I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, ‘you get one chance to make a good first impression’. There are times when we really need to maximise our investment in creating a good lasting impression. Let’s consider ways we can influence and affect how we come across to others.

– Dress the part. Clothing and the way you present yourself may sound like a superficial consideration but the first few minutes when someone catches sight of us, perhaps without even a word or a smile being exchanged, reveals much about us. Even on dress-down days it’s important to pay attention to small details and demonstrate that you care about basic considerations like good hygiene, personal grooming, that you’ve put some thought into what you’ve chosen to wear.

– Appreciate this is an effective way to demonstrate your determination and show how much this meeting means to you. Creating a good lasting impression includes people feel respected and valued. It’s important to be clean, smart and tidy. An exceptional eccentric genius may get away with being blase about the basics, but few of us fall into that category! It’s far better to take time to dress the part.

– Appear confident and present yourself in the way you want to be seen. Relax and allow enough time to get ready, calmly dressing as you mentally prepare. Be aware of the quality of your self talk and reinforce the positive and your belief that you’re good, sure of yourself, able to do this. Get mentally into ‘the zone’ and step into your ideal image.

– Do your homework. When you’re wanting to create a good impression it’s important to thoroughly prepare for the date, meeting or interview. Learn all you can and more so that you’re able to demonstrate genuine interest and show how much you’re invested in the outcome of the meeting and future of the relationship. You’re proving that it matters to you, that you’re keen and enthusiastic, a good person to have on board.

– Good manners mean a lot. Allowing enough travel time so you can be punctual and unflustered on arrival is important, as is phoning if exigent circumstances mean you’ll be delayed. Respect other people’s time and commitment to the meeting and you’ll make a good impression through being polite and showing that you’re offering a valuable relationship that’s beneficial to both. Also simple courtesies, using ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, demonstrating awareness of others can create a good impression.

– Be interested. Listen, ask relevant questions and show a genuine desire to hear what others have to say. People who are good listeners are often remembered as being excellent conversationalists as they give others lots of time to talk about themselves! I know people who were rank outsiders, yet became employed due to taking time to do great research into the company they were being interviewed by. Their effort paid off.

– Be interesting. If you’re good company you’ll create a good lasting impression. So shore up your knowledge of industry changes, current affairs, local events, popular TV and, dependent on where you are, you’ll be a welcome addition to many gatherings, having lots to contribute.

– Give yourself credit. Being modest and self-effacing has its place, but providing a story or two about how you turned adversity around can convey much about your resourcefulness, skills and abilities without appearing too boastful. Many people forget about the challenges they’ve overcome en route to getting to where they are today, the skills they’ve mastered so efficiently, the routine everyday stuff.

– There will be things you do that may not seem relevant to this present situation but which require you to utilise transferable skills applicable to many areas of life. Think of your hobbies, interests, volunteering, social life. These areas may require you to demonstrate organisational abilities, people management, time management, conflict resolution, delegation, problem solving, mediation. Providing examples of these skills could be an effective way of creating a good lasting impression.

Even learning to walk, drive, bake a cake were not without pitfalls and failures in the early days, but you persevered and now probably don’t think twice about the skills you take for granted. Share examples of setbacks, what you’ve learned, how you overcame and resolved problems. Great stories can provide unforgettable ways to create a good lasting impression.

– Confess if you’re wrong about something, especially at the outset of a potential new relationship or if you’re involved in an important project or customer liaison role. You’ll make a far better lasting impression if you’re honest about a problem, issue or situation and how it’s going to affect others. Most people are tolerant and understanding about delays and setbacks, so long as they don’t happen too often or appear to be caused through deception or lack of care. Tell the truth and explain how you plan to resolve matters.

– How you leave is an important factor in creating a good lasting impression. Say goodbye respectfully, appreciate their time and maybe offer a memorable phrase so that you’re the person who first springs to mind when they reflect on the meeting.

Set yourself apart from the rest by being natural, relaxed and yourself. Enjoy each opportunity and allow yourself to thrive.

There are so many reasons why dancing is good for you, it’s hard to know where to begin. It’s great fun and good for the body as well as the mind. Besides being a good form of exercise and having a truly positive impact on our health, a recent study actually showed that it also makes us smarter (something to do with remembering the dance steps, thus exercising the brain).

