It's a terrible mistake to ignore dividends when you're investing, as they can be powerful aids in growing your portfolio while you're still working, and they can serve you particularly well in retirement, too. But don't think of dividend-paying stocks as only appropriate for older investors.

Here's a look at five key reasons you should consider adding some (or many) dividend-paying stocks to your portfolio.

Image source: Getty Images.

The first reason is perhaps the most obvious one: Dividend-paying stocks generate income. As an example, if you have a portfolio worth $400,000 with an average dividend yield of 3%, you're positioned to receive $12,000 each year, just from dividends. That money can be reinvested in additional shares of stock, to plump up your portfolio further, or it can be used for living expenses.

Dividends aren't typically static, either: When they're being paid out by healthy and growing companies, they tend to be increased over time -- often annually. This can help your income streams keep up with inflation, which has averaged about 3% annually over long periods.

Check out a few examples below.

Company

Recent Dividend Yield

5-Year Avg. Annual Dividend Growth Rate

Starbucks

2%

20.7%

Microsoft

1.1%

10.5%

PepsiCo

3.1%

7.8%

Target

1.8%

4%

Chevron

7.2%

3.8%

Data source: Author calculations, Yahoo! Finance.

When you search for dividend-paying stocks for your portfolio, look not only for a meaningful yield, but also a payout that's growing well over time.

Another upside of dividend-paying stocks is that they're often relatively stable, compared to stocks of other companies. This is not always true, of course, but in general, for a company to commit to paying its shareholders a certain sum on a regular basis, its managers will be fairly confident of reliable revenue and earnings. That's why you'll find that a large proportion of blue-chip stocks are steady dividend payers. (On the other hand, many relatively young and fast-growing companies do not pay dividends at all, because they're plowing every available dollar into furthering their growth.)

Remember, too, that dividend-paying stocks don't merely offer dividends. The shares are still tied to companies that are working hard to grow and become more valuable over time. Thus, if you invest in healthy and growing dividend payers, you'll likely enjoy not just dividend income that increases over time, but also a stock price that increases over time -- and not necessarily at a paltry rate.

Indeed, when academics Eugene Fama and Kenneth French studied stock market data from 1927 to 2014, they found dividendpayers outperformed non-payers, averaging 10.4% annual growth vs. 8.5%. Here are some more examples of dividend payers:

Company

Recent Dividend Yield

10-year Avg. Annual Stock Growth Rate

Sherwin-Williams

0.8%

25.2%

Lowe's

1.5%

23%

Nike

0.8%

21.2%

Costco

0.8%

19.8%

Amgen

2.6%

17.4%

Discover Financial Services

3.3%

14.4%

Clorox

2.1%

13.9%

Kroger

2.2%

13.1%

Verizon Communications

4.3%

9.7%

Data sources: Yahoo! Financial and theonlineinvestor.com.

Finally, if you're relying on income from dividend-paying stocks in retirement and you end up not needing to sell off those shares over time for additional cash, you'll be able to leave them to your loved ones. This is a meaningful advantage over some other income-producing options, such as annuities. Fixed annuities have the advantage of providing even more reliable income, and they are worth considering in your retirement planning. Indeed, you may end up wanting to set up income streams in retirement from both annuities and dividends.

Don't dismiss dividends as only suitable for older investors and retirees. They have a lot to offer investors at every stage of life.

Originally posted here:
5 Reasons to Invest in Dividend-Paying Stocks for Retirement - The Motley Fool

GARDNER Fire Chief Richard Ares was honored by local and area elected officials as he prepares to call it a career after nearly half a decade on the job. Ares will retire on Wednesday, Sept. 30, after 47 years with the department.

Ares decades of service to the city were recognized by U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-3rd, on Monday, Sept. 28. While at the department to officially announce a $240,000 federal grant her office helped secure for the purchase of new breathing equipment, Trahan said she used the opportunity to present Ares with a congressional proclamation to honor his exemplary service to the city.

