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Busy Parents Exercise Tricks

Parents juggle a lot of demands, but they need to stay in peak health as well to keep up with the family, both mentally and physically.

If you read the countless studies about depression, exercise is one of the many paths a person can take to combat this debilitating illness. In the United States and According to the CDC-The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention-in 2017-2018, 42.4% of the adults 20 and over were overweight. That statistic is likely to be higher with more recent data because the trends of obesity continue to climb.

For many Americans, finding the time to exercise can be difficult if one considers the juggling act of balancing work outside the home, taking care of children, and in some instances taking care of aging parents. Time can be difficult to find as more and more daily chores accumulate in one’s life. Nevertheless, exercise should be at the top of anyone’s list and should be considered an activity one must do to promote healthy living among family members.

Choosing the right exercise and diet has to begin with our free will to become healthier, and to change the way we do things if we are unhealthy. Doctors, parents, spouses, or significant others cannot tell us to do something if we are not ready to do so. The decision has to be taken on our own.

For any parent that wants to lose weight, and want to do it guilt-free, it is very important to schedule a time where you can do the exercise at the same time every day to form a habit. Exercise can extend one’s life expectancy, and that’s worth the time, and the effort it takes to exercise.

Here are some ideas for the best time to exercise daily:

Right after you drop your kids at school-This is especially convenient if you work from home or are taking some time off to raise your kids.
Afternoons are very convenient for many people. During the summer months where the days are longer, walking outside after dinner can be a great time for any parent to jog or walk a mile or two.
Early morning-Before your kids wake up and need to get them ready for school, twenty minutes of exercise will lift your mood and get you ready to start your day
Late at night-After you send your kids to bed, you might want to relax after an arduous, hectic day. But, twenty minutes of exercise before bed will allow you to sleep better and lose weight.
Before picking your children from school-Any time you have free before you need to pick up your children from school. You can exercise, and shower and be ready to pick them up and help them with homework before dinner time.

If you choose a time to exercise and it doesn’t work out very well, change it. You can change the days, the time and the exercise you want to do. But, if you start the exercise, try it for two weeks before quitting. It is a habit one is forming, and it takes time to stick to it.

For any parent, free time is never abundant. But exercising should be an activity that takes priority over other meaningless ones. Watching TV, checking Facebook, Twitter, or other social media platforms takes more time than we want to admit. Unfortunately, those activities bring us no health benefits, yet we continue to do them religiously.

Start exercising today, you will be a healthier person for yourself and your family.

Outstanda Pulse Discussion with Ron McDaniel

Today we have a chance to interview Ron McDaniel, Chief Innovation Officer at Outstanda. He will be talking about their program that helps schools collect data from students, parents, staff, and alumni to build a stronger, more effective school. The program is called Outstanda Pulse. Below is the interview.

Let’s start with an overview of the product you want to highlight today.

Ron McDaniel
Thanks. Outstanda has a flagship product called Outstanda Pulse that uses SMS (texting) to survey students, parents, staff, and alumni of a school to know what is going on with them. It is automated and provides actionable data for schools to identify areas of excellence and areas that need some work.

What are some major benefits of using Outstanda Pulse?

Ron McDaniel
There are a number of benefits. First, it can identify problems with students before the issues start impacting grades. It can identity concerns parents are having. It can boost enrollment. It is a tool to improve staff feedback. And it helps the school keep in touch with students and family’s long term, no matter where they move, and measure the impact the school has had on the students.

oustanda pulse surveys students, parents and staff

Why is Outstanda Pulse unique?

Ron McDaniel
While there are a lot of ways to do surveys, Outstanda Pulse is unique in standardizing questions and measuring results across similar schools. While protecting the individual student’s data, aggregate data can be compared to show administrators how each school is doing compared to peer schools. This can be part of marketing or PR, and for a lower-performing school, can be a tool for measuring improvement.

How did Outstanda Pulse get started?

