Don't get in the way of your own learning. Here are five ways to step aside and continue to increase your smarts.

Most people don't really think much about how they learn. Generally you assume learning comes naturally. You listen to someone speak either in conversation or in a lecture and you simply absorb what they are saying, right? Not really. In fact, I find as I get older that real learning takes more work. The more I fill my brain with facts, figures, and experience, the less room I have for new ideas and new thoughts. Plus, now I have all sorts of opinions that may refute the ideas being pushed at me. Like many people I consider myself a lifelong learner, but more and more I have to work hard to stay open minded.

But the need for learning never ends, so your desire to do so should always outweigh your desire to be right. The world is changing and new ideas pop up everyday; incorporating them into your life will keep you engaged and relevant. The following are the methods I use to stay open and impressionable. They'll work for you too. No matter how old you get.

1. Quiet Your Inner Voice

You know the one I am talking about. It's the little voice that offers a running commentary when you are listening to someone. It's the voice that brings up your own opinion about the information being provided. It is too easy to pay more attention to the inner voice than the actual speaker. That voice often keeps you from listening openly for good information and can often make you shut down before you have heard the entire premise. Focus less on what your brain has to say and more on the speaker. You may be surprised at what you hear.

2. Argue With Yourself

If you can't quiet the inner voice, then at least use it to your advantage. Every time you hear yourself contradicting the speaker, stop and take the other point of view. Suggest to your brain all the reasons why the speaker may be correct and you may be wrong. In the best case you may open yourself to the information being provided. Failing that, you will at least strengthen your own argument.

3. Act Like You Are Curious

Some people are naturally curious and others are not. No matter which category you are in you can benefit from behaving like a curious person. Next time you are listening to information, make up and write down three to five relevant questions. If you are in a lecture, Google them after for answers. If you are in a conversation you can ask the other person. Either way you'll likely learn more, and the action of thinking up questions will help encode the concepts in your brain. As long as you're not a cat you should benefit from these actions of curiosity.

4. Find the Kernel of Truth

No concept or theory comes out of thin air. Somewhere in the elaborate concept that sounds like complete malarkey there is some aspect that is based upon fact. Even if you don't buy into the idea, you should at least identify the little bit of truth from whence it came. Play like a detective and build your own extrapolation. You'll enhance your skills of deduction and may even improve the concept beyond the speaker's original idea.

5. Focus on the Message Not the Messenger

Often people shut out learning due to the person delivering the material. Whether it's a boring lecturer, someone physically unappealing, or a member of the opposite political party, the communicator can impact your learning. Even friends can disrupt the learning process since there may be too much history and familiarity to see them as an authority on a topic. Separate the material from the provider. Pretend you don't know the person or their beliefs so you can hear the information objectively. As for the boring person, focus on tip two, three, or four as if it were a game, thereby creating your own entertainment.

GOOD CREDIT:

Credit is an everyday part of our lives.  From our phone bills, to credit cards, to our rent or mortgage payment, credit gives us the buying power to purchase goods or services over time.  And it’s a privilege you shouldn’t take for granted. 

Managing your debts effectively and begin to develop and maintain strong credit rating is essential.

With a good credit rating, you can ensure a strong financial future.  Take care to minimize problems that could affect your ability to borrow money. And remember – tomorrow’s credit starts today.

When establishing credit, consider the following:

-consider applying for gas, department store, or major credit card to start your credit history

-make your payments on time and pay off your debts quickly

-borrow only for those items that you NEED and can AFFORD.

-LIMIT spending on non-essential items to 15-20% of what you earn after taxes.

-don’t use credit cards when your employment situation is unstable or uncertain

-don’t use credit to purchase basic essentials such as food, utilities, etc. Unless you can pay off the bill each month

-Limit your use of credit if you’re a habitual spender and have trouble living within your means

-Avoid reaching your CREDIT LIMIT the maximum you can borrow

-Don’t use credit cards if you have difficulty making payments, or you consistently make late payments

Tips that can make a difference to you

Even Canada is getting in on the "Black Friday" experience.

Local Shops in Airdrie are gearing up for a long day and night to get those savvy shoppers into their stores.

With bargains to be had and to boost their year end sales.  Its going to be shear madness out there.

Malls in Calgary are adding more staff and Sales Stickers.  

