9 Federal Job Search Tips That'll Help You Land That Government Job

Landing a federal job can be an overwhelming—and often frustrating—process. But there’s no place to make a difference for our country quite like the government, which touches all aspects of our lives, from the air we breathe to the food we eat to homeland security to helping the homeless.

As the nation’s largest employer with about two million civilian workers, the government is seeking to fill thousands of positions at any given time, and these federal jobs match almost every set of skills and interest. In the last fiscal year, the government hired nearly 92,000 full-time permanent employees, and these jobs were located in all 50 states and overseas, not just in Washington, DC.

If you’re not clear on the type of job you want or don’t know how to navigate the system, it can be easy to get lost in a maze of agency websites and swallowed by the number of open federal job announcements. On the flipside, if you understand the process and know what you’re looking for, you can focus your efforts on specific careers based on federal employee salary search or different agencies, and increase your chances of success.

Here are nine tips to improve your odds of landing a federal job:

1. Bookmark the Best Federal Job Search Websites

First things first, go to USAJOBS.gov. Almost all federal job openings are listed there, along with the details about duties, minimum qualifications, basic benefits, and application instructions. Peruse agency and professional field pages on the site to find positions in your area of interest and to learn the level of experience required, the salary range, and the location.

Remember, while USAJOBS.gov is full of information, you’ll still want to check individual agency websites for more information on the work and missions of federal organizations.



2. Choose Positions You’re Qualified For

The qualifications listed in the job announcement provide important insights into the background, training, and experience the agency seeks. While it may be worth applying for a job you’re not entirely qualified for in other industries, in the federal government you must meet all of the qualifications and eligibility requirements.



3. Remember That Veterans Get a Preference

If you’ve been in the military, you’re entitled to a veterans’ preference. This does not guarantee that you’ll get the job, but it gives those who have served a distinct advantage over similarly qualified non-veterans. To qualify, a veteran must have documentation of a general or honorable discharge from active duty service. Nearly one-third of the federal government’s new hires in fiscal 2014 were veterans.



4. Apply Immediately Following Your Return From Peace Corps or AmeriCorps VISTA

One of the best kept secrets in the federal recruiting and hiring process is that returned Peace Corps volunteers as well as AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers have a special preference. Agencies can interview and select qualified former volunteers on the spot without ever posting the position on USAJOBS.gov or engaging in other steps that are part of the normal and often slow and competitive hiring process. This preference is available for the year following your successful completion of service.



5. Dot All of the “Is” and Cross All The “Ts”

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. (No exceptions!) It’s critical that you completely fill out the online job application and questionnaires and supply transcripts, letters of recommendation, writing samples, and a resume per the job requirements.

Most importantly, submit your application on time. Agencies will absolutely not accept late applications .



6. Prepare a Multi-Page Resume

Summarizing your work history in a one-page document is the way to go for a typical job application, but a federal resume should be more detailed and run two to five pages. It should follow a similar style to a traditional resume, but it needs to go into more depth. You must elaborate on the duties of your former jobs, your accomplishments, and the relevant skills that you bring to the table, including experiences you have had outside the workplace. (More on that here .) Also be prepared to provide salary history and references.



7. Tailor Your Resume for Each Job

Rather than submit the same resume for every federal position, craft new ones to match your experiences to the specific requirements outlined in separate job announcements. Most importantly, sprinkle keywords and phrases used in the job description into your resume to emphasize that you meet the criteria.

Hint: The same use of keywords should be also included when answering online application questions. And by all means, don’t be modest! You need to give the agency representative a reason to pull your resume out of that huge pile and make you one of the top candidates.



8. Be Patient, But Persistent

The federal hiring process can be slow and full of hurdles. In short, applying for a federal job and getting an answer takes time. Some agencies are better than others, and a number have special hiring flexibilities for critical positions that allow them to go outside the normal process and make quicker decisions. But in truth, applying for a federal job requires patience and persistence, and you may be competing against hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants.

You can track the status of your application by logging into your USAJOBS.gov account or from within the agency system that you used to submit the application. If there is radio silence for several weeks after the job submission period has closed, email the contact person listed on the job announcement. Following up by phone is okay, too. You may not always get a response, but it’s worth trying to determine the state of play.



9. Bring Your “A” Interview Game

If you’re called in for an interview, you’re on a short list of those being seriously considered. However, you still may be among a dozen folks who are vying for one slot. Interviews are the time to sell yourself and set yourself apart.

And discussing your specific qualifications is only one piece of the puzzle. It can’t be stressed enough: Hiring managers want to see that you’re committed to the agency’s mission. You should prepare a short speech explaining why you would be a perfect choice based on your specific skills and experiences.

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5 Free Ways to Become a Better Actor

So many young actors I encounter are desperate to “break in.” They seem to believe that if they can just land an agent or meet some casting director, their careers will be launched. Sometimes, that is true. But sometimes, young artists force these doors open before their skill level is where it should be. What they fail to understand is that the best way to compete in a highly competitive business is to bring something genuinely unique to the table. What grabs the attention of potential employers is an actor who’s full of ideas and in command of their talent. That maturity can exist in an actor of any age, if they are present and alive in the room. Acting class is a great start, but here are a few other easy, fun, and free things we can all do to become better artists.

1. Pay attention. Yes, acting is an internal process. It requires us to probe around inside ourselves, but we also must become good observers of human nature. If we want to act truthfully, we need to take a look at how people actually operate. Watch strangers. Talk to strangers. Ask family members to tell you their story. Find out a little about your coworkers. Embrace any eccentrics that come across your path. You will be shocked at how much this kind of research and observation will come in handy in your work.

2. Read. Each year we spend more and more time reading bite-sized bits of information on electronic screens. Nowadays, the concept of reading anything longer than a tweet seems unbearable. Believe it or not, reading uses the same part of your brain that you use to act. It engages your imagination and draws you into a carefully crafted and emotionally dense world filled with keen observations about human behavior. What actor in their right mind wouldn’t want to know more about that? Get a library card. Read as much as you can. Fiction. History. Biographies. Notice how it affects your acting.

3. Listen. And I’m not just talking about listening to your scene partner. The world is full of music. It is full of sound. It is full of information. Take off your headphones and listen. What do you hear? What thoughts, images, and emotions do these sounds create in you? Turn your car radio to a station you would normally never listen to. How does that music affect you? Tune in the news station. How do the latest headlines make you feel? Happy? Sad? Anxious? Angry? Listen, notice, and be affected by what you are experiencing. Deepen the well.

4. Become a fan. Netflix is one of the best acting schools on the planet. Watch all the performances of actors that you love. If some particular scene blows you away, rewind it and watch it again. Ask yourself some crucial questions. What made that scene so brilliant? What action was the actor playing? What made the scene so moving, funny, or terrifying? Learn from the best!

5. Live a little. Acting – or the pursuit of acting – can easily consume your entire life. Don’t let it. Go out and have some fun. Experience nature. Travel when you can. Volunteer. Have a romance. Find a hobby. Step away from the world of agents and casting directors and live like a civilian for at least a little while every day. Live your life so when you do book an acting job, you’ll be able to bring a little of that “life” into your work.

The best way to stand out in a ridiculously overcrowded field is bring your whole self into the game. This comes from simply observing and absorbing meaningful experiences and then recreating them in the room (and hopefully again in front of the camera). With all due respect to the many great acting teachers out there, life is best acting instructor in the world. In wise words of that ancient Greek drama-lover, Socrates, “Know thyself.”

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10 Ways To Make Your Life Better, Starting Today

The world is full of opportunities, but sometimes too much thinking can get in the way. Changing your life for the better is about picking a destination and taking one step at a time to get there. If you try to take shortcuts, you may actually end up making your journey longer and more arduous. Getting serious about making improvements is a great start, and taking action is the next important step.

Here, then, are 10 tips to help you start improving your life:

Be grateful for what you have. When you stop to remember what you have instead of worrying about what you may not be getting, it changes your perspective for the better.

Start your day the night before. The most successful people I know end their workday by making a list of what they have to do the following day or two ahead. This allows the subconscious to work on things while you sleep.

Be ready to grow up. Adults have the ability to learn to delay gratification, but we also have a choice as to how to behave when things don’t go our way. If you remember to take the high road, you’ll end up where you want to be.

Drop the attitude. If you think the world owes you a living, you might want to reevaluate your position. It is quite possible that, by feeling entitled, you are pushing away things and people you might like.

Don’t ignore your emotions, but remember that feelings aren’t facts. Emotions need to be honored—they don’t have to be justified—but just because you have a feeling doesn’t mean that you are right.

Watch out for negative thinking. Sometimes we get into negative feedback loops and don’t even know it. If thoughts of being helpless and hopeless continue to enter your mind, you might just need to take a nap or perhaps talk with someone who can help.

Set up and stick to a routine. We are creatures of habit; and good habits, such as getting regular exercise, make us feel better. Maintaining good habits also helps us feel that we have some control over our lives. Just do it.

Drop your resentments. We all have them. Whether they are toward our parents, partners, or peers, resentments take up too much psychic space to allow us to function properly. By choosing to drop them, you will make your life much lighter. But the hardest part is making the decision to let your resentments go.

Know who you really are, and learn to honor yourself. We all fake it from time to time and once in a while, this can be a good thing, but never compromise your personal values and always strive to be your best self.

Enjoy a part of every day. Look for those little bright moments that happen all the time but that we often fail to recognize. Make a point of seeing some good in every day, and you will change your life.

