How Biology and Psychology Are Related

How Biology and Psychology Are RelatedPsychology and Biology are very closely related to each other. Many scientists and psychologists are very well aware of the need for continuity between psychology and biology and how this can contribute to development of science as a whole.Understanding the different areas of biological studies and how these relate to one another can help to boost research for finding solutions to problems in the brain and how it functions. Neuroscience is one of the areas where science is starting to understand more. There are many ways that neuroscience can be applied in the medical field, from the research of diseases and development of new treatments, to more basic aspects such as genetics and cancer research. So, how do psychologists and scientists work together?The relationship between psychology and biology has actually been around since before the modern age of biology was ever invented. It all started with the evolution of the cranial nerves. A theory th at biology can be applied to the brain goes along with the concepts of the nervous system.By using craniometry to see into the brain of individuals, researchers have come up with some important discoveries about how the brain functions and how it connects to other parts of the body. These discoveries are then used to make better computer software and other technological devices that can aid in medicine and education. One such example of neuroscience, which was also referenced by Stephen Hawking, is neurosurgery.The main idea of neuroscience is that the brain operates in the same way no matter what part of the body it is located. So, in order to treat patients in the right way, brain surgery will be performed on them, in the same way as with any other disease or illness. The most basic understanding of neuroscience is that the function of the brain is the sole basis of the human body, and how it functions is the main criteria for a cure.Not only does this information play a huge role in technology development, but the information has an impact on people. Scientists and psychologists constantly look at the way the brain works and makes decisions and interpret them correctly in order to help people. In particular, they take the brain's reasoning process and understand its effects on mood and personality.Through studies in the brain, scientists are always working to develop better medical treatments, and as soon as the results of these studies are published, this knowledge is available to everyone. From their many fields of study, biology and psychology have come together, making this relationship very strong.

Get Oral English Tutoring Online Today Tutorpace

Get Oral English Tutoring Online Today Tutorpace Get Oral English Tutoring Online Today Whether you are a student or an adult, a non-native English speaker or someone who is just seeking to improve their language skills, Tutor Paces online Oral English tutoring program can help you. Our online tutors are experts at aiding learners to become more fluent and comfortable as speakers of English. Benefits of Online Oral English Tutoring Tutor Paces Oral English program provides one of the best ways for students to improve their English skills. 24/7 Online Access Unlike face-to-face tutoring, our online tutors are available any time of the day or night. Your schedule may not allow you to meet with a tutor during the times when they are available. With Tutor Pace, all you have to do is sign in to your account and you are ready to learn. Personalized Tutoring Many other companies lump students together into a single classroom. Language classes dont allow students to work with a teacher one-on-one. Our online Oral English tutoring gives you the full attention of a certified tutor without the fear of making mistakes in front of others. Affordable Programs Tutor Pace offers unlimited tutoring programs. This means you never have to rush through a lesson to save time. Our tutors are ready to work with you at your own pace so you get the most benefit from your sessions. Tutor Pace is a leader in online tutoring. Our Oral English tutors can help you improve your spoken English proficiency from the comfort of your home or anywhere you have an internet connection.

Are You Taking the Right Approach to Learning Music

Are You Taking the Right Approach to Learning Music Suzy S. https://www.youtube.com/user/takelessons/ Can you learn to sing on your own? Can you learn piano  with online videos? Find out what works and what doesnt when it comes to learning music, in this post by guitar teacher  Kirk R... Dreaming of playing an instrument, or learning to sing? These days, there are many different ways to get started with music. You could take  private  lessons. You could play in groups, whether thats  in school, group classes, or just jamming with friends. You could even start learning on your own through observation, or search for  prerecorded video or audio lessons. But whats the most effective way to learn? You might be surprised to learn that its NOT  the options listed above. That is, not on their own. Let’s take a look at each one, and the benefits and drawbacks they present. Learning On Your Own Spending time with your instrument on your own is essential to getting better. Anyone you ask about learning music will surely support your own private practicing and desire to learn new things outside of classes,  lessons, and  rehearsals. I recommend reading books  and  blog posts (like you’re doing now, good job!) and listening to other musicians, even those from other instruments or styles.  