A blog created just for Real Woman. I will be posting real tips/secrets for us. Some will be from my own inspiration and others from interesting articles found through the web, magazines, newspapers,etc. Learning is a key to continue being as beautiful outside as inside. "No Matter what happen, You will always be with yourself so the most important relationship is the relationship with yourself"
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Me @ Eiffel Tower, Paris |
The ability to remember people’s names is an extremely positive skill, in business and social interactions. Do you remember how impressed or surprised you were the last time someone remembered your name? I still get impressed, and I tend to remember these people in an especially warm and friendly light.
I have a simple and distinct, short and easy to remember name , which I need to thanks to my family. I often fall victim to the embarrassment of not remembering names of people who approach me. My mind would go into panic, thinking “Oh crap! What’s her/his name again?”
I found the following tips and I am in the process to develop the following techniques to help myself remember names. I want to share these with you, and hope that you will find them as valuable:
1. Trust Yourself
Tell yourself, “I am fantastic at remembering names! And I’m gonna practicing start now.”
2. Seeing Faces
If you know another person with the same name, try the following:
See that person’s face in your imagination.
Now, see the person’s face bounce up-and-down (perhaps smiling at you).
Now, see the new person’s face, bouncing up-and-down beside the first face.
Repeat steps A to C several times
3. Using Sound Tricks
If you do not know another person with this same, try the following mnemonics using sound:
Repeat their names several times in your head, while noting the following:
Exaggerate the sounds. Prolong the syllables. Ie. “Ro-sse!” The funnier, the funkier and disturbing, the better for remembering.
‘Chunking‘ - Break the name into several distinguishable parts/words.
Associate parts of name with words you’re already familiar with and can easily pronounce. Ie. “Ramesh” = Mesh, Mash
Create a story - Especially great for foreign, long or unusual names. I sometimes find it helpful to create a little story containing familiar words from step b to serve as memorable cues. Make the story highly visual, especially great if the story sounds silly and makes you laugh.
Example, “Bengodi” -> “Ben Afflect is going to become a deejay.”
4. Hear the Sounds Repeated
Look into their eyes while being introduced and repeat their name several times out aloud.
I like asking the following questions after being introduced. The reason I ask is to give me additional time and opportunity to practice their names on the spot:
“Did I pronounce it correctly?”
“How do you pronounce that?”
“Could you repeat it?”
I would repeat it several times after they answer the question, and check with them that I’ve got the correct pronunciation. Again, this technique gives me an excuse to practice their names, also ensures that I’m pronouncing it right. People typically do not mind to help you learn their names.
5. See the Spelling Visually
Practice seeing each letter clearly in your mind. Sound out each letter as you see them. Repeat the process of seeing and hearing each letter in sequence.
Example. “Tyler” - “Tee, Y, L, E, R, Tyler!”
Two tips for this technique:
Clarify Spelling - Ask “How do you spell that?” This gives extra time and chance to practice the technique. Make sure to repeat the letters back to the person (and see the letters as you say it). Don’t worry about sounding or looking silly. If you are genuine about learning someone’s name, they will actually appreciate it.
“Dancing Letters” - As you pass through each letter, see it move a little. It could be shaking, bouncing, wobbling in its place. This will help your mind to remain the memory.
Always useful to have some scrap paper and pen with you. Better yet, use your notebook if you carry one. When the person is not looking or when you are in the bathroom, quickly jot down the names or sounds of names.
(Optionally) write a one-liner description beside the name
At conferences, I will have a page in my notebook dedicated to names. After meeting someone new, I would write it down in this page along with a quick distinct reminder about that person.
Examples:
i. “John, the real estate guy from Portland.”
ii. “Zoe, the myspace programmer.”
I like dumping names on paper or in a record (Item 6 below). Using this technique, I don’t need to carry it around in my mind and be constantly reminding myself of it.
7. Keeping Records
Keep a file on your computer, or even better yet, use google docs (virtual WORD documents). Call it “The Name Record” or TNR.
