General aches and pains are can afflict us all at various times through our lives. Usually the discomfort is mild and passes on its own. We needn’t think too much about the cause, or it’s something obvious, such as physically over-straining ourselves.

Occasionally, though, discomfort becomes more severe and lingers, and the causes might not be as apparent. Particularly as our bodies age, it becomes important to guard against arthritis and more chronic forms of pain and immobility. Here are some proven methods so that you can live a pain-free and active life.

Use supplements

As the name suggests, a supplement should not be your only course of action, but combined with a healthy lifestyle, taking the right product can work wonders to ensure your body is getting all the help it needs.

Websites like sandiegohealth.org offer high quality, natural pain relief. Proven ingredients such as epimedium, turmeric, and Japanese fleece flower can, in the correctly balanced formula, bring significant benefits. Fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA are necessary for the body to function well. A good supplement will ensure you don’t lack these things.

Eat an anti-inflammatory diet

Inflammation is a known cause of pain and discomfort, and certain foods can cause flare ups. It makes sense, then, that you should watch what you eat and stick to an anti-inflammatory diet.

Cold water fish, such as tuna, salmon and trout. These are full of Omega-3 fatty acids, and healthy fish oils.

Nuts and seeds. These are often overlooked, but provide essential, healthy fats and oils, to repair and protect your bodies connective tissues.

Whole grains. Because it’s known that refined grains can cause an inflammatory response in the body, always choose a wholegrain alternative.

Dark chocolate. A delicious treat, but when you’re buying chocolate, make sure to go for something that’s at least 70% cocoa. That’s the ingredient that has anti-inflammatory properties, so the higher the better. But you need to avoid an excess of fat and sugar, so don’t have too much chocolate, even the good kind!

Green tea. This Japanese favorite has anti-oxidant properties. Matcha is a more concentrated version, even better for your health, and can be made into a delicious latte. Just be careful your latte isn’t too loaded with high-fat, sugary ingredients, though.

Exercise regularly and be active

Physical discomfort might make you want to stay home and move less, but in fact, it’s critical to remain active. Exercise and movement play a key role in keeping you supple and healthy.

According to the CDC, people with rheumatoid arthritis should do low-impact, aerobic exercise three to five times a week. If your pain is less severe, you can do more than this, and you might soon find that not only are your aches gone, but you’re sleeping better, you have more energy, and your mood is elevated.

Walking and light running can be done anywhere, and benefit your heart and lungs as well as helping ease aches and pains.

Swimming is low-impact and relaxing, stretching your muscles and offering relief to your joints.

Strength training makes your muscles, well… stronger! And stronger muscles means less strain on your joints, and greater overall resilience. Start gently and work your way up gradually, trying weight machines, resistance bands and free weights, and seeing which combination works best for you.

Yoga is fantastic for flexibility and range-of-motion. It’s also deeply relaxing, and can be highly beneficial for mental and emotional well-being.

Regular physical activity is very important. The great thing about eating carefully and exercising is that you’ll naturally lose weight, gain strength and energy, and improve your posture, all factors that are crucial in warding off aches, pains and general ill health.

Heat and cold

Both heat and cold can be useful in treating joint pain, and pain in the lower back. Heat acts as a relaxant, soothing stiffness and encouraging flexibility. Try using a hot water bottle or a warm pad, applied directly to the area of discomfort.

Cold, on the other hand, reduces inflammation and swelling. Use an ice pack, applied directly to the painful region.

Try using both heat and cold, as you require, to see how it affects your condition. In general, heat and cold are also very useful in aiding your body as it relaxes, recovers and strengthens after exercise.

Aromatherapy and acupuncture

Both aromatherapy and acupuncture have grown tremendously in popularity as alternative, holistic practices. They are effective in treating a wide range of conditions, and in boosting wellness.

Always be sure to seek out qualified practitioners who can explain their methods and deliver a personalized course of treatment.

Overall, lifestyle factors are greatly important in keeping away aches and pains. And this is a great situation, as you’ll soon find that through taking the necessary steps to soothe discomfort, you’ll balance your health, boost your energy, and improve your mood.

Regardless of whether you are a business owner or someone looking to make a little extra cash through ecommerce, you are likely to face challenges with shipping to customers all over the globe. Not only does international shipping come with a slew of complications, it can also be extremely expensive. Here are some ways to cut shipping costs so as to increase your overall profit margins.

Tackle The Nitty Gritty

Before you start the shipping process, it is a must to familiarize yourself with the regulations and limitations imposed by different countries. Shipping packages internationally is often subject to plenty of constantly changing restrictions. You must be up to date with the current and authoritative measures, so as to prevent any unnecessary fines or delays.