Doing so will help you recognize  what you like and what you dont like. However, if youre not  around other musicians regularly, it becomes very easy to let your playing get way off track. Your brain can trick you into thinking  the sound youre  making  or hearing  is the same as the sound you tried  to create, even if its not. And if this  goes unchecked, it can lead down a long path of mistakes until one day you play for someone and they don’t recognize the song at all! It’s important to have a regular “check-up” for your playing. Even professional musicians get together regularly to play for someone else! As a beginner, working with a private music teacher is key. Consider This: Is it Possible to Teach Yourself to Sing? While learning notes or chords on your own on the guitar can be a great starting point, singers trying to learn on their own tend to struggle. Whys that? Learning how to use your instrument (your voice!) is a whole-body experience, which often requires the instruction of a teacher, whether online or in-person, who can easily identify the root issues whether thats poor posture, unsupported breathing, or something else. “Canned” Music Lessons The internet is a huge part of our society now and I think it is a huge advantage to musicians everywhere. You can find tons of videos and online courses, and these types of lessons are a great way to  gain some knowledge. However, its important to keep in mind that prerecorded videos dont tell you  if youre  doing something  wrong, let alone what it is. Similar to learning on your own, mistakes can easily become habits. I have had guitar students who learned chords on their own, and in their first lesson actually played all the chords upside down. Needless to say, it didn’t sound great, but they were used to hearing it  and didn’t even  notice the mistake. If you want to learn the notes or chords for a specific song, YouTube is a great option. But if youre looking for lessons with substance, steer clear of prerecorded lessons. The reason? These videos  assume your  prior knowledge of music, which isnt always effective. Learning music is not a linear process; in fact, teachers dont always agree on  the order certain things should be taught. Often, it depends on the particular student and their goals. This is why working with a teacher who can create personalized lesson plans for you makes a huge difference. Consider This: Can you Really Learn Piano Online? Many students are leery of online piano lessons. After all, how can a teacher properly see what youre doing with your fingers and if youre placing your hands correctly? Fortunately, the answer is yes and online lessons are a great option for many students. Experienced teachers know how to angle their camera so you can see their hands clearly, and will direct you to adjust yours so they can provide feedback.  Just remember the advice above: dont rely on canned video tutorials alone! Group Music Classes Learning to play music with others is essential for any musician of any style. Collaborating with  other musicians will force you to pay attention to details, like precise rhythms and a careful balance in volume,  which  may sneak past you when playing on your own. Many beginner students get their start in band or orchestra, and many adult students flock to group music classes because its less daunting than private lessons. However, I dont recommend relying on group sessions alone if you really want to improve. The reason behind this is that with group classes, you will receive little, if any, individual help. Likewise, more advanced musicians shouldnt rely on jamming with friends to improve their skills. Other musicians may be able to share some skills, but even good players often make terrible teachers! Learn from them, but be cautious not to pick up bad habits or get frustrated if you’re not able to pick up something right away; perhaps your friend took a subtle skill for granted and didn’t think to explain it as an experienced teacher might. Consider This: How to Find Musicians Near You If youre taking private lessons, but missing the group component, dont fret! Younger students, consider attending band or orchestra camps in the summer to get ensemble practice. Older students, try a free membership at TakeLessons Live where you can access online music classes led by live instructors in a variety of subjects.   Private Music Lessons Individual lessons are a great starting place (and continuing place!) for almost any musician. Since your teacher is right there observing you, youll get feedback in real-time. And that can save you a lot of time searching on your own. In the midst of trying to get the right pitches, rhythms, and articulations, identifying when  something is going wrong on your own can be nearly impossible, even for more advanced players. The only drawback  to individual lessons, however, is that you only receive one perspective on your playing: your teachers. However good the teacher is, as a musician and a teacher, they have only one perspective of many. Consider This: How Do I Find the Best Music Teacher? A simple search on TakeLessons can pull up tons of teachers for guitar lessons, piano lessons, and more. But how do you find the right teacher for your needs, goals, and schedule? Weve got you covered. Check out our tips here. So, How SHOULD You Be Learning Music? Now that weve reviewed these four options for learning music, heres my point: to really improve your skills, you need to combine all of the methods above. Heres what I recommend: If you’re a part of a group class at school or in the community, sign up  for private lessons as well to get individual help. Same goes for if youre working your way through a prerecorded course or relying on videos. Take some time each week to meet with a teacher, to make sure youre on the right track.  With online music lessons, you dont even need to leave your house! Review what youve learned in your course, and get their feedback on your technique. If you’re already taking  private lessons, see if your teacher can connect you with other students to get some group experience. Most teachers will be thrilled to hear that you’re interested in collaborating with other students! Keep practicing and learning on your own, too. Treat practice like a lesson that you give yourself. If you’re not sure what to do to improve something, try searching online, or simply experiment! Ask yourself, “What if I use this finger? Or if I breathe here, instead? Have you been playing music for a while now? Wed  love to hear what ways you went about learning. Leave a comment below and share your story! Post Author:  Kirk R. Kirk is a classical, bass, and acoustic guitar instructor in Denver, CO. He earned a bachelors degree in guitar performance  at The College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati and is currently pursuing a masters degree in performance.   Learn more about Kirk  here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by: Daniel Davis

