Motivational Self Improvement

How to Feel Comfortable in New Social Situations

2010-11-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

When entering new situations, it's normal to feel a little uncomfortable. Some people are naturally outgoing and adapt with no trouble, but others have a harder time making conversation and feeling comfortable around strangers. Fortunately, if you're a person who struggles in new environments, you can take a few simple steps that'll make a big difference in your social life.

Try these tips to make the most of social situations so you can feel comfortable around strangers:

1. Bring a friend. A good way to be more comfortable around strangers is to have someone with you that you already know. If your friend is more outgoing, he can help you easily integrate into existing groups and conversations.

* If possible, find someone you already know who's in the group and hang with them. Odds are good that they'll talk to others and include you in the conversation.

2. Talk about things you like. A funny thing about conversation is that you never struggle to talk about things you're passionate about. Look to integrate yourself into groups that are already talking about things you like, and the event will go much more smoothly.

3. Stay away from alcohol. It can be tempting to take a drink or two to take the edge off of the pressure you feel in social situations. Unfortunately, alcohol impairs your judgment and often leads to bad decisions. You want to stay as alert and in control as possible. So pass up the drinks until you've overcome the nerves and become comfortable with your surroundings.

4. Find someone like you. One of the biggest challenges shy people face in new environments is feeling like they don't belong. It can seem daunting to fit in when your mind is telling you all the reasons you should be embarrassed. But if you look for someone like you, you can rest easy knowing that you're both nervous so you can help each other to adapt to the social pressure you both feel.

5. Find a place to sit. If you're at a house party, the couch is a great place for people to gather. You can sit down and just listen to other people talk. When you have something you want to add, you can jump in. Other times, people will notice and acknowledge you so you can feel like you're a part of the conversation.

* If there's a counter or bar, find a spot and make yourself comfortable there. You won't look out of place, and someone will likely join you for some interesting conversation.

6. Give it time. Most of the time, the anxiety you feel around new people subsides. The awkwardness you feel from the new place and unfamiliar faces will, in time, give way to interesting encounters and fascinating conversations if you give it a chance.

Thankfully, you can make the most of social situations even if you're introverted. All it takes is a willingness to leave your comfort zone in favor of the enriching experience of meeting new and interesting people.

Find someone who's just as nervous and strike up a conversation. Or find a place to sit and let the conversation come to you. The most important thing is that you overcome the fear that's inside you and realize that the effort is worth it. Soon, you'll be more at ease in social situations, gain more friends, and experience deeper relationships than you ever thought possible.

How to Fight Boredom and Become More Motivated at Work

2010-10-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

Having trouble finding the motivation you need to get things done at work? When you begin an exciting project, it's easy to find the motivation you need. Maintaining that level of motivation every day, however, can be a challenge. Sometimes, your work is just downright boring!

Just remember that you're not alone in your feelings. Instead of beating yourself up or giving up, take a few small steps that will boost your motivation and lead you to the success you deserve.

Take Care of Yourself

Are there any basic needs in your personal life that need to be addressed? Sometimes, your lack of motivation at work can result from a lack of sleep, proper nutrition, or conflict that drains your energy. Choose to take care of yourself, and your motivation will naturally increase in every area of your life.

For instance, if you've become accustomed to staying up late and getting little sleep, you'll drag and lack energy at work. Everyone's sleep needs are different, but the average person requires 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Make sure you get an adequate amount of rest.

Also make sure that you maintain a healthy diet. The food and drinks you put in your body have a huge impact on the way you feel. If you eat poorly at work, you'll feel lethargic. Also, a diet that's too strict can make you feel tired, hungry, and irritable.

Pay attention to your mental health. Sometimes you can't find motivation at work because your thoughts are preoccupied with something else. Get to the root of your challenges and seek the advice of friends or loved ones. Choose to nurse your body and your mind so that you're ready for the challenges of each workday.

Stay Active and Motivated

Once your basic personal needs are met, you can turn your attention to fighting the boredom. Ask yourself what you like about your job. Write down as many positive things about your job as you can think of.

