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Relationships

7 Ways to Harness the Power of Questions

Jun 8th, 2011
by Guest.
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QuestionsAuthor – Kevin Eikenberry

We all use questions everyday – in every part of our lives: as a leader, as a peer, as a parent, as a team member, as a spouse. We can’t get through the day without asking at least some questions. Even if the only questions you ask all day are:

“How are you doing?”, or

“What’s new?”

You are still asking questions.

So I’m not going to urge you to simply ask questions; that doesn’t make much sense – you already do that. The challenge I have for you today is to ask more and better questions.

When you ask more and better questions you can become more effective as a leader, a peer, a parent, a team member, a spouse and more. Here are ten specific ways that will lead you to asking more and better questions – and as a result become more effective and get better results. (more…)

Dos and Don’ts for Making Friends

Apr 15th, 2011
by Guest.
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FriendsGuest author Robin Chung

Life is often a little sweeter when you have people to share your problems and successes with. Therefore people all over the world are making friends on daily basis and maintaining existing relationships, but what is the best way of gaining a strong network of ticking hearts? And how can one prevent from looking desperate? Those answers and more in this article, here are my dos and don’ts.

Do show your best self

This may be a no brainer but judging from experience this step is often ignored. It’s so easy to be at your best, yet so many refuse to do the steps. To make a strong impression make sure your hygiene is top notch, haircut is okay and clothes are stainless. You do not have to look like a Hollywood star or a stepped down governor of a curtain state, but please make an effort. Even a little flinch of hair gel will go a long way in looking approachable. (more…)

25 Tips for a Terrific Marriage

Oct 30th, 2010
by Gary N. Larson.
2 comments

Marrying someone is a scary thing. You hope you choose the right person. You think you know them but you don’t. Not really! When my wife Lisa and I were dating we were so much in love. We couldn’t stand to be apart from each other. Neither of us could do any wrong. Then we got married. I woke up the next day beside a complete stranger! Who is this person? The first time we went shopping together we got into a big fight about cheese, if you can believe that!

No marriage is perfect. Even the best of marriages experience problems from time to time. Just because you have problems in your marriage doesn’t mean you have a bad marriage or that you should end your relationship. Nor does it mean you should begin a project to fix your spouse. If you try, you will fail every time. You can’t force anyone to do or be anything. I believe that the only way to get a better spouse is to become one yourself.

They say marriage is grand and divorce is at least 10 grand!

That is why I have put together this list of 25 tips to help you become the best spouse you can be. Here it is:

  1. Keep Dating – Just because you are married doesn’t mean the dating stops. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind of life and never get out together, away from the children, house and bills. Go to the park, a concert, the gym, out to dinner or a movie.
  2. Have Courtesy – Courtesy in marriage is more than just saying “Please,” “Thank you,” “Excuse me,” or “You’re welcome.” Courtesy in marriage is calling your partner to let them know you’re going to be late. It’s being conscious of their needs and making sure they are met.
  3. Show Respect – Your spouse will have opinions that are different than yours. Show respect for them by never belittling or making fun of them. Show respect for their ideas, their privacy, and their things.
  4. Say “I’m Sorry” – Be the first to make peace. Be willing to say “I’m sorry” and mean it. (more…)

The Power of Biting Your Tongue

Oct 4th, 2010
by Gary N. Larson.
1 comment

Bite Your TongueHave you ever said something you later regretted? I certainly have. Many times. One time when I felt like letting my daughter have a verbal lashing, I didn’t. I bit my tongue and learned an important lesson in the process.

My oldest daughter Erika was home from college for the summer and for one reason or another we were just not getting along. This is what I recorded in my journal that day:

Today was Mother’s Day. It was a good day. However, first I want to note what I feel was a significant thing that happened to me today. My relationship with Erika lately had been less than warm. It seemed we were clashing about something on a daily basis and I was so down and depressed about it. I just was so sad inside. I had no smiles in me. It was like I had a dark cloud following me around. And of course last night it happened again when we had some not-so-nice words about what you call a car gas cap, of all things! I wanted so bad to just chew her out and tell her how I really felt about the way she talks to me. I felt like telling her if she wanted to live here she better treat me right or she should just go live somewhere else. But I bit my tongue and said nothing.

Well, this morning I still had the gloomy cloud over me. I was in the bathroom about to shave when Erika came in. She smiled at me and then apologized about what she said last night. I told her that her apology was accepted and that I forgave her.

I was really amazed that the dark gloomy cloud over me totally lifted. From that point on my whole day was great. I felt so good inside like a light had been turned on. Even my headache went away.  

Two things I learned: First the value of holding your tongue. If I had chewed her out I’m sure we would still have bad blood between us. The second thing I learned was the power of our moods and how much they affect everything we do – for good or ill. Interesting.

Next time you get the urge to verbally berate someone, think twice and bite your tongue. You may be surprised at the outcome.

6 Tips to Develop Self-Confidence with Others

Sep 2nd, 2010
by Gary N. Larson.
1 comment

Self-Condidence

Are you the kind of person who struggles in social settings? Are you shy and tend to stand in the background? Do you run from social situations because they are scary and uncomfortable for you?

You may have seen other people that seem to project self-confidence. They appear to have no problem in any social situation. They make friends easily and seem to be able to connect with others. How do they do it?

Today I’m going to share 6 ways to help you develop confidence with others. If you follow these six simple tips you will begin to feel more confident with yourself and more comfortable in social settings. There is no magic here, just six simple tips. Here they are:

Tip Number 1: Be a Front-Row-Seater

When you attend any function such as a meeting, seminar, or class where there is a large group of people, what is the first row of seats that fill up? The back row! It seems like most everyone wants to be in the back, out of the way, unobtrusive, and unnoticed. They want to just slide into the back unobserved. You need to change that attitude. You need to be a front-row-seater.

Let’s face it; outgoing, confident people don’t sit on the back row. You will find those people sitting on the front row and that’s where you should be also. It’s a signal of your willingness to jump in and be a part of the situation. Sitting on the front row may be uncomfortable at first but it puts you right up there with the important people. Another benefit is (more…)

Cash in on the Universal Law of Human Behavior

Jul 23rd, 2010
by Gary N. Larson.
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Necktie

Let me start off by making a very bold statement. There is a law of human behavior that works every time. It never fails. There are no exceptions. It will work with rebellious teenagers, nagging wives, uncaring husbands, demeaning bosses, obstinate employees, or annoying neighbors. When you use this law you will get others to admire and respect you. You will get others to want to help you get what you want. You will convert your enemies into friends. You will get other people to do what you want them to do. Interested?

The Universal Law at work

Several years ago I had an experience that taught me this great lesson of human behavior. I had just finished a large software development project for an RV park and campground. It was a new reservation system and it required me to spend several days at the campground installing the software and training the employees how to use it.

One day as I was working behind the reservation desk a very large and expensive motorhome pulled up to the campground office. An older woman stepped out of the motorhome and came in to the office. She was an elegant (more…)

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