Zeni Pepper, owner of Pure Bliss Yoga in Fort Lee, has enjoyed practicing yoga and meditation sinceshe was 15 years old. But she came to appreciate its benefits even more during her corporate law career, when yoga "helped me stay centered, sharp and calm," she says. She became a yoga teacher to find balance in her work and family life.

"Every aspect of teaching yoga, from the philosophical teachingsto the practical science and physical practice of yoga[to]... the fact that Iwas truly reaching and helping peopleresonated with me," she says. "It was my life calling."Pepper says that most of her instruction is to private clients.

Zeni Pepper(Photo: courtesy of Monty Knowles)

The home advantage:A lot of people are too busy to drive to a different town and find parking. Going to their homes makes consistent yoga practicing easier, and it's a more personal relationship. I can tailor my lesson to your needs.

Before a session:I ask about how youpractice, if you've done yoga before, what youwant to get from it andhow often youwant to practice.

Tools of the trade: For the first session, I bring props so I can demonstrate poses to the client, including a yoga mat, blocks, straps, my own music and speaker, and essential oils.

Typical session:We do warm-up movements and basic yoga poses to assess where clients are and what they need to work on; typically, this is for an hour.

Memorable experience:[It's rewarding] toseepeople age gracefully without losing much of their mobility, finding more balance and flexibility. I had an 80-year-old who did a tree pose standing on two blocks.

Bottom line:Yoga is not just a physical practice it affects the body, the mind, and the spirit.It is a wonderful tool for self-improvement.

pure-bliss-yoga.com; (201) 482-4271

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House Calls: The in-home yoga teacher - NorthJersey.com

Rafael Nadal, winner of 19 Grand Slam tournaments, with 84 ATP titles, double Olympic gold-individual, in the Beijing Video games '08, and doubles in these of Rio'16- and five-time Davis Cup winner, Its, indisputably, considered one of the most necessary figures in the historical past of tennis.

In an interview with the EFE Company in Kuwait, throughout the inauguration on Wednesday of the 'Rafa Nadal Academy' In that nation of the Center East -the first outdoors Spain-, the Mallorcan star explains what goals they pursue and what values they intend to unfold with this second nice venture, after the Academy that he based virtually 4 years in the past in his native Manacor.

Inaugurates new Academy, now in Kuwait. Whats the primary goal, what are the values they intend to convey, other than serving to individuals play tennis extra and higher?

For me, however for the entire academy typically, clearly, having the ability to transfer our mannequin, our model and our means of working to completely different components of the world is a good alternative and an incredible satisfaction. That is the first academy that we open outdoors of whats Manacor, in Mallorca. Sure its true that weve got different 'Rafa Nadal Tennis Heart' in Mexico and in Greece; however this time its the alternative to be a part of a really robust group from right here, from Kuwait, reminiscent of Tandeem; Theyre critical and hardworking individuals. And that provide us confidence to give you the option to develop the product in the means that excites and motivates us. It is a area of the world that has the potential for us to assist them increase the culture of tennis; We imagine that from the academy we might help not solely the younger skills right here in Kuwait, however all through the Center East. We have already got a number of coaches from the Manacor academy whove been right here for three months, serving to native coaches to perceive the mannequin and the means we work. And clearly, all the kids of the Kuwait Federation are already centralized right here, in the academy. Some had the risk of coming to know the considered one of Mallorca. Its a course of that takes plenty of work, however that excites and excites us.

Does this venture have continuity? Will extra academies open in different nations?

Effectively, the world is huge. Why not? Were not closed to any risk. And there are completely different choices. However, like every little thing else on this world, each possibility that seems might be valued and we are going to attempt to do issues handy, related to individuals who provide us confidence.

Is it possible that in a couple of years there might be a champion or a champion of Kuwaiti tennis; or from the surrounding nations, right here in the Center East?

All the things is possible. In the finish, the extra individuals begin enjoying tennis on this area, the extra choices there might be for an necessary expertise to emerge from the skilled discipline worldwide. We are going to attempt to do every little thing in the very best means, working with ardour and enthusiasm; and with the needed assets in order that kids have the potentialities of rising at the tennis degree, but in addition at the human degree. We all the time attempt to work from a primary precept, which is respect, the spirit of self-improvement and take a look at to convey to kids, to younger individuals, that the final aim, in fact, is success; however that not every little thing is legitimate to obtain it. It is vital that they develop with robust values that may serve them in the sports activities discipline, however that, for those that dont get to stay from sports activities, that theyve ample coaching that may be highly effective sufficient to serve them for the future, in life skilled or private they resolve to have.

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Rafa Nadal: Kuwait has the potential to increase the culture for tennis - Sportsfinding

While I was a foreign correspondent living in Istanbul, I amassed a library of about 500 books. Then I became an immigrant and left the Middle East to resettle in Canada. I arrived with just six paperbacks that I split between our suitcases and backpack. I still mourn all the ones I had to give up.

