Performing regular breast self-exams (BSE) is a proactive way for individuals to monitor their breast health and potentially detect early signs of breast cancer. It is important to note that while self-exams can be a valuable tool, they are not a substitute for regular mammograms or clinical breast exams conducted by healthcare professionals.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Monika Pansari, HOD and Senior Consultant Surgical Oncology (Breast and Gyneac) at Gleneagles Hospitals in Bengaluru, shared a step-by-step guide on how to perform a breast self-exam -

1. Choose a Regular Time: Perform the self-exam at the same time each month, preferably a few days after your menstrual period ends. For postmenopausal women, choose a specific day each month.

2. Visual Inspection:

3. Raise Your Arms:

4. Feel for Changes while Lying Down:

5. Feel for Changes while Sitting Up:

6. Repeat for the Left Breast:

7. Check the Nipples:

8. Note Any Changes:

Remember, regular breast self-exams should be part of a comprehensive approach to breast health, which includes regular clinical breast exams and mammograms as recommended by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns or questions, seek professional medical advice.

According to Dr Monika Pansari, regular self-checks of the breast are important for several reasons:

Asserting that self-awareness plays a crucial role in the early detection of breast cancer, Dr Monika Pansari highlighted several aspects of self-awareness that contribute to identifying potential issues at an early stage -

She concluded, It's important to note that while self-checks are valuable, they should be combined with regular clinical breast exams and mammograms as part of a comprehensive approach to breast health. Individuals should discuss their breast health and screening options with their healthcare providers to determine the most appropriate plan for their individual circumstances. In summary, self-awareness is a proactive and empowering aspect of breast health. By actively engaging in self-exams, monitoring changes, understanding risk factors, and maintaining open communication with healthcare providers, individuals contribute significantly to the early detection of breast cancer. Early detection often leads to more effective treatment options and improved outcomes.

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Breast self-examination: How to check for early signs of breast cancer - Hindustan Times

What if you could tap into a part of yourself that held the keys to unlocking your most significant potential, overcoming struggles, and relating better with others? Developing self-awareness allows you to do precisely that in a meaningful way.

Self-awareness provides you with an intimate understanding of what makes you tick. With knowledge of your strengths, growth areas, emotions, drives, and values, you can make choices aligned with your identity. This fuels greater fulfillment and self-actualization.

This article will guide you through:

Follow this roadmap to construct a more crystallized sense of your authentic self. It wont always be comfortable, but leaning into new levels of self-understanding will profoundly change your life.

Self-awareness involves developing a clear personality perspective, including your unique quirks. It relates to objectively understanding your emotions, drivers, strengths, and weaknesses.

The core components of self-awareness include:

Research reveals that people with higher self-awareness form more genuine relationships. They also tend to be more successful leaders and experience greater career satisfaction. Self-awareness appears pivotal for both personal and professional thriving.

Cultivating impactful self-awareness necessitates courage, emotional tolerance, and dismantling the egos defense mechanisms. It further requires cutting through assumptions instilled since childhood to access ones inner truth. The journey can feel intense, yet incredible freedom lies on the other side.

A dedication to self-reflection serves as the nonnegotiable foundation for increasing self-awareness. Unless youre intentionally looking inward, theres little opportunity for unpacking what defines you. Carving out space for regular introspection will allow self-knowledge to develop organically.

Try incorporating the following reflective strategies into your routine:

Schedule 10-30 minutes for your chosen contemplative activity at the same time daily. Consistency lifts the veil and creates momentum in gaining self-awareness.

While self-reflection reveals the what behind your experience, expanding your emotional intelligence spotlights the why. EQ measures your ability to understand, express, and manage emotions effectively.

Heres how EQ connectivity cultivates self-awareness:

There are myriad ways to lift your EQ. Seek books delving into emotions, relationships, and communication for tailor-made tips. Awareness starts with conscious commitment.

While personal effort lays the bedrock for increasing self-awareness, external input catalyzes profound transformation. Feedback verbalizes subtle aspects that you miss or deny about yourself. It accents the hidden and highlights blindspots.

Here are the best practices for integrating constructive criticism:

Yes, the mirror of feedback may sting, illuminating areas where self-improvement is needed. Yet, it also sheds light on strengths to harness. Both ends of this spectrum lead to actualization. Walk confidently beyond discomfort into new levels of self-awareness.

Beyond techniques for intermittent reflection, establishing a continuous mindful presence will nourish self-awareness over time. Mindfulness means sustained, nonjudgemental attention centered on the now. Maintaining receptive awareness allows you to tune into messages from within more clearly.

Try incorporating these mindfulness practices into your day for direct access to inner wisdom:

Regular time with mindful engagement increases understanding of your moment-to-moment experience. Your responses become conscious rather than automated, aligning choices with your values.

Dont be surprised if adversity arises while nurturing self-awareness. Developing a crystalline view of your inner landscape can feel intensely vulnerable. The ego is designed to uphold status quo identity unless overridden.

Common obstacles faced include:

When facing these roadblocks, focus on growth possibilities now available because of increased awareness. Leaning into self-expansion ultimately empowers while protecting rigidity and further limits. Meet yourself where youre at with compassiontiny steps forward, which suffices when the going gets tough.

Lifelong learning is essential for sustaining self-awareness. Conduct consistent check-ins to avoid complacency and backsliding into old patterns. Dedicate time annually for intensive self-reflection and harvesting feedback.

Further, consciously curate new situations which accentuate unseen aspects of your character. These may highlight areas requiring attention. Be willing to learn beyond comfortable boxes housing your identity.

