Understanding a personal injury lawsuit timeline can help a victim cope with the stress and emotional challenges that may arise with the processing of his case. Though the time and process may be different in some states, on the average, the process is complicated and time-consuming.

Unfortunately, a high percentage of Americans are unaware of the workings of the judicial proceedings both for civil and criminal cases. Because of this, it is extremely important that auto accident attorneys, for example, communicate the personal injury claim process to their clients before filing.

Regrettably, some lawyers fail to give clients the right information and instead promise to expedite action on the case to impress the victim to hire them. This practice is wrong and against legal ethics.

It is your right as a person who has a personal injury claim to know every step of the lawsuit. The right knowledge will help you prepare for any outcome since most personal injury cases are unpredictable.

This article will walk you through a step-by-step approach to understanding the personal injury lawsuit timeline so you’d know what to expect.

Seek Medical Attention

Immediately following an accident, it is paramount for the victim to seek medical care in order to minimize the severity of injuries. Whether it is a ‘slip and fall’ or ‘car accident,’ a hospital visit is necessary.

This single action will give you an edge if your insurance company tries to prove that there was no injury at all. Secondly, an immediate hospital visit will prove a point to the jury that you were hurt.

See Also: Personal Injury Claims After A Car Accident

Talk To A Lawyer

It is important to consult a lawyer if you suffer significant injury or other losses in an accident. If you are afraid of the cost, then take advantage of law firms who offer free consultations and discuss the situation with them.

It is necessary that you take this step because a lawyer can give you the right advice and help. He’ll guide you on how you can get a better settlement than the insurance companies initially offer.

Commencement Of Investigations

The investigation of the claims and medical records will start immediately once the lawyer agrees that your claims are worth filing in the law court. You can justify this by answering relevant questions from the solicitor and giving him access to your medical records.

Most importantly, you need to give out all pertinent information and be honest about the accident and your medical condition to avoid surprises in the courtroom.

Attorney Files An Insurance Claim

Most personal injury cases get settled out of court. However, it will still depend on the level of damage or loss suffered by the victim. Slip and fall accidents are mostly settled out of court. Auto accidents, on the other hand, are most likely resolved through the court process. An experienced attorney may get a reasonable settlement for his client from the insurance company.

In the case of a car accident, the lawyer should first submit the claims to the at-fault driver’s insurance company. After that, the claim will be investigated and compensation will be paid.

If the accident results in permanent disability, the lawyer will activate the Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) aspect of the law. This will help the victim get a resounding victory and much higher settlement in the case.

The Attorney Files A Lawsuit

Filing a lawsuit comes into play when the insurance company does not settle claims out of court, and your attorney sees no other option than to file a lawsuit.

The preliminary timeline for filing a personal injury lawsuit is as follows:

• Serving appropriate documents to the defendant should take from 30 to 60 days.
• The stipulated time for a response from the defendant, meanwhile, is within 30 days. In some cases, they may ask for additional days.

The parties will then exchange information related to the accident and this will involve complaints and counterclaims

Discovery

This stage of the legal process is meant to dislodge surprises that may arise during the main court sessions. At this juncture, each party (the plaintiff and the defendant) investigates one another using the documents and evidence submitted.

It has two major processes: interrogations and depositions. The first one requires parties to provide documents which will be useful during the court sessions. The latter, meanwhile, involves questions and answers from any witnesses.

The Mediation Stage

Following disclosure of the interrogations and depositions, attorneys may agree on certain terms. This can potentially lead to a peaceful settlement which is why this stage is also called as the ‘alternative dispute resolution’ stage.

Trial

This is the last stage of the personal injury lawsuit timeline. All the parties must be present in court for the jury to go through the documents and interrogate the witnesses. The length of such cases can last for weeks or months.

 

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Keeping a journal is one of the most rewarding habits you can develop. In fact, even key players in history valued it for its benefits.

Despite the benefits of journaling, it still has not maintained its popularity over the years. One reason is that a lot of people associate it with uncommunicativeness or aloofness.

Mari L. McCarthy, an International Bestselling Author, believes that “the benefits of a journaling practice extend to almost every conceivable human endeavor.” With this in mind, let’s look at how starting a journal can make a difference.

Journal writing is your personal therapy

All human beings need somebody to hear and understand them. At their treatment sessions, patients tell therapists about their latest updates, feelings, and emotions. That brings relief.

Journaling is an excellent (and free) therapeutic activity. Writing about stressful and emotional events can improve your psychological health. It reduces stress and anger.

Since there is no wrong way to keep a journal, you can make it suit your personality and situation. Create a daily record of events that fill your life. Give your deepest thoughts, feelings, and worries an outlet.

Allow yourself to be who you are when writing. Be frank. Journaling means no fear of judgment or blame or even the need for justification.

See Also: Writing Therapy: How It Can Make Your Life Easier

Journaling makes you sincere and open-minded

Journaling can help you enhance your personal development. Since it’s your private place, you can write whatever is on your mind!

You can develop ideas, challenge assumptions and spend time reflecting. Ask yourself thought-provoking questions. This will help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself, other people and your relationships. It will make your interaction with the world more meaningful.

Write down the bits and pieces you never bothered to put into words. Journaling brings clarity that will amaze you.

