Beauty – Is It Physical Appearances or Self-Esteem?

Beauty is a universal concept that is hard to define, but is understood by all. In many societies, physical beauty is seen to have acceptable norms though some of these norms differ between cultures. We may have a hard time to explain when we are asked what is beautiful to us. However, if we were to point out a beautiful woman in a group, men and women do it easily and naturally. As the saying goes, when it comes to great beauty, we will know it when we see it.Not everyone admires beauty the same way though. Beauty is a subjective experience. It involves the individual’s feeling of attraction and emotional well-being. We often here the saying; “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. However, as society imposes its general expectation on women’s beauty, beauty evolves into a common expectation and a standard comparison between women.So what is a “standard” definition of beauty then? My best guess is, if we were to talk about women, it is the physical qualities that she possesses. It is the ability of the woman to give out intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the viewer’s senses. The admirer’s positive feeling of pleasure or goodness is usually derived from the woman’s body shape, clothes that she wears or how attractive her facial features are, amongst others.However, beauty can also be about the woman’s personality. It is about having compassion for and helping others, a shoulder to cry on, respecting others, respecting herself, project kindness to human and animals alike, loving others and of course, loving herself. This is described as inner beauty which comes about from having the right dose of self-confidence and a healthy self-esteem.While this is not usually the first thing that comes to our mind when we talk about beauty, inner beauty plays just as an important role in how beautiful a person appears to be. Maybe more so than outer beauty does.Inner beauty is not something that unattractive people say to our self to feel better. Inner beauty can be just as, if not more captivating as the external appearance can be.Inner beauty may be described as something that is experienced through a person’s character rather than by appearances. It is the real beauty of a person that goes far beyond just physical appearances.It is a woman’s inner belief that they are attractive that makes them more appealing to others. The glow of confidence and physical attractiveness comes from within her. Some of the most fancied personalities are not really physically attractive but their glowing confidence and self-belief makes them attractive to every member of the opposite gender.First impressions do not always depend on our physique or our facial features. We need to believe that it comes from within our self. That is where our true beauty lies. When we start a conversation, people will initially assess us; as pleasant or not-so-pleasant. As the conversation goes on, people will start to pick up the nice qualities and traits emanating from us, and people will then start to find us more and more beautiful or charming.When we love, appreciate and feel good about our self, we would feel more confident about facing and interacting with others. Outer beauty attracts glances while inner beauty makes someone stay. This is the secret to a healthy self-esteem.Naturally, we will notice a person’s physical appearance first. However, when a woman have bright eyes that flicker, a smile that warms the heart, a radiant glow that surrounds her when she walks into a room; she has obviously harnessed her inner beauty.The best part of inner beauty is the fact that unlike our outward appearance, inner beauty does not wrinkle, gray or diminish with age. It will only radiates stronger as we cultivate it.Only then will you see yourself as a truly beautiful woman.

