Make Me Better Vol. 01

Unlocking the Power of Communication: A Journey Begins Communication is the lifeblood of our existence. It's how we connect with others, share ideas, build relationships, and navigate the world around us. It's the bridge that spans cultures, fosters understanding, and allows us to thrive in a complex and interconnected society. This journey will explore the fascinating world of communication skills, a vital set of tools that empower us to express ourselves effectively, listen attentively, and build meaningful connections. We'll delve into various aspects of communication, from verbal and nonverbal expressions to active listening and conflict resolution. Whether you're a student, a professional, or simply seeking to improve your interactions with others, this exploration will equip you with valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance your communication skills and unlock your full potential. Get ready to embark on a journey that will transform how you communicate and connect with the world around you!

How to Speak Fluently and Clearly Speak fluently with confidence, and you already have the attention of your listeners! Why do motivational speakers invest so much time and money in learning how to speak clearly and with confidence? Well, we can say that it’s because that’s the only way their audience is likely to take what they are saying seriously! Confidence while speaking matters a lot in the world we live in today. In fact, it’s a necessity for anyone who desires to climb the ladder of success in any field of endeavor. With that being said, let’s take a closer look at how you can improve your mode of communication, speak fluently, and be heard. 01. Focus On What You’re Saying Sometimes in a bid to try to get your points across, you may find yourself losing focus on what you’re actually saying. Quickly catch yourself and focus on every word that’s been said. That way you will be able to pronounce your words more calmly and clearly for people to hear and understand. Generally, if you ever find your mind drifting while you’re talking, here are some simple things you can do: ● Talk a little more slowly ● Increase your voice where possible; that way, it can drown other thoughts that are running through your mind ● Then reprogram your thoughts in line with what you’re talking about ● Use your imagination to envision what you’re discussing. It’ll be easier to stay focused that way By doing this, your words will be more impactful and meaningful. Also, you’ll have the confidence to utter them more distinctly for others to hear you. 02. Engage In Vocal Exercise For Clear Pronunciation Having a mirror while practicing will be a great addition. Stand in front of your mirror and watch yourself rehearse that speech before the big day. Maybe you think you deserve a raise at work, but you simply cannot get yourself to discuss it with your boss; engaging in this vocal exercise might be all you need. You can start by doing this: ● Write out the points you want to communicate ● Stand in front of a mirror ● Say what you wrote down as you would normally. Then watch the motion of your lips ● Try saying a sentence after another. Then practice slowing down your speech while your voice is still audible enough. Practice this often, and you’ll become more conscious of your facial expressions when you speak. Also, you’ll learn the art of communicating “slowly” but powerfully. 03. Breathe Deeply Maybe you’re there thinking, “how do I breathe deeply while talking?” Well, this method has worked for several people, including musicians. Luckily, here we would share how deep breathing can help you relax, speak clearly and very fluently. ● Take a deep breath through your mouth while preparing to speak ● When inhaling, try to relax the back of your tongue to prevent any form of noise ● Observe how your belly responds as you breathe in and out this way ● As your belly floats in, try pronouncing “AH” at first, then repeatedly ● Afterward, practice saying short phrases like “I live in the States” aloud on exhalation If you find yourself breathing heavily, your speech will most likely be clumsy. Practice breathing in after every sentence; it’ll help you slow down while speaking. Also, you can practice this strategy with a loved one or simply record yourself to spot the changes in your voice as you exhale and speak. 04. Read Aloud Reading aloud helps you become more confident and comfortable with; using your voice to communicate while sharing an idea or telling a story. To do this, you can stand in front of a mirror or simply record yourself. Speak slowly but aloud till you can really hear yourself. Relax your nerves completely using the breathing exercise and read aloud again. You will be amazed at the difference. And you’ll feel more confident when next you need to communicate. 05. Talk Slowly Confident people don’t rush through their words; that’s what makes them different. If you’re in the habit of talking too fast or reading a speech speedily, it most times shows a sign of nervousness. And your audience may have a challenge understanding what you’re saying. Try it now: Say, “My name is (your name), and I’ve got what it takes to speak confidently.” Were you able to say that slowly and clearly for others to hear? Bravo! Practice this often, and before long, it’ll become second nature. 06. Take Out Time To Smile Did you know that adding smiles to your speech is a sign of confidence, and it helps you communicate better? Indeed, smiling improves your outlook, makes you look composed and friendly, which is also great for your listeners as it helps them feel safe and relaxed. Try talking to someone today (your loved ones, the coffee seller, your colleagues, etc) and insert smiles into what you have to say. You’ll love the outcome! Speak fluently with confidence, and you already have the attention of your listeners! Why do motivational speakers invest so much time and money in learning how to speak clearly and with confidence? Well, we can say that it’s because that’s the only way their audience is likely to take what they are saying seriously! Confidence while speaking matters a lot in the world we live in today. In fact, it’s a necessity for anyone who desires to climb the ladder of success in any field of endeavor. With that being said, let’s take a closer look at how you can improve your mode of communication, speak fluently, and be heard.

How To Speak Fluently And Clearly 07. Focus On What You’re Saying Sometimes in a bid to try to get your points across, you may find yourself losing focus on what you’re actually saying. Quickly catch yourself and focus on every word that’s been said. That way you will be able to pronounce your words more calmly and clearly for people to hear and understand. Generally, if you ever find your mind drifting while you’re talking, here are some simple things you can do: ● Talk a little more slowly ● Increase your voice where possible; that way, it can drown other thoughts that are running through your mind ● Then reprogram your thoughts in line with what you’re talking about ● Use your imagination to envision what you’re discussing. It’ll be easier to stay focused that way By doing this, your words will be more impactful and meaningful. Also, you’ll have the confidence to utter them more distinctly for others to hear you. 08. Engage In Vocal Exercise For Clear Pronunciation Having a mirror while practicing will be a great addition. Stand in front of your mirror and watch yourself rehearse that speech before the big day. Maybe you think you deserve a raise at work, but you simply cannot get yourself to discuss it with your boss; engaging in this vocal exercise might be all you need. You can start by doing this: ● Write out the points you want to communicate ● Stand in front of a mirror ● Say what you wrote down as you would normally. Then watch the motion of your lips ● Try saying a sentence after another. Then practice slowing down your speech while your voice is still audible enough. Practice this often, and you’ll become more conscious of your facial expressions when you speak. Also, you’ll learn the art of communicating “slowly” but powerfully. 09. Breathe Deeply Maybe you’re there thinking, “how do I breathe deeply while talking?” Well, this method has worked for several people, including musicians. Luckily, here we would share how deep breathing can help you relax, speak clearly and very fluently. ● Take a deep breath through your mouth while preparing to speak ● When inhaling, try to relax the back of your tongue to prevent any form of noise ● Observe how your belly responds as you breathe in and out this way ● As your belly floats in, try pronouncing “AH” at first, then repeatedly ● Afterward, practice saying short phrases like “I live in the States” aloud on exhalation If you find yourself breathing heavily, your speech will most likely be clumsy. Practice breathing in after every sentence; it’ll help you slow down while speaking. Also, you can practice this strategy with a loved one or simply record yourself to spot the changes in your voice as you exhale and speak. 10. Read Aloud Reading aloud helps you become more confident and comfortable with; using your voice to communicate while sharing an idea or telling a story. To do this, you can stand in front of a mirror or simply record yourself. Speak slowly but aloud till you can really hear yourself. Relax your nerves completely using the breathing exercise and read aloud again. You will be amazed at the difference. And you’ll feel more confident when next you need to communicate. 11. Talk Slowly Confident people don’t rush through their words; that’s what makes them different. If you’re in the habit of talking too fast or reading a speech speedily, it most times shows a sign of nervousness. And your audience may have a challenge understanding what you’re saying. Try it now: Say, “My name is (your name), and I’ve got what it takes to speak confidently.” Were you able to say that slowly and clearly for others to hear? Bravo! Practice this often, and before long, it’ll become second nature. 12. Take Out Time To Smile Did you know that adding smiles to your speech is a sign of confidence, and it helps you communicate better? Indeed, smiling improves your outlook, makes you look composed and friendly, which is also great for your listeners as it helps them feel safe and relaxed. Try talking to someone today (your loved ones, the coffee seller, your colleagues, etc) and insert smiles into what you have to say. You’ll love the outcome!

