Left-Handed People Are Truly Exceptional, According to Science

College-educated left-handed people earn 10% to 15% more than their right-handed counterparts, according to a 2006 study conducted by researchers from Lafayette College and Johns Hopkins University. Being just about 10% of the total population, there is something exceptional about them — awesome people like Leonardo da Vinci, Bill Gates, Aristotle, and Marie Curie have all been left-handed.

we discovered some amazing facts about left-handed people and what makes them really special.

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A genius is more likely to be a lefty.

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Left-handed people are more likely to be geniuses. It’s no wonder that Albert Einstein was a lefty. While lefties make up for just 10% of the entire population, 20% of all members of MENSA— the world’s largest and oldest society of people with high IQs—were found to be left-handed.

Lefties make better artists.

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Research published in the American Journal of Psychology suggests that left-handed people have the upper hand when it comes to creativity. The study shows that they’re better at exploring various out-of-the-box solutions for a problem. A study conducted by The Left-Handers’ Club (a pro-leftie group dedicated to research on left-handedness) with over 2,000 left-handed, right-handed, and ambidextrous participants found that lefties tend to be drawn more to careers in the arts, music, sports, and information technology fields.

Of late, they’ve been successful at becoming US presidents.

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3 of the last 5 presidents have been southpaws. President Obama, Bill Clinton, and George H.W. Bush were all lefties, and so were presidents Gerald Ford, James Garfield, and Harry Truman. A recently published Dutch report suggests that left-handed politicians have the upper hand in televised debates. This is due to the fact that right-handed gestures are normally associated with positivity and left-handed gestures with negativity. And since television actually shows a mirror image, the lefties appear to be right-handed.

They have an advantage in sports.

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Lefties are in a position of advantage in one-on-one sports like tennis, badminton, and boxing. In his book, The Puzzle of Left-Handedness, linguist Rik Smits explains that both left-handed and right-handed athletes usually train against right-handed opponents. So when right-handed players face a left-handed opponent, they are unprepared. On the other hand, the left-handed player is prepared for a right-handed opponent.

They make good fighters.

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In a 2005 French study, researchers found that in peaceful societies lefties made up just about 3% of the population whereas their numbers soared as high as 27% in warlike zones. Scientists postulate that the reason behind this discrepancy is the fact that lefties have a physical advantage over righties because of their unexpected left hook.

Bonus: All lefties can relate to this.

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How many left-handed people do you know? Do you agree with the points described above? If you’re a lefty please leave a comment below and share this article with your friends!

 

8 Psychological Tricks That Can Work With Anyone

The key to success is believing in yourself. There are a lot of books and movies about this topic but the reality often shows us that in most cases, self-confidence is not all we need (and sometimes, high self-esteem can even be dangerous). But being disciplined and able to communicate with people is always important. Unfortunately, very few people have these skills.

We  are convinced that hard work and success always accompany each other. And in order to achieve some things more easily, use these psychological tricks from this list.

8. Remember the recency effect

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Everyone knows that the last phrase spoken is memorized better than the conversation as a whole. In fact, this effect doesn’t just work for conversations. For example, you have a really important job interview where you’re competing with other people. You’ll have an advantage if you can manage to see the hiring manager first or last: there is a greater chance that they will memorize and hire you. Of course, you’ll have to be as good as the other candidates.

7. Simulate

Imitating the behavior of a person you want to be like is actually a way to have the same character traits. It works the same way as the placebo effect: you basically make yourself think that you have a certain character trait, and over time, you really will. The most important thing is to do it as often as possible: if you do it only once a month, it won’t work.

By the way, the same works for emotions: in order to get yourself in a certain mood, start doing some things that are connected with this feeling. This means, for example, that in order to get yourself in a better mood, you just need to smile more often.

6. Demonstrate sincere happiness

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Of course, this doesn’t mean you should hug people you barely know. But if you greet people with a smile and sincere warmth, sooner or later, they will feel the same toward you. The trick is, that you use positive emotions to make the other person feel that you are happy to see them. The other person will start with smiling back at you and over time, they will start to really like you.