International packages typically incur customs duties, which vary from one country to another and are levied by governments on imported goods. They are either specific or based on the value of the goods. For example, if you are shipping to Poland from the US, there are specific maximum weight restrictions and customs tariffs that must be paid should the package exceed a value of $50.

Restrictions can also change depending on the international shipping provider you choose, which can make or break the entire process. Work with reliable international shipping companies that have good reviews and high delivery service standards. Some factors to take into account include price comparison and extra costs, service quality, speed, insurance, and customer service. Do your research diligently, and you should be in good hands.

Calculations are key. International shipping costs should be meticulously and carefully calculated and have a cost breakdown inclusive of details like the cost of the product, packaging, shipping, handling charges, taxes, additional fees, and profit margin. After all, record keeping is a vital part of any business.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Using the right packaging will help you save on materials, and in turn, general overhead expenses. Protecting fragile items in transit is of utmost importance, but one must be smart in choosing the right protective material that is both cost-saving and fitting for your brand. Shipping costs can be reduced by using protective materials that are lightweight, such as bubble wrap and air pillows. The lighter your package, the less it costs to ship.

Buying your supplies in bulk is another cost-saving method that will be beneficial in the long term. Taking advantage of volume discounts as you shop for boxes, poly mailers, or air pillows is a great way to cut down on shipping costs. It is also a good way to ensure that you are stocked up on packaging in various shapes and sizes, which will come in handy should a package be of the wrong dimensions due to changing demand or restrictions.

You will also save money on materials if you reduce the quantity of packaging used. Packing lightweight items in a large box will incur more costs than necessary, due to their larger dimensional weight and greater amount of space taken up. Overly large boxes also increase the risk of the product being damaged.

As a matter of fact, reducing excessive packaging also positively impacts the environment. In a Sustainable Packaging Study conducted by Packaging Digest and Sustainable Packaging Coalition, 92% of consumers acknowledged the importance of sustainability in packaging. As more and more customers make the switch to sustainable shopping, their preferences will be reflected in the companies they choose to purchase from.

You may not cut down on shipping costs by using eco-friendly packaging, but you will be saving money on the packing itself. If shipping costs are higher than expected, you should aim to cut costs in other aspects of the business. You do want to profit, don’t you?

Cut costs, all while reducing your carbon footprint and doing your part for the environment, by investing in recyclable shipping boxes and biodegradable styrofoam padding. There are also sustainable packaging material alternatives you can consider, like Kraft paper, a biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable material made of 100% virgin fiber paper, or solid bleached sulfate (SBS) paperboards, which are made from bleached virgin wood pulp. Compostable mailers as a plastic substitute are also growing in popularity.

Online shipping supplies can be reused and recycled. As both an online shopper and seller, the boxes and packaging you receive can be repurposed for your own packages. However, don’t forget to remove or cover the old shipping labels beforehand. We want to avoid as much confusion as we possibly can.

At the end of the day, lower international shipping costs are great for any business, no matter how small. Given that passing on the costs to your customers is nowhere near feasible, taking measures to lower expenses will help you make the most out of your business without having to deal with the exorbitant fees that come with shipping internationally.

International student enrollment in America’s colleges is a rising trend. Whether it is the allure of a high-paying job or to leverage a better position, over one million international students enroll in American colleges every year. Even the number of graduate and post-graduate international enrollment has been steadily increasing for the past few decades. More than ever, students from all over the world are looking to America to continue their education.

The top three areas of study for international students are engineering, computer science, and business-related fields. These are very competitive fields among native speakers, so the challenge posed for international students is even higher. Not only do these subjects demand proficiency in science and math, but the ability to take classes in a language different from their own.

International students seeking to study in America need to be aware of the lengthy and often challenging process of applying to a university. There are several things to consider before even taking the first step. Here is a brief preparation guide on how to get started.

Get your Paperwork in Order

There are several steps to be taken before even beginning the application process. For starters, there are immigration standards to meet. An up-to-date passport should be the priority of any prospective student. It is also a must that you ensure all of your medical records are up-to-date. The Department of State website has more details on specific requirements.

It is important to note that many expenses are associated with attending college, and not all of them pertain to the education itself. Home furnishings, transportation, and health insurance are all added expenses that can very quickly add up. Do not forget to factor in the quality of life when you are creating a budget. Costs of living can vary greatly from city to city, so make that a consideration as well.

Time to Brush Up

Once you have a plan, know your deadlines, and feel ready to begin, hit the books. Overconfidence is a student’s worst enemy, as many are often surprised by the degree of difficulty of their required tests. Remember that even native speakers struggle with these examinations. Regardless of your perceived level of skill, taking the time to study could only improve your readiness to begin your college journey.

Many American schools, such as Purdue University, offer free ESL assistance on their web page. Additionally, England’s Cambridge University is known as one of the most prominent contributors to the ESL curriculum. Their online resources will give students a chance to view and even take an older IELTS exam. There are plenty of free instructional videos on YouTube as well. Students can find plenty of different lessons on the internet with minimal searching.

