Learning Basic Learning Skills Makes Your Life Best

Here is a list of problems, new students often face when starting to learn Chinese:

1. Recognizing and writing the characters.

2. How to correctly pronounce characters.

3. The Meaning of each character.

4. Finding the right character.

New technology has helped overcome these barriers offering not only a fun way to learn but more effectively and efficiently.

It is documented that there are over 80,000 Chinese characters. Luckily for us , many are rarely used today. The modern version of the language only requires the average person to know about 3,500 characters to be proficient.

The kicker is, for each English word translated into Chinese, it usually uses two or more characters. Each character is linked together, read from left to right, and is written in relation to its purpose within the content of the text.

Chinese writing comes in many different forms and styles. Some date back to very ancient times and began as pictures. Today, there are normally two forms used: simplified and traditional.

Simplified is predominately and officially used in mainland China, while the more traditional form can be found in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

So, are you ready to learn Chinese? Find out in my next post.


Did you know that the Chinese Olympic Logo is an interpreted version of the ancient character "jing" which means "capital"?

Easy Ways To Learn Chinese To Make Your Life Better

It doesn't matter what you want to learn, you must put time and effort into it. This is especially true of learning Chinese.

Here are some ideas to make the time you spend learning more effective and efficient:

1. Integrate new material with more familiar material to make your basic level of learning stronger.

2. Develop a concept map, to identify characters or groups of characters which are similar
(groups of characters should have similar meaning and in similar clusters).
a. Words which fit into the same sort of pattern.
b. Those characters which share the same sort of radical or same sort of phonetic (similar
pronunciation) components.
c. Those characters which share any other type of component that is similar.
d. Look at placing those characters together which have a shared idea, such as colors,
activities or places.

3. Create hierarchical chart to break down single characters into smaller and more meaningful
components.

4. Make a mnemonic device to help remember particular parts of your character. One way of
remembering it is through using a picture, which will suggest the characters particular
strokes.

5. After each lesson, wait 15 minutes and go back over what you just learned. Studies have
shown a quick review shortly after a lesson helps retain the lesson better.

6. Read out loud. Reading out loud is a great way to practice and helps to discover particular
words and phrases which need more work. Plus if you ever have to read out loud , you will be
better prepared.

7. Don't study for long periods of time. Study a little each day, and you will find it is easier to
learn the language (you will more likely retain what you learned this way).

8. Break up learning new vocabulary into several small sessions. You can do this while travelling
to school or work, or even when you are waiting in line to pay for your groceries.

9. The most effective way to learn Chinese characters is to memorize them. A great way is to
write them down. (Don't write the same word over and over again, write each word down once
or twice, then go to the next one. Then go through the list again until you are comfortable
with it. This helps to put the words more firmly into memory and your mind.)

10. If possible, practice with a partner. Each person read a line, like a conversation (but do
not use your books or study notes). To understand what has been said, each person reads the
response a second time in English.

11. When reading Chinese, cover the pinyin (the way it sounds) while reading the text to understand the characters better. If unsure of a character, write down notes on a separate piece of paper to refer to
later.

Developing the above habits will make learning Chinese so much easier!

How To Set Up Google AdSense To Make Your Life Better

Google AdSense is a by product of Google AdWords. Goggle AdWords are the ads you see when you search on Google and you see the ads on the right side of the page under the title, "Sponsored Links" or when you visit a site and you see the row or column that say, "Ads By Google".

Google AdSense is the means of placing the "Ads by Google" on your site to bring in some income.

Here is how you can get started:

1. Sign up for an AdSense account

It takes a couple minutes to create your user name and password. You only need one account! It is considered "black hat" or "bad" to set up more than one account and Google will boot you out if you try to set up more than one account.

2. Then you follow the instructions in the "AdSense Set-Up" tab. You can change colors and fit the look of the ads to meet your theme of your blog.

3. After you have identified the ad "look" and any variables such as a filter for ads you may not want, such as a competitor's ad.

What Google does, is place ads on your site that are in relation to the content you have written in your posts. So, setting up blocks or filters may be beneficial.

4. After that, Google AdSense will give you code to copy and then paste into your blog. Each blog service is a little different so if you have additional questions please email me at admin@MyBestLifeNow.com and I will try to figure it out.

On Blogger they have made it really easy. Go to your http://www.yourdomain.blogspot.com/ site and click on "Customize" on the top right corner. That will open up 3 main tabs and you will be on the "Layout/page element" page. Go to the blue text "add a page element" and click. There will be a list of elements you can add.

If you want to just add the copied code from Google AdSense click "add html/java script" and paste the code there and save. If you want life to be super easy... after you have opened your AdSense account you can go to the "AdSense" page element (also located in the "Add Page Element" page and if you have your AdSense account up, it should pop open a page where you can customize the ads you want on your blog there and then click "save" and voila, you have AdSense on your page!