5. Discuss secondary issues

Imagine this: you are suggesting an idea at a business meeting and you want it to be accepted. Try to lead the conversation not in the direction of discussing the viability of the idea, but the details of its realization. For example, you want to plant trees in the neighborhood? Ask which kinds of trees are more preferable. You want to build a playground for children? Discuss the materials. This way, there is a bigger probability that the people will start to treat the idea as if it is already accepted and they are more inclined to agree with you.

4. Don’t postpone things you have to do

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Procrastination is a really dangerous thing because “later” often turns into “never.” There is a really simple trick that helps to combat laziness: start doing something as soon as you remember it. The thing is, on a subconscious level, we always try to finish things. Make yourself do something and you will thank yourself later: even if you don’t complete it, at least you will do something which is definitely better than doing nothing.

3. Use the right motivation

According to the theory proposed by psychologist Frederick Herzberg, dissatisfaction and satisfaction with a job depend on completely different factors. A comfortable environment and medical insurance, of course, make employees more loyal, but they don’t motivate them enough. If you want to make an employee more effective, it is not enough to just raise their salary: notice the success of their colleagues, create opportunities for professional growth, and make the job itself as interesting as possible.

2. Use decoys

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Marketers love this trick so much, but you can also use it in real life in order to get what you want. In sales, the least profitable price becomes the decoy. For example, you are faced with a choice: a small cup of coffee for $1 and a bigger one for $1.50. The difference is not really that much, so a lot people will choose the smaller one because it’s cheaper. But if they are offered a third option, the one that is twice as big as the first one not for $2, but for only $1.75, the picture becomes completely different: the biggest price will seem the best. Remember this trick when you are asking someone for a favor or trying to suggest your idea at a business meeting.

1. Don’t jump to conclusions

Taking someone else’s position quickly in a conflict is not the best decision. You should be calm and reasonable. Stay neutral until you hear the arguments from both sides. This way you will demonstrate your ability to analyze things in an unbiased way. People will notice this and trust you more.

We hope that you will find these tricks useful. And which glass did you really choose? Tell us in the comment section below.

A Psychologist Explains Why Late Marriages Are Happier Than Early Ones

Everyone is looking for their love. Unfortunately, many relationships end. It happens because the pressure of social stereotypes can become stronger than real desires, and people hurry to get married not to create a family but because of fleeting feelings and the fear of being alone.

Bright Side invites you to make an objective assessment of whether you’re ready to build a strong relationship or not using these 7 factors.

7. Love helps with self-development.

A mature person never stops working on themselves, and love only gives strength. They’re not afraid to change their point of view and are ready to admit their drawbacks. They can be understanding and attentive. 2 loving people will always try to be better for a prosperous relationship.

If a partner wants you to accept them as they are and suggests you put up with their bad habits, your relationship won’t develop, and you will become strangers to each other.

6. First of all, to love means to give.

A self-sustained person doesn’t look for inspiration in their partner and doesn’t try to fulfill the emptiness in their soul with them. Everything is vice versa: they try to share what they have. Infantile people try only to be loved, and they give no more effort to love. In his book The Road Less Traveled, psychologist Morgan Peck calls such a painful addiction “a form of antilove.”

Don’t be surprised if a partner that always gets what they want leaves you all alone when you face problems.

5. One of the main aspects of love is willpower.

Those famous words from marriage vows say that we should always be by each other’s side: in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, and so on. These words imply that people who want to start a family understand that love isn’t just about feelings but that it’s a binding and considered decision.

The components of a mature relationship are common goals, a sincere desire to be together, and focusing your attention and energy on one and the same person — even if there are temptations and hesitations.

If after each argument you pack your bags and remember your ex, you should think about how long this relationship will last.

4. Love is work.

Being patient with a partner’s habits and features, being attentive... All these things might sound boring, and they’re always exhausting and effort-consuming, but it’s the foundation of a harmonious relationship. If you want to strengthen your love, you have to work hard.

If you hold on to your hurt, it may break out all of a sudden, and your relationship can be ruined.

