Catching Winter Sun Can Actually Offer Numerous Health Benefits

For many of us, darker nights and cold weather can be hard to adjust to at this time of year. If you struggle to get out of bed each morning, or crave a little sunlight from your day, you're not alone.

It's no wonder that winter is the most popular time to book a holiday – just the thought of a warmer climate is enough to bring a smile to most of us! But aside from offering some relief from the harsh weather, taking a break to catch some winter sun can actually offer numerous health benefits.

Mood Enhancer

Anyone suffering from Seasonal Affective disorder (SAD) will know how important it is to get as much sun as possible during the winter months, but everyone can benefit from booking a holiday at this time of year. Aside from the change of pace and break from work, exposure to the sun kick-starts the production of endorphins in the brain, which helps to elevate your mood.

Mental Break

Taking a holiday is as much about slowing down mentally as it is physically, and this time of year can be incredibly draining. From organising festive family get-togethers to worrying about the cost of buying Christmas presents, this season can be fraught with stress.

Taking a holiday at this time of year, even if it's only a long weekend, can help to recharge your batteries. To get a dose of winter sun without breaking the bank, look for cheap all inclusive holidays out of season, or check out voucher sites to find the best deals.

Internal Organs

Controlled sun exposure is also great for our internal organs. Kidneys are given a helping hand as sweat allows toxins to escape the body, while the cardiovascular system is boosted by healthy levels of sun exposure. Moderate sun exposure can also offer temporary relief from arthritis and scientists have argued that maintaining a slight tan all year round can help boost our immune systems.

Sound Sleep

One of the most frustrating symptoms of SAD can be a lack of sleep, insomnia or sleep interruption. It's essential to get as much sun as possible, as this stimulates the production of melatonin, which helps us get to sleep at night.

Here Are 3 Ways To Enjoy Life More On A Daily Basis

Enjoyment is the process of taking pleasure in something. Enjoyment is the action of possessing and benefiting from an action. Here is the difference: happiness is a state that extends from your emotions while enjoyment is an action, or series of actions, from which your emotions extend. All emotions are temporary and can be quickly upheaved, which is why happiness never really exists.

On the other hand, enjoyment is driven by purpose. Enjoyment is fulfilling because you are in control of that purpose and you can control the emotions that extend from your purpose. Enjoyment requires 'doing' and it can last for the rest of your life. Therefore, instead of asking yourself how to increase happiness, ask how to enjoy life.

In order to understand exactly what 'enjoyment' means, try thinking about the opposite of the word. Think of the most dreaded, yet routine, moments of your life right now. Those moments probably have more to do with boredom and indifference than they do with depression or anger. Anger and sadness can be productive and even healthy when expressed at appropriate levels, but boredom and apathy are never productive. These states occur when your life is lacking a productive purpose that you are fully engaged in and excited about. The state that most of us truly desire is a state of excitement, engagement, and enjoyment.

The best thing about enjoyment is that you can generate it on your own. You can find ways to enjoy life more in anything that you spend your time doing. You just need to have the right mindset, the correct perspective, in order to do so. Here are 3 ways to enjoy life more on a daily basis:

1. Generate your own enjoyment.

Did you ever go to a party or other big event that you were really excited about and then, once you arrived and spent a little time there, felt empty or even depressed? This is because you subconsciously expected, at least in part, for the party to make your night great. This happens all the time. The other guests, the food, the entertainment, the act of getting dressed and ready, everything associated with the big event can make you feel like all you need to do is show up in order to enjoy yourself.

Enjoyment never happens passively. You have to initiate and sustain it yourself. The act of achieving your goal, whether its showing up to a party or winning a Superbowl, will not automatically increase happiness or show you ways to enjoy life more. You have to be the fountainhead of your own enjoyment because second-hand enjoyment does not exist.

2. Enjoy life in the present moment.

Be present. There are Buddhist monks that spend their entire lives trying to practice this concept. Living in the present moment is extremely difficult to master but entirely necessary to practice. Being present requires that you focus your thoughts completely on what's happening right in front of you. This practice will not only help you be more productive, it will help you forget about your personal fears and worries.

If left unchecked, fear and worry will invariably stain all thoughts you have about the future. Spending your life creating contingency plans for everything that may not work out in your favor is nothing more than planning for failure. It is impossible to answer the question how to enjoy life with even the smallest fear lodged in your mind like a splinter. Instead of distracting yourself with 4 hours of television and a six-pack of beer, remove the splinter completely by engaging in the present moment.

3. Tie enjoyment to pursuit.

Is your life important? We all have a desire to feel significant in some way. We all want are lives to have a purpose. No matter what you want to do in life or who you want to become, achieving your goal will require productive action. Enjoyment is the art of deriving pleasure and achievement out of your chosen purpose. Your purpose can involve business and entrepreneurship, developing as a leader, or learning how to develop others. The key is that you are engaged in the process and are excited about the journey between your initial idea and its fruition.

Finding ways to enjoy life more starts with a personal choice and is maintained by action and accomplishment. Life without pursuit is empty. The great thing about enjoyment is that it is married to pursuit. From now on, instead of asking yourself how to increase happiness, ask how to enjoy life.

These Snacks Are So Important For Your Health

I wanted to make a quick post on some healthy snack ideas. It's a common question I get asked all the time from my Challengers. We should know by now that we need to eat every 2-3 hours to keep our metabolism running efficiently. Doing so will have us eating 5-6 times per day. Mostly 3 meals and 3 snacks, for me personally I eat 7 times per day which include 3 meals, 3 snacks and 1 post workout shake. I'm sure a lot of people are not accustomed to eating this much or this often. I feel snack is where a lot of people get it wrong and lose results. I know it's where I had struggled in my own nutrition. With faithfully tracking my nutrition I now have a set of snacks that I go to daily and a few others I plug-in from time to time for a little variety. Snack is what is going to keep our bodies running in between meals so we need to make sure we do it correctly. But what kind of snacks are actually healthy and will help us reach our percentages of Protein, Carbs and Healthy Fats.

Shakeology

OK, so Shakeology is a "meal replacement shake" but in its base form for it's only 160 calories and loaded with nutrients. So for me I categorize this as a snack. I add in a scoop of whey protein to my Tropical Shakeology and about 3 frozen strawberries. After all is said and done this shake is about 264 Calories – 26 Carbs – 36 Protein and ONLY 2 grams of Fat.

Protein Bars

This is one of my favorite healthy snacks of the day. I was turned onto the "Pure Protein" bars from another Beachbody Coach and absolutely love them. Plus they contain only a few grams of sugar which is almost unheard of in terms of Protein Bars. My wife says the taste has to be acquired, but I disagree and really like them and enjoy one every day. The Beachbody Protein bars taste amazing but have a little more sugar than I want at this point. I pick up my Pure Protein bars at Publix, but they have them in just about every grocery store.

Turkey Jerky

Turkey Jerky is a great snack that's high in protein and low in fat. Need more protein? These beauties hit the spot. I personally like the "Jack Links" brand the best. I have tried others and they seemed a little tougher than the Jack links. You can pick these up at most grocery stores. I like to grab and go with these.

Almonds

I go nuts over these things. Ha Ha! Sorry for my poor sense of humor. The best almonds are the natural unsweetened ones. These are your healthy fats. Need more grams of fat in you daily nutrition, here ya go! For me this is where I go a little off kilter and get the "Low sodium" Sea Salted ones. Absolutely love these! I only eat them in moderation, most days it's less than 1 oz. More like 1/4-1/3 oz. but you don't want more than 1 oz per day.

Low Fat String Cheese

These are another great source of protein with low carbs. They do carry some fat with them so make sure they fit into your goals. I like the Publix brand low-fat ones. Lately I have tried the Frigo Brand and they are really good too. The nutrition facts is similar in the two.

Fat Free Yogurt

The best ones to get here are the Fat Free Sugar Free, but in my case I havent been able to run these down locally. So I have been getting the Sugar Free Low carb ones by Dannon. At only 50 calories these carry 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of carbs with only 1 gram of fat. I don't tend to eat this very often. Once per week would be the most for me, not a huge yogurt fan.

