Women's Well~Being Circle: 2014

'Tis the season to teach your kids about credit cards!

"I can't wait to get a credit card. It will be cool to buy whatever I want, whenever I want." Look out - that kind of thinking will get you into trouble! A lot of people think that credit cards are "magic money." But a credit card is just a financial tool that lets you borrow money, which you have to pay back.

The Women's Well~Being Circle "Resource Page" has great information and links to help you educate your kids, teens, and young adults on the issue of credit cards. Use these resources to help teach financial literacy. Here's a great preview:

Good Reasons to Have a Credit Card

• They are a convenient way to pay.

• They're safer than carrying a lot of cash. If a credit card is stolen or lost, your maximum loss is only $50 if you report the loss to your credit card company.

• You can buy things online or over the phone, and make reservations with hotels or rental car companies.

• You can get instant cash in an emergency, like if your car broke down.

• They offer some protection against unsatisfactory purchases. For example, if you ordered a tv and paid with a credit card, and the store went out of business before you got your tv, you may be able get a refund from your credit card company.

• Using a credit card responsibly builds good credit.

Ready, Set . . . . Mark Your Calendars!

Have you visited the "Upcoming Events" link yet? If not, click and note the events on the 2015 Women's Well~Being Circle calendar. Our calendar is getting full for 2015. It's an exciting time of year.

Join the Women's Well~Being Circle in making a commitment to take better care of your own mental and physical health and financial literacy by attending our events. It's just a little something for you!

Holiday Potluck & Game Night 2014

Please RSVP by email to womenswellbeingcircle@gmail.com.
Address will be sent to confirm.

Our holiday potluck will be hosted in Glen Burnie, MD. Please send an email to womenswellbeingcircle@gmail.com to RSVP.

We're looking forward to seeing everyone!

Stress is a choice: The empty pickle jar

Feeling stressed? Need a little inspiration? The story of The Empty Pickle Jar will inspire you to simplify your life and choose less stress. The story the philosophy professor tells his students is a reminder that every day is a gift and the quality of your life is your gift to yourself. If you spend all your time and energy stressing out over the small stuff, you’ll never have room for the things that make you happy. This inspirational video is a reminder to set your priorities and to first take care of the things that really matter, like your family and friends. Click here to watch the simple truths video, "The empty pickle jar."

Financial Wellness for Women Month

Join the Prince George's Commnity Federal Credit Union as they celebrate Financial Wellness for Women in the month of October!

Studies continue to show that many women lag men on financial literacy issues like financial planning, money management and investing. When you consider that most women will at some point be solely responsible for their finances, it becomes even more important that women improve their financial fitness.

In conjunction with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Prince George’s Community Federal
Credit Union is highlighting the role that financial fitness plays in the overall wellness for women.
Join us as we host informative discussions and seminars to help improve and/or maintain the financial growth for women. To register or for more information, click on the link to a seminar or call 301.627.2666 or 800.952.PGCU.

All seminars will be held at PGCFC headquarters located at 15201 Hall Rd. Bowie, MD 20721.

Source: https://www.princegeorgescfcu.org/News-s-Promotions/news/Financial-Wellness-for-Women-Month.aspx

Kerry Washington Sheds Light On An Invisible Kind Of Domestic Abuse

Financial Wealth - Learn to identify financial abuse and it's role in domestic violence.

Click here to view video

Financial abuse is a tactic often used by abusers to control and isolate their partners. It takes many forms: Abusers may drastically limit their victims' access to cash so they have no money of their own if they want to flee. They may sabotage their victims' ability to work, or pile up debt under their victims' names. Experts cite financial abuse as one of the top reasons why many victims are unable to escape abusive relationships.

Read the full interview/article with Huffington Post here.

Flawless

You are altogether beautiful, my love;

There is no flaw in you.

--Song of Solomon 4:7

Have you heard Beyonce's song, "Flawless?" For some reason, that song just sticks with me. I love the song for it's catchy beat and rhythm. But this title is a little empowering for woman and young adults. You are perfect (i.e. flawless). You wake up, you are flawless. However, our encounters throughout the day and throughout our life can make us feel not so beautiful, or desirable, or as empowered. I wanted to simply remind you today that You are beautiful, flawless.

Also, adding from a teaching last week, Dr. Jasmin "Jazz" Chulark, Pastor of Jericho City of Praise in Landover, Maryland, wanted to share with some that one (1) is a whole number. Something we may have forgotten since grade school. Unlike 1/2 or 1/4, we are made whole. Therefore, as we apply this reminder to our relationships, remember that a husband, boyfriend, girlfriend can compliment you or enrich what you have, but they should not complete you. You are already whole. It is not another persons responsibility to make you happy, rich, whole.

Truly, we all are indeed flawless.