10 Things Every Buyer Needs – To Close A Commercial Real Estate Loan

For nearly 30 years, I have represented borrowers and lenders in commercial real estate transactions. During this time it has become apparent that many Buyers do not have a clear understanding of what is required to document a commercial real estate loan. Unless the basics are understood, the likelihood of success in closing a commercial real estate transaction is greatly reduced.Throughout the process of negotiating the sale contract, all parties must keep their eye on what the Buyer’s lender will reasonably require as a condition to financing the purchase. This may not be what the parties want to focus on, but if this aspect of the transaction is ignored, the deal may not close at all.Sellers and their agents often express the attitude that the Buyer’s financing is the Buyer’s problem, not theirs. Perhaps, but facilitating Buyer’s financing should certainly be of interest to Sellers. How many sale transactions will close if the Buyer cannot get financing?This is not to suggest that Sellers should intrude upon the relationship between the Buyer and its lender, or become actively involved in obtaining Buyer’s financing. It does mean, however, that the Seller should understand what information concerning the property the Buyer will need to produce to its lender to obtain financing, and that Seller should be prepared to fully cooperate with the Buyer in all reasonable respects to produce that information.Basic Lending CriteriaLenders actively involved in making loans secured by commercial real estate typically have the same or similar documentation requirements. Unless these requirements can be satisfied, the loan will not be funded. If the loan is not funded, the sale transaction will not likely close.For Lenders, the object, always, is to establish two basic lending criteria:1. The ability of the borrower to repay the loan; and2. The ability of the lender to recover the full amount of the loan, including outstanding principal, accrued and unpaid interest, and all reasonable costs of collection, in the event the borrower fails to repay the loan.In nearly every loan of every type, these two lending criteria form the basis of the lender’s willingness to make the loan. Virtually all documentation in the loan closing process points to satisfying these two criteria. There are other legal requirements and regulations requiring lender compliance, but these two basic lending criteria represent, for the lender, what the loan closing process seeks to establish. They are also a primary focus of bank regulators, such as the FDIC, in verifying that the lender is following safe and sound lending practices.Few lenders engaged in commercial real estate lending are interested in making loans without collateral sufficient to assure repayment of the entire loan, including outstanding principal, accrued and unpaid interest, and all reasonable costs of collection, even where the borrower’s independent ability to repay is substantial. As we have seen time and again, changes in economic conditions, whether occurring from ordinary economic cycles, changes in technology, natural disasters, divorce, death, and even terrorist attack or war, can change the “ability” of a borrower to pay. Prudent lending practices require adequate security for any loan of substance.Documenting The LoanThere is no magic to documenting a commercial real estate loan. There are issues to resolve and documents to draft, but all can be managed efficiently and effectively if all parties to the transaction recognize the legitimate needs of the lender and plan the transaction and the contract requirements with a view toward satisfying those needs within the framework of the sale transaction.While the credit decision to issue a loan commitment focuses primarily on the ability of the borrower to repay the loan; the loan closing process focuses primarily on verification and documentation of the second stated criteria: confirmation that the collateral is sufficient to assure repayment of the loan, including all principal, accrued and unpaid interest, late fees, attorneys fees and other costs of collection, in the event the borrower fails to voluntarily repay the loan.With this in mind, most commercial real estate lenders approach commercial real estate closings by viewing themselves as potential “back-up buyers”. They are always testing their collateral position against the possibility that the Buyer/Borrower will default, with the lender being forced to foreclose and become the owner of the property. Their documentation requirements are designed to place the lender, after foreclosure, in as good a position as they would require at closing if they were a sophisticated direct buyer of the property; with the expectation that the lender may need to sell the property to a future sophisticated buyer to recover repayment of their loan.Top 10 Lender DeliveriesIn documenting a commercial real estate loan, the parties must recognize that virtually all commercial real estate lenders will require, among other things, delivery of the following “property documents”:1. Operating Statements for the past 3 years reflecting income and expenses of operations, including cost and timing of scheduled capital improvements;2. Certified copies of all Leases;3. A Certified Rent Roll as of the date of the Purchase Contract, and again as of a date within 2 or 3 days prior to closing;4. Estoppel Certificates signed by each tenant (or, typically, tenants representing 90% of the