All Or Nothing: Finding Activities Which Force You To Be Confident

All Or Nothing: Finding Activities Which Force You To Be Confident

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Confidence can be a challenging thing for a lot of people. While most don’t have much to be anxious about, it can be all too easy to find yourself worrying about the conversations you have and the situations you might find yourself in. You need confidence to be able to find success in life, though. Without this crucial element of your personality, it will be incredibly difficult for you to leave the right impression on people, and this means that you have to take action. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the best activities for boosting confidence, giving you the chance to push yourself further than ever before.

Dating

This first option won’t be open to everyone, and you will probably want to ignore it if you’re already in a serious relationship. Going on dates can be one of the best ways to boost your confidence, with even the act of organising something like this providing benefits. Not only will it feel good to know that someone wants to see you in this light, a successful date will always leave you feeling on top of the world. You won’t have much choice, with this sort of scenario forcing you to talk and work to bring out the best in yourself. 

Open Mic Nights

Public speaking is something which a lot of people find very hard. Not only do you have to be able to get words out properly for this, but you also have to feel confident enough to express yourself in front of a group. Here are the best open mic nights available to you. This sort of event is great for boosting confidence, as it will give you the chance to speak in front of people who will never see you again, while also giving you the boost which comes when people enjoy your comedy. You don’t have to be a great writer for this; you will improve as time goes on.

Charity Work

Most people don’t get the chance to try many new activities in their lives, instead doing the same job every day and never getting an opportunity to expand themselves. When it comes to learning something new once you’ve entered this life, a lot of people struggle, and need to look for ways to boost their confidence again. Charity work will often push people out of their comfort zone, forcing them to handle work which they’ve never had to do before. Of course, though, it’s worth thinking long and hard about the charity you choose, as you could end up doing something very similar to your normal work if you’re not careful.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to give your confidence a boost. Being able to express yourself has never been more important, with employers valuing this skill, and the conversations you have in everyday life being improved when you are confident. Only you can make yourself feel this way, though, and you will have to work hard to achieve this goal.

Awesome Activities in Orchard Park, NY This Fall

Awesome Activities in Orchard Park, NY This Fall

Whether you’re a long time resident of New York state or a recent visitor, you’ll quickly learn that there’s a lot more to the great state than the glitzy allure of Manhattan. In fact, newcomers to New York who might only be familiar with the tourist traps of the city may fail to appreciate some of the state’s more subtle charms. For those who eschew the hustle and bustle of Grand Central station and the endless lines to climb the Empire State Building (seriously, don’t bother), the understated beauty of Orchard Park near Buffalo offers the perfect antidote to all that.

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Here are some great ways to spend a relaxing vacation in Orchard Park, NY…

Take in a ball game 

If you’re a sports fan, the fall is the perfect time to visit Orchard Park. New Era Field, home of the Buffalo Bills is within striking distance of the village- a veritable haven for football lovers. And now’s the best time to visit as the Buffalo Bills take on the mighty Miami Dolphins on October 20th. And you can get discounted Buffalo Bills vs Dolphins tickets by clicking on our link. You’re welcome! After the excitement of seeing these two power houses clash, you can relax and enjoy a delicious meal and a bite to eat in the relaxing surroundings of Orchard Park proper. 

Take a hike to see the Eternal Flame

Lovers of nature and walking enthusiasts won’t want to miss the Eternal Flame Trail Guided Hike organized by the Erie County Parks Department. Join Park Ranger Chuck for a walk to the famous Eternal Flame Falls- where a natural gas-fuelled eternal flame burns beneath the falls themselves. One of nature’s greatest wonders in the stunning Shale Creek Reserve in Chestnut Ridge Park. The program takes place come rain or shine, so make sure you have appropriate clothing options for whatever the weather brings. 

