i have a friend request from some stranger on facebook and i delete it without looking at the profile because that doesn't seem natural. 'cause friendship should not be as easy as that. it's like people believe all you need to do is like the same bands in order to be soulmates. or books. no we're not. it's like we have the same english teacher. there's a difference.
Most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily wallowing in the troubles and sins of five billion strangers.
Six degrees of separation doesn't mean that everyone is linked to everyone else in just six steps. It means that a very small number of people are linked to everyone else in a few steps, and the rest of us are linked to the world through those special few.
F. Scott Fitzgerald believed inserting exclamation points was the literary equivalent of an author laughing at his own jokes, but that's not the case in the modern age; now, the exclamation point signifies creative confusion. All it illustrates is that even the writer can't tell if what they're creating is supposed to be meaningful, frivolous, or cruel. It's an attempt to insert humor where none exists, on the off chance that a potential reader will only be pleased if they suspect they're being entertained. Of course, the reader isn't really sure, either. They just want to know when they're supposed to pretend to be amused.
"Face-book has all the social graces of a nose-picking, hyperactive six-year-old, standing at the threshold of your attention and chanting, "I know something, I know something, I know something, won't tell you what it is!"
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."
"1. "Whether a first impression is made by way of a mere glance, a warm smile, a visit to your website, your poise and speech, or a formal introduction, it sets the stage for your relationships, personally and professionally."
The number 8 is well-rounded, circular, continuous, consistent, connected--and eternal. These are the same outcomes you can create and enjoy when you turn a positive first impression into a constructive and lasting one.
As we observe and experience varying degrees of difficulty, negativity, loss, hurt, anxiety, and fear in life, we yearn for the reassurance that our relationships are safe.
The days of the pushy salesmen and self-serving narcissists are over. That type of behavior quickly alienates and pushes people away because it offends and can't be trusted.
People must believe that you are real and are who you say you are, otherwise they will not want to do business with you, much less make the effort to move forward in starting and building a relationship.
"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."
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.
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.
Sometimes we meet folks who appear rather plain, yet when they speak from a heart of service, love, compassion, and wisdom, they instantly become respected favorites.
Authenticity respects the ebb and flow between positive and negative. The people who really know you will understand that you are not always going to be in a happy place and an occasional bad mood is acceptable.
As a lifetime people pleaser, I remember trying to mold myself into the person I thought other people wanted me to be--all for the sake of being liked and accepted. It caused more pain than gain.
Do you really want people to like you for something that you're not? It takes a lot of energy to pretend to be someone else for the sake of pleasing others.
"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."
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.