Personal Growth and Development – Page 22

June 29, 2012July 4, 2012

Using Your Personal Power Correctly

Because “The First Covenant of The Affluent Class” is just how everything works, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings.

And because it’s all cause and effect, and what you have given your attention to and empowered with strong feelings is what you have created more of.

Therefore we can be aware of the quality of the things showing up and from there realize the quality of how we’ve used our personal power in creating them.

This video shows you how to empower your “goals, desires and dreams” – the right way, by using your personal power as we’re all meant to.

How are you going to apply the insights from this video?

It can be life-changing when you allow it to be.

Please let me know in the Comments section. And do share this videos with your Facebook friends, Twitter followers and others who would also find it helpful and would love you for sharing it with them.

(Just use the stylish less than ‘<‘ button in the lower right of the video to give it to your friends, followers and email contacts easily.

As you saw in the video, I’m here to give you valuable coaching and make sure we’re applying these insights to what’s happening in your life, through our Personal Growth Community.

Also make sure you’re doing our “Crash Course on Creating Your Ideal Life” which is our $197 free gift to you.

Warmly,

Dan Klatt
“Think And Grow Rich Guy”
Personal Growth Cafe Head Coach

……Serving as Your WealthSensei!

June 27, 2012July 4, 2012

Planning an Inspiring Summer

As the seasons change, we tend to reflect on how we’veprogressed the past few months and what we’d like to do now.Would you like to feel motivated to learn new things,do something interesting andaccomplish worthwhile goals? You can use this summer to bring these desires to life!

How will you ignite your passions as the weather heats up?

Explore these ideas for planning your most inspiring summer ever:

1. Take a personal inventory.Think about what you want and need in your life right now. Do you desire closer relationships? Perhaps you want to develop knowledge in a particular subject area. Maybe the one thing you seek most is more adventure in your life. This summer is a good time to try these things out.

• For example, if you’ve been working a lot of overtime, maybe you’ll conclude that what you really need is more quality time with family and some fun in your life. Think about what’s missing emotionally for you right now and promise yourself to include it in your life this summer.

2. Ask yourself, “What do I really want to do?”Make a list of the short-term and long-term goals you wish to accomplish. This is the time for some serious soul-searching. When making your list, decide whether to focus most on your professional or personal life.

• If it’s a personal list, you might include items like, “Keep my cool when dealing with my teenagers” and “Exercisefive times a week.”However, plans such as, “Save for a trip to Italy next year” and “Walk a section of the Appalachian Trail in September” might also appear. Consider this list your short-term bucket list.

• On your professional list, list entries like, “Research topic X” or “Complete a quarterly report on my achievements for the boss.” Also, “Resolve negative feelings toward Jane Doe at work” and “Talk with my manager about taking on Project B” may appear.

• When writing your professional list, keep in mind that your ultimate goals are to ignite deeper interests, resolve troubling issues, and promote your work life this summer.

3. Discuss summer schedules now. For many, becoming inspired will involve other people. Tell your spouse or friends that you’re planning a summer that will be stimulating, motivating and full of accomplishments. Share your intentions. Listen to their ideas.

• If you’ve got a close friend, they might want to jump on board to plan their own inspiring summer along with you and share some of your activities, too.

• Schedule time with people you learn from and admire. After all, getting inspired is a spiritual journey you take with the help of others.

4. Plan a trip this summer.Speaking of journeys, even if it’s only a long weekend, nothing inspires us like seeing brand new sights. When you travel, your mind is removed from the more mundane tasks of everyday life. You’re physically and spiritually transported to a place where everything is new and different.

• Maybe you’ll outline that novel you’ve always wanted to write or create a master financial plan for the next 20 years. Taking a vacation will invigorate your thinking and deepen your interests in new people, places and things.

5. Select three short-term goals to accomplish by summer’s end. Clip them from the list. Stick them on your refrigerator. Place a second copy on your bathroom mirror. Stash them in your car. Gear up to achieve success.

