Welcome to this 179th edition of Rachel's Reflections, the number one Internet publication to help you develop your emotional intelligence and communication skills and gain greater clarity, contentment, calm and confidence.
Written and published by Rachel Green.
Visit our website at http://www.rachelgreen.com
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In this edition:
- How to be happy around grumpy people.
- Latest news: How to be a brilliant Master of Ceremonies, plus by-line WINNERS.
- Top tips on how to be happy around grumpy people.
- How you can learn more at home or work, immediately.
- Feature E-book and free tip. "The beginner's guide to being a brilliant Master of Ceremonies."
- Laugh your socks off.
1. Just because someone else is nasty ...
I was listening to a fascinating interview on the "Awaye" programme on ABC Rational National recently. It was an interview with Professor Mick Dodson, the former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. He was talking about the standards he tries to set for himself in communicating with people and how important it was for him to try and keep his cool and be compassionate. As part of this he said something along the lines of, "Just because someone else is nasty or mean-spirited doesn't mean you have to be. You can still be compassionate and kind." What a wonderful rule to live by. But how do we keep our cool when people are negative, nasty or mean? How can we still be considerate when another person isn't? Read on to the tips section to find out how. It's an essential customer service skill, and a great skill to have as a parent, as a team player, or with your partner.
2. Latest news: How to be a brilliant Master of Ceremonies.
Finally it's here - our third E-book "A Master of Ceremonies: The beginner's guide to being a brilliant MC". Public speaking is a task that many people feel nervous about, and yet we can so easily be thrust into a public speaking role, and especially MCing an event. The event might be your brother's wedding, your organisation's seminar or your school's graduation night. Whatever it is, if you get the job you'd better do it well, as the MC is very important in ensuring that an event is successful. And yet so many MCs are boring, aren't they? Or they get lost for words or are stiff and starchy. So what does an MC have to do to be successful? This book tells you, in an easy-to-read and practical way. It is full of tips on how to prepare, how to relate to your audience, the best ways to introduce and thank speakers, how to use a microphone, how to read a script confidently, how to welcome people, how to make an audience laugh, how to make sure you manage the timing perfectly, and more!
If you ever have to MC any event, small or big, you can't afford to get out in front of a crowd without reading this first. It's 73 A4 pages, easy to read, very well organised and only $25 Australian. Get your copy now - online - on our new secure server in our Book and CD store. Click here to order now.
And what's the advantage of an E-book? Well firstly, you get it immediately - no waiting for postal deliveries. Secondly, there are checklists in the E-book so you can print them out easily as often as you want. And thirdly, they're easy for us to update, and once you've bought the first edition you benefit by getting any second editions absolutely free. And finally, they are tree-friendly and more environmentally friendly than a written book. So buy your copy now. Click here to order now.
The by-line winners.
Once again we got so many great suggestions - it was a thrill for me. In the end I will adopt a number of them in different situations, such as the slogan for the business overall, seminar titles, products, etc. Consequently I am giving more than one set of prizes.
The BIG WINNERs are:
"Personal Growth? My Oath!" - Mike Cheffins.
"To talk and to feel are the essence of life." - Heather Klaebe
"Lotions for emotions." - Marie Robinson.
"You can only get smarter." - John Addley.
"Life skills for dills." - Mike Green. (I wouldn't normally use this language but the book series "for dummies" have been a huge success.)
"Clear. Calm. Confident." - Nina Mock.
These winners will all receive a free copy of all our products.
Congratulations and thanks so much to everyone. Please could the winners let me know their postal addresses so we can mail out the prizes. If you have further ideas following this please keep sending them in. I am still not sure if we have exactly the right one for the business. I am always happy to see other ideas and give further prizes if we adopt them.
3. Top tips on how to be happy around grumpy people.
Tip A. Don't give your happiness away to others.
When you are surrounded by negative, angry or grumpy people it can be hard not to be sucked into their mood, can't it? And yet why give your happiness away because of other people's bad moods. One of the first steps to take, in order to stop yourself doing this, is to make a determination: "I will not be sucked in by other people's moods", or "I am determined to stay contained within my own contentment, irrespective of other people's emotions." Remind yourself of this regularly.
Tip B. Accept that bad moods don't get you anywhere.
In the diary I got recently, with quotes from the Dalai Lama, there was a great one which said, "What irritates us in the first place is that our wishes are not fulfilled. But remaining upset does nothing to help fulfil those wishes. So we neither fulfil our wishes nor regain our cheerfulness."
So remember, if someone has upset you, when you hang on to the upset it is now you who are disturbing your own contentment, and not the other person. So let it go and return to happiness. We cover ways to do this in our feature course of the fortnight, "How to keep your cool, even with angry and irritating people" on Friday, 24th March 2006. Come along and learn more. Click here to book in, now!
Tip C. Find something to keep you amused.
When other people are grumpy and you don't want to be, find something to keep you amused inside your head. I don't mean laugh out loud at the other person but you might find the way they walk or move amusing, you might imagine that they sound like Donald Duck; or you might visualise them in a funny fairy dress outfit. If you can't do this while you're actually with them at least do it when you're thinking about them afterwards so your contentment centre doesn't get further eroded by their grumpiness.
