Here are some of the key points covered in the episode:

• The definition of conscious consumption and why it’s important
• The impact of our consumption choices on our self-image, our health, and the environment
• How to start making more conscious consumption choices
• Tips for overcoming challenges to conscious consumption
• The benefits of finding calm in a chaotic world

If you are interested in learning more about conscious consumption and how it can impact your life, I encourage you to listen to this episode of the Self Image Podcast.

EPISODE #1 SELF TALK SELF GROWTH

Here are some additional details about the episode:

• Host: Shruti
• Episode title: Episode #2 Self Image (Personality Development Podcast Series)
• Episode number: #2
• Release date: August 21, 2023
• Podcast platform: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms

The post Episode #2 Self Image (Personality Development Podcast Series) appeared first on Blogs | Engmates - English,Public Speaking,Personality Development.

Whether you’re traveling abroad or just meeting new people, it’s always helpful to know what a person’s hand gestures mean. In this article, we’ll explore the meanings of different hand gestures around the world, including ones for hello and good-bye, gratitude, zero, please and thank you, numbers, and more. You’ll learn how to communicate with others in their native language by mimicking their body language with your own hands!

At Engmates we introduce hand gestures in our spoken English classes and interview preparation classes to enable our students to understand people of different cultures and countries better.

Hand Gestures for Hello and Good-bye

• Waving hello and goodbye: You can wave to someone you know or a stranger to say hello, goodbye, or that you’re leaving. The gesture can also be used to indicate the amount of time remaining in something, like how many minutes are left in class.
• Shaking hands: This is most commonly used by males. It usually means friendship or agreement on some level.
• Bowing: Bowing shows respect for another person and their position as well as indicating submission (e.g., if you bow before your teacher). If someone bows back at you after bowing yourself, it means they accept your submission.
• Nodding: Nodding is often used when greeting someone or showing agreement with them (e.g., saying “yes” out loud). It’s also used in place of saying “hello” or “goodbye,”, especially among people who don’t know each other very well yet because it’s less formal than shaking hands but still shows respect for authority figures like teachers/bosses/etcetera

Hand Gestures for Gratitude

• Hand on heart: In many parts of the world, this gesture is used to show gratitude. The person who did you a favor will often respond in kind, showing their appreciation and thanking you in turn.
• Pointing: An open palm with three fingers extended is the most common way people point at things, but pointing with just one finger can mean something different depending on where it’s done. For example, pointing at someone’s nose or face means “you” in some cultures; in others, it means “me”.
• Clapping: This gesture shows approval or appreciation for something another person has said or done. It can also be used to call for silence so that everyone can hear what’s being said by someone else—a form of applause without actually clapping!
• Bowing: Although bowing isn’t necessarily a hand gesture itself (it involves bending your upper body forward), it’s commonly used as an expression of gratitude when saying hello or goodbye to someone important like your boss or teacher at school.

Read More- How to Confidently Make an Appointment in English

Hand Gestures for Zero

The gesture for zero is a circle with the thumb and index finger. In many countries, this gesture has become the standard symbol for “zero” or “nothing.” It’s used in China, Japan, and other Asian countries as well as in France, Spain, and England.

Hand Gestures for Please and Thank you

If you are in a country that uses the palm-down gesture for please and thank you, it’s important to know how to use it properly. You want to make sure your palms are facing down toward your chest, not out toward someone else. It can be hard to tell if someone has their palms facing up or down when they’re far away from you, so try making eye contact while they do it and see what direction their hands are pointing in.

If someone asks you if they can have something (for example: “Can I have some water?”), hold up your thumb and index finger as if they were holding an invisible straw between them. This gesture means “as much as this” and is used all over the world—just like a thumbs up!

Hand Gestures for Numbers

• To count numbers, use your fingers. The number one is a fist; two is a single finger; three is a thumb and forefinger together (or any other combination of numbers); four is a hand with an index finger pointing up; five is a thumb and index finger touching (or any other combination of numbers).

Many languages have their own ways of expressing words or phrases using gestures. For example, in some countries, it’s common to use certain hand gestures when you’re speaking English or Hebrew. Some examples include:

• Thumbs up – Good luck!