You take pleasure from writing and develop more vivid language

What is the best way to hone your skills in any craft? That’s right. You should practice!

This is also true for writing. Even the most gifted authors work long hours to get mastery. Ernest Hemingway put it this way: “It’s none of their business that you have to learn how to write. Let them think you were born that way.”

Exercise your writing on a regular basis to enrich your vocabulary. Seek out new words and incorporate them into your own essay or story. With time, you will have enough word-stock to express ideas with.

To work on expanding your vocabulary, you can rewrite scenes from your favorite literary works or capture scraps of conversations you hear by chance. These exercises can stimulate creativity and polish writing skills.

Journaling is one of the most helpful ways to sharpen your skills in storytelling. It might open up your potential and help make your writing skills better., too.

Keeping a diary sharpens your senses and develops imagination

Journaling gives an opportunity for you to capture all your ideas without any pressure to work on it. It will help you keep a record of your thoughts, desires, and experiences. Keeping a journal helps you expand your ideas, too.

When you develop a habit of describing your daily life, it will heighten your senses and you will learn to notice the details nobody else ever sees.

Journal is a great place to brainstorm ideas or free-write for future use. Virginia Woolf found writing for no audience a great practice because “It loosens the ligaments”.

And you can also use a journal to overcome a writer’s block. It can be a source of seeds for essay topics, so go back to it when you need it and get your creative juices flowing again.

Journaling makes you more self-satisfied

Journaling is one of the best ways to know your inner self. It requires a high level of introspection and self-awareness. It can help you develop a greater self-understanding, discover how your actions affect other people and clarify your emotions and thoughts.

Regular journaling provides one more benefit. It’s keeping a permanent record of your life which will give you more opportunities to reflect and learn from yourself. Keeping a journal can help you know what makes you happy and find any patterns in your behavior.

See Also: 3 Writing Techniques to Increase your Self-Esteem

Anaïs Nin was a passionate diarist who began writing at the age of 11 and continued to write until her death at the age 74. Her diaries exposed the vibrant and uncensored richness of her life. Keeping a diary was more than an instrument for mastering the craft of writing. It was her means of understanding herself.

“In the diary, I only wrote of what interested me genuinely, what I felt most strongly at the moment”, – she confessed. It helped her feel “a love of the living moment” and “moments of wholeness and totality of the personality”.

Ernest Hemingway was sure that solitude is indispensable for creative work. “Writing, at its best, is a lonely life”, he said. Try to stay alone with your thoughts for some time. It can give you more chances to come up with something novel.

Conclusion

You’ll never know how journaling might work out until you try. To start with, it can be difficult to choose the right form as journaling isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. Look up different kinds of journals on Instagram and Tumblr and choose one from the loads of inspiring examples there. This way, you’ll get to make journaling work for you!

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When you’ve got too much to do and you’re under pressure, it can be quite tempting to just look back and remember how life used to be. With so many things to do and things happening, you just can’t help but wonder how good it will be if you can just forget being stressed.

Whilst you can’t be completely free of stress, you can control your relationship with it. Here are twelve things you should let go of if you want to live a calmer life.

Aiming For Perfection

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a perfectionist and wanting things done to a high standard, but you have to draw the line. When being a perfectionist is preventing you from making meaningful progress and frustrating you in the process, just stop. Good enough is usually good enough. Get the job done and move on. Aiming for perfection is a breeding ground fo self-defeating.

Comparing Yourself To Others

It’s only natural to look at somebody on the street and think ‘Hey, how come he’s got [this] or [that]. He must be so happier than me. His life must be way more fulfilling than my crappy life.’

Well, I have to tell you. You aren’t that somebody. You’re you. You most likely have a different chemical makeup, genes, attitude and a unique set of personal challenges that set you miles apart from the people you compare yourself to.

It’s not advisable to compare your life to someone else, especially those whom you perceive is doing better than you. It’s not an accurate or healthy way to gauge your own achievements.

Instead, try to compare your current self to the previous version of yourself. That’s a much more positive way to measure your own personal growth and progress.

Believing You’re a Failure

Failure doesn’t really exist. At least, it’s not how you’re perceiving it.

Failure is a chance to learn. It helps you do better the next time you have the opportunity to do the same thing. It’s a chance to make things right.

Believing you’re a failure is sometimes a result of you comparing yourself to others. It happens when you start beating yourself up over things other people have achieved that you haven’t.

Instead of focusing on those things, be mindful of your accomplishments. When you start tracking your own achievements, you’ll realize that you’re making massive strides forward and you aren’t a failure.

Holding Grudges

Holding grudges does more damage to you than it does to the other person. When you hold a grudge, you feel tense, bitter and resentful whenever you have an interaction with, or about, that person.

Alter your perception and understand that the other person isn’t affected in the slightest. It’s only you who’s feeling that negativity and tension, so let it go.

Allowing Yourself to Be Pulled Into Other People’s Chaos

It’s so stressful when somebody pulls you into their whirlwind of drama. I’ve got a neighbor who has a habit of calling me out of the blue for favors that usually involve his toxic relationships.

It almost always ends up with me being at the epicenter of his storm and it leaves me feeling stressed and uncomfortable. Not to mention, it also put my own plan on pause. After some time, I’ve finally learned how to say no and put up healthy boundaries about what I will and won’t accept.

