The ability to adjust to different environments, unexpected changes, people and circumstances is highly important for your personal growth and success. Thanks to a high level of adaptability, leaders stay strong, relevant and optimistic during hard times. These hard times including periods of failure, financial problems, family or work issues, and bankruptcy.

Regardless of the situation, leaders aim to shape their new environments and turn their failures into opportunities. If you’re unwilling to adapt to something new, here are a few baby steps to try in order to become more adaptable in life.

1. Stop whining

What do you do when something terrible happens? Say, ‘I’ll handle it,’ or ‘God, it’s the end of the world and my life’?

Majority of people start whining as soon as they find themselves in a difficult situation. It’s normal but this reaction leads to nowhere.

If you’re one of them, don’t stay at a standstill. Instead, learn to accept the situation, adapt to it and move on.

2. There’s no ‘right’ and ‘wrong’

Eliminate ‘wrong’ beliefs from your life. We used to believe that many things are ‘wrong’ and must be avoided, but it’s not the case if you want to be successful.

Be bold enough to try things that others run away from. This trait has helped many successful people build companies, corporations, and fortune.

3. Improve your coping mechanism

The way you deal with personal and professional setbacks may significantly affect your future success. Discover your coping mechanism and consider changing some aspects of it.

If you usually switch strategies to overcome various life challenges, try to forge ahead, learn from mistakes and try again. Don’t run away from them. Instead, change what’s not working with your coping mechanism.

4. Be open to change

New things aren’t necessarily bad things. No matter how you slice it, changes make our lives better. Unless you’re doing something that can damage your health and overall life, feel free to experiment with spiritual, personal and professional worlds.

See Also: How to Become a Spiritual Badass – The 20 Laws of Spiritual Power

5. Have the whole alphabet for your plan

Successful things don’t happen overnight. And this is where you may need the whole alphabet rather than the first three letters of it. When Plan A doesn’t work, switch to Plan B. If it still doesn’t work, move to Plan C. If 20 plans don’t work, move to Plan W or Y. This way, no change will scare you.

6. Engage in a positive self-talk

I’m not telling you to sit and talk to yourself every morning or evening. That’s kind of madness, right? But positive self-talk every now and then can help you adapt to any changes faster, especially if you have no one to encourage and support you during the rough times.

7. Stick to your natural inclinations

If a situation doesn’t come naturally and you have trouble coping with it, turn to your natural inclinations. If you’re an extrovert who draws the strength and inspiration from talking to other people, no matter whether they’re family members or total strangers, make sure you talk to them.

If you’re an introvert, spend some time alone in order to analyze the situation you are in and find a solution. If you’re introverted extrovert or extroverted introvert, follow your intuition and do what you feel is right to you.

8. Think big

You can greatly improve your adaptability by learning to think big. Break through the limitations you’ve set for yourself. Let go of them. Expand your horizons. Set realistic goals and you will never feel like you failed.

All of these will not only help you be more adaptable in the future, but will also show you the road to success.

See Also: The Power of Thinking Big

9. Don’t blame yourself

… and others, if you have this habit. Adaptable people know their personalities and they always keep reinventing themselves in order to adapt. They don’t blame themselves for mistakes, failures, rejections, traits and doubts. They do realize that if they can’t change it, they must accept it.

Blaming yourself or others is just a waste of time. Focus on improvement, not the past.

10. Learn how to balance your life

Trying to succeed in all aspects of life is great, but you risk ending up feeling miserable in case of a failure. Create a balanced life, instead. After all, it’s impossible to adapt to all changes in all aspects of life, no matter how strong you are.

When you’re balanced, you feel grounded, calm, clear-headed, inspired and motivated. Take time to look at your life, and figure out the aspects of it that you are either neglecting or paying too much attention to.

You know you’re in a state of imbalance when you don’t good and you’re stretching yourself to fill the gaps.

11. Stop waiting

… for the right time, right place, success, happiness, money, people, you name it. Just stop waiting.

When it comes to adaptability, there’s no ‘right’ moment. You have to take action to cope with the hard stuff. You can either influence or accept it. There’s no other choice.

Adaptability isn’t a part of success; it’s a part of life. It’s vital for a happy life. Although some people are adaptable to circumstances by nature, you can master this skill as well. It will take time, patience and effort, but it will all be worth it in the end.

 

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Did you know that a lot of countries have strange international laws?

It’s easy to get in trouble in a foreign country if you don’t know its laws and cultural traditions. Some laws have not been changed for centuries and are rather funny (or dangerous!) for a modern tourist.

Not being aware of them can cause some serious problems during the holidays. If spending a lot of money on fines or going to prison is not on your list of vacation activities, then you’ll have to do some reading beforehand.

Here is a collection of the odd laws some of your travel destinations have.

UK

Household Inquiry Form

In the UK, responding to the Household Inquiry Form is by far more important than visiting old parents. In case you forget or choose not to do it, you’ll have to pay a $1,300 fine. Moreover, if you provide some false information, you can face a fine of $6,500 or even spend time in prison.

