How to Start a Conversation with New People

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Whether you are a host or a guest, there are many social situations that will call for interaction, even when you are stumped for some way to get it going. For example, you might want to help a friend’s new “significant other” feel comfortable. Or, you might see a stranger across a crowded room, and realize that this is your only chance to impress Mr. or Ms. Wonderful. Then, you realize that you’re not sure what to say.

1. Start with a “hello,” and simply tell the new person your name then ask them theirs. Offer your hand to shake, upon his/her responding to you. (If you go to other countries, greet the person in tune with the particular culture). If you already know the person, skip this step and proceed to step.
2. Look around. See if there is anything worth pointing out. Sure, talking about the weather is a cliche, but if there’s something unusual about it–bam!–you’ve got a great topic of conversation.
3. Offer a compliment. Don’t lie and say you love someone’s hair when you think it’s revolting, but if you like his or her shoes, or a handbag, say so. A sincere compliment is a wonderful way to get someone to warm up to you. But be careful not to say something so personal that you scare the person off or make him or her feel uncomfortable. It is best not to compliment a person’s looks or body.
4. Ask questions! Most people love to talk about themselves — get them going. “What classes are you taking this year?” “Have you seen (Insert-Something-Here)? What did you think of it?” Again, keep the questions light and not invasive. Do not ask too many questions if he or she is not responsive to them.
5. Jump on any conversation-starters he or she might offer; take something he or she has said and run with it. Agree, disagree, ask a question about it, or offer an opinion, just don’t let it go by without notice.
6. Look your newfound friend in the eye, it engenders trust (but don’t stare). Also, use the person’s name a time or two during the conversation; it will help you remember the name, and will draw the person’s attention to what you are talking about.
7. Don’t forget to smile and have fun with your conversation!

Tips

• Just relax. Chances are that whatever small-talk you’re making isn’t going to stick out in anyone’s mind a few months from now. Just say whatever comes into your head, so long as it’s not offensive or really weird. (Unless, of course, the person you’re attempting to converse with is into weird stuff.)
• Remember, if you think of something in your head while you’re talking, it’s probably related.
• It will help if you watch some TV, listen to radio shows, and/or read a lot — newspapers, magazines, and/or books. You need to have some idea of what is going on in the world. Also remember and plan to share anything you like, think is funny, or find intriguing. This is building up your own library of things that might be helpful to another person during a conversation someday. It will be amazing how you thread these interesting things when you least expect it, and make conversation an adventure instead of a dreadful task. If you take it to the next step and say things that you want the person to think of as adding value, and keep to yourself things that the person might not, you are actually honing your own personality to be appealing to the other person, and what is a greater act of kindness than that.
• If you are shy, it will be helpful to have thought about a topic or two that you could talk about.
• Follow the lead that your listener is expressing. If he or she appears interested, then continue. If he or she is looking at a clock or watch, or worse, looking for an escape strategy, then you have been going on for too long.
• Interesting and funny quotes or facts can lighten things up, and make way for things to talk about. You could also use a set of conversation starter question cards for inspiration.
• If talking over the phone, keep the person involved in the conversation at all costs. If you can’t come up with a good topic, try the “questions” game. Just keep asking them questions; random questions work just fine as long as they are appropriate. This technique can save a phone conversation. The questions should be open ended questions that do not require a yes or no answer. For example “How do you know the hosts?” This way you can ask questions about what they just said or follow up with how you know the hosts (for example) instead of acting as if the conversation is an interrogation.
• Half of an effective conversation is the way you non-verbally communicate, and not necessarily what you say. Practice better non-verbal skills that are friendly and confident.
• Read newspapers and magazines to increase your knowledge so you can have more interesting things to talk about

u may visit   http://public-speaking.in/guide/how-to-start-a-conversation-with-new-people/

Simple, Practical Mental Health Tips: 30 Tips for Preserving a Healthy Mind

 Are you feeling depressed lately and wondering how to improve your mood? Are you in the midst of getting over a significant loss in your life and wondering how to keep your mind healthy as you grieve? Are you interested in how you can maintain a healthy mind to keep your body healthy?

Mental health is a complex subject-- it's hard to define and difficult to grasp all of the different aspects of mental health. Still, however, there are simple steps that you can take in your life to keep your mind healthy.

Check out these practical tips for maintaining a healthy mind! Employ just a few of these ideas and you'll likely feel the difference in your mental health.

1) Make sure you’re getting enough rest. Sleep is the body’s way of recharging, meaning that sleep doesn’t only increase your energy—it actually boosts your mental health.

2) Feel what you feel! Don't worry about controlling or changing your feelings. For now, focus on expressing the feelings that you have rather than trying to feel a certain way.

3) Forgive yourself for past mistakes. Messing up is a part of life, and mental health requires understanding that and moving past mistakes in our lives. Is there a mistake or regret that eats at you? Let. It. Go.

4) Throw a mini-party for yourself! Celebrate a recent accomplishment in your life by patting yourself on the back and rewarding yourself with a small gift you've been looking forward to. It's important to acknowledge successes-- not just failures.

