Our World http://ourworld.ffawn.org/ Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now, Inc. en Copyright 2008 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:32:59 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Practical Ways to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle "One Small Step to a Healthier You" campaign to help women incorporate daily changes into their busy lives. This online wellness center is intended to provide quick and easy ways for women to take control of their health.

"With today's busy schedules, women are the ringmasters in a never-ending family circus," stated Ms. Battaglino Cahill. "We hope that our new campaign can give women the simple lifestyle tips they need to tame their chaotic days in a healthy, holistic and positive way." The site includes information and advice on Diet & Nutrition, Fitness, Emotional Wellbeing, Beauty and Anti-Aging, and Alternative Medicine.

According to eMax Health, the NWHRC's third annual "Women Talk" survey shows that "when asked what being healthy means to them, women most often state "not having any chronic diseases" (47%) and "being physically active" (43%).  However, minority women are more likely to define good healthy differently.   African-American and Hispanic women cite "being happy" as a key indicator of good health (43% each) versus thirty-three percent of Caucasian women.  Additionally, spiritual well-being is of particular relevance to African-American women (44% versus 26% of Hispanic and 25% of Caucasian women)."

EMax Health points out that although many women have set goals for improving their lifestyles, few had achieved them.  "Lack of time is the most commonly mentioned hindrance to leading a healthy lifestyle according to forty-two percent of the women in the survey.  However, when it comes to barriers to helping families live a healthy lifestyle, the top obstacle cited is the lack of good food choices."

We all know that leading a healthy lifestyle is important, but that it takes a lot of work to meet your goals for healthy living.  In reality, many women are far too consumed with the stress of daily responsibilities to truly focus on themselves and their health. Women need sensible, uncomplicated, ways to follow through on these rules for a better, healthier lifestyle, and we hope we've given you a good start here.  Check out the rest of our articles on women's health for more tips, and be sure to set reasonable goals for yourself that you think you can honestly meet.

Are you able to find time in your day to take care of yourself?  What are your simple secrets for being healthy?  What are your healthy living goals?
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/11/practical-ways-to-maintain-a-h.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/11/practical-ways-to-maintain-a-h.php Health and Healthy Living Personal Growth Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:32:59 +0000 Negotiation tips for women seeking better pay and increased work/life balance Washington Post asked Mark Anthony, who leads a seminar on "Women and the Art of Negotiation" at the Negotiation Insitute, to answer questions from readers on how to successfully negotiate deals and salaries, with tips for reading people like books and studying body language, proving your value to your employer, and finding a balance between work and life.  You can read the full transcript here.  The Post gathered additional salary negotiation tips from Ronald L. Krannich, co-author of Give Me More Money!, and advice on employment law and human resources from Lily Garcia, a weekly columnist for the Post on "How to Deal".

Why are negotiation skills important?  Well, let's take a look at some statistics.  The Washington Post continues its feature on salary disparities with some stats compiled from research done at Carnegie Mellon University:

  • Women, on average, ask for 30 percent less money than males.
  • Men are four times more likely to negotiate a first salary than women.
  • Women ask for raises or promotions 85 percent less often than their male counterparts.
  • In 2007, female full-time wage and salary workers earned 80 percent of their male counterparts' salary.
  • 20 percent of women (22 million people) say they never negotiate at all, even though they recognize negotiation as appropriate and even necessary.
  • 2.5 times more women than men said they feel "a great deal of apprehension" about negotiation.
  • When asked to pick metaphors for negotiations, men picked "winning a ball game match," while women picked "going to the dentist."
Don't be afraid to ask for the compensation that you need and deserve!  These statistics highlight a serious problem for women - we need to get over our fear of rejection and of confrontation with authority and find the confidence to ask our employers to be treated equally in comparison with men.  Women need to support themselves and their families too, and it's up to us to lead the movement toward pay equality, starting with ourselves.

Have you ever negotiated your salary with your employer?  How did it go?  Please share any tips you have for other readers on how to hold your head high and get what you want - and deserve - from your employer.

