Self Improvement International - December 2020 Issue

Self Improvement International December 2020 Issue What is a Wake-Up Call?

The Joy of Gardening What is Literature? and many more !!!

Wealth of the Wise

Self Improvement International Wealth of the Wise December 2020 Issue

Copyright Š Thejendra Sreenivas. All Rights Reserved

Self Improvement International December 2020 Issue Editor and Publisher - Thejendra Sreenivas Bangalore, India.

Website - www.thejendra.com Email - thejendra@yahoo.com & thejendrabs@gmail.com

Self Improvement International is a monthly electronic magazine edited and published by Thejendra Sreenivas on behalf of his private Seven Sages Consultancy, Bangalore, India.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by information storage and retrieval systems, or in any language without the written permission of the editor.

Image Sources - All Images used in this magazine for the articles are from sites like Pexels, Unsplash, Pixabay, etc., that are free for both personal and

commercial

use,

and

used

as

per

the

recommendations of fair use. My full thanks and credits to the respective artists.

Licensing - This digital magazine is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or gifted to other people. If you would like to share this with others, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with.

If you are reading this and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the publisher’s work.

For Subscription Please Visit

In this issue From the Editor’s Desk

01

What my Lawyer makes me say

04

What Else?

07

What is a Wake-Up Call?

Personal Development

Ways to Enhance your Reputation Personal Development

The Joy of Gardening Personal Development

10

22

29

In this issue (cont’d) What is Literature?

Personal Development

How to Keep your Data Safe?

Technology

Don’t be Fooled by First Impressions Personal Development

WRITING & PUBLISHING

What is Hybrid Publishing?

Writing and Publishing

38

49

62

78

80

In this issue (cont’d) CHILDREN SECTION

Comics – The Lost Priceless Treasures Nostalgia

I am a Peaceful Peach Children Health

A Few Questions FAQs

About the Editor

91

91

98

102

108

From the Editor’s Desk

H

ey, thanks for subscribing to my unique and

delightful

Self

Improvement

International magazine. This is a magazine to be read, retained, remembered, and re-read from your electronic bookshelf. Each magazine carries a bunch of sparkling articles on Personal 1

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Development, Stress Management, Humor, Frugality, Leadership, Resiliency, Workplace Issues, Spirituality, Life Skills, Satire, Writing, Publishing, and an occasional Harsh Advice.

Simplicity is the hallmark of this treasure chest. Unlike the hordes of dazzling magazines that you see in the newsstands the contents here are eye and eReader friendly, and not crowded with

complex

cosmetics,

awesome

advertisements, and gorgeous graphics that can distract or irritate your eyes. The text font is also optimized to be easily read on all smartphones, tablets, and computer browsers so that you don’t have to pinch and zoom to read the contents.

Like a basket of delicious fruits each issue can dramatically transform your personal and professional life. Think of this magazine as your 2

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

electronic personal coach who can make you superior to the rest of the crowd. Give it a try.

You may be pleasantly surprised.

Back to Contents

3

What my Lawyer makes me say

D

isclaimer: Although this magazine has been prepared with utmost care, neither the author, publisher, seller, editor, or any

other party associated with this magazine can accept any liability for any direct or indirect

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

damages caused by following the advice given here.

All opinions, ideas, and advice expressed here are largely my personal or the contributor opinions and don’t necessarily represent the opinion of any other organization or person, including my employer, my clients or their agents. Any reference to any persons or businesses, whether living or dead, existing or defunct, is purely unintentional.

Self Improvement International cannot vouch for or certify the claims made by advertisers and is not liable for any cause of action arising out of such claims. All disputes are subject to the courts and competent forums in Bangalore, India only.

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Images used in this magazine are from open image sources like Pexels, Unsplash, Pixabay, etc., that are free for personal and commercial use.

My full thanks and credits to the respective artists.

Back to Contents

6

What Else?

W

ise men say that one should never have any desire for wealth and must always be prepared to lead a life of virtuous

poverty. Also, writing articles is viewed by many as

a

hobby

that

doesn’t

deserve

any

compensation for the writer as they must write purely for the passion and not for money. But 7

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

writing involves enormous effort and we don’t live on such magnanimous money-free planets.

By becoming a customer of this magazine and sharing information about this with all your friends you help me create valuable content for writers and executives. Thank you for being so generous.

Also, if you are a generously giving kind of person, then I am a happily accepting kind of person. So, if you have any unused excess wealth stashed away in Swiss Banks, Spare Jewels, Precious Gems, Spanish Gold Bars, Priceless Paintings, Rare Dinosaur Bones, Asteroid Pieces, Unused Rolls-Royce, Private Jets, Luxury Ships, or even an Exotic Island or Kingdom somewhere, please feel free to donate them to me along with all applicable taxes. Such humble gifts can nudge 8

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

me to scribble more articles that could be of use to someone, somewhere on our lonely planet ď Š

Back to Contents

9

What is a Wake-Up Call?

Personal Development

A

wake-up call was always been defined as a telephone call from a hotel employee

to a guest that serves to wake a sleeper.