I think good footwear, some energy boosting drinks are in order to make it thru what poses to be a day of long line ups and frazzled shoppers. 

BE SAFE out there...and be sure you set your limits...or the bills will be fierce.  And when in doubt....you can always scream into a shopping bag.... to regain your composure.

You can show your clients you really care by giving them a closing gift that might save their lives. A Simple Guide to Home Fire Safety, a DVD created by 27-year Ottawa Fire Services veteran Capt. Daly McLaughlin, offers fire safety scenarios presented in an easy-to-understand format ideal for the whole family.

McLaughlin created the DVD based on his experiences as a fire fighter. He says he has seen terrible things over the years that could have been prevented by taking simple measures, he says.

The DVD is divided into segments and doesn’t take long to watch. But the time will be well spent.

The one to three-minute segements are:

1. Children’s fire safety. “It’s not there to scare children. Kids have to know about fire safety,” he says

2. Survival tips in event of home fire

3. How to prepare a home escape plan

4. General home fire prevention tips including for the kitchen, fireplace and furnace

5. How to buy, operate and maintain smoke detectors

6. Fire safety in condos

7. Christmas fire safety

8. How to use a fire extinguisher

9. When to use a fire extinguisher

The big tip for all: Smoke detectors are the most important line of defence. “A smoke detector gives you a heads up (so you can) get out,” Capt. McLaughlin says.

Most of the information on the DVD can be found scattered on the Internet, but McLaughlin wanted to offer home and condo owners a convenient and time-saving tool that would make fire safety hard to ignore.

“Fire Safety Week in October brings fire safety to the forefront for a week, then it’s forgotten,” McLaughlin says. He hopes his DVD will help keep the topic top of mind throughout the year and he hopes Realtors can help him spread the fire safety word.

He says a Realtor he knows gives gift baskets containing fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, escape ladders and his A Simple Guide to Home Fire Safety DVDs. In fact, he came up with the idea for the DVD after his real estate agent aunt inquired about fire safety DVDs for her clients.

The DVD was filmed at McLaughlin’s house, with his 17-year-old son, Cody, recruited as an actor. Some footage, all shot specifically for the video, was filmed professionally and some is home video footage.

McLaughlin, who has been teaching fire extinguisher and commercial high-rise fire safety training for years, did the voice-overs. He used professionals to produce the DVD, design its cover and create his website, www.thefireman.ca.

The DVD sells for $9.95. A volume discount is available to agents. Visit the website for more information, or email info@thefireman.ca for details.

Fully Finished and Landscaped to stunning perfection.

4 Bedrooms all professionally developed –

Two Fireplaces, Hardwood, Tile flooring.   Custom home with FAMILY in mind. 

Backing onto a park – 50 ‘ x 115’ yard.  All professionally landscaped – with covered deck, outdoor sitting area around fire pit, fruit trees and garden shed. 

Local SCHOOLS (2) nearby.   Where the streets are wider and the NIEGHBORS are friendly. 

The Fairways – in Airdrie.  

** seller would consider a trade for an ACREAGE near

AIRDRIE...with room for horses. 

Terri Stephens

CIR REALTY

403-827-4663

**** Want more detials and photos....text or email me today

The Bank of Canada announced today that it will not be changing its overnight rate. Therefore the Prime lending rate remains at 3.00%.

The global economy is still experiencing a widespread slowing of activities. Economic growth in the US is progressing at a gradual pace. Europe is in a recession and recent indicators point to a continued contraction. In China, and other emerging economies, growth has slowed somewhat more than expected..

Notwithstanding the slower global momentum, prices for oil and other commodities produced by Canada have, on average, increased in recent months.

Economic growth, in Canada, is still expected to pick up and return to full capacity by 2013. Housing activity is expected to decline from historically high levels, while household debt is expected to rise further. Core inflation has been lower than expected and projected to rise gradually over coming quarters.

With rates remaining the same, we are continuing to recommend that clients stay in their variable rate mortgages. The date of the Bank of Canada's next announcement is scheduled for December 4 2012.

Understanding Seller’s Rights Reserved (SRR)

What is SRR? A brokerage may agree to permit a seller client to market their property themselves at the same time as it is listed for sale with the brokerage on the board’s MLS® System.

Typically, remuneration will not be owed to the brokerage if the property is sold due to the seller’s own efforts. If this is the  case, most board rules state that “SRR” must be shown in the commission code field or disclosed in some other manner.

