Everyone feels lonely at one time or another. And it can be hard to make new friends in today’s troubled and unpredictable world. The friends and acquaintances we have may be so busy and preoccupied they don’t even notice how lonely we are. We may not tell them how we feel because we don’t want to bother anyone. So . . . we suffer in silence.

What’s a person to do?

Well, if you find yourself sitting at home – alone – and feeling sorry for yourself, simply try a few of these 15 tricks to decrease loneliness and make new friends. They have worked for many of my clients, and they will work for you.

15 Sure-Fire Techniques

1. Look through your address book or think of old relationships which you might revive. Even if you’ve lost your job, you can contact a few of your previous co-workers and arrange to meet them for lunch or a social outing. Stay in touch and keep those relationships going.

2. Keep up any current relationships, as well . . . stay in touch with your friends and associates.

3. Use your hobbies and interests as a springboard for meeting new people.

Let’s say you keep tropical fish. You can join the local aquarium club and faithfully attend their meetings. Join the chess club or a writer’s group. When you are at a meeting, go out of your way to initiate conversations. In time, relationships will follow.

In the small town where I live there is a drawing club, and people who enjoy sketching and drawing get together once or twice a month to do what they love. And there is an art guild, consisting of local artists who give one another support and encouragement.

Whatever you like to do, you can find a club or organization which can be of help to you in meeting new friends.

4. Volunteer your time.

No matter where you may live, there is probably an animal shelter that needs volunteers to help care for the homeless pets.

Our local newspaper ran a story last week about a man who lost his job, so he volunteered at the animal shelter. He made lots of animal and people friends and soon became the director of the shelter. And now he has a new life which he absolutely loves!

In nearly every community there are nursing homes where lonely, aging and sick people reside.

I know people who take their therapy pets to nursing homes and group homes for homeless children, where they allow their pets to minister unto the elderly and sick, to touch people’s lives. I know others who take gift baskets to nursing homes. And others who play music for those who are handicapped or bedfast.

5. Take your dog to obedience class.

You’ll meet other dog owners and you can participate in fun meets and obedience trials. Note: Avoid using your pet as a substitute for human companionship.

6. Go to your house of worship and get involved.

There will be programs you can participate in and people to meet, classes to join and special services to attend. You’ll find caring people who can help you to make new friends and connections.

7. Find someone in your life to help in some way.

Offer your assistance. Give of your time. You’ll get closer to those you are helping and, chances are, you’ll meet others in the process.

8. Visit your local coffee shop and join in the conversations, when the opportunity presents itself.

Get to know the employees and customers, and let them get to know you. Stop in on a regular basis, and soon you’ll have a home away from home, where you can always be a part of a good social setting.

9. Read the local newspaper.

You’ll feel more a part of the world by keeping up with current events. And there are always stories about local groups and organizations which may be of interest to you, and offer you an opportunity to meet people.

10. Offer to teach a class or workshop at the local YMCA or community education center.

Chances are, you have a skill or area of expertise that others are interested in learning. You’ll enjoy the social contact you’ll experience.

11. Inquire about membership in a civic organization.

There are many worthwhile organizations that may be of interest to you. Ask if you can sit in on a meeting to decide if you’d like to join.

12. Participate in chat rooms and blogs on subjects of your interest, and keep up with others on the Internet.

13. Take a part-time job in a restaurant or other business where you can meet and serve people and take an interest in other employees.

14. Avoid being a stranger.

Go out of your way to introduce yourself to others and show an interest in them. Wherever you go, take your best (and most outgoing) personality along with you . . . and use it to interact with people. Research says that outgoing people are less lonely than others.

For example, if you go to a nearby walking track, which is frequented by lots of people in your community . . . instead of keeping to yourself and avoiding social contact, speak to other walkers and enter into conversations with them.

Going there several times a week will allow you to keep up your new relationships with others who exercise and to continually meet new people.

You don’t have to be an extravert to let your light shine and befriend others. In turn, they will be friends to you.

15. Go where you are needed. Serve others. Give your love. Help someone in need. Make someone’s day. Make something good happen.

Good deeds always come back to us in surprising ways. They open doors for us in their own good time. As you open your arms to others, you’ll develop a kinship with many people. Soon you’ll feel less lonely. And you’ll be a part of others’ lives in a most significant and important way.