I use this to record names of people who I may come in contact with again. I use this to record names of people from my building (as I meet them), and for anyone I meet at any gathering I attend. When writing down a name, it is important to associate the name with a memorable fact or story.
Example entries:
“Unit 406 - Manik, Indian guy, very nice, 30 years old, works at Boeing.”
“Derek - friend of Josh. music director, they went to same college, big eyes, sarcastic.”
Try using these techniques one at a time. Practice, and when you feel comfortable, try another. Believe in yourself; the more you want to remember a name, the easier it will come.
I am trying to get smarter about saving so I am more conscious about my spending in even basic stuff. However, I realized, I need to be careful to sacrifice quality to save some money, especially since junk food prices are the cheapest comparing to vegetables and fresh fruits. I found this information regarding smart shopping that can actually save you money:
1. Splurge on nutrition: Consider it an investment in your future. Suggestion: pack as much nutrition as possible into the foods you buy.
2. Eat before you shop: You will spend more if you shop with a stimulated appetite.
3. Check yourself out: Checkout lines are stocked with high-calorie sweets.
4. Learn the lingo:
“Whole grain” means the grains used haven’t been stripped of their nutrients. “Multigrain” just means that multiple grains were used, but it says nothing of the level of refinement. Remember this when you're starting your day with a slice of toast.
5. Fewer ingredients means healthier food: When you must choose between two products and you’re stumped, just pick the one with the shorter list of ingredients. It’s almost always the right choice.
6. Work the edges:
In general, the healthiest food in the supermarket is found along the walls. The dairy case, produce, and meats and seafood are all found in the outlying regions of the market, while the inner aisles tend to be dominated by things that come in boxes, bags, or cans. Most of this vast nutritional dead zone is composed of highly processed foods--and the less time you spend in there, the better.
7. Brew your own coffee:
Instead of buying coffee from Starbucks, McDonald's, or the cafeteria at work, brewing your own coffee can save you over $800 a year!
8. Avoid quickies:
Instead, be thoughtful in your planning--keep a magnet-based notepad on your fridge and make notes throughout the week about what you need.
9. Bulk up:
Discount clubs are great cost-saving alternatives, even if you have to pay a fee to join. Focus on items that you use a lot and that won’t spoil, like paper products and frozen foods. Some shopping clubs also offer discounted gas.
10. Stop the retail therapy: Sadness increased the amount of money that shoppers are willing to spend, according to a 2008 study in Psychological Science. Study participants who watched a sad film were willing to spend 4 times as much money for a product as those who watched a neutral film about nature.
Picture by realkuhl
Have you ever wondering how you can be different from your work peers, in your classroom, in your team or how can you made a difference? Most of us have had this experience, and it can be quite frustrating. While you know, you are special and bring a lot of assets in what you do, maybe you are not feeling like others are valuing you as you are expecting or maybe you just feel like you are not doing enough. Therefore, you feel unmotivated and unhappy.
Here is a list I am personally applying to overcome this situation & feeling:
1. Learn as much as you can: Not matter where I am, I am trying to learn something new. I love learning but I also do it because maybe some day I will need that knowledge for a great opportunity.
2. Define the result: What is it you would like to accomplish? Define your goals so you know what your target is. Define if there is any problem which is a measurable result rather than something vague and generic. . Perhaps you want to answer a question, “What are some projects I can work on?”
3. Write it down: Brainstorm on paper (or digital device). I’ve found that the moment I write an idea down, not only do I have a record of this idea, but more ideas will start to flow my way. Also, because I am the person who likes to check lists, I love the feeling of checking my list of accomplishments.
4. Brainstorming: It’s an effective tool for helping to remove the mental roadblock and come up with ideas and solutions. Brainstorming is a method of generating ideas that allows the brain to think freely and use both sides of the brain to ideally come up with creative solutions to difficult problems. Brainstorming can be used whether you’re sorting out what to do to being seeing as an irreplaceable, or resolving a personal relationship issue. Brainstorming can help you hone in on the problem and come up with creative ways to approach it.
