Relationships are an important part of life and can add immense value to your existence. But like any aspect of our lives, healthy relationships require some effort to maintain and thrive. Whether you’re single, dating, or married, it’s crucial to pay attention to your relationships and keep them in good health.
Healthy relationships can help you feel happy, productive, and supported. They can also provide a sense of security and stability, which can help reduce the risk of mental health issues such as depression or anxiety. In fact, research has shown that social ties, including those within close relationships, may even add years to your life!
But what defines a relationship? And how do you know if the one you’re in is truly healthy and headed in the right direction for the long haul? Registered psychotherapist Natacha Duke, MA, RP, has some tips on how to spot the tell-tale signs that you’re in it for the long haul.
In healthy relationships, both partners contribute equally and share responsibilities. This includes financial, emotional, and physical support. It also involves mutual respect and a willingness to listen and compromise. While it’s impossible to fully match up on every point, a successful couple is usually on the same page about most major decisions and values.
Positive relationships provide a strong foundation of support that can empower you to be more confident and self-assured. They can also motivate you to take more risks and chase after your dreams, knowing that you have a partner who will be there for you no matter what.
The shared experiences that you have with your partner can bring you closer together and create memories that last a lifetime. These can include anything from traveling and celebrating milestones to simply spending quality time together doing the things that you both enjoy.
In a healthy relationship, you maintain a deep and meaningful emotional connection with your partner. This is what separates a romantic bond from just another friendship. It’s also what keeps a loving relationship from just being boring or stagnant.
Often, couples become stuck in peaceful coexistence without a true emotional connection because they’re afraid to do the work that it takes. They’re afraid that the “work” will be too difficult or exhausting, but it’s important to remember that healthy relationships are similar to other aspects of our lives. Think of a hobby you’re really into, or a school project you’re really psyched about. They might take some effort, but it’s work you find fun, inspiring, or engaging, and that’s exactly how your relationship should be.
In the end, a thriving relationship is one that makes you feel loved and accepted for who you are. A successful relationship can provide you with a lifetime of happiness and enjoyment if you nurture it with the same attention and care that you’d give any other aspect of your life.
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A casino is a place where people gamble on games of chance for money. Some casinos are located in large hotel complexes, while others stand alone. They are often adorned with eye-catching decor and staffed by hospitable employees. In addition to gambling, many casinos offer top-notch food and drinks. They are popular destinations for locals and tourists alike.
While a casino can be an exciting and fun place to visit, it’s important to understand how casinos make their money before you play. The majority of casino profits come from slot machines, blackjack and other table games. However, casinos also have other revenue streams, including keno and craps. It’s important to know how each game works and the house edge for each one before you start playing.
Casinos are a major source of income for many states, cities and Native American tribes. They attract millions of visitors each year and generate billions in profits for the companies, investors and owners who operate them. These revenues are used to pay for everything from lavish resorts and entertainment venues to sports teams and educational programs.
Most state governments regulate casino gambling, but there are exceptions. Nevada was the first state to legalize casino gambling and it became a magnet for tourists from around the world. The gambling industry is a multibillion-dollar industry that provides jobs to hundreds of thousands of people in the United States and abroad.
In the twenty-first century, many casinos are choosier about who they let in their doors. They focus on high rollers, or people who wager large amounts of money. They often provide them with special rooms, where the stakes can be in the tens of thousands of dollars. In exchange, these players receive free rooms, meals and show tickets. Some even get limo service and airline tickets.
Gambling has been a part of human culture for millennia. Archeologists have found dice in China dating back to 2300 BC, and cards appeared in Italy around the 1400s. The modern casino grew out of these roots, with people gathering in specially built halls to play card and dice games for money.
Casinos can be found all over the world. Some are large, sprawling complexes that rival amusement parks in size and scope. Others are smaller, more intimate spaces where customers can relax and enjoy themselves.
While musical shows, lighted fountains and shopping centers attract guests to casinos, the vast majority of casino profits stem from games of chance. Slot machines, blackjack and other table games bring in billions each year for casinos. The house edge and variance for each game determine how much of a profit the casino will make as a percentage of turnover, but the actual amount depends on the specific rules of the game and how skillful the player is. The more skillful a player is, the lower the house edge will be. This is why some people become professional gamblers. While this can be lucrative, it is also a risky business.
