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7 Reasons to Apply for Our Brand New Externship Program

Why Pay for a Summer Externship?

We know what you're thinking.

"Why should I pay for some kind of summer externship when I can just get a job?

Or conversely, if I am in the place where I'm about to graduate, why pay for an externship when I can get experience and a degree?"

Social and professional life is challenging. We all have some strengths but also areas where we can improve. This can be true in any field and during any time of our life. However, when you are still a teenager, it may mean that finding your first workplace is an adventure in itself.

These are our top 7 reasons we believe this program will be a good fit:

To Empower Your Career Life

We offer a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the world of business. Our Summer Externship Program is designed for high school students who want to learn more about the business world and develop their leadership skills. By taking part in our program, you'll be able to:

• Explore your interests and career goals
• Develop valuable networking connections
• Build confidence in your abilities as a leader
• Gain insight into the business world through real-world experiences and projects
• Meet other like-minded people who share your passion for business
• Learn how to make the most of your summer break!

Learn Practical Skills for the Real World

We've all heard the saying, "you get out what you put in." It's true, but when it comes to summer externships, you definitely want to get more out of it than just a few stories and connections.

Summer externships are an essential part of your resume and can help you stand out from the crowd when applying for full-time jobs after graduation. Not only do they give you hands-on experience in your field, but they also allow you to work closely with senior professionals and learn how they do their jobs.

It's an invaluable opportunity to get a leg up on your peers as well as build relationships that will last long after graduation day. But it's important to remember that every externship should be a learning experience for both parties involved.

Build Your Network

The best way to grow your network is by finding people who are working in your field or industry, and who have similar goals and interests as you do. This program will help you connect with other students from all over the world who share similar passions and ambitions as you do. You'll be able to share experiences and learn from each other's strengths and weaknesses.

Students who participate in our Summer Externship Program have the opportunity to meet other students who share similar interests and goals. You'll also have access to a private Facebook group where you can share job leads, connect with alumni, and get advice from fellow participants who have already completed the program.

Improve Your Leadership and Interpersonal Skills

If there's one thing that we can all agree on, it's that the world needs more leaders. There are so many organizations out there that struggle with finding good leaders, and those that do find them often have trouble retaining them. The same goes for interpersonal skills - whether you're a leader or not, these skills will help you in any field!

We believe that businesses need more leaders who can provide guidance, inspire others and solve problems. Our Externship Program will teach you how to lead and motivate people by developing strong relationships with your colleagues and customers. You'll also gain valuable experience selling ideas, projects, and services through face-to-face meetings with customers.

Multi-Dimensional Explorations

This program will use different methods such as conversations, activities, discussions, and professional talks. We will have time to discuss with each other our own experiences and the things that we have learned. We will also have a chance to learn from each other's experiences. The program is designed for professional development and the growth of your career.

The main purpose of this program is to provide you with an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in an industry-relevant role while gaining valuable experience and networking opportunities with our mentors/leadership team. It's also a great way for us to get to know you better as an individual, which we believe is an integral part of our culture at DRI HK.

We are looking for people who are passionate about their field or industry and want to learn more about how the world works! If this sounds like something you’re interested in then please apply below!

You'll be trained by Certified Master Coach

Our trainer has solid and sound experiences in talent development and with expertise in leadership coaching and training. The program includes:

• Personalized coaching from our Certified Master Coach and other leading experts in the field of leadership development.
• Expert-led workshops on topics like how to lead with presence, how to communicate better and more effectively, how to handle difficult situations with grace and poise, and much more!

This Program is Going to Make Your Future Career Life More Meaningful.

There are many reasons why you should apply for our Summer Externship Program. The first one is that it's going to open up a whole new world of opportunities for you. This program will give you a chance to learn from some of the best professors in their respective fields and get a hands-on experience with real projects. You will work on a team with other like-minded students who are trying to gain valuable business knowledge too. Once you complete the program, you will also receive an official certificate that shows that you've been trained by one of the most prestigious companies in the world!

Bonus: Our Top Attendees Will be Offered a Job Recommendation from Our Network of Top Companies!