I always tried to make sure that books were near at hand wherever I lived. I learned to read for pleasure at an early age by watching my father as well as my grandfather, who was an author. I amassed an eclectic mix of tomes over the years. There were the Stephen King novels I picked out for my birthdays (I would ask whoever was getting me a gift what their budget was and then would take them book shopping for the amount). There was sci-fi by Arthur C Clarke, Douglas Adams Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Watchmen. Countless books unravelling the modern Middle Easts conflicts and investigating the provenance of extremism.

Part of me is worried Ill have to give up all my books again. Another is self-conscious, thinking through which ones I want my son to have as he grows up

Works of popular success by Elif Shafak and Margaret Atwood mingled easily with the classics, JRR Tolkien, Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics and the poetry of Abu Nuwas. Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking sat next to treatises on theology and the latest self-improvement fad books that were bought in the new year haze. A new year, a new you. But the new you was always overrated. Id rather have clung to the vestiges of my past selves.

I hadnt read about half of the books in my library. Books transcended their usefulness in my mind as material objects that had, excuse the pun, a shelf life. Like a well-kept journal, they reminded me of who I was, of what I had gone through and that I had always come out on the other side. Certain books became associated in my mind with major events in my life. I remember the Jon Ronson book I was reading when my brother called to tell me that my father had died, and the first time I tried my hand at writing after reading Kings memoir, On Writing.

I never understood why anybody would give up books after reading them. Even when I was done with them, their presence and scent comforted me in a somewhat mundane sense, like a candle burning in the dark or a simmering stew whose aroma wafts across the house.

When the time came to leave for Canada, I did not have an immediate job in mind. Suddenly, I had to contemplate what to do with my books. We were a family travelling together with a baby on the way and two rescue cats who had been with me for years. I couldnt afford to ship a dozen boxes full of books all the way to Montreal.

So we put them up for sale. Strangers and friends came, feeling their way along the spines of the hardcovers on my bookshelves, picking out those that struck their fancy. I helped them choose ones out of my favourites that I knew they would love. If they were bookworms, they got some for free. My heart broke with each book that left. Selling them almost felt profane, so I ended up giving away a few dozen towards the end.

I left with half a dozen books to read. Among them were Alice Walkers The Color Purple, Helen Macdonalds H is for Hawk, and Storm of Steel, a book by Ernst Junger, a German officer stationed on the Western Front during World War I, The Return by Hisham Matar, and a couple of Arabic books that were gifted to me by friends.

I havent read any of the ones I saved. It feels too much like turning the page on a life I still cling to. When you leave home, whatever home is, you are primed for the big changes and sacrifices the neighbourhood, the old job, the friends and family.

But it is often the little things you give up that leave you wallowing in nostalgia, questioning your decision to uproot an earlier life. The smell of the old coffee place. The way the light shines through your old window. The keepsake that broke or somehow lost its way as you were packing up your life. The dog-eared copies of your old books.

I am rebuilding my library now, but it feels a little less frivolous in its range. Part of me is worried Ill have to give up all my books again. Another is self-conscious, thinking through which ones I want my son to have as he grows up. If he ends up liking reading, I hope he never has to give up his favourite books. Or perhaps I hope hes less attached to ephemera. It makes it easier when you move around to not be dragged down by so much baggage.

Kareem Shaheen is a former Middle East correspondent based in Canada

Updated: February 5, 2020 05:55 PM

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Rebuilding a library when you've left behind old books from an earlier life - The National

The prison system in England and Wales is in crisis. Self-harm in prisons is at a record high, with worrying spikes in violence over the past 12 months. The National Probation Service is struggling to provide adequate rehabilitation and community supervision services to offenders post-release, with staff shortages meaning that most staff are failing to meet their weekly caseload targets. The government has now made it a priority to create thousands more prison spaces. But unless substantial resources are also invested both in prison safety and the services available to offenders post-release, these measures will do little more than place thousands of offenders into a dangerous and violent environment, with little prospect of rehabilitation or reform.

On 30 January, the Ministry of Justice released new safety in custody statistics covering deaths, self-harm and assaults in the prison system. The number of individuals self-harming in prison in the 12 months to September 2019 is now at 12,740 the highest recorded figure. In that period, there were 61,461 self-harm incidents (a rate of 742 per 1000 prisoners), up 16% from the previous 12 months, and also a new record high. In female establishments, these figures are particularly shocking: a rate of 3007 incidents per 1000 prisoners represents an increase of 18% in the last 12 months. Most concerning of all, in youth estate 15- to 18-year olds in Young Offender Institutions and all 15- to 17-year olds in Youth Prisons there was a 93% increase in self-harm incidents in the 12 months to September 2019 (from 551 to 1,062 incidents). Incidents requiring hospital attendance increased from 2.5% in the previous 12 months to 4.8% in the 12 months to September 2019.

As worrying as these 12-month figures are, there is more cause for concern when these figures are viewed in a longer-term context. The four graphs below illustrate this point.

Figure 1:Deaths in prison custodyper 1000 prisoners over last ten years.

Figure 2: Self-harm incidentsin prison custody per 1000 prisoners over the last ten years.

