Active listening helps one improve his/her ability to understand and grasp verbal information. It is a communication skill that facilitates effective communication of your ideas and concepts. On a simple note, a communication process actively involves a speaker and a listener, and one of the fundamentals of communicating well, is to listen carefully. It is no secret that good listeners also make good communicators. The article brings you some active listening activities that will help improve your listening skills.
Active Listening Activity Ideas For Students
Group Juggle
This activity requires a large space as physical activity is involved. The teacher can also participate in this game. The participant group has to arrange itself in a circle. Then, the teacher will call out someone’s name and pass a soft toy/ball to him/her, who will pass it to another student, after calling his/her name. The toy/ball will continue to be passed till all the students are covered. In this activity, gradually, all the students become alert as they are supposed to catch the ball as soon as their name is called. The element of surprise in the game will make the students listen with attention and carefully watch out for their name.
Group Discussion
This activity just requires a common topic that will be given to a group of students, and is supposed to be debated upon by them. The first topic could be fun and easy to speak on, which can then be followed by more difficult ones. Once the discussion ensues, the teacher will stop the speaker in the middle and ask any other student to continue the discussion from the same point where it has been left by the previous speaker. Once everyone gets a hang of the activity, the teacher can randomly pick any of the students and ask him/her to continue speaking.
For Adults
Quiz
This activity is to be performed indoors and requires a supervisor. Each member of the group is supposed to go to the front of the room. The other participants will ask three questions relating to themselves, to the one standing in the front. The supervisor will make a note of the answers given by each of the participant as their turn comes. It is then that the supervisor will reveal it to the participants that they were part of a quiz, to check whether they listened carefully or not. Then, the supervisor will ask the members to recall which member had given what answer.
Active Listening Discussion
The group of participants is to be divided into pairs and each pair is to have a listener and a speaker. The speaker is then given a topic to speak on and the listener has to listen to the speaker actively. After the speaker is through, the listener will have to recall and rephrase the speaker’s content. The listener is supposed to interpret speaker’s content and offer solutions and feedback to the supervisor accordingly. Then the speaker and listener can critically analyze and review each other’s performance. This can also be followed by a swapping of roles among the two. This exercise helps improve the business communication
skills of the participants and the ability to co-ordinate with one another.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Personal Goals In Life
The moment we are born, we join a competition and end up competing with everyone around, including ourselves. By the time we are old enough to boast of surging hormones, we are asked to set our goals, which will decide the way we live our lives. Goals are supposed provide a definite direction to our lives and help us identify our final destinations. So many of us set goals at a time when we should be enjoying, and by the time we think we have achieved all our goals, we feel that something is missing. That is because we reach stagnation after that. Many of us do not know that goals are to be changed and ‘updated’ from time to time. Also, most of us might think that goals are only associated with career; contrary to that notion, goals are all-encompassing and are also include the personal and familial life of a person. Even as a person aims to reach to a certain level in their career, they might want to get a six pack abs! Here are a few personal goals that will make your lives worthwhile.
How To Set Personal Goals In Life
Here are some ways to decide upon various personal goals that you may want to set for yourself. Though education features first on the list, you could set your goals with first priority on something else – you must remember that these are not in the order of importance or significance. You could device your own priority list.
Education
This refers to any kind of knowledge that you may want to acquire, when you can do it or when you can devote time to it and how long would it take you to do so. Some people might decide to get a certain degree or attend classes after many years of having worked just to keep themselves updated about what is happening in the industry. Others may want to start with the profession only after they have acquired that knowledge. You should know when it is time for you to enhance your knowledge or acquire some new skills.
Career
You must have set goals about the profession that you are following. It is like asking yourself the very typical interview question – where do you see yourself after a stipulated amount of time. There is no point in reaching stagnation in your career and studies prove that people cannot be satisfied with their jobs or professions until it offers them challenges and more responsibilities at regular intervals. You should have a clear idea about where you wish to reach in your life. It is one goal that you cannot afford to lose track of. Employers also invest more in people who know where they are headed.