So often I see this NOT used properly.   YES, as a SELLER if you have your own buyer this may be the way to proceed, and still have your REALTOR list the home on the MLS and make all attempts to sell the home as well.

NOTE:  I've always added a time limit on something like this or excluded the potential buyer if they happen to come back into the situation and want to buy the home.

Smile when you're on the phone

All employees who have phone time with your customers must be happy, or they have to be removed. A smile can be "felt and heard" even through e-mail or phone lines. Ask your employees to look in a mirror to see how they look when they are on the phone speaking to customers.

Ask your clients what they want

Then give it to them, if it's in your power to do so. Marketing becomes easy when you care enough to ask how you can serve people. Do surveys, hold contests, simply ask and pay very close attention to the responses you receive.

If someone wants their money back, return it cheerfully

Then ask if you can do anything else to make it right. One refund done well could produce 10 or more positive referrals. How many times have you been disappointed with a product, but happy with the customer service you received when you sought a return or refund? If you make it easy for unhappy customers to be satisfied, chances are, they'll be back.

Take customer loyalty seriously

Give bonuses, offer free shipping and do unexpected "nice" things. When a client says they are in a hurry, offer them upgraded shipping at no cost. Add a personalized card, follow up on purchases, and make your customers feel special. Closeness matters, especially in the digital marketplace.

Thank your customers for their business

Make sure they know that you value their business. Don't take it for granted. Train your staff to always thank your customers for doing business with you.

Build community with your clients

Make them feel as though they have joined a family that cares enough to give them excellent service. Keep them involved with your business, and your business "top of mind" with e-mail messages, postcards and announcements, all as a way of saying, "we appreciate you."

One of the biggest paybacks of loving your customer is how it affects your team as a whole, your company mission and how it sets you apart in a marketplace where far too many firms focus only on the sale and not on the happiness of the consumer.

Love your customers. It makes all the difference in the world.

Thanks to low interest Calgary mortgages, many people will be able to go into retirement without certain types of debt. However, according to a recent survey, back payments are something that many Canadians will still have to deal with.

The survey, which was conducted by Leger Marketing on behalf of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, found that one in every four Canadians who are between 50 and 59 years of age expect to have some debt in retirement. In addition, of these people, 80 per cent said that these cost obligations would likely last throughout their retirement years.

"While some Canadians may feel they can incorporate monthly debt payments into their retirement, the reality is that repaying debt before retirement remains an integral component of maximizing cash flow," said Christina Kramer, executive vice president of CIBC.

In order to reduce some of their back payments, it may be a good idea for those nearing retirement to consider meeting with a Jencor Mortgage advisor. They can explain how low mortgage refinance rates are a great way to reduce debt obligations so loans can be paid off more quickly.

SEEDS

It’s time to harvest the remaining vegetables from our garden.  While we enjoy the taste of garden fresh vegetables, a big reason for planting the garden is for our grandchildren.  They are excited to pull carrots, get them washed and then eat them with the tops still attached.  Whenever they get the chance they like to pull their own, which many times results in the tops being in their hands while the carrot is still in the ground.  This is particularly true of the larger carrots.  Often there will be a large carrot and right next to it a small one.

How can this be?  The seeds we planted were all the same, put side by side in the same soil, at the same time and cared for in exactly the same way.  Yet they have not all matured at the same rate.

As I think about this I wonder, if this is true for seeds, is it not also true for people?  Deep within each of us we have many seeds.  We have seeds of potential, of love and kindness; seeds of confidence and self-worth.  We also have seeds of disappointment, of anger, of discouragement and low self-esteem.  Some of these seeds grow larger and stronger than others, depending on which ones we focus on.

No matter the seeds, they need the proper nourishment to grow and flourish.  For me, I know that I have a choice to feed the negative seeds by focusing on them, or to let God nourish the positive seeds that He has planted in me.

As I look at the various sizes of carrots, side by side in my garden, I stop and wonder, which of the seeds in my life am I putting my focus on.

“What a person plants, he will harvest.  The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others – ignoring God! – harvests a crop of weeds.  All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds!  But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life”    Galatians 6:7b-8   The Message

Visit:   www.timewithtandy.com  -     written by Tandy Balson 

Tandy is a local business woman and motivational speaker in Airdrie/Calgary Alberta