Having an important interview is nerve-wracking for just about everyone. But when you’re an introvert, interviews can feel almost unbearable.

If you are an introvert and you have an important interview coming up, follow these tips to feel calm and in control.

1. See it as an Opportunity

An introvert’s first reaction to the prospect of an interview is usually dread. This obviously sets a very bad tone for the actual event. See the interview as an opportunity to advance your career or positively change your life in some way. Feeling anything right off the bat besides positivity is just setting you up for experiencing anxiety.

2. Be Prepared

The more you know what to expect, the calmer you will feel walking into that meeting. It’s fine for you to ask some details about what you can expect. Will you be meeting with one person or more? What will be discussed? Don’t obsess over the information but try to get a sense of what you will experience. This will help you visualize the event ahead of time and get comfortable with the idea.

3. Do Some Research

Once you find out who will be interviewing you, spend a little time looking up their background. Knowing a little bit about the person or people will also illustrate your interest in the position and help you be comfortable in conversation.

4. Recognize Nerves are Natural

On the day, don’t scold yourself for being nervous. It is completely natural for everyone to be nervous. You care about the outcome, and you’re feeling on the spot. Everyone feels like this. Accept that nerves simply mean you want to do a good job and then stop thinking about them.

5. Breathe

You know why there is so much discussion about the benefits of slow, deep breathing? Because it actually works. By breathing slowly and deeply you are sending a signal to your brain that there is no danger in your environment. Your brain then tells the rest of your body to “cool it.” Fight-or-flight hormones cease being excreted, heart rate slows, and you feel calm. This is powerful and it WORKS! So that morning getting ready, and on your drive, and while you are waiting, think of little else than keeping your breathe slow, deep and steady.

Being an introvert doesn’t have to be a curse. If you follow these five tips you will set yourself up for interview success.

Source: Brighter Vision

How long has it been since you checked your Facebook page or Twitter account? If you’re like most people, you use social media many times throughout the day.

But while you may think social media is fun, studies have suggested that it can take a toll on our emotions. One such study by researchers at the University of Missouri focused on the effects of Facebook on mental health. They discovered that regular use could lead to symptoms of depression if the site triggered feelings of envy in the user.

Professor Margaret Duffy, a co-author of the research, said about the findings, “If it is used as a way to size up one’s own accomplishments against others, it can have a negative effect.”

Other studies have revealed that most people tend to edit photos and only show the ones that make their lives seem more attractive to others.

It is this constant measuring of ourselves against others that causes unimaginable amounts of grief. I see it on an almost-daily basis. Decent people with much to offer feeling unworthy of happiness because they feel inferior to others. They walk into my office with what appears to be the weight of the world on their shoulders.

I have found much of this weight stems from not feeling as “good, smart, pretty, wealthy, or funny” as others.

If you are now wondering whether maybe your happiness has taken a hit from social media use, here are 3 signs it has:

1.  You Need Positive Feedback to Feel Good

Let’s face it, we all love feeling appreciated. It feels good to get that positive feedback when you post a photo or event from your life. But if you find you only have good days on the days you are getting that positive feedback online, you may be depending on social media too much.

2.  You’re an Instant Gratification Addict

We have become a society of people who seek out instant gratification. While it’s okay to want instant oats and instant movie streaming, having a need to instantly feel worthy and good through social media is very harmful.

If the promise of instant gratification is driving your desire to post or share bits of your life, you may have become too dependent.

3.  You’re Reliving the Popularity Contests All Over Again

I find many of my adult clients care just as much about how many Facebook friends and likes they get as my teenage clients do. It’s as if the adults are reliving the high school popularity contests all over again. At the end of the day, are all of those Facebook friends reallyyour friend?

True happiness is having authentic connections with the loved ones in your life. If you’re paying too much attention to how many online friends you have and not enough on whether or not your face-to-face relationships are healthy, you may have a problem.

The next time you find yourself on your social media sites feeling jealous, envious, or somehow less than the people on those pages, remember that people tend to present very biased accounts of their lives. They, like you, want to measure up to the rest of the world.

Know that every human being is essentially struggling to feel worthy of being alive. It’s something we all seem to have in common. Instead of trying to be better than each other, let’s all instead try to have more compassion for each other.

If you or someone you know is having a hard time with self-worth issues and you’d like to speak to someone, please reach out the Good Life Center for Mental Health. We’d love to discuss how we may be able to help.

Source: Brighter Vision

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Our daily lives can get so busy. Obligations to work and family, as well as taking time to care for ourselves, can often make us forget to have a little fun. If the hustle and bustle of modern life has caused you to neglect your playful side, a weekly game night may be just what you need.

A game night will not only bring you laughter and enjoyment, but it will help you spend quality time with your friends and loved ones. But with so many commitments and so little time, you might be wondering if it’s worthwhile to take time out of your busy schedule to play? If so, read on for five ways a weekly game night will benefit you and your mental health.

1. Improves Relationships

Playing games with people you care about will not only improve relationships because you’re spending quality time, but it will actually strengthen those relationships through biochemistry. As you spend time close to loved ones, your body releases oxytocin, a hormone that creates feelings of trust and intimacy, strengthening your relationships.

2. Relieves Stress

Playing games induces laughter, and as the saying goes, “laughter is the best medicine.” Laughter is a very simple way to help your body produce endorphins, a neurotransmitter that will reduce your perception of pain and lead to feelings of euphoria, modulating stress and anxiety.

3. Relieves Anxiety and Depression

Spending time with friends or loved ones can make you feel significant and more important; this causes your serotonin to flow more. Serotonin will boost your mood, helping to regulate any anxiety or depression.

4. Improves Sleep

As you enjoy yourself with friends around the table, laughing and interacting with them, you will naturally reduce the levels of cortisol in your body, reducing stress and helping you sleep more soundly. You’ll also exert energy as you play, which will tire you out at the end of the day and help you fall asleep faster.

5. Makes You Happy

Having fun releases your natural “happy chemicals”, or hormones, that impact your mood. When you’re laughing and having fun, your body releases dopamine, serotonin, endorphins and oxytocin. These hormones will naturally make you feel happier, both in the moment and in the long-term.

As you plan out your week with teacher conferences, work meetings, and lunch dates, make sure you schedule in a little time for fun. You’ll be glad you did.

Are you looking for guidance and encouragement to make your life more fulfilling and meaningful? A licensed mental health professional can help you make changes and work towards achieving your goals. Call the Good Life Center for Mental Health, and let’s schedule a time to talk.

Source: Brighter Vision