How to Take a Compliment

From the EMOTIONAL Dynamic;

Compliments are a part of life, and although you might not always feel you deserve them learning to accept a compliment graciously is a life skill you'll never regret. 
Be grateful The best thing you can do when someone compliments you is to simply say 'thank you.' And smile, because smiles work wonders.
Reciprocate if and when appropriate. If you've just won an amazing award you can say "thank you" and leave it that, but if it's something simpler like a friend complimenting your new haircut say thank you and then return the favor by complimenting her scarf or new shade of lipstick.
Don't argue or try to invalidate the compliment. For example if someone says "Good job!" don't counter with "I could have done better." Accept the compliment for what it is and don't make people work to get their point across.
Be sincere Be genuine in your response, not absent-minded or mechanical. Really mean it when you say thank you, and if/when you compliment them in return.

People sometimes feel that when they accept a compliment it makes them seem self-centered or arrogant, but really when people argue or negate positive acknowledgments they just come off as insecure, uninterested, or rude even. It's much better to be a well-rounded, balanced individual that can appreciate when someone is making a kind gesture.
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To your inner strength!
Leo Stroobants
leostroobants.com

Russian Billionaire Will Give His Money To Charity

From the CONTRIBUTIONAL Dynamic;

Warren Buffett isn't the only generous billionaire in the world. Businessweek reports that Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin has said that he will plans to leave almost all of his estimated $2.1 billion fortune to charity within the next decade. Unlike Buffett, Potanin is a bit younger, just 49. He has three children. His assets include 25 percent of OAO GMK Norilsk Nickel, Russia's biggest mining company, 30 percent of lender OAO Rosbank, and the Rosa Khutor Olympic ski development. His Interros Holding Company will manage the assets which will eventually be transferred to a "special charity fund" but no designated benficiary for his largesse has been revealed. Ahead of the big donation Potanin will raise contributions to his existing charitable fund to at least $25 million a year.

What's Potanin's motivation? An article in The Financial Times says that Potanin was inspired by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett and has a long history of philanthropy. Potanin told the Financial Times he also wants his children to achieve and felt that inheriting wealth would only be a hindrance. Some feel that Potanin's generous move may inspire more Russians toward philanthropic aims, a trend I first heard Roustam Tariko, founder and chairman of Russia Standard vodka, speak about a few years ago. 


Give for the sake of giving,
Namaste,
Leo Stroobants
www.leostroobants.com

Gratitude is the key!!!!

A feeling of gratefulness is the best way to achieve happiness and good life, according to a slew of new studies. 


Gratitude, the feeling of thankfulness and joy in response to receiving a gift, is one of the essential ingredients for living a good life, says Todd Kashdan, associate professor of psychology at the George Mason University.

Kashdan's paper found that men were much less likely to feel and express gratitude than women.

In one study, Kashdan interviewed college students and older adults, asking them to describe and evaluate a recent episode when they received a gift. He observed women reported feeling greater levels of gratitude when presented with gifts. Older men reported greater negative emotions when the gift giver was another man.

"The way we socialise as children affects what we do with our emotions as adults," said Kashdan. "Because men are generally taught to control and conceal their softer emotions, this may be limiting their well-being."

Kashdan named three elements essential for creating happiness and meaning in life: meaningful relationships, gratitude, and living in the present, with an attitude of openness and curiosity, according to a George Mason statement. 


Happily fullfil your goals and live with passion!
Namaste,
Leo Stroobants


www.leostroobants.com