Chief Ares has devoted his entire life to the city of Gardner, where he has always called home, obtained a degree in fire science from Mount Wachusett Community College, and began his honorable 47-year career on the Gardner Fire Department, Trahan read from the document. The residents of Gardner, as well as the commonwealth of Massachusetts, are grateful to Chief Ares for his extensive (career) as a firefighter, where he faced continual danger without hesitation for the betterment of his community.

Ares said stepping down for the job he has loved is a bittersweet moment.

Obviously, Im going to miss it, Ares said. The part Im going to miss most the guys were asking me this this morning is running to calls. I still love running to calls and doing the so-called street work, but its been a good ride, its been a good time, and its been what Ive always wanted to do, even when I was a little kid. I feel lucky that I got to do what I always wanted to do.

Ares started with the citys fire department as a substitute call firefighter in 1973, becoming a permanent member two years later. He climbed through the ranks of the department, serving as a fire lieutenant for 20 years, and then captain, and eventually fire chief. During his tenure he was selected as a fire investigator, providing skilled analysis in the wake of countless emergencies. He devoted nearly 12 years to teaching life-saving techniques and training fire recruits from across the state as an instructor at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.

The job has changed greatly over the years, Ares said, adding that he began keeping a journal of all of the calls he went on starting in 1983. As I go back through the old records, I see that we didnt do as many calls (in the past), but the majority of them were fires. Now, were actually more of an all-hazards department more than truly a fire department we handle all kinds of emergency incidents. People call us for everything.

Mayor Michael Nicholson said the city is grateful for Ares years of service to the community and its residents.

If you spend 47 years and five months in one community thats dedication in and of itself, Nicholson said. Our birthdays are a day after each other. I just turned 26 and he just turned 65, so for all of my life, hes been here in Gardner just making a difference. And I think thats incredible.

Nicholson noted that his relationship with Gardners longtime chief extended beyond the city limits.

When I was marching in the UMass marching band, he was the official photographer for the band, so weve been joking that now that hes leaving the fire department, his photography services will be better, Nicholson said. But I cant thank him enough for all hes done here. You cant look at the Gardner Fire Department and not see the impact that Richard has made here. So Im looking forward to seeing him relax but also to see how we can continue the work he started here as we move forward.

State Rep. Jon Zlotnik, D-Gardner, said Ares commitment to the city has meant a lot to its residents for nearly half a decade.

Gardner is a city, but I always say its a big town, and people like Chief Ares really dedicate their whole lives to the city and make things better, said Zlotnik. You look at a lot of the changes the chief has brought to the department to modernize it especially when it comes to equipment and training I think that has really been a focus for him, and those crucial decisions are always paramount whenever youre talking about firefighting services.

City Hall would be lit up in red over the next few days in honor of Ares years of service to the city, Nicholson said.

Read the original here:
Gardner Fire Chief Richard Ares honored on the eve of his retirement as U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan officially announces $240K grant for his department -...

Having a six-figure budget in retirement requires a large nest egg.

You will need to save at least $2 million if you want to spend $100,000 per year in retirement, according to experts. This scenario assumes that you withdraw 5% of your savings per year, which leaves little room for error.

But you shouldn't plan your retirement based on best-case scenarios.

You should aim to spend around 4% of your nest egg per year in retirement, according to financial advisor Winnie Sun. That percentage can drop, however, based on several factors such as if your home isn't paid off or if you have high health-care costs, Sun said.

This strategy also assumes that you have a balanced portfolio, focusing more on bonds and cash-type investments for your short-term needs. This allows the stocks in your portfolio to grow for the future, according to Sun.

Check out this video to see a few different case studies of how much spending money you'll have if you retire on $2 million.

More from Invest in You: 'Predictably Irrational' author says this is what investors should do during pandemic Coronavirus forced this couple into a 27-day quarantine on their honeymoon cruise How to prepare for a family member with COVID-19

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CHECK OUT:Why January is a particularly great time to invest your moneyvia Grow with Acorns+CNBC.

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Here's what your monthly budget will look like if you retire with $2 million - CNBC

David Parmer announced his retirement as CEO ofBaptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas on Sept. 29, 2020.

