Did you know that expressing gratitude can improve the quality of your health and even add years to your life expectancy? Robert Emmons a psychology professor at the University of California at Davis is a leading researcher in the field of "positive psychology". His research supports the theory that those who develop an "attitude of gratitude" can experience a wide variety of health benefits.   Emmons’ findings, along with those from other researchers such as Lisa Aspinwall, a professor at the University of Utah, and Dr. Lyubomirsky, from the University of California at Riverside, suggest that grateful people may be more likely to: better cope with stress and trauma get more regular exercise eat a healthier diet have improved mental alertness be able to diminish feelings of anger, bitterness or greed feel happier and more optimistic experience a higher level of self-esteem have stronger immune systems Learning how to express gratitude and feel happier is key.  Here are some tips to help you tap into health and happiness: 1. Keep a gratitude journal Give thanks on a daily basis by writing down 3 to 5 things that you are grateful for. If you can’t find the time to write daily; try recording your thoughts weekly. Or consider keeping a "gratitude jar" and write thankful thoughts on slips of paper all year long and place in there. 2. Develop an "attitude of gratitude" Your attitude helps determine how grateful you feel when facing life’s challenges. The next time you find yourself facing a challenge, flip your thinking from negative to positive to experience a higher level of gratitude and satisfaction. For example, if your flight is delayed, try to find the positives - perhaps you can settle in with a cup of coffee and a good book or maybe it’s the first time all day where you can sit down, relax and just people watch. 3. Be mindful of what you have At times, it’s easy to fall into the "if only" trap. The next time you find your thoughts wandering in that direction, hit the pause button. Stop and take stock of the things that you DO have to be grateful for. We can be thankful for family, a roof over our head, or even a warm winter coat. Gratefulness comes from learning to be thankful for the things that you do have - big and small. 4. Mix up your gratitude practice There are many ways to tap into and share your grateful feelings. Whether you journal, paint, sing or share to others to express gratitude - mix it up! Varying the ways in which we express thankfulness keeps it a constant and fresh practice.  What are you grateful for? Please share in our comments section! Ed4Online offers Ed4Online offers a wide variety of courses for your training needs. We offer Career Training, Professional Development, Health and Human Services as well as Personal Enrichment. Please view our catalog of online courses today at https://ed4online.com/courses.   Sources: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-11819/scientific-proof-that-being-thankful-improves-your-health.html http://www.healthline.com/health/depression/giving-thanks       

Obtaining certification in the IT field can increase your earning potential as well as show both current and future employers dedication to your field. According to an article written by Robert Half Technology’s senior executive director, John Reed, entitled "Which IT Certifications Are Most Helpful in Getting Ahead?", "Whether you’re a tech pro looking to expand your skills or a job candidate aiming to impress a prospective employer, earning IT certifications could be one way to stand out in your career. In today’s specialist economy, certifying your skills quickly shows what you know — to recruiters and hiring managers — and can help you gain an edge when it comes to job promotions and salary negotiations." Below are a few of the more popular certifications in the IT field today: MOS:  Microsoft® Office (MOS) 2013 If you're looking for a way to get up to speed quickly on the newest version of Microsoft Office, this course offers step-by-step instructions to make it easy. Office 2013 has new features and tools to master, and whether you're upgrading from an earlier version or encountering the Office applications for the first time, you'll appreciate this simplified approach. MCSE:  MCSE: Data Platform Our Microsoft MCSE: Data Platform training covers all aspects of Microsoft's primary database system for all business sizes and types and is the globally recognized standard for IT professionals. An MCSE: Data Platform professional must first receive the MCSA: SQL Server 2012 Certification from Microsoft and then take their expertise to the next level with the MCSE: Data Platform designation. MCSE: Private Cloud Our Microsoft MCSE: Private Cloud training covers all aspects of Microsoft's primary database system for all business sizes and types and is the globally recognized standard for IT professionals. An MCSE: Private Cloud professional must first receive the MCSA: SQL Server 2012 Certification from Microsoft and then take their expertise to the next level with the MCSE: Private Cloud designation. MCSE: SharePoint Server 2013 Our Microsoft MCSE: SharePoint Server 2013 program is perfect for the IT professional who plans, implements, and maintains a multi-server deployment of Share Point 2013. Completion of Microsoft 70-331: Core solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 and Microsoft 70-332: Advanced Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 will confirm that a student is able to plan and maintain SharePoint and other core technologies on which SharePoint depends. Certifications in Cloud Computing: Cloud Computing Professional Program Cloud Computing professionals provide expertise, design, troubleshoot and engineer cloud environments. The Cloud Computing professional often collaborates with project managers and engineers to generate cloud computing best practices and ensure they are applied properly within the work  Project Management Certifications: Project Management for CAPM Learn to master the most proven methods in project management as well as exciting new techniques emerging from current industry and today's most recent research. This course introduces manual techniques perfected during the past 50 years and progressive automated techniques, all consistent with the latest PMBOK Guide. Up to date content covers measuring project management ROI, value to the organization and to customers, and much more. Project Management for PMP Learn to master the most proven methods in project management as well as exciting new techniques emerging from current industry and today's most recent research. This course introduces manual techniques perfected during the past 50 years and progressive automated techniques, all consistent with the latest PMBOK Guide. Up to date content covers measuring project management ROI, value to the organization and to customers, and much more. According to the Robert Half Technology 2014 Salary Guide, "employers prefer to hire certified professionals, especially those who also have college degrees and real-world experience. Those who put in the effort to obtain credentials can expect larger salaries and quicker movement up the career ladder, not to mention a healthy shot of self-confidence." Ed4Online offers an extensive IT course catalog containing courses in the above specialty areas and designed to prepare you to sit for the national certification exams.  View our course catalog and learn more today!   Sources: http://rht.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=533&item=59 http://blog.rht.com/certifications-valuable/         

