Before you consider your next job change or even career change, it’s crucial that you look at the kind of lifestyle you want today and in the future, just like considering a short term loans no credit check. As you determine the course of your career path, you’ll discover that other facets of your life will enter into the picture as well–where you life, how you spend your money, how you spend your free time. This career-planning time is also time to think about life planning. When I meet with my clients for the first time, before I ask them what they want to do, I ask them what kind of life they want to live.

Even in carefree Hawaii, there’s an expression – Pau Hana–meaning “after work,” Until the last decade, most of our lives were built around work and after work. It always seemed upside-down to me that our society encourages us to work long hours at something we hate in order to get a few hours to do something we really love. When I grew up in the Midwest, it was the highest of compliments to be referred to as a ‘good’ worker or ‘hard’ worker.

Our days are typically divided into getting ready for work, going to work, working, working lunches, working late, going home from work, dinner and doing the work we took home to do and then planning for the next day of work.

And so day in and day out, 50 weeks a year with two weeks off, we follow this cycle. And we join–you guessed it–the “rat race” until we are so worn out that we have to be retired.

As we’ve already discussed, you’ll probably have as many as seven careers (or more) in your lifetime. As my mom said so succinctly when I told her the title of this book, “Yes, no more one job.” If you are value-driven and lifestyle-driven, you’ll find it much easier to create a rewarding career, when it fits in with your lifestyle.

Integrate your life/work choice: not starting over -starting ‘better’!

Just remember, this time, you’re not starting over–you’re starting “better”. In writing this chapter, I wanted to include spectacular stories of people who would inspire you to believe that you could trade your tie for a lasso and ride the open range or sell your BMW and spend the next season of your life climbing Mt. Everest. But, when I looked at the case histories, I found that some of them are indeed spectacular, but others may appear more ordinary for “getting a life, not just a job” is a highly personal venture.

Here are three examples of how people not only changed their careers but integrated their choices into their lives:

I had the good fortune to work with international baseball hero Sadahara Oh, “the Japanese Babe Ruth”. Oh San, as he is called, retired from baseball and yearned to give back to the people some of the joy of the game he had so loved. It was my honor to work with him to set up the World Children’s Baseball Foundation, a camp where kids around the world meet to play ball for a few weeks each year. By sharing what he loved, he created a new career for himself in the process. But he didn’t do it alone. I worked with him to create a board of advisors ranging from Hollywood celebrities to business leaders to other athletes to help make his dream come true. Now he can travel around the world each summer visiting his baseball camps in foreign lands.

Another extraordinary man was already integrating his career with his lifestyles while he was still in his 20′s. I met Douglas Heir while working with Olympians Mary Lou Retton and
Bob Richards on the Wheaties Search for Champions – a national quest for outstanding amateur athletes. Heir was a member of the U.S. Olympic team wheelchair division. He won four medals at the World Olympic Wheelchair games in the javelin and discus competitions. At the time I met him, Heir was also a law student and teaching assistant at Rutger’s University. He would not settle for just one career but rather combined his athletic prowess with his quest for the law.

Gina, another client, discovered that her true calling was in social work. “There is nothing more fulfilling than helping build a community center brick by brick, board by board with your own hands,” she explains. A stint as a volunteer on a local crisis line led her to go back to school at 35 to get her master’s degree in social work. After she lost her job Enron, she thought the world was over but volunteered at the local YWCA. It was there, working with their ‘displaced homemaker’ program, she realized that just getting another corporate job in Human Resources would not be enough.

Too old to change your life?

Many people worry that they are too old to start over. Yet, I’ve found that my clients successfully recareer at all ages. San Francisco actor and writer Dean Goodman dreamed his whole life of doing films, and in his 70′s broke in as a co-star on a Francis Ford Copppola movie.

In doing research for this book, I came across an interesting fact about illustrator H.A. Rey, noted for his charming drawings of Curious George, the nosey little monkey who is always getting himself in and out of trouble. Rey, who lived from 1898 to 1977, sold bathtubs up and down the Amazon River from the age of 26 to 38 until he married his wife, Margaret. Then he embarked on an artistic career that produced the wonderful “Curious George” book series. From bathtub salesman on the Amazon to children’s book illustrator with books now on Amazon.com Quite a lifestyle change!