If you require a more intensive course, consider some form of online language tutoring. Various platforms have online courses available for university students, regardless of your location. Also, seek out any ESL programs in your community. Sometimes a local university will offer tutoring and assistance for students seeking to enroll in a university abroad.

Determine the Objective

While many students take their time picking a major and an academic path, international students do not have this luxury. Not only is entering college without a plan a bad idea, but some schools may not even allow you to enter as an undeclared major. It is best not simply to know your major but your desired outcome as well.

Establish what kind of education your field of choice requires. Does it require a Bachelor’s Degree, a Master’s Degree, or a Ph.D.? Are there any additional certifications? Not only do most universities provide a comprehensive list of courses required, but a student advisor can help map out a path.

Additionally, set a reasonable timeframe for the completion of your program of study. Colleges generally require international students to be enrolled full-time, but that does not mean one must burden themselves with 18 hours a semester. Plan for your first year to be an adjustment year.

Consider the Location

Just as important of a factor is your school’s location. The size of the city, its population, and the proximity to necessary facilities are all considerations when deciding what school to attend. If you are not used to the big city, it may be wise to select a school in a less densely populated area. If you want the experience of a bustling college town, make sure your school is not located in a rural part of the country.

Don’t forget the local weather, either. It may sound like a small detail, but students often underestimate their ability to adjust to a new climate. Believe it or not, this is a factor that can affect a student’s mood and well-being, often to the detriment of their performance.

Understand the Requirements

The next step is to figure out what test scores your schools require. Most American colleges and universities need either an SAT or ACT score, so be prepared to take the same examination that all Americans have to take. It is important to note that the ACT is universally known as the more difficult of the two tests. If your school gives you a choice, it is best to go with the SAT.

Keep in mind, too, that schools all have a minimum score for entry. Whatever that score is, you are going to want to aim for much higher. Enrollment has become more competitive in recent years, especially among international students. There are a limited number of slots, so achieving the minimum entry scores will probably not be enough to put you at the front of the list of candidates.

Students may also have to submit a standardized test score from one of the accredited ESL examination boards. The TOEFL and the IELTS are the most common requirements, and you will take these exams locally. Students often find these tests extremely challenging because of the variety of areas evaluated in the exam. Spoken, written, and reading skills are all tested, and these skills often require a great deal of preparation. A student should study for at least two months, though some students opt to take much longer.

Get Started Right Away

The process for getting into a university as an international student is a lengthy one. Be prepared for the process to take up to a year, or perhaps even longer. Covid-19 has slowed the admittance of international students significantly, so expect delays.

However, these delays will allow for more time to get yourself ready. Use the time wisely as you are waiting. There are many ways to prepare for your journey besides studying. Watch American movies to hear the language conversationally. Listen to American podcasts. Prepare yourself not only for the test but for the culture change as well.

Begin your journey today. Consult with an academic adviser, and start on your road to a new beginning and new possibilities.

Our world is getting smaller and more connected. Where city directories and local newsletters used to help us find people and locate stores, these days, anyone can be found, online, with a few clicks of the mouse. It’s a huge benefit to society in many ways, but on the other hand, the wide reach of technology has created a new problem—some businesses are being buried by the sheer amount of information available on the Internet. Faced with the highly competitive and ever-evolving realm of digital marketing, many brands that are not tech-savvy are finding it hard to keep up. Online shopping, accelerated by pandemic control measures, has become a central consumer behavior.

As consumers become increasingly spoilt for choice, even those who prefer to shop in brick-and-mortar stores are researching products and services online before buying. While it may have once been sufficient to simply maintain a website, businesses now need to ensure that their online presence is both optimised and authoritative, to capture their audience’s attention.

Putting Yourself on the Map

Given the wide range of attention-grabbing digital marketing avenues such as advertising, sponsored posts, and influencer collaborations, it is easy to forget that something as plain as a search engine could have a massive impact on your business. Google is the most used search engine globally, holding over 90 percent of the search engine market share and clocking a staggering 3.5 billion searches per day. It is important to note that there is a significant difference between being listed on the first page and the last page.

Research has shown that an average of 28.5 percent of search engine users click on the top result on the search engine results page with click-through rates dropping rapidly as you move down the list of results. Results beyond the first page are rarely considered. Because the majority of the world—including a good chunk of your potential clientele—will likely turn to Google to search for your product or service, it is imperative to invest in search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure the visibility of your brand.

