Anne

Beyond NYC: Incredible Ways to Enjoy New York State

November 8, 2023 By Anne Leave a Comment

New York City is one of the most popular tourist destinations for travelers of all kinds. It’s a bustling city with so much to see and do, so it’s understandable that so many people flock toward it. But NYC isn’t everything that the state of New York has to offer. There’s so much more to see throughout the whole state, whether you’re looking for other cities or more of an outdoor experience. You could miss out on a lot if you only stick to NYC and, believe it or not, the city actually isn’t for everyone. So where should you go instead?

Head to the North

New York City lies in the southeastern corner of New York State, so pretty much everything else is north of NYC. So by heading north, you’re going to discover somewhere new. But if you keep going to the northern part of the state, you could find yourself especially delighted by what you find there. Next year is the perfect time to visit because the 2024 total solar eclipse in the Adirondacks is going to be an incredible sight to behold. There won’t be another for 20 years, The region is full of stunning scenery and offers beautiful towns, ski resorts and much more.

Summer in the Hamptons

When you hear “the Hamptons”, you probably think of rich people and their second homes. And it’s true that a lot of wealthy people spend their summers here, but you don’t have to be rolling in dough to plan a visit there. You can find affordable accommodation for a comfortable stay, or maybe go for something a bit more luxurious if you’re willing to stretch your budget. The beautiful beaches of the Hamptons are definitely worth checking out. In Montauk, you’ll find so much happening during the summer too, including festivals, markets and more.

Explore Towns and Cities

Outside of NYC, there are so many different towns and cities to explore across the state. Places like Rochester, Albany, Buffalo and Syracuse all offer something different to anyone who wants to explore New York. You can discover history, culture, great food and much more by expanding your horizons and stopping at some of these places. Some might only be worth a day trip, while others have plenty to offer if you want to stay for multiple days. They can make great bases for exploring different parts of the state too.

Visit Wine Country

People might think of California more when they consider US regions famous for wine. But the east coast has plenty of winemaking too, and New York is no exception. Finger Lakes Wine Country offers more than 100 wineries, distilleries and breweries, making it perfect for wine lovers or even people who prefer beer, whiskey and more. Taking a tour is a good way to get a snapshot of the region and there are even wine cruises you can take.

NYC might be amazing but it’s not the only place in New York. Look beyond the Big Apple and you can discover so much more.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

How Life Insurance Can Help

October 29, 2023 By Anne Leave a Comment

Term life insurance is a type of life insurance that provides coverage for a specific period of time, or term. If the policyholder dies during the term of the policy, the beneficiary receives a tax-free death benefit. Term life insurance is typically the most affordable type of life insurance, and it is a good option for people who need coverage for a specific period of time, such as while they are raising young children or paying off a mortgage.

Term life insurance can help in a number of ways, including:

* Providing financial support for loved ones after the policyholder’s death: The death benefit can be used to help pay for living expenses, funeral costs, debt repayment, or other expenses.

* Funding children’s education: The death benefit can be used to pay for college tuition, fees, and other educational expenses.

* Protecting businesses: Term life insurance can be used to protect a business from financial loss if the owner dies.

* Providing peace of mind: *Knowing that loved ones are financially secure in the event of the policyholder’s death can give peace of mind.

Term life insurance policies are typically available in terms of 10, 20, or 30 years. The policyholder can choose the term length that best meets their needs. Term life insurance premiums are typically lower than the premiums for other types of life insurance, such as whole life insurance.

Here are some examples of how term life insurance can help:

* A young couple with two young children may purchase a term life insurance policy to provide for their children if one of the parents dies.

* A family with a mortgage may purchase a term life insurance policy to ensure that the mortgage will be paid off if one of the parents dies.

* A business owner may purchase a term life insurance policy to protect the business from financial loss if the owner dies.

* A person who is nearing retirement may purchase a term life insurance policy to provide a financial legacy for their loved ones.

If you are considering purchasing term life insurance, it is important to compare quotes from multiple insurance companies to get the best possible rate. You should also consider the length of term that best meets your needs and budget.

Anne

Meet Nikki, Our New Content Writer!

October 24, 2023 By Anne Leave a Comment

My name is Nikki & I love traveling, DIY projects, cooking, reading, writing and exploring everything the world has to offer.

I want to see and do it all.

To thrive as an individual, parent, and as a family.

That is quite the laundry list of interests for someone who also balances a career, a home, children and my 2 cats!

My goal is to inspire you – from parenting with empathy and respect, to minimalist living and sustainable products that are both approachable AND easy.

This is a friendly place where we can learn how to raise happy, confident kids in a loving home while honoring ourselves as individuals.

Contact me via email at nval905@gmail.com to pitch an idea, I love doing sponsored programs for brands I believe in.

Anne

7 Ways to Improve Your Professional Development

October 24, 2023 By Anne Leave a Comment

https://unsplash.com/photos/assorted-colored-balloons-mid-airs-yRjLihK35Yw

Whether you’re looking to change your career path or move up in your company, you must improve your approach to professional development. However, many businesses are competitive, and it can feel impossible to make yourself stand out from the crowd, especially if the crowd is full of younger professionals who seem more on the ball than you.

But fear not, because they don’t deserve better roles just because. Instead, you can get ahead of them by focusing on the best ways to boost your professional development and show them who’s deserving.

Take Control

Not everyone is born with the skills to be a leader. Instead, they need to develop these skills. You will never achieve this if you don’t stand up for yourself and learn to take initiative at work or in your life.

If you always wait for someone else to answer questions, you’ll never stand out to your manager. Therefore, you need to be the one who speaks up and finds solutions to problems. You won’t get everything right, but you’re not expected to. The point is that you’re getting your voice heard and ensuring people recognize your attempts to contribute where overs shy away.