How to Transition from Classical Pianist to Jazz Pianist

How to Transition from Classical Pianist to Jazz Pianist Suzy S. Piano music doesnt have to be all classical, all the time! Heres what you need to know about getting started with jazz piano chord progressions, courtesy of St. Augustine, FL teacher  Heather L... Thelonius Monk, Herbie Hancock, and Duke Ellington are just a few of the great jazz piano players. What beautiful and fascinating sounds fill our ears when their names come to mind! The seemingly illusive progressions and spontaneous elements, like syncopation and improvisation, sound virtually like magic. To those of us who were trained in the classical tradition only, the journey from classical pianist to jazz pianist may seem like a long one. But its not be as difficult as it seems. By learning basic blues scales and jazz piano chord progressions, youll be taking the first important step in transitioning to jazz piano. For those of us whove learned Hanon exercises, theres an excellent resource called Hanon to Jazz (published by FJH Music Company Inc.). Specifically written for classically trained players, its fun and brilliant exercises and songs are a terrific introduction. Theyll have you playing the blues in no time. Its a great map for your journey. For those of you whove yet to learn Hanon exercises, Dariusz Terefenkos created a great workbook,  Jazz Theory: From Basic to Advanced Study, published by Routledge. I also recommend Tim Richards Exploring Jazz Piano: Volume 1, published by Schott. One of the first stretches of road on your journey is learning jazz piano chord progressions. The two, five, one, and six (ii-V-I-vi) chord progression, is one of the most famous and useful. An example is: D minor-G major-C major-A minor Heres a video of how to play it: The one, six, two, five, and one (I-VI-II-V-I) chord progression is another that could be tried with an improvised melody in the right hand. An example of the progression is: C major-A minor-D minor-G major-C major Heres a video of how to play it: Next, take a look at the chord chart below. It shows which keys to play together to create each chord. Its fun to mix and match to make sounds that appeal to you. The second stretch of road is paved with learning jazz scales.  Heres a picture of several blues scales: As with the learning of any genre, listening is so utterly important. This is especially true for those of us who are adopting a new style. The best jazz musicians in the world listen to jazz all of the time. Think of yourself as a hungry traveler and that music is your sole nourishment. You wont get very far without it. Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in St. Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and the internationally renowned opera star Andrea Bocelli. Learn more about Heather here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of prescreened teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for safe, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo  by  sanbeiji

15 MORE of the Best Tutor-Approved Spanish Apps

15 MORE of the Best Tutor-Approved Spanish Apps Suzy S. Weve reviewed some of the most popular Spanish learning apps out there but theres always more to talk about! Read on as tutor Breeana D.  shares her recommendations for 15 MORE of the best Spanish learning apps to check out These days, its easier than ever to learn Spanish. When youre not getting conversation practice in with your tutor, apps are an excellent way to review things like cognates, vocab and grammar. And since Spanish learning apps  can be accessed 24/7, you can practice alone any time, and practically anywhere while having fun at the same time! If youre curious about the BEST Spanish learning apps, though, Ive compiled the list below to check out. Here are my reviews of 15 useful, affordable, and worthwhile Spanish learning apps for either Android or iOS. Android and iOS Spanish Learning Apps 1) TakeLessons Live [Android]||[iOS] TakeLessons Live offers live classes led by expert instructors in a group setting. After signing up for the free membership option, you have access to a variety of classes to choose from. Whether you want to improve your basic vocabulary or conversational skills, you can join a Spanish class right from your phone. From a tutor’s perspective: With instant feedback and guidance from an expert, this app will help you see significant progress in your skills in no time. You’ll also get to meet and interact with other students at your level, from around the world. 2) Learn Spanish Quickly by Priya Yerunkar [Android]||[iOS] This app has 33 categories, from body parts to colors to numbers! Simply click on the picture category and the words that you want to learn to hear a native speaker pronounce it in a clear voice. From a tutor’s perspective: I would definitely recommend this app to a student who wants to learn basic Spanish words quickly, due to its wide range of categories. 