Yes, that’s right, sign up for the Summer Externship Program and you might very well find yourself being employed by a top tier company right from the start! We have an extensive network of large companies that we work with in our network, that will provide plenty of room to grow and opportunities to give your career the amazing start that you would have earned.

Conclusion

To sum up, the best possible thing you could do with your summer is to enroll in our Summer Externship Program. You are going to not only enjoy the experience but also gain something from it. The lessons learned during the program have a great deal of depth to them and can be applied to future careers, even after you graduate college.

In fact, many companies specifically seek out Destiny's students for externships because of the leadership skills that we have been taught during this program. Putting yourself in a supervisory role also makes you stand out from other recent grads who aren't as well-rounded or prepared for upper-level management roles after college.

The Destiny Team

For Summer Externship 2022 - Young Leadership Development Program details please click HERE.

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by dri admin

Believe It or Not?   We can Use Hats to Think, Innovate and Make Decisions!

Hats are a very common daily accessory.  Do you know their uses?

Functionality

Hats provide protection against harmful sun rays. They can help us to conceal a terrible haircut or to hide our face to avoid being noticed by someone.

Standing out from a group

With a hat on our heads, we will stand out from a group of people. This can work well for us if we love standing out when in a big crowd. We will get lots of attention and even make lasting friendships from being unique.

Shape and frame our face

Wearing a hat will help to make our unwanted features less noticeable. We can also highlight the shape of our face depending on the hat that we choose.

Highlights any outfit

When we add a beautiful hat to our dressing, we will look more attractive as it will enhance our appearance too.

Boosts confidence

When we wear hats that are less common, say fedoras and wide-brimmed hats. Since people are not used to these looks, it will make us appear confident and brave in our style when we put on a hat.

HATS NOT ONLY HAVE THESE FUNCTIONS.

Indeed, we can also use hats to think, create, innovate and make decisions.

The "Six Thinking Hats" is a method of investigating an issue from a variety of perspectives but in a clear, conflict-free way.

They can be used by individuals or groups to move outside habitual ways of thinking, try out different approaches, and then think constructively about how to move forward.

We have made some applications of using this method for your reference.  Please click HERE to take a look.

This technique gets us to look at a problem in six different ways.  It takes us and our team beyond any instinctive positions.

If you have an interest in exploring the uses and benefits of the Six Thinking Hats method, we invite you to join our latest Business Reborn Program.

The program is designed for company owners, business leaders, and top management teams for them to act proactively during the economic winter season and to prepare to thrive in the spring.

We will use the Six Thinking Hats as a medium to facilitate your learning process.  The end result will be abundant, fruitful, and rewarding.

The Destiny Team

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by dri admin

How can We Change Our Mindset to Tide over Economic Crisis?

Sometimes it could be difficult for leaders to see the light at the end of the tunnel when living through a painful economic crisis.

A person’s ability to motivate, energize, and inspire themselves or others during challenging times is paramount.

This moment in history will require leaders to have a fundamental shift in their thinking if they are going to remain relevant.

How can We Change Our Mindset?

We need to shift from a competitive mindset to an abundance mindset.  Let's think about what we have and not what we lost.

What is our story? Where are we going? How do we want people to remember us?

Dr. Edward de Bono, a psychologist, and philosopher came up with a famous thinking technique called the Six Thinking Hats Methodology.

He used it in his work advising government agencies and he programmed it to be a practical tool for everyday problem-solving.

The Six Thinking Hats Methodology is also called the "lateral thinking" approach, a method of solving problems in a creative and surprising way.

How to Work with the Six Thinking Hats Methodology?

The technique allows us to think in six different directions.

Imagine we are in a group and we are going to do a brainstorming session.

By wearing one hat at a time, a synergy can be created between the people participating in the
session.  And on top of that, it stimulates creativity and expands the scope of solution-based thinking.

Blue Hat - the blue hat is used to manage the thinking process, think of questions like, "What is my goal?" and "What process will I use?"

White Hat - the white hat is about factual information and data, there should be no speculation about it. Think of statements like, "Unemployment has risen, there is a need for opportunities" or "What information am I lacking to start this business."