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The Top 10 Ways to Improve Safety Management

Safety management can be a touchy topic. Disagreements abound: Should companies go the route of behavior-based safety, or follow a systems approach? Should safety be management-driven or employee-driven? What metrics should be used to assess the safety process?

We recently spoke to a number of experts in the occupational safety and health field. Though some of their recommendations seem at odds with each other and they approach safety from different perspectives, two themes reverberated throughout the comments. The first was the need for safety leadership, not just safety management. The second was the need to incorporate safety into the organizational structure of the business and not treat it as a separate function.

Here is what they had to say:

1) Recognize the difference between managing and leading Tom Krause, Ph.D., CEO of Behavioral Science Technology Inc.

Krause, who along with John Hidley, M.D., pioneered the application of behavioral science methods to safety with Behavioral Advanced Performance Process (BAPP) technology, says organizations can improve safety management by recognizing the difference between managing and leading, and should place more emphasis on leading. "By managing, organizations make things happen. It's a linear, practical function," says Krause. "By leading, organizations show employees why safety matters, why they should be motivated to get behind it and want to do it."

He has found that most companies are very strong on the managing side. They know how to make things happen. On the leading side, however, "there are usually significant opportunities" for improvement, says Krause.


"It is so pivotal to understand the difference between managing and leading, especially at the senior level," says Krause. "If senior leadership gets it right, then the culture will change. If senior management doesn't get it right, then everything else is like swimming upstream. It's a struggle."

2) Integrate all aspects of the safety "program" into a single comprehensive management system Richard Fulwiler, Sc.D., CIH, president, Technology Leadership Associates

After retiring as global director of health and safety for Procter & Gamble with 28 years of service, Fulwiler became president of Technology Leadership Associates, which specializes in increasing individual effectiveness and improving organizational capacity in the safety area. He advises, "Don't have a number of stand-alone programs such as lockout/tagout, job safety analysis, behavior-based safety, confined space entry, etc. Instead, be sure that all elements of the safety program are integrated into a single management system that is owned by line management."

Fulwiler suggests developing and deploying a "before-the-fact" metric for measuring safety performance that leads to predictable and desired results. "In other words, focus on a system that prevents problems versus just solving problems, much the way fire prevention (before the fact) is superior to fire fighting (after the fact)," he says.

3) "POLICE" your safety program James "Skipper" Kendrick, CSP, president, American Society of Safety Engineers and manager, Industrial Safety & Hygiene, Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

"Management does not need to do anything special to improve the integration of occupational safety, health and the environment into the business realm," says Kendrick. "Safety needs to be managed at the same degree as every other aspect of business. The same amount of management skill and effort needs to be applied to safety as with quality, cost, schedule, production, etc."


He suggests using the acronym POLICE Plan, Organize, Lead, Inspect, Correct, Evaluate to focus on safety management.

He offers this description of POLICE:

Plan "Plan for safety, health and the environment (SH&E) in everything you do."

Organize "Organize so that SH&E is an equal player with all other business entities."

Lead "Lead by example, walk the talk. As one executive said to me recently, 'If you want to know my position on safety, watch my shoes.'"

Inspect/Investigate "Look for hazards and press for a timely corrective action. Investigate why the conditions exist, look for root cause and again drive for mistake-proof solutions."

Correct/Coach/Commend "Correct items/situations found in a timely manner. Actively coach for safe performance. Commend safe activity and performance."

Evaluate "How is the system/program functioning? Evaluate, develop solutions and press for continued improvement."

4) Integrate safety into the processes of the business Donald J. Eckenfelder, CSP. P.E., principal consultant, Profit Protection Consultants

"Don't have anything beginning with the word 'safety'," counsels Eckenfelder, author of Values-Driven Safety. "Don't have safety meetings, safety processes, safety committees." In other words, have production meetings, manufacturing processes and work committees, because otherwise, "you isolate safety and when it's treated separately, it tends to be subordinated," he says.

Eckenfelder, a past president of the American Society of Safety Engineers, says one characteristic shared by companies that have world-class safety is "they tend not to have safety professionals or safety meetings. Those are integrated into the business process. The outcome is that the responsibility for safety is shared by everyone."

Those companies also care as much about employees' off-the-job safety as on-the-job safety, and they focus on the process, rather than the numbers. "If you ask someone at a company with world-class safety about accident and injury rates, often, they can't answer you because they don't know," says Eckenfelder. "But they can speak to you at length about the integration of safety into the business."


5) Identify clients and internal customers who see value in your services and make those customers your boss Larry Hansen, CSP, ARM, principal of L2H Speaking of Safety Inc., and Dan Zahlis, president of Emprise Inc.

No one will accuse Hansen or Zahlis of being shrinking violets when it comes to their opinions about safety management. Noting that almost 80 percent of safety professionals polled in a recent readers' survey indicated they're dissatisfied with their jobs, they pointed out: "What is buried in these statistics... is that safety professionals complain they aren't supported, aren't listened to, and haven't received their due respect from senior management. Yet, in the next breath, they openly acknowledge that they haven't expanded their knowledge base, explored new strategies, dug-in their heels of conviction, and are fearful of 'pushing back' in their organizations. They simply accept their plight and rationalize their boss's view of them as window dressing, or a necessary expense (for now), and then have the nerve to claim they're underpaid!"

Hansen, the creator/author of "The Architecture of Safety Excellence" and author of ROC Your Organization: Fifty-Two Ways to Instigate Radical Organizational Change for Safety Excellence, and Zahlis the creator of "Active Agenda," a Web-enabled automated risk management data technology, and author of The Hidden Agenda and CAUTION: Beware OSHA Statistics recommend those 80 percent of safety professionals who are dissatisfied with their jobs "identify those clients and/or internal customers that see value in your services, and concentrate your time and energy on them. Do so, even if your boss gets pissed... and do so even more if it gets you fired. Make your customers your boss, rather than the Accounting Department, corporate rules trolls or the corpse that signs your paycheck (it's likely a rubber stamp anyway)."

6) Don't make safety a "priority" Michael S. Deak, corporate director, Safety and Health, Compliance Process Safety and Fire Prevention, E. I. DuPont De Nemours & Co.

World-class safety performance and safety management requires leadership from the CEO and every other employee, says Deak, who celebrates his 40th anniversary at DuPont in May 2004.

"At DuPont, safety is a core business and organizational value. Don't talk about safety as a priority," Deak counsels. "Think back to Sept. 11, 2001. The priorities of most organizations changed. At DuPont, our business priorities changed, but because safety, health and environment is a core value, it didn't change. It's going to be there next year, it's there now, it was there last year."

Since priorities can change, organizations that include safety as a priority create a culture of people who hide out in foxholes, Deak believes. "They hide and think, 'This too shall pass.' They don't participate, because eventually, there will be a different set of priorities."

7) Management commitment and leadership and employee participation are key to safety management Neal M. Leonhard CIH, CSP, manager, Safety Systems, MeadWestvaco Corp.

"With the increasing emphasis on social responsibility, many Fortune 500 companies are focusing on improving their injury/illness prevention systems," says Leonhard, "Collectively, they are facing the same questions that have been asked since the industrial revolution. What makes a difference in safety, particularly in today's global environment? Management commitment and leadership can make a difference in achieving sustainable results in injury/illness prevention."

MeadWestvaco has communicated a policy to set clear expectations of the current management team regarding safe and healthful work practices and conditions in the business unit. Goals and objectives are established and aligned throughout the organization to drive improvements in safety performance. Leonhard says MeadWestvaco managers are as conversant with safety as they are with other business issues such as production and quality.

"Management leads consistently with a philosophy that all occupational injuries and illnesses are preventable. Management's commitment to safety excellence is demonstrated through visible leadership, such as regular participation in safety activities, and encouragement of employee participation in safety efforts," he adds.

At MeadWestvaco, management provides for and encourages "meaningful employee involvement in the accident prevention system," he notes. "Employees are given the opportunity and are encouraged to provide input into the design and operation of safety processes/programs and the decisions that affect their safety and health. Employee input is valued and used."

8) Take a rational, disciplined approach to safety Donald Eckenfelder

"Safety should not be an emotional subject any more than anything else in business. Take a rational, disciplined approach," suggests Eckenfelder. Many companies try to play on the emotional aspect of injuries, i.e., the impact an injury could have on the lives of employees and their families. "That might work for a while," he says, "but not for long and not consistently."

He suggests devoting energy to finding the root cause of anything that goes wrong in a disciplined way. And don't be misled by red herrings: "What's investigated is usually the symptoms of the problem when the real problem is the culture," he notes. "The root cause of the Columbia shuttle crash wasn't stuff flaking off the outside of the shuttle. The root cause was the safety culture at NASA."

9) Make everyone accountable for safety Michael S. Deak

"Line management has to be held personally responsible for safety. That means they can be held accountable," says Deak. "In successful businesses, leaders are graded not only on a financial scorecard, but on their ability to integrate safety into the business process. At DuPont, safety is a core value, and core values are integrated into the day-to-day operations of the business."

Employee engagement is key here, he adds. And by "employee," he means all employees: "Everybody from the CEO down is an employee. Every one of our 79,000 employees at DuPont is engaged in the safety management process. If you don't engage all employees, you don't have a prayer at becoming a world-class company, in safety or in business," Deak insists.

He says DuPont engages line employees in safety through frequent communication of core values, by including them in incident investigations and by facilitating their participation on audit teams, among other things.

In addition, line employees see management "walking the talk," he adds, and that probably has the most positive influence on their safety performance.

