Special Skills - Flirting

Frankly speaking flirting is an art and you need special skills to master it. You do not have to be some beauty queen or a celebrity to make guys fall for you and go gaga over you. All you need is your gorgeous smile and few guaranteed flirting tips like the ones you'll find below to attract the opposite sex. More after the break...

Rule 1 # Eyes have it all:

Lock eyes with the person you're flirting with for a full five to six seconds, then smile and drop your gaze. Please don't stare at him and make him feel embarrassed. Just give him a soft smoldering look and look away. Do this at least three times in a ten to fifteen-minute period. This way you will make him know that you are interested and approachable.

Rule 2 # Smile:

Smiling is absolutely the most effective tool in your flirting toolbox. Psychology and body language experts agree that one of the most important things you can do to make yourself more attractive (and approachable) is to smile.

Rule 3 # Expose your neck:

One of the most winning flirting techniques a woman can use is the exposure of her neck. This can be done with a head tilt to one side, the classic hair flip or the over-the-shoulder glance. According to body language experts this asymmetrical position attracts attention, exposes your neck, and makes a woman very attractive and sexy. The over-the-shoulder move also sends a signal to your target that he is worth a second look.

Rule 4 # Lip Service:

Both men and women are subconsciously attracted to red, moist lips because they signal youth, sex and fertility. Always wear a red lipstick which not only gives your lips that youthful colour, but also makes your smile more visible and your teeth whiter. A super-shiny lip gloss can also give you an advantage, making your lips look moist and kissable.

Rule 5 # Focus, Focus, Focus:

Once you and your flirting target have started talking, use these tips to deepen the attraction. First, smile and maintain eye contact as you are speaking, and focus all of your attention on what he is saying. If you aren't listening then that shows that you are not interested. Smiling and laughing are crucial here - it's the quickest, easiest way to put another person at ease and make a connection. Finally, another effective flirting technique is low-level touching such as brushing the shoulder or elbow.

"We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge. People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.

Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be patient. Forgive & forget. Love one and all.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them". -- Mother Teresa

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Self Confidence

There is something common in all achievers and that is self- confidence. It gives them courage to take greater risks and achieve more than they ever thought possible. Self-confidence extends their reach and makes them do miracles.

Self-confidence is our attitude which gives us a positive and realistic views about ourselves. It helps us to trust our abilities and believe that we can achieve what we dream.

Read more after the break...

Self-confident people have realistic expectations of themselves and others. Even if some of these expectations are not met they remain positive, accept themselves and look optimistically to conquer greater heights.

They feel good about themselves even when others don't appreciate and acknowledge their efforts. They don't long for the approval of others and are willing to risk and do what others are scared of doing because they believe in their ability to win. Jack Welch says, "Self-confidence gives you courage and extends your reach. It lets you take greater risks and achieve far more than you ever thought possible."

Self-confidence is contagious. Self-confident people instill confidence in others and gain the confidence of others. It is the secret of effective and successful living.

Our self-confidence is expressed in our behaviour, body language, the way we dress, talk, look, walk, what we say and think, the way we act and relate etc. A self-confident person fears nothing, has attained the truth and lives free of error.

The signs of low self-confidence are feeling of guilt, skepticism, self-shame, pride, fear, pretension, laziness, unforgiving attitudes, depression, lack of trust in oneself and others,

pessimism, inferiority complex, procrastination, self-doubt, passivity, submissiveness, isolation and jealousy etc.

Be glad there are ways by which we can build up our self-confidence.

1. Have faith in yourself

Our self-confidence increases when we believe in our abilities to perform and manage things. All of us have innumerable talents and potentials, only we are often not aware of many of them. To believe in our capabilities we first of all must identify what we have. For this we have to do a SWOT analysis and realistically look at ourselves. We will discover that we are people of great

possibilities and potentials. This faith in our abilities will boost our self-confidence. We must dwell more on our strengths and use them to negate and correct our weaknesses.