People often ask, "How much money can I make with AdSense?" Well, more than likely it isn't a who lot, especially in the beginning. Most who do make a lot on AdWords have multiple sites (like 1000+) to make a living at it. Those whose site is very popular may only need the one site but again their site is VERY popular.

I don't mean to discourage you, because this is a free service and over a period of time you can earn an extra $100-$200 a month. Not something to cough at especially with the rise of gas and grocery prices.

Things to remember:
1. Only open one account: Google is strict about this and will hunt you down and boot you out when they find you!
2. Google does not allow you to click on your own ads
3. Google frowns on you asking friends and family to click on your ads.
4. Good Karma: Visiting other sites and clicking on others' ads will persuade others to visit and click on your ads.

Where To Start: Learning "How To" Speak Chinese?

Okay, so after watching the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics how can you deny that China has become a power house to be sought after as a business opportunity? Chinese has become one of the most popular languages. China is extremely influential in the world’s business markets today and even more so in the future.

I know I don't have to remind you that Chinese is a very difficult language to learn. But if you have been able to master English (another very difficult language to learn) then, with some effort you should be able to learn Chinese, too.

Take Note to remember that this language is tonal. You will have to think of learning it like you would a foreign salesman or sports announcer would in English. Each word, when pronounced using the 4 different tones, will have a different meaning. Plus, you not only need to learn about the tones, you also have to learn and memorize the Chinese characters (more than 3000). [** Note to Self ** combining 2character forms another meaning]


Obliviously, the best way to learn and study a language to visit and live in the country with the language you wish to speak,called "immersing" yourself in the language and culture.

If you can, find somewhere that does exchange programs, or even a private school in China that you could attend.I can see though, how this is not an option for most...
Luckily, there are some other options and when combined can greatly influence the chance of reaching your goal to learn Chinese.

The Internet has made it extremely easy and possible to learn Chinese, without actually having to go to China to carry out their studies. Several sites on the web offer free lessons to learn Chinese. One example is
www.chinese-tools.com/learn/chinese or www.LearnChineseForFree.com

Another great way for learning the language, if you are unable to spend time in the country itself, is through finding an exchange partner, or hosting an exchange student or teacher from China.

The best way of finding an exchange partner is through your local College, School, or ESL Department. They will be able to find you a student whose native language is Chinese, and is willing to spend time with you teaching you their language.

However, you will need to reciprocate and be prepared to spend time with them teaching them how to speak your language. It is recommended to have basic familiarity with the language before looking into this. Early communication with two unfamiliar parties can be challenging!

There are also a number of groups that have been organized by such sites as Yahoo, where you can join and start to learn Chinese. One example is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alearningchineseonlineclub/

It is through these groups and forums that you will be able to post any questions you may have regarding the language, and be provided with feedback from those that either speak Chinese or those that are also learning it themselves.

The final way you may want to consider for learning to speak Chinese is through making new friends whose native tongue is this language.

Soon, you will discover just how much easier it is to learn this language when you spend time with the people whose speak it!

What Is Most Important To Making Your Life The Best?

I want to challenge myself and hopefully you.

I get so caught up trying to do things: busy raising kids, caring for a household, crossing out things on my to-do lists, and I haven't slowed down in a while to ask myself some important questions to make sure I am on track, have you?

What do you think is the most important factor to create your ideal life? Is it your education? Is it the tools and skills you acquire? Is it the way you were brought up? Is it the way you perceive and look at life?

What are your expectations for yourself? What have you been putting off? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you made decisions about your life without fear?

These are really important questions? Would you agree?

*Thanks http://bia2.com/ramona/ for the photo!

I spent too much of life in limbo, waiting for the right things to happen to in order for me to then do the things I want to do. I realize that this has been my excuse, my reason for not "going for it". I don't mean to jump into something spontaneously with clear thinking and thoroughness but have you put off what makes you happy or something that fills an empty spot in your being?

I have...who will join me in taking a challenge to change?

Can you write down 3 goals and share them with me?

My top four are (they aren't super crazy, nor exciting except to me:
1) Pay off my house and other business debt;
2) Send my kids to the school I want to send them to; and
3) Learn Chinese;
4) Continue to invest in my well being and prosperity.

It is a good place to start, isn't it? Tell me where you are so I can learn from you too!

Ways to Learn the Chinese Language Makes Your Business The Best

So, now you know that Chinese IS the language you want to learn to become more business savy. Now you need to know which learning method works best for you to learn the Chinese language.

First, look at the best way you learn any subject. Does learning come easier to you when you rewrite phrases that they have heard? Or do you finds it easier to learn a language by rereading things over and over again?

You may find it much easier to learn the language if you say it out loud yourself, or hear someone else saying it out loud. If you don't know, try practicing each technique mentioned above, and see which method helps you learn more effectively.

Sometimes using a couple methods at the same time works the best. Such as rewriting a phrase or word after you haer it said, and then saying it yourself. Writing it down can also help becasue you can refer back to it.

