New Years Resolutions
New Years Resolutions
Ah, the start of another year! In a groggy haze on New Years Eve, I promised someone (or was it myself?) that I would be good this year. I said I would draw up my New Year's Resolutions ? particularly after the roller-coaster year I had last year. Well, a promise is a promise. I can't very well start the New Year by breaking the resolution that I was going to write my New Year's Resolutions, can I? So, here it is, broken down into months being the control freak that I am.JAN ? Donate old PC to a Deserving RelativeAfter all, to give is more rewarding than to receive (but not quite as rewarding as to buy). So I guess it's au revoir to my X86 sitting in the corner of my study. Now, who should I give it to? Who will appreciate my very first, very own PC? My 91 year-old Gran so she can learn to type? Or my 5 year-old niece so she, too, can fall in love with Frogger and Pacman I grew up with instead of playing with her PlayStation 2?FEB ? Start RDO (Rostered Day Out)Negotiate with The Boss to work (offline, of course) in the park one day a month. I want to feel the breeze in my hair, the green grass underfoot and the occasional bird droppings on my head. I want to feel free as I prepare my daily status report. I want to pretend I'm unshackled even if the price I have to pay is grass stains on my suit. Just for once, I want to live like the lucky b!@#$%^s on those TV ads.MARCH ? Test Drive a Hot SpotI can be savvy. I can be cool. Just because I don't have the latest 3G video bluetooth- enabled combined PDA/Phone (yet) doesn't make me a techno geek. I am techno sleek! In the month of March, I shall borrow The Boss's Centrino laptop and test drive a Hot Spot. I shall sit at the caf
10 Netiquette New Years Resolutions – Email-Marketing
10 Netiquette New Years Resolutions
Happy New Year! New attitude? New habits? How about 10 Little New Year's Netiquette Resolutions?Yep! Almost every New Year's resolution is based in improved attitude and habit changes. From loosing weight to getting out of debt to trying to live a happier life, almost each of us does have some sort of conversation with ourselves in regard to the New Year and changes we have the control to make. If we follow through on 50% of them, we're ahead of the pack!So, here is your Netiquette version of New Year's Resolutions. Everyone can improve on their skills, if they are willing. I am constantly working on my grammar and writing style to ensure my points are clear and that my emails are received and understood in manner in which they are intended. Remember, perception is the only reality online! And, whether you agree or disagree with this topic, perceptions are made all the time which are within your control - positive and negative alike.For the most part, the following "resolutions" are covered throughout my Web site, OnlineNetiquette.com's Netiquette 101 Courtesies. However, for whatever reason, these issues in particular are those that I notice are not practiced on a daily basis.Make a committment to improve on the issues below. It won't hurt; rather it will only add to the positive impression you will make on those you communicate with. The perception of the person you are, and whether you are a fish out of water online or not, will certainly be apparent by efforts made in these areas:1. I will not forward a single email unless it specifically applies to the person I am sending to. I will include a personal note to that person so they know why I am forwarding the email their way. If I must send or forward the same email to a group of contacts, I will be sure to put their email addresses in the BCC: field to protect their privacy.2. I will take the time to make sure that my sentences are complete, capitalized and include the proper punctuation. This goes a long way to making communications with me easier and has the added benefit of helping to avoid misunderstandings.3. I will not send a large attachment of any kind (over 100K bytes), even one I think is a very special photo of [insert here: my grandbaby, my child, my pet, my car, my vacation...] until I ask when would be the best time to send it to the intended party first. This way, I do not fill their email box without notice causing all their other email to bounce. If I do not know how to determine an attachment's size, I'll learn how before I send it by email!4. Every email I send will be courteous and include a proper greeting and closing which includes my name. My extra effort in this area, when many feel these details are not necessary, will have me viewed as someone who "get's it" and is a pleasure to communicate with.5. I will understand that not everyone will have the same opinions as I do and that is A.O.K.! Constructive conversation and exchange of ideas is one of the great things about being online and not everyone will agree with my POV. Boy, wouldn't that be boring!?6. There is no place online for profanities, accusations or rudeness. If I run into problems with another onliner in a chat room, message board or by email who does not communicate with clarity and courtesy, I will simply cease communications with them. If I need to respond, I will take the high road and not stoop down to that level. I will report ongoing abusive emails or threatening behavior to my ISP for proper handling.7. I will be very respectful about how I use my employer's technology resources understanding they are paying the bill and I am on their time. I will make a point of reviewing my employer's policies to avoid any problems.8. I will avoid formatting my email communications with colored text, bolding, italics (unless I am a professional coder) because I know it may not look the same as I intended when received on the other side. I understand that many prefer plain text in their communications and that if I communicate with clarity formatting really is not necessary.9. If I do use the "leave mail on server" feature of my email program, I will be diligent about unchecking it and clearing my email account's inbox to ensure my email box does not become full and bounce/return emails to those making an effort to communicate with me.10. I will make a point of understanding each online service or Web site I choose to use by reading their Frequently Asked Questions or Help area before blasting the site owner. I understand that if I do not review these areas, I could misunderstand or do something incorrectly and need to eliminate my actions or lack thereof as a possible cause of a perceived problem before pointing fingers at others. If in fact something does appear amiss, I will email with courtesy asking for their assistance in resolving my difficulties rather than making blunt demands or accusations.There you have it! Your 10 Little Courtesies to work on for the year ahead so that folks don't cringe when they see your name in their inbox. Just imagine if everyone online made these efforts? Joy, joy! 
