The study by researchers at the Stanford Graduate School of Business found those who believe in their own attractiveness view themselves as having higher social status. “The finding that your assessment of yourself shapes your view of yourself and others puts power into your hands,” the authors note.

Consider how these science-based suggestions may help you put your best foot forward when dealing with everything life throws your way.

• Get moving. Regardless of your fitness goals, the fact is you’re likely to feel better physically, emotionally and mentally after you exercise. Research also shows it can improve your self-esteem.
• Ramp up your smile. Scientists say our brains are zapped with an instant mood boost when we smile, and that boost is reinforced when others smile back. Further, whiter teeth can have a direct effect on our social and professional interactions, and they’re now easy to achieve through consumer brands like Rembrandt’s 1 Week Whitening Kit that can achieve professional-level results at home within a week.
• Let your body language communicate self-respect. Keeping your shoulders pulled back and your body straight and tall communicates confidence to your brain, studies show. Research found the most empowering stance is one in which your arms are held slightly away from your torso, your body is open and your head is up.
• Optimize color in your clothing. The right shade may light up your entire face and have a surprising impact on your mood. “Choosing the color of your office, your clothes or your desktop should not be taken lightly — colors do affect our moods and productivity,” states a recent article on Scienceofpeople.com. “When given the choice, picking a color that will work with you and not against you can only help.”
• Wear scent strategically. Because our brains link certain smells to positive experiences, research suggests we may be able to ramp up our confidence with scents that remind us of happy times. That’s why aromatherapy can help alleviate anxiety, depression and sleeplessness, and improve quality of life for those with chronic health issues, confirms the Mayo Clinic.
• Bottom line: When you’re taking care of yourself and projecting your best self, you’re far more likely to project the confidence you need to deal effectively with life.

“Confidence can make or break a lot of things,” advises Lecia Bushak on Medicaldaily.com. “In our extrovert-centric society, confidence can get you a job, a girlfriend, and the courage to say no to people or situations that are toxic to you. Confidence is knowing yourself and taking care of yourself, too.”

*BPT

The post Science-based suggestions for self-confidence appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

If you have a child between the ages of five and eighteen, then you’ve probably heard the acronym STEM tossed around at parent-teacher conferences or PTA meetings. You probably don’t know, however, just how important STEM education is and will be for years to come.

For years the U.S. government has funded various programs in the hope of bettering primary, secondary, and higher schools. FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, allows students to apply for financial assistance to fund their college educations. No Child Left Behind, a revised version of an earlier law signed by President Lyndon Johnson, has been met with criticism since its inception, though it did initiate a national dialogue about the achievement gaps among underserved students. Since 2012, the federal government has allowed flexibility in state requirements “in exchange for rigorous and comprehensive state-developed plans designed to close achievement gaps, increase equity, improve the quality of instruction, and increase outcomes for all students,” according to the U.S. Department of Education.

What makes STEM unique among many government-funded programs is that its not just about providing kids with equal educational opportunities; STEM is about preparing students for the jobs of the future. Science, technology, engineering, and math, collectively known as STEM, are subjects that should be studied to fill these future positions.

The problem is most students don’t want or don’t have the opportunity to pursue expertise in STEM fields. Only 81 percent and 71 percent of Asian American and white high school students are offered a full range of science and math courses, respectively. The numbers for American Indian, black, Hispanic, and Native-Alaskan students are even lower.

That’s why the Committee on STEM Education (including the Department of Education) is “facilitating a cohesive natural strategy.” Funds will be dedicated to five different areas: improving STEM instruction in primary and secondary schools, increasing youth and public engagement with STEM, improving college students’ STEM experiences, concentrating on groups underrepresented in STEM fields, and designing graduate education for the future’s primarily STEM workforce.

While studying science and math probably seems like a good idea to the average person, increasing students’ interest in STEM subjects is an entirely different story. After all, not every student, and indeed most don’t, enjoy studying math. Rather than teach STEM subjects as separate entities, the goal is to promote STEM subjects as a whole, to show how they work together.

