Learning to Overcome Shyness

As a young child I was very shy. Although as I have grown older I have outgrown the need to hide behind my mother, I still find myself to be reserved especially when meeting new people. Below are some tips to help people like me overcome shyness and reach out of their comfort zone to improve interpersonal skills which are so important in today’s world.

Introduce yourself. This sounds basic but many people are afraid to take the first step. Our little shy alter-ego tells us at this point that no one wants to know our name and we should just keep quiet. I can guarantee that a big smile and a simple “my name’s blank, what’s yours” will be all you’ll need to get the ball rolling. Do it straight away because the longer you wait the harder it will be.

Don’t feel the need to qualify yourself.    

A humble but accurate description when asked is all that is needed, and if you make people feel good about themselves that’s the best social qualifier of all. We’ve all been in a situation where a new acquaintance has gone to great pains to express just how great they are. Whether it’s how fantastic their job is, how much money they have or how hot their girlfriend is, it never leaves a good impression.

Ask more, talk less. People love to talk about themselves.  Ask the questions that let them talk about their lives. And then listen with interest. Simple as that.

Remember detail. Everyone wants to feel special, and we’re all looking for someone else to give us evidence that we are. If you’ve met someone before, remembering their name and just one detail about them will be the greatest gift you can give them. For help with this check out our article How to Increase Your Ability to Remember Names.

Compliment others. I’m not suggesting you compliment someone for the sake of it, but if you genuinely like something then go ahead and tell them! Everyone loves a compliment, they start conversations and they give people confidence.

Think of others. When in social situations stop thinking about yourself and think about the other people there. If someone wants to join your conversation then make it easy for them. Help the host with serving or clearing away. Introduce people to one another. In short, get out of your own head and make sure others are having a good time.

http://zenhabits.net/eight-essential-tips-to-overcoming-shyness-and-making-a-good-impression/

Common Myths of Weight Loss

Since weight loss is such an important topic in today’s society there have been many myths about weight loss that have developed in everyday conversation. Perhaps you are familiar with some of these myths.

Skipping Meals. A common myth is that skipping meals will help you to lose weight. Eating less food should lead to weight loss right? Wrong. The National Institutes of Health’s Weight Control Information Network reports that skipping meals-particularly breakfast- and eating fewer meals in the day is linked to heavier weight than people who eat small meals four or five times a day including breakfast.

Water Will Help You Lose Weight. One of the most common weight loss myths has to do with drinking water. While drinking adequate water is a healthy habit, and provides for your body, it will not take place of nutrients in food or help you to lose fat. Drinking water doesn’t boost your metabolism, since it doesn’t have any calories. It is not wise to try to lose weight by drinking lots of water without eating food. Your body will still need energy that it gets from food and you will likely be very hungry.

Never Eat After 8P.M. There are lots of different versions of this myth, each giving different times in the evening. Many people believe that calories that are consumed in the evening will turn into fat while you are sleeping. It isn’t when you eat but what you eat and how much you eat that causes you to gain weight.

Fat Burning Foods. Many people believe that if you consume fat burning foods in large amounts you will be able to burn more fat. Many fad diets are based off of this idea of fat burning foods, such as grapefruit, celery, cabbage soup, etc. While these foods do contain essential vitamins and minerals, they can’t speed up your metabolism or cause you to burn more fat.

Eat High-protein, Low-carb. Many fad diets such as the Adkins diet, tell us that we should be eating high-protein, and low-carb diets. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, a diet that focuses on high-protein foods and strictly reduces the number of grains, fruits, and vegetables consumed provide unbalanced nutrition that result in weight loss only short termed because of restriction.  In the long term this kind of diet can result in a number of health conditions including high cholesterol, increased heart disease risk, and kidney disease. Also, it is reported that when compared to low-fat dieters, low carb dieters lose weight quicker but will also gain it back in six months and end up heavier than they were before they started the diet.