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Financial services are the business activities that manage, control and supervise the flow of funds in an economy. These activities include the provision of deposit services, credit services, insurance and securities, and market utilities (such as exchanges and clearing houses) that facilitate stock, derivative and commodity trades. Financial services also encompass other ancillary activities such as debt resolution, credit card networks and machines, currency exchange and wire transfer operations, private banking and prime brokerage, as well as financial information services (such as credit rating agencies).
A major part of the finance industry is composed of deposit-taking institutions like banks, savings and loans associations, building societies and credit unions. These entities collect funds from savers and lend them to borrowers, primarily businesses and individuals. In the process, they earn interest income for the money they hold on their books.
These financial services are crucial to the health of an economy because they are essential for creating jobs and stimulating economic growth. Without them, people would have a harder time investing in their businesses and purchasing the goods and services that they need. For example, many families rely on their checking and savings accounts to pay for things like tuition, housing and healthcare. Without access to the right kind of financing, these families could be forced to sell their assets or turn to payday loans in order to meet their expenses.
In addition, financial services allow individuals to invest in the stock market or other asset classes with the hope of generating more money in the future. These investment activities help companies obtain the capital that they need to expand, hire more workers and offer new products or services. Moreover, they also ensure that a country’s primary, secondary and tertiary sectors get the funding that they need in order to grow and prosper.
The world’s largest financial services providers are commercial banks, credit-card companies and insurers. These corporations control the majority of the global financial markets. Their dominance is partly due to the fact that consumers prefer to do business with large, reputable companies. They are also able to charge higher fees for their services than smaller, less-established competitors.
As the economy grows, so do these companies’ profits. This makes them more likely to make additional investments, which in turn leads to further growth and increased job opportunities. However, it’s important to remember that the economy is a complex organism and financial services are only one part of its engine.
When looking for a job in this field, it is helpful to understand how the different subsectors of the financial services industry work together. By doing so, you can make sure that the career path that you choose is a good fit for your aspirations and skills. In the end, the best way to begin a career in this industry is by finding a job that aligns with your goals. To do this, it’s important to research the industry, learn about its various segments and then reach out to Pocketbook Agency to connect with employers that are hiring.
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It’s early morning in the village where Batula and her parents live, and as is the norm, everyone is woken up by the call for prayer. As early as thirty minutes past seven, her grandmother shows up carrying concoctions and some herbs. Batula asks her grandmother what those things are used for: “This will help you heal faster after transforming you into a woman”. This is a seven-year-old girl who is supposed to be playing but something horrendous is about to happen to her.
For decades, thousands of women have perpetrated, perpetuated, and been punished by female genital mutilation. When Batula witnessed young females, between the ages of 7 and 15, bursting into their home with their parents, she became perplexed. All of these girls will be subjected to this gruesome activity. The fact that it happens to a child makes it one of the worst nightmares that any woman may experience.
Besides the horrendous pain that Batula will go through, her emotional and mental health will also be damaged. She could even develop mental health issues such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder, a condition many victims of FGM experience and which is characterized by a distressing obsession with flaws in one’s appearance, leading to excessive self-criticism and lack of self-esteem.
When the moment arrives the circumciser asks Batula “Open your legs young girl” Tears cascading her soft cheeks, not understanding what they are doing to her. She tries to escape but she is held by two ladies, her mother and her aunt. Each holding one of her feeble legs. Batula retaliates until they put a piece of cloth in her mouth to stop her from screaming. She faces the knife, and an important part of her body is now among the trash that the stray cats look out for. The same process is repeated for up to 10 young girls, some of them willing because of the lectures given by their older aunts and their mothers about the matter.
Mental health is one of the crucial topics of our generation and is, in fact, one area that should be given greater attention. Batula’s community does not recognize mental health at all. According to them, depression does not exist. One can literally be at their lowest, and one of their own family members would comfortably say “She has demons”. “She is possessed”. This is one of the things FGM does to a young girl. It destroys her mental health as well, and it kills her will to exist on this earth. At her age, Batula is supposed to be enjoying her childhood just as normal children in the world do, but sadly, that is not the case for many young girls like her, who are forced to “act like women” at that age. “Sit upright, aren’t you a girl?” is one of the constant phrases you are likely to hear in such a household.