David Parmer announced his retirement as CEO ofBaptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas on Sept. 29, 2020.

Photo: Courtesy Of Baptist Hospitals Of Southeast Texas / Courtesy Of Baptist Hospitals Of Southeast Texas

David Parmer announced his retirement as CEO ofBaptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas on Sept. 29, 2020.

David Parmer announced his retirement as CEO ofBaptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas on Sept. 29, 2020.

Parmer to retire as Baptist CEO after more than 30 years

David Parmer has led Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas through growth, change, pandemic and more than a few natural disasters as CEO of the health group for more than three decades, but after next summer he will be passing on its future to the next generation of leadership.

Parmer announced his retirement Tuesday and will be stepping down as CEO at the end of next June. He will be staying on in an advisory role for two years during the leadership transition, according to the health group.

Parmers decision was announced by the health groups board of directors, who heralded his time with Baptist.

The entire board is extremely supportive of Davids decision and thankful for his many years of friendship and exemplary leadership, Gary Coker, board chair, said in a statement. Board members, hospital staff at all levels and the community at large have greatly benefited from Davids highly participative leadership style, sense of commitment to Baptist Hospital, and desire to reach the best solutions and decisions during the best and worst of times. David has truly been a great leader.

Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas was founded in 1945 to answer a shortage of hospital beds in Beaumont. Baptist celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

Parmer joined Baptist in 1989 after gaining administration experience at hospitals and health groups in Louisiana. He previously worked as a controller with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs but decided to head to graduate school at the University of Alabama-Birmingham in search of a career that would allow him to help people beyond the finance world.

Early in his career, he had to oversee the creation of a new hospital in central Beaumont and the decommissioning of the old one.

Services at the hospital expanded under his tenure and Baptist joined with the Cancer Center of Southeast Texas and Altus Cancer Center to create the Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas Regional Cancer Network in 2017.

Parmer and Baptist as a whole have had to adjust to changing dynamics in health care, such as rising costs and migration of inpatient services to other offices.

In 2016, the decision was made to close the emergency room at the former Orange hospital, ending Baptists services in that area.

As CEO, Parmer also had to lead the hospital through disasters such as hurricanes and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parmers predecessor will be chosen by a newly appointed search committee and the Witt Kieffer executive search firm.

Candidates will be interviewed between January and February 2021 with the plan to have final candidates visit Beaumont between March and April. Baptist anticipates a new CEO will assume office by the end of June 2021.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism

Read more:
Parmer to retire as Baptist CEO after more than 30 years - Beaumont Enterprise

For Americans with access to them, workplace 401(k)s can be the simplest type of retirement account. After all, signing up for one just involves doing a little paperwork and requesting to have money withheld from your paychecks. And in some workplaces, the default is to auto-enroll you, so you really don't have to do much of anything. Many employers even offer matching funds, so you get access to free money by contributing.

But while you definitely want to put at least enough into your 401(k) to earn the maximum employer match, using a 401(k) as your only retirement account may not be the best move. In fact, there are some big pitfalls to putting your money into this account exclusively. Here are three of them.

Image source: Getty Images.

Most 401(k) accounts offer a very narrow pool of investment options. You're usually restricted to a few index funds or target date funds and cannot purchase shares of individual stocks. If you invest some of your money in an IRA, however, you'll have access to a much wider pool of investments -- any that your brokerage of choice offers. You can even open up an IRA that allows you to choose non-traditional assets, such as gold or bitcoin.

While you take on more risk by buying shares of individual companies -- and alot more risk by buying some of those non-traditional assets -- you also have the potential for much higher returns than if you stick to just the funds your 401(k) provides. If you're willing to branch out and put in the time to find the right investments, it's definitely worth putting some of your retirement money in accounts that give you more freedom.

Some 401(k) accounts have management or administration fees that eat into your returns. The funds your 401(k) allows you to invest in may also carry higher fees than others that might be available with the broader range of choice a brokerage firm provides.

