Kirsty Davies

How do you learn to generate ideas and start thinking in a new way? Ksenia Yurieva, founder of uk group, development hub and Real Estate Investment Private Club, told us about it and shared her author’s methods that will help to form an open mind.

First of all, it is necessary to love your time. And that means learning how to plan it. Always set aside hours for yourself and what you love, for mental and physical health, rest and development.

Second, fill your life with traveling, cultural events, sports, dance, music, dating and socializing with new people.

Third, be open to the fresh breeze. Remember the movie “Always Say YES,” starring Jim Carrey? It’s a great practice to apply. Learn to say yes to everything new.

Dedicate time to yourself even in the busiest schedule of life. You should be the most generous and caring person you can be. If you like shopping, set aside a budget for shopping for yourself. And it’s better that it turns out to be not a bath mat, a frying pan or a bag of detergents for the house. Let it be a dress, a bag, accessories or cosmetics. The main thing is that the amount fits into the budget.

You can, for example, indulge in body care. Muscle relaxation calms the nervous system, relieves stress, organizes thoughts. Massage, thalassotherapy, hammam – body and soul will be grateful.

There is a pleasant way to relax that is available to everyone – it is water meditation. Just stand for five to ten minutes under a warm shower after a hard day’s work. Turn on your favorite music and fantasy. Feel how fatigue and negativity are washed away, the body is filled with energy and the head with bright thoughts.

Or try sound therapy, for example, massage with singing bowls. It creates positive vibrations, harmonizes your mood, and clears your mind.

All this is necessary for your body to be in harmony with your mind. You must become a vessel filled to the brim with positive emotions. It is then that you can open to everything new, let it into your life.

If you are not feeling well or need to cheer up, sound meditation is a wonderful way to raise your mood and vitality. You don’t have to go to a concert to do this. Turn on a recording of bell ringing, or if you have a small bell at home, ring it. You will experience the whole gamut of emotions: from thoughtfulness and light sadness to a smile and spiritual healing.

In the car music will become a good traveling companion, especially if it is a long road, a long-awaited trip. At first you listen to your favorite tracks, admiring the passing scenery. And then, when you hear a familiar tune, your memories take you back to the completed trip.

And before you go to bed, try soothing Reiki sounds, which will clear your mind of polyphony and put you into a good sleep.

Investing in real estate is one of the understandable ways to invest money. The cost of apartments and houses grows from year to year, so if you have a large amount of money, you should consider real estate for investment. What are the important points to be aware of.

Real estate is considered a stable and reliable asset that increases in value over time. Usually, income is earned in two ways. First, it is by renting it out. It brings a stable monthly income, and the participation of the investor is minimal. Slightly more difficult with daily rent, because you always need to be on the lookout for tenants and regularly check the apartment for cleanliness. Secondly, it is an opportunity to resell the housing at a higher price. If the object is chosen in a good neighborhood, made a good repair, then, most likely, there will be no problems with the sale.

Compared to other types of investments real estate is more stable. Even during the economic downturn, it retains its value and can be a profitable investment for the long term.

• Assess the political and economic stability of the region where you plan to buy real estate. This is especially true when buying abroad.
• Choose a location. Pay attention to the infrastructure: whether there are schools, kindergartens, clinics, shopping centers. Also check whether it is easy to get to by car, whether there is public transportation and whether there are prospects for the development of the area. All this increases the value of the real estate.
• Check the developer. Assess the reliability, reputation and his financial condition. Check the documents, the absence of encumbrances, lawsuits, licenses. This is especially true for new buildings. What documents can be requested from the developer: company registration certificate, construction licenses, project documentation, building permits and sales contracts.
• Diversify your investments. It is always better to buy several small properties instead of one large one. A small apartment is easier to sell or rent than a large one, so you will increase liquidity and reduce risks. You can also invest in residential and commercial real estate or in objects for daily or long-term rent. And one of your properties may be abroad.
• Contact an experienced realtor who will help you find favorable objects, negotiate and formalize the transaction. Try to make friends with him, because really good objects sometimes do not even go on the market, and sold between “their own”.

Investing in real estate can be a profitable and reliable way to invest capital, if you follow the basic rules. It is necessary to study the market, analyze the situation and make decisions consciously. This will minimize risks and help ensure a stable income.

A friendly work team is a standard promise of many job vacancies. But the reality is usually different. In addition to conflicts and contradictions, employees have to deal with bullying on the part of their colleagues. Margarita Bylynina, a brand strategist, mass communications expert, social media promotion expert, and head of the Digital Marketing Academy, tells us what mobbing is and whether it can be prevented by recognizing the prerequisites.

This term emerged relatively recently – in the 1980s of the twentieth century. Its author is a psychologist from Sweden, Hanz Leiman. He was the first to apply the word “mobbing” to people, which previously denoted the collective defensive behavior of animals.

The term comes from the English mob, which means “crowd”. Today it is used to denote psychological violence in a professional team. By the way, mobbing is essentially the same as bullying, but not at school, but in the workplace, in an adult environment.

