Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, and an AWESOME New Year!

Who Are You Meant to Be

I came across this quiz on Oprah.com. Always a fan of a good quiz I took it to discover that I am an "intellectual". Or at least that's what my answers revealed.

If you have ever questioned your past career choices, or  are thinking of making a new move you should take this quiz.

Let us know your results in the comment section.

Guest Post--How to Recognize and End Toxic Relationships

It can be difficult to recognize the toxic relationships in our lives. After all, we are drawn to these people in the first place because they bring something valuable to the table. Maybe they are the friends who we have fun with, or the ones who can share our secrets, or the ones who challenge us to go outside of our comfort zones. However, they can also be the same friends who are always causing drama, or who make us feel bad about ourselves, or who just aren't reliable.

There are many criteria that can make for toxic relationships. Here are a few of the signs:

• You feel belittled or disrespected
• The other person exerts control in the relationship
• You are afraid of the other person's temper
• The other person uses guilt to try to manipulate you
• The other person is overly dependent on you
• You feel used
• The other person is overly jealous or possessive

Of course, any abusive behavior is a sure sign of a toxic relationship, as well.

Once you recognize that you are in a toxic relationship, it may be time to end it. Here are a few ways that you can end your toxic relationship:

Admit the Truth

Many people are in toxic relationships because they can't admit that they are, in fact, toxic relationships. The first step to ending such a relationship is to admit that it is toxic and destructive. Sure there may be things you like (or even love) about this person. You may have fun together. This person may even be nice to you. But if there are aspects of a toxic relationship, then the relationship is ultimately going to be destructive for you and unhealthy.

Confront the Reasons for the Relationship

Once you have admitted that the relationship is toxic, seek to understand why you became involved in the relationship in the first place. Is the relationship filling some need in you? For example, do you have a need to feel accepted because you suffer from low self-esteem? Or do you allow others to control you because you are afraid of asserting your independence?

When you understand the reasons you are in the relationship, you can seek out other healthy relationships or activities that fill these needs.

End All Contact

When you end a toxic relationship, it is best to go cold turkey. Don't see the person occasionally. Don't limit contact to e-mail. Don't keep the person on your Facebook. Any contact you allow to continue can eventually lead to a re-establishment of the relationship as it was before. Just end the relationship and cut off all contact.

Surround Yourself with Positive People

One of the best ways to move on from a toxic relationship and to form more healthy relationships is to surround yourself with positive people. Seek out new friendships with people who treat you with kindness and respect. Spend more of your time with family who treat you with love and appreciation. The more positive influences you have in your life, the fewer negative ways you will tolerate.

Recognizing toxic relationships can be difficult, and ending them can be even harder. However, taking the steps to end toxic relationships can help you to eliminate the negative influences in your life and to become a happier person with more fulfilling relationships.

Have you had to end a toxic relationship in your life? Share your experiences in the comments!

Bridget Sandorford is a freelance writer and researcher for Culinaryschools.org. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.

Travel on a Budget

Do you dream of traveling to Europe, or laying out on a beach in the Caribbean?  Does taking a vacation seem like a far-fetched notion? I'll admit for me, it often does.

I think of all of the great countries I would love to travel to and experience, but then I tell myself that it's too expensive.  Seeing the Eiffel Tower in person is a "one day" sort of dream.

In an effort to live in the "now", I decided to look up some budget friendly travel ideas. I was surprised to find that travel is way more feasible than I would have imagined. 

Here are a few of the travel ideas I found. I hope that you will explore them and plan a trip of your own.

• Where to Travel and Save Money in the Caribbean-Virgin Islands & Punta Cana on a budget.
• 20 Trips, 10 Cities, 1 Tank of Gas- I really like this idea of traveling to cities within the U.S. Often we dream of seeing other countries, when there is so much to explore here in the states.
• Photos of destinations you can tavel to on a budget, to motivate you to start planning now.
• 11 Steps to Transform a Cruise Deal into a Dream Trip. Cruises often offer cool deals, this is a great way to travel on a budget.
• 10 Amazing Christmas Light Displays Around The World- Sometimes seeing beauty can be so motivating.
• 10 Family Adventures In Latin America
• Hawaiian Island Hopping For Beginners. Have you always wanted to visit Hawaii? I know that I have.
• 7 Hotel Rooms in Manhattan for $150

Change is Possible

I am always on the look out for success stories, and motivational articles. I came across this success story on the Huffington Post website.

Joseph D. Airdo once weighed over 400 pounds and wore a 7XL shirt. Today he is 285 pounds lighter and says that he lost the weight solely from diet and exercise alone.

These are my favorite success stories, because they don't involve any gimmicks or expensive surgeries, just hard work. Joseph says of his success:

People are desperate for that magic bullet or pill, but there isn't any. People ask all the time about how I did it and how I eat now. I feel that it is harder to keep the weight off than it was to lose it. But they don't want to hear what I have to say about keeping it off. I am looked at and perceived by others in a completely different light since I have lost the weight. I get respect now instead of ridicule and laughter.

Continue reading Joseph's story here.