Explore Development Opportunities

There are many more development opportunities than helping out at the office or shadowing your manager, especially if these opportunities can be challenging to identify. Much like taking control and initiative, you must seek these opportunities to develop.

Instead of waiting around for something to happen, seek options or courses that can give you valuable experience you won’t get elsewhere. If you want to move up in the ranks at your hospital, travel RN jobs can provide new experiences that will be valuable once you return. For office-based examples, you can develop new plans and strategies in your spare time offering solutions for workplace issues.

Work On Your Network

Your network is one of the most important aspects of boosting professional development. It introduces you to people who may give you a job later on and allows you to work on your interpersonal skills to impress industry experts.

Your network may also be broader than you think. It consists of everyone you work with as well as people you used to work with, but what about who these people know? While cold calling or emailing doesn’t always work, it can give you the in you need to introduce yourself.

Don’t Rest On Your Laurels

You may have developed a great strategy in the past, but that doesn’t mean you’re still doing your best work. The longer you wait, the more irrelevant your accomplishments become, because you haven’t done anything of note recently. Resting on your laurels can be one of the worst things you can do, so it’s always worth pushing yourself to develop something new and beneficial. The more effort you put into proving yourself, the more skills you’ll learn, and the more you will stand out from your competition.

Review Your Progress

Tracking your progress helps you stay organized and shows you how far you’ve come, which can motivate you to keep going. This point is useful as it can sometimes feel like you are stagnating, but tracking and reviewing progress shows evidence to the contrary.

You can use this information to highlight your progress to potential employers or other important people. Show them what you’ve achieved in the six months since beginning your journey and see whether they need more or consider your accomplishments acceptable.

Broaden Your Skill Set

However, even exceptional progress and performance are rarely enough. You may need to broaden your skill set through qualifications and certifications. Often, this is just a formality, and companies simply cannot hire you if you lack suitable credentials.

Learning the best way to apply for an MBA can put you on the right track and teach you valuable skills and information that ensure success.

Seek Guidance

Mentorships are also excellent chances for you to get in with the more experienced and important people in your industry. However, these mentorships can be difficult to gain, so make sure you impress your potential mentor and learn how to stand out.

You must give them a reason to take you under their wing and understand how this program can benefit your career. Do not take it lightly because plenty of other professionals are eager to take your place.

Development

You will never get the opportunities you want without reaching for them and taking steps to achieve your goals. These tips are just the beginning of your professional development journey and should give you all the tools you need for a better chance of success.

Anne

How Technology Can Help With Education

September 16, 2023 By Anne Leave a Comment

Technology has changed how everyone learns now, but it has had the most significant impact on children as they are introduced to it early. Children learning how to use these tools is essential in a world that runs on technology. And parents can also use technology to help the learning process at home too.

With technology becoming such a big part of society, looking at how technology can positively impact the learning experience can be beneficial.

“Research suggests that on average, students retain 25-60% more material when learning online compared to only 8-10% in a classroom.” – World Economic Forum.

Photo by Compare Fibre on Unsplash

Communication

Almost everything we do in life will involve some level of communication. And while it used to be letters and phone calls, it has not moved to instant messaging and emails. Since technology has been introduced, children learn faster how to spell words (or something phonetically type them) so that they can communicate.

Teachers and other parents can more efficiently communicate, and the children are a part of that, too.

Researching

While there will always be joy in opening a book and searching for information, the internet has made it faster and more efficient. And with such demanding lives, this is incredible for parents and students. It means that no matter what your child might want to know, you can search for it on the internet in a matter of seconds.

There is even the capability of using voice to ask these questions with hubs like Alexa or Google.

Online Learning

There are more opportunities for children to expand their learning online. Many schools now have online learning hubs that are packed with apps that cover all types of topics. And, what more is that parents can help increase their child’s learning with extra apps and anything from coding apps to online science tutors.

Online learning can be the most efficient way for busy parents to help their children with their schooling, and it can give a great overview to the child, parents, and teachers about what the child might be missing – or that they are doing really well and might need extras.

Assessments

Almost all online learning tools will have assessments, which means that, unlike standard learning, there is instant information. The child can see how they are doing and maybe even select areas where they want to increase their studies. Real-time information means that teachers can also track to see if your child understands what they are currently studying.

Self-Directed Learning

There is nothing that is so wonderful as a child who loves to study, and that usually happens when the child has some control over how and what they study. Online learning gives children the option to learn things that might be outside of their regular school work.

And from there, they might find the things that they are really good at. Often, with self-directed learning, both paid and free courses online are free to be studied at the learner’s own pace. Some children will race through them, while others might take their time.

The great thing about self-directed learning for children is that it actually teaches them how to learn in a way that works for them. They will learn how to organize and plan, they will become more confident in the learning process, and it doesn’t restrict them.

Enjoyment

Some children find learning ‘boring’ when it is all book-based but with access to devices and apps that make learning fun! Through songs, games, music, and more, learning using technology has a huge element of fun. So much so that most of the time, when children learn to use a device, they don’t even realize they are picking up secondary skills (technology and computer skills!).

Anywhere

Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of learning using technology is that devices like iPads and laptops can travel anywhere that there is an internet connection. This means that learning never has to stop. Children can take devices with them on holidays, which can be very beneficial to parents who need to work during the typical school vacations.

The world of technology has completely changed how we are able to learn, and one of the most important things can be working out how it fits into your lifestyle – and how you can use it to improve the learning experience for your child. And who knows, perhaps you will become inspired by your child’s learning journey online and take advantage of one of the many different online courses for adults! Advantages of Online Education: Why You Should Consider Learning Online.