During the month of December, Ed4Online will be offering 25% off of ALL our Personal Enrichment courses! Pick any course from our Personal Enrichment catalog and receive a 25% discount!   Our online Personal Enrichment courses cover a variety of topics - from Business to Teaching & Education, Healthcare to Legal --and everything in between. All of our Personal Enrichment Courses are 4 weeks long and instructor-led with open-enrollment. The New Year is always a time for resolutions....why not plan to begin 2015 with new skills and knowledge? This offer is only valid until December 30, 2014.  Click here to enroll or request more information and don't forget to use coupon code Ed4HOLIDAYS to save 25%!         

What with the fast pace of the holiday season (entertaining, shopping, parties, baking, etc.) it’s no wonder that stress and depression can invite themselves into your holiday festivities. With a little planning you can minimize the stress and anxiety that often accompany the holiday season. 1.    Plan ahead. Make a calendar and schedule days for shopping, baking, and activities you enjoy (including taking care of yourself!).  Think about what energizes you; is it a walk, a nap, curling up by the fire reading a good book? Schedule these on your calendar as you would any other appointment. Mealtimes get you stressed? Plan your menus and create your shopping list ahead of time. You’ll have all of the ingredients you need on hand to prepare your meals. 2.    Build a budget. Before you shop for groceries or gifts, realistically look at how much money you can spend. Make staying within your budget a game; you’ll feel great when you win (and when the credit card bills come in January!) 3.    Your feelings matter. If you find yourself missing loved ones during the holiday season, take time to express your feelings.  You can talk to a friend or reach out to support group.  If someone close to you has recently passed away, realize that the sadness and grief that you feel are part of the healing process.  4.    Join. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious, self help or other social groups. Offering a sympathetic ear, encouragement and companionship to others, in turn can bring us joy. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and develop friendships. 5.    Just say no. If you have a tendency to say "yes" to every invitation or request for help - you may end up feeling both overwhelmed and resentful this holiday season. The holiday season brings its own fair share of stress; agreeing to participate in every fundraiser or attend every social event will only lead to potential burnout. Pick a few things that bring you joy and peace and say "no" to the rest.  6.    Nobody is perfect. Seeking perfection can be overwhelming.  Think over your holiday traditions and determine which ones truly bring you and your family joy.  Let go of the rest; and be on the lookout for new traditions that might be even better! As children get older, the opportunities for volunteering increase - perhaps you and your family will find a new holiday tradition that will help you celebrate the season together. 7.    Family. Need I say more? With the blessings of family comes a certain amount of stress at family gatherings. Come up with an action plan before you head over to Uncle Jim’s. Perhaps a code word that your spouse or another relative knows that means "help me". Remember, it’s always okay to remove yourself from a stressful situation and take a breather. Go outside and get some fresh air or join the kids in a game of touch football. 8.    Include healthy habits. o    If you are tempted to overeat during holiday gatherings; have a healthy snack beforehand. And make sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after the event! o    The business of the season can interfere with your normal sleep routine.  Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. And make your bedroom a peaceful oasis designed for optimal rest. Invest in light blocking shades, or purchase an inexpensive eye mask and ear plugs.  Whatever it takes to get your "zzz’s" in. o    Exercise should remain a priority. Not only can a walk improve your mood, it can help burn off any extra calories you may have indulged in during last night’s pot luck! Also consider your exposure to daylight. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, can be treated by long walks during daylight hours or exposure to a light box for about 30 minutes a day. 9.    Take a break. Just 15 minutes alone can make all the difference. Go for a walk, lie down and listen to some music, take a bubble bath. Whatever it takes to calm your mind and instill inner peace - make time for it! 10. Seek professional help. If, despite your best efforts, you find yourself unable to shake the blues, are feeling lower than usual, unable to sleep, or feeling hopeless, it’s time to talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. Don’t put it off for another day! They are trained to look for signs of depression and anxiety and may have suggestions to help you greet each new day with renewed hope!     Sources:   http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20047544 http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20550695_last,00.html       

