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For those
venturing out into the real world and
those who remember when they made that
same journey, there is a consensus: it's
not easy.
Joe Kahler hopes to ease this transition
with his new book, "Out on My Own… Now
What?!"
Kahler, a first-time author, put
together tips and tricks for real-life
situations that he hopes will get across
one vital point that he feels is taught
to the contrary prior to leaving school.
"In school they teach you to not make
mistakes, but in real life you have to
make mistakes and embrace them," Kahler
said.
Kahler's book covers a wide array of
subjects including: finances, cars,
homes, social skills and life lessons.
While it may sound like a dull guide, it
incorporates elements of humor and is
written to the level of the target
audience, those fresh into the nine to
five world, Kahler said.
He was able to do this with the aid of
his own daughters, two of whom are
attending Northern Arizona University.
"They were painful critics," Kahler
said. "(But) they were very
instrumental."
Kahler makes use of a colorful bird
named OOMO who is portrayed throughout
the pages in the real-life situations.
OOMO, which stands for Out On My Own,
has "OOMO moments," that is, when life
lessons are learned the hard way. Often,
this is the way people must learn,
Kahler said.
"Going through the bumps and bruises,"
Kahler said. "(It) shows a lot of what I
learned the hard way."
While he uses his own past to qualify
him to write this life-guide, Kahler
said, he also holds an undergraduate
degree in social sciences from Whittier
College and a masters in education from
Arizona State University.
Kahler's book has been received well in
many circles, winning both the Just For
Mom Foundation Mom's Choice Award and
the 2005 Family Choice Award.
Kahler is not sure whether he will write
any more books, though he does have
plans to continue his work. He hopes to
put together a seminar for kids to help
teach the lessons described in his book.
Kahler's intentions were originally to
help his daughters to receive what he
considers important information, but his
scope has now broadened to helping a
wide range of readers.
If nothing else, he hopes to get across
the one thing that will help those in
transition be successful, Kahler said.
"Don't be afraid to ask for help…to make
mistakes," Kahler said.
For more information on Kahler and his
book, visit www.outonmyown.com
Excerpts from "Out on My Own...Now
What?!"
Auto---Have
a budget and stick to it. The emotional
excitement of getting what you want now
will be completely outweigh by the
financial and emotional letdown and
burden that follow.
Investing--If you start early,
you have a lot of time and you will not
need as much money
Manners--The first person to
reach the door should be the one
responsible for holding it open for
others.
Interviews--Arrive about 10-15
minutes early, give a warm greeting and
firm handshake and relax and be
yourself.
What to do when you're pulled over by
the police--One of the first things
an officer may say to you is, "Do you
know why I pulled you over?" Admit
nothing. Be courteous and be polite.
Don't try to guess why you were pulled
over. Allow the officer time to explain
the reason why you were stopped.
You're moving into an apartment, now
what?-- Have the phone turned on,
have all the utilities turned on, get
some food in the fridge and make sure
you have at least a towel or two and
don't forget the toilet paper.
Laundry--Read the label on the
garment, sort clothes by colors, make
sure all pockets are empty and do not
overload the washer with clothes.
In case of an emergency--Know
where your gas line shut-off valve is.
Have extra bottles of water on hand.
Have a plan of escape in case of a fire.
Credit--One credit card is the
maximum you need to own … until you
understand good debt!
How do you tell someone they have bad
breath?--The simplest way is to
offer them a mint. The only problem is
when they don't accept one! I would then
ask them again with a warm smile and
hopefully they will pick up on the fact
you are trying to help them. If all else
fails, tie them down and force the mints
into their mouths. Hopefully, they get
the mint … hint. You may lose a friend,
but at least you can breathe easier.
Losing weight--Dieting and
exercising are absolutely necessary in
order to lose weight in the form of body
fat.
Resume content--Describe specific
responsibilities. Highlight
accomplishments by using positive
language to describe results, qualifying
or quantifying the accomplishment
wherever possible.
Tire maintenance--If you're
driving a long distance and it's really
hot outside, run the tires
under-inflated about five pounds. The
heat causes the tires to expand, and
just in case there's a weak spot in one
of the tires, under inflating your tires
can give you a little insurance.
If you get into an accident--Stay
where you are. If you're hurt, don't
move until the paramedics arrive. Have
your driver's license, registration and
insurance card ready.
Homeowners insurance--Homeowners
insurance is a must. It's one of those
things you simply can't do without. In
today's world full of earthquakes,
tornados, floods, vandals, people
driving through your living room, high
winds, falling trees, mud slides, flash
floods and of course, the one that
frightens us most of all, the dreaded
volcano eruption, there are plenty of
great reasons to make sure you have
adequate homeowners insurance.
Mastering money--There are four
stages of mastering money: earning
money, saving money, knowing how to
spend the money and the ability to
invest money.
Financial planning--Probably the
most important step, and certainly the
step you should take first, is to figure
out how much you can afford to spend. If
you haven't set up a budget that shows
you how much you're spending on everyday
things, now is that time to do it.
How do I handle rude people?--It's
always best to be gracious and forgiving
with those people who either don't know
how they come across, or are just
hurtful. One option is to reduce the
time you spend with them. Another
option, which I've personally used many
times to good effect, is to simply say
something positive and non-committal in
reply.
What if you have poor service at a
restaurant?--The best solution would
be to speak to the manager who may just
rip up the check and offer you an
incentive to come back.
How to get your time back!--Don't
let the telephone control your time.
Pick a regular time to place and answer
your calls. Learn to say NO. Be careful
of procrastinating. Develop an efficient
filing system. Set your priorities.
Creating teams--Check the
person's interest level, check the
prospect's responses, check results.
Dressing for success--Wear an
appropriate outfit for the function.
Make sure your clothes are clean and
pressed.
Develop a journal and tell your
story--Keeping a journal, a type of
personal record of both your business
and personal life, can make all the
difference. Look at it as a record of
your life, so to speak.
Instructions for life--When you
lose, don't lose the lesson. Remember
that not getting what you want is
sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
Spend some time alone everyday. Remember
that the best relationship is one in
which your love for each other exceeds
your need for each other.
Plenty more tips and insights can be
found in "Out on My Own… Now
What?!" |