Ron McDaniel
The product got started when several school leaders got together and discussed the kinds of data that could be valuable, especially if it is collected frequently and trends are analyzed. While the initial idea of an app had issues, it evolved into an SMS service that would do the same thing but not require an app to be installed on the phone.

What type of buyer benefits most from using Outstanda Pulse?

Ron McDaniel
Most schools thrive on data, so most schools could benefit from Outstanda Pulse. Districts can benefit even more because they can see their different schools and compare the culture and issues in each school against the other schools. This can easily lead to proactive training or hiring a consultant to work for schools that could be getting substandard results.

Is it hard to set up the surveying system for a school?

Ron McDaniel
Schools can have the system up and running very quickly. It is as simple as handing off names and mobile phone numbers of people who will be participating. Also, defining the frequency and times of the surveys. There are other customizations that are possible, such as creating sub-groups with tagging, adding custom questions, and changing up your Summer schedule. But the Outstanda team helps you with every part of it, to minimize your time commitment. Mostly and administrator just needs to look at the reports and take action if any is needed.

Are there other features that might interest readers?

Ron McDaniel
One nice thing we added is the ability to send SMS to your audience at any time without a survey attached. You already have the people in the system, and maybe have them grouped in useful tags, which will allow you to send out quick messages any time you need.

How is Outstanda Pulse priced?

Ron McDaniel
Outstanda Pulse has several pricing options. It has a limited, free option. Then it has an ala carte (pay per message) option and a monthly option. Pricing is very low compared to other data tools schools will use.

How can readers find more information about Outstanda Pulse?

Ron McDaniel
Visiting the Outstanda website is the best way to get information about the school survey product. You can also contact us, and we will be happy to set up your limited program.

Interviewer
Thanks for taking the time to be interviewed and help our readers understand Outstanda Pulse better.

Interview with Ron Mcdaniel, Outstanda by GR8TR Today Magazine on Scribd or Amazon

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Interview about Oustanda helping school meet kids needs. https://ctt.ac/UIbm1+

Buying a Bike – What You Need to Know

In 2019, there were 846 bicyclists killed in traffic crashes in the United States. It is predictable and unfortunate, but when an accident occurs between a moving vehicle and a bicycle, the cyclist will be the one injured or killed. The laws and responsibilities for motorized vehicles and cyclists are the same, unfortunately, size matters and a driver might not see a bike.

As more and more Americans use biking for transportation, exercise, to commute to work, or for plain fun, they are encouraged to adopt safety biking measures to keep them safe. By adopting these biking safety measures, the accidents and fatalities can be reduced and can increase the likelihood of your well-being while on the road.

The thousands of miles of biking trails in the United States make it easy for cyclists to engage in the sport they love. They can also be assured their safety is relatively safe when on these biking trails. For the many other cyclists sharing the streets and roads where motorized vehicles are abundant, taking some safety precautions before embarking on a bike trip is recommended.

One of the most important measures to take when heading out to ride your bike for exercise, to commute to work, or for fun is to wear a helmet. Following the manufactures’ safety information instructions with your bike is of the utmost importance. Following those recommended instructions can help you maintain your bike in optimal condition and keep you safe.

Safety Information Tips when Riding Your Bike

Wear a helmet
Inspect your front and back brakes
Inspect the tires to make sure they have the correct air pressure
Inspect the entire bike’s frame before taking your bike on the road
Beware of abnormal noises your bike is making, and
Make sure the seat is positioned correctly on your bike

Choosing a Bike

Now that we have covered safety and the inherent dangers of riding a bicycle, it is time for you to choose and discover the many bikes on the market and what to consider before purchasing one.

There are many bikes in the market for the customer to choose from. From Mountain bikes, Road cycles, tandem bikes, Hybrid bikes, BMX bikes, and Touring bicycles, the bike you choose depends on the activity you want to pursue.

When choosing a bike there are five important factors to think about.

What is the activity you want to pursue?
How much money are you willing to spend?
How frequently are you going to use the bike?
Can you shop around to find the right vendor and bike?
Can you wait to think things through if you are choosing an expensive bike?

