Year: 2013

It seems as though one doesn't need any qualifications to be in the customer service arena. I think you do need some qualifications. They are: a love of helping people, enjoying one-to-one communication, and deriving some joy/satisfaction from seeing a total stranger satisfied.

(Reuters) – Scottish singer Susan Boyle says she has a form of autism known as Asperger's syndrome, a diagnosis she says came as a relief after years of believing she had brain damage. Boyle, 52, told the Observer newspaper in an interview published Saturday she had sought help from a Scottish specialist a year ago believing her childhood diagnosis of brain damage was incorrect. "I was told I had brain damage.

We are in the midst of the season of light. Regardless of our faith, we are dazzled by the display. What is the take away from the glow? When January arrives and the the lights dim and disappear, what will we remember?

Fear of having to learn equipment when you decide to start working out and getting in shape. Fear of having a child. Getting married. Switching careers or starting your own business. Instead of viewing it as a bad thing, start to see it as the powerful tool that it is.

Mannaz — human — Again we have another reversed Rune presenting us with an opportunity to go deeper within. As Mannaz reminds us of the strength in human connection, the power of acting with All That Is, so it's merkstave position calls us to be aware of when we are not connected, when we don't feel part of the greater flow. Note that Mannaz is pictured upright, or bright-stave. Last week, Eihwaz encouraged us to change, and Mannaz may be asking us to sit with the effects of that change.  It calls us to put down rational thinking and go with

The fear of public speaking is one that plagues many. However, more and more of us are expected, or even required, to do it on a regular basis. Here are some relatively simple tips that can make the process a little easier.

The practice of yoga asana, the practice of meditation, the practice of writing: In each of these, commitment and repetition coalesce into ritual, and ritual both holds and creates meaning. In our lives. About ourselves. In the world.

The U.S. government has debuted the Spanish-language version of the healthcare website that will help Latinos to shop and sign up for new insurance plans under President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law. The department will rely on feedback from Spanish-language organizations that use the site during the initial stage to improve it before it is mass marketed, said department spokeswoman Joanne Peters. The Spanish-language version of the site was delayed after the disastrous October 1 launch of HealthCare.gov, which was swamped with technical glitches and did not have enough capacity to handle all the users who went to the site to enroll.

People say that nobody can predict the future. But you can. If you don't find yourself in the green at the intersection of normal weight and metabolically healthy, make a plan with your doctor to get there. Your future is in your hands.

Advanced illness is unfortunately an aspect of life. While our culture no longer whispers the name of serious conditions such as cancer, we far too often go silent on the subject of dealing with a disease that is likely to take the life of someone we love.