Here’s another book for you, dear reader. Smart Women Finish Rich written by David Bach is jam packed with helpful financial advice for women, as well as some sobering facts. I couldn’t believe how much I learned in such a short time, and I credit that to Bach’s reader friendly writing and helpful real-life stories.

Here are some juicy tidbits I learned:

1. Women earn 25% less than men.

2. Women spend 11.5 years off the job v. 16 months for men.

3. Only 5% of Americans can afford to retire at 65.

4. If possible, women should sock away 12% of every pay into a high yielding retirement account.

5. Time is of the essence - start saving sooner rather than later because money compounds over time.

6. Think about what you value and how money may or may not be able to help you achieve those desires.

7. Write yourself a $10 million check, stick it up in your bathroom and look at it every day, believing it’s going to happen.

8. Have a rainy day account which holds at least 6 months of money to survive in case you lose your job, your health or both.

9. Pull your credit reports, which you can do for free once a year, and double check them to make sure all is in order.

10. Get rid of your fear and anxiety about money. Instead, educate yourself as much as possible and treat moola with respect.

11. Best way to get out of debt? Start paying for everything in CASH. Suddenly, shelling out four 20s for a pair of jeans hardly seems worth it.

Whew! These are just some highlights, but the point is that the book was helpful and NOT scary. Check it out!!! It’s entirely worth knowing.

Well, it seems I’m an INFP (Introvert, Intuition, Feeling and Perception), according to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test. I’m really not surprised by the results because the last time I took this test I was categorized as an ENFP. Apparently, I’m more of an introvert now than I was 10 years ago. Again, no surprise there. I still love interacting with new people; however, I find it more draining now than I did a decade ago. I’m more selfish of my alone time now, too, as I need my solitude to recharge.

So, what does an INFP look like?

According to the readout I got, someone like this:

Sensitive, concerned, and caring
Loyal to people or a cause
Guided by an inner core of values in decision making
Focused on contributing to their own and others’ inner development and growth
Committed to a strong personal belief system
Likely to enjoy reading, discussing, and reflecting on possibilities for positive change
Usually seen by others as sensitive, introspective and complex

Yep, I’d say that’s me in a nutshell.

Here are a few other quotes I’d like to draw attention to from my readout:

“INFPs look for meaning; they look for it in their lives, in their work, and in their relationship with others. They may feel a strong need to contribute something of importance to the world or to have an impact on the lives of those about whom they care, though they can also be quiet observers of people and humanity at large.”

“INFPs have a desire for harmony which may at times get in the way of their getting their own needs met.”

“Intuition gives their Feeling a future focus and orients INFPs to the abstract and symbolic. Intuition, however, is always secondary to the
deep-felt valuing and caring that characterizes their Feeling. Their orientation to the future something finds expression in their desire to help others manifest their potential. Their Intuition may also find embodiment in creative activity or show itself as an interest in communication.”

“If interested, INFPs may find an outlet for their gifts in the fields of writing, journalism, or foreign languages…their writing also tends to have a warm personal tone. Many INFPs also have a deep love and enjoyment of reading.”

“With interests in academics they may be found in the fields of literature, psychology, and the arts and sciences. Spirituality can also play a large role in their lives, as they look for a personal connection to something larger than themselves. Though INFPs care about people, they are often drawn to fields where they can work independently. Their behavior in the outer world is usually characterized by flexibility and they may be frustrated by routine, structure and rules.”

“Because INFPs are often attracted to new possibilities, and because they may have difficulty saying no, they may bite off more than they can chew. They can have too many projects going to successfully complete any of them. Under stress, they may also become rigid and perfectionistic, feel inadequate, and become critical of themselves. Under extreme stress, and in surprising contrast to their tolerant and caring style, they may even become outwardly critical of others, feeling that others are failing to meet the ideals the INFP has set for them.”

Well, that’s me, I guess, at least according to this test. I agree with it on the whole, although it also shows that I like to make lists of things to do AND that I enjoy structure when I’m over-busy! Still, while I mostly rebel against these types of tests, it’s always nice to have an additional mirror into ourselves. I love learning, so I’m happy to take this and expand it in my own life.

I am a tea afficiando.

Truly.