“What separates STEM from the traditional science and math education is the blended learning environment and showing students how the scientific method can be applied to everyday life. It teaches students computational thinking and focuses on the real world applications of problem solving.” (Elaine J. Hom, Livescience.com)

With the STEM initiative still in its early phases, its success is still undetermined. There are ways parents can help promote STEM education interest in their children, however.

ARCKIT is a system of movable and reusable scaled model building kits for kids ages 12 and older. Originally designed by architects to for their own professional use, the ARCKIT sets can be connected to build even bigger and more elaborate buildings, structures and more. ARCKIT GO, the starter kit, is $69.99. As of September 9, the ARCKIT system became available at Barnes & Noble stores across America.

The post What You Need to Know About STEM Education appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Still deciding on a last-minute New Year’s resolution? Maybe you just want a more tangible goal under your belt? A marker in the not-to-distant-future that will not only be fun and rewarding to move towards, but one that also involves commitment, compassion and travel? If this sounds like what you are looking for, why not resolve to make 2015 a year of light? That’s right: a remarkable year of light!

The year 2015 has been designated by both UNESCO and the United Nations as The International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies. Throughout the year, festivities and activities which honor the forward thinkers and scientists who paved the road for both light and optical technologies in our daily lives (Albert Einstein) will take place globally.

In essence, it is a year of education, which is why 2015 is a perfect year to combine this education with travel, making a current and historic memory bank for not only you, but for your child as well.

Though the focus on the International Year of Light is primarily to disseminate the purpose and importance of light-based technologies around the globe through education and training, showing its impact and possible scope in the sectors of agriculture, energy, health, and education, The Year of Light can (and should) also play a vital role in reflecting on the purpose and importance of light-based technologies in the travel industry as well.

From computer screens, mainframes and hard drives that book travel flights and spit out tickets and ticket receipts, to the mechanics behind in–flight entertainment and the physics of air travel, from the latest and greatest technology at our fingertips in hotel rooms and resorts, to even the food we eat, how its prepared, and where we might need to go for medical emergencies while abroad, light and light-based technology has a firm hold in the travel industry and in our lives as travelers and parents as well.

To this end, The International Year of Light is not only a wonderful moment in time to spend with your family in appreciation of our global footprint and the vital need for sustainable development not only nationally but internationally as well, it is also a time to start thinking about ways to incorporate The Year of Light into our travel plans.

In keeping with the importance of sustainable development, why not plan a family trip to visit one of the endangered world wonders? The Great Barrier Reef, for instance, has been said to be eroding and at a far greater risk from global warming than previously thought. The Great Wall of China is slowly crumbling, only about one-third of it left for tourists to view. Even the Taj Mahal seems to be losing its luster, with treatments enacted on its closed days to give this Wonder of the World a much-needed facelift. There has even been speculation about the fading Taj Mahal closing its doors altogether and…recently…the possibility of it crumbling due to poor infrastructure.

In any case, by visiting one of the world wonders, you have the chance of ensuring that your children not only read about these places, that they don’t simply recognize these “hot spots” as some passing fact or travel fad from a history book, but that they have a connection to these global environments by having visited these remarkable, yet fated, destinations.

You can even have fun with the idea of light and base a travel experience around this concept alone. Traveling to see the Northern Lights, for instance, would be one way. Or perhaps you might want to consider what it means to travel light? To some, this might mean booking an all-inclusive vacation package, staying at a resort where everything is at your fingertips and you want for nothing. For others, traveling light could mean backpacking or camping out under the stars with your family, staying at a camping site or RV park, traveling without all of the creature comforts that many of us have become used to when traveling.

Regardless of how you choose to travel in 2015, be sure to make it a wonderful year of prosperity and insight. Be sure to make it a wonderful year of light!

Useful Links:

• Lonely Planet’s Illuminating Experiences for 2015 (Article): http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-tips-and-articles/the-worlds-most-illuminating-experiences?affil=EMLEDITORIALNEWS_101

The post Illuminating the New Year: The International Year of Light 2015 appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.