Welcome to a fun and easy yet informative course on how to paint birds in watercolor.&nbsp;
Here we will use mixed style which means you will discover a combination of techniques needed to paint in realistic and impressionistic manner AND learn how to unite those 2 styles in a harmonious &amp; balanced way.<div> </div><div> </div><div>In this course you will:</div><div>- discover realistic &amp; impressionistic styles</div><div>- learn how to mix those styles and get a natural look of your painting&nbsp;</div><div>- learn color mixing rules</div><div>- apply wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, dry-on-dry, glazing techniques</div><div>- discover how to create volumes and make those birds 3-dimensional</div><div>- learn to paint realistic fluffy feathers</div><div>- use additional tools like salt and pen</div><div>- have fun while creating a sunny artwork with birds!</div><div> </div><div>This course is made for students mostly familiar with watercolor basics, but is still good for beginners as I explain every single step I take. So if you love challenges this would be great for you!</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Materials you need for this painting:
</div><div>
</div><div>- cellulose paper, 300gsm, cold pressed (can be hot pressed too)</div><div>- any good quality watercolor paints</div><div>- few brushes: synthetic round, natural round, small synthetic pointy brush for details</div><div>- pencil, tissues, cup of water, white gel pen, salt</div><div>For more details on materials and the alternatives please watch the first lesson inside this course.
</div><div>
</div><div>Together we will paint adorable yellow birds!</div>

English

Let's discuss paper, paints, and other tools you will need to be able to paint these cute birds in watercolor!

Materials for this class

Get your pencil ready as we work on a sketch for this painting. Make sure you don't press your pencil too much to avoid hard lines. 

Let's sketch!

Prepare paints you need for this class and try different combinations to figure out the best mixes for this artwork. Don't worry, I explain everything in the lesson.

Color Scheme

Time to apply our first layers in watercolor and let the magic begin!

First layers

Apply next layers enjoying the transparency feature of watercolor, and paint body and wings of our birds

New layers

Volumes are essential in working on a realistic 3-dimensional object. In this lesson we put special attention to making a painting stand out 

Creating depth

Time to wrap up our class, add final details and missing elements to bring those birds to life!

Final strokes

Watercolor Painting: Cute Birds in Mixed Style

Watercolor Artist and Teacher

Subscription

Guitar Course For Beginners : Easy to follow lessons, taking you from the Basics to Intermediate Level.<div> </div><div>Welcome to the A1 Guitar Course For Beginners.</div><div> </div><div>If you want to learn the guitar in an easy to follow program then this course is for you!</div><div> </div><div>Geoff&nbsp; Sinker is a professional guitar teacher with over 30 years of teaching&nbsp; experience working in various music schools around the world. He holds a bachelors degree in teaching the guitar from the Trinity College Of London.</div><div> </div><div>This&nbsp; course is designed from the ground up, based on his experience in teaching beginners of all ages and working with examination boards&nbsp; including Trinity College and the Royal School Of Music. He has worked&nbsp; with hundreds of students preparing them for graded exams including&nbsp; Rockschool &amp; Trinity Rock &amp; Pop.</div><div> </div><div>In this&nbsp; course you will learn the fundamentals of playing the guitar with just&nbsp; enough theory included to make sense of what your learning.</div><div> </div><div>You&nbsp; will learn how to play basic beginner chords that are used on 1000s of&nbsp; easy to play songs. You will learn how to combine chords with strumming to create some of the most popular strumming patterns used in modern music.</div><div> </div><div>You will also look at programs and tools that allow you to&nbsp; learn and study songs slowly so you can gradually develop and build your confidence in the guitar.</div><div> </div><div>The course includes a number of classic songs arranged in a easy to play format&nbsp; so you can measure your rogress by playing songs that your know and will enjoy learning.</div><div> </div><div>As&nbsp; you work progressively through the course you will be introduced to&nbsp; scales and in particular the Pentatanic scale. Through the use of the&nbsp; specially recorded backing tracks included in this course, you will&nbsp; start to play lead guitar solos you never though would be possible for&nbsp; you as a beginner.</div><div> </div><div>By the completion of the course you will be able to:</div><div> </div><div>Play a hundred chords both open and Bar chords</div><div> </div><div>Strum the most popular rhythmic patterns</div><div> </div><div>Understand and read tablature.</div><div> </div><div>Have the ability to identify notes on the fretboard</div><div> </div><div>Play the Pentatonic scale in any key</div><div> </div><div>Play the Blues scale</div><div> </div><div>Play along with backing tracks</div><div> </div><div>Play a number of popular songs</div><div> </div><div>Be satisfied with your progress</div>

A1 Guitar Course For The Beginner

Guitar Teacher

Instruments

Music

Welcome to my course Introduction to Guitar Pro 7<div> </div><div>My name is Geoff Sinker and I am a Musician, Editor and Teacher with over 30 years experience. Technolgy has always played a major role in my work as a Guitar teacher. Guitar Pro has always been a central part of my lessons since it was first introduced. Having introduced numerous students to the program I decided it was time to create a introduction course for the basic users of the program, using all the Real World knowledge I have learned over the hours I have spent working with the software.</div><div> </div><div>I know that you will find this course both enlightening and interesting for all users of Guitar Pro 7</div><div> </div><div>Guitar Pro is probably the best program for reading, creating, &amp; playing along with tablature on the market today.</div><div> </div><div>Nearly every time you see a piece of tablature on a website or a YouTube video the chances are that it has been produced using Guitar pro. To use the phrase Industry standard would be a correct assessment of the program.</div><div> </div><div>Guitar Pro allows you to edit your music scores and tablature for&nbsp; guitar, bass, and ukulele, as well as create backing tracks for drums or&nbsp; piano. This is a most thorough yet user-friendly tool for musicians who&nbsp; wish to get better, compose, or simply play along.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>Quite simply Guitar Pro is the Microsoft Word of music tablature.</div><div> </div><div>In this course you will learn the most important functions and uses of Guitar pro 7</div><div> </div><div>You will learn how to edit files, and variety of sounds using GP own sound-banks, How to add chord diagrams to your scores. We will lokk a the various way you can export files and how to make your own audio tracks for playback use.</div><div> </div><div>You will also learn how to use Guitar Pro as and aide to learn songs and the various function available to assist you.</div><div> </div><div>At the end of the course you will have a working knowledge of&nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>Now it its current version 7.5, guitar pro has more features then ever installed.</div><div> </div><div>This new version is free for Guitar Pro 7 users. Opening tool windows by&nbsp; clicking on the score, file explorer, tablature editing for 9- and 10-&nbsp; strings guitars, mySongBook integration, batch conversion tool, MIDI&nbsp; import improvement, better orchestral soundbanks, enhanced drums view&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>Yes i know it is a paid program, but as a guitar player it is probably the best $69 you could spend on you musical journey.</div><div> </div><div>Guitar Pro is a powerful score player really helpful to learn how to&nbsp; play, improve your technique, reproduce your favorite songs or accompany&nbsp; yourself.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>I have been using Guitar Pro since it was first released, not only for learning songs but as a aid to my teaching. I no longer use a whiteboard I now have access to a variety of tools that GP provided that greatly enhance my lesson.</div><div> </div><div>I have produced a number of lessons on using Guitar Pro aimed at the beginner and have provided you the links to help you get started with the program.</div><div> </div><div>Please click the "Take This Course"&nbsp;button so you can enjoy the power of Guitar pro 7 today.</div><div> </div><div>**&nbsp; I&nbsp;guarantee that this course is the most thorough Guitar Pro 7 course&nbsp; available ANYWHERE&nbsp;on the market - or your money back (30 day money back&nbsp; guarantee) **</div>