Fees can make a measurable impact on the amount of money you end up with in retirement. If your workplace plan has them in abundance, you're doing yourself a real disservice if you use it as your exclusive retirement account. Instead, in this situation, you should only contribute enough to get the match and then look for a broker that offers a no-cost IRA with a choice of affordable investment options.

Distributions from a 401(k) are taxed at your ordinary income tax rate. Distributions from a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k) are not taxed. If you have access only to a traditional 401(k) at work and use it as your sole retirement savings account, you'll owe more in taxes in your later years than you would've if you'd put some of your money into a Roth IRA and taken tax-free distributions to help support you.

Social Security benefits also become partially taxable once your income hits $25,000 as a single tax filer or $32,000 as a joint tax filer. But not all income is countable. Your 401(k) distributions are included when determining if Social Security benefits will be taxed, but distributions from Roth accounts aren't. If you put all your retirement savings into a 401(k) and withdraw enough to cross the threshold at which you owe tax on Social Security, you'll owe even more money to the IRS that you wouldn't have if you'd received some Roth income instead.

Since you could reduce the size of your nest egg by getting hit with fees and limiting your investment options and get to keep less of your money due to higher tax bills, sticking with a 401(k) alone could really hurt your prospects for financial security in retirement. Instead, consider splitting your money up among several different retirement plans so you can reap the benefits that each provides.

Read this article:
3 Pitfalls of Only Using a 401(k) for Retirement - The Motley Fool

Knowing where you spend your money has gotten easier and easier, thanks to programs like Quicken and websites like Mint.

The late economic historian W.W. Rostow had long-term roles in the administrations of two presidents. But hes probably best remembered for his 1960 response to the challenge of communism.

It was a book titled The Stages of Economic Growth: A Non-Communist Manifesto.

In it, Rostow identified five stages of economic development. The stage most people talked about was the "takeoff, the moment when a nation saved enough that the savings per capita began to grow.

Thats also when income began to grow. And when new opportunities appeared. Its when a nation could get off the Malthusian treadmill with population growth exceeding any increase in savings. Rostow looked around the world. He saw getting to that moment as a challenge and an opportunity.

I loved that book. It set a great mood of possibility and mission.

But if entire nations have a takeoff point, so do we as individuals. So do family households. Better still, if we reach our takeoff point, were on the way to getting off the payday treadmill. Were on the way to a secure retirement at least, or early financial independence at best.

The sad part is that so few get there.

Many never reach their takeoff point. Instead, they buy a new car, take an expensive vacation or decide their 4,000-square-foot house desperately needs an outdoor kitchen. They borrow to spend. They guarantee they will be repaying debts rather than starting to save or adding to savings. They choose to own things that decline in value rather than appreciate. They collect things that consume income rather than create it.

Were not talking about the clueless here. An abundance of survey evidence shows that millions of people live in a financial condition that can only be described as precarious.

An amazing number of people missed the takeoff point memo.

So lets answer a simple question: How do you reach your takeoff point?

Spend less than you earn.

Its that simple.

Trouble is, no one wants to figure out how they spend their money.

Let me repeat that. NO ONE.

Ive been writing a personal finance column since 1977. I still havent run out of fingers for counting the number of people who can immediately say, Last year I spent this much on (insert category), spent this much on taxes and added this much to my savings.

But heres a blunt reality: If we dont make positive decisions about where and how we spend our money, well never control our spending. Well always be the victim of an impulse or a particularly effective advertisement.

Is there any good news here?

Yes! Knowing where you spend your money has been getting easier and easier. It doesnt require taking up permanent residence under a green eyeshade.

If you want to be detailed and fastidious, you can use a computer program such as Quicken. In a few months, youll know exactly where your money goes.

If thats too much bother, you may be able to do it through the services that run automatically on your bank account, your debit card and credit card. You can also put it all together by using Mint, a free online money tracker.

The important thing isnt how you do it, but that it gets done.