3. Love is responsibility.

Responsibility is a feature that distinguishes an adult from a child. You can use the same indicator regarding your relationship: is it mature or not? It’s great when you have someone to rely on, isn’t it? And are you ready to be that reliable person? Yes, such a method implies serious obligations, but it also strengthens your relationship and makes it real.

That’s why if your partner says, “There is no difference. It changes nothing!” it may be a sign that they’re not ready for a long-term relationship.

2. To love means to respect each other’s individuality.

A mature person has already built their goals and found themselves, which is why they’re ready to respect someone else’s interests. Such a relationship is free from pressure: the partners give freedom to each other and always try to reach a compromise.

People who are only preoccupied with their own interests aren’t ready to listen, understand, or admit to anything.

1. Love won’t protect you from getting hurt.

Hurt and disappointment are normal things in our life, and even our beloved can’t always protect us. We have to be brave to face difficulties, and we shouldn’t complain or blame anyone. In this case, the relationship will be strong and profound.

Psychologists believe that if we understand and accept these 7 principles, we can really build a great relationship. They advise us to slow down with marriage if we feel that we or our partner might not be ready. You’d be better off devoting your precious time to your hobbies, dreams, and personal growth instead of recovering from a painful breakup.

6 Questions That Polite People Just Don’t Ask

The ability to make small talk is a good skill both for at work and in life. But even polite people sometimes unintentionally ask questions that can cause an interlocutor’s rejection and the wish to isolate themselves. And very often it’s not clear what the issue is all about.

We  have analyzed the questions that people ask strangers in conversations most often. We chose ones that you’re better off avoiding — especially if you want to make good contacts and carry on a good conversation.

1. “Is that your mother?”

If you don’t know for sure what kind of a relationship people in front of you have, you’d better not try to guess and name the variants. It’s likely that your interlocutor will be pushed away by questions such as:

• “Is it your mother/sister/brother/son?”
• “Are you related?”

You can mistakenly call an elder sister a mother, or call people who don’t like each other relatives. Resembling each other can be a big offense for them. It’s much simpler and more polite to make the conclusion about what relationship status people in front of you have by watching their behavior, mannerisms, and speech.

2. “How long have you been together?”

People like to talk about their own relationships and the relationships of others. However, if your interlocutors aren’t sharing their relationship status right away, you’d better not ask them how long they’ve been seeing each other and whether they are married or not.

People in front of you might turn out to be simple acquaintances who decided to come to the party together. Questions about marriage can be unpleasant for couples that have disagreements on this topic.

3. “When are you going to have a baby?”

Here are some other questions you are better off avoiding:

• “Do you have kids?”
• “Are you pregnant?”
• “Did you want a baby boy or a baby girl?”

We can assure you that any mother of multiple kids repeatedly gets asked the question, “Are they all yours?” This likely makes her go mad! A question about having kids can annoy child-free couples and upset those who can’t have a baby. Additionally, the pregnancy topic can sound like a tease or a hint about being overweight.

If your interlocutor came with kids, it’s better to ask about their interests and if they’re without kids, it’s better to find a more neutral topic for your initial conversation.

4. “Will it stay forever?”

Of course, people are less likely to speak about obvious and visible health issues of their interlocutor but they often ask irrelevant questions about the specifics of one’s appearance like:

• “Was it painful?”
• “Is it real?”
• “Where did you get your [blank] done?”

Very few people actually find it interesting to tell strangers about their tattoos, piercings, and dreadlocks. Moreover, one should never touch other people or items on them — it’s a violation of personal space.

Asking about cosmetic procedures a person has undergone is not an indicator of good manners either. Even if you’re sure that the person in front of you visits a solarium, you shouldn’t ask them for salon contacts. Perhaps this person wants to pretend that this is their natural skin color and your question might spoil their mood.

5. “Why do you need it?”

Hobbies are a good topic for small talk — It can make strangers good friends. However, there is also a range of questions that can embarrass an interlocutor. For example, asking why a person needs 5 dogs or why they have such an expensive hobby is definitely not a pleasant question. Your interlocutor might think that you consider their hobbies silly.

6. “How much does it cost?”

Few people ask their interlocutors how much they earn. Instead, they might try to find out how much experts in this sphere earn in general.