Aside from the standard search engine service, Google’s expansion into maps and navigation over the last decade has presented businesses with another valuable digital marketing opportunity. Just as we used to advertise on AAA magazines and travel directories, Google Maps is an avenue for businesses to reach consumers who are searching for local solutions. With most people using mobile apps on their devices for navigation and local search, having a presence on Google Maps can open the floodgates to a huge number of prospects. Businesses can add their information to Google Maps by submitting a Google My Business listing. At its most basic, a Google My Business listing can display the general information of your business such as your address, hours of operation, and customer reviews. This can be extremely useful, particularly in the current pandemic, where customers are unsure if businesses are operating as usual.

That said, there is a lot more to Google Maps than just submitting business information to Google My Business. Search engines typically display local map results based on the location of their users and the keywords or phrases that are applied. Sounds great, right? But what if numerous businesses serve the same niche as you in the city or town? Because users generally choose the first few results, being poorly ranked may mean that your business listing has zero impact. Thankfully, there are certain steps that SEO professionals can take to ensure that your business listing always comes out on top in your locality.

Send in the Professionals

Search engine methodology is constantly being reviewed and refined as search engines strive to provide users with the most relevant spam-free results. With a thorough understanding of how Google grades its Google Maps search results, Google Maps SEO experts can help to move listings up in the rankings. Part of this involves on-page SEO that tailors your content to the keywords or phrases that your potential customers are most likely to use.

This not only helps search engines to determine that you are more relevant in map-based searches but has the added benefit of increasing your page visibility in traditional searches as well. Then, SEO professionals work to build NAP (name, address, phone number) citations and quality backlinks from respected and established websites to prove the reliability of your page. Together with curated reviews, these actions help to convince Google that your page is trustworthy and informative, thus elevating its ranking.

The methods of improving a website’s organic search and Google Maps rankings can be complicated. Without industry connections, businesses may find it impossible to source authoritative websites for citations and backlinks. Hence, it is best to call in the professionals to assist with your SEO efforts. Because enhancements to your search ranking will persist in the long term, SEO is one of the best-performing digital marketing strategies in terms of ROI.

In this digital age, search engines are the powerhouses of organic lead generation. By leveraging your Google Maps listing, brands can enjoy a higher profile, a larger audience, and more profits for years to come.

It’s been a few years since Marie Kondo first graced our screens with her paradigm-shifting mantra to “discard everything that does not spark joy.” But her philosophy has endured with many people around the world now re-embracing the minimalist aesthetic. Gone are the days of hoarding memorabilia and filling up storage spaces with rarely-used items. Minimalism is the new it-aesthetic for the modern urbanite.

Minimalism has a long history. Many people attribute modern minimalism to the Japanese Zen philosophy that places importance on simplicity to achieve inner peace. In the US, minimalism emerged in the 1960s as a reaction to the consumerist mentality birthed in the aftermath of the Industrial Revolution. Today, it is a popular style of interior design that prizes practicality and affords a timeless elegance to your interiors that promise that no matter what the trend is, your home will never go out-of-style.

For many, the minimalist design aesthetic evokes imagery of white-on-white and soulless living spaces free of signs of inhabitation. But this isn’t necessarily what minimalism is. Minimalism is the pairing of form with function, and the idea that “less is more.” One of the many benefits of the minimalist aesthetic is its ability to make spaces look bigger by decluttering and paring down on furniture. And at a time when our homes have pretty much become our whole worlds, minimalism may just be the perfect aesthetic to experiment with.

Spring Clean for a Fresh Start

The first step to take when going down the minimalist path is decluttering. It’s important to first survey all that you have in your home, and really narrow down on what you need and what you don’t. It can be a painful process; it’s not exactly easy to let go of things that you have been holding onto for a long time. But in the long-term, decluttering can make you healthier and happier by reducing stress and improving focus, among numerous other benefits.

These health benefits of minimalism become even more important when people start spending more time at home. Nowadays, when work-from-home is on the rise and many businesses are transitioning to teleworking, creating a relaxing environment at home that is conducive for work is well-worth the effort.

But there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to decluttering. Just like everyone has different methods of organising their rooms, different people may also have different strategies of decluttering their living spaces that works best for them. If you are a home-organising whiz, then perhaps you’ll be perfectly comfortable with decluttering room-by-room. If you’re more faint-at-heart, you may prefer to declutter one-item-a-day. What matters is that you find the style that you are more comfortable with, and really commit to the process.

Functionality is Key

For the minimalist aesthetic, functionality is paramount. Everything must have a purpose. This means ridding yourselves of extraneous pieces of furniture that have no function. Think reuse here—your light therapy lamp, for example, can double as a showpiece to give your space a relaxed cool daylight vibe. Contrary to popular opinion, the minimalist aesthetic can reconcile sparsity with personality so that your house feels like a home.

There are many different types of minimalism aesthetics such as rustic minimalism, industrial minimalism and even the maximalist minimalist style that have their own unique features and are sure to satisfy diverse aesthetic tastes. Playing with textures and accent colors can often completely transform the look of a room, and affect the energy it exudes.