"Very seldom in my 40 years at DuPont have I seen people not do what they think the organization wants them to do. If they see a manager carrying two armloads of boxes up a flight of stairs without holding onto the handrail, it doesn't matter if we tell them 100 times to hold onto the handrail. But if they see the manager holding onto the handrail, that makes all the difference."

10) Get results or get fired Larry Hansen and Dan Zahlis

"Get results or get fired, because it's only results that count," say Hansen and Zahlis, "and it's only results that will ultimately free your soul, and enable you to discover the real opportunities to make a difference in this profession, in your life and in the lives of those entrusted to your care and responsibility!"

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IMPROVE ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE: 10 QUICK TIPS

Company culture, corporate culture, organizational culture; You hear the words frequently, but how do you define the culture of a business? How can you measure your organizational culture and how can you improve it?

In this article, we explain what organizational culture is and why it is important to have a good culture in a company.

Because 80% of businesses plan to improve their corporate culture in 2017 (Virgin Pulse), we’ll give you tips on how an engaging training programme can do wonders for your organization!

Here we go…

WHAT DOES ‘ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE’ MEAN?
Organizational culture relates to the behaviours of a set of employees within the same work environment;

organisational vision and valueshow they act and engage with the organization,
the values they ascribe to these actions,
their personal goals and how these fit in with the goals of the organization,
and how employees engage with each other at work.
It relates to how well the employees understand the company’s mission, visions and goals, something we like to call the Epic Meaning. Every employee in the organization should know what the company wants to achieve, but these organizational goals should also align with their own individual goals.

This is important, and it’s a fact that’s often overlooked. It is not enough for employees to do their tasks because “that’s just my job” or “I need to make money somehow”. The route to employee engagement is a two-way street and your employees need to believe that any organizational growth will result in personal growth and professional development.

WHY IS A GOOD ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IMPORTANT?
A strong organizational culture helps a business work like a well-oiled machine, where every employee acts in-line with the company’s values. Engaging employees in companies with a good work culture is much easier because they all know what needs to be done, why and how, and they work together to achieve it.

QUALITY OF WORK IS IMPROVED
When the organizational culture isn’t as strong, the alignment to company values isn’t quite so clear. This means that more effort needs to be placed in controlling employees, monitoring their behaviour and keeping them working as efficiently as possible.The advantages of a good company culture are obvious. It means that less monitoring is required by managers and team leaders, and that the work of the employees is of a higher value to the company.

improving team workONBOARDING IS MORE EFFICIENT
A company with a clear culture will be able to easily induct new employees into the company’s set of beliefs and encourage ways of working that cohere to the company’s goals and visions as a whole. Employees within a company with a good culture are also more engaged, motivated to succeed and display more organizational loyalty, which can take the form of being less likely to leave the company and being more likely to become an advocate of the organization.

TEAMWORK IS ENCOURAGED
An increase in group cohesiveness is one of the most powerful by-products of a good organizational culture. Employees know where they stand within their teams and they trust everyone else to do a good job. They also feel valued and that their contribution is important to the success of the business.

INFORMAL LEARNING IS ENABLED
With a greater focus on collaboration and teamwork, you also create opportunities for informal learning to occur. In any work environment, only 10% of what your employees learn comes from the formal training content – the rest they pick up on the job and by interacting with their colleagues. And of course, the more training your employees receive, the better they become at doing their jobs and the more successful the organization will be.

This all combines to create a good team working environment and a community of engaged employees, where everyone can contribute for the good of the whole, like. Clearly a good organizational culture is something to aspire to. Not only does it breed a good working environment, but it improves engagement between employees, teams, departments and the organization as a whole.

What’s not to like!?

HOW TO IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE!
1. LISTEN TO YOUR EMPLOYEES!
Provide your employees with an environment to let their opinion be heard. Internet giant, WordPress, regularly hold ‘Town Hall’ meetings where these ideas are exchanged between management and lower level employees.

75% of employees would stay longer at an organization that listens to and addresses their concerns (Ultimate Software)
65% of employees who don’t feel they can approach their manager with any type of question are actively disengaged (Gallup)
2. COMMUNICATION IS KEY!
Effectively communicate your organization’s mission, vision and values. The sense of having a shared goal, shifts your employee’s mindset from cog in a machine to key part of the team!

Only 1 in 150 employees who say their organization does not have a set of values are fully engaged (Modern Survey)
Employees who say their organizational values are “known and understood” are 51 times more likely to be fully engaged than an employee who responds that their organization does not have values that are known and understood (Modern Survey)
25% of Millennials say their top career goal is to “Make a positive impact on my organization” (IBM)
3. COLLABORATE DON’T ISOLATE!
Encourage collaboration between employees to reinforce the idea that you are a team. Your LMS should be equipped with a vibrant social feed where learners can offer support to each other and overcome challenges together!

86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures (Clear Company)
4. BE TRANSPARENT!
Transparency with your employees is key way of building trust, leading to improved organizational culture. A weekly post on an LMS social feed about what’s happening at a corporate level is a sure-fire way to inspire your team!

50% of employees say bosses sharing information and data has a significantly positive impact on productivity and motivation (HubSpot)
5. FOLLOW THE LEADER!
Organizational culture needs to be nurtured and this begins at the very top of the ladder! Managers need to become leaders and visibly demonstrate that they buy into the organizations core beliefs.  This could be achieved with CEO’s being at the forefront of your training programme with high impact video introductions at the start of a training unit.

89% of workers with leadership support are more likely to recommend company as a good place to work (American Psychological Association)
35% of Millennials say strong leadership defines a good work culture (Staples)
52% of HR pros cite management buy-in as the biggest barrier to strengthening culture (CultureIQ)
6. PROVIDE REGULAR FEEDBACK!
Employees need regular feedback if they are to align their performance with your organizational culture. A once a year meeting just isn’t good enough! You should praise the behaviour that matches your values and develop areas that need improvement. Keep on top of things with regular reporting and you’ll soon be working in tandem!

68% of employees who receive accurate and consistent feedback feel fulfilled in their jobs (Clutch)
7. EPIC MEANING!
You should look to our awesome friend Epic Meaning if you want to see massive improvements to your organizational culture! Provide your learners with immersive training content and you’ll soon have an army of superheroes on your hands all pulling in the same direction!

Highly engaged employees are more than three times as likely to do something good for the company that is not expected of them (Temkin Group)
8. GET GAMIFIED!
Gamification will keep your learners coming back for more as they hunt down badges and XP to claim bragging rights over their
colleagues on the leaderboard! This provides the perfect environment to reinforce your organizational culture! But what do we know? We’re only the #1 providers for a gamified LMS!

Research by the Aberdeen Group discovered organizations who deploy gamification improve engagement by 48%
9% of the responders said that they would be more productive if their university/institution or work was more game-like (Talent LMS)
9. REWARD YOUR EMPLOYEES!
Reward your employees for actions that best represent the organizational culture that you seek.  A recognition-rich culture will also reduce turnover, giving your organizational culture longevity. So what are you waiting for? Get rewarding your employees!

Companies that score in the top 20% for building a ‘recognition-rich culture’ have a 31% lower voluntary turnover rate.
10. LAY DOWN A CHALLENGE!
Provide challenge and opportunity for development. This has the effect of letting your employee know you are invested in them and in turn they will be loyal to your organizational culture. Maybe start by giving them a mountain to climb…

76% of millennials think professional development opportunities are one of the most important elements of company culture (Execu-Search)
Employees who get the opportunity to continually develop are twice as likely to say they will spend their career with their company (Gallup)
These tips should point you in the right direction when it comes to improving the culture of your organization, but they can be neatly summarised in 3 little words: engage your employees! “How on Earth do I do that?!”, we hear you cry.

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20 Ways to Improve Your Performance at Work

Personal and professional development help ward off negative thoughts that prevent us from taking steps towards self-improvement.

We often sit back and wait for an annual performance review to identify areas we need to improve. Position yourself to be accountable, improve your skill set, and continually learn by setting personal benchmarks and reviewing them regularly. Learning leads to a better quality of life, boosts confidence and personal development, and influences our life in a positive way.

Here are 20 ways you can take control, improve your reputation and performance at work, and reach new skill levels and professional development.                  

1) Organize & Prioritize

Create a daily schedule and follow it. Identify the top three or four critical projects that need to be completed. Ensure your task list is manageable, adds value, and benefits your firm.

2) Stop Multitasking

Guilty as charged! In the past I’ve been a master multitasker, or so I thought. I could answer a phone call, respond to an email, and dabble on a project simultaneously. I was satisfied that I could work on several projects at once. In reality, the quality of my work was compromised. Multitasking lowers IQ, lowers EQ (emotional intelligence), slows you down, increases stress levels, and causes mistakes. Master unitasking instead.

3) Avoid Distractions

Did you know that focus is a fundamental quality of productive people? Our brains are wired to work best when we focus on a single task. Practice staying focused and strive to complete one task before diving into another.

4) Manage Interruptions

It’s easy to minimize or forget how many times we’re interrupted during the day. Interruptions can come in all forms: co-workers, bosses, family, etc. Here’s a great trick to manage your interruptions. Keep a stack of post it notes or index cards nearby. On the top of each one, write down a person’s name who may interrupt you during the day. The next time they stop in and ask, “Do you have a minute?” say yes, and also talk about the things you’ve jotted down on your list for them. Imagine the time you would save if everyone interrupted you once a day to discuss the three or four things they thought of, rather than three or four times a day for one item.

5) Be a Great Finisher

Many of us are great starters but we fall short on finishing. Think about how many times you’ve started something new: a project, a New Year’s resolution, or a letter and end up adding it back on your to-do list. Keep a journal of completed projects and reflect on it to demonstrate your contributions and accomplishments.