Beware apples

In case you like eating apples, you have to be very careful in the UK. Don’t even think about eating one while driving. You can lose $40 or more for doing so. The case of a woman forced to pay a double fine of $80 for enjoying a juicy fruit in her car is a cautionary tale.

Don’t shake the doormat

Now let’s say you’ve enjoyed your stay in the UK and decided to relocate there. Listen carefully as this is an extremely important piece of information. According to the local laws, one can shake a doormat up only until 8 a.m.

You may smile now but let’s see you smiling they ask you to pay a $1,300 fine. The consequences of not abiding to this law can lead you to a prison sentence. This law is a part of Town Police Clauses Act 1847 and still applies.

Germany

Autobahn no-no’s

Germans are famous for their admiration of order and discipline. They seem to plan everything ahead and want the tourists to do the same. Check twice if you have enough gasoline to reach your destination as it is not legal to run out of it on autobahn (German highway). You are also not allowed to walk along it. The fine is $90.

Due and Sie

We often don’t realize how lucky we are not to have two forms of “you” in the English language – formal and informal. In the German language, there is a huge difference between these forms (“Du” or “Sie”) and you have to be careful using them. If you address a policeman using the informal “you”, be ready to pay a fine of 600 euros. To avoid the misunderstanding, download a translation app before your journey.

See Also: 21 Top Travel Apps and Tools 

Denmark

Turn on those headlights

If you are in Denmark and decide to rent a car, there is one important rule you should know. According to one local law, a driver needs to drive a vehicle with headlights on all the time. It doesn’t matter either if the sun is shining or if it’s raining. If you don’t do it, you’ll have to pay $100.

Italy

Don’t eat and sightsee

Why do most of the tourists come to Italy? To explore the beauty of the architecture and to eat, of course. But here is a tip for you – don’t try to combine those two in one activity. You will probably be forced to pay a fine for eating or drinking while sitting on the church steps or near a public building. Eat your pizza somewhere else and enjoy the remarkable buildings on an empty stomach.

No kissing

What can be more romantic than driving a car in Italy with the love of your life and kissing? Getting in a car accident is certainly not. The police of the Italian city named Eboli thinks so too and will ask you to pay a fine of £415 for kissing in a car.

Dog days

No matter how much you love your dog, this feeling starts to fade on every gray and rainy morning when you have to walk it. If you live in Turin, Italy, there is no way of escaping this torture. The law states that an owner of a dog has to walk his or her pet three times a day. The fine of not being able to do it is quite impressive – $650. It is a bit unclear how the authorities will find out about it, though. Unless your neighbors turn you in?

France

Breathalyzer test

The next thing you have to do after renting a car in France is buying a Breathalyzer. A driver is allowed to drink no more than one glass of wine and should be ready to test the alcohol level. You can buy a Breathalyzer almost in any supermarket.

No to Napoleon

One more thing you should not do in France is naming a pig Napoleon. Or maybe you can avoid paying a fine so long as you don’t call it that in public.

Spain

Bikini ban

The hot sun and the refreshing sea might get you in a bikini mood. But if you wear just the bikini and nothing else on the streets of Barcelona, you will get into trouble. You can enjoy yourself on the beach but change the outfit afterward. Not following this fashion requirement will lead you to paying a fine.

Australia

No to dognappers

Now, let’s travel to a faraway place – the city of Adelaide in Australia. The common practice of posting flyers of a missing pet we have in the US is prohibited here. The reason for such a strange law is that the person who is responsible for stealing a pet from you will be able to avoid any kind of punishment and even receive a reward for it. Don’t help the criminals and you won’t have to pay a $380 fine.

Obscene ballads

One more thing you should avoid while staying in Australia is singing. You can get a fine of $190 for singing songs that contain swear words. There is no way you can avoid the fine even if it’s your favorite song you are singing.

Singapore

Wi-Fi etiquette

You are a brave person if you’ve decided to visit Singapore. There are so many fines you can get here! For instance, you should never use someone else’s Wi-Fi. You’ll be accused of hacking and forced to pay a fine of $10,000 or go to jail.

Flush or else

Are you familiar with the icky feeling of using a public toilet? The people of Singapore feel your pain and force everyone who does not flush to pay a $150 fine.

Bubblegum ban

If you’re thinking about starting a business of selling chewing gum, you are not welcome to Singapore. It’s been almost 15 years since it was banned and selling it now will cause you a lot of problems. The fine of $100,000 is one of them.

Pigeon feeding

Don’t feed pigeons no matter how much they ask you to with their eyes full of tears. If you do, be ready to pay $500.

Smokers beware

Smokers will have a hard time in Singapore. It is not allowed to smoke in public places or vehicles and to cross the border with cigarettes. The fine can go up to $760. You can enjoy a cigarette only in your own home.

Painting graffiti

Whatever you do, don’t paint graffiti. You may be forced to go to prison for this kind of “vandalism” in Singapore. There were several cases of tourists getting into trouble for this form of art.