Never stop learning. What a great resolution for 2015! With the widespread use of internet technologies, students of any age can take advantage of learning anytime, anywhere. Whether you wish to acquire a new skill or hobby, or take classes to explore an exciting new career, Ed4Online has the course or program for you. Below are five tips for success for those interested in continuing their learning: 1.    Don’t expect smooth sailing. Expect that there will be issues - conflicts in work, school or family schedules, distractions, etc. Anticipate the hurdles you might have to cross and develop a plan to deal with them. Create a master calendar to keep track of all appointments. Build school work into your schedule and stay true to that time commitment. Log out of all other websites but your classroom to minimize online disctractions. 2.    Believe that you can. Surround yourself with positive affirmations and erase self doubt. Keep the end goal in sight and create a daily mantra such as "I will succeed". 3.    Do some type of work every day. Log into your classroom, check out discussion boards, utilize additional resources provided by your classroom mentor or listed in the textbook, conduct additional research online on a topic of interest. 4.    Enlist the support of others. Tell friends, coworkers and family about your coursework and goals and ask them to help you stay on track and hold you accountable. 5.    Cut yourself some slack. Oftentimes, it’s difficult to put our own needs first. Understand that the hard work you are putting in today will benefit others tomorrow. What do you think? Do you have any tips for success for online students? Please share below!   "My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose - somehow we always win out." ~ Ronald Reagan           

When considering health, we have to think of not only the physical, but the mental and emotional components that all work together and make us who we are.  What we think, what we eat and what we do are all integral to our state of health.  While "health" may mean different things to different people, feeling better is most likely a common goal among us all.  Below are some fun facts about food, exercise and stress relief! Cut Out One Cookie a Day If you cut out one cookie a day, by this time next year, you will have eliminated 21,170 calories. That’s enough to drop six pounds.  That’s just by cutting one cookie a day! Take a Lap Around Your Local Big-Box Store If, once a week, you take a lap around the inside of your local big-box store before you begin shopping, you’ll walk an approximate 12 miles over the course of a year. Laugh to Burn Calories and Relieve Stress Laughing raises both your energy expenditure and heart rate by about 10 percent to 20 percent. This means you could burn about 10-40 calories by laughing for 10 to 15 minutes. Eat More Chocolate Cocoa and chocolate, which are rich in antioxidants, have been are known to reduce stress. This is one my favorite ways to reduce stress (in moderation of course!) Want to get a little more serious about reducing stress, eating right or working out? Ed4Online offers many courses on nutrition, health, fitness as well as stress management. Obtain the knowledge you need to help live a better life AND coach others in how to do so also! https://ed4online.com. Sources: http://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative-health/healthy-lifestyle http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/11/13/10-fascinating-facts-laughter.aspx http://examinedexistence.com/20-interesting-facts-about-stress-2/         