6) Set Milestones

The road to completing a big project may seem overwhelming. Don’t let that stop you from taking time to celebrate interim achievement. Break large projects into blocks of mini-tasks and set individual success metrics to keep your morale and energy levels high. Record your progress, reward yourself, and share your progression with the team.

7) Wear the Bosses Shoes

Put yourself in your boss’s shoes. Think about the big picture and look at goals from his/her perspective. One of the most effective strategies is to empathize and discover what his/her aspirations are. Ask questions, “What are you looking for in an employee?” or “What skills and qualities does it take to be successful in my position?” 

8) Get a Mentor/Be a Mentor

Enhance your skills with a mentor. A mentor can offer new insight, perspective, and vision. Working with a mentor will stretch your thinking and supply you with a stream of self-development ideas related to your unique skills and talent. Don’t forget that you can gain experience by mentoring someone else and facilitate your own professional growth which will position you as an asset to your firm.

9) Simply Listen

Listening is vital to effective communication. Spend time thinking about how you listen. Do you interrupt others? Mature listening skills lead to increased productivity with fewer mistakes, innovative growth, and higher client satisfaction rates.

10) Aim for Clarity

Clarity provides confidence. Ask questions if you are not 100 percent sure of your responsibilities. Schedule time quarterly to re-evaluate firm goals, how your responsibilities fulfill those goals, and how you can better partner with team members to reach each goal.

11) Research

Take time to research. Don’t waste other’s time; do your homework before taking on a new task. You’ll be better prepared to present strategies to reach each objective.

12) Write a Letter to Your Future Self

Where do you see yourself in 1 year, 3 years, or even 5 years? What will be the same? What will be different? Write a letter to yourself and work hard to become that person.

13) Identify Your Blind Spots

Blind spots are areas we are unaware of about ourselves and may cause good intentions to be perceived in a negative way. Blind spots can hold you back and prevent professional development. To identify blind spots you must be willing to look at yourself honestly, ask others for feedback, and be willing to make changes. Reach out to your peers and ask how you are perceived; you may discover behaviors that hinder your influence as well as strengths you’re not aware of. View feedback as an asset rather than a judgement; which will allow you to make adjustments to align your reputation with your ideal self.

14) Simplify Something

Often we do things because “that’s the way we’ve always done it” even if it’s complicated or messy. Find something each week to simplify or automate: a difficult system or process, a messy office, daily tasks, or email. Your efficiency will increase by keeping things simple.

 15) Ask Questions

Constantly challenge yourself by asking, “Is there a more effective way to achieve the same results?” Brainstorm to determine if you are working as efficiently as possible. Always believe that things can be improved.

16) Know Your Competition

Know and observe your competition. Identify what they’re doing right and use it as a learning opportunity to implement something new at your firm.

 17) Acknowledge Others

Help others excel, express gratitude, and give credit where credit is due. You’ll be surprised how much encouragement and motivation a simple, “Great job!” provides. Your team is bound to grow and rise together.

18) Read

Read at least one personal development or industry related article each day. Start a journal to record your notes, identify what you learned, and determine how you can apply your findings personally or in the workplace. Share your information with others to establish expertise.

19) Give Yourself Down Time

Vacation time is critical to professional development. Without it, stress and burn out levels increase and productivity declines. Schedule time away from the office to expand your horizons, re-energize, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

20) Practice Humility

Avoid self-promotion and practice humility. Encourage team members and hold a high respect for their unique skill set and contributions to success.

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Now that you’ve made decision to pursue a career in the State of North Carolina, you may be asking the simple question: How do I actually get a job? Here are a few tips and guidelines to keep in mind once you are ready to get started.

Apply

First things first, you must apply for a job with us. Applying for job openings has never been easier with our online job application system. Visit our site and create your online account profile. Once you have created your account you can quickly and easily apply for any position listed on our job board.

Job Alerts

The job board is updated daily. Rather than spending all your time looking at the job openings every day, you can set up job alerts. Job alerts will automatically email you each time a position opens in the desired categories of your choice.

Complete the Application in its Entirety

In order to receive qualifying credit for all your work history and credentials, applicants must complete his/her entire work history and education on the application. Resumes are not accepted in lieu of an application and “See Resume” is not acceptable. Any information omitted from the actual application will not be considered for qualifying credit. It is OK to attach a resume, but make sure all pertinent information is listed on the application form.

Read the Minimum Education and Experience Requirements Section

Each job listing has a “Minimum Education and Experience Requirements” section. Pay careful attention to this section because if your application does not clearly document that you meet these minimum requirements, your application will not be considered for that job. Only the most qualified applications are referred to the hiring manager.

Fine Tune Your Application to Each Specific Job

Make sure you thoroughly read the entire job listing. It is always a good practice to make sure you clearly list and highlight the knowledge, skills and abilities/competencies that make you a strong fit for this specific open position.

Proofread

A great way to get your application passed over by a hiring manager is to have numerous spelling and grammatical errors. Double check your application before submitting and even better, have someone else proofread it for errors.

Sell Yourself

Be assertive. You are competing against possibly hundreds of other applicants. The best way to sell yourself is to focus on the strengths you possess and minimize your weaknesses. Give the hiring manager a reason why he/she needs you and would be making a mistake if you are not selected for the job.

Do Not Falsify Any Information

Be truthful about your work experience, education, and other information. The State of North Carolina verifies application information and if any information is determined to be false, your job offer can be rescinded or if you are already employed, you can be dismissed.

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Four Ways To Get Hired When You Have No Relevant Experience For The Job You Want

Say you want to change careers and enter a new field, how do you get hired for a job for which you do not have relevant experience? The blunt truth is that you always must have experience related to the job you want because employers don’t hire for potential . However, this experience need not come in the form of paid, full-time, on-the-job experience. Employers do prefer job candidates who have that kind of traditional experience — i.e., people who have done the exact same job before (and ideally at a competitor!). But that is not the only experience that employers value. You can demonstrate relevant experience for a job you want, even if you have never worked in that field, in four ways:

Volunteer experience

Theresa, a client of mine moved from an operations role in financial services to a community outreach role in public education due in part to her volunteer work with education organizations. Flexjobs, a job site specializing in flexible work opportunities, featured a career change story on Greg, who went from administration at a movie and video laboratory to Executive Director at a Habitat for Humanity chapter. An amateur carpenter, Greg volunteered for Habitat before moving into a part-time construction manager role and then finally the ED role. Volunteering expands your skill base and your network, and you demonstrate a commitment to your new field. Volunteering also provides a platform for you to get tangible results that you can showcase to prospective employers.


Project experience

You may not even have to look outside your current job to get some hands-on experience. In addition to volunteering outside, Theresa got some valuable education-related experience by initiating and then overseeing a mentoring/ professional development program for the women’s affinity group at her bank. Affinity groups, also known as employee resource groups, are a great way to gain experience outside your normal scope of work. By getting involved with your company’s affinity groups, you will meet people in different functions and levels, including senior executives. If your company doesn’t have affinity groups, you can start one, or you can look at professional associations in your community related to your new target field.

Academic experience

You do not have to get a formal graduate degree to make a career change. But any learning that you do — including certifications or self-study — provides tangible proof to prospective employers of your genuine interest in a field. Academic experience also gives you skills and expertise, and if it requires group projects or assignments, it provides some hands-on experience. Your professors and classmates also add to your network, and your school may know of potential opportunities.


Deep, curated expertise

We all know at least one person who maintains deep expertise in a field complete unrelated to their job — the baseball savant who memorizes player stats and historical trivia but doesn’t work anywhere in or around the MLB, or the fashion-forward friend with a great sense of style who doesn’t work anywhere in or around fashion. Yet, it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine that given the right opportunity, they could talk their way into a job in baseball or fashion because they know that much. Hone and curate expertise in your target field. The more you know, the more credible you are as a candidate . You will be able to intelligently discuss the relevant trends and issues with prospective employers in your field. You will develop an informed point of view. Employers will see you as a peer because you speak their language.

If you’re genuinely interested in an industry or functional role, you will have experience with it, even if it’s from passion projects, book knowledge from a classroom, or pro bono experience as a volunteer or member of an affinity group or professional association. You will not have to convince employers of your potential because you will have proven your potential in the actions you have already taken. You will also prove to yourself that you’re serious about this new field — sometimes an industry or role only seems interesting but once you get hands-on it loses its luster. Getting relevant experience now benefits you and your next employer.

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How to Make Yourself Work When You Just Don’t Want To

There’s that project you’ve left on the backburner – the one with the deadline that’s growing uncomfortably near. And there’s the client whose phone call you really should return – the one that does nothing but complain and eat up your valuable time. Wait, weren’t you going to try to go to the gym more often this year?

Can you imagine how much less guilt, stress, and frustration you would feel if you could somehow just make yourself do the things you don’t want to do when you are actually supposed to do them? Not to mention how much happier and more effective you would be?

The good news (and its very good news) is that you can get better about not putting things off, if you use the right strategy. Figuring out which strategy to use depends on why you are procrastinating in the first place:

Reason #1 You are putting something off because you are afraid you will screw it up.

Solution: Adopt a “prevention focus.”

There are two ways to look at any task. You can do something because you see it as a way to end up better off than you are now – as an achievement or accomplishment. As in, if I complete this project successfully I will impress my boss, or if I work out regularly I will look amazing. Psychologists call this a promotion focus – and research shows that when you have one, you are motivated by the thought of making gains, and work best when you feel eager and optimistic. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, if you are afraid you will screw up on the task in question, this is not the focus for you. Anxiety and doubt undermine promotion motivation, leaving you less likely to take any action at all.