How to Sound Confident Confidence helps us take risks and push ourselves to excellence. But it can also inspire more trust in other people and open doors that would remain closed otherwise. Here are a few ideas for how to sound confident and, eventually, build up the inner sense of confidence that will add to our inner strength. 01. Stop undervaluing yourself when you speak One of the first elements that will give you more confidence when you speak is not undervaluing yourself. We often do this when we make self-deprecating comments or suggest to others that we are unsure or what we are doing. This can be expressed in words or turns of phrase like “if you think that’s fine,” “I think, but…” There are many ways in which we might undermine ourselves as we speak. That’s not to say you should always sound completely sure, especially if you are not. But you can offer your opinion without adding too many disclaimers to it or speak with security when you have that option. Your words reflect your confidence and can make you come off as more or less convincing. 02. Avoid words like “just” or phrasing ideas as a question There are some ways of speaking that can usually be perceived as insecurity. Here are a few ideas to consider. When you add “just” to a request or use other ways of making it seem smaller, it also makes it appear less important. If you are asking for something that matters, do so in an effective way. Avoid phrasing your statements and opinions as questions. This makes you sound unsure and gives the other person an opening to disagree. You will not always be right, but it’s fine to phrase things in a way that shows you know what you’re talking about. You can affirm without trying to soften the affirmation. 03. Avoid beating around the bush Sometimes, when you express your request or idea in an insecure way, the other person might not even understand what you mean. If you require a favor, ask for a favor. Instead, being too unclear in an effort to be polite can lead to awkward situations or misunderstandings, bringing more trouble down the line. For example, if you want someone to take your shift tomorrow starting at seven, it’s better and faster to ask for this, rather than beating around the bush. It’s not about being polite, but it is about cutting to the chase. Confident people can withstand a no, but they also know that it’s better to be clear. This maximizes the chances for success and is a more considerate approach. Make sure you are clear on what you want, when, why, and any other relevant details. 04. Watch the non-verbal signals We don’t have full control over our non-verbal signals, but we can make an effort to shift them. What helps is changing our posture. Try to stand up straighter and spread your shoulders. Speak slower and in a lower voice. Make pauses when you need to, don’t speak continuously and quickly, as this can make you sound more insecure. Speak like you know you will have time to express everything you want to express. You might pay attention to some of the gestures you make. Try to avoid crossing your arms or looking away. Consider whether you often make gestures that suggest you are insecure. Once you become more aware, it also becomes easier to change these movements and, over time, it becomes more natural to use other types of body language while speaking. 05. Allow yourself to make mistakes Being confident doesn’t mean never making mistakes. In fact, being too afraid of doing so can have the opposite effect. It makes you seem more insecure. Instead, allow yourself to be wrong and acknowledge it if it happens. When you are too worried that you might seem foolish, you won’t be easily able to relax and let yourself go along the conversation. It makes you appear less confident and more insecure, rigid. Give yourself permission to mess it up. It’s fine.

Unlearning and Relearning 01. Learning is a process that doesn’t stop. But beyond learning, there are two important processes that we also need to be aware of and practice consciously: unlearning and relearning. 02. To move forward, we need to be able to practice these two things. Beyond just learning new things, which is clearly a huge process, we also have to practice letting go of outdated ideas and practices and coming back to the skills we used to have. 03. If you always do things a certain way and stick to what you know, it’s harder for you to grow. Things change, and the world today changes rapidly. This means that unlearning is an essential process. Unlearning means letting go of what you know in favor of better strategies. 04. It can be difficult to stop doing things the usual way, but if we give ourselves the chance, the new way can soon become a habit. There are no fields where you can simply get by learning things once, you always have to update yourself and your skills. Unlearning is a valuable ability that will serve you well and help you stay open to new ideas. 05. What can you do to unlearn? Take things slow and allow yourself the time and space to make mistakes at first. Acknowledge that changing a habit takes time and that at first you will be stuck in your older ways. This is normal. 06. It’s fine to feel frustrated, but you still have to move forward. Don’t do stuff the way you always do it, try new things and discover better ways. Releaning is another useful habit. It involves going back to an older practice when you need to and using your existing skills to boost your learning. Relearning involves keeping in mind older practices that might be useful in the future. 07. There is always a need for learning new things. No matter what you do, you can’t stay in the same place forever. Sometimes, this process means letting go of what you have always done and other times it involves adapting your old skills to fit the new situation. 08. We are constantly evolving. It takes work and effort, of course, but it also brings a significant pay-off. If we stop learning, we stop growing, and that means we become caught in a current situation. Always give yourself the chance to learn and discover new things. You will be amazed at how far you can go, by moving one step at a time.

