Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Stress of Attending College - 1326 Words

Deciding to go to college is the hardest decision a student can make and the most stressful. Caused by many reasons, the stress is present whether one is in their first year of college or their last. Deciding to attend college is frightening for students; this is because it means going into the world and growing up. Along with the decision come a number of stressful responsibilities and changes that a student has to put up with. The reasons for so much stress fall into one of three categories: academic stress, which has anything to do with studying for classes, financial stress, which has to do with paying for school, and personal stress. Many students experience stress, and they have to combine their busy lives and the demands of college and still make time for themselves. We all experience stress in college getting ready for exams, completing papers, or adjusting to college life. We all know that being stressed for a long time may cause health issues. Although stress can be harmful at times, it can also be good and stimulating. Stress can also be good, because of facing new challenges helps students grow up and learn new things. Dealing with academic and personal stressors is the hardest part about college, and it will interfere with personal life and help experiment life’s options. A major academic stressor that college student have are grades. In college, in order to get into a certain program for the career students are competing with each other due to grades.Show MoreRelatedPersonal Responsibility and College Success1282 Words   |  6 PagesPersonal Responsibility and College Success Cody Murphy GEN/200 October 16, 2012 Alyse Stone Personal Responsibility and College Success Thesis Statement Some people believe that they can keep their same routines and successfully complete a college degree. Students must analyze and adjust their personal responsibilities to be successful while attending college. College success depends on the ability to balance personal responsibilities and academic requirements. Some students do notRead MoreWhat Do They Do When They Graduate?903 Words   |  4 Pagesdecide to go to college what do they want to major in? As well as what college do they want to go to? Many even have to decide on junior college verse a university and how can they benefit from either one. Many students think about going to a junior college just to start off their college career. As well as getting their basic courses out the way, while saving money. And other never think they would ever go to a junior college because of the myths. There are myths about junior college such as theyRead MoreGraduation Speech : Choosing A College912 Words   |  4 PagesChoosing a college seems like an easy decision, right? Seniors in high school face a difficult decision to choose a college and where they will spend the next four years of school. This is a confusing time for many students, as they face the stress of choosing the perfect college where they will be able to prosper and thrive and ultimately end up earning a degree and job. While there are differing opinions revolving around the topic of college price, many people promote students to attend publicRead MoreParking Deficiencies At Nevada Las Vegas ( Unlv )969 Words   |  4 Pagesthe parking garage. Stressful situations such as these happen on a daily basis for college students attending the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), the issue of parking deficiencies at UNLV is becoming a more well-known and very prevalent among the college’s community. The absenc e of parking spots at UNLV is detrimental to students’ education because it causes problems such as tardiness, frustration added stress, and financial issues; all things that will eventually handicap the educational enrichmentRead MoreEssay about Is Taking a Gap Year a Good Idea?562 Words   |  3 Pageswhich colleges to choose from and also what classed to enlist in. Most of all, there is the ultimate decision on whether or not to attend college altogether. Although it is always easier to take the traditional route and enroll directly out of high school, there is also a troubling decision to wait a year before attending college. Out of all of the high school graduates in the country, there are 31.4% of high school graduates that do not attend college. Students who do not attend college directlyRead MoreJiddu Krishnamurti s Concept That The True Function Of Education1351 Words   |  6 Pagesreason why I go to college is to prepare myself for a career in the future. A lot of my friends that go to college also go to college to prepare themselves for a career. College gives you a start in life and prepares you for the future. By going to college, not only do we learn subjects, but we also learn new skills, including social skills. These skills and knowledge that we learn at school will help us now and will help us later in life as we start work. In addition, attending college shows potentialRead MoreHow Yoga Can Help Relieve The Stress That College Students1656 Words   |  7 Pages One would be hard-pressed to find a college student who does not deal with high levels of stress. According to the American Col lege Health Association’s annual assessment last year, approximately 53% of college students reported experiencing above average levels of stress (ACHA). What’s more, 30% of those students said stress had a significant negative impact on their academic performance (ACHA). Unfortunately, attending college requires students to take on unavoidably stressful situations, suchRead MoreStudent Athletes For The University Of Ohio912 Words   |  4 Pagesresponsibility of attending class and completing homework assignments and attending the games. Student athletes have a poor mental and physical body that is not recommended athletes to have. The â€Å"College Student- Athletes† book emphasizes that it is not recommended that student-athletes spend more than twenty hours per week practicing because it makes athletes feel tired and makes them have difficulty performing in their academics (â€Å"College Student†94). Many athletes experience stress while playingRead More College Stress Essay762 Words   |  4 PagesCollege Stress Jack’s heart pounds as he casts panicked looks around the classroom. He doesn’t recognize the professor, he doesn’t know any of the students, and he can’t even figure out what the subject is. In front of him is a test. At the very last minute his roommate awakens him. It’s only another anxiety dream. The very fact that dreams like Jack’s are common suggests that college is a stressful situation for young people. The cause of this stress can be academic, financial, and personalRead MoreCollege Education Should Be Free933 Words   |  4 Pagesdegree. These institutes are community college and technology centers. These institutes offer degrees for less money, which makes it affordable for anybody to attend who wants to. Recently, Obama stated that he is trying to make community college free for a student s to have the option to get a college education (Paquette). College education should be free for anybody who wants to take the time to learn n ew things like public high school. Community colleges offer associates and bachelor’s degree

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Importance Of Cultural Diversity - 983 Words

Cultural diversity is when a group of people come together from different parts of the world. College administrators and faculty should make cultural diversity a priority because it connects people that come from diverse backgrounds, which can open their minds to learning about traditions that come from someone elses cultures. Such experiences can also open up new opportunities for careers within their area or overseas. Also, it helps the students become self-aware when making choices amidst difficult situations. Cultural diversity not only helps a person to become more open to new things, but to also make connections with the world. It is important for students to have cultural diversity in a college because it helps them to keep an†¦show more content†¦The students have the opportunity to go and find the solution through different ways. The benefits from having cultural diversity on campus are that it helps students’ knowledge grow and prepares them to work in plac es with people from different backgrounds. According to Rosanna, â€Å"Jewish students are often afraid to wear Stars of David or yarmulkes on campus, and regularly text their friends to describe potential safety issues† (1). If there were to be a lack of diversity, it would be difficult to become more open-minded and connect with others. It would be easy to miss out on the new experiences, and sometimes, it ends up turning into hatred. This shows how life is difficult for Jewish students due to the lack of diversity on and around their campus. Cultural diversity affects life outside of college because it lets people hear about the different opinions about certain topics, even if they might not agree. This enables them to see other people’s traditions and customs. People grow from being exposed to these different cultures because it helps them to be better people by learning new things they might not have learned before. It shows how people can adapt to others who are different in their own way and respect their points of view. Also, this can cause changed behaviors and a broader understanding of others. Diversity affects college education because if the students were to be kept isolated in their bubble, it would be tough on theShow MoreRelatedThe Economic Importance of Cultural Diversity1135 Words   |  5 PagesCultural diversity is a subject that is being used a lot in organizations nowadays. People are starting to notice the difference in personality within each other, and how that is affecting their workplace. Age is not really a factor that matters in this topic of conversation, culture affects everyone in many ways of their day to day life. This can be seen very easily for a student. On campus the racial segregation/climate is very wide, you can find people from all over the world. This is sometimesRead MoreThe Importance Of Cultural Diversity On Education1383 Words   |  6 PagesThe Importance of Cultural Diversity In Education It is Carmen’s first day in her very first English speaking classroom, ever. She is beyond nervous, petrified of what the first day in her new classroom might entail. As the clock approaches 8 AM, a ton of questions are running through her head. Should I say â€Å"hi† or â€Å"hello† to my classmates? What if they can hear my accent? What if they can smell the chorizo my mom packed in my lunch? What was the little girl’s name I just met outside? What if theRead MoreThe