Tips Guides

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, many couples’ minds turn towards the 3Rs - Rest, Relaxation, and Romance. Nothing says romantic like a spa getaway. There’s no destination quite like a spa where you can enjoy pampering, privacy, and rejuvenation. Reconnect at one of these fabulous properties:

New York City spells and romance and the Spa at The Mandarin Oriental delivers couples into a soothing world. Entering the lobby of the hotel, couples are dazzled by the glass Dale Chihuly sculpture which dominates the space. Located on the 35th floor of the Time Warner Center, couples are welcomed to the Asian-inspired spa with a pair of slippers. From there, separate male and female Heat Experience” rooms offer relaxation in the large stone Jacuzzis with a rain forest shower to cool off in. Spring for the couples suite and pamper your loved one with a fireplace, great city views, and a Chinese bed for relaxing after your sumptuous treatments.

At the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, the One&Only Spa Palmilla in Los Cabos offers a serene sanctuary, which has drawn celebrities like John Travolta who held his 50th birthday bash here. Made up of six buildings and 13 spa villas, the spa resort is the ultimate in privacy and intimacy. Villas feature outdoor gardens/fountains and air-conditioned massage pavilions. For the ultimate pampering, reserve a deluxe One&Only sensory float bed for treatments and wraps. Hot- and cold-water pools, an outdoor Yoga Garden, and sauna and steam room are also included. Treatments at One&Only begin with a floral foot wash and end with a tea ceremony that includes fresh fruit.

Designed to accentuate the Low Country style, The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton, South Carolina, features room but comfy cottage rooms with fireplaces and porches, as well as views of the water. The spa, designed as an antebellum mansion, is graced with verandahs in each treatment room and some outdoor baths. Set beside serene waterways flowing through gardens and moss-laden oak trees, the spa helps couples achieve a peaceful state of mind, body and heart. The Lover’s Jubilee package is performed in a private room for two and features a lover’s bath with champagne and chocolate on the veranda. A head-to-toe massage sends couples to new levels of relaxation.

Quaint thatched-roof huts make up the spa village at Mauna Lani Spa at Mana Lani Resort in Big Island, Hawaii. Here, couples experience soothing mineral essential lava-themed treatments featuring sun-warmed outdoor Lava Sauna and an unparalleled aquatic lava watsu pool treatment. Couples may also indulge in a massage under a thatched-roof hut, as well as outdoor showers, surrounded by lush tropical landscaping.

One of Arizona’s most famous and intimate spas, the Royal Palms Resort & Spa in Phoenix embraces couples inside its winding paths, accentuated by a grove of orange trees and Mexican-style fountains. The Spanish Colonial-style resort was originally a 1929 mansion built as the winter home of a New York City financier in love with Spain. Spa Terrace Rooms offer canopied day beds that conceal a table so couples can receive treatments in their room. A deep soaking tub and steam shower await guests in the bathroom, while in the bedrooms, couples cozy up by the fireplace, or take in views of Camelback Mountain from the terrace. In addition to in-room treatments, the intimate eight-room Alvadora Spa is nothing but romantic. In the Aqua Dolce, the signature wet room suite, side-by-side Vichy Showers provide the inspiration for their Aqua Dolce Rituals.

Accessible only by boat or seaplane, Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in Little Torch Key, Florida, the resort offers only 28 private bungalows that look out to the sea. At the Spa Terre, couples take advantage of the specialized Indonesian treatments. The healing properties of flowers and spices are used liberally to enhance spa treatments such as the Javanese Royal Treatment, inspired from the palaces of Java. A Balinese massage is followed by an herbal exfoliation, cool yogurt splash and a fragrant shower. To complete the experience, guests sink into a traditional Japanese soaking tub prepared with rose petals and infused with fragrances.

Geologix Inc. manufactures products using a proprietary formula featuring 34 natural minerals contained in the ancient sea water from the famous Michigan Basin — a concentration of minerals higher than that found in any known body of water in the world. Mineral Essentials focuses on spa, skin care, and massage products to moisturize and provide anti-aging protection for great skin. Mineral Essentials, and Acheaway

Your life can be affected in many ways by having an unhealthy body because of poor eating habits and the lack of exercise. But can your love life be affected?

When a new relationship is started with that certain someone special, then you want it to last as long as possible. A healthy relationship needs to be established in order to achieve that. You will want to ensure that you have a healthy body and mind in order to have a well-built relationship with someone.