Then write down the things you dislike about your job. Ask yourself, "What am I willing to do to make it the way I want it?" Focus on solutions instead of problems, and your motivation for success will quickly increase.

If you're bored because your day has become monotonous, seek opportunities to make changes to your daily routine at work. Come up with a new way of doing things. Ask about training programs or other duties you can take on to increase your value to the company and your level of interest in your job.

Another powerful approach to stamp out boredom is to seek a mentor. Learn to be the best from someone who performs your job at a high level. Anything is more fun when you're good at it. A mentor can answer specific questions about your job and help you to find the excitement in every day as well.

Know When It's Time to Make A Change

Sometimes, boredom is a signal that something's wrong. You may be in the wrong position to utilize your talents most effectively. Perhaps your employer may be able to direct you to other opportunities within the company that are better suited to your talents, abilities, and interests.

Often, taking part in other hobbies and interests that you're passionate about on the weekends can cure the boredom you experience on the weekdays. Having something you look forward to can be a powerful antidote to the daily "blahs." Pursue what makes you happy in your free time and you may find that motivation appears out of nowhere.

Most of all, realize that you deserve success. Set yourself apart from those who settle for the tedious, daily grind. Today, decide to take care of yourself, pursue your passion and make the most of every day at your job. You'll be glad you did!

How NLP Can Make Your Life Better

2009-07-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) involves the study of the human subconscious so that they are able to attain excellence in their life. NLP is all about influencing of human behavior by adapting certain habits and procedures. In a sense, you can benefit so much from knowing more about the power of the subconscious and the influence it can have in your life.

NLP works by identifying the essential attributes of exceptional talent, successful attitudes, and empowering beliefs. It basically involves bypassing the conscious part of the mind and heading straight to the subconscious where the subjective experience lies.

The idea of NLP was first developed in the early 1970's by a scientist named Richard Bandler and a linguistics professor named John Grinder. They concentrated their studies on successful people so that they can analyze and translate human excellence. With their efforts combined, they were able to find out just how the brain programmed itself to experience only the good things in life.

Past experiences play a big role in the decisions that we make. If we’ve been traumatized as a result of a choice we made, then chances are we will try to avoid a similar situation at all costs. Our actions are a direct response to the thoughts and memories stored inside our head. Our experience basically has a structure. When we attempt to change the structure, our experience will automatically change with it.

The idea of NLP lies on the fact that we always try to communicate, with ourselves or with the people around us. Even when we aren’t engaged in a dialogue, our thoughts are still there to tell us about what we want to think about at the moment. That is still, in fact, a form of communication. You can turn to neuro-linguistic programming when you want to enhance personality traits and behaviors. The first thing to do is to understand that our perception of reality is based on our subjective beliefs.

Sometimes, you can’t help but look at the world from your point of view even when you know that it can somewhat be flawed. This limits your reactions to the way you see the situation. This basically means that we don’t always understand our experiences and try to come up with reasons that are just too far off from the actual reality. NLP helps you find ways to completely remove this destructive habit.

NLP also teaches you to remove any form of hesitation in yourself so that you can go beyond your limits. You go into knowing about the factors that cause you to fear and see the situation in a totally new perspective. Just look at the most successful people in today’s world and you will realize that all of them were willing to try the unknown and take risks. You can increase your levels of happiness by transforming every facet to your personality.

NLP gives you the confidence you’ll need so that you can stay strong and stand firm in your mission. There will always be people who will try to bring you down when you climb your way up to the top. The questions is, will you allow them to bring you down? NLP tells you when and how to say no.

You can finally appreciate yourself and be proud of your talents with the help of hypnosis. The human mind can do so much, and it’s time for you to open the doors to the hundred possibilities.

Don't Wait For Success To Come To You

2009-06-10T06:39:00.000-07:00

Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.
– William B. Sprague

You can’t always wait for success to come to you. You have to be proactive to ensure that you will attain the success you desire. Take the initiative to do more than what is expected of you each day. Be excellent in your work so you will be noticed. Then, when the opportunity presents itself, take the steps you need to make the most of it.