5) Find a good support system. Whether family, friends, a church, or something else, find a group of people who are willing to love you for who you are. This boosts resilience and helps to provide perspective in the midst of stress and pain.

6) Eat healthy. Invest time in learning which kinds of foods bring you “up” and which kinds bring you “down.” Committing to a diet can make you feel good about yourself, give you a sense of self-improvement, and boost your sense of accomplishment.

7) Exercise. Regularly exercising can help to cut back stress in your life, releasing pent up energy as you work your body. Exercise releases endorphins, chemicals in the brain that energize us.

8) Get some sun. Sunlight can lift one’s spirits, boosting mental health and preventing depression.

9) Leave some time for leisure. Make sure you allow time in your schedule for whatever causes you to relax. Maybe it's watching movies or completing crossword puzzles or walking outside. Make time for the things you know relax you.

10) Stay away from drugs and alcohol. When you consume cigarettes, illegal drugs, and alcohol, these drugs tamper with your mental health, decreasing mental stability and giving you “false positive” emotions.

11) Commit to helping others. You can build self-esteem and self-worth by regularly pouring out your energy and talents to help others. Volunteering is another activity that releases endorphins, boosting your mood.

12) Do things that require discipline. Self-control increases self-worth, as you feel like you can control aspects of your life.

13) Learn something new! Part of what makes us human is our tendency to challenge ourselves. Challenge yourself to learn something new-- maybe a new skill, sport, or game.

14) Spend time enjoying art. Studying artwork exercises our minds and encourages us to think creatively. Take some time to visit a gallery or an art show-- you may return with a new perspective on your situation.

15) Find a good listener, and return the favor. Find one person who is willing to listen to you vent and talk freely. It can also relieve stress to form a listening partnership, where the two of you share on a regular basis.

16) Stick to your friends! Do what you can to intentionally keep in touch with a circle of friends. Schedule lunches, dates, or get-togethers with your friends more often. Deep friendships remind us of a sense of belonging.

17) Make the decision not to worry. Worry will consume your mind if you let it, but you can also train yourself to avoid worry, to choose a life without anxiety. Ask God to help you not to worry.

18) Do things that engage your senses. Each day, perform one task that engages each of your senses: sight, touch, smell, sound, and taste. Engaging your senses helps you to live in the moment and focus on the present.

19) Leave time to build and create! Even if it's just LEGOs or a can of Play-doh, it's important to engage our creative sides frequently. When the mind gets into a rut of the same sort of thinking, it gets sick. Keep it well by staying creative.

20) Consider getting a pet. This is a big decision, but having a pet can really help mental health. Pets love us unconditionally, keep us active, and provide us a way to care for something.

21) Leave time for nothing. Make sure your schedule has a little room for free time: time that is unbudgeted. Use that time for meditation, prayer, or relaxation exercises.

22) Cut out late-night TV and computer use. Studies have shown that watching TV and using a computer late at night can cause depressive symptoms.

23) Spend time with people every day. Find people who are like you and who like you. This one seems pretty obvious, but it's easy to forget when you're depressed or down. Interacting with people is likely part of the solution, not the problem.

24) Work to understand what stresses you. Understand your stressors and be able to recognize how you need to react. Be informed about what is happening in your mind and body.

25) Give and receive compliments. Find reasons to praise people, and be willing to accept people's praises of you. This will help you to appreciate the good in those around you and recognize it in yourself.

26) Join a club or social group that meets regularly. This will help to create a community in your life, fueling purpose and camaraderie.

27) Leave time to laugh. Try to laugh hysterically every day. Feed yourself funny things, allowing your mind to decompress from time to time.

28) Accept that there are some things you cannot change. A lot of anxiety stems from trying to change things beyond our control. Recognizing that some things are beyond our control is a key to a healthy, anxiety-free mind.

29) Engage in spirituality on a regular basis. Make sure you're exercising not just your mind and your body but also your spirit. Interact regularlyt  with a spiritual community. Putting faith in God relieves stress on ourselves.

30) Talk to God about where you’re at. Interact with God in prayer on a daily basis and allow God to be a part of your stress-reduction strategy. He’s been doing it for thousands of years—He’s got a little more practice than you do

Misconceptions

Misconception is nothing but a misunderstanding a certain topic, theme, object, history, religion etc.. Not only its false but the misunderstood concept is common among or famous the people and the wrong information keeps spreading amongst the people. 

 Here  20 of the most common Misconceptions in various fields are posted:

 

The child prodigy Sushma Verma

The child prodigy Sushma Verma who cleared high school at the age of 7 is all set to pursue post graduation in Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Microbiology from Lucknow University at the age of 13!

 Sushma, who is the daughter of Tej Bahadur Verma, a daily wage labourer has beaten all odds in pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. After achieving the title of "youngest Indian" to pass the Class 10 at the age of 7, Sushama's name is mentioned in the Limca Book of Records. 