However, in recent times the term wake-up call is often used for something big or a jolting event that shakes or interrupts your normal life. Here is 10

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

a bunch of wake-up calls (in no specific order) that may hit you or your loved ones.  Getting fired from a stable job.  Getting demoted or passed over for a promotion.  Backstabbing or betrayal by a trusted friend, family member, or coworker.  A near-death experience.  Losing a dear friend or family member.  Having a crippling accident.  Winning a lottery.  Getting a fantastic promotion.  Experiencing a crime, mugging, kidnap, blackmail, etc.  A sudden divorce.

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

 A serious illness.  Becoming bankrupt.  Being hit by a lawsuit.  Getting a job far away.  Not being invited for an important function by a close friend or relative.  Not planning well for your retirement and getting into trouble.  A management shakeup that adversely impacts your career, boss, working, etc.  A sudden merger, downsizing, outsourcing, budget cuts, etc.

The list can go on and on.

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Nobody can escape them. There are no exceptions and everyone will face several shocking and unexpected wake-up calls. It's only a matter of time. Some get it early in life and others may get it later in life. Wake-up calls can challenge your beliefs, values, priorities, etc. It's your choice how you respond to life's wake up calls. The question is how do you handle them.

For example, you can hit your snooze button and keep living the way you were, or you can use wake-up calls as an opportunity to move to greater heights and overcome your challenges.

Here are some suggestions for handling wake-up calls.

Trust no one - This may seem like harsh advice but you should never trust anyone 100%, not even your own family members. But it doesn't 14

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

mean you can openly accuse them of being untrustworthy. It's just a mental precaution that you should take. Just visit a court and see how brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, parents, wives, etc., are ripping each other apart when they fall out with each other. Decades of love, friendship, and sacrifice goes down the drain when relations sour. Friends, neighbors, and relatives can become mortal enemies over petty issues or caustic remarks. But if you develop the internal habit of not trusting anyone fully or expecting them to be available for you when you need them the shock can be cushioned as you were prepared for it.

Workplace - Do not take your job or boss's trust for granted. Things can go upside down in hours and days. A sudden management shakeup, 15

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

downsizing, cost-cutting, transfer, resignations, etc., can put you in serious trouble or you may even lose your job. So always save for a rainy day and have enough funds to take care of your essential needs in case you lose your job and don't get another.

Independence - Reduce your dependence on others as much as possible. Learn everything that you need to lead an independent life. You will never know when they will move away, disappear, or die. For example, there was a couple where the husband was managing and taking care of everything inside and outside the house. The wife did not bother to learn, nor did the husband teach her. She lived like an innocent lamb. One day the husband met with an accident, got hospitalized, and passed away after 16

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

a few weeks. After that, the wife's life turned upside down. She did not know how to manage anything like finances, maintaining the house, and all other essential activities to lead a safe life.

Health - Too many people don't take care of their health and lead a rash life. But your health can turn upside down in hours and days. So, take care of your health as you grow older. Once you cross 40 years many health troubles start rearing their heads. This is the age when you will have more family and career responsibilities. You may also be indispensable to your family as you could be the sole earning member. So, if your health fails both your career and family will be in trouble. Also, when you grow old the healing takes more time and many ailments like 17

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

diabetes, blood pressure, asthma, etc., can never be fully cured.

Accidents - No one can predict what can happen. It can be a traffic accident, mishap at home or the workplace, etc. So, always watch your back. Drive carefully, use safety equipment, don't try any heroics, etc. Many people argue that age is just a number. But so are the big numbers on the hospital bills if you break a leg by doing risky physical activities that shouldn't be done after a certain age. For example, children and youngsters are accustomed to running. But our running gradually disappears when we grow older. Now if you participate in a race after years of not running it's quite possible that you may fall down and break a bone or collapse from exhaustion.

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Finance - Take care of your finances. Financial losses or bankruptcy can wipe your family out.

You may be earning well today, but there is no guarantee that you will always be earning like this for the rest of your life. Do not invest more than you can afford to lose in unstable investments like stocks and items that lose value over time like a car or gadgets. Always invest in stuff that appreciates over time and not depreciates. Think long term and save for a rainy day or your retirement. Now let us look at what experts say.

Some Famous Quotes In the absence of wake-up calls, many of us never really confront the critical issues of life Stephen Covey 19

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

We've been given a warning by science, and a wake-up call by nature; it is up to us now to heed them - Bill McKibben The loss of a job may be the wake up-call needed to redeem the fire of your genius - Dan Miller When I was 17, I blew out my knee bouldering, and I wasn't able to climb for a year. It was hard for me to have to stay away from what I love and what makes me happy. But it was a wake-up call to take care of my body and not be too reckless Chris Sharma The economic downturn is our wake-up call to slow down, consume less, help each other, & live more! - Phil Harding

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Back to Contents

A manager arrived at work in a brand-new BMW and called his team to show it. They all said, ‘Wow,’, ‘Amazing,’ etc. He replied, "If you folks work hard, put your best effort, and get more customers, I will buy another one next year."

21

Ways to Enhance your Reputation Personal Development

E

veryone has dreams of becoming famous.

But they often believe good luck has to

strike them automatically. So, they just wait for something great to fall on their lap. But this is no way to become famous. For example, if you have about 10 to 15 years’ experience in some subject 22

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

you would have naturally become an expert in your field. But what are you doing with that expertise? Are you sharing it with others? Are you letting the world know about it? If not, then you are wasting your expertise and your knowledge will die with you. Except for a few coworkers and friends nobody in the outside world will know about your expertise. Ask yourself do you want go away as an unknown or do you want to share your knowledge with the world before you leave?

