An emotional red flag is a warning sign or indicator that something in your emotional state, behavior, or thought patterns may require attention. These signals often suggest you're experiencing distress, discomfort, or unhealthy emotional responses that could lead to bigger issues if not addressed. Emotional red flags serve as cues for self-awareness and an opportunity to reflect on what’s happening inside your mind. Let’s find out the characteristics of emotional red flags and ways to recognize those in your behaviors.  Key Characteristics of Emotional Red Flags . Sudden Emotional Changes Sudden emotional changes refer to rapid or unexpected shifts in a person’s emotional state. These changes can happen quickly, often without clear reasons, and may involve moving from one emotion to another, such as feeling overwhelmed, irritable, or sad without a clear reason. These emotional fluctuations can be mild or intense and may occur due to various factors, including stress, anxiety, hormonal changes, mental health conditions, trauma, sleep deprivation, certain medications, etc. Read more: How to Teach Students to Accept and Overcome Academic Failures Recurrent Negative Thought Patterns Recurrent negative thought patterns refer to repetitive, often automatic, and persistent thoughts that focus on pessimistic or self-critical ideas. These patterns can be distressing and are typically negative, leading to feelings of sadness, anxiety, or hopelessness. They often become habitual, meaning the person regularly experiences them without actively trying to and can affect mental well-being and behavior. Common types of recurrent negative thought patterns include:  - Constant Self-criticism: Harshly judging oneself, often engaging in self-blame or feelings of inadequacy.- Overthinking- Catastrophizing: Expecting the worst possible outcome.- Overgeneralization: Making broad, sweeping conclusions based on a single event or piece of evidence.- Black-and-white Thinking: Viewing situations in extremes, with no middle ground or shades of gray.- Negative Mental Filtering: Focusing only on the negative aspects of a situation and ignoring any positive ones.- Personalization: Blaming oneself for things outside of one’s control, or assuming responsibility for others’ actions or feelings.- Should Statements: Having rigid, unrealistic expectations about oneself or others, often leads to feelings of guilt or frustration when they aren't met.- Emotional Reasoning: Believing that negative emotions reflect objective reality.- Discounting the Positive: Downplaying or dismissing any positive feedback or accomplishments.- Mind Reading: Believing you know what others are thinking, often assuming they have negative thoughts about you. Read more: Why are Suicide Rates Higher Among Men? Avoidance Behaviors Avoidance behavior refers to actions or strategies people use to prevent facing situations, tasks, or thoughts that make them feel anxious, uncomfortable, or stressed. This behavior is a coping mechanism that temporarily alleviates discomfort but can reinforce negative feelings or create long-term problems.  Essentially, avoidance serves as a way to escape or avoid an unpleasant emotional state, but it doesn't resolve the underlying issue. Over time, avoidance can become a habitual response, which can increase the severity of the problems it was meant to avoid. Uncharacteristic Reactions Uncharacteristic reactions refer to responses or behaviors that are unusual, unexpected, or not typical of how a person usually behaves or reacts in a particular situation, like overreacting to minor issues or withdrawing completely from social interactions. These reactions often differ from an individual’s usual patterns of behavior, emotional responses, or coping mechanisms.  Read more: Good Stress: What Are the Benefits of Eustress? Uncharacteristic reactions can be triggered by various factors, including stress, trauma, illness, or emotional disturbances, and may represent a deviation from someone's normal ways of thinking, feeling, or acting. Recognizing these signs allows you to pause, reflect, and take action to manage your emotions before they escalate into more significant problems. Ways to Recognise Your Emotional Red Flags Recognizing your emotional red flags is an essential step in maintaining emotional well-being and healthy relationships. Here’s a guide to help you identify them: Track Repetitive Thoughts Are you replaying the same negative or traumatic past experiences inside your mind again and again? Look for recurring negative thought patterns, such as Self-criticism, Catastrophizing, Blaming others, feeling victimized, etc. Read more: 10 Ways to Ensure Emotional Well-being during Pregnancy Monitor Changes in Behavior Look into your actions. Notice when you start behaving differently, for example avoiding people or situations, overeating or undereating, losing motivation for tasks or hobbies you usually enjoy, etc. Reflect on Past Experiences Think about situations where you felt emotionally overwhelmed like extreme anger, panicking, grief, anxiety, joy, happiness, numbness, etc. over minor issues. What were the signs leading up to those overreacting or overwhelming moments? Notice Emotional Outbursts Reflect on moments when your emotions feel overwhelming, leading to sudden anger or irritability, crying unexpectedly, feeling numb or shutting down, etc.  