Red Hat - the red hat is about feelings and emotions without justification or prejudice. Think of our gut feeling or feelings and emotions associated with our ideas.

Black Hat - the black hat is about what we need to be careful of, or be cautious of. "What is my competitor matches my lower price?" or "Why will this not work?" are examples.

Yellow Hat - the yellow hat is for positive thinking, or benefits in the ideas.

"If there is an economic upturn, then it is feasible that customers will spend even more." - this is always the best scenario needed.

Green Hat - the green hat is for creative thinking and new ideas. "What other solutions can I think of? or "If I am successful, how can I grow on my success?"

Can you master these hats?

Hats in Action

Let's use an example of a river that only has a few bridges to cross and we are looking for a solution closer to where we are.

"Blue hat" comes up with an idea or proposal to build a new bridge in the area where there is not one yet.

"White hat" comes up with the cost of the bridge, the timeframe needed and the cost of maintaining the bridge.

"Red hat" would think of who a bridge like this would make happy i.e. some people shortening their commute, and who would be unhappy about it i.e. residents in the immediate area where traffic will increase.

"Yellow hat" will point out the time that it would save, and how commuter-friendly it would be.

"Black hat" will point out the high costs and higher traffic in the area.

"Green hat" will suggest renting a boat or building a ferry instead.

The main negatives were avoided through this process, and a well-thought-out concrete solution was thought of.

Do you have some new insights from the exercise?

Conclusion

One of the most useful tools to use in our life as an entrepreneur is the Six Hat Thinking Methodology. At its core, it helps us to make better decisions by preventing our natural biases from getting in the way. It also encourages us to consider a wide range of perspectives, including those that we would normally avoid.

If you want to experience the benefits of the Six Hats Thinking Methodology, you can try it with your teammates during any brainstorming time or join a program where there is a professional facilitator to guide you throughout the thinking process.

The Destiny Team

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Business Reborn Program - Change Our Mindset to Tide over Economic Crisis (using the Six Thinking Hats Methodology)

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by dri admin

How to Operate and Optimize a Successful and Sustainable Business?

The last few years have been some of the most testings from a business point of view.

During the pandemic, a survey showed that more than 40% of all businesses had directly been affected either during, or as a result of Covid restrictions.

The knock-on effect means that there is on average a 3% greater chance of business closure than before the pandemic.

For new businesses, this can hurt even more.

Every year, thousands of startups are launched.

According to recent studies, about 90% of all startups don't succeed, and five out of seven fail within the first 18 months.

If you want to start a successful business, you should know what these businesses did wrong.

In success, there is certainty — but in failure, every excuse will be possible. We have broken it down into the 7 most important fundamentals and secret strategies that will give you the best chance for success.

1. Be Honest With Yourself

It is important, to be honest about where the business really is. Do not try to sugarcoat or put a spin on the facts. Nobody likes to hear that their baby is ugly, but this is exactly what entrepreneurs need to hear in order to succeed. As many entrepreneurs have learned, the road to success is often paved with mistakes and disappointments.

"The biggest mistake new entrepreneurs make is that they are not honest with themselves about where their business is," says Donna Myers, CEO of Myers Public Relations and Marketing in Virginia Beach, Virginia. "These same entrepreneurs will take on any client without vetting them first, which could lead to financial ruin."

2. Find a Way to Meet Your Client's Needs Better Than Anybody Else.

No matter where you live, there are people who need help. Whether it is a business owner, a single parent with two kids, or someone trying to get out of debt, there are people in every industry with needs that aren't completely met by available products.

If you want your business to succeed, you have to be able to meet those needs better than anyone else. One great way to do that is to find a niche market nobody else has addressed.

This doesn't mean you have to start from scratch. There are tons of successful businesses that started with an established product or service and then expanded into new areas. For instance, the first McDonald's restaurant was originally just a hot dog stand in San Bernardino, California. The company expanded into hamburgers and cheeseburgers before expanding beyond the Golden State altogether.

But even if you didn't start with what most people would consider a "niche," there are still plenty of ways you can grow your business without having to start from scratch.

What are you doing that is different than everybody else?