Introduction To Guitar Pro 7 Music Notation Software

Music Software

Error

Tier 1

Music Fundamentals

Sometimes I hear or read something that stops me in my tracks, usually a short powerful phrase or statement that I find motivational and inspiring. A case in point came across my monitor the other day as I was sifting through some email. I was reading a message from a woman who was writing to me because she was moved to take action by some advice I had given to another woman who was in an abusive marriage. As fate would have it, the author of the email had been in a 10-year abusive marriage herself but had found the strength and self-respect to escape that humiliating prison and create a better life. In her message to me, she wrote the following, “It was hard for me when this relationship ended, but I am 38 years old and more cautious of who I allow in my life because I now know that I am worth more than that. I have a very dear friend who literally reminds me every day not to let anyone steal my sunshine… I am a human being and I have worth!” Amen! I couldn’t have said it any better myself, and that phrase regarding sunshine just jumped out at me like a neon sign on a cold dark night.

In a way, that incredible spark that makes the human spirit so unique and so special is a lot like sunshine. After all, it’s the sun that gives the earth all of its warmth, beauty, and wonder. So I think it’s appropriate to refer to that wondrous bundle of uniqueness that is YOU as sunshine as well. And the daily advice that this woman’s friend provides her is a precious and powerful mantra to have in your day. So, my wellness message to you today is borrowed from a friend that I have not yet had the pleasure of personally meeting. If you want to live a healthy life that is rich, satisfying, and full of contentment, don’t ever let anyone steal your sunshine!

The true wonder of life can only be found in the present moment. The same can be said about change. For those of you who are working to leave the unhealthy habits of the past behind you and create a brighter and healthier future, progress can only be made in the present moment. For example, I know that some of you had a tough night recently. You stuffed yourself with fattening and unhealthy foods and now you are ruthlessly and relentlessly beating yourself up about it. If you happen to be one of these people, please don’t throw in the wellness towel.

This is not the time to give up. This is the time to dig in. In the spirit of living in the present moment, it is what you do NOW, at this very moment, which matters the most. As a matter of fact, the only thing that truly matters is what you do in the present moment because, in the end, it all comes down to this: There is one moment - one incredibly powerful moment when the decision to eat is made. If you can manage that moment, you can solve this problem.

What’s your purpose in life? Really, I know that’s quite a serious question to begin today’s message with, but I’m asking it nonetheless. There are those who say that, if you don’t have a purpose in your life, you simply wander through your life aimlessly. As a matter of fact, there is an entire field of study in psychology that studies this concept called Purpose In Life (PIL). This is a concept from a theory put forth by the late Dr. Victor Frankl and, in simple terms, it means the following: Those who have a purpose live a more meaningful life. The message here is this: The simple seed of purpose can bring meaning to your life. What a powerful thought that is! The bottom line is that without purpose there is little need for motivation, and without motivation, well, very little can be accomplished. This is particularly true in weight loss and wellness but it is true no matter what your goal. Because when the going gets tough it is a motivation that pushes you forward in the face of adversity. So I ask you today, what is your purpose in life? Finding purpose will bring greater meaning to each day and improve the quality of your life!

<p>Sometimes I hear or read something that stops me in my tracks, usually a short powerful phrase or statement that I find motivational and inspiring. A case in point came across my monitor the other day as I was sifting through some email. I was reading a message from a woman who was writing to me because she was moved to take action by some advice I had given to another woman who was in an abusive marriage. As fate would have it, the author of the email had been in a 10-year abusive marriage herself but had found the strength and self-respect to escape that humiliating prison and create a better life. In her message to me, she wrote the following, “It was hard for me when this relationship ended, but I am 38 years old and more cautious of who I allow in my life because I now know that I am worth more than that. I have a very dear friend who literally reminds me every day not to let anyone steal my sunshine… I am a human being and I have worth!” Amen! I couldn’t have said it any better myself, and that phrase regarding sunshine just jumped out at me like a neon sign on a cold dark night.</p>
<p>In a way, that incredible spark that makes the human spirit so unique and so special is a lot like sunshine. After all, it’s the sun that gives the earth all of its warmth, beauty, and wonder. So I think it’s appropriate to refer to that wondrous bundle of uniqueness that is YOU as sunshine as well. And the daily advice that this woman’s friend provides her is a precious and powerful mantra to have in your day. So, my wellness message to you today is borrowed from a friend that I have not yet had the pleasure of personally meeting. If you want to live a healthy life that is rich, satisfying, and full of contentment, don’t ever let anyone steal your sunshine!</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Manage the Moment</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>The true wonder of life can only be found in the present moment. The same can be said about change. For those of you who are working to leave the unhealthy habits of the past behind you and create a brighter and healthier future, progress can only be made in the present moment. For example, I know that some of you had a tough night recently. You stuffed yourself with fattening and unhealthy foods and now you are ruthlessly and relentlessly beating yourself up about it. If you happen to be one of these people, please don’t throw in the wellness towel.</p>
<p>This is not the time to give up. This is the time to dig in. In the spirit of living in the present moment, it is what you do NOW, at this very moment, which matters the most. As a matter of fact, the only thing that truly matters is what you do in the present moment because, in the end, it all comes down to this: There is one moment - one incredibly powerful moment when the decision to eat is made. If you can manage that moment, you can solve this problem.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Purpose in Life</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>What’s your purpose in life? Really, I know that’s quite a serious question to begin today’s message with, but I’m asking it nonetheless. There are those who say that, if you don’t have a purpose in your life, you simply wander through your life aimlessly. As a matter of fact, there is an entire field of study in psychology that studies this concept called Purpose In Life (PIL). This is a concept from a theory put forth by the late Dr. Victor Frankl and, in simple terms, it means the following: Those who have a purpose live a more meaningful life. The message here is this: The simple seed of purpose can bring meaning to your life. What a powerful thought that is! The bottom line is that without purpose there is little need for motivation, and without motivation, well, very little can be accomplished. This is particularly true in weight loss and wellness but it is true no matter what your goal. Because when the going gets tough it is a motivation that pushes you forward in the face of adversity. So I ask you today, what is your purpose in life? Finding purpose will bring greater meaning to each day and improve the quality of your life!</p>

