Consider the kinds of situations that make us feel offended. We take offense when:

• We are confronted with situations radically different from those we’re used to.

Sunrider just changed the “Plan” again!

• We experience situations that conflict strongly with our own values.

Someone is running their Sunrider Business in a way we would never do!

• Our belief systems are challenged or dismissed as inadequate.

Our way of ‘doing’ Sunrider is dismissed as wrong.

• We are labeled or otherwise treated in ways that are inconsistent with our self-image.

Other ‘Sunriders’ talk about us behind our back.

All of these situations can offer us an opportunity to grow as a Sunrider Business Owner,  by learning about other ways of conducting a Sunrider business that might differ from your own (and which sometimes offer a more efficient, more fulfilling, or simply more reasonable way of doing things), or by increasing our understanding of other Sunriders in our up-line and down-line (offering the opportunity, perhaps, to resolve conflicts before they become intractable), or simply by exposing the gap between the way others see us and the way we see ourselves (which can be eye-opening indeed).

This can only happen, though, when we recognize offense for what it is – our mind’s way of processing unfamiliar experience.

Try thinking about these points next time you’re offended:

• Offense is not injury. The most important step to keeping a level head in the face of serious offense is to remember that just because something offends you doesn’t mean that it hurts you in any way. Be careful to sort out your immediate, emotional response from the actual practical effect of whatever offensive situation you’re confronting – most of the time, you’ll find your life can go on just fine regardless of this offensive thing.
  
• People aren’t stupid. For the most part, people do things for reasons that, at least at the time, seem like good ones.  No matter how difficult it is to accept, you have to acknowledge that many practices that seem utterly impractical and stupid have endured for hundreds or even thousands of years without killing, maiming, or traumatizing the people who practice them.
• There’s more than one way to skin a cat. The way YOU do things will always seem like the right, best, and only way to do it – but it’s not. Try to recognize the value in the way other Sunriders do things – often you’ll find that it actually manages to accomplish the same ends as your “right” way of doing things.
  
• You’re pretty weird yourself. Never forget that to an outsider, everyone seems weird. We are always exactly as foreign to others as they are to us. Try to look at some of your practices from the outside and see just how weird you really are.
  
• Clarify, clarify, clarify. Since offense usually arises at the point of some misunderstanding try to  dampen your moral outrage for a second to ask some questions. Although asking a question or two might seem easy, it takes a great deal of courage to ask even the simplest questions – we all want to protect our self-identity by refusing to look ignorant, vulnerable, or unprepared. But of course, we often are ignorant, vulnerable, or unprepared – and sometimes all three. Make sure you actually know what’s going on!
  
• Those shoes are tight. You know the saying “Before you judge someone, walk a mile in their shoes”? Well, it’s one of those sayings that are actually pretty true. Try to see things from other people’s viewpoints – and often enough, the offense just melts away.

Of course, there are situations where immediate action is necessary, as for instance when people are being injured. But a lot of us end up with a “think first, justify later” attitude that causes more conflicts than it solves. Welcoming offense as an opportunity rather than a problem is a step towards reducing the conflict around you – by any measure, an entirely non-offensive thing!

Here is a Q&A from the business office.

Dear Business Leader:

PayPal – Questions and Answers

Though no system can completely ensure total protection, PayPal has a tried and true method that has been overwhelmingly safe, secure and private – which is why we selected it after long investigation and research into a number of payment methods.

We have received numerous responses, many of them extremely positive. However, some of you have issued concerns, and we’d like to address them in the form of Q&As.

Q:        Can I continue to use my own credit card without going through PayPal?

A:         It is our hope that, down the road, we will have all our Sunriders safely enrolled in PayPal.  However, in the meantime, you can make payment with your credit card of choice.

Q:        If PayPal is my only payment option on the web, then I will have to stop purchasing items from Sunrider.

A:         You can continue to use bank drafts or account credits for your web purchases. (We are working on a special account credit program that will provide incentives to those who want to use this option.)

You will always have the option of paying by cash, bank draft, or credit card, but you will need to go through our toll-free number to do so and not order online.

Q:        I use a variety of credit cards for purchases, and I put different charges on different cards.  I want to make the choice.

A:         With PayPal, you can sign up multiple credit cards and select which card you wish to use for which purchases. They take MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express.

