Samantha Massey was stunned when 2010 X Factor winner Matt Cardle arrived at her work and began to serenade her.

The surprise "Cardle-o-gram" had been won by Samantha's fianc� Ross McGagh in a competition on Manchester's Key 103 radio station.

The 24-year-old nursery worker blushed and clutched a bunch of flowers as Essex lad Matt warbled his new single, Amazing, which was released yesterday.

The impromptu performance at Little Learners Day Nursery in Stretford, Greater Manchester, shows Matt is happy to settle for smaller audiences since his 2010 talent show triumph.

Favourite singer ... Samantha Massey and Matt Cardle

Cavendish Press

While debut single When We Collide topped the charts, Matt's most recent release Starlight only reached number 185 in the charts in December last year.

But Samantha is clearly still a huge fan, gushing: "My boyfriend walked into my work with loads of people I didn't recognise and told me Matt Cardle was coming to sing to me � and then he walked in.

"I just went very red and hid behind the flowers my boyfriend had brought for me.

"It was lovely, we had a bit of a chat and he was talking to me about his brother just having a baby, and then he started playing."

And fortunately, Samantha loves new track Amazing � even though it has only just hit shops.

She explained: "I'm a big Matt Cardle fan and he played my favourite song, it was amazing.

"Ross can be romantic when he puts his mind to it."

Engaged ... Ross McGagh and Samantha Massey

Cavendish Press

And Ross told how he wanted to do something special for his bride-to-be after learning she was pregnant last month.

He explained: "I have a lot of health problems and she works and she's expecting a baby.

"It was just my way of thanking her. I just found out a month ago and we're over the moon, I can't wait.

"Samantha makes me happier than I ever thought I could be, she deserves to be treated to something that happens once in a lifetime because she is one in a million."

And superfan Samantha even had an eye on Matt's signature cap.

Ross added: "She loves Matt Cardle and his hats. She even asked him if she could have his hat."

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A romantic Cardle on Valentine's Day

People who succeed in their jobs and in life are typically blessed with a special blend of four qualities: efficacy (self-confidence), resilience, hope and optimism. This mental confection, which scientists call psychological capital, reflects our capacity to overcome obstacles and push ourselves to pursue our ambitions. Not surprisingly, having lots of it is linked to both personal and professional fulfillment.

Although individuals vary in how much of this motivational firepower they possess, the amount is not fixed. You can boost your psychological capital and the key is changing your habits. Simply deciding to improve your outlook won t work. Instead, people need to cultivate a positive mindset through rituals and goals, say University of Nebraska management scholars Fred Luthans and Peter Harms. Here s how:

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Courtesy of redcargurl via Flickr.

1. Write a gratitude letter. Consider the people and things you are most grateful for and write them down. If you wish, you can write a letter to a person who means a lot to you. The recipient is likely to be touched. But if addressing an individual is uncomfortable or inappropriate, pen a note to yourself about all the things that are going well or that you feel fortunate to have. Set aside a time each day to do this. For instance, write one journal entry each night just before bed listing the good things that happened to you and what you are grateful for. Too much of the time, we focus on our fears and problems, because those relate to situations we need to avoid or solve to survive. But if you stop to count your blessings, you will realize how lucky you are.

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Courtesy of insouciance via Flickr.

2. Seek out the good things in life. Make an effort to find situations that make you feel happy and proud. Spend time with those who love and support you. If you know people who make you feel miserable, don t interact with them. Although criticism can be a good thing, Harms says, unrelenting criticism rarely is.

3. Don t forget to relax. Exercise or meditate on a daily basis, even if you only have a short time to do so. Fifteen minutes per day to clear your head and relax has been shown to be associated with both happiness and physical wellbeing. Getting enough sleep helps as well, Luthans says.

4. Put problems in perspective. Think about the true scope of your troubles. Not everything s the end of the world, Harms reminds me. In fact, he adds, most of us worry about relatively minor hassles and concerns on a daily basis. You worries will seem less significant if you compare them to those of people in the throes of divorce, who have lost their jobs or who have been diagnosed with a serious illness. Harms gets his perspective from soldiers he sees regularly for one of his projects. These are people who are putting their lives on hold to go to a place where people are trying to kill them, he reports.

5. Set achievable goals. Make sure your aims are meaningful to you so that you gain satisfaction from completing them. Make them challenging, but also realistic and specific enough that you can act on them. If you are too ambitious, you will set yourself up for failure. Then keep a record of your progress so that you can look back and see how far you have come. Seeing that improvement is possible will motivate you to keep moving forward.

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Rubber bands on your arm can remind you to be nice to others. Courtesy of fekaylius via Flickr.

6. Do nice things for others. One way to get in the habit of doing nice things for others, suggests Luthans, is to put three rubber bands around one of your wrists and transfer one band to the other wrist each time you do something kind for another person. The bands can serve as reminders to finish your three tasks before the day ends.

7. Spend money on experiences, not objects. Better yet, spend money on other people. Individuals who are given cash and told to spend it on others report higher levels of wellbeing than those who spend it on themselves, Luthans says.

