25 Acts of Body Language to Avoid | Marc and Angel Hack Life

25 Acts of Body Language to Avoid "Our body language exhibits far more information about how we feel than it is possible to articulate verbally. All of the physical gestures we make are subconsciously interpreted by others. This can work for or against us depending on the kind of body language we use. Some gestures project a very positive message, while others do nothing but set a negative tone.

Most people are totally oblivious to their own body language, so the discipline of controlling these gestures can be quite challenging. Most of them are reflexive in nature, automatically matching up to what our minds are thinking at any given moment. Nevertheless, with the right information and a little practice, we can train ourselves to overcome most of our negative body language habits.

Practice avoiding these 25 negative gestures:

I speak two languages, Body and English.
- Mae West

1. Holding Objects in Front of Your Body – a coffee cup, notebook, hand bag, etc. Holding objects in front of your body indicates shyness and resistance, such that you’re hiding behind the objects in an effort to separate yourself from others. Instead of carrying objects in front of you, carry them at your side whenever possible.
2. Checking the Time or Inspecting Your Fingernails – a strong sign of boredom. Never glance at the time when you’re speaking with someone. Likewise, completely avoid the act of inspecting your fingernails.
3. Picking Lint Off of Your Clothes – If you pick lint off of your clothes during a conversation, especially in conjunction with looking downwards, most people will assume that you disapprove of their ideas and/or feel uneasy about giving them an honest opinion. Leave the lint alone!
4. Stroking Your Chin While Looking at Someone – “I’m judging you!” People frequently stroke their chin during the decision-making process. If you look at someone while you’re stroking your chin, they may assume that you’re making a judgmental decision about them.
5. Narrowing Your Eyes – If you want to give someone the impression that you don’t like them (or their ideas), narrow your eyes while looking at them. It immediately places a scowling expression on your face. A slight narrowing of the eyes is an instinctual, universal expression of anger across various species in the animal kingdom (think about the angry expressions of tigers, dogs, etc.). Some people make the mistake of narrowing their eyes during a conversation as a reflex of thinking. Don’t send people the wrong message… don’t narrow your eyes.
6. Standing Too Close – This just makes people feel uncomfortable. Most people consider the 4 square feet of space immediately surrounding their body to be personal space. Cross this invisible boundary with good friends and intimate mates only.
7. Looking Down While in the Presence of Others – usually indicates disinterest. Sometimes it’s even interpreted as a casual sign of arrogance. Always look straight ahead and make eye contact when you see someone you know.
8. Touching Your Face During a Conversation – Face touching, especially on the nose, is commonly interpreted as an indication of deception. Also, covering up the mouth is a common gesture people make when they’re lying. Always keep your hands away from your face when you’re speaking.
9. Faking a Smile – another sign of deception commonly seen on the face of a fraud. A genuine smile wrinkles the corners of the eyes and changes the expression of the entire face. Fake smiles only involve the mouth and lips. It’s easy to distinguish between the two. Don’t force yourself to smile… unless it’s for the camera.
10. Leaning Away From Someone You Like – a sign of being bored and disinterested. Some people may also interpret it to mean: “I don’t like you.” People typically lean towards people they like and away from people they dislike. This is especially true when they are sitting around a table. If you lean away from someone you like, you’re sending them the wrong message.
11. Resting Hands Behind the Head or on the Hips – usually interpreted as a sign of superiority or bigheadedness. Only use these gestures when you’re in the presence of close friends.