leased GLA in the project) dated within 15 days prior to closing;5. Subordination, Non-Disturbance and Attornment (“SNDA”) Agreements signed by each tenant;6. An ALTA lender’s title insurance policy with required endorsements, including, among others, an ALTA 3.1 Zoning Endorsement (modified to include parking), ALTA Endorsement No. 4 (Contiguity Endorsement insuring the mortgaged property constitutes a single parcel with no gaps or gores), and an Access Endorsement (insuring that the mortgaged property has access to public streets and ways for vehicular and pedestrian traffic);7. Copies of all documents of record which are to remain as encumbrances following closing, including all easements, restrictions, party wall agreements and other similar items;8. A current Plat of Survey prepared in accordance with 2011 Minimum Standard Detail for ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys, certified to the lender, Buyer and the title insurer;9. A satisfactory Environmental Site Assessment Report (Phase I Audit) and, if appropriate under the circumstances, a Phase 2 Audit, to demonstrate the property is not burdened with any recognized environmental defect; and10. A Site Improvements Inspection Report to evaluate the structural integrity of improvements.To be sure, there will be other requirements and deliveries the Buyer will be expected to satisfy as a condition to obtaining funding of the purchase money loan, but the items listed above are virtually universal. If the parties do not draft the purchase contract to accommodate timely delivery of these items to lender, the chances of closing the transaction are greatly reduced.Planning for Closing CostsThe closing process for commercial real estate transactions can be expensive. In addition to drafting the Purchase Contract to accommodate the documentary requirements of the Buyer’s lender, the Buyer and his advisors need to consider and adequately plan for the high cost of bringing a commercial real estate transaction from contract to closing.If competent Buyer’s counsel and competent lender’s counsel work together, each understanding what is required to be done to get the transaction closed, the cost of closing can be kept to a minimum, though it will undoubtedly remain substantial. It is not unusual for closing costs for a commercial real estate transaction with even typical closing issues to run thousands of dollars. Buyers must understand this and be prepared to accept it as a cost of doing business.Sophisticated Buyers understand the costs involved in documenting and closing a commercial real estate transaction and factor them into the overall cost of the transaction, just as they do costs such as the agreed upon purchase price, real estate brokerage commissions, loan brokerage fees, loan commitment fees and the like.Closing costs can constitute significant transaction expenses and must be factored into the Buyer’s business decision-making process in determining whether to proceed with a commercial real estate transaction. They are inescapable expenditures that add to Buyer’s cost of acquiring commercial real estate. They must be taken into account to determine the “true purchase price” to be paid by the Buyer to acquire any given project and to accurately calculate the anticipated yield on investment.Some closing costs may be shifted to the Seller through custom or effective contract negotiation, but many will unavoidably fall on the Buyer. These can easily total tens of thousands of dollars in an even moderately sized commercial real estate transaction in the $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 price range.Costs often overlooked, but ever present, include title insurance with required lender endorsements, an ALTA Survey, environmental audit(s), a Site Improvements Inspection Report and, somewhat surprisingly, Buyers attorney’s fees.For reasons that escape me, inexperienced Buyers of commercial real estate, and even some experienced Buyers, nearly always underestimate attorneys fees required in any given transaction. This is not because they are unpredictable, since the combined fees a Buyer must pay to its own attorney and to the Lender’s attorney typically aggregate around 1% of the Purchase Price. Perhaps it stems from wishful thinking associated with the customarily low attorneys fees charged by attorneys handling residential real estate closings. In reality, the level of sophistication and the amount of specialized work required to fully investigate and document a transaction for a Buyer of commercial real estate makes comparisons with residential real estate transactions inappropriate. Sophisticated commercial real estate investors understand this. Less sophisticated commercial real estate buyers must learn how to properly budget this cost.ConclusionConcluding negotiations for the sale/purchase of a substantial commercial real estate project is a thrilling experience but, until the transaction closes, it is only ink on paper. To get to closing, the contract must anticipate the documentation the Buyer will be required to deliver to its lender to obtain purchase money financing. The Buyer must also be aware of the substantial costs to be incurred in preparing for closing so that Buyer may reasonably plan its cash requirements for closing. With a clear understanding of what is required, and advanced planning to satisfy those requirements, the likelihood of successfully closing will be greatly enhanced.

Part 3 – The Road to Fitness Success – Choose Your Fitness Products Wisely!