Personal Coach

Sometimes I hear or read something that stops me in my tracks, usually a short powerful phrase or statement that I find motivational and inspiring.

Don’t let anyone steal your sunshine

So you’ve set up a business Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ account, ready and raring to dive into the world of social media. But doubt begins clouding the optimism and you wonder how you’re supposed to know whether you’re doing it right? Follow these golden rules to get your social media using off to the right start. Social media delivers a wide range of benefits to business, like increased web traffic, improved brand reputation, and the ability to identify new product and service opportunities – to name just a few – but as a newbie, it can be difficult to navigate this social world and its many unwritten rules of use. While there’s no surefire formula to getting it right 100 percent of the time on social media, following these golden rules should get you close.

This is the best piece of advice any social media newbie could be given and is generally a good explanation of why a business or brand has a large number of Twitter followers or Facebook likes. If you’re generous with the information you share on social media, users and potential customers are far more likely to connect with your business and form lasting relationships. If you spend too much time on self-promotion, you’ll never get the leads and new business you’ve been dreaming of. Take Dynamic Business’s Twitter account for example. We tweet links to information useful to our small business audience at least once an hour, 24 hours a day and as a result, we now have close to 10,000 followers and extremely high engagement levels. Yes, we’re a publisher with a lot of information at our disposal to share with our community, but we’re also just experts in our area, exactly the same way you’re an expert in your industry and this is what potential customers are searching for. So share that interesting industry article or whitepaper you read the other day, re-tweet that blog post or business leader’s comment relevant to your sector, and spend five minutes replying to those customer questions and comments. Social media isn’t about pushing your agenda and endless links back to your business homepage, it’s about being generous with your expertise and using this to create value for your online community. Think of it as becoming an online resource in your industry – be open and share what you know.

Consistency is the key to any social media campaign. I know many of you are time-poor and can’t commit to spending the day in front of Twitter and Facebook, but there are a number of free tools on the market to help make your social media activity a little more consistent. Think of it this way: You have 500 Twitter followers from various time zones around the world – what are the chances they’re all looking at their account at the exact moment you publish that one tweet per day? Slim to none. This is why you should be using a free tool like Hootsuite or Tweetdeck, and spending 20-30 minutes a day on scheduling tweets and Facebook posts that will be sent out throughout the day.

The Dynamic Business account might send out tweets 24 hours a day, but that doesn’t mean I’m sitting behind the computer until all hours of the night. I spend around an hour on Hootsuite each day scheduling what I want to go out to our online communities, and although I do monitor what’s happening on our accounts throughout the day, scheduling allows me to shift focus and move onto the other things I need to get done.

It’s also good to note here that it’s not a great idea to schedule the same posts for your Twitter and Facebook accounts. Tweets should be much more frequent than Facebook posts, and if you apply the same strategy to both platforms you’ll end up alienating Facebook users who don’t want their News Feeds clogged up with endless business or brand updates. People use Twitter and Facebook for very different reasons, and your social media strategy should take this into consideration.

Just because you’re running a business account, doesn’t mean you can’t inject a little personality into your social media activity. Don’t post like a robot – introduce your online community to your staff members and share photos of any exciting happenings in your business. Use the platform to ask for comments or criticism, and act on them, and get involved in online discussions with other people in your industry. Not only it is fun to connect with a business or brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but potential customers also love to see the human face behind an organization they’re thinking of doing business with. It’s all about building trust and lasting relationships.

It’s good practice to think twice before posting anything on social media, to check whether what you’re saying could be misinterpreted or misconstrued in any way, shape, or form. It can be very tricky to rebuild an online reputation, not to mention devastating to see your hard work undone so quickly, so the lesson to take away from these major social media fails is to read every post twice before publishing or scheduling it. And if you’re still not sure, get a second pair of eyeballs to look over it too.