But a very real concern when styling homes is how all the individual pieces come together to create an atmosphere. When picking apart an existing style and transforming a space to a different aesthetic style, creating that common atmosphere becomes even more of a challenge.

When faced with this challenge, some home-owners may prefer to buy-in all new furniture instead of using their existing pieces. Often it’s easier and safer to purchase furniture sets and home decor from the comfort of your own home.

For those in favour of this method of achieving the minimalist aesthetic, you can still achieve the minimalist philosophy by purchasing furniture made from recycled materials and by donating all your old furniture to secondhand furniture stores, or to charity.

The minimalist aesthetic is a hard one to achieve primarily because it often involves letting go of sentimental items and paring down to essentials. But there is also a type of freedom afforded by letting go of all unnecessary possessions and keeping your spaces clean and simple—and this is the real appeal of the minimalist aesthetic.

Ah, the lei. You probably already have a vague idea of what it’s supposed to be. Even if you’ve never held one in your hands, or worn one around your neck, you can likely already picture it in your head: A thick, fetching garland of delicate island flowers, usually worn around the neck of a noisy tourist. Generations of pop culture has turned Hawaiian leis, once a local tradition, into a worldwide symbol of exotic vacations and island getaways.

For the people of the Polynesia region, from Tahiti to Hawaii, the making and giving of leis are an age-old tradition. In the past, lei were used to indicate wealth, ranks, and royal status. Today, leis are given as gifts to honor people. Common recipients include visiting dignitaries, new graduates, loved ones who are departing, and loved ones who have come home for a visit. They are also given out on special occasions as well. Events as wide-ranging as marriages, funerals, graduations, and birthdays are all considered valid events for the giving of lei. Lei truly occupies an omnipresent role in Polynesian culture, as key to their celebrations as cakes are in the West. In fact, there is even a dedicated holiday just to honor the lei. Every first of March since 1929, Lei Day is celebrated. Parades and festivals are held all over Hawaii, while people compete in Beauty pageants and lei-making contests.

The undoubted reason why leis are so iconic worldwide, though, is tourism. With the rise of tourism to Hawaii in the 19th century (especially by the Americans and British), Westerners came back with merry stories about the beautiful flower necklaces they received from the islanders. Thereafter, any depiction of the Pacific islands and their inhabitants inevitably featured the colorful garlands. In fact, Hawaiian leis are so iconic that tourists to Hawaii can even order a traditional greeting, where they are gifted with freshly-made leis as they touch down at the airport.

The lei in the popular imagination is a fluffy affair, a necklace thick with the petals and the cheerful scent of freshly-picked flowers. While flowers are undoubtedly one of the most common materials for a lei, leis in fact can be made out of just about anything. There have been lei made out of feathers, leaves, vines, and fern fronds. There have also been lei made out of harder materials such as seashells, animal bones, and seeds. Even more modern materials like candy, paper, and coins have been used.

Indeed, several islands are known for making distinctive types of lei. The island of Niihau is famous for its lei made out of shells that shine like gemstones, called lei pupu. The Tongans are known for their distinctive-looking "kahoa" lei that are made of cloth ribbons, unto which flowers and foliage are sown. The residents of Niue make their lei from bright yellow snail shells. So long as it can be strung together in a beautiful series that can be worn around a person, there are no limits on what you can make a lei out of.

Be warned, though. While a lei may be seen by outsiders as just a trinket, a beautiful but superfluous accessory, it is seen as more than that to the Polynesian people. In most cases, a lei represents the love and friendship of the giver towards the recipient. Thus, simply throwing a lei in the trash is considered incredibly rude, being equivalent to throwing away someone’s love. If one is not able to wear the lei for whatever reason, they should be displayed on a place of honor (such as the stand of a musician), or hung in a room or vehicle to let its scent fill the air. Traditionally, if one truly wishes to get rid of it, the lei should be returned to the earth: either by burying, burning, or hanging the lei in a tree.

After seeing all the different materials you can make a lei out of, as well as all the wonderful occasions the lei is gifted, some of you may be tempted to make your own. Luckily, there isn’t one definitive way of creating a lei. In fact, the methods of making a lei are almost as varied as the materials making them up. You could pierce the material with a needle and string it on a thread, which is the method most non-Polynesians are familiar with. You could also braid or plait the material itself, if it’s already long and stringy, as is traditionally done with vines and palm strands. You can even sew the material on a pre-existing length of cloth, as is done in Tonga.

Who knows? Perhaps in your next trip to Hawaii, you’ll be the one presenting your homemade lei to the locals. They will certainly appreciate this sudden role reversal!