A hybrid bike for example is the perfect bike for you if you are starting to cycle. They are easy on the city trails, but you can take it on a smooth, dirt path if you prefer. They have thinner tires than a mountain bike, which allows you to climb steep hills with more comfort. They are a very versatile and efficient bike. The price range can vary greatly when choosing a bike. The cheapest hybrid bikes can start between $200 and $300 and a good one can cost you more than $700. Like any other bike, a hybrid should fit properly before riding it. After a lot of shopping and comparing bikes, we purchased a Felt 2021 Verza Speed 50. We had to wait for over a month to get it in the blue we wanted, but it is a good bike.

A Mountain bike, on the other hand, can be very affordable. If you are a beginner cyclist and don’t want to spend too much on a bike, this is a good choice for you. Their tires are not as thin as the tires of hybrid bikes, and not as smooth. They don’t go as fast when climbing those steep hills, but you can buy one for $200. If you are not sure if you will continue cycling in the future, a mountain bike can be a good alternative while not spending too much acquiring one. This bike can be the beginning of acquiring a more expensive and faster bike if you decide you like the sport.

Regardless of the bike you purchase, make sure the bike it’s the right fit for you, and your finances.

Boost Your Gym Consistency

It is common for people to sign up for a gym membership and go for a short while and then fall off. The fact is, you cannot get results going less than once a week. And three times a week is kind of a minimum for making progress. This article is not the ideal advice – we are assuming you are struggling with getting to the gym enough and we want to give you some realistic life hacks to get to the gym more frequently and get the results you want.

But first let me say, we have a list of things to try and you should not try them all at once. Chances are, one or two of these will be enough for you to accomplish your goals. The list is longer because different gym strategies will work for different people.

Meet a Friend – One common strategy is to work out with someone on a regular basis. I actually am committed to taking my teen age daughter 3-5 times a week, which has forced me to go. You could meet a friend there and talk while working out. The fact is, you are far more likely to go not going will disappoint someone else.

Do a Program – Whether you do Zumba or Spin, showing up for a class is easier than just popping in at random times. Even if the class is not that challenging, it gets you there and you can more easily go early or stay late and do some extra things.

Make It an Appointment – Time is often the excuse not to go. Don’t think of the gym as an extra. Think of it as a doctor’s appointment.

Go the Same Time Every Day – If your schedule is fairly fixed, you should also fix the time you work out each day. The less you need to think about it and juggle things the more likely you will go.

Go No Matter What on Assigned Days, Even for 15 Minutes – This works wonders for me. As long as I am not ill, I go on my gym days no matter what, even if I feel too tired or too busy. I give myself the option to leave after 15 minutes on the treadmill. I cannot tell you how many times this has worked (a lot) because once there, doing only 15 minutes is silly.

Keep a Log – You can do this electronically or on a paper chart. Track key metrics important to you. How many times you go. How long you stay. How many miles you run. Key personal measurements. A log will encourage you to want to beat last week, or at least not do less.

Appreciate the Results – Depending on your current condition and your body, you might be seeing results in as little as a few trips to the gym. I see better arm definition after 3 arm days, for example. Don’t be shy. Check it out. Show friends. Appreciate the results to encourage you to keep at it.

Hire a Trainer – Working with a trainer once a week might work for you if it motivates you to go the other days and put in the work. Unfortunately, like piano lessons, this depends on your personality and how honest you are with your trainer. You cannot just show up for the weekly session and skip training the rest of the week.

Have a Backup Plan – For days where something comes up and you absolutely cannot go to the gym, have a few weights or a medicine ball at home and do the reps. This way you do not let your body down.

Reward Yourself – Figure out something (could be small weekly or bigger monthly) as a reward if you go the minimum number of times to the gym. This only works if you absolutely follow the rules. For example, if you missed one session because of something that came up that was important, make it up a different time or day, or do not reward yourself, no matter how good the reason was.