<p>So you’ve set up a business Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ account, ready and raring to dive into the world of&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514184257/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/sales-and-marketing/business-needs-to-utilise-social-media-282011.html">social media</a>. But doubt begins clouding the optimism and you wonder how you’re supposed to know whether you’re doing it right? Follow these golden rules to get your social media using off to the right start. Social media delivers a wide range of benefits to business, like increased&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514184257/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/technology/tips-to-build-website-traffic.html">web traffic</a>, improved brand reputation, and the ability to identify new product and service opportunities – to name just a few – but as a newbie, it can be difficult to navigate this social world and its many unwritten rules of use. While there’s no surefire formula to getting it right 100 percent of the time on social media, following these golden rules should get you close.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>1.&nbsp;Be generous</strong></p>
<p>This is the best piece of advice any social media newbie could be given and is generally a good explanation of why a business or brand has a large number of Twitter followers or Facebook likes. If you’re generous with the information you share on social media, users and potential customers are far more likely to connect with your business and form lasting relationships. If you spend too much time on self-promotion, you’ll never get the leads and new business you’ve been dreaming of. Take&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514184257/https://twitter.com/#!/DynamicBusiness">Dynamic Business’s Twitter account</a>&nbsp;for example. We tweet links to information useful to our small business audience at least once an hour, 24 hours a day and as a result, we now have close to 10,000 followers and extremely high engagement levels. Yes, we’re a publisher with a lot of information at our disposal to share with our community, but we’re also just experts in our area, exactly the same way you’re an expert in your industry and this is what potential customers are searching for. So share that interesting industry article or whitepaper you read the other day, re-tweet that&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514184257/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/blogs/blogging-a-vital-ingredient-for-business-26102011.html">blog post</a>&nbsp;or business leader’s comment relevant to your sector, and spend five minutes replying to those customer questions and comments. Social media isn’t about pushing your agenda and endless links back to your business homepage, it’s about being generous with your expertise and using this to create value for your online community. Think of it as becoming an online resource in your industry – be open and share what you know.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>2.&nbsp;Be consistent</strong></p>
<p>Consistency is the key to any social media campaign. I know many of you are time-poor and can’t commit to spending the day in front of Twitter and Facebook, but there are a number of free tools on the market to help make your social media activity a little more consistent. Think of it this way: You have 500 Twitter followers from various time zones around the world – what are the chances they’re all looking at their account at the exact moment you publish that one tweet per day? Slim to none. This is why you should be using a free tool like&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514184257/http://www.hootsuite.com/">Hootsuite</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514184257/http://www.tweetdeck.com/">Tweetdeck</a>, and spending 20-30 minutes a day on scheduling tweets and Facebook posts that will be sent out throughout the day.</p>
<p>The Dynamic Business account might send out tweets 24 hours a day, but that doesn’t mean I’m sitting behind the computer until all hours of the night. I spend around an hour on Hootsuite each day scheduling what I want to go out to our online communities, and although I do monitor what’s happening on our accounts throughout the day, scheduling allows me to shift focus and move onto the other things I need to get done.</p>
<p>It’s also good to note here that it’s not a great idea to schedule the same posts for your Twitter and Facebook accounts. Tweets should be much more frequent than Facebook posts, and if you apply the same strategy to both platforms you’ll end up alienating Facebook users who don’t want their News Feeds clogged up with endless business or brand updates. People use Twitter and Facebook for very different reasons, and your social media strategy should take this into consideration.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>3.&nbsp;Be yourself</strong></p>
<p>Just because you’re running a business account, doesn’t mean you can’t inject a little personality into your&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514184257/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/social-media/the-four-social-media-characters-20122011.html">social media activity</a>. Don’t post like a robot – introduce your online community to your staff members and share photos of any exciting happenings in your business. Use the platform to ask for comments or criticism, and act on them, and get involved in online discussions with other people in your industry. Not only it is fun to connect with a business or brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but potential customers also love to see the human face behind an organization they’re thinking of doing business with. It’s all about building trust and lasting relationships.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>4.&nbsp;Be thoughtful</strong></p>
<p>It’s good practice to think twice before posting anything on social media, to check whether what you’re saying could be misinterpreted or misconstrued in any way, shape, or form. It can be very tricky to rebuild an&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120514184257/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/blogs/managing-your-online-reputation-in-three-steps-25012012.html">online reputation</a>, not to mention devastating to see your hard work undone so quickly, so the lesson to take away from these major social media fails is to read every post twice before publishing or scheduling it. And if you’re still not sure, get a second pair of eyeballs to look over it too.</p>

Business consultant 

Social media delivers a lot of benefits to business, like increased web traffic, improved brand reputation, and the ability to identify new product and service opportunities.

The four golden rules of social media use

Have you heard the saying a picture paints a thousand words? Well, your business can do just that on Pinterest. Pinterest is a new social media site where you can create online bulletin boards and ‘pin’ your favorite images to it. You can create a variety of bulletin boards in any category imaginable. Your followers can then view your images, like them, add a comment and re-pin them to their own boards. Each image represents a link to its original website, which makes sharing images and websites easy. It isn’t a broadcast mechanism and doesn’t encourage product pushing, so you need to be creative and take a different approach to Twitter and Facebook.

The images on Pinterest can quickly convey their messages to the audience with just a glance, instead of users reading through long lists of text on Twitter and Facebook. There are also a number of sharing options. Each image can be shared on Facebook and Twitter, you can embed it so the pin can be shared on blogs and external sites (which is great for link building) and the URL can be shared via email.

Engage with your target customers: You can share a behind the scenes look into your company by pinning images of employees or office activities. This will help to humanize your business and create personal relationships with your customers.

Learn from your customers: Brands can learn from the followers as they are offering a lot of personal information about personal interests.

Engage with employees: Post inspirational photos to inspire your employees or ask them to post photos and engage the whole company in a fun activity.

Run competitions: You can ask Pinterest users to pin images to your bulletin board to receive benefits or prizes as part of a competition or special offer. This will help to raise awareness of your business and gain new customers.

Crowdsourcing: Ask people to pin pictures of themselves with your product and repin them on a themed board.

Reach target customers: You can reach your target customers by creating bulletin boards in categories appropriate to your target customers. Currently, the majority of users on Pinterest are female, which will benefit businesses whose target customers are women.

Drive traffic to your website: You can pin images with a link back to your website to help increase your website traffic.

Promote your products: You can post images of your business's products and services with a link to your website where they can purchase them. This can help to increase your sales and customers.

Promote your success: Post images of media coverage, success stories, or client case studies to promote the achievement of your business.

Pin videos: Another great way to communicate with your target customers is to pin videos to your business bulletin board. You can then link your bulletin board to your business YouTube channel and post video messages from company employees or the CEO.

Tell your story with images: If you have a message for your target customers it may be easier to tell it through images rather than text. Visually compelling stories may have a greater impact than written articles.

Pinterest is a great new way to promote your business and engage with your target customers. However, Pinterest shouldn’t be used purely for advertising purposes because your followers may view your content as spam and disconnect from you. Your business should become actively involved in the Pinterest community by posting useful content and re-pinning or commenting on other user’s images. So start pinning today!

