Make Yourself Happier at Home

 Here are ten things you can do to make yourself happier at home.  Simple things such as making your bed to putting up picture frames can all turn that frown upside down.


1. Make your bed. In a popular post last month, I explained the many benefits of daily bed-making. Gretchen Rubin, New York Times best-selling author of The Happiness Project, explains that this 
three minute task is one of the simplest habits you can adopt to positively impact your happiness.

2. Bring every room back to "ready." I learned this trick from Marilyn Paul's clever book, It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys. It's a known fact: Clutter causes stress; order creates a haven from it. This mood-boosting routine is simple: Take about three minutes to bring each room back to "ready" before you depart it. (Unless you have a toddler, or a partner who likes to simulate earthquakes, three minutes should be sufficient.)

3. Display sentimental items around your home. One reason that experiences (and memories of those experiences) make us happier than material things is due to the entire cycle of enjoyment that experiences provide: planning the experience, looking forward to the experience, enjoying the experience, and then remembering the experience. Make your home a gallery of positive memories.

4. Start a one-line-a-day gratitude journal. Before bed, simply jot down one happy memory from that day. (If you have kids, you can ask them, "What was the best part of today?") Reflection is an important part of happiness, and pausing to reflect on a positive event from each day cultivates gratitude. (An added bonus: Later, when your memory is defunct, you will already have all of your meaningful adventures recorded!) If you have trouble getting started with journaling, consider buying a book to guide you. Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, is a great one.

5. If you can't get out of it, get into it. This tip comes from The Happiness Project. I love the message: The dishes are not going to clean themselves, so you will do it, and you will like it! (Unless, of course, you can outsource this job, in which case I say: Nice work!) Otherwise, get into doing the dishes. Feel the soothing warm water on your hands. Enjoy the tickle of the tiny bubbles. Crank your favorite album at an unusually loud volume, do a couple fist-pumps while shouting "Can I get a hell yeah for the dishes? Hell! Yeah!" and pretend you love it.

6. Before you get up each morning, set an intent for the day. In The Art of Happiness, the Dali Lama says ""Every day, think as you wake up: today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it." Wow. What a wise man. I tend to wake up with a strong visceral reaction that says, "Attention human beings: Be afraid of me before coffee. Be very afraid!" Setting a daily intent makes a huge difference. Your daily intent could be something like "be productive" or "enjoy today's delicious moments" or it could be something more specific like "say thank you to my loved ones today." But it should not be another "to do" item on your list.

7. Do small favors for your housemates, expecting nothing in return (not even a thank you!). (That's right, I said it: nothing!) Mow the lawn for your husband, but don't expect him to pat you on the back. Make the bed for your wife, but don't try to get bonus points for it. Take the trash out for your roommate, just because. The ability to cultivate strong, healthy relationships is one of the biggest contributors to health and happiness, but when you start to keep score, the benefit is lost. (No! It's YOUR turn to clean up the dog poop!) It's a well-known fact: When you do good, you feel good.

8. Call at least one friend or family member a day. You can do this while you clean, while you make the bed, or while you walk the dog. Texts and emails do not count! Make an actual phone call to a loved one, just to chat and catch up. We humans are social beings and studies show that even when we don't feel like it, even if we are naturally introverted, socializing with our loved ones makes us feel better.

9. Spend money on things that cultivate experiences at home. Save money for a new grill for parties or a new DVD for family movie night — something that will encourage you to have people over and entertain. Plan a summer barbeque, invite your closest friends, kick back and relax. (And don't forget to print out the pictures to remember the good times.)

10. Spend a few minutes each day connecting with something greater than yourself. Whatever 
your spiritual beliefs — or non-beliefs — may be, studies show that connecting to a high power is correlated with happiness. Just stepping back to realize that we are part of an enormous universe can put some perspective on your annoyance with the those-are-definitely-not-mine-and-they-are-abso-fricking-lutely-repulsive socks under the coffee table. Before bed, spend just a few minutes contemplating something larger than yourself. Take a walk in nature. Write in a journal. Create a sacred space in your home. (Or if spirituality is really not your thing, create a home spa: light some candles, soak in a hot bath, delve into a good book… are you feeling better yet?)