Setting self-awareness goals for your 12-month and 3 to 5-year plan guarantees you stick with long-term positive progression. The exact aspiration depends on your starting point and developmental arc. You are reaching hitherto unknown levels of self-knowing, which promises to be enormously fulfilling.

Embarking on the continuous path toward self-awareness marks a radical commitment to self-honoring. By repeatedly digging beneath the surface, you discover the breadth of who you are beyond limiting labels. You gain agency in crafting your character.

The curriculum promises a challenge interwoven with freedom. While temporarily destabilizing, increased consciousness around your essence allows for moreover authentic living. You become poised to manifest your highest intentional potential. No longer defined by programming, you set the terms of your identity.

Self-awareness is the greatest gift you can give yourself, illuminating all available paths while spotlighting roadblocks. May continual curiosity color your voyage towards expanded self-understanding. Beyond Distraction lies your waiting magnificence.

Sarah felt perpetually stressed and unsatisfied without understanding why. She had achieved outward success as a lawyer but handled internally misaligned. After an anxiety attack, she decided to commit to self-awareness practices radically.

Sarah began journaling before bed, chronicling what she did, felt, and wanted each day. After several months, she noticed a craving for more interpersonal connection, though she had initially feared vulnerability. Sarah also reflected on recurrent feedback that she seemed impatient and aloof.

These discoveries contrasted with Sarahs self-image as independent and emotionally self-sufficient. With compassionate objectivity, she systematically explored her avoidance of intimacy. Mindfulness meditation revealed attachment wounds from childhood lurking under Sarahs autonomous facade.

Owning these hidden parts unlocked deep self-acceptance. Sarah gradually risked sharing her authentic self in social settings, finding folks responded positively. As she continued vocalizing her needs, Sarah built profoundly nourishing friendships. Her anxiety likewise eased with reduced pretense and mindful presence.

Three years in, Sarah feels fully self-expressed yet still keeps learning. Her continuous self-awareness practice remains life-affirming, carving space for whoever she grows into through each phase. There is joy in the journey of actualizing.

There is genius locked inside, longing for expression. Embracing the adventure of self-discovery promises to unveil untapped potential and new freedom. While excising demons that uphold disguise and denial poses challenges, authentic living waits as the reward. Lean into intrigue about the mystery within. Your highest self awaits activation through courage and unrelenting commitment to self-awareness. The choice to know yourself sets you on the most thrilling journey.

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How To Build Self-Awareness That Transforms You - New Trader U

Its already writing beautiful poetry. Photo by Aideal Hwa on Unsplash

Before I even delve into the topic, I know that many of you will think this question is insane. How can something thats not human or even real develop feelings or self-awareness?

Consider this. Not too long ago, it was considered crazy to believe in UFOs and aliens.

Yet in July, The House Oversight subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs held a hearing on UFOs, officially known as unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs. Witnesses claimed they have seen UAPs and that it is common for pilots to do so. Ryan Graves, a witness and former Navy pilot said UAP sightings among commercial and military pilots are both routine and grossly underreported."

Witnesses also claimed that the Pentagon has recovered non-human biologics and ran a program that attempted to retrieve and reverse engineer UAPs.

In a statement ahead of the hearing, Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the subcommittee overseeing the hearing, said: The American people deserve transparency about UAPs, and Congress should work in a bipartisan way to understand any potential national security implications.

The public belief in UAPs and extraterrestrial life is now higher than its ever been. According to this article in The Hill, the share of Americans who believe UFO sightings offer likely proof of alien life rose from 20 percent in 1996 to 34 percent in 2022, according to polls by Newsweek and YouGov.

Isnt that something?

Something that was once believed to be unbelievable, and made people believe you were slightly off kilter if you believed it, is now widely accepted as true.

Artificial intelligence, when it was first developed in the 1950s, was defined as as a machines ability to perform a task that wouldve previously required human intelligence.

In 1952, a computer scientist named Arthur Samuel developed a program to play checkers, which is the first to ever learn the game independently.

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Will AI Become Conscious and Sentient? | by Rosalyn Morris | Jan, 2024 - Medium

Negative, pessimistic thinking and the tendency to overthink are typical thought patterns that can heavily influence our emotions and behaviors. Understanding the basis of these unhealthy thinking habits and actively working to shift our mindsets can lead to profound improvements in mental health and quality of life.

Negative thinking refers to an excessive focus on the unpleasant, worrying aspects of any situation. It often manifests as criticism, expectation of failure, catastrophic predictions, or self-doubt. Examples include thoughts like Im not good enough, Things will never get better, Ill just mess this up, etc. This type of thinking can have serious consequences.

Psychologically, negative thinking reinforces neural pathways in the brain associated with fear, stress, and unhappiness. Physically, it triggers the fight or flight response, raising cortisol, blood pressure, and heart rate. It is linked to mental health issues like depression and anxiety disorders. Needlessly creating stress also weakens the immune system and gastrointestinal function over time.

Negative thoughts often lead to overthinking by fueling excessive examination of problems or events and their possible adverse outcomes.

Overthinking refers to thought beyond reasonable problem-solving into repetitive, paralyzing rumination. Characteristics include rehashing the exact solutions without resolution, asking endless what if questions, or worrying excessively about unlikely outcomes.

While negative thinking focuses on the pessimistic view of ones circumstances, overthinking takes this further by entrapping people in endless cycles of thinking about their problems. Common triggers include receiving critical feedback, decision-making, conflict with others, financial stress, health issues, or significant life changes.

Overthinking impedes clear judgment, problem-solving, and appropriate action. The constant rumination burns mental and emotional energy without providing real solutions or moving one forward. This often escalates anxiety.