Read more: Discomfort Anxiety v Depression: Differences, Ways of Prevention Identify Triggers  Analyze your emotional outbursts to find the triggers. Try to recognize situations or interactions that consistently cause negative emotions inside your mind, such as certain people or environments, specific words or tones of voice, high-pressure situations, etc. Keep a Journal Write down your thoughts, feelings, and reactions. Over time, patterns may emerge, making it easier to pinpoint what sets off your emotional red flags.  You can maintain a paper or digital journal based on your preference. Nowadays, diverse free and paid journaling apps are found on Android and iOS. Read more: Micro-acts of Joy: Secret to Being Happier and Healthier? Ask for Feedback Sometimes, those close to you may notice red flags you don’t. Ask trusted friends or family members if they observe any changes in your mood or behavior. It will help you recognize your mental issues before they get worse.  Track Physical Symptoms of Emotions Emotions often trigger physical reactions. Notice if you experience: Increased heart rate, Tightness in the chest, Clenched fists or jaw, Feeling drained or restless, etc. These symptoms can indicate heightened emotional states like anger, anxiety, or fear. To cope with the physical symptoms linked to emotions, consider strategies such as meditation, yoga, regular exercise, mindfulness, therapy, etc. Read more: How to Spend the Weekend in a Creative Way Conclusion Emotional red flags are early warning signs that indicate you may be headed toward emotional distress or unhealthy behaviors. These signals often manifest in patterns of thought, feelings, or actions. Recognizing emotional red flags, you can understand the triggers and reasons for your sudden emotional outbursts, negative thought patterns, avoidance behavior, uncharacteristic attitudes, etc. Understanding the link between emotions and physical symptoms can help you better manage both mental and physical health. However, identifying your emotional red flags isn’t about self-judgment but about understanding yourself better. Treat yourself with kindness as you work through your emotions. By becoming more attuned to your emotional red flags, you can take proactive steps to manage them and maintain emotional balance. Overall, this process can help you move toward the path of healing through mental health support, counseling, self-compassion, etc. Read more: How to Enjoy Your Own Company: Tips to Overcome Loneliness

With rising inflation driving up the cost of everyday necessities, managing regular expenses can feel overwhelming, let alone saving for the future. Yet, building a financial safety net is more crucial than ever. In 2025, saving money demands a smarter approach—streamlining expenses, boosting income, and maximizing financial efficiency. Discover actionable strategies to safeguard your finances and thrive in the face of economic challenges. Smart Money Strategies for 2025 Here are some practical steps to help you save more in the coming year. Set Attainable Financial Goals Make sure your financial resolutions don't fade away after the initial months of the new year. Setting smart goals can keep your financial resolutions fresh, strong, and versatile throughout the year. Defining short-term savings targets can help you to build an emergency fund. On the other hand, long-term savings targets can energize you to run the race for fulfilling your big dreams like buying an apartment, studying abroad, or making a retirement fund. Read more: How to Improve Focus by Training the ‘Attention Muscle’ Instead of burdening yourself with strict frugal behavior, it would be wise to set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound financial objectives to save money. Review Expenditure Generally, not all products or services you pay for are essential, some are less necessary, and few are luxury. Tracking your spending behaviour is an effective trick to set realistic saving targets. Don’t do calculations in your head. Write down the costs on paper. Utilizing a smart financial app or personal finance spreadsheets, one can easily identify one’s spending patterns. Control Expenses After reviewing your spending behaviour, you can easily understand where to retrench. For instance, saving money doesn’t mean you have to eat less and suffer from malnutrition; rather, it means cut costs on dinners outside that can be replaced by homemade meals. Read more: Shiny Object Syndrome in Business, Career: Symptoms, Effects, Prevention In the same way, you can be thrifty about your wardrobe. For example, caring for winter clothes can save your money from buying new shawls and sweaters every year. Nowadays, people tend to spend on digital products every month. However, cancelling unnecessary subscriptions reduces your expenses. Services you don’t use regularly should also be considered for discontinuation to save money. While shopping for groceries, try to shop for a month instead of a week, it can let you enjoy some discounts and cashback. Compare prices to find a nearby grocery shop, super shop, or market where you can find goods and products at reasonable prices. Growing vegetables on the rooftop or your balcony can also save you some money on groceries. What’s more, don’t forget to negotiate for lower rates on products and services. Read more: Top 10 Wallet Apps to Organize Finances Make A Budget Without a fixed weekly or monthly budget, it is hard to control costs in diverse sectors like grocery, clothing, travel, etc. Those who have spouses, children, elderly family members, or dependents need to consider all kinds of expenses while preparing the budget. While creating a budget for a month or week, you can implement the 50/30/20 rule which means allocate 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings and debt repayment. Grow Your Earnings Savings can be easier if you can boost your income. To increase earnings, service holders can look for additional income sources such as freelancing, tutoring, online business, etc.  