What you need is a way of looking at what you need to do that isn’t undermined by doubt – ideally, one that thrives on it. When you have a prevention focus, instead of thinking about how you can end up better off, you see the task as a way to hang on to what you’ve already got – to avoid loss. For the prevention-focused, successfully completing a project is a way to keep your boss from being angry or thinking less of you. Working out regularly is a way to not “let yourself go.” Decades of research, which I describe in my book Focus, shows that prevention motivation is actually enhanced by anxiety about what might go wrong. When you are focused on avoiding loss, it becomes clear that the only way to get out of danger is to take immediate action. The more worried you are, the faster you are out of the gate.

I know this doesn’t sound like a barrel of laughs, particularly if you are usually more the promotion-minded type, but there is probably no better way to get over your anxiety about screwing up than to give some serious thought to all the dire consequences of doing nothing at all. Go on, scare the pants off yourself. It feels awful, but it works.

Reason #2 You are putting something off because you don’t “feel” like doing it.

Solution: Make like Spock and ignore your feelings. They’re getting in your way.

In his excellent book The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking, Oliver Burkeman points out that much of the time, when we say things like “I just can’t get out of bed early in the morning, ” or “I just can’t get myself to exercise,” what we really mean is that we can’t get ourselves to feel like doing these things. After all, no one is tying you to your bed every morning. Intimidating bouncers aren’t blocking the entrance to your gym. Physically, nothing is stopping you – you just don’t feel like it. But as Burkeman asks, “Who says you need to wait until you ‘feel like’ doing something in order to start doing it?”

Think about that for a minute, because it’s really important. Somewhere along the way, we’ve all bought into the idea – without consciously realizing it – that to be motivated and effective we need to feel like we want to take action. We need to be eager to do so. I really don’t know why we believe this, because it is 100% nonsense. Yes, on some level you need to be committed to what you are doing – you need to want to see the project finished, or get healthier, or get an earlier start to your day. But you don’t need to feel like doing it.

In fact, as Burkeman points out, many of the most prolific artists, writers, and innovators have become so in part because of their reliance on work routines that forced them to put in a certain number of hours a day, no matter how uninspired (or, in many instances, hungover) they might have felt. Burkeman reminds us of renowned artist Chuck Close’s observation that “Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.”

So if you are sitting there, putting something off because you don’t feel like it, remember that you don’t actually need to feel like it. There is nothing stopping you.

Reason #3 You are putting something off because it’s hard, boring, or otherwise unpleasant.

Solution: Use if-then planning.

Too often, we try to solve this particular problem with sheer will: Next time, I will make myself start working on this sooner. Of course, if we actually had the willpower to do that, we would never put it off in the first place. Studies show that people routinely overestimate their capacity for self-control, and rely on it too often to keep them out of hot water.

Do yourself a favor, and embrace the fact that your willpower is limited, and that it may not always be up to the challenge of getting you to do things you find difficult, tedious, or otherwise awful. Instead, use if-then planning to get the job done.

Making an if-then plan is more than just deciding what specific steps you need to take to complete a project – it’s also deciding where and when you will take them.

If it is 2pm, then I will stop what I’m doing and start work on the report Bob asked for.

If my boss doesn’t mention my request for a raise at our meeting, then I will bring it up again before the meeting ends.

By deciding in advance exactly what you’re going to do, and when and where you’re going to do it, there’s no deliberating when the time comes. No do I really have to do this now?, or can this wait till later? or maybe I should do something else instead. It’s when we deliberate that willpower becomes necessary to make the tough choice. But if-then plans dramatically reduce the demands placed on your willpower, by ensuring that you’ve made the right decision way ahead of the critical moment. In fact, if-then planning has been shown in over 200 studies to increase rates of goal attainment and productivity by 200%-300% on average.

I realize that the three strategies I’m offering you – thinking about the consequences of failure, ignoring your feelings, and engaging in detailed planning – don’t sound as fun as advice like “Follow your passion!” or “Stay positive!” But they have the decided advantage of actually being effective – which, as it happens, is exactly what you’ll be if you use them.

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50 Ways to Feel Better About Yourself Right Now

When you're feeling down, turn things around with a few tips and tricks for thinking about things differently. No need to wallow when there are quick and simple ways to feel better about yourself. Feeling down can be triggered by a bad hair day, not being able to get over a mistake, or waking up 10 minutes late. Stop beating yourself up and try one of these suggestions:

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39 Powerful Quotes That Will Change the Way You Live and Think
Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and visualize things working out.
Give yourself a quick pep talk.
Get in front of a mirror or your phone and smile. Take a minute to acknowledge your looks and appreciate your favorite part of your face. Selfies are a great form of self-care.
Write down five things that you are proud of and stick the list in your wallet to pull out to remind yourself that you're awesome.
Call a friend and tell them you're feeling down. Sometimes just admitting you're not feeling great makes things better instantly.
Watch a silly pet video.
Give yourself an at-home manicure with a color you regularly wouldn't wear and flaunt it.
Make a coffee date with a good friend and ask them what they like about you.
Take a deep breath, acknowledge things aren't going your way, and move on with your day.
Stop with negative self-talk. Switch the thoughts of negativity to positive mantras, such as "I am strong!"
Write out a list of goals that are realistic and carry them with you.
Put down your phone and pay attention to what's going on around you. Just spending a few moments appreciating nature, unique faces, and the hustle and bustle gets your mind off things.
Zen out and meditate. Close your eyes, take 10 deep breaths, and imagine something relaxing.
Stop comparing yourself to others! By trying to be similar to someone else, you're forgetting what's awesome about you.
You only get one body, so take care of it. Eat healthy, get some exercise, and you'll feel better in no time. And working out is a distraction from being in the dumps.
Arrange a personal shopping session at your favorite store and enjoy letting someone else dress you. There's no pressure to purchase any of the clothes, unless you want to treat yourself to something new.
Give yourself an at-home facial.
Go ahead and cry it out.
Write down what you're thankful for.
Take a walk by yourself. Stay in the moment, breathe in and out, and slow down.
Invite your friends over for a night in.
Sing like no one can hear you. Really, it will change your mood in no time.
Talk to the person standing next to you in line. There's nothing to be afraid of — just make a bit of small talk, which is a fun way to connect with strangers and enjoy a laugh.
Clean your desk and start fresh.
Go through your closet and make a collection of clothes to donate. You'll feel better knowing your clothes will go to someone in need.
Give flowers to a good friend. The simple act of giving always lifts spirits.
Pet a dog or cat, which instantly calms nerves and lowers blood pressure.
Relive a favorite memory and hold on to the feeling.
Give someone a hug.
Smile big at a stranger. Once you start, it's hard to stop.
Put your shoulders back and act like you're walking the red carpet. Even though you're faking it, you'll help elevate your mood.
Do something different and change up your routine.
Grab your journal and write about what's bothering you.
Smell the flowers — or treat yourself to a stunning bouquet.
Stop thinking about that person you're crushing on and just ask them out!
Turn that frown upside down. Literally. Push negative thoughts to the side and think about something positive.
Plan the ultimate vacation, focusing on everything you want to do. Write down all the awesome places you'd like to explore and keep it handy when you need to focus on a better place.
Create a power board filled with pictures of yourself with loved ones along with inspirational words and images.
Forgive yourself. That's right. Stop giving yourself a hard time over things you can't control and give yourself a break.
Stop with should-have-could-have scenarios. You can't change the past, but you can put your best foot forward.
Indulge in something you love and remind yourself why it's one of your favorite things.
Love yourself and practice kindness.
Give up trying to be perfect and just be you.
Reflect on your accomplishments and acknowledge that you are pretty awesome.
Accomplish something on your to-do list.
Pick up a hobby.
Check out Positively Positive.
Remember it's OK to say "no" when you're feeling overwhelmed.
Challenge yourself to try something new.
Acknowledge your feelings. It's totally natural to feel insecure, and admitting it is courageous.

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3 Fast Ways To Make Yourself Better At Your Job

To paraphrase Change the Ratio cofounder Rachel Sklar, visibility begets opportunity. Whether you’re a rapper, painter, or president of a financial company, the more people know what you’re doing, the better chance you have at serendipity smiling upon you.

In other words, to get our careers going, we need the attention.


But as Caroline McMillan notes at the Daily Muse, this growing more present at the office doesn’t need to be super labor-intensive–nor does it need to be an egocentric exercise in scrumbaggery. Just as in high school–but not nearly as traumatic–it’s a matter of getting involved.

TO BUILD A NETWORK, START A CLUB.
Network science shows that the most successful people are usually the best connected–especially across silos and up-and-down hierarchical chains. That’s part of why success stories aren’t so often lone-wolf affairs, but community tales.

But if we’re going to have a sense of community at work, we need to build it. So, as McMillan says, you can build around communities of interest, for instance by:

Playing soccer (like the Fast Company office does)
Exploring restaurants (like you’re doing anyway)
Enjoying the finer things (like Dunder Mifflin does)
TO LEARN SKILLS, TRADE YOURS.
To survive in the madness that is our ever-evolving workplaces, we need to get good at newbie mode–that critical stage where you’re first learning a new skill. The quickest way to learn new skills is to find someone who can teach you to code, write, or manage–someone who might be around the corner of your cubicle.

Everyone gains in the tacit knowledge-sharing so central to innovation.
Yet people are attracted to equal exchanges–psychologists call it the norm of reciprocity. So when we’re picking the brain of the expert in question, we need to offer up our own skill sets. This will deepen those bonds, just like the Finer Things Club–and you’ll both get better at what you do.