See original here:
Whats your takeoff point? The moment youve saved enough for retirement - The Dallas Morning News

In the early days of the current ordeal, before our patience and our hope was ground to a dull nub, everyone had a plan for self-improvement during the pandemic. We downloaded language training apps, determined to master conversational Russian (you know, just in case). Bread flour and bakers yeast flew off the grocery shelves as folks who didnt know a boule from a boulder decided to reinvent themselves as artisanal bakers. We dusted off exercise equipment and long forgotten guitars and those notebooks from college, vowing to write the Great American Novel or become the next Bob Dylan or develop abs that make Chris Hemsworth say, Crikey!

Weeks turn into years, how quick they pass. The weeks have actually turned into months, but you dont mess with a Hal David lyric, and honestly, this summer has felt like a decade. The weather got warmer and COVID-19 didnt disappear, like a miracle, and most of our self-improvement efforts dissolved into endless hours of Netflix and a diet centered on Cheez Whiz and Oreos, all the noble reinventions withering like neglected houseplants.

Self-improvement is hard. Those Great British Baking Show types make artisanal bread look easy as, well, pie. You watch slack-jawed as some wispy little British dandy produces a loaf of pumpernickel in the shape of a meticulously detailed scale model replica of St. Pauls Cathedral and sniffs, Sir Christopher Wren has always been a personal hero, and you think, Oi! I can do that! except your bake ends up denser than tungsten, horribly misshapen and so inedible that even the dog wont touch it.

Everyone thinks Russian is impossible because of the unfamiliar Cyrillic alphabet. It takes about a half-hour to learn the Cyrillic alphabet. Its the rest the labyrinthine grammar, the endless homonyms, the maddening battle to differentiate between hard and soft sounds that leaves you shrieking like the subject of an Edvard Munch painting and frantically ordering your computer phone to delete Duolingo. And rock-hard abs? Please. Were a nation of La-Z-Boy recliners and oozing orders of animal-style fries. There arent enough sit-ups in the universe to make a six pack out of us.

Its disheartening.

In our house, self-improvement took the form of the humble ukulele. Invented by the Portuguese and perfected by the Hawaiians, the uke has become my nemesis, my obsession, my tiny four-stringed white whale.

This was not my choice. I live in a musical household. My wife and daughter are both elementary school music teachers, and our eldest son is a former all-state tenor. They are the masterminds behind Team Ukulele.

My own musical experience is limited and fraught with failure. I played the cello in elementary school, an instrument chosen by my mother with my enthusiastic approval, because I thought she said oboe, and Sara Larsen played oboe, which meant I finally had something in common with Sara Larsen. Instead of sharing lingering cafeteria school luncheons of hot dogs and tater tots as Sara and I discussed the merits of soft versus medium soft reeds, I spent two years hauling around a hunk of maple roughly the size of New Hampshire and suffering the indignity of being the first and worst left-handed cellist in Meadow Drive Elementary School history. I hated that cello, and it hated me, and Im pretty sure Mr. Grande, our long-suffering music teacher, hated both of us.

Tuesday was cello private lesson day. I was the schools only cellist, so it was just Mr. Grande and me in the music room, my corduroyed knees gripping that awful hunk of maple, Mr. Grande pulling an ashtray and a pack of Winstons from a desk drawer, lighting up and exhaling after a deep drag, sighing, What do you have for me this week, Mr. McMurray? Id screech through Exercise in A or Le Petit Lievre while Mr. Grande stared into space and pondered his life choices. When I finally quit cello after 18 miserable months, I had not progressed past book one.

Ukulele will be different, my wife promised. Anybody can learn to play the ukulele. Even you.

We started with Christmas music. The plan is to establish a small but crowd-pleasing repertoire and wow our friends and loved ones by performing this December as a socially distanced ukulele caroling squad.

Sunday afternoons are practice time. Those first few practices were as tense as Jay-Z sharing an elevator with Solange. There was lots of anger. There was lots of yelling. All of it came from me.

While the rest of the family plinked merrily along, my stubby peasant fingers rebelled. I was Marty McFly at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance, dizzy and sweating, my rebellious right hand playing havoc on the fingerboard, my family slowly disappearing before my eyes.