<p>Have you heard the saying a picture paints a thousand words? Well, your&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120422224539/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/blogs/how-to-use-pinterest-for-business-27022012.html">business can do just that on Pinterest.</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120422224539/http://pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a>&nbsp;is a new social media site where you can create online bulletin boards and ‘pin’ your favorite images to it. You can create a variety of bulletin boards in any category imaginable. Your followers can then view your images, like them, add a comment and re-pin them to their own boards. Each image represents a link to its original website, which makes sharing images and websites easy. It isn’t a broadcast mechanism and doesn’t encourage product pushing, so you need to be creative and take a different approach to&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120422224539/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/blogs/the-business-benefits-of-facebook-and-twitter-12122011.html">Twitter and Facebook.</a></p>
<p>The images on Pinterest can quickly convey their messages to the audience with just a glance, instead of users reading through long lists of text on Twitter and Facebook. There are also a number of sharing options. Each image can be shared on Facebook and Twitter, you can embed it so the pin can be<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120422224539/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/news/competition-to-find-australia%E2%80%99s-best-business-blog-launches-05032012.html">&nbsp;shared on blogs</a>&nbsp;and external sites (which is great for link building) and the URL can be shared via email.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>How Pinterest can benefit your business:</strong></p>
<p><br></p>
<ul>
  <li><strong>Engage with your target customers:&nbsp;</strong>You can share a behind the scenes look into your company by pinning images of employees or office activities. This will help to humanize your business and create personal relationships with your customers.</li>
  <li><strong>Learn from your customers:&nbsp;</strong>Brands can learn from the followers as they are offering a lot of personal information about personal interests.</li>
  <li><strong>Engage with employees:</strong>&nbsp;Post inspirational photos to inspire your employees or ask them to post photos and engage the whole company in a fun activity.</li>
  <li><strong>Run competitions:</strong>&nbsp;You can ask Pinterest users to pin images to your bulletin board to receive benefits or prizes as part of a competition or special offer. This will help to raise awareness of your business and gain new customers.</li>
  <li><strong>Crowdsourcing:&nbsp;</strong>Ask people to pin pictures of themselves with your product and repin them on a themed board.</li>
  <li><strong>Reach target customers:</strong>&nbsp;You can reach your target customers by creating bulletin boards in categories appropriate to your target customers. Currently, the majority of users on Pinterest are female, which will benefit businesses whose target customers are women.</li>
  <li><strong>Drive traffic to your website:</strong>&nbsp;You can pin images with a link back to your website to help&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120422224539/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/technology/tips-to-build-website-traffic.html">increase your website traffic.</a></li>
  <li><strong>Promote your products:</strong>&nbsp;You can post images of your business's products and services with a link to your website where they can purchase them. This can help to increase your sales and customers.</li>
  <li><strong>Promote your success:</strong>&nbsp;Post images of media coverage, success stories, or client case studies to promote the achievement of your business.</li>
  <li><strong>Pin videos:</strong>&nbsp;Another great way to communicate with your target customers is to pin videos to your business bulletin board. You can then link your bulletin board to your business YouTube channel and post video messages from company employees or the CEO.</li>
  <li><strong>Tell your story with images:</strong>&nbsp;If you have a&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120422224539/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/blogs/why-quick-buck-marketing-never-works-08032012.html">message for your target customers</a>&nbsp;it may be easier to tell it through images rather than text. Visually compelling stories may have a greater impact than written articles.</li>
</ul>
<p>Pinterest is a great new way to promote your business and engage with your target customers. However, Pinterest shouldn’t be used purely for advertising purposes because your followers may view your content as spam and disconnect from you. Your business should become actively involved in the Pinterest community by posting useful content and re-pinning or commenting on other user’s images. So start pinning today!</p>

Have you heard the saying a picture paints a thousand words? Pinterest is a great new way to promote your business and engage with your target customers.

Eleven reasons your business should start pinning on Pinterest

When you create your social media strategy, it’s a great idea to use the opportunity to engage all of your staff with their ideas about interesting tweets and blogs.

Once you have a contribution from your team, its best to have only one person who approves it (once approved other people can upload it).  Building your brand on social media is about regularity, consistency, and knowing what is relevant and engaging to your audience. This takes time and organization. 

The following points explain why having a designated social media person will make your strategy more effective.

Regular posts. To build followers, you need to post content regularly on the company blog, Twitter, and Facebook. If no particular person is responsible, it’s likely that no one will make adequate time for it. It’s best to have one person responsible for regular posting.

Avoid repetition and contradiction. It’s easier to keep track of what’s been said when you have one person responsible for social media, rather than many people. The person will keep track of what has been posted to avoid repetition and contradiction.

Consistency. The style must be consistent in terms of language, format, and content. This will build a strong brand image that your audience can better form a relationship with. The style will depend on your audience and your brand image. Having just one person approving content will keep your style consistent.

Keep up to date. The person in charge of social media should be responsible for researching new social media methods and techniques. That way, your brand will be on the cutting edge of social media. That person will build expertise and learn how to make your social media more effective.

Refresh. The person should regularly analyze the effectiveness of their actions – what has engaged the audience, what could be done better? A designated person can spend the required time adjusting the social media strategy until it is perfect.

In time, your company will have a social media expert and the content will be directed and strategic. Your social media accounts will be a way to engage existing and potential clients, and position the company as a leader in the field.

<p>When you create your&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120608015130/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/growing/social-media-marketing-in-10-minutes-2482011.html">social media strategy</a>, it’s a great idea to use the opportunity to engage all of your staff with their ideas about interesting tweets and blogs.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Once you have a contribution from your team, its best to have only one person who approves it (once approved other people can upload it).&nbsp; Building your brand on social media is about regularity, consistency, and knowing what is relevant and engaging to your audience. This takes time and organization.&nbsp;</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>The following points explain why having a designated social media person will make your strategy more effective.</p>
<p><br></p>
<ul>
  <li><strong>Regular posts.</strong>&nbsp;To build followers, you need to post content regularly on the company blog,&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120608015130/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/news/brands-need-social-media-strategy-twitter-30052011.html">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;and Facebook. If no particular person is responsible, it’s likely that no one will make adequate time for it. It’s best to have one person responsible for regular posting.</li>
  <li><strong>Avoid repetition and contradiction.</strong>&nbsp;It’s easier to keep track of what’s been said when you have one person responsible for social media, rather than many people. The person will keep track of what has been posted to avoid repetition and contradiction.</li>
  <li><strong>Consistency.</strong>&nbsp;The style must be consistent in terms of language, format, and content. This will build a strong brand image that your audience can better form a relationship with. The style will depend on your audience and your brand image. Having just one person approving content will keep your style consistent.</li>
  <li><strong>Keep up to date.</strong>&nbsp;The person in charge of social media should be responsible for researching new social media methods and techniques. That way, your brand will be on the cutting edge of social media. That person will build expertise and learn how to make your social media more effective.</li>
  <li><strong>Refresh.</strong>&nbsp;The person should regularly analyze the effectiveness of their actions – what has engaged the audience, what could be done better? A designated person can spend the required time adjusting the social media strategy until it is perfect.</li>
</ul>
<p>In time, your company will have a social media expert and the content will be directed and strategic. Your&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120608015130/http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/sales-and-marketing/business-needs-to-utilise-social-media-282011.html">social media accounts</a>&nbsp;will be a way to engage existing and potential clients, and position the company as a leader in the field.</p>

When you create your social media strategy, it’s a great idea to use the opportunity to engage all of your staff with their ideas about interesting tweets and blogs.