You do not have to go too far out on a limb to do something extraordinary. You can be extraordinary by just giving the best customer service, knowing your customers better than anybody else, or having the best product knowledge in your industry. Many times, the simplest things are what set you apart from the competition.

3. Use Marketing That Delivers High Value To Your Customers

Most business owners are familiar with the idea of marketing, but they often have a difficult time figuring out which avenue to use to best market their products and services. Some businesses will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on traditional advertising, while others will opt for new forms of marketing such as social media or email marketing.

No matter what type of marketing you choose, it is important that you focus your marketing efforts on delivering value to your prospective customers. After all, no one wants to hear about how great you are - they want to know what is in it for them

What is the best way to do this? You need to find a way to meet your client's needs better than anybody else. If you can accomplish this feat, then you will be well on your way toward creating an effective marketing campaign that will generate more leads and sales for your business.

4. Perfect Your Sales Systems

The next piece of the success puzzle is your sales system. Your sales system is the process you use to convert your contacts into customers. It is how you get people to trust you and buy from you, using your email list, social media followers, or other marketing channels.

Your sales system has two parts: a front end (the beginning of the customer relationship) and a back end (after the customer buys). Depending on what kind of business or product you have, there may be just one step in each part of your sales system. Or there may be multiple steps.

If you are selling a high-ticket item like an online course or a consulting package, for example, you might attract leads through Facebook ads or content upgrades on your blog posts. You will then nurture those leads by sending them emails that build credibility and trust until they are ready to talk with you directly over the phone. Once they've joined your program, they will go through a series of follow-up emails and calls with information about how to get started and continue getting the most out of it.

For a lower-priced product like an ebook or printable planner, the process might be much simpler — someone sees an ad for your product, clicks on it, and buys it. Once the purchase is made, the after-sales service like delivery time and quality of the product will be very important if you want that customer to return and spend more of their hard-earned money with you.

5. Invest in Good Legal Council And a Good Accountant

The first piece of advice that any entrepreneur should have is to invest in great legal counsel. This is going to be the person or firm that helps you set up your business, and will give you legal advice as your company grows. You will want someone who specializes in small businesses and can help guide you so you do not run into issues down the line.

It is important that you have a good accountant too. This is the person who will help with your taxes, and file them. They can also give you advice on how to save money on your taxes, and make sure there are no errors on your end when it comes time to pay taxes.

6. Optimize & Maximize Your People & Processes

Like any machine, your company is only as good as its parts. If you are not getting the results you need, it is time to audit your people and processes. From there, it is a simple matter of optimizing and maximizing them. You will need to:

• Automate what you can
• Hire what you cannot
• Track everything
• Tie everything together with KPIs

These may sound like soft skills, but they are essential for competitive advantage. Why? Because a well-trained workforce that can collaborate effectively on continuous improvement is the key to solving problems faster than your competitors. You can work on improving your processes or fixing mistakes once or twice a month if you want — or every day. It is up to you — but your competition will be working to improve every day, so do not expect them to stand still.

Consider what it would mean if your employees could solve problems more quickly at every step of the process instead of waiting until the end of the day to go home, then coming back tomorrow to fix it:

You'd be able to deliver value faster than your competitors because you'd eliminate wasted time and effort.

7. Make Your Customers Love You Openly

The word "customer" most often refers to a purchasing customer, but it is important to recognize that every person who comes in contact with your business or product is a customer. Some may be people who use your products instead of buying them. Some may be people — such as vendors, freelancers, and employees — who work with you instead of for you. And some may be people who have never bought anything from you or used any of your products.

A customer's goodwill toward your company isn't something you can buy at any price. You have to earn it over time, by showing that you care about and respect the people around you.

Goodwill is an intangible asset, but one with a high return on investment. There are multiple ways to increase it, including:

• Being honest and keeping promises;
• Making good products that satisfy customers
• Being consistent with policies and practices
• Respecting customers' time
• Having a sense of humor about yourself and your company
• Having sympathy for customers when things go wrong
• Offering free samples

Conclusion

This list is a blueprint for how to start a successful business. If you monitor your business and make sure that this list is constantly being improved upon then you will be successful regardless of the economic environment. It may take some time but with dedication, self-improvement, and hard work, your business can grow rapidly.

