We all know that life is full of peaks and valleys. There are times when we are happy and then there are times when we are flung to the depths of sadness and despair. There are times we feel like the architects of our own destiny, and other times, when we feel like nothing is going according to plan.

It's easy to remain motivated when life is just the way you want it to be and good things are coming your way. However, in times when your world is topsy-turvy, you may tend to become unmotivated. It's in your own best interest to fight this lack of motivation and spring back into life with energy and determination.

Why People Feel Unmotivated
There are many reasons why you might begin to feel a loss of motivation.

• You lack faith in your own abilities.
• You are scared of trying anything new because of past failures.
• You have low self-esteem and use bad self-talk.
• You pay too much attention to what others have to say.
• You haven't built in enough incentives to excite you.
• You lack enough time to accomplish what is necessary.

How a Lack of Motivation is Harmful
Becoming unmotivated is never a good thing; not only does it prevent you from completing the task at hand, it also stops you from achieving long-term success in your life. You get sucked into the quick sand of self pity and despair, which will only make you more miserable and less productive.

Apart from affecting you personally, a lack of motivation can also affect your workmates and the people in your family – even your closest friends. Your performance at work can suffer and people around you might not be able to cope with the effects of the negativity and apathy that you exude.

Finding Motivation Again
In order to remain motivated and complete the task at hand, you must always evaluate your reasons for beginning the task in the first place. Set yourself up for success.

For instance, you’ve been trying to lose weight for a while and you seem to have reached a plateau. Sit back. Ponder and think seriously about the importance attached to losing weight. You would benefit with improved health for a longer life, more energy as well as an enhanced appearance. You – and others – would like what you see in the mirror.

Evaluate which task is causing you to procrastinate.
How will it make you feel when the task is completed?
What will be exciting about your achievement?
Will it lead to more continued success?

Make a list of these reasons in your diary or notebook and keep them in front of you. The next time you feel lack of motivation, you can look at these reasons, and encourage yourself to get charged up again.

Whatever the reasons behind any loss of motivation, always be aware of the consequences that follow. That knowledge alone can help you rediscover the motivation you need in your life to carry you through to success.

An odorant, called mercaptan, is added to natural gas to make even the smallest leak easy to smell. If you notice the smell of rotten eggs indoors or out, here’s what you need to do:

If you smell gas indoors or outdoors

• Don't use your telephone or cell phone near the gas leak.
• Leave electrical switches, appliances and computers as they are.
• Don't smoke or use lighters or matches.
• Don't start any motors or motor vehicles near the gas leak area.
• If escaping natural gas is burning, call your local fire department. Don't attempt to put the fire out.

If you smell gas indoors

• Open doors and windows to let the gas out and fresh air in.
• Go outside. Use your cell phone or a neighbour's phone to call the Gas Distribution Emergency Number, often found on your bill.
• If you can hear a "hissing" sound, leave the building immediately. Leave doors and windows open. As soon as you are well away from the gas leak call the Gas Emergency Number from your cell phone or your neighbour's phone.

If you smell gas outdoors

• Leave the area. Then immediately call the Gas Emergency Number from your cell phone or neighbour’s phone.
• Stay clear of the area.
• Put out all open flames such as torches, campfires, and barbecues.
• Keep doors and windows closed to prevent gas from going inside.

If the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence it may be time to rethink your lawn care strategy. You can have lusher greener grass by employing some of these lawn care fundamentals.

Mowing your lawn. Never cut grass to more than one third of its height. Cutting grass too short weakens the plant, lowers weed resistance and makes the lawn more susceptible to scorching from the sun. Watering your lawn. Water in the early morning to allow for proper penetration, avoiding excessive evaporation from the afternoon sun. Your lawn should receive enough water to penetrate to the depth of the roots. Managing weeds. Maintain a thick coverage of grass – this is the best defence against weeds. Re-seed your lawn every spring to help encourage thicker growth. Get rid of weeds by using herbicides. Manual weeding is also an option, but the entire root must be removed or the weed may return. Maintaining soil. Healthy soil is an essential requirement for a healthy lawn. Although soil composition varies dramatically by geography, most lawns can benefit from fertilization. Use a soil test kit to determine which fertilizer – if any – will help your lawn. Ensure your lawn has an even layer of topsoil.

Summer can be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also the season that bugs like best. Here are some tips to keep pests away as the weather warms up.