3) Learn Spanish by Bravolol [Android]||[iOS] Learn Spanish has 24 categories that focus on Spanish vocabulary and phrases. Nine of those categories are free, including lessons on greetings, shopping, driving, sightseeing, weather, and eating. You can access the other categories through a free trial, or you can purchase them for $4.99. Each category lists vocabulary and phrases that are said out loud when clicked. You can also repeat the phrase or word while recording your voice to make sure your pronunciation is accurate. From a tutor’s perspective: While other apps may be more colorful and exciting, this app allows you to practice your accent and Spanish pronunciation   a must for conversing with native speakers. 4) FluentU by FluentU [Android]||[iOS]   Fluent U engages you in the Spanish learning process by using interactive tools, such as music videos and the news. The videos can be played with the Spanish translations appearing underneath, and you can click on any word to read the English definition. From a tutor’s perspective: This app is great for Spanish students who enjoy popular culture. Teens will especially appreciate the social relevance of this trendy app. 5) Spanish Class by Cognitecco [Android]||[iOS] The free demo for this app includes reference material (vocabulary, verbs, grammar, and phrases) and four exercises (vocabulary, verbs, grammar, and listening). The full version can be purchased for $2.99. Each activity has multiple-choice responses that incorporate reading; there are no recordings for either questions or answer options. Each activity also has a reference page or “article” which explains the correct answer. From a tutor’s perspective: This app has no bells and whistles. It gets the job done; students who don’t mind the silence will find it useful. 6) Speak Easy by Pocketglow Inc. [Android]||[iOS] Speak Easy is an excellent app for students, especially those who travel! It teaches greetings, basic phrases, travel essentials, and more. Each Spanish word shows the English word above it, as well as the phonetic spelling below, and an audio recording. The free app has more than 100 free words and phrases to learn, and the full version (with 750 more words and phrases) can be purchased for $3.99. From a tutor’s perspective: If you are going abroad to a Spanish-speaking country, this is the app for you. It doesnt have any games, however, so keep that in mind if you need interactive activities to stay engaged. 7) Learn Spanish by Codegent Ltd [Android]||[iOS] This free app teaches more than 200 words and phrases, with audio recordings from native speakers. Students who want to practice their accent will benefit from this app. From a tutor’s perspective: This app is ad-free, which is great! Its especially helpful for travelers, because it includes traveling tips. Android Spanish Learning Apps 1) Spanish in Pictures: Food by Mind GA    [Android] This app offers a dictionary of vocabulary for the following categories: foods, drinks, spices, vegetables, fruits, meat, and seafood. After learning the Spanish vocabulary  (which includes pictures and audio), you can test your knowledge by clicking on “words to pictures” or “pictures to words.”  This is great for catering to different learning styles. (Hint: Take this learning styles quiz  to determine yours!) From a tutor’s perspective: I like this app because it has a  variety of food vocabulary and pictures; however, they do not provide the English words for any of their pictures or Spanish words. So this app may be difficult to use if you are not familiar with certain fruits, veggies, spices, drinks, and food. For instance, a picture of la alcachofa (artichoke) is listed under vegetables with no English word beside it. 2) Spanish Word of the Day by Declan Software  [Android] This free app teaches you a new Spanish word each day. You can also click on the word, which has the English word beneath, and hear a pre-recorded voice say it. From a tutor’s perspective: This app is a simple and useful tool to enhance your Spanish vocabulary and to impress your tutor! However, one precaution to keep in mind is that practicing words in isolation is not as useful as using them in context. Your tutor can help you establish an appropriate context for the word of the day. 3) Learn Spanish with SpeakTribe by Edushire  [Android] Before you begin using this app, youll be asked to choose your current level of Spanish: absolute beginner, a few words at most, can read somewhat, can follow slow speech, or can speak basic language. You’re also asked to input your age and why you would like to learn Spanish (for social reasons, academically, etc). After youve gone through the set-up, this Spanish learning app quizzes you on the basics, such as conversational Spanish and grammar. It has 29 levels, and levels one through four are free. The higher the level, the more difficult the learning; for example, Levels 15+ focus on commands, adverbs, and the imperfect and subjunctive tenses. If you want to spend more time practicing your grammar, this is the app for you! From a tutor’s perspective: The flexibility of this app makes it an attractive learning tool for students of all ability levels. Even the levels that arent free are worth the price, as the lessons are great for reviewing  important concepts! 4) Spanish for Kids by D.G.S. [Android] Spanish for Kids, or Español para Niños, is a great Spanish learning app for kids! Users can learn the Spanish alphabet, numbers one through 10, colors, animals, clothing, and much more. As you are learning the vocabulary words, you click on the pictures to hear the Spanish word. You can also play it in a game mode, which can be really fun! Overall, its a colorful and engaging app with a lot of categories. From a tutor’s perspective: While this app is kid-friendly with its colorful appearance and fun activities, beginner students of any age will benefit from this app, as it focuses on the fundamentals. iOS Spanish Learning Apps 1) Learn Spanish +  by Vidalingua [iOS] Learning Spanish + is great because it goes beyond just seeing pictures or hearing a recorded voice. The pronunciation features allows you to enable your microphone and practice speaking yourself with the voice recognition feature. There are also quizzes and games you can play within each category to make sure you really understand. From a tutor’s perspective: The voice recognition feature can be a bit tricky to use. However, the categories they include are much more helpful than your basic greetings and animal names. They include real world situations such as At the Airbnb or At the Market, although some of these categories are under the paid version. 