We all worry about the future. In fact, we spend most of our days as an adult working hard trying to safeguard a smooth and glorious retirement. The act of retiring refers to withdrawing from the workforce and living without any salary or employment for the rest of one’s life. One can retire for several reasons – they may have put aside enough money to sustain themselves, or may have reached the nominal age of retirement. Currently, the average retirement age in the USA is just under 67 years, which is when one becomes eligible for retirement social security benefits. It is possible for one to start benefiting at ages as early as 62, but this would entail a reduction of their benefit, or an increase if they choose to delay their retirement until after the age of 67.

When it comes to retirement planning, attention to detail is important to ensure a solid and fail proof plan. One of the most popular strategies is simply saving up as much as possible during adulthood. Although this strategy is generally low-risk and pretty effective, there are quite a few ways it can be improved.

Planning Your Post-Retirement Lifestyle

It is of great importance for one to imagine what their life would be like after their retirement. Some might aspire to lead a lavish and expensive lifestyle, while others might just want to keep it simple and relaxing. Indeed, being able to afford that costly post-retirement life will require a lot of extra work during the adult days, and also quite possibly the need to retire a few years late. Here comes the importance of setting and following an elaborate timeline leading to one’s retirement. Not only will it help you set your goals straight, but it would also assist in keeping track of your progress and making sure you don’t fall behind. Spending money wisely is the most essential part of any money-saving strategy. After all, you can’t set anything aside if you’re wasting it all.

A good subject to consider while planning your retirement is where you will be residing. If your pre-retirement area of residence is too expensive, it might be a good idea to look into a more affordable rural area. Alternatively, you could move into a smaller and more sustainable house.

Assessing Your Choices for Storing Value

Dumping all your cash into a vault is probably not the best idea. There are many other ways to store money while simultaneously earning interest or having it increase in value. If you still have a long way off and are able to withstand some risks, stocks might prove to be a great investment. They serve as a good hedge against inflation while still generally promising good long-term returns. Other assets like gold and cryptocurrency might also be good candidates for long-term investments. With that said, having a mixed portfolio lowers the risk of sudden loss associated with being heavily invested in a centralized asset. At the end of the day, it all falls back on what is suitable for you and how much risk you’re willing to take.

Looking For Opportunities of Passive Income

Many retirees extensively rely on sources of passive income to cover their retirement expenses. The idea of passive income is pretty straightforward: getting a steady inflow of money without actively doing work. There are many options for achieving this, but one of the safest and most widely adopted is simply putting some money in the bank and living off of the interest it provides. Although interest rates are usually pretty low, many still opt for this method due to its convenience and low risk. Another great option would be benefiting from a reverse mortgage. This type of mortgage is specifically targeted at those older than the age of 62 and constitutes selling part of a homeowner’s home equity. In return, this homeowner receives a loan or a monthly payment, making it a great source of passive income.

Maintaining Equilibrium

After having assessed all the previously mentioned aspects and put together a cohesive plan, one final key step remains. Just like with anything else, real-life won’t go exactly as planned. It is of therefore crucial importance to leave an extra margin of error and take the necessary precautions should any unexpected challenges arise. At the old age of retirement, one becomes highly prone to health complications, and that can sometimes be pretty costly. A good health insurance plan will bring you the peace of mind that you deserve while simultaneously saving your wallet from the hefty hospitalization bills, should you ever need them.

Conclusion

Having a smooth and relaxing retirement is a goal for everyone. Luckily, all it takes is a little planning and discipline during your adult life. Setting realistic goals and gradually achieving them is a great way to keep yourself motivated, and you’ll be able to ensure a happy and prosperous retirement. The most important thing to keep in mind is that it is never too late to get started.

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Oftentimes, we get so caught up with whatever that’s going on in our lives at the moment that we start to forget the reasons behind why we do what we do. It is easy to be swept up into the whirlwind of never ending tasks, too exhausted to make the most of life but also too busy to make a change. Sometimes, life feels so draining and we feel like we are dragging ourselves through the days.

When we stop to think about it, we actually spend a lot of our time doing things that don’t really matter. And I don’t mean things like hobbies or relaxing or anything unproductive— after all, happiness is a journey not a destination. What I mean is things that you, personally, would rather not spend your time, energy and money on. By this definition, things that “don’t matter” are things that don’t matter TO YOU.

This is where the minimalist lifestyle comes in. There are many tips and guides out there on how to lead a minimalist lifestyle, but it all boils down to one mantra: Avoid the unnecessary.

Benefits

The most straightforward result of a minimalist lifestyle is having fewer material possessions. Getting rid of unnecessary belongings reduces the time and energy required to clean, maintain and organize them. Clothes that are seldom worn, old devices that barely work, books that will not be read again and so on. With fewer material possessions comes a smaller financial burden. taking the constant worries about budgeting out of the way.