Besides, you can learn new skills for better career opportunities or promotions. Nowadays, diverse international platforms and reputed universities are offering free and paid online courses. Read more: Using the 37 Percent Rule to Make Better Decisions in Life Furthermore, you can rent out unused assets, like a room or a car.  Automate Savings Even when setting clear financial objectives and budgets, you may forget to put money into your savings accounts for a number of reasons. To avoid this issue, you can opt for automatic transfer of funds to a high-yield savings account like DPS. Many reputed banks in Bangladesh offer such profitable DPS schemes that will automatically transfer a certain amount of money from your salary account to your DPS account each month. Minimize Loans & Debts Avoid taking on loans or debts unless necessary. The banks lure people to take credit cards and personal loans. Uncontrolled credit card spending can trap you in huge debts. To avoid this, you can follow your budget strictly and pay through cash. While taking personal loans, look for banks with lower interest rates and flexible repayment options. Avoid taking a new loan besides repaying your previous loan. To avoid loans, it would be wise if you can build savings for rainy days. Read more: Micro-acts of Joy: Secret to Being Happier and Healthier? Monitor and Adjust Regularly With time, your necessities, earnings, and spending behavior will change. In some months, you may fail to control expenditures due to unforeseen situations. Therefore it is necessary to review your budget and financial goals monthly. Adjust strategies based on life changes or new priorities. And, don’t forget to celebrate milestones to stay motivated. Conclusion Savings help you to be financially stable and independent. Not to mention, during hard times, like medical emergencies or unemployment periods, savings can give you financial protection and mental strength. However, saving money is a habit that requires determination and sacrifice. By implementing the above-mentioned strategies, you can significantly increase your savings in 2025 while building a stronger financial foundation. Read more: Top Strategies to Prepare for 2025: Start the New Year with Confidence and Purpose

Beyond trophies and titles, what truly endures? It is the echoes of our character, the ripple effects of our actions, the way we shape the lives we touch. Whether in the workplace or life in general, leaving behind a positive legacy is a desire many share. This article will help you to find effective ways to be remembered for the right reasons.  Legacy Mindset  A legacy mindset and leadership are intertwined guiding principles for a meaningful existence, transcending mere achievements and emphasising the profound impact on others. Picture the legacy mindset as an architectural design for a lasting impression in personal and professional spheres. At its core, this mindset is shaped by values—guiding principles influencing decisions and actions. Defining these values is a deliberate process of intricately shaping the tapestry of one's legacy with meaningful interactions and heartfelt moments. Read more: How to Utilise the Power of Visualisation to Achieve Goals In the workplace, leadership rooted in a legacy-driven mindset involves making a positive impact through excellence, teamwork, and fostering a positive environment. However, a legacy extends beyond the professional domain, with acts of kindness and genuine connections weaving threads into the fabric of a narrative that transcends the workplace. Leadership, transcending titles and power, requires a legacy-driven mindset that harmonises personal ambitions with the greater good. It demands humility, urging leaders to set aside egos and focus on collective well-being. Ultimately, a legacy-driven mindset, in personal relationships or leadership roles, is a daily commitment to a purpose-driven approach. It is about creating a positive legacy that inspires and influences generations. This mindset serves as a guiding beacon, steering individuals and leaders to navigate with integrity, compassion, and a profound commitment to leave the world better than they found it. Read more: How to Make Realistic New Year Resolutions that Stick Ways to Be Remembered Mentorship Empowering the next generation through mentorship is a potent way to leave a lasting legacy. Guiding a youth in need provides valuable insights and a mature perspective. Mentorship creates a positive ripple effect, impacting not only individuals but fostering a chain reaction of positive influence.  By mentoring the lost and empowering the marginalised, you become a lighthouse in storms, offering guidance and support that resonates far beyond the immediate mentor-mentee relationship.