Importance Of A Family On Cultural Diversity1515 Words   |  7 Pagespoints stated by Cheal, D (2001). The essay firstly looks at the different forms of family due to cultural diversity. Does it mean biology is important for kinship or can family be extended further than the blood? (Eriksen, 2004). As the nuclear family used to be seen at the ‘traditional family’ the discussion of if this has changed and how this has will be stated. Secondly the situational diversity and what could cause family form to change. With many aspiring for a nuclear family I will examineRead MoreThe Importance Of Cultural Diversity For Chinese Students834 Words   |  4 PagesIn addition, Cemlyn (2008) focuses on the importance of cultural diversity, especially respecting and accepting ethnic minority group. More voluntary work in different sectors will be available for Chinese students. Also, local government and service organizations have advocated that local people need to be open for international students and are encouraged to make friends with each other (Oatey and Xiong, 2006). Such multiple cultural networks will be beneficial to avoid social exclusion effectivelyRead MoreThe Importance Of Cultural Diversity For Company Success1274 Words   |  6 Pages(understand the importance of being honest, ethical and fair) and diversity (understand the importance of cultural diversity for company success). (Adidas Careers, 2015) Corporate Governance and Risk Management Adidas, being a multi-national enterprise contributes decently towards the global economy and society. They are aware of the laws, rules and regulations (formal institution) in addition to putting efforts to become a globally socially responsible firm. A group named Social and EnvironmentalRead MoreThe Importance Of Teaching Schools With Cultural And Linguistic Diversity Essay1401 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will consider the importance of effective teaching practice in schools when working with cultural and linguistic diversity. Initially this essay will draw together pedagogical foundations to show the importance for understanding how and why diversity is an issue that needs both personal and professional reflection. Examples of effective practice in three schools will be considered, Clover Park School, Richmond Road School and Finlayson Park School. Creating a learning environment thatRead More The Importance of Cultural Diversity Within Organizations Essay2190 Words   |   9 Pagesraised in relation to diversity, society talks about the group who possess individual qualities that are diverse from other individual’s traits. Diversity is the uniqueness, which every employee brings to the workplace in an organization or establishment. Examples of differences include nationality, belief, disabilities, physical appearance, race, gender, age, educational background, sexual orientation, and work experience, social and family status. At the workplace, valuing diversity means creating aRead MoreCultural Diversity At The California College Of Arts1234 Words   |  5 PagesRunning head: CULTURAL DIVERSITY 1 CULTURAL DIVERSITY 6 Cultural diversity Name Professors Name Institution Date Introduction Cultural diversity has impacted the American Society and studies as well. It is important to encourage students to explore the diversity of culture in America and also understand how culture has changed the landscape. The essence of studying diversity in culture is to help students understand the global community interrelations and how ethnicity, raceRead MoreThe Key Messages Of The Foundation Phase1057 Words   |  5 PagesPhase are applied throughout all aspects of the curriculum. It will analyse childhood theorists’ sentiments about the Foundation Phase, the notion of play in learning, both indoor and outdoor, and Personal Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural Diversity. The Foundation Phase is constructed to provide consistency to each child’s education during a crucial stage of their development. However, the consistency does not affect the challenge of the curriculum: Children are given more opportunitiesRead MoreStudents Are Not Entering The Classroom With The Knowledge And Understanding Of Multicultural Education762 Words   |  4 Pagesand understanding of the importance of multicultural literature. The students are suffering due to the lack of diverse reading literature incorporated into units of reading study. There is a need for staff developments and in-services to help educate teachers on ways to provide multicultural literacy awareness in primary schools. Objectives †¢ To heightening the awareness of the importance of multicultural literature in early grades. †¢ To prepare educators for diversity in the classroom. †¢ To encourage

Monday, December 9, 2019

International Human Resource Management and Solution