How can a relationship be made healthy? By having secure, self-esteem and confidence in yourself will result in a healthy mind, resulting in you being aware of what you want out of life. Self-determination can be achieved when having a healthy mind, which will help you to believe in yourself and undertake things yourself, not depending entirely upon your partner.

By having an unhealthy mind, you will have very little or no sense of worth or self-confidence. Communication becomes absent because you are in your own little world and only look to your partner for direction in your life, which will place a weight upon the shoulders of your partner.

A healthy body is when you take care of yourself. An effort is made to maintain a healthy weight and you take pride in your appearance. You don’t smoke or drink or undertake anything that would give grounds for damage to your body over a period of time.

On a regular basis you undertake exercise in order to keep your heart in a healthy condition and consume a sensible diet. You keep a positive attitude which makes your partner want to spend quality time with you.

You will certainly have an unhealthy body when you cannot be bothered to take care of yourself or your body. You let yourself go while smoking and drinking. Most of the time you consume junk food and your waist inflates.

You don’t undertake any form of exercise or do anything that would maintain a strong heart because you cannot be bothered and do not care about yourself. You have a bad mental attitude, which results in your relationship breaking up because your partner does not wish to spend any more time with you. After all, you can’t fault your partner. If you don’t care about yourself, then why should they?

A positive attitude can be acquired once your body and mind are in sync with each other. This will keep the line of communication with your partner fully open. This will allow you to listen to your partner which will help you to support them if they require. It is more likely that you will do whatever is necessary in order to keep your relationship solid.

Avoid setbacks at all times and take a stand on your physical and mental health. Do not allow setbacks to obliterate your state of mind or have an impact upon your health for the long term. Maintain a healthy body, mind and relationship.

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of My-Personal-Growth.com, a site that provides information and articles for self improvement and personal growth and development.

Strong positive relationships are essential to achieving our success - whether they are work relationships, family relationships or relationships with others in our communities. We’re in almost constant contact with others and we should make every contact an opportunity to strengthen our social skills and reinforce our relationships.

With that in mind, here are ten benefits for maintaining good long-term relationships:

1. Trust: Long-term relationships are based on trust. When we trust others, we are more relaxed, comfortable and willing to be ourselves without any pretenses or trying to maintain a facade of someone we’re not.

2. Acceptance: Once we experience trust with others, we can be honest about our weaknesses and shortcomings because we’re confident that we will be accepted for who we are, without judgment or criticism.

3. Support: Our lives go through many changes, some planned and some take us by surprise. In either case, they often take us out of our comfort zone and challenge us to grow and become more than we were before. Good, healthy relationships give us the support and encouragement we need to rise to new and different challenges.

4. A Kind Ear: Having someone who will listen non-judgmentally when you’re feeling down or frustrated and want to “vent” gives you the freedom to express yourself. Sometimes you just need to get something off your chest without feeling like you have to watch every word you say.

5. Understanding: When someone knows you well enough to understand where you’re “coming from” and instantly know the context in which you’re speaking, it’s easier to open up. Individuals in long-term relationships have a history of shared experiences that build a mutual understanding so they “get you” without a lot of explanation.

6. Someone to Call On When You Need a Hand: Everyone, from time to time, needs a hand from a friend, colleague, peer, or family member. This can be in the form of advice, a new job, or assistance with a particular project in which you need to call on another’s expertise.

7. Referrals and References: You can count on the people with whom you have a good relationship to give you a positive reference or referral - they’re more likely to be a good advocate for you and expound on your strengths and strong points.

8. Share and Celebrate: Celebrating with people who truly care about you and want celebrate with you when your life is going well, when you secured a promotion, or when bought your first house is a ton fun. Being acknowledged for your accomplishments is a rewarding experience and when you have good relationships, most want to be part of celebrating your success.

9. Reduced Stress: Sharing your life with friends and coworkers who you trust, who accept, understand and support you reduces stress because you have camaraderie and, therefore, less potential for interpersonal conflicts. Good relationships bring about the best in work teams and families by reducing the anxieties that cause stress and, at the same time, good relationships cultivate a sense of well-being and emotional security.

10. Happiness and Satisfaction: Having good relationships mean that there’s a mutual like for one another. Being around people you like and who like you create situations that are harmonious, supportive, and well, happy. You have an overall feeling of satisfaction in your life - be it at work, at home, or in your community.