6 Phrases that makes you sound weak There are some phrases that you should avoid. They can undermine your confidence in yourself and also make you appear weak to others. They can make your words sound indecisive and unconvincing, so that you have a hard time talking others over to your side. Let’s examine the phrases you should avoid at work and in your personal life. 01. I need to ask my partner or parent first Some situations definitely require input from other family members. But if you constantly say you have to check in with another person for every decision, you might appear as someone who doesn’t make their own choices. You should express what you want to do and what decision you are thinking about, rather than implying another person will make it for you or that you can’t decide on your own. Some people use this as an excuse to get out of some situations, but you should have the courage to say you will not be able to attend. It will help you appear more confident and autonomous. 02. I can be too much sometimes Don’t apologize for how you are and who you are. You get to be yourself. You should apologize if you hurt someone but not for being yourself. This makes you appear doubtful of your own worth and can make others look on you differently, seeing you in a more negative light. If you want to point out a characteristic or trait you have, do it in an unapologetic fashion. For instance, you might say that you are sensitive to noises and ask others to tone it done. Just ask for it without putting yourself down in the process. 03. Sorry for (something you should not apologize for) Apologies, are incredibly valuable when they are merited. People see those who apologize as stronger for being able to recognize their mistakes and admit them. But if you are always apologizing, it makes you appear weaker and devalues the true apologies you might give. You should not apologize for things that were not your fault nor your responsibility. You should not apologize for things that do not merit an apology. You can instead focus on appreciating the good things that others have done and doing your best to help without having to apologize for each step you take. Too many apologies make you seem insecure and can hurt your reputation. 04. I will mess it up You might not want to take every opportunity that comes your way, but you should be careful with the words you use. Avoid putting your skills down or implying that you do things badly or don’t try. A bit of self-deprecating humor might be fine, but when it continues or appears in significant situations, it makes you appear as someone incapable. Instead, raise real concerns, if you have any, and offer solutions. Focus on your strengths rather than weaknesses when presenting yourself before other people. 05. I don’t know, and I don’t want to know It’s fine not to know something, and it’s definitely better to say so openly. But you should not show that you don’t care to learn or do better. This presents you as an apathetic person with little interest in improving themselves. It’s important to show that you care to be better and learn. This can help you appear as a strong person who is focused on their goals. Avoid showing disinterest for things you need to care about. 06. I am not sure If you are sure, why do you say that you aren’t? If you are unsure, maybe it’s best to wait? Saying things that you are not confident in might undermine the trust others have in your words, but seeming unsure about strong ideas can make these ideas seem less important or less worthy of consideration. Focus on the strengths of the idea and, if it doesn’t work, you can always revise and modify it. You should not hide it when you are wondering about something, but there are better ways to express it, for example, saying that you have an idea or are running a test is a better way of framing this kind of idea. So, which one these phrases you use often?

10 Things to Make an Unforgettable First Impression You don’t get a second chance at a first impression. But there are good news. You can use a few strategies to make it not just a good, but a great and unforgettable impact on the person you meet. Here are ten easy solutions. 01. Remember their name One of the best ways to make a first impression is to show yourself as an attentive person. An easy way to do this is to pay attention to the name and other details of the person who gets introduced to you and repeat it back to them. Many people immediately forget the name or ignore it, so remembering it can help you stand out from the crowd right away. 02. Respect their time Show up on time, not late, but also not too early. This helps you prove that you respect the other person’s time and that you are a reliable individual. Also, be sure not to take up too much of their time either. Go to the point without losing your manners. It can be frustrating to have someone we don’t know take up too much of our time, so this will make a good impression. 03. Look polished You don’t have to always wear a suit or an evening gown, but looking polished makes a difference. Have clothes that fit you and look good and mind the details, like buttons, stains, loose hairs, and so on. This attention to detail can help you look put together and appear more trustworthy and engaged. 04. Be courteous Politeness is an important element for a good first impression. Even if you are having a bad day, try not to show it during introductions. People will judge you by how you first appear, so if you seem grumpy, they might label you as a negative person, and that opinion will be hard to change later. Appear positive and polite. 05. Be authentic While you should be appear overtly negative, a good first impression should not be based on something that is fake either. Other people can sense when we are not being authentic and that can push them away. Show who you are in a genuine way rather than try to pretend to be someone you are not. 06. Listen first, speak later We all like to talk about ourselves. This makes listening a rare skill, but one that is sure to make a great impression. We like people who can hear what we are saying and let us talk, so focus on this for your first interaction. This doesn’t mean you should be silent, of course, but you should let the other person talk more and pay attention to what they say. Listen in an active way and show that you are engaged with the conversation. 07. Mind your body language A lot of the communication between two people happens on the non-verbal level. It’s important to pay attention to your body language. Smile and keep an open posture; avoid crossing your legs or arms, as this suggests defensiveness or isolation. Make eye contact but don’t stare. Allow yourself to be relaxed, as too much tension can be obvious and look unappealing or weird. Focus on your smile and keep a pleasant tone as well. 08. Take a deep breath Relax and breathe easily. Even if this is an important meeting, you won’t do yourself any favors if you become too tense or too anxious. Take a few deep breaths before and keep breathing deeply as you engage with the person. Breathing is the easiest way to relax your body a little. 09. Avoid contentious subjects For a first meeting, it’s best to stick to small talk and non-controversial topics. You might not predict the other person’s response or beliefs, so steer clear of things like politics, religions, and such. Also, avoid topics that are too personal, like health, which can make the other person uncomfortable. 10. Stay confident Not everyone will like you. That’s OK, and it doesn’t mean that you should go out of your way to change who you are. You have worth, and you can find a lot of confidence in this idea.

Conversation starters for every situation Are you looking to improve your communication and actually be the first to initiate a conversation? Sometimes you may have so much to say. But don’t know where to begin or how to get the attention of the other person. This happens a lot every day: Motivational speakers constantly use these icebreakers to capture the attention of their audience, men use them while trying to get to know a woman they like, and so on. It just goes to show that learning this skill cuts across both the corporate and non-corporate world. And would be a great addition to you. Here are some of the best communication starters that you can begin using right away! 01. Use The F.O.R.D Technique F.O.R.D, in this case, means Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Dreams. Most people use this technique to build and sustain rapport with their friends, loved ones, colleagues, etc., by learning about them using questions around these areas. Let’s go over them together! Think about it; Everyone has a family, and if the person you’re talking to was adopted or is an orphan, that is a great place to build an emotional connection with them. You can start a conversation around this subject and ask the person about their family while you talk about yours. Occupation is the next thing. Most people will be interested in talking about what they do to earn a living, even if they don’t discuss how much they earn. For those who are not yet working, asking about their educational pursuit and background is also a great place to start. Recreation: Ask them about what they do to relax. Didn’t we say all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! You’ll be amazed at what the other person prefers to do while relaxing. In addition, ask about their hobbies, and you can be sure there’ll be so much to talk about. Dreams: We all have dreams. Where we want to be in the next 5 years, the impact we want to leave in our world, etc. Help the other party feel comfortable about sharing their dreams with you. Acknowledge them with positive affirmations like, “Yes, you can, and I’ll be rooting for you!” Ask them about where they see themselves in the next 5 or 10 years; they’ll be excited to let you know. 02. Ask for a small request Everyone likes to have that feeling of importance, and it’s interesting to know that as little as asking them to pass something to you will make them feel more at ease around you. For instance, if you’re on a date with someone you’re just getting to know, you can politely ask them to pass the salt, sauce, or something you think you could need. Remember to say Thank You. Then, you can build up a conversation from there and observe the difference. 03. Find Out About Their Job This works best when the person you’re trying to talk to has a chest tag. If their name is inscribed on it, you can call their name and ask questions like, “oh do you work at (company name).” Since their answer will most likely be yes, follow it up with a bit of what you know about the company, then continue with questions like “Do you love your job; How long have you been working there.” You’ll already have them talking by then. 04. Comment On a common Situation If there’s a long queue at the cafe, and you’re both waiting to gain access. Ask a question like, “Does this always happen at this cafe?” You’re likely to get a yes or no answer and some other supporting answers to your question. That’s enough to build up a conversation. 05. Give A Compliment When you meet a person for the first time, try looking out for what you can say something nice about. Now, don’t say their shoes look great when, in the real sense, it doesn’t. The person may think you’re trying too hard. Let your compliment be genuine; that’s all we are trying to say. Say something like, “You’ve Got Very Pretty Earrings, You look Sharp, Your outfit is lovely.” You’ll get a reaction; it’s either the person smiles back in return or says Thank You very calmly. That’s a sign that you’ve won them over, and you can continue a conversation from there. 06. Ask About Their Name To do this effectively, you can say something like, “Hello, my name is Nick, what’s yours?” Wait for an answer. Then build up the conversation by saying things like, “Sandra, you have a lovely name; where did it originate from.” You can be sure she’ll talk about the origin, the meaning of her name, and other details. This is a sure conversation starter! 07. Simple Greeting The easiest way to start is by saying, “Good morning (or whatever time of the day it is), and how are you doing? Insert a smile while saying it, and you’ll appear nice and friendly to the other person. From there you can get to know them some more and talk about other interests. 08. Avoid sensitive topics This is an important communication starter rule that you need to know and practice. R.A.P.E is the acronym for Religion, Abortion, Politics, and Economics. Avoid bringing up any discussion concerning these sensitive topics. You’re unlikely to build a conversation or a connection that way, and most times, questions in these areas breed arguments.