Follow Scientific American on Twitter @SciAm and @SciamBlogs. Visit ScientificAmerican.com for the latest in science, health and technology news.
© 2012 ScientificAmerican.com. All rights reserved.

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Success in 7 Short Steps

Larry Ackerman, Author of “The Identity Code” has launched his new blog on personal and corporate identity – offers new resources on identity, brand, and purpose

New York, NY (PRWEB) February 15, 2012

Leading authority on organizational and personal identity, author Larry Ackerman has launched his new blog “Identity Beacon” – http://blog.theidentitycircle.com. Ackerman is regarded as the pioneer in the field of identity-based management and leadership. He is the founder of The Identity Circle - http://www.theidentitycircle.com.

His blog is focused on helping organizations and individuals address their identity to benefit both personal and leadership development. A highly sought after speaker, Ackerman has worked for a wide range of clients including Alcoa, Maytag, Fidelity Investments, the Dow Chemical Company and others.

Published by Random House, Larry’s book, "The Identity Code: The 8 Essential Questions for Finding Your Purpose and Place in the World", shows readers how to crack their identity code. Heralded by numerous leaders as fundamental to revealing organizational identity as well as personal identity, the book is highly relevant in today’s 24/7-paced world.

In "The Identity Code", Ackerman reveals the Laws of Identity and the 8 Essential Questions they encompass. The answers to those questions notes Ackerman, “are the foundation upon which you’ll make truly meaningful decisions about what work is right for you, build and maintain relationships that matter, and even discover the hobbies and interests that make the most sense for you.”

Ackerman’s blog –Identity Beacon – continues the conversation started in Ackerman’s books and offers readers weekly beacons of insight about how to claim – and apply – their personal identity to their work lives and lives overall.

Ackerman’s first book, "Identity is Destiny", set forth a revolutionary view of the nature of identity and its fundamental impact on organizational and leadership development.

Ackerman’s site features several free and valuable tools for individuals and corporations.

To download an overview on Identity Mapping® — a dynamic program for tapping the value-creating power of your workforce — Please go to this link: http://www.theidentitycircle.com/images/uploads/IM_Corp_Course.pdf. Identity Mapping helps individuals clarify their unique, value-creating powers and apply them to their work, their careers, and the organization as a whole.

Follow Larry Ackerman on Twitter http://twitter.com/lackerman.

About the Author:

Larry Ackerman

The Identity Circle LLC

1771 Post Road East, Suite 207

Westport, CT 06880

Phone: (203) 227-8589

Email: lackerman(at)theidentitycircle(dot)com

###

Nettie Hartsock
The Hartsock Agency
512-753-9984
Email Information

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Larry Ackerman, Founder of The Identity Circle Launches New Blog - Are You Ready to Break the Identity Code?

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15-02-2012 08:54 In today's economy, in order to run a successful business, one must have a solid foundation and an understanding of business. If you have the entrepreneur mind set, if you're working for a giant corporation or running a "mom and pop" style business, it is imperative that all aspects of your business be represented by you and your company. Dr. Mark Skousen, former CIA economic analyst and financial investment expert has designed a Wheel for Successful Business that encompasses a variety of business practices that all play an integral part with one another. In this podcast, Dr. Mark Skousen will cover topics including: - Details on the Wheel for Successful Business - How each branch of the wheel plays a vital role to the core of a successful business - How ALL aspects of "The Wheel" relate to one another - How all branches of the Wheel for Successful Business can create a successful business

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The Wheel for Successful Business - Video

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15-02-2012 10:20 Here's to those whose path isn't perfect. Who overcome obstacles to college every single day. They understand that in order to achieve something greater in life they have to earn it. And it all starts with a degree that is worth more. Go for greater! GoForGreater.org Columbia, Lake of the Ozarks, Jefferson City and Moberly, Missouri. Day and Evening classes. Online classes, online education, online degree. Associates, Bachelor's and Master's Degrees.

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Go For Greater! Day, Evening

Capella Education Company ( CPLA ), the provider of online education, recently delivered fourth-quarter 2011 earnings of 91 cents a share that dropped 16.5% from $1.09 earned in the prior-year quarter due to fall in students' enrollment. On a reported basis, including one time items, earnings came in at 85 cents, down 22% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter was 91 cents.

Behind the Headline

Total active enrollment dropped 4.5% to 37,704 during the quarter. Management had earlier guided enrollment to fall by 4% to 6% in the quarter. New enrollment tumbled 9.4%, reflecting tough market conditions, changes with respect to program accreditation, and stringent admissions criteria.

The quarterly revenue of $110 million came in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate but fell 4.1% from $114.7 million in the year-ago quarter. The decline in the top line dovetails with management's guidance range of 3% to 4.5% fall. Capella now expects revenue to drop by 1% to 2% in the first quarter of 2012.

Operating income, adjusted for charges related to workforce reduction, plummeted 28.7% to $20.2 million, whereas operating margin contracted 640 basis points to 18.3%.