China

Filial duty

Do you remember the last time you’ve visited your parents? We are all busy people but there should be no excuse for adult children to ignore their parents. The Chinese government thinks the same and introduced a law which makes it illegal not to visit your parents.

Maldives

Leave the Bible at home

The best tip you can get when traveling to the Maldives is leaving your Bible at home. Importing the Holy book into the country is offensive to its people as the only religion that can be publicly recognized is Islam.

Kazakhstan

Illegal selfies

All the selfie lovers, this one is for you. If you happen to be in Kazakhstan airport and want to capture this glorious moment on your camera, stop. It’s illegal to take photos in an airport and anywhere near it. Also, avoid taking pictures in front of official and military buildings.

The United Arab Emirates

Dangerous PDA

Spending a honeymoon here is not the best idea. You can get arrested for kissing, hugging, and holding hands on the streets of UAE. There have been cases of tourists spending their vacations behind bars for being too affectionate in public.

See Also: Old Dubai to New Dubai: A View 

Barbados

Fashion police

Speaking of fashion, it is against the law to wear anything that has a camouflage coloring. Only Barbados drug and defense forces are allowed to do so.

Bolivia

One glass for women only

If you are a married woman in La Paz, Bolivia, you may drink only one glass of wine in a bar or restaurant. The reasoning behind this law is that women tend to behave inappropriately after drinking more than that. And it may be the ground for a husband to ask for a divorce.

Thailand

Don’t leave home without your underwear!

We saved the best for last.

You are finally on your vacation and want to hit it off, we understand. But there is one thing you have to avoid in Thailand. Don’t leave your home without wearing your underwear. We don’t know how the police will check if you have it on or not. But it’s better if you do just in case.

What did you think of these strange international laws? Remember, if you are traveling, make sure to do some reading on the country you are visiting to avoid hassles or worse.

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Whether you’re hoping to start a successful business or simply looking to live a fulfilling life, progress is an important indicator of current and future success.

But what’s progress to one person may not be progress to the next, so how can you know for sure that you’re making true progress in your life?

Fortunately, there are a few solid indicators that you’re making progress. Outlined below are five of them.

1. You’re Able to Look to Your Mistakes and Learn From Them

Mistakes aren’t the monsters that we make them out to be. Instead, mistakes can help us learn a lot about ourselves and the path we’re taking in our lives.

When you’re on a path of progression, your mistakes are an opportunity for change. You can use your mistakes to ask yourself some thought-provoking questions such as what things can be done to correct them, what might you be able to do differently in the future to prevent making them again, and what lessons can be learned from them.

2. You’re Genuinely Happy for Others

You know how much hard work goes into achieving your dream, which is why you’re no longer jealous when those around you reach their goals. When you’re progressing on your own path, you don’t have any ill feelings for those who are doing the same even if they happen to be further ahead than you.

3. You Know that Success Only Happens When You’re Open to Failure

How are you to work out the finer details—and all the kinks involved in success—if you aren’t willing to put yourself out there?

Progress means to continually move forward, even if that forward motion may be met with a bump in the road or an exceedingly high wall. Failure can certainly be scary and it’s okay to feel fear and anxiety! But, openness to failure is the only way you can continue towards success.

See Also: Why You Should Forget Success And Strive to Fail 

4. You’re Willing to Reassess Your Current Situation

It’s easy to trick yourself into thinking you’re making progress when, really, all you’re doing is treading water. If you’re progressing toward your goals, you’re willing to reevaluate the path you’re using to get there.

Of course, this reevaluation takes courage and honesty, because who wants to admit to themselves that they aren’t as far along as they’d hoped? But creating a bit of discomfort in your life by constantly reviewing, rethinking, and revising your goals—and your path towards them—is truly worth it in the end.

5. Your To-Do List is Heavily Influenced by Your Life Goals

You know that change doesn’t happen overnight and empires aren’t built in a day. So, when your life goals make a frequent appearance on your to-do list, you know you’re doing something right.

As previously mentioned, reevaluation of your path is vital to your progression. There is a way to keep yourself in check without going too far off the path, however, and that’s by incorporating your life goals into your daily (or weekly, or monthly) to-do list.

Obviously, you can’t add “reach the summit of Mount Everest” to your daily to-do. Instead, break that life goal down into daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly chunks so you can build up to completing it successfully in the end.

For example, you should probably summit a few smaller mountains before even thinking of attempting Mount Everest, and even further, you should probably train daily to get into peak physical shape for such endeavors.

If you want to continue progressing, then you’ll have to understand how to make goals that you can actually stick to. Don’t know how? Henrik Edberg over at The Positivity Blog, has some excellent tips on setting attainable goals.

See Also: How to Set Personal SMART Goals To Succeed 

If you aren’t sure whether you’ve been making progress, then consider how well the above 5 signs align with you and your actions and adjust your mindset accordingly. And remember, no matter where you are on your journey in life, it’s important to always keep moving forward.

 

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Nothing is more important than feeling comfortable in your workspace in order to excel at what you do best. Working alone to detach yourself from noise levels and distractions can be good for your output, as proven by many a study. Depending on your type of personality, you may even find that operating under peaceful and tranquil settings frequently in contrast to a regular communal environment will help you get more done and produce greater results across the board.

