Minimalism, or “minimalist living,” is an ancient philosophy which is seeing resurgence as a modern day trend. Many people, even the well-to-do, are realizing that having a lot of material possessions just isn’t as satisfying as they thought it would be. They are discovering that consolidation and “getting rid of stuff” brings an exhilarating feeling of new-found freedom. However, living a minimalist lifestyle isn’t just about material things. It is about streamlining all areas of your life, including your thought process and daily routines. As a minimalist, you will learn to appreciate sunsets and breathing fresh air again. You will discover life’s lost meaning watching the butterflies land in your flowerbed. Let Arthur Laud walk you through a simplification process which will make you a happier person, regardless of your social status. Topic covered include: Discover the joy of simple living. When you have less stuff to keep track of, and fewer things to have to remember, you will see a reduction in both stress levels and doctor visits.

Have you recently asked yourself, "How do I become more confident?" Building confidence and self-esteem is an important ingredient in achieving success and happiness in life. People with low self-esteem have a difficult time functioning in society and are slow at self-development. This condition can lead to a miserable existence. It doesn’t have to be that way! Getting “off the cheese” and improving your self-image is something even the jitteriest mouse can achieve with just a little focus and determination. In this 15-chapter e-book, Arthur Laud will help you discover why you lack confidence in yourself, and then walk you through a workable plan to remedy this pathetic situation. Before you know it, you will see dramatic improvements in your career and personal life, and be ready to conquer the world. If the world has you a little intimidated lately, pick up this morsel today and get ready to come out of your mouse hole. Your health, work environment, family, and home life will thank you for it.

Getting a pay raise is probably the most practical way to immediately better your financial position and increase your sense of self-worth. If you think you are due for one, it greatly behooves you to get on it - today. However, there is a right and a wrong way to go about it. Most people, including your uninformed coworkers, will probably do it the wrong way, which greatly reduces their chances of success. Don’t be that person. In this 10-chapter report, Arthur Laud will walk you through the right way to ask for a raise. He will help you do the necessary reconnaissance work and show you how to compile your notes before making a perfectly-timed approach and presentation. Arm yourself with this material and they won’t know what hit them.

Public speaking is often cited as the foremost fear among humans. Death is clocks in at number 2. But it needn't be this way. Many people are forced into their first public speaking engagement through their career, social commitments, or a funeral. This book is a quick read that will help you not only get prepared for that engagement, but gain confidence for it as well. Even if you are less than eloquent in your own estimation.

This wide-ranging volume explores how gender and language are used and transformed to discuss, enact, and project social differences in light of global economic and political changes in the late nineteenth, twentieth, and early twenty-first centuries. It presents analyses of language and gender from a broad spectrum of national contexts: Catalonia, Canada, China, India, Japan, Nigeria, Vietnam, Philippines, Tonga, and the United States. Cases studies consider language and gender in changing workplaces, schools and immigrant integration workshops, as well as in new and emerging sites for consumption and the production of identity. They also analyze the changing meanings of multilingualism, and the construction of ideologies about gender and language in colonial and postcolonial/national ideologies. The papers engage with and contribute to theoretical conceptualizations of globalization, cosmopolitanism, (post)colonialism, (trans)nationalism, and public spheres by drawing on a variety of sociolinguistic analytic strategies (variation analysis, media analysis, interactional sociolinguistics, ethnography of speaking, sociology of language, colonial discourse analysis).

In today’s society many young people have lost sight of the value of money and seem to believe that money really does "grow on trees." Part expose and part survival guide, Prodigal Sons and Material Girls addresses the nagging issue faced by many parents today – why do their children have such unrealistic expectations about money? The book is divided into two comprehensive parts. Part I outlines the disturbing facts about America’s possession-crazed youth and the society that has distorted their views. You’ll be introduced to everything from the "three-headed monster"—a high-powered triumvirate of consumer products companies, media conglomerates, and advertising agencies that has tremendous influence over your children—to the distorted view of the American Dream as shaped by principles known as "The Teen Commandments." In learning what you’re up against you can teach financial responsibility from a position of strength. In Part II, Dungan offers creative and convincing examples on how to leverage his highly successful "Share-Save-Spend" approach to money – critical elements for you to help your children break free from the materialism that has become ingrained in our society. Through insightful anecdotes and simple exercises, you will learn how to: Talk to your children about money Understand the difference between financial wants and needs Increase the probability of your children having a prosperous life Raise your children’s marketing IQ Maintain healthy financial boundaries Set a healthy example for your children to follow The "Share–Save–Spend" methodology will help your children establish healthy financial habits and will undoubtedly become their foundation for making a lifetime of responsible financial decisions. Nathan Dungan is an innovative leader in the financial services industry. Over the past 15 years, he has been a top-performing financial advisor outside of Philadelphia, PA and most recently served as Vice President of Marketing for Lutheran Brotherhood (now Thrivent Financial for Lutherans), a $57 billion member-owned financial services company with nearly 3 million members. Dungan is a frequent speaker and workshop leader and has been widely quoted on this subject in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and has appeared on CNN and PBS.

While going through life as a selfish prima donna may seem to have its benefits, you are bound to need relationship advice (probably sooner rather than later) if this is how you roll. No worries. In this 14-chapter book, Arthur Laud will walk you through fixing the problems in all your relationships and show you how to be popular. Soon you will have people actually liking you, and you don’t even need to trade in your convertible or your $300 pair of sunglasses. You need to have healthy, functional relationships in order to fully enjoy all that this world has to offer. If you have been missing out on this important aspect of life, it’s time to remedy that situation.