Thursday, June 23, 2011

Being Confident or Being Conceited

Being Confident or Being Conceited



Confidence and conceit are not one and the same. A conceited person is arrogant, which is offensive. It demagnetized right away because conceit is a sign of low self-esteem. Conceited people have something to prove-or at least they think they do. The are actually trying to hide insecurity.

When you lack confidence, you waste your time trying to get others to think you are secure.

Confidence is absolutely necessary. It is fundamental that you understand who you are and embrace who you are.

Phases of Confidence
1. Core- Your sense of confidence begins in you. What you believe about yourself, how you see yourself, and what you say about yourself matters. Your actions will inevitably reflect your expectations. Similarly, your actions are limited or expanded based on your expectations. Your expectations are a direct reflection of your confidence-the degree to which you have embraced your potential.

2. Investment- The most important investment a person can make is in themselves. Confidence increases as we increase our capacity to excel. We do this by making investments in ourselves. When you make investment in yourself, you  instantaneously expand your capacity to excel. Capacity is another word for potential-your ability to maximize your gifts.

3. Practice- Anything worth having is worth working for. It is the process that produces a powerful skills set-skills that will sustain success. The process also serves to refine our sense of confidence.

4. Reflection- Reflection builds confidence. Sometimes mistakes and rejections can be the best thing that can every happen to you, if your perspective is properly aligned.

Confidence is more than a word. It is a way of life. When confidence truly becomes a way of life, it determines your lifestyle.

The key to continued growth is learning from your experiences. Once you know who you are (step one), consistently make investments in yourself (step two), and practice to perfect your technique and skill (step three), then you have to take the time to reflect upon what you have learned (step four).

A confident style must be a part of your lifestyle. It will not reflect around you until it first begins inside you.


Evans, Marshawn. S.K.I.R.T.S in the Boardroom. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. Print.

Until Next Time

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Thinking Positively

It is quite common to hear people say: "Think positive!"


But what does think positive really mean?

All of our feelings, beliefs and knowledge are based on our internal thoughts, both conscious and subconscious. We are in control, whether we know it or not. We can be positive or negative, enthusiastic or dull, active or passive. Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive to growth, expansion and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. These attitudes are maintained by the inner conversations we constantly have with ourselves, both consciously and subconsciously.

The first step in changing our attitudes is to change our inner conversations.

What Should We Be Saying?

The three C's: Commitment, Control and Challenge.

Commitment
Make a positive commitment to yourself, to learning, work, family, friends, nature, and other worthwhile causes. Praise yourself and others. Dream of success. Be enthusiastic.

Control
Keep your mind focused on important things. Set goals and priorities for what you think and do. Visualize to practice your actions. Develop a strategy for dealing with problems. Learn to relax. Enjoy successes. Be honest with yourself.

Challenge
Be courageous. Change and improve each day. Do your best and don't look back. See learning and change as opportunities. Try new things. Consider several options. Meet new people. Ask lots of questions. Keep track of your mental and physical health. Be optimistic.

Studies show that people with these characteristics are winners in good times and survivors in hard times.

Research also shows that,
"... people who begin consciously to modify their inner conversations and assumptions report an almost immediate improvement in their performance. Their energy increases and things seem to go better ..."

Commitment, control and challenge help build self-esteem and promote positive thinking.

Positive thinking helps with stress management and can even improve your health

The health benefits of positive thinking

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:
  • Increased life span
  • Lower rates of depression
  • Lower levels of distress
  • Greater resistance to the common cold
  • Better psychological and physical well-being
  • Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
  • Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress
It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body. It's also thought that positive and optimistic people tend to live healthier lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and don't smoke or drink alcohol in excess.

Negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and unhappy moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.




Tuesday, May 31, 2011

What happened to manners?

ABC News reported recently that eight out of every ten Americans believes that lack of respect and courtesy is a serious national problem, and six in ten said the problem is getting worse. Steve Farkas, co-author of this study, said, "We're not talking about table manners, but about treating people in a decent way."
Most experts believe etiquette declined during the cultural revolution of the "Do Your Own Thing" 1960s. Many parents believe if their teens are too mannerly and nice, other people will take advantage of them. Yale professor Stephen Carter writes in his book Civility, "We have come to confuse rudeness with self-expression and acting on our 'rights.'"[1]




       
Lets take a look at the definition  of manners-  1. A habitual gesture or way of speaking or behaving
2. A distinctive behavioral trait.