Mobbing has nothing to do with interpersonal conflicts. The latter arise on the initiative of two people and are easily resolved by discussing the situation. It is much more difficult to stop regular bullying by employees or a boss, because they do not seek reconciliation.

Their goal is to get the victim out of the collective at any cost. Whistleblowing, boycott, gossip are the most “harmless” methods of mobbing. When emotional abuse does not work, they may resort to property damage and physical injury, sometimes sexual harassment.

Avoiding bullying is very difficult, but you can try. Have a frank conversation with your coworkers or superiors to find out the real reasons for their displeasure. Learn to assert your personal boundaries and your rights as an employee.

Record conversations that compromise you, document malicious behavior, report each one to your supervisor, and don’t hesitate to seek help from the courts or other legal authorities to protect your rights. A firm attitude, an understanding of your responsibilities, integrity in professional matters and adherence to corporate ethics will be your best defense against mobbing.

First mistake: not taking into account the color palette of the interior

It is a common mistake to choose tableware without considering the main tones of the kitchen and living room. Dishes should become a harmonious addition to your space, to enhance or support it. If the colors of plates and appliances “argue” with the shades of walls, furniture, textiles, it violates the integrity of the interior. You may not notice it at once, but gradually the dining room space will begin to bore you, because you will be constantly in a “color noise”.

Speaking of the interior, it is necessary to keep in mind not only color combinations, and the texture of the walls and furniture, the use of surfaces made of wood, metal, glass or cork in the design of the room. These materials, as a rule, are also used in premium tableware brands, so you can always find suitable options for modern or classic interior design.

Mistake two: buying dishes for every meal

The trend for versatility has also affected tableware. Today it is quite acceptable and appropriate to serve different dishes on plates of the same shape. This is not only practical, but also opens up great horizons for experimentation in serving!

For example, a classic soup plate can be used not only for soup, but also for second courses, salad, dessert and breakfast. It looks bold and fresh in both home and restaurant serveings.

The advice is simple: when choosing plates, focus not on each specific dish, but on universal options of shape and size. This will save space in the kitchen and money on buying extra dishes.

Mistake three: be afraid of bright colors of dishes

Today, undoubtedly, the time of bright combinations! Especially spectacular look berries, fruits, greens, laid out on dishes of juicy colors. Pay attention to plates of natural, but saturated colors. This is a win-win option, because natural colors always harmonize well with food.

Use brightly colored saucepans, cocotte bowls, salad bowls to set accents – then you can create a truly stylish table. Bright colors give dynamism and rhythm to your serving, and, of course, will lift your mood!

“Parisian chic!” – Who wouldn’t want to hear such a characterization of their home? After all, it seems that it is in French interiors that sparks of sunshine play in antique mirrors and crystal chandeliers, lifting the mood.

So what is the secret of French style and how to turn an ordinary apartment into a Parisian apartment? First of all, the French interior is a harmonious combination of old and new, traditional and modern. Antique furniture and decor perfectly coexist with modern elements, creating a unique atmosphere filled with history and individuality. It is important to remember that each item in such an interior should be chosen with love and attention to detail.

It is not surprising that it was in France that a woman first took interior design into her own hands. So, in 1547, Diane de Poitiers, a favorite of Henry II, tired of constant moving, began to equip her house (now the castle Shenonceau) wanting to make it cozy and elegant at the same time. And in 1764 Madame de Pompadour, a favorite of Louis XV, tired of the pompous interiors of the Louvre and Versailles, began construction of the Petit Trianon. Later, Marie Antoinette turned this palace into a masterpiece of her time. This is how the French style in the interior appeared, which we still admire today.

Famous masters of French chic are considered to be designers Jean-Louis Deniot, Joseph Diran, Francois Catroux, Jacques Garcia, Shahan Minassian, Andre Putman. And among the admirers of interior a la france there are many foreign stars – take Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie or Johnny Depp, for example.

“Unbearable ease of being,” – will say connoisseurs and will be right. After all, only here historical stucco and avant-garde paintings, thin gold mirrors, classic fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling windows are easily combined. Light carelessness combined with amazing thoughtfulness and logic of the interior is as beautiful as champagne in a crystal glass.

The French do not like to combine rooms, so you will rarely find a kitchen in the hall. Separate rooms – a closet, a bathroom in natural marble, and even safe rooms – are all part of Parisian chic, along with classic wooden floors, called “French herringbone”. You will rarely find a closet at the entrance. In old houses you will find a unique system of air ventilation – in the floor and in the walls. It is also impossible not to mention the French balcony, luxurious crystal chandeliers, fireplace and mirrors in thin gold frames.

“A lot of this today is available only to owners of country houses and laid during the design architect,” – you will think. But imagine, and in Russia today build luxury chateaux. And the finishing, made by some Russian manufacturers, is a delight even to the French themselves. The advantages of Parisian chic remain lightness, space and light. Just as the main basis of French interior design is l’art de vivre, “the art of living”.