Amidst the chaos that is contemporary living, uncovering pockets of joy becomes a potent catalyst for elevating both happiness and well-being. Micro-acts of joy, small yet impactful gestures, have the potential to transform our daily experiences. This article explores the fascinating connection between these micro-acts and the enhancement of overall well-being. How Happiness Affects Health Happiness is not just a fleeting emotion; it serves as a cornerstone for overall well-being, profoundly impacting both mental and physical health. The link between happiness and health is a subject of extensive research, revealing a symbiotic relationship that goes beyond mere positivity. From a psychological standpoint, a happy and content mind contributes to reduced stress levels. The release of endorphins, often termed 'feel-good' hormones, acts as a natural stress reliever,    promoting a sense of calm and tranquility. This emotional equilibrium, in turn, fosters resilience in facing life's challenges.  Read more: How to raise happy, confident, strong girls On a physiological level, the benefits are equally significant. Studies show that individuals with a positive outlook tend to have lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of cardiovascular issues. The immune system also receives a boost, making the body more resilient to illnesses. Furthermore, the connection between happiness and longevity is a compelling aspect. Studies indicate that those with an optimistic outlook on life are likely to enjoy a longer lifespan. It emphasizes the vital role of emotional well-being in determining one's overall health and lifespan. In essence, happiness becomes a powerful elixir for a healthy life, influencing the mind and body in intricate ways. Cultivating joy not only adds vibrancy to our existence but also acts as a fundamental building block for a resilient and thriving state of health. Read more: Happiness Hormone: Ways to Boost Dopamine

Forgiveness is often overlooked in the grand scheme of self-improvement, yet it is key to unlocking a sense of liberation and inner peace. In the hustle and bustle of a new year, reflecting on the art of forgiveness — both towards ourselves and others — is essential.  Forgiveness is not just a gesture; it is a powerful tool for personal growth and emotional well-being. As we embark on a new year, let's delve into the profound journey of flexing our “forgiveness muscles.” Benefits of Forgiveness Inner Peace and Tranquillity Forgiving oneself and others allows for the release of inner turmoil, leading to a profound sense of peace and tranquillity. The burden of resentment lifts, creating space for emotional well-being. Read more: How to Improve Focus by Training the ‘Attention Muscle’ Improved Mental Health Studies suggest a strong link between forgiveness and mental health. Letting go of grudges and resentments can alleviate stress, reduce anxiety, and contribute to overall psychological health. Enhanced Relationships Forgiveness plays a pivotal role in nurturing and sustaining healthy relationships. Whether it is forgiving a friend, partner, or family member, it fosters understanding, empathy, and a stronger bond. Emotional Liberation Holding onto grudges can be emotionally exhausting. Forgiveness liberates us from the shackles of negative emotions, allowing us to experience joy, happiness, and a renewed sense of self. Read more: How to Utilise the Power of Visualisation to Achieve Goals Increased Empathy Choosing to forgive cultivates empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It promotes a compassionate outlook, fostering a more harmonious social environment. Personal Growth Forgiveness is a catalyst for personal growth. It encourages self-reflection, self-awareness, and the opportunity to learn from challenging experiences, ultimately leading to greater resilience. Health Benefits The benefits of forgiveness extend beyond mental well-being. Studies suggest that forgiving individuals may experience lower blood pressure, reduced heart rate, and overall better physical health. Read more: How to Make Realistic New Year Resolutions that Stick Stress Reduction Letting go of grudges and embracing forgiveness can significantly reduce stress levels. The ability to navigate conflicts with a forgiving mindset contributes to a more relaxed and balanced life. Positive Influence on Others Demonstrating forgiveness serves as a positive example for those around us. It creates a ripple effect, encouraging others to adopt a forgiving attitude and contribute to a more compassionate society.