Overcome Social Anxiety Social anxiety is a common experience that is associated with a fear of social situations, specifically, a fear of being judged or laughed at. We all can feel nervous before public presentations or dates. However, for some people, social anxiety can become a constant presence that makes people less likely to do things they want to do, hurt their relationships, or make them isolated. So, how can you reduce social anxiety? 01. Take all the negative situations running in your head and think of the worst could happen Our social anxiety often makes us feel as if we are facing a great danger. We feel that everything hinges on the situation, picturing the worst scenarios. But a good solution is to engage with these scenarios. Rather than allowing the possibility of doom to run in the back of our minds as a vague fantasy, we need to take a moment and think about the worst case scenario. What is truly the worst thing that could happen? Often, the consequences might be unpleasant but not actually as bad as we perceive them to be. The worst-case scenario is unlikely to actually ruin our lives or be as catastrophic as we perceive it to be. 02. Avoid building the situation up in your head We often contribute to our own anxiety by hyping up the situation. We look at something as the be-all, end-all, like the event that will determine everything. Letting go of the importance we give certain things can make a huge change in how we feel. Let yourself recognize that something might be just an event, just a situation, just a meeting. It will not necessarily have a huge effect, so you are allowed to be present without having to put in a tremendous effort into making things go well. It’s just an event, there will be other events and other opportunities. 03. Be proud of yourself No matter what, find something to feel good about. Even if things were not perfect, find aspects that help you feel good about what you did. You tried, you challenged yourself, you left the comfort zone, you put in the work. There is always something to celebrate, even if the gathering was not entirely pleasant or as you imagined it. Recognize the positives of your experience and find something to feel good about, rather than just putting yourself down. Feeling small is a way of making your anxiety stronger, so encourage yourself and be your number one supporter. Reframing the situation in this way can also help you feel that others are less likely to judge you too. When you focus too much on your own flaws, it can feel like everyone is focused on them as well. Being more centered on the good aspects of yourself can reduce this feeling. 04. Challenge yourself Rather than viewing each social situation in a negative way, you can reframe it as a challenge that helps you increase your skills. It can allow you to experiment and try new things, feeling more empowered and confident and building up this aspect of who you are. It helps you look at new situations as a way to improve your experience and your skills. Allow yourself to see social situations as experiences that will involve some degree of challenge to feel motivated and interested in seeing how you might handle them. 05. Take it a step at a time Consider which social situations make you the most anxious and build up to them. Start with smaller, less threatening experiences and see how you feel, how things turn out. Usually, you will end up feeling more confident than you expected and not get the negative experience you might have been worried about. Take it one step at a time and slowly experiment with different social interactions. 06. Sit back and relax Sometimes, our anxiety is linked to the sense that we are responsible for the social event. We might feel like we have to act in a certain way or be engaged fully or fulfill a series of expectations. This weighs us down and makes it difficult to enjoy the event itself. What if you tried sitting back for a change? This doesn’t mean you should just zone out but rather to allow yourself to let go of expectations. If you can relax physically and take deep breaths, it is likely to help you feel less tense and nervous. You don’t have to pay all your attention to every gathering or social situation; sometimes, you can just go with the flow.

Small Changes to Build Your Confidence Confidence is the feeling of trust in one’s ability, and judgment; it is necessary for anyone who wants to have high self-esteem. A clean outfit can help you feel more confident at work, especially when a colleague or boss compliments your appearance. If you reflect a bit, you will probably be able to point out other instances when you felt a little more confident and “on top of the world.” It’s always a good feeling, you’ll agree! Indeed, there are lots of benefits associated with being confident- You’ll gain the respect of people around you, it’ll make you a happier person, you will feel propelled to build more successful relationships and businesses, amongst others. Considering these benefits, here are some simple yet small changes you can make starting today that’ll help you look more confident. 01.Always Wear Clean And Ironed Clothes Your appearance says a lot about you because it is the first point of contact when you are out there. Hence, it’s essential to always look your best! You may have heard the saying, Dress the way you want to be addressed!. That is a fact! While trying to look good, don’t mistake it for looking expensive. You never have to break the bank to look good; you only need to give more attention to ensuring that your clothes are always clean and ironed. Here is part of what that would do for you: you’ll command respect effortlessly, and that’ll rub off on your confidence in a good way. It’s a win-win situation every time! 02. Look At People In The Eye Do you look down when others are talking to you, or maybe you look away all in a bid to avoid eye contact? Well, you’re indirectly passing a message across to them, and your expression is saying that you feel shy and are intimidated by the person’s presence. If that is not what you want others to constantly think of you, then you need to start practicing holding your head high and looking at who you are talking to in the eye. Other habits you can practice to support this would be to: Speak in a clear tone: Let the person you are talking to hear your voice distinctly. Stuttering or fumbling while speaking might give the impression that you are not trustworthy or you are not sure of what you are saying Maintain proper posture: it is easy for the other person to regard you as timid and lacking self-confidence if you constantly play with your hands or bite your nails while talking. It’s also a sign of being absent-minded. 03. Learn new skills The confidence that comes with learning a new skill is unmatched! Beyond the feeling of having something ‘new’ to contribute to society, it’s a great way to boost your confidence. Imagine that you always feel clumsy while cooking because you’re not exactly sure of the right ingredients to use. It’ll be difficult to feel confident about cooking for your friends if they come over. The best thing to do in this scenario is to join a cooking class. Once you’re able to master the art of preparing great meals, it’ll do a lot to your self-confidence. That’s the feeling of picking up a new skill- it puts new springs in your steps. As you read this, you can already identify areas where you need to sharpen or pick up a new skill. Note down these areas, and don’t let anything hold you back. 04. Keep Your Fears To Yourself It’s better to keep your fears, doubts, and shortcomings to yourself, but if you must talk to someone about it, ensure it is a person you can trust. This is another way to boost your self-confidence. 05. Stop Comparing Yourself To Others Comparing yourself to others can no doubt lower your self-esteem. It gives you the feeling that someone else is better than you. Believe you are unique in your way, just like everyone else is. Be yourself; everyone else is taken- thus goes the saying. Be proud of who you are, and always look out for the opportunity to improve yourself. Envying other people’s lifestyles will make you grow bitter. Not only that, it will lower your self-esteem. If you ever feel the urge to be envious of others, remember your strengths and achievements. Remind yourself of the opportunities and privileges you have that they probably do not have. This will help keep your feet on the ground, and you will see reasons to be happy with yourself. Confidence is a quality that anyone can develop, and improving yourself daily is essential to building your confidence. Looking good, learning new skills, and not comparing yourself to others are desirable attitudes that can help you improve on your self-confidence and live a more fulfilled life.