Question: Discuss about the International Human Resource Management and Solution. Answer: Identification and Critical Discussion of Issues The case study which is provided for the discussion is considered to the best case for explaining the IHRM. The case study is successful in revealing various aspects related to HR issues. Being a consultant for IHRM, it is essential to analyze such specific issues and find out their solution. The international human resource has come up with various problems and issues. To identify these issues, the case study assessed in detail. The first issue which is being observed in the organization is related to the resistance of employees towards changes occurring in the organization on an international basis. The employee generally believes on the mantra that is near enough good enough. They dont want to accept the changes on the organizational level. Lack of communication is also one of the reasons for the hurdle in the organization. The employee generally shows their worst behavior in managing the basic issues related to the organization as well. The mode of communication of the organization is horizontal and vertical as well. The team is also not getting adequate messages for managing their operations (Pearson Education, 2013). The second issue is related to the diversity management. In this airline organization, the code of conduct of employees is not appropriate as per the organization. There is no stable impact on the process of discussion with reference to the employees. In the organization, the staff is quite intolerant. The senior employees dont want to work with the junior employees. The method of treating staff is also not well organized. Apart from this, the disable people are also not treated in a proper manner. The Human Resource Department is not clear and doesnt follow a precise practice related to the organization. The employees are always in a state of confusion while taking proper decisions. To manage all these aspects, it is essential to look forward for definite approach as well. The third issue is related to the performance management. Due to the issue of performance management, reviews are not collected in a proper direction. The appraisal and reward system cant be managed without seeking the help of the suitable performance system. The employees of the organization are bearing a lot of pressure while pursuing specific tasks in the organization. Other than this, the format and implementation strategy related to the performance management is not properly developed in the airline segment (Bansal, 2015) The fourth issue is related to the training and development. The training and development session is important for every organization to define and manage. The level of training and development is not as per the industry standards. The suitable aspects related to the training and development requires to be identified at an initial level. The areas of expatriate are also not planned properly. There is a lack in the training and development procedure which will not be able to provide feedback as per requirement. In fact, the enhancement in quality of the employees performance can only be solved by the proper training and mentoring session. By observing these issues, it was assessed that it is important to solve these issues for the betterment of the company. Without solving these issues, the actual aspects related to the organization cannot be fulfilled (Haston, 2011) Apart from this there are various common issues, which are related to the international management and procedures. The issues related to the international performance management, issues related to the training and mentoring on an international level and exchange of ideas and views are also measured for the continuous procedure. Dealing of Human Resource Management The Human resource management is identified as one of the aspect, which helps in defining the actual process. The international HRM also plays an important role for the completion of the whole process. In fact, various issues related to the HRM can also be solved with the help of international HRM process. Some of the specific tasks are identified on the Human resource level, which may assist in solving the issues as well. The major steps related to the human resource management are considered as the selection, performance appraisal, compensation, practice management and international organizational relations. To manage all these activities and to generate results as per the requirement, the implementation phase should also be proper and appropriate. As this report is identified on an international level, so it is essential to put forward the steps related to the international management. The IHRM focuses on the centralized approach on the wide landscape. This approach will help in s olving the case easily. The centralized approach changes the overall structure connected to the organization as well. The international and globally active programs should be identified at an individual level. These programs are mainly related to the training and mentoring. The session for the training and mentoring is identified at an initial phase. According to the planning and requirement of the organization, suitable set of training and mentoring program will be identified. The concept linked to the international marketing and management of the procedure as per the international expansion are identified as some of the features, which are manageable for the international market expansion (Joana S. P. Story, 2013) Team building efforts and activities are identified as one of the practice which is useful for the international expansion. In the case study, it is clearly highlighted that Airlines is facing various issues and problems related to the international expansion. As the consultant on an international level, I personally take care of different aspects as well. The team building workshops, management of the diversity team and identification of