Being Mindful Essay

Being Mindful â€Å"Mindfulness described as being in the present moment† (Wood, 2010). The present moment holds a potentially infinite number of things going on both inside the mind and outside the mind. A person is not completely lost in an activity, nor are they completely lost in thought, whether a person is eating a meal, or playing a musical instrument, they are aware of what they are doing. If a person gets all of the worries and regrets out of their mind, it is easier to focus on the things that are happening in the present. A person simply observes whatever is happening, without taking sides or forming attachments to any one single mindset. They are mindful when the mind is open to new thoughts, new ideas, new possibilities, and new ways of thinking. Being mindful contributes to greater effectiveness in the here and now, not the there and then. A person’s mind is not automatically blinded by judgment, evaluation or any one rigid way of thinking, it is the person themselves that create this mind set. In a person’s day-to-day experiences, the conscious mind is always struggling to keep up with the endless flow of changes in the external world. To make the job easier, the mind creates a series of generalizations and assumptions about the world, so we as people believe that we do not have to do as much thinking. Whatever is going on, whether we are working, running, or enjoying a meal, we should always be aware of what is going on around us. Someone should not be overburdened with worries or even dreams of the future, and should not be full of regret or longing for any part of the past, just enjoy experiencing the present moment to its fullest. These three things are important while being mindfulness: Observing with all our senses, one-mindfully (think of one thing at a time), notice when the mind goes somewhere other than the present, and when it does that’s when one needs to then pull it back. University of Rochester researchers report that individuals who are mindful are in tune with their emotions and do act in ways that are compatible with their values and interests. Mindfulness, which is an enhancement of attention too, and awareness of the present, can be linked to better moods, higher self-esteem, a greater life satisfaction, and optimism in all signs of positive psychological health (Rochester, 2010). â€Å"Mindfulness appears to heighten the joys one can experience in everyday events, as well as to be in better touch with what one really needs and feels, It helps people make better choices in a complexworld,† says Ryan, a professor of psychology and psychiatry. To be mindful a person has to put aside their worries about the future and regrets about the past. This can be really liberating since much of what upsets us has happened in other times than the present. I remember listening to my child, tell me about the week they ahead for them of school, but the whole time I was thinking about work that day and what I was going to have to accomplish tomorrow. As the week went on my child came to me and said,† Mommy do you remember I told you about our field trip that we have tomorrow, and you said we could go tonight and get my lunch for the fieldtrip? † Then I realized that she had told me all about it, on that day she was speaking to me; my mind that day had been filled with worries of what had happened at work and of what was, going to happen at work, not on the present moment, it made feel agitated that I had done this to my child. That I had not been very mindful to my child’s needs as I was more concerned with work and the days ahead of me, rather than what I had right there in front of me, that should have been the only thing on my mind at that present moment. In conclusion if more people were mindful to what is in the present moment, be it a parent that is listening to their child, or a student listening to their instructor, parents may have a better understanding of their children and students may have a chance to pass their next test. Being mindful can be a difficult change, but with practice, it is a change many people can make successfully. To have this success a person must remember these three elements: 1) observing with all the senses, 2) one-mindfully (think of one thing at a time) and 3) notice when your mind goes somewhere other than the present, then that is when one needs to pull it back. References Rochester (2010) RetreiviedOctober 2010 From http://www. rochester. edu/news Wood, J. T. (2010). Interpersonal Communication. Wadsworth Cengage Publishing.