If you take time to assess what you want and how you intend to get there, you’ll experience one of your most inspiring summers ever. Don’t delay! Start today to plan your bestsummer ever.

June 27, 2012July 4, 2012

Does Your Child Play Well With Others? Boosting Their Social Success

Establishing social relationships is one of the earliest milestones children of school age achieve. These interactions begin to build what will be their lifelong socialization habits. Learning how to meet new people, make friends, and get along with others are all critical skills.

Some children, however, arechallenged more than others in this important area of life. If you recognize that your childis struggling with making friends and sustaining connections, you can implement strategies to help them succeed socially.

Use these techniques to help your child learn important social skills that will serve them well their entire life:

1. Establish and maintain open communication. Provide plenty of verbal encouragement to help your child build confidence in social interactions.

2. Keep your eyes open. Notice how your child relates to other children in the neighborhood, at school and during extracurricular activities.

• Does he seem excessively shy? Does he stand alone, waiting for others to approach him? Or do classmates make efforts but he doesn’t respond? You can gather information about your child’s social life simply by observing him in the presence of peers.

• When your child performs socially appropriate behavior, mention it later.Say something like, “It was nice of you to offer a cookie to Jim today.” Reinforce any positiveactions you observed.

3. Set up a play date at your house. Talk with your child first about inviting a friend to come over to play. For example, you could start the conversation by asking her opinion, like,“Sally, would you like for Patty to come over to play Saturday morning?”

• Sally will most likely say, “Yes.” If she says “no,” inquire about why she doesn’twant Patty to come over.

• Arrange the play date with the other parent(s). To ensure the kids won’t get bored or tired, avoid making the first one too long. Depending on your child’s age, 1-2 hours should be adequate. Have somesnacks on hand.

4. Ask your child the day before the playdate how she’d like to spend the time. This conversation promptsher to consider activities she’d enjoy. Allow her to choose the activity as long as it’s safe, inside your home or in your yard, and is feasible (consider the weather).

• If your child doesn’t offer an idea, be encouraging and say, “I’m sure the two of you will come up with something fun to do.” Refrain from micro-managing the play date, if possible.

• This conversation plants the idea that when we have friends over, we share time doing something fun that we both enjoy. Also, she learns that being a friend requires some effort. Posing the question is a subtle way to teach her how to be appropriately social.

5. Make your home a fun place for kids. Doing so might boost your child’s social life. Do you have a family room with a television, DVDs, a video game console, books, board games, or other kid-friendly activities?

6. Spend a bit of time helping your child clean her room. After all, don’t we get ready for company in advance? These efforts illustrate for kids how friends behave and how social relationships are conducted.

7. When the play date occurs, leave the children to their own devices. Usually, two kids can figure out how to spend time. Check on them often to ensure they’re relating well. Intervene only when necessary (if play is too rowdy or loud or one or both kids seem bored).

• Your child will begin building confidence about social relationships after just one successful play date.

Preparing your child for social relationships can be fun for all and quite rewarding. These parenting techniques are fairly simple and yield beautiful results. Help your child learn to interact with others in a positive and meaningful way as they start to explore the world outside your home.

June 25, 2012July 4, 2012

Is Your Job Stressing You Out? 12 Ways to Decompress

As you’ve probably discovered, your work can trigger all kinds of stress reactions. From minor annoyances to heart attacks, on-the-job stress is a major cause of many mental and physical ailments. Are you suffering the consequences of workplace stress?

Consider these questions:

• Do you find yourself feeling annoyed with your supervisor or co-workers?
• Have you been looking for excuses to be late to work or to stay home occasionally?
• Do you get a stomach ache or headache within an hour after getting to work?
• Are you having trouble focusing on a work project because your emotions are wrought up over a work incident?

If you answered “Yes” to any one of these questions, you’re probably experiencing job-related stress. The good news is: if you’re proactive about managing your work stress level, you’ll feel less wound up and enjoy more success at work.

Try these strategies to deal with job stress:

1. Remind yourself, “it’s just work.” There will be times you’ll have a difference of opinion with your boss or co-workers. Consider it creative disagreement and move on.