So, why is it good for you to dance? Here are the top 10 reasons:

1) Great way to exercise and stay fit

Dance is a great way to stay in shape. If you don’t like the gym, dancing can bring fun back into the exercise.

2) Burn calories and lose weight

Dancing is all about moving your body and moving your body is a great way to burn calories. How many will you burn depends on how vigorously you dance. In an one-hour session you can burn from 250 to 400 calories. Yes, losing weight can be fun and enjoyable.

3) Improved health

Dance can effectively promote good health by improving cardiovascular fitness, strengthening the muscles, increasing circulation, decreasing blood pressure, lowering the risk of coronary heart disease, reducing stress, and many other positive benefits.

4) Greater Coordination

Great for improving control over your body, timing and coordination skills. You will learn how to move with grace and poise.

5) Good for bones and joints

Dance is a weight-bearing activity, meaning it’s great for your bones. Weight-bearing exercises has been proven to increase bone density and help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

6) Build confidence

Dance builds confidence by giving you a sense of success and achievement when you master it.

7) Great way to meet new people

Dancing provides a natural icebreaker and is a great way to meet new people and make new friends.

8) Lifts your mood

Any exercise can raise your spirits by raising the endorphins or so called feel good chemicals. This can lighten your mood and reduce the risk of depression.

9) Good for your Mind

Dancing will keep your mind active. It will improve circulation to the brain and help stimulate the memory by remembering all the steps. Great mental exercise.

10) Improved overall well-being

Dance has an outstanding positive effect on both physical and psychological well-being.

There you have it – 10 reasons why you should dance. There are, of course, many more benefits of dancing, but we have to stop somewhere.

Consideration is an origin of any promise made to anyone, when a person makes a promise to another he does so in respect of deriving some benefit or return for his promise which another is competent to bestowing on him. This is called consideration. It is part of the contract law simply exchange of one thing of value for another thing. In the contract law, consideration is being considered so significant for the validity of an agreement that the absence of consideration make the contract invalid. Consideration is one of the six elements of contract which is required in case of a valid contract. The doctrine of consideration has been developed by the common law.

Consideration must be in the form of value which a person gives to another person. But there are also conditional consideration convene the legally values. For example, a military officer cannot demand a reward for the capture of any terrorist because he is already on a duty to perform for the state. There are many judgments available in the books of law with a view to explain the consideration, one of them as follows; in which the crew members could not got the extra money which is promised by the captain of the ship in exchange of sailing the ship to back home because they were already doing their job.

It is a matter of fact that consideration must move from one party to another party. There are precedents available in the books of law. There is a case in which the subcontractor received the claim as he was promised to get extra money if he builds a block of flat for the party. In this case subcontractor stuck into financially crisis and the party promised to pay some extra money if subcontractor completes the project but after completion the project the party refused to pay extra money claiming that projected got late but court gave order to pay extra money declared that the promisor made practical benefit.

A substantial consideration may be in the form of right, interest, profit and benefit. It is also in the form of responsibility or in the form of undertaking or economic values. There is another case available in the books of law in which a father promised to pay his son if his son quit smoking and drink and drugs. After that father refused to pay but court passed judgment in the favor of son as it was a valuable consideration and gave judgment to pay his son promised money. The most important purpose of consideration is to binding a document in the legal protocol.

A good consideration may be in the form of present, past and future. A consideration given before the date of present promise is said to be a past consideration. In English law the consideration must be present and future and past consideration is not liable to be considered. But in some regional law the past consideration must be deemed as good consideration. A good consideration does not have to be equal or sufficient.

A valid consideration must be against the promise between both the parties. It is also in the form of payment of money but there are other instances representing the valid consideration. An indemnity agreement in which collateral surety will be given is also an instance of valid consideration.

A good consideration not needs to be sufficient and correspondent to the promise. While making a contract there may be a chance of undue influence or coercion which leads the consideration into the inadequacy. Consideration should be certain and real and competent and not to be illusory or vague. If a man promises to another that if you do my work I will discover a treasure for you, it is not a certain consideration although it may contain a sense of doubt. These kinds of consideration are not considering a good consideration. The main object of the consideration should not be prohibited by the law. In case the performance of an act is against the law the agreement would be called a void agreement. Sale of liquor without registration is an open example of void agreement.

