Charisma-Oh mama!

All through out history there have been people with personalities larger than life. Moses,  Rudolph Valentino, Coco Channel, Audry Hepburn.  Of course the modern day Charismatics would be folks like Oprah because of her staying power, Ryan Seacrest, The Kardachens.  Then there are the Charismatic people who use their power for evil and not for good.  They are villains such as Al Capone, Jimmy Hoffa, Hitler,  Jim Jones, and more recently The Dad of balloon boy.  The guy was so charismatic.  He had already been on one reality show, had another lined up and was going to write a book about his little balloon boy.  Wow.

Should you want to become larger than life in a positive way.  Or to build on some skills you already have working towards the goal or charisma, here are a few things you can increase in your life.

Choose a direction.  Have an intentional, thoughtful way about you.  Know where you are headed in life.  When you seem self aware, and self assured then people are more relaxed around you.  If you aren't in turmoil then your atmosphere is calm.  This is the time to decide on a career, or college, or that trip around the world.  The point is to make decisions.  Find ways to implement them.  Then stick to them.  Don't be a flip flopper.  If you are uncertain of your goals, don't declare them to people.  Only tell people of things when you are certain.  Then you don't appear to be wishy washy.

Speak articulately.  It is okay to speak excitedly, but speak clearly and with clear intention.  Listen well to others, and look in their eyes when they speak.  Please, don't look around while they are talking.  This is what I call the " please, someone help me, I can't wait to get away from this person"  Look of desperation.  If others in the room can recognize this look then the person to whom you should be paying attention can as well.

Show flexibility and spontaneity.   Allow yourself to be enthusiastic and excited.  Even dramatic and animated.  After all you are around friends and you like them.  Think to yourself that no matter where you are, you have never met someone who wasn't a friend.  Then when you think on life, you don't have one friend or two.  You have dozens and dozens! After practicing these things for a while they will become second nature.  At first you will be practicing and after a while you will simply be doing it.  Like riding a bike.  All of these things are confidence builders.  So, as you learn these things you are also learning to be more of a confident person.  It will be a beautiful life.  When people look at you they'll see so much self confidence and joy.  Yes!  Even Charisma!  They will say, oh what Charisma, Oh Mama!!!

Leslie