2. Learn to recognize the things you control at the office. By the same token, let go of the things you’re not able to control. Your work life will become much lighter and brighter when you acknowledge both of these issues.

3. Work through “resolvable” issues immediately. Rather than let issues fester and grow, if it’s within your power to negotiate a resolution, do it as soon as you can.

4. When you feel overwhelmed, ask for assistance or guidance. Everyone occasionally experiences work struggles. In nearly every situation, it’s appropriate to ask for help at work.

5. Establish your work priorities; then methodically work to complete your projects. List your tasks in order of priority. Start at the top of the list and work down, crossing off tasks as you go.

• If you have any questions whatsoever about which task or project is more important to complete first, proceed directly to your supervisor and ask. Avoid excess job stress by seeking guidance if you need it.

6. Silently review all the reasons you do the work you do. Re-connect emotionally with all the positives you love about work. These realities about your career are far more important than the things that stress you.

7. Vow to avoid drama at work. Refrain from allowing yourself to generate too many feelings about work. After all, it’s business. It’s best to use tact, neutrality, and diplomacy when dealing with co-workers. Your chances of experiencing work stress will be vastly reduced.

8. Take a brisk 15 minute walk when you get home. There’s nothing like a walk to clear out the stress from your work day. Tell yourself that by the time you get back home, you’ll be thinking about what you’ll have for dinner. Walking after work is a great habit to develop for so many reasons.

9. Use visual imagery techniques to let go of minor annoyances and frustrations. Imagine your stress is a big red ball. You throw it into the ocean and watch it bob away on the waves. Say “good-bye” as the ball is completely submerged far in the distance.

10. Soothe yourself after you arrive home. Snuggle up in your blanket on the sofa and read your novel for a bit. Call your brother or a friend to chat. When you soothe yourself, you’re showing you know how to take care of your own troublesome feelings.

11. Journal your feelings about work. When you write down your irritations and sources of stress, you can psychologically release the negative feelings you experience.

12. Practice yoga or meditation to de-stress. The eastern philosophies of yoga and meditation soothe the souls of millions of people the world over. You’ll be surprised at how effective these methods are at eliminating your stress and keeping you more centered and relaxed.

Work stress is an unfortunate result of the human condition. Everyone deals with it from time to time. Practice these methods to remain optimistic and keep your work stress at manageable levels. You’ll re-discover the passion you have for your career!

June 25, 2012July 4, 2012

Helping Too Much? 7 Tips to Stop Enabling Others

Have you ever found yourself in a position where you felt you were doing everything you could to help someone yet their negative situation just got worse and worse? If so, it’s possible you were enabling the other person.

You might be enabling whenever you’re trying to help someone, but your actions are, instead, exacerbating the issues.

Sample Scenario

Your friend and co-worker, Sally, has been drinking a little more than usual. Lately, she’s coming in late to work and asking you to cover for her. When the supervisor asks you where Sally is, you say, “She went to Human Resources to ask a question. She should be right back.”

After work, you all go for drinks together. Sally doesn’t have any money so you offer to buy her beverages and she accepts.

Later that evening, Sally admits she hasn’t finished her chapter of a report that’s due tomorrow. Sally asks if you’ll finish her partially completed paper. Although you’re tired and would rather go home and just relax, you agree to take the report home and type it up before tomorrow morning.

Unfortunately, even if you don’t mind offering your consistent aid, your efforts are ensuring that Sally doesn’t have to take responsibility for her actions.

The Solution

What can you do to break the cycle of enabling someone you care about?

Follow these helpful tips:

1. Stop. Even though it’s your friend or loved one, picking up the slack for them is not helping them get better.

2. Instead, just observe. Rather than being so quick to jump in and offer help, sit back and watch what happens. Notice patterns in the person’s behaviors.

3. Listen. Stay informed by hearing how your friend or loved one feels. A good friend listens attentively. Consider listening an important act of caring.

4. Allow opportunity for your loved one to figure things out for themselves. Keep in mind that when you jump in and spontaneously offer your assistance all the time, the individual is robbed of opportunities to learn to resolve their own challenges.