2) Basic Spanish by Greg Vick [iOS] This app is my personal favorite. It offers several free activities that cover many different topics. Basic Spanish has 27 free categories from which to choose including directions, sports, clothing, feelings, and health. Each category includes a study list, a memory game, flashcards, a quiz, word exercises, listening activities, meaning matching, spelling, and a review list.  You can also see your score at the end of each activity. From a tutor’s perspective: With 27 free categories, youre sure to find an area that is useful to your study needs! In addition, the app provides ample activities with a great deal of depth. 3) Mirai Spanish by Mirai LLP  [iOS] Mirai Spanish has 20 chapters, each with five lessons. The lessons focus on vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. Each lesson includes background information about the topic, a summary list, vocabulary list, and a quiz. Chapters one through four are free, and the other chapters can be purchased. From a tutor’s perspective: This app will be most beneficial for students who enjoy a more formal way of learning. There are no games. 4) Cat Spanish by Memrise [iOS] This free app teaches you conversational Spanish, with a focus on grammar, by using pictures of cats and an activity called, “chat practice.” In this activity, you match Spanish phrases with pictures of the cats. For instance, there may be a picture of a cat eating fish and the phrase under it will say, “es delicioso” (it’s delicious). After learning the new phrases, you can apply your skills with chat practice.   During chat practice, you “text” another cat by responding to his questions and selecting from phrases you’ve learned during the picture lesson. From a tutor’s perspective: This is a good way to practice engaging in conversational Spanish. It is also purrfect for cat lovers. 5) Lingo Cat by Lingo Cat [iOS] Lingo Cat is a free app with 10 categories, including los colores (the colors) and la hora (the time). It includes a dictionary that lists and describes all of the words included in the app, and each category includes several activities to practice Spanish vocabulary. At the end of each activity, you receive a grade based on your performance. From a tutor’s perspective: This app’s inviting and invigorating music and sounds keep users engaged, which makes it much easier to remember your daily practice! It offers lessons in several categories, and some activities as well. 6) Learn Spanish with Lingo Arcade by Alligator Apps  [iOS] This app costs $4.99 to benefit from all of their 150 levels. Levels one and two are free. Each level has a timed vocabulary game. As you play, you will hear a Spanish word and have to click the correct picture before the time runs out. From a tutor’s perspective: I like this app for practicing basic vocabulary. The voice is pretty monotone, but the pressure of the time limit offers enough positive stress to work up “brain sweat.” These 15 best Spanish learning apps are sure to assist you in your language endeavors! If these apps dont interest you, try checking with your Spanish tutor to see if he or she has more recommendations. And of course, consider your learning style and goals as you practice on your own. Good luck! Which apps do you use and recommend? Let us know by leaving a comment below!   Post Author:  Breeana D. Breeana D. teaches Spanish lessons in Abington, PA. Specializing in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education, she is currently enrolled in Temple Universitys Elementary Education program.  Learn more about Breeana here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Networking with Depression and Anxiety - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Networking with Depression and Anxiety - Introvert Whisperer Networking with Depression and Anxiety Career Attraction August 18, 2014 Dealing with Fear, Networking, Neuroscience No responses Go to top Networking is fun and exciting. It’s so great to meet new people right? Well… that is, unless you are battling other issues. Yes, we’re talking depression. Depression sucks, but you can work through it. When you’re battling depression, your body and mind know that something is wrong, and you may want to do something about it, but the symptoms don’t really take note of how they impact your life. People who suffer from anxiety issues may also experience great stress over getting out there and meeting new people. The simple thought of it can make them sick. When experiencing depression, people are likely to feel down, sad, hopeless or they may experience a loss of interest in things, including the things they once enjoyed. With such things happening, the thought of going out and being sociable seems anything but exciting. Not to mention the lack of energy you’re also likely experiencing. If you’re suffering from anxiety, you may even find yourself too physically ill to get out. Yet while all this is going on inside of you, life continues to go on around you. So what do you do? How do you meet the need to network to advance your budding (or burgeoning) business? You just need to put together the resources to help meet your needs: Know Your Battery Life Sometimes you may be able