If a consideration is including in the injury of a person or damage of anyone property then it is also called unlawful consideration. This kind of considerations has no legal capacity in any court of law and is not claimable. When a person keeps a promise to do anything that includes the damaging the property of any other against an exchange then this kind of claim is not valid.

A good consideration should not be immoral and damaging the cultural attributes and behavior of any living society, although it should be contributing the positive vibes in the society subsequently helps to building a good relationship between the legitimate parties. Immoral consideration includes letting a house to a person having notorious reputation in the society which can create disturbance to neighborhood.

Consideration should not be against the public policy or any law prevailing in the region. A person cannot make any promise subsequently against the public policy or damaging the right in respect of public at large. Interfering in the administration of justice is clear example of encroachment in the public policy. A good consideration should not involve any intention which makes an agreement against the public policy.

When any party or any person want to make an agreement between them there is a consideration exist and without consideration both the parties cannot make a contract or any agreement. It is a rule of law that with a valid consideration an agreement cannot exist and a good consideration makes an agreement into legitimate contract. So consideration is an essential element in any contract made between the parties and without consideration a contract cannot be consider a valid contract. The absence of consideration renders the contact invalid but it should be noted that inadequacy of the consideration in not a ground for invalidity of the agreement. An agreement can be invalid on other various grounds. A consideration turns a contract into a legitimate document which is also admissible in the court of law of any region in the world.

All of us love spending a lazy day on the couch watching our favorite movie and eating a snack. However, do you know that these thrillers can work wonders as far as your health is concerned? Therefore, if you need a reason to relax on a hot summer day, we suggest that you check out a good move. Let’s take a look at 6 reasons why enjoying good films is good for you.

Good for your Cardiac Health

Good movies give you a reason to laugh. According to doctors, laughing is good for your health. In fact, watching a funny film for a few minutes offers the same benefits that exercise offers.

So, if you or someone in your family is a heart patient, watching movies can be a good thing.

They can help you Reduce your Stress

Today, stress is one of the most common problems that people have to deal with. Continuous stress can kill your mental and physical health in a short period of time. So, what is the way out?

There are many ways to reduce stress. One of the most effective ways is to watch movies. According to researchers, comedies help reduce stress levels and normalize blood pressure. So, this is another great reason to take this route.

They can help Boost Creativity

According to a study, kids that watch fantasy movies, such as Harry Potter are more creative than kids that don’t. Many creativity tests were designed for kids to find out if the claim is valid. And all of the test results were convincing that watching movies helps make kids more creative.

They help Improve your Immunity

Movies can help you make your immunity stronger. According to many research studies, if you watch horror movies, it can increase the production of white blood cells in your body. We know that white blood cells are important for recovery after a disease or injury. On the other hand, if you are a heart patient, you should avoid these movies. The reason is that high blood pressure is bad for heart patients.

They are Therapeutic

According to many therapists, Hollywood movies can help patients get over with an addition, loss or trauma. Besides, it can help them deal with different types of mental illnesses as well.

In fact, watching movies are useful for everyone except those with psychotic disorders. Therefore, if you are looking for a good therapy, you should create a list of your favorite movies and watch them in your spare time.

They are Good for your Emotional Intelligence

If you watch drama movies, you can enjoy better emotional intelligence, says a 2015 study. We all know that having good emotional intelligence is important if you want to make good decisions in a timely fashion. If you don’t have good emotional intelligence, it will make it harder for you to develop good relationships.

Long story short, these are a few solid reasons why you may want to watch good movies in your spare time. Hope this helps.

Every business and service provider–with a presence online–wants to have a high Page Rank on Google, for obvious reasons.

But is getting high Search Engine Ranking Page (SERP) results a cakewalk?

No!

Had it been so, every website and webpage in the business would have been right on the first page of Google and other search engines. And, the various Search Engine Optimization (SEO) agencies wouldn’t have been working overtime to improve page rankings of their clients, through different innovative and creative methods.

Why it’s so?

Google follows a specific set of algorithms. It keeps making updates to improve the way search results is provided.