Life changes brought on by crisis

Not all career changes are planned, many start by accident or when people like you and me go through tough times–divorce, down-sizing and even financial crisis.Actor Ed O’Neil, probably best known as Al Bundy on the classic television show “Married with Children” was a professional football player at one time. After being cut from the pro team, he decided to take a break (like many of my clients do) and stay in Florida where he had been in spring training. He supported himself as a bellboy coincidentally at the same hotel he had stayed at as a ballplayer.

He needed what I call a “station break” in life. This is not an easy time for most of my clients. And in fact, making a transition is often filled with a potpourri of emotions–confusion, anger, regret and hope. And challenges. As a bellboy, O’Neil was called to the front desk one day to carry the bags of some of his former team members who were back in town to play football. Can you imagine what kind of razzing he must have taken? He reports that he kidded them right back – using that sarcastic brand of humor that would become his trademark on TV in the future. And he also accepted the tips. Of all the qualities that help during a transition, I’ve found that the ability to ‘lighten up’ is one of the best. And to realize like O’Neil did then, that this limbo period is not permanent. Someday, you, like O’Neil will move onto the next episode and maybe even a ‘starring’ role.

Where will you live?

Where you live need not be driven by career choice, but by “personal” decision. With a plan of action, the right technology, a bit of capital and lots of ingenui9ty, you can choose to live in the mountains, in the city, on both coasts or abroad–no matter what profession you want to practice. In fact, you may want to choose where you live before you consider what you want to do.

BEST PLACES TO LIVE AND WORK?

Just what are the best places in America to live? MONEY magazine publishes it’s new list each summer, comparing about 300 different areas across the country.

Check your library for other reference books or do a search on the Internet. According to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, the best cities for jobs were (in alphabetical order) Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington C. No wonder so many ‘dot-com’ alumni moved to the Sunbelt cities.

SMALL TOWN OR BIG CITY: TECH TAKES WORK ANYWHERE….

If you’re raising kids, you’ll want to choose a family-oriented community. The organization Zero Population Growth considers 10 factors including population stability, crowding, child health, crime, education, air quality and water resources in determining their top cities. But you may want to find out where the best hiking trails are our where the best fishing ponds are located so that you can enjoy your favorite hobbies together with your family.

Remember, “bigger isn’t always better”. A Zero Population growth spokesperson says, “We found a strong correlation between the size of a city or metropolitan area and the overall stress on children”.

To find out more about other areas of the country and even job opportunities in Europe or Asia, check with chambers of commerce and online. Many will send you sophisticated packages including fancy DVD’s of their town. In fact, some chambers and Economic Development groups will refer you to local recruiters for their area, if you have a skill they need. Or just head to the area you’re interested in for a quick weekend. Recently, while staying at a bed and breakfast in a small rural town, the owner tried to get one of my career clients to change her life and help start a local museum with her. All my client had intended to do was visit the area where her grandparents had owned a farm, but the weekend trip turned quickly into a career and life opportunity.

Matching what you want to do with where you want to live can be a creative process. Think about “your” career and life choices. How could you make them happen in a big city? In a small town? Let’s look at these two options with a few different career choices.

1. Want to be a writer/novelist or screenwriter?

Big city: You may choose to be a tech writer at a major computer firm by day and write science fiction tomes by night. You may want to hit New York and get an old college
roommate who lives there to underwrite your off-off Broadway play. Or look up that college celebrity you went to grade school with and head to Hollywood to see if you can get a gig writing for her new reality show.

Small town: Consider turning your family’s Mountain cabin into a writer’s retreat and bring in some old professors to lead some seminars – go ahead, be brave moderate some of the short story workshops yourself. You can telecommute to your company’s headquarter’s in Denver from your ski chalet in Aspen. Really think ‘outside-the-box’, love Yosemite -go ahead and set up a regional theatre repertory program on weekends and work as a forest ranger during the week. Who knows one of the highly-stressed tourist’s you meet may be a Broadway talent agent.

2. Yearn to be a travel tour leader or a river rafting guide?

Big city: You may choose to create ‘arm-chair’ multimedia adventures for local travel firms
or get a gig with your local cable station and start your own travel show.