Sometimes the hardest part about being lonely is feeling so down in the dumps you just can’t imagine a possible solution.

What do do?

First, don’t give into negative thoughts or expectations. Instead, think positively.

And second, do something! Act! Don’t allow yourself to sit around and complain. Get up and make something happen. Just do it! Go and initiate a conversation. Do something worthwhile.

If you follow this plan, and remember to forget about being lonely and stop focusing your energy on it, you’ll soon find that your loneliness will disappear.

Richard Hamon is a professional therapist and coach with over 25 years of experience. His business, Relationships For Success Coaching, helps people to improve their relationships and enjoy success in all areas of their lives.

Richard has written a unique eBook, The Ultimate Relationship Solution: How Secrets Discovered From A Near Death Experience Can Help You Ignite Passion and Realize Success in All Your Relationships. The eBook tells about an actual Near Death Experience the author had in 2003, which transformed his life and led to a series of insights, revelations and secrets about relationships.

You can find Richard’s eBook, The Ultimate Relationship Solution at: LINKED TEXT

Knowing the football statistics plays an important role in understanding the game. Through reading the statistics you can easily know what happened during the game even if you haven’t watched the entire game. What are those stats or numbers are all about? All sports lovers and enthusiasts know what those numbers or percentages mean. Even without watching the actual game they are still updated of the game’s play-by-play highlights by interpreting the statistics of the game. Maybe you might think how these geniuses do the interpretation of these complex numbers especially in a football game that involves more than a dozen players in each team. The secret is in the football statistics software that they use. The better their software works the faster they can get the right interpretation of the data.

This type of software is helpful for some people who make for a living thru the results of the game. They are the sportscasters or reporters, sports bettors, players and coaches, and the team managers and sponsors. All these people benefit on different features of a football statistics software. The sport bettors are the ones who greatly depend on the services of the said software. Through the use of the programs contained in the software, the bettor can know where to put his bet. The software that the bettors need must give the right forecast through the analysis of the former game results and standings of the competing teams. By using such software, the bettors don’t just rely on the lines from the sportsbooks.

The football statistics software is not only used for sports betting or gambling. The main purpose of creating such software is to have a database of all the statistics of every game, league, or team or even individual player’s numbers. The coaches and players use the software to assess their standings and to review their games. The said software is also used to give every minute update of an ongoing game. Sports writers or reporters are the ones who use this software for play-by-play updates of the game and to give the figures that are often overlooked by the viewers.

Football statistics software or any same software used in other sports is one of the latest automated data organizers used in sports. It works mainly to collect data and organize or translate them to give the information needed by the user. This software works as a scorebook and at the same time a record book of the play-by-play events. It counts almost all the statistics that can be counted during the game such as passes, receives, rushes, defense, kicks, scores, and much more. It also gives the individual team standings by computing the wins and losses of the team. Individual player’s stats are also available. If you want the complete stats of your favorite sport, you don ‘t have to do numerous searches on the net anymore. Just buy a statistics software and it will do the rest for you.

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about Football Statistics Software, please visit Sports Statistics Site for current articles and discussions.

Stamp collecting is a fun and informative way to learn more about a country’s historical events, celebrated persons, culture and geography. In Tucson, Arizona, stamp collecting is more than just a hobby for group of passionate enthusiasts. Here, stamp collectors have several resources that will help them purchase stamps for their collections, learn more about stamp collecting and connect with other stamp collectors.

To Begin Stamp Collecting Tucson

1 – Join the Arizona Philatelic Rangers, the Tucson Stamp Club, or – if you are interested in stamps from Mexico – the Mexico-Elmhurst Philatelic Society International. To find out more about a club near you, check with the Arizona Federation of Stamp Clubs.

2 – Visit the Postal History Foundation Library on 920 North First Avenue.

3 – Shop at the American Stamp & Coin Co. on 7225 Orracle Road, Ste. 102.

4 – Browse websites such as Craigslist or Ebay. Be careful and do your research before buying. Ask for clear photographs and detailed information.

Tools For Collecting Stamps

Beginning a stamp collection is relatively inexpensive. You will need the following tools to begin:

1 – Stamps!

2 – Stamp tongs.

3 – Catalogs and price guides. Check these out at the local library. There are also online price guides for a subscription. Look into stamp management software that will help you keep track of the value of your collection.