]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/11/negotiation-tips-for-women-see.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/11/negotiation-tips-for-women-see.php Career Development Finance Personal Growth Self-Esteem Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:45:58 +0000 Special Advice for Election Day! A message from the NAACP and Alicia Keys... message to voters:

"Dear Friends:

This is it.  In just a few days millions of Americans will go to the polls to cast their vote in the most historic election in our lifetime.  Your vote is your voice, and it's up to you to make sure that it is heard on November 4th.

With unprecedented numbers of voters expected to head to the polls...you can expect the lines to be long.  Nevertheless, don't be discouraged.  Instead, be prepared.  Bring a book, water, and even a folding chair if you must.  But whatever you do, get in line and stay in line.  We do it for concert tickets and the latest gadgets, now we must do it for something that really matters.  Our future!"

Other tips they offer for Election Day are:

*  DON'T WEAR ANY CAMPAIGN GEAR TO THE POLLS.  The polls are a "no campaigning" zone and someone could use your t-shirt or hat as an excuse to deny you your right to vote!

*  Be prepared for a long wait, some precincts are expecting lines up to five hours long.  Bring water, food, a book to read, an iPod, a game, whatever you need to keep entertained through the wait.  Don't get out of line, your vote is worth the wait.

*  If you usually vote "straight Democrat" or "straight Republican," be aware that some states will not count your vote for President if you only use this option.  So if you want to vote the ticket, punch your presidential candidate FIRST, then the "straight ticket" option.

*  If you are IN LINE before the poll closing time, you have the right to cast a vote.  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

If you experience any problems at the polls, call (866) OUR-VOTE for immediate assistance through the NAACP's Election Protection hotline.  While there are people who will do their best to help ensure that your vote counts, the success of this effort is in your hands - you must get out and vote!

See you at the polls!
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/11/special-advice-for-election-da.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/11/special-advice-for-election-da.php Our World Personal Growth Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:02:00 +0000 Should you get a flu shot this year?
The influenza virus, or "the flu" is a serious epidemic disease that many people do not take seriously - however, in the United State alone, an estimated 36,000 people die each year from influenza and accompanying opportunistic infections and complication.

The flu vaccination is a good idea for many people, but is specifically recommended for certain groups of people, including children between the ages of 6 months and 19 years old, pregnant women, anyone over the age of 50, and family members of young children.  Click here to visit the CDC site to learn who should and should not receive the shot, along with a list of risks and side effects.

The flu vaccine comes in two forms: a shot and a nasal spray.  The Mayo Clinic explains the difference between the two types.  FluMist is a gentle nasal mist delivered into the nose, where the flu virus usually enters the body.

Getting the shot before the flu season is in full swing gives the body a chance to build up immunity.  If you are interested in getting the flu shot for yourself or your family, you should do so as early as possible, even though you can get it well into the flu season.  However, even when there are only 2 or 3 months left in the flu season, it's still a good idea to get the shot to protect yourself.  The influenza season can begin as early as October, with vaccinations beginning in September, but influenza activity often peaks in January or later.

CVS has made it easier than ever to get your flu shot.  Flu shots are administered every day at MinuteClinic.  No appointments necessary!  Please click here to find more details and a store near you.  Or call 1-888-FLU-SHOT.  The American Lung Association's website has a Flu Clinic Locator - just type in your zip code to find a location in your area.


Thank you to our guest blogger Mehgan Williams for contributing this article.  If you are interested in contributing to the Our World blog, please let us know at blog@ffawn.org.
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/10/should-you-get-a-flu-shot-this.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/10/should-you-get-a-flu-shot-this.php Family Health and Healthy Living Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:39:12 +0000 Are you registered to VOTE? Click here for a message from Mary. If you haven't already registered to vote, please do so now. To find out how, click here. This year, more than ever, your vote counts!]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/10/are-you-registered-to-vote-cli.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/10/are-you-registered-to-vote-cli.php Our World Personal Growth Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:30:08 +0000 Please support FFAWN by voting for Mary to receive an mtvU Woodie Award!
The "mtvU Woodie Awards" are sponsored by mtvU, MTV's college network.  Nominated by students across the country, the artists forsake traditional benchmarks of Gold and Platinum in their quest for a 10-pound chunk of pure wood, symbolizing their connection to college students and new music fans everywhere.

Voting is now open, and runs through November 7th, 2008.  The awards show will be held at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City on November 12th.

