Annual Salary Needed to be Happy

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What annual salary do you need to be happy?  $1 million?  $200K? $100K+?.  Well the answer according to a wide range of research is even lower – around $40K to $75K a year.   Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University, says once you have enough money to meet basic needs – food, shelter, but not necessarily cable —incremental increases have little effect on your happiness. ...  read more

The key is not thinking

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We are paid to think – literally.  Companies pay us thousand of dollars for our ability to think and solve problems.  So naturally our brain is wired to think, evaluate, compare, devise solutions.  It’s a blessing and a curse. I realize at times, I forget to turn off my brain and also think, analyze, and compare too much when it comes to life.  Life is to be experienced and enjoyed but not over-analyzed. ...  read more

Believe in Yourself – You are “Beautiful”

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This post is not about external appearances.  This post is inspired by a recent show I saw onVH1 called Storytellers: Christina Aguilera.  It’s in a format where a music artist sings to a small group, and talks to the group about herself, her music, and her inspirations.  Christina’s story about her song “Beautiful” really caught my attention. ...  read more

5 Business Networking Tips Anyone can Follow

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Learning how to network well is essential to job search and career success.  It doesn’t matter what level of business networking skills you have.  These 5 business networking tips can either help you get started or serve as a good reminder.   Use these 5 business networking tips at any event and see results. ...  read more

Laid Off? Now What – 5 Things to Do

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You have just been laid off.  Now what?  This can be a confusing and stressful time, and sometimes well-meaning friends don’t know what to say or how to help.   Don’t worry!  Your fellow readers Tamara, Ajantha, Judy and I have some great tips for you.  The best way to move forward after being laid off is to stay active.  I categorized the tips into five sections: Immediate, Practical To-Dos, Determine Your Path, Motivate Yourself, Start Job Search, and Enjoy Yourself. ...  read more

How real should you be in interviews?

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I love it when my blog readers suggest topics for discussion. One reader suggested this article for discussion – It’s a job interview, not a beautiful pageant.

From reader 1: The article primarily discusses how a  job interview should be treated – as an avenue to express one’s true self or as a formality to get through to obtain the coveted offer letter. More than the article, I enjoyed reading the comments by other readers. There are arguments for both sides of the case. ...  read more