For more information see Apartment Therapy.

Haunted Happenings in Benicia

Make sure to check out Benicia Main Street for all their haunted happenings this month.  There are plenty of events to keep your family entertained all month long. 

Annual Haunted Depot!

The normally mild-mannered Southern Pacific Railroad Depot has been mysteriously transformed into a frightful depository of ghosts, goblins and spirits daring you and your family to pay a visit.
Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children under 6 years of age with a donation of a canned good item (without a donation adults $6, children under 6 years $4). The hours of the Haunted Depot are Fridays, October 12, 19 & 26 from 6-9pm; Saturdays, October 13, 20, & 27 from 12-3pm and 6-9pm; Sundays, October 14, 21, & 28 from 12-4pm; and October 31st from 6-9pm. Afternoon visits will feature a family-friendly experience.

Scarecrow Contest

Kicking off the month is the Scarecrow Contest. As you stroll down First Street during the month of October you will be greeted by over 30 six-foot tall scarecrows imaginatively fashioned by downtown businesses. The public is invited to vote on their favorites by picking up and dropping off a ballot at the participating merchants or during the Thursday night Farmers Market.

Ghost Walk

Spooky tales of the paranormal history of Benicia are revealed on this exciting, interactive, and fun Ghost Walk with paranormal experts. Come meet the Ghosts of Benicia's Past!
Tours are scheduled for Friday, Oct. 5, 12, 19 & 26 at 8:00pm and Saturday, Oct. 13, 20 & 27 at 8:00pm. The tour will begin at the Historic Railroad Depot located at 90 First Street, travel up First Street, and end back at the Depot. We recommend you wear good walking shoes and bring a flashlight. Each tour is limited to 20 people and will last approximately 2 hours, depending on what entity you encounter along the way! Tours are $25 per person.

Halloween Costume Contest & First Street Stroll

Benicia's Halloween tradition continues on Saturday, October 27th at 10am with the Annual Halloween Costume Contest and Stroll. Kids of all ages enjoy the popular Halloween costume contest and Trick or Treat Stroll. Local merchants on First Street get into the spirit of the holiday for all to shop and stroll. At noon on the First Street Green you can enjoy the ever-popular Canine & Critter Costume Contest with prizes and treats!

For more information see Benicia Main Street.

College Graduate Job Finding Tips

College graduates are having more trouble finding jobs than ever before.  As they are forced to move home, they end up working part time retail jobs until they may land a job a few years later.  Here are ten great tips on how to improve your chances at landing a job post graduation.

Many companies are biased against hiring recent grads. Diana Zimmerman of the marketing communications agency CMS Communications, Intl., says she doesn't interview recent college grads anymore: "I have found, overall, they have, (right or wrong) a very different work ethic, and are just too self-absorbed. A job interview is not about them. It's about what value they can bring to the company. Many of them haven't even researched the company they are interviewing for."
But all hope isn't lost. Here's a list of 10 steps you can take to increase your chances of snagging a great job once you graduate.

1. Find hands-on learning opportunities. According to Sabrina Ali, career counselor and writer, participating in cooperative education or practicum opportunities gives college students "paid work experience, industry mentoring, and [they] become a known entity in their industry of choice prior to needing or wanting full-time work, and have a chance to figure out better what they want for themselves in terms of a career after they graduate."
See if your university or department offers opportunities that would allow you to try out working in the field you're studying in.

2. Socialize online (beyond Facebook). Maria Stephens, PR manager at the pattern-based analytics company Emcien Corporation, says it's important to manage your online reputation. According to her, employers will Google you, so it's best to be prepared by knowing what they'll find. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is polished and up-to-date. Either don't post anything embarrassing that might prevent you from being hired on Facebook or Twitter, or change your privacy settings so your updates don't appear in search results.

3. Become more than just a resume. Stephens also suggests managing a blog to give you a leg up in the competitive job market. "[Find] something professional that relates in a way to something that could strengthen your chances of getting an interview because you'll instantly become more than just a resume," she says. "Whether it's your interests with running or cooking, show that you're an interesting person with talents and a personality."

