Pumpkin Carving Success

You must read this article if you or someone you know is about
to carve a pumpkin. I call these 5 ideads, my Kent's Pumpkin
Carving Survival Tips. My advice is for you to read these tips
before you begin this endeavor end up with a disastrous event
again. We all have experienced good and not so good pumpkin
carving experiences. Well, here is all you need to know to have
a successful pumpkin carving experience. These 5 easy tips that
are guaranteed to make the day special and ease you mind:

1. Do a little prep work on the pumpkin carving design. The kids
want to have a cool pumpkin, but they also want to have some
design input themselves. Have a pumpkin transfer or template kit
available to start out the process. The kits are available almost
everywhere pumpkins are sold. Also, get the kids or adults for
that matter, to start designing ahead of time. Tell them ahead of
time, everyone must have the design ready for transfer to the
pumpkin prior anyone being allowed to carve their pumpkin.

2. Go out and get your self one of the pumpkin carving kits. The
kit will save your self from rummaging through the kitchen and
allocating “tools” for the people involved. If there are kids,
always handle the knives with strict adult supervision. Sure let
the kids try, but have an adult do the cutting, pumpkins are
tough. These tools can also be shared and can create some pretty
cool images when used correctly.

3. Have plenty of newspaper for the pumpkin guts. This is not
the most enjoyable for the kids, but you need to have them reach
in and get gooey! A large cooking spoon works very efficiently
to complete this job is a short amount of time. If you are the
adventurous type, clean the seeds, soak in salt water (to taste)
and bake until crunchy.

4. Make sure each person has a second pumpkin. Why, well how
many times has the “Oops factor” come into play? The knife slips
or the tooth gets cut off … the eye is crooked … having a backup
pumpkin plan saves the day. Even if you do not need them, send
them home with one of the guests or give away as a prize to
someone!

5. Take pictures of the whole process, it is a great time of year
and everyone is around in good moods. Take a bunch, because some
are destined for the scrap book!

Sorry, but you are on your own to bring light to the finished
pumpkin. Everyone needs to see what works for them, I can
recommend the simple glow stick, and they even come in a variety
of colors and last a good while. Be safe and have fun.

Positive Energy In Your Office

Positive energy can go a long way in ensuring that your office environment is peaceful and stress free. If you have ever worked in an office with people who are constantly giving off negative energy, you surely know what it feels like. You feel suffocated by this energy, and often times it wears off on others.

One of the biggest problems in offices nowadays is people that are constantly talking about others and turning people against one another. This form of negative energy is one of the quickest ways to divide an office. If you work with people like this, it is very important that you do not let them bring you down. But it is easier said than done.

The best way to combat negative energy is to throw positive energy right back at it. In other words, if a co-worker of yours is constantly degrading your boss, you need to step to the plate and throw a good word in about him or her. This will make the person realize that this type of attitude will not be tolerated. By letting this negative energy circulate around the office, you are doing nothing to help the situation. In fact, if you are not helping, you are just contributing to the problem.

Try to make it a point to show up at your office every day in a good mood. Often times, positive energy will wear off on your co-workers. If you can get this sort of flow started, pretty soon everybody is feeding off of each other’s positive energy. This means that anybody who brings negative energy to the office will quickly be converted; they will not have any other choice.

The good thing about positive energy is that it does not cost a thing. If you are looking to find this energy, you need to look no further than inside yourself. Everything that you need can be found within yourself. But remember, you can find negative energy just as easily. So it is important to wake up every day looking at what can go right, instead of what can go wrong. This is nothing more than getting in a good mindset from the moment that you wake up. It will take a little bit of will power at first, but after you get used to looking at the good side of things, you will never go back.

Positive energy is one of the most overlooked aspects of a successful business. Companies that have people who are circulating negative energy will never live up to their potential. Don’t be a part of the problem; show up at work tomorrow with a lot of positive energy and be part of the solution.

Take A Leadership Role Now!

If you recognize there is a situation at your company that is headed down the wrong path, step up and offer to take the lead to correct it. Somebody needs to right the ship, consider your options and step up and offer to take a leadership role. This is often a tough position for anybody to be in, especially if your company has been struggling with this problem for a while. Nobody wants to be in charge of a situation without any apparent upside or a portion of the company is floundering. You need to get over these fears, and tell yourself that you can step up and makes things right. The situation may be rough at the beginning, but you will be continuously energized when the situation starts to turn around and recognition follows.

There are a few strategic items to keep in mind before you jump in and decide that you want to "run the show". First off, you will probably need to formulate and review your proposed leadership role with your manager to gain his or her buy in. Keep the proposal simple by answering; Why I'm the right person for this position 5 times. Upon completion of the 5 Why technique, you are now prepared for any questions or concerns that might be brought forward. You will want to explain the situation to manager, and let them know that if given the chance, you will be fully committed to being successful and willing to do just about whatever it takes to help out.

At this point the decision is out of your hands. Many times you will be told to brainstorm some ideas, come back and talk them over. Other times, you may not be right for the situation and the offer to help may not be wanted. This is not because you are not appreciated, but the timing may not be right. Remember, if you do not ask or show your willingness, you may be overlooked for the next opportunity, don't give up. It is better to express your interest as taking over as a leader, instead of sitting in the back and waiting until somebody asks. Many times when people wait, somebody else ends up taking over, and you are left in the dust.

Taking a leadership role over any project, group or organization is a great undertaking. You will have a whole new set of responsibilities put on your shoulders, as well as many new problems that you have never seen before. But, if you want to be leader, you must go after it. Be honest, take responsibility for wrong and right decisions, and do not be afraid to ask for assistance from support organizations. Good Luck, you will never know unless you try!