The Destiny Team

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by dri admin

Is the Economic Winter a Crisis, or an Opportunity?

INTRODUCTION

The coronavirus crisis turned the global economy into the deepest recession since the Great Depression mostly felt throughout 2020.

With estimates that world gross domestic product (GDP) had fallen by 3.9% in the first quarter of 2020. Major economies such as the US experienced more than 36 Million people filing for unemployment and experiencing a post-war record rate of 14.7%.

There is no doubt that the coronavirus is to blame for this crisis. But it can also be seen as a catalyst for a deeper crisis that existed before the pandemic struck.

The global economy had been on a downward trajectory for some time, even before the virus hit, thanks to a confluence of factors including rising inequality and sluggish productivity growth.

Currently, the turmoil in Eastern Europe has increased fuel and grain prices globally causing a knock-on effect of increased inflation throughout the globe.

With the economic winter that we are currently facing, many of us have been hit hard.

We are working much less and some may have lost their jobs.

Many people will fall into a depression, which is understandable. But there are ways to fight it...

WHY IS IT SO BAD?

The 2008 recession was the biggest economic crisis post-World War II until COVID. It led to a slump in the stock markets and a collapse of real estate prices.

The world economy shrank from $60 trillion to $51 trillion as a result of the crisis. Millions of people lost their jobs and homes during this period, particularly in Europe and America.

The coronavirus pandemic & war in eastern Europe has the potential to be far more devastating to most people, with the effects powerful enough to leave their mark far into the future.

An unprecedented wave of furloughs, layoffs, and pay cuts, has quickly ushered in an economic winter that seems unlikely to end anytime soon.

Hong Kong, despite being the tenth largest trading power and 3rd-largest financial center in the world, is suffering an economic winter. This is due to the combined impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and slowing Chinese economy, the trade war with the United States, decreased foreign investments, and tight credit conditions forcing the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to increase interest rates.

The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce forecast in mid-February that local retail sales would shrink by 2% this year, compared with a forecast of 5% growth at the end of last year; the unemployment rate was revised upward from 3.7% to 4.8%; merchandise exports grew by 6%, down 1 percentage point from the original forecast.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

If there’s a downturn, it makes sense to have an emergency financial plan in place. But companies with great products and services that customers value also have a good chance of thriving in any economic climate, said Philip Evans, a senior partner at BCG who advises executives on strategy. “Businesses that provide fantastic value to their customers don’t necessarily go away when things get tough,” he said.

Evans pointed to Apple as an example of a company that has excelled financially even during past periods of economic weakness. “Apple is not just about selling you stuff, but about the experience of using the stuff — the joy and pleasure of all these different devices working together. That’s what people pay for,” he said. The same goes for other successful brands such as Disney and Amazon — they offer experiences customers love and are willing to pay for regardless of the economic climate.

Whenever there is a crisis, people lose money, and sometimes they even lose their homes. However, this is also the time when many successful people amass fortunes.

Why? Because the media and the general public are always focused on the bad news. The media exploits negative stories because this is what attracts their viewers.

For example, when stocks go down 30%, most news outlets will focus on the "horror" stories of how people lost everything in the stock market.

But here's the thing: whenever stocks go down 10%, 20%, or 30% it means that they are on sale. In other words, if we had $100,000 to invest and we buy $100,000 worth of stocks that we believe will be good investments over time, then our money will grow. But if we wait until stocks go down 30%, then we can buy $140,000 worth of those same stocks for $100,000!

THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY!

Netflix innovated ways to continue to appeal to its audience during the 2008 recession. It was during these times that the brand introduced a new product (the streaming service) and continued to grow subscribers and memberships. They were able to survive the recession because of their innovative strategies.

The current COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong has led to the permanent or temporary closure of many stores, but the local popular lifestyle chain AbouThai is going against the tide with the launch of a convenience store concept recently. They opened their first convenience store in the Causeway Bay central area in early March.