4 – Magnifying glass.

5 – Perforation Gauge.

6 – Watermark Fluid & Tray (Optional)

7 – Albums. Make sure you get pages that are acid-free. Regular albums will leach the color from your stamps.

8 – Glassine Envelopes. These are used to store and organize extra stamps that you don’t want to mount in an album.

9 – Stamp hinges. (Many collectors are moving away from stamp hinges and choosing to use stamp mounts instead.)

10 – Stamp mounts. Slide the stamp into these protective sheaths, then mount in the album.

Taking Care of Your Stamps

Stamp collecting Tucson is an ideal location for maintaining a stamp collection. The hot, dry weather helps preserve the stamps and keeps moisture from the stamps. Still, it’s a good idea to store your stamps above ground level and to insure your collection. To insure your collection, you will need to get an appraisal from an insurance company. There may be a fee.

The Postal History Foundation Library

Stamp collecting Tucson has a fabulous resource in the Postal History Foundation Library. The library offers the following services.

1 – Sale of collectible stamps and other philatelic materials such as albums, hinges and page protectors.

2 – This is the only place that sells all the current issue postage stamps. Usually, you have to order these stamps direct from the post office.

3 – A library of all southwestern postal office historical documents, including stamps.

4 – Youth educational services, classes, speaker’s bureau and special educational materials designed for schools.

5 – A turn of the century replica of a United States Post Office.

Robert Grazian is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about stamp collecting visit US Stamp Collecting for current articles and discussions.

Whether you’re in a position where you’re unhappy with your current career choice, or you’re simply ready for a change, there are some important factors to keep in mind when starting to research your next career move. Below is a handy checklist to live by regardless of the reason for your career search.

1.      Mentally prepare yourself. Looking for a new job can be challenging, so it’s important to prepare yourself for the process, from research to interviewing to networking, be sure to take care of you! Go into the search knowing it might take some time, but it will all be worth it when you land that next position that works for you!

2.      Understand what your passions are and what drives you. What are you looking for in your next position? It’s kind of hard to move forward if you don’t know where you’re going or want to go! Thus, one of the first steps you need to take is to evaluate what your passions and values are. What do you like or dislike about your current position? What’s important to you? Don’t leave anything out! Brainstorm everything that comes to mind (work hours, work ethic, culture, values, type of work, money, benefits, etc.). Then prioritize them and keep them with you at all times. Don’t settle for less than what will make you happy!

3.      Network, network, network! Marketing yourself is a business in itself, and you want to sell your strong points to the right people.

a. The Internet: With the internet, it’s easy to post information about yourself and give others a good sense of your personality. You want to be careful and make sure you’re sending the message you want to be sending. In other words, you may not want to post a lot of pictures that say, “I’m a crazy or partying fool!” Two popular social utilities that are more focused toward business networking are Linkedin and Facebook. They’re free and fairly simple to use.

b. Networking events: Most cities have several networking events that allow you to mingle and meet individuals face to face so you can sell yourself in person. In addition, networking events allow you to meet individuals who might know someone who might know someone that can help…

c. Job Fairs: This is often great if you’re in or right out of college, but some job fairs are for experienced hires, as well. Watch for local listings.

4.      Be prepared to market yourself. When you’re networking, it’s important to have the tools needed to professionally and appropriately market yourself.

a. Resume: You’ll need a resume and should have it with you at all times, and how you prepare a resume is very important. I can’t tell you how often HR professionals won’t look at a resume that has too much info or is hard to read. I recommend researching resume writing resources for ideas and strategies on preparing your resume. You want to be sure to tailor your resume to match watch the company’s looking, but you want to be honest as far as your skill set, experience and capabilities.

b. Business card: For social networking events, you’ll want a good business card at a minimum. It can represent what you’re doing where you currently work, or it can be as simple as your name, contact info and line of work. 

c. Cover letter: A cover letter should be short, to the point and prepared in a way to catch someone’s attention.

5.      Be selective. Don’t just apply to anything. Be sure to apply for only what truly seems to be an opportunity for which you’d be interested. Often, recruiters use the same posting boards and it sends the wrong signal if they see that someone is posting for every position. It screams ‘Desperate!’

6.      Research, research, research! Do as much research on the company as possible. If it’s possible to find out information about the individual you’ll be interviewing with, do it! Be prepared backwards and forwards. Look for good interviewing resources to help.