In 2012, 62 percent of American households included at least one pet. Studies have shown that health benefits for those living or working with pets include emotional, psychological and physical benefits. These benefits may translate to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, reduced stress levels, and better mental health. In addition, research has also shown that humans respond in a unique way to animals in a wide variety of therapy and care settings. According to the AVMA, "The veterinarian’s role in the human-animal bond is to maximize the potential of this relationship between people and animals and specifically to promote the health and well-being of both." We feel that this role is also the responsbility of all members of the veterinary staff, from the front desk to those working side by side with the doctors. Interested in working with animals? Perhaps you might find a career as a Veterinary Assistant or Veterinary Office Assistant rewarding.  Ed4Online offers individual career courses in these fields and is also pleased to announce our NEW Veterinary Assistant Professional Complete Career Training Program.   Sources: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ownership_statistics.html https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pages/The-Human-Animal-Bond.aspx http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/consumer-health/in-depth/pet-therapy/art-20046342         

When planning and preparing for a new career, it’s important to consider all of the skills and knowledge you will need to be the most successful. Employers look for two different skill sets in applicants: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are teachable abilities or easily quantified: a degree or certificate, computer skills, writing ability, etc. Soft skills are more difficult to quantify. These are also known as "interpersonal skills" and relate to the way you present yourself as well as how you interact with others.  Examples might include: communication, workplace professionalism, and time management. Techtarget.com offers the following definition of soft skills, "Soft skills …are also defined by abilities that can be practiced, such as leadership, empathy, communication and sociability." Ed4Online’s goal is to offer courses and training to help you to be as prepared as possible for your new career. Therefore, we’ve created a new line of Complete Career Training Programs (CCTPs). These programs are comprised of Career Training, Professional Development and Personal Enrichment courses - all bundled together into one program to provide a diversified learning experience. Our mentor-supported Career Training Courses focus on the industry standards that prepare you for your chosen career or certification. You will also get our smaller, self-study Professional Development courses to fine tune some of the softer skills needed in your chosen career, and our four-week long, instructor-led Personal Enrichment courses to further your employment training. We currently offer the following Complete Career Training Programs: CCTP-Administrative Assistant Professional Program CCTP-Administrative Bookkeeper Professional Program CCTP-Administrative Medical Office Professional Program CCTP-Business Management Professional Program CCTP-Child Day Care Manager Professional Program CCTP-Computer Technician Professional Program CCTP-Cooking & Catering Professional Program CCTP-Cyber-Security Professional Program CCTP-Dental Office Assistant Professional Program CCTP-Event Planner Professional Program CCTP-Green Energy Consultant Professional Program CCTP-Gunsmithing Specialist Professional Program CCTP-Human Resource Management Professional Program CCTP-Legal Secretary Professional Program CCTP-Life Skills Coaching Professional Program CCTP-Marketing and Business Manager Professional Program CCTP-Medical Billing & Coding Professional Program CCTP-Mental Health Technician Professional Program CCTP-Network Administrator Professional Program CCTP-Paralegal Professional Program CCTP-Personal Fitness Instructor Professional Program CCTP-Pharmacy Technician Professional Program CCTP-Photography Professional Program CCTP-Solar Installation Professional Program CCTP-Teacher’s Aide Professional Program CCTP-Travel Agent Professional Program CCTP-Veterinary Assistant Professional Program We have taken online career programs to a whole new level by bundling our Career Training with Professional Development and Personal Enrichment courses.  Please visit https://ed4online.com/ to learn about these exciting new programs as well as view our complete course catalog!         