To properly learn Chinese you must learn the 4 different tones. Each tone is drawn over the spoken word to give it a different pronunciation.

1. The first tone that the Chinese people use is high but flat. This means that the voice stays flat and should not either rise or dip in any way.

2. The second tone that the Chinese use is a rising tone, and the person’s voice should raise as they speak.

3. The third tone is known as the dipping tone, and when a word is spoken it will go up and then rise.

4. The fourth tone is the lowering tone. When used, this makes the word being spoken sound masculine.

The best way of learning how the tones sound is through listening to a native speaker. To learn this from reading is nearly impossible.
Here are some ways you can learn to speak Chinese:
1. To learn common phrases, buy a "How To" Learn Mandarin book. This you can easily do either through your local bookstore, or online through such sites as Amazon.

2. Purchase some audio cd's or mp3's to play while driving your car, or relaxing at home.

3. The best way is to take an introductory course to learn Chinese at you local college or adult education class. It will help you to gain confidence in speaking the language and ensure you are pronouncing the words and tones correctly. By taking a class, a person has a foundation to learn the language on their own.

4. Flash cards can also be very useful. Remember to then use each word in a sentence to practice it correctly.

To really learn any language, or for anything really, is to practice consistently. Persistence is the key. When we discontinue to practice we forget.

Make sure to pace yourself. Trying to learn to much to fast will cause you to forget what you have already learned; it overloads our brain, causing some of what was learned to be dumped to make space for the new information (this relates to short term and long term memory).

Simple Facts About The Chinese Language To Make Your Life The Best

The most popular language spoken in China is Mandarin, which is based on a dialect spoken in Beijing. It has recently been recognized as the official language of China, as well as those in Taiwan, and one of 4 official languages spoken in Singapore. Also, this language has now become one of the six official languages used in the United Nations.

Most dialects often consist of words spoken by their ancestors, back when China was made up of various different ethnic groups. Like many large countries, it was only after these groups came together under the Chinese empire, that they united the languages they spoke.

It is important to note China uses a standard formal written language; No matter what dialect they speak, their written language is the same. The various dialects of spoken Chinese use tones. Areas in North China use up to three tones, while in Southern China they use as many as 10 different tones.

When Manarin was used in China's education system and as the language for carrying out instructions, rules and laws, nearly every person in mainland China now speaks Mandarin.

Today, more people want to learn Mandarin in the Western hemisphere. Up until about 10 years ago, it was difficult to find someone who could teach others Mandarin. We have become to realize the importance of being able to communicate with this culture. Today, there are many schools across the US where it is now being taught, as well as, many high quality home-study courses.

In 1991 there were about 2,000 people taking the Chinese language proficiency test. This figure had risen to 117,660 in 2005. In fact, the Ministry of Education in China believe there are over 30 million people around the world learning Mandarin currently.

Thanks to Impact Lab for the Photo

The 2 Top Reasons to Learn Chinese

1)China is quickly becoming a world leader econimcally...don't you want to be able to communicate effectively?

With China's recent economic explosion, it's quickly becoming a necessity to at least have the skills needed to work with them. Many major companies are looking for people who can help them communicate and establish themselves in China. The best way to get an edge on your competition in the job market is by being useful in non-traditional qualifications.

2) Establish YOUR business in a thriving market that is hungry for new products and services.

If you happen to own a business of any kind, then it makes complete sense to get your foot in the door with the Chinese speaking cultures as soon as possible. The market is huge, and they are looking for ways to spend money...why not provide them with YOUR products and services?

Is Speaking English: All We Need To Be Successful In The 21st Century?

Jim Rogers, the best selling author of Hot Commodities and Adventure Capitalist, states: "If the twentieth century was the American century, then the twenty-first century belongs to China."

If projections hold, China will surpass the United States as the world's largest economy in as little as twenty years. Thus, the time to act is now. This may be tough for some of us to swallow but the the fact is with China embracing the Free Market and coming out of a hibernating phase of being, Asia is hungry for growth, progress, and sustainability.

Their greatest resource is their sheer population.

Jim Rogers is one of the world's most successful investors, so you may wonder what does he know about how to make our small home businesses successful. Well, everything, because with the American economy becoming stagnant, competition for small business will become ultra fierce.

Small American businesses are going to have to find ways to save money and offer unsurpassed quality, and customer service. China is growing so fast and is finding every day how to offer these services. The Net has made the world so small and that is why it is imperative to Learn Chinese. Either that or you will have to find some one you can truly trust to negotiate business for you. If you are like me... like to control all that you can, you will join me in learning Chinese and teaching it to my children.

And if you are interested in learning more about how Chinese is the next world power, no other person than Jim Rogers can explain to you the "amazing energy, potential, and entrepreneurial spirit of a billion people".

Jim recently moved to Asia with his wife and daughter. I'll let you decide what second language his daughter has learned!