Don’t allow yourself to be pulled into other people’s chaos.

See Also: The Courage To Say No

Pleasing People

The disease to please is a silent killer. That might sound a little extreme, but I believe it to be true.

Pleasing people can kill your dreams, ambitions and freedom. There’s nothing wrong with helping people, but it crosses the line when you please another person to the detriment of yourself. This is different to being ‘selfless’. You can be selfless without feeling the need to please people.

Maybe you please people because you worry about their response if you say no. Or maybe you please people because you attach your self-worth to the praise you gain from others.

Think about it. Both reasons aren’t going to serve you.

Letting Other People’s Opinions Affect You

Worrying about what other people think of you can only cause unnecessary anxiety and stress. I don’t know about you, but I used to find it triggering my anxiety, especially when I know somebody thinks of me as strange, silly and stupid.

I reached a point in my life recently where I started thinking differently about it. Now, I don’t feel anxious at all thinking about other people’s opinion of me or my life. I actually use it as a test to determine if I should let those people in my life at all.

Give it a try. Don’t try to stop people from being judgemental by altering your behaviors or activities to accommodate for them. Instead, live your life on your terms and don’t allow other people’s negative opinions control you. Never stop being you!

See Also: Top 9 Things To Give Up Immediately If You Want To Become Happy

Trying to Control Everything

Sometimes, to have a calm life, you just have to let go of trying to control outcomes. Enjoy the moment and be present.

A big source of our stress comes from wanting our lives to be in a particular way. In some instances, it’s our thinking that if we don’t reach certain outcomes, like getting that new job or landing that date, we’ve failed. But, in fact, we haven’t failed at all. We just tried to control the outcome.

Instead of spending all your energy on that, try shifting your perspective from one that is outcome-based to one that is mindful-based. Enjoy the process and be present.

Find enjoyment in the experiences and whilst outcomes are generally important for certain goals, try not to get caught up in them. They aren’t the be all and end all. You can always shift your goals if necessary.

Rushing Around

It’s ok to take your foot off of the gas.

Society gives us the impression that we need to be ‘on the go’ constantly and that we can’t be ‘lazy’. Because of this, we feel the need to perform to other people’s expectations which lead to frustration and burnout.

Allow yourself to take a break every now and then. Stop what you’re doing and find appreciation in each moment. Rushing around is really not an effective way to get things done.

People Who Drain You

Have you ever felt tired and drained after being in somebody’s company? How do you feel when you spend an hour with someone negative?

You go away feeling heavy and drained. These people don’t really mean to have these effects on you, but they just can’t stop moaning and complaining about their lives. In reality, however, if they were to actually analyze their lives, they most probably have very little to complain about.

Jim Rohn said it best when he said ‘You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with’. So, upgrade your social circle and let go of the people who drain your positive energy.

Situations That Don’t Serve You

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where just didn’t feel right? You probably went ahead and stayed in it anyway though, right? I know I have in the past.

Listen to your gut as it is almost always right. By ignoring it, you’re allowing yourself to come into contact with some pretty stressful and, in more serious situations, regressive circumstances. Said another way, you’re at risk of letting yourself be part of situations that take your life a few steps back.

Learn to listen to your gut and follow your instincts. Only allow yourself to get involved with things that move your life forward. Try asking yourself if you want to get involved in something, if it’s not a ‘hell yeah!’ then it’s a ‘no’.

Your Desire to ‘Fit In’

People spend their whole lives trying, and failing, to fit in. It rarely works and even if you do fit in, you’ll feel downright miserable because you won’t feel like you’re living your authentic self.

Instead of trying to fit in, find the courage to be yourself and realize that you’re fine as you are. There’s only one you, so find the excitement in that and exercise your right to be uniquely you. Let go of trying to fit in and the anxiety and low self-esteem that come with it.

How many of these twelve points cause stress in your life?

One? All of them?

I want you to start letting go. You owe it to yourself.

Although you can’t control the big wide world out there, you can control what happens in and around you. If you’re letting these things add to your stress levels, you aren’t doing yourself any favors.

And guess what?

Letting go makes room, too. You’ll have room for more happiness, warmth and contentment.

I’m not encouraging you to take action, but I’m challenging you to. I want you to do this, not for me (how would I ever know?), but for yourself.

So, what one thing can you let go of today?

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Whether you have more than one child or you’re a first-time parent, babies are expensive and there’s no way around it. Building your family is probably a dream come true for you, but it doesn’t go without any complications.

Luckily, there are many tricks to make the transition a little easier for you to handle on a budget. Here’s a quick guide on how families can save money, especially with a newborn.

Avoid Eating Out

Eating out is more convenient than taking the time to prepare and cook a meal, but it is more expensive. When you have a newborn at home, you can’t afford to go without any essentials. Find as many sales as possible in your local grocery stores. Your days and nights may run together with a newborn in the home, but most of your money will remain in your wallet when you don’t eat out all the time.

Try making freezer meals a couple weeks ahead of your baby’s arrival. This way you’ll have the time to make good, healthy meals before the craziness of the baby takes over, and you’ll have fewer chances to give into the temptation of ordering out.