to get yourself out and about, but after a while of putting on that smile, your battery starts to drain, and you begin to shut down again. Your battery life is that amount of time you can be out and about. It’s how long you can “be on,” where your symptoms may still exist, but you can hold them back enough to get through. While you’re doing what you need to do to remove your symptoms, it helps to have a few tools to help you manage them until you fully get rid of them. Take care of yourself. Eat right, eating whether you have an appetite or not. Get enough rest, even if you’re having difficulty sleeping. Take time out to rest your body. It may be that all you can do is meditation or a breathing exercise, but do something to replenish your energy sources. All of these things can help increase your battery life. Set Your Networking Goal What is it that you want to or hope to accomplish through your networking? This stuff sounds hard, so why are you putting yourself through it? When you know the benefits you’re seeking, they can be used as a source of motivation and empowerment to help you get there. Before you go into an event, set a goal for that event. It can be meeting three doctors or getting your business card in the hands of four accountants. This way, when you walk in, you can focus on getting that done. You can allocate your time to ensure that this gets done before your battery drains. If you have time remaining, you can then decide to meet more people or give yourself a break and cut out earlier. Either way, you will have accomplished what you came out for. Set Targets Decide who you are looking to meet who can help you achieve these goals. This helps you eliminate the pressure of having to talk to everyone. Once you know who you’re looking for, then you can conserve your energy a bit instead of exerting too much in random conversation. Be Strategic About Which Events You Attend Happy hour at the new hottest spot in town may be nice if you’re feeling energetic and want to just hang out with whoever, but when you’re looking to meet with specific people, you need to get to a place that’s likely to have more of them. If you’re looking to grow your pharmaceutical sales business, then you want to meet with doctors who are prescribing the medications you sell. That’s not to say that meeting a nice VP of sales at a local bank couldn’t be helpful; it’s just that you have a higher likelihood of success in increasing sales by meeting doctors. So instead of going to the general networking meeting hosted by the local Chamber of Commerce, you want to attend the event hosted by the medical association. Generally, I wouldn’t refer to time spent getting to know any person as “a waste of your time.” However, when working within the limitations of your symptoms, I would call it mismanagement of your limited resources. Take Advantage of Smaller Events When there are fewer people to interact with, you’re able to be less all over the place and can focus on getting to know one or two people and making that connection. This doesn’t require you to go too far out of your comfort zone. You can even initiate these types of encounters by reaching out to the people you want to meet. You can call, but in this case, the more probable option may be to reach out in writing through email orâ€"even betterâ€"a mailed letter or note. You can send these to your desired contact and advise that you will be calling within a specified time frame. This commits you to making that call, but having sent that initial communication makes getting on the phone easier because you’re not making the ever-so-terrifying “cold call.” Get Involved When you become engaged in events and make commitments, you get yourself to the point where you have to get to the event. It’s more difficult to back out when others are depending on you. Take on small but important tasks that will cause you to have to go once you’ve decided to attend an event. It could be something as simple as bringing the name badges or being a friend’s ride. As your battery life gets longer, you can take on more consuming tasks, but don’t overexert yourself at first, because you don’t want to make the experience so overwhelming that it gives you more reason to back out in the future. Attract People When you don’t have much energy or desire or you’re just feeling down, you’re not really looking forward to going up and striking conversations with new people. The best thing you can do is make them come to you. Have something unique that makes people want to know more so that they come to talk to you. A friend of mine uses a cartoon sticker, which causes people to come up and ask what it’s all about. I write my organization name, “Living The Dream,” prominently on name tags, which makes people come up to ask me about it. Your attraction piece can be something unique to you or that pulls at the interest of the people you want to meet. Just make sure it’s placed to be seen. This one works great for people who experience anxiety over meeting people or are just shy. Make Information Available Your business cards are a great way to do this. In addition to your name, title and contact information, they can say things about you that prompt people to ask questions. You can add things like specialties or accomplishments on the backâ€"just three to five one-line bullet points that give people information about you and are great conversation boosters. Follow Up First You should always do follow-up to maintain that connection with the people you want to keep in your circle. When you follow up first, however, you can set the timing and pace of when the communications happen. You can set the tone and set things up for the best times for you. When you decide to meet with people, schedule meetings at times that promote the speed you need. When you schedule to meet with someone after hours, they may be rushing home or they