TO RAISE YOUR PROFILE, BECOME A BRIDGE.
No matter how utopian-progressive your organization might profess to be, there will still be cliques.

These cliques are asking to be bridged–and as McMillan observes, this doesn’t need to be horrendously inorganic. The intersections are already there:

Show how a project your team is working on intersects with a project or initiative another team is working on. This doesn’t have to be monumental or totally inorganic. For example, I could never suggest that the business reporters start coordinating with the advertising department’s latest campaign; we operate 100% independently (for a reason). But if my team is working on boosting our stories’ visibility on the website and getting more search-engine traffic, I could say, “You know, it’d be great to hear from one of the online team leaders about what types of stories and headlines are getting the most hits. I’ll see if one of them could spare five minutes to talk strategy sometime this week.”

These practices all look like win-win-wins: You get to make friends with people in your office, everyone gains in the tacit knowledge-sharing so central to innovation, and you get to pretend that you’re in a lost episode of The Office.

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10 Ways to Feel Better About Yourself

Some days are better than others. On those days that go less well, we usually end up being hard on ourselves. Here are some tools to avoid doing so.

1. Keep going. Don't let life's changes throw you off track, but remember that most extenuating circumstances are temporary. Gain more clarity by staying the course and channeling your energy in a positive direction.

2. Trust yourself. Believe in your inner resources, no matter what, and you'll grow from the experience. I believe that the answers usually lie within and you are probably smart enough to figure out what you need to do. Give yourself a little time and have patience.

3. Be friends with life. Remember that the world is not out to get you and it does not punish you. You do that to yourself. Learning to focus on other opportunities or in another direction can give you some perspective.

4. Watch your thoughts. Your thinking will never be 100 percent positive. You must learn to dismiss the negative thoughts and stay open to other ideas that will help you move in a positive direction. Start recognizing negative thoughts and use your mind to quell them.

5. Summon the strength you have inside. Learn to access and direct your strengths to the highest good for all concerned. Believe that your strength and intelligence can help you deal with anything. Remember that you have survived worse.

6. Learn to love yourself. You do not have to be who you are today, and your life is not scripted. Changing how you feel about yourself means creating a strategy, gathering some new tools, and making yourself into the person you want to be. A good way to start is to stop doing things that hurt.

7. Don't want too much. Desire can be a powerful motivating tool, but wanting something too much can be very painful and very expensive, so don't live beyond your means or covet the unattainable. Seek your desire, but keep your integrity.

8. Don't get insulted. It is wise to be dispassionate about critical comments. Human's will always bump heads, but consider the source, and if it's the other person's issue, ignore it. Learn to respond instead of react, and don't show your ire.

9. Recognize that disappointment is part of life. Even the most successful people have to deal with disappointment, but they've learned how to use it to get to the next level of life. The trick is to process your feelings, then take some kind of action.

10. Deal with your fears. Overcoming fear makes you stronger, and being a little scared can make you better. You want to have butterflies; you just want them flying in formation. It helps to understand and admit your fears. Then you can kick them to the curb.

Feel good about yourself, no matter what life brings. Know that each time you wake up, you have another chance to make things better. Don't waste it.

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50 Healthiest Foods For Women

Superfoods for a super you
The following healthy power foods can claim big bragging rights: They can fend off serious diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease; fortify your immune system; protect and smooth your skin; and help you lose weight or stay slim. If you're eating most of these healthy foods already, good for you! If not, now's the time to load up your shopping cart and supercharge your health.

The Diabetes Cure is Here – No Drugs, Surgery, or Miracles Required!

Sign up for our free Recipe Of The Day newsletter for ways to incorporate these foods into your everyday meals!

Eggs 

Egg yolks are home to tons of essential but hard-to-get nutrients, including choline, which is linked to lower rates of breast cancer (one yolk supplies 25% of your daily need) and antioxidants that may help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. Though many of us have shunned whole eggs because of their link to heart disease risk, there’s actually substantial evidence that for most of us, eggs are not harmful but healthy. People with heart disease should limit egg yolks to two a week, but the rest of us can have one whole egg daily; research shows it won’t raise your risk of heart attack or stroke. Make omelets with one whole egg and two whites, and watch cholesterol at other meals.

More from Prevention: Foods That Burn Belly Fat

Greek yogurt 

Yogurt is a great way to get calcium, and it’s also rich in immune-boosting bacteria. But next time you hit the yogurt aisle, pick up the Greek kind—compared with regular yogurt, it has twice the protein (and 25% of women over 40 don’t get enough). Look for fat-free varieties like Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt (90 calories and 15 g of protein per 5.3-ounce serving).

Fat-free organic milk 

Yes, it does a body good: Studies show that calcium isn’t just a bone booster but a fat fighter too. Recent research from the University of Tennessee found that obese people who went on a low-calorie, calcium-rich diet lost 70% more weight than those who ate the least. Vitamin D not only allows your body to absorb calcium, it’s also a super nutrient in its own right. Research shows that adequate D levels can reduce heart disease risk, ward off certain types of cancer, relieve back pain, and even help prevent depression, but most of us don’t get nearly enough of the 1,000+ IU daily that most experts recommend. A splash of milk in your morning coffee isn’t enough to provide the calcium and vitamin D you need. Use milk instead of water to make your oatmeal, have a glass with breakfast, or stir some chocolate syrup into it for an after-dinner treat.

Salmon 

Salmon is a rich source of vitamin D and one of the best sources of omega-3s you can find. These essential fatty acids have a wide range of impressive health benefits—from preventing heart disease to smoothing your skin and aiding weight loss to boosting your mood and minimizing the effects of arthritis. Unfortunately, many Americans aren’t reaping these perks because we’re deficient, which some experts believe may be at the root of many of the big health problems today, like obesity, heart disease, and cancer. Omega-3s also slow the rate of digestion, which makes you feel fuller longer, so you eat fewer calories throughout the day.

More from Prevention: Deliciously Easy Salmon Recipes

Lean beef 

Lean beef is one of the best-absorbed sources of iron there is. (Too-little iron can cause anemia.) Adding as little as 1 ounce of beef per day can make a big difference in the body’s ability to absorb iron from other sources, says Mary J. Kretsch, PhD, a researcher at the USDA-ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center in Davis, CA. Beef also packs plenty of zinc (even minor deficiencies may impair memory) and B vitamins, which help your body turn food into energy.

If you can, splurge on grass-fed. Compared with grain-fed beef, it has twice the concentration of vitamin E, a powerful brain-boosting antioxidant. It’s also high in omega-3 fatty acids. Because this type of beef tends to be lower in overall fat, it can be tough—so marinate it, and use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.

More from Prevention: Healthy Beef Recipes

Beans 

It’s hard to imagine a more perfect food than beans. One cooked cupful can provide as much as 17 g fiber. They're also loaded with protein and dozens of key nutrients, including a few most women fall short on—calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Studies tie beans to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers. The latest dietary guidelines recommend consuming at least 3 cups of beans a week—3 times the measly 1 cup we usually get. Keep your cupboards stocked with all kinds: black, white, kidney, fat-free refried, etc. Use them in salads, stuffed baked potatoes, and veggie chili or pureed for sandwich spreads.

Nuts 

In a nutshell: USDA researchers say that eating 1½ ounces of tree nuts daily can reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Walnuts are rich in omega-3s. Hazelnuts contain arginine, an amino acid that may lower blood pressure. An ounce of almonds has as many heart-healthy polyphenols as a cup of green tea and 1/2 cup of steamed broccoli combined; they may help lower LDL cholesterol as well. The key is moderation, since nuts are high in calories. Keep a jar of chopped nuts in your fridge, and sprinkle a tablespoon on cereal, salads, stir-fries, or yogurt. Or have an ounce as a snack most days of the week.

Edamame and tofu 

Soy’s days as a cure-all may be over, but edamame still has an important place on your plate. Foods such as tofu, soy milk, and edamame help fight heart disease when they replace fatty meats and cheeses, slashing saturated fat intake. Soy also contains heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats, a good amount of fiber, and some important vitamins. Soy’s isoflavones, or plant estrogens, may also help prevent breast cancer. Some researchers believe these bind with estrogen receptors, reducing your exposure to the more powerful effects of your own estrogen, says Prevention advisor Andrew Weil, MD. But stick with whole soy foods rather than processed foods, like patties or chips, made with soy powder. Don’t take soy supplements, which contain high and possibly dangerous amounts of isoflavones.

Oatmeal 


Fiber-rich oats are even healthier than the FDA thought when it first stamped them with a heart disease-reducing seal 10 years ago. According to recent research, they can also cut your risk of type 2 diabetes. When Finnish researchers tracked 4,316 men and women over the course of 10 years, they found that people who ate the highest percentage of cereal fiber were 61% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. To reap the benefits, eat 1/2 cup daily—preferably unsweetened. For a versatile breakfast, top with different combinations of fruit, yogurt, and nuts. You can also use oats to coat fish or chicken or add texture to meatballs.

More from Prevention: 9 Breakfasts That Jump-Start Your Brain

Flaxseed 


Flaxseed is the most potent plant source of omega-3 fats. Studies indicate that adding flaxseed to your diet can reduce the development of heart disease by 46%—it helps keep red blood cells from clumping together and forming clots that can block arteries. It may also reduce breast cancer odds. In one study, women who ate 10 g of flaxseed (about 1 rounded tablespoon) every day for 2 months had a 25% improvement in the ratio of breast cancer-protective to breast cancer-promoting chemicals in their blood. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseed a day on your cereal, salad, or yogurt. Buy it preground, and keep it refrigerated.