Financial
When you set out to work and began to work, you must have thought of the amount of money you will need to build a home of your own, what all you will need for it and so on. You might also want to know what you do with that money. You may want to keep track of your daily expenditure to know how much money is going in which direction, so that you can cut down on wasteful expenditure. If you plan to buy or build a house or acquire other assets, you may have to plan ahead as to how much money you will have to save for it.
Community Service
Many youngsters, even as they work and earn, support many causes that may touch a chord with them – some of them may want to associate themselves with AIDS awareness or may spend some time taking care of differently abled children or some others may want to lend a hand at the Helpage India Foundation. Whatever be the cause that you want to associate yourself with, make sure you stick to it. You should also know why you are associating yourself with the cause and how much time you can devote to the cause as a volunteer and in which way you can contribute to the cause that is close to your heart – whether it is spending some time with homeless veterans at Helpage homes, preparing to lend services as a volunteer for various activities or so on.
Family
Men and women have responsibilities towards their families, the ones they were a part of, as well as, the families that they build. You will need to ask yourself what kind of responsibilities you have towards your family members, your parents, your siblings, your children, your spouse, parents-in-law too. These responsibilities are not only in the material sense and go beyond the monetary duties. It could be in ways like helping your child with his physics lessons or helping your wife cook lunch every day because she is going through a painful menopause! It could also be in the form of taking care of ageing parents or, sometimes even parents-in-law. You have to know how much time and energy to devote for the family, which is your prime reason for earning a living.
How To Set Personal Goals In Life
Here are some ways to decide upon various personal goals that you may want to set for yourself. Though education features first on the list, you could set your goals with first priority on something else – you must remember that these are not in the order of importance or significance. You could device your own priority list.
Education
This refers to any kind of knowledge that you may want to acquire, when you can do it or when you can devote time to it and how long would it take you to do so. Some people might decide to get a certain degree or attend classes after many years of having worked just to keep themselves updated about what is happening in the industry. Others may want to start with the profession only after they have acquired that knowledge. You should know when it is time for you to enhance your knowledge or acquire some new skills.
Career
You must have set goals about the profession that you are following. It is like asking yourself the very typical interview question – where do you see yourself after a stipulated amount of time. There is no point in reaching stagnation in your career and studies prove that people cannot be satisfied with their jobs or professions until it offers them challenges and more responsibilities at regular intervals. You should have a clear idea about where you wish to reach in your life. It is one goal that you cannot afford to lose track of. Employers also invest more in people who know where they are headed.
Financial
When you set out to work and began to work, you must have thought of the amount of money you will need to build a home of your own, what all you will need for it and so on. You might also want to know what you do with that money. You may want to keep track of your daily expenditure to know how much money is going in which direction, so that you can cut down on wasteful expenditure. If you plan to buy or build a house or acquire other assets, you may have to plan ahead as to how much money you will have to save for it.
Community Service
Many youngsters, even as they work and earn, support many causes that may touch a chord with them – some of them may want to associate themselves with AIDS awareness or may spend some time taking care of differently abled children or some others may want to lend a hand at the Helpage India Foundation. Whatever be the cause that you want to associate yourself with, make sure you stick to it. You should also know why you are associating yourself with the cause and how much time you can devote to the cause as a volunteer and in which way you can contribute to the cause that is close to your heart – whether it is spending some time with homeless veterans at Helpage homes, preparing to lend services as a volunteer for various activities or so on.
Family
Men and women have responsibilities towards their families, the ones they were a part of, as well as, the families that they build. You will need to ask yourself what kind of responsibilities you have towards your family members, your parents, your siblings, your children, your spouse, parents-in-law too. These responsibilities are not only in the material sense and go beyond the monetary duties. It could be in ways like helping your child with his physics lessons or helping your wife cook lunch every day because she is going through a painful menopause! It could also be in the form of taking care of ageing parents or, sometimes even parents-in-law. You have to know how much time and energy to devote for the family, which is your prime reason for earning a living.