There are a ton of other snack options. Like cottage cheese, greek yogurt or maybe even carrots, but the list above is what I enjoy. These are just the one's I use most often and my plugged into MY FITNESS PAL nutrition diary. I'm sure in the future I may update this list but for now I'm happy and that's what counts. These are quick and easy to add-on a daily basis. Each of these are nutritious and do taste really good. The key is to find snacks that will work for you. Let's stay focused on our nutrition so we can get the best results possible.

Vitamins And Minerals Are Quite Important In Our Daily Food

Vitamins and minerals are present in the food we eat, but they do not replace our daily diet. Vitamins do not produce functional energy when it is broken down. They help the enzymes that discharge energy from fats, proteins and carbohydrates; however they do not supply energy by themselves.

Most of the vitamins and minerals are sensitive to heat. Though food articles are rich in vitamins if we over cook them, many of the vitamins get destroyed. The B-Vitamins are essential for nerves, elimination, digestion and energy. They are very much heat sensitive than other vitamins. They are soluble in water; hence the body will not be able to preserve them. This makes it necessary to consume them daily.

Vitamins are micro nutrients synthesized by plants. When you eat plants such as fruits and vegetables, you absorb the vitamins into your body. Animals have the same ability to absorb vitamins from plants so if you eat animal products such as eggs, fish or meat you obtain some vitamins "second hand" from the flesh of the animal being consumed. In addition to the vitamins you obtain in your diet, the bacteria in your colon produces a small amount of vitamin K that you absorb into your blood via ducts in your large intestines. Vitamins have a number of profound and healthy functions.

Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, so you need to have them more frequently. If you have more than you need, your body gets rid of the extra vitamins when you urinate. Because the body does not store water-soluble vitamins, these vitamins are generally not harmful. Water-soluble vitamins are found in fruit, vegetables and grains. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, they can be destroyed by heat or by being exposed to the air. They can also be lost in water used for cooking.

This means that by cooking foods, especially boiling them, we lose many of these vitamins. The best way to keep as much of the water-soluble vitamins as possible is to steam or grill these foods, rather than boil them. Water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C, the B vitamins and folic acid.

B1 (thiamin) maintains energy metabolism and functions of nerves. They are contained in food stuffs like green peas, watermelon, lean ham, chops, spinach, tomato juice, sunflower seeds, lean pork and soy milk. If you take care to include all the mentioned food in your daily diet in the correct proportion you will not suffer from the deficiency of vitamin B1.

B2 (riboflavin) is necessary to uphold energy metabolism, regular vision and health of the skin. Spinach, mushrooms, milk, liver, clams, broccoli, eggs and oysters are rich in vitamin B2.

B3 (niacin) sustains energy metabolism, health of skin, nervous and digestive system. It is abundant in potatoes, lean ground beef, tuna canned in water, shrimp, spinach, tomato juice, liver and chicken breast. Biotin which is wide spread in all foods maintains metabolism of energy, fat production, synthesis of glycogen and amino acid metabolism.

Vitamin B-5 or Pantothenic Acid augments energy metabolism. The day to day foods we use are rich sources of the vitamin.

B6 enhances metabolism rate of fatty acids and amino acids. It aids in the production of red blood cells. The vitamin is prevalent in fruits like watermelon and bananas, broccoli, tomato juice, acorn squash, spinach, white rice, potatoes, chicken breast etc.
Folate is helpful in synthesis of DNA and formation of new cells. Tomato juice, broccoli, asparagus, black-eyed peas, navy, garbanzo beans, green beans, spinach, okra, lentils, and pinto contain folate richly.

Vitamin B12 is useful in synthesis of new cells, in the break down of fatty and amino acids and maintenance of nerve cell. It is largely found in poultry, shellfish, eggs, meats, milk and fish.

Vitamin C improves amino acid metabolism, immunity, acts as antioxidant, aids synthesis of collagen and improves iron absorption. This vitamin can be found in broccoli, snow peas, kiwi fruit, orange, strawberries, spinach, red bell peppers, tomato juice, and mango and grapefruit juice.

What Are The Various Benefits Of Yoga

The key principle of the ancient human practice of Yoga is to channeling the energy flow of the body through meditation in yogic postures. Yoga ranges from the easy to the complicated, and there are only benefits for practicing it. An extremely positive form of engagement, the benefits of yoga are numerous and encompassing.

You attain better muscular strength and endurance levels, and you attain the benefit of stress management. It is obvious if you come to think of it. Yoga is the vehicle of peace. Peace signifies de-stressing. Therefore, when you are a believer and a practitioner of the ancient yogic postures, you channelize your energies towards stress management. Regular practice of yoga refreshes you and makes you strong and confident.

If yoga is so amazing, then what is stopping you from practicing it? The answer, as always is in your conception about yoga. For instance, if you think that yoga is only for the flexible and athletic, and that is stopping you, then you should know that the benefits of yoga are for anyone and everyone. If you think you are too old or too young for yoga, then you are mistaken.

Children can learn yoga as well as senior citizens. People in their 90s are doing yoga to stay fit. Children as young as four years old are becoming experts in yoga. There is no age limit to this spiritual-physical exercise. It connects mind and body in amazing harmony. If you are not flexible, you will learn flexibility with regular practice on yoga classes. You need de-stressing, you need peace and good health, and yoga is a comprehensive answer to many of your life's problems. Yoga improves your mind body connection to make you a better individual, acclimatized to stress and the physical troubles that bother you.

Yoga is about meditation. If you think meditation is impossible for you, then that is what stopping you. The thought of impossibility is a loop that you should be aware. The more you think something is impossible for you, the more difficult it becomes to overcome that problem. You can see why.

You are the one who is making it impossible. If you concentrate on possibility, and belief deeply in it, you will sure be successful in anything you do. That is actually the big secret of our universe, wish making and wish realization. The same goes for meditation. When you are unable to meditate, you are thinking it is impossible to attain peace. When slowly you start believing that it is possible, you feel the results yourself. You begin to feel the benefits of yoga.

However, while meditating, you should follow the right breathing practices. It is important. Check out the yogic meditation breathing tutorials in the internet or talk with someone who knows yoga. You will be helping yourself. As you de-stress from distress, you would find magical improvements in your mind body balance. You are the magician. You have brought about the positive changes. You have done it through yoga.

These Vitamins Are The Best For Pregnant Women

You know that you should consume nutrients during your pregnancy. But do you know what you have to apply? Do you know what kind of vitamins must be a part of your diet? Finally do you know what is a proper dosage of them and where you can find all these vitamins? If you don't or if you have any doubts check this article and find out what are the best vitamins for pregnant women.

It is obvious that pregnant women have to consume vitamins. The problem is that even diet close to perfect (with vegetables, fruits, legumes, dairy products and grains) might be inadequate. Fortunately you can find all necessary vitamins in prenatal supplements. It is really good news since you have to make sure you are getting proper amount of different nutrients. Prenatal vitamins are especially important for pregnant women with dietary restrictions, pregnancy complications, health disorders and certain diets.

Vitamin A, this vitamin will help you in properly developing your child's bones, teeth, immune system and heart. Deficiency of vitamin A is directly linked to problems with hearing and vision. Women in pregnancy should consume 770 micrograms of this vitamin per day. You can find vitamin A in the liver, potatoes, cantaloupe, yellow fruits, carrots, milk, pumpkin, broccoli, spinach, eggs, yellow and green vegetables.

The most important are vitamin B6 and B12. These vitamins contribute to proper development of your child’s nervous system and brain. Also they help in the formation of red blood cells. Pregnant women should apply at least 1,9 mg of vitamin B6 and 2,6 mcg of B12. Good news is that both vitamin B6 and B12 are quite common. You can find them in brown rice, liver, peas, walnuts, spinach, pork, oats, wheat germ, eggs, peanuts, bananas, carrots, chicken, cantaloupe, bran, soybeans, broccoli, fish, sunflower seeds and cabbage. Another vitamin B – B1 helps regulate nervous system and raise energy level. Vitamin B2 maintains energy, healthy skin and good eyesight and vitamin B3 promotes healthy skin, digestion and nerves.

Vitamin C is very vital for pregnant women as it helps build a healthy immune system and absorb iron. What is more it helps in the building of tissues and cells. According to experts you should consume at least 85 mg of vitamin C per day. Doses of 500 mg are acceptable. Add to your diet foods rich in vitamin C such as strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, citrus fruits, papaya, bell peppers, broccoli and green beans.
Deficiency of this sunshine vitamin might be harmful especially for pregnant women.