Figure 3:Self-harm incidents in youth prisons per 1000 prisoners over last five years.

Figure 4: Assault incidents per 1000 prisoners over last ten years.

Figure 1 displays the 10-year trajectory of the rate of deaths per 1000 prisoners from 2009 to 2019. In 2009, this number was roughly 2.0, and by 2019 it had risen to around 3.6. With self-harm in adult prisons, Figure 2 illustrates an almost linear increase from 300 incidents per 1000 prisoners in 2009 to 742 per 1000 prisoners in 2019. A similar story presents itself in Figure 3 with youth self-harm rates over 6 years. Assaults that had decreased by 2% to 33,222 in the 12 months to September 2019, are shown in Figure 4 to have risen from a rate of around 190 per 1000 prisoners in 2009 to 400 per 1000 prisoners in 2019.

The information outlined here poses serious, urgent challenges for government. Last August the Prime Minister promised to create thousands more prison places in a system currently operating at 98% of capacity, supported by Justice Secretary Robert Buckland QCs insistence that more and better prison places means less reoffending. This directly contradicts the Ministry of Justices (MOJ) own research (backed by previous Justice Secretary David Gauke), which suggested that sentencing offenders to short-term custody with supervision on release was associated with higher proven reoffending than if they had instead received community orders and/or suspended sentence orders.

The most recent MOJ statistics show that the proven reoffending rate for adults released from custodial sentences of less than 12 months was 62.7%. Far from reducing reoffending, the majority of people imprisoned for less than 12 months will offend again within a year. The recommendation for sentences less than 6 months to be abolished was promptly ignored by the Prime Minister, setting the tone for an agenda on crime and prisons policy that has side-lined rehabilitation and re-integration.

But the problems run much deeper than the prisons system. The probation service is also failing to provide adequate services to offenders once leaving prison, meaning many remain locked in the cycle of re-offending. A recent inspection report from HM Inspectorate of Probation found that adoption of accredited offending behaviour programmes these are programmes judged by a panel of independent experts to satisfy principles of effective rehabilitation had substantially decreased. Alongside this, caseworkers were found to be lacking in support from HM Prison and Probation Service to understand individual characteristics of offenders and incorporate these insights into their programmes. This, in turn, has repercussions on which programmes end up being authorised in the first instance, and on the extent to which those programmes are seen as accessible by the offenders that they are targeting. The report also confirmed the worrying anecdotal evidence increasingly coming to light concerning staff well-being in the National Probation Service (NPS). Over 60% of staff have caseloads exceeding the recommended maximum, while new recruits are being allocated complex cases without the skills or experience to manage them partly explaining the significant problem of staff retention in the NPS.

In January two new statutory instruments were brought before Parliament, proposing significant changes in the management of serious violent and sexual offenders. Specifically, the proposed legislation will require offenders to serve at least two-thirds of their sentence in prison (as opposed to half-way release), before they are subject to strict licence conditions upon release. While the authorities are still to release further accompanying details, it appears doubtful that these punitive measures will align with additional investment in community supervision, rehabilitation and re-integration programmes.

A combination of extreme workloads and reduced capacity has abetted the mismanagement of offenders in the criminal justice system and created a climate of distress where the conditions for increased deaths, self-harm, and assaults in prisons are rife. This inherently damages the chances of offenders embarking upon a journey of self-improvement once entering the criminal justice system, thereby increasing the likelihood of further reoffending upon release.

Simply creating more prison spaces is unlikely to address these issues, unless this is accompanied by substantial resource investment in programmes focused on the rehabilitation and re-integration of offenders both while in prison and post-release. It is only by first understanding what methods of offender management work with which offenders, why they work, in what contexts, under what conditions, and what outcomes they produce that we can begin to deal with the spiralling problem of safety and well-being amongst people in the criminal justice system.

Ardi Janjeva is a Research Analyst in organised crime and policing at RUSI.

BANNER IMAGE: Courtesy of Rodw/Wikimedia Commons

The views expressed in this Commentary are the author's, and do not represent those of RUSI or any other institution.

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England and Wales' Prison System is in Crisis - RUSI Analysis

LETTERS: She was always sought out for her views on the nations pulse, past memories and the way forward. Fittingly so. Toh Puan Uma Sambanthan still measures up as one of the most revered and loved woman in Malaysia - not only by the people but by every Prime Minister in the last six decades.

The 90 year-old Toh Puan was one of the torchbearers when history was made in 1957. On the 31 st of August, 1957, a young Uma had stood with the founding fathers of Malaya - the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun V.T. Sambanthan and Tun Tan Cheng Lok when independence was declared.

Since then, for the last 63 years, she had been in the present with the same intensity and passion for the country. When she voices on the realities of each phase and era, her stand is contemporary, relevant and ominous. She expresses them with unabashed honesty and yet with her trademark grace.

Toh Puan is a natural story teller. She talks about a Malaya that we would love to be part of - A Malaya where racial harmony came naturally. She has a distinctively precise memory of the nations history from British rule, the Japanese Occupation, Merdeka and major events like the separation of Singapore and the formation of Malaysia.