Factors Influencing Working Capital Essay

The working capital needs of a firm are determined and influenced by various factors. A wide variety of considerations may affect the quantum of working capital required and these considerations may vary from time to time. The working capital needed at one point of time may not be good enough for some other situation. The determination of working capital requirement is a continuous process and must be undertaken on a regular basis in the light of the changing situations. Following are some of the factors which are relevant in determining the working capital needs of the firm: 1. Basic Nature of Business: The working capital requirement is closely related to the nature of the business of the firm. In case of a retail shop or a trading firm, the amount of working capital required is small enough. Most of the transactions are undertaken in cash and the length of the operating cycle is generally small. The trading concerns usually have smaller needs of working capital, however, in certain cases, large inventories of goods may be required and consequently the working capital may be large. In case of financial concerns (engaged in financial business) there may not be stock of goods but these firms do have to maintain sufficient liquidity all the times. In case of manufacturing concerns, different types of production processes are performed. One unit of raw material introduced in the production schedule may take a long period before it is available as finished goods for sale. Funds are blocked not only in raw materials but also in labor expenses and overheads at every stage of production. The operating cycle is usually a longer one and sales are made generally on credit terms. So, in case of manufacturing concerns, there is a requirement of substantial working capital. 2. Business Cycle Fluctuations: Different phases of business cycle i.e., boom, recession, recovery etc. also affect the working capital requirement. In case of boom conditions, inflationary pressure appears and business activities expand. As a result, the overall need for cash, inventories etc. increases resulting in more and more funds blocked in these current assets. Â  In case of recession period however, there is usually a dullness in business activities and there will be an opposite effect on the level of working capital requirement. There will be a fall in inventories and cash requirement etc. 3. Seasonal Operations: If a firm is operating in goods and services having seasonal fluctuations in demand, then the working capital requirement will also fluctuate with every change. In a cold drink factory, the demand will certainly be higher during summer season and therefore, more working capital is required to maintain higher production, in the form of larger inventories and bigger receivables. On the other hand, if the operations are smooth and even through out the year then the working capital requirement will be constant and will not be affected by the seasonal factors. 4. Market Competitiveness: The market competitiveness has an important bearing on the working capital needs of a firm. In view of the competitive conditions prevailing in the market, the firm may have to offer liberal credit terms to the customers resulting in higher debtors. Even larger inventories may be maintained to serve an order as and when received; otherwise the customer may go to some other supplier. Thus, the working capital tends to be high as a result of greater investment in inventories and receivable. On the other hand, a monopolistic firm may not require larger working capital. It may ask the customers to pay in advance or to wait for some time after placing the order. 5. Credit Policy: The credit policy means the totality of terms and conditions on which goods are sold and purchased. A firm has to interact with two types of credit policies at a time. One, the credit policy of the supplier of raw materials, goods etc., and two, the credit policy relating to credit which it extends to its customers. In both the cases, however, the firm while deciding its credit policy, has to take care of the credit policy of the market. For example, a firm might be purchasing goods and services on credit terms but selling goods only for cash. The working capital requirement of this firm will be lower than that of a firm which is purchasing cash but has to sell on credit basis. 6. Supply Conditions: The time taken by a supplier of raw materials, goods etc. after placing an order, also determines the working capital requirement. If goods are received as soon as or in a short period after placing an order, then the purchaser will not like to maintain a high level of inventory of that good. Otherwise, larger inventories should be kept e.g., in case of imported goods. It is often seen that the shopkeepers may not be keeping stock of all items, but whenever there is a demand, they procure from the wholesaler/producer and supply it to their customers. Thus, the working capital requirement of a firm is determined by a host of factors. Every consideration is to be weighted relatively to determine the working capital requirement. Further, the determination of working capital requirement is not once a while exercise, rather a continuous review must be made in order to assess the working capital requirement in the changing situation. There are various reasons which may require the review of the working capital requirement e.g., change in credit policy, change in sales volume etc.