Now that you have created a burning desire to be fit, healthy and attractive, and have begun secretly conspiring to satisfy your desires, the obvious question becomes…How?There are so many different types of fitness products to choose from… all claiming to be your perfect fitness, health and physique solution.* So many recommendations…
* So many famous personalities…
* So many advertisements…But which fitness product will work best for you?Here are some characteristics to look for when choosing a fitness product.The more of these characteristics the fitness product has… the better the chance you will succeed in achieving your fitness, health and physique goals.Your Physical Fitness Program Must Be… EffectiveWhile this characteristic seems like a no-brainer… you would be surprised at just how many people are actively using a fitness product that will never give them the results they seek.Many people say they want improve their level of fitness… and get a bodybuilding product.Big muscles are not necessarily indicative of a high level of fitness.Many people say they want to lose fat… and get an aerobic endurance product.Aerobic training is only a part of the fat loss equation, and will not produce the lean, muscular, athletic body most people want… regardless of all the hard work. The point is, make sure the fitness product you choose is designed to get the results you want… or you are doomed to failure before you begin. If you want to increase fitness, improve health and develop an attractive physique… look for fitness products designed to produce these results.Your Physical Fitness Program Must Be… InterestingLet’s face it, if you are not interested in the fitness product you choose… you will not use it long enough to see results.I don’t care if the fitness product was proven to work by thousands of scientific studies… it will have no positive effect on your fitness, health or physique if you don’t do it.And you won’t do it… if it does not hold your attention and peak your interest.No matter how many times you say…”This time I’m not giving up until I get the results I want.”… you will eventually give up if the fitness product is not interesting to you.Don’t force yourself to struggle with a fitness product you hate… look for interesting fitness products that fit into your lifestyle and match your personality.You should look forward to physical training… not dread it!Your Physical Fitness Program Must Be… ModifiableThere is not one fitness product in existence that can be all things to all people… regardless of what all the slick-tongued advertisements say.Fitness products must be modifiable to your goals, needs, abilities and limitations… you must be given a degree of freedom to make the physical fitness program uniquely your own.You have different wants and needs.You have different strengths and weaknesses needing specific attention.You must be able to take an active role in the use of the fitness product… modifying it into your perfect fitness program.Cookie-cutter programs claiming long-term results do not work.Look for fitness products that can be easily modified to your unique situation.Your Physical Fitness Program Must Be… Sustainable The more the fitness product is dependent on machines, devices and other complexities… the easier it is to destroy.What happens when the machine is not available, the device breaks or the complexity you have based you entire fitness program on is lacking?Your physical training comes to a grinding halt!I am not saying you should stay away from fitness products that use machines, special equipment, etc… only don’t choose a product that makes you dependent upon them.You are responsible for your fitness success… not the availability of a piece of equipment, or access to a machine.Look for fitness products that help you sustain physical training in your lifestyle no matter what the circumstances.Your Physical Fitness Program Must Be… ProgressiveThere are many fitness products out there presented as a fixed workout.”Do this over and over again and you will get the results you want.”And the workout may be effective in the beginning… for some people and for a limited amount of time.Unfortunately, any workout program not part of a progressive over-all plan is doomed to failure.This is why you still need fitness products with all the free workouts out there.A workout without a progressive plan is little more than manual labor… and will fail to take you where you need to go.Any improvements you see in the beginning will quickly disappear, leaving you asking, “What do I do now?”Then it is off to look for another workout to try.Make sure the fitness product you choose is progressive in nature… and not just “add more weight” either.Progression on many different levels is probably the most important aspect of any successful fitness program.Your Physical Fitness Program Must Be… MeasurableThe pursuit of fitness, health and physique is a journey… and like any worthwhile journey, it should be documented.The ability to measure your progress will keep you on the track of success… enabling you to see where you’ve been and where you’re going.Make sure the fitness product you choose comes with a workout journal, or that one can be easily made… Don’t underestimate the importance of a workout journal.Your workout journal will help you…* judge if your physical training efforts are getting you closer to your goals…
* decide if you need to modify your fitness program…
* and determine if it is time to switch to something completely different…… ultimately guiding and documenting your fitness success.Look for fitness products making it easy to measure their effectiveness… how else will you really know if it is working for you or not?Use Your Common SenseIf the fitness product…* attracts you…
* speaks to you…
* excites you…
* and ultimately makes sense to you…… it is probably the right fitness product for you.After all, only a physical fitness program you actually do, and that becomes a part of your lifestyle, will give you the long-term fitness, health and physique benefits you seek.Now that you have a burning desire to be fit, healthy and attractive, have secretly conspired within yourself to achieve your goals and know what to look for in a fitness product, there is only one thing left to do… act!In part 4, I’ll show you how knowledge without action us useless.