Hand Gestures for “come here” and “go away”

• Pointing to someone or something
• Pointing to yourself
• Pointing at the ground
• Pointing at the sky
• Pointing at a clock to show the time
• Pointing at a calendar to show the date

Read More- 12 Powerful Words to Use When Interviewing

You Can Learn the Meaning of Hand Gestures to Communicate with People from Other Countries.

When you travel to other countries, you may find that hand gestures are used in place of words. Hand gestures can be used to communicate with people who do not speak your language. Learning the meaning of hand gestures can help you communicate with people from different cultures.

Conclusion

I hope that you’ve learned a few new hand gestures and are now ready to try them out with people in your own country. I think it’s important to remember that we can all use more opportunities to make friends with people from other countries, so don’t be afraid to reach out!

The post The Meaning of Hand Gestures Around the World appeared first on Blogs | Engmates - English,Public Speaking,Personality Development.

Personality Development

We often come across the term personality development and there are many relevant courses offered across the globe. But one needs to first understand what exactly leads to a person’s personality development. It is a set of attributes development of which leads to an improvement in the overall personality of a person. It is not just about putting on good clothes and fluently speaking in English language but something more than that. By personality development we mean a development in all areas of life.

Tips for Personality Development

You can expect a drastic development in your personality in a day, it takes time and conscious effort. One needs to work on a number of characteristics in order to become influential and noticeable. Have a look at some of the important tips that can help you in the overall development of your personality.

1. Be Confident:

You cannot have a good personality without confidence and that is why it comes in the top of the list of tips. One might feel under-confident due to various reasons including failure, guilt, physical appearance, financial status etc but it’s always good to rise above all of these and focus on all the positive traits that you possess. This will boost your self-confidence and you will across as more reliable and dependable person.

Your confidence also comes from how you feel so no matter what you cannot pretend to be confident beyond a certain extent. It’s important that you have faith in yourself and learn to believe in your qualities.

2. Improve Your Communication Skills:

After confidence you have to work on your communication skills. It is important for you to be able to put across your ideas well. No matter what language you choose, the other person should be able to understand your expressions. No wonder, English has become one of the most preferred languages over the period of time considering that it is a global language. So, it would be good if you work on that as well. Also, it is advisable that you communicate thoughtfully, do not just blurt things out. Make some sense while you communicate. 

3. Dress Up Well:

Yes! You should know how to dress. By dressing up well we do not mean to say that you have to be brand conscious, but you should definitely know how to dress as per the occasion. Choose your outfit as per the situation, place and purpose especially when it comes to corporate occasions. You don’t really have to be fair, tall or have good features to have a good personality; all you need to do is to carry yourself well.

4. Do What You’re Passionate About and Be Passionate About What You Do:

It is always said that one must pursue one’s passion so that you can put in more dedication and hard work into it. Be passionate about your work and give your best in everything that you do. This will not only help you achieve goodwill but will also impart in you certain values which will stay with you forever and improve your personality. Prove yourself in every possible way.

5. Watch Your Body Language:

Your body language can speak a lot about you and your level of confidence. Understand the role of positive gestures in your communication as they play a very important role in a conversation. Don’t make too many hand movements and too not be too rigid with your body, it’s important to have a balance.

6. Improve Your Social Skills:

To be in the society one has to be social and friendly and that is why man is called a social animal. Be confident and upfront while interacting with others at the same time being polite and nice. To develop your social skills you can participate in group activities like seminars, discussions, fests etc. This way you can be more open and outgoing.

7. Develop Leadership Qualities:

You should have the ability to lead and take initiatives. Do not confuse it with giving orders or commands to those who work under you. Rather you have to know how to handle them in a way that the task goes smoothly and perfectly. Never shy away from hard work.

8. Be Optimistic:

Optimism is integral to a good personality, and nobody likes to interact with someone who sees negativity in everything. Learn to be hopeful even in the most adverse situations and see possibilities everywhere. It is in case of failure that one has to be more positive and believe in yourself. Expect good things from the future.

9. Be a Patient Listener:

Listening is an important part of any communication so learn to be a good listener. Do not try to jump to the answer first but listen to the person. Avoid any distractions and barriers while communicating with someone and be focused so that you can answer relevantly. Ask questions to let the other person know that you were listening to him/her.

10. Be a Good Learner:

Learning is an important part for all age groups and for people from all walks of life. The more you learn, the better you become. Learn from your mistakes and avoid them in future.

Suggested read: The meaning of hand gestures around the world.

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