How to stop being an Introvert Being an introvert is not a decision a person makes overnight; it is first a personality that can be caused by factors that include the environment and upbringing of a person. The problem in society is that people judge introverts as being shy, socially anxious, or overly reserved. While this trait comes with its advantages, it also has its downsides, and we will be looking at how to find that perfect balance. Signs of an Introvert It’s easy to know an introvert when you see one. Look out for these common signs, and you most likely would not be wrong. Likewise, if you are still not sure whether you are an introvert or not, these signs could clear your doubts. When you get tired easily in a social gathering. Do social gatherings bore you? Don’t get it wrong, introverts also ‘like’ to be among people, but they always feel more comfortable with close friends and family. When an introvert is in a gathering of unfamiliar people, there’s a tendency to feel nervous, tired, or reserved unless they have to contribute. Love of privacy Do you prefer to read books in a private/lone room, take walks in a quiet environment and spend time alone in the room? Introverts love their privacy, and that’s a sign! Other personality traits of an introvert include: • They take time before making a decision. • Introverts prefer to write down their thoughts rather than talk about them. • Introverts are not as excited about group tasks. • They are more comfortable being alone. • Introverts are self-conscious • They concentrate better in quiet places. If these signs best describe you and you’d like to learn how to break free, these next tips will help. These 5 points will help you overcome being an introvert 01. Talk to at least 4-5 strangers daily Most ex-introverts have taken this challenge when trying to reduce or break free from their old way of life, and it still works to date. Practice going out each day and talking at length to 4-5 strangers, not friends. This might seem difficult at first, so you can do this at least 3-4 times every week till you have built enough courage to talk to someone new every day. It’s okay to practice a list of general questions like “telling them your name and asking for theirs, giving general compliments, etc.” You will be amazed at the results. 02. Take up the challenge of speaking in front of all Public speaking is a big challenge most people face, but introverts have a higher tendency to avoid it entirely. Sometimes you’ll hear public speakers share their experiences of how they dreaded talking to groups of people but had to practice till it became second nature. You can do the same! You can start by deciding to address your colleagues at work or school when the opportunity presents itself. You could even plan to host an outdoor event and put your name down as the speaker for the day. Create these opportunities or look out for them; they’ll help you overcome the shyness that naturally accompanies being an introvert. 03. Practice in front of the mirror After you have made up your mind to speak in front of others, it’s time to practice for your big day: Stand in front of the mirror and recite your speech, imagine your audience in front of you, and you can even imitate how you’ll ask and answer their questions. Before you leave, you can also do the following: • Correct your posture (chin up and stand tall) • Speak with confidence and practice talking clearly. 04. Be open to attending get-togethers or meetups This is a challenge you should take seriously. Honor the invites from your friends (old or new), family, colleagues, or business associates, especially when it doesn’t affect your morals and faith adversely. It could be your opportunity to meet someone new and free yourself up some more. Don’t be quick to decline! 05. Start from your house If you already seclude yourself while at home, that’s the perfect place to begin before you set out to speak to strangers. You can start with these tips: • Take active participation in the activities at home. • Initiate a discussion with your loved ones on a subject you know they’ll be interested in. • Practice voicing your views more often. Don’t always think your opinion is insignificant or irrelevant. • Listen actively to your loved ones Introverts generally have a hard time relating to those around them, as they prefer to be left alone. But if you practice these tips, you’ll overcome the challenges that most introverts deal with and live a free and exciting life.

How to get better at small talk It doesn’t matter how bad you are at small talk: With practice and the right strategies, you can improve. Small talk is a skill just like any other. 01. Look for opportunities to make small talk. The more frequently you do it, the more comfortable you’ll become. You’ll also quickly learn which topics generate the best conversations, how to gauge a person’s mood and personality by their body language and tone of voice when to pivot to new topics, and the signs a conversation has wrapped up. To reduce your nervousness, practice your small talk in a low-stakes environment. Go to a casual networking event for a different industry, attend a meetup, or ask your friends to bring you along to their work events. You can also “train” by talking to strangers when you’re out and about — just make sure you don’t force a conversation with anyone who’s clearly not interested. 02. Pretend you’re speaking to a friend. Would you be on edge if you were making small talk with someone you knew really well? Probably not. If you need a quick trick to mitigate your anxiety, pretend the other person is a good friend. As an added benefit, this mental shift will make you seem warmer and friendlier. 03. Give yourself a break. Don’t dwell on awkward moments or long silences. We’re all far more focused on and critical of ourselves than anyone else in the room. You might be cringing for days after you mess up someone’s name or crack a joke that falls flat, but chances are, every other person will forget within two minutes. Next time you’re worried about a specific faux pas, remind yourself it’s nowhere near as big a deal as you think. 04. Set a goal. Having an objective can make small talk feel more meaningful. For example, maybe you commit to meeting four people at an event or exchanging contact information with two other professionals in your field. Once you’ve got a concrete goal, you’ll feel purposeful and focused. This also allows you to objectively measure your success.

7 Tips for Saying No Effectively You might wonder, how do you say no and not feel bad about it? To answer that, you must first understand why people feel bad turning someone down. Saying no may feel aggressive, like you’re rejecting the person. Most people do not want to be an aggressor. There’s a negative connotation to it. Or they may feel like the bad guy or gal. They may feel they’re letting the person down and feel guilty. Or they may even feel they won’t be liked or will be perceived as uncaring and unhelpful. As a result, people usually go the path of least potential conflict and comply with others. If people do say no, they usually do it in ineffective ways that come with an excuse. For example, they might say, ”I’d like to help but I’m really busy.” The problem with this approach is it gives the other person an opportunity to continue to ask. He or she feels there’s an opening. ”Since you’re busy this week, how about next week?” Here’s how you can effectively say no: 01. Say it. Don’t beat around the bush or offer weak excuses or hem and haw. This only provides an opening for the other person. Don’t delay or stall either. Provide a brief explanation if you feel you need to; however, don’t feel compelled. The less said the better. 02. Be assertive and courteous. You might say, ”I’m sorry I can’t right now but will let you know when and if I can.” This approach is polite, and puts you in a position of power by changing the dynamic. You’re taking charge, telling people you’ll let them know when and if you can. Another example, ”I appreciate your asking me for help, but I’m stretched too thin right now to devote the time to be of quality help to you.” 03. Understand peoples’ tactics. Many people and organizations use manipulation techniques, whether knowingly or not. For example, think about when you get a solicitation for a donation to a charity and there are forced options: \”Would you like to donate $10, $20, $30, or X amount?\” Another tactic: \”Most people donate $20–how much would you like to donate?\” This relies on social pressure. 04. Set boundaries. People sometimes have a hard time saying no because they haven’t taken the time to evaluate their relationships and understand their role within the relationship. When you truly understand the dynamic and your role, you won’t feel as worried about the consequences of saying no. You’ll realize that your relationship is solid and can withstand your saying no. 05. Put the question back on the person asking. This is highly effective in a work situation. Let’s say a supervisor is asking you to take on several tasks–more than you can handle. You might say, ”I’m happy to do X, Y, and Z; however, I would need three weeks, rather than two, to do a good job. How would you like me to prioritize them?” 06. Be firm. If someone can’t accept your no, then you know the person is probably not a true friend or doesn’t respect you. Stand firm, and don’t feel compelled to give in just because that person is uncomfortable. 07. Be selfish. Put your needs first. Not those of the person asking you for something. If you prioritize that person’s needs over yours, you’ll find your productivity will suffer and resentment will mount. Perhaps we can learn from Warren Buffett, who said, ”The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything.”

