Do you know why most of us do not succeed in most of what we try to do? Is it lack of effort? A plan gone awry even with the best intentions, perhaps? Well, maybe. But know this, the main reason why we fail is because of our lack of BELIEVING in ourselves. We essentially hold ourselves back. What's holding us back? Fear and lack of self-esteem.
Look at yourself at the mirror and speak out loud of what you see. Do you really see yourself or a shadow of what you aspire to be? You are unique and special because there is no other like yourself. That can be good and bad you say but that is the plain old truth of it all. You lack the will and determination of pushing through your aspirations and endeavors for fear of two things, actually; failing and rejection. What do the most successful individuals in their respective fields have in common? They have failed so many times. They saw their failures as stepping stones or learning curves and they were not afraid to fail nor did they remain fallen for long.
Be proud of who you are. DO NOT MEASURE YOURSELF BY SOMEBODY ELSE'S STANDARDS. As long as you are happy the way you are there is absolutely no reason for you to change for anybody. Remember that acceptance is the first step to loving so if you feel that you don't exactly 'fit in', it's because you haven't yet met the crowd where you belong. Don't get me wrong here. Individuality has nothing to do with it. It's just that most people feel they need to belong to the 'in crowd' in order to be somebody and that is absolutely B.S. The only standards you need to live by are your own. Let me repeat that in case you haven't really absorbed what I just said; THE ONLY STANDARDS YOU NEED TO LIVE BY ARE YOUR OWN.
Well, as usual, here are some tips on overcoming low self-esteem;
1. Socialize more. When you have reached your level of comfort zone in interacting with other people you will eventually overcome your weaknesses.
2. Dress to impress but do not overdress. Don't look like you just got out of the sofa when you go out. Look the part and you will get noticed.
3. Maintain collectiveness and reservations in social gatherings. Don't talk too much or you'll be labeled as the 'insecure' one and are desperately vying for anyone and everyone's attention.
4. Speak with confidence. Don't mumble or stutter either. Choose your words carefully and speak plainly.
5. Learn to control your fears. There is no harm in trying. the greatest damage is knowing you can do it but really never had the guts to even begin. Don't let your apprehension hold you back. The world is out there and you need to be a part of it.
6. Give yourself enough credit. Commend yourself on deeds well done. Boosting your self- confidence will elevate your self-esteem.
7. Learn to relax. Nothing is as hard as what you make it out to be. It's all in your head. Think power thoughts and positive thoughts and positive energy will flow through you.
8. Stay away from negative people. Negativity only breeds negativity.
9. Do not stereotype other people because unknowingly you are simply comparing them to yourself.
10. Lastly, smile often. happy people are contented people. Set your goals and aim high but know this- sometimes in order to succeed you need to fall a couple of times. It's just life.
Well, I hope this helped you guys. I was once insecure and had a low self-esteem. If only I could only lock myself from the world. Boy was I wrong. Totally wrong. you don't want to spend the rest of your life running down through your "if only..." list, now do you? Until our next post. You guys take care.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
How to Increase your Memory
As we age our memory, or more precisely our ability to memorize, declines. Aging neurons are not replaced and therefore our capacity to memorize, recall, and even recognize somewhat diminishes. This is a natural physiologic process and is part and parcel of growing old. There are, however, degenerative diseases which does affect memory but these are pathological conditions and they can occur at any age. Before we begin our post on how to increase or improve our memory power let's make a clear concept of what memory is and the types of memory ( what, you didn't know there are several types of memory?)
Ever lost sleep trying to recall the name of somebody you ran into at the local supermarket? You know it's at the tip of your tongue you just can't remember who that person was. You RECOGNIZE her but can't RECALL her name. This case scenario happens to everybody and it's nothing new. Well there are essentially several types of memory but are categorized into two groups; that of short term memory, and that of long term memory. Long term memory can be further divided into explicit, implicit, and autobiographical memories. Let' just say, to make things simple, that short term memory is your "working" memory. It's what you remember on a day to day basis. It allows you to function with familiarity and continuity. Long term memory, on the other hand, is STORED memory and are often more complex than short term memory in that they involve more detail and are stored in different memory systems. Short term memory does not have this ability to be stored so if you stopped doing something for a while you will probably forget how to do it next time around. However, if you've been playing baseball all your life, you'll never forget how to play it. See the difference.
