This is an article I wrote for COTN Voices and decided to repost here as I wanted everyone to read it too. You can view it on the COTN website here.

I was walking down the aisle in Woolworths the other day when a little boy caught my attention. He was standing next to his father that was unpacking a few things from his trolley and kept asking questions which his father answered with a simple “Yes” or “No”….well that was until he asked, “Dad, why aren’t we rich?”

I was stopped dead in my tracks, how could the kid ask that to his father in public? I was wondering what the outcome of this could be…would the father ignore the kid? Would he tell him to keep quiet? (more…)

This is one of the most irritating things I’ve come across lately. Be it in meetings, social gatherings or even greeting exchanges, people struggle to look you in the eye when talking to you…

I don’t know if it’s because of guilt, insufficient self confidence or simply just a way to show that they aren’t interested…in the end I don’t think they know how much it actually counts against them.

Why do I say that it counts against them? Well I feel that it’s disrespectful when people don’t look you in the eyes when they talk to you. There is obviously certain scenarios where the person is busy with something else and can’t look at you, but in the cases where you are meeting face to face, eye contact is crucial.

Not only will you portray respect, self confidence and interest, but authority in some ways too. It is also proven that if you look at someone your attention is focused on them and therefore your mind draws up everything said in the conversation.

My opinion is that it’s very important to look someone in the eyes when you talk to them. This applies to business too. People want to be looked in the eyes.

What is your opinion? Let me know.

Featured Image: Young Businessman Showing on Shutterstock

People are bogged down by unnecessary baggage which keep piling up and eventually destroys their dreams, hopes and confidence. You might be thinking to yourself that you are happy just the way you are…but are you really?

Are you driving the car you want to? Are you living the life you want to? Are you able to go on holiday and not worry about your finances? I thought so.

Being free, happy and motivated is something every person dreams about. They believe there is more to life than a nine to five job in a confined space. They believe that there is a gold pot at the end of the rainbow too though…that is a story for another time. Haha…

In the end I believe that every person is in control of his/her own life and determine exactly where they are going and what they are doing . Without guidance though these people are steering clear of their goals and real meaning in life and the reason they were placed on planet Earth.

If you feel like you are going nowhere slowly then it is time for a change. It’s time to get your things in order and live the life you have always wanted. It’s time to stun the world with your talents and confidence. It’s time to get motivated and change your life for good…

How do I do this though? Let’s see. (more…)

Yes, that is exactly what I just said. You have to make your weekends productive. Now productive to some might mean work, but to me it means being busy. People love weekends as they want to lazy out on the couch and rest. Yes, that is viable to some extent, but to much rest will only make you tired again.

I would recommend actually doing something that you don’t have time for in the week. This can simulate outdoor and indoor activities, personal projects you are working on ex: a model boat, new kitchen cupboards etc.

Work can also be included in this list, but who wants to work on weekends? Being productive doesn’t necessarily mean that you are working, it just means that you are doing something with your time that is worth while. You aren’t wasting time.

You might have grown up in a family where your weekends consisted of lying on the couch watching TV when all your neighboring kids were out in the park playing. That is a decision that needs to be made by you and only you. You need to decide what you want to do on the weekends that will create new memories, build new friendship and enrich relationships.

What can I do on Weekends?

I have the privilege to live in South Africa and there is so much to do. Just a few examples of possibilities for my weekends are as follows:

• Water Skiing
• Hiking
• Motorbike Riding
• Hanging out with friends
• Archery
• Sand boarding
• Scuba Diving
• Fishing
• Hunting
• Building projects

There is so much to do here and I only listed 10 things for you as examples. The list can go on. You just have to be creative and find a hobby that you love and run with it.

Having a productive fun weekend is a must. You will feel refreshed and ready for work on Monday morning if you had a great weekend.
So it’s decision time: Will you be lazy or Productive?