A blog of lessons for life
4 Tips for Looking and Feeling More Confident
Are you looking for ways of looking and feeling more confident? Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to be confident but you just were not feeling it? Being confident is important but sometimes it can be hard to come by. While some people may have confidence that lasts, for the rest of us the feeling is not a constant. When we are with people we know well, it is easy to be confident, but when we are in a new situation or with strangers, it can take some time before we feel self-assured. So what is the secret to believing in yourself? You simply have to seem or look confident to others around you. A major part of confidence involves how you look and appear, rather than how you feel. Confidence is a learned skill that can be built with adequate practice. Here are a few simple ways to increase your self-confidence: 1. Keep a Good Posture Good posture is the foundation of looking confident. If you are sitting, make sure your back is straight, but not rigid. Sit up tall and keep your chin up. If you are standing, keep your weight balanced on both feet, your shoulders square and relaxed. This friendly, open postures make others feel comfortable around you. 2. Maintain Eye Contact Eye contact is essential for projecting confidence. Look people in the eye whether you are talking to one person or you are addressing a group. Your gaze should be strong
How to Deal with Feedback Like a Pro
If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of some feedback or criticism, you’re probably seeking to learn how to deal with feedback like a pro. Do you recall feeling somewhat on-edge about what was about to be said to you? Most of us may feel the same way when called in for feedback. For many of us, the word feedback creates a negative response. This is usually because we have received negative criticism in the past, thereby making us fear the process of criticism, even though it can help us at times. 1. Be open to it If you find yourself in a situation where someone wants to share feedback with you, try to change your mindset and be open to it. Take it as advice, as opposed to perceiving it as a threat. This way you will appear more confident in your abilities and it displays good character. Treating feedback like advice helps you to avoid any thoughts of calling your skills into question. 2. Focus on the positive side When you think of a feedback session, frame it as a chance for someone to share observations with you. Doing so will allow you to change how you will respond, ultimately leading to a positive reaction. When you avoid looking at it as negative criticism, you will automatically have a more productive approach to what the person has to say to you. 3. Be curious A great way to deal with feelings of being insecure when receiving feedback
Self-Labelling can be Harmful to Mental Health
A Brief Look at How Self-Labelling can be Harmful to Mental Health To properly understand the full scope of self-labelling, we must first ask the question, what are labels? Labels are a way of describing a person, usually using a trait that is considered most significant. For instance, you may think of one person as “the depressed person” and another as “the bad one”. Labelling a person can seem harmless at first, but later on, it takes on a form that is more like pigeon-holing a person. In simpler words, the person can become known for that one label or trait. The harm lies in how the other traits the individual has are completely side-lined and are not taken into consideration. For those suffering from major mental health issues, there is a tendency to see the world from a negative point of view. This is where self-labelling comes in. Self-labels can be created by the beliefs you hold about yourself and your value. It is important to understand where these statements are coming from and to take a stand against having a negative view of yourself. More often than not, these labels prove to be untrue and if they are not stopped, they cause emotional pain and suffering, affecting not just the way you see yourself, but also the way you live your life in the long run. Allowing negative self-labels to persist, builds an environment in which you are denied opportunities for success, growth, and happiness. How Do We
Setting Boundaries in Relationships: Valuable Points You Need to Know
You’re probably needing to set boundaries in relationships if you’ve ever felt like you need space and time apart from someone even though you are close emotionally. Firstly, let us get one thing right. Setting boundaries is not like cutting off contact or distancing yourself from a person. It simply means that there will be limits that are not to be crossed. When boundaries in relationships are set, there is a sort of imaginary line distinguishing one person’s thoughts, behaviour, and feelings from another. Each relationship has its own set of boundaries established. And it is important to understand that having boundaries is healthy. So what are some valuable points for setting boundaries in a relationship? A key point is that you should seek to make changes in yourself, and not try to change the other person. Trying to change someone else’s behaviour is not the correct way to set boundaries. You need to adjust your behaviour with others. Communication is the key How can you bridge the gap between two people? The answer lies with communication. Speaking to the other person is crucial to set boundaries. Talk about your emotions and what makes you comfortable. Communication offers a chance to explain why you have a certain boundary and it opens up topics for discussion. Be honest What they say about honesty is true, it is the best policy, especially when it comes to boundary building. Be honest about what you are comfortable with and what you expect. Enforcing established
A Quick Guide to Dealing with Anger and Fear in Children
Dealing with anger and fear in children can feel like navigating a minefield. Does your child seem angrier than usual or are you struggling to understand why they are acting fearful? Sometimes it can be really difficult to know exactly what is going on with your child, especially if communication is at an all-time low. In most cases, anger in children tends to stem from internal fear that lies hidden deep within. When dealing with anger and fear in children , it is best to approach the situation with compassion and understanding for the difficulties your child may be going through. Always remember to respond in a supportive and solution-focused manner. Here are a few things that you can do to alleviate the situation: Have some control over the aggressiveness One way to keep a check on aggressive behavior is to simply be accepting and empathize with the child so that they learn that it is alright to experience such emotions. Approaching the situation with compassion and understanding for the difficulties the child may be facing is effective in creating calmness and will result in toning down the aggressiveness. Acknowledge your child’s emotions You must control your feelings first so that you can begin to calm your child. When you have your emotions under control, you need to acknowledge your child’s feelings so that they can begin to calm down. The goal here is to make your child feel safe enough to experience vulnerable emotions such as anger and fear.
Life Is Good – Increase Your Happiness Levels
The good news is that you can increase your happiness levels! Have you ever thought to yourself “how do people stay happy”? Well, the answers all depend on your willingness and ability to recognise certain things that only you can change about your life. You can take refuge in the fact that unhappiness is quite a common occurrence, or take a look at some simple ways to kick-start your journey into a happier living. Choose To Have A Positive Outlook It may not seem like it sometimes, but choosing to look at things from a more positive perspective can alter how you feel about life in general. At times this can be one of the hardest changes to make, especially if you are used to taking a pessimist view on things. However, taking the positive approach helps you to build forgiveness and gratitude. And with increased practice, you will find yourself being on a happier plane of existence and more satisfied with your life. Take Up Meditation When we think of meditation, we imagine a person sitting calmly with a peaceful expression across their face. But on the internal side, what does it involve? The process of meditation includes clearing your mind of all worry and simply focusing on the present moment. Accepting who you are is part and parcel of this step, to make a real change to your levels of happiness. Practicing Kindness You may be wondering how showing kindness to others can boost your happiness levels. However,