Stand Against Fear

Journalists know that "what leads - bleeds". People read newspapers and listen to news when there are exciting - not boring - things happening. Twenty-four-hour internet and television broadcasts can throw you into a world of crisis very easily so you need to be careful.

Recently, we have been hearing about the presence and pandemic possibilities of the corona virus. Now I am not ignoring the fact that we are facing a problem but, at the same time, I have lived through eras of measle outbreaks, tuberculosis and polio so I tend to believe in the expression my grandmother used to say. This too shall pass.

In the meantime, how can we latch onto wisdom when we are facing fear:

1. Be prepared - Canadian and United States panels who have been interviewed about tactics for the population have recommended several things. One is to have a store of food and medications on hand including those that have been prescribed as well as cough syrups and fever reducers. Frozen, canned and dried products are safe for long periods of time so you can invest in some inventory.
2. Learn new skills - Think about ways that you can stretch your time and dollars with simple recipes, meal plans and learning ways to do repairs.
3. Use common sense - Exposing yourself to possible dangers is just foolish. I often wonder what hikers who illegally enter communist countries were thinking. Try to avoid being around individuals who are infected. Disinfect areas that could be germ collectors.
4. Follow proven health practices - There is medical evidence that supports washing your hands for twenty seconds with soap and warm water as the best defense against germs. One of the clients told me that singing the "Happy Birthday to you" song takes approximately twenty seconds and can be used as a timing device when washing.
5. Consider your options - Do you want to increase risk by flying or being in environments where there are large groups of people? Should you go to work when you are sick knowing that you are increasing the possibility of becoming sicker or infecting others? Is it wise to sit in a hospital Emergency Room or crowded waiting room to see a physician? There aren't enough testing kits or any corona vaccine yet so you will likely be told to go home, drink fluids, rest and treat your fever with an over-the-counter medication.
6. Know when and how to seek help - Stay informed. Health Link, documents written by medical professionals and media interviews of professionals will help to define the symptoms of concern and the best strategies to deal with them.
7. Make good financial choices - You or a family member may need to miss work and lose income. Now is the time to curb unnecessary spending and ensure that your finances are in order.
8. Respect others - Avoid shaking hands, coughing on others and going into public if you are sick.

I am not a medical doctor, but I have worked with people who can be either impulsive or immobilized by fear. There isn't any guarantee that you will become sick or avoid illness. You can, however, use the points above to help you make good choices and gain some control.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Stand-Against-Fear&id=10263839

How the Brain Works to Learn New Skills

The way science, sports, and education approach learning new skills does not follow the way our brain works. Science now knows the brain is a complex neurological organism that rewires itself as it learns and refines skills, but the science of how the brain learns has not been integrated into the lexicon yet.

Academia teaches as if the conscious, thinking part of the brain can learn by itself. The thinking part of the brain evolved after the older, sensory brain.

All input to the thinking brain comes from the sensory brain. In fact, the sensory brain processes millions of bits of information in any given moment, but sends just a fraction of that data (16 - 40 bits) to the thinking brain.

The sensory brain receives its information from the body, through the senses: what we hear, see, touch, taste, smell, and what touches us.

How are the senses activated? By movement. Science confirms all information the brain processes is through movement. Some neuroscientists such as Daniel Wolpert Ph.D. go so far as to say the only reason the brain exists is because we move.

Neuroscientists such as Michael Merzenich, Ph.D. have studied the correlation of movement with how we think. In one experiment he showed that as a skill is learned fewer irrelevant parts of the body are used, and that as the movements become more precise and refined, neurons fire faster. He further showed that the faster neurons fire, the faster we think. Another important study Merzenich conducted showed that our ability to think more clearly directly correlates with the quality of our movements.

How do we determine the quality of our movements? Science identifies which muscles should be used during a movement such as a golf swing. Sports and exercise focus on which muscles to use during an activity as well. The problem is if you are using the correct muscles to perform an action you feel nothing. Why would your brain need to let you know if you are using the "right"muscles? The focus should be on what muscles you feel and whether you are limited in some way during an action. Feeling the burn is your brain sending alarm signals to stop doing the movement in the same way. When you feel stiff, sore, discomfort, or pain your brain is telling you to change the way you are moving.

Science and sports/fitness focus on isolated parts of the body such as just using the biceps in a weight-training curl. The brain is concerned about how the entire structure is balancing through every movement such that the body is constantly adjusting. In addition every movement should travel through the structure such that no movement is isolated to a particular component (such as a lower arm). Great rock climbers know that to establish an effective hand hold they must be relaxed through the wrist, elbow and shoulder joint to allow the rest of the body to support the hold. Doing isolated movements to strengthen some parts of the body may unintentionally cause limitations to a particular skill. Every activity you do should be about how your entire body moves within it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-the-Brain-Works-to-Learn-New-Skills&id=9408080

8 Mindset Shifts Needed to Go From Older Employee to 'Silverpreneur'

Whatever your age, to stay on top of things in a fast-changing world, you have to learn new skills. For an increasing number of individuals, figuring out how to become an entrepreneur later in life is one of them.

