How to Have More Entertaining Conversations

Photo credit lifehack.org

What if I told you that some of the best conversation exchanges are about things that never occurred and never will?

Say hello to the hypothetical statement – or hypotheticals as I affectionately refer to them. Probably the most entertaining type of statement in the conversation universe. A single hypothetical can launch a conversation into a world of fictional fun.

I was sitting in a coffee shop writing and someone came over and asked if the comfy chair next to me was available. I didn’t feel like talking because I was engrossed in my writing, but after I told him it was free, he sat down, got comfortable, and said, “If I start snoring loudly, just kick me.”

We both laughed. I responded, “I’ve got some ice left in my cup I could pour on you if that would work better.” He laughed again, and I went about my work. Either of us could have continued a conversation very naturally from there if we wanted, all about an imaginary event — falling asleep and snoring in a chair! There was nothing glamorous about the event either – but simply discussing the hypothetical possibility, within the context of a coffee shop – was very funny.

Hypothetical statements don’t require the imagination of an artist or the wit of a playwright. Many are quite simple and quick. Check out the following example:

“I’m going for a run, although I’ll probably faint in this heat.”

You could have just told your wife, “I’m going for a run,” but that wouldn’t be entertaining, would it? Adding some hypothetical scenario takes it to a whole new level. You could have added any number of hypotheticals about possibly being bitten by the neighbor’s vicious dog, chased by cops, etc.

Look at the World Without Hypothetical Statements

To quickly illustrate the power and range of hypotheticals, let’s look at some real examples WITHOUT and WITH a hypothetical component.

Obviously, you weren’t privy to the actual conversation, but my hope is you can imagine how B-O-R-I-N-G some of these statements are without hypotheticals and how they completely transform the instant the hypothetical is added:

Without Hypothetical: Yeah, I was going to call you this morning to see if you were coming in.

With Hypothetical:Yeah, I was going to call you this morning to see if you were coming in. I wanted to make sure you weren’t stuck in a ditch or something.

Without Hypothetical:

JACK: I’m so glad they finally built the café down here.

JILL: Yeah, before this I was eating fast food every day.

With Hypothetical:

JACK: I’m so glad they finally built the café down here.

JILL: Yeah, before this I was eating fast food every day. I must have gained like twenty pounds!

Without Hypothetical: I have to go give that presentation now.

With Hypothetical:I have to go give that presentation now. Anyone want to come see me embarrass myself?

The Hypothetical and the Exception

Hypotheticals often come in the form of an exception. Check out this example:

Your friend mentions the topic of making beer.

YOU: I’ve always wanted to have a home brewery in my basement. That would so cool! Except I’d probably end up throwing most of it out!

FRIEND: Maybe you should have a bakery instead. I think you would like making sweets even more than beer. Except you would probably end up eating everything before you had a chance to sell it!

What Might be a Possible Explanation?

The hypothetical can take the form of a playful explanation for why some event or behavior occurred.

For example, you are leaving a neighborhood party when someone comments about your five-year-old.

FRIEND: Your son has been so good this whole time.

YOU: Thanks. It worked out well.

The conversation could end there. Or you could add a playful reason as to why your son behaved so well.

YOU: Thanks! We got lucky. Someone probably snuck him a few beers from the fridge.

Check out another example:

Your friends are talking about hair loss.

YOU: Yeah, it sucks, I’m sure I’ll be bald in about two years.

FRIEND: Really, you look like you still have all your hair.

YOU: Yeah, well, not really.

Or you could also provide a hypothetical reason.

YOU: That’s because I’m wearing a toupee – a really good one. I glued it down.

The Almost Realm

Many great hypothetical statements exist in the realm of the “Almost” did/said/happened. This is often more interesting than the literal truth. It’s a very important technique in telling stories as well.

For a simple, but effective example, imagine someone asking: “How’d the event go?”

You reply “It was fun…the tent almost collapsed…but overall, it was a good time.” Or “It was fun…nothing burned down, so that was good.”

