Book: “How To Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
I have read How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie several times. Love this book. The first time I read it was in High School and it is still one of my favorites. A great book for anyone wanting to improve their relationships. Dale Carnegie has a lot of other wonderful books that are worth checking out.
Raising Young Children Together
Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending a local area MOPS group. The topic was on “Honoring Your Parents”. Many times we think this is a topic for our children, however, it continues to have applications for us as adults when interacting with our parents and in-laws. We all grew up in different homes and have encountered a variety of situations throughout our lives. Every one of us is on a our own journey and we need God’s grace to get us through each day. He is continuing to do great things in our lives as well as in the hearts and lives of people around us. When our hearts are changed it should have an effect on the relationships in our lives (including our immediate and extended family). The decisions that both parents, extended family, and friends make impacts on the lives of our kids. Are our reactions helping or hurting others? What a great message! Thanks Jay!
If you are a Mom of young children I encourage you to check out a MOPS program in your area. Being a Mom of little ones is a busy season in our lives so having the opportunity to spend time with other Moms is a true blessing. Surrounding yourself with Moms going through a similar stage in life uplifts the spirit and provides a common bond.
What is MOPS? The initials stand for “Mothers of Preschoolers”. Any Mom that is pregnant or has kids up through kindergarten is welcome to participate in a MOPS program. The goal is to bring Moms together to have fun, encourage each other, and be the best Moms we can be. Click here to find a MOPS group located near you. I hope you enjoy your time of fellowship with Moms in your area!
More information about the organization can be found on the MOPS website.
No referrals are received by sharing this information. This information is to help encourage Moms as they raise little ones. I cannot guarantee that every group will be perfect and/or tailored to your specific needs. It has been beneficial for me and I hope it will be for your family as well. Please contact MOPS directly for more detailed information on MOPS and for a list of groups in your area.
FREE Audio Book: “Love is a Verb” by Gary Chapman
FREE Audio Book Download:
For the month of October Christian Audio is offering a free download of their audio book “Love Is A Verb” by Dr. Gary Chapman.
Dr. Chapman has been helping people communicate better, love deeper, and build stronger relationships through his books. He is well known for his book “The Five Love Languages” which is a regular on the “New York Times Best Sellers” list. Thanks Christian Audio!
Reviving Relationships
As the days fly by you may not necessarily realize how long its been since reconnecting with certain people in your life. While at a family members house during a recent trip to the Midwest I was able to attend a local BBQ. There were multiple people at the BBQ that I hadn’t seen in years, a few it had been 20 plus years. When people get busy with their lives and you live across the country from each other you just cannot get together on a regular basis. The reunion was not planned but it was really neat that we all timed our visit right around the same time. It was an avenue to reunite with each other and catch up on the lives of those we have not seen for quite awhile.We are grateful to have so many different ways of communicating these days through phone, email, Facebook and other Social Media. Although even with distance between family, friends, and business connections we have more ways to interact with each other regularly. However, face to face interaction is definitely more personal and more memories can be created together. Having these multiple venues for staying connected in between the face to face reunions help us stay involved in the lives of family, friends, and business acquaintances. You may meet someone and get to know them first online before meeting them in person. Many great business relationships have been started via Social Media. We are thankful to have these tools available for us to both initiate and continue conversations with people in our lives.
How do you stay connected to family, friends, and business contacts?
Celebrating the Successes!
As we reflect back on 2009 let’s celebrate our accomplishments. It has been a year full of surprises, challenges, and blessings for ourselves as well as the many people in our lives. There have been goals that exceeded our expectations while others proved to be great character building opportunities. Take a moment to objectively review your goals whether you have them written down or not. It is a wonderful a time to remember both the personal and professional opportunities that have taken place over the past few months. Here are a few areas to review:- Relationships – certain relationships may have blossomed into something even more precious while others have gone in less desirable directions. Have you been taking time to nurture and grow your relationships over the past year? We are blessed with wonderful family members, friends, and professionals that need our time and attention.
- Health – we can be thankful for each day that we have an opportunity to enjoy. We may be in perfect health or possibly we have overcome some health challenges personally or gone through it with a friend or family, whatever our case may be, we are blessed with another day to make an impact on the lives of those around us.
- Finances – it has been a great year for some while very difficult year for others. The neat part is many people have taken the time to learn how to budget, cut back on the extras, and show their family ways to give to those who are going through a tough season. It is a wonderful time of year to be thankful for what you have and to help others.
- Knowledge – everyday is filled with new opportunities to learn and gain experience. Many exciting activities have taken place in the lives of those around us – new businesses have been started, Social Media has been a whirlwind of new experiences, couples were married, children were born, schooling completed, and many other great accomplishments were made. Think about the new experiences in your life and how you are a better person because of the knowledge you have gained this year.
Whether it has been a wildly successful or challenging year for you we all have accomplishments that we can be thankful for in our lives. And for those goals that you haven’t quite met yet you still have a couple more weeks. Give it all you got!
A Gift of Thanks!
When is the last time you were given a thoughtful gift from the heart? A gift that made a positive impact on your life? I love Thanksgiving because it is a truly wonderful time of the year when people are thankful for all the blessings in their lives. We need to make a real effort to continue the spirit of thankfulness every day of our lives. Take time every day to make a meaningful contribution into a person’s life. Everyone desires to be appreciated and thoughtfulness for others goes a long way in both our personal and professional lives. Giving “A Gift of Thanks” does not mean it has to be time consuming, expensive, or stressful. Here are a few quick ways to express your “Gift of Thanks” and thoughtfulness to those you interact with in your day to day life:
- Share a Smile – you may be the only smile someone encounters that day. Make it a point to specifically smile at people you interact with throughout the day. Smile when you are greeting people prior to a business event, shopping at the grocery store, waiting in line, welcoming them into your home, or making an introduction.
- Give a Hug – greet a personal or professional contact with a hug. Some people love hugs and others really need a hug. This is true in both personal and business situations. A hug is more personal than a handshake and demonstrates an appreciation for the recipient. Use discernment and common sense because not everyone will be comfortable with a hug. Reserve big bear hugs for close friends and family.
- Note of Appreciation – a handwritten note of thanks, appreciation or thoughtfulness still means a lot. Whether it is a client you haven’t heard from in a couple weeks, a friend who has recently lost a loved one, a family member on your mind and heart, a birthday, or reconnecting with a business contact. Take the time to write a note and touch the lives of those connected to you.
- Call of Encouragement – use the phone as friendly reminder that you care. If they do not answer please be courteous and leave a message. New business owners are excited about their products or services, call to see how things are going for them, listen, and encourage them. A Mom with a newborn may appreciate a call from a friend to share new milestones or to encourage her. Some people love a long chit chat and others do not. Practice ways to give a “word” of encouragement while respecting their time.
- Cup of Coffee or Tea – share a cup of coffee or tea with a business contact, friend, or family member. It is important to reconnect with someone you haven’t seen in awhile. Make it a time to catch up and learn about what’s going on in their life and/or business. It is not a time to sale or pry into deep problems but a few moments to help and encourage.
Take time every day to give “A Gift of Thanks” to someone connected to you both personally and professionally. Reaching out to others will be a rewarding experience for everyone. Let’s help each other remember the importance of showing appreciation and kindness to others as a daily routine. Please share a story of how you were impacted or how you impacted another person by giving “A Gift of Thanks” with us.
Wishing you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