Visit Niagara Falls

Orchard Park also puts you within easy reach of the famed Niagara Falls, a landmark that really needs no introduction. And fall is the best time to visit the falls! In off peak season, you’ll get better views of the stunning falls themselves and less of a view of the backs of tourists’ heads. For those who prefer a more relaxed and laid back experience with one of nature’s greatest wonders, October and November are the perfect time to visit.  

Party Hearty at the Halloween Witches Ball in Buffalo

Halloween is an American institution. And if you’re the kind of person who loves to party hearty (and spooky) when All Hallow’s Eve rolls around, what better way to celebrate by attending the 2019 Halloween Witches Ball in neighboring Buffalo. Strut your freaky stuff among other fashionably dressed denizens of the macabre while you enjoy the work of local artists, musicians and performers. VIP access will also give you four hours of open bar and all the hors d’oeuvres you can guzzle into your ghoulish gullet!

So, for a fall vacation that offers you everything you could do a lot worse than visit Orchard Park, NY. 

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Tips For Getting Into A New Hobby

Tips For Getting Into A New Hobby

Sometimes life can get in the way of the fun things; other times we have the time and wish we had something to keep us amused. Well, it is never too late to take up a brand new hobby. 

Today we are going to look at some incredible options when it comes to hobbies, and the best way to go about getting into them.

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Academic Hobbies

There are some hobbies out there that involve a good deal of education. This doesn’t mean these hobbies are only for the educated though.

Finding an academic hobby can pave the way to some fantastic things. A great example of an academic hobby is programming. Computer programming is becoming more and more popular among hobbyists the world over; this is simply because now, the education for it is open source.

Learning to write code used to be something that was done only in university, nowadays you can take free courses or even follow YouTube tutorials. Whichever way you turn, you may find that what starts as a hobby could soon turn out to be a career move.

The world is still crying out for coders and programmers, so taking your hobby to the next level could be an option for you.

Sporting Hobbies

If you are an active kind of person, finding a brand new sport may just be something that is right up your street. 

One thing you should always remember is that you are never too old to take up a sport. Getting into a new sport, however, it can be more challenging than you think. Sports require dedication and practice; for some, these hobbies become an obsession.

The first move that should be made is to do a hell of a lot of research; this will help you find which sport tickles your fancy the most. Another great tip is to maybe have a little flutter at the hub for gambling. This will help you get to know some of the technicalities of the sport. 

By taking these simple steps, this often helps you see if your hobby will turn into a passion. For many, sporting hobbies do become a huge part of their lives. 

Sporting hobbies can offer so much, not just in the way of satisfaction, they can also offer a ton of health benefits too. 

The Collectors

Still, one of the most popular hobbies on earth is collecting. People have found hobbies in collecting since the 3rd millennium BCE, and it is still growing in popularity today.

Collecting can bring a lifetime of excitement and can see you take adventures all around the world. Whether you take to collecting stamps or action figures, the hunt can be more exciting that the owning of the item itself.

Collecting items has long been thought of as an indoorists hobby; in fact, the hobby could be one of the most active of them all. So if you have a love for things weird and wonderful, maybe collecting could be a great hobby for you.

3 Steps to Character Development

3 Steps to Character Development

You have always dreamed of being a writer, of sharing a story with the world. You have a brilliant story taking shape in your mind and now seems to be the right time to start getting it out and onto paper. With so so many people self publishing their first books, now is an excellent time to take the plunge and start writing. Assuming that you have grasped the fundamentals of writing your first book, then your next stage will be to focus in on your characters. Which is where we come in, as here are our 3 steps to character development, so sharpen that pencil and get scribbling down your ideas.

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Know them inside and out

Your characters needs to be living and breathing to you. If they aren’t alive to you, how do you expect them to come off the page for your readers? Consider them from every possible angle and imagine what they would do in a variety of situations. This need not be situations that they find themselves in in your tale, you simply need to understand how they would react at any given time. How would they feel, what would they say, what body language would they be displaying? In order to ensure that every character in your book is three dimensional, you need to go through this process with all of them.