Animal Characteristics Used in A Doll’s House

Animal Characteristics Used in A Dolls House An Analysis of the Significance of Animal Characteristics Used in A Doll’s House Reflective Statement Discussion of A Doll’s House in class reach me deeply and implored new perspectives on traditional gender roles in different cultures such as Europe in the late 1800s. I relate to Henrik Ibsen’s humanist work as opposed to A Doll’s House being completely feminist. To say A Doll’s House is a feminist work would be redundant. Feminism is the fight for the equality of the sexes and Ibsen’s A Doll’s House explores this very theme. Being human is not confined to just being male or female but having characteristics that define an individual. Christine’s character is a prime example of escapism in the play and the other works we’ve studied have generally the same motif. In each culture, In this paper, an analysis will be done on Ibsen’s use of animal characteristics. Throughout the play, the characters Torval d and Nora call to each other and themselves various animals like â€Å"Lark† and â€Å"Squirrel†. On occasion, Ibsen’s A Doll’s House has been referred to as a feminist work and although themes of feminism are present, the overall effect Ibsen makes is a humanist perspective of the characters lives. The significance of animal characteristics shows a development in Nora’s character and introduces the type of man Torvald is. Ibsen also uses animal characteristics to reveal the deeper relationship between Nora and Torvald. Verbal irony is conveyed through the use of animal characteristics. The play opens with Nora coming upon the stage laden with Christmas gifts for the children, a horse and sword, trumpets and dolls and cradles. Although the items are tiny things, inexpensive and useless it conveys how much love Nora has. She carries also a little bag of macaroons that she hides when Torvald questions her about. The initial thought of Nora is she sp ends exuberant amounts of money and is rightfully called a spendthrift by Torvald. Nora’s character can be interpreted as charming and dishonest, always flitting, never resting, light-hearted, inconsequent airhead. The entrance of Christine’s character reveals Nora’s dark secret and her character no longer seems transparent. † Free. To be free, absolutely free. To spend time playing with the children. To have a clean, beautiful house, the way Torvald likes it.† Nora tells Christine that she will be â€Å"free† after she has paid off her debt to Krogstad. her anticipated freedom symbolizes her need to be independent of Torvald. Within that, Nora highlights the factors that constrain her. Although she claims that freedom will give her time to be a mother and a traditional wife that maintains a beautiful home as her husband likes it, she leaves her children and Torvald at the end of the play. One main theme of the play is that true freedom cannot be found in a traditional domestic lifestyle. Nora’s character develops intricately and her understanding of the word â€Å"free† is changes clearly. Nora becomes aware of the fact that she must change her life to find true freedom, and Nora recognizes that freedom includes independence from societal constraints and her ability to examine in depth her own personality, goals, and beliefs.The characteristics of a lark signify that Torvald believes that Nora is small compared to the his perspective. † That is like a woman!†¦you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing.† (Ibsen p. 2) To explore the relationship between Nora and all the other characters one must see that not only did Torvald treat women like children, he also treats lesser men in the workplace as expendable and replaceable. â€Å"But instead of Krogstad, you could dismiss some other clerk.†. He exerts his dominance over others, running over the thoughts and feelings of su rrounding humans. It’s a sweet little bird, but it gets through a terrible amount of money. You wouldn’t believe how much it costs a man when he’s got a little song-bird like you!† Nora express the conclusion she draws from the deep reality of their marriage her view of Torvald’s character at the end of Act Three. â€Å"I have existed merely to perform tricks for you, Torvald. But you wanted it like that. You and father have committed a great sin against me. It is your fault that I have made nothing of my life. Our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was papa’s doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls. I thought it great fun when you played with me, just as they thought it great fun when I played with them. That is what our marriage has been, Torvald.† She realizes her life has been a performance and she has acted the part of the happy, child-like wife for Torvald and for her father. Nora sees that her father and Torvald pressured her to behave a certain way and recognizes it to be â€Å"great wrong† that stifled her development as an adult and as a human being. She has made â€Å"nothing† of her life because she has existed only to please men. Following this realization, Nora leaves Torvald in order to make something of her life and becomes independent of other people. Nora has an underlining care for her husband because she reacts abruptly when Nils tries to blackmail her. She understands how important appearance is for Helmer but she resents the way he’s been treating her. â€Å"How painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald to know that he owed me anything! It would upset our mutual relations altogether.† (Ibsen p.9) â€Å"You don’t talk or think like the man I could bind myself to. When your first panic was over — not about what threatened me, but about what might happen to you — and when there was no more danger, then, as far as you were concerned, it was just as if nothing had happened at all. I was simply your little songbird, your doll, and from now on you would handle it more gently than ever because it was so delicate and fragile. At that moment, Torvald, I realized that for eight years I’d been living her with a strange man and that I’d borne him three children. Oh, I can’t bear to think of it — I could tear myself to little pieces!† Bibliography A Doll’s House Ibsen, Henrik. Global Classics, 1879.