And while in conversation she can checkmate any one of us with detailed facts. For instance, she corrects documented history: Merdeka did not happen at the stroke of midnight, as it has been reported, but a little later. This was because Tunku was delayed by ardent supporters, who wanted to bestow him with a title.

Her understanding about the Merdeka event, has a depth of multi dimensional levels. When the Union Jack was lowered and our Flag was raised, I thought how ironic it was that our independence ceremony was held in the Dataran Merdeka, next to Selangor Club where only the British were allowed.

Throughout the event, I was very thrilled that we were finally free to think for ourselves and free to lead our own country with a system that didnt oppress people. Till today, when the National Anthem is played, I get the nostalgia of being liberated from the colonial regime.

Her personalized reflections are fresh and evergreen. A few hours before the Merdeka event on the 31st of August 1957 (there were different events over two days), we were driven in our black Mercedes with the number plate AB57 to the Merdeka Stadium. In one occasion I was wearing an off-white silk sari with a red border, an engagement gift from my husband.

Uma was born in Beruas, Perak. Her father O.M. Subramaniam was a senior officer with the Public Works Department and her mother, Jayalakshmi Swaminathan Sastrigal was a home-maker. Both were very supportive of Umas education. In 1941, Uma went to the Anglo- Chinese School in Sungai Siput, Perak, where she won the Best Indian Student of the Year scholarship for 1942. However, her education was interrupted by the Japanese Occupation from 1942 to 1945.

After the Japanese Occupation, she graduated with a First Class B.Sc. degree in Chemistry from the Madras University and was awarded the Indian cultural scholarship to study for a Masters degree in the Presidency College, Chennai.

On returning home to Muar, she taught Science in the Princess Alexandra School in Singapore while waiting to continue a post graduate research degree in Germany. She was applying for a scholarship for which a reference was needed. Mr. Sambanthan was Minister of Labour in Kuala Lumpur.

His family and my parents were close friends. My father suggested that I could ask him for the reference. That is how I met my husband in February 1956, during the Chinese New year season.

He did not give me the reference. Instead, he sent a proposal for marriage. We were married in May, three months later at our home in Muar.

As someone who had been literally married to my Chemistry laboratory, I now had to learn to work with people. Our home was open to MIC members, and people from my husbands constituency, all the time.

The women had to be mobilized to play their role in n

ation building. My husband emphasised that I should do voluntary work with multi-communal womens groups. He gave me great support and guidance in my activities. I improved my Malay language skills. In my work, I tried to bridge the gap between the races and urban and racial divides.

From the last quarter of 1956 till the 70s, she worked with the National Association of Womens Institute generally organising proper nutrition and healthcare for kampung babies, reviving local recipes, and on income generation in general. Uma was also the chairman and director of the National Land Finance Co-operative Society (NLFC) which was set up by her husband in 1960 to prevent the fragmentation of estates in the early `60s.

Uma speaks fondly of Tunku as a leader who truly believed that Malaysia belongs to each and every Malaysian irrespective of race or religion.

On the 10th Anniversary of Merdeka (31st August 1967), that is, midnight of 30th August, the Merdeka celebration was re-enacted. Dataran Merdeka was filled with people of all races in colourful clothes-like a beautiful garden, she recounts.

The programme went on till late past 2am and when it was over, we saw Tunku to his car and left for our home near the Lake Gardens. Early the next morning, we went to the Tunkus residence to give our felicitations for the occasion. We were met by his wife, Puan Sharifah Rodziah, affectionately called Ma Ungku, smiling her welcome. The Tunku came down after his morning prayer. After wishing him, my husband asked him whether he had got any rest after such a late night.

The Tunku replied: How to rest Sambanthan? I saw all those wonderful people gathered there, and came back and prayed for them. The love for the nation and her people was etched deep in Tun Sambanthan also.

At that time the biggest part of the budget was towards education. My husband was dedicated to teaching English to the estate children. Together, we set up multi-racial preschools to ensure national harmony was instilled at a very young age, she said. As Minister of National Unity, he set up pre school education for children of all races.

Sambanthan had four portfolios during his tenure in government Health, Labour, Works, Posts and Telecommunications and the Ministry of National Unity. He was always invested in education. Prior to his entry in politics, Tun Sambanthan was interested in teaching English to estate children.

In his pre-political life, he was instrumental in setting up the Mahatma Gandhi Kalasalai, a Tamil school in his home town of Sungai Siput. In all his portfolios, he stressed training to improve qualifications. He would even take pictures to illustrate the problems to ministry officers.

An example of this was to improve toilets in the third class womens maternity wards which had slippery cement steps. There were also no telephones in rural areas, how could emergencies be communicated? These are illustrations of basic needs which he felt had to be addressed.

Toh Puan Uma has also been interested in education, she organised the infrastructure for the first government girls school in Jalan Ampang and the first government primary school in Selayang Baru, using the facilities available from the government.