But enough of the medical lingo now and let's get to HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR MEMORY OR ABILITY TO MEMORIZE. The brain, being an organ in and of itself also needs "EXERCISE" You have to get into the habit of trying to recall things in order to work your memory. You can also do mental exercises like a crossword puzzle, perhaps, which hones your ability to think for sustained periods as well as increase your span of ATTENTION. The first step to increasing your memory is to INCREASE YOUR ATTENTIVENESS. Most of us go through a day without even paying much attention to the little moments and details which comprise our day. We simply want to hurry things along to get them over with. Sometimes completion is more important than procedures for us.
The next is perhaps the most obvious and the most overlooked; and that is optimal health. Your brain consumes a lot of what you take in and if you eat poorly or excessively ( both ends of the spectrum), your mental state of mind also suffers.
Eat to sustain your body ONLY. Eat right, exercise frequently, and eradicate any vices you might have. Foods high in iron, minerals such as folic acid, and B-vitamins increase brain power. Lack of sleep, alcohol, smoking, and fatigue decreases it.
As I mentioned earlier, try to do mental exercises. Do the crossword puzzle on your morning paper. This allows you to exercise rote memory as well as retrieval from your long term memory stores. Another exercise you can certainly do is be an avid reader. Be wide read but not bookish ( if you know what I mean). You don't want to be called a bookworm now do you?
Increasing your ability to memorize names, things, places, concepts, and even detailed information like numbers comes with continual practice. You can associate things with other familiar objects to make memorizing them easier. You can also make a song out of a slew of information. Anything silly will be memorable so keep that in mind. Until our next post, you guys take care.
Ever lost sleep trying to recall the name of somebody you ran into at the local supermarket? You know it's at the tip of your tongue you just can't remember who that person was. You RECOGNIZE her but can't RECALL her name. This case scenario happens to everybody and it's nothing new. Well there are essentially several types of memory but are categorized into two groups; that of short term memory, and that of long term memory. Long term memory can be further divided into explicit, implicit, and autobiographical memories. Let' just say, to make things simple, that short term memory is your "working" memory. It's what you remember on a day to day basis. It allows you to function with familiarity and continuity. Long term memory, on the other hand, is STORED memory and are often more complex than short term memory in that they involve more detail and are stored in different memory systems. Short term memory does not have this ability to be stored so if you stopped doing something for a while you will probably forget how to do it next time around. However, if you've been playing baseball all your life, you'll never forget how to play it. See the difference.
But enough of the medical lingo now and let's get to HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR MEMORY OR ABILITY TO MEMORIZE. The brain, being an organ in and of itself also needs "EXERCISE" You have to get into the habit of trying to recall things in order to work your memory. You can also do mental exercises like a crossword puzzle, perhaps, which hones your ability to think for sustained periods as well as increase your span of ATTENTION. The first step to increasing your memory is to INCREASE YOUR ATTENTIVENESS. Most of us go through a day without even paying much attention to the little moments and details which comprise our day. We simply want to hurry things along to get them over with. Sometimes completion is more important than procedures for us.
The next is perhaps the most obvious and the most overlooked; and that is optimal health. Your brain consumes a lot of what you take in and if you eat poorly or excessively ( both ends of the spectrum), your mental state of mind also suffers.
Eat to sustain your body ONLY. Eat right, exercise frequently, and eradicate any vices you might have. Foods high in iron, minerals such as folic acid, and B-vitamins increase brain power. Lack of sleep, alcohol, smoking, and fatigue decreases it.
As I mentioned earlier, try to do mental exercises. Do the crossword puzzle on your morning paper. This allows you to exercise rote memory as well as retrieval from your long term memory stores. Another exercise you can certainly do is be an avid reader. Be wide read but not bookish ( if you know what I mean). You don't want to be called a bookworm now do you?
Increasing your ability to memorize names, things, places, concepts, and even detailed information like numbers comes with continual practice. You can associate things with other familiar objects to make memorizing them easier. You can also make a song out of a slew of information. Anything silly will be memorable so keep that in mind. Until our next post, you guys take care.
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