12. Not Directly Facing the Person You’re Speaking To – This indicates a certain level of discomfort or a lack of interest. When we’re happily engaged in a conversation we face the person we’re speaking to with our feet and torso facing directly forward. When we’re unsure of the other person, or not completely committed to the conversation, we tend to angle our feet and torso to the side. Face directly forward during a conversation to give off the impression that you’re truly interested in what the other person is saying.
13. Crossing Your Arms – a sign of defensive resistance. Some people may also interpret it as a sign of egotism. Always try to keep your arms open and at your sides.
14. Displaying a Sluggish Posture – When you’re in an environment bustling with people your posture becomes an immediate telltale sign of your confidence and composure. Your stance literally makes a stand for you, delivering a clear message about how you should be treated. It can make a huge difference in the way strangers respond to you. Place your feet a comfortable distance apart, keep your shoulders pulled back, head up and greet people with direct eye contact and a firm handshake.
15. Scratching at the Backside of Your Head and Neck – a typical sign of doubt and uncertainty. It can also be interpreted as an indication of lying. Try to keep your hands away from your head when you’re communicating with others.
16. Messing With the Collar of Your Shirt – It screams: “I feel horribly uncomfortable and/or nervous!” Once again, keep track of your hands. Don’t fidget.
17. Increasing Your Rate of Blinking – a clear sign of anxiety. Some people start blinking their eyes really fast (in conjunction with an increased heart rate) when they get nervous. Since most people try to make eye contact, it becomes immediately obvious to others. Be cognizant of your blinking habits when you’re nervous, especially if someone is looking at you from a close proximity.
18. Slouching Your Shoulders – indicates low self-esteem. People associate perked-up shoulders with strong self-confidence. Always pull your shoulders back. Not only will you look more confident, you’ll feel more confident as well.
19. Standing with Your Hands Crossed Over Your Genitals – This casual posture almost guarantees that you’ll lose a little respect before you even have the chance to speak a single word. People feeling nervous or unsure of themselves will unconsciously take a guarded stance. Quite frequently they adopt a posture that guards one of their most vulnerable areas, their genitals. This stance pushes your shoulders forward and makes your entire body look smaller and weaker. Again, try to keep your hands at your sides and your shoulders back.
20. Propping Up Your Head with Your Hands – “I’m getting bored!” Never prop up your head with your elbows and hands during a conversation. Place your hands on the table in front of you and keep them at rest.
21. Wiping Sweaty Hands onto Your Clothes – a sign of frantic nervousness. If your hands are sweating, just let them sweat. Take a few deep breaths and try to relax.
22. Sitting on the Edge of Your Chair – a clear indication of being mentally and physically uncomfortable. It’s an apprehensive stance that will make others around you feel uncomfortable as well. Keep your rear end firmly planted on the surface of the seat. When you lean forward, use your back without moving your bottom.
23. Foot and Finger Tapping – usually indicates stress, impatience or boredom. Monitor your habits and practice keeping your limbs at rest.
24. Using Your Hands to Fidget with Small Objects – a pen, paper ball, etc. This is another sign of anxiety. It can also be interpreted as a lack of preparedness. It’s always best to keep your hands comfortably at rest when you’re in the presence of others.
25. Repeatedly Shifting Body Weight from Foot to Foot – This is another gesture that usually indicates mental and physical discomfort. People may also see this and assume that you’re ready to abandon the conversation, especially if you’re not directly facing them. Don’t shift your feet around more than once every 2 to 3 minutes."