The United States on the World Stage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The United States on the World Stage - Essay Example Successful as these programs were for America during its time, one cannot help but wonder as to whether things would have turned out for the better or worst for America if these programs had not been successfully implemented. Let's start with a look at the era of â€Å"Reaganomics† and what America might have been like had it not been implemented at all. Reaganomics was based on the program of governance that balance the national budget and created savings for the country by implementing 4 basic steps: â€Å"(1) Cut tax rates to restore incentives for economic growth , (2) Spending reductions , (3), Anti-inflation monetary policy restraining money supply growth compared to demand, to maintain a stronger, more stable dollar value. (4) Deregulation, which saved consumers an estimated $100 billion per year in lower prices. â€Å" (Ferrera,2011) The system worked in the 80's for the American population and the budget cuts resulted in a surplus of treasury savings which the Clint on administration inherited. It prevented the downward spiral of the economy and allowed the treasury time to recover and earn the taxes needed to cover the national debts (â€Å"The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics†). ... Life became harder for everyone under Reaganomics while before it was implemented, life was alright for most American families. There are those who believe that if Reaganomics had not been implemented, the United States would have gone one of two ways, died economically due to the cost of inflation and the eventual inability of the United States to pay its debts or, continued on its â€Å"life is still affordable† trend that the typical American family was experiencing. Maybe the time of single income families sending their kids off to affordable colleges and universities would still be norm these days instead of student loans and a generation of high school graduates who can't afford college. That is if the taxes were continuing to become higher in rates would eventually stop rising and increasing the costs of basic goods. So maybe, just maybe, the country is somehow better off than if Reaganomics did not exist. Otherwise, the public would not know that there is another way o f cutting the debt and balancing the national budget than the constantly increasing government revenue collections that the Obama administration strongly advocates. Then we have the â€Å"End of the Cold War† to consider. The end of the cold war marked a sort of unification in Europe that allowed tensions between the democratic and socialist European countries to find a platform of peace and camaraderie with one another (Mearshimer, 1990). However, it would seem that the unification of Europe under the Euro, which would not have happened had the cold war not ended, has resulted in more problems for the united European economy that expected. Pres. Ronald Reagan is viewed by the Americans as the man who brought peace to Europe and ended the cold war.

Human Resource Management Program in Electronic Firm in Ontario Case Study - 1

Human Resource Management Program in Electronic Firm in Ontario - Case Study Example Evaluators are likely to dismiss or assign scores based on their liking. Third, the success rate of the test is extremely low which raises eyebrows. If only 20% are likely to pass the test then it seems like its serving a totally different purpose other than the intended. 50% success rate would be reasoning enough if the tests were valid and reliable (Gatewood, et al., 2011). Based on the above-highlighted problems reported on the selection program, a more motivating program that serves a relevant purpose should be adopted. First, the management team should devise and develop academic/mental interview questions and evaluation criteria that can assess employees in the electronic arena which is relevant to their job descriptions and not ask outrageous questions. To test for practical skills, the panel should ask the employees to perform some relevant operations using electronic equipment and replace the metal peg activity (Gatewood, et al., 2011). Also, much more transparency in the manner in which the procedure is undertaken should be enhanced such as openly printing out the results with the score criteria clearly elaborated. The union has valid arguments that can be backed up by the payment/compensation packages offered by the company. It can compare the kind of work the employees do with the remuneration. As reported, the company seeks to hire inexperienced workers so as to pay them as little as possible. Consequently, the confidentiality of the procedure is a point worth noting. The union can claim that the examinees’ results are tampered with since they are enclosed. Thirdly, the invalidity of the test questions is a strong argument to bring across as the activities asked to be performed are irrelevant to the nature of work. This is an indication that there is a hidden motive (Gatewood, et al., 2011).