This gives the other person something else to connect to. “Well, I’m glad nothing burned down! That wouldn’t be good.”

Hypotheticals require a little imagination and a playfulness, which isn’t easy to replicate when you’re by yourself.  Regardless, it’s a habit that doesn’t come easily unless you make some effort. See if you can finish the following statements with a hypothetical statement:

1. My team is playing tonight, if they ______, I’ll ________.
2. I can’t stand mushrooms…if _________.
3. Your beard is getting really long, you could ________.

A lot of times, just forcing yourself to add a “if…  it could…. it should… it would have… it might… I’ll probably… ” can help trigger some imaginative, entertaining statements!

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5 Actions to Get Your Mojo Back

 

Photo credit lifehack.org

“If you look at the world one way what, it takes from you – it’s a thief of time, energy and your creative mojo. But if you look at the world another way, it gives you an endless supply of motivation” Julianna Baggott

When you have your mojo, your view of  the world is positive, optimistic and hopeful. You are full of energy and have an endless supply of motivation. You have your spark in life and people feel it and are attracted to you.
The reality however is, at some point in your life, you will lose your mojo. How long you lose your mojo for depends on how long it takes you to figure out how to get it back. For some of us, it can be a matter of a few days and for others, it can be months or years.
The reason why it takes so long for many of us to get our mojo back is because we don’t know how to or even where to start.
To get your mojo back into your life, you have to be prepared to change the way you think and the way you do things. This all takes energy and motivation and you don’t have much of either when your spark in life has gone out.
I know this to be true because this was how I felt when I lost my mojo about three years ago. When I lost my job for the 3rd time in 18 months, I lost my mojo big time – no energy, no self-belief, and no self-confidence. For about 6 months I was miserable and I shut myself away from the world. I was still functioning in life but my “spark’ had gone. I did not feel alive inside.
I like to think I am an optimist and I like the feeling of being energised and hopeful about life. After spending six months of my life feeling the opposite, I realised that if I didn’t get my mojo back, my quality of life would be bleak.
I decided to take action to get my mojo back in my life. I knew it was going to be hard work because the biggest obstacle I had to overcome on this journey was going to be me.
I have a record of giving up when the going gets tough, so I decided that I would focus on bringing back into my life six positive feelings that I had lost along with my mojo. These five actions below brought back into my life, energy, a positive attitude, hope, optimism, a sense of purpose and joy. This is what I did to get my mojo back.

1. I Got Active – This Creates Energy

I have always been an active person and attended the gym regularly. I gave up all physical activity when I lost my mojo.
I once read an article that said that the key to sustaining motivation with any type of physical activity is to focus on doing an activity that you enjoy. The article then went on to say that once you identify that activity you enjoy, write down and memorise the 5 benefits/feelings you get when you do the activity or exercise.
The next thing you do is: when you are about to start this particular activity you say “I am going to____ and I feel_______________” Name five feelings/benefits.
When you finish the activity, recite the same 5 benefits/feelings starting with “ I have completed my ______ and I feel_______.” I look forward to doing  ________ on_____” (you name the specific day and time you will do the activity).
This is what I did to help me get back to the gym and yoga. I needed a strategy to help me get started and this worked. I have never looked back and yoga definitely was a huge help in getting my mojo back.

2. I Changed My Thoughts – This Creates A Positive Attitude

The conscious and subconscious minds operate at different levels. The conscious mind is your logic and reasoning. It controls your actions and intentions of the present moment. Your subconscious mind, however, controls your emotions and it is also where all your beliefs and memories are stored.
My conscious mind knew I had to get my mojo back but my subconscious mind stored the beliefs and emotions that supported the fact that I had lost my mojo. For me, to get my mojo back, I had to get my conscious and subconscious mind aligned because if I didn’t, my mojo was never coming back.
Again, I decided not to over-complicate things and so I came up with a practical way where I could start to work toward having alignment with my thinking and my actions.
Every time I had to choose between doing or thinking something that would help me get my mojo back or something that would block me from getting my mojo back, I would ask myself this one question;
“Is this decision/choice/action/thought/attitude going to get me closer to my goal of getting my mojo back or further away?”
I found this to be a powerful question that helped me to align my conscious and subconscious minds so that they were on the same page. As a result, I felt more positive about life and my thinking and attitude reflected this as well. This, without a doubt, was key to me believing that I could get my mojo back and sustain it in my life forever.