7.      Sell yourself. Be clear on what you have to offer and what sets you apart from the competition. Know everything on your resume backwards and forwards. Be confident, but not cocky. Have this list close by as you prepare for that career move and you’ll be sure to be ready when opportunity meets preparedness. You have what it takes, so don’t settle for less than what you should… Good luck!

Maurisa Westbury is Chief Training Strategist for OnlineTraining2Go an e-learning solutions company specializing in providing computer based training via the Internet for individuals, small to medium sized businesses and the association market. OnlineTraining2Go offers an extensive catalog with over 2500 topics. The company also offers career coaching, FREE teleseminars and webinars related to career development and personal growth. If you’re ready to reinvent yourself, get noticed and move to the next level in your career get your FREE report on career advancement and success now HERE

We go networking with the intention of creating new business opportunities. Well at least I hope that’s the reason you do it! Some people seem to net-eat or net-drink rather than network…but that’s another story!

But, as networking is all about building relationships, you can’t just meet a stranger at an event saying, “Hi, my name is Will, I’m a trainer, and do you want to buy my services?” I tried it but it doesn’t work!

When you start to build the relationship it all about asking the right questions. It’s far more important to be interested that interesting.

People love talking about themselves.

Your role as a good networker is to let them. To emphasise this, who are the most interesting people you meet? Those, who are most interested in you.

Try this route to spotting a business opportunity for your services.

1. Small Talk

You can’t do big business until you’ve done the small talk. Talk about their outside interests and hobbies, their holidays and travel, their views on general financial matters and current events, their home and surroundings. Be careful about talking about their family and connections until you have start building rapport. You often find that within five minutes you have something in common on which to build an interesting and useful conversation.

2. Finding Out About Their Business

Every business has a time line. Its present, its past and its future.

You can’t sell anything until you understand what’s needed to see if there will be a genuine business lead. So consider asking questions like

• How many people do you work with? Early on in the conversation you need to find out whether the person you’re talking to is the business owner, a key member of management or a member of the team. Knowing numbers tells you how big the business is. Is this size of business your target market?
• How are you finding business at the moment?
• What do you see as your key business issues at the present time?
• Where do you see the business going over the next few years?

When you meet the business owner, particularly one who has set up their own business from scratch, they will want to talk and talk. These people are self-centred egotistical entrepreneurs who have created something from nothing. They love to talk about it; I repeat, let them! You’ll find out as much as you need believe me. At some stage polite people will ask about you and what you do. Don’t miss the opportunity to tell them not only what you are but also how your existing clients and customers benefit from your services. Sell yourself first, services second.

If you’re an accountant or solicitor that’s fine, says so. But try this. “What I am is an accountant (or solicitor) but what I do is help my clients grow their business (or, what I do is help my clients sue people!).

3. Their Relationship With Their Existing Advisors or Suppliers

Now we are building to the big moment. You’ve found out about them, you ascertain it’s your market and they know what you do. Only start to ask these series of questions if you feel you have really built rapport

“So Joe, who do you use for your advisors/suppliers at the moment?”

The moment of truth has arrived.

Generally we’re not great listeners but now is the moment for you to give it your all. Use both ears and both eyes. Watch and listen to the answer. People can lie with words but rarely with body language and tone of voice. Depending on the way they answer will help you establish whether there is an opportunity.

“My solicitor is fantastic, she’s so creative and is always so reliable”.

“My accountant is okay, I don’t really understand what he does, but then I’ve had nothing to compare him against.”

4. Making the Next Move

Even though your aerial’s on and your radar is whirling round, keep your powder dry. I know it’s hard but try to go back to the small talk.

Networking is normally done at a very special time; time normally spent with your social partner your children your friends and family. Even if you have got none of these you’re stealing it from your self. Don’t waste it.

“You remember, Joe, about 10 minutes ago you said you weren’t sure what your accountant actually did. How would you feel if I gave you a ring next week to find out more about your business and to explore ideas?”

Surely this is the whole reason for your being at an event? You know when you have built rapport so make your networking time effective.

Kintish specialize in training professional individuals, companies and corporations in generating business leads via seminars, in house work groups and major events. Will Kintish has provided learning to some of the biggest names in UK finance and is in great demand as a speaker at business events