Vitamin D is vital for the absorption of many nutrients like calcium – it is very important for the development of healthy heart and bones. Experts recommend at least 5 mcg of this vitamin per day. The list of foods packed with vitamin D includes fatty fish and milk. The best source of vitamin D is sunshine.

Vitamin E assists in the formation of red blood cells and muscles. Deficiency of vitamin E has been linked with low birth weight and pregnancy hypertension. However you have to be careful – high amount of this vitamin can lead to dangerous effects. Recommended dosage for pregnant women is more than 20 mg but less than 500 mg per day. You can apply vitamin E by consuming spinach, wheat germ, fortified cereals, nuts and vegetable oils.

Here Are A Few Ways You Can Try To Cope With Stress

Stress at the workplace is showing a persistent growth. Catching up on new technologies, competitiveness, stress due to lack of job security, job dissatisfaction, unfriendly work environment, economical pressures, work life balance, the list goes on; stress is on the rise and it hugely impacts our health and well being.

Stress is a factor that affects individuals of all ages, races, genders, and economic status at some point in the lives. Individuals who are faced with significant amounts of personal or work-related stress should work hard to keep their mind cool at all costs. Taking a deep breath, considering the situation from all sides, sleeping on the problem, and including a third party are all ways to keep a cool head in a stressful situation.

  
Here are a few ways you can try to cope with stress:

1. Try Deep Breathing

As mentioned above, one of the best ways that individuals can keep cool during periods of high stress is by engaging in deep breathing techniques. Research shows that breathing deeply when placed in a stressful situation is a great way to lower heart rates, blood pressures, and produces a greater sense of ease and relaxation. Consider taking at least ten deep breaths to ensure optimal results when it comes to attempting to reduce stress at home or work. In many cases, the slower and deeper these breaths are performed, the more effective they will be at lowering stress levels.

2. Consider the Situation from All Sides

When facing a challenging situation, it can be easy to simply remain stubborn and hold out for one’s personal preferences. While this can be effective in some cases, it can also lead to increased pressure and greater amounts of worry. Individuals who want to keep their mind cool should be sure to consider the question or problem from all sides to lower stress levels when it comes to difficult situations. By compromising with the other individuals involved in the situation, a greater final outcome may be achieved for the entire group.

3. Sleep on the Problem

Sleep is considered to be a necessity for health and wellness. Sleep not only helps to rejuvenate us after a long, hard day, but in some cases may also provide answers to the questions that we seek. Individuals who are facing a great deal of stress may want to sleep on their concerns before making a final decision about a specific problem or concern. By sleeping on an issue, individuals may be able to get a better idea of how to effectively resolve a difficult problem. Getting a good’s night rest before making a decision can help cool hot heads and resolve personal emotions about a difficult situation.

4. Involve Neutral People

Finally, some situations are so stressful that they cannot be resolved effectively between the individuals who are involved in the issue. In these cases, a third party may be required to provide advice, recommendations, or tips to ensure the problem has been appropriately resolved. While a fellow employee, friend, or family member may be enough in certain situations, professional lawyers, accountants, or other similar professionals may be required in situations that are especially difficult or sensitive. Be sure that when an individual is hired to serve as a third party, he or she is neutral and does not have an alliance with either group.

Each of these suggestions can help you to keep your mind cool when facing a stressful situation. It would be also great to hear what helps you to keep your mind cool – feel free to comment.

How To Live A Happy Life

Are you living a happy life? Do you wake up every morning looking forward to the day ahead and what it has in store? If not then something needs to change. Life is way too short to be miserable, worried and depressed. Life instead is for living. Life is to be enjoyed. Discover the secret and proven formula that will show you the ways of how to live a happy life.
Maintaining a positive disposition is key on how to live a happy life.
No matter what life offers you, good or bad, what you have to remember that there is always a way out of it.

If you have been bombarded with problems recently, just tell compose yourself, breath and look at the positive side of your life. You might be experiencing difficulty in terms of finances, but if you look around you, you still have friends and family who can help you.
It definitely will make the situation lighter and can make your life happier.
Also it’s good to keep reminding yourself of all the blessings you have around you. Showing gratitude and being thankful for everything you have in life will enable you to remain a positive and happy frame of mind
Spreading happiness is essential on how to live a happy life.
If you are in a good situation at the moment, it will get even better if you learn how to spread this happiness to others.
Help other people in every way you can.
It will not only make the people in need happy, but it will definitely make you happy as well.
The people around you, whether you admit it or not, make an impact on your life. To be able to live a happy life, you need to surround your life with happy people as well. If people around you are happy, no matter how heavy your problem may be, they will make it lighter and you definitely feel better.
Lowering expectations will lead you down the road of how to live a happy life
One of the reasons why a person’s life is unhappy is because of too many expectations – too much expectation from the people around them and too much expectation from life. One of the most important keys to a happy life is by keeping your expectations minimal.
Work hard, but never expect too much. Too many expectations can just lead to devastating disappointments. If you live with minimal expectations in people and in life, you will find yourself very appreciative with every little thing that life has given you. It is just in the matter of how you view things and how you accept things. And of course, most importantly, always remember that no matter what it is that you are going through, do not forget to take time to pray for that happiness that you want.

How To Stay Calm And Avoid A Fight

We've all been there. You and your spouse or partner get into a fight over who knows what, or you and your child/teen start fighting over their messy bedroom. Whatever the case, I hope these pointers can help relax an argument, if not prevent it altogether! For purposes of this post, let's say you're fighting with your partner, but of course the advice is applicable to arguments in general, so you can change the words to fit your situation.

1. Don't yell. If the other person has raised his or her voice, your natural response will be to raise yours in return. But don't do it. Instead, force yourself to continue speaking in a calm, well-modulated voice, even when someone is in your face making demands or getting critical. Calm is often contagious, so if you can maintain self-control, chances are your opponent will follow suit.
　　
2. Watch your body language. Tensing muscles is normal when under duress. But become aware of when you start to clench your fists or fold your arms across your chest. Either posture puts you in the position of looking like you're ready to fight, whether verbally or physically. Instead, let your arms hang naturally at your sides. Keep a neutral expression on your face or offer a gentle, empathetic smile on occasion. Maintain casual eye contact to show that you are listening. Face the person directly without turning sideways or interrupting the conversation to speak to someone else, unless it is necessary.

Speak as if there were a small, sleeping baby in the room next to you. You've breathed, you're (slightly) more relaxed, and you've opened your mouth to speak. Now's the time to really break out that imagination of yours and pretend that there's a sleeping baby in the room that you really don't want to wake up. This should keep your voice at a calm, soft range, and, as a bonus, your fighting partner will cool her jets because she won't feel threatened or challenged!

Put your hands in your pockets. It sounds a little strange, but it works. A lot of the energy that comes out when we have fights is conjured up by moving our hands around, pointing fingers, sometimes even raising fists. Putting your hands in your pockets and keeping them there prevents excess energy from going to where it's doing more harm than good.

Speak slowly. This last step might prove a little difficult. When we're angry, we have a tendency to spew out profanities or speeches that really don't get us anywhere, even if what we're saying is true or productive. Remember what your parents used to say about thinking before you speak? Exactly. Talking fast in an argument, even though we often do it without realizing it, can lead to saying something you might regret later.

Keep your voice at a pace you would use if you were talking to the person normally; you can even take it a bit slower, if you want to. Talking slower can also cause you to breathe more, which can take us back to Step One, and can essentially calm us down.

Some of these techniques work best if practiced before stress and conflict arise; they will be more effective and you will respond more quickly. Shifting from the high level “fight or flight” to a calmer,relaxed state will allow you to effectively communicate your thoughts to your partner and listen to his/her ideas.

So now, you have both spent some time apart reflecting on the argument. But first, he did some deep breathing, listened to some sublime music and you took Buddy for an invigorating walk. You both decide to express the honest rationale for your desired choice of vacation. He shares that because of the stress at work, he wants to be in nature and away from people, except you! You agree about the work stress, but want to be by the ocean and don’t want all the work involved with camping. You find a superb little get away with a secluded beach and hiking trails. Ahhh, bliss!

