Whenever we have something that we are good at--something we care about--that experience and passion fundamentally change the nature of our first impressions.
"Some people look like they sound better than they actually sound, because they look confident and have good posture," once musician, a veteran of many auditions, says. "Other people look awful when they play but sound great. Other people have that belabored look when they play, but you can't hear it in the sound. There is always this dissonance between what you see and hear" (p.251)."
Sylvia's first impression of Allegra was that no one had ever before had such a beautiful baby. Jocelyn's first impression of Grigg was that he had nice eyelashes and a funny name, and didn't interest her in the slightest. Prudie's first impression of Bernadette was that she was startling to look at and dull if you listened, which you hardly ever had to do. Bernadette's first impression of Prudie was that, in all her long years, she had rarely seen such a frightened young woman. Grigg's first impression of Jocelyn was that she appeared to think sharing an elevator with him for a few floors was some sort of punishment. Allegra's first impression of Sylvia was blurred with her first impression of the larger world. For me? she'd asked herself back when she had no words and no way to even know she was asking. And then, when Sylvia, and then, when Daniel had first looked into her eyes -- More for me?
When visitors come to a worship service in my own religious tradition, a great deal depends on how warmly they are welcomed and whether they feel included or excluded by what they hear during the short time they are with us. We may have exactly one shot at communicating who we are to people who know nothing about us - or who think they already know a lot about us - but who, in either case, will remember us at the embodiment of our entire tradition, the prime exemplars of our faith.
"We are each a work in progress--special and unique. By learning and living the "Art of First Impressions," you can design a masterpiece of which you can be proud." --
Interestingly, being yourself allows others to be themselves. Even with crazy imperfections, being a bona fide genuine person is the best any of us can be--messy flaws and all!
Do you generally feel uncomfortable around people whom you perceive to be perfect? Is there really such a thing as the perfect person? Of course not! Our flaws are often what differentiates us from each other, and no person is perfect.
"Authenticity isn't just about saying "this is who I am"--it is also about being flexible enough to recognize and appreciate the uniqueness in others--honoring the mutual respect for being authentic and true."
When employees lack passion, it is nearly impossible to deliver excellent customer service. Doesn't it make you less inclined to want to do business with them as well?
It can't be taught to all, but people who deliver exceptional work, merely by relaying their passion through what they say and do in the workplace, are priceless.
When employees are motivated and love what they do you will see higher productivity, less turnover, healthier communication, increased loyalty, and a happier environment.
I simply needed to excavate passion lost by being resilient, resolving the blockages, and healing. As soon as I did, the passion, and joy, burst forth.
Many people have never discovered the power generated from a heart of service. They show up to life projecting a right of entitlement in which their needs are their first priority and they will do whatever it takes to forward their own agenda without any concern for how it impacts others. This behavior pushes people away, creates barriers to trust and communication, and leaves a bad impression.
If you're always taking, you will inevitably experience resistance and struggle. Without realizing it, you may be creating a firewall that is blocking you from receiving exactly the things you most desire.
Do you genuinely love people? Or at least make an effort to like them? Your first impressions will be made easier and more successful when you start with your heart.
When you graciously accept something from someone else, you are giving to them in return. By accepting their gift, you're allowing them to act upon what is in their heart.
Helping another person will instantly shift your energy. As you go from being self-absorbed to focusing on others, miracles seem to happen. And incredible impressions are made.
Doesn't it feel great when someone does something nice for you? Especially when you're not expecting it? The irony is that they are getting as much joy by giving as you are by receiving.
You and I may have never met, but I already know so much of what you want: to be happy and feel valued. We all want love, connection, respect, confidence, health, vitality, passion, kindness, and success.
You and I may have never met, but I already know much of what you want in your life: to be happy and feel valued. We all want love, connection, respect, confidence, health, vitality, passion, kindness, and success.
"15. "We all want to be happy and feel valued. We want love, connection, respect, confidence, health, vitality, passion, kindness, and success. When you generously provide these emotions for others, you activate the law of attraction to magnetize the same experiences for you."
We all want to be happy and feel valued. We want love, connection, respect, confidence, health, vitality, passion, kindness, and success. When you generously provide these emotions for others, you activate the law of attraction to magnetize the same experiences for you.
Speakers, coaches, consultants, thought-leaders, experts, and authors who dedicate their professional lives for the love of humanity and the betterment of society are making a positive difference in the lives of millions. These messengers of hope make our entire world a better place through their love and generosity.
What impresses you when you meet someone new? What is it about some people that makes you remember them for the rest of your life, even though your interaction lasted only a few moments?
Throughout your life, thousands of people will cross your path. Some you will remember fondly. Some you will remember negatively. Others will slip by unnoticed, perhaps because they were neutral, unengaged or, quite frankly, unimpressive.
There are times when making a great first impression is essential and you need to do everything in your power to be diligent, deliberate, and dedicated to making the connection count.
Knowing how to make a great first impression will enable you to more easily achieve your goals and live out your hopes and dreams to become a happier, more content you.
Attitude. Personality. Mindset. Spirit. Essence. Perspective. Regardless of how you define your state of being, your mental, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual approaches are the basis for your existence and how you experience life.
Your way of being impacts your happiness and outcomes--the wisdom of your choices, your confidence and courage, your self-esteem, how you are perceived and received by others, and the quality of your relationships.
When I meet someone who is truly genuine, I am drawn to their personality and find them easier to approach, engage, and interact with. They have no hint of false pretense, nor do I worry about hidden agendas.