culturally different caliber are identified as different activities which helps in achieving the long lasting goals. By reorganization and procedure, the human resource members can get success in delivering the best output related to these aspects easily. In the team building activity, performance and management of the team can be identified. Other than this, the processing across the borders can also be recognized on a wide level. Fostering the global collaboration is also considered as one of the most promising developmental aspect through which the growth and development can be defined at an international level. As the consultant for the organization, it is identified as one of the basic responsibility to improve global collaboration with a rapid speed. The role of the human resource team is changing with a fast speed. In the past days, the role of collaboration team was recruiting the person, providing them specific training and mentoring and generating the new aspects related to Human resource. But, nowadays, the cost cutting, introduction of new ventures and management of new perspectives are added as the additional features for the improvement of the organization. In reference to the organization, the planning and other perspectives are identified which may also help in providing suitable assistance (Shanine, et al., 2011). The cultural diversity is also identified as one of the feature by which the variations can be identified on a big scale. It is not possible to manage the coordination with culturally different people, if the strategic approaches and tools are not identified properly at an initial level. For managing all these perspectives, the cultural aspects can be mentioned in a wide form. The cultural diversity mainly identifies when the people are working with different people with different identity, different working culture and with different approaches. Similarly, in the case study, airlines are expanding their subsidiaries in another country, for which they actually need a specific identity and assistance. To coordinate with different people and culture is considered as a tough task to be managed. It is essential to handle a definite system or processing, so that the target can be achieved in a correct direction (Gopalkrishnan, 2012). The compliance with the international laws and rules is identified as one of the task, which can be managed with reference to the organization. The case study shows that due to diversity and cultural aspects linked to the organization, various issues are being identified. The expansion of business also brings different set of rules and regulations which every country prefers. For managing these rules, it is essential to identify a definite approach on an international level. For an example, the airline wants to expand its subsidiaries on the European level, and the rules for Europe are totally different. Similarly, if the expansion can be identified at an Australian level, then the rules are different and modified. So, to manage and cope-up with these aspects, the specific procedure is accepted on the wide level. The international expansion is considered as one of the most specific process for the management (Kapoor, 2016). The generation of awareness and identification of an absolute boundary related to the organization is essential to be managed on the wide level. The expansion and elaboration of the boundaries by defining the international HRM is considered as one of the major priorities in relation to any organization. As identified in the case study that there are cultural as well as differences related to the diversity, so to fill these gaps and differences, the human resource team has to make efforts in a proper direction. Apart from this, it is also essential to look forward for the definite approaches associated to the international processing. Plan for eradication issues Eradicating common issues occurring in the organization is not an easy task. There are various plans which are defined for eradication. For managing the aspects related to the eradication, suitable steps are planned and identified. To plan eradication issues, specific strategy is prepared in the right direction. The strategic plans which are identified for managing the issues related to the international HRM are defined in the paragraph below (Szlavicz Berber, 2014). The framework and strategic approach for implementing a stable plan should be identified on the wide level. It is essential to look forward for a specific approach in the manageable form. To provide the expansion on an international level, strategic approach should be quite simple and well-focused. The well-equipped tools and services are also mentioned on the definite level, which will help in generating the proper result. Apart from this, the hiring of managers and higher escalation on the organizational level should also be high and specific. This will aid in providing assistance in the growth process and will benefit for the international expansion (Festing, 1997). Recommendation and Implementation For managing business on the international level and to identify issues related to international aspects, it is essential to define some of the common recommendations on a definite level. The set of recommendations is defined below. There is the transparent glass ceiling between the trading concept on the local as well as on the international level. To