Each Person Is Waiting To Speak His Or Her Mind

If you ask most people what the opposite of talking is, they will say it is listening. The truth, though, is that the opposite of talking is waiting to talk. Pay attention to conversations and you will see that there is very little listening going on. Each person is waiting to speak their mind, nearly heedless of what the other person is really saying.

Learning the art of listening can help you become more successful in business and in your personal life. You can develop deeper friendships, keener professional awareness, and a more meaningful understanding with your partner. You can experience greater fulfillment in your relationships due to conversations holding a deeper meaning.

Learning to listen means learning to actually pay attention to -- to concentrate on -- what other people are saying. Listening to their words as if listening to a favorite song, with your mind focused on what they are saying and what it means. Concentrated listening is also called "active listening" or "deep listening." Deep listening gives greatly increased concentration, enjoyment of music as well as other humans, and -- perhaps most importantly -- a profoundly positive shift in the quality of relationships.

Listening with concentration can be called active listening because we are not just passively allowing speech to enter our ears, but instead are bringing as much of our listening capacity into the act as possible. Our ears become hungry for the words they are listening to, and chew the words as finely as possible before digesting them.

The first step in learning to listen is to learn to be quiet. Make a friend of silence. This can be difficult because nobody wants to be thought of as dull. There is a natural desire to respond quickly, and to be seen as interesting and smart. But if you resist this urge even a little bit, a new thing can begin to happen.

Surveys show that workplace miscommunication has high costs, including lowered productivity, increased turnover, and higher stress. Most people want to be heard but rarely make the effort to listen to others. Effective, thoughtful listening can help avoid troubled communications that lead to such unwanted outcomes as:

Lawsuits and claims: One study found that poor physician/patient communication -- such as miscommunication or the patient not feeling heard by the physician -- showed up frequently in the details of malpractice suits. Another study links increased harassment claims with inappropriate workplace communication.

Low morale: In a time when retaining and recruiting top-notch talent is tough, alienating your employees can be very costly. Studies show that employees choosing to leave a company often include the poor interpersonal skills of a supervisor and/or coworkers among chief complaints.

Lost respect: A key trait of influential people is facility with listening and understanding another's perspective. Interpersonal skills are now high on the list of the abilities that make an individual successful in the workplace.

Misunderstandings: These can turn a discussion into a conflict, or sour a valued relationship. Other repercussions include a high percentage of time lost to personality squabbles, according to several recent studies.

You will actually feel smarter and more concentrated. Your mind is doing one thing at a time: listening when it's time to listen, and responding when it's time to respond. Thinking of your response while trying to listen is juggling, and causes you to lose a lot of brainpower to the juggling overhead. If everything you are saying to each other can be said with no actual reflection, then it's probably not that worth saying anyway.

As you learn to do this, try to listen more deeply while they are speaking. Dedicate the entire time they are speaking to actually hearing their words, not listening to your own mental reaction to them. If you practice this enough, not only will your concentration power begin to get quite strong, but you will have some of the best conversations you've ever had. And others will begin to slow down and listen to you as well.

It's human nature. We want people to listen to us … yet we rarely have the experience of being deeply heard by others. There are so many calls on our attention that, most of the time, we tune each other out in normal conversation. But when we actually listen to others, we can learn a lot. What's more, the people who are speaking perceive our attention as respect and validation.

It Is Possible For Public Speaking To Be Fun And Hugely Satisfying

There are many things you can do to ensure that your verbal messages are understood time and time again.
　　
It is possible for public speaking to be fun and hugely satisfying. Once you'e enjoyed a presentation, or even part of it, your self confidence will get a huge boost and you'll be off and running! Give yourself the best chance by using the exercises and tips on this page. Good luck!

Body language is important. Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand gesture or facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down and reading from a prepared speech. Use audio-visual aids or props for enhancement if appropriate and necessary. Master the use of presentation software such as PowerPoint well before your presentation. Do not over-dazzle your audience with excessive use of animation, sound clips, or gaudy colors which are inappropriate for your topic. Do not torture your audience by putting a lengthy document in tiny print on an overhead and reading it out to them.
　　
Speak with conviction as if you really believe in what you are saying. Persuade your audience effectively. The material you present orally should have the same ingredients as that which are required for a written research paper, i.e. a logical progression from INTRODUCTION (Thesis statement) to BODY (strong supporting arguments, accurate and up-to-date information) to CONCLUSION (re-state thesis, summary, and logical conclusion).
　　
Do not read from notes for any extended length of time although it is quite acceptable to glance at your notes infrequently. Speak loudly and clearly. Sound confident. Do not mumble. If you made an error, correct it, and continue. No need to make excuses or apologize profusely.
　　
Maintain sincere eye contact with your audience. Use the 3-second method, e.g. look straight into the eyes of a person in the audience for 3 seconds at a time. Have direct eye contact with a number of people in the audience, and every now and then glance at the whole audience while speaking. Use your eye contact to make everyone in your audience feel involved.
　　
Speak to your audience, listen to their questions, respond to their reactions, adjust and adapt. If what you have prepared is obviously not getting across to your audience, change your strategy mid-stream if you are well prepared to do so. Remember that communication is the key to a successful presentation. If you are short of time, know what can be safely left out. If you have extra time, know what could be effectively added. Always be prepared for the unexpected.
　　
Pause. Allow yourself and your audience a little time to reflect and think. Don't race through your presentation and leave your audience, as well as yourself, feeling out of breath.

Add humor whenever appropriate and possible. Keep audience interested throughout your entire presentation. Remember that an interesting speech makes time fly, but a boring speech is always too long to endure even if the presentation time is the same.
　　
Preparation is underrated. In fact, it is one of the most important factors in determining your communication successes. When possible, set meeting times and speaking and presentation times well in advance, thus allowing yourself the time you need to prepare your communications, mindful of the entire communication process (source, encoding, channel, decoding, receiver, feedback and context). By paying close attention to each of these stages and preparing accordingly, you ensure your communications will be more effective and better understood.
　　
Of course, not all communications can be scheduled. In this case, preparation may mean hav
　　
Hopefully these tricks will be able to help you as they had helped me in overcoming fear of public speaking.1) Admit nervousnessAll you have to do is admit that you are a bit nervous speaking to your audience. When you do this, the audience will be more forgiving if your nervousness shows up later on. More importantly you will feel more relaxed now that they are not expecting a world-class presentation. Imagine their surprise when you gave them the best presentation ever despite your nervousness.The best way to do this is by joking about it.

Here’s an example of a good one. “On the way here, only God and I knew what I will be presenting. (looking a bit nervous) Now, only God knows.”2) Redefine your audienceRedefine your audience generally means changing how you see your audience. Instead of seeing them as lecturers who are evaluating you, maybe you can convince yourself that they are all fellow students who are in queue to present after you. They are all equally nervous so there is no reason why you should be too.Or perceive them as long lost friends that you haven’t seen for 10 years. This way you can maintain eye contact trying to figure out where you have seen him before. To the audiences, they will see a very friendly and personal presentation.

Do not try to convince yourself that they are babies in diapers or that nobody is around as suggested by some books. It is very hard to convince yourself that no one is around when you are actually speaking to them.3) Invest in visual aidsImagine a presentation with beautiful PowerPoint slides and even more impressive notes given to each of your audiencemembers. Half of the time, their eyes will not be on you. They will read through the notes and your fancy slides. This will help a lot as you can then speak to the people who are not looking at you. When they look at you, you just change your focus to other people who are not looking. Giving a speech to people who are not looking at you is always easier.ing a good, thorough understanding of the office goings-on, enabling you to communicate with the knowledge you need to be effective, both through verbal and written communications.