100 Terrific Mindhacks to Make the Most of Your Brain

Your mind is a powerful thing, but it’s often limited by things like fear, habit, and poor health. However, there are a number of ways to improve the way you use your mind. Read on to discover 100 mindhacks that will help you make the most out of the most powerful tool you have at your disposal.

General

Follow these general mind hacks to give your brain some power.

1. Use the Internet: Studies have found that using the Internet is good for your brain, as it keeps your mind fit and sharp.
2. Practice streamwriting: Find answers and solve problems by writing out your conscious until your superconscious comes out.
3. Power idea generation: Practice quiet solitude in which you list out problems and ideas, whether useful or not, to make your brain better at generating ideas.
4. Take on a creative hobby: Make your brain work harder with a creative hobby that requires thinking.
5. Read quality magazines, books, and blogs: Make sure that the sources that influence your thinking are top notch, so you’ll have a good reference to call on.
6. Stay active: Be sure to stay connected with your friends, family, and network so that you can be mentally stimulated through relationships.
7. Engage in meaningful activities: Join a spiritual group or participate in community service to improve your psyche.
8. Use Oblique Strategies: Use these cards to help you make decisions in hard situations.
9. Use weighted pros and cons: Assign weights and importance to different pros and cons of a situation to make your decision.
10. Set goals: Creating goals helps you actively think of ways to be better.
11. Write things down: Your goal can stare back at you once you’ve written it down.
12. Take a nap: By napping, you’ll be more likely to remember things that you’ve memorized earlier.
13. Drink something warm: The warm sensation from a hot drink can make you feel more emotionally warm and content.
14. Visit museums and performances: Engage your mind’s interest and expand your view of the world with artistic expression.
15. Use focused solitude: Find a place where you won’t be disturbed, then sit still and think quietly to yourself.
16. Be determined: Tell yourself to never give up and you’ll be in the right mindset to take on difficult tasks.
17. Believe in your abilities: Don’t worry too much about your ability to use your brain properly-by being confident in your abilities, you’ll do better.
18. Give yourself structure: You need deadlines and limitations to accomplish more, and do things more efficiently.

Habits

These daily habits will give your brain the shakeup it needs to do well.

19. Shower blind: Wake up your brain by relying on your tactile senses to clean yourself.
20. Wear textured clothing: Improve your mind’s sense of touch by wearing clothing that you can really feel.
21. Don’t do things on auto pilot: Think carefully about all of the decisions you make to increase your brain activity.
22. Sleep on it: Sleeping on ideas will help you make tough decisions and solve problems.
23. Always carry a notebook: You never know when a great thought will strike you, so always keep something to record your thoughts and ideas with.
24. Wake up to a new smell: Change the smell that you associate with waking, and you’ll create new neural pathways.
25. Relax at the end of the day: Use sensory stimuli like an aromatherapy bath to help you wind down and create a new path to relaxing at a smell.
26. Write instead of typing: Writing by hand is great for stimulating ideas and exercising your creativity.
27. Wear earplugs: Restrict your sense of hearing, and you’ll make your brain work harder.
28. Brush with your non-dominant hand: By using your non-dominant hand, you’ll make your brain use the side of itself that it normally doesn’t use.
29. Make use of dead time: Listen to books on tape while in traffic, or brainstorm ideas while raking your yard to give your brain constant healthy stimulation.
30. Sit up straight: Your posture can affect your thinking process in a positive way.
31. Read aloud with a partner: Reading aloud uses different brain circuits, so you’ll improve your brain power by doing so.
32. Write before bed: Before going to bed, write in a journal or notepad to offload the day.
33. Mix up your routine: Eat a different breakfast, take a new way to work, or watch a different TV program to throw some curveballs at your brain.

Learning

Make use of these mindhacks when learning.

34. Learn things in order: Always start with the basics first, and you’ll find learning easier.
35. Share your knowledge with others: Teaching others information will increase your own understanding, so be sure to teach and share whenever possible.
36. Associate boring subjects with fun: You remember the things you enjoy, so make a game out of learning or create a fun story out of it.
37. Interlink thoughts with others: Learn holistically and improve your recall by associating everything you learn with things you already know.

Communication

These communication hacks can help you influence your mind and the minds of others.

38. Use framing: When creating a persuasive argument, frame it in a way that gives it positive or negative connotations.
39. Use fluid speech: Avoid words such as "um" or "like" to make your speech more confident and persuasive.
40. Mirror your subject: Mimic the body language of the people you’re trying to persuade, and they’ll feel a sense of empathy.
41. Repeat what others are saying: By repeating what others say, you’ll help yourself remember better, as well as appear more sincere and interested.
42. Use touch: Bond with others using subtle, polite touches.

Energy

Your brain can get tired, so give it some refreshment with these mind hacks.