The chain — which has 24 department stores across the city, mostly in shopping malls, selling snacks, and personal care and lifestyle products from Thailand — is actively developing street shops and seeking investors, and invites Hong Kong people in related industries to join. AbouThai also revealed that it will soon issue a franchise so that everyone in the city has the opportunity to become a part of the group. In just 5 days, more than 3,000 inquiries were received about the franchise.

Why do they have the guts to expand in this economic winter? It is because they understand that Hong Kong people need to buy a lot of daily food for stockpiling during the outbreak to cope with the sudden need for isolation at home or the upcoming universal testing. They see this as an opportunity to expand against the market.

CONCLUSION

And so there we have it: the three basic steps to surviving an economic winter, or better yet, thriving!

First, prepare for the unavoidable. While we can't predict when an economic winter will come, we know that it will come at some point. So be prepared and have a financial plan.

Second, look for opportunities that others may not see.

And third, focus on the things we can control. If we feel like we don't have a lot of control over our current situation, then be creative and think of ways to change it. 

There's always going to be someone who sees the glass as half full while others see it as half empty. Those who see opportunity in tough times are the ones who will survive and thrive in them.

The Destiny Team

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by dri admin

Blind Spots Are Our Blessing If We Know How To Make Use Of Them

Where there is sunlight, there is shadow.

It is our survival practice to get close to the light and refuse to the darkness.

When we understand things in the world, we should explore and discover from multiple angles and aspects.

Darkness itself contains a lot of information that we can use as a reference and reminder, such as our frustrating experience, competitors, enemies, abandoned beliefs, and values.

Yes, we know that they are our fears, pains, and scars.

Over the years, we try hard to escape from our fears, pains, scars and they block the way we see the world, and they gradually become our blind spots.

We are living an incomplete life because we unconsciously ignore other sides of our cognition.

Think about it, is it an ideal way to be that? What is the impact on us?

In order to make you better understand the strengths of our shadows and blind spots, Destiny created a special MICRO-FILM about a story of the second-generation successor of a Hong Kong family business.

It tells us that If we use some thinking techniques to break through our shadows and blind spots, we can be able to overcome negative circumstances and reach a win-win situation.

We wish the story will enlighten you with some new insights.

Click HERE to watch it.

The Destiny Team

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Experience our 30 mins FREE coaching session to aware and remove your thinking blind spots, click HERE

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by brightsand

Grow like a chick cracks from inner egg shell: a milestone of SELF-LOVE and AWARENESS

The pursuit of happiness, an ever seemingly unachievable goal, is one journey that every human being makes, whether we are aware of it or not.

Why We Get Used To Being Unhappy?

We live in a time when everyone is seeking validation, to feel that they matter.

Therefore, we find that it becomes very easy to slip into depression when it appears that things aren’t exactly going as planned: our new colleagues at the office aren’t exactly thrilled about us, our parents seem to have other favorites, no one is particularly interested in being friends with us…

These are just a few kinds of thoughts that rummage the minds of the average individual, and these are the thoughts that fester long enough to form a belief which ultimately forms a reality, which is: Nobody loves me!

When people go around thinking that they are not loved, what usually happens is that they begin to experience exactly that, a deficiency of love: one which is sponsored from within.

Today so many people are trying to combat depression by putting on the mantra of self-love, which has been adopted in mainstream and social media as the act of portraying oneself in such a light where they appear to be in total love with themselves and not care about anyone else’s opinion.

While this may work to sell the illusion of self-love, it is often quite misleading because self-love is so much more than that.  Self-love isn’t the act of trying to convince ourselves that we are awesome and have no worries, it is a deep emotional state of acknowledging and accepting ourselves for who we are, strength and weakness combined.

The fastest way to enjoy the love and affection of those around us is to first genuinely love ourselves, and this comes from a place of being at peace with who we are.

Why Self-Love Is That Important?

The act of practicing self-love is crucial in many ways: firstly, it will help us live a happier, more healthy life, it will enable us to develop genuine relationships with friends, colleagues and family, and also serve as a pathway to self-awareness and discovery.  Many people today are unhappy because they judge themselves too much: they are too critical about their mistakes.

This is understandable because the natural desire of every human being is to excel, hence we always want to stand out.  This can tend to perfectionism as we always want to get things right, so sometimes when we disappoint a friend or drop the ball at work, we ultimately condemn ourselves and subconsciously lower our self-esteem.