Small town: Check out the scores of caverns, caves or other natural resources nearby and
become a tour guide for adventure trips. Organize a 21st Century travel blog online linking
handicapped travelers together for the adventures of their lifetime.

3. Want to own your own business?

Big city: Are you a great barbecue chef? Consider setting up your own weekend barbecue
catering business as fund-raisers for schools and other non-profits.

Small town: Open up a summer-time only open-air barbecue pit near the largest campground
in the area. In the winter, find a major food conglomerate to buy your family secret barbecue
sauce recipe.

4. Want to sail around the world?

Big city: head to the nearest marina and open up a ‘time-share’ visit for other would-be sailors who can help finance the boat of your dreams. Borrow a pal’s Digital Video camera and document wealthy yacht-owner’s special occasions. You get to sail for free while you sharpen your film prowess.

Small town: Teach sailing to the scouting troupes in the area or design a senior’s only class for everyone who shares your dream.

EXPERIMENT:

To challenge you creativity, consider small-town/big city options for the following careers and lifestyles:

*Making a contribution to the world.

*Preserving local history.

*Share a love of gardening and landscaping.

As you consider your lifestyle choices and where you’d like to live, there are other factors you may want to weigh:

*Your family situation. Do you have a spouse? Do you want one? Children? Are you a single parent? Does an ex-spouse have visitation rights? Are you single looking for a new partner? Do you have any family commitments that might keep you in a certain area?

*Your bank account. Do you have at least six-month’s living expenses to get you started in your new community? Keep in mind that the cost of living varies from community to city. Six months bed and board in a small town might total only $10,000 or less, while in a big metropolitan city that might not even cover moving expenses for a family of four.

*Your hobbies and leisure life. Can’t live without a quiet walk in the country each weekend? Do you thrive on theatre and nightlife? Whether it’s rock climbing or rodeo wrangling, make sure you choose a locale that’s compatible with you recreational interests or be prepared to start your own rodeo.

*Your social life. True, you can meet terrific people just about everywhere you go. But you may find that your social life revolves around your church or synagogue. All too often many of my clients depend on work to spark their social activities, and when they change jobs they feel left out. Plan to hook up with local community organizations or your alumni chapters in the new location.

But what if you can’t afford to move?

Like many of my clients, you may feel limited by lack of resources – the green kind! But don’t worry, there are ways to beat the bank.

Consider house-swapping, There are lots of online websites that offer to formally swap homes in the country for skyscraper condos in the city. Be sure to check them out carefully to make sure the one you choose is legit. I’ve found that it’s often easier to just tell someone you’d like to swap your apartment for a mountain cabin -professional organizations like Women in Film or the manager of your gym may have a pal or relative yearning for just such an opportunity.

Investigate house-sitting in the city of your choice. If you’re handy, the absentee owner may even pay you a fee for your assistance in fixing that broken porch or mending the roof.

How about going international?

What if you’d love to live in Switzerland or deep sea fish on an island in Micronesia? It’s possible even on a budget. Before you jump off the deep-end, consider these options:

1) You may want to take a leave of absence from your teaching gig and live in Barbados for a month before you make the final commitment.

2) You may want to see if you can get a regular gig in the new locale, even if you yearn to buy a franchise in the region or set up your own small biz. Having a job will give you time to check out the region without touching your own capital.

3) You may want to work for an American company internationally that has offices or worksites in the locals you yearn to travel to in the future. Or explore the area first with shorter trips before packing your trunks for a permanent move.

4) You may want to keep a safety net back home–sublet your house, get a housemate for your home, keep an emergency nest egg in the bank where you come from.

Before you leap to foreign lands, prep for the trek:

Most of my clients spend more time planning a summer vacation than mapping out their life-plans. Even if you’re checking account is minimal, you can get a head-start on your dream for little or no cost by:

1) Studying the language in your spare time (most high schools offer low-cost evening classes).

2) Stopping by the consulate for the country of your choice, make friends with the office staff and see what suggestions they have for you.

3) Check out international trade associations such as the Australian Trade Commission which will be glad to meet with you while you’re still living in the U.S. and help you prep for your relocation.

4) Place an inexpensive ad in the English-speaking newspaper in the Mexico City where you’re yearning to open a sailing school. You may be able to get students to sign up in advance. At least start a subscription or read the paper in online or at your local library to see what the business climate is like in advance.