43. Listen to classical music: Listen to relaxing, classical music to stimulate your brain.
44. Do the opposite of what you’re doing: If you’ve just drained your brain with intense work, give yourself a period of relaxation to restart things.
45. Take a deep breath: Beathing well and deeply will move more oxygen and blood into your brain.
46. Meditate: Close your eyes and observe the thoughts that come through your mind for about 20 minutes to refresh your brain’s energy.
47. Take a 1 second nap: Go from daydreaming to 1 second twilight dreaming and wake up ready for action.
48. Have sex: Sex will help you shift your focus and give you more energy to take on the next task.
49. Play a sport: Playing a competitive sport will wake you up mentally.
50. Shake your leg: If you’ve been sitting for a while, stand up and shake one or both legs to get your circulation moving and improve blood flow to your brain.
51. Take a walk: Take your mind off of things and get some fresh air by taking a walk.
52. Go to a movie: Immerse yourself in another world by going to watch a movie at a movie theater.
53. Create digestable tasks: Break large projects down into smaller tasks, and create reasonable goals or completion.
54. Take a caffeine nap: Drink a cup of coffee, and then take a 10-15 minute nap for a quick energy boost.
55. Catch up on interesting reading: Reading a book or magazine that you like will help relax your brain while still keeping it active.
56. Play a game: Playing a board game, video game, or brain game will help you give your brain both rest and stimulation.
57. Listen to motivational CDs: Relax by listening and stimulate your brain at the same time with motivational CDs.

Dreams

Make the most of your dreams with these mind hacks.

58. Drink ice water: By drinking ice water just before bed, and right after waking up, you should have instant recall of the dreams in your sleep.
59. Suppress REM: For one night, suppress REM with alcohol or antidepressants, and you should get a double dose the next night, along with vivid dreams.
60. Talk about your dreams: If you discuss your dreams with others, you’ll reinforce your awareness of them and make it easier to recall them in the future.
61. Take 5-HTP: This precursor to serotonin will help you promote deep sleep and have lucid dreams.
62. Don’t sit up or stand up: Remain in bed to remember your dreams, as sitting up or standing up can erase them.
63. Write down your dreams: Your dreams will fall out of your memory quickly, so write them down or record them as soon as you wake.
64. Take galantamine: Taking galantamine can help promote memorable, colorful dreams.
65. Verbally remind yourself to remember: Just before sleep, talk to yourself about remembering to pay careful attention to your dreams and recall them in the morning.
66. Take more naps: Naps tend to have better REM, and will give you more vivid and lucid dreams.

Finance

These mind hacks will help you hack your brain for better finance.

67. Match frivilous spending with savings: Each time you spend money in an irresponsible way, put the same amount into savings.
68. Write down goals: Make your financial goals more concrete by putting them in writing.
69. Tell other people your financial goals: By telling others your plans, you’ll be accountable and more likely to stick to them.
70. Create a habit: If you want to save, make it a habit to place at least $1 into your savings stash every day.
71. Create visual imagery of your goal: With a picture of your financial goal in sight, you will be more motivated to stick to your guns.

Productivity & Time Saving

With these mind hacks, you can be more productive and save time.

72. Use proper timing: Don’t wait until the end of the day to remind yourself to take care of something. Time activities for when they are most likely to be completed.
73. Clean out your inbox: Keep your inbox, desk, and thinking area clean to free up space and stress in your mind.
74. Mind Map: Use Mind Maps to keep your important items together.
75. Give yourself less time: If you give yourself less time in which to complete a task, you’re likely to just finish it within that time.
76. Spreed: Use this tool to train your mind to quickly read through pieces of text.
77. Scarcity: Remind yourself that an image, product, or idea is scarce, and you’ll be subconsciously drawn to take care of it.

Brain Games

Play these brain games to build up your mind’s muscle.

78. Short Term Memory Test: Take this test to assess and improve your levels of short term memory.
79. Guess the Colors: Figure out the layout of the colors in this game.
80. Animated Memory Game: Use these memory games to give your brain some work.
81. Simon Says: Follow Simon’s movies and copy them to give your memory a boost.
82. Crime Scene: Watch this video and pick a criminal from a list of suspects.
83. Fun Match Game: This matching memory game offers a variety of themes and varying difficulty.
84. Face Memory Test: Find out how good your facial memory is with this test.
85. Guess the Flag: Improve your visual memory and build your knowledge of world flags with this game.
86. Memory Solitaire: Play this memory game by yourself to improve your brain’s memory skills.