How To Cheer Yourself Up
Almost all of us have faced a bleak moment or some kind of depression at one point of time or the other, in our life. There might be some worries bothering us every now and then, leaving us with no time to smile and relax. In fact, in the present world, everyone is so busy and preoccupied with living life that they hardly take out time for even his/her own self, forget about family and friends. This lifestyle is but natural to bring along with it lots of worries and tensions for people, leaving them with moments of gloominess. At such times, it becomes very necessary to them to make efforts to perk up and have some fun. This article will provide you with a few tips on how to get away from worries and cheer yourself up
Best Ways Of Cheering Yourself Up
* Put on your favorite music and dance out your worries. Turn the music loud and dance to the beats; it will surely make you feel good. If you think that you cannot dance, do not let that stop you having fun. Sing at the top of your voice instead and continue to enjoy yourself.
* Spend some time with children. Their natural zest for life is infectious and will cheer you up as well. They will make you love your life. A spontaneous hug or a chubby little hand in yours will bring joy and add life to that moment.
* Push back all your worries by forcing a smile, even if you don’t feel like smiling. This will trick your brain into thinking that you are happy. This is a proven fact that if you think and act as if you are happy, you will start feeling happy and be able to get rid of any worries.
* Put aside or clear out all the clutter around you. This will help in getting rid of the negative energy from your work place as well as your home and give space for some positive energy to flow in. It is an undeniable fact that clearing out what you no longer want makes life easier. Getting rid of your past and all your worries will give you an immense sense of freedom and will give you the confidence that the future holds only happiness for you.
* Some unaccomplished project or a simple household work, which you hate to do, might be continuously nagging you. Finish any such pending work, instead of putting it off. Once you are done with the task, reward yourself with something that you love, say an aromatic bath or a bunch of flowers and chocolate. The peace of mind that comes from having got the job done will be the greatest relief and reward of all.
* Think positive and keep repeating to yourself whenever you leave the house that ‘today, my day is going to be great, it is going to be a lot of fun’, rather than thinking negatively about it. Never think that your day is going to be boring and lethargic; rather visualize it with some new excitement waiting for you.
* If there is a situation that is worrying you the whole day long, get rid of it. The reality is often less stressful than sitting alone worrying about it. Try and talk out your problem to one of your friends; this will help reduce your burden and give you space to think logically.
* Indulge in exercise or perform yoga whenever you feel you are down with a worry. It will help you release the “feel good chemicals” called endorphins, in your body. Endorphins induce a feeling of euphoria and change your mood from sad and dark to happy and bright.
* Have fun when you are down. Play games, watch comedies, put on the daily jokes option on your mailbox or simply throw a party. Having fun and getting involved with friends will help cheer you up.
* Make something! Be a bit creative and bake a cake, plan a garden, sketch a portrait, or paint a landscape. Let your feelings flow out in a painting or a drawing. This will help you come out of your worries.
* Take up something new. Learn a language, trace your family history, redecorate your room, learn a new game, take music lessons or do something you always wanted to do. Visualize yourself successfully completing the new project and the benefits it will bring to your life. This will not only occupy your mind, but will help develop high self-confidence and self-esteem.
* Visit an old friend. Plan out a day with him/her and have a blast. Share jokes, narrate your experiences, and go in for a drink. Spending some time with your old friend will bring back the young and cheerful person in you.
Best Ways Of Cheering Yourself Up
* Put on your favorite music and dance out your worries. Turn the music loud and dance to the beats; it will surely make you feel good. If you think that you cannot dance, do not let that stop you having fun. Sing at the top of your voice instead and continue to enjoy yourself.
* Spend some time with children. Their natural zest for life is infectious and will cheer you up as well. They will make you love your life. A spontaneous hug or a chubby little hand in yours will bring joy and add life to that moment.
* Push back all your worries by forcing a smile, even if you don’t feel like smiling. This will trick your brain into thinking that you are happy. This is a proven fact that if you think and act as if you are happy, you will start feeling happy and be able to get rid of any worries.
* Put aside or clear out all the clutter around you. This will help in getting rid of the negative energy from your work place as well as your home and give space for some positive energy to flow in. It is an undeniable fact that clearing out what you no longer want makes life easier. Getting rid of your past and all your worries will give you an immense sense of freedom and will give you the confidence that the future holds only happiness for you.