3. I Connected With People Who Had Mojo –This Creates Hope and Optimism

I am very lucky in my life as I have wonderful friends and family who I know love and support me. I realised however that for me to get my mojo back I needed to be with people who lived their lives embracing their mojo.
I set myself a challenge that twice a week, I would engage with someone who I didn’t know but felt they had mojo. The mojo qualities I looked for in people were those such as energy, enthusiasm, positivity, and motivation and had a joyful attitude about life.
This was an amazing experience. I met some incredible people who truly lived inspiring lives. They came from all walks of life. I learnt about gratitude and the gift of life. The more contact I had with people who embraced their mojo, the more energised, optimistic and hopeful I felt about my future.

4. I Clarified My Life Priorities – This Creates A Sense Of Purpose

Writing down what is important to you in your life helps you get clarity about how you want to live your life. When I wrote down my life priorities, next to each one I wrote down one feeling that I felt belonged with that life priority. For example, one of my life priorities that comes at the top of the list is FAMILY and the feeling I put next to it is LOVE.
I looked at my list every day and, over time, I began to realise that the more I focused on what was important in my life, the easier it was for me to commit to getting my mojo – my spark back in my life. This action was so important when taking up the challenge to get my mojo back, as it gave me with a sense of purpose in my life and also clarity and focus.

5. I Went And Had Fun – This Creates Feelings of Joy and Happiness

When you have lost your mojo, it is so easy to spend days in the doldrums feeling miserable for yourself. Doing any kind of activity, even if you like doing it, is often too hard. All elements of laughter and fun soon disappear from your life.
I certainly felt like this when I lost my mojo. Even though I didn’t like living my life this way, for a long time, I had no energy to do anything about it. One morning, out of the blue, it hit me. I realised that if I didn’t do something about changing my life for the better, I had to accept that living a joyful and happy life was not going happen. At that moment, I decided to do an activity that brought me joy – having a coffee with my best friend. I rang her up and went to have coffee that afternoon.
When I got home, I wrote a list of 30 activities that I loved doing and brought me joy. Every day for the next 30 days, I worked my way through my list and guess what came back into my life? The feelings of joy and happiness. Over the month, I learnt how to appreciate the gift of joy and happiness in the present moment. The more aware I became of the joyful, fun and happy moments, the more joy and happiness came into my life. That was when I felt my mojo was back!
Getting your mojo back is critical for your quality of life. Your physical health and emotional well-being are under threat if you don’t start to take action to get your mojo back into your life. These 5 actions helped me get my mojo back and I hope in a small way, they help you to take action to get your mojo back into your life forever.

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Why Your Astrology Sign Makes You A Perfect Love Match

 Photo credit lifehack.org

No matter who you are, your astrology sign comes with some great relationship attributes. Maybe the Aries traits in you make you exciting and dazzles everyone around you. Maybe your Pisces traits make you a trustworthy companion that someone cherishes very much.
This is dedicated to the best personality traits of every sign because we’re all worthy of love and the stars explain why.

An Aries in love is an exciting rollercoaster ride

You’re direct and you don’t play mind games because you have the courage to live in truth. People admire this quality along with your genuine, bold manner. Whatever negative qualities there are, you charm your loved ones with your almost childlike enthusiasm for life.