See Also: Foods That Will Help You Keep Your Family Healthy

Breastfeed Your Newborn

If you can, breastfeed your newborn as well. Your breastmilk is free and, according to studies, offers a lot more nutrition to help in your baby’s development.

Formula milk is expensive whether you buy a branded or generic formula. It can cost more than $100 each month which translates to $1,200 per year. You can keep this money in your pocket by breastfeeding your newborn.

This, however, is not to say that women who cannot breastfeed are inferior or that every woman will be able to. But, if you can breastfeed, do it if you want to save a lot of money.

Getting A Home Loan

Getting a home loan can save you money from renting, especially when you receive your loan through a credit union. Credit unions have lower fees than traditional banks and they offer some of the best home loan rates. They can help you stop living from paycheck to paycheck.

Use a Mortgage Calculator to see how this option could help you save. You can refinance in some circumstances, or even get a house that better fits your new family before you give birth. This can help you adjust more comfortably and keep your wallet less strained.

See Also: Home Loan Tips: 5 Things To Avoid After Getting Your Home Loan Sanctioned

Receiving Government Assistance

Government assistance is provided for low-income families. You may qualify for food stamps (SNAP) that pay for the cost of your food. Formula milk can also be purchased with SNAP benefits or WIC (Women Infants and Children).

Another government assistance program is Medicaid, which pays for your children’s medical expenses. You’ll have to check if you qualify for any of these first. Check with your doctor and insurance provider to see what you might be eligible for.

Avoid Overloading on Baby Clothes and Accessories

Everything about babies is adorable, including their clothes, toys, baby bags, and other accessories. To save money, however, buy no more than 10-15 outfits.

Babies grow quick and the clothes you buy today will be too small within the next two weeks. Instead of buying, you can try looking for hand-me-downs from relatives your baby can use. Then, send off gently used ones to other newborns when your baby grows.

Have A Baby Shower

Traditionally, people have a baby shower before the child arrives, but think outside the box and do what’s best for you. Having a baby shower after the baby is born avoids a lot of guesswork and unused gifts. It can also help you save money on baby items, such as bottles, formula, diapers and clothes.

Saving money when you have a newborn in the family causes you to change the way you do a few things, but this task is not too difficult to achieve. Following these tips will help you save as much money as possible.

 

Information for this article provided by University Federal Credit Union who offers Mortgage Calculator apps and some of the best home loan rates in Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

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Success is not always what it seems.

Steven Spielberg had his share of failures and setbacks before becoming successful. So did Walt Disney and Michael Jordan. Arianne Huffington, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates experienced many ups and downs before they became successful in their respective fields. Henry Ford and Steve Jobs also had a bumpy journey to success. These icons are perfect examples that the road to success is anything but smooth.

Failure is inescapable and inevitable. There is no denying it or escaping it. No one is immune to it. No matter how good you are in your field or area of expertise, there is no guarantee or immunity against failure nor is there a surety that you’ll succeed the first time around or make it every single time.

Failure is bitter no matter how you see it. The sting of a letdown, the agony of experiencing disappointment and the pain of defeat is hard to endure. In plain words, failure sucks. It crushes you, hurts you deeply and leaves your ego bruised. There is no feeling worse than having hit rock bottom. No wonder everyone dreads failure, but keep in mind that no amount of hating or detesting it can help you avoid it.

Failure is a part of life and the success process. J.K Rowling, the bestselling author with the phenomenal rags to riches story, has beautifully summed it with this line: ‘It is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all. In which case, you fail by default.’

But, failure doesn’t have to discourage, demoralize you or end your success journey. Looking at it in the right perspective, failure doesn’t mean it’s all over. It just means that you didn’t succeed this time around.

Sometimes you’ll face situations where the odds are stacked up against you. Other times, despite your best efforts and preparation, you will still experience failure. You have to train yourself to be tough, take the hits and be able to deal with it all.

Failure can work for you big time if you look at it the right way. It, by itself, is not detrimental. What is damaging about failure is its paralyzing effect once you let it get to you. Your chances of recovering from failure and regaining lost confidence depend heavily on how you approach it.

Failure doesn’t care about how you feel. It makes no concessions. It only throws two choices in your way: either give up or fight again. It’s up to you to decide and take the call. You can choose to opt for the easy way out, step back and quit or make the hard choice of picking yourself up, getting back on your feet and starting all over again. The right choice will help you steer yourself towards success and transform your life.

Here are 11 ways you can bounce back from failure and get back on track again.

Accept what happened

The first thing you should do after you have failed is to accept it and come to terms with it. Don’t ignore, deny or hide it. You have failed and there’s nothing you can do to reverse it now.

Accept it and know that it’s okay. Failure happens all the time. It’s no big deal if you accept it and decide to do something about it. That’s how you start learning how to overcome failure.

Take total responsibility

Own your failure. There’s no shame in it. Everyone fails sometimes.

Things won’t always pan out the way you want them, but the sole responsibility should always be yours to take. You must be accountable for your actions, choices, and decisions. Never blame others and hold them responsible for your failures. Passing the buck is a sure recipe for disaster.

Analyze what happened

You cannot undo what happened, but, by taking stock of what happened, you can dispassionately assess and gain insight into what went wrong and where. It will also enable you to understand what worked and what didn’t so that you can begin with a whole new approach.