2. Look at your achievements

We can successfully do so many things. We too are great achievers. But we often brood over our failures and make our lives miserable. Think often of your successes and this will help you to increase your self-confidence. Our fear of failures prevents us from taking up anything new and challenging. Remember that we have so many qualities and abilities and that we too can be successful if we perform with all our energy, mind and heart.

3. Feel good about yourself

No one can make us feel inferior without our permission. To boost our self-confidence first of all we must feel good about ourselves. The secret of all successful and happy living is to love oneself. When I am unhappy with myself I see unhappiness everywhere and I make all those around me unhappy. I must accept myself and feel good about the way I am, the way I look, my colour, my size, my shape and believe that the world can't be same if I am not there. Enjoy yourself once in a while by joining your friends for a night out, enjoying a good meal, going for a movie, playing some games etc. Laugh and forget yourself and enjoy some moments and run away from

your work and stress. Such activities can boost your self- confidence.

4. Fix challenging goals

Goals can do miracles in our lives. Greater the goals greater is our self-confidence. We should have both small goals and big goals. The achievement of small goals will give us enough enthusiasm and self- confidence to run towards bigger and more challenging goals. We must

think positively about our abilities to achieve our goals and reward ourselves when we achieve them.

5. Bring in commitment and passion

Our self-confidence depends on the degree of our commitment to a cause. If we are mediocre and half-hearted the result will also be same. We must commit ourselves to success and become passionate about what we do. Our commitment is expressed in our eagerness and desire to learn and develop new skills, knowledge and talents. When we are more prepared with commitment, knowledge and skills to do a thing we become more confident.

The elephant and the maina were great friends. But the elephant always felt sad that he was not able to fly like his friend maina. So one day he asked maina to teach him how to fly. The maina agreed and led him to a cliff.

Pulling out a feather she said: "hold this feather tight in your mouth and flap your ears and jump down this cliff and you will fly."

The elephant belived her words, held the feather in his mouth and flapped his ears and behold he began to fly.

He flew over the villages, the rivers and cities and returned to his friend very happy and told her " Your feather is very powerful. Can I have this feather because I want use it whenever I want to fly."

The maina said, "its not my feather. It's a hair from your tail. You only need to believe in your ability to fly. Believe in yourself and you will do miracles."

Believe in yourself, have confidence in yourself and you will indeed do miracles.

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Tips To Write Powerful Emails

1. Make the effort to learn about the etiquette (these days known as "netiquette") involved in writing emails. There are loads of good reference websites and books about the internet which will tell you the basics. I know it might seem a bit precious to attach so much importance to social niceties when the internet is basically very informal. However, whether we like it or not many people do take online etiquette very seriously. So if you're writing emails for business, you should assume that your recipient may well be one of those...

Read more after the break...

2. Never send and preferably don't even try to write an email if you're angry, upset, drunk, or otherwise not in total control. If you have a heated conversation with someone on the telephone you can sometimes fudge things over. But with emails, once you hit "send" whatever you've written is there, carved in tablets of stone, for as long as the recipient wants to glare at it. The old adage about "counting to ten" before responding couldn't be more true here. Only send angry emails if you can handle, or really don't care about, the recipient's resultant feelings!

3. One thing that you may not think of is that it can be useful to consider carefully the time you send your emails. To begin with it's always a good idea to avoid sending emails that coincide with the Monday morning rush and Friday afternoon lethargy. In addition, I've occasionally found that emails sent to companies over the weekend end up getting lost in cyberspace. And on a rather more subtle level, if your recipients see that you're sending emails on a Sunday morning or late at night, they may feel they can interrupt you for a business talk at the same times. Although you may think it's cool to impress a client that you work all hours, your partner won't when the same client calls you on the phone at midnight.

4. Because almost everyone at some time or another has been infected with a computer virus, people are understandably wary of attachments. I never send attachments to anyone I don't know very well, and equally never open attachments unless they're from people I know well. And then, some contemporary viruses and worms clone themselves on to genuine email names and addresses, so even an email purporting to be from someone you know might just be infected. When in doubt append text to the body of your email message, or contact the recipient beforehand and make sure they're happy to receive it as an attachment.

