Be Prepared To Be Amazed…

When I'm bored, I usually watch videos on Youtube. There you can find all kind of topics from music to how to boil an egg. While I was searching what to watch on that platform I came across a TED talk with the following title: “10 ways to have a better conversation” by Celeste Headlee. I must tell that those words called my attention immediately because I want to learn to be better at conversations. I am usually better at listening and I’m always amazed by those people who can engage in deep conversations whenever they want. Curious to know about these “10 ways” I watched the video. I leave the video here so you can experience it too…

Maybe a 12-minute video is not for you. But the message of this video seems to me worthy of being shared. That's why I'll leave the 10 rules for good conversation that Miss Headlee left in this TED talk.

Celeste Headlee’s 10 ways to have a better conversation

1) Don't multitask. "And I don't mean just set down your cell phone or your tablet or your car keys or whatever is in your hand. I mean, be present".

2) Don't pontificate. "If you want to state your opinion without any opportunity for response or argument or pushback or growth, write a blog".

3) Use open-ended questions. "In this case, take a cue from journalists. Start your questions with who, what, when, where, why or how. If you put in a complicated question, you're going to get a simple answer out".

4) Go with the flow. "That means thoughts will come into your mind and you need to let them go out of your mind".

5) If you don't know, say that you don't know. "Err on the side of caution. Talk should not be cheap".

6) Don't equate your experience with theirs.

7) Try not to repeat yourself. "It's condescending, and it's really boring, and we tend to do it a lot".

8) Stay out of the weeds.

 9) Listen. "You have to listen to one another".

10) Be brief.

      I know, I know… This post is really long! But I fell in love with this TED talk. I think that nowadays we underestimate the benefits of a deep conversation with a friend, our parents or even with strangers. I’m convinced that every single one of my readers may get some useful tips and for sure after watching Celeste’s talk you will enjoy better conversational skills.

       Last but nos least, I loved the final thought that she left: 

"I keep my mouth shut as often as I possibly can, I keep my mind open, and I'm always prepared to be amazed, and I'm never disappointed. You do the same thing. Go out, talk to people, listen to people, and, most importantly, be prepared to be amazed". (Celeste Headlee)

REMEMBER!

But First... Let Me Take a Selfie!

   Taking a picture of oneself is not something new in the photography world. People have been taking self-captions for a long time now – if not since the invention of photography. But it was with the advent of social networks that the word "selfie" was coined. Since its apparition, social media has become an effective way to share information, pictures, music and anything that you could think of. But the practice of taking a picture of oneself as the main protagonist has jumped to popularity in recent years. So much is their success that many people even put their life in danger to get a perfect selfie.

A man takes a selfie by a crashing wave on Beirut's Corniche, a seaside promenade, as high winds sweep through Lebanon during a storm in this February 11, 2015, file photo. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/Files

   There are different kinds of people who take a selfie. There are these people who take selfies from time to time, for a special occasion or for a profile picture. These people only take pictures of themselves when they deem it necessary. Then, there are people that feel the need to take a selfie every step they make. Since they wake up in the morning till they go to bed, you can trace every move they make through their social media. But the one that is more interesting for me are the ones that put their life in danger to take an “extreme selfie”. These are people that take pictures of themselves near wild animals, on top of skyscrapers or at cliffs' edges. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/rrRVMoDanK/

   As “cool” as those pictures may look like, there have been a lot of deaths due to this dangerous practice. This madness of taking the most extreme selfie led people to take huge risks in order to achieve it. Although there are a lot of people who have succeeded – we can find their amazing pictures all over the net – others have not been so lucky. To give an example of these events, I will expose the problem that India has with this wave of deaths due to selfie-takers. India is the country who has the highest rank of deaths involving selfies. Here are some pieces of news about this problematic issue in India:

CHENNAI: Just outside Chennai, a 16-year-old student died while trying to take a selfie with a speeding train in the background.

MALEGAON: Three schoolchildren today drowned in a lake while trying to click a selfie near Shingave village in Nashik district.

   This wave of deaths has led the Indian State to get to work to prevent further tragedies. That's why the government has implemented no-selfie zones posting warning signs. Most Indian states have labelled tourists’ zones to make them safe.

http://www.ndtv.com/video/news/news/max-selfie-linked-deaths-in-india-selfie-danger-zones-to-be-identified-426952

   Taking selfies to remember a trip or a special moment is something that allows us to remember it for a long time. But I think that too much of something is really wide of the mark. Putting yourself in danger to gain "likes" is certainly something that you should not even think twice.