Analyzing can help you in revising your strategy, preparing yourself, working on your weak points and improving your future performance. It will also give you the confidence to bounce back and begin more confidently.

Learn from your mistakes

There is much truth in the words of Henry Ford when he said that the only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. Failure teaches you like none other can teach you. You must learn from your mistakes and ‘heed the lessons of failure’, as Bill Gates put it.

Make the best of your mistakes. Embrace them, learn from them and never repeat them. Identify your weaknesses, work on them and turn them into your strength.

See Also: 9 Powerful Lessons from the Success Story of Bill Gates

Don’t dwell on failure

The worst way to deal with failure is to take it to heart. What has happened has happened. No amount of crying, complaining or regretting can help you overcome it.

So, stop ruminating over it, re-running it in your mind and feeling sorry for yourself. It will not serve any useful purpose and will only take you deeper into sorrow and unhappiness.

Get over it; Move on

Failure is ‘a temporary detour, not a dead-end’, as Denis Waitley, the American bestselling author is once known to have said. Failure only lasts until you succeed again. So, don’t let it become permanent and scar your psyche.

A negative feeling cannot have any positive outcome. It is best forgotten. Wipe the slate clean and make a fresh start. Look ahead, move on, and give yourself a chance to recover and rebuild yourself.

Develop mental toughness to triumph over failure

Setbacks should not dishearten or break you. Failure is not an end in itself so, don’t let it steal your confidence. Train yourself to take bad hits in life. Use failure to learn, grow and better yourself. Maintain a positive attitude in the face of failure. That’s how you can strengthen your mental toughness.

Jump into a positive frame of mind

When you face defeat, you are engulfed by fear and self-doubt. Failure brings with it a dark cloud of negativity. You begin to question yourself and start to doubt your ability. Positive thoughts are the last thing on your mind and that’s how it is. Recovery and rebounding

Recovery and rebounding take time. To facilitate and make the process faster, you must fight all negative thoughts that cross your mind and fill yourself with positivity. Look back and reflect on your own life how you faced past failures and overcame them.

Nothing can inspire you more than your personal experience and your own success story. You know you have dealt with it before and can do it again.

Let go of fear

When you experience failure, one thing is sure. The worst has struck you, but things can’t go bad from there.

When you fall down, you can’t go further down. So, what is there to fear?

From there, you can only move towards the positive direction. So, get up, gather your broken pieces and start building yourself again. Success is achieved by those who don’t fear failure. Don’t let failure hold you back or stop you from realizing your dreams.

See Also: How To Conquer The Fear Of Success (Or Failure)

Focus on bettering yourself

Everyone faces failure but how you look at it and what you do about it is what makes all the difference. In most cases, failure happens because a person wasn’t able to prepare well, didn’t plan properly or was ill-equipped. It can also be because he’s just plain unlucky.

Disregarding the last one, everything else can be fixed. So, make a list of all the things which you think contributed to your failure and start working on them, one thing at a time. Do everything within your power to rectify, resolve, improve, develop and put right.

Begin again

Failure can devastate you if you allow it to. It can also help you rebuild yourself and restart your journey if you choose to.

Failure shouldn’t be the end of your dreams, goals, and aspirations. The power of failure should motivate you to chase your goals, take a fresh start and make a new beginning. Let failure make you stronger, tougher and more resilient so that you don’t just survive it but you’ll bounce back stronger.

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. -Nelson Mandela

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The ‘rule of four’ has been around for centuries. The first recorded reference to it was Empedocles’ four elements — Earth, Air, Fire and Water — which he related to the mythical gods that ruled the world 444 years B.C.

Hippocrates, the great Greek physician, developed his thinking around the ‘4 humors’ which are the body fluids that caused our moods, emotions, and behaviors. They involved the yellow bile, blood, phlegm and black bile.

As the field of medicine advanced, these ‘humors’ were updated to ‘temperaments’ and an increased understanding of human personality developed. The “humors” were upgraded to the following classifications:

• Choleric which relates to the active, ambitious and assertive types
• Sanguine which relates to the lively, impulsive and sociable types
• Phlegmatic which relates to the slow, stable and supportive types
• Melancholic which relates to the thoughtful worriers and cautious types

Here is a good example.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, as described in the Book of Revelation, tells the tale of Jesus Christ opening the first four of God’s seven seals. This act brought forth the four riders on the backs of a white, red, black and pale horse, respectively. What these actually mean has been debated for centuries and interpretations still differ.

However, the rule of four, as related to DISC personality traits, gives us some clue as to what they could mean on a human level.

DISC is derived from the work of Dr. William Marston who wanted to look at how normal people interacted with their environment at the time when other psychologists and psychiatrists were focused on the abnormal and deviant.

From a DISC perspective then:

• The white rider is generally known as ‘conquest’ or ‘victory’. Carrying a bow and wearing a victor’s crown, it has all the hallmarks of a Dominant personality. It’s where power, success, control and being a winner are the order of the day.

• The red rider is often referred to as ‘war’ due to the sword and the color red representing spilled blood. Fiery red, in particular, has connotations of impulsiveness and the ability to motivate people to great collective endeavors associated with an Influencer personality.

