Habits which Best Fit !!

 This blog was suggested by my dear friend Anup , so on that note I dedicate this blog to him. Thank you so much for your valued suggestion.

Introduction

Good habits just like Good Manners are equally important & play a major role not only in shaping our personalities but also making us lift up our ownselves & upgrading our lifestyles. 

We all are familiar with the basic good habits of hygiene, sleeping & waking up on time, punctuality etc but apart from these as we grow up we realise that more needs to be added to the skill set in order to be a polished & sophisticated person. 

This blog will help you to sharpen up that little extra edge of habits which will transform you in a better way.

Speaking

The first thing that gets noticed about a person is his / her appearance & after that the immediate next focus is the way they speak!. So we know how important it is to not only just speak well but speak wise as a part of acquired habit. 

The way you speak makes a great deal of impact on other people around you , with just one word you can win or break someone's heart, turn people your way or against you. So while speaking pay attention to how , what, when , where to speak. Sometimes it is important to say nothing & that can sail you through. 

To be a better speaker enhancing vocabulary is only a part of a big task alongwith that you should also know the context in which you are using the words. Choose your words carefully. 

The tone in which you speak also plays a great deal of importance & is the key factor which can make / break the conversation, pay attention to the tone everytime you speak. 

Now we divide significance of speaking in 2 broad categories.

• Greeting

The first thing you speak when you meet a person is when you greet them. This is the first impression you make on them. So always greet with a smile, in a warm & gentle voice. Let the person feel that you are genuinely pleased to meet them. I know its not always the case so but try to maintain as much dignity as you can. 

When you travel to different parts of the world make sure that atleast you learn the greeting in their language. This makes a good impact for you & for them as well. 

While we greet gestures are crucial too, so never ever miss out on learning those greeting gestures wherever you go, so that you don't embarass yourself badly at the gathering. 

• Conversations

After we greet people we begin to converse with them, here language barrier can affect greatly sometimes, so if you are fluent with foreign languages that comes handy & eases the process very well. If not then make sure your message reaches the reciever exactly the way you want it to reach without any ambiguity. ( Translators can help you, but sometimes it gets tricky to translate very descriptive talk , so try to be concise & clear )

Ensure that you learn their culture very well & specially get familiar with certain words & gestures that maybe casual in your culture but offensive in theirs. 

Few tips for effective conversation are

• Be concise, clear & fluent in conversation.

• While talking to a lady be little softer than usual.

• Clear any misunderstanding right at that instant.

• Never be afraid or shy to say ' I didn't get you ' or ' I don't understand ' if you really don't get what the person is trying to convey. 

• At social gatherings keep your conversation limited within your group, entire hall doesn't need to know what you are talking about.

• To be good at conversation first be a good listener. 

Table Manners

Amongst all the habits that need to be polished the toughest one stands out to be table manners. I have seen people using a handle of spoon as a knife to cut a serving of food. It is so so very crucial to have excellent table manners. It is always ok to not know something but, remember you can always learn. 

Different cultures tend to have different table manners & its mandatory that we familiarise with them prior to our visit in that respective country. For example, In Japan eating with fork is considered offensive instead you can eat with hands or chopsticks. 

To give you a quick guide through table manners here are few tips-

• Always enter & get out from a table from the right hand side.

• When you eat a multicourse meal work your way from outside to inside with cutlery ( meaning start with the spoon placed farthest from the plate & sequentially shift in.)

• Make sure to hold the glasses like a wine glass ,a champagne glass or a martini glass from its stem only.

• Start eating only when the host starts if you are invited or atleast when 2 or more people are served on the table when you have a group dining.

• Learn proper use of every cutlery beforehand & practice till you get fluent with it.

• Never leave your napkin or bib on the chair or its corner. After your meal is done, fold it & place it on left side.

• Ladies, please hang your handbags, slings etc on the corner of your chair, never keep your bags on table. 

• If you ( for ladies ) are wearing gloves ,take them off before dining & place in the bag or on your lap.

• Never ever switch between courses. For example if you have a serving of rice & roti ( Indian bread) on same plate then start with rice only after you finish roti.

• After you are done wait for others to finish & then leave.

• Try to avoid as much noise of cutlery as you can while eating.

• Don't eat prior to conversing with anyone at the table. You don't want people watching you chew the food.

• Never put your elbows on the table or lean over the table.

• If you want something ask politely for it to be passed , never try to reach for it.

• When asked for salt or pepper, pass both even if just one is demanded.

• Smartphones, keys, change should not be on the table , put them inside your bag or wallet.

• Couples must always sit together side by side or if just both of you are dining sit across, never sit on same side.

These may seem too much to read at once but trust me when you master them it will make you a better person altogether

Chivalry

Chivalry is something that boys must learn from their teen years. They learn 99% of it from their fathers & the rest 1 % is their own hardowrk. Chivalry is extremely essential as it makes you a gentleman in all sense. 

The significance of chivalry is not to impress a woman or win her heart but to treat her with due respect that she deserves.

I have observed few men being chivalrous to women just because they want them & that annoys me very much, because that is not the essence of chivalry its essence lies in the fact of treating a woman with a respect & care unconditionally.

Using chivalry to impress woman is just like being good to a person to get your work done from them , & I know irrespective of being a man or woman we never like to be objectified & used ,so treat people around you the way you want to be treated.

NOTE - The objective of this blog is not to hurt anyone's feelings but just to point out our own lacunas & make an effort to correct them. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog . Thank you so much. 

If you haven't checked my previous blogs , check them below.

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