Now, here are ten benefits others will receive from having a good relationship with you:

1. Trust
2. Acceptance
3. Support
4. A Kind Ear
5. Understanding
6. Someone to Call On When You Need a Hand
7. Referrals and References
8. Share and Celebrate
9. Reduce Stress
10. Happiness and Satisfaction

Did you notice that the list was exactly the same?

The strongest and best relationships are made when all parties give and receive. If you want these ten benefits for yourself, you have to give them to others.

Too often we look at relationships with a “what-do-I-get-out-of-this?” perspective. That’s not how good relationships work. It’s about give and take.

Think about what you want out of a relationship, then give it. You’ll be surprised at how much better your relationships become!

Laurie Wilhelm is the author of the Express Yourself to Success. This eBook and website are designed to help you achieve success more quickly by using strong verbal communications skills. Achieve your success by working with others through improved social and interpersonal skills, public speaking, networking, negotiation, and conflict resolution. Find out how you can give your career a boost by going to www.expressyourselftosuccess.com.

Do you find yourself suddenly single and haunted by the prospect of having to face the dating scene once more? Not only may you be lacking in self esteem and self worth but the idea of even meeting someone let alone becoming intimate with another person has you reeling inside. Self doubt and questions will fill your thoughts - am I good enough, am I attractive enough, is my body too fat, what will I talk about, will I bore them? And the list could go on.

You will certainly feel out of place if you have been out of the dating game for any length of time, and you will find that new people and new situations will arise. The dating game may be considered uneasy at any stage in our lives, yet is often more difficult as we get older. Why is this so?

Firstly, the fact that we have spent so much time with one person has allowed us to settle into a comfort zone. This state, although perhaps not as comfortable as it sounds, has protected us in many ways due to familiarity, but the time has come to break down the walls and see what it is like on the outside.

Secondly, due to our maturity, we may behave more defensively rather than offensively. Divorce, relationship breakdowns or the loss of a partner have more than likely left us emotionally raw and protection of ourselves is now tantamount. We do not want to be placed in a position of more emotional duress or pain.

Admittedly the prospect of dating will prove scary, but more than likely has the benefit of excitement, and this excitement is necessary if we wish to have fulfillment in our lives. And what about love? We all want a just a little bit or preferably a whole lot of love in our lives, and if we are to find it, we must be prepared to take risks. Being aware that finding love will entail taking risks, becoming more adventurous and developing our confidence but knowing that there will be both good and bad times will enable us to find the courage to join the game again.

If we are to survive this so called game of dating, what must we do?

1. Decide what is important to you or what your priorities are. Is it friendship, companionship, romance, love or lust that you want? Do you simply want to meet new people, have a good time or are you looking for a relationship? Know what you want so that you send out the right signals. Your body language and attitude will go a long way in letting others know what you want, and how they will in turn respond toward you.

2. Be open-minded. You have forgotten what it is like to be in love and sadly crazy mistakes come easily in the name of love. Keep your feet on the ground and take care that you don’t allow your heart to be broken too early in the game.

3. Understand that the first date is always the hardest. If he calls back, great, and if he doesn’t then know it’s okay. You don’t want to be tied down to someone who may not be interested. You deserve so much more than that.

4. Don’t tie yourself down to just one person. Play the field and take this time to explore and discover exactly you are looking for. This will enable you to be more selective and choose someone because you want to not because you need to have just anyone in your life.

5. Listen to your heart and also use common sense. Often the opinion of others do not serve you well, so take care not to allow anyone to tell you what you should do. Regardless of your age, whether you are in your thirties, forties or even your sixties and seventies, love is something everyone seeks, and know that you are worthy of discovering and nurturing that love.

When it comes to meeting someone new be open to the channels of love. Once you allow yourself to meet that special someone, you will find that your life will step up where it previously seemed to fall apart and you may have your happy ending after all. The only thing about happy endings is that they normally don’t find you, you have to find them.

Perhaps the grass is greener on the other side. Stand tall, be confident and discover the courage to find out. You deserve it, after all.

Danette Hibberd
Wellness Coach
NLP Practitioner
Author-Fabulous Beyond Forty Book Series
http://www.fabat40.com
Visit fabat40.com for free resources to assist you on your journey to discover how to find the goddess in you.

It is really surprising that we sometimes fail to find the person of our dreams in the area we live in. Our search for that special person often takes us to new places, new cultures, and even new people. Your quest for that special friendship can lead you to contacting Romanian girls, and if you seem compatible with each other, you might even find happiness together.

At the outset, however, you should not go too far. Contacting someone over the internet has its own inherent risks. You could even end up choosing the wrong person and wasting your time and effort on her.