break the glass ceiling between these two aspects, it is essential to come up with the suitable trading aspects. The human resource practices should also be planned in an approachable manner (Quelch Bloom, 1999). The separation of global database before hiring is considered as one of the feature, which may help in providing assistance while recruiting and hiring suitable candidates. The recruitment and training program is considered as one of the aspect due to which organization suffers a lot. The clarification in this process will help in strengthening the international aspects. It is essential to find out the leadership capital and strength on a wide level. Without leadership capital, it is not possible to make it suitable for the processing and further identity. On an international level, the leadership is considered as one of the aspect by which the issues related to the international problems can be solved on a wide level. The management and identification of the issues are considered on the highest priority (Caligiuri, 1999). For removing issues, regular recruitment is essential. This regular recruitment will help in providing assistance for changing the current scenario associated with the organization. The international organizations are seeking various changes on the daily basis. To solve these issues, identification of the current scenario and ideas related to the dealing are essential to be identified. The internal hiring is also recommended for the international expansion. The internal recruitment assists in improving results generation in reference to the organization. The organizational as well as changes related to the staff can be well understood by the internal staff in a well-focused manner. In fact, the internal staff can able to solve these issues in a well-defined manner (Thoo Kaliannan, 2013). Apart from these recommendations for solving the IHRM, there are various aspects too which helps in defining the best possible ways to represent the activities on a wide level. To solve the basic issues related to the IHRM, continuous strategies will be planned. After identifying recommendations, the phase of implementation is also considered at the broad level. To introduce the concept of implementation, it is essential to regulate strategic reviews on the specific level. For performing an implementation, the best aspect is the selection of strategy for introducing the process of implementation. Different phases will be identified for more improvements and process (Beeck Hondeghem, 2017). For providing satisfactory aspects, the reviews are also generated at a definite level. The implementation may also be introduced by taking help from the staff members. Conclusion The IHRM is considered as the most specific method through which the international expansion of the business can become possible. The international HRM is identified as the most specific method through which promotional aspects related to the organization can be composed. There are various issues and problems that are mentioned on an international level. To solve them and make the aspects easier for the improvement, the strategy is planned. It can be concluded that for international expansion, there are various perspectives which can be considered. The plans and approaches are also identified at a definite level as well. The international recruitment and identification of suitable candidates is also considered as one of the major priority, which can be identified by performing definite aspects related to the organization. According to the recommendations, it is essential to look forward various developmental aspects on the organizational level. The management related to the diversity and cultural values should be planned in a definite manner. The performance management and identification of the suitable process is essential to be managed at a definite level. If the performance management on an international level can be improved, then it will be helpful in providing specific output as per the requirement. There are different aspects and perspectives mentioned above in a definite form. To manage these aspects and perspectives, the consultant is hired. This consultant is recognized as one of the basic sources for providing the basic growth aspects. The management of the diversity and identification of suitable aspects is considered as the most developed sources for an improvement. References Bansal, P., 2015. Human resource problems in the organization- Explaining case studies. ASIAN JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT RESEARCH , 6(2). Beeck, S. Hondeghem, A., 2017. Effective HRM Implementation by Line Managers: Relying on Various Sources of Support. International Journal of Public Administration, 40(2). Caligiuri, P., 1999. The ranking of scholarly journals in international human resource management. The International Journal of Human Resource Management , 10(3). Festing, M., 1997. International Human Resource Management Strategies in Multinational Corporations: Theoretical Assumptions and Empirical Evidence from German Firms. International Human Resource and Cross Cultural Management, Volume 37, pp. 43-63. Gopalkrishnan, G., 2012. Issues that influences the effectiveness and efficiency of a human resource management in an organisation.. International Journal of Economics and Management Sciences, 1(6), pp. 65-70. Haston, M. R., 2011. Are there