Over the years, the search engine biggie has transformed to a Knowledge Search Engine from an Information Search Engine.

Now if you want your pages and sites to rank high, think out-of-box, and provide relevant, valuable, and well-writ ten information, in a way your readers figure out, easily.

This is not to suggest that the usual SEO practices–including Optimized meta titles & descriptions, structured URLs, user friendly navigation, image optimization, Google authorship certification, etc.–are no more relevant.

They still are. Without working on these aspects, you can’t hope to get a high Page Rank on Google.

What Else?

Content is King.

Despite various other factors being at play, content still rules.

If your content is new, good, relevant, and informative–and, of course, not buttoned-up and full of verbiage–your sites and pages will attract decent traffic and business.

However, having quality content alone may not do the job for you.

You have to promote and share it aggressively, via blog links and website URLs, and through:

1. Discussion Forums, also Known as Open Knowledge Forums

2. Question & answer sites (Quora)

3. Pinterest (for sharing images)

4. Social book-marking sites (digg, delicious, reddit)

5. Good article sites (E-zine)

6. Social network sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, & Twitter)

7. Blog directories (Blog Lines, Bloggapedia)

8. Video sites (YouTube, TikTok)

Besides, use relevant, famed and respected sites for publishing your posts under their Guest Posts section. For this, write exceedingly well and provide high quality, relevant content.

In addition, use the Infographics option also. SlideShare is an excellent tool for creating infographics.

Content shared with quality, supporting images, in a sequence, would do wonders to improve your Google Page Rankings.

Inorganic or Paid Methods

For instant results, use inorganic or paid methods such as Pay-Per-Click (PPC).

PPC provides the advertisers with the chance to put their brand, product, or service, in a very important position, in the form of an ad that targets a particular keyword or phrase.

PPC will fetch you results very fast though only for a short term. For long-term, high Page Rank on Google, organic methods will be apt.

How many times have we had an opinion on something, been convinced that we were right, only to have someone else turn up with previously unconsidered information or introduce a different viewpoint, thus prompting a whole new way of thinking? Being ready to listen to another perspective is important. It keeps our minds flexible and adaptable and is an important part of staying youthful and tolerant of what else is happening in the world.

When we share how we feel about something and discuss our approach we’re expanding all our minds. We’re giving an indication of how our thinking works, our perspective on life. Some people’s automatic default is negative. They’re convinced that things are bound to go wrong, seem to always anticipate the worst. Others think differently and are more positive and optimistic. Our outlook pre-determines how much we let external factors influence us. That’s why having a good perspective is so important.

– If we regard something as scary then we’re bound to behave in a more measured, cautious, apprehensive way. Feeling nervous or afraid can deter us from trying too hard. We protect ourselves by not stepping too far from our safe place. Yet we could instead treat setbacks as minor hurdles or learning points, which will often result in us hardly noticing them. We won’t think twice as our concentration flows into looking for options or solutions in order to keep going.

When we feel confident and hopeful about a situation we’re more relaxed and focussed on a positive outcome. There’s a saying that if you expect something to be good or bad, hard or easy, guess what – you’re right! We set in place a framework based on how we see things working out.

– Our mindset automatically seeps into our approach to life and influences how we handle relationships, what we expect from people, what we anticipate happening. That mindset then impacts on how others treat us. Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly said, ‘we teach people how to treat us’. Our expectations can alter the dynamics of a relationship. A winning philosophy generates the best chance of a good experience.

– If we’re feeling happy or sad, that too can colour our interpretation of a situation. For example, seeing several people we know chatting and laughing can be viewed in two completely different ways, dependent on how we’re feeling at the time. On a bad day we may be sensitive and feel uneasy, convinced that they’re talking and laughing about us. We may already be feeling embarrassed, unhappy and witnessing their laughter reinforces our already fragile mindset.

On a good day we may not even notice those people, or we may simply think that they’re having a pleasant time. Our perspective is influenced by our personal circumstances and inner dialogue. It affects how we interpret their behaviour. The right perspective makes all the difference and is a huge factor in how we then choose to respond.