Capella now expects operating margin in the range of 15% to 16% in the first quarter of 2012, down from 20.2% in the first quarter of 2011, reflecting planned investments in learner success initiatives, rise in depreciation charges and expenses related to Resource Development International, acquired in July 2011.Management's target is to attain operating margins between 15% and 17% for 2012.   

Enrollment Falls, Forecasts Softer Declines

We observe that Capella is witnessing a fall in enrollment. After falling 7.5% in third quarter of 2011, total active enrollment dropped 4.5% in the fourth quarter. However, Capella now projects total enrollment to decline between 5% and 6% in the first quarter of 2012. Management expects that the rate of decline in total enrollment will decelerate as the year progresses due to improvement in new enrollment.

The potential risk looming over the education sector is the regulation proposed by the Department of Education that is weighing upon students' enrollments and the company's profits. The Department of Education proposed that an educational program could only qualify for Title IV funds, if it helps in achieving gainful employment, which includes the criteria of loan repayment rate and debt-to-income ratios.

The institutions are under the scanner due to the rise in the default rate of student loans, and are now being asked to submit information relating to recruitment procedures and use of student's grant.

Capella hinted that new enrollment in the first quarter of 2012 is expected to decline marginally, following a drop of 9.4% in the fourth quarter and a fall of 36% in the first quarter of 2011, as it expects re-registration of existing apprentices to remain robust.

Capella generally focuses on working adults, and in order to draw students it is also ramping its marketing and promotional expenditures. To counter sluggishness in students' enrollment, education companies are also resorting to restructuring their cost base. The company lowered its headcount by about 63 non-faculty workforces, and for this it incurred a charge of about $1.3 million in the quarter. Management hinted that the eliminations will result in cost savings of approximately $5.2 million per year. 

Other Financial Details

Capella boasts a healthy balance sheet with no debt. It ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $62 million and shareholders' equity of $162.6 million. Cash flow from operations for fiscal 2011 period was $80.3 million.

During the quarter under review, the company repurchased 775,000 shares, aggregating $25.2 million. In fiscal 2011, it bought back 2.5 million shares for a total amount of $103.4 million. Capella indicated that it has $59.6 million at its disposal under its share repurchase authorization.

Currently, we have a long-term 'Neutral' rating on the stock. However, Capella, which competes with Apollo Group Inc. ( APOL ) and Strayer Education Inc. ( STRA ), holds a Zacks #2 Rank that translates into a short-term 'Buy' recommendation, and it well defines the company's initiatives to improve students' enrollment; its diversification strategy as evident from the acquisitions of Sophia, a social teaching and learning platform and Resource Development International, an online provider of UK University qualifications by distance learning; and introduction of new products offerings and new program accreditations.

 
APOLLO GROUP ( APOL ): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
CAPELLA EDUCATN ( CPLA ): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
STRAYER EDUC ( STRA ): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
 
Zacks Investment Research

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.

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Lower Enrollment Hurts Capella - Analyst Blog

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14-02-2012 20:27 Rev. Rebecca D. Armstrong describes the kind of spiritual life coaching that she does.

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Spiritual Life Coaching - Video

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Spanish synchronised swimmer Gemma Mengual has said she is considering going into coaching after announcing her retirement Wednesday following a career that made her one of the Iberian nation's most successful athletes.

The 34-year-old, who is known as "la sirena," or the "the mermaid," won almost 40 medals in European, world and Olympic competition and originally intended to make her comeback at the London Olympic Games after taking time out to have a child.

She told an emotional news conference in Barcelona on Wednesday she had reversed her decision because she no longer felt fulfilled in a sport which she said had given her more than she could ever have hoped.

"In the long term, definitely yes," Mengual said when asked about a coaching career.

"I am retiring now from a sport that has made me happy and through which I have made others happy and I am retiring without suffering any injury," she added.

"There are still some things I have not achieved. I have never won an Olympic gold, but that's life."

Mengual won two silver medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, in the duet and team events, and the London Games would have been her fourth.

She also led Spain to gold in the free combination event at the 2009 world championships, after which she took time out to have a son.

(Writing by Iain Rogers in Madrid, editing by Justin Palmer)

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Spain's Mengual eyes coaching after retirement

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14-02-2012 12:16 Applied Words presented by the Guild Complex: Writing's Intersection with Health and Fitness on January 27, 2012. It explored how creative writing can be a tool in mental or physical health practice. The evening featured writers Maureen Connolly, MD and yoga instructor, Julie K. Swanson, as well as audience discussion of how poetry and prose applies to health and fitness.

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Applied Words: Julie K. Swanson, yoga instructor - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PJnnRFn6SY

14-02-2012 12:58 Applied Words presented by the Guild Complex: Writing's Intersection with Health and Fitness on January 27, 2012. It explored how creative writing can be a tool in mental or physical health practice. The evening featured writers Maureen Connolly, MD and yoga instructor, Julie K. Swanson, as well as audience discussion of how poetry and prose applies to health and fitness.

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Applied Words: Maureen Connolly, MD - Video