Be proactive.
Always take the initiative.
Do what you can to make opportunities happen.

Self-Reflection Questions:

Am I aware of the opportunities around me?
What will I do to create new opportunities?
What additional tasks will I take on so I can excel in my life?

Excellence Is Not An Act But A Habit

2009-06-10T06:32:00.000-07:00

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.
– Aristotle

If we’re honest with ourselves, this quote will resonate within us. We are often known by what we do, not what we say. If we are consistent in our actions, especially in our work ethic, people take notice.

Don’t do a good job, do a great job! Your consistent behavior in your life translates into excellence, and that is what your employer rewards.

Be consistent
Do a great job
Do more than expected

Self-Reflection Questions:

Am I consistent in my actions?
Do I do my best work each and every day?
Am I providing my employer with excellence rather than mediocrity?

What Is The Purpose In Life?

2009-05-31T07:58:00.000-07:00

What Is The Purpose In Life? - A Life with a Purpose

Many people live their lives aimlessly. They go through the motions of activities robotically, as if it were simply expected to perform their duties with no questions asked. Then, in time, they find themselves stopping midway, and then asking themselves why they’re doing something that doesn’t make them happy in the first place.

Many eventually question the things that they do in life. Others, unfortunately, still go through life drifting aimlessly for the simple reason that it gives them instant monetary gratification.

Your main purpose in life should be making yourself happy and content. Know that when you work on improving yourself, you will never look back with regret, or worse, with pity for yourself and what you’ve become. You need a mission that fires your innermost passion and inspires you to pursue even further. Without a goal in mind, you simply are going through a form of drudgery that eventually extinguishes your inner fire.

You have to be focused as you single-mindedly pursue the things that make you feel complete. Of course, reaching your goals is not always easy. If it were, then the world should have been completely emancipated from problems. It is a journey where you also have to make a decision on which road to take. Let your conscience guide you because even with dreams, you can never be happy if you live with a heavy heart.

A person’s life is made up of an infinite number of moments. Make these moments count and make sure that even if it is always not filled with laughter, you take something from every experience. Enjoy your relationships and take care of yourself. These are the foundations to any form of life. Who are you when you can’t lean on someone? The people around you define who you are. They will provide you with the support you’ll need during difficult times.

With each moment towards your dream comes careful planning. You need to prepare yourself for the things that may arise during the entire journey. Life is somewhat an expedition where you need to deeply think about the things that are important to you. Otherwise, if you are so careless, you will see everything fade to nothing. To be able to triumph, you need the right kind of attitude. Go for it all the way, or not at all.

When you realize what your innermost desires are, you now have your ultimate purpose in life. Your mission is to perform the tasks to make your wants a reality. It makes life worthwhile when you know you are working towards something. The happiest discovery you will ever make is that your journey reveals to you all the delights and pleasures of life. Savor the small tasks along the way because these add up to something big, something so spectacular. Your mission is to understand things and know that your experiences are there to make you the best person you can be. You can only be your ideal self when you accept what life offers and find ways to deal with it rather than cower from it.

We Are What We Repeatedly Do

2009-05-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

Be consistent
Do a great job
Do more than expected

Self-Reflection Questions:

Am I consistent in my actions?
Do I do my best work each and every day?
Am I providing my employer with excellence rather than mediocrity?

Success consists of doing the common things of life uncommonly well

2009-05-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

Success consists of doing the common things of life uncommonly well.
– Unknown

Many people wonder how they can become successful.

This quote explains what becoming successful means in the most simple terms. Truly successful people have integrity, a strong work ethic, a desire to succeed, and tenacity to keep working even when it seems that things aren’t going well. They don’t give up easily, rather they keep moving forward regardless of the number of times they are knocked back.

Be honest
Work hard
Don’t give up

Self-Reflection Questions:

Do I always act in an honest way? Do I show integrity?
Do I give my employer an honest day’s work for what I’m paid?
Am I determined to succeed without giving up?