* Some unaccomplished project or a simple household work, which you hate to do, might be continuously nagging you. Finish any such pending work, instead of putting it off. Once you are done with the task, reward yourself with something that you love, say an aromatic bath or a bunch of flowers and chocolate. The peace of mind that comes from having got the job done will be the greatest relief and reward of all.
* Think positive and keep repeating to yourself whenever you leave the house that ‘today, my day is going to be great, it is going to be a lot of fun’, rather than thinking negatively about it. Never think that your day is going to be boring and lethargic; rather visualize it with some new excitement waiting for you.
* If there is a situation that is worrying you the whole day long, get rid of it. The reality is often less stressful than sitting alone worrying about it. Try and talk out your problem to one of your friends; this will help reduce your burden and give you space to think logically.
* Indulge in exercise or perform yoga whenever you feel you are down with a worry. It will help you release the “feel good chemicals” called endorphins, in your body. Endorphins induce a feeling of euphoria and change your mood from sad and dark to happy and bright.
* Have fun when you are down. Play games, watch comedies, put on the daily jokes option on your mailbox or simply throw a party. Having fun and getting involved with friends will help cheer you up.
* Make something! Be a bit creative and bake a cake, plan a garden, sketch a portrait, or paint a landscape. Let your feelings flow out in a painting or a drawing. This will help you come out of your worries.
* Take up something new. Learn a language, trace your family history, redecorate your room, learn a new game, take music lessons or do something you always wanted to do. Visualize yourself successfully completing the new project and the benefits it will bring to your life. This will not only occupy your mind, but will help develop high self-confidence and self-esteem.
* Visit an old friend. Plan out a day with him/her and have a blast. Share jokes, narrate your experiences, and go in for a drink. Spending some time with your old friend will bring back the young and cheerful person in you.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
How To Avoid Negative Thinking
If you think you will win, there are chances you can. If you think you will lose, you definitely will.’
This quote aptly describes the important of our thinking, in the outcome of our efforts. A person who considers himself to be a loser and feels that he is worth nothing will hardly be able to achieve anything in his life. On the other hand, someone who has oodles of confidence (but not over confidence) and believes that he can achieve something in life will most likely become successful as well. Are you one of those who always end up thinking about the negative side, much before the positive? Do you want to get rid of this habit? If yes, then check out the tips given below and know how to avoid negative thinking.
Best Ways To Stop Negative Thinking
Get Creative
Whenever you feel that negative thoughts are creeping up on you, the best bet would be to turn your imagination creative. Think of a wonderful situation, where everything is happening as you planned or as you want. See yourself becoming successful in your endeavors, being loved by your near and dear ones or even getting appreciated from all the quarters. This would go a long way in helping you overcome the pessimism.
Look Back Into The Past
Life is never the same. Rather, it is full of surprises, twists and turns! At times, you win even without trying and during others; you lose even when you make a lot of effort. The wins have to be taken seriously, while the losses are something from which you need to learn. The moment you feel your losses gaining over your mind, try to think of those situations where success kissed your feet. Remember the sense of accomplishments and vow to make them happen again.
Indulge In Meditation
In case you are thinking meditation is only for those who want to lead a spiritual life and stay away from the materialistic world, you are wrong. People meditate for different reasons - developing their concentration, feeling one with the god, having a control over their thoughts, and so on. It is the last purpose that you have to solve with meditation. It will help you remain in a balanced state of mind and keep you away from the negativity.
Consciously Block Out Negative Thoughts
If you want to stop being pessimistic and think about the brighter side of life, it is very important to become conscious of your drift towards negativity. As soon as you feel that negative thoughts are trying to creep into your mind, start telling yourself ‘I do not have to think negatively’, ‘I have to think about the positive things happening in my life’, ‘I will not let negative thoughts come into my mind and affect me in any way’, etc.
Make Yourself Feel Happy
One of the best ways to get over negativity is to make yourself feel happy, by indulging in activities that you enjoy or that make your laugh. For instance, you can rent the DVD of your favorite comic flick and laugh your heart out. If you are fond of comics, buy some from the nearest bookstore and start reading. If you have internet at home, log on to the sites that list jokes, funny quotes or even funny SMS and start smiling!