Why you need one social media person in your business

Buying a franchise: where do I start? There’s an old saying in franchising: “Franchisors get the franchisees they deserve.” The reverse is also true, as many franchisees continue to make uninformed decisions or waive the requirement for legal advice. Buying a franchise can be tricky, and it is important to do your homework. There are many factors to consider before diving in. So, if you are serious about buying a franchise, make sure you arm yourself with all the facts before making your decision. There’s an old saying in franchising: “Franchisors get the franchisees they deserve.” The reverse is also true, as many franchisees continue to make uninformed decisions or waive the requirement for legal advice. 

In the face of 1200-plus franchise systems, variables of new or existing, mobile or retail, B2C or B2B, industry, and level of capital investment, prospective franchisees need to make a fully informed decision. This article is not intended to be an exhaustive list of 1+2+ 3 and you are franchising. But for anyone serious about buying a franchise, read on. For those contemplating an easy or passive investment, the best outcome is to consider alternative investment strategies.

Assuming you have an open mind on the particular type of business you would like to operate, the three key considerations when buying a franchise are:

What size of the investment can you afford?

What are your criteria and areas of interest?

Are you interested in a Greenfield or existing franchise?

Here, the savvy franchisee will determine what they can afford and then commit to the limit. Just like the rules at an auction, set your limit, and stick to it. In any consideration of capital think about the investment capital and working capital and the latter is most often underestimated.

You must reduce your list of potential franchises down to a manageable level; say, three-to-five. Take a good look at the list. Do you really see yourself operating any of those businesses for a number of years?

Does the business present well to you as a consumer?

Have they proven their ability to secure quality locations or operate in multiple regions?

Are they seen in the media and portrayed well?

What is the marketing and advertising program like?

Do they have strong relationships with the banks?

What is the quality of the management and leadership team?

Do they listen to and learn from their current franchisees?

Do they have a clear vision and growth plan?

Do they have a good, solid growth history?

How good is the induction and training program, especially if you are a novice in the product, service, and/or business?

How well developed are their management information systems?

Many franchisees get anxious that they are asking too many questions or alternatively ask the wrong questions that do not unearth if the franchisor is a quality system with a strong future. The only stupid question is the one never asked.

Most franchisors will ask you to submit a formal application form. Be wary of those who don’t; it’s a sign they don’t care about who becomes a franchisee or they may not fully understand franchising. Take your time with any application. Be honest and forthcoming with information, it’s not in your best interests to mislead anyone about your ability to operate or fund the franchise.

A constant recurring issue for prospective franchisees is supplying half-baked information to the franchisor, which makes it very difficult for any franchisor to make an informed decision as to your best interests. You may be asked to pay an application fee of some kind. Make sure you receive a receipt for the fee and a written acknowledgment that the amount is fully refundable until you sign a Franchise Agreement.

There are multiple sources of information that should all be cross-referenced and digested. The franchisor, bankers, accountants, solicitors, online searches, location visits, franchisee discussions are but a few of the readily available sources. There are a number of ranking systems or fastest 50-type lists around that need to be taken with a grain of salt. They are a starting point but ranking, in particular, is totally irrelevant to the decision-making process of the best franchisees. 

Rely on your own interpretation and get out and ask the questions directly as there is no substitute for first-hand learning when you are making a decision for the next five years of your life.

<p>Buying a franchise: where do I start? There’s an old saying in franchising: “Franchisors get the franchisees they deserve.” The reverse is also true, as many franchisees continue to make uninformed decisions or waive the requirement for legal advice. Buying&nbsp;a&nbsp;franchise&nbsp;can be tricky, and it is important to do your&nbsp;homework. There are many factors to consider before diving in. So, if you are serious about&nbsp;buying&nbsp;a franchise, make sure you arm yourself with all the&nbsp;facts&nbsp;before making your&nbsp;decision. There’s an old saying in franchising: “Franchisors get the franchisees they deserve.” The reverse is also true, as many franchisees continue to make uninformed decisions or waive the requirement for legal advice.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the face of 1200-plus franchise systems, variables of new or existing, mobile or retail, B2C or B2B, industry, and level of capital investment, prospective franchisees need to make a fully informed decision. This article is not intended to be an exhaustive list of 1+2+ 3 and you are franchising. But for anyone serious about buying a franchise, read on. For those contemplating an easy or passive investment, the best outcome is to consider alternative investment strategies.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>STEP ONE</strong></p>
<p><strong><br>
Set your limits</strong></p>
<p>Assuming you have an open mind on the particular type of business you would like to operate, the three key considerations when buying a franchise are:</p>
<ul>
  <li>What size of the investment can you afford?</li>
  <li>What are your criteria and areas of interest?</li>
  <li>Are you interested in a Greenfield or existing franchise?</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Tip</em></p>
<p>Here, the savvy franchisee will determine what they can afford and then commit to the limit. Just like the rules at an auction, set your limit, and stick to it. In any consideration of capital think about the investment capital and working capital and the latter is most often underestimated.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>STEP TWO</strong></p>
<p><strong><br>
Ask the right questions</strong></p>
<p>You must reduce your list of potential franchises down to a manageable level; say, three-to-five. Take a good look at the list. Do you really see yourself operating any of those businesses for a number of years?</p>
<p>Ask yourself these questions:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Does the business present well to you as a consumer?</li>
  <li>Do you understand the business?</li>
  <li>Have they proven their ability to secure quality locations or operate in multiple regions?</li>
  <li>Are our current franchisees profitable?</li>
  <li>Are they seen in the media and portrayed well?</li>
  <li>Are our current franchisees happy?</li>
  <li>What is the marketing and advertising program like?</li>
  <li>Do they have strong relationships with the banks?</li>
  <li>What is the quality of the management and leadership team?</li>
  <li>Do they have company-owned operations?</li>
  <li>Do they listen to and learn from their current franchisees?</li>
  <li>Do they have a clear vision and growth plan?</li>
  <li>Do they have a good, solid growth history?</li>
  <li>How good is the induction and training program, especially if you are a novice in the product, service, and/or business?</li>
  <li>How well developed are their management information systems?</li>
  <li>Do they have a quality management team?</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Tip</em></p>
<p>Many franchisees get anxious that they are asking too many questions or alternatively ask the wrong questions that do not unearth if the franchisor is a quality system with a strong future. The only stupid question is the one never asked.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>STEP THREE</strong></p>
<p><strong><br>
Make an application</strong></p>
<p>Most franchisors will ask you to submit a formal application form. Be wary of those who don’t; it’s a sign they don’t care about who becomes a franchisee or they may not fully understand franchising. Take your time with any application. Be honest and forthcoming with information, it’s not in your best interests to mislead anyone about your ability to operate or fund the franchise.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><em>Tip</em></p>
<p>A constant recurring issue for prospective franchisees is supplying half-baked information to the franchisor, which makes it very difficult for any franchisor to make an informed decision as to your best interests. You may be asked to pay an application fee of some kind. Make sure you receive a receipt for the fee and a written acknowledgment that the amount is fully refundable until you sign a Franchise Agreement.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>STEP FOUR</strong></p>
<p><strong><br>
Research, research and research more</strong></p>
<p>There are multiple sources of information that should all be cross-referenced and digested. The franchisor, bankers, accountants, solicitors, online searches, location visits, franchisee discussions are but a few of the readily available sources. There are a number of ranking systems or fastest 50-type lists around that need to be taken with a grain of salt. They are a starting point but ranking, in particular, is totally irrelevant to the decision-making process of the best franchisees.&nbsp;</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><em>Tip</em></p>
<p>Rely on your own interpretation and get out and ask the questions directly as there is no substitute for first-hand learning when you are making a decision for the next five years of your life.</p>

