Intuition will guide you to your “right livelihood.”
Intuition: The Secret to Your Career Success Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed.

For far too long, we moderns have relied on our analytical/logical brain to make important life decisions. It is my belief that our imaginative/creative brain holds the key to better, smarter and more soulful decisions. This is because the right side of the brain, which loves creativity—taps into your intuitive nature. Take your career for instance. How could following your intuition make you more successful? Because you will be following your true internal compass—one that leads you to the best career and a more fulfilled life. The word intuition means in to you in Latin. Florence Scovel, a theologian, once said, Intuition is the spiritual faculty that doesnt explain; it seemingly points the way. Its also been said that intuition is your divine Spirit talking to you. If we stop for a moment and acknowledge this, we realize the incredible perspective we have. Unfortunately, this is a perspective we often choose to ignore because it is an undeveloped skill. Using your intuition when making important decisions allows you to move along your career path easily and effortlessly. You dont have to struggle and worry, because things fall naturally into place when you follow your inner nature. Developing your intuitive guidance (your inner voice) is essential to smart decision-making and career choices, and includes balancing your cognitive (thinking) abilities with your affective (feeling) abilities.

Synthesize information from your head and your heart, and bring them into your consciousness. You only have to learn how to develop these powers and I promise that it will become second nature to you. The first step is obviously to become aware that you contain this amazing power. But you must consciously choose to use it!

Next, you have to realize that when dealing with matters of work, there can be some discrepancies between what the mind thinks and what the heart feels. When we think about work, we focus on what we should do so that we can pay the bills, etc., which only takes into account the practical side. When we feel about work, we focus on what we want to do and consider the impractical, such as moving to a foreign country. We very rarely take the time to see how the two sides can meet and form a whole new possibility. When making a major life decision, such as, What should I do as my lifes work? it is pretty safe to say that our equilibrium is all out of whack. And we tend to do one of two things: We either throw out all rational behavior altogether or block any and all emotions from our consciousness. We need to learn to align these two extremes, balance them, and make decisions from a true state of knowing, which is our intuition. You can learn to take these two seemingly opposing faculties and fuse them to have singleness of purpose and direction.

The best way to do this is to be clear on what you are looking for from your career, so that you can then allow your intuitive nature to take over. The key is to believe that your higher self sees what is best for you. Indeed, Spirit is trying to send you messages, but you must learn to open up and receive the information in order for it to make a difference in your life. Once you have learned to have faith in this process, your heart and mind will function together for greater harmony than you ever dreamed possible.

By following your intuition, you become empowered. When you are empowered, you trust that you know the right thing to dodespite what other people might say. You look within yourself for direction. Dis-empowered people look for answers outside of themselves. They turn to others to find the answers to their life, and thus become confused and often misguided. Confused people are easy to spot—they tend to change their minds almost on a daily basis. It stands to reason that if you are dis-empowered and confused, you will not be making decisions with clarity and focus. If you are like most people, you prefer one faculty (thinking or feeling) over the other. People tend to use the one they are most comfortable with, but sometimes it is necessary to look at the situation through your weaker one.

You are Head Strong if you typically: Over-analyze people, things, and situations Consider the practical side of the issue Rationalize your behavior to yourself and to others Consider yourself first in situations Prefer thinking over feeling Ignore feelings contrary to your thinking when making decisions Hide your emotions Like to plan ahead Like to be in control Use the word NO a lot

You are Heart Strong if you typically: Are sensitive and emotional Consider the impractical side of the issue Feel things in the pit of your stomach Consider others first in situations Prefer feeling over thinking Ignore thoughts contrary to your feelings when making decisions Show your emotions Like to go with the flow Like to make others feel good Use the word YES a lot Both are ways of sensing, but in order to be a more effective decision-maker, you need to use them in conjunction. On occasion, it may be more appropriate to listen with your heart, as it will provide the direction that you need to go. Other times, you may find that tapping into your head can save you from making miss-takes in your career. The key is to pick up on coincidences, signs, and other external messages by filtering them through both faculties to get the most accurate reading. The real secret to intuitive guidance is to let your inner soul be your guide.

Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed. is a whole life coach, speaker, and author. She has written three self-help books and a dozen workbooks on life empowerment topics. Her coaching practice is Brightlight Coaching. She helps people come up with bright ideas for their life and empowers them to freely shine their bright light to the world. Contact her for a complimentary coaching session: coach@brightlightcoach.com or Visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com www.brightlightcoach.com Sign up for her free monthly ezine, Get Smart! Live Smart by sending an email to: Getsmarter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

About the Author

Michelle Casto is a Whole Life Coach, Speaker, and Author of the Get Smart! LearningBook Series: Get Smart! About Modern Romantic Relationships and Get Smart! about Modern Career Development She holds a Master of Education degree and is a certified career development and customer service instructor. Her coaching practice is Brightlight Coaching, she empowers people to freely shine their bright light to the world. Free 30 minute coaching consultation: coach@brightlightcoach.com Visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com and www.brightlightcoach.com

(ARA) - The rising cost of tuition has put many families in a bind. A survey conducted by the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges found that tuition at public institutions increased in 37 of the states that responded. In Arizona, California and New York all surveyed schools reported in-state tuition increases of at least 20 percent. Tuition at the State University of New York has increased by 30 percent and at the University of California by as much as 40 percent over last falls levels.

While all parents want the best education for their children, financial constraints can be a burden on the long-term investment in their childs education. However, with diligent planning, families can work together to develop solutions to this problem and be able to afford the best education for their children. Ray Loewe, college planning expert and advisory board member for the GE Center for Financial Learning, offers the following tips on college planning and ways to make the transition back to school more affordable.

* While tuition costs are on the rise, interest rates for paying back college loans will drop to an all-time low. Its good news to those already paying off loans or who will start paying in the near future. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, someone with $25,000 in debt could save about $5,000 in 20 years if he or she consolidates at this rate.

* Students should try and find a part-time job. Jobs offered on a college campus are ideal because employers know from the outset that theyre hiring college students with their irregular schedules, tests and exams. They know that education is a priority and are usually more forgiving as a result.

* Many parents think that Saving for College will just disqualify a student from getting financial aid. The actual fact is that income most often keeps students from qualifying for financial aid, not their assets. At the same time saving for education is an investment.

* There are four types of financial aid: scholarships, grants, loans and work-study employment. Colleges are not created equal regarding financial aid. Become familiar with your colleges financial aid packages.

* Apply for a loan. Loans are financial aid available to both parents and students. They are subsidized by the federal or state government, financial institutions or the college and may have lower interest rates than regular loans. Generally, you do not start paying back these loans until after college graduation.

There are many ways to prevent future financial hardships that can arise from paying for education, but having a plan is crucial. Web sites such as the GE Center for Financial Learning (www.financiallearning.com) can help you and your family take action to ensure an easy and trouble-free return to school each semester.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Courtesy of ARA Content

Tags: Tuition Research

Intuition will guide you to your “right livelihood.”
Intuition: The Secret to Your Career Success Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed.

For far too long, we moderns have relied on our analytical/logical brain to make important life decisions. It is my belief that our imaginative/creative brain holds the key to better, smarter and more soulful decisions. This is because the right side of the brain, which loves creativity—taps into your intuitive nature. Take your career for instance. How could following your intuition make you more successful? Because you will be following your true internal compass—one that leads you to the best career and a more fulfilled life. The word intuition means in to you in Latin. Florence Scovel, a theologian, once said, Intuition is the spiritual faculty that doesnt explain; it seemingly points the way. Its also been said that intuition is your divine Spirit talking to you. If we stop for a moment and acknowledge this, we realize the incredible perspective we have. Unfortunately, this is a perspective we often choose to ignore because it is an undeveloped skill. Using your intuition when making important decisions allows you to move along your career path easily and effortlessly. You dont have to struggle and worry, because things fall naturally into place when you follow your inner nature. Developing your intuitive guidance (your inner voice) is essential to smart decision-making and career choices, and includes balancing your cognitive (thinking) abilities with your affective (feeling) abilities.

Synthesize information from your head and your heart, and bring them into your consciousness. You only have to learn how to develop these powers and I promise that it will become second nature to you. The first step is obviously to become aware that you contain this amazing power. But you must consciously choose to use it!

Next, you have to realize that when dealing with matters of work, there can be some discrepancies between what the mind thinks and what the heart feels. When we think about work, we focus on what we should do so that we can pay the bills, etc., which only takes into account the practical side. When we feel about work, we focus on what we want to do and consider the impractical, such as moving to a foreign country. We very rarely take the time to see how the two sides can meet and form a whole new possibility. When making a major life decision, such as, What should I do as my lifes work? it is pretty safe to say that our equilibrium is all out of whack. And we tend to do one of two things: We either throw out all rational behavior altogether or block any and all emotions from our consciousness. We need to learn to align these two extremes, balance them, and make decisions from a true state of knowing, which is our intuition. You can learn to take these two seemingly opposing faculties and fuse them to have singleness of purpose and direction.

The best way to do this is to be clear on what you are looking for from your career, so that you can then allow your intuitive nature to take over. The key is to believe that your higher self sees what is best for you. Indeed, Spirit is trying to send you messages, but you must learn to open up and receive the information in order for it to make a difference in your life. Once you have learned to have faith in this process, your heart and mind will function together for greater harmony than you ever dreamed possible.