This quote aptly describes the important of our thinking, in the outcome of our efforts. A person who considers himself to be a loser and feels that he is worth nothing will hardly be able to achieve anything in his life. On the other hand, someone who has oodles of confidence (but not over confidence) and believes that he can achieve something in life will most likely become successful as well. Are you one of those who always end up thinking about the negative side, much before the positive? Do you want to get rid of this habit? If yes, then check out the tips given below and know how to avoid negative thinking.
Best Ways To Stop Negative Thinking
Get Creative
Whenever you feel that negative thoughts are creeping up on you, the best bet would be to turn your imagination creative. Think of a wonderful situation, where everything is happening as you planned or as you want. See yourself becoming successful in your endeavors, being loved by your near and dear ones or even getting appreciated from all the quarters. This would go a long way in helping you overcome the pessimism.
Look Back Into The Past
Life is never the same. Rather, it is full of surprises, twists and turns! At times, you win even without trying and during others; you lose even when you make a lot of effort. The wins have to be taken seriously, while the losses are something from which you need to learn. The moment you feel your losses gaining over your mind, try to think of those situations where success kissed your feet. Remember the sense of accomplishments and vow to make them happen again.
Indulge In Meditation
In case you are thinking meditation is only for those who want to lead a spiritual life and stay away from the materialistic world, you are wrong. People meditate for different reasons - developing their concentration, feeling one with the god, having a control over their thoughts, and so on. It is the last purpose that you have to solve with meditation. It will help you remain in a balanced state of mind and keep you away from the negativity.
Consciously Block Out Negative Thoughts
If you want to stop being pessimistic and think about the brighter side of life, it is very important to become conscious of your drift towards negativity. As soon as you feel that negative thoughts are trying to creep into your mind, start telling yourself ‘I do not have to think negatively’, ‘I have to think about the positive things happening in my life’, ‘I will not let negative thoughts come into my mind and affect me in any way’, etc.
Make Yourself Feel Happy
One of the best ways to get over negativity is to make yourself feel happy, by indulging in activities that you enjoy or that make your laugh. For instance, you can rent the DVD of your favorite comic flick and laugh your heart out. If you are fond of comics, buy some from the nearest bookstore and start reading. If you have internet at home, log on to the sites that list jokes, funny quotes or even funny SMS and start smiling!
Memory Improvement Tips
A good memory is rightly associated with a sharp brain. However, not every one is a born genius, blessed with an exceptional retention power. Forgetting things occasionally is normal, but if it is happening way too often, you would do well with making efforts to improve your memory. Your brain power to withhold information may be just average or even below average, but you can surely train your mind to improve memory, by following some very simple, but interesting tips. This article brings you some valuable tips, which will help you perk up memory. Follow them and you will see the improvementhappening without waiting for long.
Techniques To Improve Your Memory Power
Visualize Concepts
Have you ever wondered why you remember the visuals of the last book you read, but not the written text? This is because it is easy to memorize photographs, charts and graphics that your see. Therefore, one of the best ways to improve your memory is to visualize the concepts that you have to remember for a long time, may be for an exam or an interview. If there is a dearth of visual clues to help you, create some of your own by imagining what you are reading.
Link & Associate
You can improve your memory to impressive levels if you can learn the technique to 'link and associate'. Try to link things to each other and form associations. Try to create a story out of the several things that you have to remember, in a way that one thing leads you to remember the other. The challenge of this technique, however, is to establish easy linkages that are easy to retrieve later on. Visualizing images in your mind will also help you form memorable associations.
Structure & Organize Information
This technique is especially beneficial for students, who have to memorize a pool of information. If you can organize your information well and give it a structured format, it will certainly become easier for you to remember it. In fact, in our day to day life, the structure and organize technique will help us tremendously in remembering things. Organize things that your have to remember and just see the difference in your ability to recall them.