• The black rider is often called ‘famine’, although it is shown carrying a pair of ‘scales’. This has resulted in some people seeing this horseman as the law-giver who holds the balance. This represents the Steadiness personality.

• The pale rider is generally referred to as ‘death’. Death is the great compiler. He never gets it wrong and is meticulous in enforcing the rule of ‘when your time is up’. This has all the traits of a Conscientious personality, along with its need for systems and accuracy.

But, how can it help you in understanding your personality?

Here are some specific examples to help you.

• People who have a high D personality trait are likely to approach things through ‘telling’, wanting things done ‘now’ and ‘their way’. If you have these traits and are looking to grow, you might need to take a more collaborative and conciliatory approach to gain the engagement and support of others who will help you reach your goal.

• People with a high I personality trait are likely to want lots of interaction, recognition, and fun. However, to grow and reach those things, you might need to take a more focused approach. This will keep you on track and ensure you follow through until you gain the recognition you seek.

• People with a high S personality trait might be resistance to the very change needed to grow. They might need to step outside their comfort zone and allow for greater flexibility than they would normally like.

• People with a high C personality trait can have a tendency to push for excellence. To fully grow, they need to consider the perfection they are after so that they can avoid paralysis by analysis. They can easily get caught in a perpetual cycle of planning, without much doing.

While reflection is the prerequisite to growth, it is not sufficient on its own. We also need the openness to stretch and challenge ourselves as well as a clear set of actions that will take us out of our comfort zones.

“They say that the only true and able helper is one that has suffered themselves. Someone who has found their own way out of the ‘hole’ – discovering and using tools that work – who is then in a position to pass-it-on. Only when you have it can you start giving it away to others.”

This is precisely what Robert is doing in DISCover the Power of You: How to Cultivate Change for Positive and Productive Cultures. Take notice and believe. It’s a powerful stuff!” Peter Mitchell, Yorkshire in Business.

Bringing it all together

We might believe in the prophetic interpretation of God’s judgment before a great catastrophe or the historical interpretation of the fall of the Roman Empire. We might go for the symbolic interpretation of the four riders as the four great Angels (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel), the four humors or the four temperaments or personality traits.

Whichever you prefer to believe in, we can’t deny the great conundrum of ‘the rule of four’, the power of self-awareness and how they can help you in understanding your personality.

See Also: How To Conquer The Four Horsemen of Productivity Apocalypse

 

The post Understanding Your Personality: Discover How To Grow Using The Rule Of Four appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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In 2017, millennials’ inclination to technology is expected to slowly reshape the digital landscape. The way they take back steps to evaluate their social media use, which platforms they should use, and what content they want to have access to can greatly affect the way social media works.

The Millennials’ Take on Facebook

Facebook started out as a social platform for college students. It quickly expanded and became accessible even to the older people. Despite the expansion, millennials continue to be the biggest force in there.

According to a recent survey, 41% of millennials still use Facebook every day. However, a big part of this number also favors Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest and Twitter, just to name a few. One reason for this shift is that millennials are no longer happy using Facebook. Comparison of feeds and activities are no longer exciting for them.

But, despite the statistics, the universality of Facebook still stands out. Millennials who are still using Facebook say that looking for good and interesting articles is one of the reasons why they keep using the platform.

Younger Millennials Favor Disappearing Media

Older millennials have become accustomed to the idea that once something is posted on the internet, it is there to stay forever. And we’re okay with that, even as new technologies claim to make this notion moot.

But, for most younger millennials, the hype of disappearing digital content is just too tempting to ignore. They like the idea that intimate thoughts, daring pictures, and incomprehensible ramblings could disappear forever.

As much as technology and the users are constantly evolving, so is our reasoning on what we should post. A recent study conducted by Fluent found that millennials are using social media apps, like Snapchat, because they allow them to post contents that will eventually disappear.

While most older millennials understand the attraction, some of us roll our eyes while watching our younger brothers and sisters immaturely use Snapchat and Instagram.

See Also: Adulting Isn’t Just Instagramming Your Dinner – Soft Skills For Millennials

World of Live Videos and Filters

The capabilities to share videos in real-time on almost every social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Youtube is overwhelming. You won’t find any shortage of these videos.

A study conducted by Animoto suggests that almost 80% of millennials refer to videos before making a purchase decision while 76% of them follow brands or companies streamlining in Youtube.

Edited, produced and posted video contents are continuously capturing the attention of online users in a world of photos with filters, 6-second Snapchats and 140-character feeds. Through live streaming, everyone can contribute to the already populated daily uploads on different social media sites.

Last year’s buzz with Pokémon Go foreshadowed the widespread attraction millennials have toward augmented reality (AR).

It’s entirely possible that Facebook, attempting to remain relevant, will become a major leader in the AR scene. Live video, AR lenses, and filters are likely to be the biggest trends in 2017.

Technology Makes Life Easier

The everyday life of millennials has become completely dependent on technology and there’s no doubt about that. They are no longer asking for ample technology resources at work, they expect it. It some cases, it’s even viewed as an entitlement.

The bottom line is that millennials continue to seek ways to make their everyday activities more automated and easier. To make their goals happen, they continuously look for the newest trends available in the market.

