Guest Post - The Aristobrats - Jennifer Solow

GUEST POST
 

THE ARISTOBRATS

JENNIFER SOLOW

I think Jennifer “gets it” when it comes to popularity.  She was so sweet to write a guest post that gives five tips to being popular – and why being popular really doesn’t matter.  Be sure to read them all because tip #5 is probably the most important.  

I am going to let you in on a little secret.  I know about a secret entrance to a secret page on Jennifer's home page.  Just click on the diamond ring (I have an example below) and you will be transported to the secret page.  Have fun!

Thank you Jennifer!

 

HOW TO BE POPULAR

AND WHY IT DOESN’T MATTER

I think it’s a misconception that a person just wakes up one day and, poof, she’s popular – like it’s predestined. I think it’s also wrong to believe that the reverse is true – that somehow you get kicked to the bottom of the populadder and there you must stay. There are, I think, a few, simple, practical things you can do to be popular. So first, I’ll give you my easy-to-follow popularity tips – but stay tuned, because you really don’t need any of them.

Tip #1. Hair. From my own personal experience, popularity has a lot to do with hair. I call it the Hair Factor. When you have a high Hair Factor (for example, shiny, long, straight, shampoo commercial hair), it’s easier to be popular. So my advice would be: whenever possible, have long, pretty shampoo commercial hair. When your Hair Factor is low (my own is much lower than it appears in my photos), focus on the other tips. If you get the other tips right, absolutely nothing else matters.

Tip #2. Eye contact. Have you ever noticed that it’s really hard to look away from somebody when they’re looking right at you? Try it out yourself – first try it with someone who knows and likes you because looking someone directly in the eye can actually be pretty challenging at first. Just say hello. Then add something simple after that. Look right into their eyes and maybe smile…not crazy-person-smile…just regular-person. Then try it with someone you don’t know but maybe you’d like to know. See what happens.

Tip #3. Ask questions about the other person. When talking to someone else, don’t say a single thing about yourself – just ask and ask and ask. It’s a little known fact, but most people really couldn’t care less about you – only about themselves. Don’t think of this as a bad thing. Think of it as a step toward your popularity. People like people who are interested in them. (Advanced: try combining with Tip #2.)

Tip #4. Appear completely comfortable with yourself. I say “appear” because (another secret) nobody actually is completely comfortable with themselves…but popular people generally seem to be pretty cool about it. So how do you seem cool when deep down it’s the least thing you feel? You fake it. Stand tall when you feel like slouching. Speak up when you feel like mumbling. Smile when you feel like biting your nails. Turn toward someone when you feel like turning away. Once your body begins to feel comfortable you begin to feel it.

So, if you practice one or two of these tips everyday for about a week, you’ll be more popular on Friday than you were on Monday. But here’s the thing you need to take into consideration: being popular actually means nothing. It comes and goes a bit like nice weather – the only guarantee you get with popularity is that you won’t have it forever. The weather always turns bad at some point. In fact, the more popular you get, the worse it feels when you’re not popular anymore.

So Tip #5. Do something with your popularity. Being popular, or wanting to be popular, is not a bad thing – in fact it’s what politicians try and do every election. The most popular politician gets the most votes and then that person gets to make some laws (if they can hang onto that popularity long enough!). So if you’re lucky enough to have effortlessly inherited a spot at the top, or you’re plucky enough to have worked really hard for it, or determined enough not to let the everyday challenges get in your way – then do something great with your position: inspire the people who look up to you, invite someone new to eat lunch with you, think of ways to give and not take, do something that makes you proud to be you. These are the things that do last forever – and guess what (last secret) you don’t even have to be popular to do them.