Introvert Does Not Matter Much In Your Life, Just Be Happy

I wrote this list in late-2008. Around that time, I was lucky enough to discover a book called, The Introvert Advantage (How To Thrive in an Extrovert World), by Marti Laney, Psy.D. It felt like someone had written an encyclopedia entry on a rare race of people to which I belong. Not only had it explained many of my eccentricities, it helped me to redefine my entire life in a new and productive context.
　　
Sure, anyone who knows me would say, “Duh! Why did it take you so long to realize you’re an Introvert?” It’s not that simple. The problem is that labeling someone as an Introvert is a very shallow assessment, full of common misconceptions. It’s more complex than that.
　　
A section of Laney’s book (page 71 through page 75) maps out the human brain and explains how neuro-transmitters follow different dominant paths in the nervous systems of Introverts and Extroverts. If the science behind the book is correct, it turns out that Introverts are people who are over-sensitive to Dopamine, so too much external stimulation overdoses and exhausts them. Conversely, Extroverts can’t get enough Dopamine, and they require Adrenaline for their brains to create it. Extroverts also have a shorter pathway and less blood-flow to the brain. The messages of an Extrovert’s nervous system mostly bypass the Broca’s area in the frontal lobe, which is where a large portion of contemplation takes place.
　　
Undervaluing extroversion. Spending time alone and with people are equally important. If you’re very introverted, you may undervalue the positive role people can play in your life, such as knowledge, friendship, growth, laughter, and so on. The optimal outcome is to strike a balance between the two. You don’t have to give up the introvert activities you enjoy. In fact, when you balance them with more social activities, you’ll probably find them even more satisfying. After several nights of being around people, I really look forward to a night by myself to read, meditate, write, etc. And after lots of time alone or with my family, I’m itching to go out and be around other people.
　　
Underdeveloped social skills. Social skills can be learned like any other skill set. One reason introverts shy away from social activities is that they don’t feel comfortable because they don’t know what to do, especially if the unexpected were to occur. Being able to start up a conversation with a stranger AND feel completely comfortable doing it is a learnable skill. The more you do it, the better you get at it. Embrace the fact that you’re a beginner, and don’t compare yourself to others.
　　
Envisioning yourself as the wrong kind of extrovert. If you find the extroverted people around you shallow and perhaps even annoying, why would you want to be more like them? You wouldn’t. When I was a kid, I really didn’t want to be more like the extroverts I knew. Even as an adult, my vision of an extrovert was an in-your-face salesperson who only wanted to build a shallow relationship with you so they could sell you something. It seemed very fake and phony to me. And of course that vision prevented me from ever wanting to be like that. But you needn’t choose such a limited vision for yourself — you’re free to form your own vision of a positive way to be more extroverted.
　　
Hanging out with the wrong people. Why would you want to spend more time with people you don’t like? If becoming more extroverted means spending more time with people you’d rather avoid, you’ll have no motivation to do it. Again, you’re free to break this pattern and form a social group that you’d love to be a part of.
　　
Overvaluing online socializing. Online socializing has its place in your life, but it’s a pale shadow compared to face-to-face, belly-to-belly communication. Voice and body language can communicate a lot more than text, and emotional bonds are easier and faster to establish in person. I feel much closer to the local friends I’ve known for only a few months than I do to the people I’ve known online for years but never met in person. It’s just not as fun going out to dinner with a laptop. You don’t have to do away with online socializing, but don’t allow it to crowd out meeting people locally. If you do that, you’ll only cause your interpersonal skills to lag further behind.
　　
If you have some of these blocks and want to get past them, the first step is to acknowledge them and consider how they’re holding you back. Then begin to work on them just as you would any other challenge in your life. Focus your intentions, set goals, make plans, and start taking action. It may be awkward and clumsy at first, but just accept that, and get moving anyway.
　　
Assert yourself as a legitimate personality type.
　　
There are two legitimate personality types: extroverts and introverts.2. Correct people when they refer to introverts as neurotics.
　　
Introverts are not neurotics. They are introverts.3. Correct people when they refer to introverts as prone to mental illness.
　　
Introverts are no more prone to mental illness than others. When extroverts are under stress, they overeat, smoke, drink and become violent. When introverts are under stress, they withdraw. This does not make them mentally ill.4. Correct people when they assert that introverts are anti-social.
　　
Introverts are not anti-social. They are drained by other people and must limit their time in company, but they are friendly and loving people.5. Correct people when they assert that introverts have nothing to say.
　　
On the contrary, introverts won’t speak unless they have something important to say! Put a proper value on your ability to be a good listener.
　　
Good listening skills are invaluable in all areas of business and industry.7. Do not apologize for time spent alone.
　　
Explain to critical “others” that introverts need to spend at least half their time alone for good mental and emotional health. Then assert, if necessary, that introverts are a legitimate personality type.8. Introverts are not losers.
　　
Take pride that you are in the company of such introverts, past and present, as Albert Einstein, Steven Spielberg, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles Darwin, Mahatma Gandhi, Michael Jordan and Bruce Lee.9. Stand up for introverted children who are being misunderstood in your presence.
　　
This is one of the most healing things you can possibly do for yourself as it will heal your own inner child.10. Don’t let pushy extroverts interrupt you while you’re reading a good book.
　　
Explain politely that you can’t talk right now, you’re reading a book.

Dozens Of Skills Are An Essential Part Of The Art Of Public Speaking

Public speaking is somewhat of an art that has to be practiced before it can be fully mastered. Even some of the best public speakers in the world still can find improvements that need to be made with regard to this ability.

Maybe you are just starting out in the area of public speaking or you've been doing it for a while, you can get better and overcome fears as well.

Most public speaking is in the form of some sort of presentation that needs to be related to an audience of people. It starts with an introduction, the discussion, and then a conclusion. It can even be timed.
For instance you may be called to give a 10-30 minute discussion on a topic. How well you are able to explain yourself and the material can mean the difference between more clients or even a promotion.

If you want to master public speaking, then you need master the public speaking skills. There are dozens of skills required in a talk. These skills are an essential part of the art of public speaking and are especially important in persuasive speaking. How do you measure up in just 10 of the skills?

In the following you will find the skills and a brief explanation of what the skill is or requires.

Informative to the Audience
To be informative to the audience it needs the all important 'what's in it for me' factor. It also needs to go beyond just facts and figures. The information needs to be massaged in a way the audience can use it.

Know the Make Up of Your Audience
Seemingly obvious, this is often overlooked. For instance, you would think that you will speak to doctors differently than people without a health care background. However with all the information overload doctors deal with, most want the common version, the one they will share with their patients. Know how the audience will best receive the material you deliver.

Introductions that Capture Attention
The introduction is the key that unlocks the door of the mind so that what you say might be listened to. It is essential that the words used and the way they are used are effective in capturing the attention of the listener. Although this may seem one of the more basic speaker skills, it is in reality one of the most important.

Accurate Pronunciation
Imagine listening to a great speaker who constantly mispronounces words. Will you wonder if it is because he did not know. If he did not know, then how credible is everything else he has to say.

Words Clearly Spoken
Like pronunciation, clarity is essential. Whach-y-all-do-in (what's you all doing) may be acceptable when we are with friends, but when speaking into a microphone, it can be annoying to the audience. A lack of clarity can result in sound that you would not want to use in public. Even worse, slurred words are the sign and symptom of a stroke. Someone may call 911 not only to rescue the audience, but mistakenly (as far as the stroke is concerned) to rescue you.

This is one of the public speaking skills we may take for granted but also may get us in trouble.

Fluency
Fluency refers to the flow of your thoughts. The speech that is fluent sounds like a harmonious whole rather than several small and fragmented pieces of thought tightly tucked together.

Avoiding Word Whiskers
In addition to the common word whiskers, and uh, and uh and uh would be the venerable, 'and now.' Or sometimes just plain 'now.' Speaking in Spanish a common word whisker is 'therefor.' There are many other word whiskers, 'you know.' Using them once can in some instances be acceptable. Using them over and over is distracting and annoying to the listener, uh, and now you know.

Pausing
Pausing can be for emphasis or for effect. It is a speaker skill that is often underused. Pause mid sentence to emphasize a particular word or part of the thought. Pause before making a bold statement or to emphasize the statement. Pause no less than one second and not much longer than three. This is one of the more difficult of the speaker skills to master and be natural.

Sense stress
Putting the right stress on the right words or right part of the section of a talk is an art that needs practice. Inexperienced speakers will be found giving sense stress to more than one part of a sentence or in more than one part of a thought being shared.

Enthusiastic Presentation
Did you know there are two kinds of smiles. One is a put on or Pan Am Smile and the other is a real smile. Enthusiasm can be just like the smile. It can sound put on or it can sound real. Learning how to master the real is essential for great speaking. Mastering this along with other speaker skills will make a talk come alive.
These are only overviews of 10 of the many speaker skills. To master public speaking means to master the public speaker skills. The ultimate practice will come in front of an audience. Learn them, practice them and once proficient, you will have attained speech mastery.