Buying a franchise: where do I start? If you are serious about buying a franchise, make sure you arm yourself with all the facts before making your decision.

4-step guide to buying a franchise

Few can say that life has never let them down. Maybe it’s a job layoff, the loss of a loved one, or just a general slump that has the gray clouds rolling in. Whatever the cause, at one point or another, all of us get depressed. But when feelings of sadness and hopelessness persist, understanding the melancholy – its nature, symptoms, and causes – is crucial to let the sunshine back through again. Here is a primer on what the blues may be doing to you. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), men and women may experience depression differently. Women tend to highlight feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and/or excessive guilt. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to acknowledge fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in activities, and problems sleeping. While more common in women, depression is experienced by people of all ages from childhood to mature adulthood. But according to NIMH, depression is not a normal part of aging and can improve with proper treatment at any stage of life.

Depression is a serious illness that affects both the mind and body. It is characterized by a sustained period – two weeks or more – of predominant sadness or loss of pleasure, or both. Depression goes beyond having “the blues” or a couple of bad days, says Josh Klapow, Ph.D., associate professor of health care organization and policy at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and co-author of Living SMART: Five Essential Skills to Change Your Health Habits Forever (DiaMedica, 2007). Depression is an illness, Klapow says, not a frame of mind someone can simply snap out of. Feeling down and being clinically depressed are distinct states of mental well-being, the latter requiring treatment for recovery. Without treatment, people suffering from depression can remain depressed for years. And even with treatment, some people will recover from depression only to eventually experience a relapse. However, most people can be helped with proper treatment. 

Depression affects nearly 20 million people, or 10% of Americans, annually. It is the most common complaint of people seeking counseling.

Helping to bring depression out of the shadows, more and more well-known figures are speaking publicly about their battle with the illness. Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide. 

1. Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or emptiness

3. Insomnia, early-morning awakening or oversleeping

6. Feelings of hopelessness and pessimism

7. Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, or excessive guilt

8. Loss of interest or pleasure in once enjoyable activities

9. Difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions

10. Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

The most serious type, the symptoms of major depression can interfere with a person’s ability to eat, work, sleep, and engage in activities that were once pleasurable. Depression doesn’t always manifest itself as sadness, however. People can also feel irritable, Klapow says. Or simply lose interest in doing anything for several weeks at a time. A clinical diagnosis of major depression would include at least six of the 10 symptoms listed previously. Although people may know something is wrong, they often don’t recognize the symptoms that signal major depression. If you lose interest in activities you once enjoyed, have problems concentrating and sleeping, and feel worn out – all changes from how you normally feel – it’s possible you are depressed.

A less severe form of depression, dysthymia is marked by chronic, mild-to-moderate symptoms that may not be disabling but persist for at least two years. Many people with dysthymia also experience major depression. 

Characterized by symptoms of depression during the winter months, season affective disorder occurs when there is less natural light. However, SAD typically lifts during spring and summer. Light therapy may improve symptoms of SAD in about half of those experiencing symptoms. Antidepressants and psychotherapy used alone or in combination with light therapy, can also help.

Also called manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder consists of both periods of depression and elevated moods known as mania. The illness is characterized by mood swings from severe highs to extreme lows. People who have not experienced the full cycle of both depression and mania may be mistakenly diagnosed as depressed. But bipolar disorder is distinct and requires different treatment than depression.

Women are twice as likely as men to experience major depression. Age, income, health, and traumatic life events all influence risk.

Research suggests that genetic and biological factors also affect a person’s risk of depression. Significant stress due to loss, trauma, and poor health can trigger an episode as well. Usually, a predisposing set of circumstances has engulfed a person’s life: moving, a new job, a big birthday, or the loss of a relative can all be stressful events that trigger depression. The risk increases, even more, when an individual has a poor support network, a family history of depression, and physical illness. The culmination of events, circumstances and biology can contribute greatly to the development of depression.

If you suspect you may be depressed, the first step is to see a doctor who can rule out any medical conditions that may be causing your symptoms. There is no blood test for depression. So you have to tell your doctor about your symptoms just as you would symptoms of any other medical problem. Tell him how you’re feeling, the same as you would about pain in your stomach. Fortunately, depression is highly treatable. According to Klapow, medication, and cognitive behavioral therapy, used separately or in combination, are the most effective treatments.