5. Decline any direct requests for help. Recognize that your continued efforts to pick up the slack now are setting up your friend or loved one for a big fall later. Accept that it’s better if it happens sooner – when the situation isn’t so far out of hand – than later.

• Using the example above regarding Sally asking for your help with her report, you could say something like, “Oh, I’m so sorry, but I can’t finish your report. I need to pick up my daughter and do the laundry when I get home.” Then say nothing else.

6. Recognize it’s not your job to fix their troublesome situations. When you decline to help, you’re silently placing the issue back squarely on their shoulders where it belongs. Remember, it’s not your situation; it belongs to them.

7. Disengage emotionally from the person. Once you understand what you’re doing, you’ll be better able to remain on the outside of your friend’s troubling events. Think of your friend and their issues as a tornado. Then, decide to remain outside of the whirlwind.

• You’ll no longer allow yourself to get “sucked in” to your friend or loved one’s current crisis. You can still be their friend or confidante and spend time with them, if you choose. But you’ll avoid being pulled in to the fray of your friend’s ongoing drama.

• When you disengage emotionally, applying all the above strategies is also much easier.

If you believe you’re caught up in the cycle of helping a friend or loved one too much, step back and examine your relationship with the person. Then, apply the strategies above to stop enabling their self-destructive behaviors. As your loved one’s world becomes more overwhelming to them, it will encourage them to seek more direct assistance in resolving their underlying issues.

June 25, 2012July 4, 2012

Strengthening Your Persistence for Greater Success

One of the greatest character traits you can have is persistence. According to the Wordbook Dictionary, “persistence” is determination, tenacity and “the act of persevering; continuing or repeating a behavior.” Being persistent means you’ll keep trying until you accomplish a goal or get something right.

Reflect back on times when you were persistent. What did you do? How long and how often did you repeat the behavior you needed for success? Did you get the results you wanted? What did you learn from the experience?

One key to experiencing positive results from your persistence is to know when you must be persistent. Once you have a feel for determining when being persistent is most likely to help you get what you desire, you can practice strategies that help you develop greater persistence. As with many other activities, the more you practice the better you get!

Try these techniques to develop more persistence for greater success in your endeavors:

1. Accept that anyone can be persistent. If you’ve ever doubted you could hang in during a difficult situation until your goal is met, doubt no more. Everyone is capable of exhibiting perseverance.

2. Ask yourself, “How important is this issue?” Because being persistent requires quite a bit of mental energy – and in some cases, physical energy as well – you want to be sure that the issue or situation is important enough to you to put in the effort.

3. Be very clear about your goal. Know what you want. What do you hope to accomplish? Your focus on the desired end product or goal will propel you forward.

4. Faith is the fuel. Although being persistent doesn’t require any particular talent or skill, it does take some faith to keep you going. It’s important to truly believe that what you’re working toward will work out eventually. If you believe, you will persist.

5. Try different angles. If one approach doesn’t work, try another. Then repeat an approach you tried earlier but adjust it. Sometimes, persistence involves a certain amount of experimentation before you achieve your goal.

6. It’s okay to change what you want and tweak your goals. If you find that your situation has changed or the goal is no longer integral to your life, change directions with confidence. Create a new plan that will get you to your new goal.

7. Avoid giving up unless your goal changes or the importance of the issue has waned.

8. Be inspired by someone who persisted and succeeded. Stories of persistence leading to success are everywhere to inspire you. Writers, athletes, musicians, and people from other walks of life have their inspiring stories of persistence to tell.

• J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, claims to have submitted her first Potter novel to many publishers who rejected the manuscript numerous times before it was finally accepted for printing. Throughout those months of waiting, Rowling just kept writing about Harry and his crew. She persisted.

• Consider Michael Jordan, proclaimed as the best basketball player ever by many all over the world. Jordan says he didn’t make the varsity basketball team in his high school when he was a sophomore. And that fact only made him more determined. He was persistent and eventually achieved every goal imaginable in his field.