significant differences in approach between Personnel Management and Human Resource Management to be found in the literature on this subject?: A review of key literature from a new starter in the HR profession. International Journal of Applied HRM, 3(1). Joana S. P. Story, 2013. Meeting the Challenges of Effective International HRM: Analysis of the Antecedents of Global Mindset. Wiley journal, 30 December, 53(1), p. 131155. Kapoor, B., 2016. Impact of Globalization on Human Resource Management, Available at: https://www.jimsjournal.org/6%20Bhushan%20Kapoor.pdf Pearson Education, 2013. Managing Human Resources in an International Business, Available at: https://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/728/745520/chapter13.pdf Quelch, J. Bloom, H., 1999. Ten Steps to a Global Human Resources Strategy, Available at: https://www.strategy-business.com/article/9967?gko=db7b9 Shanine, K., Buchko, A. Wheeler, A., 2011. International Human Resource Management Practices from a Complex Adaptive Systems Perspective: An Exploratory Investigation. International Journal of Business and Social Science, April, 2(6), pp. 1-6. Szlavicz, A. Berber, N., 2014. Performance management in international human resource management. Serbian Journal of Management, June, 9(1), pp. 45-58. Thoo, L. Kaliannan, M., 2013. International HR Assignment in Recruiting and Selecting: Challenges, Failures and Best Practices. Selecting: Challenges, Failures and Best Practices, 3(4), pp. 1-16.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Taoism Applied To Everyday Life Essays - Taoism, Chinese Philosophy

Taoism Applied To Everyday Life Taoism applied to everyday life Practice not-doing and everything will fall into place (Chapter 3). In Taoism this is the concept known as wu wei. Wei wu wei is the practice of doing and not-doing. This concept comes from the theory of the Yin and Yang. The Yang, along with wei, is the practice of doing. The Yin, along with wu wei, is the practice of not-doing. One compliments the other, and each cannot exist alone. The Tao tells people to practice not-doing because it will bring happiness in their life. By not-doing, the Tao means not performing actions, which are unnecessary and uncalled for. People should just take things as they come in life and they will live a life full of happiness and pleasure. If you don't interfere with the Tao and let things take their natural course, everything will work out in your life (Chapter 10). If powerful men and women could remain centered in the Tao?all people would be at peace? (Chapter 32). If you work against your Tao, you will never find happiness. The Sage practices wu we i. He teaches without words and performs without actions (Chapter 43). He knows and therefore does not speak (Chapter 56). Many people mistake conceptual knowledge for the map to the territory. The Sage is our map to the Tao. He points his finger to show us the way, but does not really tell us what to do and how to practice Taoism. Lao Tzu's concepts of the Tao can be a guide to rational living. If one follows these beliefs he is guaranteed happiness in his life. However, it is very difficult to follow the Tao, even though the teachings are said to be easily understood and easily put into practice (Chapter 70). The reason the Tao is so difficult to grasp is because you cannot know that you are practicing it. The Tao is beyond all words. If you give it words, it does not exist. It is unnamable. If you concentrate on the Tao, you will never understand it. You cannot think about it, you must just do it. This is very difficult because people always think about what they do, but this does not work with the Tao (Chapter 1). You cannot look for the Tao; you cannot listen for the Tao. You must just accept the idea that it is always there, omnipresent, and you can't see it. This is all very important because if one cannot understand these first simple steps in Taoism, they will be lost the rest of the way. In personal life, you should never define yourself. When you define yourself, you are actually putting limits on yourself. If a man defines himself as a doctor, he is limiting himself to science. If a man defines himself as a singer, he is limiting himself to music. By limiting yourself, you are not allowing yourself to experience life fully (Chapter 24). Also, you should never define any object because they will always have an opposite. If you define something as good then its opposite is defined as bad, when in reality it might not be (Chapter 2). When a man is about to buy a car, he will want to buy a company with a good name. He has defined one car as good and the rest are bad. When he realizes he cannot afford the good car he is unhappy. He has to buy a bad car. While driving his bad car, he thinks about what people will say. He worries that they will not approve of his new purchase. If the man had not originally set such high expectations of buying a good car, he would not be u pset with his situation. By caring about other people's approval he becomes their prisoner (Chapter 9). If you see things as they are, then you will be happy with whatever you have. If you see things through other's eyes then you will never achieve the high goals you are setting. In family life, be completely present (Chapter 8). All family members should always be there for each other. You should be completely present for the rest of your family, this