– Taking time to ask questions, being genuinely interested in the answers and caring enough to try to understand what’s being said is also relevant in supporting us having a good perspective. Knowledge, interest, information and genuine discussion gives us a forum in which to explore other viewpoints and opinions. Mental growth occurs grow when we’re happy to respectfully question and understand other peoples’ attitudes, ideas and views. Patience and tolerance are part of this approach.

– Our background, parents and schooling, how we’ve been raised, all have a massive bearing on our perspective on life. We may have clear views, for example, on the role of men and women, what constitutes a good marriage, the importance of looks and material possessions. We may feel incredulous that other people have different viewpoints, that the things that matter to us are of little significance to them. Understanding or at least being able to respect and defend their right to their opinions is an important part of forming successful adult relationships.

– Communication should be a two-way activity and sharing our opinions helps us negotiate ways to comfortably live together, helps others understand where we’re coming from, why we feel the way we do and then perhaps be able to refine our perspectives. Just as we may feel strongly about how other people should behave, so others may also hold their own definite views, views that are diametrically opposed to ours.

And they will, no doubt, have valid, justifiable reasons for having those views. Sharing and learning about their reasoning may enable us to moderate or modify our perspective and help us become more tolerant and flexible. Listening provides an opportunity for reflection and then to evolve with each other.

Having the right perspective on life helps us improve our outlook, have a more vibrant, upbeat approach to life and oil the wheels of our interactions with others. Everyone benefits when we have a good, open-minded perspective on life.

The answer is a qualified “yes”.

Gout is caused by the extended elevation of uric acid (UA) level in the body. Therefore, any process that helps excrete uric acid should help. Urination and perspiration are such processes.

So why is it a qualified yes?

A key concept to remember is that dehydration increases the concentration of UA. That’s why we consistently find drinking lots of water as a gout treatment. Another concept to remember is that urination is a lot more efficient at excreting uric acid that perspiration. At a glance, sweat has 99% water while urine has 95% water. Sweat is said to contain uric acid, urea and lactic acid, among others. How does this tie in?

Given the same water intake, a person that sweats more will urinate less. That situation could actually push UA concentration higher. The key is to always be hydrated. The net effect you’d want to have is to urinate the same or more AND to sweat the same or more. Both urination and perspiration serve to eliminate toxins so increasing their output is generally helpful to the body.

Does this mean a heavy workout will help gout?

Well, not really. I was just talking about heat induced perspiration (weather, sauna, etc). Strenuous exercise can actually increase UA production and will thus be counter productive. On a related note, keep in mind too that warm weather makes uric acid more soluble. So while you’re sweating, the warmth is also benefiting your condition in another way.

If you spend any time around those pesky humans, you notice they do good things and bad things. No one would or should dispute that. But the question turns to why.

Are people who give up their time, wealth or lives for a cause secretly selfish? Did they do their good deeds out of fear, a thirst for status, a sense of spite, or hedonism?

(It feels good to give, after all.)

Or are the most twisted, depraved, heinous and evil people motivated by something noble? Something, dare I say, relatable?

Honestly, I think they're both true.

Talk to anyone who fights for a cause or does a lot of charity – they enjoy doing what they do. They might enjoy other things more, but the joy that comes from service is a strong one.

As for the nobility that underlies evil:

Take an extremely evil act – something that all right-thinking people would condemn. Take someone burning an innocent village and laughing into the ashes. It's a brutal act of violence committed for its own sake.

How can I call this person good when they take pleasure in this?

The acts are despicable. Never let anyone say otherwise.

But what drives someone to do this?

Maybe our villain craves power. This is a clear demonstration of it, after all.

Perhaps they want safety for their family. Destroying your 'enemies' removes a threat to them.

It might be that they want justice for crimes committed against their own people.

If our villain wants acceptance, then they might want to be a hero to their comrades.

Heck, maybe our villain simply finds it fun to destroy.

None of these excuse the act. None of these makes it 'okay' to commit evil. But these motivations are inherently worthy. If everyone had power, safety, justice, acceptance and fun, we'd live in a utopia.

Behind every evil act is a reason. And maybe there's a reason behind that reason. Trace any action to its ultimate source and you find something good.

This is why I tell people about self-hypnosis. It brings both insight and tools to your own psychology. People don't commit evil for the sake of it. It's always because they think it satisfies some value of theirs.

