Tips for Planning a Road Trip

Road trips are a true American pastime. Grab someone you enjoy spending a LOT of time with and hop in the car. With just a little planning, you can have fun and still be spontaneous.

First thing to shop for is a current road atlas. Of course a GPS is good to have, but keep the maps as a backup. You can use Google Maps to plan your route and have a couple alternate routes in mind.

Go shopping for snacks and drinks for the car. Save some food money by eating a complimentary breakfast at your hotel. Plan to stop at a quick, fast-food place for lunch. Save your food money for a nice dinner spot at your destination later that night.

Fill your iPod with good driving music. Look for a few radio phone applications that are available. Also try some books-on-cd for a change of pace from the radio. Make sure your cellphone has internet access. Bring a pre-paid phone card as backup for those remote areas with no cell service.

Estimate gas charges and plan daily food allowance and spending money. If you are on a tight budget, it's important to keep your daily expenses organized and set aside, so you don't run out of money before the trip is over. And keep a credit card free for any emergency car repairs. Get an oil change and other necessary maintenance on the car before leaving. Roadside assistance membership is important too. Make sure your spare tire is in good condition. And don't wait till the last minute to fill up on gas. Keep an eye on your meter and for any road signs that say "last gas station for 30 miles".

Loosely plan your hotel and sight-seeing stops. Research some good tourist spots that are off the beaten path. Depending on traffic, tourist stops and other factors, you may change your hotel locations as the trip progresses. Check with your Facebook network for great tourist stops or even a place to stay. Seems like we have such a widespread network of friends nowadays. You never know if a friend has a friend with a guest room in the town you are passing through.

Be flexible on your trip. Sometimes the best road trip stops are unplanned, like seeing a sign on the side of the highway for the coolest place ever! Go with the flow.

Tips For Staying Motivated

Motivation is an ongoing process that should include every facet of your life. It only takes a little concentrated effort to keep motivated and productive, which can lead to success. There will always be obstacles in reaching our goals and everyone needs a little help maintaining direction.

Have a positive attitude. We are responsible for our own actions and attitudes. When you're around people and things that are uplifting and positive, you feel that way. You have more confidence in yourself, and know you can change whatever needs improving.

Create positive affirmations. The reason for writing goals for your business is the same reason for creating positive affirmations on paper. What you see and hear, your mind will believe. After you've written them down, read them aloud to yourself - and do it every morning. You'll be amazed at what happens. Come up with a set of new affirmations every month. Statements such as, "I'm an important and valuable person," or "I know I'll make good use of my time today." Repeating them out loud everyday at a set time will help reinforce positive actions.

Take time for yourself. Constantly working can make you feel burned out. It's necessary to take time for yourself in order to recharge and keep the creative juices flowing. Take 15 minutes a day to read from a good book. Set aside 2 hours a week to go to a movie or museum. Remind yourself of the reasons why you are working so hard in the first place - to have more time freedom to do what you want.

Keep your "Reason Why" always in view. Put up pictures of your kids close to your computer to remind you of why you are working so hard. Or even the obstacles getting in your way. They should be a reminder of why you don't give up. Don't file your credit card bills away. Keep them hanging in your office as a reminder of your goal to pay them off. If there is someone in your life that isn't supportive, then put up that negative email or picture near your desk. Remember, success is the best revenge.

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Journaling - Techniques for Creativity and Self-Improvement

Whether you're a writer looking to free up some creativity or just looking for an outlet for emotions, journaling is an important step toward self-empowerment. Your journal is your new best friend. Use it as often as you wish when you're experiencing gratitude, sadness, joy or success.

When I look back at my earlier journals, I see a lot of complaining, a lot of negative thoughts, and a lot of "I wish...". Don't hold those emotions in. You have to get it out somehow! You will find that your written thoughts will turn into positive words over time.

Gratitude Journal
Something I find very effective in starting a day off great is writing about what I'm grateful for. What's better than starting a day with being thankful for the day ahead? It doesn't take very long to write a few sentences about the positive things. Start every entry with "I'm happy and grateful for...". Be grateful for the amazing partner you have in your life. Be grateful for the wonderful house you live in. Be grateful for the productive workday you intend to have. It's up to you. Create your day.

Morning Pages
I love this journaling technique from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. The key thing is to pick up the journal when you first wake up in the morning, before doing anything. Come out of your sleep-induced coma and start your stream of consciousness writing. Write about your dreams, your plans for the day, whatever has been filling your mind as you slept.

Letters Not Sent
Another useful way to journal is by writing a letter to someone with no intention of sending. It could be a letter to someone who has passed on. Or to someone for whom you still have hurt feelings, that you wish to let go. Writing about the emotions you're feeling is a great cathartic release.