About the Author:
Judith Kallos is an authoritative and good-humored Technology Muse
who has played @ http://www.TheIStudio.com for over a decade. Check out her popular E-mail Etiquette site @: http://www.NetManners.com
The Only Way to Turn New Year Resolutions Into Reality!
The Only Way to Turn New Year Resolutions Into Reality!
So you ate, drank and spent too much over the Holidays. Now you are overweight, bloated, tired and broke, and you are promising yourself that you are going to change all that this year!There are two reasons why New Year Resolutions don't work;1st we try and take on too much,2nd we don't believe in ourselves.In the world of resolutions, "Size does matter". You can turn your resolutions into realities by starting small. As the saying goes, "the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time!"At the start of each New Year we begin by looking at our life and deciding this is the year we are going to make real changes in weight, romance, smoking, drinking, career, money, getting in shape, organizing, cleaning and more. Well, we never followed through in all the other years, so as good as our intentions and desires are our subconscious is not expecting our resolution to come true. We have conditioned ourselves to doubt our ability to change. This core lack of belief triggers a lack of commitment to action and the result is the same year after year: not pursuing our goals with consistent action.Well you have said it before, "This year is the year I _______!" Sound familiar? You have said it and you have not done it, but there is a way to make your goals materialize. Here is Coach Steele's abbreviated "Resolution Success System!"Step One: Learn and use this Success System. One you learn the system you can apply the system over and over again with successin every area of your life. Concentrate on the system not the goal.Step Two: "Pick one, and get it done" as a friend of mine is fond of saying. Make sure you are picking something that you really want to achieve. You can't lose weight, stop smoking, or get an education because someone else wants you to. If you really want something you will do what it takes.Step Three: Reduce this goal to manageable pieces. Set goals that are what you believe you can achieve in one month. Remember size does count and focusing your energy on one goal to be accomplished in 30 days gives us something tangible. If you don't believe you can do it you won't be able to.Step Four: First write this goal down and then brainstorm to find at least 20 different actions you can take right now to achieve it. Don't skip this step! Our tendency is to take shortcuts. Do not!Step Five: Post your written goal and the 20 ways you can achieve it on the wall in a very visible place. If we don't affirm our goals we will not achieve them.Step Six: Study your goal and 20 actions several times a day, and visualize yourself with the results. If you can't see it you can't achieve it. Link your 5 senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) to the goal. Make it come alive for you!Step Seven: Act as if. Act as if you have already achieved your goal. Give yourself positive affirmations as if you have already achieved the goal. This is called telling the truth in advance.Step Eight: Go to the posted goal everyday as often as you can, recite it out loud, visualize the result, state the affirmation and then pick activities that you will do (from your list of 20) that day to achieve it. It is all about what you do each day so resolve to put the effort in. I call this the Law of Effort.Step Nine: Apply the Law of Consistency; do not fall into the trap of tomorrow. Start now. Not tomorrow. Not January 1st. Then, commit to yourself that you will be consistent for 30 days. After all what is 30 days?Step Ten: Update your goal, and repeat all these steps every 30 days and expand to every goal you want!Be enthusiastic, as Emerson said, "Nothing great is ever created without nthusiasm." These are the 10 parts of success that, if used, will guarantee your success.For a complete FREE copy of "The Resolution Success System" without cost or obligation, please register at ToolsToLife.comDon't let this New Year end up like all the others, follow these steps and you will learn that you can develop a success system in your life.Congratulations in advance for taking this first positive step in realizing your goals, and Happy New Year!About The AuthorDevlyn Steele ("America's Leading Life-Coach") has been a public consultant and a private counselor for over 15 years. Born and raised in Manhattan, Devlyn stablished coaching practices in New York and Los Angeles before moving to Phoenix in 2003. A Cognitive Therapist, Devlyn also developed ToolsToLife.com as an extension of his private coaching techniques. Devlyn maintains a thriving practice in Hollywood, where he counsels famous actors, musicians and captains of industry. Soon his new book will be available, Relationship Tools. You can email him at coachsteele@toolstolife.com.(c) Tools To Life, Inc. 2003