 

A Taurus romance is one that comes with trust

Honesty is a quality that is so essential for a relationship to flourish and you have it nailed. You are a kind and warm hearted partner who is anything but boring. While you may need stability, you also deeply love in a romantic way.

A Gemini is the best of two worlds

The Gemini, also known as the twins, are exciting because you’re two people. That makes you really diverse and interesting, capable of shifting yourself from one type to the next. You keep your partner guessing and that keeps a relationship fresh. Both of your sides are compassionate and loving, making it easy to maintain a healthy relationship that never goes stagnant.

A Cancer is a loving and loyal companion

Oh Cancer, you are so worth knowing. They say, that still waters run deep and it’s possible this was written with Cancer in mind. Though you may not show it, people that you love will forever have your loyalty and through time you will show more of yourself. You are often introverted but you love deeply and play for keeps.

Leo is the king of the jungle for a reason

Leo stands out in a crowd like no other and you’re highly adored by many. If you feel like being in a loving relationship, you’ll have it in no time. The person who wins your heart is eternally lucky because you offer love, excitement and adoration. Your loyalty along with your charismatic nature will make it difficult for partners to get over you.

A Virgo nurtures the ones they love

You are well put together Virgo and attractive to many. You may be able to tame some of the wilder characters out there with your practicality combined with your nurturing nature. You are a kind and gracious person that gets along well with many different types. While you may be better-suited to an equally logical person, you can tame the wild ones and develop a long lasting relationship.

Libra is born to love

Dear Libra, we know it’s important for you to be in a partnership. Thankfully your personality traits associated with Libra include all the attributes that will ensure you’re not alone. You are gracious and fair-minded and because you’re social, it’s easy to meet new people.

A Scorpio romance is sizzling and intense

The traits associated with Scorpio include loyalty and sensuality. You take your time examining people before you make a decision on who they really are. You’re not easily fooled so while it may take some time to gain your trust and admiration, it’s likely you won’t have the wool pulled over your eyes.

A Sagittarius is a warrior that fights for who they love

Sagittarius, you are a true modern warrior. You say what you think regardless of diplomacy which can be pretty attractive actually. You give a lot of yourself and your character is entertaining, you make people laugh. That sense of humour is what gives people a long lasting impression of you. You can often find yourself in a committed relationship without much effort because you’re a big personality with an alluring nature.

Love with the Capricorn will be full of respect

A Capricorn works hard in any given situation and this includes relationships. You don’t give up on people easily and that kind of dedication is rare. Your way of being can be highly inspirational to someone close to you which makes you a gem in a world of impermanent emotions. You may not be ultra romantic but you are a solid person to be with and can change the wildest at heart into a lamb.

Aquarians will help you weather any storm

Aquarians, you are said to be well ahead of your time. You are highly interesting and inspiring to people around you and that makes you highly attractive. You are the kind of person that someone will want to spend their life with because you’re gentle and always interesting. You are a great partner to someone who has been through a lot in their life because you’re a born humanitarian.

The multi-faceted Pisces bring excitement to any romance

The Pisces traits make you a dedicated partner that is both logical and artistic. You maintain exciting relationships because you are multi-faceted. Your selflessness makes you a great catch. You can take your pick of suitors because your independence is so attractive.

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5 Handy Details to Look Out for When Buying your Next Tablet

 

 Featured photo credit: http://pixabay.com/en/tablet-living-room-dog-woman-girl-843798/ via pixabay.com