In memory of Sambanthans service and dedication, Jalan Tun Sambanthan and Monorail Station Tun Sambanthan, were named after him by the government. Wisma Tun Sambanthan has also been named after him by the National Land Finance Co-operative Society Bhd, which he founded as a vehicle to empower the plantation worker to fight fragmentation of estates.

Her daughter Kunjari Sambanthan remarks that the principal feature common to both parents was their commitment to self-improvement.

My consistent image throughout my life was of them reading books, magazines, not novels but relating to specific subjects whether science, astronomy, philosophy, the works of great thinkers, spiritual texts from Hinduism to Sufi thoughts etc. My father had given me many books ranging in topics from the Mahabharata and the Thai and Cambodian versions of t

he Ramayana, to works of poetry by Rabindranath Tagore, the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, and others.

The first book she received from her mother was the biography of Florence Nightingale. My image of Toh Puan will always be of her with stacks and stacks of books on almost every topic. The last time I saw her in the house, she was reading the Bengali version of the Gospel of Paramahamsa Ramakrishna.

Toh Puan Uma Sambanthan marked the end of an era. She leaves behind an idea that gives the rest of us women, a sense of pride that we knew her.

VASANTHI RAMACHANDRAN

Kuala Lumpur

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The woman who carries a nation's history - New Straits Times

THE WORLD we live in is clearly full of causes for anxiety. This could be said about the poorest places on our planet, particularly where food is scarce and physical harm imminent. But stress can easily be found where the threat of harm is far more subtle, where the psyche is tripped up by variables in the environment, especially social ones.

Lets take a closer look at the excess worrying often prompted by random circumstances and events. Consider the lavish acquisitions many enjoy, including expensive cars, the comforts of nicely-appointed living accommodations, vacation destinations, etc. There is not anything wrong with these amenities, per se, unless they are put into a comparative mode (to keep up with the Joneses) or create unnecessary financial stress.

Some interesting statistics came to my attention recently describing the results of a study which revealed that, in 1900, people needed 72 things in order to function normally and be content. Fifty years later the total came to 500 things. And this is before the Internet, iPhones, Amazon Prime, etc.! How much stress do we create for ourselves accumulating stuff? It doesnt help that almost everything we want or need (whether real or imagined) is available at the push of a button.

How does this mindset affect us on the job? Is that new promotion the answer to my anxiety? Will a higher rate of compensation offer the contentment I seek? Or is there something within me that I can change to have more peace? There is much that could be said about the effect of gratitude on our heart: Grateful people are happier people.

This overwhelming consumerism and concern about personal advancement is accompanied by an endless supply of urgent emails that demand our immediate attention, robocalls, and 24/7 news reporting coming at us. This intense, continuing, often unsolicited, communication is anxiety evoking just by its sheer volume alone.

So, what can be done to mitigate some of lifes stressors? Here are some ideas:

For starters, take back control. Set limits to the amount of time you will spend on email, etc. Decide whether to engage. Dont communicate your availability as being 24/7. Determine what your focus should be on and what is realistic. Yes, there are 24 hours in a day; and you need X hours to sleep and get recharged for the next days onslaught, Y hours to eat, etc. How many hours are left for those other activities that you feel are essential? Youre not doing anybody any favors by working yourself to illness. We are not robots mercifully. We should not expect to have the endurance of machines.

Take charge of your calendar (or else someone else will). The motivation to do or not to do resides in each of us. Others in our environment have their own motives in dealing with us. Be ready to take steps to preserve time to live abundantly and fulfill your distinct, personal mission.

Choose responses. Dont feel obligated to respond to every inquiry. In some cases, an abbreviated, tactful response may be called for. If your job demands a high level of interpersonal exchange, then look to better confine the additional demands your social media contacts represent.

Consider your level of caffeine consumption, as well as the time of day it is being ingested. There is a limit to the amount of coffee that can be safely consumed by most people. Of course, there is also caffeine in products other than coffee. According to the FDA, over-consuming caffeine can cause, among other dangerous effects, insomnia, jitters, anxiousness, fast heart rate, upset stomach, nausea, headache, a feeling of unhappiness.

Avoid mind-reading; it can lead to excessive and unnecessary worrying. What did that person mean by that comment? The answer often is I dont know. Yet the temptation is to try to fill in the blank on our own, often with a negative bias.

Take, for example, a situation where you failed to respond to your boss on a timely basis. Fear of ill consequence can be quite painful and disruptive to your work flow. But when we look at our experiences in life, most of the time these worries are misplaced or exaggerated in our minds as we replay scenarios.

What I call the 80-10-10 rule might be helpful here, where 80% of the time the outcome is benign, 10% of the time its as bad as you thought, and 10% of the time something positive is the outcome.

How could anything positive come out of this situation? Well, perhaps more information was available than would have been if you had met the deadline and your boss recognized that fact. Worrying can be habitual. Techniques such as thought stopping might be needed, e.g., repeating a word or phrase, such as, stop, stop, stop until your mind moves on to another item.

Anxiety often leads to worrying, and worrying feeds stress. All this is anathema to the experience of intrinsic motivation.