may be free as a bird and ready to hang out longer than you can. Based on your battery life, you can make recommendations. A meeting at the office can last a few minutes or an hour depending on what the parties make of it. Meeting for coffee is shorter than meeting for lunch. Meeting for lunch is more time-limited than meeting for drinks afterwards. Look Great When you’re preparing to go to a networking event or a meeting with a new contact, it’s also important to get primped up. Looking good promotes feeling good. So put care into your appearanceâ€"not so much for others, but for your own sake. Stick with ensembles that you feel good in. Depression and anxiety can take a considerable amount of time to work through. Even when you’ve sought the help of a professional and are working your way out of it, you still have this life that you need to be a part of. So make use of the tools that are available to help you manage. What advice do you have for networking with depression and anxiety? Share your tips in the comments! This post originally appeared on Career Attraction. Image: Flickr Go to top Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.  Grab yours by visiting here right now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

How to Break your Songwriters Block and Get the Girl

How to Break your Songwriter’s Block and Get the Girl Suzy S. Twenty years ago in 1991, before Justin Bieber was even born, soulful crooners like Whitney Houston and Color Me Badd topped the Billboard charts.   Its also the year Boyz II Men released their first album, Cooleyhighharmony. Today the group released their latest album, Twenty, featuring an array of new songs, as well as a few of their old-school classics. If you grew up in the 90s, theres a good chance groups like Boyz II Men provided the unofficial soundtrack for your middle school crushes and forlorn love stories. The majority of their songs like most of the RB genre have a theme of love and relationships.   For songs with so much emotional draw, lyrics are especially important. And as pop culture has showed us time and time again, music is a great way to woo the object of your affection (just look at John Cusack in Say Anything and he didnt even have to play an instrument!).   But whats a musician to do when you want to get the girl, but cant find the lyrics to say it?   Dont fret weve got a few tricks up our sleeves to help you overcome your songwriters block, courtesy of Disk Makers blog, Echoes: 1. Start with a title “Find an interesting title and most of the song will often write itself,” says songwriter, guitarist and producer Tommy Marolda, who has written tunes with Richie Sambora and Rod Stewart. “That’s something I’ve used in a lot of my songwriting.” Successful song-crafters like Bon Jovi and Diane Warren have used this strategy, and songs like “Living’ On A Prayer,” “Bed Of Roses” and “Dead Or Alive” were written this way. “With most songs, the title tells the whole story,” he continues. But where can you get an intriguing song title if the ideas just aren’t flowing? “Try looking at magazines,” says Marolda. “You can flip through the table of contents and sometimes they use interesting hyperbole or plays on words that can spark something in you. Or go to a poetry section in a book store and look at the titles of poems.” 2. Look and listen everywhere “Whether you’re on a train, walking around, or just having a conversation, you never know what you’re going to hear,” says independent singer/songwriter Natalie Gelman. “When I’m really in the moment and paying attention to what’s happening around me, sometimes I’ll hear someone say something random and think, That’s a great line! I should use that.’” 3. Carry a notebook, voice recorder, or both This may seem basic, but since you never know when inspiration will strike, it’s important to have a way to document a great musical idea whenever it comes along. If you’re comfortable with traditional musical notation, a small notebook with staff lines can be all you need. If you prefer to sing your melodies, a voice recorder on a smart phone or another small recording device can do the trick. 4. Keep unfinished ideas Even if you’re only able to come up with a verse here and a chorus there, save everything you write, recommends Marolda. “A lot of famous songwriters have a suitcase full of ideas that they pull for different songs when they get stuck,” he says. “Go back into your own catalog of unfinished work and see what’s hanging out. You’d be surprised that a bridge you wrote years ago might fit perfectly with a song you’re working on now.” 5. Write a lot For Gelman, more hours spent writing music means an easier overall creative process. “Writing constantly helps you become comfortable with the act of crafting songs â€" and with yourself as a songwriter,” she says. “As songwriters, we have to accept the good, the bad and the ugly that comes out when we write. It’s important not to reject anything that you write, and to keep writing.” Part and parcel of writing a lot is working on whatever inspires you at any given moment, regardless of whether or not it fits into your genre of choice. Are you a shred-metal guitarist who suddenly comes up with a great Zydeco accordion line? Write it down. Even if it’s totally unusable for your current band or project, you never know when such a creative tidbit might come in handy down the road. This is just the start to the full list of tips, which can be viewed here.   After youve tried your hand at writing, let us know how it goes.   What are your own strategies for writing songs?   How many of you carry around a notepad for when inspiration hits?   Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below! Looking for songwriting lessons?   Click here to search for a teacher near you!   Like these posts?   Sign up to receive daily updates right to your inbox!   Click here to subscribe.

