Author: Rebecca Alston

Music and jam sessions are so common in Plainview that you might also feel an urge to learn an instrument. If your favorite musical genres are blues, country, jazz, metal, rock, pop, soul, flamenco, folk, or soul, then you don’t have to think about the options. Guitar reigns in here. Even many of your favorite music stars also don this musical instrument, if you see their YouTube channels or attend concerts. Finding a guitar class in Plainview or in your hamlet should not be a challenge at all. In this place where music festivals and events form a common sight, you can easily find a guitar lesson of your interest.

For suggestions, you can Google search “guitar lessons near me in Plainview, NY,” or ask your friends and neighbors. They can recommend something for sure. However, make sure you remember that when you join a class in Plainview, your immediate goal would be to play an easy song on guitar. But if you can’t get outside, this beginner’s guide to learning guitar might help.  For this, having awareness about some chords, strumming patterns, and how to change chords smoothly is critical. Of these, transitioning from one chord to another in a rhythm can be the real challenge. But don’t fear this. With time and effort, you can cross this hurdle like many others, and soon you’ll see all the benefits of music. Here are some tips that can come in handy in this particular area of learning for you.

Expand your knowledge of chords

Before thinking about changing chords, you should focus on mastering chords and chord movement. You need to know what the top eight chords are for beginners and practice each of them separately. Get yourself acquainted with the shapes of the chord so that you can place your fingers correctly. You have to go on practicing everything ten times with different chords to get it into your system.

Be aware of what you have to do next

Visualize where you need to move your finger next before leaving a chord. Having visualization skills is essential if you wish to improve your art.

Shake off

Once you jump to the new chord, allow your fingers, neck, and shoulders to rest. If you feel the tension in any of these areas, relax so that it goes away.

Go smooth with your fingers

Please don’t move your fingers to the extent that they get distanced from the strings at the time of chord transitions. Keep the gap between fingers and strings as less as possible so that you can switch faster.  However, it doesn’t mean you need to rush about things. When you change chord, you should observe how your fingers move from one to another.

Utilize pivot fingers

A pivot finger refers to a finger that doesn’t change its place when other fingers switch to another chord. The pivot finger can rest on the same string and fret. You don’t have to move it while shifting your other fingers to the next chord. With the help of this finger, you can check the position and movement of the other fingers. For instance, when you move from “C” to “Am,” you would notice that two fingers will sit on the strings, and only one will switch.

Work on muscle memory

One of the best ways of doing it is that you play one chord and strike it once. Raise your finger from the strings while maintaining the shape of the chord. Put your fingers on the strings again and strum. Repeat this process for at least two minutes with every chord. It will help build muscle memory, due to which your finger movements can gain a natural and effortless flow.

Practice the strumming pattern

After you become comfortable with chords, you can land the fingers on the strings at the same time. When you achieve this, your next aim should be to try a strumming pattern. For instance, you can begin with C chord strumming it down-up-down-up and then move to Am chord repeating the same thing. Just remember when you reach the last “up” level, you should remove only those fingers from the strings that need to play the next chord. It is where you will have experience with changing chords.  

For a smooth switch between two chords, you have to be careful about not overemphasizing the last stroke of the pattern. The fingers that move to the next chord following the “up” pattern must land on the strings at the down-stroke. Maintain a slow and steady tempo so that you can become comfortable with the whole thing.  

Stick to the rhythm

Sometimes your left hand can create a challenge for your right hand and make it stop while switching chords. To avoid this, you have to string slowly and steadily and force your left-hand fingers to move to the next chord without breaking the rhythm. You need to pluck and switch at the same time. For this, you may need to train your fingers, though. Don’t think about the speed at this stage. It will gain pace over time.

So, if you want to play chords smoothly, keep practicing every day. It will help you master your guitar playing skills.

With the number of women entrepreneurs on the rise, many moms are feeling encouraged to follow suit, take the plunge and start their own businesses. If you’re planning on entering the world of entrepreneurship yourself, here’s a couple of things you should keep in mind.

