Obviously, learning a language is difficult. It could take months and even years of dedicated study. And that’s to achieve a conversational level, or working proficiency. In case you want to be fluent, then complete immersion in the native country is what you will need! Let’s get started by looking at what science has to say on the subject. What Happens to Your Brain When You Learn a New Language?...

You’re not as rational as you think you are. You probably consider yourself a rational person, but what if I told you that most of your decisions don’t make any sense? Consider that book you started to read, but then realized it was terrible a few chapters in. Did you stop reading, or did you keep on reading despite your distaste? Imagine a person you dated in the past, but then you realized you were not compatible with....

The way most people create mind maps is by taking notes or by jotting down their thoughts and ideas, and that’s a good method, but there is an additional way you can use mind maps to your advantage. Mind Mapping and Writing Have you ever written a book? More and more people are walking around with the idea of writing a book (or at least sharing their ideas and thoughts with the world), and you can do that as well—but where to start, right?...

Of course; we all are! Anyone who is a parent is always looking to take their parenting skills to the next level and improve the balance in the household. Parenting styles don’t have to complicate our lives, but which style of parenting we choose does have a direct impact on how harmonious our lives with our children are. Everyone has heard the terms “meditation” and “mindfulness”; but, were you aware that mindful meditation can bring about an amazing transformation in your parenting style?...

I asked him if his divorce had made him stronger, and his answer floored me. He opened my eyes with what he said: When I got divorced, I thought it was the end of my life. I thought I would lose the connection with my kids. I thought no one would ever date me because I was a “failure” having “lost” my family. But what should – according to the popular script –have been my mid-life crisis, turned out to be my mid-life awakening....

The first main duty of the best man is to organise the stag do. Depending on the tastes of the groom, this can range from the rather generic to the totally bizarre. For a little inspiration of what not to do, take a look at this list of stag dos that went wrong from the Telegraph. The other primary duty of a best man is on the big day itself....

Have Confidence Moving Forward First of all, while you may minimize the attention paid to the gaps, there is no reason to feel ashamed or as though these gaps must be masked. Be open in sharing your employment gap. Think about what you did during your time off and frame it to show that while you were not working in a traditional sense, you have improved from the experience. For example, did you do any job training?...

All of those elements are definitely a plus, but you must also consider the actual move. If not executed properly, moving your office can turn into an absolute nightmare. The good news is that this great infographic here provides the ultimate guide to avoid the hidden costs of moving your office. For starters, it mentions the costs you should consider through visual images with a corresponding description of each item....

Level 1 Highly Capable Individual This is where the molding of an individual happens in the workplace. Level 2 Contributing Team Member Once you have time to begin feeling comfortable in level one, then you can begin contributing more to your team. This is where the buy-in to the company’s vision takes place, and you can not only improve yourself, but you can begin to show others what you have learned....

Purchase Your Dream House With a USDA Loan First introduced in 2014, this loans purpose is to “improve the economy and quality of life in rural America” They allow you to borrow the entire purchase price with no money down and USDA loan are not just for areas filled with fields and green pastures. They are available in smaller towns with traditional neighborhoods throughout the United States. To find out more about where these loans are available in your area, visit the USDA government website....

If you’d like to join the ranks of those waking up with the sun, there are some things you should know before you run off to set your alarm. What exactly do you need to do to learn how to become an early riser? Before I dive into the 5 tips I’ve discovered to be most helpful in making the transition from erratic sleeper or night owl to early morning wizard, let’s start with this video about staying awake in the morning: And here’re my 5 tips:...

But in a truly collaborative environment that consists of powerful, capable hires, transparency is important for more than just inspiration. It’s critical for giving your people what they need to effectively do their job. If you don’t share data, plans, or concerns with your employees, you’ll hamstring them. Instead, you need to equip your people to make the best possible decisions for their area of responsibility. But this needs to work the other way around, too; employees themselves need to be transparent about where they’re at in terms of progress, what resources they need to get their job done, and the challenges they’re facing or foresee facing in completing new projects....

“I’ve got so many bad habits.” “I’ve picked up this bad habit of always doing X.” “I’ve noticed you have a habit of always doing Y.” You rarely hear someone saying: “I’ve got a good habit that lets me do X.” “I love that habit you have of always doing Y.” All of the habits that have a positive impact on our lives tend to go unnoticed, which isn’t surprising since they often don’t present us with problems....

Team building is critical for several reasons. However, there are two that stand out. The first is scalability, meaning that until you build a solid team you will be forced to wear all of the hats. While this is something that almost all entrepreneurs do at some point, it’s not sustainable. At a certain point of juggling tasks yourself, the more you do the less efficient you become which is no way to build a business....

Okay, maybe that’s a little grim. Hopefully, you’re actually really kicking butt and taking names in your career, while endearing yourself to your co-workers with hilarious anecdotes about your weekend adventures. However, if you’re not taking full advantage of your midday hour-long break, you’re missing out. Lunchtime is truly your best time to make meaningful progress in any area of your life because it offers some flexibility in your daily routine....

To help you in your quest to find the best coffee maker, here are some guidelines that will provide you with what you need to know about brewer types, brewing options, and all the other small details. Automatic Drip This coffee maker is an excellent choice if you want to start the morning with a classic cup of coffee. You can program the machine overnight and get a nice warm cup of coffee in the morning....

Start With Backward Planning If you have a deadline, whether it’s to write an article, finish a work project or get ready for a vacation, you probably have a pretty clear idea of what the end of the project is going to look like. You also probably know how much time you have until you need to get to that end point. (If you don’t have a firm deadline, make one up....

Use Social Media Feeds The NY Times loves social media and makes good use of it, having more than 250 Twitter accounts that covers just about every section and blog and every writer. If you haven’t signed up for Twitter yet, now’s probably a good time to do so. Clicking through their Twitter feed links will take you to the full article, without harassing you to pay. But it’s not just the NY Times’ official feeds that will let you click through for full access to an article — any link shared on the site will put you through....

Eating When You are Bored Get an accountabilty partner at work for this issue. When one of you is tempted to eat out of boredom, take a walk together or chat at the watercooler to ease your boredom. Plan activities for yourself. You can have things ready for you to do, such as an art project, a walk or a good book you’ve been waiting to read. Make a list of things you can do instead of eat and put it on your fridge....

This is a time of the year when most people are busy rushing to the malls buying gifts, attending parties, gathering with friends and family, and being merry. Indeed for many, this season is the most wonderful and happiest time of the year. However, not everyone will be celebrating this holiday season merrily. There are some who feel lonely and unhappy during this time of the year. Their loneliness may come from loss of loved ones through death, separation by physical distance, or through breakups....