By following your intuition, you become empowered. When you are empowered, you trust that you know the right thing to dodespite what other people might say. You look within yourself for direction. Dis-empowered people look for answers outside of themselves. They turn to others to find the answers to their life, and thus become confused and often misguided. Confused people are easy to spot—they tend to change their minds almost on a daily basis. It stands to reason that if you are dis-empowered and confused, you will not be making decisions with clarity and focus. If you are like most people, you prefer one faculty (thinking or feeling) over the other. People tend to use the one they are most comfortable with, but sometimes it is necessary to look at the situation through your weaker one.

You are Head Strong if you typically: Over-analyze people, things, and situations Consider the practical side of the issue Rationalize your behavior to yourself and to others Consider yourself first in situations Prefer thinking over feeling Ignore feelings contrary to your thinking when making decisions Hide your emotions Like to plan ahead Like to be in control Use the word NO a lot

You are Heart Strong if you typically: Are sensitive and emotional Consider the impractical side of the issue Feel things in the pit of your stomach Consider others first in situations Prefer feeling over thinking Ignore thoughts contrary to your feelings when making decisions Show your emotions Like to go with the flow Like to make others feel good Use the word YES a lot Both are ways of sensing, but in order to be a more effective decision-maker, you need to use them in conjunction. On occasion, it may be more appropriate to listen with your heart, as it will provide the direction that you need to go. Other times, you may find that tapping into your head can save you from making miss-takes in your career. The key is to pick up on coincidences, signs, and other external messages by filtering them through both faculties to get the most accurate reading. The real secret to intuitive guidance is to let your inner soul be your guide.

Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed. is a whole life coach, speaker, and author. She has written three self-help books and a dozen workbooks on life empowerment topics. Her coaching practice is Brightlight Coaching. She helps people come up with bright ideas for their life and empowers them to freely shine their bright light to the world. Contact her for a complimentary coaching session: coach@brightlightcoach.com or Visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com www.brightlightcoach.com Sign up for her free monthly ezine, Get Smart! Live Smart by sending an email to: Getsmarter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

About the Author

Michelle Casto is a Whole Life Coach, Speaker, and Author of the Get Smart! LearningBook Series: Get Smart! About Modern Romantic Relationships and Get Smart! about Modern Career Development She holds a Master of Education degree and is a certified career development and customer service instructor. Her coaching practice is Brightlight Coaching, she empowers people to freely shine their bright light to the world. Free 30 minute coaching consultation: coach@brightlightcoach.com Visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com and www.brightlightcoach.com

(ARA) - The rising cost of tuition has put many families in a bind. A survey conducted by the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges found that tuition at public institutions increased in 37 of the states that responded. In Arizona, California and New York all surveyed schools reported in-state tuition increases of at least 20 percent. Tuition at the State University of New York has increased by 30 percent and at the University of California by as much as 40 percent over last falls levels.

While all parents want the best education for their children, financial constraints can be a burden on the long-term investment in their childs education. However, with diligent planning, families can work together to develop solutions to this problem and be able to afford the best education for their children. Ray Loewe, college planning expert and advisory board member for the GE Center for Financial Learning, offers the following tips on college planning and ways to make the transition back to school more affordable.

* While tuition costs are on the rise, interest rates for paying back college loans will drop to an all-time low. Its good news to those already paying off loans or who will start paying in the near future. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, someone with $25,000 in debt could save about $5,000 in 20 years if he or she consolidates at this rate.

* Students should try and find a part-time job. Jobs offered on a college campus are ideal because employers know from the outset that theyre hiring college students with their irregular schedules, tests and exams. They know that education is a priority and are usually more forgiving as a result.

* Many parents think that Saving for College will just disqualify a student from getting financial aid. The actual fact is that income most often keeps students from qualifying for financial aid, not their assets. At the same time saving for education is an investment.

* There are four types of financial aid: scholarships, grants, loans and work-study employment. Colleges are not created equal regarding financial aid. Become familiar with your colleges financial aid packages.

* Apply for a loan. Loans are financial aid available to both parents and students. They are subsidized by the federal or state government, financial institutions or the college and may have lower interest rates than regular loans. Generally, you do not start paying back these loans until after college graduation.

There are many ways to prevent future financial hardships that can arise from paying for education, but having a plan is crucial. Web sites such as the GE Center for Financial Learning (www.financiallearning.com) can help you and your family take action to ensure an easy and trouble-free return to school each semester.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Courtesy of ARA Content

Tags: Tuition Research