Do your research

They say that you should write what you know, don’t they? However, even if you do base your novel on real life events or experiences, the chances are that you are still going to need to carry out some research. Your characters need to be completely believable, so for every job that they have and for every situation that they find themselves in, you need to understand it and be able to convey that to your reader. Only then will they be able to empathise and believe in your story.

Would your character get into trouble with the law and need the help of a bail bondsman? Would your character be aspiring to be a zookeeper and be undergoing their training? Would your character work at the Empire State Building? The sky’s the limit, you know this, but whichever way you decide to go with your characters, you need to ensure that you have properly researched and looked into the reality of each of these experiences before writing them.

Make them relatable

If you want people to keep on reading, you have to take the above two steps and then ensure that your character is relatable. You can make them likeable, flawed, heroic, strongly opinionated, adventurous, it is all entirely up to you, but the reader needs to relate to them on some level. No-one wants to read a book where they couldn’t care less about any of the characters and their fates. Readers need to be invested in your storyline, so make them relatable, bring them to life and inject a healthy dose of reality through your research.

When the time comes and your book is published, do be sure to come back and tell us all about it!

Why Lifelong Learning Should Be Applauded

Why Lifelong Learning Should Be Applauded

It doesn’t matter whether you are fresh out of college, whether you have recently been made redundant, or whether you have had a high flying career for the past two decades, you should never stop learning. The quest for knowledge and renewing your skills is vital if you are to remain at the forefront of your chosen industry sector. You may choose to specialize, work towards an MBA or seek out a new talent wholly unrelated to your current work skill set. Consider your interests, professional acumen and goals in life to set a course for lifelong learning.

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Professional Qualifications

If you are wallowing on the middle management rungs of the career ladder, the chances are that your resume is looking a little stale. Without upskilling and partaking in some professional development, you may find that the most recent training you took part in was over five years ago. Employers seeking new members of staff want people who are fresh, full of innovative ideas and have a firm grasp of the latest methodologies appropriate for their jobs.

Think about enrolling in an evening class to brush up on your cybersecurity credentials, take some time out to study at uni part time, or think about reaching for an MBA. With a proven commitment to study, you are showing any potential employers that you are eager for a promotion. Apply your newfound skills in the workplace, and you could become an invaluable asset.

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Learning For Pleasure

It’s not always our jobs that dictate how and what we should learn. By looking at the career of a person like Philip McTigue, you can see just how varied life experiences can be. At all points throughout his career, learning was very much at the forefront of his motivations. He undertook a masters degree later on in his career, and is still hungry for a doctorate. You could choose to follow a formal learning path, or you could choose to learn experientially.

Traveling to new countries, meeting new people, observing new cultures and conversing in a different language is learning. You will understand more about the world, have a deeper appreciation for the people and things in it, and you will have changed as a human being. You could choose to take a sabbatical from your job if you feel like you are becoming stuck in a rut, to scratch that wanderlust itch.

Some people don’t want to travel but do have a yearning for more simple pleasures. If you’ve ever fancied trying out a new team sport, go for it. If you want to learn the piano, book yourself a taster lesson. And if you want to become an origami master, enrol on a course. Whatever you want to learn, there will be a way of achieving this. Learning fosters respect, is enjoyable and can make even the drabbest of days feel more worthwhile.

If, after reading this, you are inspired to take a look at your resume, get yourself out of a rut, or phone up your local adult training college, then you are taking your first step along the path of lifelong learning.

Old School Hobbies That Are Dying Off

Old School Hobbies That Are Dying Off

We are already living in a world where people don’t have the time, money or the energy to continue with hobbies in their personal lives, but did you know that there are a plethora of traditional hobbies that are dying out? When someone asks you what you do in your spare time, it’s highly likely that you’ll give a sarcastic answer about sleeping to catch up after the long days at work that you take part in. But have you ever really thought about what you do beyond social media and watching Netflix?