Becoming more self-aware is critical to managing unhealthy thought habits. Daily journaling about thoughts, emotions, and behavior can unveil negativity and overanalysis patterns. Tracking mood shifts around common triggers can also provide insight. Mindfulness meditation helps people tune into their thought patterns objectively without judgment.

Seeking input from trusted friends and family often provides an outside perspective on rumination habits. Their feedback helps answer questions like Do I tend to criticize myself readily? Do I replay uncomfortable conversations for days after? Honest self-evaluation, along with supportive feedback, lays the groundwork for change.

Transforming negative thinking requires interrupting and consciously disputing its irrational foundations. For every negative thought, ask questions like Is this completely true or balanced? How might I view this differently? Whats the kinder perspective?

Cognitive therapy techniques help challenge negativity biases through logical reasoning, evidence gathering, and identifying cognitive distortions. Positive affirmations can strengthen new neural pathways related to self-confidence and optimism. Over time, purposefully cultivating balance and encouraging self-talk trains the brain to move away from its negative tendencies.

Lifestyle factors like regular exercise, stress management, social connection, and proper nutrition support this shift at a biological level by lowering cortisol, stabilizing mood, and promoting self-confidence. For some, counseling provides needed support in embracing change.

In the moment, overthinking can be curbed by directing focus elsewhere listening to music, doing chores, exercising, etc. Setting a timer for 5-10 minutes and vowing to resume thinking about the problem later often breaks obsession in the moment. Calling a friend to verbalize worries may provide enough perspective to quieten racing thoughts.

Creating structure also helps manage overthinking tendencies in the long term. Making daily to-do lists with reasonable limits focuses energy on tasks rather than worries. Embracing problem-solving versus dwelling on what already occurred excites people from rumination. Seeking support groups connects people facing similar struggles.

Mindfulness and meditation build skills in emotional regulation and instill healthy mental habits. By training focus and awareness on the present versus rehashing the unchangeable past, these tools calm overactive minds vulnerable to overanalysis. Setting small, manageable goals versus huge visions also prevents paralyzing overwhelm.

With concerted efforts to challenge negative assumptions through logical questioning and conscious positivity training, unhealthy thought patterns loosen their grip. Introducing new habits like mindfulness, exercise, and nonjudgmental self-talk builds mental resilience against negativity and long-term rumination.

Befriending oneself on the journey with ample self-compassion about setbacks and humanness creates a safe mental space to heal at ones own pace. Surrounding oneself with positive social connections offers a mirroring of strengths versus flaws to internalize. With tools, social support, and the willingness to seek therapy when progress stalls, people seeking relief from toxic thinking patterns can create lasting change.

Sam struggled for years with harsh self-criticism and pessimism that worsened during college. He regularly overthought conflicts, replaying heated conversations for weeks. Feeling overwhelmed and stuck in analysis paralysis, Sam decided to make changes after college.

He kept a thought journal, tracking self-judgment and what if ruminations. Reviewing these patterns provided self-awareness that his negativity focused on confidence issues and social interactions. Sam began countering negative thoughts with positive affirmations, meditation, and exercise. He set a timer to limit overthinking and called friends during obsessive episodes.

Within several months, Sam curbed negative assumptions by fact-checking his self-criticism. His positive practice calmed rising anxiety. Setting small goals boosted success versus feeling overwhelmed. After a year, Sams outlook felt transformed with greater self-compassion, emotional stability, and life satisfaction.

Negative thought cycles quickly entrench our minds, undermining our well-being. These unconscious thought habits can evolve by recognizing root patterns, implementing lifestyle changes, and purposefully shifting perspectives. Redirecting mental energy toward positivity, solution-focused thinking, and mindful presence empowers clarity and purpose in the long term. With compassionate self-awareness, we can rewire our brains for health, thereby transforming the possibilities before us. This journey requires commitment but offers profound hope for mental peace and life fulfillment by moving beyond the traps of negativity and obsessive rumination.

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Negative Thinking and Overthinking - New Trader U

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage ones emotions, read the emotions of others and adjust ones approach to meet the emotional needs of others.

Emotional intelligence is an important skill in the workplace, especially for leaders. It is critical to developing a positive company culture where team members feel heard, valued and comfortable collaborating with each other in the pursuit of organizational goals.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and regulate your emotions. It also includes the ability to recognize others emotions, learn what motivates them and use that information to form collaborative relationships.

Emotional intelligence refers to ones ability to understand and control their emotions, as well as interpret others emotions and use that information to foster more meaningful, productive relationships.

The term emotional intelligence was first coined in 1990 by researchers Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer, but garnered mainstream attention in 1995, when science journalist Daniel Goleman published his book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.

An emotionally intelligent person will remain positive and solutions-oriented in stressful situations, actively seek feedback for self-improvement and take ownership when they fall short of expectations. In conversations with others, they listen attentively, ask thoughtful questions and empathize with the other person. Emotional intelligence goes far beyond being likable, and includes the ability to offer constructive criticism, manage conflicts and lead organizational changes.

Researchers have developed several types of assessments to measure a persons emotional intelligence, which can be quantified as an emotional quotient (EQ). While some people are more predisposed to emotional intelligence either through genetics, their upbringing or other life experiences its also a skill that can be learned over time.

Related Reading What Are Interpersonal Skills?

Emotional intelligence can help employees identify their own strengths, weaknesses and motivations, and then make career choices that align with their values. It can also help them learn what other people are feeling and how they can best relate to those people, which leads to healthy workplace relationships.

