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January 1993 Issue

Happy New Year to all. It’s a new year, a new beginning, and a time when we can
look back over the last year, hopefully, learning from our experience. Looking
forward, we can set new goals and make new plans for the coming 12 months. In
keeping with that theme, I would like to start this months edition of Jems with the
first in a series of articles from my upcoming new book – “Handbook To A Happier
Life.” I hope you enjoy this issue and I am looking forward to bringing you another
year of “Jems.” And . . .Remember To Commit To C.A.N.I (constant and never–
ending improvement)

The Beginning
Acceptance! Now there’s a tough one. This seems to be a major stumbling block in
our personal growth. Acceptance is an important first step and cannot be
overlooked if we are to achieve true happiness and live our lives to the fullest.
Before any change can take place, we must first accept our present
circumstances. Whether it be our personal relationships, physical health, our
emotional and spiritual lives, or our businesses, any change we wish to make
begins with an acceptance of who we are and where we are at this moment! There
is a simple exercise to assist you in this process. If you owned a grocery store and
wanted to know the state of your business, you would take an inventory. You would
count all the merchandise and separate the saleable, quality items from those you
wanted to eliminate from your store. In the same fashion, if you want to learn
about yourself, take a personal inventory. Get a piece of paper and list everything
about yourself – your present physical condition, what you like and what you want
to change; your relationships, the good as well as the not so good. Be sure to
include your emotional wellness and your work situation. Is your job fulfilling?
Are there some conditions you want to change? What do you like about your
present career?
One note of caution – we have a tendency to list only the “bad” and not the things
we like about ourselves. The purpose of this exercise is not to beat ourselves up.
Rather, it is to obtain a clear picture of our present condition and gain an
understanding of what parts of our lives we want to change. This is a critical step
toward implementing the changes that will make us happier people. The more
detail you can include, the better. Next month: Taking Responsibility & The
Willingness to Change.

Penguin Pete’s Potpourri

How To Get Rich
Invest with more realistic goals but for a longer period of time. A penny invested at
just 2% from the day Jesus was born would today be worth 198 trillion dollars!
Time Flies When You’re Having Fun
In the seventeenth century, it took Johannes Kepler 4 years to calculate the orbit of
Mars. Today, a computer’s microprocessor can do it in 4 seconds flat.
Who Are We Feeding Anyway?
According to Diet For A New America by John Robbins, the amount of
U.S.cropland producing livestock feed is 64% while only 2% is used for producing
fruits and vegetables.
Stop Fighting With The Tape
If you’ve ever tried to find the end of scotch tape and spent time fighting with the
roll, you’ll like this suggestion from my partner, Georgia. Fasten a paper clip
under the exposed end. The tape will stick to it and you will be able to easily find
the end of the roll the next time you need it.
Stress Busting Winners
The top three stress busters according to a Roper poll are:1. Watching TV (75%),
2. Talking on the phone (66%), and 3. Shopping (60%). Remember that when the
going gets tough, the tough go shopping!

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they
should be. Now put the foundations under them”
Henry David Thoreau

Business Tips

Lessons Are Everywhere
Last issue, I wrote about using questions to become more focused about the
benefits of our business and how we could better serve our customers.
Recently, while Christmas shopping (I do it on weekday mornings and call it
market research) I had the opportunity to listen to an exchange between a sales
person and several customers. What transpired was a useful lesson of how a
carefully phrased question can make the difference between making or losing a
sale.
The sales person, a pleasant and friendly young man, was asking people if they
wanted to join a membership club. The people I overheard all said no! It became
clear to me that had he rephrased the question he would have had better results.
He could have asked “Would you like to learn about a way to save money on your
purchases?” This was the benefit to the customer. By joining the club, they would
receive an automatic discount on merchandise. Unfortunately, they did not know
this. All they heard was that he wanted them to join something. While most people
may not be interested in joining, they are interested in saving money.
Think about how you could use this lesson in your own business. What questions
could you ask that would reflect the benefit of your business to your customer?

Personal Development – Physical Health

All Lights Are Not Created Equal
Lately, a lot has been written about using fluorescent lighting to save energy.
While I am totally in favor of saving energy, let’s not do it at the expense of our
own well being. One of my frustrations for many years has been the lack of
knowledge people have about the health dangers associated with fluorescent
lighting.
Studies have shown that fluorescent lighting is a major cause of migraine
headaches and cataracts and, in the workplace, contributes to a loss in
productivity, lower morale, and higher absenteeism. For years, “full spectrum”
lights have been available. These lights are balanced to produce a light that is
closer to sunlight. Remember sunlight? That is what we used for lighting before
we had sealed buildings.
A recent study reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology cites Canadian
research that links exposure to the ultraviolet rays from fluorescents to a higher
rate of skin cancer! How much more evidence do we need to get rid of fluorescents?
Consider the fact that in pet stores, snakes are kept under full spectrum lighting
because if they are left under ordinary fluorescents they will die! We are pleased to
announce the availability of full spectrum lighting products, directly from us, at
competitive prices. For more information, please call us at (718) 967–3064. You and
your employees deserve better conditions.

Personal Development – Mental Health

What Have You Done This Year?
Now is the time of year when everyone is making New Year’s resolutions (and
promptly breaking them). Making resolutions is a good idea, especially if you have
the intent to carry them out. Goal setting even takes this idea a step further.
However, another suggestion that can help is to list your accomplishments since
the beginning of last year. Take a sheet of paper, or better yet, a journal (the one
you used for the goal setting exercises you did previously. You did them, right?)
and write down all the things you accomplished during the past year. If you
started a new job, read a book, reached some of your goals, helped other people, or
any other things you have done this year. Don’t overlook the seemingly small
accomplishments. These count as well. You can be sure that if they were things
you did wrong you would count them, so why not give yourself some credit when it
is due. Doing this exercise will give you a chance to pat yourself on the back for
your recent accomplishments and also serve as a starting point for setting your
new goals for this coming year.
Best wishes and Go For It!

Please send your comments, suggestions, or questions to:
Jim’s Jems • P.O. Box 080157 • Staten Island, N.Y. 10308
Fax: [phone] • Compuserve: 71141,1331 • America On Line: Jim D34 ©1993,
Bovan Associates, All Rights Reserved