Marty got better. I didnt.

After weeks of effort, those stubby peasant digits finally began to obey. Callouses formed on my fingertips. I slid from C to F to G with the fluidity and grace of the marginally competent.

Thats when I learned about strumming.

There are a variety of ukulele strum patterns, the most common being the down, down up, up down up Island Strum. Rhythm and tempo are key to successful playing. Too fast or too slow, and it doesnt matter whether your fingers are creating the right chords the song will be unintelligible. Chords are the Cyrillic alphabet, rhythm and tempo the labyrinthine grammar. Expecting this cello class dropout to master rhythm and tempo is like hiring a rhesus macaque to pilot a Boeing 737. Things will happen. None of them will be good.

I wanted to quit. Youre getting better. Keep it up! my family encouraged. I kept playing. Forty-eight years ago, a stringed hunk of maple defeated me. I would not lose again. In the middle of a really bad day at work, I impulsively bought a nice wooden uke to replace the cheap plastic job Id been using. It features a stars and stripes motif. I feel like a Hawaiian Buck Owens.

Five months in, and the only song I can play with even a small degree of proficiency is Jos Felicianos Feliz Navidad. Its a good feeling, strumming away, wanting to wish you a merry Christmas, from the bottom of my heart. Ive tried adding other tunes, everything from The Cures Friday Im In Love to the Grateful Deads Ripple. I Am A Child Of God, a beloved church song, is also on my practice list.

They all sound like Feliz Navidad.

The 19th-century author Elizabeth Charles writes, The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there but those that sing best. I like being one of the birds who dont sing so well. Its liberating. And who doesnt need a little liberation these days?

Bake your terrible bread. Write your awful novel. Sing your wretched song. Do your crunches, even if youve got a plate of Double Stuf Oreos balanced on your chest the entire time. If the closest you come to conversational Russian is waving your arms and yelling, Moose and Squirrel! Moose and Squirrel! and expressing your affection for Fearless Leader, youre probably ready to be an undersecretary of state.

There are mediocre paintings to be painted, and recipes to be botched, and all sorts of instruments to be misplayed. Put down the remote, seal up the chip bag and get going.

Lets fill the woods with our songs. Even if they all sound like Feliz Navidad.

McMurray is a Houston businessman and a frequent contributor to Gray Matters.

Original post:
Cort McMurray: Bake that bread. Write that novel. Self-improvement is hard, but its liberating. - Houston Chronicle

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Lacey Chabert, 38; Marion Cotillard, 45; Jenna Elfman, 49; Fran Drescher, 63.

Happy Birthday: Look for lucrative ways to spend your time. Do something creative or serviceable from the comfort of your home to cover day-to-day expenses. Focus on saving for something you want to purchase or pursue. Walk away from no-win situations instead of letting them consume you mentally, physically and emotionally. Call the shots instead of letting someone else control your destiny. Your numbers are 7, 12, 24, 29, 37, 43, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Pay attention, but dont get involved in other peoples battles. Channel your energy into self-improvement, learning and a healthy lifestyle that will help you stay safe. Save your energy for personal gains, not fruitless battles. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your changeable attitude will be confusing to those trying to understand what you want. Be careful when dealing with children or your lover; if you show uncertainty, it will cause friction and a loss of control. Be precise and dependable. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Dont be fooled by what others do or say. You are best to research and gather information from a direct source, not hearsay. Someone you have worked with will use emotional means to dismantle your reputation. Dont share personal information. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take a moment to calm down. Anger will not help you solve a problem you encounter with someone opposing your lifestyle or habits. Use intelligence to outmaneuver anyone trying to change you or the way you live. 2 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Put your energy into something that will help you earn more money. Hard work will keep you out of trouble and lead to financial gain. A confrontation with someone you live with will leave you in a vulnerable position. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Change begins with you. Consider the past, present and what you want to strive to achieve in the future. A healthy attitude, reliable information and the ability to bring about change will encourage better relationships and prosperity. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Listen attentively, and you will find a way to deal with unreasonable people. Be charming, and youll be able to motivate someone to see things your way. An energetic approach to love and being a team player will pay off. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Get more involved with social media, and youll connect with someone who stimulates your mind and opens your creative imagination. Expand your knowledge and skills, and youll develop a positive way to improve your life. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Problems will surface if you let an outsider interfere in your personal life. The less time you have to get into a debate, the easier it will be to avoid setbacks. Physical activity is favored. Romance is in the stars. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Uncertainty will stand between you and getting what you want. A change will be uplifting and encourage you to do things differently. Speak up and discuss your intentions with someone you can count on for practical advice. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Pay attention to your personal needs and relationships with others. What you do will be more meaningful than what you say. Dont feel you have to take part in someone elses plan when you have your own to fulfill. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): What you do to help others will lead to mixed emotions. Taking physical action and making things happen will far exceed getting into a debate with someone and accomplishing nothing. Stay focused and passionate, and forge ahead with enthusiasm. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are strong-willed, impulsive and opportunistic. You are imaginative and persuasive.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