Emotional intelligence in the workplace is especially important for leaders. In his 1998 essay What Makes a Leader?, Goleman explains that business acumen and technical proficiency will always be important, but they are merely entry-level requirements for a leadership position. To be truly effective, a leader must also possess emotional intelligence. In fact, Goleman said 90 percent of the difference between an average leader and a top-performing leader can be attributed to emotional intelligence.

Without it, a person can have the best training in the world, an incisive, analytical mind, and an endless supply of good ideas, but he still wont make a good leader, Goleman wrote.

An emotionally intelligent manager will be able to set the emotional tone of group discussions and guide employees through stressful projects, tight deadlines and uncertain circumstances. When a manager knows how employees feel and what they value, they can use that information to better recognize their achievements and motivate them to reach team goals.

You want a boss who has these skills, said David Caruso, a management psychologist, author and co-founder of Emotional Intelligence Skills Group.Because theyre going to hear you, theyre going to see you and theyre going to acknowledge you.

Regardless of ones position in a company, emotional intelligence is a critical skill for forging and maintaining healthy workplace relationships.

If Im not strong in EQ, we could be in a conversation and I would not be aware that something is bothering you or youre worried about something, Christina Wang, a fractional HR consultant at Peak Advisory Consulting, told Built In. Its just about me, myself, and what I want, and were not going to be able to have a deeper connection or relationship.

When a colleague or manager has high emotional intelligence, coworkers know they can talk to them without fear of judgment, hostility or other reactive emotions. If a colleague lacks emotional intelligence, team members may not trust them and avoid talking to them unless its absolutely necessary. This lack of communication can cause mistakes, inhibit productivity and stifle innovation.

If the way we talk is always past each other, Wang said, were not going to create anything thats amazing.

Emotionally intelligent leaders are known for their ability to stay calm, optimistic and goal-oriented during times of change or hardship. They are also known for their ability to lead change while also being mindful of others feedback.

For example, if a team is rolling out a new initiative, an emotionally intelligent manager may be able to pick up on workers reluctance or anticipate how the new initiative will make their job harder. They can use this as an opportunity to validate or address the workers concerns.

Organizations with emotionally intelligent managers are more likely to have high leadership performance outcomes and high employee engagement. When leaders underwent emotional intelligence training at Siemens, for example, the organization saw a 46 percent increase in employee engagement.

One study found that 90 percent of top-performing employees are emotionally intelligent. Further, an internal study by PepsiCo found that managers with high emotional intelligence exceeded their annual revenue goals by up to 20 percent.

Research has also shown that emotionally intelligent professionals earn an average of $29,000 per year more than their colleagues.

When teams are high in emotional intelligence, people are able to communicate, solve problems and achieve results together. Numerous studies have shown that emotional intelligence contributes to job satisfaction and employee morale.

Employees are more likely to stay with an organization when there arent workplace conflicts, communication issues and unnecessary barriers to success. A Korn Ferry study found that emotionally intelligent leaders can inspire up to 70 percent of employees to stay with an organization for five years or longer.

Related Reading What Are Soft Skills?

In his book Emotional Intelligence, Goleman identified five key elements of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skill.

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize ones emotions and how they show up in the workplace. Someone with high self-awareness understands their own strengths, weaknesses and personality type, and they may check in with their emotions before speaking or making a decision. If they realize that they are more talkative than their colleagues, they might intentionally make space for other perspectives in a conversation. A self-aware person will also be aware of their own limitations, which will prevent them from taking on a project they arent equipped for.

In addition to being aware of their emotions, an emotionally intelligent person should be able to control their impulses. They wont lose their temper when someone makes a mistake, and theyll think about their words before they speak. A person who regulates their emotions will also be well-equipped for a dynamic business world, as they are more likely to suspend judgment amid changing conditions instead of reflexively resisting a new way of doing things.

Emotionally intelligent individuals are less driven by money, status or job titles as they are a sense of achievement and an interest in the work itself. They are on a quest for self-improvement, and they are always looking for ways to improve themselves and their team. Even when faced with obstacles, they remain optimistic and focused on meeting their goals. Motivation is especially important in leadership positions, as it can inspire other team members to push themselves to their full potential.

Empathy is a core component of emotional intelligence. By listening to other peoples issues and putting yourself in their shoes, you are able to consider how your actions or words affect other people on your team. Leaders cant be expected to make everybody happy, but they should be able to understand where their teammates are coming from. An empathetic person will also be able to pick up on another persons body language and sense emotions that may have gone unsaid.

An emotionally intelligent person will be able to build a rapport with other people and find common ground. They will also be able to manage and sustain relationships, which is a must-have leadership trait. Social skill doesnt just mean being friendly. Goleman defines it as friendliness with purpose. A leader may have to sell employees on the merits of a new initiative, or they may have to build relationships across departments to get a project across the finish line, both of which require social skill.

Related ReadingWhy Self-Awareness Is a Crucial Management Skill

Developing your emotional intelligence takes practice over time, but the extra effort is worth it. Here are some tips to get started.

The first step to improving your emotional intelligence is to get a handle on your emotional strengths and weaknesses.By being aware of your emotional state, you can acknowledge your emotions without letting them control you, the energy you bring to a meeting and the interactions you have with coworkers.

Most people overestimate their emotional intelligence, Caruso said, so its best to use an assessment tool like the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). You can also try to assess your emotions by noticing if emotions like anxiety, anger or sadness are linked to certain people or situations and then determining what factors are driving those emotions.

By better understanding ones own emotions, one can become better at detecting and interpreting emotional signals in others, said Joshua Freedman, founder and CEO of emotional intelligence nonprofitSix Seconds.