Women of Power (Domestic Violence)
Sat., Sept 20 at 9 a.m. - 12 noon
Jericho City of Praise
8501 Jericho City & Bishop Peebles DriveLandover, MD 20785

My Best Work/Life Balance Tips for Working Women

Plan your day in advance, either the night before (preferred) or the morning of. Develop a to-do list of most important and urgent tasks. Add to that a few routine tasks or a few steps to a larger project. Work from this list. If you have a more task-oriented position, meet with an immediate supervisor to help you identify specific daily goals.

Avoiding disruptions is the most important tip of all. Disruptions (people or things not on your to-do list) are the main cause of working late or taking work home. Use a timer when checking email so you don't loose track of your greatest asset, your time. Avoid social media except during lunch or during a break.

Don't just organize your desk, but declutter your electronic files as well. Document retrieval can be a huge time waster if you have no system for files and projects. Use folders that best fit your needs (i.e. yearly and monthly sub-folders and account based work, department names for organizational work, or client name or number for corporate work, etc.).

Take a break! Being sluggish can cause us to fall behind on our to-do list. Let's face it, sitting all day at your desk doesn't show commitment, it shows a person not in control enough they can't even afford a lunch break. Even if you pack your lunch, walk outside/around your building, breath in fresh air. It is natures quickest picker upper.

Know your limits. Stop checking email after hours. Even if your boss time management skills are different from yours, NO ONE expects a response at 7 PM or 10 PM. If you feel better having a leash on what's happening in the office when you are not there, fine, read it! But only read at pre-determined, designated times while at home, and resist the urge to respond.

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What are some of your tips and best practices for balance work and life?
Share in our comment section.

Save Yourself (Joke of the Day, shared)

Submitted by: T. West

There were 11 people – ten men and one woman – hanging onto a rope that came down from a helicopter. They all decided that one person should get off, because if they didn’t, the rope would break and everyone would die. No one could decide who should go, so finally, the woman gave a really touching speech saying how she would give up her life to save the others, because women were used to giving up things for their husbands and children, giving in to men, and not receiving anything in return. When she finished speaking, all the men started clapping.

Although the joke is funny, I couldn't help but think how true the woman's speech is. The Women's Well~Being Circle is here to encourage you to take some time for yourself to rejuvenate. Read that chapter in the book, share best practices, or come have a fun night out with the ladies learning about something new or meeting someone new. It's a safe circle to finally answer the questions, "What have you done for you lately?"

Here is what Sharon had to say about a recent event:

"I had a great time. Just what the doctor ordered. I continued the trend and took time for myself the entire weekend."

Improve your credit score in 48 hours?

Monday, August 11, 2014, NBC Washington shared tips on improving your credit score in as little as 48 hours. Check below for three quick tips to get you started.

1. If you already have a credit application pending, ask them to perform a "rapid rescore" service.

2. Keep your debt, per line of credit, paid down to no more than 30%.

3. Obtain documentation for errors and late payments.

For more credit tips, log on to www.nbcwashimgton.com and type in keyword "credit score."

Rules For Getting Well and Staying Well

The main secrets to a healthy life are:

Be thankful.
Bless the lives of others.
Healthy people serve others while the unhealthy are too often consumed with themselves and their own problems.
Learn to forgive and let go, so you can get on with your life. Many studies have now shown that forgiving enhances health and helps prevent chemical changes in the body that may lead to disease.
Live in harmony with those around you. Be a peacemaker.
Learn to accept whatever decision is made. Do your best to keep your peace of mind. Peace is a healer.
Learn from your mistakes and allow others to do the same. Don't stand over people and supervise every move. Learn to give others the opportunity to grow and grow up.
Don't talk about your misfortunes or illnesses. It doesn't do any good for you or the other person you tell, and it presents an opportunity for them to do the same to you. Save it for your doctor. He's paid to listen to your problems.
Don't gossip. Gossip that comes through the grapevine is usually sour grapes. Be a person who speaks for the one who can not.
Spend 10 minutes a day meditating on how you can become a better person. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Listen to and follow your conscience.

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This article is compliments of Dherbs.com

We Need Change!

I was greatly moved by this short film, narrated in part by Tyler Perry, "Spent: Looking for Change." Please take some time to watch this short film. Once you do, re-watch it with a pre-teen, young adult, family, and friends, and start having a conversation about this growing epidemic. This information is not a new concept. However, what it does is provide a platform of information so well put together that we can further educate young adults and help those adults who have found themselves in situations like the ones shared on this movie. So go on, sit tight and start, "Spent: Looking for Change."

Happy Mother's Day

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

The Great Dr. Maya Angelou

Bedroom Mistakes Women Make

Can a cluttered bedroom hurt your sex life? Does scheduling sex kill the romance? Is it ever okay to fake an orgasm? Find out. Take this Web MD quiz and get your sexy back!

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