That being said, everything needs to be taken in moderation and so any time you choose to work in isolation, weight the pros and cons.

Here are five reasons why you may consider this approach for boosting your productivity over the long-term.

1. Reducing everyday stress

Men and women who choose to work from home can expect an easier time eating healthy and achieving a manageable work-life balance. If you are eating healthier and making more time to spend with your family or friends, you will ultimately feel less stressed out than usual, which contributes towards a more productive workday. A 2011 study from Staples found that employees who worked offsite recorded 25% less stress.

2. Increasing overall happiness

A study by the University of Warwick have found out that people who take time out to work alone are happier and this “happy” state results in as much as 12% increase in productivity. On the other hand, “unhappy” workers were recorded as being 10% less productive.

This proves that human happiness has great and positive causal effects on a person’s productivity levels due to the importance that positive emotions have on how we act and process things.

See Also: 10 Things You Should Know About Creating Your Happiness

3. Becoming more independent

Good things happen when you go it alone. There’s no better way to truly test how independent you are than trying it out.

Whether you are starting a personal project or building up a freelance enterprise, you will build new confidence from finding things out by yourself without the assistance of others. This new mindset will allow you make decisions faster and with conviction so when you return to a communal environment you have a more productive outlook.

4. Less interruptions

Fewer distractions equal more accomplishments. Productivity levels soar when you make plans to get away from it all. Whether that is five minutes or five hours, every second helps.

It’’s important to use this time alone to also think for yourself and get to know yourself better without external influences at play. Hitting your stride becomes easier when your attention isn’’t being split between tasks you value to be important and those belonging to others within your proximity.

See Also: Turn Your Home Office Into A Productivity Zone 

5. Working smarter, not harder

Read any cheat sheet for working smarter, not harder and somewhere on the list will be a section dedicated to finding time for stillness which also translates to being able to work by yourself.

One of the positive effects this has on boosting productivity is being able to reassess the priority of each task on your list so that you are best able to make use of your time. Sometimes, being amongst the noise and the crowds can help you forget how to focus on getting the most out of your day.

 

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If you’re working from home, sweeten the deal even further by putting together the best home office setup you can devise. Here are 8 easy steps in setting up a home office you’d love to spend your working hours in.

1. Get the essentials

Setting up a home office starts with developing a list of absolute essentials. These are the things you’ll definitely, definitely need in order to get your home working space up and running.

Here’s what we reckon you’ll need to get you started:

• Office chair
• Computer or laptop
• Telephone
• Space for other work, if, say, you’re a designer
• Storage
• Wastepaper bin
• Filing cabinets
• Printer
• Client meeting area (if applicable)

Anything to add? Share your essentials below.

2. Let the light in

Research gathered by Pottery Barn for their interactive home office productivity guide highlights the importance of natural and artificial light for a productive home working space.

For starters, your desk should be oriented to make the most of the available sunlight without it negatively affecting your work. The wrong angle can get in your eyes and keep you from being productive.

Artificial light should have the same intensity as daylight. This way, you can trim down on the number of artificial lights in the room. Light bulbs that are 65 watts are recommended for this setup.

If you are making use of an office lamp, make sure it doesn’t create glare on your computer screen. 

3. Divide your work and home lives

When you work from home, it can be difficult to keep your personal life separate from your professional one. Ensuring your working area is divided from the rest of your house is a great way to focus and get on with work.

Only use your home office for work and nothing else. Enter only at certain times and have days when you’re completely barred from using it. Doing so ensures the line between personal and professional does not become blurred.

4. Personalise your space

What a lot of people dislike about the modern office is its greyness, its corporateness, and its lack of identity. If you work from home, you have complete control over the look and feel of your space, so it’s entirely up to you what you do with it.

Personalising your space is a good idea. It means your home office doesn’t want for a bit of soul and can keep you inspired.

Motivational posters, pictures of friends and family, some plants – these are all examples of simple ways you can make your home office personal.

See Also: Turn Your Home Office Into A Productivity Zone

5. High-speed internet

A speedy, healthy internet connection is key to the smooth running of a home office. If your current connection is a little slow or unreliable, consider switching to a new provider or a more powerful line. A strong internet connection means you can stay in touch with clients easily, run multiple projects at once, and get things done at high speed.

6. A great office chair

This is definitely something you shouldn’t skimp on. If you can afford it, make sure you invest in a sound, sturdy and comfortable office chair. After all, you’ll be spending a lot of time sitting at your desk, so you need to feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible.

If you can, head to a showroom so you can try out a chair in the flesh. It’s much better than just buying one randomly online. Check out ergonomic manager or executive chairs while you’re at it.

7. A quality coffee machine

Okay, so this is something of a luxury…as you’ll probably know, a great-tasting, strong cup of coffee is one of the best sources of fuel for a productive day working from home. You can pick up a reasonably cheap (£40 – £50) coffee-maker and most supermarkets do fantastic, well-priced own brand coffee. Stick it in the corner of your room and get it bubbling as soon as you wake up.