Use a Fitness Tracker – There are expensive fitness trackers and inexpensive ones. Just because you cannot afford an iWatch is not a reason not to get a simpler step tracker and keep track of steps daily. If fact, it is probably built into your phone if you buy a strap and keep it on when you are running or walking.

Think Like a Gym Rat – You have heard the expression, fake it till you make it. Well, you have seen those people walking around looking like they own the gym. Adopt an attitude like you are a part of the gym culture and look and act confident. Eventually you have a stronger sense of belonging and will enjoy going more. (We are not endorsing being a gym jerk. Just a confident member)

Have a Gym Playlist – Have a list of music you listen to when at the gym that makes you feel great and gets you pumped up. This will positively reinforce your time at the gym and if you choose your music wisely it can help you work out better and get more excited about the results you are going to start seeing.

Break Glass In Case Of Emergency – If you start to let things slip, you need to have a plan to recognize it and take corrective action. For example, if you miss a full week, what are you going to do to re-jump-start your fitness routine? Know when it is slipping and know what action to take to stop the slide.

This is a big list of things you can do to improve your attendance at the gym. Most of these are hacks to help you form a habit that has previously been hard to form. Over time, you may be able to let go of some of the hacks because your habit of working out is very well established.

Participate In Your Community By Joining a Board

People often do not realize that many local organizations have boards who meet regularly to help with organizational issues or keep track of the finance and operational goals. Nearly all non profits have boards. Schools all have boards. Communities have boards or councils. Mental health organizations have boards. Large corporations have boards, but you might be surprised to find out that smaller companies and even startups have boards.

Qualifications are going to vary greatly based on the board and what the leader and the current board members are looking for, but you might be surprised to find you are just what they are looking for. For example, a mental health board is not going to be made up of all psychologists usually. Instead, they will often be made up of people in the community who care about mental health. They will bring their varied talents to the table to help look at things from different perspectives.

Boards typically meet once a month but it could be more or less. Some are paid positions, and many are voluntary. Some voluntary positions do pay a small stipend to cover expenses. At a minimum, they typically feed you at the meeting and it offers a chance to give back to the community and learn about a topic in more detail. It also improves your skills and knowledge in the area.

Typically a board is either an elected position in the broad sense, such as needing to be on a ballot and get elected. Think city councils and public school boards. Other positions are typically by vote of existing board members. One person might bring you in and if you and the board agree it is a good fit they vote and make you a member.

Board sizes can be from a small group of 5 or 6 up to a large group of 30 or more. The larger the group the longer the meetings may go if everyone likes to talk and ask questions.

So how do you get on a board?

To begin, know what area you are interested in. If it is entrepreneurship, you will want to try to get on a startup board. If it is education, a school board. If it is mental health, then a mental health board.

Next you can use Google and LinkedIn and find existing organizations that match your interest. Look on their website and see if they list board members. Call or email and inquiry about open board positions. Ask if you can attend a board meeting. Have your resume polished up and ready in case they ask for it.

And keep circling back around. If a board is full when you contact them make sure they know you would like to be considered for a position in the future. Then follow up regularly, maybe quarterly, to see if positions have opened up.

Unless you are very familiar with the industry and how boards operate, begin by listening a lot and asking questions after the meetings. New visitors and board members sometimes try to do too much too soon, and it can be difficult. The first six months or more will most likely be learning and absorbing all the stuff they are doing.

Being a board member in any community organization is very rewarding. It can lead to new friends, new opportunities and a real sense of helping people.

Life Lessons Learned on the Tennis Court

To say that I was a tennis player would be a stretch. Although I love the game and like to play when I can, in reality I spend more of my time as a spectator.

My son and husband are both passionate about tennis, so between watching professional tennis matches live and on TV or sitting on the sidelines during my son’s lessons and USTA matches, I have developed an appreciation for the intricacies of the game.

The better educated I become, the more grateful I am for the lessons my son is learning that extend to his life on and off the court.