Active Listening – Hear What People Are Really Saying Active listening is an active process, it is not just simply giving attention to the speakers, but also to show the verbal and non-verbal signs at the same time to let people know you are really digesting what they are saying. • Most people are not really listening The average person talks at about 225 words per minute, but we can listen at up to 500 words per minute. So our minds are filling in those other 275 words. This shows that we easily succumb to distraction and that efforts are necessary when we want to actively listen to the speakers. Another reason is hinted at by our egocentric self. We love being the spotlight and the centre of the conversation, and talking can help us to achieve that! That’s why we tend to listen more than we speak. When you’re actively listening, you’ll make constant feedback. This would make your colleagues and boss think that you’re smart enough to give an immediate response and contribute a lot. • The essence of being a good communicator is your role played in LISTENING, not talking. Try to respond to the speaker in a way that will encourage him to continue speaking, so that you can get the information that you need. While nodding and ”uh huhing” says you’re interested, an occasional question or comment to recap what has been said also communicates that you are listening and understanding his message. There are five key active listening techniques you can use to help you become a more effective listener: 01. Pay Attention Give the speaker your undivided attention, and acknowledge the message. Recognize that non-verbal communication also speaks loudly. • Look at the speaker directly. • Put aside distracting thoughts. • Don’t mentally prepare a rebuttal! • Avoid being distracted by environmental factors. For example, side conversations. • Listen to the speaker’s body language 02. Show That You’re Listening Use your own body language and gestures to show that you are engaged. • Nod occasionally. • Smile and use other facial expressions. • Make sure that your posture is open and interesting. • Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like yes, and ”uh huh.” 03. Provide Feedback Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. As a listener, your role is to understand what is being said. This may require you to reflect on what is being said and to ask questions. • Reflect on what has been said by paraphrasing. ”What I’m hearing is… ,” and ”Sounds like you are saying… ,” are great ways to reflect back. • Ask questions to clarify certain points. ”What do you mean when you say… .” ”Is this what you mean?” • Summarize the speaker’s comments periodically. 04. Defer Judgment Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full understanding of the message. • Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions. • Don’t interrupt with counter arguments. 05. Respond Appropriately Active listening is designed to encourage respect and understanding. You are gaining information and perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker or otherwise putting her down. • Be candid, open and honest in your response. • Assert your opinions respectfully. • Treat the other person in a way that you think she would want to be treated. It takes a lot of concentration and determination to be an active listener.

How to get better at asking Questions “Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.” ― Voltaire Curiosity tends to take a backseat soon as you advance in your career. The powerful unique tool that unlocks the value in organizations and other fields of life is indeed a great question. Whether it’s about your job, business, career, relationships, if you want to move forward, you need to get better at asking questions. Asking good questions not only forms strong relationships but also provides us with the opportunities to learn something new and excel in our careers. Most people are not capable of asking good questions, or they don’t pose their inquiries optimally whereas some people are emotionally intelligent, and their natural inquisitiveness makes them great individuals for asking better questions than others. The good news is, getting better at asking questions is indeed a learned skill, and you can learn to get better at asking questions. Here’s how! 01. Plan your questions Before you are going to meet someone, outline the sequence of your related questions and highlight the information goals that you seek. Cue your notes that will help you follow the conversation. Realize what you want to discover in the meeting and plan likewise by probing some baseline questions to begin the conversation ahead. You can also modify the list as your meeting progresses. 02.Ask questions in brief Try to be brief while asking questions. This can be done by deciding on your purpose or goal for asking the question and try to be structured while questioning. You should determine prior to what kind of questions you are going to ask. Flooding too many questions all at once can create confusion, and you might not be able to gather as much information as you might be expecting or it might lead to incomplete answers. Try to craft short questions that cover a single point each to get more complete answers. 03. Ask relatable questions only It’s better to ask relatable questions instead of asking the irrelevant ones. Don’t ask the question if you feel like the answer coming from that question is something that doesn’t matter much. Avoid appearing resistant to another person by asking an irrelevant question and respect the other person’s attention and time in any setup. If you have so many questions to ask, build a hierarchy of questions that initiates with a bigger picture leading to the specific ones using follow-up questions. Asking a relevant and right question is very crucial to any conversation. 04. Don’t ask repetitive questions Asking repetitive questions over and over again only reflects your stress, anxiety, boredom, memory loss, and confusion. Another person might become inclined to think that you are deliberately trying to annoy him or waste his time. Repetitive questioning can sometimes get an extremely unpleasant experience that makes the conversation irritating and tiring for both the parties as you tend to be discussing the same topics over and over again. It’s ideal for planning before what you need to ask and combine any questions that seem to acquire the same information. Instead of having a weak conversation having lots of repetitive questions, try to be more structured and have an empowering conversation that leaves an impact on your strong personality. 05. Don’t interrupt Once you’ve planned all the questions, you need to ask, one of the most crucial steps people forget is to avoid interruption. Sometimes people are doing it so involuntarily that they don't know how much the other person is getting frustrated and annoyed. If you keep on interrupting someone, he will feel disrespected, annoyed and irritable so it’s better to listen to the full answer to your question first before flooding with bundles of questions to the other person. To let your conversation flow naturally, you can frame your next question to be asked accordingly instead of hammering through your planned agenda.