Improve Your Concentration
The concentration power of a person has a heavy bearing on his/her memorizing ability. You can significantly enhance your memory by being able to fully concentrate on things. The more your concentrate, the more you remember. Don’t divert your attention and avoid getting distracted, while keeping your focus sharp and intact. Be focused on one thing at a time, as other things can surely wait to happen a little later.
Eat Healthy & Take Proper Sleep
A sharp memory has a lot to do with a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthy to improve your memory. Your diet should include green leafy vegetables and lots of fresh fruits. Good nutritional intake is nothing less than indispensable, for maintaining a good retention power. As much as a healthy diet is important, it is equally essential to take proper sleep, of about 6-8 hours in a day. Poor sleep can really hurt your memory, so try to make a feasible timetable and stick to it.
Techniques To Improve Your Memory Power
Visualize Concepts
Have you ever wondered why you remember the visuals of the last book you read, but not the written text? This is because it is easy to memorize photographs, charts and graphics that your see. Therefore, one of the best ways to improve your memory is to visualize the concepts that you have to remember for a long time, may be for an exam or an interview. If there is a dearth of visual clues to help you, create some of your own by imagining what you are reading.
Link & Associate
You can improve your memory to impressive levels if you can learn the technique to 'link and associate'. Try to link things to each other and form associations. Try to create a story out of the several things that you have to remember, in a way that one thing leads you to remember the other. The challenge of this technique, however, is to establish easy linkages that are easy to retrieve later on. Visualizing images in your mind will also help you form memorable associations.
Structure & Organize Information
This technique is especially beneficial for students, who have to memorize a pool of information. If you can organize your information well and give it a structured format, it will certainly become easier for you to remember it. In fact, in our day to day life, the structure and organize technique will help us tremendously in remembering things. Organize things that your have to remember and just see the difference in your ability to recall them.
Improve Your Concentration
The concentration power of a person has a heavy bearing on his/her memorizing ability. You can significantly enhance your memory by being able to fully concentrate on things. The more your concentrate, the more you remember. Don’t divert your attention and avoid getting distracted, while keeping your focus sharp and intact. Be focused on one thing at a time, as other things can surely wait to happen a little later.
Eat Healthy & Take Proper Sleep
A sharp memory has a lot to do with a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthy to improve your memory. Your diet should include green leafy vegetables and lots of fresh fruits. Good nutritional intake is nothing less than indispensable, for maintaining a good retention power. As much as a healthy diet is important, it is equally essential to take proper sleep, of about 6-8 hours in a day. Poor sleep can really hurt your memory, so try to make a feasible timetable and stick to it.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
How do we know the Bible is true?
There have been hundreds of books written on the subject of the evidences of the divine inspiration of the Bible, and these evidences are many and varied. Most people today, unfortunately, have not read any of these books. In fact, few have even read the Bible itself! Thus, many people tend to go along with the popular delusion that the Bible is full of mistakes and is no longer relevant to our modern world.
Nevertheless the Bible writers claimed repeatedly that they were transmitting the very Word of God, infallible and authoritative in the highest degree. This is an amazing thing for any writer to say, and if the forty or so men who wrote the Scriptures were wrong in these claims, then they must have been lying, or insane, or both.
But, on the other hand, if the greatest and most influential book of the ages, containing the most beautiful literature and the most perfect moral code ever devised, was written by deceiving fanatics, then what hope is there for ever finding meaning and purpose in this world?
If one will seriously investigate these Biblical evidences, he will find that their claims of divine inspiration (stated over 3,000 times, in various ways) were amply justified.
Nevertheless the Bible writers claimed repeatedly that they were transmitting the very Word of God, infallible and authoritative in the highest degree. This is an amazing thing for any writer to say, and if the forty or so men who wrote the Scriptures were wrong in these claims, then they must have been lying, or insane, or both.
But, on the other hand, if the greatest and most influential book of the ages, containing the most beautiful literature and the most perfect moral code ever devised, was written by deceiving fanatics, then what hope is there for ever finding meaning and purpose in this world?
If one will seriously investigate these Biblical evidences, he will find that their claims of divine inspiration (stated over 3,000 times, in various ways) were amply justified.
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