5. Layout of emails is something few people pay attention to, especially if (like me) their system uses text only. However even with simple text a sensible layout can make the whole thing more readable. Above all, you should avoid writing emails that sprawl all the way across the screen. Those are very hard to read and to be able to see everything properly as text, your reader may have to fiddle about changing fonts. The safest format to use consists of lines no more than 65 characters long. That fits, works everywhere and makes the email much easier on the eye.

6. Your subject line should focus on what's in it for the reader so it grabs their attention. You'll find that the best way to do that is to include some sort of benefit. For example, if you're writing an email about a downwardly-revised project budget, instead of saying "Project X -- revised costs" say "Project X -- costs reduced by XX%"). If there isn't a genuine benefit to use, try to make it interesting and intriguing anyway. Also, avoid the words most hated by spam filters like "free," "subscribe," etc.

7. Online writing has to be kept concise and clear, largely because the screen is a particularly unfriendly reading medium for most people's eyes. If only for that reason the KISS principle (Keep It Short & Simple) is useful. With emails you need to get straight to the point and keep to it. Someone who receives dozens of emails per day doesn't have time to wade through a lot of preamble. By making your point concisely you'll stand the greatest possible chance of avoiding the undignified fate of being deleted.

8. As far as writing style is concerned, here more than with any other medium it's very, very helpful to write as people speak. In addition, it will make your email clearer and more concise if you leave out all but essential adjectives and adverbs. Keep your sentences short, and only ever include one main idea or thought per sentence. Paragraphs shouldn't consist of more than 6 sentences max -- fewer if possible. And if you list more than a couple of items, use bullet points.

9. If you write emails for business, make good use of the signature facility that goes after your name. It's surprising just how many people fail to use that facility properly - yet it's an excellent opportunity for you to put across a few words of promotion. Because the email signature appears at the end, your recipients are not likely to be irritated by it. In fact provided that it contains useful contact information it will be seen as a helpful addition to your message. And even if your email is text only you can still make it look reasonably smart.

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Perfect Resume

Is it the salad itself or the dressing used and the way it is presented that makes the dish more appealing? The analogy, and the answer, are apt when it comes to discussing a resume as well.

The perfect resume must excel in both content and format. Spruce your resume with these simple, effective tips and you will definitely get those interview calls.

What a resume is not

• It is not a biography.
• It is not a statement of purpose listing your short-term and long-term goals.
• It should not just be a long list of landmarks in your professional career. Read more after the break...

Think from a recruiter's point of view

Your potential employer may not have enough time on his or her hands to read a 10-page masterpiece, so ensure your resume does not extend beyond a couple of pages. Leading newspapers have realised not all their readers have the time to read each and every article, which is why you see the present trend of using summary boxes for long-winded articles.

When you draft your resume, think from a recruiter's point of view. Provide information that a prospective employer needs to know and not the kind of information you want him/ her to read.

An oft-quoted line amongst book critics is that Bill Clinton's autobiography, My Life, was a 1,000-page book that had everything in it except what people really wanted to know. Keep this in mind when you are drafting your resume.

The purpose of a resume

A resume or curriculum vitae is a window to you, your personality and your skill sets. Its raison d'etre is to convince a recruiter that you deserve to be called for an interview. It should present you in the best possible light and convince a prospective employer that you can add value to the company.

It should tantalise enough to make an employer pick up the phone and dial your number. Your resume should not simply inform; it should also excite a would-be employer.

The resume can also act as a sample of your skills. If done well, it can show how you can organise a large amount of data in a few words. It can also showcase your skills if you plan to opt for a career in designing, advertising or copywriting.