The "Good Woodie" is awarded to the artists whose commitment to a social cause has had the greatest social impact this year.  Please support FFAWN by voting for Mary below.  You can also vote as many times as you want by clicking here.  Thank you!


]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/09/please-support-ffawn-by-voting.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/09/please-support-ffawn-by-voting.php Our World Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:45:32 +0000 Are you registered to VOTE? If not, click here!
We are all part of a larger community, and the decisions we make - and those we don't make - will affect our children and our future.

So please, regardless of which candidate or party you support, make sure you exercise your right to vote!  We need to be responsible for seizing the opportunities we have, and voting is one of the most valuable rights guaranteed to American citizens.

If you're not yet registered to vote, it's not too late!  The registration deadlines for Election Day 2008 are coming up soon, so be sure to register today and head to the polls on November 4th, Election Day.  Click here to register through Rock the Vote - all you have to do is fill out an online form, and their staff will then prepare the registration form for you and send it to you to print and mail.  It's that simple!

If Rock the Vote doesn't cut it for you, click here to access vote411.org, an online registration tool run by the League of Women Voters, along with information on absentee ballots and overseas voting information.

Your vote DOES matter, so please remember to vote on November 4th!
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/09/are-you-registered-to-vote-if.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/09/are-you-registered-to-vote-if.php Our World Personal Growth Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:01:19 +0000 Mary on tour; Donate via text message!
As you may have noticed if you're already been to one of the shows on Mary's current tour, we have launched a new fundraising campaign - to make it easier and quicker for you to contribute, you can now donate via text message!  Simply text "FFAWN" to 90999 to give $5*.  After you text FFAWN to 90999, you should receive a message back immediately asking you to confirm your $5 donation, please reply with "YES" to this message. The $5 will be added to your next cell phone bill and that's it - simple!



Mary's tour has now ended, but the text campaign will continue until the end of this month.  Please check out the "Your Support" page for more ways to help support FFAWN.  Thank you so much for your help in making our goals a reality!

*A one-time charge of $5 will be added to your mobile phone bill. Standard messaging rates and additional fees may apply. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Proceeds benefit FFAWN. Service is available on most carriers. You can unsubscribe at any time by texting 'STOP' to 90999.  For full terms and conditions, please click here to view the "Your Support" page on this website.
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/09/mary-on-tour-donate-via-text-m.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/09/mary-on-tour-donate-via-text-m.php Our World Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:38:12 +0000 How the economy woes are affecting women, and how we can protect ourselves New York Times, studies have shown that the subprime mortgage crisis has affected women the most, particularly single parents and minority women.

Subprime mortgages are high-cost loans, at least three points above the prime rate, made to borrowers with low income or credit scores.  The loans make up just 13% of existing home loans, but account for 55 percent of foreclosure starts.  According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, women and men have roughly the same credit scores; however, the Consumer Federation of America found that women were 32 percent more likely to receive subprime loans than men.  Minority borrowers were also more likely to get subprime loans than their white counterparts.

The Consumers Union had conducted earlier research in this area and found that some of the disparity can be attributed to instability in women's credit status because of divorce or family medical emergency.  Until recently, increased homeownership has been the top means for women to close the gender wealth gap.  According to the New York Times, single women have been among the fastest-growing groups of homeowners in recent years.  However, the disproportionate number of subprime loans going to women has made it far more difficult for women to build wealth by paying off their mortgages.

Roy A. Miller, a homeownership counselor working at a nonprofit community-based organization, described his typical client as "single, female, with two children, in her first house."  Another foreclosure counselor said that of 2,100 families counseled in the 2007 fiscal year, two-thirds of these families had a female head of household, and about 90 percent had subprime mortgages.

One troubling suggestion for the reason behind these statistics comes from Allen J. Fishbein, director of credit and housing policy for the Consumer Federation of America.  He posits that even at high income levels, women are perceived to be less confident in negotiations and less likely to shop around, and are therefore offered higher rates.  In fact, a 2006 survey by Prudential Financial found that two-thirds of women graded themselves at C or lower in their knowledge of financial services or products.