Did it ever happen to you that after listening to any hour-long lecture in a workshop or classroom you can’t remember anything? Though you were physically present at that place, your mind was not there. What’s missing here was focus.   Focus – a little word with a huge impact! It's like the superhero of thinking, connecting to decisions, problem-solving, learning, memory, and how we see the world. If the focus game isn't strong, it can put a damper on thinking skills. Mastering the art of focusing is a game-changer. Focus can be used like a spotlight to direct the flow of energy. Harnessing the power of focus is key to success in life.  What is Focus? Focus is like a superpower that helps you to fully concentrate into one specific task and ignore the noise and happenings around.  Some folks call it "flow," a term made cool by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in his book “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.” It's that feeling of being in the zone, where your mind is so absorbed that you forget about everything else – time, space, and anything other than the task at hand. For instance, with focus, you can enjoy a novel amid the huge chaos of a railway station. Read more: How to Utilise the Power of Visualisation to Achieve Goals Focus lets someone immerse themselves completely in one thing, without allowing mental distractions. It's like a mental power boost, concentrating all brain energy on one awesome task. Focus is the secret sauce to becoming the superhero of concentration! You can think of focus as a muscle for your mind. Like any other muscle, you can train it. So, if you want to boost your focus game, treat it like a workout – flex that mental muscle regularly. What is Attention Muscle? The attention muscle is like the brain's personal trainer for focus. It's all about the ability to direct and keep your awareness on a task, even when distractions come knocking. If you don't intentionally work it out, this attention muscle doesn't get stronger – and that's when the mind becomes a bit of a scatterbrain. An under-exercised attention muscle leads to a twitchy, agitated mind that can't catch a break, constantly hopping from one distraction to another. It's like trying to herd cats. Read more: Students with Depression: Tips for Parents and Educators Most people don't realize how feeble their attention muscle is until they actually need to buckle down and focus. Without proper training and development, sustained focus becomes a bit like trying to juggle too many balls at once – nearly impossible! So, if you want to avoid mental acrobatics, it's time to hit the mental gym and give that attention muscle a good workout.

Visualisation is the power of imagination that enables individuals to manifest their aspirations into reality by harnessing the mind's capabilities. This powerful tool can transform fuzzy desires into vibrant blueprints for success. This can significantly impact your journey towards achieving personal and professional goals. Let’s look at some visualisation techniques that can help fulfil your desires in real life.    Visualisation Strategies That Can Make Your Goals a Reality Crystallise Your Vision  Imagine the perfect scenario before you act.  For instance, if you are preparing to give a presentation in the office, picture yourself delivering an impeccable presentation. See the room—bright lights, attentive faces. Feel the confident aura around you.  Or, if you are an athlete who is preparing for a marathon, you can envisage completing the race. Feel the warmth of the sun, hear the crowd cheering. The clearer the vision, the more powerful its effect on your aspirations. Dive deep into these detailed mental images—they will pull you closer to the goal. Read more: How to Make Realistic New Year Resolutions that Stick In this way, people of any profession can utilise their mental power to imagine their successes.  Emotional Involvement  Visualisation stir emotions in the form of joy, excitement, and satisfaction. Emotions can drive people with strong determination to reach their targets. So, let your emotion propel you to forward your journey. For example, if you want to lose weight, you can try to imagine the situation of hitting your fitness target. In the same way, an athlete or a weight lifter can immerse himself in the thrill of crossing the finish line or lifting heavier weights. Feel the rush of adrenaline, the joy of overcoming challenges. It can inspire and energise you to carry out regular exercises and hard work required on the journey to success.  Read more: Good Stress: What Are the Benefits of Eustress? Goal-Specific Techniques  One needs to customise their visualisation methods for specific goals. If one is aiming for a promotion, one should envision confidently handling responsibilities in the new role. Also, picturing leading and motivating others with ease is important too.  