Here are some of the parallels you can draw to life:

Success takes an enormous amount of hard work

Succeeding at tennis, like all sports, takes focus and discipline. Players must be dedicated to their goals in order to achieve success. They discover that if they are willing to put in the time and effort, they will improve and succeed; and this lesson will carry over into their academic life and future careers.

It is not about how many times you fail, but how many times you get back up

In tennis you lose more than you win. At the end of the tournament, only one person goes home with the winning trophy. Players may have won many matches to get to the semifinals or finals; but in the end, without the trophy in hand, they are not completely satisfied with the result.

It never ceases to amaze me how these young kids put themselves out there week after week. Even behind the glass watching the matches, you can feel the immense pressure. As parents watch the outcome of every point, you can hear a pin drop. Disappointed faces are hard to cover up when their child loses the point or match. Emotions seen on the court exhibit the players’ fear of not only letting themselves down but the people around them.

The lessons they learn from losing a match can be far greater than if they had won.

Losing a match isn’t the end of the world. Life goes on
Appreciate the small victories even within the matches that were lost
Failure is a temporary setback; continued practice and focus are required to achieve success
Experiencing loss and the feelings that surround a loss, can make victory even sweeter. In life, we sometimes have to experience suffering to recognize real joy

Learn how to handle emotions and lose gracefully

We often see kids come off the court banging their racquets, yelling at themselves or their opponents. Most of them learn pretty quickly that this is poor sportsmanship. A good sport gives his or her opponent credit for the game they have played. Recognizing an inappropriate public display of emotions is part of being a good sport. A successful tennis player will use the loss as an opening to understand what they need to work on to become a better player.

We are all faced with defeat in our lives, and sports provide us the experiences for learning to handle defeat

You are accountable, and you are in charge of your own destiny

As an individual sport, the outcome of the match is solely your creation. There are no time limits in tennis. No matter how far behind you are, it is plausible that you can make a comeback and win the match.

You control your own destiny on the court and in life

Belief in yourself and the power of the mind are critical to success

As important as conditioning to support the physical requirements of tennis, mental toughness is what can separate the top players. A momentary lapse in focus or confidence can change momentum quickly and cost you the match. In many instances, the winner is the player that could isolate himself from the distractions.

In life and on the court, always keep your eye on the ball

You can never be fully prepared for what life throws at you, but how you handle those moments can make all the difference

Tennis players are giving us a performance. However, unlike lines in a play that can be recited over and over until committed to memory, or a dance that when rehearsed enough allows the body to move to the music almost on its own, a tennis player cannot prepare for every shot that is going to come at them. The variations can be infinitesimal, dictated by speed, angles, topspin, backspin, flatter, higher, weather, and surface. No two shots are ever identical. The player has a split second to make a judgment on where they want to place the returning shot and how the body needs to be aligned in order to achieve that result.

You can never fully prepare for life or a match. but critical decisions made at key points on the court or in our lives can determine the outcome

I am happy that my son has found something for which to be so passionate. I am impressed with his dedication and commitment to the sport. The young USTA players deserve immense credit for their resilience. As a child, I don’t know if I could have handled that pressure or the range of emotions–or had the buoyancy to continually put myself out there.

No matter what role tennis ends up playing in my son’s life, I am confident the lessons he has learned on the court will help him to succeed in his journey of life.

Melissa Reagan Brunetti

Tennis Mom, Freelance Writer, Certified Nutritionist

http://embracebalancedhealth.com/

Summer Learning, Reinvented: How Outstanda Pays Students to Master Math, Science, and More

When most parents think of summer break, visions of sun, free time, and maybe a little screen overload come to mind. But a new nonprofit initiative is transforming summer into something much more impactful—and surprisingly motivating for kids.

Meet Outstanda STEM XP, a virtual summer program where students don’t just learn—they get paid to succeed.

Yes, you read that right.

In this innovative program for grades 2 through 8, students complete a four-week interdisciplinary curriculum covering math, reading, writing, and science. The twist? Every time they pass a weekly mastery assessment, they earn $25—up to $100 total.