Techniques For Improving Your English Speaking Skills

Do you want to improve your English speaking skills? Many people say that after certain age, it's just impossible to improve pronunciation of your second language. They are wrong. If you can learn how to swim or play the piano, you can also learn a new accent! Try methods listed below and I'm sure your pronunciation will greatly improve in the course of time. These methods are for people who like learning while having fun.

My first piece of advice is to stop trying to sound like a native speaker. Instead, try to speak clearly and concisely. People living in different parts of the world speak English in their own style and that is perfectly acceptable. It is estimated that over a billion people speak English as a second language. Only a few among them manage to speak English like native speakers do. On the flip side, there are only around 380 million native speakers out there. That means you are in the majority.

If you are not skilled at speaking English, then the course might be for you. The ability to speak English well helps you function well so that you can correspond well with the international transactions.

Techniques for Improving your English Speaking Skills

Get into an English Speaking Course: English learning courses are offered these days through distance learning, although the best course is one that is conducted in the classroom. There are various kinds of courses that are available for enhancing your English speaking skills. Check with a local service provider or a local library, conducting an online search or contacting the local school district. A lot of organizations offer ESL courses which offer training in English as a Second Language. With the help of the classroom environment, you can obtain personal support from qualified instructors. It also acts as an offer to help you regularly attend and progress with your skills.

Do your Homework: You can hone your skills by going for perfection. This is true especially if you are trying to learn a new language. If you have been given an assignment, try and complete it within the time limit that is given. Check out the supplementary learning equipment that is available in the library. Your learning tools for improving English speaking skills would be the dictionary that translates the words in your native language into English.

Interaction is Important: Get in touch with people who are fluent in English or speak the language in their homes. You can start speaking the language at home or even in your daily interactions. Feedback and repetition will be of immense help and reinforce all that you have learned in the classroom.

Speak in Public: Speaking the language in public offers better chances of improving your English speaking skills. One of the most important components of learning to speak English fluently is to be able to speak the language in public. It is important for you to speak to the interviewer or a group of interviewers under stressful circumstances. Remember, you should maintain eye contact, speak without interruptions and use flashcards.

Experiment with your English Knowledge: You can improve your English speaking abilities by communicating effectively and easily. Practice wherever you can and whenever you can. Any kind of practice is good for improving your English speaking skills. It does not matter if you are speaking with a native English speaker or someone who has acquired the language. All you need to do is use the knowledge you have acquired. Use a simple structure for the sentences and make sure you are aware if the structure is correct. This will help you concentrate on getting the message across.

Respond to What People are Telling You: Try responding to what the people have to tell you. In case you cannot make out what they are saying, try assessing their body language. Respond in a natural way.

Fill in the Conversation Once you Slip: While carrying out a conversation, it is best to use as many new words as possible. In case you forget a word, you should do what the native English speakers keep doing and fill up the conversation. This is a lot better than staying mum. In case you forget the word, use fillers like umm, eer etc.

Do not Be a Fast Speaker: If you seriously want to improve your English speaking skills, don't rush with what you have to say. This is why you should use a natural rhythm in your speech and at the same time the listener should grab and understand what you are trying to say.

Relaxation is the Key: Your mouth does most of the pronunciation and if you are speaking the language at normal speed, you will discover that a lot of your pronunciation skills like the ability to link the words in between happen automatically.

You can improve your English speaking skills without getting involved in expensive courses. It is important to immerse yourself within the language. Start conversing in the language with those who are fluent and proficient. Watch programs where English is spoken at usual speed like the news and other discussions. You could even listen to the radio and follow the tips that we have provided above. These are easy to follow and practice. Remember, if you speak the language and feel its sounds, it will naturally come to you.

Effective Method To Improve Your Spanish Speaking Skills

For many students studying Spanish, the ultimate way to test their speaking skills is to become immersed in a culture where it is the primary language. These days, student travel groups may be less inclined to visit Mexico, due to news of attacks on American citizens traveling there. Europe may be overpriced for smaller school trip budgets. Puerto Rico is a great alternative to other destinations. Best of all - no passport is needed, since it is a U.S. Territory.

If the school group leader requests it - this tour is done completely in Spanish. Students are challenged to speak Spanish while they travel. Student travelers will eat locally made Puerto Rican food, learn Salsa dancing from locals, play dominoes and briscas, dine and converse with local guides and residents and swim and lodge where locals enjoy the beach. Student travel groups will tour San Juan and Ponce, two of the largest cities in Puerto Rico, and also have the opportunity to explore rural areas, like the pristine beaches of Boquerón and Luquillo, the fishing village La Parguera, and El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the United States.

One of the best ways to improve one's speaking skills in any language is to listen to the native speakers. However, listening alone won't make you a great speaker. If you are looking for an effective method to improve your Spanish speaking skills, you should not only listen to native speakers, but also imitate them. What are the best methods to do it? Here are three of them!

1. Podcasts
There are dozens of podcasts online, just Google "Spanish podcasts". You can learn a lot from all of them. However, if you want to improve your speaking skills, you should look for the conversational ones. Try to find a podcast with a transcription, because it's better to improve speaking skills if you can follow the speaker while reading transcription. You can find a lot of podcasts on iTunes. Make sure that the podcast isn't too difficult for you since it's not effective to listen to something which you can't understand.

2. Lingus.tv
Lingus.tv is a web TV which is devoted to teaching Spanish in a very fun way - by sitcoms. These sitcoms last a few minutes, have a transcription, subtitles, there's a translation and grammar notes. Thanks to this, improving your Spanish is very easy - read a transcription and try to imitate native speakers' pronunciation. If you don't understand something, check the translation. You can improve your accent as well as vocabulary. These videos have three levels of difficulty - beginner, intermediate and advanced so you should find something suitable for you no matter how long have you been learning Spanish.

3. Audiobooks
Buy a regular book and an audiobook with a native Spanish speaker. Firstly, listen to a passage pronounced by a native Spanish speaker, then turn on your microphone and read the same passage aloud. Listen to your pronunciation and compare it to speaker's one. Repeat this process at least a few times to make your pronunciation as close to native speaker's as possible. Then, do the same for the next passage and the next one and so on. You can find a lot of books and audiobooks in Spanish on Amazon or eBay. Maybe your local library have some Spanish books?

Don't be discouraged if progress is slow. You can't improve your Spanish speaking skills overnight. Try methods listed above and I'm sure that after some time you will be speaking a lot better than you do now. Be determined and practice regularly. Good luck!

  

Tips For Effective Public Speaking To Develop Your Skills Right Away

While a picture may be worth a thousand words, those words will no doubt come in handy if the picture is distorted or poorly understood. After all, the best way to communicate is through speech.

The four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing are all interconnected. Proficiency in each skill is necessary to become a well-rounded communicator, but the ability to speak skillfully provides the speaker with several distinct advantages. The capacity to put words together in a meaningful way to reflect thoughts, opinions, and feelings provides the speaker with these important advantages.

Nothing is worse than standing on stage, your palms sweating, your throat tightening, tension gripping every fiber of your being while the eyes of every person in the room are locked on you. Though some people say that, with practice, public speaking gets easier, that really isn't the case. For most people, the fear and anxiety get worse every time they do it. So simple "practice" isn't enough, if you aren't correcting the other things in your preparation and execution to combat your anxieties. Here are 10 tips for effective public speaking to develop your skills right away.

#1 - KNOW THE MATERIAL: Preparation is the key to mastering public speaking. Don't settle for a few 3x5 note cards, and think that you'll do the actual phrasing on the fly. You will get flustered, your brain will lock up, and you will crash and burn. Try writing out your entire speech or presentation completely and tinker with it to get down the precise phrasing you want, and use this speech to cull a set of useful notes. Bring along a copy of the entire speech if you feel you need it, but remember to know your material thoroughly.

#2 - REHEARSE: Practice your entire speech from beginning to end several times, and include all visual aides or technical supplements you will be using (PowerPoint, slide show, video projector, etc.). By doing this, you will eliminate glitches and find places that need revision. Preparation is an essential public speaking skill to develop.