Tailoring the visualisations to match your aspirations precisely will strengthen your belief and determination. It will make your path to success clearer and more achievable. Visualisation Scripts  Imagine detailed mental scripts outlining steps to achieve your goals. You can visualise smoothly tackling work challenges, learning and growing from each experience. These detailed mental scripts will guide you through the journey towards your goals. It will also boost your confidence in handling challenges along the way.  Read more: Effective Self-marketing Tips for Job Candidates For instance, if you want to go abroad for higher studies, imagine all the steps, such as taking IELTS, choosing Universities, applying, getting a visa, etc. Thus, mental scripting can help you meet the requirements one by one systematically.  Vision Boards  It is necessary to build a visual collection of your dreams. If longing for travel, gather images of dreamy destinations. Arrange these images, words, and symbols into a collage. Then, hang it where you can see it often.  This vivid display will energise you and remind you of your aspirations. It can reinforce what you are striving for each day. Let its presence inspire and focus your efforts, like working hard to save money for travelling.  Read more: Personal Grooming Tips and Tricks for Better Life and Career

Resolutions give us an opportunity to outline our aspirations and step towards personal growth. Beginning of the year is a great time for setting resolutions to embrace fresh beginnings with the pursuit of positive change. However, not all resolutions last longer. People often fail to keep resolutions. Let’s find out how to keep the New Year’s resolutions. Why New Year Resolutions Fail Tradition over Purpose Many resolutions arise from tradition rather than a genuine need for change. When resolutions are set solely because it is customary at the start of a new year, the motivation to pursue them may dwindle compared to goals rooted in a true necessity for transformation. Failure to Anticipate Obstacles A common oversight to fulfil resolutions is the lack of foresight regarding potential obstacles. The barriers are different for every individual. If someone neglects to identify and plan for potential barriers, it can significantly increase the likelihood of encountering setbacks in achieving his or her resolutions.   Read more: How to Spend the Weekend in a Creative Way Unrealistic Goals and Lack of Accountability Setting excessively challenging or overly simplistic objectives often leads to failure. Lack of accountability further diminishes the likelihood of accomplishing these goals. Studies reveal that accountability doubles the chances of achieving set objectives.  Neglecting Tracking and Planning Neglecting regular progress tracking and inadequate planning contribute to failure. Establishing a routine review system and meticulous planning are essential to keep resolutions. This process fosters consistency and allows for adaptations to challenges that may arise along the way. Unclear Purpose and Self-Doubt Unclear reasons behind resolutions and succumbing to self-doubt are detrimental. People tend to set goals without a clear roadmap. It leads to frustration and eventual abandonment of their resolutions. A strong emotional connection to goals helps dispel excuses and strengthens commitment.  Read more: Good Stress: What Are the Benefits of Eustress? 10 Tips to Help You Keep Your New Year's Resolution Set Specific and Measurable Goals  First, establishing clear, measurable objectives is foundational. Try to begin by establishing precise, measurable objectives that can be effectively tracked. Specificity ensures clarity in what you aim to achieve and aids in progress monitoring and strategy refinement.  Measurable goals provide a tangible way to track the advancement and make necessary adjustments for success. When goals are well-defined, they become more manageable, and progress becomes more apparent. Read more: How to Enjoy Your Own Company: Tips to Overcome Loneliness

Nowadays everyone is talking about the goal to get a stress-free life. Stress is a familiar term in today's busy world. We often associate it with negative effects on our mental and physical health. But actually, not all stress is detrimental. There is a positive side to moderate stress. This is known as good stress and this can be beneficial for us. What is Positive Stress or Eustress? Good stress, known as eustress, is the kind of stress that makes people feel excited and motivated. It is like a little challenge that helps one do one’s best.  