• Find your own hero who persisted and rose above the fray. Seek your own inspiration to compel you to be persistent.

Know the importance of the situation as well as your goal. Have faith, experiment, and adjust your goals if need be. Don’t give up unless it’s time. Finally, find your own hero who persisted and eventually achieved great things.

Being persistent is simple, yet requires courageous effort. The best part is… anyone can do it!

June 25, 2012July 4, 2012

Re-Claim Your Life by Living Consciously

Do you sometimes feel like you’re just going through the motions? You get up, go to work, come home, have dinner, watch television, and go to bed. The next day, the routine starts all over again.

But what if you could become more connected with your own experiences? You’d enjoy life more, feel happier and more content, and have more control over your life. By living consciously, you can get back your life!

Make a decision now to live more consciously.

What Does it Mean to Live Consciously?

Living consciously involves re-gaining control over your life. Rather than doing something automatically and with no real thought, you’ll ponder what you want to do and how you want to go about it.

Living consciously means you get to see the people you wish to see and take part in the activities you prefer. When you live consciously, you consider what you want to eat and how you want to spend your hour of free time. You discover true freedom of choice.

Living Consciously in Everyday Life

You can see how living consciously ensures you’ll have a more fulfilling life. When you check back in to your own psyche, you’re in the driver’s seat. Sure, you still must arise in the morning, attend work, return home, and dine, but you give yourself more options to choose from in how you go about it.

When you live consciously, you can vary your daily routines or put in something that makes them a little more interesting:

• Maybe you can get up 15 minutes earlier a few times a week to do that exercise DVD you’ve been wanting to get to.

• Tired of eating cold cereal every day? Mix up your routine by having a piece of fresh fruit and some hot oatmeal or something else you’d like.

• Refresh your evenings by taking a walk after dinner, having a rousing conversation with your partner about something funny from the day, or playing with your kids or pets.

Work

When you get to work, talk to the boss about that project you’ve really wanted to do. You’ll re-kindle your interests and experience the satisfaction that comes with consciously working on projects you desire to do.

As you do your routine tasks, concentrate on what you’re doing. Are you doing your best? Have you considered more effective, efficient methods for the tasks or projects at your job? The more you notice what you’re doing, the more you can strive to excel at the job.

Living consciously at work can win you promotions.

Free Time

In the evening at home, ponder what you truly want to do. Maybe you want to hang out with the guys in your neighbor’s garage for an hour. Or you really want to take up beading jewelry again.

Thinking consciously enables you to discover that you have the control in your life to do whatever it is that brings you joy, pleasure, and contentment.

Putting It All Together

To live consciously is to cease wasting time doing activities you’re not really interested in. When you make a personal vow to live consciously, you’re opening the door to a new, more joyous existence.

• What do you truly seek?
• With whom do you choose to spend time?
• How can you spend leisure time in ways that re-charge you and bring special joy?
• How can you become more psychologically engaged in your work to increase your performance?
• Are you taking care of your physical self the way you want and obtaining the results you desire?

Your answers to these questions will lead you down the path of conscious living.

Go ahead and take the first step in your journey toward reclaiming your life today. Say to yourself: “I will live consciously every moment of this day.” Repeat it tomorrow and the day after and embrace the joys of creating the life you desire.

June 25, 2012July 4, 2012

Learn to Succeed With Your New Boss

Whether your boss is new to you because of a new job or because he’s the new manager at your current work, it’s important to get off to a good start.

If you make a good first impression and forge a productive working relationship, you could deepen your job satisfaction and advance your career.

Try these strategies to succeed with a new boss and troubleshoot in difficult situations.

General Guidelines for Succeeding With a New Boss

1. Meet regularly. Schedule an introductory meeting as early as possible and check in on an ongoing basis. You may need formal sessions or just a few minutes to touch base as time goes on.

2. Clarify expectations. Prevent missteps by finding out what your supervisor regards as top priorities. Discuss the level of involvement they feel comfortable with and what forms of communication will serve you best, whether it’s texting or talking face to face.