Moreover, people don’t like to admit that their salary is not that high and they simply like their job. Or that they don’t like their job and want to change it but haven’t found the right opportunity yet. Anyway, questions about money and remunerations are too personal to be asked.

• “How much was it?”

Purchases can be another uncomfortable topic. Perhaps you simply asked about the cost of the item because your friend has recently bought the same thing and you simply want to compare the prices. But your interlocutor might think that you’re trying to assess their financial status and their ability to afford certain purchases.

How to answer embarrassing questions:

What if someone asks you unpleasant questions? The following actions might be of great help:

• Change the topic.
• Give a short answer.
• Refuse to answer.

Very often, ignoring a question will be enough to make your interlocutor understand that it’s embarrassing for you. Changing the topic and giving a short answer is also a good signal that you don’t like it.

However, if your interlocutor insists on the answer, you can simply say, “I don’t want to talk about it, let’s change the topic.” It’s much better than getting angry, nervous, and irritated at the topic you don’t like.

Questions set the course of the conversation. Learning to ask them correctly means becoming a good interlocutor who attracts other people. Have you ever faced an embarrassing situation because of awkward questions?

8 Crucial Things That Show If Your Relationship Is Draining You

After a breakup, we usually start thinking and trying to understand why it happened. We may blame ourselves, our partners, or our circumstances. But it’s better to analyze the situation and figure out if you both were ready to build a serious relationship.

we have collected 8 characteristics of serious and long-lasting relationships. Are you ready to test yourself?

8. Personal development

When your relationship is healthy, you constantly improve yourself. You find new friends, get a better job, and build your career. Your beloved will always support you, they aren’t envious of your achievements, and they don’t claim you spend all your time at work and don’t pay attention to them.

If your relationship is immature, you’ll notice that you have less friends, your career isn’t going anywhere, your life is devoted to your partner and their interests.

7. Attitude toward your partner

One of the main relationship rules says that you have to accept your partner the way they are. Of course, you might believe that you can change them or influence their views, but you shouldn’t force them to bend to your will.

First, these attempts usually lead to arguments. Second, if you’ve fallen in love with this person with their habits and flaws, it means that you’ve understood what you’re going to have to put up with.

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A partner who truly loves you will always support all your crazy and even ridiculous ideas, not because they have to, but because they share your interests. You both act like one mechanism and you don’t care what others think.

6. Emotions

You shouldn’t feel uncomfortable with your partner. If you’re excited to be with them today and ready to break up with them tomorrow, it’s time to analyze your relationship. The storm of emotions and instability indicates that your relationship is immature.

5. Proving you do love your partner

Partners in a mature relationship know that they love each other and they feel great together. If your partner or you need facts proving that you love one another, it means that one of you has doubts about the sincerity of your relationship. One day, these small doubts can turn into huge gaps between you and your beloved.

4. Self-perception

A mature relationship is a relationship between 2 mature adults where neither tries to compensate their own drawbacks using the other person. If a relationship is based on one’s desire to offend or belittle their partner, it won’t be long-lasting and happy.

3. Problems

All couples face problems from time to time. These issues may be connected with either both or one of the partners. But in a strong relationship, problems only make your love stronger. Partners never blame each other, they simply overcome all difficulties together. If complications only cause conflicts, it’s time to think about whether your relationship is strong and mature or not.

2. Confidence

Jealousy is one of the most frequent reasons leading to a breakup. If you and your partner are confident and you believe each other, you won’t control every step and incoming text message. Even superficial flirting won’t cause an argument.

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However, it’s better to be more realistic when it comes to impudent lies: like your partner always staying late at work due to “official meetings” and not paying enough attention to you. What’s more, if they’re cold and distant toward you, it’s time to think about your relationship and try to understand if your beloved truly loves you.

1. Love

One of the most important mature relationship features is a couple’s ability to share love. If you’re confident and don’t want to hurt your partner, you’ll share this beautiful feeling with them.

Sometimes initially, you really need love and want your partner to constantly share it with you. In this case, you have to understand that you’ll have to work hard on your relationship. Otherwise, you’re not ready for this relationship right now.