8. A best-practice project management approach

If you’re freelancing, then work schedules, email chains, online tools and invoices will become part-and-parcel of your working day. For many freelancers, it’s the first time they’ll have to keep track of their work in such a way and probably the first time they’ve ever filed an invoice. Keeping on top of your administrative stuff is an absolute essential.

See Also: 10 Productivity Musts for Freelancers

Do you work from home? What are your tips for setting up a great home office? Let us know.

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Do you know how to create a presentation that grabs your audience and keeps them hooked althroughout?

No matter who you are, whether a student or a worker, you need to deliver speeches from time to time in order to communicate messages, inform an audience, and share your thoughts.

It goes without saying that delivering a speech requires the ability to develop and present ideas. However, if you have to give a speech in public, it can cause speech anxiety which affects the quality of your presentation. Thus, you’d better have a card up your sleeve, and I’m talking about a well-organized presentation.

You need to do your best while preparing slides and providing information. Never forget about the way you do it as the presentation is a visual addition to a good speech.

It’s scientifically proven that people perceive visual content better, and it can capture and hold their attention. As the main goal of any speech is to deliver a message, you need to keep your audience interested. Thus, create a killer presentation in an easy way!

Take the following 6 steps to create an outstanding eye-catching presentation:

1. Find How to Hook Your Audience

“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their time and attention.” – Dale Ludwig

Starting your presentation, you need to get your audience’s attention. If the audience members are interested from the start, it’s more likely they will be focused on your presentation.

A good hook provokes curiosity which means engaging the audience.

• Tell people what they can learn from your presentation
• Use a buzz example
• Promise your audience something interesting

The main task all speakers have is to hook their audience, and if you know how to interest people in your topic, it can give you a lot.

See Also: 7 Killer Ways to Connect with your Audience During a Speech

2. Choose the Right Design and Colors

It’s not a secret that the psychology of color plays an important role when it comes to influencing your audience. Believe it or not, you can positively affect your audience if you know what colors to use as they can persuade, motivate, and highlight.

Pay attention to the colors you choose as you prepare your presentation. After all, a good presentation should be made wisely – from picking out the right visual theme to choosing fonts.

Here are some tips for creating a presentation:

• use the same fonts (San-serif fonts are generally the best for PowerPoint presentations)
• make sure that the font size is visible to the whole audience
• check the readability (it should be easy to make out what is written)
• pick 3-4 colors as maximum to use in your presentation

Your presentation design matters.

3. Include Personal Examples

To establish good contact with your audience, make them feel close to you. And if you share your story with the audience, it helps to build trust.

Many people face the same obstacles but they might be too shy to share this experience with others. And it’s more likely people can find something similar to their situation if they hear your story.

Don’t be afraid of including personal examples!

4. Add Visual Content

Believe it or not, our memory is predominantly visual. People remember 65% of the information if you give it with the visual. For instance, if you need to include important data to your presentation, create an infographic to show it visually.

After all, if you add too much textual information to the slide, your audience can lose an interest. Thus, you’d better include visuals (images, photos, videos, charts, etc.) to keep people focused on the topic of your speech.

5. Write Rhetorical Questions

If you want to grab your audience’s attention, ask them a rhetorical question as it can add variety and interest to a speech. Although people don’t have to ask the question, it makes them participate in your speech actively. To make up a good question, you need to analyze your audience and think about their worries and expectations.

What can you get with rhetorical questions?

• Make your audience think about one particular topic
• Gain an agreement from your audience
• Trigger the visualization process

Rhetorical questions keep the audience interested and focused on the theme.

See Also: 5 Steps to Planning an Effective Presentation 

7. Make Your Speech Interactive

If you know how to make your speech interactive, it’s a win-win situation without doubt. A speech is a process of delivering information as a monologue, but it can’t keep your audience engaged if you don’t interact with them. Thus, you’d better think about actionable ways on how to engage them.

All the above-mentioned techniques can help you, but you need to keep in the mind that the main idea is not to make your audience feel bored: poll the audience, remind them about their experience,  and so on.

Presentation plays an important role when it comes to delivering a speech. It’s a great way to capture your audience and keep them following your flow of thoughts. So, spend time on creating a well-organized presentation if you want to be heard.

 

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You’ll work out one day. You’ll learn Japanese. You’ll start meditating daily. Or maybe you won’t.

Good habits have a bad habit of not sticking around. Maybe you tell yourself that you’ll just slip up for one day and that one day turns into a week, a month, never again.

Whether you’re just burned out or don’t have enough time, developing good habits can seem impossible.

Here’s the good news – we’re all animals.

We’re animals with limited willpower and time so we need to treat ourselves like animals when it comes to habit formation.

If you can’t rely on willpower to make a habit stick, what are you supposed to do? You train yourself.

Just like training a dog, you have to break down the training process into steps.

1. Start simple and easy with ONE HABIT at a time

First, you need to pick a habit. Just like picking a trick you want to train your dog.