#3 - MINGLE FIRST: Try to get to know the audience before the speech, if there is any kind of mixer or reception beforehand. It's much easier to speak once you've generated some good will.

#4 - WALK-THROUGH: Get a feel for the auditorium or room where you will be speaking, examine the equipment, stand at the dais and get a feel for all of it.

#5 - RELAX: This tip may seem impossible, but it is absolutely vital to effective public speaking. Through concerted effort, try to channel your nervous energy into the speech.

#6 - IMAGINE SUCCESS: Visualize in your head beforehand what a successful speech will look like, and imagine yourself giving it.

#7 - THE AUDIENCE IS YOUR ALLY: Remember that the audience wants you to succeed. Nothing hits the gut more than watching a public speaker crash and burn, so know that the audience is rooting for you.

#8 - NO APOLOGIES: Begging forgiveness from the audience only draws attention to your failure, and chances are they didn't notice a wrong word choice or quick verbal stumble, so don't feel the need to say sorry.

#9 - FOCUS: A great public speaker is one who delivers the message with little attention drawn to himself. Focus on what you wish to present.

#10 - WATCH THE MASTERS: Try to find great speeches and addresses by great speakers and watch how they do it. Take notes. This is such a great public speaking tip.

Math Hard To Learn But Determined To Conquer

A difficult with math and numbers can be  described as dyscalculia. Dyscalculia is the name given to the learning disability in math. For a lot of children math will always be considered the toughest subject in school. Just the thought of having to remember everything the teacher tells them, all the math signs and processes is hard. And it does not get any easier as your child ages either. If you want your child to start doing better in class then it is time you help them better understand math. So why is math hard to learn
Mathematics is Abstract:
Mathematics is abstract. It does not have a shape. Children cannot see it. They need to visualize properly for solving a mathematical problem. Visualization comes from the everyday experience and relating mathematics with it requires a very strong trainer.
Present Teaching System:
Another major contributor to the difficulty of mathematics is lack of innovation in conventional system of teaching. The conventional system of teaching makes mathematics a dud and boring subject. Students are unable to visualize the concept taught by the teacher. Therefore, their interest level goes down. Hence they start developing a disassociation with the subject. If this disassociation continues for a longer period of time child starts hating mathematics.
This phenomenon of Math fear is growing everyday and now Central board has also recognized this problem. Through their circular they have asked the schools to create an environment where child takes interest in Mathematics.
Problem in converting word problems into mathematical equations:
Converting word problems into mathematical equation requires good understanding of the language and math fundamentals. Fundamentals are still taught in old-fashioned way in the school. Teachers teach fundamental without much of illustration therefore, students are not able to visualize the problem when they face it. They try to learn mathematics much like other subjects where they memorize facts and figures. Mathematics wants a thorough and good understanding.
Poor Command over Tables:
I interact with thousands of children every month. To my dismay I find that a good number of students show poor command over the tables. A few of them have gone to the higher classes say IX and X and still they rely on finger counting. When faced with multiplication like 18 × 7 they follow the complete multiplication steps to get the answer. Due to this Calculation takes more time and even a simple mathematics paper seems difficult to the students.
Here the question arises why do students have poor command over the tables? As far as my understanding goes we are moving towards Public School led education system and as we are anglicizing our education system more and more students are suffering from this syndrome. They have poor command over the tables because tables are not taught in mother tongue.
No system of Logic Development:
Our education system works on rote methodology. It tests you for how much you can cram before the examination day and vomit on the examination day. Mathematics does not work that way. It works on logic. In response to my question posted in a discussion group "Why did you fear Mathematics?" POOJA BHATNAGAR wrote: I dreaded mathematics! Would you believe if I told you that I actually got fever the night before my 10th boards maths exam !! I still managed a decent 83% though but the fear of maths........ Till date the numbers get mixed up in my mind! The fear actually came in pretty late, when we started handling the more complex calculations. Log tables never were any friendly to me. And assuming alphabets to be numbers again confused me to no end.
Poor Trainers:
Most of the time I find that the person teaching mathematics does not enjoy mathematics himself. If a math teacher does not enjoy mathematics then how can he create enjoyment for students?
Take the example of Dhyuti. She is a student of class-1. She is average in mathematics. Her mother was fed up with math teacher's remark on Dhyuti's notebook. She did not know how to improve her daughter's mathematics. One day she went to meet Dhyuti's Math teacher. During the discussion the math teacher revealed that she is a History graduate entrusted with the responsibility of teaching mathematics. She does not like teaching mathematics.
Effectively, in Dhyuti's class children developed a strong dislike for mathematics. Children are pure at their heart. Everything around them affects them. Be it dislike to mathematics shown by parents or teachers.
Calculation Takes Long time:
Samrana (Name changed) a class VI student from Gurgaon narrates his stories. He says that he is never able to understand mathematical concepts. He fears mathematics because of calculation. He hates numbers. It takes him a lot of time to add two numbers. He fears multiplication and division. He finds mathematics boring. It does not excite his imagination. But he enjoys games. He hopes against hope that one day his math learning would be full of fun.
Do not let dyscalculia haunt your child for the rest of their life. If you do not do something about it soon it will stick with them forever. So help your child get over their fear of math today. They will thank you in the future for helping them better understand how math works and how fun it is to solve a equation out

Effective Tips For Online Distance Learning

Online distance learning is gaining in popularity as the education method of choice for many students. However, it is still not as common as education obtained through traditional methods. There are several myths that are associated with obtaining an distance learning education. One of these myths is that online education schools are not as good as traditional schools. Online distance learning education can be as equivalently good as education obtained from a traditional school. The important thing to do is select the right online learning program. There are lots of quality programs that allow students to interact with specialist teachers and professors and learn through high-quality software.

Another common myth is that employers reject degrees from online distance education institutions. This is true for fake schools; however, there are plenty of accredited schools that offer online distance learning education opportunities and education from these accredited schools are accepted by employers. Many traditional colleges that have a distance learning program, and any certification awarded upon completion of such a program will not indicate that the courses were completed online.

Online distance learning education showed much progress in the recent decades. Aside from rapidly increasing online educational institutions, more and more traditional colleges and universities are offering programs to cater to the growing number of students who have realized the convenience, affordability and effectiveness of learning. If you think this method suits you well, there are things to consider before signing up for online learning programs.

First of all, choose an online course appropriately. Determine your goals and how a specific course would help you achieve those objectives. For instance, you could be employed and simply want a refresher course to brush up on the latest in the industry. In that case, a certificate course will suffice. For fresh high school graduates, advanced online learning programs are recommended for in-depth learning.

Keep in mind that the success of your education also depends on your fascination on the subject so make sure you will enroll in a course that you are genuinely interested in. Motivation is an important factor in any online distance learning endeavour since online distance learning programs offer so much flexibility that can easily lead to procrastination. A good tip to stay motivated is to set a study schedule and stick to it.

Having a dedicated study area also helps in learning education. It should be well-lighted with enough space for your computer and study materials. Use a chair you could comfortably sit on for hours. The area should also be away from distractions like television and food. Avoid doing household chores while studying so you can fully concentrate and complete your education on time.

Lastly, get support from instructors, classmates or even friends who share the same interest or are experts in the field. Although it is an education set-up, there is no need to study alone all the time. Make use of social media sites, forums and other venues where you could meet people who share the same interests and goals. In synchronous programs, you can meet and share with people who are taking the same course.

Lastly, get support from instructors, classmates or even friends who share the same interest or are experts in the field. Although it is an education set-up, there is no need to study alone all the time. Make use of social media sites, forums and other venues where you could meet people who share the same interests and goals. In synchronous learning programs, you can meet and share with people who are taking the same course.

In addition, the popularity of distance learning education has made it easy for students to locate a program that has been accredited by the professional industry association. This means, students can expect quality education from distance learning programs. It is not a far-fetched idea that online distance education is the future of learning.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Distance Learning

Distance learning is where a person can study without attending classes or lectures, while working or doing some other course. It is also a good alternative for housewives who are not able to enroll into courses because they have to take care of young children. Earlier, distance learning was not considered to be so valuable, however, there are many companies and employers who are appreciating the employees who are studying through distance learning while working. In distance education courses, you would be provided with study material and also would have to submit assignments on time. These assignments would be assessed by professors who would send you feedback. However, if you are planning to enroll into distance learning, you need to know about some of the distance learning pros and cons.