I drink several cups a day depending on the mood in which I find myself. Given that sometimes my inner seas are stormy and mercurial, this means several different types per day.

When I was in graduate school at Yale, I fell in love with Honest Tea. It was a relatively new company back then, but I liked their ethics and their products and would buy in bulk. One order, in particular, was lost and when I wrote the company to inquire where it was, one of the CEOs wrote me back and told me the shipment was on its way. He noticed my Yale email account and also being affiliated with Yale, as a professor at the Yale School of Management, he asked me if I’d like to do some sampling for them. They’d pay me about $10 an hour to go around giving out samples of the company’s products at grocery stores in the CT region.

I was definitely tempted by the prospect but felt overwhelmed with my studies and turned them down. I regret it now, of course.

Still, I buy their products and continue to love them…feeling good about supporting a company which ethically harvests their tea and gives back to local and Native American communities, among others, in the process.

Today, after a rocky afternoon, I purchased some Honest Ade. Not quite tea but not quite a sports drink either. For the record, the Orange Mango with Mangosteen is delicious and not very sweet…just the way I like it.

The backside of the label said this:

Patience also isn’t much of a virtue when it comes to changing the world - take matters into your own hands - plant a tree (arborday.org), donate blood (givelife.org), find a way to get involved with something you care about. Or find something new to care about at coopamerica.org.

It made me smile…

that was enough.

Want to feel better or have more energy? Perhaps you feel great and just have a health-related question.

Either way, here’s a great starting point for your research.

Dr. Joseph Mercola’s website is one of the largest and most comprehensive natural health websites in the world (at least that I am aware of). Based in Chicago, Mercola’s site contains information on many different health questions and challenges. He also writes a weekly newsletter.

For answers to your health questions and challenges, I find it easiest to use the search feature on his website. Just type in the keywords - diet, energy, fatigue, depression, cholesterol - and hit search and you will get a host of articles that you can read.

Personally, I have found many valuable articles on his site and have noticed improvements in my health and energy (if it is possible for me to have more energy!) from his recommendations.

Additionally, he has a wonderful health store with supplements and other recommended resources, including a great CD set for mental fitness, focus and relaxation that I just ordered. I will let you know what I think after I give it a try.

NOTE: Although Dr. Mercola is a traditionally trained physician, Mercola’s approach is a natural and preventative one. In other words, he will recommend diet and lifestyle changes before recommending that you take a pill for your health challenges. If you prefer to take drugs prescribed by your doctors before researching other alternatives - dietary changes, non-drug supplements - then this is probably not the site for you.

Technorati Tags: Joseph Mercola, Mercola.com, health resources, health website, Insight CD

I don’t know about you, but I not interested in spending time on work that is meaningless or less than fulfilling. Been there, done that. And, no matter how big the paycheck, it doesn’t seem worth it to me. But, that’s just my opinion…

I have the wonderful opportunity of helping my clients find more satisfaction and fulfillment in their work, whether it means a new career or it requires an escape from the establishment in order to start their own businesses. Regardless, my clients all have one thing in common: they want to do something that brings them a sense of purpose, allows them to live their passion, while providing financial rewards or profit at the same time. Passion and profit don’t have to be mutually exclusive, you know…

I digress. Now, for that resource I mentioned in the title of this post.

Last year, I almost yelled out with glee in Borders one evening when I discovered a wonderful new magazine, Motto. This thoughtful and relevant publication was started by two former Wall Street Journal folks, Kevin Salwen and Anita Sharpe.

Dedicated to creating passion, purpose and profit (as their tagline implies), they are the voice of that has been missing from many business conversations. And, in the era of corporate scandals, such as Enron, WorldCom and the like, What’s Your Motto (formerly known as Worthwhile Mag) is a breath of fresh air. Apologies for using a cliche…but it’s one I read from cover to cover.

No time for the mag? Check out Worthwhile’s blog. Kevin, Anita and the gang post regularly (almost daily), always providing fresh topics for your next discussion about “where is my career heading” or “why don’t I start that business I have always dreamed about.”

In case you missed it, here’s the link again - http://www.whatsyourmotto.com/

Trust me. It’s worth your while.

Technorati Tags: business magazine, meaningful work, What’s Your Motto, Kevin Salwen, Anita Sharpe