Welcome to November's Slim Down
With bonfire parties around the corner, we've been thinking about how to make sparkling introductions with the people we meet. Social psychologists have shown we make our minds up about people in as little as 4 seconds so that's good reason to pep up our openers. Could you Do Something Different to make your 'how do you do?' be a bit more dazzling?
Imagine someone greets you at the punchbowl with, "Hi, I'm Juliet and you must be Frankie. Sarah told me you'd be the one with the fabulous jewellery and said we’d get on like a house on fire. I have a bit of a secret hankering to be a stained glass window artist but your job, wow that's creative and glitzy…" And so Frankie's story of how she came to be Elton John's spectacle designer unraveled before them. Later Frankie told Juliet about a stained glass window designer she knows who'd probably love to show her round his studio…
Interesting introductions set us up for compelling conversations but more significantly, when we think consciously about how we introduce ourselves we're choosing the impression we want people to have of us. If you're imaginative with your opener, people are more likely to remember you. And because humans make connections and associations automatically, if you share something of your goals or ambitions (like becoming a stained glass window artist) the people you meet can't help but want to put you in touch with people they know who might be able to help.
Now imagine instead Juliet had introduced herself as going to school with the host in Brighton where she still lives with her husband Dave and kids, Molly and Jake. She'd seem dull in comparison and could have been describing half the people round the bonfire! And what a great big missed opportunity!
Remember that when you Do Something Different you GET something different. Try sending out different social messages this month. Devise a new opener for when you meet people, light the blue touch paper and stand back. Notice how people respond to you differently and how this can brighten your skies.
From the forum
You've been making one another glow with positive conversations on the forum this month. We liked this post about self restraint (because being able to manage your emotions and desires is highly correlated with success at personal goals):
"One thought that is helping me at moments where I want to grab something in the "biscuit tin" is the thought that everything flows, continues. This means for me that the urge that I have right now for a hot chocolate will not last for ever. If I just hang out, do something different, concentrate on my positive vision about a slimmer me and let time pass, then the urge for chocolate will vanish - or I will make myself one in the morning."
It's a beautiful thought and so true. Please keep your motivational stories coming on the forum – when you share an idea you get the double whammy of enjoying remembering your success and the buzz from knowing you've helped someone else.
Enjoy setting conversations alight this month and remember, remember the fifth of November,
The No Diet Diet Way Team