Tip D. Think kind thoughts.
I was starting to get irritated myself the other day. I was sitting near someone in our meditation group who was breathing very loudly. And not only was it loud but it was at a much faster breathing rate than my own. As I was focusing on my breath going in and out of my body, I was allowing this breathing to disturb my concentration. I started having a dialogue in my head about his breathing! "Can't you breathe more quietly, honestly how can you expect us to meditate and become still while you're making such a commotion" and on my negative thinking went. And out of the window my happiness went. And then my teacher reminded me, if you had spread kind thoughts to that person you probably would have been able to concentrate and maintain your equilibrium. How right he was. I've been practising it since. I've discovered that when I think kindly about someone I stay happier than when I start judging them with a negative commentary. So if I want to stay happy around grumpy people I know what to do - be kind!
4. How you can learn more at home or work, immediately.
How not to take things personally: Dealing positively with negativity."
Let snide comments, sarcasm, angry outbursts and irritating people wash over you like water off a duck's back. Learn how to keep calm, not take things to heart and know what to say when people are negative or nasty. Don't let people get to you. Get the 2 CD set now! AU$45.00, with no extra for postage, world-wide.
Bonus: If you order and pay for these CDs no later than Wednesday, 15th March 2006, then you will receive a FREE copy of the E-book, "What to do when women cry: A manual for men." It's worth $25. So hurry as this offer closes Wednesday, 15th March 2006.
5. Featured Electronic book (E-book) of the fortnight, plus a free tip ...
A Master of Ceremonies. The beginner's guide to being a brilliant MC.
Everything you need to know about being a Master of Ceremonies for anyone who isn't experienced in doing it. There are sample introductions, checklists on what to prepare 14 days, 7 days and 1 day before; sample thank yous, practical exercises on script reading, tips on using a microphone, advice on how to use humour, tips on how to write good introductions and much, much more.
One of the many tips from the E-book
Being a Master of Ceremonies is a very responsible job. Part of your role is to manage the timing of the event - to ensure that speakers, performers and sessions start and finish on time. You therefore need to work out in advance exactly how you are going to do this and then to make sure that everybody knows what the rules are and what will happen if they break them. And then you have to do what you say. So if you've said you'll ring a bell, 2 minutes before they're due to finish, then make sure you absolutely ring the bell at that time. So many MCs don't and the timing gets in a mess. Don't let this happen. The book has a whole section devoted to managing the timing. Read it before you MC.
Order now and receive it immediately.
6. Laugh your socks off.
Thanks to Rachel's Reflections reader, Carolyn Young, for this joke.
A blonde calls her boyfriend and says,
"Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started."
Her boyfriend asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?"
The blonde says "According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster."
Her boyfriend decides to go over and help with the puzzle. She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table. He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box,
"First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster".
He takes her hand and says "Secondly, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then ...
he said with a deep sigh,
"............let's put all these Corn Flakes back in the box."
If you have some clean jokes we can use, please send your contributions to
May you find you can stay calm and cool, and even give a touch of kindness when others are irritated or angry.
Until next fortnight,
With kindness,
Rachel.
How else you can gain greater clarity, contentment, calm or confidence.
Make sure you read the next Rachel's Reflections:
 | Overcoming the fear of public speaking.
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| Rolling Stones still on tour at 60!
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| How to make sense of other people.
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| The value of anger and anxiety.
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| How to be happy even when undergoing change.
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If you would like to have a conference or event with an energetic and entertaining speech, e-mail or call +61 8 9390 1188.
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If you need to enhance your people's communication, presentation, people management or emotional intelligence skills, I can help you:
Wanting to learn in your own time?
There are four CDs, a printed book and 3 Electronic books to help you:
- "Happy not hassled: Manage your emotions, meditate and find contentment": 2 CD set, only $45.
- "How not to take things personally: Dealing positively with negativity": 2 CD set only $45.
- "Midlife and Happiness": A book to inspire anyone over 40. Only $34.95.
- "How to be a winner at dinner: Chat and network with confidence": 3 CD set and booklet, only $75.
- "Becoming a skilled communicator": 3 CD set, only $60.
Order all 4 CDs in one go and you receive the printed book completely free - a saving of $34.95. Please order in our online book and CD store - we have a secure server: click here.
Also available:
- An Electronic book: "What to do when women cry: A manual for men." 71 pages. Only $25.00. Orders only through the website click here.
- An Electronic book: "7 fatal mistakes people make when organising conferences or seminar programmes. And how to avoid them." 42 pages. Only $25.00. Orders only through the website click here.
- An Electronic book: "A Master of Ceremonies: A beginner's guide to being a brilliant MC." 73 pages. Only $25.00. Orders only through the website click here.
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Disclaimer: The information in this newsletter is of a general nature and may not suit everyone or every situation. While every care has been taken to ensure it is useful and appropriate, no responsibility can be taken for the results gained from its implementation. Please seek individual professional guidance for any difficulties you may have in your communication, inter-personal or people skills. Thank you.
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