May 2020 - The Future Mindset

When setting our new year resolution we never thought what transpired so far early 2020 would our life and people around us change so dramatically. So i have compiled 5 Ways To Stay Positive Whilst On Lock-Down. I hope they help you get through this.

The Human Spirit

Whenever our freedoms are taken away, how does it make you feel? Does it make you want to rebel or do you just go along with it? Throughout time humans freedom have been taken away through slavery or control. Now in the 21^st century, we are experiencing a pandemic we haven’t experienced for a century since the Spanish flu. Now the things we loved such as sports, eating out, travelling where we want and seeing our families has been taken away from us. Throughout the lock-down, the positives we have seen is the human spirit to endure this, working together, selfless acts which show the best side of humanity. We all know why we are having the lock-down at the moment and here are some positive tips to keep sane during it.

This won’t last forever

What will keep you positive in lock-down is knowing that this is short term not a long term thing. It’s helped me to practice patience. Of course, it’s frustrating and you want to live your life how and when you want to do it. By practising patience you elevate that frustration into motivation, knowing you’re doing a great job helping the NHS and high-risk people by staying in.

The best time to work on you

Spending time working on you is one of the most positive things you can do whist on lock-down. We all can lead busy lives where its hard to have time to focus on ourselves. Now though is the time develop that book, learn to cook, practise an instrument or pick up the paintbrush and start painting. This is so great for your mindset to be able to work on the things that you love but don’t get time to do.

Create a new direction

Using a compass to head in a new direction

Before the lock-down was you happy with how your life was going? Well, the positive of the lock-down is that now you have time to plan a new course in your life. One that will bring out the passion in you – could be changing careers, starting your own business, buying and selling online, it could be anything. When I changed my career path it was to become a consultant and personal development coach and I feel so much better for it.

Look for good news

At the moment every time you turn on the news or speak to people it can be pretty negative but some positives to come out of the lock-down is good news stories about Captain Tom Moore who has raised over £20m for the NHS, there’s also PE with Joe Wicks getting everyone fit in the morning.

You want to feel positive you have to associate with positive stories and there’s a lot of them if you look. Pick one time in your day to look at the news just to keep up-to-date but then flood your self with good news throughout your day.

Spend quality time with your family

The main positive of this lock-down is now you can spend time with your family. I’ve heard stories of people moving back in with parents or moving in with their lonely grandparent. It can be hard to make these decisions now but the household you’re in, make the most of this quality time you can spend with your family. Get to know them more and enjoy creating more special moments together. I’m enjoying the time I’m spending with my one year-old as I missed a lot of the growing up of my first child because of work. So i look at it as a blessing.

I hope these 5 Ways To Stay Positive Whilst On Lock-Down relate to you and helps you get through this difficult time. In the future we will look back and think that was a crazy time we got through. We as humans adapt and move on and what’s difficult now, won’t be in the years to come.

If you have any positive and helpful tips let us know in the comments below so we can apply them too.

What To Expect!

In today’s article, we will discuss How Your Mindset Can Unlock Better Communication. You will learn how to apply simple strategies to boost your communication skills. Also discussing how the mindset towards a conversation is important for a positive outcome.

I became an expert in communication through over hundreds of hours selling, interviewing, coaching people. I then came up with strategies through trial and error to be the most effective.

How to make a great first Impression

How Your Mindset Can Unlock Better Communication

Meeting new people can sometimes be awkward with thoughts like, what should I say, will they like me etc. Growing up I was an introverted character whose thought of meeting new people was very uncomfortable. I didn’t like the interaction because I was never taught how to interact confidently. My Mum, on the other hand, was amazing at it, always making people feel comfortable and laugh as well.

Up until I was 23 this was a challenge for me. If I was talking to girls I would need a bit of Dutch confidence. When I met new people I was more the quiet listener in the group. It always took me a while to come out of my shell. No matter how hard I tried, I never nailed the great first impression. The reason why is because I never had a strategy of putting this into practice.