Now, there are people, who believe in destiny, and those, who make their own destiny. If you cannot manage to find a date in your area, it might just be that you are leaving too much in the hands of fate. Some would go so far as to suggest that you are not aware of what you need to do to find a girlfriend.

Let us take a look at the things you ought to do to contact Romanian girls and to gain their friendship. Now, this is not a step by step, do it yourself guide to the heart of Romanian women. But we can give you some useful hints. The first thing to remember is that when you contact a girl with an interesting profile, you should be open to the possibility that she may refuse you. Do not be hurt by such refusal. It is not the end of the world; all you need to do is just to move on. It has been said that when you can take refusal in your stride, you are halfway on the way to become a winner.

Getting used to being refused is a great thing to happen to you in your quest for online friendships. For one thing, you learn that you have nothing to lose. Therefore, you are not overly stressed or anxious when you contact a girl, however pretty or accomplished she might be. Also, you are not liable to be distressed by any further refusals.

Romanian girls, in general, are quite educated. They can be quite accomplished at conversation, even to the extent of controlling an exchange. They can also dominate men psychologically, so you need to be careful not to get emotionally overwhelmed by them.

They are also likely to resort to the old feminine trick of telling you the opposite of what they think, just to test you and to find out if you are the man they are looking for. They also want to see if you are persistent enough to keep on trying after the first refusal.

You have to remember that most Romanian girls, who enter a dating site, are doing so not to find a relationship, but are just looking for some fun. A bit of harmless online flirting and a good laugh at the flattering replies from would-be dates is what they are actually looking for.

One tip that might come in handy when you enter a Romanian dating site would be to assume a catchy and funny nickname. Once you can grab the attention of a Romanian girl, you can use all your charm and persuasive skills to transform a fun relationship into a long lasting one, even marriage some day.

Romanian women are known to be amongst the most gorgeous, chic, immaculately dressed, well read & family orientated women on earth. Don’t even think about searching for a Romanian bride, until you have read our hard hitting and honest reviews of the best Romanian dating web sites. Don’t get scammed. Visit us now.

The brave, new online world offers many ways to reconnect with friends and make new ones with social networking sites. Sites like MySpace and Facebook continue to skyrocket in popularity, and many newer sites are just under the radar.

In the past, dating has long been limited to who you could meet at school, work, or through friends. Online profiles offer pictures, personal information, and user-posted blogs, so site browsers can seek out ideal candidates for dating based on both their looks and their personality. Messaging, comments and other site-based interactions give people a chance to get to know each other online before meeting in the real world.

Photos give users a chance to share their new styles as well as pictures of their friends and big life events with everyone in their online social circle. The user’s friends can then make picture comments, feeding an ever-increasing appetite for attention among young users. Some sites allow users to make their profiles or pictures private, so only other members on their friend list can view them. This is often automatically enforced for members under 18 years old for their protection.

Video sharing is also available. Members can post funny or entertaining videos they have taken themselves, or even videos they find elsewhere on the web, to amuse their friends.

Blogging is the new megaphone for those with something to say. Personal experiences, gripes, commentary, or creative writing can be showcased on a member’s profile. Other users comment on the entries and subscribe to their friends’ blogs, allowing them to be notified when the friend posts a new blog.

Bored at school or work? Many sites offer quizzes and surveys to pass the time. Take the surveys and pass them onto friends to share personal trivia. Some sites post popular quizzes every day.

When members list their interests on their profile, it is inevitable music will show up 9 times out of ten. Music labels work with bands and artists on social networking sites to expand marketing. Bands can post new music, videos, and let their fans know when they will be touring.

Most social networking sites on the internet have all these same basic offerings. So what makes one more popular than another? Different sites have caught fire around the world at different times, and it seems that the main influence is social mobilization. Are your friends doing it?

Some new sites like SocialSplash are now offering incentives and free gifts to get new recruits. This is one way to pull members from the major sites where the bigger social networking atmospheres are too crowded. With smaller sites, members feel that the network is more personalized and less overpopulated.

More specialty sites are being created than ever before, aiming at both younger and older audiences. As more social networking sites continue to appear, it will be interesting to see how the change the nature of everyday communication. Will Myspace replace the phone? Probably not. But with technology serving a much bigger role in society than ever before, social networking sites are sure to be a big part of twenty-first century life.

Audi Kowalski
Founder of SocialSplash.com
E-mail: admin@socialsplash.com
Press: http://www.socialsplash.com/press/