Jody White, Speaking Directly

Here are some steps to be confident in all that you do: •Be your own best friend and pat yourself on the back, often. •Focus on the positive things in your life. •Surround yourself with people who support you and want you to be successful. •Never allow another person's negative comment or rejection to bring you down. •Wear clothes suit your body and style. •Keep your word…always! •When you are w ... rong, admit it and apologize. •Do your best every day. •Don't be defensive; remember people have different perspectives. •Remember that action speaks louder than word; follow through on your commitments. •Be easy on yourself; we all make mistakes but learn from them. •Remember life will always have ups and downs; keep a positive attitude.

If you search “listening” on the internet, you will find countless articles with great tips and ideas to listen better. No matter what you read, listening is a big challenge but it’s so important! Why it’s tough to listen. Many times we are distracted by what is happening around us that we disengage from the conversation. Perhaps other people are talking around us or walking by and interrupts our focus. Other distractions might be that we are thinking of things we need to do later in the day; grocery shopping, paying bills, homework, laundry and countless other duties. And yet, another distraction is within ourselves; we might be thinking of what we want to say next that we just don’t listen. What does listening have to do with communication? Everything! I used to believe I was listening intently to others on a regular basis because I could remember “bits and pieces” of a conversation. However, that WAS the problem! I realized I was “hearing” (sound of their voice) and not “liste...