A few years later another ordeal befalls Batula, she is defiled by her uncle at the age of 10 in their own home and the issue is solved by a group of elderly men. This is known as “maslaha” and is the main perpetrator of the crimes committed against girls in Batula’s community. In her community crimes such as defilement and rape are not taken to court because they believe that such issues will bring shame to the community, they, therefore, invite the elders of the community, and money is paid by the perpetrator of the crime or they marry off the victim to the perpetrator and in Batula’s case the council of elders decided to marry her off to the perpetrator of the crime when she becomes older.
With this kind of unstable mind, Batula will turn 15, and she will be “ready” to get married off to one of the uncles who defiled her at the age of 10. At the age of 15, she is forced into marriage, and worse, she is married to someone who committed a crime against her. She is now forced to coexist with someone who wronged her, and society makes this feel right. Batula’s childhood has been snatched from her, and as if that was not enough, she will now spend her teenage years as a wife to a man three times her age. At that tender age, she is obligated to act as a wife and to cater to ‘wifely duties’. At the age of 17, Batula most probably will become a mother; she is supposed to take care of children, and because Batula is not aware of the crimes committed against her due to a lack of education, her children would go through the same path of life.
Education is the solution. It is the only tool that can demystify such destructive cultural habits. Education that will prioritize the younger generation, particularly young girls like Batula. With education, Batula would be able to understand the distinction between religion and culture, she would be aware of her rights as a girl, and contribute to change by promoting education in the children she raises.
I am a survivor of Female Genital Mutilation and I believe if my parents went to school and were educated this could have been prevented. I had the opportunity to go to school and learn a lot and with that, I am not taking this gruesome activity to my generation. As a young girl who grew up in a marginalized community education has changed how I see things and would advocate for education for young girls like Batula. Educating young girls like Batula could save a whole generation from the FGM pandemic.
By: Ikran (Young Kenyan Advocate for Child Rights)
The post From Victim to Advocate: Breaking the Cycle of FGM appeared first on Arigatou International.
Home improvement is the modification of a home to improve living conditions and often involves adding new rooms or changing existing ones. It also includes making repairs to the structure of a home or installing equipment like appliances, heating and cooling systems, plumbing fixtures and electrical wiring. This industry is driven by consumer spending on remodeling and improvements that add functionality and beauty to a house or apartment. The market is also supported by manufacturers of building materials and suppliers of labor, tools and accessories for home improvement projects.
Home improvements can be very expensive, so it’s important to plan carefully before you start any projects. It’s also a good idea to look for financing options to help you pay for your projects. There are several types of loans available, including secured loans and home equity lines of credit. These loans can offer low interest rates and are backed by your home, so you may be able to get better terms than you would with an unsecured loan.
Almost half of homeowners are planning to tackle at least one home improvement project over the next two years, according to a new NerdWallet survey. While many of these improvements are small, a significant number of homeowners are considering bigger-ticket projects, such as remodeling the kitchen or bathroom.
The most popular projects among homeowners are painting, replacing light fixtures and upgrading floors, furniture and appliances. These improvements are not only cost-effective but can also increase the value of a property. In addition, they can be a great way to make a house more comfortable and inviting for the family.
Some of these projects are easier to accomplish than others, and homeowners should consider the return on investment when choosing what to do. Home improvement experts recommend that you invest in projects that will yield the most value for your home and contribute to its long-term function and performance.
Although some homeowners have put their pricier home improvement plans on hold during the pandemic, there is pent-up demand for upgrades, said Joe Derochowski, a home industry adviser with market data firm Circana. He expects that many homeowners will revisit their pricier projects later this year as prices stabilize and the economy improves.
Homeowners are modifying their homes in order to accommodate lifestyle changes and increase their comfort and efficiency. In fact, most of the changes they’re making are aimed at improving their lifestyles rather than increasing the resale value of their homes. Some of these improvements include adding a bedroom, changing the floor plan, remodeling the bathroom and installing new kitchen appliances.
Before a homeowner decides to do any work on their home, they should know the difference between home improvement and renovation. The former refers to a repair, maintenance or remodeling job that is intended to improve the condition of a home while the latter involves any alteration or expansion of the original property.
When it comes to choosing the right contractor for a home improvement project, it is crucial to do some research and find out who has worked with whom in the past. It is also recommended to read reviews and ask for references. Moreover, it is essential to ensure that the contractors have insurance in case they are injured or cause any damage to your home during the project.
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