5 Ways to Become More Likeable

Man is a social animal, as Aristotle once said. This want and need to belong and be accepted by others is what drives us to be civil toward others. In fact, there might be times when we want nothing but to see our intimidators get run over by a bus (yikes!) but we choose to endure the pressure and react in an amiable manner in order to merit niceties, as well. In order to achieve this kind of response from everyone we meet, we must strive to be likeable.

Now, likeability does not always entail that people will throw a party every time you come into the room. A person can be likeable yet not grandstanding. You don't really have to be popular to be one. All you need to do is adjust your attitude and outlook in life toward the positive. When you feel good about yourself and always look at the bright side of things, your likeability factor will naturally rise.

Here are five ways to become more likeable in any situation.

1) Think happy thoughts
According to Peter Pan, think happy thoughts and you will fly. This applies to your attitude toward the challenges that come your way. For instance, if you received low marks for your exam, don't think of it as the end of the world. Instead, be grateful it happened because it will motivate you to study harder and manage your time better next time. Behind every dark cloud is a silver lining. If you keep this as your mantra, you will never have to harbor depressing thoughts ever again.

2) Contribute something
Whether its a group project or a personal endeavor, contributing something of value, no matter how small makes a big difference. If you compare a person who always mutters about how difficult a task is and a person who acknowledges the difficulty but tries to lighten the mood by finding humor in the activity, you'd want to go with the latter, right? If you want to be likeable, don't put others down and bear more weight on a challenging activity.

3) Rein your insecurities in
There is none more annoying than a person who throws a pity party for himself or herself. Examples of insecure people are those who always have to be right at everything, those who always say 'just kidding' at the end of every comment, and those who do not know how to laugh at themselves and their mistakes. An insecure person is a crab. A crab is animal that brings everybody down when he or she is down. If you want to have more friends, don't be one. You don't have to apologize for everything you say with 'just kidding.'

4) Believe in what you are saying and stick to it
A person who keeps changing his or her opinion or merely mimics what other people are saying about a particular event or object not only has zero personality but a very low likeability rate, as well. You don't need to have an opinion about everything -- that would be equally annoying, but you don't need to say 'yes' to what others say either. You'll only end up looking like a desperate sycophant.

5) Avoid judging others
Finally, if you don't want to be judged, don't judge. First impressions might sometimes put you off but it pays to know the other person better than to immediately make conclusions about his or her character. Judgmental people, if you notice, are the ones who usually eat alone at the cafeteria because his or her colleagues are tired of hearing him or her point out the flaws of others. Surely you don't want to be this person.

Eight Helpful Tips to Win the Battle of the Bulge

Do you have problems with weight gain?

Can’t seem to get enough of eating?

Is weight gain your main concern now?

Chances are you are one of the 1.2 billion people in the world who are having problems controlling their diet and weight. In the United States alone, 93 million Americans are classified as obese.

Losing weight is one of the most daunting tasks that a person can undergo. It requires a great amount of discipline and perseverance on the part of the obese person.

Some people have the tendency to go on a “crash” diet just to be able to get rid of those fats and calories. The bad news is dieting is just not effective in the long term. You will have to change your lifestyle, if you are bent on shaving off some weight.

If you are seriously considering reducing some pounds in your weight, read on.

1.Determine if there is a real need to lose weight. Look at your shape, height, weight, and history of obesity in your family. When was the last time you gained weight? Does obesity run in your family?

2.Evaluate your eating habits. Are you constantly starving or craving for food? If you are, you first need to learn how to eat in a normal pattern. Erratic eating habits and dieting may reduce your body metabolism causing you to starve and hoard food into your stomach.

3.Make a plan. Once you have set your mind on changing your pattern, you have to determine how to do that. You can choose the food you eat, the amount of food you ingest, or the physical regimen you will engage in. You can also seek the help of a dietitian.

4.Don’t aim to lose too much too quickly. Avoid getting the habit of losing weight at once. Don’t try to lose more than half a pound in just a week. Take it one pound a week. Make changes gradually.

5.Start with damage control. You can handle this task yourself. If you are not in-charge of the shopping chores, you can ask the one doing the shopping not to include chocolates or potato chips in the shopping list. Rather, opt for the low-calorie diet.

6.Don’t give up easily. Just because you failed and chose the wrong food one day doesn’t mean you should totally forget the weight loss issue. You can always start out the next day.

7.Reduce the fat. Cutting out on fatty foods is not only good for your figure but also for your health – you can lower your risk for heart diseases as well as cancer. Fatty foods eat up a lot of calories in your body. A gram of fat contains nine calories while a gram of protein or carbohydrates contains four.

8.Have a regular exercise. Exercise and other strenuous activities can burn out unwanted calories. However, it may also increase your metabolism so choose the right kind of exercise. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Ride the bicycle or do brisk walking.

Weight loss programs may provide empty promises. Taking into consideration these eight helpful tips may be the key to a genuine weight loss program.