“We wanted to combine project-based learning with real-world motivation,” says Ron McDaniel, Founder of Outstanda. “We believe students should be rewarded for effort and progress, not just showing up.”

The program is entirely online and designed to be flexible. Once enrolled, students get six weeks to complete four weeks of content. Each week includes a hands-on STEM project, vocabulary building, literacy tasks, and a short assessment that must be passed to unlock the reward.

And it’s not just for straight-A students.

“Some of our most engaged learners are those who’ve struggled in traditional classrooms,” says McDaniel. “When kids realize they can earn money by mastering concepts and apply what they’ve learned to something real – they become more invested. They see the value.”

While many summer programs focus on remediation or enrichment, Outstanda strikes a unique balance: it’s challenging, rewarding, and fun, but also accessible and affordable. Families can register directly through Outstanda.org, and early bird and multi-license discounts are available.

The program is gaining attention from homeschool networks, school districts, and parents looking for educational structure over the summer.

Why It Works

Outstanda STEM XP isn’t just a feel-good idea. It’s built on research showing that:

Immediate, meaningful rewards increase student engagement
Project-based learning improves retention and understanding
Flexible, self-paced programs can help close learning gaps

By blending those principles with a clear incentive, Outstanda delivers something rare: a summer program students actually want to finish.

Registration Now Open

Outstanda is currently accepting registrations for multiple summer sessions. Visit Outstanda.org to learn more, view grade-level options, and download the program flyer.

Summer doesn’t have to be a learning slump—it can be a launchpad. And thanks to Outstanda, it might just be your child’s most rewarding summer yet.

Boost a Positive Mindset

There is nothing more frustrating than to be in a negative mood and have people tell you to be more positive. It is not just a switch you can flip. Imagine telling someone “Be more rich” or “Be more athletic” – it takes steady effort over time. Instead of telling you the one secret to being more positive, we have come up with 10 ways to improve your positive mindset.

Get Physical – Doing more exercise is well known to improve your mood and boost positive thoughts. Once may not do the trick, make it a habit.
Change Your Reading Habits – Where you are getting your news is going to affect your mood. If you are reading, listening or watching negative news all the time, you cannot also have positive thoughts. Reduce consumption or find a source with more happy topics.
Change The Time You Spend With People – You will often here that you should get rid of negative relationships. But you cannot always do that. What you can do, at least, is lesson the impact they have on you by limiting time and interactions with people who bring you down.
Swap In Positive Activities for Wasted Time – Neutral activities, like unwinding in front of the TV at night, can be turned into mood boosters by swapping that time for more active activities, such as hobbies, time with friends, learning a new language, etc.
Get More Social – Speaking of friends, more social people are usually happier and live longer.
Develop a Positive Mindset With Stoicism – Stoicism is a simple philosophy that helps you deal with daily challenges and focus on what you can control and reduce how much other things bother you. To get started, sign up for the Daily Stoic.
Ask Your Significant Other To Support Your Effort To Improve – If you have a good relationship with someone you respect and can be honest with, work together to point out negative thoughts and comments and try to focus on more positive things. The buddy system will help you both reinforce a change in focus.
Get Away From Electronics More – Be more aware of your surroundings, nature, people and things happening in the real world. This means less time with your nose pointed at a device. Time to think, away from online and email, will help you be more creative and more positive.
Leave Work at Work – Do you have a stressful job? Practice leaving work at work. If you go home and discuss and think about problems at work every day, you need to practice leaving work at work OR find a new job that does not have negative consequences in your life outside of the hours you are paid.
Clean Up Your Diet – Positive moods are difficult when you feel sluggish and you are out of shape. Eat cleaner, healthier food more often. Cook more. Then give yourself a cheat day to eat those bad things you miss. Your mood will lift with the accomplishment of disciplined better eating as well as the well-earned cheat day where you eat your old favorites.

