"The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice there is little we can do to change until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds." R. D. Laing

"When two people in business always agree, one of them is unnecessary." William Wrigley, Jr.

Change...................how do you react when you hear that word? Personally, I tend to have a bimodal response of excitement and apprehension. While there is a wide range of how people entertain and respond to change - from little appetite for it with very long change cycles to a significant need for change every few years - I think it's safe to say that we all prefer to be initiator of change rather than having change thrust upon us.

That's why it's so important to look at one's own willingness to be a change catalyst. I find it fascinating that word "change" comes from old English "cambium" which means "becoming." For there is no life without growth or "becoming" - thus, like it or not, we must embrace and accept change unless, we want to live life in a numbed or deadened state. Discovering ways to anticipate and embrace change is a key competency of emotional intelligence. After all, whenever we don't get what we want we have to change course. The process of "becoming" is enlivening and indeed critical for life. To be human is, by definition, to continually integrate to higher levels of complexity, an ability conferred by incredible nervous system humans have evolved, with its' multiple iterations of intelligence: from residual reptilian brain (instincts) to limbic (emotional) brain to cerebral neo-cortex. If we're alive, our nervous systems are continuously driving us to higher levels of integration. If we embrace that drive, we will become a more whole person. If not, we become unhealthy (on some level) and eventually die. Harsh as that may sound, it's just a law of nature. Ask yourself: "How alive do I feel?" "Am I present to possibilities of moment or am I dwelling on what isn't happening or what I wish would happen?"

Change catalysts generate movement. Movement is life, even if it's not always in right direction. Movement is better than stuck-ness.

"Becoming" and change produce movement that is guided by purpose, moment that is on purpose, movement that is driven by intention. Movement without purpose is only activity while movement with purpose is change.

Here are some ways to know if you're a change catalyst:

Then along came PayPal …

Basically PayPal lets you send and receive payment over Internet. It bases its service on existing bank and credit card networks, but it is not a bank in itself.

Registering is free; all you need is an email address. Sending money is free - receiving money however, is not. You pay 3.4 % of received amount unless you are receiving dollars; in this case you pay 2.9 % of received amount. Then you have to pay a flat fee for each transaction: 0.35 Euros or 0.30 Dollars. In addition you have to pay a cross boarder fee of 0.5 % - 1.0 % if you receive payment from someone located in another country.

Then you have to pay a small fee when you withdraw your money to your regular bank account. (Unless your bank is located in United States; then you don’t have to pay this fee.) How much this is depends on country you are located in. I for instance live in Switzerland and have to pay 0.50 CHF to withdraw to my account. Banks in countries within EU, except United Kingdom, all charge 1.0 Euro.

Lets have a look at an example. I perform a small translation and charge a minimum fee of 20 Euro. 3.4 % of 20 Euro is 0.68 Euro, plus flat fee of 0.35 Euro. Add cross boarder fee of 1%, which is 0.20 Euro. So, of my 20 Euros PayPal takes 1.20 Euros. In addition comes fee of 0.50 CHF for withdrawing money to my regular bank account.

If agency sent me a check instead of using PayPal, my bank would charge 7.50 CHF (4.80 Euros) for cashing check for me. Each bank has its own fees for cashing checks and receiving wire transfers. But for smaller amounts PayPal is definitely cheapest way of accepting payment. You will have to do a small calculation and see how large amounts you can receive before PayPal fees exceed fees your bank charges.

But is it safe?

Most freelance translators using this way of receiving payment are satisfied with service and have had no problem with PayPal. I have only heard of one-two translators having their accounts frozen by PayPal for no legitimate reason.

Some negative aspects of PayPal