30 March 2006

Start Improving Your Communication Skills

You're at this site for one reason. So let me ask you, why do you want to improve your communication skills? What started that desire? Many people begin learning about communication as a result of not wanting to have arguments. They are tired of fighting with family or business collegues over matters that mean nothing.

How many times have you argued about what t.v. show you want to watch? What about who does the dishes? I'm 100% guilty of these things. These are stupid little things in life that take away our enjoyment. I realized that it doesn't have to be like this and so my journey learning about communication began. Others learn the skills because the very few people who have excellent interpersonal skills are sought after from employers who are willing to pay big $$$.

Once you see that arguments (one of the many areas in communication problems) can be better handled and the amount employers spend on providing communication training, I believe you too will begin to see the power in improving your communication skills.

That's what I want you to realize today. Your everyday interactions with family, friends, and that little invisible green friend on your shoulder, can be better by improving these skills. Don't settle for normal relationships or even poor ones. You can have great relationships and with the people you know today! If you are interested in having great relationships in business, with family and friends, or with anyone, you can do so by signing up to my free newsletter.

Let your desire or the reason you want to learn about communication, grow into a passion. As with anything in life, if you don't have passion, you pursuit is half-hearted. With half-hearted effort comes half-results and from half-results, you lose the motivation to continue improving your communication and eventually you give-up. Remember why you want to improve your people skills. Because you want your life to be better. Jump in and learn about this stuff and you'll never regret you made that choice.

21 March 2006

Feel the Love

Today on the 21st March is Harmony Day for Australians. It's the 1 day out of 365 where Aussies are expected to get along in a friendly manner. The other days are all left to drunken mateship. To live in harmony for just 1 single day is hard enough for anyone. Which brings me to a funny little story.

Three years ago, a student at our local high school was being bullied and laughed at by fellow students. She came home early from school one day crying and depressed. Having seen enough of the abuse her child was suffering, the mum stormed into the school where the bullying child's parent was picking her kids up from school. Not knowing how to handle the situation with good communication skills, the fed up mum exploded from her passive behavior of putting up with her child's pain to starting a fight with the offending child's mum.

That's not very funny at all, but what was funny was a major Brisbane television station covered the story and drew the link to Harmony Day as the incident occurred on that day. Anyway, it was funny to me. I guess you just had to of seen it.

So what caused the mum's explosion? Not knowing every little detail of the situation but having a general understanding of similiar reactions, such volcanic outbursts will occur when feelings are shut. Eventually the emotions keep adding up in a tank until it overfills and then the outburst occurs. The explosive emotions can even be released on the most innocent person.

To learn more about how to correctly release yourself without resorting to a good ole fist fight, I suggest you check out assertive vs aggressive communication. Such poor communication skills can result in fights that provide fun entertainment for others to watch, but not a solution to the situation. You need to learn how to assert yourself even if not doing so doesn't result in fights. Otherwise you will be bottling yourself up or at the other extreme hurting other people.