How to Adopt a Growth Oriented, Ownership Mindset

How to Adopt a Growth Oriented, Ownership Mindset Improving Academic Performance Most people tend to have one of two mindsets: fixed or growth. Those with a growth mindset believe they can always improve and change their personality or level of intelligence through feedback and hard work. They believe, accurately, that the brain is a muscle that can be built up over time. Those with a fixed mindset believe your personality and intelligence is more or less given to you at birth, and you can only tinker around the edges. You want to adopt a growth mindset. Developing a Growth Mindset Why is the growth mindset important? First, because the research suggests it’s true, and second, because adopting this mindset leaves to whole host of behaviors that have been shown to lead to academic and other types of success, most notably “grit” and the willingness to stick with things when the going gets tough. People with a fixed mindset tend to think their abilities, personalities, and intelligence is given at birth, and can’t be changed. They may tend to avoid activities at which they fear they’ll fail, since this will expose a lack of ability which of course, can’t be changed. This creates a truly unfortunate cycle. Because the student believes they simply, for example, aren’t good at math, but recognizes that it would be nice if they were good at math, they avoid situations in which their poor math ability will be exposed. They make the choice to avoid raising their hand, for fear of looking dumb. So, they don’t ask questions to clarify their understanding in class. They may even avoid doing their homework, since it’s somehow easier mentally to do poorly because you didn’t study than to try your best and fail, thus confirming your belief that you may just not smart. Ultimately, and over time, a student with a fixed mindset starts to try far less hard, do much less homework, falling farther and farther behind, until the evidence seems to confirm that yes, other people “have it” and they don’t when it comes to math (or, insert any other common skill). People with a growth mindset believe that abilities and talents are built up over time through hard work, persistence, feedback, and ultimately learning. They’ll ask a question in class in the honest pursuit of feedback and learning, without being too worried about sounding dumb. They have no fear of being exposed as lacking math skills, because they believe they can and will just build up their math skills if they lack them today. Growth vs. Fixed Mindset There are a variety of interesting studies which support the importance of the growth vs. fixed mindset distinction. For example, in one long term study, Dr. Dweck interviewed and analyzed and ultimately placed 7th grade students into one of two categories: a) those that seemed to have a fixed mindset and those that seemed to have a growth mindset. At the beginning of the study, both groups had earned an average grade of 74% in math. Over the course of two academic years, however, the average math grade of the fixed mindset cohort steadily declined, while the opposite occurred for the growth mindset group. In sum, a 4% point change in math grades was attributed directly to having a growth vs. fixed mindset over the course of two academic years (C â€" average vs. C+). Why do we see positive results from adopting a growth mindset? I think there are likely three related reasons: 1) the most common explanation is the brain really is like a muscle that you can build (see next chapter). As you try harder and ask questions, you learn and become smarter. 2), knowing that it’s possible to learn and grow, you work much harder, displaying more grit, and stick with difficult tasks for a long time. 3), what is discussed less but is very important, in my view, is that the growth mindset also leads to a sense of accountability, ownership, and control over your education or academic or professional performance. If you truly believe you can learn and grow, then you feel responsible for making positive changes happen. What can you do to encourage a growth mindset in yourself and others? The answer here is relatively simple. Place value and praise on displays of effort and learning, not natural intelligence and talent (whatever those concepts might actually mean). How to learn more about building a growth, ownership oriented mindset? To learn more about the Growth mindset - Visit MindSet works, the company Carold Dweck co-founded Read Dr. Dweck’s book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success â€" How We Can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential To learn more about the Importance of grit and persistence â€" How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, 'ec7de4d5-7dbc-47df-88fd-67e762d72f81', {});