Advantages of Distance Learning

• Usually, while doing a course directly from college, you have to do a lot of traveling everyday from your home to the college. However, if you opt for distance learning, the main advantage would be that you will save the traveling time. In this way, you will find more time to do your other personal or professional work and then devote time to studies. Also, as you would not have to travel, you would not have to spend money on traveling expenses.
• One of the pros of distance learning is that you can study at your own convenience. If you are in a regular course, you would have to follow a fixed time to attend classes, whereas, while doing a course through distance learning, one can study as per one's convenience. There would be assignments which one would have to complete and submit. You can scheduled your study time according to your convenience.
• Another major advantage of distance learning is that you can do any course from anywhere in the world. Most online education courses allow people from different countries and states to make avail of their courses. So, even if you live in California, you can join a course offered by some institution in New York through distance learning.
• One thing about distance education is that you would not have to face major competition from fellow students. If you are a slow learner, distance learning would be perfect for you. As distance learning promotes self-paced learning, you can take your own time to learn and complete the course.
• Distance learning is good for elder people who may not feel comfortable about attending classes with people younger than them. Disabled people who cannot move around on their own without help can also complete their education through distance learning.

Disadvantages of Distance Learning
Like every good thing, even distance learning has some disadvantages that can make it seem a little inconvenient for people.

• One major disadvantage of distance learning is that it can prove to be quite expensive. You have to buy a computer and would also need an Internet connection if you want to pursue a course through distance learning.
• In distance learning, one would not get immediate feedback from professors, like in the traditional classroom setting. The other disadvantage would be that one may not get problems and queries solved immediately by professors, as in a classroom. This can act as a hindrance in one's learning.
• One of the cons of distance learning is that not all courses are available online. Theoretical subjects like history, literature, etc., where one has to read and understand can be done through distance learning, but subjects that involve practical work like science subjects, nursing, etc., cannot be done sitting at home through the Internet.
• Though distance education gives all the facilities, you may miss interacting with professors and classmates. It also does not help in enhancing one's oral communication skills, whereas in a classroom setting, one would have to get involved in group discussions and debates about various issues.
• Many students are not able to complete their courses successfully because distance learning requires self-discipline. Here, there would be no one to push you to study and ask you to complete your assignments. You have to plan your day as per your studies and make an effort to complete your tasks on time. One has to learn to study by themselves, without any supervision.

These are some of the distance learning advantages and disadvantages. Before making a decision, it is important to weigh the distance learning pros and cons. Though distance learning can be termed as a useful and convenient way to gain knowledge and to higher one's qualification, whether it would benefit you would entirely depend upon your personality and attitude.

Effective Ways To Improve Oral Communication Skills

Scientifically, effective communication is described as a two-way process where the information or idea expressed by the speaker is well received by the listener. However, we often find that people mumble and jumble when it comes to conversation. One of the major reasons for this is because of the difference in written and spoken language. Secondly, if that language is not our mother tongue, we have difficulty in speaking in it, due to lack of confidence. If you too are stuck in a similar situation, and wish to know how to improve oral communication skills, then here is a guide to it which will be helpful to you.

One of the basic principles you need to keep in mind is, the more you are into the language, more proficient you will be in it. Reading, listening, speaking it all the time is the best way in learning the language fluently and improving your communication skills. Now, if you are fluent in writing the language, try to gain confidence for speaking it. Here are a few simple yet most efficient rules that will help you know how to improve oral communication skills in English:

Read
Reading is undoubtedly the best way of improving your vocabulary, and keeping in touch with the language. Reading aloud will help in improving accent and pronunciation of words. Talking of accent, you should remember to develop and use only one accent and not mix up. For e.g., learn the British or American accent and always speak in the similar one. Secondly, if you come across new words and phrases, look for their meanings and usage in a sentence. Now memorize these words and try to use them while speaking. This will not only make your language rich, but will also create a good impression on the listeners.

Listen
You need to listen to native speakers in order to improve your pronunciation and accent. If English is not your mother tongue, you should try to listen to the way English speakers speak. You can even watch English language movies, or listen to songs (without the captions) and try to follow it. Mark the different words and try to pronounce them like the native speakers pronounce. Write down the sentences and try to speak them just like you hear them. There are also several voice and accent software available in the market which can be useful.

Speak
Now lastly, the most important method is to actually speak. Try to find a native speaker with whom you can practice. Try to communicate in English with the person, even if you make grammatical errors. Do not hesitate if the person points out your faults; you should remember that practice makes a man perfect. Conversing on a daily basis will also improve your confidence. If speaking with a native speaker is not possible, you can form groups with people trying to improve their oral communication, take a topic and speak on it. Doing this every day will boost your confidence and also enrich your language skills.

Following these simple methods on how to improve oral communication skills will surely boost your confidence and help you to converse effortlessly. So, motivate yourself and get going, you will definitely succeed! Good luck!

Learning Spanish Language Is A Rewarding Experience

Learning a new language is a stimulating and rewarding experience. A language course is not only beneficial because of learning of language but it also introduces one to the new people, histories and cultures. These can be the history of a country, culture and much more. ESL languages partner schools are dedicated to providing an excellent study experience for learners of over 20 languages. Spanish is among the languages that hold great demand in the professional field. Spanish schools in Spain offer a superb array of these courses.

Spanish is fast becoming the second most spoken language in the world after English and that is enough reason to learn Spanish!

As Spanish takes over the popular trend, more and more people are taking to learn the language. A new language broadens your horizon and opens new doors to opportunities that one language might not be able to do in this bilingual globalized world.

Learning Spanish language can be done at any age, whether you are a kid, a teenager, a working person or a home-maker. The earlier you start the better, but learning Spanish language doesn't put a bar on any age. As a kid, you can afford to grasp an in-depth knowledge of the language and excel in it with time. As a teenager, it is the best thing that can help you make a niche position in your social or academic group. You are open to millions of job opportunities and exchange programs for better exposure. If you are already working, a new language can add a lot of credentials to your resume. It can make you reach new heights in your career and even fetch you a position in another part of the country that is if you are fond of travelling and exploring. A person who is at home can make good use of learning Spanish language as they can utilize their time better and even encourage their children to take up the language.

Learning Spanish language has also been proven to be medically beneficial as it keeps you safe from developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Learning Spanish language can enhance mental capabilities and improve critical thinking skills and creativity.

There are large numbers of places where one can study but Enforex of Alicante is among the top schools. With all modern facilities and a gorgeous Mediterranean style building it ensures the best learning experience. It is situated in the heart of the city which is at very short distance from the beach and thus it enjoys a stunning location. Computer rooms with free internet and other entertainment amenities help students learn in style. The intense but enjoyable way of teaching Spanish courses in Alicante makes the study more interesting. The school also provides first-class accommodation facilities for students.

Today Spanish language courses are not only restricted to Spain. There are number of other countries where one can study the language. Costa Rica is the city of beaches and coasts which is why most people wish to visit this place. ESL languages partner school in Costa Rica provides a wonderful chance to go on a tour of this gorgeous country along with the study. There are number of alternatives for places to take Spanish courses in Costa Rica.

Babylon Idiomas located in Buenos Aires of Argentina is one of the most respected schools providing a supportive learning atmosphere with several modern facilities. Enjoy free internet assessment, bright and comfortable classrooms and especially numerous places nearby to hang out with friends. The school provides accommodation for students without any arrangement.

The rooms are well-furnished and are equipped with all basic requisites. It is the experience to stay in a multicultural but friendly environment. The choices for accommodation in this Spanish school in Argentina are numerous and one is studio apartment located at just thirty minutes distance from the school. It is an excellent choice for those who prefer staying independently. Host family apartments are one of the unique initiatives by the ESL languages partner school. This amazing option allows staying with local families and knowing a great deal about their culture.

It is a wonderful feeling to stay in a homely environment that one usually misses outside the town. Cuba is a beautiful island that shows a beautiful picture of Caribbean culture. Spanish schools in Cuba offer a brilliant collection of courses for every level. Choose any place to join this course study, ESL languages partner school promises to provide a memorable experience.