Dr. Paul P. Baard is an organizational psychologist, specializing in motivation. Formerly a full-time professor at Fordham Universitys Graduate School of Business and a senior line executive in the television industry, he is the lead author of a book on leadership and motivation, and has been published broadly, including in Harvard Business Review. He and Veronica Baard, a former managing director responsible for HR at a major international investment banking firm, head up Baard Consulting LLC, a firm in the greater Boston area, focusing on motivation, conflict reduction, and team building. Questions are welcomed at pbaard@baardconsulting.com.

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Motivation Matters: Reducing stress and anxiety | Business - The Union Leader

Reuters A 2,000 Indian rupee note. Picture used for illustrative purposes only. Image Credit: REUTERS

Thanks to Gulf News, I was reminded of a forgotten word of my university days: Stagflation. It is a condition of slow economic growth, relatively high unemployment and rising prices of inflation.

Does it ring a bell? Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warned a few weeks ago that the inflation numbers are far too high and that the Reserve Bank of India will not have the initiative to boost the economic growth even with their good intention to reduce interest rates.

Indias elected representatives must forget the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) or the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and focus on stagflation!

The reported growth numbers are available for everyone to see. Before demonetisation, it was peaking at 8.2 per cent. Immediately after its introduction, the growth began to fall to 7.2, then 6.8 and last year it was 5 per cent.

What will it take to revive the economy?

The government should continue to increase all resources for the farming sector, which began in the current ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) first term.

Lending should be made easier for small businesses as 90 per cent of the employment is within the unorganised or small sectors. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) collected has reached Rs1 lakh (Dh 5,154) crore for two consecutive months; the government must share it with the states.

For the economy to grow, the current government should spend on say the construction of a dam at a cost of a certain amount and the labour aspect should be half of that. The workers then take their half and spend it in the market place. These vendors now have more money to hire people, to make more products, leading to another round of spending. Therefore, a rupee of government spending will generate more than a rupee in economic growth.

Heres my research on the economic situation in the state of West Bengal, one of the states that has a double-digit growth, despite Indias overall numbers being low. These are numbers that are vouched for by the government of India. The capital expenditure (asset creating spends) by the West Bengal government increased by 11 times in 2019, compared to the 2018 this has kicked in the Keynesian multiplier what it means is that the government stimulating spending in turn increases employment and therefore prosperity. Again, with West Bengal, banks are lending Rs70,000 crores (Dh36,070,023) in 2020 to small entrepreneurs; this creates employment and brings money into the hands of the people leading to economic growth.- The reader is the head of manufacturing at a Dubai-based company.

Readers Views: What motivates you to work?

People work best when there is some kind of deep motivation driving their actions. So, which kind of motivation is the best? Well, it depends on you and the situation. The difficulty of the task at hand is not crucial, the motivation behind is the key aspect to consider.

Achievement motivation focuses on reaching the goal for the sake of an accomplishment, which is ultimately the driving factor. The achievement could be winning a title or public recognition, which is the final goal.

Being motivated for power is the desire to influence people and be a leader. People are motivated by their control over various situations. People driven by power motivation always tend to create an impact and are willing to take risks for the same. Some might choose a job, which has a higher position even if the pay is comparatively lower. Incentive motivation is reward reliant. The reward associated with the goal is the major influencer rather than the achievement itself. Some employees perform better when money or rewards are offered as incentives.

Avoidance of pain or harmful consequences is the paramount reason to keep you going. Tasks or goals are pursued even if one does not desire to achieve them. However, fear from certain outcomes could lead towards the right direction and the results could be fruitful. The fear of failure is the major driver, which prevents people from quitting.

Competence and learning motivated people are motivated by the process of doing and enjoying work without considering any reward or achievement at the end. Completion of goal or task is the only objective because either the person is passionate about it or wants to learn more by the process of doing it.

Behind any task or objective, there could be more than one motivating factors, which is helping a person to hustle. There is no particular motivation which can be assigned for a particular task, it depends on the individual and the context which drives the person towards their goals. Some kind of motivational factor must exist if a person is proceeding towards a goal. It is worthless to plan for or do something which lacks motivation. You must consider what kind of motivation is driving you before starting towards your milestone.

- The reader is a student at a Dubai-based university.

February 4, is observed as World Cancer Day. Its estimated that 14 million people die of cancer globally and an increase of 90 per cent deaths annually. Cancer is not only a health issue, but it has a wide-reaching social economic and human rights implications.

The mutation in hormones, excessive usage of tobacco, and increase in the usage of pesticides are some of the reasons cited for cancer. It is important to increase your daily physical activity, choose a healthy lifestyle and go for periodic check-ups. Early detection is most important in this disease. Compulsory periodic check-ups like mammograms after the age of 35 for all women to detect breast cancer is advised. Men also need to go for regular doctors visits in order to diagnose diseases at the right time.

Now cancer is considered as curable disease and once it is affected, periodic treatment, should be given to the patient. Even now, some people in India have superstitious beliefs that cancer cannot be cured and the patient should not be informed of what they have.