Avoid teaching yourself multiple new tricks at the same time. Being able to focus on just one habit will keep your brain fresh and prevent burnout by trying to change too many things at once.

Start small, but keep a large habit in mind. If you want to work out, then make your initial habit one push-up, one sit-up and one pull-up per day, or maybe just a walk around the block. If you want to start meditating, then start with two minutes of mindfulness per day. Learning a language? Learn one word per day.

You’re starting to get the picture, I’m sure. The point is to create a very low barrier to entry when you start with any new habit.

Just like teaching a dog to sit, you shouldn’t care about the dog’s posture as long as butt meets ground.

2. Create a cue

Now that you’ve decided on a habit you want to develop and determined the simplest way to get started, it’s time to come up with your cue. My dogs will sit, shake, “down,” and stay on command. Here’s where you get to come up with your own commands.

Ideally, the cue will be something you encounter regularly. A bright post-it note on your fridge to remind you to exercise when you come home from work, an alarm on your phone, lighting a stick of incense, or anything you will definitely notice. The more cues you have, the more likely you are to actually notice them.

Anything will work as a cue as long as you recognize it. My cue for meditating is lighting incense. My workout cue is an empty coffee mug. I’ve built cues into my life. So can you.

3. Give yourself treats

Here’s the big one – the thing that will make your habit stick. You have to treat yourself.

The “good boy” (or girl) reward after you complete your habit is what sets it in stone so make sure you’re rewarding yourself frequently for completing your habit with something you actually crave.

My meditation habit is very closely tied to my morning coffee. I meditate, start my coffee, then enjoy my cup of life. I tell myself as I’m drinking “This coffee is my reward for meditation.”

Once the coffee mug is empty, it’s time to work out. Once my workout is finished, I’ll make breakfast as a reward for exercising. Again, I’ll tell myself as I’m eating, “This delicious sausage, Belgian waffle and protein shake is my reward for a good workout.”

Would you like to guess how long it has been since I missed a day of meditation or exercise?

See Also: 16 Easy and Effective Natural Mood Boosters for The Non-Morning Person

4. Increase difficulty over time

Eventually, you want to step it up once you’ve set up your cue, habit, and reward cycle.

Just like improving the dog’s posture or responsiveness to commands, you should start to push harder over time, so increase the difficulty, duration or consistency of your habits.

Start doing more intense workouts after a week of easy push-ups. Meditate for longer. Invest in a language-learning course like Rosetta Stone.

After you’ve increased the difficulty, keep rewarding yourself. Expect more from yourself, but keep the treats flowing. The satisfaction of completing your habit will eventually become a reward in itself.

5. Negative reinforcement aka punishment for failure

Here’s the part nobody wants to hear about. What to do when you skip a day.

Well, you have to have some sort of negative reinforcer when you skip your habit. I’m not saying that you need to go take a cold shower or hit yourself over the head, but it’s good to hold yourself accountable.

Jerry Seinfeld’s “Don’t Break the Chain” method works surprisingly well. Put up a calendar in your home and start marking an “X” on each day you complete your habit. If you miss a day and break your chain, you will disappoint yourself and your entire family (or roommates) will know. Failing publicly is a feeling you want to avoid.

My personal rewards are also potential negative reinforcement. If I don’t meditate then I don’t get coffee. If I don’t exercise, then I go hungry until lunch. It’s brutal, but effective.

Other options include donating to a cause you hate, having an accountability partner or uploading an embarrassing photo to Facebook if you fail. Get creative with your negative reinforcement. The more you dislike the idea of “skipping just one day,” the more likely you are to stick with it.

See Also: How to move from one failure to another without losing enthusiasm

Bonus – Figure out WHY

There’s one piece of advice that doesn’t really fit with the dog training theme above. You need to have a purpose for your new habit — the light at the end of the tunnel so-to-speak. A big “WHY?”

When you’re getting in shape to look good at the beach, think about the body you want to have. If you’re learning a language to travel, imagine talking to locals on your journeys.

Having a strong image of your future self will motivate you to move forward when you feel like quitting.

Good Human!

You have the toolkit to start training yourself to learn new habits already – so get started. Find your habit, create your cue, reward yourself, amp it up, and don’t let yourself fail.

It takes a bare minimum of 21 days to form a habit that lasts (usually closer to 66 days), and if you do it right – you could be on the fast-track to building several great habits and approaching your big “WHY” goal.

Let us know what your next habit is in the comments below. We’d love to hear what you have in store for yourself. Good human!

 

The post 5 Tips to Form New Habits that Stick – Train Yourself Like a Dog appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Do you know what to do on a long flight?

France, Asia, South America — they’re destinations that appear on nearly everyone’s bucket list. Yet most Americans’ passports are embarrassingly blank. The average American has visited just three nations. That means most of us have seen just a paltry 2% of the globe.

Perhaps one reason Americans don’t travel more is the long distances most of us have to fly to reach a foreign country. It certainly doesn’t help that, thanks to smartphones, we have a shorter attention span than a goldfish. I mean, what do you do when you’re crammed in a metal tube for six hours, anyway?