SummaryHere are points you must definitely include:

i. Experience in your profession

Give valuable insights; for example, if you are in the advertising industry, you could mention the big players and important names you have worked with.

ii. Skills gained in the field

Apart from skills you are expected to gain in your field of work, do highlight skills you may have picked up as extras. For example, if you are a teacher, your expected skills would include your command over the language concerned, the ability to handle students and your knowledge about the subject concerned.

However, if you are also involved in organising workshops for teachers, you can also mention your ability to organise events and liaison effectively.

iii. General skills

This could include interpersonal skills, a knowledge of computers, etc. If you know computer packages apart from MS Office, such as Photoshop and Adobe page maker, and if you know how to make a Powerpoint presentation, do mention it. Many recruiters are on the look out for personnel who can multi-task.

iv. Accomplishments in concrete terms

Mention successful projects that you have handled/ been part of.

Focus on career progression, especially if you have been promoted in a short space of time.

If you have won any award or citation such as Best Employee Of The Month, mention it; this will present you in a positive light.

v. Academic record

Give your record in reverse chronological order, mentioning your most recent qualification first.

Packaging and contentPackaging is as important as content -- both should go hand in hand.

• Your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address should lead your resume.
• The format you use should be consistent. Do not use too many stylistic fonts and don't change the font size too often.
• The first impression is the last impression, so the first few lines must be really impressive. List about three to four major skills and two achievements in the first summary section. The qualities you focus on should be compelling, not generalised.
• Using a job objective as a starting point is a good focal point. Here is an example:
  Job objective: Senior-level assignments in the area of logistics and supply chain management in the Office Automation, IT/ Telecom industry in a dynamic organisation.
• What a prospective employer really wants to know is what you can do for them. Instead of just listing your achievements, try and tailor your resume to the needs of the company concerned. It may simply mean changing a few lines here and there on a resume you have already created.
• Don't be too humble. You have to sell yourself. Nobody else is going to do it for you. Give concrete achievements. For example, if you increased sales by six percent or created a database of clients, mention it instead of making generalised statements like 'used problem-solving skills' or 'created aggressive marketing strategies' that do not speak of actual results.
• If you have progressed up the ladder in a particular company, you need to point this out. For example, if you joined as a trainee and were then promoted to a managerial level within two years, mention it instead of simply saying you are a manager.
  
  What to avoid
• Lousy spellings are a real put-off. Talk about your career prospects instead of your 'carrier' prospects.
• Standardise your language. Use either American English or British English, not a sprinkling of both.
• Don't exaggerate your skills. It may get you the job, but you will have difficulty retaining the post if you cannot deliver.
• Don't talk about unrealistic goals: 'I want to progress from a cub reporter to a reporter independently handling a political beat' is realistic, while 'I aim to be editor of the newspaper soon,' is highly unrealistic.

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Arranged Marriages

From Bride's Perspective

The concept of arranged marriages has changed. And, not just for men. As a woman, ideally, your life partner should be someone with whom you can share interests and who will encourage your independence. As with any relationship, friendship is the key. Good communication from the beginning will help ensure that yours is a lasting, loving partnership.

Let's take a look at how to go about looking for these characteristics in the context of an arranged marriage.

New avatars

Arranged marriages are not like they were. It is now more like meeting someone through your family or like being set up for a blind date. Parents or friends introduce the couple and let them talk via phone or email, meet a couple of times, and then ask for a decision. If the couple says No, it's a No. However, when parents are involved, there will inevitably be some pressure as they can't help but give their opinion and advice. Read more after the break...

 These days, couples often initiate the dialogue themselves, through matrimonial sites (as parents may not be familiar with computers) and end up being the ones introducing each other to their parents. Call it an 'arranged introduction', as the choice is solely left to the couple.
Another difference is that it is no longer only the guy who decides first. Girls have an equal prerogative to do so. Also, as women are now more career-oriented and financially independent, they are usually not in a hurry.

