In a world where technology is increasing our capacity to connect with people worldwide, it is also diminishing our ability to effectively connect with people in person. Just like learning how to cook, develop software, or play a sport; the ability to connect with others is a skill and you can learn how to do it more effectively. Learning the social skills necessary to connect with others will help you be more successful in every aspect of your life. Here are 15 social skills you can develop to be more charismatic: 1. Speak Less, Ask More Those who are great with people don’t necessary have the gift-of-gab, but rather, are…

If someone on the street asked you if you were happy — what would you say? Many factors influence how we feel on a day-to-day basis, whether it’s a struggle at work or an issue in our personal lives, and most of them can decline our feelings of positivity and well-being. And we aren’t alone — according to the 2013 World Happiness Report, North American countries are less happy now than they were five years ago. But, as scientific research has discovered, happiness, to some extent, is a choice — so why does it sometimes feel so hard to choose it? One answer is a bit surprising: As it turns out, we may be…

Sometimes, life doesn’t seem to make any sense. Albert Einstein once said “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Here’s the funny thing. We will say that line about someone else, have a good chuckle, and then DO THE SAME THING OURSELVES! This time, it’s not that funny, is it? I know. I’ve done it myself. I will be sharing 3 examples of seemingly paradoxical behaviour from people who have been in my private practice. (Of course, I have changed the names and some of the demographics to respect their confidentiality). Tom complains about how he has never had any money and then proceeds to order in…

The secret to happiness lies in the way you live your life. People think of happiness as some destination they’ll reach when they’ve accomplished the hundred things on their life to-do list. Happiness is often associated with money, material possessions, or even great relationships. While all of those elements feed into creating happiness, you’ll experience true joy and fulfillment with clarity and by taking better care of yourself. When you spend each day optimizing your life, the consistency compounds, and you’ll experience the benefits of progress. The chances are good that you give a lot of yourself to other people while neglecting your wellbeing. You feel tired and burnout because you’re…

The things you need to know about your journey in life and the many paths you’d take. You’re not always going to win — and things won’t always go your way. Everyone will not like you — and a relationship you so much cherish could suddenly come to an end. And it’s not for you to understand why things happen the way it happens in life. But the onus is on you to always glean some vital lessons from all the experiences — and to pick out every beautiful bit of life that mightn’t always be on the surface. And to enjoy the journey. Clearly you’d anticipate a positive outcome each time you kick off anything…