Journaling can help solve problems. If you have a tough decision to make, write down all of the pros and cons to help make the right decision. It's also great to help clarify your goals. Writing down short-term and long-term goals is a great first step toward attaining those goals. If you are clear on what you want, you will be closer to achieving it.

Happiness Today - Easy Ways to Find Joy and Happiness Naturally

There are many ways to bring joy into your life naturally, without spending money on therapy or prescription drugs. Look for ways to be happy through your experiences, instead of material things. Here are a few life changes you can make now to brighten up your days.

Sunshine
Sunshine is the best way to get your daily amount of Vitamin D. A lack of Vitamin D is linked with depression. 15 minutes a day is all it takes. If you live in a cloudy part of the world, a natural sunlamp is effective too.

What are you listening to?
Music is an important part of life. It doesn't matter what genre of music you listen to -- if it makes you happy, you need to make it a part of your daily life. Turn up the volume while you are cleaning the house or listening to the iPod on the way to work. I also like personal development audiobooks. Look in the bookstore in the Self-Help section for authors such as Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer and Louise Hay.

Media Overload
Step away from the Blackberry! Set specific times throughout the day to check email. Morning, afternoon and evening works best. Turn off the notifications. How much news do you watch or read on a daily basis? Try going on a news fast. Limit how much news you are exposed to everyday. And one more suggestion:  turn off the computer at least 2 hours before going to sleep.

Meditation
Create an alter as a sanctuary with objects that make you happy. Pictures of loved ones, a souvenir from a fun trip, religious symbols. Meditation takes practice and there is no immediate or calculated result. In my own words, meditation is about sitting down and shutting up. Yes, your first few attempts at silence won't be successful. Your mind will be flurrying with what's for dinner and what you forgot to put on the to-do list. But maybe that's the point. Sit down and listen to the sounds around you. Be present. The more you practice meditation, the more peaceful it will seem. There are many different types of meditation. Find one that works for you and that you feel comfortable with.

Positive People Energy
Who are you spending time with? Limit time with friends or family that consume your energy or give off negative energy. Find friends that inspire you, make you laugh and have positive energy. Make them an important part of your life.

Laughter is the Best Medicine
Now I know this may seem silly, but if you're reading this article, then you need to bring some more silliness into your life. Rent a season of the TV show Will and Grace. Or choose another favorite sitcom. Purchase a couple of DVD sets and pull them out whenever you need a pick-me-up.

5 Steps to Becoming a Professional Actor

So you want to be an Actor? Here are some basic steps to take to become a Professional Actor. With a little hard work and determination, you can turn a hobby into a profession.

Classes
Start out by looking for an Acting Technique class. Even if you think you have natural talent, there is still something to be learned and it's necessary for your resume. Every teacher has their own style, so compare classes and find one that's right for you. Next, find a Scene Study class. You will learn about working with other people, auditioning and creating a character. You will also learn more about what your "type" is. Your personality will help you define your "type" and what role you would be most cast in. Whether you are a leading man type or character type, this will help you find roles to audition for. If you have troubles finding a class right away, check out Book on Acting to start your training.

Audition Preparation
It's a good idea to have a monologue ready, especially for theater auditions. If you are auditioning strictly for film and TV, you won't need one very often, but you never know when an agent will want to see one. Have one comedic and one dramatic monologue memorized and practiced. Cold Reading is another audition skill to work on. There are classes on this technique, but you can also improve your cold reading skills by practicing and auditioning more often.

Headshots
A good headshot is your calling card. You will need one for every audition. Shop around a few headshot photographers to see different styles. Have a dramatic shot and one with a great smile. And try a few different outfits, such as casual, business-casual and professional. Have quality reproductions done at a professional photo studio.

Experience
Once you have pictures and a couple classes down on your resume, you will want to get some experience to add to your resume and also to create a demo reel of your work. Craigslist is great for student film auditions and indie films that won't pay much, but necessary for building experience and a network of contacts in the business. Add each finished project to your resume. Make sure to get a finished copy of your work on CD or DVD in order to create your demo reel. This is helpful in finding an agent and also for getting more work. Online casting websites are used by all the major Casting Directors. Get an account with one or all of these main casting websites - Actors Access, Nowcasting and Casting Networks.

Marketing
Treat the Entertainment Business like any other business. Marketing is very important to an Actor. You are your own Marketing, Sales and Public Relations Department. In addition to submitting for auditions, you must send out regular mailings of your headshot with updates on your career. Keep the Casting Directors and Agents interested and they will call you into their office.

Do your research! Just like any career, training and education is important. There are many great how-to books for the Acting Business at any level. In addition to talent and skill, a long acting career requires patience, determination and faith. Enjoy the journey and stay positive!