Food & Health

Follow these tips to eat, drink and exercise your way to a better mind.

87. Drink a glass of water: Give your brain the fuel it needs to stay lubricated and working well by keeping up with your water intake.
88. Good fats: Omega-3 fatty acids can help your brain’s intellectual performance.
89. Vegetables: Vegetables offer your brain a steady stream of energy.
90. Eat more choline: Choline is a fat-like B vitamin found in eggs that can help with your memory and reaction time.
91. Exercise: Exercising is good for concentration and can improve your overall health, which supports a smarter and more efficient brain.
92. Control your cholesterol: Healthy cholesterol levels are good for mental sharpness and efficiency in blood flow to your brain.
93. Fish: Many fish are found to be good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
94. Yogurt: Eating yogurt will help produce neurotransmitters and improve neuron signals.
95. Apples: Apples and apple juice are great for their antioxidants and acetylchiline, which helps preserve memory.
96. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates can be mentally soothing at the right time and in the right amount.
97. Alcohol: Moderate alcohol consumption can improve blood and oxygen flow to your brain.
98. Use a smaller plate: Make yourself feel more full by simply eating off of a plate that is smaller.
99. Fruit: Fruit will break down slowly, giving your brain a steady stream of energy.
100. Non-caffeinated tea: Teas such as green tea will help to relax the brain and create mental alertness.

backup installed package names in linux

The first step creates a text file with a list of installed programs and after reinstalling Ubuntu you will be able to apply that list and reinstall all of the programs without searching through endless amounts of packages trying to find out what programs you are missing. Pros: Very easy to do. Just three commands and you are back up and running. Not much interaction from the user.It just works. Cons: Requires some initial setup. Depending on the amount of applications you originally had installed, downloading and installing those packages may take some time. Prerequisites: Your 'home' folder must be on a separate partition. I will explain later in this article. Let's get started. The first step you will have to do is create a text file. Go to 'Applications>Accessories>Terminal' Type in the terminal
Code: sudo dpkg --get-selections > backup.log
You will be required to provide your user password. Now you have created a text file in your home directory called backup.log. Keep this file somewhere safe. Maybe a thumb drive or something. Or you could email it to your yahoo or gmail account. You also have a very small backup of your installed programs. This will not backup any of your files. ie - photos, documents,videos, etc. Standard backup practices apply to those types of files. Next you can take this file to any computer running Ubuntu and install all of those applications. If now is the time, reinstall Ubuntu and make sure that after the install you have that 'backup.log' file in your home directory. Now you can apply that to a list of programs to download and install. First you will have to make sure that all of your repositories are enabled that you originally downloaded the software from. If you added sources to your sources.list file, then you will have to do that now before you go on. If you haven't added any repositories, then you are ok to continue. Next you will have to go back to a terminal and type
Code: sudo dpkg --set-selections < backup.log
Supply your password if asked. The next step requires a package that is not installed by default in Ubuntu. To install the program, type in the terminal
Code: sudo apt-get install dselect
Supply your password if asked. Now all that is left is to type one last command into the terminal. Now type
Code: sudo dselect
Supply your password if asked. Now select 'install' Now you can walk away, make a beverage and come back to check on it once in a while. You may have to click 'next' or 'ok'. Once it is finished you can exit. Now you are finished and you can use all of the programs you were using before we started this procedure. Notes: The reason for having your home folder on a seperate partition is because of the hidden files and folders in your home folder. All of your program's settings are stored in your home folder. For example: all of your bookmarks, extensions and browsing history in firefox are stored in there as well as your desktop wallpaper and all of your settings. Having your system set up this way allows you to reinstall Ubuntu without erasing your home folder. Once the programs are all installed they will still have the same settings as they did before. If you are a former windows user and have had to reinstall the OS, then you know that it can take many hours to set windows up the way it used to be. Not with linux. If you want to install a dual boot system with Fedora and Ubuntu, just make sure that both of the installs use the same home folder. That way both of your desktop settings will be the same. Enjoy!