Too many experienced people waste their expertise by not revealing it to the world. This is because they feel embarrassed to market their knowledge. They feel blowing their own trumpet embarrassing. But did you know you can enhance your reputation without actually shouting from the rooftop? Here is how you do it.

23

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Write a Book - If you are looking to enhance your reputation as a knowledgeable leader in a specific field, then authoring a useful book is the first step you need to take. Decades ago, it was almost impossible to get a book published because of gatekeepers in the publishing industry. But today you can easily self-publish your book with minimal costs.

Start a Blog – If writing a book is tiresome then start a blog where you can write short articles on some subjects. For example, if you have worked in the chemical industry for many years you can write a short useful article on article on that subject that will be useful for newcomers in the industry.

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Start a Podcast – If your knowledge can be presented in audio form then you can start a podcast. Today, there are many free and paid podcast service providers. All you need to do is to record your episodes in an mp3 format and upload it to that site. Then listeners worldwide can download or subscribe to your podcast and gain knowledge.

Take classes – You can also take training classes for students or executives. For example, you can approach small companies and ask their training department if they would be interested in availing of your training classes for their employees. Many companies are always looking for low-cost training and you can fit that need.

Gradually, your clients can increase through word of mouth.

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Start a Website – Having a website is mandatory if you want people to know who you are, what services you provide, etc. It need not be an expensive jazzy website. You can have a simple informational website that outlines your expertise and services for just a couple of hundred dollars. Gradually, you can enhance the website as your clients increase.

Spread the Word – Do some word of mouth or paid marketing. Request your friends and former coworkers to inform their contacts about your services. You can also use social media to market your services.

As you can see from the above these are the simple ways to enhance your reputation and slowly increase your income. You need to roll up your sleeves and share your knowledge without 27

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

hesitation. Otherwise, your knowledge will disappear with you.

Back to Contents

Have you ever been complimented and insulted at the same time? Recently, I was congratulated by my manager for solving a tricky problem that saved a lot of effort and money for the project. He said, ‘Your solution was amazing. I can’t believe that you could come up with such intelligent solutions.’

28

The Joy of Gardening Personal Development

M

r. R lived in a house that had an ample space outside in the yard. But it was

hardly maintained and was always full of weeds and useless plants because Mr. R was always busy with his office work. Years later when he retired a friend suggested that he grow a nice garden in 29

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

that large space. As he had plenty of free time now this idea sounded very interesting to him.

But he had no clue about how to grow a garden.

So, he started watching some online videos and also purchased a popular book on gardening.

And within six months his house was a colorful paradise full of beautiful flowers. This brought him immense happiness and even peace of mind.

Most people have some space around their house but they rarely think of growing a garden.

This is because they are under the mistaken impression that they need a large yard to grow a garden. But think again. It’s possible to grow a cute garden even in a space as small as 10x10 feet or less. Gardening is a wonderful activity that immerses you in nature. Gardening has several benefits both for amateurs as well as 30

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

experts. The health benefits of gardening are enormous. You can improve your physical, emotional, and mental well-being by gardening.

Digging the soil, sowing saplings, and planting a variety of flowers and vegetables is a wonderful exercise. It rejuvenates your mind, body, and soul and reduces stress.

Some studies have also shown that it reduces various diseases and controls the risk of dementia. Gardening also has a positive impact on a human’s brain and the risk of stroke, cardiac arrest, and Alzheimer’s disease is significantly reduced. Exposure to sun will increase your immunity level and the dosage of Vitamin D. Secondly, exposure to fresh air will elevate your mood and energy. Gardening also gives you plenty of exercise and relaxes the body’s muscles.

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Another big advantage of gardening is you will invite bees, butterflies, and cute birds into your home, which can bring immense joy to both children and adults.

A good garden around your house will also make your summers less stressful as the heat will reduce. Trees and plants in a garden are a great source of oxygen production.

However, maintaining a good garden will involve some expenditure on tools, fertilizers, soil, etc. But the direct and indirect benefits are enormous. Secondly, once your garden matures you can start selling the seeds and saplings to your friends, neighbors, and even strangers.

Imagine if every household worldwide utilizes every inch of their free space to grow a garden how much pollution can be reduced. Also 32

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

homegrown vegetables can be very healthy as they will not have any toxic chemicals that companies use in industrial gardening of vegetables.

As you can see from the above a garden brings immense benefits to every individual and house.

So, go ahead and start a small garden today.

I failed math so many times at school, I can’t even count.