Q:        There are people who will never use PayPal service.  How can we deal with this?

A:         Please keep an open mind and give this service a try.  Sunrider is simply looking for the best way to protect all our people with a simple, secure system.

Q:        It is another step that a new person has to go through when signing up with Sunrider.

A:         Yes, it is another step, but the PayPal application consists of three easy steps and can be completed in about 2 minutes.

If you have any further questions, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Ras Jeyakumar

SUNRIDER INTERNATIONAL

Q: I REALLY did good in Sunrider this year! Now I just recently filed my taxes. I ended up owing the IRS far more than I had anticipated. Do I have any options, aside from paying the bill in full?

A: People go into business ( such as Sunrider) for themselves for a variety of reasons, usually because they are passionate about something and want to spend more doing it. But just because you love something and have the wherewithal to turn that passion into a business, it does not necessarily follow that you have all of the skills required to be a successful business person. That we need help understanding various aspects of business – taxes for example.

One of the easiest, smartest things you can do is get a software program to handle your finances more efficiently. For instance, Quicken is a popular one.  QuickBooks, from the same company, but a lot more bells and whistles. PeachTree too. Even MicroSoft has a free one.

Then, if you don’t go the accountant route, you can get yourself a do it yourself  TAX filer program. I have used TAXACT for a number of years. You can use their forms on-line and it is free. Or for around 20-25 dollars you can get the whole program including the forms for your State.

However, let’s get back to what you can do if you owe the IRS more than you have! Scary!

When back taxes are owed, some small business owners decide that the best solution is to tap their home equity or retirement accounts to get rid of the bill. While understandable, practical even, be careful when doing so. Tax debts can be paid in installments, but mortgage arrears can cause you to lose you home.

The most important thing you can do when you or your business owes back taxes is to communicate with Uncle Sam. It is when you avoid the issue because it is uncomfortable that you make matters worse. When you do communicate, here are your options:

1.Payment Plan: Whether you call it a payment plan, installment agreement or payment agreement, this option allows you to pay off the entire amount you owe in manageable monthly payments. The process for setting up a payment plan depends upon how much you owe:

• If you owe less than $25,000, you can do it online by filling out Form 9465, Request for Installment Agreement.

• If you owe more than $25,000, you will first need to fill out a Collection Information Statement That, and the Form 9465, needs to be mailed to the address on your bill. The IRS will respond to your proposal within 30 days.

You may also be able to do this over the phone by calling 1-800-829-1040.

2.Offer in Compromise (OIC): When you hear about taxpayers getting out of their past-due taxes for “pennies on the dollar,” this is the program being referred to. With this arrangement, I have good news and bad news.

The good news: OIC allows certain taxpayers to get out of their tax debts by paying less than they actually owe, sometimes even pennies on the dollar. I once did an OIC for a client, a retired woman, who ended up paying about $1,700 to get out of a $25,000 tax debt.

The bad news: As you can imagine, this program is restrictive and often difficult to use.

An OIC is typically accepted if your offer equals five years of disposable income added to all of your “non-exempt” equity. For instance, if you net $2,500 a month, have $2,300 a month in expenses, and have $10,000 in home equity, then your offer has to be $200 multiplied by 60 months, plus $10,000 – $22,000. If you owe, say, $50,000 in taxes, then you would be getting out for about 40 cents on the dollar. My retired client made nothing and owned nothing, hence a good settlement.

If you think an OIC might work for you, fill out and file form 656, Offer in Compromise, and form 433-A, Collection Information Statement.

3.Not currently collectable: If the condition of your business and finances is especially dire, you may qualify for the classification “not currently collectible.” You will still owe the money, and penalties and interest will accrue, but the IRS will agree to cease all collection activities (including garnishments and bank levies) and leave you alone for up to two years. To apply, submit form 433-F.

4.Partial Installment Agreement: This option is similar to an Offer in Compromise. This time you get to pay less than you completely owe, but here, you pay that lesser amount over time whereas, with an OIC, it is usually paid as one lump sum.

For this and an OIC, you will likely need the assistance of a tax professional – either a CPA or an attorney.

NOW. . .Pay attention here! The above information is not meant to guide you in any legal matters. I gathered the above from various internet sources and they may be correct or may not. Please re-read.

Nice comments from Paul Jensen

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