Stop that ant trail. Sprinkle a line of cinnamon around the areas where you've spotted ant armies. They don't like the smell and won't cross over the line. For a pest-proof picnic, sprinkle cinnamon around the edge of your blanket. Shoo, flies. A bunch of basil is not only a tasty addition to your summer salads but also keeps away flies. Cut a few leaves and place them on the table when you're eating outdoors to ward off flying pests. Banish bees. Keep the striped stingers away from your outdoor festivities by tying a few dryer sheets around chair legs or tree branches. The bees can't stand the smell. Natural mosquito repellent. Get rid of the pests naturally by adding a few drops of clove oil to your body lotion. The scent masks other aromas that attract annoying mosquitoes, lowering the incidence of itchy bites.

Pressure treated wood is a staple of the North American backyard. Decks, fences and play structures will last longer when made from pressure treated wood. Wood exposed to the elements will decay as it is attacked by fungus and insects. Pressure treatment introduces a chemical into the wood that inhibits fungus growth. No fungus - no rot.

For many years, the chemical used was chromated copper arsenate (CCA). CCA contains chromium, copper and arsenic. Chromium and arsenic are toxic to the environment and to people. In 2004, CCA was phased out. It is no longer used to pressure treat wood for most residential uses.

Health Risk
Many people are concerned that their existing CCA pressure treated wood structures pose a health risk. Government bodies agree that there is no significant health risk from existing CCA pressure treated wood. They do not believe there is any reason to remove or replace CCA treated structures including decks and playground equipment. However, prudent avoidance is advised.

Stains and Coatings
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in conjunction with Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) tested the effect of coating existing CCA treated wood to reducing exposure to arsenic. The results were that application of a penetrating sealant can reduce the exposure to one tenth but the protection is short lived. The penetrating sealant should be re-applied every year or two. Oil based, semi transparent stains that soak into the wood are the most effective. Surface coatings such as paint or varnish were not considered to be as effective.

New Pressure Treated Wood
New pressure treated wood does not contain arsenic or chromium. The two main preservatives used are alkaline copper quat (ACQ) and copper azole (CA). These new preservatives have very low toxicity.

Corrosive
New pressure treated wood is 5X more corrosive to steel than CCA. This means that special fasteners must be used. Stainless steel fasteners and copper flashing are ideal but expensive. Galvanized steel fasteners can be used but they must be a much higher grade, designed for this application. If the wrong fasteners are used they will corrode very quickly and could lead to failure of the structure.

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM PILLAR TO POST ® HOME INFORMATION SERIES
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If you could vacation in any country in the world right now, where would you go? Your answer says a lot about the real you. Every country has a specific personality or cultural identity and the one we're drawn to varies dramatically based on our personality type. If you dream of visiting...

France: You are an energetic trendsetter. An on-the-go individual who is determined to see it and experience the best in life. Australia: You're an optimistic seeker. Lively and free-spirited, you believe most of life is an adventure – and a lot more interesting if you take advantage of all it has to offer. Greece: You're a reflective intellectual. Smart and inquisitive, you are drawn to the birthplace of philosophy because you are a true intellectual. Italy: You're a laid-back artiste. Like a lot of creative people, you tend toward disorganization. Ireland: You're a romantic charmer. From its people's love of storytelling to its fabled countryside, Ireland has a thoroughly lyrical culture.

Believe it or not, your home affects your weight: Studies show it plays a role, positive or negative, in everything from mood to metabolism! How can you easily ensure it'll reinforce your healthy intentions? Just by...

Keeping these appliances in view.
The blender, slow cooker and steamer. That way you'll remember to use them, which makes eating healthy foods a snap.

Hanging a mirror by the table.
In one study, diners who sat facing a mirror ate an impressive 22% to 32% less. Why? Seeing your image is a constant reminder of how you look...or how you’d rather look.

Making a fruit centerpiece.
It will dress up the table and encourage you to fill up on nutritious stuff. TIP: Keep junk snacks in opaque containers on your highest shelf. When it comes to food, out of sight is out of mind – and tummy.

Putting TV in its place.
If you're like most of us, your furniture is arranged around the television set. But studies show the more TV you watch, the less you move and the more you weigh. Tweak your furniture layout to emphasize conversation instead.

Pressure treated lumber is tagged showing the treatment levels and the type of preservative used. This illustration shows a typical pressure treatment tag. In this case, we are looking at wood designated for above ground use. The treatment chemical is copper azole. The amount of preservative in the wood is 0.1 pounds per cubic foot. This is called the retention level. Each and every board of pressure treated wood should have its own tag. PILLAR TO POST ® HOME INFORMATION SERIES

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