As we get better at tuning in and sensing our own feelings and making sense of them, that is the pathway that shifts the way we have our conversations and what we listen for, Freedman said.

Sometimes it can be difficult to see through the fog of our own emotions, which is why it can be helpful to seek an outside perspective. A 360-degree assessment is a popular feedback mechanism, but the feedback may not be honest if people dont think you can handle constructive criticism. You could also lean on the feedback of a trusted colleague to tell you how you presented yourself in a work situation. If you obtain the necessary permissions, you could also record audio or video of yourself in meetings and review the recording with a career coach.

Knowing oneself and managing ones emotions is no small feat, so it can be helpful to talk with a therapist or coach to process these emotions and gain the tools necessary to improve ones emotional intelligence over time.

Emotional intelligence is best learned through real-life situations and coaching. Instead of giving a presentation to a full company, Freedman has found that its most effective to coach leaders over the course of several months, working with them to incorporate emotionally intelligent practices into the processes at every level of the organization.

There are also many popular books about emotional intelligence. In A Leaders Guide to Solving Challenges With Emotional Intelligence, for example, Caruso lays out four skills that leaders can put into practice, like matching their work to match their level of energy and pleasantness. If youre feeling low energy and low pleasantness, for example, your time might be better spent proofreading a document for errors instead of leading a group brainstorming session. Other popular books about emotional intelligence include Emotional Agility, Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and The Emotionally Intelligent Manager.

Emotional intelligence cant simply be picked up by reading a book or attending a seminar. Its a skill that needs to be developed and a muscle that needs to be exercised over time.

The people and situations we encounter can sometimes trigger a response from our limbic system, the emotional center of our brain, but emotional intelligence requires us to process those emotions with the rational part of our brain in the prefrontal cortex. By consciously practicing emotional intelligence skills, you can develop the neurons connecting these two parts of the brain, helping you to understand why you feel emotions and how you can manage them.

Related Reading Are You an Empathetic Leader?

Emotional intelligence can be used to develop positive relationships, navigate change and consider other perspectives. This creates an environment where people feel heard, share ideas and are motivated to achieve organizational goals.

A person can improve their emotional intelligence by assessing their emotions, gathering feedback from others and seeking advice from counselors, books and other resources. By practicing skills like self-awareness, empathy and active listening, one can grow their EQ over time.

Golemans five characteristics of emotional intelligence areself-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skill.

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Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace: What It Is, Why It's Important - Built In

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Learning and growing are key themes when you look at what most people set out to do each passing new year. Reading is a powerful and proven tool to stimulate both of those things. At the same time, setting out to crush every book you've ever considered picking up can be overwhelming and unsustainable.

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Headway is designed to provide insights and ideas from best-selling non-fiction books, breaking them down into bite-sized, 15-minute summaries. Headway provides users with written summaries to skim over, as well as videos and audio files, making it easy to learn something new in any format you prefer.

And while these summaries shouldn't be confused for replacements of the original books, they can serve as a small step towards self-improvement. Interest in a book summary might even lead to you wanting to read the book in its entirety.

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Every time January rolls around, I brace myself for a deluge of what I like to call self-improvement culture. I prepare myself for everyone I encounter to ask what resolutions Im setting (even though Ive never been a resolutions girl). I anticipate marketing content about weight loss, or meditation, or gym goals to fill my feeds. I fully expect chatter, both online and in real life, to center around the new year, new me mindset thats been around for as long as I can remember.

Except this year feels different. It doesnt feel like everyone around me is pledging to lose 10 pounds or hit the gym every day, or take up meditation, or watch less TV. Instead, Im seeing peopleespecially womenleaning into 2024 ins and outs in place of old-school resolutions. And you know what? Im going to call that a feminist act.

When we think about what New Years resolutions have historically been about, its self-improvement rather than life-improvement. Sure, you could vow to cut out added sugar, and sure, that may make you lose weightbut would it actually make your life better? And yeah, you can pledge to wake up at 5 a.m. every day, and okay, that may make you more productive but is that actually a net positive in your life if it leaves you perpetually exhausted?

Of course, no one is immune to the message that they just need to get a better body, wake up earlier, or hustle harder if they want to improve themselves. But for women, these messages have been particularly loaded. Ideas about the importance of self-improvement for women have always felt inescapable. Theyre baked into societal conversations, in media messages, in corporate culture, and dating culture, and parenting culture and well, you get the picture. At the beginning of a new year, the pressure of self-improvement always feels heaviest. Thats why its so refreshing to see so many women, the people who have been most heavily affected by ideas on self-improvement, let go of those ideas and replace them with ins and outs.

Unlike resolutions, ins and outs dont rest on those tropes about all the things we need to change about ourselves. Instead, theyre about embracing the things we want to embrace while letting go of the things we dont. We see people pledging to say yes to things like therapy, positive self-talk, and daily mental health walks while saying no to doom scrolling, diet culture, or excessive multitasking. These are things that can actually simplify your life as opposed to giving you a goal you have to scramble to achieve or one that leaves you feeling like a failure if you dont.

At the beginning of a new year, the pressure of self-improvement always feels heaviest. Thats why its so refreshing to see so many women, the people who have been most heavily affected by ideas on self-improvement, let go of those ideas and replace them with ins and outs.

If you didnt set resolutions this year (or if youve already set aside some of the goals your highly ambitious self set on January 1), youre not alone. Based on social media and in-person conversations, I feel pretty confident in saying that many women, myself included, are putting resolutions (especially the ones that feel tangled up in toxic diet culture and hustle culture) on their out list for 2024. Women did that. And while we may be wondering what changed in our culture to allow for this new approach, the answer, in my opinion, is everywhere. Because if theres one thing 2023 taught us, its that women have all the power where shaping cultural trends is concerned.