They did it, so can you!

Here are some lifestyle choices my clients and students have made:

1. From maid service owner in Los Angeles to diner operator in small Northwest town.

2. From high-pressure traveling sales executive to telephone sales J.O.B. (Just only a bridge) and musician at night at a beach resort town.

3. From manufacturing plant manager in the Midwest to handyman at a North Shore hotel in
Hawaii so he could surf all day.

4. From real estate investor in Texas to dating service owner in Los Angeles so she could be near her own “sweetie”.

5. From musician traveling with big celebrity bands to New Age psychic healing advisor in
Sedona, Arizona.

6. From astrologer to therapist in a university town in Nebraska (after going back to school).

7. From university administrator at a college law school, to lawyer on Wall Street.

8. From copy editor to environmental analyst in New Mexico.

9. From television anchor to speech therapist in Alaska.

10. From beauty queen in North Dakota, to fitness counselor at a country club in Puerto Rico.

11. From barrio teacher to education writer in Washington, DC

12. From geologist to character actor at a Florida theme park.

13. From lawyer to off-Broadway play producer.

14. From computer salesperson in Alaska to interactive television engineer in San Francisco.

15. From soap opera actress to costume designer for regional theatre in New Mexico.

What advice do others offer?

“What you own is not as important as how you feel inside.” –salesman-turned-musician

“Allow plenty of spare time to do your own thing,” –banker-turned kindergarten teacher

“Learn how to use a computer–no matter how old you are. It will change the way you work, the way you communicate and even who you meet. Be sure to buy a laptop so you can take it anywhere.” –real-estate entrepreneur-turned inner city teacher

“Do your own thing until the money runs out, then keep doing it!” –stockbroker-turned-old-house renovator

“Don’t compromise – go for it even if it means making some sacrifices in how you live for awhile” –ad executive-turned-film-writer.

You deserve a break!

Many of my clients find that they only rediscover their values and their lifestyle choices by taking some time off. Refreshed, renewed and revitalized, they start again.

Sometimes clients come to me after taking an ‘enforced” time out–because of family illness, an accident that immobilized them for months or a life-or-death crisis. They’re sure they don’t want to go back to their old jobs – and many times they don’t even have that option. But they’re afraid to go for their dreams because they’ve been out of the job market. This is the same challenge many women who have been raising children face when they want to return to the workplace.

I encourage these people to realize that they can life out their dreams. That they do have the “right” to dream. Life is not punishment. It is here to be enjoyed. Go for it. GET A LIFE!

“In the long run,” said Eleanor Roosevelt, “when we shape our lives, we shape ourselves.”

The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make, are ultimately our own responsibility.

By: Joyce Schwarz

When it comes time to make changes in your house, it is important to combine personal choices with things that will increase the value of the building. There are plenty of options for ways to make your living space more comfortable while making the house worth more when it is time to sell. You can create a space you love that is personalized and warm, while also making the house a better investment. The key is to upgrade in ways that will make the house more attractive to buyers, while making personal choices that are easy to change, if and when the time comes. For instance, when you sell your house, you will want to have neutral paint choices that appeal to many people. However, while you are living in the space, you have the freedom to do whatever you like with paint. This is because paint is an easy aspect to change and it does not cost a great deal of money to paint neutral colors over personalized choices you lived with for years. However, if you make a massive structural change like installing a sports court or small bowling alley in your basement, it is only going to appeal to buyers that are interested in those specific activities. You have put yourself at a disadvantage among the homes for sale. Even though it may be a great feature, it is personalized and you are eliminating a big group of prospective homebuyers when you list your house among IL homes for sale. It is better to make widely appealing changes that are long-term and structural, and keep the more temporary changes personalized.

Great ways to change a living space that add value include energy efficient upgrades. These are all things that are going to stay and benefit the new homeowner, while also making your living space more comfortable. Great investments include new energy efficient windows and appliances. If you have older kitchen appliances and an outdated washer and dryer, these are great upgrades that will benefit you and add value. New appliances add a freshness to a space, they cut down on your energy costs, and they are fun to use until you put your house on the market. At that time, they make a great selling feature.