Through the extreme introspection of the self-applied trance, you can see how your own mind works. You can gaze upon your own values ​​and find the best way to satisfy them.

If you are scared, you don't have to attack to feel safe.

If you can't get respect, you don't need to turn to crime to earn it.

When the world robs you of comfort, you don't need to rob your neighbor.

There's always a better way to get what you need. Always. If you can't consciously see how, then let your unconscious have a crack at it.

Your needs are pure, worthwhile and good. Treat them accordingly and life becomes richer, easier and more fulfilling.

Here’s a very basic conversation about “Good Debt” versus “Bad Debt”

Is there such a thing as “good debt”? Years ago, I considered “good debt” to be an oxymoron.

This good vs. bad debt conversation comes up a lot in real estate conversations. Especially for investors just starting out. And, typically, understanding “good” debt has proven more difficult for women (sorry girls). We, it seems, are much more concerned about paying the bills today for our home and our children. After all, doesn’t most of society tell us that debt is bad? So, how is some of it good? And why?

My husband and I argued about “good debt” vs. “bad debt” for two and a half years before I finally got it (and by “it”, I mean I finally understood his argument). I wanted no debt and was absolutely NOT interested in finding something called private money lenders. Why in the world would we want even MORE people – besides mortgage companies – to owe money to?!?

But, ultimately, I became convinced. “Good debt” is a real thing, and not just an oxymoron. I learned about something I had not previously understood – Leveraging.

Here’s one definition I found for leveraging: “using borrowed capital for (an investment), expecting the profits made to be greater than the interest payable.”

Yes, “profits made to be greater than the interest payable” means you can pay back the lender and still have profits (money) left for yourself. If you do this once, it’s a wonderful thing. If you do this ten times, it can be incredible. So, done right, taking on more “good debt” can increase your own long-term profits.

Not all debt, naturally, leads to profits – not a big screen TV or another car, but investment debt done right definitely can. Here’s a very basic way to look at it:

Example 1:

Say you personally have $100,000 cash. You can purchase one house for $100,000 and get $1000 per month rent for it.

Example 2:

Or, you buy ten $100,000 houses, putting $10,000 down for each, and get $1,000 per month rent from each house. Yes, you have debt to pay to the borrower on each one, but you also have profits left for yourself on each one.

• You only need $100 profit left on each to still receive your $1000 per month income.
• Plus, you have someone else paying off those mortgages.
• Plus, you receive tax write-offs on the interest you pay to your lenders.
• You receive additional tax write-offs on the depreciation on those properties.
• Over time, your tenants, not you, pay off the mortgages.
• You end up with ten houses each paying $1000 per month rent. Rather than the original one house paying $1000, you now have ten houses paying $1000. And you still only paid out your initial $100,000 for ten times the reward.

Now THAT’S leveraging!

Another important fact when purchasing real estate is that you have an asset against your debt. It’s not like borrowing for a bigger TV or even for a car where the purchase has little to no value. In fact, those aren’t assets but liabilities. With real estate, if circumstances go awry, you have the option to give the asset to the lender to satisfy the debt. A much safer deal for everyone.

Begin to see this “good” debt is as an investment in your future. The important thing is that you must buy right. Be sure to buy at a deep discount, never pay full retail. That leaves plenty of room to maintain value even if the market and property values drop (remember 2008, 2009 and 2010?).

Does this make you think of real estate debt differently? What can you add?

Some people think that looking good is about being perfectly groomed, wearing the latest fashions and appearing as if you’ve just stepped from the pages of a fabulous magazine. But there are many people who fulfill none of those criteria, who may even look a little wild, quirky and dishevelled at times and yet something about them means they always looks great.

What does it take to look great, what is the best way to look good each day?

– Top of many people’s attractive list is a ready smile and a cheery disposition. Someone who is warm, friendly and enjoys life generates an inner glow and radiance that lights up everything and everyone about them.

– Be someone who’s prepared to say yes, who’s enthusiastic, joins in and is willing to have a go. People who grab opportunities will most times look good because that mindset generates engagement and a readiness to live life to the full. Attractive people often have a genuine interest in life and what it brings.