So what can we do to educate ourselves as women and to prevent ourselves from getting into these situations?  Here are a few articles to get you started, with tips from prominent experts and institutions on how women can protect themselves in difficult times.  For more tips and general resources on financial education, you can also check out our post on "Real Financial Education Resources for Real Women"; however, we encourage you to search within your own local community and online to find the resources and programs that fit your personal needs.


Related articles:

"What Women Should Know About the Subprime Mortgage Crisis - Predatory Lending" by Linda Lowen of About.com
    -A straightforward introduction to the subprime mortgage crisis, with plenty of external links for additional information and a good start to learn more about the topic.

"Female Investors More Wary in Shaky Economy" by Jennifer Robison, Contributing Editor at Gallup.com
    -A uniquely optimistic analysis of female investors, no pun intended.  The article also includes some interesting data from the Gallup polls.

"Ways to Protect Yourself in a Shaky Economy" by Vicki Mabrey and Kinga Janik
    -ABC News' "tips for financial security during turbulent times," with input from Suze Orman, finance guru and author of nine best-selling books (including her most recent, "Women and Money") and Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments.

"Personal Finance Tips for Women" by Akeya Dickson of The Washington Post
    -Suze Orman weighs in with some more personal finance tips and suggestions on how to overcome a lack of financial know-how and confidence.
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/08/how-the-economy-woes-are-affec.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/08/how-the-economy-woes-are-affec.php Finance Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:14:01 +0000 Help your children get ready for school ReadyWeb (a collection of resources on school readiness sponsored by the ECAP Collaborative, College of Education, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). Take a look at their Virtual Library page (complete with children's artwork!). It includes a ton of great articles with tips on getting your child prepared to handle their new environment at school.]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/08/help-your-children-get-ready-f.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/08/help-your-children-get-ready-f.php Family Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:07:00 +0000 Financial Education: Self-help Resources for Real Women
We've compiled some resources that can help you protect yourself from risky investments, save up for a rainy day or a large expense (eg. a new house), pay off your debts, and organize your personal finances so that you can spend less time worrying and more time enjoying what you've got around you!  Do you know of other helpful websites and resources that have helped you on your own quest for financial education?  If so, please share them with other readers by commenting below.  Thank you, and enjoy!

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Many banks and financial institutions now offer financial education programs specially crafted for women, complete with helpful websites chock full of information and tips.  Check your bank's website for resources and special offerings for women, or try a few of the ones we found:

  • Citibank has a special program for women, Women & Co., that offers plenty of information, resources, and access to special events and educational classes on investment, but requires an annual membership fee.
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Practical Money Skills for Life is a terrific website run by Visa that provides you with a wide variety of personal education self-help resources, tools for organizing your personal finances, and even some tips and tools for parents to teach their children sound financial attitudes and a sense of financial responsibility.
    *Tip: Be sure to check our their resources for kids, including this fun football-themed exercise!

A separate website operated as part of Practical Money Skill for Life offers free courses in the areas of Financial Basics, Your Financial Situation, Setting Goals, Building Financial Skills, and Tips & Resources.

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American Financial Solutions is a nonprofit that offers free courses on their website, complete with a certificate you can print for your credit file.  Their website includes articles to boost your financial education and a national resources page.  You can also access free financial education courses, complete with a certificate you can print and include in your credit file.

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Bankrate.com offers a variety of "calculators" that can help you compare mortgage, home equity, and auto loan costs, perfect your personal budget, pay down debt, and plan for your retirement and investing goals.

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The Money Club offers a wide variety of tools and tips to organize your financial life and create a plan to reach your savings and investment goals.  They even have a free "21-day savings makeover" to help you (in small, manageable daily steps) to begin your personal savings program.

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The Institute for Financial Literacy offers plenty of great resources, including access to free or affordable financial counseling and several tools to help you track your expenses and stick to your budget.

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There are plenty of resources out there, so take the initiative and do some research on the topics that are most helpful for you.  Just remember to take small steps and not overwhelm yourself - remember, Rome wasn't built in a day!

If you come across other great resources, feel free to share them with the rest of the FFAWN community by commenting below.
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/07/financial-education-selfhelp-r.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/07/financial-education-selfhelp-r.php Education Finance Personal Growth Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:33:55 +0000 Increase your kids' self-esteem encourage our children to have high self-esteem and to be confident in themselves? This article from KidsHealth.org gives some great (and easy!) suggestions on fostering self-esteem in your little one.