If your appliances are already upgraded and in great shape, think about changes you can make that will create a more comfortable space and lower energy costs. If you have a space in your home that feel cold and uncomfortable, consider adding a wood burning or pellet stove to the room. This cuts down on your traditional energy costs and allows you to add comfort and ambiance while using a greener method for heating. Finally, you will want to keep this warmer air indoors, so upgrade those shabby old windows. You will end up with windows that are safer, more secure, and easier to clean, and when the time comes to sell your house, buyers will be impressed by the efficiency of newer windows. If you are planning upgrades, choose ones that are value-added.

By: Connor R Sullivan

One disadvantage of having been in prison is that by the time you get out, you will find yourself having a great deal of difficulty finding a job. Most employers are leery of hiring anyone with a criminal record, and even if you have turned over a new leaf after paying your debt to society, it doesn’t change that bias towards people refusing to hire you once they find out about your past.

However, this isn’t the time to despair. It doesn’t mean the end of the world if you are unable to get employment immediately. There are still a lot of felony friendly jobs available if you only know where to look. Even if the unemployment rate continues to rise due to the present economic situation, there are legitimate and legal places where you can get hired immediately without having to be interviewed for the position.

If you have an email address and access to an Internet connection, you can have a job within minutes. These felony friendly jobs are known as “get paid to” jobs which will involve participating in various online marketing research surveys that pay people to give their opinions on various products or services, political or social atmospheres, TV programs or movies, and any number of other topics.

You get paid for every survey you participate in by as much as $10 for every 10 to 15 minute survey or questionnaire you complete. It’s as easy as clicking boxes or filling in some questions fields, and you will be paid via check.

Making an honest living after life on the inside doesn’t have to be so difficult, simply participate in “get paid to” programs online to earn money and start your life anew.

By: Greg Mascetani

If you cannot afford to buy a new inversion table, you may go for a used one. There is no dearth of firms selling used inversion tables at affordable prices. The difference between a new and used inversion table of the same brand and make could be as much as 50 percent. Those who are planning to purchase inversion tables in bulk for their gymnasiums or health clubs could save a lot of money by ordering used inversion tables.

There are firms in the market which deal exclusively in used inversion tables. Many of them also offer their products online. Some of them are ready to provide any kind of inversion table their customer wants. If they do not have it in stock, they order it.

Sometimes a customer may like to have certain modifications done to a used inversion table before he buys it. Some companies offer services for carrying out these modifications without charging any additional amount; other firms may charge a customer over and above the cost of the inversion table.

As a good inversion table can be expensive, used inversion tables are quite popular. There are a number of web sites which offer used inversion tables. Some auction sites also offer them. You can start bidding for them from as low as $1. If luck is on your side you may get a used inversion table at only one-tenth of the price of a new inversion table.

However, before choosing a used inversion table, it is important to check its current condition. Some refurbished inversion tables might look good on the surface but they might not be worth the price tag they carry. It is preferable to buy a used inversion table with a warranty.

By: Kevin Stith

Giving assets away to a trust that you set up for yourself is probably not the way to go when attempting to qualify for Colorado Medicaid under the strict new guidelines. It’s this type of “self-settled” trust that the Colorado Medicaid folks are coming down on hard. Instead, give assets away to your children as a group or to your most trusted child and have that child or your children hold the money for your future needs.

Here’s how it would work. Let’s assume you owned a house worth $200,000 and savings of $200,000. Let’s also assume that you have 4 children. Finally, we’ll also assume that all 4 children were pretty darn good, but one of them, Mary, was the most responsible of the group. Give away your house and your savings to Mary. She would then hold what you have given her in her own name for a couple of months. She would then create a trust on her own and transfer the house and the money that you gave her into this new trust. This trust would be held by Mary, as the trustee, with provisions stating that no assets could be transferred out of that trust for either a specific period of time or, perhaps, until your death. When you die, Mary could distribute the assets in equal shares to herself and to her siblings.

Transferring assets from your name directly to a child’s name will cause a Medicaid penalty period, but your plan is to give the assets away and stay out of a nursing home for or five years. After five years, the gift would be invisible to Medicaid. They only ask, when you apply for Medicaid later, if you’ve made any gifts within the last five years. If five years passed when you make application for Medicaid, the gift to Mary would not be “visible.”