Governments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should conduct mass awareness campaigns to educate the people and once the patient is cured, rehabilitation should be made available to help them lead a normal life. On this day, we all should look to our family members, friends and relatives and try to create awareness so that they are encouraged to go for a medical check-up for early detection. Increase in number of early detection centres and awareness will prevent this disease. Losing loved ones to cancer is painful. We should strive to lead a healthy life, where the household is full of cheers, smiles and fight this deadly disease.

- The reader is a resident of Dubai.

More here:
Readers Views: Readers discuss World Cancer Day, the Indian economy and motivation - Gulf News

Do you remember The Mod Squad?

I mean the original series that ran on ABC (you know, the hip network?) from 1968 to 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Pete Cochran,"Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes and Clarence Williams III as Lincoln Hayes" It was a joint (pardon the pun!) venture between Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas.

In case youre wondering what theyre doing now, I did some on-line research for you.

Michael Cole is still alive and acting, did some theater after the series ended. Peggy Lipton passed last year of cancer, having had a successful return to TV in Twin Peaks, and, of course, marrying producer Quincy Jones and giving birth to two daughters, one of whom (Rashida Jones) is TVs Angie Tribeca.

Clarence Williams III has done the most work following the show. He memorably played Princes father in the movie Purple Rain as well as parodying himself in movies like Im Gonna Get You, Sucker! and Half Baked. His many, many appearances on TV include a bit on Twin Peaks, as well as appearances on Justified, Law & Order and Miami Vice. Youre never quite sure how hes going to play a role and its always a delight to see him.

Peggy and Clarence had cameo appearances in the awful 1999 movie that starred Claire Danes, Omar Epps and Giovanni Ribisi.

WHATS THE MOTIVATION?

Some things, you cant get back again. Too little, too late.

Joan told me recently that theres a reboot being planned for Party Of Five, where the parents dont die, theyre just deported. And Im thinking .Mod Squad!

Because, when The Mod Squad debuted in 1968 (a year ahead of Easy Rider, by the way), at lot of us youngsters (I was 18 at the time) saw it for what it was a blatant attempt by ABC to co-opt our culture and use it to sell us crap.

Network shows have sponsors and sponsors sell you stuff and call out the script writers for having Link kiss Julie (a friendly kiss, by the way!) because that wont sell soap suds in South Dakota. Nobody bought the premise or the scripts (which were typical cop procedurals) or the dialogue. Not until many years later when 22 Jump Street revived the put the young looking guy in school and get him to bust kids routine. Like Dan Akroyd says in It Came From Hollywood: Must be tough being the only 35 year old in high school!

My question is: Why? Why are so many TV.shows and movies getting the old reboot? Lack of originality or talent? Shakespeare got all the good plot twists and witty rejoinders? Lack of any new ideas?

Nope. Money.

Its called the audience recognition factor and it guides about 150% of everything you see on a screen. Thats why there are musicals of movies and, in the case of The Producers, a movie that was turned into a musical that was, in turn, turned into a movie. I love Mel Brooks, but I cant afford to send him my entire paycheck!

Thats why Broadway is constantly doing revivals instead of doing new material like Hadestown or Dear Evan Hansen.

Thats why weve had three reboots of the Spiderman franchise in under twenty years. That, and the fact that Brad Pitt gets twenty million deposited in his bank account whether the movie is a classic or Troy.

Money.

Now, as a musician, I always like to get paid for my efforts and nobody is saying that the good folks that make television and movies dont deserve their huge paychecks anymore than athletes who have a shorter shelf life do. Im just saying that when profit is the deciding factor instead of some intrinsic artistic goal things usually tend to suck.

Think of the last great movie you sawthe one that had a lasting effect on you, one that you talked about for days after.

Did you think The Irishman or did you think Avengers: Endgame?

And, I know Im baiting the Scorsese haters here, but, seriously. We know the difference between a blatant money grab and a picture with heart and soul. But, even projects that started out with the best intentions can get, shall we say, caught in the cultural windstorm.

Ive been in productions where a characters sex did not determine who should play the character. Thats only right and fair. All actors should have access to all roles. But, a female Bobby in Company?

It wasnt bad enough that the original Bobby was a commitment-phobe, we have to put that on an actress? If Dame Judy wants to play King Lear, well, she gets to do it because shes Dame Judy! Shes a national treasure! But, the constant urge to reinvision a play or a production to fit in with modern concerns is a bit maddening. As myself and some of my friends agree, the reason people still go to see Shakespeare is because his stuff is GREAT! and it will always be great, because he was a great writerwhoever he really was! Its not because they actually get a humpbacked dwarf to play Richard III!

Joan and I watched Showboat on TCM recently, the Irene Dunn version. And I swear, all I could think of was This is the next big revisionist production! The last one was in 1994, overseen by Hal Prince. A whole lot has happened since then.

And somebody is gonna make a buck on it. But, nobody at Disney is cutting a check for the author of The Lion Sleeps Tonight, are they?

Hold those grey heads up!