Olive oil 

Olive oil is full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), which lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and raise "good" HDL cholesterol. It’s rich in antioxidants, which may help reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases, like Alzheimer’s. Look for extra virgin oils for the most antioxidants and flavor. Drizzle small amounts on veggies before roasting; use it to sauté or stir-fry, in dressings and marinades, and to flavor bread at dinner in lieu of a layer of butter or margarine.

More from Prevention: 7 Grossest Things In Your Food

Avocado 

These smooth, buttery fruits are a great source of not only MUFAs but other key nutrients as well. One Ohio State University study found that when avocado was added to salads and salsa, it helped increase the absorption of specific carotenoids, plant compounds linked to lower risk of heart disease and macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. "Avocados are packed with heart-protective compounds, such as soluble fiber, vitamin E, folate, and potassium," says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet. But they are a bit high in calories. To avoid weight gain, use avocado in place of another high-fat food or condiment, such as cheese or mayo. (Make the most of your avocado with these 29 delicious avocado recipes.)



Broccoli 

Pick any life-threatening disease—cancer, heart disease, you name it—and eating more broccoli and its cruciferous cousins may help you beat it, Johns Hopkins research suggests. Averaging just four weekly servings of veggies like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower slashed the risk of dying from any disease by 26% among 6,100 people studied for 28 years. For maximum disease-fighting benefits, whip out your old veggie steamer. It turns out that steaming broccoli lightly releases the maximum amount of sulforaphane.

Spinach 


We’ll spare you the Popeye jokes, but spinach has serious health muscles. For one thing, it contains lots of lutein, the sunshine-yellow pigment found in egg yolks. Aside from guarding against age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness, lutein may prevent heart attacks by keeping artery walls clear of cholesterol. Spinach is also rich in iron, which helps deliver oxygen to your cells for energy, and folate, a B vitamin that prevents birth defects. Cook frozen spinach leaves (they provide more iron when cooked than raw) and serve as a side dish with dinner a few times a week.

Tomatoes 

Tomatoes are our most common source of lycopene, an antioxidant that may protect against heart disease and breast cancer. The only problem with tomatoes is that we generally eat them in the form of sugar-loaded jarred spaghetti sauce or as a thin slice in a sandwich. For a healthier side dish idea, quarter plum tomatoes and coat with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Roast in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes, and serve with chicken. (Also try these 17 tempting tomato recipes!)



Sweet potatoes 

One of the best ways to get vitamin A—an essential nutrient that protects and maintains eyes, skin, and the linings of our respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts—is from foods containing beta-carotene, which your body converts into the vitamin. Beta carotene-rich foods include carrots, squash, kale, and cantaloupe, but sweet potatoes have among the most. A half-cup serving of these sweet spuds delivers only 130 calories but 80% of the DV of vitamin A. Replace tonight’s fries with one medium baked sweet potato (1,096 mcg) and you’re good to go—and then some.


Garlic 

Garlic is a flavor essential and a health superstar in its own right. The onion relative contains more than 70 active phytochemicals, including allicin, which studies show may decrease high blood pressure by as much as 30 points. High consumption of garlic lowered rates of ovarian, colorectal, and other cancers, according to a research review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Allicin also fights infection and bacteria. British researchers gave 146 people either a placebo or a garlic extract for 12 weeks; garlic takers were two-thirds less likely to catch a cold. The key to healthier garlic: Crush the cloves, and let them stand for up to 30 minutes before heating them, which activates and preserves the heart-protecting compounds, according to a 2007 study from Argentina.

Red peppers 

Citrus fruits get all the credit for vitamin C, but red peppers are actually the best source. Vitamin C may be best known for skin and immunity benefits. Researchers in the United Kingdom looked at vitamin C intake in 4,025 women and found that those who ate more had less wrinkling and dryness. And although getting enough vitamin C won’t prevent you from catching a cold or flu, studies show that it could help you recover faster. Vitamin C has other important credentials, too. Finnish researchers found that men with low levels were 2.4 times likelier to have a stroke, and Australian scientists recently discovered that the antioxidant reduces knee pain by protecting your knees against arthritis.

More from Prevention: 13 Ways To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

Figs 

When you think of potassium-rich produce, figs probably don’t come to mind, but you may be surprised to learn that six fresh figs have 891 mg of the blood pressure-lowering mineral, nearly 20% of your daily need—and about double what you’d find in one large banana. In a recent 5-year study from the Netherlands, high-potassium diets were linked with lower rates of death from all causes in healthy adults age 55 and older. Figs are one of the best fruit sources of calcium, with nearly as much per serving (six figs) as 1/2 cup of fat-free milk. Serve by chopping and adding to yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, or green salads. Or enjoy them as a savory snack: Cut a slit in the side and stuff with 1/2 teaspoon of a low-fat version of a soft cheese such as chevre or Brie.

Blueberries 

Blueberries may very well be the most potent age-defying food—they’re jam-packed with antioxidants. When researchers at Cornell University tested 25 fruits for these potent compounds, they found that tangy-sweet wild blueberries (which are smaller than their cultivated cousins) packed the most absorbable antioxidants. Research shows a diet rich in blueberries can help with memory loss, prevent urinary tract infections, and relieve eyestrain. Add up to 1/2 cup of blueberries to your diet a day for maximum health benefits, recommends Ronald Prior, PhD, adjunct professor of food science at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. This alone provides just about double the amount of antioxidants most Americans get in 1 day. (Enjoy your berries even more with these 11 tasty blueberry recipes.)


Asian pears 

One large Asian pear has a whopping 10 g of cholesterol-lowering fiber, about 40% of your daily need. People who ate the most fiber had the lowest total and LDL cholesterol levels, according to a recent study of Baltimore adults. The same researchers found that people who ate the most fiber also weighed the least and had the lowest body mass index and waist circumference. Serve by dicing it into a salad of Boston lettuce, crumbled goat cheese, walnuts, and mandarin oranges. Or make it a dessert: Add peeled and cored pears to a saucepan with 1 cup white wine, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and enough water to cover the pears. Cover and simmer 40 minutes or until pears are soft.

Lychee 

A French study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that lychee has the second-highest level of heart-healthy polyphenols of all fruits tested—nearly 15% more than the amount found in grapes (cited by many as polyphenol powerhouses). The compounds may also play an important role in the prevention of degenerative diseases such as cancer. Serve by peeling or breaking the outer covering just below the stem; use a knife to remove the black pit. Add to stir-fries or skewer onto chicken kebabs to add a sweet, grapelike flavor.

Apples 

One of the healthiest fruits you should be eating is one you probably already are: the apple. The Iowa Women’s Health Study, which has been investigating the health habits of 34,000 women for nearly 20 years, named apples as one of only three foods (along with pears and red wine) that are most effective at reducing the risk of death from heart disease among postmenopausal women. Other massive studies have found the fruit to lower risk of lung cancer and type 2 diabetes—and even help women lose weight. In fact, one of the only things that could make an apple unhealthy is mixing it with sugar, flour, and butter and stuffing it into a mile-high pie. Instead, have one as an afternoon snack with a tablespoon of peanut butter, or add slices to sandwiches or salads.

More from Prevention: 17 Amazing Apple Recipes

Guava 

Native to South America, this tropical fruit is an excellent source of skin-healing vitamin C, with 250% of your RDA per serving. One cup of guava has nearly 5 times as much C as a medium orange (377 mg versus 83 mg)—that’s more than 5 times your daily need. It’s also loaded with lycopene (26% more than a tomato), which may help lower your risk of heart disease. And according to research by microbiologists in Bangladesh, guava can even protect against foodborne pathogens such as Listeria and staph. You can buy guava juice, or simmer chunks in water as you would to make applesauce. Guava also makes a super smoothie: Blend 1/2 banana, 1/2 ripe guava, a handful of strawberries, 1/2 cup soy milk, and a few ice cubes. (Keep the blender going with 20 more super healthy smoothies.)

Dark chocolate 

Thank you, dark chocolate, for making us feel good—not guilty—about dessert. Dark chocolate is filled with flavonoid antioxidants (more than 3 times the amount in milk chocolate) that keep blood platelets from sticking together and may even unclog your arteries.It may also help with weight loss by keeping you feeling full, according to a study from Denmark. Researchers gave 16 participants 100 g of either dark or milk chocolate and 2 hours later offered them pizza. Those who consumed the dark chocolate ate 15% fewer calories than those who had milk chocolate, and they were less interested in fatty, salty, and sugary foods. Try a chocolate with 70% or more cocoa. Two tablespoons of dark chocolate chips with fresh berries as a midafternoon snack or after-dinner dessert should give you some of the heart-healthy benefits without busting your calorie budget.

More from Prevention: 26 Immunity-Boosting Recipes


Pomegranates 

Packed with antioxidant compounds, pomegranates have long been linked to both heart and brain health. Newer research explains why: One study found pomegranate polyphenols help your arteries expand and contract to manage blood flow and prevent hardening. A separate study found the same antioxidants help ward off the type of inflammation that leads to Alzheimer’s disease. To get the most benefit, eat the fruit’s seeds and some of the pith. Both contain healthful compounds.

Bananas

Good old bananas are loaded with potassium—a macronutrient that helps control your blood pressure and keeps your nervous system operating at peak efficiency. Potassium also lowers your risk for stroke, according to research from the FDA. But if you’re like most women, you’re consuming only half the potassium your body needs. One banana packs 450 mg—about 10% of your daily potassium target—as well as fiber to keep your digestive system running smoothly.