How to connect with people with your communication Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.” -Brian Tracy Communication is the best way to save and maintain any sort of relationship whether it be professional, familial, or romantic. However, if you do not connect with that person before communicating then chances are that you may not be able to communicate efficiently. As a result, your efforts will backfire instead of improving that relationship. It is okay if you lack in the department of forming proactive connections with other human beings because we are here to help you solve that problem. Given below are the best tips through which you will learn how to connect with people with your communication skills. 01. Learn to listen “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” -Epictetus You cannot effectively communicate and connect with a person without knowing them and the best way to know them is by listening to them. Now, the term ‘listening’ does not refer to hearing them blabber on and on; rather, it means to actually understand what they are saying. You have to read in between the lines to figure out what they are not saying. However, this does not mean that you have disregarded what they are actually saying. Focus on the words they utter along with the manner of their speech. Furthermore, while listening, just keep quiet and avoid giving advice until you are asked. 02. Understand their body language “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t being said. The art of reading between the lines is a lifelong quest of the wise.” -Shannon L. Alder There is so much a person does not say with their tongues but, with their body. Learn to decipher their body language to understand them better. There are so many books and videos that you can resort to for understanding the body language of a person. Do not only focus on their body language the whole time. Just take a picture in your mind of their posture, note a few body mannerisms and then you can look them up to actually understand what they meant and where they were coming from. 03. Be your authentic self “Be sincere; be brief; be seated.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt If you really want to connect with someone then it is best that you do not put up a façade. Be who you really are and communicate in a straightforward manner. You do not have to force a connection but, rather have to be your truest self. You can be your truest self by speaking your mind and not succumbing to anyone else’s opinion. Learn to agree to disagree with others. Tell them that it is okay to have a different opinion without disliking each other. When you truly own up to what you say, that is when you become your truest authentic self. 04. Speak with honesty “To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” -Tony Robbins You may have heard the saying that honesty is the best policy. That is indeed true because, there is a high chance that your words might not be able to impress the other person but, your honesty might click with them. You can be around people and feel like you belong thereby not sharing your honest perspective about life but, you cannot connect with them. In order to connect with someone through your communication, you will have to speak the truth no matter what but, in a polite manner to avoid offending anyone. Speaking your honest mind does not mean that you have the license to hurt anyone. Be polite, but be honest. 05. Display your integrity “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” -George Bernard Shaw Own your words and respect them by acting on them. Never go back on your word as it is a big turn off and you can also lose the already built connection. Your integrity will build trust between you and the other person which is another essential factor in human connection. You can show your integrity by sticking to your words even if it means accepting defeat. Let others educate you. You do not have to always be right. Let go of your pride. 06. Be empathetic “Communicate unto the other person that you would want him to communicate unto you if your positions were reversed.” -Aaron Goldman Try to relate to the feelings of others and avoid dismissing them. Do not do unto others what you would not appreciate yourself. So, talk to them like you would like to talk to. Just think what would cause you to connect with someone else? Chances are that empathy would be one of the top factors in that list. Before you respond, try putting yourself in their shoes. Feel for them and then respond in a way that you would have liked someone else to respond to you. Words are not the only form of communication. You will have to use your brain, empathy, and traits like honesty, integrity, and trust to actually connect with someone through verbal and non-verbal ways of communication.

6 Benefits Of Staying Socially Active Do you want to know why you need to stay socially active? It’s not always about you being alone and needing someone in your life, but more than that. Staying socially active covers a lot of aspects, including your health. It not only helps you to abolish loneliness from your life but helps you enjoy good health. Why it’s Important to Stay Socially Active? It never matters whether you enjoy a peaceful get-together or an energetic party, we all look for our friends and families to enjoy and share memories. Socializing is itself a great help for us to deal with solitude and depression. But not all people understand it. The reason is, those people are not aware of countless benefits of socialization, both physical and mental. Socialization extolled as a key to a long healthy life. ‘Alone, we can do litter; together, we can do better.’ 01. Say Good-Bye To Depression: ‘Pretending is tiring, especially when you do it for 8-10 hours a day.’ Are you in depression? Is something inside forcing you to pretend to be a happy person? Why doing so with yourself? Why not fight off depression in an easy way? Yes, it’s possible! You don’t need to put your body on medication; trust me, no one can help you, except you. No medication works if you don’t want to change your state of mind. However, sometimes, when you are feeling down, the best thing you can do for it is going out and chill with your friends. Yes, it allows you to connect with people, listen to their problems, and feel blessed for whatever you have. 02. Socialization Helps You Deal With Insomnia: Are you dealing with insomnia? The biggest reason for this condition could be depression, and depression comes when we cut off ourselves from the outer world. It has been proved by research; those who like to stay isolated are more likely to deal with disturb sleep. The only option is interaction. Yes, meeting with people helps to deal with insomnia. Interaction with people lets you enjoy good health. 03. Boost Your Productivity: You will be amazed to know about how socialization helps you increase your productivity at work. When you start becoming friendly and get gel up with others, you get to know that this action has a positive effect on your health. You sit together, eat together, and share joyful moments; it helps you to break a circle of negativities around you. So it’s recommended to spend free time with colleagues on a lunch break and see how it affects your productivity. 04. Maintain Self-Esteem: Self-esteem can be damaged and hurt due to unwanted events in life. But it’s imperative to gain confidence back. One of the reasons why people feel special and important is because they have good friends and belong to social groups which regard them valuable. So you should always try to join desirable social groups and spend time to talk with friends. It can help you repair your damaged self-esteem, and soon you will start thinking positive about yourself. 05. Keep Your Memory Sharp: If you avoid social gathering or interactions, then you are likely to experience delays in memory problems. Yes, you’ve heard it right! One of the advantages of having a social life is it keeps your memory sharp because you keep your brain distract from negative thoughts and live happy moments with others. 06. Guaranteed Longer Life: Do you wish to live a long healthy life? All this is possible with healthy activities, and socialization is one of them. Various researches have proved that those people who live in a good company are more likely to enjoy a long healthy life as compared to those who like to live in solitude. So why not get socialized? Sometimes talking with someone gives you relief that you can’t get from listening to your iPod and lying in your bed.

Spending a Day of “Listening” “I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening.”Larry King Listening is something more than just hearing and essential skill which allows you to understand what other persons have to say. Most of us are used to speak more about our problems, stories, and interests and neglect the fact that we must spend a day listening as it is an essential aspect of personality development by expanding your horizons or your knowledge about the world. Of course, this is not something straightforward as you need patience and attention to listen to others carefully, but once you developed this skill, you will surely be able to improve your social interactions and relationships with others. Here are some aspects which elaborate on why spending a day of listening is crucial for us! 01. People Feel Respected “To say that a person feels listened to means a lot more than just their ideas get heard. It’s a sign of respect. It makes people feel valued.” — Deborah Tannen Listening to others with proper attention is a great way to give a sense of respect. For developing positive relationships, listening plays a crucial role as the speakers find out that you value their words. Do not just hear to others but listen to them with proper attention and concerns as everyone wants to be listened. Give value to other’s words and concerns. While listening, do not cut their words or sentences as it is a sign of disrespect. Give proper response to others at the right time after listening to others, and you will find the communication meaningful in this way. 02. Understand Others from Different Perspective You cannot understand the perspective of others until or unless you develop a listening skill. If you keep on speaking and preach just your point of view about some issues, it may suppress the other person’s emotions or opinions. Whatever the scenario is, always be ready to listen to what others want to say and observe the background behind instead of creating conflicts. It will lead to a better understanding of people and their perspectives, and you will be able to make a positive communication or relationship with others. 03. Gain More in Depth Information “If you make listening and observation your occupation, you will gain much more than you can by talk” (Robert Baden-Powell) To be informed and more knowledgeable, you must spend a day of listening. This is not necessary that listening only to experts, professors, and professionals can increase your knowledge about things. Still, you will be able to develop a good insight into various matters by listening to anyone. In your social or working circle, make communications with others, listen to their opinions, experiences, and suggestions, and believe, you will feel informed about many things. 04. Important for Personal Development Giving attention to other words and understanding their perspective is an excellent source of personal development as it allows us to learn, reflect, and grow and to make more informed decisions. Through active listening, you pay considerable attention to others, and maybe many of your opinions change, and you become aware of various things. Listening to others can also improve many of your skills and gain more information as it gives a chance to observe other’s experiences. If you want to develop your inner self and knowledge, you must set a day to make communications with people. 05. Build trust Successful and trustable persons are always those who listen more than speaking. Either in your family relations, social communications, or in a workplace environment, the active listener is the favorite and trusted personality, or people tend to discuss various things with that person. You must be a supportive and understanding listener for others as it makes them feel important and their words valued. They will start trusting you and remain ready to listen to you whenever you need to speak. 06. It promotes effective communication Effective and excellent communication always involves proper listening. Listening is a powerful habit through which you can make effective communication with others. Develop good listening in you and give other people a chance to talk about their experiences, goals, and beliefs. It demonstrates that we are giving attention and respect to other thoughts, which is essential to maintain a strong relationship with others and promotes excellent communication. So, listen to others and make meaningful relationships with them; however, it will help to make you a better person by recognizing others, their experiences, and opinions!