Furthermore, the act of seeing a less cluttered environment around you has actually been scientifically proven to affect both physical and mental health. A neater environment can change the brain such that memory, focusing abilities and information processing are enhanced. A neater area also has been linked to better digestion, cardiovascular health, and better sleep. Some studies even showed a link between the tidiness of an environment and healthy eating habits.

In the end, it results in more time, energy and resources for you to spend on the things you actually want to do, or that can help you achieve your long term goals. The minimalist approach can be divided into three categories.

Decluttering your Space

This category is probably the simplest place to start adopting the minimalist lifestyle. It involves evaluating your current belongings and discarding some of them. The same elimination process has to be applied to all future spending as well. Good places to start are clothing, accessories, decor and any other common impulse buys. As you progress further, even furniture, vehicles and homes can be streamlined.

The Minimalists, two of the most prominent creators in the minimalism scene, suggest using the 90/90 rule to determine whether an object should be kept. The rule states that if you used an object in the last 90 days, or will be using it in the next 90 days, it can stay. Otherwise, into the bin it goes.

Tidying expert Marie Kondo suggests an ingenious method to ease parting with objects that are defunct but retain sentimental value. She does so by saying thank you (yes, to an inanimate object!) for serving its purpose and then gratefully letting it go.

Reducing Responsibilities

Because it is not readily in your line of sight, it is easy to forget that not all your money goes to physical goods. A portion is also spent on non-physical possessions. Examples include subscriptions like Netflix and Spotify. With more and more of such subscriptions available, it might be useful to reconsider whether they are really necessary.

Other non-tangible things to consider streamlining are credit cards, banking accounts. These usually have extra service fees and combining them into one can actually help you to save more.

Clearing the Mind

Overthinkers often have unwelcome thoughts plaguing their minds that are not useful in achieving whatever they want to achieve. While cutting out responsibilities can help greatly to reduce the number of things to worry about, sometimes it’s just not enough to keep those sneaky thoughts away. This is where you have to condition your mind to stop wandering pointlessly and instead focus on more significant matters.

A good diet and regular exercise is always the top recommendation to boost overall health. This study reports that mental health is improved by more than 40 percent in those who exercise as compared to those who do not.

A controversial alternative to clear the mind would be the use of cannabis. In recent years, recreational marijuana has made its way into the mainstream and many states are starting to open up. However, opinions regarding this topic are still pretty inconsistent and it is important to make sure you do your own research before trying it.

Cannabis, like any other substance that you take into your body, has to be regulated by the relevant authorities first and there are rules put in place. For example, New Jersey, the most recent state to legalise recreational marijuana, requires that marijuana dispensaries obtain the New Jersey Cannabis Retail License 2021 before operating.

Another great way to clear your mind and understand things better would be to take time out of each day to do journaling or meditation. These practices allow you to have a space to consolidate thoughts and events amidst a chaotic schedule.

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Are you craving a minimalist wardrobe? Are you tired of your cramped and bursting cupboards? Are you tired of cheap and disposable fashion items, the kind where the faux leather started peeling and bubbling because you got caught in the rain? Would you like more space and actually be able to see the clothes hanging in your closet? It’s time to start afresh. Minimalism is the new black. We live in a world where more is finally too much. Psychology professor Barry Schwartz argues that having an infinite number of choices is paralyzing and exhausting. We are all too familiar with the meme where a woman stands in front of an overflowing wardrobe and complains that she has got nothing to wear. It turns out that having too many choices and too many things to choose from is actually making us unhappy. That and the constant worrying that what we have is never good enough or will last through seasons and trends, hence onto the next thing we need to get.

The world was not always like that. Fast fashion and factory-produced stuff was not normal, until the industrialization age. It could be about hankering after a simpler age, where there were less things, less choices and things were made for people to use, instead of for people to keep as a status symbol. The lockdown has nudged the world another step into minimalism. Locked in their homes for days, weeks and months, people realize they need more space. Wandering into basements and attics unearthed stuff to throw out, wardrobes to clear and cupboards to empty. Stuff bought on impulse, because they were cheap and it seemed like a good deal at that time, all needed to find new homes through a yard sale or donation. In the past, clothes were made to be worn, sometimes every day. Bags and shoes were made to last. Instead of looking like new all the time, aging was worn with pride and stories were told about how long the items have been with their owners and how well they have stood the test of time. When you buy something that will last because it has been made with quality materials and thought and care has been put into the design to make it timeless, it also has a higher recycle value, when you or your lifestyle change. When you buy less, you can buy better.

Making the Right Choice

When we needed to go out and make a refuel run to the supermarket while masked during the lockdown, we require one, maybe two canvas tote bags. But the world is opening up again and much as we would prefer to slouch around in PJs the whole day, life is moving on again. Given the opportunity to start afresh, the question to ask is, “What do people really want?”. Is it that bag on sale that might just complement the colour of the jacket bought at another sale? Or is there something classic and durable that can match many different outfits and occasions? What are the top bags that would fit into a minimalist lifestyle? What does that even look like? It might seem like an easy question, but the truth is that we have been so used to fast fashion that is unsustainable for the environment and for the people who are employed to produce it, that it is hard for us to imagine something that we use through the years and is present on every occasion.