Antidepressants work to relieve depression by slowing down the removal of certain types of chemicals called neurotransmitters from your brain. Those chemicals – serotonin and norepinephrine – are associated with a sense of well-being and feeling good. Boosting their levels in a person who’s depressed can help elevate mood. You can also enhance your treatment and recovery by getting adequate exercise and sleep and eating a healthy diet. Reaching out to others for support and to simply cut through your sense of loneliness and isolation is also helpful.

<p>Few can say that life has never let them down. Maybe it’s a job layoff, the loss of a loved one, or just a general slump that has the gray clouds rolling in. Whatever the cause, at one point or another, all of us get depressed. But when feelings of sadness and hopelessness persist, understanding the melancholy – its nature, symptoms, and causes – is crucial to let the sunshine back through again. Here is a primer on what the blues may be doing to you. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), men and women may experience depression differently. Women tend to highlight feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and/or excessive guilt. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to acknowledge fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in activities, and problems sleeping. While more common in women, depression is experienced by people of all ages from childhood to mature adulthood. But according to NIMH, depression is not a normal part of aging and can improve with proper treatment at any stage of life.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>What is Depression?</strong></p>
<p>Depression is a serious illness that affects both the mind and body. It is characterized by a sustained period – two weeks or more – of predominant sadness or loss of pleasure, or both. Depression goes beyond having “the blues” or a couple of bad days, says Josh Klapow, Ph.D., associate professor of health care organization and policy at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and co-author of&nbsp;<em>Living SMART: Five Essential Skills to Change Your Health Habits Forever</em>&nbsp;(DiaMedica, 2007). Depression is an illness, Klapow says, not a frame of mind someone can simply snap out of. Feeling down and being clinically depressed are distinct states of mental well-being, the latter requiring treatment for recovery. Without treatment, people suffering from depression can remain depressed for years. And even with treatment, some people will recover from depression only to eventually experience a relapse. However, most people can be helped with proper treatment.&nbsp;</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>Prevalence</strong></p>
<p>Depression affects nearly 20 million people, or 10% of Americans, annually. It is the most common complaint of people seeking counseling.</p>
<p>Helping to bring depression out of the shadows, more and more well-known figures are speaking publicly about their battle with the illness. Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide.&nbsp;</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>10 Symptoms of Depression</strong></p>
<p>Common symptoms of depression include:</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>1. Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or emptiness</p>
<p>2. Decreased appetite and weight loss</p>
<p>3. Insomnia, early-morning awakening or oversleeping</p>
<p>4. Restlessness</p>
<p>5. Diminished energy and fatigue</p>
<p>6. Feelings of hopelessness and pessimism</p>
<p>7. Feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, or excessive guilt</p>
<p>8. Loss of interest or pleasure in once enjoyable activities</p>
<p>9. Difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions</p>
<p>10. Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>4 Types of Depression</strong></p>
<p><br></p>
<p>1.<em>&nbsp;Major depression</em></p>
<p>The most serious type, the symptoms of major depression can interfere with a person’s ability to eat, work, sleep, and engage in activities that were once pleasurable. Depression doesn’t always manifest itself as sadness, however. People can also feel irritable, Klapow says. Or simply lose interest in doing anything for several weeks at a time. A clinical diagnosis of major depression would include at least six of the 10 symptoms listed previously. Although people may know something is wrong, they often don’t recognize the symptoms that signal major depression. If you lose interest in activities you once enjoyed, have problems concentrating and sleeping, and feel worn out – all changes from how you normally feel – it’s possible you are depressed.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>2.&nbsp;<em>Dysthymia</em></p>
<p>A less severe form of depression, dysthymia is marked by chronic, mild-to-moderate symptoms that may not be disabling but persist for at least two years. Many people with dysthymia also experience major depression.&nbsp;</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>3.&nbsp;<em>Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)</em></p>
<p>Characterized by symptoms of depression during the winter months, season affective disorder occurs when there is less natural light. However, SAD typically lifts during spring and summer. Light therapy may improve symptoms of SAD in about half of those experiencing symptoms. Antidepressants and psychotherapy used alone or in combination with light therapy, can also help.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>4.&nbsp;<em>Bipolar disorder</em></p>
<p>Also called manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder consists of both periods of depression and elevated moods known as&nbsp;<em>mania</em>. The illness is characterized by mood swings from severe highs to extreme lows. People who have not experienced the full cycle of both depression and mania may be mistakenly diagnosed as depressed. But bipolar disorder is distinct and requires different treatment than depression.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>Risk factors</strong></p>
<p>Women are twice as likely as men to experience major depression. Age, income, health, and traumatic life events all influence risk.</p>
<p>Research suggests that genetic and biological factors also affect a person’s risk of depression. Significant stress due to loss, trauma, and poor health can trigger an episode as well. Usually, a predisposing set of circumstances has engulfed a person’s life: moving, a new job, a big birthday, or the loss of a relative can all be stressful events that trigger depression. The risk increases, even more, when an individual has a poor support network, a family history of depression, and physical illness. The culmination of events, circumstances and biology can contribute greatly to the development of depression.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>Getting Help</strong></p>
<p>If you suspect you may be depressed, the first step is to see a doctor who can rule out any medical conditions that may be causing your symptoms. There is no blood test for depression. So you have to tell your doctor about your symptoms just as you would symptoms of any other medical problem. Tell him how you’re feeling, the same as you would about pain in your stomach. Fortunately, depression is highly treatable. According to Klapow, medication, and cognitive behavioral therapy, used separately or in combination, are the most effective treatments.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><strong>Treatment Options</strong></p>
<p>Antidepressants work to relieve depression by slowing down the removal of certain types of chemicals called neurotransmitters from your brain. Those chemicals – serotonin and norepinephrine – are associated with a sense of well-being and feeling good. Boosting their levels in a person who’s depressed can help elevate mood. You can also enhance your treatment and recovery by getting adequate exercise and sleep and eating a healthy diet. Reaching out to others for support and to simply cut through your sense of loneliness and isolation is also helpful.</p>
<p><br></p>

Few can say that life has never let them down. Whatever the cause, at one point or another, all of us get depressed. It is not a standard and it can improve with proper treatment.

Depression: facts behind the blues

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