Don’t stretch yourself too thin

The role of a mompreneur is exciting and rewarding, there’s no doubt about that. However, if you’re someone who constantly keeps herself busy, prefers to multitask and juggle several projects at once, you can easily find yourself feeling stressed out or unmotivated. In these cases, feeling like you’re missing out on life is quite common. This is why you shouldn’t be afraid to delegate, both at work and at home. Talk to your spouse and try to divvy up the household chores. Also, don’t push yourself to work 24-7 and accept every request and opportunity. Your time with your family and your well-being are two things you shouldn’t sacrifice, so don’t stretch yourself too thin, and instead set boundaries that will help you succeed in every area of your life.

Know when to ask for help

As a mompreneur, you’re probably thinking you have to do everything on your own. However, running a business isn’t a game you play solo, and asking for help isn’t something you should be ashamed of. In fact, finding a person who specializes in the field you need help with will help you make wiser business decisions in the future and avoid pitfalls. For example, if you’re drawn to real estate investing or house-flipping, both of which are quite popular and lucrative these days, your safest bet would be to work with pros from an experienced property investment company such as FM Investment and learn what are the best properties to invest in as well as some housing market trends. They’ll help you get some insight into how real estate investing works and give you valuable information, ensuring you avoid any rookie mistakes.

Set a schedule for yourself

Starting a new business is thrilling, but it can easily consume large chunks of your day and leave you unable to mentally detach from work. In fact, many moms who keep themselves constantly busy never really get to have a real break, and instead of enjoying those moments they share with their loved ones, they think about their lengthy to-do lists, never really feeling relaxed and 100% present.

That’s why moms need to make sure to schedule family time and working time and create a positive working environment that will help them reach their business goals. This is especially important for moms who work from home, as it can be quite difficult to switch between the roles of a mom and an entrepreneur when there’s no change in physical space, making this mental shift a necessity.

Limit distractions

When you’re a working mom, every moment counts, and while you might have every hour of your day planned out, there is always some kind of distraction that could potentially inhibit your plans and seep into the time intended for something else. Whether you’re working on a project or spending quality time with your family, be sure to turn off any notifications from social media as well as limit the time you spend using your phone. Time flies when you’re browsing the net or scrolling through social media posts, and while both can be quite helpful to your business, not using them intentionally could be distracting you from what really matters at the moment. Do your best to recognize these types of distractions and eliminate them, or at least limit them significantly.

Ditch the mom guilt

Juggling a career with the role of a mom and a spouse can be quite overwhelming at times, leaving many moms feeling guilty because they’re not spending every waking hour with their families. Whether they’re working or taking some time just for themselves, many of them can’t help but feel as if they’re not doing right by their children and husbands. The truth is, there’s nothing to feel guilty about. Working moms are contributing to their families big time, and by earning the extra income, they’re helping secure their family’s future. As for self-care, rested, happy, and healthy mom is a good mom, so don’t feel guilty about your ‘me time’ either. Take that power nap, catch up with your friend over coffee, and go for that mani-pedi or a massage – you deserve it!

Now that you know what it takes to navigate the complex world of mompreneurship successfully, go out there and show ‘em what you’ve got. Keep these things in mind as well, and you’re sure to maintain a healthy balance between your role as a mother and the role of a successful businesswoman.

It is the holiday season, and therefore you will have several options to make a donation and help those in need. It is not just the Salvation Army these days, as several organizations are doing charitable work all around the globe.

However, you need to understand that with all the available choices, it is vital to opt for the right one. It is essential to avoid making bad decisions in the name of charity. For more information, all you need to do is log in to https://ampthecause.org/donate/.

Here are some of the vital tips for you to keep in mind when making a charitable donation.

Pick the right cause

When you are looking to donate for charity, you need to search for the right one. Keep in mind several issues are plaguing human society all around the world. You need to find the right one keeping in mind your passion. If you find a cause, you are passionate enough to support and donate, then you will never lack the motivation. There are various areas for you to focus on diseases, famine, infant mortality, or food shortage.