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Some Famous Quotes The best place to find God is in a garden. You can dig for him there – George Bernard Shaw When heaven falls to earth it becomes a garden - Stoufer I do some of my best thinking while pulling weeds – Martha Smith Garden as though you will live forever – William Kent I grow plants for many reasons: to please my eye or to please my soul, to challenge the elements or to challenge my patience, for novelty or for nostalgia, but mostly for the joy in seeing them grow – David Hobson

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Working in the garden gives me something beyond the enjoyment of the senses. It gives me a profound feeling of inner peace - Ruth Stout No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden – Hugh Johnson Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago – Les Brown He who plants a tree, plants a hope – Lucy Larcom

Back to Contents

A software developer who was experienced in a couple of technologies attended an interview for a new job. But the 36

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

technical person who was supposed to interview along with the HR person could not attend. So, the HR person decided to conduct the interview herself. And 30 minutes before the interview, she googled the names of all the latest technologies, noted them in her notebook, and confidently began the interview. She started saying that her company needs a person who is an expert in all those technologies. The candidate was shocked but regained his composure and closed the interview in one sentence by saying – “Madam, you are not looking for a developer.

You are actually looking for about five or six IT departments.”

37

What is Literature?

Personal Development

A

dictionary defines Literature as written and sometimes spoken material written works,

especially those classified as superior or everlasting artistic merit. It is derived from the Latin word litaritura meaning ‘writing formed with letters’. Merely scribbling words on a page 38

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

doesn't necessarily equate to creating literature.

Literature also represents the culture and tradition of a language or a people. However, the clear definition of literature is constantly changing and evolving. Literature is classified as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or prose. It can be further classified as a novel, short story, drama, and works belonging to certain historical periods.

Why is Literature Important? - Literature provides a kind of blueprint of human society.

Literature is important because it speaks to us and affects us on a deeply personal level. For example, the writings of ancient civilizations such as Egypt, China, Greek philosophy and poetry, epics of Homer, plays of William Shakespeare, writings of Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Maya Angelou, etc., give insight and context to all the 39

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

world's societies. Literary fiction explores themes common to the human condition and uses symbolism and other methods to convey the author's viewpoint. Literary fiction gets into the minds of the characters like the protagonists and experiencing their relationships with others.

Literature enthusiasts and academics discover meaning in literature by looking at what the authors write or say and how they say it. They interpret and debate the authors’ message by carefully examining the words they have chosen in their work. This decoding of the text is often carried out by using a mythological, sociological, psychological, historical, or other approach to better understand the context and depth of a work.

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Literary fiction is different from genre-fiction like mystery, science fiction, western, romance, thriller, and horror written as a mass market paperback. Genre fiction does not have as much character development as literary fiction and is mainly read for entertainment.

Types of Literature Poetry – This is a form of literary art that uses appealing and rhythmic qualities of a language to evoke meanings in addition to their ordinary intended meaning.

Prose – This is a form of language that possesses ordinary sentence structure and natural speech rather than a rhythmic structure. Prose can be in the following types.

Novel - a long fictional prose narrative.

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Novella - A novella exists between the novel and short story. It is often described as, ‘too short to be a novel, too long to be a short story’.

Short story – These are like a long article. It’s too small to become a novel or a novella on its own.

Hence, a book will usually have many short stories to make it commercially viable.

Drama

- This is literature intended for

performance on stage or a movie.

Somebody wanted a small donation to build a swimming pool. I gave him a bucket of water.

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Advantages of Literature - Those who study literature for knowledge or pleasure usually have a higher vocabulary, better reading skills, and better communication skills, and writing abilities.

Reading masterly works will teach you the power of words and improves your linguistic expertise.

Literature also teaches you to identify cause and effect and apply critical thinking skills. Some experts say that people who read literature have more empathy for others, as it puts the reader into another person's shoes.

Having empathy for others is useful to socialize

more

effectively,

solve

conflicts,

collaborate better in the workplace, uphold morals, and get involved in community activities.

Readers feel a greater connection to humanity and can find solace as they realize that others 44

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

around the world through the ages have also gone through the same or worse troubles that they are experiencing or have experienced. This can bring a sense of relief to them when they feel burdened or think they are alone in their troubles.

Examples of Great Literature Homer - The Iliad and The Odyssey.

Cervantes - Don Quixote Herman Melville - Moby Dick Leo Tolstoy - War and Peace.

Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice Mark Twain - Huckleberry Finn Charlotte Bronte - Jane Eyre by Emily BrontĂŤ - Wuthering Heights 45

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby Mary Shelley - Frankenstein Daniel Defoe - Robison Crusoe Louisa May Alcott - Little Women Fyodor Dostoyevsky - Crime and Punishment Charles Dickens - David Copperfield and Tale of Two Cities.

William Shakespeare - Macbeth and Julius Caesar R L Stevenson - Treasure Island

Some Famous Quotes The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish - Robert Louis Stevenson 46

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid - Jane Austen I’ll call for pen and ink and write my mind William Shakespeare The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean - Robert Louis Stevenson The crown of literature is poetry - William Somerset Maugham Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity - G. K. Chesterton Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become - C.S. Lewis 47

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature - Henry James Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry - Cassandra Clare

Back to Contents

48

How to Keep your Data Safe?

Technology

F

rom the last ten to fifteen years there has been a rapid increase in computerization in

all areas like banking, government, personal information, etc., and also a substantial decrease in physical paperwork for storing data. For example, people nowadays hardly use paper 49

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

cheques or paper statements for their banking transactions as most people use online methods for their banking activities. All communication and documents are now sent via email, SMS, or in PDF format. While this is environmentally friendly, fast, and convenient there is another risk and that is the danger of losing your data.