Why has it become so hard for many of us to display respectful gestures or behavioral traits? I do agree that society has altered the definition of manners. In this generation there is a saying, "you gotta give respect to get respect." Though the meaning is somewhat understandable, does that mean that you should display negative behavioral traits until you feel as if that person gives you respect.

We have to understand that displaying manners is not a sign of weakness. Displaying good manners  allows you to stand out and make a good impression on everyone from potential partners to bosses to total strangers. This can lead to some tangible benefits. [2]Good manners are the grease that keeps the wheels of society turning smoothly. The benefits of good manners are plentiful, including stronger personal, family and work relationships stemming from more positive interactions with others. Good manners will command greater respect from others and improve your social life.






1. St. Calir, Jane. "Teens and Courtesy - Whatever Happened to Manners." Free Parenting Tips for Parents of Teens - Help with Teenagers. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2011. http://www.byparents-forparents.com/manners.html.
 
2. "Benefits Of Good Manners | LIVESTRONG.COM." LIVESTRONG.COM - Lose Weight & Get Fit with Diet, Nutrition & Fitness Tools. 23 Mar. 2010. Tim Horneman. 31 May 2011 http://www.livestrong.com/article/91590-benefits-good-manners/.
 

Monday, May 23, 2011

Image????

What is Image
Image can be defined as your appearance and your character
Lets look at those two words
Appearance- The way that someone or something looks
Character-  The moral qualities distinctive to an individual.

Are you displaying an appearance that represents a manner of respect?
A good personal appearance suggests a lot to others about what you think of yourself and how you regard them. People who maintain good personal grooming habits optimize their chances for job and academic success. Conveying a good appearance then imparts a message that you set high standards in other areas of your life as well. Generally, such an image is marked by a look that is appropriate, confident and positive. It communicates, to a large degree, your overall attitude. --yipees.com

What about your character, is your attitude positive? 
Positive attitude helps to cope more easily with the daily affairs of life. It brings optimism into your life, and makes it easier to avoid worry and negative thinking. If you adopt it as a way of life, it will bring constructive changes into your life, and makes them happier, brighter and more successful. With a positive attitude you see the bright side of life, become optimistic and expect the best to happen. It is certainly a state of mind that is well worth developing and strengthening.
Positive attitude manifests in the following ways:

Positive thinking.

Constructive thinking.

Creative thinking.

Expecting success.

Optimism.

Motivation to accomplish your goals.

Being inspired.

Choosing happiness.

Not giving up.

Looking at failure and problems as blessings in disguise.

Believing in yourself and in your abilities.

Displaying self-esteem and confidence.

Looking for solutions.

Seeing opportunities.

A positive attitude leads to happiness and success and can change your whole life. If you look at the bright side of life, your whole life becomes filled with light. This light affects not only you and the way you look at the world, but also your whole environment and the people around you. If it is strong enough, it becomes contagious.

The benefits of a positive attitude:

Helps achieving goals and attaining success.

Success achieved faster and more easily.

More happiness.

More energy.

Greater inner power and strength.

The ability to inspire and motivate yourself and others.

Fewer difficulties encountered along the way.

The ability to surmount any difficulty.

Life smiles at you.

People respect you.

Negative attitude says: you cannot achieve success.
Positive attitude says: You can achieve success.

If you have been exhibiting a negative attitude and expecting failure and difficulties, it is now the time to change the way you think. It is time to get rid of negative thoughts and behavior and lead a happy and successful life. Why not start today? If you have tried and failed, it only means that you have not tried enough.

Developing a positive attitude that will lead you to happiness and success:

- Choose to be happy.

- Look at the bright side of life.

- Choose to be and stay optimistic.

- Find reasons to smile more often.

- Have faith in yourself and in the Power of the Universe.

- Contemplate upon the futility of negative thinking and worries.

- Associate yourself with happy people.

- Read inspiring stories.

- Read inspiring quotes.

- Repeat affirmations that inspire and motivate you.

- Visualize only what you want to happen.

- Learn to master your thoughts.

- Learn concentration and meditation.
by Remez Sasson successconscience.com
A positive appearance and a positive attitude results in a positive impression of you!!!!




Welcome to my blog

Hello and welcome to my blog!!! Here we will have real talk discussions on attaining and maintaining style and character in in the 21st century. My mission is to empower and inspire teen's, & young women to reach their greatest potential through their appearance, attitude, and communication skills.