What I’m going to cover next are the strategies I learned how to conquer your communication to create an immediate connection with another human. This has changed my life when meeting new people and has created many opportunities I have now in my life. So I hope this can help you too. Especially if you find it hard as I did to make conversations with strangers.

Why mindset towards a conversation matters

When communicating with someone for the first time you have to have the right mindset going into it. Without it, nothing I will teach you below will work. If you’re pessimistic towards it or if you’re self-loathing it simply won’t work to the standard we are looking for.

Instead, you have to believe that it will work because first impressions matter. You have to stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about them. When the person in front of you feels respected, cared for, heard or they feel excited by your interaction, it matters to them. So every conversation you go into – you need to believe it’s going to be a positive interaction.

When communicating with them you have to focus on them, not on you, that’s how connections are built. Have you ever been communicating with someone who just talks about themselves compared to someone who listens to you?

There’s a difference right and that’s why it’s important to learn how to conquer your communication skills so you’re not doing the over talking.

What are they thinking?

When speaking to anyone new for the first time they are thinking three things.

What they were doing before and whether that’s more important than speaking to you.
Who you are.
Where’s this conversation going.

If you can get the person to focus on you and enjoy speaking to you. Then the rest of the conversation will be a lot easier to have a positive interaction.

The difference between someone you was expecting vs someone you was not

Have a good indication of what to expect on your first greeting as that is super important. This stops any embarrassing engagement from happening. I’ve been embarrassed a few times when it comes to greetings. One example that stands out was when I went up to someone to ask for something.

I awkwardly put out my hand as you would do with a friend that you know. Well, he looked at me like I was some dirt on the ground and left my hand, yes my hand in mid-air floating.

I completely misread the situation but learned when meeting people that are not expecting you. Keep your body parts to yourself until you have read the situation first. (Don’t worry the hand has fully recovered, just.)

Another example when I was doing sales and I was trying to build rapport with a customer. Early on in the conversation I saw an opening, the lady had a bump and I asked: “When are you expecting?”

The response I was expecting was like 2 months, she said “I’m not pregnant” At that moment my whole body was in shock, then we both knew I f****d up and then the awkward departure quickly came.

Reading the conversation is super important when someone is expecting you, you have a bit of trust to play with and their guard is slightly down but when someone is not expecting you their guard is up. So whatever you do just keep it short and sweet. Don’t get too personal with them. Just get them to like you.

Action Tool kit

Body Language
Smile
Eye-contact
Tone
Give them your name
Get on their level
Make them laugh
Don’t waffle
Practice

The most important way to harness your action tool kit is to practice, practice, practice. This is the sure-fire way to get positive results. We are all at different levels of communication skills.

I wasn’t that high up but after hours of practising, I’ve become a great communicator. All because, yes you guessed it, I practised.

Will it be nerve-racking? YES.

Will you make a mistake?

Most likely.

That’s just how we grow as a human and the more grit you can show, you will become a great communicator. Because it’s not a born trait, it’s a learnt trait.

Conclusion

Hopefully, now you understand a bit more of what it takes to conquer your communication. When you get your mindset right then you can think about the person in front of you.

Through practice, you will eventually find patterns and pitfalls you can avoid. The enjoyment of positive interaction with another human is a clear indication that what you’re doing is working.

When we all become great communicators, that’s when our lives can move forward in the direction we want to go. It will not hold us back from our potential.

Please leave a comment for today’s article How Your Mindset Can Unlock Better Communication. We are here to help on your mindset journey to develop better communication skills.

Hi I’m Adam

I’ve spent over 10 years coaching and mentoring people within sport and business. I have many life skills that I have developed and I want to pass these skills on so people can find their best self. I believe it all starts in the mind and I write about valuable tools and strategies to help people grow in this area.

https://thefuturemindset.com/about-2/