Let me give you an example of how people lose data. A person I know had all her data stored on a google drive. Every picture, video, scanned document, etc., over the years, was uploaded via her smartphone to the online drive. She had also stopped using her desktop or laptop computer and all activities were through her smartphone.

But she had done a few blunders. Her google id was created a long time ago and she had also not registered her phone number for password 50

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

recovery. She had also forgotten her password as it was set to auto-login. One day she was not able to login into her account due to some bug or account lockout.

As you may be aware if you forget your password it is next to impossible to recover it if you have not enabled password recovery by registering your phone earlier or answering a series of security questions that you have previously answered. Without these, it is not possible to recover a password. In summary, she lost years of her data because she had not documented her password in a safe place. She is not the only one who would have faced such problems. Worldwide millions of users would have experienced such data loss due to oversight or plain lack of knowledge.

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Computers are as fickle as life or health and can go down anytime. If you have not taken adequate precautions to remember passwords and also store multiple backup copies of all important data you can get into a serious inconvenience. Even if you are able to get some information by running around to banks and government offices, it’s not possible to recover your personal data like photos, videos, and any other information if you don’t have backup copies. So how do you store your data safely?

Here are a bunch of suggestions.

Passwords – Remembering your passwords for various services is of the utmost importance in protecting your data. Have a strong password that you can remember without too much effort.

To make it easy, choose a non-dictionary word, a 52

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

four-digit number, the short form of the website, and a special character to create a password. For example,

your

Gmail

password

can

be

VekamoreGM1952@. Create similar passwords for your other sites like banks, social media, etc.

Next document all these passwords in a book or cdrom and keep it in a safe locker.

Most people are shocked when they find out how I am not a good electrician.

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Password Recovery

– Enable password

recovery for all websites by registering your phone number, an alternate email (if available), and

providing

answers

to

their

security

questions. This way if your account gets locked out you can recover the password by using the forgot my password option.

Data Backup – Have a local copy of all important

files

and

computer.

Create

documents

a

master

on

your

folder

and

appropriate sub-folders and save files in them.

For example, if you have renewed your vehicle or medical insurance immediately store all the soft copies,

scanned

images,

and

other

communication in the appropriate sub-folders.

Have a second copy of the master folder in an external drive. Learn how to folder sync the main 55

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

master folder and the secondary master folder.

Syncing is a method where the secondary master folder is an exact replica of the main master folder.

Housekeeping

–

Every

six

months

do

housekeeping on your master folder. Delete or move unwanted files. For example, there is no need to store copies of an expired insurance in the master folder when you have got a new insurance done. So, move the expired insurance files into an old or archive folder. This way the master folder will contain only current and usable information making it easy for you to get the documents you want.

Smartphone Usage – Nowadays, people use their smartphones and tablet for all their 56

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

activities from social media to banking activities.

While this may be convenient there is also a big risk of losing or damaging the device as it is a portable unit. So, take extra precaution while using such portable devices. Anti-theft your smartphones and tablets. If your gadget is lost or stolen, then tracking apps will help you find it.

But to protect your confidential data you need to use

additional

passwords

that

you

can

remember. Entering a password every time you use your phone may be tedious, but it’s the first line of defense if your phone gets lost or stolen.

Additionally, malware, trojans, and worms can get into your device. So, you will also need a proper phone security software to prevent data theft.

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Human Security – While all the above are electronic methods of security think of what will happen if you fall sick, meet with an accident, or die. Unless you are all alone in the world your family members will need access to your data.

So, teach a trusted family member about your online activities, how you store data, and what to do in case something bad happens to you. This is very important to prevent them from running from pillar to post when you are down sick trying to find where your insurance papers are, operate your bank account, withdraw money, etc.

In a similar way, think of all the things that could go wrong and how you can safeguard your data to ensure your safety and that of your family members. Having your data secure will provide peace of mind and safeguard your 58

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

money. Now let us look at what famous people say about data security.

Some Famous Quotes If you put a key under the mat for the cops, a burglar can find it, too. Criminals are using every technology tool at their disposal to hack into people’s accounts. If they know there’s a key hidden somewhere, they won’t stop until they find it - Tim Cook Cyber criminals can use personal details, such as your favourite color, the last four digits of your credit card and your email addresses, to make educated guesses about your sign-in credentials Larry Alton

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Passwords are like underwear: don’t let people see it, change it very often, and you shouldn’t share it with strangers - Chris Pirillo It takes 20 years to build a reputation and few minutes of cyber-incident to ruin it - Stephane Nappo

Back to Contents

One night a burglar broke into a house after the owners went out for dinners. While he was sneaking around he heard a voice say, ‘God is watching you.’ He looked around and saw nothing. He went from room to room collecting whatever he could. But the voice did not stop.

Then he saw a cage with a parrot inside. The burglar asked the parrot, ‘Was it you who said God is watching 60

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

me?’ The parrot replied, ‘Yes’. The burglar then said, ‘There is no god.’ The parrot said, ‘Yes, I know. But that is the name of the angry Pitbull standing behind you.’

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Don’t be Fooled by First Impressions Personal Development

I

t has often been said that you don’t have to commit a great deed for someone to like or

hate you. You can be admired or despised for just about anything you do, or don’t do. And everyone on our planet has their share of

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admirers and haters from various people they know or even don’t know.