Passing the Time Wisely

I once spent an hour-long flight watching the antics of two extremely inebriated individuals in the seats in front of me. I fully expected the police to meet us at the gate and haul them away. (No such luck, of course.) I’ve also noticed some people like to engage in another age-old pastime: making out all the way from Seattle to Denver.

However, if you’re not as easily amused or haven’t flown in a while, the days when you could load up on 15 gossip magazines to pass the time are long gone. Thanks to technology, there’s a lot of entertainment at your fingertips. You might even disembark at your destination wondering how you got there at all.

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Take advantage of in-flight electronics

That little screen in the back of your seat isn’t just for decoration. It’s your in-flight entertainment system, otherwise known as your window to the world. Want to watch the latest blockbuster or catch up on episodes of “The Bachelorette”? Binge-watch all you want.

2. Hook up with a podcast

Want information? Current events? Sheer laughs? Podcasts deliver all of that with a very low investment of energy. Just shut your eyes and drift off. Some airlines, including Qantas, have them built in to their in-flight entertainment systems. You don’t even have to worry about downloading them before your flight.

3. Clean up your phone

Has your phone been running a little slowly lately? Spend your air time trashing all those apps you never use and the accidental photos that are taking up space. While you’re at it, organize your apps by category.

4. Brush up on your language skills

Worried about communicating with the locals? By the time you land at your destination, you can at least have mastered “please,” “thank you,” and “Where’s the nearest bar?” Apps like Duolingo or Loecsen can help you get started.

See Also: 5 Effective Techniques To Learn A Language Faster 

5. Go playlist crazy

Log in to Spotify or 8tracks, and start making playlists for every category you can think of: travel, party, workout, road trip, etc. You’ll be so busy jamming by the time you touch down that you won’t even have noticed how much time has passed.

6. Kick it old-school

Instead of taking a chance on that potentially terrible in-flight movie, pick up a gritty crime novel at the airport. Depending on the airline, you may have a period of up to an hour between takeoff and landing when you won’t be able to use electronics. This is when books come in handy.

7. Grab some shut-eye

Those noise-canceling headphones shield your ears from engine noise, annoying seat belt sign dings, and the cranky toddler three seats behind you. If you can’t afford a $300 pair, even some foam earplugs can help you get some much-needed beauty sleep. Plus, if you snooze for a few hours, you’re almost halfway to your destination.

Remember, for the highest-quality sleep, go easy on the caffeine and alcohol. These substances dehydrate you and make your sleep less restful. Last but not least, guarantee restful sleep by bringing your own travel pillow. You’d be amazed how many different options there are these days.

8. Move around

As office drones know, it’s impossible to sit that long without fidgeting. Why should planes be the exception?

For the sake of your health, remember to get up every once in a while (when the seatbelt sign is off, of course). To get that blood flowing, you could even do some yoga.

Avoid a stiff neck by sitting straight up, with the crown of your head pointing toward the plane roof; then, slowly roll your neck around in a circle. Second, lift your arms straight up to release shoulder tension. Finish by lifting one leg and rotating your ankle in circles for a minute, then switch.

9. Get into planning mode

Tote along guidebooks or magazines. Decide which art museums to visit and the best night to go dancing. You may not be the type of person who breaks down every second of your trip. You can at least read up on the language, culture, and food. You’ll feel like a local as soon as you step off the plane.

See Also: Must-have apps for women who love to travel alone 

A boring plane ride shouldn’t stand between you and the rest of the world. With a little planning, it doesn’t have to be boring at all. In fact, the flight might turn out to be your favorite part of the trip — right after that chocolate croissant on the Champs-Élysées!

 

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Why am I still single?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? Are you still waiting for Mr. or Mrs. Right to come into your life? You may think that you don’t have any control over the situation, but you actually play a large role in meeting the man or woman of your dreams.

Here are six possible reasons why you haven’t found them yet and why you’re still single.

1. You aren’t meeting new people

There comes a time when dating largely becomes a numbers game. The more single people you meet, the more likely you are to land a date and eventually hit it off with someone. If you aren’t meeting new people very often—or ever—then your chances of staying single will be greater.

Fix this by expanding your social circle. Go out to happy hour with colleagues or attend that wedding stag. Try out a new Meetup group or speed dating through an online dating site. The more people you meet, the more chances you will have of landing some dates.

See Also: 5 Tips for Effective Online Dating

2. You’re too picky

It’s just right to be choosy and selective when deciding to commit to a relationship. But, if someone asks you on a date—and they aren’t exactly your type—go anyway.

Dating a variety of individuals will expose you to different personalities and help you realize the qualities you most want in a future partner. You may find out that some traits are more important to you than you thought.

Dating will also help you get more confident and comfortable with the opposite sex. After one date, if you still aren’t feeling it, then you don’t have to go out with them again, but at least you gave it a shot and got some good experience.

