pack. To do it right, start from scratch. Look back at your jobs through a different lens-and be proud about what you've done. Your enthusiasm and pride will show through as you rewrite the content. And though this might be obvious, don't forget to put your biggest and most recent accomplishments at the top. While important, the college you attended 10 years ago isn't quite as important as

Read More »from 7 Steps to Scoring Your Dream Job Interview

Avoid the online sale traps! Follow these three tips before you click to buy.

By Beth Kobliner

You zip through a 70-percent-off flash sale online, waffle about the wedge sandals in your virtual cart, realize the deal's about to end, and - click! - they're yours. Sound familiar? To avoid overspending on sale items online, just follow these three tips:

Related: 3 Women Who Learned to Be Happy Living on Less Money

Hit "pause" if your dream dress is out of stock.
If you log on for a Web-only sample sale and find your fave item already gone, you might be tempted to buy something else. In a recent study, shoppers were 47 percent more likely to purchase an item when a similar one was sold out. Tell yourself, "Try again tomorrow," and get outta there!

Don't keep your credit card on file.
Doing so puts you on the fast track to one-click impulse purchases. Opt to enter your payment info each time, and use those extra minutes for an Is it really worth it? gut check.

End online buyer's Read More »from 3 Ways to Avoid Overspending Online

By Stephanie Rogers

Most of us spend more time with our colleagues and bosses than our partners, kids and friends. If that's not motivation to make sure your job is a good fit, what is? The job you choose can determine how physically and mentally healthy you are, your standard of living, your future prospects and whether you look back at your life at the brink of death and feel like you did your best. Consider these 10 signs that it's time to quit, and you might just set yourself onto a much more fulfilling path.

Just about any task is better than doing your job.

When you're at work, you'll do just about anything to avoid performing the tasks that are assigned to you. You play around on Facebook, browse the internet and organize your vacation photos. In fact, you're happy to perform menial tasks like taking out the trash and running errands for the boss - anything that will keep you away from your job for another five minutes. In other words, your work is utterly joyless for you.

Read More »from 10 Signs It's Time to Leave Your Job

Aries (March 21 - April 19) It'd be nice to take the time to reflect on the recent past, but you can't afford to sit around for any reason -- you have too much to get done today. If you find your energy pulled backward, suppress the urge -- do your best to snap out of it and focus on what's ahead instead. Today's Aries Reading: Free Sample Chinese Luck Prosperity and Longevity Reading

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) You'll have more success around home and hearth than you will in the business world, and you wouldn't want it any other way. Your intuition is spot-on when it tells you to use a personal day, so don't hesitate to do just that. Today's Taurus Reading: Free Sample Love Meter

Gemini (May 21 - June 21) You like to feel a bit of a financial squeeze to get yourself motivated to action every now and again, and today

Read More »from Astrology.Com Daily FinanceScopes - Monday January 9, 2012