What to say after you say HELLO? “Before you start a conversation, learn how to do it.” In this life, we daily meet up new people as we are living in a developing country where everyone is out of home now to serve their part. Meeting up new people is a task. There are people with different types and natures. When you go out, you see and meet different persons who are even strangers to you. Some are introvert, some are extrovert, some are rude, and some are jolly. It’s also not possible not to talk to anyone you meet because communication is in human nature. Now, the question is what to say after you say HELLO to the persons you meet, how to start a conversation and get along. We will here discuss a few points to make your communications easy with your new persons. 01. Keep it simple The best way to start a conversation is to begin. At first, you don’t know the people you come across. You hesitate, and they hesitate as well, so make it simple. Start with short and easy questions so that both persons that are interacting could feel relaxed and comfortable. Questions must be like ⦁ How do you do? ⦁ What you up too? ⦁ Are you from work When you start with such simple and easy questions, it breaks the initial wall of hesitation between the two persons, and they must be able to talk more in a comfortable manner. 02. Don’t be personal When interacting with a person very first time, don’t be personal at once. It can make people insecure, and they can get offended because most people don’t want to discuss their personal life. So when they are asked any personal thing, they become a reserve, and the communication is then stopped. So, avoid asking a personal question and try to keep your conversation lighter. 03. Start with praising Its human nature that a proper compliment by someone always attracts him or her. It is the best way to start a conversation with anyone. A simple compliment can make the environment comfortable and lighter. You can compliment someone regarding their dress, pouch, shoes, hairs, personality, etc. When you compliment someone, it automatically softens the other person’s heart. When you give a compliment, you will get it back, and hence, it gives way to a friendly communication between people. 04. Sports and politics One of the best ways to start a conversation is to discuss the vast topics. The best one is sports and politics. People love to discuss politics and sports. Its a source of gossips for them. They can happily talk for hours on politics, although they aren’t a part of it. So to enlarge your discussion you can talk about different kinds of national and international sports, politics, their importance and role in the country. Once you start over it, then the conversations will go in hours. 05. Show Courtesy and kindness The last but not the least thing you can do with the people you meet the first time or the people you work with is to show courtesy and to be kind, i.e., are you sitting fine? If you need something, Please take first, Thankyou!, so nice of you, etc. These are the attributes that can force the other person to trust you and to be in a good conversation with you with comfortable attire. Show your courtesy to your friends, professional colleagues, and to anyone you meet because it costs nothing. 06. Make others feel Comfortable When you say hello to someone, try to maintain the comfort communication between you and other people so that a more productive conversation can be made. Be polite, and your talking tone must be welcoming and friendly so that the other person finds it easy to talk with you about some issues. So, these are some of how you can communicate to the people after interacting with a first Hello, because you can work well only if you are in a comfortable mood and environment, and communication with each other is the best way to do so.

How to Stop Being Shy in Any Situation I’ve gotten better at not making people feel uncomfortable with my shyness. Get Up, don’t be shy, be confident you can do it, are common sentences that would come across to every shy person, and it seems everyone is encouraging, but it’s not easy to get rid of this awkwardness. They need to work hard on this. People who think it’s challenging to bring confidence in a shy person, then this is a time to prove them wrong. Have you ever visited any therapist or consultant to discuss this issue? If you haven’t tried out yet, then go through these techniques that might help you otherwise never hesitate to share this thing with your consultant for the best counseling. 01. Communicate with new people: Communication is an essential key to remove shyness and its imperative to talk with new people. Just get started with the people on your bus or cab without hesitation. How are you? What do you do? are the common questions that would help you to get started. They would let you know about them and ask about you as well. By practicing the same thing daily, you will at least come to understand how to start a communication. Just begin with a casual talk and then gradually discuss anything that you want to. 02. Get to know about your strong points: It’s essential to know the strong points of you because it will give you confidence, and you will be able to face people. Just list down the positive things of you and read it again and again when you feel insecure. This practice would not let you down in front of people and keep your morale high because you have something to offer. 03. Read Books on Developing confidence: There are so many mediums that boost your confidence to get rid of the shyness. Among so many ways, one way is to read the books on developing confidence, which is written for boosting the morale of shy people. You can go through: ⦁ Thick & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill ⦁ How to build Self-confidence & influence people by Dale Carnegie ⦁ The Quick & Easy Way to effective speaking by Dale Carnegie 04. See Yourself in Mirror: For increasing confidence, it may be odd but see yourself in the mirror and start a conversation with a mirror placed on your front. This is because you can judge yourself, especially when you are a bit confused in public gatherings. It works 100 percent for removing shyness, and if you haven’t tried out this yet, then start practicing from today. 05. Discuss your thoughts openly with your friend If you are not comfortable with strangers, then select close friends and spend some quality time with him/her daily. Discuss the topic of mutual interest, and by opting this way, you will be able to share your opinions in detail and openly. It will start removing your awkwardness to some extent. 06. Motivate Yourself It’s essential to keep yourself motivated, so all you need to do is to tell yourself that you are not alone, and no one is perfect in this world. Don’t overthink, and Don’t is panic about being insecure all the time because it is beautiful to get worried about certain things. Keep yourself busy in different activities that will boost your confidence, and you will be motivated all the time. 07. Work On Your Body Language It doesn’t matter how much you are awkward in talking public or rarely take part in any extracurricular activity but show confidence to people through body language. Make sure your voice is clear while meeting with people and convey what do you want without any hesitation. It will boost your confidence, and you will feel much better. These are the few tricks that we have just listed out for you people to overcome this fear as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter how you will be treated publicly but shows others that you are confident enough and have high spirits.