– Start to develop good habits and maintain a positive mindset by focusing on the good things that happen each day, even the small things like a stranger’s smile, a compliment, a thoughtful gesture, the view from your window. When you start to treasure the good in life the ensuing happier outlook will help you look better each day.

– Learn not to take things personally. Someone else’s bad mood or unwarranted outburst may be because they have a situation of their own that needs to be dealt with. Reflect on what’s happened, try to stand back from it a little and decide how to respond. When you detach yourself you can determine how to next proceed, as well as take care of how you want to feel afterwards.

– Look after yourself. Good health is a significant factor in looking good. Exercise regularly and follow a healthy regimen, with breaks for good food and plenty of water. The importance of sleep is often underestimated, but respect that quality sleep is a key part of processing the day’s activities. We often feel better, have a more positive view of life when we’ve ‘slept on it’. Many people work long hours and hope to catch up on their sleep at weekends or holiday times but try to introduce good habits; switch off your technology and commit to a couple of hours relaxation before bed. Wind down, sleep well and invest in looking good each day.

– Be gentle with yourself. Forgive yourself your shortcomings and mistakes. Yes, there may be issues and situations that need to be dealt with, things that are messy, that cause stress. Try to deal with them quickly; it’s usually less stressful than was envisaged. Value constructive criticism. Decide if there’s a validity to what’s been said, a learning point you could benefit from. Treat yourself with the same compassion you would someone else, then give yourself credit for your gentler approach.

– Don’t underestimate the role of professional help in dealing with your ‘demons’, negative patterns of behaviour or any issues you may have. Utilise a good counsellor or hypnotherapist and support yourself in becoming stronger and more confident. Reacting badly to stress, situations and other people can become a habit and sometimes we need help to change that and learn to cope better.

– Accept help. Let friends, family or colleagues provide support and be gracious about their ideas and input. You may even need to ask for help at times, suggest things that you need to make your life easier, especially if you’ve always been independent. But mutual support can improve relationships, generate new ideas and forge important bonds and connections. Communicate regularly and invest time and attention in your special relationships. Welcome the closeness and feel part of team you.

– Some people find that they’re always in a rush in the mornings. They have so much to cram into the first hour of each day that they’re already frazzled and out of sorts by the time they arrive at work. Going to better earlier may allow you to get up earlier, with time to start the day well. You could do some stretching, 30 minutes of yoga, maybe get off the bus a stop earlier and walk part of the way. Then you can take time and have a drink, maybe some breakfast and start the day with a more relaxed, positive frame of mind, looking better as a consequence.

– Reflect on how your appearance, the impression you give, the image you portray. Many of us adopt an everyday ‘uniform’ in order to dress quickly, fit in with our colleagues and go about our lives. We may shop intermittently for new items but answer honestly, if you really looked at yourself would you say ‘wow, not bad’ or ‘could maybe do with a make over’! Try to impartially assess your style. Perhaps take a selfie. Are you a little dated, do you need to freshen your image or amend your look to suit your present lifestyle better? Makeup can be a factor too; many women wear the same look for years, yet most department stores employ makeup consultants who are only too happy to provide advice on updating your image. Visit a different hairdresser or barber and benefit from being styled by a fresh pair of eyes.

– Schedule in some fun. Some times of the year can seem more gloomy than others. If you’re short of cash, on your own or overwhelmed with commitments there can seem to be little opportunity for fun anytime soon. Plan a get together, maybe once every few weeks or so, where you invite friends, neighbours, colleagues around for a catch up. It could be a games evening with cards or football, a bite of supper where everyone brings a bottle or dish or even a local concert or dance. Money doesn’t need to be a major part of fun. Having people round for a coffee or going for a walk together can help you feel more positive, sociable and inject some sociability into your life. And having something in your diary to look forward to can really lift your spirits.

– Do things that make you feel happy. Even if you’ve only a little free time, try to ensure that you find a corner in your day where you read a book or enjoy a special hobby or interest. Maybe go to bed a little earlier and spend the time listening to music or find a stimulating evening class. When you find time for things that make you feel happy you’ll find that you look better as a consequence.

Looking good comes not just from being clean, tidy and well-groomed. It’s also important to invest time and attention in our mental and emotional wellbeing also.