2023 was, after all, the year women held up both the zeitgeist and the economy. The Barbie movie, for example, didnt just dominate the box officeit also brought back the lost art of movie-going and propelled the iconic doll back to the forefront of pop culture. It even forced us to reconsider all our long-held beliefs about Barbies legacy and what she represents in our world. And then theres that iconic monologue, which reflected on the impossibilities of being a woman in todays world. It made us realize that if were all feeling this way and if we all find the standards and expectations placed on women so incredibly untenable, why are we even trying to meet them? Why arent we harnessing our collective power and putting a new standard in place?

if theres one thing 2023 taught us, its that women have all the power where shaping cultural trends is concerned.

Even things like girl dinner and girl math, which became major social media trends in 2023, are signs of the full range of female impact. The former is about women simplifying their lives; its not necessarily about healthy or clean eating, its about doing what makes your life easier. If thats letting go of the societal pressure to cook a whole meal and instead assemble a plate of little things, so be it. The latter shows us taking a common stereotype of womenthe one that says we are financially illiterate and indulgentand reclaiming it. Girl math may seem like a slippery slope into deep consumerism, but it also gives us permission to just buy the coffee or make the inconsequential purchase without the guilt attached to it. Ultimately, were telling the world that it just needs to trust women to make decisions for their own lives and trust that were smart enough to know whatll ultimately serve us well.

And then theres Taylor Swift and Beyonc. They didnt just make major (like, major) money moves with their respective tours. They also brought back large-scale gatherings, drove massive commerce trends, and revived local economies. Both women resisted the many comparisons and narratives pitting them against one another and opted instead to support each other. They flipped the script just like Im doing right now as I reject old-school New Years narratives.

We can embrace new sets of ins and outs year after year because we can acknowledge that not everything has to be permanent in order for it to be good.

Swift was, quite literally, 2023s Person of the Year, at least according to TIME. Throughout her career, Swifts authenticity has been questioned at every turn. People have criticized her for her ever-changing artistic identity: Shes been a country darling, a commercial pop star, and even a folksy artist. Shes embraced publicity at certain turns, shunned it completely at others, and boomeranged back into the public sphere, leaving people questioning who she really is and what she really stands for. But last year, Swift took what is arguably her most common criticism, looked her critics dead in the eyes, and effectively said, Yeah, Ive reinvented myself many times over. And now Im going to make a celebration of that constant reinvention my biggest power move.

Under Swifts influence, were able to stop thinking about life as a constant quest for improvement. Instead, we can view it as a journey of moving in and out of various eras. We can embrace new sets of ins and outs year after year because we can acknowledge that not everything has to be permanent in order for it to be good. We can see that living our best lives isnt a linear progression but a fluid, unpredictable trying of new things. And as a result, we can allow ourselves to leave relationships or jobs or hobbies or ideas or anything that doesnt serve usand instead of thinking of it as losing or failing or giving up, we can think of it simply as stepping into a new era. In a world that constantly boxes women in, this is incredibly liberating.

Thats the value of replacing resolutions with ins and outsit gives us the power to define and continually redefine what we want. It allows us to construct the concept from scratch. Unlike New Years resolutions, which have been around for ages and have their preexisting connotations, ins and outs are ours to shape from the onset. And on the heels of a year where we showed the world the impact of our voices, opinions, tastes, and trends, that feels so fitting.

Link:
Ins and Outs: Why I'm All for Ditching Resolutions and Embracing the Internet Trend - The Everygirl

Resolutions are kind of bullshit, but they can represent a great step forward.

New Years resolutions are a popular tradition. New year, new me is a common phrase youll hear a lot during this time. Funnily enough, no one ever finishes them. How many people do you or I know that fall off from their resolutions after the first couple weeks or days of the new year?

Ive seen many bemoan resolutions, saying how theyre useless and a way for people to feel like theyre improving while just remaining stagnant. While I see where these people are coming from, screw that. Many resolutions may fall through the cracks, but the influx of resolution-goers can help inspire a select few to forever change their lifestyles for the better.

First off, only nine percent of Americans see their resolutions fully. Thats not a great stat. So yeah, its easy to argue against the usefulness of resolutions. Why even bother with them if the follow-through rate is so minuscule? Well, its not that simple. I am always going to advocate for positive change. While the positive change here may be small, when one dives into the deeper numbers and finds out whats really going on, it makes for a much stronger case. Get your calculators out, theres going to be a lot of numbers here.

In the United States, only 38.5 percent of adults actually make resolutions. I used to think everyone, or at least most people, made them. Nowadays, thats pretty uncommon. I believe many people nowadays have a bit of a defeatist mindset when it comes to resolutions. Resolutions have a negative stigma of being very temporary. I feel like this has a lot to do with the seasonal nature of them. Resolutions come around once a year, and the truth is, many people just have trouble sticking to it. Not a ton of people are making them anyways. If it were a social media trend on the other hand, then maybe more would participate.

Perhaps, more resolutions are being substituted away for people trying to make a permanent, year-round change through other self-improvement techniques. Over 40 percent of adults in the United States make use of self-improvement materials. That isnt necessarily limited to books like how to be popular for dummies. Self-improvement content is so vast and expansive in our modern age. Its a fad in its own right. I take part in it for Petes sake. Im crazy about anything related to self-improvement. Whether its videos regarding workout techniques, tips with dieting or strategies as to how to save and invest money, self-improvement is a wide umbrella. One could argue that this way is for the better. Resolutions are quite temporary, they come and go, but committing to a positive lifestyle change THAT is what will make long-lasting change. Right?