3. You think all the good ones are taken

You see your best friend with a great catch and are thrilled for him. You are so happy your sister finally found someone so wonderful. But it makes you think all the good men (or women) are taken and that there’s no one left for you.

There are millions of single people in this world and a lot of them are really great. Give people a chance to show you their awesomeness. Just because a few good fish are taken, doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty other ones in the sea.

4. You’re so into yourself

Relationships require a lot of give and take from both parties. Don’t expect someone else to put all the effort in while you give nothing in return. If you are constantly thinking about your wants and needs, then maybe you aren’t ready to be in a relationship. Until you are prepared to care for someone else and put their needs above your own, live the single life.

5. You don’t put yourself out there

Dating involves risk and rejection, and while it’s scary and can be painful to be vulnerable, it’s necessary to have a healthy, intimate relationship. Your future partner is not going to just show up at your front door one day. You have to talk with strangers and ask people out. You need to be approachable and friendly in order for people to want to date you.

Think about your body language when you are out with friends. Is it open and inviting? Or closed off to the world? Being aware of simple things and making changes will make you more approachable.

See Also: 10 Ways to Make a Good First Impression 

6. You’re too negative

Do you feel the need to win every argument? Are you always putting others down? Do you complain about every little thing at that restaurant you just went to?

People in general tend to like being with positive personalities. Misery loves company, but it will be a long time before someone loves you if you’re always negative. Try looking at the positive side of things, especially when out on a date. Smile often, compliment your date, relax and try to enjoy yourself.

7. You’re desperate

There are few bigger turn offs than desperation. Be careful not to have your desire for a partner come across in a negative way. Some people make the mistake of getting too far ahead of themselves and are already planning the wedding before even having the first date.

Watch out for your baggage from past relationships and personal insecurities. Don’t let it sneak out and give you the wrong expectation of having this new interest fix all your problems. Keep your desperation in check and start off with just looking to become friends.

It’s not a bad thing to be single, but if you’re looking for love and it just hasn’t come your way, then hopefully one of the items on this list resonates with you. Some of them are simple fixes and will be easy enough to change. Others may require deeper soul-searching as you figure out what kind of person you are and who you want to attract.

 

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It’s no secret that smoking is bad for your health, but did you know that it negatively affects many other important aspects of your life, too? It’s true. Lighting up harms a shocking number of things, from your future earning potential to your relationships, the environment and even your pets.

Here are four little-known ways that smoking hurts more than just your lungs.

Smokers Earn 20% Less Than Non-Smokers

Research shows that people who smoke earn 20% less than people who DON’T smoke. This is a lot and translates to around $10,000 worth of loss of income per year!

Now that $10K doesn’t even factor in the cost of cigarettes which costs a pack-a-day smoker an average of $2,193 a year. This “smoker’s wage gap” is significant, but few are aware of it. A study conducted by Truth Initiative revealed that 88% of young adults aged 15-25 years old were ignorant of this wage gap.

If you’re a current smoker, or are tempted to try it in the future, think of all the things—and awesome experiences with friends—you sacrifice by spending and losing your dough on cigs.

Smokers Are Viewed As Less Attractive Than Non-Smokers

Can posting a smoking pic take you from a “10” to a “2”?

Researchers looked into the data from online dating apps and discovered that profile photos showing a person smoking get almost twice as many “left swipes” or declines when compared to photos not showing any sign of smoking.

A well-known youth tobacco prevention campaign called Truth released a humorous yet eye-opening music video titled “Left Swipe Dat”. The music video showed why these smoking profile photos were getting rejections on social media and online dating sites.

Pets With Owners Who Smoke Are Twice As Likely To Get Cancer

Secondhand smoke doesn’t just harm people. It extends to our beloved furry friends as well.

This is an issue near and dear to the hearts of the majority of us as approximately 60% of millennial households own pets. Truth released a video earlier this year that brought this fact to life by illustrating the unthinkable: a world without cats and thus an Internet without cat videos.

The message is a serious one: smoking equals no cats; no cats equals no cat videos. #CATmageddon. If your own health isn’t reason enough to stay away from cigs, consider your innocent, furry BFF’s health.

See Also: 8 Tips for Coping with Pet Loss

4.5 Trillion Cigarette Butts Are Littered Worldwide Each Year

Did you know, cigarettes are the most littered item on earth? Now think of all the chemicals coming out of these cigarette butts seeping into the Earth and poisoning living things and micro-organisms. Another reason we need to end smoking – to help Mother Earth.

The current state of tobacco use and how you can get involved

Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in this country. Almost half-a-million Americans will die from tobacco-related causes this year, and one in three youth smokers will eventually die from tobacco-related diseases.

truth, the award winning youth tobacco prevention campaign, uses surprising, important facts about the unexpected impact of tobacco use to rally this generation of teens to end tobacco use for good.

Teen cigarette use is down to a historic low of 7 percent (down from 23 percent in 2000) and truth remains committed to the cause until the rate is zero.

To enlist in the fight to end smoking for good, visit thetruth.com or follow @truthorange on Twitter.

See Also: 16 Essential Tips for Quitting Smoking

 

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