Do you love learning new things, mastering new skills on your own or formally? Do you pursue knowledge systematically to add information to what you know? Are you motivated by learning? Do you enjoy being cognitively engaged?

Those who have a Love of Learning

• Are frequently mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge
• Pursue learning on one’s own or through a formal process of instruction
• Relate to the strength of curiosity, but goes further to describe the tendency to systematically add to what one knows
• Are in touch with one’s best time, place, and way of learning
• Eager to share what is being learned with others

Is this you? If so how are you using your love of learning? Can you use it in a new way? Explore the possibilities……

If you could take a “Wonder Drug” that has no negative side effects, was legal and free –

Would YOU?
This “Wonder Drug” makes you feel good, enhances your self-esteem, induces calm, improves thinking, makes you more attractive and improves your love life.

The 4 Elements to this drug are:

• Exercise
  3 times; 30 minutes / week
• Mindfulness
  Meditation, deep breathing, yoga or just sitting for 15 minutes / day
• Sleep
  7-8 hours / night
• Touch
  12+ hugs / day

This “Wonder Drug” is your prescription to HAPPINESS. It will kick in after 3 weeks to 1 month and is your natural intervention.

Curiosity – Does it motivate you? Curiosity is an emotion related to your natural inquisitive behavior such as exploration and investigation of all things around you and the world you live in. Are you always  interested, open to new experiences, ready to explore and seek to discover? If you answered YES – then Curiosity may be one of your VIA Core Strengths.

Characteristics of a Curios Person

• Have an ongoing, intrinsic interest in their inner experience and the world around them
• Love to explore and travel
• Are attracted to new things, people, and experiences
• Are rarely bored
• Are good listeners and conversationalists
• Are able to focus their attention
• Ask questions from a new perspective
• Are resilient learners and good problem solvers
• Often want to know, just for the sake of knowing

Is this you? If so how are you using your curiosity? Can you use it in a new way? Explore the possibilities……

Promote physical and mental health through wellness education. Learning how to achieve optimism, self esteem, creativity and improved cognitive skills will provide your people with the skill to understand their core values and discover innovative ways to incorporate their values into their every day.

A Simple 4 Piece Puzzle to Wellness

Recently, I conducted a 1 hour “Healthy Mind/Healthy Body” workshop for 75+ participants at law firm with offices locally and across the US. Some of the participants were in the room and the others were connected via the web. We discussed the 4 core pieces of the “wellness” puzzle and how they fit into a healthy, happy and productive life.

• Exercise
• Mindfulness
• Sleep
• Social connections

Although the “cost” to the firm in employee time was considerable, the long term benefits will outweigh the short term cost, especially if they continue to reinforce the message with ongoing training and support.

Though I wasn’t the impetus for Windows 7, I do know that the new features and enhancement would have been my idea. Windows 7 has simplified your computing experience. Windows 7 has better ways to find and manage files—like Jump Lists and improved Taskbar previews—to help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 also has great features like HomeGroup, Windows Media Center, and more to make new things possible.

The Taskbar has bigger buttons and full-sized previews—and you can pin programs to it for one-click access. Jump Lists provide shortcuts to files, folders, and websites. And Snap, Peek, and Shake give you easy (and fun) new ways to juggle all those open windows.

Besides all of this, there is a new set of Theme Galleries with real-time previews so you can customize the interface to look, feel and be Yours!

Isn’t it beautiful?

VIA Character Strengths of Each Virtue

1. Wisdom and Knowledge: Creativity, Curiosity, Open-mindedness, Love of Learning, Perspective
2. Courage: Bravery, Persistence, Integrity, Vitality
3. Humanity: Love, Kindness, Social Intelligence
4. Justice: Citizenship, Fairness, Leadership
5. Temperance: Forgiveness and Mercy, Humility/Modesty, Prudence, Self-regulation
6. Transcendence: Appreciation for Beauty and Excellence, Gratitude, Hope, Humor, Spirituality

Which VIA Strengths do you spot yourself? Which VIA Strength identifies your Core Strength?

What you need to know to be successful!

Getting Started with Microsoft Office 2010

• Learn the terminology of the new interface
• Tour the new environment
• Learn how to navigate the new environment
• Overview of Backstage view, Quick Access toolbar and Ribbons
• Working with Backstage view
• Work with the Recent Document List
• Saving, Printing and so much more….
• Customize the User Interface both Quick Access toolbar and Ribbons
• Identify and work with Contextual Tabs
• Work with the Status Bar
• Review program Options
• And so much more…..

When you open multiple windows on the desktop, sometimes it can be a challenge to view separate windows and switch between them. Using the Windows 7 Aero Peek feature you can quickly preview the desktop without minimizing all your windows or preview an open window by pointing at its button on the taskbar.

Point to the new Windows 7; click the Show desktop button at the right end of the taskbar. The open windows fade from view, revealing the desktop. Click it again and the windows return.

In Windows 7 use any program Taskbar button to take a quick look at other open windows without clicking away from the window you are currently working on. Point your mouse at a taskbar button, and thumbnail previews of any open windows associated with that button appear above the taskbar. If you want to open a window you are previewing, just click its thumbnail

by Patricia Luzi

The Quick Access Bar, which is displayed in the top-left corner of the window above the Ribbon, has only minimal core commands that we used to see on the Standard Toolbar in previous versions. To make this more personal and user- friendly you can customize it to includes commands for your requirements. The Quick Access Toolbar commands are independent of the tab that is currently displayed.

Customize the Quick Access Toolbar

You can customize commands to the Quick Access Toolbar using the Customize Quick Access Toolbar Command.

1. Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar Command.
2. Select the comman to add.
Selected commands will be added to the right of the existing commands.

Add a command or group to the Quick Access Toolbar

You can add an individual command or ribbon group to the Quick Access Toolbar directly from commands that are displayed on the Office Ribbon.

1. On the Ribbon, click the appropriate tab or group to display the command or group that you want to add to the Quick Access Toolbar.
2. Right-click the command or group, and then click Add to Quick Access Toolbar on the shortcut menu.
 Command or Group will be added to the right of the existing commands.

Please feel free to contact me and/or post your comments and questions below.

The VIA Character Strength measures positive psychological traits, or strengths of character. There are 24(twenty-four) VIA “Strength” organized in 6 (six) Virtues which are the ingredients that provide the foundation and essence to each individual virtues.

6 Virtues of VIA Character Strengths

1. Wisdom and Knowledge:
   Cognitive strengths that fuel the pursuit and use of knowledge
2. Courage:
   Emotional strengths that exercises the will to succeed in the face of opposition, external or internal
3. Humanity:
   Interpersonal strengths that involve nurturing, tending and helping others
4. Justice:
   Civic strengths that motivates building a strong community life
5. Temperance:
   Strengths that guard and protect against excess
6. Transcendence:
   Strengths that build connections to the larger universe and provide meaning

In which Virtue do you see yourself?