You can blend in more easily in a crowd by wearing clothing that is dark in color, such as black, dark gray, and dark blue. Bright colors often make you stand out and announce your presence to others. You may decide to create a uniform of dark clothing that you wear throughout the week, such as dark blue jeans and black sweaters or shirts. You may then wear this dark clothing every day to blend in, no matter where you are. Eye contact is a key part of projecting positive body language that is welcoming to others. You can blend in and avoid interactions with people by averting your gaze so you do not make eye contact. Often, people will take a lack of eye contact as a sign you are not interested in making conversation or in connecting with others. You can also demonstrate closed body language, where you fold your arms over your chest and turn your body away from the person you are interacting with. These actions will likely discourage people from speaking or interacting with you and allow you to blend in more easily in a group. You can also blend in by not speaking up or saying much at all when you are around a group of friends or acquaintances. Staying silent when you are around others will make your presence less known and allow you to be almost invisible. This is not a great way to make friends or connect with others, but it will deflect attention away from you. You may also spend time on your own more than with others or with friends, as you will not have to worry about trying to blend into a group when you are alone. This can be isolating and lonely, but it can at least ensure that you will not stand out or be noticed by others.
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One-sentence summary -- Wear dark clothing. Avoid eye contact. Keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself.

There are some companies that manage to be consistently profitable and successful in their industry over many years. These companies have succeeded in building a "moat" around them to keep their competitors away. This distance from their competitors is also known as a competitive advantage. Competitive advantages allow these companies to make money and retain customers more easily than others. In turn, these companies are able to provide greater value and return to their shareholders. An investment in one of these companies allows you to participate in their competitive advantage. While they may not grow as quickly as smaller companies, they often can be less likely to fail in economic downturns and can provide consistent growth throughout the years to come. Blue-chip stocks are examples of large, successful companies with competitive advantages. These companies have provided consistent growth or dividends over many years and are listed on large stock indexes. Think Harley Davidson, Coke, BMW. These are brand names etched in the public mind as the best in their class. These companies can raise their prices on the strength of their brands, resulting in deeper profits.These companies are so well-known and essential that they are unlikely to lose a significant amount of customers to competitors. When was the last time you switched banks? Or cell phone providers? These services retain customers because switching between them is more time-consuming than it's worth. Companies that have high switching costs can be expected to hold on to their customers longer than companies that don't. Companies that are able to make products and sell them at much lower prices than their competition automatically attract customers -- lots of them -- as long as quality is not compromised. In a crowded market, this is generally the result of economies of scale, a phenomenon where a large company is able to experience lower production costs solely due to its size. Walmart and and Dell have perfected this concept to a science. Some companies are granted legal (if temporary) monopolies by the government. Large pharmaceutical companies and manufacturing companies with patents are able to bring a truly unique product to market. Companies that own copyrights, drilling rights, mining rights, and other forms of protected property are often the sole producer or service provider in their area. Thus, these companies can raise prices without fear of losing customers, resulting in higher profits. Be sure to check how long the company's patent or usage rights are in effect. Some of these are temporary and when they go, there's a chance the company's profit will go with them. Some companies are easily scalable. That is, their products or services with the potential to network or add more users over time. Adobe has become the de facto standard in publishing; Microsoft's Excel has done the same in spreadsheets. eBay is a great example of a user network. Each additional user to the network costs the company virtually nothing. The additional revenues that come in as the network expands go straight to the bottom line. For a more current example, consider Netflix. As a streaming service, they make more money for each subscriber, even as their costs remain virtually the same. That way, as they gain more users they will continue to grow in profitability, assuming they don't choose to increase costs significantly.
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One-sentence summary -- Understand competitive advantages. Invest in trusted brands. Find companies with high switching costs. Search for economies of scale. Invest in legal monopolies. Look for opportunities for easy growth.

Anyone who has ever had a broken bone and worn a cast knows, sometimes you just can't scratch an itch. One way to get some relief is to scratch someplace else on your body. This little mind trick relieves your body's desire to scratch without further inflaming the mosquito bite. You can try scratching near the itch, such as in a large circle around the bite. Be careful not to touch it by mistake! Alternatively, you can scratch someplace completely different, like the top of your head or the bottom of your feet. Repeat this any time you feel compelled to scratch. Instead of scratching, you can get some relief by gently patting the mosquito bite. A few light taps may be all that you need to sooth the itch and prevent scratching. If that doesn't work, you may try a slightly more intense pat. Eventually, you may even choose to slap the bite. Wait a few moments after patting before you increase the intensity of your pats. It may take a few moments for the pat to work. Repeat this anytime you feel compelled to scratch. One of the simplest ways to stop yourself from scratching is just to get your mind off of it. Do anything that can get your mind off the itch. The best activities will be things that involve your hands. That way, you'll be less likely to scratch absentmindedly. Play tennis. Do a crossword puzzle. Bake oatmeal cookies. Meditation has been an effective treatment for relieving itchiness caused by psoriasis. Use it to stop scratching your mosquito bites. Instead of focusing on the itch, simply close your eyes, take some deep breaths, and try not to think about anything. Set a timer and try to do this for five minutes at a time. Look for guided meditations online, if you would enjoy some guidance. Or put on some soothing music to help you relax. Putting socks on your hands is an easy way to remind yourself not to scratch. Even if you do scratch while the socks are on your hands, you won't be able to do much damage. You can make a sock puppet playhouse, and play with socks on your hands. This is good for children because it distracts them from their bites and focuses their attention on the game. Sealing the bite off from air can help reduce itchiness. Apply a piece of scotch tape onto your mosquito bite to accomplish this. Using scotch tape has the added benefit of preventing inadvertent touching, scratching, or irritation. It will be helpful for you to clean the affected area before applying the tape. Remove the scotch tape and repeat two to three times per day. Regular scotch tape will work best, but packing tape is a good option, too. Avoid using duct tape, as it can irritate your skin.
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One-sentence summary --
Scratch yourself near the itch. Pat the bite. Distract yourself. Use meditation. Put socks on your hands. Use scotch tape.