Confidence is not a goal or a final ending point where you arrive and then stop once you reach it. Rather, it is the satisfaction and reward you achieve by stretching to, and beyond, the best of your abilities.
There are differing opinions as to whether charisma and charm are innate qualities which we are born with or learned personality styles. I believe it is a combination of both. Young children demonstrate a propensity for this enthusiasm. However, smart adults realize that they can get further in life when they develop these special traits.
There is a reason that the words natural, wholesome, and organic resonate throughout our culture today. Aim to be natural and truly who you are one-hundred percent of the time.
Building self-confidence is like building a muscle. Your confidence grows in response to your intensity of usage and the level of performance you require from it. If you don't use it, you may lose it. Stretch, flex, life, and build!
You will build confidence by continuing to put yourself into new and innovative situations where you can learn new skills, grow your education, test your strengths, and improve your abilities.
Self-confident people don't make their self-esteem, self-image, happiness, or self-confidence dependent on another person's approval, validation, or acceptance.
"Wouldn't you rather have the respect of your friends and colleagues than succumb to pressure to do and say things that are out of character in order to feel accepted? You can overcome this habit simply by learning to say "no."
What we often forget is that most everyone else has dealt with the same struggles and uncertainties. You get to pick your response when this doubt creeps in. Will you allow it to undermine your confidence, or instead, choose to look at it objectively?
With an objective eye, take an inventory of your successes and enlist the honest feedback of a trusted and respected mentor or peer. Chances are they see you in a better light than you see yourself!
"You will be stuck with you for the rest of your life so learn to be your own best friend. Take a moment, look at yourself in the mirror, and say, "I love you." It feels awkward at first. Do it anyway. Begin a great friendship with YOU!"
If you want to appear more confident--speak slowly, articulately, clearly, and deliberately. Communicating with clarity will not only help you build more confidence in yourself, but it will inspire respect from others.
Gracious pride is a powerful motivator and an exceptional quality. It drives a person to strive for excellence, keep promises, not give up, be more resilient, maintain optimism, and hold their head high while enduring challenge and change.
Grace is an attitude of generosity toward our fellow humans. We are not easily offended and do not look to judge and label others. With a spirit of graciousness, we are amiable, benevolent, and charitable.
They emanate an essence of caring, love, and compassion towards the people they know, and generously extend their aura to the new people they encounter.
These people do exist and are a pleasure to know. Their keen communication skills are attentive to what you want, what you are thinking, saying, or not saying. They want to hear how you are and what you've been up to.
While it may seem to be a mysterious, ineffable quality--charisma is enhanced and enriched by a person's attitude and confidence, their aims and optimism, expressive body language, and natural effervescence.
What do confidence and command look like when you see them? Moving one step past a healthy self-esteem, they project an air of authority, respect, and deliberate intention.
"Charisma and charm are endearing qualities which go hand in hand to make others feel "lighter, happier, and a little in love" when they are around you."
When they are authentically engaged, their positive impressions create memorable moments and leave a lasting impact. Physical beauty becomes irrelevant because their exuberance and engagement bring out the beauty in you.
"True confidence is not something that can always be determined by a first impression. It may take a few interactions to detect whether a person is full of false bravado or if they are the "real McCoy."
In our natural world, it is the strongest of the species that claim their space, seek out new territories, explore their surroundings, and learn how to survive and thrive. It is those same qualities that enable us to apply confidence and command to transcend the mediocre and achieve outstanding results.
When your inner critic undermines your confidence, inner conflict, anxiety, and agitation take over. It tells you that you are not good enough, smart enough, handsome enough, worthy enough, or basically just plain NOT enough. It takes a toll on your self-confidence, doesn't it?
Even the smartest and most successful of people will experience lower self-confidence occasionally, but the difference is that they deliberately shift out of it and refuse to stay there.
Yes, learning curves can be painful, exhausting, trying, scary, and intimidating. How did you learn to ride a bike? One pedal, one balance, one turn, and one step at a time.
"Every one of your first encounters begins with a "blank canvas" which provides you with unlimited opportunities to color your world in the ways you most desire."
If you wouldn't want to hang out with someone who was constantly bashing you with a barrage of belittling insults, why would you allow them to live in your head?
As with art, first impressions are not rigid or carved in stone. Rather they are agile and adaptable, depending on the inspiration, the artist, the observer, the medium, and the circumstance.
Making an excellent first impression may seem old-fashioned to some, but the realities of life confirm that the first impression is a lasting one--impactful enough to change your life and even outlive you altogether.
The discovery that making great first impressions can be a learned skill helped me to understand that we can and do have power over how we affect and impact others and on how well we are received in this world.
The Art of Being lays the foundation for your first impressions, because if you get this part wrong not much else matters. All other efforts may be diminished or wasted.
Someone who is being gracious, kind, and passionate is more likely to achieve what they want in life than someone who is being petty, cruel, or resistant.
Becoming the person you want to be draws from being your best and doing your best as you allow your personality, passions, and purpose to shine through.
Are you being real? When people meet you, are you straight up and natural--the real deal? If you are, then you will appreciate what it means to approach life always being YOU.
Standing in your personal truth enables you to transcend social layers of happenstance and get to the heart of matters--revealing what is raw and real.
Human resource directors and hiring managers tell me they usually know within the first thirty seconds of a job interview whether or not the person is even a viable candidate.
"Why is a first impression so important?" Because these brief seconds can be the make-or-break, live-or-die, or yes-or-no basis for building rapport, earning trust, winning friends, or making the sale."