Make sure of the legitimacy of the charity

When you are looking to donate to a charity, you need to make sure that the organization is a legitimate one. There are several legitimate charity options that are all about helping the people in need, and there are many that are con-jobs and rip-off artists trying to make a quick buck. Keep in mind that by donating to these charities, you will not receive any tax exemption benefits. Make sure to check the credentials of the organization before you sign the cheque.

Ask about the administrative expenses

It is all about making sure that your money is well spent. For this, you need to make sure that the administrative costs are low. Keep in mind that around 65% of the money should be spent on program activities. There are organizations where the expenditure goes well beyond the mark. It would be best if you avoided these charitable organizations.

You can donate direct

Before you give, there are a few critical details that you need to be aware of. Firstly, it is not advisable to donate to a telephone solicitor because you have no way of proving the legitimacy of the individual. Keep in mind this simple trick to avoid donating money for a fraudulent cause or to an individual con-artist.

You can and should give more than money

Yes, the money counts for a lot, but not everything. Keep in mind that you can do more than that by volunteering for activities and campaigning for the cause both in the real world as well as the online world. If you have a particular technical skill like accounting or web design, then you must help out the organization to the best of your abilities.

All of this will enable you to do your best for a cause. Together we can build a better world.

Whether you own a dog or you simply volunteer to walk them, you have to keep up with the excellent work as the exercise ensures your overall well-being. Having a four-legged friend in your house is one of the best experiences as it comes with myriads of health benefits.

Here are some of the health benefits of owning a dog.

1. Stress soothers

The best moment of every pet owner is a quiet, petting moment, especially after a long and stressful day.  This results in a lower blood pressure that helps in the production of oxytocin hormone that causes relaxation. On the other hand, the stress hormone is suppressed, thus providing a more ambient mood.

You can use the soothing moments to groom your dog. For example, use the best poodle clippers to cut the excess fur on your pet.

2. Dogs act as social magnets

When taking your dog for a walk, it may open up your chances of meeting other people who are interested in your pet. This is especially common when you come across other strangers walking their dogs. This allows one to create friends or laugh out on some funny jokes.

3. Lower cholesterol

If you have a dog, you have to watch what you eat. In addition to that, these people tend to spend their time at home in active activities with their pets. The active lifestyles are part of the work out that helps in burning your body calories and cholesterols.

4. Ease depression

No one will ever love you more unconditionally, like your dog. Your friend always notices when you are low or happy. This means that when in depression, he will always find a way to help you deal with your condition by being by your side.

Moreover, you will need to take him for a walk, a moment that can make you feel better about yourself.

5. Fewer allergies; stronger immunity

Most of the children who grow up in a home with a dog are less likely to develop allergies in the later stages of their lives. The furry friend has a way of making their immune system stronger due to the production of certain chemicals.

6. Keep you fit and active

Every adult should work out for at least 2 hours a week. However, this may not be achievable, especially to individuals who are not disciplined.

Nevertheless, a dog changes this attitude as one has to make time to exercise with their dog. In the turn of events, it will help you in having some physical exercises and even help you save money on an expensive gym membership.

7. Adding meaning and purpose

When older persons retire, they often lack structure and meaning. This is because they do not have a constant schedule of what they are to do with their lives. However, a dog forces them to continue doing something even when they no longer find pleasure in it; feeding your dogs correctly and helping them through stomach sensitivities can be very rewarding. The dog does not care whether you are well emotionally or physically, as long as they are fed and taken for a walk.

8. Battle disease and injury

With a dog, you can detect, treat, and manage all manner of illnesses. For example, a service dog ensures that one improves their mobility while recovering from a certain accident. As for Alzheimer’s patients, the dogs sooth them, thus mitigating their aggression and emotional heat-up.

9. Seizure dogs

The seizure dogs have been trained to live with people who have epilepsy. For alarm purposes, some dogs are trained to bark while others walk up to the parents to alert them of such alerts on their kids. Moreover, other dogs have been trained to lie next to the patient during the attack to prevent them from injuring themselves. You can also get dogs that have been trained to warn before a seizure occur; this allows the victim to lie down or get a safe place away from dangerous objects.