Eustress can encourage an individual to try a new hobby, learn a new language or skill, and even step outside one’s comfort zone. For instance, a school student, Mina, had to participate in a spelling competition. She felt a bit nervous but also eager to do her best. The stress motivated her to study hard and concentrate. During the competition, her heart was racing, but she remembered the words and won! The good stress she felt had pushed her to succeed. Another example, giving a speech at a seminar might make an individual nervous, but it is also exciting for him or her.  This mix of feelings is good stress or eustress. It pushes people to prepare and focus. Read more: Students with Depression: Tips for Parents and Educators Difference between Good Stress and Bad Stress Good stress, like starting a new job or preparing for a race, is like a little push that makes you excited. It helps you to focus and do your best. It is like a friend cheering you on! Bad stress, on the other hand, is like a big heavy weight on one’s shoulders. It is when things feel tough and overwhelming, like money troubles, anxiety regarding academic performance or worrying about career issues, etc. Such stresses are also called negative stress or distress. Distress can make one feel tired and worried all the time. Therefore, the difference between good stress and bad stress is obvious. Eustress is like a friendly nudge that helps you, while distress is like a big rock that's hard to carry. It is important to manage bad stress, maybe by talking to someone, getting counselling, finding ways to relax, doing yoga, or similar stress-relieving activities. It should be ensured that negative stress does not weigh anyone down too much. Read more: 10 Ways to Ensure Emotional Well-being during Pregnancy

Finding a new job is a part of career growth for both young and experienced professionals. However, nowadays, every vacancy attracts a multitude of applicants. Sometimes educational qualifications, skills and experiences are not enough to convince the employers. So how can a candidate showcase his or her eligibility for the job? Mastering the art of self-marketing can be the key  to improving their career. Let’s find out how self-marketing can help job seekers to get hired. What is Self-marketing? Why is it Important for Career Growth Self-marketing is the practice of promoting one’s skills, experience, and personal brand to potential employers. It's about showcasing what makes a job seeker unique and prove why he or she is the best fit for a particular job.  In today's competitive job market, effective self-marketing is vital. It helps a job candidate stand out amid a sea of candidates, emphasizing his or her strengths and achievements. Beyond impressing employers, self-marketing boosts the job seeker’s confidence. It makes a difference in interviews and negotiations. Read more: 10 Ways You Can Improve Your English Pronunciation Crafting a strong personal brand aligns with an individual’s career goals. It simplifies the attraction of suitable opportunities and valuable connections through networking. In a fast-paced job market, effective self-marketing can be a critical asset for career success, as it showcases both the skills and adaptability of young professionals who are looking for suitable employment scopes . 10 Tips for Marketing Yourself as a Job Candidate Craft an Outstanding Resume Crafting an outstanding resume is the cornerstone of successful self-marketing. It involves creating a well-structured document that highlights one’s qualifications, experience, and achievements concisely.  Tailoring your resume to the specific job you are applying for is important. Try to use clear language, quantify your accomplishments with numbers where possible, and ensure it's error-free. Your resume is your first impression on potential employers, so it must captivate their attention and make them eager to learn more about you. Read more: Recession-Proof Your Career With Tech Skills Nowadays, video resumes are both popular and trendy. Therefore, you can submit video resumes besides the traditional resumes while applying for jobs. Develop an Elevator Pitch Developing an elevator pitch is about crafting a brief, compelling introduction of yourself and your skills, like a verbal business card. It should be concise, engaging, and memorable, typically lasting about 30 seconds – the time it takes for an elevator ride.  Your elevator pitch should encapsulate your key qualifications, experience, and what sets you apart from others in your field. It's a powerful tool for networking events, job interviews, or any situation where you need to make a quick and impactful impression. Read more: Making a Perfect Video Resume: Tips and Tricks Similar strategies are applicable while you prepare a video resume for any job application process. Know the Potential Employer Understanding your potential employer is crucial when marketing yourself as a job candidate. Research the company thoroughly to gain insights into its culture, values, and goals. This knowledge allows you to tailor your application and interview responses to align with what the company is seeking.