What are you looking for?The first thing to keep in mind is to make a list (at least mentally) of attributes you would want in your life partner, so you can focus better on your search. Depending upon your preferences, some factors that might be taken into consideration (not necessarily in this order) are -- job, salary, educational qualifications, appearance (looks, height, weight, etc.), caste, horoscope, values (traditional, liberal or moderate), habits (drinking, smoking, etc.), location, family background, social standing, etc.

Inform your parents
It's best to spell out any preferences beforehand, so your parents can search accordingly and the list can be narrowed down. This way, you will save your parents' time as well.

Meeting your 'could-be'
Deciding to marry someone is one of the most important decisions of your life. If you are confused, unsure or awkward, don't fret -- so is the other person. Just a few things you can keep in mind when you meet your could-be significant other:

Dos: Wear something that is both flattering and comfortable. Try meeting away from relatives. Choose a neutral venue like a coffee shop. Pretend that you are on a blind date and try to enjoy yourself.

Don'ts: Don't approach the meeting with the mindset that you have to marry this person. Don't think you'll be sure to hate him either.

Before, during, and after
Before meeting, try getting in touch with the person over the phone or through e-mail to prepare you, to some extent, for what to expect. During the meeting, keep an open mindset. Relax and just be yourself. Don't hesitate to discuss important issues. Afterwards, think calmly and give yourself time to assess. Although this meeting may not indicate if this is 'the' person you should marry, it can certainly tell you whether you want to get to know the person better and take a step forward.

If, at any time during the meeting, you realise it won't work, keep your cool, be polite, and try to keep it as short as possible. Trusting your gut feeling is the most important -- if you feel something is not right, it probably is not.

Ask away!
It's perfectly okay to ask any questions you have in mind. But remember, timing is the key. For example, it can be outright insulting and offensive if the very first question is 'How much do you earn, both net and gross?'

Sometimes, information is not offered voluntarily and one hesitates to ask. But, if the answer to a question is important in taking matters further, there is no harm in asking. Maybe the person you ask will feel offended. But, when you are taking such an important decision, you have to take that risk. Isn't it better that they feel bad now, rather than you feeling worse later?

General questions that could be asked once you get familiar:
*Are you ready for marriage?
*How would you describe yourself?
*How do you like to spend your free time?
*How do you feel about sm0king and/or drinking?
*What are you looking for in a spouse?
*How much time do you want to decide?
*What are your preferences, in terms of food (non-vegetarian or vegetarian)?
*How do you feel about pets?
*What is your family like?
*What are your likes and dislikes?
*How do you act when you get upset?
*How often will we visit our extended family (if staying apart from them)?
*Do you believe in sharing housework?
*Appropriate questions on the profession front:

*What are your future career plans?
*How much time do you spend at work?
*Are you looking for a working wife, housewife, or is it immaterial to you?
*What would we do in the situation that I get transferred?

Background research
Although researching the boy's background might seem painstaking, it is very important.

The difficulty of researching goes up a notch when the boy is abroad, especially if you don't have any friends/relatives to help you out there. This was the case with one girl, who married an NRI in the US only to discover, when she got there, that he had a live-in American girlfriend.

Thus, it would be wise to make discreet inquiries outside with the help of relatives and friends, with respect to his job, family background, age, education, habits, financial condition, medical history, lifestyle, etc.

You can get an employer verification to find out if he is working there or not. Definitely check the visa status. You may also ask for a proof of employment letter, request a medical test, etc. Try calling discreetly at an odd hour to see who picks up the phone at night. You can hire a detective to do a background check (this is expensive, however). If you have friends and family abroad, ask them to meet him and find out more.

Additionally, communicate regularly through email, phone, chat, etc. to get a better idea about the person.

Previous relationships 
These days, it is not uncommon at all to have had a previous relationship. If my partner had a previous relationship, I would try and be reasonable and objective about it. It depends on many factors like the type of relationship, duration, feelings, etc. As long as it is a thing of the past and he is now committed to his marriage, I would probably not mind.