When she was 10 years old, she took the Combined Pre Medical Test. At 13, when average students are in Class 7, Sushma has come a long way as compared to her counterparts. Presently, Sushma lives in a small room with also includes kitchen in Lucknow. She told a newspaper, "I am happy with what we have. Of course, I too want a lot of things. But I thank god for giving me the gift of learning." But Sushma is now worried about her age. "

After MSc I will not be able to sit for CPMT because of my age. So, I will do a PhD", she said. 13-yr-old has beaten all odds to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. She also said, "I miss a better atmosphere, a better neighbourhood. But then, there are a lot of dreams... all of them cannot be fulfilled."

 Not only Sushma, even her brother 20-year-old brother Shailendra was also a child prodigy who cleared Class 10 at the age of nine. Sushma gives all the credit for her success to her brother. Unlike other children of her age who have an easy access to mobile phones, internet, colour cable TV, this genius stands apart from those children.

The 13-year-old child prodigy Sushma Verma of Lucknow on Tuesday got a call from the vice-chancellor of BS Abdur Rehman University, Chennai offering her free education. Also, sociologist and founder of Sulabh International, pioneer in the field of sanitation and hygiene, Bindeshwar Pathak announced an amount of Rs 5 lakh for Sushma. Pathak will visit Sushma's home to hand over the cheque next week.

Congratulating the little genius, Pathak said, "The girl is an inspiration for students belonging to elite background. With the prize money, Sushma can fulfill her requirements. We will extend all support to the child further too.''

"Although I don't want to talk about it at the moment because I want my daughter to concentrate on her education and stop thinking about other things, it is true that some members of the Bollywood have shown interest in her career and want to finance it. 

"Right from her education to hostel fees, they have been assessing her needs", Verma said. 

Prof Manoj Dixit, proctor of LU said: "We have also received offer from Abhishek Patil of SKF Foundation, Kolhapur to finance her education. The university is also ready to waive her hostel fees."

Sushma initially wanted to do MBBS. But she couldn't appear in the test before reaching the age of 17. 

So she decided to change her mind and opted for higher education. 

Sushma's elder brother Shailendra is equally brilliant. He cleared Class 10 from National Open School at the age of seven with 55 per cent marks.

He earned his bachelor degree in computer application from LU at the age of 14 with 75 per cent marks and is currently pursuing MSc in computers from St. John College in Bangalore.

 

 

Bright future: Sushma Verma (right) with her father Tej Bahadur (left) at Lucknow University where she is pursuing an MSc in Biotechnology
An article Published in The Hindu dated 4th September 2013 about her is given below

“Sushma’s future is secure as far as her studies are concerned”

Nobody will grudge the accolades earned by Lucknow’s child prodigy, Sushma Verma, and the offer of financial help from individuals and organisations for pursuing her studies. As the 13-year-old wonder kid basks in the glory of becoming the youngest student to pursue a Master’s course — M.Sc. in Microbiology from Lucknow University — it’s raining funds for her. 

After noted film lyricist and one with a strong “Lakhnavi” connection, Javed Akhtar; a U.S.-based executive working with the Microsoft Corporation; and a Kolhapur-based charitable organisation, SKA Foundation, offered financial assistance to her, financial help for Ms. Verma has now come from Sulabh International.

The NGO has decided to adopt the child prodigy and will provide all possible assistance to her for pursuing higher studies. “The founder of Sulabh Sanitation movement, Bindeshwari Pathak, will honour Sushma Verma with a cash reward of Rs. 5 lakh when he visits Lucknow next week,” said Manoj Jha, adviser to Sulabh International. She had been described as a great motivator for children by the Sulabh founder, Mr. Jha added.

“Assistance has also been offered by Sunny Fernandez from Kuwait, Pradeep Agarwal from Goldrush, Lucknow; Shubodeep Kundu from Kolkata and Dr. Vinayak Prasad from the World Health Organisation for further studies. Sushma’s future is absolutely secure as far as her studies are concerned,” Manoj Dixit, Chief Proctor of Lucknow University, told The Hindu.

A tough road

Times have been hard for the Verma family. Sushma Verma’s father, Tej Bahadur, is a daily wage labourer and it was difficult for him to meet the expenses for her admission to Lucknow University. He had to sell one bigha of land to pay the first instalment of about Rs. 25,000 to confirm a seat in the university. The child prodigy’s name appeared in the second cut-off merit list for postgraduate courses declared on August 26. The family used to live in a dingy single room accommodation in St. Meera’s Inter College on Kanpur road, but they were asked to vacate the premises about two months ago.

 Ms. Verma now lives with her parents in a single room in Bargawan village.

Professor Manoj Dixit said the university was arranging for a suitable accommodation where the girl could live with her parents. He said the parents and the girl herself were not inclined to her living in a hostel along with students of a different age group. Ms. Verma passed her Class 10 (High School) examination from St. Meera’s College at the age of 7 and Intermediate at the age of 10. She pursued B.Sc. in Zoology and Botany from CMS Degree College. 

Her brother Shailendra holds the distinction of being the youngest Computer Science graduate at the age of 14.