10. Animal-assisted therapies

Some trained dogs are being brought into clinical therapies. This is because the patients tend to relax as they spend more time with the dog. In the process, they open up about their problems in a positive way.

Owning a dog is becoming a necessity in many households. Although some may own one due to the ongoing pressures, we cannot dismiss the fact that the furry friend brings with it loads of health benefits such as fighting heart diseases, obesity, depression, loneliness, and many more. You’ll never feel lonely when you have a dog.

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

Once you get home from work, you’re usually greeted by kids needing help with homework, a pile of laundry and a 101 chore that needs attending to. How are you supposed to squeeze in a workout or whip up a healthy meal? It’s really hard to stay on top of everything, so you get more and more behind with your fitness every day. But don’t worry too much—every mom out there feels the same, the only difference is that fit ones have a few secrets up their sleeve. Here are the best fitness tips fit moms use in order to stay in top shape. This minimalist fitness website might be a great place to start.

Create a schedule

As a mom, you probably know just how important it is to have a working schedule, so if you include fitness into it, you can expect good results. If you adapt your schedule and reserve a portion for fitness, it will create a better habit and remove some of the guesswork. Routines are predictable and dependable and they will make your fitness routine easier. If you prioritize your healthy habits, you’re more likely to stick to them. Your schedule will tweak everyone’s expectations and help you prevent meltdowns. Routines and schedules really work!

Plan your meals

You know why meal planning is a must? Just think about how much food your family consumes in a day. Whipping that much food without a plan will definitely not work and you will often resort to takeout and instant meals which are definitely not good for your health or your fitness. On the other hand, if you plan your meals, it will help you stick to your meal plan and your budget, reduce the time you waste in the supermarket and allow you to better enjoy your food.

A few minutes once a week is all you need to plan your meals for the upcoming days. And even if you’re not that savvy in the kitchen, you can still prepare simple, yet healthy meals—these are usually the best for your fitness.

Eat well and eat plenty

Many women think that healthy eating consists of nothing but salads and fruit, but that can’t be further from the truth. If you manage to exercise regularly, you will need plenty of fuel to keep you strong, so that includes plenty of protein and healthy carbs. If you’re hungry all the time, you can’t really do your best at the gym, plus you’re more likely to reach for something unhealthy to munch on.

Nutritious food will keep you ready for a workout, but you can also grab some pre workout supplements if there’s a super hard session in front of you. These will encourage good blood flow into your muscles and give you energy for sustained workouts that will bring the right results.

Include your kids

Photo by LJ Lara on Unsplash

It’s hard to find a sitter for just an hour, so if you think about ditching your workout to stay home with kids, think again. Here’s a great solution: grab your kids and have a family workout. There are so many ways you can involve your kids in your workouts. You can hit your local park and let them time your HIIT sessions or you can buy a children’s seat for your bicycle and have a good ride.

Or you can try “stroller fitness” and have a good workout or as your kid rests comfortably in their seat. Having family workouts will not only be good for you but also boost your kids’ wellbeing and help you create a stronger bond with your little ones.

Find a supportive community

If you have to do everything on your own—create workouts, plan meals, stay on track—it can quickly become overwhelming. So, one of the best things you can do is find a community that will offer good support and have your back when you feel like giving up. Your community could be your partner, your friends, other fit moms or a good online community. There are even fitness trainers and life couches you can turn to.

It’s important that your support system understands your desires and goals since they need to keep you accountable. If they accept your excuses, you will not have any benefits from them. Encourage your community to be strict and keep you going. That’s why hiring a executive life coach for men or a personal trainer could be a good investment—they know how to motivate you without being too critical and judgmental.

Listen, mom, you need to be fit in order to be actively involved in your kids’ lives and stay with them for a long, long time. So, start your new lifestyle today and you’ll feel so much healthier and stronger in no time!