5 Free and Easy Ways to Boost Your Confidence by 9AM

Confidence is really important when you get serious about meeting your goals. Here are five free and easy ways that you can boost your confidence in the morning and be ready to meet the challenges of the day.

1. Dress Well.

One of the fastest ways to think you’re successful is to dress like a professional. Take the time to look like someone should trust you to do a great job. This is called “working from the outside in.” You may not FEEL like a success. But if you LOOK like one, it relieves some of the work.People will respond better to you. You’ll be more apt to take charge and complete things. You look great and it gives you a different energy.

One client objected, “I work with these people every day. I don’t need to get dressed for them.” (You don’t need to be an eyesore either). Looking your best is not solely to please other people. It is intended to make you more comfortable so that your appearance is not a distraction, rather an A-ttraction. Give it a try.

2. Arrive Early.

Are you diving to your desk before your boss walks by? Do you walk in 3minutes before the interview time? Do you purposely come 10 minutes late to class because the instructor just talks anyway?

You are in charge of your time. So don’t squander it by thinking you can cheat a start time. By the way, start times are designed so that you START at that time. They are not “walking in times.”Get to your appointments early. This gives you time for mental calm and preparation. If the rest of your team doesn’t practice this habit, then you have permission to set the example. Your clients, your students, your employees will appreciate it.

3. Smile.

Start this immediately when you get in front of a mirror. Consider it practice for what you’ll be doing throughout the day. It is good exercise for your facial muscles, your spirit and it starts you off doing something positive.

4. Talk to Yourself – Nicely.

Rush hour commute and morning delays can really aggravate you. The day hasn’t started yet and already, several things are wrong. You must control your self-talk. Pretend that a satellite radio station will be broadcasting your every thought. How do you want it to sound? Reassure yourself that it’s going to be a good day, that you’ll get to work early, that you look good because you took the time to dress well. Tell yourself you’re doing a good job.

5. Pay someone a compliment.

Doing something nice for someone else is a great way to boost your own confidence. Compliment your kids before they go to school. Compliment your spouse before you part ways for the day.Compliment the person who serves you at Starbucks, the lobby security guard, your assistant, the baby sitter, the cleaning crew, the bank teller. Say good morning. Nice shirt. I like your hair. Nice tie. Great shoes.

Say something nice. Say something simple. Kindness is an interesting currency. We never run out of it. So pay it out.

Practice these habits for 5 consecutive days. Use them if you work at an office, work from home or looking for work. These habits are universal to men, women, even college students.

These habits only require your time and attention. Just remember that these activities are investments in your energy. You will create a pattern of excellence by injecting a shot of discipline into your day. You will treat yourself kindly and double your kindness to another person. Your hesitation will diminish and your daily regimen is more refined. You’ll be closer to your goals – all before 9AM.

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Gal 6:9

19 Questions to Give You a New and Better Year

New Year’s Eve is my favorite holiday. For me, the buzz that starts around 3PM. I can almost feel the bustle of people making sure they get off work early, as if they have an important guest to meet. The new year is a gift to me; a chance to re-set, like the “start over” button in a game; like a clean page in a notebook, ripe for creativity, commitment and change;  like a quiet graduation from one phase to the next.

The new year means reinvention, a call to action for new dreams and a victory for surviving the year that just passed. It give permission to leave behind the things that have been weighing you down. And at midnight – poof! You get an entirely NEW YEAR all over again. 

This is a rich and critical time to establish your goals. Here are some questions to consider:

1.       2 Things you can do to develop a closer relationship with God:

2.       3 habits you want to develop next year

3.       One quality you want to develop next year

4.       The one skill you need to improve next year

5.       A short phrase that will be most useful to you

6.       The one habit you need to drop

7.       The one distraction you must guard against 

8.       The 3 most important goals

9.       The 3 things you want to indulge in

10.   One class you'd like to take

11.   3 things that were unexpected in 2011

12.   5 things that worked for you in last year (habits or people or situations)

Here are additional questions to about habits that you will need to develop to stay on track with your goals:

What one thing, if you accomplished it next year, would make the most difference in all your other goals?

In the areas of work, family, community and health, what will you contribute?

What is imperative that you complete?

What are you negotiable on?

What have you abandoned?

Who is going to be counting on you?

Who are you relying on?

I hope you enjoy the beauty and challenge of new beginnings. There is a wonderful sense of excitement when we unwrap the gift of second chances. 

5 Things You Should Say Plainly in the Interview

1. Thank you
Thank the person you're meeting with for taking the time to meet with you. People are very busy and an interview is an added task to what the employer is already doing. Your two words of gratitude can set a good pace for the interview. 


2. What's the salary range?
Money shouldn't be a secret. Two people's livelihoods are on the line: yours and your future boss. A safe way to discuss money is to use a range. You can ask, "Is this position budgeted between 50k and 55k?" Even if you have information going into the interview what you THINK the salary is, you can confirm what you know. Note that this isn't the time to negotiate salary. Rather, just gather information so you'll know how to rank this with other job offers. 