Hobbies are the passions of those who love to be creative, active, busy and have fun. They take up the time that we are willing to give. They are a way for us to learn something new, take up a skill or simply relax and do something away from the working day. Everyone should have at least one hobby as their way to relax and unwind, but most hobbies in the world today are centered around social media and technology. Gaming, blogging, vlogging – all of these things require people to stay connected. Even the old school board games have found their way into apps and tablets!

Thankfully, there are ways around this. It is never too late to take up something new, learn a new skill or even revive an old hobby that you used to enjoy as a child. You are the master of your own time, and you can choose to take up a new hobby any time that suits you. It would help to know, though, that a lot of the hobbies that we used to consider popular are now dying out – and it’s because of the technology that we have access to. If you want to take time away from the screens and go for a hobby that is a little different, check out the list of the old-school hobbies that you could revive.

Silhouette of Person Sitting on Chair Holding Fishing Rod Near Body of Water during Golden Hour

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Fishing

Okay, so while we can acknowledge that there is still a market for fishing as a hobby today, it’s nowhere near as popular as it was before technology and smartphones boomed. You could take a look at Johnny’s Sport Fishing Legendary Sturgeon Fishing Guide and decide to turn your hand at learning how to fly fish, or you could learn how to cast and catch and release for fun. Fishing is a peaceful hobby, giving you the time to get into nature and take on a slower pace, away from the working day that you’re hemmed into right now.

Scrapbooking

A casualty of the technology industry, scrapbooking has changed a lot in the last twenty years. While there are still a handful of people out there, who will go and buy new scrapbooks, washi tape and glitter stickers to journal and scrapbook their lives, most of it as now moved into scrapbooking apps. Some people cite that it’s because of the impact on the planet, and others just don’t have the time to get out all of their crafts. We’re living in a world where we don’t take the time to make something beautiful anymore; unless, of course, it’s on a screen. You can bring it back, though! As I mentioned; plenty of stores out there still carry all the necessary tools to aid you in your scrapbooking desires!

Embroidery

This is one of the old school hobbies that is actually making a comeback. For 900 years, the embroidery was used to pass the time – particularly for women – and it was essential for women to learn how to darn and sew. People spent less time buying new things and more time fixing the things that needed fixing. Embroidery is making quite the comeback these days, with people returning to their sewing machines in the attempt to do better in regards to exposing exploitation. They also do it for fun! Buying in fabrics and creating their own clothes? It’s exciting, and you could be a part of that.

Person Embroidering a Beige Textile

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Mechanics

How many of you out there know how to fix your own car when things go wrong? Not many, and it’s not because there’s no time. There’s a whole industry of mechanics and garages that people now use, which means that they no longer HAVE to learn to fix their own engines. Some people have grown up learning how to repair their own car, while others never learn and never have the pleasure of fixing their own vehicle. It’s a hobby that needs to come back for those who love to learn about the inside of cars, and if you want it to be a future job one day, then it can help you to learn early how to fix yours. Plus – it’s fun! You can relax into the quiet tinkering of your own vehicle in a way you can’t with anything else.

Woodworking

Popular with older generations, woodworking is a dying hobby. Again, it comes down to technology and how much our interactive screens take away from the pleasure of using our hands to create something beautiful. Taking the time and the patience to craft something from a lump of wood isn’t for everyone, but it’s something that can prove a deep creativity and vision that others just don’t have. Some people choose to paint their visions, and others choose to write about them. Then you get the group of people who work to carve their visions from a piece of wood in front of them.

Most of the hobbies today that are dying out are those that don’t have the younger audience to keep them alive. Younger generations lose interest in making and creating in favor of their smartphones. Of course, not everyone is glued to their technology, but you can choose to put your phone down and take up a new hobby right now. It just takes research to know that you are doing the right thing and find something you’re passionate about.          

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