Spending quality time with loved ones is important...

Our loved ones are obviously an important part of our lives. While you probably see most of them on a regular basis, are you really spending quality time together? 

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans,” 

We often get so busy in our everyday lives that we forget to spend real, fulfilling time together. So how can you make quality time to spend with your loved ones?

Reevaluate Your Priorities

Take a look a your life’s priorities as well as your family’s. Do you all have crazy schedules where you can’t fit in any quality time together? Reevaluate what’s important and necessary in those schedules. Is there anything that you can all drop from your regular routines?
Maybe you can rearrange some of your priorities in order to spend more time with loved ones.

Respect Each Other’s Time

When making quality time for others, be respectful of everyone’s time and personal boundaries.
There may be time when you want to get together and some loved ones choose to opt out. While it may be disappointing for the group, respect their decision as an individual. Perhaps they need their space or privacy and will be available some other time. Besides, who wants to force someone to spend quality time together? The quality won’t be very good if a loved one is there unwillingly. Try to avoid judgment and appreciate the family members who do choose to participate.
Spending quality time with loved ones is important. Life passes by too quickly to ignore opportunities to connect with those we love. Whether it’s a few minutes or many days, choose to spend some quality time together!

Qualities of a Good Leader

A Good Communicator
As a leader, one must listen...a lot!  You must be willing to work to understand the needs and desires of others. A good leader asks many questions, considers all options, and leads in the right direction.



Open-Minded
Work to consider all options when making decisions. A strong leader will evaluate the input from all interested parties and work for the betterment of the whole.

Flexible/Adaptable
How do you handle yourself in unexpected or uncomfortable situations?  An effective leader will adapt to new surroundings and situations, doing his/her best to adjust.
 
 Respectful
Treating others with respect will ultimately earn respect.

Quiet Confidence
Be sure of yourself with humble intentions.

Enthusiastic
Excitement is contagious. When a leader is motivated and excited about the cause people will be more inclined to follow.

Resourceful
Utilize the resources available to you. If you don't know the answer to something find out by asking questions. A leader must create access to information.

Rewarding
An exceptional leader will recognize the efforts of others and reinforce those actions. We all enjoy being recognized for our actions!

Well Educated
Knowledge is power. Work to be well educated on community policies, procedures, organizational norms, etc. Further, your knowledge of issues and information will only increase your success in leading others.

Open to Change
A leader will take into account all points of view and will be willing to change a policy, program, cultural tradition that is out-dated, or no longer beneficial to the group as a whole.

Interested in Feedback
How do people feel about your leadership skill set?  How can you improve?  These are important questions that a leader needs to constantly ask the chapter. View feedback as a gift to improve.

Evaluative
Evaluation of events and programs is essential for an organization/group to improve and progress. An exceptional leader will constantly evaluate and change programs and policies that are not working.

Organized
Are you prepared for meetings, presentations, events and confident that people around you are prepared and organized as well? 

Consistent
Confidence and respect cannot be attained without your leadership being consistent. People must have confidence that their opinions and thoughts will be heard and taken into consideration.

Delegator
An exceptional leader realizes that he/she cannot accomplish everything on his own. A leader will know the talents and interests of people around him/her, thus delegating tasks accordingly.

Initiative
A leader should work to be the motivator, an initiator. He/she must be a key element in the planning and implementing of new ideas, programs, policies, events, etc.

Human relations after the accessibility of Mobile phones....

Now a days mobile phones are more essential that we carry with us everywhere. In many situations these facilitate our relationships by making us able to contact those who we would not otherwise be able to for conversations or to arrange meetings. At the same time however such technology can lead to a lack of human contact. So do mobile phones really improve our relationships, or do they damage them? 



Availability of mobile phones boosts interpersonal connections, by allowing people to stay in touch constantly.  But a recent studies showed that our phones can hurt our close relationships. Amazingly, they found that simply having a phone nearby, without even checking it, can be detrimental to our attempts at interpersonal connection.


"Mobile phones are not just a communication tool, but are used as a status symbol. They're also damaging our personal relationships."  
 
It seems then that just as guns don’t kill people (people kill people), mobile phones neither ruin nor improve relationships on their own – this is achieved just fine by the people on either end.

Life is Challenging???

Yes, life will always have challenges because we are not in heaven and we are just human beings. One thing we have to remember is we don’t have to carry the challenges by ourselves.

Just look at this scenario and think once:
If you were going on a long trip, you would probably pack one or two suitcases. You will put your heavy luggage on your lap and drive yourself to the destination? Of course not. Instead you will put your suitcases in the car and allow the car to carry them. But you and your luggage wouldn’t go anywhere if you didn’t first turn on the engine.
While you are living in this world, the God of the Universe offers to carry your burdens. Although His power is incomprehensible, He will not force himself on you. You have to, in a sense, “turn on theengine ” and put your faith in Him. 

As long as you live in this world, only you can decide who will carry your challenges each week … each day … each moment.

Be brave... be cautious and carry drive your life to overcome the challenges