Jennifer Morrison, a blogger at Military Career Education, recently compiled and released a list of iOS and Andriod apps for students to utilize and optimize their time. We've taken her list and added a couple suggestions of our own. If your favorite education app isn't on this list, please share it in the comments below. We are always interested in learning what new tools are available!  My Homework Student Planner This app allows you to track your course schedules and assignments, and organize them by due date and class. You can also sync your syllabus and resource materials.  Amazon Student Textbooks and learning materials are expensive. Using this app, all you need to do is scan the barcode on the textbook and the app will tell you where you can buy it for the cheapest price. This app also works in reverse when you’re ready to sell back your books and materials. StudyHabits In a recent product review, Edudemic reports that Study Habits is intended to be an app that "teaches effective study strategies, empowering [students] to learn how to manage their time." The app syncs with the student's calendar and the planning feature allows students to input due dates and set assignment completion goals to help them stay on track. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the app aims to help students become "self-regulated learners". Dropbox Using Dropbox allows you to save assignments and projects and open up the documents whenever and wherever you are. Evernote Evernote allows you to easily take notes, save articles, link to websites, dictate and organize with as little or as much detail as you want. You can also take pictures, create to-do lists, and some versions will even help create practice tests for you to use as a study aid. Dictionary.com Dictionary.com is a fun interactive site that allows you to save favorite words (or your most commonly misspelled ones), search for spellings and definitions offline, and even gives you a word of the day to help broaden your vocabulary. Grammerly Grammerly is more than a dictionary; it also works as a plagiarism tool, checking your text against over 8 billion web pages. This app also makes vocabulary suggestions based on the context of your writing. Even more, Grammerly runs it's "contextural spellchecker" function to spot commonly confused words (i.e. loose, lose). Finally, Grammarly "scans your text for proper use of more than 250 advanced grammar rules." Your writing, only better! What are some of your favorite education apps?  Please share them below! Disclosure: We are not affiliated with these products and have not received any compensation to mention these products.  Ed4Online offers hundreds of courses in Career Training, Health and Human Services, Professional Development and Personal Enrichment. Interested in learning more? Check out Ed4Online today! Source: Jennifer M. Morrison http://milcareered.com/           

What is a Personal Learning Network (PLN)?  A Personal Learning Network (PLN) is an informal learning network of professionals, industry thought-leaders or organizations. Building a PLN allows one to connect with others who create, curate and/or share valuable information with the intent to educate others in their community. PLNs allow two or more people, who might not know one another personally, to come together to exchange information. "The Personal Learning Network fosters connections and can be a rich source of professional development and learning." (Online Learning Insights) Anyone, including educators and students, can benefit from expanding their personal learning network online. Doing so allows them to go beyond the physical confines of their offices, schools and perhaps most importantly, beyond their own personal knowledge base. Creating an online learning network enables professionals to share global perspectives, techniques, resources, technology, and so much more. How do you build a PLN? Connect. The key to developing a PLN is to connect. To build your online PLN; research thought leaders in your industry or area of interest and begin following their posts. See where they hang out online and do the same. Make sure you are active on all social channels and begin commenting and reposting other’s articles. Generate conversation on boards and get people involved and connected with one another, fostering idea sharing as well as a sense of community. o   Tweet information you think your followers would find interesting o   Stay active on Facebook and Google Plus o   Start a discussion or participate in one on a message board o   Join groups on LinkedIn o   Follow boards on Pinterest o   Attend Webinars and connect with other participants for later follow-up o   Subscribe to blogs of interest o   Create your own blog o   Join Social networks such as Classroom 2.0 Share. Be a part of the conversation. If you have information that you feel could be useful, share it.  This might be a helpful article you’ve found on a specific topic. Or a new technology that you’d like to expose your community to. Or it might even be a new methodology that you’ve developed that you feel would be useful to others in your industry and that you might like feedback on. Communicate.  Stay active in your PLN; frequently comment or post on group or individual pages. The trading of thoughts and ideas both industry-related and personal makes you more approachable and increases the chances that your connections will become deeper and more meaningful. Developing connections also improves the odds that someone will always be there to share information and help when needed. Ed4Online is active on all social media channels. We aim to provide the most current, up to date and trending information on Online Education, Higher Education and Career Training as a whole. Please connect with us on Facebook, GooglePlus, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest as well as sign up to receive our weekly Newsletters! Sources: https://www.schoolkeep.com/blog/online-education-trends/take-personal-learning-network-next-level-2015 https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/how-to-create-a-robust-and-meaningful-personal-learning-network-pln/ http://gettingsmart.com/2012/01/personal-learning-networks-for-educators-10-tips/