In fact, they couldn’t care less that we’re speaking to machines, unless, of course, the interaction goes wrong. The more technologically advanced, the better. Gone were the days where we need to do everything manually. It’s all about comfort and seamlessness right now.

See Also: Technology in the Classroom — Should Technology Take Over The Education System?

Takeaway

It might be hard to accept that millennials take social media seriously, but, yes, they do. It has become a part of their culture.

We can no longer impose on this generation the traditional living standards that we used to grow up with. We just have to accept it as it is.

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Am I an alcoholic?

A lot of people think of an alcoholic as someone who’s homeless and lives in the park or panhandles on the street corner. In reality, however, not all alcoholics are homeless. Most of them live well in their own homes and have well-paying jobs.

Most people who suffer from alcoholism don’t even know they’re alcoholic.

For example, if a guy comes home from work every day and has one to three beers, he’s likely to argue that he’s not alcoholic. A college student who drinks for fun might likely say the same thing.

Most people consider alcoholism as suffering consequences from the drinking. However, in my opinion, I would say that it’s not always the case.

To know if you have this issue, try to answer the following questions:

1. If you have a beer every night after work and don’t have one for 1-3 days, how do you react?
2. Remember the last time you drank. Do you remember what happened?
3. If you only drink at parties, do you get comments on how belligerent or obnoxious you were being?
4. Have you woken up the following day of your drinking and realized you don’t know where you are?

See Also: 5 Seriously Easy Ways to Get Home Safe from Your Holiday Party

These questions are just some of the basic questions that can help you determine if you’re an alcoholic or not. Answering them can either give you a definite answer or urge you to think deeper about the underlying issues.

Take note that there are many classifications of alcoholism.

What are the signs and symptoms of alcoholism?

• Hiding your drinking or drinking alone is a very common sign that you’re an alcoholic or beginning to have a problem. If you find yourself sleeping with a bottle or having to disguise vodka in your cup to function properly at work, you may be an alcoholic.

 • Having trouble with memory loss is a big part of what they call “black out drinking.” Many who’ve suffered consequences like vehicular homicide and other legal discord have stated that they don’t remember a thing after the incident.

• Feeling guilty about drinking is also a big part of suffering from alcoholism. You most likely already know your drinking is becoming an issue, yet you drink anyway.

• You get flashbacks while you’re sober or having recaps of embarrassing incidents you experienced while drunk.

• Gastro Intestinal problems are also a clear-cut sign you’re drinking too much. Many who are alcoholic don’t eat properly. This results in alcohol tearing away at the stomach lining until ulcers or some other GI problem develops.

• Lying about your drinking is always a telltale sign of a drinking problem. Many who realize that their drinking has become a problem will hide it from their loved ones due to guilt.

• Suffering consequences from your drinking is also a sign that your drinking is spiraling out of control. Some of the consequences could be losing a job, getting in legal trouble, losing a spouse or a loved one or waking up in strange places.

• Trying to quit drinking but can’t or trying to quit or stop completely without success is one of the bigger signs of alcoholism. Many who realize that they may have a drinking problem frequently say “I will never drink again!” only to find themselves drunk within a few days.

• Feeling withdrawal symptoms from alcohol are clear cut signs of alcoholism. Getting the shakes, clammy hands, and/or obsessing over getting the next drink is clear evidence of alcoholism.

Is there a solution to the problem or can I eventually go back to drinking?

Well, that is your choice.

However, everyone has a different reaction to alcoholism. In most cases, however, the only answer is complete abstinence.

A lot of alcoholics who are experiencing withdrawal symptoms realize that they just want to stop, but can’t. Many find a solution in self-help groups, 12-step fellowships, and other treatment programs.

See Also: Where to Find Friends and Support During Addiction Recovery

Even if others see you as an alcoholic, you won’t be able to help yourself if you haven’t realized the problem yet. You are just bound to repeat the process over and over again.

Once you recognize that there’s a problem, your next step is to find a solution to solve it. Only you will know when enough is enough. Although many people wait till they lose everything before they act, I don’t really advise that.

The post The Tell-Tale Signs You May Have Alcoholism appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Not all good call center agents can be great live chat experts. Talking through a live chat requires a special kind of training and it’s more than just typing responses.

For instance, a call center agent providing support via phone is expected to sound patient and relaxed. A live chat agent, on the other hand, should be a multi-tasker who can handle multiple chats and tasks at the same time.

To help you develop those skills, let’s examine the best live chat customer service tips.

Make the most out of the initial seconds

As a lot of people say, “ the first impression is the last impression”. You should bear this statement in mind, especially if you are into a customer service job.

Some might argue that working as a live chat customer service representative is easy since clients won’t be able to see or hear you. The truth is it’s the other way around.

Creating an impression when you are just typing words can easily lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding. Because of this, you need to be extra careful when chatting with a customer.

Here are a few tips you can use:

• Be cheerful and friendly. Your words and sentences should reflect positivity and politeness. These things can help a customer stressing over an unresolved issue.

• Never be sarcastic even if the customer is. Stay helpful and never joke irreverently with anyone.

• Avoid being blunt and use complete sentences, grammar, phrases, and punctuations. Always reply with a complete answer, even if you believe it’s not necessary.

All you want is good feedback from the customer, and that can only be obtained by using the right tone and the right words.