Making the right choice takes time. It is not about going to a sale, grabbing a bag because it is time-limited and going home and realizing it was another impulse buy. Though things do not and should not represent us, they should at least make us think about who we are, how we live and what we need to help us live better. What kind of bag will suit your lifestyle? Do you travel and entertain a lot and have to be on the go from morning meetings to evening dates with minimal fuss? Or do you work from home, with the occasional meeting uptown, after which you pick up groceries on the way home? Are you a soccer mom and you sit on the parent-teacher committee and need something practical but classy? What you like in reality and what you like in theory can end up being different things. You may love how a certain color or design looks in the photos, but held up against your skin, it doesn’t exactly look the way you thought it would. Think of it as a second chance to develop your style. The two keywords you need to keep in mind as you start your minimalist journey are: quality and versatility.

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Television is changing. Television is cleaning up its excesses, and decluttering its messy and unwieldy business model. The future of television is here, and it’s called streaming.

In the past, if you wanted to watch a television show, you really only had two options:

First, there was terrestrial television. This was where shows would be transmitted to your set via radio waves from a local television station.

The other method was cable television. In this, you paid a monthly fee to have shows sent to your television set via cables instead of radio broadcasts (hence the name).

Each of the two had their own strengths and weaknesses.

For the longest time, terrestrial television was the cheapest means available to watch television, as it involved simply buying a television set with a working antenna, and plugging it in your living room.

This made its programming available to everyone. However, this was also a double-edged sword, as that meant it had to appeal to everyone, from children coming home from school to bored grandparents in the throes of retirement.

While many shows benefited from this wide appeal, just as many other shows had their interesting elements censored, to avoid the risk of alienating a viewer with the show’s content. Violence and swearing got toned down, if not entirely removed. Saccharine happy endings were demanded. Protagonists were made to slot into familiar archetypes. Plotlines were predictable and cookie-cutter.

What I’ve just described didn’t apply perfectly to all shows broadcast in this mode, but it did describe the ideal show for their broadcasters. They wanted shows made to appeal to as many people as possible, which mostly resulted in bland programming that interested nobody.

Cable, on the other hand, had shows for more specialised audiences (e.g. adults, fans of mystery fiction, thrill-seekers, sci-fi aficionados), and so could have programming that had maximum appeal for a certain type of viewer.

The problem for cable television, though, was that it was inefficient and expensive. Cable television was frequently sold as packages of many different channels offered together, with a steep monthly price to match. Oftentimes, though, viewers often found that only a small fraction of those channels genuinely interested them. You couldn’t just stop paying for all those other channels in the package, though. As a consequence of how the business model of cable television worked, either you paid for channels you didn’t watch, or you didn’t get any cable television at all.

Both terrestrial television and cable television shared one glaring flaw, as well. Viewers had to meticulously plan their schedules around the programming they wanted to watch. If they weren’t at their television sets during the right time slot, then the show went on without them. If you happened to miss an episode due to a sudden emergency or urgent appointment, then tough luck, it could be ages before broadcasters decided to rerun that particular episode again. This was most of the reason why television was a largely episodic affair before the rise of streaming. Missing an episode in a serialised story could mean losing an important chapter required to understand the later parts of the story.

It’s no surprise then, that everything changed when streaming TV came onto the scene. Here were services where you could watch whatever episode of whichever television series you fancied at any time, without relying on an external broadcast schedule imposed from on high. Because of this freedom to pick your programming, viewers could watch their favorite shows whenever they found it convenient, instead of having to plan their life around their favorite shows. This meant one less thing to worry about for modern viewers, who already had enough worries on their plate. This also freed up shows to be as unique as they wanted, confident that their target audience could find them easily through the search function.

As a bonus, streaming services generally cost less than their cable competition, meaning less worry over one’s wallet as well as one’s time.

Like many other innovations throughout history, convenience wins over new users more than any other quality. With the advent of cheap or free streaming services, more and more people are "cord-cutting", cancelling their cable subscriptions (or never setting one up in the first place) in favour of more efficient streaming services.

As a result, many old and established media companies are suffering from this tectonic shift.

Today’s children are growing up with the notion that how you access video content need not be dictated by the whims of a fixed broadcast schedule. Just like with a book or a game, you can begin watching a television series any time you fancy, and go through the story at your own pace. You need not complicate your life by planning around external, arbitrary time slots.

Indeed, streaming TV might be one of the few innovations that results in less clutter in our lives, rather than more.