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Pisces: Avoid getting into needless debates with others - The Bethel Citizen

Ranveer Allahbadia aka BeerBiceps, social media entrepreneur, digital content creator, motivational speaker and host of India's one of the most followed podcast, The Ranveer Show, has collaborated with international award-winning life coach and podcaster Jay Shetty. They talk about Mental Health and Spirituality. Known for imparting life lessons in an engaging way, the duo talk about mental health and spirituality at length. And, during the interaction, which has been released on a video-sharing platform, Ranveer and Jay sifted through several essentials topics ranging from Jays story behind the massive wealth of content he has rendered so far to his relationship with his wife Radhi Devlukia, Indian culture and its heritage, and a lot more. Jay also complimented Ranveer on his work and mentioned how he loves the latters work. It was a powerhouse of information as both these gentlemen are well known for the knowledge that they have in the area of self-improvement. Speaking on the collaboration, Ranveer Allahbadia says, "It was a delightful experience collaborating with Jay Shetty and discussing meditation, relationships, and the challenges of content creation. I have always looked up to Jay and he's been on my list of the top 10 guests for the show since the beginning. Jay and I share similar interests in terms of self-improvement and personal growth. I feel people who are looking to learn more about relationships, social media, and self-growth will relate to this conversation a lot."

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Jay Shetty and Ranveer Allahbadia come together to talk about the various aspects of self-improvement - Times of India

Being alone and loneliness might seem to be similar, but they are totally different from each other. Loneliness provides you with a negative feeling, whereas, being alone is relaxing and associated with self-improvement. Heres how.

Being alone and loneliness- these two states may seem to be similar but are completely different from each other and provide with a different kind of feeling. Being alone is when you enjoy with yourself and indulge in something that you love to do. At that moment, nobody is with you and you only complete yourself and doesnt need anyone to fulfil your life.

On the other hand, loneliness is when you are surrounded by a group of people but still alone and empty. You cannot share your feelings with them. And you need this kind of gathering because you are afraid to be alone. So, when you learn to be alone and enjoy the time then life seems to be more meaningful.

What is the difference between being alone and loneliness?

Feeling lonely

Loneliness is a kind of affliction that can affect people of all ages. According to research, people with such feeling has an emptiness in them that causes a deep ache for not having anyone in their life to share their feelings and emotions. And loneliness doesnt only affect their psychological well-being, but its also damaging for their overall health.

Social media factor of feeling lonely

According to psychologists, excess usage of social media plays a major role amongst people to have a feeling of loneliness. Despite the scope of having connecting to new people every now and then, they are feeling isolated. And the usage of the internet is constantly rising where people have almost forgotten about the real face-to-face interactions; this ultimately makes them feel negative.

Being alone

Being alone is highly beneficial as you get to spend time with yourself alone. And if you like this, then you dont need anyone in your life to feel enthusiastic. At this time, you are actually prioritising yourself and working on self-improvement. You just simply relax and enjoy your life.

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Being Alone vs loneliness: What is the difference between THESE two states? - PINKVILLA