If you have more suggestions, comment below!
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/07/increase-your-kids-selfesteem.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/07/increase-your-kids-selfesteem.php Self-Esteem Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:48:00 +0000 How do you make your decisions?
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HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR DECISIONS?

Are you a rational decision-maker who carefully weighs up the pros and cons before taking your next step?  Or are you an impulse follower that listens to her heart to make the right move?

The best decision-making model I have come across, that I now use for all my training and advice sessions, is a combination of rational and emotional.  The first step is to define your decision into single options.  For example, "Shall I continue working in administration or shall I go back to school to study as a Dental Assistant?"  becomes "Whether to become a Dental Assistant?"

Divide the rest of the page into two columns, named Pros and Cons.  List all the pros and cons you can think of for this one decision.  If there is a person whose opinion you feel is a vital part of your decision making, include them in the list.  Now go back through and mark each Pro and Con with a score out of 10.  Remember to mark these using your own values and interests.  Total these at the bottom of the page and any landslide victories should give you the confidence to start an action plan and move forward.
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/06/how-do-you-make-your-decisions.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/06/how-do-you-make-your-decisions.php Career Development Personal Growth Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:13:41 +0000 Better information makes for better decisions email us at blog@ffawn.org.

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MAKING BETTER DECISIONS

Knowing yourself and what works best for you will make you feel more confident about your choices particularly regarding your career.

If you are dithering over a decision, it may be that you don't have enough information.  Subconsciously your mind is stopping you from moving forward into unknown risks.  Do you really know what the job is like, how much a qualification would cost, how much childcare would cost, or if there is any financial support available?  If not, how can you make a life-changing decision?  So get out there and start researching!

Unfortunately many people gather their information from the wrong sources - canvassing a range of colleagues, friends or family to gain opinions of each choice they make.  The end result is usually to leave you even more confused!  Even the best input always needs to be filtered through your own values, interests, risk-taking comfort level and self-belief.

So gather information from the right sources while acknowledging their biases and using your own self-knowledge to filter it - Career Advisors, College Services, Employers, Recruiters, Human Resource Managers, and Employers are all people with valuable information on careers, jobs and training.


KNOW YOURSELF


Remember, however, that no one can possibly know you as well as you know yourself.  They don't share your fascination with architecture, or how people's minds work, or your love of working with children, so why would you let them make your decisions for you?  It is the decisions based on good information, including knowing yourself, that are the easiest decisions to make and the hardest to regret.

There are many personality type tests, career assessment tools, and life coaching books that can help you to define what is most important to you, what tasks or work types interest you and where your greatest skills lie.  The best of these then combine your answers to suggest types of work where you will be more successful and fulfilled.

You can gain further confidence by looking at decisions you have made in the past and how you made them, allowing you to see what has worked for you and what hasn't.  Deciding to go to law school only because your parents had always planned for it, deciding to take a film class rather than marketing because your friends were all taking it, deciding to take yet another administration job with a pay increase rather than a salary drop to get into graphic design as you had always dreamed of - usually these are the decisions that lead to a lack of fulfilment or a sense of frustration.

Many people feel that a dream job is just that - a dream, but even taking one of the small steps toward a dream can mean every day is more fulfilling.

For more information on assessing yourself and possible career choices, you can take assessment tests like the Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential (MAPP), which is completely free, or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI), which you'll need to pay for in order to receive a complete interpretation of your score. You can also try some of the free tests compiled by About.com here. I do however recommend combining any assessment with the services of a Career Counselor to interpret the results.
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/06/better-information-makes-for-b.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/06/better-information-makes-for-b.php Career Development Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:31:00 +0000 Mary featured on the cover of Essence Magazine "the truth and the light in R&B."  The interview focused on how the three have grown since their debut albums and how they've dealt with their successes and failures over the years.  You can read an excerpt from the article here.  How you have been inspired by Mary and other celebrities as you've watched them grow throughout their careers?
]]> http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/06/mary-featured-on-the-cover-of.php http://ourworld.ffawn.org/2008/06/mary-featured-on-the-cover-of.php Our World Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:38:44 +0000