3. How close are you to making a decision?
Gone are the days of candidates being at the mercy of an employer's behind-the-curtain intentions. You can ask where they are in the hiring process. This gives you a sense of control in the process and you'll know how to prioritize this opportunity compared to the other jobs you'll be pursuing. 


4.  I've done that. I haven't done that. 
Be honest about your background and experience. You don't have to exaggerate or dummy-down what you've done in your professional life. Give the potential employer the consideration of how they can assess where your skills fit in with the organization and the direction of the company's  growth (or downturn). This is the short but critical time to engage in a candid conversation about what you can immediately contribute to the company. Use this information sharing to also find out if this is a company that fits in with your career plans. 


5. Ask for the job! 
Almost 30% of candidates aren't chosen because they didn't express interest in the job or the company. At the end of the interview, make sure you thank the employer for meeting with you and say that you ARE DEFINITELY interested in the position. This one act makes a big difference!


Get all the information you can . Practice saying and asking things plainly and politely.  The more you know about where people are in their decision, then the better equipped you are to make your own choices.

Body Language in the Interview

Your body language speaks volumes in the interview. If you're nervous, try imagining that you're just going to a friend's house to visit. You'll appear more relaxed and more confident, which is a plus during an interview. Here are some tips to help you be aware of your body and physical cues.

1.  Sit up straight and breathe!  

Sit up straight if you’re sitting across from the interviewer. Even lean forward slightly as an indication that you’re really paying attention to what he/she is saying. If you’re nervous, try pressing your shoulders down. This will open up your chest area and actually help with the flow of oxygen and keep tension away from your face and neck.

2.  Keep your hands and arms free

With the interviewer’s permission, it’s okay to take notes. Just be sure to look up at the interviewer so you can gauge their expression. You can fold your hands and rest them comfortably on your lap while listening. Don’t cross your arms over your chest. This sends a message that you’re closed-minded to the conversation. Don’t lean all the way back in your chair and put your hands behind your head, as if to chat it up on a friend’s couch. You want your upper body ready for what may come next, like, shaking another person’s hand or to handle paperwork or materials during the interview.

3.  Eye contact

Try to make eye contact, even if briefly, with the interviewer. Eye contact can actually help you relax, after you’ve really looked at the person with whom you’ll be spending the next hour. You can gather a lot of information and cues from just looking at the person and the way they explain things and ask questions. It’s also a way for you to better answer their questions because you can deliver a whole response with your physical indicators,

4.  The handshake

If you’re interviewing in the U.S., the handshake is very important. Give a good, firm, short handshake. Shake the person’s hand at the beginning of the meeting and before you leave. Warm your hands slightly before you shake hands with someone. Cold hands can be startling.

Interviews can be physically stressful. Be sure to pay attention to your body and the message you’re sending with your expression, posture, gaze and handshake. Remember to breathe deeply and stay hydrated. Walk confidently. Speak clearly. You only have one hour to give it your best. Purpose to do well and you will only get better every time. 

The Victory of Your Voice in Your Job Search

Most of your initial contact with employers is done over the phone or via e-mail You only have 6 seconds to make a reasonable impression on someone. Make it count! Here are four areas of telephone communication that you should cover during your job search.

Kill the ringback tones! The kind of music you choose will leave too much to judge by the person on the other line. Music is also distracting, if someone is focused on reaching you about an interview or is looking to have a professional conversation. If you’re super passionate about having people hear music when they call you, then just remove the ringbacks for now until you get hired.

Voice mail: Make it easy for recruiters and employers to reach you. Your voice mail greeting should be direct, pleasant and clear. It should be your own voice and not a child, spouse or humorous greeting. State your first and last name clearly.  An audible and appropriate voicemail greeting lets the hiring manager know that you at least know that you have basic communication skills. You immediately earn trust by letting someone know how you sound on the phone. A voicemail greeting with your voice and name also lets the person know that they reached the right phone number and they can leave a message for you.

Answering your phone:  Say hello. Avoid clever greetings during your search. You can also answer by stating your name. (IE “Hello, this is Mary). It will save the recruiter or hiring manager the task of making sure that they have the right phone number. Smile when you answer the phone. It will come through in your voice and it serves as a great way to begin a conversation.

Other people answering your phone: When possible, you should be the primary person answering the phone number that is listed on your resume or application. If other people will be answering the phone number, let them know in advance that you are expecting calls from potential employers. Ask them to take a message for you and when you receive a message, return the phone call right away.

With the technology we have available, employers are not very forgiving about not being able to reach you. You want to pave the way at the very beginning so recruiters and hiring managers can talk with you as soon as they have an interest. Be mindful of how easily people can communicate with you and quickly go from "hello" to a hire date!