(To hear me read this post, click on the audio panel above) For many of us, it takes a while to find our voice. We’re afraid no one will listen, or those who listen won’t value what we have to say. So we stay silent. At one of my jobs right out of college, […]
The Night the Mute Bunny Found His Voice Read More »
“Don’t worry, I’ll walk you to your class,” I reassure my almost-kindergartener. But he shakes his head. “Nah, I got this, Mom. I know where my class is.” Really? Now, I realize he has the same teacher his 3 older brothers had and he’s been to her class a hundred times. But still, I “fake
What Every Mom Needs to Hear on the First Day of Kindergarten Read More »
(To hear the audio recording of this blog post, click on the white triangle in the black line above) “I’m not really a speaker; I’m more of a writer,” Jordan, a participant in my public speaking workshop, explains. Her dark brown hair frames her pretty face. “What do you write?” I ask. “My blog. It’s trustingadventure.com.”
The Place Between Panic and Rock Star Read More »
“Mom, I’m going to stop saying, ‘Um,’ starting now,” my 11-year old declares one night as I tuck him into bed. He then begins to tell me about his day. “So, mom, um…oh come on!” I smile, “Try it again.” “I really had fun today at the game when, um…oh rats!” “It’s hard, isn’t it?” He
3 Steps to Cure Your Ums Read More »
“You are way too blunt.” “You’re not blunt! You just tell it like it is!” “I appreciate your small talk. It makes me feel like you care.” “Enough small talk already- just get to the point!” Ever been completely confused by people’s contrasting opinions of your communication style? Ever been bewildered, trying to figure out
The Art of Mirroring Read More »
“Ben is trying to steal Jackson from me!” My son was distraught. The friend he thought was his “best friend” was spending a lot of time with another friend. “I know. It’s hard when it looks that way,” I said. Then I asked, “So what’s the scariest thing about that for you?” Big tears welled
“Let it Go”- Jealousy in Friendship Read More »
It’s April 27, 2001, 7:30pm. In an old theater, a hope-filled boyfriend kneels on a stage floor and offers his girlfriend a ring and life together. She smiles, “Yes!” Happy tears. He pours juice into the cup, bought especially for this occasion. He breaks the bread. They share communion. Community. Communication. They share. Wedding day.
“Amazing, simply amazing. Melt-in-your mouth. Your mama was a keeper.” Beth watched her dad’s mouth move, describing the delectable German chocolate cakes her mom used to bake, but all she could think was, “He’s a diabetic! He should not be talking about mom’s cakes. He’s only making it harder for himself.” Beth didn’t know it,
“Say What?” The 5 Levels of Listening Read More »
Dear Holly, How are you? I have enclosed an article for you. It says that couples who live together before they get married have a 50 percent higher divorce rate than couples who don’t. I thought you might want to know that before you move in with Sam. Love, Heidi It was a desperate letter.
Share from Your Heart Read More »
“Can we talk for a minute?” I pull my friend into another room where we can talk privately. And then I breathe deep. I am about to enter into a courageous conversation. Ironically, during the 8 hours prior, I had taught a few hundred C3 conference participants how to have a courageous conversation. And like
A Statement of Value Read More »