For the past five years, the tablet market has been growing exponentially. Big brand names such as Google have been churning out some pretty breathtaking gadgets, usually at competitive prices. For instance, Google’s 10-inch 8 GB tablet PC is regularly ranked as the best tablet under 200 bucks on a number of review sites, which is a big steal for a device in its class.
Apple, which has largely led the tablet market since 2010, saw its tablet market share dwindle from a commanding 60% in 2012 to just over 26% in 2014. Samsung, Asus, Amazon, and Lenovo have played critical roles in saturating the market with alternative tablet options.
Of course, with more brands coming in, there is bound to be confusion for consumers looking to buy a tablet.
Terms such as Octa-core, NFC, Amoled, LTE, and other technical descriptions only increase the confusion, making an already difficult decision nearly impossible.
So how do you avoid the confusion and get a tablet that will not leave you cursing at technology? Simple. Start by understanding your needs.
This will help you look at specs on a need basis and not simply because the tech guy at the store sounded convincing. So if you are a student, for instance, you can stick to tablets with low to medium specs – just enough to do assignments, read digital books, and link up with classmates.
That said, knowing a thing or two about some of the features of a tablet can help align your needs with the perfect tablet.

1. Size and Display

 

The first thing that gets your attention when it comes to a tablet is its size. Tablets offer the perfect balance between a large smartphone and a netbook, so many tablets are often between 7 and 10 inches. Smaller 7-inch tablets are more portable when compared to their larger counterparts, which makes them perfect for people who are constantly on the move. And contrary to popular belief, 7-inchers can pack some serious specs, for instance, the iPad Mini 4.
On the other hand, larger tablets tend to have a wider screen display, which makes them great for watching movies and playing games.
So if you are planning to watch movies, read eBooks, or write and edit spreadsheets and text documents, bigger, high-definition screens will work better for you. Keep in mind that with the larger 10-inch screens, you will have to sacrifice portability and a few more bucks.

2. Processing Power

Processors are probably one of the most overlooked aspects of a tablet. Anything with two or more processing cores is often marketed as supreme, though other factors go into determining the performance of a processor.
For instance, a tablet with two Intel processing cores (Dual-core) may have the same performance with one that comes with four or more AMD processing cores.
You should also keep in mind that the more powerful a processor is, the faster your battery is going to drain. Powerful processors will also emit more heat and will typically come with larger tablets for more efficient heat management.
If you happen to go with a Windows tablet, the Intel Atom Z series and the newer Intel X series offer one of the best balances between battery life and performance, with the latter offering improved clock speeds for a faster processor.

3. Battery Life

A tablet’s battery life is determined by usage, processing power, and the battery’s capacity, usually measured in Milliampere-hour (mAh). Tablets with a higher mAh rating will often last longer than one with a lower rating given the same usage pattern. You should also keep in mind that the more powerful a processor is, the more power it will suck out of your battery.
The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3, which rocks a 6200 mAh battery – one of the largest to ever feature on a tablet – can withstand over 15 hours of movie watching and internet browsing. So always go for something with a higher mAh, especially if you plan on using the tablet for stuff like video editing or gaming.

4. Operating System

As it currently stands, there isn’t much to choose from when it comes to tablet operating systems. Many tablets will usually come with Apple iOS, Google Android, or Microsoft Windows. iOS is Apple’s flagship software platform that is used exclusively on Apple’s mobile devices. Users benefit from over 2 million applications on the App Store but not much in terms of customization.
Google’s Android platform on tablets offers much more flexibility when it comes to applications. Users get a wider access to apps because you are not limited to Google’s app store. Microsoft Windows runs on Windows Tablet PCs and is fully compatible with desktop and laptop versions of the operating system.

5. Extras

Like your smartphone, tablets should add some form of value to your life. For instance, a good 8 MP camera or more will let you take high-quality pictures for Facebook, Instagram or other social media portals. Other tabs also come with front-facing cameras, though these are usually of lower quality. However, if you already have a smartphone with a good camera, you can make large savings by opting for a tablet with a poorer camera.
Another important aspect to consider when looking for a tablet is connectivity. Almost all tablets come with Wi-Fi support, though wireless technology is not always the same. For instance, 802.11b/g technology is a bit older than 802.11n and may negatively affect video streaming and heavy downloads.
You can also opt for tablets with SIM card support that work with 4G and 3G networks. Though a bit pricier, these tablets will let you make calls, text, and access the internet where there is no Wi-Fi.

 

 

 

 

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