But have you wondered why people like or hate somebody, even the ones they have never met before, or personally interacted with? The obvious answers could be plenty, but the starting trigger for this judgmental behavior usually lies in one hidden reason. And that hidden reason is the ‘first impression’ or a ‘memory burn’ that occurs with the very first encounter we have with someone.

A large percentage of people make their lasting impressions and judgments about others within the first few minutes of an encounter. The encounter can be in the form of a meeting, reading, hearing or just seeing something (positive or negative) about them. In many cases, 63

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people can form pleasant to completely warped opinions of someone just by looking at a photograph of a person who they may not even know personally. And first impressions are so powerful that its effects can often last a lifetime, and will influence all future mutual interactions.

While this could be a popular method of framing judgments by millions of people, blindly following such a method always can often do more harm than good.

Though

many

people

swear

by

first

impressions, but on close examination they are often wrong and misleading in most of the cases.

For example, to see how easily we can be influenced by what we read about someone let us use a small joke that I had read somewhere.

The slightly modified joke is as follows.

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Suppose it’s time to elect a new world leader and you have to take a decision to select him or her. But you have to make a selection based only on the candidate's description without knowing who exactly they are, while their real names are inside a sealed envelope. Now, who would you vote for?

Candidate-A:

Associates

with

crooked

politicians, and consults with astrologists. He's had two mistresses, chain smokes, and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.

Candidate-B: He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, arrogant type, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening.

Candidate-C: He is a decorated war hero. He is 65

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mostly a vegetarian, always smiling, loves his own people, doesn’t smoke, drinks an occasional beer, and has never cheated on his wife.

Which of these candidates would be your choice? It will most probably be Candidate-C. Now open the envelopes and read out the names.

Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt Candidate B is Winston Churchill Candidate C is Adolf Hitler The above example will show how you can be easily fooled by what you read and easily frame opinions about someone if you don’t dig further.

This is how people normally get misled by first impressions. We quickly frame opinions and judgments of others without even meeting them 66

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based on what we hear, read or see about them from various sources. It happens to each one of us many times in our lifetime. So, if you had all along believed that first impressions were useful or guaranteed judgment methods, here are a few reasons why you should never solely depend on them.

I thought I wanted a career. But I soon realized I just wanted paychecks.

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On our planet, a very large percentage of people give too much importance to first impressions to form their permanent perceptions about someone. But it’s wrong to brand a person permanently based on what you saw or heard for a brief time. Maybe, you caught the person at the wrong time or wrong place. Maybe, you were not getting the complete picture or facts. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is not a crime or always avoidable. Everybody cannot be in the right place at the right time or say the right things at the right moment to make a stunning first impression. The same rules apply to you also. Hence, people need several impressions both ways to know and understand each other. It takes a long time to understand someone and

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cannot be based on some singular or brief incident.

Appearances can be deceptive. It has been said people look normal until you get to know them better. The reverse is also true. People can also look abnormal until you get to know them better. Hence, you should always aim to know people leisurely, and you will soon discover they just have faults different from that of yours. And history is full of numerous cases of people who have made awesome first impressions but failed miserably later. For example, a well-dressed and smooth talking person displaying a great first impression may eventually turn out to be a con man, while a mediocre person with an initial shabby personality may prove to be an honest trustworthy person.

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To quote another example, when we first met our college biology professor most students were taken aback by his small meek structure and somewhat odd behavior. But when he started his lectures on botany he was awesome. His lectures were so electrifying and he could hold the entire class into a hypnotic trance through his powerful teaching and great anecdotes. Though a lot of students were aiming for engineering, nobody would miss his class, and not a single cranky student would disturb his session.

First impressions should not be confused with intuition, which is entirely different. Intuition is a mysterious message we get that can give us a warning about someone. The first impression I am referring is mainly about real-world stuff like physical

appearance, 71

dress,

handwriting,

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

mediocrity, shyness, weak or strong handshakes, color, speech abilities or disabilities, nervousness, etiquette issues, ignorant and unintentional acts, cultural behaviors, etc.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Lack of flamboyance is not a lack of capability as believed by Mary Kay Ash, the legendary founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, a billion dollar cosmetics giant. It has often been said she never paid much attention to anyone's physical appearance, and always focused on who he or she was as a person.

Positive dressing and impressive displays, though necessary in the business world, can never be a substitute for getting things done and achieving results as a reputed manager once said, ‘Give me a team in denims and T-shirts who can 72

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

do the job efficiently, caring for the customers and who are real and secure about themselves than people with very little substance.’ Often, people who spend too much time dressing and behaving elegantly to make great first impressions are usually hollow, as they spend too much time in front of the mirror and too little time growing their knowledge, products, and people.

Many people proudly claim they have the magic or psychic ability to easily judge a person just with one glance or a brief encounter. But such a claim is completely naĂŻve and misleading.

Only ignorant or gullible people take first impressions as permanent characteristics. Except in some hard-core cases, the person you may have seen last year is not necessarily the same person next year, as human beings are dynamic 73

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creatures and constantly changing (or evolving) for better or worse.

But true professionals, leaders and credible establishments like the law courts in most developed and democratic countries never get influenced or carried away by first impressions.