More and more mature employees are realizing that to move on from where they are, they need to cast off the burden of employment and reinvent themselves as "silver entrepreneurs" with businesses of their own.

Much of the recent rise in self-employment in the United Kingdom from 2008 to 2013 (some 84 percent) can be attributed to those 50 and older, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation reported in 2009 that in the decade prior, entrepreneurial activity in the United States "the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity belongs to the 55-64 age group."   

Entrepreneurship is not just a young person’s game. And far from being a sign of midlife crisis, leaving behind the apparent safety of employment when you’re 50 makes perfect sense.

The following eight points are worth considering and might change your outlook as you ponder a possible move from older employee to "silverpreneur."

1. Having a job no longer offers security.

Being in a job doesn’t make you secure. That’s the hard truth that many have had to confront in the years since the recent financial crisis. And just because the economy is recovering well, doesn’t mean the same crisis could not happen happen.

Recent world events show how quickly things can change, often with unknown consequences. Which is why more and more companies are looking to build flexibility into their business by taking on fewer permanent staff and looking to ensure they can shed jobs easily should the worst happen.  

2. Your current job is disappearing.

Even if you are not being pushed out of your job right now, you won’t find it as easy to find a similar post, at a similar level, as you once might have. That’s because the role you currently perform is increasingly being replaced by new and different roles, or will be given to younger newcomers willing to work hard for less.

3. Technology innovations are arriving faster.

There was a time when robots were thought of as science fiction. Today, robots (or at least sophisticated software programs) are performing tasks that used to be done by highly trained and skilled professionals.

4. Knowledge and experience are an advantage.

Soon, as many as four generations will be working together, meaning that your career ladder could be cut off prematurely by younger techno-savvy employees who might even become your boss.

But your wealth of experience need not go to waste if you choose to start up your own business. Other Kauffman Foundation research found that many founders of successful companies didn’t set them up until they 40 or older. So see your age and the experience you have accumulated -- from wherever it comes -- as an advantage.

5. Setting up a business is easier.

It’s easier than ever these days to set up a business, given the low cost of technology. You no longer have to set up a bricks-and-mortar business with expensive premises or lots of stock to pay for. You can now succeed with an online business with just a good idea and a small budget to spend on IT equipment and software.

Lower startup costs mean less risk, so it should be easier to convince others that becoming a silverpreneur isn’t madness. And the best time to get going is while you still have a job.

6. Raising capital is possible.

If you need funding, you may well have some financial reserves to draw on or be in a strong position to borrow, as you have a financial track record.

And with several crowd-funding platforms to chose from, you can raise money even more quickly and easily. You just need a compelling pitch for others to believe in your idea and help you succeed.

7. A comfortable retirement is often just a dream.

Retirement is now an outdated concept that you need to revise. It’s not just a case that the retirement age is continuing to creep up or that many are need to keep working to maintain a lifestyle. The fact is, you should be looking to make a contribution in some form throughout your life so as to make you feel younger for longer.

It just doesn’t make sense to throw away all your knowledge and experience just because of a particular date on the calendar. With life spans increasing, you could easily change your career when you're 50 or 60 or embark on an exciting entrepreneurial venture for the next 20 to 30 years.

So why be stuck in a dull retirement when you could take control of your life and do something interesting, rewarding and fulfilling while contributing to society at the same time?

8. Life is about continuous learning.

One way to improve quality of life as people live longer by keeping thier brains active through continuous learning. The day you stop learning is the day you start becoming old, independently of your biological age.

There will be those who tell you that entrepreneurs are born and not made. When it comes to serial superstars like Richard Branson, that may be true, but there are more than enough examples of mature professionals who successfully set out on their own in later years. Look at Ray Kroc who set up McDonald's at age 52.

So, if you want to be a silverpreneur, what should you do?

Simply change your mindset. You’re probably thinking you’re too set in your ways and that you can’t possibly do something so radical. I’m here to tell you that you can -- if you want. Life is shaped by the decisions you make.

So stop labeling yourself according to your age or what you’ve done for a career to date. By seeing yourself as a manager, accountant or marketer, you’re subconsciously telling yourself that’s what you are and this stops your reinvention.

If you need business training or guidance (and you almost certainly will if you’ve only ever been an employee), find the right courses and programs that will give you the needed skills. Better still, find a mentor, someone with business experience to provide feedback about what you’re doing or intending to do. You’ll learn faster and avoid costly mistakes.

And with economies around the world still so uncertain becoming a "silverpreneur" is the best retirement plan because only then will you be in control of your life and your future.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/238982