Improve Your Relationship With Your Teen

I have always said the age of 7-12 is perfect. You can do all kinds of fun things with your kids, and they have not usually started the process of abandoning you in favor of their friends. As you hit the dreaded teenage years, you will most likely need to change and reconsider your relationship. It will gradually become more of a “team them” and your role can stay very positive if you see yourself as a coach, and less of an authoritarian parent.

Let’s explore some ideas on how to keep a positive relationship even while they start to break off and become their own person.

1. Set Goals Together

If you set clear goals that are THEIR goals, you can help them achieve things they want to achieve. This is going to be more of a symbiotic relationship versus trying to impose your goals for them on them.

2. Be Strict Where It Matters

As they get older, be strict when you need to be on things that align with their goals, but do not try to force less important things on them. For example, they are 16 and you still try to make them play an instrument they do not wish to play or get straight A’s when their goal is to go to a community college? Maybe B’s and giving up music are appropriate at this point. When they set the goals, it is easier to say you are just helping them achieve their goals.

3. Do Something With Them That They Enjoy

Find common interests and activities that are positive that they would still like to do with you. Maybe hiking, yoga, reading… the kind of things they would not easily do with their friends because it is not universally enjoyed by everyone. (Movies are just not going to be as fun with a parent, sorry)

4. Lean, Don’t Shove

Assuming you do not have any major issues that require forceful intervention, having a strategy of leaning on them, instead of shoving them in the direction you would like to go is very advantageous to maintaining a good relationship with your teen and helping them become good people.

Use positive reinforcement.
Assist when they need something oriented towards their goals.
Send them the occasional article that reinforces what they want to achieve.
Talk about the difficulties of adulthood and how certain things make life easier (better education, good job, health and fitness, etc.)
Watch the occasional great documentary with them.

5. Use Vanity, Greed and Pride

Lastly, try to pay attention to nature. At some point your kids will want to look good, have more money and feel good about themselves. Instead of just giving them what they want consider using these developing feelings as motivators for them to do more things themselves. This requires you to pay attention to what they find meaningful and lean on improving that area.

Of course, this article is for people who are lucky and do not have significant behavioral or addiction problems. If you have serious issues, get help. The sooner you address it the more likely to improve things and get back on track.

Preparing for a Home Inspection

Are you preparing to buy or sell a home? A professional home inspection is a critical step to identify potential issues and ensure that your home is in good condition for potential buyers or renters. But what areas of your home will a home inspector evaluate, and what issues should you address in advance? In a recently written Guide to Passing a Home Inspection, I explore the different areas of a home that a home inspector will typically examine, with a focus on the foundation and water in the basement.

The foundation and structure of a home provide support and stability, and a home inspector will evaluate the condition of the foundation and look for any signs of cracking, settling, or other damage. Water in the basement is also a common issue that can cause damage and affect the livability of a home. A home inspector will evaluate the basement’s drainage system and look for any signs of water intrusion, such as dampness, mold, or mildew.

In addition to the foundation and basement, a home inspector will evaluate other critical components of a home, such as the roof, electrical system, plumbing system, HVAC system, windows and doors, and exterior. By addressing any potential issues in these areas before the inspection takes place, you can avoid surprises and ensure that your home is in good condition for potential buyers or renters.

In the article, I provide more detail on each of these areas and the common issues that a home inspector will look for. I also offer tips for preparing your home for a home inspection, such as cleaning and decluttering your home, addressing any obvious issues, and providing the inspector with relevant documentation.

Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, a home inspection is an essential step in the process of buying or selling a home. By understanding the areas of your home that a home inspector will evaluate and taking steps to address any potential issues in advance, you can ensure that your home is safe, secure, and attractive for potential buyers or renters.

To learn more about the different areas of a home that a home inspector will evaluate, and to get tips for preparing your home for a home inspection, read the full article.

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Busy Parents Exercise Tricks

Outstanda Pulse Discussion with Ron McDaniel

Let’s start with an overview of the product you want to highlight today.