They always believe in a thorough investigation, facts, proof, etc., no matter how tedious or long it takes. They always make their independent assessments about someone based on facts.

Otherwise, if first impressions were assumed to be correct and let loose, then thousands of people will be hanged, lynched and buried alive based on media hype, overwhelming public opinion, and trial by media, newspaper reports, etc.

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However, with all the above arguments against first impressions, there are certain areas and a percentage of cases where judgments based on first impressions are true and correct. On our planet, nothing is 100% right or wrong. So, for example, while dealing with street punks, people who are a menace to society, the stubbornly obnoxious, criminally oriented, and those who deliberately

exhibit

boorish

or

uncouth

behaviors, etc., you can easily take your first impressions as final without bothering to investigate further.

But you must consciously remember that such cases will normally be applicable only to a small percentage

of

cases,

and

any

negative

experiences based on such encounters must not

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be universally applied to the remaining large percentage of cases.

Finally, we can conclude this chapter with a great quote from Violet Asquith, a British politician, who said, ‘The first time you see Winston Churchill you see all his faults, and the rest of your life you spend discovering his virtues’

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Writing and Publishing

T

his section is dedicated to the wonderful world of Writing & Publishing and covers

topics on self and traditional publishing, art of writing, formatting your print and eBooks, how and where to publish, marketing your book, and so on. Learn how the publishing industry works 78

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

and how to get your books published in Paperback and all eBook formats on all international sites.

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What is Hybrid Publishing?

Writing and Publishing

Most authors would have heard of self and traditional publishers. But there is one more type of publishing called Hybrid Publishing. This term is still confusing to many authors as the term “hybrid� means different things to different people.

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What are hybrid publishers? - As the name suggests, a hybrid publisher is a combination of traditional publishing and self-publishing. They function like a traditional publisher, but authors will subsidize the cost of publishing and won’t get any advance on royalties. And just like traditional publishers, hybrid publishers may have an editorial, design, and marketing teams.

The idea behind hybrid publishing is to give a traditional-style publishing option to authors who can’t get a traditional publisher.

Types of Hybrid Publishers The Partnership Model – In this model, the author and the hybrid publisher enter into a partnership and the author gets assisted through every step of the publishing process from editing 81

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

to marketing, just like any top publishers do.

However, the author has to pay for all these costs. The only advantage of this is the author does not have to search for freelance editors, proofreaders, cover designers, etc. The hybrid company will have their in-house staff for such activities.

The crowdfunding model – Here the author has to raise funds to publish their book by appealing to the crowd who may find the concept interesting. This means that the readers are willing to put money for this project. This is possible for authors or bloggers who have a large following on social media and want to participate in their book. However, if the author doesn’t raise the minimum amount needed this model will not work.

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There is, of course, a catch: if the author doesn't manage to raise a certain minimum amount, the book is subject to cancellation.

The agent-assisted model – Here a literary agent will get involved. Sometimes, literary agents get manuscripts that are interesting to them but are unable to sell to major publishers.

In such cases, they may suggest an agentassisted hybrid publishing deal. That means the agent will enter into an revenue sharing agreement with the author and produce the book themselves by using their industry knowledge. This way the agent can earn some revenue directly and also sell the foreign rights to the book.

These are the three categories of hybrid publishers. They may not match the capability 83

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and reach of top publishers but it is better than complete self-publishing and learning all the complex technicalities of Formatting your Paperback & eBook Interiors, Designing Covers, Converting them to Industry Digital Formats, Upload and Configure them on Amazon/NonAmazon sites, etc.

For new authors all these tasks can be exhausting and confusing. So, for such authors who are able to afford hybrid publishing it is a good option. However, a professional hybrid publisher should not accept any manuscript if the author is willing to pay. Then they become the plain old vanity presses.

Difference between Vanity & Hybrid

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Technically there may be little difference between the two. But a professional hybrid publisher will be selective in the manuscripts they accept. They should choose only high quality manuscripts, which can be easily marketed. But a vanity publisher does not care and will accept any book for publishing if the author is willing to pay. They won’t help in marketing unless the author pays more, contracts will usually be one-sided, and authors intellectual property or copyright will be with the vanity publisher.

How to Verify a Hybrid Publisher?

Recently, the Book Publishers Association have published some guidelines for hybrid publishers like below.

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They should have a proper selection criterion and not accept any book the author is willing to pay.

The book look and feel should be like any professionally printed book and not a shoddy work.

Their editing, interior, and cover design must be professional and not ridden with mistakes and errors.

They should ensure some success for your book and not just publish and forget it.

They should have proper distribution services, including bookstores wherever possible.

Authors should get better or comparable royalties that traditional or self-publishers give.

After all, the author has paid for everything.

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Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

Disadvantages of Hybrid Publishing Cost of publishing may run to thousands of dollars. The author may never recover those costs even if the book starts selling well. Not every author can afford such upfront costs for their book.

There may be hidden costs for marketing and distribution.

They may not have an in-house editorial staff and may outsource to freelancers who may or may not do a good job.

They may not have a strong marketing department to ensure continuous sales. There is no pint in spending thousands of dollars and having just a couple of hundred copies of sales per year.

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The contract may have hidden rules that only lawyers can understand.