Go Vegetarian to Lose Weight. It is also very common for those who are trying to lose weight to hear that if they eat a vegetarian diet then they will lose weight. While vegetarians overall do tend to consume fewer calories and less fat than non-vegetarians, it is not true that switching to a vegetarian diet will cause you to lose the weight. There are many ways to eat high-calorie and high fat foods while being a vegetarian. As with every aspect of weight loss it is important to focus on what you are eating, how much of it you eat and that you engage in regular physical activity.

Be aware that what you hear may not always be true about weight loss. Do your research before changing your lifestyle to fit these types of myths. Not everything that you read or see is true; make sure you can find credible sources for the information before you apply it to your life.

Preparing for Missionary Service

Since the founding of the church in 1830, over 1.1 million members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have served full time missions throughout the world. The number of missionaries that are serving has increased in recent years and is anticipated to rise significantly with this new announcement.   

Elder Holland said that the time spent by new missionaries at the church's 15 Missionary Training Centers will be cut by one-third for all missionaries. He stated that due to this change, prospective missionaries “will be asked to enhance their pre-mission preparation, including total personal worthiness supplemented by gospel study (especially the Book of Mormon), seminary and Institute classes, and systematic study of Preach My Gospel.” Young men and women should be intimately familiar with Preach My Gospel before they get to the MTC. Making it a regular part of gospel study is encouraged.

“Elder Holland said parents need to help their children prepare for missionary service.” A great deal of missionary preparation should take place within the home. With the recent age change and consequently shorter stays in MTCs, parents have a great responsibility to make sure that their children are prepared and worthy to serve. Parents should be constantly striving to teach their children gospel principles and help them in learning to recognize the Spirit. 

Missionary service is a wonderful opportunity to be a tool in the Lord’s hands. President Monson states, “Courage is the word we need to hear and hold near our hearts-courage to turn our backs on temptation, courage to lift up the voices in testimony to all whom we meet, remembering that everyone must have an opportunity to hear the message. “ We pray that those who are willing and preparing to serve will be blessed in their efforts.

If you are planning on serving a mission check out the Student Health Center page regarding mission physicals. Click here for more information.

Simple Ways to Save Money on Groceries

Plan ahead. Before you go shopping, plan your menu for the week. Doing this will limit the trips you need to make to the grocery store, as well as reduce your urge to make frequent impulse buys.

 

Use what you have. This goes right along with planning ahead. If you are better able to use what you have without letting food go to waste additional money will be saved and you won’t waste gas on an avoidable trip to the grocery store.

 

Find alternatives. The next time you go to the grocery store, hang on to your receipt and circle the most expensive items. Then, consider lower-cost alternatives for those items in your planning for your next shopping trip.

 

Skip prepared and convenience foods. Save money by making your own food. For example, premade salads and sandwiches are much more expensive than buying ingredients for salads or sandwiches and making them yourself. Making your own fresh foods generally doesn’t take much time either.

 

Look up and down. Items which tend to be more expensive usually are commonly placed at eye-level. When you're shopping, look down or up for cheaper items such as generic brand items. Most generic brand items, especially in canned goods are cheaper than the name-brand equivalents.

 

Skip buying personal-care products at the grocery store. Unless you do your grocery shopping at a supercenter, you're better off buying shampoo, toothpaste, cotton balls and other personal-care products at a drugstore or dollar store, where they're cheaper.

 

Stock up. It is recommended to stock up on items which you would regularly buy when they go on sale. If the item has a long shelf life (or if you have room to freeze it), buy several and score big savings.

 

Check unit prices. Most stores often display a unit price for items. This price typically shows how much you're paying per ounce and can point you to the better deal. For some items, you'll get a better deal buying several smaller packages rather than one large package. This is why you should always look at unit price to get the best deal.

 

Buy in season or frozen. Save by buying fruits and vegetables when they're in season. When they are out of season they can cost twice as much. Buying frozen veggies also can be a big money saver, especially considering they won't go bad if you don't eat them within a week.