The answer is yes, but also no. While many people let go of their resolutions as time goes on, not everyone does. A resolution can be fleeting, but a commitment to self-improvement should be a year-round thing. If you ask me, out of one thousand people, if only a handful of these people stick to their plans and continue their new, healthy lifestyle of improvement, its a win. Yes, it would be a lot better if more people stuck to their goals, but thats not necessarily realistic. In a perfect world, everyone does their best to improve as much as they can, but this is the next best, most realistic thing.

Nicolas Scagnelli is a senior majoring in English.

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Resolutions are fleeting but important - Pipe Dream - Binghamton University Pipe Dream

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Tiffani Thiessen, 50; Mariska Hargitay, 60; Gail OGrady, 61; Richard Dean Anderson, 74.

Happy Birthday: Find out all you can and proceed with confidence. Knowledge is your ticket to success. Dont hesitate to adjust your lifestyle to suit your needs. Stay focused on what matters, and eliminate what is weighing you down. Simplifying your life will allow you to use your time and energy to enjoy the journey and reach your destination. Romance and personal growth are favored. Your numbers are 8, 14, 25, 29, 32, 34, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Revamp your plans to suit your needs. Listen and observe, but dont offer your thoughts. Move forward secretly until you know who you can trust. Keep your emotions out of your decisions and conversations. Bide your time. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Pursue knowledge and expand your social expectations. Its up to you to put your plans in motion and enlist people with something to contribute. Dont rely on someone else to do the work for you. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Live and learn. Dont forget your experience and knowledge when faced with a dilemma. Dont wait for someone to make the first move. Jump into action and take control of your future. Move forward on your own steam. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Use your energy wisely. You can move forward if you act decisively to enforce positive change. Dont sit idle when you have much to offer and more to gain. Devise a plan and proceed. Romance is in the stars. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Consider your situation and decide what to do next based on facts, not fiction. Once you have verified the information, you will find it easier to react appropriately. Keep your emotions to yourself, and dont let poor behavior play a role in what transpires. Simple tactics are the best route forward. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Call on someone you enjoy being around, and youll get the backup you require to get your plans up and running. A unique change will interest someone with the equipment or skills to help you achieve your dreams. 4 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Stop contemplating the changes you must address at home and put some muscle behind your effort. What you do matters, so stop talking and get the job done. Expect to face criticism if you dont deliver. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Keep your spending to a minimum. A change of attitude will attract helpful individuals. A unique point of view will draw attention to a cause you care about. Take an intellectual approach to change instead of letting brute force lead the way. 5 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Keep an open mind, but dont believe everything you hear. Someone will go to great lengths to convince you of something false. Go directly to the source and uncover whats real before you move. Protect your money and position. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Follow your passion. Embrace the future and expand your interests. Take control by changing what doesnt work for you anymore. Update your goals, and make room for what matters most. Choose your fate, and take the path that allows you to be unique. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Moderation is in your best interest. You can take advantage of an opportunity if you are willing to do the legwork. A conversation with an expert or authority figure will point you in the right direction. Maintain a steady pace and tight budget. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Adjust your routine and home life to suit your needs. Personal gain, physical improvements and spending more time with someone you love will put you in the right frame of mind to go after your dreams. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are passionate, helpful and unique. You are productive and challenging.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but dont rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and youll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

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Horoscopes Jan. 23, 2024: Mariska Hargitay, romance and personal growth are favored - The Mercury News

Discipline is making oneself do things that should be done, even if you do not want to do them. It refers to self-control, willpower, and the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it. Discipline is essential for achieving success in any endeavor. This article will discuss why discipline matters, provide examples of how discipline drives success, and offer tips on cultivating personal discipline.

Discipline shapes virtually every aspect of our lives. From career accomplishments to relationships and personal growth, discipline enables us to realize our dreams. Disciplined individuals consciously regulate their daily habits and actions instead of acting on whims and impulses.

Consider elite athletes, scientists making groundbreaking discoveries, and business leaders building empires. They all rely on extraordinary discipline to rise above the competition. Discipline is the fundamental difference between good performers and great high achievers. It accelerates personal development and success.

Discipline molds our character and choices. Olympic champions train for years by adhering to punishing workout regimes before winning gold. Bestselling authors diligently write thousands of words daily. Self-made billionaires wake up early, fix ambitious targets, and apply relentless discipline toward their vision.

Similarly, we can inject discipline into our lives through small, consistent actions. Setting daily goals, squeezing in workouts, sticking to budgets, and focusing despite distractions these efforts compound over time into radically positive results. Conversely, a lack of discipline causes stagnation as undisciplined actions accumulate negative consequences.

The first step towards success is defining crystal clear goals. Concrete goals provide direction and incentive to apply discipline. Ambiguous goals allow wiggle room for the mind to rationalize inaction.

Once goals are fixed, a disciplined process needs to materialize them. Planning specific activities, focusing single-mindedly without deviation, and tracking metrics build goal-achieving discipline. Equally vital is the discipline to persist when enthusiasm occasionally flags. Short-term motivation provides fleeting inspiration, but discipline ensures you stick to the prescribed plan.

For example, Ronnie had a vague desire to get fitter. He then set the concrete goal of being able to run a marathon within nine months. This galvanized a training plan covering strength, stamina, and nutrition disciplines. Despite setbacks, Ronnie stayed focused on his marathon goal, eventually completing it in eight months.