Conclusion - Authors should not blindly jump into hybrid publishing without doing enough research. Besides, they should also be self-aware if their book is truly gold class. Ask is your book really different or just one among the several books of similar type. Then you should decide to self-publish at lower cost or go for hybrid publishing.

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89

Children Section

T

his section is dedicated to articles for children and also their own contributions.

You can submit articles, drawings, and paintings done by your kids for consideration. This is to encourage them to cultivate the awesome habit of writing and reading books and magazines, instead of thinking that their computers, smartphones, and tablets are only for playing games and chatting.

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Comics – The Lost Priceless Treasures Nostalgia

T

his section is dedicated to remembering the golden era of comics that lasted from the 1930s till the late 1980s. When we were

kids we didn’t have dozens of TV channels, Smartphones, Apps, Internet, Social Media, etc.

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Our main sources of entertainment were movies in theaters, a radio set, books, magazines, playgrounds, and the wonderful world of comics.

Dozens and dozens of brilliant graphic comics would hit our magazine newsstands every month ranging from as low as 10 cents to 50 cents. The arrival of our favorite comic every month was always a gala affair that would send a thrilling chill down our spine. We even had awesome libraries that would lend us comics for a small fee.

Practically, every child on our planet grew up as diehard fans of various comic book heroes, heroines, and villains. Collecting and protecting our comics was a thrilling exercise, and we had to guard our precious comics from our mischievous

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friends, cousins, relatives, etc., who would vanish with our priceless treasures.

Each comic book’s hero, heroine, and villain would take us deep into their imaginary wonderland and make us laugh, cry, giggle, angry, and even get furious. The stories used to so great that countless comics could have been easily been made in super movies. Did you know that each comic were meticulously hand drawn and colored by those great comic artists as there were no graphic softwares like today?

Want to know how those golden comics looked? See the next few pages for some awesome covers. Some lucky grown up child will be having these lovely treasures stored in their

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attics or cupboards somewhere on our planet (sigh!).

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I am a Peaceful Peach Children Health

I

am a peach. I look like an apple in shape, but I taste different. I am called a symbol of

immortality and friendship in China. Long, long ago I used to be a penny each, but now I have become costly. I am the perfect snack for losing weight. I can also prevent hair loss and stop you from going bald. And if you are stressed or 98

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

anxious I can help you become calm. I can also chase away those nasty worms from your intestine. I am also a great skin moisturizer and hence used in many cosmetics. This is why the cheeks of many film stars look like a peach. They secretly eat plenty of me but they don’t tell anyone. So if you want to act in Hollywood movies you should start eating plenty of me.

Even parrots and macaws love to eat me. This is why they are such good looking birds..

By the way, I also have plenty of other delicious friends who can help you in many ways.

Together we control the world of health. We are the jewels of your dining table. We come in all shapes, sizes and colors. We exist to make you humans happy. We help you avoid doctors and their expensive treatments like painful injections 99

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

and bitter medicines. We can also make you run faster, jump higher and help you do great things in your school and college.

Do you want to know how we do all that magic? I will tell you how. We can do such wonderful things because some of us are good for your brain, some for your heart, some for your skin, and some for your bones, and so on.

We are like warriors and can easily fight with all those nasty troublemakers hiding in your body.

Aren’t we fellows’ great? But if you don’t eat us then those horrible troublemakers will always make you sick, tired, and weak. Then you will not be able to play sports or climb a hill. Now I am sure you don’t want to be such a weakling, do you?

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Okay, next month I will introduce another mighty friend of mine. Don’t run away!

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A Few Questions FAQs

How do we contact you?

Via

email

on

thejendra@yahoo.com

or

thejendrabs@gmail.com.

I am a writer and want to submit articles to your magazine. Will you accept it?

Yes, as long as the article is related to personal development topics. It would also be good if you have your own website, blog, etc., for readers to contact you. If you want to contribute regularly, then I would prefer you become my magazine

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subscriber. This link contains the submission details and template.

Do you pay for articles?

Not yet. This is still a new magazine and to pay you my circulation must improve. But I will provide a PDF copy of the magazine if I include your article in this magazine.

What kind of articles do you accept?

Your articles must be related to selfimprovement, stress management, leadership, management, writing, publishing, and so on. It must help the reader learn something useful for their life skills. Also, your article must be your own and not copied from anywhere. All images 103

Self Improvement International – December 2020 Issue

used must cite sources and must be free for personal and commercial usage. I can also consider publishing articles, drawings, and paintings done by your kids to push them towards the habit of reading books and magazines.

Do you accept advertisements in your magazine?

Yes, you can have a half-page or a full-page advertisement. Half page is US$10 and full-page is US$20 (see samples next page). Authors can also advertise their books and its short summary for just US$5/-. For half page send a JPG or PNG file of size 5 inch x 3.75 inch and for full-page send a 5 inch x 7.5 inch size file.

I have some other questions.

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Just send me an email.

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About the Editor

Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Life Skills Coach and offers personalized coaching in Book Publishing and Personal Development. He has also written 20+ mild & wild books on a number of subjects. His inspiration for writing unique books comes from Toni Morrison who said, “If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

Please visit his web cave - www.thejendra.com for details of his books, magazine, and coaching information.

Check out his other unique books.

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Wealth of the Wise