This is why self-love is so important because it gives us a baseline of positive and graceful feelings towards ourselves.  This attitude gives us the courage to recognize our flaws and take the steps needed to improve from within.  When we become at peace with our true nature, we are able to accept the results that arise from our actions and not blame ourselves for the things that go wrong with us.  Self-love will help us live a healthier life and also develop quality relationships around us.  People are naturally attracted to others who emit a positive vibe, and we can only do that when we find inner peace.

What Is Self-Awareness?

Above all, attaining self-love enables us to chart the part to an even higher level of consciousness, which is self-awareness.  While self-love tries to regulate how we feel about ourselves, self-awareness helps us understand what we are feeling and why we feel that way.  This is a higher level of self-mastery as people who attain self-awareness are usually in control of their actions and reactions.  Self-awareness is understanding the fact that our actions are triggered by certain emotions and being deliberate about how to handle those emotions.

Self-awareness is a trait that leaders aspire to because this means that they are able to keep a clear head when everyone else is losing it.  Have you ever found yourself react so strongly to something and not even understand why you’re so darn mad?  That’s a clear scenario of a lack of self-awareness.

The more we become aware of our emotions and desires, the more control we can exercise over them.  Some people have been known to take decisions in the heat of the moment which they regret for the longest time, this again, is simply down to a lack of self-awareness.  With self-awareness, we understand why we do the things we do and our likely reactions to certain events.

According to the World Health Organization, As of 2017, 300 million people around the world had depression.  It is estimated that 15% of the adult population will experience depression at some point in their lifetime.  Depression has also been known to be one of the key drivers of suicide among young and old people.  This all buttresses the need for people to find true self-love, as a remedy to depression.

5 Ways Of Practicing Self-Love To Help You Live A Happier Life:

1. Always be ourselves

It is always tempting to join the crowd, especially when we are desperate to blend into a new environment.  But resist the urge to do so.  Many people have lost themselves in the process of making the wrong friends or living in a neighborhood that doesn’t suit them.  Do exactly the things that make us feel good and comfortable without seeking the validation of others.

2. Never compare ourselves with others

There will always be someone more intelligent, better looking or more accomplished than we are.  The secret of self-content is in accepting that we are just perfect the way we are.  There will never be another us, and only we can do the things we do.  So take pride in the little things that we do really well, and appreciate the things that others do better.

3. Celebrate our wins

No matter how small, congratulate ourselves for the small wins.  Whether it’s a successful job interview or a big business contract, never underplay our achievements.  Give ourselves a pat on the back for every successful endeavor and relish in the fruit of our labor.  This is important to keep our morale high in times when there’s no one cheering us on.

4. Follow our passion

There is no better way to practice self-love than to do the things that give our soul joy.  If we feel like our job is making us miserable, then it’s about time to start considering a change in career. Don’t be afraid to go after the things we love, even if it might draw ridicule from friends and associates.  At the end of the day, it is our mental state of wellbeing that is of paramount importance.

5. Be mindful of our thoughts

The feel-good factor of doing the things we love and celebrating our wins can be transient, therefore it is always important to keep our mind in a positive state.  Some days are going to be cloudy, therefore, we need to constantly condition our mind and guard our thoughts jealously to prevent negativity from creeping in.

The journey to self-awareness can be a revealing and fulfilling experience.  We get to discover so much about ourselves that we begin to own our flaws and accept our weaknesses while improving our self-confidence significantly.  On the other end of doubt, a world of life-changing discoveries await…

The Destiny Team

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by brightsand

New Business Strategies for Leaders and Business Owners after the Post-Covid-19 Era

“The historic challenge for leaders is to manage the crisis while building the future.” - Henry Kissinger

It’s is a given fact that many businesses will have to change their way of doing things post-Covid-19 era.  The Covid-19 pandemic has been one of the most unanticipated disruptions in the business world.  It has rewritten the rules by which businesses are run.

It’s possible that some businesses will require less working space and adopt more virtual operations.  It is also possible that some services will become obsolete while others gain higher importance.  New partnerships and collaborations will arise to gain support to businesses in different areas of expertise.