Alcoholic Abuse Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Alcoholic Abuse - Assignment Example to "hold their liquor" better than those without such history. Experts suggest some people may inherit a lack of those warning signals that ordinarily make people stop drinking. Research suggest this factor may contribute between 40 per cent and 60 per cent of alcoholism cases related to genetic factors. (alcoholism). Alcoholism in parents increase the risk for violent behaviour and abuse toward their children. Children of alcoholics tend to do worse academically than others. I will be using the Wisconsin Psychometric test as a measuring tool to test this hypothesis on my targeted sample of Children of alcoholic parents, against children of parents who are not alcoholics. I will be using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) for inputting my collected data, which will do the correlations, multicollinearity, and hypothesis. I will assess the incidence of depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem and criminality, of those who are the off spring of alcoholic parents against those who are not. The kind of clear-cut model of the genetic sources of alcoholism perceived by the public and presented in the public tracts does not accurately reflect the state of knowledge in this area. No persuasive genetic mechanism has been proposed to account for accumulated data about alcoholic behaviour, social differences in alcoholism rates or the unfolding of the disease. Biological findings about the offspring of alcoholics have been inconsistent and grounds exist to challenge the notion of an enhanced genetic liability for alcoholism thathas been accepted wisdom for the last decade. Genuine attempts to forge data and theory into genetic models have been limited to men... Abrams and Niura ed (xx), Closing in on Addiction New Findings suggest a biochemical common ground, Social and Biological Theories in a combined Model, National Clearing House For Alcohol and Drug Information. Retrieved on line on March 4, 2006; from Niolon, Richard, Closing In on Addiction New Findings Suggest a Biochemical Common Ground, National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information Retrieved on line on March 2, 2006 from www.psychpage.com/problems/library/alcohol,html

Tiny Little Pieces Fiction pretending to be non-firction Essay

Tiny Little Pieces Fiction pretending to be non-firction - Essay Example Another thing that should be noted is the ability of writers to think about things that could likely take place in some years to come and compile these as works of fiction. Some writers even produce science fictions that are futuristic in nature and while some of these are not happening at the moment, they could be closely related to reality in years to come. These set of science fiction writers produce works based on the scientific developments on ground and try to use their works of fiction to predict what could likely take place in the nearest future. Thus, the closeness of fiction to reality is largely dependent on the writers’ imaginative strength and their ability to think outside the box. It is really very difficult to decide whether or not to call works of literature non-fiction when they are closely related to reality. As explained above, works of fiction are borne out of the imaginative power of the writer and they are works that describe make-believe people and even ts. Non-fictional works are writings that contain facts about the events that take place in reality and are not primarily based on the imaginative ability of the writer. According to Marcus, the differences between non-fictional and fictional narratives are illogical, because â€Å"fact or reality shares the same form as fiction or narrative† (244). There are actually some works of fiction that the fictional elements are used as symbols to represent the events that take place in reality and this means that these so called, ‘works of fiction’ have some elements of reality embedded in them. Though, the people and the events in these works of fiction could be closely related to the ones in reality, this does not necessarily mean that they could be called non-fictional works. As long as these works have some elements of imagination in them and the writers have not claimed that they are based on reality, they should still be termed as works of fiction. Hence, works of literature should not be called non-fiction, even though there are some elements of reality in these messages of fiction. There are some liberty authors that have tried to convert works of fiction into non-fiction and one of them is James Frey in his Million Little Pieces work. Several critics condemned James Frey for converting a fictional work into non-fiction in his Million Little Pieces. Though, Frey has claimed that he did this in order to present a compelling account of the things that he saw around him, but the fact that Frey made it look like he was the one that experienced the things that were presented in his book leaves little to be desired. It is clear that Frey did these in order to arouse the emotions of the readers, but this is actually against the ethics of writing. Frey’s inability or refusal to acknowledge the real source represents another dimension of plagiarism, which is an abuse against writing ethics. It was even after the book had received wide acclai m that it was discovered that Frey invented the major events in the book and he never really experienced them. The fact that Frey tried to convert a work of fiction into n