3. Negotiate for resources. Advocate for what you need to get your job done. That may include additional personnel, funds and continuing education opportunities.

4. Deliver results on projects your boss cares about. Prove you’re a valuable team member by racking up accomplishments that matter to your new superior. Get that supply closet organized or close some sales.

5. Offer assistance. Let your boss take the lead but try to anticipate their needs. You have valuable experience and insider information to contribute that could be critical to meeting your mutual goals.

6. Display enthusiasm. Go the extra mile to exceed expectations. Maintaining a positive attitude can reduce stress during challenging transitions.

7. Put yourself in their shoes. Your boss is breaking new ground too. Give them time to adjust and get used to a new organization and colleagues.

Troubleshooting For Difficult Situations

1. Resist the urge to make comparisons. Keep an open mind to different approaches than your previous supervisor used. This could be a chance to abandon routines that were always problematic.

2. Be judicious about disclosing personal information. Allow rapport to develop gradually and naturally. Stick to business and small talk until you get to know each other better. If you eventually become personal friends who can relate on a deeper level, that’s a nice bonus.

3. Prepare for your annual evaluation. Try meeting at least six months in advance to make any mid course corrections. It will help you to avoid unpleasant surprises and your boss will probably appreciate your commitment.

4. Anticipate cutbacks if your company is in a turnaround scenario. Sometimes new leadership arrives with a mandate to reduce the workforce. Accept the inevitable and make the best of shouldering additional responsibilities or negotiating a favorable severance package.

5. Know your limitations. Figure out what changes you can live with and what changes would be detrimental to your wellbeing. You can probably get used to a new brand of coffee. On the other hand, you may need to draw the line at requests like mandatory overtime, taking work home to complete, or other requests.

6. Consider a new position, if necessary. If the situation is untenable despite your best efforts, you may need to see if you can transfer to another department or launch a full-fledged job search.

• Discreetly explore other openings while taking care of your responsibilities and preparing for an amicable departure. Your search may be lengthy, so be gentle with yourself and welcome support from loved ones or spiritual practices that can help you to sustain your spirits.

You have a lot at stake when you acquire a new boss. It’s natural to feel a little apprehensive, but taking the initiative to clarify expectations and maintain open communications can help you both come out ahead.

June 25, 2012July 4, 2012

How to Make a Vision Board to Reflect Your Life Goals

Do you feel you need a push to focus on your goals? It can be very effective to have daily reminders of what you want to accomplish. But how is it possible to keep your goals in mind every day? One way to consistently work toward bringing your dreams to life is to make a vision board.

What is a Vision Board?

A vision board is a craft project – a collage that includes pictures and words that reflect your life goals. The board can address your life in general or one or more specific areas you choose.

A vision board shows what you’re seeking in life. It prompts you to consider what you want. Before starting your board, ask yourself what your goals are. What do you want your life to be like?

Preparing to Construct Your Vision Board

Follow these preparation steps:

1. Gather supplies. Use a large square or rectangle of poster board or foam core board as the base of your vision board.

• You’ll need colored ink markers, magazines with plenty of words in headlines and pictures, scissors, and glue.

2. Ponder what you’ll include in your board. Decide the life area(s) you wish to address: all aspects, such as prosperity, relationships, family, sports, health, school, jobs, and careers or just 1-2 of your most-sought-after goals.

• You’ll use pictures and words about the things you desire, the place(s) you want to live, and anything else representative of the lifestyle you seek.

3. Plan time to start work on your vision board. Schedule a day and time to make your board when you’ll be uninterrupted. Allow yourself 3-4 hours. You might not complete it in one sitting. That’s okay. It’ll take some time to browse through magazines and select images to clip and use.

Vision Board Day!

It’s time to get started.

1. Reflect on your most important goals. Set a timer for 20 minutes and clarify to yourself what you want in life.

• Right now, what’s important to you? What do you want to pursue? It’s okay if you’re not sure. But give yourself time to think about it. When you emotionally connect with your goals, you’re more likely to achieve them.