Each business has struggled to operate during the pandemic in its own way.  However, one thing that all leaders can agree on is that they would need to come up with new strategies to handle their businesses after the pandemic is over.

Here are some insights for leaders and business owners after the Covid-19 era:

1. Building resilience and versatility

For businesses that have managed to maneuver through these difficult times, resilience has been a crucial ingredient.  Businesses that have built versatility and agility within their workforce have handled the challenges faced without breaking down from all the strains.  Leaders ought to realize the need to build resilience within their workforce.  They have to make resilience not a destination but a way of being.  Leaders have to encourage building attitudes, beliefs, versatility, and structures within the culture of the organization so that it can be prepared for unexpected changes.

2. There has to be a shift in mindsets

Leaders will be forced to shift their mindsets and envision scenarios that would not have occurred to them before.  If a business was stuck on some norm of ‘this is how we do things’, the pandemic has shown that even the strongest business structures can be shaken.  Changing mindsets will help leaders look at different ways they can grow their organizations and prepare for tough times hence help them developing resilience.

3. Embracing digital transformation

Businesses have realized the importance of digital transformation and how much it can come in handy in times of crisis.  Companies with better digital innovation have coped better in the months following the pandemic.  Some were still lagging behind since they had not perfected their digital operations such that things could be run virtually.  Introducing employees to virtual meetings for example, and embracing substituting some operations with digital solutions will prepare the workforce to use technology more often and not feel inconvenienced.

4. Changing customer expectations

The pandemic has changed everyone’s experiences, especially the customers.  The businesses will have to rethink the way they design, communicate, and approach their customers.  They also have to rethink convenience and prioritize digital solutions.  For example, the pandemic has taught customers that there is so much that they can achieve virtually such as shopping, and are likely to carry these habits into the post-Covid-19 era.

5. Taking a closer look at employee wellbeing

Every organization’s workforce has felt some form of challenge.  First, working from home has been a whole new experience for some.  For others, it was really stressful changing the normal such that some employees experienced depression from the isolation.  This has called to the attention of leaders to take a closer look at the mental health of employees.  Employees that work virtually would need more support to cope with loneliness.  This creates a need to look at establishing a human-centered, systems-minded approach to support employees and take their well-being into better consideration.

6. Over-invest in communication

You can never communicate too much.  As organizations shift from face to face and encourage virtual operations, communication strategies will change.  As a leader, heed your communication styles.  Develop a style that is deliberate and open and ready to have tough conversations.  Make communication at the right tempo and frequency so as to keep everyone on the same page.  Open communication will make employees feel supported and encourage them to bring up issues of concern as they work virtually.

7. Crisis management

Leaders have to take a closer look at their abilities to manage crises.  Some crises, such as the one that has befallen most businesses recently, have no formula and no one really knows how to navigate such situations.  Leaders have had to find their way around the crisis.  Some successfully, some through imitation, and some are still struggling.  In the post-Covid-19 era, leaders will need better crisis handling skills and envision worst-case scenarios and how to handle them.

8. Less reactive and more proactive

What was your reaction to the pandemic as a leader?  While you could have reacted and cried woe unto me, some were being proactive and taking this as an opportunity to reinvent themselves.  Leaders have to learn to take moments of adversity as an opportunity to picture a successful future, energize their teams, and mold them in such a way that they can withstand most forms of adversities.  A good number of leaders have realized that their businesses will never be the same again and have come up with solutions to create a new and better reality for their workforce.

9. Seek support from other leaders and experts

No one has the magic formula on how to navigate a pandemic.  However, by seeking support from others and experts, leaders will stand in better positions to handle challenges that are thrown their way.  There are some programs being offered to help leaders navigate the workplace post-Covid-19 era.  Seeking such programs and gaining insight from experts can help leaders place their businesses in a better position to manage challenges in the future.

Conclusion

Conclusively, it is likely that the business environment will not be the same as before the post-Covid-19 era.  The sooner leaders and business owners realize this, the sooner they can prep their organizations for an alternative future.

The Destiny Team

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by brightsand