You would also answer “no” to the questions of whether or not you are a current beneficiary of a trust. Since Mary set up the trust after she received the gifted property from you, you were not the one responsible for setting up the trust and you’re not currently named as the beneficiary of any trust. In fact, the trust Mary sets up names herself and her siblings as beneficiaries of the trust, not you. You might be given some power to authorize distributions of money out of the trust to your children even though you are not a current beneficiary of that trust by naming you as a special independent trustee with certain powers over the distribution of assets. This type of strategy can be extremely useful for individuals and families attempting to qualify for Medicaid without having to sell their home or lose all of their hard-earned assets.

By: Richard Hughes

Buying dentures is not cheap anymore by any means. The average cost of an upper denture alone is over $1250.00 (national average 2005 survey) and most dental insurance does not cover dentures because it’s considered to be cosmetic. So what does a person have to do in order to find affordable dentures? Well, one excellent option is called a discount dental plan.

Discount dental plans don’t work like insurance does. These dental plans simply offer you a big discount (up to 60%) off of the usual cost of regular dental care. They are an excellent dental care option because, unlike insurance which will not cover any condition that is considered to be “pre-existing”, you can still get a substantial discount if you need to be seen for an existing problem.

Here’s an example of a discount dental plan and how it will work in your favor. This example is going to be from the state of Colorado in the Denver area, zip code 80015, which is actually the suburb of Aurora. The cost of an upper denture using this particular discount plan in Aurora is only $694.00, a savings of $556.00 off the average national cost. Of course, this savings may be more or less where you live. Also, this estimate is based on high grade dentures, not cheap material.

The cost of joining a plan like this one is only $100.00 per year or $150.00 for a family. You’ll also continue to save money each time you go to the dentist for the entire year. Vision a pharmacy benefits are even available with some plans, as well as cosmetic dentistry. If you’re in need of dentures and the cost has been an issue, you should take a look at getting a discount dental plan. There’s a good chance that it just may be your best option.

By: Joe Stewart

If you have spent any amount of time in the slammer, you will probably have found out by now how difficult it is to get a legitimate job once you have a criminal record. A majority of employers, once they find out about it, immediately delete you from their list of prospective employees, even if you have already done your time and paid your debt to society.

Before you turn your back on the prospect of getting honest employment altogether, you need to know that there are jobs for people with felonies in their past. Regardless of whether you have a record, there are places which will hire you on the spot and pay you for your services without even going through any criminal records you may have.

There are GPT sites, or “get paid to” programs that offer money to people to participate in market research programs where you can give your opinions on a great variety of subject matters. Companies pay a lot of money to find out what their target market thinks, and you get paid for giving them what they need. Jobs for people with felonies are hard to find – that is, everywhere but the internet.

All you need to have is an Internet connection and an email address, and you will be ready to sign up with legitimate GPT sites where you will be given opportunities to give your opinions, answer surveys and questionnaires, or even try out products. Payment will be sent to you via check.

It wouldn’t matter if you have a criminal record; participating in GPT programs are one way to make an honest living and turn over a new leaf.

By: Greg Mascetani

I was recently asked what the cost is for an upper denture and this is a tough question to answer because the costs of dental procedures will vary depending on a few key factors. Some of these factors are what state you live in, the size of the town you live in, how many dentists are in that town and other factors.

Some cities and states have less of a population base, therefore, where there is less competition you can expect to pay more money. For example, if you lived in a small town in Wyoming and it was over fifty miles one way to the dentist, and he was the only dentist or one of the only dentists, I can pretty much tell you that this dentist is going to charge whatever they want and you’re going to happily give it them because you need the service performed.

Now let’s look at a different example. We’ll use Denver, Colorado in this one. In Denver, the usual price for upper dentures is around $1250, give or take. This is likely less than our rural town in Wyoming example above. Why, you ask? Because there are probably a few hundred Denver, Colorado dentists that happen to specialize in dentures that are all willing to do the work. Competition drives down the price of things.

It’s highly likely that larger cities like Denver probably have some of the most reasonable dental care rates in the country. Of course this is just shear speculation and there’s no way to know 100% for certain without dragging out the yellow pages and making a lot of phone calls, but from patterns that have been established elsewhere, I’d have to say that that’s a pretty safe bet. By the way, an upper denture only costs $1250 in Denver, Colorado.

By: Joe Stewart