Peanut Butter 

From bone-strengthening magnesium to immunity-boosting B6, peanut butter is loaded with many of the vitamins and minerals your body needs (but probably isn’t getting enough of). Its high fiber and protein content will keep you full for hours, and peanut butter is also a good source of monosaturated fats—proven to help you lose weight and ward off diabetes. Creamy’s fine, but the crunchy kind typically contains more fiber and less sugar. (Make the most of your pb with these 25 delicious peanut butter recipes.)

Popcorn 

Packed with inflammation-fighting antioxidants that can help fend off health issues such as heart disease and depression, popcorn is also the only 100% unprocessed whole grain, meaning its one of the best snacks to help you meet your daily whole grain goals. The only caveat: The pre-bagged, microwaveable varieties are loaded with calories and chemicals. Buy unvarnished kernels and pop them yourself in a stove top popper. Olive or truffle oils are delicious, healthy substitutions for butter. (Find 26 tasty popcorn recipes with our handy Recipe Finder.)

Oysters 

These slippery gray miracles are nature’s champ when it comes to zinc, a mineral necessary for immune and DNA health, as well as fetal development. Oysters are also a rich source of iron—a nutrient many vegetable-centric eaters don’t get enough of. Too little iron can lead to red blood cell deficiencies, fatigue, headaches, and other ailments. Just 1 raw oyster contains nearly 3 milligrams of iron—or a sixth of your daily 18-mg goal.

Mushrooms 

Healthy mushroom compounds have been shown to lower cholesterol and slow tumor growth associated with some cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. Mushrooms also increase your body’s circulating levels of proteins called interferon, which stop viruses like hepatitis from advancing. They’re also a great, low-calorie stand-in for meat. Whether you plan to gobble shiitakes or white buttons, just make sure you cook them first; their dense cell walls are nearly indigestible if eaten raw.

Chia 

Much like its sibling seed, flax, chia seeds are great sources of protein, omega-3s, and fiber. They also contain good amounts of healthy antioxidants, as well as calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron—all important for your health. Some studies have also indicated chia might help you lose weight by controlling your hunger levels. Toss a small handful into smoothies or baked goods, or use them as a healthful topping on salads or yogurt. (Here are our three top chia seed brand picks.)

Chicken breast 

It may not be a trendy superfood, but a 4-oz serving of this low-cal staple contains nearly half of your daily protein. Chicken breasts are a great source of phosphorous—important for strong bones and teeth—as well as vitamin B3 (aka niacin), which helps control high blood pressure and prevents hardening of the arteries. One serving also contains 25% of the vitamin B6 you need each day to maintain proper brain and immune system function.

Kale 
As vegetables go, leafy greens—especially the dark-green kind—tend to top health experts' lists. And, along with spinach, kale is at the top of the dark-and-leafy-green heap. Bursting with vitamins A, K, and C, kale is also a great source of calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Whether you toss it into soups, smoothies, or salads, gobble as much of this stuff as you can every day.

Lemon 

Along with its impressive concentrations of vitamin C, lemon’s flavonoid compounds have been shown to have anti-cancer properties. But lemons may be healthiest in a supporting role: Add a little to your tea, and your body will absorb more of the drink’s healthy antioxidants, finds research from Purdue University. You can even reduce the appearance of age spots by plopping a lemon wedge on them 10 minutes a day for 12 weeks.

More from Prevention: How To Get Smoother Skin—On Your Schedule

Oranges 

Loaded with vitamin C, oranges are also solid sources of folate—important for cell maintenance and repair. They contain potassium and vitamins B1 and A, which are essential for vision and immune function. And the pectin in oranges absorbs unhealthy cholesterol from the other foods you eat, and so keeps the bad stuff out of your system. Pectin also neutralizes a harmful protein called galectin-3 that causes tissue scarring in your heart, shows UK research. (Try these 7 citrus recipes you'll love.)

Russet potatoes 
Sweet potatoes get all the press. And while they do contain more beta carotene, russet (or baking) potatoes win out when it comes to folate, niacin, potassium, and also phosphorous—a mineral important for strong bones. Russet potatoes are also much lower in sugar and sodium than their sweet relatives. Try substituting healthy Greek yogurt for sour cream when baking or mashing; you’ll be shocked how similar the two taste.

Quinoa 

Quinoa makes every list of superfoods for good reason: It’s packed with “complete” protein—the type that contains all 9 of the essential amino acids your body needs. (Many vegetables are incomplete protein sources.) It’s also solid on fiber to aid your digestion, and is practically multivitamin-heavy when it comes to nutrients like iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and folate. Try it as a dinner side or in place of meat in dishes like stuffed peppers. (For more ideas, take a look at these 6 delicious quinoa recipes.)

Wine 

Its antioxidants are linked to lower cholesterol levels and healthier blood vessels—both of which improve heart health. And the wine compound resveratrol—more abundant in reds than in whites—has been shown to block the growth of fat cells, regulate blood sugar, and ward of depression. But drink in moderation: While a glass or two a couple days a week is life-extending, daily sipping ups your risk for early death, shows a study from Virginia Tech.

Pumpkin 

Like most orange vegetables, pumpkins are crammed with beta carotene, which your body naturally converts to vitamin A, also known as retinol. That’s a good thing, because retinol is important for healthy skin and mucous membranes, as well as immune function and vision. Pumpkin seeds also contain protective compounds called phytosterols, which may help combat an enlarged prostate. The seeds are great lightly salted and roasted, and pumpkin flesh is delicious in everything from pancakes to smoothies (and these 20 perfect pumpkin recipes prove it!).

Lentils 

Women who eat lentils at least twice a week are 24% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who eat them less than once a month, studies show. Lentils keep blood sugar steady, and just a quarter cup of these miniature legumes provides 13 g of protein, 11 g of fiber, and 5 mg of iron. They’ve also been shown to ward off hypertension. Try them in soups or salads, or as a tasty side.

Brussels sprouts

Too often associated with childhood dinner-table standoffs, these cruciferous vegetables feature sulfur compounds called glucosinolates, shown to help lower your risk for several types of cancer, according to research from Oregon State University. Loaded with iron and potassium, a cup of Brussels sprouts also features 54 mcg of folate—about 14% of your 400-mcg recommended daily allowance. Slice them in half and sauté them in salt, pepper, and garlic to enliven their natural flavor.

Bulgur 

This whole grain is popular in the Middle East, and it’s about time America caught on. Bulgur contains a metabolite called betaine, which can tamp down unhealthy levels of inflammation. One cup of cooked bulgur contains 8.2 g of fiber—nearly 33% of your daily requirement. It also provides more than half of your daily target for manganese, a mineral important for brain and nerve function. Mix it with beans to form a healthier veggie burger.

More from Prevention: 5 Amazing Veggie Burger Recipes

Sardines 

They’re cheap, portable, and among the best sources of heart-healthy omega-3s. In fact, women who regularly eat the type of long-chain fats found in sardines enjoy a 38% drop in ischemic heart disease risk, according to a Danish study. Long-chain omega-3s have also been shown to limit inflammation and slow tumor growth. The miniscule fish is a phenomenal source of vitamin B12, which helps your body make DNA while keeping your nerve and blood cells healthy.

Kefir 

Kefir is a fermented milk drink that's chock full of probiotics—healthy bacteria that help your immune and digestive systems function properly. Probiotics like those found in kefir also limit the presence of harmful microbes called candida, which can cause stomach cramping and skin issues like rashes or break outs, research has shown. Great in smoothies or on its own, look for plain kefir, which contains fewer calories and sugar than the flavored varieties.

Onions 

They’re champs when it comes to polyphenols and flavonoids, both linked to lower oxidative stress and reduced cancer risk. An onion’s sulfur compounds help control diabetes symptoms and protect your heart from disease. And the chromium found in onions has been shown to regulate blood sugar. Tip: the outermost layers tend to hold more healthy nutrients.


Tea
Green tea’s antioxidant compounds have been linked to slower cancer growth, improved blood flow, weight loss, improved liver function, and reduced rates of brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. But black tea's no slouch in the health department either; it's been shown to reduce stroke risk and lung damage from smoking. There’s plenty of debate over how much you have to drink to experience the most benefit. But whether you knock back a cup a week or several a day, you’re doing your body a favor. (Savor each sip with these 15 fall teas we love.)

Coffee 

While researchers are still trying to figure out what it is about coffee that’s healthful (the caffeine? the antioxidants?), there’s little doubt your body benefits from joe. A massive National Cancer Institute study found women who drink 2 to 3 cups per day enjoy a 13% drop in mortality risk. Daily consumption has also been linked to reduced risk for diabetes, skin cancer, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Regular is healthier than decaf, studies have found.

Raspberries 

Just 1 cup contains nearly half your daily manganese—important for brain and nerve function, as well as bone and joint health. Raspberries are high in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, and low in carbohydrates. And the phytonutrients found in raspberries may help slow or reduce the growth of cancer cells, newer research suggests. If you can, buy organic raspberries; USDA research shows the fruit is one of the most commonly contaminated with pesticides.

Brown rice 

Low in fat and high in fiber, brown rice is also a rich source of selenium—a trace element essential for thyroid metabolism, DNA health, and proper immune system function, according to the NIH. One cooked cup contains more than 27% of your daily selenium needs. Brown rice is also a good source of manganese and niacin, which are both important for brain and heart health. Swap in brown rice for white, and you’ll do your health a big favor.

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