4. Never waste a summer. Sure, you know that interning is one way to get some job experience while still in college, but don't be afraid to take on more than one over the years of your entire college education. "In this tough job climate, it is important that college students prove that they are worth the risk of being hired," says Christie Haynes, president of the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau in Dawsonville, Ga. "They can do this by never wasting a summer in college ... Find an internship that allows you to gain valuable experience in the field you hope to enter upon graduation."

5. Take classes outside of your major. You can assume that if you take all the sociology classes your major requires that you'll be hireable when you finish your degree, but the truth is: that's not always the case. Other classes, especially those in business, can give you real-world knowledge that employers will appreciate. Consider taking classes in communications, public speaking, finance, and general business.

6. Get a part-time job in the field you're interested in. Scooping ice cream to pay for your college courses won't do you any good when you graduate. Robert Sollars of Today's Training LLC says if you take an entry-level position in the industry you want to work in (such as working a private security position if you're working toward a degree in criminal justice), you can get a sense of what the work requires to see if you're truly interested in making a career out of it. "This will allow them to get their 'feet wet' and learn more about a different side of the law enforcement community," he says.

7. Meet people. Most college students aren't thinking about networking, but that's exactly what you should be doing before you graduate. Many colleges have strong alumni networks that students can tap into, and many college departments offer opportunities to meet professionals in the community who are working in that field. Get out and shake hands. Get advice on the profession you're interested in and ask questions to get tips on how to best position yourself.

Ali says you should ask questions you can't find the answers to online: "What do you wish you'd known about the job before you started? What skills and traits make someone ideally suited for this kind of work in the long-term?"

8. Know how to talk about yourself. Early in your career, you may find it hard to toot your own horn, but Ali says it's important to be able to do so: "This element is so important and so often overlooked, yet it's a crucial step in determining your success in finding work," she says. "What are you going to say when someone asks: 'Who are you and what are you looking for (in relation to work)?'"

Be confident in your response, and don't be afraid to say what you want. Knowing what you want out of a career proves you're a go-getter, which appeals to employers.

9. Nail the interview process. Even before you apply for your first job, find out what a professional job interview will look like. Talk to professionals that you network with to see what questions you should expect to be asked, and practice your answers. Have a friend mock interview you so you can get your nervous tics out and learn to smoothly answer questions.

10. Be open. If you zero in on one single job that you want, you might miss out on other great opportunities. Spend your college time exploring different industries you could work in, as well as different roles you might be eligible for once you graduate. Your ideal job may come from left field, so be open to possibilities.

For more information see US News.

Three Ways to Organize Your Desk and Computer

 Is your desk and computer full of clutter?  Here are three free ways to organize your office supplies.  Organizing your desk can help reduce your stress, and it can make it a little more enjoyable to do some work.


Here are three things you can do today to organize your desk for maximum efficiency. And they're totally free!

1. Edit your supplies: It's easy to acquire an absurd number of pens, pencils and highlighters. They're given away everywhere and seem totally practical — so they're never thrown away. Grab every single writing utensil in your desk and select 10 that you actually like and use regularly. Give the rest away.


2. Create a digital file cabinet: One of the biggest areas of stress for me was my file drawer. It was full of documents I hadn't looked at for 10 years. It can be intimidating, but the first step is to open the file and shred anything you don't absolutely need. Anything you do need, scan and put it in a folder on your computer called "File Cabinet." Within that file, you can create subfolders for your financial information, vehicles, and insurance, for example. Don't forget to back up this file to an external hard drive or to a cloud service like Google Drive.
3. Put a stop to unsolicited mail: Junk mail was one of my biggest problems. I would throw it into my desk until one day I'd open the drawer and coupons for kebabs and life insurance offers would explode all over my floor. If this sounds familiar, the Federal Trade Commission has put together a list of ways you can stop most unsolicited mail. Some of the most frustrating mail for me was the endless credit card offers. By calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visiting optoutprescreen.com, you can stop all credit card and insurance offers for five years.
   For more information go to Apartment Therapy.
   

Frightfully First Street

It will be a great October at First Street.  Make sure to mark your calendar for all these great Halloween events happening throughout the month. There are events for all ages including a costume contest and ghost walk.  We hope everyone has a safe and happy October!



For more information see Benicia Main Street.