Managing time effectively requires discipline. Distractions constantly beckon us: social media, random browsing, and YouTube. Giving in hurts productivity. Focusing deliberately on essential tasks without drifting demonstrates discipline.

Techniques like tracking time allocation, batching similar tasks, maintaining schedules, and minimizing interruptions help discipline time usage. The extra output compounds progress toward success. Conversely, time leaks from lack of discipline enable procrastination, which causes delays. Establishing discipline in how we spend time is essential for maximizing output.

Mark demonstrated the impact of time discipline. Despite being busy, Mark scheduled blocks for focused project work. Batching similar tasks improved efficiency, too. Though tempted by distractions, Mark disciplined himself to remain attentive to critical tasks. Completing projects faster earned Mark recognition at work.

Success requires continuously upgrading skills. Whether professional qualifications, technical expertise, or communication chops, lifelong learning is imperative. Self-improvement needs discipline, as learning itself isnt always fun or easy.

Postponing development activities for arbitrary reasons signals a lack of discipline. Consistently carving out time for upskilling despite deterrents demands discipline. Leveraging commutes for listening to podcasts or reading demonstrates discipline, too. Such small efforts accumulate into giant advantages over time.

For example, Warren was stuck in a career rut as his skills had plateaued. By disciplining himself to learn digital marketing skills daily over two years, Warren gained expertise that won him a promotion. He continues to devote time to sharpening his skills and discipline, making him an asset to his organization.

The real test of discipline isnt how we behave during easy times but while facing difficulties. Challenges shake up our discipline by generating frustration, fear, or disappointment. Lower discipline makes us quick to abandon plans when the going gets tough.

However, adversities are inevitable. Setbacks, failures, or sudden misfortunes cant be dodged. Combating challenges needs persistent discipline where we regulate negative emotions and continually renew our focus.

James demonstrates such resilience. James continued his side consulting business despite losing his job by rigorously engaging multiple clients. He fought feelings of despair through mental discipline. Over two years, his perseverance powered a tenfold business growth that enabled James to become a full-time entrepreneur.

Healthy living requires lifelong discipline, both physically and mentally. Staying active, eating nutritious meals, prioritizing recovery, and managing stress depend more on discipline than motivation. Diets started enthusiastically but were abandoned after a few months, indicating poor discipline.

In contrast, committing to lifestyle changes like strict exercise regimens or abstaining from unhealthy food has become second nature over the years for disciplined people. Think about the metabolic benefits earned by athletes who fuel their bodies precisely to maintain peak fitness for decades. Discipline works wonders.

For example, despite being overweight and having low energy, Ken committed to triathlons to improve their health. With rock-solid diet planning discipline and training dedication, Ken woke up early for 15 years straight to practice swimming, cycling, and running most days. Now a super fit grandfather, Kens discipline gives him an inspirational second youth.

Relationships, both personal and professional, significantly influence our well-being and success. Discipline strengthens relationships by promoting clear communication, empathy, and positivity. It enables overriding short-term frustration to collaborate toward mutual growth.

Indiscipline breeds miscommunication and bitterness. Undisciplined outbursts erode relationships, causing irreversible damage. Staying disciplined is akin to making continuous deposits into an emotional bank account where occasional disputes can be addressed from foundations of trust and honesty built over time.

Mark and Susan once struggled to make their marriage work. Frequent loss of discipline caused arguments until they sought counseling to improve their relationship. They learned to discipline their speech and emotions even while upset. Three years later, their newfound discipline replaced bitterness with understanding the bedrock for long-term marital discipline.

Success seekers are often told motivation catalyzes achievement. Motivation does provide initial momentum. However, it fades rather quickly when goals require years of sustained effort. Discipline, when cultivated through habits, persists as daily motivation is fickle.

Instilling discipline involves focusing on daily incremental improvements without worrying about the destination. Having the discipline to, say, write 500 words daily eventually produces a finished book, even on days lacking motivation. Letting writing slide for motivational reasons will probably keep the book unwritten.

Meet Jane, a 32-year-old IT project manager struggling with work-life balance. Her work days were overwhelming while her health and relationships flailed.

Embracing the articles disciplines changed Janes trajectory. She carved out daily downtime for her family despite her workload through time management discipline. She was fixing fitness as a lifestyle priority despite fatigue powered better energy levels. Communicating feelings regularly to her spouse built their bond.

Practicing financial, technical, and communication disciplines enhanced Janes leadership capabilities. Two years hence, Jane is crowned the firms youngest Vice President, leading strategic digital transformation with several employees reporting to her directly.

At home, Janes family bonds deeper than before through dedicated family nights involving board games. Beyond professional success, Jane glows ever brighter with health, relational, and spiritual fullness the fruits of purposeful and consistent discipline across lifes essential facets.

This demonstrates how embracing slight, positive, consistent discipline in multiple areas yields all-round prosperity and life fulfillment over time.

Across endeavors, the fires of initial motivation often fade while discipline drives long-term achievement. Though cultivating discipline demands effort, the phenomenal compound gains over time justify the struggle.

Staying disciplined spans simple habits like regular exercise to loftier actions like focusing relentlessly on significant projects. Progress compounds faster when multiple facets of life leverage discipline. People who instill discipline across health, relationships, self-improvement, and work often enjoy success in those areas simultaneously.

The key is realizing discipline aids us even when we arent motivated. Emotions waver, but discipline provides the backbone. As the Japanese say, Fall seven times, stand up eight. Developing such mental resilience pays rich dividends over time to turn successes into higher heights. Start small, stay consistent, and let the unstoppable power of discipline carry you toward your vision of accomplishment and fulfillment.

Originally posted here:
Discipline is the Key to Success - New Trader U