2. Find the pictures you want to use. Browse through magazines and clip images that reflect your goals and dreams. Then, without gluing, arrange and re-arrange the pictures on the poster board until you love how it looks.

• Leave a space somewhere on the poster board to place a favorite picture of you.
• Once you have a pleasing arrangement, affix your collage with glue.

3. Include words to express goals and desires. Write words that connect you with the pictures. Express your thoughts and emotions using markers. You might choose to clip words from magazines (larger print is best) and glue them on your vision board.

4. Glue on a picture of yourself that you like and voila, you’ve just created your vision board!

5. Recognize it’s a process. You might start out making your vision board about your career and discover you’re really more interested in deepening friendships or making money from a job you’ve never tried. That’s okay; switch gears on this board or even construct another board later.

6. Display your vision board. Hang it in your den, bedroom, or somewhere you’ll see it every day. Stop and look at it, touch it, and say out loud, “I’m working for that!” Let yourself get excited about the prospect of achieving your goals.

Making a vision board keeps you oriented toward your life desires. Construct a new board later as you reach current goals and add new ones. Motivate yourself to attain your goals and dreams through making your own vision board.

June 24, 2012July 4, 2012

Enjoy Lifelong Learning on a Shoestring Budget

Lifelong learning enables you to enrich your mind and expand your career opportunities even if you completed your formal education a long time ago. If you’re on a limited budget, there are still many ways, both in your community and online, to build your knowledge and skills.

Educational Opportunities in Your Community

1. Visit your local library. Borrowing books is a good enough reason to make a trip to your local library, but they now offer much more. Search the downloadable media for audio books and test-preparation guides for graduate school exams and civil service tests. Browse the event calendar for free lectures and courses.

2. Give yourself a museum membership. Museum memberships are a great bargain compared to the ticket prices for sporting events or movies. Being a member will usually give you access to special events and classes for the whole family.

3. Take advantage of education benefits at work. Check your employee manual for tuition discounts and other benefits your employer may offer. Ask if you can organize a lunchtime speaker series. Many local professionals will welcome the opportunity to share their expertise on financial management or vegetarian cooking.

4. Do an internship. In a tough job market, internships are one way to get the training you need to succeed. Target organizations where you can make a contribution while learning new skills.

5. Volunteer your services. Volunteer work goes far beyond stuffing envelopes. Sign up to assist with a project outside your usual line of work. Most communities have nonprofit clearinghouses with a wide variety of choices or contact a favorite charity you already support.

6. Let your kids instruct you. Ask your kids to teach you what they’re learning in school. It’s a great way to help them master their coursework while you pick up a new language or review geometry.

7. Teach a class. Try teaching a class on a subject where you have some expertise at your local church or community center. Preparing for classes and interacting with students is an effective way to deepen your own knowledge.

8. Retire to a university town. University towns are becoming increasingly attractive to those who are retiring with smaller savings than they expected. You get access to all kinds of educational resources with a lower cost of living than many major cities.

9. Search for financial aid. If your goals require that you go back to school, there are options for defraying the costs. Talk with the financial aid office at the university you select about scholarships, loans, grants, and veteran benefits that may be available to you.

Educational Opportunities In The Digital World

1. Take free university courses. Hundreds of respected universities and colleges offer free online courses. You can download audio and video courses from Oxford or Ivy League schools on every subject imaginable, from poetry to physics.

2. Switch to smarter YouTube channels. Tear yourself away from the videos of kittens petting puppies to visit organizations like the Aspen Institute that airs nonpartisan seminars on critical world issues or the Nobel Prize where past and current Nobel Laureates talk about cultural and scientific advances.

3. Turn on the subtitles. Foreign movies are a fun way to help you learn a new language or brush up if you’re getting rusty. Use the subtitles while you watch to learn correct pronunciation and expand your vocabulary. Some television stations also air subtitled foreign news programs where you can learn about world events while you improve your language skills.

Enjoy the thrills of new discoveries and the satisfaction of improving your mind. Many educational opportunities cost little or nothing, so all you need is a commitment to lifelong learning.