Follow this link:
The Old Guy: On money as motivation for T.V., film reboots - SILive.com

When we commit to a new habit, our journey to the end goal isnt always linear. There may be days when were heads-down focused on getting there, but there will also likely be days where our motivation dwindles. Along the way, giving ourselves small rewards for sticking with our goals can motivate us to keep going.

We asked our Thrive community to share the small ways they reward themselves when making progress toward their goals. Use their ideas for inspiration to boost your own motivation as you commit to new habits.

An evening of me time

I used to treat myself to a shopping trip after a big win. Id update my wardrobe to feel and look more successful. But after a while, I realized that the clothes didnt cheer me up. What did was the attention that I gave myself, so instead, I started to reward myself with more me time moments where Id shut off my phone and focus on little things that bring me joy, like reading a fashion magazine cover to cover, or eating expensive, out-of-season raspberries.

Christine Hourd, success coach, Calgary, AB, Canada

A celebratory call to a loved one

I reward myself with a call to someone I love. I like to process my progress out loud and Im fortunate to have good friends and family who genuinely enjoy celebrating my wins with me. These conversations always spur me to reach greater heights and foster even more positive momentum.

Heather Aardema, functional medicine certified health coach, Wheat Ridge, CO

An inner cheerleader pep talk

I reward myself by changing my self-talk. Instead of being critical or judgmental, Ill enlist the self-talk of a cheerleader. I tell myself, Keep going; youre doing great. Dont worry about not doing everything on your list, you showed up and completed one task for today thats enough. Do the best you can, with what you have, where you are. My favorite mantra to chant is, Keep going, keep going, keep going.

Donna Melanson, yoga teacher, Boca Raton, FL

An extra hour of zzzs

At the start of the week, I set two weekly goals related to habits such as exercise or healthy eating, and I like to reward myself with sleep. If I hit the first goal, I give myself an extra 30 minutes of sleep, with my husband covering parenting duties to let me sleep in on the weekends. If I hit my second, a stretch goal, I get a full hour!

Suzy Goodwin, podcast host and mom, Fayetteville, NC

A happy dance plus presents

My personal rewarding system started when I was trying to write my second book, as the first had taken me seven long years. Now, I do a writing sprint for 15 minutes, and then do a happy dance to stretch. And to reward myself, I wrap up gifts for myself, which get progressively more exciting with bigger milestones a glass of wine, cinema vouchers, or a spa day. I recommend this to all my author clients now!

Kirsten Rees, book editor and author coach, Glasgow, U.K.

A yoga date

I find that booking a yoga class or going on a walk with a friend is a healthy way to reward myself. I spend so much of my time sitting in traffic, meetings, or at my desk. Keeping active, and having a healthy outlet, offers multiple benefits. Not only is taking this time for myself a reward, its a great way to keep myself motivated and energized.

Kaleen Skersies, real estate development, Seattle, WA

A moment for gratitude

I find that celebrating my small wins is key to staying motivated. I typically like to get outside to move my body and breathe in the fresh air, take a photo of something significant about the moment to memorialize it, and toast the win with a glass of champagne. In any of these instances, I always count my blessings. It exponentially boosts the joy of savoring the win, which keeps me confident, purposeful, and happy to stay on my path.

Maria Baltazzi, Ph.D., television producer and happiness teacher, Los Angeles, CA

Do you have a go-to reward that helps you progress toward your goals? Share it with us in the comments!

Follow us here and subscribe here for all the latest news on how you can keep Thriving.

Stay up to date or catch-up on all our podcasts with Arianna Huffington here.

Read more here:
New Habits: 7 Rewards That Will Keep You Motivated to Reach Your Goals - Thrive Global

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According to David Ornstein, the Gunners manager said something motivational to his players. He was able to boost up the confidence of the players on his side. This strategy worked out brilliantly in the match. As a result, the Gunners clearly outplayed the Red Devils on that occasion. After the match, Arsenal went home happily with a 2-0 victory over Man Utd.

Mikel Arteta became Arsenal manager a few months ago. The north London side brought the Spaniard in this season. He was working as an assistant manager at Manchester City under another Pep Guardiola. Arteta is now trying to bring the fighting spirit back in the Arsenal squad. As a result, Arsenal is doing better under him than Unai Emery. A few players were trying to leave under Emery, who are now playing full matches under him.

Arsenal is going through a bad phase this year also. That is why they are now in the 10th position on the league table. Chelsea, another team from London, is now in the 4th position. They are 10 points ahead of the Gunners in the league. The Gunners are way behind from the 4th position now. Therefore, they are far away from qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next year.

Mikel Arteta is managing Arsenal well. The Gunners faced only one defeat under Arteta in the last 9 games they played. According to Ornstein, Arteta has done some changes in the Arsenal squad. He changed the mentality and culture totally within a few months. Therefore, Arteta has able to motivate players who were heading towards the exit this January. He stopped Xhaka to move to Juventus in this winter window.

Arteta learned to manage the players from Pep Guardiola. As they were working together at Man City over the years. Artetas leadership skill is also a big factor to boost up the confidence of the players.

Read more:
Mikel Arteta provided added motivation for the Manchester United game - The twelfth Man Times