However, finding out about a potential partner's previous sexual history is next to impossible. Asking such personal questions will seem too embarrassing. Arranged marriages involve the whole family and private information coming out in the open could have severe repercussions, so some may not openly disclose this aspect.

A medical checkup?Both partners getting a blood test is absolutely a must. If the boy's side feels offended, help by telling them that you are convinced about getting it done yourself too. Actually, it is difficult for the girl or the girl's side to ask this, but I wish every person going through an arranged marriage would have the courage to insist on such tests. Isn't it better to be safe than sorry.

There are cases where, out of hesitation, marriages have taken place without such insistence, based solely on the goodwill of the family. The boys have been discovered to be HIV-positive later.

A blood test should be made compulsory for couples before marriage. Today, more boys and girls are choosing to go together to a clinic and get the test done before marriage. Some experts advise on making a thalassemia test mandatory before marriage too, for couples in high-incidence states, on the lines of the Goa Government's plan for compulsory pre-matrimony HIV screening.

Is he the one?Finally, there should be mutual consent and understanding from both sides; only then can a marriage be sustained. It is important that you like your prospective partner enough to marry him. Good arranged marriages occur when the parents support and help their children find life partners.

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10 Tips to Improve Your Speaking Voice

One of the most important components of public speaking is the sound of your voice. It influences the impact of your message, and might even make or break the success of your speech. Fortunately, for many people, good voice quality can be learned.

Instructions :Breathe from your diaphragm - Practice long and controlled exhales. When you speak, use breath to punctuate your point. For example, take a breath at the end of each phrase whether you need to or not. Use that opportunity to pause and let the listeners absorb what you say.

• Use pitch - Lower pitches generally are more soothing to hear. However, modulating your pitch for emphasis will keep your listeners engaged. Develop your pitch by practicing humming.

• Moderate your volume - Find out if you speak too loudly or too softly. When you begin speaking, ask your audience how your volume is (each situation is different). Try to stay at the appropriate volume throughout your speech

• Moderate your pace - This one is also closely related to breath. If you speak too quickly, people can’t keep up. If you speak too slowly, people will lose interest. Record your speech to determine if you need to change your pace. Get feedback from others.

• Articulate - Try exaggerating your lip movement to reduce mumbling. Practice articulating tongue twisters and extending and exaggerating vowel sounds. Become an expert at articulating tongue twisters as quickly and crisply as possible. Focus on the ones you find difficult.

• Practice your speech in advance and determine where you want to pause for a breath. For more emphasis, pause for more than one breath. Mark your breathing points in your notes.

• Loosen up before you begin. Look side to side. Roll your head in half-circles and roll your shoulders back. Shift your rib cage from side to side. Yawn. Stretch. Touch your toes while completely relaxing your upper body, then slowly stand up, one vertebra at a time, raising your head last. Repeat as needed.

• Posture - Stand up straight and tall to allow full lung capacity and airflow.

• Record your voice repeatedly using different ways of speaking. Determine which one is most pleasing.

• Practice breath control - Take a deep breath, and while you exhale, count to 10 (or recite the months or days of the week). Try gradually increasing your volume as you count, using your abdominal muscles—not your throat—for volume. Don’t let your larynx tense up.

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Sansa Stark From Game of Thrones Owns One of the Wolves as Her Pet!

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21 Suggestions For Success

1. Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.

2. Work at something you enjoy and that’s worthy of your time and talent.

3. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully. 

4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.

5. Be forgiving of yourself and others.

6. Be generous.

7. Have a grateful heart.

8. Persistence, persistence, persistence.

9. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.

10. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.

11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.

12. Commit yourself to quality.

13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.

14. Be loyal.

15. Be honest.

16. Be a self-starter.

17. Be decisive even if it means you’ll sometimes be wrong.

18. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.

19. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did.

20. Take good care of those you love.

21. Don’t do anything that wouldn’t make your Mom proud.

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Penny From Big Bang Theory Keeps Looking Better Everyday!

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Ever Wondered Anna Kendrick From Twilight Would Get This Attractive!

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