Speak the customer’s language

Having a refreshing and cheerful attitude is important, but so is speaking in a way your customer feels most comfortable in. For example, if a customer is direct and formal in his/her tone, you should reply accordingly.

On the other hand, if the customer seems to be a conversational-type, then you can start the discussion by asking him how he’s doing. This will help both of you to feel at ease.

In addition to that, you should also know how to approach a customer that’s not too familiar with the English language. In such cases, it’s best if your department can invest in language translation tools or use agents who are multi-lingual.

Avoid jargon

When communicating with a customer, most live chat agents often make the mistake of assuming that the customer is very familiar with their products or services.

To avoid confusion, assume every customer is a new prospect to your offerings. Avoid using jargon or overly complex terms to describe the product’s features and benefits. Instead, keep the conversation as simple and clear as possible.

The point is to make the customer understand the nature of the business and products without making them feel intimidated by their technical aspects.

Remember that you’re not a robot

To counter language and other communication issues, most companies have a defined ‘style guide’ that teaches agents on how to talk to their target audience. Such style guides may teach you the basics of communication within your industry, but you shouldn’t rely on them too much. Remember, you’re not a robot!

Since most companies tend to hear the same concerns over and over again, they believe that creating standard responses to such concerns can save them time. Unfortunately, not all customers will have the same concerns.

Ideally, it should go well if the customer asks something that is exactly in the style guide. If that’s not the case, you have to be prepared to come up with your own resolution. Get used to modifying each reply before sending it to the customer. Keep in mind that agents are there to solve each customer’s issues!

Unlike robots, humans are naturally sympathetic to the specific needs and emotions of their customers.

Take product A and product B for example. A customer might be interested in product A, but as a professional having a clear understanding of what the customer needs, you think product B would be a much better choice for him. So, instead of explaining the features and benefits of both, you try to emphasize why and how product B would meet his needs more than A.

Be honest and work it right

Continuing the above discussion, you suggested product B over A to the customer because it was a better problem solver. But, what if product A was more expensive than B, and its sales could easily uplift your revenue figures? What would be your preference in such a situation?

No matter how much it tempts you, you should avoid misleading a customer into making a wrong purchase. Always express the most authentic and honest opinion to your customers. The clearer the facts, the easier it will be for them to make the right decision. In the end, a satisfied customer is most likely to be a repeat customer.

Also, if you aren’t thoroughly informed about a product or an item, never lie to your customers. Some live chat features allow the agents to redirect the call to relevant personnel who might be able to provide your customers with the information they need. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if the situation requires it.

See Also: 11 Key Tips for Improving Customer Support

Conclusion

If you are currently working as a live chat agent or you’re undergoing a related training, take those live chat customer service tips into consideration. They won’t only help you build a long-lasting relationship with your customers, but they can also helo boost your sales.

See Also: 5 Steps to Creating a More Productive Sales Team 

 

The post 5 Effective Ways To Sound More Human Over A Customer Support Live Chat appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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For any business selling a product, the right product packaging should be a major consideration. Your packaging can say a lot about your brand, business, and, frankly, the quality of your products.

And we all know that getting the branding right is essential for the success of your business, too.

Although consumers buy out of necessity, it’s also a fact that most people buy with their eyes. When we see a beautifully packaged product with the right branding, it can be hard not to make a purchase.

Because of this, it’s important that you pay more attention to your product packaging. Whether you are going to display your products at a trade show or your local shops, make sure that they will stand out from your competitors.

Why packaging?

When you are branding a product or business, the effects need to be across the board. This means that everything, from your logo to the packaging, needs to be on point.

Your branding will be useless if you neglect other factors. For example, make sure you pay attention to your logo as much as you do with your packaging.

See Also: 6 Tips for Designing the Perfect Logo for Your Brand 

What makes a great packaging?

Although product packaging should match your brand, it’s not a definite rule. In fact, keeping it simple can also be effective.

Other things to consider include:

• Make sure people know what your product is – either by showing the product or by telling them
• Ensure that it adequately protects your product
• Determine it fits your branding and your company ethics
• Ensure that it offers the best quality
• If you are going to use a cheaper packing, make it look stylish and chic

When it comes to packaging, you need to consider three things.

One, it should work for your business and brand. Second, the right product packaging should also do what it’s supposed to do and that includes keeping the product inside safe. Finally, it must also be easy to carry and transport to your customers.

Remember that everything you are doing is for your customers. Your focus should always involve your customers’ needs and wants.

Asking yourself the following questions can help:

• Is the packaging of my product easy carriable?
• Is it worth spending much money on?
• Will it force the customers to remember the product?
• Is it functional?
• Is it eye-catching?
• Will it be reusable or not?

The majority of the most popular brands on the market today have completely mastered their packaging. Think of Apple or Tiffany & Co. You’d know that a product is theirs even before you get to hold it.

Some things we can learn from the successful packaging of these brands include:

• Consumers are left with no doubt about whose product it is
• The packaging is made part of the experience
• They know who their target consumers are and design their branding and packaging around them

If you can incorporate these ideas into the branding and packaging of your product, then you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful business which people will know, love and, ultimately, buy from. 

See Also: 5 Smart Ways to Boost Brand Awareness 

*Article written on behalf of OSI Creative

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